Finding Free Podcast

In Part 2 of our Backpacking Series, we discuss how the trip has evolved over the last several years. As we learned more about how to manage a group in the wilderness, we were able to focus on helping students grow in leadership skills, team building and wilderness education. Of course you'll hear more about rain, more rain, even more rain and plenty of other funny stories that have happened along the way. Thanks to years of on the trail learning, amazing volunteers and students who are willing to step away from what is comfortable and lean into being challenged, this time in the wilderness has become way more than what Amy envisioned 20 years ago for her divinity school project.

For the past 20 years, over their spring break, we have taken our high school students on a 4 day, 20 to 30 mile backpacking trip in the NC mountains. If you have ever gone on one of our backpacking trips you may have asked yourself, "How in the world did they dream up this miserable fun?" In Part 1 of this series, we walk through how this trip began as a divinity school project and what the first few years were like. Snow, rain, lightening and hail....we had it all and sometimes we have to ask ourselves how we all came back alive! We cherish and laugh about these early adventures, but they have helped us evolve the trip to where it is today.

Anytime we face a crisis it disrupts everything that is "normal" for us. Often that means a lot of "unaddressed mess" that we can normally ignore --- can no longer be ignored. In this episode, Amy draws hope from the stories of the Jewish exile and offers a way to walk through this ever-changing, vulnerable and liminal space we may find ourselves in right now. Sometimes the seasons of life we cannot predict can be the most transformative if we let them.

The story of Jonah often captivates us as children. A person, swallowed by a fish? Are you kidding me? Yet even as we outgrow our childish thinking, we can learn a thing or two from this story for sure. In this episode, Amy suggests the book of Jonah has one main point...God's love includes E-V-E-R-Y-O-N-E. Those we love and those we don't. Those who think like us and those who don't. When judgement raises its ugly head, we can all learn a thing or two from this kid's story.

Asking a lot of questions can sometimes get you labeled as a skeptic, trouble maker, or in church lingo, a "Doubting Thomas." But asking questions and searching for answers can be the most holy pursuit we ever take. In this episode, Amy talks about the disciple Thomas and discusses the benefits of asking spiritual questions. Could it be that we should make as much space as possible for questions about faith, those both from others and ourselves? Jesus' compassionate reaction to Thomas shows us that creating this type of safe space should be a top priority for the Church.

In this episode Amy talks about an interaction between Jesus and Peter to reflect on the difference between guilt and shame. Guilt is a natural emotion we feel when we do something we later realize is a mistake. Shame is when we allow our mistakes define us. In this story after the resurrection, Jesus does not shame Peter for his past mistakes and instead frees him for a future of grace and love.

In this episode Amy talks about the first Easter morning and a few of the disciples on the road to Emmaus. They converse with a stranger they do not know is Jesus. In time their eyes are opened to His presence and to the new life he is calling them to live out.

In this episode we talk with Ben Peery, who moved to New York City this past October. Ben gives us insight into how daily life has changed in the city and talks about a moving show of support that happens every evening for those on the frontlines of the Coronavirus pandemic.

In this episode Amy talks about the connection between the Jewish celebration of Passover and the Last Supper Jesus had with his disciples. Most people who are not Jewish do not celebrate Passover, but we are really missing out when we don't think about Passover and what it means for us today. The Passover meal celebrates the Israelites' freedom from slavery in Egypt. The Jewish people were accustomed to remembering the freedom their people had already experienced in the past. Jesus, in his last meal with his disciples, through bread, wine and a bowl of water shows the disciples a new way to experience freedom.

In this episode we discuss some of our motivations and fears in starting this podcast. Amy shares how her fear of disappointing others held her back from stepping out and sharing her voice. Craig talks about the importance of having a safe space to ask hard questions about faith. We share how our 2019 cross country trip led each of us to find our own free and awakened in us the actual courage to begin. As we wrap up, Amy gives some thoughts on Finding your Free.