The Fountains of Carrots Podcast

Women’s healthcare has been a hot topic for ages, but in a post-Dobbs world, it’s never been more discussed. So we decided to reach out to Leah Jacobson, a women’s health advocate and service provider to discuss the complexities of women’s healthcare, protection for the unborn, and fighting for the care, education, and medical resources that all women deserve. Leah is the founder and the CEO of The Guiding Star Project, a non-profit organization to meet the practical needs of women through providing health care. She has a Master’s degree in Health and Wellness and she’s an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant. She helps mothers and babies by working at her local WIC office, in the labor and delivery department of her local rural hospital, and in her own private practice that specializes in home and virtual visits. Leah is also the author of a book titled Wholistic Feminism. In this episode we talk about the ways the healthcare system has let women down and how pathologizing the female body sets us up to fail. Leah imagines a world in which education about women’s health reaches young women before they even start menstruating and we struggle with the challenge of a hyper-politicized pro-life movement and how to navigate conversations about abortion when the issue is so charged. It’s a heavy topic, so grab a good cup of coffee and enjoy the conversation. Connect with Leah: * Leah’s website * Leah’s Instagram And don’t forget… Haley’s brand new children’s book series is available from Pauline Books and Media just in time for Christmas! The Sister Seraphina Mysteries are read-a-loud stories about an order of mouse nuns who run a school under the floorboards of G.K. Chesterton’s home. Each volume involves a child-friendly mystery that is investigated by Sister Seraphina. She is helped by other sisters from her abbey and two of her students, Marigold Mouseweather and Dominic Whiskerbright. Each book contains several chapters with illustrations on each page by the wonderful Betsy Wallin. Book One: The Pursuit of the Pilfered Cheese Beneath the floorboards of G. K. Chesterton’s home, a thrilling pursuit is about to unfold. Sister Seraphina was pleased that everything was ready for the school fair. But when the prize cheese goes missing, the Sisters of Our Lady Star of the Sea and their brave students will need all their detective wits to solve the mystery. With a little literary inspiration from their upstairs neighbors, the Chestertons, can they band together to solve the case―and save Saint Wulfhilda’s School? Book Two: The Curious ChristmasTrail It’s Christmas Eve, and under the floorboards of G. K. Chesterton’s home,

Several years ago, we were enchanted by a new series: The Green Ember. This series featuring rabbits who are fighting for goodness in a dark world captivated our kids and we wished there were more books like it in the world. Thankfully, the author, S.D. Smith is still writing and his latest project Jack Zulu and the Waylander’s Key was co-written by his teenage son, Josiah. We are so happy to have Sam talking about children’s literature and the importance of good stories on the podcast today! Sam Smith lives in West Virginia with his wife and four children. In addition to being a full-time writer, he is also the founder of Story Warren, a small publishing house dedicated to bringing good stories into the world. In this episode we talk about how Sam fell into writing books and what it has been like to have a story he created for his children become a beloved bestseller. Sam had so many insights into the importance of good storytelling for forming the imagination and helping us to “escape into reality.” We discussed the hunger so many readers have for stories that are timeless rather than relevant to the current moment and Sam also shared about the writing process for co-authoring his newest series with his son. Sam is such a warm and engaging guest and you’re going to love getting to know him. So grab a cup of coffee and enjoy! Connect with Sam: * Sam’s website* Sam’s Instagram Sponsor: EverythingCatholic.com If you love finding beautiful, quality Catholic gifts to bless those you love, now you don’t have to search so hard to find the best out there. Shop EverythingCatholic.com, your new destination for quality Catholic gifts!   Shop books, home goods, art, candles, gifts for babies and kids, apparel, jewelry—everything! Visit EverythingCatholic.com and use code CARROTS at checkout for 15% off your order. Patreon! Do you love FoC and want to help us keep doing what we’re doing (and more!)? Well, we have just the thing for you! Head on over to support the podcast as a patron and get access to special episodes available exclusively to patrons as well as to the FoC Slack community! You’ll also have access to our patron book clubs and receive a cute sticker in the mail from us. So join today! Come hang out with us! Haven’t joined in on the fun with 4,900+ other FoC listeners in our facebook group? It’s your direct line to some fantastic folks who also care about faith, culture, books, and whatever our current masterpiece theatre craze might be! Join in with the link below. * The Fountains of Carrots Raspberry Cordial Social Club on Facebook (our Facebook group)* Connect with Haley on Facebook, Twitter,

The sexual revolution was supposed to usher in a whole new world of freedom for women. Now, decades later, did it offer us what it promised? Christine Emba is examining just that question. Are women happy with the current dating landscape? Are they having lots of fantastic casual sex? According to Christine’s new book, Rethinking Sex, it seems the answer is no. Young women are not thrilled with the dating landscape. They are frustrated and discouraged. Christine went to Princeton and studied public and international affairs. She’s also a Catholic convert. Over time she discovered that she was so interested in exploring ideas and culture that she was drawn to a career in journalism–before long she was writing an opinion column at the Washington Post! Her new book is thought-provoking, sometimes depressing, and incredibly insightful. What’s wrong with the way we treat sex in our culture? What’s the way forward? In this episode we talk about the #metoo movement helped to bring important conversations about consent to the forefront–but these conversations aren’t enough. We talk about how dehumanizing the current dating landscape is and how avoiding acknowledging the differences between men and women (including fertility and vulnerability to sexual assault and coercion) ends up harming women. We talk about the short story Cat Person that opened the door for conversations about bad sex and how common this experience is for women in our hookup culture. While our society isn’t excited about accepting Catholic teaching regarding human sexuality, we can find common ground in acknowledging that the current landscape is bad for women, they deserve better, and we must promote changes that respect the dignity of the human person. It’s a fascinating conversation so grab a cup of coffee and enjoy! Connect with Christine: * Christine’s Column at the Washington Post* Christine’s Twitter Sponsor: EverythingCatholic.com If you love finding beautiful, quality  products made by Catholic artisans, you’re going to love everything catholic .com They have hand-designed Catholic decor, toys and books for children as well as spiritual classics and great fiction for grownups.  Find what you need to live and grow in your faith at EverythingCatholic.com and use code “CARROTS” at checkout for 15% off your entire purchase! Patreon! Do you love FoC and want to help us keep doing what we’re doing (and more!)? Well, we have just the thing for you! Head on over to support the podcast as a patron and get access to special episodes available exclusively to patrons as well as to the FoC Slack community! You’ll also have access to our patron book clubs and receive a cute sticker in the mail from us. So join today! Come hang out with us! Haven’t joined in on the fun with 4,900+ other FoC listeners in our facebook group? It’s your direct line to some fantastic folks who also care about faith, culture, books,

Have you ever just felt stuck? Not only do you not know what decisions to make in your life, but you’ve lost touch of what your vision for life even is? We’ve all been in that sludge of disorientation at some point. But how do you get clarity about what you want your life to look like and the path to get there? That’s what we invited Joseph Thompson on the show to chat about! Joseph lives in Texas with his beautiful wife Helen, four daughters, and a new baby boy. He’s a Catholic convert and sometimes he writes poems. After years working in education, he’s now an Associate Partner with Novus Global and the Director of the Meta-Performance Institute. Joe is an executive coach. He helps people clarify a vision for their lives that thrills them. In this episode we talk about how difficult it is to wipe the cobwebs from your mind so that you can even see what your vision for life is (and how coaching and getting someone else to ask you the right questions can help). Haley shared about some big life decisions she was facing and how working with Joe helped her think through them and understand which direction she wanted to go. We also discuss the tension between reality and the imagination we should cultivate for living a creative life. So often we can imagine all the things that might go badly–but what if we imagined the things that could go amazing? We also talk about how our Catholic faith informs the way we think about coaching, pursuing a vision for our lives, and the acceptance of suffering and discomfort. It’s a great conversation that will help you reflect on your vision for your own life! So grab a cup of tea (and maybe a pencil and paper to brainstorm?) and enjoy this episode. Connect with Joseph: * Joseph’s Website* Joseph’s Instagram Sponsor: EverythingCatholic.com It can be hard to find high quality products from Catholic makers online because of giant online stores like Amazon.  But, It’s time to change that. Visit EverythingCatholic.com, your new one-stop-shop for quality Catholic gifts like jewelry, books, and more. Everything Catholic has partnered with their Catholic small business friends to make it easier to find gifts to help you live and grow in your faith. Visit EverythingCatholic.com and use code “CARROTS” at checkout for 15% off your entire purchase! Patreon! Do you love FoC and want to help us keep doing what we’re doing (and more!)? Well, we have just the thing for you! Head on over to support the podcast as a patron and get access to special episodes available exclusively to patrons as well as to the FoC Slack community! You’ll also have access to our patron book clubs and receive a cute sticker in the mail from us. So join today! Come hang out with us! Haven’t joined in on the fun with 4,900+ other FoC listeners in our facebook group? It’s your direct line to some fantastic folks who also care ab...

We’re back after our long summer break and we have a fantastic first guest of the season! Sarah Mackenzie is one of our favorite voices because of her joyful enthusiasm for good books (among other wonderful things). You may know her as the author of homeschooling classic Teaching from Rest or from her podcast Read Aloud Revival. Sarah is a mom of six and recently, in addition to all her other good work, she started her own publishing house: Waxwing Books. Her first picture book A Little More Beautiful is available for pre-order and when you see it you’ll understand what a gift this new endeavor will be to all of us! In this episode we talk about the good old dinosaur days of blogging, what makes a good picture book, what we think is wrong with a lot of children’s publishing, and why we’re so glad Sarah is writing children’s books. We know you’ll love this conversation so grab a cup of coffee and enjoy! Sponsor: EverythingCatholic.com If you’re tired of trying to find quality Catholic gifts only to come up short, there is now a one-stop-shop for all your Catholic gift-giving needs: EverythingCatholic.com Shop religious art, devotionals and sacramentals, home goods, candles, books, apparel, jewelry and gifts for babies and kids—all made by American-based Catholic artisans and makers. Find that perfect gift you’ve been looking for at Everything Catholic dot com. Use code “CARROTS” at checkout for 15% off your order. Patreon! Do you love FoC and want to help us keep doing what we’re doing (and more!)? Well, we have just the thing for you! Head on over to support the podcast as a patron and get access to special episodes available exclusively to patrons as well as to the FoC Slack community! You’ll also have access to our patron book clubs and receive a cute sticker in the mail from us. So join today! Come hang out with us! Haven’t joined in on the fun with 4,900+ other FoC listeners in our facebook group? It’s your direct line to some fantastic folks who also care about faith, culture, books, and whatever our current masterpiece theatre craze might be! Join in with the link below. * The Fountains of Carrots Raspberry Cordial Social Club on Facebook (our Facebook group)* Connect with Haley on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and her blog* Connect with Christy on Facebook, Instagram, and her blog

There is so much confusion about feminism. Can Catholics be feminists? Is feminism all that’s wrong with everything in the world? What does feminism even mean? And there’s no need to mention that gender is a hot button issue these days. So do we listen to the nostalgic about the 1950s crowd? Do we listen to Simone de Beauvoir? Well, we think you should listen to Dr. Abigail Favale. Dr. Favale is a mother of three and a professor, writer, and speaker. She is the Dean of Humanities and Professor of English at George Fox University. Her conversion memoir, Into the Deep: An Unlikely Catholic Conversion, traces her journey from postmodern feminism to Roman Catholicism. These days her primary focus is articulating the beauty and wisdom of Catholic teaching on sexuality, gender, and the body. Her newest book, The Genesis of Gender: A Christian Theory is the book we’ve all been waiting for. In this episode Dr. Favale shares about a way forward for Catholic feminism, how the incarnational nature of our faith should inform our understanding of gender and our bodies as gift, and so much more. We know you’ll love this conversation so grab a cup of coffee and enjoy! Check out our first episode with Dr. Favale here. Sponsor: Ignatius Press If you’re looking for good summer reading, visit Ignatius.com. There you’ll find spiritual reading, memoirs, and biographies, as well as novels, historical fiction, mysteries, and more. For a limited time, use code FOCSUMMER to get 25% off the list price on select Ignatius Press titles by and about brilliant women, including new books “The Genesis of Gender” by Dr. Abigail Favale, and “Sigrid Undset: Reader of Hearts” by Aidan Nichols, as well as books by Gertrud von le Fort, Sally Read, Marly Youmans, and more! The full list of on-sale titles and more details can be found here: https://mailchi.mp/ignatius/fountains-of-carrots-summer-reading-special You’ll also want to make sure you’re following Ignatius Press on Instagram or Facebook to get details about their upcoming Summer Reading Challenge for Kids. England Trip! WE ARE GOING TO ENGLAND in June and we want you to come with us!  If you register in the month of May you’ll get $250 off your trip!

What should we talk about during Mary’s month of May just after Mother’s Day? Well, Our Lady, of course! In this episode we’re chatting with Haley’s pastor, Fr. Ryan Higdon of St. Louis parish in Waco, TX. He is a beer and scotch enthusiast who loves camping, hiking, and running marathons. He’s a wonderful spiritual father and Haley’s so sad to leave his parish when she moves this summer! In this episode Fr. Ryan shares about ways that Mary has shown up in his life. We talk about going to Mary and learning to follow her to Jesus, practical advice on praying with Our Lady, and finding solace in our relationship with Mary when we’re struggling in our vocation as we all do sometimes. We know you’ll love this conversation so grab a cup of coffee and enjoy! Sponsor: OSV’s Marian Consecration for Families with Young Children Bring your family to Jesus through Mary with Marian Consecration for Families with Young Children. Featuring a traditional 33-day preparation for consecration, this book is written and beautifully illustrated to help children ages 3-7 to understand and grow in faith and Marian devotion. Each day includes an image of Mary, a short reflection, and discussion questions to spark faith-filled conversations. Supplementary material for parents helps you lead your family through preparation for the consecration at a pace that works for you. Marian Consecration for Families with Young Children combines magnificent, original Marian art and simple, child-accessible text to immerse your entire family in Mary’s love and care. Use this book to place your whole family in the care of our Blessed Mother, allowing her to bring each of you closer to Jesus. Order Marian Consecration for Families with Young Children today at OSVCatholicBookstore.com or wherever books are sold. England Trip! WE ARE GOING TO ENGLAND in June and we want you to come with us!  If you register in the month of May you’ll get $250 off your trip! Check out our previous episode or view the travel details here and reserve your spot tooday! Patreon! Do you love FoC and want to help us keep doing what we’re doing (and more!)? Well, we have just the thing for you! Head on over to support the podcast as a patron and get access to special episodes available exclusively to patrons as well as to the FoC Slack community! You’ll also have access to our patron book clubs and receive a cute sticker in the mail from us. So join today! Come hang out with us! Haven’t joined in on the fun with 4,900+ other FoC listeners in our facebook group?

Ah, Meltdown May–the season when schedules, stress, and big transitions result in upheaval in our hearts, homes, and even Instagram. In this episode we’re talking with our good friend Elizabeth Nava about how to avoid Meltdown May, navigate social media, take charge of our own screen time, and more! Elizabeth is a Notre Dame grad and Catholic wife and mama of two boys living in Dallas, running her small business: Betty Jo Sews, volunteering in support of local Catholic education, and Instagramming with a very calm voice. In this conversation we get to chat about surviving busy seasons, avoiding social media when it’s making us miserable, and more so grab a good cup of coffee and enjoy the conversation! Connect with Elizabeth Nava: * Etsy* Instagram Sponsor This episode is sponsored by Meadowcress Boutique. Kathleen at Meadowcress Boutique provides simple and easy ways for families to make the faith accessible to their little kids. After lots of research, Kathleen created a free email series called Liturgical Living with Littles.  Through these emails, families are able to introduce their kiddos to one new saint each week through a short saint story, easy activity, and a snack. In the emails, you’ll also find extra resources like books, videos, songs, and coloring and activity pages all in one spot. Meadowcrest Boutique also carries Holy Cards for Little Hands * These are large, sturdy holy cards with images that allow kids to see and pray with the saints.* They have a delightful soft-touch finish that makes them so nice to hold and a simplified story on the back that gets to the essence of the saint’s mission from God in a way that little ones are able to understand and latch on to.* The holy cards are all based on the saints that subscribers can learn about in the Liturgical Living with Littles emails. Everything created by Meadowcrest Boutique is made to support you as you bring the faith to even your littlest kids in a way they can see, taste and touch. Kathleen is currently having a pre-order for the first set of Marian holy cards just in time to celebrate Mary during the month of May! These new cards feature Our Lady of Fatima and Our Lady of Guadalupe. Listeners can use the code: CARROTS10 for 10% off their orde Shop Meadowcress Boutique and follow on Instagram England Trip! WE ARE GOING TO ENGLAND in June and we want you to come with us!  If you register in the month of April you’ll get $150 off your trip!

What can good literature teach us? Can it show us how to be holy? Dr. Jessica Hooten Wilson thinks so. In this episode we’re talking about how literary “saints” can show us what holiness looks like and how scandalous holiness appears to a world that can’t comprehend it. We’ve been bigs fans of Jessica for ages. Haley knew her at Baylor and Jessica is the protege of Haley’s favorite professor of all time: Dr. Ralph Wood. She is the Louise Cowan Scholar in Residence at the University of Dallas and the author of several books, including her latest The Scandal of Holiness: Renewing Your Imagination in the Company of Literary Saints. She’s also a wife, mom, and highly sought-after speaker. There’s no one who’s more fun to talk books with! In this conversation we get to chat about some of our favorite novels, discovering new books, and the power of story. We have a great time with this episode so grab a good cup of coffee and enjoy the conversation! Books in today’s episode: The Scandal of Holiness: Renewing Your Imagination in the Company of Literary Saints by Dr. Jessica Hooten Wilson Laurus by Eugene Vodolazkin In The Time of The Butterflies by Julia Alvarez Moses, Man of the Mountain by Zora Neal Hurston The Space Trilogy by C.S. Lewis Book of the Dun Cow by Walter Wangerin Jr. Kristin Lavransdatter by Sigrid Undset Connect with Dr. Hooten Wilson: * Website* Twitter And speaking of books…. Haley’s brand new book is now available to order!

Today we’re sharing this special bonus episode to celebrate the release of Haley’s brand new book, Jane Austen’s Genius Guide to Life: On Love, Friendship, and Becoming the Person God Created You To Be!We’re so excited to be able to finally talk in depth about what this new book is about; diving into Jane Austen’s ideas of virtue and morality, becoming a better person, the difference between goodness and perfection, and why her stories remain timeless and always readable. We hope you enjoy this bonus episode! If you’d like to join us on Patreon, get monthly After Dark episodes with just Haley and Christy, stickers, bonus content and more–head on over to support the podcast! And if you want to go to Jane Austen’s home, visit Bath, Oxford, and London with us this June 18-27, then head here for more info and the itinerary!

How can found our identity in being loved by God? How do we remember that we are an unrepeatable soul that is precious to our Heavenly Father? Shannon Ochoa is here to help! Shannon serves as Co-Founder and Director of Community Care for Eden Invitation – a movement for young adult Catholics and Christians with experiences on the LGBTQ spectrums. Through their mission they create space to receive the whole person, grow systems of mutual support, and empower for creative discipleship. Shannon is the beating heart of Eden Invitation, nurturing relationships and developing the community.  Shannon graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with degrees in Social Welfare and Gender & Women’s Studies.  And Haley got to meet her in real life on a pilgrimage in France! In this episode we’re diving into the genesis of Eden Invitation, the need in the Church for good ministries like Eden Invitation, and embracing Church teaching and living out the truth that each human being is beloved, unrepeatable, and deserving of community, dignity, and care. We cover a lot of ground so grab a good cup of coffee and enjoy the conversation! Sponsor: Ignatius Press Ignatius Press has been a leader in Catholic publishing for decades, and today has an extensive catalogue of theology, spiritual reading, philosophy, Scripture scholarship, and fiction, as well as a full line of books for children, from toddlers to teenagers. Beautiful board books, engrossing picture books, missals and prayer books perfect for little hands, as well as exciting chapter books and graphic novels—Ignatius has spiritually nourishing titles for every age and reading level. Among these are books by renowned illustrator Demi, whose artwork brings the biographies of notable figures throughout history to life, as well as classic picture books by master illustrator and storyteller Tomie de Paola, lovingly brought back into print to be enjoyed by future generations. Fountains of Carrots listeners can get 25% off the list price on all Magnificat/Ignatius children’s books at Ignatius.com with code CARROTS25, through March 31st, 2022. Shop here! Connect with Shannon: * Eden Invitation* Instagram England Trip! WE ARE GOING TO ENGLAND in June and we want you to come with us! Check out our previous episode or view the travel details here. Patreon! Do you love FoC and want to help us keep doing what we’re doing (and more!)? Well, we have just the thing for you!

We’re excited to have one of our favorite guests return to the show today: Fr. Harrison Ayre! Fr. Harrison was born and raised near Vancouver, BC. During his time at university studying philosophy, he had a profound conversion experience that brought him to live for and with Christ. Ordained a priest in 2015, he has an MDiv and MTh and is pursuing his PhD in theological anthropology at the Maryvale Institute. He is pastor of St. Peter’s Parish in Nanaimo, BC, co-host of the podcast Clerically Speaking, and co-author with Michael Heinlein of Finding Christ in the Crisis: What the Pandemic Can Teach Us. In this episode we’re talking about his brand new book Mysterion: The Revelatory Power of the Sacramental Worldview. See? We told you the cover was beautiful! In this episode we’re diving into sacramentally–starting at the very basics of what sacraments are. How does modernism cloud our vision (whether we realize it or not!) and hold us back from seeing God’s grace in our lives? How do we approach the Church’s sacraments like Confession and the Eucharist? How does Mary help us on our way? We cover a lot of ground so grab a good cup of coffee and enjoy the conversation! Sponsor: The Christian Family Movement Are you looking to build community? To have real conversations? To surround yourself with families and friends seeking life to the full, just like you? Then now is the time to go deeper with the Christian Family Movement. The Christian Family Movement strives to equip families to intentionally address the concerns facing families in modern society, to help them discover ways to grow in holiness themselves and as families, and, ultimately, to bring the light of Christ into their environments.In a turbulent world, the Christian Family Movement keeps families together, friendships strong, communities purposeful, and children Catholic. We have three generations of experience supporting each other in authentic Catholic living, and we are glad to share what works.You’re not alone, and you can start your journey into joyful intentional community today. Reach out to the Christian Family Movement at www.cfm.org. Connect with Fr. Harrison: * Twitter England Trip! WE ARE GOING TO ENGLAND this summer and we want you to come with us! Check out our previous episode or view the travel details here. Patreon!

We’re thrilled to have our friend Shannon Wimp Schmidt on the podcast today! Shannon is a pastoral minister, co-host of Plaid Skirts and Basic Black Podcast, and co-author of the book Fat Luther, Slim Pickin’s from Ave Maria Press. She is also a founding board member of Catholics United for Black Lives, a not-for-profit organization which advocates for racial justice in alignment with the teachings of the Catholic Church. Shannon holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Theology and Italian from the University of Notre Dame and a Masters of Arts in Pastoral Studies from Catholic Theological Union.  She currently lives in the Indianapolis area with her exceedingly patient husband, Eric, and their four beautiful children. In this episode we’re talking about the variety of experiences Black Catholics may have, the rich traditions they share with the rest of the Church, and the importance of having Black Catholic voices in publishing and media. Shannon is warm, funny, and just an absolute delight so grab a cup of coffee or tea and enjoy the episode! Sponsor: CatholicMatch This episode is sponsored by the largest dating app specifically for single Catholics: CatholicMatch! These days, it’s harder than ever for single Catholics to meet each other. CatholicMatch supports single Catholics from all over the world by allowing them to connect online. Use their app or website to start connecting with other singles through messaging or video chat and start a relationship knowing you already share the same faith. Unlike other dating websites that encourage casual relationships, CatholicMatch primarily strives to help singles connect for the purpose of Sacramental Marriage. They receive new stories every week from couples who met on CatholicMatch. It’s super easy to get started. Everyone can make a free profile in just minutes by going to catholicmatch.com/carrots and start meeting other single Catholics now! Connect with Shannon: * Catholics United for Black Lives* her podcast, Plaid Skirts and Basic Black* Instagram England Trip! WE ARE GOING TO ENGLAND this summer and we want you to come with us! Check out our previous episode or view the travel details here. Patreon! Do you love FoC and want to help us keep doing what we’re doing (and more!)? Well,

Before we dive into today’s episode, we wanted to remind you that it’s time to sign up for our summer bookish pilgrimage to England! And if your registration and deposit are received by February 18th, you’ll get $350 off the trip! Check out the details here and give us a holler if you have any questions. We have a wonderful episode for you today touching on conversion, parenting, and Lent! Tsh Oxenreider is joining us and we always love having her on the show. Tsh is a bestselling author and beloved podcaster. She lives in central Texas with her husband, three kids, and very cute dog but it wasn’t that long ago that her whole family packed their bags and traveled the globe for a year! She teaches literature and also crafts a popular weekly newsletter for thousands of subscribers. Tsh is also celebrating her one year anniversary as a Catholic! And she has a brand new book out, Bitter & Sweet: A Journey into Easter. In this episode we’re talking about what it’s been like for her family to enter the Church during a pandemic, the challenges of being new converts, raising teenagers (all three of us are parenting teens now! What?!), and how we’re feeling about Lent this year. Grab yourself something warm (Hot cocoa? Hot toddy?) and enjoy the episode! Sponsor: CatholicMatch This episode is sponsored by the largest dating app specifically for single Catholics: CatholicMatch! These days, it’s harder than ever for single Catholics to meet each other. CatholicMatch supports single Catholics from all over the world by allowing them to connect online. Use their app or website to start connecting with other singles through messaging or video chat and start a relationship knowing you already share the same faith. Unlike other dating websites that encourage casual relationships, CatholicMatch primarily strives to help singles connect for the purpose of Sacramental Marriage. They receive new stories every week from couples who met on CatholicMatch. It’s super easy to get started. Everyone can make a free profile in just minutes by going to catholicmatch.com/carrots and start meeting other single Catholics now! Connect with Tsh: * her website* her podcast, A Drink with a Friend* Twitter*

Maybe, like Haley and Christy, your family is recovering from Covid. Maybe January hasn’t turned out how you hoped in one way or another. Maybe all the things that are going very wrong make it hard to find joy. Is it possible to cultivate happiness in times such as these? Our guest today, Dr. Joy Clarkson thinks so! Joy is a podcaster, scholar, and author. She completed her PhD in theology at the University of St Andrews, where she researched the intersection between literature, moral formation, and devotional practice. She hosts Speaking with Joy, a podcast exploring art, theology, and culture, and writes for publications like Christianity Today, Mere Orthodoxy, and Transpositions. Recently she became the Books and Culture Editor at Plough Quarterly. Her debut book  Aggressively Happy: A Realist’s Guide to Believing in the Goodness of Life is available for pre-order and she lives in Oxford, tweets too much, and is probably drinking a cup of Yorkshire Gold Tea at this very moment! In this episode we’re talking about the difference between toxic positivity and cultivating real joy. We talk about the hilarious story behind Joy’s book title and how to make room for feelings of grief, learning to be content with the simple things, and opening ourselves up to the vulnerability that real life demands. Do we believe that at heart of the heart of the universe there is goodness, truth, and beauty? If so, can our determination to find and share joy be an act of defiance against everything that seeks to destroy that goodness? Dr. Clarkson has so much wisdom to share (and she’s so fun)! So grab a cup of hot cocoa and be encouraged by the good word she shares in this episode. Sponsor: CatholicMatch This episode is sponsored by the largest dating app specifically for single Catholics: CatholicMatch! These days, it’s harder than ever for single Catholics to meet each other. CatholicMatch supports single Catholics from all over the world by allowing them to connect online. Use their app or website to start connecting with other singles through messaging or video chat and start a relationship knowing you already share the same faith. Unlike other dating websites that encourage casual relationships, CatholicMatch primarily strives to help singles connect for the purpose of Sacramental Marriage. They receive new stories every week from couples who met on CatholicMatch. It’s super easy to get started. Everyone can make a free profile in just minutes by going to catholicmatch.com/carrots and start meeting other single Catholics now! Connect with Joy: * her website* her podcast* Twitter* Instagram England Trip! WE ARE GOING TO ENGLAND next summer and we want you to come with us! Chec...