137: How Can I Tell a Better Story with My Life?

It happens to all of us one way or another... When a global pandemic upends our security. When a partner leaves. When we get a terrible diagnosis, or face the death of a loved one. When long-held beliefs about God or faith slipped through our hands.  Whether the details are global or personal, we have all experienced our world falling apart. Manda brings her friend, pastor, and newly published author - Jason Adam Miller - to the table to chat about... How to deal when the world is breaking Where we can find hope in the midst of pain and suffering Becoming people who help put the world back together Grab your copy of Jason's new book When The World Breaks. A Longer Table Podcast is hosted by Manda Carpenter.

Jennifer Ji-Hye Ko is an autistic and disabled author, poet, and educator. She shares about how her autism and disabilities affect her daily life, and how the world - specifically the church - can improve to become more accessible. Tune in to widen your perspective and lean into empathy! Learn more from Jennifer by following her on instagram here. A Longer Table Podcast is hosted by Manda Carpenter.

Blaine Hogan is a film director and actor who believes you can redeem your story and redefine your creativity. In this episode, he gets real with Manda about his past addiction and how his whole life changed when he started living honestly and seeking healing. They also chat about: -His fascinating career as a film director and the celebrities he's worked with recently -His new book "exit the cave" which isn't the book he meant to write-His life raising 3 daughters and the 5 affirmations they say every day Buy Blaine's newest book here and follow him on instagram hereA Longer Table Podcast is hosted by Manda Carpenter.

Trigger Warning: If you are part of the LGBTQ+ community, this episode may be difficult as the guest was brought on specifically to share her story. Manda does not align with or endorse the beliefs of the guest, but feels it is important to navigate hard conversations with grace and curiosity. Part of building a LONGER table is having people sit around it who do not share the same perspective as you, which is why our team cautiously decided to proceed with this release.From a young age, Kyrie questioned her sexuality and came out as gay at 18. A few years later after becoming a Christian, she renounced her homosexual lifestyle, left the LGBTQ community, and started sharing about her life as an "Ex-Gay" on social media. We're thankful she joins Manda at the table today to provide some insight into a perspective we haven't had on the podcast yet. Tune in to hear about: - her sexual identity shift- the feedback she's received from the LGBTQ+ and Christian communities - her beliefs surrounding homosexuality and sin View Kyrie's Instagram here & her ministry here Resources Recommended by Manda: A Sacred Conversation on Sexuality  God and the Gay Christian UnClobber Changing Our Mind 1946 The Mistranslation that Shifted a Culture Resources Recommended by Kyrie: A Change of Affection, Beckett Cook Holy Sexuality and the Gospel, Christopher Yuhan The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert, Rosaria Butterfield Is God Anti-Gay? Sam Allberry Sown Rooted in Redemption, K. Price

Jennifer Dukes Lee is a journalist turned author who lives on a farm in Iowa and is an expert at asking questions. She's at the table today to share how asking good questions changed her life and give us some insight about how intentional (and fun!) question-asking can help us become more self-aware and improve our relationships. Buy Jennifer's new guided journal, "Stuff I'd Only Tell God" here Follow Jennifer on Instagram A Longer Table Podcast is hosted by Manda Carpenter.

Angela Tucker is a Black woman adopted from foster care to a white family. In this episode, she gets honest with Manda about all things foster care and adoption and ultimately helps us answer an important question: Should we feel guilty for not adopting? Angela is the founder of The Adopted Life, a consulting company where she offers workshops and mentorship with a mission to help center adoptee stories and bring clarity and truth narratives about race, class, and identity. She is the host of The Adoptee Next Door podcast and has advised the writers of Broadway’s Jagged Little Pill and NBC’s show, This Is Us. Angela lives in Seattle, Washington with her husband, Emmy-award winning filmmaker Bryan Tucker. Buy her book Follow her on instagram: @angieadoptee Schedule a consultation with her A Longer Table Podcast is hosted by Manda Carpenter and sponsored by: Aro - code MANDA for your first month free at https://www.goaro.com/ ABLE - code ALONGERTABLE15 for 15% off all apparel at https://able.sjv.io/c/3929645/1228242/15174

Adopted from Korea by a white American family, Brandi Ebersole grew up in a community that didn't look like her. In this conversation, she reflects on her childhood as a transracial adoptee and shares about the journey she's had with her own children who have joined her family through foster care, adoption, and biologically. Give this episode a listen to hear Manda ask her about: her thoughts on the effects of transracial adoption how being an adoptee has influenced the way she's raising her own kids the challenges of transracial adoption Hear more from Brandi as she advocates for the adoptee community on instagram at https://www.instagram.com/brandi_ebersole/ A Longer Table Podcast is hosted by Manda Carpenter and sponsored by: Aro - code MANDA for your first month free at https://www.goaro.com/ ABLE - code ALONGERTABLE15 for 15% off all apparel at https://able.sjv.io/c/3929645/1228242/15174

At 32 years old, Christine Boye got diagnosed with breast cancer and a few days later found out she was pregnant. In this episode, she shares about the realities and hardships of living with cancer while also growing a baby (and caring for her 2 other young children!) Tune in to hear Manda ask her specifically about: the moment she received her diagnosis the impact pregnancy had on her cancer treatment the lessons she's learned along the way and more! Christine shares about her life and journey on instagram at https://www.instagram.com/iamchristineboye/ A Longer Table Podcast is hosted by Manda Carpenter and sponsored by: Aro - code MANDA for your first month free at https://www.goaro.com/ ABLE - code ALONGERTABLE15 for 15% off all apparel at https://able.sjv.io/c/3929645/1228242/15174

What if I told you that you could regain 15 days of time each year by putting away your phone for just 1 hour each day? Founders of Aro, Heath and Joey, sit at our table to share about an amazing product they've designed specifically for families looking to reduce screen time and increase quality time together. This conversation reveals the backstory to how Aro came into existence, answers the most frequently asked questions about it, and serves as a crucial wake up call to everyone. Give it a listen, and then take action by getting Aro; code MANDA for your first month free! Thank you to our sponsor ABLE! Shop with code ALONGERTABLE15 for 15% off all apparel. A Longer Table Podcast is hosted by Manda Carpenter. For more, visit www.mandacarpenter.com and purchase her latest book Soul Care to Save Your Life

Jenai is a writer, artist, Filipina woman who holds stories and makes space for others. She addresses the cultures of marginalization and how we can better set the table for people on the margins. I asked her to join our table to discuss how we set the table for others, but our conversation really dove deep into why we separate ourselves from, or even tear down, people who are different from us. Tune in to hear Jenai share... About her upbringing and how she's navigating her identity as a Filipina woman What "othering" means and looks like; including an example of how we may "other" someone unintentionally How we can all be better stewards of our privilege and influence She has a book on the intersection of faith and othering that comes out next year! A Longer Table Podcast is hosted by Manda Carpenter and sponsored by: Aro - code MANDA for your first month free at https://www.goaro.com/ ABLE - code ALONGERTABLE15 for 15% off all apparel at https://able.sjv.io/c/3929645/1228242/15174