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Episode 172 :: Mike Nappa :: Stories from the Valley of the Shadow, and Blessing Those Who Mourn

Simply Stories Podcast

Release Date: 11/29/2023

Episode 174 :: Douglas McKelvey :: Stories of Leaning into Advent, Lament, and Living with Every Moment Holy show art Episode 174 :: Douglas McKelvey :: Stories of Leaning into Advent, Lament, and Living with Every Moment Holy

Simply Stories Podcast

Today, I have the absolute pleasure of sharing my conversation with the one and only Douglas McKelvey. Douglas is a songwriter, author, and liturgy writer extraordinaire. I have never met someone like Douglas. His gift with words and passion for Christ cultivates a visceral invitation to be more present in this life, to find your fight again as you walk this weary way, and speaks to our hope of the next life with Jesus. Douglas shares with me his story of what led him to Nashville, TN, his journey from songwriting to fiction writing and the idea of unpacking his belief that every moment...

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Episode 173 :: Carole Holiday :: Stories of Learning Who You Are Again After Loss and Living with Grief show art Episode 173 :: Carole Holiday :: Stories of Learning Who You Are Again After Loss and Living with Grief

Simply Stories Podcast

A self-proclaimed “accidental author”, Carole Holiday was living a very full life as a wife, mother, and nana, until one day, everything fell apart. Her marriage to her childhood sweetheart of over 35 years ended, followed by losing her job and ultimately filing for bankruptcy. Then she developed heart issues because of all the stress, and a continued windfall of loss, and grief in losing close loved ones, until it felt like there was absolutely nothing recognizable about the life she had known.    In her book I Don’t Know Who I Am Anymore, Carole shares her story, but it...

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Episode 172 :: Mike Nappa :: Stories from the Valley of the Shadow, and Blessing Those Who Mourn show art Episode 172 :: Mike Nappa :: Stories from the Valley of the Shadow, and Blessing Those Who Mourn

Simply Stories Podcast

Over the last several years, I don’t think there is anyone who has not been touched by loss or some kind of grief.  Today's guest, author, and literary agent Mike Nappa is incredibly familiar with loss and living with grief. In 2016, he lost his beloved wife, Amy, to cancer. In his learning how to live life without her, God has shown him why grieving is such an important part of losing a loved one. As Mike says, he learned how to cry into his keyboard and produced one of the most poignant books that bears witness to grief that I have ever personally encountered. It is called ...

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Episode 171 :: Gary Miracle :: Stories of Taking Heart, Persevering in Suffering, and No More Bad Days show art Episode 171 :: Gary Miracle :: Stories of Taking Heart, Persevering in Suffering, and No More Bad Days

Simply Stories Podcast

Gary Miracle is an author and a speaker who passionately believes in the power of storytelling and how it unites us and spurs us on when life is tragically hard, and also reminds us who we are and who God made us to be. In this episode, he shares his story of growing immersed in church culture on Sunday but then suffered from an identity crisis the rest of the week as he chased perfection, and changed personas in order to be affirmed by anyone and everyone. Finally, later in his life and career, now a married man with kids, Gary reached his breaking point and reached out to his friend Bart...

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Episode 170 :: Justin & J.L. Gerhardt:: Stories of Encountering God at the Intersection of Story and Worship show art Episode 170 :: Justin & J.L. Gerhardt:: Stories of Encountering God at the Intersection of Story and Worship

Simply Stories Podcast

Justin and J.L. Gerhardt are on the podcast today, and you will love hearing from them! There is an epic retelling of their meeting and falling in love complete with 90’s Hearthrob meet cute and all. More than that, Justin and J.L. share about their journey of God leading them both into ministry with words, calling their family to travel the world, and unleashing their creativity and courage to press into new ways to encounter God and His Word. This journey has given birth to various creative outlets for the Gerhardt family, but the one we talk about the most in this episode is Justin’s...

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Episode 169 :: Nikki Anders :: Stories of The Journey to Bethlehem  show art Episode 169 :: Nikki Anders :: Stories of The Journey to Bethlehem

Simply Stories Podcast

I am so excited to share with you a really special conversation with the incredibly talented Renaissance woman Nikki Anders. Nikki is an award-winning musician, songwriter, and music producer in the TV and film industry. She shares some of her experiences in the music industry as a solo artist and member of the music group Avalon, her and her husband Adam’s time working on “Glee” as well as many other films, and now are the creative team behind the new movie musical “The Journey to Bethlehem.” Nikki shares how the Lord closed and opened so many doors over the last seventeen...

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Episode 168 :: Travis Thompson :: Stories of  Mental Health, Addiction, Faith and Healing show art Episode 168 :: Travis Thompson :: Stories of Mental Health, Addiction, Faith and Healing

Simply Stories Podcast

Travis Thompson is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who practices in Middle Tennessee. He is a PhD candidate who works with clients from many backgrounds to find the deeper meaning of their struggles and embrace long-term recovery from the pains that they experienced.  His work is focused on being healed from past hurt and toward future success. During our conversation, Travis shares his journey of wrestling with his own mental health as a teenager, his recovery and healing journey, and entering the world of becoming a mental health professional serving and helping others like...

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Episode 167 :: Kelly Balarie :: Stories of  The Power of God’s Word and Taking Every Thought Captive show art Episode 167 :: Kelly Balarie :: Stories of The Power of God’s Word and Taking Every Thought Captive

Simply Stories Podcast

I have a powerhouse on the podcast in the form of Kelly Balarie. Kelly is an author and a speaker who is passionate about Jesus and the Word of God. She is a sister in the trenches and a self-proclaimed spiritual cheerleader. Every book she has written, she writes from a place of “this is where God has been faithful to me in this season.” Or “this is what God has been teaching me,” full of authenticity, and powerful scripture-saturated insights for women who desire to walk well and be filled to the fullness of God.    In our conversation today, you’ll hear about her...

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Episode 166 :: Dr. Clarence Shuler :: Stories of Finding Hope in Dark Places and Cross-Cultural Relationships that Can Heal show art Episode 166 :: Dr. Clarence Shuler :: Stories of Finding Hope in Dark Places and Cross-Cultural Relationships that Can Heal

Simply Stories Podcast

Dr. Clarence Shuler is the President and CEO of his nonprofit BLR- which stands for Building Lasting Relationships. Their mission is to equip others for discipleship in various venues. He and his wife both speak and write about marriage, but also dealing with infidelity, and divorce, but they especially love to minister to singles in the church. Whatever it looks like, the Shulers are committed to “loving people with God’s love with no agenda and see what happens.” During our conversation today, Dr. Shuler shared his story of coming to Christ through a relationship that would impact...

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Episode 165 ::Kayla Craig :: Stories of Curiosity & Questions in Faith & Holding Every Season Sacred show art Episode 165 ::Kayla Craig :: Stories of Curiosity & Questions in Faith & Holding Every Season Sacred

Simply Stories Podcast

Today I have the absolute joy of sharing with you my conversation with Kayla Craig. Kayla is a modern liturgist as the woman behind Liturgies for Parents online. She is a Mama of 4, a supportive pastor’s wife, and just this week she released her second book Every Season Sacred. In our conversation today, you’ll get to hear Kayla’s heart as she shares about what it looks like to pursue an honest and abundant life full of wonder and work. In all the spaces she occupies, she offers an open invitation to be curious, to express our questions, doubts, or confusion as we walk out our faith...

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Over the last several years, I don’t think there is anyone who has not been touched by loss or some kind of grief.  Today's guest, author, and literary agent Mike Nappa is incredibly familiar with loss and living with grief. In 2016, he lost his beloved wife, Amy, to cancer. In his learning how to live life without her, God has shown him why grieving is such an important part of losing a loved one. As Mike says, he learned how to cry into his keyboard and produced one of the most poignant books that bears witness to grief that I have ever personally encountered. It is called Reflections for the Grieving Soul: Meditations and Scripture for Finding Hope After Loss.

 

We are often so uncomfortable with grief and treat it like it is a problem to be solved. However, God Himself, in all three persons of the Trinity, grieves, and we are made in His image. It isn’t sinful to grieve. Mike says: “There are things in this world worth loving enough to grieve, and if we don’t grieve well, we are taking away from the image of God within us.” Although, as we’ll discuss in this episode, there are ways to grieve well and there are also ways to grieve poorly and even destructively.  The depths of grief isn’t a place where we want to live permanently, but we have to hold space for it or it will make itself known in other ways. When we don’t walk this journey, we miss out on the blessings for those who mourn.

 

There are quite a few tears shed during this episode, but honest, perhaps blessed, tears. I would like to offer this episode as a benevolent witness and comfort to whoever might need it in this season. The Lord promises blessing and comfort for us, dear ones. He is near to you. You matter, and Your story matters. 

 

Connecting with Mike:

Books and other publications

Facebook

Website

 

Please consider joining our Patreon community. If you have enjoyed what you have heard on the podcast today or from other episodes, we would so appreciate your support to keep the Simply Stories Podcast going. You can sign up for as little as $3 a month and each tier offers gifts that I hope will bless you in return. If you cannot financially commit at this time, please consider leaving us a star rating and/or review on Apple Podcasts.  My family and I are so grateful for each of you and how you are part of our story. 

 

Scripture References:

John 12:4-6- Judas was the treasurer

Ephesians 2:8-There’s nothing I can do to earn God’s love

John 15-Without Him we have nothing 

Psalm 121, John 14:26-We need help from the Helper

Genesis 6:6- God looks at the wickedness of man and is grieved

Matthew 26:38-Jesus says “My soul is crushed with grief”

Ephesians 4:30-Paul reminds us that we can grieve the Holy Spirit 

John 11:17-41-Jesus stood outside of Lazarus’ tomb and wept 

Matthew 5:4-Blessed are those who mourn

Matthew 5:1-11-  the beginning of the Beatitudes and their promises

Psalm 34:18-19-The Lord is near to the brokenhearted

Deuteronomy 31:6-8, Hebrews 13:5-6-He will never leave me or forsake me 

Jeremiah 29:11, Romans 8:28-God has a purpose and a plan for your life

Acts 17:28-In Christ we live and move and have our being 

 

References:

-Norman, OK

-Lebanon 

-Judas Iscariot’s story

-Hard Way Home 

-Dr. Gary Chapman

-Pixar

-An example of a book written by women on her journey home What We Wish Were True by Tallu Quinn 

- “What is grief if not love persevering?”- Wandavision

-If you’d like to see it, here is my Dad baptizing my daughter. 

-Hebrew  and Greek translations of “blessed” makarios

- “Ten Unexpected Benefits of Grieving Well” article by Mike

-Douglas McElvey and Every Moment Holy “Liturgy for Leavings”

 

Connecting with Emily and Simply Stories Podcast:
Instagram (Em life // Podcast Life)
Facebook
Twitter
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