As promised, here is the heartwarming, personal story - when Mark Bodnarczuk reached out to Philip Yancey’s brother Marshall. Phillip shared Marshall’s story in his memoir and on the podcast. The two brothers responded to their father’s early death and their hyper-fundamentalist church in their own unique way. Philip became a prolific writer of Christian books. Marshall began as a young musical prodigy. Many who knew him expected that he would entertain audiences as an accomplished concert pianist. Instead, as Philip attests, Marshall dropped out of college and became one of the “first real hippies in Atlanta.” Through the decades, he suffered some serious health issues. Today from his wheelchair, he has difficulty communicating. A serious stroke has affected his speech. He understands what people say, but his responses are labored. When Mark Bodnarczuk’s job at Stanford put him close to Marshall’s home, he reached out to Philip’s brother. The two have become mutually supportive friends. In this special episode of the podcast, both Philip and Mark share their versions of this touching story. SHOW NOTES

March 2024 Podcast with Mark | Purchase the Book on Amazon | Mark’s Official Website

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The Two Kens are back with their take on the Presidential Debate. Just a few days later, the spin masters have already had their impact, obscuring Kamala Harris’ blistering victory over her opponent, Donald Trump. Most everyone agreed, including Republican politicians and pundits, that Harris won. Kemp and Fong recorded the day after the debate, with fresh commentary from start to finish. Harris took command from the beginning, with a confident handshake and greeting to a surprised and hesitant Trump. Some 67 million viewers watched the debate. The Two Kens celebrate “the sweet smell of hope” as Harris keeps the high energy enthusiasm alive. She invites the television audience to take in a Trump rally to see the madness for themselves. Trump takes her bait, reverting to crowd size, tropes about immigration, Project 2025, and insane asylums. Perhaps his most outrageous Trump comment was his self-assured claim that immigrants “are eating the dogs!” When challenged by a fact-checking moderator, he doubled down. This false claim has sparked a huge controversy and put the town of Springfield, Ohio in the crosshairs of bomb threats and racist attacks. Trump pathetically visited the “Spin Room,” claiming a victory that was not his. It’s a lively retrospective on an historic night.

Ken’s Substack Article - “They’re Eating the Dogs”

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Ken welcomes Mark Bodnarzcuk back to the podcast. As he shared with Ken in March of this year, the fentanyl crisis in our country is real - and made an unwelcome visit to his home. Thomas, Mark’s then 17-year-old son, took a pill he bought on the Internet that he believed was Xanax. He died a short time after swallowing the tablet. The autopsy showed that it was fentanyl - a deadly dose in a single pill. It’s the subject of his new book (to be released October 15) - Finding New Life After the Death of My Son: Grace and Forgiveness in the Age of Counterfeit Pills and Fentanyl Poisoning. Mark shares his faith journey, and the impact of this unthinkable tragedy on his understanding of God, the Bible, science, and his years of therapy. A graduate of a Christian school (Wheaton College), his career has taken him to Stanford University and the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, which is currently building the largest digital camera for space exploration ever made. Mark’s keen interest in science, from the atom to the cosmos has also been influenced by the work of famed psychologist Carl Jung. Mark shares how psychology and science have shaped his faith, his love for the Bible, and his capacity to forgive. It’s a very personal story that takes us from the courtroom to the mountains of Colorado to the labyrinth - both inner and outer. Ken and Mark talk about significant authors including C.S. Lewis, Tim Keller, John Ortburg, and Philip Yancey (who write the Foreword to Mark’s book). SHOW NOTES

March 2024 Podcast with Mark | Purchase the Book on Amazon | Mark’s Official Website

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