Connecting Goodness

Heidi sits down to chat with her dad, Dirk Oliver! They dive into his story of choosing to follow Jesus Christ and how that decision changed his life and the lives of many others. Dirk talks about how to become dependent on Christ and how Christ helps us see that we are all part of God’s family. Heidi asks Dirk about his experiences as a bishop and being the father of four girls. They also discuss the trait Dirk has of being excited and passionate about Jesus Christ and His gospel. Dirk shares that believing in Christ has made “the complete difference” in his life.

In this episode, Heidi and Sheryn Shahwan-Solórzano have a conversation about their faith traditions. Sheryn is Muslim and Heidi is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Sheryn shares what she believes about God as a Muslim and how one of God’s names in Islam, is “The Most Merciful.” Heidi and Sheryn talk about shared beliefs about God and similar faith practices such as prayer and fasting. Sheryn shares about Tahajjud, a special night prayer in Islam. Heidi and Sheryn also discuss the importance of family, the roles of men and women, and scriptures in their faith traditions. We hope this will be an important opportunity for listeners to learn about other faiths and see the things that we have in common. We believe the
opportunity to share about our beliefs with others and have these conversations between friends is another opportunity for “connecting goodness.”

During this episode Heidi talks with three mothers of children with special needs-her mom, Char Oliver, Chris McKendrick, and Karen Freeman. They share about how God prepared them to raise children with special needs. Char shares about praying for help when her daughter, Whitney, was born. Karen discusses the challenge of handing our problems over to God instead of taking them all on ourselves. Chris talks about knowing your spiritual gifts and saying “yes” to God. Each of them talks about how to support children with special needs and their families. They each bear powerful testimonies of Jesus Christ and how He has impacted this part of their story.

Certified health coach and group fitness instructor, Shaina Partlow, shares about how she has seen God move her to many places to be used in specific ways. Shaina talks about her journey to becoming a health coach, including all the work she put in along the way! Shaina also discusses her “why” for being a health coach and how God has given us our bodies as a gift. When we recorded this episode, Shaina was just about to give birth to her first baby, and she shares her experience with pregnancy and how it sometimes felt like a lonely journey.  She shares how God has guided her throughout her life and how she has learned she can choose to do hard things with Him.  

How to connect with Shaina!

• Instagram: @shaithisway 
• Website: www.shainajoyce.com
• Monthly Newsletter: https://shainajoyce.myflodesk.com/monthlynewsletter

Shaina is a certified health coach and group fitness instructor. She specializes in helping women learn how to live a healthy lifestyle with an equal focus on fitness, nutrition, and mindset.

Shaina began her health journey in 2019 when she was driving an hour and 15 minutes (one way) to work, working as a career coach (office job), and then driving back to her apartment to sit more. She felt uncomfortable in her body and knew that something had to change. Shaina finally committed to changing her lifestyle and thanks to home workout programs (because who wants to drive more after driving all day long) finally began seeing progress.

Shaina realized pretty quickly that physical results were great, but it was the mindset changes that affected her the most. She started talking more positively to herself, believed in herself, and knew that she could do whatever she put her mind to with the right tools and mindset. 

Shaina received her Health Coaching certificate through the Institute of Integrative Nutrition in 2020. She and her husband moved to North Carolina in 2021 where she began health coaching full-time. Shaina then decided to become certified as a Group Fitness Instructor and has led weekly livestream workouts as well as in-person fitness classes. Shaina also received her Certified Prenatal and Postnatal
Fitness Certificate in 2022.

Shaina strives to help women everywhere know that they can change their life…even with all of the things they have on their plate. She loves to read, be outside, and enjoys time with her husband, baby boy, and labradoodle (Sage). Shaina’s happy place is the beach, and her favorite food is pizza!

Today's episode is a little different than the others! Heidi shares a message about how she was prompted to get certified in skydiving and how learning about who God is helps us to trust and act on ANY prompting that we get from Him.

In this episode with Zil Eiler, Zil talks with us about walking in the dark and following a spiritual prompting that led her to marry her husband, Steve. Zil discusses trusting in God and His image of us rather than the self-image we paint for ourselves. She shares how each of us are born for a purpose. Zil also tells us about being led to a career as a life coach and three tools from life coaching: living from your future self, using the thought model to generate helpful thoughts, and dropping the “manual” for how others should act in our relationships with them. Finally, Zil discusses her faith in Jesus Christ, including how her faith in Him guided her through the recent death of her father. Zil shares that, “Through Jesus Christ all problems are solved.”

Zil Eiler Bio: 

Zil Eiler comes from a family of entrepreneurs where she learned foundational business concepts at a very young age. She launched her very first business at the age of 16 while studying Business Administration as a freshman in College in São Paulo, Brazil. 
She served a full-time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints on Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah and her faith in Jesus Christ guides all the decisions she makes in her life. Besides creating businesses, she has also worked in
corporate America where she received top sales and production awards. Today she lives in So Cal with her 3 kids and hubby, and has focused her efforts in coaching coaches and entrepreneurs to gain the confidence, mindset shifts and skills necessary to build a successful business.

In this inaugural episode of the Connecting Goodness podcast, Nicole Lyles shares her journey with the chronic illness of her daughter, Bri. Nicole tells about the life-altering moment when Bri received her diagnosis and what she has learned about trusting God and His plans for our lives. She highlights the importance of having faithful people in your circle and the support she received from her family’s foundation of faith. Nicole encourages listeners to “try Christ” and to trust God no matter what it looks like. Nicole also shares a glimpse of her book, “My Race to God’s Finish Line.”

Connect with The Bri Foundation: Home (thebrifoundation.com)

Read Nicole's book, "My Race to God's Finish Line:" My Race To God's Finish Line: Lyles, Nicole: 9798218971014: Amazon.com: Books

Nicole Lyles Bio: 

Nicole is a registered nurse and an entrepreneur. Nicole has dedicated her life to supporting others through their most challenging times.

Nicole's path to nursing and advocacy was deeply personal and transformative. In 2000, her world changed when her daughter Briauna was diagnosed with Ornithine Transcarbamylase (OTC) Deficiency, a rare and life-threatening illness. This pivotal moment steered Nicole towards a career in nursing, influenced by her mother's legacy in the same field, and ignited her commitment to helping others facing similar challenges.

In her pursuit to raise awareness and offer support, Nicole founded “The Bri Foundation” in 2015. This organization is dedicated to creating global awareness about OTC Deficiency and providing essential resources and support to families navigating similar challenges.

Alongside her non-profit work, Nicole is the CEO of “Lyles R.N Consulting Firm”, established in 2010. This Christian-based consulting firm offers a range of services tailored to meet the diverse needs of clients, including attorneys, businesses, and families. Her work encompasses legal nurse consulting, technical
writing, and clinical medical record review.

Nicole’s journey of faith and resilience also led her to the world of writing. She is a recently published author of “My Race to God’s Finish Line,” a book that narrates her life's journey through numerous challenges. The book is a compelling account of her spiritual and emotional strength in the face of adversity, 

As a mother, nurse, entrepreneur, and author Nicole has been able to inspire and support others in their journeys.

Welcome to the “Connecting Goodness” podcast! We are going to be connecting with people from all different backgrounds and hearing about how Jesus Christ has impacted their life story. 

We hope listeners will learn more about Jesus Christ and how He can impact every part of our lives.