The Second Cup Show

Deidre Braley
  • 5.0 (7)
  • Christianity
  • Monthly

Making peace with being human. thesecondcup.substack.com

  1. 3d ago

    Staying Open to God’s Goodness as Creatives & Artists with Ben Palpant

    Thanks for stopping by. Hope you’ll stay for the long haul! Editor’s Note: You may see this pop in your inbox/feed twice today. The internet, ever fickle, decided to play hide-and-seek with the original content in this post. Since this conversation was such an incredible blessing to me, I wanted to make sure you didn’t miss it. So here we are, trying this again. I met Ben Palpant (briefly) this summer at the Cultivate Retreat with The Way Back to Ourselves and immediately began plotting how to have a conversation with him so that I could share with all of you here. He is the type of person who has seen the abyss and who has also been in the presence of God, and I want to be in the presence of anyone who has been through all that. He also wrote the book An Axe for the Frozen Sea, which I read last month after a long stretch of agonizing creative exhaustion. And lo and behold—something in those interviews made me pick up my pen and, for the first time in many moons, write a poem. And so I needed to thank him in person. In this episode, Ben and I wrestle with questions like: * Why it matters to write for the people we know in real life and in our own communities * What happens to our work when we present it as an offering to the Lord, and how God can surprise us along the way * What does it mean to create from a place of belovedness, instead of a place of broken ambition * How to look into an abyss without falling in—and if you do fall in, how on Earth do you get out? Anyway, I left this conversation actually buzzing with excitement, with curiosity, with inspiration, with hope. I needed hours to come down from it. I anticipate you’ll feel the same. So—give it a listen. Meet my friend Ben. And let us know what resonated most with you. Let me introduce you to my friend, Ben Palpant Ben Palpant is a memoirist, a poet, and a storyteller living in Washington State. He grew up in Kenya, Africa, where he played barefooted with his friends while perfecting the art of daydreaming. When his family returned to the United States, he continued his reveries throughout adolescence and now daydreams and calls it part of the writing process. He graduated from Whitworth University and has spent over 25 years in education. His most recent book is Brightwing Tales: Mole’s Misadventure, a timeless tale of love, loss, failure, and redemption for young readers. The Things We Mentioned in this Episode * Cultivate Retreat from Kimberly Phinney | TWBTO * An Axe for the Frozen Sea: Conversations with Poets about What Matters Most by Ben Palpant * A Small Cup of Light: a drink in the desert by Ben Palpant * To Set the World Aflame: How Artists Bear Witness to the Fullness of God’s Creation by W. David O. Taylor * Theo of Golden: A Novel by Allen Levi * Tom’s Crossing: A Novel by Mark Z. Danielewski * A Place of My Own: The Architecture of Daydreams by Michael Pollan * A Rule for the Rest of Us: An Ancient Practice for Making the Daily Decisions that Shape Faithful Lives by Jen Pollock Michel * Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More than They Expect by Will Guidara This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thesecondcup.substack.com/subscribe

  2. Sep 3

    How the Discipline of Lament Deepens Your Delight with Monica Ritchie

    Welcome to Season Three of The Second Cup Podcast! This season we’ll be making the case for delight—and talking about how to make the space for it—even when (especially when!) our circumstances seem inhospitable to the prospect of delighting. I was so excited to welcome my friend Monica Ritchie onto the show for the first episode, on the day of her book release, no less! to talk about spiritual practice of lament. At first glance, it might seem like lament and delight are opposites, but I’m starting to believe more every day that you simply cannot have one without the other. In this episode, Monica and I wrestle with questions like: * Why have we lost the ability to be honest with God about our anger, disappointment, suffering, or struggles? * What’s the difference between delight, joy, and happiness—and what role does lament play in all that? * How do we experience the character of God when we participate in and practice the spiritual disciplines? Some of my favorite moments from this conversation: * “Our pain demands some place for it to land. It’s either going to land on someone else, or your body, or your mental health. But the best and healthiest place for it to go is to the One who can handle it.” * “I don’t have to grind on in chronological time. I can step back and live in Kingdom time.” * “God’s love isn’t going anywhere. You can be fully human in front of Him, and He loves you still.” * “Whenever you engage with God, you experience his character. And when you experience his character, you really get to know him and see that he is good.” What was your favorite part? Let me know in the comments! The book you need to add to your TBR… Fashioned by Faith is a practical guide to the spiritual disciplines—written for those who long for a deeper relationship with God but live in a world engineered to keep them busy, distracted, and satisfied with the surface. Monica Ritchie offers not a list of requirements but an invitation: to slow down, to go deeper, and to discover that a robust, transforming faith is just as available today as it was to generations of Christ followers long before Instacart and Instagram.Inside, you'll find practices and rhythms for growing in intimacy with God, including: * Prayer: moving beyond rote recitation into honest, sustained conversation with God. * Scripture study and meditation: learning to read the Bible not just for information but for formation. * Solitude and silence: creating space to hear from God in a noise-saturated world * Worship, fasting, and Sabbath: rediscovering the rhythms that have shaped the faithful for centuries. * Service and community: the outward practices that root us in something bigger than ourselves. What sets Fashioned by Faith apart is its tone: deeply encouraging, theologically grounded, and never overwhelming. This is not a book that will add guilt to your already-full life. It is a gentle corrective to surface-level faith and the expectation of instant spiritual results, an invitation to invest slowly, deliberately, and joyfully in the relationship that matters most. Let me introduce you to my friend, Monica… I’m Monica Ritchie, a Bible Teacher & Theologian. God called me to go to seminary, so I did! Sitting in my seminary classes, I often wished more people had discussed these things. I wished someone had taught it to me or I had resources easily accessible that did. Now, that’s my passion. To bring biblical scholarship to you and to be your friend that went to seminary so you don’t have to (if you don’t want to). My heart is to bring you genuine faith & theology that you can embody alongside real life. I want to share more about who God is with you SO THAT we can all better love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength! I believe the study of theology is worship. I believe in the saving grace of Jesus Christ, the power of redemption through Him. I believe in the impact of community, words, and love. Life is good when coffee is in hand, and the sun’s warmth is on my skin. My little girls’ giggles make my heart flutter in joy. I get my best ideas while vacuuming and am in constant search for how to best store craft supplies. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thesecondcup.substack.com/subscribe

  3. Jun 24

    God is a Morning Person

    Hi, I’m Deidre! I’m a poet, a theologian in training, an editor, and author of a forthcoming book on the spiritual discipline of delight. Here you’ll find semi-regular essays, poems, and podcast interviews with people who inspire me. I also offer a bi-weekly Office Hour with an Editor for paid subscribers of The Second Cup, and a Nonfiction Book Proposal Cohort to give you the tangible support you need to actually pitch and publish a book (now open to new members!). I’m glad you’re here. I hope you’ll subscribe and stick around. A couple of weeks ago, I wrote this Note: It just struck me that every 24 hours, the day dies, and every morning, God resurrects it again. Life is constantly erupting from the darkness. It seems that all I can think about these days is resurrection, the tenacity of life even in the face of inevitable death. The way that death always comes, but life always follows. God demonstrates this to us in ways we can understand. In the new rising sun. In the daffodils pushing through dirty snow after winter. In his son, rising from the dead. This conversation with Jennifer Dukes Lee only made me more obsessed with the idea that ours is the God of reinvention, of newness and possibility and surprises. Of life, against all odds. We talk about nighttime routines and the joys of breakfast and biphasic sleeping and fresh starts and soul-keeping rituals. It is a delicious and fun conversation, and I hope that now, standing on the edge of summertime, it will give you a sense that resurrection is possible and that God is doing something new, sure as the sun rises every new morning. Jennifer Dukes Lee is a bestselling author, speaker, and morning evangelist from Iowa. She is the author of several books, including Growing Slow, It’s All Under Control, and Stuff I’d Only Tell God. Follow Jennifer on social media @JenniferDukesLee, and order her newest book, How To Love Your Morning, here. NOW ACCEPTING NEW MEMBERS FOR THE NEXT NONFICTION BOOK PROPOSAL COHORT: The Nonfiction Book Proposal Cohort is an 8-week collaborative course that teaches members the ins and outs of: * Which components are required for a nonfiction book proposal, and how to make each of them strong and compelling * How to get the attention of agents and publishers, including how to write queries, reliable strategies for networking, and intentional platform-building * Creating a proposal that supports the actual book-writing process down the road This course uses a flipped classroom approach, which means that members will receive weekly video lessons and assignments through Google Classroom that will be completed outside of class time. During our weekly Zoom meetings, we will use the time to collaborate on each component, generate writing, ask plenty of questions, and interview special guests. At the end of the course, the goal is that all students who have completed the assignments will have their entire book proposal completed and ready to pitch for traditional publishing. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thesecondcup.substack.com/subscribe

  4. 11/26/2025

    Season 02, Episode 08: The Theology of Happiness with Griffin Gooch

    For those who are celebrating this week—Happy Thanksgiving! This conversation is all about books, and happiness, and theology, and juicy tidbits about writing & research. It felt like the perfect companion for your comings and goings. Wish I could eat a slice of pumpkin pie with you! If you’re just arriving here, stick around! Does God actually want us to be happy? That’s what we talk about in this episode. Griffin Gooch has been studying the theology of happiness for years, and is currently working on a book on the topic. And since I’m working on a book about the discipline of delight, how could I not invite him to come nerd out with me over this? In this conversation, we talk about… * the task of the theologian * why great citations are a love language * how to decide what books to read next * Griffin’s top five favorite novels (plus mine!) * what the modern Church has forgotten about happiness, and what the early Christians knew * how rituals can contribute to our overall happiness Listen. Enjoy. Restack. Share with a friend! And if you’re feeling extra generous, would you leave a review of the The Second Cup Show wherever you listen? That really, really helps get the word out. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thesecondcup.substack.com/subscribe

  5. 11/06/2025

    The Courageous & Curious Work of Living a Life in Flux

    “Apathy is informative. And when we get to that point, we have to decide: Are we going to fight to bring that piece of us back that is worth reviving?” That’s what Lindsay Swoboda asks in this interview and in her book, Holding On and Letting Go: A Life in Motion, a memoir about the two decades of military life she experienced alongside her family and husband, a Marine. And what I loved about this memoir—what made it resonate so deeply, even though I have no personal frame of reference for life in the service—is that it required me to look inward, to see my own story, to ask the same question that Lindsay challenged herself throughout: When life is uncomfortable and unexpected, who will I choose to be? In this episode, we talk about: * How to greet discomfort with curiosity rather than fear * The power of rituals to keep us grounded in times of flux * Figuring out what we do have a say in, even when some of life’s circumstances are beyond our control * Finding the courage to surrender to the moment even when it is not as we thought it would be * Discovering beauty even in our most stripped-back seasons This conversation was heartening and also challenging—but in the best, most wonderful way. * Subscribe to Lindsay’s publication, The Eleven O’Clock Number, here on Substack: Lindsay Swoboda * Follow Lindsay on Instagram: @lindsay.swo * And most importantly, find her book here & order a copy for yourself and a copy for a friend: Holding On and Letting Go: A Life in Motion This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thesecondcup.substack.com/subscribe

  6. 06/10/2025

    Season 02, Episode 06: On Why We Need Poetry with Drew Jackson

    Make sure to leave a review after you listen for a chance to win some Poetry is for Rebels apparel! The winner of last episode’s podcast review was a dear listener by the name of Jsteele9! If that’s you—send me a message today and I’ll send YOU a new piece of Poetry is for Rebels swag. Hi, I’m Deidre, the author & host behind The Second Cup. Each week, you can expect one podcast or post around theology, poetry, and the re-enchantment of life. Come on in! Come listen in as poet and theologian Drew Jackson answers my question, “WHY POETRY?” Drew is the author of God Speaks Through Wombs and Touch the Earth, which are collections of poetic dialogue with the Gospel of Luke. On this episode, you can expect to hear: * our hot takes on rural versus city living—and the magic (and hassles) of each * Drew’s thoughtful parallels between the social contexts of Luke and our modern-day world, giving voice to those who know what life is like “on the underside of Empire” * wise words from Rilke, Miles Davis, and more * Drew performing one of his new, not-yet-published poems from his latest collection in progress (plus one of my personal requests from God Speaks Through Wombs!) * a lively dialogue on the importance of “unproductive,” undervalued things (and people!) in our society * something that inspires you to go pick up (or write!) a poetry collection Find more about Drew here: * Order God Speaks Through Wombs and Touch the Earth * Follow him on Instagram * Check out his website Know someone who would LOVE this episode? Go ahead, share it! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thesecondcup.substack.com/subscribe

  7. 05/27/2025

    Season 02, Episode 05: The Art of Remembrance with Emily Curzon

    Hold the phone! Have you left a review yet? Everyone who leaves a review for The Second Cup Show on Spotify or Apple Podcasts gets entered to win some Poetry is for Rebels swag of your choice, so make sure you take a moment to do that and then let me know below in the comments that you have so I don’t miss it. The winner for last episode’s reviews was Becca Shaw! Love theology, poetry, and the daily practice of delight? Subscribe to The Second Cup for a weekly essay, poem, or podcast. Emily Curzon is a writer, a podcaster, a therapist, and friend. She practices the monthly act of remembrance over at her gorgeous publication, We Have This Hope. I adore Emily. You will too. I told her at the end of this conversation that I felt like we’d just had our own little therapy session—except that we also covered important topics like the art of the “napuccino” and the joys of walking with a weighted vest. But truly—you don’t want to miss what Emily has to say about practicing remembrance as a spiritual discipline. She talks about: * How our bodies and brains are wired to remember (Have you read The Body Keeps the Score? A little more on that in this episode.) * The effect that remembrance has on our mental health * Practical tips (yes, even for those of us who don’t have time) for incorporating this practice into our lives Plus, we discuss: * The “novelty effect” and how to slow down time * Practicing the important work of FUN * What you can tell about a person by their coffee order Gosh, this was a fun one. So come give it a listen, smile all the way through, and afterwards—maybe even give the art of remembrance a try. And please, share far and wide! With love, Deidre P.S. If you wanted to tune in to the interview Emily & I did over on HER podcast, We Have This Hope, you can listen to that here: This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thesecondcup.substack.com/subscribe

  8. 05/13/2025

    Season 02, Episode 04: Creativity & Our Mental Health with Blake Roberts & Jamie Haigh

    Welcome to The Second Cup Show! Today, we talk with therapists (and best friends!) Blake Roberts, LMFT and Jamie Haigh, LPC-MHSP of Three Percent Co., a mental health community and podcast that helps men turn emotional walls into deeper relationships. Send this to a friend who would love it! Besides bringing their fascinating insights from their professional lives as therapists, Blake and Jamie offer incredible depth and texture to the conversation around creativity as artists in their own rights. Listen in as we talk about: * creativity as the act of communicating with God * following artistic interests for the sheer delight of it * learning to tell the difference between creating from a place of dysregulation versus a place of security * creative advice from some of our all-time favorite writers and artists (Image Pilgrimage w/ Scott Erickson had so many shoutouts, he might as well have been on the show!) * the benefits of creating with others * connecting with our inner child * learning to treat our inner muse like we would another person Connect with Blake & Jamie on their website and follow them on IG @therapy.with.blake and @jameswilliammusic. And make sure to subscribe to Three Percent Co. before you leave! Make sure to listen & leave a review and—if you know someone else who would LOVE this—send it along, won’t you? Sending love, Deidre This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thesecondcup.substack.com/subscribe

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About

Making peace with being human. thesecondcup.substack.com

Information

  • Creator
    Deidre Braley
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    32
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Deidre Braley
  • Show Website
    The Second Cup Show