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.

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

In this episode, Madeline chats with Zephyr Thomas, a software developer by day and self-published author by night. During their conversation, they discuss what software development is, slower-paced stories, attention span, knowing your audience, creativity, his unique college journey and what motivated his degree choice, why he left Idaho, his conversion journey, the impact of philosophy and St. Thomas Aquinas, his son’s NICU stay, the Eucharist drawing him in, how working from home affects his prayer life, and so much more!

During the course of their conversation, they make many references which you can explore. Some of these references include his books--which you can check out here, his substack, the Legend Fiction writing community, and day 362 of the Catechism in a Year 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 Anne Marie Snoddy, a biological anthropologist research fellow working (at time of recording) at the University of Otago in New Zealand. During their conversation, they discuss biology and anthropology undergrad at Franciscan University of Steubenville, Masters in paleopathology at Durham University in the UK, the NOVA specials, what paleoanthropology is, evolution as the creative genius of God, authentically Catholic universities that aren’t insular, people are more important than papers, the culture of academia, a typical day in her work, different college systems around the world, the pros of having a liberal arts education, dignity of the human person, othering, and so much more!

During the course of their conversation, they make many references which you can explore. Some of these references include episode 39 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 friends, LC Douglas and Ellie McGhee, sisters who are undergrads studying computer science and plasma physics respectively. During their conversation, they discuss geography, sleep, what got them into their fields, education, sports, their edgy atheist/agnostic phases and how they transcended that, Catholic marriage prep, faith, what we worship, pursuing knowledge, particle physics, dangerous physics experiments best left to the professionals, what they write, 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 and episode 27 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 and optometrist Randy Fortkamp. During their conversation, they discuss the many different ways to be an optometrist, why he ended up at IU, how his degrees worked, his time at a pharmacy plant, how he met his wife, Hoosier Awakenings 1 and 4, boundaries on your time, the importance of who you surround yourself with, everyday evangelism, and so much more!

During the course of their conversation, they make many references which you can explore. Some of these references include episode 9 of this podcast and the Maria Stein Relic Shrine in Ohio.

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 two friends: Matt Kresich, a parish youth and adult ministry professional at Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church in Cedar Lake, Indiana and George Jurincie, a computer engineer working in HVAC manufacturing. During their conversation, they discuss their engineering backgrounds, why they got into their respective fields, both went to PNW, what college faith life looks like at a commuter campus, Awakening, how Matt got into youth ministry, how George got his job, the universal call to service, how they started podcasting, and so much more!

During the course of their conversation, they make many references which you can explore. Some of these references include Matt and George's own podcast called Cast Out Into the Deep (especially episodes 1, 11, and 13), this episode of the Seeking Excellence podcast, and Matt's website.

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 Srishti Gupta, a FOCUS missionary at Kennesaw State University. During their conversation, they discuss went her undergrad at Georgia Tech for aerospace engineering, growing up Hindu, her atheist phase, idolatry, reconciling an all powerful and all good God, what caused her to abandon Hinduism and take up atheism, some background about India, moral relativism, the problem/reason of suffering, the works of mercy, the courage of astronauts, her research in undergrad, her conversion story, the power of beautiful night skies, consolations, poetry, desires, and so much more!

During the course of their conversation, they make many references which you can explore. Some of these references include episode 34 of this podcast, The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel, this chapter from the Story of Salvation bible study, and the poetry of Robert Frost.

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

In this special birthday episode, Madeline celebrates turning 26 by going off on a slightly unhinged tangent chatting with Melissa Ring, her friend and geography and meteorology student at Valparaiso University, about her sci-fi writing hobby. During the course of their conversation, they discuss how Madeline and Melissa met, the inspiration for the episode, the tale of Hoosier Awakening 5, Madeline's three works-in-progress, writing as healing, the SEEK conference, imagination, similarities between writing and doing science, and much more!

During the course of their conversation, they make many references that you can further explore. Some of these references include episodes 19, 38, and 39 of this podcast; Markmaker by Mary Jessica Woods; Love, Treachery, and Other Terrors by Katharine Campbell; the Legend Fiction community; Pope St. John Paul II's Letter to Artists; and The Martian by Andy Weir

If you want to check out Melissa's own writing, you can follow her on insta: @melissa_officicinalis_writes

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 Sofia Bilder, a quality engineer for a steel mill in Northwest Indiana. During their conversation, they discuss her undergrad at Colorado School of Mines, what lead her to Catholicism, why she moved to Indiana from Colorado, how she and Madeline met, RCIA, the unlikely story of how she met her husband, how engagement then marriage has shaped her faith life, and so much more!

During the course of their conversation, they make many references which you can explore. Some of these references include episode 42 of this podcast and the Catechism in a Year podcast. She also has a Catholic blog where she writes about her life since converting, and you can read it 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!