Podcasts about Friendship

Friends, what if the healing we long for is waiting on the other side of letting others in? Today, author and teacher Toni Collier joins Stasi for a powerful conversation on her newest book, Don't Try This Alone. Toni shares her raw, redemptive story of betrayal, resilience, and the trusted community God used to restore her. This conversation is a tender look at vulnerability, friendship, and the God who redeems every story.…..SHOW NOTES:…..VERSES: Psalm 31:24 (NIV) – Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord.2 Corinthians 12:9 (NIV) – But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.John 11:35–36 (NIV) – Jesus wept. Then the Jews said, ‘See how he loved him!'John 21:15–17 (NIV) – “When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?' ‘Yes, Lord,' he said, ‘you know that I love you.' Jesus said, ‘Feed my lambs.' Again Jesus said, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?' He answered, ‘Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.' Jesus said, ‘Take care of my sheep.' The third time he said to him, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?' Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, ‘Do you love me?' He said, ‘Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.' Jesus said, ‘Feed my sheep.'”…..GUESTToni CollierWebsite: https://www.tonijcollier.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tonijcollier/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/colliertoniYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@tonijcollierBIOToni Collier is the founder of a global women's organization called Broken Crayons Still Color and helps women process through brokenness and get to healing and hope. Toni is a speaker, host of the Still Coloring podcast, and author of several books: Don't Try This Alone, Brave Enough to be Broken, and a children's book, Broken Crayons Still Color. Toni is teaching people all over the globe that you can be broken and still worthy, or feel unqualified and still be called to do great things.Don't Try This Alone: How to Build Deep Community When You Want to Hide from Your Pain:  https://a.co/d/iSwqL09…..Don't Miss Out on the Next Episode—Subscribe for FreeSubscribe using your favorite podcast app:YouTube: https://wahe.art/4h8DelLSpotify Podcasts – https://spoti.fi/42SsOipApple Podcasts – https://apple.co/42E0oZ1 Google Podcasts – http://wahe.art/3M81kxLAmazon Music & Audible – https://amzn.to/3M9u6hJ

FULL SHOW: Tuesday, December 9th, 2025 Curious if we look as bad as we sound? Follow us @BrookeandJeffrey: Youtube Instagram TikTok BrookeandJeffrey.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today's Masked Speaker discovered an incredible trick to INSTANTLY make new adult friends, and it only involves a TINY bit of deception...See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Leslie continues the Steadfast Heart series with this episode on Christ-centered, emotionally-healthy friendships. Why is it important to surround ourselves with emotionally healthy friends who are truly Christ-centered? Because those we allow to influence us can have a powerful impact on the direction of our lives. Our friends and influencers can either pull us away from Christ or help anchor our soul to Him. In this episode, Leslie offers important Biblical insights on how to determine a truly Christ-centered friend from someone who is dangerous and unhealthy to our spiritual lives and relationship with Christ.For more resources from Leslie, visit https://setapart.org/. To explore our Set Apart Christmas specials, https://shop.setapart.org/collections/christmas-specials. To explore our Ellerslie Christmas specials, visit https://ellerslie.com/2025-christmas-specials/. To learn about our 2026 Set Apart Conference, visit https://setapart.org/2026-set-apart-conference/. To support Set Apart Ministries, visit https://setapart.org/support/.

Transform your life and thrill yourself by what happens when you start thinking and acting more strategically.  Abandon fantasy as your roadmap.  Why I started supporting President Trump in March 2015.  How learning how the world REALLY works helps you see the future.  Are you ignoring what you know you must do for your Finances by using the escape hatch of doing other good things in Friendship, or even Fitness and thereby distracting yourself from what you should be doing?  How is your 5F balance?  If it's not good, you need a rabbi!     Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In friendships, you don't have a "define the relationship talk" because it's weird. But often you do wonder, "Do they like me? Do they want to hang out again?" How do you even meet your people? We are chatting about PRACTICAL ways to make friends in your 20's in today's episode.Friendship experts Katie interviewed in past episodes:I'll be there but I'll be in sweatpantsFriendtimacyOur new podcast handle https://www.instagram.com/truthforyour20s/Follow Katie on instahttps://www.instagram.com/katiebulmerlife/Follow Shayna on Instahttps://www.instagram.com/webbchatts/

When a beloved other is found brutally beaten in her own garage, a quiet Georgia neighborhood is thrown into chaos. At first glance, it looks like a home invasion gone wrong - but investigators soon uncover a shocking betrayal. Behind the crime lies a twisted triangle of love, lies and greed, and the truth will leave you questioning how well you really know your friends. 

Start your day with a dose of positivity! Tune in to Morning Affirmations for an inspiring way to kick-start your day!

The letter writer wasn't invited on her best friend's birthday trip. Then she got the last-minute invite. Will going on the trip save the friendship? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Celebrating 100 Episodes!

In this eye-opening episode of The Heart of Friendship, Cecelia sits down with guest Dana Mosley for an honest conversation about the real, often-unspoken reasons so many women struggle to make and keep friends in adulthood. Together, they unpack the emotional and relational patterns that quietly shape our friendships — often without us realizing it. They talk about: - The unhealed pain many women carry that blocks true connection - Why some women seem unapproachable - How insecurity shows up in adult friendships - Navigating needy or clingy friends with compassion and healthy boundaries They also cover: - The myth that everyone already has a friend group - Whether or not you really need a best friend to feel supported If you've ever wondered why adult friendship feels harder than it should, this episode offers clarity, encouragement, and practical insight to help you build the deeper connections you're craving. Connect With Cecelia Join the Facebook Group! Join the Email List! Visit the Website! Email Cecelia: ccurtis@thefriendshiptourpodcast.com

Hi friends, Staffan & Thomas here! Welcome to our new podcast and to our ninth episode! :)We're so lucky to have you with us and truly hope this can grow into a little podcast community of its own.In today's conversation, we discuss our thoughts on real friendships. We hope that this podcast becomes a space where we can come together as humans to hang out, share and explore the mysteries of life a little deeper.If you enjoy it, we'd love if you subscribed and maybe shared it with a friend. See you around!---- Hosts: Staffan Taylor & Thomas Brag

Though our culture has changed dramatically through the decades, there are certain issues that will always present difficult challenges in the lives of adolescent girls. Today on Family Talk, you'll hear Dr. James Dobson speak with his daughter, Danae Dobson, about her book, Let's Walk the Talk! Girlfriend to Girlfriend on Faith, Friendship and Finding Real Love. She discusses tough subjects such as self-esteem, peer-pressure, and dating, as well as sisterly advice on how we can have faith and trust God to navigate us through these rough seas of life. Listen as Danae shares and articulates some of the best advice she's been given, “It pays to follow Jesus!” To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/707/29?v=20251111

“Therefore see that you walk carefully [living life with honor, purpose, and courage; shunning those who tolerate and enable evil], not as the unwise, but as wise [sensible, intelligent, discerning people], making the very most of your time [on earth, recognizing and taking advantage of each opportunity and using it with wisdom and diligence], because the days are [filled with] evil.” Ephesians 5:15-16 AMP   *Transcription Below*   Questions and Topics We Discuss: How did God meet you in your experience of army life to reveal your choice of hope vs. fear? What have you learned about community, both before and after your experience of launching your husband into space? For all of us, how can we rediscover our fun side when we've been trapped in survival mode for too long?   Stacey Morgan is always ready with a funny or thoughtful story from her own life; whether it be holding down the home front during military deployments, working for the Smithsonian, skydiving, or blasting  her husband into outer space. Stacey is on staff with MOPS International, a nonprofit focused on the unique needs of mothers around the world. She and her husband, Army colonel and NASA astronaut Drew Morgan, have four children.   Connect with Stacey on Instagram or through her website.   Other Savvy Sauce Episodes Related to Friendship: Friendship with Drew Hunter Reflecting Jesus in Our Relationships with Rach Kincaid Nurturing Friendships with Jackie Coleman Art of Friendship with Kim Wier   Thank You to Our Sponsors: Chick-fil-A East Peoria and The Savvy Sauce Charities (and donate online here)   Please help us out by sharing this episode with a friend, leaving a 5-star rating and review, and subscribing to this podcast!   Connect with The Savvy Sauce on Facebook, Instagram or Our Website   Gospel Scripture: (all NIV)   Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”   Romans 3:24 “and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”   Romans 3:25 (a) “God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood.”   Hebrews 9:22 (b) “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.”   Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”   Romans 5:11 “Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.”   John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”   Romans 10:9 “That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”   Luke 15:10 says “In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”   Romans 8:1 “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”   Ephesians 1:13–14 “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession- to the praise of his glory.”   Ephesians 1:15–23 “For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.”   Ephesians 2:8–10 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God‘s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.“   Ephesians 2:13 “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.“   Philippians 1:6 “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”   *Transcription*   Music: (0:00 – 0:09)   Laura Dugger: (0:09 - 2:54) 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 want to say a huge thank you to today's sponsors for this episode, Chick-fil-A East Peoria and Savvy Sauce Charities.   Are you interested in a free college education for you or someone you know? Stay tuned for details coming later in this episode from today's sponsor, Chick-fil-A East Peoria. You can also visit their website today at https://www.chick-fil-a.com/locations/il/east-peoria.   I'm so excited to share a special Patreon re-release episode. And if you've been with The Savvy Sauce for a while, you know that we used to make some money by having people sign up for Patreon and as a reward, they would get access to special episodes. Now we have done away with that as we've transitioned to becoming a nonprofit, and we want to make all of these episodes available to you, so we re-release a few every year.   What I'd love to ask is, as we're approaching the end of year because we've taken out that revenue stream, would you consider financially supporting Savvy Sauce Charities?   There are two simple ways. First, if you want to mail us a check, that saves us all of the processing fees, and you can make that out to Savvy Sauce Charities and mail it to P.O. Box 101, Roanoke, Illinois 61561. Also, if you want to go online, visit thesavvysauce.com and you can type in different words to the search button. You could type in “donate” or “support” and it should take you to the place where there's a button to click and put in your credit card information and give that way. We would be so grateful for any amount, and we love our partnership with you.   Here's our chat.   Stacey Morgan is my guest today, and you may have heard her name in the news over the past few years. She has documented her story in her debut book, The Astronaut's Wife: How Launching My Husband into Outer Space Changed the Way I Live on Earth. And now she's going to share more about that season and all the lessons God taught her about making the most of her one incredible life, and she's going to inspire each of us to do the same.   Here's our chat. Welcome to The Savvy Sauce, Stacey.   Stacey Morgan: (2:55 - 2:58) I am so excited to be here. Thank you for having me.   Laura Dugger: (2:58 - 3:07) Well, it is truly my pleasure. And will you just start by giving us a little bit more context for our time together and just share a few things about yourself?   Stacey Morgan: (3:08 - 4:49) Sure. Well, hi, my name is Stacey. I currently live in Texas.   I have four kids. I'm married to a guy named Drew who has kind of an unusual job. I grew up in a small town just outside of Boston and was kind of a scholar-athlete growing up interested in a lot of different things but always involved in church and youth group. And that really served me well when I went off to college.   The first college I went to, West Point. And actually, I'll tell you in a minute, but that is where I eventually met my now husband, Drew.   We got married after I graduated from undergrad. He's a little bit older than me and he is an Army officer. And so, we have moved all over the country. We've lived on both coasts and had a number of kinds of unusual situations just, you know, kind of typical for a military family living all over the place.   I've had a lot of crazy jobs. I think mainly I have an unusual story because I'm really quick to say yes to things, which sometimes, you know, it's a double-edged sword. Sometimes you say yes and you realize, “I should have thought through that a little bit more.” But really it's been quite an adventure because we have had the opportunity to live in a lot of different places, experience a lot of different things.   And we ended up here in 2013. We can kind of get into that if you want, but we ended up down here in Texas with my husband, who is still an Army officer, but he became a NASA astronaut. And so, that totally changed the direction of our lives and kind of changing all the plans we had for what we were supposed to be doing in the military and ending up down here at Johnson Space Center. Then, him eventually launching into outer space.   Laura Dugger: (4:49 - 5:01) Wow, there are so many points to unpack, but let's back it up to what you had mentioned about West Point. So, will you just elaborate and tell us more about how you and Drew met and fell in love?   Stacey Morgan: (5:01 - 7:21) Sure. So, we were both cadets at West Point when we met. He was a little bit older than me, but we met through Officers' Christian Fellowship, which is a Christian club that is very popular on military bases, both at the academies but in big Army and other services as well when you get out.   It's a, you know, it's like small groups, typical for what most people would find comfortable in kind of church community. And so, we met there and we just kind of clicked, you know.   I would say it's funny looking back, we were not the type of people I think we would have thought we would marry. He was far more serious than I am. I'm a little bit more, I'm the one to more kind of like walk the fine line, but we work together really well.   We've always been a great team. That's always been a real theme in our marriage, you know, that we are a team. And, you know, when he proposed after I graduated from undergrad, he kind of said, “I promise you a life of adventure,” which at the time sounded wonderful and adorable.   Of course, it has come back to haunt me several times when he has been, you know, come up with some crazy plan and when I hesitate he's like, “I promised you adventure.” And I'm like, “Now that's unfair. I did not know when you said adventure back in 2000 that you meant all these crazy things like going to space or all these different deployments and all this kind of stuff like that.”   So, we now have four kids. We've been married this summer will be 22 years. And, you know, it hasn't been without its challenges like any marriage and certainly any marriage under stress because of stressful situations, whether that's military deployments, whether that's space travel or just kind of life and parenting. And as you kind of grow up together and get to know each other and the world changes around you, we've certainly had ups and downs, but we are a team.   And I think God has really honored that and it's been really helpful for us when we've had those sticky seasons where you just feel like, “Man, we are just not connecting or kind of jiving the way we would want,” to actually say to each other that we are on the same team and that has been really helpful.   Laura Dugger: (7:22 - 7:40) The part of your story that involves space travel is one that most of us will never be able to relate to experientially, but it's still extraordinary. So, can you walk us through the detailed events leading up to 9:28 p.m. on July 20th, 2019?   Stacey Morgan: (7:42 - 15:28) Sure. So, I should back it up one big step behind that just to give everybody a little context. So, in 2012, we were kind of living our lives. We had always been deep into the Army Special Operations community. We love that. In order to live and kind of thrive in that environment you have to be all in, and we were all in.   And one day my husband came home and he was uncharacteristically giddy and he said, “You're not gonna believe this huge news. NASA is opening up the application window for a new class of astronauts.”   And I thought, “Why are you telling me this? This has no bearing whatsoever on our lives. We are on this path and that is a completely different path.”   And he said, “Well, I want to apply.”   And I thought to myself, “Well, I wanted to be a ballerina at one point in life, but that ship sailed. Like who doesn't say they always wanted to be an astronaut? Like this seems like a childhood fantasy.”   But he said, “No, I just want to apply. Like don't worry, all of our plans are gonna stay the same. They've never selected an Army physician before. I just, you know, I want to...” You know, the joke was that you'll always be a NASA applicant, right? And that'll be great. We'll laugh about it at family Christmases and stuff.   Except he kept making it through every gate. And so, in 2013 we got the call that completely took our life off of one set of train tracks and put it on another. At that time, we were currently stationed just outside of Washington DC at Fort Belvoir. We were supposed to be literally the next week moving to Germany. And that's how close these changes kind of came up on themselves. And so, we had to unravel everything for Germany and move to Houston, Texas, because that's where Johnson Space Center is.   And so, he began his training in 2013. I started my journey in learning a whole new culture, a whole new way of doing life. I'd never lived in a place that was at least not near a military base or within a military community. Didn't quite recognize at the time how much that shared sense of community had made things easier in terms of connecting with people before that and when I didn't have it.   So, it was probably our rockiest transition for me personally that I'd ever had in terms of friendships and getting connected. That's a big part of my story because I think friendship struggles are so common for adult women. It's just something that nobody really teaches us how to do and so a lot of women are very lonely.   But fast forward, he trained for several years until it was eventually his turn to fly. And in 2019, the only way to get to the International Space Station was to fly on a Russian Soyuz rocket. So, some people are very confused because they think, “Well, every space movie I've ever watched is taking place in Florida, right? Whether that's Apollo 13 or Armageddon or whatever. Why didn't he launch from Florida?”   Well, between 2011 and 2020, the Space Shuttle program had ended. SpaceX Crew Dragon had not yet started launching from Florida again. So, for about a 10-year period, the only way to get to and from the International Space Station was to ride a Russian rocket.   So, that's what NASA did. They went into partnership with the Russians, which of course makes things very interesting given today's kind of current political climate and all the world events. But that meant when it was Drew's turn to launch, we as a family had to travel to Kazakhstan, which is a country that I could not spell before 2019.   And so, if you don't know where that is, don't feel bad. I didn't either. I had to look it up. It's a former Soviet Republic really kind of in between Russia and Afghanistan. So, it is in the middle of nowhere. And when the Soviets were building their space program in the 1950s and 60s, they built their secret space city there in Kazakhstan. That's where they started their space program and they have kind of kept it unchanged and they continue to launch their rockets from there today.   It was a whole kind of world travel and cultural experience to take my four kids to Kazakhstan, which is a completely different cultural experience for really what came down to a very stressful, very emotional moment really waiting for that launch. So, unlike Florida, which you know when you watch on television, it's colorful, there's a lot of people, a lot of spectators, big people remember from the shuttle days big countdown clock, a loudspeaker kind of telling everybody what's going on... that's not how it is in Kazakhstan.   So, about 30 minutes before the launch, the kids and I were brought to this viewing area. And by viewing area I would say big field. It's not... there was kind of some grandstands area far at the other end of the field, but that's where all the space tourists stand and the press and all that kind of stuff and we didn't want to be near them. So, our escort brought us down to the end, the other end of the field, and it's just dark and it's quiet and there's no announcements. There's no countdown clock. It's just looking at your watch or your phone there just kind of in the dark and you just know that that Russian ground crew is going to launch that rocket at exactly 9:28 p.m. Not a minute earlier, not a minute later.   And so, standing there in the dark holding my kids' hands, and we can see the rocket in the distance only about a mile away, which by rocket launch standards is very close. Knowing that in a minute or 30 seconds or 10 seconds as it gets closer, it's either going to be one of the best days of your life, super exciting, super proud moment, or it's going to be the worst day of your life, and you could become a widow.   And as much as it's easy to kind of get complacent because incidents are so rare, but we all can remember any number of space disasters that have happened. Columbia, Challenger, those are very real. And with my time down here at Johnson Space Center, you come to learn those names and you meet those families and you meet those widows and widowers and you realize that space travel is dangerous. You know, at the end of the day my husband was in a little tiny capsule on top of a rocket full of highly explosive fuel. So, it's very scary.   And in that moment standing there thinking, “In 10 seconds my life is going to change no matter what happens.” Even if this goes perfectly, what happens next? I don't really know. It's kind of like having a baby. You can read all about it and assume things will be the way they're going to be, but until you're in it and then it happens, you don't really know how it's gonna go.   And so, it was a really overwhelmingly emotional moment because you think this could go sideways. And also, by the way, the world is watching live with me. So, if something goes wrong, I'm not able to process this privately. I will be experiencing it in real time with the rest of the world.   But even if it goes perfectly, what happens next? Like what does it look like to live on earth with a spouse in space and single parent for nine plus months while their other parent is in space? And you really don't know and it's scary to think like, “Gosh, what if something happens?” You know, he can't like come home early. Can't just like a business trip jump on a plane or a train and get home early. There's no coming back early. So, whatever happens, I'm on my own for better or worse. I'm on my own and I hope I have the endurance and the support system and everything I'm gonna need in order to be successful in this nine months.   Laura Dugger: (15:28 - 15:47) And my heart is pounding a little bit faster just as I hear you describe this. And I'd love to get back to your story, but first just to pause and wonder with that mixture of this adventure right in front of you and then your experience of army life, how did God meet you in all of that to reveal your choice of you're able to choose hope or fear?   Stacey Morgan: (15:47 - 22:32) Right. So, you know, when you take the time to step back and think, sometimes you don't see these patterns in your life until you kind of start putting them down on paper. And it was interesting for me to see how God had prepared me for that moment with other moments, especially related to military deployments in the past. Because certainly experiencing a rocket launch and all that fear and kind of this moment of where is my hope found in this moment, that was a varsity level moment.   But I'm so thankful that about ten years earlier God really started to prepare me for that moment with some other big moments. Like when my husband deployed for the first time.   I'll never forget, it was the height of the War on Terror. So, we were living in a military community which was amazing and a lot of my friends' husbands were also serving in the same military units or similar military units and they were deploying. The tempo was high so that meant, you know, six months deployed or longer, coming home for short amounts of time and then deploying again. Lots of action specifically in Afghanistan and Iraq at the time.   And so, lots of fatalities, lots of injuries, lots of grief, and for spouses a lot of fear because we knew what they were doing was very dangerous. And so, for me and my friends we kind of had this unspoken rule which I think a lot of people can understand which was, “Let's just not talk about this scariest thing because somehow talking about it makes it seem more possible.”   And as crazy as that is to say, people get that. You know, there's a lot of things we don't talk about because it's just too scary to think about. And so, for us the scariest thing in our life at that time was the fear that our husbands would not come home, that they would be killed in action. And that felt very real because we were going to memorial services, we were visiting people in the hospital, we were turning on the news and seeing what was going on in the world. And there was often communication blackouts because we knew that they were doing things that were very dangerous, very secretive.   And so, at the time I happily did what everybody else was doing which was, “Let's just not talk about it. Let's just kind of live life managing.” We felt like we were managing this fear, I think that's what I would have said at the time.   But then one day my friend Lisa, who's an amazing friend and she's always like two steps ahead of me on the wisdom scale, we were having coffee on her front porch and she turned to me and she said, “I've been thinking a lot about what life would be like if our husbands were killed.”   And this was like a bomb drop. I mean because we just were not supposed to be talking about this. Like here the rest of us had been avoiding all morbid thoughts about what could possibly happen with our husband and instead she had like turned and looked it straight in the eye.   And I was shocked. And so, I kind of sat up straighter and I said, “What do you mean?”   And she said, “Well, I've been thinking about it and it's not that, you know, life would certainly be hard and doesn't mean we wouldn't need counseling or our kids wouldn't need support, but life would still go on even if that happened. Life would still go on. Life would still be full of good things and God would provide and bring people around us to support us and I've just been thinking about that.”   And I was stunned. I was absolutely stunned because while the rest of us were too afraid to face that fear, in looking at it she kind of exposed it for what it was, which was certainly real and an absolute possibility that that could happen. But when she started walking down the path of like, “Okay, if this happened then what would happen?” You have to decide, “Do I believe God would really be with me or not? Do I believe His promises are true that He will be with me on good days and bad days and that He will draw people to me who will love me and support me? And have I plugged myself into friends and a faith community that would be there for me if that happened?”   And it was a game changer. That was probably one of, at the time, the biggest life-changing conversations I'd ever had as an adult because it really did shift how I viewed feeling afraid about things like that. And so, I had several opportunities... Drew deployed several times and then certainly doesn't take combat deployments to feel afraid like that. I know I have felt it before when my daughter was in the NICU, you know, and I had to leave her in the NICU and go home at night. I know I have felt it during this pandemic several times. I know I'm gonna feel it when I drop my oldest off at college this summer. You know, this moment where it just life feels very scary mainly because of the unknowns that come next and the fact that you have no control over those.   And so, that rocket launch moment was, you know, I felt like God was really prompting me in that moment to say, “Hey, if this rocket explodes like what will you do with that? Do you still trust me that I'm here with you and that I will still bring people to you and love you? Like is your support, is your foundation and your hope truly found in me or is it found in this rocket launch going successfully? Because it might not, and then what does that mean for you?”   And so, it really was this choice of am I gonna choose to live a life of fear, which is our default because if you do not choose something else we will always live a life dictated by fear of something. It's exhausting to live like that because once you conquer one fear another one's gonna pop up. Then they come in bunches and they just start layering on top of each other. Honestly it can lead to despair because there's plenty of things in the world to be afraid of and new ones just pop up every day.   So instead, I felt like God was offering me a new way of living and it really felt tangible in that moment of that rocket launch which is, “Hey, I hope that you will choose to find your hope in me. Just me. The one unchanging thing in this world that will be unchanging regardless of what happens with this rocket launch in 10 seconds. But if it goes well or if it goes poorly I am unchanging. You can rely on me. I will be with you in the best and the worst of times. And even if the rocket launch goes successfully and whatever happens in the next nine months, I'm with you there as well. So, you don't need to be afraid because I'm here with you. You can have hope that I will enable you to do what must be done no matter what happens tomorrow.”   Laura Dugger: (22:32 - 22:49) I'm so grateful that you chose hope and you chose faith. And then after all of that excitement and that adrenaline experienced on launch day, what did your life look like in the months to follow?   Stacey Morgan: (22:49 - 26:47) Yeah, it wasn't easy. You know I joke that those nine months really were like it was like a master class in all these little lessons I've learned throughout the years, but I'd never had to put them into practice at this level and all at the same time.   So, things like being honest about that I needed help. That, you know, there are times in the past where I have certainly wanted people to know or think that I had it all together and that I could do it all by myself especially, you know, I think every mom feels that way.   Certainly, military spouses, we take a lot of pride and feel like I'm doing this on my own.   And I realize now that I had certain seasons I have made life a lot harder for myself because I somehow thought that there was like an extra trophy if I finish the race by myself. I said that it was like, spoiler, there's no trophy. And also, I was just making it harder for myself.   And so, this season I could not fake it. Like past seasons I could fake it. This one I could not fake it. I had two teenagers, two tweens, a lot of hormones and then prepubescent and puberty things flying around. Just a lot of scheduling, a lot of driving, like just life. And then just the stress of living with someone who, you know, a spouse who was living in space and the stress of what does that do to your marriage, to parenting and, you know, parent-child relationships. Just every single piece of running a house, of parenting all the things, was solely on my shoulders and that's a big weight. And it was tough. It was tough.   So, I could not fake it. I had to ask for help. I had to be willing to ask for it and receive it, which are two different skill sets I found. It's sometimes you get good at one and not the other. I had to get really willing to be vulnerable as my friends and say things like, “I'm really lonely.” Can you know, it's like being honest. Like everything's not just, “Oh, this is so exciting. Oh, isn't it so great? Aren't we just so proud of them?” Yes, but at the same time sometimes I'm lonely. Sometimes I'm struggling.   Sometimes in my stress I would overly focus on trying to control my home life or what was happening within my own house and become not as pleasant of a person to live with because I was just trying to kind of regain some control in what felt like a little bit of a chaotic world and then you become not your best self and you know that. And so, I had to learn how to kind of get out of that survival mode and still have fun even when life is hard. And really just kind of accept that life isn't one thing or the other. You can be in a hard season and it still have good things in it. Life can be full of opportunities and challenges and one does not negate the other. And when you try to live your life by one narrative or the other, not only are you faking it but you make life harder than it needs to be and you kind of block other people out of it.   So, there was a lot of learning going on in there but we really all came down to that first decision of how am I gonna live my life in this season? Am I gonna live it fearfully, reactionary, hair trigger, you know, just stress all the time because I'm afraid of what comes next. I'm not sure if I'm gonna be able to handle it? Or am I gonna live a life of hope, which is of course like not wishes and dreams but it is anticipation that God will be with me no matter what comes down the pipeline. And sometimes that's divine comfort that is hard to explain but you just feel it. Sometimes it's people he draws to your life who literally will sit on the couch with you and just like hold your hand or give you a hug that moment you need it. Sometimes it's someone offering to carpool or take your kid out driving because they're trying to get their driver's license, you know?   But that's really the biggest thing for me. I talked about it in chapter one of the book because that's the foundation that really all those other lessons were built on.   Laura Dugger: (26:47 - 27:26) And I think also with your book, it was helpful to hear little insights into what it looked like for your marriage. And it was even interesting when you said it's really important for astronauts to have forms of entertainment and that you were so committed to being involved in Drew's life and that you two still found ways to stay connected. I just think that has to be encouraging to any married couples listening right now because you clearly had a big barrier to overcome. But what were some of those ways that the two of you tried as best as you could in that season to stay intimately connected to one another's lives?   Stacey Morgan: (27:26 - 31:19) Yeah, it's not easy. And I think there's kind of this fallacy that is kind of dangerous for especially young married I think to believe which is like in every season of your life you're gonna feel amazingly connected to your spouse and you're gonna constantly be growing in your relationship. And sometimes that's not true. Like sometimes one person has a job that takes them away from home or someone is sick or there are other issues going on in your life where the connection is just not as strong not because you don't want it to be but because the circumstances you find yourself in don't allow for that.   And certainly, while my husband was in space that was a lot of challenges to feeling connected. I mean there's good communication but there's a difference between like quality and quantity, right? So, he could call me on the phone every day but because of the time differences and his schedule the only time he could call me was between 4:00 and 5:00 p.m. my time, which as any person knows and with any kids, is like the worst time of the day. Like everything's happening, the wheels are coming off, homework, pickups, dinner prep, like all that kind of stuff was crazy.   So, needless to say, I was not able to sit down and have like a heartfelt drawn-out conversation. And then kids hate talking on the phone so he wasn't really talking to them during the day. I'm like, you know, my eight-year-old isn't gonna send him an email. So, you know, there wasn't like a lot of quality or quantity conversation with the kids which of course puts a little stress on your marriage too because you worry about that.   And then we have one video chat a month and you want it to be fun. You want it to kind of be good for the kids as well as him but it's a very, you know, it's one hour to share between five people and so that's not a lot of time. And so, the reality is that for that season there was a lot of, I would say, relationship treading water. And you're, you know, the goal is just not to let things go downhill, which you can easily do in life when you and your spouse are experiencing the same event but from different points of view. And that's what we were doing. You know, we were sharing the mission but from two vastly different points of view.   And so, you do your best. But the difference is I think you have to in order to kind of come out on the other end better, you have to have a kind of a mutual commitment that, “Hey, we're going to... we are eventually going to come back together on this. We can't change the circumstances. I can't make the time difference different. I can't give you more time on the phone. I can't... there's things I just cannot change. But we are committed as a team to doing the best we can right now and when this circumstance changes, in this case when he came home, we're gonna kind of back up again and do some story sharing and reconnect about some things that we just didn't have the opportunity to in the past.”   And so, it's a little bit kind of like two steps forward one step back but eventually you still come out ahead if you are committed to trying to come back together and share those experiences in one way or another. Where you run into kind of danger is if people start experiencing two different things and then they never come back together so the gap just kind of keeps widening and widening. And then you hear when people say like, “Yeah, I woke up and I felt like I was living a different life than the person who was sleeping next to me.”   And so, reminding us to ourselves that we are a team even though we were experiencing the same thing. I didn't know a lot about a lot of the things he was doing. He didn't know a lot of stories about how things were for me. And so, it's okay to tell them later if you don't have the ability to tell them in the moment as long as you both have the goodwill and you prioritize coming back together eventually.   Laura Dugger: (31:19 - 34:26) And now a brief message from our sponsor.   Did you know you can go to college tuition free just by being a team member at Chick-fil-A East Peoria? Yes, you heard that right. Free college education. All Chick-fil-A East Peoria team members in good standing are immediately eligible for a free college education through Point University.   Point University is a fully accredited private Christian college located in West Point, Georgia. This online self-paced program includes 13 associate's degrees, 17 bachelor's degrees, and two master's programs, including an MBA. College courses are fully transferable both in and out of this program. 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We love producing free content that's available to everyone around the world with our monthly newsletters when you sign up for our email list and with our weekly episodes. We pray that this has been a benefit to you. That if any episode has ever impacted you, what we ask is that you will partner with us now and generously and prayerfully give financially before the end of the year. There's multiple ways to do this. Online at thesavvysauce.com, you can donate through Stripe,  PayPal, or Venmo with just a simple click. Or you can send snail mail to us at Savvy Sauce Charities, P.O. Box 101 Roanoke, Illinois, 61561. We hope you choose to support us today and during this season especially.   It sounds like you really leaned into your friendships. So, what would you say you've learned about community both before and after your experience of launching Drew into space?   Stacey Morgan: (34:26 - 38:07) Well, I tell you what, I realized that as an adult often a lot of us don't really know how to do friendship well. And our culture is so, it so values independence that we often convince ourselves that if we tell our friends or our community that we need help or just kind of show our true heart for how important it is to us, that somehow that's gonna be kind of like devalued or we're gonna feel weak. And I realized like, “Man, I wasted a lot of years trying to be tougher than I really am.” And I wish I could go back and change that because in this season, mainly because I had no choice. And so, God really used this opportunity to show me like, “Hey, I'm gonna kind of like force you to open up your heart, be vulnerable with this small group of really trusted friends and like just trust me to see what happens next.”   And I did and it was a game-changer. I mean, I have a lot of deep feelings but I put a little bit of a tough exterior and I forced myself to be super honest and super vulnerable with my friends and say things like, “I'm lonely or I don't even know what I need but I'm just feeling exhausted or angry or this is really frustrating to me or I need help with this and I don't even know where to begin.” And just let those friends step into my life in a really intimate way.   And you know, I think we've all had a friend at some point who has asked for help and we have been so happy to help them and we've never thought less of them for it. But somehow when it comes to our own time we're like, “Oh, I don't want to trouble anybody. Oh, they're gonna think I can't handle it.” Or like, “Well, this is like I made this bed so I better lie in it. You chose to have all these kids, you chose this career, you chose this whatever, like this is your problem.” But we would never say that about another friend. And so, I don't know why we are harder on ourselves than we are on our friends because it's not right. Most of our friends are happy to help us. They love us helping us, being with us, comforting us, supporting us. That's how they show how important you are to them and we need to let them do that.   I've also gotten better about verbalizing the feelings that I had always felt inside but I felt awkward verbalizing. Like, “Thank you for being my friend.” Or like, “Thank you for just spending this time with me,” or, “You are an important person in my life.” Words that we say to our kids, that we often say to our spouses, but sometimes for me at least felt weird saying to friends and I'm really trying to get better about that. That was a great nine months of practice. It doesn't come easy or natural I think to anybody but it's a game changer. Like why not tell your friends how much they mean to you?   So, community is essential. Like don't try to lone wolf this life. I've certainly had some more extreme experiences than probably the average person, but the principles are the same. Get plugged into community and have multiple circles of community. Certainly, your faith community but also you know if you work, if you go to the gym, if you go to school, like your kids' friends, like there's so many circles of community and don't be afraid to just jump right in and get connected. And you've got to do it before you are in crisis. You've got to kind of invest in these friendships so that you know them and can trust these friends so that when those seasons come that are hard you have this small group of people who you can rely on. It will be a complete game changer in your life when you have a small, could be one person, can be two people, trusted people who can journey with you.   Laura Dugger: (38:07 - 38:34) I could not agree more. I really think that friendship is one of the most precious gifts were given in this life. And going back to your marriage we had discussed that time of separation but then there was a whole other season of transition as well. So, what was it like to come back together after being apart for nearly 10 months?   Stacey Morgan: (38:34 - 42:55) Yeah, so it's funny there's always these Hollywood romanticized versions of what reunions must look like whether that's a military deployment reunion or you know when an astronaut comes home. And I think people assume it's some kind of like hot sexy romantic can't keep hands off of you but the reality is far different, right? Because it's... I mean maybe it is, maybe that's how it is for some people. I will just say for us, you know, when you've been living an independent life for however long, whether that was you know a six-month or an eight-month deployment or a nine-month deployment to outer space, you know I was living my own life fully independent for that long where I made all the choices. I didn't have anybody looking over my shoulder or you know there's a little bit of independent freedom there when you're the only one kind of making the big decisions.   And so, when that person comes back into your life, which you want them to come back, you're happy they're home, but there is this awkward transition period. It's definitely an opportunity for some tension because now there's another opinion back in the mix, right?   Like I had to kind of adjust my way of doing life for another person who had a valid opinion, another decision maker. The kids had to adjust to having another parent back in the house. You're kind of getting to know each other so there is a little bit of a sniffing out period where you're like, “Hey, nice to meet you.” Because we all change. You know you could be gone from someone for a month, you know, you're not the same person you were today as you were last year or six months ago or maybe even a month ago. So, anytime someone comes back in your life they're different, you're a little different. You're like my friendships had shifted over those ten months, like my work had shifted, everything in my life had moved on and he had not been there in the house with me to experience that so there was... it was a whole new set of experiences and a new person to get to know again.   Now he came home and what made it a little bit more dramatic was that Drew came home in the startup of the pandemic. He came home in April of 2020 which at the time I think we weren't sure, “Are we going up? Are we coming down?” We know now looking back we realize things were just ramping up; the world was, we were all still very confused about what's the best thing to do can we all the things you know. So, NASA pretty much brought him home and then he came home to our house after just a few days in kind of the quarantine facility there on Johnson Space Center. But then he came back to our house and then it's like he never left because all of the normal stuff that would happen when you come home from space like travel and meetings and all these kind of things were all canceled or postponed.   And so, instead of kind of like getting to know each other slowly it was like zero to sixty. I mean he was home and he didn't go anywhere, none of us could go anywhere. So, we joke that the irony that he was in space with five professional crew mates in a small space and then he came home to live in our small space with five amateur crew mates who are certainly not nearly as gracious or accommodating or helpful as the professional astronaut and cosmonaut crew mates he had. The irony is not lost on us. So, he came home I don't think we've ever spent that amount of time together you know 24/7 in the same house with all four of our kids, no school, nowhere to go because everything's closed. And so yeah we're getting to know each other in this kind of Petri dish of new experiences as the world is also kind of like upside down and everything's unusual.   So, in the end it was okay. I joke like we did a lot of “I was like let me go do this puzzle I just need some alone time” or “I'm going for a walk around the neighborhood please don't text me. I'll be back when I'll be back I just need a few minutes to myself.” I think everybody has had that moment in the during the last two years where you're just like, “I just need a few minutes alone please,” you know in my if you've been trapped in your house with somebody who you're not normally with 24/7.   Laura Dugger: (42:56 - 43:17) Well sure and with your experience, mental health is very important for the family of the astronaut and the astronaut themselves. Wasn't it your psychologist who is saying typically when you come back and enter this time of reentry and reuniting you do little bit by little bit because that tends to be wiser?   Stacey Morgan: (43:17 - 45:22) Yes, that's right. They call it titrating a return. That's a principle they have in the military as well which is they would normally come back from a deployment for at least the first couple weeks back from a long trip away they would go to work every day for several hours because it's you know psychologically difficult for two people who have been living very independent lives to come back together just with like zero transition. The military has learned this over the last 20 years you know that you could go from a combat zone to mowing your lawn in 24 hours. That's stressful especially if you add in you know marriage baggage, kids you know nagging kids or issues like that, financial struggles, that's a kind of what can be a breeding ground for some really difficult situation. So, it's best to let people get to know each other again a little bit at a time.   Like you said the normal return from space was kind of the same thing. It would be come home and then you'd have some physical therapy, you'd have these different meetings and it would be a little bit like going to work for several weeks while they're getting their body and everything back to normal. Then, you kind of could have this kind of extended time at home but it gave both people the ability to kind of like reintroduce themselves to each other in bits and pieces and just kind of ease into it. But we did not have that luxury so we kind of had to create it ourselves. And I am glad again that we had those past experiences to know where the potential minefields were. If you were not prepared you could be very disappointed if you went into it thinking, “Oh, they're gonna come home, it's gonna be like romantic. We're gonna be like together and loving it all the time and just connecting so deeply. It's gonna be amazing.” And then the first time that your spouse is like, “Why are you emptying the dishwasher like that?” It's important to know like, “Yeah, if there is going to be tension it is going to be awkward. That's okay that is part of the normal cycle and it's gonna be okay.” But I'm glad that we had that knowledge beforehand because it could be tough.   Laura Dugger: (45:22 - 46:07) Well and Stacey another reason that I really appreciate you being willing to let us enter your story with you. When we have different careers or we have someone in the military and a civilian who's not involved, there's so much room for assumptions and maybe not always assuming the best. There's opportunity for miscommunication so I'm just wondering about the person who's hearing this and what if they're thinking, “Well that sounds irresponsible or even selfish of Drew to choose this path if he's a husband and father.” So, how would you offer that kind of person another perspective that they might be missing?   Stacey Morgan: (46:07 - 48:20) I mean I would say is when it comes to astronauts for sure, you know, these are not like hot-rodding thrill-seeking people. In fact, I would say I think a lot of people make the assumption that people who do some of these higher like physically higher risky jobs must be like thrill-seeking you know just thrown caution to the wind about everything in their life. Actually, nothing could be farther from the truth. I think you would find that we certainly and I would you know I think a lot of people in the same career field are similar and that we are good risk calculators. And that like policemen, like firemen, like military personnel you know it's an act of service to be in this job. These are not just like you know space tourists or billionaires getting on a rocket for fun. These are professionals who have chosen a career field of service and whether that is as a policeman, a fireman, a service to the nation, service to humanity, service to their community and they all play a part in that.   I think most people recognize that that it is you know there's something to be said for the person who chooses a career that has a level of risk because they feel called to it and because thank God for people who will take on risk and are willing to potentially sacrifice themselves for someone else. I mean I think it's kind of a higher calling which is why in general in our culture we honor them and rightfully so. It is risky, it's very risky. They certainly don't do it for the money. I don't think anybody in any kind of government service would say that they're doing it for the money, that's for sure. You know they're doing it because they feel called to something bigger than themselves and to serve their fellow man in some way. That's certainly I know how we feel as a family that his choosing to transition as an Army physician into being still in the Army but serving in this capacity was just the next level up. The way he could serve our community, our country, our nation and all of humanity and he really is its service first. It's the opposite of selfish; it is selfless service really.   Laura Dugger: (48:20 - 48:55) Mm-hmm thank you for that. I just say amen to everything you just said. Really it's service from your entire family that requires a sacrifice from each of you like you said for the greater good. And I think something else that you pointed out so well in your book was that having this value more so of security or not living into this calling that you said this calling was put upon your lives that could actually be idolatry if you're starting to place a higher value on security or anything else other than God and so I think you model that well.   Stacey Morgan: (48:55 - 51:13) Thank you. Yeah I think a lot of people you know sometimes these idols creep up on us we don't realize that we have put something on a pedestal until it gets threatened to be taken away from us and all of a sudden our reaction is over the top because we're you know you realize, “Gosh, I'm finding my security in this thing I'm finding my identity in this thing whether this thing is a job, another person, a political party, a scientific breakthrough whatever it is.” Right? Like and I think a lot of people, I certainly felt it you know in that launch moment like, “Am I finding my identity in being married to this person or him having this job or this launch being successful? Because if I am in about 10 seconds my world may crumble because if that could all be taken away from me.” And in that yeah I think we all kind of have probably had a moment especially in the last two years where for a lot of people something that they have built their life on has been either taken away from them or has it has been threatened to be taken away because of the pandemic a job a person in their life you know a relationship your kids going off to school every day I mean whatever it is that you've built in your life and you have put on this pedestal and you kind of made without even realizing it have started to place more hope in those things remaining unchanged than you have in God. And all of a sudden when those things are threatened you have this over-the-top emotionally fearful response that's kind of an indicator I think to all of us like when we have that is like, “Whoo my fear and my response should tell me that I seem to be very very afraid that this is going to be taken away from me because I am putting too much hope in it. Instead, I should be taking that and putting it back where it belongs. I should reprioritize where I am finding my hope and the only unchanging thing that we can build our foundation on is God. Everything else, every person, everything, every job, every whatever it is can and could possibly be taken away from you and on your deathbed will be.” So, you know you can't help but have a little bit of self-reflection there.   Laura Dugger: (51:13 - 51:23) Well and then for all of us how do you recommend that we all can rediscover our fun side when we've been trapped in survival mode for too long?   Stacey Morgan: (51:23 - 56:05) This is a great question because I think all of us have felt this definitely in the pandemic. You know this part in your life where everything in the world feels very chaotic and so you try to regain some control in your own life by maybe regimenting your kids a little more, cleaning your house a little more, you know, controlling things at work or whatever your environment is. And without really realizing it you become this just like survival mode like your day just becomes about making things easier for yourself, streamlining things, making things just go go go. And you wake up one day and you were like, “I'm exhausted. Like why am I so tired? Why am I why do I have like no joy? Why do I just feel unhappy?” And you realize that you have not done anything other than just be like surviving and cleaning and doing work or whatever it is like you have just been doing the basics with no fun whatsoever.   So I have been there I hit that a bunch of times in the pandemic, but I certainly hit it when Drew was in space because it's really hard being a single parent and managing all of the emotional burdens and the logistics of it. And I realized that I was cleaning a lot I was kind of getting a little bit more trigger angry with kids or people who you know were making me upset because when you're in survival mode it's all about just like “Get out of my way let me do what I want to do,” it's about getting things done quickly and other people become an annoyance instead of a joy in your life.   So it's all about going back to something that that fills you up and it can be something really frivolous it can be something like it's very it's 100% unique to you and so I can't tell you what that thing is but I would say the first step in kind of getting yourself out of survival mode and kind of getting back to your your whole self is asking yourself the question like, “What do I enjoy?” Not for its educational value, not for its good cardio exercise or and not what your kids enjoy, not what is Instagram worthy, or anything like in your soul what fills you up? Is it reading? Is it watching movies? Is it riding bikes? Is it roller skating? Is it you know eating Mexican food? Like what is it that you enjoy doing that when you do it you just feel like more of yourself?   And then just go do it tomorrow. Like it's gonna take prioritizing time probably some money but that is as much of a part of who you are how God created you. He didn't make you this like worker bot or like just a mom or just a wife or just a daughter or a sister like He made you a whole person and a huge part of who you are are these things that you enjoy. And you cannot continue to pour into other people or work or your community if you are never getting filled up yourself. You will just dry out, you will be burnt out, you'll be unhappy and you'll actually be worse in all these other areas where you were trying to work hard because you're just gonna be like a shell of yourself.   So, for me it was prioritizing time with friends. It was... I got this crazy flyer on my front door for roller skating lessons and I had this fantasy of being a really good roller skater that stemmed from like when I was eight and so I signed my girls and I up for roller skating lessons which was hilarious and very humbling but it was just silly. It took time, we had to prioritize the time on every Saturday it took money, but it was just fun. It had no educational value my kids will look back on it and be like, “What was that all about? I don't even know.” But it was great because even in the midst of a stressful season like that was a very stressful season, undeniable, but as part of that narrative it will not only be like, “Yeah it was really tough when my dad was away and you know my mom had to like single-parent us but that was also the season where my mom took us to roller skating lessons. Isn't that weird? That was so weird.” And we'll laugh about it.   And so, it's just about finding something that you want to do and then just unapologetically spend the money, spend the time, and invite a friend to do it with you again. Doing something with a friend is always more fun than doing something alone. Don't feel like you have to justify it or explain it to everyone you don't need to take pictures to post online you don't need to tell it just just go do it and have a good time. It's amazing how when you do that suddenly like those dust bunnies or that email that had a weird tone that you got don't annoy you as much as they used to because your kind of like finding your whole self again.   Laura Dugger: (56:05 - 56:27) That's helpful to remember to live life to the fullest and be ready for the next adventure that life's gonna throw at us. Yeah. And just as a bonus can we just ask what are some of the most common questions that you and Drew answer about space?   Stacey Morgan: (56:27 - 57:25) That's a good question. A lot of like personal hygiene questions about teeth brushing toilets how do you know take showers or whatever and of course the answer is they don't take showers. But and then of course a lot of people want to know, “Hey I've always been interested in becoming an astronaut how does somebody do that?”   And there are so many resources online people you know I say, “Look go online read all about it. There's amazing videos NASA puts out an incredible amount of resources that you can read up on but at the end of the day do what you are most passionate about because the likelihood that you, or your nephew, or your cousin, or your co-worker, your son, or, whoever it is that you know is convinced they want to be an astronaut the likelihood of them being an astronaut is very low. So you should do what just fills you up do a career and a life that you are passionate about and if God calls you to that path those doors will open but if He doesn't you'll still be living a life fully within God's purpose for you.”   Laura Dugger: (57:25 - 57:39) And Stacey you're such an incredible communicator both in this interview time together but also really enjoyed your book. And so, if people want to follow you to hear what you're up to next, where would you direct them online?   Stacey Morgan: (57:39 - 58:41) Sure well they can go to my website StaceyMorgan2000. That's like Stacey Morgan two zero zero zero dot com. That has my blog that has links to a different podcast like this that I've been on and they can check that out. They can find me on Instagram same handle StaceyMorgan2000.   And you know if people want to reach out, I love when people have been sending me messages lately after they've read the book it's been so awesome. You know I tell people like I certainly didn't write this book for the money I'm actually donating all my book proceeds to charities that support military families. So, I've been joking like, “Hey read the book if you don't like it the worst that happened is you donated to a military charity. If you do like it buy ten copies and give one to all your friends. But if you do like it I love it when people send me messages and just tell me kind of like what resonated and how it spoke to them.” That's just been one of the I would say the coolest aspect of completing this project was kind of putting it out there and then getting to see how God uses it in people's lives.   Laura Dugger: (58:41 - 59:02) There were so many things that resonated but off the top of my head if anybody has a copy of the book they'll have to turn to the part about baloney on sale friends. And Stacey you may know that we're called The Savvy Sauce because savvy is synonymous with practical knowledge and so as my final question for you today what is your savvy sauce?   Stacey Morgan: (59:02 - 1:01:08) Well I'll piggyback off your baloney is on sale friends' reference and that would be: pick up the phone and text your friend. We didn't need a study to show us this because I think most of us have just known this in our soul but there is an endemic of loneliness in the world right now as you know we've got all these ways to connect and yet people feel more disconnected. They feel more lonely especially women and what I learned through my own kind of relationship struggles over the years is that everyone's waiting for someone else to go first. That you in that moment you feel like you're the only person who's feeling lonely and alone and that everybody else is in these friend circles and you're just somehow on the outside. But the reality is that pretty much everybody feels the same way you do and everybody's sitting at home wishing someone would just text them and invite them to coffee.   So that's my practical tip is don't wait, go first be the bold friend or even acquaintance like it doesn't have to be someone that you are super besties with. But those baloney is on sale friends like I said you have to read the book and understand that that is like a special category of friendship that's the kind of friendship that our soul longs for but those things don't appear or like pop out of the ground. That kind of friend doesn't just show up it's developed over time it's invested in and cared for and loved and it starts with literally a text to go get coffee. That's how every great friendship story begins. So, if that's you, if you feel like yeah I don't have this close friend who I can do something with I'm lonely. Okay take that first step be the one who picks up the phone send that text message to the woman from church, or the woman from the gym, or that friend you haven't talked to in a while and just invite them over for coffee. Nothing fancy nothing crazy no agenda just come over for a couple hours for coffee. Every single person I know who does this no one ever regrets inviting a friend over for coffee. That's the first step that we can all take into just feeling more connected and having those kind of friends that we want.   Laura Dugger: (1:01:08 - 1:01:31) Love it. Well Stacy your book definitely changed my perspective on risk and I was so hooked on all the stories that you shared so I believe that your book is truly a gift to anyone who chooses to read it and your faith is very inspiring so thank you for sharing your journey with us and thank you for being my guest.   Stacey Morgan: (1:01:31 – 1:01:33) Well, thank you it's been great.   Laura Dugger: (1:01:33 – 1:05:16) 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

Creating a partnership in our marriages was the goal when we got married, and yet many of us over the years, end up retreating into a paper marriage, a place where we live in the same space, but we do so as roommates, people who aren't connected. The goal of marriage isn't just to share a house and a washing machine, it's to connect emotionally, to learn how to love another person in a selfless and compassionate way. When we get married with expectations of the other person making us happy and always loving us, we will find it easy to lean out of the relationship and retreat into ourselves, neglecting the relationship. Instead, when we get married with the expectation that we will learn to love cleanly and fully, we will lean in and create a safe space for our partner to do the same. Thanks for listening!  Want to learn more about this concept?  Check out these podcasts: #29 Validation on Apple on Spotify #92 Clean Love on Apple on Spotify #125 Love It Before You Leave It on Apple on Spotify #238 Overflow on Apple on Spotify #280 Living in Alignment on Apple or Spotify #283 How To Be a Better Partner on Apple on Spotify #284 Why Vulnerability Matters on Apple on Spotify #287 Equality in Your Relationships and Your Self-Worth on Apple on Spotify #288 When You're in a Tough Marriage on Apple on Spotify #289 Why Our Relationships Needs Validation on Apple on Spotify #290 Resentment and Contempt in Our Relationships on Apple on Spotify #298 Friendship in Marriage on Apple on Spotify #319 Get Ready to Rock The Boat on Apple on Spotify #331 Sense of Self on Apple on Spotify #332 Sense of Self – It's All In Your Head on Apple on Spotify #334 Sense of Self and Marriage on Apple on Spotify #364 Relationship Neglect on Apple on Spotify #371  Relationship Circle on Apple on Spotify #372 Why Our Relationships Need Validation on Apple on Spotify #373 Safety in the Relationship Circle on Apple on Spotify #374 Creating More Safety in Your Relationship on Apple on Spotify #375 Sense of Self and the Relationship Circle on Apple on Spotify #384 Relational Living on Apple on Spotify Are you curious about what it would be like to work with me? Here are three options: Group coaching classes are available at tanyahale.com/groupcoaching Talk with Tanya is a free monthly webinar where you can ask me anything and we can have a great discussion.  You can sign up for that at tanyahale.com/groupcoaching Interested in a free 90-minute coaching/consult with me?  Access my calendar at: https://tanyahalecalendar.as.me/

What strategies do you have in place to deal with stressful situations?  The late David Sharif talks about managing conflicts and how he found a group of friends who supported him through tough times. The following clip is from a roundtable discussion with our Global Autism Community where Autistic self-advocates shared how they cope with stress and sensory overload. Welcome to Autism Tips & Tools, where we highlight the best practical guidance from previous episodes of Autism Knows No Borders. Whether you're a self-advocate, a family member, or a service provider, there's something here for you! This conversation with our Global Autism Community was originally released on November 18, 2021. Would you like to hear more tips on how to manage stress? Click the link below for the full conversation and be sure to subscribe to hear more from people connected to autism inspiring change and building community.  Coping with Stress and Sensory Overload, with the Global Autism Community Let's work together to transform how the world relates to autism. ----more---- We appreciate your time. If you enjoy this podcast and you'd like to support our mission, please take just a few seconds to share it with one person who you think will find value in it too. Follow us on Instagram: @autismpodcast Join our community on Mighty Networks: Global Autism Community Subscribe to our YouTube channel: Global Autism Project We would love to hear your feedback about the show. Please fill out this short survey to let us know your thoughts: Listener Survey

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Even from behind bars, Ghislaine Maxwell has remained a steadfast and vocal defender of Prince Andrew, clinging to a narrative of innocence that defies the mountain of public scrutiny and survivor testimony. In interviews and through intermediaries, Maxwell has repeatedly insisted that the infamous photo of Prince Andrew with Virginia Giuffre—his arm around her bare waist, Maxwell herself grinning in the background—is either doctored or misrepresented. This denial comes despite the fact that the image has been widely authenticated and corroborated by multiple individuals, including Giuffre. Maxwell's unwavering defense appears less about truth and more about protecting a shared past—one steeped in elite privilege, mutual secrets, and potentially incriminating knowledge. Her loyalty to Andrew reads not as moral conviction, but as a desperate act of preservation for a world that once protected them both.What stands out about Maxwell's continued defense of Prince Andrew is how consistent it has remained, even after her own conviction. Rather than expressing any accountability or reflecting on the damage caused by the trafficking ring she was convicted of helping to run, Maxwell has chosen to double down on denying Andrew's involvement. She's made repeated claims that the photo of Andrew with Virginia Giuffre is fake, despite no credible evidence to support that. Her stance seems rooted less in legal strategy and more in loyalty to past allies. It suggests that, even in prison, Maxwell is still protecting the network of high-profile individuals connected to Epstein, perhaps in the hope that continued silence or allegiance might one day benefit her.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comsource:Ghislaine Maxwell offers no apology to Epstein victims | Daily Mail Online

Sam is away in Australia this week, so we've brought in a very special friend of the pod to co-host with Pete as the brilliant Vicky Pattison joins us!! With over a decade of friendship behind them, Vicky opens up for the first time about her experience on Strictly, what it was really like on the show, and how she felt when her time came to an end. They also chat about I'm A Celeb, marking ten years since Vicky entered the jungle, and whether she has any ambitions to return to TV.They also chat about their early days as friends, Pete's first impressions of her husband Ercan back when they got together, and Pete's shot at becoming godfather to her future kids.—

On this week's episode of The Mama's Den, Codie is fresh off the inaugural Disney Destiny Cruise — and she's giving the inside scoop on cruising with kids, creating core memories, and convincing the Mamas to join next time. While onboard, Codie sat down with fellow twin mom Lauren Berty, host of That Twin Mama podcast and beloved social media creator known for her hilarious, honest takes on raising three kids - including 5-year-old twins girls! Together, they talk about the surprise of twins and when things *actually* get easier with multiples.The mamas also recap their Thanksgiving highs and lows, reflect on how parenting is shifting in this season and offer real-life insight for moms balancing multiple little ones at once.If you're a twin mom, a Disney lover, or just craving sisterhood and some much-needed validation, this episode is full of laughs, transparency, and community.Follow The Mama's Den on Instagram at www.instagram.com/themamasdenpodcast Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Yet another Season 19 episode of SVU leaves the Munchie Boys scratching their heads wondering in just what world is this even occurring. Opening with an improbable YouTuber montage and having the case of the week closing with a full seven minutes of run time remaining to open the door for an SVU lyceum at a high school, this week's 13 Reasons Why-inspired episode (Season 19, Episode 4 “No Good Reason”) is operating at one of the strangest frequencies we've encountered. This one forces Adam and Josh to reckon with vlogging that makes Eighth Grade seem totally comfortable, how and when they're going to have to get a ChatSlam account for the podcast, and the murky demise of Chester Bennington and Chris Cornell.Sources:Law & Order SVU “No Good Things” Recap and Review - All Things Law and OrderNavigating the “Pink Cloud” Phase of Recovery - HealthlineMusic:Divorcio Suave - “Munchy Business”Thanks to our gracious Munchies on Patreon: Jeremy S, Jaclyn O, Amy Z, Diana R, Tony B, Barry W, Drew D, Nicky R, Stuart, Jacqi B, Natalie T, Robyn S, Amy A, Sean M, Jay S, Briley O, Asteria K, Suzanne B, Tim Y, John P, John W, Elia S, Rebecca B, Lily, Sarah L, Melsa A, Alyssa C, Johnathon M, Tiffany C, Brian B, Whitney C, Alex, Jannicke HS, Erin M, Florina C, Melissa H, Olivia, Holly F, Karina H, Zak B, Karyn R, and Summer S - y'all are the best!Be a Munchie, too! Support us on Patreon: patreon.com/munchmybensonBe sure to check out our other podcast diving into long unseen films of our guests' youth: Unkind Rewind at our website or on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcastsFollow us on: BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and Reddit (Adam's Twitter/BlueSky and Josh's BlueSky/Letterboxd/Substack)Join our Discord: Munch Casts ServerCheck out Munch Merch: Munch Merch at ZazzleCheck out our guest appearances:Both of us on: FMWL Pod (1st Time & 2nd Time), Storytellers from Ratchet Book Club, Chick-Lit at the Movies talking about The Thin Man, and last but not least on the seminal L&O podcast …These Are Their Stories (Adam and Josh).Josh discussing Jackie Brown, The Love Witch, and The Long Goodbye with the fine folks at Movie Night Extravaganza, debating the Greatest Detectives in TV History on The Great Pop Culture Debate Podcast, and talking SVU/OC and Psych (five eps in all) on Jacked Up Review Show.Visit Our Website: Munch My BensonEmail the podcast: munchmybenson@gmail.comNext New Episode: Season 26, Episode 4 "Constricted"Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/munch-my-benson-a-law-order-svu-podcast--5685940/support.

Rhaina Cohen (author of The Other Significant Others) joins us to reframe how we think about friendship: past, present, and possible futures. Rhaina explains why intense platonic bonds once held public, ritualized importance (think “sworn brotherhoods” and romantic friendships of the 17th–19th centuries), how marriage’s role shifted to demand emotional everything-ness, and why that cultural shift squeezed out space for friendships. What you'll get out of this episode: The friendship that inspired Rhaina's book Historical models of deep same-sex friendship and how they differ from modern assumptions Why modern romantic relationships often eclipse friendship and why that harms us Real-life choices Rhaina and her husband made (communal living, prioritizing friends) and practical tips to preserve friendships How to be a better friend: rituals, calendars, play, and honest conversation Handling jealousy and myths about opposite-sex friendships If you want to build stronger platonic connections, rethink where you live and who you share life with, or simply appreciate how friendship can anchor a life, this episode is for you.

Amy and Kat kick off the episode with a feeling that might hit way too close to home: “I think I might need to cry.” Speaking of crying, science says that if you cry easily it might mean your brain is working better than you think. They break down findings on why people who tear up easily have faster processing, and how “emotion labeling” can calm your brain in just 90 seconds. They also talk about the inconvenient nature of friendships and relationships (including an airport pickup that went sideways with Amy’s boyfriend), what truly makes a bond healthy, and why mutual investment matters more than proximity or shared experiences. And with Christmas coming up, they close out with a reminder: there are things you absolutely don’t owe your family during the holidays. Get some Feeling Things merch by clicking HERE! (FeelingThingsPodcast.com) Sign up for the Feeling Things newsletter HERE! Watch us on Youtube HERE! Call and leave a voicemail: 877-207-2077 Email: heythere@feelingthingspodcast.com HOSTS: Amy Brown // RadioAmy.com // @RadioAmy Kat Van Buren // threecordstherapy.com // @KatVanburenSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This Suze School episode is packed with three very important lessons, starting with why one of the biggest mistakes you can make is basing financial decisions on friendship. Then, Suze explains the correct way to do tax-loss harvesting and what steps you need to take, regularly, to avoid financial scams and fraud. Watch Suze’s YouTube Channel Jumpstart financial wellness for your employees: https://bit.ly/SecureSave Protect your financial future with the Must Have Docs: https://bit.ly/3Vq1V3GGet your savings going with Alliant Credit Union: https://bit.ly/3rg0YioGet Suze’s special offers for podcast listeners at suzeorman.com/offerJoin Suze’s Women & Money Community for FREE and ASK SUZE your questions which may just end up on the podcast. Download the app by following one of these links: CLICK HERE FOR APPLE: https://apple.co/2KcAHbH CLICK HERE FOR GOOGLE PLAY: https://bit.ly/3curfMISee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For this episode, we want to tackle a topic that's been on our list for a long time — fly fishing myths and misunderstandings.We're not here to argue about stuff or complain. We just want to acknowledge things that we hear repeated or we see in print or shown in videos — stuff that's almost assumed as fact, when it's often not true at all.We do think it's important to try to clear the air about these myths and misunderstandings, because bad or incomplete information can really lead people down the wrong path. Or an angler might base many decisions about how they fish, where they fish, when they fish or what they fish for based, in part, upon these myths or these assumptions.Most of what we bring up is well engrained into the fly fishing field of knowledge. Basically, most of you out there listening will have heard nearly everything we bring up. Maybe too, you'll have a different take on things, and some of these won't be myths to you at all. That's good. Because you really should trust yourself and your own time on the water more than anyone else. My friends, Bill Dell and Josh Darling join me for a great conversation.ResourcesPODCAST: Troutbitten | What To Trust - S5, Ep11READ: Troutbitten | What To TrustREAD: Troutbitten | Who Knows Better Than You? VisitTroutbitten WebsiteTroutbitten InstagramTroutbitten YouTubeTroutbitten FacebookThanks to TroutRoutes:Use the code TROUTBITTEN for 20% off your membership athttps://maps.troutroutes.com Thanks to SkwalaUse the code, TROUTBITTEN10 for 10% off your order athttps://skwalafishing.com/

Ep. 127 - Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic: Closeness vs. separateness in friendship | Friendship advice for kidsParents, check out my online workshops for kids at workshops.eileenkennedymoore.com.FREE quiz: Is Your Child a Good Friend? https://eileenkennedymoore.ck.page/e37dcc098fWould YOUR KID like to be featured on the podcast?SUBMIT A QUESTION TO DR. FRIENDTASTIC at https://DrFriendtastic.com/submit (Obviously, this is not psychotherapy, and it's not for emergency situations.)For an easy-to-read TRANSCRIPT, go to: https://DrFriendtastic.com/podcast/Like the podcast? Check out my books at https://EileenKennedyMoore.com.Subscribe to my NEWSLETTER, https://DrFriendtastic.substack.com, to get podcast episodes sent to your email plus articles for parents.*** DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:- How have you tried to learn about other cultures? (Hint: Do you know any words in a different language? Have you eaten food from a different culture? Have you had the chance to travel to different countries? Have you read books about someone who lives in a different country or comes from a different culture?) - Do you like physical affection with friends or do you prefer a hands-off style of relating? How do you let friends know what you prefer? - Has a friend ever told you they wanted space from you or didn't want to be your friend anymore? What happened? - Have you ever wanted physical or emotional space from a friend? How did you handle that? *** You might also like these podcast episodes:Ep. 123 - How to Keep Friends (Eva, Age 6) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep123-how-to-keep-friends-eva-age-6Ep. 111 - Friend won't forgive her (Thea, Age 10) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep111-friend-wont-forgive-her-thea-age11 Ep. 73 - Best friend suddenly stops playing with him (J.J., Age 11) https://drfriendtastic.substack.com/p/ep73-jj-age-11-best-friend-stops-playing-with-him Get full access to Dr. Friendtastic for Parents at drfriendtastic.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, I share why your intuition—not another framework—is the method you've been looking for. I talk about how A Discovery of Witches helped me see my own magic more clearly, why 2025 has been a year of intense shedding, and how ignoring your body's wisdom buries your intuition. We'll explore: Why templates and scripts eventually become cages The difference between intuition, anxiety, and projection How to read the body and field without overstepping What justice-aligned, sovereignty-first intuitive language sounds like Why so many intuitive practitioners feel “over-trained and under-trusting” If you've ever sensed more in session than your modality accounts for—and felt unsure how to use it ethically—this conversation is for you.

Even from behind bars, Ghislaine Maxwell has remained a steadfast and vocal defender of Prince Andrew, clinging to a narrative of innocence that defies the mountain of public scrutiny and survivor testimony. In interviews and through intermediaries, Maxwell has repeatedly insisted that the infamous photo of Prince Andrew with Virginia Giuffre—his arm around her bare waist, Maxwell herself grinning in the background—is either doctored or misrepresented. This denial comes despite the fact that the image has been widely authenticated and corroborated by multiple individuals, including Giuffre. Maxwell's unwavering defense appears less about truth and more about protecting a shared past—one steeped in elite privilege, mutual secrets, and potentially incriminating knowledge. Her loyalty to Andrew reads not as moral conviction, but as a desperate act of preservation for a world that once protected them both.What stands out about Maxwell's continued defense of Prince Andrew is how consistent it has remained, even after her own conviction. Rather than expressing any accountability or reflecting on the damage caused by the trafficking ring she was convicted of helping to run, Maxwell has chosen to double down on denying Andrew's involvement. She's made repeated claims that the photo of Andrew with Virginia Giuffre is fake, despite no credible evidence to support that. Her stance seems rooted less in legal strategy and more in loyalty to past allies. It suggests that, even in prison, Maxwell is still protecting the network of high-profile individuals connected to Epstein, perhaps in the hope that continued silence or allegiance might one day benefit her.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comsource:Ghislaine Maxwell offers no apology to Epstein victims | Daily Mail OnlineBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-epstein-chronicles--5003294/support.

Music from: Three Quarter Ale, Sea Dog Slams Poems, Rowan and the Rose, Fugli, Brian Tinker Leo, Silent Lion, Bocca Musica, Whiskey Bards, Celtic Shores, Tania Opland and Mike Freeman, The Musical Blades, Dregs, Pride O' Bedlam, Faire to Middlin', Whiskey Bay Rovers, Pirates For Sail, Pirates Inc, Queen's_Gambit, Crimson Pirates, Henry Martin, Captain John Stout, Marc Gunn VISIT OUR SPONSORS Bawdy Podcast https://renfestbawdypodcast.libsyn.com/ Happy To Be Coloring Pages https://happytobecoloring.justonemore.website RESCU https://RESCU.org The 23 Patrons of the Podcast https://www.patreon.com/RenFestPodcast The Ren List http://www.therenlist.com SONGS Song 01: Shall We Gather By The Fire by Three Quarter Ale from Shall We Gather By The Fire www.facebook.com/pg/threequarterale Song 02: A Tale From the Devil's Tavern by Sea Dog Slams Poems from A Night at Devil's Tavern www.facebook.com/seadogslam/ Song 03: Arrow in the Knee by Rowan and the Rose from We Have Adventures www.rowanandtherose.com Song 04: Soup by Fugli from Fugli the Less than Unauthorized Bootleg Edition www.povera.com Song 05: The Songwriter by Brian Tinker Leo from Tinker's Rest www.facebook.com/tinkersings/ Song 06: Into the Medieval World by Silent Lion from Into the Medieval World www.silentlion.com/ Song 07: Bound for a Hangover by Bocca Musica from The Lusty Wench www.boccamusica.com Song 08: Devilish Mary by Whiskey Bards from The Recruiter...Free Rum Ain't Free www.facebook.com/whiskeybards/ Song 09: Good Drinking Weather by Celtic Shores from Let's Raise Another Pint www.matthughesmusic.com Song 10: Jack Monroe by Tania Opland and Mike Freeman from Cut To Rhythms https://opland-freeman.com/social.htm Song 11: Hollywood Pirate by The Musical Blades from Pieces of Eight www.musicalblades.com Song 12: Married to a Mermaid by Dregs from Do It Like You're Drunk www.the-dregs.net Song 13: Cheat Death by Pride O' Bedlam from Cheat Death www.prideofbedlam.com Song 14: The Wild Rover [10] by Faire to Middlin' from Kilts, Celts, & Kippers www.fairetomiddlin.com Song 15: Song for Albright by Whiskey Bay Rovers from Taverns and Tides www.facebook.com/whiskeybayrovers/ Song 16: Boatman by Pirates For Sail from Dark Side of the Lagoon www.piratesforsail.com/ Song 17: Mingulay Boat Song [21] by Pirates Inc from Drunk and Disorderly www.facebook.com/WeArePiratesInc/ Song 18: Madam Im A Darlin+ by Queen's_Gambit from Off The Board UNKNOW WEBSITE Song 19: Health to the Company [14] by Crimson Pirates from That's So Sad www.crimsonpirates.com/ Song 20: 20,000 Rubber Duckies by Henry Martin from Around the Bay UNKNOW WEBSITE Song 21: Friendship by Captain John Stout from Past, Present, & Future www.porterstout.com/ Song 22: Won't You Come With Me [03] by Marc Gunn from Happy Songs of Death www.marcgunn.com Song 23: The Mary Query by Hey Nunnie Nunnie from Hey Nunnie! Nunnie! www.heynunnienunnie.com/ Song 24: Longest Night Of The Year by Barleyjuice from This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things www.barleyjuice.com   HOW TO CONTACT US Please post it on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/renfestmusic Please email us at renfestpodcast@gmail.com OTHER CREDITS Thee Bawdy Verson https://renfestbawdypodcast.libsyn.com/ The Minion Song by Fugli www.povera.com Valediction by Marc Gunn https://marcgunn.com/ HOW TO LISTEN Patreon https://www.patreon.com/RenFestPodcast Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/renaissance-festival-podcast/id74073024 Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/76uzuG0lRulhdjDCeufK15?si=obnUk_sUQnyzvvs3E_MV1g Listennotes http://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/renaissance-festival-podcast-minions-1Xd3YjQ7fWx/

Today I sat down with the absolute pocket rocket that is Heidi Horne and we went everywhere from kids having meltdowns to middle aged women building apps and writing books. Heidi is an author, speaker, coach and mum who has spent years teaching everyone from tiny humans to stressed out adults how to actually reset, not just talk about it. We talk about why kids are basically little mirrors for our own emotional tantrums, how easily they love, how quickly they connect, and how much we shut that down once we grow up and get 'sensible'. Heidi shares how she’s gone from tour guiding around the world to teaching meditation, building her One Minute Reset app, writing her second book and throwing herself into founder land at 50 with a bunch of cool tech kids. We jam on energy, friendships, shiny object syndrome, being 'addicted to busy', why boundaries are a spiritual practice, and what happens when you finally start backing yourself 100 percent instead of chasing crumbs. There is imposter syndrome, there is sport, there is hockey with teenage boys, there is a lot of laughing and a fair bit of truth. If you need practical ways to stress less, reset fast and find your childlike spark again, this one will land. SPONSORED BY TESTART FAMILY LAWYERS Website: testartfamilylawyers.com.au HEIDI HORNE Website: heidihorne.com TIFFANEE COOK Linktree: linktr.ee/rollwiththepunches Website: tiffcook.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fluent Fiction - Dutch: Bonds by the Hearth: A Warm Winter Tale of Friendship Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/nl/episode/2025-12-07-08-38-20-nl Story Transcript:Nl: De sneeuw viel zachtjes op het dak van de knusse blokhut, een stille deken in het schilderachtige winterlandschap.En: The snow fell gently on the roof of the cozy cabin, a silent blanket in the picturesque winter landscape.Nl: Binnenin was de sfeer warm en uitnodigend.En: Inside, the atmosphere was warm and inviting.Nl: Flikkerend kaarslicht bescheen de houten tafel waar Jasper, Femke en Sven zaten.En: Flickering candlelight illuminated the wooden table where Jasper, Femke, and Sven sat.Nl: Papier, boeken en laptops lagen verspreid, klaar voor hun schoolproject.En: Papers, books, and laptops were spread out, ready for their school project.Nl: Jasper zat rechtop, aandachtig kijkend naar zijn notities.En: Jasper sat upright, attentively looking at his notes.Nl: Zijn hart klopte snel.En: His heart was beating fast.Nl: Hij was altijd de beste leerling geweest, en hij voelde de druk om dat zo te houden.En: He had always been the best student, and he felt the pressure to maintain that.Nl: Maar diep vanbinnen wilde hij meer dan alleen goede cijfers.En: But deep down, he wanted more than just good grades.Nl: Hij wilde vrienden maken, maar hij was bang dat het hem onserieus zou maken.En: He wanted to make friends, but he was afraid it would make him seem unserious.Nl: Femke, met fonkelende ogen, was de eerste die sprak.En: Femke, with sparkling eyes, was the first to speak.Nl: "Ik denk dat we het onderwerp kunnen opsplitsen zodat iedereen een deel kan doen," zei ze enthousiast.En: "I think we can split the topic so that everyone can do a part," she said enthusiastically.Nl: Sven knikte instemmend.En: Sven nodded in agreement.Nl: "Goed idee, laten we de taken verdelen."En: "Good idea, let's divide the tasks."Nl: Jasper slikte.En: Jasper swallowed.Nl: Zou hij de leiding nemen en alles controleren, of zou hij zijn klasgenoten vertrouwen?En: Should he take the lead and control everything, or should he trust his classmates?Nl: Hij kon zich een fout niet veroorloven.En: He couldn't afford to make a mistake.Nl: Toch, iets in de warme gloed van de open haard moedigde hem aan om het te proberen.En: Yet, something in the warm glow of the fireplace encouraged him to try.Nl: "Dus," begon Jasper langzaam, "misschien kunnen we luisteren naar ieders ideeën en dan beslissen hoe we verder gaan?"En: "So," Jasper began slowly, "maybe we can listen to everyone's ideas and then decide how to proceed?"Nl: De anderen keken op.En: The others looked up.Nl: Er was een moment stilte, maar toen begonnen Femke en Sven te glimlachen.En: There was a moment of silence, but then Femke and Sven began to smile.Nl: "Ja, dat werkt," zei Femke, en de spanning in de kamer leek te verdwijnen.En: "Yes, that works," said Femke, and the tension in the room seemed to vanish.Nl: Het project verliep voorspoedig.En: The project went smoothly.Nl: Totdat er een meningsverschil ontstond.En: Until a disagreement arose.Nl: Femke en Sven discussieerden over de beste aanpak voor een deel van het project.En: Femke and Sven argued about the best approach for a part of the project.Nl: Jasper voelde de druk stijgen.En: Jasper felt the pressure rising.Nl: Hij kon alles nu vastgrijpen en leiden om chaos te voorkomen.En: He could seize control and lead to prevent chaos.Nl: Maar in plaats daarvan zei hij: "Laten we pauzeren en luisteren naar elkaar."En: But instead, he said, "Let's take a break and listen to each other."Nl: Hij zette warme chocolademelk op tafel, de heerlijke geur vulde de hut.En: He placed hot chocolate on the table, the delicious aroma filling the cabin.Nl: Dit hielp de spanning te verlichten.En: This helped to ease the tension.Nl: Ze praatten, lachten en vonden samen een oplossing.En: They talked, laughed, and together found a solution.Nl: Uiteindelijk voltooiden ze het project.En: In the end, they completed the project.Nl: Maar belangrijker nog, ze werden vrienden.En: But more importantly, they became friends.Nl: Terwijl de sneeuw bleef vallen, zaten ze bij de open haard met mokken warme chocolademelk in hun handen.En: While the snow continued to fall, they sat by the fireplace with mugs of hot chocolate in their hands.Nl: Jasper voelde een nieuw soort tevredenheid.En: Jasper felt a new kind of satisfaction.Nl: Perfectie was niet alles.En: Perfection wasn't everything.Nl: Samenwerken en vriendschappen opbouwen konden net zo bevredigend zijn.En: Collaborating and building friendships could be just as satisfying.Nl: Terwijl de kaarsen flakkerden en hun schaduwen op de muren dansten, wist Jasper dat deze winteravond in de hut iets bijzonders had gebracht.En: As the candles flickered and their shadows danced on the walls, Jasper knew that this winter night in the cabin had brought something special.Nl: Een les die hij nooit zou vergeten.En: A lesson he would never forget. Vocabulary Words:gently: zachtjescozy: knusseblanket: dekenpicturesque: schilderachtigeilluminated: bescheenattentively: aandachtigpressure: druksparkling: fonkelendeenthusiastically: enthousiastagreement: instemmendswallowed: sliktefireplace: open haardapproach: aanpakaroma: geureased: verlichtendance: danstentension: spanningsolution: oplossingcompleted: voltooidensatisfaction: tevredenheidcollaborating: samenwerkenbuilding: opbouwenflickering: flikkerendspread: verspreidupright: rechtopvanish: verdwijnensmoothly: voorspoedigdisagreement: meningsverschilchaos: chaosencouraged: moedigde

If you're approaching your late 20s or early 30s and feel like you're supposed to have your life together by now… this conversation will feel like a warm exhale.In this episode, I sit down with Caggie Dunlop, founder of the Saturn Returns podcast and author of Saturn Return: Your Cosmic Coming of Age, to unpack what's really happening when life feels turbulent, uncertain, or like everything is changing at once.Whether you're starting over after a breakup, questioning your career, drifting from old friendships, or simply thinking, “I thought I'd be further by now,” this episode will help you make sense of a chapter most people silently struggle through.You're not behind. You're not failing. You're becoming.This episode is for those who are27–33 and feel lostquestioning the life you thought you'd have“starting over” when everyone else seems aheadgrowing out of old friendships and identitiesnavigating big emotional changes all at onceGet ready to learn and reposition yourself to find grounding & peace with your timeline.TIME STAMPS(01:13) What is a Saturn Return?(07:43) Reinvention versus rediscovering who you are(13:42) Reflective Questions for turbulent moments(17:22) Timeline exercise(20:30) Who Am I?(27:06) Friendship break ups(33:28) Juggling work and being a new mum(41:13) Birth storiesCONNECT WITH OUR GUEST

Fluent Fiction - Danish: Heartfelt Gifts: Finding Treasure in Christmas Memories Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/da/episode/2025-12-07-08-38-20-da Story Transcript:Da: Lars kæmpede med sine følelser.En: Lars struggled with his emotions.Da: Han stod ved vinduet i den hyggelige hytte, mens snefugene stille dalede ned.En: He stood by the window in the cozy cabin, while snowflakes quietly drifted down.Da: Udenfor glimtede lysene fra det lokale julemarked.En: Outside, the lights from the local Christmas market twinkled.Da: Der var festlig musik og glade stemmer.En: There was festive music and joyful voices.Da: Det var vintersæson, og julen nærmede sig med hastige skridt.En: It was the winter season, and Christmas was approaching rapidly.Da: Lars ønskede at købe de perfekte gaver til sine gode venner, Johanne og Søren.En: Lars wanted to buy the perfect gifts for his good friends, Johanne and Søren.Da: De havde været der for ham i mange år.En: They had been there for him for many years.Da: Men valget af gaver var svært.En: But choosing the gifts was difficult.Da: Han ville ikke skuffe dem.En: He didn't want to disappoint them.Da: I dag følte han presset ekstra stærkt.En: Today, he felt the pressure particularly strongly.Da: Hyggens lys fra hytten varmede hans hjerte.En: The cozy light from the cabin warmed his heart.Da: Han besluttede sig for at tage turen til julemarkedet.En: He decided to make his way to the Christmas market.Da: Med håb i brystet gik han ad den sneklædte sti.En: With hope in his chest, he walked along the snow-covered path.Da: Boderne bugnede af skønne ting: håndlavede smykker, duftende lys og farverige julekugler.En: The stalls brimmed with beautiful things: handmade jewelry, fragrant candles, and colorful Christmas ornaments.Da: Men alt kørte rundt i hans hoved.En: But everything swirled in his mind.Da: Der var så mange muligheder!En: There were so many options!Da: Manden i en lille bod smilte venligt og bemærkede Lars' usikkerhed.En: The man at a small stall smiled kindly and noticed Lars' uncertainty.Da: "Skal du finde noget særligt?"En: "Are you looking for something special?"Da: spurgte han.En: he asked.Da: Lars tøvede, men svarede: "Ja, til mine venner.En: Lars hesitated, but replied, "Yes, for my friends.Da: Det skal være noget helt specielt."En: It must be something truly special."Da: Da fik Lars en idé.En: Then Lars had an idea.Da: Det er tanken, der tæller, tænkte han.En: It's the thought that counts, he thought.Da: Han valgte to håndlavede julekugler.En: He chose two handmade Christmas ornaments.Da: Den ene mindede ham om vinterferierne han havde tilbragt med Johanne, snefnug i sølv.En: One reminded him of the winter holidays he had spent with Johanne, with silver snowflakes.Da: Den anden, dekoreret med små træer, bragte minder om de udenlandsrejser han delte med Søren.En: The other, decorated with small trees, brought memories of the trips abroad he shared with Søren.Da: Lars kunne næsten mærke den varme fra kuglerne i sine hænder.En: Lars could almost feel the warmth from the ornaments in his hands.Da: Han indså, at det ikke var prisen, men historierne bag gaverne, der havde værdi.En: He realized that it wasn't the price, but the stories behind the gifts that had value.Da: Da han vendte tilbage til hytten, var Johanne og Søren der allerede.En: When he returned to the cabin, Johanne and Søren were already there.Da: Hytten duftede af gløgg, og pejsen knitrede beroligende.En: The cabin smelled of mulled wine, and the fireplace crackled soothingly.Da: Lars overgav sine gaver med sit hjerte bankende i spænding.En: Lars handed over his gifts with his heart pounding in excitement.Da: Johanne åbnede sin gave først.En: Johanne opened her gift first.Da: Hendes øjne lyste op, da hun så kuglen.En: Her eyes lit up when she saw the ornament.Da: "Den minder mig om vores skiture!"En: "It reminds me of our ski trips!"Da: udbrød hun.En: she exclaimed.Da: Lars åndede lettet op.En: Lars breathed a sigh of relief.Da: Søren smilede stort, da han så sin kugle.En: Søren smiled broadly when he saw his ornament.Da: "Den bringer så mange gode minder frem," sagde han hjerteligt.En: "It brings back so many good memories," he said heartily.Da: Lars' angst forsvandt.En: Lars' anxiety disappeared.Da: Han vidste nu, at hans venner forstod hans kærlighed, indpakket i juleglæde.En: He now knew that his friends understood his love, wrapped in Christmas joy.Da: Han havde lært, at det var forbindelsen, ikke selve gaven, der betød noget.En: He learned that it was the connection, not the gift itself, that mattered.Da: Den vinteraften i den lille hytte endte med, at venskabet blev fejret fuldt ud.En: That winter evening in the small cabin ended with the friendship being fully celebrated.Da: Sneen faldt fortsat blidt udenfor, mens Lars følte varme og tilfredshed indenfor.En: The snow continued to fall gently outside, while Lars felt warmth and contentment inside. Vocabulary Words:emotions: følelsercozy: hyggeligsnowflakes: snefugenedrifted: daledetwinkled: glimtedeapproaching: nærmederapidly: med hastige skridtgifts: gaverdisappoint: skuffepressure: pressetwarmed: varmedebrimmed: bugnedefragrant: duftendeornaments: julekuglerswirled: kørte rundthesitated: tøvedeuncertainty: usikkerhedhandmade: håndlavedereminded: mindedeabroad: udenlandsrejserrealized: indsåvalue: værdimulled wine: gløggfireplace: pejsencrackled: knitredepounding: bankenderelief: lettetbreathe: åndedebroadly: stortanxiety: angst

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Whispers of Strength: A Winter Night at Anjing Teahouse Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-12-07-08-38-19-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 傍晚，北风呼啸，冬夜的寒意笼罩着整个城镇。En: In the evening, the north wind howled, and the chill of the winter night enveloped the entire town.Zh: 空气中弥漫着安静茶屋的清香。En: The air was filled with the tranquil aroma of the Anjing teahouse.Zh: 木制墙壁在柔和的灯笼光下泛出微光，茶杯的轻轻碰撞声为这个地方增添了一份宁静。En: The wooden walls glowed softly under the gentle lantern light, and the light clinking of teacups added a sense of tranquility to the place.Zh: 礼云是安静茶屋的主人。En: Liyun is the owner of the Anjing teahouse.Zh: 每天，她微笑着迎接客人，但在内心深处，她正努力平复一个秘密：她最近被诊断出心脏病。En: Every day, she greets her guests with a smile, but deep inside, she is struggling to calm a secret: she was recently diagnosed with a heart condition.Zh: 她不想让这份忧虑打破茶屋的平和，也不想让朋友担心。En: She doesn't want this worry to disrupt the peace of the teahouse or to make her friends concerned.Zh: 于是，她选择隐藏。En: So she chooses to hide it.Zh: 珍是礼云多年的好友。En: Zhen has been Liyun's friend for many years.Zh: 多年的友谊让她直觉出礼云有什么事情没有说出口，但她不知道究竟是什么。En: Their years of friendship give her the intuition that Liyun is holding something back, but she doesn't know exactly what it is.Zh: 她总是细心观察，试图找出礼云异常的原因。En: She is always observant, trying to find out the reason for Liyun's unusual behavior.Zh: 另一边，明是茶屋的常客，En: On the other hand, Ming is a regular customer at the teahouse.Zh: 他喜欢这里的宁静氛围，也享受观察礼云和珍之间的互动。En: He enjoys the tranquil atmosphere here and also enjoys observing the interaction between Liyun and Zhen.Zh: 他未曾知道他们之间的暗流，只是静静地品茶，用心感受。En: He is unaware of the undercurrents between them, simply sipping his tea quietly, feeling with his heart.Zh: 一天晚上，珍终于忍不住了。En: One evening, Zhen could no longer hold back.Zh: 她看着礼云，问道：“礼云，你最近好吗？你看起来有些疲惫。”En: She looked at Liyun and asked, "Liyun, how have you been lately? You seem a bit tired."Zh: 礼云专注地为她斟了一杯新泡的茉莉茶，手微微颤抖。En: Liyun attentively poured her a cup of freshly brewed jasmine tea, her hand slightly trembling.Zh: 礼云沉默了一会儿。En: Liyun was silent for a while.Zh: 冬日的风从窗外轻轻吹过，她感觉到内心的挣扎。En: The winter wind blew gently from outside the window, and she felt her inner struggle.Zh: 她懂得珍的关心是真实的，也懂得自己该如何选择。En: She understood that Zhen's concern was genuine, and she knew how she should choose.Zh: “珍，”她开始说道，声音平静但混杂着一丝颤抖，“我有件事情想告诉你。”En: "Zhen," she began to say, her voice calm but tinged with a slight tremor, "I have something I want to tell you."Zh: 她将自己的手覆在珍的手上，缓缓吐露出心中的秘密。En: She placed her hand over Zhen's and slowly revealed the secret in her heart.Zh: 在这片温暖而宁静的氛围中，珍静静地听完，轻轻拥抱了她，温柔地说道：“我们会一起面对。”En: In this warm and serene atmosphere, Zhen listened quietly, gently hugged her, and softly said, "We will face it together."Zh: 礼云的眼泪在眼眶里打转，但心里有了一丝温暖的力量。En: Tears welled up in Liyun's eyes, but she felt a warm strength inside.Zh: 在旁的明，默默地观察着。En: Ming, observing from the side, silently admired the power of friendship.Zh: 他心中暗暗赞叹友谊的力量，无须多言，便能给予那么多的支持与温暖。En: Without many words, it can provide so much support and warmth.Zh: 从那天起，礼云不再独自承受痛苦。En: From that day on, Liyun no longer bore the pain alone.Zh: 她发现，分享并不让她脆弱，反而使她的生活更加充实，友谊更加深厚。En: She discovered that sharing did not make her vulnerable; instead, it made her life richer and her friendships deeper.Zh: 冬夜的茶屋依旧宁静，却充满了新的生机与勇气。En: The teahouse on the winter night remained tranquil, yet it was filled with new vitality and courage. Vocabulary Words:howled: 呼啸chill: 寒意enveloped: 笼罩tranquil: 宁静aroma: 清香teahouse: 茶屋glowed: 泛出clinking: 碰撞owner: 主人diagnosed: 诊断intuition: 直觉observant: 细心undercurrents: 暗流sipping: 品attentively: 专注地trembling: 颤抖serene: 宁静tinged: 混杂revealed: 吐露warmth: 温暖admired: 赞叹vulnerable: 脆弱rich: 充实vitality: 生机courage: 勇气envelope: 笼罩introspection: 内心conversed: 交谈overcame: 克服murmured: 呢喃

Fluent Fiction - Norwegian: Snowbound Christmas: Rediscovering Friendship and Peace Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/no/episode/2025-12-07-08-38-19-no Story Transcript:No: Idyllen ved hytta kunne kjennes i luften.En: The idyll at the cabin could be felt in the air.No: Midt i et snødekt landskap, omringet av høye, majestetiske furutrær, lå den koselige hytta.En: In the middle of a snow-covered landscape, surrounded by tall, majestic pine trees, lay the cozy cabin.No: Gjennom vinduene skinte det en varm, oransje glød fra peisen inne.En: Through the windows, a warm, orange glow shone from the fireplace inside.No: Eirik, Signe og Kari hadde kommet for å feire jul langt unna byens mas og jag.En: Eirik, Signe, and Kari had come to celebrate Christmas far away from the hustle and bustle of the city.No: Eirik hadde gledet seg.En: Eirik had been looking forward to it.No: Han var lei av hverdagen i byen og ønsket å slappe av med sine gamle barndomsvenner.En: He was tired of everyday life in the city and wanted to relax with his old childhood friends.No: Sammen med Signe og Kari skulle han gjenoppleve minner fra da de var yngre.En: Together with Signe and Kari, he was going to relive memories from when they were younger.No: Men dette året bestemte vinteren seg for å vise sin mektige kraft.En: But this year, the winter decided to show its mighty power.No: Snøen begynte å falle tett, og en voldsom snøstorm bygget seg opp.En: The snow started to fall thickly, and a violent snowstorm was building up.No: "Ingen grunn til panikk," sa Kari med en nervøs tone, mens hun la til ved peisen.En: "No reason to panic," said Kari with a nervous tone, while she added more wood to the fireplace.No: Alltid fremtidsrettet, var hun en mester i å planlegge ting.En: Always forward-thinking, she was a master at planning things.No: Men denne gangen kunne ikke selv hun forutse værgudens luner.En: But this time, not even she could foresee the whims of the weather gods.No: Signe, som alltid lengtet etter eventyr, så på kaoset utenfor med en blanding av spenning og bekymring.En: Signe, who always longed for adventure, looked at the chaos outside with a mix of excitement and concern.No: "Dette blir noe å fortelle om," sa hun med et litt anstrengt smil.En: "This will be something to tell about," she said with a slightly strained smile.No: Strømmen ga etter, og hytta ble opplyst kun av flammenes dansende lys.En: The power gave out, and the cabin was illuminated only by the flickering flame's light.No: Uten internettilgang, ingen vekkerklokker eller radio, ble tiden flytende.En: Without internet access, alarm clocks, or radio, time became fluid.No: Eirik tenkte raskt.En: Eirik thought quickly.No: "Vi har mat og ved.En: "We have food and wood.No: La oss gjøre det beste ut av situasjonen.En: Let's make the best out of the situation."No: "Eirik, med litt overtalelse, fikk dem begge med på sitt impulsive forslag.En: Eirik, with a bit of persuasion, got them both on board with his impulsive suggestion.No: De begynte å spille gamle brettspill, fortelle historier fra deres barndom og latteren fylte rommet.En: They started to play old board games, tell stories from their childhood, and laughter filled the room.No: Snart glemte de stormen utenfor.En: Soon, they forgot about the storm outside.No: Stemningen ble mykere, og usikkerheten fra tidligere begynte å avta.En: The atmosphere became softer, and the uncertainty from earlier began to fade away.No: Når stormen nådde toppen av sin styrke, satte de seg nær peisen.En: When the storm reached the peak of its strength, they sat near the fireplace.No: Stearinlys kastet et varmt skinn over rommet.En: Candles cast a warm glow over the room.No: "Vi må holde sammen, det er det viktigaste, " sa Eirik med oppriktighet i stemmen.En: "We must stick together, that's the most important thing," said Eirik with sincerity in his voice.No: De delte historier de aldri før hadde turt å fortelle.En: They shared stories they had never dared to tell before.No: Om drømmer, frykt og håp.En: About dreams, fears, and hopes.No: Sakte ble varme innenfra viktigere enn varmen fra peisen.En: Slowly, the warmth from within became more important than the warmth from the fireplace.No: Deres bånd føltes sterkere enn noen gang.En: Their bond felt stronger than ever.No: På selve julaften, idet morgenlyset brøt gjennom skyene, hadde stormen stilnet.En: On Christmas Eve itself, as the morning light broke through the clouds, the storm had calmed.No: Utendørs strakte landskapet seg i en magisk, glitrende verden av snø.En: Outdoors, the landscape stretched out in a magical, glittering world of snow.No: Alt var stille, rolig.En: Everything was quiet, peaceful.No: Eirik stod ved vinduet og tok et dypt åndedrag.En: Eirik stood by the window and took a deep breath.No: Han hadde lært mer på disse dagene enn på mange år.En: He had learned more in these days than in many years.No: "Kanskje," tenkte han, "trengte jeg bare litt tid borte fra alt.En: "Maybe," he thought, "I just needed a bit of time away from everything.No: Litt tid til å sette pris på de små tingene i livet.En: A bit of time to appreciate the small things in life."No: "Eirik, Signe og Kari sto igjen i døråpningen, klare til å dra hjem.En: Eirik, Signe, and Kari stood again in the doorway, ready to head home.No: De så på hverandre med smil som fortalte at dette ville bli en jul de aldri ville glemme.En: They looked at each other with smiles that conveyed this would be a Christmas they would never forget.No: Sammen gikk de ut i den knirkende snøen, glade for å ha hverandre som venner.En: Together, they stepped out into the creaking snow, grateful to have each other as friends. Vocabulary Words:idyll: idyllenpine: furutrærmajestic: majestetiskecozy: koseligehustle and bustle: mas og jagrelive: gjenopplevemighty: mektigeviolent: voldsompanic: panikkforesee: forutsewhims: luneradventure: eventyrstrained: anstrengtflickering: dansendepersuasion: overtalelseimpulsive: impulsiveatmosphere: stemninguncertainty: usikkerhetensincerity: oppriktighetdares: turtcandles: stearinlysmagic: magiskglittering: glitrendecreaking: knirkendeabsorb: åndedragappreciate: sette prisfluid: flytendebond: båndstrength: styrkecease: stilnet

The above video and audio were created based on a blog post I wrote a number of years ago. The post read:We can all make friends. It's a talent we've had since we were little children. Use it. Take time out today to make some new friends — not just acquaintances, but real friends. You can start with your social networks and eventually branch out to creating professional relationships that are made up of real friends.LyricsHere are the lyrics to the song (sung by Amy Walker):In my circle, I weave connections tight,From my social media, I find my delight.LinkedIn's where I meet new faces,Networking's how we build our bases.Coffee shops are where I start to grow,Chatting with colleagues, sharing a dough.We laugh, we learn, we grow together,Friendship's what we sow, and it blossoms sweeter.Building bonds, let's start today,In every corner, a friend is waiting to play.Through ups and downs, we'll stick together,With every handshake, we're stronger together.Building bonds, let's not delay,Reach out, extend your hand, say good day!In every heart, a friend can find,Let's make these connections shine.A smile can open doors wide,A kind word can change someone's tide.In every face, a story lies,Let's listen, let's embrace, let's build ties.At work, at play, we share the scene,In every moment, a friend is seen.From the small talk to the big deal,Our friendships grow, are always real.Life's a journey, full of twists and turns,But with a friend, we can always learn.Together we face life's every test,Hand in hand, we'll never rest.Building bonds, let's start today,In every corner, a friend is waiting to play.Through ups and downs, we'll stick together,With every handshake, we're stronger together.Building bonds, let's not delay,Reach out, extend your hand, say good day.In every heart, a friend can find,Let's make these connections shine.Source: https://bookmarketingbestsellers.com/the-essence-of-book-marketing-making-real-friendsBook Marketing Success is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bookmarketing.substack.com/subscribe

When Jacinda Ardern became Prime Minister of New Zealand in 2017 at the age of 37, she was the youngest female head of government in the world. She also made history as only the second elected leader to give birth while in office. She resigned in 2023 after more than five years in post saying she no longer had enough in the tank and, since then, has engaged in global work focused on empathy in leadership and the prevention of online extremism. As a new documentary film, Prime Minister, is out in cinemas now, Jacinda talks to Kylie Pentelow.The government has just unveiled its new HIV Action Plan with the stated goal of tackling stigma and to end transmissions in England by 2030. Public Health Minister Ashley Dalton discusses the policy along with Ellie Harrison, who was diagnosed HIV positive when she was 21.Are friendships with exes a bad idea or a sign of growing up? Journalist Olivia Petter and comedian Rosie Wilby join Nuala McGovern to explore how relationships with ex-partners evolve after a breakup, and why staying in touch can look different in straight and LGBTQ+ communities.Columnist Sarah Vine started losing her hair as a teenager and was eventually diagnosed with female pattern baldness, a hormonal condition. But now she has decided, after 15 years of wearing wigs, to reveal her own hair on the front cover of a national newspaper. She speaks about her decision to bare all.We examine new data that reveals the number of teachers leaving the profession after becoming parents. We explore why, and what's being done about it. Emma Shepherd is the founder of the Maternity Teacher Paternity Teacher Project and Branwen Jeffries is the BBC's Education Editor.Do you like everything to be perfect for dinner party hosting – the spotless house, the elaborate menu, the Instagram-worthy table setting? But what if the secret to a great dinner party isn't perfection, but scruffy hosting – a trend that is apparently transforming the way we gather together and makes stress-free dinner parties more attainable - perhaps a one-pot dinner, mismatched cutlery, toys under the table or children running around screaming. Helen Thorn, Comedian, Podcaster and one half of Scummy Mummies tells Nuala why she embraces this type of hosting.Presenter: Kylie Pentelow Producer: Dianne McGregor

GET IN TOUCH: bravobreakingnews@gmail.com SHOP BRAVO GIFTS: bravobreakingnews.etsy.com Kim (@bravobreakingnews) and Lisa (@lisanotrinna) are back to recap the season 15 premiere of the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills! We discuss PK and Mauricio's pathetic paparazzi photos, why both Garcelle and Avi are no longer in Sutton's life and the anticipated return of Bravo icon, Rachel Zoe. Kim issues a warning to Kyle, while Lisa shares some theories regarding Avi's departure and how the group interacts with Rachel. Is she coming for Kyle's center diamond? Watch to find out and hit that subscribe button so you don't miss any Bravo Breaking News! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Fluent Fiction - Hebrew: Seagull Snatch: A Falafel Fiasco and Friendship's Flicker Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/he/episode/2025-12-06-08-38-20-he Story Transcript:He: השמש החורפית החלה לרדת לאיטה מעל חוף גורדון בתל אביב.En: The winter sun began to slowly set over Hof Gordon in Tel Aviv.He: נועה, רעבה אחרי יום עמוס בטיולים בעיר, פנתה אל אחד הדוכנים וקנתה לעצמה סנדוויץ' פלאפל חם.En: Noa, hungry after a busy day of sightseeing in the city, turned to one of the stalls and bought herself a hot sandwich falafel.He: היא מצאה מקום נעים על החול, קרוב לים, והתיישבה.En: She found a pleasant spot on the sand, close to the sea, and sat down.He: איתי, אחיה הצעיר של נועה, לא היה רחוק ממנה.En: Itai, Noa's younger brother, wasn't far from her.He: הוא אהב לחפש סערות בתורן ולא פעם גם ליצור אותן.En: He loved searching for storms when they came and often created them himself.He: חברה של נועה, שירה, עמדה לצידה.En: Noa's friend, Shira, stood by her side.He: היא הייתה מעשית וידעה תמיד איך למצוא פתרון לכל בעיה.En: She was practical and always knew how to find a solution to any problem.He: כשהשניים ראו את נועה מתיישבת סוף סוף לאכול, החיוך על פניה היה גדול.En: When the two saw Noa finally sitting down to eat, the smile on her face was big.He: אבל לפתע, כשתפסה בידה את הסנדוויץ' והחלה לנגוס – הגיע שחף חמדן, חטף את הסנדוויץ' משדהּ ועף משם במהירות.En: But suddenly, as she grasped the sandwich and began to take a bite, a greedy seagull swooped in, snatched the sandwich from her hand, and flew away quickly.He: נועה פערה את פיה בתדהמה.En: Noa's mouth gaped in astonishment.He: היא הסתכלה על איתי ועל שירה, לא יודעת אם לצחוק או לבכות.En: She looked at Itai and Shira, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.He: אבל שירה לא היססה.En: But Shira didn't hesitate.He: "נועה, יש לנו עוד חלה מהאריוחת ערב של חנוכה," היא אמרה.En: "Noa, we still have a challah from last night's Hanukkah dinner," she said.He: "הכנסי לעסקה עם הדוכן.En: "Make a deal with the stall.He: בטוח שהם יסכימו."En: I'm sure they'll agree."He: האחים הסתכלו זה על זו ואז התחילו לפעול לפי תוכניתה של שירה.En: The siblings looked at each other and then began to act according to Shira's plan.He: הם החלו לשוחח עם מוכר הפלאפל, שהסכים להחליף את הסנדוויץ' החסר בחלה.En: They started talking with the falafel vendor, who agreed to exchange the missing sandwich for the challah.He: ידו התל אביבית על העליונה, והוא הציע לנועה סנדוויץ' חדש עם חיוך.En: His Tel Avivian hand prevailed, and he offered Noa a new sandwich with a smile.He: בסופו של דבר, נועה התיישבה על החול שוב, עם סנדוויץ' פלאפל חם חדש בידיה.En: In the end, Noa sat on the sand again, with a new hot falafel sandwich in her hands.He: איתי ושירה הצטרפו אליה, שלושתם צחקו יחד והדליקו את הנרות של החנוכיה שהביאו לים, האור הלוהט מרצד ברקע השקיעה.En: Itai and Shira joined her, and the three laughed together, lighting the candles of the chanukiah they had brought to the beach, the flickering light glowing against the sunset backdrop.He: הם ישבו יחד, צוחקים ומשוחחים.En: They sat together, laughing and chatting.He: נועה הבינה כמה חשוב להיות יצירתית ולא לתת לדברים להוציא אותך משלווה.En: Noa realized how important it is to be creative and not let things take you out of your peace.He: השלושה גילו שהמשמעות האמיתית של החג היא לא באוכל, אלא בחברות, באור ובשמחה שהם יוצרים ביחד.En: The three discovered that the true meaning of the holiday is not in the food, but in the friendship, the light, and the joy they create together.He: כל סנדוויץ' נוסף על החוף הפך לסמל של חברות ואור חנוכה.En: Each additional sandwich on the beach became a symbol of friendship and the light of Hanukkah. Vocabulary Words:winter: חורפיתset: לרדתsightseeing: טיוליםpleasant: נעיםstorms: סערותpractical: מעשיתgreedy: חמדןswooped: חטףastonishment: תדהמהdeal: עסקהvendor: מוכרprevailed: על העליונהflickering: מרצדglowing: לוהטbackdrop: רקעcreative: יצירתיתpeace: שלווהdiscovered: גילוmeaning: משמעותfriendship: חברותjoy: שמחהsymbol: סמלsandwich: סנדוויץ'exchange: להחליףsolution: פתרוןcandles: נרותholiday: חגswallowed: החלה לנגוסhesitate: היססהseagull: שחףBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/fluent-fiction-hebrew--5818690/support.

Fluent Fiction - Norwegian: From Rivals to Allies: A Festive Tale of Art and Friendship Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/no/episode/2025-12-06-23-34-02-no Story Transcript:No: Bergen Fisketorg var fullt av liv.En: Bergen Fisketorg was full of life.No: Menneskene strømmet til bodene, ivrige etter å oppleve julestemningen selv om lufta var bitende kald.En: People flocked to the stands, eager to experience the Christmas spirit even though the air was bitterly cold.No: Sigrid, en engasjert fiskehandler, svettet nesten under de tykke klærne der hun jobbet med sitt vakre juleutstilling.En: Sigrid, an enthusiastic fishmonger, was almost sweating under the thick clothes as she worked on her beautiful Christmas display.No: Hun hadde opparbeidet et rykte for sine imponerende dekorasjoner, og denne vinterfestivalen ville hun gjerne vinne den årlige dekorasjonskonkurransen.En: She had built a reputation for her impressive decorations, and this winter festival she wanted to win the annual decoration contest.No: Ikke langt unna sto Eirik, en lokal håndverker kjent for sine tradisjonelle norske treskjæringer.En: Not far away stood Eirik, a local craftsman known for his traditional Norwegian wood carvings.No: Trefigurene hans var nydelige, inspirert av gamle norske tradisjoner, og mange stoppet for å beundre dem.En: His wood figures were gorgeous, inspired by old Norwegian traditions, and many stopped to admire them.No: Selv om Eirik nøt arbeidet, kjente han av og til et snev av ensomhet i julehøytiden.En: Although Eirik enjoyed the work, he sometimes felt a hint of loneliness during the Christmas season.No: Sigrid sverget til sjødyr som dekorelementer, mens Eirik brukte tre og naturmaterialer.En: Sigrid swore by sea creatures as decorative elements, while Eirik used wood and natural materials.No: Med den iskalde vinteren ble det vanskelig for henne å finne det hun trengte.En: With the icy winter, it became difficult for her to find what she needed.No: I tillegg merket hun at Eiriks treskulpturer begynte å stjele oppmerksomheten fra hennes fiskedekorasjoner.En: Additionally, she noticed that Eirik's wood sculptures began to steal attention from her fish decorations.No: En vennlig konkurranse mellom dem vokste frem.En: A friendly competition between them emerged.No: Mens Sigrid tenkte på hvordan hun kunne overgå Eirik, slo det henne plutselig; hvorfor ikke samarbeide?En: While Sigrid thought about how she could surpass Eirik, it suddenly struck her; why not collaborate?No: Hun gikk bort til ham og spurte om de kunne lage noe sammen.En: She went over to him and asked if they could create something together.No: Eirik nølte, men så lyset i Sigrids øyne.En: Eirik hesitated but saw the light in Sigrid's eyes.No: Han aksepterte med et smil.En: He accepted with a smile.No: I ukene som fulgte, jobbet de to tett sammen.En: In the weeks that followed, the two worked closely together.No: Sigrid delte sine ideer om sjøtemaer, mens Eirik foreslo elementer fra norsk folklore.En: Sigrid shared her ideas about sea themes, while Eirik suggested elements from Norwegian folklore.No: Sammen skapte de et kunstverk som kombinerte fisk og tre, lik en glitrende nordlys over et vintervisker Bergen.En: Together they created a work of art that combined fish and wood, like a shimmering aurora borealis over a wintery Bergen.No: Da den store dagen kom, dekket snø byen som en hvit dyne, og markedet var mer hektisk enn noen gang.En: When the big day came, snow covered the city like a white blanket, and the market was busier than ever.No: Sigrid og Eirik avduket sitt felles verk, og publikum ble stående i beundring.En: Sigrid and Eirik unveiled their joint creation, and the audience stood in awe.No: Fisk og tre skinnet under lysene, sammenflettet i en vakker fortelling om vinterens gleder.En: Fish and wood shone under the lights, interwoven in a beautiful tale of winter's joys.No: De vant konkurransen, og ikke bare mottok de heder og premie, men også invitasjoner til å delta på større arrangementer.En: They won the competition, and not only did they receive honor and a prize, but also invitations to participate in larger events.No: Sigrid innså noe viktig den dagen.En: Sigrid realized something important that day.No: Hun forsto at man kunne oppnå sine drømmer hjemme, gjennom vennskap og samarbeid.En: She understood that you could achieve your dreams at home, through friendship and collaboration.No: Eirik følte også en ny varme, et fellesskap han lenge hadde savnet.En: Eirik also felt a new warmth, a community he had long missed.No: Bergen Fisketorg skinte i lyset av deres felles arbeid, og to mennesker fant langt mer enn en seier.En: Bergen Fisketorg shone in the light of their shared work, and two people found far more than a victory.No: De fant en forbindelse og gleden av å dele sitt arbeid.En: They found a connection and the joy of sharing their work.No: Da de sammen nøt den kalde vinterkvelden, visste de begge at de hadde funnet noe virkelig verdifullt.En: As they together enjoyed the cold winter evening, they both knew that they had found something truly valuable. Vocabulary Words:fishtmonger: fiskehandlerflocked: strømmetenthusiastic: engasjertbitterly: bitendedisplay: utstillingreputation: ryktecraftsman: håndverkercarvings: treskjæringergorgeous: nydeligeinspired: inspirertloneliness: ensomhetswore: svergetelements: dekorelementericy: iskaldecollaborate: samarbeidehesitated: nøltesuggested: foreslofolklore: folkloreaurora borealis: nordlysunveiled: avduketinterwoven: sammenflettetprize: premieinvitation: invitasjonerhonor: hedercommunity: fellesskapconnection: forbindelsejoy: gledervaluable: verdifulltfestival: vinterfestivalenadmire: beundre

Oscar-winner Da’Vine Joy Randolph joins Chelsea to discuss the tea on Shakespeare, how to develope emotional fortitude early, and why she’ll never bring a man onto the red carpet. Then: The girls break up no fewer than two engagements. A traveler gets dumped by his boyfriend just before their European getaway. A corporate drone is desperate to get out of the office and into the great outdoors. And a May-December relationship is nearing its end… just not nearly fast enough. * Need some advice from Chelsea? Email us at DearChelseaPodcast@gmail.com * Executive Producer Catherine Law Edited & Engineered by Brad Dickert * * * The views and opinions expressed are solely those of the Podcast author, or individuals participating in the Podcast, and do not represent the opinions of iHeartMedia or its employees. This Podcast should not be used as medical advice, mental health advice, mental health counseling or therapy, or as imparting any health care recommendations at all. Individuals are advised to seek independent medical, counseling advice and/or therapy from a competent health care professional with respect to any medical condition, mental health issues, health inquiry or matter, including matters discussed on this Podcast. Guests and listeners should not rely on matters discussed in the Podcast and shall not act or shall refrain from acting based on information contained in the Podcast without first seeking independent medical advice. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oscar-winner Da’Vine Joy Randolph joins Chelsea to discuss the tea on Shakespeare, how to develope emotional fortitude early, and why she’ll never bring a man onto the red carpet. Then: The girls break up no fewer than two engagements. A traveler gets dumped by his boyfriend just before their European getaway. A corporate drone is desperate to get out of the office and into the great outdoors. And a May-December relationship is nearing its end… just not nearly fast enough. * Need some advice from Chelsea? Email us at DearChelseaPodcast@gmail.com * Executive Producer Catherine Law Edited & Engineered by Brad Dickert * * * The views and opinions expressed are solely those of the Podcast author, or individuals participating in the Podcast, and do not represent the opinions of iHeartMedia or its employees. This Podcast should not be used as medical advice, mental health advice, mental health counseling or therapy, or as imparting any health care recommendations at all. Individuals are advised to seek independent medical, counseling advice and/or therapy from a competent health care professional with respect to any medical condition, mental health issues, health inquiry or matter, including matters discussed on this Podcast. Guests and listeners should not rely on matters discussed in the Podcast and shall not act or shall refrain from acting based on information contained in the Podcast without first seeking independent medical advice. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Good morning, gorgeous! In today's video we are discussing about boundaries in friendships. Enjoy!

The guys have reunited post-Thanksgiving and have plenty of catching up to do! Tom has returned from a hunting trip with other dudes (not our DILFs) and brings some of his observations to the pod to discuss. Most importantly - what are signs as you get older of a good life? Join the Facebook Group! facebook.com/groups/dearolddads For comments, email thedads@dearolddads.com

Transform your life and thrill yourself by what happens when you start thinking and acting more strategically. Abandon fantasy as your roadmap. Why I started supporting President Trump in March 2015. How learning how the world REALLY works helps you see the future. Are you ignoring what you know you must do for your Finances by using the escape hatch of doing other good things in Friendship, or even Fitness and thereby distracting yourself from what you should be doing? How is your 5F balance? If it's not good, you need a rabbi! 

Sara wants to help her friend after surgery but worries she won't know how to handle her friend's temperamental daughter. Call 1-800-DR-LAURA / 1-800-375-2872 or make an appointment at DrLaura.comFollow me on social media:Facebook.com/DrLauraInstagram.com/DrLauraProgramYouTube.com/DrLauraJoin My Family!!Receive my Weekly Newsletter + 20% off my Marriage 101 course & 25% off Merch! Sign up now, it's FREE!Each week you'll get new articles, featured emails from listeners, special event invitations, early access to my Dr. Laura Designs Store benefiting Children of Fallen Patriots, and MORE! Sign up at DrLaura.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

William F. Buckley Jr., the charismatic intellectual who defined modern American conservatism, was famously skilled at forging friendships across the ideological divide, a talent that helped him both shape the political landscape and navigate public opinion. His capacity for personal charm allowed him to be a public extremist and a private moderate, keeping him in the good graces of the liberal elite, including figures like Senator George McGovern and activist Allard Lowenstein, even as he worked to advance his conservative agenda; however, this magnanimity had its limits, most famously with his true enemy, Gore Vidal. Today's guest is Josh Cohen, author of William F. Buckley Jr.'s Guide to Friendship in a Polarized Era, and we explore how this patrician gatekeeper of the right strategically used ideological "frenemies" and acquaintances, such as the surprising connection with Hugh Hefner, to legitimize his movement and advance his influence, culminating in the infamous, televised confrontation with Gore Vidal that exposed how even Buckley's renowned decorum shattered when his core beliefs were challenged.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some connections never really fade—no matter how much time, distance, or real life gets in the way. A woman reaches out to someone she vaguely remembers from childhood… and ends up reconnecting with a person who feels strangely familiar in all the ways that matter. Late-night phone calls turn into emotional lifelines. Friendship starts to blur at the edges. She moves on, starts a family, begins the next chapter. He tries to do the same—but finds himself trapped in a relationship that's slowly destroying him. And when she finally sets a boundary to protect her own life, she never expects it to be the last time she'll ever hear his voice. But guilt has a way of twisting itself into blame… until she opens something she hasn't looked at in years: his old MySpace page. What happens in that moment feels less like nostalgia—and more like a message she didn't know she still needed. #RealGhostStoriesOnline #HauntedMemories #EmotionalHauntings #UnfinishedGoodbyes #ParanormalComfort #SpiritsAmongUs #BeyondTheVeil #LostConnections #TrueParanormal #GhostStoryPodcast  Love real ghost stories? Don't just listen—join us on YouTube and be part of the largest community of real paranormal encounters anywhere. Subscribe now and never miss a chilling new story:

Stefan Molyneux helps a mother navigate her troubled past as she aims to create a nurturing environment for her daughter. They discuss her struggles with isolation and friendships, with Molyneux offering practical advice on fostering meaningful connections and highlighting that growth can arise from challenging experiences.SUBSCRIBE TO ME ON X! https://x.com/StefanMolyneuxFollow me on Youtube! https://www.youtube.com/@freedomain1GET MY NEW BOOK 'PEACEFUL PARENTING', THE INTERACTIVE PEACEFUL PARENTING AI, AND THE FULL AUDIOBOOK!https://peacefulparenting.com/Join the PREMIUM philosophy community on the web for free!Subscribers get 12 HOURS on the "Truth About the French Revolution," multiple interactive multi-lingual philosophy AIs trained on thousands of hours of my material - as well as AIs for Real-Time Relationships, Bitcoin, Peaceful Parenting, and Call-In Shows!You also receive private livestreams, HUNDREDS of exclusive premium shows, early release podcasts, the 22 Part History of Philosophers series and much more!See you soon!https://freedomain.locals.com/support/promo/UPB2025

On Washington Wednesday, Hunter Baker breaks down Trump's Tennessee test; on World Tour, updates from Nigeria, Hong Kong, Kyrgyzstan, and Brussels; and a closer look at the friendship between J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis. Plus, a cat-astrophic delivery, Erick Erickson on elite isolation, and the Wednesday morning newsSupport The World and Everything in It today at wng.org/donateAdditional support comes from Ambassadors Impact Network. Helping entrepreneurs with a purpose find the support they need to thrive with faith-aligned financing options. More at ambassadorsimpact.comAnd from WatersEdge. Save more. Do more. Give more. Helping Christians support ministry by giving through a donor-advised fund. watersedge.com/DAF