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“If we start and end our day with hope, and sprinkle hope throughout, we will be continually motivated to accomplish all our dreams.”
-Soraya
Welcome to the Weekly Podcast
“Be Convinced! Sharing Lifechanging Stories of Hope” with Soraya
Get a Big Dose of Hope in Just 30 Minutes!
Hope, along with the courage and confidence that arise from that hope, can be yours! For just 30 minutes, listen to each of these lifechanging stories of hope told by ordinary people who overcame life’s obstacles. Soraya engages people from various backgrounds who tell their inspiring stories of how they overcame challenges that wonderfully and often amazingly transformed their lives. She collects and enthusiastically shares their stories with the goal of encouraging, inspiring, and convincing you that we should all believe in, hope for, and work towards a better future for ourselves, our families, our communities, and the world.
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“Let your hopes, not your hurts, shape your future.”
— Robert H. Schuller
Ep. #28 – Children’s Author and Dog Lover Lisa Wiehebrink Shares Her Story of Helping to Build Character in Children and Healthy Partnerships Between Children and Their Pets
Did you know that how children treat their pets is often an indication of their compassion, kindness, and empathy? Mother, children’s author, and dog lover Lisa Wiehebrink shares how she strives to inspire children to develop kindness, compassion, and empathy toward others through her books about dogs.
Ep. #27 – Biologist Dr. Rebecca Heiss Shares Her Personal Story of Hope and How We Can Rewire Our Brains to go From Being Fearful to Being Fearless
Did you know that our brains are built for survival and not happiness? Biologist Dr. Rebecca Heiss shares how personal tragedies propelled her to break patterns and behaviors that held her back due to fear and a desire to “stay safe”.
Ep. #26 – Vivian St. Juste Schweizer Shares Her Story of Lifelong Advocacy for Those Who are Vulnerable and Her Commitment to Seeking Justice
A passionate and lifelong advocate for victims, Vivian St. Juste Schweizer shares her story about how her advocacy skills for the vulnerable started at home at a young age as she advocated for the rights of and services for her disabled brother on St. Croix, U. S. Virgin Islands.
Ep. #25 – Accomplished and Vivacious Wife, Mother and Entrepreneur, Ayanna Hall Shares her Story of Hope in Transitioning Through Various Stages of Life
We all go through various stages in life. How can we successfully handle those transitions? Ayanna Hall, an accomplished entrepreneur, shares her story of overcoming challenges as she went from being a successful pharmacist and working mom with three children, to a stay-at-home mom, and then to building a business based on a now popular website, all while balancing marriage and ministry.
Ep. #24 - 25-year-old Liudeli Torres Shares His Story of How He Went from Being Socially Inept to Socially Apt and Then Establish His Own Business
Growing up as a Hispanic male who was viewed as a nerd in high school, Liudeli Torres suffered from poor social skills. As a young adult, he would go out of his way to avoid interactions with people. He tells us how he made a dramatic turnaround by being disciplined and focusing on self-improvement strategies he learned from books.
Ep. #23 – Mother and Daughter Team Carrie & Sophia Fox Spread Hope Through Their Book Adventures in Kindness
Do you wonder how a mother and her 10-year-old daughter were able to write a book together? Join this unique team as they talk about why they decided to partner together and spread hope for us all through encouraging more kindness in our world.
Ep. #22 – Acclaimed U. S. Virgin Islands Actress and Film Writer Angela Golden Bryan Shares Her Story of Hope as a Parent of a Child Who Was Bullied
Education officials have called “bullying” an epidemic. It affects children of all ages and economic statuses. Victims of bullying often suffer in secret. Angela shares her personal story as a parent of a child who was bullied and gives advice as to what parents should do to help their children during those difficult times.
Ep. #21 – Author Joy A. Williams Shares Her Inspiring Journey From Infertility to Adoption & the Importance of Friendships
Author Joy Williams shares her inspirational story of how she overcame the stigma and profound feelings of loss associated with infertility and how she and her husband eventually brought love into their home by adopting a child.
Ep. #20 – Dr. Willie Jolley Shares His Story of Hope About His Journey From Being Diagnosed with ADD to Being Internationally Acclaimed as the #1 Authority on Turning Setbacks into Comebacks
What do you do when you are diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder or ADD? Dr. Willie Jolley used that setback to achieve a tremendous comeback! Dr. Jolley shares his struggles from his humble beginnings and the many setbacks that he encountered, including losing his job, that inspired him to make major shifts in the direction of his life.
Ep. #19 – Personal Coach, Teacher, Motivational Author & Speaker Deb Sofield Shares How Tough Love Is Critical to Personal Growth and How She Uses Laughter as an Inspirational Tool
We often don’t want to be the recipient of tough love but Deb Sofield believes that having a no-nonsense attitude about improving your life will inspire you to make the necessary adjustments to be successful.
Ep. #18 – African American Mother Amber O’Neal Johnston Shares Her Story of Hope in Raising Black Children to Love Themselves and Others Through Her Celebrated Website
How can you help your children to learn more about and be proud of their race and heritage? African American mother Amber O’Neal Johnston decided to research and compile information for her children.
Ep. #17 Veteran Sales & Marketing Expert Michael P. Hamer, Author of the Book Selling Righteously, Shares Hope for Businesses to Thrive After the Covid 19 Pandemic
With all the ups and downs that the economy has taken during the past year during the Covid 19 pandemic, many salespersons and businesses are wondering how to increase their sales.
Ep. #16 American Missionaries Gene and Robin Willis Share Their Inspiring Story About Their Faithful Journey to Become Christian Missionaries Serving the Impoverished People of Honduras – Part 2
After settling in the mountain region of La Esperanza, Honduras, American Missionaries Gene, and Robin Willis share their acts of service for the people there.
Ep. #15 American Missionaries Gene and Robin Willis Share Their Inspiring Story About Their Faithful Journey to Become Christian Missionaries Serving the Impoverished People of Honduras – Part 1
Have you ever wondered what it takes to become a Christian missionary and live in a foreign country?
Ep. #14 Mother, Wife and Website Creator Nicole Gneiting Shares Her Inspiring Story of Surviving Head and Neck Cancer, Her Son’s Near-Death Experience, Anxiety and Potty Training
Some people give up hope in the face of traumatic personal events but my guest Nicole Gneiting has fought the good fight and persevered successfully. After being diagnosed with head and neck cancer in her 20s and given a 50% chance of survival, she chose to undergo hours of surgery and then rely on her faith for recovery.
Ep. #13 Prolific Caribbean Artist Mark Isaacs Shares His Optimistic Attitude in Facing Life’s Challenges, Including Hearing Loss as a Child
Dealing with a hearing loss at any age can be very painful, but especially so in the life of a child. Prolific Caribbean artist Mark Isaacs shares his story about how he chose to face that challenge and others with a positive attitude, intentionally not viewing challenges as obstacles but rather as exciting new ways to learn.
Ep. #12 Successful Lawyer Dorothy Isaacs Shares Her Stories of Persevering, Personally & for Clients, When the Odds Were Stacked Against Her
What was it like for women who wanted to attend law school back in the 1970s? Very difficult, but some women persevered, such as Dorothy Isaacs. She is a successful lawyer who did not give up on her dream to become a lawyer when few women were being admitted to law school.
Ep. #11 Executive Director of Rotary Action Group for Peace Reem Ghunaim Shares How She Spreads Peace as a Conscious Daily Choice
Is the concept of peace an elusive one? Not for Reem Ghunaim, who is the executive director of Rotary Action Group for Peace which promotes peace throughout the world.
Ep. #10 Best-selling Children’s Author Dr. Qooz Shares His Story of How He Spreads Hope to Children By Telling Stories that Directly Affect Them Such as Wearing Glasses & Being Afraid of the Dark
Do you want to help your children deal with important events in their lives like the first day of school, bullying, being afraid of the dark, and wearing glasses? Best-selling children’s author Dr. Qooz has written a series of books that contain creative stories with funny characters to encourage children and parents to talk about these important issues.
Ep. #9 Lauren Baptiste of Acheloa Wellness Shares Her Story of Hope About How Overcoming Health Issues Propelled Her to Establish Her Own Business to Help Others
Are you wondering what you can do to better handle stress? Instead of allowing sickness and stress to deter her, guest Lauren Baptiste used it to propel her to establish her own business to help others. Today, she owns and operates Acheloa Wellness. She uses lessons learned from her past stressful lifestyle to help others transform burnout and feeling stuck to living a life they love with meaning and soul. Her mantra is to make small daily commitments to yourself and then follow through.