Giving Children a Voice, One Story at a Time with Kate Markland

Giving Children a Voice, One Story at a Time with Kate Markland

What started as one hour of FaceTime a week between a mother and her son became something far bigger than either of them could have imagined. After a painful separation from her son Gabriel, Kate Markland turned storytelling into a lifeline, asking one simple question that changed everything: "Do you want to be the hero of your own story?" Together they created adventures in Coral Cove, building confidence, connection, and a bestselling children's book series along the way. In this episode, Kate shares how those stories became the foundation for StoryQuest™, a groundbreaking approach that is helping children discover their voices through creativity and collaboration. We talk about why the blank page isn't really a writing problem, the power of being heard, and how giving children ownership of their own stories is transforming classrooms around the world. This is a conversation about resilience, imagination, and the incredible things that can happen when someone truly listens. To find out more about StoryQuest™, visit https://www.storyquestglobal.com/ 3 ways to support Life Stories: *Like and share this episode! *Subscribe to this channel! *Buy me a virtual coffee at https://buymeacoffee.com/lifestoriespodcast Want to be a guest on Life Stories Podcast? Send Shara Goswick a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.joinpodmatch.com/lifestoriespodcast

Turning Struggle Into Purpose: Alexa's Story

When Alexa Denaburg was 28 years old, she was building a successful career in marketing, pursuing her MBA, and living what many would consider a dream life in New York City. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, her voice began to change. What started as occasional vocal interruptions quickly turned into a long and frustrating search for answers that ultimately led to a diagnosis of spasmodic dysphonia, a neurological voice disorder. In this conversation, Alexa shares what it was like to lose control of something most of us rarely think about, our ability to speak, and how that experience impacted her confidence, identity, career, and everyday life. Alexa opens up about the challenges of navigating misdiagnoses, advocating for herself within the healthcare system, and finding hope when traditional treatments didn't feel like the right path for her. She discusses the holistic practices that helped her reconnect with her body, calm her nervous system, and regain confidence in her voice. Through honesty, humor, and resilience, Alexa offers encouragement for anyone facing a diagnosis, a life transition, or an unexpected challenge. Her story is a powerful reminder that even when life doesn't go according to plan, we can still find purpose, healing, and a new way forward. To connect with Alexa, visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/abalonik/ 3 ways to support Life Stories: *Like and share this episode! *Subscribe to this channel! *Buy me a virtual coffee at https://buymeacoffee.com/lifestoriespodcast Want to be a guest on Life Stories Podcast? Send Shara Goswick a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.joinpodmatch.com/lifestoriespodcast

How Adversity Can Shape Your Purpose with Coach Q

**My love/hate relationship with Zoom shows up in this week's episodes as only audio recorded.** In this episode of Life Stories, I sit down with Quinn Harwood, also known as Coach Q, to talk about how some of life’s most painful moments can become the catalyst for growth and purpose. Quinn shares his journey from chasing NBA dreams and playing professional basketball to walking through devastating personal loss, career setbacks, divorce, and uncertainty during Covid. Through those difficult seasons, he discovered a deeper calling to help others break through limiting beliefs and step into their full potential through life and leadership coaching. We also talk about the power of faith, identity, overcoming self-doubt, and why so many people tie their worth to performance. Quinn opens up about the lessons he’s learned through coaching, parenting, leadership, and writing his book GrowthTime!. This conversation is filled with encouragement, practical wisdom, and honest reminders that growth often comes through the hardest seasons of life. To connect with Quinn, visit https://coachqharwood.com/ 3 ways to support Life Stories: *Like and share this episode! *Subscribe to this channel! *Buy me a virtual coffee at https://buymeacoffee.com/lifestoriespodcast Want to be a guest on Life Stories Podcast? Send Shara Goswick a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.joinpodmatch.com/lifestoriespodcast

Crown of Beauty: Sue Corl’s Story of Hope and Freedom

In this episode, I sit down with Sue Corl: author, speaker, missionary, and founder of Crown of Beauty International, to talk about overcoming rejection, discovering identity in Christ, and helping women around the world find healing and freedom. Sue shares the incredible story of being born with a severe cleft palate and being sent home as a baby because doctors believed she would not survive. She opens up about enduring twenty-six surgeries, years of bullying, and the deep emotional wounds caused by believing the lies spoken over her for much of her life. We talk about how those painful experiences shaped the way she viewed herself and how Psalm 139 became a turning point in helping her recognize that she was truly “fearfully and wonderfully made.” Sue also shares how God helped her break free from feelings of rejection, inferiority, and self-hatred through renewing her mind with truth from Scripture. Sue explains how her own healing journey eventually led her into missions work across Asia and later to founding Crown of Beauty International, a ministry that now reaches women all over the world through conferences, Bible studies, leadership training, and discipleship. This conversation is filled with encouragement for anyone who has struggled with insecurity, painful words from the past, or believing they are not enough. Sue reminds us that our identity is not found in what others say about us, but in who God says we are. ***************************************3 ways to support Life Stories: *Like and share this episode! *Subscribe to this channel! *Buy me a virtual coffee at https://buymeacoffee.com/lifestoriespodcast Want to be a guest on Life Stories Podcast? Send Shara Goswick a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.joinpodmatch.com/lifestoriespodcast

From Burnout to Purpose with Valerie Jones

In this episode of Life Stories, I sit down with Valerie Jones, a Christian life and leadership coach, podcast host, and founder of The Purpose Project. Valerie opens up about the season in her life when burnout, overthinking, grief, and pressure nearly caused her to walk away from leadership, ministry, and even her sense of purpose. What looked strong and successful on the outside was hiding exhaustion and emotional struggle underneath, and Valerie shares honestly about what it took to rebuild her faith, identity, and courage. Together, we talk about the connection between faith, emotional health, and spiritual growth, and why so many women silently struggle while continuing to show up for everyone else. Valerie explains how The Purpose Project was born out of her own difficult season and how she now helps women move from overwhelm and overthinking into clarity, confidence, and purpose. This conversation is full of encouragement, honesty, and practical wisdom for anyone feeling stuck, discouraged, or unsure of what comes next. To find out more about The Purpose Project, visit https://www.thepurposeproject.us/ 3 ways to support Life Stories: *Like and share this episode! *Subscribe to this channel! *Buy me a virtual coffee at https://buymeacoffee.com/lifestoriespodcast Want to be a guest on Life Stories Podcast? Send Shara Goswick a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.joinpodmatch.com/lifestoriespodcast