Claim OwnershipBe the Difference
Subscribed: 5Played: 74
Subscribe
© Back2Back Ministries
Description
The Be the Difference Podcast by Back2Back Ministries shares stories of everyday people who are being the difference in the lives of others. Hear what they’ve learned, obstacles they’ve overcome and why it’s worth it.
89 Episodes
Reverse
As Chris & Sammy look forward to May, which is Foster Care Awareness month, they share the number of children and youth in foster care in the United States today. As they reflect on this statistic, they share their thoughts and views on foster care.
In this episode, find out what surprises Chris most about the statistic shared and how he and Sammy first were introduced to foster care. Hear how Chris and his team view every child and family they serve and the three buckets they use to determine how to best serve them, how when we learn stories of those separated from, when we see them as children of God, often deeply wounded, it changes how we approach foster care and every single person within it.
Links to learn more:
Learn more about Back2Back Ministries
---
Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bethedifference/message
Today, Chris and Sammy are joined by Caleigh Willis and Cristen Johnson. Both work for the Anthony Munoz Foundation; Caleigh is the Assistant Director and Cristen is the Director of Programming. The Munoz Foundation seeks to impact the lives of the Greater Cincinnati area youth mentally, physically, and spiritually through their seven Impact Programs. After over two decades of service, more than 55,000 youth have been influenced through the foundation.
In this episode, Caleigh and Cristen share what their high school selves would think of their current career path and how service was modeled for each of them at an early age. Hear about their drive to serve others, the character they each bring to the table and instill in emerging generations, and why donuts are something to celebrate.
Links to learn more:
Learn more about Back2Back Ministries
Follow Back2Back Ministries on Social Media:
Instagram | Facebook
For more information about the Foundation
---
Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bethedifference/message
76 | Warrior of Eden | A Conversation with Beth Guckenberger
March is International Women’s Month, and today Chris and Sammy are joined by Beth Guckenberger! Beth is a wife, mom, beloved abuela, author, and speaker. Beth joins us today to talk about her newest book, Warrior of Eden and how she hopes to facilitate conversations honoring women all around the world through it.
In this episode, Beth shares why the release date for her 14th book felt different and, in some ways, more difficult. She shares how the idea for this book was born and why she considers this conversation one of “and,” not “or.” Hear her concerns about being misunderstood with this book’s publication, why Genesis 2 is key to this conversation, and why this is a book and conversation for both men and women today.
Links to learn more:
Learn more about Back2Back Ministries
Get your copy of Warrior of Eden
Follow Beth on Social Media:
Instagram | Facebook
Follow Back2Back Ministries on Social Media:Instagram | Facebook
---
Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bethedifference/message
Kevin Corey is an Indiana native, a husband, father, grandfather, Veteran, and the Executive Director of Wesley Chapel Mission Center. Wesley Chapel is a guiding light and trusted haven that empowers children and families in Over-the-Rhine to practice Christ-like actions that transform the community. Kevin is a former DARE officer, youth coach, and mentor; he has documented his own upbringing and faith in his book Core Redemption: Using Your Trauma to Fuel Your Triumph.
In this episode, Kevin shares what made him say yes to moving to Cincinnati, how he wakes up in the morning, and what exactly he and his team do when they step into hard stories. Hear how a medical condition transformed his life, how he describes the atmosphere around the work he does, and why offering space to draw near to safety in the midst of danger is a key part of what he and his team do at Wesley Chapel Mission.
Links to learn more:
Wesley Chapel Mission Center
Kevin's Book Core Redemption
Learn more about Back2Back Ministries
Follow Back2Back Ministries on Social Media:Instagram | Facebook
---
Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bethedifference/message
To kick off February’s episodes, Chris and Sammy discuss two statistics concerning after-school programming and what access means for a child or teen and how do we measure the things that don’t happen as success?
In this episode, Sammy and Chris dive into why after school programming matters so much, and why these programs are a solution for everyone, not just youth who have difficult home lives. Hear how Chris encourages his staff team to measure the outcomes and the non outcomes, and what this means; listen in to better understand why seeing kids just getting to be kids is a huge win.
Links to learn more:
Learn more about Back2Back Ministries
Follow Back2Back Ministries on Social Media:
Instagram | Facebook
Study Sammy References
---
Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bethedifference/message
Patience Dimka is a wife, mother, psychologist, and the Assistant Site Director of Back2Back Nigeria. Her time with Back2Back began as a staff psychologist using innovative and unique approaches to provide presence and trauma-informed care to vulnerable children when and where she could. She now helps lead an entire staff team in providing holistic care to those in her own country.
In this episode, Patience shares about what her 10-year old self would think about her current job and lifestyle, and what led her to the work she does everyday with Back2Back. Hear about the unique ways and locations Patience used to connect with children who didn’t know how to use their own voice, why she believes trauma competent care is a lifestyle, and what she comes back to on the hardest days to keep moving forward.
Links to learn more:
Learn more about Back2Back Ministries
Follow Back2Back Ministries on Social Media:
Instagram | Facebook
---
Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bethedifference/message
Happy New Year! This week, Sammy and Chris are discussing what it really means to be an expert. How much training is necessary, why training matters, and how they have each seen it make a difference in the experience of being the difference in the lives of others.
In this episode, Chris shares a recent statistic he heard on how much training is required for several different career paths. Hear how training has impacted each of their own journeys, the balance to be found between having adequate training and never truly feeling like an expert and why there has been a global shift toward increased training and equipping.
Links to learn more:
Learn more about Back2Back Ministries
Follow Back2Back Ministries on Social Media:
Instagram | Facebook
---
Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bethedifference/message
As we close out 2023 we are grateful for another full year of stories of everyday people being the difference for one! Together, we’ve listened to stories of grit, determination, following promptings without knowing how things will end, and how people, everyday, choose to show up for others and leave an impact that won’t be forgotten. Thank you for joining us, sharing with us, and gathering around others to ensure they feel known and loved.
In this episode, Sammy and Chris share a Back2Back tradition called “picture of the day” and share each of their own “pictures of the year” from the podcast. You’ll hear about moments they’ve loved, felt challenged, and grown as a result of people sharing their stories. Hear about their highlights in the third annual Year in Review.
—
Learn more about Back2Back Ministries
Follow Back2Back Ministries on Social Media:
Instagram | Facebook
---
Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bethedifference/message
As 2023 is drawing to a close, Chris and Sammy come together today to share reflections on the last year and the many guests who are being the difference right where they are, and discuss how you, the listener, can be a difference, too!
In this episode, Chris and Sammy share their top ten ways you can make a difference right where you are. Bring holiday cheer to those around you by surprising a neighbor with a gift or act of service, plan a mission trip for 2024 with your friends or family, volunteer locally, take intentional time to bless populations often isolated in this season, sponsor a child, trade ornaments with someone you love, or gift an experience to someone in your life. Being the difference doesn’t have to be expensive and, in some cases, it doesn’t cost anything but time; you can ask intentional questions, hold stories well, or share an episode of your favorite podcast to someone you love. We can make the spaces around us kinder, more beautiful, and significantly more intentional when we take these easy steps toward another human.
Links to learn more:
To donate tickets to events for a gifted experience:
https://www.mostvaluablekids.org/
Learn more about Back2Back Ministries
Follow Back2Back Ministries on Social Media:
Instagram | Facebook
---
Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bethedifference/message
Azubike Kalu is a husband, father, former tutor, and current Director of Back2Back Nigeria. His journey with the ministry began with tutoring, and over time, he became captain of a children’s home, then an assistant director, and now he leads an entire staff team in providing holistic care to vulnerable populations in his own home-country.
In this episode, Azubike shares who mentored him well in his younger years, the lessons he’s collected from his many roles within Back2Back, and what keeps him up at night. Hear what Azu returns to on the hardest days, why a trauma-informed Back2Back school was so important for the families of Nigeria, and what has been made possible in the lives of kids and families because that school now exists.
Links to learn more:
Learn more about Back2Back Ministries
Follow Back2Back Ministries on Social Media:
Instagram | Facebook
---
Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bethedifference/message
In the midst of headlines of war, civil unrest, embattled opinions and election news the world can quickly become overwhelming. How can we be the difference when headlines feel so heavy? Sammy and Chris dive into this question and discuss ways they each navigate the call to be the difference even when the world feels overwhelming.
In this episode, Sammy and Chris share the ways they each navigate the constant influx of news we all experience each day. Hear the questions Chris asks himself before engaging with a difficult topic, how we can approach every situation through the lens of the gospel and when the kindest thing to do for ourselves and others is to take a step back.
Links to learn more:
Learn more about Back2Back Ministries
Follow Back2Back Ministries on Social Media:Instagram | Facebook
---
Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bethedifference/message
On October 11th, many people joined Back2Back staff in-person and virtually at the annual A Night of Hope. It was a night for many to recall just how many different people are being the difference in the lives of those around them. It was a night filled with conversation, emotion, and story. A special part of the evening was hearing directly from Beth Guckenberger, Back2Back Co-Executive Director, about what it means to stay. The ripple effects of her talk have been poignant and life giving for each of us.
In this episode, Beth will dive into the question she is asked most often - what makes you wanna stay? Hear about what Beth means when she says she has steel in her spine, what 65% of our conversations are based on, and how the story of Rahab, a story of Beth’s family, and a story about a young woman in Nigeria are connected. Today, take a moment to listen and be reminded that the story isn’t over yet.
Links to learn more:
Listen & watch the full program from A Night of Hope
Learn more about Back2Back Ministries
Follow Beth on Social Media:
Instagram | Facebook
Follow Back2Back Ministries on Social Media:
Instagram | Facebook
---
Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bethedifference/message
Rick and Lisa Bursey are husband and wife, mom and dad to two boys, and officially the new Site Directors for Back2Back’s ninth global site in Linares, Mexico! Originally from Ontario, Canada, the Burseys have long served children and said yes to every big and small moment God has extended an invitation. In 2008, they quit their jobs, sold their belongings, and moved two hours south of Monterrey, Mexico to a small town called Linares. Today, they are excited for the future of the Linares site and all it will provide for the children they serve.
In this episode, Rick and Lisa share the three words they’d use to describe their life in Canada, how saying yes was like building muscle over time, and why they believe comfort can breed discomfort. Hear how Lisa responded when God put hungry, sad, or withdrawn people in front of her, how one of Rick’s worst moments led to the opening of Possibilities House, and why patience and perseverance are words, and attitudes, they live by.
Join Rick and Lisa at A Night of Hope!
RSVP Here
Links to learn more:
Learn about Possibilities House
—
Learn more about Back2Back Ministries
Follow Back2Back Ministries
Instagram | Facebook
---
Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bethedifference/message
Today, Sammy and Chris welcome back Beth Guckenberger! Beth is the Co-Executive Director of Back2Back Ministries, an author, speaker, wife, and mom. Today, she is sharing about her newest children’s book!
In this episode, Beth shares about a conversation she still remembers having with her mom in the third grade and how it still impacts her today. Hear how Beth defines spiritual warfare, how to frame conversations around it with children, and why a children’s book moves those conversations forward for all of us.
Links to learn more:
Order your copy of The Heart Who Wanted to be Whole today!
Join Back2Back Staff on October 11th for A Night of Hope!
Learn more about Back2Back Ministries
Follow Beth on Social Media:
Instagram | Facebook
Follow Back2Back Ministries on Social Media:
Instagram | Facebook
---
Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bethedifference/message
Happy September! This month, Sammy and Chris are discussing all things books! How their love of reading began, why reading leaves a lasting impact, and how they have each seen it make a difference in the lives of the children they love and serve.
In this episode, Sammy shares an article from Child Mind Institute, why it says we should all be reading to the children in our lives, and the many benefits story offers each of us. Hear how Chris has seen reading change behavior, connection, and conversation between children and teens, how Back2Back is engaging with literacy and education around the world, and what equity and access look like when it comes to books. You also get to hear all about Beth Guckenberger’s new book and why it’s so special.
Links to learn more:
Learn more about Back2Back Ministries
Follow Back2Back Ministries on Social Media:
Instagram | Facebook
To read the full article Sammy mentions:
Why is it Important to Read to Your Child?
To order your copy of Beth’s new children’s book:
The Heart Who Wanted to be Whole
---
Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bethedifference/message
Continuing the theme of justice and the hope that is possible when we choose to be the difference, Chris and Sammy share their reflections on the TBRI Trauma-Informed Courts Podcast. Join them as they dive into a conversation on the exponential impact of small changes and the ways these changes can make a difference in our everyday lives.
In this episode, Chris and Sammy discuss specific strategies courtrooms around the country have begun to implement. Hear how we can all can empower individuals to feel safe, regulated and calm in even the most stressful of situations.
Links to learn more:
TBRI® & Trauma-Informed Courts
All Rise: For the Good of the Children Documentary
Learn more about Back2Back Ministries
Follow Back2Back Ministries on Social Media:Instagram | Facebook
---
Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bethedifference/message
Michelle Clifton earned her PhD in social ethics at Loyola University Chicago and has worked in higher education for twenty years. Michelle’s passion is interrupting the US’s over-reliance on incarceration, finding creative alternatives, such as equitable and accessible education or restorative justice solutions, through collaboration with those most impacted. In 2018, she founded the “School of Restorative Arts,” an MA program in Illinois’ prisons serving over 100 incarcerated men and women at Stateville and Logan Correctional Centers. She currently serves as founding director of prison education at Lewis University launching BA programs in professional studies in Illinois prisons.
In this episode, Michelle shares how she felt the first time she entered a prison classroom, how she processes the hard stories she experiences, and the moment she knew this would be her life’s work. Hear her describe the joy of a graduation ceremony inside a prison, why she calls herself an abolitionist, and the dream she has to see decarceration and liberation in the state of Illinois.
Links to learn more:
Watch this TED TALK by Michelle
Follow Michelle on Twitter & Instagram
Learn more about Back2Back Ministries
Follow Back2Back Ministries on Social Media:
Instagram | Facebook
---
Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bethedifference/message
July is here, and that means Chris and Sammy are sharing a new statistic and a new focus on the Be the Difference Podcast! Join them as they dive into a conversation on justice for juveniles at risk of incarceration, how the Back2Back Cincy team is stepping into this conversation and returning years to local youth who would otherwise be behind bars, and the reasons why these conversations matter.
In this episode, Chris and Sammy discuss transforming punitive consequences into a time of healing for juveniles in Cincy and how conversation is changing the approaches taken for youth with trauma who have committed a crime. Hear how new information is being presented to public defenders and judges and how, together, adults are advocating on behalf of youth who would otherwise be tried as adults, as layers of understanding are being added to the conversation.
Links to learn more:
Want to connect with Chris about this initiative? Email ccox@back2back.org
Listen here to listen to TBRI® & Trauma-Informed Courts
Learn more about Back2Back Ministries
Follow Back2Back Ministries on Social Media:
Instagram | Facebook
---
Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bethedifference/message
Sara Jensen is multilingual, the podcast’s first Norwegian guest, and is the Back2Back Monterrey Coordinator of the Transition Program, which comes alongside in transitioning students to independence. Sara has lived all around the world and is very passionate about travel and coffee.
In this episode, Sara shares how old she was when she first felt called to be a missionary, what song influenced her most during that time in her life, and her vantage point on her own story and the changes that have occurred in each season. Hear why where she currently lives is so special, how her growth and understanding of what humans long for in community is influenced by her role, and how she has learned about most of it through the eyes of young adults.
Links to learn more:
Learn more about Back2Back Ministries
Follow Back2Back Ministries on Social Media:Instagram | Facebook
---
Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bethedifference/message
It’s a fresh month, which means a fresh focus on the Be the Difference Podcast! Join Chris and Sammy for a delicate conversation in which they discuss social media, its effects on children and teens, females specifically, and the staggering statistics that accompany them.
In this episode, Chris and Sammy discuss something that influences most of us and dive into discussion on developing good rhythms around it. Hear about the evolution of social media, how it may or may not affect developing brains, and how Sammy specifically, as a female, is impacted by the shared statistics and information.
Links to learn more:
Learn more about Back2Back Ministries
Follow Back2Back Ministries on Social Media:
Instagram | Facebook
---
Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bethedifference/message
Comments
Download from Google Play
Download from App Store
United States