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True grit? Not the movie or book, but a real live individual. I met Laura Bratton about a month ago and realized that she was a very unique individual. Laura was referred to me by a gentleman who is helping both Laura and me find speaking venue leads through his company. Laura is just ramping up her public speaking career and our mutual colleague, Sam Richter, thought I could be of help. Little did I know at the outset that not only would I gain an excellent podcast guest, but that I would find someone whose life parallelled mine in many ways.   Laura Bratton began losing her eyesight at the age of nine years. Like me, she was one of the lucky ones who had parents who made the choice to encourage their daughter and help her live her life to the fullest. And live it she does. Laura attended public school in South Carolina and then went to Arizona State University to secure her bachelor's degree in Psychology. Why ASU? Wait until you hear Laura tell that story.   After securing her degree in Psychology she moved to the Princeton School of Divinity where she secured a Master's degree in Divinity. She followed up her Master's work by serving in a chaplaincy program in Ohio for a year.   Then, if all that wasn't enough, she became a pastor in the United Methodist Church and took a position in South Carolina. She still works part time as a pastor, but she also has taken some other exciting and positive life turns. As I mentioned earlier, she is now working to build a public speaking career. She also does one-on-one coaching. In 2016 she wrote her first book.   Laura shares many poignant and relevant life lessons she has learned over the years. We talk about courage, gratitude and grit. I asked her to define grit which she does. A very interesting and good definition indeed.   I often get the opportunity to have guests on this podcast who share life and other lessons with all of us. To me, Laura's insights are as relevant as any I have encountered. I hope you will feel the same after listening to our conversation. Please let me know what you think. You can email me at michaelhi@accessibe.com.       About the Guest:   At the age of nine, Laura was diagnosed with an eye disease and faced the difficult reality that she would become blind. Over the next ten years she experienced the traumatic transition of adjusting to life without sight.  Laura adjusted to her new normal and was able to move forward in life as she graduated from Arizona State University with a BA in psychology. She then was the first blind student to receive her Masters of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary.  She is the author of the book, Harnessing Courage. Laura founded Ubi Global, which is an organization that provides speaking and coaching to empower all people to overcome challenges and obstacles with grit and gratitude. Ways to connect with Dr. Laura:   Link for LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/laura-bratton-speaking   Website https://www.laurabratton.com/   Link for coaching page on website https://www.laurabratton.com/coaching  Link for book on website https://www.laurabratton.com/book   Link for speaking page on website https://www.laurabratton.com/speaking   About the Host:   Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog.   Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children's Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association's 2012 Hero Dog Awards.   https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/   accessiBe Links https://accessibe.com/ https://www.youtube.com/c/accessiBe https://www.linkedin.com/company/accessibe/mycompany/ https://www.facebook.com/accessibe/       Thanks for listening!   Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!   Subscribe to the podcast   If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can subscribe in your favorite podcast app. You can also support our podcast through our tip jar https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/unstoppable-mindset .   Leave us an Apple Podcasts review   Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.       Transcription Notes:   Michael Hingson ** 00:00 Access Cast and accessiBe Initiative presents Unstoppable Mindset. The podcast where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet. Hi, I'm Michael Hingson, Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe and the author of the number one New York Times bestselling book, Thunder dog, the story of a blind man, his guide dog and the triumph of trust. Thanks for joining me on my podcast as we explore our own blinding fears of inclusion unacceptance and our resistance to change. We will discover the idea that no matter the situation, or the people we encounter, our own fears, and prejudices often are our strongest barriers to moving forward. The unstoppable mindset podcast is sponsored by accessiBe, that's a c c e s s i capital B e. Visit www.accessibe.com to learn how you can make your website accessible for persons with disabilities. And to help make the internet fully inclusive by the year 2025. Glad you dropped by we're happy to meet you and to have you here with us. Well and a gracious hello to you, wherever you happen to be on our planet today, I am your host, Michael Hinkson, and you are listening to unstoppable mindset where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet, and we sort of get to tie several of those together today, because my guest, Laura Bratton happens to be blind, so that brings inclusion into it, and we could talk about diversity all day. The experts really tend to make that a challenge, but we can talk about it ourselves, but Laura is blind, and she's going to tell us about that, and I don't know what else, because that's the unexpected part of this, but we're going to have ourselves a lot of fun for the next hour. She knows that the only rule of the podcast is you got to have fun, and you can't do better than that. So Laura, welcome to unstoppable mindset. We're glad you're here.   Laura Bratton ** 02:12 Thank you. Thank you for this opportunity. I'm excited.   Michael Hingson ** 02:15 Well, this will be some fun, I'm sure, which is, of course, what it's all about. Well, why don't we start by you telling us kind of about the early Laura, growing up and all that, and anything about that that you think we ought to know that'll help us as we go forward.   Laura Bratton ** 02:31 So the early Laura was,   Michael Hingson ** 02:34 you know, that was a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away. But yeah,   Laura Bratton ** 02:38 was was fearless. Was involved in so many different activities, and I didn't have any health concerns or vision problems. And then around the age of nine, after the summer, after my second grade school year, my parents started noticing she's just holding books a little bit closer. She's just sitting a little bit closer to the TV than normal, than usually. So my they decided we'll just make a regular pediatric ophthalmology appointment, take her to the doctor, get the doctor to check her out. You know, if you need glasses, that's fine, and we'll just move on with our our summer and prepare for a new school year. So that June, when I had that doctor's appointment, my eyes were dilated. I'd read the the letters on the chart in the room. The doctors had looked in my eyes, and then the doctor just rolled back in his chair and looked at my mom and said, there's a major problem going on, and we need to address this, and I'm going to send you to a retina specialist. There's something major going on with her retinas. So from that appointment that started the rest of the summer and into the fall of just having doctors, different doctors appointments, meeting with specialists, trying to figure out why this 910, year old was all of a sudden having vision problems.   Michael Hingson ** 04:20 So yeah, go ahead that,   Laura Bratton ** 04:22 yeah. So that started the whole vision loss journey,   Michael Hingson ** 04:27 and what was the diagnosis that they finally came up with?   Laura Bratton ** 04:31 So they finally came up with a diagnosis of rare retinal onset disease. So it's not genetic. It wasn't like another accident, physical accident that calls the blindness. It's most similar to macular. So what I was losing first was my central vision. I still had all my peripheral vision, so it's very similar to macular, but not. Not quite macular or star guards. What's happens in children? So that's the diagnosis, just rare retinal disease.   Michael Hingson ** 05:11 Interesting, and they they didn't have any idea that what caused it. Do they have any better idea today? Or is it just so rare that they don't tend to pay a whole lot of attention. Great   Laura Bratton ** 05:23 question, yes and yes. So I've done a lot of genetic testing over the years, and the gene has not been discovered. That is obviously what they are predicting, is that there had to be some kind of gene mutation. But that gene hasn't been discovered. So far, the genes that are identified with vision problems, those have not been the problem for me so far. So the gene, Gene hasn't been discovered. So testing continues, but not exactly sure yet.   Michael Hingson ** 05:59 Yeah. So do you have any eyesight left, or is it all gone?   Laura Bratton ** 06:04 I don't, so to continue kind of that process of of the the early childhood. So I was diagnosed around nine, but I didn't lose any major vision until I was in middle school. So the end of middle school is when I started to lose a significant part of sight. So I went from very quickly from roller print, large print, to braille, and that was a very quick transition. So basically it was normal print to learning Braille and using Braille and textbooks and Braille and audio books and all that. Then through high school, I will throw more a significant amount of vision. So what I have currently is just very limited light perception, no, what I consider no usable vision, just light perception,   Michael Hingson ** 06:55 so you learn braille. So you learn braille in middle school. Then, yes, okay, absolutely. What did you think about that? Because that was certainly a life change for you. How did you deal with all of that?   Laura Bratton ** 07:10 How did I do with the process of learning braille or the emotional process?   07:14 Both,   Laura Bratton ** 07:16 they're kind of related, so both, they're very much related. So learning Braille was incredibly difficult because I was trying to learn it at the same time. Use it with textbooks in middle school level material rather than normal development. Of you learn braille and start out, you know, with with simple books, and slowly move up. I try, you know, I had to make that adjustment from learning Braille and then algebra in Braille or Spanish and Braille. So using the Braille was very difficult, but I was because I was forced to to learn it, because I had to, just to stay in school. You didn't really have a choice. As far as the emotional perspective. My first thoughts was just the denial, oh, it's not that bad, oh, it won't be forever. Oh, it's not going to get much worse than this. Just that denial of the reality. And then I can say more, if it just kind of that whole how that whole process unfolded, that's kind of the whole emotional process. It   Michael Hingson ** 08:34 certainly was a major change for you, yes, but it sounds like by the time all was said and done, and you did have to immerse yourself, like in learning Braille and so on. So it was an immersive kind of thing. You, You did come through it, and you, you seem to be functioning pretty well today, I would gather   Laura Bratton ** 08:55 Yes, because of focusing on the emotional mindset piece. So once that I've sort of began to move out of denial. It was that, okay, well, I can't this is just too hard. And then what I eventually realized and accepted was, yes, it's hard and I can move forward. So just a practical example, is what you were saying about having to be fully immersed in the Braille. Yes, is really hard to jump from learning braille to knowing Braille and algebra. But also choose to move forward. As you said, I choose to immerse myself in this so that I can continue life, yeah,   Michael Hingson ** 09:42 and you you have done it. Well, how? How do you view blindness today?   Laura Bratton ** 09:49 That is a great question. So today is the balance of acknowledging. Yes, they're difficult moments. Yes, their stressful moments. Moments, and I have the resources to process that. So now, rather than just being a denial or being stuck in that I can't do this, I can say, okay, yes, this is hard. Yes, I am frustrated. Yes, I am overwhelmed in this moment, but also I can move forward with the gifts and purposes that I have in this world and using that as a strength. So for me, it's that acknowledging the rap the reality, but also moving forward with that belief in myself, trust in myself.   Michael Hingson ** 10:39 So how long did you at the beginning really grieve and view all this in a negative way? Because it sounds like you've evolved from that today.   Laura Bratton ** 10:53 Absolutely. So in my experience, the so I'm going to break the grief and the negative apart, because for me, it was two different experiences. So for me in those middle school, high school days, it was more than negative, and the grief just came along with that. Now even, you know, through college and even now, yes, there are moments that I grieve, but that negativity has turned into the mindset of strength, the mindset of trust, the mindset of okay, I can continue forward Again, living out those purposes, my purpose with those gifts as a source of strength, the source of courage. It's a source of just belief in myself. So my experience now is the mindset of holding both intention, holding space for both when I have those moments that I need to grieve, absolutely, giving myself those space and then at the same time, choosing to move forward with that courage, rather than being stuck in what I was in middle school of that negativity. Does that difference? Does that make us make sense of what I'm trying to separate the two?   Michael Hingson ** 12:19 Well, yeah, they overlap, but I understand what you're saying, Where, where and how were your parents in all of this?   Laura Bratton ** 12:28 So that was the incredible gift, that that was a deep source of strength, that as that middle school child who was in that negative place of denial and I can't, I can't. That was the source of strength. So immediately, when I was diagnosed, even though I didn't have major vision loss, I was diagnosed in elementary school, they wanted to send me to school for the deaf and blind, and so my parents had to fight to keep me in regular school. Again, I wasn't experiencing major vision loss, but just having minor vision loss, the school said, Okay, you're at a public school and going to a different school. So my parents were a source of strength, because they knowledge what was happening, what was going to happen, but also held me to the same standards.   Michael Hingson ** 13:25 And there are some schools, I don't know how much today, but in the past, there were some schools for the blind, and I'm not sure about schools for the deaf and blind, but we'll put them in the same category. But there were some schools that really did have very high standards, and and did do a great job. The Perkins School was one. Tom Sullivan, the actor, went through Perkins and and I know other people who did, but in general, the standards weren't the same, and I had the same issue. I remember my parents. We were in the office of the school principal of Yucca school where I went kindergarten through third grade here in California, okay, and I remember a shouting match between my father and my mother on one side, and Mr. Thompson, the principal on the other. And by the time all was said and done, he decided that it was he was going to acquiesce, because they were not going to let me go to the school for the blind, which would have been like, 400 miles away.   Laura Bratton ** 14:38 Okay, okay, so, so you can relate to that experience.   Michael Hingson ** 14:42 I can absolutely relate to that experience, and I think that it's for kids one of the most important things to hope comes along that parents deal with blindness in a in a positive way. Yes, and don't view it as something that's going to hold you back. I. 100% Yeah, because if they do, then that creates a much more difficult situation. Yes. So it's it's great that you had some parents who really stood up for you and helped as you went   Laura Bratton ** 15:15 Yes, and I was also deeply grateful that they all they held those standards at school, and they also held those standards at home. So they didn't just say, oh, you know, our expectations are lower for you at home, you don't have any more chores. You just kind of do whatever you want, get away with whatever you want. They kept those things standards. I still had chores we just made, you know, the accommodations are adapted if we needed to adapt anything. Yeah, a story that I always, always remember, just like you talking about you vividly remember being in that principal's office. I remember one day my the specific tour was unloading the dishwasher, and I remember thinking, well, oh, I'm not really, I don't really want to unload the dishwasher today. So I just kind of thought, Oh, the blindness will get me out of the situation. So I was like, Mom, I can't unload the dishwasher. I can't see exactly where to put all the silverware in the silverware of her door. And I still, I can still see this in my mind's eye. She was standing in the doorway the kitchen and the hallway, and she just turned around and just said, Laura, unload the dishwasher, put the silverware in the drawer, and just walked away. And that told me she was still holding me to the exact standards. She wasn't saying, Oh, honey, that's okay because of your blindness. Yeah, you don't have to do it. That was such a huge teaching moment for me, because it pulled me I can't use my blindness as an excuse. That was incredible experience and I always think back on and remember,   Michael Hingson ** 17:04 yeah, and I remember growing up, there were chores I did, there were chores My brother did, and there were things that we had to do, but we had, and my brother was cited two years older than I, but okay, but we had very supportive parents for both of us. And one of the things that the doctors told my parents when they discovered that I was blind, was that I was going to take all the love that the family had, even for my older sibling. Oh, my parent and my parents said that is just not so, and they worked really hard to make sure that my brother got all the things that that he needed and all the support that he needed as well. Wow. When he was still in high school, I remember they got him a car, and I don't remember when he got it. Maybe, I don't know whether he was already a senior in high school, but he got a car. And, you know, I didn't want a car. I right. I didn't want that, but, you know, that was okay. I would have driven it around if I got one, but, you know, that's okay, but, but parents are such an important part of the process, yes, and they have to be ready to take the leap, yes, that blindness isn't the problem. It's attitudes. That's really, that tend to really be the problem, right? 100%   Laura Bratton ** 18:24 and thankfully, thankfully, I had that. I had that experience another, another example that I always think of all the time, still such a vivid memory, is as as a family. We were a big sports family, and loved to go to different sporting events, and so we would always go to high school and college football games. And as I was in those middle school, high school years, those first, early days of experiencing difficult vision loss, where obviously I'm sitting in the sands and can't see the field clearly, rather than my parents saying, Oh, you're just going to stay home. Oh, you're not going with us. To be part of this, my dad are really, literally. Remember my dad saying, Here's a radio. I just put new batteries in. Let's go. So I would just sit there and, you know, with with my family, listening to the game on the radio. And that was such a gift, because, again, they didn't say, is what you're saying about the leap. They didn't say, okay, you can do this anymore. They just figured out a way to adapt so that I was still part.   Michael Hingson ** 19:34 Yeah, I've been to a number of baseball games, and the same thing, I've never been I've been to a high school football game, but I've never been to a pro football game, and I've never been to a basketball game, and while I think it would have been fun, I'm a little bit spoiled, and I think that the announcers today aren't as good as the announcers that we used to have, like Dick Enberg doing sports out here, who did. Football chick, Hearn, who did basketball, who could talk as fast as, I mean, he was, he was he taught me how to listen fast. That's great. He he talked as fast as many times books I read talk. He was just incredible. But that's okay. But still, I've been to games, and it is a lot of fun to be able to go and listen. It's even if you're listening on the radio, the point of being at the game is just the sounds and the experience of being at the game and hearing and interacting with all the sounds, because you're not hearing that as much through the radio as you are listening to the fans as they yell, or as the Yes, as the foul balls coming at you. You know, yes 100%   Laura Bratton ** 20:50 and just to feel the energy, you know, and your team's doing well, your team's not doing well, just to feel that energy, and there's to also to be there and have that, that fun experience with your family or friends, or you know, whoever you're with, that is such a fun experience. So yes,   Michael Hingson ** 21:08 so when you went into high school, did, what did you study? Or what did you do there?   Laura Bratton ** 21:15 What were your interests? So in college, when I   Michael Hingson ** 21:18 was thinking high school, but you can do college. So   Laura Bratton ** 21:21 High School, honestly, I didn't have specific professional interests, because it was just so much focused on the blind surviving and all the surviving, just the New Black, because the blindness was literally happening during high school, right? So my only focus was just survival passing because it was all of my energy was focused on the the learning Braille and just completing the assignments. Fast forward to college. My focus was definitely. My major was psychology. My focus was on psychology. A lot because of my personal experience, because of that experience in high school, and just that that not only that desire from my personal experience, but just using that experience to then help and support others from the mindset of of again, moving through that, that negativity to that, that foundation of grit. So it was definitely focused on psychology to be able to support others from a mindset perspective.   Michael Hingson ** 22:36 So how did you bring that into play in college?   Laura Bratton ** 22:40 So that was my focus. My My major was psychology, and then I I spent that, those years in college, figuring out specifically what area of psychology I wanted to focus on, which what, what facet of psychology I wanted my focus to be so that was, that was the purpose of the like psychology and taking different classes within psychology to try to figure out where my strengths within that Major   Michael Hingson ** 23:16 and what did you discover?   Laura Bratton ** 23:20 So what I discovered was I wanted the psychology to the mindset, to support people with to be that holistic perspective of, yes, the psychology, but also the spiritual connection and just our physical well being all connected together, so supporting our healthy mindsets and emotional health was not just psychology. It was the psychology, physical taking care of ourselves and the spiritual taking care of ourselves, all connected, combined together. So that's that's what led me to doing a master of divinity to be able to focus on and learn the spiritual part   Michael Hingson ** 24:15 of the mindset. So what part of psychology Did you eventually settle on   Laura Bratton ** 24:22 the holistic approach. So rather than just focus on specifically the mindset, focusing on us as a whole, being, supporting us through that mental, physical, spiritual connection that the healing, the empowerment came through, through all of that. So in that masters, what I focus on specifically was chaplaincy, so supporting people specifically I was a hospital chaplain, so focusing on helping people within the hospital setting, when they're there for different physical reasons and. Being able to be that spiritual presence focusing on both the spiritual and the emotional.   Michael Hingson ** 25:07 And where did you do your undergraduate study?   Laura Bratton ** 25:11 So I did my undergrad at Arizona State, and I was going to say a large reason, but not just a large reason, pretty much the whole reason I chose ASU was for their disability resources. So a major focus that that they emphasize is their disability resources is not a separate part of the university, but it's completely integrated into the university. So what I mean by that example of that is being a psychology major. I still had all the same classes. I was still in all the same classes as all the other psychology students on campus. I just had the accommodations that I needed. So that would be double time all testing or note takers, if I needed note takers in a class. So they did an incredible job, like they had a whole Braille lab that would print Braille books and provide books in PDF format. So the accommodations that I needed as a person who was blind were integrated in to the whole college experience. So that was incredibly powerful for me as a person who had just become blind and didn't know what resources were available.   Michael Hingson ** 26:37 Did you have any major challenges and major issues in terms of dealing with blindness and so on, while you're at ASU,   Laura Bratton ** 26:44 not at all. I am so grateful for that, because I wasn't the only person on campus who was blind. I wasn't the first blind person. I certainly wasn't the last so because they had so much experience, it was, it was an incredible, again, empowerment for me, because on the emotional perspective, it taught me, and literally practically showed me, yes, I give me a person with a disability and be integrated into the world, because They they showed me the resources that were available. So I was deeply, deeply grateful for what they taught me. Now, where did you grow up? So I grew up in South Carolina,   Michael Hingson ** 27:31 so that is and that's why I wanted to ask that, because we hadn't mentioned that you were from South Carolina before, but that was a major undertaking. Then to go all the way across country to go to ASU, yes. On the other hand, they do have a pretty good football team.   Laura Bratton ** 27:49 Just say Right, right, right   Michael Hingson ** 27:52 now, my I went to University California, Irvine. I don't even know. I'm sure they must have some sort of a football team today, but they do have a pretty good basketball team, and I haven't heard whether they won the Big West, but I haven't Yeah, but I haven't heard that they did. So I'm afraid that that they may not have until going to march madness. Yeah, but whatever,   Laura Bratton ** 28:21 team for March Madness spell your bracket in a different way.   Michael Hingson ** 28:25 Well, they've been in the big dance before they got to the Sweet 16 once, which was pretty cool. Wow, that's impressive. Yeah, that was pretty cool. That's so cool. What did your parents think of you going across country   Laura Bratton ** 28:42 again? Just like you talked about your parents being that taking that leap, they were incredibly supportive, because they knew ASU would provide the resources that I needed. Because again, in those years as I'm losing a major part of my sight, we didn't know other people who are blind. We didn't know what resources were available. Obviously, my parents reach out to people around us, you know, to connect with people who are blind, to learn about that, but we didn't have a lot of experience with that. So what we knew, and what my parents were excited about was ASU would be a place that I can not only have that college experience, but be taught the resources. And one of the major resources was my disability coordinator, so my disability coordinator, who was in charge of of creating all my accommodations, she was also blind, and that was such a healing experience for me, because she became a mentor. She was blind since birth. She. And so obviously we had different experiences, where I was just newly blind. She had been blind, but still, she was an incredibly powerful resource and mentor of just telling me, teaching me, not just telling me through her words, but living through her actions, you still have a full life like you're you're still a few a full human like you. This life still goes on. So she just modeled that in the way that she lived. So she she was, I'm so grateful for her mentorship, because she was very real. She had minimized blindness. But also she told me and taught me and showed me there's still a full, great life ahead,   Michael Hingson ** 30:53 which is really what all of us are trying to get the world to understand. Blindness isn't the end of the world. It's not the problem   Laura Bratton ** 31:02 exactly, exactly, she literally modeled that,   Michael Hingson ** 31:06 yeah, which was pretty cool. Well, then where did you go to get your Masters of divinity?   Laura Bratton ** 31:11 So then I went to get my masters at Princeton Theological Seminary, and that was a completely different experience, because, where as you, was completely set up for people with disabilities in the master's program, they had not had someone come through their program who was blind. So in that experience, I had to advocate and be very, very clear on what my needs were, meaning what the accommodations were that I needed, and then advocate that to the administration, which that wasn't a gift, because ASU had given me the foundation of knowing what I needed, what the accommodations Were then available. And then Princeton gave me the opportunity to become my own advocate, to force me to speak up and say, These are my needs, and these are accommodations I have. With these accommodations, I can be an equal student, so I'm not asking, Hey, give me good grades because I'm blind, but make the accommodation so that I have my books and PDF so I have double time on the test. So that was just as healing and just as powerful, because it gave me the opportunity to advocate and become clear on my needs so that I could communicate those needs. So   Michael Hingson ** 32:38 this is part of Princeton in New Jersey. Yes, so you were were in Jersey for a while, huh? Yes,   Laura Bratton ** 32:45 I went from sunny weather to   Michael Hingson ** 32:50 snowy weather. Well, you had some of that in South Carolina too, though,   Laura Bratton ** 32:53 yes, true, but from undergrad, it was quite the change.   Michael Hingson ** 32:58 Ah. But the real question is, when you were in New Jersey. Did you get to meet any members of the family? You know what I'm saying, the mob, Oh yes, absolutely being bada. Boom. Come on now,   Laura Bratton ** 33:11 definitely, definitely, definitely, absolutely, absolutely, yeah, lot of local restaurants and Oh yes,   Michael Hingson ** 33:21 oh yes. When we were building our home in New Jersey, my wife was in a wheelchair her whole life, and we decided that when we went to New Jersey, because I was going to be working in the city New York, we wanted to build a house, because it's cheaper to build an accessible home for somebody in a wheelchair. My wife then it is to buy a house and modify it so we wanted to build. And it turns out that the person who financed the building, we got a mortgage and all that without any difficulty, but we had to get somebody to build the house. And the realtors had people they worked with, the financier. Part of that was from a guy, well, let's just say his main business was, he was in the garbage business, and his last name was, was Pinto. So, you know, let's just say we know where he got his money. You know,   Laura Bratton ** 34:18 yes, yes. I had several those experiences too. Yeah, the garbage business seems to be big in Jersey. It   Michael Hingson ** 34:25 is big in Jersey, but, but, you know, but they were all, they were all very nice to us good. And so it really worked out well. It did. It all worked out. We had a wonderful home. The only difference between our house and the others around us is we had to include an elevator in the house, okay? Because we couldn't have a ranch style home. There wasn't room, and so we had to have and all the other homes in the development were two story homes, okay, but we had to have an elevator. So that was essentially about a $15,000 An uplift over what the House would have cost otherwise. But right again, you build it in so it's not that huge of a deal,   Laura Bratton ** 35:06 right? That's perfect. So all your neighbors are jealous.   Michael Hingson ** 35:10 Well, they didn't have the elevator. They didn't come and ride it much. So they didn't ask for their their their bigger challenges were, who's giving the biggest party at Christmas or Halloween? So we didn't participate in that, so we weren't we weren't a problem.   35:28 That's great,   Michael Hingson ** 35:30 yeah, so you've talked about grit a couple times, so tell me about grit, because clearly that's important to you,   Laura Bratton ** 35:39 yeah? So it's so important to me, because that was a main source of empowerment. So just as I talked about that negativity in the middle school high school, what grit helped me to do is take the overwhelming future that I was so fearful, I was extremely anxious as I looked at the whole picture everything ahead of me. So the grit came in and taught me. Grit is taking it day by day, moment by moment, step by step. So rather than looking at the whole picture and getting overwhelmed, the power of grit taught me all I need to do is trust myself for this next hour. All I need to do is trust in the support that my parents are giving me this next day. So breaking it down into manageable goals was the strength of the grit. So to break it down, rather than the whole future,   Michael Hingson ** 36:49 I didn't ask, do you did you have any siblings? Do you have any siblings?   Laura Bratton ** 36:53 Yeah, so I have one older brother. Okay, so   Michael Hingson ** 36:57 how was he with you being that you were blind. Was he a good older protective brother who never let anybody near his sister?   Laura Bratton ** 37:06 He was a good older protective brother in that he did exactly what my parents did in not having different expectations. Yeah, he so he's five years older. So when I'm 14, losing a significant amount of vision, or 15, losing a certain amount of division. He, you know, was 1920 doing great in college. So a perfect example of this connects with the grit he, he taught me, and again, not in word, not so much in words, but again, in those actions of we will figure this out. We don't know the resources that are available. We don't know exactly what the future looks like, but we as a family will figure this out. Me, as your older brother, our parents being our parents, we will figure it out day by day, step by step. And I remember a lot of people would ask my parents, what's her future, and then even ask my brother, what's her future? What's she gonna do? And they would honestly answer, we don't know, but as a family, we'll figure it out, and we'll provide the strength that she needs, and that's what I mean by the grit. So it wasn't, this is her future, and they just, you know, named it for being home with us, right? But it was, I don't know, but day by day, we'll have the grit to figure it out. So I'm glad you asked about my siblings, because that's a perfect example of how that grit came into play and was such a powerful source of strength.   Michael Hingson ** 38:54 So what did you do after you got your master's degree?   Laura Bratton ** 38:58 So after I got my master's degree, I then did a residency, just like I was talking about the chaplaincy. I did a residency specifically in chaplaincy to to complete that process of being a chaplain. So in that that was a year long process, and in that process, that was an incredible experience, because, again, it taught me, you are a complete human with gifts and talents. You just happen to be blind and need specific accommodations because of the blindness. So what I mean by that is, just as ASU gave me the resources regarding blindness, and just as Princeton gave me the gift to advocate for those resources, the experience in the chaplaincy taught me when I walked into a high. Hospital room and introduced myself as the chaplain on the unit. The patient didn't know, or didn't care how long I had been blind, or how did I make it on the unit? Or how did I know they wanted chaplain? They didn't care. They were just thankful and glad that I was there to serve them and be in that Chaplain role. So it was that's why it was empowering of healing to me, because it taught me not to focus so much on the blindness, but to view myself as that whole person, especially in that professional experience, so I can give endless examples of specifically how that, how, just the patient reaction taught me so much.   Michael Hingson ** 40:49 Where did you do your chaplaincy?   Laura Bratton ** 40:52 I did it at the Clinton clinic in Ohio. Oh,   Michael Hingson ** 40:56 my goodness, you did move around. Now. What got you there? Speaking of snow in the winter, yeah,   Laura Bratton ** 41:02 literally, I Yes, I can talk about that. And a lot of experiences there with snow, like effect snow is real. So they were very strong in their chaplaincy program and developing Kaplan's and also their Kaplan Z training was a focus that I wanted that holistic mind, body, spirit. It wasn't just spiritual or wasn't just psychological, it was the holistic experience of a whole person. So how wanting that to be my focus moving forward, that's where I chose to go to be able to focus on that. So again, it was such an incredible source of of healing through just through those patient interactions.   Michael Hingson ** 41:58 Well, one of the things that is clear about you is you're not bitter about any of the things that have happened, and that, in reality, you are a person who appreciates and understands the concept of gratitude.   Laura Bratton ** 42:11 Yes, yes. And specifically, let me go back to those high school days, and then I'll come back to the chaplain days, the way of the gratitude my focus started was not because I wanted gratitude, not because I chose to woke up, wake up one day and say, Oh, I'm so grateful for this blindness. But it all came through a mentor who said to me in those high school days, Laura, I want you to start writing down three things that you are grateful for each day and every day, I want you to write down three things that you're grateful for. So in my mind, my immediate reaction as a teenager, high schooler, was that's not good advice. I'm not sure you're a good mentor. I'm experiencing a major change in life, permanent life event. I don't know that there's a lot to be grateful for. So in my stubbornness, I said, Okay, I'm going to prove her wrong. So I started to think of the three things each day I was grateful for. And over the weeks that I did this, I then realized what she was teaching me, she was showing me. She wasn't asking me to be grateful for the blindness. She was asking me to recognize the gifts that the support that I had within the blindness. So, for example, the supportive parents, the older brother, who didn't make accommodations, or I mean, did make accommodations. Didn't lower expectations because of the blindness. So fast forward to the chaplaincy. I was incredibly grateful for all those patient experiences, because, again, it taught me to view myself as the whole person, not so hyper focused on the blindness. So one specific example that sticks out and was so clear to me is one day I had a patient request that one to see a chaplain, and I went in to this specific unit, and the so I walked in, my walked into the room, the patient took a look at my guide dog and me, and said, You're blind, like completely with this question or voice. And my thought was, well, I think so. I mean, that was this morning when I woke up, and so I said, Yes. And she said, Okay, then I'll, I'll share honestly with you how I'm doing and what I had learned, what I learned after my visit with her is she would not open up to the doctors, the nurses, the social workers, anyone who walked in the room. When I walked in the room and she didn't feel like she was being judged on her physical appearance, she was willing to open up and honestly share how she was feeling emotionally with her physical diagnosis. So that led that one conversation led to multiple visits where she could move forward in her healing emotionally because she was willing to open up and share and be honest with me as the chaplain. So that was an incredible situation of gratitude, because it taught me, yes, this is hard, yes, this is stressful. Yes, there are moments of being overwhelmed, and also their deep, deep moments that I am incredibly grateful for, that other people who are side sighted don't have that opportunity.   Michael Hingson ** 46:36 One of the things that I talk about and think about as life goes on, is we've talked about all the accommodations and the things that you needed to get in order to be able to function. What we and most everyone, takes for granted is it's the same for sighted people. You know, we invented the electric light bulb for sighted people. We invented windows so they can look out. Yes, we invent so many things, and we provide them so that sighted people can function right. And that's why I say, in large part, blindness isn't the problem, because the reality is, we can make accommodations. We can create and do create alternatives to what people who can see right choose, and that's important for, I think, everyone to learn. So what did you do after your year of chaplaincy?   Laura Bratton ** 47:39 So after my year of chaplaincy, after that incredible experience of just offering the patient care, I completed the part of the well after assorted in the master's program. But then after that, also completed my ordination in the Methodist Church. So I was appointed. I went to the process the ordination process, and then I was appointed to a local church back here in South Carolina. And again, with my focus on chaplaincy, my focus on patient care, I was appointed to that church for because what they needed most in the pastor the leader, was that emphasis on the pastoral care the mind, body, spirit connection. So as I became pastor, I was able to continue that role of what I was doing in the Kaplan see, of using both my professional experience as well as my personal experience of providing spiritual care to the members. So that was an incredible way. And again, that gratitude, it just I was so grateful that I could use those gifts of pastoral care, of chaplaincy to benefit others, to be a strength to others. Again, is that that whole person that that we   Michael Hingson ** 49:13 are now? Are you still doing that today? Or what are you doing   Laura Bratton ** 49:16 now? So I'm still I'm still there part time, okay,   Michael Hingson ** 49:21 and when you're not there, what are you doing?   Laura Bratton ** 49:23 I'm doing professional speaking, and it's all centered around my passion for that again, came when I was at Princeton, when I was doing the focus on chaplaincy, I became so passionate about the speaking to share my personal experience of the change I experienced, and also to empower others as they experience change, so not to be stuck in that. Negativity like we talked about in those middle school, high school days, but rather that everybody, regardless of the situation, could experience change, acknowledge it, and move forward with that balance of grit and gratitude. So that's my deep passion for and the reason for the speaking is to share that grit gratitude, as we all experience change.   Michael Hingson ** 50:26 So what made you decide to begin to do public speaking that what? What was the sort of the moment or the the inspiration that brought that about,   Laura Bratton ** 50:40 just that deep desire to share the resource that I'd experienced. So as I received so much support from family and community, is I had received that support of learning how to use the grit in the change, and then as I received the sport support of how to use the gratitude in the change, the reason for this, speaking and what made me so passionate, was to be able to empower others to also use this resource. So I didn't just want to say, okay, it worked for me, and so I'll just keep this to myself, but rather to use that as a source and empowerment and say, Hey, this has been really, really difficult, and here's how I can use the difficulty to empower others to support others.   Michael Hingson ** 51:31 So how's that working for you?   Laura Bratton ** 51:34 Great. I love, love, love supporting others as they go through that change. Because again, it comes back to the blindness. Is not not all we focus on, it's not all we think about, it's not all we talk about, it's not all we do, but being able to use that as a shrink to empower others. So just speaking to different organizations as they're going through change, and working with them speaking on that. How can they specifically apply the grit, the gratitude? How does that? What does that look like, practically, in their organization, in their situation? So I love it, because it takes the most difficult thing that I've been through, and turns it around to empower others.   Michael Hingson ** 52:24 What do you think about the concept that so many people talk about regarding public speaking, that, Oh, I couldn't be a public speaker. I don't want to be up in front of people. I'm afraid of it, and it's one of the top fears that we constantly hear people in society have that is being a public speaker. What do you think about that?   Laura Bratton ** 52:47 So two, two perspectives have helped me to process that fault, because you're right. People literally say that to me every day. How do you do that? I could never do that. I hear that every single day, all day, and what I've learned is when I focus on, yes, maybe it is the large audience, but focusing on I'm speaking to each person individually, and I'm speaking. I'm not just speaking to them, but I was speaking to serve them, to help again, that empowerment, to provide empowerment. So what I think about that is I don't focus on, oh my gosh. What are they going to think of me? I'm scared up here. Rather to have that mindset of, I'm here to share my life experiences so that they can be served and empowered to continue forward. So just shifting the mindset from fear to support fear to strength, that's that's how I view that concept of I could never do that, or that's my worst fear.   Michael Hingson ** 54:01 So a lot of people would say it takes a lot of courage to do what you do, what? How do you define courageous or being courageous?   Laura Bratton ** 54:08 Great question. That's a working, work in progress. So far, what I've learned over the years and again, this is a process. Not there wasn't just one moment where I said, Okay, now I'm courageous, and I'm courageous forever, or this is the moment that made me courageous, but how I understand it and how I process it now is for me and my experience courage is accepting and acknowledging the reality and then choosing to move forward with the grit, choosing to move forward with the gratitude. So holding both intention, both can be true, both I can acknowledge. Okay, this is difficult. Cult, and also I can also believe and know. I can have the grit moment by moment by moment. I can have the gratitude moment by moment by moment. So for me, courage is holding both intention the reality and what I mean by both is the reality of the blindness and reality of the frustration of people's faults, judgments. You know all that you can't do this. How can you do that without sight holding all of that at the same time as I have the support I need to move forward? So for me, Courage looks like acknowledging why I'm overwhelmed and then choosing at that same time to move forward with the support that I have. Mm, hmm. So again, that's what I mean by it's not just like one moment that, oh yeah, I'm gonna be courageous now forever, there's certainly a moment so I don't feel courageous, and that's okay. That's part of garbage. Just acknowledging that frustration and also choosing to move forward. So it's doing both it at the same time.   Michael Hingson ** 56:10 We live in a world today where there is a lot of change going on, yes, and some for the good, some not for the good, and and all sorts of things. Actually, I was reading an article this morning about Michael Connolly, the mystery writer who, for four decades, has written mystery books. He's lived in Los Angeles. He had a wonderful house, and everything changed when the fires hit and he lost his home and all that. But he continues to to move forward. But what advice would you give? What kinds of things do you say to people who are undergoing change or experiencing change?   Laura Bratton ** 56:52 I'm so glad you asked that, because I I didn't mention this in the grit so much of the grit that I experienced. So the advice I would give, or practically, what I do with someone that just what I did right before our we connected, was being being that grit for someone going through change. So in that, for example, in that speaking when I'm speaking to a group about the change they're experiencing, acknowledging, for them to acknowledge, let me be your grit. You might be overwhelmed. You might be incredibly fearful and overwhelmed by the future, by the task in front of you. So let me be the example of grit to to show you that there is support, there is courage, there is that foundation to be able to move forward. So that's my first advice, is just allowing others to be your grit when you don't feel like you had it, because, again, in those high school days and and even now days when I don't feel like I have any grit, any courage, and yet, I'll lean on the courage, the strength, the grit, of those around me so once they acknowledge and allow me to be their grit, and they their support through that change, then allowing them to slowly have that grit for themselves, and again reminding them, it's not an instant process. It's not an instant do these three steps and you'll have grit forever. But it's a continual process of grit and gratitude that leads us through the change, through the difficulty.   Michael Hingson ** 58:46 Have you used the technique that that person that you talked about earlier in high school used when she asked you to write down every day three things that you were grateful for?   Laura Bratton ** 58:56 Yes, absolutely, and the the funny part of that, what that makes me laugh is a lot of people have the exact same reaction I had when I present it to them. They immediately say, I'm not going to do that. That's no Why would I do that? They immediately think that is a horrible piece of advice. And how can I recommend? And I just, I don't say, Oh, well, just try it anyway. I just say, Well, okay, just try it and see. Just, just prove me wrong. And just like my experience, they try it and then a week or two days like, oh, that actually worked. I didn't think that would so, yeah, I'm so glad you said that, because that happens a lot. People said that is that doesn't make sense. Why are you telling me to be grateful in the midst of this overwhelming situation? So yes, great, great perspective that happens all the time.   Michael Hingson ** 59:55 Well, we've been doing this now for about an hour, but before we wrap up, do you. Have any other advice that you want to pass on for people who are dealing with change or fearing change in their lives right now,   Laura Bratton ** 1:00:08 the advice would be, take it step by step, moment by moment, rather than trying to navigate through the whole change at one time that's overwhelming, and that that's not the process that is most healing. So to trust in yourself, to trust that grit around you, and then just like, like you were saying, and ask me, and it doesn't seem like it'll work, but try the gratitude, try that three things every day you're grateful for, and just see what happens as you navigate through the change. Yeah.   Michael Hingson ** 1:00:52 And it really does work, which is the point?   Laura Bratton ** 1:00:54 Which is the point? Right? Right? We don't think it's going to but it, it totally does   Michael Hingson ** 1:00:59 well. Laura, I want to thank you for being with us. This has been absolutely wonderful and fun, and I hope that people who listen got and who watch it got a lot out of it. And you, you provided a lot of good expectation setting for people. And you, you've certainly lived a full life. We didn't mention we got us before you we we sign off. You're also an author,   Laura Bratton ** 1:01:24 yes. So I wrote harnessing courage again, just like the reason I speak, I was so passionate about taking the grit and the gratitude that I use that was such a source of Empower for me, I wanted to tell my story and tell it through the perspective of grit and gratitude so that other people could also use it as a resource. So the book tells my story of becoming blind and adapting and moving forward, but through the complete expected perspective of the gratitude, how I didn't believe the gratitude would work, how I struggled with thinking, Oh, the gratitude is ridiculous. That's never going to be source of empowerment. Yet it was so. The purpose of the book, my hope, my goal for the book, is that people can read it and take away those resources as they face their own change their own challenges.   Michael Hingson ** 1:02:30 And when did you write it? So I wrote   Laura Bratton ** 1:02:33 it in it was published in 2016 Okay, so it that that definitely was, was my goal and passion, and that just writing the book was incredibly healing. Was like a great source of strength. Cool,   Michael Hingson ** 1:02:50 well, I hope people will get it. Do you do any coaching today or   Laura Bratton ** 1:02:54 Yes, so I do coaching as well as the speaking so the the one on one coaching, as people are experiencing difficult, difficult or just navigating through change, I do the one on one coaching as well as the speaking,   Michael Hingson ** 1:03:11 which is certainly a good thing that chaplaincy taught you. Yes, 100% Well, thank you again for being here, and I want to thank all of you for being with us today, wherever you are. We would appreciate it. I would definitely appreciate it. If when you can, you go to wherever you're listening to or watching the podcast and give us a five star review. We absolutely value your reviews. I'd love to hear your thoughts about this, and I'm sure Laura would. So you're welcome to email me at Michael, M, I, C, H, A, E, L, H, I, at accessibe, A, C, C, E, S, S, i, b, e.com, love to hear your thoughts. And also, of course, as I said, we'd love your your five star reviews, wherever you're listening. Also, if any of you, Laura, including you, have any thoughts of others who we ought to have on this podcast, we're always looking for more guests, and we really would appreciate it if you'd let anyone know who might be a good guest in your mind, that they can reach out or email me, and I'll reach out, but we really would appreciate that. But again, Laura, I just want to thank you one more time for being here and for taking all this time with us today.   Laura Bratton ** 1:04:27 Thank you for the opportunity, and thank you for hosting this podcast. Incredibly powerful and we all need to be reminded   **Michael Hingson ** 1:04:37 You have been listening to the Unstoppable Mindset podcast. Thanks for dropping by. I hope that you'll join us again next week, and in future weeks for upcoming episodes. To subscribe to our podcast and to learn about upcoming episodes, please visit www dot Michael hingson.com slash podcast. Michael Hingson is spelled m i c h a e l h i n g s o n. While you're on the site., please use the form there to recommend people who we ought to interview in upcoming editions of the show. And also, we ask you and urge you to invite your friends to join us in the future. If you know of any one or any organization needing a speaker for an event, please email me at speaker at Michael hingson.com. I appreciate it very much. To learn more about the concept of blinded by fear, please visit www dot Michael hingson.com forward slash blinded by fear and while you're there, feel free to pick up a copy of my free eBook entitled blinded by fear. The unstoppable mindset podcast is provided by access cast an initiative of accessiBe and is sponsored by accessiBe. Please visit www.accessibe.com . AccessiBe is spelled a c c e s s i b e. There you can learn all about how you can make your website inclusive for all persons with disabilities and how you can help make the internet fully inclusive by 2025. Thanks again for Listening. Please come back and visit us again next week.

www.marktreichel.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-treichel/The National Credit Union Administration today placed Aldersgate Federal Credit Union in Marion, Illinois, into conservatorship. Member services will continue while the NCUA works to resolve issues affecting the credit union's operations.Member deposits at Aldersgate Federal Credit Union remain protected by the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund. Administered by the NCUA, the Share Insurance Fund protects individual accounts at federally insured credit unions up to $250,000. Member's interest in all joint accounts combined is also insured up to $250,000. The Share Insurance Fund separately protects IRA and KEOGH retirement accounts up to $250,000. The Share Insurance Fund has the backing of the full faith and credit of the United States.Members may conduct financial transactions via phone by calling the NCUA Asset Management and Assistance Center at 512.231.7940 Monday through Thursday between 10:00AM-4:00PM Central. Those calls will be routed to the appropriate specialists. Members can continue to conduct financial transactions, such as depositing funds, making loan payments, and requesting share withdrawals during the conservatorship.Members with questions about the conservatorship may review the Aldersgate Federal Credit Union's frequently asked questions posted on the NCUA's website. Members with questions about their Share Insurance Fund coverage can find more information in the Share Insurance Coverage(Opens new window) section of NCUA's MyCreditUnion.gov (Opens new window)consumer website.Aldersgate Federal Credit Union is a federally insured credit union with 811 members and reported assets of $10.6 million, according to the credit union's most recent Call Report. Aldersgate Federal Credit Union serves the ministerial and probationary members, full time employees, local pastors, clergy persons and diaconal ministers under appointment of the bishop of the Illinois Great Rivers Conference of the United Methodist Church

The Mission of St. Stephen's United Methodist Church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. To learn more about St. Stephen's or to view our full online services please visit wwww.ststephensfairfax.org

Today's sermon from Reverend Gary Main will be "Who, me?!".

Pastor Jim Keck welcomes Pastor Jed Linder, Associate Pastor at Saint Paul United Methodist Church, to the latest Friendly Fire.

PUMC - Platteville United Methodist Church

PUMC - Platteville United Methodist Church

PUMC - Platteville United Methodist Church

In this episode of the Means of Grace podcast, Reverend Jesse Enniss and Reverend John Yeager celebrate Jesse's graduation from Duke Divinity School and reflect on their experiences in seminary and ministry. The conversation also touches on the ongoing journey of learning and the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for clergy in the United Methodist Church. They delve into the significance of ordination and the various amendments being proposed at the upcoming Annual Conference, including issues of inclusiveness, racial justice, and voting qualifications for clergy. The dialogue highlights the need for adaptability within the church while maintaining core beliefs, and the importance of clergy supporting one another in their journeys. Visit ac2025.org for more information on Annual Conference.  Learn more about the AC2025 Constitutional Amendments. 

Kim DuBreuil will be preaching from Luke 14:28-31, to conclude a series on the new vision of the United Methodist Church.

“Blow, Spirit — WHOA!”—a bold, prophetic call to embrace the wild, disruptive movement of the Holy Spirit. Drawing on Acts 2 and the strangeness of the early Jesus movement, this sermon challenges the Church today—especially the United Methodist Church—to stop hiding in upper rooms and start living as Pentecost people.

The Mission of St. Stephen's United Methodist Church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. To learn more about St. Stephen's or to view our full online services please visit wwww.ststephensfairfax.org

Today's sermon from Reverend Gary Main will be "Faith in the Storm".

A private ceremony of family and friends was held at St. Luke's United Methodist Church in Indianapolis.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our guest speaker for the 2025 Annual Conference is Rev. F. Douglas Powe, Jr., PhD. In this episode, we learn more about him, and what he will share with us during his time at Annual Conference. Learn more about how it's time to re-examine John Wesley's model of evangelism as a full, natural circle, where it's a communal beginning point rather than a solitary end.   Dr. Powe is the President of Phillips Theological Seminary. Powe comes to Phillips from Wesley Theological Seminary, where he served as director of The Lewis Center for Church Leadership and the James C. Logan Chair in Evangelism (an E. Stanley Jones Professorship). Powe is an ordained elder in the Baltimore/Washington Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church. He received his BA from Ohio Wesleyan University in 1987, his MDiv from Candler School of Theology at Emory University in 1998, and his PhD from Emory University in 2004. Books: Transforming Evangelism: The Wesleyan Way of Sharing Faith Sustaining While Disrupting: The Challenge of Congregational Innovation

Kim DuBreuil will be preaching from Psalm 100:2; 1 Peter 4:10; Hebrews 10:24-25, to continue a series on the new vision of the United Methodist Church.

The Mission of St. Stephen's United Methodist Church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. To learn more about St. Stephen's or to view our full online services please visit wwww.ststephensfairfax.org

Since 1975, the United Methodist Foundation of Louisiana has offered an array of financial services for churches and individuals while promoting a culture of generosity to United Methodist donors and churches. For more on the Foundation, please head to their web site.  For more on the 2025 Annual Conference, please head here. 

Kim DuBreuil will be preaching from Matthew 22:37-39 & John 13:34-35, to kickoff a series on the new vision of the United Methodist Church.

The Mission of St. Stephen's United Methodist Church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. To learn more about St. Stephen's or to view our full online services please visit wwww.ststephensfairfax.org

Thank you for joining us for our Traditional Sunday service! Today's sermon from Pastor Chad Anglemeyer will be "On the Road".

This week on Pod Have Mercy, we're joined by Bishop Ande Emmanuel, the resident bishop of The United Methodist Church in Nigeria. In a conversation that is both sobering and urgent, Bishop Emmanuel sheds light on the escalating tensions between UMC and GMC members in Nigeria—tensions that have led to violence, misinformation, and even the tragic loss of life.He addresses head-on the false narratives being circulated by the Global Methodist Church and offers a clear-eyed perspective on what's truly happening on the ground. This episode is a call for truth, accountability, and prayer for our brothers and sisters in Nigeria who continue to serve faithfully in the face of division and danger.We invite you to listen with open hearts and minds—and to pray for peace, unity, and healing.

PUMC - Platteville United Methodist Church

PUMC - Platteville United Methodist Church

The Mission of St. Stephen's United Methodist Church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. To learn more about St. Stephen's or to view our full online services please visit wwww.ststephensfairfax.org

In 2023, we spent six weeks looking at Jesus' parable of the Good Samaritan—a Samaritan man traveling along the road from Jerusalem to Jericho and finds someone lying on the side of the road—robbed, beaten, and left for dead. Instead of continuing on his way (like the priest and religious man before him), the Samaritan gets off his donkey, cleans up the battered man's wounds, and takes him to an inn where he can recover. The Samaritan didn't have to do any of this. But he does because that's what our faith calls us to do—to get off our donkey and care for others, particularly those in need. We've brought back this “Get Off Your Donkey” series as a way to remind ourselves that sometimes, faith-in-action looks like meeting immediate needs, and other times, it looks like advocating for others and doing the internal work of rethinking assumptions and preconceived notions. This time around, we're exploring our United Methodist social principles. These principles aren't church law, but they represent the prayerful efforts of the United Methodist Church to speak to contemporary context. They call each of us to engage with the world around us, and to live like Jesus—compassionately working for justice for each and every one of God's creations. This week, we are taking a look at how our faith calls us to honor our mental health.

This week on Pod Have Mercy, we're recording from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, with a very special guest: Bishop Moyambe. Together, we explore the inspiring work of the United Methodist Church in Tanzania, how it's growing, how lives are being changed, and what the future holds.Bishop Moyambe shares firsthand stories of transformation, hope, and the power of the Gospel in action. We talk about the challenges and opportunities facing the Church here, and how people around the world can partner through prayer, support, and presence.This is more than a conversation: it's an invitation to be part of something bigger.Ways to Pray and Partner:Pray for the churches, leaders, and communities in TanzaniaSupport development projects like clean water, education, and new church plantsLearn more at Chapelwood.org

It was fun to sit down with Peggy Fletcher Stack about her time at Sunstone and Mark Hofmann. Peggy Fletcher Stack is a senior religion reporter at the Salt Lake Tribune with over three decades of experience. Peggy, also a co-host of the Tribune's weekly "Mormon Land" podcast, discussed her extensive career, offering insights into her work, her background, and some of the pivotal moments she's covered. The conversation quickly delved into the origins of her career, her time at the Sunstone organization, and even her connection to a notorious historical event. https://youtu.be/jI3Y_aw9mek Don't miss our other conversations with Peggy: https://gospeltangents.com/people/peggy-fletcher-stack/ Copyright © 2025 Gospel Tangents All Rights Reserved Peggy's long tenure in religion reporting at the Tribune spans 34 years. Before joining the paper, she was involved with Sunstone magazine and was the originator of the Sunstone Symposium. Recounting its beginnings, Peggy explained that as young people working on the magazine, they needed material to publish. She conceived the idea of holding a symposium where people could present, providing content for the magazin. Despite skepticism from some who felt they were "just kids," the first symposium in the late 1970s or early 1980s was successful, leading it to become an annual event that has continued for over 40 years. Peggy noted that Sunstone often struggled financially but ultimately persevered. Peggy's early career included a period spent freelancing in Kenya. In 1985-1986, shortly after getting married, she and her husband used their wedding money to move to Kenya to do freelance writing and photography. They chose Kenya because it was English-speaking and stable at the time. While they hoped to sell stories, Peggy admitted they didn't sell many. She described it as more of an adventure that provided a reason to travel and learn. She recently returned to Kenya for a conference with the International Association of Religion Journalists (IARJ), a group she helped found in 2012 and now serves as executive director. Sunstone and Mark Hofmann One of the most compelling parts of the early discussion was Peggy's connection to Sunstone and Mark Hofmann bombings. Hofmann, known for forging historical documents related to Mormonism, had his "findings" discussed extensively at Sunstone. Peggy knew Mark Hofmann personally and conducted the only print interview he ever gave. Looking back at that interview, she realized he was lying throughout, something she didn't recognize at the time. Peggy described Hofmann as socially awkward, noting he wouldn't look her in the eye during the interview, which she initially attributed to social skill issues but now sees as a sign he was fabricating information. Remarkably, the Hofmann bombings happened on the same weekend as Peggy's wedding, October 12, 1985. One of the victims, Steve Christensen, was a close friend, a major Sunstone donor, and a columnist. After the bombings, Peggy received calls from national media and initially suspected a business connection. However, when Mark Hofmann himself was injured in a bombing the next day, it became clear the events were tied to the documents. Peggy and her husband were warned they might be in danger, even checking their wedding presents for bombs and staying away from their apartment. This personal connection means Peggy always knows how long it's been since the bombings by her wedding anniversary. Reflecting on that time, she acknowledged her lack of training as a journalist then and the difficulty of knowing Hofmann was lying. Even LDS Church leaders were fooled. Path to Salt Lake Tribune Peggy's path to the Salt Lake Tribune was somewhat unexpected. After her time in Kenya, she and her husband moved to New York City, where she worked various jobs, including editing at a medical ethics think tank, working for the United Methodist Church communications department,

The Mission of St. Stephen's United Methodist Church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. To learn more about St. Stephen's or to view our full online services please visit wwww.ststephensfairfax.org

TYLER MEMORIAL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH                Pastor: Scott WiseOrganist: Julie RiesPianist: Barb NowlinWorship Service: Sunday 11:00 AMChurch Office Hours: Mon, Wed 9:00 AM – 12:00 PMTyler Memorial United Methodist Church260 Mill StreetChillicothe, Ohio 45601(740) 773-1270tylermemorialchurch@gmail.comwww.tylermemorialumc.org CCLI# 592146CSPL089857

TYLER MEMORIAL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH                Pastor: Jim WadeOrganist: Julie RiesPianist: Barb NowlinWorship Service: Sunday 11:00 AMChurch Office Hours: Mon, Wed 9:00 AM – 12:00 PMTyler Memorial United Methodist Church260 Mill StreetChillicothe, Ohio 45601(740) 773-1270tylermemorialchurch@gmail.comwww.tylermemorialumc.org CCLI# 592146CSPL089857

In this session, we are joined by historical theologian, Dr. Paul Capetz. Dr. Capetz, a minister in the United Methodist Church and former theology professor at various Protestant seminaries, discusses liberal Christology and its limitations. While identifying as a liberal theologian who seeks to reconcile Protestant heritage with Enlightenment thinking, Capetz argues that traditional liberal Christology is fundamentally flawed. He explains that liberal theologians like Friedrich Schleiermacher attempted to reconstruct the historical Jesus using modern historical analysis, but this approach faces insurmountable challenges. Following Rudolf Bultmann, whom Capetz considers the greatest New Testament scholar of the 20th century, he contends that a biography of Jesus cannot be written due to limited reliable historical sources. More importantly, Capetz argues that Christology shouldn't be based on speculations about Jesus's relationship with God, but rather on the apostles' witness to Jesus as the decisive revelation of God's love. Despite his fascination with the historical Jesus question, Capetz believes that the liberal approach of grounding Christology in historical reconstruction is both historically impossible and theologically misguided. You can WATCH the conversation on YouTube Join the class & watch Paul's lecture-> The Many Faces of Christ Today!⁠ Paul E. Capetz is professor of historical theology emeritus at United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities in Minnesota, and is currently minister at Christ Church by the Sea in Newport Beach, California. He is the author of God: A Brief History and co-editor of James Gustafson's Moral Discernment in the Christian Life. This episode centers on his recent book,  Recovering Protestantism's Original Insight. Previous Episodes w/ Paul Capetz Protestantism's Radical Insight from Luther to Bultmann Recovering Protestantism's Original Insight Existentialist Philosophy, Politics, & Theology Calvin's 500th Birthday The Big Theological Throw Down with John Cobb & Paul Capetz ONLINE CLASS ANNOUNCEMENT: The Many Faces of Christ Today The question Jesus asked his disciples still resonates today: "Who do you say that I am?" Join our transformative 5-week online learning community as we explore a rich tapestry of contemporary Christologies. Experience how diverse theological voices create a compelling vision of Jesus Christ for today's world. Expand your spiritual horizons. Challenge your assumptions. Enrich your faith. As always, the class is donation-based (including 0), so head over to ⁠ManyFacesOfChrist.com⁠ for more details and to sign up! _____________________ ⁠Hang with 40+ Scholars & Podcasts and 600 people at Theology Beer Camp 2025 (Oct. 16-18) in St. Paul, MN. ⁠ This podcast is a ⁠Homebrewed Christianity⁠ production. Follow ⁠the Homebrewed Christianity⁠, ⁠Theology Nerd Throwdown⁠, & ⁠The Rise of Bonhoeffer⁠ podcasts for more theological goodness for your earbuds. Join over 80,000 other people by joining our⁠ Substack - Process This!⁠ Get instant access to over 45 classes at ⁠www.TheologyClass.com⁠ ⁠Follow the podcast, drop a review⁠, send ⁠feedback/questions⁠ or become a ⁠member of the HBC Community⁠. ⁠Theology Beer Camp | St. Paul, MN | October 16-18, 2025⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Sarah and Sheri interview Allen Buck about his work within the United Methodist Church. Allen discusses the necessity of truth telling in building trust and relationships, and its importance in Repair work within the Church. Dr. William Allen Buck is a Cherokee (CNO) Native American Ordained Elder, currently serving at Great Spirit, the only United Methodist Native American Church in the Oregon Idaho Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church. He is also the Director of the Circle of Indigenous Ministries for the United Methodist Church. Social justice, especially advocating for the rights and protection of Indigenous peoples' spaces, traditions, cultures, and wisdom, is at the heart of his work. He is also passionate about addressing issues surrounding the environment, civil rights, education, intergenerational trauma, and poverty. His vision is to help create a beloved community where all people are embraced and uplifted. Show notes: Circle of Indigenous Ministries for the United Methodist Church: https://greaternw.org/circle/ About Father Wilbur (this is the colonized version of the story) https://www.oregonencyclopedia.org/articles/wilburjamesh18111887_/ Sarah's and my book: So That We and Our Children May Live: Following Jesus in Confronting the Climate Crisis Sarah's and my Substack: So That We and Our Children May Live You can follow the Coalition to Dismantle the Doctrine of Discovery on Instagram (@coalitiontodismantle) and Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/dismantlediscovery)

Top headlines for Friday, May 2, 2025In this episode, we explore the recent legal actions taken by a coalition of churches against the Trump administration's decision to allow immigration raids within houses of worship, highlighting the tension between state and sacred spaces. Next, we discuss a pivotal ruling by the United Methodist Church's highest court affirming pastors' authority to decide on officiating same-sex weddings, marking a significant moment for church governance and LGBTQ+ inclusion. In other religious news, we examine the Southern Baptist Convention's contrasting trends of declining membership yet growing worship attendance and baptisms, offering insights into the evolving landscape of faith communities. Finally, we hear from actor Jeremy Renner, who shares his courageous journey of recovery following a traumatic snowplow accident earlier this year.00:11 Churches sue Trump admin. over ICE raids in houses of worship01:05 UMC top court says church trustees can't stop gay weddings02:05 SBC membership declines, but baptisms on the rise: report03:19 1 in 10 women suffer adverse health effects from abortion pill04:13 Police arrest Christians violently assaulted in Hindu mob attack05:20 Arkansas to provide $2M in funding to pro-life pregnancy centers06:16 Jeremy Renner describes moment he died after tragic accidentSubscribe to this PodcastApple PodcastsSpotifyGoogle PodcastsOvercastFollow Us on Social Media@ChristianPost on TwitterChristian Post on Facebook@ChristianPostIntl on InstagramSubscribe on YouTubeGet the Edifi AppDownload for iPhoneDownload for AndroidSubscribe to Our NewsletterSubscribe to the Freedom Post, delivered every Monday and ThursdayClick here to get the top headlines delivered to your inbox every morning!Links to the NewsChurches sue Trump admin. over ICE raids in houses of worship | U.S.UMC top court says church trustees can't stop gay weddings | Church & MinistriesSBC membership declines, but baptisms on the rise: report | Church & Ministries1 in 10 women suffer adverse health effects from abortion pill | PoliticsPolice arrest Christians violently assaulted in Hindu mob attack | WorldArkansas to provide $2M in funding to pro-life pregnancy centers | PoliticsJeremy Renner describes moment he died after tragic accident | Entertainment

Born out of a desire to uphold biblical authority and orthodox Christian faith, the Global Methodist Church is a new denomination with deep historical roots. In this conversation, Pastor Jeff Cranston sits down with Reverend Scott Patterson to explore the history and formation of the Global Methodist Church. Reverend Scott shares his personal journey through the United Methodist Church, the challenges that led to the Global Methodist formation, and the vision for this new movement in modern Methodism.

Today, the City of Montrose and the United Methodist Church clash over a homeless encampment on church property. Later, the Dolphin House Child Advocacy Center marks 20 years of supporting children and families.Support the show: https://www.montrosepress.com/site/forms/subscription_services/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Top headlines for Friday, April 25, 2025In this episode, we explore Harvard University's legal battle against the Trump administration over its decision to freeze grants to the Ivy League institution, examining the potential implications for higher education. Next, we turn our focus to Indiana, the latest state to pass legislation bolstering parental rights in light of growing concerns about transparency between schools and parents nationwide. Finally, we pay tribute to Richard Wilke, a revered bishop of The United Methodist Church and co-creator of the influential Disciple Bible Study series, following his passing at the age of 94. 00:11 Harvard sues the Trump administration over funding freeze01:03 Indiana enshrines parental rights bill into law01:53 Israel rejects 'twisted‘ condemnation from Germany, France, UK02:52 Vatican school accused of legitimizing efforts to erase Armenians03:45 Ga. AME churches to install solar microgrids to help communities04:48 Richard Wilke, bishop who created Disciple Bible Study, dies05:38 Aspiring preacher Canaan James Hill continues 'American Idol' runSubscribe to this PodcastApple PodcastsSpotifyGoogle PodcastsOvercastFollow Us on Social Media@ChristianPost on TwitterChristian Post on Facebook@ChristianPostIntl on InstagramSubscribe on YouTubeGet the Edifi AppDownload for iPhoneDownload for AndroidSubscribe to Our NewsletterSubscribe to the Freedom Post, delivered every Monday and ThursdayClick here to get the top headlines delivered to your inbox every morning!Links to the NewsHarvard sues the Trump administration over funding freeze | PoliticsIndiana enshrines parental rights bill into law | PoliticsIsrael rejects 'twisted‘ condemnation from Germany, France, UK | WorldVatican school accused of legitimizing efforts to erase Armenians | WorldGa. AME churches to install solar microgrids to help communities | Church & MinistriesRichard Wilke, bishop who created Disciple Bible Study, dies | Church & MinistriesAspiring preacher Canaan James Hill continues 'American Idol' run | Entertainment

TYLER MEMORIAL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH                Pastor: Jim WadeOrganist: Julie RiesPianist: Barb NowlinWorship Service: Sunday 11:00 AMChurch Office Hours: Mon, Wed 9:00 AM – 12:00 PMTyler Memorial United Methodist Church260 Mill StreetChillicothe, Ohio 45601(740) 773-1270tylermemorialchurch@gmail.comwww.tylermemorialumc.org CCLI# 592146CSPL089857

In the final episode of season 26, we are sharing a poignant discussion with Ruth and  TC team member, Tina Harris. Tina shares her experience of tarrying as a communal and immersive practice deeply rooted in music, openness, and collective healing. Ruth and Tina explore various themes, including the confrontation of disappointment, doubt, disillusionment, and deconstruction within the tarrying process, and the transformative power of redemptive suffering. They also touch on the importance of lament in spiritual practice and the significance of embracing vulnerability, especially during Holy Week. At the end of this episode we encourage you to reflect deeply and engage fully in the practice of tarrying, to sit with your suffering in the presence of Jesus. We are journeying through Lent with a podcast season entitled “Tarry with Me Awhile: Learnings from the Black Church.” We will use Dr. Selina Stone's book, Tarry Awhile: Wisdom from Black Spirituality for People of Faith, as a guide. Black spirituality has much to offer us in understanding the practice of tarrying as a Lenten practice. Together we will seek a deeper understanding of waiting on God in the liminal space—where the resurrection feels far off, and our deaths and suffering are present.    Tina Harris (TC15) is ordained in the United Methodist Church and holds a Master of Divinity from St. Paul School of Theology. She has served the church in a variety of roles, including Lead Pastor of Grand Avenue Temple UMC and Director of Mission, Service and Justice Ministries in the Missouri Conference of the United Methodist Church. Tina is passionate about community engagement and has served and/or actively supported several civic organizations and ministries. As an attorney and diversity leader, a common thread in her work is to gather individuals into communities, challenge comfort zones and invite those whom society has overlooked to take their place at the table.   Music this season is provided by Julian Davis Reed. Julian Davis Reid (TC20) is an artist-theologian from Chicago who uses sound and word to offer hope to the searching, presence to the sorrowful, and rest to the weary. A pianist, composer, and producer, his projects featured on this podcast are the two solo piano records Rest Assured (2021) and Beside Still Waters (2024) and his single Moan (Matthew 2:18) featuring Tramaine Parker, released on Inauguration Day 2025 on the project When Souls Cry Out. Julian steadily releases music under his own name and with his group, The JuJu Exchange. You can learn more about his work at juliandavisreid.com. Mentioned in this episode: Tarry Awhile: Wisdom from Black Spirituality for People of Faith by Dr. Selina Stone Strength to Love by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Music Credit: Kingdom Come by Aaron Niequist The Way of the Cross from Lent- Music in Solitude Moan (Matthew 2:18) by Julian Davis Reed Are you interested in learning more about Haven, our newest community offering from the Transforming Center? Haven is a community that meets alternately online and in person to create space for leaders to forge a stronger connection between their souls and their leadership. Each gathering (online and in-person) offers spiritual practices that increasingly open us to God over time. This new 18-month community experience will provide more intentional opportunities to engage with a diverse community of believers who are united around Christ. Learn more about dates and how to apply! Support the podcast! This season patrons will receive special bonus episodes with each guest, exploring different practices associated with Lent, such as solitude, self-examination, confession, and more. Become a patron today by visiting our Patreon page!     The Transforming Center exists to create space for God to strengthen leaders and transform communities. You are invited to join our next Transforming Community:® A Two-year Spiritual Formation Experience for Leaders.  Delivered in nine quarterly retreats, this practice-based learning opportunity is grounded in the conviction that the best thing you bring to leadership is your own transforming self! Learn more and apply HERE.   *this post contains affiliate links

In this episode of the Means of Grace podcast, Jesse Enniss and John Yeager engage with Reverend Beth Crissman to reflect on the recent Peace Conference held at Lake Junaluska. They explore the themes of peace, action, reconciliation, and love, emphasizing the importance of confronting discomfort and fostering leadership for future generations. The conversation delves into the historical context of the Peace Conference, its evolution, and the critical role of mentorship in peace building efforts. The episode highlights the necessity of justice in achieving true peace and the challenges that come with it. The conversation explores the themes of inclusivity, confronting Christian nationalism, reflections on the Peace Conference, grassroots community organizing, future visions for peace gatherings, and learning from failures. Rev. Beth Crissman emphasizes the importance of inviting all faiths to the Peace Conference while acknowledging the need for the Christian community to confront its complicity in societal issues. The discussion highlights the success of the recent conference, the significance of grassroots organizing, and the vision for future peace initiatives within the United Methodist Church. Crissman also shares insights on leadership and the importance of learning from past mistakes.   Chapters 00:00 Introduction to the Peace Conference and Its Themes 05:00 The Historical Context and Evolution of the Peace Conference 09:49 Reimagining the Peace Conference for Future Generations 14:59 The Role of Leadership and Mentorship in Peacebuilding 19:58 The Importance of Discomfort in the Journey to Peace 25:51 Inclusivity in the Peace Conference 29:10 Confronting Christian Nationalism 30:11 Reflections on the Peace Conference 36:04 Grassroots Community Organizing 37:26 Vision for Future Peace Conferences 43:40 Learning from Failures  

Patrick received a great question from Joanne in sunny Hawthorne, California. She's headed to a United Methodist funeral and is wondering: "Can I, as a Catholic, go up and receive their communion? It’s just bread, right?" Protestant Communion = Not the Real Presence As Catholics, we believe Jesus is truly present: Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity in the Eucharist at Mass. Protestant communion (like in the United Methodist Church) doesn’t believe that. For them, it’s symbolic: just bread and maybe juice. So, going up to receive their "communion" is kind of like saying, “Yeah, this is the same thing as the Eucharist,” which… it’s not. Why It Matters: Patrick makes this super clear: Receiving Protestant communion as a Catholic is like taking a spiritual step backwards. Imagine being invited to a royal feast… and instead choosing a snack pack. It confuses people, and maybe even yourself, about what you believe. So What Can You Do? You can attend the funeral service. Go, support your friends, be present. But when communion time rolls around, just stay in your pew or politely decline. Patrick even likens it to a Christian returning to Old Testament rituals that have already been fulfilled in Christ. It's a step in the wrong direction spiritually. Let's thank God for the Real Presence at Mass.

The Mission of St. Stephen's United Methodist Church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. To learn more about St. Stephen's or to view our full online services please visit wwww.ststephensfairfax.org

The Mission of St. Stephen's United Methodist Church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. To learn more about St. Stephen's or to view our full online services please visit wwww.ststephensfairfax.org

In this episode, youth leader Ashley DeLange and Youth Ministry Assistant Hanna Cain discuss where they are finding Hope

The Mission of St. Stephen's United Methodist Church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. To learn more about St. Stephen's or to view our full online services please visit wwww.ststephensfairfax.org

In this episode, we examine the legal standoff between the City of Montrose and the United Methodist Church over a homeless encampment on church property, exploring how both sides frame the issues of safety and religious mission. We then turn to Montrose County’s vaccination challenges—highlighting concerning flu and MMR vaccine rates—and discuss the measures officials are taking to increase community immunization.Support the show: https://www.montrosepress.com/site/forms/subscription_services/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Mission of St. Stephen's United Methodist Church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. To learn more about St. Stephen's or to view our full online services please visit wwww.ststephensfairfax.org

308: 3 Keys to Building a Dynamic Nonprofit Team (Chris Jenkins)SUMMARYThis episode is brought to you by our friends at Armstrong McGuire & Associates. Check them out for your next career opportunity OR for help finding an interim executive or your next leader.What makes or breaks a nonprofit team? In episode #308 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, Chris Jenkins shares how he has built a thriving organization by prioritizing trust, mission alignment, and strategic leadership. Discover why micromanagement is one of the biggest threats to team dynamics and how empowering staff with autonomy leads to stronger results. Learn how to foster a culture of accountability, encourage team-driven decision-making, and create an evaluation process that ensures long-term success. This conversation dives into the importance of hiring people who challenge your perspective, how to balance visionary leadership with structured planning, and why succession planning starts long before a leadership transition.ABOUT CHRISChris Jenkins is the Founder of Hope Restorations Inc. which he started in February of 2015. Hope Restorations is a non-profit social enterprise striving to help adults recover from addiction and/or incarceration by providing honest, paid, dignified employment. The program uses the daily work environment to build relationships and trust as the foundation to help each individual identify and overcome their own unique barriers to success. The work involves acquiring and renovating deteriorating, eyesore properties in the community to provide affordable housing for low-income families. Chris served in the US Navy and then managed privately owned manufacturing operations before opening his own auto repair shop. In 2004, he began answering a calling into formal ministry. He holds a Bachelor's in Occupational Education from Eastern New Mexico University and has completed the Course of Study for Ordained Ministry in the United Methodist Church at Duke Divinity School. He's an ASE Certified Master Auto Technician, an NC General Contractor, and a USCG Licensed Captain.EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCESReady for your next leadership opportunity? Visit our partners at Armstrong McGuireWatch Chris's story here!Start with Why by Simon SinekHave you gotten Patton's book

Our guest host, Mary Ana Smith, sits down with Rev. Carrie Wright to discuss her journey as an adoptive mom. Adoption seems to many as more of a challenge than a blessing, but Carrie feels the opposite having not only adopted two children, but also having fostered many. If you have considered fostering or adopting then this episode is a must listen! Guest Info What gives Carrie life is spending her days with people of all ages learning to give praise to God.  We are all on this journey in different stages but each of us are called to praise in one way or another.  The arts are the ways that she hears God the best and she loves it when others are bringing their “song” as well. Carrie fell in love with making music at 8 years old and that love continues to weave through her especially in the midst of worship.   She is an ordained Deacon in The United Methodist Church and the Associate of Music and Worship Arts at Williamson's Chapel UMC.  Carrie is married to Clay, a tech guru working for Coca Cola Consolidated and stays busy chasing after their 4 kids ages 9 to 18.

This episode is presented by Create A Video – The Western NC Conference of the United Methodist Church joined a lawsuit against the Trump administration over a change in immigration enforcement policy that allows ICE to enter churches to apprehend illegal aliens. They say it will reduce the tithing from the congregation. Subscribe to the podcast at: https://ThePetePod.com/ All the links to Pete's Prep are free: https://patreon.com/petekalinershow Media Bias Check: If you choose to subscribe, get 15% off here! Advertising and Booking inquiries: Pete@ThePeteKalinerShow.com Get exclusive content here!: https://thepetekalinershow.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.