Beth Mund’s idea was as stupid as her voice is smooth: send stories to space, with actual astronauts.

Beth worked at NASA for years in public relations and fell in love with the stars as well as educating people on what’s “out there.” Her time at the space agency eventually led to the idea of partnering with space launches to send personal stories beyond the reach of gravity.

So she started a non-profit that does just that.

How? Why? What does it take to do that? And how can YOU send your actual story on one of the next missions? Well, that’s Episode 17 of “That Was Stupid.”

In this episode, Beth talks about:

• Aliens (of course)

• Her time working at NASA

• The craziest thing she ever experienced at the space agency

• How she got the idea to send stories to space

• What it’s like to start a non-profit

• What it takes to send a story to space

• The actual scientific research being conducted using her idea

• How YOU can send YOUR story to space

• And more!

If you’d like to watch the video version of the podcast, it’s available at readdearjon.com.

Carrie Sheffield vividly remembers finding her father’s writings and realizing something was wrong. Up until that point, she and her family were convinced her dad was a prophet in the LDS church. They traveled around the country, living in tents and motorhomes.

The abuse she encountered was her “normal.”

However, shortly after finding her father’s letters she found the courage to leave the cult her family had created. Not surprisingly, those she loved told her she was “stupid.” But that’s just the beginning: her father quickly “prophesied” that she would be raped for leaving.

What happened after? How did she end up becoming a Harvard-educated pundit that now appears on cable new? Well, that’s Episode 16 of “That Was Stupid.”

In this episode, Carrie talks about:

• What her family cult experience looked like

• The abuse she endured

• How her family reacted when she left

• What motivated her to rise above her circumstances

• The decision to forgive her father

• Her other “stupid” decision

• Her new book about her life, “Motorhome Prophecies”

• And more!

Be sure to read pick up Carrie’s new book, “Motorhome Prophecies: A Journey of Healing and Forgiveness.”

If you’d like to watch the video version of the podcast, it’s available at readdearjon.com.

Sarah Matzke was your typical, young, married, suburban woman. Nestled in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, she was just starting out her life with her husband. Except, she had a secret.

She was secretly having an affair with her husband’s best friend.

That secret was eating away at her, until she eventually came clean. But was it too late for her marriage to be saved? What did she need to realize about herself? And what small compromises years earlier lead to a full-blown affair?

In Episode 15 of “That Was Stupid,” Sarah joins to talk about:

• The lies she believed

• How an eating disorder at a young age set the stage for more compromises later

• How she overcame an eating disorder

• The moment she confessed to her husband her affair with his best friend

• The journey back to restoration

• The truth she needed to replace the lies she believed for years

• Her new book detailing it all, “Desert Vineyards”

• And more!

Be sure to read pick up Sarah’s new book, “Desert Vineyards: A Story of Bulimia, Adultery, and Infertility Redeemed by Truth.”

If you’d like to watch the video version of the podcast, it’s available at readdearjon.com.

Brandon Moore had a dream. A dream he was so dedicated to that even when everything was pointing to an unhealthy obsession, he ignored it.

Until he couldn’t.

From a young age, Brandon wanted to be a professional baseball player. And as a young man, that dreamed seemed like it was going to come true. For a moment, it did. After playing college ball at the University of Arkansas, he was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers to be a pitcher.

But the dream soon turned into an unhealthy obsession. Despite injuries and all signs pointing to moving on, Brandon kept going. Eventually, that revealed what an idol he had made out of sports and how he was finding his identity in all the wrong things.

So what did he do? Well, he eventually made a drastic move: he became a pastor. Today, Brandon is the Dean of Spiritual Development and a 10th grade Bible teacher. Talk about a change! And talk about “stupid.”

In Episode 14 of “That Was Stupid,” Brandon joins to talk about:

Growing up with the dream of playing professional baseball

What it’s like to be drafted

• How something can be both good and end

• The way God showed him baseball was an idol

• Why he became a “paper boy” as an adult

• His skills as a “midwife”

• His advice to parents about youth sports

• His clinical depression

• How he ended up choosing ministry and becoming a pastor

• What it looks like to believe lies

• And more!

If you’d like to watch the video version of the podcast, it’s available at readdearjon.com.

Bryson Kessler’s life didn’t end up looking exactly like she thought it would.

After being in ministry for years, a divorce changed her trajectory. That raised a lot of questions and doubts, not only among others but a little in herself. Still, despite the setback, she found love again. She also found her purpose: a boutique that catered to women.

But finding your purpose and living it out are two different things. Building an empire isn’t easy and requires a lot of faith, as well as being willing to pivot.

In Episode 13 of “That Was Stupid,” Bryson joins to talk about:

• Her origin story, and how she dealt with the doubters after her divorce.

• How and why she started her successful boutique, Clover + Bee.

• When and how she pivoted in her business…several times.

• An unexpected pregnancy.

• The conversation that turned her into a podcast host.

• And more!

If you’d like to watch the video version of the podcast, it’s available at readdearjon.com.

Brandon Puffer had it all. He had a family, he had a World Series ring, and even though he was back in the minor leagues he was being groomed to become a coach.

One night, though, he threw it all away. After having given up alcohol completely for years, he started dabbling again. So when some of the younger players finally convinced him to spend a night out on the town, he went all in.

What happened that night is easily the most stupid decision of his life, and it led to over three years in prison, a broken marriage, and a lot of life lessons.

Today, though, Brandon is a different man. He now coaches kids, both in baseball and life. He’s written a book about his experience and he’s talking to us about his career, his decision that fateful night, and the climb back to redemption.

In Episode 12 of “That Was Stupid,” Brandon joins to talk about:

• Winning a World Series

• His past experience with alcohol and addiction, including being sober for five years before drinking again

• The night his life changed forever

• His experience in prison

• His book, “From the Bullpen to the State Pen”

• How his children dealt with his absence

• How he found redemption

• And more!

If you’d like to watch the video version of the podcast, it’s available at readdearjon.com.

No one is immune from making a stupid decision. Not even a pastor from one of the country’s largest churches. Let me introduce you to Lee Coate.

Lee is an executive pastor at The Crossing Church in Las Vegas. He’s a sought-after speaker and consults other churches and ministries all across the country. And his advice is based on experience — painful experience at that.

At one point in his career, Lee was so burned out he “pulled the ripcord,” as he puts it. That decision led to a lot of pain, but also a lot of growth.

That growth has now culminated in a new book called “Being Peter,” where Lee unpacks what it means to be a “Type I” (Intense, Innovative, Instigator, Impulsive) leader, and why God doesn’t demand those who are Type I to “quiet down,” but rather uses their bold personalities for good.

In Episode 11 of “That Was Stupid,” Lee joins to talk about:

-His truly stupid decision made out of burn-out

-How he found healing from his past

-Mental health and taking medication

-Being adopted

-What it means to be a “Type I” leader

-His new book, “Being Peter,” and how people who lead loudly and largely don’t have to hide who they are

-And more!

If you’d like to watch the video version of the podcast, it’s available at readdearjon.com.

There’s a good chance that we might not have one of the most recognizable names in faith journalism if he would have listened to his detractors.

Billy Hallowell is one of the country’s premier reporters, focusing on issues of faith, politics, and culture. He’s interviewed everyone from the president to leading atheists. He’s also the author of four books. But when he was trying to decide what to do with his life and expressed an interest in journalism, more than one person told him, “that was stupid.”

Luckily for us, Billy didn’t listen.

In Episode 10 of “That Was Stupid,” Billy joins to talk about

• His wild journey to the top, including taking a 40% pay cut

• How he dealt with the doubters

• His favorite story

• Listening to God’s voice

• How someone you might recognize actually helped turbo his career

• The time he “manifested a demon”

• And more!

You’ve got to hear these stories!

And if you’re interested, you can read Billy’s work at Faithwire or on his Substack.

If you’d like to watch the video version of the podcast, it’s available to paid supporters here.