Returning from a sabbatical, Catherine Toon shares powerful encouragement about rest, healing, identity, and God’s faithfulness.

To support the ministry with tax-deductible donations: https://catherinetoon.com/support/

In this episode of Perspectives with Catherine Toon, Catherine returns from a three-month sabbatical and shares what she experienced during a season of rest, restoration, worship, healing, and deeper intimacy with God.

Catherine talks about the importance of pulling back, being refreshed and reoriented, and learning to receive rather than always being the one who gives. She shares encouragement for anyone walking through uncertainty, disappointment, hardship, or a dark season — reminding us that God is faithful, that He is working even when we cannot see what He is doing, and that it is not over.

This episode explores rest in God, identity in Christ, spiritual growth, healing, hope, and the glory that God is revealing in His people. Catherine also reflects on Jesus' time in the wilderness, the importance of supporting one another through difficult seasons, and the call for believers to become agents of love, restoration, healing, hope, and redemption.

In this episode, you'll be encouraged to:

• Find rest and refreshment in God's presence

• Trust God when circumstances don't look the way you expected

• Remember who you are and whose you are

• Recognize God's work even in difficult seasons

• Embrace the power of community and supporting one another

• Step into the next season of what God is revealing

Timecodes

0:00 - Returning From Sabbatical

03:07 The Power of God's Faithfulness

05:58 The Journey of Transformation

08:54 The Importance of Community Support

12:04 Looking Ahead: New Beginnings

To support the ministry with tax-deductible donations: https://catherinetoon.com/support/

Marked by Love, Revised & Expanded Edition is here:
#1 Best Seller & #1 New Release in our category!

Get your copy: https://amzn.to/3K2J9ZV

God, Male & Female?: https://amzn.to/49hzCIM

CONNECT WITH CATHERINE:

► Website: https://catherinetoon.com/

► Facebook: @catherinetoonmd


► Instagram: @catherinetoon


► Twitter: @catherinetoonmd


► YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CatherineToonMD

FREE RESOURCES:

► Podcast: https://catherinetoon.com/perspectives-podcast/ 


► Free eBooks: https://catherinetoon.com/free-downloads/ 


► Blog: https://catherinetoon.com/blog/ 


► Free chapter of Marked by Love: https://catherinetoon.com/mblfreechapter/

ABOUT CATHERINE:

Encouraging you to experience God and discover who you truly are!
 Catherine has been in the business of changing lives for decades as an author, speaker, and prophetic coach. She is incredibly gifted at calling forth personal destiny and has helped thousands of individuals who are on that journey.

Experiencing God’s presence isn’t just for “super spiritual” people. In this conversation, Dr. Catherine Toon and Steve McVey explore the Christ Current and how ordinary believers can step into real encounter, stillness, and union with God.

If you’ve longed to feel God’s love, hear His voice, or move with the Holy Spirit’s flow in daily life, this episode will help you relax out of striving and into the safe, healing presence of Jesus.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

- Why meditation and contemplative prayer are deeply Christian ways to experience God’s presence.

- How to move from fear, overthinking, and “beta fight or flight” into stillness and trust.

- What it means to feel the Christ Current and experience oneness beyond religious boxes.

- Practical ways to tune into God’s frequency and let His love transform your body, emotions, and inner world.

To support the ministry with tax-deductible donations: https://catherinetoon.com/support/

Marked by Love, Revised & Expanded Edition is here:
#1 Best Seller & #1 New Release in our category!

Get your copy: https://amzn.to/3K2J9ZV

God, Male & Female?: https://amzn.to/49hzCIM

CONNECT WITH CATHERINE:

► Website: https://catherinetoon.com/

► Facebook: @catherinetoonmd


► Instagram: @catherinetoon


► Twitter: @catherinetoonmd


► YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CatherineToonMD

FREE RESOURCES:

► Podcast: https://catherinetoon.com/perspectives-podcast/ 


► Free eBooks: https://catherinetoon.com/free-downloads/ 


► Blog: https://catherinetoon.com/blog/ 


► Free chapter of Marked by Love: https://catherinetoon.com/mblfreechapter/

ABOUT CATHERINE:

Encouraging you to experience God and discover who you truly are!
 Catherine has been in the business of changing lives for decades as an author, speaker, and prophetic coach. She is incredibly gifted at calling forth personal destiny and has helped thousands of individuals who are on that journey.

The world feels heavy, and many believers are running on empty, but God is still the God of encouragement and endurance. In this conversation, Catherine talks with Shannon Crowley about her new book The Ministry of Encouragement and how God lovingly imparts courage right into the places we feel afraid, exhausted, or ready to give up.

You’ll hear Shannon’s story of joy and “crap‑ola” seasons, how God met her in loss, and why encouragement is a manifestation of perfect love that drives out fear instead of shaming you for struggling. They explore Barnabas as a “son of encouragement,” the role of community, and why even behind‑the‑scenes faithfulness can ripple out to impact countless lives.

What you’ll learn:

- How God encourages you through scripture, the Spirit, and people

- Practical ways to encourage yourself in God when you feel flat

- Why community and interdependence matter when you want to isolate

- How to offer simple, Spirit‑led encouragement that strengthens others

To support the ministry with tax-deductible donations: https://catherinetoon.com/support/

Marked by Love, Revised & Expanded Edition is here:
#1 Best Seller & #1 New Release in our category!

Get your copy: https://amzn.to/3K2J9ZV

God, Male & Female?: https://amzn.to/49hzCIM

CONNECT WITH CATHERINE:

► Website: https://catherinetoon.com/

► Facebook: @catherinetoonmd


► Instagram: @catherinetoon


► Twitter: @catherinetoonmd


► YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CatherineToonMD

FREE RESOURCES:

► Podcast: https://catherinetoon.com/perspectives-podcast/ 


► Free eBooks: https://catherinetoon.com/free-downloads/ 


► Blog: https://catherinetoon.com/blog/ 


► Free chapter of Marked by Love: https://catherinetoon.com/mblfreechapter/

ABOUT CATHERINE:

Encouraging you to experience God and discover who you truly are!
 Catherine has been in the business of changing lives for decades as an author, speaker, and prophetic coach. She is incredibly gifted at calling forth personal destiny and has helped thousands of individuals who are on that journey.

Feeling stuck in regret, shame, or “if only I hadn’t…” loops from your past? In this episode of Perspectives with Catherine Toon, Dr. Catherine unpacks how God can redeem your story, heal the fallout of other people’s choices, and turn even your worst mistakes into real wisdom. You will learn how to own your part without taking on false responsibility, reject victim identity, and partner with God as a powerful son or daughter instead of staying stuck in self‑pity.

Catherine shares how to forgive yourself and others, release the need for payback, and trust God’s justice without slipping into religious punishment pictures of God. You will see how aligning with love, refusing bitterness, and choosing healthy boundaries can shift the “cycles” that keep repeating in your life. If you have ever thought, “I’ve wasted years,” this conversation will help you see how nothing is beyond redemption in God’s hands.

What you’ll learn:

- How to move from victim mindset to powerful partnership with God.

- Practical ways to forgive yourself and others without denying the pain.

- How to leave justice with God and stop rehearsing revenge in your heart.

- How God turns regret, betrayal, and “stupid decisions” into real wisdom and compassion for others.

To support the ministry with tax-deductible donations: https://catherinetoon.com/support/

Marked by Love, Revised & Expanded Edition is here:
#1 Best Seller & #1 New Release in our category!

Get your copy: https://amzn.to/3K2J9ZV

God, Male & Female?: https://amzn.to/49hzCIM

CONNECT WITH CATHERINE:

► Website: https://catherinetoon.com/

► Facebook: @catherinetoonmd


► Instagram: @catherinetoon


► Twitter: @catherinetoonmd


► YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CatherineToonMD

FREE RESOURCES:

► Podcast: https://catherinetoon.com/perspectives-podcast/ 


► Free eBooks: https://catherinetoon.com/free-downloads/ 


► Blog: https://catherinetoon.com/blog/ 


► Free chapter of Marked by Love: https://catherinetoon.com/mblfreechapter/

ABOUT CATHERINE:

Encouraging you to experience God and discover who you truly are!
 Catherine has been in the business of changing lives for decades as an author, speaker, and prophetic coach. She is incredibly gifted at calling forth personal destiny and has helped thousands of individuals who are on that journey.

In this conversation, Catherine sits down with William Paul Young, author of The Shack, to hear the story behind writing Return to the Shack: A Journey into Redemption (releasing October 6, 2026). Paul pulls back the curtain on the creative process, shares how his nine years of friendship with men on death row became the unexpected seed for the sequel, and talks honestly about grief, forgiveness, and what it looks like to keep living after a life-changing encounter with God.

In this episode you'll hear:

- How Paul went from "I'll never write a sequel" to 40,000 words in 8 days

- The death row friendships that inspired the story's redemption arc

- What good editing actually does to a creative work

- How his characters "take over" and surprise even him

- Why he describes Return to the Shack as "a choir" compared to the original's "soloist"

To support the ministry with tax-deductible donations: https://catherinetoon.com/support/

Marked by Love, Revised & Expanded Edition is here:
#1 Best Seller & #1 New Release in our category!

Get your copy: https://amzn.to/3K2J9ZV

God, Male & Female?: https://amzn.to/49hzCIM

CONNECT WITH CATHERINE:

► Website: https://catherinetoon.com/

► Facebook: @catherinetoonmd


► Instagram: @catherinetoon


► Twitter: @catherinetoonmd


► YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CatherineToonMD

FREE RESOURCES:

► Podcast: https://catherinetoon.com/perspectives-podcast/ 


► Free eBooks: https://catherinetoon.com/free-downloads/ 


► Blog: https://catherinetoon.com/blog/ 


► Free chapter of Marked by Love: https://catherinetoon.com/mblfreechapter/

ABOUT CATHERINE:

Encouraging you to experience God and discover who you truly are!
 Catherine has been in the business of changing lives for decades as an author, speaker, and prophetic coach. She is incredibly gifted at calling forth personal destiny and has helped thousands of individuals who are on that journey.

What if communion was never meant to be a lifeless ritual, but a living encounter with the Person of Love Himself?

In this episode, Dr. Catherine Toon invites you back into the early church’s lost revelation of communion as intimacy, union, and shared life with Christ and one another.

As Catherine shares vulnerably from her own journey out of religious burnout, she unpacks how religion has toxified powerful spiritual practices, like communion, and how Jesus gently restores them as gifts to nourish your body, soul, and spirit.

You’ll discover that communion is not about performing for God or “qualifying” yourself, but about receiving the finished work of Christ and remembering that you are already included in the circle of Love.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

- How the early church practiced communion as a joyful “love feast,” not a cold, symbolic exercise

- Why communion is meant to be a living encounter with Christ’s presence, not a fear-based check-box

- How to move from complacency and religious trauma into real intimacy and union with God

- Why communion proclaims Jesus’ finished work over your shame, unworthiness, and exhaustion

- How to begin reclaiming communion in your everyday life—slow, tender, and deeply personal with Jesus

Whether you’ve been hurt by religion, feel disconnected from church, or simply hunger for a deeper experience of God’s love, this conversation will help you rediscover communion as a doorway into the heart of the Trinity.

You’re not on the outside trying to get in—you’re already welcomed to the table.

Links Mentioned

How to Handle Scripture Rightly: https://catherinetoon.com/how-to-handle-scripture-rightly-part-one/

Jamie Englehart: https://www.youtube.com/@JamieEnglehart

Laura C Worship: https://www.youtube.com/@LauraCWorship

To support the ministry with tax-deductible donations: https://catherinetoon.com/support/

Marked by Love, Revised & Expanded Edition is here:
#1 Best Seller & #1 New Release in our category!

Get your copy: https://amzn.to/3K2J9ZV

God, Male & Female?: https://amzn.to/49hzCIM

CONNECT WITH CATHERINE:

► Website: https://catherinetoon.com/

► Facebook: @catherinetoonmd


► Instagram: @catherinetoon


► Twitter: @catherinetoonmd


► YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CatherineToonMD

FREE RESOURCES:

► Podcast: https://catherinetoon.com/perspectives-podcast/ 


► Free eBooks: https://catherinetoon.com/free-downloads/ 


► Blog: https://catherinetoon.com/blog/ 


► Free chapter of Marked by Love: https://catherinetoon.com/mblfreechapter/

ABOUT CATHERINE:

Encouraging you to experience God and discover who you truly are!
 Catherine has been in the business of changing lives for decades as an author, speaker, and prophetic coach. She is incredibly gifted at calling forth personal destiny and has helped thousands of individuals who are on that journey.

When the Bethel church crisis hit the headlines, many believers were left asking, “Can I trust church leaders at all anymore?” If you feel shaken by scandals in places you once loved, this conversation is for you.

In this episode of Perspectives with Catherine Toon, Catherine sits down with long-time friend and minister Bill Vanderbush to explore a grace-filled response to the Bethel church crisis and the wider wave of Christian exposure culture online. Together they unpack what happens when church leaders fail, how pruning and discipline can still be love, and how to walk in discernment without losing tenderness or hope.

What you’ll learn:

- How to keep your faith anchored in Jesus when leaders you admire fall.

- The difference between healthy honor and destructive idolatry in Christian culture.

- Why “exposure channels” can’t heal victims and what real restoration requires.

- Practical ways to confront abuse and deception without becoming bitter or cynical.

Catherine and Bill also talk candidly about victims and victimizers, the misuse of “culture of honor,” the branding of Bethel, and how to navigate public repentance, justice, and mercy in a social media age. If you’re tired of fear-based takes yet still hungry for truth and accountability, this conversation will help you process the noise and locate the heart of Jesus again.

Need a fresh encounter with God? Register for Pursued By Love: https://catherinetoon.com/pursuedbylove

To support the ministry with tax-deductible donations: https://catherinetoon.com/support/

Marked by Love, Revised & Expanded Edition is here:
#1 Best Seller & #1 New Release in our category!

Get your copy: https://amzn.to/3K2J9ZV

God, Male & Female?: https://amzn.to/49hzCIM

CONNECT WITH CATHERINE:

► Website: https://catherinetoon.com/

► Facebook: @catherinetoonmd


► Instagram: @catherinetoon


► Twitter: @catherinetoonmd


► YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CatherineToonMD

FREE RESOURCES:

► Podcast: https://catherinetoon.com/perspectives-podcast/ 


► Free eBooks: https://catherinetoon.com/free-downloads/ 


► Blog: https://catherinetoon.com/blog/ 


► Free chapter of Marked by Love: https://catherinetoon.com/mblfreechapter/

ABOUT CATHERINE:

Encouraging you to experience God and discover who you truly are!
 Catherine has been in the business of changing lives for decades as an author, speaker, and prophetic coach. She is incredibly gifted at calling forth personal destiny and has helped thousands of individuals who are on that journey.

Are you tired of leading from empty? What if burnout isn't a willpower problem? What if it's an alignment problem?

In this episode, Dr. Catherine Toon sits down with author and identity coach Raquel Orona to unpack why so many Christians, especially leaders, stay stuck in performance, striving, and exhaustion even when they know the truth of who they are in Christ. Raquel's new book Seated Not Striving is a deep, practical invitation back to the only place where lasting transformation happens: your co-seated identity in Christ.

What you'll learn:

- Why identity misalignment is the hidden root of ministry burnout

- How agreement, what you believe and say about yourself, shapes everything

- The difference between inner healing and inner alignment

- Why the finished work of Jesus means rest is your starting point, not your reward

- How to realign quickly when you feel yourself drifting into striving or performance

Need a fresh encounter with God? Register for Pursued By Love: https://catherinetoon.com/pursuedbylove

To support the ministry with tax-deductible donations: https://catherinetoon.com/support/

Marked by Love, Revised & Expanded Edition is here:
#1 Best Seller & #1 New Release in our category!

Get your copy: https://amzn.to/3K2J9ZV

God, Male & Female?: https://amzn.to/49hzCIM

CONNECT WITH CATHERINE:

► Website: https://catherinetoon.com/

► Facebook: @catherinetoonmd


► Instagram: @catherinetoon


► Twitter: @catherinetoonmd


► YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CatherineToonMD

FREE RESOURCES:

► Podcast: https://catherinetoon.com/perspectives-podcast/ 


► Free eBooks: https://catherinetoon.com/free-downloads/ 


► Blog: https://catherinetoon.com/blog/ 


► Free chapter of Marked by Love: https://catherinetoon.com/mblfreechapter/

ABOUT CATHERINE:

Encouraging you to experience God and discover who you truly are!
 Catherine has been in the business of changing lives for decades as an author, speaker, and prophetic coach. She is incredibly gifted at calling forth personal destiny and has helped thousands of individuals who are on that journey.

What if the prodigal son story isn't about a lost boy, but about a Father who never stopped running toward him? In this episode we explore Luke 15 through the lens of grace, compassion, and unconditional love.

Catherine unpacks the heart of God as revealed in the parable of the prodigal son, the lost sheep, and the lost coin. You'll discover how God doesn't wait for you to clean up before He embraces you. He runs toward you in your mess, clothes you in His identity, and throws a party just because you're home.

In this episode:

- Why God is the one who seeks, not the one who waits

- The difference between the younger son's rebellion and the older son's bitterness

- How your behavior doesn't define your identity as a son or daughter of God

- What it means to be clothed in the Father's robe, ring, and shoes

- Why grace always celebrates, even when religion condemns

If you've ever felt too far gone, too broken, or too bitter to come home, this message is for you. God's love is bigger than your mess.

Need a fresh encounter with God? Register for Pursued By Love: https://catherinetoon.com/pursuedbylove

To support the ministry with tax-deductible donations: https://catherinetoon.com/support/

Marked by Love, Revised & Expanded Edition is here:
#1 Best Seller & #1 New Release in our category!

Get your copy: https://amzn.to/3K2J9ZV

God, Male & Female?: https://amzn.to/49hzCIM

CONNECT WITH CATHERINE:

► Website: https://catherinetoon.com/

► Facebook: @catherinetoonmd


► Instagram: @catherinetoon


► Twitter: @catherinetoonmd


► YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CatherineToonMD

FREE RESOURCES:

► Podcast: https://catherinetoon.com/perspectives-podcast/ 


► Free eBooks: https://catherinetoon.com/free-downloads/ 


► Blog: https://catherinetoon.com/blog/ 


► Free chapter of Marked by Love: https://catherinetoon.com/mblfreechapter/

ABOUT CATHERINE:

Encouraging you to experience God and discover who you truly are!
 Catherine has been in the business of changing lives for decades as an author, speaker, and prophetic coach. She is incredibly gifted at calling forth personal destiny and has helped thousands of individuals who are on that journey.

Ever feel like you're nodding along in church but secretly have no idea what half the words actually mean? You're not alone. Words like sin, repentance, flesh, and grace get thrown around constantly, but most of us learned them through osmosis, not definition.

In this episode, Catherine sits down with Brandon Vaughn, author of Lost in Christianese (Parts 1 & 2), to unpack the real meanings of the words we use every day. Brandon traces these terms back to their original Greek usage and discovers they mean something radically different than what we've been taught. What if sin isn't about rule-breaking? What if repentance isn't about feeling bad? What if flesh and spirit don't mean what you think?

What you'll learn:

- Why defining biblical words matters for your relationship with God

- What sin actually meant in ancient Greek (hint: it's about missing your purpose, not breaking rules)

- How forgiveness was used to describe divorce

- Why understanding covenant and sin unlocks the entire Bible

- The difference between Christianese and what Scripture actually says

Brandon's journey from Southern Baptist burnout to grace-based freedom will resonate with anyone tired of performance-based religion.

Need a fresh encounter with God? Register for Pursued By Love: https://catherinetoon.com/pursuedbylove

To support the ministry with tax-deductible donations: https://catherinetoon.com/support/

Marked by Love, Revised & Expanded Edition is here:
#1 Best Seller & #1 New Release in our category!

Get your copy: https://amzn.to/3K2J9ZV

God, Male & Female?: https://amzn.to/49hzCIM

CONNECT WITH CATHERINE:

► Website: https://catherinetoon.com/

► Facebook: @catherinetoonmd


► Instagram: @catherinetoon


► Twitter: @catherinetoonmd


► YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CatherineToonMD

FREE RESOURCES:

► Podcast: https://catherinetoon.com/perspectives-podcast/ 


► Free eBooks: https://catherinetoon.com/free-downloads/ 


► Blog: https://catherinetoon.com/blog/ 


► Free chapter of Marked by Love: https://catherinetoon.com/mblfreechapter/

ABOUT CATHERINE:

Encouraging you to experience God and discover who you truly are!
 Catherine has been in the business of changing lives for decades as an author, speaker, and prophetic coach. She is incredibly gifted at calling forth personal destiny and has helped thousands of individuals who are on that journey.