The Ethan C. Lewin Podcast

Calling all recent grads and those needing a push to travel!

Rafe Williams is off to Namibia with the Peace Corps—and he’s got stories. In this spur-of-the-moment episode, my longtime friend and I dive into his wild ride so far: hitchhiking in Mexico with the Cartel, getting caught in Yellowstone storms, hiking Hawaii’s coastline, and going from zero countries visited outside the US at age 18 to over 20 by age 22.

We break down what it takes to join the Peace Corps, how Rafe’s preparing for 2+ years in Namibia, and the lessons he’s picked up along the way—from wrestling camps and month-long road trips to graduating college as valedictorian.

This is a time capsule episode. When Rafe returns in 2027ish, we’ll see just how much the world (and he) has changed.

Welcome to episode twelve.

Check Out:

peacecorps.gov

Elevate the Podcast Experience:

Elevate the Podcast Experience: Support better podcast quality & filmed episodes: @TheEthanCLewinPodcast on Venmo. I tithe 10% of all contributions—split evenly between the All Secure Foundation (helping soldiers transition home): ⁠allsecurefoundation.org/donate⁠ and the Academy of the New Church HS: ⁠secure.qgiv.com/for/aotnc⁠.

Get In Touch:⁠ ⁠

⁠ethanchaselewin.com/contact⁠⁠ ⁠

⁠Recommended Reading⁠

Reflections:

“When you are grateful, fear disappears and abundance appears. A simple gratitude journal is a powerful tool to shift your mindset and create lasting happiness.”

— Tony Robbins

Post Note:

I’m inspired by the stories people carry, honest feedback, and the magic when creative minds connect. If you’re a brand interested in partnering, reach out:⁠⁠ www.linkedin.com/in/ethanlewin⁠⁠.

Thanks for being part of the journey! PEACE!

Intro | Outro Music Credits:

Instagram: @julien_buss 

Jody Maddock is a dedicated bow hunter and a true legend in the whitetail community, with one of the most incredible great rooms you’ll ever see.

Jody explains why hunting, though counterintuitive, is vital for conservation—funding anti-poaching, managing wildlife, and reducing deer-vehicle collisions.

He shares the demanding preparation hunting requires, why he taxidermies his animals as stories, and unforgettable close calls with a Cape buffalo, musk ox, grizzly, his rare piebald deer, and the joys of being a grandfather.

Welcome to episode eleven.

Elevate the Podcast Experience:

Elevate the Podcast Experience: Support better podcast quality & filmed episodes: @TheEthanCLewinPodcast on Venmo. I tithe 10% of all contributions—split evenly between the All Secure Foundation (helping soldiers transition home): ⁠allsecurefoundation.org/donate⁠ and the Academy of the New Church HS: ⁠secure.qgiv.com/for/aotnc⁠.

Get In Touch:⁠ ⁠

⁠ethanchaselewin.com/contact⁠⁠ ⁠

⁠Recommended Reading⁠

Calling All Creatives:

Looking for a catchy podcast intro jingle! Musicians and creatives, reach out via the contact page. If I use yours, I’ll plug your platform on the show. I’m posting these as-is once I hit record because they’re perfectly imperfect.

Reflections:

“Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’” — Genesis 1:26 

Post Note:

I’m inspired by the stories people carry, honest feedback, and the magic when creative minds connect. If you’re a brand interested in partnering, reach out:⁠⁠ www.linkedin.com/in/ethanlewin⁠⁠.

Thanks for being part of the journey! PEACE!

Welcome to Episode 10 of The Ethan C. Lewin Podcast!

Today I’m joined by Shawn “Fish” Synnestvedt, longtime educator, coach, and husband of 45 years, who brings a deep faith-based perspective on building a happy, healthy, and deeply loving marriage. Shawn’s insights come from decades of experience and his powerful presentation “Through An Open Door: A Path to a Stronger Marriage” (New Church Life, Mar/Apr 2025). 

This episode is a genuine conversation about marriage grounded in faith, character, and mutual love. Whether you’re single, dating, engaged, or married, Shawn and I dig into practical truths that help couples continuously improve their relationships at every stage!

This is a long one, but a good one. 

Welcome to episode number 10!!!

Check Out:

Shawn’s article (pg. 133): “Through An Open Door: A Path to a Stronger Marriage” — New Church Life, March/April 2025 Issue

Video Reference: “You Can’t Mock Marriage” – Watch on YouTube

Books for adventurous couples:

• A Couples Bucket List: 101 Fun, Engaging Dating Ideas by Dr. Carol Morgan

• 101 Creative Dates by Matt Taylor

• The Adventure Challenge: Couples Edition

Support the Podcast:

Help improve quality & film episodes: Venmo @TheEthanCLewinPodcast 10% tithed to All Secure Foundation (⁠allsecurefoundation.org/donate⁠) and Academy of the New Church HS (⁠secure.qgiv.com/for/aotnc⁠).

Contact:

ethanchaselewin.com/contact

Calling Creatives:

Looking for a podcast intro jingle! Submit via contact page—if I use yours, I’ll plug your platform.

Reflections:

"The entirety of Your word is truth, and every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever." – Psalm 119:160

Post Note:

Inspired by real stories, honest feedback, and creative minds connecting. Brands: linkedin.com/in/ethanlewin.

Thanks for being here—PEACE!

How do we rebuild trust in a world where faith in institutions—and the experts behind them—has crumbled for valid reasons?

In this episode, I sit down with ER doctor Dr. Halfdan Bau-Madsen for an unfiltered look at modern medicine: where it’s broken, where it still saves lives, and how truth and transparency can restore trust.

We tackle the moral dilemmas doctors face when speaking out could cost everything, Big Pharma’s influence, how the job takes its toll, and raw stories from the ER—including the night Halfdan was held at knife point.

If you’ve ever questioned the healthcare system and want a doctor’s honest perspective on informed choice and bodily autonomy, this episode is for you.

Welcome to episode nine.

Check Out:

🎙️ Casey and Calley Means on Tucker Carlson

🎧 Jonathan Haidt on Anxiety Listen on Apple Podcasts

🩺 Doctors Make Mistakes

Support the Podcast:

Help improve quality & film episodes: Venmo @TheEthanCLewinPodcast 10% tithed to All Secure Foundation (⁠allsecurefoundation.org/donate⁠) and Academy of the New Church HS (⁠secure.qgiv.com/for/aotnc⁠).

Contact:

ethanchaselewin.com/contact

Calling Creatives:

Looking for a podcast intro jingle! Submit via contact page—if I use yours, I’ll plug your platform.

Reflections:

“Honor the physician with the honor due him, according to your need of him, for the Lord created him; for healing comes from the Most High.” – Sirach 38:1-2.

“He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.” – Luke 9:2

Post Note:

Inspired by real stories, honest feedback, and creative minds connecting. Brands: linkedin.com/in/ethanlewin.

Thanks for being here—PEACE!

In this episode, I sit down with Mary McCollum, who faces the end of her life with rare honesty and peace. Mary shares what dying has taught her about living, the struggle between the will to live and letting go, and finding joy even in life’s hardest moments. 

She speaks openly about stopping treatment, entering hospice, the freedom she’s found in embracing this stage of life, and the love story that’s carried her through it all—and much more. Mary reminds us that while death feels like a goodbye from one side, it’s a homecoming from another. 

Welcome to episode eight. 

Check Out:

Peter Attia on what the dying teach us about living well: Listen →

Mary’s CaringBridge: caringbridge.org/visit/marymccollum

Reflections:

A Parable of Immortality by Henry Van Dyke (1852–1933)

I am standing upon the seashore. A ship at my side spreads her white sails to the morning breeze and starts for the blue ocean. She is an object of beauty and strength. I stand and watch her until at last she fades on the horizon, and someone at my side says, “She is gone.”

Gone where?

Gone from my sight—that is all. She is just as large in mast and hull and spar as she was when she left my side, and she is just as able to bear her load of living freight to her destined port.

Her diminished size is in me, not in her. And just at the moment when someone says, “There, she is gone,” there are other eyes watching her coming, and other voices ready to take up the glad shout, “Here she comes!”

Elevate the Podcast Experience:

Elevate the Podcast Experience: Support better podcast quality & filmed episodes: @TheEthanCLewinPodcast on Venmo. I tithe 10% of all contributions—split evenly between the All Secure Foundation (helping soldiers transition home): ⁠allsecurefoundation.org/donate⁠ and the Academy of the New Church HS: ⁠secure.qgiv.com/for/aotnc⁠.

Get In Touch:⁠ ⁠

⁠ethanchaselewin.com/contact⁠⁠ ⁠

⁠Recommended Reading⁠

Calling All Creatives:

Looking for a catchy podcast intro jingle! Musicians and creatives, reach out via the contact page. If I use yours, I’ll plug your platform on the show. I’m posting these as-is once I hit record because they’re perfectly imperfect.

Post Note:

I’m inspired by the stories people carry, honest feedback, and the magic when creative minds connect. If you’re a brand interested in partnering, reach out:⁠⁠ www.linkedin.com/in/ethanlewin⁠⁠.

Thanks for being part of the journey! 

PEACE!

In this episode, I sit down with my Uncle David—a calm, trusted voice in my life and a New Church minister—to explore life, love, and sex through a redemptive, grace-filled, spiritually grounded lens. We begin by tracing the arc of his life, from early spiritual influences and family dynamics to his unique journey into ministry.

Together, we unpack why many young adults feel confused or burned by culture and religion, and how a third way—beyond repression or indulgence—can lead to transformation, authentic love, true fulfillment, and lasting freedom.

Whether you’re wrestling with your own questions or seeking compassionate language to talk about these topics with kids or loved ones, this conversation offers a sacred, gentle, and hopeful perspective.

Welcome to episode number seven.

Check out:

Boulder New Church Valley on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ncbv

Hope for a Better Life! podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hope-for-a-better-life/id1803628071

Theology of the Body book: https://amzn.to/4emU6DX

Elevate the Podcast Experience:

Elevate the Podcast Experience: Support better podcast quality & filmed episodes: @TheEthanCLewinPodcast on Venmo. I tithe 10% of all contributions—split evenly between the All Secure Foundation (helping soldiers transition home): ⁠allsecurefoundation.org/donate⁠ and the Academy of the New Church HS: ⁠secure.qgiv.com/for/aotnc⁠.

Get In Touch:⁠ ⁠

⁠ethanchaselewin.com/contact⁠⁠ ⁠

⁠Recommended Reading⁠

⁠100+Life Lessons Across 12 Countries ⁠

⁠Find Out Who’s Next!⁠

Calling All Creatives:

Looking for a catchy podcast intro jingle! Musicians and creatives, reach out via the contact page. If I use yours, I’ll plug your platform on the show. I’m posting these as-is once I hit record because they’re perfectly imperfect.

Reflections:

"Lord, I praise you and thank you for the gift of my sexual desires. By the power of your death and resurrection, untwist in me what sin has twisted so that I might know and experience sexual desire as you created it to be—as the desire to love freely, totally, faithfully, and fruitfully. Amen." - Christopher West, Theology of the Body Explained: A Commentary on John Paul II’s “Gospel of the Body” 

Post Note:

I’m inspired by the stories people carry, honest feedback, and the magic when creative minds connect. If you’re a brand interested in partnering, reach out:⁠⁠ www.linkedin.com/in/ethanlewin⁠⁠.

Thanks for being part of the journey! PEACE!

Ali Durand has been a healing presence in my life—and in the lives of many. In this conversation, we meet her at the doorway of a new chapter and look back on the ones that shaped her: from childhood roots and early influences to the pain of losing the father of her three children to suicide.

We talk about motherhood, marriage, divorce, sobriety, and the simple yet often overlooked truth of how life-changing it is to be seen and loved for who you truly are. Ali reflects on raising a blended family, falling in love again later in life, stepping away from Tools4Life—the summer camp she poured her heart into—and the lessons that came with it, and much more...

If you’re in a season of transition—or just wondering what it means to live with honesty, groundedness, and heart—Ali shows us how to be grateful for the scars that make us beautifully who we are.

Welcome to episode six.

Elevate the Podcast Experience:

Elevate the Podcast Experience: Support better podcast quality & filmed episodes: @TheEthanCLewinPodcast on Venmo. I tithe 10% of all contributions—split evenly between the All Secure Foundation (helping soldiers transition home): ⁠allsecurefoundation.org/donate⁠ and the Academy of the New Church HS: ⁠secure.qgiv.com/for/aotnc⁠.

Get In Touch:⁠ ⁠

⁠ethanchaselewin.com/contact⁠⁠ ⁠

⁠Recommended Reading⁠

⁠100+Life Lessons Across 12 Countries ⁠

⁠Find Out Who’s Next!⁠

Calling All Creatives:

Looking for a catchy podcast intro jingle! Musicians and creatives, reach out via the contact page. If I use yours, I’ll plug your platform on the show. I’m posting these as-is once I hit record because they’re perfectly imperfect.

Reflections:

“Then Jesus said to them, ‘A little while longer the light is with you. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you; he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going. While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.’” – John 12:35-36

“Two are better than one, Because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, For he has no one to help him up. Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; But how can one be warm alone? Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” – Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

“Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” – 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Post Note: 

I’m inspired by the stories people carry, honest feedback, and the magic when creative minds connect. If you’re a brand interested in partnering, reach out:⁠⁠ www.linkedin.com/in/ethanlewin⁠⁠.

Thanks for being part of the journey! PEACE!

Ian Carswell is a friend, mentor, and a living example that you can write your own story. He retired at 39—not because he stopped working, but because he no longer had to trade time for someone else’s dollar.

In this episode, we rewind to Ian’s early hustles—reselling deformed gummy bears, mowing lawns, and running backyard carnivals. He shares how he reached FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early), what poker taught him about making decisions with incomplete info, and the underrated superpower of setting clear goals.

For Ian, wealth isn’t just money. It's about health, fun, purpose, and relationships—and about actively creating and living your best life while single and becoming the kind of person someone amazing would want to meet.

We talk entrepreneurship, real estate, cheat codes that can transform your life, rethinking your tribe, and much more… 

Welcome to episode five.

Check Out:

Ian Carswell’s Website:⁠ iancarswell.com⁠

Tim Ferriss & Chris Sacca on AI (Spotify):⁠ open.spotify.com/episode/5oHveFK⁠

Diary of a CEO – AI Agents Emergency Debate (Apple):⁠ apple.co/3Vyz6iN⁠

Slicing Pie by Mike Moyer:⁠ amzn.to/3HQq4wf⁠

The Lean Startup by Eric Ries:⁠ amzn.to/4kQWpSj⁠

Elevate the Podcast Experience:

Elevate the Podcast Experience: Support better podcast quality & filmed episodes: @TheEthanCLewinPodcast on Venmo. I tithe 10% of all contributions—split evenly between the All Secure Foundation (helping soldiers transition home):⁠ ⁠allsecurefoundation.org/donate⁠⁠ and the Academy of the New Church HS:⁠ ⁠⁠⁠secure.qgiv.com/for/aotnc⁠⁠.

Get In Touch:⁠⁠ ⁠⁠

⁠⁠ethanchaselewin.com/contact⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠

⁠⁠Recommended Reading⁠⁠

⁠⁠100+Life Lessons Across 12 Countries ⁠⁠

⁠⁠Find Out Who’s Next!⁠⁠

Calling All Creatives:

Looking for a catchy podcast intro jingle! Musicians and creatives, reach out via the contact page. If I use yours, I’ll plug your platform on the show. I’m posting these as-is once I hit record because they’re perfectly imperfect.

Reflections:

“For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?”— Matthew 16:26

"The plans of the diligent lead surely to plenty, but those of everyone who is hasty, surely to poverty." — Proverbs 21:5

Post Note:

I’m inspired by the stories people carry, honest feedback, and the magic when creative minds connect. If you’re a brand interested in partnering, reach out:⁠⁠⁠ www.linkedin.com/in/ethanlewin⁠⁠⁠.

Thanks for being part of the journey! PEACE!

Ian Carswell is a friend, mentor, and a living example that you can write your own story. He retired at 39—not because he stopped working, but because he no longer had to trade time for someone else’s dollar.

In this episode, we rewind to Ian’s early hustles—reselling deformed gummy bears, mowing lawns, and running backyard carnivals. He shares how he reached FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early), what poker taught him about making decisions with incomplete info, and the underrated superpower of setting clear goals.

For Ian, wealth isn’t just money. It's about health, fun, purpose, and relationships—and about actively creating and living your best life while single and becoming the kind of person someone amazing would want to meet.

We talk entrepreneurship, real estate, cheat codes that can transform your life, rethinking your tribe, and much more… 

Welcome to episode five.

Check Out:

Ian Carswell’s Website: iancarswell.com

Tim Ferriss & Chris Sacca on AI (Spotify): open.spotify.com/episode/5oHveFK

Diary of a CEO – AI Agents Emergency Debate (Apple): apple.co/3Vyz6iN

Slicing Pie by Mike Moyer: amzn.to/3HQq4wf

The Lean Startup by Eric Ries: amzn.to/4kQWpSj

Elevate the Podcast Experience:

Elevate the Podcast Experience: Support better podcast quality & filmed episodes: @TheEthanCLewinPodcast on Venmo. I tithe 10% of all contributions—split evenly between the All Secure Foundation (helping soldiers transition home): ⁠allsecurefoundation.org/donate⁠ and the Academy of the New Church HS: ⁠secure.qgiv.com/for/aotnc⁠.

Get In Touch:⁠ ⁠

⁠ethanchaselewin.com/contact⁠⁠ ⁠

⁠Recommended Reading⁠

⁠100+Life Lessons Across 12 Countries ⁠

⁠Find Out Who’s Next!⁠

Calling All Creatives:

Looking for a catchy podcast intro jingle! Musicians and creatives, reach out via the contact page. If I use yours, I’ll plug your platform on the show. I’m posting these as-is once I hit record because they’re perfectly imperfect.

Reflections:

“For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?”— Matthew 16:26

"The plans of the diligent lead surely to plenty, but those of everyone who is hasty, surely to poverty." — Proverbs 21:5

Post Note:

I’m inspired by the stories people carry, honest feedback, and the magic when creative minds connect. If you’re a brand interested in partnering, reach out:⁠⁠ www.linkedin.com/in/ethanlewin⁠⁠.

Thanks for being part of the journey! PEACE!

Stan Rose is a Vietnam vet and helicopter pilot with over 14,000 flying hours—and easily one of the best next-door neighbors I’ve ever had. Over the years, I’ve loved hearing his stories on the back porch, lemonade in hand.

Stan shares how he went from getting kicked out of high school to flying dangerous missions in Vietnam, where pilot survival was only about 50%. He reflects on the realities of war, the bonds of comradeship, and how telling his stories helped him process life after the war.

He says he’s never worked a day in his life. Stan and his wife Liz have lived in Thailand for three years, still travel back often, and encourage young people like me to teach English abroad. So, consider this your nudge—so when we’re 80, we don’t say, “Dang, Stan was right. I should’ve taken more risks.”

Welcome to episode four.

Check Out:

A Bright Shining Lie — Stan’s book rec

The Things They Carried — Vietnam book rec

MASH* (Mobile Army Surgical Hospital series): Watch on Apple TV

Teach English in Thailand

Elevate the Podcast Experience: Support better podcast quality & filmed episodes: @TheEthanCLewinPodcast on Venmo. I tithe 10% of all contributions—split evenly between the All Secure Foundation (helping soldiers transition home): allsecurefoundation.org/donate and the Academy of the New Church HS: secure.qgiv.com/for/aotnc.

Get In Touch:⁠ ⁠

⁠ethanchaselewin.com/contact⁠⁠ ⁠

⁠Recommended Reading⁠

⁠100+Life Lessons Across 12 Countries ⁠

⁠Find Out Who’s Next!⁠

Calling All Creatives: Looking for a catchy podcast intro jingle! Musicians and creatives, reach out via the contact page. If I use yours, I’ll plug your platform on the show. I’m posting these as-is once I hit record because they’re perfectly imperfect.

Reflections:

“Now the Lord had said to Abram: ‘Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you.” – Genesis 12:1. “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” – Joshua 1:9.

Post Note: I’m inspired by the stories people carry, honest feedback, and the magic when creative minds connect. If you’re a brand interested in partnering, reach out:⁠⁠ www.linkedin.com/in/ethanlewin⁠⁠.

Thanks for being part of the journey! PEACE!