EXTRAordinary Lives

Most of us either fear conflict and avoid it, or relish conflict and cause turmoil. Donna, an author, national speaker, and podcaster, advocates the best way to handle conflict: address it with "grace, truth, and zero regrets." Now, wouldn't that be nice? Donna equips us with the tools and mindset to effectively navigate conflict in ways that strengthen relationships.

I highly recommend Donna's book on conflict: Healthy Conflict, Peaceful Life. I am also gleaning from her podcast, "That's Just What I Needed." For more information and resources, go to her website, or follow her on social media.

Dr. Claude Chan was a family and emergency room physician in LA before continuing his career in the Air Force. But how does an immigrant from Guyana, orphaned as a young boy, become a success story? Claude's answer: God alone. His stories of God's miracles of provision throughout his life convey his relationship with God as a Person, rather than Christianity as a doctrine. You'll glean lots from this humble, gifted communicator.

To read Claude's memoirs, Reflections of An Immigrant: My Sixty-eight Years In God's Boot Camp  (As of July 2006), click here.

Claude quotes Galatians 2:20, "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." He sings the song, "The Power of Your Love."

Jody's story of abandonment by her husband as a mom of three turned into a story of hope because she experienced the care and love of God through EXTRAordinary circumstances and people. All of this eventually led her to pursue helping others with the type of compassion and counseling she herself had received, and she is now the Director of Counseling at Seacoast Community Church. Jody's story is inspirational, and she provides insights into how we, too, can best care for those who are hurting.

Jody mentions these books: Helping When It Hurts by Robert Hunter and Side by Side: Walking with Others in Wisdom and Love by Welch.

Ellen mentions Dr. John Townsend's book, People Fuel, and Ellie Holcomb's album about the Psalms, All My Days.

Husband and wife team, Albert and Eva are living and thriving in China. Albert was born in the US and moved to China right out of college to teach English at universities; he has since helped operate a catalog business, launched a preschool, and is now a leadership coach for high-level executives. Eva is Chinese and taught marketing and negotiation strategies at a university and is now focused on educating their two adorable children and being a resource and friend to neighbors. Her story of how she came to follow Jesus is EXTRAordinary and not to be missed. They share about life in China and offer a unique, encouraging concept of being a married team. Eva offers insights into successful negotiations, and Albert elaborates on the 3 C's of adaptive leadership.

You can find Albert on LinkedIn and at the Adaptive Leaders coaching website. Albert's new book, Performance Leadership: 4 Keys to Extraordinary Results is on Amazon. And you can find his fun, techno-thriller here!

Eva is enjoying the Christian classic, The Pursuit of God, by A.W. Tozer.

As we enter into Passion Week before Easter, it has been encouraging to listen to Donna and Daryl's story. They took the "big leap" to start a high school ministry first in San Diego, and later in Russia with their young family. They've also experienced lean times, when following Jesus has simply been "step by step."

Still serving high school students after over 35 years, they offer solid, biblical wisdom and also fascinating insights into Russia in the '90s and now. They provide an example of faithful obedience in serving the Lord where He calls and reasons to believe in Jesus as the Savior of the world. He is risen!

Kelly Rose is the Executive Pastor at Central Bearden Baptist Church in Knoxville. She has had her share of tough situations in life, including growing up in a home with an abusive, alcoholic father and grappling with divorce after 30 years of marriage. But because Kelly has bravely chosen to grow from these experiences, she can help her congregation through loss and conflict.  Kelly shares with us the impact that patterns of behavior learned from our past can have on our relationships. In her enjoyable, soothing Tennessee accent, she offers authentic and impactful insights we all need.

Nancy never expected to experience marital unfaithfulness and was grieved to find out her husband's secret after 20 years of marriage. EXTRAordinarly, Nancy found a program at her church that helped her process this betrayal, become closer to Jesus, and learn how to live a more authentic life. Today, she and her husband share their story to help other couples, and she has blossomed in creativity, starting her own interior design business and, recently, a non-profit “dedicated to helping women reclaim their lives after the devastation of a partner’s addiction, infidelity, or abandonment." You will learn so much from Nancy, who is engaging, joyful, and wise.

Show Notes:

Nancy refers to the program at North Coast Church in Vista, California, called UJ - "Unintended Journey" - North Coast Church (Vista Campus). The next session begins August 11th, 2025 - registration usually stays open through Labor Day:

⁠https://www.northcoastchurch.com/support_groups/unintended-journey/⁠

• ⁠Book 1 (UJ) ⁠ - The Healing Choice Guidebook by Susan Allen - 6 month class
• Book 2 (UJ) - The Healing Choice Guidebook II:  The Journey Continues by Susan Allen - this book is currently sold out but can be purchased through Marlene at the church - 6 month class.
• ⁠Book 3 (UJ)⁠ - Boundaries - 1 year class
• Advanced UJ Books/Classes (after you finish the first 3 books) - each are 6 month classes that begin either August or January of each year:
• ⁠Safe People⁠
• ⁠Married & Alone⁠
• ⁠Intimacy Anorexia⁠

Nancy also mentions Lysa TerKeurst - Proverbs 31 Ministries - ⁠https://lysaterkeurst.com/⁠

These are the books of Lysa's that helped during a time of struggling with Betrayal.  ⁠Here is a link⁠ to a bundle that has all 4 amazing books:

• Forgiving What You Can't Forget
• It's Not Supposed to Be This Way
• Good Boundaries and Goodbyes
• Uninvited

Bob Goff:

• ⁠Love Does book⁠
• ⁠Dream Big Framework Academy Classes⁠

Nancy’s interior design business can be found at ⁠[email protected]⁠ and ⁠NDRestore.org⁠

• Follow her on Instagram Page at @nancydeanne_decor
• Here is the SD Voyager Magazine’s article about her design business: ⁠https://sdvoyager.com/interview/life-work-with-nancy-halladay/⁠
• And Canvas Rebel’s article: ⁠https://canvasrebel.com/meet-nancy-halladay/⁠
• Nancy's NEW nonprofit for women is “dedicated to helping women reclaim their lives after the devastation of a partner’s addiction, infidelity, or abandonment. We believe every woman deserves a peaceful space that reflects her strength and worth.” Find more info at ⁠ndrestore.org⁠.

Ellen mentions Josh White of Door of Hope in Portland, Oregon and his mantra, "Even on our worst days, Jesus is crazy about us." Here's a link to the church's podcast; this one features a message about Psalm 23: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/door-of-hope-southeast/id1263227507?i=1000698623525

Baylee is a former student of mine who is serving as an English teacher and missionary in a small village in Thailand. She began this journey at the age of 18 and is now 21. Her joy, enthusiasm, and funny incidents will delight you, and her intriguing and more serious stories will inspire you. Tune in to learn more about Thai and Buddhist culture, to hear about  Jesus' incredible impact on everyday lives, and to experience Baylee's incredible heart for others.

American Idol alum, Scott MacIntyre, was born blind and is a two-time kidney transplant recipient. His musical talent and positive personality won the hearts of the TV audience. Today, Scott and his wife, Christina, travel around the world telling their EXTRAordinary story of perseverance and God's care. They live their lives with "Enduring Hope," as their TV special and podcast of the same name emphasize. Scott's life is truly EXTRAordinary, not only because he was a participant on American Idol, but also because of the humble trust he chooses to put in Jesus every day.

Scott's website,https://scottmacintyre.com/, features his music, TV specials, podcast, and much more.

Find Scott and Christina's podcast, "Enduring Hope," by clickinghere.

Chris Earl, Former Navy Fighter pilot, squadron leader, instructor, and NORAD consultant is above all a humble man of integrity who is currently using his training and experience to teach and coach high-risk companies using the principles of human performance and the art of servant leadership. Chris shares EXTRAordinary stories of God's protection and provision and valuable insights on work, life, and following Jesus. You'll find this episode exciting, inspiring, and worthwhile.

You can find Chris, President of Cutlass Consulting and founder of The Earl Group on LinkedIn.

Ellen talks about Greg Koukl's organization called Stand to Reason, which can be found at str.org, and his book, The Story of Reality: How the World Began, How it Ends, and Everything Important in Between.

Ellen's website is https://www.extraordinary.live/ and you'll find her on Instagram @extraordinarylivespodcast