Episodes
Friday Jul 21, 2023
11 | Dominican Republic, Catholicism, and Finding Community
Friday Jul 21, 2023
Friday Jul 21, 2023
Diana is from the Dominican Republic. She moved to the United States for college and became one of (approximately) ten Dominicans to ever attend UCLA. Diana saw this journey as an opportunity to start fresh - she associated America with happiness and Disneyland. However, her depression continued as she struggled to find community in a new environment.
During her time at school, her connection to her childhood Catholic faith began to change. She began attending a Christian club with roots in different traditions and found a community to belong to. She also discovered the role of love within Christianity and the love of God for the individual as well as the collective.
I now provide the transcript to episodes! Click here for Ep. 11 with Diana: https://share.descript.com/view/tKvUMbGrFzL
Contact Pat: patricktlee7@gmail.com
Tuesday Jun 13, 2023
Tuesday Jun 13, 2023
Give to camp here: https://bit.ly/3Nry6Md
"Honestly, as a therapist...you can't help people do work you haven't done."
Maria moved from the nature-filled Pacific Northwest to urban Los Angeles to pursue her dream of starting a camp for at-risk youth. Along the way, she realized that the world is much more "gray" than black and white. She learned how to live in the tension between accepting the complexities of the world while being upset at injustice. Maria talks about how we can all heal from traumas because our minds and bodies were built to heal. Eventually Maria was able to fulfill her dream of starting camp and creating life changing experiences for children in the foster system
References:
Dawn of Hope: non-profit organization that Maria started to host camp (https://dawnofhopela.org)
Royal Family Kids / For the Children: faith-based organization created to create life changing moments for children who have experiences relational trauma (https://www.forthechildren.org/about-us/camps)
Fuller Theological Seminary: interdenominational, Christian seminary in Pasadena, California (https://www.fuller.edu/about/)
80 Year Long Harvard Study on Happiness: https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/01/harvard-happiness-study-relationships/672753/
I now provide the transcript to episodes! Click here for Ep. 10 with Maria: https://share.descript.com/view/mkNUyt4eDM5
Wednesday Feb 01, 2023
9 | Storytelling, Mythology, and Gilgamesh
Wednesday Feb 01, 2023
Wednesday Feb 01, 2023
Nathan's website: https://nathantudor.com
Nathan's book "The Empire's Lion": https://amzn.to/3YgEKrf
What do ancient Sumerian poems have to do with my life in 2023?
When we think of "myths", we often think of primitive stories containing outdated themes and un-relatable characters. In this episode, Nathan shows us that mythology is powerfully relevant...and may actually be what society needs more than ever.
Drawing from his experience studying myths at Oxford, Nathan tells about how he came to see fantasy as a legitimate genre and how that shift influenced him as a writer and author. Nathan shares that we are first "narrative beings long before we are scientific beings" and how great storytelling will always captivate us as humans.
References:
- Epic of Gilgamesh (ancient Mesopotamian epic poem)
- Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back (some sci-fi movie from the 80's)
- The BEMA Podcast (a podcast focusing on the Bible through the lens of historical context)
- The Iliad and The Odyssey (ancient Greek epic poems by Homer)
- Makoto Fujimura (what Pat references in this episode is from the book "Art + Faith" (https://amzn.to/3HPiXkZ))
- Ira Glass quote Nathan was referencing:
"Nobody tells this to people who are beginners, I wish someone told me. All of us who do creative work, we get into it because we have good taste. But there is this gap. For the first couple years you make stuff, it’s just not that good...But your taste, the thing that got you into the game, is still killer. And your taste is why your work disappoints you. A lot of people never get past this phase, they quit. Most people I know who do interesting, creative work went through years of this. We know our work doesn’t have this special thing that we want it to have. We all go through this. And if you are just starting out or you are still in this phase, you gotta know its normal and the most important thing you can do is do a lot of work. Put yourself on a deadline so that every week you will finish one story. It is only by going through a volume of work that you will close that gap, and your work will be as good as your ambitions. And I took longer to figure out how to do this than anyone I’ve ever met. It’s gonna take awhile. It’s normal to take awhile. You’ve just gotta fight your way through."
Saturday Dec 31, 2022
8 | Happiness, Success, and Homosexuality
Saturday Dec 31, 2022
Saturday Dec 31, 2022
By all measures of success, John became successful at only 27 years old. As a young entrepreneur, he ran a booming dinner theater in his hometown of Jacksonville, Florida. Five nights a week of live entertainment from the best and most talented. In his words, "a cultural runaway success." He was active in the gay community, had a stint as a stripper, and also had a husband - contrary to the Baptist Christian beliefs he was raised with.
But the reality was, none of this made him happy.
John shares the story of the shifts that occurred over many years that led him to leave his restaurant, his husband, and a life that he could not sustain. He tells us about the importance of putting "Jesus in His rightful place" and the peace that brought him.
At the end of this episode, John's wife, Leah, joins us in a discussion about whether heterosexuality is necessary for a Christian, the difference between attraction and love, and what makes up our true identity.
References:
"The Chosen" (highly rated TV Series on the life of Jesus) - Dallas Jenkins
Monday Oct 31, 2022
7.5 | Enchantment, Dis-enchantment, & Re-enchantment
Monday Oct 31, 2022
Monday Oct 31, 2022
Jordon talks about beginnings of the re-enchantment phase and the reemergence of joy in his own life. He speaks of the importance of relating to the struggles of men and women in the Bible and acknowledging our true state. Only by recognizing our need can we take steps to rid of the things that harm us and begin to choose life.
Monday Oct 31, 2022
7 | Enchantment, Dis-enchantment, & Re-enchantment
Monday Oct 31, 2022
Monday Oct 31, 2022
Grocery shopping is a relatively easy task for most of us. Yet after experiencing the loss of his mom and a vigorous academic life in college, Jordon's mental health left him helpless in the cereal aisle. In this episode, Jordon breaks down three stages of growth in his life and the circumstances that led to each.
In a post-pandemic society, many of us have struggled with the loss of a dream or an ideal life. Jordon speaks about how he came to terms with this reality in his own journey and the steps he took to keep moving forward.
References in the episode:
RUF - Reformed University Fellowship (where Jordon and I met during our time at UCLA)
Richard Rohr - Franciscan priest and prominent spirituality author
The Shawshank Redemption - 1994 critically acclaimed film based on the Stephen King novel
"Fyodor, Frodo, and Finding Value" - Episode 3 of this podcast (https://iusedtothink.podbean.com/e/frodo-and-finding-value/)
Quotes:
"Get busy living or get busy dying." - The Shawshank Redemption
Tuesday Aug 02, 2022
6 | Work, Rest, and the Butcher Block
Tuesday Aug 02, 2022
Tuesday Aug 02, 2022
Why do we work?
Jake was faced with this question as he transitioned into college and the workforce. With the help of mentors and good books (and a brief stint as a grocery store butcher) he learned that real freedom in work came through exploring his "why" instead of his "what". He talks about the importance of "showing up" everyday and being consistent in your work and vision. We discuss how rest must be intentional in order for us to not be running on empty.
Books we talked about:
- "Every Good Endeavor" by Tim Keller
- "Garden City: Work, Rest, and the Art of Being Human" by John Mark Comer
- "The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry" by John Mark Comer
I highly recommend checking out Jake's videos and content: jakedriscoll.com
Wednesday Jul 20, 2022
5 | Hong Kong, Capitalism, and the 2nd Amendment
Wednesday Jul 20, 2022
Wednesday Jul 20, 2022
My friend Josh grew up in Hong Kong - a country which frequently found itself caught in between wars and political tensions. He was a firm believer in democratic socialism and was anti-gun. After moving to the United States for university, his views on government and politics began to shift.
Josh talks about how his desire to understand his rights in the States led him to diligent study of the U.S. Constitution and American history. He gives his take on the tensions between Hong Kong and China and the future of the pro-democratic movement in Hong Kong. Josh gives his reasons for supporting civilian gun ownership and how we can navigate the conversation of gun violence in the U.S. today.
Hey! I'm Pat.
I'm passionate about storytelling and learning about what makes other people excited about life. I spend my time hanging out with friends, reading, facing my fears, playing basketball, listening to other podcasts, and following Jesus. I'm learning how to use suffering to live a vibrant, fuller life.
Reach out anytime: patricktlee7@gmail.com