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It started with an open mic and a semicircle of chairs in a church classroom in Nashville, TN. We weren’t sure anybody would come; we weren’t even sure how many poets were hanging around at Hutchmoot 2017. Sure, The Rabbit Room is home to many poetry lovers, but loving and writing are different things. So we asked people to bring two poems—one they wrote and one they loved—and come willing to share, whether they call themselves a poet or not. If only five people came, well, that would be fine. Well, people totally came—over thirty, all with poems of their own. Poems about blueberries, the ghost of Martin Luther, and one little piece introduced with “I’ve only read this to my therapist.” And after every poem, the room overflowed with kindness and encouragement. Two hours wasn’t enough to share all the poetic goodness in the room, so the next year, we hosted two open mics. And because we couldn’t help but keep going, in November 2018 The Poetry Pub Facebook group was born. And now we’re excited to share our first chapbook with you! In our first community chapbook, we explore the theme of home and place. From an African village to New England woods, and the lights of Beijing to a backyard swing, join us as we contemplate our place in the world through twenty-two original poems, plus a collaborative piece by Poetry Pub members. We hope you enjoy this collection as much as we loved putting it together for you. You can download The Poetry Pub Chapbook Vol. 1 for free on Noisetrade. (Any tips received will be donated to The Rabbit Room.) And if you love writing poems too, visit us on Facebook and send a request to join!

There is great freedom in recognizing your own brokenness. An awareness of our inability to impress God or earn his favor on our own terms leaves us utterly reliant on his undeserved, lavish, and extravagant grace. As the outpouring of blessing comes to a crescendo through the first three chapters of Ephesians, you can almost hear Paul’s heart beat. Reveling in the remarkable truth of the gospel, he invites the Ephesians (as Russ Ramsey so beautifully put it) to “rejoice in the lyric and music of being redeemed in Christ.” When we stand without pretense in the reality of grace, recognizing our unworthiness yet basking in the warmth of our acceptance in Christ, we begin to understand freedom. But that is not the end of the story.  As important as it is to own the broken reality of life in a fallen world, there is a subtle danger that Paul is careful to bring into the light. While God meets us in our sin he does not intend that we camp out there. In 2 Corinthians 3:18 Paul says, “So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.” When we catch a glimpse of the heart of God and the grace that he has poured upon us we cannot remain as we were. The presence of his Spirit within us will not allow it. If the lives we live are not impacted by the reality of who we are in Christ, some questions must be asked. It is not enough to know and appreciate grace as an intellectual fact. The gospel must change us. In chapter 4, Paul turns to the practical outworking of the gospel in the everyday lives of those who allow it to take root within them. He begins by urging believers to walk worthy of the remarkable Story they have been welcomed into. Together they are to grow to maturity in Christ, clinging doggedly to the oneness that is not only a gift from the Spirit but, according to Jesus in John 17:23, proof that the Story itself is true. For the Ephesians, the love Paul called them to embody was forged in the fire of clashing tradition and cultural diversity. Heidi Johnston Ephesians 5 opens with a plea to love each other well. Imitating God himself, Paul implores his readers to not only walk worthy of their calling but to walk in love. Love, in the sense that Paul uses it, is more than a mutual affinity with someone who shares your interests and opinions. It’s more than just a feeling in your chest. This is love that follows the example of Christ. It is an intentional, sacrificial, costly and often painful decision to put someone else’s interests ahead of your own. For the Ephesians, the love Paul called them to embody was forged in the fire of clashing tradition and cultural diversity. From the beginning of the Story itself, the God who has our names inscribed on the palm of his hand has been calling his people to live lives that reflect his holiness—not because we face punishment or because he’s waiting to whip us into line when we fail, but because his grace has captivated us, his love compels us, and his Spirit within us is changing us to become like him. According to Paul, it’s impossible to love God wholeheartedly and willingly embrace a lifestyle that is contrary to his character. The letter to the Romans makes that pretty clear. There is no denying the war being waged within us. The older I get, the more deeply I feel it. My “old self” is always present, lurking in the shadows, waiting for the nod it knows will come. I’m thankful that grace covers my failures and holds me fast despite my constant stumbling. However, when I read passages like Ephesians 5, some uncomfortable questions begin to surface. Do I really want to become more like Christ? Is it my desire to conduct my ordinary, everyday life in a way that reflects the heart of a holy God? Does it grieve me that my sin is an affront to his holiness? In verse 6, Paul urges the believers not to be deceived by empty words. It’s easy to be seduced by the lie that grace means our behavior doesn’t matter. Rather than being free to follow every impulse, which isn’t freedom at all, the reality of the gospel gives us freedom to become who we were created to be. If we, who were once prisoners of the dark, have now become children of the light, then our ordinary, everyday lives ought to reflect our true citizenship. In Phil Vischer’s fascinating Hutchmoot podcast, The Importance of Being Silly, he helpfully highlights the important distinction between not taking yourself too seriously (something I have a tendency to do) and not taking anything seriously. When we take nothing seriously we undermine our faith and ultimately rob life of meaning. The transformation that is born of grace affects even our most intimate desires and relationships. In Ephesians 5, there are some things Paul urges the believers to take seriously.  Verse 3 says, “But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints.” When it comes to the whole area of sexual immorality, Paul’s instructions are pretty clear: Don’t get involved. Don’t allow it to become part of your conversation. Don’t joke about it. Don’t minimize the seriousness of it. Don’t take it lightly. These are not gentle, vague, take-them-or-leave-them suggestions. Neither are they harsh, judgmental pronouncements from an out of touch scholar. This is an exhortation from the heart of pastor who cares deeply about his readers and understands the damage they will cause to themselves and others if they are not intentional about pursuing holiness. If we place a high value on others, desiring their best, then we cannot celebrate or even be comfortable with anything that damages or belittles them as image bearers of Christ. If grace shapes the way we treat others, prompting us to love like Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Him (v. 21), then our closest relationships will also be transformed. From verse 25 onwards Paul begins to apply these same principles within marriage. The sad reality is that, all too often, the people we love most get the worst parts of us. When everyday life has chewed up our grace and feasted on the bones, we offer our families the unfiltered ravages of our old self. I know this because I do it all the time. According to Paul, that’s not the work of the gospel. In a culture where women were often treated as little more than slaves and men had freedom to indulge themselves elsewhere with no apparent consequence, Paul’s instructions for marriage were revolutionary in their beauty. Today, in a world where my rights, my feelings, and my happiness trump everything else, they are no less startling. If we place a high value on others, desiring their best, then we cannot celebrate or even be comfortable with anything that damages or belittles them as image bearers of Christ. Heidi Johnston For a long time I found these verses difficult. Read in isolation, in a different time and culture, it’s so easy to get caught up in debate about the finer details. When we focus only on the specific practical outworking of this we miss the beauty of what Paul was saying. Expanding the two becoming one image we find in Genesis 2, Paul highlights the change of posture necessary from both partners if marriage is to become the shared adventure God always intended it to be. In God’s kingdom marriage is less about what you can do for me and more about how I can serve you. In some mysterious way, human love becomes a picture of the relationship between Christ and the Church. It’s not difficult to see how this intentional, voluntary giving of yourself for the good of the one you love would lead to a relationship of mutual respect and deep affection. When the calling and gifts of each spouse are encouraged and supported by the other, each desiring that the other grows more deeply in love with Christ, you end up with a picture of marriage worth fighting for. In all their relationships, as the believers learn to live as part of a new Kingdom, Paul encourages them to address one another “in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your hearts” (v. 19). I’ve always found that to be a strange instruction. On this reading, in the context of the Rabbit Room, it took on a fresh beauty. Here, perhaps more than anywhere else, I have learned what it means to tell the Story back to one another, reminding each other in so many rich and beautiful ways of the grace that covers our failures and compels us to live like we belong to God.

Resistance is typically linked to the start of an endeavor—the blinking cursor on a blank digital page, the initial motivation (or lack thereof) to go to the gym, the fear of asking him/her out. From there, the assumption is that resistance will slowly fade or even disappear altogether as success is found and progress is made. Theodore Shapiro would beg to differ. Theodore is a film composer who has scored over 70 films, from The Wolf of Wall Street to The Devil Wears Prada, Marley and Me to Ghostbusters. Unfortunately, none of his success has stopped the resistance. Despite a calendar filled with high-profile commitments, Shapiro is not fully satisfied. His resistance is still present and very much at work. On this episode of The Resistance, Theodore speaks honestly about the difficult balancing act between contentment and ambition. Is it healthy to feed the ego? What about our drive for excellence? When is enough ever enough? There are no easy answers here. Click here to listen to Episode 3 of The Resistance. You can visit the official website of The Resistance here. Special thanks to our Rabbit Room members for making these podcasts possible! If you’re interested in becoming a member, visit RabbitRoom.com/Donate.

“The unicorn lived in a lilac wood, and she lived all alone.” This is how Peter S. Beagle swings open the door to the world of his classic, The Last Unicorn. But before I was able to make words out of letters, and stories out of ink on a page, my unicorn lived in the 1982 animated classic under the same name. Her world unfolded to me again and again in a VHS found on the second-from-the-top shelf of a movie rental in the corner of a grocery store, because—once upon a time—that was a thing. There was no lilac there; there was a lot of frantically flashing and buzzing of overhead light. But I felt the magician as I stood on my tip-toes to push the tape across the counter. I held the magic in my throat, knowing what would happen to my unicorn, and longing to be caught up in it again. And later, I would sit entranced on the floor of my grandmother’s living room, watching the medieval Unicorn Tapestries coming to life in the opening credits. It was only a few months ago, while scrolling through my Goodreads feed, that I realized The Last Unicorn had its origin as a novel. I breathed out an “of course.” Of course this enchanting story that ebbed and flowed over the weekends of my youth began in written words. And yet, as I tried to recall the storyline for nostalgia’s sake, I couldn’t come up with anything clear. Was there a band of derelicts on a quest? Was the unicorn captured? Or lost? Or both? I was gripped by excitement as I suddenly realized I had the rare chance to become young again—to enter afresh into a story and to be surprised and enchanted like a newcomer. Beagle’s storytelling is really remarkable. He plays with metafiction and anachronisms, but never at the risk of losing credibility or investment in his characters. His writing moves from poetic prose to stand-up-comedy material, and amazingly without giving any sort of mental whiplash. But I wasn’t here for literary analysis. I was watching for this: What was my childhood heart thirsty for when The Last Unicorn kept beckoning me to return to its stream? Even thirty years later, when I could produce nothing more than a fuzzy outline of the plot, I knew, at least, that my childhood stance towards this fictional unicorn was not one of playful friendship. I could not imagine myself wanting to throw my arms around her neck, and there were definitely no daydreams of flights over rainbows. My stance was reverence. It was wonder. She was an Aslan to me (though a poorer version, as I’ll share) before I knew Aslan. Does remembrance only mean being an echo in someone's mind? Elizabeth Harwell The story goes roughly like this (spoiler alert! But really, the story is in the fabric—and I’m not going to ruin anything for you by giving the design): A unicorn discovers she is the last of her kind running free in the world. On her quest to reclaim the captured unicorns from the clench of the Red Bull, she meets a wizard named Schmendrick and a vagabond named Molly who she allows to join her. As this last unicorn is just about to be driven away by the Red Bull, Schmendrick uses his magic to turn her into a beautiful—though now mortal—woman. Now as three humans, this band of travelers shows up at King Haggard’s castle: home of the Red Bull. Haggard’s son, Prince Lir, falls in love with the unicorn-turned-woman who is now known as Lady Amalthea and, as she forgets her true self, she becomes lovesick, too. The story is chock-full of sign-posts to Christ: purity, immortality, incarnation, sacrifice, substitution, resurrection. And yet, it wasn’t until the last few pages that I realized what had set my heart ablaze and left me longing, as a child, to watch unfold again and again: the unicorn remembers. In one of the closing scenes, Schmendrick turns Lady Amalthea back into a unicorn to fight a battle with the Red Bull. After winning the battle, she stands over a dead Prince Lir, who sacrificed his life for her in the midst of the chaos. She stands for a very long time, as if scanning the history of the world to remember who he is. She then touches him once with her horn to resurrect him, and a second time over his heart saying, “I remember you. I remember.” And then she leaves. Forever. Now, as a unicorn again, she could never be with her Prince Lir in the same way she was with him as Lady Almalthea. The scene is haunting, and melancholic, and a little jarring. We ache with Prince Lir that after such a pure love—a love that birthed sacrifice—the unicorn could walk away from him. Schmendrick consoles Lir with the famous line: “As for you and your heart and the things you said and didn’t say, she will remember them all when men are fairy tales in books written by rabbits.” This is meant to quiet our hearts. Though she leaves, she remembers. An immortal unicorn will carry you in her heart for eternity—even after you exist. His remembrance will mean action—a storming of the gates of heaven on our behalf. The water will recede. The waiting will be over. Elizabeth Harwell But it didn’t quiet my heart. I kept returning back to the story because of this display of remembrance: It was beautiful. Being remembered by someone infinite is an unfathomable love. But does remembrance only mean being an echo in someone’s mind? It felt like a hollow beauty. This unicorn dazzled and enchanted and loved. And then she left. I think I must have, unknowingly, kept coming back to see if one time the unicorn’s remembrance would make her turn around. Maybe one time she would come back. What I didn’t know then, as a child, is how this longing could be so sweetly met by another who came incarnate. He touched me once for resurrection, and a second time to say, “I will remember you. I will remember.” And his remembrance spurs action. When Noah sat in a corner of the ark with his knees pulled up to his chest, his body and soul rocked to the lullaby of the waves: “You are alone. This will not end.” And then, God remembered Noah. The water receded and the doors opened. Noah walked out into life; he walked out into conversation with God. Great, hollow silence was shattered by remembrance, and then: action. The Israelites, with the sun searing their backs, labored in vain at the hand of Pharaoh. Brick by brick, they built someone else’s dream to the tune of their collective cry: “This is for nothing. Our lives are for nothing.” And then, God remembered. He sent all of heaven and earth into a chaotic upending of the natural law to rescue his children. Remembrance. Action. Jesus hung on a cross between two criminals. One of them shouted demands and jeers—”If you truly are the Messiah, get us out of here! You can’t be God if we suffer.” In his religion, there could be no long nights in a boat of silence. There could be no enslavement to another’s dreams. There could be no cross. But the second criminal understood. He didn’t need to change God’s plans; he just needed to be remembered in the midst of them. He only needed to hang on to Jesus’s coat tails when he would inevitably burst forward into action. So this criminal—this wise fool—called out: “Jesus! Remember me. Hold me under you arm when you make all of this right. Carry me forward in your grand crescendo.” And Jesus responded, “Truly, you will be with me in paradise today.” We don’t get to peer behind that curtain. But it will be our story one day, too. He will remember you. He will remember me. And his remembrance will mean action—a storming of the gates of heaven on our behalf. The water will recede. The waiting will be over. His incarnation gave us the means to have a relationship, to love and be loved. But his ascension isn’t the end of this story. We will not just be an echo in his mind when men are fairy tales. One touch for resurrection. One for remembrance. He will come back for you. And when he does, I think our hearts will shout something like the best line of The Last Unicorn: “I did not know that I was so empty to be so full.”

The Habit Podcast is a series of conversations with writers about writing, hosted by Jonathan Rogers. Today’s episode features a conversation with Christopher Williams. In this episode, Jonathan Rogers interviews Christopher Williams about his new concept album, We Will Remember, based on the book of Joel. As Jonathan says, “You’ve never heard a better concept album based on a minor prophet.” They discuss their love-hate relationships with deadlines, the difference between writing a song and writing a novel, and what the book of Joel has to say to today’s church. Click here to listen to Episode 4 of The Habit Podcast. Special thanks to our Rabbit Room members for making these podcasts possible! If you’re interested in becoming a member, visit RabbitRoom.com/Donate.

Hutchmoot 2019 is open to partners who share our vision for building community by drawing people together around art, music, story, and the gospel. If you or your organization are interested in becoming a Hutchmoot sponsor, send us an email at info@rabbitroom.com. You can also find more details at our sponsorship page. Join ranks with us as we welcome guests from all over the world and celebrate with a unique and vibrant community!

The Habit Podcast is a series of conversations with writers about writing, hosted by Jonathan Rogers. In today’s episode, Jonathan Rogers interviews Claire Gibson. In this episode, Jonathan Rogers interviews Claire Gibson about her new book Beyond the Point, befriending our inner critics, writing as service, and the landscape of storytelling—and at the end, she even asks Jonathan a few questions. Click here to listen to Episode 5 of The Habit Podcast. Special thanks to our Rabbit Room members for making these podcasts possible! If you’re interested in becoming a member, visit RabbitRoom.com/Donate.

Sometimes you find great music, and sometimes it finds you. One day, I got an Instagram message from someone I’d never met, asking for some thoughts on her husband’s new independent worship album. A few messages exchanged, and she sent me a link to listen to it. Reader, I’m a fan. Meet Jason Gregori. Jason Gregori brings over 20 years of experience to his independent debut album, and it shows, from the lovingly crafted arrangements to the contemplative, heartfelt songwriting. Like many of our favorite artists, Jason draws on Scripture for his thoughtful approach to worship music. But I was struck by how lovely the recording and arrangements are on this album. All That I Was Meant For rests in peaceful piano arrangements, inviting in guest voice Elizabeth Kelly for some of the songs. Whether reflecting on “Isaiah 40” or contemplating our resting place in the Kingdom coming, these songs serve as a gentle companion on the journey. If you love artists like Fernando Ortega, Audrey Assad, and Amanda Lindsey Cook, you won’t want to miss getting to know this new voice. All That I Was Meant For is available on iTunes, or you can listen wherever you stream music. Learn more and listen to the first three songs on Jason’s website.

The Habit Podcast is a series of conversations with writers about writing, hosted by Jonathan Rogers. In today’s episode, Jonathan Rogers interviews Russ Ramsey. In this episode, Jonathan and Russ go back and forth about the fine line between fact and fiction, the fallibility of human memory, and where truth comes from, specifically as these issues pertain to a memoir Russ wrote called Struck. Click here to listen to Episode 6 of The Habit Podcast. Special thanks to our Rabbit Room members for making these podcasts possible! If you’re interested in becoming a member, visit RabbitRoom.com/Donate.

As of today, The Fiddler’s Gun, Part I: Foundations is now available (that’s chapters 1-12). Over the next few weeks, I’ve got a couple of bonus episodes lined up, one featuring some deleted material, and one featuring a conversation with Shigé Clark in which we dive into a behind-the-scenes (behind-the-page?) discussion. Look for Part II: Across That Foamy Deep (the conclusion to The Fiddler’s Gun) in August, with more bonus content to follow before we dive into Fiddler’s Green. Reading and recording this book for its tenth birthday has been a blast, and I hope folks will have as much fun listening to it as I’ve had doing all its characters’ voices (please be forgiving of my accents). Sitting in my closet and yelling at myself turns out to be a hoot. Who knew? Happy Fourth of July! To subscribe, click the little “bullseye” icon on the player below, search for the show in your favorite podcast app, or click here. Pete Peterson is the author of the Revolutionary War adventure The Fiddler’s Gun and its sequel Fiddler’s Green. Among the many strange things he’s been in life are the following: U.S Marine air traffic controller, television editor, art teacher and boatwright at the Florida Sheriffs Boys Ranch, and progenitor of the mysterious Budge-Nuzzard. He lives in Nashville with his wife, Jennifer, where he's the Executive Director of the Rabbit Room and Managing Editor of Rabbit Room Press.

If you’re attending Hutchmoot UK, you’re probably excited to see Andrew Peterson live on Friday the 19th. But even if you’re not attending Hutchmoot UK, you can still get excited! This concert is open to the public. So if you’re in the area, stop by St. Andrews Church for a night of songs and stories with Andrew. Click through for more information. Click here to purchase tickets to the show.

Thank you for supporting the Rabbit Room through the first half of 2019! We can hardly believe the year is halfway done. We’ve got a lot of exciting stuff in the works, and we want to take a moment to share our gratitude and update you on all we have going on. Updates from the Second Quarter of 2019 North Wind Manor — We’re blown away with how far North Wind Manor has come this quarter. Thanks to our generous donors, the operations center is up! The staff is excited to move over as soon as inspections are complete, and deconstruction of the Manor should begin next quarter. We recently crossed the $400,000 threshold, leaving us with only $41,212 left to raise for full funding. Thank you to everyone who has brought the project this far. Update and thank you from AP A quick note from Andrew Peterson to thank our members and North Wind Manor donors for all that you have made possible. Publicado por The Rabbit Room em Segunda-feira, 8 de julho de 2019 Hutchmoot UK — Hutchmoot UK is almost here! July 18th-20th is speeding toward us, and the programme is all mapped out. We’re excited to gather with new friends across the pond to celebrate the gospel through art, story, and music. A limited number of tickets are available to the public for next Friday night’s Andrew Peterson concert (admission is free to Hutchmoot UK guests). Hutchmoot US — Meanwhile, we’re humbled to be celebrating the 10th anniversary of Hutchmoot US this year. We’ll be looking back on prior iterations of Hutchmoot and celebrating the works and artists that inspired its creation. This quarter, we opened up the opportunity for anyone interested in being a Hutchmoot 2019 sponsor. Thank you to all those who have gathered at this feast with us in years past, and to our partners who have believed in the mission and continuously helped us make it a reality. The Rabbit Room Podcast Network — Thanks to your support, we’ve added three fantastic new podcasts to our network this quarter. Jonathan Rogers hosts The Habit, Matt Conner hosts The Resistance, and Pete Peterson dropped the first twelve chapters of his series Fin’s Revolution. The Rabbit Room Podcast Network is thriving with nine wonderful series, and we’re truly glad to share them with you. The Local Show — The Spring 2019 season of The Local Show wrapped up this quarter with a moving and hilarious night of “Songs We Loved in High School.” You can enjoy the original songs on our Local Show Spotify and Apple Music playlists. Dates and tickets are already up for the Fall 2019 season, starting on September 3rd, and for the first time we will be opening the Local Show up to anyone who would like to sponsor. The Local Show is an incarnation of the community that the Rabbit Room strives to create, and we want to continue offering the experience to anyone who would come while valuing and supporting the artists. Every Moment Holy — We’re grateful to our friends Ellie Holcomb, Russell Moore, Sally Lloyd Jones, and JJ Heller for sharing their appreciation of Every Moment Holy this quarter. We all now have the joyous capability of hearing Sally read “A Liturgy for Changing Diapers.” In fact, you can now listen to thirteen different liturgies being read aloud and share them freely with anyone who needs them. Don’t forget that there are discount codes available for you and anyone you want to share them with. ForaFriend gets as many friends as you like 25% off their Every Moment Holy order, and GiftEMH gets 25% off any order of ten copies or more. Thank you for loving and stewarding this work along with us! Seasonal Playlists — Second quarter saw the creation of three new Rabbit Room playlists. Check out our compilations for Easter 2019, Songs We Loved in High School, and the recently-published Rabbit Room Road Trip. You can find these and the rest of our playlists on Spotify and Apple Music. Rabbit Room on the Road — Speaking of Rabbit Room road trips, Rabbit Room on the Road went to Ontario, California, last month and there are two final events in August. There will be breakout sessions on stories and imagination, concerts by Andrew Peterson and Slugs & Bugs, and full access to the exhibit hall and other Great Homeschool Convention activities. We’re happy to bring a taste of the Rabbit Room and Hutchmoot to different areas of the country, and we hope you drop in to say hello if you’re nearby. Our next two events will be in Rochester, New York, and Jacksonville, Florida, and registration is available on the Great Homeschool Convention website. Friends of L’Abri — Friends of L’Abri is gearing up for its two-day Nashville L’Abri conference on the 26th and 27th of July. The conference will center around the theme of “being human in a fragmenting world” through meals, music, and discussion, and it promises to be a life-giving experience for all who attend. Please keep us in your prayers as the year continues to move forward. Third quarter holds many unknowns and new experiences, and we’re grateful to have your support as we walk into what God has prepared for us in the rest of 2019.

The Habit Podcast is a series of conversations with writers about writing, hosted by Jonathan Rogers. In today’s episode, Jonathan Rogers interviews Doug McKelvey. In this episode, Jonathan and Doug discuss the search for “a word that rhymes with everything” and how this search characterizes Doug’s writing process aesthetically, morally, and theologically. Doug McKelvey is the author of Every Moment Holy, a book of liturgies for everyday moments in life. Click here to listen to Episode 7 of The Habit Podcast. Special thanks to our Rabbit Room members for making these podcasts possible! If you’re interested in becoming a member, visit RabbitRoom.com/Donate.

The Habit Podcast is a series of conversations with writers about writing, hosted by Jonathan Rogers. In today’s episode, Jonathan Rogers interviews Helena Sorensen (author of the Shiloh trilogy). In this episode, Jonathan and Helena talk about balancing affirmation with criticism, the difference between a growth mindset and a fixed mindset, and the importance of maintaining sensitivity to the world. Click here to listen to Episode 8 of The Habit Podcast. Special thanks to our Rabbit Room members for making these podcasts possible! If you’re interested in becoming a member, visit RabbitRoom.com/Donate.

The Habit Podcast is a series of conversations with writers about writing, hosted by Jonathan Rogers. In today’s episode, Jonathan Rogers interviews Kristy Dempsey, author of Papa Put a Man on the Moon. In this episode, Jonathan and Kristy talk about her new book Papa Put a Man on the Moon (written in celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the moon landing), the process of writing and publishing picture books, the difference between “sweetie pies” and “smart alecks” in character arcs, and her own family’s proximity to the moon landing itself. Click here to listen to Episode 9 of The Habit Podcast. Special thanks to our Rabbit Room members for making these podcasts possible! If you’re interested in becoming a member, visit RabbitRoom.com/Donate.

This week, we have a special bonus episode that deviates from our typical interview format. Last week, Tokyo Police Club frontman Dave Monks sat down to discuss The Resistance, and in our conversation, he disclosed a list he keeps in his writing journal that lists rules he’s picked up along the way as an artist. Aptly titled “Rules For Artists,” Monks graciously agreed to share those lessons learned with us in this special one-off episode. You can listen to Episode 9 of The Resistance here.

The Habit Podcast is a series of conversations with writers about writing, hosted by Jonathan Rogers. In today’s episode, Jonathan Rogers interviews Shawn Smucker, author of Light from Distant Stars. In this episode, Jonathan and Shawn discuss the nitty gritty of Shawn’s writing habits, the unique challenges and rewards of ghostwriting, and how Shawn goes about encouraging and upholding creativity with his family at home. Click here to listen to Episode 10 of The Habit Podcast. Special thanks to our Rabbit Room members for making these podcasts possible! If you’re interested in becoming a member, visit RabbitRoom.com/Donate.

The Habit Podcast is a series of conversations with writers about writing, hosted by Jonathan Rogers. In today’s episode, Jonathan Rogers interviews Karen Swallow Prior, author of On Reading Well: Finding the Good Life through Great Books. In this episode, Jonathan and Karen talk about the instructive power of fictional worlds to shed light on our own, how fiction can teach us to love our enemies, and joy as a courageous act of imagination. Click here to listen to Episode 11 of The Habit Podcast. Special thanks to our Rabbit Room members for making these podcasts possible! If you’re interested in becoming a member, visit RabbitRoom.com/Donate.

The Habit Podcast is a series of conversations with writers about writing, hosted by Jonathan Rogers. In today’s episode, Jonathan Rogers interviews Nashville songwriter Joseph Patton. Joseph Patton is a staff songwriter at Sony/ATV Music Publishing on Nashville’s Music Row. In this episode, Jonathan and Joseph talk about what happens in Music Row writing rooms, the difference between songs that help people remember and songs that help people forget, and the tensions between commercialism and “loving thy listener.” Click here to listen to Episode 12 of The Habit Podcast. Special thanks to our Rabbit Room members for making these podcasts possible! If you’re interested in becoming a member, visit RabbitRoom.com/Donate.

The Habit Podcast is a series of conversations with writers about writing, hosted by Jonathan Rogers. In today’s episode, Jonathan Rogers interviews Jessica Hooten Wilson, who is currently working on bringing to life an unfinished novel by Flannery O’Connor. Dr. Jessica Hooten Wilson, Associate Professor of English at John Brown University, is currently preparing the unfinished manuscript of Flannery O’Connor’s last novel for publication. In this episode, Jonathan and Jessica geek out about Flannery O’Connor, exchange strategies for balancing academic writing and fiction, and discuss how reading poetry has made Jessica a better writer. Writers who make Jessica Hooten Wilson want to write: Gina Ochsner (The Necessary Grace to Fall) Michael O’Brien (Father Elijah) Leif Enger (Virgil Wander) Flannery O’Connor (of course) Click here to listen to Episode 14 of The Habit Podcast. Special thanks to our Rabbit Room members for making these podcasts possible! If you’re interested in becoming a member, visit RabbitRoom.com/Donate.

The Habit Podcast is a series of conversations with writers about writing, hosted by Jonathan Rogers. In today’s episode, Jonathan Rogers interviews Mark Meynell, author of When Darkness Seems My Closest Friend. Mark Meynell thinks a lot about civility and cynicism and the writer’s responsibility not just to win arguments, but tell the truth. In this episode, Jonathan and Mark discuss the practice of generosity involved in both writing and reading, the virtues and vices of rhetoric, and how fiction and nonfiction persuade us in different ways. Writers who make Mark want to write: Graham Greene John LeCarre Elizabeth Strout Click here to listen to Episode 15 of The Habit Podcast. Special thanks to our Rabbit Room members for making these podcasts possible! If you’re interested in becoming a member, visit RabbitRoom.com/Donate.

The time has come! The tenth anniversary of the great moot approaches. Speakers are readying their notes, decorations are being prepared, recipes are being set, and travel plans are being laid. Next month, folks from all across and outside the country gather together around a common vision: to celebrate the gospel through the lenses of music, art, and story, and to take that experience back to inspire their own communities. There’s still much work to be done in preparation and implementation. Hutchmoot simply wouldn’t be possible each year without those who generously volunteer their time, energy, and sanity to make the weekend a success. So, we’re officially gathering volunteers for Hutchmoot 2019! If you’re interested in volunteering, please email volunteer@rabbitroom.com. Thank you to all those who have reached out with a desire to serve. Thank you for believing in the mission of Hutchmoot and for coming alongside us to achieve it. We look forward to seeing all of you!

The Habit Podcast is a series of conversations with writers about writing, hosted by Jonathan Rogers. In today’s episode, Jonathan Rogers interviews Rebecca Reynolds. Rebecca Reynolds is the author of Courage, Dear Heart: Letters to a Weary World. She is currently “transposing” Spenser’s Faerie Queene for a 21st-century audience. In this episode, Jonathan and Rebecca use the trinitarian paradigm of Dorothy Sayers’ Mind of the Maker (Idea, Energy, Power) to discuss the multitude of influences that together make an artist’s voice, then apply this wisdom with excellent practical advice on how we can better know and tend to our own creativity. To see Rebecca’s diagrams on general and particular inspiration and the energy cycle, click here. Writers who make Rebecca want to write: Gerard Manley Hopkins Wendell Berry T. S. Eliot George Herbert and John Donne Nature Click here to listen to Episode 16 of The Habit Podcast. Special thanks to our Rabbit Room members for making these podcasts possible! If you’re interested in becoming a member, visit RabbitRoom.com/Donate.

We had a wonderful first Local Show of the season last Tuesday! Thanks to everyone who came out to hear these songwriters. We’ve compiled a setlist from the night, along with corresponding playlists in Spotify and Apple Music. Andrew Peterson: “All the Way Home” Becca Jordan: “Strength You Need” Becca Bradley: “I Need Jesus” Leslie Jordan: “Mother Bird, Mother Bear” Chris Renzema: “Mercy” Andrew Peterson: “The Voice of Jesus” Becca Jordan: “Becoming” Becca Bradley: “Queen of a Wasteland” Leslie Jordan: “Suzy Rain” Chris Renzema: “Let the Ground Rest” Andrew Peterson: “Calling Out Your Name” (Rich Mullins) Becca Jordan: “Found” Becca Bradley: “The Sun Will Rise Again” Leslie Jordan: “Instruments of Peace” Chris Renzema: “Jacob” Andrew Peterson: “Rest Easy” Becca Jordan: “Better Than Before” Leslie Jordan: “I Wait” (All Sons & Daughters) Chris Renzema: “Steal Back Your Joy” Becca Bradley: “It is Well” You can listen on Spotify or Apple Music. Our next Local Show on September 17th will include Andrew Osenga, Carly Bannister, Drew Miller, and Jasmine Mullen. Click here to buy tickets.

Love him or hate him, Quentin Tarantino has always been a provocative director. In his newest film he takes a look back at the Hollywood of the late ’60s with its hippies and westerns and Bruce Lee and even a little bit of The Great Escape. There’s a lot to discuss, and only one thing is certain: Tarantino provokes Pete Peterson and John Barber to profoundly different reactions. Click here to listen to the newest episode of Fixed In Post.