Lament of Hope

Emma Warren joined Celtic Woman less than a year ago, and now is touring the U.S. for their 20th anniversary tour. Emma talked with me about  her experience with the group so far, how she unwinds during the hectic tour schedule, and what song she hopes to try her hand at someday.

Jessica Steen is a Canadian actress who is currently acting in the CBC  Heartland  series. Jessica talked with me about the unhealthy obsession culture has for depressing entertainment, aging in acting, and her take on the spirituality of nature.

Elizabeth Ford knows what it is like to be hungry. She grew up sitting outside of 7-Eleven asking customers for quarters so that she could buy a hotdog. Elizabeth talked with me about her upbringing, her relationship with her mom, and how she came to start BetterALife , a nonprofit organization in Purcellville, Virginia that ministers to children and families in need.

Inna Sahakyan talked with me about her filmmaking process for  Aurora's Sunrise , an animation that documents the story of Armenian genocide survivor, Aurora Mardiganian. Inna and I discussed the historical accuracy of the film, how much atrocity to portray to a film audience, as well as Inna's desire for humanity to reestablish justice for all.

Anita Tatlow and her husband form the Christian music group Salt of the Sound . Anita discussed her philosophy of worship music, living in Hong Kong, and the adoption of her first son.

Simone Porter is an accomplished violinist who has performed with several orchestras including the New York Philharmonic, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and the Philadelphia Orchestra. Simone talked with me about her journey with the violin starting as a three-year-old, the struggles of being a professional musician, as well as her book favorites.

Jess is a mother, entrepreneur, and a registered nurse in a birthing center who has a passion to encourage women in their motherhood journey . Our world, including the medical community, can be a large source of discouragement and stress for new moms. Jess' input is a breath of fresh air and hope for women wanting more information on pregnancy and motherhood.

I really enjoyed getting to speak with Todd from Voice of the Martyrs . We discussed the importance of believers remembering their persecuted brothers and sisters, not only in prayers for their freedom, but in prayers for sustainment during difficult times. It is easy to romanticize believers who are being persecuted around the world. However, Todd emphasized that those suffering need Christ's...

I really enjoyed getting to speak with Amber. She is such a warm and personable individual who is open to discussing life. Amber talked to me about her journey with a lupus diagnosis, The Chosen series' relevance to the Christian community, and her desires for acting opportunities going forward.

I was blessed to speak with Marty Goetz and his wife, Jennifer. We discussed the war in Israel and its spiritual applications for believers around the globe. Marty and Jennifer shared the hope Messianic Jews and Gentile believers have in Yeshua, and how Israel and the Jewish people are essential in God's redemptive plan for the world.

It was a gift to talk with Traci about how she walked through two miscarriages as well as a cancer diagnosis. Traci discussed the importance of sharing your heart with the Lord, no matter how you are feeling, and being real with Him during difficult times. 

Joel Salatin , co-owner of Polyface Farm, discussed with me the importance of a healthy and clean farm environment, how the farm environment affects food production, and how to take baby steps in eating cleaner food. I honestly learned so much from this interview regarding meat production, and highly recommend giving it a watch if you are considering alternatives to buying meat and dairy products...

I spoke with Jean Bizimana about growing up as an orphan in Rwanda as a result of the Rwandan genocide. We also discussed how he chose his name, how orphans are cared for now in Rwanda, as well as his project of discovering motherhood through conversations with Rwandan mothers. 

Isabel Vaughan-Spruce came into the public eye in 2022 when she was arrested in the UK for praying silently outside an abortion clinic. Isabel was arrested again for the same "offense"  a few months later in March of 2023. The case against Isabel was eventually dropped in September of 2023. Isabel continues to pray and advocate for women experiencing an unplanned preganancy .

I have researched more regarding Terri Schiavo's story since my interview with Terri's brother, Bobby Schindler, last month. My interest, as well as my compassion, for this family and their ordeal has grown since learning more about Terri's end of life case. Again, I would encourage listeners to do their own research on Terri's story, as well as listen to the Lawless postcast from...

I really enjoyed speaking with journalist and documentary filmmaker, Sonya Winterberg. We discussed journalism, her research on Auschwitz's Block 10, and her passion to share the stories of those who are oppressed in society. Sonya's work focuses on telling the stories of history's most vulnerable, specifically women and children. If you are interested in exploring Sonya's work, I...

Danny Bonaduce was kind enough to give me his last PR slot as he has retired from the acting and radio industry. I grew up watching Danny Bonaduce on the Partridge Family. Danny talked with me about his past struggle with drugs, the entertainment industry, and how he wants to die.

I really enjoyed getting to speak with musical composer, Paul Smith. He co-founded VOCES8 , as well as created the VOCES8 Method, which provides material for the advancement of music education in school. Paul spoke to me about his childhood exposure to chorale music at Westminster Abbey, his love of chorale music, and his creation of the VOCES8 Method.

I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to speak with Dean Gregory regarding his daughter's life and death legal battle with UK health officials. Dean shared with me his feelings during this grievous time, as well as his perspective on his daughter's final moments in hospice. I am also including this  link  to listen to Dean's eulogy for his daughter recorded at her funeral on D...

"Meyta" means purpose. Meyta shared with me his desire to use his musical abilities to help others know their meaning in life. He wants his work to impact others. I discussed with Meyta his experience of finding purpose in his own life a couple years ago, as well as the ups and downs of being a content creator.

Please enjoy this Christmas podcast episode featuring just me. I had some thoughts and updates I wanted to share as we all head into 2024. Merry Christmas, dear viewers and listeners! Thank you for taking the time to listen to humans tell their stories. 

Oleksandra Matviichuk is a human rights lawyer who heads the Center for Civil Liberties in Kyiv, Ukraine. In this interview, Oleksandra discusses the work of the Center as well as the torture, displacement, and loss of life Ukrainians currently face from Russia.

It was a gift to be able to speak with Bobby Schindler this week. He shared with me a broad overview of the Terri Schiavo case as well as his passion for the vulnerable.  Bobby also shares some resources where listeners can find out more about his sister's case. I can second Bobby's recommendation of the  Lawless podcast  hosted by journalist, Lynn Vincent. It includes numerous interviews...

Jaime Hampton started experiencing intense health anxiety after her youngest daughter had an allergic reaction to cashews. Jaime discussed with me her experience with health anxiety, as well as how she combats her fears with worship.

Alissa Czisny won the U.S. national championship in 2009 and 2011. I discussed with Alissa the difference between skating to compete and skating to entertain, as well as grappling with identity in athletics. Alissa recently performed  a piece  she choreographed to "Chasing Cars" by Fleurie and Tommee Profitt at the Sk8 to Elimin8 Cancer fundraiser in Bellevue. It is a simple, but beautif...