In this episode of 12-Minute Convos with Jesus Believers, Engel Jones connects with professor, author, and community leader Marianna Richardson, joining the program from Alpine, Utah. Marianna shares a remarkably unique testimony that began in Scarsdale, New York. Growing up as the oldest of 12 children in a vibrant, faith-filled household, her father worked on Wall Street while her mother was a nationally renowned novelist. Her parents modeled a joyful, Christ-centered family life where faith brought everyone together as best friends. When Marianna married her husband a computational linguist who developed translation tools for Microsoft they chose to embrace that same joyful legacy, raising 12 children of their own in Utah across 22 years.
Alongside her full-time job as a mother, Marianna pursued her love of learning by taking graduate classes alongside her children as they did their homework together. She went on to earn four graduate degrees, including a law degree after her children had grown, and eventually became a university professor. Reflecting on her journey, Marianna shares why she relates to Martha in the New Testament as a hard worker who learns to slow down, and why she firmly believes that one person guided by the Lord can make an extraordinary difference in the world. If you are balancing family responsibilities, pursuing big dreams, or seeking to make a lasting impact in your community, Marianna's joyful story will deeply inspire your walk today!
Guest's Bio
Marianna Richardson is the Director of Communications for the G20 Interfaith Forum, where she works at the intersection of faith, ethics, and global policy. She is also an adjunct professor at Brigham Young University’s Marriott School of Business, where she teaches management communication and serves as editor-in-chief of the Marriott Student Review. Marianna has become a respected voice in discussions surrounding technology, human flourishing, and the role faith communities can play in shaping society and public dialogue. She holds degrees from Johns Hopkins University and Seattle Pacific University and has published extensively on religion, communication, and international affairs.
https://www.g20interfaith.org/