All posts by Christy Isinger

FoC 188: The Final Episode

Well, friends, all good things must come to an end. After eight (8!) wonderful years of co-hosting this podcast for you, we’ve decided to call it a day and offer a fond farewell to a project that has brought us so much joy.

In this episode we’re sharing about how we got started podcasting together, how things have changed (from podcasting while our little babies napped to new seasons of life with big kids), and how special this endeavor has been for both of us. We’re sad to say goodbye to our listeners who have made our efforts so worth it. We’re proud of almost two hundred episodes that we hope you found uplifting, interesting, and encouraging (or at least entertaining!). We share about all that this podcast has brought to our lives. Thank you so much for being a part of it!

And of course, we’d love to stay in touch with you!

We’ll still be keeping The Fountains of Carrots Raspberry Cordial Social Club on Facebook alive (as long as everyone behaves with the utmost decorum) so if you’d like to join 4,900+ other FoC listeners in good conversations, then come on over. It’s your direct line to some fantastic folks who also care about faith, culture, books, and whatever our current masterpiece theatre craze might be!

And you’ll find us on (some) social media and definitely writing on Substack (links below)

Connect with Haley on Instagram and her free Substack newsletter

Connect with Christy on FacebookInstagram, and her free Substack newsletter

You can listen to us on iTunes, and we’d love a quick rating or review. If you have an android device we’re also on Stitcher. And as always, you can find all links, show notes, upcoming guests, and listen to all episodes at Fountains of Carrots.com.

We love our listeners and we’re so grateful to have spent the last eight years chatting with you!

FoC 185: The Wholistic Pro-Life Future For Women’s Healthcare with Leah Jacobson

Women’s healthcare has been a hot topic for ages, but in a post-Dobbs world, it’s never been more discussed. So we decided to reach out to Leah Jacobson, a women’s health advocate and service provider to discuss the complexities of women’s healthcare, protection for the unborn, and fighting for the care, education, and medical resources that all women deserve.

Leah is the founder and the CEO of The Guiding Star Project, a non-profit organization to meet the practical needs of women through providing health care. She has a Master’s degree in Health and Wellness and she’s an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant. She helps mothers and babies by working at her local WIC office, in the labor and delivery department of her local rural hospital, and in her own private practice that specializes in home and virtual visits. Leah is also the author of a book titled Wholistic Feminism.

In this episode we talk about the ways the healthcare system has let women down and how pathologizing the female body sets us up to fail. Leah imagines a world in which education about women’s health reaches young women before they even start menstruating and we struggle with the challenge of a hyper-politicized pro-life movement and how to navigate conversations about abortion when the issue is so charged. It’s a heavy topic, so grab a good cup of coffee and enjoy the conversation.

Connect with Leah:

And don’t forget…

Haley’s brand new children’s book series is available from Pauline Books and Media just in time for Christmas!

The Sister Seraphina Mysteries are read-a-loud stories about an order of mouse nuns who run a school under the floorboards of G.K. Chesterton’s home. Each volume involves a child-friendly mystery that is investigated by Sister Seraphina. She is helped by other sisters from her abbey and two of her students, Marigold Mouseweather and Dominic Whiskerbright. Each book contains several chapters with illustrations on each page by the wonderful Betsy Wallin.

Book One: The Pursuit of the Pilfered Cheese

Beneath the floorboards of G. K. Chesterton’s home, a thrilling pursuit is about to unfold. Sister Seraphina was pleased that everything was ready for the school fair. But when the prize cheese goes missing, the Sisters of Our Lady Star of the Sea and their brave students will need all their detective wits to solve the mystery. With a little literary inspiration from their upstairs neighbors, the Chestertons, can they band together to solve the case―and save Saint Wulfhilda’s School?

Book Two: The Curious ChristmasTrail

It’s Christmas Eve, and under the floorboards of G. K. Chesterton’s home, curious clues lie hidden… Sister Seraphina and the other Sisters of Our Lady Star of the Sea are busy with preparations for the Christmas play and long-awaited feast. That’s enough to be getting on with! But where is Sister Dymphna? The elderly nun is nowhere to be found in Saint Wulfhilda’s Abbey. Outside it’s growing dark, and the snow is falling. The brave search party will need all their wits to avoid danger and follow the trail—wherever it leads!

Order for the child in your life today!

Come hang out with us!

Haven’t joined in on the fun with 4,900+ other FoC listeners in our facebook group? It’s your direct line to some fantastic folks who also care about faith, culture, books, and whatever our current masterpiece theatre craze might be! Join in with the link below.

You can listen to us on iTunes, and we’d love a quick rating or review. If you have an android device we’re also on Stitcher. And as always, you can find all links, show notes, upcoming guests, and listen to all episodes at Fountains of Carrots.com.

FoC 180: Seeing the Reality of Gender and Feminism with Dr. Abigail Favale

There is so much confusion about feminism. Can Catholics be feminists? Is feminism all that’s wrong with everything in the world? What does feminism even mean? And there’s no need to mention that gender is a hot button issue these days. So do we listen to the nostalgic about the 1950s crowd? Do we listen to Simone de Beauvoir? Well, we think you should listen to Dr. Abigail Favale.

Dr. Favale is a mother of three and a professor, writer, and speaker. She is the Dean of Humanities and Professor of English at George Fox University. Her conversion memoir, Into the Deep: An Unlikely Catholic Conversion, traces her journey from postmodern feminism to Roman Catholicism. These days her primary focus is articulating the beauty and wisdom of Catholic teaching on sexuality, gender, and the body. Her newest book, The Genesis of Gender: A Christian Theory is the book we’ve all been waiting for.

In this episode Dr. Favale shares about a way forward for Catholic feminism, how the incarnational nature of our faith should inform our understanding of gender and our bodies as gift, and so much more. We know you’ll love this conversation so grab a cup of coffee and enjoy!

Check out our first episode with Dr. Favale here.

Sponsor: Ignatius Press

If you’re looking for good summer reading, visit Ignatius.com. There you’ll find spiritual reading, memoirs, and biographies, as well as novels, historical fiction, mysteries, and more. For a limited time, use code FOCSUMMER to get 25% off the list price on select Ignatius Press titles by and about brilliant women, including new books “The Genesis of Gender” by Dr. Abigail Favale, and “Sigrid Undset: Reader of Hearts” by Aidan Nichols, as well as books by Gertrud von le Fort, Sally Read, Marly Youmans, and more! The full list of on-sale titles and more details can be found here: https://mailchi.mp/ignatius/fountains-of-carrots-summer-reading-special

You’ll also want to make sure you’re following Ignatius Press on Instagram or Facebook to get details about their upcoming Summer Reading Challenge for Kids.

England Trip!

WE ARE GOING TO ENGLAND in June and we want you to come with us! 

If you register in the month of May you’ll get $250 off your trip!

Check out our previous episode or view the travel details here and reserve your spot tooday!

Patreon!

Do you love FoC and want to help us keep doing what we’re doing (and more!)? Well, we have just the thing for you!

Head on over to support the podcast as a patron and get access to special episodes available exclusively to patrons as well as to the FoC Slack community! You’ll also have access to our patron book clubs and receive a cute sticker in the mail from us. So join today!

Come hang out with us!

Haven’t joined in on the fun with 4,900+ other FoC listeners in our facebook group? It’s your direct line to some fantastic folks who also care about faith, culture, books, and whatever our current masterpiece theatre craze might be! Join in with the link below.

You can listen to us on iTunes, and we’d love a quick rating or review. If you have an android device we’re also on Stitcher. And as always, you can find all links, show notes, upcoming guests, and listen to all episodes at Fountains of Carrots.com.

FoC 177: The Scandal of Holiness in Literature with Dr. Jessica Hooten Wilson

What can good literature teach us? Can it show us how to be holy? Dr. Jessica Hooten Wilson thinks so. In this episode we’re talking about how literary “saints” can show us what holiness looks like and how scandalous holiness appears to a world that can’t comprehend it.

We’ve been bigs fans of Jessica for ages. Haley knew her at Baylor and Jessica is the protege of Haley’s favorite professor of all time: Dr. Ralph Wood. She is the Louise Cowan Scholar in Residence at the University of Dallas and the author of several books, including her latest The Scandal of Holiness: Renewing Your Imagination in the Company of Literary Saints. She’s also a wife, mom, and highly sought-after speaker. There’s no one who’s more fun to talk books with!

In this conversation we get to chat about some of our favorite novels, discovering new books, and the power of story. We have a great time with this episode so grab a good cup of coffee and enjoy the conversation!

Books in today’s episode:

The Scandal of Holiness: Renewing Your Imagination in the Company of Literary Saints by Dr. Jessica Hooten Wilson

Laurus by Eugene Vodolazkin

In The Time of The Butterflies by Julia Alvarez

Moses, Man of the Mountain by Zora Neal Hurston

The Space Trilogy by C.S. Lewis

Book of the Dun Cow by Walter Wangerin Jr.

Kristin Lavransdatter by Sigrid Undset

Connect with Dr. Hooten Wilson:

And speaking of books….

Haley’s brand new book is now available to order!

You can grab it on Amazon OR you can head to her publisher, Ave Maria Press, and use the 25% off code STEWART22 to get a deal.

England Trip!

WE ARE GOING TO ENGLAND in June and we want you to come with us! 

If you register in the month of April you’ll get $150 off your trip!

Check out our previous episode or view the travel details here and reserve your spot tooday!

Patreon!

Do you love FoC and want to help us keep doing what we’re doing (and more!)? Well, we have just the thing for you!

Head on over to support the podcast as a patron and get access to special episodes available exclusively to patrons as well as to the FoC Slack community! You’ll also have access to our patron book clubs and receive a cute sticker in the mail from us. So join today!

Come hang out with us!

Haven’t joined in on the fun with 4,900+ other FoC listeners in our facebook group? It’s your direct line to some fantastic folks who also care about faith, culture, books, and whatever our current masterpiece theatre craze might be! Join in with the link below.

You can listen to us on iTunes, and we’d love a quick rating or review. If you have an android device we’re also on Stitcher. And as always, you can find all links, show notes, upcoming guests, and listen to all episodes at Fountains of Carrots.com.

FoC: Bonus Episode – Let Jane Austen Be Your Life Coach – Haley’s New Book is Out Today!

Today we’re sharing this special bonus episode to celebrate the release of Haley’s brand new book, Jane Austen’s Genius Guide to Life: On Love, Friendship, and Becoming the Person God Created You To Be!

We’re so excited to be able to finally talk in depth about what this new book is about; diving into Jane Austen’s ideas of virtue and morality, becoming a better person, the difference between goodness and perfection, and why her stories remain timeless and always readable. We hope you enjoy this bonus episode!

If you’d like to join us on Patreon, get monthly After Dark episodes with just Haley and Christy, stickers, bonus content and more–head on over to support the podcast!

And if you want to go to Jane Austen’s home, visit Bath, Oxford, and London with us this June 18-27, then head here for more info and the itinerary!

FoC 176: Eden Invitation and Ministering to Beloved Souls with Shannon Ochoa

How can found our identity in being loved by God? How do we remember that we are an unrepeatable soul that is precious to our Heavenly Father? Shannon Ochoa is here to help!

Shannon serves as Co-Founder and Director of Community Care for Eden Invitation – a movement for young adult Catholics and Christians with experiences on the LGBTQ spectrums. Through their mission they create space to receive the whole person, grow systems of mutual support, and empower for creative discipleship. Shannon is the beating heart of Eden Invitation, nurturing relationships and developing the community.  Shannon graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with degrees in Social Welfare and Gender & Women’s Studies.  And Haley got to meet her in real life on a pilgrimage in France!

In this episode we’re diving into the genesis of Eden Invitation, the need in the Church for good ministries like Eden Invitation, and embracing Church teaching and living out the truth that each human being is beloved, unrepeatable, and deserving of community, dignity, and care. We cover a lot of ground so grab a good cup of coffee and enjoy the conversation!

Ignatius Press has been a leader in Catholic publishing for decades, and today has an extensive catalogue of theology, spiritual reading, philosophy, Scripture scholarship, and fiction, as well as a full line of books for children, from toddlers to teenagers.

Beautiful board books, engrossing picture books, missals and prayer books perfect for little hands, as well as exciting chapter books and graphic novels—Ignatius has spiritually nourishing titles for every age and reading level. Among these are books by renowned illustrator Demi, whose artwork brings the biographies of notable figures throughout history to life, as well as classic picture books by master illustrator and storyteller Tomie de Paola, lovingly brought back into print to be enjoyed by future generations.

Fountains of Carrots listeners can get 25% off the list price on all Magnificat/Ignatius children’s books at Ignatius.com with code CARROTS25, through March 31st, 2022. Shop here!

Connect with Shannon:

England Trip!

WE ARE GOING TO ENGLAND in June and we want you to come with us! Check out our previous episode or view the travel details here.

Patreon!

Do you love FoC and want to help us keep doing what we’re doing (and more!)? Well, we have just the thing for you!

Head on over to support the podcast as a patron and get access to special episodes available exclusively to patrons as well as to the FoC Slack community! You’ll also have access to our patron book clubs and receive a cute sticker in the mail from us. So join today!

Come hang out with us!

Haven’t joined in on the fun with 4,900+ other FoC listeners in our facebook group? It’s your direct line to some fantastic folks who also care about faith, culture, books, and whatever our current masterpiece theatre craze might be! Join in with the link below.

You can listen to us on iTunes, and we’d love a quick rating or review. If you have an android device we’re also on Stitcher. And as always, you can find all links, show notes, upcoming guests, and listen to all episodes at Fountains of Carrots.com.

FoC 175: Answering Modernism with the Sacramental Worldview with Fr. Harrison Ayre

We’re excited to have one of our favorite guests return to the show today: Fr. Harrison Ayre! Fr. Harrison was born and raised near Vancouver, BC. During his time at university studying philosophy, he had a profound conversion experience that brought him to live for and with Christ. Ordained a priest in 2015, he has an MDiv and MTh and is pursuing his PhD in theological anthropology at the Maryvale Institute. He is pastor of St. Peter’s Parish in Nanaimo, BC, co-host of the podcast Clerically Speaking, and co-author with Michael Heinlein of Finding Christ in the Crisis: What the Pandemic Can Teach Us. In this episode we’re talking about his brand new book Mysterion: The Revelatory Power of the Sacramental Worldview.

See? We told you the cover was beautiful!

In this episode we’re diving into sacramentally–starting at the very basics of what sacraments are. How does modernism cloud our vision (whether we realize it or not!) and hold us back from seeing God’s grace in our lives? How do we approach the Church’s sacraments like Confession and the Eucharist? How does Mary help us on our way? We cover a lot of ground so grab a good cup of coffee and enjoy the conversation!

Are you looking to build community? To have real conversations? To surround yourself with families and friends seeking life to the full, just like you? Then now is the time to go deeper with the Christian Family Movement.

The Christian Family Movement strives to equip families to intentionally address the concerns facing families in modern society, to help them discover ways to grow in holiness themselves and as families, and, ultimately, to bring the light of Christ into their environments.
In a turbulent world, the Christian Family Movement keeps families together, friendships strong, communities purposeful, and children Catholic.

We have three generations of experience supporting each other in authentic Catholic living, and we are glad to share what works.
You’re not alone, and you can start your journey into joyful intentional community today. Reach out to the Christian Family Movement at www.cfm.org.

Connect with Fr. Harrison:

England Trip!

WE ARE GOING TO ENGLAND this summer and we want you to come with us! Check out our previous episode or view the travel details here.

Patreon!

Do you love FoC and want to help us keep doing what we’re doing (and more!)? Well, we have just the thing for you!

Head on over to support the podcast as a patron and get access to special episodes available exclusively to patrons as well as to the FoC Slack community! You’ll also have access to our patron book clubs and receive a cute sticker in the mail from us. So join today!

Come hang out with us!

Haven’t joined in on the fun with 4,900+ other FoC listeners in our facebook group? It’s your direct line to some fantastic folks who also care about faith, culture, books, and whatever our current masterpiece theatre craze might be! Join in with the link below.

You can listen to us on iTunes, and we’d love a quick rating or review. If you have an android device we’re also on Stitcher. And as always, you can find all links, show notes, upcoming guests, and listen to all episodes at Fountains of Carrots.com.

FoC 174: Sharing the Richness of Black Catholic Experience with the Church with Shannon Wimp Schmidt

We’re thrilled to have our friend Shannon Wimp Schmidt on the podcast today! Shannon is a pastoral minister, co-host of Plaid Skirts and Basic Black Podcast, and co-author of the book Fat Luther, Slim Pickin’s from Ave Maria Press. She is also a founding board member of Catholics United for Black Lives, a not-for-profit organization which advocates for racial justice in alignment with the teachings of the Catholic Church. Shannon holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Theology and Italian from the University of Notre Dame and a Masters of Arts in Pastoral Studies from Catholic Theological Union.  She currently lives in the Indianapolis area with her exceedingly patient husband, Eric, and their four beautiful children.

In this episode we’re talking about the variety of experiences Black Catholics may have, the rich traditions they share with the rest of the Church, and the importance of having Black Catholic voices in publishing and media. Shannon is warm, funny, and just an absolute delight so grab a cup of coffee or tea and enjoy the episode!

This episode is sponsored by the largest dating app specifically for single Catholics: CatholicMatch!

These days, it’s harder than ever for single Catholics to meet each other. CatholicMatch supports single Catholics from all over the world by allowing them to connect online.

Use their app or website to start connecting with other singles through messaging or video chat and start a relationship knowing you already share the same faith. Unlike other dating websites that encourage casual relationships, CatholicMatch primarily strives to help singles connect for the purpose of Sacramental Marriage. They receive new stories every week from couples who met on CatholicMatch.

It’s super easy to get started. Everyone can make a free profile in just minutes by going to catholicmatch.com/carrots and start meeting other single Catholics now!

Connect with Shannon:

England Trip!

WE ARE GOING TO ENGLAND this summer and we want you to come with us! Check out our previous episode or view the travel details here.

Patreon!

Do you love FoC and want to help us keep doing what we’re doing (and more!)? Well, we have just the thing for you!

Head on over to support the podcast as a patron and get access to special episodes available exclusively to patrons as well as to the FoC Slack community! You’ll also have access to our patron book clubs and receive a cute sticker in the mail from us. So join today!

Come hang out with us!

Haven’t joined in on the fun with 4,900+ other FoC listeners in our facebook group? It’s your direct line to some fantastic folks who also care about faith, culture, books, and whatever our current masterpiece theatre craze might be! Join in with the link below.

You can listen to us on iTunes, and we’d love a quick rating or review. If you have an android device we’re also on Stitcher. And as always, you can find all links, show notes, upcoming guests, and listen to all episodes at Fountains of Carrots.com.

FoC 173: The Newly Catholic Life and Lent in 2022 with Tsh Oxenreider

Before we dive into today’s episode, we wanted to remind you that it’s time to sign up for our summer bookish pilgrimage to England! And if your registration and deposit are received by February 18th, you’ll get $350 off the trip! Check out the details here and give us a holler if you have any questions.

We have a wonderful episode for you today touching on conversion, parenting, and Lent! Tsh Oxenreider is joining us and we always love having her on the show.

Tsh is a bestselling author and beloved podcaster. She lives in central Texas with her husband, three kids, and very cute dog but it wasn’t that long ago that her whole family packed their bags and traveled the globe for a year! She teaches literature and also crafts a popular weekly newsletter for thousands of subscribers. Tsh is also celebrating her one year anniversary as a Catholic! And she has a brand new book out, Bitter & Sweet: A Journey into Easter.

In this episode we’re talking about what it’s been like for her family to enter the Church during a pandemic, the challenges of being new converts, raising teenagers (all three of us are parenting teens now! What?!), and how we’re feeling about Lent this year. Grab yourself something warm (Hot cocoa? Hot toddy?) and enjoy the episode!

This episode is sponsored by the largest dating app specifically for single Catholics: CatholicMatch!

These days, it’s harder than ever for single Catholics to meet each other. CatholicMatch supports single Catholics from all over the world by allowing them to connect online.

Use their app or website to start connecting with other singles through messaging or video chat and start a relationship knowing you already share the same faith. Unlike other dating websites that encourage casual relationships, CatholicMatch primarily strives to help singles connect for the purpose of Sacramental Marriage. They receive new stories every week from couples who met on CatholicMatch.

It’s super easy to get started. Everyone can make a free profile in just minutes by going to catholicmatch.com/carrots and start meeting other single Catholics now!

Connect with Tsh:

England Trip!

WE ARE GOING TO ENGLAND this summer and we want you to come with us! Check out our previous episode or view the travel details here.

Patreon!

Do you love FoC and want to help us keep doing what we’re doing (and more!)? Well, we have just the thing for you!

Head on over to support the podcast as a patron and get access to special episodes available exclusively to patrons as well as to the FoC Slack community! You’ll also have access to our patron book clubs and receive a cute sticker in the mail from us. So join today!

Come hang out with us!

Haven’t joined in on the fun with 4,900+ other FoC listeners in our facebook group? It’s your direct line to some fantastic folks who also care about faith, culture, books, and whatever our current masterpiece theatre craze might be! Join in with the link below.

You can listen to us on iTunes, and we’d love a quick rating or review. If you have an android device we’re also on Stitcher. And as always, you can find all links, show notes, upcoming guests, and listen to all episodes at Fountains of Carrots.com.

FoC 171: Attitudes For Where We Are and Where We’re Going

Welcome to a new year here on the podcast! We’re so glad you’re still listening to us as we enter our geriatric podcaster seventh year! We’ve been doing this a long time, but only because we’ve had such fantastic listeners, and today it’s just us as we share some updates and thoughts on creating attitudes for the new year.

We know this year isn’t like others, but we also don’t want to approach it as straight up 2020 v4.0, so we talk about how to see where you are and how to live the best you can when there may be more than a few things you wish you could change but can’t. Spiritual discipline, forming lasting habits of prayer, and seeing things through a longer lens are just some of the aspects of looking ahead while not losing the present moment we’re living.

Sing the Hours on Spotify

Walking With Purpose

Today we’re sponsored by Walking With Purpose, a ministry dedicated to bringing all Catholic women and girls to Jesus through amazing Bible Studies. Walking With Purpose is used in 450 parishes across the US and reaches more than 40,000 women a year.

Walking With Purpose has just released a brand new Bible study called Ordering Your Priorities, a practical guide to ordering your life by praying to the One who made you.

To order a copy of the new Bible study Ordering Your Priorities and get 15% off, use the code CARROTSOYP15.

England Trip!

WE ARE GOING TO ENGLAND next summer and we want you to come with us! Check out our previous episode or view the travel details here.

Patreon!

Do you love FoC and want to help us keep doing what we’re doing (and more!)? Well, we have just the thing for you!

Head on over to support the podcast as a patron and get access to special episodes available exclusively to patrons as well as to the FoC Slack community! You’ll also have access to our patron book clubs and receive a cute sticker in the mail from us. We’re reading Susanna Clarke’s Piranesi next and we’d love for you to participate so join today.

Come hang out with us!

Haven’t joined in on the fun with 4,900+ other FoC listeners in our facebook group? It’s your direct line to some fantastic folks who also care about faith, culture, books, and whatever our current masterpiece theatre craze might be! Join in with the link below.

You can listen to us on iTunes, and we’d love a quick rating or review. If you have an android device we’re also on Stitcher. And as always, you can find all links, show notes, upcoming guests, and listen to all episodes at Fountains of Carrots.com.