The 1000 Hours Outside Podcast

Latest Episodes:

1KHO 966: You're Not Behind And You're Not Late | Benjamin Windle, Your Life Signature Nov 08, 2026

Show notes

We've become so obsessed with doing something big that we're overlooking the extraordinary purpose found in ordinary life. Pastor and author of Your Life Signature, Benjamin Windle joins Ginny Yurich to challenge what he calls the "grandiosity trap"—the cultural belief that significance requires fame, influence, or recognition.

Drawing on remarkable stories, including the largely unrecognized life of Johann Sebastian Bach, Windle reveals why some of our most meaningful contributions happen when nobody is watching. They explore how parents can help children discover their unique combination of gifts, passions, and burdens, and why raising purposeful kids begins with modeling purpose ourselves. Windle also addresses an increasingly urgent question: how do we prepare children for a world where artificial intelligence may transform the very careers they're pursuing? From the quiet faithfulness of parenting to the patience required for meaningful growth, this conversation offers a refreshing perspective on what makes a life truly count.

Get Benjamin's book, Your Life Signature!

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Kiwico.com Unwrap fun this holiday with KiwiCo! Get up to 50% off your first crate at kiwico.com, promo code 1000hours.
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HeyPolo - Protect your loved ones without spying on them. Go to https://heypolo.com/1000hours or use code 1000HOURS and get 70% off your first year!
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1KHO 965: All Children Are Creative Until We Stifle Their Creativity | Dr. Louisa Penfold, Every Child Is An Artist Nov 07, 2026

Show notes

A lump of clay, a cardboard box, or a handful of leaves can teach children things no worksheet ever could. Dr. Louisa Penfold, Harvard education researcher and author of Every Child Is an Artist, joins Ginny Yurich to explore why creativity is about far more than making something beautiful. From the surprising connection between clay and emotional regulation to the way artistic experimentation builds persistence, Penfold reveals how ordinary materials become extraordinary opportunities for learning. She also challenges our assumptions about what art should look like, introducing playful possibilities involving sound, movement, and nature.

As artificial intelligence reshapes education, Penfold makes a compelling case for the irreplaceable value of learning through our bodies, senses, and relationships. This conversation offers parents a refreshing perspective on nurturing creativity without pressure, expensive supplies, or elaborate projects—and a reminder that sometimes the most important thing an adult can do is provide the materials and step aside.

Get Dr. Penfold's book here!

** A huge thank you to our sponsors! Check them out below:

Kiwico.com Unwrap fun this holiday with KiwiCo! Get up to 50% off your first crate at kiwico.com, promo code 1000hours.
TalkBox.Mom is offering their $35 phrasebook for free with your first Box for a limited time- just visit talkbox.mom/outside, choose your language, and your free phrasebook will automatically be added to your order with your first Box.
HeyPolo - Protect your loved ones without spying on them. Go to https://heypolo.com/1000hours or use code 1000HOURS and get 70% off your first year!
My Green Mattress: Visit www.mygreenmattress.com and save 15% on your order during their Labor Day Sale. Plus, use code 1000hours for an additional $10 off your cart total when you purchase any mattress.
BetterHelp: Visit www.BetterHelp.com/1000HOURS today to get 10% off your first month.
Quince - Visit www.quince.com/outside and get free shipping and 365 day returns
IXL Learning - Head to www.ixl.com/1000hours to get an exclusive 20% savings on your membership
Whisker - Take care of your cats while taking an additional $50 off bundles with code 1000HOURS when you shop www.whisker.com/1000HOURS
Looking for guided adventures that will blow you away with their attention to detail? Head to www.exploreworldwide.com and tell them 1KHO sent you!
Muzzle Sleep Tape - Go to MuzzleSleep.com and use code 1000HOURS for 10% off.
Boll & Branch - Get 15% off your first order plus free shipping at BollAndBranch.com/1000hours with code 1000hours
Ka’Chava - Go to https://kachava.com and use code 1000HOURS for 15% off your first order.

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1KHO 964: The First Gift of Christmas, Joel David and Luke Smallbone, Drummer Boy Nov 06, 2026

Show notes

Sometimes the most powerful story behind a movie is the one unfolding in the lives of the people making it. Brothers Joel and Luke Smallbone of For KING + COUNTRY join Ginny Yurich to discuss their new Revolutionary War Christmas musical, Drummer Boy, and the remarkable real-life reconciliation that took place while bringing it to the screen. As they worked on a story about two brothers divided by war, their own relationship with another brother had fractured, forcing them to confront the very forgiveness their film portrays.

The conversation also reveals the unconventional upbringing that shaped their extraordinary creative family. Raised in a homeschooling household of seven children, the Smallbones learned to embrace failure, persevere through disappointment, and take on meaningful responsibilities long before most adults would consider them ready. From discovering the value of a child's smallest gifts to remembering simple afternoons outdoors, this conversation celebrates faith, family, resilience, and the courage to begin again.

Make sure to catch Drummer Boy this weekend!

** A huge thank you to our sponsors! Check them out below:

Kiwico.com Unwrap fun this holiday with KiwiCo! Get up to 50% off your first crate at kiwico.com, promo code 1000hours.
TalkBox.Mom is offering their $35 phrasebook for free with your first Box for a limited time- just visit talkbox.mom/outside, choose your language, and your free phrasebook will automatically be added to your order with your first Box.
HeyPolo - Protect your loved ones without spying on them. Go to https://heypolo.com/1000hours or use code 1000HOURS and get 70% off your first year!
My Green Mattress: Visit www.mygreenmattress.com and save 15% on your order during their Labor Day Sale. Plus, use code 1000hours for an additional $10 off your cart total when you purchase any mattress.
BetterHelp: Visit www.BetterHelp.com/1000HOURS today to get 10% off your first month.
Quince - Visit www.quince.com/outside and get free shipping and 365 day returns
IXL Learning - Head to www.ixl.com/1000hours to get an exclusive 20% savings on your membership
Whisker - Take care of your cats while taking an additional $50 off bundles with code 1000HOURS when you shop www.whisker.com/1000HOURS
Looking for guided adventures that will blow you away with their attention to detail? Head to www.exploreworldwide.com and tell them 1KHO sent you!
Muzzle Sleep Tape - Go to MuzzleSleep.com and use code 1000HOURS for 10% off.
Boll & Branch - Get 15% off your first order plus free shipping at BollAndBranch.com/1000hours with code 1000hours
Ka’Chava - Go to https://kachava.com and use code 1000HOURS for 15% off your first order.

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1KHO 963: What We Lost When Childhood Became So Comfortable | Meghan Cox Gurdon Nov 05, 2026

Show notes

There was a time when children could experience life without feeling the need to document it, share it, or turn it into something for others to see. Author Meghan Cox Gurdon returns to the podcast with Free Range Girl, her remarkable memoir of a year spent homesteading with her father in rural Maine at age twelve.

In this rich conversation with Ginny Yurich, Meghan reflects on a childhood filled with extraordinary freedom, genuine risk, and the kind of everyday discomfort that made life's simplest pleasures unforgettable. From riding horses alone through the woods to discovering the incomparable warmth of a kitchen after a freezing winter day, her stories challenge our assumptions about what makes childhood good.

But perhaps most moving is her reflection on what children carry into adulthood: the smallest details, the ordinary gestures, and the moments parents never realize are becoming lifelong memories.

Get Meghan's book here!

** A huge thank you to our sponsors! Check them out below:

Kiwico.com Unwrap fun this holiday with KiwiCo! Get up to 50% off your first crate at kiwico.com, promo code 1000hours.
TalkBox.Mom is offering their $35 phrasebook for free with your first Box for a limited time- just visit talkbox.mom/outside, choose your language, and your free phrasebook will automatically be added to your order with your first Box.
HeyPolo - Protect your loved ones without spying on them. Go to https://heypolo.com/1000hours or use code 1000HOURS and get 70% off your first year!
My Green Mattress: Visit www.mygreenmattress.com and save 15% on your order during their Labor Day Sale. Plus, use code 1000hours for an additional $10 off your cart total when you purchase any mattress.
BetterHelp: Visit www.BetterHelp.com/1000HOURS today to get 10% off your first month.
Quince - Visit www.quince.com/outside and get free shipping and 365 day returns
IXL Learning - Head to www.ixl.com/1000hours to get an exclusive 20% savings on your membership
Whisker - Take care of your cats while taking an additional $50 off bundles with code 1000HOURS when you shop www.whisker.com/1000HOURS
Looking for guided adventures that will blow you away with their attention to detail? Head to www.exploreworldwide.com and tell them 1KHO sent you!
Muzzle Sleep Tape - Go to MuzzleSleep.com and use code 1000HOURS for 10% off.
Boll & Branch - Get 15% off your first order plus free shipping at BollAndBranch.com/1000hours with code 1000hours
Ka’Chava - Go to https://kachava.com and use code 1000HOURS for 15% off your first order.

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1KHO 962: Today Is The Youngest You'll Ever Be | Jon Acuff, The 3-Minute Mindset Nov 04, 2026

Show notes

The words we repeat become the beliefs our children carry, and sometimes we don't realize what we've taught them until years later. Bestselling author Jon Acuff, our resident goals expert, returns for his seventh conversation with Ginny Yurich to share insights from his new book, The 3-Minute Mindset, including a parenting mistake that changed how he thinks about the power of our words.

Jon challenges the endless cycle of rules and restrictions, sharing why giving children meaningful goals can be more effective than simply limiting distractions. He explains how paying his daughters to read classic literature helped create a love of challenging books, and why small, consistent actions matter far more than waiting for the perfect routine.

From learning to be interruptible to recognizing that everyone is figuring life out as they go, this conversation offers a refreshing perspective on parenting, personal growth, and the extraordinary possibilities hidden inside ordinary moments.

Don't miss Jon's latest book!

** A huge thank you to our sponsors! Check them out below:

TalkBox.Mom is offering their $35 phrasebook for free with your first Box for a limited time- just visit talkbox.mom/outside, choose your language, and your free phrasebook will automatically be added to your order with your first Box.
HeyPolo - Protect your loved ones without spying on them. Go to https://heypolo.com/1000hours or use code 1000HOURS and get 70% off your first year!
My Green Mattress: Visit www.mygreenmattress.com and save 15% on your order during their Labor Day Sale. Plus, use code 1000hours for an additional $10 off your cart total when you purchase any mattress.
BetterHelp: Visit www.BetterHelp.com/1000HOURS today to get 10% off your first month.
Quince - Visit www.quince.com/outside and get free shipping and 365 day returns
IXL Learning - Head to www.ixl.com/1000hours to get an exclusive 20% savings on your membership
Whisker - Take care of your cats while taking an additional $50 off bundles with code 1000HOURS when you shop www.whisker.com/1000HOURS
Looking for guided adventures that will blow you away with their attention to detail? Head to www.exploreworldwide.com and tell them 1KHO sent you!
Muzzle Sleep Tape - Go to MuzzleSleep.com and use code 1000HOURS for 10% off.
Boll & Branch - Get 15% off your first order plus free shipping at BollAndBranch.com/1000hours with code 1000hours
Ka’Chava - Go to https://kachava.com and use code 1000HOURS for 15% off your first order.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

1KHO 961: The Kind of Adventure a Screen Can't Give You | Isaac Rudansky, Georgie Summers and the Scribes of Scatterplot Nov 03, 2026

Show notes

What if erasing a child's painful memories would actually take away something important? In this conversation, Ginny Yurich welcomes Isaac Rudansky, father of four, entrepreneur, and author of Georgie Summers and the Scribes of Scatterplot, a new middle-grade fantasy novel that explores loneliness, friendship, courage, and the experiences that shape who we become.

Isaac shares why children don't always need adults to fix their problems, why screens can create the illusion of connection while deepening loneliness, and why he believes children are naturally curious rather than lazy. He also recounts his remarkable decade-long journey from an abandoned manuscript and repeated rejection to a three-book publishing deal. Along the way, Ginny and Isaac explore the power of developing real skills, the importance of childhood independence, and why a great adventure story can give young readers something screens cannot: an entire world to carry inside them.

Tuesday, Nov. 3rd is BOOK LAUNCH DAY - order Isaac's book here!

** A huge thank you to our sponsors! Check them out below:

TalkBox.Mom is offering their $35 phrasebook for free with your first Box for a limited time- just visit talkbox.mom/outside, choose your language, and your free phrasebook will automatically be added to your order with your first Box.
HeyPolo - Protect your loved ones without spying on them. Go to https://heypolo.com/1000hours or use code 1000HOURS and get 70% off your first year!
My Green Mattress: Visit www.mygreenmattress.com and save 15% on your order during their Labor Day Sale. Plus, use code 1000hours for an additional $10 off your cart total when you purchase any mattress.
BetterHelp: Visit www.BetterHelp.com/1000HOURS today to get 10% off your first month.
Quince - Visit www.quince.com/outside and get free shipping and 365 day returns
IXL Learning - Head to www.ixl.com/1000hours to get an exclusive 20% savings on your membership
Whisker - Take care of your cats while taking an additional $50 off bundles with code 1000HOURS when you shop www.whisker.com/1000HOURS
Looking for guided adventures that will blow you away with their attention to detail? Head to www.exploreworldwide.com and tell them 1KHO sent you!
Muzzle Sleep Tape - Go to MuzzleSleep.com and use code 1000HOURS for 10% off.
Boll & Branch - Get 15% off your first order plus free shipping at BollAndBranch.com/1000hours with code 1000hours
Ka’Chava - Go to https://kachava.com and use code 1000HOURS for 15% off your first order.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

1KHO 960: The Untold Story Behind It's a Wonderful Life | Aaron Burns and Justin Strawhand, Jimmy Nov 02, 2026

Show notes

It's a Wonderful Life has touched generations of families, but few know the extraordinary story of suffering and healing behind Jimmy Stewart's unforgettable performance.

Filmmaker Aaron Burns and screenwriter Justin Strahan join Ginny Yurich to share the remarkable true story behind their new film, Jimmy, which follows Stewart from Hollywood stardom through his harrowing service in World War II and his eventual return to filmmaking. They reveal how Stewart's own struggles shaped the emotional depth of George Bailey, and why making It's a Wonderful Life became part of his healing. The conversation explores the complicated relationship between Stewart and his father, the surprising ways sacrifice and service give life meaning, and why achievement alone cannot satisfy our deepest longings. Along the way, Burns and Strahan share how childhood adventures, imaginative play, and a love of timeless stories inspired their own creative journeys.

Jimmy opens exclusively in theaters November 6.

** A huge thank you to our sponsors! Check them out below:

TalkBox.Mom is offering their $35 phrasebook for free with your first Box for a limited time- just visit talkbox.mom/outside, choose your language, and your free phrasebook will automatically be added to your order with your first Box.
HeyPolo - Protect your loved ones without spying on them. Go to https://heypolo.com/1000hours or use code 1000HOURS and get 70% off your first year!
My Green Mattress: Visit www.mygreenmattress.com and save 15% on your order during their Labor Day Sale. Plus, use code 1000hours for an additional $10 off your cart total when you purchase any mattress.
BetterHelp: Visit www.BetterHelp.com/1000HOURS today to get 10% off your first month.
Quince - Visit www.quince.com/outside and get free shipping and 365 day returns
IXL Learning - Head to www.ixl.com/1000hours to get an exclusive 20% savings on your membership
Whisker - Take care of your cats while taking an additional $50 off bundles with code 1000HOURS when you shop www.whisker.com/1000HOURS
Looking for guided adventures that will blow you away with their attention to detail? Head to www.exploreworldwide.com and tell them 1KHO sent you!
Muzzle Sleep Tape - Go to MuzzleSleep.com and use code 1000HOURS for 10% off.
Boll & Branch - Get 15% off your first order plus free shipping at BollAndBranch.com/1000hours with code 1000hours
Ka’Chava - Go to https://kachava.com and use code 1000HOURS for 15% off your first order.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

1KHO 959: Winning The Trauma Olympics | Toni Collier, Unshakable Moxie Nov 01, 2026

Show notes

Healing doesn't always mean the pain goes away. Sometimes it means growing strong enough to carry it—and helping someone else carry theirs.

Author and speaker Toni Collier returns to the 1000 Hours Outside Podcast for a deeply moving conversation about resilience, identity, and the unexpected gifts found in life's hardest seasons. Drawing from her own experience rebuilding after divorce and her work on the documentary series Unshakeable Moxie, Toni shares extraordinary stories of women who have endured unimaginable loss without allowing suffering to define them.

From a powerful encounter with Joni Eareckson Tada to a tender moment between Dr. Bernice King and her closest friend, these stories reveal why healing rarely happens in isolation. Toni and Ginny also explore the pressure women face to prove their worth through accomplishments, relationships, and even motherhood—and the freedom that comes from rooting identity in something that cannot be taken away. It's a conversation about faith, friendship, and finding strength without pretending life isn't hard.

Check out the show here!

** A huge thank you to our sponsors! Check them out below:

TalkBox.Mom is offering their $35 phrasebook for free with your first Box for a limited time- just visit talkbox.mom/outside, choose your language, and your free phrasebook will automatically be added to your order with your first Box.
HeyPolo - Protect your loved ones without spying on them. Go to https://heypolo.com/1000hours or use code 1000HOURS and get 70% off your first year!
My Green Mattress: Visit www.mygreenmattress.com and save 15% on your order during their Labor Day Sale. Plus, use code 1000hours for an additional $10 off your cart total when you purchase any mattress.
BetterHelp: Visit www.BetterHelp.com/1000HOURS today to get 10% off your first month.
Quince - Visit www.quince.com/outside and get free shipping and 365 day returns
IXL Learning - Head to www.ixl.com/1000hours to get an exclusive 20% savings on your membership
Whisker - Take care of your cats while taking an additional $50 off bundles with code 1000HOURS when you shop www.whisker.com/1000HOURS
Looking for guided adventures that will blow you away with their attention to detail? Head to www.exploreworldwide.com and tell them 1KHO sent you!
Muzzle Sleep Tape - Go to MuzzleSleep.com and use code 1000HOURS for 10% off.
Boll & Branch - Get 15% off your first order plus free shipping at BollAndBranch.com/1000hours with code 1000hours
Ka’Chava - Go to https://kachava.com and use code 1000HOURS for 15% off your first order.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

1KHO 958: Hospitality Is Who You Are | Tori Hope Peterson, Safe House Oct 30, 2026

Show notes

Children learn generosity not just from what their parents tell them, but from what they watch their parents do.

Tori Hope Petersen, author of Safe House and a former foster youth who is now a foster parent herself, returns to the 1000 Hours Outside Podcast for a moving conversation with Ginny Yurich about radical hospitality and the families we build through it.

Tori shares how growing up in twelve different homes shaped her understanding of safety, belonging, and love—and why welcoming others requires both open hearts and thoughtful boundaries. She recounts the moment her young son gave his favorite pillow to a foster child, revealing how deeply children absorb the values their families live out.

From building community before motherhood to finding purpose through a shared family mission, this conversation offers a beautiful reminder that hospitality doesn't require a perfect home or abundant resources. Sometimes the smallest acts of welcome leave the deepest impressions.

Get Tori's Book Here!

** A huge thank you to our sponsors! Check them out below:

TalkBox.Mom is offering their $35 phrasebook for free with your first Box for a limited time- just visit talkbox.mom/outside to choose your language, and your free phrasebook will automatically be added to your order with your first Box.⁠
HeyPolo - Protect your loved ones without spying on them. Go to https://heypolo.com/1000hours or use code 1000HOURS and get 70% off your first year!
My Green Mattress: Visit www.mygreenmattress.com and save 15% on your order during their Labor Day Sale. Plus, use code 1000hours for an additional $10 off your cart total when you purchase any mattress.
BetterHelp: Visit www.BetterHelp.com/1000HOURS today to get 10% off your first month.
Quince - Visit www.quince.com/outside and get free shipping and 365 day returns
IXL Learning - Head to www.ixl.com/1000hours to get an exclusive 20% savings on your membership
Whisker - Take care of your cats while taking an additional $50 off bundles with code 1000HOURS when you shop www.whisker.com/1000HOURS
Looking for guided adventures that will blow you away with their attention to detail? Head to www.exploreworldwide.com and tell them 1KHO sent you!
Muzzle Sleep Tape - Go to MuzzleSleep.com and use code 1000HOURS for 10% off.
Boll & Branch - Get 15% off your first order plus free shipping at BollAndBranch.com/1000hours with code 1000hours
Ka’Chava - Go to https://kachava.com and use code 1000HOURS for 15% off your first order.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

1KHO 957: Americans Didn't Always Believe There Was Only One Way to Educate a Child | Dixie Dillon Lane, Skipping School Oct 29, 2026

Show notes

The way we educate children today isn't the way we've always done it. In fact, many of the practices parents take for granted are surprisingly recent developments in American history.

Historian and homeschooling mother Dixie Dillon Lane, author of Skipping School, joins Ginny Yurich to uncover how homeschooling went from an underground movement, where families sometimes hid their children to avoid legal trouble, to a mainstream educational choice embraced by millions.

Along the way, they explore why early homeschooling pioneers challenged the push toward younger academic instruction, how standardization transformed classrooms, and why parents may not realize how dramatically schooling has changed since their own childhoods.

But this conversation goes beyond homeschooling. It's about reclaiming the freedom to think differently about education, recognizing that children develop on different timelines, and discovering how our choices about learning can create more room for childhood, family connection, and a life less governed by the clock.

Get Dixie's book here!

** A huge thank you to our sponsors! Check them out below:

TalkBox.Mom is offering their $35 phrasebook for free with your first Box for a limited time- just visit talkbox.mom/outside, choose your language, and your free phrasebook will automatically be added to your order with your first Box.
HeyPolo - Protect your loved ones without spying on them. Go to https://heypolo.com/1000hours or use code 1000HOURS and get 70% off your first year!
My Green Mattress: Visit www.mygreenmattress.com and save 15% on your order during their Labor Day Sale. Plus, use code 1000hours for an additional $10 off your cart total when you purchase any mattress.
BetterHelp: Visit www.BetterHelp.com/1000HOURS today to get 10% off your first month.
Quince - Visit www.quince.com/outside and get free shipping and 365 day returns
IXL Learning - Head to www.ixl.com/1000hours to get an exclusive 20% savings on your membership
Whisker - Take care of your cats while taking an additional $50 off bundles with code 1000HOURS when you shop www.whisker.com/1000HOURS
Looking for guided adventures that will blow you away with their attention to detail? Head to www.exploreworldwide.com and tell them 1KHO sent you!
Muzzle Sleep Tape - Go to MuzzleSleep.com and use code 1000HOURS for 10% off.
Boll & Branch - Get 15% off your first order plus free shipping at BollAndBranch.com/1000hours with code 1000hours
Ka’Chava - Go to https://kachava.com and use code 1000HOURS for 15% off your first order.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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