Shine Bright Like the Firmament

In this episode, Madeline chats with her friend Maddie Smith, a wife, mom, and former pharmacy technician. During their conversation, they discuss what a pharmacy technician does, the importance of patience and customer service, the golden rule, becoming who God sees us as, how she met her husband Slater, her conversion, the importance of confession, her advice for fellow survivors of sexual assault, the difference vengeance and justice, and so much more!

Content Warning: There are occasional mentions of a sensitive topic not appropriate for children's ears starting at about minute 18. An audio warning occurs at the beginning of the episode to warn people and to allow anyone the opportunity to skip ahead if necessary.

During the course of their conversation, they make many references which you can explore. Some of these references include episode 23 of this podcast.

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Don't forget to go out there, and be a light to this world!

In this episode, Madeline chats with her friend Matt Nelson, a high school math and science teacher at Cardinal Ritter High School in Indianapolis. During their conversation, they discuss the prep that goes into teaching, his original degree in marketing, his unconventional path to education, music and math, what Indiana’s transition to teaching program is like, his advice for future teachers, how he got involved in teaching Earth and space sciences, incorporating science and faith in the classroom, presenting evidence, questions are welcomed, even saints weren’t always perfect, growing up Catholic in the 90s, his reversion story, St. Meinrad Archabbey, finding a parish to call home, all about the Ordinariate, how he met his wife, the Transcendentals, and so much more!

During the course of their conversation, they make many references which you can explore. Some of these references include the A Printer's Choice by W.L. Patenaude, and episodes 16, 39, 41 of this podcast.

If you want to find out more about the Anglican Ordinariate and St. Cuthbert of Lindisfarne Catholic Church, you can check out here.

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Don't forget to go out there, and be a light to this world!

In this episode, Madeline chats with her Paul Rimmer, a professor at the University of Cambridge studying the origins of life. During their conversation, they discuss eclipses and the April 2024 eclipse, Colorado, his time at University of Colorado at Denver, changing your trajectory, learning lessons, his atheist phase, Madeline’s trip to Switzerland, an impactful REU and symbolic logic professor and Byzantine Catholic priest, imperfection, good role models for marriage, his work in atmospheric chemistry in exoplanets, Cambridge’s laidback atmosphere and the importance of rest, his tips on work life balance, the secular culture of Europe, the English martyrs, the importance of turning back, and so much more!

During the course of their conversation, they make many references which you can explore. Some of these references include the Particles of Faith by Stacy Trasancos, the Jen Fulwiler Show podcast, and episodes 47, 54, and 59 of this podcast.

Feel free to like, subscribe, and share the episode! Follow us on Instagram! @sbltfpodcast

Don't forget to go out there, and be a light to this world!

In this special tangent episode, Madeline chats again with her friend Ben Stapleton, an electrical engineer for a utility company. During their conversation, they expand on the literature tangent of their previous episode by discussing their respective favorite sci-fi novels: Markmaker by Mary Jessica Woods and A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller Jr. They discuss the plots of the two novels, their respective reactions, and much more!

Content Warning: This episode includes spoilers for both books and also discusses graphic violence from both of the novels.

During the course of their conversation, they make many references which you can explore. Some of these references include the Inkwells and Anvils community,  The Children of Time series by Adrian Tchaikovsky, The Expanse series by James S.A. Corey, The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan, the Black Panther movie, A Slow Death: 83 Days of Radiation Sickness. You can also follow Mary Jessica Woods' writing shenanigans on her website or her instagram @maryjessicawoods.

Feel free to like, subscribe, and share the episode! Follow us on Instagram! @sbltfpodcast

Don't forget to go out there, and be a light to this world!

In this episode, Madeline chats with her Pat Schloss, a microbiologist/biology professor at Michigan who studies the microbiome. During their conversation, they discuss data science, his postdoc at University of Wisconsin-Madison, undergrad and grad school at Cornell in agricultural and biological engineering, farm life, his large family and how having families should be normalized, the opportunity to be a role model and being good steward of the power you’re given, his three year apostasy phase, an influential religious studies class and Trappist monastery visit, conversion, Opus Dei, work as prayer and sacrifice, loving those we disagree with, a typical day in his life, his spiritual game plan, sabbathing appropriately, our call to evangelize, and so much more!

During the course of their conversation, they make many references which you can explore. Some of these references include the movie Contact, the Monsignor Shea talk at SEEK24, this 1933 NYT interview of Fr. Georges Lemaitre, and episodes 2 and 5 of this podcast.

If you want to reach out to Pat, you can reach him here: [email protected]

Feel free to like, subscribe, and share the episode! Follow us on Instagram! @sbltfpodcast

Don't forget to go out there, and be a light to this world!

In this episode, Madeline chats with her friend Rob Singler, a mechanical engineer. During their conversation, they discuss the funny story about how Rob got on Madeline’s radar, putting people in boxes, a link between engineering and creative writing, his undergrad at Kentucky, the importance of great friends, famous Catholics, what his general work life is like, Spencer Clavin, quantum physics, college culture vs. church culture, confession, the shackles of shame, the importance of having friends that call you higher, and so much more!

During the course of their conversation, they make many references which you can explore. Some of these references include the Inkwells and Anvils writing community, The Martian by Andy Weir, The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis, and episodes 2 and 44 of this podcast.

Feel free to like, subscribe, and share the episode! Follow us on Instagram! @sbltfpodcast

Don't forget to go out there, and be a light to this world!

In this episode, Madeline chats with her friend Briana Sobecks, a 2nd year chemical engineering PhD student at Stanford. During their conversation, they discuss her research, how her high school and family ignited her fascination with biology and engineering, undergrad in chemical engineering at UIUC, taking ownership of your faith, choir, grad school Catholic groups, philosophy, and so much more!

Feel free to like, subscribe, and share the episode! Follow us on Instagram! @sbltfpodcast

Don't forget to go out there, and be a light to this world!

🎉 🎉 🎉 It's been TWO years since the start of this podcast! 🎉 🎉 🎉

In this special anniversary episode, Madeline chats with her friend Gregory Woods, a Byzantine Catholic composer and writer and the mind behind the podcast's new intro music! During their conversation, they discuss how he got into composing, what goes into composing, how the intro music was created, paradoxes, counter point and music theory, the importance of being able to share your work with others, how beauty will save the world, the importance of prudence, and so much more!

During the course of their conversation, they make many references which you can explore. Some of these references include the Inkwells and Anvils and Legend Fiction writing communities, multiple episodes of this podcast (episodes 10, 16, 29, and 50) Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky, Markmaker by Mary Jessica Woods, Consecration to St. Joseph by Fr. Donald Calloway,  and two Hans Zimmer songs (this and this).

If you are interested in learning more about Gregory's work, check out his website here.

Feel free to like, subscribe, and share the episode! Follow us on Instagram! @sbltfpodcast

Don't forget to go out there, and be a light to this world!

In this episode, Madeline chats with Stacy Trasancos, research chemist turned adjunct and author. During their conversation, they discuss how to treat those we disagree with, growing up Baptist in Texas, what led to her atheist phase and back to faith, organic chemistry, solidarity in suffering, conforming to God’s will, how meaningful it is to be a mother, gratitude, her additional faith-related masters degrees, being financially responsible, how she came to Catholicism, holiness is for everyone, being a modern woman of faith, how we aren’t promised an easy life, persistence through suffering, never giving up on marriage, and so much more!

During the course of their conversation, they make many references which you can explore. Some of these references include her Substack Engaging Atheism, her book Particles of Faith, episode 27 of this podcast, and Surprised by Joy by C.S. Lewis.

Feel free to like, subscribe, and share the episode! Follow us on Instagram! @sbltfpodcast

Don't forget to go out there, and be a light to this world!

In this episode, Madeline chats with Mike Gamba, a civil engineer with his own firm. During their conversation, they discuss the perks of living in mountains, his faith life growing up, what lead to his borderline atheist phase, the class the changed his mind, the influence of the Sandy Hook shooting in coming home, exploring honestly, his degree in geological engineering from Colorado School of Mines, who has the final authority on what is true, the Great Commission, childish vs. child-like, diaconate training, docility to God’s will, and so much more!

During the course of their conversation, they make many references which you can explore. Some of these references include episodes 42 and 45, The Power of Silence by Robert Cardinal Sarah, and Modern Physics and Ancient Faith by Stephen Barr.

Feel free to like, subscribe, and share the episode! Follow us on Instagram! @sbltfpodcast

Don't forget to go out there, and be a light to this world!