Today Andy and I explore the the real issues behind what's happening in our world, and how looking at history can help us understand the present - and discover that in fact, there might be many reasons to hope and discover some joy, even in the midst of how things are now. 

I finished this conversation feeling so much more hopeful, about our world and my own life, I hope you do too. 

Alexander shares how we need to be awakened to our need for growth, go through a process of transformation, before we see genuine change - and how this is an ongoing process of growth for us, and we discuss what this looks like in practice. 

There's so much in this episode I can't explain it all in a short summary - but Alexander is one of the wisest, deepest thinkers I know, and he has a deep well of knowledge to share. This is such a great conversation, one of my favourites. 

You can find out more about Alexanders' work & get more resources of his at www.quadratos.com

K.J. explains how we can try and explain and justify our suffering, and the reality that we simply can't understand suffering, and it's OK that we don't. She explores how we can be fully present in our lives now and discover deeper depths to the divine mystery, and a greater knowledge of who we are. 

Finally, K.J. explores how she discovered solidarity with Jesus in his own emotional, physical and mental suffering, and discovered how it's in the midst of suffering we can actually draw closer to him - and we explore how this is contrary to the Hollywood, prosperity 'God solves the problem and gets you to heaven' story which evangelical Christianity tries to sell us, which isn't even suffering. 

K.J. has such insight on suffering and the divine, a background in therapy and knowledge the neuroscience of suffering, and has such wisdom to share here, it was a true joy to speak to her.

Marlena shares with us how the suffering and wilderness helped her discover the deeper truth of a loving God, who meets us in our brokenness, a God who isn't constrained by church, theology or religious certainty, but can still be found within spiritual community and the Christian faith.

Marlena discovered how the desert experiences, the very real suffering we experience, when prayers aren't answered, can actually connect us to Jesus way more than the mountaintop experiences, and the divine can be found to be faithful even there. 

In this episode we explore the spirituality of comic book characters, and the identity, stories, and character arc of several major comic characters we see in movie, including villains.

We talk about the stories and characters which resonate with us and our journeys, and indeed the cultural warnings and messages we can see regarding deconstruction and mental health, in the respective stories of Steve Rogers (Captain America), Bruce Wayne (Batman) and arguably the greatest comic book villain, the Joker. We also explore the links between the stories of Superman, Jesus and Moses.

This is both one of the most fun episodes I've ever done, yet also one of the deepest.

Julida also shares some new developments in her own life, and how these have been reflected in this new music, and reflects on how these developments might impact their creativity going forward. We then dive into two particular songs, 'You May Learn' and 'Aspiration', and the stories and creative process behind these songs, as well as their single 'Sea Of Glass'.

Julida always has such insight into the creative process, and how it connects with our own personal, spiritual journeys, this is well worth a listen. 

Aundi explores in depth the concept of 'Trying Softer' and what it can mean for us. She shares some fascinating neurological insights into how our mind and body are not just connected, but one, and how they interact with our spirituality. Then she explains how all three of these areas can impact our mental health.

Aundi also shares the common problems she encounters as a therapist and shares the key lessons she's learned, and we also discuss the unique mental health challenges of being a mother. 

Aundi has so much wisdom and experience around mental health, recovering from trauma and how this impacts our personal and spiritual journeys, this is well worth a listen. Her book, 'Try Softer', is available for pre-order now.

The response from much of the evangelical church, who wished to hide the suffering, not speak or accept the truth about the unanswered prayers and struggles Stephanie was enduring, had huge implications for her life and her spiritual journey.

Stephanie shares this story, and explains what she believes is sorely lacking in our trending conversations around Christianity – to partner sound theology and practice with the unashamed acceptance of struggle in the present tense. This is a raw, honest and challenging conversation, from a voice all of us need to hear. 

To read the story in more detail, you can also read Stephanie's book 'The View From Rock Bottom', available now.

Mary DeMuth, author, speaker and advocate, is my guest today as we explore and discuss the very real issue of sexual abuse and harassment within the church, as she discusses in her new book 'Me Too'. Mary speaks with great candor and empathy about her own experiences with sexual abuse and the depth of this problem in the Christian church today.

In our conversation, and in her new book 'We Too', she encourages the church she loves to rise up and face the very real evil of sexual abuse and harassment, and shares practical steps churches and pastoral teams can take to confront and deal with this effectively in their own communities and to end this evil going forward. We discuss the impact abuse can have on its victims and how to effectively deal with these consequences.

We also explore what the Bible says to the sexually exploited, what harms and what empowers those who have been traumatized by abuse, and how Jesus provides us a relational framework that welcomes victims. 

You can find out more information on this issue and Mary's book, and get free resources, at metoo.org.

Kevin unpacks some of the myths and misunderstandings around tarot and explains how he has used it to deepen his faith and his spirituality, to examine and build a deeper connection to himself. Kevin explores how our we need to engage with our imaginations more in order to grow both spiritually and personally, and we overlap into grief, encountering lost loved ones, transcendent experiences and much much more. 

Kevin has so much wisdom and insight into the spiritual journey and discovering our truest selves. This conversation was hugely transformative for me personally, and I'd highly recommend both this episode and Kevin's work. 

Jessica unpacks with great insight what the enneagram is, what it means, and how we can understand it better. We explore our own 'numbers' and see just how accurate the enneagram can be, what it can tell us about ourselves, and how it can help us in work and relationships. 

This was such a fun podcast to record, and I know you're gonna really enjoy it. And if you want more insight to the enneagram, it's definitely worth a listen!

(Pre-Order Jessica’s book now, right here)

Christine shares how her creativity has deepened her spiritual journey and helped her to see a side to the divine which has a sense of fun, mischief, adventure and pure joy - creating for its own sake, for the joy of creating. She also explores how the creative process can be therapeutic, and improve our mental and emotional health. Christine argues as we explore this side of the divine we find it more in ourselves, and this helps our own creativity and connection to the divine, ourselves, and the divine creation we are part of. 

Christine has so much wisdom, on creativity, the divine journey and so much more. Her book 'The Gift of Wonder' is available now wherever books are sold.

Today we discuss the novel, the message of the book and the creative process of writing a novel. We also explore the challenges and the experience of writing a novel, as opposed to a non-fiction book, how our creativity and stories we tell there often reflect parts of our own journey, and how the process of writing and creating can change us. 

Shawn always speaks with such incredible wisdom and experience on writing and the creative process, and there's lessons here for all of us involved in the act of creating art.

'Lights From Distant Stars' is available now wherever books are sold.

We discuss his examination and interpretation of Biblical passages often used to condemn homosexuality, and how these have been misunderstood and taken out of context - and what their original meaning probably was. We also explore how we can build more inclusive spiritual communities, what true inclusion really means, and why it's at the heart of the message of Jesus. 

Brandan has so much wisdom and insight, and is doing such great work. His book, 'The Gospel Of Inclusion' is available now!

She talks about some of the common issues she encounters in life coaching and how we can overcome them - issues of fear, shame, identity, relationships and vocation, and shares some experiences, practices and lessons she's learned about how we can engage with these issues in a healthy way, and have better mental and emotional health. 

Felicity has great insight, wisdom and compassion, and is such fun to talk to, I know you're gonna love this episode. 

Sarah shares some lessons and challenges she's explored which have helped her connect better with her trueset self, and live a life more true to who she is. These included giving up social media for a full week (or more), looking at yourself in the mirror and loving who you are, practicing mindfulness and reminding yourself of those who love you, who you know you can trust and will be there when you need them.

Sarah shares how these challenges impacted he and what he life looks like having explored these challenges. And finds she is living a more honest life, more herself than ever before. And she believes these challenges can do the same for all of us.

*****

You can explore more of these in Sarah's latest book - 'The Authenticity Challenge: 21 Days To A More Content Life', available wherever books are sold.

It's a story of how things don't always work out how we want, they don't always end well, and life isn't always easy - but of how these experiences and stories don't take us away from the divine, but actually draw us closer. 

Alia shares her story with great courage and honesty, and it's truly inspirational. It's a story of glorious weakness. 

In this episode we explore how what spiritual community looks like needs to change and evolve in the 21st century, the problems with the very concept of belief, as well as the issue of fundamentalism in both conservative and progressive Christianity. We discuss how we can find healthy spiritual community and how we need to not just change the how of belief, but ditch the idea of belief itself, and adopt what Maria calls a 'transcendent' approach. 

Maria has so much wisdom, insight, knowledge and personal experience of these topics, and hers is a voice worth paying attention to. Take a listen!

We discuss how emotions are a God given gift, a source of wisdom and guidance - not something to be avoided. We explore examples of Jesus demonstrating emotions, both positive and negative, and what they can teach us about leaning into our emotions.

We also explore what recent research into our how brains work tells us about our emotions, and their purpose and meaning.

And finally we examine how we can pay more attention to our emotions, our behaviour and our bodies to understand what's really going in inside of us, and take practical action. 

Becky and I explore several stories of Jesus where he experiences grief, loss, trauma, doubt and fear. The loss of Lazarus, the loss of his earthly father, the social stigma he likely faced growing up, even from members of his own family - and how this impacted Jesus. We look at the human side of familiar stories, and find that as we do, it completely switches them on their head and brings them alive.

As Becky and I explore discuss the human Jesus, we find that it's his essential humanity which makes him divine.

Today, Becky Castle Miller, whose own journey into writing and pastoral ministry was directly down to Rachel, and who became one of my friends indirectly because of Rachel, joins me on the show. We each reflect on our own memories of Rachel, how she impacted our journey, and consider her wider impact on the world and her legacy.

We also explore the process of grieving, the hopeful and encouraging messages which have come in this process, how we can grieve in a healthy way - and we end on sharing our own #becauseofRHE stories - talking about how Rachel's life and legacy will impact our own lives and work going forward. 

This episode is intended as a tribute, to honour Rachel's life and work, to celebrate her accomplishments, and reflect on what we can learn from her tragically short life, as we go forward with our own, and move through grief.

Charles shares his own story into exploring the neuroscience of mindfulness and it's benefits both to our daily lives and our spiritual journey, and how the practice of 'Holy noticing' can make us more compassionate, Jesus-like people, as well as aid our physical and mental health.

Finally, he shares with us an example of his 'Breathe' technique for more helpful mindfulness meditation, and what the real practical and spiritual benefits of 'Holy Noticing' can be. 

My friend Lisa Mickey joins me on the show today, and we explore and discuss purity culture - the idea of sexual abstinence before marriage - and sexual ethics within the evangelical Christian church.

We explore the hugely damaging emotional, psychological, physical and spiritual consequences of this culture over  the last two decades, and the damage it's done to each of us and others, and what it means to explore our sexuality in a healthy way, how to deconstruct and reconstruct our sexuality, and have a healthy sexual identity which walks hand in hand with our spiritual journey. 

I'm delighted to welcome my friend Jayla Damaris to the show this week. Jayla shares her powerful, traumatic, painful story of growing up in conservative evangelical Christianity, abuse she suffered as a child, breaking free to build a new life. And then, finding herself rejected and abused spiritually, emotionally and physically by her husband - and recovering from this and beginning life again.

This is a story of courage, a story about breaking free from an abusive past and the worst of patriarchy and evangelical Christianity. It's a long but much needed story, with a lot of lessons for all of us. 

You can support Jayla as she tries to raise funds to go back to Canada, at her Go Fund Me here: 

https://www.gofundme.com/gh8ge-get-jayla-back-to-toronto

Unlike other pastors, Brandon actually tells his members not to come if it's not for them. He puts no obligation, no guilt, no commitment on people to attend - instead of prioritising the good of the church, he prioritises people's individual journey, their needs, their welfare, over that of the church itself. The church exists to serve its members, not the other way around. 

Brandon and I discuss our own experiences of traditional evangelical Christianity and church, and find shared lessons from our respective journeys of deconstruction and reconstruction, and facing mental illness. We also discuss the humanity of Jesus, and what that tells us about his divine nature - and we find that there may well be hope yet for spiritual community. 

Brandan's memoir "Meaningful Again" is available on Amazon now.

We hear how he moved from a more traditional perspective even as an LGBTQ man himself, to becoming an advocate for more LGBTQ inclusion both in the church and in our wider culture. Steve courageously shares his coming out story, the painful experiences he has in parts of the church. We discuss how it affected his emotional and mental health, and how he came to find a new, inclusive faith community which accepts him as he is. 

Steve is now doing great advocate work and writes regularly on LGBTQ inclusion, and has a powerful story. 

This leads into a wider discussion of the lost art of rites of passage - using the Camino as an example, Alexander discusses what a true rite of passage really is, the sacrifice involved, and how it's impact is as much if not more seen after the experience itself has finished, rather than just the period actively engaged in it.

Alexander and I explore the idea that true growth can only come through sacrifice, through a willingness to engage with our own pain rather than continue to numb it with the habits, addictions, and busyness of regular life - and how if we do engage in this process, we can discover true, authentic transformation and spiritual formation. 

Daniel and I explore the flaws in both the conservative and liberal traditions - which have less to do with what they believe (though some of that is questionable), but more how they believe. We look at how we see this demonstrated today in particularly in the US with the rise of Trump and reaction of the Christian and political left. We examine unhealthy, dualistic ways of dealing with the problems the world is facing today, why ultimately they don't work - and what might be a hopeful, constructive way forward. 

This is a powerful, challenging and thought-provoking episode - Daniel always has such wisdom and insight and speaks with such honesty. Take a listen. 

Together we explore the character, history and world of Doctor Who, and how there are many aspects of him and his world which resonate with all of our journeys, and in particular deconstruction and reconstruction in our spirituality. We explore companions, and how we often have companions and friends for specific seasons, and in particular we explore the idea of regeneration, the cycle of life, death, and resurrection in the Doctor's own life, and how this connects with our idea of spiritual transformation. 

This was one of the most fun, insightful and personally transformational episodes I've done and I know you'll be inspired too. 

Campbell's work 'The Hero With A Thousand Faces' and exploration of the power of myth and how it influences our lives, and the hero's journey, has had a profound and wide impact on our culture, both in movies, books, spirituality and communication. 

Nora and I explore together the power of myth and story to shape our lives, how we can use story and myth to create better, healthier lives, how it impacts both our spiritual and creative journeys, our interactions with the divine and each other. We also discuss what impact it can have on our deconstruction and reconstruction journeys, and how we shape our lives. 

This is a huge topic to cover, and one I want to explore on the podcast in the coming months - it's had a profound impact on both myself and Nora, and I believe it's relevant for all of us. 

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In this episode Sarah unpacks the lessons she's learned on her journey, and some of the experiences she has had - both joyful and painful, and some of the opportunities it's opened up for her. We discuss her work with a dating coach and how that's impacted not only her dating life, but her relationship with both herself and others. And we unpack how this journey has changed her, what she really feels passionate about and led to, and where her life is taking her next. 

Sarah's is a challenging and inspiring story, a story of risk, adventure and commitment to inner growth. Sarah has a lot of wisdom for us all on how to explore our own paths, and discover our true divine self.

We explore a little behind the enneagram, and Ryan shares how he discovered it, and how he's had to learn about all the different types other than his own, in such depth to create the amazing music in his Enneagram series. 

We also explore Ryan's own spiritual and creative journey, how this impacted his musical projects including the Atlas projects, and his unique creative process and vision for music that goes beyond traditional boundaries, and has its own specific creative arc. He also shares the hilarious story of how he was once at a private party with Rob Bell, but had no idea who he was.

This episode is an insight into the enneagram, the spiritual journey and above all into the creative life, and pursuing your own unique journey. Ryan is a great guy, with great wisdom & insight, it was real joy to speak with him.  

We also talk about the difficulty and importance of getting a diagnosis, and the importance of ending stigma in both the church and wider culture about both ASD and mental illness. 

Mike then answers several listener questions, including: 

- What is the cultural difference between a geek and a nerd?

- Do his faith and scientific/rational thinking always compliment each other, and when do they come into conflict?

- How he would change his life if he was a woman?

- How do you truly love yourself?

And much more! 

Nora shares her story and the spiritual and creative journey which led to her beginning the podcast, and the lessons she's been learning. We talk about mystery, doubt, deconstruction, and non-dualistic spirituality.

We explore how our path and fight for what has always been ours, the purpose of our spiritual journeys, is not simply to impact our own lives - but are for the countless lives around us and those who will come after us. We discover the deeper truth that our spiritual journeys are both a gift and a mission. 

Abi and I discuss healthy and unhealthy metrics for success we see in our culture and how they manifest themselves in our lives - how we can tie our value to our "success" and so if and when we have failures, those failures can be deeper and more damaging. We talk about how a healthy view of success shouldn't be dependent on our circumstances, but instead be about our personal growth and development.

Abi shares what success means for her in her life right now, and how our measures of success can change - with her ultimate philosophy of discovering joy in her every day. 

Whatever field you work in, I hope this conversation can really help you find healthier measure for success.

Chris and I talk about his own experiences of mental illness and good and bad experiences of this within the church. We discuss what the church has done badly with mental illness, and how it can do better. Chris also shares how all of us - even those with mental illness - always have more to learn about mental illness, and the importance of hearing and validating each others stories, and ending stigma, especially within the church. 

Chris has so much wisdom and experience surrounding both mental illness, chronic illness and faith, and this was a really inspiring conversation. 

You can get "Whispers In The Pews" (which includes a contribution by yours truly) on Amazon now. 

Mr Ekow shows how he has faced both racial and LGBT prejudice and how this had an impact on his emotional and mental health. He then talks about the freedom he has found since coming out and how his story has impacted his music.

His story is one of struggle, courage, creativity and freedom. It's a story of hope, and the power of owning your story and the freedom which comes from being true to who you really are. 

Father Nadim shares his own journey, and then he and I discuss his first book, 'The Culture of God', and explore how there are three cultures Christians need to understand when they read the Bible: the culture of the Bible itself, their own culture, and finally ‘the culture of God’.

In our conversation, we see that ultimately it was Jesus who had direct access to the culture of God; and so we need to begin by understanding Jesus in his own first-century Middle Eastern culture - which, although he was a Jew, was under the rule of Syria. We unpack a few examples from Jesus life, where an understanding of his own culture opens up an entirely different meaning to familiar gospel stories.

Talking to Father Nadim was an enlightening experience for me, and I know he will really inspire, challenge and encourage you as he has me, and many others. 

Brandan shares from his own experience of pastoring a church, the lessons he has learned about what it means to make a church truly inclusive, both of the LGBTQ community, and those at different stages of their spiritual or even theological journey. He shares the changes he believes the church may have change as more and more people embrace the spiritual deconstruction and reconstruction journey so many are on right now - even so far as changing how we do church, and what the role of church is. 

Brandan then discusses with me how churches need to become more prophetic, the challenges which lie ahead. To conclude, he shares his hopes for the church, and how he envisions we can have healthy spiritual community for all, whoever they are, wherever they are in their spiritual journey. 

Barry shares his own journey and experiences with mental illness and how these inspired him to take practical steps to make churches a safe space for mental illness, and how these steps have borne fruit in practice.

Finally, we talk about the story of Nehemiah, and how his story of rebuilding Jerusalem from its ruins inspired Barry, and can inspire us to build a life of faith, living with mental or chronic illness - and how the creative process of writing these books has helped Barry on his mental health and faith journey. 

Today she shares her own story, and talks about how her mental illness led her into a faith deconstruction and reconstruction. Becky and I talk about the importance of educating pastors and church leaders on mental illness, and how churches and individuals can practically serve and welcome those with mental illness in a healthy, loving way of acceptance.

We also discuss healthy and unhealthy models of power and kingship - the violent, domineering, aggressive models used throughout history, as opposed to the example we see in Jesus - surrender, grace, empowering others, servant-heartedness and peacemaking. 

Becky is passionate about the church doing better with those facing mental health challenges and those going through a deconstruction, and has lots of wisdom and experience on how we can do this better. This is worth a listen for all those wanting a voice of solidarity on their journey,  those with mental health challenges looking for hope and support, and for all of us seeking to become better mental health advocates.

Aaron has recently released his first book - "Cultural Savage - The Intersection Between Christianity & Mental Illness", a collection of essays where he shares his experiences of living with Bipolar 2 and how it has intersected with his faith, and how people of faith have responded to it. Today he shares some of his powerful and challenging story with us, and we explore together how mental illness and Christian faith could interact in a healthy way, and what healthy and unhealthy responses to those with mental illness can look like.

Finally, we discuss stigma within the church and culture around mental illness, how we can change this, and Aaron offers words of solidarity and hope to those facing these challenges. 

Felicity shares her own story and how she learned how it's not selfish to love ourselves, but, in fact, vitally important to a healthy life and our ability to serve others. We discuss why sensitivity isn't a weakness, but a superpower, a gift we can give to the world, and how we can use it well. 

Felicity also talks about victimhood - and how in many ways all of us are victims, but how playing the victim, sitting on our high horses, can actually be a form of self-hatred, a mask to hide us from the pain and fear we're feeling.

We also discuss the importance and healing power of physical touch, and how can underestimate it's importance, as well as the challenges of fidning healthy expressions of this outside an intimate relationship. Finally, we discuss boundaries, both healthy and unhealthy, and how we can set healthy boundaries for ourselves, and in relationships. 

Felicity is both wise, fun, and hugely compassionate, and has so much to share on these subjects. Take a listen, then go check out her new book. 

Today we talk about these challenges, including how to maintain integrity whilst also promoting work, how to persevere when you're not having success, how to deal with rejection by publishing houses, finding your true voice, and how to live with success and failure. Shawn shares his writing journey with us, and the lessons he has learned, with great honesty and wisdom.

Shawn released his first novel 'The Day The Angels Fell' in 2017 and it's sequel 'The Edge of Over There' was released earlier this year. His non-fiction book 'Once We Were Strangers', sharing the story of his experience with a Syrian refugee, and it's impact on his faith, is released in October. He has so much wisdom on writing and the creative journey, and this is well worth a listen. 

Sam shares his own journey into journalism and the challenges he's encountered along the way, and how being a journalist and editing Premier Christianity has impacted his own faith journey. He also talks about some of the most inspiring people he's met in the course of his work. Finally, Sam shares some words of wisdom and encouragment for people exploring professional writing or journalism as a career. 

Sam has a lot of wisdom on writing, journalism and faith, and this was such a great interview to do. Take a listen then go check out Premier Christianity magazine. 

Today Jim shares how he has faced and overcome those challenges, and what he has learned by talking to 16 different authors about how to finish a book. We also talk about what it means to find your creative voice, and how to be truly authentic in your creative work and share your story. 

If you're a writer, or artist of any kind, and face creative challenges, find it difficult to complete a project or overcome creative block, this one is really worth a listen. 

*****

If you want to learn more about how to finish a book, you can join Jim's Finish Your Book Summit for free here.

You can also get $50 off his new courses on helping people write, finish and share their work, and books, here. 

Tiffany shares her story and her experiences of post trauma mental illness, and her experiences of working with those who face mental health challenges. As a licenced mental health professional and someone who has suffered major trauma, Tiffany has a lot of wisdom and encoragement on mental illness for those facing mental health challenges - and for those who aren't.

We explore Tiffany's passion to raise awareness and end stigma around mental illness, and bring hope, support and encouragement to those living with mental illness. Finally, we explore more of the stigmas around mental illness, the impact major trauma can have on someone, the psychology of mental illness, and discuss practical ways those who know people with mental ilnnes can be a positive, practical support.

Listen to her radio show 'Moments Of Clarity with Tiffany' here. 

Today she shares her story, and how her circumtances and her mental illness took her to that point of suicide. We discuss together the experience of suicidal ideation - when someone is considering suicide - as well as how and why people get to that point, as well as how to overcome that, sharing from her own experiences. 

We also discuss ways to manage the challenges which come with mental illness and depression, some of the stigmas which have build up, and how those close to people with mental illness can offer practical, constructive support to those living with those conditions. 

For those living with depression, this episode is one which will give you hope and remind you that you're not alone in your challenges - and for those you don't, it will raise your awareness and help you be a real support to your friends and family who do. 

Austin speaks with great honesty about her own experiences visiting cotton fields as a child, and the reactions of white people around her, and how that experience compelled her to become an advocate for racial equality. With great frankness and insight, she shares a story of how systemic cultural racism can display itself, even at something as elementary as a job interview. 

We also discuss white privliege, and how much genuine ignorance still exists in the Western World, even from those who would say they aren't racist, and how white privlege can blind us to the levels of systemic racism amongst us. Austin, with amazing grace, shares wisdom about how those like myself, with inbuilt white privilege, can open our minds and hearts to the stories and experiences of the black people in our midst, and to the systemic, cultural racism which still exists - and help bring the change and understanding which is desperately needed.

Austin is inspiring, humble and wise, and we all have so much to learn from her story and her wisdom - take a listen, and then go get her book. (which has been recommended by Chelsea Clinton, no less!). 

Vicky bravely shares the story of how she came close to committing suicide and what ultimately stopped her from doing so, and we explore just how damaging conservative theology around homosexuality, and purity culture, can cause such damage to our physical, emotional and mental health. We also discuss how Vicky faced the challenged of a diagnosis with ME and fibromyalgia, which limited the time and energy she could give to her work and relationships, and how this impacted the writing of her memoir.

Vicky and I also discuss the creative process of writing a memoir, and why it's so important to have a support network in place during that creative process, as well as the impact her own experiences had on her songwriting process during her career as a worship leader.

This an interview about the challenges of being an LGBT Christian, the damage of purity culture, trying to find your true identity, living with mental illness & suicidal thoughts, living with chronic illness, and how to pour yourself into the creative process and tell your story. But ultimately, Vicky's is a story a challenge and an inpsiration to all of us trying to find the courage to be true to our own story and live as our authentic self.

This is one of the most treasured, honest and moving interviews I've ever done, with someone who has become a beloved friend, about one of the best books I've ever read. Take a listen, and then go here and buy the book.

In this episode we talk about the creative journey behind the formation of Julyda, and the EP itself. It's a powerful story, about faith, social justice, doubt, and mystery - which in many ways sums up the journey we'll all on, individually, and cooporately, in the world today.

We also explore the creative process behind the album, how we find our voice, how we can tell our unique stories in our art and how creating and engaging with music, writing and other forms of art can touch us and speak to us in unique and intimate ways. 

You can find out more about Julyda and hear some of the songs from their amazing new EP at www.theblacksmithsdaughters.com/julyda 

David also does a beautiful reading of one of his poems, and we discuss the story and creative process behind this poem. Together we explore the mystery and mysticism of poetry and music, and how this can connect with the deeper parts of our soul. We talk about being authentic in our art, and why it's more important to focus on the process, on the joy of creating - and not on the result of our work, or the numbers - and how this perspective plays out in our day-to-day lives. 

David is a great guy and a hugely talented poet, and it was a pleasure talking to him. Take a listen!

Andy talks today about what it's like to be a highly sensitive introvert, how that can impact daily lives and relationships, and also the ability to have an impact with creative work.

He shares how those who aren't sensitive introverts can have healthy relationships with those who are, and how he discovered a way to have an creative impact even with those challenges, including the community he created for highly sensitive people and introverts and how it's been part of his own journey.

This was such a great conversation, and Andy is honest, down to earth, encouraging and wise - his words will bring hope and solidarity to all those challenged by being introverted or highly sensitive. 

Adam tells us of his creative journey which led him and his wife Sarah into missionary work on the African continent. With great honesty, Adam shares how these dreams went sour, the pain this caused, and how it led him and his wife to question and explore their faith in a way they had never done before - and how this led him deeper into his faith, pursuing God as never before - an experience which turned into a song, 'The Pursuit' (which you can hear at the end of the episode).

Adam's story reveals once again that doubting and questioning God, far from being something we should avoid, is something to be embraced, and can be a fundamental part of going deeper with the divine.

Brandan shares a few of the most powerful stories sent to him by LGBT Christians of rejection, prejudice and abuse by members of the evanglelical church, and the dark and profound impact these have had on people's lives. And I discovered in our conversation that many of  these stories come from the church in the UK, which, far from being more inclusive and progressive,  is causing just as much damage to the lives of LGBT Christians. This was horrifying for me, and shows us just how much work needs to be done on LGBT inclusion. 

We also talk about the power of stories, over the power of theology and argument, to change people's perspectives, and how Brandan himself came to understand this. 

Brandan also talks about his experiences as an LGBT pastor, with a church which whilst it has many LGBT Christians, still has people who disagree on LGBT theology - including members of the LGBT community themselves. And he offers words of encouragement and hope to members of the LGBT community pursuing the journey of faith.

This is one of the deepest, powerful and arguably most important conversations I've had on the podcast. Whatever your perspective, I'd ask you listen with an open heart and open mind, and allow yourself to be moved. 

You can buy 'Our Witness' on Amazon now. 

Teresa talks about her long journey to diagnosis, and how being bipolar has impacted her day to day life. She shares how creativity, and in particular writing, helped her come to terms with her journey, and own the truth of her story - as well as bringing life and healing to others. Then she talks about how her diagnosis impacted her faith and her spiritual journey, and helped her understand how she is loved, blessed and precious - just as she is.

Finally, Teresa and I talk about our new podcast - my second podcast, to go alongside Poema - called Creating Normal, about creativity and mental illness. 

This conversation with Teresa left me, and will leave you, especially those with mental illness, a message of genuine hope, and solidarity. 

You can find Teresa's work at WoundedBirdsMinistry.com & the Creating Normal podcast here. 

My friend Charles Porter and I discuss the different perspectives today, each sharing our own views and experiences, the thoughts of some well known authors/thinkers on this subject and, as ever, it takes us into interesting and unexpected directions, ending with a discussion and experience of divine grace and Judas in the garden, which left us both in tears. 

Like all the questions in this series, it's merely a jumping off point into a bigger, wider discussion of Christian spirituality that many of us are having. I hope you'll come join us. 

Today, Ally shares her powerful testimony. It's a story of divorce, brokenness, and then overcoming deep pain and finding a way through to a thriving life. Ally shares about the first actions she took on realising her marriage was ending, and the first steps she took to rebuilding her life. With great candidness and courage, she shares about the major challenges she faced, both personal and financial, and how she confronted those challenges. 

Ally also discusses the three key practices she discovered which can help people find healing and rebuild their lives - practices she lives out to this day, and which she now teaches to others. 

Ally concludes by sharing about what she believes is the only way out of trauma and pain, and to rebuild a thriving life. It's a message of hope for every single one of us. 

You can pre-order her book 'Indestructible' here and follow Ally on Twitter here.

Here she shares her powerful story of how she found her voice, how she moved from an overly busy life with no financial freedom and no purpose, to finding a clear purpose to her life, which has allowed her to make a positive impact on the world, overcoming deep pain and conflict in the process.

We discuss what it means to be truly authentic and having integrity in business, art and life, and Mariana shares how she manages to maintain her integrity whilst managing and marketing a successful business.

Mariana is kind, encouraging, and cares about helping people having a positive impact on the world - and she has so much wisdom to share. 

We also talk about some best practices to treat mental illness, retraining our brains, and the concept of 'mental fitness' or 'resilience training' - training our brains to be more resilient, and to have mechanisms and strategies which can help us manage mental illness and cope with mental health challenges in way which is healthier and allows us to thrive. Kate also talks about the the importance of spirituality in combatting mental illness.

With great courage and honesty, Kate also shares about some of the challenges she's faced and is facing in her own life, and how the methods she teaches to others have been helpful to her on her own journey.

Kate is courageous, intelligent and wise - she has so much expert knowledge and experience in this area and I know this episode will be so helpful to you all. 

You can find out about her new book at: http://www.bulletproofingthepsyche.com/

Andrew travelled with Rob on a couple of tours over the course of two years and recorded several of his onversations with him, as well as many of his speaking events. Andrew also spoke to many of his close friends and wife Kristen, all to get a deeper insight and understanding into who Rob is, what he's passionate about, and the issues and beliefs which drive him.

Andrew and I discuss the story behind the creation of the movie, and Andrew shares at length how making this movie was part of his own deeply personal and spritual journey. We explore how our art is often a reflection of our journey asnd how creativity can be part of a process of healing. We also touch on as well as what it's like travelling with Rob, what he learned from Rob, how the process of making this movie impacted his own life and beliefs, and the impact of making this movie during the rise and election of Donald Trump. 

Andrew is a great guy with a lot of passion, wisdom and insight, and amazing stories to share - this episode's definitely worth a listen.

*****

The Heretic' is available on iTunes and Amazon now...and having seen it myself, I can testify that it's an amazing, powerful, inspring, and deeply moving piece of moviemaking, and definitely worth a watch.

With great honesty and courage, Sarah shares her own challenging and inspiring story, and offers wisdom, encouragement and hope to all those facing mental health challenges. Sarah also talks about her new '10 Step Depression Relief Workbook' - and about cognative behavioural therapy based approaches to combating depression and other mental illnesses, and demonstrates how these can be used practically. 

Sarah has so much to say about mental illness, anxiety and depression, and has a stubborn hope which will both inspire and challenge you - this is definitely worth a listen. 

**Special Offer**

To get a free PDF copy of the Depression Workbook sent to you via e-mail, send a tweet with my own and Sarah's twitter handles - @JamesPrescott77 @TheSarahFader - with your e-mail and the hashtag #IWantMyDepressionWorkbook - Sarah and I will select the winners! (you never know, it might be everyone who enters. You'll have to enter and see). 

On today’s episode Mike shares his thoughts on the impact of social media on mental illness, and how regulating our social media time — as he does - can improve our mental health. 

He also shares about his own recent spiritual journey, we touch on the recent shootings in Florida and talk about several methods all of us can use to improve our mental health - and a whole lot more.

Mike is one of the wisest, most intelligent and compassionate men I know, so sit back and get ready to be challenged and inspired.

This time we talk about the benefits & challenges of community & how this led directly to the creation of what we now call Lent, and Ash Wednesday. 

Alexander shares more of the history of Ash Wednesday - and the true symbolism behind the use of ashes. 

Finally, we look at the pre-atonement concept of Christian spirituality, theosis, and discover the grace, beauty and love which gives it is power. 

Alexnader is as wise and challenging as ever - this episode will blow your mind & transform how you experience both Ash Wednesday, Lent, and the passion of the Christ. 

Sarah is in the midst of this challenge now - to step back out into the world of dating after hiding away for so long, to be living in a place she loved, and love her work. If in a year she doesn't find happiness and joy, then she's committed to moving wherever her best friend tells her to go. To build happiness or make a drastic change.

This journey has led to her creating a podcast to chart her journey publicly, called 'Sonderlust'. The challenge has already brought up lots of issues around dating, realtionships, self-care, health, work, and identity. And she's still figuring this all out.

Sarah joins me in the midst of this journey, to share with honesty and wisdom about the lessons she's already learned, the challenges she's faced - and how this is a reflection of all of our journeys, into finding meaning and purpose to our lives, and stepping out of our comfort zones to create the life we've always wanted. 

I can't wait for you to hear this episode.

Laura shares with great wisdom, insight and honesty, about how our stories will always tell themselves one way or another and about the choice we have to take control of our stories, by having the courage to share them - even if it's only with one other person.

Laura has a powerful, often painful testimony. I hope her story of healing and recovery from childhood sexual abuse, and alcoholism, will give you hope and inspiration to confront your own darkness, and find healing and redemption. Laura is one of the most courageous, and fiercely compassionate women I know, make sure you don't miss this episode (and then go buy her book!). 

**Trigger Warning: Alcoholism, Sexual Abuse** 

Caroline talks movingly about how she learned to break through the trappings of perfectionism and find a thriving joyful love beyond it - and how we can all do this too. 

Caroline speaks with such honesty, wisdom and humour, and is so inspiring - it was such a blast to talk to her, so take a listen. 

This is a question many close friends and people I know have been asking, and it's something Charles has a lot of experience of. He shares his own story and the challenges and struggles he and his wife have faced, and how they've found a way to navigate through them.

This is a hugely important discussion, and a question I believe many are silently asking without ever speaking it outloud. It's a question all of us need to discuss, and examine - and may be challenge we all face at one point or another. 

The podcast will return in the new year with more of this series and more - so enjoy this episode, and I'm sending you all much love and prayers for the upcoming holiday season.

See you in 2018!

Daniel has lots of profound wisdom and insight to share, and as ever in this series, our discussion goes off to all sorts of places. Faith, doubt, questions, mystery, the mystics, church, belief...and lots more. 

This series has been a huge eye opener for me on my own journey, I hope this episode challenges and inspires you too.  

As ever, this question takes us to some interesting and unexpected places, sharing our own stories and challenges, and draws out further, deeper questions about our faith, spirituality and church.  

It also raises more questions about exactly what kind of life Jesus would have us live, and who God even is. I hope you’ll join us. 

Claire also talks about the masks we all wear, the different roles we play in our lives, and how to confront the challenge of taking off those masks and doing the work to discover our authentic selves, as she writes about her new book 'Taking Off The Mask'. What we discover in our conversation is that taking off our masks is a journey to discover our true selves, and to know the divine in a deeper, richer way. 

Find more of Claire's work at www.clairemusters.com, and buy her new book 'Taking Off The Mask, on her website or on Amazon.

Kaitlin and I discuss her new book, 'Glory Happening', real stories of finding the divine in everyday places. We also explore how we can see the divine in the every day, why and how we believe, and how our spirituality can impact our creativity. 

Kaitin is a woman of grace and deep spirituality, and has so much wisdom to share with the world. This one's definitely worth a listen. 

Matt begins by sharing the powerful and moving story behind his book “Finding God In The Ruins”, his painful childhood which led to struggles with alcohol addiction, and how in the midst of his recovery he faced yet more challenges as his sister tragically lost her life to cancer.

We talk about dealing with grief, addiction and being honest with both God and ourselves about suffering, and asking those tough questions. About doubt, questioning and the mystery of the divine, and how we believe. 

Matt is humble, wise and honest, and it was a joy to talk to him. Have a listen and then check out his book. 

Tanya has a powerful personal testimony which has taught her a lot about patience, both in life and in faith, and with her theological background has taken several stories from scripture and shown what they can tell us about waiting on God.

Everyone is waiting. We wait for a bus, a spouse, a different job, a better life. We wait for Christ. At best, it's irritating; at worst, unbearable. But what if our frustrated longings have spiritual value? Tanya discusses this with me today, with great wisdom, insight and joy. Tanya is one of the wisest, most grace-filled people I've encountered and it was a joy to chat to her. I know you'll be truly inspired by this conversation.

You can find Tanya's work at TanyaMarlow.com, follow her on Twitter at @Tanya_Marlow & you can buy her book 'Those Who Wait' on Amazon.

Kent, with great vulnerability and wisdom, shares his own spiritual journey, including his pilgrimage up what is often known as Mount Sinai - where he was bitten by a camel, both physically and metaphorically. This is a story he tells in his new book 'Bitten By A Camel'.

Religion, God, Spirituality, Nature, Sacred Texts, Mystery, and the Human Soul are all being rethought, turned over and reborn.  This unfolding conversation is wild and full of life.  It crosses disciplines and backgrounds and languages. Kent's life is about joining and promoting this generative conversation, and today he shares this wisdom and story with us. 

Their new video "You're My Man" releases not long ago, and their new album 'Seasons Turn', releases 10th October, and today we talk about the new songs, the new album, and the creative journey behind it. As we examine different songs written by different members of the band, we see how our personal stories can have a direct impact on the kind of work we create.

This is a fascinating look at the creative journey behind an album, and well worth a listen. 

*****

Check out their new video here and find out more about the new album and The Blacksmiths Daughters work here.

Today Chris shares a bit of his story, lessons he's learned and research he's done behind the subject, all of which has resulted in the publishing of his new book, 'Perfectly Abnormal'. Chris shares the truth behind a lot of stigma and misinformation, and the authentic experience of living with chronic illness - and gives hope and inspiration for those living with chronic illness themselves. 

*****

I'd highly recommend 'Perfectly Normal' to all those who live with chronic illness, and anyone who knows someone who lives with it. In the book Chris strives to destroy some common myths facing the chronic illness community, including a poor theology of illness. From there, he begins a conversation about how to build a healthy place for the chronic illness community to be safe.

The book is available now on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, or wherever books are sold. 

Continuing from where we left off last week, Charles Porter and I discuss how, whilst so often we discuss what we believe, that maybe the deeper, more fundamental question is how we believe. 

These conversations aren't merely about answering the question. The questions are more jumping off points into a much bigger, wider and deeper exploration of Christian spirituality and our own journeys - because ultimately, all our journeys are connected, and there's many of us asking these kind of questions.

This question takes us from spiral dynamics, to the mystics, to Richard Rohr & non-dual thinking, via Trump & Brexit, and on to tons of other places. We explore some challenging, uncomfortable territory - but territory it's absolutely necessary to cover to gain both a deeper understanding and depth to our spirituality.

Come and join us.

These conversations aren't merely about answering the questions. The questions are more jumping off points into a much bigger, wider and deeper exploration of Christian spirituality and our own journeys - because ultimately, all our journeys are connected, and there's many of us asking these kind of questions.

Today, my friend Charles Porter, previous guest, formerly host of the Fable Podcast and founder of the Neighbourhood Liturgies, joins me to discuss the first question. 

"What Do I Believe?"

The conversation goes into some deep, wide and interesting places way beyond the initial question. I hope you'll join us, and that this helps you explore this and other questions on your own journey.

This is the last episode of Season 1 of the Poema Podcast. Season 2 will begin in the Autumn, and in this episode I share more about this, why I'm doing it, and what you'll have to look forward to in Season 2. 

Matthew shares his own story, and talks about how writing fiction has influenced his spiritual journey, and the circle of creativity and our spiritual journey - where each impacts and is part of the other, and how this has impacted his own role as a pastor. He also talks about his own spiritual practices, and how these have evolved and changed and the impact they've had on his creative side, in particular the birth of his podcast, 'Spirituality For Normal People', which explores creativity and spiritual practice. 

Matthew's got a lot of wisdom and insight to share on both spirituality and creativity, and this is well worth a listen.

Joy shows how it's possible to have truly hopeful, joyful perspective on our journey, whilst still bearing the scars of our past. This is definitely worth a listen!

Rebecca, with great courage and honesty, shares her story, and the truth that it's not always about having a happy thriving ending, but that the challenges of mental health are ongoing, a daily battle, and that everyone struggling with mental health has to find their own unique way of surviving, and maybe even, occasionally, thriving. 

Rebecca's story will both challenge and inspire you, and leave you encouraged. 

Michael and Lisa share with great honesty and wisdom about their own personal journey, the challenges and struggles they've had to confront in recent years, and how they've shaped their spiritual and creative journey.

The Gungors talk about the creative process and spiritual journey behind their recent One Wild Life album trilogy, and how creativty is both a spiritual and an organic process. They also unpack more of their own spiritual practices, and we discuss together how a real spiritual practice can be as simple as playing with your kids, and the truth about our habits and decisions.

Finally, they talk about what's happening in the world right now, the atmosphere of fear, of a force in the world "pulling back from the progress we've made" - and how and why here might be hope for us all.

This is truly inspiring, life giving and eye-opening interview, without doubt, one of the most amazing and inspiring I've ever done. Michael and Lisa have such wisdom, humilty and grace, and this is well worth a listen. 

****

"Spiritual practice is when you are sitting down and training your body and mind to engage with the divine in each and every moment" - Michael Gungor

"We often don't make decisions about what we do. We act on habit." - Lisa Gungor

"There's a force in the world pulling back from the progress we've made" - Michael Gungor

We discuss the creative process involved in songwriting and recording, and their unorthodox but effective approach to how they make their music. We also explore what true authentic creativity is, and holding in balance between creating great, honest work, but also wanting to put that work out into the world. 

This was such a fun interview to do. Julida And Sean are a great couple who have great insight into the creative process, and offer encouragement to all of us to go out and make melodies in our own creative work, whatever that might be - and to be ourselves.

I also talk about how sacred wrestling is something which deepens our faith, not weakens it - and finally about the voice of grace which says to us in those moments "Friend, do what you came here to do".

Karl and Kate share how these concepts work in practice, in their own work and research in the military, transitioning former soldiers out of military service into civilian life, and the challenges and conflicts this brings for them - and what that might look like for the rest of us.

This is a fascinating examination of identity, where we ground ourselves, and how we confront those necessary and inevitable transitional periods of our lives. It's about the grief of leaving one season behind and how we move forward into a new one.

And I also discuss how sometimes the best thing we can do for our vocation, passion and calling is to lay it down for a season, why practicing sabbath, and good self-care is so important, and finally, how who we are is more valuable than what we do.

Sarah talks about how she discovered the power of story in her own life and how it's impacted her story, and we discuss together how conflict and suffering are realities whichever path we take, but how God can use them to shape our lives for the better. Sarah shares how through scripture, and in our own lives, we can see that darkness and death isn't the end of the story, and there is hope and resurrection. 

Finally we talk about examples of the power of story in scripture, including both Joseph and Jesus, and how we can see our own stories in the lens of Christ, and how that can lead us to a deeper, more intimate relationship with the divine. 

Sarah is always such fun to talk to and has such wisdom and insight - her book, and her thoughts on the concept of story and scripture, had a profound impact on my life, I'm sure it will do for you. Take a listen!

Wendy shares her story, and the background to how she got into writing adult crime fiction and how her Christian faith has influenced those books. And we talk about engaging with our dark sides, and where creative inspiration truly comes from.

Finally we discuss the realities of book marketing in the age of social media, and again how Christians in particular can market our work with integrity and keeping to the values of our faith.

Wendy is smart, fun, inspiring and has a lot of wisdom to share, this is well worth a listen!

We examine in brief the difference between the gospel interpretations of the story, and what these different interpretations mean for our own journey, and take a deeper look into Gethsemane. There we find a Jesus who names the betrayer, but then calls him friend, and a Jesus whose struggles with obedience mirror our own.

Finally we examine Jesus cry 'My God, My God, Why Have You Forskaen Me?', and discuss how this is not a moment of despair, but a victory cry, not a moment of doubt, but supreme faith. And we see why every day of the Easter Story, from Good Friday to Easter Sunday, is a story of resurrection.

This will blow your mind and expand and deepen your understanding of the Easter story, and the scriptures, and bring the passion of Christ alive in a fresh way, as it has done for me. 

I'd encourage you to listen to this and engage with it over the Easter season, I certainly will be - and I believe it will make our Easters richer, deeper, more honest and more joyful. Have a happy and blessed Easter everyone.

Today Jessica shares about the history of yoga, dispels myths many Christians believe about yoga and the truth behind the science of yoga. She also talks about the spiritual discipline of yoga and the impact it can have on one's Christian faith, and the impact it's had on her own spiritual journey.

This was such an eye-opening, inspiring and refreshing conversation which opened my eyes up to a new way of experiencing the divine, Jessica speaks with such wisdom and honesty, and is one of the most centred people I know. I was privileged to meet her and her husband last year on my trip to America. Jessica truly practices what she preaches, and there's no doubt yoga has had a big impact on deepening and centering her relationship with Jesus. 

This is well worth a listen. Also feel free to check out Jessica's work at https://www.jesuyogini.com/ 

We discuss together how mental health can impact your relationship with both God and the church, and the power of creativity for healing and transformation. And Jo shares honestly and vulnerably about how the her mental illness impacted her relationships and her day to day life. Jo explains how she discovered that God is someone who, no matter how much we might push him away, no matter how much we think He's abandoned us, will remain to pick up the pieces of our broken lives, and redeem them.

Finally Jo talks about her recent work, with the Radical Love Journey Facebook group & blog, and how she is using her story to give hope to others. 

Jo has a powerful story and great insight to share, on some important issues, it's definitely worth a listen.

Chloe and Taylor talk about the journey of their first EP, Unbridled, (which released 2015 and is available now), and also, the the powerful, personal stories behind the songs on their upcoming EP - which they are currently raising money to make via Kickstarter. We also talk about how we interact with our own work and how others interpret creative work isn't always how we intended, that each of us comes to a creartive work with our own story, and how great art will meet us where and impact us there.

It's always great fun talking to Chloe and Taylor, who are wise beyond their years, and have great insight on creativity and spirituality - and are just plain awesome people! 

Take a listen, then, if you can, please ensure their new EP gets made, by going to support their Kickstarter in any way you can - you can find it here. 

With great courage and honesty, Laura shares her own story of abuse, and it's impact on her and her family, and the story of how a phone call with her cousin and a blog post sharing her story, led to her co-founding a non-profit which now provides a safe space for survivors of sexual abuse to get the support and healing they need. 

Laura also talks about the importance of valuing our own story, and the power of owning our story and being honest about our journey. Laura argues passionately that all our stories have value, and all deserve respect, and to be received with love and grace - and when that happens, we can begin our journey to healing and transformation.

Laura speak with great wisdom, insight and courage, and her story is well worth a listen. 

Brian shares with great wisdom and insight about why the traditional models of church and Christian faith are no longer working, why the church is dying and it's connections with the rise of the political right in the West. And he shares an exciting new vision of what church can and could be if we choose to move beyond traditional boundaries of 'conservative' and 'liberal' and to a more transcendent, non-dual view of Jesus and the Christian faith.

Brian argues with great conviction that the most important thing is not simply what we believe - but how we believe it, and why it's important to be open to allow God to take us ever onward and deeper into more transcendent, mysterious, and inclusive understandings of who He is and what He wishes for His church to be. 

Brian is a man of great wisdom and insight, with a deep love for Jesus and His church - and his message is much needed. Definitely worth a listen!

Sarah talks about her biggest passion, creativity. And together we explore the process of creativity and how this applies to all walks of life, not just the arts. Sarah talks about how she expresses her own creativity through painting, drawing, art, as well as writing - and how she's applied the principle of creativity in her work helping to create a church community. 

We discuss the myth that some people are creative and others are not creative - and Sarah makes a strong case to say we are all creative people, whether we're accountants, scientists, pastors, or writers. Sarah talks about he sees her role as helping others create the authentic lives and work they were made to live, and how that begins by her living autnentically. 

Sarah is such fun to talk to, has such wisdom, insight and passion for creativity and spirituality, and her words are so life giving and inspiring. Take a listen to her today & you'll be inspired to go out and create. 

Today Shelly shares her own powerful story, of losing a parent at an early age, how it impacted her relationship with God and her creative journey. Having lost a parent myself, and as an artist, much of her story resonated with my own, and we explore some deep truths about grief, suffering and the spiritual journey.

We also discuss the true meaning of grace, and how God through our experiences, we have seen how God takes these broken pieces of our lives, and rebuilds them into something more beautiful - a Mosaic Of Grace, the title of one of Shelly's most memorable songs, and the title of my own bestselling book.

Sarah talks about writing as her altar, her way of interacting with God, and expressing her spirituality - and how this can be true for all of us in all our creative work, not just the work we share publicly. Sarah and I also talk about authentic creativity really is, and how as artists, we can deal with both criticism and praise in a healthy, Godly way.

Sarah shares with great wisdom and insight, how what we believe about God shows up in every area of our lives - our parenting, our marriages, our work - whatever we do - and why we need to listen to our lives to see where our relationship with God is. 

Finally we talk about our mutual love of the TV show 'Doctor Who', the divine and theological truths we have found in the show, and how the show impacts our spirituality and relationship with God.

Sarah has such fierce integrity, wisdom and compassion, and a genuine love for God and others - talking to her is always such a blessing and again, in this interview, is so inspiring, encouraging and challenging. 

Matthew and I talk about issues of race and equality in the US today, and the challenge of what it really means to love your enemy. The concept of the Table Setters is to bring people of different perspectives, races, backgrounds, beleifs around the same table and have healthy dialogue, and Matthew and I discuss together what this looks like - in particular in the current political climate in the US.

And with the election of Donald Trump as President, we talk about how progressives and conservatives, instead of hating on each other, might follow Jesus example, come around a table together, and hear each others stories - and how that is what may bring about the change we desperately need.

Matthew is a truly inspiring man, doing some groundbreaking work, and his words will both encourage and challenge you. 

Kyle and his colleague Jamin Goggin have interviewed some of the oldest and wisest prominent Christian leaders and learned a lot about what true Christ-like wisdom. We discuss how, in fact, the way of Jesus is about surrender, about giving up power, not claiming more and more. We talk about the myth of Christian celebrity, and Kyle shares the powerful metaphor of Harry Potter, and how his story is a metaphor for this in many ways, and what the story of Harry Potter has to say to our own spiritual journeys.

This is a fascinating insight into important issues of power, wisdom and surrender - and Kyle has great wisdom on the topic. Definitely worth a listen!

*****

Kyle's new book 'The Way Of The Dragon Or The Way of the Lamb', which explores this topic in much more depth, releases Jan 25. 

Shane passionately and with great wisdom shares about how the death penalty is about more issues than justice - it's about race, equality, and about grace.

He shares some moving testimonies of people on death row, and argues that as Christians we are called to believe that no one, not even murderers, are beyond redemption, and for an approach to justice which begins with grace, with mercy - and beginning to see all people as God sees them.

This is one of the most inspiring interviews I've ever done - and whether you're Christian or not, this will challenge, encourage and inspire you. 

Quotes:

"The death penalty has survived not despite Christians but because of us. The Bible belt is the death belt."

"We live in a world where violence is pervasive, we've created this myth of redemptive violence, this myth we can fight violence with violence. Violence is the problem, not the solution. The disease, not the cure"

"Support for the death penalty has hit historic lows"

"Jesus was an executed, forgiving victim of tremendous violence, who died with grace on His lips, saying 'Father forgive them, they don't know what they're doing'. That should change us."

Max is passionate about us all having a holistic, healthier rhythm to life, and teaches healthy breathing exercises and routines, including some yoga-based exercises.

Max and I talk about what a healthy breathing pattern really looks like, how anxiety can be directly linked to grief, and also touch on the damage our culture's addiction to social media can do to our personal well-being.

Max has great wisdom and provides some genuine, healthier alternatives to the rhythms we often choose live by and consumerism can pressurise us to follow, refreshing alternatives which can help us all lead a healthier life, inside and out.

In this first episode, Poema's I'll be talking about the changes to the podcast, what we'll be doing in this first season of the 'Poema Podcast'. I also explore what this word 'Poema' really means, its roots in scripture, and how it's fundamental to us exploring our identity, finding our calling, and stepping out in faith to create the life God intended us to live.

I unpack the idea that we're all God's masterpiece, our lives are works of art - and share how if we root ourselves in grace, we can be liberated to create the life God always wanted for us - and ultimately, help create a better world.

We all go through seasons in life, everything has its time, and in this episode I talk about how this is being reflected in my own life and work, and how this is something all of us go through - and how to do that well. I share a story of how grace transforms us, how it confronts the truth, and about freeing ourselves to risk, to step out in faith - and how the goal isn't the result, but the process itself. 

And finally, I talk about Poema - a word from scripture about us being God's workmanship, God's masterpiece. I explore how it relates to our own lives, how it encompasses all the work I'm doing, and how my work, especially the podcast, will be changing to embrace this word and it's meaning. And I share how and why this will be the last episode of James Talks in it's current format, and how the podcast will be changing in 2017.

There's also more detailed information on my upcoming book, including the release date itself, and an opportunity to get involved with the launch and get a ton of freebies - you can do that here.

Alexander talks about some of the hidden meaning and symbolism in a story which has become familiar to many of us, and in doing so, makes this story come alive in a fresh way, a way which speaks to all of our journeys, and into our exploration of our identity in Christ. 

I hope you'll take a listen, as Alexander makes an old story refreshing, relevant and inspiring in a fresh, encouraging way, which can give us all hope as we approach Christmas, and the coming of the Messiah.

Wishing you all a blessed and wonderful Christmas. 

Chloe & Taylor share what's happening on their own journey, as individuals and as a band, both creatively and spiritually. They also discuss how their spiritual journey is impacting their creative journey, and the continuing intersections between those two areas. The duo also discuss their next musical project, and exclusively share a new, unreleased track performed live and exclusive for James Talks.

Plus, you'll finally hear the secret story behind how and why the Chasing Lovely episodes are called 'Wolfie' episodes! :)

Talking to these guys is always so much fun & they have such wisdom and maturity beyond their years in the areas of creativity & spirituality. I know you'll all love this episode. 

But the story didn't end there.

Steve rebuilt his marriage, his faith and his life, and became a successful author, blogger and now, again, a pastor. It's a challenging, inspiring and deeply moving story, a story of messy grace which can give hope to us all.

Whatever your circumstances, take a listen to Steve's story, and I think you'll find a reason to hope.

We discuss in more detail the links between suffering and creativity, and the healing power of creativity. Sarah then goes on to discuss the two types of creator, and how we can better explore our own creative side and find healing through artistic expression.

Sarah is a dear friend, and here she shares with great courage and honesty about her struggles, and she has incredible wisdom on creativity. Give it a listen!

What we need right now are people willing and courageous enough to step out and create a new world, a better world, for all of us. Anita and I both believe strongly that we have the power to create the work, the lives, and the world we want - if only we can claim that power and use it positively. Anita and I discuss this in the podcast and explore how you and I can begin that process in our own lives and the world around us today. 

"Every time we get evicted from our life, we’re invited into a new life"

"The only thing I use to define myself now is child of God..it's the only thing no one can take from you"

"When everything's falling apart, that's when you need to start paying attention, that's when the change is coming"

"I'm running towards my pain every single day and it's changing everything"

This is one of the most inspiring, honest, and powerful interviews I've ever done, and it will challenge you, inspire you, and give you hope you didn't know existed. Take a listen, then go buy Glennon's new book Love Warrior today!

*****

www.Momastery.com

www.LoveWarriorBook.com

@Momastery

Today Theresa shares her own powerful story of overcoming grief and bulimia nervosa, how she overcome demands for perfection, in life, healthy, and career, and discovered a warrior spirit within herself In the process, she discovered the rhythms and science of what a healthy life, and person wellness, looks like - for both her, and all of us.

Dr Larson shares great practical advice, on personal wellness & some basic tips on how to live a healthier life, and discover our own inner warrior, even in the midst of struggle.