Saying "Yes" to God's Plan with Brenda Hauk of BrightStone

"You know who's going to have to do this."

The words Brenda Hauk's husband spoke penetrated her heart--she knew she was called by God to something so much bigger than herself.

Even though Brenda was frightened, she said "yes" to a plan that was clearly not her own.

Brenda started BrightStone, a comprehensive work, social support, and residential community for adults with special needs, expanding their potential and helping them develop mentally, physically, socially, emotionally, and spiritually.

Let Brenda's "yes" and the tremendous blessing that has come from it inspire your own fiat in this Advent podcast.

Learn more at brightstone.org.

Fully Rely on God with Mary Margaret Lambert

Mary Margaret Lambert vividly remembers chatting with her dad while he painted a ceramic frog the night before she lost him.

The next day Mary Margaret was devastated to learn her father and his wife died in the Nashville flood of 2010.

Little did Mary Margaret realize that the frog her father held in his hands would come to mean so much--F.R.O.G. means "Fully Rely on God."

Mary Margaret struggled with grief and got tired of hurting. She sought the Lord through writing and help through counseling to heal her broken heart.

The ceramic frog sits on Mary Margaret’s porch to this day, reminding her of her beloved father and our eternal reliance on God.

Children of God Behind Bars with Dr. Cynthia Stewart of Tennessee Prison Outreach Ministry (TPOM)

Dr. Cynthia Stewart grew up in Vidor, Texas. Vidor has historically been known as one of the last “sundown towns” in the United States.

Cynthia discovered very young that people are complex--people carry within them the spark of God, as well as the ability to be so perfectly against what God tells us at the same time. No one is beyond the love of God and no one is perfectly what God envisions.

Cynthia has spent a number of years as a volunteer, chaplain and employee in prison ministry. Cynthia came to understand that she has been working out what she experienced in her family history and childhood community—prison ministry has been a way for her to “give something back.”

Cynthia wants listeners to understand that "every single person in prison is a beautiful child of God."

Cynthia is the Director of Operations for Tennessee Prison Outreach Ministry (TPOM). TPOM strives to transform life behind bars, trade recidivism for restoration and end generational incarceration. You can learn more at https://www.tpom.org/.

Redeemed by God with Beth Cureton of Tennessee Prison Ministry (TPOM)

Beth had all the cards stacked up against her as a child--both parents struggled with drug addiction, she spent time in foster care and was the victim of abuse.

Beth developed her own cocaine addiction by the time she was an adult and has spent most of her adulthood in and out of jail and halfway homes.

Yet something profound unfolded the last time Beth was in jail--she was ministered to by Tennessee Prison Ministry (TPOM) and felt like the hands of Christ reached into jail to save her.

Beth is now a client of TPOM outside of jail and is working on rehabilitating her life. Holy scripture and the words of people loving into Beth are helping her to discover her dignity and value as a person. Beth is on fire with the love of God and is called to share this message of hope with others.

TPOM strives to transform life behind bars, trade recidivism for restoration and end generational incarceration. You can learn more at https://www.tpom.org/.

Look for the Joy in Life with Deacon John Froning of Saint Philip Catholic Church

Learn how to look for God's joy every day of your life in this Easter podcast!

Deacon John Froning of Saint Philip Catholic Church in Franklin, TN is filled with the joy of the Lord.

Children line up to receive a blessing from him during the Eucharist. Deacon John wants the adults to know the same thing that he tells the children: God smiles when He thinks of you. And He thinks of you all the time.

Deacon John shares stories from his time as a chaplain that helped him learn the gifts of presence and listening, as well as how to trust fully in the promise of Heaven.

Our lives are filled with little triduums (Good Fridays and Easter Sundays). We must always trust in times of trial that God's redemption is coming.

Segregated as a Child with Daisy Broughton

Miss Daisy Broughton was a child in Franklin, Tennessee during racial segregation. She tells stories of her experience and talks about how loving or hating a person has nothing to do with the color of their skin.

Miss Daisy shares, "People would say they loved Christ, but they disliked me because of the color of my skin. That's a contradiction, because Christ loved everybody."

Martin Luther King Junior's example and words speak deeply to Miss Daisy about the love of God and how we don't have to like everybody, but we do need to love everyone--each human person is a child of God.

Miss Daisy shares how the meaning of Advent is to prepare for Jesus to come into our hearts again.

Homeless and Hopeful with Charlie Vos

Charli Vos is experiencing homelessness and receiving help in city shelters.

Charli was raised in a violent and segregated town in Texas and experienced human trafficking as a child. She was abused from the time she was very young until she left her biological family when she was about thirty years old. Charli unknowingly had PTSD and utilized drugs and alcohol for many years to mentally escape her circumstances.

Charli hit rock bottom and started rehabilitation. She has been sober since 2013.

Charli attributes her miraculous healing to God and relies on her Catholic faith to navigate each day and share the love of God with others. Charli is grateful to have adopted the Holy Family as her own.

Will You Let God Love You?

Amanda Bagwell of Whole Catholic was at the National Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help in Wisconsin sitting at the feet of a statue of Our Lady of Grace. Amanda heard God speak into her heart, "Will you let me love you?" Amanda responded, "I don't know how." This moment changed Amanda's life.

God has shown Amanda through the meaning of her name how to be loved. Amanda's name, Amanda Diane means beloved, worthy of love and daughter of the King.

Amanda shares the meaning of her first name in three parts:

*Be-loved By Him: Recieve God's love from God and others

*Be-love to others: show and express God's love to others through relationships

*Be-lov-ed: teach others to love through example, as well as intentional teaching

Amanda and her husband, Jansen have a deliverance ministry, Whole Catholic to help you get unstuck in faith and life. Learn how to experience mercy, find freedom and move forward to live the life God designed for you!

Foster Care at Twelve

Anthony Watkins and his brothers were sent to live with their father whom they did not really know after their mother was unable to care for them due to drug addiction. Anthony's father then abandoned the boys at the courthouse and Anthony and his brothers were placed at the Happy Hills Boys Ranch in Tennessee. Hear this moving story from loss, suffering and trauma to healing, hope and redemption.

On Fire with the Holy Spirit

This Pentecost, Father Jon Meyer shares how Christians are called to be on fire with the Holy Spirit--no exceptions. Father Jon Meyer is the Chaplain of Mamas in Spirit.

Heartfelt conversations with guests about how god has transformed their LIVES