"They loved me back to life."
Sarah Thebarge knew what it was to feel alone. So when she met a Somali woman and her five daughters on a commuter train in Portland, OR she found an unexpected kindred sister. The story of their emerging friendship and Sarah's battle with breast cancer draws parallels between different circumstances with a common thread. In our interview with Sarah we hear how this everyday encounter changed everything about Sarah's story.
Now a physician's assistant in San Francisco, Sarah's story takes her through graduate school, across the country, and then across the world to practice medicine in what was deemed "the unhappiest country in the world". The limitations practicing medicine in the developing world made Sarah more comfortable with the dying. Her own journey with breast cancer has helped her understand suffering.
From ordinary connections with our neighbors to how to impact a child's life in the developing world, we are inspired to look beyond our comfort and convenience to live the God-intended life. You will be changed by hearing Sarah's story and we are grateful to have her with the sisterhood. A beautiful conversation about what entering others' grief looks like and how it makes us truly alive.
Many of us confuse hospitality and entertaining. We think that practicing hospitality equals a picture perfect table and gourmet food, and we end up feeling insecure and inadequate when our reality doesn't match the magazine spreads. But what if true welcome was more about servanthood than performance?
In today's interview, Jen Schmidt joins The Sisterhood to point us to the truth that authentic hospitality is about loving others well and simply opening up our doors for the purpose of making others feel special. In an often cold and detached culture, we can be a part of helping others feel that they belong somewhere. This can even happen on the go.
If you want to live a life of welcome, this interview will help inspire you to do so!
Patrice Gopo's story takes her around the world and back. From Jamaica to the U.S. to South Africa with some Zimbabwe, Spain, and more thrown in, her ciruitous route is not just evidenced in her passport, but in her career path as well. We don't want to give it away, but there is some romance, some friendship, some career changes, and some self discovery. We talk through what it means to accept the nuance of someone's story and Patrice offers her own as an example.
A mom of two girls now, she fits her writing into the pockets of her everyday life. An engineer by training and then a businesswoman with a heart for justice, all of the colors in Patrice's life make up who she is. From writing in real life time chunks to growing up in Alaska, Patrice is an instant, trusted friend. You won't want to miss out on this rich conversation about race, friendship, and acceptance.
Patrice's experiences shaped her new book of essays, All The Colors We Will See. Head to bookstores to find her debut book (Barnes and Noble has selected her as a new writer to read!), but first head to the podcast to get a taste of what you'll find. You will be encouraged to make a way through nuance in relationships and life.
Books, especially those that are well written and crafted, have power. If we allow, they can shape our thinking, mold how we see the world, and impact how we interact with others. When we read about true heroes, we learn how to become one. When we watch a character weather challenges, we find out what qualities are needed for to overcome. When we step into another's shoes, we gain compassion we did not have previously. In short, reading has the potential to literally change our lives.
Sarah Clarkson, author of Book Girl, joins us to share how books have influenced the trajectory of her life, and how they invite beauty, strength, and belonging. The intelligence, insight, and depth Sarah brings to the discussion is, in itself, beautiful.
If you have been one of those who has never been a reader, or who simply isn't taking the time in life to read, this will inspire you to dive in to good literature to equip you for life, and feed your heart and soul.