Here's the thing. It's really noisy out there.
And here's my confession: The thought of adding my voice to the noise feels like an enneagram five nightmare (if that doesn't mean anything to you, listen to Episode 14 and Suzanne Stabile will explain)!
So I decided to approach the podcast differently. I stopped striving to meet a schedule and started to simply explore. My husband and I spent a few weeks with our kids in Greece and Israel. We found ancient pottery. We visited with friends. I researched the origins of biblical water rituals and visited many archaeology sites, mikva'ot and Roman baths. I asked a ton of questions from archaeologists, Rabbis, and Theologians (stay tuned!).
A friend who is also an enneagram five taught me this mantra: Move from your head down to your heart and then out.
And that's exactly what is happening this season.
I slowed down.
I actually read the books my guests wrote.
I learned things I didn't know.
I took extra time during interviews.
I listened intently.
And then I listened again and again during the editing process.
I soundscaped.
I cried.
I laughed.
I sang.
I prayed.
I practiced what I learned.
The stories spilled into my offline life and overflowed into face-to-face conversations.
I fell in love with my guests.
So yes, Season 2 has been a slow process but it's finally time to share it with you from my heart. And I'm so excited!
On February 5, Aaron Niequist and I launch Season 2 of the Betwixt Podcast!
Here's a teaser for that episode:
THANK YOU!
But before we jump into Season 2, I want to say: Thank you!
Thank you for listening. Thank you for giving voice to female podcasters who address the concerns of faith and the Church. And thank you for sharing episodes with your friends and networks!
The other day, after a long hiatus from the tech stuff, I logged on to Soundcloud (the program where I store each episode). I was stunned to see that Betwixt has had more than 20,000 listens. In the podcast universe, this actually isn't very impressive. Yet, as a woman without a platform or budget, I was shocked. I felt very encouraged that something is resonating and people are passing episodes around in an organic way. I felt excited that perhaps face-to-face conversations were happening among people I don't even know.
And literally, one minute ago, I got a message from someone who has used the podcast in their Bible College classroom. That just blew me away. Students gathering around these conversations to dive deeper - I can't contain the joy!
I'm also thankful for Missio Alliance - a community of diverse Christians who are not afraid of hard questions, who have encouraged me, and have amplified my voice above the noise.
So it's with deep gratitude that I prepare to Launch Season 2! Truly, it is such a joy to produce each episode and a gift of love in sharing them with you. Thank you so much for supporting #femalepodcasts!
