The Habit

Ben Palpant loves, for reasons that become apparent in this episode. On assignment from the Rabbit Room, Ben sat down to interview a few poets. He enjoyed it so much, he interviewed a few more, then a few more. When he had interviewed seventeen poets, he collected those interviews into a book called An Axe for the Frozen Sea. It’s a fascinating look into the minds and hearts of poets who work out of gratitude, out of abundance—sometimes out of grief, never out of grievance.

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This week's episode is an essay, written and read by Jonathan Rogers. "Love, Happiness, and Creativity" begins (and ends) with an idea from Taylor Leonhardt's song "Diamonds"—the theme song for The Habit Podcast: "You are not an afterthought: Love himself dreamed you up."

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Kelly Kapic is a professor of theology at Covenant College near Chattanooga. His most recent book is You're Only Human: How Your Limits Reflect God's design, and Why That Is Good News. In this episode, Dr Kapik and Jonathan Rogers talk about productivity, shame, gratitude and the truth that finiteness is actually a blessing. Also, they talk about magnanimity and pusillanimity.

This week’s episode comes from the archives. This conversation with Kelly Kapic first aired in January of 2022; it’s one of the Habit Podcast episodes I think about the most often.

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Charlie Peacock is a legendary musician, producer, and songwriter. His impact on the music industry spans decades. A Grammy-winning producer and a visionary artist, he's worked with some of the most influential names in music. But even more importantly, Charlie is known for his generosity and hospitality, pouring into the lives and work of artists through the Art House and other creative endeavors. His passion for nurturing talent and fostering deep artistic and spiritual conversations has shaped countless musicians and writers. In his new memoir, Roots and Rhythm, he shares his own journey, offering a rich reflection on music, faith, and the creative life.

In this episode, Charlie and Jonathan Rogers talk about success, identity, embracing failure and suffering, and navigating more than one economy at a time.

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Andrew Osenga is a singer-songwriter, a guitarist, a record producer, a podcaster, a writer, and a friend and mentor to countless artists. For twenty years and more, he has been right in the middle of things in Nashville’s creative community. In this episode, recorded live at The Habit 2025 Winter Writers’ Weekend, Andy speaks with Jonathan Rogers about being a jack of all trades, the importance of community, and Andy's journey from bitterness to joy and purpose in his work.

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Nikki Grimes is an award-winning poet, author, and artist celebrated for her works that highlight African American experiences and address themes of identity, resilience, and hope. She is the author of numerous books for children, teens, and adults, including poetry collections, picture books, and novels in verse. Her new collection of poetry is Glory, Too. Ms. Grimes's accolades include the Coretta Scott King-Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement and the NCTE Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children. Besides writing, she is also a visual artist, and her creative talents continue to inspire readers of all ages worldwide

In this episode, Nikki Grimes and Jonathan Rogers talk about the Harlem Renaissance, poetry in Scripture, and the limits of imagination.

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Kori Morgan’s writing has been featured in such publications as Shenandoah, SN Review, Blanket Sea, Agape Review, Switchback, Rubbertop Review, Cantos, and Clayjar Review. She is the founder and Chief Literary Strategist of Inkling Creative Strategies, an author services company that helps writers reach their full creative potential so they can impact and inspire readers. She is also a stalwart of the Habit Membership. Her new book is Why I Dyed My Hair Purple & Other Unorthodox Stories. In it she explores the integral role of the arts in her Christian testimony. In this episode, Kori and Jonathan Rogers discuss Flannery O’Connor, flash nonfiction, Kori’s creative upbringing, the value of MFA programs and the very different values of The Habit Membership. Kori also addresses the question of why she dyed her hair purple.

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Maria Bowler is a writer, coach, and retreat leader. She describes her work as “nourishing imaginative souls so they can make new worlds.” Her new book is Making Time: A New Vision for Crafting a Life Beyond Productivity. In this episode, Maria and Jonathan discuss making the shift from a producer mindset to a creator mindset, and from hustle to deep effort. They also talk about  collaborating with reality.

This episode is sponsored by The Focus Retreat, a four-day writing getaway, March 16-20 in Nashville. Find out more at TheHabit.co/retreats.

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Quina Aragon is an author, editor, and spoken word poet based in Florida. Her work has been featured by organizations such as Christianity Today, The Gospel Coalition, and Risen Motherhood. Her latest book is Love Has a Story: 100 Meditations on the Enduring Love of God. In this episode, Quina and Jonathan Rogers talk about why it took her four years to write a book she thought would take ten months. They also talk about connections between counseling and writing, the ways that performing spoken word poetry has impacted Quina’s written word, and what it means to feel both unqualified to write and compelled to write.

This episode is sponsored by The Focus Retreat, a four-day writing getaway, March 16-20 in Nashville. Find out more at TheHabit.co/retreats.

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Sarah Clarkson is a writer whose work centers on beauty and grief, story and quiet. She has written of herself, “I’m trying to write well about my own sorrow, and my own encounters with the beauty that defied my darkness and drew me into a life of creativity, quiet, and wonder.” She studied theology at Oxford University. She is the author or co-author of six books, most recently Reclaiming Quiet: Cultivating a Life of Holy Attention, which she wrote to answer her own questions about what it means to have a quiet mind in a fallen, screen-driven world. In this episode, Sarah and Jonathan Rogers discuss a better definition of quiet, the importance of physical presence, the dangers of screens, and the value of boredom.

This episode is sponsored by The Focus Retreat, a four-day writing getaway, March 16-20 in Nashville. Find out more at TheHabit.co/retreats.

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See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.