Uncovered: Life Beyond

Send us Fan Mail What if the very teachings that promise to bring you love and belong are the same ones that will put you in the greatest dangers? Join us as we explore Tia Leving's phenomenal book, "Well-Trained Wife," and the many parts that resonate with us. We discuss the tight grip of rigid faith traditions and societal expectations, and how liberating it can be to seize contro...

Send us Fan Mail Are women guilty of manipulation and passive-aggressive tendencies? Sure! However, we are here to point out that these tactics are used across the board by women AND men. Moreover, we can't ignore the unfortunate reality that many of us were trained as young children to avoid more direct ways of communicating, so manipulation is often the only tool available to us to get our...

Send us Fan Mail What if the best way to get ready for fall is to rest this summer? In this episode we challenge common expectations about productivity and laziness, making the case that rest is not a luxury but is foundational for being the happy, relaxed parent our children need.  We're sharing 15 ways we're making the most of summer's remaining weeks. Instead of working harder, w...

Send us Fan Mail This is a continuation of the previous episode where we pull back the curtain on Naomi's divorce journey and her perspective six years later. We address systemic issues that often leave women feeling trapped--issues such as financial dependency, lack of education, and inadequate support from family and faith communities. We also discuss the benefits of no-fault divorce laws,...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode we pull back the curtain on Naomi's divorce journey and her perspective six years later. We address systemic issues that often leave women feeling trapped--issues such as financial dependency, lack of education, and inadequate support from family and faith communities. We also discuss the benefits of no-fault divorce laws, which have been proven to reduce fema...

Send us Fan Mail In the mood for a deep, serious discussion? Then keep right on scrolling because this is NOT the episode for you. We're here to talk about the overwhelm that comes with summer's chaos--the kind of overwhelm that makes even picking out a watermelon feel like too much. Join us for a feel-good conversation that celebrates the small joys and the strong connections that make...

Send us Fan Mail This week we start out with an update on Naomi's recent health adventures and then turn our attention to recapping the first weekend in June when we attended a Symposium on How Our Amish Heritage Influences Our Education and Career at Elizabethtown College. It all started with a very social Costco run to kick off our girls' weekend with all the necessary supplies (cheese...

Send us Fan Mail Have you ever reread a cherished story from childhood only to find your sense of nostalgia replaced by cringe?  In this episode, we reflect on The Pineapple Story, a seemingly innocent book that, for us, represents a mashup of influences that colored our upbringing and sense of the world. The Pineapple Story is just one example of a missionary story that at first glance may seem t...

Send us Fan Mail Have you missed us? We’ve missed you! This episode was recorded in mid-May 2024 but not released until  mid-June because of some health issues that threw a wrench in our production plans. We're happy to report that all is well and we're back in action.  ------- Many of us who are the first in our families to go to college might be held back by the worry that we aren’t sm...

Send us Fan Mail Now that we've (nearly) survived the end of semester crunch time, we're delighted to return to a regular podcasting schedule again. We're also excited about the new texting option for listeners. (Click the link above to try it out!) Have you ever been overwhelmed by life circumstances beyond your control and wondered what good therapy could do? Maybe you've tri...

Send us Fan Mail Ever wonder how you got here as you blow out the candles on your birthday cake? That's where we begin in this episode, making space for the bittersweet emotions of milestone birthdays and the impending retirements of colleagues we admire.  In our main segment, we talk about the possibilities of the College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) that can save college students seriou...

Send us Fan Mail This episode is for anyone who has called many different places home and often waffles just a bit before answering the question, "Where are you from?" How do we answer this simple question while accounting for all the twists and turns and layers of experience that make up our identity?  How deep do our roots need to go before we can claim to be Amish or Mennonite--or any...

Send us Fan Mail If the thought of scheduling an official campus tour fills you with uncertainty or even dread, this podcast is for you! Navigating unfamiliar places and institutions can feel daunting for any of us, including first generation students (and their parents) who may not be sure where to start or what to expect beyond the glossy brochures and flashy websites. In this episode, we (Naomi...

Send us Fan Mail If your win this week is a kitchen floor that's clean for the first time in ages, you've found your people! We start this episode with a pop culture minute where we wonder aloud about  the Royal Family's odd handling of Kate Middleton's recent absence from the public eye as well as the public's reaction to the public's reaction. Then we shift our focu...

Send us Fan Mail Ever wrestled with the weight of a difficult decision, feeling the tug-of-war between what you've been taught and what your gut is screaming at you? Join us for this heart-to-heart as we peel back the layers of socialized guilt and its power in our lives.  First, we explore some of the reasons we often find ourselves pulled along by social norms even when they aren't wor...

Send us Fan Mail We reflect on last week's episode and the events that prompted it--such as public figures spreading misconceptions about Amish culture and failing to honor the truths of those living in high-demand religion. We stress the importance of listening to and respecting the broad range of individual experiences that together make up a culture far more dynamic and complex than any fi...

Send us Fan Mail Ever wonder what it would be like to step into the world represented by Amish-themed romance novels? Well, just as the cottages in a Thomas Kincade painting don't actually exist (has anyone ever seen glowing windows in the middle of the day?), neither do the communities of Beverly Lewis' imagination. These books  reflect as much about Amish culture as the Little House on...

Send us Fan Mail What if putting my child in daycare is going to mess them up forever? Am I sacrificing their wellbeing for my personal ambition? These are the kinds of questions many mothers face as they consider college and/or joining the workforce.  We respond to a listener question about navigating the guilt that is often heaped upon mothers who break the family tradition of being a stay-at-ho...

Send us Fan Mail Ever been sucker-punched by the realization that you've dropped the ball on something super important? If so, come sit with us! In this episode we unpack big feelings about a recent slip-up in the balancing act of work, family, and school. We can't tell you how to prevent the curveballs, but we can assure you that you're not alone and that it's all part of bein...

Send us Fan Mail Listen in as Rebecca and Naomi rehash a weekend last fall with a few far-flung cousins where the coffee and conversation flowed freely.  Items mentioned in the show:  Help plan future episodes! Click this link to Vote for Upcoming Topics Behalt: Amish & Mennonite Heritage Center Naomi’s Book Haul:  The Narrow Way of Self-Denial: An Amish Man’s Counsel for His Children by D.J....

Send us Fan Mail The Scandal of Women Protesting Patriarchal Click-Bait  After their unplanned absence, Naomi and Rebecca are back to discuss changes to the podcast, catch up on life, and break down some recent distress expressed online at women taking issue with offensive theology.  Help plan future episodes! Click this link to Vote for Upcoming Topics . Articles mentioned in the episode: Josh Bu...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Rebecca and Naomi discuss the fraught issue of fashion and personal style after growing up in plain culture where your clothes not only broadcast your church identity and social status but also are interpreted as indicators of your spiritual health and family cohesiveness. Rebecca and Naomi don't tell you what to wear, but they do suggest some ways to reframe...

Send us Fan Mail If you're wondering how you're ever going to manage all the caregiving, paid work, and school on your plate this fall, you're in the right place! In this episode Naomi and Rebecca discuss their own sense of overwhelm at all the things coming at them in the new school year and share survival tips they've learned over the years. Come for the solidarity and stay f...

Send us Fan Mail It may seem that Wisconsin vs. Yoder was a major win for the Amish since today 85-90% of Amish young people continue in the tradition and the Old Order population doubles nearly every twenty years. However, in this episode, Naomi and Rebecca take a closer look at the realities of Amish life more than half a century out from that landmark Supreme Court decision. They find that bann...

Send us Fan Mail The reality that Amish teens are prevented from attending high school has been supported by broader American society for more than fifty years–and is often even romanticized as a cultural norm to celebrate. Yet how is this situation possible at a time when education is so crucial to becoming an employable adult? In this episode, Naomi and Rebecca discuss the internal contradiction...