Unseriously

The crown has been placed, the sash bedazzled--ladies and gentlemen, the reigning queen of Unseriously iiiiiis: Portia Collins! Lest Miss Third Grade outcompete them, in this episode Portia and Holly will crown themselves with age-appropriate superlatives, explain how the Mama Bear just won't quit (even when gaming), discern the difference between "crazy" and "magnetic," and quilt you a flag long past bedtime--but only because it's a church night. They may also put on blast a couple PSA's on life in the Mississippi Delta. And oh yeah, if you've already listened to Portia's first appearance on Unseriously (here), be prepared for a shock when she gives the update on Kendrick Lamar.

Portia has recently transitioned to teaching and will tell us all about it, plus she'll talk about how God is still using her study on Galatians, Finding Freedom in Christ, in her own heart one year after its release.

Both Dapper Sam and Landon Bryant will garner shout-outs--and speaking of stepping into giftings--Portia's Unseriously return is one you won't want to miss!

Find Portia on Instagram, on Substack, or on her web site, portiacollins.com.

Music for Unseriously was composed and produced by Adam Wright, founder of ⁠⁠The Corner Room⁠⁠, a ministry that sets the Bible to music as a tool for memorization and meditation. You can follow The Corner Room on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠.

Find podcast news, behind the scenes, and all things Unseriously ⁠⁠@hollymacklebooks⁠⁠.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It's a super fun mini-episode just in time for thinking about Christmas gift-giving--consider stuffing those toddler to early elementary stockings with a seek and find book from our friend from across the pond, Sarah Parker. On this episode Sarah and Holly will delve into the origin of "loggerheads," confuse the tar out of themselves with earbuds/airpods/Air Bud/ear plugs...(you get the idea) plus hear why Sarah was so nervy to share a wall with a family from their small group. We'll hear all about Sarah and her husband, Andre's, collaboration on the Seek and Find series from The Good Book Company, and Sarah's heartfelt and early connection to books that offered engagement without the need to understand every word.

Find all the Seek and Find offerings from The Good Book Company here, and find out more about Sarah and Andre at their web site, seekandfind.com. You can also follow them on Instagram.

Music for Unseriously was composed and produced by Adam Wright, founder of ⁠⁠The Corner Room⁠⁠, a ministry that sets the Bible to music as a tool for memorization and meditation. You can follow The Corner Room on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠.

Find podcast news, behind the scenes, and all things Unseriously ⁠⁠@hollymacklebooks⁠⁠.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Caroline Saunders is BACK for a return episode of Unseriously, and oh my, the topics she and Holly will (wait for it...) cover, as they celebrate the launch of Caroline's latest book, But What Do I Wear? The Biblical Story of Clothing and How it Helps Us Think About Getting Dressed and Approximately Seventeen Stories I May Regret Telling.

Listen in for stories about husbands who more or less approximate NFL quarterbacks, getting clear direction on what you mean by "bring an appetizer," and why Caroline is afraid of Anne Frank.

The conversation on the sanctification of self-image is rich as Caroline covers how our assumptions about what the Bible says about getting dressed couldn't be more wrong. Both this book (and Caroline herself!) comfort others with the comfort she has received in Christ, and for women in particular--what a moment for underscoring how the most important thing about a believer in Jesus is that she is clothed in Christ.

Holly and Caroline collaborated on the mom humor essay collection Same Here, Sisterfriend, Mostly True Tales of Misadventures in Motherhood, which they discuss. Jen Wilkin's Dust to Dust also makes an appearance in the conversation, as well as the picture book Quit Calling Me a Monster!

Find Caroline on Instagram or on her web site, and find Caroline's first episode of Unseriously here.

Music for Unseriously was composed and produced by Adam Wright, founder of ⁠⁠The Corner Room⁠⁠, a ministry that sets the Bible to music as a tool for memorization and meditation. You can follow The Corner Room on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠.

Find podcast news, behind the scenes, and all things Unseriously ⁠⁠@hollymacklebooks⁠⁠.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As promised, all the links! Happy Christmas present-ing! You can say thank you by leaving a review of Unseriously on your favorite podcasting platform ;)

Winnie-the-Pooh, The Graphic Novel, adapted by Kevan Chandler and Joe Sutphin

Gruffalo Granny, Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler

DragonKeeper Chronicles series, book 1 is called DragonSpell, Donita K. Paul

The Jolly Postman: Or Other People's Letters or Jolly Christmas Postman, Janet & Allan Ahlberg

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, Barbara Robinson

Matilda, hardcover edition, Roald Dahl

Lego Star Wars Luke Skywalker's Galactic Adventures, Elizabeth Dowsett

King Hugo's Huge Ego, Chris Van Dusen

Heaven for Kids, Randy Alcorn

Friday Night Wrestlefest, J.F. Fox and Micah Player

Fortunately, Remy Charlip

Dollhouse Sticker Book, Usborne Books

Battle Bunny, Jon Scieszka, Mac Barnett, Matt Myers

The Smithsonian First Ladies Collection, Lisa Kathleen Graddy and Amy Pastan

The Future Book, Mac Barnett and Shawn Harris

Greeking Out, Epic Retellings of Classic Greek Myths, Kenny Curtis, Jillian Hughes, and Javier Espila

Hoops: A Graphic Novel, Matt Tavares

The Panda Problem, Deborah Underwood and Hannah Marks

The Action Bible: God's Redemptive Story, Sergio Cariello

Calvin and Hobbes, Bill Watterson

Sam & Dave Dig a Hole, Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen

Little Professor, Homewood's Unseriously book recs landing page

Music for Unseriously was composed and produced by Adam Wright, founder of ⁠⁠The Corner Room⁠⁠, a ministry that sets the Bible to music as a tool for memorization and meditation. You can follow The Corner Room on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠.

Find podcast news, behind the scenes, and all things Unseriously ⁠⁠@hollymacklebooks⁠⁠.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Get ready to be out-niced, it's author, speaker, professor, Bible teacher, mom to 6, and reliable banter buddy, Brittany Salmon. Don't miss this connection with Brittany as she and Holly discuss how Brittany lives with Ben and also...The Fabulous Mr. Tom Hanks?? This episode spans all the way from solidarity in the Sam's Club aisle to Level 5 Chick-fil-A Corporate Secrets and Full-Court Press Chick-fil-A Requests. Also, Holly has a wide-range questions for Brittany, who is navigating the beauties and complexities of adoption and searching for the source of all those copays. They'll also swing for the fences in caring for friends--prepare to pick up on a trick or two--shout-outs and hand-hearts to Heather, Karen, Diana, and Laura.

Brittany's brand new 6-week Bible Study, Nothing to Prove, Nothing to Earn, is just out, plus you won't want to miss Brittany on Instagram, or find her on her web site.

You can find the liturgy they discuss in volume 1 of Every Moment Holy.

Music for Unseriously was composed and produced by Adam Wright, founder of ⁠⁠The Corner Room⁠⁠, a ministry that sets the Bible to music as a tool for memorization and meditation. You can follow The Corner Room on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠.

Find podcast news, behind the scenes, and all things Unseriously ⁠⁠@hollymacklebooks⁠⁠.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Look, I don't know when you appreciate a trigger warning buuuuut for the purposes of anyone listening while driving or making sandwiches or driving through Chick-fil-A to pick up sandwiches...um: TRIGGER WARNING. You might want to just read a few lines of the show's transcript for this one before you decide to dive in.

BUT, if you join us, prepare to gross-guffaw with Bible teachers Glenna Marshall and Elizabeth Santelmann as they meet for the first time with what should go on record as the strangest pre-association to one another.

Listener, apologies for what we think was a low battery on Glenna's Air Pod--but it's just one of those convos that can't be recreated.

Welcome to the first ever *PG* Mini-Bonus. It's going to be a wild ride!

Glenna's book Praying in Pain released in June. You can find Glenna at her web site or on Instagram.

Elizabeth's Bible study Gently Tended released in September. You can find Glenna at her web site or on Instagram.

Listen to Glenna's previous episode of Unseriously here, or Elizabeth's here, here, here, or here.

Music for Unseriously was composed and produced by Adam Wright, founder of ⁠⁠The Corner Room⁠⁠, a ministry that sets the Bible to music as a tool for memorization and meditation. You can follow The Corner Room on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠.

Find podcast news, behind the scenes, and all things Unseriously ⁠⁠@hollymacklebooks⁠⁠.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Listen, cheese is getting a lot of air time this show, but something tells us that author Kelly Yang's cheese-o-phobia is representative of such a small slice (ha ha) of the population that, OH WELL. Less holes in that argument than a slice of...

It's middle grade author and podcaster Kelly Yang on Unseriously! She and Holly will talk about that time Kelly's Tiger Bomb ring got shut down by the principal, owning being in what Kelly calls their "cringe era," and the likelihood of Holly showing up in a future Kelly book. Beyond this being the episode where Holly expresses her complicated feels on Kelly's book The Take to its author, this episode also doubles as a Kate DiCamillo love fest and tribute to the power of just showing up. Great words here from Kelly about overcoming self-doubt, sharing your struggles with a trusted friend, and embracing when your process looks different from another's, plus Holly makes an episode request of the StoryKind pod: one about "The Book in the Drawer."

Kelly is the author of the very popular Front Desk series and the accompanying graphic novel, just out at the beginning of this month, plus The Take, which Holly references, and co-hosts StoryKind with Kate DiCamillo.

Holly also references Dust to Dust and Whistler in this episode.

Find Kelly on Instagram or her web site, kellyyang.com.

Music for Unseriously was composed and produced by Adam Wright, founder of ⁠⁠The Corner Room⁠⁠, a ministry that sets the Bible to music as a tool for memorization and meditation. You can follow The Corner Room on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Yes, they're only brother and sister in Christ but Holly felt like she was looking in the rearview mirror during much of this interview, making certain Bekah Hannah and Mike Keller weren't smacking each other upside the head across the bench seat.

Come along for this crazy-hilarious road trip with Bekah and Mike as they realize they agree on just how many things they disagree on, not counting the quantities of ice cream bribe their sorority of collective daughters can consume. The brother-sister banter is HIGH on this episode--you're going to want to lace up your sneaks and pull on your flesh-toned track suit to be ready to run to keep up with these two.

Michael Keller is the senior pastor of Redeemer, Lincoln Square in New York City, where Rebekah Hannah serves as his wife's best friend...oh yeah, and also Director of Family Formation. (Did we mention the Hannahs and the Kellers are neighbors??)

Yeah, about that...you're just going to have to listen...

Bekah and Mike's book, Talking to Your Kids About Hard Things, is landing on Holly's Top Books of 2026 post (upcoming in December on Instagram), but that's not the only project they have together. You can find them on Redeemer's Q&R podcast.

Separately (as Holly recommends), they each have multiple projects just out or about to come out--(ladies first, Michael):

Bekah's children's picture book, Zara and the Mean Girl,

as well as her spiritual formation book for grown-ups--a 5-star read for Holly--The Secret to Confidence,

and her counseling company, Anchored Virtual.

Mike has a new book with his dad, Tim Keller, just out called The Stories We Live By: How Jesus Critiques and Completes What Our Culture Tells Us.

Be sure to follow up the post-dinner-reaching group text with silence...it's time for the sibling sparring that should've named this episode: Holly Mackle Stirs the Pot.

Music for Unseriously was composed and produced by Adam Wright, founder of ⁠⁠The Corner Room⁠⁠, a ministry that sets the Bible to music as a tool for memorization and meditation. You can follow The Corner Room on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠.

Find podcast news, behind the scenes, and all things Unseriously ⁠⁠@hollymacklebooks⁠⁠.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It's the final week of the midweek 3-episode mini-series of Unseriously called Spiritual Formation for Those Who Fall Asleep Reading Spiritual Formation. Links below as promised. Hope you enjoy!

A quick guide to annotating YouTube video - 2 mins

The Screwtape Letters, C.S. Lewis

Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis

Knowing God, J.I. Packer

Telling the Truth, Frederick Buechner

Hinds Feet on High Places, Hannah Hurnard

A Severe Mercy, Sheldon Vanauken

Evidence Not Seen, Darlene Deibler Rose

Heaven, Randy Alcorn

Truths We Confess, R.C. Sproul

Anatomy of the Soul, Curt Thompson

Secular Creed, Rebecca McLaughlin

Art + Faith, Makoto Fujimura

Where Is God in a World with So Much Evil, Collin Hansen

on my TBR in this category - about to be published by trusteds

The Stories We Live By, Timothy Keller and Michael Keller

Four Questions God Asks, Carolyn Weber

Those on this list who have appeared on Unseriously--

episode with Collin Hansen here

episode with Carolyn Weber here

I hope you’ve enjoyed this mini-series - let me know by leaving me a comment or a DM on Instagram, or by reviewing Unseriously on your favorite podcasting platform.

See you back next week when Unseriously returns with a brand new episode with Bekah Hannah and Michael Keller—you won’t want to miss it—thanks for tuning in!

Music for Unseriously was composed and produced by Adam Wright, founder of ⁠⁠The Corner Room⁠⁠, a ministry that sets the Bible to music as a tool for memorization and meditation. You can follow The Corner Room on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠.

Find podcast news, behind the scenes, and all things Unseriously ⁠⁠@hollymacklebooks⁠⁠.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

While Unseriously's on its two-week seasonal break it's a replay with yet another of our favorite male guests--this week it's the who-expected-him-to-be-as-funny-as-he-is, Collin Hansen.

You know him as the top dog editor at The Gospel Coalition, the host of the beloved Gospelbound podcast, and the author of countless sources of faithful scholarship, commentary, and criticism...but have you ever seen him as Rudy's stunt double? It's time to get Unseriously with Collin Hansen.

Collin and Holly will discuss why Collin could not bring himself to move up the American Revolution, plus his next career taking over the @birminghamburgers Instagram. But don't worry, we cut out the ten minute riff of them impersonating every Birmingham radio personality they could remember since 2006.

If you're Rebecca McLaughlin, Skyler Flowers, Glenn Wishnew, Nadya Williams, Molly Worthen, or Sarah Irving-Stonebraker--you're going to want to listen to this episode. If you're Andrew Wilson...ah, maybe not so much.

Collin has a brand new (free) weekly newsletter subscription, Unseen Things--well worth your time--and his latest books, The Gospel After Christendom and Where Is God in a World with So Much Evil?, both available from TGC.

**added to notes for this episode's re-release--Collin's writing on the topic of AI in the newsletter Unseen Things is unsurpassed.

Music for Unseriously was composed by Adam Wright of ⁠The Corner Room⁠, a ministry that sets Scripture to music as a tool for meditation and memorization. His latest Christmas project, ⁠Light Has Shone⁠, is a beautiful journey through five Advent passages that point us to Jesus, the true light of the world. You can listen on Spotify, Apple Music, or wherever you listen to music. 

Find podcast news, behind the scenes, and all things Unseriously ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@hollymacklebooks⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.