What does it look like to reinvent your life after heartbreak — boldly, honestly, and on your own terms? To publish a memoir in your 70s that makes people laugh and weep? To tell the truth about love, loss, aging, and identity without flinching?

In this episode of Emerging with Grace!, we sit down with the remarkable Virginia DeLuca — award-winning author and psychotherapist— for a conversation that is equal parts wisdom, warmth, and unapologetic fire. Brilliant, Beautiful, and Bad Ass

Virginia's writing has graced the pages of The New York Times, The Boston Globe, Modern Love, and The Huffington Post. Her memoir, If You Must Go, I Wish You Triplets, is a sharp, funny, and deeply human portrait of marriage, divorce, aging, and the unexpected power of starting over — proving that reinvention has no expiration date.

This is a conversation about courage as a creative act. About how grief can become the soil for your most luminous work. About women across every culture and generation who carry the spark of life and refuse to let circumstances extinguish it.

This episode is for every woman navigating a life transition — whether you're 30, 60, or somewhere beautifully in between for anyone who needs proof that your most powerful chapter may still be ahead of you.

Virginia DeLuca embodies what it means to be brilliant in mind, beautiful in spirit, and unapologetically badass in courage. Tune in.

IG @virginia.deluca.author FB- virginia deluca author

IN THIS EPISODE:

→ Reinvention after divorce

→ Writing as healing & self-discovery

→ Publishing boldly later in life

→ Women, identity & aging on your own terms

→ The power of humor in grief

→ Memoir craft & storytelling

→ Emotional resilience & personal growth

→ Living truthfully at any age

Guest: Carrie Willis

Some lessons arrive gently. Others arrive in moments that change the direction of your life.

For Carrie Willis, that moment came when her mother passed away at just 39 years old. In the midst of grief, another reality surfaced—her mother had left behind a life insurance policy worth less than $300. It wasn't just a financial gap. It was a wake-up call.

That experience planted a seed that would eventually grow into Carrie's life mission: helping families avoid the financial blind spots that so many don't discover until it's too late.

But the financial lesson wasn't the only one.

Years later, Carrie realized something even more heartbreaking—her family had almost no recordings of her mother's voice. No preserved stories. No captured wisdom. The memories were there, but the living sound of her mother was gone.

From that realization came a second calling: helping people show up and share their voice now, while the people who love them most can still hear it.

Today, Carrie works with school district employees through her Retirement Clarity™ programs, helping them prepare financially for their future so their families won't be left navigating uncertainty. She also coaches entrepreneurs to build authentic visibility, encouraging them to speak, record, and share their message so their voice and wisdom can live beyond the moment.

In just a few weeks, Carrie has appeared on nearly 20 livestreams, building not only a platform—but an archive her son will one day be able to return to.

Because for Carrie, every recording is more than content.

It's legacy.

• The financial mistake many families discover too late

• Why striving financially doesn't always mean you're thriving

• Retirement planning and financial clarity for educators

• The emotional side of financial preparedness

• Why capturing your voice and story matters for future generations

• Building visibility with purpose and authenticity

• Turning painful lessons into meaningful impact

Financial preparation is an act of love—and so is leaving your voice behind for the people who will one day wish they could hear it again.

"Striving keeps you busy. Thriving requires clarity, preparation, and the courage to think beyond today."

Learn more about Carrie's work in Retirement Clarity™ and her coaching for entrepreneurs by visiting her platforms and livestream appearances.

They had already survived 1,260 days in the wilderness.

They had already walked through homelessness, uncertainty, and rebuilding from nothing.

They thought they knew what endurance meant.

Then came the day that changed everything.

Despite living an active, disciplined life—despite exercising and eating well—Adrian was diagnosed with a genetic heart condition. A condition that does not ask permission. A condition that does not negotiate with lifestyle.

And in one day, he experienced three cardiac events.

Krys faced the unthinkable.
Doctors warned her that if he survived, he would never be the same.
Research showed that only 2% live through this type of cardiac crisis—and even then, many are told they may only have a few years left.

She wasn't just grieving the possibility of losing her husband.
She was grieving the life they once had.
The future they thought was certain.
The version of him she feared might never return.

But this is not a story that ends in statistics.

Seven years later, Adrian is still here.

Still fighting.
Still loving.
Still leading.
Still serving through T.R.I.N.I.T.Y.

This episode is about:

• Surviving a life-threatening genetic heart condition
• Navigating marriage through medical trauma
• Grieving the "old normal" while building a new one
• Faith when outcomes are uncertain
• Redefining comeback
• Celebrating life after the prognosis

Adrian's survival is rare.
But their resilience is intentional.

Together, they share what it means to face mortality and still choose hope.
To face fear and still choose faith.
To face loss and still choose love.

Seven years later, this isn't just survival.
It's testimony.

🎧 Listen to Part 2 and hear how the Murrays turned a medical crisis into a comeback story—one sustained by faith, partnership, and purpose.

Some seasons are meant to be endured, not escaped.

For 1,260 days, Adrian and Krys Murray walked through what they call a wilderness season—a time marked by homelessness, uncertainty, and daily dependence on God. The number itself was not something they chose, but one they later recognized as biblically significant, named in the Book of Revelation as a defined period of endurance and divine sustaining.

What they didn't know at the time was that this wilderness would become the soil where purpose took root.

During that season, God placed a vision in their hearts—T.R.I.N.I.T.Y., an acronym for Teaching, Reaching, Inspiring, Nurturing, Igniting Today's Youth. They had no resources, no stability, and no clear plan. What they did have was obedience.

When they eventually found their footing again, they refused to let the vision fade. In 2017, they stepped forward in faith and incorporated T.R.I.N.I.T.Y. as a nonprofit—transforming survival into service.

Today, T.R.I.N.I.T.Y. is a faith-based organization committed to uplifting youth and strengthening communities by nurturing the whole person: spiritually, mentally, and physically. Through mentoring, coaching, and wellness-centered tennis programs, Adrian and Krys walk alongside young people as they discover both who they are and whose they are.

Tennis is one of the tools, but faith, relationship, and presence are the foundation.

This episode is a testimony of perseverance, humility, and trust. It's a reminder that even the most difficult seasons are not wasted—and that God often does His deepest work in the wilderness.

🎧 Tune in to hear how faith sustained them, how purpose was born from hardship, and how they now show up for others with compassion shaped by lived experience.

Some innovations begin in a lab.
Others begin with a question no one else is asking.

For Dr. Bobbi Peterson, that question was simple but revolutionary: Why hasn't oral health technology kept up with what we now know about wellness, equity, and prevention?

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Bobbi Peterson—renowned orthodontist, inventor, and founder of Big Mouth Toothbrush—to explore the journey behind designing and patenting her own electronic toothbrush, a feat achieved by only a handful of Black women in the medical and dental innovation space.

From her Brooklyn-based practice to national recognition on Shark Tank, Dr. Bobbi shares how expertise, courage, and vision intersected to create a product that blends holistic wellness, advanced dental technology, and community empowerment. Her story isn't just about entrepreneurship—it's about refusing to accept "that's how it's always been done."

Listeners will hear how Dr. Bobbi navigated barriers in healthcare innovation, what it took to move from clinician to inventor, and why representation in medical devices matters—not just for visibility, but for better health outcomes.

This episode is for anyone interested in:

• Dental innovation and oral health technology

• Black women inventors and founders

• Healthcare entrepreneurship

• Patents, product development, and Shark Tank stories

• Holistic wellness and preventative care

Dr. Bobbi Peterson's journey reminds us that sometimes the boldest ideas come from professionals who know the system well enough to challenge it—and brave enough to build something better.

🎧 Tune in to hear how one orthodontist used her expertise to create healthier smiles and a lasting impact.

When Destiny Sings: Celebrating 50 Years of Cydney Davis

Once upon a time, a woman stood at the intersection of faith and fear. She was a teacher, devoted and disciplined. Beneath the quiet obedience of service lived a voice—steady, soulful, and persistent—calling her toward something more.

That voice belonged to Cydney Wayne Davis.

In this unforgettable podcast episode, we celebrate 50 years of singing and the extraordinary journey of a woman who chose purpose over predictability. Cydney's story is not just a music career—it's a testament to faith, courage, and the power of answering a calling that refuses to be ignored.

Before the stages, before Motown, before sharing space with legends like Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Donna Summer, Ray Charles, Barry White, Joe Cocker, and Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis Jr., Cydney made a brave decision: she said yes to music.

That yes led her to co-write "You're Gonna Love It," recorded by Diana Ross, and to place songs in film and theater projects including Heaven Is a Playground, Black Magic Woman, and The Magnificent Dunbar Hotel. Her voice has lived on screens, stages, and in the hearts of audiences for decades.

But legacy isn't only built in the spotlight.

As a vocal coach and mentor, Cydney has shaped the next generation of artists at the Cydney Wayne Davis Vocal Arts Studio in Inglewood, California. Her students include performers from Disney's The Lion King, members of Kool and the Gang, jazz artist Norman Brown, and R&B trio JADE. Teaching, like singing, became another form of ministry—one rooted in excellence, discipline, and love.

Her journey also includes a celebrated acting career, including her NAACP Theatre Award-winning role in Anna Lucasta, and film appearances in Chocolate City, Chocolate City 2, and Basketball Girlfriend.

This episode isn't just about women in music. It's about Black women artists, creative calling, faith-led careers, and what happens when you trust the whisper that keeps returning.

Cydney Wayne Davis didn't abandon her faith to follow music—she carried it with her.

And now, as she marks half a century of singing, she chose this moment—and this space—to reflect, celebrate, and share the story behind the sound.

🎧 Listen now and be reminded that destiny doesn't shout—it sings.

Some stories stop you in your tracks. They remind you that behind every title, every achievement, and every polished introduction, there's a human being—one who has known loss, love, and the grace it takes to rise again.

Today's guest, Dr. Ty Stone, is one of those people. A seasoned higher education leader, strategist, and visionary, Dr. Stone has spent decades transforming institutions—turning deficits into stability, rebuilding trust, and creating spaces where equity and growth can thrive.

But beyond her professional brilliance lies a story of extraordinary strength: the journey of a mother who lost her son at just 20 years old, of a woman who rebuilt her life after divorce, and of a leader who continues to walk in grace through it all.

Her story is one of faith, resilience, and renewal. It's about the kind of leadership that doesn't just move systems—but moves hearts.

Today's guest is the definition of courage and grace in motion. Dr. LaQuista Erinna, a 20-year Army Veteran, licensed clinical expert, and devoted mother, became an unexpected social media influencer after sharing heartfelt videos of her son—who has autism—bravely navigating something as simple, yet powerful, as a haircut.

Behind those viral moments lies a deeper story—a story of resilience, divorce, single motherhood, and the pursuit of purpose through pain. With a Doctorate in Behavioral Health and a Master's in Social Work, Dr. LaQuista Erinna has spent her career helping women heal from trauma and find balance. But in this episode, she opens up about her own healing—how she learned that falling isn't failure, and that every setback can become the foundation for something greater.

If you've ever felt like you were the only one struggling, this conversation will remind you that even in the fall, you are rising.