Stories of Hope

A few years ago the Salvos started connecting with people in a local Park in Merrylands. We shared great food and often had a kick of the soccer ball with some of the kids. This soon grew and kids and their parents came form everywhere to join in.

Boasting is something we really don’t like to see in other people, but can be slow to recognize in ourselves. When we blow our own trumpet, we drown out others and for me, my wife, the lovely Sue, is willing to help me see this and effect change.

Lyn Edge has been a Salvo Minister for over 20 years, serving in Australia and even France. She has multiple degrees and a doctorate. She has written a book and is an influential educator and thinker. However her first job after school was as a cook.

Life can sometimes be a bit serious. We need to find ways to be playful and when I took a bunch of guys from Villawood Salvos on a bike ride, they found a playground and played like 5 year old's. It was beautiful!

Matt Guelzow is a happily married man with a beautiful teenage daughter and a dynamic young son. His wife Jackie came to Australia from Africa and finding each other is an inspiring story about overcoming challenges and finding purpose.

Graeme Seeley was in my Plumbing class back in 1983. He started coming to the salvos where he met and fell in love with his now wife, Bronwen. They now have a daughter, who I met for the first time at my 50th birthday party. It's quite a story.

Kindness has been described as the most powerful, least costly, and most underrated agent of human change.

Andrew was adopted by Salvo officers when he was ten weeks old. He has faced tragedy and a lot of disruption throughout is life, but today has a beautiful family and has lived in the same house for 21 years. His dream job is to be a full time neighbour!

4 years ago I shared a room with a young Salvo computer nerd for a week, while we delivered relief to residents of Airlie Beach after the devastation of cyclone Debbie. Who knew the friendship would last and Ryan would end up being my podcast tech buddy.

To be patient with someone we love, is in fact being loving. Love is patient. But in a world of instant gratification, being patient is getting harder and harder.

Janine Donaldson, with her husband Robert are the leaders of The Salvation Army in Australia. Her story as a Mum and as a missionary in Zambia help us understand how she holds this significant role with such grace, beauty and wisdom.

As a family, we recently had to make the painful but necessary decision to put our beautiful dog Bella to sleep. Her last day was special. A whole chicken for lunch, ice cream for desert and lots of snuggles. But she was just a dog.

When we meet someone who is hurting or sad, we often do stuff to try make the situation better, by maybe giving advice or financial support, but if we just attempt to fix people and don't genuinely love them, what's the point?

Michael is a Wiradjuri man and I met him when we went on a camping trip together. Our friendship grew and he ended up painting me a picture. I loved it as soon as I saw it, but I had no idea of the special meaning it contained for me!

Impressive speeches on great themes of life are powerless without love. Love brings all our ideas and relationships to life. And love is about action and a sort of deep connection that words alone cannot deliver.

Well, this is the first full length podcast interview.  Michelle (Shelly) and I have been running buddies for a few years now and she is one of the most positive and encouraging people you could meet,  But this has been a journey and despite the setbacks and hurts, Shelly has found a way forward.  Here is her story.     

The Nanna Fittys Fruitcake Cycling Club rode from Sydney to Brisbane and raised $130,000 for the salvos work with homeless people. Ordinary men - Extraordinary accomplishment.

Have you ever been angry and felt like you are surrounded by turkeys. Asking for a friend.

Kelly is an effective community leader and helped to start and a park run that has hundreds of dedicated members.  She is  friendly and colorful, but the journey to this place was not easy.   

Robbo has struggled all his life. But has found a community at the Salvos in Villawood where he feels like he belongs and can contribute. Best of all though, he gets and gives hugs!

There are times when people are just not being real. They say one thing and do another. We all need authentic friends and look for honesty and truth in our leaders. But like the Velveteen rabbit discovers, it hurts to be real and can take some time.

Dave Andrews has lived in community with the poor in Afghanistan and India. He is an influential Christian who has genuine friendships with leaders from other faiths. He is an author and international speaker and his Mum was raised in a Salvo home.

The Salvos Streetlevel community in Brisbane is "like a home" for many people on the streets in Fortitude Valley. A safe and welcoming place to belong. The people who came to us for help, wrote a song. This is the story!

When I saw the movie Jaws when I was 11 years old, I ended up being afraid of the ocean for decades. Lots of us have been traumatised by something. We may need proffessional help, but we will also need some good friends, who help us feel safe.

Samantha Briggs is just 24 years old. She moved to Australia from the States to Marry Jarrod and soon after, tragedy struck and her father died suddenly. To hear her share her story so far, is to listen to a young woman with substance, courage and faith.