Brighter Stories

Doing Life Together in the Long Term with Steve and Mona Bates

In the final episode of season 2, I sat down to talk with Steve and Mona Bates. Steve and Mona have been volunteering at Victory for years now, and have plenty of experience intentionally doing life with people. We talked about what it actually looks like to do life with someone, the costs, and boundaries. I hope you find this episode as insightful as I did. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Follow Victory Mission on Facebook and Instagram: Facebook: @springfieldvictorymission  [https://www.facebook.com/SpringfieldVictoryMission] Instagram: @springfieldvictorymission [https://www.instagram.com/springfieldvictorymission/] YouTube: @springfieldvictorymission [https://www.youtube.com/@springfieldvictorymission]

Starting a Conversation with the People You Serve with Dr. Jennifer Baker

How do you really listen to someone? I sat down with Dr. Jennifer Baker to talk about people. Besides being a clinical psychologist, Dr. Baker is the Founder and Executive Direct of Good Dads, an organization dedicated to teaching men from all walks of life how to be good fathers. Dr. Baker had some wonderful insights on listening, being curious, and how to navigate difficult conversations. I hope you enjoy our conversation as much as I did. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Follow Victory Mission on Facebook and Instagram: Facebook: @springfieldvictorymission  [https://www.facebook.com/SpringfieldVictoryMission] Instagram: @springfieldvictorymission [https://www.instagram.com/springfieldvictorymission/] YouTube: @springfieldvictorymission [https://www.youtube.com/@springfieldvictorymission]

Everybody Has a Story: Life Since Graduating the Restoration Program with Bobby Mitchell

Content warning: This episode mentions sensitive topics like addiction and alcoholism. Bobby works as the Chaplain at Victory’s Men’s Shelter, but it wasn’t long ago that he was on the other side of the desk.  Before he came to Victory, Bobby experienced homelessness and addiction. He joined and graduated from the Restoration Program, and decided to stay at Victory as staff. His life experiences help him relate to the shelter guests on a deeper level.  I think you’ll enjoy this conversation about Bobby’s testimony and serving a community that he was once a part of. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Follow Victory Mission on Facebook and Instagram: Facebook: @springfieldvictorymission  [https://www.facebook.com/SpringfieldVictoryMission] Instagram: @springfieldvictorymission [https://www.instagram.com/springfieldvictorymission/] YouTube: @springfieldvictorymission [https://www.youtube.com/@springfieldvictorymission]

Making Meaningful Connections with Brandon Fields

I sat down with Pastor Brandon Fields to talk about why his church decided to partner with a local nonprofit. We talked about benefits, logistics, and just generally what it looks like to partner with a nonprofit. Brandon had some great insights about using a nonprofit partnership to build connections in the community. I think you’ll enjoy this one! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Follow Victory Mission on Facebook and Instagram: Facebook: @springfieldvictorymission  [https://www.facebook.com/SpringfieldVictoryMission] Instagram: @springfieldvictorymission [https://www.instagram.com/springfieldvictorymission/] YouTube: @springfieldvictorymission [https://www.youtube.com/@springfieldvictorymission]

Just the Beginning: Restoration Graduate Testimony with Matt Waller

Content warning: this episode mentions sensitive topics like child endangerment, drug manufacturing, and drug use. Today’s episode is an interview with Restoration Grad Matt Waller. Matt was born into drug culture. His parents got together because of drugs. His dad cooked meth and taught Matt to cook too. To Matt, cooking meth was a way to support the family and his own drug habits. In his early 20s, Matt’s dad retired from cooking and Matt took over. That’s when he started having run-ins with the law. He went to prison three different times. Then Matt found God and came to Victory Mission to learn how to live as a Christian. Now he’s building a whole new life for himself. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Follow Victory Mission on Facebook and Instagram: Facebook: @springfieldvictorymission  [https://www.facebook.com/SpringfieldVictoryMission] Instagram: @springfieldvictorymission [https://www.instagram.com/springfieldvictorymission/] YouTube: @springfieldvictorymission [https://www.youtube.com/@springfieldvictorymission]