The World With Nate

Inspired by the hard work and the dedication it takes to achieve a remarkable physique, Summer Mast decided she wanted to do it for herself and entered a World Beauty Fitness and Fashion contest. Placing second in the “bikini” class sparked a fire for the sport and she was instantly hooked on competition. Summer developed a deep admiration for the fitness, nutrition, craft, and posing that accompa...

Not one, but two horrific accidents during her adolescence left, Rachel Mueller, with lifelong complications. Despite this, hear how Rachel’s strength, resilience, and resolve prevailed; additionally, hear how she built the life she had always dreamed of having! We speak on the highs and lows of being a stay-at-home parent in such a universal way that everyone can relate. Rachel loves having the a...

A brain tumor diagnosis for her father, just months after her younger brother's passing from a heart attack, is what spurred Laura Hand to learn more about the benefits of medical marijuana. This life-changing experience caused her family to seek out alternative methods of pain management, and Laura began her journey with cannabis. After her father's passing, Laura committed to learning everything...

Graduation from college presented challenges for Scotty Russell when it came time to find a full-time job. After a number of different gigs, Scotty got hired at what he thought was going to be his lifelong career. “There is no such thing as a safe day job.” Seeing the effects of this firsthand when his corporation downsized, Scotty bet big on himself and it has paid off! He now enjoys a career tha...

It started out like any other summer day for then-16-year-old, Jaxon Hansen. Hanging out with friends, enjoying the sunshine, and having a good time—when the group decided to take a dip in the freshly dug pond. “I’d been diving in, probably, a hundred times” when the unthinkable happened. Launching himself from a trampoline into the pond, Jaxon disappeared, submerged underneath the water for minut...

Growing up as a self-described “Tom Boy,” Hillary Meyer had always dreamed of being a firefighter. Although it didn’t go as planned, Hillary never let go of that dream. Hear how her mother’s tragic overdose solidified Hillary’s decision to chase her dream and become a firefighter at Waterloo Fire Rescue. Listen to how she handles the extreme stressors of the occupation and what Hillary does to sta...

The parallels that run between the generations can show us that despite any generational differences, or our contrast in age, we can sit down and find commonality. Not just commonality, but a better understanding for the way forward. Upon graduating from the University of Central Missouri in the early 1980s, Jim Wheelan encountered a stagnant work market; therefore, he made the decision to move hi...

A persistent cough and clearing of the throat seemed plausible when his allergy panel came back positive for a plethora of allergens. When symptoms persisted after medication, Sam Hanson knew there had to be more to his diagnosis. Tourette’s syndrome is a neurodevelopmental disorder that begins during childhood or adolescence. Having battled movement (motor) and vocal (phonic) tics during his yout...

Not everyone needs a life coach, but we all benefit from self-empowered, confident individuals, who know what they want out of life. Shifting your language will change your mindset and dramatically improve your future. We cover the simple things you can do to make this a reality! No life-altering courses or gurus, just don’t use any more soft talk! If you want to transform your own life, but you’r...

When a rare, cancer-like condition gripped young James Hall’s life the strength of the entire community needed to prevail. Ashley’s family would lean on that strength and solidarity during this extremely difficult time over the next year. Through Ashley’s past relationship and the support of their entire family, they will overcome the difficult road ahead. Hear how, in the short span of the last y...

“We Wave” is a brand-new tradition, that gained National exposure and propelled the lore and compassion of a community onto the world stage. With a name like Dalles Jacobus, one could assume he would have been destined to country music superstardom. With music concerts countrywide on the horizon, we dove into how it all got started. We chatted about Dalle’s experience as a player and lifelong fan...

The rolling plains and farmland of Iowa have grown littered with dilapidated and decomposing barns. Once barns were property centerpieces, and fixtures of a farm—but the poignant processes of the passage of time, entropy, and modern farming practices have almost made them a thing of the past. What began as a way to source lumber for woodworking projects, quickly exploded into a barn deconstruction...

They say that fortune favors the brave. The risk-takers, the entrepreneurs, the envelope pushers all share it in common: the ability to take a chance on a dream regardless of the fear of failure. Jon Ramaekers knew he wanted to become a farmer, but without a land inheritance, he realized it would be almost impossible. Jon’s family tree was lined with farmers, but the occupation skipped a generatio...

Married with kids, trapped in the daily grind called “life”, at a job you despise, scraping by for your reprieve of the weekend. Sound familiar? Ashley Noethe never knew what she wanted to be when she grew up, but she refused to let life decide for her. When she grew discontent with her college major in Northern Iowa, she changed it. When she lost enthusiasm for her teaching career, she reignited...

Michelle’s extreme anxiety began interfering with her everyday life. It had developed into something so all-consuming that it had rendered her unable to function as she once had. It had become impossible to control her own feelings, and years’ worth of needless worry and excessive rumination had compounded into the perfect storm. At the height of her anxiety, Michelle Stricker received an inspirat...

Temesgen (Teme) and his family were banished from his father’s home. In Ethiopia, Africa, some cultures consider it acceptable to take more than one wife. Teme’s mother was not his father’s first wife; consequently, when things soured she was dispelled and unequipped to adequately provide for her family. The fire that swallowed his family’s makeshift hut also maimed Teme, rendering his left leg us...

Twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) is a rare prenatal condition affecting identical twins. If left untreated, the survival rate for TTTS twins hovers between 10-15 percent. The decision to treat Keeley and Kambry while in utero was a given, but it came with a plethora of risks. At 17-weeks’ gestation, Jade Ewoldt, underwent surgery at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital to separate and seal the t...

First exposed to methamphetamine in the seventh grade, at the tender age of twelve, Joe Wilson’s, life could have had a very different outcome.… Hear how a high-speed police pursuit ended in a bean field with a second chance. Learn how his life was almost all thrown away, only to be saved by the grace of God. This isn’t another story of someone being saved while incarcerated; conversely, this stor...

Moments after Eliza was born, she was taken from Lauren’s chest for a barrage of testing. Finally, when the Midwife returned, she grasped Lauren’s hand and delivered the news. Their new, baby girl has a genetic disorder and further testing was required to assess the severity of this new condition. Then she disappeared without any more information. Babies with Down syndrome have an extra copy of on...

The path of life has intertwined us throughout all of our individual existences. I first met the twins when they were still wearing diapers; moreover, they lived just down the street from me until I left for the military. While I was gone, the boys grew into young men and soon became rockstars! Not Quite Brothers is a group of five twenty-something-year-old men f...

Joe Granville, Earl’s twin brother, had always had aspirations of becoming a soldier. Once Joe took his oath, it was only right for Earl to do the same. The twins would become Infantrymen together in the Army National Guard and be assigned to the 109th Infantry Regiment out of Pennsylvania. Joining during a time of peace, the brothers’ first taste of adventure landed them in Bosnia as part of the...

This November, I wanted to share some of my time in the military and how those things have defined me. There wasn’t a better guest than my best man, mentor, and brother to help share some of my life’s toughest challenges. Thank you, Kenny, Allison, and the kids for being there for me through the toughest of times. I’ve always been enthralled by his productive attitude and commitment to excel, no m...

Truly, Amanda Goodman needs no introduction. After having had a career that spanned two decades inside the news industry, Amanda has finally found her voice! From humble beginnings after college in quaint Amarillo, Texas, to her rise as weekday evening news anchor, we discussed Amanda’s trajectory. We spoke about how Amanda decided to take a chance on a job in Iowa, and how fate allowed her to dev...

Life gives us a lot of stories, it’s our choice how they’re written. Cancer gripped Summer’s world while she was in the fourth grade. Her mom was diagnosed with breast cancer and would fight the disease for the next four years. Ensuring the family kept their compass during this war against cancer, Summer’s mother used her actions to etch values that would always remain with Summer. Cancer ultimate...

What started out as a way to have fun and stay active has morphed into a future that’s full of possibilities for Levi Enright. Levi and his friend Chris Behrends created Ninja Teens a few years ago as a way to have fun and share the passion they found within ninja competition. Fast forward a few years, the boys have grown into men and earned spots to compete on NBC’s American Ninja Warrior! Earnin...