Plain Values Podcast

Plain Values
  • 4.9 (19)
  • Relationships
  • Updated Weekly

The most inspiring and heartfelt podcasts you’ll ever listen to. Hosted by Plain Values magazine Publisher Marlin Miller, he regularly interviews the people with the stories, wisdom, and advice we all need to hear.

  1. EP #43 - A Lifetime of Radio Broadcasting, Faith, and Family w/ Mark Zimmerman

    3d ago

    EP #43 - A Lifetime of Radio Broadcasting, Faith, and Family w/ Mark Zimmerman

    In this episode of the Plain Values Podcast, Marlin Miller sits down with longtime broadcaster Mark Zimmerman to explore his journey from growing up in Northeast Ohio to a rich career in radio and storytelling. Mark spent his early years in Cleveland Heights before moving at age six to Geauga County in Amish country. At Bowling Green State University, he became the university mascot Freddie Falcon his junior year, an experience that taught him perseverance, work ethic, and leadership. He co-created the popular “Insomniac Half Hour” radio show, which grew into a live hour-long production, helping launch his broadcasting path. Mark spent many years hosting the beloved Children’s Radio Funhouse on WCRF, bringing joy, music, and encouragement to families every Saturday morning. He also worked in advertising and did play-by-play for baseball and hockey. He shares how mentors shaped him and reflects on the lessons learned from both successes and challenges. Now transitioning from daily morning drive radio, Mark looks forward to more time with his wife Wendy, their daughters, and grandchildren. He has already published a novel titled Eli, a story set during the 1946 baseball season, and is working on his next book, Fifth String. Throughout the conversation, Mark’s warmth, humor, and gratitude for God’s faithfulness shine through. His life reminds us that our gifts, whether on the air or in everyday service, can be used in beautiful ways when placed in God’s hands. This conversation encapsulates what we hope to do here with the Plain Values Podcast, telling stories that matter and bring us closer to the table. If this conversation filled your coffee cup, we would humbly invite you to leave a thoughtful comment below and please, don’t be shy… the Like and Subscribe buttons help more friends find this episode.  We’re always looking for more friends. Learn more about Plain Values at https://plainvalues.com

    1h 19m

  2. 5d ago

    Minute with Marlin EP #7 - One Penny Postage!

    We’ve been printing and mailing Plain Values for a long time using the postal system… and Marlin loves it. It’s expensive, but it’s great. In this charming Minute with Marlin, he shares a fascinating bit of postal history: the system began in 1775, before the Revolutionary War. Back then, the recipient paid the one-penny postage, not the sender. There was also an 11-pound weight limit. People took full advantage of that limit in creative (and sometimes hilarious) ways— including documented cases of parents mailing their children to grandparents! These short, heartfelt Minutes with Marlin deliver quick moments of wisdom, faith, humility, and encouragement… perfect for busy homestead days when we need a gentle reminder of what really matters. Learn more about Plain Values at https://plainvalues.com

    1 min
  3. EP #42 - From Foster Care to Ukraine, One Yes at a Time w/ Jed Johnson

    Jun 12

    EP #42 - From Foster Care to Ukraine, One Yes at a Time w/ Jed Johnson

    In this episode of the Plain Values Podcast, Marlin Miller sits down with Jed Johnson, founder of Wide Awake International, to hear how God led one ordinary family from Alaska to the front lines of caring for boys with disabilities in Ukraine. Jed grew up as a pastor’s kid in Alaska. When he was six, his father suffered a devastating double stroke. Life changed dramatically.  The strong, adventurous dad became someone who had to relearn almost everything. The family moved to Montana, faced financial hardship, and leaned deeply on faith. Those early years taught Jed resilience, compassion, and the reality that God is present even when life is hard. As an adult, Jed met his wife Kim, a nurse whose childhood dream was to care for orphans. Together they became foster parents to medically fragile babies while serving in their local church. Then God began stirring their hearts toward Ukraine. What started as an adoption attempt in 2010 eventually led them to move their entire family there in 2013, right before the revolution. Jed and Kim have walked alongside boys like Boris, Anton, and Ruslan… young men who came from institutions carrying deep trauma. The work has been incredibly difficult: sleepless nights, aggression, medical needs, and the daily challenge of replacing years of harm with consistent love and safety. Through it all, Jed emphasizes one simple strategy God gave him: “Put one foot in front of the other and say yes to the next thing.” Today their homestead outside Kiev includes a garden, horses for therapy, and a growing community of Ukrainians carrying the work forward. Jed’s story is a beautiful reminder that obedience often looks like small, faithful steps into the unknown… and God meets us there. This conversation encapsulates what we hope to do here with the Plain Values Podcast, telling stories that matter and bring us closer to the table. If this conversation filled your coffee cup, we would humbly invite you to leave a thoughtful comment below and please, don’t be sh … the Like and Subscribe buttons help more friends find this episode.  We’re always looking for more friends. Find out more about Jed at: https://wideawakeinternational.org Learn more about Plain Values at https://plainvalues.com

    1h 38m

  4. Jun 9

    Minute with Marlin Ep #6 - I Can Hardly Wait

    In 1929, at the very beginning of the Great Depression, a man named Albert Brumley sat down in the northwest corner of Arkansas and wrote a song called “I’ll Fly Away.” It wasn’t published until 1932, but that simple hymn has since become the most recorded gospel song in history. Brumley went on to write over 800 songs, yet “I’ll Fly Away” remains one of the most beloved of all time. Marlin shares that it is easily one of his top one or two favorite hymns. When his time comes to fly home, he’s asked his wife to make sure one thing happens at his funeral. These short, heartfelt Minutes with Marlin deliver quick moments of wisdom, faith, humility, and encouragement—perfect for busy homestead days when we need a gentle reminder of what really matters. Learn more about Plain Values at https://plainvalues.com

    1 min
  5. EP #41 - From Refugee Roots to a Regenerative Homestead w/ Sophia Eng | Plain Values

    Jun 5

    EP #41 - From Refugee Roots to a Regenerative Homestead w/ Sophia Eng | Plain Values

    In this episode of The Plain Values Podcast… Sophia Eng shares her family’s journey from Vietnamese refugee roots to a thriving 40-acre regenerative homestead in East Tennessee.  With a military husband and two daughters, Sophia’s parents (boat people who fled Saigon) lived with them, creating a multi-generational home rich in tradition, work ethic, and faith. When lockdowns hit California in 2020, Sophia’s intuition (shaped by her parents’ stories of curfews and uncertainty) told her it was time to leave. They sold everything, loaded their animals (including three $300 egg-laying hens bought in a moment of urgency), and followed a leading to Tennessee, where green grass and community awaited. Today their homestead includes dairy and beef cattle, sheep, poultry, and gardens. Sophia’s books preserve family recipes and traditional fermentation while teaching soil health, Korean natural farming, and biochar.  Sophia reflects on the pressure of Asian-American success metrics and how she and her husband chose a different path, one of soil, community, and faithfulness. Through every challenge, they return to the truth that God provides and that hard things often produce the sweetest fruit. A beautiful reminder that legacy isn’t built in boardrooms but in backyard gardens, kitchen ferments, and multi-generational tables. If this conversation filled your coffee cup, we would humbly invite you to leave a thoughtful comment below and please, don’t be shy … the Like and Subscribe buttons help more friends find this episode.  We’re always looking for more friends. Learn more about Plain Values at https://plainvalues.com

    1 hr

  6. Jun 2

    Minute with Marlin EP #5 - God Moves in a Mysterious Way

    There are seasons when life brings deep, hard things … the loss of a spouse, the burial of a child, a long-term disability, or seasons of uncertainty and anxiety where God feels distant and silent. In this moving episode, Marlin shares the power of an old hymn written by William Cowper in 1779, “God Moves in a Mysterious Way.” The lyrics speak straight to the heart: “God moves in a mysterious way, His wonders to perform… Behind a frowning providence He hides a smiling face.” Marlin reminds us that even when we cannot see or understand what God is doing, we can trust His sovereign, never-failing skill.  These short, heartfelt Minutes with Marlin deliver quick moments of wisdom, faith, humility, and encouragement—perfect for busy homestead days when we need a gentle reminder of what really matters. Learn more about Plain Values at https://plainvalues.com

    2 min
  7. EP #40 - Building a Family and a Legacy of Generosity w/ Derek & Lisa Guyer

    May 29

    EP #40 - Building a Family and a Legacy of Generosity w/ Derek & Lisa Guyer

    In this episode of The Plain Values Podcast … Some people build businesses. Others build lives that point to something greater. In this powerful conversation, Derek and Lisa Guyer share the raw, beautiful story of their journey; from financial brokenness and a tiny two-bedroom home with six kids in one room, to owning and transforming Kentucky Lumber into a place of integrity, character, and genuine care. Derek openly talks about the early failures, the lessons learned from his parents, and the deliberate choice to create a company culture where employees feel safe, customers are treated like family, and tough love meets real respect. At the center of it all is their deep commitment to fostering and adopting children from hard places. Derek describes the chaos, the screaming, the fear… and the unwavering decision to be the safe place these kids desperately need. Through every trial, financial stress, loss, and the daily grind, they return to the same truth: generosity matters most when it’s hardest. If this conversation filled your coffee cup, we would humbly invite you to leave a thoughtful comment below and please, don’t be shy … the Like and Subscribe buttons help more friends find this episode.  We’re always looking for more friends. Learn more about Plain Values at https://plainvalues.com

    1h 5m

  8. May 26

    Minute with Marlin EP #4 - Put Down the Screen and Pick Up a Real Book

    Marlin has always loved the simple, sensory pleasure of holding a real book or magazine; the feel of the paper, the weight in his hands.  In this episode, he reflects on how rare and precious books once were in the Middle Ages, when monks painstakingly copied them by hand. Then Gutenberg’s printing press changed everything by giving “wings to truth.” He beautifully connects this to God’s own design: trees become paper, language becomes Scripture, and the written word allows divine truth to spread across generations. These short, heartfelt Minutes with Marlin deliver quick moments of wisdom, faith, humility, and encouragement—perfect for busy homestead days when we need a gentle reminder of what really matters. Learn more about Plain Values at https://plainvalues.com

    2 min
See All (50)

Ratings & Reviews

4.9
out of 5
19 Ratings

About

The most inspiring and heartfelt podcasts you’ll ever listen to. Hosted by Plain Values magazine Publisher Marlin Miller, he regularly interviews the people with the stories, wisdom, and advice we all need to hear.

Information

  • Creator
    Plain Values
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    50
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Plain Values
  • Show Website
    Plain Values Podcast

You Might Also Like