Portia Louder remembers the moment the prison door shut behind her.

She had been sentenced to seven years in federal prison for real estate fraud. Her youngest daughter was seven. Portia had spent weeks preparing to leave her husband and children, but nothing prepared her for walking through that door and realizing she couldn’t walk back out.

“My life as I knew it was over from that point on.”

Three days later, overwhelmed by what she had done and everything she had lost, Portia got on her knees.

“Heavenly Father, I have failed everyone in my life. I cannot see my way out of this hole. I just need to know who I am to you.”

What happened next began changing the way Portia saw herself.

Then it began changing the way she saw everyone else.

Before prison, Portia admits she believed people who went there were simply bad people. Inside, she encountered women whose trauma, resilience, kindness, faith, and goodness challenged nearly everything she thought she understood.

Some became friends. Some became teachers.

And one helped Portia confront something she had spent years resisting.

“Portia, you broke the law. That’s what happens to people when they break the law.”

Halfway through her sentence, Portia began taking ownership of the choices that had brought her there. She also started letting go of something else: her determination to get back to the life she had before prison.

She couldn’t see what might exist in its place.

Then one day, still incarcerated, Portia looked in the mirror and realized:

“I really like myself.”

In this conversation, Portia and Rivers talk about regret and responsibility, the difference between guilt and shame, the surprising goodness she encountered in prison, and why being forgiven didn’t mean the people she hurt were suddenly healed.

Portia also shares what it took to rebuild trust with her children after coming home.

While incarcerated, she used to imagine a future in which her family was restored. Years later, she found herself on a beach in Hawaii, surrounded by that family, watching her daughter dance the way she had when she was little.

The life Portia once desperately wanted back was gone.

What came after was something she couldn’t have imagined from inside that prison cell.

“I am so grateful for my prison experience. And yet it was so painful. But I was born to go to prison.”

This is a conversation about what can happen when the worst chapter of your life doesn’t get the final word - and the person you’re trying so hard to get back to may not be the person you’re becoming.

In this episode:

• The choices that led Portia to federal prison • Leaving her husband and five children behind • The prayer that changed the way she saw herself • What Portia got wrong about the people she expected to meet in prison • The friendships that changed her understanding of people • Taking responsibility without remaining trapped in shame • Why forgiveness and restoration weren’t the same thing • Rebuilding trust with her children • Letting go of the life she thought she needed to get back to • Why Portia can now say, “I was born to go to prison”

Learn more, explore the Grandpa Channel guided journal, and listen to more conversations at thegrandpachannel.com.

Every story has two stories: the one being told, and the one it stirs in your own life.

Find out more about Portia Louder here:

Website

Instagram

Facebook: FaceBook Portia Wilcox Louder

Portia's Book: Living Louder

Show Notes

There’s something remarkable about a 1,200-pound animal choosing to trust you.

For Haley Murray, that relationship with horses became much more than riding. Her horse Boomer began showing her things about trust, fear and herself that she hadn’t quite been able to name.

During one liberty-work session, Haley removed the ropes and watched Boomer run. She didn’t chase him. She didn’t force him back. She stood in the middle of the arena and waited until, eventually, he chose to return.

That moment would come to mean much more.

In this conversation with Rivers, Haley shares the story of experiencing abuse as a child, what happened when the truth finally came out, and how those formative years shaped her relationship with faith, forgiveness and trust.

She also talks about something we don’t always acknowledge about forgiveness: sometimes you think you’ve finished with it, then years later you discover another layer waiting for you.

Haley remembers writing her grandfather a letter before the birth of her first child. She remembers seeing his number when he finally called. She remembers wanting to tell him she forgave him and realizing, in that moment, that she couldn’t quite get the words out on her own.

And she talks about the unexpected freedom that followed when she finally could.

Years later, becoming a mother brought another part of Haley’s story into focus. Despite being extraordinarily vigilant about protecting her own children, she discovered that a parent cannot control everything that happens to them. What stayed with her was something else: when her children needed her, they told her.

Sometimes the most important thing we can give someone is a safe place to tell the truth.

Haley describes what happened to her as something that was once a deep wound and is now a scar, something she can point to and talk about in the hope that another person might hear her story and feel a little less alone.

And perhaps that’s where Boomer comes back into the story.

Sometimes you have to let the horse run.

Sometimes you have to stand quietly in the arena.

And sometimes trust means discovering that when the ropes are gone, there is still somewhere safe to come home to.

In this episode:

• Haley’s unusual connection with horses and what they taught her about trust

• The liberty-work experience with Boomer that changed their relationship

• Haley’s experience of childhood abuse and the moment the truth came out

• Why forgiveness unfolded in layers rather than one defining moment

• The phone call with her grandfather she will never forget

• How faith carried Haley through some of the hardest years of her life

• What becoming a mother taught her about protecting children, listening and healing

• Why giving someone a safe place to “run” can matter more than trying to fix everything

• The courage Haley sees now when she looks back at her 12-year-old self

• How Boomer eventually went from the safety of the arena to riding alone in the mountains

• Why Haley believes, “If I can trust God in the arena, then maybe I can trust Him in the mountains too.”

A question to carry with you:

What in your life might change if you stopped trying to force the outcome and made room for trust instead?

Because sometimes someone else’s story doesn’t simply tell us who they became.

It helps us recognize something in our own.

To connect with Haley:

Visit her website here!

Exciting upcoming events at Horse Connections:

Petals & Ponies Aug 13, Sept 3

Free Utah Flower Day Drive through event Aug 27

Grounded: A Women's Workshop Oct 9-10

Community Ed Classes for Adults, Teens & Kids this fall

What happens when a simple handshake breaks the rules?

In this solo episode, Rivers shares the story of volunteering at the Salt Lake County Metro Jail, where one unexpected handshake with an inmate led to an unforgettable confrontation with a correctional officer.

What begins as a humorous story quickly becomes a reflection on something much deeper: our need for human connection, the quiet dignity every person deserves, and the wisdom of knowing when to hold your tongue.

Sometimes the smallest acts of kindness leave the biggest impression.

In this episode, you'll hear about:

• Why one jail rule always bothered Rivers
• The Sunday school lesson that unexpectedly came to life
• A handshake that caused more trouble than anyone expected
• The perfectly timed moment that still makes him laugh
• Why some moments of human connection stay with us forever

Question to reflect on:

Has there ever been a small act of kindness or human connection that stayed with you far longer than you expected? Why do you think it mattered?

If you'd like to continue the conversation, explore our guided journal, Until It Starts to Speak Back, created to help you discover the stories that have shaped your own life.

Learn more and listen to more conversations at thegrandpachannel.com.

Some of the most meaningful stories in a family aren't the ones we plan.

They're the unexpected moments that become part of our family's history.

In this solo episode, Steve "Rivers" Harris shares why creating a home filled with laughter became one of his greatest hopes as a father. From blessing each of his children with a sense of humor to an unforgettable family dinner at Hires Big H, this conversation is a reminder that perfection rarely creates our favorite memories.

Sometimes it's the wonderfully imperfect moments that become the stories we tell for the rest of our lives.

• Why Steve wanted laughter to become part of his family's legacy
• The beautiful tradition of blessing a newborn child
• Brian Doyle's unforgettable description of children as "comedy machines"
• The hilarious Hires Big H family dinner that didn't end quite as expected
• Why the stories we once found embarrassing often become our family's favorites
• How laughter helps us navigate the challenges of everyday life

What's one family story that still makes you laugh every time it's told?

Maybe it's something that seemed embarrassing in the moment.

Maybe it's become part of your family's folklore.

Or maybe it's simply a reminder that the moments we try hardest to control often become the ones we treasure most.

If today's story stirred something in your own life, we've created a guided journal called Until It Starts to Speak Back.

Inspired by the conversations on Grandpa Channel, it's designed to help you discover the stories that have shaped your own life.

Learn more, explore the journal, and listen to more conversations at thegrandpachannel.com.

Every one of us inherits something.

Maybe it's a family tradition.

A phrase repeated around the dinner table.

A way of treating people.

Or simply the example of someone who loved us well.

In this conversation, Rivers sits down with his nephew, Chase Quinn, to explore the stories and experiences that shaped him into the husband, father, coach, and person he is today.

Together they talk about what it was like growing up with a father who coached him, the family motto that still guides his life, why coaching is about much more than winning games, and how parenting has taught him patience in ways he never expected.

Along the way, the conversation explores a question all of us eventually face:

What are we passing on to the people we love?

• The family motto, "Quinns don't quit," and how it shaped Chase's life
• Lessons learned from being coached by his father
• Why Chase thought every dad wanted to coach
• Coaching kids with one simple philosophy: stay safe, have fun, and get better every week
• What becoming a father taught him about patience
• The surprising story of welcoming twins into their family
• Why being coachable matters far beyond sports
• The role of encouragement in helping children grow
• What Chase hopes his own children will remember about him

What is something someone quietly passed on to you... that you're now passing on to someone else?

If today's conversation stirred something in your own life, we've created a guided journal to help you keep exploring.

Until It Starts to Speak Back is inspired by the conversations on Grandpa Channel and designed to help you discover the stories that have shaped your own life.

Learn more, explore the journal, and listen to more conversations at thegrandpachannel.com.

If you would like to follow Chase:

https://www.tiktok.com/@coachchase_hq

https://www.instagram.com/coachchase_hq/?hl=da

Grief changes us. But according to Nadine Cooper, it can also reveal what mattered most all along.

After walking beside her husband through a long illness and eventually losing him, Nadine reflects on what grief has taught her about love, purpose, faith, and the stories we tell ourselves. Drawing on decades of helping people heal through coaching and personal growth, she shares practical wisdom about changing limiting beliefs, understanding our own worth, building stronger relationships, and becoming more compassionate through life's hardest experiences.

One of the most moving moments of the conversation comes when Nadine answers a simple question: "What do you miss most?" Her response offers a fresh perspective on grief and may change the way you support someone who is mourning.

• Why grief revealed the depth of love in her marriage
• The difference between being victimized and becoming a victim
• How our personal stories shape our lives—and how they can be rewritten
• Why forgiveness is about freeing yourself, not excusing others
• The hidden misunderstandings that quietly damage relationships
• What most people get wrong when comforting someone who's grieving
• The better question to ask instead of "How are you?"
• How compassion grows through suffering
• The spiritual experiences that gave Nadine hope after loss
• Why our greatest gifts often become our life's purpose

Every story has two stories: the one you just heard and the one it stirs in your own life.

Download the free reflection journal inspired by this conversation in the description below.

If this episode encouraged you, please consider following the podcast, leaving a review, and sharing it with someone who may need these words today.

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The Rope Between Home and the Storm

Sometimes the greatest lessons come from the stories we laugh about years later.

When a rare blizzard warning sent Rivers' wife into full "mother hen" mode, she called everyone she loved, urging them to get home before the storm hit. The blizzard never really arrived, but the experience revealed something much deeper: her urgency wasn't about the weather. It was about love.

Drawing on a moving passage from Parker J. Palmer's A Hidden Wholeness, Rivers explores the image of the rope that farmers once stretched from their back door to the barn so no one would lose their way in a whiteout. It's a simple image that becomes a powerful metaphor for navigating the storms of modern life.

Whether you're facing uncertainty, raising a family, or simply trying to stay grounded in a noisy world, this episode is a reminder that we're never meant to weather life's blizzards alone.

• Why one overblown weather forecast became a lasting family story
• The surprising connection between love and warning
• The timeless "rope" metaphor from Parker J. Palmer
• Finding our way through the storms of distraction, fear, and uncertainty
• Why home is more than a place—it's the direction we're meant to keep moving toward

Journal Prompts

• Who has been a "rope" in your life during difficult seasons?
• What values or habits help guide you home when life feels uncertain?
• Have you ever looked back and realized someone's concern for you was really an expression of love?
• What storms are you navigating today, and what keeps you grounded?
• How can you become a steady rope for someone else this week?

Because every story has two stories: the one you just heard, and the one it stirs in your own life.

Most people see success and assume it happened quickly.

Spence Hoole tells a different story.

He shares how a disappointing ACT score became one of the turning points of his life, why consistency mattered more than talent, and how one painful year in junior high changed the way he treats people forever.

Along the way, he reflects on the mentors who shaped him, the importance of assuming positive intent, why being "right" isn't always worth it, and what success means after decades of business, family, and experience.

This isn't a conversation about getting ahead.

It's a conversation about becoming someone worth becoming.

• Why "consistency enlarges capacity"
• The ACT score that changed his life
• Building a business one relationship at a time
• The painful year that taught him empathy
• Learning to assume positive intent
• The mentors who shaped his career
• "You can be right... and still be wrong."
• Why some battles simply aren't worth fighting
• The danger of taking yourself too seriously
• What real success looks like after 30 years
• Advice he'd give his 25-year-old self
• The legacy he hopes to leave his children

"Consistency enlarges capacity."

"Assume positive intent."

"You can be right... and still be wrong."

"Take what you do seriously. Don't take yourself too seriously."

"The things that translate to success today are peace, health, and kids doing well."

• Where has consistency quietly changed your life?
• Is there someone you've judged before assuming positive intent?
• What battle are you fighting that may not be worth the squeeze?
• What does success mean to you today compared to ten years ago?

If you enjoyed this conversation, subscribe to The Grandpa Channel for more thoughtful conversations about life, family, faith, work, and the experiences