Share The Stories Podcast

What does it actually take to change a community? Not a massive budget. Not a perfect plan. Just five simple ideas — lived out by real people in Ecuador, Wisconsin, Peru, and beyond.In this video, we sit down to talk through five things we've seen work across different countries and contexts: loving people well, leading with humility, staying adaptable, taking a step of faith even when you feel unqualified, and simply engaging with the people right in front of you.You'll hear from Nate, a soccer coach in Ecuador whose team is changing the culture of an entire sport — just by treating people well. From Greg, whose ministry in Alas taught us what it looks like to come in the back door and leave out the back door. From Daniel and Nayeli, who thought they were bringing Bible lessons to a village — until they realized the kids couldn't read. Kusi in Peru as she creates a sports program for teenagers. And from a ministry in Wisconsin where engagement isn't a strategy, it's a way of life.These aren't polished highlight reels. These are honest stories from people who showed up, listened first, and trusted God with the rest.Let us know which idea resonates with you in the comments.Share The Stories exists to advocate for ministries around the world by telling honest, meaningful stories. These are real people doing real work — and we're honored to share what God is doing through them.

Why do we do this?Not for views. Not for a platform. We tell these stories because someone — maybe someone who hasn't been born yet — needs to see that God showed up.Psalm 78 calls us to share the work of God to the next generation. That's not a suggestion. That's a commission.Our funding came. The doors opened. But here's the thing — none of that matters if no one tells it.This is the heart behind Share The Stories. This is our why.

Three keys. Three days. Gone.That's when we knew something bigger was happening. This is the story of how our family of six walked away from our home, our church, and nearly everything we owned — not because it was easy, but because we couldn't ignore what God was saying.We squeezed our lives into a 10x10 storage unit. We gave away our washer, dryer, furniture — everything. We cried. A lot. And then we signed the papers, passed off the last key, and became keyless.This is what that felt like.

A gifted bike. An unexpected phone call. A prayer answered before it was even finished.We weren't looking for a missionary story — we were just trying to ride bikes together. But when a friend hands over his own gravel bike saying "God told me to give this to you," and a scholarship appears the day after Jessica prays about it, and their parents volunteer to watch all four kids without being asked… you start to notice a pattern.Then Luke from IncaLink looks across a dinner table and asks one question that changes everything.About Us: Share The Stories exists to advocate for ministries around the world by sharing real, honest stories of missionaries, pastors, and local leaders. No highlight reels — just what God is actually doing.

Our kids told us they wanted to be missionaries — before we ever said a word about our plans.In this episode, we share the Francis Chan quote that changed everything, our two-year journey of prayer and discernment, and the moment God confirmed our calling through our own children.If you've ever wondered whether faith is "real enough" for your kids — this one's for you.ABOUT SHARE THE STORIES: We exist to help advocate for ministries around the world by telling honest, meaningful stories. We share real stories of missionaries, pastors, and local leaders—highlighting what God is already doing through them.

Sometimes you get bested by "Basilica Blowouts"! 😅 In this episode of "Behind The Stories," we take you back to the medical chaos of our time in Ecuador. From paying for toilet paper by the sheet to navigating a respiratory infection with zero medical Spanish, this is the side of international travel that doesn't usually make the highlight reel.We felt completely helpless trying to explain a cough ("Tos") to a doctor in a face shield, but the reality of the healthcare bill shocked us even more. Yet, through the sickness, God gifted us incredible hospitality through the Overmoyer family. From the healing power of Colombian "Agua de Panela" to teaching our kids to cook Arroz con Pollo, this story reminds us that community is the best medicine.If you’ve ever had a medical emergency abroad or a "lost in translation" moment that scared you, this episode is for you.About Share The Stories We travel the world sharing stories of missionaries and local leaders bringing hope to their communities. Subscribe to see the real people behind the mission field!

We thought the biggest challenge in the jungle would be the heat... we didn't expect the dinner menu. In Episode 3 of "Behind The Stories," we head deep into the Ecuadorian jungle to Ninawachi. This was our "Survivor" moment. From Levi sleeping in a dorm with bats to discovering Huntsman spiders in our sink (and getting very conflicting advice on whether to kill them), this was a whole new level of ministry life.But the real test came at dinner. We caught our own tilapia, but we quickly learned that in the jungle, you don't just eat the filet—you eat the face. Watch to see if Jessica actually managed to swallow the eyeball (spoiler: the texture was NOT what she expected). About Share The StoriesWe travel the world sharing stories of missionaries and local leaders bringing hope to their communities. Subscribe to see the real people behind the mission field!

We left the mountains for the coast and immediately melted... but the hospitality we found was worth the heat!In Episode 2 of "Behind The Stories," we travel to Manta, Ecuador (think the "Key West" of South America) to stay with Will and Amanda. We expected a place to sleep, but we didn't expect them to literally give up their children's bedrooms for us.This episode is a look inside the beautiful, sweaty reality of staying with a missionary family. From "fancy" bus station KFC and intense Dutch Blitz battles to a "Monkey Safari" that... well, you'll see. Plus, find out how our daughter accidentally became an international smuggler.

We had no idea what we were doing, Jessica was sick, and we didn't speak the language... welcome to our first-ever ministry interview! In this debut episode of "Behind The Stories," we take you back to Quito, Ecuador, for a raw look at what it really took to film our first ministry highlight with Mafer at Casa Elizabeth. From battling a massive coughing fit mid-interview to using a "very scientific" Google Translate method (shushing our four kids to record audio), this is the unpolished side of missionary storytelling.We felt like total imposters pretending to be professionals, but God showed up in the chaos. If you've ever felt unqualified for your calling, this episode is for you.About Share The StoriesWe travel the world sharing stories of missionaries and local leaders bringing hope to their communities. Subscribe to see the real people behind the mission field!