Why Tho

Disability is part of life. We don't talk about it enough, so we invited our favorite teacher, Dr. Amy Kenny to join us for a two-part episode. We talk about our common worship of productivity and achievement and how that impacts people of varying abilities. Dr. Amy reminds us that disability is not a metaphor for weakness and introduces us to the idea that our needs are too often synonymous with shame. YOU WANT TO SHARE THIS WITH EVERYONE YOU KNOW. TRUST US.

More about your new best friend, Dr. Amy Kenny: Amy Kenny (PhD, University of Sussex) is a disabled scholar and a Shakespeare lecturer whose research focuses on medical and bodily themes in literature. Her work has been featured in Teen Vogue, The Mighty, The Audacity, and Sojourners. Kenny is a scribe for Freedom Road Institute for Leadership and Justice; serves on the mayor's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Taskforce in California; coordinates support for people experiencing homelessness in her neighborhood; and is currently co-launching Jubilee Homes OC, a permanent supportive housing initiative in her local community.

Order Amy's book, My Body Is Not a Prayer Request: Disability Justice in the Church https://amzn.to/3vqJwpm

A Why Tho favorite episode about the small things that are keeping us going. Per usual, we are extra typical elder millennials. Prepare yourself for “clearly struggling with life” things like Facebook Marketplace and shoe inserts. Bless our little hearts. What’s keeping you alive and full of hope these days? Send us a message on Instagram so we can add them to our list!

As promised here is Tiffany’s tahini dressing recipe: 2 tbsp of each of the following blended together: tahini, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, coconut aminos

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America might be 50 states (plus Puerto Rico) but it might as well be several small countries. The regional wars are real. Coastal elites, the Midwest, Bible Belt, southern states and the North East unbelievably fit into one nation. Still, we find ourselves divided. Understanding is needed about the people we are, the values we hold, and how geography informs our reality. Here’s what’s cool: America is often portrayed as red and blue, but purple is actually closer to the truth. We’re more connected than we realize.

Links from today:

https://www.businessinsider.com/the-11-nations-of-the-united-states-2015-7

https://purplestatesofamerica.org

Books:

The Color of Compromise by Jemar Tisby

The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How our Government Segregated America by Richard Rothstein

It's been a long winter and we are ready for spring. Things are blooming, the weather is warming, and thank God, it feels like we're returning to normalcy. Okay, things are still not normal, but we're getting there. Today's episode is about hope, resilience, making a lot with a little, calming our American behinds down, and finding the light in the darkness of winter. We're with you listeners, and we're for you. You're not alone out there.

Now, come and tell us if you prefer Beyonce or Destiny's Child:

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If you were looking for a laugh, you have come to the right place. Today’s episode is not only hilarious, but full of wisdom. Too often we suppress, ignore, or avoid our humanity instead of embracing it. The crazy things we go through, the hilarious antics of childhood (or adulthood), our stories, and insecurities are sometimes swallowed up by our desire to be perceived as holy or good or perfect.

We’ve got good news, there’s no sacred and secular. We are each our own person, carrying our stories, and doing our best to live life with a measure of courage and hope. We don’t have to pretend or forsake ourselves to be loved by God or others. It feels that way sometimes, sure, but the truth is, humanity is something to be embraced, not rejected. It’s the thing that actually keeps us connected.

We’re rooting for you friends and super thankful you’re here!

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www.ashabercrombie.org

In addition to Daylight Savings Time legislation passing (HOORAY!) we're delighted to introduce you to our guest on the podcast today, Mary Marantz. Get ready for a rich conversation about the expectations of others and our "who" being more important than our "do". Mary's new devotional, Slow Growth Equals Strong Roots is a huge help to every achiever facing the internal turmoil of feeling like nothing is ever enough.

Mary grew up in a trailer in rural West Virginia. The first of her family to go to college, she went on to earn a master's degree in moral philosophy and a law degree from Yale. After turning down six-figure-salary law firm offers in London and New York and starting a business with her husband, Justin, together they have gone on to build a successful online education platform for thousands of creative entrepreneurs worldwide. The best selling author of Dirt (an ECPA finalist for Memoir of the Year), Mary is also the host of the highly ranked podcast The Mary Marantz Show, which debuted in the iTunes Top 200. She and Justin live in a 1880s fixer-upper by the sea in New Haven, Connecticut, with their two very fluffy golden retrievers, Good Speed and Atticus.

Take Mary's quiz: What's your achiever type? www.achieverquiz.com You can also learn more about her devotional - get a copy for you and a friend! You won't regret it!

It’s International Women’s History Month and we pulled an oldie but goodie out of the archives. Maybe you need a reminder that difficult days don’t last forever. We’re playing the long game of life.

Tiffany was having a particularly difficult day of parenting when she felt a little whisper: this is a long game. A very helpful whisper indeed, because life is a marathon, not a sprint, and even though we have moments to run hard, we must constantly pull ourselves up from the fray, from the discouraging bad days to acknowledge that the overall arc of our life is likely quite positive. Ashley averages one movie every two years, and recently saw the Toni Morrison documentary, The Pieces I Am, where she too, was reminded of the long game of life: to do what it takes daily and to not only endure, but to build a legacy that inspires others. In our rejection and failure, mountaintops and valleys, dreams fulfilled and dreams delayed, we need to press on in our calling, relationships, and purpose. This is a long game of life and we've got to live it with integrity, grace, and conviction. You're building something beautiful and we're here to cheer you on with this week's episode of Why Tho.

Subscribe, leave a review, or share this podcast with a friend, it helps others find the show.

To find out more about Tiffany's writing, speaking, or books visit her site at http://www.tiffanybluhm.com/

Find her on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tiffanybluhm/

To find out more about Ashley's writing, speaking, or books visit her site at https://ashabercrombie.org/

Find her on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashabercrombie/

Since we've learned that failure is a part of life, we wanted to offer some practicals for dealing with failure, the big fails and the small ones. Facing shame is a critical way to lessen the grip that failure has on us. We're told that we're not enough. That if we mess up, it's over. That if we don't do things perfectly, there will be no path forward. It's bull crap and we're here to say that if you're human, you'll fail. And sometimes failure leads to freedom.

We love you listeners and this month, we're inviting you to join us for the Ezer Collective in Southern California April 21-23! Our friend Jo Saxton is hosting round tables for women in all sectors of society. If you're leading, this is your jam: a time for connection and refreshment, with practical tools and good humans to help you on your path.

For more information:

https://www.josaxton.com/ezer-collective

To sign up now:

https://www.tickettailor.com/events/josaxton

You can use the special Why Tho promo code PODCAST for $50

off registration. We can't wait to see you there!

First of all, gospel is the music of heaven. We will not hear another side. Second, it is a joy to celebrate black history. Our black brothers and sisters have given us a rich legacy of connectedness and joy, endurance and laughter.

In today's episode, Ashley and Tiffany share what they have learned from the black community. What mindsets are important for the future as we advocate and walk together towards justice? How can we see ourselves as creators of a new world in our parenting, working, and worshipping? Black is beautiful and we'll be the first to say so.

Resources to go deeper:

Toni Morrison - The Pieces I Am Documentary

The Very Good Gospel and Fortune - both by Lisa Sharon Harper

Reading While Black - Esau McCaulley

Let Justice Roll Down - Dr. John Perkins

The Black Church - PBS documentary

The 1619 Project by the NY Times

Why are we so afraid to fail? SOME REALLY GOOD REASONS. Maybe you were raised in a home where mistakes were not allowed, or you had a boss who threatened to fire you for the smallest things. Maybe you've experienced loss of relationship or reputation because of a personal failure.

We know what we stand to lose. That's why we're afraid to fail. But here's what we've learned: Failure is part of being human. There's no way around it. Failure can be a gift and failure can lead to growth. We need to normalize mistakes, setbacks, and failures. Because nobody's perfect.

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Wanna support the hosts? (WHY WOULDN'T YOU?) Buy their new books:

Prey Tell: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08CJ6WDP1

Love Is the Resistance: https://www.amazon.com/Love-Resistance-Disagree-Conflicts-Avoiding-ebook/dp/B08MXZW8BG