Podcasts about Nonfiction

We all know that science shapes science fiction, but what happens when the opposite is also true? This episode, senior producer Teresa Carey speaks with legendary science fiction author Kim Stanley Robinson about the intersection of science and science fiction and how the latter allows us to think about the effects of scientific advancement. Host, Dr. Samantha Yammine also digs into what happens in the brain in the moments after death and how some sea turtles are making their way into the polluted waters of Southern California. Link to Show Notes HERE Follow Curiosity Weekly on your favorite podcast app to get smarter with Dr. Samantha Yammine — for free! Still curious? Get science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Caroline Fraser joins "Mind Over Murder" co-hosts Bill Thomas and Kristin Dilley to discuss her new book "Murderland: Crime and Bloodlust in the Time of Serial Killers." The work explores the provocative premise that environmental toxins may have led men living in the Pacific Northwest to become serial killers. Could a poisonous mix of lead, copper and arsenic fumes spewing out of a massive industrial smelting plant in Tacoma, Washington have impacted those living in its shadow? This bonus episode of "Mind Over Murder" originally ran on June 30, 2025.Murderland: Crime and Bloodlust in the Time of Serial Killershttps://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/741809/murderland-by-caroline-fraser/Murderland on Goodreads:https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/217927444-murderland?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=FuNcX09PwP&rank=1#CommunityReviewsWTKR News 3: One year after development in Colonial Parkway Murders, where do things stand?https://www.wtkr.com/news/in-the-community/historic-triangle/one-year-after-development-in-colonial-parkway-murders-where-do-things-standWon't you help the Mind Over Murder podcast increase our visibility and shine the spotlight on the "Colonial Parkway Murders" and other unsolved cases? Contribute any amount you can here:https://www.gofundme.com/f/mind-over-murder-podcast-expenses?utm_campaign=p_lico+share-sheet&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=customerWTVR CBS News:  Colonial Parkway murders victims' families keep hope cases will be solved:https://www.wtvr.com/news/local-news/colonial-parkway-murders-update-april-19-2024WAVY TV 10 News:  New questions raised in Colonial Parkway murders:https://www.wavy.com/news/local-news/new-questions-raised-in-colonial-parkway-murders/Alan Wade Wilmer, Sr. has been named as the killer of Robin Edwards and David Knobling in the Colonial Parkway Murders in September 1987, as well as the murderer of Teresa Howell in June 1989. He has also been linked to the April 1988 disappearance and likely murder of Keith Call and Cassandra Hailey, another pair in the Colonial Parkway Murders.13News Now investigates: A serial killer's DNA will not be entered into CODIS database:https://www.13newsnow.com/video/news/local/13news-now-investigates/291-e82a9e0b-38e3-4f95-982a-40e960a71e49WAVY TV 10 on the Colonial Parkway Murders Announcement with photos:https://www.wavy.com/news/crime/deceased-man-identified-as-suspect-in-decades-old-homicides/WTKR News 3https://www.wtkr.com/news/is-man-linked-to-one-of-the-colonial-parkway-murders-connected-to-the-other-casesVirginian Pilot: Who was Alan Wade Wilmer Sr.? Man suspected in two ‘Colonial Parkway' murders died alone in 2017https://www.pilotonline.com/2024/01/14/who-was-alan-wade-wilmer-sr-man-suspected-in-colonial-parkway-murders-died-alone-in-2017/Colonial Parkway Murders Facebook page with more than 18,000 followers: https://www.facebook.com/ColonialParkwayCaseYou can also participate in an in-depth discussion of the Colonial Parkway Murders here:https://earonsgsk.proboards.com/board/50/colonial-parkway-murdersMind Over Murder is proud to be a Spreaker Prime Podcaster:https://www.spreaker.comJoin the discussion on our Mind Over MurderColonial Parkway Murders website: https://colonialparkwaymurders.com Mind Over Murder Podcast website: https://mindovermurderpodcast.comPlease subscribe and rate us at your favorite podcast sites. Ratings and reviews are very important. Please share and tell your friends!We launch a new episode of "Mind Over Murder" every Monday morning, and a bonus episode every Thursday morning.Sponsors: Othram and DNAsolves.comContribute Your DNA to help solve cases: https://dnasolves.com/user/registerFollow "Mind Over Murder" on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MurderOverFollow Bill Thomas on Twitter: https://twitter.com/BillThomas56Follow "Colonial Parkway Murders" on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ColonialParkwayCase/Follow us on InstaGram:: https://www.instagram.com/colonialparkwaymurders/Check out the entire Crawlspace Media network at http://crawlspace-media.com/All rights reserved. Mind Over Murder, Copyright Bill Thomas and Kristin Dilley, Another Dog Productions/Absolute Zero ProductionsBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/mind-over-murder--4847179/support.

Publishing Talks started as a series of conversations I had with book industry professionals and others involved in media and technology, talking about the future of publishing, books, and culture. It was great fun discussing the evolution of publishing in the context of technology, culture, and economics. More recently, I've also had conversations with a […] The post Publishing Talks Interviews Derek Newton/Verify My Writing first appeared on WritersCast.

Episode Summary: Community is a gift from God that reflects His nature and intention for us. Through meaningful relationships, we experience support, growth, and a deeper connection with Him. While cultivating community takes effort and intentionality, the blessings far outweigh the challenges. By leaning on biblical principles, embracing vulnerability, and taking actionable steps, we can foster relationships that uplift and transform us. Let’s take God’s invitation to heart and pursue community as a way to share His love, grace, and hope with others. Today, we’re diving into a topic that touches the heart of our daily lives: the importance of community. God created us for relationship, not just with Him, but with each other. In a world that often feels isolated and disconnected, it’s vital to rediscover the power of authentic, Christ-centered community. Together, we’ll unpack what the Bible says about community, why it’s essential for our spiritual, emotional, and mental well-being, and practical steps we can take to intentionally cultivate meaningful connections. My son, Bryce, joins me on the podcast to talk about The Power of Togetherness: Why Community Matters in Faith and Life. Quotables from the episode: Christ-centered community is, in all reality, exactly what it sounds like. It is a community striving together to edify and encourage one another to grow in their relationship to Christ individually. And it is that community that pushes each other to go towards Christ in the center. I think that community is very important in today's culture because we have grown very disconnected. Part of that free reign of access is the advent of social media, and it is very helpful to be able to connect with people one -on -one and being able to see people's life updates. But I think everyone is fully aware of the social media fact of you're only seeing the best. Community is very important because there is that lack and that prevalence of comparison that is leading people to feel isolated and like they aren't living up to what the dream is. I would say isolated and discontent because of that tendency towards comparison. And yet isn't it interesting that in a day and an age where things are supposedly more social, we see that loneliness is a huge epidemic. So, it's kind of ironic, if you will, that in this day of social media, people are feeling lonelier than ever. What role does the Bible place on the value of relationships within the Church and beyond? Oh, the Bible places an incredible amount of importance on relationships. You can just go throughout all of scripture and every single book there is an example. There is David and Jonathan. There's Ruth and Naomi. There is John and Jesus. Paul and Timothy. You can go on and on and on and give examples of all of these wonderful pairs of relationships and these groups. Jesus having the twelve disciples and David's mighty men. there is so much importance in the Bible on relationships because when God formed Adam in the garden, he made Adam in his own image and looked at it and looked at Adam and said "This isn't good for you to be alone." Even though you were made in my image, the best good that you could have out of all of creation, it wasn't good for him to be alone. When we have a heart that's focused on the fact that God wants us to have community. He wants us to share his love with other people. I think we have to get past worrying what other people are going to think. Self -consciousness often stems from some type of fear, fear of rejection, fear of not being understood, fear of being misconstrued with what you say. The importance of vulnerability is really saying, you're not alone in whatever this thing is. Being able to be vulnerable and say, I've been down this road, or even if I've not been down this road, but I'm willing to walk down it with you, is so critical of just opening the door of wherever this relationship goes, I want to go there alongside you. Forgiveness is a necessary component in any relationship. What a great example there is in Jesus. That's exactly what he does with our sin. We have to ask for forgiveness. And so, if we receive forgiveness from him, how much more should we give forgiveness to others? If we don't extend forgiveness, then that's just an opportunity for the enemy to come in and build up bitterness and resentment, which tears down relationships. So, if we prize relationship, we prize connection, relationship, we've got to include forgiveness as an aspect then, or we run the risk of losing out. Start with open-ended questions and the willingness to be silent, waiting for the other person to respond, then pull on the strings within the conversation. Scripture References: Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 – "Two are better than one... If either of them falls down, one can help the other up." Proverbs 27:17 – "As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another." Matthew 18:20 – "For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them." Hebrews 10:24-25 – "Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds... not giving up meeting together." 1 Thessalonians 5:11 – "Encourage one another and build each other up." Recommended Resources: Sacred Scars: Resting in God’s Promise That Your Past Is Not Wasted by Dr. Michelle Bengtson The Hem of His Garment: Reaching Out To God When Pain Overwhelms by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner AWSA 2024 Golden Scroll Christian Living Book of the Year and the 2024 Christian Literary Awards Reader’s Choice Award in the Christian Living and Non-Fiction categories YouVersion 5-Day Devotional Reaching Out To God When Pain Overwhelms Today is Going to be a Good Day: 90 Promises from God to Start Your Day Off Right by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, AWSA Member of the Year, winner of the AWSA 2023 Inspirational Gift Book of the Year Award, the 2024 Christian Literary Awards Reader’s Choice Award in the Devotional category, the 2023 Christian Literary Awards Reader’s Choice Award in four categories, and the Christian Literary Awards Henri Award for Devotionals YouVersion Devotional, Today is Going to be a Good Day version 1 YouVersion Devotional, Today is Going to be a Good Day version 2 Revive & Thrive Women’s Online Conference Revive & Thrive Summit 2 Trusting God through Cancer Summit 1 Trusting God through Cancer Summit 2 Breaking Anxiety’s Grip: How to Reclaim the Peace God Promises by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the AWSA 2020 Best Christian Living Book First Place, the first place winner for the Best Christian Living Book, the 2020 Carolina Christian Writer’s Conference Contest winner for nonfiction, and winner of the 2021 Christian Literary Award’s Reader’s Choice Award in all four categories for which it was nominated (Non-Fiction Victorious Living, Christian Living Day By Day, Inspirational Breaking Free and Testimonial Justified by Grace categories.) YouVersion Bible Reading Plan for Breaking Anxiety’s Grip Breaking Anxiety’s Grip Free Study Guide Free PDF Resource: How to Fight Fearful/Anxious Thoughts and Win Hope Prevails: Insights from a Doctor’s Personal Journey Through Depression by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Henri and Reader’s Choice Award Hope Prevails Bible Study by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award Free Webinar: Help for When You’re Feeling Blue Social Media Links for Host: For more hope, stay connected with Dr. Bengtson at: Order Book Sacred Scars / Order Book The Hem of His Garment / Order Book Today is Going to be a Good Day / Order Book Breaking Anxiety’s Grip / Order Book Hope Prevails / Website / Blog / Facebook / Twitter (@DrMBengtson) / LinkedIn / Instagram / Pinterest / YouTube / Podcast on Apple Hosted By: Dr. Michelle Bengtson Audio Technical Support: Bryce Bengtson Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

In this week's episode we are joined by SCBWI Golden Kite Winner Ann Bausum. ANN BAUSUM has written nine National Geographic books for young readers during the past 12 years. Her publication list features six works of social justice history, two presidential history reference books, and a photobiography. She has won numerous awards, including a Sibert Honor Award from the American Library Association and three other national awards for literature.Purchase her latest book here: https://bookshop.org/a/19191/9781250816573Check out her website here: www.annbausum.comFollow her on socials here: @abausauthorSupport the show

We're diving into Episode 3 of the Read Smart podcast! In this episode, Prize Executive Director Toby Mundy speaks with acclaimed writer Helen Garner about How to End a Story, shortlisted for the 2025 Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction. Garner reflects on memory, mortality and the craft of turning life into narrative, drawing out the tender, awkward and surprising moments that shape a life on the page. In this conversation, she explores the ethics of memoir, the discipline of revision, and how a writer contends with truth when memory is partial. Listen now to hear a frank and intimate discussion about the art of telling and ending a story. This podcast is generously supported by the Blavatnik Family Foundation. To keep up with all of our Prize news year-round, follow @BGPrize on Instagram, Facebook, X, TikTok and YouTube.

It's time for Episode 4 of the Read Smart podcast! In this episode, Prize Executive Director Toby Mundy speaks with journalist and author Jason Burke about The Revolutionists, shortlisted for the 2025 Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction. Burke examines the ideological ferment of the 1970s, exploring the militants, activists and ideas that shaped modern revolt. In this conversation, he explores how radical change begins, what freedom costs and the lasting legacy of insurgency in global politics. Listen now to dive into a gripping narrative of revolt and consequence. This podcast is generously supported by the Blavatnik Family Foundation. To keep up with all of our Prize news year-round, follow @BGPrize on Instagram, Facebook, X, TikTok and YouTube.

It's Episode 5 of the Read Smart podcast! In this episode, Prize Executive Director Toby Mundy speaks with biographer and historian Richard Holmes about The Boundless Deep: Young Tennyson, Science and the Crisis of Belief, a shortlisted title for the 2025 Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction. Holmes charts Alfred Lord Tennyson's early years against the backdrop of science, faith and poetic ambition, revealing how the nineteenth-century sea of ideas shaped a generation. In this conversation, he explores biography, belief, and how a poet confronted the emerging challenges of his time. Listen now to discover this elegant and searching study of mind, myth and meaning. This podcast is generously supported by the Blavatnik Family Foundation. To keep up with all of our Prize news year-round, follow @BGPrize on Instagram, Facebook, X, TikTok and YouTube.

It's the final episode of the Read Smart podcast hearing from our 6 shortlisted authors! In this episode, Prize Executive Director Toby Mundy speaks with Adam Weymouth about Lone Wolf: Walking the Faultlines of Europe, one of the shortlisted works for the 2025 Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction. Weymouth follows the journey of a wolf across Europe, weaving together nature writing, identity and geopolitics, and raising profound questions about belonging and the wild. In this conversation he reflects on wilderness, migration and what it means to stray far from home. Listen now to engage with a story where animal tracks become pathways into human experience. This podcast is generously supported by the Blavatnik Family Foundation. To keep up with all of our Prize news year-round, follow @BGPrize on Instagram, Facebook, X, TikTok and YouTube.

In this episode of Semi-Bookish, we continue our Non-Fiction series, with Toni's pick! We read "Reflections" by Diana Wynne Jones, and talk about writing as an art.

Former Senator Joe Manchin (I-WV) joins Michael to discuss his memoir, "Dead Center: In Defense of Common Sense." Together, they explore the deep divides in American politics, what it means to 'lead from the middle,' and why Manchin believes the center is the only path forward for the country. From his candid reflections on the Democratic Party's evolution to his efforts to build bipartisan cooperation through his “Americans Together” initiative, Manchin opens up about lessons learned in Washington and what he got wrong—like aspects of the Affordable Care Act. The conversation ranges from party polarization to possible paths for independent candidates and the future of term limits—all grounded in Manchin's belief that “if you can't change your mind, you can't change anything.” Original air date 21 October 2025. The book was published on 16 September 2025. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This episode stars Katharine Coldiron (Out There in the Dark, Wire Mothers, Junk Film & many more). It was recorded over the Zoom between the This Podcast Will Change Your Life home studio in Chicago, IL and what I believe is Coldiron's home, which just may be somewhere in The Golden State, in September 2025.

Giuseppe Castellano talks to illustrator and storyteller, Fahmida Azim, about where and how illustrators can find validation; why a creative's self-worth should not come from their work; what illustration really is; and more.To learn more about Fahmida, visit fahmida-azim.com. If you find value in this podcast, you can support it by subscribing to our best-selling publication, Notes On Illustration, on Substack. Among other benefits, you will gain access to bonus episodes we call “Extra Credit”. | Visit illustrationdept.com for offerings like mentorships and portfolio reviews, testimonials, our alumni showcase, and more. | Music for the podcast was created by Oatmello. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

We're back with episode 2 of the Read Smart podcast! In this episode, Prize Executive Director Toby Mundy speaks with author and historian Justin Marozzi, shortlisted for the 2025 Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction for his book Captives and Companions: A History of Slavery and the Slave Trade in the Islamic World. Marozzi traces 1,500 years of slavery across three continents, revealing how the institution shaped societies from the medieval caliphates to the modern day. In this conversation, he discusses the challenges of uncovering the voices of the enslaved, the differences between slavery in the Islamic world and the transatlantic slave trade and the enduring legacy of enslavement in the 21st century. Listen now to hear more about this powerful and eye-opening work. This podcast is generously supported by the Blavatnik Family Foundation. To keep up with all of our Prize news year-round, follow @BGPrize on Instagram, Facebook, X, TikTok and YouTube.

In this Halloween episode, author Katie Kennedy takes us behind the scenes of her middle grade nonfiction book, DID YOU HEAR WHAT HAPPENED IN SALEM? THE WITCH TRIALS OF 1692.This episode is sponsored by NOSY CROW, and their innovative STORIES ALOUD program, which gives readers instant access to professionally produced and narrated versions of their books. Look for the STORIES ALOUD QR code on the back of Nosy Crow books to give it a try.Click here for an audio sample, from the book WHO ATE STEVE?

Get ready to make an impact AND an income from your book.​In this 1-hour live masterclass you'll learn:How to get laser-focused on your publishing goalsMy signature self-publishing frameworkThe 3 keys to selling more books and generating more income opportunities​Sign up today to make sure you don't miss it.Remember, it's completely FREE!​Register here and invite a fellow writing friend!What additional topics would you like to learn about?Ready to write and self-publish your first nonfiction book and make a kingdom impact? Join the FREE Publish Like a Pro Facebook group!

Welcome to our second episode with women and non-binary firefighters who have written books about their experiences working both in fire and on hotshot crews more specifically. Our guest for this episode is HOTSHOT author River Selby (they/them), who spent seven years as a wildland firefighter—four of which were as a hotshot—from 2000 to 2010. They've since gotten their undergrad and MFA (in fiction) at Syracuse, and are currently working towards a PhD in Nonfiction with an emphasis in postcolonial histories, North American colonization, and postmodern literature and culture. This unique background allowed River to create a phenomenally in-depth book that covers not only their own experiences of working on crews and personal vignettes of life on and off the fireline, but it also paints a rich history of different fire ecologies across the American West (and world), and how colonization and fire suppression in the Western US (and elsewhere!) have set the stage for our modern relationship with fire. In our conversation, River and I talked about how firefighting allowed them to heal and grow, in a way, from the addiction, homelessness and violence that they had experienced in their youth. We spoke about some of the more academic themes of the book, including how colonization really informed our modern culture of fire suppression and—by extent—the culture of hotshotting. We spoke about the importance of Indigenous practices and land stewardship in righting this ship, as it were, and chatted a bit about our own experiences with hotshot culture and how it framed our experiences on fire crews. Click here to buy River's book HOTSHOT: A Life on Fire!Click here to read an excerpt of HOTSHOT, which was published in High Country News in August.Click here for River's book tour dates over the next few weeks. Click here to support Life with Fire's Patreon, which is helping keep this ship afloat while Amanda is in grad school.  

In this fascinating conversation, Michael Smerconish sits down with legendary media mogul John Malone — Chair of Liberty Media, Liberty Broadband, and Liberty Global, and former CEO of Telecommunications, Inc. — to discuss his new memoir, "Born to Be Wired: Lessons from a Lifetime Transforming Television, Wiring America for the Internet, and Growing Formula One, Discovery, Sirius XM, and the Atlanta Braves." Malone reflects on the origins of the cable television industry, the rise of “cable cowboys,” and the bold decisions that transformed American media. From small-town entrepreneurs stringing wire on telephone poles to the birth of modern communications giants, Malone shares behind-the-scenes stories of risk, innovation, and resilience. Original air date 17 October 2025. The book was published on 2 September 2025. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Do you live in a way that maximizes your well-being? Chances are, the answer to that question is no. Our modern way of living, some suggest, is incompatible with a thriving lifestyle. While the notion that many factors impact our overall health and wellness is not necessarily far-fetched, you may be surprised by the argument that some of the strongest factors are relational — both with one another and with the earth. Family Physician and public health professor Dr. Wendy Johnson explores this concept in her newest book, Kinship Medicine: Cultivating Interdependence to Heal the Earth and Ourselves. Johnson asserts that the solution to many of the causal factors of poor health — loneliness, industrial diets, systemic inequality, profit-based healthcare — are about humanity's interconnectedness to people and planet. Examples in Kinship Medicine include information on how trauma can be passed down for generation and how eliminating one organism in an ecosystem can affect all others. Her work also posits that our relationship to non-human life is essential to our well-being, and community action is stronger than individual efforts. With examples from public health, sociology, anthropology, human ecology, and her experience as a doctor, Dr. Johnson advocates for a shift in society that could lead to a healthier future. Wendy Johnson is a family physician, public health professor, activist and writer who has spent her life advocating for a world where everyone can live long lives in equitable communities. Her career includes stints scaling up HIV treatment in Mozambique, overseeing an urban health department, and most recently, directing a community clinic in Santa Fe. She has a Master of Public Health from Johns Hopkins and holds faculty appointments at the University of Washington and the University of New Mexico. She currently practices family and addiction medicine in rural Northern New Mexico with El Centro Family Health. Dr. Johnson has been a vocal activist on many progressive issues locally and globally and is a two-time TEDx speaker. Tessa Hulls is an artist, writer, and adventurer who is equally likely to disappear into the backcountry or a research library. Her debut graphic memoir, Feeding Ghosts, received the National Book Critics Circle John Leonard Prize, the Libby Book Award, and the Anisfield-Wolf Award, and was a finalist for the Kirkus Prize and the Pacific Northwest Book Award, and nominated for the Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction. She's pivoting her career to fuse her two great loves of creativity and the wilderness by becoming a comics journalist working with field scientists studying ecological resilience and climate change in remote environments, and she would love to hear from you if you want to partner with her on this endeavor. Buy the Book Kinship Medicine: Cultivating Interdependence to Heal the Earth and Ourselves Third Place Books

Episode Summary: In this episode, we’re diving into a topic that’s vital for our mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being: how to renew your mind. Have you ever felt stuck in a cycle of negative thoughts, worry, or defeat? You’re not alone. But the good news is that God’s Word provides us with clear guidance on transforming our thinking and experiencing peace, hope, and victory. In this episode, we’ll explore what the Bible says about renewing your mind, why it’s crucial for mental health, and practical steps you can take to align your thoughts with God’s truth. Let’s embark on this hope-filled journey together! In honor of National Train Your Brain Day, today we’re going to be talking about Breaking Free from Negative Thinking: Renewing Your Mind Through Scripture. Quotables from the episode: Romans 12:2 highlights the transformative power of aligning our thoughts with God’s will rather than the world’s patterns. Science shows that thought patterns are established through neural pathways in the brain. Repeated thoughts and behaviors strengthen these pathways, much like well-worn trails in a forest. This process, known as neuroplasticity, means the brain is constantly reshaping itself based on our experiences, emotions, and repeated patterns of thinking. We often believe things that aren't true because of cognitive biases and mental shortcuts our brains use to process information (like confirmation bias, negativity bias, emotional reasoning) While science describes how thought patterns are formed, Scripture offers a roadmap for transforming unhealthy or false beliefs through God’s truth, creating new neural pathways aligned with His Word. Renewing the mind is not a one-time event but a continual process of growth and surrender to God’s truth. Our emotions are the outward manifestations of the thoughts we believe. As such, our thoughts influence our emotions, decisions, and actions, shaping our overall mental health. From a scientific perspective, our thoughts matter because they influence our brain's structure, emotional health, and overall behavior. This scientific understanding underscores the importance of intentionally aligning our thoughts with truth. Scripture gives us the blueprint for this renewal, while science shows the profound impact it has on our mental and physical health. Research has demonstrated a connection between dwelling on negative or untrue thoughts and experiencing anxiety, depression, or hopelessness. In order to break free from destructive thought patterns, it’s important to replace lies with truth To recognize thoughts inconsistent with God’s Word, ask these questions: Does this thought align with Scripture? Is this thought producing fear, doubt, or condemnation? Does this thought reflect God’s character and promises? Replace these thoughts with Scripture. Gratitude shifts our focus from problems to God’s goodness and faithfulness. Accountability, encouragement, and prayer from fellow believers is important to ensure that we are surrounded by voices who will speak truth into our circumstances. Renewing the mind isn’t about striving in our own strength but relying on the Holy Spirit to guide, convict, and transform us. Renewing your mind is a powerful and transformative process that aligns your thoughts with God’s truth, bringing hope, peace, and clarity to your life. By identifying and replacing lies with Scripture, meditating on God’s Word, speaking His promises, cultivating gratitude, and seeking support from a godly community, you can break free from negative thought patterns and experience lasting mental health. Most importantly, remember that you’re not doing this alone. The Holy Spirit is your helper, leading you every step of the way. Let’s commit to this journey of renewal together and trust God to do a transformative work in our minds and hearts. Scripture References: Romans 12:2 commands: “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Proverbs 23:7 says, “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.” Job 3:25 “What I always feared has happened to me. What I dreaded has come true.” 2 Corinthians 10:5 “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” Psalm 1:2-3 encourages us to meditate on God’s law day and night, promising that we will be “like a tree planted by streams of water.” Proverbs 18:21 “The tongue has the power of life and death.” Psalm 139:14 “I am fearfully and wonderfully made” Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” Philippians 4:6-7 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God… will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Proverbs 27:17 “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” John 14:26 “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” Recommended Resources: Sacred Scars: Resting in God’s Promise That Your Past Is Not Wasted by Dr. Michelle Bengtson The Hem of His Garment: Reaching Out To God When Pain Overwhelms by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner AWSA 2024 Golden Scroll Christian Living Book of the Year and the 2024 Christian Literary Awards Reader’s Choice Award in the Christian Living and Non-Fiction categories YouVersion 5-Day Devotional Reaching Out To God When Pain Overwhelms Today is Going to be a Good Day: 90 Promises from God to Start Your Day Off Right by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, AWSA Member of the Year, winner of the AWSA 2023 Inspirational Gift Book of the Year Award, the 2024 Christian Literary Awards Reader’s Choice Award in the Devotional category, the 2023 Christian Literary Awards Reader’s Choice Award in four categories, and the Christian Literary Awards Henri Award for Devotionals YouVersion Devotional, Today is Going to be a Good Day version 1 YouVersion Devotional, Today is Going to be a Good Day version 2 Revive & Thrive Women’s Online Conference Revive & Thrive Summit 2 Trusting God through Cancer Summit 1 Trusting God through Cancer Summit 2 Breaking Anxiety’s Grip: How to Reclaim the Peace God Promises by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the AWSA 2020 Best Christian Living Book First Place, the first place winner for the Best Christian Living Book, the 2020 Carolina Christian Writer’s Conference Contest winner for nonfiction, and winner of the 2021 Christian Literary Award’s Reader’s Choice Award in all four categories for which it was nominated (Non-Fiction Victorious Living, Christian Living Day By Day, Inspirational Breaking Free and Testimonial Justified by Grace categories.) YouVersion Bible Reading Plan for Breaking Anxiety’s Grip Breaking Anxiety’s Grip Free Study Guide Free PDF Resource: How to Fight Fearful/Anxious Thoughts and Win Hope Prevails: Insights from a Doctor’s Personal Journey Through Depression by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Henri and Reader’s Choice Award Hope Prevails Bible Study by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award Free Webinar: Help for When You’re Feeling Blue Social Media Links for Host: For more hope, stay connected with Dr. Bengtson at: Order Book Sacred Scars / Order Book The Hem of His Garment / Order Book Today is Going to be a Good Day / Order Book Breaking Anxiety’s Grip / Order Book Hope Prevails / Website / Blog / Facebook / Twitter (@DrMBengtson) / LinkedIn / Instagram / Pinterest / YouTube / Podcast on Apple Hosted By: Dr. Michelle Bengtson Audio Technical Support: Bryce Bengtson Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Bestselling authors William Bernhardt (The Superman Wars) and Lara Bernhardt discuss the latest news from the book world, offer writing tips, and interview Shanna Hatfiled, the author of more than one hundred novels about her new Christmas novel, The Bridge.0:00 Opening ThoughtsWelcome to Season Five of the WriterCon Podcast! We're going to reach our 200th episode in December and we're looking for suggestions on how to celebrate this momentous event. Post your ideas in the Comments section!02:56 News1) New Developments in the Anthropic SettlementHere's a link to the site where you can determine whether any of your books were impropoerly used by Anthropic. You can also submit a Claim Form so you can participate in the settlement—if you qualify.Searchable database: https://secure.anthropiccopyrightsettlement.com/lookup/?_gl=1x16ddk_gcl_auMjExNTg2NTEzMi4xNzU5NDE1NTc0Submitting Claim Forms: https://www.anthropiccopyrightsettlement.com/2) New "Book Club" Scam Floods Writers' Email InboxesSupport and follow Writer Beware! https://writerbeware.blog/13:32 Craft CornerBarry Friedman (author of Jack Sh*t 3: I'm the Father) offers suggestions on bringing reality to your fiction.15:52 Interview with Shanna Hatfield30:58 Parting WordsThe 2026 WriterCon Cruise in March leaving from Ft. Lauderdale on an Eastern Caribbean itinerary. Come join us!

Ep. 208 brings the third installment of our “Best of…” series. Elizabeth Barnhill of Fabled Bookshop joined Sarah for the Best of Narrative Nonfiction, sharing her ALL-TIME TOP books in this genre. Plus, she brings a few popular nonfiction reads that didn't work for her.⁠ This episode is chock-full of fantastic book recommendations to get you ready for Nonfiction November or just your next nonfiction pick. 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 How Elizabeth got started with narrative nonfiction. How the pull of “real stories” has her returning to this category again and again. Her favorite sub-genres and what doesn't work for her. Elizabeth picks a book from her list that would be a good starter book for those new to the genre. All books mentioned in this episode are linked through Fabled Bookshop or Libro.FM. If you decide to purchase, we'd love for you to use our Fabled links in the show notes — if your budget allows.  As a bonus, use promo code SARAH at checkout on Fabled's website for 10% off your order! Prefer audio? You can find the titles on Libro.fm and select Fabled as the store you'd like to support. You can also find a list of Elizabeth's books from this episode on both Fabled's website. Elizabeth's Favorite Narrative Nonfiction Sub-Genres [9:53] NATURAL DISASTER STORIES In the Kingdom of Ice by Hampton Sides (2014) | Fabled | Libro.FM  [10:42] The Children's Blizzard by David Laskin (2004) | Fabled | Libro.FM [11:13] The Vortex by Scott Carney and Jason Miklian (2022) | Fabled | Libro.FM  [11:29] The Indifferent Stars Above by Daniel James Brown (2009) | Fabled | Libro.FM  [12:18] What Stands in a Storm by Kim Cross (2015) | Fabled | Libro.FM  [13:11] Isaac's Storm by Erik Larson (1999) | Fabled | Libro.FM  [13:33] LITTLE-KNOWN FACTS One Summer by Bill Bryson (2013) | Fabled | Libro.FM  [14:24] Pappyland by Wright Thompson (2020) | Fabled | Libro.FM  [15:05] The Facemaker by Lindsey Fitzharris (2022) | Fabled | Libro.FM  [15:43] POP SCIENCE Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport (2019) | Fabled | Libro.FM  [16:54] The Light Eaters by Zoë Schlanger (2024) | Fabled | Libro.FM  [17:50] Replaceable You by Mary Roach (2025) | Fabled | Libro.FM  [18:35] HISTORY TOLD IN INTERESTING WAYS Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefe (2018) | Fabled | Libro.FM  [19:03] The Great Halifax Explosion by John U. Bacon (2017) | Fabled | Libro.FM  [20:21] The Big Rich by Bryan Burrough (2009) | Fabled | Libro.FM  [21:17] In Harm's Way by Doug Stanton (2001) | Fabled  [21:43] Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand (2010) | Fabled | Libro.FM  [22:11] ORDINARY PEOPLE MEMOIRS Red Notice by Bill Browder (2015) | Fabled | Libro.FM  [22:32] Home Cooking by Laurie Colwin (1988) | Fabled | Libro.FM  [23:06] GOTCHA / PEOPLE BEHAVING BADLY Bad Blood by John Carreyrou (2018) | Fabled | Libro.FM  [24:22] Bad City by Paul Pringle (2022) | Fabled | Libro.FM  [24:24] Bully Market by Jamie Fiore Higgins (2022) | Fabled | Libro.FM  [24:31] Elizabeth's All-Time Top Narrative Nonfiction [26:07] Empty Mansions by Bill Dedman and Paul Clark Newell, Jr. (2013) | Fabled | Libro.FM  [26:56] The Worst Hard Time by Timothy Egan (2006) | Fabled | Libro.FM [28:07] The Radium Girls by Kate Moore (2016) | Fabled | Libro.FM  [29:13] Destiny of the Republic by Candice Millard (2011) | Fabled | Libro.FM  [30:57] The Deepest South of All by Richard Grant (2020) | Fabled | Libro.FM  [33:03] Running with Sherman by Christopher McDougall (2019) | Fabled | Libro.FM  [35:01] All Over but the Shoutin' by Rick Bragg (1991) | Fabled | Libro.FM   [37:41] Sudden Sea by R. A. Scotti (2003) | Fabled | Libro.FM  [39:52] The Day the World Came to Town by Jim DeFede (2002) | Fabled | Libro.FM  [43:09] High-Profile Narrative Nonfiction That She Didn't Love [47:37]  In Cold Blood by Truman Capote (1965) | Fabled | Libro.FM  [47:52] When the Sea Came Alive by Garrett M. Graff (2024) | Fabled | Libro.FM [49:19] Challenger by Adam Higginbotham (2024) | Fabled | Libro.FM [50:48] Other Books Mentioned Finding Flora by Elinor Florence (2025) [4:51] Undaunted Courage by Stephen E. Ambrose (1996) [5:21] The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown (2013) [12:22] Patty Reed's Doll by Rachel K. Laurgaard (1956) [12:59]   In Light of All Darkness by Kim Cross (2023) [13:15] The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt (2024) [17:45] Grunt by Mary Roach (2016) [18:27] Family Happiness by Laurie Colwin (1984) [23:48] Girl, Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis (2018) [25:10] I'll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara (2018) [25:39] A Fever in the Heartland by Timothy Egan (2023) [28:57] The Immortal Irishman by Timothy Egan (2016) [29:02] Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt (1994) [33:48] Natchez Burning (Natchez Burning, 1 and Penn Cage, 4) by Greg Iles (2014) [34:49] Born to Run by Christopher McDougall (2009) [35:21] My Southern Journey by Rick Bragg (2015) [39:03] Reef Road by Deborah Goodrich Royce (2023) [41:45] A Hundred Summers by Beatriz Williams (2013) [42:33] The Only Place in the Sky by Garrett M. Graff (2019) [45:44] The Devil Reached Toward the Sky by Garrett M. Graff (2025) [50:41] Midnight in Chernobyl by Adam Higginbotham (2019) [42:33]

Send us a textIn today's episode, we have not just one incredible guest—but two! I'm joined by Hilary Jacobs Hendel and Juli Fraga, co-authors of Parents Have Feelings, Too: A Guide to Navigating Your Emotions So You and Your Family Can Thrive.This practical, compassionate guide helps parents understand and process their own emotions—and teaches them how to pass this essential life skill of emotional intelligence on to their children. Hilary is a certified psychoanalyst and AEDP psychotherapist and supervisor, while Juli is a psychologist specializing in maternal mental health with nearly 20 years of experience.Highlights:The education of emotions and why most of us never learned how to understand them in school.The Change Triangle, a core concept from the book, and how it helps you identify, validate, and work through emotions.The myth that dealing with emotions takes more work - when, in fact, recognizing & validating them actually makes life easier.How reworking neural networks leads to lifelong healing and emotional freedom.The difference between healthy and poor use of emotions—and how to tell them apart.Even if you're not a parent, this episode is for anyone living in community. Understanding your emotions transforms how you connect with others, at home and beyond. Tune in to hear how emotional awareness can change your relationships, and your life.Connect with Hilary & Juli:InstagramHilaryParents Have Feelings, TooHilary's websitePurchase Parents Have Feelings, TooBooks and authors mentioned in the episode:It's Not Always Depression by Hilary Jacobs HendelMothering without a Map by Kathryn BlackAttachment-Focused EMDR by Laurel ParnellDream School by Jeffrey SalingoThe Power of Parting by Eamon DolanBook FlightFawning: Why the Need to Please Makes Us Lose Ourselves--and How to Find Our Way Back by Dr. Ingrid ClaytonWho Gets In and Why: A Year Inside College Admissions by Jeffrey SalingoThe Psychology of Shame by Gershen Kaufman

Michael talks with Nate Soares, co-author of "If Anyone Builds It, Everyone Dies: Why Superhuman AI Would Kill Us All", about the alarming risks of advanced artificial intelligence. Soares, president of the Machine Intelligence Research Institute, explains why AIs are not designed but grown, how that leads to unpredictable behavior, and why even their creators can't control them. They discuss chilling examples—from rogue chatbots to lab “escape” attempts—and why simply “unplugging” an AI may not be possible. Soares argues that humanity must act now, treating AI risk as seriously as pandemics or nuclear war. Original air date 15 October 2025. The book was published on 16 September 2025. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What does it take to walk 1,100 miles around the coast of Ireland, playing every links course along the way? In this inspiring conversation, bestselling author and golf adventurer Tom Coyne sits down with ModGolf Podcast host Colin Weston to share the incredible stories behind his epic journeys. During this episode you will discover these inspiring takeaways: The Power of an "Unreasonable" Goal: How committing to a seemingly crazy idea - like walking the entire coastline of Ireland to play its links golf courses - can lead to the most profound personal and professional journeys, revealing that the best stories lie just beyond the edge of conventional thinking. Golf is the Backdrop, Not the Whole Story: Why the most compelling narratives in golf aren't about the perfect shot, but about the people you meet, the unexpected hospitality you encounter, and the personal challenges you overcome both on and off the course. From Obsession to Entrepreneurship: How a passion for writing and golf can organically evolve into a successful business, turning hard-won knowledge and authentic experiences into a venture (Coyne Golf) that helps others create their own unforgettable adventures. https://media24.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads-2024/images/1/1ea879c1-a4a2-4e10-bea4-e5d8368a3c7a/9WM840o9.jpg Episode Chapters 00:00:00 - Introduction: The One and Only Tom Coyne 00:01:04 - A Random Introduction to "A Course Called Ireland" 00:03:01 - Tom's First Golf Experience and Family Connection 00:06:14 - The Origins of an "Unreasonable" Idea 00:09:46 - Writing as a Job and Overcoming "Writer's Block" 00:13:30 - From Fiction to Nonfiction with "Paper Tiger" 00:17:04 - The Logistics of Walking Ireland 00:23:20 - The Infamous Keen Shoes Story 00:26:30 - The Magic of Ardglass and Irish Hospitality 00:33:00 - Golf as a Backdrop for Human Stories 00:34:47 - The Metaphor of Ireland as a Golf Course 00:36:19 - Cold Turkey: Not Playing Golf for a Year 00:38:23 - A New Quest in "A Course Called Scotland" 00:41:08 - The Difference Between Irish and Scottish Golf Trips 00:43:03 - The Importance of Vulnerability in Storytelling 00:45:12 - From Books to Business: The Birth of Coyne Golf 00:46:58 - Conclusion & Teaser for the YouTube Deep Dive Quotable Moments: "I don't think people generally want to read books about going out and doing very safe and normal things. So this idea of doing unreasonable things certainly led me into the way I approached Ireland. The idea was, I'll play Ireland as one giant golf course. Sometimes the next tee is going to be three days walk away and that's what I'm going to do. I'll do it all on foot." "For me, golf provides the trajectory for a story. But you don't know what the story is until you go out and find it. And it has nothing to do with where that five-iron went. What doesn't bore me are people and why we do the things we do. I've been lucky that golf has been a really good way to find a lot of that." Are you more of a watcher than a listener? Then enjoy our video with Tom Coyne on The ModGolf YouTube channel (https://youtu.be/rB99npxkPn4). Click on this link (https://youtu.be/rB99npxkPn4) or the image below. https://media24.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads-2024/images/1/1ea879c1-a4a2-4e10-bea4-e5d8368a3c7a/wuWAEs-L.jpg (https://youtu.be/rB99npxkPn4) Want to connect with Tom? Check out his bio page to make that happen! Todd Keirstead's bio page >> https://modgolf.fireside.fm/guests/tom-coyne Featured Links & Resources: The Coyne Golf website: [https://www.coynegolf.com/] Follow Tom on Instagram: [@coynegolf] https://media24.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads-2024/images/1/1ea879c1-a4a2-4e10-bea4-e5d8368a3c7a/vafuSZeI.png (https://www.coynegolf.com/) Join our mission to make golf more innovative, inclusive and fun... and WIN some awesome golf gear! As the creator and host of The ModGolf Podcast and YouTube channel I've been telling golf entrepreneurship and innovation stories since May 2017 and I love the community of ModGolfers that we are building. I'm excited to announce that I just launched our ModGolf Patreon page to bring together our close-knit community of golf-loving people! As my Patron you will get access to exclusive live monthly interactive shows where you can participate, ask-me-anything video events, bonus content, golf product discounts and entry in members-only ModGolf Giveaway contests. I'm offering two monthly membership tiers at $5 and $15 USD, but you can also join for free. Your subscription will ensure that The ModGolf Podcast continues to grow so that I can focus on creating unique and impactful stories that support and celebrate the future of golf. Click to join >> https://patreon.com/Modgolf I look forward to seeing you during an upcoming live show!... Colin https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/1/1ea879c1-a4a2-4e10-bea4-e5d8368a3c7a/q_IZwlpO.jpg (https://patreon.com/Modgolf) Special Guest: Tom Coyne - best selling writer and Founder of Coyne Golf.

We're back with a brand new series of the Read Smart podcast! In this episode, Prize Executive Director Toby Mundy speaks with Author Frances Wilson, shortlisted for the 2025 Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction with her new book Electric Spark: The Enigma of Muriel Spark. Frances Wilson unravels the life of Muriel Spark - novelist, poet, Catholic convert and master of literary mischief, whose life often echoed the plots of her fiction. From wartime propaganda and blackmail to creative reinvention, this conversation explores Spark's uncanny connection between art and experience. Listen now to hear all about it. This podcast is generously supported by the Blavatnik Family Foundation. To keep up with all of our Prize news year-round, follow @BGPrize on Instagram, Facebook,  X, TikTok and YouTube.

Writer Lance Richardson rejoins the show to celebrate his magnificent new biography, TRUE NATURE: The Pilgrimage of Peter Matthiessen (Pantheon). We talk about his youthful introduction to Peter Matthiessen via The Snow Leopard, how this project grew beyond his (& his publisher's) original concept, the health risks of following PM's trek through Nepal to the Crystal Monastery and the fleetingness of his time there, and which of PM's many hyphens he focuses on (novelist-naturalist-Zen roshi). We get into Matthiessen's journey into American Zen, the problematic nature of race and gender in PM's life and work, PM's fixation on Bigfoot and how that shifted to the notional, the Paris Review/CIA connection that everyone asks about, and how Matthiessen's widow came to trust Lance with the project. We also discuss his fave of Matthiessen's novels, the financial challenges of long-term writing projects (this one took eight years), getting over self-doubt and learning from his previous biography of Tommy Nutter, enjoying the research-hunt of biography more than the writing, what his literary upbringing in Australia was like, whether he came to like or despite Matthiessen, and more! Plus, I monologue-ramble about my 20,000th day on earth and the pod-retirement of Marc Maron! Follow Lance on Bluesky and Instagram and listen to our 2018 conversation • More info at our site • Support The Virtual Memories Show via Stripe, Patreon, or Paypal, and subscribe to our e-newsletter

Award-winning author Tim Winton joins Cheryl to talk about his first nonfiction book for children, Ningaloo. He shares fascinating facts about the iconic reef and its diverse marine life, the creative challenges of making science both fun and visually engaging, and reflects on why this story is important to him and his hopes for the future. Ningaloo, which was illustrated by Cindy Lane, is out now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Just Willa (a novel)—Helen Sheehy—Cave Hollow Press—978-2-7342678-3-9—paperback—428 pages—$21.95—April 13, 2025—ebook versions available at varying lower prices As many Writerscast listeners know, I only interview writers about books I like and enjoyed reading enough to want to share with my listeners. So every episode of this podcast does represent a certain “best of” approach to my […] The post Helen Sheehy: Just Willa (a novel) first appeared on WritersCast.

Ben Rein, PhD, is an award-winning neuroscientist, chief science officer of the Mind Science Foundation, adjunct lecturer at Stanford University, clinical assistant professor at SUNY Buffalo, and renowned science educator. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Off the Map features writers with lived experience of mental health issues. The anthology includes works of creative nonfiction, fiction, and poetry on a wide range of subjects. Seema Shah is a visual artist and writer, and is one of the book's editors. Pari Mokradi is an artist and writer who contributed to the anthology. They speak with us about the book and read an excerpt of their work.

Episode Summary: In this episode of Your Hope-Filled Perspective, we sit down with Kenza Haddock, author of The Three Enemies of Your Mental Health: Gain Lasting Victory Over the Devil, the Flesh, and the World. Together, we explore the spiritual and emotional challenges that impact mental health and uncover the biblical strategies to overcome them. Kenza shares practical insights on identifying and defeating these "three enemies" - the devil, the flesh, and the world - through the power of God’s truth. Whether you’re battling anxiety, negative thought patterns, or the pressures of the world, this conversation will equip you with faith-filled tools to experience victory and lasting peace. Join us for an inspiring and hope-filled discussion on reclaiming your mental and spiritual well-being. Quotables from the episode: Today, we're going to be talking about conquering the three enemies of mental health. We’re attacked by the enemy on a daily basis. The key is to recognize the attack and fight back with the right weapons. I grew up in an Islamic household. And so just growing up, my understanding of the character of God was distorted. And so I grew up believing in a different God, but I thought he was the right God. I came to know the Lord is through a dream about Jesus. Growing up, I battled with my own depression. I battled with anxiety, but I didn't know that they were clinical depression and anxiety. It's like I was high functioning. I thought anxiety was the norm. It was normal for me to think something bad is about to happen. I had the symptoms of the clinical diagnosis. And it was about, I'd say, early 20s or so, when my depression just got worse and worse, to the point of suicidal ideations because I felt like I was, I had no hope. I decided to blaze my own trail. And I mean, I drove into astrology. I drove into chakras, reiki, everything you can think of. I tried to figure out my own purpose in life. And none of that brought me the peace that I remembered feeling when I had a dream about Jesus. What's incredible is God is so kind and so patient with us. You know, he didn't stop pursuing me. He didn't throw in the towel on me. He just kept pursuing and pursuing and he knew I was going to hit a dead end at some point and I did. I decided to give my life to Jesus and after I gave my life to Jesus and I moved to South Carolina and I just started my life from scratch. The Lord called me to the field of counseling. I had never thought I was going to become a counselor, but I felt the Holy Spirit for the first time, and I just felt this call toward the field. So I went back to school, finished my clinicals, and then I started treating brothers and sisters in the faith from both a clinical and a biblical perspective. I could not believe just how many patients I had who were self -professing believers, who struggled with the same ideas and the same issues and negative thoughts and oppressions that I struggled with as a Muslim. I noticed that even believers are not equipped to fight against spiritual forces of darkness. They're not. How did your family take it when you became a believer in Jesus Christ? – They didn't take it well. I had experienced persecution because of that. And the reason I moved to South Carolina is for safety reasons. I needed to start my life from scratch, but of course they found me and you know the Bible says count the cost Jesus said count the cost and for me the count the cost was my mother my father brother sisters my family was everything to me and I was raised with I pledged my allegiance to my family and so my allegiance would have been divided. When Jesus says that basically you have to put him before your mom and dad, it's not that you need to hate them, it's that you need to love him more. How does scripture reveal the roles of the devil, the flesh and the world as adversaries to mental health? What I have seen my practice is the devil will do anything possible to split our faith in Jesus. So even if it's 90% in Jesus and 10% in the object of our faith, that's splitting your faith in Jesus. We were made for relationships. When we spend time with the Lord, when we spend time with God, there is a chemical that gets released in our body and that chemical is serotonin that chemical combats depression just naturally okay now what happens is because we have the wrong perspective of God. We don't spend time with Him. We think the Bible is outdated. A lot of people think that. They have actually done a research out of Biola University where they claim that God is, they found that most people believe that God is mean, harsh, or distant. Those are the top three adjectives they use to describe God. And because of all of that, we run to self -medicate. And so, we self -medicate by watching too much Netflix, too much TV, right? We don't pay attention. For overcoming enemy number one, the devil, you have to renounce your dealings with the kingdom of darkness. There's no way around that. Now, number one, if you're not a believer, you have to give your life to Jesus. And I feel like I have to say this because I have had patients who came to see me and said, "Can you do it for me because you're a believer? Can we bypass Jesus?" No, we can't bypass Jesus. That's just not how it works. And the reason they say that is because they believe Jesus is a dictator and they have the wrong perspective about him. And so, they don't understand that he's a God who pursued them to the point of dying on the cross for them to satisfy the righteous requirement of sin so that they can have a relationship with Him. And so, number one, you have to have a relationship with Jesus. Psalm 139 that says, "Search me, O God, and know my heart. Test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that's offensive to you and lead me to the path of everlasting life." And just ask him to show you what in your life is taken priority or is not of him. And he will show you. It's a dangerous prayer, but he will show you. Don't ever think that God is condemning you because in Jesus there's no condemnation and God is not a man that he should lie. He doesn't lie to you. There's no condemnation. He may convict you if you're acting in a way that is incongruent to who you are in Jesus. But conviction says, "Hey, you should not have done that." Condemnation says, "Hey, you're a loser, you're this, you're that, and you'll never come back from it." There's a huge difference between the two. One, it redeems you. Because conviction is for the purpose of restoring our relationship with God. But condemnation serves to separate us. You know, when we feel guilty or condemned, we're embarrassed. And so, we separate ourselves from others and from God. So, there's a huge distinction between the two. The other area that the enemy gets a foothold besides lying to us is that very subtle did “God really say…? If he really loved you he would have X, Y, and Z.” It's that little word really that gets us to doubt what the Bible says about God. That's the oldest lie. It's the oldest lie. It dates back to Genesis and so what he does is he induces doubt. That's the cycle of enemy number one. He induces doubt and when he says “did God really tell you?” or “Does God really love you?” “Is God really looking out for you?” And he'll come to you, especially in times when you're desperate, then doubt leads to temptation and when you act on it and you don't receive God's forgiveness or you don't repent and receive God's forgiveness, it leads to shame and shame is going to lead to hiding. Unfortunately, we wear these masks and I call them defense mechanisms. Defense mechanisms are basically masks that we wear in order to keep God from, I mean, he's trying to heal us, but we try to push him away and keep him from healing the wounds that he's trying to heal. And these defense mechanisms that we employ, and I list all of them in the book, but most common ones are denial, like we deny that there's an issue with us, or there's repression, meaning we don't deny the problem, but we deny its effects on us. We act like, “Oh, no, everything is fine. Everything is okay.” Meanwhile, God wants us to bear our hearts to him. He wants us to surrender our wounds to him. Another practical way is ask the Lord to prioritize your life. It's a dangerous prayer and it's a dangerous request because he will prune who needs to be pruned. Yes, he will. Anything that doesn't bear fruit, he’s going cut off. So, it is a risky prayer, but what a fruitful prayer. Yes, because we were made for his purpose, and we were made to bear fruit. He made us for a specific purpose. And so many times, we just hit one dead end after another, after another, and we live a frustrated life, but really we can live a fruitful life if we just surrender to him and ask him, "Lord, I can't do it by myself. I need you to please just prioritize my life according to your will." And he will, because he wants to be part of every detail of our lives. For the longest time, I had a habit of just waking up and I just felt like I would wake up with anxiety. And believe it or not, so many people deal with this. They wake up and it's like, as soon as their feet hit the floor, like their heart is racing. And what I have found, something that I have found that has helped me so much. And if you want to start this tomorrow morning, and it has a clinical and a biblical basis is tomorrow morning, when you wake up, because it has helped me, instead of first thing is checking your phone, checking your email, because that's what I was doing, is first thing you do, start thanking the Lord God, spend 10 minutes, even if you have to wake up 10 minutes earlier, spend time thanking God for 10 minutes for everything He has done for you. You can find something, even if you are in the midst of despair, you can find something to thank God for. When we start thanking God, there's a chemical in our brain that gets released. It's called serotonin and it combats depression. That chemical floods your body, first thing in the morning, and so it decreases anxiety and it raises, it almost puts a shelter around your brain for any depressive thoughts. That's from a clinical perspective. From a biblical perspective, the Word of God says the Lord inhabits the praises of His people. When we're thanking God for everything He's doing for us and thanking and for who he is, God's presence, God is love and his presence comes and inhabits our praises. God is love and perfect love casts out fear. So, the spirit of fear has to flee when God's presence is there. No matter how many mistakes you have made in the past, no matter how bad you had messed up in the past, that God's grace covers you and there's no way that you could have outrun God. God's grace covers you and his mercy is new for you each and every morning and so remember that and remind yourself of that. God is not looking down on you with a magnifying glass. God loves you and he is just in love with you. And it's the enemy who brings those thoughts that accuse you. The war over your mind doesn’t have to be lost. Scripture References: Psalm 139:23-24 “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my concerns. See if there is any offensive way in me; lead me in the way everlasting.” Psalm 62:8 “Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.” Recommended Resources: The Three Enemies of Your Mental Health: Gain Lasting Victory Over the Devil, the Flesh, and the World by Kenza Haddock Sacred Scars: Resting in God’s Promise That Your Past Is Not Wasted by Dr. Michelle Bengtson The Hem of His Garment: Reaching Out To God When Pain Overwhelms by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner AWSA 2024 Golden Scroll Christian Living Book of the Year and the 2024 Christian Literary Awards Reader’s Choice Award in the Christian Living and Non-Fiction categories YouVersion 5-Day Devotional Reaching Out To God When Pain Overwhelms Today is Going to be a Good Day: 90 Promises from God to Start Your Day Off Right by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, AWSA Member of the Year, winner of the AWSA 2023 Inspirational Gift Book of the Year Award, the 2024 Christian Literary Awards Reader’s Choice Award in the Devotional category, the 2023 Christian Literary Awards Reader’s Choice Award in four categories, and the Christian Literary Awards Henri Award for Devotionals YouVersion Devotional, Today is Going to be a Good Day version 1 YouVersion Devotional, Today is Going to be a Good Day version 2 Revive & Thrive Women’s Online Conference Revive & Thrive Summit 2 Trusting God through Cancer Summit 1 Trusting God through Cancer Summit 2 Breaking Anxiety’s Grip: How to Reclaim the Peace God Promises by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the AWSA 2020 Best Christian Living Book First Place, the first place winner for the Best Christian Living Book, the 2020 Carolina Christian Writer’s Conference Contest winner for nonfiction, and winner of the 2021 Christian Literary Award’s Reader’s Choice Award in all four categories for which it was nominated (Non-Fiction Victorious Living, Christian Living Day By Day, Inspirational Breaking Free and Testimonial Justified by Grace categories.) YouVersion Bible Reading Plan for Breaking Anxiety’s Grip Breaking Anxiety’s Grip Free Study Guide Free PDF Resource: How to Fight Fearful/Anxious Thoughts and Win Hope Prevails: Insights from a Doctor’s Personal Journey Through Depression by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Henri and Reader’s Choice Award Hope Prevails Bible Study by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award Free Webinar: Help for When You’re Feeling Blue Social Media Links for Host and Guest: Connect with Kenza Haddock: Website For more hope, stay connected with Dr. Bengtson at: Order Book Sacred Scars / Order Book The Hem of His Garment / Order Book Today is Going to be a Good Day / Order Book Breaking Anxiety’s Grip / Order Book Hope Prevails / Website / Blog / Facebook / Twitter (@DrMBengtson) / LinkedIn / Instagram / Pinterest / YouTube / Podcast on Apple Guest: Kenza Haddock is a licensed professional counselor with expertise in treating complex mental health conditions through both clinical and biblical methods. A former Muslim, she has spoken at conferences and churches and been featured in numerous media outlets regarding the intersection of Christianity and mental health counseling. Kenza and her husband own Oceanic Counseling Group LLC headquartered in South Carolina. Hosted By: Dr. Michelle Bengtson Audio Technical Support: Bryce Bengtson Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

This episode was recorded LIVE at WriterCon 2025 on August 31, 2025. Our fifth season will begin next week. See you there!Bestselling authors William and Lara Bernhardt discuss the latest news from the book world, offer writing tips, and interview Laurie L Dove (Mask of the Deer Woman) and Nova McBee (Calculated), the keynote speakers for WriterCon 2025.Opening ThoughtsWe're recording LIVE from the third day of WriterCon 2025. Lara enjoys the fun, especially karaoke night. Jesse is disgruntled because he found James Patterson books in his hotel room. News1) Enterpreneur Replaces Speed Dating with Read Dating2) New Platform Allows you to Choose Your Own Adventure in Famous Fictional Worlds3) Stephen King and Benjamin Percy Launch Novel Serialized in Newspaper FormatInterview with Laurie L Dove and Nova McBeeParting WordsSorry to tell you, but if you're listening to this at home, you have missed WriterCon 2025. But there will be another one in 2026 during Labor Day weekend (Sept 4-7, 2026), so start making your plans now. www.writercon.com.WriterCon has its own free newsletter and you don't want to miss the next issue, which has wonderful articles and news about breaking issues. Go to Substack and search for WriterCon.And if you'd like a daily dose of WriterCon, join our Facebook Group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/113141678727273

Amazon Link - https://a.co/d/3S2KB8mThrift Books - https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/reasonable-doubt_henry-hurt/319323/#isbn=0030040590BBB&JOEBBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lone-gunman-podcast-jfk-assassination--1181353/support.

Is self-publishing still worth it in 2025? For nonfiction authors, the answer depends on understanding the evolving publishing landscape and the strategies that drive long-term success.In this episode of Your Path to Book Publishing, discover seven essential steps to successfully self-publish a nonfiction book in today's market. The episode also explores why more authors are choosing self-publishing over traditional or hybrid publishing — and the exact strategies being used to make it work.Listeners will learn how the industry continues to shift: Amazon KDP and IngramSpark adjusting fees and policies, new print-on-demand platforms like BookVault creating fresh opportunities for direct sales, and AI tools supporting editing, book marketing, and metadata optimization. With reader trust in self-published books higher than ever, the bar for professional design, editing, and early reviews has also been raised.What you'll take away from this episode:The 7 key steps to self-publishing success in 2025How to navigate the trade-offs of cost vs. quality, speed vs. strategy, and control vs. credibilityDistribution strategies that combine Amazon, IngramSpark, and direct-to-consumer salesWhy early reviews fuel Amazon's algorithm and long-term visibilityHow to think beyond the book by bundling with coaching, courses, and eventsWhether exploring publishing options for authors, evaluating hybrid publishing, or ready to take the self-publishing route, this episode breaks down what it takes to publish and market a book that continues to work long after launch.Tune in now to learn how nonfiction authors can build momentum, credibility, and impact through self-publishing.Learn more about Your Path to Book Publishing by visiting Juxtabook.com and discover if traditional publishing, self-publishing, or hybrid publishing is right for you. It's time to make your mark and connect with like-minded authors to publish your book, build your author brand, and book marketing. Join TodayLiked this episode? Share it and tag us on Instagram @juxtabkLove the show? Leave a review and let us know!CONNECT WITH US: Website | Instagram | Facebook

The Winter Fortress by Neal Bascomb (2016) vs Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer (2003)

This week I'm talking with Hope Cole about her book Daughter of the Void (https://amzn.to/4o8Hrbu) Find out more about Hope Cole here: https://www.hrcole.com/My birthday treat for you this week---> The Stepping Series audiobooks for just $2 https://www.curios.com/c/WBKAXQ https://www.curios.com/c/V3EQ5YNYC Midnight story challenges: https://www.nycmidnight.com/ProWritingAid Novel November: https://prowritingaid.com/novel-novemberSign up for my writers' newsletter to learn more about the craft of writing, know when my workshops are and be the first to get exclusive information on my writing retreats. https://katcaldwell.com/writers-newsletterWant more information on my books, author swaps, short stories and what I'm reading? Sign up for my readers' newsletter. https://storylectory.katcaldwell.com/signup You can always ask me writing questions on instagram @author_katcaldwell

This week I'm talking with Hope Cole about her book Daughter of the Void (https://amzn.to/4o8Hrbu) Find out more about Hope Cole here: https://www.hrcole.com/My birthday treat for you this week---> The Stepping Series audiobooks for just $2 https://www.curios.com/c/WBKAXQ https://www.curios.com/c/V3EQ5YNYC Midnight story challenges: https://www.nycmidnight.com/ProWritingAid Novel November: https://prowritingaid.com/novel-novemberSign up for my writers' newsletter to learn more about the craft of writing, know when my workshops are and be the first to get exclusive information on my writing retreats. https://katcaldwell.com/writers-newsletterWant more information on my books, author swaps, short stories and what I'm reading? Sign up for my readers' newsletter. https://storylectory.katcaldwell.com/signup You can always ask me writing questions on instagram @author_katcaldwell

In episode 164, I sat down with Jake Tapper, acclaimed journalist, author, and host of The Lead with Jake Tapper and State of the Union on CNN, to dive deep into his forthcoming book “Race Against Terror.” Our conversation covered why history, especially the stories of terrorism and the global war on terror, must be told through the human perspective. Jake  talked about how he blends journalistic accuracy with the compelling narrative techniques of fiction to keep difficult subjects accessible and — yes — entertaining. It's not enough to list facts or relay tragedies; the only way to reach people is to show why these stories matter on a personal level, connecting readers to the real emotions and experiences of those swept up in events that shape our world. Storytelling about terrorism and history isn't just about recounting the headlines. It's about making sure the stories don't lose their humanity or get buried by controversy. Jake and I agreed that the reason podcasts and books about true crime resonate is because they deliver messy realities with genuine empathy and a structure that draws people in. If we treat terrorism, ideology, or even trauma as disconnected cases or dry bullet points, we lose the chance to learn, empathize, and possibly prevent the next tragedy. Entertaining, accessible storytelling brings people together at the deepest level. It demands answers and spurs personal reflection while empowering us to see the past not just as a series of political moves but as an ongoing human drama full of heartbreak, forgiveness, and difficult choices. Episode Sponsors: VM Merch Go Pills -- use "VM15" at checkout for 15% off your order. BUBS Naturals -- use "veteranmade" at checkout for 20% off your order. True Made Foods -- use "VET" at checkout for 15% off your order. Ruck Sox -- use "VETERANMADE15" at checkout for 15% off your order. Bravo Actual -- use "Veteran Made" at checkout for 15% off your order. Intro Song composed and produced by Cleod9. SOCIALS: https://www.instagram.com/veteranmade.ck/ https://www.instagram.com/jaketapper/

 'At the lowest end of what a business book could be is, yes, it's a calling card... [But] what if your book was transformational?' Parul Bavishi - editor, former literary scout, co-founder of the London Writers' Salon and host of the Writers' Hour podcast - knows something about the realities of writing and the power of creative community. Writing can be a lonely business, but in the LWS's regular 'Writers' Hour' Parul has seen the extraordinary power of 'body doubling' - simply watching others write can be all the encouragement and support a writer needs to get unstuck. And there are even more potent aspects of community such as accountability and critique that can take your writing to the next level. We also talk about the genius that is the five-minute outline, the agony that is finishing and shipping a book, and how to ensure that your nonfiction book clearly sets out (and fulfils) a promise of transformation to the reader. Because if you're going to put all that time and emotional labour into writing a book, you might as well make it one that changes people's lives.

Aaron Robertson who is a writer and translator from Italian. His nonfiction debut, The Black Utopians: Searching for Paradise and the Promised Land in America (FSG, 2024), was a finalist for the 2024 Los Angeles Times Book Prize for History and the 2025 Zora Award for Nonfiction. It was also named a best book of the year by The New York Times, The Washington Post, The New Yorker, TIME, and elsewhere. His translation of Beyond Babylon by Igiaba Scego was shortlisted for the 2020 PEN Translation Prize and the National Translation Award. A recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts grant, he has written for The New York Times, Foreign Policy, The Nation, and other publications.

Michael speaks with journalist and author Betty Medsger about her book "The Burglary: The Discovery of J. Edgar Hoover's Secret FBI." Medsger recounts the 1971 break-in at a small FBI office in Media, Pennsylvania, where activists uncovered secret files exposing Hoover's widespread surveillance and targeting of dissenters and Black Americans. She shares how the documents reached The Washington Post, the fierce debate over whether to publish them, and the lasting impact on government accountability and press freedom. The book was published on 7 January 2014. Original air date 8 March 2021, which was the 50-year anniversary of the 1971 break-in. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Episode Summary: When we think of Christmas, we picture the manger scene, shepherds in the fields, angels singing, and a star guiding the way. But what if we’ve been missing one of the most important parts of the story all along? In her new book, The Spirit of Christmas, award-winning author Cynthia Ruchti invites us to rediscover the Holy Spirit’s presence woven throughout the Christmas narrative—from Genesis in the Garden of Eden to the cry of a baby in Bethlehem. This conversation will open your eyes to the power, presence, and promise of the Spirit of God in ways that may forever change how you experience Christmas. Quotables from the episode: Christmas often stirs our hearts with nostalgia—decorations, carols, and retelling the story of Mary, Joseph, and the baby Jesus. Yet, as beautiful as those traditions are, there’s more to the Christmas story than we typically notice. Before the babe was conceived, the Holy Spirit was already at work, setting the stage and preparing the hearts of the biblical characters we know and love. This season, let Him set the stage and prepare your heart too. In her book, The Spirit of Christmas, Cynthia Ruchti helps us uncover the often-overlooked role of the Holy Spirit in God’s plan of redemption, reminding us that the Spirit has been present from the beginning—guiding, comforting, and empowering. If you’ve ever longed to experience Christmas with fresh wonder and deeper meaning, this conversation will encourage you to see the season through new eyes. I have found it fascinating that over the course of my life and maybe others have been in the same boat, we might grow up understanding Jesus quite well, or, and we hear Jesus loves me from when we're newborns and aren't even aware, perhaps, of that. And then I personally had gone through some seasons of my life where I thought, "I think I understand Jesus pretty well. I'm getting a good handle on who is this Jesus. I'm not sure I'm as familiar with God the Father as I need to be." So, I had a season of my life that was in my early 20s where I dove in and thought, "I need to know you better, God, my Father," and took an approach as I looked at the Word and noticed that throughout the Old Testament, God described himself as a God of love, which I thought was a New Testament idea. I understood who he was as the majestic Creator, and I think probably it kept him a little distant from me because I saw just that. Then a relative of mine had a heart transplant and I took a fresh Bible, and I circled everywhere in the Bible where the word love or heart appeared because I wanted this person who wasn't close to the Lord at the time to know and understand that God has been talking about the subject of love for a very long time. He's all over the Bible, so page after page was filled with the circled or the little heart drawn around the word love or the word heart. Then there came a season in my life where I thought, "I think I better understand now. We will never fully understand, but I think I better understand. God the Father, God the Son. Do I really understand the Holy Spirit? I know he is. I believe what the Bible tells me about the Holy Spirit, but do I really understand his role or how the different roles of the Trinity make a complete God for us? So, I investigated that, and I watched for his presence, but not as deeply as I did after I was challenged to look for the Holy Spirit's presence in the Christmas story. There was an editor who challenged me with that at a writer's conference. I found it fascinating. I thought that would be a very interesting study. We assume, I think, in the back of our minds that maybe the Holy Spirit is that presence that comes upon Mary in that moment when she conceives Jesus, the baby Jesus, as an infant just minutes old. And then we're not sure where else he might actually show up in the Christmas story. So that was a challenge to me, and I thought it sounded fascinating, but I didn't take the invitation from that editor seriously until a couple of weeks later, when she wrote to me and said, "I want you to write that book." So, then I got very serious and started the deep dive research of where is he? And in some ways, it was kind of a where's Waldo of the Holy Spirit in the Christmas story. That's what began this adventure. And for me, it really did alter my view of how I approach Christmas now for many reasons. And that was one of the reasons that I wanted us to have this conversation because I don't think we're alone in that tendency to not really acknowledge the Holy Spirit as much as we acknowledge Jesus or God the Father. I grew up in a denomination that the only time the Holy Spirit got mentioned was when it was God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, period. So, I like that You took that editor up on the challenge to look for the Holy Spirit throughout the Christmas story. I wondered how far back I would have to trace to find the first evidence of the Holy Spirit and Christmas being linked together. And I realized it was in verse one. It was when the Spirit was hovering over the waters of a world that had yet to be created that was going to need a Redeemer. As we know, God has no beginning and no end, eternity past, eternity present farther than man can imagine. I realized that this in the formation with at creation, God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit, at creation forming a world that they knew was going to need a Redeemer and that that Redeemer was going to be thousands of years away from that moment. I saw the person of the Holy Spirit caring about what was going to happen all those centuries later, even in the creation process. How does that first crime connect to Christmas? There would have been no reason for Jesus to come as a human being if there were any way that we as humans could have behaved ourselves without him. And it wasn't very long into that early beginning creation story before that was so evident that without Christ present, without the Holy spirit present within us. We were never going to be able to satisfy what needed to be satisfied and keep us in a place where we could walk daily, in essence, walking by the Spirit like it talks about in the New Testament. When I began to put the pieces together of this incredible depth of story, this depth of even the communion of the Father and the Son and the Spirit, we saw the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament present in brief moments leading up to when Jesus would be born and then later on as we take that story even farther to his death and his resurrection and his intentional promise, “Hang in there people it's not only okay that I go back to heaven it's better for you that I do because then the Holy Spirit can come, reside inside you, and help you operate out of a place of knowing exactly my heart, knowing what God my Father,” Jesus said, “wants of you, and what will help you to live a life that will allow you to pillow your head every night in peace, no matter what's going on in the rest of your life.” The other thing that I really appreciate about Jesus knowing our every need is when he reminds us that he's got to send the Holy Spirit to remind us of all truth. As a neuropsychologist, that's one of the areas that I love to focus on the most because I have a short memory, and I need those reminders. I love how the spirit of Christmas is our reminder of the gift of the spirit. I didn't grow up in a denomination that had an actual practice of Advent, of intentional preparation for Christmas season. I knew the word, Advent. I knew it was a good word. I knew it was a healthy word and lovely, but we just didn't have that particular practice. We oftentimes, even with Lent, that was another, it seemed like it was for a denomination that was more liturgical, let's say, in thought. But I think more and more these days, we're realizing that every heart needs to be prepared. Every heart needs to “prepare him room” as the one Christmas carol says. It’s actually for any day, but when we think about Christmas in particular, it is so easy to get caught up in all the to -dos and all the menus and all the party planning and all the some-things we're very happy to participate in, some things that just seem like one more chore. And it's kind of this wild cacophony of noise and tension, and there may be relationships that are especially challenged at Christmastime, there may be work -related things that are especially difficult at Christmastime. That is not at all what this is supposed to be about. But we early church members apparently understood that we need time to get our hearts ready for this such, such a holy, holy season. And the Holy Spirit is part of that. As we take a look at what was the Holy Spirit's role in the original story that began way back at creation, but was threaded throughout Scripture as He was present in speaking to Isaiah about a virgin shall conceive way back then. And it didn't say shall conceive in the next day or two. Again, thousands of years from that prophecy, but the Holy Spirit was inspiring that prophet Isaiah to speak of that. And as we look at it in the time period in which those words were spoken, there was chaos. There was political chaos. There was trouble on every hand. There was the son of a king who was now the king, and he was being a lousy king. And this interesting thing: I think he wanted to do the right thing. King Ahaz, I think, wanted to do the right thing. He heard from God, but he didn't trust that what he heard from God was enough. He needed to find other voices that he would listen to. He was getting influenced by all kinds of other people. And Isaiah was trying to bring him back to, "No, there is one God, and you can trust him." And as the Spirit was inspiring Isaiah to speak the words, he was saying to King Ahaz, "Ask God, ask him for a sign, and he'll tell you.” Ahaz didn't have that kind of relationship with God. So, he said, "Oh, I don't want to test God in any way." And through the Holy Spirit's words, through Isaiah, we hear, and if we set it in modern language, we might say, "I'll give you a sign. A virgin is going to conceive and bear a son." And then, and we know some of the rest of that wording. How interesting that in a chaotic world, with a king who wasn't paying attention to the right voices, not unlike the worlds we might be operating in: maybe our boss isn't listening to the right voice, but we have to respond to the boss. Maybe our family members are all chaotic and confused and worrying about where are we going to set Uncle Ralph this Christmas, because he's going to torture these family members even with just teasing. That's the very world that a savior was promised to that world, promised by the Holy Spirit. And it's the same with us now. When I started to study, what was the Holy Spirit's role? He often came to those in the biblical story, some of it in the New Testament now, he came to those who were fearful. They were in danger for their lives. And the Holy Spirit would come on the scene and bring peace or hope or comfort. He would bring guidance where there wasn't any guidance. He accompanied Mary on her journey to visit Elizabeth. Nobody else did. We're not told anybody else was there on that journey, which was a long journey for Mary, except the Holy Spirit, who had to have been whispering comfort and strength, and “you will get through this. I'm here for you. I am with you. I am always with you.” And then Mary and Elizabeth met one another and the baby in Elizabeth's womb knew the Savior was being carried by this woman who couldn't even feel kicks in her own body yet. It was too new, too soon. So, as I look at whether it's darkness or depression or anxiety or legitimate fear or relationship troubles, those scenes were the scenes where the Holy Spirit showed up in the Bible. Those are the scenes I need him to show up in my Christmas. He is there. I just may not have observed that he was there, is there, and was there in the original Christmas story too. The Spirit of Christmas reminds us and brings us back to that recognition that he always was there, and he is there today. To us, waiting often seems purposeless and painful, yet the cry of “how long?” appears throughout scripture. I think one of the things that is toughest about any waiting time is believing you are alone in the waiting. I think honestly, whether it's waiting for a diagnosis or it's waiting for the medicine to kick in, or it's waiting for family members to reconcile, or it's waiting for the job that we believe is out there somewhere that we haven't found yet, whatever the situation is, I believe that what intensifies that waiting experience and makes it full of tension in the natural is the belief that we're alone. Even if we have a loving spouse to share with or we have other family members or a good friend we can converse with, deep down in our soul, it's that misunderstanding that makes us believe that we are alone. And the Holy Spirit is saying, "Untrue. This is untrue. I am here in the waiting, and that's what will make everything change." Mary had a long wait after that moment when the angel said, "You will bear a Savior." She had waiting even from those early days of raising this little baby. Before Jesus' ultimate ministry began, there was another waiting time where she was by his side before the ultimate reason he came to earth was fulfilled. Mary got to witness much of that, even being at the foot of the cross as she watched that ultimate moment then that we relate to Easter but it's so much part of the Christmas story too. As we discover where the Holy Spirit is present, we mimic what he did or what he said. If we see him as comforter, who can we be a comforter for? If we see him as a provider, who can we be a provider for? One of the tips that was given in the book as an idea was, do you really need your Christmas meal more than you need to give your Christmas meal to a family that has none? Can I have turkey any time of the year? Absolutely I can. Would it be a better move for our family to take our meal and give it to someone who has none? I would be acting like the Holy Spirit did and like the heart of Jesus is to forego a need that I think is a need of my own to meet somebody else's need. I make a parallel of the idea of if I'm looking for the Holy Spirit, what I'm looking for is the kind of fruit that he provides: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self -control. So, if I'm going to give good gifts like the Holy Spirit gives, how can I be peace for someone who needs it? How can I be a presence? How can I be evidence of faithfulness? That might be in a visit to someone who is ignored or overlooked during the holiday. We think of those things as philanthropic sometimes or we think of them as just plain old kindness but on the other hand if we see it as the kind of thing the Holy Spirit does, then we realize this is far holier of an act than just a kind deed. When we look at it from that approach and we take that approach we're fueled to be able to and do it more and more and enjoy the process and not see it as an obligation. It has always bothered me the idea of anyone spending Christmas alone. When we discuss the idea of the Holy Spirit is always present, what a better way to show that presence and that love that Jesus came to offer us by reaching out to those who might be alone, who are wondering “where is God today? Does he even see me?” Those are the people who are the most grateful for the smallest of acts because they feel seen. And isn't that what we all want? It's such a gift to know that we are seen by the Holy Spirit. The day after Christmas we're often sitting in a pile of opened packages and empty boxes and toys that the batteries have run out already, and maybe disappointments for how we hoped it would go that it didn't. There are people who are taking ornaments out of the box and it might be baby's first Christmas. We may remember that special day and the ornament brings us pain because hanging it on the tree may be a reminder that that child is no longer here or is estranged from us. Someone will have a Christmas like that. We intentionally set up the devotional to be a short read, one a day, so that for day after day after day of December, including the day after Christmas, there's a reminder of places you might not have thought to look, until I wrote the book. And then we also include a list of helpful hints. We include a downloadable that has to do with how many of these different roles did the Holy Spirit play in this actual event? Part of the advice and the very practical advice is maybe do what I did and make it an actual adventure. Take time to intentionally watch for his presence or be his presence. Let his presence in you shine somehow throughout the holiday season. It can't help but change what your Christmas looks like. One of the outcomes of my own journey to take a better, stronger look at what is this all about is that it really helps us to understand where the meaning of Christmas is and where the meaning isn't. The meaning of Christmas isn't how many parties can I get on my calendar. The meaning is likely more in what can I remove and not lose anything but instead gain. I might gain time that I needed. I might gain a more peaceful attitude toward this season. I might see that some of the things I have worked so hard to do or thought they were so important to make Christmas perfect, aren’t that important. How can we make Christmas any more perfect? Something that God did, that God was all over and did. What we often call essential to Christmas, whether it's that meal or the certain decorations or the tradition that we had of cutting down our own tree or the special hot cocoa that grandma makes; If any of those things are removed from our traditions, is Christmas still going to happen? Absolutely. What's our heart going to be like if we miss the cocoa? Not much difference. What if we miss the Holy Spirit in Christmas? That will make a huge difference - For sure. The idea that the Trinity loved what they created together despite humanity's fall is so powerful. We are the ones He came to save. The Bible would call us Gentiles; we were not born into the original children of Israel. We all can trace our lineage way back to the beginning, but we weren't considered the original children of Israel to which much of the Bible was written. But we are the ones he came to save. There's a verse in Galatians that I don't have memorized yet, but I want to, where it talks about God sent the Son so that we could have the Holy Spirit. When I stumbled on that verse, I thought, He sent Jesus to save us, yes. Jesus had to come as a human, had to leave everything he knew that was so perfect and come into this imperfect world and tolerate us. So, I'm now just fascinated by that idea that God the Father sent the Son to save the world so that we could have the Holy Spirit. That makes the complete picture. And that makes the waiting easier. It makes the feelings of defeat easier. And it makes those times of joy richer. The Holy Spirit, like God the Father and Jesus the Son, is always true to Himself. But that truth shows up in his behavior, we might say, throughout the Christmas story. And it will always be related to something that is so completely positive, but also so completely meeting the needs of the human heart, which is the need for his presence, the need for his comfort, the need for his peace. Scripture References: Luke 1:49 “For the Mighty One has done great things for me—holy is His name.” Recommended Resources: The Spirit of Christmas: Discovering His Presence Throughout the Advent Season by Cynthia Ruchti Sacred Scars: Resting in God’s Promise That Your Past Is Not Wasted by Dr. Michelle Bengtson The Hem of His Garment: Reaching Out To God When Pain Overwhelms by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner AWSA 2024 Golden Scroll Christian Living Book of the Year and the 2024 Christian Literary Awards Reader’s Choice Award in the Christian Living and Non-Fiction categories YouVersion 5-Day Devotional Reaching Out To God When Pain Overwhelms Today is Going to be a Good Day: 90 Promises from God to Start Your Day Off Right by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, AWSA Member of the Year, winner of the AWSA 2023 Inspirational Gift Book of the Year Award, the 2024 Christian Literary Awards Reader’s Choice Award in the Devotional category, the 2023 Christian Literary Awards Reader’s Choice Award in four categories, and the Christian Literary Awards Henri Award for Devotionals YouVersion Devotional, Today is Going to be a Good Day version 1 YouVersion Devotional, Today is Going to be a Good Day version 2 Revive & Thrive Women’s Online Conference Revive & Thrive Summit 2 Trusting God through Cancer Summit 1 Trusting God through Cancer Summit 2 Breaking Anxiety’s Grip: How to Reclaim the Peace God Promises by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the AWSA 2020 Best Christian Living Book First Place, the first place winner for the Best Christian Living Book, the 2020 Carolina Christian Writer’s Conference Contest winner for nonfiction, and winner of the 2021 Christian Literary Award’s Reader’s Choice Award in all four categories for which it was nominated (Non-Fiction Victorious Living, Christian Living Day By Day, Inspirational Breaking Free and Testimonial Justified by Grace categories.) YouVersion Bible Reading Plan for Breaking Anxiety’s Grip Breaking Anxiety’s Grip Free Study Guide Free PDF Resource: How to Fight Fearful/Anxious Thoughts and Win Hope Prevails: Insights from a Doctor’s Personal Journey Through Depression by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Henri and Reader’s Choice Award Hope Prevails Bible Study by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award Free Webinar: Help for When You’re Feeling Blue Social Media Links for Host and Guest: Connect with Cynthia Ruchti: Website / Facebook / Instagram / X / LinkedIn For more hope, stay connected with Dr. Bengtson at: Order Book Sacred Scars / Order Book The Hem of His Garment / Order Book Today is Going to be a Good Day / Order Book Breaking Anxiety’s Grip / Order Book Hope Prevails / Website / Blog / Facebook / Twitter (@DrMBengtson) / LinkedIn / Instagram / Pinterest / YouTube / Podcast on Apple Guest: Cynthia Ruchti is an acclaimed writer and speaker. A former radio producer, she is a popular media guest and has been featured on numerous TV, radio, and online outlets. Her written work has received recognition with Publishers Weekly starred reviews, Christian Retailing's BEST Awards, Readers' Choice Awards, Reviewers' Choice Awards, The Carol Award, two Christy finalists, and more. Her tagline is, "I can't unravel. I'm hemmed in Hope." Hosted By: Dr. Michelle Bengtson Audio Technical Support: Bryce Bengtson Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

This week Adam Biles speaks with international lawyer and acclaimed author Philippe Sands about his latest book, 38 Londres Street: On Impunity, Pinochet in England and a Nazi in Patagonia. Building on East West Street and The Ratline, Sands traces the remarkable and disturbing links between Nazi officer Walter Rauff—architect of the mobile gas vans—and Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet. Their conversation explores how Rauff escaped Europe, settled in South America, and later became entangled with Pinochet's regime, raising profound questions about memory, complicity, and justice. Sands also shares his personal and professional connection to this history: as a barrister involved in Pinochet's extradition case, and as the descendant of a family decimated by the Holocaust. Blending archival detective work, courtroom drama, and encounters with extraordinary witnesses, Sands reveals the human stories behind the law. This is a gripping, moving, and sometimes unsettling dialogue about the echoes of history and the pursuit of accountability.Buy 38 Londres Street: https://www.shakespeareandcompany.com/books/38-londres-street-2*Philippe Sands was born in London in 1960 and studied Law at the University of Cambridge. His book East West Street was the winner of the Baillie Gifford Prize for Non Fiction 2016, the British Book Awards Non-fiction Book of the Year 2017 and 2018 Prix Montaigne He is also the author of Lawless World: America and the Making and Breaking of Global Rules, which inspired a stage play (Called to Account, Tricycle Theatre) and a television film (The Trial of Tony Blair, Channel 4). He writes regularly for the press and serves as a commentator for the BBC, CNN and other radio and television producers. His BBC Storyville film My Nazi Legacy: What Our Fathers Did premiered in April 2015 at the Tribecca Film Festival. Sands co-wrote a podcast of the same name for the BBC. Sands lectures around the world and has taught at New York University and been a visiting professor at the University of Toronto, the University of Melbourne, and the Université de Paris I (Sorbonne). He was appointed a Queen's Counsel in 2003. The Ratline: Love, Lies and Justice on the Trail of a Nazi Fugitive, was published in 2020 and The Last Colony: A Tale of Exile, Justice and Britain's Colonial Legacy in 2022. His most recent book, 38 Londres Street: On Impunity, Pinochet in England and a Nazi in Patagonia was published in 2025. He is currently Professor of Law at University College London and a barrister and arbitrator at 11 King's Bench Walk. He served as president of English PEN and is on the board of the Hay Festival of Arts and Literature.Adam Biles is Literary Director at Shakespeare and Company.Listen to Alex Freiman's latest EP, In The Beginning: https://open.spotify.com/album/5iZYPMCUnG7xiCtsFCBlVa?si=h5x3FK1URq6SwH9Kb_SO3w Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Husband of the Pod Todd joins Mary, Kelli, and Emily for a discussion of John Green's new nonfiction book, Everything is Tuberculosis. They ask important questions about the ethics of illness narratives, cowboy hats, the US presidents, and whether or not it is sexy to look tired. Plus: an impassioned defense of Paper Towns from a heterosexual white man!Next Othersode: The Woman in Cabin 10 with Tirzah Price - 10/14Next Episode: Katabasis by RF Kuang - 10/28TOC:30—Welcome Todd! And icebreaker15:00—Book intro16:46—The story of tuberculosis33:25—Henry's story53:00—Is John Green the best person to tell this story?1:07:44—Ratings1:11:18—What's on the blog? What's up next? 

In this episode of The Book Club with Michael Smerconish, Michael sits down with journalist and author David Paul Kuhn to discuss his book The Hardhat Riot: Nixon, New York City, and the Dawn of the White Working-Class Revolution. Together, they revisit the dramatic events of May 1970, when construction workers and anti-war protesters clashed in lower Manhattan following the Kent State shootings and President Nixon's expansion of the Vietnam War into Cambodia. Kuhn explains how the so-called Hard Hat Riot symbolized a deeper class divide in America—between blue-collar workers and college students—that reshaped the political landscape for decades to come. They explore how this moment foreshadowed today's polarization, the “diploma divide,” and the shifting loyalties of the American working class from Democrats to Republicans. Kuhn is also producer of the documentary "Hard Hat Riot", now streaming on PBS. Original air date 1 October 2025. The book was published on 1 July 2020. The documentary was released on 30 September 2025. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Leanna Renee Hieber is an actress, playwright, ghost tour guide, audiobook narrator and the award-winning, bestselling author of over Gothic, Gaslamp Fantasy, Supernatural Suspense and Non-Fiction books for adults and teens with publishers such as Tor, Sourcebooks and Kensington Books. A Haunted History of Invisible Women: True Stories of America's Ghosts, co-authored with Andrea Janes, was a 2022 Bram Stoker Award finalist for "Superior Achievement in Non-Fiction". The book explores the intersection of women's history and ghost stories. America's Most Gothic: Haunted History Stranger than Fiction, releases 9/30/25 from Kensington.This is Something Rather than Nothing . . .

Today I talk with Kevin Hall about all the things he had learned in marketing his books. He has put all of his ideas, what works and what doesn't, into a book just for indie authors. You can find out more about Kevin at http://www.kevin-hall.comInes Johnson has a Kickstarted up for her Page Turner Planning. She describes it as a guidebook, a planning system, and a course all rolled into one powerful tool to help writers balance craft and career with intention. Find out more here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/romancewriteclub/page-turner-planningBe sure to check out my audiobooks created with Spoken.press here: https://katcaldwell.com/curiosYou can create your audiobooks, too! Just go to Spoken.press to get started! (you can even use your own voice!!)Sign up for my writers' newsletter to learn more about the craft of writing, know when my workshops are and be the first to get exclusive information on my writing retreats. https://katcaldwell.com/writers-newsletterWant more information on my books, author swaps, short stories and what I'm reading? Sign up for my readers' newsletter. https://storylectory.katcaldwell.com/signup You can always ask me writing questions on instagram @author_katcaldwell

Watch this week's Look At This Photograph on YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Zach, Amin and Mayes publish their TRUE podcast in the NON-FICTION category and it changes their lives forever. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠CINEPHOBE MERCH STORE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - Check it out here:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://bit.ly/CTDMERCH⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join the Count The Dings Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for Rewatchingtons, Ad-Free Episodes, Extended Cold Opens and more at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ www.patreon.com/CountTheDings⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Cinephobe is now on Youtube!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe and check out CT5s and Look At This Photograph on Video. Subscribe to Cinephobe! Then Rate 5 Stars on⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Apple⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Follow Cinephobe on Twitter, Instagram & Threads: CTD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @countthedings⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ IG:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @cinephobepod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Threads:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @cinephobepod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Zach Harper⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @talkhoops⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ IG:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @talkhoops⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Threads:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @talkhoops⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Amin Elhassan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @darthamin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ IG:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @darthamin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Threads:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @darthamin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Anthony Mayes⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @cornpuzzle⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ IG:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @cornpuzzle⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Threads:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @cornpuzzle⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Email: cinephobepodcast@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices