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Every time I’ve come to write this, I’ve found myself stymied. Blocked. Thwarted by paralyzing indecision. This is unlike me. I’m a woman of many words. Quite a few people have lived to regret benignly mentioning birds or the Norman invasion or, heaven forbid, regulatory systems for energy monopolies, while in my presence. But here’s the thing. Because of things like work flow and not wanting Julie to be annoyed with me, I have to write this before the midterm election, but

Former U.S. diplomat Matthew Tueller joins Jen and Patrick to go through a wide-ranging reflection on peace, public service, and the hard moral questions raised by scripture and conflict. He explains how his years in the Middle East shaped his understanding of common ground, truth-telling, and the limits of power. They review Jonah and Zechariah to explore how ancient texts speak to modern peacemaking, forgiveness, and the discipline of seeing enemies as fully human.

“Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well.” A woman from Samaria came to draw water and Jesus asked her for a drink. In the exchange that followed, Christ taught her: “Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.” (John 4:6-10) I am fascinated with water. Maybe

A lame-duck session is when Congress convenes after an election but before the newly elected Congress members take office. As with a lame-duck president, a lame-duck Congress can use this time as a last chance to change or secure legislation.

As we advocate for our government to keep just treaties with integrity, we promote peace, trust, and stability. The U.S. government has a responsibility to abide by its international agreements — from economic and trade commitments to ceasefires or peace treaties.

A free and fair election means three key things: 1. Voters have the right to choose their candidate or party without fear or intimidation. 2. Every vote is counted. 3. All political parties are allowed to campaign.

Several months ago, I was in New York City and visited the Eldridge Street Synagogue on the Lower East Side. It was the first building built to be a synagogue in the United States. Trying to fit in as much as possible, it was a quick stop before our scheduled tickets at another museum. A local Jewish tour guide guided us through the museum on the lower level where we learned about Jews coming over from Eastern Europe after facing persecution. With musicals ever present in my

Carri Hulet and Christopher Palmer join Jen and Patrick to explore how peace is formed in the realities of ward life, where people are covenanted together, differences are unavoidable, and conflict can either fracture trust or deepen belonging. In this episode, they unpack the tension between avoiding contention and engaging honestly, especially in doctrinal, relational, and leadership settings. They also share practical ways leaders and members can allow people feel heard an

It's fall again, which means, among other things, I'm planning costumes. Costco is the unfortunate mixture of Christmas lights and oversized skeletons. And we have thrifted a pumpkin carving kit to use tomorrow. Halloween is a very strange holiday, useful primarily for keeping kids up too late, stuffing them too full of sweets, and packaging them in polyester costumes (usually a little too large in the sleeves). Shortly before my first child was born, my husband and I visited

This year my family has had the unique opportunity to ponder what it means to be healed. Our 20-year-old son, Mattie, has profound disabilities that require full care, including cerebral palsy, epilepsy, and blindness. In 2024 he became very violent towards himself and my husband and me. For two years, it was a daily struggle to bathe him, dress him, feed him — and keep him and us safe. Many times, we were unsuccessful in that effort, and the physical scars borne by all three

In this episode we're sharing Patrick Mason’s workshop at the Restore event hosted by Faith Matters in Sept. 2026. He explains why conflict is normal, why contention is different from conflict, and how to start building a peacemaking toolkit instead of avoiding hard conversations altogether. Patrick invites listeners to think about one real conflict in their own life and begin with the first small step. The focus is not on solving everything at once, but on learning what mak

"And now behold, I ask of you, my brethren of the church, have ye spiritually been born of God? Have ye received his image in your countenances? Have ye experienced this mighty change in your hearts?" (Alma 5:14) I love talking about hearts! The scriptures are FULL of heart references: a willing heart, a broken heart, a pure heart, a childlike heart, a proud heart. My dad taught Seminary and Institute for over 30 years and if you had had him, you would’ve heard him talk abo

Bethany Brady Spalding joins Jen and Patrick to explore the story of the daughters of Zelophehad in Numbers 27 and what it teaches about peaceful problem-solving, courageous advocacy, and collaborative leadership. The conversation centers on how asking a thoughtful question, offering a solution, and trusting the process can help change systems without defaulting to anger or conflict.

Let’s explore the science, risks, and benefits of nuclear power. About 10% of U.S. power is generated by 96 operating nuclear reactors in 28 states. And the incentives for building more nuclear power facilities are increasing. However, it is important to gather all the evidence on both the risks and the possibilities of nuclear power before advocating for or against its expansion as a viable energy source.

I recently reread a General Conference address by Elder Brik V. Eyre and was struck by this statement: “While our Heavenly Father consistently and lovingly reminds us that we are His children, the adversary will always try to label us by our weaknesses.” It reminded me of my own college commencement experience. I graduated from BYU in the late 1990s and the commencement speaker was a distinguished and accomplished journalist and author. According to my memory, his address was

Recently, due to a medical issue, I spent over a week unable to see. Suddenly, and without warning, I lost a lot of vision in my right eye, and there was the potential that some — or all — of the loss might be permanent. As I worked with medical professionals to find a path forward, I left every visit reeling with the possible loss of activities and opportunities that only a few days before were part of my daily existence. But then things got worse! On the post-surgery path

Family detention centers are holding facilities for children or entire families who have been either arrested or detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) while awaiting asylum or immigration proceedings. People may be arrested at the border or while living anywhere within the U.S. and taken to a facility until immigration law enforcement or court proceedings determine next steps.

Last Sunday, I was teaching Relief Society when we read Helaman 5:12. I asked if anyone had an example of what it looked like to have such a strong foundation in Christ that the hail and mighty winds–shafts in the whirlwind even! — were powerless to drag them down. I wasn’t prepared for the story that followed. A sister in her 70s raised her hand and shared that she bought a DNA kit last year to learn more about her ancestry. (You might guess where this is going.) She learned

Emma Addams joins Jen and Patrick to explore the themes of peace, defiance, and civic engagement through the lens of the biblical stories of Vashti and Esther. They discuss how personal definitions of peace can shape one's actions and the implications of defiance in a patriarchal society. The conversation delves into the complexities of navigating power dynamics, the different theories of change, and the strategic use of managed compliance in effecting social change.

I took my senior capstone course with Kim Johnson on the devotional lyric, and one of our earliest units was reading through all 150 Psalms in less than a week. It was mind-boggling for me. I had read pieces of Psalms, but never the whole set all at once. What struck me most was how contradictory they felt. How wide and various the range of emotions I found in them. And, in fact, the largest hunk (apparently scholars estimate almost one in three) were lament psalms, prayer po