The We Love Life Podcast

In this episode Daniel Parks sits down with Shon Thornburg our Regional Director for Southern California and LaMar Bratton the new City Director for San Diego. Hear how God is uniting pastors and churches across Ventura to San Diego, why volunteer teams now stand in front of many centers each week, and how San Diego is preparing to launch on October 25. Shon shares fresh stats from Youth For Life and LaMar tells a powerful rescue story that shows what happens when the church shows up in LOVE and LIFE.
 
Learn more and find locations: https://lovelife.org/locations
General info: https://lovelife.org
Email us to connect with LaMar and the San Diego launch team: info@lovelife.org
Follow San Diego updates on Instagram: @LoveLifeSDC
 

In this episode of the We Love Life Podcast, Daniel Parks and Brian Ottinger talk about mobilizing the church in a heavy cultural moment. We unpack why prayer must move our feet, how the light shines in the darkness, and what it looks like to bring the gospel and practical help to the mission field right in our own cities. This is a call to step out of comfort, live the Great Commission, and walk in John 17 unity.
Take your next step:-Join a Prayer Walk, second Saturdays February through November: https://lovelife.org/locations
-Get connected with mentoring, sidewalk outreach, or orphan care: https://lovelife.org/connect
-Questions or testimonies, email us: info@lovelife.org
Like, comment where you are watching from, subscribe, and share this episode to continue encouraging believers to be bold!

Here’s a ready to paste YouTube description:
In this episode Daniel Parks and Brian Ottinger dive into John 17 unity and why mission brings the church together. Two friends with different secondary views share how they link arms to create a culture of love and life and why unity is not optional for followers of Jesus. Expect scripture, practical stories from prayer walks, and a call to pursue unity that displays the glory of God.
Scripture referenced• John 17:20 to 21• Ephesians 4:1 to 3• 1 Corinthians 12
Ways to connect• Website: https://lovelife.org• Next steps and serve: https://lovelife.org/connect• Email feedback or questions: info@lovelife.org
If this encouraged you, please like the video, subscribe, and share it with a friend, your pastor, or your small group. It helps more believers find the show and join a united church on mission.
 

In this episode of the We Love Life Podcast, Daniel Parks and Brian Ottinger are joined by their own kids to talk about the upcoming Youth For Life Prayer Walks happening September 13 across the nation. Hear from teens themselves on what it’s like to stand outside abortion centers in prayer and worship, why youth can make a difference, and how God is raising up a generation that will not be silent.
Scriptures like 1 Timothy 4:12 remind us that young believers can be examples in word, conduct, love, spirit, faith, and purity. You’ll also hear stories of how families serving together at prayer walks have been transformed, and why this movement is awakening students to take their place in the fight for life.
📅 Youth For Life Prayer Walks – September 13, 2025👉 Find a location near you: https://lovelife.org/youthforlife
🔔 Don’t forget to subscribe to the channel for more stories of how God is uniting and mobilizing His church to create a culture of Love and Life.

In this episode of the We Love Life Podcast, Daniel Parks and Brian Ottinger sit down with Theo Facinoli, founder of Out of the Ashes Foundation. Theo and his wife, Brittany, have walked through the heartbreaking loss of four children, including their daughter Hannah, who was stillborn. Out of that grief, God birthed a ministry to come alongside families facing miscarriage, stillbirth, infertility, and even abortion.
Theo shares his family’s story, how Out of the Ashes began, and the powerful ways the church can step into sensitive conversations with compassion and hope. You’ll hear about practical tools their ministry offers, testimonies of healing, and how communities of believers can carry one another’s burdens in times of unimaginable pain.
If you or someone you know has experienced loss, this conversation will encourage you that healing is possible through Christ and that no story is wasted.
🔗 Learn more about Out of the Ashes: https://outoftheashesfoundation.org🔗 Connect with Love Life: https://lovelife.org
🙏 If this episode blessed you, please like, share, and subscribe to help us spread the word.

In this episode of the We Love Life Podcast, Daniel Parks and Brian Ottinger celebrate an incredible milestone — 500 babies saved in 2025 — and then dive into the sixth healthy rhythm: connection to a local church.
We’ve already talked through sleep, rest, eating well, exercise, prayer, and time in the Word. But there’s one more rhythm that’s essential for every believer: being rooted and accountable in a local, Bible-preaching church.
Daniel and Brian unpack why the local church is God’s plan A, why accountability matters, and how discipleship and diversity in the body of Christ are key to spiritual growth. You’ll also hear powerful stories from the sidewalks and how the House of Refuge initiative is equipping churches to protect, prevent, and provide.
👉 If you’re not plugged into a church yet, check out the House of Refuge network at https://lovelife.org/refuge or email us at info@lovelife.org — we’d love to help you find a place to belong.
Be encouraged, be challenged, and remember: the gates of hell will not prevail against the church.

In this episode of the We Love Life podcast, Daniel and Brian unpack the 5th rhythm in our 6 Healthy Rhythms series — Sleep.We talk about why sleep isn’t just a personal preference, but God’s idea for restoring our bodies and minds. From Jesus sleeping in the storm to Elijah’s “naps and snacks,” we explore the biblical foundation for rest, how it connects with the other healthy rhythms, and why you can’t pour into others if you’re running on empty.
Whether you sleep easily or struggle to shut your mind off at night, this conversation offers encouragement, Scripture, and practical tips to help you find the kind of rest that fuels your ministry and your life.
Listen in and discover:
The difference between rest and sleep
How sleep demonstrates our trust in God
Why ministry leaders and volunteers need intentional rest
Practical ways to find your optimal sleep rhythm
📌 Learn more and get connected: https://lovelife.org

What if your marriage is the most powerful weapon in your ministry? In this episode of the We Love Life Podcast, Daniel Parks and Brian Ottinger are joined by Jason Benham to talk about one of the most overlooked aspects of spiritual warfare—your relationship with your spouse.
Jason unpacks powerful truths from his book Beauty in Battle, revealing why so many ministry couples burn out, how to fight shoulder to shoulder instead of face to face, and why your marriage is not a side project—it’s your primary ministry.
Whether you're married, single, or hoping to be one day, this episode will challenge, convict, and equip you to build a life and ministry that lasts.
🟦 Topics Covered:
Why Satan targets marriages in ministry
Emotional intelligence and self-awareness in marriage
The biblical foundation for marriage as the Church
How to fight with your spouse, not against them
📘 Learn more and get the book:https://beautyinbattle.comhttps://jasonandtori.com
🔗 Connect with Love Life:https://lovelife.org📩 info@lovelife.org
🧡 Like, subscribe, and share to help create a culture of Love and Life.

In this episode of the We Love Life Podcast, we’re joined by Chuck Gschwend—co-founder of The Eden Project and a trusted mentor to ministry leaders across the nation.
Chuck unpacks the Three S’s—Silence, Sabbath, and Solitude—and shares how these simple, biblical rhythms can rescue leaders from burnout and bring them back to the heart of God. From his own journey as a trial attorney and church planter to his transformation into a spiritual formation coach, Chuck’s story is one of rediscovering identity, slowing down, and learning to live as God’s beloved.
💬 Topics covered:
-Why rest isn’t optional for leaders
-The lie of ministry-driven identity
-How Chuck helped Brian recover from burnout
-What silence and solitude actually look like
🔗 Learn more about Chuck’s ministry: https://www.TheEdenProject.com🌱 Connect with us: https://www.lovelife.org📧 Email: info@lovelife.org
Subscribe for more episodes where we explore how the Church is being united and mobilized to create a culture of Love and Life.

What does your health have to do with your calling? In this episode of the We Love Life Podcast, Daniel Parks and Brian Ottinger sit down with Matthew Headden—veteran, former addict, and founder of Temple Keepers—to talk about one of the most overlooked areas of Christian discipleship: your physical body.
They unpack why caring for your body is not about vanity or shame, but a biblical mandate and a spiritual act of worship. From emotional eating to sustainable habits, from scriptural foundations to practical next steps, this conversation will challenge you, encourage you, and may just reframe your entire view of health and holiness.
💡 Topics covered:
Why our bodies are not our own (1 Cor. 6:19–20)
What Scripture really says about food, fitness, and faithfulness
Practical steps to begin stewarding your body for the glory of God
📖 “Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” – 1 Corinthians 10:31
👇 Connect with Matthew:Website: https://thetemplekeepers.comInstagram: @thegodfoodguyPodcast: The Temple Keepers Podcast
👇 Connect with us:Website: https://lovelife.orgEmail: info@lovelife.org
🙏 If this episode encourages you, please like, share, and subscribe to help us spread the message of life, hope, and transformation.