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For The Love With Jen Hatmaker Podcast

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For The Love With Jen Hatmaker Podcast

Jen Hatmaker
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  1. 481Finding Freedom with Mel Robbins and Two Little Words: Let ThemBuckle up, listeners. It was only a matter of time before our paths crossed with Mel Robbins, one of the most respected experts on change and motivation in the zeitgeist, and today is that day. Known for being the host of the #1 ranking education podcast in the world, bringing deeply relatable topics, tactical advice, tools, and compelling conversations to her audiences, Jen and Amy spend today’s hour diving into Mel’s “Let Them” theory, which is taking the world by storm, already delivering instant peace and freedom in the lives and relationships of people putting it into practice.Together, they discuss: The difference between “Let Them” and “Let Me” Learning to release the white-knuckle grip we hold over other people’s behavior (and other things beyond our control) Reframing disappointment to view it as a gift (yes, it’s possible!) Repositioning self-worth inward, rather than leaving it dependent on others' opinions. ***Thought-provoking Quotes:“For a lot of women, we spend so much time upstairs in our heads as people-pleasers and over-analyzers, over-thinking and ruminating, trying to get things perfect. That’s the last place I should be, personally. I need to drop into my body and get out of my head.” – Mel Robbins“People reveal who they are and what they care about through their behavior. Ignore their words. Watch their behavior. Let people be who they are. Let them do what they’re going to do. Focusing on them is not where your power is.” – Mel Robbins“The difference between ‘not my business’ and ‘let them’ is worlds apart. When you say, ‘not my business’, you’re scolding yourself. With, ‘let them’, you’re in the power position because you see what’s happening and are choosing to allow it without allowing it. You’re rising above it.” – Mel Robbins“There’s something about learning that [people] aren’t ever going to change but that doesn’t mean your relationship can’t change for the better. When you let them be who they are, you create space for acceptance, the whole energy shifts.” – Mel RobbinsResources Mentioned in This Episode:Demotivators - https://despair.com/collections/Effin Birds on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/effinbirds/Van Morrison - https://www.vanmorrison.com/No Hard Feelings by the Avett Brothers - https://open.spotify.com/track/0bgQ1hQrpP6ScdBZlDfLE2Foo Fighters - https://foofighters.com/DePeche Mode - https://www.depechemode.com/The Cure - https://www.thecure.com/Taylor Swift - https://www.taylorswift.com/The 5 Second Rule: Transform Your Life, Work, and Confidence with Everyday Courage by Mel Robbins - https://amzn.to/427OHwuThe Let Them Theory: A Life-Changing Tool That Millions of People Can't Stop Talking About by Mel Robbins - https://amzn.to/4hc53bEThe Mel Robbins Podcast - https://www.melrobbins.com/podcastThe Four Questions: For Henny Penny and Anybody with Stressful Thoughts by Byron Katie - https://amzn.to/3C7tKXTMy Legacy Podcast - https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-my-legacy-podcast-255793246/ ...1 hr 10 min
  2. 482Title: Big Time Adulting with Caitlin MurrayDescription:In this funny, refreshing, and irreverent conversation about parenting, Jen welcomes Caitlin Murray to the show to talk about her Big Time Adulting community space, the blog (and now podcast) that Caitlin started when her 5-year-old son was in cancer treatment for Leukemia, as a place to connect with other moms and parents craving funny, provocative, no-nonsense entertainment to distract themselves from the hamster wheel of lifeLike a big sister, Jen offers encouragement to guide Cailin through the years to come, with the two ultimately agreeing that early childhood is hard but middle school is the real shit show.They commiserate over:  Spirit Weeks, PTA obligations, and signing reading logs The idea of the 'Hardship Olympics' that creates unnecessary competition among women / moms Comparison parenting and why authenticity resonates more with their communities than curated perfection How community and humor that can be found in the everyday chaos of parenting ***Thought-provoking Quotes:I had begun writing as a therapeutic outlet to family and friends. It was really just for me to put out there how I was feeling on these long days at the hospital and the things that I saw going on around me – the emotion and the stress of it all. I felt like I was protecting myself by saying exactly how I was feeling about what we were going through rather than having anyone assume what I was feeling or thinking. – Caitlin MurrayBy the time I had been through hell and back for over three years of pediatric cancer with my son, I knew my worth as a mother. I don’t give a f*ck about what anyone has to say about who I am. I know I am a good damn mom. – Caitlin MurrayThe things that you lay in bed at night and obsess over – things that you did poorly, when you lost your shit, you missed something or you messed up – it just falls right out of your kids' brains. It’s not the bones; it’s the soft tissue that sticks and makes it into their adult psyche. ‘I was deeply loved, I lived in a safe, secure home / family, my mom was into me, my mom thinks I’m funny, we laughed a lot in our home.’ That’s the stuff that lasts. Everything else turns into funny, comedic material. – Jen HatmakerResources Mentioned in This Episode:McSweeney’s article - Did You Even Consider Every Possible Lived Experience Before Recklessly Posting Your Chili Recipe on Social Media? - https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/did-you-even-consider-every-possible-lived-experience-before-recklessly-posting-your-chili-recipe-on-social-mediaAnne Lamott - https://amzn.to/4h6cwcODavid Sedaris - https://amzn.to/3E48QtmEdith Eger - https://amzn.to/4hoXdM4You’ll Grow Out Of It by Jessi Klein - https://amzn.to/40oiSNmGuest’s Links:Caitlin’s website - https://bigtimeadulting.blog/Caitlin’s Big Time Adulting podcast - https://open.spotify.com/show/7nBEnM3JLnpSsyzxWyKZJJ?si=3b76f80afad345b7Caitlin’s Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/bigtimeadulting/Caitlin’s Twitter - https://x.com/Caitlin98714163<a href="https://www.facebook.com/OfficialBi ...59 min
  3. 483Title: January 2025: Ruth Ware’s The Woman in Cabin 10Description:It seemed like a good idea at the time… a twisty, suspenseful thriller set on a cruise ship. How could this not be the perfect story to build a little buzz and excitement in my community ahead of our upcoming Jen Hatmaker cruise? Did we get more than we bargained for?Ruth Ware’s writing has rightfully been compared to that of suspense-queen, Agatha Christie, for featuring everyday female protagonists often white-knuckling it through some treacherous situations in places where they are isolated from any rescue – a glass house in the woods, an excluded ski resort, a remote tropical island, a boutique cruise ship! Today, Jen sits down with the author of our January 2025 JHBC pick to navigate the many twists and turns of The Woman in Cabin 10 and why so many of our readers are losing sleep this month thanks to her innate skill of setting a heart-pounding scene.  ***Thought-provoking Quotes:People are comparing me to Agatha Christie which is kind of terrifying. The thing that is so brilliant about some of Christie’s books that I love the most is the closed room setting: the terrifying storm-wracked island, the luxury train in the middle of the snow storm, or the Dahabiya drifting down the Nile. What she does so brilliantly is that sense of corrupted luxury, that setting that should be really idyllic turns out horrific and becomes more and more claustrophobic and more terrifying. – Ruth WareI have never been on a cruise but I had a chance to look around a ship as a day passenger and I was so surprised by how much I got right. There was so much that I had guessed at and I turned out to be more correct than I ever could have imagined. – Ruth WareThe way in which you write fear, to me, it feels the truest version of it when it’s not screaming, ‘you’re so scared, you can’t make a sound’ or ‘you’re so scared, you’re frozen – you can’t move.’ That to me, rings true. – Jen HatmakerI do try really hard to drop clues and play fair with the reader. I know as a reader, the feeling that I hate most, is what I feel like the writer has cheated me and there was information that I couldn’t possibly have known, stuff I couldn’t have guessed and that I find deeply irritating as a reader. I try always to feel like I played fair with the reader and they did have a chance of guessing it even if they didn’t get there. – Ruth WareIsn’t that why we love reading crime? It’s because you can have bad things happen in a fictional world. It doesn’t always get tied up in every single respect and yes, there’s sadness in terms that someone is usually dead. But there is some kind of restorative justice at the end. – Ruth WareResources Mentioned in This Episode:The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware - https://amzn.to/3DKHCrHIn a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware - https://amzn.to/400kQ6gAgatha Christie - https://www.agathachristie.com/Below Deck tv show - https://www.bravotv.com/below-deckThe Woman in Suite 11 by Ruth Ware - https://amzn.to/4gKYDk1The Woman in Cabin 10 on Netflix - https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/the-woman-in-cabin-10-release-date-photos-newsWe Live Here Now by Sarah Pinborough - https://amzn.to/4h7kkKNGuest’s Links:Ruth’s website - https://ruthware.com/<a href="https://www.in ...50 min
  4. 484What Time Is Noon (and Other Nonsense We Couldn’t Make Up If We Tried) with Chip LeightonDescription:Chip Leighton is a guy whose kids describe him as an “unemployed, middle-aged TikTokker“. He has turned the chaos of parenting kids – teens, in particular, into comedy gold. By taking hilarious text from teens and turning them into reels, he keeps the internet in stitches. With his hilarious take on raising teenagers that is so relatable and mirrors so many parents' exact experiences, Chip helps countless moms and dads know that they are not alone in their wild journey. Now he’s compiling the best conversations from texts and real-life moments into his new book, What Time Is Noon?Chip and Jen talk about:  The names we are given as parents of teens: Gangster, Bruh, or Jen’s favorite….Pimp Ridiculous questions our kids have asked, such as: Did grandma have kids? Am I a notary? Am I on Medicare? What’s a stamp?  Savage burns Chip’s kids have made about his wardrobe: Our favorite – “that looks like the material they make tents from”. Endless instructions from the teens on how not to be embarrassing in front of their friends Also, Chip tells the story of deciding to leave his corporate job to try his hand at standup (at the urging of one Caroline Rhea). Segments:Bless & Release: The clothes we made our kids wearGenXCellence: Parenting in GenX versus GenZ ***Thought-provoking Quotes:I’m nostalgic about the feral children going out riding their bikes, building forts, staying out till the streetlights came on. – Amy HardinIt’s universal, it’s all teens. They don’t know how to dress properly for the weather. But they know what we (the parents) are doing wrong. – Jen Hatmaker and Chip LeightonYou wouldn’t have predicted that I would be funny. Neither of my parents were performers. I wasn’t the class clown. I’ve always had a dry sense of humor and I’ve appreciated that type of comedy, I’ve just kept it inside all these years. – Chip LeightonI do believe that everybody has some strengths and interests and talents that aren’t necessarily fully leveraged in the typical career or job that they have and these new platforms help bring that out and there are more creative people able to connect with an audience now. – Chip LeightonResources Mentioned in This Episode:What Time is Noon?: Hilarious Texts, Ridiculous Feedback, and Not-So-Subtle Advice from Teenagers by Chip Leighton - https://amzn.to/4hp7qrHCaroline Rhea - https://carolinerhea.com/Guest’s Links:Chip’s website - https://theleightonshow.com/Chip’s Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/the_leighton_show/Chip’s Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/theleightonshow/Chip’s YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzdstcflneJKZ_Qi5TQAvQQChip’s TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@the_leighton_showConnect with Jen!Jen’s website - https://jenhatmaker.com/Jen’s Instagram - https://instagram.com/jenhatmakerJen’s Twitter - https://twitter.com/jenHatmaker/Jen’s Facebook - https://facebook.com/jenhatmaker<a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/JenHatmaker ...1 hr 8 min
  5. 485No Such Thing As Good or Bad Kids: Dr. Shefali on Conscious ParentingTitle: No Such Thing As Good or Bad Kids: Dr. Shefali on Conscious ParentingDescription:Today, we’re taking a trip into the archives to revisit a 2023 episode with renowned clinical psychologist and listener favorite, Dr. Shefali Tsabary, where we dove into the deeply-layered topic of conscious parenting. Those of us in the middle of life, still parenting kids at home, adjusting to parenting adult children who just launched out into the world. or in any season of the parenting journey, really, will find much to learn as we look back (and forward) at our parenting patterns.Highlights from this convo include: Defining conscious parenting and the three stages of the parenting map Debunking the notion that as parents we are supposed to create happy, perfect superhumans by following traditional parenting rules Dismissing the notion that there are good kids and bad kids—and how to avoid using these labels Revealing the five ego patterns that parents might not even realize inform their quest to raise amazing children The three reasons why children act out or misbehave and how you can learn not to shame them for it The results of over-parenting and how it shows up in your adult children How it’s never too late to become a mindful parent Segments:Bless and Release: Avoiding difficult conversationsThought-provoking Quotes:The evolution of the planet depends on the evolution of the parent. – Dr. ShefaliEveryone wants a new tomorrow. But what we don’t realize is that a new future comes with an absolute willingness to disrupt the past. – Dr. ShefaliThere is no such thing as a good kid or a bad kid. So, what kind of kids are there? Just kids – just humans who are terribly flawed like we are, and terribly, but amazingly blissful like we are. They’re just this unique combo and they defy labels. – Dr. ShefaliPunishment, shaming, blaming is never sustainable. I cannot tell you how many times a day I tell parents, ‘Listen, you appear to get control in the moment, but long term, it’s going to be unforgiving.’ – Dr. ShefaliHow do we constantly show our presence [to our adult children]? Unequivocal cheerleading. ‘I’m thinking of you. I miss you. I’m remembering you. I adore you.’ Let them know they are on your mind but not involved in their day-to-day. – Dr. ShefaliWhen the ego crumbles, proportionately the heart expands, and you then are just this heart-centered being able to connect to the other people in a very attuned, compassionate, genuine way. And your children will feel it. – Dr. ShefaliResources Mentioned in This Episode:The Conscious Parent by Dr. Shefali Tsabary - https://amzn.to/4aNAPd8The Parenting Map by Dr. Shefali Tsabary - https://amzn.to/3EER148Dr. Shefali’s previous interview on For the Love:Releasing The Fantasy of “The Good Girl” with Dr. Shefali Tsabary - https://jenhatmaker.com/podcasts/series-35/releasing-the-fantasy-of-the-good-girl-with-dr-shefali-tsabary/Guest’s Links:Dr. Shefali’s website - https://www.drshefali.com/Dr. Shefali’s Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/doctorshefaliDr. Shefali’s Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/doctorshefali<a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/Dr ...52 min
  6. 486Using Storytelling to Address Complex Social Issues: Dr. Tressie McMillan CottomDescription:Jen first met Tressie McMillan Cottom the way most normal people meet – under the bright lights on the set of an Oprah special, invited by Ms. Winfrey to speak on a panel, along with other influential voices including Rebel Wilson, Amber Riley, Katie Sturino, Jamie Kern Lima, Busy Philipps and others to talk about diet culture, the harmful narratives we have surrounding our weight and our bodies, and how we can begin reframing the conversation away from one centered in shame to one focused on body acceptance. The entire studio was gobsmacked by Tressie which is fitting given that she is a prominent cultural commentator and Professor at UNC Chapel Hill. Her work explores the loaded and nuanced ideas like racial capitalism, beauty standards, the exploitation of higher education systems, but in a way that we ordinary Joe’s can understand. We knew immediately that she was destined to be a guest on our show and today is the day.Segments:Bless & Release: The News Cycle***Thought-provoking Quotes:I think every life has a trauma so there’s nothing really special about mine. But whatever your trauma is, you are usually faced with a decision, which is, do I want to be who I was before this or am I going to be something different? – Tressie McMillan CottomI love really hard questions. I am my happiest, most connected, most joyful, when I am trying to disentangle a really hard social problem that I think everybody has got wrong. I’m really attracted to those things where our beliefs are totally counter-intuitive, where our gut is telling us something is there but the picture is fuzzy, and I think I’m attracted to that because my path was so abnormal and so unique and I know that I wouldn’t have existed if people had just gone along with what was supposed to be. – Tressie McMillan CottomI thought my grandmothers sounded as intelligent as my professors and so I really struggled with the idea that there was something counterfeit or illegitimate about them and their stories and the things that I had learned from them. - Tressie McMillan CottomHistory is weirdly comforting when we can look at our worst impulses and know this isn't the first time we’ve faced this level of chaos and inequality and systemic injustice. It’s just our generation’s turn. – Jen HatmakerResources Mentioned in This Episode:Leave us a voicemail- https://jenhatmaker.com/podcast/ Click the “Send Voicemail” tab on the right side of the pagePantsuit Politics - https://www.pantsuitpoliticsshow.com/Allison Gill - https://allisongill.com/The Daily Beans | News with Swearing - https://www.dailybeanspod.com/Lower Ed: The Troubling Rise of For-Profit Colleges in the New Economy by Tressie McMillan Cottom - https://amzn.to/4hv6dPFThick: And Other Essays by Tressie McMillan Cottom - https://amzn.to/3Co8gWXDr. Tressie McMillan Cottom’s New York Times newsletter - https://www.nytimes.com/by/tressie-mcmillan-cottomTressie’s MacArthur Fellowship - https://www.macfound.org/fellows/class-of-2020/tressie-mcmillan-cottomOprah + Weight Watchers: Making the Shift special - https://www.weightwat ...1 hr 5 min
  7. 487Winning at Travel with “The Points Guy’s” Brian KellyBack in the olden days of the 1990s with our dial-up internet and AOL accounts, twelve-year-old Brian Kelly was at home honing his budding interest in travel planning by booking his family vacations and maximizing the reach of his family’s points and frequent flyer miles. Cut to a few decades later and that hobby (which started as a small-time blog powered by affiliate-marketing, which his mom was convinced was a scam) has evolved into a whirlwind operation that the world now knows familiarly as “The Points Guy”. Brian Sherpas us through all of the twists and turns of booking travel to eliminate the headaches and get THE MOST bang for our buck.Highlights from this chat include:  Why Brian thinks this is “the Platinum Age of Travel”  Mastering family travel – Brian has been to sixteen countries with his two-year-old and is currently planning a month-long trip to Thailand with his newborn so he’s figured this out! How, when leveraged correctly, you can finance your travel using your loyalty points The 3 main types of rewards to have on your radar Surprisingly helpful hacks to avoid jetlag And Jen shares a hilarious story about a flight to Spain seated next to a nun that quickly got out of hand Segments:Rant or Rave: Early Airport ArrivalsGenXCellence: 80s/90s Travel***Thought-provoking Quotes:When people tell me that because of my knowledge, they were able to get the family together this year, that’s why I do what I do.– Brian KellyHaving points in a transferable currency is like an insurance policy. – Brian KellyFind where the deals are. That’s how you really save. Let the deal define your destination, especially if you’re booking multiple tickets. That’s when you save real money. Spend your money on the horseback riding experience, spend it on the meals, and the fun. – Brian Kelly You need to be your own advocate. I see people melting down in airports and getting bullied around, screaming at airline agents – the ones who hold all the power. I think people need a mentality shift because they assume they are owed something when they’re not. You need to know when to ask for favor and when you are owed something. It makes all the difference. – Brian Kelly1 hr 8 min
  8. 488Midlife Renaissance: Building Your Belonging Circle with Dr. Thema BryantTitle: Midlife Renaissance: Building Your Belonging Circle with Dr Thema BryantDescription:Today, we’re revisiting a popular topic on this show: Friendships. More specifically, the revival of our friendships and our capacity for friendships in midlife. How many of us have sacrificed a relationship or a piece of ourselves in order to fulfill the implied demands of our role as a wife or mother or woman with a career? Dr. Thema Bryant is a renowned psychologist, author, professor, sacred artist, and minister, who empowers women to connect with themselves and to others by exploring fun and comfortable topics like our control issues and emotional unavailability with practical activation activities and teaching how to shift our mindset and patterns.Today, we’re delving into the impacts of loneliness, the complexities of navigating new and evolving friendships in midlife, and the importance of self-love and “coming home” to ourselves before we can build a community that can support us in the way we need it to.Aha moments from this episode include: Common reasons why midlife can feel isolating to some women The role major life changes (e.g., career shifts, divorce, empty nesting) play in creating a sense of disconnection Signs that a friendship or community is not serving us well, including navigating shifts in those friendships and letting go of what no longer serves us and welcoming new connections Practical activation exercises, such as writing vows to yourself, that you can practice to strengthen your relationships with yourself and others Plus, Jen and Amy debut a new segment called “Zero Damns to Give” where they suss out what stuff really matters in this stage of their lives and what can be cast off, allowing them to step into full authenticity—without guilt, shame, or over-explanation.***SegmentsZero Damns to Give: Unapologetic midlife editionThought-provoking Quotes:When I observe someone making a polite but clear boundary, I respect it. I’m impressed. – Jen HatmakerCan you come to the place where you admit, I miss myself? And myself is not my labor. Myself is not my roles. Myself is a living soul and one of the things that feeds my soul are my friendships but those got neglected because I was told that to be a good leader or to be a good mom, I had to deprioritize the things that nourished me. – Dr. Thema BryantIf a community is not ready-made, something for you to join, it’s something for you to create. – Dr. Thema BryantOur wellness is more important than our loyalty. – Dr. Thema BryantResources Mentioned in This Episode:Matters of the Heart: Healing Your Relationship with Yourself and Those You Love by Dr. Thema Bryant - https://amzn.to/40XMql6Homecoming: Overcome Fear and Trauma to Reclaim Your Whole, Authentic Self by Dr. Thema Bryant - https://amzn.to/4hVYQ4cThe Homecoming Podcast with Dr. Thema Bryant - https://soundcloud.com/dr-thema-bryant-davisGuest’s Links:Thema’s website - https://drthema.com/Thema’s Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/dr.thema/Thema’s Twitter - https://x.com/drthemaThema’s Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ThemaBryantDavis<a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCx ...1 hr 3 min
  9. 489A Story of Trying to Get Free: Jennifer Finney Boylan Discusses Her New Book CleavageDescription:In this special episode, we welcome Barnard College professor and accomplished author, Jennifer Finney Boylan, back to the show to discuss her latest labor of love, her book Cleavage, which examines the divisions – as well as the common ground – between the genders, and reflects on her experiences, both difficult and joyful, as a transgender American.Jenny discusses the importance that things like nuance,imagination, patience, empathy and understanding hold in our divided world, reflecting on her experiences as a transgender woman and noting that for many, “living your best life is not necessarily a political decision, but a matter of life and death.” The ultimate thing she wants, Jenny says, is just to be left alone, to live her life and to be free.SegmentsBless & Release: Gender stereotypes***Thought-provoking Quotes:Conversations about trans-women in sports are complicated and demand nuance, patience, and imagination. For us to be defined by the most difficult and controversial aspects of our existence is really unfair. – Jennifer Finney BoylanI’m not a woman with an asterisk. At 66 ½ years old, my life has a lot more in common with other women my age than you would think. My life does not revolve around me trying to sneak into your daughter’s soccer game. My life revolves around my family, and reading, and teaching my students, and working in the garden, and things that I hope would seem very familiar to people. – Jennifer Finney BoylanThese are hard times. But we do know that hard times come and hard times go. And, whatever this moment is, is not forever. Although I can’t underestimate exactly how hard it is to be singled out by the President of the United States as a person who specifically is not deserving of love or respect or basic human kindness. – Jennifer Finney BoylanNobody goes from male to female in hopes of getting a better deal. – Jennifer Finney BoylanI hope people will pick up and read Cleavage not because they want to understand more about the trans business but because they want to know what sorts of choices people can make when they feel that the world is against them and there is no room for them. I have found, against all odds, that there is room for me, that I have been loved, and, on a good day, the world is full of joy and humor. – Jennifer Finney BoylanResources Mentioned in This Episode:Cleavage: Men, Women, and the Space Between Us by Jennifer Finney Boylan Mad Honey: A GMA Book Club Pick: A Novel by Jennifer Finney BoylanRoxane GayShe's Not There: A Life in Two Genders by Jennifer Finney BoylanJennifer Finney Boylan’s New York Times articles - https://www.nytimes.com/column/jennifer-finney-boylanI Am Cait (Caitlin Jenner Show) - https://tv.apple.com/us/show/i-am-cait/umc.cmc.38b55qpveo4xdxypnk03xfvmpTorrey Peters - https://www.torreypeters.com/Kate Bornstein - http://katebornstein.com/Trans Bodies Trans Selves: a Resource Guide for the Transgender Community - http://transbodies.com/John Barth - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Barth<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DGI6wt2OyBL/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link& ...1 hr 12 min
  10. 490Erin Hicks Moon - Sacred Reimagination: When Faith Evolves with YouDescription:In this second installment of our special Midlife Renaissance series, the delightful Erin Hicks Moon joins Jen and Amy for a super resonant conversation to discuss what it looks like when the faith that you grew up with bears no resemblance to your current values and what matters to you today. But Erin reassures us that if our faith looked like it did 10, 15, even 20 years ago, we would not be evolving.Erin is the host and resident bible scholar of the Faith Adjacent podcast and author of I’ve Got Questions: The Spiritual Practice of Having It Out with God. She’s a thoughtful guide for processing our questions, curiosity, and doubt.   Women naturally come into midlife with a posture of comfort in things they are sure of and curiosity to explore the things that they aren’t. There are many people searching for answers in the wilderness of faith but, as Erin reminds us, our questions can lead to a more vibrant and joyful faith.***SegmentsMidlife Glowup: Trying new thingsAmy gives an update on her decision to go out on a limb as a newly-minted podcaster and Jen shares what it’s like to date again in your fifties. Thought-provoking Quotes:We do spiritual practices to be connected to God and I think we overcomplicate it with rigid checklists. – Erin Hicks MoonReally working through the grief, and the sadness, and anger of watching your faith be weaponized or coming from a church that has split over something really difficult, or something personal in your life, something on a world stage. I think we have to be honest in that grief. That is a really difficult thing when you’re surrounded by toxic positivity in the church.Sometimes it sucks and we have to be honest about that. – Erin Hick MoonWe can still have a relationship with God, we can still have faith, but it doesn’t have to look the way everyone else says it should look. – Erin Hicks MoonI’m shocked when I have conversations with people who I really did not know grew up in the church and it turns out we have so many of the same beliefs; we’ve been evolving on parallel tracks but they just choose not to identify that way. – Amy HardinI have never met one person who has gone through deconstruction and/or because they wanted to sin more. The overwhelming pattern is that they want to figure this out and at the end of the process, they end up with a faith that is stronger than what they began with. – Erin Hicks MoonResources Mentioned in This Episode:I've Got Questions: The Spiritual Practice of Having It Out with God by Erin Hicks MoonI've Got Questions Guided Journal: Prompts and Practices for Rewilding Your Faith by Erin Hicks Moon Sarah Bessey - https://www.sarahbessey.com/Anne Lamott - https://www.instagram.com/annelamott/Bridgerton - https://www.netflix.com/title/80232398Eugene Peterson - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eugene_H._PetersonThe Making of Biblical Womanhood: How the Subjugation of Women Became Gospel Truth by Beth Allison BarrPastor Trey - https://www.instagram.com/pastortrey05/Dallas Willard - https://dwillard.org/Guest’s Links:<a href="https://www.erinh ...1 hr 1 min
  11. 491Tyler Merritt’s This Changes EverythingDescription:Cancer is a tough topic—hard to discuss, isolating, and disorienting for those facing it. For Tyler Merritt, a beloved voice in the JHBC community, confronting mortality sparked a fresh perspective on life.Tyler joins Jen to talk about This Changes Everything, his humorous and heartfelt love letter to life after battling cancer. With his signature humor, pop culture nods, and musical theater references (plus a killer playlist), Tyler weaves candid stories of surgery and treatment with playful asides—think a five-page play about his appendix and Taylor Swift-inspired subtitles.Things may go off the rails when Jen and Tyler debate whether words like “lovers” and “making love” are officially outdated—we apologize in advance.***Thought-provoking Quotes:Because of the way your book is written, in real time and with such urgency, I think 100 people out of 100 will go straight to their phones after finishing the book and Google ”is Tyler Merritt still alive?” – Jen HatmakerI found out pretty quickly that I was using a lot of humor to cover my fear. Even in the worst possible scenarios, even though I was sometimes walking with death, it felt like, if I looked around, there was humor. – Tyler MerrittFor people that are in the horrible cancer club, if you have something in your life that has created change in your every day, or something that has made things scary, you’re not alone. You’re blessed to still be here and breathing. – Tyler MerrittResources Mentioned in This Episode:This Changes Everything: A Surprisingly Funny Story About Race, Cancer, Faith, and Other Things We Don’t Talk About by Tyler Merritt - https://amzn.to/3Clgwa2Jen Hatmaker Book Club - https://bit.ly/40KOQ7UI Take My Coffee Black: Reflections on Tupac, Musical Theater, Faith, and Being Black in America by Tyler Merritt - https://amzn.to/4hjiPcCPublisher’s Weekly synopsis - https://www.publishersweekly.com/9781546006961A Door Made for Me by Tyler Merritt - https://amzn.to/4hvCkPnCujo - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085382/Annie - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083564/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_8_tt_2_nm_6_in_0_q_annieWhere the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls - https://amzn.to/4gdEbqGTrain - Drops of Jupiter - https://open.spotify.com/track/2hKdd3qO7cWr2Jo0Bcs0MABlackberry Farms - https://www.blackberryfarm.com/This Changes Everything playlist - https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0jFoCxX22lzohvdd2tLfkQSandi Patti - https://www.sandipatty.com/Taylor Swift - https://www.taylorswift.com/Prince - https://www.prince.com/RENT - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0294870/AUDIOBOOK: This Changes Everything: A Surprisingly Funny Story About Race, Cancer, Faith, and Other Things We Don't Talk About by Tyler Merritt - https://amzn.to/3Cm1YHaBook People (Austin) - https://www.bookpeople.com/<a href="h ...1 hr 5 min
  12. 492Awaken to Your Next Chapter: Artist and Activist Lisa Congdon on Imagining a More Beautiful LifeDescription:Lisa Congdon may be an internationally known fine artist, illustrator and writer but she didn’t achieve momentum in her career until she was nearly 40 years old. Prior to that time, she felt that her life hadn’t mattered much, that she didn’t have anything interesting to say. But, a total career pivot in her mid-thirties awakened a passion in her that had been lying dormant for decades and helped her find her powerful, beautiful voice. Despite taking an untraditional path, Lisa has achieved recognition, not just as an artist, but as a leader in the industry for her work in social justice, mentoring and teaching. Lisa says making art is what changed her relationship to her story.Today, Jen and Amy talk to Lisa Congdon about: What it looks and feels like to awaken to new possibilities in life The power of finding and harnessing your voice, something Lisa covers more in her book, Find Your Artistic Voice: The Essential Guide to Working Your Creative Magic How two really big things (joy and activism) can coexist in artistic expression Lisa’s game-changing practice of “loud quitting” the things that no longer bring joy or something positive into her life ***Segments:Bless & Release: Loud QuittingThought-provoking Quotes:I decided to develop a new narrative for my life and what it could become. I needed to start believing that I was worthy of love. – Lisa CongdonI think I’ve always been an artist and a maker and super-creative but I was operating in self-doubt. I learned to give myself permission to play and explore and change my own life. I was lit on fire because, for so many years, I had no sense of agency. But suddenly, I could do whatever I wanted, CI think my work is the marriage of a passion for social justice with the authentic joy I have for life. – Lisa Congdon I found myself in a place where I was exhausted, miserable and doing things out of obligation. I worked hard at letting go. I got in a systematic process of taking inventory of my life, how I was spending my time. Every time I felt a rush of anxiety about doing something, I would stop and examine it. – Lisa CongdonResources Mentioned in This Episode:Find Your Artistic Voice: The Essential Guide to Working Your Creative Magic by Lisa Congdon - https://amzn.to/4kkYAO1Art, Inc.: The Essential Guide for Building Your Career as an Artist by Lisa Congdon - https://amzn.to/4ij5Ms2The Live Your Values Deck - https://lisacongdon.com/products/values-deckLisa Congdon’s St. Mary’s College Exhibit - https://www.stmarys-ca.edu/museum-art/lisa-congdon-hold-it-lightlyCorita Kent - https://www.corita.org/Guest’s Links:Lisa’s website - https://lisacongdon.com/Lisa’s Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/lisacongdonLisa’s Twitter - https://x.com/lisacongdonLisa’s Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/lisacongdonartLisa’s Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/lisacongdon/Connect with Jen!Jen’s website - https://jenhatmaker.com/<a href="https://ins ...1 hr 15 min
  13. 493Fixing the Broken Pieces with Ian Morgan CronTitle: Fixing the Broken Pieces with Ian Morgan Cron Description:Everyone is an addict. Mr. Rogers…The Dali Lama… Michelle Obama! Mull that idea over for a minute and when you’re done being outraged like we were, join us for this enthralling conversation with one of our favorite repeat guests on For the Love – author, psychotherapist, and Episcopal priest, Ian Morgan Cron. Today, we’re talking to him about his new book, The Fix: How the Twelve Steps Offer a Surprising Path of Transformation for the Well-Adjusted, the Down-and-Out, and Everyone In Between.People pleasing, the need to be right, being a compulsive helper, workaholism, being a knowledge junkie, perfectionism, holding on to our past suffering – these are all forms of addiction. The simple truth is, we each resort to our own methods of dealing with the harder aspects of life. For some, that solution means turning to a substance to numb our pain, which is how we traditionally think of addiction. For others, there are behaviors we employ to manipulate what we are feeling. And that’s where the rest of us fall into the sticky trap.Ian, who also hosts the wildly popular Typology podcast exploring the mystery of the human personality, teaches us how the Twelve Steps are a trusted tool for anyone seeking to move beyond self-help to a more profound sense of awakening. And, in a new segment called “To My Younger Self”, Jen and Amy share some deeply personal experiences that, for Amy, helped change her relationships and, for Jen, helped change how she viewed herself.  Thought-provoking Quotes:“People don’t have one addiction; people are poly-addicted. They’re seething cauldrons of addiction.” – Ian Morgan Cron“All human beings have a natural and innate hunger for union with the divine. The problem is when we go in search of counterfeit experiences of the divine that lead to disappointment, disillusionment and disaster.” – Ian Morgan Cron“Most Twelve Steps meetings happen in church or synagogue basements, after hours. And I wondered, does anyone upstairs know about the miracles that are going on downstairs? And why can’t we release what’s happening down here so that people up there can take advantage of it?” – Ian Morgan Cron“When you can admit powerlessness, it’s a relief that it’s not on you anymore.” – Ian Morgan Cron“When you frame an addiction as a solution to a problem, albeit an inadequate one, what follows is compassion, not judgment or condemnation.” – Ian Morgan CronResources Mentioned in This Episode:Five Calls app – https://5calls.org/I Poop on Fascists Sticker - https://bit.ly/4gWiFHxThe Fix: How the Twelve Steps Offer a Surprising Path of Transformation for the Well-Adjusted, the Down-and-Out, and Everyone In Between by Ian Morgan Cron - https://amzn.to/3Xgx6PKThe Fix Workbook: How the Twelve Steps Offer a Surprising Path of Transformation for the Well-Adjusted, the Down-and-Out, and Everyone in Between by Ian Morgan Cron - https://amzn.to/3DiTReVHow to Mitigate Stress Based on Your Personality – FREE DOWNLOAD - https://typologyinstitute.com/stress The Typology Institute Enneagram Assessment by Ian Morgan Cron - https://typologyinstitute.com/assessmentTypology Podcast - https://www.typologypodcast.com/The Road Back to You: A ...1 hr 3 min
  14. 494Loud-Quitting, Zero Damns, and Midlife Glow-Ups: Bits of Wisdom from the For the Love Listening CommunityDescription:In the spirit of Spring Break, which it is for us here in Texas, we’re taking a quick break from our regular podcast lineup to do something fun. Recent listeners of the podcast will know that we’ve added a voicemail feature to the podcast and, for a few weeks, we’ve been asking you to leave us messages with your thoughts on recent episodes and questions for us. And boy you have! The messages we’ve received run the gamut from candid and vulnerable to gutsy and inspirational and some were just hilarious (though not all of them were appropriate for the airwaves but we still love them so KEEP THEM COMING).Today, we’re responding to a few of our favorite messages from women in our listening community who shared messages that we think will resonate with you on multiple levels. Our thanks to Naomi, Mollie, Jamie, Laura, and one special anonymous caller for sharing their thoughts for all of us to enjoy.Thought-provoking Quotes: "We need to wear what we feel comfortable in, what we feel pretty in. There are no rules!" – Listener Voicemail “I broke up with my effort last week. I literally sat myself down and said, ‘I am not responsible for making this person happy.’” – Jen Hatmaker "Loud quitting is about being clear, setting boundaries, and walking away from what no longer serves you—without apology." – Amy Hardin "Once we stop our frantic interventions to manage someone else’s life, it turns out, that’s when they start to do their own work—even our kids." – Jen Hatmaker “There is no such thing as ‘too late.’ We are only getting more time and space to dream new dreams.” – Amy Hardin Resources Mentioned in This Episode: The Devil Wears Prada film (2006) - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0458352/ Warning poem by Jenny Joseph - https://www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk/poem/warning/ Freedom From Codependency with Melody Beattie - https://jenhatmaker.com/podcasts/series-56/freedom-from-codependency-with-melody-beattie/ Finding Freedom with Mel Robbins and Two Little Words: Let Them - https://jenhatmaker.com/podcasts/series-64/finding-freedom-with-mel-robbins-and-two-little-words-let-them/ Atlas of the Heart by Brené Brown - https://amzn.to/4hkHNb7 Awaken to Your Next Chapter: Artist and Activist Lisa Congdon on Imagining a More Beautiful Life - https://jenhatmaker.com/podcasts/series-64/awaken-to-your-next-chapter-artist-and-activist-lisa-congdon-on-imagining-a-more-beautiful-life/ Sacred Reimagination: When Faith Evolves with You: Erin Hicks Moon - https://jenhatmaker.com/podcasts/series-64/sacred-reimagination-when-faith-evolves-with-you-erin-hicks-moon/ Jane Fonda - https://www.janefonda.com/ Saturday Night Live 50th Anniversary Special - https://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/snl-50-anniversary-special-how-watch-time-cast-rcna191588 Stuart Smalley - https:/ ...1 hr 6 min
  15. 495SXSW2025 Edition: The Future of Education with Dr. Stacey Ludwig JohnsonIn this special SXSW2025 edition of For the Love, Jen Hatmaker sits down with Dr. Stacey Ludwig Johnson, the Senior VP and Executive Dean at Western Governors University (WGU) School of Education. As a lifelong advocate for educators, Dr. Johnson is at the forefront of reimagining how we train, support, and sustain teachers in today’s challenging educational landscape.Jen, a former teacher herself, brings her deep passion for education into this conversation, unpacking the real issues educators face today—from teacher shortages to burnout—and discussing how innovative models like WGU’s competency-based education are transforming access to learning.What You’ll Learn in This EpisodeDr. Johnson’s Path to Leadership: How she transitioned from working in corrections to becoming a pioneer in online education.Competency-Based Education: What it is, how it differs from traditional models, and why it’s a game-changer for adult learners.Educator Burnout & Retention: The state of teacher well-being and what’s being done to ensure teachers not only enter the profession but thrive in it.School & Community Support for Teachers: How schools, administrators, and parents can create environments where teachers feel valued.Future Trends in Education: How AI, technology, and apprenticeship programs are shaping the next generation of educators.Thought-provoking Quotes:“We don’t believe in courses just for the sake of courses. Everything at WGU is designed to build skills that translate directly into a career.” - Stacey Ludwig Johnson“Retention is just as critical as recruitment—if we don’t take care of our teachers, we will never solve the teacher shortage crisis.” - Stacey Ludwig Johnson“Teachers are literally helping us raise the next generation. Every second of what they do matters.“ - Jen Hatmaker“The future of education must include personalization, technology integration, and real-world experience to prepare students for success.” - Stacey Ludwig JohnsonResources Mentioned in This Episode: Learn more about WGU: wgu.edu Guest’s Links: Interested in becoming a teacher or continuing your education? WGU offers flexible, affordable degree programs designed for working adults.Website - https://www.wgu.edu/Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/westerngovernorsu/Twitter - https://x.com/wguFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/wgu.edu/Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/user/WesternGovernorsUnivTikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@wguStacey Ludwig Johnson’s Website - https://www.wgu.edu/blog/authors/stacey-ludwig-johnson.htmlStacey Ludwig Johnson’s LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/stacey-ludwig-johnson-0bba1715/Connect with Jen!Jen’s Website - https://jenhatmaker.com/Jen’s Instagram - https://instagram.com/jenhatmakerJen’s Tw ...35 min
  16. 496Introducing The Women’s Hoops ShowWomen’s basketball is on the rise and The Women’s Hoops Show is here for every buzzer-beater, breakout star, and game-changing moment. Join host Jordan Robinson as she dives deep into the WNBA, college hoops, and the rise of new leagues like Unrivaled to bring you insightful conversations with players, coaches, and analysts. If you love women’s basketball, this is your year-round home for the biggest stories in the game.3 min
  17. 497Midlife Renaissance: Reclaiming the Conversation about Our Bodies and Menopause with Dr. Louise NewsonDescription:Today, Jen and Amy have an intimate conversation with preeminent perimenopausal and menopausal specialist and women’s health advocate, Dr. Louise Newson, who has been described as the “medic who kickstarted the menopause revolution” for her commitment to increasing awareness and knowledge about hormones, perimenopause and menopause through her books, podcast, and educational videos on social media.In this candid and enlightening conversation, we discuss:  The biggest misconceptions women have about menopause including understanding the array of symptoms that can be attributed to it How the conversations our mothers and grandmothers had (or didn’t have) about menopause are evolving The discussions we should be having with our doctors about our health and symptoms but aren’t, either due to shame or lack of information Important steps we can take now to minimize our menopausal symptoms later Treatment options to alleviate our perimenopause/menopause symptoms once they begin, including hormone replacement therapy And, why it’s imperative for policymakers, insurers, employers, and doctors of all specialties to be part this conversation  Thought-provoking Quotes: What’s going wrong or right  in this [menopause/perimenopause] conversation is that women are understanding this faster than their healthcare professionals are. – Dr. Louise Newson I’ve been taking hormones now for 9 years but the dose of estrogen I need, I cannot get from my NHS GP and I am white, I’m middle-class, I’m middle-class, and English-speaking. If I’m struggling, what does that mean for the majority of people globally? They're not having a voice and they’re struggling. – Dr. Louise Newson Menopause lasts forever (i.e. until the day we die). It's not just something to get you through until the next job interview, or the next phase of your life, or the next relationship. It is forever. You have to make sure the [treatment] choice you make is right for you. – Dr. Louise Newson Hormones are good but they’re not going to help me as  much as if I look after myself. – Dr. Louise Newson Resources Mentioned in This Episode:The Definitive Guide to the Perimenopause and Menopause by Dr. Louise Newson- https://amzn.to/3Rf4LFQNewson Health Menopause and Wellbeing Centre - https://www.newsonhealth.co.uk/book-an-appointment/Balance App - https://www.balance-menopause.com/balance-app/The Dr. Louise Newson Podcast - https://open.spotify.com/show/7dCctfyI9bODGDaFnjfKhg?si=b382cda4537246d5&nd=1&dlsi=b4764565942d4037Guest’s Links:Website - https://www.drlouisenewson.co.uk/Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/menopause_doctor/Twitter - https://x.com/drlouisenewsonYoutube - https://www.youtube.com/@menopause_doctorPodcast - https://open.spotify.com/show/7dCctfyI9bODGDaFnjfKhg?si=b382cda4537246d5&nd=1&dlsi=b4764565942d4037Connect with Jen!Jen’s Website - https://jenhatmaker.com/<a href="https://instag ...1 hr 6 min
  18. 498Title: From Prince to Parenting: Tamron Hall on Style, Stories, and StrengthThe best adventures are often found when we embrace curiosity. That’s a lesson that Tamron Hall has learned in her storied career as a cultural icon, Emmy-winning talk show host, and broadcast journalist, as well as in her role as a young parent to a son with a shy but investigative nature to explore the world around him.In today’s conversation, Tamron talks to Jen and Amy about that curiosity and why it is a trait that should be celebrated and nurtured, both in our children and in ourselves. They talk about the many cultural treasures that already exist right in our own neighborhoods, if we open ourselves up to the beauty of exploring new places and faces.And, Tamron also shares details with Amy and Jen about her latest labor of love, the children’s book that she just released called Harlem Honey: The Adventures of a Curious Kid, an endearing story inspired by her real-life son and his adventure visiting Harlem's most iconic spots, learning a valuable lesson about the meaning of home.***Thought-provoking Quotes: Things that are authentic tend to come easy but that doesn't mean that the process isn’t challenging. – Tarmron Hall As adults, through our urgency, we can rush our children through great opportunities of curiosity. – Tamron Hall I was very worried when my son presented as shy. Shy kids, especially boys, can be steeped into tropes and stereotypes of what a shy kid is. It forced me to talk more openly about my own social anxieties. – Tamron Hall The best of my journey as a reporter was opening my eyes to the cultural difference and nuances of neighborhoods. – Tamron Hall Storytelling is something that we all have the ability to do. When you tell it from your heart and from an authentic space, it can resonate. It transcends gender, economics. It transcends everything. – Tamron Hall Resources Mentioned in This Episode:Prince - https://www.prince.com/The Tamron Hall Show - https://tamronhallshow.com/Jen Hatmaker Gets Real About Healing After Divorce on The Tamron Hall Show - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fkm0RqfRYMIAs the Wicked Watch: The First Jordan Manning Novel by Tamron Hall - https://amzn.to/4hnc8qnHarlem Honey: The Adventures of a Curious Kid by Tarmron Hall - https://amzn.to/4hJEueaDeadline: Crime With Tamron Hall - https://www.investigationdiscovery.com/show/deadline-crime-with-tamron-hall-investigation-discoveryThe TODAY Show - https://www.today.com/Sisterwives Tell All - https://www.tlc.com/shows/sister-wives/episodes/sister-wives-tell-allEbony Glenn, Illustrator - https://www.ebonyglenn.com/100 Mighty Dragons All Named Broccoli by David LaRochelle - https://amzn.to/4jOvGFzAre You There God? It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume - https://amzn.to/3CCSsjcBillie Holliday - https://billieholiday.com/The Apollo Theater - https://www.apollotheater.org/A Confident Cook: Recipes for Joyous, No-Pressure Fun in the Kitchen by Tamron Hall and Lish - https://amzn.to/3ErTZJq<a href="https://jenh ...53 min
  19. 499Reclaiming Your Power: Moms Demand Action’s Shannon Watts on Living a Life of Passion and PurposeDescription:Today’s guest, Shannon Watts, has come to be known as a formidable force in the world. As the founder of Moms Demand Action, the largest grassroots movement against gun violence formed after the Sandy Hook school shooting tragedy in 2012, her activism has mobilized millions of moms to successfully pass  over 500 gun safety laws. As Amy poignantly stated, Shannon’s work “has legitimately made a tangible impact on the safety of my kids in their classrooms”, demonstrating the profound significance of Shannon’s contributions.Watts has since shifted her time and attention to empowering women, whom she credits as the real changemakers in any movement. She has founded the Firestarter School, a platform designed to help women reclaim their power and has a forthcoming book,  Fired Up: How to Turn Your Spark into a Flame and Come Alive at Any Age, releasing in the summer of 2025, which explores the necessary elements needed to ignite a fire in your life and pursue your passion and purpose.Thought-provoking Quotes: When you get involved in something like activism, it helps you realize that you have all of this untapped power.  And it does give you the audacity to become a firestarter, to prioritize your desires over your obligations. – Shannon Watts Right out of college, I married my college sweetheart at 23-years-old. By the time I was 29, I had three children.  I have a job I don’t love. By my mid-thirties, I realized, this is not the person I would have chosen to be. I was having a difficult time acknowledging that I was living a life that was not true to me. – Shannon Watts So many women keep collecting new fuel, acquiring new skills, waiting for the other pieces to come together.  And we’re prepared when the opportunity presents itself. – Amy Hardin Society shoulders women with so many burdens so she doesn’t have room to explore her desires.  If you’re going to claim space, raise your voice, you are going to get blowback.  The direct proportion of how much you can grow your fire corresponds to how much blowback you're willing to withstand. – Shannon Watts Remind yourself of your wins everyday, whether they’re your wins or wins for what you want to see in the world. Give yourself hope and affirmation. – Shannon Watts Fighting for your safety and your rights is a form of self-care and a form of protection for other people. – Shannon Watts Resources Mentioned in This Episode: Camino Made (B.T. Harman’s Camino de Santiago pilgrimage company) - https://caminomade.com/ Fired Up: How to Turn Your Spark into a Flame and Come Alive at Any Age by Shannon Watts - https://amzn.to/4hEYE8K Fight Like a Mother: How a Grassroots Movement Took on the Gun Lobby and Why Women Will Change the World by Shannon Watts - https://amzn.to/4hFP31t 5 Calls App - https://5calls.org/ Firestarter University - https://shannonwatts.org/firestarter-university/ Guest’s Links:Website - https://momsdemandaction.org/shannon-watts/Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/shannonrwatts/Twitter - https://x.com/shannonrwattsFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/fightlikeamother.orgSubstack - https://shannonwatts.substack.com/ ...1 hr 1 min
  20. 500March 2025: Amanda Peters’ The Berry PickersDescription:This month’s JHBC selection, The Berry Pickers, by Nova Scotian author Amanda Peters has found a particularly receptive audience within book club communities, including the Jen Hatmaker Book Club, for exploring universal human emotions and experiences, and for  examining unique cultural perspectives.  By masterfully blending her father's compelling stories as a Maine berry picker with her own extensive career in Indigenous governance, The Berry Pickers delves into a unique and original plot surrounding a Mi’kmaw family that grapples with the corrosive effects of guilt and shame, and the possibility of redemption. Peters reveals how the debut novel initially took shape as a short story, but as the beautifully-flawed characters and tendrilled themes began to unfold, the narrative organically expanded into the full-fledged novel that it is now, which has been translated into an impressive 22 languages and has been awarded the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction. Thought-provoking Quotes: I couldn't have written this story when I was 21 because I didn’t have all of the life experience that I have now. – Amanda Peters Fiction readers are just better people because literature is about the human condition; it helps us develop empathy.  – Amanda Peters I love the writing process. I love creating a story. I love that high you get when you get it just right, when a sentence does exactly what I want it to do. – Amanda Peters Resources Mentioned in This Episode: The Berry Pickers: A Novel by Amanda Peters - https://amzn.to/4hAYfUM Waiting for the Long Night Moon: Stories by Amanda Peters - https://amzn.to/4hGNTTw John Steinbeck books - https://amzn.to/4c1B1pJ John Steinbeck Center - https://steinbeck.org/ Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction - https://www.ala.org/carnegie-medals/2024-winners Pearly Everlasting: A Novel by Tammy Armstrong - https://amzn.to/420or5r All the Young Men by Ruth Coker Burks - https://amzn.to/420oT3D What Strange Paradise: A novel by Omar El Akkad - https://amzn.to/4kXs8l6 Guest’s Links:Website - https://amandapetersauthor.com/Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/amandapetersauthor/Twitter - https://x.com/amandapetersaut?lang=enConnect with Jen!Jen’s Website - https://jenhatmaker.com/Jen’s Instagram - https://instagram.com/jenhatmakerJen’s Twitter - https://twitter.com/jenHatmaker/Jen’s Facebook - https://facebook.com/jenhatmakerJen’s YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/user/JenHatmakerThe For the Love Podcast is presented by Audacy.38 min
  21. 501Midlife Isn’t a Crisis, It’s a Comeback: Maddie Corman on Being Accidentally BraveDescription:Maddie Corman is a seasoned American actress and playwright that you’ve seen in classic films including Some Kind of Wonderful, Maid in Manhattan, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, and our favorite television shows like Law and Order, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.Most recently, she has put her creative hand to writing and performing in a very raw and vulnerable autobiographical one-woman play called Accidentally Brave, that delves into Maddie's personal journey following the arrest of her husband on child pornography charges in 2015. Today, Maddie shares her story of navigating the aftermath, focusing on themes of resilience, healing, and redefining normalcy when life takes an unforeseen turn.In this tender and transparent conversation, we discuss: How Maddie’s life turned upside down after a public personal crisis—and how she found her way back What led to her decision to write a raw, hilarious, deeply moving one-woman show called Accidentally Brave (now a movie on MAX!) What she imagined midlife would look like when she was younger versus what it looks like from where she sits today What it’s like to walk (or sometimes crawl) through shame and loss—and come out with more freedom, more truth, more YOU Also, how motherhood shifts our perspective in crisis What practices or people help us stay grounded in the hard moments – Maddie shares some really great resources! Why midlife is actually the best time to tell your story and start again Thought-provoking Quotes: “After a really big trauma that I thought was going to destroy my children, it turns out, they are thriving, and funny, and sensitive, and smart, and caring, and annoying, and they love me, and I drive them crazy, I’m sure. I share that because I feel like that was what saved my life was somebody who had been through something similar saying my kids are going to be okay.” – Maddie Corman “When you lose your mother, people bring a meatloaf over. But when your husband's arrested and you say ‘I think he's a sex addict and a porn addict,’ there's no meal train that's coming for that.” – Maddie Corman “I had lived 47 years when this happened and I had never met another person who had gone through anything like this. P.S. It turns out I had. They just didn't share about it.” – Maddie Corman “You inch your way back to the sunshine and it's so slow. And at the beginning you just think, everything's ruined; I'll just never be happy again so let me cobble together some sad life that just gets me to the finish line. But the truth is, it's stunning how much we can recover.” – Jen Hatmaker Resources Mentioned in This Episode: Some Kind of Wonderful film (1987) - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094006/ John Hughes - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000455/?ref_=fn_all_nme_1 Brené Brown - https://brenebrown.com/ Glennon Doyle - https://momastery.com/ Elizabeth Gilbert - https://www.elizabethgilbert.com/ Accidentally Brave Play - https://www.maddiecorman.com/accidentally-brave Accidentally Brave on MAX  - https://play.max.com/movie/b19ce99f-93c8-4150-ba0d-139e12048efe Partner Betray Counsel ...1 hr 14 min
  22. 502I Thought It Would Be Better Than This: Jessica N. Turner on Loss, Identity, and Hope”Description:In the summer of 2020, as Jen was beginning to process the loss of her 26-year marriage, there was one person walking her own similar but different journey, and understood many of the feelings of anger, grief, shame, and loss that Jen was just beginning to feel. Someone who knew how that disappointment felt.Jessica N. Tuner, founder of the popular lifestyle blog The Mom Creative, was a few months ahead of Jen in processing the loss of her 16-year marriage to her husband and father of her three children. Today, Jessica shared with Jen and Amy what the road to recovery has looked like for her, including grieving the end of the life she thought she would have forever, the change of her identity, navigating  the messy false-starts, and clawing her way back from what felt like “the floor of hell”. Jessica compiled those hard-fought lessons into a book she’s hoping will be a manifesto of hope to others, called I Thought It Would Be Better Than This: Rise From Disappointment, Regain Control, and Rebuild a Life You Love.***Thought-provoking Quotes:Nothing about what I thought my life was going to be, is my life now. Now I feel like I walk around in the world and I feel grief and loss and disappointment and dismay from everybody. It’s amazing how my eyes have opened. It was a big awakening to the loss people are living with everyday.–Jessica N. TurnerWhen we made the decision to divorce, I felt like I was sitting on the floor of hell, everything was dust, everything was different.–Jessica N. TurnerNo matter how devastating the loss, the life you can still rebuild is astonishing. – Jen HatmakerResources Mentioned in This Episode:Say Anything film (1989) - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098258/Sixteen Candles film (1984) - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088128/Cameron Crowe - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001081/John Hughes - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000455/James Spader - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000652/Some Kind of Wonderful film (1987) - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094006/I Go Crazy by Flesh for Lulu - https://open.spotify.com/track/2o1AevEuv39qZAVy6k2pmnThe Breakfast Club film (1985) - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088847/Weird Science film (1985) - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090305Ferris Bueller’s Day Off film (1986) - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091042/Planes, Trains and Automobiles film (1987) - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093748/Uncle Buck film (1989) - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098554Pretty in Pink film (1986) - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091790Beethoven film (1992) - https://www.imd ...59 min
  23. 503Melinda French Gates on The Next Day and the Beauty in What Comes NextDescription:If we’re lucky, most of us will live an abundant life that’s filled with a number of significant transitions. How we embrace those inevitable life changes and honor that growth can make a big difference in how we are prepared to meet future challenges.Today, Jen and Amy have the pleasure of sitting down with Melinda French Gates to discuss how, at 60, she is stepping into this next beautiful season of life. By giving a rare glimpse into her interior life, and sharing previously untold stories included in her new memoir, The Next Day: Transitions, Change and Moving Forward, Melinda shares the heart-connecting lessons that we all can apply to the universal moments in our lives – including becoming a parent, the loss of a close friend, the loss of a marriage, knowing the right time to make a career move.In this episode, we discuss: The art of letting go and beginning again and making the most of the time between an ending and a new beginning How growing up in a middle-class Catholic family influenced Melinda’s values and worldview What it looks like to loosen the bonds of perfectionism and embrace uncertainty in times of change The new projects, ideas and hopes Melinda has for the future Thought-provoking Quotes: “Surround yourself with great people who are all charging toward the same mission.” – Melinda French Gates “There was something about the rollback of women's rights in the United States that I just never thought we would see in our lifetime. To see that my granddaughters will have fewer rights than I have, just shouldn't be. I felt called to try and do something about that.” – Melinda French Gates “When you lift women up, what I know from all over the world is, they lift families up and they lift societies up. And so they should be able to step into their full power, but there are still barriers in society that hold us back.” – Melinda French Gates “Women don’t tell each other enough that we’re proud of them so it’s good to hear it, no matter who you are.” – Amy Hardin Resources Mentioned in This Episode: Melinda Gates: The Power of Lifting Up Women - https://jenhatmaker.com/podcasts/series-18/melinda-gates-the-power-of-lifting-up-women/ Sara Bareilles - She Used To Be Mine - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53GIADHxVzM Adele - Easy On Me - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3ASj1L6_sY The Gates Foundation “Make Me Care About… with Jen Hatmaker” podcast - https://www.gatesfoundation.org/podcast/make-me-care-about The Next Day: Transitions, Change, and Moving Forward by Melinda French Gates - https://amzn.to/3FBDoTV The Moment of Lift: How Empowering Women Changes the World by Melinda French Gates - https://amzn.to/3FIW98c Gates Foundation - https://www.gatesfoundation.org/ Pivotal Ventures - https://www.pivotalventures.org/ Guest’s Links:Website - https://www.pivotalventures.org/Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/melindafrenchgatesTwitter - https://x.com/melindagates<a ...45 min
  24. 504Cultivating Belonging and Evolving Faith with Jeff ChuDescription:Jeff Chu, an award-winning journalist, author, and "sort-of-kind-of farmer," joins Jen on the For the Love podcast to discuss his book, Good Soil: The Education of an Accidental Farmhand. In the book, Jeff shares stories from his time at “The Farminary”, a twenty-one-acre working farm at Princeton’s Theological Seminary, where students explore life's biggest questions while cultivating the earth. Jeff reflects on his own struggles with faith, identity, and the expectations placed upon him as a gay man raised in a conservative Christian environment. His journey reveals the challenges of cultivating, not just plants, but also a spiritual life that is authentic, evolving, and inclusive​. In this conversation, Jeff, Jen and Amy discuss:  What Jeff learned at the “Farminary” about creating “good soil,” drawing lessons from the rhythms of growth, decay, and regeneration that define life on the land Finding moments of grace and healing. Challenging traditional interpretations of the biblical Parable of the Sower Exploring faith, not as something static, but as something that evolves. Thought-provoking Quotes: “God's love is that lavish and it's there for you. And it doesn't come with the conditions that you might have. It doesn't require you to do anything more than you've already done. It just requires you to be. God's love is big enough to hold that, and your mess, and your beauty, and your frailty, and anything else you might bring to God.” – Jeff Chu “I see folks trying to figure out how to create belonging, not just for themselves, but also for others, and being willing to ask those tough questions out loud, and being brave enough to say, I don't know, but I wonder. Being bold enough to point out not just the ugly things, but also to name the beautiful and hopeful things. Those are all things that give me hope.” – Jeff Chu #JeffChu #GoodSoil #ForTheLovePodcast #SpiritualJourneyResources Mentioned in This Episode: Community First Village / Mobile Loaves and Fishes - https://mlf.org/community-first/ Genesis Gardens - https://mlf.org/genesis-gardens/ 7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess by Jen Hatmaker - https://amzn.to/4kZZmjN Actually Believing God Loves You Changes Everything: Jeff Chu - https://jenhatmaker.com/podcasts/series-16/actually-believing-god-loves-you-changes-everything-jeff-chu/ Good Soil: The Education of an Accidental Farmhand by Jeff Chu - https://amzn.to/4kXozLJ Wholehearted Faith by Rachel Held Evans and Jeff Chu - https://amzn.to/4iZlOrA Does Jesus Really Love Me?: A Gay Christian's Pilgrimage in Search of God in America by Jeff Chu - https://amzn.to/4bZH91N March: Book One by John Lewis - https://amzn.to/4c6xmXI Travel and Leisure magazine editor-at-large - https://www.travelandleisure.com/author/jeff-chu Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan - https://amzn.to/446LUo5 Padraig O'Tuama, poet - https://www.padraigotuama.com/ Kitchen Hymns</ ...1 hr 7 min
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