Return to Odyssey

Return to Odyssey

By Rachel StrnadKids & Family
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Return to Odyssey episodes

  • 2.04 The Best Fiery Furnace Pageant Ever

    This week, Josh and Rachel get a case of "VBS Blues” as they follow memory lane into another classic AIO episode. Along the way, their conversation touches upon rookie teaching mistakes, sixth-grader shenanigans, and the awkward non-humor of forced comedy.

    Our audiobook recommendation this week is The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, by Barbara Robinson. Visit audibletrial.com/returntoodyssey to get your free thirty-day free trial.

    If you'd like to get in touch with us, send us an e-mail to [email protected].

    Artwork courtesy of Focus on the Family.

    Adventures in Odyssey Theme by John Campbell, re-recorded by Wesley Burchell.

    27 min
  • 2.3 Connie and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

    This week, Josh and Rachel review "Heavy Weather," and spend over half an hour enjoying Connie's misery. Along the way, they discuss mood swings, teen social dynamics, and the value of Dale Johnson's shed in the rain.

    Our audiobook recommendation this week is The Lord of the Rings, by J.R.R. Tolkien. Visit audibletrial.com/returntoodyssey to get your free thirty-day free trial.

    If you'd like to get in touch with us, send us an e-mail to [email protected].

    Artwork courtesy of Focus on the Family.

    Adventures in Odyssey Theme by John Campbell, re-recorded by Wesley Burchell.

    41 min
  • 2.2 Heroes and Head Trauma

    Josh and Rachel accompany Erwin Springer back to the American Revolution in "The Day Independence Came." While learning such necessary skills of the period such as horseback riding and swimming, we discuss time travel, Mr. Whitaker's physiognomy, and the uneasy relationship between patriotism, politics, and Christianity.

    This episode is sponsored in part by Audible.com. Visit audibletrial.com/returntoodyssey to get your free thirty-day free trial.

    If you're interested in the John Piper podcast about patriotism, you can find it here. https://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/how-much-patriotism-is-too-much-patriotism

    The book, George Washington, Christian is free online and can be found here. https://thefederalistpapers.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/George-Washington-the-Christian.pdf

    To read the article we quoted on Benjamin Franklin, you can find it here. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2017/06/28/how-benjamin-franklin-a-deist-became-the-founding-father-of-a-unique-kind-of-american-faith/

    If you'd like to get in touch with us, send us an e-mail to [email protected].

    Artwork courtesy of Focus on the Family.

    Adventures in Odyssey Theme by John Campbell, re-recorded by Wesley Burchell.

    51 min
  • 2.1 Meet the Barclays

    Welcome to Season Two! Josh and Rachel dive into the second Odyssey album, The Wildest Summer Ever, with a two-part episode that introduces that beloved, all-American family, the Barclays. Along their journey we discuss epic make-believe games, and roadside serial killers, and the many voices of Mary Barclay.

    This episode is sponsored in part by Audible.com. Visit audibletrial.com/returntoodyssey to get your free thirty-day free trial.

    If you'd like to get in touch with us, send us an e-mail to [email protected].

    Artwork courtesy of Focus on the Family.

    Adventures in Odyssey Theme by John Campbell, re-recorded by Wesley Burchell.

    1 hr 16 min
  • 1.12 Season 1 Recap

    Hello everyone!

    We are sliding in just before the end of the year for a state-of-the-union on the podcast and episodes from album one, "The Adventure Begins." Also outtakes.

    Thank you all so much for listening this year, and we will be back in early 2021.. Happy New Year!

    If you'd like to get in touch with us, send us an e-mail at [email protected].

    Artwork courtesy of Focus on the Family.

    Adventures in Odyssey Theme by John Campbell, re-recorded by Wesley Burchell.

    Mii Channel theme by Kazumi Totaka.

    23 min
  • 1.11 This is the Way the Album Ends, Not with a Bang but with a Whimper

    It’s the end of the album as we know it, but we feel fine. Join Josh and Rachel as they wrap up “The Adventure Begins” by critiquing the AIO episode, “A Change of Hart.” Along the way they discuss showing, not telling, bad hairstyles, and middle school social structures.


    This episode is sponsored in part by Audible. Claim your one month free trial which includes a free audiobook and two audible originals by visiting audibletrial.com/returntoodyssey.

    If you'd like to get in touch with us, send us an e-mail at [email protected].

    Artwork courtesy of Focus on the Family.

    Adventures in Odyssey Theme by John Campbell, re-recorded by Wesley Burchell.

    1 hr 6 min
  • 1.10 A Death and a New Beginning

    On this week's Return to Odyssey, Josh and Rachel tackle the first real "back story" episode of Adventures in Odyssey, "Recollections." In our reminiscences, we discuss fun character names, video arcades, and kidney disease.

    This episode is brought to you in part by Audible. Visit audibletrial.com/returntoodyssey to get your free thirty-day free trial.

    If you'd like to get in touch with us, send us an e-mail at [email protected].

    Artwork courtesy of Focus on the Family.

    Adventures in Odyssey Theme by John Campbell, re-recorded by Wesley Burchell.

    53 min
  • 1.9 We Need to Talk About Monty

    Hey! We haven't disappeared. 

    This week, we have a two-parter, which hopefully will make up for the wait. Josh and Rachel pull apart "A Member of the Family," parts one and two. Along the way, we discuss alternate universes, baseball as an icon of wholesome boyhood, and the philosophy of child discipline.

    If you'd like to listen along with us, you can check out the full album The Adventure Begins through our affiliate link: https://amzn.to/35le5zC

    This episode is sponsored in part by Audible. Visit audibletrial.com/returntoodyssey to get your free thirty-day free trial.

    If you'd like to get in touch with us, send us an e-mail at [email protected].

    Artwork courtesy of Focus on the Family.

    Adventures in Odyssey Theme by John Campbell, re-recorded by Wesley Burchell.

    1 hr 28 min
  • 1.8 The Thief Who Wasn't There

    Josh and Rachel discuss Episode 8 of The Adventure Begins: "The Tangled Web," another experiment in the story-within-a story format. We discuss the benefits of eating oatmeal and other foods along with your kids, G.K. Chesterton makes an appearance, and we geek out about the compelling and uncommon use of silence in an audio drama.

    If you'd like to listen along with us, you can check out the full album The Adventure Begins through our affiliate link: https://amzn.to/3cTxY4t

    This episode is brought to you in part by Audible. Visit audibletrial.com/returntoodyssey to get your free thirty-day free trial.

    If you'd like to get in touch with us, send us an e-mail at [email protected].

    Artwork courtesy of Focus on the Family.

    Adventures in Odyssey Theme by John Campbell, re-recorded by Wesley Burchell.

    39 min
  • 1.7 Of Mice And Menace

    Thanks for joining us once again! Today, we're halfway through "The Adventure Begins," discussing the Odyssey episode "Nothing to Fear." Along the way, topics of conversation include rodent leashes, horror movie theme music, and the ambiguous ages of these child characters.

    If you'd like to listen along with us, you can check out the full album "The Adventure Begins" through our affiliate link: https://amzn.to/2HiYOXO

    This episode is sponsored in part by Audible. Visit audibletrial.com/returntoodyssey to claim your free thirty-day free trial.

    If you'd like to get in touch with us, send us an e-mail at [email protected].

    Artwork courtesy of Focus on the Family.

    Adventures in Odyssey Theme by John Campbell, re-recorded by Wesley Burchell.

    50 min

About Return to Odyssey

From the publisher's feed

Husband and wife duo take a deep dive into the beloved Focus on the Family radio series Adventures in Odyssey one episode at a time. No topic is off limits; from story structure to theology, we talk…