For our nonfiction book club selection, Gretchen and Jennifer dive into the first half of Aundi Kolber's Try Softer. Each chapter presents faith-informed therapeutic wisdom, encouraging readers to become students of themselves while crafting a gentler internal narrative.

Whether through awareness of thought patterns or noticing physical sensations that accompany difficult moments, Kolber instructs us in “compassionately listening to our needs so we can move through pain--and ultimately life--with more gentleness and resilience.”

While discussing the individual chapters, quite a few personal stories are shared as well. Jennifer recounts her recent experience of applying some of the book's grounding techniques, and Gretchen offers a thoughtful reflection on her approach to the timeline exercise (recommended in the book).

Whether you're just starting the journey of processing and healing from the hard parts of life or you're getting curious about respectfully establishing boundaries, this episode will get your wheels turning towards an emotionally healthier version of yourself. We hope you'll find a moment to listen.

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Welcome back to our Summer Book Club! This is the second of four episodes in the series, and this week we’re talking with author Keelia Clarkson about our fiction pick, Chapter One Again.

Keelia shares with Gretchen and Jennifer the story behind the story, what inspired her to write the book, and some of the themes readers connect with most, including second chances, healing, hope, forgiveness, and finding the courage to begin again.

Whether you’ve already finished the book or are reading along with us, we hope this conversation gives you a deeper appreciation for the story and encourages you in your own life. We hope you’ll pull up a chair and find a moment to join the conversation!

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To kick off our Summer Book Club series, Gretchen and Jennifer are discussing Chapter One Again by Keelia Clarkson. This new release is a thoughtful novel that explores the universal search for purpose, the longing for recognition, and the pursuit of life’s “mountaintop” moments.

Some of the discussion includes discovering faith, finding meaning in unexpected places, and how the quiet rhythms of small-town life often cultivate the things that matter most. There are so many layers of connections and relationships in this book, all with their own unique struggles and passions, and it left us eager to discover what lies ahead for each of them.

We hope you’ll find a moment with us for this rich conversation, and don’t miss our next episode when we’ll have the privilege of interviewing Keelia Clarkson herself!

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