Kelly Rose is the Executive Pastor at Central Bearden Baptist Church in Knoxville. She has had her share of tough situations in life, including growing up in a home with an abusive, alcoholic father and grappling with divorce after 30 years of marriage. But because Kelly has bravely chosen to grow from these experiences, she can help her congregation through loss and conflict. Kelly shares with us the impact that patterns of behavior learned from our past can have on our relationships. In her enjoyable, soothing Tennessee accent, she offers authentic and impactful insights we all need.

Baylee is a former student of mine who is serving as an English teacher and missionary in a small village in Thailand. She began this journey at the age of 18 and is now 21. Her joy, enthusiasm, and funny incidents will delight you, and her intriguing and more serious stories will inspire you. Tune in to learn more about Thai and Buddhist culture, to hear about Jesus' incredible impact on everyday lives, and to experience Baylee's incredible heart for others.

American Idol alum, Scott MacIntyre, was born blind and is a two-time kidney transplant recipient. His musical talent and positive personality won the hearts of the TV audience. Today, Scott and his wife, Christina, travel around the world telling their EXTRAordinary story of perseverance and God's care. They live their lives with "Enduring Hope," as their TV special and podcast of the same name emphasize. Scott's life is truly EXTRAordinary, not only because he was a participant on American Idol, but also because of the humble trust he chooses to put in Jesus every day.

Scott's website,https://scottmacintyre.com/, features his music, TV specials, podcast, and much more.

Find Scott and Christina's podcast, "Enduring Hope," by clickinghere.

Chris Earl, Former Navy Fighter pilot, squadron leader, instructor, and NORAD consultant is above all a humble man of integrity who is currently using his training and experience to teach and coach high-risk companies using the principles of human performance and the art of servant leadership. Chris shares EXTRAordinary stories of God's protection and provision and valuable insights on work, life, and following Jesus. You'll find this episode exciting, inspiring, and worthwhile.

You can find Chris, President of Cutlass Consulting and founder of The Earl Group on LinkedIn.

Ellen talks about Greg Koukl's organization called Stand to Reason, which can be found at str.org, and his book, The Story of Reality: How the World Began, How it Ends, and Everything Important in Between.

Ellen's website is https://www.extraordinary.live/ and you'll find her on Instagram @extraordinarylivespodcast

I admire the way Steve and Debbie work as a team. They've been married for over 38 years and were involved in ministry together before that. They've worked with college students with Cru, and more recently, served in church ministry. They've seen God heartily at work over the years, including through the extravagant love of friends who came alongside them when their infant son wasn't growing. You'll appreciate their stories of God's faithfulness and the impact of other believers in their lives. It's a reminder to all of us how important each one of us is in the body of Christ.

Show notes

Steve mentions the book, The Divine Conspiracy, by Dallas Willard, especially referring to the definition of “disciple" as being an apprentice.

For a sermon by Steve on the topic of Forgiveness, click here.

Pam Clark heads up the “Protecting Our Daughters” or “P.O.D.” project, which works with a church in Kenya to provide hygiene products and resources to girls in Kenya. This ministry is vital to the success and well-being of these young women, and the program also teaches women how to sew and earn a living. Pam has a heart of compassion and a background of unique cultural experiences that have prepared her for this outreach. She also has a can-do attitude, jumping in to help where she sees a need. You’ll be fascinated by her story which includes growing up around the world including West Berlin when the wall went up, and inspired by her resilience going through a divorce with two young children and witnessing God’s provision and care.

Show notes

For more information about P.O.D., go to https://protectingourdaughters.com/

With endorsements by Bill Walton and Billie Jean King, Jenné Blackburn’s book, Always An Athlete, is on its way to helping post-competitive athletes transition to life beyond their sport. Her research and insights on the all too common struggles of physical and mental health plus loss of identity, which she experienced in her own life after collegiate volleyball, led her to discover 3 pillars that are helpful for all of us. Her website, and book offer hope, encouragement, and resources. They also expand on Jenne’s determination to create cycle events at major sports franchising games to form a much-needed community for all athletes, an idea born from a bike ride taken while attending the prestigious ESPNW Summit, an invitation Jenné believes was an EXTRAordinary opportunity orchestrated by God, which came about from another EXTRAordinary experience she had at Baylor, working with coaches and the administration to link athletes to outreach opportunities (Sic ‘em Bears!). You'll love meeting Jenné and hearing her impacting stories.

Show Notes:

Bill Walton died May 27th of this year, and Jenné has a tribute to him on her website. You'll hear about her interaction with him in this podcast.

Ellen and Jenné discuss Ellen's blog post about a Chinese proverb.

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