A quiet paragraph about a coffee pot lit the fuse. Years later, Sheila Lawrence—career programmer, minister, and lifelong Birmingham local—has turned that spark into a distinctive mix of cozy mysteries and inspirational nonfiction that entertains without grim details and still delivers a satisfying jolt of surprise. We talk through the heart of her craft: how a body can already be on the floor yet the story remains warm; why clean, puzzle-first mysteries feel urgent right now; and how flipping the classic attorney-sleuth archetype opened space for fresh representation and a strong sense of place.

Sheila walks us inside her process, from outlining “bones” to honoring the moments when characters hijack the wheel. She shares why cold cases fascinate her, how she balances believability with that essential jack-in-the-box reveal, and where her minister’s voice subtly plants seeds of hope even when the plot turns dark. The conversation turns practical as we dig into the power of community: Sisters in Crime write-ins, submission calendars, and prompts that transformed constraints into creative oxygen. You’ll hear how culinary cozies led to “killer chili” and spiced-cider mischief, how historical guidelines reframed her own memories, and how flash fiction nods from Alfred Hitchcock’s magazine built momentum.

We also explore the life around the writing: the Magic City’s arts scene, on-call programming nights, devotional projects like A Sip from the Well, and the Alabama Writers Cooperative’s upcoming Birmingham conference. Sheila’s message is simple and generous—plant good seeds, finish the draft, and let stories offer light where you can. Ready to rethink what a mystery can feel like and how your routine can actually work for you? Press play, then share your biggest takeaway, subscribe for more conversations with working writers, and leave a review to help others find the show.

A candid, wide-ranging conversation with DA Lennise Washington reveals how a prosecutor can be both tough on violent crime and tender toward people caught in the system. We trace her journey from a solo law practice to the first black woman elected DA in Alabama, then into a role she’s actively redefining: coordinating multi-agency crackdowns, reviewing potential wrongful convictions, and standing with families at a yearly vigil that calls each loved one by name.

We dive into Operation Python, a targeted public safety task force that removes illegal guns and drug money while raising investigative standards. From there, Lennise opens up about the Conviction Integrity Unit, created to examine serious cases involving claims of actual innocence using advances in DNA and a modern understanding of eyewitness error. She shares how prevention holds the line too: the Helping Families Initiative interrupts the school-to-prison pipeline with assessments, services, and simple acts that keep kids learning and teachers informed. We also explore second-chance hiring fairs where a bell rings for every job offer, plus firearm buybacks that pair gift cards with gun locks and safety training to prevent tragedies before they happen.

Her most personal chapter is a breast cancer diagnosis discovered mid-campaign and a double mastectomy that she endured quietly while pushing forward. The experience sharpened her focus on purpose, service, and the belief that power equals choice—especially for young people and survivors of violence. By the end, you’ll hear a clear blueprint for justice that blends accountability, prevention, dignity, and measurable impact, all rooted in faith and a commitment to leave the office stronger than she found it.

If this conversation moved you, subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a review to help others discover the show.

A single performance inside a women’s jail changed everything. When a character’s confession cracked the room open, Tina Witherby saw how acting can say the words people carry but can’t voice. From that moment on, the craft stopped being a chase for credits and became a practice of presence, courage, and care.

We trace Tina’s path from a tight-knit Alabama community and church recitations to Atlanta’s sets, where “hurry up and wait” is a daily rhythm. She shares how a prayer for change led to a new city, an agency, and the long game of building a career without a perfect plan. On a Tyler Perry set, she learned the discipline of focus as a stand-in—absorbing blocking, lighting marks, and camera shifts—while protecting the inner stillness that keeps a performance honest. We get practical about critique, too: why the best notes sting, how to find the why under every line, and what it means to “go deep” without getting louder.

If you’re navigating auditions, Tina’s toolkit will help. Read the sides as a story before you act them. Define relationships, objectives, and stakes. Bring professional headshots, skip predatory “agency” fees, and treat each audition like a rehearsal that keeps your instrument tuned. Beyond craft, we talk balance—decompression after 7 a.m. call times that end at 11 p.m., breathwork and stretching instead of burnout, and The Artist’s Way habits like morning pages and weekly artist dates to refill the well. Her mantra is simple and liberating: create a beautiful life between roles so the work doesn’t have to carry everything.

You’ll also hear about late blooming, motherhood, and trusting timing in a business obsessed with now. Tina appears in Morality on Prime and Tubi and shares where to follow her work next. Press play for a grounded, faith-forward take on creativity, resilience, and the quiet power of truthful acting. If this story resonates, subscribe, share with a friend who needs to hear it, and leave a review telling us your biggest takeaway.

What if faith could be the spark that makes reading click? We sit with Dr. Gladys Amerson—nurse, respiratory therapist, educator, poet, and lifelong Sunday school teacher—to explore how Learning ABCs with Jesus blends sight words, matching scriptures, and simple images to unlock memory and meaning for young readers. Gladys explains why kids learn best when they see, hear, and touch their lessons, and how a bit of vocal emphasis from a caring adult can turn a verse into a vivid moment a child remembers for years.

We trace her path from early mentors at McDonald’s and UAB to a doctorate in education, highlighting the service mindset and teaching habits that shape her work. Gladys shares why reading should start before birth, how flashcards create tactile anchors for language, and why sibling read‑alouds build confidence and healthy competition. We talk about small churches, strong foundations, and the simple joy of watching the light bulb turn on when a child connects a letter, a word, and a scripture. Along the way, she opens up about her poetry, leadership, and a vision for future books and a devotional journal grounded in the Bible.

The conversation widens into writing as therapy and legacy. Gladys challenges parents and grandparents to capture family stories—use your phone’s voice dictation, write a letter you might never send, record memories that help the next generation learn faster and live wiser. We close with practical tips for parents, teachers, and church leaders: emphasize key words, match visuals to verses, invite kids to retell the lesson, and celebrate small wins that build lifelong readers. Want to bring these tools home? Grab Learning ABCs with Jesus and the matching flashcards through Rocky Heights Publishing or via Gladys’s Facebook page.

If this conversation sparked an idea, share it with a friend, subscribe for more thoughtful stories, and leave a review with your favorite childhood verse—we’d love to feature it next time.

A quiet voice can carry a lifetime. Shanita Dawson joins us to trace a path from a toddler’s first memory of violence to an adult survivor who turned near-death into purpose, authorship, and advocacy. What begins with hard truths—molestation, decades of domestic abuse, and being shot multiple times—opens into a masterclass on recognizing control, trusting discernment, and building an exit before danger escalates.

We talk about the invisible forms of abuse that rarely get named: financial traps, spiritual manipulation, isolation disguised as care, and the seduction of the familiar. Shanita lays out the forces that keep people stuck—father wounds, shame, myths about “providing,” and family silence—and how writing her chapter in Our Journey From Girls To Women became a release valve and a roadmap. She shares how faith reframed her identity, how she parented with radical honesty, and how her son’s choices show what it looks like to break generational cycles with intention.

You’ll leave with practical tools: early warning signs that matter, what to document, why community must intervene, and how to prepare a safety plan that includes finances, documents, and a network that actually picks up the phone. We also dig into teen dating violence, school outreach, and the stark truth that shelters are often full—making hotlines and local networks critical lifelines. If you or someone you love is asking “Is this abuse?” this conversation offers language, steps, and hope you can act on today.

Listen, share with a friend who needs courage, and help us amplify survivor voices. If this moved you, subscribe, leave a review, and tell us: which insight will you carry forward?

A routine mammogram. No symptoms. And then everything changed—twice. Joyce E. Brooks returns to share how a stage-one breast cancer diagnosis in 2008 and a recurrence in 2019 pushed her to trade the superwoman sprint for a life built on faith, family, and fun. Her story is not about perfection or platitudes; it’s about early detection, honest grief, and everyday habits that rebuild strength from the inside out.

We walk through the shock of a “silent” diagnosis, thirty rounds of radiation, and the decision to undergo a double mastectomy when radiation was no longer an option. Joyce opens up about grieving body changes and lost certainty, and how she reframed suffering as a shift—a season to be carried through rather than a finish line. Along the way, she offers practical, evidence-based choices: keep your annual screenings, cut back on sugar, read labels you can pronounce, move your body daily, and protect your sleep. She leans on an 80/20 approach to nutrition and exercise, proving consistency beats perfection every time.

The conversation also tackles mindset and boundaries. Not everyone will know how to hold your diagnosis, and not every suggestion is wise—discernment matters. Joyce explains how faith and medicine work together, why privacy can be healthy, and how community encouragement lands differently when you’re ready to receive it. We also share a real-world health scare that underscores the cost of chronic stress and the necessity of putting yourself first without guilt, because a strong you serves everyone better.

If you need a nudge to book your mammogram, reset your routines, or release the pressure to control what you can’t, this story will meet you where you are. Listen, share it with someone who needs courage today, and if the conversation resonates, follow the show, leave a review, and tell us the one habit you’ll change this week.

The first clue is rarely a label—it’s a pattern. We sit down with psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner Mel “Gibbs” to trace that pattern from a parent’s early hunch about autism to the concrete supports that actually help: teacher observations, school evaluations, paraprofessionals, resource rooms, and sensory-aware routines that turn overwhelm into progress. Mel brings a rare dual lens—family practice and psychiatry—so the guidance stays holistic, practical, and grounded in evidence.

Across the hour, we make space for nuance. Autism isn’t one look; it’s a spectrum that can include a nonverbal toddler and a straight‑A teen who struggles to connect. Adult ADHD isn’t a punchline either; it’s often missed until anxiety, perfectionism, and performance friction force the issue. Mel explains why late diagnoses happen, when non‑stimulant treatments make sense, and how to build an interdisciplinary team—therapists, social workers, pharmacists, and collaborating physicians—that keeps care consistent without sacrificing confidentiality. We also talk about caregiver burnout and safety, and how to map respite, roles, and resources before a crisis hits.

The conversation is anchored by a simple philosophy: better outcomes come from early eyes, clear steps, and a strong village. Mel shares how she stays current with research and policy shifts, translates that knowledge into everyday decisions (from school accommodations to vaccine access), and uses telehealth to widen the front door to care. If you’re navigating early autism signs, questioning ADHD as an adult, or carrying the weight of caregiving, you’ll leave with language, options, and encouragement to move forward.

Want more conversations like this? Follow, share with someone who needs it, and leave a quick review so others can find the show. And if you’re seeking support, reach out to Mel at renewedfocuswellness.com or email info@renewedfocuswellness.com.

Ever wondered why you still feel exhausted despite drinking plenty of water and taking vitamins? The answer might lie in how your body absorbs nutrients. Denisha Opoku, owner of Live Hydration and Wellness, discovered this firsthand when severe dehydration landed her in the ER despite her medical background as a nurse practitioner.

This eye-opening experience inspired Denisha and her husband to launch their mobile IV hydration business, bringing hospital-grade hydration therapy directly to clients' homes, offices, and events. Their mission is elegantly simple yet revolutionary: deliver vitamins and hydration straight to the bloodstream for 100% absorption and immediate benefits.

What makes IV hydration so effective compared to oral supplements? When you take vitamins by mouth, you're not getting full absorption—your digestive system processes them, reducing their effectiveness. Through IV therapy, nutrients bypass this process entirely, allowing you to feel energized often before the infusion is even complete. This direct-to-bloodstream approach makes IV therapy particularly valuable for addressing fatigue, stress, workout recovery, jet lag, hangovers, immune support, and even enhancing beauty from within.

The process is surprisingly quick and convenient. Sessions typically last just 30-45 minutes, with personalized formulations containing various combinations of B-complex vitamins, magnesium, vitamin C, amino acids, glutathione, and more. Safety remains paramount—each client receives a comprehensive assessment, with vital signs monitored before every treatment. As Denisha explains, "We follow up with clients the next day because it makes them feel like more than just a patient, more than just a paycheck."

Looking for a science-backed approach to boost your energy, recover faster, or enhance your wellness routine? Contact Live Hydration and Wellness at 205-800-4032 or visit www.livewellal.com to discover how IV therapy might be the missing piece in your health puzzle. Your body deserves 100% of what you give it.