The Common Ground Podcast

He Writes Horror and Christian Books… But Should He? | Derail Johnson

What happens when faith, horror, creativity, and purpose collide? Can a Christian write horror stories — or does that cross a spiritual line?In Episode 43 of The Common Ground Podcast, author Derail Johnson joins John “Philly” Fletcher and Sydney Nicole for one of the most challenging and thought-provoking conversations we’ve had yet. Derail opens up about his journey from a quiet kid with a massive imagination to an indie author writing thrillers, suspense, faith-based fiction, and AI-enhanced storytelling projects.But this episode goes much deeper than writing books.John and Sydney challenge Derail on the tension between Christianity and horror entertainment, the influence of media on faith, whether dark storytelling glorifies evil or exposes it, and how creators should balance artistic freedom with spiritual responsibility.The conversation also explores insecurity, proving people wrong, AI in publishing, criticism from the Christian community, and the pressure creators feel to constantly produce content in a rapidly changing digital world.This is not a surface-level interview. It’s an honest conversation about purpose, identity, creativity, faith, accountability, and the responsibility that comes with influence.Whether you agree or disagree, this episode will make you think.In this episode, we discuss:→ Can Christians write horror stories?→ Faith vs entertainment culture→ The spiritual impact of horror films and media→ AI-generated content and the future of storytelling→ The pressure to prove yourself creatively→ Writing 26 books in under two years→ Criticism from the Christian community→ The difference between creativity and calling→ Fear, suspense, redemption, and storytelling→ Why some creators feel driven to constantly produce→ Using art to reach different audiences→ Wrestling with purpose, validation, and identity👤 ABOUT THE GUEST – DERAIL JOHNSONDerail Johnson is an indie author from Ennis, Texas writing thriller, suspense, faith-based, and experimental AI-supported stories. Inspired by storytellers like R.L. Stine, Wes Craven, Jordan Peele, and faith-centered themes of redemption and purpose, Derail is building what he describes as a “multiverse” of stories designed to reach different audiences through multiple genres.🔗 Follow Derail Johnson:Facebook: Derail JohnsonYouTube: Dejo Productions 89TikTok & Instagram: Dejo Productions🔔 Subscribe for weekly conversations about faith, culture, creativity, healing, personal growth, relationships, and difficult conversations that challenge perspectives.📌 Subscribe here →The Common Ground Project USA YouTube ChannelConnect with The Common Ground Podcast🌐 The Common Ground Project USA Website📸 Instagram @PhillyGoLive📘 The Common Ground Project USA Facebook💬 COMMENT BELOW:Can horror and Christianity coexist — or are they fundamentally opposed?🎧 Don’t forget to:👍 Like this video💬 Comment your biggest takeaway🔔 Subscribe for more honest conversationsKEYWORDS :Christian horror debate, faith and entertainment, Christian author interview, AI storytelling, indie horror writer, faith based fiction, suspense author, thriller books, spiritual discernment, horror movies and Christianity, Christian podcast, storytelling and faith, purpose and creativity, creative calling, overcoming criticism, Christian worldview, modern media influence, AI writing tools, Christian creativity, controversial conversationsShould Christians avoid horror entirely — or can dark storytelling still point people toward truth and redemption?RELATED HASHTAGS :#Christianity #FaithAndCulture #ChristianAuthor #HorrorMovies #Storytelling #AIWriting #FaithBased #ChristianPodcast #IndieAuthor #SpiritualDiscernment #CommonGroundPodcast #Creativity #PersonalGrowth #FaithConversation #ChristianCreative #SuspenseWriter #AIStorytelling #PurposeDriven #CommonGroundProjectUSA #TruthOverAgree

She Turned Her Own Daughter In to Protect Her Grandson | Mary Smith’s Story

This emotional and eye-opening episode explores one grandmother’s fight to protect her grandson after devastating abuse allegations, a broken family system, and a court process that left more questions than answers. What happens when protecting a child means turning in your own daughter? And what happens when the very system designed to protect children returns them to the environment they were removed from?In Episode 42 of The Common Ground Podcast, Mary Smith courageously shares the deeply personal story of her grandson being removed from an unsafe home after suffering severe injuries — including two broken femurs at only two and a half months old. Mary opens up about the impossible decisions she faced as a mother and grandmother, the emotional weight of turning her own daughter in to law enforcement, and the painful battle navigating DHS, family court, kinship care, and reunification.This conversation goes far beyond one family’s story. It raises difficult questions about child protection services, parental rights, trauma, generational cycles, family court, and whether the system truly prioritizes the well-being of children.This is not an easy conversation — but it is an important one.In this episode, we discuss:→ The heartbreaking injuries that changed everything→ Why Mary turned her own daughter in to protect her grandson→ Inside the realities of DHS and family court→ Kinship care and the emotional toll on grandparents→ The long-term trauma children experience through custody battles→ Reunification policies and the difficult balance between parental rights and child safety→ How children become emotional weapons in custody conflicts→ The failures and frustrations within the justice system→ Why standing up for children sometimes means making impossible choices→ Breaking generational cycles and protecting future generations👤 ABOUT THE GUEST – MARY SMITHMary Smith is a mother, grandmother, entrepreneur, and emerging podcaster passionate about raising awareness around family court, DHS, child protection, and kinship care. Through her personal experiences fighting for her grandson, Mary hopes to encourage honest conversations about protecting children, supporting families, and improving the systems designed to help them.🔔 Subscribe for weekly conversations about healing, family dynamics, justice, trauma recovery, relationships, faith, and personal growth.📌 Subscribe here →The Common Ground Project USA YouTube ChannelConnect with The Common Ground Podcast🌐 thecommongroundprojectusa.com📸 Instagram @PhillyGoLive📘 The Common Ground Project USA Facebook💬 COMMENT BELOW:Should the system prioritize biological reunification — or long-term child stability and safety?🎧 Don’t forget to:👍 Like this video💬 Comment your biggest takeaway🔔 Subscribe for more powerful conversationsKEYWORDS :family court system, DHS stories, child protection services, kinship care, grandparents raising grandchildren, custody battles, trauma recovery, broken family stories, protecting children, family court corruption, child abuse awareness, healing generational trauma, overcoming family trauma, justice system failures, emotional healing, parenting struggles, resilience stories, foster care system, reunification trauma, protecting kidsWATCH OUR OTHER VIDEOS :The Common Ground Project USA VideosSUBSCRIPTION LINK :🙏🏻 @TheCommonGroundProjectUSACTA :What would you do if protecting your grandchild meant turning in your own child?RELATED HASHTAGS :#FamilyCourt #DHS #ChildProtection #KinshipCare #CustodyBattle #TraumaHealing #ProtectChildren #GrandparentsRaisingGrandchildren #HealingJourney #FamilyTrauma #JusticeSystem #Parenting #FaithAndHealing #GenerationalTrauma #CommonGroundPodcast #CommonGroundProjectUSA #Resilience #OvercomingTrauma #RealStories #PersonalGrowth

Youth Sports Are Breaking Kids — The Truth Parents Don’t Want to Hear | Shawn Richardson

Youth Sports Are Breaking Kids — The Truth Parents Don’t Want to Hear | Ep. 41What happens when a child’s identity becomes tied to their performance?In this powerful and eye-opening episode of The Common Ground Podcast, Shawn Richardson dives into one of the most overlooked issues in today’s culture — the pressure, expectations, and identity crisis being created through youth sports.From travel teams to year-round competition, kids today are being pushed harder than ever. But at what cost?Shawn shares his perspective on how youth sports, while full of opportunity, can also become a system that unintentionally places pressure on kids to perform — instead of helping them grow into who they truly are.This conversation challenges parents, coaches, and communities to rethink what success really looks like.Because when performance becomes identity, something deeper is lost.If you’re a parent, coach, athlete, or someone who grew up in competitive environments, this episode will challenge the way you think about sports, identity, and what kids actually need to thrive.In this episode, we discuss:→ How youth sports culture has shifted over the years→ The rise of pressure, burnout, and identity tied to performance→ Why travel sports and competition can impact mental health→ The difference between healthy competition and unhealthy pressure→ How parents unintentionally contribute to the problem→ Identity beyond sports — who are you without performance?→ The role of faith in grounding identity and purpose→ How to raise confident, resilient kids without performance pressure→ What youth sports should be teaching — and where it’s going wrong👤 ABOUT THE HOST – JOHN “PHILLY” FLETCHERJohn Fletcher is the founder of The Common Ground Project USA and host of The Common Ground Podcast — a platform dedicated to promoting unity through personal stories, personal talents, and community.Through bold questions and honest storytelling, John creates space where different perspectives can meet, challenge each other, and ultimately find common ground.👤 ABOUT THE CO-HOST – SYDNEY CURTINSydney Curtin is host of The Common Ground Podcast and brings depth, emotional intelligence, and real-life experience into every conversation.With a background shaped by personal challenges, loss, and growth, Sydney offers thoughtful insight into identity, resilience, healing, and accountability — helping guide conversations that go beyond the surface.Together, John and Sydney create a space where difficult truths can be explored — and where real conversations lead to real understanding.🔗 Guest: Shawn RichardsonSpeaker, coach, and advocate focused on identity, performance, and helping individuals separate who they are from what they do.🔔 Subscribe for Weekly ConversationsFaith • Identity • Relationships • Culture • Personal Growth📌 Subscribe here →https://www.youtube.com/@TheCommonGroundProjectUSA?sub_confirmation=1Connect with The Common Ground PodcastWebsite → https://thecommongroundprojectusa.com/Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/phillygolive/Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61578159531593💬 Comment below:Do you think youth sports are helping kids grow — or putting too much pressure on them?🎧 Don’t forget to:👍 Like this video💬 Comment your biggest takeaway🔔 Subscribe for weekly conversations that challenge perspectives and build common ground𝐊𝐄𝐘𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐃𝐒youth sports pressure, parenting and youth sports, identity beyond sports, performance vs identity, youth athlete burnout, raising confident kids, sports culture problems, mental health in youth sports, parenting athletes, personal growth through sports#YouthSports#Parenting#AthleteLife#MentalHealth#Identity#SportsCulture#CommonGroundPodcast#PersonalGrowth#FaithAndIdentity#RaisingKids#YouthAthletes#PerformanceVsIdentity#CommonGroundProjectU

Raised in Foster Care, Shaped by Faith: A Father’s Powerful Life Story | Albert Fletcher

Raised in Foster Care, Shaped by Faith: A Father’s Powerful Life Story | Ep. 40What kind of life can emerge from a childhood marked by abandonment, foster care, and uncertainty?In this powerful and deeply personal episode of The Common Ground Podcast, host John “Philly” Fletcher sits down with a very special guest — his own father, Albert Fletcher.Albert shares the remarkable story of being born into an alcoholic household, nearly losing his life as a child, and growing up in the foster care system before being rescued and raised by a family that would shape the rest of his life.But his story doesn’t end there.Through faith, perseverance, suffering, and profound personal loss, Albert’s life became a testimony of resilience, humility, and the quiet power of living with conviction rather than noise.In this conversation, Albert reflects on:• Growing up in foster care and surviving an unstable childhood• Being adopted and discovering what real family means• How faith transformed the direction of his life• Navigating hardship, loss, and suffering with purpose• The lessons learned from losing his wife to cancer• Finding meaning in suffering and trusting God through pain• The legacy he hopes to leave for his children and grandchildren• Why true success is measured by faith, not worldly achievementThis episode is more than a story — it’s a conversation about legacy, faith, fatherhood, and the power of quiet strength.If you’ve ever wondered how adversity can shape a life of purpose, this conversation will challenge and inspire you.👤 ABOUT THE HOST – JOHN “PHILLY” FLETCHERJohn Fletcher is the founder of The Common Ground Project USA and host of The Common Ground Podcast — a platform dedicated to promoting unity through personal stories, personal talents, and community.Through honest dialogue and meaningful storytelling, John creates a space where people from different backgrounds and beliefs can explore ideas, challenge assumptions, and find common ground.👤 ABOUT THE CO-HOST – SYDNEY CURTINSydney Curtin brings insight, empathy, and thoughtful perspective to every conversation on The Common Ground Podcast.With a background shaped by personal experiences with family challenges, healing, and faith, Sydney helps guide conversations that explore deeper emotional truths and real-life lessons.Together, John and Sydney create conversations where stories connect, perspectives collide, and purpose is found in the middle.🔔 Subscribe for Weekly ConversationsFaith • Healing • Culture • Relationships • Personal Growth📌 Subscribe herehttps://www.youtube.com/@TheCommonGroundProjectUSA?sub_confirmation=1Connect with The Common Ground PodcastWebsite → https://thecommongroundprojectusa.com/Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/phillygolive/Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61578159531593💬 Comment belowWhat legacy do you hope to leave behind for the people you love?🎧 Don’t forget to:👍 Like this video💬 Comment your biggest takeaway🔔 Subscribe for weekly conversations that explore faith, truth, and real storiesKEYWORDSfoster care story, faith journey testimony, inspirational life story, overcoming childhood adversity, growing up in foster care, faith through suffering, father son legacy story, powerful testimony, life lessons about faith, resilience and faith journeyRELATED HASHTAGS#FosterCareStory#FaithJourney#PowerfulTestimony#FaithThroughSuffering#FatherSonStory#LegacyOfFaith#Resilience#LifeStory#CommonGroundPodcast#FaithAndPurpose

Beaten Childhood, Broken Family—How David Alexander Turned Pain Into Purpose

Beaten Childhood, Broken Family—How David Alexander Turned Pain Into Purpose | Ep. 39What does it take to forgive the people who hurt you the most — and still build a life of purpose?In this powerful episode of The Common Ground Podcast, David “ChefSouL” Alexander shares his story of growing up in a violent and broken household, navigating deep childhood trauma, and ultimately choosing faith, forgiveness, and purpose over bitterness.David opens up about the lasting impact of family trauma, the difficult journey toward healing, and how he transformed his pain into a mission to help others through creativity, spirituality, and service.Trauma can shape us — but it doesn’t have to define us. David’s story is a powerful reminder that healing is possible, forgiveness can set you free, and purpose can be born from the darkest seasons of life.If you’ve ever struggled with family wounds, forgiveness, identity, or finding meaning after hardship, this conversation will challenge and inspire you.In this episode, we discuss:→ Growing up in a violent and broken home→ How childhood trauma impacts identity and self-worth→ The long road toward forgiveness and healing→ Breaking generational cycles of pain→ The role of faith and spirituality in recovery→ Turning personal trauma into purpose and service→ How creativity, food, and music became outlets for healing→ Why forgiveness is more about freedom than forgetting→ Finding meaning after a painful childhood👤 ABOUT THE HOST – JOHN “PHILLY” FLETCHERJohn Fletcher is the founder of The Common Ground Project USA and host of The Common Ground Podcast — a platform dedicated to real conversations about faith, healing, relationships, personal growth, and building stronger communities through dialogue.Through bold questions and honest storytelling, John creates space where different perspectives can meet and meaningful conversations can unfold.👤 ABOUT THE CO-HOST – SYDNEY CURTINSydney Curtin is co-host of The Common Ground Podcast and brings emotional depth, empathy, and insight to every conversation.With a background shaped by personal loss, family trauma, and recovery discussions, Sydney offers thoughtful perspectives on healing, boundaries, resilience, and faith. Her ability to combine compassion with accountability helps create conversations that are honest, grounded, and transformative.Together, John and Sydney create a space where difficult truths can be explored — and where real common ground can be found.🔗 Guest: David “ChefSouL” AlexanderCreator, chef, and storyteller focused on transforming pain into purpose through creativity, faith, and service.Facebook, Instagram and TikTok: ChefSoulYoutube: @the1chefSoul podcast: The Smartest Podcast in the worldWebsite: www.thechefsoul.com🔔 Subscribe for weekly conversations about healing, relationships, faith, trauma recovery, and personal growth.📌 Subscribe here →https://www.youtube.com/@TheCommonGroundProjectUSA?sub_confirmation=1Connect with The Common Ground PodcastWebsite → https://thecommongroundprojectusa.com/Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/phillygolive/Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61578159531593💬 Comment below:What does forgiveness mean to you — and can healing happen without it?#TraumaHealing #Forgiveness #ChildhoodTrauma #FaithAndHealing #PurposeDrivenLife #PersonalGrowth #BreakingGenerationalCycles #CommonGroundPodcast #HealingJourney #Faith #Resilience #OvercomingTrauma #CommonGroundProjectUSA