The Stories Collective
A collection of stories about God's faithfulness and how we as believers can engage with God, connect with others, and live on mission.
Episodes
Sarah Schalow has a lot to share with you in today’s special episode! So grab your favorite coffee or tea and settle in for a heartfelt look back at this year’s journey with The Stories Collective, including a personal update from Sarah and a glimpse into the future of the podcast.
The episode opens with a reflection on the 17 powerful stories shared over the past five months, each one a beautiful testimony of God’s faithfulness. On...
Gail Hosea’s story is a powerful reminder that it’s never too late for God to bring transformation. A lifelong Arizona resident, Gail is the sixth of eight children. While she holds on to some fond family memories, many are overshadowed by the deep pain of growing up with an abusive father. From a young age, Gail learned to hide behind emotional “masks,” concealing not only what was happening at home but also the turmoil within her...
Karen Frey’s testimony is a powerful reminder of God’s redemptive work. With deep roots tied to the Desert Springs church building, Karen’s story is one of full-circle grace—how God gently led her back to a place she once thought she had left behind for good. Originally from Indiana, Karen fondly recalls how her mother faithfully brought the family to church every Sunday. She cherished that church community, being present whenever ...
It was an absolute pleasure to have Tim Dornseif join us in the studio! This moment feels especially meaningful, almost full circle, as just a year ago, Tim listened to a testimony on this very podcast that radically changed his life. You’ll have to tune in to hear how God used that story to begin a powerful transformation in his heart. Tim shares his journey with honesty and vulnerability. Raised in Indiana, his family occasionall...
We’re so excited to share Michelle Spano’s story with you today! Michelle and her family have been part of the Desert Springs community for many years. She and her husband, Nick, first met in the church’s young adults group back when it was still meeting in Glendale, a sweet beginning to a lifelong journey together. In the first part of this conversation, Michelle warmly reflects on how they met, fell in love, got married, and star...
We were truly blessed to have Jim Brown join us in the studio to share his story! Jim and his family have been a cherished part of our church community for nearly 20 years. You may recognize his son, Sam, who regularly volunteers on the worship team (we've linked his story below!). In this episode, Jim and Sarah spend a few minutes catching up before diving into his story; a journey marked by faith, challenges, and the grace o...
Liz’s story is one of resilience, rediscovery, and grace—and we’re honored to share it with you today. She begins by telling us she was born in Arizona, but her early years were shaped by her father’s role as a traveling evangelist. As she grew older, Liz came to see how much of her father’s passion for ministry was inspired by the Jesus Revolution. Life on the road wasn’t easy. Liz speaks candidly about the challenges of growing u...
Today’s episode is one we’ve been eagerly waiting to share—and it’s well worth the wait! We’re honored to tell the story of Tiffany Alexander, a cherished part of our Desert Springs ministry alongside her husband, James. Born and raised in Arizona, Tiffany shares sweet memories of her early years and how she met James at Southwestern Bible College (now ACU). They married in their early twenties and, just two months into marriage, d...
Jon Fritts truly has a servant’s heart, and we believe this conversation will challenge and encourage you in your walk with Christ. Since 2021, Jon and his family have been an integral part of Desert Springs, pouring their time and energy into ministry through faithful service. Raised in a small town in Oregon, Jon grew up in a family deeply involved in their church. His mother was a dedicated youth leader, and his father quite lit...
We were honored to have Kate Newton join us in the studio to share her powerful journey to Christ. Hailing from Grants Pass, OR much of Kate’s story unfolds in her hometown. Growing up, her parents managed a trailer park that also welcomed RVs, creating an environment where she encountered people from all walks of life. While this upbringing brought a variety of experiences, it also exposed Kate to the harsh realities of crime, inc...
The Stories Collective is back! On March 9th, we celebrated three years of sharing powerful stories, and it’s amazing to reflect on just how many lives and experiences that represents. God’s faithfulness has been evident every step of the way. We hope you had a chance to catch up on any episodes you may have missed during our break because we’re so excited to be back!
Today, we have a special episode featuring Sarah Underwood, and w...
Jessalyn Bruce is here to share her powerful testimony! She begins by taking us back to her childhood in California, where her faith journey first took root. As the oldest of eight children, Jessalyn’s family became involved in the Institute for Basic Life Principles (IBLP), led by Bill Gothard, when she was just nine years old. Growing up in such a strict, legalistic environment was challenging, especially as a young Christian try...
Today, we’re honored to be joined by a longtime friend of Desert Springs, Sondra Greenfield! Sondra and her husband, Don, have been part of our church family since before Pastor Steve—truly lifelong friends of this community. Sondra’s testimony is nothing short of incredible, beginning even before she was born. She shares how her mother made the difficult decision to place her for adoption and how she was welcomed into a loving hom...
In today’s episode, we’re joined by a familiar face, Hailey Keller! Hailey served as our Media Intern during the summer of 2024, but her connection to Desert Springs goes back much further—over 20 years! Recent events in her life have prompted her to share her story, and we’re so grateful for her openness and vulnerability. Hailey reflects on growing up at Desert Springs and her deep passion for Jesus, which was evident even at a y...
Our very own Pastor Paul Hocking joins us on the podcast today! Since stepping into the role of Kids’ Pastor in the spring of 2024, Paul has been an invaluable part of our team, and we are so grateful for his leadership. From the very beginning of his story, Paul shares how he has experienced God as his rescuer time and time again. Growing up in Oregon, life was anything but easy. As the youngest of five children in a family facing...
Desert Springs family, we are thrilled to share an incredible story with you today! Hopefully, you had the chance to hear Pastor Steve’s inspiring sermon at the start of January, where he unveiled the vision and dreams for 2025. A key part of that vision includes partnering with a pre-existing church plant in Palm Springs, CA, called Passion Church. Our host, Sarah Schalow, had the privilege of sitting down with Pastor TJ and Jess ...
We are looking forward to sharing Don + Kris Tramp's testimony today! The Tramps' oldest son Seth serves at Desert Springs as our Middle School Pastor (check out Seth's story below!). Don + Kris together and as individuals have amazing testimonies. They both share their backgrounds growing up as children of divorce and how they had to find their way into adulthood. They first met at U of A and for Kris it was love at...
Happy New Year! We are so excited to be kicking off 2025 with you by sharing an amazing collection of stories and testimonies. Lowell Gordon joined us in the studio to share about God's thread of faithfulness throughout his life. Almost a year ago Lowell's wife Dacia joined us, and we love seeing how God has worked in their lives as a couple and as individuals. Lowell describes that he was blessed to be raised in a Chrisi...
Happy Friday! Our host Sarah Schalow invites you to join in for a personal reflection on this podcast and her own recent life. Before we get into those things, we want to wrap up the 4th quarter of this year and reflect on the last 12 episodes that have been released. The episodes covered since the beginning of October include recovery from PTSD, dealing with current unanswered health struggles, leaning into God during intense ment...
Welcome to the 3rd annual Stories Collective Christmas episode featuring Manny Hernandez and Daniel Calderón! As we have in the past, we wanted to share a light-hearted and fun episode with you as we prepare for the year to wrap up. The conversation begins with Sarah asking Manny and Daniel about their favorite Christmas music and movies. We all have those things that we can't skip each season! This year Sarah created a Christ...
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