Seemingly Ordinary

Not too many people choose a college with only one major, with under 500 students, nestled outside of the city in a natural setting. But Sal and Jacob, cousins, each 18, chose this unusual institution based on the Great Books, and which uses the Socratic Method of instruction (which is where the professors grill you every class to see what you know). In this episode, we discuss why they're go...

Sammy Kopecky is a college junior who spent nine days in the poorest part of Peru, the mountains, where people live without water and electricity, and almost without food. They are recovering from years of unrest. Sammy worked with a group of missionaries to help build cement stairs, but also just to play with the kids and speak with the adults. It changed her life and how she sees the world, and...

Belinda Ellsworth has built three successful businesses over the past 25 years and her podcast show, "Work From Your Happy Place," was picked up by iHeartRadio this year.  In this episode, she explains how she helps entrepreneurs, artists, and salespeople take their work to the next level. (This episode was recorded on March 27, 2023.)

A writer and artist, Nora Ley is a first year college student at Benedictine, in Atchison, Kansas, who is having perhaps the best year year of her life. Christian Valldeparas is a high school sophomore who writes and acts. These good friends are truly growing, and their lives will inspire you to grow, as well. (This episode was recorded on March 26, 2023.)

Abby Lynch has a very unique daughter with incredible writing ability. However, nothing was simple for daughter or mom when it came to finding a good school. This family's unique story is not only compelling--it has potentially societally wide implications. (This episode was recorded on March 25, 2023.)

Dr. Maria Benes currently serves as co-director of the Before Gethsemane Initiative (BGI), a Catholic nonprofit for racial reconciliation. She also is a project lead for the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage for Modern Catholic Pilgrim.  We discuss Maria's childhood, teen years, college--and the scary trip in the Peruvian Andes that made Maria, who was considering agnosticism, confirm her faith...

Aaron Parker went through a gigantic personal event which changed the direction of his life. While freely admitting many of his mistakes, and saying nothing disparaging about the mother of his son, Aaron discusses the custody battle for his son: what led up to it, how it unfolded, the toil it took on him, and the aftermath. We also discuss Aaron's views on many things, from modern society to...

Part 2 of 2 on Addiction. Last week: the problems. This week: the solutions.  Adam Clement is a Licensed Clinical Marriage and Family Therapist (LCMFT).  He  has had experience and training working with couples, families, and individuals with a wide range of presenting problems including trauma, addiction, anxiety, depression, personality disorders, marital conflict, divorce, and adjustment disord...

Part 1 of 2 on Addiction. This week: the problems. Next week: the solutions.  Adam Clement is a Licensed Clinical Marriage and Family Therapist (LCMFT).  He  has had experience and training working with couples, families, and individuals with a wide range of presenting problems including trauma, addiction, anxiety, depression, personality disorders, marital conflict, divorce, and adjustment disord...

In this second of a two-part discussion, theology teacher and autodidactic Emily Wobker and I discuss how to reach different kinds of people, raising kids Catholic, and much more. (This episode was recorded on March 11, 2023.)

Emily Wobker is a mom, theology and history teacher, voracious reader, good storyteller, and someone who has dedicated her life to making people's lives better, often through the gift of faith. In this first of a two-part discussion, we discuss the mood of our era, building relationships, and the meaning of life.  (This episode was recorded on March 11, 2023.)

Part two of a discussion with therapist Adam Clement on the topic of leadership. Adam makes the conversation extremely helpful by focusing on leadership in a person's own life: at work, with family, with kids--basically, in our most important relationships. In this episode, we also touch on business leadership and how to get along with that disagreeable person who sees politics in the opposit...

Part one of two of a discussion with therapist Adam Clement on the topic of leadership. Adam makes the conversation extremely helpful by focusing on leadership in a person's own life: at work, with family, with kids--basically, in our most important relationships.  From Adam's website: Adam Clement is a Licensed Clinical Marriage and Family Therapist (LCMFT). He received a B.S. in Person...

Sam Arth did Exodus 90, a Lent-style program where you give up sugar, alcohol, tobacco, videos, watching sports, and much more for ninety days so that you can toughen up and focus on prayer and fraternity.  We discuss Sam's experience with Exodus 90, and his love of St. Paul's Outreach, an evangelical organization. (This episode was recorded February 15, 2023.)

Sam Arth is a 2019 graduate of St. James Academy in Lenexa, KS, where he had an awesome career in theatre and music. Since graduating, he has joined St. Paul's Outreach. In this episode, he discusses an incredible witness story that he is writing, and we reflect on the need for community.  (This episode was recorded on February 15, 2023.)

As the grandson of a poor Indian farmer who worked his way to a PhD spending many a night studying by the shallow light of a kerosene lamp, Sahaj Sharda has seen firsthand how education has the remarkable power to uplift lives and create opportunity. But in recent decades, Sahaj now wonders what happened to the original core mission of schools like Harvard and Yale. In this episode, we discuss Sah...

Multi-talented Andres Paradis is a Relationship Coach, NLP Coach, Educator of Effective Communication Strategies, Workshop Leader, Public Speaker. two times Amazon #1 Best Selling Author, and an Ordained Minister. Today, we discuss masculinity, femininity, and relationships, including:  How to build a healthy, fulfilling, long-term love relationship? The dance of Masculine Feminine energies that f...

Adam Clement is a marriage and family therapist with many other specialities. He has helped people save their relationships since 2014.

Alan Thomas teaches biology. But two decades ago, he joined the peace corps--and it changed his life.  (This episode was recorded in December 2022.)

Amber Hellwig has a ton of personality. I have a theory that your twenties are the decade that sets the tone for the rest of your life. Amber and I discuss this theory, and tell stories.  (This episode was recorded in June 2022.)

Adam Clement is a Licensed Clinical Marriage and Family Therapist (LCMFT). He received a B.S. in Personal Financial Planning at Kansas State University and a M.S. in Marriage and Family Therapy at Abilene Christian University.  He has been practicing in Kansas City since 2014. In this interview, Adam goes into depth about several primal emotions, like fear, anger, disgust, hurt, shame, and sadness...