Stories of Hope

Major Bryce Davies from the Salvation Army hosts the show. Stories of Hope captures thoughts and stories of everyday people who triumph over adversity. https://www.salvationarmy.org.au/storiesofhope/

On being a zealot 06/22/2025

On being a zealot Peter Garret was a zealot for environmentalism, especially his stance against uranium mining. However as he got older and more involved in politics he came understand some more of the complexity involved and changed his views. Many of us start out passionate and sure of ourselves but we do need to eat humble pie sometimes and sit with paradox, complexity and nuance. Building this chicken in my workshop is a good example, looks simple, but its actually a very sophisticated work of art! /episode/index/show/brycedavies/id/37021000

Rich Tapestries. Episode 1. Frank Wang 06/19/2025

Rich Tapestries. Episode 1. Frank Wang Rich Tapestries is a new series within Stories Of Hope Podcast, celebrating the lives and contributions of Culturally and Linguisticly Diverse (CaLD) folks within the Salvos in Australia. My co host in this series is Nuria Gonsalves who is the Cald Community Engagement National Lead and our first guest is Frank Wang who heads up the Salvos work in Bankstown in Sydney. Frank originates from China and his journey to Australia exudes courage and strength of character. The way he and his wife Belinda found their way into the Salvos and eventually into leadership is both inspiring and surprising. /episode/index/show/brycedavies/id/37036330

Injustice and privilege 06/15/2025

Injustice and privilege Despite hundreds of years of democracy and education, people are still suffering discrimination and injustice depending on what colour their skin is or where they are from. Riots and wars abound and even in the suburbs where I live there are sometimes cruel and unfair judgments made on people based on very superficial data. Lets open our eyes and notice what biases we have in our own heart and what we see around us and lets be brave enough to make a stand sooner rather than later. /episode/index/show/brycedavies/id/36980215

Rod Parsons 06/12/2025

Rod Parsons Rod is the Salvo leader in a Town in New South Wales called Young and he also looks after the surrounding area as a rural Chaplian visiting farms and remote communities. He loves his big 1100CC Yamaha motorcycle, his cut throat Razors and is an earthy bloke who loves a chat and cares deeply about people and what the Salvos stand for. I know Rod well, because we have worked shoulder to shoulder together providing financial aid to folks affected by floodwaters in Kempsey. Rod is married to Deb and I reckon he is the salt of the earth! /episode/index/show/brycedavies/id/36949155

We all have a story 06/08/2025

We all have a story It is an absolute delight and honour to share on this podcast about how people have navigated thier lives. The stories are very often rich and full of courage meaning and inspiration. The lovely Sue has a great story too and finding love is a powerful part of this. I am in the mix a little, but Maggie the Toy Cavoodle has also won her heart! /episode/index/show/brycedavies/id/36909750

Bindy Lupis 06/05/2025

Bindy Lupis Bindy had a really tough childhood but has found a way to be mindful of the ways this impacts her life today. She works for the salvos in our emergency services department and helps people who have been devastated by things like floods and fires. She is married to Marco and has three children. She is a proud Novacastrian and her story will inspire and delight you. /episode/index/show/brycedavies/id/36812345

Measuring Spiritual success 06/01/2025

Measuring Spiritual success Some Christians feel guilty because they do not measure up to what they believe the church is wanting from them. Making new converts, deep commitment to spiritual practices like prayer and scripture and consistent service to the poor seem to be the goal posts. However doing what God has placed in our path does not always align with church agendas, so we need to measure by that, more than things like bums on seats on a Sunday morning. /episode/index/show/brycedavies/id/36742630

Amanda Hart 05/29/2025

Amanda Hart Amanda has a rich heritage within the Salvos and yet it took time for her to find her true self, both within the organisation and personally. I met her on deployment in Townsville and Ingham delivering flood relief - and we got on like a house on fire. She is great fun and a powerhouse of genuine honesty and warmth. Her story resonates with me and I'm sure many listeners will relate and learn from her story. /episode/index/show/brycedavies/id/36709995

Lifting elephants 05/25/2025

Lifting elephants The lovely Sue works out at a gym and has a program that measures how much weight she lifts in animals. Sometimes she lifts elephants. Doing hard things is not always to be avoided. We sometimes need to ditch our fears and head directly into the suffering if we are to live life to the full. /episode/index/show/brycedavies/id/36653270

Brad Potter 05/22/2025

Brad Potter Brad trained with me and the lovely Sue at the Salvos college for officers in Melbourne 30 odd years ago and he and his wife Katrina have always been the sort of friends we don't see much of but are close to when we do catch up. Brad is now based in Perth and has two adult children. He is a keen cyclist and we have an authentic sort of chat about life, faith and leadership. /episode/index/show/brycedavies/id/36588855

Women in leadership 05/18/2025

Women in leadership The role of women in society has been a controversial subject since ancient times. But it is undeniable that women have been vital leaders and even prophets - warning people and analysing strategically throughout history in significant ways. General Eva Burrows was an Aussie girl who became the international leader of the Salvos. She was awesome! /episode/index/show/brycedavies/id/36502945

Greg Dhnaram 05/15/2025

Greg Dhnaram For the last 15 years or so Greg has been a vital cog in the leadership wheel to an innovative Salvo church expression in Brisbane called Gods Sport Arena. Greg's family originates from India and from an early age Greg developed a strong work ethic. He did not speak English when he arrived in Australia and his success story is inspiring and insightful. He has worked for many years in management roles and in retirement still loves to be alongside people in helpful and encouraging ways. /episode/index/show/brycedavies/id/36542920

Networks 05/11/2025

Networks When we join organisations we often find support and encouragement emerging in surprising ways. I was in Norway recently and saw a Salvo shield on a building and went in to say g'day. The lady who worked there was very friendly and made a really nice connection. Community life can be challenging, but the strength of a team cannot be underestimated. /episode/index/show/brycedavies/id/36502530

Narelle Unicomb. Reposted. Kayaking Comedienne and more. 05/08/2025

Narelle Unicomb. Reposted. Kayaking Comedienne and more. Narelle is a third generation Salvo and grew up in PNG with her Missionary parents. Her life story is a consistent development of what it means to serve, to be real and to be authentically engaged in community. Narelle loves adventure and doing new things and I suspect she always will. /episode/index/show/brycedavies/id/25851180

The rewards and rigors of leadership 05/04/2025

The rewards and rigors of leadership Leadership is a mixed bag. Often rewarding, like the time I got this great poster at my farewell from Villawood Salvos in Sydney, but also devastating like the time a rehab I was running in Adelaide got closed unexpectedly. It's important to count the cost and to get the support you need to compensate for your weaknesses, but not much happens if people are too scared to lead. /episode/index/show/brycedavies/id/36406550

Carmen Seaman 05/01/2025

Carmen Seaman Carmen is one of the nicest people you could meet and the lovely Sue and I have valued her friendship for many years. But being nice comes at a cost and the journey to a more authentic place for Carmen involves having a baby and becoming a Jazzercise instructor. We have an honest and important chat in this episode and it will do you good to tune in and have a listen. /episode/index/show/brycedavies/id/36367650

A life of sacrifices 04/27/2025

A life of sacrifices Its a fine line sometimes between being selfless and sacrificial to demonstrate our love or our commitment to a cause and being sensible stewards of our body, mind and spirit. Rory McIlroys parents Gerry and Rosie saw Rorys potential as a golfer and took on extra jobs to support his career as they were not wealthy. Their sacrifices have paid off big time, but for most of us selflessness does not result in lifelong riches or amazing achievements. It's often the little things like getting a cup of tea for the lovely Sue when we are both comfortable on the couch, that demonstrates a life devoted to others. /episode/index/show/brycedavies/id/36184715

Chef Dominique Rizzo - reposted. 04/25/2025

Chef Dominique Rizzo - reposted. Dominique Rizzo is one of Queenslands most successful female chefs. She is dynamic and soulful and has featured on ready steady cook and runs cooking tours throughout Europe. She helped the Salvos cater for a massive Christmas lunch a few years ago and won our hearts with her generosity and kindness. Her motto is "Through the sharing of food we share life and one is never lonely or hungry" Her story is beautiful. /episode/index/show/brycedavies/id/27242823

Sleepy young boys. 04/20/2025

Sleepy young boys. I once fell asleep at the Salvos in a church service and dreamed I was dodging a football - everyone noticed. In todays reading in Acts Ch 20 another young guy dozed off during a boring sermon, fell out of a window and died. His name was Eutychus which in Greek means lucky! The lovely Sue and I watched Adolescence recently. It was very confronting. Engaging effectively with young boys is really important and we do well to find ways to be with them without harsh judgement and simplistic solutions. /episode/index/show/brycedavies/id/36182690

Brenton Maunder 04/17/2025

Brenton Maunder Brenton is my nephew and we often have great chats about life. He is 32 years old and has a lot of experience and insight into the journey of faith and on this podcast episode we have a truthful conversation about his journey. Brenton has a theology degree and has been a drummer in many of the big Hillsong productions and conferences. His wrestle and eventual conclusions about faith display great thought and wisdom and we do well to be brave enough to hear what he has to say. /episode/index/show/brycedavies/id/36147550

Sacred Cows 04/13/2025

Sacred Cows Some ideas and practices are like Sacred Cows. Too much is at stake to challenge them, so we just pretend we are OK with it when really we are not; we just couldn't be bothered with the fight. The people of Ephesus were hugely invested in the Temple of Artemus (It was after all one of the 7 wonders of the ancient world) and when Paul challenged them they went berserk and rioted. The hundreds of years of tradition, economic value and entrenched religious thinking made any new thinking impossible. Lets try to stay open minded no matter how long we have been invested in our own particular point of view. /episode/index/show/brycedavies/id/36093815

Cath Grant 04/10/2025

Cath Grant Cath and her husband Mark have been friends with the lovely Sue and I for over 20 years. Our kids have had holidays together and we are like one big family when we get together. Cath was born - surprisingly and unexpectedly as a twin in the UK and immigrated to Australia with her family when she was just 10 years old. Cath is an educator and has just recently determined to barrack for Collingwood. She even has a scarf and beanie, so of course we are besties. /episode/index/show/brycedavies/id/36064820

Doing the next right thing 04/06/2025

Doing the next right thing Woody Allen is quoted as saying "80% of success is just showing up" But for many of us, we would prefer not to bother with the mundane boring aspects of living well and go straight to the good bits. Holidays, parties and getting pats on the back from our colleagues. To pretend to be authentic often results in humiliation so we do well to find ways to celebrate and enjoy the ordinary. I came home with flowers for the lovely Sue the other day and she was so grateful, even lovy dovy, but this is because I usually come home with boring stuff, like almost everything she asked me to get from the shops. /episode/index/show/brycedavies/id/35984325

Marcus Hansen 04/03/2025

Marcus Hansen Marcus has been a part of my life for over 20 years. His journey from Addiction to sobriety has had plenty of bumps along the way and his most recent slip has been dreadful. The loss of his parents recently was like an anchor coming adrift in his soul and he has since suffered serious physical injury, despair and isolation. Today he is back on track and building a solid recovery - which is remarkable. /episode/index/show/brycedavies/id/35931530

Proper chats 03/30/2025

Proper chats Having significant conversations is really important. The church has often done this well with regular gatherings like bible study groups and opportunities to listen to challenging speakers. But it is not the only place this happens. Often important conversations happen in universities or cafes or even on bush walks. In todays reading in Acts 19, Paul leaves the Synagogue and goes to the lecture halll of Tyrannus, where people of all persuasions chatted about deep things. /episode/index/show/brycedavies/id/35832985

Sandy McLean 03/27/2025

Sandy McLean Sandy McLean is a wife to Andrew, a Mum, a granny, a friend to many, a Salvo officer and an avid dancer. Her friendship and influence on many lives is remarkable. Stories of Hope podcast would probably not exist without her encouragement and belief, as she was my boss during the early years. Sandy is lots of fun and genuinely wonderful; hearing her story will do you the world of good!. /episode/index/show/brycedavies/id/35741980

Wholeherted baptism 03/23/2025

Wholeherted baptism The Bible often talks about baptism. Being fully immersed into a new way of being. This practice was normal in the ancient world to symbolise decisions or commitments to a new lifestyle or to belong to a new group. Many of us take on new ideas, but if we are not wholehearted, we will soon drift away. To be wholehearted about grace and being kind to ourselves, even when we make mistakes, is the foundation to a life of, boldness, love and authenticity. /episode/index/show/brycedavies/id/35741540

Eunice Leitch 03/20/2025

Eunice Leitch I have known Eunice for as long as I've been with the lovely Sue, as her daughter Gill is one of Sue's best friends. Eunice is a straight shooting scot and a no nonsense sort of lady who I've always enjoyed. She is like 100 years old and used slate and chalk to learn at school. She is expert in dance, fitness, social work and was even a volleyball ref. A down to earth Salvo who cares deeply about people and will fight for what she believes is right. She is a cracker!! /episode/index/show/brycedavies/id/35716500

Cyclone Alfred. Fact or fiction? 03/16/2025

Cyclone Alfred. Fact or fiction? For a long time, maybe 5 days, it seemed possible that all the talk about Cyclone Alfred hitting Brisbane with force was - excuse the pun - a load of hot air. The build up was constant and the lovely Sue and I hunkered down in our home waiting for it to arrive. Nothing happened - until it did. Our suburb copped torrential rain for days and was badly flooded. People talk about the impact Jesus has had on their lives too, and for most people who hear this, their attitude is - I'll believe it when I see it! /episode/index/show/brycedavies/id/35622305

Matt Gluyas 03/13/2025

Matt Gluyas Matt is a wonderful entrepreneurial Salvo leader. He is married to Jac and has 2 children. Like a lot of creative and dynamic sorts of leaders, his schooling did not accomodate well for his learning style or gifting and for many years he struggled to believe in himself and flourish. Today he is one of the shining lights in Salvo leadership and heads up a creative and effective work in Noosa on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland. He and Jac are some of our closest friends and I loved hearing his story on the podcast. /episode/index/show/brycedavies/id/35477475

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