In today's conversation, my friend and licensed counselor, Alaina Henry is here. In this important conversation, we chat about:

- Mindfulness as a way to stop the flurry in our brains to become more aware of God's presences,

- How we've both benefited from therapy and anxiety medication, and

- How seeking help from mental health resources does not make you a less faithful follower of Jesus. 

The Pantone color that I chose for this week is “deep lake,” because pursuing wholeness is deep work. For those of us who struggle with perfectionism, we often keep things on the surface, because we don't want to unearth our struggles or weaknesses. But when we slow down and become mindful of the present moment, we realize that with God's help, we can dive deep... because on the other side of the deep dive is holistic healing. 

Alaina Henry is a Clinical Director for a local counseling center and a university adjunct professor of psychology. She has her MA from George Fox University in Clinical and Mental Health Counseling, and double bachelors degree from Multnomah University in Biblical Studies/Theology and Communications. She has trauma training in EMDR, and works with teens and adults.  In the past, her work has included a mobile crisis response team, agency work with children and families, and mental health assessing for children who had recently been brought into CPS care. She has also served in ministry as a youth pastor, and about every church ministry position you can imagine. She has been married to her husband, who is a hospice chaplain, for sixteen years, and together they have three kids. For fun, Alaina loves attempting to cook gourmet meals, drinking coffee, getting outside, and daydreaming about future travel.

If you…

are a strategist who loves to launch new things,

feel more connected with God as you connect with others, or

are feeling stuck and need inspiration about how to make a broader impact in your community…

This episode will ignite passion and purpose in you as we learn from my friend, Katie Castro, about living with an ethic of we! 

Katie Castro is a speaker, strategist, and serial entrepreneur. Since her youth, she has been building ideas and micro-movements toward a big mission: flourishing for all. You can catch Katie in a variety of contexts as she serves businesses, nonprofits, churches, and academic institutions alike. She stewards all opportunities through a lens of innovation, collaboration, and optimism. 

 

Katie currently leads Ally Co as Founder and CEO, is on the Preaching Team at Zion Covenant Church, and partners with local agencies in her hometown of Jamestown, NY as board member, volunteer, and coach. Katie is mom to four, wife to Javi, and a church planter who is always on the lookout for the growing edge of the Kingdom of God.

My dear friend, Lauren Willis, is my guest on the podcast today. She and her husband, Joel, are some of our closest friends. This fall, Lauren chose to step away from her very successful corporate career as she and Joel moved to Paris, where Lauren is now training to be a pastry chef at Le Courdon Bleu. 

During our conversation today, Lauren shares with us how movement and creativity help her connect deeply to our moving, creating God. 

Lauren is a sister, wife, friend, daughter, auntie, baker, and a social worker with over 15 years experience in healthcare, most recently working as an executive in the oncology and cardiology treatment before leaving for Paris. Lauren’s favorite thing is eating something new and interesting with people she loves - especially if everyone is crowded in the kitchen, cooking together.

On today’s episode, we will be chatting about warning signs of burnout, how to practically structure our days around what really matters, and God’s invitation to be still.

This week, the Pantone color that I chose is called Ibiza Blue. It is an island off the coast of Spain with the most beautiful waters. When I think of an island vacation, I think of rest, reprieve, and retreat...  and stillness can bring us those gifts in our day to day lives.

My guest this week is April Wahl. April is a middle school ministry director at Century Baptist Church in Bismarck, North Dakota, where she lives with her husband and her two boys. April has a master’s degree in Bible & Theology, and has served in youth ministry for fifteen years. When she has a free minute, she’s either working on her long-boarding skills, writing, shopping for her next pair of Vans, or planning her next trip to Disney World. You can connect with April on instagram @shehasgoneawahl.

My friend, Pastor Jeni Hall, is here to talk to us about how repeated patterns in our lives form and shape us. She shares ideas with us about how to create rhythms of connection with God centered around the activities we participate in every day… like drinking coffee! :) She also shares with us about fasting. This is timely, because this episode is airing during Lent. We often give things up during Lent, but we may not always understand the WHY behind fasting. Jeni gives us an incredible explanation of fasting, beginning with how fasting is a response to something, rather than a tool to get something.

The Pantone color I chose is a lovely deep purple called “Chive Blossom.” I chose purple, because purple is often connected with royalty and luxury. When we fast, we give up what makes us feel comfortable (like food). We choose to let go of our own “richness” in response to the lavish grace of God.

Jeni is the Lead Pastor of NewportNaz in Newport, Oregon where she serves alongside husband who is a gifted worship pastor. Together they have an 8 month old daughter, Collins, and two cats! Jeni LOVES coffee, reading, and learning everyday to follow the way of Jesus more passionately.

Ryan and Ashley Gage are back this week to chat with us about how to be bridge builders, and what it looks like to see and value each other. If you didn’t hear part 1 of our conversation, I highly recommend that you go back and listen to episode 45.

Friends, I want to let you know that I am on this journey with you. I have a lot to learn about the centuries and centuries of racial injustice, and the racial injustice that continues to happen today. I am committed to do whatever I can to be a part of the ministry of reconciliation that Paul talks about in 2 Corinthians 5. Like Ashley said in Episode 45, the work of reconciliation is messy and it is a marathon, not a sprint. So, I’ve got my sneakers on and I’m ready to run for the one haul. But the beautiful gift is that the marathon is being flooded by people like you, who are linking arms and running together to see restoration, healing, and reconciliation happen in our communities and around the world.

The birthday celebration continues today! I am announcing the giveaway winners, continuing the conversation with Sister Maria Juan, and spilling the beans about the new series that we're launching in March! 

To learn more about Carly and her ministry, visit carlycommunicates.com.

The Ditching Perfection podcast is 1 year old, so we are throwing a party! My dear friend and Catholic nun, Sister Maria Juan, is here to share with us about choosing celebration and finding joy in simplicity.

Truly, this party is for YOU! I am so thankful for the community we are building together in our little corner of the internet. You are sharing hope, love, and light in a world where people are so hungry for connection and meaning. So, let's keep widening our circle and inviting others to our little online neighborhood where throwing confetti is the norm!

For the podcast birthday, there are several giveaway opportunities, because who doesn't love some party goodies?!

FOLLOW ME ON TIK-TOK (@carlycommunicates) to enter to win a $25 Crumbl cookie gift card!

SHARE ON INSTAGRAM: Share one of my posts or reels this coming week to enter to win another $25 Crumbl cookie gift card! 

CONNECT ON FACEBOOK: Everyone who follows my Facebook page in the next week will be entered to win a $50 Cheesecake Factor gift card!!

My friends, Ryan and Ashley Gage, are here to help us kick off Black History Month! We are talking about the gift of listening to one another's stories, widening our lenses, and how God invites us to be ministers of reconciliation (2 Cor. 5:18-19). I am so thankful for my friends, Ryan and Ashley, and I am excited for you to become friends with them too!

The Gages live in Nampa, Idaho where Ryan serves as Worship Arts Pastor at Nampa College Church of the Nazarene. Ashley serves on the campus of Northwest Nazarene University as the Associate Chaplain. They are involved in various local non-profit organizations that advocate for the foster care community and mentorship efforts. They have four children and they love singing together, decorating, designing, laughing, and enjoying good food!

Find Ryan and Ashley on instagram: @ryangage79 & @ashleydon34

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Check out my new Bible Study, "The Gift of the Unexpected," at carlycommunicates.com/resources.

Are you looking for a speaker for your next conference, retreat, or church event? If so, I'd love to chat about how I could partner with you in that way! Send me a note at carlycommunicates.com/contact to tell me about what you've got cookin'!

As always, I love connecting with you on instagram. You can find me @carlycommunicates.