Welcome to this month’s installment of Wrapped. If you are new here, this is basically like virtually grabbing a cup of coffee with me and I share with you about everything I am reading, watching and thinking about. If you are reading this via email, click on the title to read this post in its entirety <3
Hi, hello, greetings. I have fallen in love with reading daily newsletters—or at least a few-times-a-week newsletters. I wish I had the stamina/capacity/will to produce that much magic, daily! A professor told me once that, writing is never done; it’s just due, so don’t put off writing because it is not perfect yet. At the same time, I am aware of my platform expanding and I want to be mindful of all the words I say (idk something about Matthew 12:36).
I used to do my lil monthly wrapped every two weeks (wow!) and I called them my weekly wrapped, which is sort of misleading because it was not a weekly newsletter—but hey, we are holding space for that! I picture this kind of girl (me if I had no other commitments basically) who can write 100000000 words a day and publish an effortlessly chic newsletter that combines all of my niche interest that my whole audience is somehow also interested in—idk.
If you are wondering about the source of my existential Substack crisis, please see below. If you don’t give a rip, skip to the ‘writing’ section to dive into my recommendations.
I was at a writing retreat a few weeks ago, and had the opportunity to write about all kinds of things that I normally don’t share on here. Plus, they made us crank out 500 words per day and then share it with 13 people—basically exposure therapy. I ended up sharing one of the things I wrote, Confessions of a Christian Influencer (my first poem I have ever published, wow!) and it has had a great response—tysm. Basically, I loved doing more personal writing on my retreat. It was sweet to realize that a part of my previously dormant creative self could come alive with just the right writing prompt!
My day job is being a content specialist for a Christian non-profit where I help write a weekly newsletter translating pop culture to Christian parents/caring adults (subscribe to that here). So I am basically up to my eyeballs in newsletters. But I want to give you more! But I don’t know exactly what I want this next chapter to look like for Jenna’s column. I am taking 9 credits next semester (pray for me), plus I have like 3 different side-hustles I do and freelance writing and being a person in 2026 is a LOT.
Cast your votes below! Then let’s dive in <3
Articles, Substack Posts/Notes & Poems that I want to show you!
First, here’s what I wrote this month:
In case you missed it, I am writing a book!
I covered how Instagram Plus is marketed to connect us when really it just uses our insatiable curiosities against us (shocking) for Christianity Today!
Fans of Olivia Rodrigo and Noah Kahan wearing diapers to their concerts so they don’t miss a moment. Yes, you read that correctly.
Taylor Swift’s wedding and NPCs.
Daughter from Hell by Gracie Abrams and Kylie Jenner’s smartglasses collab with Meta.
I wrote and starred in a YouTube video called: Where’d all the tweens go? where I ask—and attempt to answer—that question.
Confessions of a Christian influencer (my first poem!!!) (as shared above) (brownie points if you didn’t skip the intro.)
Stuff other people wrote
Instagram Plus Is a New Low by Annie Joy Williams is a fantastic piece about Meta’s new subscription model, which includes features like: see how many times someone has viewed your story, and look at someone’s story anonymously (they are playing the offense and the defense here). Williams is confident that those who partake in the feature will be worse off (shocker). I wrote a piece for Christianity Today on this same topic, linked here!
Substack just added a feature with Pangram to see if somebody’s post was written or assisted with AI—for the uninitiated (or those that just read newsletters in their email inbox), writers can write a little statement saying something to the likes of: “I would never use AI, fool!” as readers scan their work for AI. Some have raised the alarm bell on the false positives Pangram can generate, while others, like Grace Leuenberger choose the path of humor. Grace created a truly knee-slapping, spitting-water-out-of-my-mouth piece about her “‘How I make this’ statement(s).” If you also want to laugh instead of cry about AI, I suggest you read this. Perhaps you will leave inspired by human ingenuity.
A friend showed me this poem about cockroaches that I think about 2-3 times per week now. May I write something as disgusting/delightful one day.
Some fabulous pieces by thee reputable Griffin Gooch on exciting subjects such as: the art of stealing from other artists to improve one’s craft and on the benefits of walking.
I’ve been really into the idea that gardening is a practice of faith. As somebody without a garden, I feel like I have full authority on this topic.
I used to see this section as a log, but I decided that I only want to put things I love here: recommendations only! If you want to see everything I am reading (all 3 of you) just friend me on GoodReads.
Read
Non-fiction
The Familiar Stranger by Tyler Staton
5 stars
Tyler Staton’s basic concept is that we miss God—specifically, the Holy Spirit—in our day-to-day life, not because He is absent, but because He is too familiar to us.
I finished this a few weeks ago—it was transformative. I think most of that can be attributed to reading it with a group of girls my age, and actually putting into practice what Staton is suggesting. It doesn’t matter how many great ideas a Christian book gives you. If you don’t have a community to contextualize what you are learning, it kind of all goes out the window.
I loved Staton’s balanced perspective. He critiqued those who use the Spirit as a means for power and control, and those who do not believe in His activity in the world today. If you are looking for practical steps for engaging with healing, discernment and prophecy, I recommend this book—read it with some folks from your church if you can!
Fiction
The Funeral Ladies of Ellerie County by Claire Swinarski
5 stars
This was a truly delightful read. I find that Christian fiction can feel cheesy, cliché, or just too on the nose (a critique not unique to myself), and this was a lovely exception. It takes place in a small lake town in Wisconsin, where we meet some grandmas who cook food for funerals at their church, but it turns into so much more!
It felt like the Catholic version of an Elin Hilderbrand book
(lovely descriptions of food, local scenery, unique characters) without all the spice and infidelity tropes (welcomed). I have read Claire’s writing on Substack for years, so it was a joy to read her fiction for the first time. She wrote beautifully on PTSD, pain, family from all different generational perspectives. I loved the funeral ladies so much! Miss them already.
Time to begin my seminary reading. Pray for me, PLEASE.
Mostly music, podcasts, and movies. Let’s be friends on LetterBoxd.
Podcasts
Good Hang by Amy Poehler
There’s a good chance you have heard that Leslie Knope Amy Poehler started a podcast. Her show is often #3 on Spotify, and will have fun labels like “1M listens” by episodes with guests of the like of Matt Damon, John Cena, and Colmon Domingo. Her recent interview with Anne Lamott was fabulous.
She is so kooky and strange (and often not-Orthodox); I loved how much she talked about Jesus. You could tell Amy wasn’t sure how to handle it at times, and I liked that. I hope the Spirit of Truth spoke through that silly lady to those who needed it. Listen to this if you need a good laugh!!!
Music
Playlists for you!
Movies
The Odyssey
4 stars
I have seen this bad boy two times now, and I have to close my eyes for at least 1/5 of the movie. I am a sensitive viewer; I am not ashamed!
As somebody who has not read the book, I really enjoyed the story. Most of our friends (and my husband) work at a classical Christian school, so they all have smarter, cooler takes. But I’ll just leave my review here:
(sidebar: I loved this Christian take on it!)
Seeing it in 70mm was a lovely experience. I felt so inspired by the format! After two viewings, I feel confident it will be a few more years before I watch that cyclops munch on a man again. Yuck.
Spider-Man Brand New Day & Spider-Verse Series
I know that superhero movies are so overdone, but I don’t care. Buy me a ticket! I’m there! Spider-Man feels distinct from a lot of the Marvel slop that we’ve been seeing on our screens the last few years. Maybe that’s just the magic of Tom Holland, or something more compelling about the story that Spider-Man is telling about identity, formation and community. It was more depressing than the other Holland Spider-Man movies with the whole amnesia thing—but I loved Sadie Sink’s character and Act III was chef’s kiss. 4 stars!
I also feel like I am the last person on earth to watch the Spider-Verse movies. I have a hard time getting into animated shows/TV so I brushed it off. But Parker persisted. We watched both last week, and I was absolutely OBSESSED. The animation was so fun. I loved the humor and the different take on the story I have seen so many times. I can’t believe the cliffhanger we got left on—diabolical. 5 stars for both!!!!
The section where I tap the shoulder of writers and thinkers I love, so you can get a taste of writing that is good, true and beautiful!
I pondered this week about writing my book!!!!! Read about it here.
I am going to document my writing process on here, thus taking a bit of a hiatus from the ‘pondering section.’ Just think of it like it is relocating! It’ll be a treasure just for paid subs, too. I love highlighting other writers on here, but I need a little break from curating that as school starts up again soon and my writing time for Substack shrinks a bit.
I am rethinking my publication and the kind of content I am putting out, as stated in my intro, so I am going to hit you with another poll.
Bless you. Thank you for reading this <3 comment a highlight from your summer if you read this until the end!
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Your friend,
Thank you for your shoutout, Jenna!! Long live napkin essays!
I went to go watch the Odyssey in IMAX last Friday and it was too good!! The weird scenes (where I also had to close my eyes) are the only reason why it wasn't a 10/10, but I'd defo watch it again!! 😭✨