Where Ya From? Podcast Our Daily Bread Ministries

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!
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Has it ever felt like you could only choose faith or fact—not both? Well, acclaimed Yale neuroscientist Dr. Nii Addy invites you to see another option, one that connects our brains with our faith. Growing up in the United States with parents who immigrated from Ghana, Dr. Addy has always preferred the unexpected . . . even when living out his relationship with Jesus in a scientific community that—on the surface—seems polar opposite to faith. Hear Dr. Addy’s journey of learning about the connection between Scripture and science, and his open invitation for others to experience it too.

Guest Bio:
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. Dr. Addy directs a federally funded research program investigating the neurobiological basis of substance use disorders, depression, and anxiety. His team also studies the ability of tobacco product flavor additives to alter nicotine use behavior and addiction. 
Dr. Addy is the inaugural Director of Scientist Diversity and Inclusion at the Yale School of Medicine, focusing on supporting the faculty development of basic scientists from underrepresented groups at the School of Medicine. He also contributes to graduate student and postdoctoral training and diversity, equity, and inclusion programs and initiatives through his efforts on campus and in professional scientific societies. 
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. He has presented scientific lectures at universities throughout the United States and Europe, and he serves on the Board of Trustees for The Carver Project, aimed at empowering and connecting individuals across university, church, and society.
Dr. Addy is also a contributor to The Whole Man Project, a book and video series provided by VOICES from Our Daily Bread Ministries. You can learn more about The Whole Man Project—and preorder the book—here!

Notes & Quotes:

“I've also noticed over the years that as I've been in different environments, there are lots of people who’ve had intellectual or scientific oppositions to faith. But getting back to the relationship, whenever I get to know those folks more, every single time, there's always something deeper.”

“God has opened opportunities where I've been able to bring people back into relationship with God because they were able to watch me as a scientist operate in both places, and [they] have enough curiosity where before they were told that their faith and their science were in opposition, and [now] have realized that's actually not the case.”

“We keep setting up these different dichotomies. Like, either it's science or it's God as if the two don't meet.”

“God has given us different tools where we can use our faith and spiritual practices—prayer, meditation, being in community. All those things can help people navigate through addiction. All those things also impact the brain.” 

“If we do [think about ourselves and situations] from a perspective that God has given us through the Scripture, that's going to change how we actually approach those situations. If we do that long enough, it's actually going to change aspects of our brain as well.”


Links Mentioned:

FULL EPISODE TRANSCRIPT

Learn more about Dr.Nii Addy’s involvement in the upcoming The Whole Man project, provided by VOICES from Our Daily Bread Ministries.

Explore all the powerful topics and guests featured on Dr. Addy’s video and audio podcast, Addy Hour, 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:

Philippians 4:6-8

Have you ever searched for your love and worth in all the wrong places? Pastor Jerome Gay will be the first one to tell you he has. But it was his father—the person who should have been helping him define these things—not being able to provide what he needed that led Jerome to search for anything to help him earn it. Through twists and turns, Jerome finally found the One who freely loves him—and all of us—with no strings or conditions. And that love has been the fuel for his mission to train up others to grow, teach, and preach the truth of the gospel that makes each one of us…whole.

Guest Bio:
Pastor Jerome Gay Jr. was raised in Southeast Washington, DC before moving to Raleigh, NC in 1997 to attend Saint Augustine’s College—graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Communications. While there he founded a campus-wide ministry that emphasized the gospel and biblical orthodoxy in the urban context, resulting in the decision of many students to profess Christ as Savior. 

Upon graduating, Jerome served as an elder for several years. After fervent prayer, he was led to plant Vision Church in Raleigh, North Carolina in October of 2010. As the Lead Pastor of Teaching and Vision, Vision Church has grown by God’s grace and is impacting the inner city by missionally engaging people with the gospel of Jesus Christ through discipleship, leadership development, service, and holistic empowerment. Jerome has a vision to see gospel-centered churches and leaders raised within the urban context and sent out to plant other gospel-centered churches. 

Jerome is also the Founder and President of The Urban Perspective and the author of four books, Church Hurt: Holding the Church Accountable and Helping Hurt People Heal, Talking to Your Children About Race, The Whitewashing of Christianity: A Hidden Past, a Hurtful Present and a Hopeful Future and Renewal: Grace and Redemption in the Story. 

Jerome is also a lead contributor to The Whole Man Project, a book and video series provided by VOICES from Our Daily Bread Ministries. You can learn more about The Whole Man Project—and preorder the book—here!

Jerome is the proud husband to his wife Crystal and father of two.

Notes & Quotes:

“Uncertainty is what makes you walk by faith and not by sight.”

“I believe you most aptly understand God's will in hindsight. He knows the end from the beginning. We don't. We're living it.”

 “My contention for the church is we're saying that there's one way, which I concur, that there's one God, I concur, and that there's one book. Again, I concur. We're saying that that's just one for 8 billion people. If we're going to make that claim, and we are, we need to be able to defend it. We should not make that claim that there's one book for 8 billion people and not be able to answer questions.”

“We must stop giving faith-based answers to fact-based questions.”

“We want to come back to that gospel foundation so that we can have men that are mentally, emotionally, and relationally well and whole.”


Links Mentioned:

FULL EPISODE TRANSCRIPT

Learn more about Jerome’s involvement in the upcoming The Whole Man project, provided by VOICES from Our Daily Bread Ministries.

You can order any of Jerome’s books, Church Hurt, Talking to Your Children About Race, The Whitewashing of Christianity, and Renewal using these links. 

Check out Jerome’s work with The Urban Perspective and listen to the podcast on your preferred streaming platform. 

Jerome’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:

Psalm 77

1 Corinthians 7:32

Jude 1:20

Ephesians 6:17

Hebrews 4:12 

Genesis 2:18

Matthew 5:13-16

Mark 1:15


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None of us were created to live a life defined by failures and mistakes—a reality that Jermaine Wilson knows firsthand. During the years when teens should be having the time of their lives, Jermaine was sitting behind bars. Carrying the destructive cycle he felt there was no escape from, Jermaine quickly found himself put back into prison after only a short experience of freedom. But it was spending his most formative years behind bars that gave him the time and perspective needed to build a relationship with God. A relationship that would completely transform his life and take him to the most unexpected places—all the way to city hall.

Guest Bio:
Jermaine Wilson is the Mission Ambassador for Prison Fellowship and former two-time mayor of Leavenworth, Kansas. As a servant leader, his passion for helping others stems from his humble beginnings and troubled childhood. Jermaine spent seven years behind bars—four of them as a juvenile. 
While incarcerated as an adult, Jermaine participated in biblically based programs through Prison Fellowship and experienced the life-transforming power of God’s Word. With renewed purpose and vision, he no longer saw himself as a failure and a mistake. After his release from prison, Jermaine created a nonprofit organization, Unity in the Community, to establish trust between citizens and law enforcement. When his criminal record was expunged, he increased his political and civic involvement. In 2017, he was elected city commissioner for Leavenworth, Kansas, and Mayor in 2019. In 2020, he became the first formerly incarcerated person to serve on the Kansas Sentencing Committee. 
Jermaine is an ordained minister, husband, and father of five children.

Notes & Quotes:

“I’ve learned that I had to be broken down and stripped away from everything I had in order for God to get my attention. I tell people that I lost my freedom, but discovered my purpose.”

“God didn’t create me to fail. God [has] a plan and a purpose for my life. But it took me going to prison, losing time to find a better time and to have quality time with him.”

“We spend so much time preparing returning citizens for society, but not enough time preparing society for returning citizens.”

“God will use and choose whoever he wants to use . . . and he’ll take the foolish things of this world to confound the wise, and the process prepares us for our purpose in life.”


Links Mentioned:

FINAL TRANSCRIPT LINK

Learn more about Jermaine’s work with Prison Fellowship.


If you’re interested in getting more information about Prison Fellowship’s Angel Tree program, check out the program’s homepage. 

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:

Malachai 2:14

Story of Joseph: Genesis 37-50


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We all dream of a life filled with success and glory. But just like Moriah Smallbone knows, real life in the spotlight isn’t always glamorous behind the scenes. Being on her own at 17 and traveling from place to place eventually took its toll. And in the middle of her pain and stress, Moriah realized she had to make a change. Those moments helped shape the bravery that has since led Moriah to chart her own course—one that is constantly inviting the Holy Spirit to help discern when love and grace are required—or what needs to change.

Guest Bio:
MŌRIAH is a Mexican-American recording artist, actress, and producer from Los Angeles, California. After signing with SONY/Provident in Nashville, Tennessee, her sophomore album BRAVE hit number 9 on Billboard’s CCM Charts and included a collaboration with GRAMMY award-winning rapper Andy Mineo. Her film credits include the starring role in Because of Gracia (2017) and legendary singer Loyce Whiteman in the upcoming Ronald Reagan biopic alongside Dennis Quaid (2024). She plays the role of Bathsheba in the television series The Chosen (2023). Earlier this year, MŌRIAH wrapped filming Journey to Bethlehem, a cinematic musical starring Antonio Banderas released through Sony Affirm this past November.

As a music and film producer, MŌRIAH co-hosted K-LOVE/AccessMore’s most successful podcast called BECOMING:us alongside her GRAMMY AWARD-winning husband Joel Smallbone. She co-produced the film Unsung Hero which is set to release in Spring 2024. She has fully self-produced and written her latest EP Curtain Call as well as all accompanying live performance videos. MŌRIAH is currently writing songs for a country album in her home in Nashville, TN with GRAMMY AWARD-winning producer Paul Mabury.

Notes & Quotes:

“I think we’re such a purpose-obsessed culture, right? Like, we want to find our purpose, but sometimes I wonder if it’s way more simple than that. Sometimes I wonder if it’s just like, how can you help the world around you? How can you help the people around you?” 

“I think there’s a difference between suffering and misery. And we can’t avoid suffering. Life is going to be hard. Things are going to be disappointing. We are going to be mistreated. But how we choose to respond to suffering can grow our character.”

“In my experience, I’ve been most miserable when I have forced myself to stay in a situation where I did not need to be”. 

“If I’m living in love, if I’m in that place where all that I’m doing is coming from a place of love, then, is there the grace to keep going in this relationship, in this project, in this work, in this path? Or is it time to cut the cord?”


Links Mentioned:

FULL EPISODE TRANSCRIPT

Follow along with Moriah’s current and future projects through her website. 

Hear more of Moriah’s story in the Unshakable Moxie video series, created by Our Daily Bread Ministries. 

Listen to Moriah’s music with this Spotify playlist


Follow Moriah on 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.


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Have you ever been confronted with a situation where you felt like you had to be the one to say something? Maliek Blade found himself in that very place when he realized there was a mental and emotional health crisis hitting too close to home that he could no longer ignore. And it was that moment of realization that helped him prepare the way for his life’s path advocating for the “wholeness” of his brothers and destigmatizing the mental and emotional vocabulary that has been desperately needed for generations.

Guest Bio:
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. With a doctoral-level background in counseling, he brings expertise and empathy to the cause, driving initiatives that destigmatize mental health and enhance access to crucial support.
Maliek is also a lead contributor to The Whole Man Project, a book and video series provided by VOICES from Our Daily Bread Ministries. You can learn more about The Whole Man Project—and preorder the book—here!

Notes & Quotes:

“We need to not allow our experiences with people that say they're representing God to frame how we see God. . .and that's not an indictment on God, but that's further evidence of the brokenness of people.” 

“Wholeness is having the posture to pivot where necessary. The awareness that I may need to change certain aspects of myself, and then also the fortitude and ability to pour into the lives of others.”

“Your mental and emotional health matter, but we have this soul element [and] spirit, [and] salvation is a huge piece.

“You can have Jesus and a therapist the same way that you have Jesus and a primary care physician.”


Links Mentioned:

FINAL TRANSCRIPT LINK

Learn more about Maliek’s work with Whole Brother Mission.

Check out Maliek’s book, Whole Brother, on Amazon.

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:

Isaiah 64:8

Hebrews 11:1

Colossians 1:28

Philippians 4:8

Proverbs 20:5

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

Genesis 2:24


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