Peace Love and Bring a Bat
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  • FILL YOUR OWN CUP: ASHLY BALZA ON SELF-RENEWAL, BOUNDARIES & FINDING YOUR IDENTITY
    FILL YOUR OWN CUP: ASHLY BALZA ON SELF-RENEWAL, BOUNDARIES & FINDING YOUR IDENTITY

    What happens when you spend so much time taking care of everyone else that you forget how to take care of yourself?

    On this episode of Peace, Love, and Bring a Bat, Uncle Dave welcomes Ashly Balza, known as The Self-Renewal Coach, founder and CEO of Arise & Ascend Coaching, entrepreneur, wife, mother of seven, grandmother of two, and homeschool mom.

    Ashly’s journey into self-renewal began after the birth of her sixth child, when a life-threatening septic infection landed her in the hospital. That experience forced her to confront a difficult truth:

    She could not keep putting everyone else ahead of herself.

    In this episode, you will discover:

    • Why Ashly stopped chasing “balance” and started seeking harmony

    • How a medical crisis completely shifted her priorities
    • Why your value cannot depend on other people
    • How coaching and community helped rebuild her confidence
    • Why even coaches need coaches
    • How to recognize when your resources are depleted
    • Why boundaries protect your energy
    • How giving people unlimited access creates burnout
    • Why “That doesn’t work for me” can be a complete answer
    • How over-explaining can weaken boundaries
    • Why self-trust begins with everyday decisions
    • How Ashly recognizes her physical and emotional limits
    • Why self-care does not require expensive activities
    • How faith, friendship, prayer, journaling, and rest help her reset
    • Why breathing can interrupt stress and emotional reactions
    • How knowing yourself changes how you show up for others

    WHEN YOUR BODY MAKES YOU STOP

    For years, Ashly put everyone else first.

    Then her body forced her to listen.

    After developing a severe septic infection, she found herself in the hospital confronting the possibility that she might not be there to watch her children grow up.

    That changed her perspective.

    Taking care of herself was no longer optional.

    It was necessary.

    FORGET BALANCE—FIND HARMONY

    Ashly does not believe life needs to be perfectly balanced.

    With family, homeschooling, businesses, relationships, and coaching, different areas will require more attention at different times.

    She prefers the word:

    Harmony.

    The goal is not giving everything equal time.

    It is creating alignment without losing yourself.

    STOP GIVING EVERYONE UNLIMITED ACCESS

    When you always answer immediately, always say yes, and always make yourself available, people begin expecting constant access.

    Eventually, your cup runs dry.

    Ashly learned that boundaries can sound as simple as:

    “That doesn’t work for me.”

    You do not always need an excuse.

    You do not need permission.

    And you do not need to explain every decision.

    TRUST YOURSELF

    Ashly believes self-trust develops through the small decisions we make every day.

    Every time you make a healthy choice and honor it, you reinforce:

    I can trust myself.

    That confidence eventually carries into bigger decisions involving relationships, business, parenting, and purpose.

    FILL YOUR OWN CUP

    Self-care does not have to mean a spa day or an expensive vacation.

    It might be:

    A hot cup of coffee.

    Prayer.

    Worship music.

    Journaling.

    A walk outside.

    Talking with trusted friends.

    Taking a day off.

    Or simply stopping long enough to breathe.

    Ashly’s reminder is simple:

    You can’t pour from an empty cup.

    When you are depleted, everyone around you experiences that version of you too.

    RESPOND INSTEAD OF REACT

    Stress makes reaction easy.

    Ashly recommends something incredibly simple:

    Breathe.

    Slow down.

    Reset your nervous system.

    Then decide how you want to respond.

    That small pause can change an entire conversation.

    SEED FOR THE MAGIC GARDEN

    Ashly Balza’s seed is:

    Find who you are. Find what you enjoy doing.

    What lights you up?

    What could you talk about for hours?

    What makes you want to serve and help others?

    Those answers may be pointing toward your purpose.

    Know yourself.

    Trust yourself.

    Renew yourself.

    And fill your own cup so you can show up fully for the people who matter most.

    CONNECT WITH ASHLY BALZA

    Find Ashly Balza — The Self-Renewal Coach on Facebook.

    Founder & CEO: Arise & Ascend Coaching

    #PeaceLoveAndBringABat #AshlyBalza #SelfRenewal #FillYourCup #Boundaries #Identity #Burnout #SelfCare #Faith #Purpose #Mindset #PersonalGrowth

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    https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/peace-love-and-bring-a-bat/id1552738547

    32 min
  • DON’T JUST EXIST—LIVE: SAMI STEIGMANN ON SURVIVAL, REMEMBRANCE & STANDING UP TO HATE
    DON’T JUST EXIST—LIVE: SAMI STEIGMANN ON SURVIVAL, REMEMBRANCE & STANDING UP TO HATE

    What does it mean to survive history—and then spend the rest of your life making sure the next generation learns from it?

    On this episode of Peace, Love, and Bring a Bat, Uncle Dave welcomes Sami Steigmann, Holocaust survivor, Israeli Air Force veteran, motivational speaker, educator, and advocate against Jew hatred.

    Sami was born in 1939 and, as a young child, was deported with his family to a labor camp in the former Soviet Union. He later learned that he had been subjected to medical experimentation—something he says contributed to lifelong physical pain.

    But Sami is very clear:

    “I am not what happened to me.”

    What defines him is what he does with his life now.

    In this episode, you will discover:

    • Why Sami believes Holocaust stories must continue to be told

    • The difference between concentration, labor, and death camps
    • How his family survived deportation and displacement
    • Why he says luck played an important role in survival
    • How he learned at age 31 about medical experiments performed on him
    • Why education is central to combating hate
    • Why Sami prefers the phrase Jew hatred over anti-Semitism
    • His EMET framework for educating young people
    • Why he begins speaking to children as early as first grade
    • Why young people must become upstanders instead of bystanders
    • His experiences serving in the Israeli Air Force
    • Why Israel became so important to him after the Holocaust
    • His perspective on October 7th and defending Jewish life
    • Why media and communication matter when fighting hate
    • Why remembrance is about learning from the past—not living as a victim

    I AM NOT WHAT HAPPENED TO ME

    Sami’s guiding philosophy is:

    “I am not what happened to me.”

    The Holocaust.

    Homelessness.

    Pain.

    Loss.

    Those experiences are part of his story, but they are not his identity.

    His identity comes from what he chooses to do now.

    That mission is captured in EMET, the Hebrew word for truth:

    E — Educate

    M — Motivate
    E — Empower
    T — Tolerance

    For Sami, tolerance does not mean accepting harmful behavior. It means respecting other people’s cultures and opinions while refusing to remain silent in the face of hatred.

    ZACHOR — REMEMBER

    Sami explains that Jewish life does not simply view the Holocaust as history.

    The word Zachor means remember.

    It means bringing the past into the present so future generations understand what happens when hatred grows without consequences.

    His message is:

    Learn what happened. Understand how it happened. Recognize the warning signs.

    EDUCATION, EDUCATION, EDUCATION

    Sami uses a famous line about getting to Carnegie Hall:

    Practice, practice, practice.

    His answer to fighting ignorance is similar:

    Education, education, education.

    You cannot force someone to change.

    But you may be able to change their perspective.

    And to do that, you must know what you are talking about.

    FORGIVE YOURSELF

    Sami also shares how becoming homeless forced him to examine his own decisions.

    He had trusted the wrong people, given them cash, and failed to put agreements in writing.

    Eventually, he stopped focusing only on what others had done and asked:

    “What did I do that brought me here?”

    That led him to two important lessons:

    Forgive yourself.

    And:

    Be kind to yourself.

    Learn from the mistake.

    Then move forward.

    WORDS MATTER

    Sami deliberately uses Jew hatred instead of anti-Semitism.

    Why?

    Because he believes the language should be direct and impossible to misunderstand.

    Words shape perception.

    Clear language creates clearer conversations.

    SEED FOR THE MAGIC GARDEN

    Sami Steigmann’s seed is:

    Don’t just exist. Live.

    Talk.

    Ask questions.

    Educate yourself.

    Stand up.

    Become an upstander instead of a bystander.

    Be proud of who you are.

    And use your life to help create a more compassionate, loving world.

    #PeaceLoveAndBringABat #SamiSteigmann #HolocaustSurvivor #NeverAgain #Zachor #JewishHistory #JewHatred #Israel #Education #Upstander #Tolerance #EMET #Resilience

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    https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/peace-love-and-bring-a-bat/id1552738547

    1 hr 12 min
  • NEVER FORGET MEANS NEVER STOP TELLING THE STORY: GARY MARLON GERE ON 9/11, RECOVERY & RESILIENCE
    NEVER FORGET MEANS NEVER STOP TELLING THE STORY: GARY MARLON GERE ON 9/11, RECOVERY & RESILIENCE

    What does “Never Forget” really mean 25 years after September 11, 2001?

    On this episode of Peace, Love, and Bring a Bat, Uncle Dave welcomes Gary Marlon Gere, New York City playwright, actor, screenwriter, and civilian volunteer who spent seven months working at the World Trade Center site after 9/11.

    Gary did not arrive as a firefighter, police officer, journalist, or photographer. Like thousands of others, he simply wanted to help. That decision placed him inside one of the most devastating chapters in American history—and ultimately changed the direction of his life.

    In this episode, you will discover:

    • Why Gary volunteered at Ground Zero

    • How he learned to search and sift for human remains
    • Why photography was heavily restricted at the site
    • The powerful honor guard ceremonies that moved him
    • What Gary discovered inside the abandoned PATH subway tunnels
    • Why one collapsed subway car convinced him never to return underground
    • How workers emotionally survived what they witnessed
    • Gary’s experience with PTSD and the World Trade Center Health Program
    • Why Reverend Myddys de Champlain became a source of strength
    • How Gary’s journals eventually became the play Recovery
    • Why authentic Ground Zero equipment was used in the stage production
    • Gary’s frustrations with the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund
    • How his experiences inspired the screenplay Below Zero
    • Why he believes a new generation needs these stories now more than ever

    SHOWING UP

    Gary says he was no different from countless people after the attacks.

    Some donated supplies.

    Some cooked meals.

    Some supported firefighters.

    Gary asked:

    “How can I help?”

    Through a friend in the fire department, he was eventually given the opportunity to work alongside recovery crews.

    What began as volunteering became seven months of digging, searching, witnessing, listening, and learning.

    FROZEN IN TIME

    Months after the attacks, Gary was granted access to PATH subway tunnels beneath the site.

    He describes discovering a train frozen in time from the morning of September 11—newspapers, coffee cups, personal belongings, and signs that passengers had fled suddenly.

    When Gary returned one night, a train he had previously walked through had been crushed by a structural collapse.

    His reaction was immediate:

    “If I was on that train, I’m dead.”

    That was his final underground visit.

    YOU LEARN TO COEXIST WITH IT

    Gary explains that surviving Ground Zero emotionally often required shutting feelings down temporarily.

    Later came PTSD treatment through Columbia University and the Mount Sinai World Trade Center program.

    Gary says PTSD no longer controls his life.

    But it does not simply disappear.

    You learn how to coexist with it.

    RECOVERY

    Gary kept extensive journals during his time at Ground Zero.

    Those writings eventually inspired Recovery, his off-Broadway play centered on an FDNY lieutenant struggling with survivor’s guilt after losing his brother on 9/11.

    The production incorporated actual clothing, helmets, and digging tools loaned by people who worked at Ground Zero.

    For Gary, it was never simply theater.

    It was preservation.

    It was testimony.

    It was memory brought back to life.

    BELOW ZERO

    Gary is also developing Below Zero, a feature screenplay about a journalist who enters Ground Zero searching for the story of a lifetime, becomes trapped beneath the site, and suddenly becomes the story himself.

    The fictional story grew from situations Gary personally witnessed and locations he explored.

    NEVER FORGET

    Twenty-five years later, an entire generation knows September 11 primarily through history books, videos, and stories from others.

    That makes firsthand testimony even more important.

    Gary believes writers, survivors, recovery workers, families, and witnesses need to continue telling these stories.

    Because Never Forget cannot simply be something we say once a year.

    It requires remembering the people.

    Remembering the sacrifice.

    And remembering what happened.

    SEED FOR THE MAGIC GARDEN

    Gary’s journey leaves us with a powerful message:

    Show up. Tell the story. Keep the memory alive.

    You may not consider yourself a hero.

    You may simply believe you did what needed to be done.

    But sometimes showing up when people need you most becomes part of history.

    #PeaceLoveAndBringABat #GaryMarlonGere #September11 #NeverForget #911 #GroundZero #Recovery #PTSD #FirstResponders #NewYorkCity #Resilience #Storytelling

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    https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/peace-love-and-bring-a-bat/id1552738547

    56 min
  • FROM SURVIVING TO THRIVING: JOANNA PIXLEY ON TRAUMA, FORGIVENESS, FAITH & BECOMING WHO YOU WERE MADE TO BE
    FROM SURVIVING TO THRIVING: JOANNA PIXLEY ON TRAUMA, FORGIVENESS, FAITH & BECOMING WHO YOU WERE MADE TO BE

    What happens when your earliest memories are filled with abuse, fear, and survival—but you refuse to let those experiences write the ending of your story?

    On this episode of Peace, Love, and Bring a Bat, Uncle Dave welcomes Joanna Pixley, mother of four, entrepreneur, former ministry leader, wellness coach, author, and speaker whose testimony is rooted in trauma, resilience, forgiveness, healing, and faith.

    Joanna shares an intensely personal journey that began with severe childhood abuse and eventually led her through addiction, family estrangement, ministry, marriage, divorce, serious illness, single motherhood, homelessness, entrepreneurship, and a completely different understanding of God.

    In this episode, you will discover:

    • How childhood abuse shaped Joanna’s ability to trust

    • Why she left home at only 15 years old
    • The spiritual experience she says completely shook her worldview
    • How a call from her sister led her into a church she never expected to enter
    • The moment Joanna became convinced God knew her personally
    • Why forgiveness became one of the hardest parts of her healing
    • How releasing hatred changed her emotionally
    • Her years as a pastor’s wife and ministry leader
    • Why religious position did not guarantee a healthy marriage
    • The medical crisis that nearly took her life
    • Why facing death made Joanna realize she had been surviving instead of living
    • How she describes rebuilding her health through nutrition, detox practices, prayer, and lifestyle changes
    • Why she decided she would no longer allow fear to control her life
    • How she raised four children through divorce and instability
    • Why trusting God became a daily decision rather than a religious slogan
    • The story behind her parenting book Making Disciples
    • Why she is finally willing to publicly tell the story she once wanted to hide

    FROM NUMB TO ALIVE

    Joanna describes becoming emotionally numb as a child after years of violence and abuse.

    She stopped trusting people.

    She stopped trusting God.

    Eventually, she says a spiritual experience forced her to confront questions she had spent years avoiding.

    Days later, a sister she had barely spoken with invited her to church.

    That decision became the beginning of a completely different life.

    THE POWER OF FORGIVENESS

    One of Joanna’s greatest battles was forgiving the stepfather she says caused enormous trauma in her childhood.

    She did not pretend the abuse was acceptable.

    She did not erase what happened.

    Instead, she describes reaching a point where she could finally release the hatred she had carried.

    As she prayed:

    “I forgive him.”

    Joanna says years of bitterness began giving way to something she had barely experienced before:

    Joy.

    I WAS SURVIVING—NOT LIVING

    Years later, a severe medical crisis sent Joanna into surgery without knowing whether she would survive.

    She remembers praying:

    “Whether I live or die, I belong to You.”

    But she also asked for enough life to raise her children.

    That moment gave Joanna another realization:

    She had spent years surviving.

    She had not truly been living.

    So she made a decision:

    Do it scared.

    Face the fear.

    Take the step.

    Stop waiting for life to feel perfectly safe.

    BUILDING A LIFE AFTER EVERYTHING FALLS APART

    Marriage ended.

    Ministry ended.

    Financial security disappeared.

    At one point Joanna says she was sleeping in her car while getting hotel rooms when her children were with her.

    In one of her darkest seasons, she held onto a message she believed God gave her:

    “Don’t forget in the dark what I told you in the light.”

    She kept rebuilding.

    Today, her children are grown, her health has dramatically changed from those crisis years, and Joanna is finally sharing the testimony she once wanted to keep private.

    SEED FOR THE MAGIC GARDEN

    Joanna’s seed is about becoming the person you were created to be.

    Your time is limited.

    Your story matters.

    The goal is not pretending your past never happened.

    It is refusing to let the past keep you from becoming fully you.

    Let the work happen.

    Heal.

    Forgive.

    Grow.

    And use the time you have.

    #PeaceLoveAndBringABat #JoannaPixley #PowerOfTestimony #Faith #TraumaHealing #Forgiveness #Resilience #Survivor #Transformation #SingleMom #Healing #Authenticity

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    https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/peace-love-and-bring-a-bat/id1552738547

    51 min
  • GOD DOESN’T FORGET A PROMISE: OWEN WILSON ON FAITH, LOSS, MIRACLES & SURVIVING THE IMPOSSIBLE
    GOD DOESN’T FORGET A PROMISE: OWEN WILSON ON FAITH, LOSS, MIRACLES & SURVIVING THE IMPOSSIBLE

    What happens when life takes away what you prayed hardest to keep—and then years later gives you a moment that feels impossible to explain?

    On this episode of Peace, Love, and Bring a Bat, Uncle Dave welcomes Owen Wilson, New Zealand Air Force veteran, aircraft mechanic, pilot, husband, father, and man of deep faith.

    Owen grew up in the Solomon Islands as the son and grandson of missionaries. His life has been shaped by faith from childhood—but also by devastating loss, answered prayers, miraculous timing, and one terrifying flight that could have ended very differently.

    In this episode, you will discover:

    • What it was like growing up in the Solomon Islands

    • Why Owen made his parents’ faith his own at age seven
    • The heartbreaking loss of his firstborn son
    • How grief tested his relationship with God
    • Why Owen and his wife chose not to pursue legal action after their son’s death
    • The promise Owen believed God gave him about future children
    • How his twins were born at only 28 weeks
    • The extraordinary Northern Lights moment that became deeply personal to him
    • How a routine microlight flight suddenly became a fight for survival
    • Why the aircraft engine unexpectedly stopped over mountains and ocean
    • How Owen and his friend prayed as the plane descended
    • The airstrip that appeared at exactly the right moment
    • Why the words “Jesus Is Lord” stopped Owen in his tracks after landing
    • How “Truth and Grace” became part of an already unbelievable story
    • What investigators later discovered about the plane’s fuel gauge
    • Why Owen believes timing—not luck—saved their lives

    WHEN THE ANSWER ISN’T WHAT YOU WANT

    Owen and his wife were expecting their first child when complications forced an emergency delivery.

    Their premature son died shortly after birth.

    Owen admits he was angry with God.

    He questioned everything.

    But eventually, he says he felt challenged to trust God even when the answer was not the one he wanted.

    Years later, Owen and his wife became pregnant again.

    Before the first scan, Owen told her:

    “Don’t be surprised if it’s twins.”

    It was.

    Their twins arrived at 28 weeks and became what Owen calls miracle children.

    I HAVEN’T FORGOTTEN

    A year later, Owen returned to Canada.

    While driving the same road where he had once prayed desperately for a sign during his first child’s crisis, he again quietly prayed.

    Then his father-in-law asked:

    “Have you ever seen the Northern Lights?”

    Owen looked outside.

    The entire sky was alive.

    For him, the message was unmistakable:

    “I haven’t forgotten.”

    WE’RE GOING DOWN

    Years later, Owen took his friend Grant for a flight in a small microlight aircraft.

    The engine suddenly stopped.

    They were over steep mountains and deep water with nowhere safe to land.

    Owen told Grant:

    “Pray hard, because we’re going down.”

    The engine briefly restarted, giving them just enough altitude to clear a ridge.

    Then it died again.

    Directly below them was an airstrip Owen says he had never seen despite years of flying the area.

    They landed safely.

    Nearby stood a windmill with the words:

    “Jesus Is Lord.”

    Then they met a young couple named Truth and Grace.

    TIMING CHANGES EVERYTHING

    Investigators later discovered the aircraft’s fuel gauge had been installed incorrectly.

    The plane contained significantly less fuel than Owen believed.

    He says if the engine had stopped only a little earlier—or later—they likely would have ended up in the ocean or mountains.

    For Owen, the miracle was not simply finding land.

    It was being in exactly the right place at exactly the right time.

    SEED FOR THE MAGIC GARDEN

    Owen’s seed is:

    Get to know your Maker before you desperately need Him.

    Build the relationship now.

    Talk.

    Listen.

    Trust.

    Owen’s journey has taught him that God does not always answer the way we want.

    But he believes:

    God provides. God remembers. And God does not forget a promise.

    #PeaceLoveAndBringABat #OwenWilson #Faith #Miracles #Prayer #Testimony #Aviation #NewZealand #Survival #DivineIntervention #TrustGod #Hope

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    https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/peace-love-and-bring-a-bat/id1552738547

    1 hr 6 min
  • GOD IS STILL INTERVENING: DANIEL FAZZINA ON MIRACLES, HEALING & THE POWER OF TESTIMONY
    GOD IS STILL INTERVENING: DANIEL FAZZINA ON MIRACLES, HEALING & THE POWER OF TESTIMONY

    What if the hardest moments of your life became proof that hope can survive even when everything feels impossible?

    On this episode of Peace, Love, and Bring a Bat, Uncle Dave welcomes Daniel Fazzina, author, radio host, publisher, and creator of the Divine Intervention book series.

    A native Long Islander, Daniel grew up in the Lutheran church and made his faith personal as a teenager. Years later, that faith would be tested through chronic pain, a life-threatening cancer diagnosis, family hardship, and seasons when his world seemed to fall apart.

    In this episode, you will discover:

    • How Daniel’s faith became personal at age 14

    • The back injury he says was suddenly healed during prayer
    • His 2002 diagnosis with a grapefruit-sized B-cell lymphoma tumor
    • Why doctors warned he might have only weeks or months to live
    • The moment Daniel surrendered the outcome to God
    • What happened when his halfway-point scan showed no tumor
    • How his experience inspired the Divine Intervention series
    • What he learned from more than 350 interviews about miracles
    • Why suffering does not disappear simply because someone has faith
    • How testimony can encourage believers and challenge skeptics
    • How the Power of Testimony event came together after years of struggle

    WHEN YOU CAN’T FIX YOURSELF

    At 27, Daniel was diagnosed with a massive tumor pressing against his pulmonary artery and restricting his oxygen.

    He pursued medical treatment, but one night in the hospital he reached complete surrender.

    His prayer became simple:

    If You want to take me, I’ll go. If You want me to live, I’ll serve You.

    Three months into treatment, Daniel says his follow-up scan showed the tumor was completely gone.

    A cardiologist later told him there was no scar tissue left behind.

    For Daniel, it became more than recovery.

    It became a calling.

    DIVINE INTERVENTION

    After returning to work, Daniel began sharing his story. Coworkers encouraged him to collect other extraordinary testimonies too.

    That eventually became Divine Intervention: 50 True Stories of God’s Miracles Today, featuring stories of healing, near-death experiences, conversions, answered prayer, and other remarkable events.

    Daniel says he included scans, medical records, and other documentation where possible—not to force belief, but to invite people to consider what happened.

    FAITH DOESN’T REMOVE SUFFERING

    Daniel emphasizes that faith does not make anyone immune to pain.

    His life continued to include divorce, family struggles, caring for his father through cancer, and rebuilding after major personal loss.

    Sometimes the miracle is healing.

    Sometimes it is finding enough strength to keep moving.

    THE POWER OF TESTIMONY

    Daniel also shares how the Power of Testimony event on Long Island came together, bringing people from his book together to tell their stories live.

    The purpose:

    Encourage believers.

    Challenge skeptics.

    Give people hope.

    SEED FOR THE MAGIC GARDEN

    Daniel’s seed is:

    Ask God if He is real.

    Be open.

    Ask honestly.

    Pay attention.

    Daniel believes God knows how to meet people personally. You may not receive the answer you expect—but the first step is being willing to ask.

    CONNECT WITH DANIEL FAZZINA

    Book: Divine Intervention: 50 True Stories of God’s Miracles Today

    Look for Daniel’s Divine Intervention radio show, books, and Power of Testimony events.

    #PeaceLoveAndBringABat #DanielFazzina #DivineIntervention #Miracles #Faith #Healing #Testimony #Hope #Prayer #PowerOfTestimony

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    https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/peace-love-and-bring-a-bat/id1552738547

    47 min
  • PRONOUNCED DEAD—THEN EVERYTHING CHANGED: JEFF MARKIN ON FAITH, SECOND CHANCES & THE MIRACLE OF LIFE
    PRONOUNCED DEAD—THEN EVERYTHING CHANGED: JEFF MARKIN ON FAITH, SECOND CHANCES & THE MIRACLE OF LIFE

    What happens when your heart stops, doctors pronounce you dead—and somehow your story is not over?

    On this episode of Peace, Love, and Bring a Bat, Uncle Dave welcomes Jeff Markin, whose extraordinary testimony begins with a massive heart attack and a medical crisis that completely changed the direction of his life.

    Jeff grew up on Long Island with faith mostly limited to Christmas and Easter. He faced learning challenges, family trauma, the loss of his father, business pressures, divorce, and years of putting work ahead of almost everything else.

    Then, on September 20, 2006, everything changed.

    In this episode, you will discover:

    • Why Jeff struggled with faith growing up

    • How childhood trauma shaped his questions about God
    • Why becoming a workaholic cost him balance in life
    • The personal choices that contributed to his downward spiral
    • What happened on the morning of his massive heart attack
    • How his boss’s decision to send him to the hospital may have saved his life
    • Why Jeff has no memory of driving himself there
    • What happened after he collapsed inside the emergency room
    • Why doctors eventually pronounced him clinically dead
    • The prayer that preceded one final attempt to revive him
    • Jeff’s description of an out-of-body experience
    • Why surviving was only the beginning of his spiritual journey
    • How Bible study, community, and asking questions transformed his faith
    • The incredible connection between Jeff and his future wife, Tricia
    • Why Jeff believes the greater miracle was not returning to life—but finding Christ

    ONE MORE SHOCK

    Jeff collapsed after walking into the emergency room.

    Medical personnel worked to revive him for more than 20 minutes. His body had become cyanotic, and he says he was eventually pronounced clinically dead.

    Dr. Crandall left the room—but Jeff recounts that the doctor felt compelled by the Holy Spirit to return and pray for him.

    After the prayer, the medical team shocked Jeff one more time.

    A heartbeat returned.

    Jeff later underwent stents and quadruple bypass surgery.

    THE MIRACLE WAS BIGGER THAN SURVIVAL

    When Jeff woke four days later, he had no idea what had happened.

    Over time, he began hearing the story of the emergency room and asking deeper questions.

    Why was he still alive?

    Why him?

    Who was Jesus?

    What did faith actually mean?

    Jeff says it took nearly two years of church, Bible study, men’s groups, retreats, questions, and learning before he truly developed the relationship with Christ he had never known.

    For Jeff, that became the greater miracle.

    GOD WINKS

    Years later, Jeff met his wife Tricia through Bible study.

    Then came an astonishing discovery.

    Tricia had been working as a nurse at Palm Beach Gardens Hospital the morning Jeff died.

    Whenever the emergency alarm sounded, she and her coworkers stopped and prayed for the patient.

    She had prayed for Jeff years before she ever knew his name.

    FAITH TESTED BY FIRE

    Jeff’s faith did not remove every tragedy.

    Years later, his four-year-old granddaughter Emmy died from brain cancer.

    Jeff describes moments like these as storms that force us to decide where our anchor is.

    For him, that anchor is Jesus Christ.

    Faith does not always explain why something happened.

    Sometimes it gives you the strength to keep walking when there is no explanation.

    SEED FOR THE MAGIC GARDEN

    Jeff’s seed is simple:

    Don’t wait until your deathbed. Start now.

    Find a community.

    Ask questions.

    Read.

    Learn.

    Show up.

    Build the relationship before the crisis arrives.

    You do not have to understand everything on day one.

    You simply have to begin.

    CONNECT WITH JEFF MARKIN

    Jeff’s testimony is also featured in Angel Studios’ Miracle, Episode 8.

    #PeaceLoveAndBringABat #JeffMarkin #Faith #Miracle #HeartAttackSurvivor #SecondChance #ChristianTestimony #Prayer #Resilience #Community #Transformation #Hope

    To support us:

    https://davidchametzky.com/

    https://www.youtube.com/@davidchametzkyNOW

    https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/peace-love-and-bring-a-bat/id1552738547

    48 min
  • FROM HATE TO UNCONDITIONAL LOVE: KAMAL SALEEM ON FAITH, EXTREMISM & CHOOSING LIFE
    FROM HATE TO UNCONDITIONAL LOVE: KAMAL SALEEM ON FAITH, EXTREMISM & CHOOSING LIFE

    What happens when everything you were taught to believe collides with an experience of unconditional love?

    On this episode of Peace, Love, and Bring a Bat, Uncle Dave welcomes Kamal Saleem, author, speaker, president of Koome Ministries, and former Muslim who shares an extraordinary personal testimony of radicalization, violence, faith, transformation, and reconciliation.

    Kamal describes growing up in a Sunni Muslim family in the Middle East, being recruited into extremist activity as a child, and eventually coming to America with beliefs centered on conflict and ideological warfare.

    But a catastrophic car accident—and the unexpected compassion of strangers—challenged everything he thought he knew.

    In this episode, you will discover:

    • Kamal’s distinction between everyday Muslims and extremist ideology

    • How he says radicalization shaped his childhood
    • His experiences as a child soldier and the trauma that followed
    • Why fear, isolation, and belonging can make young people vulnerable to extremism
    • The importance of separating people from dangerous ideologies
    • Why Kamal believes America’s constitutional freedoms must protect everyone equally
    • How a devastating car accident became a turning point
    • What happened when Christians he had been taught to distrust cared for him
    • Why unconditional love became impossible for him to ignore
    • His account of leaving Islam and embracing Christianity
    • Why he now speaks about loving Muslims rather than fearing them
    • His hopes for stronger relationships between Jews, Christians, and Muslims
    • Why reconciliation must focus on life rather than hatred

    WHEN YOUR ENEMY LOVES YOU

    After being seriously injured in a car accident, Kamal says he expected Christians and Jews to hate him.

    Instead, people cared for him.

    A surgeon brought him into his home.

    Families prayed for him.

    People helped with his medical and financial needs.

    They even helped him replace his car.

    Kamal describes this as the moment his worldview began to break apart.

    He had been prepared to fight hatred.

    He was not prepared for unconditional love.

    PEOPLE ARE NOT IDEOLOGIES

    One of the most important distinctions in the conversation is between individual Muslim people and extremist interpretations of Islam.

    Kamal repeatedly emphasizes his love for Muslim people today.

    His mission is not simply to criticize what he once believed—it is to reach people he believes may be trapped in fear, extremism, or oppression and show them another path.

    His message:

    Love people enough to see them as people first.

    FROM TAKING LIFE TO GIVING LIFE

    Kamal shares a deeply personal Christian conversion testimony, including what he describes as a spiritual encounter after reaching a point of despair.

    The transformation changed the direction of his life.

    He says:

    “I don’t want to take life. I want to give life.”

    The warrior mentality that once defined him became a mission centered on teaching, testimony, outreach, and reconciliation.

    THE ABRAHAMIC TABLE

    Uncle Dave and Kamal discuss their different religious backgrounds—Jewish and Christian—and the shared connection to Abraham.

    Rather than using those differences as weapons, they ask a larger question:

    How can the children of Abraham sit at the same table?

    For Kamal, peace requires honesty about extremism while still refusing to dehumanize entire communities.

    SEED FOR THE MAGIC GARDEN

    Kamal’s seed is ultimately about unconditional love.

    People may carry different religions, histories, cultures, wounds, and political beliefs.

    But hatred does not have to be the final chapter.

    Show people who you are through your actions.

    Choose life.

    Choose compassion.

    Build bridges where others expect walls.

    And become a light strong enough to help someone else find their way out of darkness.

    CONNECT WITH KAMAL SALEEM

    Koome Ministries:

    https://koomeministries.com/

    Books include:

    The Blood of Lambs

    Ishmael Redeemed
    The Coalition

    #PeaceLoveAndBringABat #KamalSaleem #KoomeMinistries #UnconditionalLove #Faith #Reconciliation #Extremism #Transformation #ChristianTestimony #InterfaithDialogue #Peace #ChooseLife

    To support us:

    https://davidchametzky.com/

    https://www.youtube.com/@davidchametzkyNOW

    https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/peace-love-and-bring-a-bat/id1552738547

    1 hr 8 min
  • TAKE A BREATH BEFORE YOU BLAME: JOHN HOLLWAY ON POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY, RESILIENCE & LEARNING FROM FAILURE
    TAKE A BREATH BEFORE YOU BLAME: JOHN HOLLWAY ON POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY, RESILIENCE & LEARNING FROM FAILURE

    What if the goal isn’t to eliminate stress—but to learn how to work with it?

    On this episode of Peace, Love, and Bring a Bat, Uncle Dave welcomes John Hollway, senior advisor at the Quattrone Center for the Fair Administration of Justice at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School and senior fellow at Penn’s Positive Psychology Center.

    John works at the intersection of law, criminal justice reform, psychology, resilience, and human performance. His work examines how individuals and organizations can learn from tragedy without immediately falling into blame.

    In this episode, you will discover:

    • What positive psychology actually means

    • Why positivity can become toxic when it dismisses real pain
    • How breathing helps interrupt fight-or-flight responses
    • Why longer exhales can signal safety to the nervous system
    • How preparing for predictable stress builds resilience
    • Why intellectual humility matters in law and leadership
    • What wrongful convictions teach us about certainty
    • Why stress is not automatically a bad thing
    • How support systems help prevent overwhelm
    • The difference between resilience and simply enduring
    • Why learning is more productive than blame
    • How “fundamental attribution error” shapes conflict
    • Why understanding another person’s “why” creates better conversations
    • How police departments and communities can learn together after tragedy
    • Why trust must be earned through repeated action

    A SMILE MAKES A LOUSY UMBRELLA

    John uses a Peanuts image to explain toxic positivity:

    A smile makes a lousy umbrella.

    If it is raining, pretending everything is wonderful does not make the storm disappear.

    Positive psychology is not about ignoring adversity.

    It is about developing tools, relationships, meaning, purpose, and resilience that help us navigate difficult circumstances without pretending they do not hurt.

    BREATHE FIRST

    When something unexpected happens, our bodies can quickly shift into threat mode.

    John’s first tool is simple:

    Breathe.

    Slow down.

    Make your exhale longer than your inhale.

    That physical act can help communicate safety to your nervous system and create enough space to think clearly again.

    You cannot always control what happens.

    But you can create a pause before deciding what happens next.

    LEARN INSTEAD OF BLAME

    John’s criminal justice work includes sentinel event reviews—examining tragedies such as wrongful convictions, officer-involved shootings, or deaths in custody.

    Instead of beginning with:

    “Whose fault is this?”

    The process asks:

    “Nobody wanted this outcome. So how did it happen anyway?”

    That change creates room for honesty, learning, and system improvement.

    John compares it to football teams reviewing film after an interception.

    The goal is not simply to blame the quarterback.

    Study the entire play.

    Understand what everyone saw.

    Then design a better response for next time.

    YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU DON’T KNOW

    Wrongful convictions have taught John an important lesson about certainty.

    Jurors can sincerely believe they reached the correct decision based on the information available—and later discover new evidence that changes everything.

    That reality requires intellectual humility.

    Be confident enough to act.

    But humble enough to admit:

    I may not have the whole picture.

    UNDERSTAND THEIR WHY

    John discusses fundamental attribution error.

    When we make a mistake, we usually have an explanation.

    When someone else makes one, we may decide they are careless, lazy, stupid, or malicious.

    Instead, ask:

    Why might this make sense from their perspective?

    Understanding does not require agreement.

    It creates the possibility of solving a problem together.

    SEED FOR THE MAGIC GARDEN

    John’s seed is:

    Create more space before you dehumanize someone who sees the world differently.

    Take a breath.

    Ask why.

    Listen to their reasoning.

    Most people believe they are trying to make life better for the people they care about—even when their approach differs dramatically from yours.

    Before jumping immediately to blame, see whether curiosity can move the conversation forward.

    CONNECT WITH JOHN HOLLWAY

    Find John Hollway through the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School and the Quattrone Center for the Fair Administration of Justice.

    #PeaceLoveAndBringABat #JohnHollway #PositivePsychology #Resilience #CriminalJusticeReform #Leadership #StressManagement #Wellbeing #IntellectualHumility #Justice #Communication

    To support us:

    https://davidchametzky.com/

    https://www.youtube.com/@davidchametzkyNOW

    https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/peace-love-and-bring-a-bat/id1552738547

    51 min
  • RUN THE MILE YOU’RE IN: WILLIAM THOMAS ON LEADERSHIP, RESILIENCE & CROSSING THE STARTING LINE
    RUN THE MILE YOU’RE IN: WILLIAM THOMAS ON LEADERSHIP, RESILIENCE & CROSSING THE STARTING LINE

    What if the hardest part of reaching a goal isn’t crossing the finish line—but convincing yourself to start?

    On this episode of Peace, Love, and Bring a Bat, Uncle Dave welcomes William Thomas, executive coach, leadership educator, retired U.S. Air Force officer, author, and marathon runner based in Singapore.

    William spent 21 years in the Air Force before moving into higher education, corporate leadership, coaching, and entrepreneurship. At 42, he ran his first marathon thinking it would be a one-time bucket-list accomplishment.

    Nearly 50 marathons later, running has taken him across 17 countries, all seven continents, the North Pole, and even the Mount Everest Marathon.

    In this episode, you will discover:

    • Why William started running at 42

    • How accountability turned an idea into action
    • Why telling someone your goal can keep you committed
    • What his first marathon taught him about preparation
    • Why you should “run the mile you’re in”
    • How starting too fast can sabotage long-term success
    • Why resilience becomes critical when you hit the wall
    • What finishing last at the Everest Marathon taught him
    • How support from others helps us through difficult stretches
    • Why long-term goals create momentum
    • How William completed the Marathon Grand Slam
    • Why achieving one goal should lead to setting another
    • How marathon lessons apply to careers, leadership, business, and life
    • Why the starting line can be more intimidating than the finish line
    • How William’s experiences became his book Cross The Lines

    RUN THE MILE YOU’RE IN

    William Thomas learned one of his most useful life lessons through marathon running:

    Run the mile you’re in.

    If you are at mile four, worrying about mile 25 will not help you.

    You need to handle what is directly in front of you.

    The same applies to business, relationships, career transitions, and personal growth.

    Know where you ultimately want to go—but focus your energy on the next step.

    DON’T GO OUT TOO FAST

    William learned another lesson the hard way during the Berlin Marathon.

    He started too quickly.

    By 16 kilometers, his legs were already giving out.

    The experience taught him that excitement can cause us to burn energy too early.

    Whether you are starting a business, taking on a new leadership role, or chasing a personal goal, pace matters.

    You need enough left in the tank for the difficult miles ahead.

    LAST PLACE IS STILL A FINISHER

    The Mount Everest Marathon became the most physically difficult challenge William had ever attempted.

    He completed it in more than 14 hours, finishing the final portion in darkness.

    And he finished last.

    But that produced one of his most powerful lessons:

    The last-place finisher is still a finisher.

    William was not there to win.

    He was there to complete what he started.

    Success depends on knowing what your real goal is.

    CROSS THE STARTING LINE

    William believes people spend enormous energy thinking about the finish line.

    But often the most difficult line to cross is the first one.

    Getting off the couch.

    Starting the business.

    Applying for the job.

    Taking the class.

    Making the change.

    Once you begin, you can learn, adjust, and grow along the way.

    SEED FOR THE MAGIC GARDEN

    William Thomas’s seed is:

    Don’t hold yourself back.

    He did not begin running until he was 42.

    Today, marathon running is part of his identity.

    His reminder is that just because you cannot do something today does not mean you can never do it.

    There are already enough people and circumstances in life capable of holding you back.

    Don’t be one of them.

    CONNECT WITH WILLIAM THOMAS

    Connect with William Thomas, PhD on LinkedIn.

    Book:

    Cross The Lines — available on Amazon.

    #PeaceLoveAndBringABat #WilliamThomas #CrossTheLines #Leadership #Resilience #Marathon #ExecutiveCoaching #GoalSetting #Accountability #PersonalGrowth #Mindset

    To support us:

    https://davidchametzky.com/

    https://www.youtube.com/@davidchametzkyNOW

    https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/peace-love-and-bring-a-bat/id1552738547

    45 min

About Peace Love and Bring a Bat

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Finding balance in life is a process and it’s ever changing. Journey with Uncle Dave as we find out how to get through the rollercoaster of life while enjoying our clan of engaging, supportive…