Podcasts about Homegoing

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

Joan Nguyen is the co-founder and CEO of Bumo, a platform revolutionizing childcare with flexible, on-demand options for families.Raised by Vietnamese refugee parents who taught her that education was both a privilege and a pathway, Joan's entrepreneurial journey began at just 20 years old when she founded MeriEducation with $3,000 in savings, eventually growing it into an Inc. 5000 company. Years later, as a working mother, she teamed up with Chriselle Lim to launch Bumo in 2019. From pitching over 200 investors with repeated rejections, to losing her home in the LA wildfires, to pivoting the company into a virtual school in just eleven days during the pandemic, Joan has demonstrated remarkable resilience. Today, Bumo has raised over $10 million and built a nationwide marketplace connecting families with thousands of licensed childcare providers.In this week's episode, Joan opens up about the pivots that shaped her journey. She shares what it was like navigating survival mode versus thriving mode as a founder, building a supportive community, and finally breaking through with investors. We talk about the challenges of fundraising and adapting quickly during the pandemic to save her business. Joan also shares the lessons she's learned about resilience, setting boundaries as a parent and leader, and the power of asking for help. If you've ever faced setbacks that felt impossible to overcome, this conversation is proof that your hardest seasons can set the stage for your biggest breakthroughs.In this episode, we'll talk to Joan about:* The power of pivots and why Joan always leads with serving her community. [02:21]* How every job and connection came full circle in her entrepreneurial journey. [04:34]* Lessons in resilience and perspective from her refugee parents. [07:35]* Surviving vs. thriving: the mindset shift as a founder. [09:51]* Losing her home, kids' school, and 300 daycares in the LA fires. [11:29]* Running a fashion line and tutoring before choosing education. [13:50]* From “glorified intern” to co-founder & CEO of Bumo. [18:57]* Pitching 200+ investors and the early rejections. [23:31]* Building community with the Bumo Digest parenting newsletter. [25:35]* Landing her first lead investor (& literally breaking open doors). [28:16]* Pivoting during the pandemic and launching a virtual school. [30:45]* Why 2022–2023 were some of Bumo's hardest years. [33:40]* The traction and proof points that led to raising $10M. [40:26]* How Joan has evolved as a leader. [41:28]* The power of focus, hiring right, and clear communication. [51:18]* Setting boundaries as a founder and parent. [47:08]* Why asking for help can change everything. [51:07]This episode is brought to you by beeya: * Learn more about beeya's seed cycling bundle at https://beeyawellness.com/free to find out how to tackle hormonal imbalances. * Get $10 off your order by using promo code BEHINDHEREMPIRE10Follow Yasmin: * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yasminknouri/* Stay updated & subscribe to our newsletter: https://www.behindherempire.com/Follow Joan: * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumoparent/* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joan.bumo/* Website: https://wp.bumo.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For Episode 206, fellow podcaster Jason Blitman, host of the Gays Reading podcast, joins Sarah to go behind the scenes of producing book festivals. They talk about how he came to reading later in his life and how his journey as a reader led him to his current role. Also, they discuss how he approaches author interviews. Plus, Jason shares his book recommendations.  This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog. Highlights Jason's experience with becoming a “later in life reader” How Jason got his start in podcasting and started the Gays Reading podcast The method and madness behind choosing which authors to feature Jason turns the tables on Sarah and asks her an interview question With 2 different book festivals under his belt, Jason shares what producing these events entails How authors and special guests are chosen for book festivals Managing authors' expectations, difficulties, and comfort levels at these large events Plus, ALL of Jason's book recommendations are from LGBTQIA+ authors! Jason's Book Recommendations [39:38] Two OLD Books He Loves A Star is Bored by Byron Lane (2020) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [40:00] Still Life by Sarah Winman (2021) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [42:01] Other Books Mentioned Tin Man by Sarah Winman (2017) [43:32]   Two NEW Books He Loves Disappoint Me by Nicola Dinan (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [44:02] The Sunflower Boys by Sam Wachman (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [46:26] One Book He DIDN'T Love Blackouts by Justin Torres (2023) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [48:48] Other Books Mentioned Kiss of the Spider Woman by Manuel Puig (1976) [50:14]  One NEW RELEASE He's Excited About Lean Cat, Savage Cat by Lauren John Joseph (February 17, 2026) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [51:40] Books From the Discussion and Other Links The Slip by Lucas Schaefer (2025) [1:01] Gays Reading | Season 4, Episode 36: Lucas Schaefer (The Slip) feat. Mike Curato, Guest Gay Reader [1:04]  We Begin at the End by Chris Whitaker (2021) [1:39]  Unlikely Animals by Annie Hartnett (2022) [1:48]  The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien (1937) [3:29]  To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (1960) [4:03]  How I Paid for College by Marc Acito (2004) [5:10]  A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan (2010) [6:11]  Find Me by André Aciman (2019) [7:31]  Call Me By Your Name by André Aciman (2007) [7:34]  The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han (2009) [8:09] The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai (2018) [8:37]  The Nix by Nathan Hill (2016) [8:54]  Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi (2016) [8:57]  The Forest of Vanishing Stars by Kristin Harmel (2021) [11:24]  Mary Jane by Jessica Anya Blau (2021) [11:50] Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin (2022) [12:55] The Rachel Incident by Caroline O'Donoghue (2023) [14:48] Real Americans by Rachel Khong (2024) [37:20] Charlotte's Web by E. B. White (1952) [38:41] Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes written by Eric Litwin and illustrated by James Dean (2008) [38:43]

Pastor Randy honors the life of Charlie Kirk, who by God's anointing moved our nation in his short 31 years. He had the spiritual depth of a theologian and the skill of a gifted statesman.Lineage Church is a voice for Jesus in the land of the brave. We will not be ashamed of the gospel and we will not be quiet. God bless America!

The Charlie Kirk Home Going Celebration. 

Disclosure: We are part of the Amazon Affiliate/LTK Creator programs. We will receive a small commission at no cost if you purchase a book. This post may contain links to purchase books.In today's conversation, Laura chats with Jason Blitman of the Gays Reading podcast about how he went from a non-reader to a passionate book podcaster as an adult. They talk about the joy of discovering books that speak to your identity, the overwhelm of re-entering the book world, and how reading as an adult is different—and better—than it was in school. If you've ever said, “I want to read more,” but didn't know where to start, this episode is for you.

This episode is the last day of my trip, and the drive home. I wake up at 2:00 a.m. and get to work. Get some Blackjack sessions and poker as well as slots. I also travel to some tiny casinos as well.

This week on From the Front Porch, it's another episode From the Archives! In this series, we're sharing some of our favorite past episodes of the show while Annie is on maternity leave. Enjoy today's episode about Annie's favorite books of all time from 2023. To purchase the books mentioned in this episode, stop by The Bookshelf in Thomasville, visit our website (search episode 542) or download and shop on The Bookshelf's official app: Libro.fm Bookshelf storefront Gilead by Marilynne Robinson A Place for Us by Fatima Farheen Mirza To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee The Mothers by Brit Bennett The Road by Cormac McCarthy Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner Little Women by Louisa May Alcott An Old-Fashioned Girl by Louisa May Alcott (unavailable to purchase) Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel Updated mentions since the podcast originally aired: Olive, Again by Elizabeth Strout Tell Me Everything by Elizabeth Strout James by Percival Everett Matrix by Lauren Groff From the Front Porch is a weekly podcast production of The Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in South Georgia. You can follow The Bookshelf's daily happenings on Instagram, Tiktok, and Facebook, and all the books from today's episode can be purchased online through our store website, www.bookshelfthomasville.com.  A full transcript of today's episode can be found here. Special thanks to Dylan and his team at Studio D Podcast Production for sound and editing and for our theme music, which sets the perfect warm and friendly tone for our Thursday conversations.  This week, Annie is reading The Eights by Joanna Miller. If you liked what you heard in today's episode, tell us by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. You can also support us on Patreon, where you can access bonus content, monthly live Porch Visits with Annie, our monthly live Patreon Book Club with Bookshelf staffers, Conquer a Classic episodes with Hunter, and more. Just go to patreon.com/fromthefrontporch. We're so grateful for you, and we look forward to meeting back here next week. Our Executive Producers are...Beth, Stephanie Dean, Linda Lee Drozt, Ashley Ferrell, Wendi Jenkins, Martha, Nicole Marsee, Gene Queens, Cammy Tidwell, Jammie Treadwell, and Amanda Whigham.

I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. — Psalm 23:6 Forever is a long time. And most of us are not fans of waiting. Sometimes even TV ads between our favorite shows can seem unending. When we think about it, forever can seem intimidating or overwhelming. So it can help to think about this in connection with relationships. Relationships with family members often stand the test of time, and yet today a 35-year marriage can seem like a rare treasure. In our mobile and divisive culture today, a 46-year friendship may also be less common than in the past. The psalm writer wants the Lord's sheep to know that the good shepherd will never let us go. This is a comfort that can carry us through the ups and downs of challenging relationships in the here and now. We can also think of forever in terms of location. Many of us sheep are pretty happy with the life we have here on earth. We are often able to find places we enjoy for beauty and bliss, and it can be hard to imagine anything better because this is all we know. But the psalmist reminds us that the shepherd may call us to move along to other pastures—and yet that may mean going through tough passageways and dark valleys at times. Being in a loving relationship with the good shepherd will keep us calm, though, and eventually we'll move on to new pastures in a new heaven and earth, where we will live with him forever. How does this promise encourage you today? Lord, help us to trust in you, knowing that you are with us now and forever. Amen.

In this episode of the Kindling Project podcast, Alison Rico-Serbentas shares her transformative journey from being a stay-at-home mom to becoming an entrepreneur and bodybuilder. She discusses the challenges of navigating relationships, building confidence, and the importance of self-discovery. Alison emphasizes the significance of spiritual growth, seeking signs, and the evolution of her business ventures, including her experiences with social media and the entrepreneurial landscape. Through her story, she inspires listeners to embrace change, trust their intuition, and pursue their passions. In this conversation, Alison Serbentas shares her journey of balancing structure and intuition in her lifestyle choices, navigating personal and business relationships, and overcoming financial challenges. She discusses the evolution of her Spartan Bars from a homemade snack to a thriving business, emphasizing the importance of nutrition and muscle building for longevity. The conversation also touches on misconceptions about bodybuilding, the realities of entrepreneurship, and the significance of embracing the journey of personal growth.All things Alison!https://linktr.ee/Ali.Rico?utm_source=linktree_profile_share<sid=ee455f4c-d8fe-4c36-9596-44aae0f4dde5Take Action Now!Learn more about The Kindling Project at our website and join our Facebook group for women looking for that extra kindling to start their next big fire! Contact us via email at podcast@thekindlingproject.com for further inquiries or discussions.

Major events around the world. Personal trials continue daily. Real people. Many are not known but to God. Agitators are stirring up trouble.The Voice in the Wilderness does not endorse any link or other material found at buzzsprout.More at https://www.thevoiceinthewilderness.org/

In this episode, co-hosts Shé and Anna share their 2025 summer reading list—13 unforgettable books that move across cultures, borders, and languages. Whether you're traveling, lesson planning, or just in need of some inspiration, this curated collection will offer powerful perspectives on migration, memory, identity, and resistance.

In Ep. 194, Catherine (@GilmoreGuide) and Sarah head back to the year 2017 in the book world with this second annual special retrospective episode!  They share big bookish highlights for that year, including book news, award winners, and what was going on in the world outside of reading. They also talk about how their own 2017 reading shook out, including their favorite 2017 releases.  Plus, a quick run-down of listener-submitted favorites!  This episode is overflowing with great backlist titles to add to your TBR!   This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog. Highlights The big news that was going on outside the book world. The book stories and trends that dominated 2017. How similar 2017 and 2025 are. The 2017 books that have had staying power.⁠ Was this as dismal a year in books as Sarah remembers? Sarah's and Catherine's personal 2017 reading stats.⁠ Listener-submitted favorites from 2017.⁠ Bookish Time Capsule (2017) [2:12] The World Beyond Books No books mentioned in this segment. The Book Industry Wonder by R. J. Palacio (2012) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [9:59] Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur (2015) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [10:04] A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org[10:40] The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [10:44] Uncommon Type by Tom Hanks (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [12:08] My Absolute Darling by Gabriel Tallent (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [12:18] The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [13:03] If We Were Villains by M. L. Rio (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [13:13] We Were the Lucky Ones by Georgia Hunter (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [13:23] Sweetbitter by Stephanie Danler (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [13:46] Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [13:48] The Nest by Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [13:50] Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [14:57] Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar (2024) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [15:03] James by Percival Everett (2024) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [15:04] Bookish Headlines and Trends Becoming by Michelle Obama (2018) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [20:41] A Promised Land by Barack Obama (2020) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [20:43] The Audacity of Hope by Barack Obama (2006) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [20:48] My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante (2011) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [23:04] The Road to Dalton by Shannon Bowring (2023) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [23:31] Big Books and Award Winners of 2017 A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman (2012) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [26:01] Beartown by Fredrik Backman (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [26:06] The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood (1985) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [26:21] Hillbilly Elegy by J. D. Vance (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [26:27] The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [26:48] Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus (2022) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [28:09] The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [28:39] Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [29:23] Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng (2014) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [29:40] Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [31:31] Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout (2008) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [32:09] Pachinko by Min Jin Lee (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [32:51] Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [33:16] Normal People by Sally Rooney (2018) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [33:41] Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [34:32] Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward (2011) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [34:38] Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [35:09] The Sellout by Paul Beatty (2015) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [35:52] What Happened by Hillary Rodham Clinton (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [36:56] Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [37:21] The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [37:45] Before the Fall by Noah Hawley (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [38:04] The Stone Sky (The Broken Earth, 3) by N. K. Jemisin (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [38:30]  Our Top Books of 2017 The Heart's Invisible Furies by John Boyne (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [40:46] Beartown by Fredrik Backman (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [41:20] Dead Letters by Caite Dolan-Leach (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [41:22] Emma in the Night by Wendy Walker (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [42:02] If We Were Villains by M. L. Rio (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [42:16] Quicksand by Malin Persson Giolitio (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [42:23] The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [42:36] This Is How It Always Is by Laurie Frankel (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [42:38] Trophy Son by Douglas Brunt (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [42:48] White Fur by Jardine Libaire (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [43:05] Final Girls by Riley Sager (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [46:38] Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [46:44] Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [46:46] Young Jane Young by Gabrielle Zevin (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [46:49] The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [47:10] Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman (1995) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [47:15] Goodbye, Vitamin by Rachel Khong (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [47:19] The Heirs by Susan Rieger (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [47:34] The Takedown by Corrie Wang (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [47:53] Feast of Sorrow by Crystal King (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [48:01] Girl in Snow by Danya Kukafka (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [48:09] Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng (2014) | Amazon | Bookshop.org   [48:17] Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [48:28] The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [48:33] Listeners' Top Books of 2017 Pachinko by Min Jin Lee (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [49:33] Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [49:51] The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [50:03] The Heart's Invisible Furies by John Boyne (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org[50:07] Beartown by Fredrik Backman (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [50:13] Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [50:15] The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [50:18] The Alice Network by Kate Quinn (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [50:24] This Is How It Always Is by Laurie Frankel (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [50:25] Goodbye, Vitamin by Rachel Khong (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [50:27]

Yaa Gyasi and Nicola Kraus

A new MP3 sermon from Liberty Bible Church is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: Elaine Slusher Homegoing Service Subtitle: Special Services Speaker: Various Speakers Broadcaster: Liberty Bible Church Event: Funeral Service Date: 2/14/2025 Length: 35 min.

Hour 3 Audio from WGIG-AM and FM in Brunswick, GA

Join us Sunday January 25, 2025, for Margaret Mallory's Homegoing Service at New Life At Calvary. We lift up the name of Jesus Christ at New Life At Calvary located at 2020 E. 79th St. Cleveland, OH 44103 and online at nlac.tv. Donations to support this ministry can be made on our website at nlac.tv or by Cash App at $2NLAC.

Join us Sunday January 25, 2025, for Margaret Mallory's Homegoing Service at New Life At Calvary. We lift up the name of Jesus Christ at New Life At Calvary located at 2020 E. 79th St. Cleveland, OH 44103 and online at nlac.tv. Donations to support this ministry can be made on our website at nlac.tv or by Cash App at $2NLAC.

A new MP3 sermon from Terrell Bible Church is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: Homegoing of Carlon McKnight 10/28/2024 Speaker: Dr. Drake Torp-Pedersen Broadcaster: Terrell Bible Church Event: Funeral Service Date: 10/28/2024 Length: 53 min.

Until the scripture of meditation, the sound will be muted in order to protect our congregation's privacy. The Scripture for Meditation and the Scripture Reading will be posted below.

Until the scripture of meditation, the sound will be muted in order to protect our congregation's privacy. The Scripture for Meditation and the Scripture Reading will be posted below.

Until the scripture of meditation, the sound will be muted in order to protect our congregation's privacy. The Scripture for Meditation and the Scripture Reading will be posted below.

Until the scripture of meditation, the sound will be muted in order to protect our congregation's privacy. The Scripture for Meditation and the Scripture Reading will be posted below.

Until the scripture of meditation, the sound will be muted in order to protect our congregation's privacy. The Scripture for Meditation and the Scripture Reading will be posted below.

Until the scripture of meditation, the sound will be muted in order to protect our congregation's privacy. The Scripture for Meditation and the Scripture Reading will be posted below.

The home going of a soldier was shared by Brother Theodore Andoseh during the leaders' bible camp in Koume from the 1st - 15th of August 2024

In Episode 175, Susie Boutry (@NovelVisits) and I explore our favorite Micro Genres for 2024. Over the past year, we've continued to refine our reading tastes and identify specific themes and types of books that resonate deeply with us. This year, Susie and I have a curated list of 10 all-new Micro Genres, along with standout books from each category. It's another big episode with tons of great book recommendations! This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog. Cold War Espionage (Sarah) [3:19] Sarah Red Widow by Alma Katsu | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [4:49] Red London by Alma Katsu | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [4:50] Our American Friend by Anna Pitoniak | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [5:10]  The Charm School by Nelson DeMille | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [5:20]   Red Notice by Bill Browder | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [5:47] The Spy and the Traitor by Ben Macintyre | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [6:01] Susie The Sisterhood by Liz Mundy | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [6:26]  Angsty Motherhood (Susie) [7:21] Sarah Perfect Tunes by Emily Gould | Amazon | Bookshop.org [12:00] Susie Soldier Sailor by Claire Kilroy | Amazon | Bookshop.org [8:38] Same As It Ever Was by Claire Lombardo | Amazon | Bookshop.org [10:04] Amazing Grace Adams by Fran Littlewood | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [10:37] When I Ran Away by Ilona Bannister | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [10:53]  Little Prisons by Ilona Bannister (currently unavailable in the US)  [10:54]  Landslide by Susan Conley | Amazon | Bookshop.org [10:57] The Push by Ashley Audrain | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [11:00]  Memoirs About the Demise of a Marriage (Sarah) [12:18] Sarah How to Stay Married by Harrison Scott Key | Amazon | Bookshop.org [13:26] You Could Make This Place Beautiful by Maggie Smith | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [13:52]  A Beautiful, Terrible Thing by Jen Waite | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [14:11]  Bankruptcy by Janet Lombardi | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [14:14]  Susie Untamed by Glennon Doyle | Amazon | Bookshop.org [14:49] Pandemic Stories (Susie) [15:26] NOT Based on the COVID-19 Pandemic & More Dystopian [15:49]  Sarah Wanderers by Chunk Wendig | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [17:43]  Susie Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [16:06] The Dog Stars by Peter Heller | Amazon | Bookshop.org [16:20] The Memory of Animals by Claire Fuller | Amazon | Bookshop.org [16:41]  Severance by Ling Ma | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [17:07] The Dreamers by Karen Thompson Walker | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [18:20]  With the COVID-19 Pandemic in the Background [18:28]  Sarah 56 Days by Catherine Ryan Howard | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [20:37]  Reef Road by Deborah Goodrich Royce | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [20:40]  Susie Blue Ruin by Hari Kunzru | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [18:37]  Day by Michael Cunningham | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [19:17]  Tom Lake by Ann Patchett | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [19:47]  Pete and Alice in Maine by Caitlin Shetterly | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [19:49]  Other Books Mentioned Wish You Were Here by Jodi Picoult [21:09]  Invisible Son by Kim Johnson [21:14]  This Is My America by Kim Johnson [21:19]  The Measure by Nikki Erlick [22:03]  Did She Actually Say That?! (Sarah) [23:03] Sarah Miracle Creek by Angie Kim | Amazon | Bookshop.org [24:18]  Happiness Falls by Angie Kim | Amazon | Bookshop.org [24:19]  The Push by Ashley Audrain | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [24:55]  All This Could Be Yours by Jami Attenberg | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [25:14]  Sociopath by Patric Gagne, PhD | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [25:42]  Susie The Change by Kirsten Miller | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [26:15] On the Savage Side by Tiffany McDaniel | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [26:32]   Books Revolving Around Generational Trauma (Susie) [27:34] Sarah Strange Sally Diamond by Liz Nugent | Amazon | Bookshop.org [31:24]  Memphis by Tara M. Stringfellow | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [31:28]  What My Bones Know by Stephanie Foo | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [31:52]  The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk, MD | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [31:54] What Happened to You? by Oprah Winfrey and Bruce D. Perry, MD PhD | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [31:57]   Susie Grown Women by Sarai Johnson | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [29:08]  Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [29:58]  The Postcard by Anne Berest | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [30:27]  Saving Ruby King by Catherine Adel West | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [30:50]  All My Rage by Sabaa Tahir | Amazon | Bookshop.org   [30:53]  Swift River by Essie Chambers | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [30:56]  Brotherless Night by V. V. Ganeshanathan | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [30:59]  Co-Ed Friend Groups (Sarah) [32:18] Sarah The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer | Amazon | Bookshop.org [33:17]  Shotgun Lovesongs by Nickolas Butler | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [33:29]  The Ensemble by Aja Gabel | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [33:39]   All Together Now by Matthew Norman | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [33:47]  Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [34:01] The Christmas Orphans Club by Becca Freeman | Amazon | Bookshop.org [34:14] Susie The Celebrants by Steven Rowley | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [34:36]  Who We Are Now by Lauryn Chamberlain | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [35:16]  Peace, Love, and Rock n' Roll / Books Set in the '60s & '70s (Susie) [36:58] Susie The Women by Kristin Hannah | Amazon | Bookshop.org [38:09]  Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid | Amazon | Bookshop.org [38:31]  Mary Jane by Jessica Anya Blau | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [38:57]  The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead | Amazon | Bookshop.org [spp-timestamp time=”[39:11]″]  All You Have to Do Is Call by Kerri Maher | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [39:39] Last House by Jessica Shattuck | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [39:53]  Surprisingly High-Quality Celebrity Memoirs (Sarah) [40:33] Sarah Open by Andre Agassi | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [41:05]  Spare by Prince Harry | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [41:07]  Open Book by Jessica Simpson | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [42:16]  Finding Me by Viola Davis | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [43:11]  Becoming by Michelle Obama | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [43:15] Only Say Good Things by Crystal Hefner | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [43:21]   Susie Born a Crime by Trevor Noah | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [44:19]  Other Books Mentioned The Woman in Me by Britney Spears [41:45]  The Many Lives of Mama Love by Laura Love Hardin [43:33]  Look Backs (Susie) [44:38] Sarah City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert | Amazon | Bookshop.org [48:11] Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk by Kathleen Rooney | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [48:33]  Victim by Andrew Boryga | Amazon | Bookshop.org [49:06]  Susie The Rachel Incident by Caroline O'Donoghue | Amazon | Bookshop.org [45:30] The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker | Amazon | Bookshop.org [46:03] Now Is Not the Time to Panic by Kevin Wilson | Amazon | Bookshop.org [47:08] Absolution by Alice McDermott | Amazon | Bookshop.org [47:30] Other Books Mentioned Happiness Falls by Angie Kim [47:47] 

Homegoing Service @ Kelly, Jason + Nathan & Amber Nelon-Kistler - Roopville, GA

Tonight we have a Homegoing Service for our brother Rob Beaty, who went home to be with the Lord on Friday. He was an inspiration to many with his fearless approach to his impending death from Stage 4 cancer of the liver. He remained a passionate and outspoken witness for the Lord Jesus Christ right up to the end of his life here on Earth, and the start of his life in Heaven. On this episode of Rightly Dividing, we look at death and the Christian living in these chaotic end times. If you really read the writings of the apostle Paul, he spends a lot of time talking about death and how Christians should be living their lives in preparation to meet it.Two little lines I heard one day, Traveling along life's busy way;Bringing conviction to my heart, And from my mind would not depart;Only one life, 'twill soon be past, Only what's done for Christ will last.Only one life, yes only one, Soon will its fleeting hours be done;Then, in ‘that day' my Lord to meet, And stand before His Judgment seat;Only one life,' twill soon be past, Only what's done for Christ will last.Only one life, yes only one, Now let me say, “Thy will be done”;And when at last I'll hear the call, I know I'll say 'twas worth it all”;Only one life,' twill soon be past, Only what's done for Christ will last.

A new MP3 sermon from Liberty Bible Church is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: Delmar Reese Slusher Homegoing Subtitle: Special Services Speaker: Various Speakers Broadcaster: Liberty Bible Church Event: Funeral Service Date: 7/9/2024 Length: 93 min.

All the Links: LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISON 2024 - Week 27 - Silence and Letting Go This episode is about silence and letting go. This year I have taken a few road trips. I have traveled for anywhere between 3 to 9 hours at a time and allowed myself to be in silence for at least an hour. I worked my way up to this over the years. I would immerse myself in silence. I would allow my thoughts to do what they do, go all over the place.  It's a lovely reminder that I can't control everything. Lol.  I started off with 10 to 15 minutes of silence and now I can go longer especially if I'm in the car alone. Within the last 30 days I've attended the funerals of my aunt, Rosa, and my cousin, Marlis. I am grateful I was able to ride down to Tampa with my brother, Tony and his wife, Patricia, both times. Sitting in the backseat very comfortably, I might add; I crocheted, read, listened to podcasts and audiobooks on the 6+ hour rides. Of course we stopped along the drive and one of our stops is Buc-ee's, if you aren't familiar, Google it. lol And after stopping in Buc-ee's, silence was just what I needed. Homegoing services or funerals, whatever you call them, are a time for reflection for me. The poem shared at my cousin's funeral on Saturday was called Let Me Go by the poet Christina Georgina Rossetti who lived in the 1800's. Tony and I both remarked after listening to the poem how much we both liked it. After asking the funeral director the name of the poem I was able to find it on Google. Thank you technology. Here it is. Let Me Go When I come to the end of the road And the sun has set for me I want no rites in a gloom filled room Why cry for a soul set free? Miss me a little, but not for long And not with your head bowed low Remember the love that once we shared. Miss me, but let me go. For this is a journey we all must take And each must go alone. It's all part of the master plan A step on the road to home. When you are lonely and sick at heart Go to the friends we know. Laugh at all the things we used to do Miss me, but let me go. When I am dead my dearest Sing no sad songs for me Plant thou no roses at my head Nor shady cypress tree Be the green grass above me With showers and dewdrops wet And if thou wilt remember And if thou wilt, forget. I shall not see the shadows, I shall not fear the rain; I shall not hear the nightingale Sing on as if in pain; And dreaming through the twilight That doth not rise nor set, Haply I may remember, And haply may forget. Leaving Florida I stopped crocheting and enjoyed looking at the scenery. The flat terrain and palm trees made me miss the colorful trees and flowers I would see along the Georgia landscape. I could feel my body relaxing as I watched the trees and water along the road. At one time silence for me felt very scary. I would dread not having something to distract me. With practice, I have learned to relish silence. In the silence, I hear the gentle whooshing of the fan as I lie in bed in the mornings before I get up. I hear the birds singing when I sit outside on my back deck. And I remind myself to be open and receptive to receive answers to questions that I may have, in the silence. I have developed an intimate relationship with silence, we are partners now on my life's journey. Take a moment to practice a little bit of silence with me. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/barbara-faison/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/barbara-faison/support

A new MP3 sermon from Philadelphia Baptist Chapel is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: Homegoing Service for Hazel Jones Speaker: Various Speakers Broadcaster: Philadelphia Baptist Chapel Event: Funeral Service Date: 5/15/2024 Length: 67 min.

Message from Jerry Dean on May 5, 2024

This week Cipha Sounds and Rosenberg discuss what's going to happen when they go to today's Homegoing Service and Celebration for Mister Cee. Plus Exclusive Content on Patreon every week @ https://www.patreon.com/juanepislifeOur Discord Community is now open to EVERYONE join here https://discord.gg/kaw3kFrQPaFollow the showhttps://www.instagram.com/juanepislife/?hl=enFollow Cipha Soundshttps://www.instagram.com/ciphasounds/?hl=enhttps://twitter.com/ciphasounds?lang=enFollow Rosenberghttps://instagram.com/rosenbergradiohttps://twitter.com/RosenbergradioAll things Juan EP is Life is sponsored by Monster Energy. @MonsterEnergy @MonsterMusic Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Books touched on: Genderqueer, by Maia Kobabe; Road of Bones, by Christopher Golden, Years of Rice and Salt, by Kim Stanley Robinson; Homegoing, by Yaa Gyasi; Maame, by Jessica George; Kindred, by Ocatavia Butler and Damian Duffy; Ink Blood Sister Scribe, by Emma Torzs; Marlena, by Julie Buntin; Counterfeit, by Kirstin Chen; Comedy Bang Bang The Podcast The Book, by Scott Aukerman; Wide Sargasso Sea, Jean Rhys; The Spy Who Loved Me, by Ian Fleming.

Embracing the maturity God has intended requires moving forward beyond our past lessons

This week on the Queer News podcast Anna DeShawn reports on the tragic death of Nex Benedict. Nex, we speak your name today. In politics, government officials can refuse to marry you in Tennessee. In culture & entertainment, HIV advocate and shero Hydeia Broadbent passes away at 39. The Catholic church where Cecilia Gentili's funeral services were held called it a scandal and a new book is out that explores gender in all of its beautiful forms. Let's go!    00:00 - Welcome to the Queer News podcast  00:51 - Queer News is nominated for an Ambie 3:00 - Anna responds to comments from the Queer News listenership survey 3:44 - Join the QCrew, https://bit.ly/3L3Ng66  4:29 - Queer News headlines 5:10 - Nex Benedict we speak your name today 13:36 - Government officials can refuse to marry you in Tennessee 14:13 - Promote your business on the Queer News podcast. Book an ad today! Email info @ e3rradio.fm  14:38 - HIV/AIDS advocate & icon Hydeia Broadbent passes away 16:10 - The Catholic church calls Cecilia Gentili's homegoing services a scandal 20:00 - A new book is out that explores gender in all of its beautiful forms 21:39 - Anna's Got a Word

A fresh episode of The Sprina Sessions is live for your listening pleasure! Join Keila, Jasmine, and extra special guest Lauren Long Legs as they recap the week that was for Spencer and Trina on General Hospital. The Rundown Includes: #TrinasVoiceMatters, Alexis and Sam reminisce about Little Spencer, Gregory is an Esme apologist for reasons, Nikolas turns himself in, and Spencer's homegoing service underwhelms. The show wraps with Sprina Speculations for the week ahead and the Song Picks of the Week. Enjoy!Sprina Sessions Playlist Song SelectionsOverwhelmed - Chloe X Halle That's When I'll Stop Loving You - NSYNCMoon - YosteHalf - PVRISHeirloom -  MansionairLoving Me 4 Me - Christina Aguilera Eye of the Needle - SiaMercy - Sarah  McLachlanSuture Up Your Future - Queens of the Stone AgeTimes Like These - Foo FightersFollow Keila on X: https://twitter.com/LadyWrestlingXFollow Jasmine on X: https://twitter.com/twin_fangirlFollow Lauren on X: https://twitter.com/LaurenLongLegs

This is my last podcast episode in Washington DC. While this feeling is bitter sweet it was only a matter of tiem before mt time came. On Today's episode of the Arts Block Podcast I speak on how my time home and away has affected me, we talk about how the devil is good at advertising, and for you to be better you have to want better. My Links: https://www.instagram.com/artsblockpodcast/ https://www.instagram.com/ericcurryiii/ https://linktr.ee/ArtsBlock --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/eric-curry-iii/support

Lisa discusses her reading in 2023 and ways you can evaluate your success other than just hitting a certain number of books.  Books discussed: Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi Bit Flip by Mike TriggMonique and the Mango Rains by Kris Holloway Falling for You: A Buckeye Falls Novel and Falling Home: A Buckeye Falls Novel.  The Measure by Nikki Erlick The Shining by Stephen King. Stoner by John WilliamsHey Kiddo: A Memoir by Jarrett J. Krosoczka Traveling Cat Chronicles by Hiro ArikawaHatchet Girls by Diana Rodriguez WallachThe Cider House Rules by John IrvingLast Night in Twisted RiverShark Heart: A Love StoryADELAIDE by Genevieve Wheeler   For more information, find Lisa on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and her website. *The book titles mentioned include affiliate links. You can support the podcast by purchasing a book with the links because the podcast receives compensation. 

Hi readers! Kari here. Alexis and I are switching up the schedule this and next week to correctly set the stage for No Longer at Ease by Chinua Achebe. Published in the 1960s, No Longer at Ease is the second work of Achebe's African Trilogy, which begins with the distinguished High School required read Things Fall Apart. It deals with themes such as cultural integrity versus colonialization and assimilation.  So, this week, we thought it's fitting to revisit one of our favorite works of historical fiction that also tackles these themes in a beautifully illustrious way — Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi. Next week, we'll revisit Things Fall Apart by Achebe. Then, on the 14th, we'll return with No Longer at Ease, a book neither Alexis nor I have read before. We're excited to read it for the first time with all of you. So, if you're stateside, enjoy your long weekend, and wherever you are in the world, we hope this book makes you feel something extraordinary, as it did with us. Enjoy!❤️

For Episode 148, as the podcast takes a brief break, we revisit a backlist episode…the Best Books of 2020 with Susie Boutry (@NovelVisits). Re-listening to this one is a unique opportunity to get a look back on a strange year. Whether you're new to the podcast or have been with us for a while, everyone loves a TBR filled with backlist gems! Library holds should be easy and paperbacks editions have been released! So, let's take a look back at our favorite 2020 books (overall and by genre) and our picks for tons of bookish superlatives. This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). This is a backlist episode. It features a new introduction and has been cut for content, but first aired on November 25, 2020, in its entirety, as Ep. 71: Best Books of 2020 and Bookish Superlatives with Susie from @NovelVisits. Highlights 2020 Podcast Overview (including favorite and most downloaded episodes)  Overview of our reading years (including the impact of COVID-19) Favorite books of 2020 (trends, overall, and by genre) 2020 Bookish Superlative Awards Our Favorite Books of 2020 (Overall and by Genre) [18:25] Sarah Saving Ruby King by Catherine Adel West | Amazon | Bookshop.org [18:56] Untamed by Glennon Doyle | Amazon | Bookshop.org [21:28] The Familiar Dark by Amy Engel | Amazon | Bookshop.org [23:15] The Heir Affair by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan | Amazon | Bookshop.org [24:39] The Knockout Queen by Rufi Thorpe | Amazon | Bookshop.org [26:13] Saving Ruby King by Catherine Adel West | Amazon | Bookshop.org [28:30] One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London | Amazon | Bookshop.org [29:06] Long Bright River by Liz Moore | Amazon | Bookshop.org [31:19] The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett | Amazon | Bookshop.org [32:24] Craigslist Confessional by Helena Dea Bala | Amazon | Bookshop.org [34:50] We Keep the Dead Close by Becky Cooper | Amazon | Bookshop.org [35:00] Memorial Drive by Natasha Trethewey | Amazon | Bookshop.org [37:55] Smacked by Eilene Zimmerman | Amazon | Bookshop.org [38:11] This is My America by Kim Johnson | Amazon | Bookshop.org [39:25] Susie The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V. E. Schwab | Amazon | Bookshop.org[19:34] A Knock at Midnight by Brittany K. Barnett | Amazon | Bookshop.org [22:20] The Night Swim by Megan Goldin | Amazon | Bookshop.org [23:41] Godshot by Chelsea Bieker | Amazon | Bookshop.org [25:15] The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett | Amazon | Bookshop.org [26:52] Writers & Lovers by Lily King | Amazon | Bookshop.org [27:40] The Happy Ever After Playlist by Abby Jimenez | Amazon | Bookshop.org[30:12] Long Bright River by Liz Moore | Amazon | Bookshop.org [32:00] Greenwood by Michael Christie | Amazon | Bookshop.org [33:48] Stamped by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi | Amazon | Bookshop.org[35:52] Open Book by Jessica Simpson | Amazon | Bookshop.org [38:41] American Royals II: Majesty by Katharine McGee | Amazon | Bookshop.org[41:00] A Children's Bible by Lydia Millet | Amazon | Bookshop.org [42:52] Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam | Amazon | Bookshop.org [43:37] 2020 Superlatives [43:54] Sarah The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett | Amazon | Bookshop.org [44:18] Running by Natalia Sylvester | Amazon | Bookshop.org [44:58] We Wish You Luck by Caroline Zancan | Amazon | Bookshop.org [46:02] Untamed by Glennon Doyle | Amazon | Bookshop.org [47:13] The Searcher by Tana French | Amazon | Bookshop.org [47:59] Sea Wife by Amity Gaige | Amazon | Bookshop.org [49:28] Saving Ruby King by Catherine Adel West | Amazon | Bookshop.org [50:18] This is My America by Kim Johnson | Amazon | Bookshop.org [50:29] The Knockout Queen by Rufi Thorpe | Amazon | Bookshop.org [52:29] Deacon King Kong by James McBride | Amazon | Bookshop.org [53:25] Anxious People by Fredrik Backman | Amazon | Bookshop.org [53:58] Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia | Amazon | Bookshop.org [53:59] A Good Neighborhood by Therese Anne Fowler | Amazon | Bookshop.org[54:00] Darling Rose Gold by Stephanie Wrobel | Amazon | Bookshop.org [54:02] Smacked by Eilene Zimmerman | Amazon | Bookshop.org [55:17] Eat a Peach by David Chang | Amazon | Bookshop.org [55:25] Stray by Stephanie Danler | Amazon | Bookshop.org [56:33] Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam | Amazon | Bookshop.org [56:45] The Glass Hotel by Emily St. John Mandel | Amazon| Bookshop.org [57:40] Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia | Amazon | Bookshop.org [57:46] The Boys' Club by Erica Katz | Amazon | Bookshop.org [58:59] The Death of Vivek Oji by Akwaeke Emezi | Amazon | Bookshop.org [1:00:54] The Office by Andy Greene | Amazon | Bookshop.org [1:01:19] Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo | Amazon | Bookshop.org [1:03:56] A Knock at Midnight by Brittany K. Barnett | Amazon | Bookshop.org [1:05:10] The Last Story of Mina Lee by Nancy Jooyoun Kim | Amazon| Bookshop.org[1:05:20] Caste by Isabel Wilkerson | Amazon | Bookshop.org [1:05:37] Susie Perfect Tunes by Emily Gould | Amazon | Bookshop.org [44:22] 28 Summers by Elin Hilderbrand | Amazon | Bookshop.org [45:18] Valentine by Elizabeth Wetmore | Amazon | Bookshop.org [46:26] Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam | Amazon | Bookshop.org [47:22] Anxious People by Fredrik Backman | Amazon | Bookshop.org [48:34] Greenwood by Michael Christie | Amazon | Bookshop.org [50:41] A Children's Bible by Lydia Millet | Amazon | Bookshop.org [50:43] Last Couple Standing by Matthew Norman | Amazon | Bookshop.org [50:47] Want by Lynn Steger Strong | Amazon | Bookshop.org [51:14] Valentine by Elizabeth Wetmore | Amazon | Bookshop.org [52:21] Writers & Lovers by Lily King | Amazon | Bookshop.org [53:10] The Night Swim by Megan Goldin | Amazon | Bookshop.org [54:20] The Guest List by Lucy Foley | Amazon | Bookshop.org [54:23] Pretty Things by Janelle Brown | Amazon | Bookshop.org [54:25] When No One is Watching by Alyssa Cole | Amazon | Bookshop.org [54:27] 28 Summers by Elin Hilderbrand | Amazon | Bookshop.org [54:57] Rodham by Curtis Sittenfeld | Amazon | Bookshop.org [56:56] Memorial by Bryan Washington | Amazon | Bookshop.org [58:17] The Knockout Queen by Rufi Thorpe | Amazon | Bookshop.org [58:23] Smacked by Eilene Zimmerman | Amazon | Bookshop.org [58:38] The Death of Vivek Oji by Akwaeke Emezi | Amazon | Bookshop.org [1:00:40] The Happy Ever After Playlist by Abby Jimenez | Amazon | Bookshop.org[1:01:55] A Good Marriage by Kimberly McCreight | Amazon | Bookshop.org [1:02:15] Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi | Amazon | Bookshop.org [1:02:43] Other Books Mentioned Beach Read by Emily Henry [15:57] The Roanoke Girls by Amy Engel [23:19] The Royal We by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan [24:46] The Mothers by Brit Bennett [27:23] The Devil in the White City by Erik Larsen [35:13]  In Cold Blood by Truman Capote [35:15] Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt [35:18]  Stamped from the Beginning by Ibram X. Kendi [36:03] American Royals by Katharine McGee [40:54] The Witch Elm by Tana French [48:01] Beartown by Fredrik Backman [48:59] The Girls of Corona del Mar by Rufi Thorpe [52:50] Reconstructing Amelia by Kimberly McCreight [1:02:28] Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi [1:02:41] Love Warrior by Glennon Doyle [1:03:42] Blacktop Wasteland by S. A. Cosby [1:04:34] Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell [1:04:42] Other Links Ep. 116: Micro Genres We Love with Susie (@NovelVisits) Ep. 145: 2023 Micro Genres We Love with Susie (@NovelVisits) Ep. 43: Jordan Moblo (@jordys.book.club) on Growing a #Bookstagram Account Ep. 63: Helena Dea Bala (Author of Craigslist Confessional) Mini Ep. 59: Reviving Your Reading Life + Ann Patchett Deep Dive with Alyssa Hertzig (@alyssaisbooked) Ep. 56: Holly Root (Literary Agent) on the Rise of Rom-Coms & Publishing in the Coronavirus Era Ep. 66: Kate Stayman-London (Author of One to Watch) Ep. 64: Catherine Adel West (Author of Saving Ruby King) From Novel Visits: Reading in the Midst of a Global Pandemic | Musings From Novel Visits: The Night Swim by Megan Goldin | [Spoiler] Discussion About Susie Boutry Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram Susie has loved reading for as long as she can remember. Some of her fondest childhood memories involve long afternoons at the library and then reading late into the night. More than ten years ago, she began journaling about the books she read and turned that passion into writing about books. Her first forays were as a guest reviewer on a friend's blog, but she soon realized she wanted to be reviewing and talking about books on a blog of her own. From there, Novel Visits was born. That was in 2016 and, though the learning curve was steep, she loves being a part of the book community. Novel Visits focuses on new novel reviews (print and audio), previews of upcoming releases, and musings on all things bookish.

Oh, you bet we're back.  On today's show: Well, just about everything. While we were gone two celebrity couples filed for divorce and another broke off their engagement, Jonah Hill's ex-girlfriend leaked his texts and accused him of being a narcissist, childhood best friends Kylie Jenner and Jordyn Woods repaired their four-year rift, Twitter became ‘X' and gained a new competitor ‘Threads', Doja Cat offended half a million people, and TikTok's IT Girl got sprung kissing a teenager. YEP. This week, Zara recommended Homegoing, Between You and Me and Love Marriage. Mich recommended The Guest, The Soulmate and that you see Barbie, of course.  Big thanks to the Swisse Sleep Range for making this episode possible. Go the Swisse to sleep! Swap the scrolling for sleeping and while you're at it check out the Swisse Sleep Range. Find out more here.  This episode was audio produced by Michelle Andrews, Zara McDonald and Sohani Goonetillake. Want to support our show? We are sending air kisses, air tea, and air hugs (too far?) to anyone who clicks ‘follow' on Apple and Spotify. (Bonus hugs for anyone who leaves a five-star review, too!)  Still not enough? Well! Our hearts! See below for everything else. Click here to subscribe to ShameMore: http://apple.co/shamelesspod Subscribe to the weekly ‘ASK SHAMELESS' newsletter: http://eepurl.com/gFbYLT  Join our book club: https://www.instagram.com/theshamelessbookclub/  Check out our website: https://shamelessmediaco.com/ Write to the Shameless Mailbag: Email hello@shamelessmediaco.com Thanks for listening! We are very big fans of yours.

EP280. I share and chat about listener feedback on how they feel about being a stay at home mom, resenting their partner that is working outside the home, and returning back to work after maternity leave. Also, house hunting talk, book talk, hair talk, and tongue scraping talk.RENEE REINAwww.themomroom.comInstagram: @themomroompodcast | @reneereina_TikTok: @reneereina_Facebook CommunityYoutube: Renee Reina- The Mom Room PodcastSPONSORSJenni Kayne.SuperGut.Boll & Branch.HelloFresh.BoxWellness Co. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

EP280. I share and chat about listener feedback on how they feel about being a stay at home mom, resenting their partner that is working outside the home, and returning back to work after maternity leave. Also, house hunting talk, book talk, hair talk, and tongue scraping talk. RENEE REINA www.themomroom.com Instagram: @themomroompodcast | @reneereina_ TikTok: @reneereina_ Facebook Community Youtube: Renee Reina- The Mom Room Podcast SPONSORS Jenni Kayne. SuperGut. Boll & Branch. HelloFresh. BoxWellness Co. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week's episode of Currently Reading, Kaytee and Meredith are discussing: Bookish Moments: a wonderful reading gift and an upcoming literary festival Current Reads: all the great, interesting, and/or terrible stuff we've been reading lately Deep Dive: today we are making a travel list based on the (real) places we've traveled in books The Fountain: we visit our perfect fountain to make wishes about our reading lives As per usual, time-stamped show notes are below with references to every book and resource we mentioned in this episode. If you'd like to listen first and not spoil the surprise, don't scroll down!  We are now including transcripts of the episode (this link only works on the main site). The goal here is to increase accessibility for our fans! *Please note that all book titles linked below are Bookshop affiliate links. Your cost is the same, but a small portion of your purchase will come back to us to help offset the costs of the show. If you'd prefer to shop on Amazon, you can still do so here through our main storefront. Anything you buy there (even your laundry detergent, if you recently got obsessed with switching up your laundry game) kicks a small amount back to us. Thanks for your support!*   . . . . 1:30 - Bookish Moment of the Week 2:04 - Anwick Book Lamp 4:14 - Santa Fe International Literary Festival 6:18 - Current Reads 6:32 - Silent Voices by Ann Cleaves (Meredith) 6:51 - BritBox 11:10 - The Long Call by Ann Cleaves 11:29 - The Crow Trap by Ann Cleaves 11:42 - Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun by Elle Cosimano (Kaytee) 18:32 - Blackwater Falls by Ausma Zehanat Khan (Meredith) 23:50 - How to Break Up with Your Phone by Catherine Price (Kaytee) 27:34 - The Daily Stoic 27:36 - The Painted Porch Bookshop 29:04 - The Rook by Daniel O'Malley (Meredith) 33:35 - Hench by Natalize Zina Walschots 33:36 - The Windsor Knot by SJ Bennett 35:12 - We Deserve Monuments by Jas Hammonds (Kaytee) 35:18 - Libro.fm 37:17 - Fabled Bookshop 37:18 - Times Undoing by Cheryl A. Head 38:08 - Deep Dive: Travel Inspired by Books 40:22 - The Dark Vineyard by Martin Walker 41:03 - Violeta by Isabel Allende  41:49 - Anne of Green Gables by LM Montgomery 42:17 - Shogun by James Clavell 43:06 - Outlander by Diana Gabaldon  43:53 - The Christmas Bookshop by Jenny Colgan 44:19 - How the Word is Passed by Clint Smith 44:50 - Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt 45:11 - Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi 45:15 - A Caribbean Heiress in Paris by Adrianna Herrera 45:34 - BookPeople 46:57 - I'll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle Mcnamara 47:41 - A City Baker's Guide to Country Living by Louise Miller 49:24 - Meet Us At The Fountain I wish mediocre books would be saved by turning them into amazing shows. (Meredith) 50:34 - Are You Sleeping by Kathleen Barber (Amazon link) I wish every bookstore sold bookstore stickers. (Kaytee) Connect With Us: Meredith is @meredith.reads on Instagram Kaytee is @notesonbookmarks on Instagram Mindy is @gratefulforgrace on Instagram Mary is @maryreadsandsips on Instagram Roxanna is @roxannatheplanner on Instagram currentlyreadingpodcast.com @currentlyreadingpodcast on Instagram currentlyreadingpodcast@gmail.com Support us at patreon.com/currentlyreadingpodcast and www.zazzle.com/store/currentlyreading

This week on From the Front Porch, Annie tells you all about her favorite books ever! Don't forget to join our bookish Patreon community and get your copy of Bleak House if you'd like to join our Conquer a Classic Book Club this year. To purchase the books mentioned in this episode, visit our website: Gilead by Marilynne Robinson A Place for Us by Fatima Farheen Mirza To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee The Mothers by Brit Bennett The Road by Cormac McCarthy Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner Little Women by Louisa May Alcott An Old-Fashioned Girl by Louisa May Alcott (unavailable to order) Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel From the Front Porch is a weekly podcast production of The Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in South Georgia. You can follow The Bookshelf's daily happenings on Instagram at @bookshelftville, and all the books from today's episode can be purchased online through our store website, www.bookshelfthomasville.com.  A full transcript of today's episode can be found here. Special thanks to Dylan and his team at Studio D Podcast Production for sound and editing and for our theme music, which sets the perfect warm and friendly tone for our Thursday conversations.  This week, Annie is reading Decent People by De'Shawn Charles Winslow. If you liked what you heard in today's episode, tell us by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. Or, if you're so inclined, support us on Patreon, where you can hear our staff's weekly New Release Tuesday conversations, read full book reviews in our monthly Shelf Life newsletter and follow along as Hunter and I conquer a classic. Just go to patreon.com/fromthefrontporch. We're so grateful for you, and we look forward to meeting back here next week. Our Executive Producers are... Donna Hetchler, Cammy Tidwell, Chantalle C, Kate O'Connell, Nicole Marsee, Wendi Jenkins, Laurie Johnson and Kate Johnston Tucker.

Seven years have passed since DNA evidence led to William Virgil's release from prison. A lot can change in seven years — and yet, so much can stay maddeningly stagnant at the same time. We examine what one of life's inevitable developments will mean for the civil lawsuit Virgil had filed alleging he'd been wrongfully convicted in the murder of Retha Welch.Credits from the script: Accused is written by me, Amber Hunt, produced by Amanda Rossmann, edited by Amy Wilson and engineered by Phil Didion. Music is by Andrew Higley. You can support this show directly by joining our Patreon at patreon.com/accused. To see photographs and supplemental documents, www.accusedpodcast.com. The best way to spread word about the cases we cover is to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.