Faithfully Explore!

A lion, a goddess with many arms, and a shape-shifting opponent. What can this sacred Hindu story help us discover about strength and courage? Join Laura for Meet Durga: A Hindu Goddess of Strength and Courage , an episode of Faithfully Explore! for curious kids ages 5–12 and their families. Meet Durga, whom many Hindus worship as the Divine Mother, and discover why people turn to her for protecti...

What if your greatest superpower was choosing kindness... even when you’re angry, someone breaks your toy, or your little brother spills your juice? Join Laura and six-year-old Kiara for Ahimsa: The Superpower of Choosing Kindness, a playful episode of Faithfully Explore! about helping instead of hurting. From an accidental step on an anthill to everyday disagreements, we explore how caring choice...

Can someone charge you for smelling their soup? A hungry traveler has only a piece of bread for lunch—but when he enjoys the delicious smell drifting from an innkeeper’s pot, he gets an unexpected bill. Three coins for a sniff? Something doesn’t seem fair! Join Laura on Faithfully Explore! for a funny folktale featuring Nasreddin Hodja, a beloved character known for surprising people into thinking...

Pele, Hawaiian Goddess of Fire: A Journey Across the Islands Why do visitors mail lava rocks back to Hawaiʻi and what does that have to do with Pele? A package arrives filled with volcanic rocks and a worried note asking for them to be returned. The sender believes they have experienced “Pele’s curse.” But where did that belief come from, and how does it compare with traditional Hawaiian stories?...

Why the Sun and Moon Take Turns: A Traditional Lithuanian Sky Story What happens when the Sun and Moon both insist it’s their turn to watch over the Earth? Join Laura on Faithfully Explore! for a Lithuanian sun and moon myth for kids about a celestial family, a noisy disagreement, and two different ways of showing love. Saulė, the Sun, brings warmth and light to her daughter, Žemė—the Earth. Mėnul...

Moonlight in a Cup: The Guaraní Legend of Yerba Mate What if a simple green leaf could carry kindness from one person to another? Travel to South America for the Guaraní legend of yerba mate. When Jasy, the Moon, and Arai, the Cloud, leave the sky to explore the forest, they encounter a powerful jaguar—and a brave hunter who protects them without expecting anything in return. Grateful for his cour...

What would happen if you opened your front door and an entire river came inside? In Why the Sun and Moon Live in the Sky, we travel to southeastern Nigeria for a playful traditional story from the Efik people. Long ago, Sun, Moon, and Water all lived on Earth. Sun often visited his friend Water, but Water never visited Sun. When Sun asks why, Water explains that his family is enormous. If Sun trul...

Wish Upon a Star: Why Humans Make Wishes Why do people make wishes when a shooting star flashes across the sky? And can a wish become more than something we quietly hope will happen? In Wish Upon a Star, young explorers journey through meteor science, history, and cultural traditions to discover why the night sky has inspired wishes for generations. We’ll learn what a “shooting star” really is, ex...

One night, the Moon is a glowing circle. A few nights later, it looks like half a cookie. Then it becomes a delicate crescent—or seems to disappear completely. But is the Moon really changing shape? In this episode of Faithfully Explore! , young listeners follow the Moon through its repeating cycle and discover what causes the lunar phases. Through vivid explanations, cultural connections, and pla...

Great Bear in the Sky: How the Big Dipper Helps Us Find Our Way Seven bright stars. Two very different stories. One pattern that has helped people navigate the night for generations. In this episode of Faithfully Explore! , we look up at one of the most recognizable patterns in the sky: the Big Dipper. Children will discover that the Big Dipper is not a constellation by itself—it is part of the la...

What do you see when you look at the Milky Way? A glowing river? A road through the stars? A bridge connecting people across the sky? In this episode of Faithfully Explore!, Laura invites young explorers to discover both the science and the stories behind the Milky Way. Kids will learn that the Milky Way is our galaxy and that the pale band we see from Earth is made from countless distant stars bl...

Three bright stars in a row create one of the most recognizable patterns in the night sky—but not everyone has imagined the same picture among them. In this episode of Faithfully Explore! , kids learn how to find Orion’s Belt and discover the real science hidden within the constellation, including reddish Betelgeuse, blue-white Rigel, and the Orion Nebula, where new stars are forming. Then we trav...

The Rabbit in the Moon: A Sky Story Shared Around the World What do you see when you look at the full Moon? Some people see a face. But across many parts of Asia and the Americas, people have looked at the Moon’s light and dark markings and imagined something very different... a rabbit. In this first episode of our new series, Sky Stories: Wonder Written in the Stars , we follow the Moon rabbit th...

What do Latter-day Saints mean when they talk about a “living prophet”? In this Faithfully Explore! episode, we answer a listener's question from eight-year-old Liam, who noticed a picture of a kind-looking older man on his neighbor’s refrigerator and wondered, “Why do they call him the prophet?” Together, we explore what members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe about pro...

This week on Faithfully Explore!, we step inside a Jewish synagogue to ask a big question: What is a rabbi? Kids will discover that a rabbi is a Jewish teacher, guide, interpreter, listener, and community helper. Rabbis study sacred Jewish texts such as the Torah and Talmud, help people understand Jewish teachings, lead and support community life, and walk with families through both joyful celebra...

What is an imam, and what does an imam do? In this episode of Faithfully Explore! , we step inside a mosque and learn about one of the important helper-leaders in many Muslim communities: the imam. Kids will discover that an imam may lead prayer, teach about the Qur’an and Hadith, give a Friday talk called a khutbah, listen to people who need guidance, and help bring the community together. Throug...

What is a Pope? In this episode of Faithfully Explore , we travel in our imaginations to Vatican City to learn about the spiritual leader of the Catholic Church. Kids will discover that Catholicism is part of Christianity, that the Catholic Church is a worldwide community, and that the Pope helps guide Catholics with messages of faith, kindness, service, and care for others. We also explore Vatica...

What does it really mean to forgive someone? In this heart-filled episode of Faithfully Explore! , kids discover that forgiveness is not about pretending hurtful things are okay. It is about learning how to let go of anger, make room for healing, and choose kindness when our hearts feel heavy. Using the image of anger as a “heavy rock,” this episode helps children understand big feelings in a conc...

What can one tiny parrot do when a whole forest is in danger? In this episode of Faithfully Explore!, kids meet Pip, a small green parrot with a heart as big as the sun. When smoke rises in her beloved jungle home and the animals begin to run, Pip refuses to give up. She flies to the river, dips her feathers in the water, and carries one tiny drop at a time back to the flames. At first, the Great...

What does bravery look like? Sometimes bravery looks like fighting a dragon or climbing a mountain. But sometimes bravery looks much quieter. Sometimes it looks like standing in front of everyone with an empty pot… and telling the truth. In this episode of Faithfully Explore! , kids journey to ancient China to meet Ping, a young gardener with a special gift for growing beautiful plants. When the E...

What happens when a wonderful gift gets tangled up in pride? In this episode of Faithfully Explore, Explorers travel all the way back to Ancient Greece to meet Arachne, a young weaver whose talent is known far and wide. Her cloth is so beautiful that people come from distant villages just to see it. But as Arachne’s skill grows, so does her boastfulness—until she claims she is even better than Ath...

What happens when one little sheep wanders too far? In this episode of Faithfully Explore!, young listeners journey to the rolling green hills for a heartfelt retelling of The Lost Sheep, one of Jesus’ beloved parables. Kids meet Clover, a curious sheep with floppy ears and a hungry tummy, who follows one tasty bite after another until she realizes she is far from the flock. As the sun sets and th...

Hi Explorers! 🐘 In today’s adventure, we travel into a beloved Hindu story featuring Ganesha—a kind and clever figure known for wisdom, new beginnings, and overcoming obstacles. When Ganesha and his speedy brother Kartikeya are challenged to race around the world for a magical prize, it seems like an easy win for the fastest runner. But Ganesha has a different idea—one that teaches us that wisdom...

🎧 Episode Title: Why the Tortoise’s Shell Is Cracked A Yoruba Folktale About Sharing, Fairness, and Friendship 🌟 Episode Summary In this imaginative and interactive episode of Faithfully Explore! , we journey to Yorubaland to hear a traditional folktale about Ìjàpá the tortoise. When a sky-high feast is announced, Ìjàpá uses his clever words to trick the birds and ends up learning a hard lesson...

Have you ever had a “whoa” moment—standing somewhere so beautiful or peaceful that it felt extra special? In this episode of Faithfully Explore!, we travel to Japan to explore Shinto, a way of seeing the world that invites us to notice the magic and meaning all around us. Through storytelling, imagination, and interactive moments, kids and families will discover the concept of kami—the special “sp...