I'm Emily B. Freeman and welcome to the next right thing.

You're listening to episode 248.

This is a podcast about making decisions that it's also about making a life.

If you struggle with decision fatigue, chronic hesitation, or if you just need a few minutes

away from the constant stream of information and that sometimes delightful, but also distracting

hum of entertainment well, you're in the right place for discerning your next right thing.

Today, I'm glad to welcome one of my favorite writers and also one of my favorite humans.

It's author Shannon Martin.

She has written several books, including Falling Free, The Ministry of Ordinary Places,

and her most recent title is Start With Hello and other simple ways to live as neighbors.

And it she speaks directly to that part of us that wants to reach out, wants to belong,

wants to embody connection with our community in a way that's tangible, accessible,

equitable, and with hearts bent toward justice.

She's a mama for and together with her husband Corey is a glad resident of Goshen, Indiana,

where she serves as a cook at the window, a local nonprofit dedicated to feeding the community.

Mostly, her writing is always reminding us that hope is alive, and her work is teaching

us how to see it.

Listen in.

All right, Shannon, before we do a singular thing, let the reader understand what we're dealing

with here, and that is this, that we met back in the days, the hey days of blogging, when

you were flower patch farm girl and I was chatting at the sky.

This is true.

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