With endorsements by Bill Walton and Billie Jean King, Jenné Blackburn’s book, Always An Athlete, is on its way to helping post-competitive athletes transition to life beyond their sport. Her research and insights on the all too common struggles of physical and mental health plus loss of identity, which she experienced in her own life after collegiate volleyball, led her to discover 3 pillars that are helpful for all of us. Her website, and book offer hope, encouragement, and resources. They also expand on Jenne’s determination to create cycle events at major sports franchising games to form a much-needed community for all athletes, an idea born from a bike ride taken while attending the prestigious ESPNW Summit, an invitation Jenné believes was an EXTRAordinary opportunity orchestrated by God, which came about from another EXTRAordinary experience she had at Baylor, working with coaches and the administration to link athletes to outreach opportunities (Sic ‘em Bears!). You'll love meeting Jenné and hearing her impacting stories.

Show Notes:

Bill Walton died May 27th of this year, and Jenné has a tribute to him on her website. You'll hear about her interaction with him in this podcast.

Ellen and Jenné discuss Ellen's blog post about a Chinese proverb.

#alwaysanathlete #JenneBlackburn #missions #teamsports #team #cycling #bicycle #BillWalton #self-sacrifice #physicalhealth #mentalhealth #identity #lossof identity #ESPNWSummit #Baylor

Kathy shares her phenomenal story of answering an insistent whisper to quit her job and work on homelessness, an endeavor she felt in no way qualified for. This "whisper" turned into her raising millions of dollars in donations to build a 100-unit housing complex, and later, a mental health treatment center and more. Her new book, Trust the Whisper, describes her experience and includes 20 other "extraordinary stories of ordinary grace" about others who heard and obeyed God's whisper and witnessed unimaginable results. You'll be enthralled by her story and challenged to listen for your own God whispers and purpose for your life.

You’ll find Kathy's new book, Trust the Whisper, published by Baker Books, on her website, ⁠https://www.kathyizard.com/⁠ where you'll also learn about her other 4 books, speaking engagements, and coaching. Listen to stories from her book here, and subscribe to What's Your Whisper, here.

The podcast also refers to the book and movie, Same Kind of Different as Me. The movie is available on Amazon Prime, YouTube, and other streaming services.

Ellen's website can be found at https://www.extraordinary.live/

Ellen mentions these verses and commentary:

”Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.“

James 1:27 NIV

Real religion, the kind that passes muster before God the Father, is this: Reach out to the homeless and loveless in their plight, and guard against corruption from the godless world.“

James 1:27 MSG

True religion does not merely give something for the relief of the distressed, but it visits them, it takes the oversight of them, it takes them under its care; so episkeptesthaimeans. It goes to their houses, and speaks to their hearts; it relieves their wants, sympathizes with them in their distresses, instructs them in divine things, and recommends them to God. And all this it does for the Lord’s sake. This is the religion of Christ” (Adam Clarke, quoted in the Blue Letter Bible (BLB) app, James 1:26 Commentary by David Guzik).

Mike and Sharon have waded through marital struggles, a son’s serious illness, a major car wreck, financial hardship, and career-choice doubts and reached the other side with a stronger faith and more confidence in God’s guidance and care. They have worked with college students through Cru for many years and are currently working with grad students and faculty at NC State. You’ll be intrigued and blessed by their stories of God’s EXTRAordinary work in their ordinary lives.