Between recent episodes on favorite movies and our love of learning, we got to talking about some of our favorite books. Then we decided to actually record that conversation since we were having so much fun with it. So pull up a chair as Tom, Mike, and Jon share some of their favorites -- the ones that entertain, inspire, and make great gifts (just in time for the holidays!).

At Strong Towers, we have deep ties to education. Two of us were professional teachers, all 3 of us have been trainers/mentors, and all three of us have married educators. When you put it that way, it's shocking we didn't do an episode on education long before now. But in the midst of COVID and distance learning, we wanted to sit down with a dear friend, Kathy Bales, and talk about education...both as teachers, but also as life-long learners.

Statement of the obvious: 2020 has been a test for us all. There's been much in the last 10 months that has been physically, mentally, emotionally, and/or spiritually challenging, disruptive, or unexpected. As a result, we're all trying to find relief wherever we can. The question is do we need relief or restoration?

Discussing our favorite cinematic moments made us want to dig a little deeper into why they affect us so deeply. As a result, we got to have an awesome conversation about identity and the places we go to discover the truth of who we are. We also made a LOT more movie references! So take a listen and join the conversation.

Sometimes you just gotta have a little fun! Over the last few seasons, we've covered topics from fear and ego to future dreams and effective leadership. Today...it's favorite movie scenes. Why? The better questions is why not? But seriously, we've found that our favorite scenes speak to deep places within us...and as we share the scenes, we share a little bit about those deep places and the power of media to move us in unexpected ways.

A blanket in the park. It's one of the iconic images of a summer afternoon or a crisp fall day. It's the epitome of unhurried rest and soaking in a great setting and great friends. And when was the last time any of us actually did it?!? Take a listen as Mike, Tom, and Jon consider the allure of a day spent with no agenda other than connection and enjoyment.

Tired of hearing about "new normal" yet? For that matter, tired of trying to find some semblance of a rhythm or routine in the midst of so much change? Mike, Tom, and Jon swap stories about their attempts to find inspiration, motivation, and some sense of consistency over the last few months...and how it hasn't always looked like what we expected.

We're baaack! After a summer of...rest?...we're excited for a new season and a new theme for the fall episodes. We're all searching for sanity, stability, and hope right now, and so Strong Towers is offering a

series of conversations this fall on every-day topics that ring true for most of us. Adjusting our morning routines to a new normal? Maintaining friendships and connection in the midst of COVID? Developing skills and carving out time for personal growth? Check, check, and check. You're gonna love Season 3!

We've learned a lot of lessons over this first year and a half of podcasting. One of them is to always leave the recorder on, because you never know when you'll stumble upon a great conversation. Another thing we've learned is the necessity of taking a break so that what we do here never becomes something we begrudgingly do here. So as hard as it is to hit pause in the midst of the most pivotal moments of our generation, we're doing it because we know we need it. But check out this episode because we threw in a couple nuggets on our way out.

George Floyd's shocking murder on May 25, 2020 is forcing people all over America and all over the world to have hard and long over-due conversations about the continued reality of race and racism in our time. At Strong Towers, while we certainly have no answers, we are working to have those conversations and process the hard feelings that are coming up in this moment. We offer this conversation in humility and we're grateful to have you join us as we all hope to see real change and real healing in our world.