In this episode we sit down with Kevin Minke, owner of Bluegrass Financial Solutions, and discuss strategies for handling inflation, saving money and dealing with holiday over-spending. Kevin shares some great advice learned over his long career in the finance and banking world and as a Ramsey trained, Certified Financial coach.

Learn more about Kevin Minke and how a financial coach can help get you to your goals by visiting his website

https://bluegrassfinancialsolutions.com/

Benson talks to Jessamine County Homeless Coalition Executive Director Johnny Templin and Director of Operations April McCubbins about their urgent needs to assist people of Jessamine County who are living on the streets. April shares her story of living homeless on the streets of Lexington, Ky and how her journey led her to eventually become the Director of Operations. There are plenty of opportunities to become involved with their mission through giving or donating your time.

Today we visit with Mission of Hope Executive Director David Heatherly to learn about their scholarship program. We talk about ways to keep Kentucky's at risk children in school and encourage them from a young age to pledge to graduate. For those going on to college Mission of Hope awards scholarships that come with mentors to help encourage them along their journey. We also catch up on all things Mission of Hope related and share the many opportunities for you to be involved with sharing hope with the children of Appalachia.

You won't want to miss hearing about this exiting work Mission of Hope is doing to break generational poverty and bring hope to children in the Appalachian

region of Kentucky and Tennessee.

On this program Benson Gregory has a long overdue conversation with Laura Baxter to catch up with all that has been going on in her ministry in Honduras over the past two years. Laura tells us a little about life during the pandemic and how God has led her to be a missionary to missionaries and their children. We talk about some of the unique challenges she's faced, how she's adapted and how you can help her serve those who serve.

Joanna Ministries, Inc. seeks to work with churches and other ministries to reach teens who have been abused and may be at risk for life on the streets as well as being trafficked. We go into one of the local hospitals to talk with teens who are pregnant. We want to be available to them and let them also know that there are safe places they can go. In opening a pregnancy crisis center, we hope to reach teens who have been abused and have become pregnant. Sharing pre and post-natal care along with seeking to help heal their hearts in the process. Because of Laura's own experience in an abusive relationship, God has given her a heart for girls who have been abused; to be able to share that there is hope and healing through a relationship with Christ.

Learn more about Joanna Ministries, Inc here.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/423127991554349

Today Executive Director Emmette Thompson catches us up on the latest with Mission of Hope, and introduces us to David Heatherly the incoming Executive Director. David tells us about his background and talks about Mission of Hope's efforts to collect items for the Appalachian region of Kentucky, Virginia and Tennessee.

Since 1996, the Mission of Hope has ministered to the people of various counties in Kentucky and Tennessee from which 80% of the region’s residents no longer have jobs in the coal mining industry.

Many of the people we assist are caught in the pockets of poverty and as a result have lost all hope for their future. With your help and with God’s love we can help bring new hope to many.

Mission of Hope strives to provide Christian ministries during appropriate seasons of the year, including Christmas and Easter, through a system of delivering clothes, food, toys, and school supplies to impoverished families; to assist in repair of existing homes or relocating to other homes when appropriate; to provide scholarships for qualifying children of the area; to assist in developing skills or other expertise for the creation of new or expanded jobs in the area; and to assist in locating jobs for persons who are willing to relocate outside the area.

The Mission of Hope is a year round ministry blessed to assist many of our less fortunate Appalachian neighbors with much needed goods and resources; college scholarships; and help with basic educational, health care and home repair needs.

If you would like to make a financial donation to Mission of Hope for our year round ministry expenses it would be greatly appreciated. The 2010 independent financial audit confirmed that 90 percent of every dollar donated went directly back into programs assisting individuals.

Thank you for caring enough to help those who still have hope.

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It's that time of year when we start taking about thankfulness and gratitude, but having an attitude of gratitude isn't easy for everyone. Some people face the holiday season with with extra feelings of loss and emptiness. If you have lost a loved-one or your life isn't working out the way you want depression, grief and sadness are factors of daily life and the holiday season can intensify those feelings of loss.

Joannie DeBrito, licensed mental health professional and frequent Focus on the Family contributor, talks about how to be grateful when we aren't feeling grateful, the process of grieving and how gratefulness can be part of the journey.

Did you know researchers have found that expressing gratitude has many health benefits as well?

Practicing gratitude has been scientifically proven to positively impact your brain. It can make us feel happier and better about ourselves, improve energy levels, help us cope with our problems, and even decrease mental health struggles like stress, anxiety, and depression.

Tuesday November 8, 2022 in Kentucky we will be voting on 2 proposed amendments to the Kentucky Constitution. One of the proposed amendments is very long, maybe a little confusing and is full of lawyer/politician speak. The other is short and direct. The first deals with the Kentucky General Assembly's emergency powers and the ability to call themselves into special session instead of that power residing exclusively with the Kentucky Governor. The second proposed amendment clarifies the Kentucky Constitution's position on abortion and the use of state money to perform abortion. Richard Nelson, Executive Director and Founder of the Commonwealth Policy Center, joins me to break down what each of these amendments means and what your "yes" or "no" vote means. Knowledge is power!

For more information you can visit.

https://commonwealthpolicycenter.org/

To see a sample of your ballot:

http://web.sos.ky.gov/electionballots/

Listen in as I chat with Rob Harlamert about the first anniversary of his plant Elevate Christian Church in Lexington, KY. It's been one year since Rob Harlamert, Andrew Dawson and their team officially launched Elevate Christian Church. What challenges did they face? How are things going now? What lessons have they learned? What is Elevate like? What does the future hold for Elevate Christian Church in Lexington, KY? And we even talk about the deconstruction movement, and how that impacts Rob and Elevate.

Rooted Podcast

Elevate Christian Church, Lexington, KY