Luminance Podcast

Walda Collins is a 23-year veteran, author, Life Strategist, and Chef, known as The Coaching Chef. A gifted teacher, this former Marine, Ms. Veteran America Finalist, and Restaurateur went from Guns to Gourmet and turned her passion into enthusiastically helping others fulfill their purpose and live a healthier life through food and faith. She shares her passion to encourage, equip and empower women to strategically align their lives through faith, healthy family relationships, finances, and fitness & health in today's interview. Enjoy! She has also released a new book titled A Warrior's Sword: 10 Strategies to Build Hope and Stand Strong in the Midst of A Battle! 

Greetings! Welcome to a sensational interview with Hugo V., Mr. Wonderful! Hugo Vrsalovic is the founder of Life Is Wonderful. He has met difficult challenges in his life that allow him to relate to people who are dealing with similar struggles. With over 20 years in recovery from gambling and alcohol along with being in therapy for 7 years, he truly believes that 12 Step meetings, therapy, and retreats work. 

Hugo V. is the son of immigrant parents and is fluent in Spanish. His family history is of Bolivian and Croatian background. Hugo V. has graduated with an MBA from Rice University, BBA from The University of Texas at Austin, and graduated from Strake Jesuit College Preparatory. He is a DTM Toastmaster.

Dr. Ross Beach, received a PhD from Michigan State University with a major in Agricultural and Extension Education. My wife Inky (Leslie) and I served 47 years with The Evangelical Alliance Mission in Korea, Chad and on special assignment. As a result, we gained extensive cross-cultural experience, having visited forty countries and lived in four countries. I speak English, French and Korean. I have taught workshops and seminars on Christian Community Development, online courses for Crown College, and participated as a guest speaker at Wheaton College Graduate School, Calvin College, Michigan State University and Moody Bible Institute. I recently wrote a book about those 47 years. It is titled Dying to Live and can be purchased at dyingtolivebookorder.com.

My wife died on Good Friday 2020 as her three bouts with cerebral malaria in Chad did result in severe Alzheimer’s years later.

About the book: Dying to Live is written from the heart as my wife and I faced life-threatening challenges and changes that required us to stand strong when confronting rebel soldiers, moving 220 tons of seed rice to 10,000 families in need, crossing the Sahara Desert by pickup, and dealing with cerebral malaria. You will find this book easy to read as the story comes to life from a collection of experiences over a period of years as recorded in past letters and reports. This book is an instructive read on living the Christian life by faith in God and following through by obedience and commitment to God’s will.

“A marvelous picture of service to Christ and Community. An exciting and inspirational account.”

Michael Pocock, PhD, Dallas Theological Seminary

“This captivating journey pursuing God’s will makes for a page turning book.”

Evvy Hay Campbell, PhD, Wheaton College

“Dying to Live is a deep story of obedience to calling, perseverance in hardships, ingenuity in perplexing and dire situations. It is unwavering faith in God’s grace and care.”

Marvin Newell, PhD, Executive Director, Alliance for the Unreached

Join me for a fun conversation with James Michels. He is a crime thriller writer from southeastern Michigan. He’s the author of Ice Rising and The Ballad of Johnny Carlo with his third release coming out in August. Ever since he was a child, he has been an avid reader of crime, both fiction and non-fiction, and he has been an officer with the Department of Corrections for seven years.

Joan Montreuil is a proud mother of six. Her family consists of two beloved daughters, three sons, and her adopted son LaMarcus Tinker. She has been married 37 years to her husband Byron.

She has always sought to be a servant leader. Joan is an ordained minister and puts her money where her mouth is. In 1993 Joan founded and formed a group Sister II Sister along with her sister Wanda Bryant. This sisterhood association consisted of writers, singers, and actors who would travel throughout New Orleans’ impoverished neighborhoods performing stage plays and spreading the message of faith and love. However tragically one year later the organization was dismantled due to a lack of support and countless internal misunderstandings. Yet, the vision and the effort to aid the hopeless and helpless would not die. Joan relaunched the vision of the sisterhood focusing on the arts. In 2017 Brilliant Women in Film (BWIF) was born.

Joan is not only the founder, CEO, and director of the award-winning BWIF, but also her grandparent production company, Wisdom Production, L.L.C. She is an award-winning author and filmmaker. She has over 26 years in the arts, entertainment, and media industry. She has written, directed, and produced countless stage plays that led her into filmmaking. After years of learning the craft of filmmaking and the business side of film, she crafted countless workshops involving the art of writing, theater, and filmmaking. Joan has hosted countless seminars and major events that cater to the arts and entertainment industry, including an annual film festival.

Joan is a seasoned creative and author of three self-help books, The Unexpected, Delivered From Destruction, and Beyond The Vows. Her portfolio also includes: two SAG feature films Walk By Faith, and Closer To Home, one non-union film, Beyond The Vows, one short film, Consequences, three BWIF films, Bullied, Homecoming, and Karma, and one SAG Web Series, Bayou City. She has been a guest on countless talk shows, in featured articles, and contracted celebrity appearances. Joan is known as a literary guru! She writes, directs, produces, and edits her own films by choice! Her future includes a film school, Cinema, Media, & Things Academy.

Joan is also the founder of The BWIF Writers Room which has been in operation for over four years. She has assisted countless aspiring writers in starting their careers including Houston-based writers, Nikol Johnson and Knycole Amerson.

Joan’s heart has always been to serve the community. She offers help where she can when she can, and she never looks for anything in return except that you pay it forward to the next person. Throughout her journey, she has met some incredible women who share similar visions for women in film. These women have come together under her leadership and formed an all-female writer’s team and production crew. BWIF is in high demand and they are up to the challenge as trailblazers in the film industry. 

We have a special guest host, author Dylan Raymond (a girl dad) who interviews Kenneth Andrus, a native of Columbus, Ohio. He obtained his undergraduate degree from Marietta College and his doctor of medicine from the Ohio State University College of Medicine. Following his internship, he joined the Navy and retired after twenty-four years of service with the rank of Captain. He has two daughters. He now resides with his wife in Honolulu, Hawaii. He is the author of  Congratulations, Your Daughter is Engaged, Now What? and The Defenders Series. 

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Our special guest is Kim Mason. Here's a little bit about this phenomenal woman. Kim Mason – She is the Executive Director of Women Cultivating Greatness. Kim is passionate about helping women live a life of excellence!  Women Cultivating Greatness (WCG) was created to address the needs of brilliant women who learn differently by offering tools and techniques that minimize barriers to economic, emotional, and educational success improving the overall quality of life. The organization's focus is quality of life improvement for women.   Kim created the Life Skills for Women Who Learn Differently which consists of ten classes that provide information that levels the playing field for women who learn differently.    Kim has dyslexia, attention deficit disorder (ADD), and short-term memory deficit.  She struggled through school her entire life.  Learning challenges affect every area of your life including mental health.  She is dedicated to helping women succeed so they can truly live their God-given potential. 

Kim was born in New York, New York but currently resides in the Houston, Texas area.  She is the proud mother of one daughter, Chere, and has been a member of Windsor Village Church in Houston, Texas for over 30 years. 

For more information:  www.womencultivatinggreatness.com

JAZMIN AVE’ ANDERSON is an American Radio/Television Personality, Accomplished Author, and Media Entrepreneur on a mission to connect people with the world, both within and outside the scope of their lives. She has spent 10 years hosting events as well as radio & television shows from coast to coast. 

Today through Radio, TV, Podcasting & Social Media, Jazmin is connecting people with every aspect of their life spectrum…be it Mentally, Physically, Emotionally, Economically, Socially, and Spiritually…with the objective to add relevance and positive contributions to their lives. 

 Jazmin is the President of JTV ONE Global Television-Where she writes, produces, and interviews new Guests every week…getting them to share their stories on how they have become successful as well as how they have overcome their obstacles. 

Through her in-depth interviews and other communication venues, She strives to encourage and uplift people through everything she does. 

  Jazmin Anderson has spent numerous hours as a journalist-interviewing celebrities, musicians, athletes, etc. And one of her main questions has always been about their journey to living a RICH life. She has taken the valuable nuggets from her interviews and those she gathered from her personal journey, to give you a handbook that shares her Ten prevailing thoughts on RICH living. Her Ten Golden Rules for Living a Rich Life, was published in August 2017, in her first book entitled “Live Fully”. 

In 2019, Jazmin received an award from Missouri City, Texas Mayor Yolanda Ford for “A Salute of Excellence” In Helping Make A Difference.

In December 2020, Jazmin released her second book “A Powerful Woman” Activate Your Power Now! This very informative book talks about Empowering Women to see, realize, embrace, and use their individual gifts and talents to help them tap into their greatest self. 

Jazmin has also been recognized by Council-Member Ellen R. Cohen for her service to Houston and for being a part of the “Girls Who Brunch” Tour. 

In October 2020, she was an “Honoree” as a Media Personality from Broadcast Houston. She is continuing to use her voice to enlighten & inform people. 

In March 2022, Jazmin was recognized and awarded by the City Of Houston, Texas State Legislature & U.S Congress for her contributions to the community.

Her love for people and for the empowerment of the human race in a positive way has taken her far. And her success has just begun as she continues her journey, both in her media interactions, community participation, and her personal career growth.

Jazmin is a beautiful person both inside and out, with an ambition to intentionally share her influence for good, through the world of diversified media connections, and her personal contributions.

Sharon Rolph discusses how to find your freedom during retirement. Sharon Rolph is a behavioral scientist and author who works as a retirement and essence coach. We discussed why finding your essence is vital regardless of age and unlocks an intentional life. 

Join Sharon as she interviews Nicole Roberts Jones, Bankroll Your Brilliance Expert & CEO of NRJ Enterprises. Nicole Roberts Jones is uniquely gifted at one thing – drawing out what’s best in YOU and helping you take your Brilliance to The Bank. A veteran of the entertainment industry, Nicole worked in Talent Management and Casting before shifting her talents to help others Bankroll Their Brilliance through her Brilliance Mastery Academy. 

 She now works with entrepreneurs to create multiple streams of income from what they already know in order to build an empire from their expertise. Her clients have included the Steve Harvey World Group, Dell EMC, McDonalds, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Lisa Nichols and Motivating the Masses, Coach Diversity Institute, and the BOSS Network to name a few.

Nicole is also a nationally recognized transformational speaker, bankroll your brilliance expert, and best-selling author of four books, the most recent being Find Your Fierce. She lives with her husband in a suburb of Washington DC, consulting, writing, and creating breakthroughs for her clients.