Peaceful Hugs Podcast

Left Everything to Pastor a City He Barely Knew | Rev. Antoine Colvin

Mark Zahringer — Thu, 28 May 2026 07:00:00 -0600

In this episode of the Peaceful Hugs Podcast, hosts Mark Zahringer and Lorelei Cromer sit down with Reverend Antoine Colvin — pastor of Historic Little Rock Missionary Baptist Church in Detroit, Michigan — for a rich, energizing conversation about faith, community, calling, and what it truly means to shine your light beyond the four walls of a church.

Reverend Colvin's story begins in Baltimore, Maryland, where athletics, education, and a tight-knit community of mentors shaped him from the ground up. Baptized at 12, he initially set his sights on college football — earning a spot at NC State on an athletic scholarship — while quietly carrying the weight of a father whose health was declining and a family that needed him. It was the sudden death of his beloved high school coach, Benjamin Eaton Sr., that shifted everything. In that moment of grief, Reverend Colvin heard the words that would define his life's work: always leave a place better than you found it.

From there, the road to ministry wound through Baltimore churches, a first pastorate in Columbus, Mississippi, and ultimately — by nothing short of divine call — to the Motor City, a city he had visited only once as a middle schooler and where he knew not a single soul. He arrived to shepherd a congregation that had been rooted in Detroit since 1936, following the near-50-year legacy of the internationally renowned Reverend Dr. Jim Holley. The pressure was immense. But Reverend Colvin's approach is simple: you don't replace a legacy — you build on it, one faithful step at a time.

The conversation digs into what ministry actually looks like on the ground in Detroit today — from meeting people at their moment of need, to understanding that handing someone a turkey means nothing if they don't have a kitchen to cook it in. Reverend Colvin also opens up about his unique calling to bridge faith and mental health, drawing on both his Master of Divinity and his Master of Social Work to help his congregation and community understand that God cares deeply about what's happening in our minds and bodies — not just our souls.

Takeaways

Always leave a place better than you found it — in ministry, in relationships, in life.
The church is not a building. The majority of Jesus's ministry happened in the marketplace, among ordinary people with real needs.
You can't skip Maslow. If someone's belly is empty, you can't minister to their soul first.
Anger isn't always a negative emotion — sometimes it's exactly what pushes us toward justice and change.
Every generation of leadership is meant to build on what came before it, not replace it. Moses had Joshua. John had Jesus.
Eat the meat, throw away the bones — not everything on your plate is meant to be ingested.
Faith and mental health are not opposites. The church has a responsibility to bridge that gap.
When you take a step back, it's not failure — sometimes you need to relearn step one to grow past the plateau you've reached.
Darkness isn't just in places. It's in people. And the light you carry is meant for them too.
Life is like a box of chocolates — but what matters is what you do with the box you've been given.

Chapters

00:15 Welcome & Mark's Personal Connection to Little Rock Baptist Church 04:00 Growing Up in Baltimore — Athletics, Education & Older Parents 08:30 Baptized at 12 & the Dad Who Got Sick at the Same Time 12:45 NC State, Football & the Career Path He Almost Took 16:30 Coach Benjamin Eaton Sr. — The Hug That Changed Everything 21:00 Licensed to Preach in 2008 & the Road to Ministry Begins 25:15 Connecting Communities to Christ — The Vision of Little Rock 29:30 Love God, Love People — And Why Number Two Is the Hard One 33:00 Ministry Outside the Four Walls — Marketplace Ministry & Meeting Real Needs 38:15 The Bible Story That Sums It All Up — 1,000 Bibles & a Community That Couldn't Read 42:30 Why Detroit? A Divine Call to a City He Barely Knew 47:00 Following Reverend Dr. Jim Holley — Building on Legacy, Not Replacing It 51:30 Bridging Faith & Mental Health — A Pastor With a Master of Social Work 56:00 Nehemiah, Anger & What the Church Gets Wrong About Emotions 1:00:15 Best Life Advice — Eat the Meat, Throw Away the Bones 1:02:30 Must-See Movie: Forrest Gump & Must-Read Book: Peaks and Valleys 1:04:30 Closing — Detroit's on the Rise & How to Connect with Little Rock

Connect with Historic Little Rock Missionary Baptist Church Visit them online or in person if you're in Detroit — one of the city's most beautiful and historic congregations.

About the Peaceful Hugs Podcast The Peaceful Hugs Podcast is a space for thoughtful, real conversations about faith, culture, purpose, and the stories that shape us. Hosted by Mark Zahringer and Lorelei Cromer, the show brings together voices from different backgrounds and generations to explore what it means to live with empathy — especially when the world feels loud, polarized, and quick to judge. At the center of it all is a simple idea: kindness matters, and we can't afford to lose it.

He Lived on the Streets by Choice. Here's What Nobody Tells You With Chad Wheeler

Mark Zahringer — Wed, 13 May 2026 07:00:00 -0600

In this episode of the Peaceful Hugs Podcast, hosts Mark Z and Lorelei Cromer sit down with Chad Wheeler — Executive Director of Open Door in Lubbock, Texas — for a candid, deeply moving conversation about what it truly looks like to love your neighbors, especially the ones most people would rather not see.
Chad traces Open Door's remarkable origin back nearly 30 years to a returned missionary named Jim Beck, who — reeling from reverse culture shock after more than a decade in Kenya — didn't start a program or a nonprofit. He simply got in line at a soup kitchen, grabbed a plate of fried chicken, and sat down with a man named Bo. That single act of table fellowship planted the seed of what is today a thriving church, community center, supportive housing program, and survivor housing initiative serving hundreds of Lubbock's most vulnerable residents every single night.

Chad also pulls back the curtain on his own remarkable journey — from an affluent upbringing with no exposure to homelessness, to sleeping in the backseat of a 1995 Toyota Camry as a college student, to spending three weeks on the streets of Austin with $12, a backpack, and no phone — all to understand from the inside what the people he serves actually experience. What he found wasn't danger. It was loneliness. And that discovery has quietly shaped everything Open Door does.

Chapters
00:15 Welcome & Introduction to Chad Wheeler and Open Door
03:30 How Open Door Started: Jim Beck, Bo, and a Plate of Fried Chicken
08:45 From Carpenter's Church to Community Center — 30 Years of Showing Up
13:10 Chad's Journey: Sleeping in His Car and Three Weeks on the Streets of Austin
19:20 What He Learned: Loneliness, Judgment, and People Are Just People
25:00 Housing vs. Home — Why a Roof Alone Isn't Enough
29:40 Wraparound Services: Meeting People Where They Actually Are
34:15 Faith Without Force: Open Door's Approach to God and Belonging
39:30 The Story of the Man Who Drew Satanic Art in Art Class
43:00 Survivor Housing: Jamie Wheeler's Work with Domestic Violence and Sex Trafficking Survivors
48:20 How People Find Open Door — Word of Mouth, Law Enforcement, and Everything In Between
52:10 Encampment Laws, Political Realities, and the Revolving Door
57:00 The System That Holds People Down — DUIs, Daycare, and Broken Bureaucracy
1:01:30 Funding Realities: Federal Grants, Local Donors, and Building Sustainability
1:06:45 Best Advice: Trees Can Be Planted Often — But Their Default Is to Stay
1:09:30 Book Recommendations: Compassion by Henri Nouwen & The Culture Code by Daniel Coyle
1:11:00 How to Support Open Door in Lubbock, Texas
Connect with Open Door
Website: https://opendoorlbk.org
Consider donating, volunteering, or joining their annual Hub City Bed Run — details at opendoorlbk.org

About the Peaceful Hugs Podcast
The Peaceful Hugs Podcast is a space for thoughtful, real conversations about faith, culture, purpose, and the stories that shape us. Hosted by Mark Z and Lorelei Cromer, the show brings together voices from different backgrounds and generations to explore what it means to live with empathy — especially when the world feels loud, polarized, and quick to judge. At the center of it all is a simple idea: kindness matters, and we can't afford to lose it.

You Don't Have To Go Alone, How Therapy Helps With Jillian Garner Nakayama

Mark Zahringer — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 07:00:00 -0600

In this episode of the Peaceful Hugs Podcast, hosts Mark Z and Lorelei Cromer sit down with Jillian — Licensed Social Worker, therapist, and Mark's own counselor — for one of the most open and disarmingly honest conversations the show has ever hosted. Recorded during Mental Health Awareness Month, this episode pulls no punches: Mark shares his own journey through a called-off wedding, a traumatic robbery, and the very real stigma that kept him — a 59-year-old man — from asking for help. And Jillian, making her podcast debut, brings the clinical knowledge, the warmth, and just enough push-back to make it all land.
Jillian traces her path into social work back to childhood — fighting against her family's wishes, navigating her own experiences, and arriving at a simple but profound conviction: we are all human, having a human experience, just trying to deal with it in whatever way we can. She breaks down what therapy actually is versus what most people imagine it to be, why your best friend — no matter how wise or well-meaning — simply cannot do what a trained therapist can, and what treatments like EMDR are actually doing inside your body when talk alone isn't enough.
The conversation gets real about forgiveness — the difference between saying sorry and actually reconciling, why so many people can't accept forgiveness even when it's offered, and how self-forgiveness is often the deepest wound of all. Mark opens up about forgiving the man who robbed him, crying at his death, and what it would have meant to look him in the eye and say the words out loud. They also dig into the workplace — how burnout, dysregulation, and unprocessed trauma show up every day in high-performing people who have no idea anything is wrong — and how Unbridled Acts' Identity Fund is quietly changing that, one company at a time.
And yes — Ted Lasso comes up. Because of course it does.
Takeaways

You don't have to go alone. Reaching out is not weakness — it's the bravest thing you can do.
Your best friend loves you, but they cannot give you an unbiased perspective. That's what therapy is for.
Trauma is stored in the body. Saying "I don't think about it anymore" doesn't mean it's gone — it means it's coming out another way.
If therapy is all validation and no challenge, you're not getting what you need. Find someone who will push you.
You can't accept forgiveness from others until you learn to forgive yourself.
Forgiveness is a process, not a moment — and asking "do you forgive me?" might be the step most of us skip.
Stuffing your feelings down is not coping. Those feelings will come out — as addiction, anger, illness, or walls around your heart.
Mental health isn't visible. The person who looks perfectly fine in the parking lot might be barely holding it together.
Put your oxygen mask on first. You cannot pour from an empty cup.
It's not always about you — and remembering that changes everything about how you respond to the people around you.
High-functioning and high-performing doesn't mean okay. Your nervous system doesn't care about your productivity.
The truth will set you free — but it'll tick you off first.

Chapters
00:15 Welcome & Why Mental Health Month Hits Close to Home
03:00 Mark Opens Up — The Called-Off Wedding, the Robbery & Asking for Help
07:30 Meet Jillian — Her Path Into Social Work & Why Her Family Pushed Back
12:00 We're All Human — The Playbook Nobody Gave Us
15:45 Why Your Best Friend Can't Replace a Therapist
19:30 EMDR, CBT & the Treatments Most People Have Never Heard Of
24:15 When Medication Is the Bridge, Not the Destination
28:00 Forgiveness Is a Process — Saying Sorry Isn't Enough
33:30 Can You Accept Forgiveness If You Can't Forgive Yourself?
38:00 How to Know If You've Found the Right Therapist
43:15 Honesty in the Room — What Happens When You're Not
47:30 Trauma Lives in the Body — Even When You Think You're Over It
52:00 The Identity Fund — Destigmatizing Mental Health in the Workplace
57:30 Faith, Anchors & What You Hold Onto When It's 1 AM
1:02:00 It's Not Always About You — Two Pieces of Life-Changing Advice
1:04:30 Movie Recommendations: Little Black Book & Hector and the Search for Happiness
1:06:00 Closing Thoughts — Give People the Benefit of the Doubt

She Asked God Why. He Taught Her How with Patty Stewart

Mark Zahringer — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 07:00:00 -0600

In this episode of the Peaceful Hugs Podcast, hosts Mark Z and Lorelei Cromer sit down with Patty Stewart — missionary kid, pastor's wife, nurse, musician, and author of No More Pat Answers: Living in the Not Knowing — for one of the most quietly powerful conversations the show has ever had. Patty's story spans continents, decades, and depths of suffering most people will never know — and yet she tells it with a warmth and honesty that makes you feel like you're sitting across the table from a dear friend.
Born in 1948 in Mashhad, Iran — smuggled in unknowingly by her missionary parents before she even existed on paper
Patty grew up on a compound near the Afghan border surrounded by fruit trees, tire swings, donkeys, and a community of faith that felt like one big extended family. It was also where she first encountered the kind of poverty that breaks a child's heart and plants a seed that never quite leaves. She met her future husband Tat when she was two weeks old and he was two years old. It was not, she jokes, love at first sight.
After returning to the U.S. in 1964 and building a life, a marriage, and a young family, Patty found herself pulled back — not by her own desire, but by a letter, a prayer, and a quiet but unmistakable shift in her heart. She and Tat returned to a post-revolution Iran that looked nothing like the one they'd known, raising two blonde children in a culture that stopped to stare, teaching a Sunday school class in two languages, and ministering to women who were quietly falling apart far from home. Then came the newspaper. Their photos. The word "spies." And seven days to get out of the country — driving through darkened alleys with no headlights, two half-asleep children in the back of a Land Rover, not knowing if they'd make it to the airport alive.
But the hardest chapters, Patty says, came later. A traumatic brain injury in 2012 that left her at 93 pounds, unable to move, staring at a knife in the dark. Anxiety so severe that no medication, no therapy, nothing could touch it. Years of waiting, asking God why — and slowly, painstakingly, learning to stop asking why and start asking how. Her book, No More Pat Answers, is the culmination of that journey: a raw, honest, deeply personal account of what faith actually looks like when the darkness won't lift and the answers don't come.

The conversation also turns to Iran today — and Patty shares what happened when she posted about her book in Farsi on Instagram and half a million Iranians responded.

Chapters
00:15 Welcome & Introduction to Patty Stewart
02:30 Smuggled Into Iran Before She Was Born — Life in Mashhad
07:00 Growing Up on the Compound: Fruit Trees, Tire Swings & a Heart for the Poor
11:20 Meeting Tat at Two Weeks Old & Coming Back to America in 1964
14:45 The Letter That Changed Everything — God Shifts Patty's Heart to Return
19:30 Waiting Out the Revolution: Six Months in New Jersey, Then Back to a Different Iran
24:00 Raising Blonde Kids in Post-Revolution Tehran & Ministry to Expatriate Women
29:15 Teaching Sunday School in Two Languages (and One Kid Who Ate the Elmer's Glue)
33:00 The Iranian Children's TV Show That Told Kids to Bomb Americans
35:30 Illness, Breakdown & the Order to Leave in 10 Days
39:45 Fleeing Under Cover of Darkness — The Airport Story
46:00 "Party of Stuart, Please Step Out of Line" — First Class Out of Iran
49:30 The TBI, 93 Pounds & Learning to Live One More Day
55:00 Anxiety So Severe She Looked at a Knife in the Dark
59:30 From "Why" to "How" — The Question That Changes Everything
1:03:00 Half a Million Iranians on Instagram & What They Said About Her Book
1:07:15 The Prince of Persia — Spiritual Warfare and the Battle Over Iran
1:11:00 Western Comfort vs. What the Iranian People Are Enduring Today
1:14:30 Best Life Advice: Just Wait One More Day
1:16:00 Book Recommendation: The Normal Christian Life by Watchman Nee
1:17:30 About No More Pat Answers: Living in the Not Knowing

Get Patty's Book
No More Pat Answers: Living in the Not Knowing — available on Amazon
About the Peaceful Hugs Podcast
The Peaceful Hugs Podcast is a space for thoughtful, real conversations about faith, culture, purpose, and the stories that shape us. Hosted by Mark Zahringer and Lorelei Cromer, the show brings together voices from different backgrounds and generations to explore what it means to live with empathy — especially when the world feels loud, polarized, and quick to judge. At the center of it all is a simple idea: kindness matters, and we can't afford to lose it.
🎙️ Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PeacefulHugsPodcast

Hand Up, Not Handout: Transforming Malawi with Temwa Wright

Mark Zahringer — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 07:00:00 -0600

In this episode of the Peaceful Hugs Podcast, hosts Mark Zahringer and Lorelei Cromer sit down with Temwa Wright — Executive Director of Pamoza International — for a moving and deeply inspiring conversation about faith, service, radical generosity, and what it truly means to help people help themselves. Temwa shares the remarkable story of how Pamoza came to be, from her father Dr. Mike Mtika's sociology students being so transformed by a trip to rural Malawi that they moved there after graduation, to Temwa stepping away from a comfortable career to take the helm of the organization in 2013 — a total walk of faith with three children and a family to provide for. She also recounts the unexpected, God-orchestrated chain of events that first connected her with Mark and Peaceful Hugs, and why she believes divine intervention is behind every meaningful partnership.

The conversation digs into what sustainable, community-driven development actually looks like — from village banks and demonstration farms to adult literacy centers born out of one woman's courageous request — and why handing out Bibles to a community where 60% of adults can't read is a powerful lesson in listening before acting. Temwa also reflects on the unique impact of seeing someone who looks like you show up to help, and why representation in mission work matters more than most Westerners realize.

Takeaways

If you want to go fast, go alone — if you want to go far, go Pamoza, together.
Sustainable development starts with listening, not assuming you already know what people need.
A hand up, not a handout: empowering communities to meet their own needs outlasts any program or donor.
$800 a year can send a young man to college — and one donor's "yes" can ripple into a career of service that impacts thousands.
Representation in mission work changes what people believe is possible for themselves.
Radical generosity isn't just about giving — it's about inspiring others to multiply that generosity forward.
Well-intentioned help without community input can do more harm than good.
Progress over perfection: don't let the pursuit of ideal outcomes stop meaningful forward movement.
God works in the background, even when — especially when — you can't see it.
True transformation is holistic: you can't address one need and ignore the rest.

Chapters

00:15 Welcome & How Mark and Temwa Met — A God Story
05:30 What Pamoza Means and the Proverb Behind It
09:45 How Pamoza Started: A Sociology Professor and 13 Students
14:20 Three White Women, Rural Malawi, and Killing Snakes
18:50 Temwa Steps Into the Executive Director Role — A Walk of Faith
23:10 Oil and Water: Working Alongside Her Father to Carry His Legacy
27:35 The CHIEF Approach: Five Areas of Holistic Transformation
32:00 Thomas's Story: $800, a Suicide, and a Programs Manager Born
37:45 Distributing 1,100 Bibles — and the Humbling Lesson That Followed
43:00 Ovaline's Request: Adult Literacy and Listening to Real Needs
47:20 Hand Up, Not Handout: The School Breakfast Program Story
52:10 When Another Organization Came In and Gave It All Away
55:30 How to Get Involved with Pamoza International
58:45 Final Reflections: Best Advice and What Everyone Should Read

Connect with Pamoza International
Website: https://pamoza.org/
Sign up for updates, prayer requests, and volunteer opportunities at pamoza.org

About the Peaceful Hugs Podcast
The Peaceful Hugs Podcast is a space for thoughtful, real conversations about faith, culture, purpose, and the stories that shape us. Hosted by Mark Zeringer and Lorelei Cromer, the show brings together voices from different backgrounds and generations to explore what it means to live with empathy — especially when the world feels loud, polarized, and quick to judge. At the center of it all is a simple idea: kindness matters, and we can't afford to lose it.

How Chess Built A Life Worth: With James Canty III

Mark Zeringer & Lorelei Cromer With James Canty III — Wed, 18 Mar 2026 07:00:00 -0600

In this episode of the Peaceful Hugs Podcast, hosts Mark Zahringer and Lorelei Cromer sit down with James Canty III — FIDE Master, chess boxing world champion, streamer, coach, and entrepreneur — for an energizing conversation about resilience, reinvention, and what chess can teach you about life.
James shares the journey that took him from the chess clubs of Detroit — where his father used the game to keep him off dangerous streets — to winning a world championship in Serbia against a 260-pound opponent with 20 years of boxing experience. Along the way, he opens up about breaking stereotypes, building a brand from scratch, and why he believes chess is one of the most powerful tools for shaping young minds.
The conversation explores what it really takes to master something — the obsession, the sacrifice, the years of losing before winning — and how those same principles apply to boxing, trading, coaching, and life. James also reflects on what it means to be a Black chess master in a game that doesn't always look like him, and why he's committed to changing that.
Takeaways

Mastery in anything requires obsession, passion, and the willingness to lose — repeatedly — before you win.
Chess is a game of life: every move matters, and strategy applies far beyond the board.
Breaking stereotypes starts with showing up and being undeniably yourself.
Income through a passion takes creativity — playing tournaments alone won't pay the bills, but streaming, coaching, and content can.
The FIDE rating system is the only one that matters globally — and most American kids in under-resourced cities never learn that.
Representation changes what young people believe is possible for themselves.
Chess and boxing aren't opposites — both demand discipline, pattern recognition, and emotional control under pressure.
Teaching is learning twice: coaching others deepens your own mastery.
You never know who's watching your content — or how much they need it.
Trust God, stay faithful, and show up — even when the path isn't clear.

Chapters
00:15 Welcome & Introduction to James Canty III
02:30 Growing Up in Detroit: Chess as a Lifeline
06:55 All the Kingsmen Chess Club and Learning to Lose
10:37 The Moment It Clicked: Summer Mornings with Dad
14:20 Going Undefeated at Nationals — From Bench to Best on the Team
17:45 The Military, the Bills, and Putting Chess on Hold
21:03 The Millionaire Chess Open: Selling the Xbox to Chase $40K
25:25 Knight H4 — The Most Expensive Move Never Made
29:50 Building a Brand: Streaming, YouTube, and Making Chess Cool
34:05 FIDE Master, Funding, and the Pathways Nobody Told Him About
38:27 Chess Boxing: Brains, Brawn, and a World Title in Serbia
44:42 Fighting a 260-Pound Kazakhstani with 20 Years of Boxing Experience
49:15 What's Next: The Grand Master Title and Life Beyond the Ring
53:30 Coaching the Next Generation — Chess, Boxing, and Trading

Connect with James Canty III
Instagram: @jamescantythethird
Twitch & YouTube: James Canty III

About the Peaceful Hugs Podcast
The Peaceful Hugs Podcast is a space for thoughtful, real conversations about faith, culture, purpose, and the stories that shape us. Hosted by Mark Zeringer and Lorelei Cromer, the show brings together voices from different backgrounds and generations to explore what it means to live with empathy — especially when the world feels loud, polarized, and quick to judge. At the center of it all is a simple idea: kindness matters, and we can't afford to lose it.
57:55 Final Reflections: Best Advice and Books Everyone Should Read

Faith, Reentry & Community Restoration: Pastor Bryan Sederwall

Mark Zeringer & Lorelei Cromer with Pastor Bryan Sederwall — Wed, 04 Mar 2026 07:00:00 -0700

In this episode of the Peaceful Hugs Podcast, hosts Mark Zahringer and Lorelei Cromer sit down with Pastor B, founder and executive director of the Denver Dream Center, for a raw and inspiring conversation about faith, community, and what it really means to love people where they are.

Pastor B shares the journey that took him from small-town Illinois to the basketball courts of Los Angeles — and eventually to the streets of Denver — where a calling to serve the overlooked, the incarcerated, and the forgotten became the foundation of a movement. The conversation explores the realities of inner-city life, the brokenness of systems meant to help, and why relationships — not programs — are the true engine of transformation.

Together, they discuss the challenges of recidivism, the tension between law enforcement and the communities they serve, and how one organization is quietly building bridges where the rest of the world sees only walls.

Takeaways
Transformation is relational, not programmatic — identity must change for behavior to change.
Long-term obedience in the same direction is the key to lasting impact.
Loving people when they least deserve it is the hardest — and most important — work.
Recidivism is high not because jobs don't exist, but because transformation is missing.
Community reconciliation between law enforcement and those they police starts with small, consistent steps.
Faith-based organizations can respond faster and more personally than government programs ever can.
Every dollar — no matter how small — contributes to something bigger when people give faithfully.
The people most in need of help are often the hardest to love, and that's exactly the point.
Athletes, politicians, and everyday volunteers all have a role to play in restoring communities.
Sometimes radical faith means jumping before you know where you're going to land.

Chapters

00:13 Welcome & Introduction to Pastor B and the Denver Dream Center
02:28 From Illinois to L.A.: A Pastor's Unconventional Path
05:23 Basketball Courts, Barbershops, and Building Real Relationships
08:58 The Birth of a Vision: Journaling a Dream Center Into Existence
12:43 Radical Faith: Moving to Denver with No Job, No Salary, No Plan
16:18 Understanding Inner-City Culture: What Outsiders Often Miss
19:53 Why Recidivism Rates Stay High — And What Actually Works
24:08 The Programs That Open the Door and the Relationships That Walk Through It
27:58 Coffee With the Cops: Reconciling Officers and Ex-Offenders
32:33 Athletes, Broncos, and Christmas Behind Bars
36:53 The Broken Incentive Problem: How Government Programs Keep People Stuck
41:28 The Fishes and Loaves Model of Fundraising
45:23 A Coffee Shop, a Rec Center, and What's Next for Denver Dream Center
49:43 Final Reflections: Best Life Advice and a Book Everyone Should Read

Connect with Denver Dream Center!
https://www.denverdreamcenter.org

About the Peaceful Hugs Podcast
The Peaceful Hugs Podcast is a space for thoughtful, real conversations about faith, culture, purpose, and the stories that shape us. Hosted by Mark Zeringer and Lorelei Cromer, the show brings together voices from different backgrounds and generations to explore what it means to live with empathy — especially when the world feels loud, polarized, and quick to judge. At the center of it all is a simple idea: kindness matters, and we can't afford to lose it.

You’re More Than an Athlete: Faith, Purpose, and Leadership Through Sports

Mark Zeringer & Lorelei Cromer with David Farmer — Wed, 18 Feb 2026 07:00:00 -0700

In this episode of the Peaceful Hugs Podcast, hosts Mark Zahringer and Lorelei Cromer sit down with David Farmer, a longtime leader with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), for a powerful conversation about faith, sports, leadership, and identity.
David shares the origin story of FCA and how athletes and coaches have used their platform to live out their faith with courage and purpose. The conversation explores the pressure placed on young athletes, the search for identity beyond performance, and how coaches, parents, and mentors can shape the next generation through character, humility, and love.
Together, they discuss the challenges facing youth sports today, the importance of spiritual formation alongside athletic development, and how faith-centered leadership can transform not just athletes—but families, schools, and communities.

Takeaways
Athletes are more than their performance; identity matters.
Sports provide a powerful platform for faith, leadership, and influence.
Coaches play a critical role in shaping character, not just skills.
Young athletes are searching for purpose beyond winning.
Faith can bring healing to broken systems in youth sports.
Intergenerational mentorship creates lasting impact.
Leadership means learning how to win—and lose—well.
Parents and coaches influence culture more than they realize.
Service, prayer, and generosity are essential to lasting change.
When faith and sports align, transformation follows.

Chapters
00:13 Welcome & Introduction to David Farmer and FCA
02:28 The Origin Story of Fellowship of Christian Athletes
05:23 Athletes, Influence, and Using the Platform for Faith
08:58 Finding Identity Beyond Performance and Winning
12:43 The Pressure Facing Young Athletes Today
16:18 Coaches as Leaders, Mentors, and Culture Shapers
19:53 Faith in Public Schools: Challenges and Courage
24:08 The MVP Model: Giving, Volunteering, and Prayer
27:58 Stories of Transformation Through FCA
32:33 Parents, Coaches, and the Youth Sports Crisis
36:53 Leadership, Humility, and Learning to Lose Well
41:28 Intergenerational Impact and Passing the Baton
45:23 Faith, Purpose, and the Future of Sports Culture
49:43 Final Reflections and How to Get Involved

Connect with Fellowship of Christian Athletes
https://www.fcacolorado.org/

About the Peaceful Hugs Podcast
The Peaceful Hugs Podcast is a space for thoughtful, real conversations about faith, culture, purpose, and the stories that shape us. Hosted by Mark Zeringer and Lorelei Cromer, the show brings together voices from different backgrounds and generations to explore what it means to live with empathy—especially when the world feels loud, polarized, and quick to judge.
At the center of it all is a simple idea: kindness matters, and we can’t afford to lose it.

Is Reconciliation Always Possible?

Mark Zeringer & Lorelei Cromer With Danny Silk — Wed, 04 Feb 2026 06:00:00 -0700

In this episode of the Peaceful Hugs podcast, hosts Mark Zahringer and Lorelei Cromer engage in a deep conversation with Danny Silk, a counselor, social worker, and author. Danny shares his personal journey from a chaotic upbringing to becoming a relationship expert. He discusses the importance of understanding repentance and reconciliation in relationships, the power of love and connection, and the challenges of navigating relationships and boundaries. The conversation also touches on cultural perspectives on love and the significance of personal growth and self-improvement. Danny emphasizes the need for humility and the realization that we cannot control others, ultimately leading to healthier relationships.

Takeaways

Danny Silk's journey from chaos to becoming a relationship expert is inspiring.
Understanding the difference between confession and repentance is crucial for healing.
Reconciliation is more natural when true repentance occurs.
Love and connection are foundational to healthy relationships.
You cannot control other people; focus on your own actions.
Humility is key in navigating relationships and conflicts.
Cultural perspectives on love can vary significantly.
Parenting adult children presents unique challenges.
Investing in relationships requires unconditional love and support.
Personal growth is a continuous journey, regardless of age.

Connect with Danny Silk
https://www.lovingonpurpose.com/

About the Peaceful Hugs Podcast
The Peaceful Hugs Podcast is a space for thoughtful, real conversations about faith, culture, purpose, and the stories that shape us. Hosted by Mark Zahringer and Lorelei Cromer, the show brings together voices from different backgrounds and generations to explore what it means to live with empathy—especially when the world feels loud, polarized, and quick to judge.
At the center of it all is a simple idea: kindness matters, and we can’t afford to lose it.

Chapters

00:14 Introduction to Danny Silk's Journey

05:26 Overcoming Personal Chaos and Building Relationships

10:06 The Importance of Personal Responsibility in Relationships

14:59 Understanding Repentance and Reconciliation

20:07 The Role of Love and Connection in Parenting

25:10 Cultural Perspectives on Love and Relationships

30:24 The Power of Humility and Personal Growth

35:25 Practical Tools for Building Healthy Relationships

40:04 Final Thoughts and Resources for Further Learning

Faith Over Fire: Pastor Tat Stewart On Iran, The Underground Church, and Hope That Endures

Mark Zahringer & Lorelei Cromer & Tat Stewart — Wed, 21 Jan 2026 05:00:00 -0700

What happens when two people from different generations sit down—not to debate, but to understand?

In the very first episode of the Peaceful Hugs Podcast, hosts Mark Zahringer and Lorelei Cromer welcome Pastor Tat, a remarkable guest whose life story spans continents, revolutions, and decades of ministry. From growing up in Iran as the child of American missionaries to being deported during the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Pastor Tat shares formative experiences that shaped how he sees faith, community, and the power of intergenerational conversation.

This episode is an honest beginning: a conversation about spirituality, living through political upheaval, and the reality that people's needs—safety, dignity, support—transcend borders and belief systems.

In This Episode:
A Journey Through Revolution and Faith

How Pastor Tat's family ended up in Iran in 1947—and what it was like growing up as a missionary kid in Tabriz
The underground church movement and the estimated 1 million Iranian Christians (up from just 3,000 in the 1970s)
What we should be praying for as the current crisis unfolds
A prophetic perspective on Iran's future and the hope for democracy
Why Pastor Tat believes this moment is different—and what it could mean for the Middle East
Why kindness is both simple and incredibly difficult

Plus: Pastor Tat shares about his book "No Stranger to Iran: Its People and Its Church" and his decades of ministry through satellite television, reaching millions across the Iranian diaspora.

About the Peaceful Hugs Podcast
The Peaceful Hugs Podcast is a space for thoughtful, real conversations about faith, culture, purpose, and the stories that shape us. Hosted by Mark Zahringer and Lorelei Cromer, the show brings together voices from different backgrounds and generations to explore what it means to live with empathy—especially when the world feels loud, polarized, and quick to judge.

At the center of it all is a simple idea: kindness matters, and we can't afford to lose it.

Chapters:
Introduction (0:13) - Mark and Lorelei welcome Pastor Tat
Pastor Tat's Journey to Iran (1:49) - How his parents became missionaries in 1947
Growing Up in Iran (3:54) - Learning languages, attending church, witnessing persecution
The Call to Ministry (7:59) - A collapsed lung and God's unmistakable call at age 19
Returning to Iran After the Revolution (11:28) - Arriving in 1979 as chaos unfolded
Ministry During the Hostage Crisis (17:50) - CBS films Thanksgiving service, 6 members remain
Deportation from Iran (25:35) - 10 days to leave, emotional farewell at the airport
Continuing Ministry in the Diaspora (40:13) - Magazine, satellite TV, global church planting
Current Situation in Iran (44:09) - Prayer requests, underground church, hope for change
Hope for Iran's Future (46:45) - Political analysis and God's prophetic work

Join the Conversation
What part of this first episode resonated most with you—Pastor Tat's story of deportation, the growth of the Iranian church, or the call to pray for what's happening now?

Share your thoughts and join the conversation.

Never Miss an Episode

Subscribe to the Peaceful Hugs Podcast for new episodes featuring honest stories, meaningful conversations, and reminders that you’re not alone in navigating life’s messier moments.

Why We’re Here: Stories, Faith, and the Kindness Gap

Mark Zahringer — Fri, 09 Jan 2026 09:48:05 -0700

What happens when two people from different generations sit down—not to debate, but to understand?

In the very first episode of the Peaceful Hugs Podcast, hosts Mark Zahringer and Lorelei Cromer introduce the heart behind the show: real conversations, real stories, and a commitment to kindness in a world that feels increasingly divided. From Detroit to Cañon City, from seminary to the Middle East, they share formative experiences that shaped how they see people, faith, and community—and why they believe intergenerational conversations matter now more than ever.

This episode is an honest beginning: a conversation about spirituality, learning how to disagree well, and the reality that people’s needs—safety, dignity, support—don’t change just because their zip code does.

In This Episode:

How the Peaceful Hugs Podcast came to life from a “by happenstance” conversation in Cañon City
Why intergenerational conversations are essential in a world of “camps” and echo chambers
The impact of faith, spirituality, and lived experience on how we view culture, politics, and one another
Mark’s story: growing up in Detroit, becoming a latchkey kid, being kicked out at 15, and finding a lifeline through school support
Lorelei’s story: shifting from musical theater to journalism/international affairs, and the unexpected call to serve in the Middle East
The difference between “agreeing” with someone and choosing to truly love them
How Peaceful Hugs and Unbridled Acts connect—purpose-driven work, community support, and sustainable impact
Why kindness is simple to define… and hard to practice
A light-hearted Hallmark-movie moment (because yes, joy belongs here too)

Key Takeaways:

Listening across generations expands empathy—and breaks the “us vs. them” mindset.
Faith conversations don’t have to be weaponized. They can be honest, human, and rooted in love.
People are more than a label, lifestyle, belief, or political identity. Stories reveal the humanity we miss in headlines.
The needs of communities aren’t as different as we think. The scale may change, but the pain points often don’t.
Kindness is a leadership skill—and a daily choice.

About the Peaceful Hugs Podcast

The Peaceful Hugs Podcast is a space for thoughtful, real conversations about faith, culture, purpose, and the stories that shape us. Hosted by Mark Zahringer and Lorelei Cromer, the show brings together voices from different backgrounds and generations to explore what it means to live with empathy—especially when the world feels loud, polarized, and quick to judge.

At the center of it all is a simple idea: kindness matters, and we can’t afford to lose it.

Join the Conversation

What part of this first episode resonated most with you—Mark’s story, Lorelei’s story, or the theme of learning to disagree without dehumanizing?

Share your thoughts and join the conversation.

Never Miss an Episode

Subscribe to the Peaceful Hugs Podcast for new episodes featuring honest stories, meaningful conversations, and reminders that you’re not alone in navigating life’s messier moments.

Listen on:

Apple Podcasts • Spotify • and wherever you listen to podcasts

Sending you peaceful hugs—see you next episode.