The Habit

Amy Baik Lee has written that in every place her life has taken her, "there have been hints of beauty and great knocks of mercy that have called to me from beyond my surroundings, always speaking of a King and Friend and Father whose presence is truly Home.” That sense of longing, those clues that perhaps we were made for a different world, make their way out in every thing Amy writes, and especially in her book, This Homeward Ache: How Our Yearning for the Life to Come Spurs on Our Life Today. In this episode, a replay from 2023, Amy and Jonathan Rogers talk about homeward longing, the idea of Sehnsucht, and the importance of writing in community.Support the show: https://therabbitroom.givingfuel.com/memberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Daniel Schwabauer, a fiction and nonfiction writer and English teacher, dives into the transformative power of storytelling in this rich discussion. He explores the contrast between ideals of power and principle in narratives, revealing how scripture can deepen our understanding of faith. Schwabauer highlights defamiliarization as a tool to refresh our perspectives and illustrates the beauty in being present through relatable anecdotes. He emphasizes embracing open interpretation in biblical texts, encouraging listeners to challenge conventional narratives and cultivate their unique voices.

Mark Meynell is a freelance writer and speaker based in the UK. He’s the author of Life After Life and A Wilderness of Mirrors. He’s a co-host of the Tryptich podcast, and he’s an aficionado of Cold-War spy stories. In short, he’s a polymath and an excellent conversationalist. In this episode, Mark and Jonathan Rogers talk about the "immanent frame," instrumentalized art, and the power of beauty to challenge 'buffered selves' with the possibility of transcendence.Support the show: https://therabbitroom.givingfuel.com/memberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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.

Tish Harrison Warren, an Anglican priest and author, joins Doug McKelvey, known for the Every Moment Holy books, in a thought-provoking conversation. They explore how ordinary life can inspire spiritual growth and creativity, focusing on the role of liturgy in daily routines. Tish and Doug reflect on finding the sacred in mundane tasks and the mystery that enriches writing. They also share insights from influential writers, highlighting the importance of community in fostering artistic development.

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.

Explore the profound connections between love, happiness, and creativity. Delve into how love reflects divine creativity and our role in shaping the world through intentional acts. Discover the importance of community in fostering creativity and well-being. Learn how interconnectedness enhances joy, using a monastery's gift of water and wine as a metaphor. This thought-provoking discussion invites you to engage deeply with your creative potential and the communal impact of your actions.

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.