Welcome to the final episode of Season One of The Divorced Christian Woman Podcast! If you’ve made it through the first 365 days post-divorce without stabbing anyone (including yourself), congratulations. You’re our people. 

In our finale I gather a roundtable of warrior women (Diana, Loretta, Lisa, and Marie) to talk about what comes after the ashes. (And it's NOT all sobbing into Häagen-Dazs while reading Leviticus. Haha)

What we talk about: 

• Finding yourself again (and realizing she’s kind of amazing)
• The joy of owning a dog (and a massage chair)
• Discovering that you’re capable of fixing doors, traveling alone, and hanging out with bears (on purpose)
• Reclaiming your space without needing anyone’s approval
• Forming deep, soul-filling friendships that you didn’t know were missing
• Letting go of the fear-based god to embrace the real one who’s been there all along
• Creating peaceful parenting vibes after the chaos of control

And by the way, wondering what’s coming in Season 2? We’re diving into relationships: with yourself, your kids (even the adult ones), your ex, your God, your church, and maybe that suspiciously hot barista who always remembers your name. Starts October 4, so mark your calendars.

Read the full show notes, get the journal questions, and/or ask Natalie a question here

Related Resources:

• Flying Higher (https://joinflyinghigher.com) is my personal mentorship program for Christian women pursuing increased confidence, emotional management, relational health and empowered self-development. Want to work with me? This is how!
• Feel like a hot mess after divorce? This 5-Day Workshop will teach you a mind-shift tool to help you learn a powerful way to manage your thoughts and emotions in order to navigate adult decisions with clarity and peace. 
• Connect with Marie on her blog, Live Like it Matters, and website, Spiritual Direction with Marie.
• Listen to Diana’s podcast, the Renew Your Mind Podcast. 
• Connect with Lisa at her Linktree.
• Contact Loretta at [email protected] 
• Check out a Flying Free Podcast episode, “How Christian Women Resist Oppression in Their Marriages.”

What if the emotions you're trying to keep at arm’s length (like grief and rage) are actually the very things that will set you free?

In this episode, I’m joined by my friend and fellow coach, Diana Swillinger. Today we’re talking about the emotional whirlwind that follows a divorce, especially for Christian women who were taught to be nice, stay quiet, and for the love of God, never get angry.

Well. We got angry. (And we’re still alive!)

If you’ve ever wondered:

• “Am I losing it, or is this rage normal?”
• “Why am I grieving when I wanted this divorce?”
• “Do I actually miss him...what the hell is wrong with me?”
• “What does forgiveness really mean if reconciliation isn’t safe?”

… then this episode is for you, my buffalo-hearted sister. (Yes, we talk about buffalo. And you’re gonna want one as your life mascot by the end.)

Read the full show notes, get the journal questions, and/or ask Natalie a question here

Related Resources:

• Flying Higher (https://joinflyinghigher.com) is my personal mentorship program for Christian women pursuing increased confidence, emotional management, relational health and empowered self-development. Want to work with me? This is how!
• Feel like a hot mess after divorce? This 5-Day Workshop will teach you a mind-shift tool to help you learn a powerful way to manage your thoughts and emotions in order to navigate adult decisions with clarity and peace. 
• Check out Diana’s podcast, The Renew Your Mind Podcast.
• Recommended books: Altogether You by Jenna Remiersma, No Bad Parts by Richard Schwartz, Forgiveness After Trauma by Susannah Griffith, Finding Meaning: the Sixth Stage of Grief by David Kessler, The Dance of Anger by Harriet Lerner, and All the Scary Little Gods by yours truly. 

This isn’t your grandma’s church talk on “biblical womanhood.” In this episode, I sit down with four divorced Christian women—Diana, Loretta, Lisa, and Marie—to unpack the sticky, often squirmy conversation around sex, dating, purity culture, and what it all means now that we’ve ditched the toxic marriage and are figuring out what we actually want.

Heads up: this is not a how-to guide for your post-divorce sex life. We’re not handing out purity rings or condoms. This is an open, judgment-free, thoughtful conversation about the messy intersection of desire, faith, and freedom.

Key Takeaways:

• Sex as a “duty” is a massive church-induced scam. Most of us were taught to “submit” and serve our husbands—without any conversation about pleasure, consent, or autonomy. That’s not holy. That’s control.
• Purity culture wrecked us. Whether you read Passion and Purity with a highlighter or came in late via Focus on the Family propaganda, the fear-based messages about sex left many of us feeling ashamed, confused, or broken.
• Desire isn’t sinful. In fact, as Marie shares, our desires are often holy breadcrumbs leading us toward the life God actually wants for us: connection, safety, joy, embodiment.
• Safety is non-negotiable. If you’re not enthusiastically consenting, it’s a no. Period.
• Dating after divorce is a weird buffet. Think: civil engineers, gay best friends, and “I’d rather be watching Netflix alone” moments. Still, it’s helping us learn how to trust ourselves again.
• You’re not spiritually defective if you don’t want sex—or if you do. Normalize your own experience, whatever it is.
• You don’t need a man to be whole. Turns out you’re already a whole dang loaf of bread, not someone’s missing rib. 

Read the full show notes, get the journal questions, and/or ask Natalie a question here

Related Resources:

• Flying Higher (https://joinflyinghigher.com) is my live mentorship program for Christian women pursuing increased confidence, emotional management, relational health and empowered self-development.
• Feel like a hot mess after divorce? This 5-Day Workshop will teach you a mind-shift tool to help you learn a powerful way to manage your thoughts and emotions in order to navigate adult decisions with clarity and peace. 
• Listen to Diana’s podcast, the Renew Your Mind Podcast. 
• Connect with Marie on her blog, Live Like it Matters, and website, Spiritual Direction with Marie.
• Read Sheila Wray Gregoire’s The Great Sex Rescue.
• Check out one of my Flying Free Podcast episodes, “What to Do if You’re Married to a Fool.”

Have you ever felt like your faith packed a suitcase, jumped off a cliff, and left you blinking in the rubble of what used to be your spiritual life? In this episode, I’m joined by my good friend and fellow coach Diana Swillinger to talk about what it’s like when everything you thought you believed about God, church, and even yourself suddenly stops making sense.

We’re not sugarcoating it, friend. We're talking spiritual betrayal, religious trauma, excommunication (oh yes, I went there), and what happens when your church treats your divorce like an unpardonable sin. 

If you've ever doubted your beliefs, lost your community, or felt spiritually homeless, this episode can be a much needed dose of validation and sanity.

And by the way, God’s still there. Even when you’re not sure who God even is anymore.

Key Takeaways:

• Spiritual freefall is real – especially after religious betrayal, loss of community, or family rejection post-divorce.
• Doubt isn’t the enemy. It’s the beginning of real faith. (And no, you’re not going to hell for asking hard questions.)
• You can let go of the Jenga tower of theology you built—and still find Jesus standing there, patiently waiting.
• Creativity heals. Music, writing, quilting—whatever helps you access that divine spark inside you is sacred ground.
• You’re not alone, even if you feel like you’ve been spiritually ghosted by everyone you trusted.
• Religious certainty ≠ spiritual maturity. Sometimes the most faithful thing you can do is say, “I don’t know.”

Read the full show notes, get the journal questions, and/or ask Natalie a question here

Related Resources:

• Flying Higher (https://joinflyinghigher.com) is my group of badass divorced Christian women who are learning and growing along with me through classes, coaching, book studies, and Bible studies. 
• Flying Free (https://joinflyingfree.com) is for Christian women in emotionally abusive marriages who are looking for support and healing. Apply to join today!
• Feel like a hot mess after divorce? This 5-Day Workshop will teach you a cool mind-shift tool to help you learn a powerful way to manage your thoughts and emotions in order to navigate adult decisions with clarity and peace. 
• Check out Diana’s podcast, The Renew Your Mind Podcast.
• Books mentioned in this episode: The Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse by David Johnson and Jeff Van Vonderen, Love Wins by Rob Bell, and Faith After Doubt by Brian McLaren.

In this episode, I sit down with Diana, Marie, Michele, Grace, and Rochelle—five divorced Christian women—to dish on how the first 365 days post-divorce can feel like navigating an emotional minefield with a blindfold on and flip-flops. We're talking the first holidays that smacked us sideways, the unexpected emotional triggers, practical, real-life survival tips to make it through without self-combusting, and why “just be grateful” is not the ministry you need right now.

Key Takeaways:

• Grief is sneaky—you might be totally fine… until you’re not.
• Freedom is real—and sometimes it shows up in a firework-lit sky.
• People still say the worst things—yes, even the ones at church.
• Your triggers are valid—you don’t owe anyone an apology for how your body remembers pain.
• You’re not the only one crying in the car—and you don’t have to pretend you’re fine.

Read the full show notes, get the journal questions, and/or ask Natalie a question here

Related Resources:

• Flying Higher (https://joinflyinghigher.com) is my live mentorship program for Christian women pursuing increased confidence, emotional management, relational health and empowered self-development.
• Feel like a hot mess after divorce? This 5-Day Workshop will teach you a mind-shift tool to help you learn a powerful way to manage your thoughts and emotions in order to navigate adult decisions with clarity and peace. 
• Listen to Diana’s podcast, the Renew Your Mind Podcast. 
• Connect with Marie on her blog, Live Like it Matters, and website, Spiritual Direction with Marie.

This episode is the pep talk every divorced Christian woman didn’t know she needed. I sat down with five divorced Christian women—Diana, Marie, Michele, Grace, and Rochelle—to talk about what it really looks like to take your life back after divorce.

We’re talking loud smoothies, solo vacations, buying swimsuits without crying, and daring to want things. I know. Scandalous.

Key Takeaways:

• Taking up space is sacred. Whether it’s dancing, resting, or saying “no,” your presence matters.
• Your voice is yours. Use it. Even if it shakes. Even if it’s only to ask, “What do I want?”
• There’s power in reclaiming your body. From piercings to pole dancing (yep), nothing’s off-limits when it comes to feeling alive again.
• You are allowed to have fun. Yes, you. Especially you.

Read the full show notes, get the journal questions, and/or ask Natalie a question here

Related Resources:

• Flying Higher (https://joinflyinghigher.com) is my live mentorship program for Christian divorced women who want to work more closely with me and an AMAZING group of women every week. And it won’t cost you your mortgage payment. Just a couple bucks a day. 
• Feel like a hot mess after divorce? This 5-Day Workshop will teach you a mind-shift tool to help you learn a powerful way to manage your thoughts and emotions in order to navigate adult decisions with clarity and peace. (It will give you a taste of the classes you’ll get every month in Flying Higher.)
• Listen to Diana’s podcast, the Renew Your Mind Podcast. 
• Connect with Marie on her blog, Live Like it Matters, and website, Spiritual Direction with Marie.
• Some recommended books: The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel Van der Kolk, MD, How to Do the Work by Dr. Nicole LePera, and Boundaries by Henry Cloud and John Townsend.
• The app Marie mentioned, meetup.com.

Welcome back, my fellow escape artists of dysfunction! In this episode, I sat back down with a power panel of divorced Christian moms—Diana, Loretta, Wendy, Jillian, and Lisa—to get real about what parenting looks like after you walk away from Crazytown, USA.

Spoiler: The kids do survive. Many even thrive. But getting there is a wild ride filled with therapy bills, awkward holidays, and the occasional trip to "Maury Povich Show" levels of drama.

Top Takeaways: 

• You’re Not Ruining Your Kids: Not the way staying in a toxic marriage would've. Divorce doesn’t break kids. Dysfunction does. And we’re breaking that cycle.
• Permission to Be Messy: Kids aren't okay overnight. Neither are you. But giving yourself permission to suck at it sometimes? That’s healing.
• You’re Not Their Therapist: But you are their safe place. Listening, validating, and not losing your cool when they parrot their dad's bonkers takes? That’s next-level momming.
• Boundaries Aren’t Just for Exes: Your kids need to learn them, too. And they will, when you model how to protect peace without apology.

Read the full show notes, get the journal questions, and/or ask Natalie a question here

Related Resources:

• Flying Higher (https://joinflyinghigher.com) is my live mentorship program for divorced Christian women pursuing increased confidence, emotional management, relational health and empowered self-development. And it’s a bargain at only $59/month or $590 for an entire year of concentrated education and support. “I’m a LIFER” is what members often say. Join us and find out why!
• Feel like a hot mess after divorce? This 5-Day Workshop will teach you a mind-shift tool to help you learn a powerful way to manage your thoughts and emotions in order to navigate adult decisions with clarity and peace. (This is just a sample of the classes I teach in Flying Higher every month!)
• Go listen to Diana’s podcast, The Renew Your Mind Podcast.
• Contact Loretta at [email protected] 
• Listen to Jillian’s podcast, The Hungry for Love Podcast.
• Connect with Lisa at her Linktree.
• Check out Wendy’s art on her Instagram.

Friend, in this episode, I sat down with five fantastic divorced Christian women—Diana, Loretta, Wendy, Jillian, and Lisa—to talk about one of the most tender and tricky parts of post-divorce life: friendships.

If you've ever wondered, Who do I tell? How much should I say? Why did some friends disappear while others showed up unexpectedly? you are not alone. We talk through all of that.

Each of these women brings her own beautiful perspective and personal experiences, from crafting “scripts” to explain their divorce with dignity and clarity, to grieving the loss of church community, to learning how to trust again, and how to trust their own bodies and intuition.

We also explore:

• How to identify emotionally safe friends
• Why "mutual friends" may or may not stick around
• What happens when church culture shifts after your divorce
• Red flags that say: “Maybe this isn’t my person”
• Why learning to be a good friend to yourself might be the most important thing you do

And we don’t stop there. These women also share how they’re supporting their families as single moms—running businesses, teaching, coaching, and creating meaningful impact in the world. 

If you’re feeling isolated or unsure how to rebuild your social world, I hope this conversation reminds you of your power, your worth, and your ability to find connection again. You are not alone, and your story isn’t over.

Read the full show notes, get the journal questions, and/or ask Natalie a question here

Related Resources:

• Flying Higher (https://joinflyinghigher.com) is my live mentorship program for Christian women pursuing increased confidence, emotional management, relational health and empowered self-development.
• Feel like a hot mess after divorce? This 5-Day Workshop will teach you a mind-shift tool to help you learn a powerful way to manage your thoughts and emotions in order to navigate adult decisions with clarity and peace. 
• Go listen to Diana’s podcast, The Renew Your Mind Podcast.
• Contact Loretta at [email protected] 
• Listen to Jillian’s podcast, The Hungry for Love Podcast.
• Connect with Lisa at her Linktree.
• Check out Wendy’s art on her Instagram.

Let’s talk about the thing nobody wants to talk about—but literally everyone has to deal with: money. In this episode, I invited three powerhouse women—Grace (our spreadsheet whisperer), Wendy (the multi-hustle artist), and Maile (budgeting through the fire)—to talk about what it’s really like to face finances after divorce.

We got honest about what it feels like to hit the panic button when bills roll in, how to build a budget from scratch (or not), and what it means to pay your way into peace. (Hey, freedom is expensive, but worth it.) Whether you're feeling financially paralyzed or just want some solidarity, this episode is for you.

What You’ll Learn: 

• Peace sometimes costs money. I’ve seen women choose to take on debt just to buy back their sanity—and it was the best decision they ever made.
• Budgeting doesn’t have to be fancy. Notebook? App? Excel sheet? There’s no wrong answer, just pick what works best for your own brain.
• Delaying isn’t failing. Maybe you put off buying a new car until your transmission did a dramatic death scene. You do what you’ve gotta do.
• None of us were born knowing this. Trust me, if you don’t know how to open a savings account or compare car insurance quotes, you’re not alone.
• Define your own rich life. For me, that’s freedom, not facials. (Although I wouldn’t turn one down either.)
• Try all the things. I’ve seen women tutor, paint signs, get corporate promotions, and sell on Etsy. Throw spaghetti. See what sticks.
• Accepting help isn’t weakness—it’s strategy. Subsidized housing, food banks, coaching, advisors—if it helps you stay afloat, it’s a win.

Read the full show notes, get the journal questions, and/or ask Natalie a question here

Related Resources:

• Flying Higher (https://joinflyinghigher.com) is my live mentorship program for Christian women pursuing increased confidence, emotional management, relational health and empowered self-development.
• Check out Wendy’s art on Instagram.
• One of my favorite finance books, I Will Teach You to Be Rich by Ramit Sethi.
• I use the Monarch App for budgeting, and Mint Mobile for our phone plan. 
• Feel like a hot mess after divorce? This 5-Day Workshop will teach you a mind-shift tool to help you learn a powerful way to manage your thoughts and emotions in order to navigate adult decisions with clarity and peace. 

Ever looked around your post-divorce life and thought, “Who even am I without that man-child?” Same. In this episode, Diana and I peel back the layers of Christian programming, people-pleasing trauma responses, and overfunctioning-for-Jesus syndrome to tackle the real question: Who am I when I’m not trying to fix someone else’s broken masculinity?

Diana and I discuss identity loss in marriage, the process of deprogramming, and how to reclaim your God-given essence one small boundary and one journal prompt at a time. With warmth and truth bombs, this conversation is basically free therapy.

Key Takeaways:

• Identity Loss Is Real: Many Christian women completely lose their sense of self trying to uphold “biblical” marriage roles that were never their actual calling.
• Trauma Rewires Your Brain: Survival mode builds false identities. Safe spaces let you rebuild your real one.
• Boundaries ≠ Being Mean: Saying “no” is how you say “yes” to yourself. And Jesus had them too. #JustSaying
• If You Always Say “I Don’t Know”: You might be disconnected from your identity. Start by asking, “What do I need right now?”
• You Deserve Good Things: Not because you’re perfect, but because you’re a beloved child of God. Period. No asterisks.
• Mothering Yourself Is a Game-Changer: Want to be a better mom, friend, or human? Start with being a better mom to you.

Read the full show notes, get the journal questions, and/or ask Natalie a question here

Related Resources:

• Feel like a hot mess after divorce? This 5-Day Workshop will teach you a mind-shift tool to help you learn a powerful way to manage your thoughts and emotions in order to navigate adult decisions with clarity and peace. 
• Flying Higher (https://joinflyinghigher.com) is my live mentorship program for any Christian woman interested in 10Xing their self-development progress.
• Check out Diana’s podcast, The Renew Your Mind Podcast.
• Go get a copy of Boundaries by Cloud & Townsend.