Where Ya From? Podcast

By Our Daily Bread MinistriesReligion & Spirituality Christianity

Where Ya From? Podcast episodes

October 08, 202478. "From Pain to Empowerment" with Orsika Fejer-Baas
Orsika Fejer-Baas will be the first to tell you that she never thought she would be the person who became a victim of abuse. But the hurtful behaviors of her second husband reached the point where they could no longer be ignored. Yes, as Orsika proudly proclaims, it was only by God’s grace continuing to work in and through her that she made it out of the quicksand.

Guest Bio:
Orsika Fejer-Baas’ childhood was magical. As an adult, her choices were less than amazing.
She moved from one failed relationship to another, had three children, and lost direction in life. She felt as though she let everyone down. Having experienced domestic violence, Orsika knew something had to change. She hit rock bottom and clearly understood the years of abuse were going to drastically transform her life for the better.
Her healing journey began well after escaping the abuse. Orsika lived through the pain, the shame, and the guilt of making decisions, which brought sorrow and potential unforgiveness. She understands, firsthand, the feelings of loneliness and desperation. Yet Orsika also knows the journey to healing is through our Lord and Savior, Jesus.

Notes & Quotes:
I just knew I wasn’t alone. I looked back in the sand and it was the one set of footprints, and it’s God carrying me through it. So it wasn’t ever, “Oh lord, why have you forsaken me?” You know, it was like, “Thank you Lord for carrying me.”
“It was truly just by the grace of God that we made it through. God made sure that we were as safe in each situation as possible. And God protected me from, and us, the kids and I, from the free will of those who chose differently than maybe they should have.”
“It’s important to share, to give people the hope that there can be a better life and escaping is the best option. You just have to be determined to not go back. And it is important to be able to tell God’s story in all of it, realistically, because that’s how I made it through.”
“I found a peace through forgiveness, and that happened only through Christ, and that happened only through God.”
Links Mentioned:
FULL EPISODE TRANSCRIPT
National Domestic Abuse Hotline
Learn more about Orsika’s work with Out of the Quicksand at her website.
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51 min
October 01, 202477. "Finding Light in Darkness" with Lily Meschi
The problems of exploitation and injustice that many women in Lily Meschi’s home country of Iran are living through are close to Lily’s heart because they were once her problems—even when she was thousands of miles away in the United States. In her early adult years, Lily found herself in an overwhelming darkness of abuse and manipulation from which she found no possible escape. Yet, once she came to Jesus through the comforting words of John 1, a new type of life instantly started.

Guest Bio:
Driven by a passion for intentional living, Lily Meschi dedicates herself to serving in ministry for Iran Alive as the director of partner relations.
Born and raised in a Muslim family in Tehran, Iran, Lily’s life took a transformative turn when her family relocated to the US at the age of 18. Amidst struggles and hardships related to her identity as an Iranian woman, Lily discovered Christianity, finding solace and freedom in her newfound faith in Jesus Christ. This experience ignited her compassion for Iranian women who have faced similar oppression, abuse, and isolation.
By drawing from her personal journey as an Iranian woman, Lily provides profound insights into the challenges surrounding women’s rights in Iran. She has become a vocal advocate against practices such as arranged marriages of young women to older men in the Middle East, shedding light on societal norms that perpetuate injustice.
Introduced to Iran Alive Ministries through a satellite TV program, Lily’s faith journey was further nurtured by the Gospel message presented by an Iranian woman, leading her to pursue education in Bible college to deepen her understanding of Christianity’s teachings and history. Additionally, Lily has shared her story and insights in various media outlets like CBN News, Today’s Christian Living, The Christian Post, and others.

Notes & Quotes:
“Growing up, I always knew Jesus was one of the greatest prophets who performed many miracles. I had great honor for Him, but he was nothing but a prophet. . . when she read to me that in the beginning was the Word. The Word was with God, and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, it was resolved for me. Jesus was God because He was from the beginning, was God, and was with God.”
“I needed to understand that there's a loving Father that wants His children to live in complete peace and tranquility with Him, partnering with Him on this earth. And there's a purpose for everyone that is definitely not trauma. His purpose and plan for us is not to harm us, but to bless us, and to give us a hope and a future.”
“It all boils down to our intimate walk with our Heavenly Father through the Holy Spirit and the work of Jesus Christ; to really become intimate with Him and learn about our purpose, our destiny, our assignment. So that on the day when we are taken up to heaven, we can say that I did faithfully what you have and the assignment that you have put before me.”
Links Mentioned:
FULL EPISODE TRANSCRIPT
National Domestic Abuse Hotline
Find out more about Lily’s work with Iran Alive Ministries
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Tell us how much you love Where Ya From? by rating us five stars and leaving us a review.
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Verses Mentioned:
John 1:1
John 1:14
John 15:5
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1 hr
September 24, 202476. "Cross Cultural Christianity" with Rich Villodas
Rich knows what it feels like to be an outlier. Starting a personal relationship with Jesus in his late teens, Rich’s curious mind was drawn to the diverse tapestry of Christian traditions—both past and present. But that curiosity was a necessary foundation for his faith. In fact, it’s that passion that continues to define and shape his ministry.

Guest Bio:
Rich Villodas is the Brooklyn-born lead pastor of New Life Fellowship, a large multiracial church with over seventy-five countries represented in Elmhurst, Queens. Rich holds a Master of Divinity from Alliance Theological Seminary. He enjoys reading widely, preaching, and writing on contemplative spirituality, justice-related matters, and the art of preaching.
He’s been married to Rosie since 2006 and they have two beautiful children, Karis and Nathan. His books, The Deeply Formed Life and Good and Beautiful and Kind, are available wherever books are sold.

Notes & Quotes:
“I came to Jesus not because I believe that He rose from the dead. I came to Jesus because [the preacher] said to me that there is hope. There is life if you put your trust in Him. In that moment, all he said was “God can put you back together,” and that’s all I needed to hear.”
“We have global historic theology and expressions of faith within Christianity, and lots of folks just want their tradition. There’s a feast before us, but there’s something missing here.”
“I think I learned a lot from my failures in 2016 and 2017 with how I alienated a group of people in our church unwittingly, that I changed course in 2020. I was able to be faithful to what I believe are gospel values, but in a way, do my best pastorally to remain emotionally connected to people.”
Links Mentioned:
FULL EPISODE TRANSCRIPT
Check out Rich’s books, The Deeply Formed Life, Good and Beautiful and Kind, and The Narrow Path.
Visit the VOICES website to sign up for emails. Get new episodes sent straight to your email.
Tell us how much you love Where Ya From? by rating us five stars and leaving us a review.
Check out VOICES from Our Daily Bread Ministries.
Follow VOICES on Instagram.
Verses Mentioned:
Ezekiel 37
Matthew 17:1-13
Malachai 4:5-6
Micah 6:8
Luke 4:1-28
Isaiah 61:1-3
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58 min
September 17, 202475. "From Superwoman to Well Woman" with Dr. Jeanne Porter King
As a self-described “recovering perfectionist,” Jeanne wanted to be the one doing it all; breaking barriers and making space for everyone at the table. That desire was the foundation for many of the successes she’s achieved in academics, leadership, and ministry over the years. Yet it was through her personal loss that she fully understood that her superpower wasn’t the ability to juggle it all by herself. Her true strength came from leaning on God and those He brought into her life.

Guest Bio:
Dr. Jeanne Porter King is called to lead and make a difference in the lives of others. Through the ministry of the spoken and written word, Dr J, as she is affectionately called by her congregation, is a preacher, teacher, author, and business owner. Her messages have been called transformative, helping listeners unlock issues of identity, purpose, and destiny.
Dr. Jeanne Porter King currently serves as the executive pastor at Christ Community Church, along with her husband, Dr. Carl E. King, Sr., the senior pastor. Additionally, she is the founder and principal consultant of the TransPorter Group Inc., with over 30 years of consulting and training experience in a variety of industries as well as with community groups, governmental agencies, churches, and other faith-based institutions. Through TransPorter, she has been blessed to travel across the world, training seasoned and aspiring leaders.
In addition to her other work, Dr. Jeanne Porter King has authored numerous books and articles on leadership and is committed to developing and coaching leaders for the kingdom. Her books include Leading Well: A Black Woman’s Guide to Wholistic, Barrier-Breaking Leadership and Caring Well: 90 Self-Care Devotions for the African American Caregiver.
Dr. Jeanne Porter King received both her bachelor’s and master’s of science degrees from The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. She has also received her master of arts in theological studies from McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago and a doctor of philosophy in communication with an emphasis in cultural studies from Ohio University in Athens, Ohio.

Notes & Quotes:
“We can care for others, but we have to do it in a way that we also care for ourselves and we don’t harm ourselves.”
“If Jesus found [the women at the well], He could find us as Black women. And what we bring to the table are gifts that, through spending that time with the Lord, we bring out and can lead out of.”
“We don’t have to mask up and be more than we’re supposed to be. We can draw from this inner strength that comes from that well of the Holy Spirit and from the cultural traditions that are given to us.”
“I try to work toward excellence, but the notion of trying to be perfect came out . . . . I had to give myself permission to step away from that.”
Links Mentioned:
FULL EPISODE TRANSCRIPT
Learn more about Jeanne’s leadership work here.
Check out Jeanne’s newest book with Our Daily Bread Publishing, Caring Well: 90 Self-Care Devotions for the African American Caregiver.
Get your copy of Jeanne’s book, Leading Well.
Jeanne’s Instagram
Visit the VOICES website to sign up for emails. Get new episodes sent straight to your email.
Tell us how much you love Where Ya From? by rating us five stars and leaving us a review.
Check out VOICES from Our Daily Bread Ministries.
Follow VOICES on Instagram.
Verses Mentioned:
John 4:1-26
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52 min
September 10, 202474. "Choosing Christ Over Career" with Cameron Arnett
Imagine having it all—fame, success, money, love. Now, imagine losing it all overnight because you did the right thing. After having his modeling and acting stardom on the rise for so many years, Cameron Arnett’s life came to a halt after his conversion to Christ made him think and act differently. He thought he found his true calling in happily teaching the Bible and doing ministry for the next two decades. But God wasn’t done with Cameron’s “Hollywood” story yet.

Guest Bio:
Cameron Arnett is an award-winning actor in television, film, and theater hailing from Port-Au-Prince Haiti. Starting a successful career in the arts and entertainment in the late '80s and '90s, Cameron has appeared on almost every major network. Past television credits include NBC’s Miami Vice, Fox’s Star Trek: The Next Generation, ABC’s China Beach and Doogie Howser MD, VH1's Single Ladies, and Tyler Perry’s Meet the Browns.
Today, Cameron travels an average of thirty weeks a year shooting faith-based and family-friendly projects, appearing in at least 35 films in the last ten years alone. Through Camy Arnett Production Studios (CAPS), he and his wife, Mrs. BJ Arnett, continue to occupy an ever-growing space within the content building of faith and family-friendly films. Cameron is also an author, speaker, film director, producer, and voice-over artist.

Notes & Quotes:
“The church that I was going to gave me a watered down, no power, regular existence, kind of a Jesus that could save you, but that couldn't change you. . .that's the Jesus that I wanted on the inside. I received that one, and that one converted me. I started making converted decisions, and those converted decisions started giving me anti-world results.”
“Following God had to cause us to unravel all the stuff that we had put together in our personal lives. And then He re-raveled what He wanted.”
“I look back at my life and deliberately call God my orchestrator. Between being my orchestrator and being the faithful God, those two things have been like the continual demonstration of God in my life.”
“[God] has put together every dot, and every dot has meant something. Even the things I thought were not good and didn't think they were a promotion, prosperity, or going forward. It was a dot that He had planned to reconnect at some point in time.
Links Mentioned:
FULL EPISODE TRANSCRIPT
Learn more about Cameron’s newly released film, The Forge.
Follow along with The Forge on Instagram.
Cameron’s Facebook
Visit the VOICES website to sign up for emails. Get new episodes sent straight to your email.
Tell us how much you love Where Ya From? by rating us five stars and leaving us a review.
Check out VOICES from Our Daily Bread Ministries.
Follow VOICES on Instagram.
Verses Mentioned:
1 Thessalonians 5:22
Matthew 16:25
Exodus 3:1-10
Ephesians 4:13
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1 hr 5 min
September 03, 202473. "Migration and Ministry" with Dr. M. Daniel Carroll R.
Living out our faith isn’t always as straightforward as we would like—especially when the realities of our broken world are too loud to be ignored. Being both bilingual and bicultural, Dr. Danny Carrol thought he would be fully comfortable in his new life living and teaching across Latin America. In reality, the opposite happened. But processing this discomfort actually became the catalyst of his mission to bring the Bible’s view of immigration center stage, showing others how the story of migration is a chapter within all of our stories, and the positive response we can have knowing that our true citizenship always lies in Heaven.

Guest Bio:
Dr. Danny Carroll is half-Guatemalan and was raised bilingual and bicultural. In his youth, he spent many summers in Guatemala and later taught at El Seminario Teológico Centroamericano in Guatemala City for thirteen years. The realities of Central America sparked Dr. Carroll’s fascination with the Old Testament.
The relevance of the biblical text for the challenges of poverty, war, and politics in those developing countries led him to a passionate focus on Old Testament social ethics and the social sciences. Additionally, his studies in English literature and literary theory have generated an ongoing engagement with literary approaches to the Old Testament and critical studies. Experiences in this country and abroad have led him to a deep appreciation for the unique contributions that ethnic minorities, women, and the global church make to the interpretation of the Old Testament.
Dr. Carroll has been involved with Latino/a believers and teaching on the Bible and immigration for many years. His research focuses on prophetic literature and Old Testament social ethics. He has recently published a major commentary on the book of Amos and a book on the prophetic voice for today. Currently, Dr. Carroll is co-editing an extensive project on the state of Old Testament studies in addition to working on a volume on Old Testament ethics. He also is the senior editor of a new Old Testament commentary series, The Bible in God’s World (Wipf & Stock).

Notes & Quotes:
“Because once you begin to look at it, you begin to realize that the history of humanity is the history of migration—whether it’s voluntary or forced.”
“Migration is actually used as a metaphor for the Christian faith, like in 1 Peter. We were all foreigners and strangers. All of us are. This is not our homeland. We have a different king. We have a different citizenship. We are strangers in a strange land.
“We know what it means to be strange. Language, food, nonverbal language, with how you dress, how you celebrate Christmas and birthdays. We know what it means to be strange. . . and maybe God has brought us to this place to help them remember.”
“Oftentimes, in evangelical circles, [theology] is receiving what has been given to you and then applying it or something. Whereas, liberation theology is about rethinking how you do theology and you’re doing it from your context in a commitment to that context.”
Links Mentioned:
FULL EPISODE TRANSCRIPT
Get your copy of Dr. Carrol’s book, The Bible and Borders, here.
Visit the VOICES website to sign up for emails. Get new episodes sent straight to your email.
Tell us how much you love Where Ya From? by rating us five stars and leaving us a review.
Check out VOICES from Our Daily Bread Ministries.
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Verses Mentioned:
Romans 13
Genesis 12
Genesis 1:28
Exodus 2:22
Exodus 23:9
1 Peter 2:13–14
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57 min
August 27, 202472. "Becoming a Whole Man" with Rasool Berry
Get another chance to hear encouraging words from contributing voices of The Whole Man Project! We’re sharing some of the powerful moments from this past season of Where Ya From? with pastor James White, Dr. Nii Addy, Dr. Maliek Blade, and pastor Jerome Gay. Explore some of perspective-changing conversations and moments, while hearing some personal stories of struggles with pursuing wholeness in God that we all can relate to.

Guest Bios:
James White has served as the senior pastor of Christ Our King Community Church in Gardner, North Carolina since its inception. In addition to his role as the executive vice president of the Center for Social Impact for the YMCA of the North in Minneapolis, he is a highly sought-after consultant, concerning cultural transformation through diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Pastor Jerome Gay is the lead pastor of Teaching and Vision at Vision Church in Raleigh, North Carolina. He is also the Founder and President of The Urban Perspective and the author of four books, Church Hurt, Talking to Your Children About Race, The Whitewashing of Christianity, and Renewal.

Dr. Maliek Blade, a compassionate author, and CEO of the Whole Brother Mission, is passionately dedicated to improving mental wellness for Black men and their families through a nationwide network of culturally competent mental health professionals.

Dr. Nii Addy is the Albert E. Kent associate professor of Psychiatry and an associate professor of Cellular and Molecular Physiology at the Yale School of Medicine. In addition to his campus work, Dr. Addy hosts the Addy Hour podcast, discussing topics at the intersection of neuroscience, mental health, faith, culture, and social justice.

Notes & Quotes:
“Being whole is what’s possible when we take all the different pieces of ourselves—our past, our relationships, our inner world, our work, our need for rest—and offer those up to God. He can take those broken pieces and make artistic restoration out of them.”
“The thing about the Scriptures is it has a lot to say about our thought life, our meditations, about the things that we think about and how when we offer those things to God, he can give us a greater sense of reality and a better sense of ourselves.”
“[Jesus] reiterates in the gospels that when we put everything—all of our whole selves—through the lens of the gospel, our head, our heart, our hands, and our soul, then we’re able to be whole men.”
“God has value for me being accepted, loved, and forgiven. These are the things that God thinks about me.”
Links Mentioned:
FULL EPISODE TRANSCRIPT
Go deeper into the resources of The Whole Man Project here.
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Tell us how much you love Where Ya From? by rating us five stars and leaving us a review.
Check out VOICES from Our Daily Bread Ministries
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Verses Mentioned:
Deuteronomy 6:5
Mark 12:30-31
Isaiah 43:4
Proverbs 20:5
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56 min
August 20, 2024Season 7 of Where Ya From? Coming Soon!
The Where Ya From? podcast is gearing up for a seventh season which will begin on August 27th. Get ready for more insightful and thought provoking conversations centered around faith and culture with host Rasool Berry. Subscribe to never miss an episode!
Links:
Visit our website to sign up for emails.
Leave us a review.
Check out our VOICES Collection from Our Daily Bread Ministries
Follow Where Ya From? on Instagram.
Follow VOICES on Instagram.

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3 min
June 11, 202471. "Finding My Privilege" with Aitina Fareed-Cooke
You are more than labels. Aitina Fareed-Cooke knows that better than anyone. As a little girl in the foster care system, Aitina was stamped with the “failure to thrive” label—one that many people thought meant that her life was destined to go down only one type of path. Yet God's intervention came in the form of an adoptive mother, a passion for creating and storytelling through music and art, and an unplanned pregnancy. All of these moments shaped her into the person she needed to be, helping her to celebrate her privileges in order for her to come alongside the next generation of creatives who carry the same labels she did so they too can choose the opportunities that define them.

Guest Bio:
Aitina Fareed-Cooke was told at a young age that she would be a "failure to thrive" as a result of her biological mother's addiction to drugs. But despite being labeled emotionally handicapped by the system, Aitina refused to be defined by it. Instead, she found solace and empowerment through her faith in God and her voice within the creative arts, rewriting her own narrative.
Aitina now serves as a Creative Arts Strategist, National Recording Artist, and founder of Get Fokus'd Productions (GFP), an award-winning media arts production company that has been recognized for its exceptional work within the community of Buffalo New York. Get Fokus'd Productions is a company in which creatives partner together to capture 'human-first' stories, a method that prioritizes empathy and connection. In collaboration with a collection of creatives, and through the mentorship of emerging artists, Aitina amplifies community voices using a social design approach, creating a ripple effect of positivity within the creative arts.
She earned her BA in English and MS in Education at Buffalo State University and currently serves as a foundation board member utilizing her educational experiences as a mechanism to forge her own creative path.
Her musical career has led her to executive produce four full-length albums and collaborate with Grammy award-winning artists, resulting in an impressive collective stream count of over one million through distribution services. Aitina's remarkable accomplishments have firmly established her as a beacon of inspiration and a catalyst for positive transformation within the creative arts industry.

Notes & Quotes:
“These are tools that I can use to showcase . . . the truth and what I believe which is you know at the end of the day, [that] God is agape love, unconditional love. All of these different moments and things that happen in my life, utilizing the creative arts is an opportunity to share that.”
“The more that I learned about love through the gospel, the more that I put people in my circle that had love for themselves, for God, and for me. The more that I learned from that circle of individuals, the more it led me to understanding, “I love me.”
“I don’t have to accept the chains. I'm literally free. There's freedom in Christ. Freedom in this space of creativity or whatever the case is. I have this freedom and ability. Now what do I do?”
“You come from a creative being who created you. We all have. That's privilege. Period.”
Links Mentioned:
FULL EPISODE TRANSCRIPT
Learn more about Aitina’s work with production company Get Fokus’d Productions
Listen to Aitina’s song Privilege off the Juneteenth: Faith and Freedom deluxe soundtrack on Spotify, or watch the full music video on YouTube.
Follow Aitina on Instagram
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Tell us how much you love Where Ya From? by rating us five stars and leaving us a review.
Check out VOICES from Our Daily Bread Ministries.
Follow VOICES on Instagram.
Verses Mentioned:
Genesis 50:15-21
Romans 8:14-15
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1 hr 5 min
April 23, 2024 Where Ya From? Special Announcement
The Where Ya From? podcast is gearing up for a 7th season which will begin later this summer. Plus stay tuned for a special bonus episode in early June in honor of Juneteenth. Get ready for more insightful and thought provoking conversations centered around faith and culture with host Rasool Berry. Subscribe to never miss an episode!
Links:
Visit our website to sign up for emails.
Leave us a review.
Check out our VOICES Collection from Our Daily Bread Ministries
Follow Where Ya From? on Instagram.
Follow VOICES on Instagram.
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3 min

About Where Ya From? Podcast

From the publisher's feed

Where Ya From? Podcast creates an atmosphere where all people—regardless of our differences—can openly discuss ideas, issues, culture, experiences, faith, and more so we can learn from each other and…