Fishing and FaithFishing and Faith
J Hirtle The Last Storyteller
J Hirtle reflects by a quiet lake on how faith once shaped his podcast and how he plans to return to those roots, using the image of faith as a blanket that can cover every part of life. He shares how radio host Chris Duel prompted him to rethink his focus and how stories of belief, doubt and daily struggle will guide future episodes.
10:18•23 Oct 2026
Fishing, Faith and Finding the Blanket That Covers Everything
Episode Overview
- Faith is described as a thick comforter meant to cover every part of life, not just crises or Sundays.
- People often limit faith themselves, choosing when and where it applies, rather than letting it rest over everything.
- The podcast is being refocused on faith-centred storytelling, similar to its early days as "Addicted to Faith".
- Independent and young authors will still be featured occasionally, but faith stories will be the main emphasis.
- External influences, like Chris Duel’s reflective shows, can trigger honest reassessment of purpose and direction.
“Once I understood that that faith covers everything, everything, then my relationship with my Lord grew.”
Curious about how others navigate their sobriety journey? This lakeside reflection with poet and storyteller J Hirtle blends fishing, faith, and a return to roots in a calm, conversational style. You’ll hear Jim (J Hirtle) sitting by a quiet lake, gear ready, pausing mid-sentence when the fish start jumping. Between the splashes, he talks about how a radio duo, Chris Duel and Tim Perryman from San Antonio, sparked some serious soul-searching.
Their mix of humour, deep thinking and talk about being present got him rethinking what his podcast is really meant to be. He looks back over ten seasons, remembering how the show began as “Addicted to Faith”, tied to his book about trading addiction for an addiction to faith.
He recalls earlier episodes where he shared faith-based stories and his short “Sunday Musings and Coffee”, and how those drew heartfelt responses from people sharing what faith meant in their own lives. The heart of this episode is his picture of faith as a thick, comforting blanket that’s meant to cover every part of life – not just Sunday mornings or crisis moments.
As he puts it, people often pull that blanket away themselves, choosing to cover only the bits that feel comfortable. Yet, “once I understood that that faith covers everything… then my relationship with my Lord grew.” Jim explains that he’s steering the podcast back towards weekly conversations about faith and everyday life, while still occasionally giving independent authors a space to share their work.
The tone stays gentle, reflective and sometimes wry, like when he battles the urge to pause recording every time a fish jumps. If you’re interested in how faith, recovery, doubt and daily struggles intertwine – with a side of fishing – this episode might give you something to snuggle up to. How much of your life are you actually letting faith cover?
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