Enjoying the Journey

In Episode 6 we are so blessed to be joined by author, speaker, and friend Jennifer Dukes Lee! Her books include "The Happiness Dare", "Love Idol", "It's All Under Control", and "Growing Slow", which is coming soon! As a former journalist, Jennifer used to cover crime, politics, and natural disasters as a news reporter for metropolitan newspapers. Now, she uses reporting skills to chase after the biggest story ever: the redemptive story of Christ. Jennifer farms with her husband and kids in Iowa, and brings amazing thoughtfulness and perspective to every conversation we have! Listen in to hear us talk about her journey from big city to small town, adversity in her life, and the idea of "happiness deferred", or, "I'd be happy if.......". Jennifer reminds us to enjoy the things in our life we take for granted, and we're so excited for you to take a listen!

In episode 5, we are lucky enough to be joined by our good friend and AMAZING illusionist Joshua Jordan!!! Joshua is an award winning Illusionist, comedian and international speaker, and is a favorite of ours because of the way he combines his comedy, illusions, and ministry. He excels at improv, making all of his shows unique and fun, and we have been so lucky to travel with him and have him at RiseFest! Listen in to hear Joshua talk with Rob about the way he came to Jesus, and about how he was able to come through a period of questioning and uncertainty in his faith journey that many of us encounter. Though ministry can be a battle, and an extremely tough road, Joshua remains positive, hilarious, and devoted to sharing about the hope of Christ with others!

Episode 4 was so fun to record, as we sat down with one of our favorite people, Pastor Justin Jenness from Hilltop United Methodist Church in Sioux Falls!!! Justin has been a friend of ours for a long time, from being a church youth director here in Sheldon to traveling with us on mission trips, we've been through a lot. We talk to Justin about his road to ministry, what struggles he has encountered during this spring, summer, and now fall, and how he continues to enjoy his journey with his wife and three children! Justin shares about his time being homeless in college, becoming a lead pastor in the middle of a pandemic, and how he's held onto hope after losing his sister earlier this year. We talk about disappointment, and what it's like walking through the fire knowing that we're never alone. We hope you find encouragement on today's episode!

In episode 3 of the podcast, we sit down with another artist that we love having at RiseFest, Cade Thompson! Shortly after finishing high school, Cade moved to Nashville, Tennessee, and signed a record deal with Red Street Records, an independent Christian label founded by Rascal Flatts member, Jay DeMarcus. In February of 2020, Cade made waves across the Christian music community with the release of his debut single, “Provider”. Currently, Cade is in the studio writing and recording his debut album.

Rob and Cade talk about what it's like to be a successful Christian recording artist at such a young age, the struggle that has been staying positive during a COVID-caused downtime that has been difficult for so many artists, and the meanings behind Cade's most recent singles that speak to many so deeply, especially now!

Our guest on this week's episode is Liz Forkin Bohannon!!! She is the founder of Sseko Designs, an ethical fashion brand that works to educate and empower women. By providing employment and educational opportunities, Sseko enables women to continue their education and become leaders in their country.

Using her unlikely story of a journalist-gone-shoe-maker, Liz shares her passion for social enterprise, conscious consumerism, social justice, creative leadership, gender equity, risk-taking, and empowering women. She believes deeply that business is a powerful platform for social change and that girls are our future.

We're so excited for you to listen to Rob and Liz talk about their journey's together, how miracles come in different forms and unexpected places, and how a helping hand can mean as much for the person giving as it does the person receiving!