When fear is loud, and division feels inevitable, fierce love can feel like the most daring choice of all.

In a time shaped by anxiety, polarization, and uncertainty, love is often mistaken for softness or retreat. Yet the love our world most needs is not passive—it is courageous, grounded, and willing to stay present when fear urges us to harden or withdraw.

This Whisper of the Sacred Rebel is an invitation to return to fierce love—not as sentimentality, but as a steady, resilient commitment to compassion, truth, and shared humanity.

We reflect on what it means to choose love that listens deeply, stands firmly, and refuses to surrender to fear.

This is a short reflection meant to be received slowly—perhaps with a breath, a pause, or a moment of stillness.

You don’t have to meet fear with force. You can meet it with love.

What does it take to create order in a world of high-stakes gambling and "wild west" rules? Today on Sacred Rebel Voices, we sit down with a true legend of the game: Matt Savage, the Executive Tour Director of the World Poker Tour (WPT). ​Matt didn’t just join the poker world; he revolutionized it. From his humble beginnings as a chip runner to becoming the man who literally wrote the rules of modern poker, Matt’s story is one of persistence, integrity, and the courage to challenge the status quo.​In this episode, we "call the bluff" on the poker industry to uncover universal lessons about leadership and human nature. Whether you’ve never held a deck of cards or you’re a seasoned pro at the final table, Matt’s journey from the floor to the Hall of Fame offers a masterclass in how to lead with transparency and why "standardizing the game" is a metaphor for life.​In this interview, we explore:​The Rebel Journey: How Matt transitioned from the entry-level "chip runner" role to the industry's most respected authority.​Changing the Game: The birth of the Tournament Directors Association (TDA) and the uphill battle of convincing the world that poker needed a standard set of rules.​Integrity Under Pressure: How he handles the weight of being the ultimate arbiter in a world where millions of dollars are on the line.​The Human Element: Why Matt remains dedicated to helping recreational players feel comfortable and welcome at the table.​Connect with Matt Savage:Twitter: @SavagePokerWorld Poker Tour: WPT.com​Subscribe to Sacred Rebel Voices for more interviews with the people who have the courage to change the rules of the game.​#MattSavage #WPT #Poker #Leadership #SacredRebelVoices #WorldPokerTour #Integrity #CareerJourney

In this episode of Sacred Rebel Voices, Jerry Zehr sits down with Alexandra Hudson—author of The Soul of Civility and founder of Civic Renaissance—for a thoughtful conversation about what civility really means in a fractured public life.Rather than politeness or silence, Alexandra invites us to consider civility as courage: the willingness to engage across difference without surrendering conviction, dignity, or truth.

Together, Jerry and Alexandra explore how civility can become a form of moral resistance, a practice of fierce love, and a way of showing up faithfully in a fearful world.

This conversation is part of Sacred Rebel Voices, a series of deep, reflective dialogues with thinkers, artists, and leaders who are reimagining what it means to live with courage, compassion, and integrity today.

In a world that often rewards conformity and silence, living your own story can feel risky—even dangerous. We learn early which parts of ourselves are welcome, and which parts are safer to hide or leave unexplored.

This Whisper of the Sacred Rebel is an invitation to live from your own truth—not to perform it, defend it, or prove it, but to inhabit it with honesty and courage.

We reflect on what it means to honor your lived experience, to make choices that align with who you truly are, and to trust that your story is still unfolding.

This is a short reflection meant to be received slowly—perhaps with a breath, a pause, or a moment of stillness. You don’t have to live your story all at once. But you don’t have to live someone else’s either.

What happens when a man fueled by 25 years of combat rage and a deep-seated hatred decides to build a bomb to destroy a local mosque? For Richard "Mac" McKinney, that was the plan—until he walked through the doors of the Islamic Center of Muncie and met the very people he intended to kill.​

In this episode, I sit down with Richard McKinney, the subject of the Academy Award-nominated documentary Stranger at the Gate. Mac shares the raw, unfiltered details of his transition from a U.S. Marine struggling with PTSD and Islamophobia to a man who eventually converted to Islam and became the president of the mosque he once targeted.​

Key Topics We Discuss:​ ​

The "Recon" Mission: The day he walked into the mosque with a hidden agenda, he was met with a life-changing welcome.​

The Transformation: What it felt like to have his prejudices dismantled by simple acts of kindness.​

Life After 'Stranger at the Gate': How he handles his past today and his mission to bridge divides in a polarized world.​

If you’ve ever wondered if genuine change is possible for someone lost to extremism, this interview is a must-watch.

In a world that rewards control and constant effort, surrender is often misunderstood as weakness. This short reflection invites you to consider a different truth: that real strength sometimes begins when we loosen our grip.

In this Whisper of the Sacred Rebel, we explore strength in surrender—learning when to release what we cannot carry alone, and how letting go can open us to trust, freedom, and quiet courage.

Take a breath. You don’t have to hold this all by yourself.

Rabbi Sandy Sasso is one of the first women ordained as a rabbi in American Judaism and the first woman rabbi in Reconstructionist Judaism. But this conversation is not simply about being first—it’s about what it takes to listen deeply, to trust an inner call, and to step forward when no clear path exists.

In this episode of Sacred Rebel Voices, Jerry Zehr sits down with Rabbi Sasso to explore faith, courage, and awareness—how awareness of self, tradition, and the sacred can open new possibilities for leadership, inclusion, and blessing.

Together, they reflect on the cost and gift of breaking barriers, the role of compassion in moments of resistance, and what it means to live a life of faithful presence in a changing world.

This is a conversation for anyone who has felt called beyond what was expected of them—and chose to say yes.

In a world that often feels heavy and exhausting, joy can be a quiet act of resistance.

This short reflection invites you to pause, breathe, and reconnect with joy as a source of courage, healing, and hope.