Subscribe on Apple Podcasts Show Notes: 309 Meg Lavery Storyteller and Teacher “I knew that I had to do something, I was going to have to let him know, but I didn’t let him know. I became paralyzed with fear of telling him.” Meg lives in a conservation community in the Chicago suburbs with her wife, daughter, and menagerie of rescue animals. She is a middle school Health teacher and coach whose passion is helping kids become good humans. Teaching important topics like mental health, consent, communication, and empathy are her jam. She told her first story at ..read more

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts Show Notes: 308 Jeff Grant Co-Founder of Progressive Prison Ministries “I was dressed up looking the part, but deep inside, I was just vacant. I just was not someone I was proud of anymore.” Jeff Grant, J.D., M.Div. is Co-Founder of Progressive Prison Ministries, Inc., the world’s first ministry serving the white collar justice community. Jeff co-hosts with Babz Rawls Ivy the Criminal Justice Insider podcast and hosts the White Collar Week podcast. He also leads a weekly online confidential White Collar Support Group. Prisonist.org ..read more

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts Show Notes: 307 Re-Broadcast: Wilhelm Verwoerd Researcher & Facilitator “We would also be very conscious of preaching anti-communism because people were saying that the African National Congress, you know, former President Mandela’s political party, they were really not liberation fighters, they were terrorists.” Wilhelm is a facilitator and researcher based at Stellenbosch University in South Africa. A dedicated peace activist, he is also the author of several books, including most recently Verwoerd: My Journey Through Family ..read more

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts Show Notes: 306 NBW: “Panic on the Road to Jericho” Lutheran Pastor and Author Description:“I spent the entire time praying, and cursing, and praying and cursing.” Enjoy this bonus episode featuring a story Nadia Bolz-Weber told live at a Moth storytelling event in New York City in 2015. The Confessional is produced in conjunction with The Moth, a non-profit dedicated to the art and craft of storytelling. The organization hosts storytelling events throughout the U.S. Subscribe to The Moth podcast to hear more true stories from real ..read more

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts Show Notes: 305 Elizabeth Lesser Co-Founder of Omega Institute “And that was the moment … where I was like, ‘Girl, you can be a good mother and a happy, embodied woman, but you can’t be a good mother and a liar.'” Elizabeth Lesser is a bestselling author and the cofounder of Omega Institute, the renowned conference and retreat center located in Rhinebeck, New York. Elizabeth’s first book*,* The Seeker’s Guide chronicles her years at Omega and distills lessons learned into a potent guide for growth and healing. She is also the autho ..read more

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts  Show Notes: 304 Dr. Ray Christian Storyteller and Fulbright Specialist “I think it’s the expectation in the military about what young people can do. They always put an emphasis on young people and leadership, which can be a lot of pressure and misguided in every way. And in my case, it was fatally flawed.” Dr. Raymond Christian is a retired US Army paratrooper who grew up on the poverty-ridden streets of Richmond, VA. He has taught African American History and Storytelling at Appalachian State University and is a 12-time Moth Stor ..read more

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts Show Notes: 303 Joshua Harris Storyteller and Author of “I Kissed Dating Goodbye” “If you can call people to a higher standard and tap into that fear.. that ‘I’m not trying hard enough. I’m not really loving God enough. I’m not sacrificing enough.’ There is always going to be another person coming along with a book or a conference to sell that is going to tap into that and say, you’re right, you’re not doing enough. Let me show you how you can do more.” Joshua Harris is a storyteller and owner of the marketing company Clear and Lou ..read more

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts Show Notes: 302 Claire Bidwell Smith Grief Therapist and Author “I just remember the feeling of having his arms around me, and I just felt so sickened that I had chosen this instead of my mother.” Claire Bidwell Smith is a therapist specializing in grief and the author of three books about grief and loss. Visit her website to find her offerings including courses, meditations, one-on-one grief sessions and more. clairebidwellsmith.com Instagram: @clairebidwellsmith Transcript: Nadia Bolz-Weber (NBW): In 2019 I was on ..read more

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts Show Notes: 301 Sarah Edmondson Actor and Former Member of NXIVM “I essentially told her to override that very important internal compass called your gut instinct. And I told her that that wasn’t accurate. She was just scared and that this is normal, that you hit up against fears that are gonna stop you from your true potential … I told her to trust me, and I just, I wonder where she would be now if she’d just stayed in Vancouver and not done ESP.” Sarah Edmondson is a Canadian actress who has starred in the CBS series Salvation an ..read more

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts Show Notes: 208 Maria Hinojosa Journalist “You know, it comes down to a human error, but one of massive proportions because you’re dealing with humanity and people’s lives.” Maria is the host of Latino USA and one of the most respected journalists in the country. She also has a new memoir. It’s called Once I Was You: A Memoir of Love and Hate in a Torn America. https://twitter.com/Maria_Hinojosa/ https://www.instagram.com/maria_la_hinojosa Transcript: Nadia Bolz-Weber (NBW)  In 2019 I was the subject of a fake n ..read more