A Longer Table

Buckle up for today's episode! Manda's friend Ashley, known as "Big Tough Girl" online, tells the story of choosing to place her son in the arms of another woman 14 years ago and the wild journey that followed. You will never think or talk about adoption and birth parents the same after hearing her insight and wisdom.

Manda & Morgan chat about creativity, inspiration, feelings of imposter syndrome, faith & more! Morgan normalizes what many entrepreneurs go through and shares wisdom that applies to everyone. Her new book All Along You Were Blooming is available everywhere books are sold. Follow Morgan on Instagram and check out her work here.

Manda's friend Angela is a 48-year-old single woman without children. All of her life she wanted to be a wife and a mother, but those desires haven't been fulfilled yet. She's now very aware that those things might never be part of her story. While it would be easy to grow bitter and waste life being angry with God over unmet desires, Angela chooses joy instead. She has created a rich, beautiful life and inspires all of us to do the same.

*TRIGGER WARNING* Manda's friend, Sam, takes her seat at the table to share her story of choosing to have an abortion, what it was like, and whether or not she regrets it. While Manda is clear she does not fully align with Sam's beliefs, the two of them have a graceful conversation, proving you can seek to understand someone rather than try to change them. This is what we're all about at A Longer Table Podcast. This sensitive conversation is intended to challenge us all.

Manda doesn't shy away from an extremely controversial topic to answer a frequently asked question and to challenge all listeners to consider thinking about this topic in a new light. Her challenge to everyone who is pro-life: don't let your advocacy stop once the baby is born.

NOTE: This episode is intended to prepare our hearts for the next one, where Manda's friend, Sam, who has had an abortion will be sharing her story.

Does the fear of what other people think hold you back in life?Manda's husband, E, joins her to share encouragement and wisdom on how to overcome this fear so you can put yourself out there, chase your dreams courageously, and live freely.

Follow Manda on IG @mandacarpenter

Tanorria pulls up a seat at the table to candidly share her experience on life after divorce and the pursuit of racial reconciliation. This episode sheds light on what to do if your marriage is falling apart and offers a black perspective on the fight for racial equality.

Feelings. How do we know which ones to pay attention to and which ones are steering us in the wrong direction? In this brief episode, Manda challenges listeners to count the fruit when feelings are confusing. She explains a method that she uses to asses everything in her life (her relationships, work, spiritual life, habits, etc.) and encourages you to do the same.

Have you ever felt like your passions were silly or superficial? Listen to this brief conversation where Manda's friend, Hannah, shares how she uses the gifts and passions God gave her to help people in her own unique way. This episode also contains tangible pieces of fashion advice that you won't want to miss!

Andrew, Manda's friend who also answers to "Drewski," pulls up a seat at the table to share his story of coming out, owning his identity as a gay Christian, and how it impacts his faith and relationships. This episode has no intentions of changing anyone's beliefs about LGBTQ, rather it's intended to introduce you to a potentially brand new perspective and give you food for thought. It requires open ears and tender hearts. Tune in with curiosity and love. Remember, there's room for everyone at the table.