Middle Class Matters

In this deeply heartfelt episode of Middle-Class Matters , Brooke and Renae sit down with Terry Aslin, a retired healthcare administrator and first-time author, who shares the story behind his children’s book You Can Do Hard Things . The book was inspired by Terry’s late wife, Pat, a beloved kindergarten teacher who spent 30 years shaping young lives with love, encouragement, and a simple phrase s...

In this bold and thought-provoking episode of Middle-Class Matters, Brooke and Renae sit down with Pastors Jacob and Katrinna Forest, founders of The Bridge Church in Bellmead, Texas, to discuss a topic many people avoid - deliverance ministry and spiritual warfare. While culture often portrays these realities through extreme examples like movies such as The Exorcist, many are left wondering what...

In this empowering episode of Middle-Class Matters, Brooke and Renae sit down with Licensed Clinical Social Worker, author, speaker, and ministry leader Yolanda Wilson Smith to talk about what it truly means to live authentically and intentionally in Christ. After overcoming childhood bullying, self-doubt, and insecurity, Yolanda now helps women discover their true identity, walk confidently in th...

Suicide is one of the most painful and misunderstood topics in both the church and our communities. For many families, the grief is compounded by something even heavier—fear, guilt, and the belief that their loved one is lost forever. In this powerful and compassionate episode of Middle-Class Matters , Brooke and Renae sit down with Pastor Matt Byrd to address one of the most difficult questions p...

In this eye-opening episode of Middle-Class Matters, Brooke and Renae sit down with Camryn Herman and Christy Sais from Texas State Technical College to talk about a question many families are asking today: Is a four-year degree the only path to success? With rising college costs and growing demand for skilled workers, technical education is becoming an increasingly valuable option. Many programs...

What if an entire generation grows up unable to read their own history—or even a handwritten letter from someone they love? In this eye-opening episode of  Middle-Class Matters , Brooke and Renae sit down with veteran educator Jackie Houck, founder of TeacherSub.com, to discuss the decline of cursive instruction across the United States. With many states no longer requiring it, millions of st...

What would you do if a piece of your story always felt missing? In this heartfelt episode of Middle-Class Matters, Brooke and Renae sit down with Randa, who spent much of her life wondering about the parents she had never met — feeling like there was a missing puzzle piece in her identity. After honoring her adoptive parents’ wishes for decades, Randa began searching for her biological family in h...

In this deeply moving episode of Middle-Class Matters, Brooke and Renae sit down with Casey Rawles Moore, author of Don’t Let Your Suffering Go to Waste, who shares her powerful story of addiction, survival, and redemption. After battling meth addiction for over 8 years and becoming severely ill from its effects, Casey found herself at rock bottom. But through God’s grace, her story didn’t end the...

What happens when the place you trust most to guide your family slowly begins controlling your choices and causing you to lose sight of who you truly are? In this episode of Middle-Class Matters, Brooke and Renae talk with Keith Brown, author of Counterfeit Culture, about her family’s decades-long experience inside a religious cult near Waco, Texas. What once appeared to be a safe and supportive c...

In this heartfelt episode of Middle-Class Matters, Brooke and Renae sit down with author, publisher, and businesswoman Kennisha Thornton, who shares her journey through five miscarriages and the inspiration behind her book Once Upon a Child. Through unwavering faith, God’s guidance, and the care of a compassionate physician He placed in their path, Kennisha and her husband found hope after unimagi...

Have you ever felt like your faith belongs at church, but your work belongs somewhere else? In this encouraging episode of Middle-Class Matters, Brooke and Renae sit down with Carole Evans, host of the Faith and Work Podcast, to talk about what it really looks like to live out your faith in everyday life. From boardrooms to break rooms, Carole shares how God transformed her understanding of purpos...

In this compassionate episode of Middle-Class Matters, Renae and Brooke sit down with the founders of Hope and Healing Abortion Recovery, women who bravely share their personal stories of abortion and the journey to healing through Christ. Many women suffer silently after abortion, including those sitting in church pews week after week carrying guilt, shame, and grief they’ve never voiced. Through...

In this heartfelt episode of Middle-Class Matters, Brooke and Renae sit down with Waco-based licensed psychotherapist Hannah Short, LCSW, to talk about something many women experience but few openly discuss — postpartum depression. While welcoming a baby is often expected to be joyful, nearly 1 in 8 women in the United States experience postpartum depression, according to the CDC. Many suffer quie...

In this powerful episode of Middle-Class Matters, Brooke and Renae sit down with author, entrepreneur, and speaker Paul Lamar Hunter, whose life story proves that circumstances do not define destiny. As the 19th child out of 21 children, Paul grew up surrounded by poverty, dysfunction, and emotional neglect. Despite overwhelming challenges and painful childhood experiences, he became the first in...

Human trafficking isn’t just something that happens far away, it exists in communities across America, even in places we call home. In this powerful episode of Middle-Class Matters, Brooke and Renae sit down with Bronda Hays with Unbound Now, an organization leading the fight against human trafficking through victim identification, survivor care, justice advocacy, and community education. Bronda s...

In today's deeply moving episode of Middle-Class Matters, Renae and Brook sit down with Mary Beth Talley, a survivor of the 1999 mass shooting of Wedgwood Church and an author of the new memoir Not Bad, Just Different. At just 17 years old, Mary Beth endured unimaginable trauma. Now, twenty-five years later, she shares her journey of faith, healing, and resilience, and how God transformed her pain...

In this moving episode of Middle-Class Matters, Renae and Brooke sit down with Janice Johnson Dowd, an author, Licensed Medical Social Worker, mom, and recovering alcoholic to share a story of loss, healing, and hope. Janice grew up around addiction and was determined to create a different life for her own family. But in her 40s, what began as casual social drinking with friends quietly turned int...

In this deeply moving episode of Middle-Class Matters, Renae and Brooke sit down with George, a devoted son, caregiver, author, and advocate in the fight against Parkinson’s disease. His book, A Son’s Journey from Parkinson’s Disease Caregiver to Advocate, is a heartfelt tribute to his mother, Sharon, his best friend and inspiration, and a powerful call for awareness, understanding, and hope. As n...

For middle-class families, our pets aren’t just animals — they’re part of the family. They’re there for the big moments, the quiet evenings, the hard days, and everything in between. They listen without judging, love without limits, and leave paw prints on our hearts that last a lifetime. In this special episode of Middle-Class Matters, Brooke and Renae sit down with a veterinarian for a thoughtfu...

In this powerful episode of Middle-Class Matters, Brooke and Renae sit down with Mark Kneebone, a former law enforcement officer, recovering alcoholic, and host of the Steel City Round Table Podcast. Mark shares his journey through PTSD, severe depression, and addiction — struggles often hidden behind the badge. From rock bottom and suicidal thoughts to inpatient treatment and early sobriety, Mark...

In a world that’s busy, distracted, and often rushed, teens can be left feeling unheard, misunderstood, and alone. In this heartfelt episode of Middle-Class Matters, Brooke and Renae sit down with author, mentor, and youth advocate Josh Cordell, whose book With Changes Everything draws on his experience walking with more than 5,000 teens to learn how presence, trust, and connection really work. Jo...

In this powerful episode of Middle-Class Matters, Renae and Brooke sit down with Brittney Garrett, a Central Texas mom whose life changed in an instant when a crash sent her nearly 60 feet into freezing water during a storm. She survived the accident—but the trauma led to years of PTSD, addiction, and despair. Today, Brittney is sober, restored, and walking in the healing she once thought was impo...

When your child is struggling with chronic illness, developmental challenges, or conditions like autism, ADHD, or PANDAS/PANS, the healthcare journey can feel overwhelming—and often discouraging. In this episode of Middle-Class Matters, Brooke & Renae sit down with Jana Roso, a certified pediatric nurse practitioner specializing in functional medicine, to talk about what it really means to tre...

When aging parents or grandparents begin to struggle, families face some of the hardest decisions of their lives—safety, dignity, independence, memory loss, and the fear of “doing the wrong thing.” In this heartfelt episode of Middle-Class Matters, Renae and Brooke sit down with registered nurse Laura Painter, owner and operator of The Residency at Ridgewood in Waco, Texas. Together, they talk ope...

As we move through 2026, many middle-class families are beginning to see signs of economic stabilization, even while still feeling the impact of higher costs from recent years. In this episode of Middle-Class Matters, Brooke and Renae sit down for a thoughtful, faith-centered conversation about what’s happening now and how families can move forward with wisdom and confidence. Together, they talk a...