Podcasts about Belonging

271. Ways to Engage with Youth, Teens, and Gen Z in Church and at Home with Dr. Kara Powell   *Transcription Below*   1 Thessalonians 2:8 NIV "so we cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well."   Kara Powell, PhD, is the chief of leadership formation at Fuller Theological Seminary, the executive director of the Fuller Youth Institute, and the founder of the TENx10 Collaboration. Named by Christianity Today as one of "50 Women to Watch," Kara serves as a youth and family strategist for Orange, and she also speaks regularly at national parenting and leadership conferences. Kara has authored or coauthored numerous books, including Faith Beyond Youth Group, 3 Big Questions That Shape Your Future, 3 Big Questions That Change Every Teenager, Growing With, Growing Young, The Sticky Faith Guide for Your Family, and the entire Sticky Faith series.   Kara and her husband, Dave, are regularly inspired by the learning and laughter that come from their three young adult children.   Questions and Topics We Cover: What insights do you have to share on Gen-Z? When it comes to navigating intergenerational tensions, how can we practically turn our differences into superpowers and unite together? In your most recent book, entitled, Future-Focused Church, you begin with writing that the brightest days of the church are still ahead. What led you to that realization?   Thank You to Our Sponsor: WinShape Marriage   Other Episodes Mentioned from The Savvy Sauce: 127 Generational Differences with Hayden Shaw 2 God-Honoring Relationship Between a Mother-in-Law and Daughter-in-Law with Author of The Mother-in-Law Dance, Annie Chapman   Stories Sampler from The Savvy Sauce Stories Series: 233 Stories Series: Surprises from God with Tiffany Noel 235 Stories Series: Ever-Present Help in Trouble with Kent Heimer 242 Stories Series: He Gives and Takes Away with Joyce Hodel 245 Stories Series: Miracles Big and Small with Dr. Rob Rienow 246 Stories Series: Experiencing God's Tangible Love with Jen Moore   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 – 0:11)   Laura Dugger: (0:12 - 2:13) 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.    I'm thrilled to introduce you to our sponsor, Winshape Marriage. Their weekend marriage retreats will strengthen your marriage while you enjoy the gorgeous setting, delicious food, and quality time with your spouse. To find out more, visit them online at winshapemarriage.org.    I am so honored to introduce my guest for today, Dr. Kara Powell. She is the Chief of Leadership Formation at Fuller Theological Seminary and the Executive Director of the Fuller Youth Institute. She's also founder of the 10x10 Collaboration and named by today as one of 50 women to watch. She is also extremely humble and insightful as she's going to discuss how we can leverage the power of stories and questions in our relationships at church and in our family and in beyond, and this is to model the life of Jesus. Make sure you also stay tuned in through the end because she's going to share a plethora of conversations and questions specifically to ask when we're engaging in conversation with young people, whether that's our own children and teens or our grandchildren or people in the community or our churches. It's some questions that you don't want to miss. Here's our chat.   Welcome to The Savvy Sauce, Kara.   Dr. Kara Powell: (2:07 - 2:09) Oh, it's so good to be with you and your audience, Laura.   Laura Dugger: (2:09 - 2:13) Well, I'd love for you just to first give us a snapshot of your current life and share what's led you to the work that you get to do today.   Dr. Kara Powell: (2:14 - 4:06) Yeah, absolutely. So, let's see. I'll start with family. Dave and I have been married for I think 27-ish years, and we have three kids who are 24, 22, and 19.   Our youngest is a college freshman, and so we're technically empty nesters, but I actually like the term open nesters better because our kids come back, which we love. They come back in the summers and sometimes after college. And we actually, since I live in Pasadena, California, which had the fires in January, we actually have another 22-year-old young woman living with us, which we love.   So, we love having my husband, Dave, and I love having young people around, whether it's our own three kids or the young woman who's living with us. And I'm also a faculty member at Fuller Seminary, and while I certainly teach periodically, my main roles at Fuller actually have to do with leadership beyond Fuller. I'm the chief of leadership formation at Fuller, so I oversee all of Fuller's non-degree offerings, and then I'm the executive director of the Fuller Youth Institute, which is a research center that studies the faith of adolescents.   And I love that question, what got me to the work that I do today? Well, God would be the answer to that, but I was a long-term youth pastor here in Southern California at two different churches, loved teenagers, and Fuller was getting ready to start a new research center that was going to listen to the needs of parents and leaders, and then do research to answer those needs. And that really intrigued me, because I love young people, and I love research, and I love real-life ministry and family.   And so, I thought, well, I would love to hear more about that center, and I've been at Fuller now for over 20 years.   Laura Dugger: (4:07 - 4:17) Wow, that's incredible. And quick side note, I'm just so sorry for everything that you all endured in January with all the fires.   Dr. Kara Powell: (4:17 - 4:39) Yeah, it's heartbreaking, and in some ways, in many ways, devastating. And I'm grateful for how God is working through churches and working through God's people. So, there's all sorts of bright spots in the midst of the pain.   But yes, please pray that churches and God's people would be salt and light, because it's going to be a few years of rebuilding.   Laura Dugger: (440 - 4:43) Yes, Lord Jesus, may that be true. Amen.   Dr. Kara Powell: (4:43 - 4:44) Yeah, thank you.   Laura Dugger: (4:45 - 5:17) And I know with your background, you've studied practical theology, and you also have this broad knowledge of psychology. But some churches haven't studied psychology as much, and so I think that typically leads to less of an appreciation for it. But my fear is that they may miss out if they completely ignore it.   So, will you share some of the benefits that you've seen that come from applying God's truth from any of theologies?   Dr. Kara Powell: (5:17 - 8:14) Yeah, yeah. Well, at Fuller Seminary, we have two schools. One is our School of Mission and Theology, which I'm an alum of and a faculty member in.   And the other is our School of Psychology. And so, Laura, you asked a question that's right at the heart of what we love about training leaders and therapists. And in fact, my favorite statue at Fuller, the title of it is Planting the Cross in the Heart of Psychology.   And that's exactly what we believe. So, you know, God's made us as holistic people. And I love thinking both about how is our theology driving us as well as our psychology.   And you know, one way to think about our psychology, a colleague of mine at Fuller talks about people's losses and longings. And that phrase has been so helpful for me. Like, what are people's losses and longings?   And how is that connected with how they're responding? So, so much of our work at the Fuller Youth Institute relates to young people. And I remember coaching a senior pastor who was experiencing a lot of resistance to prioritizing young people from senior adults.   And what the senior pastor realized is, of course, I shouldn't say of course, but in this particular church, when he was saying we need to prioritize young people, those over 60 felt like, wait, that means I'm not going to be a priority. People who are older often already feel that here in US culture. And so, no wonder that was intimidating, that was threatening, that felt like a loss to those senior adults.   And so, I love what the senior pastor ended up doing is he implemented one of our principles of change that we recommend, which is people support what they create. And so, if you want to build ownership, then how can you involve as many people as possible in creating whatever you're trying to develop? And so, the senior pastor went to the senior adults and apologized for sending a message that, you know, made them feel like they were not going to be priority.   And instead, he said, how can we make this church a church that your grandkids would love to be part of? And that connected with those, you know, post 60, most of whom were grandparents, whether their grandkids live locally, or, you know, globally, they wanted their church to be a place where their grandkids and other young people would connect. And so, you know, he turned senior adults feeling like they were peripheral, to really feeling like they were partners in what God was doing in the church.   And so, yes, I would invite us all to think about what are people's losses and longings? And how is that contributing to how they're responding to whatever we're all experiencing?   Laura Dugger: (8:15 - 10:20) Let's take a quick break to hear a message from our sponsor. Friends, I'm excited to share with you today's sponsor, Winshape Marriage. Do you feel like you need a weekend away with your spouse and a chance to grow in your relationship together at the same time?   Winshape Marriage is a fantastic ministry that provides weekend marriage retreats to help couples grow closer together in every season and stage of life. From premarital to parenting to the empty nest phase, there is an opportunity for you. Winshape Marriage is grounded on the belief that the strongest marriages are the ones that are nurtured, even when it seems things are going smoothly, so that they're stronger if they do hit a bump along their marital journey.   These weekend retreats are hosted within the beautiful refuge of Winshape Retreat, perched in the mountains of Rome, Georgia, which is a short drive from Atlanta, Birmingham and Chattanooga. While you're there, you will be well fed, well nurtured and well cared for. During your time away in this beautiful place, you and your spouse will learn from expert speakers and explore topics related to intimacy, overcoming challenges, improving communication and more.   I've stayed on Winshape before and I can attest to their generosity, food and content. You will be so grateful you went. To find an experience that's right for you and your spouse, head to their website, windshapemarriage.org/savvy. That's W-I-N-S-H-A-P-E marriage.org/S-A-V-V-Y. Thanks for your sponsorship.   Well, Kara, you've also done so much research on young people and just in general, I'd love to hear what insights do you have on Gen Z?   Dr. Kara Powell: (10:20 - 14:16) Yeah, yeah. Well, we at the Fuller Youth Institute, we have spent a lot of time studying and doing research on Gen Z, which tends to be those who are 14, 15 and up. Our very youngest teenagers are all actually now Gen Alpha, but we'll talk about Gen Z.   And as we've looked at the research, we've landed on three words which we think well describe Gen Z. First, they are anxious. And if we look at young people today, they do have unprecedented levels of mental health challenges, anxiety, depression, stress, even suicidal thoughts.   And so, we do a lot of training to help parents and leaders understand mental health and how they can be a safe space and get young people the help they need. So, this is an anxious generation. This is an adaptive generation.   This generation is so creative and entrepreneurial and visionary. You know, while there's a lot of downsides to technology, technology also helps young people know more about what's wrong in the world and sometimes take steps to make what is wrong right and restore God's justice to our world. And so, this is an adaptive and creative generation.   And then in addition to being anxious and adaptive, this is a diverse generation. Here in the U.S., we crossed a line in 2020. In the midst of everything else that happened in 2020, we crossed a line where now 50% of those under 18 are young people of color.   So, for your audience to just keep that in mind that 50% of those under 18 are white and 50% are young people of color and that percentage of young people of color is likely going to continue to grow. So, I would say those are three key attributes to this generation. And then, you know, when it comes to what this generation is experiencing spiritually, I really appreciate what my friend and fellow podcaster Carey Nieuwhof has described with young people that they are both in revival and retreat.   And, you know, we see data for both. There's so much that's encouraging about how young people are responding to Jesus. They're open to Jesus.   We're seeing this especially on college campuses. They're responding in mass on college campuses in some really beautiful ways. Both InterVarsity and Crew are seeing that.   But then this generation is also in some ways distancing themselves from the institutional church. Springtide Research Institute did some study of 13- to 25-year-olds and found that 13- to 25-year-olds in the U.S. are almost three times as likely to say they've been hurt by organized religion as trust organized religion. So, our 13- to 25-year-olds are distrustful, a little cynical about institutional religion.   And so, we have our work cut out for us to build trust back. And let me just say, sadly, we have earned young people's lack of trust by the way that by our moral failures, by the way that we have not been as loving as Jesus wants us to be and as young people want us to be. And so, the good news is the way that we re-earn trust with young people is by little acts of kindness and consistency.   So, anybody listening can rebuild trust with a young person. The research on trust shows it's not about heroic acts. It's about sending a text and saying, hey, I'm praying for you.   It's about remembering a young person's name at church. It's about showing up at a young person's soccer game. So, in the midst of this generation and being both revival and retreat, there are practical steps that any adult can take.   Laura Dugger: (14:17 - 14:36) Wow, that's so good. You've got ideas now coming to me for how to pour into even the youth group. This is probably a very random idea, but how great would it be to have a Google calendar of all of their events and then whoever in the church is available to go support? That would just be a practical way.   Dr. Kara Powell: (14:36 - 15:45) Okay, so, Laura, you have just named actually one of my favorite ideas that a church that is here in Los Angeles is doing. They created a Google calendar and volunteers as well as parents can add information. But then what this church did, they started with a Google calendar and then it's a church of about 300 people.   And so, they have now started every Sunday morning. They have a slide with what's happening in young people's lives for the next week. So-and-so is in a play.   So-and-so has a basketball game. So-and-so has a Boy Scout activity. And so, adults in the church, often senior adults who have some extra time, are showing up at kids' events.   Plus, every week they're prioritizing young people. So, when you're a young person in that church and every week there's a slide about you and your friends and what's happening, that says something to the young people sitting there. So, yeah, you're-I actually love that idea.   And especially for smaller churches, I think that's one of the big advantages of smaller churches is we can be more intimate and caring. So, yes, let's please do that.   Laura Dugger: (15:46 - 16:00) Oh, that's so good. I love hearing how that played out. And now I'm also curious because you mentioned it's Gen Alpha behind.   Do you have any insight onto them as well?   Dr. Kara Powell: (16:00 - 16:27) Well, you're going to have to have me back because we are just-we received a grant from the Lilly Endowment, who's funded much of our research to study Gen Alpha. And they're just getting old enough that we really can, quite honestly. And so, like literally this week we are working on survey questions for Gen Alpha.   And we'll have more in the next year about what's similar between Gen Z and Gen Alpha, as well as what's different. So, I'd rather wait and save that for later.   Laura Dugger: (16:28 - 16:34) That sounds great. I'm especially interested in that generation. That is all four of our daughters would fall within that. So, I can't wait to hear your findings.   Dr. Kara Powell: (16:34 - 16:36) Yeah.   Laura Dugger: (16:38 - 17:15) And I think it's also bringing up, I'm going to link to a previous episode, Generational Differences with Hayden Shaw, because I don't know if you feel this same way. I think millennials especially got pegged as the generational bias put on them was actually confused with their life stage. And Hayden's the one who wrote about that and drew that to our attention.   So, that's helpful to sift out as we're thinking of young people too, because sometimes older generations can look down on younger generations and see some of the shortcomings. Do you see that as well?   Dr. Kara Powell: (17:16 - 18:55) Oh, for sure. For sure. I think we compare young people to who we are now instead of remembering our 13 and 19 and 25 year old self.   And so, I mean, that's one of our biggest pieces of advice when it comes to young people is instead of judging them, how do we journey with them? How do we really empathize with what they're experiencing? And when we are tempted to judge young people, let's just start at, well, let's just stop and ask ourselves, would we want to be a young person today?   It's so very challenging to be a young person today. I mean, mental health alone, like if I think about my tendency to, as a teenager myself, to compare myself with others, to be worried that I was left out. I mean, if there was a cell phone that showed me everything my friends were doing without me, and I'm stuck at home, like no wonder that young people feel more anxious.   I think I would really be struggling with anxiety if I was a teenager now. I mean, honestly, even at my age, I don't check social media on Friday night or Saturday night, because I might be, Dave and I might be having leftovers and either working or watching a movie on Netflix. And I go on social media and my friends are out with their husbands and having this phenomenal time.   And at my age, that makes me feel insecure, let alone imagine being a 13 or 18- or 22-year-old and navigating that. So, so yes, I think how can we empathize instead of finger point?   Laura Dugger: (18:56 - 19:12) Oh, and you write about how to navigate intergenerational tensions. How can we practically turn our differences into superpowers and unite together? And I guess, especially in the church?   Dr. Kara Powell: (19:12 - 22:39) Yeah, yeah, great question. So, one of our books is called Three Big Questions That Change Every Teenager. And we studied young people to try to understand the deep questions driving them.   And we landed on three. Identity, who am I? Belonging, where do I fit? And purpose, what difference can I make?   Identity, belonging and purpose. And those are that's such a helpful framework to understand young people and to empathize with them.   First off, I would say all of us are wrestling with identity, belonging and purpose. And when I feel emotional heat about an issue, if I feel insecure about something, it's usually because it's pricking at my identity, belonging or purpose. And so, that helps us realize that we navigate those questions, too.   But then also for the we who are parents, stepparents, grandparents, mentors of young people, you know, if a young person we care about is doing something that feels a little odd, a little askew, a little bit, that's not like them. If we can take a step back and ask, OK, what are they wrestling with? Is it identity?   Is it belonging? Is it purpose? That helps us empathize and know how to either ask a better question or, you know, give a little bit of hope rooted in whether that's rooted in scripture or in our own experience.   And so, yes, with our with our three kids, when I take a step back and ask, OK, they're saying something that feels odd or unlike them or I'm surprised this is provoking this response in them. Is it is it their identity, belonging or purpose that's at play here? It's like the penny drops and I come to understand.   So, I would say, you know, if we can wear those identity, belonging and purpose lenses, that really helps us understand young people. The other thing and, you know, I'm a professor, so I would give myself about a C plus in what I'm going to share next. OK, so if this is something I'm working on, it's this it's never make a statement if you can ask a question instead, never make a statement if you can ask a question instead.   And so, the more that we can ask questions about what young people are experiencing, like why, why, you know, in a very nonjudgmental way, like I'm just curious. And I start a lot of my questions with that. I'm curious.   I'm curious, like what does tick tock mean to you? Then, you know, that that can open up a real conversation instead of them feeling like we're somehow judging them for their technological use. I was proud of myself yesterday.   Like I said, I give myself about a C plus on this. But yesterday I was talking to my daughter about something. And I asked her, like, well, because she had stepped up to lead something.   And so instead of offering my advice, I said to her, well, you know, what do you think you did well as you were leading? And is there anything that you would want to do differently? And we were in the line of a fast-food place.   And I thought, yes, way to go. I ask questions instead of making statements, instead of offering my opinion. So, and sometimes we have to offer our opinion, for sure.   But just as a general rule, we can ask questions, especially the older our kids get. They respond to that better than us always sharing what we think.   Laura Dugger: (22:39 - 22:47) Well, and I also think you're even modeling this in the way you share stories is humility. So, when you partner that together, that seems very powerful.   Dr. Kara Powell: (22:48 - 23:53) Yeah, yeah, absolutely. My one of my kids said something so interesting. At Mother's Day, my husband asked each of them to share something that they appreciated about me and which was wonderful to receive that affirmation.   And one of them and I I'm not going to reveal the gender here because I haven't asked this child permission to share this. But what my child said was that I was asking them for advice in a way that made it feel more like we were becoming friends. And I had asked this child for advice in the last couple of months about a couple situations.   And so, again, my kids are 19, 22 and 24. So, you know, it's different with younger kids. But for those of us with older kids, it was significant to this child of mine that I was asking them for advice.   And so, I want to keep doing that. I want to keep doing that. So, because I truly do want their perspective.   Yeah, I truly do want their perspective. And it means something to them when I do.   Laura Dugger: (23:54 - 25:28) Yes, absolutely. And I'm thinking back, this may have been like episode three back in 2018. But I talk with Annie Chapman.   She had written the book, The Mother-in-Law Dance. And what you're saying, she pointed out that what makes us a great parent and especially a great mother, the first half of our children's life or the first portion of our children's life at home, it's the opposite of the latter years. And so, you're right.   You're not probably going to ask your five-year-old for advice. But at your kids' phases, that is significant. Did you know you could receive a free email with monthly encouragement, practical tips and plenty of questions to ask to take your conversation a level deeper, whether that's in parenting or on date nights?   Make sure you access all of this at TheSavvySauce.com by clicking the button that says Join Our Email List so that you can follow the prompts and begin receiving these emails at the beginning of each month. Enjoy.    This discussion with young people is also tied into your recent and optimistic book.   So, I'll hold it up here. It's in and you did co-author this with Jake Mulder and Raymond Chang. So, it's entitled Future-Focused Church, and you begin with writing that the brightest days of the church are still ahead.   So, what led you to this optimistic realization?   Dr. Kara Powell: (25:28 - 26:23) Yeah. Yeah. Well, first, God, you know, this is where being a practical theologian comes into play.   Like I'm always trying to understand what is God up to in this situation and just the way that God is constantly working, redeeming, recreating. So, you know, that's the heart of my optimism and Jake and Ray's optimism as fellow co-authors. And then also Future-Focused Church is based on research we did with over a thousand churches where we journeyed with them in the change process and just the way that they were able to make changes that made them more loving, made them more hospitable to young people.   So, it's, you know, it's people like your listeners and churches like those that your audience is part of. That's what made us optimistic is to see how God is working through actual churches.   Laura Dugger: (26:25 - 26:40) I love that. And even near the beginning, it was on page 26, you succinctly gave a definition of a future-focused church. So, will you share that definition and also elaborate on each one of the facets?   Dr. Kara Powell: (26:40 - 29:17) Yeah, yeah. So, it starts with a group of Jesus followers. And, you know, if you look at the original Greek for church, ekklesia, it's not a building.   We use that phrase incorrectly when we say, you know, I'll meet you at church and we mean a building. It's actually those who are called out or from. So, it's always people in the New Testament.   And so, we believe a church is a group of Jesus followers who seek God's direction together. And that's really important to us is this isn't about what Kara, Jake and Ray think you should do or what the church down the street is doing or even what your denomination is doing. It's you seeking God's direction together.   So, and we could have stopped there, honestly, a group of Jesus followers who seek God's direction together. But then because of the time we've spent with over a thousand churches, because of our commitment to young people, because of what we see happening these days, we added three what we call checkpoints, three things that we think should be priorities for churches these days. One is relationally discipling young people.   And, you know, we were intentionally using the words relationally discipling. It's not just entertaining. It's not just standing near young people at worship service.   But how are we actually investing in young people? And then secondly, modeling kingdom diversity. Again, if you look at our country ethnically and racially, we are a diverse country.   And so, how can we model that? How can our churches reflect what our neighborhoods are? And then thirdly, tangibly loving our neighbors.   Jesus said that, you know, they will know that we are Christians by our love for another, for each other, as well as our love for neighbors. And so, how can we make sure that we are really a place that is salt and light? As I mentioned, you know, we are trying to be in Pasadena as churches these days as we're recovering from the fires.   So, we encourage churches to look at those three checkpoints in particular. But then again, we want churches to figure out what God is inviting them towards. So, maybe that's more prayer.   Maybe that's being more involved globally in evangelism, you know, whatever it might be. Seek that direction together. But then what we try to do is give a map to get there, because a lot of churches know what they want to change, but don't know how to bring about change.   And so, that's actually what the bulk of our book is about, is helping leaders know how to move their church from here to God's direction for them.   Laura Dugger: (29:18 - 30:27) And that's incredible that you walked with so many churches through that process. But I was especially encouraged by you being partial to sharing stories. And so, we recently did an entire stories series on The Savvy Sauce, and it was so compelling and faith building.   I can link to a sample of those in the show notes. But you write about stories shaping culture. And I just I want to share your quote and then ask you how we can actually implement this.   So, your quote is from page 57, where you write, “Organizational culture is best communicated and illustrated by stories. As well modeled by Jesus, one of the best ways to shift the culture of a church is through the disciplined and consistent telling of clear and compelling stories that invite a different culture and way of being.” So, Kara, how have you seen this done well?   Dr. Kara Powell: (30:27 - 33:10) Yeah, yeah. Well, I think about whatever system we're in, whether it's our families or whether it's our churches or whatever organization we're in. Yeah, our stories become really the key messages of what our culture is.   And so, I want to go back to that church that we were talking about that had a Google calendar and now does a Sunday announcement every week of kids' events. Well, that church is also capturing stories of the 81-year-old who showed up at the 16-year-old soccer game, who didn't even know her all that well, but just had a free Thursday afternoon and knew that she was playing. And the pastor who was also on the sidelines at that soccer game, who ended up talking to both the parents of the 16-year-old and the 81-year-old.   And so, that became a story for that church of how different generations are supporting young people. And so, that pastor has told that story multiple, multiple times. You know, I just think about in our family, our kids love hearing our stories.   And that's part of how they I mean, it's a big, a big theme and how they come to know what it means to be a Powell. So, you know, earlier I said, you know, I said, never make a statement if you can ask a question instead. I think the exception to that, Laura, is if we're going to tell a story because stories communicate so much.   One of our one of our children is struggling with being anxious about something. And I was anxious last night. I never lose sleep.   I so rarely lose sleep. But I did last night. I was up for about an hour and a half in the middle of the night, finally ended up having a prayer time.   And that helped me go back to sleep. But I'm looking forward to telling my child, who's also struggling with anxiety, that story of me experiencing some, you know, 3:00 a.m. anxiety and what eventually helped me is kind of reflecting on a mantra I feel like God's given me. And I want to share that with my child, not to nag them, but just to let them know that, you know, in our family, this is how we want to try to respond to anxiety.   And maybe my story can be helpful for you the next time that you're struggling with it, which might be today. So, so, yes, the more that we can share our present and our past experiences, whether it's as individuals, families, organizations, the more that we communicate the cultural values that we want.   Laura Dugger: (33:11 - 33:45) That's so good. And I love how you're relating that to parents as well, because from the very youngest ages, tell me a story. And if it's like if we remember a story of them when they're a child, they just grasp onto that.   And we when we're tired at the end of the night, if we run out of our stories, we love even just reading aloud true stories of other people, too. OK, and I'm partnering then thinking of stories and one of your facets about I love how you said it. I'd love for you to repeat. Is it strategically discipling, relationally discipling?   Dr. Kara Powell: (33:45 - 33:46) Yeah.   Laura Dugger: (33:46 - 35:03) OK, so my brother and sister's church, I'm just going to highlight theirs because I love something that both of them are doing with our nieces and nephews. They just have them, the youth, write down three names of somebody in a different generation above theirs that they would enjoy getting to know, spending time with. And then they get matched with one of those people and they enter a yearlong mentorship relationship.   And I'm just thinking, one, their mentors all happen to be open nesters. And the male and female who have mentored our nieces and nephews, the female took our nieces, would send them a copy of a recipe, say, get these groceries this week. I'm coming to your house on Tuesday and we're going to cook all of this together and have it ready for your family dinner.   Just so practical and that they just build a love for each other. And then a similar thing with our nephews, where whatever that mentor's skill was, he was great at even making, I think, wood fired pizzas and just showing them practical skills, but relationally investing. And you see the youth's growth and maturity from that discipleship.   Dr. Kara Powell: (35:03 - 36:17) So, yeah, that's awesome. And not only the young people, but the adults, too. Like what's been so great, Laura, is, you know, while much of our research has looked at how adults change young people and how churches change young people, every time we study that, we see how young people change adults and churches, too.   So, you know, for that male and female who are mentoring your nieces and nephews, how they come to understand more about themselves, God, life, scripture, as they're spending time with young people, that's just really, really powerful. So, I also want to highlight, I love how your example, how it starts by asking young people, like who are some adults that you would like to spend more time with that you look up to? And, you know, we would do that with our kids when we needed babysitters.   Like who are some adults that you would like to get to know and how wonderful then that we could ask those adults, especially if they were of babysitting age, to come and be with our kids. And that way we were getting the babysitting we needed and our kids were getting the mentoring that they needed. So, so, yes, I think, you know, giving a young person some agency and who they spend time with, that's really beautiful in that example.   Laura Dugger: (36:18 - 36:21) Oh, that's and that's genius for a family life.   Dr. Kara Powell: (36:21 - 36:22) Yeah, exactly, exactly.   Laura Dugger: (36:23 - 36:39) Well, you also share some other helpful tips for churches, such as considering questions like, would anyone miss our church if it closed down? So, do you have any other practical tips that you want to make sure we don't miss?   Dr. Kara Powell: (36:39 - 40:19) Yeah, yeah. I think, yeah, I'll offer a few questions that we have found really helpful. And I'll start with questions when your kids are in elementary and then I'll give a couple of questions when your kids are older.   So, so one of the questions that we love asking at dinner when our kids were in elementary was, how did you see God at work today? And I will say that when I first raised that question, one of my daughters said, “Well, mommy, I can't answer that question. And I said, why not?”   She said, “Well, I don't have a job. How did you see God at work today? So, then we had to say, well, how did you see God working today?”   And I, you know, and equally important as our kids asking that question is that we were, excuse me, as our kids answering that question is that we were answering that question. And so, so, you know, any way that you can involve meaningful sharing, whether it's a dinner, whether it's a bedtime and that you are sharing, too. So, so that that's been a great one for our family.   And then when your kids get older, a couple come to mind. One is two pairs of questions actually come to mind. One is, you know, the phrase never make a statement.   Maybe you can ask the question said sometimes we do need to offer our advice as parents, our perspective. And I have found when I do that with my kids is now that they're late young adults, if I ask them first, well, what do you disagree with and what I said and give them an opportunity to critique what I said, then and then I ask a second question. OK, well, what might you agree with and what I said?   They're far more open to sharing what they agree with if they first have had a chance to critique me. So, I offer that as in those moments when you do need to offer your opinion or perspective, how can we still make it a dialogue? One way is to invite your kid to critique you.   And they'll probably point out things that you do need to reconsider, or at least it's good to hear those from your young person. Another pair of questions that that I have found so helpful with our kids is as they get older and really come to own their own faith. I love asking our kids, what do you now believe that you think I don't believe?   And what do you no longer believe that you think I still believe? So, what do you now believe that you think I don't believe? And what do you no longer believe that you think I still believe?   What I love about that is that it's making overt that our faith is going to continue to change and grow. And that's true for all of us. And it also makes differences discussable, because I'd far rather know how my kids' faith is changing and how it's different or similar than mine than not know.   And, you know, as we've asked our kids those questions over the years, sometimes their answer is like, not much has changed. Like, you know, but other times they do have different opinions that they want to share with me. And then I try to have that non-defensive, oh, OK, well, I'm curious.   Then again, starting phrase with I'm curious and then asking a question has given us some of the best conversations. So, you can get really tangible. How did you see God at work today?   But then as your kids get older, ask questions that that are more open-ended and can help you really understand where your kids are at.   Laura Dugger: (40:20 - 41:15) I love that.    And I'm just thinking if people are listening like I listen to podcasts, it's when I'm on the go, when I'm doing a walk in the morning or if I'm cleaning around the house. And if you don't get a chance to take notes, we do have transcripts available now for all these episodes, but I would think so many people have written in about dialogue and questions for teenagers and how to handle.   And I love the way you responded to all of that. So, even grab the transcript and write down those questions and try them at dinner or bedtime tonight. But then even thinking of churches for practical tips, what do you have as far as hospitality and the impact that it could make if we're building relationships through hospitality?   But you also call out three ways to build relationships through sharing meals, sharing stories and sharing experiences.   Dr. Kara Powell: (41:15 - 43:08) Yeah, absolutely. You know, I think you've named it, Laura. How do we have a hospitable, open heart and open churches?   And I just want to go back to this question. Like, is our church a place that our kids and our grandkids would want to be part of? And if we keep asking that question, I think it helps us prioritize the next generation and make space for them at our meals, within our stories and within our experiences.   Now, I will say this, you know, I talk so much about intergenerational relationships and bringing the generations together. Like, I do think there's a time and a place for 16-year-olds to be on their own and 46-year-olds to be on their own and 76-year-olds to be on their own. It's just finding that balance of when do we bring all the generations together?   And then when do we want to have those special life development, life stage development conversations ourselves? And most churches are swinging far more toward we keep generations separate and need to swing the pendulum back to how can we have shared meals together? How can we serve together in ways that are shared?   And, you know, I'll just say this last thought when it comes to sharing experiences, especially those that are service. You know, a lot of churches have young people who are serving. They're in children's ministry, they're in sound, they're in tech, etc.   And that's awesome. And I think the question becomes, like, how can that young person be more than just a warm body who passes out graham crackers? And how can I think, OK, I'm teaching third graders and I'm also trying to mentor this 15-year-old who's working with me with the third graders and same with sound.   So, you know, anytime you're interacting with young people, it's an opportunity to influence, especially as you're sharing more about yourself.   Laura Dugger: (43:10 - 43:15) Love that. And you seem like an idea person as well. So, I'm going to bounce another idea.   Dr. Kara Powell: (43:16 - 43:16) Yeah.   Laura Dugger: (43:16 - 43:45) What I'm gathering is obviously we're keeping Jesus at the center and you're not downplaying the need for scripture or Bible study. And those kind of things but also adding there is value in I'm thinking shared experience. Specifically, I'm thinking of pickleball.   It's something that appeals to a wide age range. What if your church had invested in a pickleball sport to do something that could bring people together? So, what are your thoughts on that?     Dr. Kara Powell: (43:45 - 45:22) Yeah. Yeah. Pickleball, you know, senior adults who need tech help from teenagers.   That's another great way to connect people. I mean, any kind of shared interest 1 Thessalonians 2:8 is such an important scripture passage for me when it comes to discipleship. And Paul writes that we were delighted to share with you not just the gospel, but our very lives.   And so, how can we share life, whether it's pickleball, whether it's pizza? I'm running out of alliteration here. I was trying to do something else that started with P.   And for leaders who are listening, how can you take what you're already doing and make it more intergenerational? So, that's the other thing we like to tell churches is whether it's pickleball or whether it's well, we're already serving at the local homeless center to help people who are unhoused. Well, instead of that only being a youth event, maybe make that an all church event and see if adults come who can be mentoring young people.   So, you know, I love what one church did. Many churches have done this, actually, when they're looking for small group for homes where small groups can be for young people instead of going to like the parents of the teenagers. What if we go to our senior adults or our open or slash empty nesters and see if they'll open their homes?   Because then it's bringing more adults into contact with young people. And those adults who open their homes can also open their lives. So, yeah, just continuing to ask, how can we make this more of a connection across generations?   Goodness.   Laura Dugger: (45:22 - 45:39) And you have so many ideas and some of these are mentioned in this book, but you've also written many more helpful resources. So, will you give us an overview of the other books that you've authored and share a bit of what we might find if we read? Dr. Kara Powell: (45:39 - 46:42) Yeah. So, our most recent book, as you've mentioned, is Future Focus Church, and that's especially geared to help leaders know how to move a ministry from where they are now to where God wants it to be. It's been so great to journey with leaders through that.   Probably our best book that offers a ton of questions you can ask young people is Three Big Questions That Change Every Teenager, where we get into identity, belonging and purpose, which I mentioned. And we have over 300 questions that an adult, whether it's a family member or a mentor or a neighbor or congregant can use with young people. And then the last one I'll offer is The Sticky Faith Guide for Your Family comes out of our previous Sticky Faith research.   How do you help young people have faith that lasts? We have a special chapter in that book for grandparents. So, for any grandparents who are listening, that whole book and that chapter is a great resource.   But also we have had a lot of parents, stepparents say that The Sticky Faith Guide for Your Family has been one of their favorite books.   Laura Dugger: (46:43 - 47:02) That's incredible. I'll have to link to those in the show notes for today's episode. But I'm sure you're aware we are called The Savvy Sauce because Savvy is anonymous with practical knowledge.   And so, as my final question for you today, what is your Savvy Sauce?   Dr. Kara Powell: (47:03 - 48:16) That's a really good question, Laura. OK, I'll say I'll share the first thing that came to mind when you asked it. Gosh, probably 10 or 12 years ago, I read a book and from the book I adapted a phrase for my work life and my personal life, which is if it's not a definite yes, it's a no.   As a busy mom, as a busy employee, as a busy leader, I see potential in so many things. And so, I want to say yes to so many things. And then I end up tired.   I end up empty. I end up not being able to say yes to something maybe better that comes a month later because I've already committed to, you know, plan my seventh graders camping trip or give a talk or, you know, whatever it might be. And so, that phrase, we made it a six-month experiment in the Foley Youth Institute as well as in our family.   Like it's not a definite yes, it's a no. And it really helped us say no to things, trim and I think find a much more manageable pace. So, as we pray, as we pray, it's not a definite yes, it's a no.   That's been game changing for me.   Laura Dugger: (48:17 - 48:57) Well, I love how much you've modeled applying these things at your work or in our church, but also in our family life. It's all transferable. And Kara, this has just been a super special conversation because you've been on my list to have a conversation with for over a decade, probably since I got my hands on Sticky Faith.   And I just appreciate we've been talking as we were praying before we were recording. You desire so much, not only for young people, but for all people to experience this abundant life in Christ. And I'm so grateful for you and just want to say thank you for being my guest.   Dr. Kara Powell: (48:57 - 49:03) Oh, my pleasure, Laura. And thanks to you and how you serve your audience as well as our world. It's been an honor.   Laura Dugger: (49:04 - 52:19) 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's 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, 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're 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 and 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 included 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.

From teaching elementary orchestra, to editing books for bestselling authors, to leading student organizations and pursuing a PhD...Jordan Truex does it all! As a Senior Academic Advisor at Utah State University and current PhD student in Counseling and Student Development at Kansas State University, Matt and Ryan chat with Jordan to explore strategies for fostering student belonging through teaching and student organizations, the role of compassion in effective advising, and how advisor well-being directly impacts student success. Jordan also discusses her research interests around advisor satisfaction and retention, as well as her leadership in NACADA's Region 10 and Sustainable Leadership Committee. This conversation is packed with energy, insight, and a little bit of wanderlust (Japan, anyone?). Follow the podcast on your favorite podcast platform!The Instagram, and Facebook handle for the podcast is @AdvisingPodcastAlso, subscribe to our Adventures in Advising YouTube Channel!Connect with Matt and Ryan on LinkedIn.

Burnout recovery starts with identity, not output. In this episode, discover how striving keeps leaders exhausted — and why peace-led presence restores clarity, impact, and trust.Striving feels normal when you've been carrying the weight for a long time. But let's name it: striving is when your worth is tied to your output. It's when rest feels irresponsible, when every “yes” is about proving you can handle more, and when quiet moments feel unsafe because you're so used to producing. The result? Burnout, decision fatigue, and the hollow exhaustion of success that doesn't satisfy.In today's Sunday episode of The Recalibration, we're anchoring this week's theme — Performance vs. Presence — in faith. Scripture reminds us that life together was designed to be rooted in connection and belonging, not performance. Consider Jeroboam: a diligent worker elevated to leadership by Solomon and promised the throne by God. But instead of resting in God's promise, he turned to people-pleasing and idol-making — a path that fractured a kingdom. Contrast that with King Hezekiah, who rooted himself in trust. When Assyria threatened destruction, he didn't scramble to perform or strategize — he tore his clothes, went into the temple, and trusted God. Scripture says, “The Lord was with him, and Hezekiah was successful in everything” (2 Kings 18:7).Henri Nouwen, priest, professor, and writer — teaching at Harvard Divinity School before leaving academia to live among those with disabilities — embodied this same principle. His leadership wasn't about force or striving. It was rooted in beloved identity, expressed through presence. His quiet authority continues to shape leaders who long for more than performance-driven impact.The pattern is simple but profound: Identity → Alignment → Impact. But most leaders flip it, chasing impact first and hoping peace will follow. Today we'll unpack how to spot that flipped pattern, why it keeps your nervous system braced, and how Identity-Level Recalibration restores true alignment. This isn't another mindset tactic. It's the root-level recalibration that makes every other tool effective — because when your identity is anchored, your leadership flows from peace instead of pressure.Today's Micro Recalibration: Before any output today, take 3 minutes of stillness and breathe: “I am already held. Therefore, I can lead unhurried.” For leaders, extend this: before making decisions, slow your breath and remind yourself — presence carries more weight than pressure.If this episode gave you language you've been missing, please rate and review the show so more high-capacity humans can find it. Explore Identity-Level Recalibration→ Follow Julie Holly on LinkedIn for more recalibration insights → Schedule a conversation with Julie to see if The Recalibration is a fit for you → Download the Misalignment Audit → Subscribe to the weekly newsletter → Join the waitlist for the next Recalibration cohort This isn't therapy. This isn't coaching. This is identity recalibration — and it changes everything.

Episode SummaryDance artists Mele Estrella and Damara Vita Ganley join show host Jef Szi and the How Humans Work Podcast for an illuminating conversation that explores the rich terrain of their artistic work. Throughout this remarkable episode, we learn about Mele and Damara's intensive creative ethics, efforts to engender trust, dedication to playfulness, and deep curiosity about the hidden stories around them. As dedicated movement artists, they are a powerful example of how attuning with one's body, relationships, and the performance spaces acts as a cohesive force. Their craft and their commitment to the process of art is the foundation for their dance, and we are well-instructed by listening to them. In particular, we hear the fascinating backstory to their recent project, Flock. Flock intertwines animal and human migration stories with ecological awareness, showing the importance of belonging through the metaphor of “flocking.” The Dance of Belonging also explores their “Vertical Dance” Bandaloop Project. Using rope and harnesses to dance on the sides of massive objects, like granite faces or skyscrapers, this innovative dance form is a uniquely stunning display of how art can inspire wonder in all of us. Naturally, we discuss the teachings that come with encountering fear as part of the artistic path. We come to find how Mele and Damara use fear as a guide for deeper connection and support, finding confidence in creative belonging.Many thanks to Mele and Damara for helping us see Social Cohesion in action. Through their creative efforts and commitment to authentic connection, we find that social cohesion is not so much a product of external forces but instead begins with our connection to our own bodies and the group of people we create the story of our lives with.*****About Melecio “Mele” Estrella:Mele Estrella is a director, choreographer, and educator who has been with BANDALOOP since 2002. As Artistic Director, Mele brings 2 decades of practice weaving vertical dance, dance theater, somatic facilitation. and ecological belonging to BANDALOOP's dance making. Mele's work bridges the everyday personal/social body with the dream body, proposing expanded possibility and awe in our time of poly-crisis. Mele also co-directs Fog Beast, a cross-disciplinary group that affirms ecological connectedness in landscape, live arts and education. He is a longtime member of the Joe Goode Performance Group. Passionate about creating space and sustainability for artists, Mele serves on the advisory boards for the Artists Space Trust and for Arts in California State Parks. He was a Cultural Space Ambassador for the Community Arts Stabilization Trust (CAST), a Leadership Fellow for the Association of Performing Arts Professionals (APAP), and is currently a Lucas Artes Fellow at the Montalvo Center for the Arts.About Damara Vita Ganley:Damara Vita Ganley is an Associate Artistic Director, Dancer, Instructor for BANDALOOP. She is West Coast based dance artist with extensive national and international performance experience. She is a current company member and teaching artist with two renowned San Francisco based dance companies,

Burnout recovery isn't about pushing harder. Discover how gentleness restores leadership rhythm, builds trust, and helps high-capacity humans lead from presence, not pressure.Burnout recovery often gets framed as rest, vacations, or temporary relief. But for high-capacity humans, the real restoration comes from a deeper source: gentleness.In this episode of The Recalibration, Julie Holly unpacks why gentleness is not laziness, but true leadership strength. Drawing from the life and influence of 19th-century poet-preacher George MacDonald, Julie explores how gentleness became a force that reshaped culture, awakened imagination, and restored weary souls. MacDonald's leadership reminds us: real authority flows from embodying peace, not pressing harder.You'll also see how burnout, decision fatigue, and role confusion are often symptoms of identity drift — when your nervous system stays braced and you lead from performance instead of presence. This is where Identity-Level Recalibration (ILR) makes the difference. ILR isn't another mindset tactic or productivity hack. It's the root-level shift that rewrites your story so every decision, boundary, and leadership rhythm flows from alignment with who you truly are.Today's conversation gets practical too. You'll learn how to spot the difference between leading from bracing and leading from gentleness — and why this shift restores both you and those you influence.Micro Recalibration: Schedule 3 ninety-second resets today. Breathe. Drop your shoulders. Soften your jaw. Release the outcome.For leaders: bring this into your team or family. Try starting a meeting or mealtime with one slow breath together. You'll be amazed at how the atmosphere shifts.Because gentleness isn't weakness. It's leadership that heals instead of drains.If this episode gave you language you've been missing, please rate and review the show so more high-capacity humans can find it. Explore Identity-Level Recalibration→ Follow Julie Holly on LinkedIn for more recalibration insights → Schedule a conversation with Julie to see if The Recalibration is a fit for you → Download the Misalignment Audit → Subscribe to the weekly newsletter → Join the waitlist for the next Recalibration cohort This isn't therapy. This isn't coaching. This is identity recalibration — and it changes everything.

Fluent Fiction - Hebrew: Finding Belonging: A Sukkot Encounter in Central Park Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/he/episode/2025-10-04-22-34-02-he Story Transcript:He: איתן הלך לאיבוד בין ההמולה של ניו יורק.En: Eitan got lost in the hustle and bustle of New York.He: אחרי שעזב את ישראל והגיע לעיר העצומה, הוא חיפש שייכות חדשה.En: After leaving Israel and arriving in the vast city, he was looking for a new sense of belonging.He: הוא שמע על פסטיבל סוכות שמתקיים בסנטרל פארק והחליט להגיע.En: He heard about a Sukkot festival happening in Central Park and decided to go.He: אולי פה ימצא את הקהילה שהוא כל כך מתגעגע אליה.En: Perhaps here he would find the community he missed so much.He: הפארק היה מלא חיים.En: The park was full of life.He: עיטורי סוכות צבעוניים, צחוק עליז וריח תבשילים חמים מילאו את האוויר.En: Colorful Sukkah decorations, joyful laughter, and the smell of warm dishes filled the air.He: האווירה הייתה חגיגית.En: The atmosphere was festive.He: איתן הביט סביב ולא ידע מהיכן להתחיל.En: Eitan looked around and didn't know where to begin.He: הוא רצה להתחבר, אך הביישנות עיכבה אותו.En: He wanted to connect, but shyness held him back.He: בינתיים, שירה הייתה גם היא בפארק.En: Meanwhile, Shira was also in the park.He: היא התרגשה מפסטיבל סוכות אבל התקשתה לא להתמקד בעבודתה.En: She was excited about the Sukkot festival but found it difficult not to focus on her work.He: הטלפון שלה צלצל שוב ושוב, מזכיר לה עוד משימות שנותרו לעשות.En: Her phone kept ringing, reminding her of more tasks that needed to be done.He: השניים התקרבו במקרה לאזור בניית סוכה.En: The two happened to approach the area where a Sukkah was being built.He: איתן אסף אומץ והחליט להצטרף לקבוצה זריזה שבנתה סוכה.En: Eitan gathered courage and decided to join a quick group building a Sukkah.He: שירה, לעומתו, הסתכלה על הטלפון והחליטה: "היום אני לוקחת שעה לעצמי".En: Shira, on the other hand, looked at her phone and decided, "Today I am taking an hour for myself."He: היא שמה את הטלפון בכיס ובלי לחשוב פעמיים, הצטרפה לעזור.En: She put her phone in her pocket and, without thinking twice, joined in to help.He: איתן ושירה נפגשו תוך כדי קישוט הסוכה.En: Eitan and Shira met while decorating the Sukkah.He: הם חלקו סיפור או שניים ולבסוף פרצו בצחוק מתגלגל.En: They shared a story or two and eventually burst into joyful laughter.He: שניהם הבינו שזמן של ביחד יכול לעשות פלאים.En: Both realized that time together could work wonders.He: אחרי שהסוכה הייתה מוכנה, איתן הרגיש שהוא מצא חבר חדש בשירה.En: After the Sukkah was ready, Eitan felt that he had found a new friend in Shira.He: הוא הרגיש פתוח ובטוח יותר.En: He felt more open and secure.He: שירה, מצד שני, הבינה את החשיבות של הגדרת גבולות בעבודה ושמחה שהקדישה לעצמה זמן.En: Shira, on the other hand, understood the importance of setting boundaries at work and was glad she took time for herself.He: השניים המשיכו להנות מהפסטיבל, והחיבור האמיתי ביניהם יצר תחושת שייכות שלא הייתה שם קודם.En: The two continued to enjoy the festival, and the genuine connection between them created a sense of belonging that hadn't been there before.He: איתן, כעת, לא רק שיחק תפקיד חגיגי אלא הרגיש סוף סוף חלק ממשהו גדול יותר.En: Eitan, now, not only played a festive role but finally felt part of something bigger.He: שירה הבינה שהיעדים האישיים וההנאה חשובים לא פחות מכל עבודה.En: Shira realized that personal goals and enjoyment are just as important as any job.He: כך, תחת השמיים הכחולים של סנטרל פארק, התחילה חברות חדשה וחזקה.En: Thus, under the blue skies of Central Park, a new and strong friendship began. Vocabulary Words:lost: הלך לאיבודhustle: המולהbustle: המולהvast: עצומהbelonging: שייכותdecorations: עיטוריםlaughter: צחוקdishes: תבשיליםfestive: חגיגיתshyness: ביישנותcourage: אומץboundaries: גבולותgathered: אסףpocket: כיסeventually: סופו של דברsenses: תחושותdecorate: לקשטenjoyment: הנאהgenuine: אמיתיburst: פרץconnect: להתחברsecure: בטוחrealized: הבינהimportance: חשיבותcommunity: קהילהapproach: התקרבותjoin: להצטרףreminding: מזכירremain: נותרוrole: תפקידBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/fluent-fiction-hebrew--5818690/support.

Speaker - Henry Seeley Message - Pull Down Your Idols "I Said Yes To Jesus" - Click Here! The Belonging Cø • Nashville, TN USA For the latest on what's happening at church, visit thebelonging.co

In this episode of the Celebrate Kids Podcast, Wayne Stender and Dr. Kathy Koch explore psychologist Mitch Prinstein's research on the two types of popularity—likability and status. Together, they discuss why likability leads to healthy belonging while status often leaves kids empty and isolated. Dr. Kathy connects these insights to her Five to Thrive model, showing how belonging shapes identity and why character qualities like compassion, faithfulness, and hospitality help kids form lasting friendships. Wayne ties it to the story of Jehoiada and young King Joash in 2 Chronicles 23, reminding parents that true belonging is found not in surface approval but in covenant faithfulness to God.

Decision fatigue drains even high-capacity leaders. In this episode, discover how nervous system dysregulation disguises itself as urgency—and why peace-led conviction, not pressure, is the path to clarity.Decision fatigue isn't just about too many choices—it's what happens when your nervous system is braced in survival mode. High-capacity humans often mistake urgency for clarity, moving fast to keep everyone satisfied, only to end the day exhausted, second-guessing, and wondering if the choices were actually good or just quick.In this episode of The Recalibration with Julie Holly, we unpack why decision fatigue is really nervous system dysregulation in disguise—and how Identity-Level Recalibration (ILR) offers a way back to peace-led conviction. Instead of outsourcing clarity to hacks, habits, or urgency culture, ILR anchors decision-making in identity so every choice flows from who you are becoming.Julie shares her own lived story of carrying decision fatigue across family, business, and leadership—and the breakthrough that came when she stopped treating exhaustion as a personal weakness and began recalibrating at the root.We also explore the wisdom of Charlie Munger, Warren Buffett's longtime partner, who modeled calm, peace-led decision-making. From his “invert, always invert” mental model to his commitment to staying within a “circle of competence,” Munger's example shows how presence and patience create clarity that urgency never will.If you've been navigating burnout recovery, role confusion, identity drift, decision fatigue, or performance pressure, this conversation will remind you: urgency is a poor substitute for conviction.Today's Micro Recalibration: Pre-decide 3 non-negotiables that protect presence: time, tone, tempo.Ask yourself:What's one boundary around time that restores me?What's one tone I want to set — in meetings, in conversations, in family life?What's one tempo that honors my capacity, not culture's urgency?Because when you pre-decide from identity, you reduce fatigue. You already know who you are — and every decision flows from that place.If this episode gave you language you've been missing, please rate and review the show so more high-capacity humans can find it. Explore Identity-Level Recalibration→ Follow Julie Holly on LinkedIn for more recalibration insights → Schedule a conversation with Julie to see if The Recalibration is a fit for you → Download the Misalignment Audit → Subscribe to the weekly newsletter → Join the waitlist for the next Recalibration cohort This isn't therapy. This isn't coaching. This is identity recalibration — and it changes everything.

Let us know what you enjoy about the show!A church choir, a missed criminology path, and a flyer for Jesus Christ Superstar—Jaime Lozano's origin story doesn't sound like a straight line to Broadway, but it sings like one.We sit down with Mexican Broadway composer, lyricist, orchestrator, and music director Jaime Lozano to unpack how a series of gut-led choices, generous communities, and a stubborn belief in possibility shaped his art and life. From becoming the first Mexican graduate of NYU's musical theater MFA to rebuilding after a visa scam forced him to return to Monterrey, Jaime shares the real immigrant journey behind Songs by an Immigrant and the musicals that center Latinx voices with heart, humor, and cultural depth.We explore why representation in musical theater matters, how Spanish, English, Spanglish—and every accent—belong in the story, and what it means to write honestly when life is loud. Jaime opens up about composing with his child dancing in the living room, swapping projects when inspiration sparks, and choosing Times Square's chaos or a quiet Rhinebeck lake with equal joy.With wisdom on prioritizing the important over the urgent, trusting that deadlines serve the work and not the other way around, and measuring success by impact on his community, Jaime reminds us that art is a language for belonging.

Part Two of my conversation with Dr. Alia Bojilova as we delve into the intricacies of resilience, offering valuable insights into the psychological and physiological aspects that contribute to personal and collective growth in challenging times. Our discussion covers a range of topics including belonging, curiosity, purpose, and drive as critical components of resilience. Through this engaging dialogue, we explore the dynamic interplay between self-awareness, community, and purpose, providing practical strategies to harness resilience effectively. What You'll Learn: Understanding Resilience: Dr. Bojilova and Dr. Taylor discuss how resilience is fuelled by a sense of belonging and purpose. They highlight the importance of being part of something bigger, with clear positive intent and shared values that sustain and enhance our capacity for life. Belonging and Identity: The conversation explores the profound impact of belonging not just to groups, but also to oneself. They emphasize the magic of defining personal values and purpose, which serve as a foundation for resilience. The Role of Curiosity: Curiosity is spotlighted as a vital component of resilience, offering a pathway to see seemingly insurmountable challenges as opportunities for exploration and growth. Purpose and Drive: Their dialogue underscores the significance of clear purpose as a precursor to drive, with motivation naturally following purposeful action towards meaningful goals. Physiological Resilience: Dr. Taylor stresses the importance of physical recovery and self-care as foundational elements of resilience, cautioning against the misconception of relaxation as genuine recuperation. Key Takeaways: Stay Purpose-Driven: Purpose precedes drive, making it crucial to align your actions and goals with your core values and sense of meaning. Integrate Curiosity: Cultivate curiosity about yourself, others, and the world to keep your mind open and adaptable. Prioritise Recovery: Ensure that rest and rejuvenation are integral parts of your routine to sustain long-term resilience. Embrace Belonging: Develop a deep sense of belonging within yourself and your community to foster a supportive environment for personal growth. Resources For more on resilience and to purchase Dr. Bojilova's book, "The Resilience Toolkit," check your favourite local bookstore. Connect with Dr. Alia Bojilova on LinkedIn for updates and potential speaking engagements. Corporate inquiries can be directed to Between Two Beers, a speaking bureau in New Zealand. Support the Podcast If you found this episode inspiring and informative, please consider subscribing, rating, and leaving a review on your preferred podcast platform. Your support helps us reach more listeners with meaningful discussions like this one. Share this episode with friends or colleagues who might benefit from understanding resilience and its transformative impact on life and work. For more resources and discussions on resilience, stay connected with us and never miss an episode of this invaluable series on personal and professional growth. 00:32 The Psychology of Tribalism and Community 02:04 Tools for Deepening Belonging 03:13 The Role of Awareness in Resilience 06:12 Curiosity as a Key to Resilience 10:29 The Power of Awe and Gratitude 13:52 Effort and Procrastination in Achieving Goals 20:11 Labels and Responsibility in Mental Health 22:24 The Problem with Labels in Psychology 23:27 Understanding Drive vs. Motivation 23:59 Purpose Precedes Drive 27:23 Discovering Your Purpose and Values 34:53 Resilience in Different Contexts 39:23 The Importance of RecoverySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We kicked off the program with four news stories and different guests on the stories we think you need to know about!Combat Boots to Campus Blues: Veterans' Struggle for Belonging in Civilian Life. Challenges they face with integrating into civilian life. & What's needed to help them? Guest: Glenn Baker – Veteran, recording artist & Patriot Fall is the best time to check out New Hampshire's covered bridges. Here are some fascinating facts from the state's expert on the subject! Guest: Kim Varney Chandler - University of New Hampshire graduate and a full-time high school counselor who spent countless hours researching and visiting the state's covered bridges & wrote a book about them: Covered Bridges of New Hampshire Boston Rare Coin Treasure Hunt Oct. 7-11! - Stack's Bowers Galleries Will Celebrate 90 Years of Rare Coin Auctions with a Free Treasure Hunt Featuring Rare Coin and Currency Prizes Valued Over $40,000! Guest: Mark Schimel - Stack's Bowers Director of East Coast Retail Secretary of War Pete Hegseth shames 'Fat Troops' and generals  and reveals new military weight requirements  Guest: Brian Maddocks - Retired Air Force Major - For over 20 years, he was an elite Air Force pilot flying the most technologically advanced fighter jets on the planet.

This week on Unglossy, Bun B, Tom Frank, and Jeffrey Sledge sit down with Michael Ford, The Hip Hop Architect—a designer using rhythm and rhyme to reshape skylines. From leading tThe Hip Hop Museum in the Bronx to launching the Hip Hop Architecture Camp, Ford proves design can be culture, not just construction.He shares how rap lyrics inspire real-world spaces, why representation matters in architecture, and how collaborations with Kurtis Blow, Lupe Fiasco and Herman Miller, and turn creativity into community impact.The crew dives into Virgil Abloh's legacy, Lenny Kravitz's world-building, and Ford's next blueprint: a Hip Hop Museum of the South in Memphis.

Speaker - Paul Bergin Message - Milkshakes, Meat, and Maturity In Christ "I Said Yes To Jesus" - Click Here! The Belonging Cø • Nashville, TN USA For the latest on what's happening at church, visit thebelonging.co

Speaker - Chris Durso Message - One Of Us Has To Die "I Said Yes To Jesus" - Click Here! The Belonging Cø • Nashville, TN USA For the latest on what's happening at church, visit thebelonging.co

Speaker - Henry Seeley Message - Fully Devoted: A People of Generosity "I Said Yes To Jesus" - Click Here! The Belonging Cø • Nashville, TN USA For the latest on what's happening at church, visit thebelonging.co

Over-functioning leadership fuels burnout and pressure. In this episode, discover why carrying too much erodes trust — and how recalibration empowers your team, family, and closest relationships.High-capacity humans often over-function without realizing it. You step in, anticipate needs, carry logistics, and even absorb emotions — all in the name of service. But instead of helping, this performance erodes trust and spreads nervous system stress to your team, family, and closest relationships.In today's episode of The Recalibration, Julie Holly unpacks why over-functioning leadership isn't just burnout — it's identity misalignment showing up as nervous system bracing. You'll hear how co-regulation works, why your team “catches” your stress, and why presence — not pressure — is the real leadership advantage.Through the colorful legacy of Herb Kelleher, co-founder of Southwest Airlines, you'll see how humor, trust, and empowerment created a thriving culture. His story proves what neuroscience confirms: empowerment builds capacity, over-control stunts it.This episode is rooted in the heartbeat of Identity-Level Recalibration (ILR) — not another leadership tactic or personal branding hack, but the root-level recalibration that makes every other tool work again. Because when identity precedes behavior, your nervous system shifts, your presence expands, and those you lead can finally rise.Today's Micro Recalibration: Replace rescuing with requesting. Instead of carrying it all, choose one clear ask, offer one resource, or hand off one responsibility. Watch how your team, family, or circle responds when you empower instead of over-function.If this episode gave you language you've been missing, please rate and review the show so more high-capacity humans can find it. Explore Identity-Level Recalibration→ Follow Julie Holly on LinkedIn for more recalibration insights → Schedule a conversation with Julie to see if The Recalibration is a fit for you → Download the Misalignment Audit → Subscribe to the weekly newsletter → Join the waitlist for the next Recalibration cohort This isn't therapy. This isn't coaching. This is identity recalibration — and it changes everything.

In this episode of the Charity Charge Show, we speak with Cordell Carter, executive director of the Project on Belonging and founding director of the Festival of the Diaspora at the Aspen Institute.Cordell's career has spanned philanthropy, policy, leadership development, and international convenings. At the core of his work is one mission: connecting people across cultures, sectors, and geographies to spark collaboration and impact.From his leadership of Aspen's Project on Belonging to the Festival of the Diaspora's global gatherings, Cordell champions cross-cultural connection and mentorship. In this conversation, he offers candid insights on the future of philanthropy, the urgent need for efficiency in nonprofits, and how humility in leadership can transform organizations.He also unpacks why mergers may be the survival strategy nonprofits need, why funders should be bolder with long-term bets, and why partnerships with local governments often unlock new levels of sustainability.Highlights from the ConversationPhilanthropy should be more risk-taking. Foundations are too often risk-averse, forgetting that their role is catalytic, not conservative.Not every nonprofit needs to exist. Duplication drains resources. Funders can and should incentivize mergers and collaborations.Efficiency is survival. Leaders must be willing to cut, restructure, and refocus to protect the mission.Partnerships matter. Local government and community foundations are critical allies for long-term sustainability.Leadership is about humility. Creating upwardly mobile experiences for staff, retaining talent, and being willing to admit mistakes are all essential.Global belonging. The Festival of the Diaspora creates spaces for cross-cultural collaboration, highlighting innovation from often-overlooked leaders.About Charity Charge:Charity Charge is a financial technology company serving the nonprofit sector. From the Charity Charge Nonprofit Credit Card to bookkeeping, gift card disbursements, and state compliance, we help mission-driven organizations streamline operations and stay financially strong. Learn more at charitycharge.com.

Willmar, Minn., is one of the most diverse cities in greater Minnesota. More than 25 different languages are spoken in its school system, and immigrants hailing from east Africa, Mexico, Myanmar and central America have revitalized its downtown. So on Sept. 8, Kerri Miller took the Rural Voice town hall series to Foxhole Brewhouse in Willmar to talk with community members about how they've successfully built an inclusive city. Rural Voice in Willmar The conversation focused on how the region evolved over the last few decades to include immigrations from Africa, Mexico and other countries and discuss the positive impact that integration has had on the local culture and economy. Participants also discussed ongoing challenges, like political representation for newcomers and institutional discrimination. Subscribe to the MPR News with Angela Davis podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify or RSS.

What if the story of adoption held both rescue and rupture at the very same time? We sit down with Ayrton Beatty, who was placed for adoption after three months in foster care, to talk candidly about identity, attachment, and why language like “placed” instead of “given up” can change how a life is understood. Ayrton walks us through learning the painful truth of their origins, navigating sealed records, and reaching out to a birth mother who carried her own trauma—and how compassion sometimes means choosing not to force contact that others may not be ready for.Across our conversation, we unpack the science of early attachment and the higher risk of mental health challenges among adoptees, including borderline personality disorder and PTSD. Ayrton shares what therapy has looked like in practice, from “all inclusive” counseling to surreal nightmares, and how trust becomes a skill rebuilt over time after abuse. We also explore the reality of medical unknowns: what happens when a clinician asks for family history you don't have, how a medication triggered Long Q-T Syndrome, and the vigilance required when genetic information is missing. Along the way, DNA testing complicates and enriches identity—German and Jewish ancestry within an Irish-rooted adoptive family—proving that belonging can be layered without being false.This is a nuanced, humane portrait of adoption that holds joy and grief together. You'll hear why Ayrton still believes adoption saves lives, even as it leaves scars—and how humor, clear words, and steady support can help an adoptee feel seen. If this conversation resonates, share it with someone who needs nuance, subscribe for more thoughtful stories, and leave a review to help others find the show.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/bereaved-but-still-me--2108929/support.

Burnout recovery often hides behind image management. When leadership becomes about polishing the mask, presence disappears. Discover how Identity-Level Recalibration restores peace, belonging, and whole-self leadership.High-capacity humans often learn early: image is currency. You polish the mask, keep the story clean, hold the role tight — because that's what gets approval, recognition, and access. But here's the hidden cost: the more you manage the image, the further you drift from yourself.This episode explores what happens when leadership becomes about managing appearances instead of leading from identity. Julie shares her own lived story of trying to serve by shifting into roles that felt helpful to others, but losing grounding in the process. It wasn't about pleasing or pretending — it was about carrying and supporting. Yet over time, the cost was presence and authenticity.From there, we dive into the science: predictive processing explains why outdated roles stick. Your brain constantly predicts who you need to be to reduce risk, and your nervous system equates stillness with danger if your history tied slowing down to criticism or rejection. We unpack how composure masks can unintentionally create cultures of bracing instead of belonging — and why no amount of leadership tactics or personal branding hacks can solve this.Instead, integration at the nervous system level is where change happens. This is the heart of Identity-Level Recalibration — not another mindset trick, but the root-level reset that makes every other tool effective.To bring this to life, Julie highlights Jane Goodall, who embodied authentic leadership through presence, integrity, and quiet strength. Her breakthroughs came not from managing her image, but from being fully herself — and the world responded.Today's Micro Recalibration: “I am becoming the person who leads from overflow, not proof.”For leaders: consider how modeling this would shift your culture. When you lead from overflow instead of proof, you give your team permission to do the same.If this episode gave you language you've been missing, please rate and review the show so more high-capacity humans can find it. Explore Identity-Level Recalibration→ Follow Julie Holly on LinkedIn for more recalibration insights → Schedule a conversation with Julie to see if The Recalibration is a fit for you → Download the Misalignment Audit → Subscribe to the weekly newsletter → Join the waitlist for the next Recalibration cohort This isn't therapy. This isn't coaching. This is identity recalibration — and it changes everything.

In this conversation, Forrest and James engage with Wes and Stephanie Vander Lugt, co-founders of Kinship Plot, an intentional community in Charlotte, North Carolina. They discuss the vision behind Kinship Plot, which focuses on cultivating resonant relationships with each other, the land, and with Spirit. The conversation explores the community's practices, challenges, and the importance of contemplative action and liberatory welcome. The founders share stories of community engagement, the joy of working together, and the deep longing for belonging and rootedness in a fast-paced world. They emphasize the need for personal reflection and the impact of community on individual healing and growth. Finally, Forrest poses questions meant to get us to think about our own needs for belonging, and how we might take action to cultivate or even initiate communities of purpose.Read Wes and Stephanie's post on The Ecological Disciple here.Kinship PlotTakeawaysKinship Plot is a living laboratory for community engagement.The vision was born during COVID, focusing on relationships.Community gatherings often take place in their backyard and gardens.Names of plants and people are portals into deeper stories.Contemplative practices are essential for community life.Liberatory welcome means creating open and inclusive spaces.The journey of establishing Kinship Plot has been challenging yet rewarding.Rootedness in a place fosters a sense of belonging.Small actions can lead to significant community impact.The importance of intergenerational relationships in community building.KeywordsKinship Plot, Circlewood, intentional community, ecological learning, contemplative practices, liberatory welcome, belonging, community engagement, social concern, relationship with natureFind us on our website: Earthkeepers Support the Earthkeepers podcast Check out the Ecological Disciple

In this episode, Casey sits down with Ty Nielson and Tim Miller, the entrepreneurial duo behind Ninja Kids, for a candid masterclass on building creator-led experiences with heart, vision, and relentless execution. Fresh off a Tony Robbins immersion, they unpack how state, story, and strategy helped catalyze new habits and higher standards; and why the energy of an aligned community can flip limiting beliefs into bold action.Ty and Tim trace their path from shaping the trampoline park industry to founding Ninja Kids; along the way they learned that it's rarely a lack of resources, but a lack of resourcefulness that holds leaders back. Their time scaling hundreds of locations provided a front-row education in private equity, deal structure, and culture; lessons they'd later use to design on their own terms.They also share the scrappy stories that shaped the brand's creator partnership strategy; from pursuing real estate with nothing but conviction, to a chance introduction that led to the Ninja Kids collaboration and a new growth thesis. Expect takeaways on proximity as power, building wonder into product, modeling excellence, and leading so your people feel believed in.Chapters00:00 | Opening & Intros: Ninja Kids leadership00:41 | Tony Robbins: going “all in”01:52 | Shared values & why Sandlot invested03:58 | What a Tony event feels like (state → story → strategy)06:47 | The 55° room, physiology, and energy07:14 | Full-circle moment on Casey's plane10:08 | Community, permission to play big, and breakthroughs11:00 | Proximity is power: the billionaire story15:13 | Belonging, imposter syndrome, and belief17:15 | Dreaming bigger: from $20M to $1B vision17:46 | Shared values with investors & doing them proud19:50 | Theme of the journey: people who believe in you20:56 | Origins: missions in Russia & lifelong partnership27:06 | What Russians taught them about trust and loyalty29:29 | Ty's childhood in post-USSR Russia (Pepsi → Coke!)31:44 | The leap: from Schlumberger to “ringmaster” vision35:12 | Titles, vision, and chasing wonder36:20 | Modeling leaders; habits, gratitude, and wonderment41:08 | Designing for wonder: lighting, art, and moments45:46 | Scaling lessons: do your absolute best, be resourceful47:49 | It's not resources; it's resourcefulness54:14 | 300+ parks, private equity, and real-world MBA56:32 | Culture shock: when the magic dwindles58:21 | Fired → phone call → blessing → new chapter01:02:23 | Pattern recognition: rebrands vs. creators01:06:05 | Tesla saga to Chicago: conviction on wheels01:08:37 | Kindness compounds: the people who helped01:12:50 | Emergent strategy: buy tired parks, create energy01:14:01 | Non-competes, red tape, and 34-month realities01:16:35 | The Ninja Kids intro (thanks, Stevie from BYU)01:17:44 | First acquisition in Dallas & signing the PGs Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you . . . . You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. — 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 We live in a world obsessed with comfort. The number of air conditioning units in the world is expected to triple by 2050. Tens of billions of dollars are spent on pain medication every year, and the market is forecast to increase 50 percent by 2032. Myriads of other products offer comforts we “can't live without.” And yet nearly every day in my work as a college chaplain I meet and pray with people who are anxious and stressed out! We all need comfort, and we all have important needs, especially for our physical, emotional, and spiritual health. But too often we look for comfort in the wrong places. Being part of a community and having a sense of belonging is part of the answer to finding comfort for daily living, but the best way to find comfort is in a right relationship with God, who provides the true and lasting comfort of full life forever. The apostle Paul reminds us that we do not belong to ourselves but have been bought at a price—through the blood of Jesus, God's Son—who came to offer us new life through the gift of his own life. Belonging to Jesus, we are connected to each other as well. This world provides only limited, temporary comforts. But belonging to God through Jesus offers true and lasting comfort for both body and soul, during life and in the face of death. God, thank you that we are not our own but belong, “in life and in death,” to you. Amen.

We trace Fresno roots, gang life, prison politics, and the long road back to purpose as Cin Say tells a raw story of survival, grief, ingenuity, and faith. The talk moves from riot smoke and lost years to boundaries, music, and a simple mandate: get up and keep going.• Fresno culture, underground scene, and early influences• Belonging, gang pull, and the weekend that changed everything• Parole math and how numbers can own a life• County lessons, racial lines, and non‑designated yards• Level 2 to 180 yard, points, weapons, and survival choices• Stabbed after marriage, retaliation pressure, and restraint• Dehumanization, riots, suicides, and CO dynamics• Prison ingenuity: tattoos, spreads, and making tools from scraps• Grief for a mother, spirals, and choosing to live• Cutting hard drugs, setting boundaries, and embracing emotion• Faith, authenticity, and refusing the highlight‑reel trap• Music as purpose, day‑one loyalty, and what's nextFollow on Instagram @cin_say7Follow us @ brokeboyz_ff on Instagram and TikTokIntro Music by Rockstar Turtle- Broke Boyz (999)Christmas Intro Song by Nico

Send us a textMy podcast programming this year is simple – love letters to nature. I invite you to join me in this collaborative project to reweave ourselves to the natural world and each other.  Share your love letters with me at fromtheoutsidellc@gmail.com and I will read your loving words to nature on my podcast. How does nature make you feel, how does she sustain you, support you, inspire you, excite you? Read your letters to nature and listen for a response. What wisdom does she offer you? As we profess our deep love and gratitude to our source of life, let us deepen our sense of place, purpose, and sense of belonging.This month, I welcomed the variety of visitors to my garden, the sounds of nature wafting through my screen door on a cooler fall morning, the joy of cutting free a small hummingbird entangled in garden netting, and the awe and wonder of new life as my family welcomed a new baby to our fold.  Listen as I read my September love letter to nature. What moments of joy, love, and gratitude did nature offer you in September? 

It's an amazing read by Bell Hooks .. though it does really show you the sense of the punished childhttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51394.Bone_BlackFrom the creator of the Purple Psychology Podcast comes a new video show .. a tell it like it is … the daily mussing of a Sigma INFJ who spends their days going WTF and not sharing their thoughts (until now)… also going against the grain of INFJs who spends their days hiding behind AI generated voices …Follow my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/purplepsychology

Burnout recovery isn't just about rest. Discover why pressure hijacks presence, how stress keeps leaders braced inside, and why identity-level recalibration—not quick fixes—is the only path to lasting leadership peace.Have you ever looked calm on the outside while feeling braced and buzzing inside? That's the hidden cost of performance pressure — the nervous system in survival mode, even when you appear composed.In this episode of The Recalibration, Julie Holly explores how stress hijacks presence and why so many high-capacity humans live stuck between cognitive overload and acute stress. Drawing on Dr. Linnea Passaler's Heal Your Nervous System and her “alertness elevator” model, Julie explains the four levels of nervous system regulation:Blue (deep rest)Green (calm focus)Yellow (overload: rereading the same email, distracted in conversations, forgetting details)Red (acute stress: snapping at loved ones, tight chest before presentations, exhausted but wired at night)For leaders, living in yellow or red doesn't just impact you — it shapes your culture. A CEO who looks calm but carries hurried energy sets a tone of pressure for the entire team.Yo-Yo Ma offers a counter-example: a world-renowned cellist whose embodied presence steadies entire audiences. Listeners describe even the silence between his notes as powerful. His discipline isn't about striving but slowing down — showing that presence, not pressure, creates peace that multiplies outward.And here's the heart of today's recalibration: tactics like deep breathing or sabbaticals help temporarily, but unless you recalibrate identity, your nervous system will default to proving and pressure. Identity-Level Recalibration (ILR) isn't another mindset tool — it rewrites the story underneath so your body can finally believe: I belong, even unhurried.Today's Micro Recalibration:Name one moment today where you will enter with an unhurried breath and a softened gaze.Leadership extension: Before your next meeting, pause at the door. Let your nervous system settle before you speak. Ask: “Will I bring presence or pressure into this room?”If you've been navigating burnout recovery, decision fatigue, role confusion, or the ache of success without fulfillment, this episode offers both relief and recognition — and points you to the deeper solution: recalibration at the identity level.If this episode gave you language you've been missing, please rate and review the show so more high-capacity humans can find it. Explore Identity-Level Recalibration→ Follow Julie Holly on LinkedIn for more recalibration insights → Schedule a conversation with Julie to see if The Recalibration is a fit for you → Download the Misalignment Audit → Subscribe to the weekly newsletter → Join the waitlist for the next Recalibration cohort This isn't therapy. This isn't coaching. This is identity recalibration — and it changes everything.

In this episode of the What Now Podcast, I sit down with Emily Snyder to explore her journey of finding purpose, belonging, and using her voice—whether single or married—in a family-centered church.Emily shares her experiences working in both the professional and faith-based worlds, from collaborating with leaders like Chip and Joanna Gaines to serving in the Church's Priesthood and Family Department, where her work shaped programs and curriculum that touched countless lives. She reflects on what each environment taught her about leadership, faith, and connection.We also talk about Emily's life as a single professional woman in the Church, her honest reflections on navigating belonging in a marriage-focused culture, and her insights on how openness and vulnerability can create unity in congregations. Later, she opens up about her transition into marriage at 46, becoming a stepmother, and the intentional balance of honoring her husband's late wife while embracing her new role in a blended family.Through each chapter of her story—whether in career, singlehood, or family life—Emily emphasizes the power of choosing connection, trusting God's timing, and embracing your unique path. Her candid reflections offer encouragement and inspiration to women and men alike who are seeking to live with purpose in every season of life.

In this episode of Gospel Spice, Stephanie Rousselle invites us to explore the theme of identity and belonging, centered on what it means to be “in Christ.” Building upon the previous episode on adoption (See Episode 409), we ponder how our sense of self is transformed and anchored by God's love, the work of Christ, and the sealing of the Holy Spirit. The Seal of the Holy Spirit: Marked as Belonging In Ephesians 1:13, Paul writes that believers are “sealed with the Holy Spirit.” Stephanie invites us to consider a seal as it was in ancient times—a stamp pressed into soft wax, leaving a permanent imprint. In this analogy, we are like the wax, transformed and marked by the very nature and authority of God Himself. This seal signifies both our identity—we are marked as God's own—and our security. Just as a sealed envelope is protected and identified by its seal, we are both set apart and protected through the Spirit. Satan may attempt to attack or tempt us, but he cannot invade what has been sealed by God. The Intimacy and Assurance of the Spirit The Holy Spirit is the real, tangible presence of God in us—a downpayment of our future inheritance with Him. Stephanie encourages us to let the Spirit guide and comfort us, reminding us of God's love, providing peace in hardship, and strengthening us with God's own power. The assurance that God delights in us isn't because of our greatness, but because of His extravagant love and the transformation He accomplishes within us. The Spirit teaches us not only of God's love for us, but enables us to truly love Him in return. Belonging and the Two Dimensions of the Gospel Paul describes our identity as involving both a vertical and horizontal dimension: our faith in Christ (vertical) and our love for one another (horizontal), forming a cross-shaped understanding of the gospel. In Christ, we belong not only to God, but also to one another as members of His body, the church. This new community is called out, sealed, and set apart for God's purposes. Seated with Christ: Rest and Purpose A powerful image throughout Ephesians is that we are “seated with Christ” (Ephesians 2:6). In the ancient temple, priests never sat because their work was unfinished. By contrast, Christ, having completed His redemptive work, sits at God's right hand. Astonishingly, we are invited to sit with Him—not striving for salvation, but resting in what He has accomplished. This gives us assurance: nothing can add or take away from our salvation. We are saved by grace, freed for good works—expressions of thanksgiving and calling, not requirements to earn favor. The “But God” Moment Paul paints the “before and after” of our lives: once alienated, separated, and without hope, “but God” intervened in mercy, bringing us near by the blood of Christ. Our past no longer defines us; our new status as beloved, adopted children of God does. Takeaway: Becoming Who You Are in Christ Paul encourages us to hunger for deeper intimacy with God and to rest in the truth that our core identity is found in Christ, sealed by the Spirit, and expressed in loving Him and others. Our calling and purpose flow from being secure in this identity. As Stephanie reminds us, nothing beats knowing Christ and growing daily into the fullness of who we are in Him. ----- IDENTITY IN THE BATTLE WORKBOOK ------ You have the option to go beyond listening to this series, and to participate actively. This exclusive Gospel Spice Ministries resource is available at gospelspice.com/identity . You will receive a downloadable, printable workbook containing listening guide for each of the 6 episodes in this series, space for note taking, and discussion questions if you want to do this study with a friend! What better way to enjoy a cup of coffee with a friend this season, than to discuss your identity in the battle together? So, grab a friend or family member, or someone to mentor or be mentored by, and signup together.  Every week, Stephanie shares truth from Scripture and invites you to dig deeper in your faith to delight in the glory of God. PLAY IT FORWARD by SHARING the link with friends and family PAY IT FORWARD by supporting us financially PRAY IT FORWARD by praying for us and those you share it with! Find out more at gospelspice.com We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with. Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog Identity in the battle | Ephesians https://www.podcastics.com/episode/372022/link/ Malachi: Messenger to Messiah https://www.podcastics.com/episode/356130/link/ Wisdom from the Book of Proverbs https://www.podcastics.com/episode/324347/link/ Come to the Table | The Feasts Jesus celebrated https://www.podcastics.com/episode/309956/link/ Bonjour! Gospel Spice exists to inspire our generation to delight in God. We do this through the podcast, online Bible studies, leadership trainings, and more. We want to serve Christ-followers who seek to live a life spiced with the gospel. We want to love God, because He first loved us. We want to experience the fullness of life with Him—and not be content with stale, boring, leftover faith. Jesus tells us that the most important thing is to love the Lord our God, so we take Him seriously. He adds that we are to love our neighbor as ourselves. Now, there are many ways to do that, but I have always personally felt deep compassion for victims of human trafficking – it is modern day slavery, and it revolts the heart of God. And so, they are our particular neighbors here at Gospel Spice. We want to play our part in raising awareness and then financially supporting those who fight this great evil.   Now we would love to invite you to join the team in one of three ways: 1, pray Gospel Spice forward – pray for our guests, our listeners and participants, and for us too! 2, play Gospel Spice forward by telling your friends about us, and by please leaving positive reviews and comments on your podcast listening app; and 3rd, PAY GospelSpice forward. Less than 1% of our listeners are supporting us financially. We need your help! Please pay Gospel Spice forward today. It can be a one-time donation, or a monthly one, for the amount of your choice. Your donation is fully tax-deductible in the US. Plus, once we cover our costs, a significant portion of your donation will be given back to Christian organizations that fight human trafficking, and that we vet thoroughly. So, you can know that every dime you give is used for the Kingdom of God. Every little bit helps. So, be part of the spice of the gospel by becoming a financial partner today! Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

What happens when a DNA test reveals more than you bargained for? How do you process finding out that your family story isn't what you thought it was? And can identity, belonging, and love transcend genetics?  In this moving episode of Brave & Curious, Dr. Lora Shahine sits down with actress and writer Lisa Brenner to explore how an unexpected DNA result changed her life and inspired her new film, One Big Happy Family. Lisa shares the deeply personal journey of discovering she was an NPE (non-parent expected), what it meant for her relationship with her mother, and how decades of secrecy around fertility treatments in the 1960s and 70s shaped her story. Through candid reflection and humor, Lisa reveals how grief, resilience, and identity intertwine with the powerful theme of family—both the one we are born into and the one we build. Listeners will learn about the hidden history of fertility medicine, the emotional complexity of uncovering DNA surprises, and the healing power of transparency and connection. This episode is filled with honesty, curiosity, and hope, reminding us that family is love—no matter how it's formed. In this episode you'll hear: [1:58] Lisa Brenner's “just for fun” DNA test [5:36] A life-changing moment [9:57] Fertility treatments in the 1960s and 70s [20:47] One Big Happy Family, the film, is born [28:46] Nature vs. nurture [32:33] Reflections on faith, belonging, & reconciling a hidden identity [42:48] Lisa's message of hope Resources mentioned:  onebighappyfamilymovie.com @onebighappyfamilymovie on IG @thelisabrenner on IG   Dr. Shahine's Weekly Newsletter on Fertility News and Recommendations Follow @drlorashahine Instagram | YouTube | Tiktok | Her Books

A gunman violently attacked a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints congregation in Michigan. The UN General Assembly met in New York. And, the federal government may shut down if Congress doesn't meet a Wednesday deadline. Mike Cosper and Clarissa Moll review these headlines, and Mike sits down with Noelle Cook to discuss why women in midlife are being drawn into conspiracy theories.  REFERENCED IN THIS EPISODE: -The Conspiracists: Women, Extremism, and the Lure of Belonging by Noelle Cook GO DEEPER WITH THE BULLETIN:  -Join the conversation at our Substack.  -Find us on YouTube.  -Rate and review the show in your podcast app of choice.    ABOUT THE GUESTS:   Noelle Cook is an ethnographer and storyteller who investigates how conspiracy theories, extremism, and disinformation reshape lives and culture. Focused on the online and offline radicalization of ordinary Americans, and especially Gen-X women, she traces how belief systems take root and spread. She is the author of The Conspiracists: Women, Extremism, and the Lure of Belonging. ABOUT THE BULLETIN:  The Bulletin is a twice-weekly politics and current events show from Christianity Today moderated by Clarissa Moll, with senior commentary from Russell Moore (Christianity Today's editor in chief) and Mike Cosper (director, CT Media). Each week, the show explores current events and breaking news and shares a Christian perspective on issues that are shaping our world. We also offer special one-on-one conversations with writers, artists, and thought leaders whose impact on the world brings important significance to a Christian worldview, like Bono, Sharon McMahon, Harrison Scott Key, Frank Bruni, and more.    The Bulletin listeners get 25% off CT. Go to https://orderct.com/THEBULLETIN to learn more.    “The Bulletin” is a production of Christianity Today  Producer: Clarissa Moll  Associate Producer: Alexa Burke  Editing and Mix: Kevin Morris Graphic Design: Rick Szuecs Music: Dan Phelps  Executive Producers: Erik Petrik and Mike Cosper   Senior Producer: Matt Stevens Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What really makes life worth living? This season on Reimagining the Good Life, Amy Julia Becker dives into the ideas, assumptions, and cultural narratives that shape how we live. Upcoming conversations include:Karen Swallow Prior on callingSharon Hodde Miller on self-forgetfulnessKelly Kapic on human limitationsLeah Libresco Sargeant on the dignity of dependence If you're curious about culture, disability, family, and faith—and how big ideas can change everyday life—this season is for you.__WATCH on YouTube: Amy Julia Becker on YouTubeSUBSCRIBE to Amy Julia's Substack: amyjuliabecker.substack.comJOIN the conversation on Instagram: @amyjuliabeckerLISTEN to more episodes: amyjuliabecker.com/shows/We want to hear your thoughts. Send us a text!Connect with me: Instagram Facebook YouTube Website Thanks for listening!

Your next incredible piece of content is probably already hiding in your camera roll. In this episode, we're talking about the B-roll moments that are already on your phone, how to use simple visuals to tell stories, and the magic of finding the right identifiers (aka the words and phrases that make your audience feel truly seen). We'll dive into those identifiers, exploring what your community calls themselves, how to call them out directly in your content, and why that can boost your engagement, reach, and sales to the next level. In this episode we'll be covering:The importance of B-roll and using video clips or photos that tell a story, making your content feel more relatable and engaging.Tips and examples for creating high-performing Instagram reels that call out your target audience to boost engagement and reach.Using ChatGPT, real conversations from DM's, and testimonials to discover the exact language your audience identifies with.How to use those identifiers and specific language that will help your followers feel seen and connected.The impact of creating a sense of community and belonging in your social media strategies.Featured content in this episode:Prestonkonrad: If you want your bedroom to look…Thewed: Groom Portrait IdeasBylillianzhang: Four things you need to start doing…Recommended episodes:Episode 019: Convert Viewers to Followers with the “That's Me” ReelEpisode 042: Your Simple B-Roll Can Become Easy Reels That Actually ConvertEpisode 049: Relatable Humor That Says “They Get Me!”Episode 053: Use Customer Insights to Create Reels That Attract and ConvertEpisode 067: The Importance of Belonging on Social MediaEpisode 077: Simple B-Roll and Strong Hooks for Low-Effort, High-Impact Instagram ContentSend a message!If you use the send a message option above, be sure to include your email address if you would like a reply! (Please allow 3-5 business days for a response) Join me in the Reels Lab! Love this conversation? Make sure to follow and subscribe so you never miss an episode. Connect with me on Instagram!

Dr. Subha Dayal recently joined the New Books Network to discuss her new work Between Household and State: The Mughal Frontier and the Politics of Circulation in Peninsular India (U California Press, 2024). Her book makes a crucial intervention by moving beyond conventional dynastic narratives of the Mughal past to emphasize the role of elite household and family networks in peninsular India. Her approach defines the Mughal Frontier as a mobile entity. The empire was continuously remade and transformed through its interactions with ordinary itinerant subjects, such as scribes, soldiers, and labourers, who served under elite households and participated in imperial institutions like the army or bureaucracy. Dayal employs a bottom-up, granular portrait of this dynamism, returning to the tradition of social history to understand what the empire meant to ordinary people. The central organizational concept of the book is Ghar, defined as a continuum of relations that is neither restricted to sociological kin nor strictly bound to territory or space. While Ghar traditionally means "home" or "household," it also refers to a "slot or a single cell or receptacle," signifying an entity that functions as part of a larger unit. Dayal posits that the question of belonging can never be separated from the question of inequality. Belonging within the vertical hierarchy of a Ghar was inherently a form of privilege. The concept is fundamentally tied to the process of caste (jati) formation in pre-colonial India. Ghar was evoked by thousands of ordinary soldiers performing service (naukari) under a lord to signify affinity to a city, descent, or region. The internal politics of a Ghar often compelled household heads to forge alliances (sometimes across religious or kin divides) while simultaneously forcing them to enforce boundaries of status and caste to secure their grip over offices.  Dayal chose the term Mughal frontier over "borderlands" to highlight the politics of circulation across the peninsula. This frontier is defined as a complex set of processes through which social formations, personnel, and resources came to overlap and be shared across northern and southern India. Circulation itself is defined not as a unidirectional mobility (like invasion), but as the back-and-forth movement of pre-modern actors between sites, including courts, battlefields, and port cities. This constant exchange caused these sites to develop overlaps and codependencies. Focusing on circulation helps Dayal collapse the spatial boundaries between northern and southern India. The household both anchors this circulation and is, in turn, reconfigured by it, creating new forms of affinity, belonging, and social exclusion. Dayal's research bridges two distinct scholarly lines of inquiry: the Persian ecumene (which focuses on court and cultural history) and Indian Ocean studies (which often relies on European-language materials). She utilizes a massive documentary deposit of low-level Persian administrative materials from the moving Mughal frontier, reading them alongside vernacular narrative poems and the correspondence of the Dutch East India Company (VOC) along the coast. The VOC records, she notes, often use the term "huijshouden/huijsheid" to identify independent households and gauge their autonomy from imperial capitals. By working across these genres, Dayal affirms the radical equality of literary and non-literary sources for the study of pre-modern India. Dr. Dayal's next project involves writing the Islamic port city into global history. This comparative study of the bureaucratic and scribal cultures of three port cities—Bandar Abbas, Surat, and Masulipatnam—moves from the sea to the land. This work utilizes bilingual documents in Persian and Dutch to trace how indigenous templates and scribal cultures shaped the terrain on which transnational companies operated, creating a kind of prehistory of orientalism. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP Fellow Hilary Rantisi speaks with analyst Mouin Rabbani about political and diplomatic developments relating to the Israeli genocide in Gaza. They discuss the "20 Point Plan" that President Donald Trump released today, as well as his joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, asking about actual provisions to limit Israel's genocidal behavior and noting the colonial structure of the internationally-headed "Board of Peace" that will rule Gaza, according to the proposal. They discuss the symbolic measure of many countries recognizing Palestinian statehood at the UN last week; Mouin notes that this recognition is the first time that Western governments have taken steps for Palestinians in response to pressure from their own constituencies, and suggests that this action demonstrates that popular pressure can affect policy. Finally, Hilary and Mouin look at current initiatives, including the "United for Peace" proposal and the Gaza Sumud Flotilla, that aim to intervene directly in the genocide.  Mouin Rabbani is a nonresident fellow at the Middle East Council on Global Affairs. He is a researcher, analyst, and commentator specializing in Palestinian affairs, the Arab-Israeli conflict, and contemporary Middle East issues. Among other previous positions, Rabbani served as principal political affairs officer with the Office of the UN Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Syria, head of the Middle East unit with the Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation, and senior Middle East analyst and special advisor on Israel-Palestine with the International Crisis Group. He was also a researcher with Al-Haq, the West Bank affiliate of the International Commission of Jurists.  Rabbani is a co-editor of Jadaliyya, where he also hosts the Connections podcast and edits its Quick Thoughts feature. He is also the managing editor and associate editor of the Journal of Peacebuilding and Development and a contributing editor of Middle East Report. In addition, Rabbani is a nonresident fellow at the Center for Conflict and Humanitarian Studies (CHS) and at Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN).  Hilary Rantisi grew up in Palestine and has been involved with education and advocacy on the Middle East since her move to the US. She is a 2025 Fellow at FMEP and was most recently the Associate Director of the Religion, Conflict and Peace Initiative (RCPI) and co-instructor of Learning in Context: Narratives of Displacement and Belonging in Israel/Palestine at Harvard Divinity School. She has over two decades of experience in institution building at Harvard, having been the Director of the Middle East Initiative (MEI) at Harvard Kennedy School of Government prior to her current role. She has a BA in Political Science/International Studies from Aurora University and a master's degree in Middle Eastern Studies from the University of Chicago. Before moving to the US, Hilary worked at Birzeit University and at the Jerusalem-based Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center. There, she co-edited a photo essay book Our Story: The Palestinians with the Rev. Naim Ateek.

Dr. Subha Dayal recently joined the New Books Network to discuss her new work Between Household and State: The Mughal Frontier and the Politics of Circulation in Peninsular India (U California Press, 2024). Her book makes a crucial intervention by moving beyond conventional dynastic narratives of the Mughal past to emphasize the role of elite household and family networks in peninsular India. Her approach defines the Mughal Frontier as a mobile entity. The empire was continuously remade and transformed through its interactions with ordinary itinerant subjects, such as scribes, soldiers, and labourers, who served under elite households and participated in imperial institutions like the army or bureaucracy. Dayal employs a bottom-up, granular portrait of this dynamism, returning to the tradition of social history to understand what the empire meant to ordinary people. The central organizational concept of the book is Ghar, defined as a continuum of relations that is neither restricted to sociological kin nor strictly bound to territory or space. While Ghar traditionally means "home" or "household," it also refers to a "slot or a single cell or receptacle," signifying an entity that functions as part of a larger unit. Dayal posits that the question of belonging can never be separated from the question of inequality. Belonging within the vertical hierarchy of a Ghar was inherently a form of privilege. The concept is fundamentally tied to the process of caste (jati) formation in pre-colonial India. Ghar was evoked by thousands of ordinary soldiers performing service (naukari) under a lord to signify affinity to a city, descent, or region. The internal politics of a Ghar often compelled household heads to forge alliances (sometimes across religious or kin divides) while simultaneously forcing them to enforce boundaries of status and caste to secure their grip over offices.  Dayal chose the term Mughal frontier over "borderlands" to highlight the politics of circulation across the peninsula. This frontier is defined as a complex set of processes through which social formations, personnel, and resources came to overlap and be shared across northern and southern India. Circulation itself is defined not as a unidirectional mobility (like invasion), but as the back-and-forth movement of pre-modern actors between sites, including courts, battlefields, and port cities. This constant exchange caused these sites to develop overlaps and codependencies. Focusing on circulation helps Dayal collapse the spatial boundaries between northern and southern India. The household both anchors this circulation and is, in turn, reconfigured by it, creating new forms of affinity, belonging, and social exclusion. Dayal's research bridges two distinct scholarly lines of inquiry: the Persian ecumene (which focuses on court and cultural history) and Indian Ocean studies (which often relies on European-language materials). She utilizes a massive documentary deposit of low-level Persian administrative materials from the moving Mughal frontier, reading them alongside vernacular narrative poems and the correspondence of the Dutch East India Company (VOC) along the coast. The VOC records, she notes, often use the term "huijshouden/huijsheid" to identify independent households and gauge their autonomy from imperial capitals. By working across these genres, Dayal affirms the radical equality of literary and non-literary sources for the study of pre-modern India. Dr. Dayal's next project involves writing the Islamic port city into global history. This comparative study of the bureaucratic and scribal cultures of three port cities—Bandar Abbas, Surat, and Masulipatnam—moves from the sea to the land. This work utilizes bilingual documents in Persian and Dutch to trace how indigenous templates and scribal cultures shaped the terrain on which transnational companies operated, creating a kind of prehistory of orientalism. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Live theatre is a way to co-dream,” says Anthony Moseley, Chief Programming Officer and Artistic Director of Chicago's Collaboraction theatre.  “It can connect us at a really deep level that allows us to drop seeds of new emotions and new possibilities.”  Moseley joins host Desire Wandan to discuss his artistic and political journey and the role that the multi-racial, multi-cultural theatre that he leads plays in not only bringing theatre to, but creating theatre with, the poor communities of Chicago.   Collaboraction, under Moseley's leadership, has devised hundreds of plays with young people and adults from Chicago's poorest and most violent neighborhoods, plays that have been performed in parks and community centers across the city and cheered on by tens of thousands of audience members.  Most of its performances are followed by a “crucial conversation” where the audience members engage with the issues raised by the play.  Since the pandemic, Collaboraction has produced 150 digital pieces and the film adaptation of its play, Trail in the Delta: The Murder of Emmett Till won a Chicago/Midwest Emmy Award.  Collaboraction is about to open its new cultural center “The House of Belonging” in Chicago's Humbolt Park neighborhood. “The company itself is a collaboration,” says Moseley, “a never-ending devised piece of theatre.” ----more---- anthony@collaboraction.org | 773.230.9981 collaboraction.org House of Belonging Capital Campaign Winner of a 2022 Emmy Award for Outstanding Achievement for Human Interest, Long Form, and 2023 Emmy Award for Outstanding Documentary  for The Lost Story of Emmett Till: Trial in the Delta   ----more---- Welcome to All Power to the Developing, a podcast of the East Side Institute. The Institute is a center for social change efforts that reinitiate human and community development. We support, connect, and partner with committed and creative activists, scholars, artists, helpers, and healers all over the world. In 2003, Institute co-founders Lois Holzman and the late Fred Newman had a paper published with the title “All Power to the Developing.” This phrase captures how vital it is for all people—no matter their age, circumstance, status, race, ethnicity, gender or sexual orientation—to grow, develop and transform emotionally, socially and intellectually if we are to have a shot at creating something positive out of the intense crises we're all experiencing. We hope that this podcast series will show you that, far more than a slogan, “all power to the developing” is a loving activity, a pulsing heart in an all too cruel world. ----more---- The East Side Institute is a hub for a diverse and emergent community of social activists, thought leaders, and practitioners who are reigniting our human abilities to imagine, create and perform beyond ourselves—to develop. Each episode will introduce you to another performance activist or play revolutionary from around the world.   To learn more about the East Side Institute you can go to https://eastsideinstitute.org/   Made possible in part by Growing Social Therapeutics: The Baylah Wolfe Fund.

Dr. Subha Dayal recently joined the New Books Network to discuss her new work Between Household and State: The Mughal Frontier and the Politics of Circulation in Peninsular India (U California Press, 2024). Her book makes a crucial intervention by moving beyond conventional dynastic narratives of the Mughal past to emphasize the role of elite household and family networks in peninsular India. Her approach defines the Mughal Frontier as a mobile entity. The empire was continuously remade and transformed through its interactions with ordinary itinerant subjects, such as scribes, soldiers, and labourers, who served under elite households and participated in imperial institutions like the army or bureaucracy. Dayal employs a bottom-up, granular portrait of this dynamism, returning to the tradition of social history to understand what the empire meant to ordinary people. The central organizational concept of the book is Ghar, defined as a continuum of relations that is neither restricted to sociological kin nor strictly bound to territory or space. While Ghar traditionally means "home" or "household," it also refers to a "slot or a single cell or receptacle," signifying an entity that functions as part of a larger unit. Dayal posits that the question of belonging can never be separated from the question of inequality. Belonging within the vertical hierarchy of a Ghar was inherently a form of privilege. The concept is fundamentally tied to the process of caste (jati) formation in pre-colonial India. Ghar was evoked by thousands of ordinary soldiers performing service (naukari) under a lord to signify affinity to a city, descent, or region. The internal politics of a Ghar often compelled household heads to forge alliances (sometimes across religious or kin divides) while simultaneously forcing them to enforce boundaries of status and caste to secure their grip over offices.  Dayal chose the term Mughal frontier over "borderlands" to highlight the politics of circulation across the peninsula. This frontier is defined as a complex set of processes through which social formations, personnel, and resources came to overlap and be shared across northern and southern India. Circulation itself is defined not as a unidirectional mobility (like invasion), but as the back-and-forth movement of pre-modern actors between sites, including courts, battlefields, and port cities. This constant exchange caused these sites to develop overlaps and codependencies. Focusing on circulation helps Dayal collapse the spatial boundaries between northern and southern India. The household both anchors this circulation and is, in turn, reconfigured by it, creating new forms of affinity, belonging, and social exclusion. Dayal's research bridges two distinct scholarly lines of inquiry: the Persian ecumene (which focuses on court and cultural history) and Indian Ocean studies (which often relies on European-language materials). She utilizes a massive documentary deposit of low-level Persian administrative materials from the moving Mughal frontier, reading them alongside vernacular narrative poems and the correspondence of the Dutch East India Company (VOC) along the coast. The VOC records, she notes, often use the term "huijshouden/huijsheid" to identify independent households and gauge their autonomy from imperial capitals. By working across these genres, Dayal affirms the radical equality of literary and non-literary sources for the study of pre-modern India. Dr. Dayal's next project involves writing the Islamic port city into global history. This comparative study of the bureaucratic and scribal cultures of three port cities—Bandar Abbas, Surat, and Masulipatnam—moves from the sea to the land. This work utilizes bilingual documents in Persian and Dutch to trace how indigenous templates and scribal cultures shaped the terrain on which transnational companies operated, creating a kind of prehistory of orientalism. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/south-asian-studies

Jane Austen had six brothers, but her older brother Henry was her favorite. Kind and witty, Henry has long been appreciated by Austen fans for his devotion to Jane and his championing of her novels. But Henry was a fascinating figure in his own right, capering through risky financial schemes and marrying an enigmatic French countess before ending his days as a hard-working curate. Highly successful at times and nearly bankrupt at others, Henry's colorful and turbulent life helps us better understand Jane's life and works. In this episode, Jacke talks to author Christopher Herbert about his new book, Jane Austen's Favourite Brother, Henry, which tells the illuminating and inspiring story of a special sibling relationship. PLUS Jacke shares a letter from a 22-year-old Australian reading his way through Europe. AND author Nicholas Jenkins (The Island: War and Belonging in Auden's England) discusses his choice for the last book he will ever read. Join Jacke on a trip through literary England (signup open through the end of September)! The History of Literature Podcast Tour is happening in May 2026! Act now to join Jacke and fellow literature fans on an eight-day journey through literary England in partnership with ⁠⁠⁠John Shors Travel⁠⁠⁠. Scheduled stops include The Charles Dickens Museum, Dr. Johnson's house, Jane Austen's Bath, Tolkien's Oxford, Shakespeare's Globe Theater, and more. Find out more by emailing jackewilsonauthor@gmail.com or masahiko@johnshorstravel.com, or by contacting us through our website ⁠⁠⁠historyofliterature.com⁠⁠⁠. Or visit the ⁠⁠⁠History of Literature Podcast Tour itinerary⁠⁠⁠ at ⁠⁠⁠John Shors Travel⁠⁠⁠. The music in this episode is by Gabriel Ruiz-Bernal. Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠gabrielruizbernal.com⁠⁠. Help support the show at ⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/literature ⁠⁠⁠or ⁠⁠⁠historyofliterature.com/donate ⁠⁠⁠. The History of Literature Podcast is a member of Lit Hub Radio and the Podglomerate Network. Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠thepodglomerate.com/historyofliterature⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Burnout recovery isn't about pushing harder. Learn why proving yourself leads to nervous system dysregulation, not fulfillment — and how identity-level recalibration shifts you from performance pressure to peace.So many high-capacity humans quietly admit: “I've built the life, hit the goals — but why does success still feel empty?”In this episode of The Recalibration, Julie Holly explores the proving reflex — the nervous system's default to override exhaustion, anxiety, or signals of fatigue — and why it leaves leaders feeling hollow. What most people call burnout is often something deeper: nervous system dysregulation rooted in childhood patterns and identity scripts that demand more, no matter the cost.Through the lens of Dr. Linnea Passaler's groundbreaking work on nervous system regulation, Julie unpacks why success without recalibration only multiplies pressure. Dr. Passaler's own story — from high-achieving surgeon to founder of Heal Your Nervous System — shows how ignoring stress signals can trigger chronic dysregulation, and how shifting at the identity level rewires the story we carry in our bodies.This isn't another productivity hack or mindset tactic. Identity-Level Recalibration (ILR) goes beneath the habits and strategies to address the root: who you believe you must be in order to belong. When you recalibrate there, presence replaces proving, and peace replaces pressure.Today's Micro Recalibration:Where am I still trying to earn my place?What would shift if I measured proximity, not proof?Leadership extension: Where have I created a culture of proving on my team?If you've been navigating burnout recovery, decision fatigue, role confusion, or the hollow ache of success without fulfillment — this episode will help you see why identity, not effort, is the missing piece.If this episode gave you language you've been missing, please rate and review the show so more high-capacity humans can find it. Explore Identity-Level Recalibration→ Follow Julie Holly on LinkedIn for more recalibration insights → Schedule a conversation with Julie to see if The Recalibration is a fit for you → Download the Misalignment Audit → Subscribe to the weekly newsletter → Join the waitlist for the next Recalibration cohort This isn't therapy. This isn't coaching. This is identity recalibration — and it changes everything.

Belonging is the first core value at Crosswalk. Everyone belongs at the feet of Jesus – right now and as we are – no exceptions.  We are not damaged goods. We are God's beloved children that He left the heavens above to live, die, and rise again to proclaim our belonging to Him. This sacred place at the feet of Jesus is always inclusive. No one deserves to be at His feet based on anything we have done. We all belong at His feet because He created us to be with Him from the very beginning of time. It is the place of the purest and most perfect love—the place of highest human dignity as His beloved. In Season 1 of our Belonging series, we explored our belonging to God through Jesus' miracles of healing. In this season, Season 2, we will gain a further glimpse into our belonging through some of Jesus' other miracles, such as His feeding of the 5,000 and turning water into wine at a wedding celebration. No one ever has to defend their belonging to God. Jesus does that for us through His life and miracles.

“When's the last time you thrilled yourself?” – Juan Kingsbury   CBQ: When you find out someone has read A Court of Thorns and Roses, what are you instantly doing?   Juan and Courtney unpack the joy of nerding out — from fantasy novels to comics to leadership. Leaders often chase productivity, but when is the last time you chased thrill?   HIGHLIGHTS 1:09 “It is not just reading it, it is the joy of nerding out with someone else.” – Juan 2:39 “Nostalgia comforts, never thrills.”  4:38 “Everybody's just looking to find where they belong.” – Courtney 9:48 “When's the last time you instigated thrill?” – Juan   CareerBlindspot.com  LinkedIn | Instagram | Youtube Juan | Courtney  → Your listening perspective matters - 5 min survey.   #thrill #nerdingout #leaderswhoread #fiction #community #culture #purpose #belonging #growth #careerblindspot  

Welcome to the Celestial Insights Podcast, the show that brings the stars down to Earth! Each week, astrologer, coach, and intuitive Celeste Brooks of Astrology by Celeste will be your guide. Her website is astrologybyceleste.com.  

“Clearing the Pathway to Belonging” Sunday, September 28, 2025 As we approach roadblocks, stop signs, detours, and potholes on the path to belonging, what spiritual technology can we employ to continue along the path? Who or what stands in the way of naming our belonging in a community? Is internal repair needed to meet the welcoming road ahead? Mark Caswell, Ministerial Intern, Rev. Vanessa Rush Southern, Senior Minister; Liz Strand, Trustee; Bill Klingelhoffer, shofar; Mark Levy, Guitarist and Vocalist; Mark Sumner, songleader Eric Shackelford; Camera Operator; Jonathan Silk, Communications Director; Jose Matias Pineda, and Francisco Castellanos, Sextons; Athena Papadakos, Flowers; Linda Messner, Head Usher

What does it mean to be truly welcoming? In this episode of The Leader's Journey Podcast, Trisha Taylor is joined by author and spiritual director Laura Murray to explore welcome as a guiding principle for life and leadership. Together they unpack how hospitality goes deeper than surface-level friendliness, why boundaries are essential to real welcome, and how leaders can create environments of safety, curiosity, and belonging. This conversation will inspire you to rethink what welcome looks like in your home, your leadership, and your community. Laura Murray is a minister, author, and spiritual director who brings faith formation into the digital space through her innovative work with online retreats and resources. She is passionate about integrating ideas, connecting people, and releasing the gifts of others. Her newest book, Becoming a Person of Welcome, explores what it means to embody hospitality in ways that are healthy, grounded, and transformative. Learn more about Laura's work, including her retreats and resources, at laurabmurray.com. Conversation Overview Welcome as more than friendliness Why genuine welcome requires boundaries and limits Protecting both people and purpose in our communities The grief and gift of acknowledging our limitations Learning to welcome our own humanity before we can welcome others Endings, closure, and repair as essential parts of welcome The multiplying effect of welcome beyond ourselves How God's welcome shapes the way we welcome others   Resources Mentioned Becoming a Person of Welcome by Laura Murray LauraBMurray.com  The Leader's Journey Coaching 

Yom Kippur is here! For the past few years, Yom Kippur has been the single most popular day — all year — for folks to listen to Judaism Unbound. To those of you incorporating our podcast into your observance of this holiday, wishing you a beautiful and unbound Yom Kippur. In this episode, Angela Buchdahl -- senior rabbi at Central Synagogue in New York City -- joins Dan Libenson and Lex Rofeberg for a conversation exploring the holiday of Yom Kippur, in conversation with her upcoming book entitled Heart of a Stranger: An Unlikely Rabbi's Story of Faith, Identity, and Belonging.Head to JudaismUnbound.com/classes to check out our up upcoming courses in the UnYeshiva! Judaism Inbound (our intro to Judaism course) begins in just a few days, and four other amazing learning opportunities begin a few weeks later! Financial aid is available via this link.Pre-order Heart of a Stranger here! And access full shownotes for this episode via this link. If you're enjoying Judaism Unbound, please help us keep things going with a one-time or monthly tax-deductible donation -- support Judaism Unbound by clicking here!