Judi Becker: What the Flood Couldn’t Wash Away

What would you hold onto if you lost almost everything?

In this episode of How Life Shapes Us, Tesla Mitchell sits down with one of the people who shaped her own life: longtime professor, mentor, and educator Judi Becker.

For decades, Judi has helped students discover their voices, embrace imperfection, and believe that their best is enough. But behind that steady encouragement is a story of remarkable resilience.

Within just a few years, Judi experienced what she calls a "trifecta" of loss – a marriage ending because of addiction, the devastating 2007 Rushford, Minnesota flood that destroyed nearly everything she owned, and the death of her former husband. Through each chapter, she was forced to ask what truly lasts when the things you depend on disappear.

In this conversation, Judi shares:

• How life’s hardest seasons reshaped her priorities
• Why accepting help is one of the greatest gifts we can give others
• The lesson behind taking "heart pictures" instead of relying only on photographs
• How faith, community, and hope carried her through unimaginable loss
• Her advice for learning to love yourself with the same compassion you'd offer a child or your closest friend

This conversation is a reminder that while we can't control what life takes from us, we can choose what we carry forward.

If you've ever experienced loss, questioned your purpose, or needed a reminder that hope can survive heartbreak, this episode will stay with you long after it ends.

Note: This description was written with the help of AI so that Tesla can spend more time finding amazing guests and having meaningful interviews with them. Tesla edits these descriptions to make sure they are authentic to the guest’s story and aren’t using clickbait techniques to draw listeners in. Thanks for listening and supporting this one-person-run podcast!