An Army of Normal Folks

For Shop Talk, we dive into the reality that only 33% of Americans are contributing in their community at the level they’d like. And what we plan to do about it. Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/premium See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lydia and Scott Rosencrants have 13 children, 11 of which are adopted and 8 of them have some form of intellectual or physical disability. They didn’t set out to adopt this many kids, but they clearly answered the call a lot of times. And Lydia is the President of our local chapter in Memphis that’s launching soon! Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/premium See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lydia and Scott Rosencrants have 13 children, 11 of which are adopted and 8 of them have some form of intellectual or physical disability. They didn’t set out to adopt this many kids, but they clearly answered the call a lot of times. And Lydia is the President of our local chapter in Memphis that’s launching soon! Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/premium See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For Shop Talk, Coach Bill shares his outside-the-box take on the Lane Kiffin saga. Even if you're not a college football fan, there's life lessons for our own lives and for the Army in this story! Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/premium See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. Gabrielle Clowdus is the founder of Settled, which helps churches build "Sacred Settlements", tiny home villages on their property where people experiencing homelessness and church members live in community. When she started this work of radical hospitality, she believed it was a homelessness ministry. Today, she believes that it's a ministry to all of us, as we all have some homelessness in us! Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/premium See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. Gabrielle Clowdus is the founder of Settled, which helps churches build "Sacred Settlements", tiny home villages on their property where people experiencing homelessness and church members live in community. When she started this work of radical hospitality, she believed it was a homelessness ministry. Today, she believes that it's a ministry to all of us, as we all have some homelessness in us! Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/premium See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For Shop Talk, we explore why did human life expectancy stick around 30-40 years old for thousands of years and then suddenly increased by 4 decades in less than 200 years! Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/premium See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lisa Steven is a former teen mom who went on to build the only home for teen moms in the entire state of Colorado. Their resource center serves over 280 teen moms per year with free empowerment programming and early childhood education. And now 3 other communities have adopted their model! Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/premium See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lisa Steven is a former teen mom who went on to build the only home for teen moms in the entire state of Colorado. Their resource center serves over 280 teen moms per year with free empowerment programming and early childhood education. And now 3 other communities have adopted their model! Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/premium See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For Shop Talk, we bring you Army member Anita Marin's awesome recommendation to learn from Eddie Jaku, the Holocaust survivor who called himself the happiest man on earth! Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/premium See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Steve Wanta is the co-founder of JUST, a nonprofit lender to 14,000 black and brown female entrepreneurs in Texas. And because they’ve built an unheard of system based on trust and community, they’re achieving unheard of results such as loaning money to 100% of applicants while also being repaid 99% of the time! Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/premium See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Steve Wanta is the co-founder of JUST, a nonprofit lender to 14,000 black and brown female entrepreneurs in Texas. And because they’ve built an unheard of system based on trust and community, they’re achieving unheard of results such as loaning money to 100% of applicants while also being repaid 99% of the time! Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/premium See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For Shop Talk, we dive into Victor Frankl's monumental book, which he wrote in just 9 days after being liberated from a Nazi concentration camp! Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/premium See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transracial adoption is a term that we didn’t know, until we met the Taylors. The black couple adopted 2 white kids and 1 black kid. And we have a fascinating conversation about love, hate, stereotypes, and redemption! Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/premium See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transracial adoption is a term that we didn’t know, until we met the Taylors. The black couple adopted 2 white kids and 1 black kid. And we have a fascinating conversation about love, hate, stereotypes, and redemption! Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/premium See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For Shop Talk, we bring you fascinating data and wisdom from the righteous troublemakers known as Jonathan Haidt, Lenore Skenazy, and Zach Rausch. Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/premium See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Vanessa Elias saw a rise of incivility in her Connecticut town, she rallied citizens to host 40 neighborhood block parties that had 1,200 attendees, so that people can get to know their neighbors, realize that they don’t hate them, and even enjoy them. It got so much attention that she started Block Party USA to spread this simple solution across the country! Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/premium See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Vanessa Elias saw a rise of incivility in her Connecticut town, she rallied citizens to host 40 neighborhood block parties that had 1,200 attendees, so that people can get to know their neighbors, realize that they don’t hate them, and even enjoy them. It got so much attention that she started Block Party USA to spread this simple solution across the country! Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/premium See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For Shop Talk, we tell the extraordinary story of Madison Park. If freed slaves can figure out how to buy a plantation and build a self-sustaining community, what do you think An Army of Normal Folks in 2025 can achieve?! Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/premium See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At a time when 67% of students are not at grade level, Kellie Lauth is revolutionizing education in America. Her nonprofit MindSpark is spreading an innovative approach called problem-based learning like wildfire across the country. And it’s resulted in over 25 of their students owning patents, starting dozens of companies, and a 15% improvement in STEM and literacy achievement! Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/premium See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.