S1:E1 Derek Holser

Guest Introduction

Derek Holser and his wife Leah came into our lives shortly after my husband Mike and I left our platforms of leadership and the spiritual community we had called home for more than a decade. 

We left behind the pursuit of success and popularity to embark upon a spiritual (re)formation journey towards an understanding of who God is apart from our ability to perform.

As it turned out, God had begun that same work in Derek and Leah. Our friendship would come to serve as a steady reminder of God’s unconditional love in the years to come; a place that we could call home. 

Quite literally, it was an invitation from the Holsers that brought us to the West coast; where we lived in a small town outside of Seattle, down the road from their house.   

We call those years on the Puget Sound our monastic years. Hunkered down by the wood burning stove, weathering the "Dark Nights" of deconstruction, trauma recovery, and physical illness. All within the arms of grace, the seeing, and beholding of our authentic selves by our dear friends. 

Today, Derek and Leah continue to encourage us as we invite other leaders into this [Platform to Table] community. Derek serves on our board, and was instrumental in founding Platform to Table as a nonprofit, 501(c)(3). 

I could think of no better person to be the first guest on our podcast.

Guest Bio

Derek Holser’s life is dedicated to serving at the intersection of inspiration and education, leading to personal and societal transformation. 

He is an author, educator and attorney. He has formerly served as an elementary school teacher, pastor, on a church planting team, and President of a Christian college. He serves on the Board of Platform to Table, and was instrumental in its founding as a 501(c)(3).

Derek’s poetry, fables and episodes of his podcast, The Plunge with Derek Holser”, can  be found on Substack, Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube.

His novels are middle grade and young adult fantasy fiction. He is co-authoring the Lightglider Origins Series, a seven book series of middle grade fantasy fiction based on the video game Lightgliders, published by New Growth Press; Book 1: Bryce and the Lost Pearl will be available February 2025.

Derek and his beautiful wife Leah have three children. They live on Bainbridge Island in the stunning Pacific Northwest.