Live Inspired Podcast with John O'Leary

William Paul Young is the New York Times bestselling author of The Shack, a story that has brought hope to millions worldwide. First with us in 2017 on episode 19, he returns to discuss his latest book Return to the Shack, and the experiences that shaped his understanding of love, faith and forgiveness.

Today, Paul shares his journey through childhood abuse and shame, how vulnerability helped him heal, and the family Christmas gift that became The Shack. We explore his shift toward a faith rooted in unconditional love and the questions about justice, forgiveness and transformation woven into his new book.

My friends, if you've ever felt defined by your past or wondered whether healing is possible, this conversation is for you. You'll leave with encouragement to meet yourself with compassion, extend kindness to others and remember that you are worthy of love.

Ten years ago this month, we turned on a microphone.

It was October 2016. Barack Obama was president, the Cubs were weeks away from winning the World Series, and Stranger Things was the rage. Podcasts, on the other hand, were something some people had heard of, but relatively few listened to regularly.

We didn't launch the Live Inspired Podcast because podcasting was cool (it wasn't!) or profitable (it still isn't!).

We launched because I wanted to better understand what allows some individuals to endure enormous adversity and somehow emerge stronger. I wanted to explore leadership and faith, failure and forgiveness, marriage and parenting, success and suffering. I wanted to better understand what makes a life matter.

So we started asking questions.

And ten years later, we haven't stopped.

Jake Harriman is a former Marine, founder of Nuru International and a leader who has dedicated his life to serving others. After first joining us in 2018, he returns to share his latest mission: helping Americans find common ground through The Brickyard, a veteran-led movement, and his new book, Rescuing the Idea of America.

Today, Jake shares how his childhood in rural West Virginia shaped his heart for service, the combat experiences that inspired his work fighting extreme poverty, and why he's now turning his attention to healing divisions here at home. We explore how listening with curiosity, serving alongside one another and choosing connection can rebuild trust and remind us how much we share.

My friends, if you've felt discouraged by the division around you or wondered whether one person can make a difference, this conversation is for you. Jake offers a hopeful reminder that each of us has something to contribute. You'll leave with practical ways to build stronger relationships, serve your community and take one small step toward the future you want to see.

Math. Running. Swimming. Recalling names. Remembering birthdays. Paying parking tickets. This is a partial list of things I'm terrible at. For a far longer and more comprehensive list, please reach out to my family.

Last week, at an urgent care clinic, I was reminded of one more thing that belongs on that list: Waiting.

Let me explain.

Laura Wifler is a bestselling author, poet and co-founder of Risen Motherhood who finds beauty in life's mix of brokenness and joy. Her daughter, who has intellectual disabilities, has taught her so much about loving others just as they are and finding joy in the unexpected.

Today, Laura shares how childhood rejection inspired her to help others feel included, how motherhood changed the life she imagined, and how poetry helped her put words to both the beautiful and difficult moments. We talk about finding strength in faith, creating even when we doubt ourselves, and why her son is grateful disability is part of their family.

My friends, if life looks different from what you hoped, this conversation is for you. Laura reminds us that we can carry grief and still experience joy, and that every one of us has something valuable to offer. You'll leave encouraged to give yourself a little grace, help someone feel seen, and notice the beauty right in front of you.

Anniversaries give us permission to do something we rarely allow ourselves to do: Stop racing forward, turn around and look back at the road we've traveled.

They invite us to remember what once seemed impossible, recognize the people who helped make it happen, count blessings we often hurry past, give thanks for all that has been—and imagine with hope all that might still be.

And as the one-year anniversary of the world premiere of Soul On Fire approaches, I want to do exactly that with you. Let me explain.

Wayne Connell is the founder of Invisible Disabilities Association, an organization he launched 30 years ago after watching his wife, Sherri, navigate debilitating illnesses others couldn't see or understand. As her husband and caregiver for 32 years, Wayne has turned that deeply personal experience into a lifelong mission to help others living with invisible disabilities to feel seen, believed, and valued.

Today, Wayne shares what decades of caregiving have taught him about love, why believing someone can be one of the greatest gifts we offer, and how to better support those carrying struggles we cannot see. We also discuss the difference between fixing and simply being present, the assumptions we make about others, and the power of listening.

My friends, if you're carrying an unseen burden or love someone who is, this conversation is for you. You'll be reminded to slow down, listen well and recognize the value in every person you meet.

"Do you still believe in miracles?"

A smattering of hands went up when I asked that question at a leadership conference last week.

Surprised by how few, I tried a different approach.

"How many of you saw the sun rise this morning? How many of you stopped to consider how incredibly unlikely it is that you are here at all? That your heart beats without being reminded. That your eyes capture light and turn it into images. That you can laugh, love, work, walk, and dance through your days"

More hands went up, but still not all of them!

Well, my friends, I am certain miracles still happen.

And Brent Oliver's life is proof. Let me explain.

Ron Johnson helped transform the way the world shops. As the creator of the Apple Store, he worked alongside Steve Jobs to build a welcoming retail experience centered on learning and human connection. Before Apple, he helped make good design accessible at Target, and he later served as CEO of J.C. Penney. In his new book, Shop Different, Ron shares the leadership lessons he gained through extraordinary successes and humbling setbacks.

Today, Ron shares how a childhood love of retail shaped his career, why the Apple Store was designed around relationships rather than transactions, and what his difficult experience at J.C. Penney taught him about listening, humility and moving forward. He also explains why kindness belongs in the boardroom and how focusing on the person in front of us can transform the way we lead, work and live.

My friends, you'll leave this conversation inspired to pursue what you love, strengthen the relationships that matter and measure success by the lives you enrich along the way. Whether you're leading a team, navigating a setback or searching for greater purpose, Ron's journey is a powerful reminder that success and failure are fleeting, but the way we treat others endures.

Reading the headlines, there are plenty of reasons to lose hope for tomorrow and slip into anxiety today. Warring nations. Rising prices. Teetering financial markets. Political upheaval.

And then there are the concerns closer to home. Caring for aging parents or grieving their loss. Wrestling with the difficulties of raising kids or the ache of being unable to have them. Enduring yet another flight delay on a work trip (hits home as I write this!) or the far heavier struggle of being unable to find work.

We all carry something.

So, what are we to do with all this stress, all these conflicts, all these struggles? Let me explain.