Gentry's Journey

A lot of people assume pastors are immune to mental health struggles, but grief does not check your title before it hits. We talk with Pastor Aubrey Richardson of Rivers of Living Water Believers Church in Birmingham, Alabama about losing his father during the COVID era, carrying new leadership weight overnight, and sliding from “I’m fine” into depression, panic, and a moment so dark he called the...

You can feel it when someone has built a real ecosystem, not just a side hustle. I’m joined by Darisha “Aisha” Tillman Saddler, author, radio host, celebrity interviewer, and the founder and editor-in-chief behind Hardcore Grind magazine, to talk about how she turns ideas into platforms and connections into community. We get specific about what it actually takes to run a magazine and media brand:...

What does it take to reinvent your life when the world says stay in your lane? We sit down with Judge Lorraine Williams Pringle to chart a journey that starts on a segregated Alabama street, moves through ICU night shifts and policy manuals, and lands on the family court bench—powered by faith, community, and audacious work. Lorraine shares how nursing shaped her legal mind: triage thinking for cr...

What if the fastest way to change your body is to start with your mind? We sit down with wellness consultant Shay J to trace a gritty, hopeful journey from grief and burnout to steady energy, sustainable weight loss, and a calm, clear head. The turning point wasn’t a perfect diet; it was a daily practice—renew your mind, anchor your spirit, then feed your body like it matters. Shay opens up about...

What if faith didn’t stop at inspiration and actually changed the way we live, decide, and love? We sit down with Reverend Simone Oliver—author, educator, minister, and life coach—to explore how practical discipleship turns belief into daily action. From a career in interior design to the classroom and then seminary, Simone’s story shows that callings can emerge in chapters, each one clarified by...

A rotating blue star on Birmingham’s skyline. A nurse walking into night shift with steady hands and a pen that won’t sleep. Kathleen Fentry joins us to share how a life in emergency rooms, ambulances, and volunteer firetrucks turned into poems that honor grief, grit, and everyday grace. We trace the path from her first EMT classes in the early 90s to the front nozzle on a training burn, where a f...

A Navy uniform in a mall window set off a chain of choices that led from boot camp to med school—and then to a new kind of healing grounded in prevention, food, and steady habits. We sit down with Dr. Chi Chi to unpack how a hypertension scare, the grind of residency applications, and stories of physician burnout reshaped her approach to care and to her own life. The result is a practical playbook...

A quiet paragraph about a coffee pot lit the fuse. Years later, Sheila Lawrence—career programmer, minister, and lifelong Birmingham local—has turned that spark into a distinctive mix of cozy mysteries and inspirational nonfiction that entertains without grim details and still delivers a satisfying jolt of surprise. We talk through the heart of her craft: how a body can already be on the floor yet...

A candid, wide-ranging conversation with DA Lennise Washington reveals how a prosecutor can be both tough on violent crime and tender toward people caught in the system. We trace her journey from a solo law practice to the first black woman elected DA in Alabama, then into a role she’s actively redefining: coordinating multi-agency crackdowns, reviewing potential wrongful convictions, and standing...

A single performance inside a women’s jail changed everything. When a character’s confession cracked the room open, Tina Witherby saw how acting can say the words people carry but can’t voice. From that moment on, the craft stopped being a chase for credits and became a practice of presence, courage, and care. We trace Tina’s path from a tight-knit Alabama community and church recitations to Atlan...

What if faith could be the spark that makes reading click? We sit with Dr. Gladys Amerson—nurse, respiratory therapist, educator, poet, and lifelong Sunday school teacher—to explore how Learning ABCs with Jesus blends sight words, matching scriptures, and simple images to unlock memory and meaning for young readers. Gladys explains why kids learn best when they see, hear, and touch their lessons,...

A quiet voice can carry a lifetime. Shanita Dawson joins us to trace a path from a toddler’s first memory of violence to an adult survivor who turned near-death into purpose, authorship, and advocacy. What begins with hard truths—molestation, decades of domestic abuse, and being shot multiple times—opens into a masterclass on recognizing control, trusting discernment, and building an exit before d...

A routine mammogram. No symptoms. And then everything changed—twice. Joyce E. Brooks returns to share how a stage-one breast cancer diagnosis in 2008 and a recurrence in 2019 pushed her to trade the superwoman sprint for a life built on faith, family, and fun. Her story is not about perfection or platitudes; it’s about early detection, honest grief, and everyday habits that rebuild strength from t...

The first clue is rarely a label—it’s a pattern. We sit down with psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner Mel “Gibbs” to trace that pattern from a parent’s early hunch about autism to the concrete supports that actually help: teacher observations, school evaluations, paraprofessionals, resource rooms, and sensory-aware routines that turn overwhelm into progress. Mel brings a rare dual lens—fa...

Ever wondered why you still feel exhausted despite drinking plenty of water and taking vitamins? The answer might lie in how your body absorbs nutrients. Denisha Opoku, owner of Live Hydration and Wellness, discovered this firsthand when severe dehydration landed her in the ER despite her medical background as a nurse practitioner. This eye-opening experience inspired Denisha and her husband to la...

What happens when faith meets mental health? In this deeply insightful conversation, psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner Tanya Gooding brings her 30+ years of healthcare experience to bear on one of today's most pressing issues: maintaining mental wellness in a chaotic world. With warmth and wisdom, Tanya draws important distinctions between depression ("worrying about things in...

The stark reality hits like a punch to the gut: Black men in America suffer worse health outcomes than any other demographic group. But why? In this powerful conversation with certified family nurse practitioner Isaiah Sankey, we dig beneath the statistics to uncover the complex interplay between personal choices, systemic barriers, and cultural norms that create this crisis. Sankey, who also serv...

Joyce E. Brooks captivates listeners with her powerful journey from electrical engineering executive to author, artist, and stress management expert. With warmth and authenticity, she shares the philosophy that transformed her life after facing unexpected challenges: "it ain't over." At the heart of this episode is Brooks' revolutionary PEACE strategy for managing stress withou...

Two pioneering pharmacists are radically transforming healthcare delivery by prioritizing patients over prescriptions. Dr. Jennifer and Dr. Pauline, co-founders of Meds Plus Consulting, share their journey from traditional pharmacy roles to creating an innovative healthcare model that puts relationship-building at its core. Their story begins with a chance meeting at Walgreens in 2001, where Dr. J...

What happens when women refuse to suffer in silence? Lives transform, generations heal, and nations change. In this powerful conversation, three courageous co-authors from "Rising Above Narcissistic Abuse Volume 3" share the journeys that brought them to storytelling as a path toward healing. Visionary anthology creator Ina Johnson-Myers reveals how divine inspiration during her darkest...

Reading isn't just a pastime—it's a lifeline that connects us to knowledge, history, and each other. Dr. Audrey Ann Moses welcomes two accomplished authors who demonstrate this powerful truth through their diverse experiences and writings. Nurse Carolyn Coleman brings 35 years of healthcare expertise alongside her creative writing pursuits. As both a medical professional and author of fi...

Lisa Faulkner's remarkable journey from communications professional to ministry leader reveals how seemingly disconnected career paths often lead us exactly where we're meant to be. With over three decades of experience under the communications umbrella, Lisa shares how an unexpected detour from broadcasting to writing human interest stories set the foundation for her future calling. The...

When tragedy strikes, how do we find meaning in seemingly senseless loss? Charlena Bray's journey provides a powerful answer to this universal question. After becoming a widow at just 26 years old and subsequently experiencing the deaths of her parents and five siblings, Charlena discovered her calling: helping others navigate grief through biblical encouragement. For 35 years, Charlena has w...

Have you ever stumbled upon something seemingly insignificant that sparked a creative revolution in your life? Sonya Mitchell, our special guest on Gentry's Journey, shares how a simple straw hat on the ground during the pandemic inspired her to embark on a remarkable journey from Birmingham, Alabama, to becoming a published author. With roles as varied as a college recruiter and a US Postal...