Never Ever Give Up Hope

For much of Janet Sherlund's young life, she felt helpless.  She thought it possible to discover who she really was or find a way to fill the big, black hole at her core. She believed finding her birth mother would heal the deep loss and grief, but with absolutely no information, and before the era of DNA testing, she was helpless to do so and thought her only choice was to live with the pain.  The title of Janet's book, Abandoned at Birth, Searching for the Arms That Once Held Me, sent shivers up my spine as I knew many who had lived in that pain.     If you are adopted or know someone who is, this interview could change the way you look at adoption. We adopted our son when he was three days old and nothing has impacted me more than this interview.  No matter how much you love your adopted child or have been loved as an adoptee, this interview will reveal your emotions at the core and answer those deep questions you may have. It is an unflinching examination of the grief and trauma caused by this primal se

On Aug. 23, 1987, 26-year-old Selonia Reed was found dead in the parking lot of a gas station in Hammond, Louisiana. Nearly forty years after her death, on Jan. 30, 2023, her husband Reginald Reed was sentenced to life in prison for her murder.   But that’s far from the entire story.       In this interview, Reggie Reed shares his tragic and unbelievable story that promises to keep you on the edge of your seat. The events surrounding the unsolved murder of his mother and the subsequent indictment and trial of his father are heart-wrenching. Several times, he faced difficult situations and felt like there was no solution or way out. Personal struggles, failures, and challenging circumstances caused him to feel overwhelmed and powerless.   Reginald L. Reed Jr. is an author and an accomplished professional in the pharmaceutical industry. He holds a master’s degree in business and global marketing. Reggie will show you that feeling helpless or hopeless is a normal part of the human experience, and it’s

At twenty-two, Jennifer Cramer-Miller was thrilled with her new job, charming boyfriend, and Seattle apartment. After she received a devastating autoimmune diagnosis, she soaked a hospital pillow with tears and grappled with words like “progressive” and “incurable.” Unwillingly, she crossed over from thriving to kidney failure. Her chances of survival hinged upon the expertise of doctors, the generosity of strangers, and the benevolence of loved ones. But what kind of life would that be? Jennifer Cramer-Miller is an author and speaker who focuses on stories of hope. Her new memoir, Incurable Optimist: Living with Illness and Chronic Hope, received an International Impact Book Award, a Book of Excellence Award, and a starred review from Publishers Weekly. She serves as the Board Chair for the Minnesota National Kidney Foundation (NKF), an NKF PEER Mentor, and a Donate Life ambassador. As a patient advocate, she helps others manage uncertainty, move forward with hope, and find some joy.  Everybody has som

Allan had hit rock bottom after eight years of trying and failing. He had never felt more miserable. But a phone conversation with my daughter got me thinking differently. Coach Allan is a National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) Certified Personal Trainer, a Precision Nutrition Level II Master Health Coach, and a Functional Aging Institute (FAI) Certified Functional Aging Specialist. He has earned specialties in Fitness Nutrition, Corrective Exercise, Behavior Change, Performance Enhancement, and On-line Personal Training. When Allan was looking for resources to fix his health and fitness, he was frustrated that there were no podcasts or books for people over forty except for chair yoga and stretching. He started working on earning various certifications to fix himself and publish his findings.  In his interview, Coach Allan shows us how to make getting fit easier. He is the host of the 40+ Fitness Podcast, the largest and longest-running health and fitness podcast for people over forty.  It is practical,

Several times throughout Carrie Pierce’s life especially the last three years – there were moments of despair. Without any warning, as she and her mother were moving to Idaho to start a new life, her mom went into kidney failure overnight. She was diagnosed with a highly advanced multiple myeloma.  You may be able to relate to the trauma and the strength it takes to push through, stay focused, and win like Carrie had to due to her being alone in a new community and devastated after losing her parents. Carrie E. Pierce has written professionally for more than twenty years, most of them spent writing acclaimed health and wellness articles and books for midlife readers. She attained her dream of working in the film, radio, and television industry. She has been published many times and co-hosted two acclaimed, internationally syndicated radio shows. She is the co-director of Morgan Pierce Media & Publishing. During her writing career, Carrie discovered the need for quality children's literature that could b

At two years old, Alan Lazarus lost his father in a car accident. Twenty-four years later Alan was in a near-fatal car accident and questioned his life choices as he reached an all-time low. Through his search, he found the answers he needed and how this turned into helping multitudes of people find meaning and purpose. Alan saw a scary pattern in the world. He worked in Industrial Automation as an Outside Sales Engineer and it scared him.  He recognized that due to automation, the jobs available to the less educated population were getting exponentially less available as technology continued to innovate, improve, and proliferate exponentially. Alan used to sell equipment that took away jobs, which was going to happen with or without him. But he realized that if we are not a part of the solution, we’re a part of the problem.   Alan's mission is to help others design fulfilling lives, maximize their unique potential, and build aligned businesses they love on their own terms.  Now he helps to empower p

The year 2018 marked a pivotal year in Steven Foster's life amid despair and loss. He watched as his marriage dissolved, his thriving church slipped through his fingers, and a promising book deal crumbled before his eyes.   Steven was at rock bottom teetering on the edge of giving up entirely. Yet, in that dark hour a word pierced through the chaos, "You're right on schedule!"     He had walked through three years of numbness and felt both helpless and hopeless. He could not understand why this was happening. Then he realized it was not happening to him but FOR him. As a result, he has emerged stronger and wiser with a passion to help you experience the same.   Steven is a devoted father, coach, author, and pastor from Maryland. Despite encountering a plethora of obstacles, he managed to graduate with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music and Education from Morgan State University. He founded two companies B3 Community and Your Next Step. In his interview, he shares how to overcome fear, failure, and sel

After more than a decade on a merry-go-round, nine long-term treatment visits wondering if he would ever get it right, Bill Nielsen realized that we can misuse anything externally to fill a void internally. Drugs and alcohol are merely symptoms.   "No more Band-aids on bullet wounds." This was a statement made by today’s guest, Bill Nielsen. He will share his years of experience as a high-functioning and high-performing sales representative while using substances to cope with stress.   His journey has taken him from the top of the mountain to the bottom of the valley.  Bill Nielsen, the founder of nascent24, is a Recovery and Life Coach who supports executives and professionals who struggle with substance misuse to find freedom from dependency without having to leave their jobs, homes, or families. He combines his lived experiences with his knowledge, training, and certification as a CRSW (Certified Recovery Support Worker) to walk his clients through his proven three-step process. It is designed to get

Julie McLaughlin was 18 and pregnant - labeled as a 'good Catholic girl' from a good family. She sang in a group at church and was president of the Catholic Youth Organization. She was embarrassed, ashamed, and felt helpless. That was during an era when teenage pregnancy was not easily accepted. The lesson she learned from that experience has supported her throughout life.     Julie is a retired paralegal and first-time author who won numerous awards as a writer. During her interview, she shares how writing can be a healing tool for each of us. Her story may make you laugh and cry but also give you hope. Her book, The Gift of Time has allowed her the opportunity to meet adoptees, adoptive parents, as well as other birth mothers.  There is a twist to this story you never saw coming and will certainly give you the courage to never ever give up hope.   CLICK HERE TO BUY "Do we have any skeletons in our closet?" That was the question posed to the author's mother-in-law by a niece after receiving a private me

Cynthia Encinas-Concordia’s abusive husband of 23 years died of a massive cardiac arrest just four months after his second restraining order.  The worst part was any contact was blocked by his family and she was blamed for his death. Cynthia lived in that dark bubble for six years. She stopped engaging with people because of fear of rejection, failure as a mom and wife, depression, and lacking value. Her guilt impacted her health, well-being, and relationships.  Many will relate to her story, and Cynthia wants you to realize that you have value and can live the life of your dreams, regardless of your past. Cynthia Encinas-Concordia is a transformational life coach, published author, international speaker, podcaster, mother, and grandma.  As a Human Resource practitioner at the World Bank in Washington D.C., her job involved dealing with diverse groups of people. Her professional knowledge, experience, and skills coupled with her personal life journey led her to share and work with others to create the lives

During Ann Bancroft's first cancer treatment, which consisted of two surgeries, chemotherapy, and radiation, she reached the point of being too weak to lift a light wastebasket or to walk further than a few yards. She was bald, her skin looked gray, smelled like chemicals and her mouth tasted like metal. It felt as if her life was draining away, and she could not imagine a time when she’d look and feel healthy again. Ann Bancroft is a 71-year-old, two-time breast cancer survivor with a degree in journalism. Her debut novel, Almost Family, was recently published. Ann began writing fiction after a career in journalism and communications. Cancer prompted her to retire from a demanding full-time job to become a writer.  Ann has been a volunteer mentor to dozens of cancer patients. Many will relate to her story, and everyone will be encouraged. She shares how a second cancer diagnosis, thirteen years later, did not bring the fear that dominated her life the first time.      CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE    

Yvette Walker left a failed marriage to a man with bipolar disorder but emerged to find joy greater than she had hoped for. She is an author, speaker, journalist, and educator who knows how to experience joy in all circumstances.  Yvette's podcast, Positively Joy, has been an inspiration to many, especially those who relate to loss, a failed marriage, and disappointment.    Yvette's story is a testament to the power of faith and how it can restore and heal even the deepest of wounds. Yvette speaks of struggles and her journey to finding the faith she had been searching for all her life. Her story is a testament to the power of grace and love that can be found in the Lord, and how faith can bring an even greater sense of peace and joy when all else fails. Yvette's story is an inspiring reminder that even in our darkest moments, faith can lead us to a brighter and more fulfilling future.        CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE BOOKS This is a great book for anyone looking to draw closer to God, whether you are a

Narcissists are masters at creating a perception of perfection to the outside world so no one believes the victims. Dana Diaz was a victim who often felt hopeless during her childhood and as an adult.  It made Dana feel stuck. And she felt dead inside as well.   When she became physically ill as a result of the chronic stress of abuse, she felt a responsibility to create awareness about the effects of abuse on the mind and body.   Educated in journalism and psychology from DePaul University, Dana Diaz’s lifelong experience with abuse makes her an expert in the mental and physical struggles of victims and survivors alike. In her interview, she exposes the raw truth of emotional, psychological, and physical trauma and a bold testament of survival: INTERVIEW:     Click here to buy Some cycles are hard to break. Forced out of an unhappy home at a young age, Dana S. Diaz swears to make it on her own and never fall victim to the same abuse she witnessed growing up. But that’s before she falls for Darr

Are you feeling panicked about your child's future? How will your child survive school with low literacy? Do you question: How will they survive school? Or life? Lois Letchford has stood in your shoes. Her young son, Nicholas, failed first grade. The prognosis was dire. Replacing the despair, Lois took on his teaching to find her son was not 'slow' Nicholas went from 'failing' first grade to a P.H.D. from Oxford. Lois Letchford's dyslexia came to light at the age of 39 when she faced teaching her son, Nicholas. Examining her reading failure caused her to adapt and change lessons. The results were dramatic. Lois qualified as a reading specialist using her non-traditional background, multi-continental experience, and passion for assisting other failing students.        The label provided for her son was not accurate or applicable. Lois chose to change that. Her story will inspire you and encourage anyone concerned about their child's education. In 1995, the school diagnostician called a seven-year-old “the wo

Being the target of an organized crime hit, narrowly escaping an abusive cult, and battling breast cancer has caused Kendra Petty to wonder, “How much can one person take?” More, life replied. Much more. Here is a story of survival unlike any you have heard: Kendra Petty began life by enduring years of childhood abuse, culminating in a stunning breakout from a cult led by her parents that nearly consumed her. Escaping that, she married an abusive drug addict. The story does not end there. She successfully climbed the corporate ladder–only to discover she worked for an organized crime family, who tried to murder her. It would take every survival tactic she had learned (and more) to avoid ending up dead.   And that’s just the beginning. After being diagnosed with breast cancer, she finally realized that the changes she needed to make could only be achieved by exploding the life she had deliberately created. Listen to her story of how she survived and learned to thrive despite it. Kendra Petty is a woman who has

When Tyler Wittkofsky was 19, he left home and fell into a dark pit of depression. He had been diagnosed with mental illnesses and turned to drugs and alcohol. He attempted suicide and failed.      Step into the captivating world of Tyler Wittkofsky, an extraordinary talent hailing from North Carolina's enchanting southern coast. As a multi-genre maestro, Tyler weaves tales that sweep you into unforgettable adventures. Beyond his writing prowess, he's a fervent podcaster, mental health advocate, and blogger. With his wife Grace and furry companions Dutch and Belle, Tyler embarks on awe-inspiring journeys across the US, chronicled on the enthralling blog Adventure With Coffee. Tyler's literary repertoire includes the touching novella (Not) Alone inspired by true events on mental health struggles and the debut romance, The Seeds of Love: Sunflower Kisses - Book One navigating love's complexities through a mentally ill protagonist. His emotionally charged poetry collection Coffee, Alcohol, and Heartbreak, draw

With more than four years of hard-won sobriety, Ryan Penley has transformed his life’s adversities into valuable lessons for those still struggling with addiction. There were a couple of years when Ryan begged for it to be over. His mother sent him to jail and accused him of trying to murder her. Ryan was homeless. Now, looking back, he realizes he was creating a testimony. But at the time he just wanted out and his life to be over.   Then he woke up out of a coma and WOW – what a transformation. He is a beacon of hope for those still battling their demons and demonstrates that from the depths of despair – it is indeed possible to forge a life filled with purpose and joy. Ryan shares his story of how he came from the pit to a life that is unimaginably blessed –exceeding even his own expectations. Are you feeling isolated, grappling with shame, and struggling to maintain your dignity due to alcohol or drugs?   Click Here to Buy   "Man Up. Sober Up." is more than just a catchy title—it's a call to a

Rose Ann Forte was a successful C-Suite executive and leader in the church, a working mom of four, and a social drinker. Over the years, life’s stresses and a difficult marriage created an environment where her alcohol usage increased significantly. After the collapse of her marriage, her drinking further escalated and she felt like a fraud. She was diagnosed with major depressive disorder and asked God to take her off this earth.     AA was not an option in her mind. She had already submitted to God and didn’t want to call herself an alcoholic. When COVID-19 hit, she enrolled in a coaching program to put alcohol to the side for three months. Her experience was extremely transformational, and she recognized God’s instruction embedded in the entire process. She became free of the psychological slavery of this habit through this process. She identified what alcohol had stolen from her life and understood that God had a better plan for her.      Rose Ann felt called to document what she learned with a

What qualifies Paul Zolman to talk about love? His childhood experiences were the opposite of love.  The author of love is God. In His wisdom, He places us in various circumstances that require us to find our way back to His pure love. So, what qualifies Paul Zolman to speak about love?  From that austere beginning, and the distaste it formed inside him, he searched for and eventually created a method that transformed his life from anger to loving everyone.    Growing up in a family of abuse, physical touch became his preferred love style, only because of the regularity. He could almost count on it. It was consistent. He came to think that was the way to express love. But deep inside, he knew that was a twisted belief. He wanted a better life, so he created a paradigm shift that worked.      Role of Love: The Most Effective Way to Demonstrate Love Everyday CLICK HERE TO BUY  We all want to be loved, but have you ever considered how you love others can transform your life? The Role of Love is a reso

Phebe Trotman is a Vancouver-based entrepreneur and accomplished soccer player. She has achieved many accolades as an athlete, including being inducted into several sports halls of fame, winning championship titles, and being recognized as an exceptional athlete. Phebe has also excelled in her career as a network marketer, earning two awards and recognition within her company.       Phebe will help you understand the importance of a positive mindset no matter what you choose to do. She is passionate about personal growth and empowering others to reach their full potential. In her interview today, she shows us how to accomplish that.   Phebe's new book, Never Quit on a Bad Day, offers advice and stories of wisdom that will energize you to overcome your challenges, strengthen you with the tools needed to do it, and invoke your sense of gratitude for your personal journey. You will be stimulated, motivated, and challenged by Phebe's story: XXXXXXX CHECK OUT PHEBE'S BOOK Never Quit on a Bad Day™ The