The Commons

“The doctor told me that I was the only thing keeping the baby alive,” Chelcee said. “It was very, very sad.”  And it was just the first of three miscarriages Lt. Chelcee Humphrey and her husband would endure over two years.  It’s not an easy topic, but Chelcee joins the show to talk about grief, how important it is to normalize grief and why she still has hope.  This episode is in honor of all of the women who have lost a pregnancy or infant—our hearts are with you always.  EPISODE SHOWNOTES: Read more. WHAT’S YOUR CAUSE? Take our quiz. STUDY SCRIPTURE. Get inside the collection. GATHER WITH CARING MOMS. Join the group. BE INSPIRED. Follow us on Instagram.

Recorded live at The Salvation Army California South Women's Rally, "Raise A Hallelujah," hosts Cassandra and Meagan look back on the past year and reflect on their inspiration for starting The Commons Podcast. They call on more Christian men and women to gather the courage to tell the “hard” stories in order to inspire others by their example. In sharing our toughest moments, they say, we praise God: We surrender to him, allowing him to speak through us; and he gives us the wisdom and grace to tell the stories that matter. EPISODE SHOWNOTES: Read more. WHAT’S YOUR CAUSE? Take our quiz. STUDY SCRIPTURE. Get inside the collection. GATHER WITH CARING MOMS. Join the group. BE INSPIRED. Follow us on Instagram.

Cassandra Amezquita and Meagan Ruff take some time to acknowledge that no, we don’t have it all together. Laugh and get serious alongside us about everything from the Enneagram to expectations on us and others. We’re talking why an Enneagram 6 loves crime podcasts to discussing the pressure we feel, The Commons Podcast team keeps it really real in this episode. EPISODE SHOWNOTES: Read more. WHAT’S YOUR CAUSE? Take our quiz. STUDY SCRIPTURE. Get inside the collection. GATHER WITH CARING MOMS. Join the group. BE INSPIRED. Follow us on Instagram. FIGHT FOR GOOD. Give to The Salvation Army.

Change is tough. Especially when change follows change. That’s what Lts. Raymundo and Thelma Jimenez will tell you about their past four years—filled with marriage, three appointments as Salvation Army officers, a pandemic and a baby boy. It hasn’t always been easy, but Raymundo and Thelma say they’ve seen God working in every circumstance.  Now as corps officers in Watsonville, California, they’re on the show to share that even, maybe especially, when life serves up challenging moments, there are always opportunities to strengthen your resiliency. EPISODE SHOWNOTES: Read more. WHAT’S YOUR CAUSE? Take our quiz. STUDY SCRIPTURE. Get inside the collection. GATHER WITH CARING MOMS. Join the group. BE INSPIRED. Follow us on Instagram. FIGHT FOR GOOD. Give to The Salvation Army.

We all go through tough moments but some of us endure moments that leave deep wounds. In this episode of The Commons Podcast, we chat with Laura Foley about her journey from wounded to redeemed. Laura, a former Salvation Army officer, is a resilient woman, a courageous mother, and an inspiration to anyone who has experienced the hard stuff. So whether you have a history of trauma or want to build up the skills to support friends going through tough times, listen in and learn.  EPISODE SHOWNOTES: Read more. WHAT’S YOUR CAUSE? Take our quiz. STUDY SCRIPTURE. Get inside the collection. GATHER WITH CARING MOMS. Join the group. BE INSPIRED. Follow us on Instagram. FIGHT FOR GOOD. Give to The Salvation Army.

It might be hard to believe, but dating in 2021 could in fact look like meeting your person on Pokemon Go! In this episode of The Commons Podcast, we chat with Kat Phrasavath about her experience dating. She reminds us that respect and good boundaries are priorities for establishing a healthy relationship. Of course, dating will look different for everyone, so whether you are single and ready to mingle, or married, everyone can learn a little something from Kat's story. EPISODE SHOWNOTES: Read more. WHAT’S YOUR CAUSE? Take our quiz. STUDY SCRIPTURE. Get inside the collection. GATHER WITH CARING MOMS. Join the group. BE INSPIRED. Follow us on Instagram. FIGHT FOR GOOD. Give to The Salvation Army.

Although every country is different, many of the feelings that come with serving abroad and across multi-cultures are relatable. There are ways to adjust to a foreign country and ministry while keeping kindness toward others and yourself intact. That’s what Amanda Fry will tell you. She and her husband, Erik, have spent many years serving as educators in Indonesia. As you’ll hear on this episode of The Commons Podcast, Amanda's experience is unique yet encouraging.  EPISODE SHOWNOTES: Read more. WHAT’S YOUR CAUSE? Take our quiz. STUDY SCRIPTURE. Get inside the collection. GATHER WITH CARING MOMS. Join the group. BE INSPIRED. Follow us on Instagram. FIGHT FOR GOOD. Give to The Salvation Army.

Advocacy is not only something lawyers do. We can all find ways to advocate for those we care about. On this episode of The Commons Podcast, Lt. Melissa Jones, Assistant to the Los Angeles Metro Coordinators, shows us how to balance being there for someone in need, while still setting the appropriate boundaries to be most helpful. As she shares, there are many ways to advocate for those we care about just as we see Jesus being an advocate for others. Plus, what to do if you’re the one asking for help. EPISODE SHOWNOTES: Read more. WHAT’S YOUR CAUSE? Take our quiz. STUDY SCRIPTURE. Get inside the collection. GATHER WITH CARING MOMS. Join the group. BE INSPIRED. Follow us on Instagram. FIGHT FOR GOOD. Give to The Salvation Army.

Ministry looks different for all of us. Those who follow Jesus have a light to spread to others, whether it's with your children, spouse or church, there are so many ways to share and grow in our faith. Loving those in the margins, and joining with those who think differently than us can be tough but ultimately it’s rewarding. Take time to observe what impact you have and how you can continue to do God's will. Guest Aleen Stoddard joins The Commons Podcast to share more about ministry and how we can continue to grow. As she’ll tell you, being spiritually disciplined can help us thrive in our responsibilities.  EPISODE SHOWNOTES: Read here. WHAT’S YOUR CAUSE? Take our quiz. STUDY SCRIPTURE. Get inside the collection. GATHER WITH CARING MOMS. Join the group. BE INSPIRED. Follow us on Instagram. FIGHT FOR GOOD. Give to The Salvation Army.

Jesus led by example when he advocated for the most marginalized, and we must too.  That includes advocating for biblical equality, which can range from equal treatment between genders, races, socio-economic status and more. Bringing justice into our families, ministries and society means educating ourselves about these issues first.  Major Annalise Francis is the administrator and corps officer of The Salvation Ray and Joan Kroc Corps Community Center in Ashland, Ohio. She taught an Old Testament course at the College for Officer Training at Crestmont, including building a foundation of biblical equality. As she’ll tell you, biblical equality is the belief that all people are equal before God—and yet it doesn’t mean that we’re all the same.  So how do we make space to love and appreciate each other? EPISODE SHOWNOTES: Read more. WHAT’S YOUR CAUSE? Take our quiz. STUDY SCRIPTURE. Get inside the collection. GATHER WITH CARING MOMS. Join the group. BE INSPIRED. Follow us on Instagram. FIGHT FOR GOOD. Give to The Salvation Army.

Oh, social media. We love it, and loathe it. Is it a blessing or curse? Friend or foe? How can we use it for good?  In this episode, our hosts—Cassandra Amezquita and Meagan Ruff—interview Lauren Birks about her own experience with social media. Birks, an Administrative and Program Assistant for The Salvation Army Santa Monica Corps in Santa Monica, California, shares how she’s defined her own boundaries online while using her platform to connect with others and spread joy.  EPISODE SHOWNOTES: Read more. WHAT’S YOUR CAUSE? Take our quiz. STUDY SCRIPTURE. Get inside the collection. GATHER WITH CARING MOMS. Join the group. BE INSPIRED. Follow us on Instagram. FIGHT FOR GOOD. Give to The Salvation Army.

As things start to go back to “normal,” is normal even a possibility now?  How do you feel about the zoo?  What about your favorite TikTok trend? Yes, we’re covering it all and more in this episode—a freestyle conversation between your hosts featuring our burning questions for each other.  EPISODE SHOWNOTES: Read more. WHAT’S YOUR CAUSE? Take our quiz. STUDY SCRIPTURE. Get inside the collection. GATHER WITH CARING MOMS. Join the group. BE INSPIRED. Follow us on Instagram. FIGHT FOR GOOD. Give to The Salvation Army.

How do you grow a relationship after years of marriage? Megan and Francisco Villalpando are on the show to share more from their own experience after six years married. From how they grew during the pandemic, to marriage advice they received that wasn’t helpful, and how they show each other respect, the Villalpandos have marital wisdom to offer, even as they still feel like newlyweds. EPISODE SHOWNOTES: Read here. WHAT’S YOUR CAUSE? Take our quiz. STUDY SCRIPTURE. Get inside the collection. GATHER WITH CARING MOMS. Join the group. BE INSPIRED. Follow us on Instagram. FIGHT FOR GOOD. Give to The Salvation Army.

As parents, there are thousands of questions that go through our heads each day.  Some are strategic, such as, "Should we have a strict routine or just go with the flow?"  Some are silly: "Is it normal that my toddler always wants to be a puppy instead of a child?"  And some are really serious, such as, "What if my kids don't follow Jesus?"  We're sitting down with Majors Rob and Stacy Birks, Mission Development Officers for The Salvation Army in Southern California, to talk about their parenting highlights, tips for parents at different stages and answers to some of our hardest questions.  EPISODE SHOWNOTES: Read here. WHAT’S YOUR CAUSE? Take our quiz. STUDY SCRIPTURE. Get inside the collection. GATHER WITH CARING MOMS. Join the group. BE INSPIRED. Follow us on Instagram. FIGHT FOR GOOD. Give to The Salvation Army.

To begin shining a light on mental health we must allow for vulnerability.  By sharing our stories and listening respectfully we can begin to uncover that we are not alone in our struggles.  Whether you or your loved one struggle with mental health, know that there is hope.  Lt. Corrin Perry, Corps Officer of The Salvation Army Anaheim Corps, is on the show to share her own story and encourage you, too. EPISODE SHOWNOTES: Read here. LAUNCH PARTY GIVEAWAY: Enter now. WHAT’S YOUR CAUSE? Take our quiz. STUDY SCRIPTURE. Get inside the collection. GATHER WITH CARING MOMS. Join the group. BE INSPIRED. Follow us on Instagram. FIGHT FOR GOOD. Give to The Salvation Army.

Self-care is a cliché topic these days, but it is crucial to our functioning as healthy human beings.  Whether it's getting enough sleep, enjoying a small treat or taking a day of Sabbath rest, as Major Lynn Stewart puts it, self-care is "taking care of yourself without feeling guilty." The Salvation Army General Secretary for Metro Los Angeles, Major Stewart is on the show today to share more about the necessity of taking care of your body, mind and soul. EPISODE SHOWNOTES: Read here. LAUNCH PARTY GIVEAWAY: Enter now. WHAT’S YOUR CAUSE? Take our quiz. STUDY SCRIPTURE. Get inside the collection. GATHER WITH CARING MOMS. Join the group. BE INSPIRED. Follow us on Instagram. FIGHT FOR GOOD. Give to The Salvation Army.

This is The Commons Podcast, a safe space to talk about important stuff. Get to know your hosts—Cassandra Amezquita and Meagan Ruff—in this intro episode and get ready for the show’s first season tackling real life topics in the lives of women. EPISODE SHOWNOTES LAUNCH PARTY GIVEAWAY: Enter now. WHAT’S YOUR CAUSE? Take our quiz. STUDY SCRIPTURE. Get inside the collection. GATHER WITH CARING MOMS. Join the group. BE INSPIRED. Follow us on Instagram. FIGHT FOR GOOD. Give to The Salvation Army.