The Habit

Matthew Clark, a free-spirited singer-songwriter and storyteller, travels across America in his van, sharing music and wisdom. In this engaging conversation, he delves into the themes of love and renewal that resonate throughout his Well Trilogy project. Clark talks about the resilience found in despair, and how enduring love can guide us through life's challenges, even in the face of loss. He celebrates the importance of vulnerability and community, emphasizing that true healing comes from embracing our connections with others.

In this episode, Allen Levi and Jonathan Rogers discuss this connections between writerly voice and the voice with which the writer speaks every day. Allen Levi is a singer-songwriter and the author of The Last Sweet Mile and Theo of Golden. This episode is sponsored by The Habit Writer Development Cohorts, a six-week online small-group writing intensive designed to help writers develop their unique voice, refine their ideas, strengthen their craft, and build sustainable work habits. TheHabit.co/CohortsSupport the show: https://therabbitroom.givingfuel.com/memberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This archive episode of The Habit Podcast, from the first season, features a three-way conversation between Tish Harrison Warren, Doug McKelvey, and Jonathan Rogers. Tish is an Anglican priest, a former columnist for the New York Times and Christianity Today, a senior fellow at The Trinity Forum and the author of Prayer in the Night and The Liturgy of the Ordinary. Doug is best known as the author of the Every Moment Holy books. In this episode, Tish, Doug, and Jonathan talk about the liturgies of the writing life, finding meaning where it is to be found, and liturgy as a way of making room for mystery to assert itself.Support the show: https://therabbitroom.givingfuel.com/memberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Flannery O'Connor's 100th birthday would have March 25, 2025. In this episode, Jonathan Rogers celebrates the life and work of this remarkable writer in an essay adapted from the introduction to his book, The Terrible Speed of Mercy: A Spiritual Biography of Flannery O'Connor.Support the show: https://therabbitroom.givingfuel.com/memberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ben Palpant loves, for reasons that become apparent in this episode. On assignment from the Rabbit Room, Ben sat down to interview a few poets. He enjoyed it so much, he interviewed a few more, then a few more. When he had interviewed seventeen poets, he collected those interviews into a book called An Axe for the Frozen Sea. It’s a fascinating look into the minds and hearts of poets who work out of gratitude, out of abundance—sometimes out of grief, never out of grievance.Support the show: https://therabbitroom.givingfuel.com/memberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week's episode is an essay, written and read by Jonathan Rogers. "Love, Happiness, and Creativity" begins (and ends) with an idea from Taylor Leonhardt's song "Diamonds"—the theme song for The Habit Podcast: "You are not an afterthought: Love himself dreamed you up."Support the show: https://therabbitroom.givingfuel.com/memberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kelly Kapic is a professor of theology at Covenant College near Chattanooga. His most recent book is You're Only Human: How Your Limits Reflect God's design, and Why That Is Good News. In this episode, Dr Kapik and Jonathan Rogers talk about productivity, shame, gratitude and the truth that finiteness is actually a blessing. Also, they talk about magnanimity and pusillanimity. This week’s episode comes from the archives. This conversation with Kelly Kapic first aired in January of 2022; it’s one of the Habit Podcast episodes I think about the most often.Support the show: https://therabbitroom.givingfuel.com/memberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Charlie Peacock, a Grammy-winning musician and producer, shares his rich journey in the music industry and beyond. He discusses his new memoir, touching on themes of identity, success, and the tension between familial expectations and self-approval. Embracing failure and suffering as growth catalysts, he dives into how these experiences reshape authenticity. The conversation also navigates the complexities of fame, the importance of community support, and living with a sense of divine presence in creativity.

Andrew Osenga is a singer-songwriter, a guitarist, a record producer, a podcaster, a writer, and a friend and mentor to countless artists. For twenty years and more, he has been right in the middle of things in Nashville’s creative community. In this episode, recorded live at The Habit 2025 Winter Writers’ Weekend, Andy speaks with Jonathan Rogers about being a jack of all trades, the importance of community, and Andy's journey from bitterness to joy and purpose in his work.Support the show: https://therabbitroom.givingfuel.com/memberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nikki Grimes, an award-winning poet and artist known for her powerful exploration of African American experiences, dives into thought-provoking topics. She discusses the significance of the Harlem Renaissance in shaping identity and creativity. Grimes sheds light on the role of scripture in poetry and how imagination fuels artistic expression. The conversation also touches on the challenges of doubt in art, reflecting on personal growth and community support. With her latest poetry collection, Glory, Too, she continues to inspire and resonate with audiences.