It happens to all of us one way or another... When a global pandemic upends our security. When a partner leaves. When we get a terrible diagnosis, or face the death of a loved one. When long-held beliefs about God or faith slipped through our hands. Whether the details are global or personal, we have all experienced our world falling apart. Manda brings her friend, pastor, and newly published author - Jason Adam Miller - to the table to chat about... How to deal when the world is breaking Where we can find hope in the midst of pain and suffering Becoming people who help put the world back together Grab your copy of Jason's new book When The World Breaks. A Longer Table Podcast is hosted by Manda Carpenter.

Jennifer Ji-Hye Ko is an autistic and disabled author, poet, and educator. She shares about how her autism and disabilities affect her daily life, and how the world - specifically the church - can improve to become more accessible. Tune in to widen your perspective and lean into empathy! Learn more from Jennifer by following her on instagram here. A Longer Table Podcast is hosted by Manda Carpenter.

Blaine Hogan is a film director and actor who believes you can redeem your story and redefine your creativity. In this episode, he gets real with Manda about his past addiction and how his whole life changed when he started living honestly and seeking healing. They also chat about: -His fascinating career as a film director and the celebrities he's worked with recently -His new book "exit the cave" which isn't the book he meant to write -His life raising 3 daughters and the 5 affirmations they say every day Buy Blaine's newest book here and follow him on instagram here A Longer Table Podcast is hosted by Manda Carpenter.

Trigger Warning: If you are part of the LGBTQ+ community, this episode may be difficult as the guest was brought on specifically to share her story. Manda does not align with or endorse the beliefs of the guest, but feels it is important to navigate hard conversations with grace and curiosity. Part of building a LONGER table is having people sit around it who do not share the same perspective as you, which is why our team cautiously decided to proceed with this release. From a young age, Kyrie questioned her sexuality and came out as gay at 18. A few years later after becoming a Christian, she renounced her homosexual lifestyle, left the LGBTQ community, and started sharing about her life as an "Ex-Gay" on social media. We're thankful she joins Manda at the table today to provide some insight into a perspective we haven't had on the podcast yet. Tune in to hear about: - her sexual identity shift - the feedback she's received from the LGBTQ+ and Christian communities - her beliefs surrounding homosexuality and sin View Kyrie's Instagram here & her ministry here Resources Recommended by Manda: A Sacred Conversation on Sexuality God and the Gay Christian UnClobber Changing Our Mind 1946 The Mistranslation that Shifted a Culture Resources Recommended by Kyrie: A Change of Affection, Beckett Cook Holy Sexuality and the Gospel, Christopher Yuhan The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert, Rosaria Butterfield Is God Anti-Gay? Sam Allberry Sown Rooted in Redemption, K. Price

Jennifer Dukes Lee is a journalist turned author who lives on a farm in Iowa and is an expert at asking questions. She's at the table today to share how asking good questions changed her life and give us some insight about how intentional (and fun!) question-asking can help us become more self-aware and improve our relationships. Buy Jennifer's new guided journal, "Stuff I'd Only Tell God" here Follow Jennifer on Instagram A Longer Table Podcast is hosted by Manda Carpenter.

Angela Tucker is a Black woman adopted from foster care to a white family. In this episode, she gets honest with Manda about all things foster care and adoption and ultimately helps us answer an important question: Should we feel guilty for not adopting? Angela is the founder of The Adopted Life, a consulting company where she offers workshops and mentorship with a mission to help center adoptee stories and bring clarity and truth narratives about race, class, and identity. She is the host of The Adoptee Next Door podcast and has advised the writers of Broadway’s Jagged Little Pill and NBC’s show, This Is Us. Angela lives in Seattle, Washington with her husband, Emmy-award winning filmmaker Bryan Tucker. Buy her book Follow her on instagram: @angieadoptee Schedule a consultation with her A Longer Table Podcast is hosted by Manda Carpenter and sponsored by: Aro - code MANDA for your first month free at https://www.goaro.com/ ABLE - code ALONGERTABLE15 for 15% off all apparel at https://able.sjv.io/c/3929645/1228242/15174

Adopted from Korea by a white American family, Brandi Ebersole grew up in a community that didn't look like her. In this conversation, she reflects on her childhood as a transracial adoptee and shares about the journey she's had with her own children who have joined her family through foster care, adoption, and biologically. Give this episode a listen to hear Manda ask her about: her thoughts on the effects of transracial adoption how being an adoptee has influenced the way she's raising her own kids the challenges of transracial adoption Hear more from Brandi as she advocates for the adoptee community on instagram at https://www.instagram.com/brandi_ebersole/ A Longer Table Podcast is hosted by Manda Carpenter and sponsored by: Aro - code MANDA for your first month free at https://www.goaro.com/ ABLE - code ALONGERTABLE15 for 15% off all apparel at https://able.sjv.io/c/3929645/1228242/15174

At 32 years old, Christine Boye got diagnosed with breast cancer and a few days later found out she was pregnant. In this episode, she shares about the realities and hardships of living with cancer while also growing a baby (and caring for her 2 other young children!) Tune in to hear Manda ask her specifically about: the moment she received her diagnosis the impact pregnancy had on her cancer treatment the lessons she's learned along the way and more! Christine shares about her life and journey on instagram at https://www.instagram.com/iamchristineboye/ A Longer Table Podcast is hosted by Manda Carpenter and sponsored by: Aro - code MANDA for your first month free at https://www.goaro.com/ ABLE - code ALONGERTABLE15 for 15% off all apparel at https://able.sjv.io/c/3929645/1228242/15174

What if I told you that you could regain 15 days of time each year by putting away your phone for just 1 hour each day? Founders of Aro, Heath and Joey, sit at our table to share about an amazing product they've designed specifically for families looking to reduce screen time and increase quality time together. This conversation reveals the backstory to how Aro came into existence, answers the most frequently asked questions about it, and serves as a crucial wake up call to everyone. Give it a listen, and then take action by getting Aro; code MANDA for your first month free! Thank you to our sponsor ABLE! Shop with code ALONGERTABLE15 for 15% off all apparel. A Longer Table Podcast is hosted by Manda Carpenter. For more, visit www.mandacarpenter.com and purchase her latest book Soul Care to Save Your Life

Jenai is a writer, artist, Filipina woman who holds stories and makes space for others. She addresses the cultures of marginalization and how we can better set the table for people on the margins. I asked her to join our table to discuss how we set the table for others, but our conversation really dove deep into why we separate ourselves from, or even tear down, people who are different from us. Tune in to hear Jenai share... About her upbringing and how she's navigating her identity as a Filipina woman What "othering" means and looks like; including an example of how we may "other" someone unintentionally How we can all be better stewards of our privilege and influence She has a book on the intersection of faith and othering that comes out next year! A Longer Table Podcast is hosted by Manda Carpenter and sponsored by: Aro - code MANDA for your first month free at https://www.goaro.com/ ABLE - code ALONGERTABLE15 for 15% off all apparel at https://able.sjv.io/c/3929645/1228242/15174

At 19 years old, Marlon Peterson participated in a robbery that resulted in two murders. During his 10 years in prison, he decade incarcerated and co-created How Our Lives Link Altogether, a youth development organization that has provided programming, college trips, and mentorship for NYC public school students and justice-involved youth. Marlon has written, created programming, lectured, organized, and advocated alongside the formerly incarcerated, victims of gun violence, womxn, immigrants, and young people. He's the author of Bird Uncaged, host of the DEcarcerated Podcast, and owner of The Precedential Group Social Enterprises and its nonprofit arm, Be Precedential, Inc. His TED talk, “Am I not human? A call for criminal justice reform”, has amassed over 1.2 million views. Marlon joins us at the table to tell a little bit of his story, proving once again that there isn't a single person you would not love if you knew their story. Tune in to hear: What led to the day Marlon participated in a crime that resulted in the death of two innocent people How being sexually assaulted at 14 years old changed the trajectory of his life Why Marlon's life work now revolves around the pursuit of a shift from punishment to healing, an end to prisons, and a new vision of justice A Longer Table Podcast is hosted by Manda Carpenter and sponsored by: Aro - code MANDA for your first month free at https://www.goaro.com/ ABLE - code ALONGERTABLE15 for 15% off all apparel at https://able.sjv.io/c/3929645/1228242/15174

Hanna joins us at the table to discuss about confident and pain-free sex - especially if we've grown up in purity culture and feel shame about our body. Tune in to hear: Common reasons sex can be painful What we should do if sex is consistently painful How to communicate with a partner about painful sex ...and more! A Longer Table Podcast is hosted by Manda Carpenter. For more, visit www.mandacarpenter.com and purchase her latest book "Soul Care to Save Your Life" here https://www.mandacarpenter.com/soulcaretosaveyourlife These supportive sponsors are helping us Build Longer Tables: Aro - code MANDA for your first month free at https://www.goaro.com/ ABLE - code ALONGERTABLE15 for 15% off all apparel at https://able.sjv.io/c/3929645/1228242/15174

Mary Van Geffen is an international parenting coach for moms of Spicy Ones™️ who joins us again (listen to her first episode with us no. 115) to continue the conversation of how we can have a healthy relationship with our children... specifically how we can pivot our parenting style if we realize that our current parenting tactics aren't working or are potentially causing harm. Tune in to hear: How we course correct if we've been "getting it wrong" and now want to do better How we uphold our boundaries when others (grandparents, friends, etc.) judge/disregard our parenting style And more! A Longer Table Podcast is hosted by Manda Carpenter. For more, visit www.mandacarpenter.com and purchase her latest book "Soul Care to Save Your Life" here https://www.mandacarpenter.com/soulcaretosaveyourlife These supportive sponsors are helping us Build Longer Tables: Aro - code MANDA for your first month free at https://www.goaro.com/ ABLE - code ALONGERTABLE15 for 15% off all apparel at https://able.sjv.io/c/3929645/1228242/15174

Arielle ​Estoria is a Poet, Author and Actor. With a specific heart in empowering, encouraging and making space for audiences of women to feel at home in their own bodies, Arielle has shared her work through custom spoken word pieces, workshops and themed keynote talks with companies such as Google, Lululemon, Tedx, the SKIMS campaign by Kim Kardashian and more. Her newest book, "The Unfolding" released this spring. In this encouraging episode, she opens up to Manda about: How she learned to come home to herself What we can do to practice self-acceptance Why "unfolding" is crucial to becoming who we are and more about her personal life as an actress, meeting her husband, and her spiritual shiftings! You can keep up with Arielle on instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/arielleestoria/ and grab a copy of "The Unfolding" here: https://arielleestoria.com/the-unfolding A Longer Table Podcast is hosted by Manda Carpenter. For more, visit www.mandacarpenter.com and purchase her latest book "Soul Care to Save Your Life" here https://www.mandacarpenter.com/soulcaretosaveyourlife These supportive sponsors are helping us Build Longer Tables: Aro - code MANDA for your first month free at https://www.goaro.com/ ABLE - code ALONGERTABLE15 for 15% off all apparel at https://able.sjv.io/c/3929645/1228242/15174

Stephanie Duncan Smith is an executive editor at Baker Books, where she takes great joy in coaching and championing authors to bring the best out of their message. She’s worked in publishing for over 13 years, developing bestselling and award-winning writers, and personally pens SLANT LETTER, an email newsletter for writers looking to deepen their craft and tend to the soul of their work. If you're an aspiring author or someone who loves to write, make sure you give this episode a listen to hear Stephanie's answers to: What is the one thing I should do to become a better writer? It seems like everyone's an author these days...is there still room for me to be successful? What are the common mistakes amateur writers make? and lots more! Learn more about Stephanie, subscribe to her newsletter, and get writing tips here: http://www.slantletter.com/ A Longer Table Podcast is hosted by Manda Carpenter. For more, visit www.mandacarpenter.com and purchase her latest book "Soul Care to Save Your Life" here https://www.mandacarpenter.com/soulcaretosaveyourlife These amazing sponsors are helping us Build Longer Tables: Aro - code MANDA for your first month free at https://www.goaro.com/ABLE - code ALONGERTABLE15 for 15% off all apparel at https://able.sjv.io/c/3929645/1228242/15174

Jen Tipton is a mom of 3 who found a passion for special needs inclusion after her son was diagnosed with a chromosomal abnormality and non-speaking autism. In this episode, she shares candidly about what it's like to parent neuro-divergent children, what she wishes parents of neuro-typical children knew, and how we can all improve inclusivity for humans with special needs. This quick episode is a must-listen whether you're a parent or not because Jen offers such valuable insight about how to build longer tables for people who interact with the world differently than we do. Some resources Jen recommends: For a look into the lives of non-speaking autistic boys, you can follow @peace_love_autism, @lovehopeandautism, @theautismcafe, and @findingcoopersvoice on Instagram. "SPELLERS" is an award-winning documentary that challenges everything we thought we knew about those with non-speaking autism. Watch the trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOk6pBnY7hQ A Longer Table Podcast is hosted by Manda Carpenter. For more, visit www.mandacarpenter.com and purchase her latest book "Soul Care to Save Your Life" here https://www.mandacarpenter.com/soulcaretosaveyourlife These amazing sponsors are helping us Build Longer Tables: ABLE - code ALONGERTABLE15 for 15% off all apparel at https://able.sjv.io/c/3929645/1228242/15174 Aro - code MANDA for your first month free at https://www.goaro.com/

Gabrielle Blair is a New York Times bestselling author, award-winning parenting blogger, and a thought leader who has written and moderated hundreds of discussions on difficult topics. Over 6000 blog posts and two books later, Gabrielle is considered a top expert in creating accessible conversations, parenting engaged and independent kids, and creating a home where both parents and kids can thrive. She currently lives in France with her husband and 6 kids. In this episode, she's tackling one of the toughest topics--abortion--and is offering a ground-breaking reframing of the issue. Tune in to hear her talk about: The basics of fertility (and how it isn't something that only pertains to women!) How the birth control industry is targeting the wrong group of people Why men should ultimately be held accountable for unwanted pregnancies You can learn more about Gabrielle and purchase her latest book "Ejaculate Responsibly: A Whole New Way To Think About Abortion" at https://designmom.com/ejaculate-responsibly-book/ A Longer Table Podcast is hosted by Manda Carpenter. For more, visit www.mandacarpenter.com and purchase her latest book "Soul Care to Save Your Life" here https://www.mandacarpenter.com/soulcaretosaveyourlife This episode is made possible by our wonderful sponsors: ABLE - code ALONGERTABLE15 for 15% off all apparel at https://able.sjv.io/c/3929645/1228242/15174 Cozy Earth - code ALONGERTABLE for 35% off luxurious bedding & pjs at https://cozyearth.com Aro - code MANDA for your first month free at https://www.goaro.com/

If writing a book is on your bucket list or you feel like you have a story inside of you that needs to be shared, this episode is for you! Manda sits down with 4 authors who completed her 'Stories Matter' program to get a behind-the-scenes look at: What it was like to publish a book with Manda in just 12 weeks! What they found surprising about the writing and publishing experience Why they each committed to becoming an author in the first place and so much more! If you're interested in collaborating with Manda to write and publish your book, head to this link for more info: https://www.mandacarpenter.com/write-and-sell-your-book Connect with the authors: Kiara Schuh @kiararaeschuh Buy her book "Chosen Family" Emily Cruz @emilycruzwrites Buy her book "This Won't Define Me" Jill Jaramillo @jilljaramillo_ Buy her book "Count the Fruit" Sheyann Straub @sheyann.straub Buy her book "Honeysuckle & Cigarettes" Thanks to our sponsors for supporting this episode: ABLE - code ALONGERTABLE15 for 15% off all apparel at https://www.ableclothing.com Cozy Earth - code ALONGERTABLE for 35% off luxurious bedding & pjs at https://cozyearth.com

K.J Ramsey is a Somatic & Trauma-Informed Therapist and Poet who lives everyday with an autoimmune disease. Her work offers space to see every part of our souls and stories as sacred. In this episode, you'll get an inside look at: K.J's painful experience within the Church and how she's maintained communion with God The connection between trauma and our physical wellbeing How courage has the power to change everything You can learn more about K.J and purchase her books at https://www.kjramsey.com or keep up with her daily stunning musings at https://www.instagram.com/kjramseywrites. A Longer Table Podcast is hosted by Manda Carpenter. For more, visit www.mandacarpenter.com and purchase her latest book "Soul Care to Save Your Life" here https://www.mandacarpenter.com/soulcaretosaveyourlife Checkout our amazing sponsors: ABLE - code ALONGERTABLE15 for 15% off all apparel at https://www.ableclothing.com Cozy Earth - code ALONGERTABLE for 35% off luxurious bedding & pjs at https://cozyearth.com

Patricia Taylor is an anti-racism educator, podcaster, and writer who believes in having critical conversations around racial justice with clarity and candor.  She writes on instagram under #somethoughtsfromyourblackfriend and joins Manda on the podcast today to encourage us to learn how to listen so that we can genuinely love better. Press play to hear more about:  What inspired Patty to begin writing #somethoughtsfromyourblackfriend How we can become better listeners, especially to those that are different than us Why becoming anti-racist is a lifelong endeavor You can connect with Patty and learn from her writing at https://www.instagram.com/patricia_a_taylor/ A Longer Table Podcast is hosted by Manda Carpenter. For more, visit www.mandacarpenter.com. Checkout our amazing sponsors: ABLE - code ALONGERTABLE15 for 15% off all apparel! Cozy Earth - code ALONGERTABLE for 35% off luxurious bedding & pjs!