Overcome with Auntie Anne

When Sara Bottom was eight years old, she got her first job selling eggs at a local farmer's market. She knew she wanted to be "the person counting the money in the register," and her dream of becoming an entrepreneur developed from that moment on. But for Sara's dream to become a reality, she'd have to leave the only community she'd ever known and go out on her own. Today I'm talking with Sara Bottom on Overcome With Auntie Anne. She's not only been a big part of my life but has been a part ...

Lauren Amber Nielsen is an accomplished actor, model, and opera singer who has performed in over 35 musicals. On top of that, she was named Miss Sarasota in and will be competing in the Miss Florida USA pageant later this year. But in the midst of all the accolades and success, Lauren is also an overcomer of eating disorders, having battled with both anorexia and bulimia throughout her lifetime. Today on Overcome With Auntie Anne, I’m chatting with Lauren about these eating disorders, the str...

When Kathleen's older brother passed away, she felt the need to step in and replace him for the sake of her parents. "I need to make up for this lost child," she says. "I need to be this person that they lost." But doing so caused an identity crisis as her world was wrapped up in being who she thought they wanted her to be rather than being who she, or God, wanted her to be. This week on Overcome With Auntie Anne, I'm chatting with Kathleen Cooke about her journey towards stepping into her ow...

Abandonment is a big issue in many of our lives, and many have experienced it. In fact, my daughter, Lawonna, grew up feeling abandoned by me, and the two of us recently had a candid conversation on a previous episode about that very thing (link). After that interview, I talked with Lawonna's daughter and my granddaughter, Trinity, about the impact of abandonment through generations. It took me to a level of understanding abandonment in a way I honestly never thought about before. It was...

Dawn Hawkins describes her childhood life growing up in Colorado as rough. Not only did she grow up in a home with domestic violence and a terrible divorce, but she's also a survivor of sexual abuse. And being a survivor has given her a passion for standing up for human dignity around the world. April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. And because of that, I wanted to bring on a guest that is closely connected with and very knowledgeable about sexual exploitation. So this week on Overcom...

Jocelyn and Shane Sams weren't anticipating significant life changes as school teachers. They lived a pretty average American life with good jobs, a decent salary, and some security. But after finding out about a devastating situation involving their son at his preschool, the Sams decided to work towards change so they could take back control of their lives. This week on Overcome With Auntie Anne, I'm talking with Jocelyn and Shane about "overcoming the norm" and the notion that we should do ...

Ladye Love knows about loss. At fourteen, she lost her closest sister. And as an adult, she lost a baby girl that, medically, she wasn't even supposed to have. But through it all, she's learned more about herself and God's love, and she loves to encourage others. Today on Overcome With Auntie Anne, I'm talking with one of my favorite people in the world, Ladye Love Smith. We talk about the losses she's experienced and how, even in our overcoming, things don't always get tied up in a nice litt...

Monica took her first sip of alcohol at around ten years old. As time went on, her life started revolving around substance abuse, and to feed the addiction, she began selling herself. When she started dating one of her “clients,” she thought salvation was at hand, and she could finally be free of that lifestyle. But things only got worse when her new boyfriend forced her into the world of sex trafficking. This week on Overcome With Auntie Anne, I’m talking with Monica Charles about her experi...

Gloria Gaither is a gospel music legend. She and her husband, Bill, have written more than 700 songs, and they've created hundreds of award-winning recordings and a dozen timeless musicals that have been sung for decades. And even though they were named ASCAP's Christian songwriters of the century in 2000, Gloria has had her struggles with communication with God. This week on Overcome With Auntie Anne, I'm talking with Gloria about prayer, the struggles she's experienced with it, and how she ...

Isik Abla grew up in what she describes as a culture of shame. As a young girl, she was put down and made to feel worthless because of her gender and fell victim to physical and verbal abuse. This shame took root and created chains that held her in captivity for years, keeping her from experiencing true freedom. This week on Overcome with Auntie Anne, I’m chatting with Isik Abla about shame — how it’s birthed, how it binds us and keeps us from freedom, and how we can ultimately overcome it. D...