Hello! Hope you’re well. Here’s the latest:
7 Days And Counting
Big news! I could not be more excited to let you know that Season 2 of Holy Ghost Stories begins in…drumroll please……..one week!! Episode one drops first thing on Monday July 19, and you are officially the first to know.
Also, because you subscribe to The Latest, I’m going to just spill the beans entirely and let you in on which Old Testament story I’ll be telling. (If you like to enter each episode cold, with no idea of what story you’re about to hear, skip to the next section!)
Alright—everybody left reading wants to know what’s coming, yes? Excellent. Let’s make it fun and see if you can guess before I tell you. Some clues…
It’s a story that bears the name of a prophet who (as far as we know) only prophesied one time.
It’s got some fantastic elements: a man on the lam, an epic storm at sea, a couple of complex protagonists, a dramatic (and honestly, mind bendingly weird) rescue, and a classic happy ending…that’s ruined by a surprisingly sad ending.
Got it yet? If not, here’s one more hint: one of the supporting characters has a dorsal fin.
That’s right: It’s the story of Jonah. Or better, it’s the story of Yahweh, who chooses to channel His scandalous mercy through a reluctant participant named Jonah.
It’s a marvelously told story in Scripture, and I can’t wait to share my take on it with you.
Oh—and Patrons, get ready for some great stuff alongside this episode. The Insider Notes will be chock full of goodness, but here’s what I’m really excited about: I’m sitting down (via Zoom) with Dr. Kevin Youngblood, the Old Testament professor who wrote my favorite commentary on Jonah. Dr. Youngblood knows this book inside and out, and I’ll be picking his brain with a littany of questions I have about the text, about Jonah himself, about the Assyrian people to whom Jonah was sent—all kinds of stuff. I’ll be recording the whole thing and sharing it with all of the incredible folks who are Patrons of Holy Ghost Stories on Patreon.
So to recap: Season 2 of HGS begins in one week!! Dust off your podcast app and make sure you’re subscribed—that way it’ll be waiting for you when you wake up on Monday. (Unless you wake up before 5am…and if that’s the case you’ll probably want to have a cup of coffee first anyway.)
Subscribe in:
Or just search “Holy Ghost Stories” in your app of choice—you know the drill.
Texas Wanderings
My family and I have spent the last couple of weeks living in Texas (our home before this crazy season of nomadism). It’s been just wonderful to reconnect with dear friends and family, and we even got to spend a few nights in our house. (We usually have Airbnb guests in it, but we blocked the calendar for 4 days to enjoy it ourselves for a bit.) During that time, we invited 50 or so friends over for a party, had a pizza & movie night, the kids hosted a sleepover, and we cranked up a family dance party with music blaring so much louder than we could ever get away with in someone else’s place. I think we made the most of the house while we had it. :)
The Storied Family—Take One
Jennifer and I kicked off the Storied Family workshop tour with a hometown crowd in Round Rock, and it was so much fun. Parenting and Stories are some of my absolute favorite things, and to gather with such fabulous people to talk about how God wants to weave those things together? Come on.
Too often, we approach parenting as firefighters. I’m all for not letting the place burn to the ground, but I think maybe God would like it if we thought more like movie directors. (And I know from experience: parenting that way is a lot more fun. …Not to mention a lot more productive.)
Next up, we’re doing a view-anytime one online—and then we’ll be in Dallas, TX, Florence, AL, Witchita, KS, Cookeville, TN, and Henderson, TN. If you’re a parent, you should join us!
Patron Saints in the Wild
I sent out a whole lot of packages a couple weeks ago to the amazing folks who jumped in on Patreon early on, and it’s been so cool to see folks with their Patron Saint of Storytelling t-shirts and stickers!
If you received one of these in the mail, send me a pic! I’d love to see you repping HGS.
Truly, thanks so much to all of you for supporting this show. It’s reaching people in really lovely ways. In fact, here’s a message I got just yesterday: “My friend just sent me this and wants you to know that an Ashkenazi Jewish guy really enjoyed your podcast, finds it very accurate, and says, “He should continue.”
Excellent. I think I will.
4 Cool Things
Elephants Storm Buckingham Palace - We stumbled across these beasts on a walk in London. The video detailing their creation is so cool—people are amazing.
Atlas Obscura - If you’re in an internet rut and need a new site to browse, Atlas Obscura has been a longtime favorite of mine. Weird, cool spots all over the globe.
How Movie Sounds Are Made - A 13 minute doc about Foley artists and the work they do to create the sounds we take for granted in cinema.
Fishskyn - I recently purchased one of these wraps for my laptop and am very much digging it. 5 stars.
Alright—that’s the latest! Can’t wait to dive into Season 2 with you. One big favor: if you haven’t left a quick review, would you be up for doing that before the new episode drops? That would be fantastic!
Gratefully,
Justin
I am very excited that season two is about to begin! I thoroughly enjoyed season 1.