Reflecting Light with April Rodgers April Rodgers

Debbie Bright-Chunn and Nikki Murphy were both educators who followed their dream of owning a horse ranch that could provide equine assisted activities for individuals with special needs. Thus Bright Star Ranch was launched four years ago and today they not only work with children who have special needs, but also branched out to provide a program to help children overcome various mental health issues. After listening to this interview, you will fall in love with the beauty of God’s creation of horses…and you’ll most likely fall in love with these two women and their beautiful hearts!

Below are some of our favorite takeaways from today’s show:

️ When we simply acknowledge another human being and truly see them for who they are on the inside, it can make a difference in their lives and allow them to flourish. Doing so also holds a blessing for us.

️ Working with a therapy horse can help in areas such as depression, anxiety, long-term illness, and PTSD. Horses can teach trust, communication, healthy relationships and boundaries. It’s also a fun way to work through these issues because it doesn’t seem like “work.”

️ Horses are mirror animals and can be used to talk about how we rate ourselves. The goal is to raise self-awareness as well as self-esteem.

️ Horse riding provides a visual example of being able to guide both the horse and ourselves down a certain path. This serves as a reminder that we can also guide ourselves down a path of Light and that God gives us the strength to do so.

️ Just as the horse and the rider must exhibit trust in each other, we too must trust God if want to reflect His Light. As we develop our relationship with God, He will prove Himself trustworthy because He is faithful.

About Our Guests:

Debbie Bright-Chunn earned her Master's in Health Informatics from Louisiana Tech University and worked for 30 years in the hospital field, serving as Health Information Director for 20 years. Her love for horses and therapeutic riding caused her to open a facility in 2018 after she became certified through PATH and CHA. She states, "This job is by far the most rewarding I have ever had and has been my vision for many years."

Nikki Murphy graduated from Louisiana Tech University with a Bachelor’s degree in Family & Child Services & a minor in Psychology in 2003. In 2004, she graduated from ULM in Monroe, Louisiana, with a Master’s in Special Education and later added a certification in Early Childhood Education. As a former special education teacher of over 12 years, she has worked with individuals and a wide variety of disabilities. She brings that knowledge and love for helping others to our team. She says that, “Combining my love of horses & working with individuals with special needs makes this my absolute dream job.”

Bright Star Ranch is a 501(c)3 non profit ministry which means that you can make a tax-deductible gift to further this amazing ministry! Visit them at https://www.brightstarranch.net/donate today.

Jeff and Libby Landry of Landry Vineyards understand that in order to produce quality wine there must first be strong work ethic. Come enjoy this conversation of how winemaking can relate to our spiritual lives and provide us with both joy and humility.

Below are some of our favorite takeaways from today’s show:

️ A strong work ethic is important for small family farming as well as our everyday lives in order to produce a quality result.

️ Mistakes in relationships are inevitable, but asking for forgiveness is key. Just as God forgave us we can also forgive and receive forgiveness from others.

️ Uncertainty comes with starting a new endeavor, but when we pray for God’s will to be done, we can walk forward in confidence knowing that He will direct our steps.

️ From a spiritual perspective, it is vital for us to be connected to the Vine in order to produce good fruit in our lives. Pruning removes our dead parts so that we can truly abide in God.

️ Wine is a living drink just as the blood of Christ is alive in us who are believers.

About Our Guest:

Jeff and Libby Landry are the owners of Landry Vineyards in West Monroe, Louisiana. Landry Vineyards was established in 1999 in Folsom, Louisiana by Jeff, Libby, and their four sons: Ethan, Kohen, Noah, and Micah along with the loving labor of family and friends. Visit them at landryvineyards.com to plan your next wine tasting.

From a young age, Trace Mayo was marked by Jesus for a life of evangelism. Even though life hasn’t always been easy for him, Trace never doubted that God is real and he wants everyone he meets to know the miracle of salvation. You will thoroughly enjoy this conversation of how to boldly share the love of Christ.

Below are some of our favorite takeaways from today’s show:

️ Shame keeps us isolated, but oftentimes God has to reveal things to heal things. Two things that can foster healing are recognizing the truth of God’s Word and getting professional help when needed.

️ Receiving freedom is like having a check that has been put in our pocket and all we have to do is take it to the bank and cash it. However, with freedom comes a choice. We now must choose to live by the Spirit and not by our flesh.

️ Because we are coheirs with Christ, we have a seat at God’s table. We should not allow our feelings of unworthiness or even self-righteousness to keep us from taking our seat.

️ We can use whatever occupation/situation God has us in to share our faith. However, most people don’t share their faith because they don’t want to be rejected. Pray for a boldness to talk about Jesus with others.

️ There is a difference between loving Jesus and “falling in love” with Jesus. If we are in love with someone, we can’t help but talk about them. If we are in love with Jesus, then we will undoubtably talk about Him with others.

About Our Guest:

Trace Mayo is a barber at Rumo’s in West Monroe and is well known for his willingness to use his occupation as an opportunity to share about Jesus. He is 100% sold out for God and he can’t NOT talk about Him. You can typically find Trace using his gifts inside the Christ Church youth and 99ONE ministries, or simply taking a friend to lunch to talk about the miracle of salvation. You can follow Trace on Instagram @tracemayo.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and who better to interview than a breast cancer survivor? Michelle Foster shares her story of how the Lord walked beside her in her darkest moments and ultimately healed her of breast cancer. However, Michelle also contributes a positive attitude as the catalyst in her journey to healing. If you or a loved one is currently battling cancer, there is hope and light. You are not alone.

Below are some of our favorite takeaways from today’s show:

️ Attitude is 99% of our battle. With a good attitude we can face the challenges that lie before us and be a blessing to those around us.

️ A good support system is necessary to get through life’s toughest challenges. Taking a friend to a doctor’s appointment can help comfort us and get us through the mental anguish that sometimes follows.

️ Keeping a journal through cancer treatments provides a way to keep God at the center and will help bring peace. Write it all down…prayers, hopes, fears, blood work results, etc. Then go back and write “answered” over the requests that God answered.

️ Prayer is often underestimated, but it can change everything! Find some praying friends and be honest about the hard days. We can combat fear by keeping ourselves busy and continuing with our prayer and positive attitude.

️ Don’t ignore your body and get your mammogram!

Jill Dasher, author of the book SHALLOW, gives great advice of how to stop living as a shallow human being and replace it with a life of security and freedom. Jill also shares with us the story of how after years of desiring to adopt a baby, the Lord answered her prayer with an unlikely text and quite literally laid a baby on her family’s doorstep. It is a great reminder of how there is beauty in the waiting.

Below are some of our favorite takeaways from today’s show:

️ When we use our everyday life activities to glorify God, it not only blesses our lives but also helps us to relate to others right where they are. Sharing God’s story through our lives is the best way to point others to Christ.

️ Those that struggle with perfectionism can develop a habit of covering and hiding the real parts of their lives in hopes that others will view them as “perfect.” We have to be willing to let God show us our imperfections so that we can live in freedom.

️ God is always leading us into the light, but we can choose to keep our blinders on. Asking God to allow us to see our areas of darkness changes us so that we can be different.

️ When we believe the truth that God speaks into our lives (even if it’s painful), it leads us to a life of less anxiety and more joy. It’s then that we can be transformed more into His image. However, it starts with us listening to the voice of truth.

️ Starting over with an adoption later in life can be the biggest blessing, especially if we’re able to witness older children accepting their new sibling. It is a true picture of God’s love.

About Our Guest:

Jill Dasher is the author of the brand-new book SHALLOW, drowning in the shallow end of people’s approval. She is a writer and Christian speaker who is passionate about sharing the freedom that exists when you refuse to live in hiding & freely submit all of your fears, flaws, & failures to the God who made you. She resides in the mountains of NC with her husband and five children. Visit her website at jilldasher.com to order Shallow. Use code SHALLOW25 to get 25% off!

DeRon Talley knows a thing or two about being thrown significant curve balls in life. After college graduation, he had his plans in place and was ready to make his mark on the world. Yet through a series of curve balls and some unwise decisions, DeRon found himself at a literal crossroad and would have to decide if he would lay down his pride in order to walk upon the path of light and love. Come join us for this truly amazing story of how to trust God even when you can’t trace Him in the moment.

Below are some of our favorite takeaways from today’s show:

️ What we view as a curve ball in our plans can actually be God’s way of moving us in a new direction.

️ Worshipping God in an unfamiliar place helps us to know that God is still with us wherever we go. No matter where we are mentally, emotionally, or spiritually He is there.

️ Even when we can’t trace God, we can still trust Him. God will be faithful to show us remnants of hope and light.

️ God’s hand, coupled with the prayers of others, can provide protection over us, even while making bad decisions. However, it honors Him when we realize His love for us and return to His path of light.

️ God is never lost and He is with us through every valley. When we lay down our pride/ego and allow Him to pave our way, it’s then that we can find our purpose.

About Our Guest:

DeRon was born and raised in Folsom, Louisiana, and is a 2019 graduate of the Louisiana State University-Shreveport University (LSU-Shreveport) with a Master of Business Administration - Marketing, and a 2012 graduate of the University of Louisiana at Monroe (ULM) with a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communications, where he ran track for two years. DeRon is the owner of Key Marketing Solutions, and he is also a pastor and podcaster. He is married to Patience Talley and they have both a daughter and a son.