Waking Up In America

Becca Stevens is an author, Episcopal priest, and the founder of Thistle Farms and Magdalene Residences. She was named one of “15 Champions of Change” for violence against women in 2011 by the White House, Humanitarian of the Year in 2014 by the Small Business Council of America and the TJ Martell Foundation, and was inducted into the Tennessee Women’s Hall of Fame in 2013. Her memoir, “Snake Oil, The Art of Healing and Truth-Telling” is available on Amazon.com.

Season 2 – EP 30

Read full blog on Huffington Post.

Click here for full transcript.

Tweet this: “Mercy is a two-way street” – Becca Stevens 

Check out the highlights

3:46 – Finding healing in the community

5:00 – “Mercy is a two way street” – Becca Stevens

6:51 – “I have a lot of other problems with a lot of other things in this world, but it’s not God.” – Becca Stevens

9:46 – The moment Becca decided to do something about sex trafficking.

11:54 – Why Becca named the program after Mary Magdalene

14:25 – “you heal women, you heal the whole village…”

16:34 – “what profession has 100% people reporting rape?”

20:02 – breaking the silence and releasing the story of abuse.

26:07 – Dorris Walker, a sex trafficking and abuse survivor sings “I am a Thistle Farmer”

How a Little Jar of Body Butter Filled with Love Heals Every Body

I don’t believe it’s possible to have a lunch at the Thistle Farms’ Cafe in downtown Nashville, use any of the “Love Heals” products, or read any of Becca’s books without feeling surrounded by love, grace and healing. By the time I sit down with Becca for our interview on Waking Up in America, I’ve already begun to experience the powerful changes she and this powerful community of women are triggering in the world.

Becca Stevens is an Episcopal priest, social entrepreneur, author of nine books and founder of Thistle Farms. She was designated a White House Champion in 2011, and in 2013 was inducted into the Tennessee Women’s Hall of Fame.

And under all the labels and achievements, she is a healer. She’s an incredibly strong and confident woman, and at the same time a humble and vulnerable soul. Between segments of difficult topics we discuss, she makes us laugh with unpretentious and unguarded humor. She puts no walls up, has no masks on – it’s just her and the truth ‘as she understands it.’ Her passion to heal women – and consequently the world – is contagious. Read more here >>>

Connect with Becca and Thistle Farms

Web: ThistleFarms.org

FB: ThistleFarms

Twitter:  @thistlefarms

Instagram: ThistleFarms

Watch Dorris Walker Sing

Dorris Walker, a Magdalene Graduate, Thistle Farms’ Event Coordinator and survivor of sex trafficking, addiction and abuse sings her original song

In this episode, I’m sharing with you an audio story I recorded for Matthew (my husband) for his birthday in 2016. It is a story of accepting one’s quest, the role we are given in it and going through it believing that we are not alone – even when the quest is battling Stage 4 cancer.

Waking Up in America – the podcast series is about people, music and stories that can help us heal, love and uplift others.

Matthew Cameron: “I Want to Live Through This”

Two days after Valentine’s Day of 2017, Matthew was diagnosed with Stage 4 Adenocarcinoma of the Lung. After the initial shock subsided, he said he wanted to live through it. And since then, each day he wakes up ‘feeling alive’ and ends each day with gratitude saying: “Thank you for a beautiful day!” Even on those days when he was bedridden suffering excruciating pain. His letter announcing his diagnosis and his attitude toward it moved thousands of people to show their support and to consider the precious moments of their own lives.

This episode features the audio story recorded on his birthday and reflects on Matthew’s role as Sam and Frodo, referencing one of his all time favorite books “The Lord of the Ring.”

Connect with Matthew:

FB: facebook.com/matthew.cameron

GoFundMe Page: gofundme.com/caring-for-the-camerons

Website: stormlightpictures.com/

 

 

Waking Up in America is partly supported by donations from Patrons at Patreon.com

Irenka, music artist from Belgium, based in Nashville TN talks about being unafraid to be who you are meant to be. Her own experience of not fitting in and being suicidal for 10 years of her young life drives her to inspire others to live courageously and authentically.

Waking Up in America – the podcast series is about people, music and stories that can help us heal, love and uplift others.

Meet Irenka:

Shaped by the streets of Brussels and Paris, Irenka’s colorful music transcends border and genres effortlessly. She fuses self-penned enchanting European melodies with warm smoky vocals in French and English. Her vocal styles from deep to ethereal are easily compared to Annie Lennox, Gwen Stefani, Sade, and Enya. In 2014, she released her self-produced debut EP Wait 4 It…, with songs like the sarcastic jazzy “I Don’t Need No Lover”, the ethereal “Dreamland”, and the funky French “Comme Si”, that topped Muse Boat Radio’s charts for 8 weeks at #1.

Irenka has played hundreds of shows nationally from Florida to California, and performed with internationally acclaimed multi-instrumentalist Regi Wooten, from the Wooten Brothers band, who has described Irenka’s music as groovy, unique and soulful. As a French speaking artist, she has been featured on Radio Canada and national French TV channel, France 2.

Connect with Irenka:

FB: facebook.com/irenkastyle

Twitter: twitter.com/irenkastyle

Instagram: instagram.com/irenkastyle

YouTube: youtube.com/c/irenka

SoundCloud: soundcloud.com/irenkastyle

Web: BlackSwanWorld.com

“Dreamland”

by Irenka

Dreamland is available to download for FREE at www.blackswanworld.com/enter.php

Waking Up in America is partly supported by donations from Patrons at Patreon.com

 

Waking UP in America – Podcast Series

Waking Up in America – the podcast series is about people, music and stories that can help us heal, love and uplift others.

In this episode, Tajci tells a story of helping a woman whose truck broke down in the remote hills of Kentucky, on the weekend of a tremendous divide in America.

Story and poem in this podcast episode:

Last Sunday I drove down a remote Kentucky road. I passed a woman in a long gray coat leaning on her cane and waving at me. She stood next to her truck. I sped by her just like the car before me did.

Then, I took a second look in my rear view mirror. The hood of her truck was up.

“I couldn’t help her even if I stopped” a thought flashed through my mind. “I don’t know anything about cars and I am incredibly out of my element here, where I don’t know people and my phone barely gets any signal.”

But I had just spent a weekend with some amazing women and we talked about, among other things, our need to transcend fear, get out of our comfort zone, become stronger and take care of all of our brothers and sisters – not just the ones we agree and feel comfortable with…

I also had two meetings scheduled that coming week – with organizations that take care of suffering, struggling and broken women.

I hit the brakes and put my car into reverse.

“I don’t know anything about cars, and I’m not from here but I can at least stay with you until someone more competent shows up.” I told her when as I backed up to her and rolled down my window.

“Thank you” she said and after she told me what had happened she smiled: “I like your hair.”

“And I like yours,” I replied. Mine was all pink and purple and she had pink highlights in hers.

For a while I stood next to her and between waving at cars, I texted my friend with whom I had just spent the weekend. She sent me a phone number of a local mechanic who answered the phone only to say he didn’t work on Sundays.

It was cold. The woman’s back was hurting and she was really upset. Several cars passed by with not one stopping.

“Well… maybe I wouldn’t have stopped either” I thought, “for two women with pink hair standing on a side of the road in KY. I used to judge women by their appearance too…”

She told me she had just moved to KY from up north to be closer to family,  but her situation was hard and complicated. She was staying at someone’s house ‘in the sticks.’ She was a beautiful woman who went through a lot.

After our failed attempt to have someone more resourceful come to rescue, we decided I was going to take her back to the house. I sent a prayer out for someone to pass by so we could take her up together, because I just felt a bit too vulnerable to go alone. I trusted her, but I didn’t know the area well enough to know what we could get into.

As we moved her stuff (that included a guitar and two cute little puppies) into my van, another woman who had been at the same gathering I was returning from drove by with her husband. She recognized me and stopped. The four of us drove my pink-haired friend back to the house. As I navigated the small dirt road with my ‘suburban mom minivan’ I listened to her tell me about her music, singing and how much she loved Scotland. Before we left her in a small dark house, the couple that came with us gave her some money and I gave her my card… to stay in touch. I sensed her hurt. She shared her pain briefly with me – but also her faith… Maybe someone that I had interviewed on Waking Up in America would turn out to be a resource for her… I was grateful I had stopped.

I drove back to Nashville in silence. I felt sad. I turned on the news… I prayed that we could ...

Regina Mullins, a former prostitute whose life was restored by Magdalene Program at Thistle Farms in Nashville, talks about her turning point.

“Waking Up in America” Season 3 – EP 15

Full transcript available here.

CONNECT WITH REGINA AND THISTLE FARMS

Web: ThistleFarms.org

FB: ThistleFarms

Twitter:  @thistlefarms

Instagram: ThistleFarms

Experience Levi Hummon’s song “Wildflower & Roses”

Levi Hummon is the son of Becca Stevens, founder of Thistle Farms. He wrote “Wildflower and Roses” – inspired and dedicated to the women of Thistle Farms.

CONNECT WITH LEVI:

Web: Levihummon.com

FB: levihummonofficial

Twitter: levihummon

Instagram: levihummon/

HIGHLIGHTS:

2:37 – “a lot of us we don’t know what love is.”

5:20 – raised in church, began to ‘hate church’ but her mother voice always rang in her mind and heart

6:05 – promiscuous, pregnant at 16, Regina thought she had made God so mad that there was no way back to God.

8:26 – shame and guilt overcomes Regina

8:44 – Regina’s answer to “Why did you keep your son?”

9:49 – what led Regina into addiction and abuse

11:52 – Jail was like deliverance – a chance to start over. And an answer to a prayer.

14:54 – scared to go back to the old lifestyle after prison… Regina receives an invitation.

16:42 – restoring trust through showing unconditional love

21:06 – One Word Answers

22:17 – email question from Ana from Germany

25:23 – “Wildflower & Roses” by Levi Hummon

 

THIS SHOW IS PARTIALLY FUNDED BY Patrons at Patreon.com/WakingUP

Filmed at “O” Gallery in Marathon Village, Nashville, TN

Music, TV show, blog, courses to help you make changes you want to see happen.

Survivor of sex trafficking, addiction and abuse and nationally recognized activist and founder of “Nashville Peacemakers,” Clemmie Greenlee works on a grass-root level to stop gang violence and human trafficking.

Watch this ONE MINUTE trailer:

“Waking Up in America” Season 3 – EP 14

Full transcript available here.

CONNECT WITH CLEMMIE AND NASHVILLE PEACEMAKERS

Web: Nashvillepeacemakers.org

FB: Nashville-Peacemakers

This interview features “Nowhere” by T-ran Gilbert

(C) 2016 22Visionz Ent.

CONNECT WITH T-RAN GILBERT: T-rangilbert.com

HIGHLIGHTS:

3:08 – First abuse started at age of 6

6:19 – At the age of 12, the horror of sex trafficking begins for Clemmie

8:51 – what trafficking looked like for Clemmie

10:41 – getting judgment, not help

11:10 – what happens when Clemmie reaches out to girls now.

12:54 – hoping to get 21 year sentence

14:39 – reconnecting with her son

17:35 – after her son was murdered, Clemmie does this…

20:17 – question from a viewer: how does Clemmie find strength to get through life’s challenges?

21:56 – one word answers

25:04 – “Nowhere” by T-Ran Gilbert

THIS SHOW IS PARTIALLY FUNDED BY Patrons at Patreon.com/WakingUP

Filmed at “O” Gallery in Marathon Village, Nashville, TN

Conscious rapper Kim Belew talks about recovery from sexual abuse and addiction.

“Waking Up in America” Season 3 – EP 13

Full transcript available here.

CONNECT WITH KIM BELEW

Web: KimBelewmusic.com/

FB: kkbelew

Twitter: @lilkimnky

Instagram: @consciousrapchic

HIGHLIGHTS

1:48 – Kim’s story through Spoken Word “The Gift”

4:26 – Kim’s story (this is hard, not for small children)

8:00 – turning to substance abuse

10:48 – nurses help Kim heal

15:24 – why do we need to speak about hard and uncomfortable stories

16:20 – One Voice at a Time – to break the silence

16:54 – How the book “The Four Agreements” helped Kim

19:58 – Email from Kelsey from Overland Park, KS

20:24 – “You are enough. You are loved.”

21:57 – One Word Answers

25:28 – “Freedom” by Kim Belew

THIS SHOW IS PARTIALLY FUNDED BY Patrons at Patreon.com/WakingUP

Filmed at “O” Gallery in Marathon Village, Nashville, TN

Music, TV show, blog, courses to help you make changes you want to see happen.

Michael “Moose” Moore, founder and principal teacher at “The Vigilance Group” talks about staying safe in a dangerous world.

“Waking Up in America” Season 3 – EP 11

Full transcript click here.

CONNECT WITH MOOSE and THE VIGILANCE GROUP:

WEB: Vigilancegroup.com

FB: The-Vigilance-Group

Twitter: @VigilanceGroup

CONNECT WITH AMY ESTRADA:

FB: AmyEstradaMusic

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HIGHLIGHTS:

2:17 – what is the Vigilance Group

6:30 – how does it feel to fly a fighter jet

7:14 – Moose’s turning point

10:49 – finding his ‘God’s work’

13:16 – parents struggle with what to teach their children so they are safe

17:33 – One Word Answers

18:48 – question from the audience, Stanley from Detroit, MI

20:53 – Moose teaches Tajci a self-defense move.

24:37 – Amy Estrada performs her song “Pretty”

Blog: COMING SOON

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THIS SHOW IS PARTIALLY FUNDED BY Patrons at https://www.patreon.com/WakingUP

Filmed at OGalleryart.com: http://ogalleryart.com/

Filmed at “O” Gallery in Marathon Village, Nashville, TN

Music, TV show, blog, courses to help you make changes you want to see happen.

Patti Herrington lost her son to suicide. After the first shock of grief and despair subsided, she knew she had to go on living. Her experience inspired her to found Firefly Ministries to help prevent suicide and bring hope to the hopeless.

“Waking Up in America” Season 3 – EP 10

Full transcript click here.

CONNECT WITH PATTI

CONNECT WITH PATTI:

Fireflyoutreach.com

FB: FireflyOutreach

CONNECT WITH MATT KENNON:

Mattkennon.com

 

HIGHLIGHTS

2:40 – Patti came home one night and found her son Connor…

4:36 – “How is that ever going to be possible to think that I could ever find happiness?”

7:48 – About wounds of the soul

9:40 – What Connor struggled with

13:36 – The beginning of Patti’s recovery

14:55 – Sense of Guilt

16:33 – Patti had only two choices to lay down and die or do something…

19:17 – who are the suicidal people – misconceptions and statistics

20:59 – question from the audience, Natasha from New Jersey

23:24 – One Word Answers

25:27 – Matt Kennon performs his top 40 hit song ‘The Call’

 

THIS SHOW IS PARTIALLY FUNDED BY Patrons at https://www.patreon.com/WakingUP

Filmed at OGalleryart.com: http://ogalleryart.com/

Filmed at “O” Gallery in Marathon Village, Nashville, TN

Music, TV show, blog, courses to help you make changes you want to see happen.

Two dads Kevin Black and Dave Clements working for a cause – to find cure for Rett Disease.

After country singer Kevin Black lost his daughter to the complications of Rett syndrome, his friend and photographer Dave Clements decided to inspire artists throughout the globe to raise a hand for cure.

“Waking Up in America” Season 3 – EP 9

Full transcript: Click here

CONNECT WITH DAVE CLEMENTS AND KEVIN BLACK

Raisingahand.com

Dwcphotography.com

Kevinblack.com/

FB: Raisingahand

Please donate to Rett Syndrome Research: Rettsyndrome.org

I’m Raising My Hand For A Cause With These Two Texas Dads

People who have survived tremendous pain all say the same thing: healing begins the moment when, instead of fighting, we lean into it. Embracing pain – without resistance – creates just enough of a movement to set the pain in motion. Once it moves, it’s no longer stuck and growing inside. Instead it flows freely and loses its grip.

I first heard about Rett Syndrome from Julia Cole, an up-and-coming singer/ songwriter from  Nashville who I featured on my TV series, Waking Up in America.

She told me about ‘two friends from Texas,’ country singer/songwriter Kevin Black and photographer Dave Clements. They published a book called Raising a Hand – a Photographic Music Festival With a Cause to raise awareness and funds for Rett Syndrome research.

Their story is one of experiencing tremendous pain, sharing it and turning it into hope and healing for many others.

When a copy of Raising a Hand arrived in the mail a few days later, it felt like an invitation to pause, set my business aside, and connect into the love, pain and the hope it represented. Beautifully bound with heavy covers and glossy paper, the book felt sacred.

Read more here <<<

HIGHLIGHTS:

1:50 – what is Rett Syndrome?

4:44 – the moment in which Dave and Kevin’s stories merge

7:23 – Dave didn’t numb the pain he felt for his friend. Instead he did this.

8:52 – “Raising a Hand “book is for Rett research and awareness

13:04 – Kevin Black tells about parent’s pain of losing their child

16:02 – Kevin’s turning point

20:09 – one word answers

22:35 – “A Tear For You” – performance by Kevin Black

 

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THIS SHOW IS PARTIALLY FUNDED BY Patrons at https://www.patreon.com/WakingUP

Filmed at OGalleryart in Marathon Village, Nashville, TN