The Storied Outdoors

We are so excited to have a conversation with David Kakish. Husband to Ashley, Father to Em, Lewis, Ruth, and Kaiah, The Kakishes: "we're a Twizzlers family," David has moved around a good bit growing up in Boston, living in Mobile,AL where He and I worked together, he is now Pastor at Cornerstone Church in St. Leavenworth, WA.

He is an adventurer, flyfisherman, and a developing woodsman.

David Shares with us a harrowing story about a hike where he broke his ankle only a few days into living in a new place and his reflections on that experience. We cover some of our favorite topics and you won't want to miss hearing from David's heart about the importance about our experiences in the outdoors. 

Follow Dave and His adventures on his instagram @davidkakish 

Hear David preach and teach his congregation here 

Also check out theologyinthemiddle.com for more content from David. 

David mentioned a particular podcast episode where he is a contributor that I believe you guys would really enjoy. Check out the conversation on our Hobbies from Theology in the Middle

For any Questions or comments, we would love to hear from you at [email protected]

Music Written and recorded by Brad Hill

This season begins with an incredible guest and author, the lovely Patti Callahan Henry. What an honor to have Patti with us to kick off this season on The Storied Outdoors. Patti is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of sixteen novels and podcast host. She is the recipient of The Christy Award — A 2019 Winner “Book of the Year”; The Harper Lee Distinguished Writer of the Year for 2020 and the Alabama Library Association Book of the Year for 2019. She is the co-host and co-creator of the popular weekly online Friends and Fiction live web show and podcast. Patti is also a contributor to the weekly life lesson essay column for Parade Magazine. A full-time author and mother of three children, she now resides in both Mountain Brook, Alabama, and Bluffton, South Carolina with her husband. Along with all of Patti's accolades, she brings a wealth of knowledge about one of our favorite authors, C.S. Lewis. Having written two Lewis-adjacent books, Patti has an extensive knowledge of the more intricate details of Lewis' life. It was so fun to pick her brain about a shared literary hero of ours. We also dive into her other writings and discuss how place is such an important part of every story. She writes, “Landscape holds our collective memories in the curve of its hand. Offering them to us whenever we pay attention and at the same time we hold landscapes in the hidden places of our individual memories and stories.” We know you will enjoy this episode with Patti Callahan Henry as much as we did. Be sure to follow her online with the links below and buy her books as well! Her books are available wherever books are sold. Follow Patti on her website www.patticallahanhenry.com Follow Patti on Instagram @pattichenry Follow Patti on her Youtube Please send us your questions and comments to [email protected] Music Written and Recorded by Brad Hill

We are fired up to start a fresh season of stories and interviews for the fourth season of The Storied Outdoors. We are joined today by one of our previous guests, Dr. Hugh Cheek who graciously and courageously shared his story of suffering and life with us. Our other special guest has been a huge encouragement to Brad in this venture and one of his dearest friends in life, pastor of Temple Bible Church in Temple, TX., Chase Bowers. We're certain you'll enjoy getting to know these fellas a little better.

Both Hugh and Chase joined Bryan and Brad along with a couple of other fishermen in north Georgia in the fall of 2021 for a fishing trip and some time of rich fellowship and adventure. This episode serves as an intro for season four, but also recounts their trip to North Georgia and some of their more memorable highs and lows along the way.

We recorded this episode on the February 2nd, and in honor of Black History Month, the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. kick us off. He said, “The major problem of life is learning how to handle the costly interruptions. The door that slams shut, the plan that got sidetracked, the marriage that failed. Or that lovely poem that didn't get written because someone knocked on the door.”

We hope you'll enjoy this episode as we laugh and lament the misadventures of our north Georgia fishing trip.

As we close out this calendar year and wrap up Season Three of The Storied Outdoors, we invited a few friends from past seasons to join us. James D. Witmer, Ronnie Gatrey, Milla Chappell, and Courtney Munson all join us in a fun conversation about where they are in life. There are some big announcements and major life updates that make this lively episode one of the most fun we've had yet. We hope you enjoy what we are calling our TSO New Year's Eve Party (minus the annoying noise makers). Have a great holiday and we will be back in February. Cheers! 

James D. Witmer-  Website- jamesdwitmer.com Instagram- @jamesdwitmer, @bigoldgardenstories, @juliewitmergardens, @story_warren 

Ronnie Gatrey- Podcast- Tha Tipping Point- Your source for the black male's perspective  

Courtney Munson- Instagram- @cmmunson

 Milla Chappell- Website- Foster Camp Store (https://fostercampstore.myshopify.com)  Instagram- @realhappydogs

Grab a cup of hot chocolate and cozy up by the fireplace as Fireside Tales for Christmas takes you to a place where Christmas brings out the best in everyone. Reading Fireside Tales for Christmas is like stepping into a scene on a Christmas card and witnessing what those characters' lives might be like. You will feel nostalgic as characters such as Uncle Doc, sweet little Penny and her grandma Idy, Ben and Mr. Abrams, and others transform the predictable traditions of the holidays into lasting Christmas treasures. These stories can be enjoyed by all ages but are best experienced when accompanied by those you love...and a cup of Uncle Doc's hot chocolate, of course. This volume of short stories includes: Hidden Wonders, A Cardinal in Winter, The Sweetest Gift, Christmas Interrupted, and The Christmas Pageant.

Purchase "Fireside Tales for Christmas."

We would love to hear from you, Email us [email protected]

Read by Brad Hill

Music Written and recorded by Brad Hill

Kyle Beshears is campus pastor of Mars Hill Church in Mobile, Alabama. He holds a PhD from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, teaches courses on religion at the University of Mobile, and is author of the recently published "Apatheism: How We Share When They Don't Care." Kyle’s favorite spaces for sabbath are in the cockpit of a kayak and among the peace of woodland trails.

We cover a lot of ground in our conversation with Kyle! We talk about his time living in Europe and one particular adventure during a pilgrimage in Spain called “The Camino de Santiago,” where he encountered all manner of Characters and we hear his reflections on this journey. We also spend some time hearing from Kyle about his experiences getting into kayaking in the vast waterways of Mobile, AL and the gulf coast.

We end our conversation hearing about Kyles latest book from B&H Publishing entitled “Apatheism.”

How can you share the gospel with someone who doesn’t care? As Western culture becomes increasingly indifferent to questions of faith, diverted by secularism, comfort, and distraction, believers encounter many people who don’t so much doubt God as they are apathetic toward him. In Apatheism, Kyle Beshears urges us to recapture the joy of our salvation and demonstrates how to faithfully display the love of Christ to apatheist friends and neighbors.

You can Follow Kyle on his instagram @kylebeshears

Thanks for Listening, leave us a review and share this page with a friend.

Questions or Comments we would love to hear from you email us  @ [email protected]

Music Written and recorded by Brad Hill

When most Alabamians think about Lake Martin as a place to vacation, Emily Johnson thinks of it as home. Growing up on the water and being an artist, Emily naturally gravitated to painting fish. While this was not always her focus, 2020 presented an opportunity to move away from the medical field and pursue a full time career as an artist, an artist who paints fish… and the occasional waterfowl.

This episode gives listeners an insight into the process of painting and what inspired her to make this shift. With the help of her husband, an avid fly fisherman, and three young children who are almost old enough for more adventures, Emily hopes to paint all, or at least most, of the fish found in the waterways of Alabama. 

To buy her amazing artwork, visit her website.  www.emilygjohnson.com. 

Follow Emily on Instagram for content and videos of her work @emilyjohnsonart.

Music Written and Recorded by Brad Hill

Grab a cup of hot chocolate and cozy up by the fire for this episode of The Storied Outdoors as co-host, Brad Hill reads “Hidden Wonders,” a short story written by co-host, Bryan Gill. “Hidden Wonders” follows the Heatherford’s, a family whose plans were thwarted by an unexpected blizzard that grounded all southbound flights out of New York—including theirs. With limited options, they decide to drop in on their eccentric Uncle Doc for the holidays. While this was not their original plan for Christmas, it might just be the one they needed to restore their children’s fading Christmas spirit.

“Hidden Wonders” can be found in a new book of Christmas short stories written by co-host Bryan Gill called, “Fireside Tales for Christmas.” You can purchase the paperback or eBook on Amazon.

Find “Fireside Tales for Christmas” on Amazon

Jingle bells arranged by, played, and recorded by Brad Hill

Henry David Thoreau once wrote, “The question is not what you look at, but what you see.” In this essay, Dr. Gill recalls the story of a photography trip he took with his first camera, a Pentax K1000. While this story didn't end the way he had hoped, it was redeemed 25 years later when he had a second chance at photographing a beautiful red fox. Now, when he looks at that fox, he sees much more than the photo, he sees the heartache and joy that that image evokes. 

The title, "There and Back Again: Chapter 80," is taken from J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings. There and Back Again is the title of Bilbo Baggins' memoir that Frodo is tasked to finish. However, Chapter 80 of this red leather covered manuscript is unwritten and that is where one story ends and another begins. 

Be sure to listen as Brad Hill artfully reads this essay written by Dr. Bryan Gill entitled, "There and Back Again: Chapter 80."

Questions and comments email us at [email protected]

Music Written and recorded By Brad Hill

In this episode we meet Todd Henrikson the Pro cycling director for Athletes In Action. Todd raced competitively for twelve years in the sport that brought him to the World Championships, U.S. U-23 National Team, and two years at the professional level. Yet, during his career there wasn’t a sports chaplain or ministry pouring into pro cyclists. Todd and Tabitha desired to change the tide by launching AIA Pro Cycling in 2012 after seeing a desperate need for there to be emotional and spiritual support for athletes across the sport of cycling. 

In this conversation we hear about Todd's journey into the world of cycling, and the tail of one of his most spectacular crashes. As we unpack this story we hear just how he has been shaped by his time in the saddle and how he is now moving to Spain to share life with pro cyclist racing on the European circuit.  

Follow Todd’s work through his social media. Twitter and Instagram  

Support the work they are doing with Athletes In Action in the Professional cycling ranks. Click Here

We would very much love to hear from you, if you have questions or comments please send them to [email protected]

Music Written and recorded by Brad Hill