The Storydram

What happens when a toddler turns a training toilet seat into a crown… and then gets it stuck around his neck? Chris shares the unforgettable story of his son Leo, a toilet seat, and the moment that required a hacksaw to fix the problem. What started as a hilarious parenting story turned into a powerful lesson about trust—especially the kind of trust we’re invited to have with God. Sometimes we wa...

After debating overtime hockey and Olympic glory, a family road trip to Wisconsin Dells takes a turn when a flashing dashboard light threatens to derail everything. What follows is a dark country road, a mysterious mechanic, and an unexpected offer of radical generosity. In this episode, the guys explore what happens when self-reliance fails, trust feels risky, and God shows up through the most un...

A simple bus ride turned into every parent’s worst nightmare. When Chris’s seven-year-old daughter was accidentally put on the wrong school bus, what followed was 30 minutes of fear, confusion, and one terrifying question:  Will we ever see her again? In this episode of Storydram we explore what it really means to be lost — and why being found is always worth celebrating. From panic to reunion (an...

What do facial hair trends, poisonous frogs in Mexico, clogged toilets full of goldfish, and an unexpected indoor fireball have in common? Apparently… youth ministry. In this episode of  Storydram , Chris and Kory sit down with Eric Duffy to swap unforgettable (and occasionally alarming) stories from years of ministry—stories that  felt  like failures in the moment but became moments of grace, gro...

What do woodworking, canoe-building, youth ministry, and teaching science all have in common? According to Eric Duffy—more than you’d think. In this episode of  Storydram , Eric Duffy joins Chris and Kory to reflect on craftsmanship, vocation, and the kind of faith that’s built slowly, patiently, and with a lot of trust. Did we mention that Eric had a front row seat to Chris' earliest youth mi...

Have you ever failed to recognize someone you  know —simply because you weren’t expecting to see them there? In this episode of  StoryDram Chris and Kory start with songs stuck in their heads and an awkward restaurant encounter… and end up reflecting on one of the most mysterious moments in the Gospels: why the disciples didn’t recognize Jesus after the Resurrection. A funny, thoughtful conversati...

Kory fails at car repair, rips his pants at church, and ends up teaching baptism prep in a server robe. Somehow, God still shows up. In this episode, The guys talk about strengths, weakness, vulnerability, and why faith often breaks through  after things fall apart. A hilarious and honest story about embarrassment, baptism, and learning to let God work through what isn’t perfect.

This episode starts innocently enough: a heated debate about coziness, slippers, and why Americans seem allergic to being comfortable. But somewhere between a youth ministry lockout, a late-night dance-off, and a moment of unchecked confidence, everything goes wrong. What happens when a youth minister tries to hype up a crowd… and suddenly wakes up on the floor surrounded by teenagers asking if he...

Christmas is over and Ordinary Time has begun—but what if the ordinary is where life’s deepest meaning is found? Chris and Kory reflect on favorite Christmas movies, discovering  It’s a Wonderful Life  for the first time, and how a costly mistake at the gas pump became a lesson in gratitude. This episode explores how good stories help us see what truly matters especially when things go wrong.

Every year many stay up late, eat too much, maybe drink a little, and expect New Year’s Eve to be unforgettable. And almost every year… it isn’t. In this New Year’s episode of  Storydram the guys reflect on why New Year’s Eve so often fails to live up to the hype—and what that disappointment reveals about our expectations and desires. A simple Pizza Hut daddy-daughter date becomes the catalyst for...

Merry Christmas from Storydram!  🎄 In this special Christmas episode, Chris and Kory are joined by Alicia LaCroix for a powerful and deeply human story about mercy, confession, and what happens when we simply  can’t find the words . Alicia shares her first confession as an adult convert — a moment marked not by eloquence or confidence, but by fear, silence, and a handwritten list she couldn’t bri...

As we record on the Fourth Sunday of Advent, the house is loud, the stew is hot, and Christmas is almost here. In this episode of  Storydram , Chris and Kory reflect on the rising joy of Advent — a season that is both penitential and festive, quiet and loud, already here and still coming. Chris shares a childhood story of sledding gone wrong: a younger sister, a steep hill, and a brick wall at the...

A moment of humor turns into a moment of charity in this week’s episode. Kory tells the story of accidentally sending a fake episode title (“Signs Your Hemorrhoids Might Be Infected”) to a very normal listener… and how that led into a deeper reflection on crossing thresholds, sacred space, and what happens when life interrupts liturgy. Chris and Kory talk about jumping over pews, fainting parishio...

From broken tools and hit-and-run garbage cans to being “pretty woman-ed” in a clothing store — a humorous look at reclaiming your peace in everyday annoyances. In this episode of  Storydram , Chris and Kory swap stories of stolen recycling bins, shattered garbage cans, and mysteriously disappearing Caribou Coffee rewards. What do we do when someone says something rude, unfair, or just plain weird...

From Elon Musk “flying cars” and AI hymn-writing to a dusty Amazon box under a desk, this episode of Story Time is all about unfinished things. Inside the box: a knife, a half-carved spoon, and a question that won’t go away— Why did I quit? Chris and Kory use that abandoned project to explore a bigger discernment: When is quitting actually wise, and when is it a missed chance to grow in fortitude,...

What starts as a goofy chat about missed talents (beatboxing, flip turns, and failed skateboard dreams) turns into a tender story about a son taking his mom out for dinner, dress shopping, and a night at the Guthrie. Chris and Kory reflect on honoring our parents, the power of remembering, and how the love we received as children shapes the way we now love our own kids—right down to simple things...

What happens when two youth ministers decide to wander Minneapolis with no phones, no plan, and only one rule: follow every recommendation and meet whoever God puts in front of us? In this episode, Chris and Kory welcome Luke Clavin, who tells the story of a single night that stretched from fancy cocktails and live blues to a speakeasy, stolen glassware, a fake Halloween skeleton, and—right in the...

Sometimes the people God wants to reach aren’t the ones we’re talking to—but the ones listening just beyond the conversation. In this episode, Chris and Kory start with stories about family reunion sweatshirts, matching pajamas, and a dad’s running tradition that turns out to mean much more than it seems. Then they move into a reflection on what it means to  admonish the sinner —to speak truth wit...

After a Halloween night filled with candy debates and neighborly cheer, Chris shares a story from Farm Aid 2025 that starts with a $20 warm beer and ends with an unexpected reflection on judgment, mercy, and seeing others’ intentions in a new light. In this episode, Kory and Chris swap their top (and bottom) Halloween candies, talk about trick-or-treating as dads, and somehow find themselves explo...

Tyler thought it’d be funny. Rachel said “don’t.” What happened next turned into a lesson on joy, humility, and holy whimsy in marriage. A hilarious and heartfelt conversation about how God delights in our delight. Tyler and Rachel McCollum join Chris and Kory for a hilarious and heartfelt conversation about newlywed life. Along the way, the guys explore how whimsy and delight in marriage are not...

Tyler just wanted coffee. Ten minutes later, he was saving a man’s life. This wild story will make you think twice about where God might be placing you today. In this episode, the guys welcome Tyler and Rachel McCollum and unpack the wild story of how Tyler ended up saving a man’s life, and what it revealed about listening to promptings, providence, and presence. Between the laughs and disbelief,...

Chris and Kory check in on an early episodes pumpkin spice predictions, confess their creamer choices, and take a detour into a touching story about a daddy-daughter date that points straight to the Father’s love. Equal parts laughter, nostalgia, and grace — it’s Storydram at its best. Whether you’re sipping a pumpkin spice latte or trying your first dirty soda, this episode will leave you smiling...

Chris and Kory take a dive into the deadly sin of gluttony — and end up somewhere entirely unexpected. Between talk of Mega Stuf, coffee-flavored cookies, and college peanut butter hacks, they start to uncover a truth about desire, discipline, and what we’re really hungry for. Chris gives us a glimpse into a youth ministry pastime - "midnight basketball" through a story about one bold fr...

This week Chris and Kory swap stories about the first shows they ever binged (Lost, Sopranos, Arrested Development). But the conversation takes a turn: from marathon TV days and “rotting” on your phone, to what true rest really means. Is rest just entertainment and distraction? Or is it something deeper—something rooted in Sabbath, worship, and relationship with God? The guys wrestle with John Pau...

What’s the strangest place you’ve ever fallen asleep? From teepees to classrooms to parked cars, the guys start with ridiculous laughter before taking flight with monarch butterflies. The guys welcome special guest Brad Zasada as he shares a story of chasing monarchs in the Minnesota prairies — and how it became a lesson on prayer, expectation, and the surprising ways God speaks. Sometimes we run...