Weave & Cleave

Mary's life changed in her early teens when her parents divorced. Not only did her family change, she also moved, and went from a private school setting to attending public school. It was a difficult adjustment at the time, but now she sees how the Lord used those experiences to open her eyes and heart to a bigger world than the one she had always known.As Mary grew, so did her global perspective. She went on a mission trip to West Africa, came home and made friends with Lost Boys from Sudan, worked for Food for the Hungry, and eventually, went on to get her Master's degree in social and cultural pedagogy. Today, Mary is a the Executive Director of Phoenix Refugee Connections, a ministry that equips and sustains Christians to walk in love with their refugee neighbors. She and her husband have four children - two biological and two from the foster care system for unaccompanied refugee children - as well as four grandchildren. Mary shares about her family's dynamics on this episode. It's beautiful, heartwarming, and definitely worth a listen.To learn about Phoenix Refugee Connections: www.phxrc.orgTo connect with Mary: mary@phxrc.org

From a young age, Kelly felt like a defender of the marginalized. Events in childhood and adolescence helped to grow her deep empathy, but she admits a desire to repair the world was growing in her from the moment she was born. After running a mental health program for youth and children in El Salvador for several years, Kelly realized two things: one, she was called to find the light in dark spaces...and to help others see it. And two, she needed to establish better boundaries. If she was to do the work she loved at a sustainable pace, she'd have to better understand and protect her own capacity. Her body was demanding it.Today, Kelly is a trauma-informed coach and healing practitioner who supports changemakers as they journey into healing, resilience, and sustainable life rhythms. This episode is for healers, leaders, caregivers, and for those who seek justice on behalf of others. If you've experienced burnout or compassion fatigue, and you've learned the delicate balance of defending others and protecting self, you're going to want to listen in. Kelly's story will help you remember why you chose the work you do in the first place.Sign up for Kelly's weekly Love Notes: https://www.kellylubeck.com/Enroll in Kelly's current program: https://www.kellylubeck.com/rootsofresiliencemarch2026Connect with Kelly on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellylubeck/

Jannah Scott grew up in San Fransisco, amidst diverse friends and the unique leadership of her mother. It's no surprise then that Jannah found her place as a leader in government and civil society, both nationally and internationally. Having served as Policy Advisor on Faith and Community Initiatives to former Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano, Jannah was given the opportunity to serve in President Obama’s administration as Deputy Director of the Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. As you can tell, her heart is for policies, programs, and local initiatives that promote peace for all people. But as Jannah shares in this episode, she also has an immense heart for prayer and a big love for Jesus--gifts encoded in her DNA. Her mother was a prayer warrior; so was her grandmother. Jannah credits her mother's many prayers as the reason she overcame substance use, allowing her to grow into the resilient leader she was made to be.Join us as Jannah shares about her substance use recovery, her experience with tragic grief, her time and work during the Obama administration, and the collective trauma of the black community. There's so much to learn from her leadership. Don't miss this episode!Today, Jannah is the CEO of the American Center for Religious Freedom (ACRF), and has been since 2017. To learn more: https://www.acrf.global/home To connect with Jannah: ceo@acrf.email

Welcome to the first episode of Season 5!Join us as we speak with Keiko Ratcliffe, founder and CEO of Skye's the Limit! Foundation, an orginization that empowers youth and families through creativity and connection.In 2014, Keiko lost her daughter, Skye, to a drug overdose. The devastating loss turned her world upside down, but even then, Keiko knew she would somehow use Skye's story to help others. In 2019, Keiko founded the Skye's the Limit! Foundation with a mission to prevent trauma-related loss by strengthening resilience and mental wellness for youth, families, and communities. As Keiko has continued to learn about neuroscience and the effects of trauma, she's better learned how to equip young people with tools that help them cope, regulate emotion, recover from stress, and ask for help when needed—protective factors proven to reduce substance use, overdose, and suicide.Currently, Keiko is designing curriculum to take into schools. Blending art, music, somatic practices, and experiences in nature, she's curating the very activities Skye held dear. Connect with Keiko: info@skyesthelimitfoundation.orgFor more about Skye's the Limit!: https://skyesthelimit.org/

Amber knew profound grief from an early age. First, it was her parent's divorce. Then her father went to prison to serve a life sentence. Four months after receiving a cancer diagnosis, her mother died from cancer. All of this happened before Amber graduated from high school. From an Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) perspective, Amber could have sought people, places, or behaviors that compounded her suffering, but instead, Amber sought beauty, goodness, and relationships. She joined the Apprenticeship to Jesus community; she met Sanghoon Yoo and accepted his invitation of mentorship; she wrote songs and stories rooted in healing and hope. And when it was time, Amber chose forgiveness over anger. Listen in as Amber shares her incredible story with vulnerability and wisdom.Amber and her husband, Justan, live in the Phoenix area with their twin daughters and son. With her children all in school, Amber is investing more time in her creative side. You can enjoy her work at:Amber's songs: amberhunter.bandcamp.comAmber's written work: amberhunter.medium.com

From an early age, Rose Ann lived the party life. Decades later, as a wife, mom, and high-level executive, she found Jesus, but she couldn't find a reason to give up alcohol. Most programs required complete abstinence from substance use, but they couldn't explain the neuroscience behind addiction. Shortly after a divorce from a toxic marriage, Rose Ann found a program that psychologically and scientifically addressed substance use - and it worked for her. Throughout her recovery, she began applying the wisdom of Scripture - and that worked for her. So she blended her love of science and God's Word and created a program to help others find freedom from the psychological slavery of substances.Today, Rose Ann is an award-winning author of three books, a speaker, and the course creator of the Choose Freedom® Program. She's made it her mission to inspire people to renew their minds, rewire their brains, and experience true freedom in Christ. As she likes to tell people, "It's never too late."Listen in as Rose Ann shares her transformation story with honesty and confidence. If you're looking to take the next step toward freedom, or if you're hoping to guide someone toward the next step, this episode is for you. For Rose Ann's Website: www.choosefreedom.todayFor Rose Ann's Books: www.choosefreedom.today/books For the 'Say Goodbye and Imagine!' Podcast: https://choosefreedom.today/podcast/ .

When Kent was three years old, he went into kidney failure. While in the hospital, he watched everyone in the unit die around him. He was the only one who lived. This was Kent's first exposure to trauma, which extended into a childhood marked by racism and abuse from people in his Alaskan village. It would be many years before Kent would find the name for the symptoms he'd experienced most of his life: PTSD.Kent went on to become a pastor and pastored in Alaska for forty years. During that time, he discovered many people felt they needed to pretend they were perfect and admit they were living the victorious Christian life. Kent disagreed. He made it his mission to create safe places where people could be authentic, where people could lament trauma in order to live from a place of wellness. As Ken will tell you, he chooses not to live from a place of hurt. He lives from a place of joy. Be sure to listen to the end of this episode when Kent shares a miraculous and gripping story of redemption and forgiveness. You will be moved!After earning his PhD in Performance Psychology, Kent is now the President and Founder of Second Curve Coaching, an organization dedicated to helping people achieve their God-given mission. You can contact Kent and learn more at: coachk@secondcurvecoaching.com.

When Stacey Sutherland entered the mission field twenty years ago, she knew she wanted to help people who were experiencing crisis and trauma. But she didn't know how trauma and crisis would affect her marriage, her five children, or herself. She couldn't have foreseen how much of her trauma knowledge (or trauma wisdom) would be shaped by her lived experience, by her endless pursuit to heal her family, and by her willingness to wrestle with God over questions that even the strongest faith can't answer. Today, Stacey is a certified Crisis Intervention Specialist and Licensed Professional Counselor-Associate, as well as the Executive Director of Crisis Care International. She's served in more than 30 countries, supporting communities impacted by crisis and disaster, and equipping helpers with trauma-informed tools for healing and resilience.This vulnerable conversation looks at trauma as a personal experience rather than an externalized experience that only happens to others. As Stacey puts it, "Trauma is a great equalizer." Join us as we talk about faith, deconstruction, reconstruction, and the peace that is found when we accept God's presence...in spite of our circumstances.Learn more about Stacey's work at: staceydsutherland.com For more about trainings at Crisis Care International: crisiscareinternational.org/eventsTo connect with Stacey: stacey@crisiscareinternational.org

God's call on Connie Czepiel’s life began as a teenager when the Lord began to break her heart for people suffering in other countries. With a passion for the medical field, Connie joined the Air Force, but God (and the military) had other plans. Connie was educated in finance - something she never anticipated. After a divorce, and as a single mother of three, Connie acquired work as a contracted finance manager, and it took her around the world. She could have chosen to wallow in hurt and bitterness. Instead, Connie decided to put her eyes on Jesus.Today, at 76, Connie is an author in the Blue Ridge mountains of North Carolina. She has plenty of stories to draw from as her humanitarian work has taken her to Madagascar, Vietnam, New Guinea, Nepal, Liberia and many more. She served with the Peace Corps in Botswana, and she's worked for organizations such as MAF, Mercy Ships, and Samaritan’s Purse. Needless to say, this is an episode of adventure and encouragement. Connie wants you to know this: it's never to late to pursue your dreams.Listen in and be encouraged.Connie's written four books. We encourage you to check them out on Amazon.Connie is available for interviews, workshops, and speaking engagements. To connect with her: kommertje2012@gmail.com

When Julie was in high school, she came home from school to find her mother was gone. That traumatic experience changed her life, and although she didn't know it yet, Jesus was creating divine appointments in which she would begin to know Him, trust Him, and draw closer to Him.Julie's career path helped to grow her faith. She began as an interior designer, and just as she visualized the beauty of a space's transformation, she began to see the same potential in the hearts of those around her. She worked in church ministry for several years, then in 2018, Julie moved to Arizona and became the Director of a prison ministry. Now she serves as the Director of Programming at House of Refuge Sunnyslope in Phoenix, AZ.Listen in as we talk to Julie about leadership, what it means to lead with a trauma-informed lens, and what she envisions for House of Refuge Sunnyslope. With beautiful honesty and humility, Julie shares the wrestlings of her faith and God's revelations to her in the midst of her questions. This episode mirrors the heart of the Weave & Cleave movement and the Great Commission.Connect with Julie: julieann@refugesunnyslope.comLearn more about House of Refuge: https://www.refugesunnyslope.org/

Christina Lombaro, holistic nutrition coach for trauma and substance use recovery, knows the journey of whole person recovery - she's lived it for herself. Her experience with substance use and trauma started young and progressed through her teenage years. She faced decades-long battles with insomnia and PTSD, hormone and nervous system dysregulation, and a variety of other somatic symptoms. After several years of being bedridden in her 30s, Christina decided she would do whatever she could to get healthy. This led her to study nutrition, which ultimately led her to a lifestyle of whole person health.Listen in as Christina candidly shares her healing journey as well as her faith journey and the many lessons she's learned along the way. She talks about the short-term impact nutrition changes can make, but she's honest about the long-term reality of nutrition goals, too. No matter your goals, Christina offers the best tools for anyone on the lifelong journey to health: tenacity, flexibility, and consistency. Oh, and grace. Listen in.Christina is the co-lead of Weave & Cleave's Wellness team, so you're likely to meet her at a Weave & Cleave event. If you'd like to connect with her sooner, find her at any of the following: Website: https://nutritionwellnessaz.com/Facebook and Instagram: @christinanutritionandwellnessTiktok: @christinanutrition

Gaelin Elmore entered the foster care system at five months old. He would spend time in twenty foster homes and DCS would remain a part of his life until he was 13 years old. Until he went to college, Gaelin faced constant instability, abuse, neglect, and homelessness. Listen in as Gaelin shares his personal story of growing up, finding faith, and becoming resilient in the two places where he found safety and belonging: church and school. Today, Gaelin is a keynote speaker, trainer, and Belonging Expert. He's an advocate with both lived experience and a strong faith in God, and you'll hear the strength of both in this episode. Gaelin's authenticity shines through as he talks about belonging in simple terms. As he puts it, in every space people enter, they need to feel important, know they are valued, and understand that they matter. Belonging is found in community, but as Gaelin puts it, freeing and fulfilling belonging is found with self first.This episode will tug at your heart and spark your mind. Enjoy this engaging conversation and be encouraged.Gaelin's website: https://www.gaelinelmore.com/Gaelin's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gaelin-elmore-608090135/Gaelin's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/giv.elmore/

At the young age of 17, Elaine knew she wanted to work with kids who had experienced trauma. What she didn't understand at the time was her own trauma. She'd just lost her mom to cancer, and in order for her dad to work, she was shouldering the load of parenting her four younger siblings. As she put it, she 'just stepped up', but many years later, she would recognize the reality of her grief and loss. She would also recognize the many ways these experiences shaped her resilience. Join us as we talk to Dr. Elaine Harper about her three decades as a teacher, counselor, and educational services director for Positive Education Program. She's seen a lot of change at the intersection of education and mental health, and she's committed to fostering even more change - to support educators AND to support students. She's passionate about helping people acknowledge their own trauma so they can work on it, learn from it, and step into their own unique resilience.Currently, Elaine is a consultant who teaches and coaches individuals, teams, schools and organizations who work with children and adolescents presenting emotional and behavioral challenges. She lives in Cleveland, Ohio. Her book, 'The Trauma-Informed Mindset for Educators', releases in 2025 through Brookes Publishing.To connect with Elaine and find out more about her work:Website: https://elaineharper.com/Email: elaine@elaineharper.comLinkedin