MercyCast

Human Trafficking happens in every country and every state. What can you do about it? Ben faced a dilemma as a journalist in Haiti. He was presented with the opportunity to buy a child. What would he do? In this episode, my friend, E. Benjamin Skinner, joins me to help answer this question. Skinner is the author of A Crime So Monstrous: Face-to-Face with Modern-Day Slavery. He is also the founder...

Are you experiencing true freedom? In this episode, Karrie Garcia, a pastor, author, and CEO, joins me to discuss her new book, Free and Fully Alive: Reclaiming the Story of Who You Were Created to Be. The conversation is brimming with real-life examples of how we can understand our own story and how it intersects with God's story of redemption and freedom. The truth is you can be free. Listen...

Healing is often a holistic process. In the latest MercyCast episode, I sit down with Sue Detweiler, who has spent over four decades in Christian ministry, and she has a remarkable story of resilience and healing to share. Picture this: Sue's life takes an unexpected turn when she travels to Brazil and starts experiencing mysterious health problems. Doctors couldn't pinpoint the cause, and...

Have you ever felt stuck?  In the latest MercyCast episode, I sit down with my friend Guy Wasko, who's not just a pastor and chaplain, but also an entrepreneur. Guy shares his personal story of reaching the pinnacle of his career only to feel like something vital was missing. He wondered if there was more to life than what he was experiencing. He was experiencing vocational dissonance. But her...

Your story matters. In this episode, we dive deep into the world of understanding our stories and creating meaningful connections in a busy and sometimes disconnected society. Join me and Diana Gerson, the associate Vice President of the NY Board of Rabbis, as we explore the transformative power of human connection and leverage your story to care for others. Rabbi Diana shares her childhood experi...

If you are reading this, then your story is not finished. Step into a world of compassion and love with our latest MercyCast episode featuring an inspiring interview with the “Radio Rabbi” Joe Potasnik. Joe is the executive vice president of the New York Board of Rabbis and a chaplain of the New York Fire Department. As you listen to his remarkable journey through adversity, you'll be moved by...

Not every one of your neighbors lives in a house. In this episode, I dive into the story of one of my friends, Josiah Haken. He is the Chief Executive Officer of City Relief, a non-profit organization dedicated to connecting the unhoused community to hope and resources while empowering ordinary people to make an extraordinary impact by seeing, serving, and supporting their neighbors without doors....

Busyness and productivity are sometimes different. In this episode, Matt Perman, the author of What's Best Next and the founder of an organization by the same name , joins Raleigh to discuss how to find your purpose, navigate productivity paralysis, and why that is important. Episode Highlights: How to find your purpose. The relationship between flourishing and productivity. The theological an...

You are not perfect, and it’s okay. In this episode, Elyse Fitzpatrick joins Raleigh to talk about perfectionism and reminds us that it’s okay not to be okay. Elyse is a nationally sought-after speaker and author. Elyse and her husband, Phil, attend Grace Bible Church, a reformed congregation in Escondido, California. She has written many books, including the recently rereleased, Overcoming Fear,...

Whether you have been married or not, divorce has impacted you. In this episode, Jessica Thompson, the author of the new book, He Loved Them: Discovering Jesus' Heart for Seekers, Sinners, Doubters, and the Discouraged (and Other People Like Us) , joins Raleigh to talk about her journey in learning how to survive and thrive as she lives through a difficult time of transition. Episode Highlight...

Football is life until it's not. If you have been near a TV, phone, or computer recently, you have seen soccer (or, let's be honest, Football) in the headlines from Ted Lasso to Lionel Messi. In today's episode, Raleigh has a heartfelt conversation with retired soccer (Football) player and the Cool Down Conversations podcast host Paxton Ballard, who experienced the highs and lows of pu...

Before we start, let me deal with the elephant in the room. You probably noticed that we had featured the bonus podcast, More Mercy, for the past two episodes. I love stories and figure that if you like MercyCast, you do too. On More Mercy , we dive deeper into mercy, compassion, and kindness as we explore various topics that inspire, empower, and challenge our understanding of ourselves and each...

What does it mean to be light in dark places? In today's bonus episode, Rachelle Starr, founder of Scarlet Hope and author of Outrageous Obedience, returns and shares her story of how Scarlet Hope began. Rachelle shares her work with those often exploited in the commercial sex industry. In this episode, we discuss the following: The Origin of Scarlet Hope. The reality of sexual brokenness. Bei...

Community transformation begins with you. It's easy to see the need for change in our workplaces or communities, but we rarely know the part we play in it. There is a distinct possibility that we could be part of the problem. In 1987, Darryl had a conversation that disrupted how he saw the world. After the discussion, Darryl knew he would have to change how he approached life and ministry. Tod...

It’s hard to have perspective in the face of sudden change. You may get a problematic diagnosis from your doctor, lose your job, or your significant other may tell you that they don’t love you anymore. Regardless of the situation, you are reminded that it’s impossible to know what is waiting just around the corner. How do we go from living in fear to embracing the inevitable shifts in our lives? M...

What happens when you lose your desire to create? Jason was burned out. As a creative helping others to find their creativity, he could feel himself hitting a wall. He questioned whether he could keep doing the work. Have you ever lost your love for what you do? How do you regain your creative drive? In today's episode, I talk to Jason DeMeo, an entrepreneur and artist. Jason co-founded We Are...

We live in a world obsessed with its own conception of beauty. We see this reality depicted in movies, television, and our social media newsfeeds. Many of us strive to experience beauty without truly understanding its nature. Merriam-Webster defines beauty as “the quality or aggregate of qualities in a person or thing that pleasure the senses or pleasurably exalts the mind or Spirit.” Though this...

No matter your story, you have something to contribute. Joe Thorn is back for a bonus episode of More Mercy to talk about how he learned how to give back to the local church through his writing and podcasting. Look for more information next week on subscribing for weekly to bi-weekly bonus content. In 2011, I bought a copy of “Note to Self” by Joe Thorn. Little did I know that Joe would encourage...

Distraction offers us freedom from reality. But this ‘freedom’ is not always what it seems. Reeling from losing her first daughter during a complicated pregnancy, Katie shares the story in her book, I Choose Brave . Shortly after its release, she was tested in many of the same principles as her father’s heart failed. A brand new author, she had her first marketing call with her publishing team fro...

Your inner monologue is not always true, nor does it have your best interests in mind. How we speak to ourselves and what we believe about ourselves matters. Negative self-talk can have a profound impact on self-esteem and can create endless self-fulfilling prophecies. Joe spent his entire life believing that he was not good at anything. In his own eyes, he was a “bad” kid. The adults in his neigh...

Believe it or not, not everyone shares your political, social, or theological views. If you don’t believe me, check your social media accounts. Political and social divides seem commonplace these days. How do we navigate these divides in our churches? Jacob moved to New York to become the assistant rector of Cavalry St. George’s Episcopal church—a historic parish in the Union Square area of Manhat...

Sometimes a disruption can be an unlikely benefit. After leaving NYC, Blaire Brown had to live with her parents for an unforeseen amount of time while also building a business simultaneously. It was challenging because, being in her 30s, this was not the life she expected. She had no friends or social safety net in Maryland as she had previously in NYC, and life was uncertain. Today, Blaire joins...

When it comes to reality, you can accept or deny it, but you can't undo it.  I was on cloud 9. The release party of my book Vulnerable was over, and I felt that I had finally reached my goals. Life was going great. The following day,  I flew to promote my book. However, my life would change in a matter of moments. In this episode, Jessica Minhas joins me as we discuss how I found reality in a...

We are not bigger than our bodies.  Physical limitations can affect anyone at any age and can be caused by a wide range of factors, including injury, illness, genetics, and aging. Living with physical limitations can be physically and emotionally challenging, but it's essential to understand that you're not alone. Today,  Jessica Minhas, founder, CEO, and host of the I'll Go first podc...

Life is full of unexpected twists and turns that can challenge us in ways we never thought possible. Whether it's a global pandemic, a natural disaster, a personal loss, or any other difficult situation, tough times can leave us feeling overwhelmed, helpless, and unsure of how to move forward. But as difficult as these times may be, they also present an opportunity for growth, resilience, and...