Episodes

  • Victoria Amelina's Legacy Lives On In 'Looking At Women Looking at War'

    Victoria Amelina's Legacy Lives On In 'Looking At Women Looking at War'
    Mar 10 2025
    "As long as a writer is read, he is alive." - Victoria Amelina 37-year-old author, Victoria Amelina was documenting the pivotal work Ukrainian women were doing in the Russia-Ukraine War when she was tragically killed in a Russian missile attack. Instead of letting her words be lost, her husband, friends, and colleagues came together to ensure her work was shared with the world. With the help of loved ones, Victoria Amelina now lives on through her book, 'Looking at Women Looking at War.' Close friend of Victoria, Ukrainian journalist and cultural manager Tetyana Teren, joins Benjamin to reflect on how she and Victoria had worked together to publish other deceased writers' works, and why it was crucial Victoria's story be finished. She also discusses the heart-wrenching challenge of watching so many of her colleagues and friends fall victim to the war and the driving force that pushes her forward: knowing the work she and fellow Ukrainian journalists are doing is crucial in revealing the realities of the war and preserving Ukrainian history and culture. Follow Benjamin on X: @BenjaminHallFNC Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    45 mins
  • Mark Wahlberg On The Beauty Of Lent

    Mark Wahlberg On The Beauty Of Lent
    Mar 6 2025
    Ash Wednesday begins the season of Lent, a 40-day period where Christians around the world offer a sacrifice to God. Actor, Mark Wahlberg and Benjamin discuss the meaning of the Lenten season in their lives and the beauty in letting go to make room for your faith. Mark also shares how the Hallow app reconnects believers to their faith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    23 mins
  • Can Resilience Breed Faith?

    Can Resilience Breed Faith?
    Mar 3 2025
    Can faith breed resilience, or vice versa? And how does resilience differ across various communities, cultures, and continents? From battling stage IV colon cancer to surviving Hurricane Katrina, Jamie Aten, Ph.D., has both experienced and witnessed intense suffering. And though this seems like it would have hardened Dr. Aten's outlook on the world, it instead made him curious — ultimately leading him to become a disaster psychologist and ministry expert. Dr. Aten dives into complex questions surrounding faith, tragedy, and resilience — and explains how his experiences and extensive research have allowed him to merge his understanding of the three. Follow Benjamin on X: @BenjaminHallFNC Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    34 mins
  • Three Years of War in Ukraine: Ambassador Oksana Markarova's Story

    Three Years of War in Ukraine: Ambassador Oksana Markarova's Story
    Feb 24 2025
    February 24th marks three years since Russia invaded Ukraine, beginning a brutal war that continues raging. While we take this day to honor Ukraine, a country that wasn't expected to last a month against Russia and yet continues fighting, we also take it to remember the innocent lives that have been lost, and pay respect to those who continue fighting. One of those people is Ambassador Oksana Markarova, who had only been serving as the Ambassador of Ukraine to the United States for about a year when Russia invaded her country — leading to her work, and her face, being instantly projected across the globe. Ambassador Markarova joins Benjamin to discuss what the past three years have been like for her, as one of the key figures in charge of connecting Ukraine and the U.S. Follow Benjamin on X: @BenjaminHallFNC Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    37 mins
  • 499 Days Of Being Held Hostage By Hamas

    499 Days Of Being Held Hostage By Hamas
    Feb 17 2025
    "My niece Roni was awakened with a gun pointed at her face attwo and a half years old...and then around 1:30 p.m., Omri was handcuffed and taken hostage." It's been 499 days since Omri Miran, his wife Lishay, and their two young daughters Roni and Alma woke up to a nightmare on October 7th, 2023 -- when their family was held captive by Hamas militants, and Omri was taken hostage. Since that day, Omri's family has dedicated their lives to advocating for his release. While crucial progress is being made between Israel and Hamas, as they prepare to enter phase two of a hostage deal that will hopefully lead to the release of 33 Israeli hostages, Omri's brother-in-law Moshe Lavi says advocacy and fighting to bring the innocent home must never stop. Moshe details how his family has been working since October 8th to raise awareness and call for Omri's release and why he believes caution is crucial when dealing with a terrorist organization like Hamas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    29 mins
  • Clearing Landmines & Restoring Livelihoods

    Clearing Landmines & Restoring Livelihoods
    Feb 10 2025
    A 21-year-old girl looking to become a Chinese interpreter and a former pediatric anesthesiologist may not seem like they'd end up on the same career path. However, after watching their beloved home country be torn apart by war, everything changed for Diana Obzhelian and Mykyta Kryzhanovsky. Diana and Mykyta join Benjamin to discuss how their love for Ukraine led them to the non-profit organization The Halo Trust, where they've dedicated their lives to "demining": clearing landmines and other explosives from former war zones. Follow Benjamin on X: @BenjaminHallFNC Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    25 mins
  • "Burning Alive": Spencer Tejedas' Story

    "Burning Alive": Spencer Tejedas' Story
    Feb 3 2025
    "I am slowly burning alive, and I have nothing to orient myself to get myself out of this situation. I'm realizing pretty quick that I'm not going to make it out." - Spencer Tejedas Except on that day in May of 2024, Gresham firefighter Spencer Tejedas did end up making it out of the burning building he thought would claim his life — suffering third-degree burns on 45% of his body and beginning down a courageous road to recovery. Spencer and his wife Melea join Benjamin to reflect on their vivid memories of May 30th, 2024, how they were able to remain hopeful even when Spencer's lungs were failing for nearly six weeks, and the ways they and their two children have adjusted to their "new normal" with the support of their community and each other. Follow Benjamin on X: @BenjaminHallFNC Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    1 hr and 7 mins
  • The Eternal Optimist

    The Eternal Optimist
    Jan 27 2025
    "From the minute this happened in 2022, I never once thought of what had been taken. I thought of what I could do to get through it." How was Benjamin able to channel optimism after losing two of his colleagues and nearly losing his own life in Ukraine? Does everybody have the power to access this sort of hope? These are the exact questions Benjamin asked himself while recovering, and what ultimately led him to begin this search for heroes. Benjamin reveals his four keys to eternal optimism. Follow Benjamin on X: @BenjaminHallFNC Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    13 mins