A veteran of the Second World War and the Korean War, Francis L. Sampson was a real-life hero whose exploits inspired one of the most famous war films of all time, Saving Private Ryan. From rural beginnings in northwestern Iowa, Sampson’s life would take him from the University of Notre Dame to the battlefields of Normandy on D-Day, the ambitious failure of Operation Market Garden, the harshness of a winter as a POW of the Germans during the closing stages of the Second World War, to the fall of North Korean capital Pyongyang in the early stages of the Korean War. Part of the very rare breed of Parachute Chaplains, in his case with the 101 st Airborne Division, Sampson spent much of his career as an army chaplain in the center of maelstroms of the 20th century. Throughout it all, Sampson offered a valuable Christian witness in the darkest of times and the most difficult of circumstances.

This second edition of his memoirs, Look Out Below!: A Story of the Airborne by a Paratrooper Padre (Catholic U of America Press, 2023) contains material on his service during the Korean War and occupation duty in Germany and Japan as well as the Second World War, with a new historical introduction by University of Scranton Professor Sean Brennan.

Allison Isidore is a Religious Studies Ph.D. student at the University of Iowa and is the Assistant Director for the American Catholic Historical Association. Her research interest is focused on the twentieth-century American Civil Rights Movement and the Catholic Church’s response to racism and the participation of Catholic clergy, nuns, and laypeople in marches, sit-ins, and kneel-ins during the 1950s and 1960s. She tweets from @AllisonIsidore1.

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Many of you will already know that I am a huge fan of The Chronicles of Narnia. Today, I want to introduce my fellow Narnia lovers to a new book that jumped right off the shelf as soon as I saw it. 

Giant is a middle-grade novel by debut author Judith McQuoid where we meet Davy, a fictional working class boy from East Belfast, Ireland who is sent to work in the wealthy Lewis household in 1908. There, he forges a friendship with Jacks–as C.S. Lewis was known to his friends and family–over books, stories, and building worlds of imagination and adventure.

Giant is a must-read for Narnia fans that adds a whole new depth of experience to C.S. Lewis’s world and will help you read The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe in a fresh way. And today, I’m chatting with the author about what inspired her to write the book, how much of the story is fictionalized, and how the process of writing the book shaped her identity. And you’re going to love her Irish accent! 

In this episode, you’ll hear: 

• The way her dad’s love of Narnia and Lewis’s Belfast heritage inspired Judith to write this story 
• How Judith started with a “skeleton” draft and added layers of detail and depth with revisions
• The faith that carried Judith through the ups and downs of creating Giant

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Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/judith-mcquoid

Order Flora and the Jazzers by Astrid Sheckels!

Karen DeArmond Gardner experienced a 30-year abusive marriage — living with a man who charmed everyone but soon became a nightmare to live with. She described different tactics abusers use: insults, threats, control, manipulation, and other forms of emotional intimidation. Eventually, Karen recognized her traumatic situation and escaped. Today she counsels other women who’ve experienced abuse.

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The racist origins of Planned Parenthood. 

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Licensed counselor Debra Fileta offers practical, biblical advice for assessing your mental, physical, and spiritual health. Helping you walk toward healing and wholeness for the entire family! 

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The atheist who had a lot to say about God, man, and the West. 

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This episode is meant for parents only — not little ears — but it will equip you to disciple your children well in a world eager to shape their views on identity and truth.

In this deeply important and sensitive episode, Leslie Nunnery sits down with Elizabeth Urbanowicz of Foundation Worldview to discuss her new book, Helping Your Kids Know God’s Good Design: 40 Questions and Answers on Sexuality and Gender. Together, they tackle how parents can begin biblical conversations about sexuality, gender, and God’s design — even from a young age — in a way that is proactive, confident, and full of grace.

Elizabeth walks through how to approach these topics with your children from age four and up, giving real examples and simple language to use in your home. Leslie adds wisdom from her experience as a mom of grown children, offering perspective on why these conversations matter now more than ever.

Topics Covered In This Episode:

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Listener Note:

This episode covers mature topics about sexuality and gender and is intended for parents, not children. Please listen privately.

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