Description:

In this delightful episode, Jen Hatmaker sits down with bestselling author Josie Silver, the brilliant mind behind One Day in December. Josie shares her journey from writing ten novels to achieving massive success with this enchanting Christmas love story. Together, Jen and Josie discuss the creative process, the inspiration behind her characters, and the challenges of crafting a love story that spans a decade.

Josie opens up about the unexpected ways her personal life influences her writing, how she brings authenticity to her characters, and what it feels like to finally hit her stride after years of writing. Whether you're a die-hard romance fan or simply looking for your next great read, this cozy conversation will inspire and entertain.

Thought-provoking Quotes:

You write the men you want them to be, not necessarily the men they are. That’s part of the magic of romance writing.” – Josie Silver

“I think a lot of the little, quiet moments in life—the shorthand between people who truly know each other—are what make stories feel real.” – Josie Silver

“Do you want help, or do you want a hug?” – Jen Hatmaker, reflecting on parenting young adults.

It was a joy to write this book. Some books come out more easily than others and, this one, I wrote in six weeks. Some books have taken six months, some have taken far longer; whereas this one, every time I sat down, everything just seemed to work. – Josie Silver

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

One Day in December: A Novel by Josie Silver - https://amzn.to/3OD2D9A

Guest’s Links:

Josie’s books - https://amzn.to/3VlTFl3

Josie’s website - https://josiesilver.com/

Josie’s Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/josiesilverauthor

Josie’s Twitter - https://x.com/josiesilver

Josie’s BlueSky - https://bsky.app/profile/josiesilver.bsky.social

Josie’s Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/JosieSilverAuthor

Connect with Jen!

Jen’s website - https://jenhatmaker.com/

Jen’s Instagram - https://instagram.com/jenhatmaker

Jen’s Twitter - https://twitter.com/jenHatmaker/

Jen’s Facebook - https://facebook.com/jenhatmaker

Jen’s YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/user/JenHatmaker

The For the Love Podcast is presented by Audacy. 

Settle in, listeners. Jen and Amy have invited Greek and New Testament professor and scholar, Reverend Dr. Angela N. Parker to the show to reflect on the Advent season with some words of hope and liberation. She took our butts to seminary, opening our eyes to what it looks like when you examine the scripture through the lens of womanist theology and the experiences of Black women. But as Dr. Parker tells us, “I’ve lived long enough to know that God will bring me through but sometimes it’s hard and sometimes it hurts. But even after the hurt, the tender spots get more resilient.”

There’s so much to unpack in this one.

***

Thought-provoking Quotes:

“If I’m liberated, I don’t want to be liberated alone.” – Dr. Angela N. Parker

“We don’t want to think about the early church being enslavers.” – Dr. Angela N. Parker

“If our biblical text is wrestling with the idea of empire from Genesis to Revelation, we are wrestling with empire as well.” –– Dr. Angela N. Parker

“When we work as a collective, we actually do better to transform society.” – Dr. Angela N. Parker

“The tree at the end of Revelation 21 has the leaves for the healing of all the “Ethnae”, for all the ethnicities, for all the nations. That’s what John the Revelator sees in his final vision.” – Dr. Angela N. Parker

“In my own work, I talk about how I try to even get whiteness out of me. Even as an African American woman born and raised in these United States, there are elements of whiteness that are in me, on me and a part of me. That’s just what we swim in.” – Dr. Angela N. Parker

“Hope breaks forth in the midst of terror, fear, and overwhelm. It’s normal to have [those feelings]. Don’t trick yourself into ignoring them. It’s best for us to acknowledge what is going on around us but to remember that hope breaks through.” – Dr. Angela N. Parker

“I’ve lived long enough to know that God will bring me through but sometimes it’s still hard and sometimes it still hurts. But even after the hurt, the tender spots get more resilient.” – Dr. Angela N. Parker

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

Orange Theory - https://www.orangetheory.com/en-us

James Hal Cone - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_H._Cone

Jacquelyn Grant - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacquelyn_Grant

Delores Williams - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delores_S._Williams

Katie Cannon - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katie_Cannon

Alice Walker - https://alicewalkersgarden.com/

Rev. Dr. Margaret Aymer - https://www.austinseminary.edu/cf_directory/dirprofile.cfm?p=2576&id=4459

Sisters in the Wilderness: The Challenge of Womanist God by Delores Williams - https://amzn.to/4eV3Nce< ...

This week Jen introduces Amy and the For the Love audience to her long-time friend, comedian Heather Land, who gained fame as a social media sensation through her viral I Ain’t Doin’ It videos. They discuss Heather’s journey from an early career in ministry to one in comedy, and now to her newest passion project, life coaching. Heather talks to Jen and Amy about the impact of burnout and the challenges of reinventing oneself, especially at different life stages and finding joy in her new creative project, the Dear Heathers podcast (that she co-hosts with best-friend Heather Lenard) encouraging other women to embrace their journeys and feel empowered.

In this episode:

***

Thought-provoking Quotes:

“What do I have to lose except my dignity?” – Heather Land

“Standup is maybe the hardest form of comedy. It’s not scripted. You don’t have directors and writers. It is a hot seat and it’s live. It’s sink or swim. You picked the hardest way to be funny.” – Jen Hatmaker

“You are in full integrity when you make a change when something is still working. That is a move that is in full alignment which is something to be proud of.” – Jen Hatmaker

“We ask kids ‘what do you want to be when you grow up?” and I don’t think we leave a lot of room for ‘What do I want to be next?’ or ‘what do I want to be when I’m 40, or 50, or 60?’.” – Heather Land 

“I’m sorry, I have not hired you as my life coach.” – Amy Hardin

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

Heather’s I Ain’t Doin’ It Playlist - https://youtu.be/slcwYADYwRc?si=Oe-m-0jf3-wDdVmH

Dear Heathers Podcast - https://www.heatherlandofficial.com/podcast

Heather Lenard - https://www.heatherlenard.com/

Life Coaching with Heather Land - https://www.heatherlandofficial.com/life-coach#book-an-appointment

Nichole Nordeman - https://www.instagram.com/nicholenordeman/

Susannah Lewis (Whoa Susannah) - https://whoasusannah.com/

Jen Hatmaker Book Club Cruise January 30-February 3, 2025 - https://shop.jenhatmaker.com/pages/cruise

Only Murders in the Building - https://www.hulu.com/series/only-murders-in-the-building

Should men take baths? - Dear Heathers: Ep. 3 Bath Time with the Swon Brothers - https://apple.co/4eI6s9b

Guest’s Links:

Heathers’s website - https://www.heatherlandofficial.com ...

Krista Tippett's work in the realm of spirituality and human experience is unparalleled. She just has a divine gift for distilling complex topics into clear, palatable information that we can sit with, dissect, and examine. She uses her OnBeing podcast as a place to conduct honest conversations with theologians and thought leaders about what it means to be human, what it means to be alive. Curiosity is welcome in her space. She brings a sense of calm to everything around her. So during the frenzy of the holidays, which can be both joyful and stressful, we wanted to circle back to this centering conversation with Krista to decompress and be at peace with the world. This conversation feels like an oasis in what is always a chaotic month so it’s our gift to bring it back for you this week. 

Segments:

Bless and Release: Rules for holiday decorating and making the holidays magical

GenXcellence: Essentials for outfitting a GenX space

***

Thought-provoking Quotes:

If a thing is feeling stressful and not joyful, it needs to be re-evaluated. – Jen Hatmaker

I actually found in the Bible, reading it for myself directly, that it completely honored the questions, and it honored the anguish, and it was full of things that didn’t make sense or were contradictory. And for me that was an opening to not feel that faith had to be in opposition to what didn’t make sense or was contradictory. – Krista Tippett

There has to be a way to represent the complexity of this, and also the centrality of it, the fact that it’s more about questions than it is about answers, and the array of how we walk around with this, and what it means in our lives, and the ways we practice, and the vocabulary we have, and the different ways we pray. I wanted to show that you could talk about this and we could speak about the part of ourselves that we mean when we use language of religious or spiritual. – Krista Tippett

The sensibility, the intentionality with which something is offered, shapes the reaction that comes at it. – Krista Tippett

I do have a spiritual homeland and I do have a spiritual mother tongue. That matters. – Krista Tippett

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

Walter Brueggeman – https://www.walterbrueggemann.com/

The Prophetic Imagination – https://onbeing.org/programs/walter-brueggemann-the-prophetic-imagination-dec2018/ 

Thích Nhât Hanh – https://plumvillage.org/ 

Desmond Tutu – https://www.tutu.org.za/ 

Mary Oliver – https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/mary-oliver 

I Got Saved By the Beauty of the World – https://onbeing.org/programs/mary-oliver-i-got-saved-by-the-beauty-of-the-world/

Guest’s Links:

OnBeing Podcast - https://onbeing.org/series/podcast/

Krista’s website - https://onbeing.org/our-story/krista-tippett/

Krista’s Twitter - https://x.com/kristatippett

Connect with Jen!

Jen’s website - https://jenhatmaker.com/

Jen’s Instagram - https://instagram.com/jenhatmaker

Jen’s Twitter - https://twitter ...

As we journey into this Advent season, Scott Erickson, better known to most by his moniker in the internet and art world as Scott the Painter, discusses his journey of faith and the creation of his 'Honest Advent,' project aimed at reinterpreting traditional Christmas narratives through a lens of vulnerability and authenticity. He reflects on the paradoxes of belief, the importance of community, and the need for honest conversations about faith and the human experience, particularly during the Advent season. With a great deal of compassion and humor, Scott shares insights into his creative process, the significance of connection in his work (which has resonated so deeply with his community that many have it tattooed on their bodies), and the need for honest spiritual experiences in today's world. His work is not just visually beautiful. It’s also meaningful, bringing a beautiful new approach to an old and familiar story.

Thought-provoking Quotes:

“As an artist, I love the brand of Christmas – red and green, complimentary colors. I love the music – the soundtrack, I love all of it. But I thought, is this a distraction from life or is this a hopeful message for the reality of it?” – Scott Erickson

“I want to know if I should just give up on my beliefs. If God’s not in the world and this isn’t a story that’s happening, then I just want to move on. But, if we are celebrating this thing and if it is happening, then that’s what my invitation is. By going through those things, and thinking through, and praying through, and then creating out of it, the fact that it then becomes a path for others to walk, that’s the greatest gift in making art.” – Scott Erickson 

“It’s amazing, the alchemy of what happens when you hand the work over and then it becomes something new in the hands of your audience and the people that are experiencing it and they bring a story to it that you couldn’t even fathom. You’ve done your part, you did the creation part, stewarding your gift, putting it out there to the best of your ability and then they take it and it becomes something more. I’ll never get over that exchange.” – Jen Hatmaker

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

FitBit - https://store.google.com/category/trackers

Scott’s Tattoo FAQ - https://www.scottericksonart.com/tattoo-faq

Say Yes: Discover the Surprising Life beyond the Death of a Dream by Scott Erickson - https://amzn.to/3AEVfao

Scott Erickson’s Shows - https://www.scottericksonart.com/shows

The Enneagram Institute Personality Types - https://www.enneagraminstitute.com/type-descriptions/

Honest Advent: Awakening to the Wonder of God-with-Us Then, Here, and Now by Scott Erickson - https://amzn.to/4fgK6fc

Guest’s Links:

Scott’s website - https://www.scottericksonart.com/

Scott’s Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/scottthepainter

Scott’s Twitter - https://x.com/scottthepainter

Scott’s Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/scottthepainter

Scott’s YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@scottericksonart

Scott’s Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/scottthepainter/_created/

Connect with Jen!

Today, Jen gets to fulfill a dream of interviewing one of her favorite influences and mentors in the food world. The iconic six-time James Beard award-winning Ruth Reichl sits down with Jen to discuss her extensive impact on food culture spanning the last several decades. They hit on everything from the alarming state of the modern food industrial complex, how we source our food and the impacts it poses to our health (as well as the hope they see for our future), to what it has been like to document the evolution of food across the changing media landscape of print media and the internet. Ruth reflects on highlights from her career as a chef, food critic, editor, tv personality, author, novelist and documentarian and discusses the challenges and joys of her various roles in the culinary world, including the emotional toll of her work which has garnered both admiration and criticism.

***

Thought-provoking Quotes:

The way that we eat, the way we have handed over our health, our environment, our communities to the idea of industrialized food is truly terrifying. – Ruth Reichl

The more you say no, the more people want you. – Ruth Reichl

Almost no one likes what is written about them. No matter how flattering a portrait may be, people don’t like it. So when it’s really not flattering, people don’t like it. – Ruth Reichl

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

Food and Country Film - https://www.foodandcountryfilm.com/

Michael Pollan - https://amzn.to/4g1bkGV

Barbara Kingsolver - https://amzn.to/3D0fv7f

White Oak Pastures - https://whiteoakpastures.com/

Gourmet Magazine - https://bit.ly/3D2LN1B

Tender at the Bone: Growing Up at the Table by Ruth Reichl - https://amzn.to/3OEwjmS

Condé Nast - https://www.cntraveler.com/contributor/ruth-reichl

New York Times - https://www.nytimes.com/by/ruth-reichl

Garlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise by Ruth Reichl - https://amzn.to/4ifrUo9

The Paris Novel by Ruth Reichl - https://amzn.to/3BfyUk4

Save Me the Plums: My Gourmet Memoir by Ruth Reichl - https://amzn.to/49vwfiX

Guest’s Links:

Ruth’s Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ruth.reichl/

Ruth’s Twitter - https://x.com/ruthreichl

Ruth’s Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/@ruthreichlbooks

Ruth’s Substack - https://ruthreichl.substack.com/

Connect with Jen!

Jen’s website - https://jenhatmaker.com/

Jen’s Instagram - https://instagram.com/jenhatmaker

Jen’s Twitter - https://twitter.com/jenHatmaker/

Jen’s Facebook - https://facebook.com/jenhatmaker

Jen’s YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/user/JenHatmaker

The For the Love Podcast is presented

In this conversation, recorded the morning after the presidential election, comedy phenom Tig Notaro joins Jen and Amy (donned head to toe in black in mourning) to unpack the events of the day and to help them find their happy place in the world again, which she accomplishes with tactical success. By the end of the show, they’ve laughed so hard, they’ve forgotten most of their cares. 

In this episode, Tig regales us with her journey as an Emmy and Grammy-nominated comedian, the influence of her free-spirited mother, and how her family dynamics (and a few hilarious stories from her boys) have shaped her comedy. She also reflects on her journey of authenticity, what it means to be an icon in the LGBTQ+ community, and the significance of being true to oneself. 

In Rant or Rave, Jen and Amy muse about whether or not they have the chops to make it in stand-up, and we learn that Amy definitely has a deep well of material at her disposal. Speaking of which, be sure to listen for Tig’s story about the weirdest gig she’s ever performed!

***

Thought-provoking Quotes: 

One of the things my mother told me growing up was to tell everyone to go to hell if they had a problem with me. And I certainly do not walk around telling everyone to go to hell but I think there’s this thing in me, whether you know I was told that or not, I think people can tell that I don’t have a desperation and I’m not going to do backflips for anybody. – Tig Notaro

I didn’t bust out of the closet. I went through my own process of figuring things out. I wasn’t born knowing I was gay. When I did come out, it was just an authentic feeling and decision of, this is who I am. – Tig Notaro

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

Annette Benning - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000906/

John Travolta - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000237

Cher - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000333

Olivia Coleman - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1469236/

Broadchurch - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2249364/

Wicked Little Letters - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt20234774/

Taika Waititi - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0169806/

Ryan Reynolds - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005351

Denzel Washington - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000243

Julia Roberts - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000210

Notting Hill - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0125439

Jason Bateman - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000867

Smartless Docuseries - https://play.max.com/show/f8c800e3-7639-4883-a0f1-8eb5adbb5ced

I’m Just a Person by Tig Notaro - https://amzn.to/3ZjlfQY

Tig: A Netflix Documentary - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3986532/

One Mississippi TV series - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4947608/

Under a Rock with Tig Notaro - https://www.amazon.com/Under-Rock-Tig-Notaro/dp/B07SJZ4TKM

Kevin Nealon - https://www.instagram.com/kevinnealon/

...

The Office co-stars and best friends, Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey, are doing the ultimate Office-lovers podcast for you. Each week Jenna and Angela will dive deeper into The Office giving you access to even more behind the scene details, interviews and lots of stories that only two best friends who were there, can tell you.

This week we welcome back a treasured friend of this show, renowned design guru and the heartbeat of the Fab Five, Bobby Berk!  It’s been four years since we last talked to Bobby so we have a lot of ground to cover in this episode. 

Bobby tells us about the designers like Michael Graves and Isaac Mizrahi who he drew inspiration from early in his career. He tells stories about his humble beginnings with retail gigs at stores like Bed Bath & Beyond and Restoration Hardware – maybe part of what makes him so relatable? – and how his career as a designer blossomed from there.

And with the holidays upon us, we also take the opportunity to ask Bobby about how he celebrates (or survives) the holidays. He offers some great insights on instituting some personal boundaries to maintain sanity that are not too late to put into rotation this year.

***

Thought-provoking Quotes:

“At my grandparents' A-frame cabin in Colorado, every square inch was red, and I mean R-E-D shag carpet and it looked like a whole gaggle of muppets laying on the ground….and I think I liked it. I remember laying on the ground threading my fingers through the carpet.” – Jen Hatmaker

“I loved going to my friends houses where it was just cool and calm and nothing to look at. But honestly that’s not what I’m drawn to anyway. My house looks like a rainbow exploded. I have a kelly green velvet couch, a gallery wall that has every single color. I’ve got some bat shit wallpaper going on. I’ve decorated it like I’ve never seen the color gray.” – Amy Hardin

“I’m drawn to spaces that have life in them, I like color – I like it when a room is even outrageous. Whether or not I would exactly do that thing, I think, ‘I like where your head is at’”. – Jen Hatmaker

“You’re the CEO of your own instincts and design and if you love it, it’s going to work.” – Bobby Berk

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

Queer Eye for the Straight Guy - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queer_Eye_(2003_TV_series)

Queer Eye - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queer_Eye_(2018_TV_series)

Queer Eye on Netflix - https://www.netflix.com/title/80160037

Series 26: Episode 02: Queer Eye’s Bobby Berk on the Fire Inside Us All - https://jenhatmaker.com/podcasts/series-26/queer-eyes-bobby-berk-and-the-fire-inside-us-all/

BobbyBerk.com - https://bobbyberk.com/

Right at Home: How Good Design Is Good for the Mind: An Interior Design Book by Bobby Berk - https://amzn.to/3A7TjXT

When Jen met Bobby in Mexico - https://www.instagram.com/p/B5HMYkUASvc/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== 

Tripointe Homes Style Finder Quiz - https://bobby-berk.tripointehomes.com/style-finder/

Michael Graves - https://michaelgraves.com/

Michael Graves Target  Collaboration - https://michaelgraves.com/product/target-products/

Isaac Mizrahi Target Collaboration - https://www.target.com/b/isaac-mizrahi/-/N-s73qo

Jen’ ...

We’re going deep into the archives to pull out a special conversation for this week’s bonus episode with our most beloved friend, Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter, Amy Grant. The last time Jen and Amy sat down together, it was on the heels of an exhausting,arduous time in our county. Back then, Amy delivered some profound words of wisdom in the peaceful, soothing way that only she can. And we felt her words would be a welcome balm to soothe our weary souls today so we’ve brought it back for you to enjoy as a bonus episode!

In addition to some very timely words of wisdom from Amy, this episode covers:

***

Thought-provoking Quotes:

“Everybody brings different things to the table. Rapid-fire conversation or investigative or deep conversations might not be their comfort zone but there are other things that are. – Amy Grant

“I have my hands on my own wheel. I can’t steer anybody else’s opinions. I can’t steer anybody else’s choices. But I’ve got to own mine.” – Amy Grant

“When I was younger, I thought if I don’t say yes to everything, it’ll all stop. It’ll all dry up. It won’t keep coming. It’s my yeses that keep the energy moving forward. But I found out that’s not true at all. That was a fake story. It was just the scarcity mindset.” – Jen Hatmaker

“Ask different questions. The next step, the next opportunity, the next enlightenment, the next everything for all of us is within reach. It always has been.” – Amy Grant

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

Jen at the Amy Grant concert in Austin 2023 - https://www.instagram.com/p/CxvoBcbujuB/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==