This week, The Voices of SOUL ON FIRE series welcomes my dear friend Stephanie Szostak. Stephanie has brought memorable characters to life in A Million Little Things and The Devil Wears Prada . Now, in the upcoming film SOUL ON FIRE, she steps into her most meaningful role yet as my mom Susan O'Leary. She brings her talent to the screen with depth and grace, and in this conversation she shares her heart, her wisdom, and the life lessons that have shaped her along the way. Today, Stephanie shares...
Sep 25, 2025•1 hr 2 min•Season 16Ep. 814
Sep 22, 2025•6 min•Season 16Ep. 813
This week, The Voices of SOUL ON FIRE series welcomes the actor who brings to life the unforgettable role of Nurse Roy: DeVon Franklin. DeVon is a producer of films like Miracles from Heaven and Breakthrough , a New York Times bestselling author, a preacher, and a motivational voice named by Variety as one of the "Top 10 Producers to Watch." Whether through books, movies, sermons, or his own acting, his mission has always been the same: to inspire, inform, and motivate. Today, DeVon shares candi...
Sep 18, 2025•1 hr 34 min•Season 16Ep. 812
Often the most beautiful parts of our lives are the very ones we tuck away. We hide them in closets, leave them in boxes, store them in corners, push them back into the shadows. We forget about them, all they meant, and the beauty they still possess until something draws those pieces of our lives back into the light. I saw this on full display during the final day of filming SOUL ON FIRE. Let me explain.
Sep 15, 2025•6 min•Season 16Ep. 811
This week, The Voices of SOUL ON FIRE series welcomes Masey McLain, the gifted actress who portrays my wife, Beth O'Leary, in our upcoming film. Casting Beth was one of the most important decisions of the film, and in Masey we found someone who truly embodies her grace, strength, and unshakable love. Beyond the screen, Masey is an author, singer, producer, and speaker. She lives with mission and purpose, and she's a dear friend whose light shines every bit as brightly as her performance. Recorde...
Sep 11, 2025•1 hr 4 min•Season 16Ep. 810
I'm too busy. I'll get back to them later. I'll just ignore it. These are common ways to respond to life's interruptions. But while filming SOUL ON FIRE, I was reminded by some remarkably busy people just how powerful it is to say yes instead. Let me explain.
Sep 08, 2025•7 min
This week, The Voices of SOUL ON FIRE shines a spotlight on one of the youngest members of the cast: James McCracken. At just nine years old, James stepped into the unforgettable role of young John O'Leary in the upcoming film SOUL ON FIRE. Despite his age, this rising star brings remarkable heart and depth to the screen with talent nurtured with the encouragement of his family, including his mom Becca, who joins us for part of this conversation. Today, James shares what it was like stepping ont...
Sep 04, 2025•48 min•Season 16Ep. 808
While visiting patients at a children's hospital last week, a little boy asked who my favorite nurse was during my own hospital stay. It felt a bit like being asked to pick a favorite child, but I shared the story of how one nurse's seemingly simple acts had a mighty impact on my life. The list of extraordinary caregivers at Mercy who helped me survive burns over my entire body is long—Cissy the brilliant charge nurse, Lisa the fiery floor nurse, Roy the visionary man who helped me walk forward,...
Sep 01, 2025•7 min
This week, The Voices of SOUL ON FIRE series turns up the volume as we're joined by the man whose song has become the heartbeat of the film: Mac Powell. Mac Powell has spent over three decades sharing his voice and his heart with the world. As the Grammy-winning lead singer of Third Day, he helped shape Christian music, selling over 10 million albums and filling arenas across the globe, and has continued that legacy as a solo artist, blending faith, music, and life in powerful ways. Today, Mac s...
Aug 28, 2025•1 hr•Season 16Ep. 806
As we step into a new school year, many of us are in a season of transition. Sending little ones off to kindergarten, big kids off to high school, and young adults off to college means a time filled with backpacks, checklists, early bedtimes and busy mornings. It also means waving goodbye not just to the kids as they leave the house, but chapters of life that will never return. Last summer around this time, I was struggling mightily. In the span of about a week, a dear friend passed away, my fat...
Aug 25, 2025•5 min•Season 16Ep. 805
As we begin the Voices of SOUL ON FIRE series, it only makes sense to start with the man who's been with this story from the very beginning: Sean McNamara. Sean McNamara is the director behind beloved films like Soul Surfer , Spare Parts , The Miracle Season , Reagan , and many more. Known in Hollywood as an "actor's director," he's celebrated not only for the powerful performances he brings to the screen, but also for the humility, kindness, and joy he brings behind the camera. More than seven ...
Aug 21, 2025•1 hr 15 min•Season 16Ep. 804
John Ruhlin built a wildly successful business and life practicing radical generosity. While many spend their lives asking, "How much do I have to give?" John asked, "What's the most I possibly can?" That question—and the way he answered it—changed my life. And it changed the world around him. Let me explain.
Aug 18, 2025•7 min•Season 16Ep. 803
Neal McDonough is an award-winning actor known for memorable roles in Band of Brothers , Justified , and Desperate Housewives , as well as more than 150 film and TV credits. Beyond his on-screen success, Neal is a devoted husband, father of five, and storyteller whose real-life journey rivals any script he's ever brought to life. Today, Neal shares how a chance meeting with his wife, Ruvé, changed everything, why he walked away from roles that didn't align with his values, and how losing nearly ...
Aug 14, 2025•1 hr 10 min•Season 16Ep. 802
True value doesn't come from how others see us; it comes from knowing who we are. Sometimes the most important lessons are taught in unexpected places, by unforeseen people and in unpredicted ways. A recent experience provided such a reminder…even if it wasn't a lesson I wanted to receive. Let me explain.
Aug 11, 2025•7 min•Season 16Ep. 801
Did you know 84% of Americans say stress impacts them as deeply as trauma? Recognizing this, Dr. Rebecca Heiss is a stress physiologist whose work is reshaping how we think about pressure, performance, and resilience. Today, Rebecca shares how we can reframe stress as a tool for growth, how to move from trauma to post-traumatic growth, and why curiosity is often the best way through anxiety. With research-backed examples and real-life stories, she explains why your belief about stress (not the s...
Aug 07, 2025•56 min•Season 16Ep. 800
Earlier this summer, I sat next to my dad in a darkened movie theater. We shared some popcorn, fought over Milk Duds, and watched a movie together. The film we watched—a retelling of the life we've lived together, now stunningly portrayed on the big screen—was a powerful reminder: when intuition whispers, listen. Let me explain.
Aug 04, 2025•6 min•Season 16Ep. 799
Former Governor John Kasich has spent his life bringing people together to tackle tough problems, guided by a deep belief that we all have a role to play in making the world a little better than we found it. As a former Ohio governor and four-time New York Times bestselling author, it's his deep commitment to faith and building community that matters most to him. Today, John Kasich shares why he believes the antidote to our cultural division isn't politics — it's purpose. Hear John share about h...
Jul 31, 2025•49 min•Season 16Ep. 798
More than 20 years ago, my wife Beth and I volunteered to take on a Little Brother from our local chapter of Big Brothers Big Sisters. We thought we would be helping a child who needed something we could give. What we didn't expect was how much we'd grow—and how much that little boy would change our lives. You see, at the time, I was busy, distracted, stretched thin. But that small, consistent commitment turned into a life-giving friendship. And Beth and I learned an important lesson that still ...
Jul 28, 2025•5 min•Season 16Ep. 797
Jameson Reeder Sr. and his 10-year-old son, Jameson Jr., were swimming nine miles off the coast of Florida when a 9-foot bull shark appeared out of nowhere. In seconds, their peaceful snorkeling trip turned into a fight for life, and one that would test their faith, summon unexpected heroes, and reveal a little boy's unshakable courage. Today, Jameson Sr. and Jameson Jr. share how a terrifying shark attack led to a series of undeniable miracles. You'll hear how strangers leapt into action, how c...
Jul 24, 2025•53 min•Season 16Ep. 796
In the early 2000s, I worked in residential construction. As a general contractor, my days were long, dusty, and jammed with deadlines difficult to hit. I rehabbed homes, managed teams, solved problems, raced the clock, and frequently fell short. On one specific job site, a man challenged me through his presence to slow down, celebrate the gift of the moment and authentically connect with others. Let me explain.
Jul 21, 2025•5 min•Season 16Ep. 795
Cristina Baker is a speaker, author, and digital creator whose short videos have brought hope and encouragement to millions. And yet, before she became a voice of inspiration, she was a teen battling addiction, a young mother at rock bottom, and a woman who felt completely alone in the world. Today, Cristina shares what it was like growing up in a home filled with chaos and instability. She opens up about the choices that led her into a cycle of pain and self-destruction, and how small moments o...
Jul 17, 2025•47 min•Season 16Ep. 794
"I do." 57 years ago, Mom spoke those words while holding Dad's hands. I thought of their commitment to one another last week as I was seated across from her at breakfast. It was their 57th wedding anniversary. And her first without him. I expected our time together to be a bit downtrodden, quiet, sad. After all, how do you celebrate the thing you built your life around when the person you built it with is no longer there? But as we sipped a mimosa (Hey, it was their anniversary and I wasn't goi...
Jul 14, 2025•5 min•Season 16Ep. 793
John Register is a two-time Paralympian, a silver medalist, a Persian Gulf War veteran, and a TEDx motivational speaker. He's also someone who knows what it means to lose everything you planned for, and build something even more meaningful in its place. A rising Olympic hopeful, John's dreams were shattered by a training accident that led to the amputation of his left leg. What followed wasn't just recovery but a reinvention of his identity, purpose, and impact. Today, John shares how he "amputa...
Jul 10, 2025•53 min•Season 16Ep. 792
Remember being little, and how natural it was to dive fully into life? We raised our hands when questions were asked, made best friends with everyone on the playground and were the first ones in and last ones out of the pool. Then we got a bit older. We stopped raising our hands quite as much. We stopped opening up to others. Heck, not only did we stop being the first one in the pool, we stopped even wearing our swimsuits to pool parties! We started making more excuses and stopped being as activ...
Jul 07, 2025•5 min•Season 16Ep. 791
Israa Nasir is a psychotherapist, speaker, writer, and the founder of WellGuide, a digital platform dedicated to making mental health tools accessible to all. Her work has been featured in Forbes , Time , and Harvard Business Review , and her new book, Toxic Productivity , helps readers reclaim their time and emotional energy in a world that constantly asks for more. Today, Israa shares how her own pursuit of achievement nearly cost her the things that mattered most. She opens up about growing u...
Jul 03, 2025•55 min•Season 16Ep. 790
During five agonizing months in the hospital, physical pain, emotional anguish and unceasing monotony were constant companions. And yet, one thing I treasured was the sound of the door opening each afternoon with the hospital volunteer delivering mail. Over those months, I was blessed to receive hundreds of get-well cards, love notes and care packages. Sometimes I'd recognize the sender's signature, but far more often the note of encouragement would come from someone I had never met. Each note t...
Jun 30, 2025•5 min•Season 16Ep. 789
Kyle Scheele is a speaker, author, content creator, and self-described "maker of weird stuff for the internet." He's built a Viking ship out of cardboard, faked a marathon that went viral, and inspired thousands to let go of regret. And yet it's the heart behind it all that will move you most. Today, Kyle shares what it was like to grow up feeling like the "dangerous kid" no one wanted around, how one friend in fourth grade changed the course of his entire life, and why he believes creativity is...
Jun 26, 2025•1 hr 2 min•Season 16Ep. 788
I don't enjoy convertibles in August. Especially not in the southern Florida heat. I don't typically eat at the Olive Garden. In particular, two nights in a row. It's not the norm on a business trip for me to stay up late eating popcorn in bed while watching the Disney Channel. And I don't often play mini golf, float on lazy rivers or go down a large waterslide repeatedly… all before a speaking event. But for a couple days each year, that's exactly how my days are packed. Let me explain....
Jun 23, 2025•5 min•Season 16Ep. 787
As a high-profile model and bestselling author, Christine Handy built a life that seemed picture-perfect as she graced campaigns for iconic brands like Pepsi, Victoria's Secret, and Budweiser. And yet behind the glamour was a woman facing unimaginable trials. A breast cancer diagnosis, along with a series of painful setbacks, would strip away her identity and force her to rebuild from the inside out. Today, Christine shares about the wrist injury that left her in chronic pain, the breast cancer ...
Jun 19, 2025•48 min•Season 16Ep. 786
This weekend marked the first Father's Day I've ever celebrated without my dad. It was a bittersweet milestone- filled with both gratitude for the way he shaped my life yet also an ache for his absence. As I reflected on his legacy yesterday, it's not just his laughter, strength or faith that I carry with me most vividly- it's the quiet, consistent way he loved. Let me explain.
Jun 16, 2025•8 min•Season 16Ep. 785
