Episode 54 :: Joanna Davidson Politano :: Stories of God's Word, Heart, and History
Today on the podcast we have the absolutely lovely Joanna Politano. Joanna is a fiction author who writes stories full of characters wrestling with hard things with humor and heart, but she shares in this conversation that her novels are an outpouring of her asking God questions about things she’s processing in her own life and they wrestle it out together through the stories.
Her latest book The Love Note carries so many themes of unpacking people and their stories and why they do what they do as well as wrestling with calling, relational reconciliation, processing disappointment, and knowing your significance is ultimately found in a relationship with the Lord.
Joanna is not only a masterful storyteller, but I love hearing how she talks about the Lord. It's a clear and genuine outpouring of her heart. People like Joanna and how they speak about God, have always pushed me to want to know Him more. During our talk, we dive into what it may look like to hear from God, and how to grow a relationship with Him, and get into the Word, in the middle of a very full life. These show notes are full of resources that we mention (and some extras!) that I hope help point you to places to get you into the Word and take the hard, and the good to Him.
We (and by the we, I mean me) also go off on a history nerd bunny trail towards the end, but it’s relevant. I swear 😂 Be sure and connect with Joanna online, and check out her books, and you can pre-order her most recent book, The Love Note, and you can find links for all of that, below and you can hear our conversation above!
Resources and References:
Wuthering Heights- Emily Bronte
The evolution to women becoming nurses/doctors
Risen Motherhood and their free printables
Jackie Hill Perry’s Jude Study
History of asylums and wrongful commuting
Black coffee with white friends
1st African American published poet :: Phyllis Wheatley
Scripture References:
Proverbs 3:9-give Him the first fruits
Wilderness life (Books of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, and the first part of Joshua)
Psalm 30:1-5- But the Lord gives us joy
1 Corinthians 12/Psalm 139:14- We are wired and gifted uniquely
James 1:1-13-God can use trials and experiences to draw us to Him
Lamentations 3:22-23- New mercies every morning
2 Corinthians 4:7-11- Jars of Clay and being perplexed, the power of the Gospel
Proverbs 9:10--seeking and fearing the Lord is the beginning of wisdom
Additional Bible Study Resources: (Blog forthcoming!)
-“The longing to be known is a gift that can only be met satisfactorily in Christ.”-
-At His Feet Studies (we also have a great conversation about how to get into the Word on your own here)
-Daily Grace Co (affiliate link)
Connecting with Joanna:
Connecting with Emily and Simply Stories Podcast:
Instagram (Em life // Podcast Life)
*Intro and outro music by music by audionautix.com