Maybe I'm Amazed

There's a part of building a legacy that has a bit of bittersweetness to it. When you plant a tree, you know you may not live long enough to enjoy the fruit it produces, or the shade it creates. When you build something meant to last for generations or millenniums, you can be sure you'll only see a small fraction of your vision. Today's guest on Maybe I'm Amazed is Allen Walworth. Allen has worked...

In honor of Memorial Day and to help remember all those who gave their lives at war serving the United States, today's guest on Maybe I'm Amazed is Rufus Dalton, a 96 year-old veteran of WW2. Despite being technically too young to enlist at the time, Rufus was able to join the forces and fight on the front lines in southern France.  Rufus talks to James Howell about the clever way in which he was...

"Money Rock" is what friends of Belton Platt used to call him when he was selling large amounts of cocaine in Charlotte, NC in the 1980s. The endeavors that earned Platt that nickname also landed him in federal prison for more than 20 years. Since that time, Platt has reformed himself, become a pastor, and has even started several mentorship programs. Money Rock isn't just a nickname, it's also th...

Frequent listeners of the podcast know what kind of affinity host James Howell has for books and reading. With an appetite for information as voracious as ever, James is never far from a good book.  Today's guest on Maybe I'm Amazed is an author, historian and an old friend of James: Frye Gaillard. Frye, who now lives and teaches in his home state of Alabama, was once neighbors with James in Charl...

One of the questions that Maybe I'm Amazed host James Howell gets asked most often is what is the best translation of the Bible? Is it King James? Revised Standard? Or do we need a translation with a more modern version? James' guest on today's show is professional translator Sarah Ruden, who has translated everything from ancient novels and hymns to Plato. James and Sarah talk about how Sarah got...

Normally, when James speaks to people on this podcast, it's someone with whom he's had a long friendship, a deep personal knowledge of, or a proud working relationship. However, today's guest is speaking with James for the first time: violinist and concertmaster for the Philadelphia Orchestra David Kim. Through a relationship with Kim's mother, James Howell was able to connect to the immensely acc...

The American South has a well-earned reputation for things like heritage, pride and storytelling. But many of those points are being revisited as part of a reexamination of what they meant in context to the African slave trade, reconstruction, Jim Crow and how they manifest themselves today. To help get proper context on these stories, James Howell's guest of today's episode of Maybe I'm Amazed is...

In today's episode of Maybe I'm Amazed, Myers Park UMC Youth Ministry leader Jason Rhymer talks about how God uses the people who show up. That's certainly not just something he preaches, Jason Rhymer epitomizes the philosophy of showing up. Jason has been an athlete, a certified personal trainer, a mentor, a youth leader and even an actor. James Howell talks to Jason about his various roles in li...

As a pastor, James Howell has worked with many community members suffering from dementia. Today's guest has a particularly close experience with this often misunderstood disease. Leading theologian Bishop Kenneth Carder's wife Linda bravely battled with dementia before passing away. In today's episode of Maybe I'm Amazed, James and Kenneth talk about how theology views dementia, why the disease di...

Savvy diners in Charlotte are familiar with restaurateurs Jamie Brown and Jeff Tonidandel's lineup of high quality restaurants concentrated in the NoDa area: Haberdish, Crepe Cellar, Growlers and Reigning Doughnuts have all been lauded by eaters and critics alike. During the pandemic, when many restaurants were forced to close or pivot, the couple turned their attention to opening a new concept in...

Poet and spoken word artist Hannah Hasan joins Dr. James Howell on today's episode of Maybe I'm Amazed. James talks to Hannah about white privilege and its misconceptions and juxtapositions, her work in the community with her Muddy Turtle Talks, her upbringing in Wilkesboro and how her father's death inspired a beautiful moment for her. 

Legendary musical theatre writer and author Tim Rice joins Dr. James Howell for today's episode of Maybe I'm Amazed. Tim's work speaks for itself, having co-written classics like Jesus Christ Superstar, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat  and  Evita  alongside Andrew Lloyd Weber.   Dr. Howell speaks to Mr. Rice about working with Andrew Lloyd Weber, the emotion and purpose that their mus...

Renowned theologian and prolific author Walter Bruggemann joins Dr. James Howell on today's episode of Maybe I'm Amazed. Walter has published more than 50 books (almost all of which Dr. Howell has read), and is regarded as one of the world's greatest Old Testament theologian. Walter and Dr. Howell's conversation covers a wide range of topics, including the importance of praise, the dangers of idol...

On this week's episode of Maybe I'm Amazed, Dr. James Howell is joined by professor Amy-Jill Levine.  She grew up loving and knowing many aspects of the Christian traditions —although she is herself an Orthodox Jew. Her perspective is unique and intriguing: she is Jewish, and has a lifelong love and appreciation for things Christian. No surprise she's one of the world's greatest New Testament scho...

You know Roy Williams the basketball coach. Since 2003, Roy Williams has been the head coach of the North Carolina Tar Heels, and has enjoyed plenty of success, including three national championships. In today's episode of Maybe I'm Amazed, you'll get to meet Roy beyond the basketball court. Roy joins host Dr. James Howell, who have been close friends for many years. Roy talks about the recent pas...

Being a Pastor is no easy task. Particularly when you're tasked with local, national and even global outreach for your church. But that's what Nathan Arledge does for Myers Park UMC as Pastor of Missions and Community Engagement. Pastor Arledge embodies the global mindset. He's travelled all over the US and the world on mission trips and community engagement projects. He's met thousands of diverse...

Part of the purpose of this podcast is to highlight things that we find amazing. But what is amazing, and how do we define it? Surely a picturesque sunset is pretty to look at, but does it capture true beauty and amazement? To help us answer that question, we turn to author and theologian Wendy Farley. Wendy has written extensively about truth, divinity and beauty, and in today's episode of Maybe...

In September 1957, Dorothy   Counts  Scoggins made a walk into Harding High School in Charlotte, NC that would forever change public schooling and racial segregation. Scoggins was one of four African-American students to be admitted into an all-white school as a result of the Pearsall Plan.  Dorothy 's walk from her father's car to the front door of the high school would only take a few minutes, b...