A Cup of Gratitude

Latest Episodes:

Season 9 - Episode 5 - Finding Gratitude Loving Others Feb 03, 2025

Show notes

This week I speak with Hewlette Pearson who taught incarcerated persons and returning citizens general education, job readiness skills, character education, and life skills. She is the president and founder of iLove Now, Inc., a non-profit organization that promotes love through humanitarian programs and activities in inner-city communities. Two of its flagship events include: •Lunch in the Park for The Homeless—where food, hygiene products, clothing, prayer, and a listening ear are provided to those in need. •The Love Thrives Community Conference—a biennial event focusing on the spiritual and personal development of persons in communities. Hewlette’s enthusiasm for empowering others to pursue purpose and authenticity is palpable. Her pursuit of excellence in teaching, motivating, and preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ led her to earn master’s degrees in education and divinity from Johns Hopkins University and Regent University, respectively. She also holds a Doctor of Divinity degree from Emet Theological Seminary. A gifted non-fiction writer and aspiring fiction author, Hewlette has published three impactful books:

•The View from the Mountain: The Process of Destiny, foreword by Keith Duncan •The Most Important Word, with a foreword by legendary Gospel artist Andraé Crouch •Get Got! Empowerment for Every Day Life Successes

Hewlette’s ministry and humanitarian efforts have taken her across the Caribbean, Africa, and the United States. She was a keynote speaker at the Pastors’ Wives International Conference in Kigali, Rwanda, and a guest speaker and missions sponsor at an assembly in Kampala, Uganda, in 2023. In January 2024, she served as keynote speaker at The Mr. & Mrs. Adams Family Life Conference in West Palm, Florida, and in October 2024 was the opening keynote speaker at the 30th Year National Women’s Conference of the Jamaica Council of Churches of God 7th Day. Today, Hewlette continues to travel globally, teaching and preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ and motivating others to practice love and goodness on earth. Empowering others gives her joy, but God is her passion. We look at her childhood up to the present to find the beautiful thred of Jesus in her life. You won’t want to miss this inspiring episode!

Connect at:

X (Twitter): ShowLoveToday

Facebook: @iLovenow100

Instagram: ilove_now

YouTube Channel: iLove Now! - @ilovenow1896

Website: iLoveNow.org

Facebook: Hewlette Pearson

Instagram: Hewletttepearson

YouTube Channel: @HewlettePearson

*Theme music “Blessed Time” by Ketsa

Season 9 - Episode 4 - Finding Gratitude the "Type A" Way Jan 27, 2025

Show notes

This week I’m speaking with Laurie Meek Watkins who has always referred to herself as a “Cracked Pot”. She’s the Type A Lady behind the blog type a checklist. Laurie dedicates her imperfect self to helping you know a great big God who overcomes an imperfect world. (2 Corin. 4:7-9). In 2020, Laurie shifted from being “cracked” to “shattered” as her husband and companion of 40 years walked away from their marriage. For the next two years, Laurie experienced the ongoing trauma and chaos of trying to pull her marriage back together...until Godly counsel told her it was time to let go. (Matt 18:15-17) Then… Hurricane Ian took her home. God was teaching deep lessons in letting go of loss. Laurie’s goal is to walk this new journey with dignity and glorify God along the way. She searches to find purpose in her pain and to share hope with others. (Romans 8:28). You’ve heard it said, “ There’s Good News...and then there’s Bad News.” (John 16:33). Laurie will share the Bad News, the Good News...and THEN...the GLORIOUS News: God restores shattered things. (Isaiah 61:2-4)

“I am making everything new!” (Rev. 21:5)

Laurie’s message for you:

“Precious one. Please remember you are loved with an everlasting love. Jesus wants you to fall fully and completely into His arms. Jesus has already won your battle for you. He calls you to come to Him and REST. Let go. REST. This road may be hard - But you are never alone when you give everything to your Savior. Ask for forgiveness. Let go of control. YOU are Loved. YOU have a purpose. Choose Jesus and be FREE.

www.typechecklist.com

*Theme Music “Blessed Time” by Ketsa

Season 9 - Episode 3 - Finding Gratitude in the Stories of God Jan 20, 2025

Show notes

This week, I speak with Anthony Hyslop, who was born in St. Clair, Michigan in 1986, moved to northern Idaho at the age of 7 with his family, was homeschooled, took his GED, and went into concrete flatwork, working for his father, and he has been doing that for the past 19 years. During that time he married his first love, Elizabeth in 2007. They have had 7 children, Clarence, Daphne, Dakota, Kirsten, Titus, Judah, and Caleb, the latter now living with the Lord. They have 15 chickens and a black cat named Rocky. Anthony loves Jesus, occasionally hunting, looking for antlers, snorkeling, going to the lake with the kids, going to the movies with his wife, and creating new stories and writing poetry from time to time. He believes all good things come from the Lord and be a good steward of what is given to you.
You can check out some of his work and poetry on Facebook: Stories by Anthony Hyslop (@ahstories). Instagram: @ahpublishing. We look at his childhood up to the present to find the beautiful thread of Jesus in his life. You won’t want to miss this encouraging episode!

*Theme music “Blessed Time” by Ketsa

Season 9 - Episode 2 - Finding Gratitude Sharing God's Love Jan 13, 2025

Show notes

This week, I speak with Dr. Ifeoma Samuel a trained Veterinarian from the University of Ibadan. She has a Post Graduate Diploma in Public Health (University of South Africa), Masters Degree in a Public Health (University of Roehampton, U.K) and currently a PhD researcher in Public Health at the University of South Africa. With a keen interest in children education, youth development and mental health. She has a Postgraduate Diploma in Education registered with TRCN. She is also a Cambridge certified Coordinated Sciences Teacher. Presently, she is the Head of Operations at Bryanston Academy. Dr Samuel is your down-to-earth Bible Study writer and speaker who is passionate about helping women grow in faith through the Word. She is host of the Annual Prudent Woman Retreat. She has written over 14 Bible Studies for women and children. She is happily married to her heart throb Obiora and together they are blessed with a daughter and a son. We look at her childhood up to the present to find the beautiful thread of Jesus in her life. You won’t want to miss this inspiring episode!

Standing Firm Retreat join now https://www.facebook.com/groups/1025357944935593/

Youtube channel https://youtube.com/@ifeomasamuel

Find her Bible Studies and Devotionals Books, which are available on Amazon.

Notes for Podcast

FB page https://www.facebook.com/ThePrudentWomanRetreat

Prudent Woman Community https://www.facebook.com/groups/1025357944935593/

Support for Teens ReDefined

The Annual TEENS REDEFINED conference is 5 years this year!

Aside from organizing school programs for teens, we commit to:

Gifting Bibles.

Yearly, we plan to reach about 200 local children through peer-to-peer evangelism.

And give the children Bibles.

Academic or skill acquisition sponsorships for Teenagers needing support.

During the August conference week, we run teen evangelism led by the teens (teen to teen evangelism). We discuss relevant topics, too.

Christmas Outreach

Follow Teens ReDefined https://www.facebook.com/groups/171142524201623/

*Theme Music “Blessed Time” by Ketsa

Season 9 - Episode 1 - Finding Gratitude in Faithful Stories Jan 06, 2025

Show notes

This week, I speak with Stacey Gittens, who was born in Australia to show business parents; Stacey performed on screen and on stage before becoming a schoolteacher, children’s author, and globetrotter. Now based in the UK as a Creative Consultant focusing on editing and design, Stacey enjoys collaborating with authors worldwide to create life-affirming and inclusive content. Committed to excellence with the belief that small changes are significant, Stacey goes the extra mile to transform projects into success stories. We look at her childhood up to the present to find the beautiful thread of Jesus in her life. You won’t want to miss this encouraging episode!

https://faithfulstories.com/

*Theme Music “Blessed Time” by Ketsa

Season 8 - Episode 27 (Special Episode 5) Dec 30, 2024

Show notes

Welcome to the last special episode of the series! This week we hear a word from Dawn Ward who is an author, speaker, and biblical life coach. She is the founder of The Faith to Flourish, a ministry that equips women with addicted loved ones to break free from the cycle of addiction, reclaim their lives, and flourish in their faith. The Faith to Flourish also offers life-transforming insight, wisdom, and Christian guidance for all women, along with hope and support for those burdened and overwhelmed by life. Dawn is the author of the book From Guilt to Grace: Hope and Healing for Christian Moms of Addicted Children. She has also co-authored the book, Still Standing After All the Tears Workbook: Faith in the Battle Edition and a contributing author for the devotionals Butterfly Living: Life Changing Stories and Shepherd on Duty. Dawn has been married to her husband, Steve, for over forty years and is a mom to three adult children. Her passion is to help all women grow in their faith as they learn to better understand and apply the Bible to their lives. Connect with Dawn at The Faith to Flourish on most social media platforms. Then we end our special episode with a song by Tyler Logsdon, who says He is still just a small-town guy who loves the Lord Jesus and wants to make Him known to the world. There's only one place in the whole Bible that talks about Jesus' heart, and it's in Matthew 11:29 when He says, "Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." Tyler’s only mission is to help people understand the gospel through ministering Jesus' heart to theirs. You don’t want to miss this encouraging episode!

HTTPS://www.thefaithtoflourish.com

HTTPS://www.Facebook.com/thefaithtoflourish

HTTPS://www.instagram.com/thefaithtoflourishblog

https://www.instagram.com/dawnr.ward

HTTPS://www.Twitter.com/faithtoflourish

https://www.youtube.com/@thefaithtoflourishwithdawnward

http://linkedin.com/in/dawn-ward-93975b266

Season 8 - Episode 26 (Special Episode 4) Dec 23, 2024

Show notes

Welcome to Special Episode #4 of our Christmas Break Series. This week, we have a word from Sherri DeWalt, who has been dedicated to connecting, encouraging, and teaching women to grow in their relationship with God and others for over twenty years. Her home, where she welcomes friends and family alike, is a hub of shared life, conversation and celebration. Sherri recently published her first book, "Let's Huddle - friends, faith and fun at the table," a guide for Christian women to host gatherings and create meaningful community, so that friendship can flourish and faith can take root or deepen. It includes discussions on topics such as beauty, awe, and gratitude, as well as instructions for fun, creative projects. Passionate about justice and humanitarian issues, Sherri is an attorney and founding board member of Chariots for Hope. Chariots provided long-term physical and emotion care, as well as education and Christian discipleship, to over 850 children in 8 communities in Kenya.

Learn more about Sherri, the book, Huddles, and Chariots...

www.sherridewalt.com
www.rookeryresources.com
www.amazon.com/author/sherridewalt
www.chariotsforhope.org
sherridewalt@rocketmail.com

Song by Laurel Taylor, who is an award-winning artist, female producer, singer/songwriter, and trailblazer in the emerging Country Trap genre. Originally from Montgomery, Alabama, Laurel moved to Nashville at just eighteen, immersing herself in the music scene for twelve years. From performing on American Idol to touring across the country, Laurel's music spans country, pop, and CCM. Now, she’s making waves as the first female artist to embrace Country Trap, blending her soulful country roots with the cutting-edge sounds of trap beats. Laurel is also a signed artist with Real Fun Records. Laurel is performing and producing her tracks, carving out a unique sound that blends country storytelling with energetic trap beats. Laurel’s fresh production style sets her apart as a multi-talented force, controlling the creative direction of her new sound from start to finish. Laurel is deeply involved in prison ministry through non-profits like The Beat of Life, Project Prison Music, and Freedom Echoes. She collaborates with inmates nationwide, writing music with them and performing for them. Her country single "Old House" has greatly influenced these communities, being requested in every facility and county. Don't miss this gift from me to you for Christmas!

Season 8 - Episode 25 (Special Episode 3) Dec 16, 2024

Show notes

Welcome to our special episode #3 of the Christmas Break series. This week we here a word from Heather Jeffery who is a Christian writer and certified mental health coach. She is passionate about empowering women with Biblical truth as they link arms to seek clarity specializing in emotional and spiritual abuse as well as healing through divorce. Heather believes our stories have purpose and are meant to be shared to encourage others just as we are encouraged by those in the Bible. She lives in Maryland with her two teenage daughters and works as a physical therapist. She enjoys spending time outdoors, especially near the water. You can receive truth-filled encouragement by subscribing at heatherjeffery.com and following her writing on Instagram @straightenyourcrown.1.

We end the episode with an incredible song from Laurel Taylor, an award-winning artist, female producer, singer/songwriter, and trailblazer in the emerging Country Trap genre. Originally from Montgomery, Alabama, Laurel moved to Nashville at just eighteen, immersing herself in the music scene for twelve years. From performing on American Idol to touring across the country, Laurel's music spans country, pop, and CCM. Now, she’s making waves as the first female artist to embrace Country Trap, blending her soulful country roots with the cutting-edge sounds of trap beats. Laurel is also a signed artist with Real Fun Records. Laurel is performing and producing her tracks, carving out a unique sound that blends country storytelling with energetic trap beats. Laurel’s fresh production style sets her apart as a multi-talented force, controlling the creative direction of her new sound from start to finish. Laurel is deeply involved in prison ministry through non-profits like The Beat of Life, Project Prison Music, and Freedom Echoes. She collaborates with inmates nationwide, writing music with them and performing for them. Her country single "Old House" has become a huge influence in these communities, being requested in every facility and county. "Old House" was also featured on the Nashville Sign billboard, further solidifying its impact. Laurel has shared stages with some of the biggest names across multiple genres, including Jelly Roll, We The Kingdom, Lauren Daigle, Blessing Offor, Jeffery Steele, Iggy Azalea, Big Daddy Weave, Ben Fuller, Fall Out Boy, Jason Crabb, Diamond Rio and more. Laurel is currently a topliner for TV and film, blending her songwriting talents with visual media. Her production skills and unique sound continue to push creative boundaries with each new release.
WWW.LAURELTAYLORMUSIC.COM
SOCIALS: @LAURELTAYLOROFFICIAL

Season 8 - Episode 24 (Special Episode 2) Dec 09, 2024

Show notes

Welcome to our special episode #2 where we get a word from my amazing friend Tracey Breinich. She works part-time at her church as the Preschool Assistant after being a stay-at-home Mom for 15 years. She has used her teaching degree within the classroom, at a health store, as well as with her own children. She is a wife of 22 years and Mom of 3 children; ages 20, 16, and 6. The Lord has shown favor and humor in she and her husband’s lives with these blessings. She loves to share who Jesus is with others over coffee, in a classroom, online, and through writing. She became a functional health advocate when her oldest son was born in 2003. She loves to dig into research on holistic health particularly for children. Tracey is working on her 1st book geared towards teens and women in their 20’s. She enjoys vacations with her family as they try to spend time in different parts of the country to soak in God’s creation. And we will hear an incredible song form my friend Tyler who says: I’m still just a small-town guy who loves the Lord Jesus and wants to make Him known to the world. There’s only one place in the whole Bible that talks about Jesus’ heart and it’s in Matthew 11:29 when He says, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” My only mission is to help people understand the gospel through ministering Jesus’ heart to theirs. I can’t wait to share this with you!

https://www.facebook.com/tracey.kinsleybreinich?mibextid=LQQJ4d

traceybreinich26@gmail

- Website: https://www.tlogmusic.com/

- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tlogmusic

- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tlogmusic_/

Season - Episode 23 (Special Episode 1) Dec 02, 2024

Show notes

Welcome to our first of five special episodes for December. Between Seasons, we will hear from amazing guests.
Mary Rooney Armand loves to write inspiring and faith-based stories focused on helping others grow in their intimacy with Christ. She is an Author, Speaker, and Creator of the faith-based blog ButterflyLiving.org. Mary’s work is featured on CrossMap, Woman of Noble Character, Pray with Confidence, Sunday God Meets Monday Mom, Steady On, and other sites. She is a regular contributor on CrossMap. Mary is the author of the Bible Study, “Identity, Understanding, and Accepting Who I Am in Christ” and the devotional “Life Changing Stories”, a collaboration with 34 authors sharing stories of God’s faithfulness.

To receive a printable word for the year guide in your inbox visit https://www.subscribepage.com/butterflyliving

More places to read ButterflyLiving’s stories about a transformed life in Christ:

www.facebook.com/bfl2022
www.instagram.com/butterflyliving_
www.twitter.com/maryrarmand
www.linkedin.com/in/maryrooneyarmand
www.butterflyliving.org

Erica Renee Mckinney, Singer/Songwriter and Recording Artist from the Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina. The Mountian Native deeply respects her Mountian harriateage and loves music close to her roots. Erica grew up all around rootsy music her whole life but never pursued a career in music until later in life when she decided to close down her very successful hair business of 16 years to pursue a music career. Recording from her in-home studio in 2019 after closing out the hair business earlier that year as an independent artist, she released her first full-length Album, “Come Praise the Lord,” in the Christian music genre with her first music video to promote her single “Come Praise The Lord” Flying to Fort Worth TX. With TenFourFilms early 2021 and released the single and Album late fall of 2021. The North Carolina Native recently recorded in Nashville at “Wei Rock” a new single titled “Overwhelmed,” followed by seven more songs, all surrounding her life lessons with overwhelm, burnout, healing, and finding your true identity and calling, which took place during the closing of her salon. Her passions include teaching others how to heal, recognizing and identifying the root, and strategically putting solutions in place for full recovery and longevity to prevent relapse with burnout.

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