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Letters on Christian Hospitality
Volume 3 | October 13, 2026
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How Do We Change the Culture?
​What We Learn Through Experience is Worth Sharing
Whenever I introduce my colleague, Matthew Currin, I lead with this: Matt is my cool friend!
Matt brings an exceptional level of technical skill, sound judgment under pressure, and experiential wisdom, matched by an equally exceptional ability to relate to others.
Matt developed this expertise through 14 years of service as a helicopter pilot in the U.S. Marine Corps, air medical patient rescue (659 patient flights), and flying jets and helicopters for Penske’s NASCAR racing operations.
Years of training, day-to-day decision-making, successful missions and mishaps, and most importantly, remaining grounded in faith and family have led him to believe:
"If you can capture experience, organize it, and share it well, you can change a culture." (12 Seconds Changed Everything: Why Your Story Matters, Matthew Currin)
Matt is a leader I have chosen to follow, and his vision has strengthened my understanding of what we need in the field of end-of-life doula care and training.
Matt says, "When hard-earned experience becomes shared wisdom, people get better before the crisis arrives."
For context, end-of-life doulas have become an important addition to the end-of-life care field as our culture struggles to confront the reality of death and dying. Having the conversation at home or in a physician’s office is difficult for a majority of Americans.
The reality is that by 2030, 64 million people will be over the age of 65. Only 27% of this demographic report having discussed their preferences for care at the end of life with a healthcare provider.
In addition, 95% of adults over 60 report living with at least one chronic condition. It is estimated that 47.8 million people provide unpaid care for family members and friends as the cost of long-term care exceeds the savings of many households.
Dr. Pamela Pyle is a physician called to the intersection of medicine and faith. I recorded a special conversation with her on Saturday at our virtual training conference to help us feel confident as we engage in these important discussions about death, care decisions, faith, and hope.
Dr. Pamela shares how her own story shaped the way she cares for suffering patients and families. She talks openly about growing up with no church background, coming to faith later in life, and how that changed everything about how she practices medicine, walks with the dying, and supports caregivers who are carrying heavy emotional and spiritual weight.
Dr. Pamela also shares the personal side of the work. Her husband, Scott, is facing a rare non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and she speaks candidly about what it is like to be both a doctor and a spouse inside a diagnosis you never expected. That journey brings an even deeper urgency to her message about planning early, asking the right questions, and trusting God when the path is hard.
I encourage you to listen to our conversation and check out drpamela.com for free resources as well as subscribe to her newsletter.
The Death & Resurrection Doula Podcast — exploring how the Body of Christ can recover meaningful practices of Christian care at the threshold of life and death.
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Take a step of courage this week...As you listen, consider this: What experiences in your own life have led you to ask deeper questions about God, life, or death?
We'd love to hear from you!
- Send a reply to this email and share your thoughts,
- Join our Fellowship Café community, or
- Share with a friend at work or in your neighborhood.
Sometimes the wisdom someone else needs begins with a story we have been hesitant to tell.
On Sale Now!
Death & Resurrection Doulas are called to serve with wisdom, compassion, and steady presence at one of life’s most sacred thresholds. Our Guide helps doulas structure their services, communicate clearly with families, and confidently share the gifts God has given them.
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Join in Fellowship
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Gather around the Word of God to discover how the resurrection of Jesus transforms every conversation about life, death, and the hope of a New Heaven and Earth. Join us online through weekly and monthly offerings.
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Grace and peace,
​Laurel Nicholson​
Creator, Death & Resurrection Doula Training Program |
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