Ever heard voices? Jess did. It shook him up. “So I went to Charles, but I didn’t tell him what was going on in my thoughts. I asked him to give me a straight shot of whiskey, and I always had the pills to make me high or low, so I went into the bathroom and took those two elements, and what I was trying to do, I was trying to forget that voice.”

Growing up with alcohol can make a significant impact on a life… and hateful words from those who are close can cut like a knife. Today’s Storyteller has experienced both. But, he has not been defeated. He is an overcomer.

Alcohol really took a toll on his family, but for Ralph, it never took hold of him. What is it that made him different? Was it fate? Was it the choices that he made? You may be surprised by what he says. Listen in as Ralph shares the rest of his story.

Ralph grew up in Shawnee, Oklahoma. He talks about his roots and talks about his grandmother who had a significant influence on his life. As you listen to him share his story, you’ll understand why.

Tom Claus reflects on what Christmas was like growing up on the Six Nations Reserve near Brantford, Ontario many years ago. After all the gifts were opened, the family would sit down together and read the Christmas story from the Bible. Tom goes on to read the story for us. Then he shares about the greatest gift ever given – the gift God gave to all people – His Son, Jesus Christ.

One day Richard’s brother told him that he was ready to meet the Lord. Richard wondered how this could be. He wanted to be sure that he was ready too. But his brother didn’t tell him how he could be. Listen as Richard tells of his quest to be ready to meet his Creator.

We all have failures and regrets in life. What do we do with them? There is a remedy. Bill shares the confidence that he has now regarding these things. He talks about how he found forgiveness, and how we can to.

Bill is a Cree from northern Alberta. He was born and raised in the Whitefish Lake Cree Nation. He was sent away to residential school early in his childhood. He didn’t make it easy on the people there. Actually, he wasn’t allowed to go back.

And I thought about my Indian people, you know, when they would go into Kingman, my mom’s tribe, the Haulapai’s, only two or three of them could go into the store at one time. They wouldn’t let a whole bunch of Indians in because we were Indians and they didn’t trust us.

It’s tough growing up when you feel like you don’t fit in. For a little girl named Harriet, it was a lonely time. Listen as she reflects back on the early days of her life, and as she shares the most significant moment in her life… at a school away from home.