Episodes

  • You’ll Never Know Unless You Go: Faith, Risk, and Resurrection
    Jan 20 2025

    Send Terry and Joshua a text using this link.

    Welcome to this week’s episode of Stories and Other Things Holy!

    Have you ever wondered what it really means to take a leap of faith? Dr. Terry Nelson-Johnson shares a joyful and tender story about a trapeze experience that illustrates how trust, hope, and risk are all part of living a life of faith. Through reflections on Jesus’ ultimate leap of trust, we’re invited to let go of our fears and take the risk of saying yes to God’s transformative love.

    🌟 Key Themes:

    • The vulnerability of taking a leap of faith
    • Jesus’ decision to leap into the resurrection
    • How trust and risk are connected to God’s invitation
    • Cooperating with God’s transformative power in our lives

    🎧 Watch or listen to experience the laughter, reflection, and spiritual insights!

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    #LeapOfFaith #StoriesAndOtherThingsHoly #FaithAndTrust #SpiritualJourney #ChristianReflection #TrustGod #Resurrection #HolyMystery

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    37 mins
  • Jesus Wants Your Feet: The Healing Power of Vulnerability
    Jan 13 2025

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    Discover the healing power of vulnerability in this week’s episode of Stories and Other Things Holy. Dr. Terry Nelson-Johnson shares a poignant and comical story about aching feet and the unexpected moments that reveal our deepest need for connection and healing. Inspired by Jesus washing his disciples’ feet and Pope Francis’ tender embrace of prisoners’ feet, this episode challenges us to invite God into the unsightly, weight-bearing, and aching parts of our lives. What happens when we allow God to meet us in our chaos and heal us in the places we most want to hide?

    👉 Listen, reflect, and join the conversation.
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    #StoriesAndOtherThingsHoly #Spirituality #Healing #Vulnerability #Christianity #JesusWashingFeet #Grace #PopeFrancis #GodsLove #FaithJourney #SoulCare

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    27 mins
  • Epiphany: The Gift of Receiving God
    Jan 6 2025

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    ✨ Epiphany: The Gift of Receiving God ✨

    Join us for this special Epiphany episode of Stories and Other Things Holy.
    Dr. Terry Nelson-Johnson dives into the profound mystery of the incarnation, reflecting on God’s vulnerability and what it means for us to truly receive the gift of divine love.

    In this heartfelt story, Terry recalls a personal encounter that illuminates the deep connection between giving, receiving, and participating in God’s work in the world. Together, we explore:

    The paradox of the wise men giving and receiving gifts.
    The transformative power of saying “yes” to God’s gifts.
    How our willingness to receive enables God’s work in the world.

    🟡 What resonated most with you? Share your thoughts below!
    🟡 Join the conversation: Like, subscribe, and share this episode with your friends and loved ones.

    Richard Rohr (Amazon): https://amzn.to/4h5NSIz
    Sara Thomsen (Amazon): https://amzn.to/3PoBmrX

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    💬 "God's capacity to be God in the world depends on our willingness to receive the gift."

    #StoriesAndOtherThingsHoly #EpiphanyReflections #GodsGift #ReceivingGodsLove #FaithJourney #SpiritualGrowth #Podcast

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    25 mins
  • Embracing the Messiness of Love: Lessons for a New Year
    Dec 30 2024

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    Happy New Year and welcome to the latest episode of Stories and Other Things Holy!

    In this special New Year’s episode, we dive into the unforgettable story of Mr. Riva, a man whose life was forever changed by an extraordinary encounter with Pope Francis. Our principal storyteller Dr. Terry Nelson-Johnson reflects on the courage it takes to embrace life’s messiness and the transformative power of love and vulnerability. Together with host Joshua Minden, they explore what it means to believe in new beginnings and live out the call to "always begin again."

    💡 In This Episode, We Discuss:

    • The profound story of Pope Francis and Mr. Riva’s healing embrace.
    • The significance of St. Benedict’s call: “Always we begin again.”
    • Why love and healing are often found in life’s messiest moments.
    • How we can risk vulnerability and welcome renewal in the new year.

    🔔 Don’t miss this inspiring episode to start your year with hope and courage!

    👉 If you’ve been moved by this story, please LIKE, SHARE, and SUBSCRIBE to our channel.
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    💬 Share your thoughts and feedback: connect@otherthingsholy.com

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    24 mins
  • Let's Believe One More Year: A Christmas Story That Changes Everything
    Dec 23 2024

    Send Terry and Joshua a text using this link.

    🎄 Merry Christmas! In this heartfelt episode of Stories and Other Things Holy, Dr. Terry Nelson-Johnson takes us back to his childhood with a story that reminds us of the power of belief and wonder during the Christmas season. When Terry’s brother, determined to preserve the magic of Christmas, goes to great lengths to recreate Santa’s visit, a profound lesson in faith and imagination emerges.

    ✨ Join us as we explore the courage it takes to "make belief," the beauty of childlike wonder, and the enduring mystery of the incarnation. How can choosing to believe, even for one more year, transform our lives and relationships? Terry’s reflection is a powerful reminder that the divine is woven into the everyday, and Christmas is an invitation to embrace the chaos with hope, faith, and joy.

    🎁 What would it mean to believe one more year? Share your thoughts and reflections below!

    👉 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share this episode to spread the magic of Christmas! 🌟

    📧 Sign up for our newsletter for weekly reflections and prayer prompts at StoriesAndOtherThingsHoly.com

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    31 mins
  • This Is My Body, Given for You: Advent’s Call to Self-Giving Love | Advent Series
    Dec 16 2024

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    Welcome to the fourth and final week of our Advent Reflection Series on Stories & Other Things Holy!

    This week, Dr. Terry Nelson-Johnson reflects on Rachel Held Evans’ profound meditation on the incarnation, exploring:

    • The mystery of God’s vulnerability in becoming human
    • Mary’s radical self-giving and her role in feeding God Himself
    • The connection between surrender, self-giving, and new life
    • How Advent calls us to say “Amen” to God’s presence in the messiness of life

    Let this reflection invite you to embrace the beauty and mystery of the incarnation, and to offer your own “Yes” to God this Advent.

    Rachel Held Evans
    Wholehearted Faith (2022 - Amazon)
    Inspired: Slaying Giants, Walking on Water, and Loving the Bible Again (2018 - Amazon)

    #StoriesAndOtherThingsHoly #AdventReflections #Incarnation #RachelHeldEvans #GodWithUs #MarysCourage #FaithJourney 🌟

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    8 mins
  • Advent Lamaze Classes: Trusting the Process of Spiritual Birth | Advent Series
    Dec 9 2024

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    Welcome to week three of the Stories & Other Things Holy Advent series!

    This week, Dr. Terry Nelson-Johnson reflects on Joyce Rupp’s stirring words about birthing new life and Meister Eckhart’s challenge for all of us to become “mothers of God.” Advent isn’t just about commemorating a past event—it’s about making space for God to be born in us today.

    In this episode, we explore:

    • The concept of spiritual availability: Are you willing to be open to God’s work in your life?
    • Joyce Rupp’s prayer for trusting the birthing process of the Spirit
    • Advent as a “Lamas class for believers”—a time of preparation and courage

    Let this reflection inspire you to endure the sweat and the groans of spiritual growth, trusting that new life is waiting to burst forth.

    Joyce Rupp, OSM
    Prayers to Sophia: A Companion to "The Star in My Heart" (Amazon)
    The Star in My Heart: Discovering Inner Wisdom (Amazon)
    Vessels of Love: Prayers and Poems for the Later Years of Life (New - Amazon)

    💬 Reflection Prompts:

    1. Where might God be inviting you to create space for something new in your life?
    2. What does spiritual availability mean to you this Advent season?
    3. How can you practice courage and trust in the unknown?

    #StoriesAndOtherThingsHoly #AdventReflections #SpiritualBirth #GodWithUs #TrustAndCourage #FaithJourney

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    7 mins
  • God’s Declaration: Joining Us in Our Chaos | Advent Series
    Dec 2 2024

    Send Terry and Joshua a text using this link.

    Welcome to week two of the Stories & Other Things Holy Advent series! This week, Dr. Terry Nelson-Johnson shares a moving story inspired by Fr. Richard Fragomeni’s homily about God’s radical declaration to join us fully in our chaos.

    In this episode, we explore:

    • How God’s presence in our chaos transforms our perspective
    • The comforting image of God’s compassion as a loving parent
    • Why Advent invites us to welcome God’s companionship in our messiest moments

    Let this reflection be a reminder that you are not alone and that God dwells with us in all of life’s chaos.

    Fr. Richard Fragomeni is a priest of the Diocese of Albany, NY. He is a professor in the Word and Worship Department at Catholic Theological Union, Chicago, and Rector of the Shrine of Our Lady of Pompeii in Chicago.

    Amazon: Let Us Adore Him: Daily Reflections for Advent and Christmas

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    #StoriesAndOtherThingsHoly #AdventReflections #GodInOurChaos #Compassion #RadicalLove

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    7 mins