President Jimmy and Mrs. Carter with Jonathan Reckford, CEO of Habitat for Humanity (my first guest this season)
Are you committed to bringing forth the best in yourself? Have you invested significant time and money exploring who you truly are and what’s possible for you? If so, I think you’ll find that my upcoming podcast season is for you. I’m thrilled to announce that the podcast Becoming Who You Truly Are is about to launch its third season, which asks, How Can Acts of Service Be a Path to Finding Your Truest Self? The first episode of the new season will air on August 24th.
In this season, we’ll explore what it means to serve, and take a look at some of the impressive outcomes our guests have achieved. But we’ll also identify the darker underbelly of service, which can sometimes lead to divisiveness and even oppression, despite servers’ best intentions to do good.
We’ll look at service from three perspectives: The first of these examines the diverse paths that can lead to meaningful contributions, in a series titled Paths to a Life of Service. We’ll learn about the unique personal journeys of some of the great leaders in today’s service arena, including Shawn Askinosie, whom Oprah has named “One of 15 Guys Who Are Saving the World,” and Jonathan Reckford, the CEO of Habitat for Humanity International, among others.
The second perspective is what most would consider a traditional service model, in a series titled Peace and Justice for All, featuring – among others – the Mennonite Central Committee (referred to as MCC), which by the way, celebrates its 100th anniversary this year. MCC sponsored my parents’ medical missionary work in Paraguay. So I know a bit about the MCC missionary world, which features prominently in my new book Nothing Bad Between Us, and also in the historical novel I’m currently writing. We’ll talk about extraordinary achievements, but we’ll also take on some of the common misconceptions about who missionaries are and what they do, delving into a more complicated truth about the dreams, fears and mistakes that sometimes surround their drive to make the world a better place.
The final perspective hits really close to home for all of us, in a series titled Living and Dying Well. It explores the art of living and dying well, a challenging but also an immensely rewarding topic. We’ll hear from renowned advocates for palliative care, Dr. Ira Byock and also Dr. LaVera Crawley, as well as other experts, about the remarkable end-of-life possibilities available to each of us.
Please join us, beginning August 24th, every other week, as our guests honestly and vulnerably share their experiences and their wisdom about what service means to them, in all of its complexities, and how it can lead us to our best and truest selves.
Finding Your Truest Self
You can listen to the full conversation by clicking ‘play’ above, or on the following podcast platforms:
Here’s a list of our esteemed guests this season, the date when their interview will air, and the theme of each episode:
Paths to a Life of Service
24 August – Jonathan Reckford – A LIFE THAT MATTERS
7 Sept – Dr. Dawna Markova – LIVING A LOVED LIFE
21 Sept – Kim Colegrove – FROM GRIEF TO ACTION
5 Oct – Shawn Askinosie – FINDING YOUR CALLING
Peace and Justice for All
19 Oct – Dr. Ann G. Hershberger – PEACE AND JUSTICE FOR ALL
2 Nov – Gopar Tapkida – FROM WARRIOR TO PEACE BUILDER
16 Nov – Apricot Irving – HELP – DON’T HURT!
Living and Dying Well:
30 Nov – Dr. LaVera Crawley – SPIRITUAL COMPANIONSHIP
4 Jan – Jennifer O’Brien – HOSPICE DOCTOR’S WIDOW
18 Jan – Dr. Ira Byock – DYING WELL
1 Feb – Dr. Barbara Dossey – HEALING VERSUS CURING
Book Mentioned in the Podcast:
Nothing Bad Between Us: A Mennonite Missionary’s Daughter Finds Healing in Her Brokenness, by Marlena Fiol, which is now available for pre-order on Amazon.
About Marlena Fiol:
Marlena Fiol, PhD, is a globally recognized author, scholar and speaker. She is a spiritual seeker whose work explores the depths of who we are and what’s possible in our lives. Her significant body of publications on the topic, coupled with her own raw identity-changing experiences, makes her uniquely qualified to write about personal transformational change. She is also a certified tai chi instructor and freelance writer whose most recent work has appeared in numerous literary magazines and newsletters.
Find Marlena Fiol on Social Media:
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These podcasts provide an opportunity to think newly about our own lives. I do appreciate.
It appears that this podcast season will provide a valuable look at the curriculum I have chosen for the rest of my life—waking up to who I truly am.