Brenda and Shelley celebrate their 40th Episode and their inspiring journey of faith and friendship by sharing their very first pilot episode with their dear friend, exuberant Kym Douglas TV Host (“The Ellen Show,” “Home and Family”) best-selling author, and lifestyle and beauty expert. Kym discusses her start in Second City Improv Group and her comedic journey to become who Ellen Degeneres describes as her “certifiably crazy, freaky deakiest friend.” Kym shares about her fifteen years of antics and life lessons sharing the stage with Ellen, the Queen of Comedy and her predictions for “quarantine fashion.” 

Kym’s faith deepened when she found herself battling Stage III breast cancer and she had to learn how to advocate for herself.  Kym reveals, “When I was going through chemotherapy I didn’t have hair or nails, and the irony is, I’m a beauty expert on television. There were days that were so bad, but I knew I had two choices: to fight, or to soldier on. One day the Lord revealed himself to me on an old oak tree stump in my backyard. I felt His presence so real going through me saying, “I’m going to be there with you every step of the way.” Kym reflects that being home with family in 2020 was one of the most meaningful times in her life. “What’s in my cup today?” Kym laughs. “I’m thriving in my cup. I’m not a cancer survivor;  I’m a cancer thriver. I’m not getting through Covid, I’m thriving. From now on when someone asks me how I’m doing, I’m going to say I’m thriving. There’s power in that word."

“Kym Douglas: TV Host (“The Ellen Show,” “Home and Family”) Author, Lifestyle and Beauty Expert"

Get ready to meet world changer, poet, writer and celebrated spoken word performer, Aija Mayrock who was just highlighted by Katie Couric for Mental Health Awareness Month. Aija is the young author of two best selling books: “The Survival Guide to Bullying” to help girls like herself which was published by Scholastic when she was 19. This young role model has a new debut book of poems called “Dear Girl,” an empowering, lyrical journey exploring truth, silence, wounds, healing and the resilience we all share. It’s a journey from girlhood to womanhood through poetry, a love letter to the sisterhood. “Dear Girl, you ask me what I wish for you. I simply say- never allow anyone to clip your wings, You were not born an ember, you were born the flame." As Forbes says of the 25-year-old phenom, “with hundreds of thousands of social media followers, Aija uses writing and performing to connect, educate and advocate."

Aija was a tomboyish creative child who had a lisp and a stutter. From the ages of 8-16 Aija was bullied at school and then when she went home she was tortured online. Kids would push her into lockers and tell her that she was disgusting, fat, and that she should kill herself. Aija put pen to paper and her raw and visceral writing became a life-changing outlet. Aija shares, “As a teenager I learned about stories of young people all around the world taking their lives because of bullying. I began to write about my own experiences so I could help other people. I never envisioned the big impact my book and poetry would have. I was hoping to help one or two young people to show them suicide is not the answer; you can get through this if you learn to advocate for yourself and find help. It's been very gratifying to receive messages from young people all around the world telling me that my poetry helps them understand and feel heard. Vulnerability breeds vulnerability.”  

Aija has performed her original poetry at Madison Square Garden and the UN. Her charisma and power are electrifying! Aija has a social media platform of over a half of a million followers and she shares new poetry and work every week which garners millions of views, inspiring women all around the world to embrace their voice and step into their power.  Hear Aija perform her poem “Wounds like Crown Jewels” and find out what’s next for this exciting young artist.

Aija Mayrock: Poet, Writer, Activist “Dear Girl"

Can you rock a body roll or a booty shake? Meet Stacey Beaman, full-figured fitness enthusiast and co-founder of Plyojam. an innovative workout that combines edgy dance moves with short explosive plyometric exercises for a fun, sexy, sweaty time…for both non-dancers and dancers alike! Stacey has been featured in Prevention Magazine and Huffpost, and she was the first full-figured trainer highlighted on @popsugarfitness. Her workouts have over 2 millions views! Stacey admits, “I wanted to become a Plyojam dance instructor to pay it forward, and I’m a damn good dancer!"

Stacey joined Plyojam on the dance floor as a student. After completing forty classes in eight weeks and losing twenty-four pounds she became involved in the business side of the brand. She has an entrepreneurial spirit and a zest for helping others, and she's a fierce advocate of body positivity. Stacey shares, “I spent all of my 20’s and half of my 30’s never wearing a tank top. I didn’t think I had tank top worthy arms. Now when I see these fitness ads ’10 days to tank top worthy arms’ I’m like, excuse me? Everyone’s arms are tank top worthy! I have a strong fierce feeling of not living in the mindset ‘I’ll do this when I’m this size or weight.’ That’s such a waste of our precious God-given life."

Stacey's goal is to spread the word that all bodies are worthy of movement, sweat and strength. Stacey reflects, “Students in my Plyojam dance come up to me and say, ‘I can’t tell you what it means to dance with someone like you. I recognize myself in you.’ It’s so powerful.” Stacey looks to her faith to inspire her on her fitness journey (she has lost 70 lbs) Stacey loves dancing, boxing, dirty martinis and comedy shows. We adore this unapologetically curvaceous woman leading the Plyojam workouts and crushing it!

Stacey Beaman, Co-Founder of Plyojam: Body Image Warrior

Brooklyn-based Kat Harris is the author of the new best-selling book “Sexless in the City: A Sometimes Sassy, Sometimes Painful, Always Honest Look at Dating, Desire and Sex” (sexlessinthecitybook.com) This woman is fearless!  Kat is a well known Christian relationship coach who refers to herself as a “Hard Question Asker.” She talks about how to embrace your sexuality (even when you’re not having sex!) She’s a 30-something single virgin woman living in New York City as an editorial photographer trying to navigate hook up culture and ghosting, online dating, sliding into DM’s and swiping right and left. Kat’s decided to wait until marriage to have sex, and as she will tell you, “that's freaking hard!”  

Kat grew up in the purity culture in the South, and she felt caught between the purity culture’s rules and popular culture’s “do what feels good” message. Kat explains, “When I first moved to New York I dated more in the first year than I had in a decade. I began to wonder, is not having sex still a thing or is it some antiquated Christian norm that is no longer relevant? Even though I was a Bible major in college, I honestly couldn’t tell you if the Bible actually said don’t have sex until marriage. I went on a five year journey doing intense research, Bible study and scientific research, and I discovered that God has beautiful vision for sex and intimacy, and unfortunately in Christian culture it has been hidden behind a list of do’s and don’ts."

Kat has her convictions and she has never shied away from doing things her way. The first time she talked about some of these sensitive topics a few years ago on Jamie Ivey's “The Happy Hour” podcast, she heard from hundreds of women all around the world, and she knew she struck a nerve. Dating in today’s world as single Christian women can be complicated. What does the Bible really say about sex? Why do so many women feel shame about their bodies, and how do we break out of that? Kat is the co-founder of the online publication “The Refined Woman” and host of the “Refined Collective” Podcast. She’s an educator, Beyonce lover and Ranch Dressing aficionado. This sought-after dating coach is going to answer all of our hard questions!

Kat Harris, Author & Dating Coach “Sexless in the City"

Exuberant exceptionally talented Actress-Producer Rachel Boston (Hallmark Channel, CBS “Seal Team,” Lifetime “Witches of East End") kicks off “Morning Cup of Faith” Summer Series as Brenda and Shelley revisit some of our most popular and most downloaded episodes with fresh commentary and new insights. This episode finds Rachel last August in an Airstream at her childhood home in the mountains of Tennessee waiting for film production to resume. You can actually hear the birds sweetly chirping in Rachel’s backyard! We learn about Rachel’s new love, private celebrity chef Tolya Ashe, and how they enjoy cooking together. Rachel is presently in Vancouver shooting new exciting Hallmark Christmas movies for Christmas 2021. In this episode Rachel reflects on her early Southern roots growing up in the church, her time at NYU, and how Psalm 23 inspired her during these uncertain times. Rachel reveals why she’s had the “most deep profound conversations” this past year and why she’s glad to see an end to the “negative discard culture that was brewing.” Rachel shares, “I’m seeing a new level of humanity after this universal experience we all shared last year. It’s okay to say, ‘I’m having a tough time right now.' That vulnerability is going to unite us and make us stronger.” Rachel Boston has the power and magic to light up a small city!

Actress-Producer Rachel Boston in an Airstream

Have you ever wondered about your life purpose or destiny and felt like there was something more for you to accomplish, bigger things you were meant to do? For our “Summer Series” of our most popular and downloaded episodes, we revisit powerfully positive and humorous prophetic speaker and author, Doug Addison from InLight Connection (dougaddison.com) with fresh commentary and new insights. Brenda and Shelley marvel about how Doug intuitively spoke over their lives last August and the new developments that have come to pass, and how Doug was ahead of the curve in 2020, predicting that “the Lord is moving in new ways. He forced us all onto the Internet."

Doug explains how discovering your destiny is like a connect-the-dots drawing. As a leading expert and a cutting-edge prophetic leader, Doug has studied, interpreted and instructed on many dreams and visions, bringing deep insight to countless people worldwide. Doug shares with us the key recurring dreams to look out for such as flying in your dreams or seeing babies or numbers and how to hear the spirit in our daily lives. Doug explains, “Many people don’t know their own destiny. There are key dreams to watch out for that will talk about your destiny. For example, being chased by something evil in your dreams shows you that you have a high calling and something to fulfill in your life, something that the enemy doesn’t want you to see.” 

Doug has a gift to see and discern in the spirit and he is best known for his prophetic words that he releases daily. He shows us how God speaks to us in an unlimited ways in our everyday lives through our dreams, every day conversations, nature, or a beautiful piece of music. Doug has a charismatic personality, a strong faith in God, an endearing nature and a quick wit, and he reminds us that God meets us right where we are. Doug reflects, “Prosperity to me is having the freedom to do what God calls you to do."

Doug Addison, Prophetic Speaker & Author “Be Blessed in the Mess"

Victoria Rowell, Actress-Producer-Director: "I’m Inspired by the Moment”

Award-winning Actress, Producer and Director Victoria Rowell 13 NAACP catches up with longtime friend Brenda Epperson-Moore and these two high-spirited and faith-filled women reminiscence about their days working together on CBS “Young and the Restless” and currently on UMC’s “The Rich and The Ruthless” which was just picked up by BET Plus. These two fast friends have stayed connected for decades through their marriages, the birth of their children, and philanthropic causes. Victoria shares, “Brenda and I were meant to become friends. I don’t believe in accidents; that is divine order.”

Victoria is a champion for diversity issues and she shares why she’s “inspired by the moment” and how iconic Congressman John Lewis told her to keep pushing for justice, and make a way out of no way.” Victoria was raised with an “extremely grounded and sturdy faith” and she believes “making the most of what you have turns into more.” Victoria reflects, “During this uncertain time, some people feel ‘I’m lost. I’m in the desert.’ When you’re in the desert you’re finding yourself. You’re building a faith muscle.”

Victoria Rowell, Actress-Producer-Director: "I’m Inspired by the Moment”

Our “Summer Series” continues with passionate and hope-filled film producer Cindy Bond, a pioneer of inspiring faith family films who co-founded Mission Pictures International. Cindy knew the minute she heard MercyMe’s beloved, chart-topping song “I Can Only Imagine” that she’d be turning band leader Bart Millard’s true life story which charts the difficult relationship between Millard and his abusive father (played by Dennis Quaid) who found God after a cancer diagnosis and became a better man into a major motion picture. Cindy reflects, “I’ve had a calling on my life to impact the world through media with biblical world view stories. I’ve had to persevere through my struggles and stay tenacious, stay faithful and hopeful. There are a lot of rocks and bumps along the way, but I know that with any obstacles the world has for me, nothing is impossible with God."

Her highly anticipated upcoming film “Redeeming Love,” which was also executive produced by actress Roma Downey, is based on Francine Rivers’ best-selling novel set in 1850 during the California Gold Rush and based on the Bible’s Book of Hosea. The movie revolves around Angel (played by Abigail Cowen) a prostitute who’s endured a difficult life of betrayal and rejection, and Michael Hosea, the man who loves her. 
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Cindy shares her favorite life scriptures, her love of horses and show jumping competition, and how she chooses daily to live on faith and hope. Cindy shares, “Life is choices. We have to choose to be either above our circumstances, or below them. Life is difficult. I get up every morning and I choose to live over my circumstances, no matter what they are. I’m a hopeful person. I’ve always lived on hope."

Cindy Bond, Faith Film Producer: “I Can Only Imagine” and “Redeeming Love"

Humorous and down-to-earth Author and DJ Cara Whitney "Fields of Grace: Sharing Faith From the Horse Farm" grew up on a cattle farm in Northern Wisconsin. After spending a decade as a radio personality in markets that included Las Vegas, she found herself in search of that simpler life everyone talks about. She soon discovered that there is no such thing as a simple life, but instead your best lived life is one that includes a relationship with Jesus Christ. Cara reflects, “I wasn’t always a believer, but I got saved. My relationship with the Lord changed my life, and I want others to know that they can have that peace too. They are forgiven; they don’t have to live in fear. I wrote things about my faith on social media and someone approached me about writing a book and incorporating horses.” Cara lives with her husband, Dan (“Larry the Cable Guy”) and two kids on a horse farm in Nebraska. Cara advises, “Marry a man who lives for Jesus. They’re the best kind."

Cara shares charming yet powerful stories about how ordinary people can share their faith in extraordinary ways. Cara explains, “We don’t have saving power. We just make the introduction.” She passes on lessons from her amazing horses, cows and racally dogs such as how caring for baby calves teaches us the value of letting go and what a floppy eared dog can teach us about loving our neighbor. Cara laughs, “God has a sense of humor. We see it in all of the critters!”

Author & DJ Cara Whitney, “Fields of Grace: Sharing Faith From the Horse Farm"

Extraordinary Author and Hope Coach April Osteen Simons hails from a powerful family of encouragers who inspire millions daily through television, books and social media. April is the youngest of six children in the awe-inspiring Osteen family, which includes her brother, pastor and author Joel Osteen from the Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas. April shares, “Growing up Osteen with my mother and father, Pastor John Osteen, was a wonderful life. We traveled a lot, I slept in pews, and when we weren’t in church, my brother Joel and I played church at home. Life wasn’t perfect, but I saw that God was real. I grew up seeing miracles. You can’t talk me out of a miracle for the life of me."

April accepted Christ into her heart at the tender age of seven. April admits, “I wanted to do it earlier, but I was too shy.” April’s new book “Better Than Ever” is all about getting your happy back, keeping your sanity and enjoying everyday living. April is the proud mother of five beautiful children, and she explores family mindsets and circumstances and positive, hope-filled practical insight and humor on becoming a better you in every area of your life. April beams, “I come from a long line of hope dealers. I have this desire to give daily hope to people that life can be better. If you’re having a bad day, just do a do-over! A wise woman builds her house. A foolish one tears it down."  April imparts life-changing advice about praying life into parenting during the challenging teenage years. April insists, “So many people say that the teenage years are going to be terrible. I started declaring that the teenage years are going to be great with no rebellion. God holds us accountable to be Mama Bear and protect our children. I rarely let my kids sleep over at someone else’s home, and prayer is everything."

April reveals that it was a surprise to everyone, even Joel, when God put him on the fast track with his worldwide ministry. April states, “My brother Joel is still one of my greatest supporters. When I was growing up he was my softball coach and we played on the elevators when my father was in a meeting. Joel is very honored to do what he does; he doesn’t ever take it for granted. Our goal as a family is to cheer people on to their destiny.” What’s in April’s cup today? “Expectation,” April laughs. “My mother taught me to wake up every morning and expect God to move. I shoot for the stars and I expect to see God every day.”

April Osteen Simons, Author & Hope Coach “Better Than Ever"

In this festive and moving holiday episode, Brenda and Shelley “go off script” and bare their hearts as they share intimate details about their gratitude for their families, friends and prayer life. Brenda reveals her “Book of Promises,” the journal she has kept over a decade with scriptures that she speaks aloud almost every day over her family and her life, which breathe new strength in her spirit. Brenda and Shelley emphasize the importance of chronicling all of the miraculous things God has done for us because we tend to forget the blessings when we’re in a time of prosperity and rest. Brenda shares, “Prayers never die; they stay alive and active. If people understood this they would pray with more fervency and  more often. I often refer back to those breakthrough moments in my “Book of Promises” when life throws me a curveball; looking back on those scriptures reminds me of God’s faithfulness.”

In honor of National Gratitude Month “Morning Cup of Faith” salutes the bravery, sacrifice and dedication of Essential Workers on the front lines during the pandemic to keep us safe. Hardworking and faith-filled UPS Driver Michelle Woodward, who has been working eleven to fourteen hour shifts since March on her route in Thousand Oaks, California, shares an amazing bond with her longtime customers of twenty-nine years. “I look at my customers as family and friends. I can’t tell you how happy my older customers who are living alone are to see ‘Michelle the UPS Driver’ every day. It brings tears to my eyes when I see their happy faces peek out the window. I suddenly stop thinking about the pandemic, and I start thinking of all of the people out there who need me.”

Special Thanksgiving Episode: “Brenda and Shelley, Grateful and Unplugged”

Hi Listeners! What’s in your cup this morning? Is it fear, faith, or Diet Coke?

Join “Morning Cup of Faith” podcast, a weekly grind up of coffee, inspiration, all things pop culture filtered through FAITH. Brenda and Shelley are raw, bold and vulnerable…this is your faith reboot!

Hosted by powerhouse actress-singer-speaker Brenda Epperson-Moore (Ashley on CBS daytime Soap Opera “The Young and the Restless,” Sony/TriStar Recording Artist/opening act for Lionel Richie and founding director of Ascend Women) and co-host free-spirited Shelley Anderson Myers (HuffPost Guest Writer), these two fun-loving friends mix it up with humor and wit.

Our listeners tell us we're the lifeline and hope they need. With guests like 12-time Grammy winning gospel singer CeCe Winans, Joel Osteen’s sister Author and Hope Coach April Osteen and the world’s leading book influencer, Zibby Owens (dubbed the “Oprah of Books in New York”) our conversations are compelling and uplifting.

This is God’s reset. Let “Morning Cup of Faith” start a revival in your heart. No more spiritual homelessness. You have found a home with us.

Brenda and Shelley talk about it all with their friends. If you like lavender lattes, loud laughing, author Anne Lamott, Maverick City Music, and Nehemiah 8:10, you’ll love “Morning Cup of Faith!

Special Thanksgiving Episode: “Brenda and Shelley, Grateful and Unplugged”

Morning Cup of Faith Podcast

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