Plain Values Podcast

Plain Values

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. 4d ago

    EP #54 - The Long and Beautiful Arc of Adoption Support with Larry Yoder | Plain Values

    In this episode of the Plain Values Podcast, Marlin continues his conversation with Larry from Pure Gift of God. What began as a simple fundraising and mentoring effort in 2013 has grown into something far deeper… therapy services, TBRI training, family support groups, and practical help for adoptive and foster families who refuse to walk alone. Larry shares how the hard parts of adoption rarely end when the paperwork is signed. Ongoing struggles surface, and Pure Gift responded by building a therapy center and bringing in trusted practitioners. Larry explains how trauma rewires a child’s brain and why traditional discipline often fails. The work is not about fixing kids with a magic tool. It is about helping parents understand the need behind the behavior, lower unrealistic expectations, and raise their acceptance.  He is honest: even those who know the principles still only get it right part of the time. Grace is required on every side. They talk about the loneliness many families feel, the weight on marriages, and the simple ways the wider community can show up (meals, respite, laundry, presence) without waiting to be asked. Larry’s dream is larger still: more space, educator training, and a community strong enough that fewer children age out without a family. The work is hard. The timeline is long. But the God who provides is still working on our behalf. Learn more about Plain Values at https://plainvalues.com Timestamps:   0:00 - Introduction 3:55 - Relying on God's Provision 12:26 - Funding the Mission 16:27 - What is TBRI? 23:50 - All Behavior is Explained With Enough Information 36:54 - Larry's Favorite Story 50:55 - Finding Healing by Lowering the Mask 1:03:07 - Remove the Pedestal 1:09:37 - The Fall Festival at Walnut Creek 🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹 🤝THIS EPISODE’S PREMIERE SPONSOR: Rustic StrengthRustic Strength is the real deal. This hardworking family-owned company in Missouri makes high-quality, non-toxic laundry, home, and body care products in small batches… completely free from harsh chemicals, dyes, and synthetic junk you don’t want around your family.Learn more: https://rusticstrength.com/ 🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹 🤝THIS EPISODE’S FEATURED SPONSOR: Azure StandardOur friends at Azure Standard have been quietly setting the standard for clean, wholesome food since the 1970s. Family-owned and values-driven, they make it simple to fill your pantry with organic, non-GMO groceries, bulk staples, and household essentials delivered straight to your door or a convenient local drop point.Learn more: https://www.azurestandard.com 🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹 🤝THIS EPISODE’S FEATURED SPONSOR: Invited: Collection 001 If you're craving stories that restore faith in hard times, Invited: Collection 001 is a handpicked "best of" from Plain Values magazine… uplifting accounts of triumph, simple joys, adoption beauty, homesteading wisdom, and gospel-centered living. Learn more: https://homesteadliving.com/invited-collection-001/ 🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹 A great way to show support is to hit LIKE / SUBSCRIBE on this video, and most importantly, join the conversation in the COMMENTS below. We’d love to hear from you. 👉We have a beautiful magazine called Plain Values, sent quarterly ($49/year): https://plainvalues.com/pv-magazine-yt👉To receive our FREE Plain Values emails: https://plainvalues.com/👉To find us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/plainvalues/👉To find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/plainvalues/ 🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹 In 2023, we joined forces with Homestead Living. There’s some pretty cool stuff going on there, as well. 👉To subscribe to our stunning Homestead Living magazine ($49/year): https://hmln.co/hlm-pvp-yt👉To receive our FREE Homestead Living emails: https://homesteadliving.com/👉To find us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/homesteadlivingmagazine/👉To find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/homesteadlivingmagazine 🎵All music by Sam Burchfield (intro)Sam Burchfield - Hold My HandRecorded Live - Plain Values - Winesburg, OHLearn more about Sam: https://www.samburchfield.com/T0ZPMSFJ7VLMSCN8

    EP #54 - The Long and Beautiful Arc of Adoption Support with Larry Yoder | Plain Values
  2. Aug 28

    EP #53 - Grace, Storytelling & the God Who Still Writes | Plain Values

    In this episode of the Plain Values Podcast, Marlin sits down with Chris Slaten (better known as Son of Laughter) a Chattanooga musician, English literature teacher, husband to Lindsay, and father of three. What unfolds is a rich, unhurried conversation about art, grace, storytelling, and the quiet work of faithfulness. Chris traces the origin of his stage name to Sally Lloyd-Jones’s Jesus Storybook Bible and the story of Isaac: the child born in spite of his parents’ cynical laughter, a pattern that runs throughout Scripture of God creating beauty and new life out of human doubt.  That same tension fuels his music. Christian artists, he notes, get to work on the broadest possible palette… more cynical about the human condition than Quentin Tarantino, yet more hopeful than Walt Disney. The conversation ranges widely: the slow, repetitive craft of songwriting; the joy of discovering intricate patterns in literature (and in Genesis) with high-school students; the humility of realizing how little we know; and the invitation to rest in a God who sees us in secret. Chris shares about a long-gestating musical on the life of Jacob, a character whose depths and heights perfectly embody the complicated canvas of grace. Whether you’re a parent, a teacher, an artist, or simply someone carrying more than you can manage, this episode offers the steady reminder that the story is not over. The day’s demands are for bigger hands. The God who sings over His people is still writing, and still inviting us into the secret meeting under the blanket of His attention. Learn more about Plain Values at https://plainvalues.com

    EP #53 - Grace, Storytelling & the God Who Still Writes | Plain Values
  3. Aug 21

    EP #52 - Ernie Hershberger: From Chicken House to The Met

    In this episode of The Plain Values Podcast…  Some stories remind us that humble beginnings and faithful stewardship can lead to extraordinary places. Ernie Hershberger grew up the oldest of eight in Walnut Creek, Ohio. His dad was a mechanic, and Ernie followed him into the shop, learning the craft of building from raw lumber.  In 1990, he and his wife Barb took a leap and opened a small furniture store in what used to be a chicken house in Mount Hope. What started as a simple desire to serve customers well soon grew into something much larger.  Today, Homestead Furniture is known for building truly custom, American-made pieces, while Abner Henry has taken Ernie’s work into the world of high-end design, including a major collaboration with the Metropolitan Museum of Art. In this wide-ranging conversation, Ernie opens up about the long, sometimes brutal journey of learning to lead a team, the spiritual discipline of letting go of self, and why he doesn’t believe in setting goals.  He shares how he’s learned to create “data compartments” in his day (protecting time for family, church, and rest) and how the same principles of stewardship and servant leadership apply to business, family, and faith. Whether you’re running a business, raising a family, or simply trying to live with purpose, Ernie’s quiet wisdom offers a powerful reminder: success isn’t about reaching a finish line… it’s about faithfully stewarding the talent God has given you, one faithful step at a time. 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 Ernie Hershberger at homesteadfurniture.com. Learn more about Plain Values at plainvalues.com.

    EP #52 - Ernie Hershberger: From Chicken House to The Met
4.9
out of 5
21 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.

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