A Longer Table

Manda sits down with a loyal reader and podcast listener, Carrington, to hear about all the different facets of her motherhood journey. From being a single, teen mom, to later going through infertility, to eventually becoming a foster mom, Carrington openly shares how she navigated unexpected beautiful and brutal parts of motherhood.

Host Manda Carpenter sits down with an anonymous guest who openly shares what went down before, during, and after her husband's affair. She's honest about her feelings and encourages listeners to remove the stigma that surrounds counseling because sin cannot be healed in the dark or isolation. This is one woman's perspective of a marriage that can survive infidelity, which she attributes to her faith in God.

Unexpectedly at the age of 17, Tara learns that she's infertile and will never have biological children. In a candid conversation with Manda, she recounts her initial reaction to the news, discusses how it impacted her dating relationships, and details how it ultimately lead her to becoming a mom through foster care.

Kayla Craig is a former journalist, podcast host, writer, and mom to 4 via birth and adoption. Kayla is an advocate for God's upside down kingdom and pulls up a seat at the table to vulnerably share her heart and perspective specifically on raising a child with Down Syndrome. Follow her @kayla_craig on Instagram!

A long-time expert of the Enneagram, Professor Drew Moser joins us to talk about his brand new book, The Enneagram of Discernment: The Way of Vocation, Wisdom, and Practice. He explains how the Enneagram is so much more than just a personality test and why it's beneficial to use it as a tool to help us make major decisions about our career paths and life-callings. Follow him @drewmoser and grab a copy of his book on Amazon!

Karly and her husband TJ applied to be foster parents at 25. Everything changed when their first phone call was for a pre-adoptive placement of a 9 year old boy. They adopted him and a teenage girl. She opens up about what their family dynamic looks like, how pre-adoptive placements actually work, and why she thinks everyone should welcome foster children into their homes. Follow their story and get to know her more @wefostertruth / wefostertruth.com.

After receiving a discouraging DM from a follower, Manda addresses some ways that social media negativity can be harmful and talks about how she flips her thinking to help her navigate the challenges that sharing online brings.

Kaycee, a friend of Manda's for over a decade now, shares her experience as a Guatemalan-American at a small Christian college. She sheds light on what life looked like post-college when she formed her own faith beliefs. This 20 minute conversation covers some pros and cons of attending a small private university, minority perspective in predominately white spaces, and an honest recollection of walking away from faith that's fake.

Clare, a Saint Mary's alumnus, shares how she got into working with people with disabilities, what she's learned from one of her closest friends who has Down syndrome, and explains her pro-life views. *Spoiler alert: If we truly stand for life, we stand for Black lives, LatinX migrants lives, students trapped in underfunded schools, and men and women who are incarcerated. Being pro-life extends beyond issues of abortion.

Tori Hope Peterson is a former foster youth who emancipated and by the grace of God, beat every statistic to be who she is today. She's a wife, a mom to her biological son and a baby girl on the way. In addition, she and her husband holistically foster a teenager who comes and goes. In this brief episode, Tori shares why she entered the foster care system, her journey throughout it, and so much more. Follow her on Instagram to stay connected & advocate for foster youth alongside her!