Connecting Saints

In this episode, we get to know Liz Harvey from the Emerald Glen ward! Liz shares what it was like growing up in Boulder in a unique family situation, and how her parents and stepmom worked together to give her a loving childhood despite their differences. We talk about her struggles in high school, her love of singing, and the many unexpected turns that took her from Colorado to California and ev...

In this episode, we get to know Heather Chase from the Emerald Glen ward!  She shares the funny and unexpected story of how she ended up marrying the one guy her missionary boyfriend specifically told her not to date. She opens up about raising and homeschooling six children—including how baby number five nearly broke her, while an unplanned sixth child became one of the sweetest blessings their f...

Re-upload of the interview I did with Dick Pickett who is now in the Emerald Glen ward! In this episode, we'll hear from Dick Pickett as he recounts growing up in Massachusetts, going to boarding school at age 14 (and leaving his family to do this), his conversion to the church and who would win a 100 yard dash between him and Elton Bingham!  Thanks for putting yourself out there, Dick!

Re-upload of the interview I did with Brigita Pickett.  She's now in the Emerald Glen ward!   How many of us can say that our stories start in the ruins of Germany shortly after World War 2??!!!  Come get to know Brigita as she talks about the trials her parents faced as they navigated through staying alive during World War 2 and taking care of their family, and how they made it to America, a...

Re-upload of the interview I did with Shauna Bjork who is now in the Emerald Glen ward. In this episode, we'll hear from Shauna Bjork talking about growing up in Rye, Colorado, stepping away from the church for a couple of years and the "non traditional" LDS path that she's navigated.  Come join us as she talks about her family, her job, specific blessings from the temple and m...

This is a "re"upload of Wendy Stewart's original interview being that she's a member of of the new Emerald Glen ward.  

Get to know Ken Biery - our Elders Quorum President.  Listen to him talk about his conversion story, his time in the Military, going back to school as an adult, and working in the funeral business.

Get to know Rich Bale, the 2nd counselor in the Emerald Glen Bishopric....

Get to know Gary Blakely as he moved from Utah to Chicago to Connecticut, back to Chicago and to Fort Collins!  

Get to know Deb Blakely - hear her talk about growing up in Missouri, meeting Gary at BYU, and going back to school in her thirties...

Today I got to sit down with Sister Heather Richey - a member of the Linden Park ward and wife to James Richey (episodes 53 and 54).  I about fell out of my chair when she told me that she left high school for a year to be a foreign exchange student for a year in Australia!  Some of the other highlights: Growing up in Boulder and in Cheyenne Getting to know her parents and grandparents Running tra...

In this episode, I got to sit down with my mother-in-law, Laurel Taylor as she recounts some of her adventures growing up.  Some of the things she talks about: Growing up one of the oldest of 8 children Moving to Austria as a teenager to support her Dad who was called as a mission president Marching, Marching, Marching Almost getting proposed to by some Austrian kid and her parents sending her hom...

Here's part 2 of my interview with Clint.  It was an awesome discussion around "knowing" and "uncertainty".  Hope you all enjoy!

In this episode, I had the chance to sit down with Clint Burgess from the Kechter Farm Ward. I’d met Clint a few times before, but this was the first real opportunity I had to get to know him—and I’m so glad I did. (Big thanks to Shawn Buffington for making the introduction and helping bring him on the podcast!) Clint has a fascinating story. The highlight for me was hearing him talk about his fai...

In this episode I sat down with Mark Taylor (my father in law) and got to listen to his story.  They drove up from Utah to visit our family and their son and we had a few minutes to sit down and talk so we made it happen.  Here are some highlights: Growing up on a farm in Rexburg Realizing that he didn't want to be a farmer and what he was going to do about it Going on a mission to Austria Me...

In this episode I got to sit down with Leland Kimball - one of my great friends here in Northern Colorado.  We moved into the ward just a year or two after them, and have become super close with him and his family.  It was a privilege getting to sit down with him and I am super grateful he was so honest and willing to share his story.  Some of the highlights: Growing up in Thousand Oaks and drivin...

This is part 2 of my interview with Leland Kimball.  If you haven't listened to part 1 yet, you're missing out and going out of order!   In this episode I got to sit down with Leland Kimball - one of my great friends here in Northern Colorado.  We moved into the ward just a year or two after them, and have become super close with him and his family.  It was a privilege getting to sit dow...

What an awesome opportunity to interview Caden Goodell!  He's leaving on his mission in 12 days, and we were running out of time....I'm glad he was able to come over and make it happen. Some of the highlights: Does he wear a suit? What if Pres. Nelson called him? The impact that basketball had on him The power of an HXP trip and how it motivated him to serve a mission How his Grandfather...

What an awesome opportunity to sit down with Roger and hear some of his story!  I've been trying to get him on the podcast for a while - so it was pretty amazing for me when I asked him (again) and he said "sure!".  Roger is about as steady as they come...always there and always willing to help.  Some of the highlights of his interview: Growing up in a super small town in Kansas Lea...

Enjoy part 2 of my interview with Roger Cox.   What an awesome opportunity to sit down with Roger and hear some of his story!  I've been trying to get him on the podcast for a while - so it was pretty amazing for me when I asked him (again) and he said "sure!".  Roger is about as steady as they come...always there and always willing to help.  Some of the highlights of his interview:...

 I'm so grateful that my best friend and partner Shawn Buffington reached out to Royce (his former Bishop) and said "you have to be on that podcast - I want to hear your story!"  Eventually we got in touch with each other - and what a cool experience for me to be able to sit down with him. Royce specifically wanted to share the story of his daughter Brooklyn, who was diagnosed with...

This is Part 2 of my interview with Royce Grover.   Come get to know his daughter Brooklyn through her own words, thoughts and feelings after learning she had cancer.   I'm so grateful that my best friend and partner Shawn Buffington reached out to Royce (his former Bishop) and said "you have to be on that podcast - I want to hear your story!"  Eventually we got in touch with each o...

What a great opportunity for me to sit down and talk with James!  I hope everyone enjoys his interview as much as I did.  Some of the highlights: Growing up with 8 siblings and feeling pressure to follow in their footsteps Being accident prone and almost dying multiple times Some of the difficulties of being on a mission in Argentina Getting into BYU Passing the bar and becoming a lawyer The quick...

Continue on with Part 2 of my interview of James Richey: Some of the highlights: Growing up with 8 siblings and feeling pressure to follow in their footsteps Being accident prone and almost dying multiple times Some of the difficulties of being on a mission in Argentina Getting into BYU Passing the bar and becoming a lawyer The quickest courtship you'll ever hear of - how he met, dated and ma...

In this episode I got to interview my Dad, Jim Stewart -   My Dad and I never really sit down and just "talk."  And he's not one to talk much about his emotion - and so it was a really cool thing to sit down with him and ask him some questions about some of the stuff he's dealt with in his life.  Losing him at age 7 or 8 would've been unimaginable.  Losing my brother right...