Mikeyy Evans
07 | Dressing Rooms and Parking Lots | Mashawn Rigmaiden
Mashawn Rigmaiden is the co-founder of Strip Church Dayton and co-owner of Bangs Salon and Spa. She is convinced Jesus loves every person and the church can be a place that welcomes hard stories. Strip Church Dayton’s goal is to offer hope, healing, forgiveness, and freedom to the women and men in the adult entertainment industry.
In this week’s episode, Mashawn shares how God intentionally uses her “rebellious wiring” to be the difference in unexpected places like strip club dressing rooms. She has learned there is a story behind every face and a cross shaped void in every heart.
Hear stories of how Jesus is redeeming her past, teaching her to share His love without judgement, and transforming lives in the process.
Links to learn more:
For more information about Live Free Community, a community focused resource helping men struggling with porn and lust, visit: www.livefreecommunity.org
Learn about the work of Strip Church Dayton.
Follow Strip Church Dayton on Social Media:
Special thanks to COhatch Mason for providing podcast studio space.
Learn more about Back2Back Ministries.
Follow Back2Back Ministries on Social Media:
06 | News Headlines and Athleisure | Ryan and April Berg
Ryan and April Berg are the co-founders of Aruna Project and live with their three children in Cincinnati, Ohio. By providing empowerment through employment, the Aruna Project creates lifelong freedom marked by holistic care for victims of human trafficking. Aruna Project’s products are crafted by skilled artisans who are finding their voice, experiencing independence, and growing with a sisterhood of others who have overcome.
Ryan and April have a desire for justice on behalf of the enslaved and channel that desire toward freeing, empowering, and employing young women from the brothels of South Asia. They are passionate advocates of those who have been silenced through sexual exploitation.
In this week’s episode, Ryan and April share the trajectory changing moment when they experienced first hand the reality of modern day sexual slavery and how they decided to be the difference.
Hear stories of threads of hope in hard places, practical solutions to insurmountable problems, and the freedom that is possible when numbers become names.
Links to learn more:
Learn more about Aruna Project.
When you support Aruna through purchasing products, 100% of the profits directly impact freed Artisans.
Follow the Aruna Project on Social Media:
For training and resources in trauma informed care, check out Trauma Free World.
Use coupon code BETHEDIFFERENCE for 30% any training. Promo code valid until 5.31.2021.
Special thanks to COhatch Mason for providing podcast studio space.
Learn more about Back2Back Ministries.
Follow Back2Back Ministries on Social Media:
05 | The American Dream and Egg for Dinner | Anna Valdez
Anna Valdez is the Director of Programs at Fostering Hope in Austin, Texas. Anna trains and coordinates trauma informed efforts for volunteers, churches, foster parents, caregivers, and institutions, both locally and internationally. She served for five years with Back2Back Ministries in Monterrey, Mexico as a full time caregiver to teenage girls. Drawing from this learning and experience, Anna has successfully implemented programming as a Texas Christian University Trust Based Relational Intervention (TBRI®) Practitioner and a Trauma Competent Caregiver Affiliate Trainer for Back2Back Ministries.
In this week’s episode, Anna shares how God called a shy girl from southern Texas into a journey that would lift the veil on the emotional pain of the world and shift her perspective on hope and healing forever.
Hear stories of her first night as a caregiver in a children’s home, the way God changed her view of success, and why she is passionate about training and equipping caregivers today.
Links to learn more:
Follow Anna on instagram @understanding.trauma
Learn more about the work Anna is doing through Fostering Hope.
For training and resources in trauma informed care, check out Trauma Free World. Use coupon code BETHEDIFFERENCE for 30% any training. Promo code valid until 5.31.2021.
Special thanks to COhatch Mason for providing podcast studio space.
Learn more about Back2Back Ministries.
Follow Back2Back Ministries on Social Media:
04 | A Soccer Coach and A Soul Protector | Fred Oduyoye
Fred Oduyoye lives in Cincinnati Ohio and is the Founder of Reachable Reconciliation, Inc. Fred draws on his nearly twenty years of experience bridging urban and suburban communities to create intentional spaces for conversation about race, diversity, and responsibility in a small group setting. The goal of Reachable Reconciliation is to move a community from where they are to new places of understanding, empathy, and action.
In this week’s episode, Fred shares how God uniquely designed and equipped him to help others learn, grow, and find ways to respond to racial issues in their communities.
Hear stories of the leaders he chased, the conversations that surprised him, and the community that supports him as he leads others to be reconciled to those within their reach.
For more information about Reachable Reconciliation Inc. or to join a virtual cohort today, check out https://www.reachablereconciliation.com/
Links to learn more:
https://www.reachablereconciliation.com/
Follow Fred on Instagram – Instagram
Follow Fred on Facebook – Facebook
A special thanks to COhatch Mason for providing podcast studio space! Check them out – https://www.cohatch.com/
Follow Back2Back Ministries on Social Media:
03 | A Rubbish Dump and a 70 Acre Farm | Claire Brown
Claire Brown is an Ohio native living in eManzana, South Africa. In 2017, she founded Lydia’s Mission, a non-profit organization that empowers women in generational poverty and children in chronic food insecurity by addressing their physical needs, while embracing their hearts for Christ. Today Lydia’s Mission has 29 women working full time in the ministry and feeds over 1600 children five days a week in the local community.
In this week’s episode, Claire shares how she realized at a young age she had a passion for sharing the gospel and being available for God to use her. She never intended to start a large growing non-profit but her willingness to say “yes” has taken her on a journey she never could have imagined.
Hear stories of how she’s empowering women by encouraging their creativity, giving them a voice, and creating a sense of belonging, under a tree in a rubbish dump.
Links to learn more:
Lydia’s Mission – Facebook
Lydia’s Mission – Instagram
A limited supply of hand sewn Lydia’s Mission stuffed animals are available at: https://lydiasmissionshop.org/
A special thanks to COhatch Mason for providing podcast studio space. https://www.cohatch.com/
Follow Back2Back Ministries on Social Media:
02 | Good Times and Ford Motor Company | Brent Billingsley
Brent is the founder and CEO of ARTE, whose mission is to simply connect communities and create a culturally competent dialogue through the arts. Brent’s work with Pieces Art Engagement reaches out to community and business organizations to help with diversity, equity, inclusion awareness, and training. After a 16-year career working locally for Ford Motor Company, he felt called to return to the artistic gifts God has given him and pursue a degree in fine arts from Miami University. While completing his degree, he began working in group homes in Cincinnati, found a full-time position with Children’s Hospital in an adolescent mental health unit and was inspired to earn his Masters in Social Work from the University of Cincinnati.
In this week’s episode, Brent shares what prompted him to make a midlife career change and live life on purpose. Hear why he believes art is a powerful tool for engaging reconciliation, truth, and empowerment while bringing hope and healing in the lives of children, families, and communities.
Don’t miss Brent’s powerful impromptu spoken word performance at the end of the episode!
Links to learn more:
Pieces Art Engagement – instagram account
ARTE – facebook
Follow Back2Back Ministries on Social Media:
01 | An Izuzu Trooper and an Atlas | Todd and Beth Guckenberger
Todd and Beth Guckenberger live with their family in Cincinnati and serve as the co-executive directors of Back2Back Ministries. After college graduation, the Guckenbergers packed up an Isuzu trooper and moved to Monterrey, Mexico where they lived for 15 years. Between biological, foster, and adopted children, they have raised eleven children.
In this week’s episode, Todd and Beth share some of the experiences that led them to realize they had something to offer, the emotions they were feeling as they crossed the Mexican border for the first time, and how their dream of being the difference has grown and changed in the past 25 years.
Hear why they still say people are worth the work, 25 years, 5 countries, 8 ministry sites, and thousands of co-laborers later.
Links to Learn More:
To learn more about Back2Back Ministries, check out Back2Back.org.
To hear more from Beth, go to recklessfaith.com.
Find Beth Guckenberger on Instagram.
Follow Back2Back Ministries on Social Media:
Episode 00
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.