Pebbles of Light

Text or voice message the show Sometimes we think of service as one more thing to add to an already full calendar. But what if meaningful service could become a natural part of the life we're already living? In this episode of Pebbles of Light , Anne Maxson welcomes Melissa Draper, host of the Do Something More podcast, for a thoughtful conversation about everyday kindness, acting on good int...

Text or voice message the show Jess Southfield has spent a lot of years learning that loving ten children well doesn't mean parenting ten children exactly the same way. In this conversation, Jess and Anne talk about the pressure to look like you have family life figured out, the grace that comes from realizing you don't, and the shift from focusing primarily on behavior to thinking more...

Text or voice message the show When Laura Bratton began losing her sight as a teenager, she wasn’t asking, “Why me?” She was asking, “How am I going to get through this?” In this conversation, Laura talks candidly about the grief, anxiety, identity changes, and uncertainty that accompanied her gradual vision loss—and the practices that eventually helped her build a life within a reality she never...

Text or voice message the show What happens when someone who has struggled deeply with reading and writing begins asking whether the problem is not intelligence or effort—but the way the learning process itself has been designed? In this episode of Pebbles of Light , Anne talks with dyslexia researcher Russell Van Brocklin about his own experience navigating education with significant reading and...

Text or voice message the show What does it mean to love someone enough to let them go? In this episode of Pebbles of Light , Anne sits down with Jody Hudson—author, advocate, and founder of the Alex Hudson Lyme Foundation—to reflect on a decade-long journey through her daughter Alex’s illness, the uncertainty of a medical mystery, and the sacred moment that changed everything. This conversation e...

Text or voice message the show Can curiosity deepen faith rather than threaten it? Doug Ell is an MIT-trained mathematician and former atheist who describes spending more than three decades examining questions at the intersection of science and belief. In this conversation, Doug shares the experiences that first led him away from faith, the unexpected moment that caused him to reconsider what he b...

Text or voice message the show When Life Doesn’t Follow the Script Anne Maxson talks with Rachel Kennington about resilience, faith, and the ways a meaningful life can unfold differently than expected. Rachel shares how her understanding of purpose shifted when marriage and motherhood did not happen on the timeline she once imagined, and how serving a mission, pursuing education, and choosing to l...

Text or voice message the show In this episode of Pebbles of Light, Anne Maxson sits down with H. Jackson Calame for a conversation about service, faith, contrast, and the way life’s difficult or humbling moments can shape a larger sense of purpose. Jackson shares how growing up between very different home environments gave him early exposure to both peace and pain. He reflects on learning to “sel...

Text or voice message the show What happens when we choose to truly see someone—not for their past, but for their potential? In this episode of Pebbles of Light , Anne sits down with Norma Jaeger, Executive Director of Recovery Idaho, to explore the intersection of justice and mercy, the realities of addiction and incarceration, and the quiet power of dignity. Drawing from decades of experience in...

Text or voice message the show What if the hardest moments in life are actually invitations to grow? In this episode of Pebbles of Light, Anne Maxson sits down with Michele Kehrer, author of Brave Shift . Michele shares how unexpected challenges—including four cancer diagnoses—became catalysts for powerful personal transformation. Through stories of resilience, mindset shifts, and the courage to e...

Text or voice message the show What if happiness isn’t something we choose—but something we cultivate? In this episode of Pebbles of Light, Anne Maxson sits down with Australian author and philosopher Adam Brownlie to explore the deeper science and psychology behind happiness. Adam shares insights from his book Happypedia , where he outlines six essential pillars of happiness: Food Sleep Movement...

Text or voice message the show Ep 41: Emerging From Hiding and Living a Life that Matters || Calvin Bagley What are you hiding? In this powerful episode of Pebbles of Light, Anne Maxson sits down with entrepreneur and author Calvin Bagley, whose early life was shaped by isolation, lack of formal education, and deep personal struggle. As a child, Calvin literally hid from the school bus because his...

Text or voice message the show Ep 40: It’s Always Too Soon to Quit || Jay Setchell What happens when life knocks you down — not once, but over and over again? In this powerful episode of Pebbles of Light, Jay Setchell shares his extraordinary story of resilience. Jay’s life is a testimony to faith, perseverance, and personal responsibility. His mantra — “If it is to be, it is up to me” — became th...

Text or voice message the show Ep 39: Celebrating Those Who Show Up || Liz Watt In this inspiring episode of Pebbles of Light , Anne Maxson sits down with Liz Watt, author, speaker, and co-founder of Be Healthy Utah, one of the largest natural health conferences in the western United States. Liz shares her deeply personal journey through chronic inflammation, burnout, emotional healing, and what s...

Text or voice message the show Ep 38: Finding Both Success and Fulfillment || Alan Lazaros In this episode of Pebbles of Light, Anne sits down with Alan Lazaros, founder and CEO of Next Level University, to explore what it truly means to win the “game of life.” After surviving a near-fatal car accident at 26 — echoing the loss of his father at age two — Alan shifted from climbing the corporate lad...

Text or voice message the show Ep 37: The Power of Intentional Influence || Phil Ransom What if legacy isn’t about what you accumulate — but what you multiply? In this episode of Pebbles of Light, Anne sits down with author Phil Ransom to explore the shift from transactional living to transformational living. Through stories of teachers, mentors, caregiving, scarcity versus abundance, and the powe...

Text or voice message the show Ep 36: Letting God Shape Your Journey || Mason Orr In this heartfelt episode of Pebbles of Light , Anne sits down with Mason to explore how serving a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints reshaped his faith, confidence, and understanding of Christ’s enabling power. From learning Japanese culture to discovering the daily influence of scripture st...

Text or voice message the show Ep 35: When Success Changes Shape: Pivots, Purpose, & the Work Within || Ryan T. Reichert In this episode of Pebbles of Light , Anne Maxson sits down with Ryan T. Reichert — Army veteran, executive coach, author, recovery advocate, and father — for a deeply reflective conversation about redefining success. Ryan shares: How military leadership shaped — and inflate...

Text or voice message the show Ep 34: Small Miracles, Quiet Alignment, & the Courage to Pause || Robin H. Clare In this episode of Pebbles of Light, Anne Maxson sits down with author Robin H. Clare for a reflective conversation about harmony, grace, and finding meaning in the smallest moments of daily life. Robin shares insights from her personal journey through recovery, spiritual alignment,...

Text or voice message the show Ep 33: Better Is Better: How Trials Shape Purpose-Driven Leadership || Holly Porter In this episode of *Pebbles of Light*, Anne Maxson sits down with founder and purpose-driven leader Holly Porter to explore how life-altering trials can become invitations to deeper purpose. After surviving a 70-day hospitalization with COVID—including a near-death experience—Holly wa...

Text or voice message the show Ep 32: The Art of Connection: Understanding Emotional Safety in Relationships || Diane McDowell Episode Summary: In this episode of *Pebbles of Light*, Anne Maxson is joined by therapist and coach Diane McDowell to explore how emotional safety shapes our ability to connect, love, and communicate—especially within our families and closest relationships. Diane shares w...

Text or voice message the show Ep 31: Exploring the Intersection of Creativity and Technology || Oliver MacDonald  Curiosity, creativity, and failure are not detours—they’re teachers. In this episode of Pebbles of Light , Anne Maxson sits down with engineer, artist, educator, and startup founder Oliver MacDonald to explore how curiosity across disciplines—art, engineering, language, and culture—sh...

Text or voice message the show Ep 30: Giving Yourself Permission to Fail || Anne Maxson In this solo episode of Pebbles of Light, Anne Maxson shares her personal journey of giving herself permission to fail—in business, in her PhD pursuit, and in life. She reflects on spiritual impressions, unexpected detours, and the way God uses “failures” as course corrections toward something better. Through h...

Text or voice message the show Ep 29: The Joy of Sam and the Story of His Down Syndrome Diagnosis || Natalie Hobbs Natalie Hobbs shares her story of learning that her new baby, Sam, had been diagnosed with Down Syndrome. She talks about how she personally worked through the diagnosis and what it would mean for their family and their new son as well as the joy and happiness that Sam has brought to...

Text or voice message the show Ep 28: "Casting" Aside Your Nets to Follow Him || Beverly Holloway Casting director Beverly Holloway shares insights about what the faith-based film industry is like, the guidance and faith that led her to her vocation, and some behind-the-scenes tidbits about the hit streaming series “The Chosen.”THIS EPISODE’S PEBBLE: Reflect on Proverbs 3:5-6 which state...