When Latika Vines invited me to be a guest on her award-winning podcast, Empowering the Working Moms, I have to admit—I felt a bit of trepidation. Latika’s audience consists primarily of women, many of them African American, who are half my age. They balance demanding careers and motherhood while striving to reclaim their career visions and live life more abundantly. Let’s be real: hearing an old surfer guy talk about eternity didn’t exactly sound like a match made in Heaven (pun intended).
However, Latika quickly found common ground in our interview, leading to an engaging and thought-provoking discussion. Early on, she asked me this powerful question:
“How does a working mother who is feeling overburdened with life begin every day with the end of our life in mind?”
My answer was simple,
“By learning to put Heaven first in your life.”
What followed was a deep and meaningful conversation about work-life balance and how the promise of Heaven can transform how we live today. It was one of the most enjoyable and inspiring interviews I’ve done. I walked away hoping I had offered even a small ray of hope to these hardworking moms about the joy that awaits us all in Heaven.
Then came the big news …
Last week, Latika emailed me with some exciting news: my episode, “Will There Be Surfing in Heaven?” (S11 E185), was her most-listened-to episode of 2024!
Out of 28 episodes this year, it topped the charts. Here’s a snippet from her message:
“Your episode was the top listened-to episode in 2024! I screamed when I saw it at the top of the list. And then, when I came home tonight, your book had arrived. To God be the glory! I am so proud of you for publishing it and including a path to salvation in its final pages. May God bless you, Mike.”
It has been incredibly humbling and encouraging to learn that Surfing in Heaven’s core message—the hope and promise of Heaven—resonates beyond surfers into the lives of working moms.
Surfing in Heaven is available on Amazon Today
Thanks to a Kickstarter campaign that raised 112% of its goal, I’m thrilled to announce that Surfing in Heaven is officially available on Amazon in hardback, paperback, and eBook formats. Although the official launch date remains January 11, 2025, I made the book available early to take advantage of the holiday season. Other retailers, like Barnes & Noble, will follow in January. And yes—I plan to narrate the audiobook myself, which will be released later in 2025.
Save the Date: January 11, 2025
We’re hosting an official launch party and book celebration in Mountain View, CA, on January 11th, 2025. Invitations have been sent, but if you didn’t receive one, let me know at m1mulkey@gmail.com.
Can’t attend? You can still participate online:
- Follow my blog: surfingforbalance.com/blog
- Sign up for my newsletter: Mike’s Newsletter
- Join the Launch Team: Join Here
Looking For The Perfect Christmas Gift?
Surfing in Heaven is an ideal gift for teens and adults alike. One of the 9th graders in my Bible Study Fellowship class is already on Chapter 3 and says he’s loving it (and for the record, he doesn’t have work-life balance issues — yet 😊).
Even our dog Willow seems to approve… she’s been sniffing it out! 🐾
Congratulations, Mike! Ann and I have found our church! After many years at Saddleback, we joined some friends to try out a different church in San Clemente, Shoreline Church. We love it! Our pastor George is awesome! He started the church with his surfer dude friends over a decade ago and it has really been growing. I’m buying two copies of your book, one for me and one for George. I know he will be impressed with Will There Be Surfing in Heaven!