The online world has its share of engaging podcast hosts, and Jen Hatmaker is right up there with the best of them. A woman of many, well, hats—from New York Times best-selling author to speaker to television personality—her role as a podcast host in recent years has added another impressive undertaking to that list. In her For the Love podcast, Jen explores all the things she loves and shares words of wisdom in a refreshing way.
Since its first episodes in 2017, the podcast has expanded to more than 30 seasons and achieved considerable success. It amassed more than 16 million downloads and consistently holds a spot on Apple Podcasts’ Top 10 list of its category. The title comes from Jen’s best-selling book of the same name, which encourages readers to adopt a grace-first, Jesus-inspired approach to dealing with and loving other people.
For the Love is an ode to many of Jen’s favorite things: Jesus, family, community, food, culture, fashion, stories, and more. The show is broken down into different series, with each one focusing on one of those topics. In each episode, Jen invites special guests to join her in conversation and offer their unique expertise. Some of these guests include celebrities like Matthew McConaughey, Candace Cameron Bure, and Priyanka Chopra Jonas, as well as Christian thought leaders such as Bob Goff, Beth Moore, Lecrae, and many others.
As a host, Jen is an excellent conversationalist who makes connections to her own personal experiences without stealing the show from her guests. She’s honest, funny, and fearless in her pursuit of truth and grace. While most of her guests are women, the show’s variety and its timely coverage of relevant topics has something to offer for everyone. Perhaps the best part are the moments of laughter and true joy that make it into every episode.
Jen’s faith is evident—and not just in the faith-based series. Here is someone with a God-given passion for life and for people. It’s a real treat to listen to Jen’s podcast and be reminded of all the things that are worth loving.
About the Author
Kayleigh Fongers graduated from Calvin University in 2018 and works as a reporter for a Grand Rapids-based publication. She’s also a freelance writer and contributes music and podcast reviews for The Banner. Kayleigh currently resides in Muskegon, Mich.