It's a story of hope, loss and truth. And, it's coming to a cinema near you soon. In this episode, we speak to Kyle Portbury, a filmmaker and director of THE HOPEFUL. The film charts a rocky period in American history, starting in the War of 1812 and going all the way into the late 19th century. It tells the story of a group of Christians convinced the world was going to end—and what happened to them when the world didn't.

THE HOPEFUL is coming to a cinema near you in October 2024. Check out www.thehopefulmovie.com.au to learn more.

Energy drinks are everywhere and for the most part, we just accept them as part of our everyday beverage consumption culture. But are they all they're cracked up to be—and could they be dangerous for us and our kids?

Read Christian's article | Get more Signs

Moesha Johnson came from humble beginnings; a Christian country girl from rural Australia. But, like many other kids, she had dreams. In particular, she dreamed of swimming professionally. This dream seemed too big to come to fruition, so Moesha did what most responsible people do: she got a job, studied a degree and pursued a "normal" career. But, the dream of swimming never left her and one day, she got an opportunity that would change her life forever.

Read the article and more | Get more Signs | Follow Moesha's Olympic journey

In this episode, we speak to Melody Tan. Melody is the director of Mums at the Table, a project that seeks to connect mums with like-minded people and help them create a sense of community. Melody recently wrote an article titled "The Mum Load", where she talks about the mental pressures every mum faces—as well as the breakdown she had a few years ago, and how she overcame it.

Many thanks to Melody for her article, as well as all the wonderful mothers who contributed to this episode.

Read the article and more | Get more Signs | Mums at the Table

Music via Pixabay:

• Music by Denis Pavlov
• Music by Vlad Krotov
• Music by Aleksey Chistilin
• Music by Ivan Ohanezov
• Music by Mika Dupuis

Let's face it: most of us who are parents often feel like we're fighting a losting battle. It's not a battle against monsters—but screens. Whether an iPad or TV, media seeks to shape the next generation in ways that often contradict the values we're trying to raise our children to live by.

In this episode, we speak to media critic and contributor to Signs of the Times, Mark Hadley. Mark has raised children in a media-rich environment. So, what does someone "in the industry" think about parenting in this context?

Read the article and more | Get more Signs

Satan, demons, conjurings: these are all the hallmarks of the sinister subculture many know of as "the occult". It's a shadowy world of secret societies, subliminal messaging and the taboo and anathema.

It's also a world that Jamie Lehn inhabited for many years of his life. Growing up in the church, he had a traumatic experience at a young age. Seeking a way to heal his pain, he turned to drugs, occult practices and later, flirted with the possibility of being inducted into a secret society. How did it happen, what was it like and where did this journey take him? Join us on this episode to find out.

Read the article and more | Get more Signs

Many of us are lonelier than ever before. According to the data, in the Western world, men are among the loneliest. When men leave the workforce and retire, many of them lose their social networks, as well as a primary driver for meaning, purpose and fulfilment. All too often, they waste away or go through messy breakups with their spouse, unable to cope with the transition. In this episode, Zanita takes a trip to her local mens' shed. It's a place where men (and women) of all ages are welcome to practice their hobby, connect and find community.

Read her article | Get more Signs

SOURCES

• Expert reveals impact of loneliness | 60 Minutes Australia

• Male inequality, explained by an expert | Big Think

• Loneliness: The silent epidemic | ABC News

• Are We in a Loneliness Epidemic? (ft. @Katimorton) | PBS

Welcome to the brand-new version of the podcast. We're excited and we hope you enjoy it!

SHOW NOTES
Today we're talking about the so-called "fertility cliff"—the belief that after the age of 35, a woman's chance of having a child drops precipitously. We had the opportunity to interview Sisi Toro, an educator and self-confessed medical nerd. Through her research she's discovered that fertility isn't just about your age—there's much more to the story.

Disclaimer: though the data presented in this article is scientifically backed, every person’s experience is different. Science on fertility is emerging and many factors may affect your situation. For the best advice, consult your doctor.

Read her article | Get more Signs

CHAPTERS

• (00:01) - Intro
• (03:42) - Sisi's background
• (05:47) - The conventional view on age 35
• (07:47) - More women are having children later in life than ever before
• (08:36) - Harvard Medical School study
• (10:56) - Stress as a factor
• (15:10) - Modern hospitals don't "bat an eye" at older pregnancy
• (18:59) - Environment as a factor
• (21:48) - Raw milk and bone broth
• (23:37) - Stress is "the new smoking"
• (31:07) - Focus on health habits that are sustainable
• (33:02) - Pressure on relationships
• (35:51) - God's timing
• (37:23) - Outro

• Australian women having fewer children and later in life
• Births: provisional data for 2022 (USA)
• Having Kids Later in Life: Healthy Pregnancies as You Age
• Extended Maternal Age at Birth of Last Child and Women’s Longevity in the Long Life Family Study
• Is the Fertility Cliff a Myth?
• Why 'Geriatric Pregnancy' Is a Thing of the Past
• SBS, The 35-year-old fertility cliff: Fact or fiction?
• FRANCE24, Getting pregnant after 35: US research says reproductive years now extend to 37
• CityTV, At what age does your fertility begin to decline?

Watch the full interview on YouTube