Our American Stories

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Latest Episodes:

This Day in History: How George Strait’s “Love Without End, Amen” Was Born May 19, 2026

Show notes

On this episode of Our American Stories, before Love Without End, Amen became one of George Strait’s most beloved hits, it was a prayer set to music. Songwriter Aaron Barker wrote it after a painful argument with his teenage son, an experience that brought him to his knees with his guitar. Out of that moment came a song about grace, fatherhood, and the unconditional love that defines family. Our own Lee Habeeb shares the story.

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How a Father’s Desperate Prayer Created Braveheart May 18, 2026

Show notes

On this episode of Our American Stories, before writing Braveheart, Randall Wallace was a struggling writer and father questioning whether he had made a terrible mistake in choosing his path. Fearing he would fail his children and desperate for direction, Wallace prayed one of the most honest prayers of his life. Speaking at the National Prayer Breakfast in 2011, and surrounded by dignitaries from around the nation, Wallace shared how that desperate prayer ultimately led him to write the movie that would change his life. Our own Lee Habeeb tells the story.

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After Losing His Son and Taking Two Lives, This Officer Nearly Lost Himself May 18, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Charles Scott dreamed of becoming a police officer from the time he was a child growing up in California’s Central Valley. Years later, while serving with the Lompoc Police Department, Scott endured a devastating series of tragedies in just 16 months: two officer-involved shootings and the death of his teenage son Noah from leukemia. As grief and trauma pushed him into a dark emotional spiral, Scott began to question whether he could survive personally or professionally. With help from 911 At Ease International, he slowly found a path back to healing, family, faith, and police work.

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Why Shirley Chisolm Reached a Man Who Built His Career on Racism May 18, 2026

Show notes

On this episode of Our American Stories, few figures in twentieth-century American politics stood farther apart than Shirley Chisholm and George Wallace. Chisholm broke barriers as a Black congresswoman and presidential candidate. Wallace became a national symbol of segregation and resistance to civil rights.
A tragic event brought them together, forging an unlikely connection. Special thanks to the Jack Miller Center for bringing this story to our attention.

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Story of a Song: The Real Story Behind “My Sharona” May 18, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, when My Sharona exploded onto radio stations in 1979, it became one of the biggest rock songs in America and turned The Knack into overnight stars. But behind the iconic guitar riff and unforgettable chorus was a real woman named Sharona Alperin. In this installment of our Story of a Song series, our own Greg Hengler shares how a chance meeting inspired one of rock music’s most recognizable hits, featuring reflections from Sharona herself and songwriter Doug Fieger.

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She Took In Her Husband’s Affair Baby as Her Own May 18, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Mary Sparks lived through heartbreak, secrecy, infidelity, and family scandal, but her Catholic faith shaped the way she responded to each one. First, as a young woman in Indiana, she refused to give up her daughter born out of wedlock. Decades later, after learning her husband had fathered a child during an affair, Mary made another extraordinary decision: she helped raise the boy as her own son. Mary’s son Sparky shares the remarkable story of faith, forgiveness, adoption, and family that held the Sparks family together through decades of hardship.

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The Memphis Business Leader Who Puts Business Last May 15, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Kemmons Wilson Jr. grew up in one of America’s most successful business families after his father founded Holiday Inn. But after decades in business, mentorship, and Christian discipleship, Wilson says success belongs far lower on the priority list than most people think. In this installment of our Faith in Action series, the Memphis business leader reflects on friendship, faith, marriage, mentorship, and why “business comes sixth.”

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Don’t Tread On Me: The Origins of the Gadsden Flag May 15, 2026

Show notes

On this episode of Our American Stories, before the Bald Eagle became America’s national symbol, the rattlesnake represented the spirit of the American colonies. After all, it was a uniquely American and dangerous animal unfamiliar to most Europeans, and the design of its rattle lent itself perfectly to political symbolism. Benjamin Franklin used the snake in his famous “Join, or Die” political cartoon, and during the Revolutionary War, the image evolved into the iconic “Don’t Tread On Me” Gadsden Flag. Our American Stories regular contributor Ashley Hlebinsky shares the surprising backstory behind one of America’s most recognizable flags.

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She Didn’t Want to Hold Her Nephew at First May 15, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, it was initially hard for Joleen Lievaart to embrace her newborn nephew. After years of struggling with infertility, the trip to the hospital felt more like an obligation than a celebration. But over time, Joleen came to embrace her nephew both literally and figuratively, discovering what it truly meant to become a loving great-aunt. We'd like to thank our regular contributor, Leslie Leyland Fields, for suggesting this story.

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The Final Conversation Between NYPD Officer Jason Rivera and His Wife May 15, 2026

Show notes

On this episode of Our American Stories, after Jason Rivera was killed responding to a domestic violence call in Harlem, New York, his wife Dominique stood before mourners at St. Patrick's Cathedral and shared the story of their young marriage. In this moving National Police Week eulogy, Dominique remembers the everyday routines, arguments, laughter, and love she shared with the 22-year-old NYPD detective whose life was cut short far too soon.

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