Moments that Matter

Scott Williams interviews Paul Shotsberger and David Conley about their new book Who Is Your Resilience Builder?: Loss, Friendship, and Creativity. Join us!

We're excited to continue our Books that Matter series this week, talking with Mary Campbell Huss Norman about the Fredrik Backman book Anxious People. MC is a Clemson graduate with a degree in English and is currently living and working in Tennessee.  On this episode, MC shares her thoughts with Dr. Shotsberger from her recent journey through Anxious People.  You will most certainly wish to check it out!

We are picking back up this week with part two of our discussion with Lauren Schaupp.  Keeping in line with our current series, Books that Matter, Lauren shares a book that has been incredibly meaningful to her, Learning to Walk in the Dark by Barbara Brown Taylor.  Listen in and discover why the difference between light and dark is not always as clear as we think and why there is some purpose to the darkness we all encounter, whether it be physical, metaphysical, emotional, spiritual, or psychological.  For more information check out your own copy of Learning to Walk in the Dark and be sure to listen next week for the brilliant conclusion of this episode.

It is an honor to welcome back a previous and beloved guest to the podcast, Lauren Schaupp.  In our last interview she described her experience hiking the Appalachian Trail in 2021 and is back to continue our current series, Books that Matter.  This week Lauren shares a book that has been incredibly meaningful to her, Learning to Walk in the Dark by Barbara Brown Taylor.  Listen in and discover why the difference between light and dark is not always as clear as we think and why there is some purpose to the darkness we all encounter, whether it be physical, metaphysical, emotional, spiritual, or psychological.  For more information check out your own copy of Learning to Walk in the Dark and be sure to listen next week for the brilliant conclusion of this episode.

For those who have been following this podcast, this information will be familiar news but for others, this may be the first introduction to Dr. Paul Shotsberger's latest book: A Love Letter to Twentysomethings Everywhere.  Several weeks ago Dr. Shotsberger was invited to the Rickman Library to share a summary of his new book, answer any questions, and read a selected passage or two.  With this previously recorded session, you will hear new insights as well as new content and if you have not yet already read or reviewed this timely book, visit Amazon for your own copy of A Love Letter to Twentysomethings Everywhere.

Continuing with our recent series of Books that Matter, cohost Scott Williams shares one of his personal favorites, A Short and Easy Method of Prayer by Madame Jeanne Guyon.  A longtime favorite author, Madame Guyon gained great notariety in the late 1600's with her passionate life of prayer and deep connection with God.  Her work finally found her thrown into the Bastille for, as she stated, the crime of loving God too much.  Her short work on prayer directs those hungry for greater intimacy with God to practical yet profound concepts of attainable and abiding prayer.  Give it a read and you will be awfully glad that you did: A Short and Easy Method of Prayer.

As we continue our current series of Books that Matter, Dr. Paul Shotsberger provides his reaction and thoughts on Fredrik Backman and his novella, And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer.  The book shares the moving tale of an aging grandpa and his interactions with his loving grandson, Noah.  However, there's a bit of a twist to this story and the impact to its readers is promised to be significant.  This is a book that carries a wealth of meaning to readers in each stage of life and you will no doubt derive your own as you read it for yourself.  For more information on the book or to secure your own copy, you can find it at Amazon, or your favorite bookstore.

This week, as we embark on the second episode of our special series, Books that Matter, we have the great privilege of speaking with Dr. Jonathan Sircy.  A dear friend, colleague, professor, and previous guest on this podcast, Dr. Sircy shares one of his favorite books, the J.D. Salinger novel, Franny and Zooey.  Perhaps as you listen you will find as much meaning as he has through this tale of two sisters searching for purpose, significance, and direction.  Visit Amazon or your favorite book retailer for more information on the author and to secure your own copy.

In a new spinoff series, Moments that Matter is focusing a number of episodes toward books that have had a significant impact in the lives of those around us.  In our first installment, Dr. Teresa Williams shares about a book that she recently read called Messy Minimalism: Realistic Strategies for the Rest of Us by Rachelle Crawford.  This is a book that provides practical wisdom toward decluttering a busy life when time is a premium and reveals that it is possible to live as a minimalist even with a growing family and busy calendar.  More than anything this book seeks to create a life that makes ample space and time for the important things.  Teresa shares the impact that it has made in her own life and that of her family.  You can find your own copy on Amazon in both a digital or print form.

This is the second of a two part episode this week featuring Dr. Paul Shotsberger and his interview with Dr. Oleksandr (Sasha) Vasylevskyy, a dear friend and Ukrainian citizen.  Sasha was in the United States when the attacks on his home country began and his family has now fled to safety in Poland.  You will not only hear the perspective of one closest to the tragedies unfolding in Ukraine but also how Putin is viewed with his years of aggressive build-up to this present war.