Podcasts about Pilgrimage

"The doctor looked at us and said, 'Well, uh, it's not there.'  What? 'We closed him up. It's not there.' We just joyfully laughed!" ---------- When Sara learned her unborn son, Anthony, had a life-threatening heart defect, she didn't know what to ask God to do. She simply brought Him the problem. Like Mary at the wedding feast who quietly told Jesus, "They have no wine." What followed left doctors searching for answers. This is the story of a mother who didn't tell God what to do… she simply invited Him to come. And when He did… It was spectacular! ---------- Join Us October 2026 for a Pilgrimage to Medjugorje We invite you to embark with us this October 10th to 17th on a pilgrimage to Medjugorje--one of the most grace-filled and spiritually uplifting places we've ever encountered. Register now, just a few tickets remain. Click below to see all the details:  https://padrepiopilgrimages.com/trapperjack/ ---------- Share Your Story If you have a Touched by Heaven moment that you would like to share with Trapper, please leave us a note at https://touchedbyheaven.net/contact Our listeners look forward to hearing about life-changing encounters and miraculous stories every week. Stay Informed Trapper sends out a weekly email. If you're not receiving it, and would like to stay in touch to get the bonus stories and other interesting content that will further fortify your faith. Join our email family by subscribing on https://trapperjackspeaks.com  Become a Patron We pray that our listeners and followers benefit from our podcasts and programs and develop a deeper personal relationship with God. We thank you for your prayers and for supporting our efforts by helping to cover the costs. Become a Patron and getting lots of fun extras. Please go to https://patreon.com/bfl to check out the details. More About Trapper Jack Visit Our Website: https://TrapperJackSpeaks.com Patreon Donation Link: https://www.patreon.com/bfl Purchase our Products ·       Talk Downloads: https://www.patreon.com/bfl/shop ·       CD Sales: https://trapperjackspeaks.com/cds/  Join us on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/TouchedByHeaven.TrapperJack Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trapperjack/ Join us on X/Twitter: https://x.com/TrapperJack1  

Consider the question we ask people: “Where do you hope to be in five, ten, or twenty years?” The biblical authors, if asked the same, could not imagine a better future than being in God’s presence. But where is this, and how do we get there?

Fewer than half of American adults read a single book in 2022. Reading for pleasure has nearly halved in twenty years. Behind those numbers is a deeper story: What happens to a mind, and a democracy, when it loses the habit of sitting with a difficult idea for three hundred pages?In this episode, Reino traces the line from deep reading to deep thinking: how following a long argument builds the same muscle we need to resist slogans, hold nuance, and imagine lives unlike our own. He returns to a small town in rural KwaZulu-Natal, to a teacher named Andy Towert who could make a room fall silent with the toss of a leather bag, and to the books — King Solomon's Mines, The Pilgrimage, Anam Cara — that quietly redirected the course of his life.A reflection on reading, attention, and what a post-literate society stands to lose.#LivingToBe #LettersFromTheThreshold #WhyWeRead #DeepReading #Attention #Literacy #Empathy #Democracy #Pilgrimage #CaminoDeSantiago #ContemplativeLife #Bibliophile #SlowLiving #Storytelling⁠Subscribing to Letters from the Threshold⁠More Information:⁠⁠www.reinogevers.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://reinodiary.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Books:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sages, Saints and Sinners⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Deep Walking for Body Mind and Soul⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Walking on Edge: A pilgrimage to Santiago⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Herbert W. Armstrong's early ministry highlights the importance of laying a strong foundation of prayer. Understand how to make a daily pilgrimage to God's throne room through your personal prayer life.

Herbert W. Armstrong's early ministry highlights the importance of laying a strong foundation of prayer. Understand how to make a daily pilgrimage to God's throne room through your personal prayer life.

In this episode Dr. Oord engages with the book from Jonathan Bentley entitled Shadowing St. Francis: A Pilgrimage of Sacred Emergence in the Age of AI.Blending travel narrative with open and relational theology, Shadowing St. Francis follows Jonathan Bentley from Florence to Assisi to Rome, walking the ancient path of a man who still has something to say — to those exhausted by certainty, wounded by the church, and wondering what faith looks like in a world of algorithms and anxiety.

"Backwater" is the second volume of Dorothy Richardson's groundbreaking "Pilgrimage" series, which explores the life of Miriam Henderson, a character reflecting the author's own experiences from 1891 to 1915. As Miriam navigates her role as a teacher at a girls' school in North London, she grapples with the constraints of societal expectations regarding marriage, religion, and happiness. Richardson's innovative use of stream of consciousness, or what she preferred to call "interior monologue," creates a rich, feminine prose that resonates with contemporary discussions about female identity and personal freedom.

Visit www.joniradio.org for more inspiration and encouragement! --------Thank you for listening! Your support of Joni and Friends helps make this show possible. Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Become part of the global movement today at www.joniandfriends.org. Find more encouragement on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube.

7:00 - Fr. Chris Boutin's Mailbag Segment7:20 - Carrie Gress on her article "How feminism fuels abortion"7:40 - Joseph Pronechen on "Pilgrimages were made for walking too"

"I had to be obedient, right? And the Voice within me said to take the train." ---------- When Anita heard an inner voice in prayer name another state where she was to go and live, she dismissed it. The voice returned with more clarity. God was calling her to leave everything behind and go where He was sending her. The instruction was specific: take the train. Anita boarded, unaware that heaven had already provided her, an angel, to guide her. ---------- Join Us October 2026 for a Pilgrimage to Medjugorje We invite you to embark with us this October 10th to 17th on a pilgrimage to Medjugorje--one of the most grace-filled and spiritually uplifting places we've ever encountered. Register now, almost full! Click below to see all the details:  https://padrepiopilgrimages.com/trapperjack/ ---------- An amazing story of encounter. A bit long, but worth every minute.  Doctor Encounters Mary in Medjugorje... Then Loses 2 Children (Her Faith Will INSPIRE You)  https://youtu.be/Ted3YKXCd6M?si=iOfQBPyTX1p_BC9x  ---------- Share Your Story If you have a Touched by Heaven moment that you would like to share with Trapper, please leave us a note at https://touchedbyheaven.net/contact Our listeners look forward to hearing about life-changing encounters and miraculous stories every week. Stay Informed Trapper sends out a weekly email. If you're not receiving it, and would like to stay in touch to get the bonus stories and other interesting content that will further fortify your faith. Join our email family by subscribing on https://trapperjackspeaks.com  Become a Patron We pray that our listeners and followers benefit from our podcasts and programs and develop a deeper personal relationship with God. We thank you for your prayers and for supporting our efforts by helping to cover the costs. Become a Patron and getting lots of fun extras. Please go to https://patreon.com/bfl to check out the details. More About Trapper Jack Visit Our Website: https://TrapperJackSpeaks.com Patreon Donation Link: https://www.patreon.com/bfl Purchase our Products ·       Talk Downloads: https://www.patreon.com/bfl/shop ·       CD Sales: https://trapperjackspeaks.com/cds/  Join us on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/TouchedByHeaven.TrapperJack Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trapperjack/ Join us on X/Twitter: https://x.com/TrapperJack1

"Psalm 122 invites us to see worship as more than a weekly habit—it's an opportunity to be reshaped by God's presence alongside His people. In this sermon, we explore what it means to truly rejoice in gathering together, why God designed the church as a place of unity and encouragement, and how worship reorients our hearts toward His kingdom. Whether church has always felt like home or you're still searching for where you belong, this message offers a fresh perspective on the joy and purpose of coming into God's presence. As we walk through Psalm 122, we'll consider how God's people are called to pursue peace, pray for one another, and live as a community marked by hope. Join us as we discover that worship isn't just about what happens inside a building—it's about becoming people whose lives reflect the peace, faithfulness, and goodness of God throughout the week. If this message encourages you, be sure to like, subscribe, and share it with someone who could use this reminder today."

This week, we offer an exclusive For the Journey conversation between Rev. Bill Haley and Terry Timm— a coach, consultant, and pastor with a heart for music, theology, and the deep spiritual journey. They discuss a wide range of topics, from the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises to beauty and Bono. We hope you are blessed by their conversation!Explore Coracle's Upcoming PilgrimagesView Our Complete Archive of “Space for God” Prayer PracticesLearn More About Spiritual Direction through CoracleView Our Full Archive of Soundings Seminarsinthecoracle.org  |  @inthecoracleSupport the showFor the Journey is a resource of the Coracle Center of Formation for Action and is made possible through the generous support of men and women across the globe.

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In this episode of the podcast (originally Episodes 7 and 8), we talk to Japan resident, Kevin Tarpey who is walking the famed 88 Temples Pilgrimage on the island of Shikoku. Henry or pilgrims have been walking this route for generations for many different reasons. Many are spiritual while others for a sense of adventure. Kevin  shares some of his amazing experiences and stories from his walking journey around Shikoku.  Follow Kevin Tarpey on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thegreenhoof Website: supernaturaljapan.com Supernatural Japan locations map: Google Map Get lots of Premium and Exclusive Content and Ad-free Episodes! Premium membership: @patreon  Support on: @BuyMeACoffee Tales from Kevin (my expat diary podcast) Connect with Supernatural Japan: Instagram: @supernaturaljapan Facebook: @SupernaturalJapan BlueSky: @MadForMaple X: @MadForMaple YouTube: @BusanKevin Email: supernaturaljapan@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Deacon Steve Greco is a permanent deacon of the Diocese of Orange. He is founder of Spirit Filled Hearts Ministry, director of evangelization and formation for the Diocese of Orange and host of Empowered by the Spirit.  This 2019 encore episode features Fr. Michael Hanifan, a priest of the Diocese of Orange, talking about going on pilgrimage.Empowered by the Spirit airs live weekdays at 10:00am and Fridays at 5pm Pacific Time go to https://www.spiritfilledevents.com/empowered-by-the-spirit website or download our Spirit Filled Radio App for Android or Apple Devices.APPLE LINK FOR APPGOOGLE PLAY LINK FOR APPArchives of shows from Spirit Filled Radio are available on podcast at https://www.spiritfilledevents.com/empowered-by-the-spirit Support the show

"The mortar shells and rockets were falling all around us. There were loud explosions. So, I turned over and fell back to sleep" ---------- There is a war on. The battle over our minds. Last week's conversation with Denny Thompson left me pondering one unforgettable sentence: "Nothing really matters except getting Home to God." Despite the loss of his eyesight, and arm, and a leg, his mind was free to experience joy and peace. Then an old recording unexpectedly resurfaced, taking me back to a war movie eleven years ago. This memorable night taught me the same lesson as Denny. Add to that a Vietnam veteran whose astonishing peace while under fire still leaves me shaking my head. Suddenly, these three seemingly unique stories, all have something in common… The battle for freedom, and independence, within our own minds. ---------- Join Us October 2026 for a Pilgrimage to Medjugorje We invite you to embark with us this October 10th to 17th on a pilgrimage to Medjugorje--one of the most grace-filled and spiritually uplifting places we've ever encountered. Register now, just a few tickets remain. Click below to see all the details:  https://padrepiopilgrimages.com/trapperjack/ ---------- Share Your Story If you have a Touched by Heaven moment that you would like to share with Trapper, please leave us a note at https://touchedbyheaven.net/contact Our listeners look forward to hearing about life-changing encounters and miraculous stories every week. Stay Informed Trapper sends out a weekly email. If you're not receiving it, and would like to stay in touch to get the bonus stories and other interesting content that will further fortify your faith. Join our email family by subscribing on https://trapperjackspeaks.com  Become a Patron We pray that our listeners and followers benefit from our podcasts and programs and develop a deeper personal relationship with God. We thank you for your prayers and for supporting our efforts by helping to cover the costs. Become a Patron and getting lots of fun extras. Please go to https://patreon.com/bfl to check out the details. More About Trapper Jack Visit Our Website: https://TrapperJackSpeaks.com Patreon Donation Link: https://www.patreon.com/bfl Purchase our Products ·       Talk Downloads: https://www.patreon.com/bfl/shop ·       CD Sales: https://trapperjackspeaks.com/cds/  Join us on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/TouchedByHeaven.TrapperJack Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trapperjack/ Join us on X/Twitter: https://x.com/TrapperJack1

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The Pilgrimage with St. Joseph and Mary - All the Winds of Heaven - Mystical Jesus, 8, Season 5, Out-of-Body Travel FilmsBased on the Book Series 'The Mysteries of the Redemption: A Treatise on Out-of-Body Travel and Mysticism,' by Marilynn HughesThe Out-of-Body Travel Foundation - https://outofbodytravel.org – Astral Travel and Astral Projection: Download Books, Films, Seminars, Livestreams, Music, Art, Vignettes, Radio and TV Appearances and More on Out-of-Body Experiences. (Ghosts, Reincarnation, Initiations, Heaven, Hell, Angels, Demons.) Out-of-Body Travel Author, Marilynn Hughes (Copyright)Out of Body Travel, Out of Body Experiences, Out of Body, Astral Travel, Astral Projection, Near Death Experiences, Mystical Experiences, OBE, OOBE, NDE

On this episode of Catholic Forum in commemoration of the Semiquincentennial of our country, after a news update from The Dialog, we'll take a listen back to Bishop Koenig's two homilies from the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage masses at St. Christopher's in Kent Island and at the Cathedral of St. Peter in Wilmington.  The National Eucharistic Pilgrimage concludes this weekend in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and as we look back on the previous 250 years of American history and what may be possible in the next 250, there is no better time to remember that our faith in the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist can sustain us and give us hope each day.    As always, listen to the complete audio version of Catholic Forum on Apple, Spotify, iHeartRadio or Amazon Music podcasts. If you're in Delmarva or South Jersey you can also listen on Saturdays at 1:30 PM on Relevant Radio 640. Catholic Forum is a production of the Office of Communication of the Diocese of Wilmington (supported by the Faith and Charity Appeal!) Please like, subscribe and share.

(1:48) Father Michael Hurley joins to discuss the particulars of going on a pilgrimage and all that it entails. (10:09) Joseph - I was in Rome at the Santa Scala. Break 1 (28:38) Terri - I went through the Holy Land, and it was an amazing trip. I first thought since I received Jesus, that I didn't need to go there. (35:16) Email – Mary went on a pilgrimage to visit St. Padre Pio’s relics and received a healing. (38:09) Pauline - What about someone who cannot travel like the infirm or elderly? How do we do retreats or pilgrimages? Break 2 (43:23) Elia - I went on a pilgrimage to Portugal, Spain, France recently. How wonderful they were.

Send us Fan MailThis episode originally aired at 1pm on Wednesday July 1 on SiriusXM 129 The Catholic ChannelFrontiers of Faith is now broadcast weekly on SiriusXM and uploaded here immediately after! This week we take a look at some of the American saints and discuss the misunderstandings people have about them. Msgr also offers insight into the differences between patriotism in the Catholic sense and Nationalism. And offers a way for you and your parish to get involved in the beatification of Fulton J. Sheen. Finally we check in on the Eucharistic pilgrimage!  Click here to learn more about supporting the Pontifical Missions Societies:https://pontificalmissions.orgFollow us on socials!https://x.com/tpms_usa

Summer of Pilgrimage | Fifth Sunday after Pentecost - Ian Trevethan

What did he find out about the planning for the 250th birthday celebration and even some history he wasn't aware of? Find out from Vineeta Sawkar, as Christopher Hooks talks with her on The WCCO Morning News.

"I was in this darkness. and this huge, wrinkly, beautiful old person's hand came down from above, and scooped me up, and I heard, 'Trust in me, and everything will be all right.'" ---------- Denny Thompson was 38 years old when a motorcycle accident left him in a coma for months. Doctors weren't optimistic. His family faced impossible decisions. But while unconscious, Denny experienced something he still struggles to explain. A strange place. Questions. Childlike joy. Darkness. And a moment that would permanently change how he understood life. Then he woke up. What followed should have led to anger, despair, and asking why. Instead… something else happened. This is one of the most unforgettable conversations I've ever recorded -- and one of the clearest examples I've heard of how an encounter with God can reorder everything. Listen all the way through. The flower opens slowly. "What if God showed you that nothing here matters nearly as much as you think?" ---------- Join Us October 2026 for a Pilgrimage to Medjugorje We invite you to embark with us this October 10th to 17th on a pilgrimage to Medjugorje--one of the most grace-filled and spiritually uplifting places we've ever encountered. Register now, tickets are nearly sold out. Click below to see all the details:  https://padrepiopilgrimages.com/trapperjack/ ---------- Share Your Story If you have a Touched by Heaven moment that you would like to share with Trapper, please leave us a note at https://touchedbyheaven.net/contact Our listeners look forward to hearing about life-changing encounters and miraculous stories every week. Stay Informed Trapper sends out a weekly email. If you're not receiving it, and would like to stay in touch to get the bonus stories and other interesting content that will further fortify your faith. Join our email family by subscribing on https://trapperjackspeaks.com  Become a Patron We pray that our listeners and followers benefit from our podcasts and programs and develop a deeper personal relationship with God. We thank you for your prayers and for supporting our efforts by helping to cover the costs. Become a Patron and getting lots of fun extras. Please go to https://patreon.com/bfl to check out the details. More About Trapper Jack Visit Our Website: https://TrapperJackSpeaks.com Patreon Donation Link: https://www.patreon.com/bfl Purchase our Products ·       Talk Downloads: https://www.patreon.com/bfl/shop ·       CD Sales: https://trapperjackspeaks.com/cds/  Join us on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/TouchedByHeaven.TrapperJack Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trapperjack/ Join us on X/Twitter: https://x.com/TrapperJack1

With the number of people known to have died following earthquakes in Venezuela rising, rescue teams are racing to find those who are still missing. Operations Manager of the Lutheran World Federation based in Caracas, Maria Caraballo, speaks about the work her organisation has been doing.The United States of American will mark 250 years since its independence this week. The separation of Church and State - religious freedom - came a few years later in the 1st amendment to the constitution and has been debated ever since. We continue that debate with Dr Guthrie Graves-Fitzsimmons of the Interfaith Alliance and Pastor Mark Burns, a spiritual adviser to President Trump.Pilgrimages are tremendous social occasions, whatever their religious inspiration. The British Pilgrimage Trust says more of us are attracted to them and the Italian government is now promoting five pilgrim routes, known as the Antichi Cammini d'Italia, or Ancient Ways of Italy. People who have completed their journey tell us about their experiences. Presenter: Edward Stourton Producers: Katy Booth and James Leesley Studio Managers: Kelly Young, Matthew Dempsey and George Willis Editor: Tim Pemberton

An Adoration and A Special Rosary with Reflections Pilgrimage Take a special spiritual pilgrimage and join several dozen pilgrims in Eucharistic Adoration and the praying of the Rosary. Each decade of the Rosary is accompanied by thoughtful reflections designed to deepen your meditation and prayer. At the beginning of this pilgrimage, St. Louis de Montfort speaks about what he considered the single greatest mistake made by many who pray the Rosary. Listen carefully to his words and discover how this timeless wisdom can enrich your own devotion. As the pilgrims at the Shrine kneel before the Blessed Sacrament exposed in the Monstrance, we invite you to create a prayerful atmosphere in your own home. If possible, place a crucifix or cross nearby as you pray the Rosary. You may also wish to light a candle, provided it can be done safely, as a visible reminder of Christ's presence and the light of faith. For those who wish to proceed directly to specific portions of the pilgrimage: Gospel and Homily: approximately 13:40 Rosary and Reflections: approximately 24:27 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- This bilingual evening of Eucharistic Adoration and Rosary at the Shrine . . . . . . centers on the Blessed Virgin Mary as the one who leads souls to Jesus Christ, the source of all grace. Drawing from the Gospel of the Annunciation (Luke 1:26-38), the Homily reflects on Mary's title as “Full of Grace” and presents her as the Mediatrix through whom Christ entered the world and through whom believers continue to encounter Him. The Homily also emphasizes St. Louis de Montfort's teaching that Christians should begin the Rosary by identifying the particular grace they most need, entrusting their intentions to Our Lady with confidence. Against the backdrop of gathering darkness, the candlelit prayer becomes a symbol of faith, hope, and Christ's victory over sin and death. A recurring theme throughout the evening is Mary's role as the “Star of the Sea,” guiding pilgrims safely through the changing seas of life toward the eternal harbor of salvation. The Rosary includes reflections before each decade. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Art Work Madonna di Foligno: Italian Painter: Raphael: 1511 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Why was this Painting Selected: Mary appears enthroned in glory with the Christ Child while serving as an intercessor between heaven and earth. The painting beautifully reflects the homily's theme of Mary as Mediatrix of Grace, bringing souls to Christ. On the left are the kneeling are St. Francis of Assisi and St. John the Baptist.

[00:30] Bring Your Dog to Work Day (6 minutes) Featuring Juniper! [6:00] Supremes Hand Trump Immigration Win (15 minutes) The Supreme Court has determined that temporary visa status for Haitian migrants is, in fact, temporary. The media is up in arms. [21:15] Key of David: ‘Your Daily Pilgrimage' (33 minutes)

In this episode, Zech talks with Colby Dickinson about his many pilgrim journeys in the city of Rome. Together they ask: how does religious identity—or lack thereof—shape one's experience of places with historically thick spiritual meaning? What might it look like to encounter something beyond ourselves when our faith wanes more than it waxes? Finally, can pilgrimage still be meaningful when so often it seems caught up in the snares of  a consumer mentality?Book link: https://wipfandstock.com/9798385221042/sacred-pilgrim-secular-pilgrim/Newsletter: Subscribe to our podcast newsletter and get ***40% OFF*** any Wipf and Stock book: http://eepurl.com/cMB8ML. (Be sure to check the box next to “Podcast Updates: The Theology Mill” before hitting Subscribe.)

In this episode the follow the story of 6 soldiers, 5 who died and 1 who returned home to Melbourne, across the Western Front. We listen to the words of Australian veterans as they describe the horrors of Pozieres on the Somme and reflect on the lives of these men through the eyes of 4 people, their relatives, on a private battlefield tour that I guided last week. You can hear the raw emotion in the words and language of the veterans, and then the pilgrims 110 years later. Who were these men? What happened to them? And why is there no Christian cross on one of their graves?

There are at least three wrong ways to write about heaven, and Brian Zahnd spent his new book carefully avoiding all of them — too sentimental, too sensational, too escapist to bother caring about the world right in front of us.In this conversation, Brian and Michael talk about why heaven isn't a far-off destination but a realm woven through the space between every atom of this one, and why love and wonder might be the most reliable hints we get of its nearness. Brian shares the mystical moment in Rocky Mountain National Park that reshaped his understanding of the incarnation and makes the case that a faith stripped of transcendence eventually collapses into mere politics — however well-intentioned.They also talk about pilgrimage, the discipline of praying written prayers, and why so many people are having real spiritual experiences with no idea where it's safe to talk about them.Brian Zahnd is a pastor of forty-four years and author of Unseen Existences: Of Heaven, Earth, and the Divine Mystery in All Things.Find Brian Zahnd online here.Support the showENGAGE THE RESTORING THE SOUL PODCAST:- Follow us on YouTube - Tweet us at @michaeljcusick and @PodcastRTS- Like us on Facebook- Follow us on Instagram & Twitter- Follow Michael on Twitter- Email us at info@restoringthesoul.com Thanks for listening!

Many people have missed a lot of the deeper ideas that Pope Leo XIV's encyclical Magnifica Humanitas on AI is built on. Matthew Leonard and Michael Matheson Miller expose not only those deeper currents, but some of the darker forces which the Holy Father is addressing.

Hour 1 for 6/23/26 Drew and attorney Eric Kniffin discuss the recent suit brought by Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne against New York State (12:21). Then, perpetual pilgrim Raymond Martinez discuses the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage (28:06). Finally, Drew finishes with an exhortation on the Eucharist (41:43). Links: https://eppc.org/author/eric_kniffin/ https://x.com/ekniffin https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-sues-state-new-york-requiring-catholic-nursing-facilities-house-men-women https://www.eucharisticpilgrimage.org/

Send us a message!Today my conversation is with Russ Watts.  Russ co-hosts and guest-hosts here on the podcast, so his is a familiar voice to many of you.  Russ and I have been co-creating and co-facilitating storytelling experiences since 2019.It was such a delight to sit down with Russ and dive into a conversation today.  We made no plans, just pressed record and started sharing.Our hope is that as we explore the ideas of soul space, story, pilgrimages, as we share some of our own recent experiences and stories, as we ponder with awe and enchantment, that you would be inspired to connect with matters most, listen to what your soul is saying, be curious about the experiences of now.  Where can enchantment be reawakened in your life?Russ, as always, thank you for jumping into the flow of conversation.  Thank you for sharing your stories, your wisdom, your questions, and your curiosity.  Thank you for joining us for this conversation.  May you enjoy the free flowing conversational river of exploration and curiosity.If you are in the Washington DC area, Russ and I will be hosting a day of Soul Space on Monday July 20.  There's a link below with more information about that.  And if you miss this one, there will be more in the future!July 20 - Soul Space: http://makelifelessdifficult.com/soul-spaceSupport the showMake Life Less Difficult~   Support:buymeacoffee.com/lisatilstra

What if the real secret to a lasting writing career isn't talent or luck, but learning to thrive in the mess? Why are in-person events worthwhile even if the maths doesn't add up? How do you protect your creativity when the machines never sleep and the community is at one another's throats? With Mark Leslie Lefebvre In the intro, Has AI Already Killed Non-Fiction [Tim Ferriss]; 9 ways that AI would disrupt authors and the publishing industry over the next decade; Pivoting towards The Transformation Economy; and Who do you serve? This podcast is sponsored by Kobo Writing Life, which helps authors self-publish and reach readers in global markets through the Kobo eco-system. You can also subscribe to the Kobo Writing Life podcast for interviews with successful indie authors. This show is also supported by my Patrons. Join my Community at Patreon.com/thecreativepenn Mark Leslie Lefebvre is the author of horror and paranormal fiction, as well as non-fiction travel and books for authors. He's also an editor, professional speaker, and the Director of Business Development at Draft2Digital. His latest book is Stark Realities: Stacked Up Lessons Every Writer Needs to Know About the Business of Writing and Publishing. You can listen above or on your favorite podcast app or read the notes and links below. Here are the highlights and the full transcript is below. Show Notes Why print and in-person events are making a comeback for indie authors The case for (and against) licensing your voice clone through ElevenLabs Why we keep selling books in person when the numbers rarely add up Measuring success by creative satisfaction rather than money Being honest about author earnings and the fear of being truly seen Managing stress, divisiveness, and the noise around AI You can find Mark at MarkLeslie.ca. Transcript of the interview with Mark Leslie Lefebvre Jo: Mark Leslie Lefebvre is the author of horror and paranormal fiction, as well as non-fiction travel and books for authors. He's also an editor, professional speaker, and the Director of Business Development at Draft2Digital. His latest book is Stark Realities: Stacked Up Lessons Every Writer Needs to Know About the Business of Writing and Publishing. Welcome back to the show, Mark. Mark: Oh, hey, Jo. It's always an awesome time chatting with you. Jo: You've been on the show lots of times over the years, but the last time was in September 2024, when we talked about selling books in person. So give us a bit of an update. What does your writing and publishing business look like at the moment? How do you manage it alongside the day job and everything else you do? Mark: Oh my God. Well, sleep is—no rest for the wicked, maybe. I'll sleep when I'm dead. It's so funny, it was just this last weekend in Waterloo. I was at Waterloo Book Fest, and somebody came up to my table—another author from one of the other tables—and said, “I heard you on the The Creative Penn Podcast. And then when you mentioned something about Waterloo, I said, ‘He can't be from Waterloo.' And then when you mentioned the skeleton, I said, ‘I know where he lives.'” Jo: That's scary. Mark: So I love the fact that there are so many of your listeners all over the world, and that's usually how people know me. No matter what else I've done, it's like, “Oh, you've been on Joanna Penn's podcast.” I'll say, “Yes, I have.” You know what's really funny? The last time I was on the podcast, we were talking about A Book in Hand, which I was supposed to release that year. Jo: Yes. Mark: I just added another 5,000 words to it this morning. Jo: Wait, it's still not published? Mark: No, and it's so funny. I actually have the first 60,000 words of it with an editor right now, and I told her I'd get her the rest of it, which I thought would be another 20,000 words, by the end of June. But I think it's going to hit 100,000. Here's the weird thing that happened with this. This is trying to accumulate my life of book selling, as well as doubling down on doing in-person events in the last several years. I thought I was going to have the book done in 2024. I ran into some issues where I didn't back it up properly. It was an old version, and I accidentally overwrote the only version I had. Jo: So, for everyone listening, Mark—how many decades have you been an author and a publisher? How come you're still missing deadlines and still not backing up your work properly? Mark: Yes, this is a lesson: no matter how long you've been doing something, you can still make boneheaded errors. So if you, dear listener, have made mistakes, just know that this old guy who's been doing this since the mid-'80s still makes mistakes like that. Don't beat yourself up. I probably did something worse. Anyway, that book I thought was going to be maybe 40, 45,000 words, it's going to be bigger than Wide for the Win—close to 100,000 words. Here's a really important lesson I learned in that, Jo. I thought the book would be something. It became something else. Through my own experiences of doing more in-person events, book signings, and library event. Also in talking to awesome folks like Johnny B. Truant, Katie Cross, Todd Fahnestock, and so many other authors I know, and seeing what Ben Wolf is up to, and a whole bunch of different people who are doing in-person events. In creating case studies for how they interact specifically with a bookstore or library, or how they do in-person selling—I really think the book wasn't ready then. It's like the recipe wasn't ready. I still needed to play with some things. I do sincerely have faith, since I got it into the editorial process, that this will be the year the book actually gets released. Jo: As you said, there are some really good lessons there around sometimes the book not being quite ready. I'd bought an early version from the StoryBundle, which is how I got this book as well, actually. Mark: Yes. Jo: That's another tip for people—storybundle.com. You can go and find some great bundles there. I was also thinking, as you were talking, that maybe one of the reasons this book about in-person events has got so big is because that's a real trend in the community. It feels like indies, we've moved… Back in the day, I said, “I'm not doing print. No way.” This was the early days of digital, because print was really hard back then. So I was like, “Oh, and we've got all the advantages doing digital, so I'm just going to focus on that.” It feels like the pendulum has swung, perhaps even more with the ease of mass production of digital with AI. The focus on print and in person is getting stronger and stronger. Do you think that's happening? Mark: Oh, yes, 100%. I did print in 2004. It was really hard back then, so that's gotten easier. I think there are a few reasons. One of the reasons is, yes, digital made it so much easier for indie authors to get out there and break into the community. But the reality is that print books still outsell e-books in general—overall—despite the fact that indie authors can make six and seven figures a year from selling e-books alone on a single platform. So print has never really gone away. It was just never something indie authors attended to. They were in a different business than traditional publishers were in. And second, obviously I've got these gorgeous books that you've created on Kickstarter, because I like the beautiful books. I've never stopped buying print books. I actually buy more print books. I read more because of audiobooks and e-books, but I buy more print books, especially when I can get a nice signed copy. Then the other reason comes back, again, to your advice—something I've been following for the longest time, and you've long been saying. I do repeat this, and I try my best to offer attribution to you every time I use it: to double down on your humanity, particularly in this age of digital generation and the ability for even non-writers to leverage tools to create content. I think it's so much more important for me, as a creative who will never be able to catch up with the machines, to exploit my humanity. I mean, we both have digital voices of ourselves, right? There's a digital Mark Leslie Lefebvre voice that people can use, and I'm making money off it because people are able to license it through ElevenLabs. But when I'm there in person, so far the holograms aren't good enough to fool people. I think I'm not just selling a book to somebody; I want to create an experience where, “Oh, I'm talking to the author, and we're signing a book together, and we're taking a selfie together.” For me, there's that tactile experience that's really enriching. And it may not be something that lines my pockets as easily, because the investment is more significant. For every $10 I make, it costs me six or seven dollars, as opposed to an e-book, where the cost is amortised in the most beautiful way over millions of copies. Jo: There are a few things there. First of all, let's talk about that ElevenLabs voice licensing, because, as you say, I also have a voice clone. Bones of the Deep, the latest book, that's my voice clone. I haven't gone with the licensing, partly because you don't have control over what someone can do with it. So, for example, someone could create Nazi content, or content that I might not agree with, in my voice. So how have you got over that? Because part of me really does want to license my voice, and the other part doesn't. Mark: This is a great question, Jo, and I'm glad you asked it. It's the same reason I don't worry about people stealing my books—adding DRM onto my e-books and things like that. I may as well make some money off it, because let's be honest: you and I, our voices are out there. Thousands of hours of our voices, right? In your podcast, my podcast, in various interviews we've done over the years. The technology exists for someone to make a copy of my voice themselves anyway. The tools exist. They can do it easily, so why not do it myself and at least make money? I'm actually getting money deposited into my account. Not a lot—maybe $30, $18, something like that every week. Again, I've taken a lot of my non-fiction books that I haven't had the time to record myself, as I like to do, and I can at least load those to ElevenLabs and make my voice the default voice. But wouldn't it be great to be able to listen to my book in your voice? It would sound so much better. Because you can do that. When you listen to a book on that platform, you can choose my voice if you'd rather hear it in my voice, or you can choose Burt Reynolds' voice, or some other folks who've licensed theirs. Again, for me, the whole concept of wide publishing has always been important. It's another small revenue stream that's adding to my numerous revenue streams. So I guess that's how I've justified just licensing the voice. If someone's going to do something with my voice that I can't control, they can do it regardless of whether or not I put it out there myself. Jo: I agree with you. That could happen, and neither of us is famous enough that it's likely to happen anyway. I do quite like the idea of people using our voices, say, for other books for authors, because that would make sense—that's where we fit in the niche. I will rethink that, because I think it's interesting. I wanted to come back to print books. You said sometimes there are easier ways to line your pockets, and I think that's funny. So, getting into the book, this leapt out at me quite near the beginning: Why do we keep doing this when the maths almost never adds up? Mark: Oh, I have a perfect example of that from an event I did a couple of weekends ago in Burlington, Ontario. I think it was a $60 table fee. It was a new event. I believe I made $90 or $95 in sales. So even after the costs of printing and all that stuff, I really didn't make money. I made my table back, which is always a good thing. There were a few encounters I had with people who were really excited to find my Canadian Werewolf series of books, and just so thrilled to get started. Among the four of them, they bought one copy, but they were going to pass it amongst each other. You know what? Okay, they bought a single copy, and I was like, “Well, the e-book is permanently free online. You don't even have to buy a copy”—which is anti-selling. I just want them to read the book and enjoy it. But if they read it and pass it along and start talking about it, they could become readers for a long time. It's an eight-book series, with the ninth book coming out later this year. There was another encounter I had that day. A woman and her teenage daughter came in, and they were looking at my traditionally published books that I buy at a reduced price from a local bookstore and resell. They were looking at these true ghost story books I had, and they were pointing: “Do you have that one?” “Yes, I have this one, I have that one.” And the mother's like, “Well, she collects all your books, and she wants to make sure she has them.” We had this conversation, and she was so excited to meet me in person and to get a signed copy of the book. That experience was such a vanity moment for me as an author. We're lonely. I'm a big loser. Nobody's buying my books. We're always down on ourselves. So that investment of time and energy, in order to get that little pat on the back or that feeling of, “Wow, I really connected with someone who likes my stuff”—those moments are really precious. They're difficult to explain if you only look at the world in a financial way. I guess I'm fortunate enough that I do have enough income from numerous streams, including the consulting I do part-time, that it's okay if not every bookish endeavour leads to more money in my pocket at the end of the day. I can still have these authentic connections with people, which I think is one of the reasons I'm a storyteller. Yes, it's the stories I have to tell, but it's also putting the story into somebody else's hands and eyes and heart and mind. Jo: You're very giving like that. You have that sense about you, whereas I'm just a curmudgeon in the corner. Mark: That is not true. Jo: It is, generally. I don't do events like you do for readers. Mark: But that's because it takes a lot out of you. Jo: Yes, but that doesn't matter. Why do I write? I write for me. Mark: Ah, very good. Jo: At the end of the day—just being entirely selfish about this—when people say, “Oh, if you won the lottery, what would you do?” I'm like, “Well, I'd do pretty much what I'm doing now.” Mark: Yes, I'd just do the same. Of course, I'd write more books. Jo: I'd write more books. So this is where I'm trying to get to for people as well: measuring success in a different way. You were talking about measuring success by how that girl loved your books, and how you feel when someone says they love your books. With Bones of the Deep, this thriller I've just done, I feel like I had the benefit of that book before anyone even read it. As soon as it was finished, I made a nice proof copy from BookVault, and I held it in my hand and said, “I made this. I'm proud of the story, I wrote the story, and it's outside my head now.” I feel like I'm creatively satisfied in that moment. Then, of course, the Kickstarter was great, and I love that the books are going out around the world, but— I think the happiest I felt was that moment of finishing—that creative satisfaction of holding the book in my hand. You know what I mean? Mark: 100%, Jo. I cannot agree with you enough. I love so many aspects of writing. Yes, the connection with people is amazing. But I often say this when I'm doing my one-on-one consulting with authors: focus on the projects that mean the most to you, those passion projects. The process of writing, and the painful rewriting and editing and all the things you go through—when you finish that book, like you said, you hold it in your hands and it is a thing of beauty. It's a huge achievement. You've won. Whether or not you sell a single copy, you've won by doing it. Everything else is gravy: the sales, the money in your pocket or not, the reviews, positive or not, the people who say, “Oh my God, Bones of the Deep, thank you for writing this book. I'm so glad you introduced this into the world and into my life.” Anything beyond the creation itself, which is a pure joy—I love it so much. It's just why I get up at 5:30 every morning and write for hours before the rest of my day begins. I try to get stuff done before the rest of the world wakes up. I want to get the writing done first, when I have the most energy to give myself to the page. Then the rest of the day is kind of gravy for me too. Jo: You talk there about giving yourself to the page, but in Stark Realities— You talk about the fear of truly being seen. What do you mean by that, and how do you manage that feeling? Mark: For anyone who has written anything—fiction, non-fiction, memoir in particular, since it's a bit more closely tied to reality—it's exposing yourself to the world. I'll never forget an interview I did with Canadian science fiction author Julie E. Czerneda, who, before being a fiction writer, was writing biology textbooks, but her real passion was science fiction and fiction. When her first novel came out, she said, “It's like standing naked on the front lawn.” When you release a book, even a novel, people look at it and they're going to judge you and rate you. I remember early on, Jo—we knew each other through Twitter, I think, where we initially met, and then interacted with and finally met in person at London Book Fair. I think you and I have a very similar reaction. When people know us as positive and upbeat and out there helping authors in the community, and then they read our fiction, they go, “Well, Jo, you burned a nun alive on page one.” Or, “Mark, what kind of… they're drinking from the skulls of dead people? What the heck is going on with you two?” We are exposing parts of ourselves in our fiction and non-fiction. That's a fear I embrace, but also never get over, if that makes any sense. I write scary stories because I'm a big chicken. So maybe the entire process is just cheap therapy for me. Or not cheap, because it's an expensive pastime, isn't it? Jo: It certainly can be, but I agree. I struggle with fear of judgment still. I think it's also because we do this in public, which comes back to the financial side of things. We do a lot of this in public, and then people judge us on our author businesses too. You could look at Bones of the Deep, which was just on Kickstarter, and compare my Kickstarter to another author's Kickstarter for a fiction book, and judge one or the other person based on numbers. I feel like this is because you and I have done so much in public—for me, almost 20 years, and for you, like 40 years or whatever. Maybe 30 years. You look that old. Mark: Listen there, dearie. Get off my lawn. Jo: Yes, get off my lawn—with those skeletons you have on your lawn. Mark: Yes. They're no longer in my closet. Jo: They're not in your closet. I wonder if that also plays a part of it—the pros and cons of doing this business in public. Mark: Yes, that is a part of it. One thing I try to be very clear about, because there's so much FOMO and so much out there about people thinking that everyone else is making a million dollars from their books and “I'm the only loser who's not”—I try to be clear that I have never made more than a mid-five figures as an author from my author earnings, ever. I haven't yet hit six figures. One of the reasons I try to be transparent in sharing that is I don't want people to think that everyone else is a six- and seven-figure success story, and they're the only one who's only made $100 last year on their books. The reality is, 90 to 99% of the people who are writing and publishing are not going to earn a significant amount of money. I realise I'm also very, very lucky that I've earned this much, and it's taken a long time. I just shared this in a Substack post I posted yesterday: it was 10 years of rejections before I got $5 for my first short story that was published in '92. It wasn't until 2001 that I finally made pro rate, six cents US a word, for a short story that, ironically, Julie Czerneda bought from me back in the day. For me, I've been lucky that it's always been a long, slow slog. It's been a marathon, and I've never instantly sprinted across any dramatic finish line. I've had some really phenomenal moments—doing a book signing in a Costco, walking into Walmart and seeing my books there. Even last night at the Burlington Public Library, going, “Wow, they have eight of my books here—four of my self-published books and four of my traditionally published books, in two different sections.” I was like, “That's kind of cool.” So I've had these amazing moments as a writer, but I've never had the blockbuster—the Brandon Sanderson, or even the Dungeon Crawler Carl, Matt Dinniman, kind of moments. I still think I've had a very fortunate and lucky journey. Even if I wasn't making the money I'm making, I'd still be writing, and I'm sure you would be too. Jo: Oh, yes, for sure. I actually think the thing most of us would probably let go is the marketing. If we won the lottery, we'd carry on with all the creative stuff, the writing, the community stuff, and we'd just literally do no marketing at all. Mark: Well, yes, of course. Or potentially say, “Oh, here, ad agency, here's some money. You just run it, whatever. Let me know if it works or not. I don't care.” Jo: That's a much better idea. Mark: At least I've got the extra disposable income, so I may as well, because I'm helping the world when my books are out there. I know my books will help people. I really honestly think that as storytellers—whether it's fiction or non-fiction, we're still storytellers—what we do in writing and podcasting and all the things we do, the re-sharing on social media, is really helping connect people. I think that is one of the most profound things we can do as writers. And I mean that the writing, in and of itself, is a reward. Jo: Like you said, we met on Twitter when Twitter was what it was back in the day. I do very, very little social media now. But you just mentioned your Substack, and you also have your podcast, Stark Reflections. So how are you balancing what you put on each? I only do this podcast now. I don't even blog. I write books, obviously, and then I do the podcast. So what are you doing differently on Substack to the podcast, and what part do they play in income and marketing? Mark: Great question. I realise most people have never heard of me, or read or listened to the things I put out into the world. And I've been a longtime fan of “reduce, reuse, recycle my IP.” My podcast is not as long-running as yours, but I'm in my ninth year, and I've not missed a single Friday in the full eight years, or eight and a half by now, that I've been doing this. Every week I reflect on what I learned from an interview, or I'll reflect on something you've posted and say, “This episode is not an interview, but Jo said this last week, and I'm going to talk about it.” The podcast itself takes a lot of work. I still do all of it myself, and I know I probably shouldn't, but I like doing it, so it's one of those tasks I enjoy. I also have reflections that aren't going to come out vocally but might come out in writing. Sometimes in the morning I'm not in the mood to write the novel or the non-fiction book I'm writing, but I'm writing some tangent. I just let the creative monster go. I find that re-sharing… I might have reflected on something for a couple of minutes at the end of an interview, but I really want to expand upon it, so I write the Substack article. I try to reuse some of that content. Someone's going to enjoy seeing it on a short video clip I share on YouTube, or whatever the platform is. Someone else is going to listen to it on a podcast, wherever they listen to podcasts, and someone else is going to want to read it. It could be the same information, just shared in a slightly different way, to potentially get it out to other people. So for me, it's part of that wide publishing mentality. I'm trying not to completely duplicate the work, although I am duplicating some of it. I'll give you an example. Hey, Canadian listeners—if you have not registered for Public Lending Right in Canada, please put something in your calendar for February 2027, because the deadline's over. It was May 1st of 2026. Put it in your calendar for next year. I even had somebody at this writers' event I was at this last weekend say, “You mentioned something in a presentation you did for the Canadian Authors Association about Public Lending Right, and thank you, because now I get thousands of dollars a year from this.” So just look up Public Lending Right. I've been saying stuff about Public Lending Right for at least 10 years now. Every time I get my beautiful multi-four-figure cheque from them in February every year, I post on social media and remind authors to check it out. I know it exists in the UK, and it exists in 36 countries in the world—just not the US. Jo: Not the US. Mark: They don't have a programme like this, probably because the big publishers—and probably one of the authors' associations—think that libraries are cannibalising book sales, which is not true. It's been proven time and time again, and that lobbying has prevented it from happening. Whereas here in Canada, the Canada Council for the Arts and the Writers' Union of Canada worked hard to make this happen. Anyway, I talk about something like Public Lending Right and I feel like I must have said this so much that people are sick of it, but every single time I mention it, someone goes, “Oh my God, thanks for saying that. I never heard it.” That's a good reminder, especially for folks like you and me. We know the basics. We know what an ISBN is. We know KDP Select means you can't put the e-book on any other retailer, or even sell it on your own website. We know all these things, but it's hard for us to remember that there are folks coming to this for the very first time who've never heard it, even though we feel like, “Oh my God, I've said this till I'm blue in the face.” I think I got that from retail. When I worked in retail, I recognised that somebody's going to come in and ask for “that blue book that Reese Witherspoon was talking about,” or Oprah was talking about, or whatever. And you do your darn best to help them figure it out rather than mock them. I try to take the same approach when people ask me those questions, because I'm trying to remember what it was like when I honestly did not know the answer, and having someone take the time to help me. I've been very, very lucky that I've had a lot of people take the time to help me. I'll never forget—God rest her soul—Nancy Kilpatrick, a horror writer here from Canada who passed away a few years ago. She gave me a blurb for my very first book in 2004 because she'd acquired one of my short stories for an anthology she'd edited. I was trying to call my short story collection an anthology, and she very kindly took me aside and said, “It's not an anthology if it's a single author. An anthology is a…” Jo: I didn't know that until, like, last year. I got that wrong as well. There are lots of words like that. I want to circle back, because you didn't really answer earlier about the time management. You just mentioned YouTube, on top of Substack and all the things you do. You also have a day job at Draft2Digital—it's part-time, right? You also do part-time at the university, teaching publishing, right? You do all kinds of things. How do you manage your time with all of that? Mark: Well, I mismanage my time more than I manage it, Jo. That's the God's honest truth. Fortunately, most of the things I have that aren't scheduled—like, scheduled to do this lecture at this time, or scheduled to have this meeting at this particular time with Draft2Digital—most of my work is very flexible. I do not work a regular 9:00 to 5:00, Monday to Friday. Well, I never did. I always worked way more. But I have a very flexible schedule. Every single day is a work day, and every single day is a play day for me. So I'm very, very lucky. I do schedule in the very important things, particularly where somebody else is reliant upon me—meetings and connections and stuff like that. Then I make the time first thing in the morning to get the writing done. Everything else is not as important, and it's part of… I guess it's part of playing. You know, like the social media sharing. I don't look at social media as marketing. I just look at it as another way to connect with people, with other creatives, and with readers potentially, all six people who read my stuff. I probably could do a better job of managing my time. I've tried several times over the years to adapt processes to make it better, but I consistently default back to what I do, and so far I guess I've been getting away with it. So I was like, “Do I want to waste more time trying to come up with a process, or do I just want to roll with it?” Because so far I haven't killed myself doing it, and I've been enjoying the journey. So, if it ain't broke… Jo: I think that's the point, if it doesn't feel like it's broken. Having known you for a long time now, and we work together—obviously we co-wrote The Relaxed Author—you do work very, very differently to me. You definitely are a little bit more chaotic. I'm chaotic in some ways too. Mark: Oh, you're very generous. “A little bit chaotic.” Thanks. That was generous, Jo. Jo: You're chaotic in your work practices and scheduling and all that, which I couldn't cope with very well. Even though I feel like a part of my brain is very chaotic—the creative side, I guess, can be quite chaotic—I think I'm actually quite controlling and very scheduled in my work practices. As you say, for someone else on the outside, it might feel to me like you have too many balls in the air. But if you don't feel that, then that's the way of working that works for you. So this is another important thing, isn't it? You can't adapt to what other people say your life should look like. It's what feels good to you. Mark: Oh, for sure. One thing I know about my procrastination tendency is that panic and fear motivate me. So, a deadline—”I have to get this into a publisher by this date, I have to get this manuscript to an editor by that date”—I'm motivated by fear. And I'm afraid of everything, so I guess I'm always motivated. Jo: But I also know that when you hear the word “deadline”—and I know a lot of people who do this—the deadline means you get it in on the deadline, or the day before the deadline. To me, a deadline means I have it ready a month earlier. Mark: I love that. I've done that a few times and shocked myself. I actually had a pre-order up—with the audiobook, the print, and the e-book—a month in advance, and I didn't know what to do with myself. I was like, “Well, what am I going to do now in the next month?” Jo: Work on the next thing. Mark: But I'm so used to working on it up to the last second that I was kind of like, “What do I do?” That actually caught me by surprise, and I honestly felt weird. I was like, “I've never felt this before.” I'm really lucky. I know you have a very supportive and amazing partner, and so do I. My partner, scarily enough, is maybe a bigger procrastinator than me, so she never gives me a hard time. She supports me, and I do the same thing with her own work. I'm up all night with her at the last minute so we can get something turned in. So, fortunately, we really understand one another, and we don't give each other a hard time. We just go, “Well, got away with it again. I guess I'm not going to change my ways.” Jo: We made it. And again, that's the point. You and I could stand up in front of people, both hold up the last book we wrote, and say, “We made this,” and our processes are completely different. Our brains are completely different. We come from different countries. There are lots of things that are different, and yet we both made a book. So hopefully that encourages people. You don't have to do anything that we're telling you, or anyone else tells you. But if you want to be an author, at some point you have to produce a book. Mark: Exactly. As Brian in the classic Monty Python film gets them to say: “Yes, we are all different.” Embrace that difference. I think that's such a powerful reminder that there is no one process for getting anything done. Jo: Given that we co-wrote The Relaxed Author back in 2021—and we did that because we had another show, and we were talking, and we said, “Oh, everyone's stressed and the anxiety levels are really high, and we think there's a better path”—we co-wrote that book, which I think is still a very good book. Definitely people should get it. Interestingly, I think the stress and anxiety might actually be higher now than it was. So what do you think the main stresses are in the community now? You also see a lot with Draft2Digital, I guess, as well. Mark: Oh, for sure. Honestly, Jo, I'm so glad we wrote that book, because I actually pick it up every once in a while to remind myself of the things we tried to help others with. Again, it's therapy for me as well, so I'm so glad we did it. I think we're 10, if not 100, times more stressed. The world events and things going on, the divisiveness—not just in the world in general, in politics and everything else, but the divisiveness in the author community. The witch-hunting that happens, people trying to tear down other authors either because they're successful, or because, “Oh my God, you dared use a new technology.” All of these things are happening, and everyone's at one another's throats. I need to pick that book up and reread it. I'm a lot more stressed than I was. I'm just getting over shingles, which is… Jo: Oh. Which is actually related to stress as well, isn't it? Mark: It is, yes. I was in LA for Writers of the Future—I'm a judge for that science fiction and fantasy conference. I went right from LA, like a week in LA, which was a phenomenal experience getting to mentor the winners. And I mean, come on, it's a free trip to Hollywood, hanging out with Kevin Anderson, having beers and stuff like that. Then I came back to the Toronto Indie Author Conference, run by Tao Wong, here in Toronto. I went right from the airport—didn't even go home—straight to the hotel, because I kicked into another conference. We did a display on how to set up an in-person booth, so I ended up having to hand-bomb boxes, blocks down the street from where I was parked. My chest was really sore when I got home on the Monday, and I thought it was because I hadn't used these muscles, because I'm not in the best shape. Then I took my shirt off and went, “Oh, there's a rash there.” Liz goes, “You have shingles.” Because the pain in my chest, which I thought was the muscle, was actually underneath. I'm one of those lucky people that it's taken the full five weeks, and I'm still in pain even afterwards. So, again, public notice: if you're an older person like me, and there's a vaccine available for shingles, you may want to consider it. Jo: Yep, get it. Mark: Oh my God, it hurts. But, yes, the stress, I think, is higher—even though I didn't know I was feeling it. It was happy stress, right? I was stressed out because I'm there in Hollywood, helping people and doing some good things, and then I'm doing the same thing, interacting with some amazing authors at the Toronto Indie Author Conference. I didn't feel anxious stress. I was happy stress. Is that a thing? Jo: I think possibly… your physical body masks stress, physical stress, because you enjoy all of that stuff. Whereas someone like me, I'll feel it quicker and withdraw. Although I say that, back probably a decade ago, Jonathan would say to me, “You're going too fast, and you're going to hit the wall. And when you hit the wall, it's not going to be fun.” And I did hit the wall. Then, probably in 2021—I mean, that was when I just started going into menopause, and obviously we had the pandemic, and I wrote Pilgrimage, and I was doing all those walks, which I think really helped me. I learned a lot about maybe stopping that before it happened. Becca Syme obviously talks a lot about this too. But I find it interesting with you, because I think you're so positively happy with these events you do that it might mask your physical symptoms in a different way. That's really hard to watch out for. I'll give a tip to you and everyone else listening: schedule the calendar, and look at your calendar and go, “I can't go back-to-back-to-back. I have to put in some rest days.” Mark: Well, thank you. You know, Jo, you and Becca Syme are two of my best unpaid therapists. I appreciate that. Jo: You just don't listen, Mark. Mark: Or sometimes I do. Jo: Just coming back to the community, and the divisiveness there is primarily over AI at the moment, I think that's one of the biggest things. And the arbitrary lines as to what you're allowed to use it for and what you're not allowed to use it for, which is just kind of crazy. Obviously, you know I've opted out of that whole discussion now. How do you think we can move through this [divisiveness over AI], move on? We remember when it was trad versus indie, and then it was wide versus KU. So this will pass—it's just hard, when you're in it, to know when it might pass. Mark: Yes. I think the more generic advice—for whatever may come, whatever has come—is: why are you doing this? Why are you a writer? Heads down, focus on what gives you pleasure, and do that, because everything else is noise. All the marketing tactics and strategies, and all the people yelling at one another. Write your books. Do the things that motivate you. Do the things that give you that intrinsic reward. It's hard to ignore. I get it, it is hard to ignore. I have difficulty ignoring the haters and the yelling and the screaming that happens, but I do my best. Like this morning, when I was in the throes of my manuscript and I looked up and went, “Oh my God, I've got to shower. I'm going to be talking to Jo soon, I should comb my hair”—which I have none of. Because I was so in my book that everything else melted away. That, for me as a storyteller, as a writer, is one of the most beautiful places to be. Jo: I think you're absolutely right. I have a little thing that pops up in my calendar sometimes which says, “If you're feeling all of these things, just go create something.” The moment you refocus on creation—whatever that means to you—things change. It changes the energy. That, or go for a walk. That's my other tip. Mark: Outside. And I have to say, Jo, Pilgrimage is still one of the most profound and powerful books you've written, and you've written a lot of amazing ones. Jo: Oh, you're very sweet. Mark: That one really resonates, not just for me, but with Liz. Because one of the things we often do when we get stressed is go for a walk, ideally in nature. The vitamin N. I think there's something really profound in that, and it really helps me a lot. And again, sometimes going for a walk listening to your podcast, or an audiobook, or sometimes just attending to the environment. A tip I picked up years ago from Brooklyn author Denis Hamill was: go for a walk with your character. Listen to what they see. What do they comment on? How do they approach this environment that you've seen a million times? How do they see it? What do they notice that you don't notice? That's such an incredible experience of creativity—when you're not writing, but writing. That really helps me a lot. Jo: Oh, nice one. Okay, so your latest book is Stark Realities, but you have so many more. Where can people find you and your books and your podcast online? Mark: Jo, you can find everything you want to know about me—and stuff you don't want to know about me—over at MarkLeslie.ca. It links to all the other places from there. Jo: Brilliant. Thanks again for your time, Mark. That was great. Mark: Thanks so much, Jo. Bye-bye. The post Creative Satisfaction, In Person Print Book Sales, And Author Mindset With Mark Leslie Lefebvre first appeared on The Creative Penn.

The Knight, the Horse, and the Black Hound A Pilgrimage to Jerusalem and the Legacy of the Keepers The story is set in Crusader Jerusalem It follows Sir Gawain, a weary knight on pilgrimage He is accompanied by his horse and the black hound Shadow Along the way he encounters monks, guardians, hidden places, fragments of memory, and a mystery that reaches beneath Jerusalem's stones The story moves through pilgrimage, danger, sacred memory, and the legacy of the Keepers https://www.twinsbiblicalacademy.com/shop

We've got a very special episode of the PC Pilgrims podcast this week as Greg and Ryan welcome Sandy Brown, the man who literally wrote the book, the guidebook that is, for many pilgrim trails around the world. Hear Sandy discuss the modern day rise of pilgrimage and what it means for the future of faith. Are you going on pilgrimage this summer? Let us know where you're off to at poppingcollarspodcast@gmail.com or send us your itinerary on socials Check out Sandy's pilgrim reflections Find us on the web at poppingcollarspodcast.com Don't forget to pick up some awesome merch Check out our Youtube offerings Read Greg's ramblings about movies at Letterboxd

☀️⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Summer Sanctuary⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ is now open! Join me June 24-Aug 14 in a protected wildlife preserve for your Natural Self.For much of human history, Summer was a season of pilgrimage.The weather was right for journeying, and people would leave their homes to walk toward places of meaning, healing, prayer, and transformation.But pilgrimage isn't only about traveling long distances.It's about crossing a threshold.It's about stepping out of ordinary life long enough to remember what matters most.Press play to hear:Why pilgrimage was traditionally associated with SummerThe difference between a vacation and a pilgrimageWhy some of the most important pilgrimages happen close to homeHow Nature helps us remember who we areWhy many people are secretly longing for a threshold experienceHow to create a meaningful pilgrimage in your own lifeWhat if your real life isn't standing in the way of your pilgrimage?What if your real life is the path?Wherever your feet take you this Summer, may your path feel sacred and lead you closer to what really matters.How we can walk together:Join the next women's circle, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Summer Sanctuary⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, June 24-Aug 14.More of a one-on-one person? I love that too! Learn more ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Let's connect on⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!Grab any of my Free Resources ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here.⁠⁠⁠Sign up for a free curiosity call ⁠⁠here.⁠

"I stood up and I was in shock. It was the first time in 15 months, since breaking my back, I was completely pain-free." ---------- We revisit one of the most unforgettable stories in Touched by Heaven history, Rich shares what happened after fifteen months of pain from a crushed vertebra left him wondering if this was simply life now. A former naval aviator and anesthesiologist, Rich never expected healing to come through a relic of Saint Jude--the apostle often called the saint of impossible causes. After attending Mass and venerating a fragment of Saint Jude's forearm, everything changed. But this story isn't just about physical healing. It's about intercession, faith, unexpected encounters with God, and the fruit that follows. ---------- Join Us for a Pilgrimage to Medjugorje We invite you to embark with us this October 10th to 17th on a pilgrimage to Medjugorje--one of the most grace-filled and spiritually uplifting places we've ever encountered. Register now, tickets are selling fast. Click below to see all the details:  https://padrepiopilgrimages.com/trapperjack/ ---------- Share Your Story If you have a Touched by Heaven moment that you would like to share with Trapper, please leave us a note at https://touchedbyheaven.net/contact Our listeners look forward to hearing about life-changing encounters and miraculous stories every week. Stay Informed Trapper sends out a weekly email. If you're not receiving it, and would like to stay in touch to get the bonus stories and other interesting content that will further fortify your faith. Join our email family by subscribing on https://trapperjackspeaks.com  Become a Patron We pray that our listeners and followers benefit from our podcasts and programs and develop a deeper personal relationship with God. We thank you for your prayers and for supporting our efforts by helping to cover the costs. Become a Patron and getting lots of fun extras. Please go to https://patreon.com/bfl to check out the details. More About Trapper Jack Visit Our Website: https://TrapperJackSpeaks.com Patreon Donation Link: https://www.patreon.com/bfl Purchase our Products ·       Talk Downloads: https://www.patreon.com/bfl/shop ·       CD Sales: https://trapperjackspeaks.com/cds/  Join us on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/TouchedByHeaven.TrapperJack Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trapperjack/ Join us on X/Twitter: https://x.com/TrapperJack1

Longing is often the first step of pilgrimage: the ache for something deeper, larger, and more alive than our present experience. Through Psalm 84 and the road to Emmaus, Christine reflects on how our personal longings are gathered into the larger story of God's healing, liberating, and reconciling work in the world. As our summer pilgrimage series begin, what sacred journey God is inviting us to notice in our own lives?Welcome to St. Peter's Chelsea!Sign up for our newsletter to connect with and find out more about weekly offerings! https://view.flodesk.com/emails/6776ab74d8316b405487c04fhttps://www.stpeterschelsea.orgFollow us online!https://www.facebook.com/StPetersChelseahttps://www.instagram.com/stpeterschelsea/linktr.ee/stpeterschelsea

What happens when a society possesses extraordinary technological power but lacks a shared sense of what that power is for? John Vervaeke, Jordan Hall, Guy Sengstock, and Christopher Mastropietro reunite for a sustained inquiry into normativity: the structures by which human beings perceive direction, value, responsibility, and the difference between better and worse action. The question becomes urgent in the context of artificial intelligence, where increasingly consequential decisions are being made inside a culture that struggles to articulate a coherent basis for judgment. The conversation begins with Guy's encounters with the AI community and the fear that humanity may soon make decisions it cannot reverse. From there, the group investigates modernity's technological understanding of being, the reduction of creation to artifacts, and the modern self's attachment to sole authorship. John and Jordan propose that meaning is participatory: intelligibility is not manufactured by isolated selves but emerges through shared authorship with other people, traditions, practices, and reality itself. The dialogue then turns toward virtue. If the problem is not simply ignorance but malformed attention and desire, knowing what should be done is insufficient. The deeper difficulty is how people become capable of wanting, perceiving, and participating in what is good. Socratic aporia, vulnerability, kenosis, embodied practice, pilgrimage, and dialogue are explored as ways of undergoing reorientation rather than merely acquiring information. In the final movement, the speakers discuss bad-faith dialogue, leisure, lingering, tourism, linguistic lostness, and doomscrolling. These apparently different subjects converge on one insight: when people remain sealed inside environments engineered around their existing capacities and preferences, they lose access to the forms of friction, surprise, and participation that can transform them. Key Insights Normativity is the directional structure through which actions appear better, worse, appropriate, or necessary. The AI crisis exposes a deeper cultural inability to answer what technology should serve. Modernity often confuses participation in creation with ownership of the resulting artifact. Meaning and intelligibility require shared authorship rather than sovereign individual control. Virtue cannot be transmitted as information alone; it requires transformed attention and participation. Embodied practices can reorganize abstractions because higher cognition remains rooted in sensorimotor life. Pilgrimage, leisure, and dialogos help people cross boundaries between worlds rather than consuming only familiar inputs. Doomscrolling is an efficient example of technology feeding hypertrophied capacities while narrowing participation in reality. Timestamps 00:00 - The group reunites 01:10 - Normativity as the central concern 02:40 - Guy's San Francisco radio work 05:20 - Inside an AI thought-leader conference 08:30 - The danger of irreversible technological decisions 13:50 - Intrinsic normativity and attention 16:00 - Liminal navigation and the limits of simulation 20:30 - Art, creation, and artifacts 23:00 - Heidegger's technological understanding of being 25:40 - Participation and shared authorship 28:30 - Modernity's reinforcing attractor 31:00 - Socratic aporia 33:20 - Finding the right orientation 37:50 - Exposure, vulnerability, and displacement 40:10 - Sole authorship and identity 42:20 - Kenosis and the emptying of privilege 44:20 - Reconstitution and commitment to truth 49:10 - Virtue and its opposites 51:40 - AI and humanity's final decision 54:10 - Knowing what to do versus becoming able to do it 56:10 - Can virtue be taught? 58:20 - Remediating participation in ordinary life 01:00:20 - Pilgrimage and unfamiliar worlds 01:02:30 - Embodied cognition and reorientation 01:04:30 - Rilke and self-emptying 01:09:20 - Sacred directionality 01:11:20 - Crossing the threshold into action 01:13:50 - Bad faith and dialogical boundaries 01:18:40 - Leisure and time 01:21:20 - Lingering beneath atomized time 01:23:30 - Tourist and pilgrim 01:25:50 - Modernization and tourism 01:30:10 - Being linguistically lost 01:33:00 - Situation and participation 01:35:10 - Doomscrolling as narrowed reality 01:37:30 - Returning from pilgrimage Resources Plato and Socratic aporia Charles Taylor Martin Heidegger Rainer Maria Rilke Christian concepts of kenosis, theosis, and synergy Embodied cognitive science Pilgrimage Dialogos Follow Lectern for more conversations about wisdom, meaning, philosophy, technology, spirituality, and cultural renewal.

Anisha visits Gore for a slice of the Tussock Country Music Festival - boots, utes, mullets and all!You can find photos and read more about the stories in this episode on our webpage, here.With thanks to:Annabel Roy, Jaydin Shingleton, The Rusty Pickups, Sandra Campbell, and Laura KootGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Good morning, There's much discussion over flags and marches and what it means to be British at the moment. This has meant the legitimate concerns of some have led to my own legitimate concerns for my family's safety. As an immigrant and a visible ethnic minority in the town in which I live, I can feel a sense of dis-ease and fear about whether or not I'm welcome in the nation which I have called home my whole life. It's within this climate of hyper-vigilance that I boarded a local bus and braced myself for some racist words from one particular man – someone I had judged based on the colour of his skin. To me, he looked like the type of person who might not like me. I thought he might shout some abuse, or tell me to go back to where I came from. Instead he showed me kindness. He held my son's buggy for me as I struggled with mine and my kids' belongings, giving up his seat so we could sit down. I could have wept at the simple humanity of it. And the shame of me pre-emptively judging another based on a perceived difference. All around us we see evidence that our society is fractured and fragmented and polarised. The horror of the scenes in Northern Ireland, and the sadness as we remember MP Jo Cox's murder 10 years ago this week. We're told time and again that we have more in common than what divides us. But I wonder whether this suggests we need to find our commonality before feeling a shared humanity. Maybe it's recognising our difference and choosing decency, kindness, and even love despite those differences that we should value. The Christian tradition can help us here in the example of the early Church – people from many different backgrounds and cultural and religious traditions – came together, sharing everything they had, not because they were the same, but because of a commonality found outside their individual circumstances and characteristics. Their differences were the point. This week, I attended the Sandford St Martin awards honouring the best in religious broadcasting, where a special award went to the BBC's Pilgrimage. The show takes well-known figures in British life with different beliefs – the devoutly religious, the agnostic, and the vehemently atheist – on a journey towards sacred sites including Santiago de Compostela, Holy Island and the Vatican. Perhaps the show's beauty lies not in the pilgrims' sameness, but in their difference. The commonality is not in their beliefs, but in their shared purpose, getting through a gruelling journey; spiritual and personal transformation taking place along the way. I find this a beautiful metaphor for this moment in which we find ourselves - One which might help us to meet the challenges ahead of us, where we might see our differences, and choose kindness and togetherness, anyway.

Hour 1 for 6/17/26 Drew and Andrew Harding from Heritage discuss the Iranian memo of understanding (1:00). Then, Mary Carmen Zakrajsek discusses her journey on the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage (21:09). Finally, Drew invites the callers to share their testimonies about the Eucharist (37:12). Calls: adoration (38:27), food for the journey (40:21), sign from God (42:09), the Holy Spirit (43:14), and God's presence (48:39). Links: https://www.eucharisticpilgrimage.org/ https://www.heritage.org/staff/andrew-harding

Today Fr. Wade Menezes springboards into the topic of "Make Your Vacation A Pilgrimage, Too!" and asnwers your questions about your Catholic faith.

"I had never heard of Fatima, Lourdes, or Guadalupe. And then I saw her. She was heavenly, and beautiful." ---------- Gina had never heard of Marian apparitions--Fatima, Lourdes, Guadalupe--none of them. And then suddenly, she began having visions she couldn't explain. She discovered that this kind of experience could change where you go to church on Sunday. In this episode, Gina shares her experiences, including an end-times Marian vision and a powerful encounter with her mother in heaven that brought unexpected healing and closure. --------- Join Us for a Pilgrimage to Medjugorje We invite you to embark with us this October 10th to 17th on a pilgrimage to Medjugorje--one of the most grace-filled and spiritually uplifting places we've ever encountered. Register now, tickets are selling fast. Click below to see all the details:  https://padrepiopilgrimages.com/trapperjack/ ---------- Share Your Story If you have a Touched by Heaven moment that you would like to share with Trapper, please leave us a note at https://touchedbyheaven.net/contact Our listeners look forward to hearing about life-changing encounters and miraculous stories every week. Stay Informed Trapper sends out a weekly email. If you're not receiving it, and would like to stay in touch to get the bonus stories and other interesting content that will further fortify your faith. Join our email family by subscribing on https://trapperjackspeaks.com  Become a Patron We pray that our listeners and followers benefit from our podcasts and programs and develop a deeper personal relationship with God. We thank you for your prayers and for supporting our efforts by helping to cover the costs. Become a Patron and getting lots of fun extras. Please go to https://patreon.com/bfl to check out the details. More About Trapper Jack Visit Our Website: https://TrapperJackSpeaks.com Patreon Donation Link: https://www.patreon.com/bfl Purchase our Products ·       Talk Downloads: https://www.patreon.com/bfl/shop ·       CD Sales: https://trapperjackspeaks.com/cds/  Join us on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/TouchedByHeaven.TrapperJack Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trapperjack/ Join us on X/Twitter: https://x.com/TrapperJack1

Eight hundred years ago, St Francis walked the roads of central Italy with nothing — and today, those same roads are waiting for you to explore. Katy sits down with Sara Zanni, Bologna-based archaeologist and hiking guide, to explore the Via di Francesco. Thirteen trails through Umbria, Tuscany, and Lazio, all converging on Assisi, through ancient forests, olive groves, and small towns home to art treasures you will never find on a standard itinerary.Show notes with links and resources here > untolditaly.com/328Want someone who really knows Italy to help plan your trip? Our Italy experts love answering your tricky questions and designing trips that take you to the Italy you imagined - start planning hereNot sure where to start? Get the Untold Italy podcast guide with 315 epsiodes organized by topic.The premium Untold Italy app has ad-free access to our complete archive of 300+ episodes searchable by place and topicFOLLOW: Instagram • Facebook • YouTube GET OUR NEWS: Subscribe hereTRIP PLANNING SERVICES: Learn more hereJOIN US ON TOUR: Upcoming departuresThe Untold Italy travel podcast is an independent production. Podcast editing and audio production by Mark Hatter. Production assistance by the other

"Live your life with arms wide open, today is where your book begins." ---------- There is one day each year that seems to echo across history. Fatima in 1917. Akita in 1973. A mysterious moment during adoration in San Francisco in 2023. Different places. Same invitation: return to God. In this episode, I revisit one of the most talked-about episodes of Touched by Heaven and ask a simpler question than before--not what every sign means, but what they're asking of us. Along the way come unexpected clues through songs like Unwritten and Anything Goes, and a surprising realization: perhaps the ending isn't fixed. Perhaps, even now, the story is still being written. ---------- Join Us for a Pilgrimage to Medjugorje We invite you to embark with us this October 10th to 17th on a pilgrimage to Medjugorje--one of the most grace-filled and spiritually uplifting places we've ever encountered. Register now, tickets are selling fast. Click below to see all the details:  https://padrepiopilgrimages.com/trapperjack/ ---------- Share Your Story If you have a Touched by Heaven moment that you would like to share with Trapper, please leave us a note at https://touchedbyheaven.net/contact Our listeners look forward to hearing about life-changing encounters and miraculous stories every week. Stay Informed Trapper sends out a weekly email. If you're not receiving it, and would like to stay in touch to get the bonus stories and other interesting content that will further fortify your faith. Join our email family by subscribing on https://trapperjackspeaks.com  Become a Patron We pray that our listeners and followers benefit from our podcasts and programs and develop a deeper personal relationship with God. We thank you for your prayers and for supporting our efforts by helping to cover the costs. Become a Patron and getting lots of fun extras. Please go to https://patreon.com/bfl to check out the details. More About Trapper Jack Visit Our Website: https://TrapperJackSpeaks.com Patreon Donation Link: https://www.patreon.com/bfl Purchase our Products ·       Talk Downloads: https://www.patreon.com/bfl/shop ·       CD Sales: https://trapperjackspeaks.com/cds/  Join us on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/TouchedByHeaven.TrapperJack Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trapperjack/ Join us on X/Twitter: https://x.com/TrapperJack1