PodcastsChristianityThe Story Partners Podcast

The Story Partners Podcast

Walt and Annie Manis
The Story Partners Podcast
Latest episode

55 episodes

  • The Story Partners Podcast

    S4 | E8 (Pt. 1) - I’m Still Here

    2026/04/30 | 1h 1 mins.
    Bullied, broken, and longing to disappear, Heather Palacios nearly gave up on life. But in her darkest moments, God gave her something she never expected: a reason to stay. Now she’s on a mission to prove that no one fights alone. 

     

    Welcome to The Story Partners Podcast - a show featuring stories of transformation told by the people who lived them.  It is our hope that as you listen, you are fully immersed into the world of the storyteller.  This isn’t a back-forth interview format, instead it’s an uninterrupted and authentic storytelling experience.  This is a unique format for a podcast, but we really love it - and we hope you do too!

    This is Heather Palacios in Season 4 | Episode 8 (Part 1), called: I’m Still Here.

    Content Warning:

    Today’s story centers on a struggle with suicide. While past episodes have mentioned suicide as part of someone’s journey, in this episode it is the primary battle, and some moments may be difficult or triggering for listeners.

    Part of Heather Palacios’s story takes place in the 1980s, a time when bullying wasn’t widely talked about the way it is today. Along with being bullied at school, Heather was also facing instability at home and serious health challenges. The weight of these experiences led her into a deep fight to stay alive.

    If suicide is part of your own story or the story of someone you love, we encourage you to pause and take a moment to ask the Holy Spirit whether this episode is right for you right now. This conversation also touches on bullying, substance use, and promiscuity. Listener discretion is advised.

    Resources & Links:


    Transcript: Click Here to Read


    More about Heather Palacious: Heather is a passionate survivor and speaker who shares her 43-year journey with suicide to inspire hope and resilience to any audience, any where. Audiences laugh, cry, and leave equipped with real resources and the courage to keep going. Her mantra says it all: If I wake up breathing, that’s my proof to keep going.


    Connect with Heather via email at: [email protected] 


    If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, call the free 24 hour Life Line Number: 988. The 988 Lifeline is available 24/7/365. Your conversations are free and confidential.

    We hope that this story encourages your faith and helps you see Jesus in a more personal way.

    Recommended Episodes: If you liked Heather’s story, listen to these next…

    Spotify:


    S3 | E9: Looking for Love (in all the wrong places) (Roberta Castillo’s Story)


    S2 | E1: To Hell and Back (Kyle Hubbart’s Story)


    S2 | E9: The Encounter (Tim Schulte’s Story)


    S3 | E10: The Reflection in the Mirror (Joey Castillo’s Story)


    S3 | E6 (Pt. 1): Dying to Live (Cammie Jarvis’s Story)


    S3 | E7: Can I Trust You? (Judy Van Rooy’s Story)

    Apple Podcasts:


    S3 | E9: Looking for Love in All the Wrong Places (Roberta Castillo’s Story)


    S2 | E1: To Hell and Back (Kyle Hubbart’s Story)


    S2 | E9: The Encounter (Tim Schulte’s Story)


    S3 | E10: The Reflection in the Mirror (Joey Castillo’s Story)


    S3 | E6 (Pt. 1): Dying to Live (Cammie Jarvis’s Story)


    S3 | E7: Can I Trust You? (Judy Van Rooy’s Story)

    Connect with Story Partners:


    Watch our Films: YouTube @StoryPartnersFilms


    Website: www.StoryPartners.org 


    Instagram @Story_Partners | Facebook @StoryPartnersMinistry


    Give: Support this crowd-funded work at StoryPartners.org/GIVE

    Producers: Walt and Annie Manis

    Editor: Walt Manis

    podscan_XQjr0Vv1iIbxzYrKfnO8Lprtrdh3Fg64
  • The Story Partners Podcast

    S4 | E2 - When Faith is a Crime: The Maryam Rostampour-Keller Story

    2026/04/23 | 1h 1 mins.
    Maryam Rostampour-Keller was a young woman in Iran searching for God. When she couldn’t find Him through Islam, she cried out in desperation—and He answered. That call would send her on a journey of faith and defiance that led straight into the heart of Iran’s most notorious prison.

    Welcome to The Story Partners Podcast - a show featuring stories of transformation told by the people who lived them.  It is our hope that as you listen, you are fully immersed into the world of the storyteller.  This isn’t a back-forth interview format, instead it’s an uninterrupted and authentic storytelling experience.  This is a unique format for a podcast, but we really love it - and we hope you do too!

    This is Maryam Rostampour-Keller in Season 4 | Episode 2, called: “When Faith is a Crime: The Maryam Rostampour-Keller Story”.

    Resources & Links:


    Transcript: Click Here to Read


    More about Maryam Rostampour-Keller: Maryam was born into a Muslim family in Iran. After becoming a Christian in her teens, she studied theology in Turkey. Her story—along with that of her friend, Marziyeh Amirizadeh—of being imprisoned for their faith and sentenced to death in Iran is told in Captive in Iran: A Remarkable True Story of Hope and Triumph Amid the Horror of Tehran’s Brutal Evin Prison. Maryam holds both a B.S. and an M.S. in International Affairs from the Georgia Institute of Technology, and her passion is to share Jesus with as many people as possible.


    Books by Maryam: 


    Captive in Iran: A Remarkable True Story of Hope and Triumph amid the Horror of Tehran’s Brutal Evin Prison


    Connect with Maryam Online: Facebook @MaryamRostampour-Keller // Instagram @official.maryamrostampour

    We hope that this story encourages your faith and helps you see Jesus in a more personal way.

    Recommended Episodes: If you liked Maryam’s story, listen to these next…

    Spotify:


    S3 | E12: What’s the Point? (Reuben Shekwonyadu’s Story)


    S3 | E2: What’s in a Name (Elmira Javid’s Story)


    S3 | E1 (Pt. 1): Killing in the Name of God: Afshin Javid’s Story

    Apple Podcasts:


    S3 | E12: What’s the Point? (Reuben Shekwonyadu’s Story)


    S3 | E2: What’s in a Name (Elmira Javid’s Story)


    S3 | E1 (Pt. 1): Killing in the Name of God: Afshin Javid’s Story

    Connect with Story Partners:


    Watch our Films: YouTube @StoryPartnersFilms


    Website: www.StoryPartners.org 


    Instagram @Story_Partners | Facebook @StoryPartnersMinistry


    Give: Support this crowd-funded work at StoryPartners.org/GIVE

    We hope that this story encourages your faith and helps you see Jesus in a more personal way.

    Producers: Walt and Annie Manis

    Editor: Walt Manis

    podscan_XQjr0Vv1iIbxzYrKfnO8Lprtrdh3Fg64
  • The Story Partners Podcast

    S4 | E1 (Pt. 2) - Conversion of a Klansman: The Tom Tarrants Story

    2026/04/09 | 30 mins.
    Tom Tarrants was a committed white supremacist and member of the White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan. Now, sentenced to 30 years in federal prison, Tom plans his escape.

    Welcome to The Story Partners Podcast - a show featuring stories of transformation told by the people who lived them. It is our hope that as you listen, you are fully immersed into the world of the storyteller.  This isn’t a back-forth interview format, instead it’s an uninterrupted and authentic storytelling experience.  This is a unique format for a podcast, but we really love it - and we hope you do too!

    This is Tom Tarrants in Season 4 | Episode 1 (Part 2)  called “Conversion of a Klansman: The Tom Tarrants Story”.

    Content Warning:

    This episode is intended for adult audiences and contains descriptions of racism, domestic terrorism, and violence. Listener discretion is advised

    Resources & Links:


    Transcript: Click Here to Read


    More about Tom: Tom Tarrants was once a committed white supremacist and member of Mississippi’s White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, described by the FBI as one of the most violent right-wing terrorist organizations in America. In 1969, he was shot and arrested while attempting to bomb the home of a Jewish leader and was sentenced to decades in prison. During years of confinement — including time in solitary at Parchman Farm — Tarrants began reading the Bible and encountered Jesus Christ, leading to a dramatic conversion and a complete break from his former life of hatred and violence.

    After serving eight years of his sentence, Tarrants was released and went on to earn a doctorate, co-pastor a racially diverse church in Washington, D.C., and later serve as president of the C. S. Lewis Institute. He has devoted his life to Christian discipleship and sharing the transforming power of the Gospel.


    Books by Tom Tarrants: 


     Conversion of a Klansman


    Consumed by Hate, Redeemed by Love

    We hope that this story encourages your faith and helps you see Jesus in a more personal way.

    Recommended Episodes: If you liked Tom’s story, listen to these next…

    Spotify:


    S3 | E1 (Pt. 1): Killing in the Name of God: Afshin Javid’s Story


    S1 | E1: 746746 Is Not My Name: Billy Webb’s Story


    S3 | E5: Betrayed: Jean Louis Kassis’s Story


    S1 | E6: Below the Surface: Tim Brown’s Story

    Apple Podcasts:


    S3 | E1 (Pt. 1): Killing in the Name of God: Afshin Javid’s Story


    S1 | E1: 746746 Is Not My Name: Billy Webb’s Story


    S3 | E5: Betrayed: Jean Louis Kassis’s Story


    S1 | E6: Below the Surface: Tim Brown’s Story

    Connect with Story Partners:


    Watch our Films: YouTube @StoryPartnersFilms


    Website: www.StoryPartners.org 


    Instagram @Story_Partners | Facebook @StoryPartnersMinistry


    Give: Support this crowd-funded work at StoryPartners.org/GIVE

    Producers: Walt and Annie Manis

    Editor: Walt Manis

    podscan_XQjr0Vv1iIbxzYrKfnO8Lprtrdh3Fg64
  • The Story Partners Podcast

    S4 | E1 (Pt. 1) - Conversion of a Klansman: The Tom Tarrants Story

    2026/03/26 | 41 mins.
    Episode Description

    Tom Tarrants was a committed white supremacist and member of the White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan. Armed with hate and ready to die for the cause, he sets out to murder a member of the opposition. But little does he know he’s walking into a trap.

    Welcome to The Story Partners Podcast - a show featuring stories of transformation told by the people who lived them. It is our hope that as you listen, you are fully immersed into the world of the storyteller. This isn’t a back-forth interview format, instead it’s an uninterrupted and authentic storytelling experience. This is a unique format for a podcast, but we really love it - and we hope you do too!

    This is Tom Tarrants in Season 4 | Episode 1 (Part 1) called “Conversion of a Klansman: The Tom Tarrants Story”.

    Content Warning:

    This episode is intended for adult audiences and contains descriptions of racism, domestic terrorism, and violence. Listener discretion is advised.

    Resources & Links:


    Transcript: Click Here to Read


    More about Tom: Tom Tarrants was once a committed white supremacist and member of Mississippi’s White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, described by the FBI as one of the most violent right-wing terrorist organizations in America. In 1969, he was shot and arrested while attempting to bomb the home of a Jewish leader and was sentenced to decades in prison. During years of confinement — including time in solitary at Parchman Farm — Tarrants began reading the Bible and encountered Jesus Christ, leading to a dramatic conversion and a complete break from his former life of hatred and violence.

    After serving eight years of his sentence, Tarrants was released and went on to earn a doctorate, co-pastor a racially diverse church in Washington, D.C., and later serve as president of the C. S. Lewis Institute. He has devoted his life to Christian discipleship and sharing the transforming power of the Gospel.


    Books by Tom Tarrants: 


     Conversion of a Klansman


    Consumed by Hate, Redeemed by Love

    We hope that this story encourages your faith and helps you see Jesus in a more personal way.

    Recommended Episodes: If you liked Tom’s story, listen to these next…

    Spotify:


    S3 | E1 (Pt. 1): Killing in the Name of God: Afshin Javid’s Story


    S1 | E1: 746746 Is Not My Name: Billy Webb’s Story


    S3 | E5: Betrayed: Jean Louis Kassis’s Story


    S1 | E6: Below the Surface: Tim Brown’s Story

    Apple Podcasts:


    S3 | E1 (Pt. 1): Killing in the Name of God: Afshin Javid’s Story


    S1 | E1: 746746 Is Not My Name: Billy Webb’s Story


    S3 | E5: Betrayed: Jean Louis Kassis’s Story


    S1 | E6: Below the Surface: Tim Brown’s Story

    Connect with Story Partners:


    Watch our Films: YouTube @StoryPartnersFilms


    Website: www.StoryPartners.org 


    Instagram @Story_Partners | Facebook @StoryPartnersMinistry


    Give: Support this crowd-funded work at StoryPartners.org/GIVE

    Producers: Walt and Annie Manis

    Editor: Walt Manis

    podscan_XQjr0Vv1iIbxzYrKfnO8Lprtrdh3Fg64
  • The Story Partners Podcast

    Season 4 – Kick Off

    2026/03/12 | 38 mins.
    Join us as we kick off Season 4! In this episode, Walt and Annie chat about all things Story Partners – how we got into this work, why we created this podcast, and what you can look forward to in Season 4. It’s an informal conversation where you’ll get a little more behind-the-scenes info with co-founders Walt and Annie Manis.

    We hope that the stories in Season 4 will encourage your faith and help you see Jesus in a more personal way.

    Our first story in Season 4 releases two weeks from today! Follow us to stay updated on all the new episodes that drop.

    Resources & Links:


    More about Walt and Annie Manis: Click Here


    Watch our film about the adoption of our daughter, Chloe, (mentioned in the podcast): Click Here

     

    If you’re new to The Story Partners Podcast and want to know where to start, here are…

    Links to Walt’s Favorite Episodes:

    Spotify:


    S3 | E1 (Pt. 1): Killing in the Name of God: Afshin Javid’s Story


    S2 | E9: The Encounter (Tim Schulte’s Story)


    S2 | E1: To Hell and Back (Kyle Hubbart’s Story)


    S2 | E2: The Journey (Eddie Smith’s Story)

    Apple Podcasts:


    S3 | E1 (Pt. 1): Killing in the Name of God: Afshin Javid’s Story


    S2 | E9: The Encounter (Tim Schulte’s Story)


    S2 | E1: To Hell and Back (Kyle Hubbart’s Story)


    S2 | E2: The Journey (Eddie Smith’s Story)

     

    Links to Annie’s Favorite Episodes:

    Spotify:


    S2 | E9: The Encounter (Tim Schulte’s Story)


    S3 | E7: Can I Trust You? (Judy Van Rooy’s Story)


    S3 | E12: What’s the Point? (Reuben Shekwonyadu’s Story)


    S2 | E8: Misaligned (Dana Grindal)  

    Apple Podcasts:


    S2 | E9: The Encounter (Tim Schulte’s Story)


    S3 | E7: Can I Trust You? (Judy Van Rooy’s Story)


    S3 | E12: What’s the Point? (Reuben Shekwonyadu’s Story)


    S2 | E8: Misaligned (Dana Grindal)  

    For even more Story Partners Content:


    Watch our Films: YouTube @StoryPartnersFilms


    Website: www.StoryPartners.org 


    Connect on Social Media: Instagram @Story_Partners | Facebook @StoryPartnersMinistry

    All Story Partners films and podcasts are crowd funded. You can support this work at: StoryPartners.org/GIVE

    Producers: Walt and Annie Manis

    Season 4 – Kick OffEditor: Walt Manis

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About The Story Partners Podcast

The Story Partners Podcast is an immersive storytelling experience that brings to life true stories of individuals whose lives have been transformed by Jesus. These Christian testimonies are raw, moving, and powerful—told with authenticity and depth. With no interview questions, no interruptions, just beautifully crafted, uninterrupted storytelling, each story is a testament to faith, resilience, and the transformative power of Christ. Learn more at www.StoryPartners.org.
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