Episodes

  • Skating Through Life's Lessons with Samantha Lewis

    Skating Through Life's Lessons with Samantha Lewis
    Oct 21 2026
    What if the thing you begged for as a kid was never what you truly needed? In this episode of People of Distinction, we welcome Samantha Lewis to discuss her book I Want My Darn Skates (3rd edition), available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble, and the deeper story behind its unforgettable title. Samantha shares growing up poor in Birmingham, her complicated family background, joining the U.S. Air Force and the hardships that led her to write after feeling God tell her it would “make a great story.” She explains how faith and the Bible helped her endure and hopes readers finish the book with a simple message: treat others the way you want to be treated.
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    16 mins
  • The Hidden Messages: A Journey with Samuel Merritt

    The Hidden Messages: A Journey with Samuel Merritt
    Oct 21 2026
    A rose without thorns is artificial and Samuel R. Merritt Sr. came to prove why poetry hits harder than most people realize. In this episode, we dive into A Heart’s Treasures (available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble) and unpack how Sam turns everyday lines into “encrypted” meaning, vivid mental pictures, and real-life lessons about love, loneliness, and purpose. From writing award-winning poems to crafting verses that changed relationships, this conversation will have you hearing hidden messages everywhere.
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    28 mins
  • Al Cole from CBS Broadcasting with Special Guest THEODORA MAYS on People Of Distinction

    Al Cole from CBS Broadcasting with Special Guest THEODORA MAYS on People Of Distinction
    Oct 12 2026
    The great and inspiring THEODORA MAYS appears as a special guest of
    Al Cole from CBS Broadcasting on his stellar SPOTLIGHT INTERVIEW SERIES.
    Theodora's impressive book is called "Read My Mind...See My Thoughts".
    It's a Poetry collection for your heart, full of wisdom that explores themes of human emotion, resilience and self-discovery!
    https://thequippyquill.com/
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    11 mins
  • Kicked Out, But Not Cast Away

    Kicked Out, But Not Cast Away
    Oct 12 2026
    What if the place that promised to heal you became the place that broke you? When Darla Melancon's son disclosed abuse at their church, her pastors didn't offer support, they offered silence, and eventually, the door. In this conversation, Darla shares the journey behind her book The Things I Learned After Being Kicked Out of Church, a story about losing everything but finding that faith and institutional religion are not the same thing.

    Get the book: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or darlamelancon.com/#
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    28 mins
  • Finding God in the Dark: Encouragement Through Scripture

    Finding God in the Dark: Encouragement Through Scripture
    Oct 9 2026
    What happens when life's darkest moments become the canvas for God's most encouraging messages? In this episode of People of Distinction, we sit down with Althea B. Best—poet, survivor, and author of Encouraging Good News Through Poetry, to explore how scripture, suffering, and the gift of verse can meet you right where you are. Born in Barbados and tested through the trials of a new life in America, Althea shares how God turned her wounds into windows and her pain into poetry that stays with you long after the page is turned. This is more than a conversation about a book. It's a lifeline for anyone traveling through the darkness, searching for light.
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    21 mins
  • Trusting God Without the Rules

    Trusting God Without the Rules
    Oct 9 2026
    What if the God you've been told to fear is actually just waiting to be a father? Author and 44-year ministry veteran John Phelps joins People of Distinction to unpack his book Trust God, Period, a raw, honest look at moving from fear-based faith to genuine confidence in a God who isn't afraid of your questions, your pain, or your pace. This isn't religion; it's an invitation to freedom, and whether your trust has been bruised or you're just starting to ask the hard questions, this conversation meets you exactly where you are.
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    19 mins
  • Finding Your Way Back to Self: No Perfection Required

    Finding Your Way Back to Self: No Perfection Required
    Oct 9 2026
    What if the moment you hit rock bottom wasn't the end of your story, but the beginning of finding your way back? In this deeply raw conversation, author Winfield Ivers opens up about how addiction, wilderness solitude, and a stubborn refusal to quit led him to write The Sacred Path Back. From locking himself in a bedroom to withdraw, to stepping out of his self-created "circle of guilt," Winfield's journey proves that transformation doesn't require perfection, just the decision to keep going. If you've ever felt lost, this one's for you.

    Grab Winfield's books on Amazon:
    • The Sacred Path Back: Healing, Wilderness Wisdom, Discipline, and Transformation Through Life Experience
    • Survival Essentials
    • Puppet Versus Master
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    15 mins
  • 40 Years, 7 States, One Question: What Does It Mean to Help Someone Live?

    40 Years, 7 States, One Question: What Does It Mean to Help Someone Live?
    Oct 9 2026
    Forty years, seven states, and one question that changes how you think about care: what does it mean to help someone live their life, not just recover from an injury? Occupational therapist Margret Kingery joins People of Distinction to share the moments that never make it onto the chart ; from a widow who relocated her husband's ashes so she could host neighbors for coffee, to practicing through 9/11 and the DC sniper while serving schoolchildren. Her book, Stories from My Occupational Therapy Career, is a masterclass in empathy, cultural awareness, and the quiet power of showing up.
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    16 mins