Connections

Faith was always a part of Elijah Stephen's life growing up. But as he grew older, he started having questions. 

"I grew up in a Christian home and went to church, but I also watched my mom get conned by con artists who said you'll get healed if you send money," explains Stephens, director and executive producer of Send Proof.
Stephens says he also grew up in an abusive home that made him question God's existence. Despite that, he still went to a Christian college and studied philosophy from a Christian perspective.

What started as a simple Christ-centred radio program has grown into something much larger. 

Square One World Media is a Christian media organization that started more than 70 years ago in 1947 by a small group of Bible College students who dreamt of using radio to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with their English-speaking Winnipeg neighbours. 

Back then it was known as Gospel Light Hour. Three years later in 1950, Gospel Light Hour became an agency and the vision quickly expanded to include radio broadcasts in several languages.

When Linda Olson was a teenager she experienced a tragedy that rocked her life. 

It took a total of 45 years for Olson to get to a place where she didn't feel guilt or grief daily.

"One of the major keys for me to come to complete healing was to take full responsibility and own my story," Olson explains.

Linda says because of her brokenness, it took her a long time to grasp her value and discover the gifts and abilities she had been given.

Imagine losing your marriage and the life you once knew, but in the end, making a discovery that changes you forever.

Jared C. Wilson, who is a well-known author and podcaster, as well as assistant professor of pastoral ministry at Spurgeon College, author in residence at Midwestern Seminary, and director of the pastoral training center at Liberty Baptist Church, writes about this in his new book, Love Me Anyway: How God's Perfect Love Fills our Deepest Longing.

Reading is a common habit shared by many successful people throughout history.

It is responsible for unlocking limitless creativity and influence. It is known to reduce stress, improve decision-making skills, and make better leaders. It is the single best thing a person can do to improve themselves professionally. Reading more and better books creates opportunities to learn new skills, rise above the competition, and build a successful career.

Christine Soule’s life was a jumbled pile of broken pieces. Her father was married seven times; her mother four times.

Between her parents’ divorce when she was 5 years old and the day she allowed the power and presence of God into her heart, she watched her sister have an affair with her adoptive father; met 15 siblings she never knew at her biological father’s funeral; turned to drugs and alcohol; got pregnant at 17; had twins less than two years later; and became a victim of human trafficking.

Leilanie and Michael met when they were just 15 years old. Twelve years later they got engaged. But as they were preparing for their wedding, something seemed off with Michael.

He began tripping over himself and lost sight in one of his eyes. He met with his family doctor who insisted he see a neurologist. 

After running numerous tests, Michael's  doctor called and told him he needed to come in to hear the results.

Adoption was something that Jennifer Phillips and her husband had always talked about, but it was quite some time before they actually took the steps to make it happen.

After graduating from college, Phillips worked at a Christian crisis pregnancy centre. She says it was there she got to see adoption from the birth mother's side and her passion and heart for adoption grew from there. 

Eryn Eddy's story starts with gold spray paint and a few stencils.

Eddy was working as an art director for a very successful company while pursuing a music career in singing with the hope that she would empower others to live bold lives through her music. She wanted to create merchandise for her fans that would help them to get there and that's when she came up with the statement, So Worth Loving.

She spent hours sitting on her floor etching that statement onto tank tops and well-worn sweatshirts and t-shirts of people that she had never met. 

Have you ever felt alone even though you're surrounded by people? Or 'liked' but unloved? 

Many of us have felt like this at some point in our lives, including Doug Bender, I Am Second's chief content writer and author of, I Found Love: True Stories of Discovering Love, Belonging and Friendship. 

When it comes to prayer, many people ask for health, wealth or success. Doug Bender's prayer was a simple one, he wanted a friend.