Where Ya From? Podcast

Has God really experienced the same pain and suffering we have? Speaker, author, and trauma counselor Sheila Wise Rowe asked herself this question as a child in post-segregated America, and the answer inspired her to later live and work in post-apartheid South Africa. Hear her story in this episode of VOICES' Where Ya From? podcast. Guest Bio: Sheila Wise Rowe is a graduate of Tufts University and Cambridge College with a master's degree in counseling psychology. For over 25 years she has counseled abuse and trauma survivors in the United States. Sheila ministered to homeless and abused women and children in Johannesburg, South Africa, where she also taught counseling and trauma-related courses for a decade. She is the cofounder of The Cyrene Movement, an online community for people of color seeking healing for racial trauma. She is the author of Young, Gifted, and Black; Healing Racial Trauma; The Well of Life: Heal Your Pain; Satisfy Your Thirst; Live Your Purpose; and The Wonder Years. She lives in the Boston area, where she is a writer, counselor, speaker, and spiritual director. Notes & Quotes: “God meets us in those places of pain and . . . He grieves with us.” “The Lord is inviting us to come to Him with that and . . . He will give us what we need.” Links Mentioned: Learn more about Sheila on her website. Read Sheila's books, Young, Gifted, and Black and Healing Racial Trauma. Visit our website to sign up for emails. Get new episodes sent straight to your email.  Tell us how much you love Where Ya From? by rating us five stars and leaving us a review.  Check out our VOICES Collection from Our Daily Bread Ministries Follow Where Ya From? on Instagram. Follow VOICES on Instagram. Verses Mentioned: Psalm 56:8 Matthew 11:28–30 John 14:25–27 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Where Ya From? podcast is gearing up for a fourth season which will begin in early 2023. Get ready for more insightful and thought provoking conversations centered around faith and culture with host Rasool Berry. Subscribe to never miss an episode! Links: Visit our website to sign up for emails. Leave us a review.  Check out our VOICES Collection from Our Daily Bread Ministries Follow Where Ya From? on Instagram. Follow VOICES on Instagram. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When Debbye Turner Bell won the Miss America pageant, she began the toughest time of her life. Join Rasool Berry on the Where Ya From podcast as he talks with Debbye Turner Bell about how isolation, burnout, and loss challenged her faith at a time when people expected her to be at her best. Learn how this experience taught her to be unflinchingly honest with God and to keep communicating with Him no matter what. Guest Bio: Dr. Debbye Turner Bell is a veterinarian, journalist, corporate trainer, minister, motivational speaker, wife, and mother. Her enduring passion is motivational speaking. Since being crowned Miss America in 1990, Turner Bell has spoken to millions of students at countless schools, youth organizations and college campuses. Dr. Turner Bell divides her time doing leadership development, motivational and Christian speaking, and television broadcasting.  In addition to her speaking and media work, Dr. Turner Bell is the founder and CEO of Debbye Turner Bell Consulting, through which she provides leadership development training in communications, influence, and diversity to corporate and business leaders, managers, and executives. Dr. Turner Belle graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia with a doctor of veterinary medicine degree. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in agriculture from Arkansas State University. Turner Bell lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan with her husband and daughter. Notes & Quotes: When you don't know if you're capable of making the step, but you know God is faithful. So you do it anyway with every fiber of your being, screaming, “I don't want to do this. I'm afraid of this. This is going to hurt me again," but you do it anyway. That is a place of intimacy and relationship with the Lord that defies human understanding. It's that place, though You may slay me, God, I'm still going to trust You because You are holy and you are worthy.  That might be counseling. That might be medication. It might be a better diet. It might be exercise. It might be more sleep. It might be fasting and praying, but we have to admit, “I can't do this by myself.”  What got me through that period was being just raw and unflinchingly honest with God. I prayed and I raged and I cried and I begged, but I never stopped communicating with Him. We might not be able to run in that season, but walk. And if you can't walk, crawl. And if you can't crawl, get on the floor and roll. But just keep moving. Don't stop because really stopping is going backwards. Links Mentioned: Read Debbye's book Courageous Faith Check out Debbye's website Visit our website to sign up for emails: whereyafrom.org Leave us a review: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/where-ya-from-podcast/id1581145346 Check out our Voices Collection from Our Daily Bread Ministries Follow Where Ya From? podcast on Instagram: @whereyafrompodcast Verses Mentioned: Psalm 13  Hebrews 12:1 Philippians 4:12–13 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Do you ever feel pressure to stay silent to fit into your political party's talking points? Justin Giboney, attorney, ordained minister and co-founder of the AND Campaign, joins VOICES' Where Ya From? podcast to explore how bringing our full witness to our political decisions and conversations can be a way of loving our neighbors as ourselves. Guest Bio: Justin Giboney is an attorney, political strategist, and ordained minister in Atlanta, GA. He is also the Co-Founder and President of the AND Campaign, which is a coalition of urban Christians who are determined to address the sociopolitical arena with the compassion and conviction of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Mr. Giboney has managed successful campaigns for elected officials in the state and referendums relating to the city's transportation and water infrastructure. He's the co-author of Compassion (&) Conviction—The AND Campaign's Guide to Faithful Civic Engagement and has written op-eds for publications such as Christianity Today and The Hill. Notes & Quotes: I'm seeing Black Christian candidates who want to run for city council in Black districts being forced to run as secular progressives. And I'm like, “I know you don't believe that.” It just really made me feel uncomfortable. Because I'm in one party or the other, do I have to deny my witness? I just thought Christians weren't having the opportunity to bring their whole witness into the conversation. if you're going to love your neighbor as yourself, then you've got to care about their wellbeing. You've got to be socially concerned about your neighbor. Politics isn't the only way to do that. But it's certainly a robust way to show that you care about your neighbor. You need to know what you believe and you need to, regardless of the circumstances, be able to speak the truth in love. The gospel is love and truth. And in many instances, these two ideologies that we're fighting over and we're somehow trying to fit ourselves into are missing one or the other. That's where AND comes from—the love and truth. It's the compassion and the conviction. It's finding a way to combine the social justice and the moral order. Links Mentioned: Visit AND Campaign website: https://andcampaign.org Explore Church Politics podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/4DpmN1RMOH9aCpj3ZKl3nu Visit our website to sign up for emails: whereyafrom.org Leave us a review: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/where-ya-from-podcast/id1581145346 Check out our Voices Collection from Our Daily Bread Ministries Follow Where Ya From? podcast on Instagram: @whereyafrompodcast Verses Mentioned: Matthew 22:37–39 Ephesians 4:14–15 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You know the stories of people facing impossible barriers—and then somehow they overcome each one? Carvens Lissaint's life is full of those stories. Writer of Target Practice and actor on Hamilton, Carvens Lissaint joins VOICES' Where Ya From? podcast to remind us that when we walk through wilderness, we can be both discouraged and faithful at the same time. Guest Bio: Carvens Lissaint is a Haitian American award-winning poet & actor. Most recently Carvens completed his run as George Washington in the Tony Award winning musical Hamilton. He was selected as an honoree by Blavity & Shadow and Act at the first annual Shadow and Act RISING Star Awards, featured on the second, third, & fifth seasons of the hit television series Verses and Flow and debuted his original poem “Embers in The Dark” on NBA on TNT's show: The Arena. Carvens' most recent work Target Practice was featured on Huffington Post, Broadway.com's Front Row, and the Build Series. He is a graduate of The American Academy for Dramatic Arts, St. John's University and holds an MFA from NYU Tisch School of The Arts Graduate Acting Program. He gives all glory and honor to Jesus. Notes & Quotes: There was overwhelming evidence that there was something far beyond this world that was at play. It's just evident. No one goes through a poverty like that and gets out on their own volition. I have never not struggled for everything that has been remotely beautiful in my life.  I taught myself how to sing by listening to “End Of The Road” and memorizing that song. And I just knew every time I expressed something, I felt overwhelming freedom. I felt overwhelming catharsis.  Walking off stage, I remember saying to myself, oh, wait a second. If I have a gift that means someone gave me that gift. That suggests a gift giver. Right? Who's the gift giver? That's what really moved me about being in Hamilton, that I got to tell stories the way that I felt like God designed me to tell stories was through this medium. I think God's a poet. I think God has lyrical dexterity. Links Mentioned: Visit our website to sign up for emails: whereyafrom.org Leave us a review: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/where-ya-from-podcast/id1581145346 Check out our Voices Collection from Our Daily Bread Ministries Follow Where Ya From? podcast on Instagram: @whereyafrompodcast Verses Mentioned: Matthew 5–7 Mark 4:39 John 11 Luke 23:34 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“What we believe in our hearts matters more than what we know in our minds,” says Nona Jones, well-known preacher, executive, entrepreneur, and writer of Killing Comparison. She joins VOICES' Where Ya From? podcast to share how the trajectory of her life dramatically changed when she began believing in her heart that she truly is who God says she is. Join us to learn how to be inspired—rather than expired—by people we compare ourselves with, and see how Nona was able to push past the comparison game. Guest Bio: Nona Jones is a rare combination of preacher, business executive, author, and entrepreneur. In her day job she serves as the Director of North America Community Partnerships and Global Faith Partnerships at Meta, the company formerly known as Facebook. She is the bestselling author of two books; Success from the Inside Out, chronicling her unlikely story of success after a childhood filled with physical and sexual abuse, and From Social Media to Social Ministry, the globally acclaimed guide to digital discipleship for churches. She is the founder of Faith & Prejudice, a social justice organization that is equipping local churches across North America to build bridges to racial equity. She and her husband, Pastor Tim, lead Open Door Church in Gainesville, FL and are the proud parents of two boys, Timothy, Jr. and Isaac, and one Goldendoodle, Shiloh. Notes & Quotes: She was like, “you're never going to amount to anything,” and I was living down to her words. “Well, if I'm not going to be anything, what's the point of trying?” I knew what the Bible said. I totally knew fearfully and wonderfully made and all that, but it wasn't what I knew in my mind that was the problem, it's what I believed in my heart. And so much of what I believed in my heart was shaped by what happened to me as a child. The problem is you're pursuing this because you want other people to approve of you. And as long as you want other people to approve of you, you're not going to get what you want.  The hero of the story is Jonathan because he found a way to secure his identity to who God says he was. And because he did that, he wasn't insecure. He was like, David, you could have my garment, have my weapons, man, I'm going to pray for you. I hope it all works out. There is no one on earth who has a big enough vision to see all that God has placed within you. So don't allow anyone on earth to make you diminish your understanding of who you are, because they can't even see it. Links Mentioned: Visit our website to sign up for emails. Get new episodes sent straight to your email.  Tell us how much you love Where Ya From? by rating us five stars and leaving us a review.  Check out our VOICES Collection from Our Daily Bread Ministries Follow Where Ya From? on Instagram. Follow VOICES on Instagram. Verses Mentioned: 1 Samuel 13 & 14 Psalm 1 Psalm 27:10 Proverbs 18:21 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On Jamie Winship's first day as a police officer in Washington, DC, his mentor told him, “Keep your mouth shut for one year,” and to listen closely. He applied this important lesson to his professional and spiritual life and found listening and abiding was the way to hear God's voice and bring peace to the conflicted spaces he was working in. His methods were successful, and he was asked to do his reconciliation work across the globe to the world's highest conflict areas. Gues Bio: Jamie Winship has decades of experience bringing peaceful solutions to some of the world's highest conflict areas. After a distinguished career in law enforcement in the metro Washington, DC area, Jamie earned an MA in English and developed a unique process called the Identity Method. This process of identity transformation is the key to resolving inner conflict and acquiring new levels of learning and creativity in any field. His unconventional efforts to bring about societal and racial reconciliation led him to Indonesia, Jordan, Iraq, Palestine, Israel and back to the US.  Jamie has worked with leaders in professional sports, business, education, law enforcement, government, non-profit, and other sectors. He is the author of Living Fearless: Exchanging the Lies of the World for the Liberating Truth of God.  Jamie and his wife, Donna, are co-founders of Identity Exchange and its corporate arm, Identity Method, providing training and consulting in the transformative power of living fearlessly in your true identity. Notes & Quotes: “Abide is just a decision to stand next to and listen. Abiding just means the commitment to stay with. And, in the staying with, is where you learn everything.” “I started asking God, “Can you show me another way to think about policing that I don't know?” I kept watching Jesus, reading through the gospels in Acts, and Jesus didn't come to tell people what to do. He came to teach people how to know what to do.”  “Do you know why God tells us to love our enemy? Because they're not really your enemy, that's why. You only have one enemy and that's Satan . . . .” Links Mentioned: Check out Jamie Winship's new book Living Fearless. Explore Winship's website about identity. Visit our website to sign up for emails. Get new episodes sent straight to your email.  Tell us how much you love Where Ya From? by rating us five stars and leaving us a review.  Check out our VOICES Collection from Our Daily Bread Ministries Follow Where Ya From? on Instagram. Follow VOICES on Instagram. Verses Mentioned: John 10 John 3:16–17 Philippians 2 Book of Ephesians John 6:68–69 John 15:4 Book of Acts 1 Corinthians 7:17 Psalm 22 Isaiah 53 Mark 8 Matt 23:15 Mark 4 1 Corinthians 12:12–30 Acts 17 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How do you grow up in a broken world and still find your voice, full and whole as God intended? When Dr. Pannell and Jemar Tisby grew up in the church, they both experienced a polite ignorance which worked to keep them “in their place” among their classmates and church family. They knew there was something deeply wrong, but they didn't have the language or space to speak about it.  Listen as Dr. Pannell and Tisby share their expertise on changing culture and developing language to foster wholeness in their brothers and sisters in Christ. Guest Bios: William Pannell is professor emeritus of preaching at Fuller Seminary, where he taught from 1974 until his retirement in 2014. Fuller recognized his service to the school and the whole church with the January 2015 renaming and dedication of the William E. Pannell Center for African American Church Studies. Previously serving in leadership roles with Youth for Christ and Tom Skinner Associates, his books include My Friend, the Enemy; Evangelism from the Bottom Up; and The Coming Race Wars? A Cry for Reconciliation, recently expanded.  Jemar Tisby is the author of the New York Times bestselling book The Color of Compromise: The Truth about the American Church's Complicity in Racism. His writing has been featured on CNN, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, and The New York Times. He is the founder and president of The Witness—a Black Christian Collective and the cohost of the Pass the Mic podcast. He is a PhD candidate in history at the University of Mississippi. Notes & Quotes: “Racism is a severe denigration and restriction upon someone's humanity. Because to be fully human, is to be in relationships, is to be a partner with others in a common humanity. You cannot be a full human being in isolation.”—William Pannell “Whatever experience we go through, the Holy Spirit understands it all. He's been there before. God's been working on this for a long time.”—William Pannell “Where love is the beating heart of justice, I always say we have to have a priestly proximity to people, particularly suffering people, because that breeds empathy, and empathy births love.” —Jemar Tisby “Talk to the old saints. Talk to the folks who have been through some things that seem really unbelievable and like they were just about to break your spirit. And yet, they're not only still here, but they still love the Lord. And they still love people.” —Jemar Tisby “God's got some wonderful people. They come in all kinds and sizes and shapes. Colors, blue, black, grizzly, and gray. We need each other. More than ever. We've got to find each other. And settle down and make ourselves at home with one another. Listen and learn.”—William Pannell Links Mentioned: Check out Jemar Tisby's book How to Fight Racism. Here is a link to William Pannell's book The Coming Race Wars. Here is some information on Dr. Tom Skinner, as mentioned in this episode. Visit our website to sign up for emails. Get new episodes sent straight to your email.  Tell us how much you love Where Ya From? by rating us five stars and leaving us a review.  Check out our VOICES Collection from Our Daily Bread Ministries Follow Where Ya From? on Instagram. Follow VOICES on Instagram. Verses Mentioned: Mark 12:31 Ephesians Colossians Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When Natasha was in sixth grade, her parents sat her down and told her that if she didn't do something to make her stand out, she wouldn't go to college. At the young age of eleven, she made up her mind to be the best of the best in order to affordably go to college. When she enrolled in the Naval Academy, reality hit hard when she realized her public education failed her, she was different and not accepted among her peers or superiors. In this same season of life, the unexpected passing of her mother would require Natasha to become her family's main provider. How do you overcome when the odds seem stacked against you? On this episode of Where Ya From?, Author, retired Marine Officer, and inspirational speaker Natasha Sistrunk Robinson shares her unbelievable story of what it looks like to endure through hardship and cling to the only thing that is true and constant—faith in God. Guest Bio: Natasha Sistrunk Robinson is the president of T3 Leadership Solutions, Inc., as well as a sought-after international speaker, executive leader, and mentoring coach with over twenty years of leadership experience in the military, federal government, church, seminary, and nonprofit sectors. She's also the author of many notable books including A Sojourner's Truth: Choosing Freedom and Courage in a Divided World.  Natasha is also host of the podcast A Sojourner's Truth: Conversations for a Changing Culture. She is the Visionary founder and chairperson of the 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Leadership LINKS, Inc., where she cultivates a multi-generational network of influencers who offer leadership education that facilitates impactful living, character and spiritual development. She holds a doctorate from North Park Theological Seminary and is a graduate of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary Charlotte and the US Naval Academy. Natasha has proudly served her country as a marine corps officer and a federal government employee at the Department of Homeland Security. Notes & Quotes: “It's one thing to have unjust laws on the books that should never be on the books. It's another thing to have just laws on the books, but they have to be enforced.”—Natasha Sistrunk Robinson  “I'm like, God, I need you to go because the people who normally go, to do all the things, to show up in such a way, they're not going to be able to do that for me. So I need you to do that and be that for me. And if you do that, I will serve you. And so that was kind of the start of my own personal journey.”—Natasha Sistrunk Robinson  “You know, the question is are leaders born or made? And I say both, right? I think some leaders are born. I think some are made. And I think, whether you're born or made, you all need training, you could always get better.”—Natasha Sistrunk Robinson “I know God uses anybody. He uses broken vessels, so to speak, all the time and imperfect people all the time. But I also, I just take that as a try to stay humble in that, but also stay in awe of God in that.”—Natasha Sistrunk Robinson “Disciple making is not just about programming. It's not just about Bible study. It's not just about going to church. It's not just about activity. I look at disciple making in the way that Jesus models for us with the twelve men we call apostles and the women that accompanied them on the journey of investing large amounts of time with small groups of people, because I believe that's where we're going to have the greatest impact.”—Natasha Sistrunk Robinson Links Mentioned: Natasha Sistrunk Robinson ministry website Natasha Sistrunk Robinson book: A Sojourner's Truth Visit our website to sign up for emails. Get new episodes sent straight to your email.  Tell us how much you love Where Ya From? by rating us five stars and leaving us a review.  Check out our VOICES Collection from Our Daily Bread Ministries Follow Where Ya From? on Instagram. Follow VOICES on Instagram. Verses Mentioned: John 10:11–18 Revelation 12:11 Psalm 68:5 Psalm 34:18 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Why do bad things happen? Recording artist, former America's Got Talent finalist, and author of More Than My Scars Kechi Okwuchi asked herself this question after a plane crash changed her life. In this episode of VOICES' Where Ya From? podcast, Kechi joins host Rasool Berry to discuss how to rely on God's unchanging love when faced with unspeakable tragedy. Guest Bio: Kechi Okwuchi is a Nigerian American recording artist, motivational speaker, author of More Than My Scars, and a former finalist on America's Got Talent in 2017. One of two survivors in the Sosoliso Airlines Flight 1145 crash on December 10, 2005, she became a national patient ambassador for Shriners Children's Texas in Galveston in 2017. She has since been active in events organized by WE Movement—a global youth empowerment organization—speaking and singing to thousands of students at WE Day events all over the country. As a bullying prevention advocate, she has teamed up with the organization Be Strong Global, as well as Instagram and Teen Vogue, to speak out against bullying. She hopes to use her story and her musical talents to ignite hope. Okwuchi lives in Pearland, Texas. Notes & Quotes: “Being a Christian does not exempt you from bad things happening to you. Bad things happen in life to good and bad people.” “[God] is a place of endless replenishment and strength, especially when things are really bad.” “Seeing myself through [God's] eyes is probably the best way to hold on to my confidence. You're never going to be able to come to me to make me feel bad based on my appearance, because God doesn't care about that.” Links Mentioned: Check out Kechi's new book, More Than My Scars. Listen to Kechi's debut album on Spotify and Apple Music. Visit Kechi's website. Learn more about Shriner's Hospital for Children.  Visit our website to sign up for emails. Get new episodes sent straight to your email.  Tell us how much you love Where Ya From? by rating us five stars and leaving us a review.  Check out our VOICES Collection from Our Daily Bread Ministries Follow Where Ya From? on Instagram. Follow VOICES on Instagram. Verses Mentioned: Philippians 4 1 Samuel 16 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Injustice is the second most talked about sin in the Bible following idolatry. God is calling His followers to advocate for the marginalized. In this episode of Where Ya From?, Jenn Petersen, the Director of Mobilization for International Justice Mission (IJM) and co-lead pastor of Resurrection Life NYC, shares with host, Rasool Berry, some of the most unimaginable cases of injustice she witnessed that sparked the passion and question, “God, what can I do to make a difference?” Guest Bio: Jenn Petersen serves as Director of Mobilization, NYC, for the International Justice Mission. She is also co-leader and founder of Resurrection Life NYC; a multi-ethnic congregation on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. Jenn holds a Masters of Divinity from Wesley Seminary along with a Bachelors of Music from the University of Northern Iowa. Jenn's passion for justice and worship allows her to work with churches, businesses, and non-profit organizations in every domain of the city to advocate for and share the heart of justice God has for the broken and enslaved men, women, and children. She currently lives in Harlem with her husband Branden, their two children, and their dog, Charlie. Notes & Quotes: “Sometimes you just need to stop and ask, ‘God, what do your people need and how can I help them?” “Injustice is the second biggest sin the Bible talks about after idolatry.” “You can do the work of God by using what He's already put in your hands.” “Be who God has uniquely created you to be.” “IJM (International Justice Mission) has already rescued 66,000 people.” Links Mentioned: Read about the IJM (International Justice Mission) on their website. Learn more about Resurrection Life Church. Visit our website to sign up for emails. Get new episodes sent straight to your email.  Tell us how much you love Where Ya From? by rating us five stars and leaving us a review.  Check out our VOICES Collection from Our Daily Bread Ministries Follow Where Ya From? on Instagram. Follow VOICES on Instagram. Verses Mentioned: Psalm 27:1 Exodus 3 John 15 Psalm 89:14 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Deep down, we all crave to be our truest selves. But what if we're afraid that our culture has no place in Christian spaces? Recording artist, author, and academic Sho Baraka argues that our faith doesn't have to exist separate from the rest of the world. On this episode of VOICES's Where Ya From? podcast, Sho joins host Rasool Berry to discuss his book He Saw That It Was Good and his walk with Jesus so far. Guest Bio: After attending Tuskegee University and the University of North Texas, where he studied Television/Film, Anthropology, and Public Administration, Sho Baraka has spent the last fourteen years traveling the world as a recording artist, performer, and culture curator. His overseas work has ranged from leading seminars about race relations in South Africa to establishing artist hubs in Indonesia. Sho is also co-founder of The And Campaign and currently serves as Adjunct Professor at Warner Pacific University. His first book, He Saw That It Was Good (2021), was nominated for an Audie Award. Sho lives in Atlanta, GA with Patreece, his wife of eighteen years, and their three children; one daughter and two sons. Notes & Quotes: “. . . Why don't we call Frederick Douglass and Tubman a theologian? Why don't we see them as people who are worthy of being read and talked about in the pulpit?” “If God cares about our physical being, He also cares about our physical liberation, our physical freedom, our ability to move.” “I feel like a lot of evangelical history has not really been honest about their heroes.” “. . . God is a God of grace and forgiveness. And that our enemies are not too far gone, that they're beyond redemption. And that we're not as righteous as we think we are.” Links Mentioned: Order Sho's book. Learn more about Sho on his website. Listen to Sho's music on the Juneteenth: Faith & Freedom soundtrack. Visit our website to sign up for emails. Get new episodes sent straight to your email.  Tell us how much you love Where Ya From? by rating us five stars and leaving us a review.  Check out our VOICES Collection from Our Daily Bread Ministries Follow Where Ya From? on Instagram. Follow VOICES on Instagram. Verses Mentioned: Ephesians 2 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In 2021, Juneteenth—also known as Emancipation Day or Freedom Day—became the United States federal holiday, but many are still unaware of its origins and significance in American history. On this special episode of VOICES's Where Ya From? podcast, author and associate professor Dr. Carey Latimore shares with us the legacy of Juneteenth and the radical faith it still inspires today. Guest Bio: Carey H. Latimore IV serves as associate professor of history, co-director of the African American studies program at Trinity University, and associate pastor of a local church. Frequently asked to serve as a commentator and consultant on current topics such as race, land ownership, political identity, and religion for local and state media and organizations, he has also authored Unshakeable Faith: African American Stories of Redemption, Hope, and Community and The Role of Southern Free Blacks During the Civil War and appears in Our Daily Bread Media's documentary film Juneteenth: Faith & Freedom. Dr. Latimore and his wife reside in San Antonio, Texas. Notes & Quotes: “I think Black people in their faith were kind of presenting a mirror and a window into the essence of the gospels that many people have forgotten or left behind.” “On Juneteenth, people start talking about what we can be, what we can do. What we have done. It's an inspiring moment because we think of the possibilities.” “When one group becomes free, we all become freer.” “When those people came out of slavery at Juneteenth, we all came a little bit out of slavery. We all lost one link on that chain on our way towards a greater freedom, so that's why we celebrate.” Links Mentioned: Visit our website to sign up for emails. Leave us a review.  Check out VOICES Collection from Our Daily Bread Ministries Follow Where Ya From? on Instagram. Follow VOICES on Instagram. Follow Dr. Carey Latimore on Twitter. Explore more Juneteenth resources from VOICES. Check out Dr. Carey Latimore's book, Unshakeable Faith: African American Stories of Redemption, Hope, and Community. Verses Mentioned: Psalms 1 and 2 Samuel 1 and 2 Kings Exodus Exodus 6:5 Acts 10-34 Philemon Hebrews 11 Joshua 4 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Where Ya From? podcast is gearing up for a third season which will begin September 6, 2022. Get ready for more insightful and thought provoking conversations centered around faith and culture with host Rasool Berry. Mark your calendar for September 6th so you don't miss an episode! Links: Visit our website to sign up for emails. Leave us a review.  Check out our VOICES Collection from Our Daily Bread Ministries Follow Where Ya From? on Instagram. Follow VOICES on Instagram. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

These days, the world—and the Church—are heavily divided on how to approach issues surrounding race. That's why writer and higher education instructor Dr. Christina Edmondson and Race, Religion, and Justice Project director Chad Brennan have brought biblical insight into the conversation with their book Faithful Antiracism. On this episode of the VOICES's Where Ya From? podcast, Christina and Chad join host Rasool Berry to share their research and insights into racial reconciliation. Guest Bios: Dr. Christina Edmondson is a writer, educator, and mediator, whose writing has been referenced and featured in a variety of outlets, such as Essence.com. In addition to co-hosting the Truth's Table podcast, she currently serves as Calvin University's Dean for Intercultural Student Development. Chad Brennan earned his master of arts/theological studies from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and currently serves as the director of the Race, Religion, and Justice Project. Formerly, he mentored and led students from over 30 campuses as part of the college ministry, Cru. Notes & Quotes: Christina: “When I talk to believers who are part of persecuted groups, they're desperate to find God in this story of oppression.” Chad: “As Christians, we are not going to effectively change our society if we can't effectively change ourselves and our own communities.” Christina: “There's not a hierarchy of who is made more in the image of God versus others.” Links Mentioned: Visit our website to sign up for emails. Leave us a review.  Check out our VOICES Collection from Our Daily Bread Ministries Follow Where Ya From? on Instagram. Follow VOICES on Instagram. Order Edmonson and Brennan's book. Learn more about Christina Edmondson on her website. Take an individual and organizational assessment at The Racial Justice and Unity Center's website. Verses Mentioned: Ephesians 2 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

People around us may think they know what's best for our future, but in the end, it's God's plan that matters most. This is a truth Grammy-nominated and recording artist Mali Music learned at a young age, when he decided, against his family and community's wishes, to pursue his passion for creating music. On this episode of the VOICES's Where Ya From? podcast, the singer-songwriter details his childhood in the church, his boyhood pressures in athletics, and how he overcame criticism to chase his dreams. Guest Bio: Grammy-nominated, singer-songwriter, and producer Mali Music began creating and arranging his own material at the age of twelve. Since then, he's gone on to receive acclaim in both the sacred and secular music worlds with his albums, 2econd Coming, Mali Is…, and The Book of Mali. His song “Beautiful” also made the Billboard charts and propelled him into the mainstream music industry. Notes & Quotes: “I loved falling into just the shadow of the Most High, like, disappearing in worship.” “I just never wanted the Word of God . . . to be detested or underestimated like I was . . . .” “You gotta trust God. And I just love that music is just gonna be connected to what God is doing.” Links Mentioned: Visit our website to sign up for emails. Leave us a review.  Check out our VOICES Collection from Our Daily Bread Ministries Follow Where Ya From? on Instagram. Follow VOICES on Instagram. Follow Mali Music on Instagram, and check out his website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Plenty of people in our lives can burden us with expectations. Reach Records' rapper, author, and preacher Trip Lee knows this all-to-well, as his childhood was painted by a strong family legacy. In this episode of the VOICES Where Ya From? podcast, Lee shares how his faith took him on an unexpected path, and how in the end, God's plans for our lives are greater than anyone—including ourselves—can ever anticipate. Guest Bio: William Lee Barefield III, better known as Trip Lee, is a Reach Records' rapper, author, and preacher. As a founding member of the 116 Clique, his Billboard-charting music has garnered him Dove nominations and a Stellar Award. He is also a husband and father of three children. Notes & Quotes: “The only things that mattered to me, for good or bad, was hip hop and Jesus.” “The Gospel is still the power of God for salvation. Jesus is still King. And that is what my life is about.” “We live in the real world, and Jesus has something to say to the real world.” Links Mentioned: Visit our website to sign up for emails. Leave us a review.  Check out our VOICES Collection from Our Daily Bread Ministries Follow Where Ya From? on Instagram. Follow VOICES on Instagram. Follow Trip Lee on Instagram. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We are all looking for a place to belong, whether it be in clubs at our schools or cliques at our workplaces. However, Texas-born rapper Tedashii knows firsthand that the “home-shaped holes” in our hearts are spaces that only God can truly fill. In this episode of Where Ya From? podcast from VOICES, Tedashii shares how Jesus took the passions that often made the artist stand out and turned them into a ministry and career. Guest Bio: Known for his distinct, deep voice and versatile flow, Texas-born rapper Tedashii made his debut in 2005 as a member of the 116 Clique, a hip-hop group associated with Reach Records. Since then, he's gone on to an acclaimed solo career—his 2014 album Below Paradise even debuted at No. 17 on the Billboard 200s albums chart. More recently, he's launched his first podcast: The Dash. Notes & Quotes: “All the while God was orchestrating the path, using football, using family, painful points, and moments in history to get me to this moment. Like I tell everybody, I went to Baylor to get saved, not to get a degree.” “It's not enough that you get to run around and share the gospel with your friends. They can reject that. But when you make public stances, it draws a line in the sand.” “And now I think the music is both the thing that glorifies God and the way in which I choose to wield it is the thing that glorifies God.”  “Grief, in my opinion, is love persisting.” Links Mentioned: Visit our website to sign up for emails. Leave us a review.  Check out our VOICES Collection from Our Daily Bread Ministries. Follow Where Ya From? on Instagram. Listen to Tedashii's podcast, The Dash. Follow Tedashii on Instagram. Verses Mentioned: Romans 5:5 Galatians 2:20 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's often easier to run away from life's greatest messes. However, Back2Back Ministries' codirectors Todd and Beth Guckenberger are proof that we can often find our purpose in the chaos. In this episode of VOICES' Where Ya From? podcast, Todd and Beth discuss how God turned their passion for orphan care into a 350-person nonprofit organization. Guests Bio: Codirectors of Back2Back Ministries, Todd and Beth Guckenberger have dedicated their lives to international orphan care missions. Spread across nine locations, 350 Back2Back staff members work relentlessly to find new and creative solutions to the challenges facing vulnerable children and their families. Todd and Beth also lead a family of 13, made up of 11 adoptive, biological, and fostered children. Notes & Quotes: “The majority of the way you share the gospel is not even always with words, and the words just sit on top of the actions.” “The world tells me I'm better because I was born into a biological family . . . . But that is not the way God sees things.” “God's overwhelming love for us is not limited to us. It's only limited because we don't express it or share it or serve somebody.” Links Mentioned: Visit our website to sign up for emails. Leave us a review.  Check out our VOICES Collection from Our Daily Bread Ministries Follow Where Ya From? on Instagram Check out Back2Back Ministries' website. Verses Mentioned: 1 Thessalonians 2:8 Isaiah 58:6–9 James 1:27 Galatians 6:2 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's tempting to believe that our way is the only route to achieving our goals. However, Nigerian American hip-hop artist Wande has learned that when trusting God, He often delivers on our dreams in a way we couldn't even fathom. On this episode of VOICES' Where Ya From? podcast, Wande sits down with Rasool Berry to discuss God's hand in her journey from a young student rapping about biology in Austin, Texas, to Reach Records' first female artist. Guest Bio: Hailing from Austin, Texas, Wande—born Ywande Isola—is a Nigerian American hip-hop artist whose work has been featured on ESPN. Named by USA Today as one of six “Christian Hip-Hop Artists to Know,” her music effortlessly fuses intense raps and beautiful melodic singing while maintaining a message that expresses her faith. Notes & Quotes: “One thing I learned is whenever you're walking with the Lord, He's going to call you to do uncomfortable things sometimes.” “The Lord has plans, and He's allowing us to be a part of it. It's not about you. It's about His plans.” “I would definitely say I'm literally doing this because God told me to be here, and He's opened all the doors necessary for me to do what I need to do.” “You'll never understand what it's like to see the Lord come through if you don't trust Him to come through.” Links Mentioned: Visit our website to sign up for emails. Leave us a review. Check out our VOICES Collection from Our Daily Bread Ministries. Follow Where Ya From? podcast on Instagram. Look at Wande's website. Verses Mentioned: Luke 24:13–25 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When we accomplish big things we often look back and realize we didn't do it on our own. Whether it's family members encouraging us or a whole community cheering us on, a few faces usually come to mind when we think about the path we take to reach success. On this episode of the VOICES' Where Ya From? podcast, Grammy award–winning artist Lecrae joins host Rasool Berry once again. This time, Lecrae shares about specific people and his community that supported him throughout his life and career. Guest Bio: Lecrae Devaughn Moore—more commonly known as Lecrae—is an American Christian rapper, singer, songwriter, film and record producer, record executive, and actor. He has authored two books and been nominated for many awards, including seven Grammys. Lecrae partners with many nonprofits to care for his community. He is passionate about sharing his story of restoration to inspire others. He is a devoted Christian, husband, and father. Notes & Quotes: “The kingdom is really what we should be after, it's kingdom over empire. Empire will crush you in order to win. Kingdom says, ‘How do we all thrive and paint a picture of thy kingdom come, thy will be done?'” “We wanted to give clarity that being unashamed of the gospel was not a self-righteous arrogant motto, it was more about being unashamed to be identified with a Savior who is gracious, loving, kind, gentle, understanding, empathetic.” “How do I celebrate this person for what they have instead of coveting the things that they have? How can I create opportunity and space? It's just a sense of working together for something bigger and more eternal for a promised land that's to come.” Links Mentioned: Visit our website to sign up for emails: whereyafrom.org Leave us a review: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/where-ya-from-podcast/id1581145346 Check out our VOICES Collection from Our Daily Bread Ministries Follow Where Ya From? on Instagram: @whereyafrompodcast Lecrae's website: https://lecrae.com/ Verses Mentioned: Romans 1:16 Ecclesiastes 4:12 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Everyone struggles with issues of identity. Maybe it's the way we look or the amount of success we have achieved, but either way, the question “Who am I?” is fundamental. That's why when we allow others or our culture to answer that question for us, it can lead to devastating consequences. In this episode of VOICES' Where Ya From? podcast, Rasool speaks with theologian Ekemini Uwan and discovers how the ideology of white supremacy impacted not only the way she viewed herself but her relationship with Christ. Guest Bio: Ekemini Uwan is a public theologian and writer who has dedicated her life to combating racism and bringing awareness to the issues of colorism, microaggressions, and white supremacy. She is a host of Truth's Table, a popular podcast for black women, and holds a Master of Divinity degree from Westminster Theological Seminary. Notes & Quotes: “I was able to endure because I knew the Lord. I knew He called me here.” “[Microaggressions] are little racial digs (i.e., ‘You're pretty for a dark girl') and you leave that person's presence with internal bleeding.” “So I was praying, praying, asking the Lord, ‘What's going on? What is the deal?' And I just sensed that the Lord was saying, ‘Ministry.'” “Colorism is where people with lighter skin are given preferential treatment over those with darker skin.” “We don't ever have a space, particularly as black women, that's just for us.” Links Mentioned: Visit our website to sign up for emails: whereyafrom.org Leave us a review: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/where-ya-from-podcast/id1581145346 Check out our VOICES Collection from Our Daily Bread Ministries Follow Where Ya From? on Instagram: @whereyafrompodcast Ekemini Uwan's website: https://www.sistamatictheology.com/ Uwan's podcast: Truth's Table Additional resource: IPOJ South Africa episode Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Just because you're not someone's cup of tea doesn't mean you aren't a cup of tea. In this episode of VOICES' Where Ya From? podcast, award-winning gospel singer Kierra Sheard-Kelly shares her journey from condemnation to body positivity, as well as her passion for spiritual self-care and living boldly in faith. Guest Bio: Kierra Sheard-Kelly is an award-winning gospel singer, songwriter, actress, author, and activist. A next-generation member of the pioneering vocal group the Clark Sisters, she has released several albums since her solo debut in 2004, most recently the Grammy-nominated KIERRA. Her first book, Big, Bold, and Beautiful: Owning the Woman God Made You to Be, debuted in 2021. Kierra has also created her own clothing line entitled Eleven60, works with organizations dedicated to youth and female empowerment, and is completing her master's degree in clinical psychology. She and her husband reside in Detroit, Michigan. Notes & Quotes: “Conviction points to the problem, but it gives you a solution. Condemnation only points to the problem and makes you go crazy.” “The Lord wants you to have answers. He says, ‘Where you are weak, I am strong.'” “I just want to say to be big, bold, and beautiful and owning the woman or the man that God has called you to be. It is simply you just resting in that liberty that heaven gives you, and that He authorizes you with.” Links Mentioned: Visit our website to sign up for emails: whereyafrom.org Leave us a review: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/where-ya-from-podcast/id1581145346 Check out our Voices Collection from Our Daily Bread Ministries Follow Where Ya From? on Instagram: @whereyafrompodcast Kierra Sheard-Kelly's website: https://www.iamkierrasheard.com/ Verses Mentioned: “Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” 2 Corinthians 3:17 (NKJV) “That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:10 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Great minds think alike, or so we've been told, but what if different minds help to build better communities, better companies, and even better churches? In this episode of VOICES' Where Ya From? podcast, international business consultant Skot Welch discusses diversity, equity, and inclusion and shares his passion for creating communities that reflect the diversity that God designed. Guest Bio: Skot Welch is the president and founder of Global Bridgebuilders, a results-focused firm pioneering diversity and inclusion initiatives to a wide range of Fortune 500 clients in the United States and across the globe. He is also the author of 101 Ways to Enjoy the Mosaic: Creating a Diverse Community Right in Your Own Backyard, the coauthor of Plantation Jesus: Race, Faith, and a New Way Forward, and the founder of The Mosaic Film Experience, an educational platform that empowers underserved youth through digital storytelling. Skot and his wife, Barbara, reside in Michigan and have two children. Notes & Quotes: “When you have people that are different, you actually have innovation that is stronger, higher . . . . And there's books written about it. Now, there's studies on it. Heterogeneous groups are more innovative.” “God loves His mosaic. He didn't make any of us to be the same. There's seven and a half billion of us, and yet not even identical twins are alike.” Why don't we just understand each other's stories? It makes God smile. He didn't leave it as an option. He gave it as a commandment, by the way, it's not optional. We need to get along and we need to act like family. So let's have the hard conversations. Let's do the work. Links Mentioned: Visit our website to sign up for emails: whereyafrom.org Leave us a review: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/where-ya-from-podcast/id1581145346 Check out our Voices Collection from Our Daily Bread Ministries Follow Where Ya From? on Instagram: @whereyafrompodcast Extra resource: On The Shoulders of Giants reading plan Skot Welch's website Global Bridge Builders website Verses Mentioned: Romans 8 Revelation 7 & 9 Psalms 133 John 17 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Is God only concerned with saving souls? Or does He care about both the spiritual and physical well-being of humanity? In this episode of VOICES' Where Ya From? podcast, Dr. Esau McCaulley shares his origin story with Rasool and outlines what the Bible has to say about being socially active and pursuing justice. Guest Bio: Rev. Esau McCaulley, PhD, is an assistant professor of New Testament at Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois. He is the author of Sharing in the Son's Inheritance and Christianity Today's book of the year, Reading While Black: African American Biblical Interpretation as an Exercise in Hope. Esau's writings have appeared in the Washington Post, The Religious New Service, and Christianity Today, and he is also a contributing opinion writer for the New York Times. Esau is married to Mandy, a pediatrician and Navy reservist. Together, they have four wonderful children. Notes & Quotes: “What happens when you've received everything that you want, but it's not sufficient to bring you joy?” “I wanted to write something that's going to inspire African American Christians to continue to see in the text of the Old and New Testament, hope. Because I think that's what's marked the African American Christian tradition throughout all of our history, right? That we looked in these texts and we saw in them a God who loved us.” “It is simply exegetically dishonest to say that you can get from one end of the Old Testament to the New Testament and not see some engagement of Christians in the public square.” Links Mentioned: Visit our website to sign up for emails: whereyafrom.org Leave us a review: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/where-ya-from-podcast/id1581145346 Check out our Voices Collection from Our Daily Bread Ministries Follow Where Ya From? on Instagram: @whereyafrompodcast Dr. Esau's bio: https://esaumccaulley.com/about/  Dr. Esau's book: Reading While Black Extra resource: This Far by Faith reading plan Verses Mentioned: Romans 14:13–23 “Don't cause another Christian to stumble.” Isaiah 5:6–11 Isaiah 58 and 61 quoted by Jesus in Luke 4 Luke 1:46–55 “the Magnificat” Revelation 17 “Babylon the prostitute” 1 Timothy 1 and 2 Deuteronomy 15:18 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of VOICES' Where Ya From? podcast, Dr. A.R. Bernard teaches us that there are no small churches or small impact—just small thinking. Learn how God took A.R.'s four-member, store-front church and expanded it to the Christian Culture Center and understand that we all can make positive change in our communities by being faithful to whatever plan the Lord has in store for us. Guest Bio: A graduate of Alliance Theological Seminary, Dr. A.R. Bernard is a visionary whose teachings have lifted his church, the Christian Cultural Center (CCC), to become New York's largest house of worship. In addition, he has been awarded Honorary Doctor of Divinity degrees from Wagner College and from Nyack College/Alliance Theological Seminary. His wife, Karen, left her career with the Queens County Supreme Court to raise seven sons and copastor with her husband. Together, they have successfully experienced 48 years of marriage and 42 years of ministry. Notes & Quotes: “Essentially, culture is man's attempts to order his society and determine the best ways to live in it. Now contrast that to the kingdom of God, which is the reign and rule of God or the government of God or God's way of doing and being, which [also] means a culture.” “God's presence has to be present within the culture in order to affect change.” “What makes us different? Our Christian identity. What does that mean? Secondly, how far do we adjust to the culture without compromising our Christian convictions? How far do we blend into the culture without losing our Christian identity?” “There are no small churches or small projects. There's only small thinking.” “We live life on levels, we arrive in stages. Begin where you are, and build upon that.” Links Mentioned: Visit our website to sign up for emails: whereyafrom.org Leave us a review: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/where-ya-from-podcast/id1581145346 Check out our Voices Collection from Our Daily Bread Ministries Follow Where Ya From? on Instagram: @whereyafrompodcast Extra resource: This Far by Faith reading plan A.R. Bernard's website: https://www.arbernard.com/ Verses Mentioned: “So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them”: Genesis 1:27  “On earth as it is in heaven”: Matthew 6:10 Adam and Eve sin: Genesis 3 Dominion mandate: Genesis 1:28 “The least of these”: Matthew 25:40 God in Christ reconciling the world: 2 Corinthians 5:19–20 The Word became flesh and chose to dwell among us: John 1:14 Sent his word and healed them: Psalm 107:20  Salt of the earth: Matthew 5:13 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It is confirmed that Where Ya From? Podcast will be back for a second season on February 1st, 2022. Next season is in the works and believe us, you won't want to miss the phenomenal guests we have lined up to talk about all things culture and faith, and share their answer to this seemingly simple but meaningful question: Where Ya From? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When two worlds, cultures, or concepts collide, what happens? Often, there's a sense of conflict. But what if, instead of facing these collisions with conflict, we met them with a willingness to understand? In this episode of Where Ya From?, Rasool Berry shares his own story of faith, culture, and identity. Listen as we discuss his experience of growing up in Philly and going to boarding school, his feelings of rejection and realizations of forgiveness, and how authors like Harriet Jacobs, Frederick Douglass, and Malcolm X inspired his identity and journey of faith. Guest Bio Rasool Berry's name (meaning “messenger” in Arabic) reflects who he is and what he is passionate about: impacting young adults through translating spiritual truths from Scripture into the language and ethos of our time. Rasool serves as teaching pastor at The Bridge Church in Brooklyn, New York, and he is also the director of partnerships and content development with Our Daily Bread Ministries. Rasool graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a bachelor's degree in Africana studies and sociology. He is committed to helping people live out a biblical framework for social justice. He hosted the travel documentary series In Pursuit of Jesus, where he journeyed across five continents exploring what he can learn about Jesus through others. He lives in Brooklyn with his wife, Tamica, and their daughter Ire'Ana, and he hosts the Where Ya From? podcast. Notes and Quotes: “Because of civil rights activists, Martin Luther King Jr. actually came to the school to call for its desegregation. It was finally desegregated, and so I ended up going and enrolling as a fourth grader in a boarding school in North Philly.” “Very early on, I was an outsider. And that really shaped a lot of who I became as a person because nothing came easy. I wasn't athletic. I wasn't cool. I was not smooth at that point. And there was nothing about me that drew people to me. And so I found myself on the outside looking in, and that was tough. But it was also something that over time kind of caused me to be more observant about people and curious about people because I was kind of observing a lot.” “I decided to just confess to the other girl that I had cheated. I was searching and trying to find a sense of how I could even, not just be the lowest piece of scum on her face of the planet, I guess. I didn't want to live with the secret anymore. So I just confessed, fully expecting to get another well deserved tirade about how bad I was. And she said, ‘I forgive you.' And I was like, ‘What?' And she was like, ‘I forgive you.' And I said, ‘Why?' I had no frame of reference for it. And she said, ‘Well, Jesus has forgiven me for everything that I've done. So I don't think I should hold this against you.'” “Sometimes there's this tendency to just say, ‘Oh, we should just forgive everything and forget.' And it's like, well, forgiveness is a huge part, but there's also, ‘We need to speak the truth.'” Links Mentioned In Show:  Leave us a review here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/where-ya-from-podcast/id1581145346 In Pursuit of Jesus: Available now on YouTube at https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPOUA7GLxXIGkFacDNE39s62HJ43Mcojr  Follow Where Ya From? Podcast on Instagram: @whereyafrompodcast Visit our website to sign up for email: https://www.whereyafrom.org Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Culture change only happens when we change culture. So how do you become a culture maker versus simply a culture consumer? In this episode of Where Ya From?, Andy Crouch discusses the implications and applicable processes of Christians understanding better how to speak to and influence culture versus talk against it. Listen as we discuss culture, being creators, and the implications and influences technology has in our culture today.  Guest Bio  Andy Crouch is a musician, author, advisor, editor, husband, and father. He currently serves as a partner for theology and culture at Praxis, an organization that works as a creative engine for redemptive entrepreneurship. He studied classics at Cornell University and received a Master of Divinity summa cum laude from Boston University School of Theology. From 1998 to 2003, Andy was the editor-in-chief of re:generation quarterly, a magazine for an emerging generation of culturally creative Christians. In addition, he served as a campus minister with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship at Harvard University for more than  ten years. He is the author of The Tech-Wise Family, Strong and Weak, Playing God, and Culture Making. His writings have been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Time magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Music is a universally loved language of expressions and melodies. But what if the music you love, create, and share gets mislabeled by your own church and community? In this episode of Where Ya From?, musician Ruth Naomi Floyd shares her story of growing up in Philadelphia and caring for the wounded and alienated and how that, paired with her faith, led her to unapologetically create jazz music that blends theology and justice. Guest Bio  Ruth Naomi Floyd is a vocalist and composer who has created a discography that highlights theology and justice with a multi-faceted progressive jazz ensemble sound. She lectures and performs her music internationally and has been a presence and is active in the areas of the arts and justice throughout her career.  Ms. Floyd's recent body of work is the “Frederick Douglass Jazz Works,” and she received a National Endowment of the Arts Project Grant in 2021 for her new body of work, “The Frances Suite.”  She is also a music educator who is the first African American woman to establish a university jazz program. She is currently an artist-in-residence with Temple University. Floyd lives in Philadelphia, where she  continues her creative work and justice work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode with Dr. Alma Zaragoza-Petty, we explore the educational systems in place that hold back so many and her work to challenge the system as part of her God-given purpose, the difference in experiences of growing up in Mexico and Los Angeles, and the pivotal moments in her faith-filled journey. Guest Bio Dr. Alma Zaragoza-Petty was born in Los Angeles and raised in Acapulco, Mexico, for most of her early childhood. She earned her Master's in Counseling and her Doctoral degree in Education. For over 20 years, she has worked in higher education, both in and outside of academic institutions. She is currently working for a nonprofit with a concentration in research and evaluation. Co-host of The Red Couch Podcast, where she and her partner offer "brown-eyed social and political commentary with a hood twist." She is also the co-founder of the Prickly Pear Collective, a faith-based, trauma-informed collective at the intersections of community, church, and therapy, bringing people together to move toward healing. In addition, she is working on writing her first book about social justice, mental health, and identity. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This episode with Daniel Hill tackles the uncomfortable but necessary conversations about the intersections of race, culture, and faith that the church has often ignored. It's time to stop ignoring the blind spots that exist and instead acknowledge them and take action to erase them. Guest Bio Daniel Hill is the founding and senior pastor of River City Community Church located in the West Humboldt Park neighborhood of Chicago. The church members long to see increased spiritual renewal as well as social and economic justice in the neighborhood and city, demonstrating compassion and alleviating poverty as tangible expressions of the kingdom of God. Daniel has a business degree from Purdue University, a master of arts in theology, and a doctor of ministry from Northern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is the author of White Awake and White Lies. Daniel is married to Elizabeth, and they are the proud parents of Xander and Gabriella. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode with Lecrae, we discuss the challenging but enlightening moments of healing from past trauma, reconciling with perceptions people have of us and realizing we don't have to fit that mold, and finding the power of restoration. Guest Bio Lecrae is a leading figure in the gospel-rap movement, singer, songwriter, record and film producer, actor, and entrepreneur.  He is the president, co-owner, and co-founder of Reach Records and co-founder of the film production studio 3 Strand Films.  Lecrae's debut album, Real Talk, was released in 2004 via Reach Records. He has since released multiple award-winning albums and mixtapes, including Rebel, Gravity, Church Clothes, and Anomaly. His most recent album, Restoration, was released in 2020.  His albums and mixtapes have nearly reached the two million mark in sales, and he has received numerous awards, including a Billboard Music Award, multiple BET, Soul Train, and Dove awards. In addition, he has an honorary doctorate of music to go along with his two Grammy wins. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week's episode with Mark Charles shows the need for us as a society to face the truths even when uncomfortable, describes the steps he is taking to help decolonize the gospel for the Navajo Nation, and demonstrates how our own trauma can lead to understanding and reconciliation. Guest Bio Mark Charles is a dual citizen of the United States and Navajo Nation. He is an activist, public speaker, consultant, author and Reformed pastor. Mark is the coauthor of Unsettling Truths: The Ongoing, Dehumanizing Legacy of the Doctrine of Discovery and regularly contributes as a correspondent for Native News Online and journalist for the Wirelesshogan: Reflections from the Hogan. The son of an American woman and a Navajo man, he teaches and speaks to the complexities of American history regarding race, culture, and Christianity. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today's episode with Dr. Soong-Chan Rah explores the need to listen to the voices of the disenfranchised in our society and our church, his experience of growing up as part of an immigrant family, and why we need to go beyond one culture's assumptions and biases of the way "things are done." Guest Bio Dr. Soong-Chan Rah is currently serving as the Robert Boyd Munger Professor of Evangelism at Fuller Seminary. Prior to his appointment, Dr. Rah served as the Milton B. Engebretson Professor of Church Growth and Evangelism at North Park Theological Seminary. Rah has authored or co-authored several books, including Prophetic Lament, The Next Evangelicalism, Many Colors, Unsettling Truths, Forgive Us and Return to Justice.  He holds a ThD from Duke Divinity School, an MDiv and DMin with a concentration in urban ministry leadership from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, and a ThM from Harvard University, with a thesis on the immigrant church. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this week's episode with Carolyn Custis James, you will learn about the "Blessed Alliance," and why a Kingdom strategy is strengthened by women and men working together; how to listen to our calling about and taking action to make a difference; and why it's essential to ask the big question of "why" for our theology.  Guest Bio Carolyn Custis James is an advocate for women worldwide and an award-winning author. She specializes in strengthening relationships between men and women and writing about what it means to be a female follower of Jesus in a post-modern world. She serves as an adjunct faculty member at Missio Seminary in Philadelphia and is married to Frank James.  Twitter | Website Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this week's episode with Dr. Christina Edmondson discusses the importance of treating our mental health as significantly as our physical health; Black dignity and embracing her identity as a Black woman; and how we can learn to embrace and love our own identities. Guest Bio Christina Edmondson holds a Ph.D. in counseling psychology from Tennessee State University, an MS degree from the University of Rochester in family systems, and a bachelor's degree in sociology from Hampton University with an emphasis in race, class, and gender. For over a decade, Christina has served in various roles, including most recently as the Dean for Intercultural Student Development at Calvin University. A certified cultural intelligence facilitator, public speaker, and former mental health therapist, Christina is often contacted by churches to consult about leadership development, antiracism, and mental health issues. She is also one of the co-hosts of the Truth's Table podcast. Twitter | Website Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jemar Tisby is the author of the New York Times bestseller The Color of Compromise, president and co-founder of The Witness: A Black Christian Collective, and co-host of the podcast Pass The Mic. Jemar attended the University of Notre Dame and joined Teach For America at the Mississippi Delta Corps, where he taught sixth grade and became the principal. He received his MDiv from Reformed Theological Seminary and is currently working toward his PhD in History at the University of Mississippi.  Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram Quote “We can either shrink back and demonstrate complicity in the face of racism or we can demonstrate courageous Christianity and confront it rather than compromise with racism.” Jemar Tisby is a historian, author, and leader seeking to make the house of God a more inclusive and welcoming place for everyone. He realizes it's not an easy feat, but he believes in the power of hope and his faith in fellow Christians to make a more equitable future possible.  In today's episode, we discuss Jemar's own experience with discrimination simply because of the color of his skin, America's ugly relationship with racism and its impact on the church in our country, and his book The Color of Compromise. We also talk about his time with Teach For America and how it further illustrated the importance of education as a solution to move forward in moments of change. Finally, our conversation ends on a hopeful note for the future, and a call, or plea, for Christians to be courageous to combat hate and inequality in the church.  New Episodes Added Every Tuesday! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kristen “KB” Newton is the creator and founder of HEARTConvos, an organization that helps people build authentic relationships through having hard conversations. She was previously the DJ for both the Indiana Pacers and Indiana Fever. She's married to her husband, Mike, and they have a daughter.  Instagram Quote “Vulnerability and the formula for vulnerability is the exact same formula for being egregiously hurt or being unconditionally accepted.”  Self-described as from a military family, when I asked KB, “Where you from?” Her response of “I don't know” is understandable.  Born in Saint Louis, Missouri, KB's life as a military brat put her in different parts of the world throughout her life. From living overseas in Okinawa, Japan; London, England; and even Germany, before she returned to the United States and started a new part of her life in Virginia and eventually Indiana, she's experienced a lot of “change and movement.” Sometimes all that “change and movement” made it hard for her to connect with others and create strong foundations of friendship.  In this episode, KB and I discuss her military-family life and the difference between civilian life, how she learned to survive and adapt, and why she never truly had a place she called “home” while growing up. We also spoke about how a life-changing experience at camp made her reflect on the ups and downs of vulnerability, what prompted her to create HEARTConvos, and why she believes Jesus championed friendship more than any other relationship.  New Episodes Added Every Tuesday! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rich Pérez is a unique storyteller and thought-leader in the Hispanic-American experience. His life has layers, and he has put time into understanding how they've shaped who he is and what he cares about. From 2011 to 2020, Rich and his family planted Christ Crucified Fellowship in his hometown neighborhood (Washington Heights). Rich is also the author of Mi Casa Uptown: Learning to Love Again.  Twitter | Instagram Quote “It's difficult to not think of your life outside of the home or reduce it to just your nuclear home. You know what I'm saying? So that was my upbringing, but as I grew older it started to get more complex for sure, because I realized that I was the product of a few things.” Rich Pérez is made up of layers—like you and me—and realizes that those layers make him unique. From 2011 to 2020, he was a New York City church pastor at the Christ Crucified Fellowship, a community-first church founded in his own home with his friend Andy Mineo. Since the pandemic, his life has taken a different direction and even led him to relocate to Atlanta, Georgia, where he's discovered the importance of reimagining himself while still functioning in the gifts that God has given him.  In this episode, Rich and I discuss his parents' journey to America as immigrants and how they found a community in Washington Heights, New York; his previous life as a New York City pastor, and how he's been dealing with that part of his life coming to a close; and the importance of learning to embrace all the things that make him who he is today. We also talk about losing his mother, who he credits with leading him on his journey to Christ, and how he's honoring her legacy. And we wrap up our conversation by reflecting on how the pandemic has left an indelible mark on him and finding beauty and purpose in loss.  New Episodes Added Every Tuesday!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ambassador Sujay Johnson Cook is a woman of firsts. She was the first Black woman Chaplain to the New York Police Department and the first female senior pastor in the 200-year history of the American Baptist Churches. She was also the first and only female President of the historic Hampton U Ministers Conference. She was selected to be a White House Fellow in 1993 and later served as a presidential policy advisor. She was appointed as the first female and African-American United States Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom. She is a theologian, author, activist, academic, and entrepreneur, and she's just getting started.  Twitter | Instagram Quote “I believe that that's part of my calling. Not to just be the first, but to be the first of many. And so I'm really excited about God entrusting me or trusting me enough to be a trailblazer.”  We were all born to do something extraordinary.  But it's up to us to take steps to see the “extraordinary” come to fruition.  In this episode, we discuss Sujay's life and work and its impact on both herself and our world at large. As a native New Yorker, she gained a cultural education that allowed her to learn the meaning of community. She also discusses what prompted her to move from a career in mass communications to ministry and how her faith ultimately gave her the strength she needed as an NYPD police chaplain at ground zero on September 11. This episode is one not to miss, as you'll also hear about her personal connection to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s family, her historic nomination and confirmation as the United States Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom, and more!  New Episodes Added Every Tuesday! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What do you do when someone challenges your faith? One of the world's most sought-after Christian apologists, Lisa Fields, combines her passion for biblical literacy with her heart for sharing God's love to all those she meets. She is a graduate of the University of North Florida with a Bachelor of Science in Communications and Religious Studies and of Liberty University with a Master of Divinity with a focus in Theology. She is the founder and president of the Jude 3 Project, an organization that aims to help Black Christians know what they believe and why they believe. Twitter | Twitter for Jude 3 Project | Website Quote “I feel like a faith that can't be tested, can't be trusted. And so I continued to test it and put it under scrutiny because I believe that if it was the truth, it will always be found to be true.” In this episode, we discuss the idea of being a PK (pastor's kid) and the assumptions that come with it, the importance of getting out of the “seminary bubble,” and the season of doubt she went through with her faith and how she fought back with the truth of Scripture. We also look at the relationship between Christianity, race, and gender. Finally, we talk about the richest times in seminary for her, the importance of building relationships, and empathizing with other people about their experiences. New Episodes Added Every Tuesday! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices