Brightest Voices

Today on the Brightest Voices Podcast I am joined by Adam Pietrantonio, a missionary to Japan. Adam shares His testimony in school as a philosophy student, how the Lord called him to Japan, and the lessons he's learned since living on the mission field.   About Adam   Adam has been married to his beautiful wife, Sabrina, for just over four months. He is a 30-yr old career missionary to Japan with Fellowship International. He and Sabrina are both on home assignment in California, preparing for their second term in Japan. He is the only Christian in his family, coming to faith in 2011 during his third year of philosophy studies at York University in Toronto. God used the people and ministry of Power to Change - Students to draw Adam to Him. Since then, God has slowly and gently led Adam to this season of long-term mission work in Japan. God has used used Japanese friends in Canada and trips to Japan to give Adam a desire to love and serve Japanese people in word and deed in culturally-resonating ways.

In this episode of the Brightest Voices Podcast, missionary Kristy Holliday shares about her work in Mexico at a school for the death, her journey to the missions field, and her life currently loving on her community during tough times. Kristy also prays over every listener that they would have the courage to let the Lord use them where they're at.                                                      About Kristy   Kristy Holliday is about to celebrate 31 years of marriage to Tim. they have 6 kids and 5 grandkids and one on the way.  she grew up in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and was a Political Science and Public Policy major, at one time considering law school. her husband spent 20 years as a submariner in the US Navy, and so they moved around a lot. she came to know and follow Jesus as Lord while in college. She served as an ESL director and teacher trainer for about 15 years, before becoming a missionary and since coming to the field she serves with Mission to the World at Isaiah 55 Ministries in Reynosa, Mexico, at the US/Mexico border just south of McAllen, Texas. She am the coordinator for Neighborhood Outreach Ministries at Isaiah 55 Ministries, and is also responsible for communications and other administrative tasks.

In this episode, Mark doesn't shy away from hard topics. If you've ever wondered how you should respond when you hear about refugees in the news, this episode is for you.                                                 About Mark   Mark and Jennie Cloherty are currently Strategic Cordinators for Refugees and full time staff with Servant Partners. Servant Partners is an urban ministry based in Los Angeles with teams working and living in urban poor neighborhoods in 25 cities around the world. They are based in Miami and their current role takes us all over Latin America.  Mark and Jennie have been married for 11 years, and have 3 children. They met on the mission field in Central Africa, working in the DR Congo and Uganda. We have experience of working in different contexts, we have lived in Africa, Europe and now the US. Mark is originally from the UK, Jennie is American.

In this episode, Pastor Harrison Kwok speak passionately about the job each and every one of us has as Christians. About Harrison Harrison was born in Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada. His parents moved to the Yukon nearly 50 years ago. He gave his life to Christ in 2009 at the University of Victoria. He met his wife Kaitlyn shortly after. Currently, they have 3 energetic daughters ages 6 and under. He is the pastor of a church plant in Whitehorse called the Northern Collective Church.

Originally from Fort Worth, Texas, Jesse Northcutt has been serving with Greater Europe Mission in Dublin, Ireland for thirty-eight years. His ministry has focused on evangelism, church planting, leader development and field leadership for GEM Ireland. He is married to his wife Joyce for forty-six years and they have six children and sixteen grandchildren. He loves to connect with people as a member of a local gym and golf club and by volunteering at a busy charity shop in his town of Swords. He also serves as an elder at his local church, Swords Baptist Church. Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/brightestvoices/

It's been quite the journey for Brightest Voices, I've learned a ton. Here are 5 lessons that I've learned while chasing my dreams that you can take to heart as you chase your dream too.

When you think about a missionary, where does you mind go? I hope if you've been listening to this podcast for a while that you know that missionaries are at work in many different places doing all sorts of things. But for most, when they picture a missionary, they think living in a hut in africa, or in the jungles of South America. But there are missionaries everywhere, why? Because sin is everywhere, and there are hurting people everywhere who need help.   Today I talk with Rachel Parentaeu, a missionary in Scotland whose ministry is all about connecting with people who are going through rough times.   Rachel Parenteau is originally from Toronto, Canada and is serving as a missionary at Charleston Community Church in Dundee, Scotland. She serves with an organization called 20schemes which seeks to revitalize and plant gospel-preaching churches in Scotland's 'schemes' (areas with high levels of poverty, social deprivation, crime and drug and alcohol abuse). She studied psychology at York University in Toronto, Canada and is currently studying theology at the Union School of Theology located in Bridgend, Wales. In her spare time she likes to kickbox, do watercolour painting and spend time outdoors.  When we think of Scotland, we think of rolling green hills and peaceful countrysides with bagpipes playing in the background. That might be the reality for some, but for Rachel it's far from that. She works in the Schemes of Scotland, home to some of the highest numbers of domestic abuse and violence in all of Europe. Rachel's job is to simply connect and love those who need it most. She hosts many different events and groups through the local church and aims to minister to people in a way that's actually helpful to them instead of harmful, and she walks us through how we can learn to do the same for those who are hurting in our lives.  Get Involved!   Instagram : www.instagram.com/brightestvoices Facebook : www.facebooik.com/groups/brightestvoices

Did you know there are 7,360 languages spoken in the world? And that some portion of the Bible is translated into only 1,160 many of them? But only 704 languages have the full Bible? How crazy is that?! Just let that sink in for a moment. There are so many lost people in the world that need to have the word of God available for them.Thankfully, there are many faithful missionaries in the world that are working hard to bring the bible to those who need it. 2,731 languages have active translation work happening right now.    In today's episode I got the pleasure of meeting two of those faithful missionaries actively translating the Word Of God, James and Jenneka Lundeen, and hearing all about what the process of Bible translation is really like    James and Jenneka Lundeen serve with Pioneer BIble Translators in Tanzania, East Africa. Pioneer Bible Translators seeks to bring the Bible to people groups who do not yet have the full Bible in the language that speaks best to their hearts. The Lundeens met while in graduate school preparing to go overseas to work in missions. They are living and working with their people group in Tanzania, and working with a team of native speakers to translate the Bible. They are excited to see how the Bible and the Holy Spirit will transform this community of people.   I talk with James and Jenneka all about what their lives are like as missionaries and Bible translators in Tanzania living amongst a people group much different than their own. We talk about the struggles of learning a language and immersing yourself in a new culture and they share the nitty gritty of what you need to know if you would like to do the same.  Get Involved!   Instagram : www.instagram.com/brightestvoices   Facebook : www.facebook.com/groups/brightestvoices    

Ministry is something that we're all called to do, some do it at home and others make a home overseas and do it there. Regardless of where life takes you there will always be people there, and people should be at the heart of all our ministries.   Today's guests, Matt and Kristy Messick, have a beautiful view of how ministry should work and does work in their lives. This episode is packed full of love, Matt and Kristy's love for eachother, Their love for the lord, their love for his people, and their love of making others love strong though their marriage ministry, which you'll hear all about. Matt and Kristy Messick live in Loja, Ecuador with their six kiddos, and have been serving in missions ever since they met on a dusty road in 2001.  Their desire is to help couples learn to live well together, and to love being married!  Matt and Kristy love to laugh together, walk together, and find ways to not do ministry and life the 'normal way'.   The marriage ministry; MAS en Mi Matrimonio started in 2016, and by God's grace, continues to grow.     Join me  as I chat with this wonderful couple who are sure to entertain you as well as inspire you. Their personal story of how they met is a whirlwind from start to finish and hearing about how the Lord has built their marriage from there is beautiful so you're definitely not gunna wanna miss that. They also share their advice for how to run a successful marriage ministry, which I'm sure is no easy feat but they do it with such love and faithfulness. Without further ado let's get into the goods! Join The Fam!   Instagram : www.instagram.com/brightestvoices Facebook : www.facebook.com/groups/brightestvoices  

Do you ever feel like your head full of dreams is running at a million miles a minute and you just wish life would catch up? Sometimes it's hard for us to remember to stay in the here and now, we have a vision of where we'd like to be and when we look at where we are it seems like we'll never get there. Or maybe you have the opposite problem, you feel like you're right where you want to be oly to have God take you in a completely different direction than what you planned for.   If you can relate, pay careful attention to today's episode with Gwynne Gardner as she teaches us how to live life one step at a time.   Gwynne grew up as a military kid and was constantly on the move and has seen the Lord's faithfulness in every step of her journey. It was in high school when she felt the call to missions when she was on a mission trip to Finland. After college, she did an internship with the mission organization, Josiah Venture, in the country of Slovenia and from there she knew this was where God had been leading her. After eight years of service in Celje, Slovenia, working with her local church and helping lead a youth rock choir, the Lord made it clear that it was time for her next adventure and to take another step of faith. The Lord opened the door for her to join the international communications team located at the Josiah Venture headquarters in the Czech Republic. She now serves on this team as the Social Media Manager. She has a desire to see the gospel advance through the media highway and to use social media as a platform to tell young people across Central and Eastern Europe all about Jesus.    She's had a whirlwind of experiences, and that's why she speaks so passionately about not getting ahead of yourself and learning how to take a journey with the Lord, one step at a time.   Join The Fam! instagram : www.instagram.com/brightestvoices Facebook : www.facebook.com/groups/brightestvoices Website : www.brightestvoices.com  

On this show we share stories, and today's lesson is wrapped up fully inside a life journey. Crystal Dueck tells her story today, one of redirection, waiting, and trusting the Lord.    Crystal was born into a Christian home in southern Manitoba, Canada and at the age of 4 decided to give her life to Jesus. She is the oldest of 2 children and as a family they moved to northern Canada when she was 11 and this is when God started her on her journey of becoming a missionary. As they lived in a small northern city and where they were the minority and were reminded of that fact everyday. God used this to prepare her for living overseas. After high school, she moved to Alberta and studied classical music and it was after graduating with this degree that God started to bring going into missions into effect.  Growing up she never fully felt comfortable with who she was and felt many times that she didn't belong, but as God continued to work in her and use the hard situations in life she has become more confident in who she is in Him and everything that has happened in life has prepared her for serving on the missions field today and in Frankfurt, Germany.    It was lovely to connect with a fellow “Crystal” and learn from her experiences. Many of us struggle to find our “place”, to make sense of all the experiences God has guided us through. Crystal's story teaches us that when we view our lives through the Lord's lens it will all start to take shape… and as it turns out God knew what He was doing all along.   As you listen to today's episode, soak in the lessons with open hands and an open heart my friend, and maybe you'll start to see your story take shape too. Follow Me! Instagram : www.instagram.com/brightestvoices Facebook : www.facebook.com/groups/brightestvoices Website : www.brightestvoices.com  

Ryan and Chelsea are missionary physicians serving in Niger, Africa who are passionate about evangelism, making disciples, and planting reproducing churches. They view their medical training as a way to serve the work of disciple-making. They are learning the Hausa language and have been married for 10 years.    These two are a force to be reckoned with, on top of being physicians and church planters, they're also authors, having written two books. And they're incredibly passionate about the topic of sharing the gospel. Today Ryan and Chelsea share their individual journeys and what their work looks like in Niger, as well as their top tips for learning how to share the gospel. I know you'll walk away from this episode feelin like shouting his good news from the rooftops.  Ryan and Chelsea's Books  Some People Go : https://www.amazon.com/Some-People-Go-Childrens-Missionary/dp/B08YQCP75Y/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=ryan+and+chelsea+porter&qid=1623253437&sr=8-1 The Hole In Our Missions : https://www.amazon.com/Hole-Our-Missions-Ryan-Porter/dp/B08KH3R9CN/ref=pd_sbs_3/134-9571737-4306344?pd_rd_w=AF6L9&pf_rd_p=f8e24c42-8be0-4374-84aa-bb08fd897453&pf_rd_r=SDSGV9F77YMDHN27F0A7&pd_rd_r=fa5f68d2-25a9-4e8f-84bd-a7a73f1b4165&pd_rd_wg=Jxgm2&pd_rd_i=B08KH3R9CN&psc=1   Get Involved! Instagram : www.instagram.com/brightestvoices   Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/brightestvoices   Show Notes : https://brightestvoices.com/episodes/044-how-to-share-the-gospel-with-ryan-and-chelsea-porter  

I've got another wonderful story for you guys today, today I am talking with Beth Burkhalter. Beth is originally from NW Arkansas. She has been serving with her husband and four children for 11 years in Colombia with the International Mission Board. She founded the Embera Bead Project in December 2019 which you will hear all about in this episode. She enjoys thrift shopping and a good siesta! She is so full of the Lord's joy and wisdom. In this episode we discuss her journey going from living in very rural columbia to the heart of the big city and everything she learned from the changes of seasons. And we discuss her journey to start the Embera bead project, a company that provides jobs for the women of the Embera tribe. Her story is so beautiful from start to finish and I know you're gonna get something out of this one   Get Involved! Instagram : www.instagram.com/brightestvoices Facebook : www.facebook.com/groups/brightestvoices  

Welcome to The Brightest Voices Podcast, I’m your host Christal. I have the privilege of interviewing missionaries from around the world and hearing their stories of God’s glory. Today’s story is the lovely Alison Hidinger, Allison is campus staff with Power to Change - Students. She's based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, but has served campus ministries in 7 different provinces during her 9 years on staff. She has a Bachelor of Journalism degree from Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada's capital, but she has no plans to head into that career path because she loves working with students and helping people know Jesus. In this episode Alison shares her top tips for evangelism with us and gets us hyped and ready to build relationships and share the gospel! So let’s get going! Get Involved! Show Notes : https://brightestvoices.com/episodes/42-what-you-need-to-know-about-evangelism Instagram: www.instagram.com/brightestvoices Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/brightestvoices  

Ok my friends we are getting real with this episode today. I always want to bring the truth of God's glory and what He is doing in and through His people, and sometimes that can be some really personal difficult struggles.   I am so thankful for today’s guest Lucie Holden for sharing her story with me. Today I am talking with Lucie about her struggle with pornography and how the Lord helped her to overcome it. Wow it is quite the journey and quite the episode. Lucie shares some incredible insights on the reality of addiction and how to overcome it. This girl was such a joy to talk to and the Lord is using her in such incredible ways. Get Involved! Show Notes: https://brightestvoices.com/episodes/41-how-she-overcame-her-addiction-to-porn-with-lucie-holden   Instagram: www.instagram.com/brightestvoices   Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/brightestvoices  

I’m excited for you to meet today’s couple and hear their story. Josh and Vanessa were so easy to connect with right off the bat and their story has many similarities to my own, Josh has connections to South Africa, which is where I was for 2 years, and they were in a long distance relationship for a while before getting married, just like my husband and I. That is just the tip of the iceberg in th stories these two have to share, and as they were sharing with me I began to see a common theme and lesson that the Lord has woven through their testimony which is the title of our episode today… learning how to die to yourself.   As you listen you will hear how they have personally had to larn to surrender many things to the Lord and looking back they are able to see how the Lord created fruit from that decision. Not only do you get to see tangible examples of how god can work in someones life when they surrender to Him, but Josh and Vanessa also give you their top 4 tips for learning how to surrender in your own life. Get your pen and paper out you are gunna learn so much from this one!   Get Involved!   Instagram: www.instagram.com/brightestvoices   Facebook Group : www.facebook.com/groups/brightestvoices    

Today we have Hannah sharing God’s goodness with us, and she is preaching fire, my friend. Her words and her heart to serve the Lord are so impactful and inspiring.   She had a beautiful perspective on our relationship with the Lord and how we need to let Him break us down to build us up. This episode is awesome and I hope you’re ready for Hannah’s passion. I pray that it will be contagious for you today, friend.    Join The Fam: www.instagram.com/brightestvoices www.facebook.com/groups/brightestvoices   The Shop: www.brightestvoices.com/theshop

God writes some pretty good stories, don’t you think? Today’s guest, Liz, had definitely let God write a beautiful story in her life. She went from being a military wife and working in corporate america, to living full time on the missions field in Cambodia. What a change! Liz shares some valuable tips with us about how to deal with a shift like that, how to have a smooth transition to the missions field after being used to our comfortable american lives.    Show Notes: https://brightestvoices.com/episodes/038-how-to-have-a-smooth-transition-onto-the-mission-field-with-liz-k   Join The Fam: www.instagram.com/brightestvoices www.facebook.com/groups/brightestvoices   The Shop: www.brightestvoices.com/theshop

WHOOOO! I hope you’re hype this morning/afternoon/evening cause this episode is a good one, my friend! I am talking to Gerry and Barb Normand, a couple full of life serving in Guatemala. Their story insane y’all and their love for the Lord and their obedience to Him is so inspiring. Intertwined in their story is a constant lesson to keep going, push on, and trust the Lord. If you are in search of some encouragement to help keep you fighting, this is your episode. Don’t you dare leave.

 I want to invite you in with me today as I sit down to talk to Colin and Kathleen. Who are both engineering minded missionaries working with a ministry called EMI. In this interview we talk about how God prepares us for our future works and how to know when it’s time to stop learning and gaining experience and instead take action on a dream God has placed in your heart. Colin and Kathleen also share their experience with one of the most dreaded topics in the ministry world… fundraising. Their perspective is so refusing and encouraging so make sure you stick around for this whole episode, my friend.  Snow Notes: https://brightestvoices.com/episodes/036-how-to-make-fundraising-enjoyable-with-colin-and-kathleen-wassaneer Join The Fam: www.instagram.com/brightestvoices www.facebook.com/groups/brightestvoices   The Shop: www.brightestvoices.com/theshop

In this episode Jaimeson unpacks his journey on the mission field and different moments where he encountered the heart of the Lord and How it changed his view of his job as a missionary and our job as christians in general.   Show Notes: https://brightestvoices.com/episodes/035-finding-gods-heart-with-jaimeson-fowler Join The Fam: www.instagram.com/brightestvoices www.facebook.com/groups/brightestvoices   The Shop: www.brightestvoices.com/theshop

Y’all are going to LOVE Victoria. I just gotta say… she’s one of the only guests that like interviewed ME before we hit record! Haha. She genuinely wanted to know my heart and my story behind this podcast. And honestly he heart to build relationships is what this episode is all about. She is a missionary to the Czech Republic, a country with a majority atheist population. So her ministry relies heavily on showing God’s love through consistency and building long term relationships.   In this episode, Victoria shares not only her personal testimony which is beautiful… btw. But we also discuss what it is like to be ministering to Athesits.   And to top it all off… Victoria provides 7 solid tips that you need to know about starting off your life as missionary. You will walk away from this episode feeling ready to conquer the world, and more educated on what missionary life truly looks like behind the scenes.   Join the Fam: www.instagram.com/brightestvoices www.facebook.com/groups/brightestvoices   Show Notes: https://brightestvoices.com/episodes/033-7-things-a-new-missionary-should-know-with-victoria-grosvenor The Shop: www.brightestvoices.com/theshop    

This is the Brightest Voices podcast, a place where I interview the brightest voices in the darkest places. My goal is to inspire you to use your gifts for the Lord, through the stories of His people on the mission field. Every week I’ve got some crazy amazing stories for you guys, so I hope you’ll stick around.    Today’s bright voices are Ethan and Elizabeth Helm. A missionary couple doing medical missions in Cambodia. Not only do Ethan and Elizabeth share their testimonies with us, which by the way, are so full of God’s glory. But they also give us a raw and real view of exactly what it’s like to be medical missionaries. They share their top advice for anyone who feels called to medical missions, and they also share guidelines you need to put in place to ensure you don’t experience “missions drift” during your time on the mission field. Join The Fam: www.instagram.com/brightestvoices www.facebook.com/groups/brightestvoices Show Notes: https://brightestvoices.com/episodes/034-inside-the-world-of-medical-missions-with-ethan-and-elizabeth-helm The Shop: www.brightestvoices.com/theshop  

 Today I am interviewing someone who may just have been one of my favorite interives to date. His name is Ron Widbin and his passions in life very much align with mine. Ron has spent nearly his whole life sharing others stories working as a reporter for a local news station, and now he usues his talents and education to share stories of missionaries on the field.   It was a pleasure to be able to provide him with an opportunity to share his own story for a change. And what a story it is. You’re not gunna wanna miss this one.   Because of Ron’s ministry he has had the pleasure of interviewing and experiencing dozens of different ministries and he’s been able to take note of what he has observed to be the constant themes that make up a successful ministry.. And gues what?! He is gunna share them with us today. How great is that! If you are dreaming about running your own ministry in the future keep your ears peeled for some good advice coming at ya. And honestly this advice is good for any dream that you have on your heart that you will commit to the Lord. Join the Fam: www.insagram.com/brightestvoices www.facebook.com/groups/brightestvoices Show Notes : https://brightestvoices.com/episodes/032-the-4-keys-to-running-a-successful-ministry-with-ron-widbin The Shop: www.Brightestvoices.com/theshop  

Hello brightest voices Fam! Welcome back to another story telling sesh. Today I had a chat with my new friend Jake. He works in the Arab world as a mobilizer. He is working his butt off learning two different languages and acclimating to a new culture all while on the look out for opportunities to minister to God’s people. Jake’s testimony is one of redemption. His relationship with his dad has been totally transformed by God in the last few years and I was so honored to be able to share in that joy and tell that story to all of you. In the episode, Jake shares his top tips for all of you out there who are in the middle of a hardship just trying to persevere. He also says a prayer at the end to anyone one who can relate to his story of broken relationships. If you are currently going through a storm wondering if you’ll make it out… this is your episode. Ladies and gentleman… here’s Jake!   Show Notes : https://brightestvoices.com/episodes/031-the-1-secret-to-perseverance Join The Fam: www.instagram.com/brightestvoices www.facebook.com/groups/brightestvoices

Hello hello my friends, welcome back to another episode of brightest Voices. In today’s episode, we’re having a lil girls chat… but don’t worry guys, you can learn from it too.   I sat down with Rae-Anna to talk about *ghasp* the controversial topic of Purity. Rae-Anna runs the ministry Pure Heart Japan, where she shares God’s heart and design for purity with the people of Japan.   In this episode Rae-Anna shares her powerful testimony where she walked away from God several times but He was always there to catch her. He spoke so clearly to her heart that Japan was where she was made to be, but she didn’t make it to Japan for 12 years after her calling. Rae-Anna’s story is one of persistence and trusting God.   She also gives her advice to all the single ladies out there, and of course shares her heart about God’s design for Purity.   Grab yourself some chocolate and a cozy blanket and let’s settle in for this chat.     Show Notes: https://brightestvoices.com/episodes/030-the-truth-about-purity-with-rae-anna     Join The Fam: www.instagram.com/brightestvoices www.facebook.com/groups/brightestvoices

Welcome back to the Brightest Voices campfire, my friend. Today we’ve got quite a story from Greg Walton. A man who is no stranger to trusting God.   Greg lives on the side of a mountain in Guatemala. He and his wife Helene are gifted in calling out Jesus in people and helping them learn the faith and discipline it takes to develop their gifts and use them for God.   Greg’s story is all about remembering that it’s not about you, and learning how to make space for God to speak and move, and joining Him in what He’s already doing.   This episode will give you a little glimpse into what it’s like to truly live off the grid in a country that is not your own. Greg even shares his top three tips for success on the mission field.    If you love the idea of going to the ends of the earth and living in a small tribe somewhere in a jungle… you are going to loooove this episode. Greg has got some stories and some wisdom to share. Let’s hear it.     Show Notes https://brightestvoices.com/episodes/029-what-its-like-to-live-in-rural-guatemala-with-greg-walton      Join The Fam www.instagram.com/brightestvoices www.facebook.com/groups/brightestvoices

In today’s episode I had the pleasure of serving as an excuse for Steve and Christy’s walk down memory lane. This couple has spent 20+ years on the missions field, gethered stories, learned the language, raised a family, and now they are transitioning into an entirely new country, language and culture. This time their kids are all grown up and on to other things. What a joy it was to hear Steve and Christy reflect on the contrast between their first time moving to a new country to now. I enjoyed every second of this interview, the stories they share are equally entertaining and convicting, and the wisdom and insight they provide is so valuable. Steve and Christy amaze me with their love for the Lord, and their drive to use their passions for His glory. I can’t wait for you to meet them so you can be as amazed as I am.   Show Notes: www.brightestvoices.com/episodes Join The Community: www.instagram.com/brightestvoices www.facebook.com/groups/brightestvoices  

Lessons from a story about a long distance relationship. Instagram Facebook Group

One of the beautiful parts about missions is that there are thousands of ministries world wide all united with the cause of doing God’s work. Today I want to introduce to you one ministry doing just that. Go Ministries. In this episode I talk to Isias and Lenae Gabriel, an intercultural couple working as the director of residency and the coordinator of communications for GO Ministries. Isias and Lenae share with us about the heart of Go Ministries and their passion to train up locals and how they make that work through all the different facets of their ministry. Isias is from the Dominican Republic and Lenae is from the good ole US of A, so I was curious to hear from them about what it’s like to be married to someone with a different culture than theirs. All in All this episode boils down to lessons in trusting God and his plan for us, I am so excited for you to listen and for you to meet Isias and Lenae Instagram Facebook Group

Let me just start out by saying, this episode made me cry. Daryl Fulp has got STORIES to share. And he has such an incredible inspiring faith. Daryl and his wife Wanda have done so much for the kingdom of God through their organization, Hope for Home Ministries. They help children with special needs in a number of different ways that you will hear about in this episode, and in addition to also sharing his testimony, which is incredible, by the way.  Daryl shares his heart on the nitty gritty of ministry. It’s not easy, it’s not safe, it’s not responsible, but it’s where He called us to be, and as Daryl puts it we go where the need is, and “the need is ugly”. I want you to really open your heart and let the Lord in as you listen to this episode, cause I think He’s gunna use Daryl to teach ya a thing or two.   Facebook Group Instagram

I love how God knows our lives since before we were born. He knows the ins and outs of us and what we will do with every single day of our lives. He knows us because He created us, and He has dreams and plans for us. Today’s guest Rachael Hall, has such a sweet story of God’s design. She was designed for Cambodia, the way that her personality is and the things she loves, all align with the culture of Cambodia so well… that’s no coincidence, my friend. That’s God’s design. I talked with Rachael about her story of how she ended up in Cambodia, and let me tell you, it will blow you away. When we trust our lives in the hands of the one who created our lives, we end up right where we’re supposed to be. We just have to listen, be faithful, and give God our yes. It aint gonna be all sunshine and rainbows, but that’s life, that’s the journey, and that’s why we need God. Keep listening for some incredible passion from Rachael and to hear how God is using her and helping her find her forever ministry in Cambodia. Just like all of us, God is still working for her, they are journeying together to create waves in the kingdom of God. May this episode be an encouragement to you, my friend, to dig deeper and dream bigger to discover the exact place that God has designed you for. Brightest Voices is mine, and I’m glad you’re here to share it with me.

I want you to think ahead to the future. 5, 10, 20 years from now. Where will you be? What will you be doing? I bet you have no clue… neither did David. Today’s guest David Ng’ang’a, had no idea he would end up working for Bethany Kids as the director for all of their operations for  the entire country of Kenya. It’s quite the responsibility, and he is killin it, with so much faith and humility. But He didn’t take it all in one day, it was a journey there. In this episode, David shares his testimony, and it truly shows how it  gave him the solid foundation of faith that he needed to get him to be where he is today, and He continues to build that faith as he journeys with God through his ministry. You will love listening to this man, he has got such a sweet heart for God, and for people, he firmly believes that God put something wonderful in each of us. And I believe that too. As you listen, think about the wonderful things God put in you, and pray about how you might use them for his glory the way David does. And stick around to the end, cause David gives some great advice for anyone out there who feels “unqualified” for what the Lord has called them to do. and let me just say it might be my favorite quotation from any episode I’ve had on the podcast so far. So you’re gunna wanna listen Instagram Facebook Group Website

OOOOO church you better strap in for this episode cause it is SO GOOD. Peter Lublink hits us with some hard truths that we need to wake up to as the American church. Yeah we’ve got problems, but we can;t just focus on what’s happening in our nation because guess what? The body of Christ is global, and globally there are some insane God stories happening every single day. Peter’s ministry, Bethany Kids, is one of the ministries making those insane God stories happen. They train up pediatric surgeons from all over Africa and deploy them to go serve in their home countries. their surgeons and their ministry supports their local community in any way they can and they are such a force for good that is focused first and foremost on serving and loving their people well and caring for their well being. In today’s episode Peter shares with us beautiful stories of what Bethany Kids is doing, and his heart for the church to become one all over the world and for us all to take part is what God is doing globally. He is going to fire you up, my friend. He is going to empower you to share stories of God's glory AND to get involved to help those stories to continue. Bethany Kids Website Instagram Facebook

Today’s episode with Lynette is mega encouraging. During her years in Cambodia on  the missions field she and her husband have bounced around from place to place from job to job, they've gone from church planting, to  training leaders, all the way to opening a fitness center. They are always being ready to go where the Lord calls them next. Sounds like kind of a stressful life right? For Lynette, it’s all about living your life with an open hand ready to take on what the Lord wants to give you. She has got some incredible God stories to share with you, and some incredible God wisdom. Lynette is so passionate about letting The Lord’s plan take you where He needs you to go, and seeing how He is able to use your gifts along the way.    And that’s what I’m trying to show with Brightest Voices. We are all beautifully uniquely talented and passionate about different things, and if your story goe anything Like my story, or Lynette's story, God will use all those passions and talents in such a creative way it will blow your mind. All you have to do is be diligent with those abilities and live your life with an open hand, ready to say “yes” when He calls. Don’t worry, He’ll send you plenty of encouragement along the way. Today your bomb of encouragement is coming from the awesome and lovely Lynette Coddle. Instagram Facebook Group

Today I have got quite an incredible story to share with you. The story of Daniel Asencio. He grew up living next to a trash dump in Peru, where he would see the crazy gringos come and run their VBS and share about Jesus. Fast forward many years and he is now working hand in hand with those crazy gringos and giving back to the kinds of communities that he grew up in and reaching out to the kinds of kids that he used to be. Jesus radically transformed his life and he is sharing all the details of his  journey with us today. In addition to Daniel sharing his testimony, he also shares with us what his role at Inca Link looks like and spills the beans on what it’s like working with short term teams. This episode is gonna have your jaw on the ground and your hands in the air praising our Lord.    Inca Link Facebook  Inca Link Instagram Daniel's Instagram Brightest Voices Instagram Brightest Voices FB Group  

What is one thing that you just love doing? Something that excites you, and makes you want to become a better version of yourself? Something that you would do for a living if you could? For Nate Taube, that thing is soccer. Growing up in South America, soccer was a huge part of this childhood, and now living in Ecuador as a missionary, Soccer is an even bigger part of His life. He runs CUMBREALTA, A soccer club for Jesus. Yep, you heard that right, you can be a missionary that plays soccer for your ministry. Nate’s goal is to be excellent in all he does for his club, and for his players to be the best they can be. And that through that excellence, they will bring people to Jesus. The men in his club don’t come to hear about the Lord, they come because his boys are excellent soccer players, but through that Nate is able to have devotions with his team and be there for the ones that need him. I got to talk to Nate about his journey to the mission field, and how hard it was for two MKs to come into their own as adults on the mission field, and also about what it was like leaving his community in America behind. And of course Nate shares his heart behind his call to start Cumbrealta and his encouragement to us all to be the best you can so the Lord can use you to the best of your ability.  Instagram Facebook Group Cumbrealta.org

Did you know that one of the top five reasons that missionaries leave the missions field is because of other missionaries? Pretty surprising right? Developing relationships with the people you are serving with is just as important as the relationships with the people you are serving. Today’s guests are a couple that I admire so much, Matt and Cindy Wright. They served as Missionaries in Albania for many years, and are now serving in the pastoral care realm, providing care and counseling for missionaries at their home in Greece.  Matt and Cindy not only share about how their struggles in relationships with other missionaries in their early days ultimately lead to them being told to come home from the missions field, but also give us valuable advice and resources about developing lasting relationships.    Instagram Facebook Group

Have you ever wondered about the home and family life of a missionary? Obviously ministering and doing good work is why people become missionaries, but many missionaries have families and marriages and they have to navigate them all while learning a new culture, language, and adjusting to a new life. Ramona Simmons has got some stories for you, all about family on the missions field and they are powerful. She’s lived in the philippines with her husband Russ for over 40 years and they raised all four of their sons on the missions field. I talk with Ramona about how her role as a mother fit with her role as a missionary, the lessons she’s learned through her marriage over the years, and what it’s like to be transparent as a missionary. This episode will give you a lil peak into the home life of a missionary and what it’s like to not only minister on the missions field, but to just plain live your life and raise your family. And let me tell you, after this interview I have a lot more respect for all those missionary mommas out there. Instagram Facebook Group

On the World Race I was in Albania for three months, while no one really has heard of Albania, most have heard of the countries surrounding it… mainly Greece and Italy. We didn't want to be there for three months and never see these wonderful places so we decided to do something about it! We asked our host if we could get a few days off ministry so we could go on a lil mini vacation to see the sights. Much to our surprise He agreed! So we went into full on planning mode with the little access to wifi that we had. I can’t remember why, but we decided on Greece, I can’t remember why but we decided on specifically a greek island called Corfu. We began to scour the internet for Air BnBs, transport options, and figuring out how much all of this would cost. Eventually we had our carefully crafted plan... Instagram Facebook Group

What happens when two MK’s ( Missionary Kids) who never intended on becoming missionaries themselves meet, fall in love, get married, and serve the Lord with all their heart? Quite a force for God, that’s what. Today’s guests, Rich and Elisa Brown are the founders of Inca Link, an organization that’s in many latin american countries and exists to serve Latin America’s 300 million youth. Rich and Elisa’s story is so full of accounts of how the Lord changed their plans and guided them into something much better because they were willing to say yes. In this interview we discuss how to hear the Lord’s voice and follow His calling, what it’s like to start and run their ministry in Latin America, and they even pray over anyone listening who resonated with their story. Let’s dive in and hear from this wonderful couple Instagram Facebook Group

This life that we live on this earth is not easy, is it? I’m sure that you’re dealing with a struggle right now that is coming to mind as I speak about the difficulties of life. How can we expect it to be, when we know Satan is the prince of this world. He rules with chaos and destruction, but we know there is one who provides hope. But even in that hope Jesus never promises us ease, I’m sorry to say but this life will not be easy. Especially for christians, we will be attacked from Satan at so many angles. Wow I feel like I just like totally ruined your day and made you depressed, keep with me cause it gets better. And that’s the thing about life… it gets better. Jesus doesn’t give us ease, but he gives us HOPE. He gives us the knowledge that our perseverance through trials will not be in vain. If you are feeling some of the weight of the world on your shoulders today, keep listening, let this episode serve as your reminder of the joy that is to come for us. Follow Me on Instagram Join The Facebook Group

Imagine getting a knock on your door one night, when you go to open it to find a police officer standing in the rain with a Baby boy wrapped in a kitchen towel, who had been abandoned in the bushes by your house. The officer asks you to take the baby in, just for three days. What do you do? Today’s guest, Hannah King, faced this reality when she was just ten years old. It had such a profound impact on her life that left her with a desire to care for all people, this desire led her around the world, on the missions field, and empowered her within her own home. This episode will bring tears to your eyes, friend. Hannah’s heart is so beautiful and the perspective and stories she shares in this episode are so powerful. There's so much bad in the world, but so much good in it too brought by people like Hannah. This girl will empower you to make an impact and care for God’s people with as much love as you can possibly give.  Follow Along On Instagram Join The Community On Facebook

I know that we know we’re supposed to have a quiet time. I know we know we’re supposed to be in His word daily. I know we know it’s important. But the thing is, a lot of us know it but we don;t do it. Does that make us bad christians? Does that mean we don't;t love Jesus like we thought we did? Does that mean God is mad at us? Absolutely not. We are all guilty of letting other distractions pull our attention off our God. But that doesn’t mean we don’t love Him. That just means we have to develop a better game plan. Satan is going to try everything he can to make sure we don’t get time with Jesus, so let’s do everything we can to make time for God. I’m gonna share with you little things you can do to spend more time for the Lord in your life Find Me On Instagram Join The Facebook Group

One of the hardest and simultaneously in my opinion best things about being a missionary is adjusting to the new culture. So many new experiences that challenge you, make you laugh, and bring you closer to the Lord. Our guest on the podcast today is Chelsea Cooper. Chelsea is a language teacher in Cambodia. In this episode we cover everything from her initial calling where she felt the Lord constantly placing Cambodia on her heart, to finally getting to Cambodia and learning to adjust to her new culture and ministry.

There’s a lot to be afraid of in this world. Spiders, heights, public speaking? But there's one thing that you should not be afraid of, friends. This one thing is something we often are masters at as children, but as we get older we lose the skill because we’re told it’s unrealistic, or unuseful, that we’ve just got our head in the clouds. Have you figured out what it is yet? If you guessed dreaming, you'd be right. I get so on fire for this topic, y’all. Our lives are meant to be lived accomplishing awesome things for God. Like, we can do cool stinking things for his glory, but a lot of the time we don’t. We chose to live normal safe, comfortable lives, because when we grow up we stop dreaming and goal setting for what can come next, and we passively live our lives. We don’t take control and achieve what we want! In this episode I want to encourage you to dream big again, without fear, knowing you can accomplish great things in the name of Jesus. This episode is essentially just going to be one big pep talk, You ready to get that spark going again? Lettsss gooo! Join The Facebook Group! Follow Along On Instagram

At the root of every successful person is usually a big ‘ole dream. At the root of every missionary is a huge God-given dream and vision. Today’s guests are bursting with dreams and vision and chatting with them was such a joy. Brandon and Jennika Stoltzfus are the assistant managers at Love and care for all - Uganda a home for street children. In this episode we dive into their stories and talk about feeling unqualified and dreaming big. You are going to walk away from this episode feeling like you can do absolutely anything, if you just dream big, and trust the Lord instead of your qualifications. Get ready, cause Brandon and Jennika are straight fire, ya’ll. If you are someone who is dreaming big and feeling discouraged, or someone who is too afraid to even start dreaming big, this one is for you. Please please listen in because this is going to blow you away, friend.  Facebook Group Instagram

You’re here because you love missions right? You are captivated by missionaries and the work they get to do and you’d love to do it yourself. That’s why I’ve created this podcast, so you can learn how other missionaries got their start, and to show you that everyone's journey is different there is no right or wrong just guided by God. If you are itching to get on the field and get your start in your dream “career” this episode is for you. I am giving you two action packed steps you can take today to get yourself closer to where you want to be… The missions field. Let’s gooo   What's Your Missions Superpower Quiz  Find Me On Insta Join The FB Group

“The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps.” Proverbs 16:9 This was one of my favorite verses growing up, and it still is. It teaches us that though we make plans on how we want things to go, God ultimately is our guidance.  Today our lovely guest is a church planter missionary in Paris, Frace. What stuck out to me the most about Nicole’s story is hearing about how the Lord has orchestrated her life. All the skills, the dreams, the things that she's good at, she uses now. Stay tuned to hear some fabulous insight on prayer, and on relinquishing you control and leaving it all up to the Lord. As you listen, think about your own life and skills, and dream about ways God may use you too, dream big but use Him as your guide. Buckle up, and let's take a journey to Paris! What's Your Missionary Superpower Quiz Instagram   

Justice is so foundational to our work as missionaries. To right the wrongs of the fallen world. It’s why we do what we do. If you follow me on Instagram, you may have participated in the bible study where we talked all about this topic. In Today’s episode, we’re gunna do a lil recap of what that study was all about as well as discuss practical ways you can bring God’s justice. I want you to feel empowered after listening to this episode. It’ll deepen your understanding of Biblical justice, increase your empathy toward God’s people, and leave you ready to change lives. So let’s jump right into the good stuff The Bible Project Video  Follow Me On Instagram Join The Facebook Group Leave A Review!

In this episode, I welcome in Christian as she shares with us her journey to becoming a “full time friend”. She discovered how her biggest struggles became her biggest strengths, and learned to let the Lord guide her step by step. With every step she learned how to let go of the idea she had growing up of christianity being a “slave mentality” and broke into having a genuine relationship with Jesus.