Well hello there, Lovely! Welcome back to the LS Podcast, where we create space for real personal stories to be seen, heard, and understood.

After a very unexpected 2-month hiatus from this show, I'm so happy to be back! (Before we dive into today's topic, I'll fill-you-in on what's been happening here the last 2 months and why we took such a sudden break on this show.)

Today's episode is a solo episode discussing a very difficult topic…I'm finally opening up and sharing about the miscarriage and loss my husband, Sam, and I experienced earlier this year. In this episode, you'll hear our personal experience of walking through an unexpected miscarriage to gain an understanding of those with a similar story, and feel seen in yours. I hope to honor each and every story of miscarriage and infant loss with this episode, whether it's similar or drastically different. If you do find yourself walking a similar path, my heart is with you. 💗

Topics covered in this episode: - The story of how it all happened - The hardest parts of our lived experience - Helpful ideas of things that helped us heal

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In this episode, Pamela is sharing her own personal story of experiencing sexual abuse 3 different times beginning at age 5, the addiction to drugs that ensued to numb the pain by age 9, and the 35 years of addiction that ultimately landed her in prison for 18 months in 2010. Learn how God saved her life with His redemptive love while she was still in prison, and how He's equipped her to grow an organization focused on mentoring inside prisons!

She helps us better understand those who are incarcerated and the often underlying factors that lead them to prison.

Today Pamela is happily married to her husband, Os, and is founding President and CEO of LifeChangers Legacy, which exists to empower and equip "returning citizens" through her mentor-led programs to eliminate recidivism, reduce homelessness, and restore families.

Lifechangerslegacy.org

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Amilcar Valencia is a founding member and Executive Director of El Refugio, an organization accompanying immigrants detained at the Stewart Detention Center in Lumpkin, GA. The topic of immigration is very complex. It's a difficult topic to discuss, because there's so much to consider from both sides of the issue. This episode provides a glimpse into the "other side" of this issue we hear less about. In fact, you'll likely learn things in this episode leaving you in disbelief that such inhumane treatment is taking place in our country…

This conversation will help you better understand the topic of immigration in the U.S. from the perspective of the immigrant, while also seeing a behind-the-scenes look at what happens in our detention centers.

Join us as we discuss:

• How El Refugio helps immigrants living inside detention centers, the hospitality they provide their families, and the advocacy they do on behalf of immigrants
• Why people migrate, why they leave their home country, and why there are so many people immigrating to the U.S. right now.
• Understanding the immigrant experience, and what it's like along their journey
• Understanding the for-profit detention system in the U.S., how detention centers operate, and who owns them
• The inhume treatment of migrants, and what they experience in detention
• Stories of progress and advocacy for immigrants in Georgia, and more!

Follow El Refugio for more:

elrefugiostewart.org

Instagram @elrefugiostewart

Facebook @elrefugiostewart

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Missy Williams co-founded Seed Effect with her husband after a mission trip to South Sudan where they witnessed the need for displaced families to be supported in creating opportunity as they rebuild their lives. Since then, they have built a thriving organization with human dignity and the value of work at the heart of what they do.

In this episode, you'll gain a better understanding of the refugee experience. You'll begin to understand what she's witnessed in working with people in South Sudan and Uganda, as well as how specific finance solutions are helping refugees rebuild their lives through creating opportunity.

Topics discussed in this episode:

• Understanding the refugee experience and the unstable political landscape of South Sudan
• Reframing what it means to be a refugee
• Understanding the surprising reality of where most refugees end-up when they leave their home country
• Understanding the difference between micro-finance institutions and savings groups
• The power of micro finances and savings groups, and why they are necessary

This is a story that helps us better understand the topic of refugee migration internationally, and the successful tools available to help them in creating opportunity in their new home countries. The reality of where most refugees end-up when they leave their home country may surprise you!

Follow Seed Effect on Instagram @seedeffect and online at seedeffect.org.

Join their prayer team to receive their monthly prayer newsletter at seedeffect.org/pray.

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When Manda Carpenter stepped outside her marriage in unfaithfulness to her husband, the guilt and secrecy around what she had done spiraled into suicidal ideations. She didn't see a way out, and thought it would be better that she weren't alive…Until she confessed her greatest mistake and began to heal what was broken. Through her intentional soul care practices and a lot of grace, she was able to climb out of darkness and find the light once again!

In this episode, we discuss how to transform your life through tending to your soul in a way that requires vulnerability and grace. We also discuss relevant cultural topics for engaging in today's world in a healthy and productive way.

Topics covered in this episode: - Manda's personal story and the root-cause of her infidelity

• Soul care practices to transform your own life and live the life you long for
• Shame and it's power over us
• The power of grace and love
• The power of vulnerability and sharing our story
• How to decide what to share, and how to share it
• Manda's view on cancel culture, the toxicity it brings to our society, and how to engage positively to move constructive conversations forward instead
• The concept of "white savior complex", how to identify it, and how to dismantle it
• What it means to have privilege and identifying it within ourselves

These topics and more (much more!) are included in Manda's newest book, Soul Care to Save Your Life. Inside, she shares 15 soul care practices to move past your mistakes and transform your life — ultimately leading to a life well lived!

*If you or someone you know experiences a mental health emergency or suicidal ideation: call the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988.*

Find Manda on Instagram @mandacarpenter or go to www.mandacarpenter.com.

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In this episode we're flipping the mic! James Barnett, founder of Neighborly, is back on the podcast, this time to interview ME! I thought that while I'm asking others to share their story, it only makes sense to share mine too! In this episode, I'm sharing part of my personal story with you. It's my best attempt at sharing who I am, why this podcast exists, and all the ins-and-outs of what it took to get here.

While I still consider myself very blessed, I've had to navigate difficult seasons in my own life, just as we all do…After all, it's part of being human, living in a fallen (yet beautiful) world, right? In this episode, I'm sharing some of those more difficult parts of my life too.

Topics covered in this episode: - How Lovelight Stories began with God's calling on my heart - Why I'm doing this work and the journey it took to get here - How my brother Jesse became a big part of my own personal story - Dealing with anxiety and mental health

This episode is all about helping you get to know me better! I want to get to know you too, so don't forget to join The Lovelight Stories Community where we dig into our stories and social topics on a deeper level. I just can't wait to meet you, Lovely! 💗

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When James Barnett became disillusioned with the church, he knew he needed to go find Jesus elsewhere — by living in the margins. After having chosen to live homeless for two years, James founded Neighborly, a relationship-based poverty relief organization advocating for biblical justice. Their mission is to deinstitutionalize charity by helping you become friends with those at a disadvantage.

In this episode, you'll hear James' personal story of intentionally living without a home for 2 years, why he chose to do so, and how that lead him to found Neighborly. You'll also learn what he's discovered through it all - which is how to lovingly engage with those living in homelessness.

In this conversation James' helps us answer a lot of our burning questions about helping those living in the margins. - What is their perspective? Where are they coming from? What is it like to be them? - Did you make friends? What were they like? - Do you still happen to be friends with anyone you met during that time? Do you keep in touch in any way? - What did it feel like to be homeless? Were you treated differently? - Did you ever feel unsafe? - What would be your advice to people who want to engage with the homeless in an appropriate way? How should we talk to them? How can we help them? - What do you think people who are homeless wish we all knew or understood? - What's one thing you'd like us to understand about those living in the margins?

Topics discussed in this episode: - James' personal story of intentionally living without a home for 2 years - Why he chose to do so and how he actually took steps to do it - What it was like to live a day in James' shoes when he was homeless - How he and others were treated when he was homeless - The distinction between panhandling and homelessness - How his experiences lead him to found Neighborly

You might want to grab a pen and paper for this one! It's full of good nuggets to ponder. See you there!

ThatsNeighborly.org

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Simone Gordon is the founder of The Black Fairy Godmother Foundation, whose mission is to restore Black and Brown families' stability by removing the barriers that keep them in abject poverty and domestic violence situations.

In this episode, Simone shares her personal story as a single mother trying to find resources for her son with autism. She gives us a glimpse into understanding what it was like as she struggled to provide the life her son needed, and how she found life after trauma through the kindness of others.

You'll learn how Simone Gordon became "The Black Fairy Godmother" who helps thousands of people out of emergency crises' and into stability. Learn why she does all of this for no pay and how you can become what she calls, a fairy yourself!

Follow Simone's work @theblackfairygodmotherofficial on Instagram and Facebook.

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Jessica Randall has shared her story of turning her "mess into a message" for over sixteen years and has been featured on major international media outlets such as ABC's 20/20, Katie Couric, The Guardian, MTV, Netflix, and many more.

When Jessica was a freshman in college, she made a life-altering decision that resulted in the death of her best friend. In an effort to raise awareness, cope with her survivor's guilt, and keep her friend's memory alive, she began sharing her story. Jessica spoke to over 15,000 young adults across the country before she was sentenced to prison.

In this episode, Jessica graciously shares her story with us: the moment she realized her best friend was no-longer alive, and ultimately figuring out how to put her life back together while honoring the memory of her friend.

In this conversation, she and Stephanie discuss the following topics and more: - The immense survivor's guilt she carried, and her efforts to manage her mental and emotional health - How she gathered the courage to share her story publicly - How she navigated wide-scale public judgement and criticism while keeping hope for the future - Perspective into the harm our judgments and quick assumptions do to others - How Jessica has been able to use her public speaking experience to coach business owners in sharing their own stories!

This is a real and raw conversation of the darkness Jessica endured while struggling with survivor's guilt, and the courageous actions she took to find the light!

Follow Jessica on Instagram @jessicarasdall or find her online www.thepublicspeakingstrategist.com

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Welcome to The Lovelight Stories Podcast, a space where we uncover a deeper understanding of humanity through beautiful, redemptive stories that inspire our hearts. I'm Stephanie Jacobs, a storyteller and advocate for social justice, and your host of The Lovelight Stories Podcast. After spending multiple years studying social justice issues, I've realized the power story has in helping us to understand, empathize, and transform our worldviews into something that's just that…views that are truly worldly! Here in this space, we'll embrace our humanity through raw and authentic stories told by real people themselves. - We'll amplify their voices, and learn to connect in more meaningful ways. - Poverty, human trafficking, incarceration, race, immigration, and more… - We'll embrace difficult conversations, sometimes-controversial topics, and light-hearted stories too. If you long to see more love, empathy, and true connection in our world and your own life, this is the show for you! JOIN THE LS COMMUNITY! FOLLOW STEPHANIE ON IG FOLLOW THE LOVELIGHT STORIES PODCAST ON IG SHOW NOTES