This Is My Story

In the Summer of 2018 in seemingly fine health, Joel Oliver and has family would have no idea of the ordeal that they would be facing in the coming months. After losing a traumatic battle with cancer, his parents David & Gill would go on a journey to process their grief with God and delving into scripture for answers on life after death.

Throughout it all, God held them both in the palm of His hand and walked alongside them in their darkest days.

David Oliver is the author of the book "All About Heaven", you can find out more information at DavidOliverBooks.com.

This Is My Story, presented by Ruth O’Reilly-Smith is a podcast from UCB.

In 2002, Lyn Connolly's 28-year-old son Paul was brutally murdered in an unprovoked knife attack. Within hours of hearing the news of his death, Lyn and her husband were asked to speak to the national press, where they would get an opportunity to demonstrate their faith in a remarkable way.

In the years following this traumatic event, God has taken Lyn on a remarkable journey of healing and restoration.

The programme that Lyn took part in was called Sycamore Tree, you can find out more information at prisonfellowship.org.uk.

This Is My Story, presented by Ruth O’Reilly-Smith is a podcast from UCB.

David Koll had become estranged from his adult daughter, and when he found out that she was expecting a baby, he had to come to terms with the reality that he would never meet his grandson. After he was born, David began writing letters to him in the absence of a real relationship. 

This is the story of David’s pursuit of a restored relationship with his daughter, and the hope of a future meeting with his grandson.

This Is My Story, presented by Ruth O’Reilly-Smith is a podcast from UCB.

David's book is called Letters to William: The Journey of Healing Through the Pain of Estrangement.

Throughout the time of the Soviet Union there was a policy of state atheism, and whilst there was no ban on private, personal expressions of faith, a strong sense of social stigma was imposed by the official government structures and secular media. It was in this climate that a young girl in Soviet-occupied Latvia called Urzula found herself thinking about who God might be. 

Urzula went on to travel the world, and minister to people through art, with God taking her places she could never have dreamt of going.

This Is My Story, presented by Ruth O’Reilly-Smith is a podcast from UCB.

To find out more about Dr. Urzula Glienecke's work, please visit www.artseekingmeaning.com.

After a difficult upbringing, young, aspiring body-builder Warren Furman found himself thrust into the limelight when he landed the role of “Ace” on the 90’s TV show, Gladiators. He would soon learn that fame and fortune wasn’t all it was cracked up to be.

This Is My Story, presented by Ruth O’Reilly-Smith is a podcast from UCB.

Coming soon... Season 2 of This Is My Story. A podcast about how God’s amazing love has changed lives forever.

From the Primetime TV star who exchanged celebrity life for evangelism to the Mother who learned to forgive her son’s killer, from artists to entrepreneurs, you’ll hear from people of all walks of life - their trials and successes, their highs and lows and most of all, how God has been there through it all.

Experience Season 2 of ‘This Is My Story’, a podcast from UCB. Listen on the UCB Player app, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Nadim and Tanya’s daughter Natasha died on board a plane after suffering a terrible allergic reaction. Nadim encountered God in an astonishing way that day, which gave him the strength to fight for a change in the law.

This episode deals with a traumatic event involving the death of a child and may not be suitable for all listeners.

This Is My Story, presented by Ruth O’Reilly-Smith is a podcast from UCB.

For more information, please visit UCB.CO.UK

This episode of This Is My Story is with Claudio Coquet, a former drug trafficker in the United States. He tells Ruth the remarkable story of how he managed to escape a life of organised crime and overcome addiction to pursue God’s calling on his life.

For more information about the issues raised in this episode, please see below details for support:

Addaction

Addaction provide a free, confidential webchat service to those in need of addiction support.

www.addaction.org.uk/webchat

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)

Alcoholics Anonymous is a self-help group that supports abstinence from alcohol by following a 12 step recovery treatment program.

Call: 0800 9177 650

Talk to Frank

Talk to Frank provides everything you need to know about drugs, their effects and the law. 

Call: 0300 123 6600

Samaritans

Samaritans provide emotional support to anyone in emotional distress, struggling to cope, or at risk of self-harm.

Call: 116 123 (24/7)

This Is My Story, presented by Ruth O’Reilly-Smith is a podcast from UCB.

For more information, please visit UCB.CO.UK

This episode of This Is My Story is with Nona Jones, Head of Faith Based Partnerships for social media giant Facebook. She tells us the story of her turbulent upbringing and how God has walked her into a position of influence in the digital world. She is the author of Success from the Inside Out: Power to Rise from the Past to a Fulfilling Future, which is published through Zondervan.

This episode contains details of sexual abuse and may not be suitable for all listeners. If you need help with any of the issues raised in this episode, please see below for details of support:

NSPCC Helpline: 0808 800 5000 (24 hours, every day) - nspcc.org.uk

ChildLine: 0800 1111 (24 hours) - childline.org.uk

NAPAC (National Association of People Abused in Childhood) Helpline: 0808 801 0331 - napac.org.uk

This Is My Story, presented by Ruth O’Reilly-Smith is a podcast from UCB.

For more information, please visit UCB.CO.UK

This episode of This Is My Story is with Dan Sneed, a Pastor and author who overcame low self-esteem stemming from his experiences as a child, to go on to impact countless people through his work. His book “The Power of a New Identity: Overcoming a broken self-image” is available now, published by Sovereign World. 

This Is My Story, presented by Ruth O’Reilly-Smith is a podcast from UCB. For more information, please visit UCB.CO.UK.

This episode of This Is My Story is with Natalie Collins, activist, author and survivor of domestic abuse, who endured a traumatic experience at the hands of her first husband. Her book “Out of Control: Couples, Conflict and the Capacity for Change” is available now, published by SPCK Publishing.

This episode contains details of violence and domestic abuse and may not be suitable for all listeners. If you need help with any of the issues raised in this episode, please below for details of confidential support:

National Domestic Violence Helpline: https://www.nationaldahelpline.org.uk (0808 2000 247)

Men's Advice Line: https://mensadviceline.org.uk (0808 801 0372)

Respect Perpetrator Phoneline: https://respectphoneline.org.uk (0808 802 4040)

This Is My Story, presented by Ruth O’Reilly-Smith is a podcast from UCB.

For more information, please visit UCB.CO.UK

This episode of This Is My Story is with Allen Langham, a former professional Rugby League player who found himself in and out of prison after a string of violent offences. After an encounter with God, he not only found himself back in society, but also back on the Rugby pitch. His book “Taming of a Villain: A Message of Hope” is available now, published by Monarch Books.

This Is My Story, presented by Ruth O’Reilly-Smith is a podcast from UCB.

For more information, please visit UCB.CO.UK