She believed that life was a series of unlimited choices, until she discovered at age 35 that her body was wracked with cancer. In the years that have followed, Kate Bowler has wrestled honestly with the reality she has been handed and the terrible advice she’s received along the way, like that everything happens for a reason. Hers is a voice I never want to stop listening to and in her new book, No Cure for Being Human, she is honest, vulnerable, and delightfully human, saying the words we all know but are sometimes afraid to say: that life is beautiful and terrible, full of hope and despair and everything in between. I’m delighted to sit down with Kate to talk about that and the truths we need to hear. Listen in.   Links + Resources From This Episode:  No Cure for Being Human by Kate Bowler Learn more about Kate's work here Order The Next Right Thing Guided Journal Grab a copy of my book The Next Right Thing  Find me on Instagram @emilypfreeman Download a transcript of this and every episode at emilypfreeman.com/podcast. 

194: Being Human with Kate Bowler

For the second-guessers, the chronically hesitant, or anyone who suffers from decision fatigue, best-selling author and host Emily P. Freeman helps create a little space for your soul to breathe so you can discern your next right thing in love. Because out of the thousands of decisions you make everyday, chances are a few of them threaten to keep you up at night. If you're in a season of transition, waiting, general fogginess or if you've ever searched "how to make a decision" on the internet, listen in.

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They say May is the new December, and we all know it's true. Though we have a month until we get there, chances are this season's activities are in full swing now and not likely to stop until June. It's times like this when I often find myself busy doing the things that don't matter as much, and avoiding doing the things that do. Sound familiar? How can we start to wake up in a world that seems intent on keeping us asleep? Listen in.   LINKS + RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE:  Order a How to Walk into a Room Download the free discussion guide for How to Walk into a Room by visiting this page and clicking the button "Discussion Guide" Subscribe to The Soul Minimalist on Substack Download the transcript 

323: The Kind of Quiet that Wakes Us Up

Five years ago on this very day, Tuesday, April 2nd, The Next Right Thing book released into the world. It was based roughly on the first 30 episodes of this podcast. And now that book has sold over 100,000 copies, and it's still going. As a way to mark the moment, I thought I would share five decision-making principles from The Next Right Thing book that I still use every single week. Maybe you'll remember one you've forgotten, or maybe you'll hear one of these tips with fresh ears. I hope you'll listen in.   LINKS + RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE:    The Next Right Thing book The Next Right Thing Guided Journal Order a How to Walk into a Room Download the free discussion guide for How to Walk into a Room by visiting this page and clicking the button "Discussion Guide" Subscribe to The Soul Minimalist on Substack Download the transcript 

322: 5 Next Right Thing Principles I Use Every Week

 Today's guest is one you're familiar with by now. It's my friend, partner, and husband, John Freeman. Aside from being my biggest cheerleader, John is also a pastor. He served for 12 years in two different churches as a youth pastor, until 11 years ago when he walked out of the room of official church ministry and walked into the room of our actual home, where he worked for several years as a stay-at-home dad. For the last few years, he's been running his own nonprofit called Grace Discipleship, offering soul care and spiritual direction for couples, pastors, and Gen Z high school and college students. Now that How to Walk into a Room is out in the world, John and I wanted to host a conversation about the book, specifically our own personal reflections on this side of sharing certain parts of our story. I hope you'll listen in.  LINKS + RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE:  Grace Discipleship  Find John on Instagram LGBTQ resources for parents David Gushee on the Making Things Right podcast Order a How to Walk into a Room Download the free discussion guide for How to Walk into a Room by visiting this page and clicking the button "Discussion Guide"  Find my new book from your favorite bookseller below (or another one not listed): Barnes and Noble Amazon US Amazon CA Bookshop Books-A-Million Bookmarks  Subscribe to The Soul Minimalist on Substack Download the transcript 

321: What We Wish We’d Known with John P. Freeman

Grace P. Cho is a Korean-American writer and Senior Acquisitions Editor at Revell, which is an imprint of Baker Publishing Group. Grace has authored and edited several inCourage bible studies and devotionals. And she's most recently contributed to the book Voices of Lament: Reflections on Brokenness and Hope in a World Longing for Justice. I've known Grace for many years and she is a kind and gracious presence for me personally, but she extends this beyond just her personal friends. She creates space for people to be known, nurtured, and challenged through her work and she desires to elevate women of color's voices in the publishing industry. Grace has said several goodbyes in the last year, but her experience is is a beautiful illustration of how not all goodbyes are sad. Her kind, generative presence and perspective on life and change is right on time. Listen in. LINKS + RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE:  Visit Grace P. Cho's website Find Grace on Instagram Order a How to Walk into a Room  Find my new book from your favorite bookseller below (or another one not listed): Barnes and Noble Amazon US Amazon CA Bookshop Books-A-Million Bookmarks (for personalized copies!)  Subscribe to The Soul Minimalist on Substack Download the transcript 

320: Following Your Intuition with Grace P. Cho

Today we're continuing our conversations with people who have a lot of wisdom to offer when it comes to leaving rooms and finding new ones. My guest today is a writer, speaker and activist who focuses on issues in education, community, leadership, spirituality, and social change. He is the founder of the Center for Courage and Renewal and his name is Parker J. Palmer. He's the author of 10 books including one of my favorites, Let Your Life Speak. He's a member of the Religious Society of Friends, also known as the Quakers, and he lives together with his wife Sharon in Madison Wisconsin. I invited Parker on because his work has had a profound impact on my own personal formation and has helped to shape my own understanding of the human soul. I'm grateful he said yes to sitting in the room with me today. Listen in. LINKS + RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE:  Center for Courage and Renewal  Here are all of Parker Palmers books in one place The Growing Edge with Parker Palmer and Carrie Newcomer Order a How to Walk into a Room  Order from your favorite bookseller below (or another one not listed): Barnes and Noble Amazon US Amazon CA Bookshop Books-A-Million Bookmarks (for personalized copies!)  Subscribe to The Soul Minimalist on Substack Download the transcript 

194: Being Human with Kate Bowler

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