Pro Dignity, No Doubt: Recent Episodes
Nicole Smith
Exploring the question: What is the value of human life? Telling stories. Asking Questions. Sparking Discussions.
Welcome to Episode 23 of "Pro Dignity, No Doubt," where we share inspiring stories of individuals who have overcome incredible challenges. In this episode, we sit down with Win Charles, a remarkable woman who has defied the odds.
Born with Cerebral Palsy, Win Charles is an author, athlete, CEO, and motivational speaker. Her memoir, "I, Win," chronicles her life and journey with CP and offers a powerful testament to resilience and determination.
As a competitor in the Kona IronMan Triathlon, Win has shown that physical limitations are no match for her spirit. She is also the CEO of her own jewelry design company and travels the country, spreading awareness about cerebral palsy and inspiring others to live life to the fullest.
Join us as we delve into Win's story, exploring her journey, her triumphs, and her advocacy for veterans worldwide. Tune in to learn from this incredible woman and be inspired to embrace life's challenges with courage and grace.
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In this inspiring episode of "Pro Dignity, No Doubt," we sit down with Clay Boatright, a beacon of resilience and positivity in life's toughest challenges. Clay shares his remarkable journey, navigating the complexities of raising identical twins with severe autism and intellectual disabilities and the faith-driven experience that led to two full-time careers for nearly two decades.
As a nationally recognized volunteer advocate for individuals with severe disabilities, Clay sheds light on the unique struggles faced by families like his. Six months after becoming empty nesters, another life-altering blow struck—his wife's diagnosis and death from ovarian cancer. Despite the heartbreak, Clay's response was to launch "Clay 2.0," embracing a new chapter with enthusiasm and purpose.
Join us as Clay discusses how choosing happiness, even amid profound loss, invigorates life, opens unforeseen opportunities, and positively impacts the perspectives of those around us. Clay Boatright's story is a testament to the transformative power of resilience and the unwavering choice to find joy in every circumstance.
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In today's episode of "Pro Dignity, No Doubt," Nicole Smith is joined by Amanda Blackwood, a survivor of human trafficking who takes us on an empowering journey through the darkest corners of her past to the inspiring heights of her present. Far from the typical heavy narratives, Amanda injects humor into her story, ensuring that listeners emerge uplifted rather than weighed down.
Navigating life after trauma, Amanda delves into personal transformation, sharing candidly about overcoming challenges, rebuilding relationships, and the often-taboo topic of forgiveness. Amanda joins PDND to open up about her journey as a means to amplify fellow trauma survivors' voices and offer actionable insights for a brighter future.
Tune in for stories of resilience, laughter amidst adversity, and the unwavering belief that healing is possible and worth every step of the way. Subscribe now and listen in on a transformative voyage from trauma to triumph.
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In Episode 20, we have the privilege of speaking with Arlene Lehmann, a survivor who has faced both abuse and the emotional turmoil of two abortions. Arlene's story is one of deep pain and trauma, but it's also a story of healing and redemption through the grace of God. After facilitating support groups for battered women and those recovering from abortion, Arlene discovered a profound connection between these two experiences. Her book shares her own journey and the stories of others who have found healing from their past pain. Join us as we explore Arlene's remarkable path to healing and her message of hope for those who have endured similar struggles.
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Join us in Episode 19 as we sit down with Deana Gaccione, a remarkable mother who spent 16 years tirelessly searching for solutions to help her daughter. Deana shares her journey of trying every possible therapy, diet, and treatment to improve her daughter's life. Her story is of perseverance and resilience in the face of seemingly insurmountable challenges. Discover the hope and transformation that Deana and her family have experienced this year, and learn about the incredible progress her daughter has made. Deana's message is one of inspiration, reminding us all that there is hope, even in the most challenging circumstances.
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In this powerful episode, we bring you the audio recording of our recent event, "Defending God's Image: Combating Human Trafficking." We had the privilege of hosting a panel of incredible individuals who are at the forefront of the fight against human trafficking. These experts and advocates shared their personal stories, insights, and experiences, shedding light on the urgent need to combat this grave injustice. Listen in as they discuss the challenges and triumphs in this ongoing battle and offer invaluable perspectives on how the Church and the community can play a pivotal role in ending human trafficking.
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Join us in this profoundly inspiring episode of "Pro Dignity, No Doubt," where we meet Darci Steiner, a remarkable individual who has triumphed over adversity. Three years ago, Darci faced a life-altering accident that left her with a severe nerve pain disorder called Complex Regional Pain Syndrome. But this wasn't her first encounter with life's challenges. Two decades earlier, she was bedridden for two years after a devastating fall. In both instances, she emerged as a survivor and a beacon of hope for others.
Darci shares her incredible resilience, transformation, and faith journey in this heartfelt conversation. She delves into her experience of enduring excruciating pain and battling malnourishment and how she took control of her life when traditional medical treatments fell short. Through her determination, she regained her health and earned a Master's degree in Holistic Nutrition, opening her private practice to help others on their path to wellness.
Join us as Darci shares how her experiences, much like Biblical Paul's thorn in the flesh, have a deeper purpose. Through her remarkable story, we find beauty and sacredness in life's most challenging moments, where faith and resilience light the way. Whether you're a believer or not, this episode will inspire you to embrace your journey toward healing and hope. Discover the profound beauty that exists beyond the thorns.
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In the 16th episode of "Pro Dignity, No Doubt," we delve into a gripping journey of resilience, survival, and, ultimately, redemption. Our guest, Jesse Gibbs, shares her courageous story of breaking free from a life marred by toxic environments, abuse, and cults.
Born into a tumultuous family, Jesse's early life was marked by chaos. Sent to live with her grandmother, her world was shattered when her mother kidnapped her, plunging her into a life of extreme religious fundamentalism and cult-like control. The resulting physical, mental, and emotional abuse left deep scars on her spirit.
Driven by an unwavering determination to break free from the chains of abuse, Jesse mustered the courage to escape her family home. However, her quest for a better life led her to another abusive environment in the form of a commune. Despite the odds, she found the strength to flee again, determined to rewrite her narrative.
Tune in to this powerful episode as we explore Jesse's transformative journey from victim to survivor. Through her experience, we gain insights into the immense challenges of those trapped in abusive situations and witness the indomitable spirit that drives individuals to seek redemption, healing, and purposeful life.
Listen to "Pro Dignity, No Doubt - Episode 16: Finding Redemption: Escaping the Chains of Abuse and Cults" on your favorite podcast platform and discover how the journey towards reclaiming dignity can inspire change and healing for us all.
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Adopted at two years old, Dallas would find out at five that his parents were not his biological family. At nineteen, his story would become more complex as anger and resentment started to build over confusion surrounding his identity. Addiction would creep in and occupy the entirety of his self-worth until one-day things started to change.
Today on "Pro Dignity, No Doubt," we explore Dallas Goodlet's story of the struggle to find his identity and worth, and how changing simple habits in his routine would help him eliminate addiction to drugs and alcohol.
Get to know Dallas and his work:
Website: https://www.thewalkking.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_walk_king/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y%3D
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Endless, mind-numbing sickness. For years, Bobbi Kahler would find herself bedridden without answers as to why. Even worse was that there seemed to be no way out.
On today's episode of "Pro Dignity, No Doubt," we explore the challenges of chronic illness and the strength it takes to endure every day with the hope of renewed health that may never come.
Get to know Bobbi and her work:
Her website: https://www.bobbikahler.com/
Bobbi's Social Media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bobbi.kahler.9
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbikahler/
YouTube: https://twitter.com/unyieldedbobbi
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Sara Im's future was bright. She had just moved to the capital city of Cambodia to study engineering, and she was settling into life well until one day, the communists invaded. Displaced with no way to get home to her family, she found herself in a work camp for four long years. On the brink of death many times over, eventually Sara would find the courage to escape into the jungle.
On today's episode of "Pro Dignity, No Doubt," Sara tells her story of how she escaped slavery into a UN refugee camp and eventually found herself all the way in the United States fighting for her family's freedom.
Get to know Sara and her work:
Her website: https://www.saraim.com/
Her book "How I Survived the Killing Fields": https://www.saraim.com/book
Sara's Social Media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sara.imm.3
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saraimspeaker/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCNdvUBmU1kYgGq-DO01wIQ
Adam Gunton became an addict at the tender age of twelve. From there, he'd be propelled down a path of increasingly more intense drug experiences that would lead him to homelessness.
No matter how hard he tried, he could not stop using. That is, until the day that God Himself intervened.
After a survived overdose experience, Adam would lay his frustrations with the countless failed sobriety attempts at God's feet. What he would experience is nothing short of a miracle.
On today's episode of "Pro Dignity, No Doubt," we explore Adam's story of lifelong addiction turned to complete freedom in Christ alone. Now, Adam works with other recovering addicts, showing them the hope they can experience beyond substance abuse.
Get to know more about Adam and his work:
His Website: https://recoveredonpurpose.com/
His Socials:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RecoveredOnPurpose
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/RecoveredOnPurpose/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/recoveredonpurpose
magine finding out that your twin daughters had been abducted in the dead of night by a family member and sexually and ritualistically abused for years. That's a reality Lauren Nelson's parents faced when their teens started to recall the sadistic abuse they endured as young children.
Today on "Pro Dignity, No Doubt," Lauren tells the story of her abuse and the journey of recovering her memories to healing from the trauma sustained during her most tender years on earth.
Get to know more about Lauren and her work at:
Her Website: https://www.laurenlnelson.com/
Her Book: https://www.laurenlnelson.com/sheroesofthebible
Her Socials:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sheroesofthebible
A lifetime of sexual abuse would put Christine Malek in a seemingly unending cycle of addiction and violence.
Raped by a family member in her teens, gang-raped and abducted in her 20s, a survivor of multiple suicide attempts, married to a narcissist who attempted to murder her with a 44-caliber shot to the head, and much more. It's a miracle that Christine is here with us today.
She is a survivor. She is a survivor with a purpose.
Today on "Pro Dignity, No Doubt," we listen to Christine's gripping story of a struggle that would eventually lead her down a path to helping other victims of domestic violence.
Get to know more about Christine and her work at:
Her Website: https://sassicoach.com/
Her Socials:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SASSICoachChristine
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christine-malek-32347811/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christine_consulting/
When Laura and her husband adopted a sibling group, things changed in ways she could never have expected.
With four children already at home, Laura sought out a past foster son to adopt. But when she found out he had two other siblings, they knew they had to keep them together. As time passed, she'd note that her adoptive children were not hitting milestones, and it was then that their already bustling family of twelve would encounter unique challenges they weren't prepared for.
In today's episode of "Pro, Dignity, No Doubt," we sit down with Laura Hernandez and discuss the challenges of transitioning from a full-time mom to a full-time advocate.
Get to know Laura and her work:
Her Website: https://www.mamasystems.net/
Her guide helping overwhelmed mothers: https://www.mamasystems.net/creating-chores
Her Socials:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mamasystems.net/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mamasystems/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMF3OJ8iBA8vjvEabrJcccg
Carrie's tender years were littered with lessons about the dangers of alcoholism, and as she entered adulthood, she'd find herself wanting alcohol and alcoholism out of her life entirely.
Yet, it was at that precise moment Carrie Schell would find herself as a residential addictions center's Director of Health and Wellness. During that season, her past trauma would transform like the phoenix from his ashes, creating a unique opportunity to serve many in their darkest moments.
For those struggling with alcoholism, it's often a journey of rediscovering your self-worth. In today's episode of "Pro Dignity, No Doubt," we not only explore alcoholism but take a deep dive into "grey drinking" and its impacts on dignity - both individually and collectively.
James Perdue had a bright future ahead of him. He was a college baseball player with the major leagues on his list of ambitions. When tragedy struck, the once invincible James would find himself a quadriplegic at the tender age of 19, looking forward to a life he had never planned for.
Now, four decades later, he has his doctorate, is a published author, and has dedicated his life to encouraging others who've gone through the unthinkable to find their purpose.
On the eighth episode of "Pro Dignity, No Doubt," we walk through Dr. James Perdue's story of finding his purpose beyond a life-altering tragedy.
Tamara Young was raised in a fundamental religious yet emotionally and physically abusive home. Her upbringing made her believe she wasn't good enough for God, so she ran as far away from Him as possible.
After a long and weary battle with alcohol addiction and depression, she was at rock bottom. Up until that point, her life, by all outward accounts, was nothing but a success. But, behind closed doors, she was on a crash course with an early end by her own hand.
In this week's episode of "Pro Dignity, No Doubt," Tamara Young tells her life story and how an intense intervention by her fiance would put her on a path of redemption. Her upbringing measured her value by the appearance of outward good, but now she sees that she is good enough in Christ alone. Not because she deserves it. But because of His love for her. She is valuable.
Brand and Rebecca Turner found a mission through the struggle of caring for their daughter Kinsley, who was born with Cerebral Palsy. For Brad, he lives out this purpose as the head of Tennessee's Commissioner of The Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. For Rebecca, it is by pouring into her daughter's life and the lives of other parents who've unexpectedly found themselves on a similar path. And not forgetting Kinsley, who is light in the darkness wherever she goes.
Today on the sixth episode of "Pro Dignity, No Doubt," I welcome Brad and Rebecca turner to discuss their journey with their daughter, her medical diagnosis of Cerebral Palsy, and the life of immense joy she's brought them (even through the struggles).
Victoria Robinson has been a highly regarded voice in pro-life causes for over two decades. Her speaking engagements span across the world.
But she wasn't always a powerhouse in the pro-life movement.
Decades ago, she'd find herself in an abortion clinic, ending her third child's life. In the present day, Victoria is the president of ReAssemble, a non-profit that ministers to post-abortive men and women seeking healing from the devastation of abortion.
Today on "Pro Dignity, No Doubt," Victoria sits with hostess Nicole Smith to chat extensively about her experience that day, the effects abortion has on those who've experienced it, and the rhetoric of the pro-abortion ranks that leads individuals to choose to end their child's life.
"Pro-Dignity, No Doubt" hostess, Nicole Smith, welcomes certified mental health counselor Amy Pfeffer, who grew up in the sex industry. A childhood of instability would lead Amy down an uncertain path, but she ultimately finds purpose in serving sex trafficking survivors.
In the fourth episode, Nicole and Amy discuss the intricacies of the sex industry, the challenges that men and women face coming out of being trafficked, and actionable items to impact a bustling industry that exploits the human person for cash.
In Episode 3 of "Pro-Dignity, No Doubt," Dr. Omar Hamada, a board-certified OBGYN, sits down with hostess Nicole Smith to explore life in the womb.
In this episode, we take a deep dive into a Post Roe World, asking and answering common misconceptions surrounding the abortion process and the media's portrayal of the impact the overturning has on American women.
In episode 2 of "Pro-Dignity, No Doubt," hostess Nicole Smith welcomes Sherri Clark, a lifelong educator who is the product of rape. Sherri dives into her background, where she shares how she learned of the trauma her birth mother sustained to bring her into the world and the turn of events that would lead her brother to be wheelchair-bound for life.
During this episode, Nicole and Sherri explore the struggles adoptees frequently experience due to their adoption, ponder the impact conception in rape has on a person's value, and much more as we dive into Sherri's background of hope and purpose.
In the inaugural episode of "Pro-Dignity, No Doubt," hostess Nicole Smith tells the story of her daughter Cosette who was resuscitated at birth, ultimately leading to the diagnosis of Cerebral Palsy. Nicole welcomes Kara Fowler - a 20+ year career neonatal nurse. Kara not only helps Nicole tell the story of how her daughter came into the world in distress as one of Cosette's intensive care nurses, but she also gives a look into the lives of those children she serves daily.
During this episode, we explore questions surrounding the value of children born with health concerns. Should we allow babies to be born who may face physical or mental challenges, and what are the outcomes for the individual and/or society if we do let them live?