Podcasts about amber o

In part one of the 500th episode, Andrew Pudewa and Julie Walker reflect on the history and growth of the Arts of Language podcast. They share lighthearted stories about podcast listening habits and discuss how far the podcast has come since its early days. The conversation turns to memorable episodes, such as interviews with Andrew’s son about the hidden strengths of dyslexia, guest appearances from Dr. Leonard Sax and Dr. Carol Swain, and discussions of books like How to Think like Shakespeare. Go to Part 2. (available 10/23/25) Go to Part 3. (available 10/24/25) Referenced Materials Episode 54: What Are We Really Doing Here? Part 1 Episode 197: While Andrew's Away – Living with Dyslexia—An Interview with Chris Pudewa, Part 1 Episode R07: Why Gender Matters – An Interview with Dr. Leonard Sax Episode 398: Think like Shakespeare, Part 1 Episode 382: Announcing IEW’s Partnership with Hillsdale College! Episode 481: Writing across the Curriculum with Dr. O’Toole Amber O’Neal Johnston Heidi St. John MomStrong 365 A Daily Devotional to Encourage and Empower Everyday Moms The Read-Aloud Family by Sarah Mackenzie Episode R05: Are You a Part of a "Read-Aloud Family"? A Conversation with Sarah Mackenzie Episode 435: Becoming Homeschoolers with Monica Swanson Episode 282: A Visit with Dr. Carol Swain† Episode 264: The Benefits of Mastery Education Episode 299: The Profound Power of Poetry Episode 283: A Bookish Discussion, Part 1 Episode 272: The Different Stages of Learning Episode 273: Culture, Curriculum, and Care, Part 1 Episode 281: Talking about the Intangibles Episode 296: Impacting English Language Learners with Structure and Style Episode 288: Reaching the Reluctant Writer, Part 1 Episode 293: Process versus Product Episode 294: Writing across the Curriculum Episode 269: The Mighty Pen – Teaching Students to Change the World through Language Episode 311: Optimizing Instruction for Boys and Girls Episode 306: Speaking of Spelling Episode 305: Homeschool 101, An Interview with Sam Sorbo Episode 447: Alternative Learning with Jennifer Mauser Episode 478: What’s in Your Audible Account? Soul School by Amber O’Neal Johnston Twelve Days of Christmas Giving Episode 261: When Technology in Education Makes Sense Transcript of Podcast Episode 500 Part 1 If you have questions for Andrew, send them to podcast@IEW.com Perhaps your question will be answered at the next Ask Andrew Anything (AAA). If you have questions about IEW products or classes, contact customer service at 800.856.5815 or info@IEW.com

273. Wise Living: Why to Get Outside and Travel and Read Aloud with Amber O'Neal Johnston   “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” James 1:17 NIV   *Transcription Below*   Amber O'Neal Johnston is an author, speaker, and Charlotte Mason homeschooling mom who blends life-giving books and a culturally rich environment for her four children and others seeking to do the same. She recommends we offer children opportunities to see themselves and others reflected in their lessons, especially throughout their books, and she's known for sharing literary “mirrors and windows” on HeritageMom.com and @heritagemomblog. Amber is also the author of Soul School: Taking Kids on a Joy-Filled Journey Through the Heart of Black American Culture and A Place to Belong, a guide for families of all backgrounds on raising kids to celebrate their heritage, community, and the world.   www.HeritageMom.com www.SoulSchoolBook.com www.APlaceToBelongBook.com www.instagram.com/heritagemomblog www.facebook.com/heritagemomblog   Thank You to Our Sponsor:  Sam Leman Eureka   Questions that We Discussed: Looking back, what would you say has helped to shape your children's character the most? What have you learned about the importance of getting our kids (and ourselves) out into nature? How do you actually make time to be a content creator and to also homeschool and travel and host?   Other Related Episodes from The Savvy Sauce: 53 Practical Life Tips with Blogger, Rach Kincaid 57 Implementing Bite-Size Habits That Will Change Your Life with Author, Blogger, Podcaster, and Speaker, Kat Lee 82 Traveling with Your Family with Katie Mueller 84 Ordering Your Priorities with Kat Lee 103 Making Family Memories with Jessica Smartt 200 Planting Seeds of Faith in Our Children with Courtney DeFeo 204 Charlotte Mason Inspired Mini-Series: A Delectable Education with Emily Kiser 207 Cultivating Character in Our Children with Cynthia Yanof 212 School Series: Benefits of Homeschooling with Jodi Mockabee 253 Low Tech Parenting with Erin Loechner   Connect with The Savvy Sauce Our Website, Instagram or Facebook    Please help us out by sharing this episode with a friend, leaving a 5-star rating and review, and subscribing to this podcast!   Gospel Scripture: (all NIV) Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”   Romans 3:24 “and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”   Romans 3:25 (a) “God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood.”    Hebrews 9:22 (b) “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.”    Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”    Romans 5:11 “Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.”    John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”   Romans 10:9 “That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”    Luke 15:10 says “In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”   Romans 8:1 “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”   Ephesians 1:13–14 “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession- to the praise of his glory.”   Ephesians 1:15–23 “For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.”   Ephesians 2:8–10 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God‘s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.“   Ephesians 2:13 “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.“   Philippians 1:6 “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”   *Transcription*   Music: (0:00 – 0:09)   Laura Dugger: (0:11 - 2:01) Welcome to The Savvy Sauce, where we have practical chats for intentional living. I'm your host, Laura Dugger, and I'm so glad you're here.   The principles of honesty and integrity that Sam Leman founded his business on continue today over 55 years later at Sam Leman Chevrolet Inc. in Eureka. Owned and operated by the Burchie family, Sam Leman's in Eureka appreciates the support they've received from their customers all over central Illinois and beyond. Visit them today at LehmanGM.com.   Amber O'Neal Johnston is my fascinating guest for today. She's an author and speaker and coach and she's just chosen to live a very wise life as a wife and mother, and I think you're going to enjoy gleaning practical tips such as the benefits of getting our children out in nature regardless of their age. She has teens and makes this super practical for things that they would enjoy too, and she shares these incredible benefits of what happens when we simply step outdoors. She's also going to share approachable ways to introduce our family to great art and other cultures, and she gives us a fabulous book list, so, make sure you stay tuned through the end of the episode so that you can see some of the top books that she recommends. Finally, if you don't have a copy of her own latest release entitled Soul School, I highly recommend you purchase that today. Here's our chat.   Welcome to The Savvy Sauce, Amber.   Amber O'Neal Johnston: (2:02 - 2:04) Thank you so much. I'm so happy to be here.   Laura Dugger: (2:04 - 2:14) Well, I'd love for you just to start us off and introduce us to your family, and will you just share a glimpse of your values and lifestyle?   Amber O'Neal Johnston: (2:15 - 3:48) Absolutely. So, I live outside of Atlanta, Georgia with my husband Scott and our four children. We are just entering birthday season, but shortly they will be 16, 14, 12, and 10. The girls are the two oldest. The boys are the two youngest, and they've been homeschooled from the beginning, so, we're a homeschooling family. I'm originally from Illinois. My husband's originally from Ohio, but we met here in Atlanta at the High Museum of Art, which is really special. We are art loving, you know, fine arts loving, liberal arts loving family, and so, the idea that we met at the museum, I will just cherish that forever. I came to, before homeschooling, I was a stay-at-home mom, and prior to having children, I have an MBA, and I worked in corporate America in like marketing and advertising, and Scott comes from a similar background with the MBA, and he was doing work in that area too, so, we had that as a connection point, but I have always stayed home with the kids, and you know, our values are rooted in our Christian faith, and we're an African-American family, and so, we have values and cultural aspects that enter our home through that avenue as well. We are world travelers, so, we enjoy that as part of who we are, and I'm an author and a speaker, and I'm just a very happy homeschooler.   Laura Dugger: (3:48 - 4:12) I love that, and it sounds like such a rich and abundant life, and there's two little connections that I have to go back to. My husband and I had a date at that same museum. I love that you met your husband there. Oh wow, that's wild! And so, we met when we were in Atlanta, but live in Illinois now, so, which part of Illinois were you originally from?   Amber O'Neal Johnston: (4:12 - 4:33) I'm from Elgin, Illinois. It's out past O'Hare Airport, and I was born and raised there. My parents were both public school principals there. My dad was principal of Elgin High, and there's actually an elementary school, Ron O'Neal Elementary School in Elgin, named after my father, so, that is where I'm from.   Laura Dugger: (4:33 - 4:46) Wow, okay, so, then even with that piece, your father being a principal, and then you said you've homeschooled since the beginning. Did you always anticipate you would homeschool, or what was your journey into that?   Amber O'Neal Johnston: (4:47 - 7:15) Oh my gosh, never, and it's both of my parents were principals, so, that's wild. My grandfather was an elected school board official. My sister was an elected school board official, so, public school is just, you know, in my blood from the very beginning, and that's what I assumed I would do for my kids at first. Once Scott and I got married, and we had discussed it, we decided that I would stay home when they were little, and when they were old enough to go to school, I would go back to work, and my salary would pay for private Christian school tuition, and as the years, you know, months really came to fruition for my oldest, my husband started backpedaling, and he started talking this crazy talk about homeschooling. I'm like, that's a switcheroo for you. What are you talking about? I was like, that's weird. I don't want to do that. I don't feel called to do that. That does not seem like a comfortable space for me. I don't want my kids to endure that, and ultimately, I lacked confidence in that. I couldn't even articulate it. It felt scary, terrifying. Why would I take something so weighty into my own hands, and Scott was very persistent, and I can't even explain why he was so persistent about it, but I think to me, I feel like it was planted in him by the Lord, and he felt that this was the way he wanted to lead his family, and he did it so graciously because I was very resistant. He asked, would you please try it for one year, and if you are unhappy, you don't think it's right. I'll never ask you about it again, and that gave me a softer place to land where I felt like it wasn't signing up for a long-term commitment because I knew I was going to hate it, and I said, sure. I will do that, and oh, my gosh. It was the most amazing year, and I laugh now because my daughter was four, so, she's like four and turned five during that year, and so, she was so young, and people were like, well, what were you really doing, but I took it so seriously. I was doing all things, and I joined a homeschool support group, and I was reading about it, and I realized on Friday, I'm a stay-at-home mom, and on Monday, I took on this identity of a homeschooling mom, and it's just been a beautiful journey for us. I'm so thankful that the Lord led Scott in that way. He knew what was right, not just for our children, but for me, too, when I had no vision for it, and so, I'm just, you know, very grateful.   Laura Dugger: (7:16 - 7:30) I love that story. That's such an encouragement, and, okay, your oldest is turning 16, so, when you look back, what would you say has helped shape your children's character the most?   Amber O'Neal Johnston: (7:32 - 9:29) Well, I think the time that we've all had to spend together, like intense amounts of time, so, not just quality time or quantity time, but both, and I think that there's nothing else I could have done that could replace that, so, I think that's one of the things. I think my own acceptance of the divine nature of me being their mother and those being my children, and really that leading me to embrace my mother's intuition, which is something that I was hesitant for at first because there are so many experts, and surely they know so much more than me, and that's not to say that that's not important. I read so widely. I'm always reading expert ideas and views, but what I realized is that those things can help me as tools. They can mentor me, but they can't master me because the master has already appointed me as the perfect mom for these children, and nobody knows them, the little tiny details of them that nobody knows more than me, and so, when I leaned into that and I'm like, yeah, this says this online, this book said that, this thing says that, I can take what I can from those, but ultimately I feel the spirit telling me and leading me in this way with these children, and when I really leaned into that, I have a right to do that. I am their mother. That revolutionized things, and I think that's what's helped shape my children's character the most is my willingness to lean into how I'm led to lead them, and so, that's been a motherhood journey for me, and I hope that it's a legacy that I leave with my children.   Laura Dugger: (9:31 - 9:53) And do you have any specific stories that come to mind that were examples of that mother's intuition, something that really I think it is such a gift from the Lord and that the Holy Spirit speaks to us in some unique way as mothers to be in tune with our kids, so, is there a time that it really benefited them when you exercised your mother's intuition?   Amber O'Neal Johnston: (9:53 - 12:42) Well, there was one time with my third, my son, my oldest son, his name is Beckett, and he was in the high chair eating while I was braiding my daughter's hair, and I heard him start making like these really weird noises, and I looked over and it was like he was choking and gagging, and I run over, and but he seemed fine, but then he would do it again, and he started sweating, and you know today I really would say, you should call 9-1-1, but I didn't, I threw all the kids in the car, and I rushed to the ER, and when we got there he wasn't choking anymore, he wasn't sweating, they did his vitals and everything, and they said, well mom, whatever happened passed, he's fine, and you guys can go home, and I was like, no, he's not fine, I'm looking at him, he's not my little boy, his vitals are checking out, but he's not looking at me the way he normally looks at me, he's not interacting with me, the little funny things that I can make him smile all the time, he's not responding to them, and so, like, I know you have your tests, but like my, I'm telling you something's wrong with my little boy, so, they have a doctor, he comes in to tell me everything's fine, and he's sending me home, and so, I was like, well I'm not leaving, I'll just spend the night in the ER then with all my kids, because I know something's wrong, and the doctor, who's this older man, he turns to me, he looks me in my eyes, and he says, you know, in all my years of medical training, there's something that they never told us, but something I've learned throughout my career, never doubt a mother's intuition, and he said, we'll take him and run more tests, and they took Beckett back to run more tests, and they came back and said, you were right, he has swallowed a coin, and it's like just teetering on the precipice, and so, at times it was blocking his airway, and at times it was shifted a little bit, and we have to go in immediately and get it, and that could have choked him, if you had just gone home and put him down to bed, and so, in that story, I took away two things, one, that I am his mother, and I don't care what the test says, or what the data says, or what the news, or a book, at the end of the day, I knew that something was wrong with my boy, the other thing is the graciousness of that doctor, to see my humanity and my personhood beyond just the insurance payment, or protocol, or whatever, it let me know that like there's something powerful about letting other people know that you see them, and that you are connected to them, as another part of God's creation, like he respected me on that level, so.   Laura Dugger: (12:43 - 13:35) That is incredible, I'm so grateful that that story has a happy ending, and that you were assertive to say that, I think sometimes as women, probably especially as Christian women, we can think, oh I want to be nice, or not push back on somebody, but I love that you were assertive, it was what was in your child's best interest, and like you highlighted, that doctor's humility is admirable, but Amber, you mentioned too that you're a writer, and you contribute a lot to things like the Wild and Free bundles, and I was always struck by the way that you would be out in nature, and there's so much to learn, so, if you had to boil it down, what wisdom would you have to share from what you've learned about the importance of getting our kids and ourselves outdoors into nature?   Amber O'Neal Johnston: (13:36 - 16:49) Yeah, that's so funny, I love that you asked me that, because I like to tell people I was raised in the air conditioning, and so, there is no one who began motherhood further away from nature and being outdoors than me, like, and I can look back at those early days of like, I knew you could take your kids to the playground, and I did do that, but like what else would you do outside, you know, and people would be like, oh we went hiking on this trail, and I was like, where did you get on it, like where do you find a trailhead, like I mean this is back, like this is where I was coming from, and I was just like, and then what would we do, like we just walk, and do we talk about trees, I don't know any trees, I know Christmas trees are evergreens, you know, so, it was just like coming from this very like foundational place where I didn't know anything, but I believed, right, I believed, I somehow inherently believed when I read that being outdoors was important for children, so, I'm reading Charlotte Mason's work, and she's talking about nature study, I'm reading Last Child in the Woods by Louvre, and I'm hearing about this, he calls it a nature deficit disorder, and I'm reading all of these different kind of people who really respected childhood, and personhood, and really wanted the best for children, I'm reading a Christian perspective of the joy in connecting with God's creation, first and foremost, but also this idea of encouraging natural and authentic physical activity, running, climbing, balancing, exploring, developing coordination, and confidence, and the mental health components, you know, reducing stress, and improving mood, and not just for the kids, but my friend from A Thousand Hours Outside, she talks about how the first time she like took her kids out for the whole day, it was for her, because she was going crazy with these all these little kids, and the house, and the bags, and the diaper bag, and the snacks, and she didn't know what else to do, so, she just went outside, and how healing that was, and therapeutic that was for all of them, the idea of curiosity, of fueling curiosity, and creativity, I've never seen my kids come up with the most, I mean, they come up with imaginative things in our house, but outside, the, oh my goodness, the things they come up with, the things they create, and make, and the storytelling that comes out of that, and I think the family bonds, our experiences, it's another way of memory making, I mean, we make memories when we go see plays, and musicals, and travel as well, so, it's not the only way, but it's a strong way of that shared outdoor adventures, so, like a couple weeks ago, we were all whitewater rafting, it's funny, like a lot of funny things happen when you're out there doing crazy stuff, and so, we have a lot of laughter, and we have a lot of inside jokes that come from our time together, so, I think that all of those, it's not just one thing, it's one of those rare things where there are all the pros, and there really are no cons, and so, I intentionally embrace that for my family, even though it's everything that I didn't have growing up.   Laura Dugger: (16:50 - 17:41) Wow, that is so interesting, I love how books have really inspired you to make changes that have benefited your entire family, and I'm thinking back years ago when I was in grad school, studying marriage and family therapy, there was this book that we read, Letters to a Young Therapist, I believe the author is Mary Pipher, and she said something that I found to be very true in my life, she said, from childhood when we all look back, our memories typically boil down to three categories, one is family dinners around the table, the second is traveling with our family, and the third is anytime we were outdoors, and so, I'm wondering that legacy that you're giving your kids, they're going to have an abundance of memories in all three of those buckets.   Amber O'Neal Johnston: (17:42 - 18:29) Yeah, I love that, and I had never read that, it's making me want to go and read her work, but I can't agree more, I mean that's what I've seen anecdotally, at least in my family, and it's definitely been the case for us, I can totally see that, the other thing I love about outdoors too is it's free, you know, so, there have, we've had times of plenty and times of not quite enough financially throughout our journey, due to layoffs, and you know, recessions, and all these different things, but that has been one thing that the travel hasn't always been as consistent as we wanted, but the nature, the time outside has always been accessible, even during COVID, that was accessible to us, so, I love it for that too, but yeah, that's really cool.   Laura Dugger: (18:29 - 18:41) Absolutely, okay, so, you started with, you were getting some inspiration from different books and speakers, but then when did you actually implement this? Do you remember how old your kids were?   Amber O'Neal Johnston: (18:42 - 20:11) Right away, so, my oldest was like four, five years old, and we started going outside, now again, we had always been going to the park, so, they had been spending a lot of time outside, but I will say like that's like a very, you know, man-made structures, and you know, I can't think of it, like very cultivated space, so, we weren't spending time in uncultivated space until around there, so, maybe a four-year-old, two-year-old, and infant, and I know they started growing up in that way, and I had kids in an ergo on the back, and I remember hiking with a kid in an ergo on the front, and then snapped another one on the back, and you know, these are memories I have of being outdoors thoroughly by the time the boys were coming along, and I remember the story where we were at a creek, and I looked up for a moment, and just sheer panic that my little boy was gone, he wasn't in my eyesight anymore, and the girls were playing there, and I'm like, you know, and I look, and look, and look, and there's nothing, and no one, and all I can think you sees in the water, and I wasn't paying attention, and my heart's racing, and I'm like, girls, where's your brother? And my daughter says, mommy, he's sleeping on your back. And I'm like, oh my gosh, I just think, like, I was so tired during those years, and I just remember, I would just think, let's just go outside, and some days that's just the most I could come up with, but yeah, I was freaking out, and the little boy was sleeping on my back.   Laura Dugger: (20:12 - 21:50) And now a brief message from our sponsor.   Sam Leman Chevrolet in Eureka has been owned and operated by the Burchie family for over 25 years. A lot has changed in the car business since Sam and Stephen's grandfather, Sam Leman, opened his first Chevrolet dealership over 55 years ago.   If you visit their dealership today though, you'll find that not everything has changed. They still operate their dealership like their grandfather did, with honesty and integrity. Sam and Stephen understand that you have many different choices in where you buy or service your vehicle. This is why they do everything they can to make the car buying process as easy and hassle-free as possible. They are thankful for the many lasting friendships that began with a simple welcome to Sam Leman's. Their customers keep coming back because they experience something different.   I've known Sam and Stephen and their wives my entire life, and I can vouch for their character and integrity, which makes it easy to highly recommend you check them out today. Your car buying process doesn't have to be something you dread, so, come see for yourself at Sam Leman Chevrolet in Eureka. Sam and Stephen would love to see you, and they appreciate your business. Learn more at their website, LehmanEureka.com, or visit them on Facebook by searching for Sam Leman Eureka. You can also call them at 309-467-2351. Thanks for your sponsorship.   I'm wondering too, so, when you began, what did you start with? What did you do outside?   Amber O'Neal Johnston: (21:51 - 24:13) So, we started with walking, and I also was very verbal about my, what I felt were my inadequacies with friends, and that's why, you know, I can't overemphasize the, I haven't brought that up yet, but the idea of community. You don't need a hundred friends, just a few people who either are doing the same thing as you, have done it, or know you personally so well. But I had a friend who was like this outdoor enthusiast, and I always admired her for that, and she'd be like, oh, I went to the hydrangeas, they're coming out today, and they're gonna bloom for four days, and you know, like, and she would be like, oh, do you want some wild blueberries? And I'd be looking at her with side eye, like, girl, I only eat blueberries from Publix, because how do I know that you know what you're doing? You know, those could be poisonous berries you identified wrong. So, we had this kind of ongoing thing, I just asked her, I was like, hey, could we go outside with you guys sometimes? And she was like, of course. So, our first hike was with her and her kids, and she showed me how to go outside and do nothing. Like, we didn't do anything, we just walked. And the kids let us, you know, they would stop and ponder things and ask questions, which she knew the answers to, but wouldn't answer. So, she was like, well, what do you think? Or that's something cool we can investigate, or whatever. So, I realized, wow, here's this expert naturalist who's not even using her expertise. I don't have any expertise, so I could do the same thing. Well, what do you think about that? So, the kids let us, we stopped when they stopped, we kept going when they kept going. We had plenty of water and snacks, which she had told me, which was important. And that was my first thing. It was a hike. And after that, I only went back to that place by myself with my kids without her, because that was the only trail I knew. I knew where to park and where to go, and I felt confident. And then lo and behold, I run into Charlotte Mason's work, where she talks about returning to the same place throughout the year, and having your kids compare what's happening their season to season. And so, different rationale for why I was doing that. But then I was like, look, there's beauty, even in the simplicity of me not knowing what else to do. So, that's kind of how we got into it. And then I started having more experience and going out and being more adventurous further away from home with my kids.   Laura Dugger: (24:14 - 24:24) Okay, so, then what other ways has it evolved? You mentioned whitewater rafting. So, you've got teens now. What does your time outdoors look like in this phase?   Amber O'Neal Johnston: (24:25 - 26:02) So, lots of camping. So, you know, Memorial Day weekend, you know, we were camping in yurts with friends. This past weekend, we camped, we had a big Juneteenth celebration, and then we went camping for Juneteenth weekend. And so, I would say that kayaking, paddle boards, we have paddle boards, we take out fishing, I hate fishing personally, don't like it at all. But two of my kids enjoy fishing. So, I'm there for that. I'll just bring a book or whatever, because it's quite boring to me, but they love it. So, we moved. I mean, how much of a commitment is that we moved to a different house, when we were able to have our whole property is forest floor. So, it's completely shaded and intertwined with trees and plants and a kind of wild scape. And across the road is a lake where the boys can fish and I can call their names for lunch and they can hear me now. I have to yell it loud. It's kind of country. Other people probably like what is going on? I'm like, you know, but they can hear me right there. And so, the creek and just really everything. A lot, a lot of hiking, I will say we live near a mountain and we're in Georgia. So, the North Georgia mountains are not far from us. We have Appalachia or Appalachia, as my friend said, I mispronounce it. And yeah, there's nothing that isn't my one of my first dates with Scott was whitewater rafting. So, we've always kind of embraced that.   Laura Dugger: (26:03 - 26:37) Oh, that's a special way to tie in a married couple memory with your kids and get to pass that along. And water and mountains, those things are, they never get old. But I've heard others even say like, you don't have to take stuff other than water and snacks, like you mentioned, to go outside. But I like the practical tips that sometimes people take art supplies, and they can nature journal or a book to read aloud. Do you have any other practical tips like that, that you would encourage if somebody wanted to get started with this lifestyle?   Amber O'Neal Johnston: (26:38 - 28:47) Yeah, I would say, um, we, okay, the best thing I can say is to just try it like I think that oftentimes I know my I'm like this, you want to try to be an expert at something before you actually put it into practice. And the point is, like, we're looking at someone's work or something that they're doing after years that they've been in practice. And then we're expecting to do that from the very beginning. And until we get there, we don't want to do it. So, for example, nature study, nature journaling, I always admired nature journaling. But when you look at people's nature journals that they people who are willing to share, there's usually a reason they're willing to share theirs because it looks beautiful. And mine didn't also look beautiful. But I was still willing to give it a try. And I love that. And I love my kids, what they've worked on. And I cherish all of our early beginning sketches. And quite honestly, I'm still not great. But I think having tools like watercolor pens and water pens where we can do watercolor on the go. And we've done many pictures out by the side of the creek on picnic blankets, especially like my older children while younger people are like, What do I do with these little ones like water, you know, like they love that splashing, making sandcastles and things while I'm painting or doing things watercolors with the with the older ones. And were they museum worthy? No. But there was a lot of enjoyment involved in a skill-based learning. So, I think asking questions and inquiry, using pictures, sure and painting, but also keeping track of things the the date that our cherry blossoms bloom, and our white cherry blossom blooms before the pink one every year and keeping track of that or paying trying to map all of the vegetation in our yard like we are, you know, know which trees what they're called where they come from that takes time. And those are things we've done. It's not like we're only just sitting there barefoot grounding ourselves and forest bathing. You know, we're out there learning as well. And I think that, you know, both are beautiful ways to enter into that.   Laura Dugger: (28:48 - 29:34) I love it. There's so many benefits. And you even mention grounding that helps so much going barefoot with inflammation and different body systems that are reset even by getting out and getting early morning light and the serotonin that's produced that turns into melatonin at night. So, we're happier in the day and sleepier at night, resetting systems in our eyes and like healing our body in different ways to an even how much better outdoor air is for us than indoor air. The benefits just go on and on. So, would you have any to add that either your family has experienced personally, or you've learned about just benefits of getting outdoors?   Amber O'Neal Johnston: (29:34 - 31:29) Yeah, I think that one, even, you know, all the things you said, yes, and also the mental clarity. And that's why I don't like being time outdoors, being tied to a negative consequence for academic related behavior. So, the house across the road from ours, you know, I could say ironically, or just be like, God chose to gift us. It's a homeschooling family. They moved in a couple years ago, and they have some kids are some of our kids are similar ages. And our boys are just outside all the time together hours and hours and hours every single day. And I see the difference on days where the weather doesn't permit it or where one family or the other, you know, isn't available. There's a difference in terms of clarity and the work that's happening at the lesson table as well. And this came up, you know, my nephew, you know, they're not homeschooled, and his parents took him on a trip, which caused him to miss a day of school. And he missed an assignment that day, he didn't turn it in. And so, the school then when he got back to school punished him by keeping him indoors for recess. And I was helping, you know, my family craft a note that talks about two things. One, they punished a child for a decision the parents made. And that is grossly unfair, they should be talking to the parents about not missing school, if that's the important thing. And the second thing is, you took away the very thing that allows these children to have what they need to sit quietly and take in, you know, that that's not, that's not how you that's not an appropriate consequence. So, anyway, I feel that the mental clarity beyond the things I would have named the same things you already said, it would be the only other thing that I would bring in and why time outside actually helps us to achieve deeper and broader and more expansive learning when we are inside.   Laura Dugger: (31:29 - 31:54) That's good. And I love how you keep mentioning the piece of community that that's the best way to do this. So, regardless of somebody homeschools, or they don't, how can all of us actually prioritize this? And what's a good, healthy goal for getting started, even as specific as how much time outdoors, how many outdoors or how many days a week should we be outdoors?   Amber O'Neal Johnston: (31:55 - 33:01) Yeah, that's, it's so different for every family, I think that you should go just past the point of comfort, you know, for most of us. So, if the point of comfort for you is like 30 minutes a week, then you would start out like aim for an hour a week, you know, 20 minutes, three days, if you're already outside for, you know, 10 hours, a couple hours each day, you know, I would say, maybe shake it up with what you're doing and see what would it be like to go on a really long outdoor excursion on a Saturday, or to take a day off or something like that. So, I don't want to say an exact number, because we're all entering in at a different place. For me, if someone had told me to spend eight hours outside with my kids, when I was first starting, and I'm used to going to playground for 20 minutes, that would have been overwhelming. And I would have been like; there's no way I'm ever gonna do it. So, I think like, just taking it, like, where do I feel most comfortable? And how can I push myself just past that point would be a great place to start and kind of a nice place to always stay? Like, what's the next thing that we can do to lean further into this?   Laura Dugger: (33:02 - 33:15) That's really good, very wise counsel. And Amber, you've mentioned that your family loves to travel. So, will you share any adventures that you've had as a family with world schooling?   Amber O'Neal Johnston: (33:16 - 36:20) So, our goal, and it's just a fun thing, you know, I don't know if we'll totally do it, but I think we will, is to have children. So, for us, world schooling is where we're not on vacation, but we're actually deeply immersed in a learning stance in another country, another part of the world. And we're trying to do that on every continent, except Antarctica, before my oldest graduates. So, we have two continents left, we are going to be going to Asia in the fall. So, we'll be taking that one off of our list and for that particular feat. And then her senior year, we'll do Australia and hop over to New Zealand. That's the plan, if it's God's will for us to do that, that's what we would like to do, and that will complete our journey. And then we'll keep traveling, but that was just kind of a fun thing to help lead us, because there are so many places in the world to go, like how do you know? And so, that kind of helped us know, well, let's do this continent, let's do that continent. So, we took our first trip, we spent three months in South America, most of it spent in Bolivia. And I can tell you exactly the kids' ages, because my youngest turned two in Bolivia. So, they were two, four, six, and then one turned eight there. And so, that was, you know, diapers, I had a baby in diapers, a little one in diapers and still nursing when we went on our first trip. And I've never regretted that. People have said, why would you take kids so young? You know, they're not going to remember. And I think a couple thoughts. One, you'd be surprised, they do remember. They may not remember this artifact in some museum, but that's not what we spend most of our time doing. But they remember the people. And we've kept in touch with a lot of the people that we've met in these different countries. And we've even had visitors in our home, staying in our basement apartment that we met abroad. So, they do remember. They remember how things feel and taste more than they remember exactly, like historical markers and things like that. Also, I kind of compare it to like breastfeeding and nursing, like my kids, except for one little boy who held on way too long, but they don't remember that. But I believed that it was something good for them that was forming. It was helping to form who they were, not so much who they were personality wise, but their bodies as they were growing. And so, sometimes we do things that are foundational to our children's development, even if they don't have a conscious and direct memory of that thing. And that's how I see world travel. So, we've been to Europe, and we were in Greece when COVID hit. We were in the middle of a big trip there. So, we had the whole struggle to get back to the United States. We've been to West Africa, most spent in Ghana, England, France. We're going to Ethiopia this year. So, yeah, that's kind of, that's our thing.   Laura Dugger: (36:20 - 37:04) Wow. And those memories are incredible. Even let's say your children forget some of this, or if they're too young to remember all of it, you remember this and you get to share those stories with them and pass that along. I can't even imagine all of the learning that takes place from being immersed in those other cultures. But you also mentioned welcoming people into your basement apartment. So, you sound hospitable as a family. What does that actually look like? And I'm kind of going to throw two questions at you. What does that actually look like? And then both for world schooling and hospitality, what are tips for ways we can replicate that as well?   Amber O'Neal Johnston: (37:06 - 39:52) So, one thing that's important to me to always share about world schooling, I have a whole chapter about our world schooling adventures in my first book, but one important thing that I call out there is Eli Gerzen. He's the guy who came up with the word world schooling. And he says, you know, we don't even need a passport to do it. That world schooling is really learning from the world around you. It could be your local library. It could be the internet. It could be your neighbors. And so, while I use this more global term of world schooling, because that's just what we call it in our family, the truth of the matter is it's a way of seeing the world and seeing all the opportunity to make connections right where you're sitting. And people are like, oh, you guys have so much money. I can't do that. First of all, we don't have so much money. Like, for instance, we have one car, right? So, there are sacrifices that we make that other people may choose to spend their money in a different way. So, we definitely don't have a ton of money. But more importantly, I'm thinking, yeah, you're saying that you don't have money, but how much have you explored your county? Like, what do you know about the history of your county? And have you been to your local historical society? And have you really, you know, got in? Have you been to an old the oldest cemetery within driving distance of your home? Have you gotten a tour of it to hear the stories of who's there? Like, you can have that same inquiry and curiosity without ever leaving. So, I'll say that first. And in terms of the hospitality part, it's like an it's an intention, right? You have to like, decide that you're going to do that, because it's so much easier not to have people at first view, like, oh, my house is not clean, and blah, blah, blah. And people don't just stop by the way they used to stop by, like my grandparents' house, it was so fun staying there in the summer, because people just folks just came in and out all day, just they come calling is what they call it, they come calling. And even when we read Jane Austin, people leaving the call guard, you know, when they came to visit, and you weren't there, like, there was this idea that you didn't have to have an appointment. And now you do, you have to let someone know before you're coming. So, it's a choice to be vulnerable, if you want to be hospitable in that way that people will see your, you know, dirty bones of your house. And you know that you're not always presenting this, like really sanitized version of your family and your family life. And so, I think that's intentional decision to say it's more important to us to be with other people and let them in than it is for us to always sanitize everything before they get here. And I don't mean sanitizes and clean the house that too, but I mean sanitizes and everyone's behaving the way that I want them to behave in front of people and all of that as well.   Laura Dugger: (39:53 - 41:05) When was the first time you listened to an episode of The Savvy Sauce? How did you hear about our podcast? Did a friend share it with you? Will you be willing to be that friend now and text five other friends or post on your socials anything about The Savvy Sauce that you love? If you share your favorite episodes, that is how we continue to expand our reach and get the good news of Jesus Christ in more ears across the world. So, we need your help.   Another way to help us grow is to leave a five-star review on Apple Podcasts. Each of these suggestions will cost you less than a minute, but it will be a great benefit to us. Thank you so much for being willing to be generous with your time and share. We appreciate you.   Well, and I think it is a biblical command for all of us and it does bless the person or the people that we are hosting, but there are also rewards for us in the process. So, if you even just could think of one reward of a way that this hospitality has blessed your family, what would you say?   Amber O'Neal Johnston: (41:07 - 41:55) Well, I would say John chapter five, it says, you know, this verse we've all heard, "I am the vine, you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit apart from me, you can do nothing." So, you know, when we talk about hospitality, we spend a lot of time talking about what my family is doing for other people. But also, that means that my family is constantly in contact with other believers and other people who are helping us with our faith to helping us to remain connected to Jesus. And without that connection, we know that there's nothing that we can do, nothing of any spiritual significance. So, while I'm inviting those people into our lives, it also ensures that my family is not alone in what we're trying to do in our faith. So, like, that's one of a very easy benefit, I can say right off the top.   Laura Dugger: (41:56 - 42:18) Then that one is truly invaluable for our children to get to witness the way other people live out their faith, and it impacts each of us. But I'm also curious, how do you manage your time so that you can be a content creator, and you can homeschool and travel and cultivate these relationships?   Amber O'Neal Johnston: (42:20 - 46:08) So, first, let me say that it's not always easy. And there are seasons where I feel like I'm doing a really good job with that. And there are seasons where I feel like I'm not doing a good job. I always prioritize my family first. And so, during the seasons where I feel like I'm not doing a good job, it's very public. People can see I did not post on Instagram for a month, or I'm not speaking as much. They're finding it harder to find opportunities to hear me speak, or I have a long lull before books are published. Those are times where I've turned inward towards my family, where I felt like I didn't have the bandwidth for everything. And so, that's something I have to deal with on a constant basis, because I know that my business or my ministry is not as rich and robust as it could be. I have ideas for days. I have ideas and the ability to bring them to fruition. But I'm not willing to sacrifice the time that it takes to do those things in this season. Because even though I don't have little kids, I definitely have more time than I did when I had little kids. It's not even just time; it's more mind clarity as well. But I don't have as much time as people with little kids would think, because I want to be fully present, even for my teens. When they want to talk to me, I want to be talkable too. I want to be available to them. And we're going to places. We're doing things. They're busy. I'm busy. And I'm trying to prepare them for young adulthood. And that's just as time-consuming as trying to prepare my young children for the next stage of their development. So, I guess it's so messy. Oh my gosh, it's messy. It's chaotic. It's a little bit crazy. But in the center of it all, I really appreciate the opportunities I do have to do the things that help refuel, help me refuel. So, I'm a writer. So, writing isn't just about creating a book. It's that I get to create a book, but really it's about the process and how cathartic it is for me to sit in silence and wonder about things and be able to write them out. And oh, lo and behold, there's a publisher who is interested in publishing those things. But the real work for me is in the process of writing. Then when I come home from a coffee shop or I emerge from my room, I come back more enthusiastic about what it is we're working on and what we're doing. The other thing that I would share is that I don't do all of that stuff by myself. So, things that people don't, just like I say, I have one car and we travel the world, people are like, oh, okay, this is not what I thought. My husband does all the laundry, every piece of laundry in this house that the teens do their own, but all the laundry that's done, he does and has done for over a decade. So, that's a thing I have to say, because you might be picturing that I'm doing all of those things. Or when I wrote one of my books, I was struggling and Scott was like, how can I help you? And he was like, what if we get help to come in with the kids like a nanny or something a few hours a week? I'm like, no, that's the last thing I want somebody to touch. So, he's like, well, what is it? So, we hired a chef, and she would prepare all of our dinners according to like what I, how I like my family to eat and lots of whole foods and good things. And she would drop them off at our house. It was very expensive, but I used part of the money from the advance from the publisher to pay for that so that I could write the book. So, I think those are things that a lot of times people don't talk about, but I have support in place. I'm not super woman any more than anyone else.   Laura Dugger: (46:08 - 46:49) Oh, I appreciate that real picture and those creative ideas because as mothers, we don't just make goals for ourselves. Like you said, we have these dreams and ideas that we could put into practice, but we consider our relationships as well and how it will impact everyone. So, I love hearing practically how that plays out for you and the trade-offs that you've chosen to make. And I know that you and I also share a passion for reading aloud. So, if we could get really practical for a moment, what are some of your most recommended read aloud for families from a variety of age groups?   Amber O'Neal Johnston: (46:50 - 53:05) Well, I'm always ready for that question, but I have to say, it's almost asking me, which of my children are my favorite? It's so hard in so many ways, but for younger elementary, I picked three books that I think kind of help show how expansive I feel like I want my children's reading life to be. So, this book is called Indigo Dreaming, and it's a book about two girls, one's in North America and another one we can believe is off the coast of Africa. And they're both doing what they do in their own homes. And it's beautifully illustrated also, but they're both doing what they do in their own homes while wondering, is there another little girl in this world doing what I do, liking what I like? Well, indeed there is. And it's poetic and it has soft paintings. It's just stunning. And then another one is called The Magic Doll. It's a children's book inspired by African art. And in this book, the mother desperately wants to have a child, but she's dealing with infertility, and she turns to the use of an infertility doll. And what would I say about that? My family doesn't believe that, but it's a book that I read with my children because we were going to visit this culture. And I wanted to explain to them how we can respect something and learn about it even without adopting it. And that you can understand the yearning of a mother's heart to hold a child in her hand and the desperation that that could bring about. And I wanted them to know that we would see fertility dolls there and what they meant and things like that. And it's also beautifully illustrated, which is important to me. And then this one's just a fun book. It's called I Had a Favorite Dress, but as the dress starts getting too small, she cuts it and turns it into a skirt. And then it gets turned into this. And then the little, small piece gets turned into some socks. And then it's just a little scarf and snip, snip, sew, sew, pretty hair bow. And so, the same piece of fabric, this favorite dress she had, every time she can't use it in that way anymore, it gets moved and shifted. Into something else. And this book reminds me to just, you know, sometimes we share heavier topics with our children, even beautiful topics, but sometimes it's just joy. Like that's the whole purpose of the book is to smile and have fun. And I'll move more quickly for the older elementary books. I have this book called Schomburg. It's a nonfiction book about Arturo Schomburg and the man who built a library, which is now housed. His home library is now housed as part of the collection of the public library system in New York. And he collected books about all types of black and brown people. And it was considered one of the foremost library collections. So, as a book lover, I love that story. This one's called Heart and Soul. It's the story of America and African Americans with stunning illustrations by Kadir Nelson. So, I love visual art. I always say my family, we can't afford to buy the most exquisite art for our walls, but we have an exquisite art collection through our picture books that I've collected. And then the last one is for that group is John Henry by Julius Lester and Jerry Pinkney illustrations. So, those are two powerhouses of African American author and illustrator. Both have passed. And it is the tall tale of John Henry told in a way that you've never seen before. For older kids, like middle schoolers, I love this one Big Open Sky because it's about some black exodusters who are moving west. And it goes so well for families who love Little House on the Prairie. But, you know, Little House on the Prairie, in some ways, there's some instances that are a little disrespectful to Native Americans and black people. And this is like a redemptive story, not instead of but alongside of it to say that there were black people that were also moving westward and what was their journey. And it's written in verse, like, oh, my gosh, I can't even tell you enough about that. This book, The Angel Orphan, my friend Leah Bowden wrote this book, and it's the story of Charlotte Mason. So, in chapter book form. So, there's also a picture book that someone wrote, but this is a beautiful story about Charlotte Mason. And my family's all-time favorite on my kids read aloud is The Winged Feather Saga by Andrew Peterson. And that whole series, oh, my goodness, that cemented so much of our family lexicon, because it's filled with like made up words. And it I mean, we have jokes and talks and sayings for days coming out of that series. For our older teenagers, um, or even early elementary, early middle school and early teenage years, the Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry is just like a such a classic, Mildred D. Taylor that many of us read. But she also wrote a young adult version where Cassie is entering young adulthood. So, different age audiences, but same author. And a lot of people haven't heard of the other book All the Days Past, All the Days to Come. So, for high school, I love that. And then I threw a couple things in for mama. I'm an epic story of called Homegoing about two sisters and the different paths their lives take during a time I'm part of it is told in Africa and part of its told in the United States. And the last book I have is this memoir, A Black Mother's Garden. It's called Soil. And she uses her actual real garden at her home to kind of give us this idea of life. And it's, it's, you know, it's, it's hard to explain, but it's her it's part memoir, part gardening, like learning and talking about the plants, but also how all of that can turn into kind of like the soil of your life and the people being plants, and she really focuses on wildflowers. So, it's a stunningly, like poignant and beautiful memoir. So, those are my favorite, you know, and now if you ask me tomorrow, you're going to get a different stack.   Laura Dugger: (53:07 - 53:27) I love it. What a gift to get to see all of those you and I share some of those favorites, and you've introduced me to some new ones. So, I'm very grateful and hope everybody listening feels the same. But speaking of books, you've authored more than one. But will you tell us about your most recent release entitled Soul School?   Amber O'Neal Johnston: (53:28 - 55:58) Yeah, so, Soul School is it's Soul School: Taking Kids on a Joy Filled Journey Through the Heart of Black American Culture. And I know it's so hard with those. But it is a book of books. So, people who have enjoyed Honey for a Child's Heart, or The Read-Aloud Family, those types of books, which I have adored, and I have all of them, and I've highlighted them or, or Give Your Child the World is another one, highlighted them and dog eared them and have used them to check out books for the library for my children for many, many years. And, and at the same time, I was always very, you know, on my heart that the books that I spend a lot of time reading with my children that I choose and I select are never really included in most of those books.   And there was the season, you know, I'm like, frustrated, you know, I'm mad. I'm like, why? Why are they putting these books in here? And then the more I thought about it, I was like, the most you can ask for a mother to do when she's sharing these books, when it's coming from that is what she read with her children. So, am I going to be mad at her that she didn't read what I think she should read? No, do I wish that it had been more expansive? Sure, I do. But how many of us wouldn't go back and do something differently if knowing what we know today or whatever. So, I wrote a companion like the I see not to replace those books. But this book is filled with African American and black diasporic children's literature starting from preschool all the way through high school.   The first part of the book, I talk about what I'm looking for specifically in books about black American culture, and why those things are important. So, the first few chapters, first five chapters are really teaching the teacher. And then the rest of the book, which makes up most of the book are really rich annotated book lists with descriptions why I chose the book discussion questions, project ideas, and something called second helpings. Like when you think of a big soul food dinner, you go through the line the first time and you fill your plate, but then you go back for second helpings of the things that taste the very best. So, if your child likes this book, then here are two second helpings that they also would probably enjoy. And you know, the book was years in the making, I read all 300 plus books in there from cover to cover. And that's kind of my contribution to raising our children.   Laura Dugger: (56:00 - 56:40) Wow, I mean, it is a stunning piece of work. And there's so much for your family, but also for all of us. So, I think of being one of your kids, what a treasure that their mom read 300 books and put this together. But for all of us, I love books on books. And like you said, we can use it to go to the library or then once we read those and find which other ones we love, we can add it to our home collection. So, thank you for that powerhouse of work. And Amber, there's still so much more that you could share with us. Where can we go after this conversation to connect with you or to learn more?   Amber O'Neal Johnston: (56:42 - 56:56) Go to heritagemom.com. And there you'll find all of my books and years' worth of blog posts and book recommendations and other things. My Instagram is @heritagemomblog and the same at Facebook.   Laura Dugger: (56:56 - 57:12) Wonderful. Okay, we will add those links to the show notes for today's episode. And you may be familiar that we're called The Savvy Sauce because savvy is synonymous with practical knowledge. And so, as my final question for you today, Amber, what is your savvy sauce?   Amber O'Neal Johnston: (57:12 - 57:50) Oh, this is such a great question. I love this part of your podcast. I would say that my savvy sauce is learning to be a really great listener. Like if there's nothing else, then that's listening to my husband and the things of his heart and listening to my children and my neighbors and my friends.   But also, people I don't know, people in other places. And also, people I disagree with and being willing to be quiet and listen and take what I can from what they're sharing as well. So, that is, I think my savvy sauce is being an introspective listener.   Laura Dugger: (57:50 – 58:13) That is well said. You are such an inspiring and creative soul. And I have thoroughly enjoyed this chat. And I know I've been hearing you speak on other podcasts and reading your work for years. So, this was such a treat to get to connect with you today. And I just want to say thank you for being my guest.   Amber O'Neal Johnston: (58:14 - 58:16) Thank you so much for having me.   Laura Dugger: (58:16 - 1:01:59) One more thing before you go. Have you heard the term gospel before?   It simply means good news. And I want to share the best news with you.   But it starts with the bad news.   Every single one of us were born sinners, but Christ desires to rescue us from our sin, which is something we cannot do for ourselves.   This means there is absolutely no chance we can make it to heaven on our own.   So, for you and for me, it means we deserve death, and we can never pay back the sacrifice we owe to be saved.   We need a Savior. But God loved us so much, he made a way for his only son to willingly die in our place as the perfect substitute.   This gives us hope of life forever in right relationship with him. That is good news. Jesus lived the perfect life we could never live and died in our place for our sin.   This was God's plan to make a way to reconcile with us so that God can look at us and see Jesus.   We can be covered and justified through the work Jesus finished if we choose to receive what He has done for us.   Romans 10:9 says, “That if you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”   So, would you pray with me now?   Heavenly Father, thank you for sending Jesus to take our place.   I pray someone today right now is touched and chooses to turn their life over to you. Will you clearly guide them and help them take their next step in faith to declare you as Lord of their life?   We trust you to work and change lives now for eternity. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. If you prayed that prayer, you are declaring him for me, so me for him.   You get the opportunity to live your life for him.   And at this podcast, we're called The Savvy Sauce for a reason.   We want to give you practical tools to implement the knowledge you have learned. So, you ready to get started?   First, tell someone. Say it out loud. Get a Bible.   The first day I made this decision, my parents took me to Barnes & Noble and let me choose my own Bible.   I selected the Quest NIV Bible, and I love it. You can start by reading the book of John. Also, get connected locally, which just means tell someone who's a part of a church in your community that you made a decision to follow Christ.   I'm assuming they will be thrilled to talk with you about further steps, such as going to church and getting connected to other believers to encourage you.   We want to celebrate with you too, so feel free to leave a comment for us here if you did make a decision to follow Christ.   We also have show notes including where you can read scripture that describes this process. And finally, be encouraged.   Luke 15:10 says, “In the same way I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”   The heavens are praising with you for your decision today.   And if you've already received this good news, I pray you have someone to share it with. You are loved and I look forward to meeting you here next time.

In this inspiring conversation, I sit down with Amber O'Neal Johnston—author, speaker, and founder of Heritage Mom—to explore what it means to create something uniquely your own. Amber offers her wisdom on embracing heritage, weaving family culture into everyday rhythms, and finding the courage to “create your own flavor” instead of simply following tradition or trends.Together, we unpack how heritage shapes identity, why representation matters in learning and storytelling, and practical ways families can cultivate spaces that celebrate authenticity, belonging, and joy. If you're longing to live more fully in your story, this episode will encourage you to embrace who you are—and share it boldly with the world.Ro's Resource Room is a series of informational podcasts designed to equip and encourage families on their homeschooling journeys. CHAP is the Christian Homeschool Association of Pennsylvania and has provided year-round support to homeschoolers since 1994.  Find valuable resources at https://www.chaponline.comGot PA Homeschool law questions? Check out https://www.homeschoolpennsylvania.org Contact us at https://www.chaponline.com/contact-us with your questions or topics for discussion.Don't miss out on the latest in PA homeschool news! Subscribe to our eNews at https://chaponline.com/subscribe-to-enews/Donate to support CHAP in the endeavor to encourage, connect, equip, and protect homeschoolers at https://chaponline.com/donate/

What if homeschooling wasn't a conveyor belt of quizzes and boredom—but the most flexible, life-giving way to raise whole humans? In this conversation with Amber O'Neal Johnston, editor of the new anthology Homegrown, we dismantle the myths: how Amber went from “absolutely not” to “never looked back,” why freedom to pivot becomes a family superpower, and how learning in community (like Erin Loechner's “together schooling”) turns neighbors, potters with kilns, and adventure clubs into the world's most joyful classroom. We talk confidence over fear, travel as teacher, Charlotte Mason and living books, and why moms (and dads!) are the “special sauce” their kids actually need. We also get real about hard seasons like grief, health crises, money stress and why your kids aren't “falling behind” when life happens; they're gaining a profound education in perseverance, compassion, and peace. You'll hear why “seasons take time to change,” how brains (and families) grow through challenge, and why relationships—not checklists—drive real learning. If you're starting, restarting, or homeschool-curious, this is your Sunday reset: practical, soul-steadying, and deeply encouraging. Listen and share! Text this episode to a friend who needs a boost. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

About Homegrown: Guidance and Inspiration for Navigating Your Homeschooling Journey with Amber O'Neal Johnston Warm and wise, grounded and liberating, Homegrown offers clarity and encouragement to homeschooling parents, asking what it means to build a life where learning and love grow side by side.Homeschooling is the fastest-growing form of education in America, and it's here to stay. If you're a homeschool veteran, finishing up your first year, or are just homeschool curious, Homegrown is destined to become a go-to resource.This collection of 30 original, thought-provoking pieces from a diverse group of contributors covers common questions such as· What fuels families to educate children at home?· How do relationships, culture, and vision affect the decision to homeschool?· What roles do spouses, friends, extended family, and communities play in our ability to homeschool?· How do culture, heritage, history, and legacy seamlessly intertwine with reading, writing, and arithmetic?· Why is raising our kids this way so important, and how do we prioritize it?Whether your aim is to nurture your child's passions, support their individual learning style, or connect with a community of like-minded families, this book will be your trusted companion every step of the way. Spanning age, race, ethnicity, political beliefs, geography, religion, family size, educational philosophy, and more, the essays in Homegrown provide parents with guidance and inspiration to kickstart or refine their homeschooling practice with creativity, connection, and confidence.Purchase a copy of Homegrown here.Connect with Amber O'Neal Johnstonwebsite | Facebook | InstagramAmber O'Neal Johnston is an established authority on infusing culture and a love for others into an intentional home environment. She shares her observations on education, living books, and worldschooling at HeritageMom.com and through her books A Place to Belong and SoulSchool. She is a regular contributor to the Wild + Free homeschooling community, a frequent podcast guest on popular shows, and a coveted speaker at homeschooling, education, and parenting conferences.

Episode 77 Today is an exciting day for my podcast. It's my first return guest, my friend, Amber O'Neil Johnston! And I loved talking to Amber about her new book, Homegrown: Guidance and Inspiration for Navigating Your Homeschooling Journey.  Homegrown is such a unique book. Amber gathered and edited essays from 30 different home schoolers. In this book you'll hear from veteran home schoolers, home school dads, those home schooling outside the US, home schoolers of different ethnicities, those home schooling one child or many, and second-generation home schoolers (like me!)  I have never read another homeschool book like this and I absolutely being a part of this book and now getting to share it with you. *And here's your reminder to take a minute today to leave a rating and review for this podcast! It is so helpful for more people to be able to find the show. Thanks for continuing to support and share the podcast. It means the world! Where to find Amber:  Listen to Amber's first interview on my show here Find Homegrown book here Find Amber's website here Find Amber on Instagram here  The Greta Eskridge Podcast is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.org

Amber O'Neal Johnston is the creator of Soul School, author, friend, and inspiration, and we are so excited to have her on the podcast. She quit a successful job in the corporate world, and with her husband and four children, embarked on a Charlotte Mason Education. However, early on, she took ownership of it to find and curate beautiful living books that more closely resonated with her family's cultural heritage. In episode 146, Jennifer and Amber talk about the heart of Charlotte Mason, and why it's not only about old books, the importance of protecting young children from inappropriate material, why it's okay to curate what your kids read, and the joy of learning in a Holy Spirit led environment. If you love Charlotte Mason, but are wanting more, this episode is for you.  Episode sponsored by the Peaceful Press! The Peaceful Preschool Volume 2 is here!! Purchase your beautiful copy of the brand-new Peaceful Preschool for a year of delightful, hands-on learning.  Looking for Elementary Bundles to engage in Charlotte Mason-styled education? Check out the Playful Pioneers, Precious People, and the Kind Kingdom!   In this episode– Protecting your children is okay  Charlotte Mason is a philosophy not a formula or a rule book  The joys of raising kids who read Do check out Amber's book A Place to Belong You can learn more about Jennifer here: Jennifer's Instagram You can learn more about Amber O'Neal Johnston here: Amber's Instagram Some Amazon Affiliate Links.

Amber O'Hearn isn't just a long-time carnivore diet advocate—she's one of its original thought leaders. With an academic background spanning math, psychology, and evolutionary biology, Amber brings a rare depth to the discussion around metabolic health and lifestyle transformation. In this wide-ranging Employee Wellness conversation with OHH Director Krisna Hanks, Amber reflects on 15+ years of personal and professional exploration. What's still misunderstood about carnivore? How should employers approach it? And what do Vitamin C, fiber, and gender have to do with it all? Get ready for a grounded, research-informed perspective that cuts through the confusion.Send Dr. Ovadia a Text Message. (If you want a response, you must include your contact information.) Dr. Ovadia cannot respond here. To contact his team, please send an email to team@ifixhearts.com Like what you hear? Head over to IFixHearts.com/book to grab a copy of my book, Stay Off My Operating Table. Ready to go deeper? Talk to someone from my team at IFixHearts.com/talk.Stay Off My Operating Table on X: Dr. Ovadia: @iFixHearts Jack Heald: @JackHeald5 Learn more: Stay Off My Operating Table on Amazon Take Dr. Ovadia's metabolic health quiz: iFixHearts Dr. Ovadia's website: Ovadia Heart Health Jack Heald's website: CultYourBrand.com Theme Song : Rage AgainstWritten & Performed by Logan Gritton & Colin Gailey(c) 2016 Mercury Retro RecordingsAny use of this intellectual property for text and data mining or computational analysis including as training material for artificial intelligence systems is strictly prohibited without express written consent from Dr. Philip Ovadia.

Amber O'Hearn isn't just a long-time carnivore diet advocate—she's one of its original thought leaders. With an academic background spanning math, psychology, and evolutionary biology, Amber brings a rare depth to the discussion around metabolic health and lifestyle transformation. In this wide-ranging Employee Wellness conversation with OHH Director Krisna Hanks, Amber reflects on 15+ years of personal and professional exploration. What's still misunderstood about carnivore? How should employers approach it? And what do Vitamin C, fiber, and gender have to do with it all? Get ready for a grounded, research-informed perspective that cuts through the confusion.Send Dr. Ovadia a Text Message. (If you want a response, you must include your contact information.) Dr. Ovadia cannot respond here. To contact his team, please send an email to team@ifixhearts.com Like what you hear? Head over to IFixHearts.com/book to grab a copy of my book, Stay Off My Operating Table. Ready to go deeper? Talk to someone from my team at IFixHearts.com/talk.Stay Off My Operating Table on X: Dr. Ovadia: @iFixHearts Jack Heald: @JackHeald5 Learn more: Stay Off My Operating Table on Amazon Take Dr. Ovadia's metabolic health quiz: iFixHearts Dr. Ovadia's website: Ovadia Heart Health Jack Heald's website: CultYourBrand.com Theme Song : Rage AgainstWritten & Performed by Logan Gritton & Colin Gailey(c) 2016 Mercury Retro RecordingsAny use of this intellectual property for text and data mining or computational analysis including as training material for artificial intelligence systems is strictly prohibited without express written consent from Dr. Philip Ovadia.

Had the pleasure of speaking with professional wrestler Amber O'Neal! On episode 207, we discussed getting into wrestling, training under Leliani Kai, Team Blondage, favorite opponents, helping flood victims, and more. Follow Amber here: https://linktr.ee/Amberoneal1 Are you a pro wrestler and have done community service and/or charity work? E-mail the podcast at wrestlingwithheart@yahoo.com and tell us if you would be interested in being interviewed. Follow us on:Facebook: Wrestling with Heart with Stanley Karr Bluesky: @wrestlingwithheart.bsky.social Instagram: @wrestlingwithheart Threads: @wrestlingwithheart Hear Wrestling with Heart on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Hear Wrestling with Heart on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/46cviL5... Hear Wrestling with Heart on iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-wr... Donate to my Patreon and subscribe to my content here: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=84502525 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sonya is joined by Amber O'Neal Johnston, who shares her story of coming to love nature study after growing up in the air conditioning. From Air Conditioning to Loving Nature Study originally appeared on Simply Charlotte Mason.

Sonya is joined by Amber O'Neal Johnston, who shares her story of coming to love nature study after growing up in the air conditioning. From Air Conditioning to Loving Nature Study originally appeared on Simply Charlotte Mason.

DESIGN YOUR FAMILY'S UNIQUE HOMESCHOOL THAT YOU'LL LOVE! https://littlebylittlehomeschool.com/blueprint     Homeschooling allows us a unique opportunity to disciple and share the world with our children. And we can be intentional about how we do that. Today's guest, Amber O'Neal Johnston Of Heritage Mom, has done just that with her homeschool. She realized that she can give her children depth to their education by creating an atmosphere rich in culture, connection, and curiosity. Grab a cup of coffee and become inspired by Amber's homeschool! ♥ Leigh   Amber's website: www.HeritageMom.com Amber's books: www.SoulSchoolBook.com and www.APlaceToBelongBook.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/heritagemomblog Facebook: www.facebook.com/heritagemomblog         SIMPLIFY YOUR MEAL PLANNING https://littlebylittlehomeschool.com/meal   CREATE YOUR HOMESCHOOL FAMILY'S HOME TASK SYSTEM https://www.littlebylittlehomeschool.com/tidyhome    LITTLE BY LITTLE HOMESCHOOL CONFERENCE: https://littlebylittlehomeschool.com/conference   JOIN THE MENTORSHIP https://littlebylittlehomeschool.com/mentorship       Website -  https://www.littlebylittlehomeschool.com Newsletter -  https://littlebylittlehomeschool.subscribemenow.com/ Community - https://www.facebook.com/groups/homeschoollifestylecommunity  Follow - https://www.instagram.com/littlebylittlehomeschool/ Connect - info@littlebylittlehomeschool.com   Listen to these related episodes: 66. Two Essential Homeschool Approaches Every Mom Needs to Know Because it Will Completely Change Your Child's Education    116. How To Balance Technology In Homeschool When You Are Trying To Provide An Old-Fashioned Childhood    183. 5 Things Your Child Is Missing Out On By Homeschooling Instead of Going to School 

How much do you love a great book list? The kind that introduces you to stories you never knew you needed? That's exactly what Amber O'Neal Johnston has created in her latest book, Soul School: Taking Kids on a Joy-Filled Journey Through the Heart of Black American Culture.In today's episode, we explore the profound impact literature has on shaping identity and why it's essential for all children—not just Black children—to engage with stories from diverse perspectives. Amber shares how Soul School isn't just a book list, but a guide to curating a home library that reflects the richness of Black American history, culture, and imagination.We discuss the power of Afrofuturism, the accessibility of poetry, and how parents can thoughtfully introduce new voices into their children's literary world. If you're looking for ways to expand your family's reading life in a meaningful way, this conversation is a must-listen.Order Soul School today and start weaving cultural education into your family's everyday learning.Resources:Learn more about Amber's book at soulschoolbook.comOur previous interviews with Amber Johnston:Building a Family Heritage through Homeschool with Amber O'Neal Johnston - Part One - A Brave Writer's Life in BriefBuilding a Family Heritage through Homeschool with Amber O'Neal Johnston - Part Two - A Brave Writer's Life in BriefBuilding a Family Heritage through Homeschool with Amber O'Neal Johnston - Part Three - A Brave Writer's Life in BriefCheck out Julie's new author website: juliebogartwriter.com!Subscribe to Julie's Substack newsletters: Brave Learning with Julie Bogart and Julie Off TopicPreorder Julie's new book, Help! My Kid Hates Writing: How to Turn Struggling Students into Brave WritersFind Amber O'Neal Johnston's Soul School in the Brave Writer Book Shop: https://bravewriter.com/book-shop/list/podcast-recommendationsVisit Amber's website at heritagemom.comAmber is @heritagemomblog on InstagramTry out our Brave Writer Practice PagesFind our podcast book recommendations in the Brave Writer Book Shop: https://bravewriter.com/book-shop/list/podcast-recommendationsLearn more about the

In this conversation, Stephen Thomas interviews Amber O'Hearn, a pioneer in the carnivore diet movement. They discuss Amber's journey into the carnivore diet, her motivations, and the surprising health benefits she experienced, including improvements in mental health. The conversation delves into common misconceptions about the carnivore diet, particularly regarding vitamin C and iron overload, and explores the role of uric acid in health. Amber introduces the concept of being a 'lipovore,' emphasizing the importance of fat in the diet. The discussion concludes with insights into short-chain fatty acids and their impact on ketosis.Chapters00:00 Introduction to the Carnivore Diet Journey01:51 Health Motivations Behind the Carnivore Diet03:29 The Role of Plants and Mental Health05:31 Vitamin C Myths in the Carnivore Diet09:18 Iron Overload and Gut Health14:44 Understanding Blood Ranges and Health Outcomes18:29 The Concept of Lipovore vs. Carnivore24:02 Uric Acid and Its Implications31:03 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and Ketosis

Today we will be exploring part two of Soul School by Amber O'Neal Johnston and we remain epic fans of this book!  We'll be exploring the curated list of resources that Amber has created for us and it is truly more than you can even imagine.  Come check it out with us!  This is a must purchase book for every homeschooler seeking to diversify their homeschool environment and de-colonize their bookshelf.  We wholeheartedly recommend ordering it here:  https://amzn.to/3YXlGlgThank you to this week's sponsor - Miss Devyn's Video Game Universe.  Learn more about their class offerings here:  https://outschool.com/teachers/missdevyn?signup=true&usid=C19DrybHAlso, use coupon code DEVYNCOUPON19 for a $1 class!!  Miss Devyn was a guest on our podcast last year.  You can get to know her better by checking out this episode:  https://youtu.be/JnhVqjhxBNgLet's continue the conversation on Patreon! We host live meet-ups 2x/month and can't wait to meet you.Join here: https://bit.ly/3X5R0gIHomeschoolers love a good rabbit hole! Dig in deeper with our helpful links: https://linktr.ee/homeschoolmomsunfilteredhttps://homeschoolmomsunfiltered.com/ A HUGE thank you to our premier sponsor - Hub of Curiosity. They believe that learning begins with interest and offer an incredible variety of classes on Outschool. Check out their amazing classes and receive $20 off your first class:  https://outschool.com/teachers/Hub-of-Cuiosity?signup=true&usid=C19DrybH Would you like personalized coaching from Meagan or Amanda (or both)???? We offer consultation services. Feel free to take a look at our respective bios and book a time that is convenient for you.https://calendly.com/homeschoolmomsunfiltered Come hang out with us! Join our FB group for fun and support:https://www.facebook.com/groups/homeschoolmomsunfilteredLet's be friends!!! Follow us on social media for giveaways and updates!!IG: https://www.instagram.com/homeschoolmomsunfiltered/ TT: https://www.tiktok.com/@homeschoolmomsunfiltered?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc FB: https://www.facebook.com/homeschoolmomsunfiltered Love Homeschool Moms Unfiltered and want to show your support? https://www.buymeacoffee.com/homeschoolmomsunfiltered

We are continuing our discussion of Soul School by Amber O'Neal Johnston and we remain epic fans of this book!  In fact, Amanda said it is the best book we've read in our book club to date.  That is high praise!  This is a must purchase book for every homeschooler seeking to diversify their homeschool environment and de-colonize their bookshelf.  We wholeheartedly recommend ordering it here:  https://amzn.to/3YXlGlgLet's continue the conversation on Patreon! We host live meet-ups 2x/month and can't wait to meet you.Join here: https://bit.ly/3X5R0gIHomeschoolers love a good rabbit hole! Dig in deeper with our helpful links: https://linktr.ee/homeschoolmomsunfilteredhttps://homeschoolmomsunfiltered.com/ A HUGE thank you to our premier sponsor - Hub of Curiosity. They believe that learning begins with interest and offer an incredible variety of classes on Outschool. Check out their amazing classes and receive $20 off your first class:  https://outschool.com/teachers/Hub-of-Cuiosity?signup=true&usid=C19DrybH Would you like personalized coaching from Meagan or Amanda (or both)???? We offer consultation services. Feel free to take a look at our respective bios and book a time that is convenient for you.https://calendly.com/homeschoolmomsunfiltered Come hang out with us! Join our FB group for fun and support:https://www.facebook.com/groups/homeschoolmomsunfilteredLet's be friends!!! Follow us on social media for giveaways and updates!!IG: https://www.instagram.com/homeschoolmomsunfiltered/ TT: https://www.tiktok.com/@homeschoolmomsunfiltered?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc FB: https://www.facebook.com/homeschoolmomsunfiltered Love Homeschool Moms Unfiltered and want to show your support? https://www.buymeacoffee.com/homeschoolmomsunfiltered 

This is our first week discussing Soul School by Amber O'Neal Johnston and all we can say it WOW, WOW, WOW!  This is a must purchase book for every homeschooler seeking to diversify their homeschool environment and de-colonize their bookshelf.  We wholeheartedly recommend ordering it here: https://amzn.to/3YXlGlgLet's continue the conversation on Patreon! We host live meet-ups 2x/month and can't wait to meet you.Join here:https://bit.ly/3X5R0gIHomeschoolers love a good rabbit hole! Dig in deeper with our helpful links:https://linktr.ee/homeschoolmomsunfilteredhttps://homeschoolmomsunfiltered.com/ A HUGE thank you to our premier sponsor - Hub of Curiosity. They believe that learning begins with interest and offer an incredible variety of classes on Outschool. Check out their amazing classes and receive $20 off your first class: https://outschool.com/teachers/Hub-of-Cuiosity?signup=true&usid=C19DrybH Would you like personalized coaching from Meagan or Amanda (or both)???? We offer consultation services. Feel free to take a look at our respective bios and book a time that is convenient for you.https://calendly.com/homeschoolmomsunfiltered Come hang out with us! Join our FB group for fun and support:https://www.facebook.com/groups/homeschoolmomsunfilteredLet's be friends!!! Follow us on social media for giveaways and updates!!IG:https://www.instagram.com/homeschoolmomsunfiltered/ TT:https://www.tiktok.com/@homeschoolmomsunfiltered?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc FB:https://www.facebook.com/homeschoolmomsunfiltered Love Homeschool Moms Unfiltered and want to show your support?https://www.buymeacoffee.com/homeschoolmomsunfiltered 

Amber O'Neal Johnston is a Charlotte Mason homeschooling mom who makes her home in Georgia with her husband and four children. In this conversation, Amber  shares her new book, Soul School: Taking Kids on a Joy-Filled Journey Through the Heart of Black American Culture, and shows us how we can create a home where every child is seen and celebrated. Grab your copy of Amber's book: https://bit.ly/3Eo6cihYou can find the show notes for this episode at https://www.homeschoolcompass.com/podcastFollow the Homeschool Compass on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/homeschoolcompassFollow the Homeschool Compass on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/homeschoolcompassWe would be so grateful if you would leave The Homeschool Compass Podcast a rating and a review in your podcast player. It helps new homeschool families find these encouraging conversations. Thank you in advance!

In this episode, we welcomed the one and only Heritage Mom, Amber O'Neal Johnston for a discussion about her new book, diversifying our homeschool approach, and so much more!  Amber is an absolute force of nature wrapped up in a gentle spirit.  You won't want to miss this!   In this episode, we discussed Amber's two books.  Her new book Soul School will be our next book club selection.  But you're definitely going to want to read her first book - A Place to Belong - as well.  Both are quite different, but equally incredible!  They're invaluable resources if you're committed to a diverse homeschool experience for your kiddo(s).   Soul School:  https://amzn.to/3YXlGlg A Place to Belong: https://amzn.to/4hbB5VB  We release a book club every Thursday as well.  You can tune in without ever reading, but if you'd like to read along with us, you can find our current book here:  https://amzn.to/4j2Noop  ((Hey there!  Just a quick note.... sometimes, but not always, we share affiliate links.  We only share products we use and love!  It doesn't cost you anything extra to order through our link, but it does help support our podcast.  We appreciate your help!))  Let's continue the conversation on Patreon! We host live meet-ups 2x/month and can't wait to meet you. Join here: https://bit.ly/3X5R0gI ((Use code FTP90 for 90% off your first month)) Homeschoolers love a good rabbit hole! Dig in deeper with our helpful links: https://linktr.ee/homeschoolmomsunfiltered https://homeschoolmomsunfiltered.com/  A HUGE thank you to our premier sponsor - Hub of Curiosity. They believe that learning begins with interest and offer an incredible variety of classes on Outschool. Check out their amazing classes and receive $20 off your first class:  https://outschool.com/teachers/Hub-of-Cuiosity?signup=true&usid=C19DrybH  Would you like personalized coaching from Meagan or Amanda (or both)???? We offer consultation services. Feel free to take a look at our respective bios and book a time that is convenient for you. https://calendly.com/homeschoolmomsunfiltered  Come hang out with us! Join our FB group for fun and support: https://www.facebook.com/groups/homeschoolmomsunfiltered Let's be friends!!! Follow us on social media for giveaways and updates!! IG: https://www.instagram.com/homeschoolmomsunfiltered/  TT: https://www.tiktok.com/@homeschoolmomsunfiltered?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc  FB: https://www.facebook.com/homeschoolmomsunfiltered Love Homeschool Moms Unfiltered and want to show your support? https://www.buymeacoffee.com/homeschoolmomsunfiltered 

Send us a textAmber O'Hearn is a returning guest on our show! Be sure to check out her first appearance on episode 90 of Boundless Body Radio, and her second appearance on episode 301, all about low-carbohydrate diets and sleep, which is one of our most talked about episodes of all-time!Canadian born Amber O'Hearn, MSc, is a data scientist by profession with a background in mathematics, computer science, linguistics, and psychology. Amber has been studying (and eating!) low-carbohydrate diets of some form or other for the last 25 years, the last half of which has been specifically the Carnivore Diet, which she helped bring into modern awareness by giving the first conference talks on the diet in 2017, organizing the first Carnivore conference in 2019, and writing the first scientific paper with "Carnivore Diet" in the title in 2020.As such, she has unique insight into the history of this trend and the common pitfalls of new adopters and influencers. Amber is a free speech maximalist and advocate of privacy-enhancing and censorship-resistant technologies. Amber lives on the other side of the hill from us is Boulder, CO!Find Amber at-TW- @ketocarnivorefacultativecarnivore.commostly-fat.comFind Boundless Body at- myboundlessbody.com Book a session with us here!

The literacy crisis in America is a deeply troubling issue in our modern day. For years, public schooled students have been trailing behind where they ought to be in literacy, reading comprehension, and more. Since the pandemic, this problem has skyrocketed. But this is an issue that affects homeschoolers as well. Not only are many people leaving the public schools and coming into homeschooling, but many people your students will meet-- whether in college, the workplace, or their personal lives-- will have been public schooled. Students must learn to read so they can read to learn, and no one is immune to the issues that have caused this literacy gap. Today, we're joined once again by Heritage Mom Amber O'Neal Johnston, as we discuss how this literacy crisis came to be, and what we as homeschoolers can do to push back against it. SHOW NOTES: Visit our website at www.happyhomeschoolerpodcast.com If you have any questions or comments, please email us at happyhomeschoolpod@gmail.com Visit Transcript Maker and get your 14-day free trial! Like our page and join our group on Facebook! Follow us on Instagram! The Elite College Students Who Can't Read Books - The Atlantic The Literacy Crisis in the U.S. is Deeply Concerning—and Totally Preventable - EdTrust America's Literacy Crisis - The Seattle Medium Addressing The Literacy Crisis: A Call To Action For District Leaders (forbes.com) Amber's First Guest Spot on Our Show: 115: Choosing Books (w/ Heritage Mom, Amber O'Neal Johnston) Pre-Order Amber's New Book: Soul School by Amber O'Neal Johnston (heritagemom.com) Amber's Website: Home - Heritage Mom The Happy Homeschooler Podcast is a Transcript Maker Production. It is hosted by Holly Williams Urbach, Melody Gillum, and Jennifer Jones, produced by Matthew Bass, and edited by Norah Williams. Our logo is by Norah Williams and our music is by The Great Pangolin. If you liked this episode, and you'd like to help us grow, leave us a review and subscribe on Apple Podcasts and Spotify!

This episode of "The Geek in Review" explores MinterEllison's strategic adoption of Microsoft Copilot, delving into the practical implications and challenges of implementing generative AI within the legal industry. Guests Amber O'Meara, Head of Innovation, and Tim Andrews, Director of IT Operations, discuss the firm's multifaceted approach to generative AI, emphasizing its potential to enhance client experiences, boost productivity, and empower their legal professionals by automating mundane tasks and allowing them to focus on more complex legal work. This strategic vision, endorsed by the firm's leadership, drove their decision to participate in the Copilot Early Access Program, providing valuable insights and shaping their implementation strategy. One of the key takeaways is MinterEllison's measured and strategic rollout of Copilot. Rather than a firm-wide deployment, they opted for a phased approach, prioritizing specific personas and departments that would benefit most from the technology. Initial challenges included data jurisdiction limitations, the inherent "fear factor" of adopting new technology, and user inertia stemming from unmet expectations. The firm addressed these obstacles through a comprehensive training program, incorporating a dedicated "Gen AI Time" initiative, collaborative sessions with Microsoft, and a "reverse mentoring" program for partners. This multifaceted approach, coupled with internal communication and a knowledge-sharing platform, fostered enthusiasm and addressed concerns, leading to impressive user satisfaction and reported time savings. MinterEllison's training program played a crucial role in the successful adoption of Copilot. Combining internally developed resources with vendor-provided training, the program addressed both the technical aspects of using Copilot and the art of prompt engineering. The firm's innovative approach of dedicating fee-credited time for generative AI training proved highly effective, incentivizing participation and demonstrating leadership commitment. This investment in their people, combined with gamification elements like their internal “Mint Coin” cryptocurrency, fostered a competitive spirit and encouraged active engagement in the learning process. Finally, the conversation touches on the broader impact of generative AI on the legal industry. MinterEllison envisions a future where AI tools are widely adopted, reshaping traditional law firm models and creating new roles focused on innovation and technology. They emphasize the importance of ongoing collaboration, both internally and within the legal community, to address client privacy concerns, share best practices, and navigate the evolving landscape of AI in law. The firm's commitment to responsible AI usage, guided by their “Lighthouse Principles” and an AI steering committee, underscores their dedication to ethical implementation and client data security. They also see the potential for generative AI to contribute to access to justice initiatives and support social impact work, highlighting the transformative potential of these technologies beyond the traditional boundaries of legal practice. Links: Amber (Burgess) O'Meara | LinkedIn Tim Andrews | LinkedIn MinterEllison: Overview | LinkedIn MinterEllison - MinterEllison Listen on mobile platforms:  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ |  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@gebauerm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@glambert ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email: geekinreviewpodcast@gmail.com Music: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jerry David DeCicca⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Transcript

For many moms, the idea of homeschooling sounds nice, but it can feel too far out of reach. And I get it. Teaching kids at home without a supportive community and access to resources can appear to be a daunting task. But it doesn't have to be.  Sometimes, you just need to hear [...]

EPISODE WEBSITE LINK In this episode of the Homeschool Our Way Podcast, I'm joined by Amber O'Neal Johnston. She's a homeschool mom of four, speaker, and author who's here to talk about how she infuses Black history and culture into her family's homeschool experience. Be sure to pre-order your copy of Amber's new book SOUL SCHOOL: Taking Kids On a Joy-Filled Journey Through the Heart of Black American Culture⁣⁣⁣! Pre-order by August 15, 2024 and fill out this form to receive a code for a FREE Heritage Pack download of your choice, PLUS all future preorder bonuses! More from Amber: Also check out ➡️ A Place to Belong: Raising Kids to Celebrate Their Heritage, Community, and the World Heritage Packs | Multicultural Study Guides Check out Amber's website & blog, and sign up for her newsletter ➡️ Heritage Mom Follow Amber on social media: Instagram | Facebook ********* Want more info on how to get started homeschooling?

Amber O'Neal Johnston joins Sonya to talk about why history is so interesting with the Charlotte Mason homeschool approach. Why Repeat History Time Periods? originally appeared on Simply Charlotte Mason.

Amber O'Neal Johnston joins Sonya to talk about why history is so interesting with the Charlotte Mason homeschool approach. Why Repeat History Time Periods? originally appeared on Simply Charlotte Mason.

Amber O'Hearn joins David Gornoski to talk about why red meat is important, why a high protein diet may not work for everyone, how our metabolism is being destroyed, solutions to impaired thyroid, whether people get aggressive from carnivore, and more. Check out Amber's website here. Visit aneighborschoice.com for more

Amber O'Neal Johnston shares how she had to overcome cultural objections to homeschooling, and why that matters to all of us homeschoolers. Overcoming Cultural Objections to Homeschooling originally appeared on Simply Charlotte Mason.

Amber O'Neal Johnston shares how she had to overcome cultural objections to homeschooling, and why that matters to all of us homeschoolers. Overcoming Cultural Objections to Homeschooling originally appeared on Simply Charlotte Mason.

In this episode of the Homeschool Our Way Podcast, I'm joined by guest Amber O'Neal Johnston. She's a homeschool mom of four, speaker, and author of the book A Place to Belong: Raising Kids to Celebrate Their Heritage, Community, and the World. Amber talks about how she infuses Black history and culture into her family's homeschool experience, and she shares with us the following: How another Black woman in her neighborhood introduced her to homeschool and helped change her family's trajectory. The turning point with her daughter that caused Amber to ensure that Black representation was a central part of their homeschool life. How her own experience with school encouraged her to want to foster a love for learning for her kids. How her book inspires all people - regardless of race/gender/ability/etc - to explore their own place of belonging. Be sure to get your copy of A Place to Belong, as well as her multicultural study guides called Heritage Packs. Get your copy of Amber's book ➡️ A Place to Belong: Raising Kids to Celebrate Their Heritage, Community, and the World Heritage Packs | Multicultural Study Guides Check out Amber's website & blog, and sign up for her newsletter ➡️ Heritage Mom Follow Amber on social media: Instagram | Facebook ********* Learn more about Homeschool Our Way: Homeschool Beginner Checklist | What We Do | Homeschool Merch! | Homeschool Learning Resources | Instagram ********* If you've found this podcast helpful, please leave me a review!

Amber O'Neal Johnston joins Sonya to talk about bringing your family's heritage to the holidays. Including Your Heritage During the Holidays originally appeared on Simply Charlotte Mason.

Amber O'Neal Johnston joins Sonya to talk about bringing your family's heritage to the holidays. Including Your Heritage During the Holidays originally appeared on Simply Charlotte Mason.

Children learn to read, so they can read to learn! But even more than an educational aid, reading is a pleasure enjoyed by millions of people every day. Today, we're joined by the Heritage Mom, Amber O'Neal Johnston, to learn how she chooses books for her homeschool and her family! SHOW NOTES: Visit our website at www.happyhomeschoolerpodcast.com If you have any questions or comments, please email us at happyhomeschoolpod@gmail.com Visit Transcript Maker and get your 14-day free trial! Like our page and join our group on Facebook! Follow us on Instagram! Amber's Book Recommendations: The Old Truck, by Jerome and Jarrett Pumphrey When Stars Are Scattered, by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed Saving Savannah, by Tanya Bolden Visit Amber's Website: Heritage Mom Buy Amber's Book: A Place to Belong Follow Amber on Social Media: Instagram, Facebook This episode featured: Deck the Halls B by Kevin MacLeod http://incompetech.com Creative Commons — Attribution 4.0 International — CC BY 4.0 Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/deck-the-halls-b Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/RzjZ-WdVeyk The Happy Homeschooler Podcast is a Transcript Maker Production. It is hosted by Holly Williams Urbach, Melody Gillum, and Jennifer Jones, produced by Matthew Bass, and edited by Norah Williams. Our graphic design is by Pete Soloway and our music is by The Great Pangolin. If you liked this episode, and you'd like to help us grow, leave us a review and subscribe on Apple Podcasts and Spotify!

If you've been in the homeschooling realm for long you've probably heard the term "living books." This is a term coined by Charlotte Mason, and has become extremely widespread, for good reason. Living books put the flesh on the dry bones of fact. Mason boldly stated that " "no education seems to be worth the name which has not made children at home in the world of books, and so related them, mind to mind, with thinkers who have dealt with knowledge. We reject epitomes, compilations, and their like, and put into children's hands books which, long or short, are living.”  (Charlotte Mason, School Education, p. 226) Today I'm speaking with book enthusiast Amber O'Neal Johnston of Heritage Mom all about living books -- what they are, why they're so important, and how we can use them build a rich heritage in our homes. ______ Amber O'Neal Johnston is an author, speaker, and worldschooling Charlotte Mason mama who blends life-giving books and a culturally rich environment for her four children and others seeking to do the same. She recommends we offer children opportunities to see themselves and others reflected in their lessons, especially throughout their books, and she's known for sharing literary “mirrors and windows” on HeritageMom.com and @heritagemomblog (IG). Amber is also the author of A Place to Belong, a guide for families of all backgrounds to raise kids to celebrate their heritage, community, and the world. LINKS Redeeming Reader Stories of Color --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/jessica9025/support

Dr. Shawn Baker is a former orthopedic surgeon, world champion athlete, and best-selling author of "The Carnivore Diet." He co-founded Revero, a company that uses artificial intelligence to assess people's dietary needs and assign an optimal meat-centered diet. Dr. Baker is a leading authority on nutritional therapy and raising awareness about how it affects chronic diseases. The Composition Consultant, (Jonathan Griffiths) offers a holistic approach to health and fitness. His services are designed to guide you through your fitness journey, helping you to lose fat, build muscle, and take control of your health. 0:00 Dr Shawn Baker introduction (7 year carnivore)3:44 Shawn talks about health of the general public and weight loss successes.9:26 The rise of the carnivore diet, going on Joe Rogan's podcast11:37 Mis-information about obesity (a slight drop in signal) and LDL levels15:42 The influencers that spread the word about the carnivore diet17:19 The mainstream healthcare system has lost the trust of the people18:04 Adrenal issues and how carnivore works to help resolve the problems19:42 Amber O'Hearn and talking about glucagon and how good nutrition generally helps everything21:40 What will happen at Revero in the future23:30 Signal issues (sorry)24:10 Hashimoto's and chronic fatigue, what are Shawn's thoughts25:50 Fat to protein ratios and seed oils29:43 The composition consultant enters the room30:12 The importance of iodine32:51 Composition Consultant INTRO (3.5 year carnivore)39:14 If not counting calories how can I get percentages correct?45:00 Using 'calories' is flawed47:40 Biometric scales, DEXA scans & body fat callipers49:23 Does lifting weights put stress on Jonathan's spine?52:17 Composition plateaus and protein/fat ratios56:26 If OMAD causes indigestion/conThank you so much for listening to my podcast. I hope you enjoyed it. Your support means the absolute world to me. And if you're enjoying the show, I've got a small favor to ask you. I'd be incredibly grateful if you would consider becoming a supporter and make a small monthly donation. Your contribution will really help to improve the show. It's a small monthly contribution. You can cancel at any time, and the link is in the show notes. Support the showAll my links in 1 easy list, including booking and personal training workout plans at LINKTREE You can now download the carnivore experience appApple direct link for apple devices Google play store direct link to app for Android Coach Stephen's Instagram Book me for coaching My growing UK carnivore YouTube channel I have set up a community that is all about eating low-carb and specifically carnivore. CLICK HERE Support my podcast from just £3 per monthBECOME A SUPPORTER Success stories Optimal Health 5 Star reviews All my facebook and other reviews are here Thanks to www.audionautix.com for any music included. Ple...

Today, Leslie is joined by Amber O'Neal Johnston, author of A Place to Belong: Celebrating Diversity and Kinship in the Home and Beyond. Amber has such a heart for creating a homeschool environment that opens the door for conversations and experiences of cultural literacy and understanding diversity among each other. You do not want to miss a moment as Amber seeks to equip families to provide their children an education based on diverse voices. Meet the Guest:Amber O'Neal Johnston is an author, speaker, and worldschooling mama who blends lifegiving books and a culturally rich environment for her four children and others seeking to do the same. She recommends we offer children opportunities to see themselves and others reflected in their lessons, especially throughout their books, and she's known for sharing literary “mirrors and windows” on HeritageMom.com and @heritagemomblog. Amber is also the author of A Place to Belong, a guide for families of all backgrounds to raise kids to celebrate their heritage, community, and the world.In This Episode:Find out more about Heritage Mom Amber O'Neal Johnston HEREOrder your copy of A Place to Belong: Celebrating Diversity and Kinship in the Home and Beyond HEREFollow Amber and her children in their homeschool and worldschool journey on Instagram

Amber O'Hearn, Dr. Andreas Eenfeldt, Raphi Sirtoli, and Dr. Ted Naiman discuss Satiety Per Calorie and Calories In Calories Out - 32.45 Maximising calories out / fatty acids - 36.40 Calories - 39ish Per calorie energy out - 54.20 Tension between complexity and accuracy - 5740 Non-linearity - 59.05 Calorie focus & reduction of energy intake - 1.03.00 On not restricting calories - 1.06.00 Fat types - 1.22.20 What's in a name? Thanks for listening or watching. Please hit subscribe where you're watching or listening so you don't miss out on future episodes. Please leave a review, it takes 30 seconds and really helps get these exciting messages out there. And if you or anyone you know could benefit from a mental health tune-up, head over to metpsy.com where myself and psychiatrist Dr. Rachel Brown coach you to better mental health.

Amber O'Neal Johnston and I discuss her book A Place to Belong so we can help homeschool families celebrate heritage, diversity & kinship. The post How to Celebrate Diversity & Kinship with Amber O'Neal Johnston appeared first on Capturing the Charmed Life.

Reggie & Akili are joined by Amber O. & Sean P. to talk about their exciting initiative taking place throughout 2023: The Du Bois Literary Society. Get Your Copy of Black Reconstruction from Resist Booksellers Follow Amber O. Follow Sean P. Join The Fellowship—BAPC's Patreon Community Follow BAPC on Instagram Shop BAPC's Bookshop:

She's back and here to share her advice on how to optimize the opportunity of acquiring existing salons. With three locations she still offers both employee and rental opportunities within one brand. If you're considering a hybrid salon model or hoping to expand your brand, this episode is for you! WATCH ON YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/7VM8zYlH01I   JOIN mya! joinmya.com   LET'S CONNECT! BTT Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beyondthetechnique MYS Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/join_mya/   FOLLOW GOLD N BRAID SALONS! Gold N Braid's Website: https://www.salongoldandbraid.com House of Collaboration Website: https://www.houseofcollaboration.com Gold N Braid's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goldandbraid Amber's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amberoharahair

Check out our new Patreon page! Get access to the Boundless Body Radio Premium Podcast, with a new episode added every other week! Other perks include early releases of our episodes, extended video content, and group and one on one coaching!Lorenz Manaig is a social media keto influencer and a health coach! Lorenz is the host of the very popular Ketones and Coffee Podcast, where he interviews experts, influencers and everyday people, who each have life-changing stories after discovering low carbohydrate and ketogenic lifestyles and changing their relationship with food. Lorenz is also the founder of Basic Keto Box, a Canadian-based company that curates healthy, non-GMO, keto-friendly snacks for people who are on ketogenic diets. Lorenz is also a finance major and worked in the finance industry for 5 years until he discovered the ketogenic way of eating, which gave him much more life, purpose, & freedom. He almost immediately saw relief from his symptoms of anxiety and depression, and was able to start his company and his podcast. He believes that many people are suffering in silence and strives to tell his story and to share the stories of his guests in order to assist the people who need it. I was fortunate enough to be hosted on his podcast on episode 93, titled "Casey Ruff On Why We Should Focus Less On Calories", which dropped on September 12, 2022! Find Lorenz at-IG- @keton.esncoffeeIG- @basicketobox.caPodcast- Ketones and Coffee with Lorenzhttps://basicketo.ca/TW- @KetonesPSpecial thanks to our former guests- Amber O'Hearn, Nicole Laurent, and Amy Berger! Find Boundless Body at-myboundlessbody.comBook a session with us here! Find Boundless Body at- myboundlessbody.com Book a session with us here! Check out our new Patreon page!

Amber O'Dell, Host of the podcast Accessing Elysium, joined me for a conversation a about her new podcast, the strange experiences she has had lately some of which included, psychic perception, Sleep Paralysis, Witnessing flying little men, and possibly being hypnotized by these strange Djinn like Entities. Support Amber here: https://altmediaunited.com/access-elysium/Share This Episode: https://share.transistor.fm/s/c053b4e7This Podcast is Sponsored by the Hit Kit! check out the Hit Kit Here  https://hitkit.us/New Booklet by Mystic MarkBiblio-Man-See Buy Nowhttps://ko-fi.com/s/eefb2be3b9Get the SEEEN Travel Guide!https://ko-fi.com/s/6f1e1173a0Synchro-Wisdom Dialogue: https://linktr.ee/mysticmarkpodcastMFTIC Merchhttps://mftic-podcast.creator-spring.comJoin us on TelegramLeave me a message On Telegram!For Exclusive My Family Thinks I'm Crazy Content: Only 3$ get 50+ Bonus Episodes, Sign up on our Patreon For Exclusive Episodes. Check out the S.E.E.E.N.or on Rokfin@MFTICPodcast on Twitter@myfamilythinksimcrazy on Instagram, Follow, Subscribe, Rate, and Review we appreciate you!https://www.myfamilythinksimcrazy.comhttps://altmediaunited.com/my-family-thinks-im-crazy/Listen to Every AMU Podcast with this link. https://lnns.co/pI5xHeyFdfgGET A NEW PODCASTING APP! https://podcastindex.org/appsHelp fund the show, I cannot do this without your support.CashApp: $MarkSteevesJrVenmo: @MysticMarkPaypal: @mysticmarkPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/MFTIC?fan_landing=trueRokfin: https://www.rokfin.com/myfamilythinksimcrazyKo-fi: https://ko-fi.com/myfamilythinksimcrazyBuy Me A Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/MFTICWithout you this Podcast would not exist, may good karma bless all who support.MUSICAL CREDITSIntro Song by Destiny LabMusic: Long Dark HallwaysBy HoliznaRapsOutroMusic: Some Kind Of HorrorBy Jesse SpillaneMusic: My Family Thinks I'm CrazyBy HoliznaRapsReleased under a Creative Commons Attribution International 4.0 License Thanks To Soundstripe and FMA ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Does the Charlotte Mason method provide enough challenge or rigor as children get older? Amber O'Neal Johnston joins Sonya for an encouraging conversation. Is Charlotte Mason Enough for Older Students? originally appeared on Simply Charlotte Mason.

Does the Charlotte Mason method provide enough challenge or rigor as children get older? Amber O'Neal Johnston joins Sonya for an encouraging conversation. Is Charlotte Mason Enough for Older Students? originally appeared on Simply Charlotte Mason.

Thank you for listening to Brown Mama Bear hosted by Shanera Williamson.  Today on the show, Shanera welcomes Amber O'Neal Johnston to the show.  They discuss Amber's new book, A Place to Belong.  Amber is a veteran homeschooling mom whose passion is to raise black kids who will love themselves and others.   Mentioned: Amber's website, HeritageMom Amber's book, A Place to Belong: Celebrating Diversity and Kinship in the Home and Beyond   Connect with Amber O'Neal Johnston: Facebook, Instagram   Connect with Shanera and Brown Mama Bear: Facebook, Instagram, Website   Make sure you share Brown Mama Bear with at least 3 friends so you have someone to talk with about these things.

Creating Family Culture :: Amber O'Neal Johnston [SOM Wk 4] You are creating a culture for your family, right now, whether or not you're aware of it or intentional in it. Your words and actions reveal the functional values you have for your family. Is yours a culture of fun and laughter? Grace and second chances? Integrity and grit? It could be all of those and more, or something simpler - it is unique to your family! Whatever it is, if it isn't intentionally cultivated it will be like a garden filled with weeds - growing, but haphazard. My guest this week is Amber O'Neal Johnston and one of the values that drives her family's culture is that her kids would know they are seen and valued at home and in the world. And that other people are just as valuable too.  This, along with other values, drives the decisions they make about how they interact with the world around them, right down to the restaurants they eat at.  She challenges us to not only cultivate a family culture, but to grow as moms and people along the way. Her book, A Place to Belong: Celebrating Diversity and Kinship in the Home and Beyond is available now. We're taking time this summer (as usual) to be mentored by some experienced moms and benefit from their wisdom. I'm asking them about their “mom brands” and the unique families and assignments God has given them to help us embrace the specific and unique spot God has given each of us.  Discussion Questions: What stood out to you from this episode?  What practices or resources have you used to expose your kids to other cultures?  Where has God called you to speak out in love when you'd prefer to remain silent? Spend time praying with your group for these circumstances. What is one value that you want to emphasize in your home?  Amber shared that she had to release her need to impress other moms in order for her kids to flourish - what expectation or ideal do you need to let go of so that your kids can flourish? How would being secure and confident in your family culture change your relationships with other moms or families?  Connect with Amber Johnston:  Website:  https://heritagemom.com/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeritageMomBlog  Instagram:  @heritagemomblog Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/HeritageMomBlog/_created/  Links Mentioned:   A Place to Belong: Celebrating Diversity and Kinship in the Home and Beyond by Amber O'Neal Johnston  Things To Do List from the Heritage Mom Website Related Episodes: Finding Yourself in Motherhood :: Amber O'Neal Johnston [Ep 310] Featured Sponsors:  Athena Club. Get 20% off your first order at AthenaClub.com with promo code DMA. Rothy's. Your new favorite shoes are waiting. Fet $20 off your first purchase at rothys.com/DMA.  Fabric. Protect your family with term life insurance now, in just 10 minutes. Apply today at MeetFabric.com/DMA.

Amber O'Hearn has an eclectic background, with academic publications in several fields including theoretical mathematics, cognitive psychology, computational linguistics, and more recently, evolutionary nutrition and biology. She has been studying and experimenting with low-carb, ketogenic diets since 1997, and is particularly interested in evolutionary constraints and interspecies differences. Amber has been eating a nearly plant-free diet since 2009 Ambers Website Mostly-fat.com    BUY THE MEAT NosetoTail.org   Support me on Patreon! http://patreon.com/peakhuman   Preorder the film here: http://indiegogo.com/projects/food-lies-post     SHOW NOTES [1:00] - Amber's background, history, education and interests related to nutrition and a long-term carnivore lifestyle [9:00] - Amber's introduction in 2009 to keto and carnivore through pregnancy [15:45] - Plant antinutrients and health [24:40] - Carnivore + Fruit and Ray Peat  [34:35] - “Zooming out” on Plants vs Meat studies and the risks vs costs  [42:45] - Plant compounds, antioxidants and oxidative stress [53:00] - Ineffectiveness of RDA's based on individual diets and vitamin deficiencies  [1:03:15] - mTOR, Valter Longo, and longevity diets [1:14:30] - High fat diet vs. high protein  [1:20:35] - Can the Carnivore community fall into the vegan community nutrient deficiency trap?   BUY THE MEAT NosetoTail.org Support me on Patreon! http://patreon.com/peakhuman Preorder the film here: http://indiegogo.com/projects/food-lies-post   Film site: http://FoodLies.org YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/FoodLies   Follow along: http://twitter.com/FoodLiesOrg http://instagram.com/food.lies http://facebook.com/FoodLiesOrg

How can we embrace and accept the body God gave us? I don't know about you, but I have often wished for a body built very differently from mine. God gave me a body I keep wishing away. So how do we accept and embrace the body God specifically picked for us? How do we find belonging in our own skin? Key Quotes “There was this nagging feeling that being different meant that I wasn't quite enough.” - Author, speaker, and world-schooling mama Amber O'Neal Johnston “Can I go to my friends and say, ‘There's something in my home that's horribly broken, and will you help me fix it?'”  - Author, speaker, and world-schooling mama Amber O'Neal Johnston  “Invisibility is cancerous to children.” - Author, speaker, and world-schooling mama Amber O'Neal Johnston  “Be an ask-able parent.”  - Author, speaker, and world-schooling mama Amber O'Neal Johnston  “Representation is life-giving.”  - Author, speaker, and world-schooling mama Amber O'Neal Johnston  “We have to care as much about each other's children as we do for our own.”  - Author, speaker, and world-schooling mama Amber O'Neal Johnston  “Remain open-hearted to the idea that everyone's experience is not the same as your own, and that what we can do most is listen.”  - Author, speaker, and world-schooling mama Amber O'Neal Johnston  “Listen to the stories. Listen to the things people are telling us because behind those stories, they are letting us know what they need.”  - Author, speaker, and world-schooling mama Amber O'Neal Johnston   About Amber O'Neal Johnston Amber O'Neal Johnston is an author, speaker, and world-schooling mama who blends life-giving books and a culturally-rich environment for her four children and others seeking to do the same.  She recommends we offer children opportunities to see themselves and others reflected in their lessons and especially throughout their books, and she's known for sharing literary “mirrors and windows” on her platforms.  Amber is also the author of A Place to Belong, a guide for families of all backgrounds to celebrate cultural heritage, diversity, and kinship, while embracing inclusivity in the home and beyond. Here's how to connect with Amber O'Neal Johnston Website Instagram Facebook A Place to Belong book Here's how to connect with Jill Website  GraceInRealLifePodcast.com  Instagram  Facebook group  Facebook page Subscribe to Jill's weekly “the good + the grace” email   

 Morning Time gives us a gift. It gives us a time in our day where we can enjoy the music, poetry, and art of a culture -- either our own or the culture of others. Today I am joined by Amber O'Neal Johnston who talks about why exploring both are important, and she has a ton of examples and ideas of how we can do that in our Morning Time. For podcast show notes and episode downloads, visit pambarnhill.com/ymb115.