In this heartfelt episode of The Never Alone Podcast, Iris Fisher Smith is joined by co-host Karen Hearth Whitty and special guest Cindy Kinney, a dear friend whose life reflects the true meaning of friendship.

Together, they explore what it really means to be a true friend in today’s distracted world — from showing up during life’s hardest moments to learning how to listen, communicate, and love with intention. The conversation also highlights the cultural differences between East Coast and West Coast relationships, the importance of presence over busyness, and why meaningful friendships don’t happen by accident — they are cultivated.

This episode is a reminder that we were never meant to do life alone. Real friendship requires effort, patience, honesty, and grace — but the reward is connection, comfort, and strength when we need it most.

Whether you’re feeling lonely, navigating grief, or simply longing for deeper relationships, this episode offers encouragement, wisdom, and hope.

👉 If you enjoy this episode, please like, subscribe, and leave a comment — it truly helps the channel grow.

📘 Order your copy of Never Alone by Iris Fisher Smith:
https://irisfsmith.com

In Episode 13 of The Never Alone Podcast, Iris Fisher Smith is joined by co-host Karen Herth Whitty and returning guest Rachel Durham for a heartfelt conversation about the people and seasons that shape who we become — from childhood friendships, to mentors, to motherhood, grief, and rediscovering identity in new stages of life.

This episode continues the “Who Am I?” discussion — but through the lens of relationships that form our character. Together, Iris, Karen, and Rachel reflect on childhood influences, role models, spiritual mentors, and the blessing of friendships that stay — and those that come into our lives for only a season.

They also share deeply personal stories about:

• Growing up in different family dynamics
• How mentors and older women helped guide their faith and identity
• The beauty and challenge of motherhood and caregiving
• Identity tied to roles — and learning who you are beyond them
• Walking through loss — and finding strength and purpose again
• How God brings people into our lives at just the right time

💛 Gentle encouragement from this episode:
You were never meant to navigate life alone. The right friend, mentor, or conversation can change everything — sometimes for a moment, sometimes for a lifetime.

📘 Order Iris’s book Never Alone (stories, faith, family & history):
https://irisfsmith.com

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Tags : Never Alone Podcast, Iris Fisher Smith, friendship and identity, who am I journey, Christian women podcast, mentors and faith, godly friendships, finding purpose through seasons of life, grief and healing, motherhood identity, faith and family stories, friendship that lasts, life seasons and growth, encouragement podcast, women of faith conversations, Christian storytelling, resilience and faith

Feeling unsure of who you are this season?
In Episode 12 of The Never Alone Podcast with Iris Fisher Smith, Iris and her dear friend/co-host Karen Herth Witty continue their life-giving conversation about identity, purpose, and how life changes shape who we become.
Life isn’t static — it’s a journey of seasons: daughter, wife, mom, grandma, friend, caregiver, creative, seeker… and sometimes all of those at once. In this episode, Iris and Karen talk honestly about how identity evolves, how friendships and community sustain us, and how we can find meaning even after loss, change, or seasons of uncertainty.
🎙️ In this episode you’ll hear about:
• How identity gets tied to roles like parenting, caregiving, and family
• What happens when people we love—like parents and mentors—leave our physical world
• The challenge of letting go of control and learning to trust
• Why friendship and meaningful connection are vital for emotional and spiritual health
• How to embrace purpose without pressure
• Honest stories about creativity, writing, and new seasons of life
💛 Encouragement for you:
You were never meant to walk life alone. Reach out to someone today—an old friend, a neighbor, a sibling, or even a casual acquaintance. A genuine connection can change both your day and theirs.
📘 Order Iris’s book Never Alone (stories, history, and encouragement):
https://irisfsmith.com
🙏 If this episode encouraged you:
👍 Like | 💬 Comment | 🔔 Subscribe
Your engagement helps others find the podcast and experience its encouragement too.
#NeverAlonePodcast #FindingYourself #PurposeInLife #FriendshipMatters #IdentityJourney #FaithAndFamily #ChristianEncouragement #LifeSeasons #YouAreNotAlone

Feeling lonely or unsure of who you are in this season? Episode 11 is a real conversation about finding yourself, fighting isolation, and why friendship—with God at the center—still matters.

Welcome to The Never Alone Podcast with Iris Fisher Smith — Episode 11.
In this episode, Iris and her childhood friend/co-host Karen Herth Witty talk honestly about something every generation faces: finding yourself — and how loneliness and isolation can sneak in, even when life looks “busy” on the outside.
Together, they explore:
• Why friendship and community matter (and why we were never meant to do life alone)
• How “Who am I?” can change across different seasons of life
• The difference between acquaintances vs. close friends
• How to stay connected when friends and family are spread across the country
• Why it’s important to be mindful of what we watch, consume, and focus on
• Encouragement for anyone feeling isolated: reach out, one step at a time
As always, our heart is simple: Faith, family, friendship — with God at the center.

Watch now: https://youtu.be/8hC7Gureovk

Order Iris’s book Never Alone (and explore more episodes): irisfsmith.com
👍 If this episode encouraged you, please Like, Subscribe, and leave a comment — it truly helps others find the show.

Welcome back to The Never Alone Podcast with Iris Fisher Smith!

In Episode 10, Iris and her lifelong friend and co-host Karen Hearth Witty take a warm, honest walk down memory lane as they talk about the teen years, identity, and growing up in the 1970s.

Drawing from Chapter 12 of Iris’s book, “The Wonder Years,” Iris shares what it was like to be a young girl recovering from serious health issues, comparing herself to her beautiful older sister and silently wondering:

“Who am I, and am I really worthy of all this love?”

In this episode, they explore:

• Teen identity & self-image
  
  • Feeling “less than” next to siblings or friends
  • Hiding physical struggles behind humor and strength
  • Learning (slowly!) to accept yourself as God made you
• Family, mentors & being deeply loved
  
  • How parents, friends, and “second moms” helped Iris through
  • Why encouragement and affirmation can shape a lifetime
  • Seeing how God uses people as “cheerleaders” along the way
• Nostalgia from the 1970s
  
  • Bell bottoms, hip-hugger jeans, hula hoops & pogo sticks
  • TV shows like The Brady Bunch, The Waltons, Mary Tyler Moore & more
  • Roller skating, youth group nights, and innocent first crushes
• History woven into family life
  • Disney World soon after it opened in the early ’70s
  • Vietnam-era POW/MIA bracelets
  • Iris’s father’s powerful story as a Korean War POW and the family support that helped him heal

Through laughter, stories, and honest reflection, Iris and Karen remind us that every generation wrestles with the same question: “Who am I?” — and that the answer is found in being loved, known, and never truly alone.

Watch more episodes & show notes:
https://irisfsmith.com/podcast

Order Iris’s book Never Alone:
https://irisfsmith.com

If this episode encouraged you, please:
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Comment with a favorite 70s memory or something that resonated
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You are loved. You are seen. And you are never alone.

Welcome back to The Never Alone Podcast with Iris Fisher Smith!
In Episode 9, Iris and co-host Karen welcome a special guest — Rachel Durham, a longtime friend, mentee, and law student studying to fight human trafficking.

Together, they dive into one of the most important conversations of our time:
Why real, face-to-face communication matters more than ever — especially for our children and grandchildren in a digital world.

This heartfelt discussion covers:

• Why younger generations go to Google/ChatGPT instead of their parents
• The power of mentorship, mother–daughter bonds, and spiritual “adopted families”
• How smartphones, social media, and online culture impact kids’ mental health
• Why traffickers prey on kids through devices — Rachel’s firsthand insights
• How to keep communication open so kids feel safe coming to you
• The role of faith, prayer, and intentional connection in protecting our families
• Real stories of friendship, guidance, and God placing the right people in our lives

Rachel also shares her inspiring journey from full-time mom → to counseling student → to law school where she plans to fight human trafficking and advocate for vulnerable women and children.

This episode is deep, emotional, and eye-opening — and it beautifully reinforces Iris’s message:
We were designed for connection. God works through people, not screens.

Watch more episodes and view show notes at:
https://irisfsmith.com/podcast

Order Iris’s book Never Alone at:
https://irisfsmith.com

If today’s conversation encouraged you, please:
Like this video
Comment below with your thoughts
Subscribe to the channel

You’re never alone — and you never have to walk through life without a community to lean on.

Welcome back to The Never Alone Podcast with Iris Fisher Smith! In Episode 8, Iris and lifelong friend/co-host Karen Hearth Whitty flip the script: Karen interviews Iris about how God has used friends, illness, and big cross-country moves to shape her story.

In this heartfelt conversation, Iris shares how growing up with a very social, community-oriented family laid the foundation for friendships that have lasted decades — and how those same roots carried her through mini-strokes, life in a wheelchair, and rebuilding her health in Washington State.

You’ll hear about:

• 🌎 Moving from the East Coast to Colorado, Florida, and finally Washington State
• ♿ Iris’s years in a wheelchair after strokes — and how she learned to walk again
• 💜 Her work with Joni and Friends and the gift of friends like Gunilla who served as caregivers and sisters in Christ
• ⛪ Finding healthy church communities (and what to watch out for in unhealthy ones)
• 👩‍👧 Saying goodbye to her mom — her “best friend” — and learning to keep telling the stories
• 📖 Why Iris believes we must ask our parents, aunts, and grandparents about their lives before those stories are gone

If you love faith, family, history, and real talk about suffering and hope, this episode will feel like sitting at the kitchen table with old friends.

👉 Listen to more episodes and find photos, clips, and resources at:
https://irisfsmith.com/podcast

📕 Never Alone (the book) weaves these true stories together with major historical events and family memories.
👉 Order your copy at irisfsmith.com

If this episode encouraged you, please:
👍 Like the video
💬 Comment with a friendship or faith story of your own
🔔 Subscribe so you never miss a new episode

You’re never alone — and we’re so glad you’re here.

#NeverAlonePodcast #IrisFisherSmith #FaithAndFamily #ChristianPodcast #Friendship #ChronicIllness #DisabilityMinistry #JoniAndFriends #Testimony #FamilyStories #NewEnglandToNorthwest

When the ground shakes, faith keeps you steady.
Author Iris Fisher Smith and co-host Karen Hearth Whitty revisit one of the most powerful stories in Never Alone — the 1989 San Francisco (World Series) Earthquake. Iris’s brother Allan Fisher shares his firsthand account of the terrifying quake that struck just hours after his wife gave birth. From plaster-covered hospital halls to divine timing that spared their lives, this episode shows how faith, family, and grace show up in crisis.

In this episode you’ll hear:

• Allan’s firsthand story of the 1989 World Series earthquake in the Bay Area
• A mother, newborn, and a miracle of perfect timing
• Family reactions 3,000 miles away on the East Coast
• Memories of other world events woven through their family history
• How divine intervention and prayer brought peace amid chaos

Learn more or order the book:
📖 Never Alone by Iris Fisher Smith — photos, videos & stories at 👉 https://irisfsmith.com