Shows / The Storydram
The Storydram
Welcome to the Storydram podcast where hosts Kory LaCroix and Chris Kostelc share stories to help share The Story. Have you ever felt paralyzed when someone asks you a question? When someone asks us a question it's often better to answer with a story than a soundbite. We call our conversation Storydram because a dram is small amount of something. We share small stories with big impacts. Our hope is that by sharing our stories, you feel more confident sharing yours.
Episodes
- The Storydram
180 When Heaven Erupts
What does a hotel full of baseball fans celebrating a playoff victory have to do with the joy of heaven? In this episode, Chris shares a memorable moment from…
- The Storydram
179 I Saw Something in My Son Every Parent Hopes For
As parents, we spend years trying to teach our children what is good, what is right, and what it means to live a virtuous life. But every once in a while, we…
- The Storydram
178 Mice in My Car (and the Things We Really Fear)
What do two mice, a stash of sunflower seeds, and a very frightened wife have to teach us about the spiritual life? This week on Storydram Chris shares the…
- The Storydram
177 Finding Faith in the Dark: A Little Light Goes a Long Way
What do a childhood collision with a picnic table, a set of lost keys, and a rosary prayed one bead at a time have in common? This week on Storydram, Chris and…
- The Storydram
176 More Than a Meal: Hospitality and Making Family Out of Families
What if true hospitality isn't about having the perfect meal prepared or the house completely clean, but about inviting others into the beautiful messiness of…
- The Storydram
175 The Time Everyone Breathed at Once
Sometimes the things we said when we were thirteen have a way of sticking with us. When Chris was the new kid at a Catholic school, one innocent theory about…
- The Storydram
174 Seventy Times Seven… Until the Toilet Overflows,
Sometimes the Gospel gets very practical, very quickly. After hearing Jesus’ call to forgive at Sunday Mass, Kory heads home to discover an overflowing…
- The Storydram
173 You’re Not the Main Character
What do pitchfork-fried steaks, eight pounds of State Fair food, and an awkward encounter with a teenage boy on a crowded bus have in common? Apparently, they…
- The Storydram
172 The Wrong Beer and the Real Presence
Throwback to the National Eucharistic Congress when Chris is convinced he is bringing home a prized case of Spotted Cow—only to discover that he bought…
- The Storydram
171 The Church Is a Number 20
What does a sketchy neighborhood, a roadside barbecue joint, and the Catholic Church have in common? More than you might think. In this episode of Story Drām…
- The Storydram
170 When's Our Next Daddy Date?
What can a trip to the grocery store teach us about prayer, fatherhood, and the love of God? In this episode of Storydrām, a simple daddy-daughter trip to Cub…
- The Storydram
169 I Washed the Car… But I Missed the Point
What does washing a car have to do with prayer? A childhood lesson from Chris's dad leads to a conversation about the difference between checking boxes and…
- The Storydram
168 The Archbishop, an Awkward Comment, and What It Revealed
Sometimes one awkward sentence can reveal what's really going on in our hearts. In this episode, Kory shares an embarrassing encounter with Archbishop Hebda…
- The Storydram
167 No Benchwarmers in the Body of Christ
What do camping disasters, family road trips, and a last-minute restaurant change have to do with the Mass? More than you'd think. The guys explore how every…
- The Storydram
166 Roulette Throwback: The Milk Fridge, Humility, and 800 Hungry Kids
What starts as a simple attempt to make a men's event a little quieter ends with 800 school lunches, one unplugged milk fridge, and a very embarrassing email…
- The Storydram
165 There's a Bat in The House!
Chris and Kory kick off Independence Day with fireworks, family traditions, and a festive cocktail before an unexpected encounter takes the conversation in a…
- The Storydram
164 How Kory Ended Up in a Locker Room Fight
A routine trip to the gym takes an unexpected turn when Kory finds himself caught in the middle of a heated locker-room confrontation over a missing Star Wars…
- The Storydram
163 How Not to Lose Your Wallet (and Your Faith)
What do a Cardinals game, a missing wallet, and a stranger's integrity have in common? More than you'd think. Chris shares the story of losing his wallet at…
- The Storydram
162 Storydram Throwback: From Vampire Conventions to God's Providence
In this Storydram throwback, Ryan O'Hara shares one of the funniest stories in podcast history—a hotel elevator encounter with a group of vampire…
- The Storydram
161 Storydram Throwback: The Unexpected Bus Ride
We're digging into the Story Dram archives for this special throwback episode. Chris shares the unforgettable story of the day his young daughter accidentally…
- The Storydram
160 Is it a Sin to Borrow Deodorant?
What do toothpicks, deodorant, and prayer have in common? More than you might think. The guys begin with a surprisingly passionate discussion about toothpicks…
- The Storydram
159 Hacky Sack Revival & the Friends Who Shape Us
Hacky sack is back—and somehow that leads the guys into a deeper conversation about friendship, virtue, and the people who shape who we become. From baseball…
- The Storydram
158 The Good Shepherd’s Surprise Gift
In this episode: why Costco is dangerous, deodorant struggles, Block Blast theology, shepherds vs. wolves! After celebrating Leo’s First Communion on Good…
- The Storydram
157 Imposter Syndrome and The Holiness of Feeling Uncomfortable
Chris shares the surprisingly spiritual experience of walking into a bank to withdraw cash before a family vacation — and realizing he felt completely out of…
- The Storydram
156 The Great Sushi Spill
A simple lunch outing turns into an unforgettable moment when Chris takes a hard fall—literally—walking into a sushi restaurant. What starts as a hilarious…
- The Storydram
155 The Night I Caught a 91-Year-Old at Mass
What starts as a late-night Easter Vigil run to McDonald’s turns into something much deeper: a conversation about readiness, calling, and the unexpected ways…
- The Storydram
154 What a Jungle Snake Taught Me About Salvation
The guys start with wild fun facts—but things take a turn when Chris shares a story from a jungle night hike in Costa Rica… where he came face-to-face with one…
- The Storydram
153 This Is the Life: Finding God in What You Didn’t Choose
Happy Easter! In this episode of Story dram, Chris and Kory kick things off with Easter candy rankings and a surprisingly meaningful Holy Week idea—praying and…
- The Storydram
152 Spy Wednesday & the Email That Changed Everything
Holy Week is here—and while most of us know Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter, what about Spy Wednesday? In this episode, the guys reflect on betrayal…
- The Storydram
151 The Myth of Ignorance (…and Also, Ulysses S. Grant)
Chris accidentally becomes an evangelist… for Ulysses S. Grant after diving deep into a 48-hour biography—and his staff pays the price. From 19th-century…
- The Storydram
150 The Things We Regret (and the Ones We Never Did)
Chris and Kory talk about the skills they abandoned when they were younger—and how easy talent can sometimes keep us from growing. Kory shares a childhood…
- The Storydram
149 The Potty King and the Hacksaw
What happens when a toddler turns a training toilet seat into a crown… and then gets it stuck around his neck? Chris shares the unforgettable story of his son…
- The Storydram
148 No Beeping Way: Radical Generosity in a Backwoods Garage
After debating overtime hockey and Olympic glory, a family road trip to Wisconsin Dells takes a turn when a flashing dashboard light threatens to derail…
- The Storydram
147 Rewind: The Ride She Wasn’t Supposed to Take
A simple bus ride turned into every parent’s worst nightmare. When Chris’s seven-year-old daughter was accidentally put on the wrong school bus, what followed…
- The Storydram
146 No Pranks, Just Stories: When Ministry Almost Goes Very Wrong ft. Eric Duffy
What do facial hair trends, poisonous frogs in Mexico, clogged toilets full of goldfish, and an unexpected indoor fireball have in common? Apparently… youth…
- The Storydram
145 From Youth Group Kid to Now ft. Eric Duffy
What do woodworking, canoe-building, youth ministry, and teaching science all have in common? According to Eric Duffy—more than you’d think. In this episode of…
- The Storydram
144 The Pediatrician, the Playlist, and the Risen Christ
Have you ever failed to recognize someone you know—simply because you weren’t expecting to see them there? In this episode of StoryDram Chris and Kory start…
- The Storydram
143 Ripping Pants at Baptism Prep
Kory fails at car repair, rips his pants at church, and ends up teaching baptism prep in a server robe. Somehow, God still shows up. In this episode, The guys…
- The Storydram
142 Is Chris Dead? Why Presence Matters More Than Programs
This episode starts innocently enough: a heated debate about coziness, slippers, and why Americans seem allergic to being comfortable. But somewhere between a…
- The Storydram
141 It's A Wonderful Life: Why Good Stories Save Us
Christmas is over and Ordinary Time has begun—but what if the ordinary is where life’s deepest meaning is found? Chris and Kory reflect on favorite Christmas…
- The Storydram
140 The Most Disappointing Night of the Year
Every year many stay up late, eat too much, maybe drink a little, and expect New Year’s Eve to be unforgettable. And almost every year… it isn’t. In this New…
- The Storydram
139 He Took the List: A Story of Confession, Mercy, and Christmas ft. Alicia LaCroix
Merry Christmas from Storydram! 🎄 In this special Christmas episode, Chris and Kory are joined by Alicia LaCroix for a powerful and deeply human story about…
- The Storydram
138 Don't Let Her Go Down the Hill
As we record on the Fourth Sunday of Advent, the house is loud, the stew is hot, and Christmas is almost here. In this episode of Storydram, Chris and Kory…
- The Storydram
137 When is it ok to Jump Over A Church Pew?
A moment of humor turns into a moment of charity in this week’s episode. Kory tells the story of accidentally sending a fake episode title (“Signs Your…
- The Storydram
136 Don’t Let Them Steal Your Peace
From broken tools and hit-and-run garbage cans to being “pretty woman-ed” in a clothing store — a humorous look at reclaiming your peace in everyday…
- The Storydram
135 When It's Ok to Quit
From Elon Musk “flying cars” and AI hymn-writing to a dusty Amazon box under a desk, this episode of Story Time is all about unfinished things. Inside the box…
- The Storydram
134 Take Your Mom on a Date
What starts as a goofy chat about missed talents (beatboxing, flip turns, and failed skateboard dreams) turns into a tender story about a son taking his mom…
- The Storydram
133 When the Bar Becomes A Pulpit ft. Luke Klavins
What happens when two youth ministers decide to wander Minneapolis with no phones, no plan, and only one rule: follow every recommendation and meet whoever God…
- The Storydram
132 When the Word Wasn’t for You—But Was
Sometimes the people God wants to reach aren’t the ones we’re talking to—but the ones listening just beyond the conversation. In this episode, Chris and Kory…
- The Storydram
131 New Perspectives: Warm Beer Can Make You Holy
After a Halloween night filled with candy debates and neighborly cheer, Chris shares a story from Farm Aid 2025 that starts with a $20 warm beer and ends with…
- The Storydram
130 He Did a Cartwheel at Their Wedding ft. Tyler and Rachel McCollum
Tyler thought it’d be funny. Rachel said “don’t.” What happened next turned into a lesson on joy, humility, and holy whimsy in marriage. A hilarious and…
- The Storydram
129 Saving Lives at McDonals ft. Tyler and Rachel McCollum
Tyler just wanted coffee. Ten minutes later, he was saving a man’s life. This wild story will make you think twice about where God might be placing you today…
- The Storydram
128 Pierced Ears and the Death of Pumpkin Spice?
Chris and Kory check in on an early episodes pumpkin spice predictions, confess their creamer choices, and take a detour into a touching story about a…
- The Storydram
127 Is Buying Five Packs of Oreos Gluttony or Just Good Stewardship?
Chris and Kory take a dive into the deadly sin of gluttony — and end up somewhere entirely unexpected. Between talk of Mega Stuf, coffee-flavored cookies, and…
- The Storydram
126 Rotting, Rest, and the Real Meaning of Sabbath
This week Chris and Kory swap stories about the first shows they ever binged (Lost, Sopranos, Arrested Development). But the conversation takes a turn: from…
- The Storydram
125 Chasing Monarchs & Chasing God ft. Brad Zasada
What’s the strangest place you’ve ever fallen asleep? From teepees to classrooms to parked cars, the guys start with ridiculous laughter before taking flight…
- The Storydram
124 Pumpkin Spice is Dead and Driving Off a Mountain
Chris and Kory kick things off with playful fall-food banter — are pumpkin-spice drinks past their prime, and what in the world are “dirty sodas”? Chris shared…
- The Storydram
123 If Not in This Life, Then in the Next ft. Sarah Baudler
The guys welcome the endearing and insightful Sarah Baudler to Storydram this week. When Sarah Baudler hopped on a train after a solo pilgrimage to Assisi, she…
- The Storydram
122 Fireworks, Just War, and The Examen
Chris and Kory kick things off with fireworks gone wrong (yes, bottle rocket wars were a thing), spirit animals, and “Take that, Satan!” merch ideas. Kory…
- The Storydram
121 Parish Festivals & Full Contact Pie Eating
Every parish festival has its quirks—corn hats, bingo, silent auctions—but nothing prepared us for the chaos of the Holy Name pie-eating contest. What started…