Ditching Perfection

By Carly BartlettReligion & Spirituality Christianity

Ditching Perfection episodes

June 22, 2023 Episode 62: Jesus Q&A | Does shame have a megaphone? | Matthew 7:3-5
Shame shouldn’t hold a megaphone in our lives. Yes, we all deal with shame from time to time, but hiddenness only makes the voice of shame louder.
So, Jesus’ questions invite us to take off our masks and address the plank in our eye. We are safe to be vulnerable with Jesus. Jesus doesn’t invite us to talk about mess because He wants to shame us. Jesus wants to free us, clear our vision, and take away distractions so that we can show up for the world with confidence and humility.
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I'd love to connect with you on Instagram ⁠@carlycommunicates⁠. If there is ever any way that I can link arms with you in ministry though speaking or worship leading, let me know at ⁠carlycommunicates.com/contact/⁠.
12 min
June 20, 2023 Episode 61: Jesus Q&A | What is causing me to worry? | Matthew 6:27-34
Vulnerability alert: In my experience, worry is often perpetuated by my desire for self-preservation, safety, and control. I want to flourish so desperately that my worry actually robs me of peace, joy, whimsy, and hope. In Matthew 6:27, Jesus asks the question, "Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?" This question, and the surrounding words of Jesus from this section of Scripture, point us to some important promises and practices. I am sharing with you some of the rhythms that I have personally utilized to help me in times of anxiety. If you have swirling thoughts centered on worry, I believe you'll find this episode extremely helpful.
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I'd love to connect with you on Instagram @carlycommunicates. If there is ever any way that I can link arms with you in ministry though speaking or worship leading, let me know at carlycommunicates.com/contact/.
12 min
June 15, 2023 Episode 60: Jesus Q&A | What lies are you believing about your value? | Matthew 6:25-26
There are so many things that cause us to not feel valued. We question our value if we don’t get the promotion at work, don’t get into the top choice college, miss a catch at a game, lose our temper with our kids, don’t see a number go down on the scale, or if we see on social media that our friends hung out last weekend and we weren’t invited. But Jesus' question in Matthew 6:25-26 invites us to sink into what is true. We are deeply loved, adored, and valued because we are God's children.
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I'd love to connect with you on instagram! You can find me ⁠@carlycommunicates⁠.
Each Friday, I send out a bite-sized Bible study to my friends on my email list. ⁠Sign up here to subscribe!⁠

12 min
June 13, 2023 Episode 59: Jesus Q&A | How am I supposed to love my enemies? | Matthew 5:43-48
It is tempting to play the inferiority / superiority game, or to point fingers at people who are “lesser than,” but in asking the questions in Matt. 5:44 & 46, Jesus is reminding us that we ALL need help in loving our enemies. It isn’t something that we can do on our own. No matter who we are, we need God’s love to flow through us so that we no longer dehumanize or minimize someone, but we see all people through God’s lens of love.
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I'd love to connect with you on instagram! You can find me ⁠@carlycommunicates⁠.
Each Friday, I send out a bite-sized Bible study to my friends on my email list. ⁠Sign up here to subscribe!⁠

13 min
June 08, 2023 Episode 58: Jesus Q&A | Do I have something significant to offer to the world? | John 4:1-10
It is easy for us to feel disqualified. Like the thirsty woman at the well in John 4, it is easy for us to feel like we have nothing to offer. We may cling to the words that people have said about us, or hold tightly feelings of rejection, abandonment, or betrayal. The experiences we’ve had or the pain we carry may make us feel like we have no value to offer to others… but Jesus says, “I see you, and you have something valuable to share with the world.”
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I'd love to connect with you on instagram! You can find me @carlycommunicates.
Each Friday, I send out a bite-sized Bible study to my friends on my email list. Sign up here to subscribe!

12 min
June 06, 2023 Episode 57: Jesus Q&A | What are you looking for? | John 1:35-42
Jesus asked over 300 questions in the Bible. Instead of coming to hold lectures, Jesus came to have conversations. In this first episode of Jesus Q&A, Jesus' question, "What do you seek?" reminds us that Jesus cares about what we care about. We're all looking for something... and even if we're searching for satisfaction in all the wrong places, Jesus invites us to walk with Him one step at a time. As we do, our desires will align with God's good intentions for us.
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I'd love to connect with you on instagram! You can find me ⁠@carlycommunicates⁠.
Each Friday, I send out a bite-sized Bible study to my friends on my email list. ⁠Sign up here to subscribe!⁠
12 min
June 03, 2023 Jesus Q&A: Starting June 6
What if, amidst the uncertainties and complexities of life, we discover that the answers we seek are hidden within the questions Jesus asked?
Join me on Tuesdays AND Thursdays for 10 minutes of Scripture study, real talk conversation, and prayer.
Let's keep pursuing wholeness in Jesus rather than trying to have it all together.
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I'd love to connect with you on instagram! You can find me ⁠@carlycommunicates⁠.
Each Friday, I send out a bite-sized Bible study to my friends on my email list. ⁠Sign up here to subscribe!⁠
2 min
April 25, 2023 Episode 56: Pantone Portraits | Music: Melodies as Formation | Molly Wighaman and Matt Beltman
Today, my friends, Matt Beltman and Molly Wighaman are here to chat with us about how music unites us with others, grounds us in difficult times, and seeps into our souls to create meaningful anthems for our lives.
You’re going to love this conversation with these two thoughtful college students who are studying ministry, and serving in the local church. They each are clearly devoted to Jesus, have natural talent in the area of music, and care deeply about discipling the generation after them. Mike and I are grateful to call Matt and Molly friends, and cheer them on as they pursue Jesus.
The color I chose for this week is a gorgeous teal called "Barrier Reef." I found an incredible article from Harvard International Review about how playing symphonies of aquatic creatures in damaged coral reef areas is bringing new life and restoration. Isn't that amazing? In similar ways, music can permeate the places in our lives that are in need of healing. Melodies have a way of ministering to us when words fail us. God uses music to somehow, some way restore us.
You can connect with Matt and Molly on instagram at @beltman.matt & @mollywig.
I'd also love to stay connected with you on instagram @carlycommunicates.
1 hr 11 min
April 18, 2023 Episode 55: Pantone Portraits | Loving Our Neighbors: Listening, Lamenting, and Learning | Herminia Esqueda
I am so excited to welcome my new friend, Herminia Esqueda to the pod. Herminia is a pastor, multicultural director, and an Equity, Diversity, Access and Inclusion Administrator in state government. She is an incredible communicator of the Gospel and reminds us of the important call to be a people of reconciliation and peacemaking.
So, in today’s conversation, she encourages us to partner with God, and what God is already doing in our communities through being a consistent and present listener. So often we feel like we have to have ideas, strategies, and agendas — but God is inviting us to love our neighbors by being present.
Today, I have chosen the color “Vivacious” from the Pantone guide book. It is a maroon color, and I chose it because of the name. Vivacious means to be full of life, and in order for us to live into the fullness of who God intended us to be, I believe that we need to cultivate rhythms of listening and learning, in order to love our neighbors.
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Herminia Esqueda serves as the Multi-Cultural Ministries Coordinator for the Northwest District Church of the Nazarene, and is an Associate Pastor, alongside her Lead Pastor husband, at the Wapato Church of the Nazarene. In addition to her ministerial roles, Herminia works full-time as an Equity, Diversity, Access and Inclusion Administrator in state government. Herminia is pursuing her Master of Arts in Christian Ministry at Point Loma University, and serves as a founding member of the NOW Movement Network—a coordinated effort of Nazarenes in USA and Canada who are emboldened by the Spirit to pursue racial justice in our churches, communities, districts, and institutions now. She is a teacher, speaker and facilitator, and in her spare time, she enjoys traveling to California to visit family, where she goes by “Lita,” short for abuelita. You can connect with Herminia on instagram @herminia.esqueda
1 hr 6 min
April 11, 2023 Episode 54: Pantone Portraits | Prayer & Scripture: Vibrancy in Ordinary Days | Rachael Wade
Today, we are talking about prayer and Scripture, which are often some of the first spiritual practices that come to mind when we think about ways to connect with God… Yet, engaging with prayer and Scripture are often some of the most challenging rhythms for us to maintain.
In this week’s episode, my new friend, Rachael Wade is here to give us ideas and inspiration from her own journey about how to experience God’s presence through prayer and Scripture.
The Pantone color that I chose for this week is Lime Punch. It is fabulous and bright, because prayer and talking with God throughout our days can vibrancy to the most mundane days. Prayer and Scripture change the way we see ourselves, others, and our circumstances, helping us see light where the world sees darkness. So, that is why I chose one of the brightest colors in the Pantone guide book for next week!
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Rachael is a wife, mom of two, seminary student, writer, and teacher who is passionate about encouraging & equipping men & women with the word of God. She believes in the power of the "in process" everyday story. For this reason, she created Olive Us a ministry where women recount to remember the goodness & faithfulness of God. Rachael faithfully serves at Epic Church in San Francisco, where she leads small groups and is on the teaching team. When Rachael isn't leading, teaching, and writing on her "Seeds of Encouragement" blog, she's hanging out in her comfy pajamas at home with her family, enjoying a nice charcuterie board, laughing at something because what is life without laughter, or riding/running with her Peloton people.
*Rachael's 'Olive Us' interviews drop on Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and all Major Podcast platforms on the 1st of every month. *
1 hr

About Ditching Perfection

From the publisher's feed

Welcome to the “Ditching Perfection” podcast with Carly Bartlett. Each week, this podcast will help you pursue wholeness in Jesus rather than trying to have it all together. Along the way, you will…