HERpresence

Andrea Wormley, co-host Kelli Moorer, and guest Melissa Benson discuss bucket lists and dreams, defining a dream as a “compass” and a bucket list as the “itinerary” of steps to get there. They challenge the idea that finishing a bucket list means life is over, emphasizing creating new “buckets,” using vision boards, and distinguishing real intentions from fantasies by taking action and writing goals down. Each shares bucket list items—Kelli wants to travel to Italy and attend the Olympics, Melissa envisions a family compound with community outreach, and Andrea describes dreams of training, shelter, and business placement to help others and also traveling to Nigeria to trace her diaspora. They highlight preparation, flexibility, timing, accountability, and overcoming dream killers, and encourage listeners to connect with others, clarify their “why,” keep dreaming, and surround themselves with nurturing dreamers.00:00 Welcome and Subscribe00:45 Bucket Lists vs Dreams01:38 Why Buckets Never End02:37 Vision Boards and Categories04:55 Personal Bucket Examples07:29 From Dream to Action13:06 Big Dreams Take Time15:16 Preparation and Persistence18:05 Podcast Dream Realized19:49 Stay Flexible With Dreams21:26 Golf Club Story Twist23:34 Braver Self Challenge24:13 Tracing Ancestry Roots25:09 Nigeria Journey Dream26:07 Stepping Into Bravery28:37 Walking Enslaved History32:00 Claiming Bucket Goals33:06 Building A Business35:32 Earning The Doctorate38:18 Owning Not Working40:25 Finding Your Why47:33 Connection Over Isolation49:49 Final Takeaways And Wrap

Andrea Wormley, co-host Kelli Moore, and guest Melissa Benson discuss resilience by sharing personal testimonies. Andrea recounts being newly married, poor, and homeless while still giving and tithing, then moving within five years from sleeping on a friend’s floor to owning homes and investments, and later references losing her mother to cancer. Melissa shares her Army-to-nursing journey, repeatedly being told “no” while trying to take biochemistry before hitting service limits, then pushing forward until a professor approved an independent study, which she attributes to God’s direction. Kelli describes leaving friends after moving states, feeling unhappy in school, joining the Army in 1990 as Desert Storm began, losing friends in wartime casualties, and gaining confidence as one of few women of color in her unit. They emphasize sharing stories, self-discovery, honoring rather than hiding past struggles, encouraging yourself, and staying the course for breakthrough and healing.00:00 Welcome and Introductions00:51 Why Resilience Matters02:15 Andrea Homeless to Homeowner05:24 Lessons and Losses07:57 Melissa Nursing School Breakthrough14:19 Faith and The Walk17:48 Kelli Choosing the Army23:20 War Scare and Finding Strength27:34 Resilience Mindset Takeaways28:45 Dissociation And Coping29:51 Mom Spoke Life31:05 Resilience Builds Muscle34:42 Highway Gas Testimony38:43 Make Something From Nothing41:00 Encourage Yourself43:04 Honor Dont Hide47:05 Self Discovery Takeaways48:25 Stay The Course49:26 Share Your Story

Andrea Wormley, with co-hosts Melissa Benson and Kelli Moorer, opens the episode by thanking supporters and inviting listeners to subscribe and share the show “Her Presence” on major podcast platforms. Continuing the season theme “the bags we carry,” they discuss birthdays as a checkpoint to pause, reset, and take inventory of emotional, mental, and responsibility “bags,” asking what still serves them. Kelli shares how birthdays have been harder since her mother’s death in 2022, but meaningful through intentional friends and fellowship. They reflect on wisdom gained with age, staying active, and pursuing passion without “retiring,” including Andrea’s experience earning a real estate broker license and learning from elderly brokers. They explore outgrowing beliefs like perfectionism, fear of failure, and shyness, encourage journaling and vision boards, and offer advice to those feeling behind: kill comparison, connect with God, lean on others, and start again. They end with birthday traditions, the importance of acknowledgment, and a reminder to live in the moment.00:00 Welcome and Season Theme00:51 Birthdays as Checkpoints04:08 Kelli on Grief and Friends06:58 Celebrating Kids and Milestones08:41 What Changes With Age12:39 Asking a Woman Her Age13:42 Staying Active and Stress-Free15:35 Wisdom From Elders at Work20:41 Beliefs We Have Outgrown24:23 Outgrowing Shyness and Imposter Feelings28:30 Ministry Over Image29:10 Failure Fuels Growth30:42 Shyness and Showing Up31:55 Toastmasters Confidence Boost34:18 Never Too Late Reset37:13 Small Wins and Support38:59 Purpose and Write It Down41:49 Dream Birthday Traditions48:49 Must Haves and 50th Stories51:22 Final Takeaways and Goodbye

Andrea Wormley and co-hosts Melissa Benson and Kelli Moorer kick off a light, fun conversation in their “Bags You Carry” season by literally dumping out their purses and discussing what the contents reveal about them. They compare having one purse versus many for different occasions (church, travel, errands, events) and sort through items like fans for hot flashes, socks for cold offices, lip gloss, perfume, chargers and battery packs, pill organizers, gift cards, journals, sanitizers, hair tools, utensils, receipts kept to verify tips, and even WD-40. They reflect on purse “rules” from childhood (don’t go in a woman’s purse, don’t put it on the floor), how purse weight can cause shoulder pain, and how what’s inside reflects seasons of life, preparedness, family responsibilities, and where they’re going next.00:00 Welcome to the Season01:01 Dump Your Purse Challenge01:47 Purse Personalities and Types05:06 Melissa Dumps It Out06:45 Hot Flash Essentials08:23 Beauty and Freshen Up Kit09:50 Power Banks and Gadgets11:12 Pills and Gift Cards13:53 Sanitizer Snacks and Hair Fixes18:28 Receipts and Restaurant Tips19:51 Glasses Chargers and Coin Purse22:52 Eco Straw Kit23:20 Journals And Notes24:03 Keys Drives And Tags25:14 Random Bag Surprises27:36 Strangest Purse Items30:27 Travel Bag Essentials32:08 Heavy Purse Reality33:48 Grandmas Purse Memories35:26 Purse Rules And Firsts40:05 What Your Purse Says44:40 Tweezers Confessions45:21 Wrap Up And Next Episode

Andrea Wormley and co-hosts Kelli Moorer and Melissa Benson discuss weight loss and self-image, sharing personal experiences with weight gain, body changes, and public commentary. Andrea describes post-pregnancy weight gain that peaked at 210 pounds, leading her to choose weight loss surgery in 2017 after years of dieting and exercise struggles, and explains how fatigue, pain, and low self-image affected her life. Melissa reflects on being naturally small, then experiencing body shifts after kids and leaving the military, focusing on finding a happy medium for herself. Kelli shares gaining 80 pounds due to autoimmune issues, prednisone, stress, and quitting smoking, and describes her own weight loss surgery. They explore how GLP medications impact society’s views, emphasize health and mobility over size, address cultural relationships with food and judgment at the table, and recommend affirmations, support, sleep, hydration, positivity, and patience.00:00 Welcome And Topic01:12 Andrea Weight Struggle03:03 Scale Breaking Point03:43 Choosing Surgery05:58 Body Image Questions07:17 Melissa Body Changes10:40 Kelli Weight Gain Story14:24 GLP Meds Society Shift17:13 Judgment And Health Benefits23:18 Food Culture And Coping28:05 Table Talk And Boundaries30:38 Love Feeding And Comfort32:25 Handling Naysayers33:22 Accountability Switch35:21 Health Versus Size36:56 Worth Beyond Weight38:20 Mirror Affirmations42:18 Motivation For Movement44:39 Mobility Wake Up Call46:47 Science Of Affirmations50:51 Practical Wellness Pillars56:06 Wrap Up And Connect

The episode discusses the difficult decisions families face when an aging parent can no longer safely live alone, including whether to sell or rent the home and how to approach a conversation about moving in due to financial strain. It highlights key warning signs that a parent may need help, such as falls, unexplained bruises, forgetfulness, and leaving the stove on. The speaker emphasizes involving the parent in decision-making so they don’t feel powerless. It also stresses that not everyone is suited to be a caregiver and that seeking professional care can be the safer, less harmful option, without guilt. The episode closes by underscoring the importance of self-care, reminding caregivers to “put your mask on first” before helping someone else.

Andrea Wormley, Melissa Benson, and Kelli Moorer discuss the realities of blended families, citing statistics including frequent conflict with ex-spouses, financial hardship risks, and stepparent authority being undermined. They explore how relationships with ex-spouses’ new partners and blended in-laws develop over time through trust, communication, and focusing on children’s safety and wellbeing, while acknowledging assumptions, jealousy, and emotional triggers that can make early stages rocky. The conversation emphasizes grace, healing after loss, forgiveness, choosing battles, and avoiding negative talk in front of children, along with the value of counseling, therapy, and community support. They share personal examples of stepfamily relationships evolving into “family,” highlight the importance of modeling healthy behavior for kids, and close with practical calls to action to set priorities, extend olive branches, and schedule concrete next steps.00:00 Welcome and Introductions01:24 Blended Family Stats03:12 How Do We Make It Work04:00 Building Trust With New Spouses05:34 Why It Takes Time07:41 Protecting Kids and Boundaries11:33 When Ex Becomes Family16:33 What We Would Do Differently18:39 Emotions on the Shelf23:04 Positive Co-Parenting After Divorce26:48 Kids and Lasting Impact27:11 Stepmom Becomes Nana31:01 In Laws and Longevity35:55 Family Events That Bond37:32 Olive Branch and Boundaries39:39 Co Parenting Trust Over Time43:30 Forgiveness and The Middle Person45:01 Calls to Action and Healing50:58 Modeling for the Kids53:17 Resources and Final Send Off

Andrea, Melissa, and Kelli host an episode of HERpresence featuring male guests Lloyd (61, retired military), Steve (45, Army veteran), and Vaughn (retired Army, lives in Atlanta, originally from New York, works in financial strategies). They discuss what they like about being single, perspectives on “hyper independent” women (rigidity, lack of compromise, and punishing new partners for past relationships), and how independence can be balanced with building connection through intuition, communication, and willingness to adjust. The men share that they generally do not keep rigid dating “lists,” emphasizing attraction, energy, peace, and authentic connection over checkboxes, and warn that lists can cause people to miss good partners or only meet a ‘representative’ rather than the real person. The conversation covers communication, transparency, boundaries, guardedness due to trauma, maturity and relationship ‘levels’ with age, and the idea of putting effort into relationships similarly to work, including counseling or therapy when needed. They answer what makes them want a second date (being yourself, organic conversation, good energy, openness, eye contact, and enjoying each other’s presence), briefly discuss hair preferences (two guests prefer natural hair; one doesn’t focus on hairstyles), talk about not judging quickly based on appearances, and share dating age-range preferences (Steve prefers 40+; Lloyd prioritizes maturity/stability over age; Vaughn previously dated up to 10 years younger and a few years older). They close with views on interracial relationships (Steve and Lloyd have no issue; Vaughn is opposed long-term due to cultural differences and concerns when children are involved) and invite viewers to share, subscribe, discuss in barbershops/salons, and message their thoughts.00:00 Welcome and Introductions03:38 Why Being Single Rocks05:01 Hyper Independent Women06:01 Defining Independence and Flexibility11:46 When a Good Man Shows Up13:19 Vaughn Joins the Panel14:35 Do Men Have a List18:04 Connection Over Checklists20:55 What Communication Means22:21 Guarded Hearts and Past Hurt24:56 Maturity and Relationship Levels30:34 Boundaries and Respect34:23 Relationship Boundaries Talk36:58 When To Walk Away38:54 First Date Green Flags43:35 Hair Preferences Debate47:35 Looks Versus Connection52:51 Dating Age Ranges55:21 Interracial Dating Views58:15 Closing Thanks And Share

On the Her Presence podcast, Andrea hosts Melissa and Kelli for a conversation on “the many faces of forgiveness,” including why forgiveness can be difficult when the person is no longer living. Andrea shares realizing in therapy that she needed to forgive her mother, who died of breast cancer in 1992, for not going to the doctor sooner, and discusses how closure often cannot come from the other person. The group describes forgiveness as a process that includes grief, commitment to healing, and avoiding rumination that keeps wounds fresh. They emphasize communication and confrontation as a cure for unresolved hurt, while acknowledging fear of rejection, being misunderstood, escalation, intimidation, and family roles as barriers. Examples include repairing friendships after serious offenses, navigating changed dynamics between siblings and within families, and the long-term impact when issues are never discussed before someone passes. Practical ways to move forward include prayer, therapy, community support, accountability, taking ownership and apologizing when wrong, writing letters to deceased loved ones, setting specific plans with dates and times for hard conversations, and focusing on building a new relationship rather than restoring the old one. 00:00 Cold Open & Getting Settled00:18 Topic Intro: The Many Faces of Forgiveness + Where to Listen00:50 Andrea’s Story: Forgiving a Parent After Loss (No Closure)03:07 What Forgiveness Really Means: Process, Not Just Words06:30 Forgiveness as Grief: Committing to Heal & Not Ruminating11:19 Cutting People Off vs. Confrontation: A Friendship Restored17:04 When They’re Gone: Unsaid Words, Festering Hurt, and Healing19:13 Why We Avoid Hard Talks: Rejection, Fear, Tools, and Triggers26:45 Dynamics & Positioning in Family: Sisters, Roles, and Respect29:23 In-Law Roles & Deep Love: When Respect Keeps Everyone in Corners32:10 When the Old Dynamic Breaks: Choosing a New Relationship34:12 Why Family Hurt Cuts Deep (and Why It’s Still Love)35:25 Work + Time: Letting Go of the Small Stuff38:00 Forgiveness as Physical Therapy: Healing in Layers39:10 The “Twinge” Warning Sign: Don’t Reinjure the Relationship43:14 Closure When They’re Gone: Prayer, Community, Therapy50:07 Moving Forward with the Living: Action Steps & Accountability54:42 Call to Action + Podcast Wrap-Up (Subscribe & Next Episode Tease)

In this episode, join the hosts as they delve into cherished family memories and amusing everyday moments. From peculiar family habits, like who can stay in the car the longest, to snack hideaways in cars and homes, the discussion uncovers the quirky sides of family life. The conversation shifts to nostalgic recollections of growing up with grandparents, their unique habitudes, and the significance of family gatherings. They also share personal anecdotes about childhood, playful pranks, and funny things kids say. Each story, whether funny or heartfelt, garners a sense of belonging and reminisces the innocence and simplicity of bygone days.00:00 Welcome and Introduction00:22 Funny Family Habits02:06 Pajama Day and Car Conversations03:09 Snack Habits and Preferences14:30 Shopping and Showing Off18:24 Nostalgic Memories and Favorite Places32:32 Nostalgic Memories of Home33:39 Snowy Adventures and Scary Drives37:27 Tornado Tales and Family Bonds41:24 Grandma's House: A Place of Love and Lessons01:01:39 Funny Childhood Stories and Closing Thoughts

In this episode of 'HERpresence,' Andrea, Kelli, and Melissa discuss the unique experiences, challenges, and strengths of military families. They share personal stories about managing deployments, maintaining family connections, and the impact of military life on children and relationships. They also touch on the crucial role of faith in overcoming the difficulties they encounter. Join us as we explore the resilience and adaptability that military families demonstrate and the valuable lessons they impart.00:00 Introduction to Military Family Life00:41 Challenges of Rapid Deployment02:55 Communication Strategies During Deployment07:05 The Role of Family Support20:13 Impact on Children and Relationships22:54 Resources and Evolving Support Systems25:36 Marriage and Military Life Challenges26:51 Co-Parenting After Divorce29:10 Adjusting to New Relationships Post-Retirement31:23 Children's Resilience in Military Families39:00 Faith and Coping with Military Life46:56 Concluding Thoughts and Listener Engagement

In this heartfelt episode, Andrea, Kelli, and Melissa discuss the emotional journey of mothers as their children transition into adulthood. They share personal stories and challenges, from letting go and overcoming fear to cultivating new relationships and finding new purposes in life. The trio talks about the complexities of maintaining connections without being overbearing and highlights the importance of having individual pursuits and passions. Listeners are encouraged to share their experiences and strategies for successfully navigating this life phase.

In this episode of HERpresence, we dive into the alarming issue of black American women and the high mortality rate in childbirth. The conversation is sparked by a viral video depicting the inhumane treatment of a black woman in labor. Our hosts share personal stories and statistics highlighting the lack of empathy and systemic failures that contribute to this crisis. With black women being three times more likely to die from childbirth-related complications than their Caucasian counterparts, we discuss the urgent need for change and advocate for stronger patient advocacy, proper medical attention, and the inclusion of doulas to support women in labor. Join us as we shed light on this critical issue and discuss actionable steps to address it.

In this engaging episode, the hosts dive deep into the world of modern dating, discussing their personal experiences and perspectives. They share stories, challenges, and opinions on dating younger men, the impact of dating apps, and the importance of feeling safe and comfortable in a relationship. The conversation also touches on racial dynamics in dating, the importance of community, and maintaining high standards. Whether you're single or married, this lively discussion offers valuable insights into the complexities of dating today.00:00 Introduction: Sisters and Dating00:16 Exploring Younger Men00:43 Challenges and Perspectives01:19 Dating Dynamics and Preferences03:47 Race and Dating Experiences11:28 High Value Men and Standards16:59 Online Dating and Personal Reflections23:03 Compatibility and Relationship Insights36:14 A Unique Perspective on Independence36:33 Celebrating Wins and Seeking Support37:59 Acts of Service and Relationship Dynamics39:52 Communicating Expectations in Relationships42:00 Memorable Dates and Romantic Gestures48:22 Meeting Partners and Relationship Beginnings54:16 Challenges in Modern Dating57:03 The Impact of Social Media on Relationships01:02:49 Daydreams and Ideal Partners01:07:12 Cultural Influences and Compatibility01:07:27 Conclusion and Listener Engagement