A Transgender Hospice Chaplain's Story | Leaving My Echo Chamber

I Was Pregnant After the Worst Night of My Life (Part 1) | Leaving My Echo Chamber

I sit down with my friend Kaci to talk about her life growing up in a small town in South Carolina, her Southern Baptist upbringing, and the experiences that shaped her faith. We talk about what it was like being the daughter of a pastor, the painful church conflict that led to her father suddenly losing his job, and how that season changed the way she viewed faith and church. We also dive into Kaci's love of softball, her dreams of competing at the highest levels, her time at Belmont University, and how she built a successful business at a young age. But this conversation takes a turn when Kaci shares about a night that changed her life forever. What began as a girls' night out ended in unimaginable trauma, and just weeks later, she found herself facing an impossible question: she was pregnant, but she didn't know who the father was.Kaci is one of the most generous, resilient, and honest people I know. I am incredibly grateful for her willingness to share her story. This is Part 1 of Kaci's journey. Make sure you come back for Part 2.

A Transgender Hospice Chaplain's Story | Leaving My Echo Chamber

In this episode, I sit down with Dahron, a chaplain who has spent years walking with people through grief, hospice care, and some of life’s most tender moments. Dahron trained at the VA, served in bereavement and hospice spaces, and comes to this conversation with a deep understanding of what it means to sit with people in their hardest seasons. We talk about Dahron’s life growing up in the United Church of Christ, being married to a woman and raising a son, and the long personal journey of realizing she was transgender. Dahron shares what it was like knowing from a young age that something didn’t fit, and the decision in 2020 to transition outwardly into living as her true self. This conversation also goes into some of the most vulnerable parts of her story, including telling her wife she was going to transition and sharing her feelings with her mother while visiting her death bed. We also talk about faith, belonging, and what Dahron wishes more Christians understood about people like her. She speaks candidly about moments where she did not feel welcomed in society, including testifying in front of a committee on Capital Hill in Nashville, Tennessee, where she experienced disrespect while sharing her story. I am grateful for this conversation and for Dahron’s willingness to share her story with honesty and courage. My hope is that we can learn to listen more deeply, ask better questions, and love people more fully in the process. Please share your thoughts and stories in the comments.

From Preacher’s Kid to Optimistic Agnostic | Leaving My Echo Chamber

Jon Michael grew up in the Church of Christ in Dixon, Tennessee, where his dad was a preacher and church was his entire world. He shares what it was like growing up in that environment, the beauty of it, and also the pressure that came with not having space to openly wrestle with struggles or questions. We talk about divorce in the church, free will, suffering, and how he thinks about God in a world that includes school shootings and real pain. He describes himself as an “optimistic agnostic” rather than an atheist, and we unpack what that actually means for him. We also get into church hypocrisy, why some people feel unwelcome in faith spaces, and why he believes honesty about doubt matters just as much as certainty. This is a conversation about belief, uncertainty, and learning how to hold both at the same time. The episode is now live on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Chaotic Childhood Meets Bad Theology | Leaving My Echo Chamber

This was my first time meeting Tausha and hearing her whole story. She grew up in Oregon in a single mom household, experiencing homelessness and instability at a young age, and feeling like she had to protect her brother. She shares what it was like navigating church while life at home felt chaotic, and how by middle school she was already drinking and smoking weed as a way send this to cope and feel in control. As she got older, she made the decision to start over and moved to Arizona, where she found community and reconnected with church. She also spent time in India, which expanded her perspective in a meaningful way. One moment that really stood out to me is when she shares that she felt like God was telling her to move to Nashville. She had never been here, didn’t know anyone, and within a few weeks packed up her car and went. We also talk about where she is now with her faith. What was once central in her life now comes with questions and doubt, and she shares that honestly. This is a story about survival, growth, and learning how to hold both belief and uncertainty at the same time. I’d love for you to watch or listen and let me know what stood out to you.

She Doesn’t Fit Either Party; She’s Running for Governor and She's Raw and Real | Leaving My Echo Chamber

I sat down with Lauren Pinkston, an independent candidate for governor of Tennessee, and found her so refreshing! Raised in Tennessee (like me!) with a strong sense of who she is and what she believes, Lauren shares how her upbringing, faith, and curiosity about others have shaped the way she sees the world today. From living in Laos and Uganda to earning a PhD in International Family and Community Studies, her experiences have given her a global perspective that shows up in how she talks about human trafficking, globalization, and the ways we are all more connected than we realize. We talk about some hard and complex topics in this episode, including transgender rights, her thoughts on sex-change surgeries for minors, and what it looks like to approach these conversations with both conviction and care. We also dive into what is happening closer to home—how global trade and tariffs are impacting farmers in Tennessee, the growing role of technology and what future conflict could look like, and the ways our economy connects to the rest of the world. Lauren also shares her concerns about where we are as a state, from the education system and school vouchers to cell phones in classrooms, and why she believes teachers and communities need a stronger voice in the conversation. What stayed with me most is her desire to understand people, even when it’s uncomfortable, and her belief that we are more connected than we think. With the upcoming election, this race has the potential to look very different than what Tennessee has seen in a long time. If you’re willing to listen to a perspective that might challenge you or make you think a little deeper, I hope this conversation stays with you like it did with me.