The Brenton Peck Podcast

Is Santa Claus the enemy—or a bridge for faith and family? Brenton & Teri Peck unpack how holiday traditions shape our beliefs, our homes, and our hearts. From the real legend of St. Nicholas to the origin of the Christmas tree, this conversation digs into the stories behind our rituals—and what they reveal about meaning, discipline, and joy.🎧 In this episode:• The legend of St. Nicholas — th...

After 37 years in law enforcement — from EMT and rescue diver to detective and Chief of Police — Nick Schilz has seen the best and worst of humanity. In this conversation, we explore the real cost of service, the fight to protect mental health, and how faith and family anchor those who wear the badge. Nick’s story is one of duty, integrity, and endurance — not just surviving a career in law enforc...

Elizabeth and her husband spent 50 years building a life anchored in faith, family, and relentless grit. They raised children, served LDS missions, and even lived in a tent for months while building their own home from the ground up. Now in her seventies, Elizabeth practiced Krav Maga for several years and currently practices Taekwondo—proving that strength, love, and discipline don’t fade with ag...

“We always put off the things we’re afraid of. The key is to walk toward them.”Mark Renick spent over a decade incarcerated across California and Idaho. Today, he helps men and women re-enter society through St. Vincent de Paul’s re-entry services and his radio show Victory Over Sin. In this conversation, Mark opens up about addiction, failure, faith, and the broken realities of Idaho’s correction...

I almost skipped this week. My guest canceled, my schedule fell apart, and part of me wanted to take a break. But that’s not what this show is about. In this solo episode, I break down what I’ve learned from my first 8 episodes of The Brenton Peck Podcast — from bad audio levels and mic failures to the discipline of showing up when everything goes wrong. Whether you’re starting a podcast, building...

People aren’t problems to fix—they’re stories to honor. Denise Cook has spent decades helping people on the margins: foster mom and adoptive parent, front-desk triage at Lifeways, I/DD service coordination, and now Oregon DHS helping families access SNAP, Medicaid, and TANF. We dig into how relationships—not labels—move people forward. What we cover:Foster care realities: “honeymoon period,” reuni...

Care House Learning Center didn’t start as a business plan—it started as a response. Rebekah Grindstaff saw families falling through the cracks and built a nonprofit childcare model that actually helps: high-quality early childhood care, realistic pricing, and a networked church/community approach. In this conversation we break down how she made it real—funding, staffing, replication, and the hard...

Rev. Dr. V. Jean Thomas, serves as Early Childhood Pastor at Nampa First Church of the Nazarene and adjunct professor at Northwest Nazarene University. In this conversation, we explore her journey from college into pastoral ministry, her path into children’s ministry, and the process of earning her master’s and doctorate. We also dive deep into the pressures mothers face today—the hidden weight of...

In Episode 5 of The Brenton Peck Podcast, I'm joined by Gigi Crist—recovered alcoholic and drug addict who's been sober now for over 36 years. We talk about addiction and recovery, the journey of healing and her journey into ministry with her faith. This is a conversation about addiction recovery, faith, helping others, and hope.🔗 All podcast links: www.brentonpeckpodcast.com👉 Watch full...

In Episode 4 of The Brenton Peck Podcast, I’m joined by Ben Blessing—composer, educator, ultra-endurance runner, former Marine Corps musician, and current service member in the Idaho Army National Guard’s 25th Army Band. We explore:His musical roots and teaching path: Growing up in Meridian, Idaho, discovering composition in junior high, earning degrees in Music Composition and Music Education, an...

In this episode, Brenton Peck sits down with **Rachel Fabbi, LMFT, CADC, PMH-C** — a therapist of 15+ years, birth doula, and certified perinatal mental health specialist. Rachel has worked in the mental health field for more than two decades, including addiction recovery, dual diagnosis treatment, and supporting new mothers through postpartum transitions. She shares her journey from Arizona to Ha...

In Episode 2 of The Brenton Peck Podcast, I sit down with author and storyteller David Mark Brown for a long-form conversation on writing, imagination, and what he calls the invisible real. We dive into:Why serial storytelling has such power in shaping culture and imaginationThe role of writing in exploring identity, faith, and meaningHow “the invisible real” reframes how we think about the spirit...

“This is my life story. This is me.”In Episode 1 of The Brenton Peck Podcast, author and speaker Debra Peck shares her journey with scrupulosity—a form of religious OCD that convinces people they’re failing God no matter what they do. We talk about what scrupulosity looks like, how it distorts faith, and why telling your story can be a step toward healing. Debra also shares her heart behind her bo...

Welcome to The Brenton Peck Podcast — where I explore the stories that shape who we are and who we become. This show is about more than what people do — it’s about how they’ve been formed through challenge, discipline, and transformation.