Be Love

Today I have the privilege of interviewing Rondell Trevino, founder of The Immigration Coalition. Their organization is providing clean drinking water to Immigrant and migrant families in Matamoros, Mexico along the Southern Border, and biblically balanced resources on immigration that show compassion to immigrants and respect for the rule of law.

Today I am interviewing my new friend Emily Mills Co-founder of Jesus Said Love, a non-profit that helps to awaken hope and empower change in the lives of those impacted by the commercial sex industry—including human trafficking. They do this through outreach, job training and work therapy, social enterprise, and education and prevention. 

**WARNING SENSITIVE SUBJECT MATTER DISCUSSED** Today I am interviewing Joe Smarro who helped lead the San Antonio Police Department’s mental health unit and crisis intervention training. Because of this team more than 100,000 people have been diverted away from jail or emergency rooms. Thanks to the work of the San Antonio Police Department’s mental health detail.

Today we are kicking off our PROTECT THE WEAK series with an organization who knows a thing or two about protecting others. International Justice Mission is a organization that was created to END modern day slavery. Their proven solution consists of rescuing and restoring victims, bringing criminals to justice, and strengthening justice systems. 

The Be Strong Series was a rich and amazing group of people who shared their struggles and hardships in hopes to inspire us to muster up our own dose of strength in hard times. ⁠I learned so much from this month’s episodes, so I am giving you some of my favorite take-aways from this series. I am going back through each episode and pulling out some of the special things that I learned. 

We are in the 4th week of our BE STRONG SERIES, where we are sharing stories of those who have been strong through unimaginable difficulties.  Ashley Abercrombie, author of, Rise of the Truth Teller, is sharing her  powerful story with us today. Ashley reminds us that it is ok to tell the truth about ourselves and our past. 

Today we have the privilege of interviewing Tyler Labine for the third episode of our Be Strong Series. Tyler plays Dr. Iggy Frome, head of psychiatry, in the NBC medical drama New Amsterdam. Yes, New Amsterdam is one of our favorite shows on TV so I couldn’t wait to talk to Tyler about his own story of strength. 

Remember the book Wonder by RJ Palacio? The book is about the little boy Auggie who had Treacher Collins syndrome, a crania-facial disorder in which some bones and tissues in the face aren’t developed. Magda Newman’s family is called the “real life Wonder” family. 20/20 did a special on Magda’s family and her family's journey with Treacher Collins syndrome.  Magda and her son Nathaniel have written a beautiful memoir called Normal: A Mother and her Beautiful Son.

Today we are interviewing Sam Collier, sought after speaker, pastor, author, podcaster, who shares his story of how he was abandoned as a baby and later meets his birth mother on the Steve Harvey show of all places. We talk about disappointment, what happens when things don’t work out the way we think they should, how to surrender, and what it means to accept our past, present, and future, no matter the trials we have been through. 

So today as we finish up summer and head into a new season I wanted to give some things we have learned this past year, and also how we are trying to go into this school year with a positive attitude. Listen in to this short podcast as we talk about 2 ideas that might change our minds about this year. 

When we say love everyone, don’t we want to preface  it with….everyone but…..or I can love almost everyone but….that big but gives us some trouble. So in this day and age, when Covid-19, and the upcoming election, and racial tensions have seemed to have us doing the opposite of love, how do we ACTUALLY live out this statement?

On today’s episode we are exploring the second line of our This fall we will be interviewing different guests who live out this PROTECT THE WEAK phrase on a regular basis. From rescuing those from being trafficked to being a safe place for those on the streets. Each week they will give us tangible ways for us to do the same in our own environment.

As most of you know we started our podcast because our community asked us to share stories of those we were meeting that were loving others well. For the past year and a half we have been sharing stories of those who are loving in creative ways in hopes of inspiring the listener to love others in their own way. Because we believe love shows up in different ways, big and small; and all ways make a difference. 

Michelle McKinney is our guest today and she brings the FIRE and inspiration to know what our purpose is and live in it. She helps women design, define and bring their God-given dreams to life. She believes that every woman can fulfill her God-given purpose, and she is on a mission to help them get there. That’s why she started her company,  Dreams Unleashed, to help others pursue their dreams.

This has to be one of the most important interviews I have ever done. Danielle Strickland gives us practical ways to listen and learn from those we may have never known. Whether it be refugee, homeless, those in foster care, etc... Danielle’s goal is to live a life of love and she gives us very practical ways in how to take the first steps in becoming love in our communities.