Peace Love and Bring a Bat

BOOTS ON THE GROUND: YAIR PINTO ON OCTOBER 7, RESILIENCE, TRUTH & DEFENDING ISRAEL

What happens when an ordinary holiday morning becomes the beginning of a war that changes your family, your country, and your life?

On this episode of Peace, Love, and Bring a Bat, Uncle Dave welcomes Yair Pinto, Jerusalem-born IDF officer, tank platoon commander, journalist, host of Boots on the Ground, and author of the book by the same name.

On October 7, 2023, Yair went from civilian life back into military service. He would spend months deployed near Lebanon and inside Gaza while reporting what he witnessed and documenting the personal impact of the war. Yair Pinto on Peace Love and Br…

In this episode, you will discover:

• What Yair remembers about the night before October 7
• How his family was celebrating Simchat Torah before the attack
• The moment sirens woke him around 6:00 AM
• Why his unit initially deployed toward Lebanon
• What it was like sleeping outside while preparing for a possible second front
• His experience serving inside Gaza for four months
• Why he began reporting daily from his phone
• How those reports grew into the TBN Israel audience
• Why Yair says the information war became almost as important as the battlefield
• How his wife protected their children while he was deployed
• The emotional toll war has taken on Israeli children
• Why his children asked where the bomb shelter was on an airplane
• The story behind his book Boots on the Ground
• How QR codes in the book connect readers to videos recorded during the events
• Why Yair believes people must investigate claims instead of repeating slogans
• Why he still believes peace is possible

OCTOBER 7 CHANGED EVERYTHING

Yair remembers October 6 as a family celebration.

His youngest child was only three months old. His family had gathered for dinner. The next morning was supposed to be relaxed.

Instead, sirens began.

Soon after, Yair received the call to return to duty.

His life shifted instantly from husband, father, and civilian back to IDF officer. Yair Pinto on Peace Love and Br…

FROM SOLDIER TO REPORTER

As the war unfolded, Yair believed reliable firsthand information was missing.

He had one tool with him:

His phone.

So he began reporting what he saw every day—the fear, the separation from his family, the battles, and his conviction that Israel had to defend itself.

Those reports eventually reached millions of viewers and became part of his continuing work with TBN Israel. Yair Pinto on Peace Love and Br…

BOOTS ON THE GROUND

Yair wanted to preserve more than headlines.

His book Boots on the Ground tells the personal story behind the reporting.

Each chapter includes a QR code that connects readers to footage from the same period, allowing them to see his face, surroundings, and emotions while reading what happened.

For Yair, the project is about documenting history while the memories are still raw. Yair Pinto on Peace Love and Br…

THE HEROES AT HOME

Yair says some of the greatest sacrifices were made by families who stayed home.

While he was deployed, his wife cared for three children, rushed them into shelters, secured their home, and created emergency plans in case of an attack.

Yair says:

“The real heroes of this war are the mothers staying home with the kids.”

His wife even contributes a chapter to the book describing her experience. Yair Pinto on Peace Love and Br…

A GENERATION LIVING THROUGH TRAUMA

One of the episode’s most powerful moments comes when Yair talks about his children.

The first time they boarded a plane after October 7, they asked:

“Where is the bomb shelter on the plane?”

Later, an ice cream truck in New York made them look for shelter because they thought its sound was an alarm.

Yair says Israel is not yet dealing with post-traumatic stress.

For many families, the trauma is still ongoing. Yair Pinto on Peace Love and Br…

TRUTH IS STRONGER THAN LIES

Throughout the conversation, Yair presents his perspective on Hamas, Gaza, Israel, antisemitism, and the broader conflict. He urges listeners to research claims carefully, examine firsthand evidence, and avoid allowing social media slogans to replace understanding.

Despite everything, Yair says he remains optimistic:

“I believe that the truth is stronger than all the lies.” Yair Pinto on Peace Love and Br…

SEED FOR THE MAGIC GARDEN

Yair’s seed is:

Use your voice. Share what you know. Stand for truth—and never take freedom for granted.

Peace matters.

Love matters.

But sometimes protecting both requires the courage to stand up.

CONNECT WITH YAIR PINTO

Book: Boots on the Ground
Website: bootsonthegroundbook.com
YouTube: TBN Israel
Social Media: Search Yair Pinto Yair Pinto on Peace Love and Br…

#PeaceLoveAndBringABat #YairPinto #BootsOnTheGround #Israel #October7 #Resilience #Truth #IDF #TBNIsrael #Leadership #Faith #Peace

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TURN ANGER INTO LIGHT: YEHUDA MEITAV ON JEWISH IDENTITY, MUSIC, AI & FINDING YOUR VOICE

What happens when anger, grief, identity, creativity, and faith collide—and instead of staying silent, you turn them into music?

On this episode of Peace, Love, and Bring a Bat, Uncle Dave welcomes Yehuda Meitav, Israeli artist, songwriter, author, chef, and AI-powered music creator whose work has become a voice of Jewish pride, identity, unity, and resilience.

After October 7, Yehuda returned to Israel, where much of his family lives in the south. He lost family and friends and threw himself into volunteering and advocacy. Eventually, he realized that directing his anger toward people who already hated him was accomplishing nothing. He needed another outlet.

So he wrote a song. Yehuda Meitav On Peace Love and…

In this episode, you will discover:

• Why Yehuda refuses to let outsiders define Jewish identity
• What Zionism means to him personally
• How music can carry history and ideas across generations
• Why October 7 changed the direction of his creativity
• How his first Jewish-themed song exploded online overnight
• Why he uses humor instead of allowing anger to consume him
• How AI became a tool for amplifying his creative voice
• Why he sees himself as a vessel rather than simply a performer
• The meaning of Naaseh v’nishma — “We will do and we will listen”
• Why service to others creates purpose and happiness
• How forgiveness protects us from carrying someone else’s poison
• Why no voice is truly too small
• How listeners become the “megaphone” that amplifies a message
• Why Yehuda says he is promoting his people—not simply his music

DON’T TELL ME WHO I AM

Yehuda describes conversations in which people outside the Jewish community attempt to define Judaism, Zionism, and Jewish history for him.

His response is simple:

“Don’t tell me about my people.”

For Yehuda, Israel is inseparable from Jewish identity and safety. He distinguishes that connection from agreeing with every decision made by any particular government.

His music allows him to tell that story in his own voice. Yehuda Meitav On Peace Love and…

FROM ANGER TO MUSIC

After October 7, Yehuda says he carried enormous anger.

Then he made a decision:

Don’t get angry. Create something.

His song “As a Jew” began as satire aimed at ideas he strongly disagreed with.

He posted it and went to sleep.

By morning, thousands of people had discovered him.

More importantly, Jewish listeners around the world began telling him:

“You’re saying exactly what we’re thinking.”

That response showed Yehuda there was a hunger for pride, unity, humor, and a stronger voice. Yehuda Meitav On Peace Love and…

I’M JUST A CANDLE

Yehuda describes his role through an image of light.

During dark times, you may not be able to see the entire road.

Sometimes you only need enough light for the next step.

Yehuda says:

“I’m just a candle to my Jewish people’s feet.”

One step.

Then another.

Then another.

Until people find their way through the darkness together. Yehuda Meitav On Peace Love and…

DON’T DRINK THEIR POISON

Yehuda also discusses forgiveness.

For him, forgiveness does not excuse what another person did.

It prevents their anger from becoming yours.

His philosophy:

“This is your poison, not mine.”

He believes releasing that anger allows him to keep creating, serving, and moving forward instead of letting hatred control his emotional life. Yehuda Meitav On Peace Love and…

YOUR VOICE IS NEVER TOO SMALL

What do you do when you believe your voice is too small to matter?

Yehuda says the answer is finding your megaphone.

Your voice may begin quietly.

But if your words encourage one person, that person can amplify them.

Then another can amplify them again.

“Your voice is never too small.” Yehuda Meitav On Peace Love and…

SEED FOR THE MAGIC GARDEN

Yehuda’s seed is about light, service, and purpose.

Use what you have.

Create.

Speak.

Serve.

Lift someone else.

And when the world gives you darkness, find a way to transform it into something that reminds people who they are.

As Yehuda puts it:

“I’m not promoting my music. I’m promoting my people.” Yehuda Meitav On Peace Love and…

#PeaceLoveAndBringABat #YehudaMeitav #JewishIdentity #Israel #JewishMusic #AI #Creativity #Resilience #Faith #Purpose #Unity #MusicWithMeaning #BringTheLight

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FILL YOUR OWN CUP: ASHLY BALZA ON SELF-RENEWAL, BOUNDARIES & FINDING YOUR IDENTITY

What happens when you spend so much time taking care of everyone else that you forget how to take care of yourself?

On this episode of Peace, Love, and Bring a Bat, Uncle Dave welcomes Ashly Balza, known as The Self-Renewal Coach, founder and CEO of Arise & Ascend Coaching, entrepreneur, wife, mother of seven, grandmother of two, and homeschool mom.

Ashly’s journey into self-renewal began after the birth of her sixth child, when a life-threatening septic infection landed her in the hospital. That experience forced her to confront a difficult truth:

She could not keep putting everyone else ahead of herself.

In this episode, you will discover:

• Why Ashly stopped chasing “balance” and started seeking harmony
• How a medical crisis completely shifted her priorities
• Why your value cannot depend on other people
• How coaching and community helped rebuild her confidence
• Why even coaches need coaches
• How to recognize when your resources are depleted
• Why boundaries protect your energy
• How giving people unlimited access creates burnout
• Why “That doesn’t work for me” can be a complete answer
• How over-explaining can weaken boundaries
• Why self-trust begins with everyday decisions
• How Ashly recognizes her physical and emotional limits
• Why self-care does not require expensive activities
• How faith, friendship, prayer, journaling, and rest help her reset
• Why breathing can interrupt stress and emotional reactions
• How knowing yourself changes how you show up for others

WHEN YOUR BODY MAKES YOU STOP

For years, Ashly put everyone else first.

Then her body forced her to listen.

After developing a severe septic infection, she found herself in the hospital confronting the possibility that she might not be there to watch her children grow up.

That changed her perspective.

Taking care of herself was no longer optional.

It was necessary.

FORGET BALANCE—FIND HARMONY

Ashly does not believe life needs to be perfectly balanced.

With family, homeschooling, businesses, relationships, and coaching, different areas will require more attention at different times.

She prefers the word:

Harmony.

The goal is not giving everything equal time.

It is creating alignment without losing yourself.

STOP GIVING EVERYONE UNLIMITED ACCESS

When you always answer immediately, always say yes, and always make yourself available, people begin expecting constant access.

Eventually, your cup runs dry.

Ashly learned that boundaries can sound as simple as:

“That doesn’t work for me.”

You do not always need an excuse.

You do not need permission.

And you do not need to explain every decision.

TRUST YOURSELF

Ashly believes self-trust develops through the small decisions we make every day.

Every time you make a healthy choice and honor it, you reinforce:

I can trust myself.

That confidence eventually carries into bigger decisions involving relationships, business, parenting, and purpose.

FILL YOUR OWN CUP

Self-care does not have to mean a spa day or an expensive vacation.

It might be:

A hot cup of coffee.

Prayer.

Worship music.

Journaling.

A walk outside.

Talking with trusted friends.

Taking a day off.

Or simply stopping long enough to breathe.

Ashly’s reminder is simple:

You can’t pour from an empty cup.

When you are depleted, everyone around you experiences that version of you too.

RESPOND INSTEAD OF REACT

Stress makes reaction easy.

Ashly recommends something incredibly simple:

Breathe.

Slow down.

Reset your nervous system.

Then decide how you want to respond.

That small pause can change an entire conversation.

SEED FOR THE MAGIC GARDEN

Ashly Balza’s seed is:

Find who you are. Find what you enjoy doing.

What lights you up?

What could you talk about for hours?

What makes you want to serve and help others?

Those answers may be pointing toward your purpose.

Know yourself.

Trust yourself.

Renew yourself.

And fill your own cup so you can show up fully for the people who matter most.

CONNECT WITH ASHLY BALZA

Find Ashly Balza — The Self-Renewal Coach on Facebook.

Founder & CEO: Arise & Ascend Coaching

#PeaceLoveAndBringABat #AshlyBalza #SelfRenewal #FillYourCup #Boundaries #Identity #Burnout #SelfCare #Faith #Purpose #Mindset #PersonalGrowth

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DON’T JUST EXIST—LIVE: SAMI STEIGMANN ON SURVIVAL, REMEMBRANCE & STANDING UP TO HATE

What does it mean to survive history—and then spend the rest of your life making sure the next generation learns from it?

On this episode of Peace, Love, and Bring a Bat, Uncle Dave welcomes Sami Steigmann, Holocaust survivor, Israeli Air Force veteran, motivational speaker, educator, and advocate against Jew hatred.

Sami was born in 1939 and, as a young child, was deported with his family to a labor camp in the former Soviet Union. He later learned that he had been subjected to medical experimentation—something he says contributed to lifelong physical pain.

But Sami is very clear:

“I am not what happened to me.”

What defines him is what he does with his life now.

In this episode, you will discover:

• Why Sami believes Holocaust stories must continue to be told
• The difference between concentration, labor, and death camps
• How his family survived deportation and displacement
• Why he says luck played an important role in survival
• How he learned at age 31 about medical experiments performed on him
• Why education is central to combating hate
• Why Sami prefers the phrase Jew hatred over anti-Semitism
• His EMET framework for educating young people
• Why he begins speaking to children as early as first grade
• Why young people must become upstanders instead of bystanders
• His experiences serving in the Israeli Air Force
• Why Israel became so important to him after the Holocaust
• His perspective on October 7th and defending Jewish life
• Why media and communication matter when fighting hate
• Why remembrance is about learning from the past—not living as a victim

I AM NOT WHAT HAPPENED TO ME

Sami’s guiding philosophy is:

“I am not what happened to me.”

The Holocaust.

Homelessness.

Pain.

Loss.

Those experiences are part of his story, but they are not his identity.

His identity comes from what he chooses to do now.

That mission is captured in EMET, the Hebrew word for truth:

E — Educate
M — Motivate
E — Empower
T — Tolerance

For Sami, tolerance does not mean accepting harmful behavior. It means respecting other people’s cultures and opinions while refusing to remain silent in the face of hatred.

ZACHOR — REMEMBER

Sami explains that Jewish life does not simply view the Holocaust as history.

The word Zachor means remember.

It means bringing the past into the present so future generations understand what happens when hatred grows without consequences.

His message is:

Learn what happened. Understand how it happened. Recognize the warning signs.

EDUCATION, EDUCATION, EDUCATION

Sami uses a famous line about getting to Carnegie Hall:

Practice, practice, practice.

His answer to fighting ignorance is similar:

Education, education, education.

You cannot force someone to change.

But you may be able to change their perspective.

And to do that, you must know what you are talking about.

FORGIVE YOURSELF

Sami also shares how becoming homeless forced him to examine his own decisions.

He had trusted the wrong people, given them cash, and failed to put agreements in writing.

Eventually, he stopped focusing only on what others had done and asked:

“What did I do that brought me here?”

That led him to two important lessons:

Forgive yourself.

And:

Be kind to yourself.

Learn from the mistake.

Then move forward.

WORDS MATTER

Sami deliberately uses Jew hatred instead of anti-Semitism.

Why?

Because he believes the language should be direct and impossible to misunderstand.

Words shape perception.

Clear language creates clearer conversations.

SEED FOR THE MAGIC GARDEN

Sami Steigmann’s seed is:

Don’t just exist. Live.

Talk.

Ask questions.

Educate yourself.

Stand up.

Become an upstander instead of a bystander.

Be proud of who you are.

And use your life to help create a more compassionate, loving world.

#PeaceLoveAndBringABat #SamiSteigmann #HolocaustSurvivor #NeverAgain #Zachor #JewishHistory #JewHatred #Israel #Education #Upstander #Tolerance #EMET #Resilience

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NEVER FORGET MEANS NEVER STOP TELLING THE STORY: GARY MARLON GERE ON 9/11, RECOVERY & RESILIENCE

What does “Never Forget” really mean 25 years after September 11, 2001?

On this episode of Peace, Love, and Bring a Bat, Uncle Dave welcomes Gary Marlon Gere, New York City playwright, actor, screenwriter, and civilian volunteer who spent seven months working at the World Trade Center site after 9/11.

Gary did not arrive as a firefighter, police officer, journalist, or photographer. Like thousands of others, he simply wanted to help. That decision placed him inside one of the most devastating chapters in American history—and ultimately changed the direction of his life.

In this episode, you will discover:

• Why Gary volunteered at Ground Zero
• How he learned to search and sift for human remains
• Why photography was heavily restricted at the site
• The powerful honor guard ceremonies that moved him
• What Gary discovered inside the abandoned PATH subway tunnels
• Why one collapsed subway car convinced him never to return underground
• How workers emotionally survived what they witnessed
• Gary’s experience with PTSD and the World Trade Center Health Program
• Why Reverend Myddys de Champlain became a source of strength
• How Gary’s journals eventually became the play Recovery
• Why authentic Ground Zero equipment was used in the stage production
• Gary’s frustrations with the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund
• How his experiences inspired the screenplay Below Zero
• Why he believes a new generation needs these stories now more than ever

SHOWING UP

Gary says he was no different from countless people after the attacks.

Some donated supplies.

Some cooked meals.

Some supported firefighters.

Gary asked:

“How can I help?”

Through a friend in the fire department, he was eventually given the opportunity to work alongside recovery crews.

What began as volunteering became seven months of digging, searching, witnessing, listening, and learning.

FROZEN IN TIME

Months after the attacks, Gary was granted access to PATH subway tunnels beneath the site.

He describes discovering a train frozen in time from the morning of September 11—newspapers, coffee cups, personal belongings, and signs that passengers had fled suddenly.

When Gary returned one night, a train he had previously walked through had been crushed by a structural collapse.

His reaction was immediate:

“If I was on that train, I’m dead.”

That was his final underground visit.

YOU LEARN TO COEXIST WITH IT

Gary explains that surviving Ground Zero emotionally often required shutting feelings down temporarily.

Later came PTSD treatment through Columbia University and the Mount Sinai World Trade Center program.

Gary says PTSD no longer controls his life.

But it does not simply disappear.

You learn how to coexist with it.

RECOVERY

Gary kept extensive journals during his time at Ground Zero.

Those writings eventually inspired Recovery, his off-Broadway play centered on an FDNY lieutenant struggling with survivor’s guilt after losing his brother on 9/11.

The production incorporated actual clothing, helmets, and digging tools loaned by people who worked at Ground Zero.

For Gary, it was never simply theater.

It was preservation.

It was testimony.

It was memory brought back to life.

BELOW ZERO

Gary is also developing Below Zero, a feature screenplay about a journalist who enters Ground Zero searching for the story of a lifetime, becomes trapped beneath the site, and suddenly becomes the story himself.

The fictional story grew from situations Gary personally witnessed and locations he explored.

NEVER FORGET

Twenty-five years later, an entire generation knows September 11 primarily through history books, videos, and stories from others.

That makes firsthand testimony even more important.

Gary believes writers, survivors, recovery workers, families, and witnesses need to continue telling these stories.

Because Never Forget cannot simply be something we say once a year.

It requires remembering the people.

Remembering the sacrifice.

And remembering what happened.

SEED FOR THE MAGIC GARDEN

Gary’s journey leaves us with a powerful message:

Show up. Tell the story. Keep the memory alive.

You may not consider yourself a hero.

You may simply believe you did what needed to be done.

But sometimes showing up when people need you most becomes part of history.

#PeaceLoveAndBringABat #GaryMarlonGere #September11 #NeverForget #911 #GroundZero #Recovery #PTSD #FirstResponders #NewYorkCity #Resilience #Storytelling

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FROM SURVIVING TO THRIVING: JOANNA PIXLEY ON TRAUMA, FORGIVENESS, FAITH & BECOMING WHO YOU WERE MADE TO BE

What happens when your earliest memories are filled with abuse, fear, and survival—but you refuse to let those experiences write the ending of your story?

On this episode of Peace, Love, and Bring a Bat, Uncle Dave welcomes Joanna Pixley, mother of four, entrepreneur, former ministry leader, wellness coach, author, and speaker whose testimony is rooted in trauma, resilience, forgiveness, healing, and faith.

Joanna shares an intensely personal journey that began with severe childhood abuse and eventually led her through addiction, family estrangement, ministry, marriage, divorce, serious illness, single motherhood, homelessness, entrepreneurship, and a completely different understanding of God.

In this episode, you will discover:

• How childhood abuse shaped Joanna’s ability to trust
• Why she left home at only 15 years old
• The spiritual experience she says completely shook her worldview
• How a call from her sister led her into a church she never expected to enter
• The moment Joanna became convinced God knew her personally
• Why forgiveness became one of the hardest parts of her healing
• How releasing hatred changed her emotionally
• Her years as a pastor’s wife and ministry leader
• Why religious position did not guarantee a healthy marriage
• The medical crisis that nearly took her life
• Why facing death made Joanna realize she had been surviving instead of living
• How she describes rebuilding her health through nutrition, detox practices, prayer, and lifestyle changes
• Why she decided she would no longer allow fear to control her life
• How she raised four children through divorce and instability
• Why trusting God became a daily decision rather than a religious slogan
• The story behind her parenting book Making Disciples
• Why she is finally willing to publicly tell the story she once wanted to hide

FROM NUMB TO ALIVE

Joanna describes becoming emotionally numb as a child after years of violence and abuse.

She stopped trusting people.

She stopped trusting God.

Eventually, she says a spiritual experience forced her to confront questions she had spent years avoiding.

Days later, a sister she had barely spoken with invited her to church.

That decision became the beginning of a completely different life.

THE POWER OF FORGIVENESS

One of Joanna’s greatest battles was forgiving the stepfather she says caused enormous trauma in her childhood.

She did not pretend the abuse was acceptable.

She did not erase what happened.

Instead, she describes reaching a point where she could finally release the hatred she had carried.

As she prayed:

“I forgive him.”

Joanna says years of bitterness began giving way to something she had barely experienced before:

Joy.

I WAS SURVIVING—NOT LIVING

Years later, a severe medical crisis sent Joanna into surgery without knowing whether she would survive.

She remembers praying:

“Whether I live or die, I belong to You.”

But she also asked for enough life to raise her children.

That moment gave Joanna another realization:

She had spent years surviving.

She had not truly been living.

So she made a decision:

Do it scared.

Face the fear.

Take the step.

Stop waiting for life to feel perfectly safe.

BUILDING A LIFE AFTER EVERYTHING FALLS APART

Marriage ended.

Ministry ended.

Financial security disappeared.

At one point Joanna says she was sleeping in her car while getting hotel rooms when her children were with her.

In one of her darkest seasons, she held onto a message she believed God gave her:

“Don’t forget in the dark what I told you in the light.”

She kept rebuilding.

Today, her children are grown, her health has dramatically changed from those crisis years, and Joanna is finally sharing the testimony she once wanted to keep private.

SEED FOR THE MAGIC GARDEN

Joanna’s seed is about becoming the person you were created to be.

Your time is limited.

Your story matters.

The goal is not pretending your past never happened.

It is refusing to let the past keep you from becoming fully you.

Let the work happen.

Heal.

Forgive.

Grow.

And use the time you have.

#PeaceLoveAndBringABat #JoannaPixley #PowerOfTestimony #Faith #TraumaHealing #Forgiveness #Resilience #Survivor #Transformation #SingleMom #Healing #Authenticity

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GOD DOESN’T FORGET A PROMISE: OWEN WILSON ON FAITH, LOSS, MIRACLES & SURVIVING THE IMPOSSIBLE

What happens when life takes away what you prayed hardest to keep—and then years later gives you a moment that feels impossible to explain?

On this episode of Peace, Love, and Bring a Bat, Uncle Dave welcomes Owen Wilson, New Zealand Air Force veteran, aircraft mechanic, pilot, husband, father, and man of deep faith.

Owen grew up in the Solomon Islands as the son and grandson of missionaries. His life has been shaped by faith from childhood—but also by devastating loss, answered prayers, miraculous timing, and one terrifying flight that could have ended very differently.

In this episode, you will discover:

• What it was like growing up in the Solomon Islands
• Why Owen made his parents’ faith his own at age seven
• The heartbreaking loss of his firstborn son
• How grief tested his relationship with God
• Why Owen and his wife chose not to pursue legal action after their son’s death
• The promise Owen believed God gave him about future children
• How his twins were born at only 28 weeks
• The extraordinary Northern Lights moment that became deeply personal to him
• How a routine microlight flight suddenly became a fight for survival
• Why the aircraft engine unexpectedly stopped over mountains and ocean
• How Owen and his friend prayed as the plane descended
• The airstrip that appeared at exactly the right moment
• Why the words “Jesus Is Lord” stopped Owen in his tracks after landing
• How “Truth and Grace” became part of an already unbelievable story
• What investigators later discovered about the plane’s fuel gauge
• Why Owen believes timing—not luck—saved their lives

WHEN THE ANSWER ISN’T WHAT YOU WANT

Owen and his wife were expecting their first child when complications forced an emergency delivery.

Their premature son died shortly after birth.

Owen admits he was angry with God.

He questioned everything.

But eventually, he says he felt challenged to trust God even when the answer was not the one he wanted.

Years later, Owen and his wife became pregnant again.

Before the first scan, Owen told her:

“Don’t be surprised if it’s twins.”

It was.

Their twins arrived at 28 weeks and became what Owen calls miracle children.

I HAVEN’T FORGOTTEN

A year later, Owen returned to Canada.

While driving the same road where he had once prayed desperately for a sign during his first child’s crisis, he again quietly prayed.

Then his father-in-law asked:

“Have you ever seen the Northern Lights?”

Owen looked outside.

The entire sky was alive.

For him, the message was unmistakable:

“I haven’t forgotten.”

WE’RE GOING DOWN

Years later, Owen took his friend Grant for a flight in a small microlight aircraft.

The engine suddenly stopped.

They were over steep mountains and deep water with nowhere safe to land.

Owen told Grant:

“Pray hard, because we’re going down.”

The engine briefly restarted, giving them just enough altitude to clear a ridge.

Then it died again.

Directly below them was an airstrip Owen says he had never seen despite years of flying the area.

They landed safely.

Nearby stood a windmill with the words:

“Jesus Is Lord.”

Then they met a young couple named Truth and Grace.

TIMING CHANGES EVERYTHING

Investigators later discovered the aircraft’s fuel gauge had been installed incorrectly.

The plane contained significantly less fuel than Owen believed.

He says if the engine had stopped only a little earlier—or later—they likely would have ended up in the ocean or mountains.

For Owen, the miracle was not simply finding land.

It was being in exactly the right place at exactly the right time.

SEED FOR THE MAGIC GARDEN

Owen’s seed is:

Get to know your Maker before you desperately need Him.

Build the relationship now.

Talk.

Listen.

Trust.

Owen’s journey has taught him that God does not always answer the way we want.

But he believes:

God provides. God remembers. And God does not forget a promise.

#PeaceLoveAndBringABat #OwenWilson #Faith #Miracles #Prayer #Testimony #Aviation #NewZealand #Survival #DivineIntervention #TrustGod #Hope

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GOD IS STILL INTERVENING: DANIEL FAZZINA ON MIRACLES, HEALING & THE POWER OF TESTIMONY

What if the hardest moments of your life became proof that hope can survive even when everything feels impossible?

On this episode of Peace, Love, and Bring a Bat, Uncle Dave welcomes Daniel Fazzina, author, radio host, publisher, and creator of the Divine Intervention book series.

A native Long Islander, Daniel grew up in the Lutheran church and made his faith personal as a teenager. Years later, that faith would be tested through chronic pain, a life-threatening cancer diagnosis, family hardship, and seasons when his world seemed to fall apart.

In this episode, you will discover:

• How Daniel’s faith became personal at age 14
• The back injury he says was suddenly healed during prayer
• His 2002 diagnosis with a grapefruit-sized B-cell lymphoma tumor
• Why doctors warned he might have only weeks or months to live
• The moment Daniel surrendered the outcome to God
• What happened when his halfway-point scan showed no tumor
• How his experience inspired the Divine Intervention series
• What he learned from more than 350 interviews about miracles
• Why suffering does not disappear simply because someone has faith
• How testimony can encourage believers and challenge skeptics
• How the Power of Testimony event came together after years of struggle

WHEN YOU CAN’T FIX YOURSELF

At 27, Daniel was diagnosed with a massive tumor pressing against his pulmonary artery and restricting his oxygen.

He pursued medical treatment, but one night in the hospital he reached complete surrender.

His prayer became simple:

If You want to take me, I’ll go. If You want me to live, I’ll serve You.

Three months into treatment, Daniel says his follow-up scan showed the tumor was completely gone.

A cardiologist later told him there was no scar tissue left behind.

For Daniel, it became more than recovery.

It became a calling.

DIVINE INTERVENTION

After returning to work, Daniel began sharing his story. Coworkers encouraged him to collect other extraordinary testimonies too.

That eventually became Divine Intervention: 50 True Stories of God’s Miracles Today, featuring stories of healing, near-death experiences, conversions, answered prayer, and other remarkable events.

Daniel says he included scans, medical records, and other documentation where possible—not to force belief, but to invite people to consider what happened.

FAITH DOESN’T REMOVE SUFFERING

Daniel emphasizes that faith does not make anyone immune to pain.

His life continued to include divorce, family struggles, caring for his father through cancer, and rebuilding after major personal loss.

Sometimes the miracle is healing.

Sometimes it is finding enough strength to keep moving.

THE POWER OF TESTIMONY

Daniel also shares how the Power of Testimony event on Long Island came together, bringing people from his book together to tell their stories live.

The purpose:

Encourage believers.

Challenge skeptics.

Give people hope.

SEED FOR THE MAGIC GARDEN

Daniel’s seed is:

Ask God if He is real.

Be open.

Ask honestly.

Pay attention.

Daniel believes God knows how to meet people personally. You may not receive the answer you expect—but the first step is being willing to ask.

CONNECT WITH DANIEL FAZZINA

Book: Divine Intervention: 50 True Stories of God’s Miracles Today

Look for Daniel’s Divine Intervention radio show, books, and Power of Testimony events.

#PeaceLoveAndBringABat #DanielFazzina #DivineIntervention #Miracles #Faith #Healing #Testimony #Hope #Prayer #PowerOfTestimony

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PRONOUNCED DEAD—THEN EVERYTHING CHANGED: JEFF MARKIN ON FAITH, SECOND CHANCES & THE MIRACLE OF LIFE

What happens when your heart stops, doctors pronounce you dead—and somehow your story is not over?

On this episode of Peace, Love, and Bring a Bat, Uncle Dave welcomes Jeff Markin, whose extraordinary testimony begins with a massive heart attack and a medical crisis that completely changed the direction of his life.

Jeff grew up on Long Island with faith mostly limited to Christmas and Easter. He faced learning challenges, family trauma, the loss of his father, business pressures, divorce, and years of putting work ahead of almost everything else.

Then, on September 20, 2006, everything changed.

In this episode, you will discover:

• Why Jeff struggled with faith growing up
• How childhood trauma shaped his questions about God
• Why becoming a workaholic cost him balance in life
• The personal choices that contributed to his downward spiral
• What happened on the morning of his massive heart attack
• How his boss’s decision to send him to the hospital may have saved his life
• Why Jeff has no memory of driving himself there
• What happened after he collapsed inside the emergency room
• Why doctors eventually pronounced him clinically dead
• The prayer that preceded one final attempt to revive him
• Jeff’s description of an out-of-body experience
• Why surviving was only the beginning of his spiritual journey
• How Bible study, community, and asking questions transformed his faith
• The incredible connection between Jeff and his future wife, Tricia
• Why Jeff believes the greater miracle was not returning to life—but finding Christ

ONE MORE SHOCK

Jeff collapsed after walking into the emergency room.

Medical personnel worked to revive him for more than 20 minutes. His body had become cyanotic, and he says he was eventually pronounced clinically dead.

Dr. Crandall left the room—but Jeff recounts that the doctor felt compelled by the Holy Spirit to return and pray for him.

After the prayer, the medical team shocked Jeff one more time.

A heartbeat returned.

Jeff later underwent stents and quadruple bypass surgery.

THE MIRACLE WAS BIGGER THAN SURVIVAL

When Jeff woke four days later, he had no idea what had happened.

Over time, he began hearing the story of the emergency room and asking deeper questions.

Why was he still alive?

Why him?

Who was Jesus?

What did faith actually mean?

Jeff says it took nearly two years of church, Bible study, men’s groups, retreats, questions, and learning before he truly developed the relationship with Christ he had never known.

For Jeff, that became the greater miracle.

GOD WINKS

Years later, Jeff met his wife Tricia through Bible study.

Then came an astonishing discovery.

Tricia had been working as a nurse at Palm Beach Gardens Hospital the morning Jeff died.

Whenever the emergency alarm sounded, she and her coworkers stopped and prayed for the patient.

She had prayed for Jeff years before she ever knew his name.

FAITH TESTED BY FIRE

Jeff’s faith did not remove every tragedy.

Years later, his four-year-old granddaughter Emmy died from brain cancer.

Jeff describes moments like these as storms that force us to decide where our anchor is.

For him, that anchor is Jesus Christ.

Faith does not always explain why something happened.

Sometimes it gives you the strength to keep walking when there is no explanation.

SEED FOR THE MAGIC GARDEN

Jeff’s seed is simple:

Don’t wait until your deathbed. Start now.

Find a community.

Ask questions.

Read.

Learn.

Show up.

Build the relationship before the crisis arrives.

You do not have to understand everything on day one.

You simply have to begin.

CONNECT WITH JEFF MARKIN

Jeff’s testimony is also featured in Angel Studios’ Miracle, Episode 8.

#PeaceLoveAndBringABat #JeffMarkin #Faith #Miracle #HeartAttackSurvivor #SecondChance #ChristianTestimony #Prayer #Resilience #Community #Transformation #Hope

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FROM HATE TO UNCONDITIONAL LOVE: KAMAL SALEEM ON FAITH, EXTREMISM & CHOOSING LIFE

What happens when everything you were taught to believe collides with an experience of unconditional love?

On this episode of Peace, Love, and Bring a Bat, Uncle Dave welcomes Kamal Saleem, author, speaker, president of Koome Ministries, and former Muslim who shares an extraordinary personal testimony of radicalization, violence, faith, transformation, and reconciliation.

Kamal describes growing up in a Sunni Muslim family in the Middle East, being recruited into extremist activity as a child, and eventually coming to America with beliefs centered on conflict and ideological warfare.

But a catastrophic car accident—and the unexpected compassion of strangers—challenged everything he thought he knew.

In this episode, you will discover:

• Kamal’s distinction between everyday Muslims and extremist ideology
• How he says radicalization shaped his childhood
• His experiences as a child soldier and the trauma that followed
• Why fear, isolation, and belonging can make young people vulnerable to extremism
• The importance of separating people from dangerous ideologies
• Why Kamal believes America’s constitutional freedoms must protect everyone equally
• How a devastating car accident became a turning point
• What happened when Christians he had been taught to distrust cared for him
• Why unconditional love became impossible for him to ignore
• His account of leaving Islam and embracing Christianity
• Why he now speaks about loving Muslims rather than fearing them
• His hopes for stronger relationships between Jews, Christians, and Muslims
• Why reconciliation must focus on life rather than hatred

WHEN YOUR ENEMY LOVES YOU

After being seriously injured in a car accident, Kamal says he expected Christians and Jews to hate him.

Instead, people cared for him.

A surgeon brought him into his home.

Families prayed for him.

People helped with his medical and financial needs.

They even helped him replace his car.

Kamal describes this as the moment his worldview began to break apart.

He had been prepared to fight hatred.

He was not prepared for unconditional love.

PEOPLE ARE NOT IDEOLOGIES

One of the most important distinctions in the conversation is between individual Muslim people and extremist interpretations of Islam.

Kamal repeatedly emphasizes his love for Muslim people today.

His mission is not simply to criticize what he once believed—it is to reach people he believes may be trapped in fear, extremism, or oppression and show them another path.

His message:

Love people enough to see them as people first.

FROM TAKING LIFE TO GIVING LIFE

Kamal shares a deeply personal Christian conversion testimony, including what he describes as a spiritual encounter after reaching a point of despair.

The transformation changed the direction of his life.

He says:

“I don’t want to take life. I want to give life.”

The warrior mentality that once defined him became a mission centered on teaching, testimony, outreach, and reconciliation.

THE ABRAHAMIC TABLE

Uncle Dave and Kamal discuss their different religious backgrounds—Jewish and Christian—and the shared connection to Abraham.

Rather than using those differences as weapons, they ask a larger question:

How can the children of Abraham sit at the same table?

For Kamal, peace requires honesty about extremism while still refusing to dehumanize entire communities.

SEED FOR THE MAGIC GARDEN

Kamal’s seed is ultimately about unconditional love.

People may carry different religions, histories, cultures, wounds, and political beliefs.

But hatred does not have to be the final chapter.

Show people who you are through your actions.

Choose life.

Choose compassion.

Build bridges where others expect walls.

And become a light strong enough to help someone else find their way out of darkness.

CONNECT WITH KAMAL SALEEM

Koome Ministries:
https://koomeministries.com/

Books include:

The Blood of Lambs
Ishmael Redeemed
The Coalition

#PeaceLoveAndBringABat #KamalSaleem #KoomeMinistries #UnconditionalLove #Faith #Reconciliation #Extremism #Transformation #ChristianTestimony #InterfaithDialogue #Peace #ChooseLife

To support us:

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https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/peace-love-and-bring-a-bat/id1552738547