The Mockingcast

In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk casinofication, sketch comedy, main character energy, and self-transcendence. Also, RJ yearns to be too small to fail, while Sarah learns her son used to be a light bulb.Click here to listen to the recordings for our recent conference in New York CityClick here to register for the 20th Anniversary NYC Conference (4/15-17/2027)Click here to read Russell Moore's newsletter "Against the Casinofication of the Church"Click here to read the NY Times interview with Bob OdenkirkClick here to read Megan Garber's piece in the Atlantic about The New Age of Performance AnxietyClick here to read Tony Robinson's post on Mbird, "A Self Help Guru Has Second Thoughts"Click here to read McKay Coppins essay in the Atlantic about online gambling, "Sucker"

In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk underachieving parents, hype aversion, and the impassability of God. Also, Dave reconsiders Iron Maiden while Sarah has a run-in at the farmer's market. Click here for more information about this week's Mockingbird Conference in New York City (4/23-25). Click here for more information about our Fall Conference in Minneapolis (10/2-3). Click here to read "Parents, Consider Underachieving" by Rachel Feintzeig in The NY Times.Click here to read about The People Who Shun Super Popular Pop Culture by Anna Holmes in The Atlantic.Click here to watch Nick Cave's interview with Unherd.Click here to read "Lessons from the Hidden Vault of Thomas Kinkade" by Michael Wright on Mbird. Click here to read Richard Beck's substack on The Good News of God's Impassability.

In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk starting a band, the tyranny of metrics, meaning fatigue, and the second most honest day of the (church) year. Also, Dave uncovers an animated conspiracy while Sarah bumps into an alternate timeline.Click here for more information about the upcoming Mbird Conference in NYC (4/23-25), including RJ's pre-conference church renewal seminar. For inquiries about scholarships, email [email protected] here to read "Start a Band, Even If You're Terrible" by Hugo Lindgren.Click here to read (or listen to) Derek Thompson's interview with C. Thi Nguyen about How Metrics Make Us Miserable. Click here to read Ryan Burge's substack about The Big Questions.Click here to read "Every Day Is Holy Saturday" by M Elizabeth Lewis Hall, Kelly Kapic and Jason McMartin on Mbird.

In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk affective forecasting, fantasy literature, workplace mattering, and collapsed demands. Also, a punk rocker gets a miracle bus ticket, and the ice monster comes for our kids. Click here to register for the Spring Mbird Conference in NYC (4/23-25)Click here to listen to Sarah's sermon "I Like Your Dancing", delivered at RJ's church. Click here to read "Most of Us Are Bad at Predicting What Will Make Us Happy" by Ruston Dodd on The Athletic.Click here to read Francis Spufford's defense of fantasy in The Guardian.Click here to read The Up and Up's interview with Jennifer Breheny Wallace about Gen Z and Mattering. Click here to read about "The Three Quarter Life Crisis" by Rob Myallis on Mbird.Click here to read "What Remains When Nothing Can Be Done" by Kyle Wells on Mbird.

In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk face functions, last breaths, cringe churches, and Monkey Jesus. Also, Sarah runs into a teenage witch while RJ survives an iguanapocalypse. This episode is dedicated to the memory of Derek Sweatman. Click here to register for the upcoming NYC Mockingbird conference (4/23-25).Click here to read "Is the Backlash to Facial Conformity Finally Upon Us?" by Valerie Monroe in Allure.Click here to read "Ash Wednesday Asks Nothing" by Jacob Lupfer in Commonweal.Click here to read "A Church of Cringe" by Todd Brewer on Mbird.Click here to read the obituary for Cecilia Giménez in The Economist.

In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk Lieutenant Dan season, holy inconvenience, millennial oversocialization, and playful faith. Also, Sarah buys a rebellious sweatshirt while RJ comes to terms with his inner delivery boy. Click here to watch the toddler yacht rock Dave and Sarah mention Click here to order a copy of the Beauty Issue of The Mockingbird Magazine Click here to register for the NYC Mbird Conference (4/23-25) Click here to read "Lieutenant Dan Season" by Matt Lindeman on Mbird Click here to read "The Ugly Side of the Truth" by Gretchen Ronnevik Click here to read "In 2026, We are Friction-Maxxing" by Kathryn Jezer-Morton in The Cut Click here to read "Oversocialization, the Shackles of the Millennial Generation" by Freddie deBoer Click here to read "Whatever Ails You, the Answer Is Dance" by Boris Fishman in The NY Times Click here to read "Blessed Are the Pickleball Players" by Dave in Christianity Today

Last episode of the year, in which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk Knives Out, self-checkout lines, optional futures, and how not to hate Christmas. Also, Sarah gets a Zippo while heaven and earth meet at an unlikely funeral. Click here to read Dave's review of Knives Out: Wake Up Dead Man on Mbird Click here to read Valerie Trapp's piece in The Atlantic on "The One Line Americans (Weirdly) Choose to Wait In" Click here to "From Option to Obligation" by Paul Skallas in the Lindy Newsletter Click here to read Sarah's "No More Flaccid Christmas Stockings" on Mbird Click here to read David Clay's "How to Not Hate Christmas" on Mbird Click here to read "Faith's Long December" by Kyle Wells on Mbird Click here to watch the performance of "Fairytale of New York" at Shane MacGowan's funeral

In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk advent calendars, perfectionist musicians, interrupting mothers, and the Batman effect. The gang also takes a field trip to an acute mental health ward across the pond. Click here to respond to the opening appeal. Click here to read Ellen Cushing's "Advent Calendars Are Totally Out of Control" in The Atlantic. Click here to read "The Quest for Perfection Is Stunting Our Society" by Jonathan Biss in The NY Times. Click here to read "Can You Stop?" by Heather Havrilesky on Ask Polly Click here for the abstract of the study on The Batman Effect Click here to read William Fagan's article on Mbird, "Advent Has a Purpose (Candle Lighting Isn't It)"

In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk picky eaters, shameless monsters, wartime tragedies, and the uselessness of God. Also, RJ wets the bed (and never looks back). Click here to listen to the recordings from the recent Mbird Conference in Charlottesville, VA. Click here to read "In Defense of Picking Eating" by Irina Dumistrescu on Serious Eats. Click here to read Belle Tindall's piece on Seen and Unseen, "We Needs a Sense of Shame -- But Need Mercy Even More." Click here for more details about the 2026 NYC Mbird Conference (4/23-25). Click here to read "The End of Ed Kochanowski's War" in The Boston Globe. Click here to read "A (Reluctant) Living Testimony" by Amanda Geisinger on Mbird.

In which RJ, Sarah and Dave talk intentional everything, morbid curiosity, Methodist exorcists, and Hollywood epiphanies. Also, Sarah praises her favorite horror film, while the boys gush about Task. Click here to register for our Fall Conference in Charlottesville, VA (11/14&15) Click here to read When Did Everything Become So ‘Intentional’? by Marie Solis in the NY Times Click here to read The Perks of Morbid Curiosity by Coltan Scrivener in The Atlantic Click here to read "Exponents of Falsehood" by Jason Micheli on Mbird Click here to listen to the Mcast episode Sarah mentions, "What Am I Gonna Do About the Demons?" Click here to read the interview with Anthony Hopkins in the NY Times Click here to read "It's a Beautiful Day to Yell at God" by Sarah Condon on Mbird

In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk painless tattoos, workaholic scripts, sloppy social media, and Japanese lifesavers. Also, Sarah gets down with a theater full of fifth graders before singing with church full of Norwegians. Closing music courtesy of Voice of Joy. Click here for more details about -- or to register for -- the Fall Mbird Conference in Charlottesville, VA (11/14&15). Click here to read in the Atlantic about how "People Are Getting Tattoos Under Anesthesia." Click here to watch the short film, Beneath the Ink. Click here to read "If I Work Harder, Will You Love Me?" by Arthur Brooks in the Atlantic. Click here to read "We Are the Slop" by Freya India in the After Babel newsletter. Click here to read Dave's piece "Grace in a Time of Line-Drawing and Statement-Making" on Mbird. Click here to read about "The Pastor Who Rescues People from Japan’s ‘Suicide Cliff’" by Kazusa Okaya in Christianity Today. Click here to find out more about Voice of Joy, the Norwegian gospel choir Sarah mentions who also close the show.

In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk silent retreats, repentant writing, alien mercy, and Hallmark movies. Also, RJ goes Confucian while Dave spitballs a new kind of Dry January. Click here to read Ben Brasch's article "Silent Retreats Are Surging in Popularity" in the Washington Post. Click here to read Lauren Jackson's newsletter on "The Pscyhological Value of Repentance" in the NY Times. Click here to read Sarah's "Grace in an Age of Vengeance" on Mbird. Click here to read Ashley Hales's interview with Elizabeth Bruenig in Christianity Today, "Alien Mercy." Click here to read Elizabeth Bruenig's lengthy essay "Witness" in The Atlantic. Click here to read Matt Metevelis's piece on Mbird "The Gospel Is Not Your Happy Ending." Click here for more information about, or to pre-register for, the Fall Mbird Conference in Charlottesville, VA (Nov 14&15).

In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk predatory advice-giving, suspicious mission statements, unloving algorithms, and atoning physicians. Also, Dave's son wins a big award. Click here to read Russell Shaw's article in the Atlantic, "When Your Kid’s Best Friend Is a Great Big Problem." Click here to read the NY Times interview with Brene Brown. Click here to read NBW's "Sufficiently Suspicious" newsletter. Click here to read "Excuses, Excuses" by Sam Bush on Mbird. Click here to read "A Family Doctor's Search for Salvation" in the New Yorker.

In the season premiere, RJ, Sarah and Dave talk nightmare summers, tween retailers, ethical checklists, and the deadliest addiction of all. We also learn the whole point of Sarah. Click here to read Dave's post on "Lessons from a (Miserable) Summer on Crutches". Click here to read Ellen Cushing's "What Claire's Once Gave Tween Girls" on The Atlantic. Click here to read "The Pain of Perfectionsism" by Leslie Jamison on The New Yorker. Click here to read "Bad Brains" by James Kimmel Jr on Slate. Click here to read "Jesus Doesn't Care When You Wake Up" by Todd Brewer on Mbird. Click here for more details -- or to pre-register -- for the Fall Mockingbird Conference in Charlottesville, VA (Nov 14&15).

Mockingcasters looking for something to listen to while the crew is on summner hiatus, look no further! We're cross-posting the first episode of the new season of our Terrible Parables podcast, "The Hawaiian Shirt Guy at a Wedding" in which long time Mockingbird contributors Cali Yee, Todd Brewer and Bryan Jarrell parse the parable of the Wedding Banquet that Jesus tells in Matthew 22:1-14. Listen to more episodes of Terrible Parables on Spotify Listen to more episodes of Terrible Parables on Apple Click here to order a copy of the Law & Gospel issue of The Mockingbird Magazine

In their last episode before the summer hiatus, RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk afternoon pop-ins, cigarette nostalgia, do-gooder derogation, and rejected generations. Also, RJ watches Cobra Kai while Sarah's son (thankfully) opts not to take over the world. To respond to the opening appeal, visit www.mbird.com/support. Click here to read Patricia Shannon's column, "Let's Bring Back the Lost Art of the Afternoon Visit" in Southern Living Click here to read Vox's Future Perfect newsletter about do-gooder derogation by Sigal Samuel Click here to read David Brooks' article "We Are the Most Rejected Generation" in the NY Times Click here to read "Nepo Babies and the Economy of Grace" by Chris Wachter on Mbird The closing song, used with permission, is "Miracle Service" by Andy Squyres, which you can find on Spotify, YouTube, and Apple

In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk marketing trauma, cultural decline, and the pluses and minuses of the silent treatment. Also, Sarah goes on a date to WalMart, while RJ tries real hard to be the shepherd. Click here to read Ellen Cushing's article "The Brands Are Very Sorry About Your Trauma." Click here to read Is This the Worst-Ever Era of American Pop Culture? by Spencer Kornhaber. Click here to read "Deafening Silence" by Sam Bush on Mbird. Click here to read David Marchese's interview with Ocean Vuong in the NY Times.

In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk Pope Francis, dirty dishes, eternal life, and Dave's new book, The Big Relief. Also, RJ bleeds in the pulpit while Sarah takes us to the alley. Click here to listen to (and watch) Gregory Porter sing "Take Me to the Alley". Click here to read Ellen Cushing's "There Are Two Types of Dishwasher People" in the Atlantic. Click here to read "The Work of Small Talk" from the Oliver Bateman Does the Work substack. Click here to order Dave's book, The Big Relief: The Urgency of Grace for a Worn-Out World. Click here to listen to the interview that RJ mentions (Dave on Give + Take with Scott Jones). Or here to watch it. Click here to read Bryan Jarrell's piece, "Eternal Life Is Not Embarrassing" on Mbird.

In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk comic marriages, unruly kids, brainwashed Christians and Lenten props. Also, RJ recounts his favorite ever baptism while Sarah revises her opinion of frozen margaritas. Click here to register for the NYC Conference. Click here to pre-register Dave's new book, The Big Relief. Click here to read Olga Khazan's article about "What Comedians Know About Staying Married". Click here to watch Conan O'Brien's acceptance speech for the Mark Twain Award. Click here to read "In Praise of Unruly Children in Church" by Phil Christman in The Christian Century. Click here to read "It's Always the Other Side That's Brainwashed" by Nikhil Krishnan in The New Yorker. Click here to read Ben Maddison's article on "The Dangers of Prop Comedy" on Mbird. Episode title courtesy of Jon Guerra's song "Citizens", used with permission.

In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk trend fatigue, athletic nepotism, and toxic preconditions. Also, RJ ponders South Korean babies while Sarah balks at a decision-making expert's decision. Click here to register for the upcoming Mbird Conference in New York City (5/1-3) Click here to read Callie Holtermann's "Too Many Trends!" in The New York Times Click here to read about LeBron James and the Limits of Nepotism in The Atlantic Click here to read Oliver Burkeman's newsletter about "Toxic Preconditions" Click here to read "The Last Decision by the World’s Leading Thinker on Decisions" by Jason Zweig in the Wall Street Journal Click here to read David Clay's "A Mercy Hidden in Judgment"

In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk gracious dermatology, religious resurgence, endemic narcissism, and alto harmonies. Also, Sarah sings some spirituals while RJ watches some cows. Click here to read "Dr Pimple Popper Knows You Can't Look Away" by Eve Peyser Click here to read Ruth Graham's report on how Christianity’s Decline in U.S. Appears to Have Halted in the NY Times Click here to read Tony Robinson's post "Getting Over Ourselves" on Mbird Click here to read NBW's substack "Nobody Is Doing This Right (Except Me)" Click here to read "Singing Myself Back to Life" by Susan Swetnam in Commonweal The closing song is "I See the Birds" by Jon Guerra. Used with permission. Click here to purchase on Apple or here to purchase on Bandcamp, or here to listen on Spotify.

In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk relationship recessions, trustafarian guilt, providential nuns, and revitalized churches. Also, Sarah throws a Galentine's party for the ages. Click here to order a copy of the Holy Spirit issue of The Mockingbird, or here to subscribe to the magazine Click here to register for our upcoming NYC Conference (5/1-3) Click here to read about America's 'Marriage Material' Shortage in The Atlantic Click here to read Elizabeth Callen's piece "Dying Alone?" on Mbird Click here to read New York Magazine's profile of "People With Parents With Money" Click here to read Lawrence Wright's essay about "The Nuns Trying to Save the Women on Texas's Death Row" in The New Yorker Click here to read "Stirring Up Hope" by Paul Zahl on Mbird

In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk attention wars, inner critics, and middle school drama teachers. Also, RJ learns what HALT stands for, while Sarah gets her playdates mixed up. Click here to learn more about (or order!) the Holy Spirit Issue of The Mockingbird Click here to watch_ The Turnaround_ Click here to read "You're Being Aliented From Your Attention" by Chris Hayes Click here to read Rhik Samadder's article about The Ick in The Guardian Click here for "People Lash Out When They're Sad" by Heather Havrilesky, via Ask Polly Click here to read The False Gospel of Our Inner Critic" by Steve Cuss in Christianity Today Click here to read "You Can't Choose Your Grace" by Ben Fort on Mbird

In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk diminished partying, fearful motivations, radical saints, and the difference between spells and prayers. Also, Sarah shares what will happen when all the yards are finally mowed. Click here for more details about our Spring Conference in NYC (5/1-3) Click here to pre-order Dave's new book, The Big Relief Click here to read Oshan Jarow's newsletter about mediation for Vox. Click here to read about Americans Need to Party More by Ellen Cushing in The Atlantic. Click here to read Elizabeth Kolbert's essay in The New Yorker, "Does One Emotion Rule All Our Ethical Judgments?" Click here to read James Parker's piece on "The Saint America Needs Right Now." Click here to read "Spells and Prayers" by Alan Jacobs on Mbird.

In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk peak reviewing, Martha Stewart's redemption, and Vietnamese recovery. Also, Spotify brings Dave full circle while Sarah uncovers a lost monologue from an 80s classic. Click here to read "Whatever You Do, Don't Review This" by Eric Taub in the NY Times. Click here to read Belle Tindall's "What Spotify Wrapped Really Tells Us About Ourselves" on Seen & Unseen. Click here to read Elizabeth Bernstein's column on "The Micropolitics of Family Gift Giving" in the WSJ. Click here to read about "Martha Stewart and the Pursuit of Perfection" on Mbird, courtesy of Sam Bush. Click here to read "Finding Sobriety--and Jesus--in Vietnam's Christian Rehabs" by Angela Lu Fulton in CT. Click here to read Mbird's list of Favorite Christmas Movies. Click here to listen to Sarah C's recent sermon, "The Tragic Gap of Advent." Click here to read the original script for Trains, Planes, and Automobiles. The scene Sarah references is on pages 119-122. Finally, click here to give a yearend gift to Mockingbird. We'll be back in mid-January!

In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk prepositional gratitude, backfiring fatalism, overgrown cemeteries, and lighthearted Advents. Also, RJ expounds on the benefits of bumblefat. Click here to respond to the opening appeal and support Mockingbird this year-end! Click here to read Joshua Rothman's essay in The New Yorker, "Why Is Gratitude So Difficult?" Click here to read Bryan Jarrell's piece for Mbird on "Gold Medal Gratitude". Click here to read Jeneen Interlandi's NY Times op-ed, "We Tire Very Quickly of Being Told Everything's on Fire." Click here to read Cara Buckley's piece about the Rewilding of America's Cemeteries. Click here to watch the Instagram videos of Robin Rosenthal and her family that Sarah mentions. Click here to Garrison Keillor's substack about "Walking to Church On a Cold Day".

In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk post-election uncertainty, grieving non-grandparents, digital self-worth, and the bondage of the will. Also, Dave shares an important new use for q-tips. Click here to read Adam Grant's op-ed in the NY Times, "If You’re Sure How the Next Four Years Will Play Out, I Promise: You’re Wrong". Click here to read Dave's post-election round-up on Mbird. Click here to read Catherine Pearson's article on "The Unspoken Grief of Never Becoming a Grandparent". Click here to read Thea Lim's essay in The Walrus, "The Collapse of Self-Worth in the Digital Age". Click here to read Amy Mantravadi's Mbird column on "(Post-) Election Day Hope". Click here to order a copy of Amy's novel Broken Bonds.

In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk vibes, clutter, high school bullies, and fortunate falls. Also, Sarah contemplates Elvis, while RJ comes to terms with his uncoolness. Click here to read Kyle Edward Williams piece on Vibes in the Hedgehog Review. Click here to read Matt Alt's essay on The Joy of Clutter for Aeon. Click here Simeon Ellin's piece for Buzzfeed about Tracking Down the Girls Who Bullied Her As a Kid. Click here to read Will McDavid's post on Mbird, "Bridesmaids Revisited." Click here to read Karen Swallow Prior's newsletter about George Herbert's shape-poem "Easter Wings."

Recorded in front of an audience in Tyler, TX, Sarah and Dave do their best to explain the What and Why of The Mockingcast. Think of it as a rare peek behind the curtain as well as a perfect jumping on point for new listeners. Also, Sarah spills some serious tea about a presidential funeral.

In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk Michelin stars, friends with money, autonomy traps, and Kristofferson's conversion. Also, Sarah and Dave gush about their favorite poet-priest-prophet-musician-TacoBellObsessive Andy Squyres. Click here to listen to The StoryMakers Podcast. Click here to read The Economist's report on The Curse of the Michelin Star. Click here to read about backfiring wellness iniatives. Click here to read Kristin Wong's article in the The NY Times about financial disparties within friendships. Click here to read James Wood's essay "The Autonomy Trap" in Plough. Click here to read Todd Brewer's "Why Does God Talk So Loud?" on Mbird. Click here to watch Kris Kristofferson relate the story behind "Why Me Lord?"

In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk school drop-off insanity, mindful underparenting, Silicon Valley rationalism, and anorexic recovery. Also, Sarah listens to a parking lot confession, while RJ fails to keep up. This episode is lovingly dedicated to the memory of Everett Lees. Click here to give to the Lees Family Trust. Click here to read about How School Drop-Off Became a Nightmare by Kendra Hurley. Click here to read Darby Saxbe' column in The NY Times, "Parents Should Ignore Their Children More Often." Click here to read Larry Ellison's remarks about AI Cameras Ensuring Good Behavior. Click here to read (or listen to) Ezra Klein's interview with Zadie Smith. Click here to read Lindsay Holifield's piece on Mbird, "When All Else Fails."

In their first episode back, RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk peak loneliness, familial estrangement, and forgiven shoplifters. Also, our new logo/icon debuts, and a pair of Condons learn to surf. Click here for more information about our upcoming event in Tyler, TX (Sept 27&28) Click here to read "Why Is the Loneliness Epidemic So Hard to Cure?" in the NY Times Magazine Click here to order a copy of the Home Issue of The Mockingbird Magazine Click here to read "Why So Many People Are Going “No Contact” with Their Parents" by Anna Russell in The New Yorker Click here to read "Creation Myths" by Linden Smith in The Point Click here to read "The Gospel Isn't For Everyone (But It Is For You)" by Sam Bush on Mockingbird

For Mockingcasters looking for something to listen to while the gang is on hiatus this summer, look no further! We hope you enjoy the first episode of the new season of Mbird's The Brothers Zahl podcast, "Faith". Click here to subscribe or listen to more episodes on Spotify Click here to subscribe or listen to more episodes on Apple Click here to visit the The Brothers Zahl landing page on Fireside Click here to peruse the recommendations and references included in the episode

In their last episode before the summer hiatus, RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk wedding snobbery, tearjerker movies, and secular exorcisms. The gang wish listeners a fruitful unburdening these next few months! If you feel so led, visit www.mbird.com/support to respond to the opening appeal. Click here to read Francesca Carington's article in the The Guardian, "Why Are We So Snobby About Other People's Weddings?" Click here to read Heather Havrilesky's plea in the NY Times to "Bring Back the Tear-Jerker!" Click here to read the head-spinning review of Rober Falconer's The Others Within Us on Astral Codex Ten Click here to listen to Andrew Root's talk from the NYC Mbird Conference Click here to read Elizabeth Callen's Infinite Grace on Mbird Season 3 of The Brothers Zahl kicks off on Monday June 10th! Click here to subscribe.

In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk weight loss drugs, hypochondria, and the hound of heaven. Also, Sarah attends a pool party while Dave fesses up to his inner Christian Scientist. Click here to listen to the recordings of our recent NYC Conference. Click here to watch Jerry Seinfeld's commencement address at Duke. Click here to read "So Was Body Positivity a Big Lie?" by Samhita Mukhopadhyay in The Cut. Click here to read Meghan O'Rourke's "Hypochondria Never Dies" in The Atlantic. Click here to read "Found By the Hound of Heaven" by Lindsay Holifield on Mbird.

Recorded live in front of the audience at Mockingbird's annual conference in NYC, RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk quarter-life crises, parental control, dating types, and the relief of not being God. Also, Dave and RJ finally figure out who won. Click here to read The New Quarter-Life Crisis by Maggie Mertens in The Atlantic. Click here to Kathryn Jezer-Morton's piece on "Parenting Through Control Issues" for The Cut. Click here to read The One Big Thing You Can Do for Your Kids by Arthur Brooks. Click here to read Lillian Fishman's advice column for The Point, asking Can We Ever Trust Ourselves? Click here to read Seven Words That Sum Up the Entire Bible by Anthony Robinson on Mbird.

In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk furniture flipping, rental people, lunar eclipses, and Rwandan redemption. Also, RJ drops some serious science. Click here for more details about next week's Mbird Conference in NYC Click here to read the excerpt from Amanda Montell's new book The Age of Overthinking in Marie Claire Click here to receive Sarah Hinlicky Wilson's newsletter Theology and A Recipe, the most recent installment of which is Bad Pie Click here to read Todd Brewer's piece Looking for Enchantment on Mbird Click here to read Denise Uwimana's "How Far Does Forgiveness Reach?" in Plough

In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk elephant mudslides, liquid death, Alzheimers, and atonement. It's an instant classic! Click here to register for the NYC Conference (April 25-27). To reserve a spot for the James Tissot exhibit, email [email protected] ASAP. Click here to read Sallie Tisdale's piece in The Atlantic, "Do Animals Have Fun?" Click here to read Jacob Stern's article on how Of Course America Fell for Liquid Death. Click here to read The Case Against the Instant Classic by Sam Bush on Mbird. Click here to read the (first three quarters of) of the Garrison Keillor's blog entry that Sarah quotes. Click here to read Jen Pollock Michel's Mbird essay "The Long Lent of Alzheimers." Click here to read "God's Forgiveness Is Costly" by Emil Brunner on Plough.

In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk interpersonal dislikes, luxury beliefs, and Roman revenge. Also, polyamory. Click here to read the Ask Polly newsletter, "It's Not a Moral Failure to Dislike Someone" by Heather Havrilesky Click here to read Rob Henderson's op-ed in the Wall Street Journal "Luxury Beliefs That Only the Privileged Can Afford." Click here to Ash French's review of The Book of Clarence in Salon. Click here to read Meaghan Ritchey's interview with James K.A. Smith on Mockingbird. Click here to order your copy of the Mystery Issue of our magazine (where you can read the sermon Dave references)!

In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk rainy days, mean girls, and the strange blessing of Parkinson's. Also, the boys learn an important lesson about temperature. Click here to order a copy of The Mystery Issue of The Mockingbird Magazine. And here for more details about our upcoming NYC Conference (4/25-27). Click here to read about Rod Rosenbladt and the Gospel for Those Broken by the Church Click here to read Gilad Edelman's piece on The Best Small-Talk Topic in the Atlantic Click here to read Jessica Bennett's piece on Mean Girls in the NY Times Click here to read This Enchanted Universe by Ben Self Click here to read Jordan Griesbeck's review of the Michael J Fox documentary, Still

In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk core memories, superegos, uncool churchgoers, and revenge vampires. Also, Dave sights a celebrity while Sarah dials up some French-Canadian cartoons. Oh, and the gang flips out over Fargo! Click here for more information, or to pre-register for our NYC Conference (4/25-27). Click here to read Kathryn Jezer-Morton's newsletter on "Why Are Parents So Fixated on Core Memories?" Click here to read Michael Roth's review of Mark Edmundson's book in The Washington Post, "What Would Freud Say About Our Online Lives?" Click here to read Russell Moore's piece on "Grace in the Age of Guilt" in Christianity Today. Click here to read Mary Harrington's newsletter, "You Need to Be Cringemaxxing." Click here to read Sarah's Mbird post on Revenge Vampires.

In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk Tetris, youth groups, paganism, and magi interlopers. Also, Dave plays some bingo while RJ questions the wisdom of the buddymoon. Click here to read Angela Watercutter's piece on Why Everyone Is Obsessed With the Kid Who Beat Tetris in Wired. Click here to read Karen Heller's essay, "Fun Is Dead" in the Washington Post. Click here to read "The Return of the Pagans" by David Wolpe in The Atlantic. Click here to read Derek Sweatman's reflection on "Why the Magi Matter" on Mbird.

In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk top words, millennial motherhoods, cancerous insights, and sad Christmases. Everyone also gives a few recs from the year gone by. Click here to read about Mirieam-Webster's word of the year. Click here to read about Oxford's. Click here to read Jordan Griesbeck's post on Mbird, "Thou Shalt Have a Thing." Click here to read Rachel Cohen's essay for Vox, “How Millennials Learned to Dread Motherhood.” Click here to read Josh Jeter's interview with Christian Wiman on Christianity Today. Click here to read Sarah's article, "Put the Sad Back in Christmas." The closing song is "Medium Christmas" by Caroline Fowler and is included with permission.

In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk passive aggression, teenage misery, jazz flute comebacks, and wartime prayers. Also, Sarah celebrates Wally Moon day while Dave declares the worst of the meats. [Click here](www.mbird.com/support) to respond to the opening appeal. We need your support! Click here to read Josh Cohen's essay on Passive Aggression in 1843 Magazine. Click here to read Zadie Smith's piece, The Fall of My Teen-Age Self in The New Yorker. Click here to read Blake Nail's Mbird article on "André 3000’s Flute in the Midst of Loudness". Click here to read the interview with Phil Klay in the NY Times Magazine, "Finding a Moral Center in this Era of War."

In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk eldest daughters, crypto parents, and a pair of awe-inspiring conversions. Also, Dave binges some Curb while Sarah discloses the worst thing someone said to her in the early days of grief. Click here to read Sarah Sloat's piece on The Plight of the Eldest Daughter in The Atlantic. Click here to read Katie Roiphe's WSJ essay on "Why Are We So Obsessed with Sam Bankman-Fried's Parents?" Click here to listen to Simeon Zahl's talk from Minneapolis, "The World Is a Hospital". Click here to read the review of Dachner Keltner's book, Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform You Life in The Guardian. Click here to read about Kat von D's conversion. And click here to watch the video of her baptism. Click here to read Ayaan Hirsi Ali's column, "Why I Am Now a Christian" on UnHerd.

In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk canine anxiety, celebrity memoirs, and dispensaries (of grace). Also, Sarah prays for high waistlines while RJ uncovers a stroller conspiracy. Click here to read Rose Horowich's "Too Many People Own Dogs" in The Atlantic. Click here to read Patti Davis's column in the NY Times, "Matthew Perry and the Loneliness of Addiction." Click here to order a copy of John Z's Grace in Addiction, published by Mockingbird. Click here to read Spencer Kornhaber's review of Britney Spears's new memoir. Click here to read Corinne Purtill's profile of Robert Sapolsky in The LA Times. Click here to read Matthew Sitman's essay on Muddling Through that he references in the Know Your Enemy clip (used with permission).

In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk oral hygiene, couples' conflicts, and the Minnesota board of pardons. Also, the gang finally explains the show's name. Click here to Adam Mastroianni's piece on "Do I Have to Keep Flossing?" Click here to read the interview with Esther Perel about the 3 Things Every Couple Fights About. Click here to read Dan Barry's profile of the Minnesota Board of Pardons (and view the incredible photos by Todd Heisler). Click here to read Dave's post, "Doormats Are Holy." Click here to read about "God's Compassionate Indifference to Sinners" by Todd Brewer.

In which RJ, Sarah and Dave talk astrology, masculinity, and minor league saints. Also, a certain Scorpio experiences the opposite of good will on a visit to Good Will. Click here to read the Reductress article "Why I Don’t Believe in Astrology Unless It Reaffirms Something I Already Thought." Click here to read Christine Emba's essay "Men Are Lost. Here's a Map Out of the Wilderness" in the Washington Post. Click here to read Caitlin Flanagan's "In Praise of Heroic Masculinity" in The Atlantic. Click here to read "Why Baseball Doc ‘Saint of Second Chances’ Is Making Grown Men Cry" by Nick Schager in The Daily Beast. Click here to read Katelyn Beaty's essay "Mercy Begets Mercy" in The Mockingbird. Click here to read Andy Squyres's devotion "I Saw God".

In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk mission trips, mistaken restaurant orders, Indian toilets, and toxic achievement culture. Also, RJ pines for Portugal while Sarah considers turning off the radio (but doesn't). Click here to learn more about Mbird's upcoming Minneapolis conference (9/29-30). Click here to read Joshua Musser Gritter's piece Why I Love Short-Term Mission Trips. Click here to read Forbes's article on The Restaurant of Mistaken Orders. Click here for more details on Mary Cail's new book, Dementia and The Church. Click here to read The Economist's obituary for Bindeshwar Pathak. Hypocrisy Click here to read the interview with Jennifer Breheny Wallace in The Harvard Gazette. Click here to read Dave's post about Advertising Your Hypocrisy. The devotion discussed at the end of the cast, written by Melina Smith of Storymakers, is taken from the upcoming devotional edited by Katie Koplin and published by 1517 Press, Encouragement for Motherhood. It comes out in Spring of 2024.

Back from their summer hiatus, RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk tourism, punctuality, Swiftie conferences, and the new old age. Also, RJ remembers the elephant butte while Sarah plays the food game. Click here to read Agnes Callard's "The Case Against Travel" in The New Yorker Click here to read Sam Bush's post on the Ethics of Being Late Click here to read David Brooks' essay on "The New Old Age" in The Atlantic Click here to read the Robert Capon quote that Sarah references (from The Supper of the Lamb) Click here to read Dianne Collard's testimony, "When the Words Become True", taken from the Mercy Issue of The Mockingbird Magazine Click here to subscribe to The Mockingbird Magazine