33: Trafficked with Toni McKinley

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Toni McKinley is a counselor and a guest speaker, and was a victim of sex trafficking when she was a child. Toni overcame manipulation by men and a lack of trust in anyone to become a pillar of hope in her community. She is a part of many organizations that work to stop trafficking and rehabilitate girls who have been victimized. Her non-profit, Survivor Sisters Leadership Program, is made up of previous victims of this trade that mentor incarcerated girls who are locked up due to crimes they committed under the duress of their pimp. Toni hopes to help as many girls as she can and keep them from returning to the streets. In this episode:

  • Getting caught in trafficking … how does it happen?
  • The psychological manipulation behind trafficking
  • Why victims are afraid to speak up
  • Losing trust and all hope in the good of people
  • The profound impact that a teacher can make
  • Getting her college degree after cheating her way through high school
  • How your own child can turn your life around forever
  • Finding faith in God in the most bizarre way
  • Starting an organization that helps these victims break the chains of abuse
  • What can we do in the local community to stop trafficking?

You can find out more about Toni at www.tonimckinley.com and you can purchase her book “What Happened to Me?! Healing for Sex Trafficking Survivors” on that web site.

 

32: Drug Addict Turned Entrepreneur

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Kacey Gorringe was addicted to drugs throughout most of his life and could not break the habit until he was arrested for drug possession. During his short stay in jail he finally decided to come clean and leave a life full of heroin and cocaine behind. He received the blessing of a lifetime to return to college, earn his degree, and found a great job right out of school. However, he felt a deeper calling for his life and left his six-figure job behind to pursue his own business. He packed up his belongings from Utah and moved to Texas to begin a business in real estate. He now runs a successful operation in Austin and helps homeowners avoid the foreclosure process; one that he experienced during his drug abuse days. In this episode:

  • The power of addiction
  • How drugs destroys the body, mind, and relationships
  • Trying to quit but returning to the same old habit
  • The eye opener – getting arrested and going to jail
  • Getting foreclosed on and losing your most valued asset
  • Changing directions in life and aspiring to do something more with your gifts and talents
  • Leaving job security behind to pursue an entrepreneurial passion
  • Why it is so important to discover your own “why”
  • Giving back to the community – why should you?

You can reach out to Kacey on Facebook at Kacey Gorringe. He would love to help you with any addiction struggles that you are going through!

31: Gaining Weight to Empathize

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Drew Manning is the founder of Fit2Fat2Fit and has influenced millions around the world as a personal trainer. Drew had a radical idea to give up his fitness lifestyle and become obese on purpose within 6 months to better empathize with his clients struggles in losing weight. He returned to his natural weight and lifestyle with a better perspective within a matter of months of returning to a steady diet and hitting the gym. Drew not only shares what he learned about fitness, but what he learned about his self-image during the process. In this episode:

  • The passion of fitness
  • How did he view his clients as a personal trainer before he became fat?
  • The birth of the idea of Fit2Fat2Fit and how Drew remained accountable
  • The hardships of gaining weight, what was the most difficult?
  • The statistics: 193lbs to 269lbs; 8.5% body fat to 32% body fat, 34in waist to 47.5in waist and much more
  • The hardships of losing weight and returning to a healthy diet
  • Wrestling with self-image and physical appearance
  • How this radical idea changed his perspective on fitness forever

Drew is the best-selling author of “Fit2Fat2Fit”. You can pick up a copy of his book on Amazon or at a book store near you. For more information on Drew and his journey please visit www.fit2fat2fit.com

30: Fiercely Facing Abuse with Carolyn Bostrack

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Carolyn Bostrack is a single mother of three wonderful children, a phd, an author, a keynote speaker, and an advocate for many different organizations within her community. She was sexually abused and emotionally abused as a child and throughout her teenage years. This horrible dynamic and resulting image of love led her into an abusive and manipulative marriage. After the birth of her daughter she found the courage to leave her ex-husband and begin a new life with a new definition of “unconditional” love. In this episode:

  • Growing up in an abusive household with a hoarder
  • Growing into womanhood and struggling with the image of who a man should be
  • How to muster the courage to leave an abusive ex behind
  • How to persevere through homelessness with an infant daughter
  • Putting yourself to the test: full-time work, being a student, being a mother, writing a book, and speaking across the nation
  • FIERCE – Getting through each day, 5 minutes at a time
  • How to overcome the painful memories of the past
  • Keep on dreaming

You can discover more of Carolyn’s story on her web site: http://carolyncolleen.com/ and you can purchase her book, “FIERCE – Transform Your Life in the Face of Adversity 5 Minutes at a Time” on Amazon.

29: Beaten to Death and Beating the Odds

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Kelubia Mabatah was an outstanding tennis player in high school and in college before he went pro. When his career ended he moved to Africa to work for his father’s business. One night he was brutally attacked by four armed men who left him to die for reasons that are still unknown. Kel survived through four brain surgeries and had to relearn how to walk and how to talk again. In this episode:

  • The sport of tennis and why it is beloved by Kel
  • The night of the attack … what happened?
  • Persevering through painful rehab and physical therapy
  • The struggles of re-learning how to speak again and the therapy of reading
  • How Kel views God and the divine timing of it all
  • What did it feel like to play tennis again?
  • Being honored by your high school
  • Rehab as a full-time job while writing a book

Kelubia can be followed on Instagram @kmabatah