Still I Rise Podcast

Send us Fan MailWelcome to the Still I Rise podcast…the place where stories heal,where scars become art,and where women rise again and again… no matter what life has tried to take from them.Today’s episode is a special Mother’s Day message.And whether you are a mother…missing your mother…longing to become a mother…or simply a woman who has spent her life nurturing everyone around you…this message is for you.As I sat thinking about all the things women carry—the schedules, the stress, the caregiving, the emotional weight, the invisible labor—I started thinking about the very first and greatest “things-to-do list” ever written.The one God created in the beginning of time.Day by day…piece by piece…He built the heavens and the Earth.The stars.The oceans.The animals.The mountains.The beauty of creation itself.And then…He created woman.The nurturer.The life-giver.The comforter.The leader.The glue that somehow keeps this spinning world from completely falling apart.So today…I want to take you back to the beginning.Back to creation.And maybe, by the end of this episode…you’ll remember something important:that women were never created to simply survive this world…they were created to help hold it together.This is Still I Rise.And this…is “When God Created the Ultimate Things-To-Do List.Support the showStill I Rise features stories from You Night's STORY CRAFTING COMMUNITY.  To read additional stories, visit our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/YouNightStories.  Would you like to participate in a 6-week Story Crafting small group experience so that you can share your story?  Write to us at [email protected]

Send us Fan MailThere are moments in life when everything changes with one phone call… one word… one sentence that splits your world in two.For Courtney Trombka, that moment came on July 4th, 2019, when she heard the words, “You have a rare type of leukemia.” At just thirty years old, with two young children depending on her, her life suddenly became a storm she never asked to sail through.But Courtney’s story is not just about cancer. It’s about survival. It’s about faith. It’s about what happens when a woman refuses to sink, even when life keeps sending wave after wave against her spirit.A member of the You Night FIGHT CLUB Class of 2025, Courtney has faced leukemia, heartbreak, loss, and now prepares for a second brain surgery with a courage that is both breathtaking and deeply human. Through every battle, she has carried prayer like an anchor and hope like a lantern in the dark.Today, she shares a story of resilience, motherhood, vulnerability, and discovering that sometimes the very thing meant to destroy you can awaken you to life in a way nothing else ever could.This is not just a story about surviving cancer. This is a story about rebuilding a soul. About finding beauty after devastation. About learning to rise… again and again… no matter how fierce the storm.Please welcome my guest, Courtney Trombka.Support the showStill I Rise features stories from You Night's STORY CRAFTING COMMUNITY.  To read additional stories, visit our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/YouNightStories.  Would you like to participate in a 6-week Story Crafting small group experience so that you can share your story?  Write to us at [email protected]

Send us Fan MailWelcome back to Still I Rise… and to Day 4—our final day—of this 100th episode celebration.Over the last few days, we’ve been surrounded by the voices, the stories, and the people who have helped build this journey into what it is today.And today, we close out this special series with two women who represent both heart and history—two voices that remind us just how personal and powerful this journey truly is.You’ll hear from Ruth Avila and my sister, Julie Angelos—women whose connection, love, and perspective bring this full circle in a way that feels especially meaningful.They’re sharing their reflections, their favorite moments, and what they’ve learned along the way—about life, about strength, and about what it really means to rise.Because after 100 episodes… this isn’t just a milestone.It’s a reminder of what’s possible when people come together, lift each other up, and keep rising—again and again.Let’s finish this celebration together.Support the showStill I Rise features stories from You Night's STORY CRAFTING COMMUNITY.  To read additional stories, visit our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/YouNightStories.  Would you like to participate in a 6-week Story Crafting small group experience so that you can share your story?  Write to us at [email protected]

Send us Fan MailWelcome back to Still I Rise… and to Day 3 of our 100th episode celebration.Over the past two days, we’ve been honoring the voices and the people who have helped shape this journey—and today, we continue with two women who have been steady, powerful forces behind the scenes and beyond.One hundred episodes in, and what stands out most isn’t just what’s been created… but who has stood alongside it, helping to carry the mission forward every step of the way.Today, you’ll hear from my right-hand gal, Angela Becnel, and Debbie Tonguis—two women whose presence, support, and dedication have made a lasting impact in ways that words can barely capture.They’re sharing their memories, their insights, and what this journey has meant to them—along with what they’ve learned about resilience, connection, and rising through it all.Because behind every moment… there are people who help make it possible.Let’s keep the celebration going.Support the showStill I Rise features stories from You Night's STORY CRAFTING COMMUNITY.  To read additional stories, visit our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/YouNightStories.  Would you like to participate in a 6-week Story Crafting small group experience so that you can share your story?  Write to us at [email protected]

Send us Fan MailWelcome back to Still I Rise… and to Day 2 of our 100th episode celebration.If you joined us yesterday, you know this isn’t just one episode—it’s a four-part series honoring the voices, the moments, and the people who have helped shape this journey.One hundred episodes in, and the stories just keep getting richer… the connections deeper… and the impact even more meaningful.Today, we continue that celebration with two more incredible women who have played a powerful role in what we do.You’ll hear from our Runway Coach, Leslie Legania-Shelby, and Photographer, Tracie Morris Schaefer—two women who don’t just show up… they help bring confidence, beauty, and transformation to life in ways that leave a lasting mark on every woman they touch.They’re sharing their favorite memories, what they’ve witnessed, and what they’ve learned along the way—about strength, resilience, and what it truly means to rise.Because this journey is built on moments like these… and people like them.So let’s continue the celebration.Support the showStill I Rise features stories from You Night's STORY CRAFTING COMMUNITY.  To read additional stories, visit our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/YouNightStories.  Would you like to participate in a 6-week Story Crafting small group experience so that you can share your story?  Write to us at [email protected]

Send us Fan Mail“Welcome to Still I Rise… and today, this one feels different.This is our 100th episode.One hundred conversations. One hundred moments of truth, vulnerability, strength, and rising—again and again. This podcast has always been about connection… about the people who show up, who stay, and who lift each other when life gets heavy.So today, instead of telling one story… I wanted to bring together the voices that helped shape this journey.I’ve invited some of my favorite people—those who have been here since the very beginning, and others who came along the way and became an essential part of what we do. These are the people who believed in the mission, who poured into it, and who helped carry it forward.And because there are so many incredible voices to celebrate, I’m doing something special for this 100th episode. We’re turning it into a four-part series that will air over the next three days—so every story has the space it deserves to be heard.Here’s what you can look forward to:Day 1 features my daughter Halle and our Team Director, Jill Allender. Day 2 features our Runway Coach, Leslie Legania-Shelby, and Photographer, Tracie Morris Schaefer. Day 3 features my right-hand gal, Angela Becnel, and Debbie Tonguis. And Day 4 features Ruth Avila and my sister, Julie Angelos.Each of them is sharing their favorite memories, the moments that stayed with them, and what they’ve learned—about life, about resilience, and about what it really means to rise.Because after 100 episodes, one thing is clear…We don’t rise alone.So let’s get into it.”Support the showStill I Rise features stories from You Night's STORY CRAFTING COMMUNITY.  To read additional stories, visit our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/YouNightStories.  Would you like to participate in a 6-week Story Crafting small group experience so that you can share your story?  Write to us at [email protected]