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ABOUT
- Meet Kate
  Hi, I’m Kate. I’m a Duke professor, podcaster, and author with a single mission: giving you permission to feel human. After years of being told I was incurable, I was declared cancer-free. But there’s no going back. I am forever changed by what I discovered: life is so beautiful and life is so hard. For everyone.
  ABOUT KATE
  Get to Know Me
  HUMAN
  AUTHOR
  PODCAST HOST
  SPEAKER
  How to Connect
  NEWSLETTER
  BOOKING
  EVENTS
  CONTACT
  PRESS
PODCAST
- Everything Happens.
  Are you living your best life now? Not always? This is a podcast for you. Duke Professor Kate Bowler is an expert in the stories we tell about success and failure, suffering and happiness. She had Stage IV cancer. Then she didn’t. And since then, all she wants to do is talk to funny and wise people about how to live with the knowledge that, well, everything happens.
  See All Episodes
  Kelly Corrigan
  Third Annual Happy Crappy: Let’s Start with the Crappies
  Listen Now Third Annual Happy Crappy: Let’s Start with the Crappies
  Nikki Grimes
  Complicated Childhoods, Forgiveness, and Extraordinary Grace
  Listen Now Complicated Childhoods, Forgiveness, and Extraordinary Grace
  Tim Shriver
  Through the Lens of Love
  Listen Now Through the Lens of Love
  Sarah Wildman
  Small Talk Survivors
  Listen Now Small Talk Survivors
BOOKS
- Books
  Let’s untangle our culture’s obsession with toxic positivity and self-help, shall we? Kate studies the cultural stories we tell ourselves about success, suffering, and whether (or not) we’re capable of change. She is the author of seven books including three instant New York Times bestsellers.
  All Books
  Joyful, Anyway
  
  Everything Happens for a Reason
  (And Other Lies I’ve Loved)
  
  Have a Beautiful Terrible Day!
  Daily Meditations for the Ups, Downs & In-Betweens
  
  No Cure for Being Human
  (And Other Truths I Need to Hear)
RESOURCES
- Resources
  Our goal with Everything Happens is to create rich language and vibrant community that sustains us when life comes apart. Below, you’ll find categories that may be good starting points for you. Inside are a mix of podcasts, blessings, support guides, and bonus resources that we hope will be useful.
  ALL RESOURCES
  Types
  BLESSINGS
  DEVOTIONALS
  SUPPORT GUIDES
  COURSES
  FREE DOWNLOADS
  Discussion Guides
  FOR MINISTRY
  Topics
  ILLNESS
  GRIEF
  WHAT NOT TO SAY
  RESILIENT FAITH
  INSPIRING LIVES
  NUANCED HOPE
  CARING AT HOME
  CARING AT WORK
  COMPLICATED FAMILIES
  MOVING FORWARD
MERCH
SUBSTACK

Kate Bowler

Read More When Success Isn’t Success

End of content

Every week I usually forget most of the basics:
a) you are loved. b) life is absurd. c) it’s hard to be a human.

If you want some smart, kind, and funny encouragement to get you through your week, sign up for my newsletter. I’d love to be your reminder.

Follow along on socials

@katecbowler

The beauty of Advent is its timing.

We light candles *because* it’s dark.
Because we’re still waiting.
Still hoping.
Still believing that even the smallest light means—
God is coming.

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Open post by katecbowler with ID 18086805890010539

The beauty of Advent is its timing.We light candles *because* it’s dark.
Because we’re still waiting.
Still hoping.
Still believing that even the smallest light means—
God is coming.

May joy find you in the glimpses. And even if you blink, trust that there will be more, in a world where Everything Happens.

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Open post by katecbowler with ID 17881815387330396

May joy find you in the glimpses. And even if you blink, trust that there will be more, in a world where Everything Happens.

Consider this my forever and ever PSA: If someone says “everything happens for a reason,” you’re allowed to smile, nod, and mentally exit the conversation.

Look at what can be done without quite so many reasons.

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Open post by katecbowler with ID 18006070304824699

Consider this my forever and ever PSA: If someone says “everything happens for a reason,” you’re allowed to smile, nod, and mentally exit the conversation.Look at what can be done without quite so many reasons.

This week`s Advent theme is "joy." And in a world that feels so heavy, so dark, it can feel impossible to talk about such a thing.

And yet. Joy sneaks in, anyway.

Here’s to the kind of joy that shows up in the middle of the mess.

Comment "MESS" and I`ll send you a link to join me for Advent. (it`s not too late. I swear.)

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Open post by katecbowler with ID 18086952176101598

This week's Advent theme is "joy." And in a world that feels so heavy, so dark, it can feel impossible to talk about such a thing.And yet. Joy sneaks in, anyway.Here’s to the kind of joy that shows up in the middle of the mess.Comment "MESS" and I'll send you a link to join me for Advent. (it's not too late. I swear.)

For everyone who feels out of sync with the sparkle—this one’s for you.
Not every Christmas can be merry. But may it be meaningful. 💙

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Open post by katecbowler with ID 17878429593353873

For everyone who feels out of sync with the sparkle—this one’s for you.
Not every Christmas can be merry. But may it be meaningful. 💙

Bless the fragile, stubborn hope that insists — against all evidence — that we will commit to the love and action required to chase away the dark in a world where Everything Happens.

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Open post by katecbowler with ID 18067843211126462

Bless the fragile, stubborn hope that insists — against all evidence — that we will commit to the love and action required to chase away the dark in a world where Everything Happens.

Maybe you meant for this Christmas to feel different—brighter, lighter, better.

But here we are. Halfway through Advent, and the recital was missed, the package is lost, and you forgot you had to make cookies for a class of 35.

And still, this week, we light a candle (the pink one!) for joy. Not because everything went to plan. But because joy is God’s wild gift. It breaks in anyway. Right in the middle of the mess.

So if the season hasn’t gone how you hoped—you`re not alone. May joy find you, anyway, in a world where Everything Happens.

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Open post by katecbowler with ID 17846530653601877

Maybe you meant for this Christmas to feel different—brighter, lighter, better.But here we are. Halfway through Advent, and the recital was missed, the package is lost, and you forgot you had to make cookies for a class of 35.And still, this week, we light a candle (the pink one!) for joy. Not because everything went to plan. But because joy is God’s wild gift. It breaks in anyway. Right in the middle of the mess.So if the season hasn’t gone how you hoped—you're not alone. May joy find you, anyway, in a world where Everything Happens.

Peace isn’t pretending everything’s fine or even...calm.
It’s choosing to believe the light still gets in.
Even here. Even now.

“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12).

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Open post by katecbowler with ID 17993720255894195

Peace isn’t pretending everything’s fine or even...calm.
It’s choosing to believe the light still gets in.
Even here. Even now.“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12).

If you are reading this you have great eyesight. But also, thanks for being a person with me. The world is strange and hard for soft-hearted humans, but I think you’re a delight.

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Blessings

Everything Happens.

Make your inbox a little more human.

ABOUT
- Meet Kate
  Hi, I’m Kate. I’m a Duke professor, podcaster, and author with a single mission: giving you permission to feel human. After years of being told I was incurable, I was declared cancer-free. But there’s no going back. I am forever changed by what I discovered: life is so beautiful and life is so hard. For everyone.
  ABOUT KATE
  Get to Know Me
  HUMAN
  AUTHOR
  PODCAST HOST
  SPEAKER
  How to Connect
  NEWSLETTER
  BOOKING
  EVENTS
  CONTACT
  PRESS
PODCAST
- Everything Happens.
  Are you living your best life now? Not always? This is a podcast for you. Duke Professor Kate Bowler is an expert in the stories we tell about success and failure, suffering and happiness. She had Stage IV cancer. Then she didn’t. And since then, all she wants to do is talk to funny and wise people about how to live with the knowledge that, well, everything happens.
  See All Episodes
  Kelly Corrigan
  Third Annual Happy Crappy: Let’s Start with the Crappies
  Listen Now Third Annual Happy Crappy: Let’s Start with the Crappies
  Nikki Grimes
  Complicated Childhoods, Forgiveness, and Extraordinary Grace
  Listen Now Complicated Childhoods, Forgiveness, and Extraordinary Grace
  Tim Shriver
  Through the Lens of Love
  Listen Now Through the Lens of Love
  Sarah Wildman
  Small Talk Survivors
  Listen Now Small Talk Survivors
BOOKS
- Books
  Let’s untangle our culture’s obsession with toxic positivity and self-help, shall we? Kate studies the cultural stories we tell ourselves about success, suffering, and whether (or not) we’re capable of change. She is the author of seven books including three instant New York Times bestsellers.
  All Books
  Joyful, Anyway
  
  Everything Happens for a Reason
  (And Other Lies I’ve Loved)
  
  Have a Beautiful Terrible Day!
  Daily Meditations for the Ups, Downs & In-Betweens
  
  No Cure for Being Human
  (And Other Truths I Need to Hear)
RESOURCES
- Resources
  Our goal with Everything Happens is to create rich language and vibrant community that sustains us when life comes apart. Below, you’ll find categories that may be good starting points for you. Inside are a mix of podcasts, blessings, support guides, and bonus resources that we hope will be useful.
  ALL RESOURCES
  Types
  BLESSINGS
  DEVOTIONALS
  SUPPORT GUIDES
  COURSES
  FREE DOWNLOADS
  Discussion Guides
  FOR MINISTRY
  Topics
  ILLNESS
  GRIEF
  WHAT NOT TO SAY
  RESILIENT FAITH
  INSPIRING LIVES
  NUANCED HOPE
  CARING AT HOME
  CARING AT WORK
  COMPLICATED FAMILIES
  MOVING FORWARD
MERCH
SUBSTACK

Meet Kate

Get to Know Me

How to Connect

Everything Happens.

Books

Joyful, Anyway

Everything Happens for a Reason

Have a Beautiful Terrible Day!

No Cure for Being Human

Resources

Types

Topics

Every week I usually forget most of the basics: a) you are loved. b) life is absurd. c) it’s hard to be a human.

Follow along on socials

Everything Happens.

Browse by topic

Make your inbox a little more human.

Meet Kate

Get to Know Me

How to Connect

Everything Happens.

Books

Joyful, Anyway

Everything Happens for a Reason

Have a Beautiful Terrible Day!

No Cure for Being Human

Resources

Types

Topics

Every week I usually forget most of the basics:
a) you are loved. b) life is absurd. c) it’s hard to be a human.