Finding God

This week on The Finding God Podcast, we’re revisiting an important conversation that resonated deeply with listeners when it first aired. In this episode, Keana W. Mitchell explores a topic that is often overlooked or misunderstood in faith communities: the difference between healthy, spirit‑led giving and financial abuse.

Many believers have experienced pressure, guilt, or manipulation around giving sometimes without realizing it. This episode brings biblical clarity, trauma‑informed insight, and practical tools to help you discern when giving honors God and when it crosses into coercion.

Whether you’re hearing this message for the first time or revisiting it with fresh ears, this episode offers wisdom, healing, and freedom for anyone who has ever questioned their relationship with giving.

🔍 What You’ll Learn

• The biblical roots of giving in both the Old and New Testaments
• How to recognize healthy giving vs. financial manipulation
• Real‑life examples of spiritual coercion and boundary violations
• What Scripture teaches about generosity, stewardship, and integrity
• Signs of financial abuse in church or ministry settings
• How to heal and set financial boundaries without guilt or fear

📖 Scripture Highlights

• 2 Corinthians 9:7 – “Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart…”
• Proverbs 11:25 – “A generous person will prosper…”
• Matthew 23:14 – “You devour widows’ houses…”
• Micah 3:11 – “Her priests teach for a price…”

🧠 Expert Insight

Christian psychologist and trauma expert Dr. Diane Langberg writes:

“Spiritual abuse often includes financial exploitation, leaving victims emotionally depleted, physically strained, and spiritually confused.”

Keana reflects on how financial abuse distorts your view of God, damages trust in community, and erodes your sense of worth and how God invites you back into freedom, clarity, and peace.

🧘‍♀️ 5 Healing Exercises to Reclaim Your Power

• Financial Truth Journal – Reflect on your giving history and motivations
• Boundary Affirmation Practice – Rebuild confidence in saying no
• Scripture Reframing – Replace guilt with grace through God’s Word
• Giving Reset Ritual – Pause giving to rediscover your “why”
• Safe Stewardship Plan – Create a budget that honors both your faith and your needs

🎶 Song of the Week: “Hallelujah” by Unique‑ly Chosen

This week’s featured song is a powerful declaration of spiritual freedom. “Hallelujah” invites listeners to release shame, reclaim their voice, and celebrate the God who sees the heart not the wallet. It’s a healing anthem for anyone who has ever felt pressured, overlooked, or spiritually manipulated.

🎥 Watch the lyric video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/mYa2N81wR84 (youtu.be in Bing)

💬 Final Reflection

Giving is sacred but it should never come from fear, shame, or pressure.

You are not your tithe.

You are not your bank account.

You are a child of God, and your worth is not for sale.

🎧 Listen on Spotify

https://open.spotify.com/show/022Zht5DjU1i3k7BAeHaTW?si=ffde46a60bc74bef (open.spotify.com in Bing)

📬 Contact Information for Keana W. Mitchell — Finding God Podcast 

🌐 Website 

Emory Rose 

https://keanawmitchell.com 

📘 Facebook Page 

Finding God 

https://www.facebook.com/FindingGod 

👥 Facebook Group 

Finding God Community 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/FindingGod 

📸 Instagram 

Keana W. Mitchell 

https://www.instagram.com/findinggod2 

🎧 Listen to Finding God on RedCircle 

https://redcircle.com/shows/190efd66-2f1a-4c5f-861e-40ab89d4c41b 

📧 Email 

[email protected] 

🎵 Music Feature — Unique-ly Chosen 

New Music Coming Soon!!! 

 This week on the Finding God Podcast, we’re stepping into a tender and deeply important conversation: how to reconnect with God after experiencing religious trauma. If you’ve ever felt afraid of God, unsure how to pray, or disconnected from your faith because of harmful church experiences, this episode offers clarity, compassion, and a gentle path forward.

Religious trauma can distort your view of God, your sense of safety, and your ability to trust. But trauma does not have the final word. In this episode, Keana walks with you through what religious trauma is, how it affects your nervous system, and why your struggle to reconnect with God is a normal trauma response not a spiritual failure.

Drawing from the work of leading trauma researchers like Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, Dr. Diane Langberg, Dr. Kristin Neff, and Dr. Stephen Porges, this episode blends psychology and faith in a way that honors both your story and God’s heart.

How spiritual abuse, fear‑based teachings, and shame‑driven environments impact your relationship with God.

Why your nervous system may associate God with fear, disappointment, or pressure — and how to gently untangle that.

A slow, non‑linear, compassionate process rooted in safety, honesty, and God’s gentleness.

Trauma‑informed spiritual practices that don’t rely on rituals, pressure, or performance.

How to recognize subtle shifts that show your heart is healing.

Prompts to help you explore your beliefs, fears, and hopes with God.

If you’ve ever wondered why reconnecting with God feels hard or if you’ve questioned whether God is disappointed in your healing pace this episode will bring relief, validation, and hope. You’ll walk away with a clearer understanding of God’s heart and a gentler way to rebuild trust with Him.

Press play and take this journey at your own pace. God is not rushing you — and neither are we.

📬 Contact Information for Keana W. Mitchell — Finding God Podcast 

🌐 Website 

Emory Rose 

https://keanawmitchell.com 

📘 Facebook Page 

Finding God 

https://www.facebook.com/FindingGod 

👥 Facebook Group 

Finding God Community 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/FindingGod 

📸 Instagram 

Keana W. Mitchell 

https://www.instagram.com/findinggod2 

🎧 Listen to Finding God on RedCircle 

https://redcircle.com/shows/190efd66-2f1a-4c5f-861e-40ab89d4c41b 

📧 Email 

[email protected] 

🎵 Music Feature — Unique-ly Chosen 

New Music Coming Soon!!! 

In this first Friday Q&A session, Keana answers listener questions about hearing God’s voice without pressure, performance, or spiritual rituals. Building on this week’s full episode, “How You Can Hear God’s Voice Without Rituals,” this conversation brings clarity, compassion, and practical guidance for anyone who has struggled to discern God’s voice especially after legalism, spiritual abuse, or fear‑based teaching.

Keana also revisits last week’s episode on Recognizing Legalism in the Church, helping listeners understand how legalistic environments distort our ability to hear God clearly and confidently.

• How do I know if I’m hearing God or just my own thoughts
• Do I need to pray a certain way for God to speak to me
• What if I grew up believing I had to earn God’s voice
• Why is it so hard to hear God when I’m anxious or overwhelmed
• Can God speak to me even if I’m not consistent with prayer or Bible reading
• What are practical ways to hear God without rituals
• How do I rebuild trust in God’s voice after spiritual abuse
• What if I don’t hear anything at all

Each answer is gentle, grounded, and rooted in the truth that God speaks because you belong to Him not because you perform for Him.

• God’s voice aligns with His character: loving, gentle, patient, and clear
• Fear, shame, urgency, and confusion are not God’s voice
• You don’t need rituals, formulas, or perfect prayers to hear God
• Anxiety and overwhelm can make it harder to sense God, but they don’t separate you from Him
• Healing from spiritual abuse takes time, and God’s voice is never manipulative or controlling
• God often speaks through peace, wisdom, timing, and everyday moments

• What beliefs about hearing God came from fear instead of truth
• What does God’s voice sound like to me
• What practices help me feel grounded and open
• What belief about hearing God am I ready to release
• Where have I sensed God speaking in simple, ordinary ways

You don’t have to earn God’s voice or follow rituals to be heard. God is already near, already speaking, and already welcoming you into a relationship. Healing your ability to hear Him is a journey  and you don’t have to walk it alone.

📬 Contact Information for Keana W. Mitchell — Finding God Podcast 

🌐 Website 

Emory Rose 

https://keanawmitchell.com 

📘 Facebook Page 

Finding God 

https://www.facebook.com/FindingGod 

👥 Facebook Group 

Finding God Community 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/FindingGod 

📸 Instagram 

Keana W. Mitchell 

https://www.instagram.com/findinggod2 

🎧 Listen to Finding God on RedCircle 

https://redcircle.com/shows/190efd66-2f1a-4c5f-861e-40ab89d4c41b 

📧 Email 

[email protected] 

🎵 Music Feature — Unique-ly Chosen 

New Music Coming Soon!!! 

In this episode, Keana explores a freeing and deeply healing truth: you can hear God’s voice without rituals, pressure, or spiritual performance. Many of us were taught that God only speaks when we pray a certain way, behave a certain way, or follow a specific formula. But God’s voice isn’t earned, it's received through relationship.

This conversation builds on last week’s episode, Recognizing Legalism in the Church, and continues the journey of releasing fear‑based beliefs so you can reconnect with God’s heart in a gentle, authentic way.

• Why so many people believe rituals are required to hear God
• How legalism and church culture distort our understanding of God’s voice
• What hearing God actually looks and feels like
• The difference between God’s voice and fear‑based thoughts
• Barriers that make it hard to hear God
• Simple, non‑ritualistic ways to create space for God to speak
• How God meets you in ordinary, everyday moments

• Release the Ritual List — Let go of the rules you were taught about hearing God
• Gentle Listening Prayer — Ask God one simple question and sit with what comes
• Voice Comparison Exercise — Notice the difference between fear and love
• Peace Check — Pay attention to where peace shows up in your body
• Scripture Reframing — Read verses through the lens of God’s character

• What rituals did I believe I needed to hear God
• What fears come up when I try to listen for His voice
• When have I sensed God speaking in simple, ordinary ways
• What does God’s voice sound like to me
• What belief about hearing God am I ready to release

God doesn’t speak to you because you perform. He speaks because you belong to Him. You don’t have to earn His voice or follow rituals to be heard. God is already near, already speaking, and already welcoming you into a relationship.

Thank you for listening to this week’s episode of the Finding God Podcast. See you next week.

📬 Contact Information for Keana W. Mitchell — Finding God Podcast 

🌐 Website 

Emory Rose 

https://keanawmitchell.com 

📘 Facebook Page 

Finding God 

https://www.facebook.com/FindingGod 

👥 Facebook Group 

Finding God Community 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/FindingGod 

📸 Instagram 

Keana W. Mitchell 

https://www.instagram.com/findinggod2 

🎧 Listen to Finding God on RedCircle 

https://redcircle.com/shows/190efd66-2f1a-4c5f-861e-40ab89d4c41b 

📧 Email 

[email protected] 

🎵 Music Feature — Unique-ly Chosen 

New Music Coming Soon!!! 

In this gentle and deeply honest Q&A session, Keana responds to listener questions from the episode “Why God Isn’t Wanting to Punish You.”

This conversation is for anyone who grew up afraid of God, anyone healing from spiritual abuse, and anyone who still feels like God is disappointed in them.

Keana explores questions about fear‑based theology, misinterpreted scripture, shame, trauma responses, and rebuilding trust with God after painful experiences.

This episode is a safe space to breathe, reflect, and rediscover a God who restores — not punishes.

• Why bad things happen if God isn’t punishing us
• How to unlearn fear from childhood or church trauma
• The difference between conviction and shame
• Why we still feel afraid of God even when we “know better”
• How to rebuild trust with God after spiritual abuse
• What to do when scripture feels harsh or scary
• How to stop projecting your earthly father onto God
• And more listener‑submitted questions

God is not waiting to punish you.

He is waiting to restore you.

Every question you carry is an invitation into deeper healing and deeper love.

📬 Contact Information for Keana W. Mitchell — Finding God Podcast 

🌐 Website 

Emory Rose 

https://keanawmitchell.com 

📘 Facebook Page 

Finding God 

https://www.facebook.com/FindingGod 

👥 Facebook Group 

Finding God Community 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/FindingGod 

📸 Instagram 

Keana W. Mitchell 

https://www.instagram.com/findinggod2 

🎧 Listen to Finding God on RedCircle 

https://redcircle.com/shows/190efd66-2f1a-4c5f-861e-40ab89d4c41b 

💛 Free Skool Community: Restoring Faith After Abuse 

https://www.skool.com/restoring-faith-after-abuse-4824/about?ref=afeaf0bc4df2485d81b2e43d18415929 

📧 Email 

[email protected] 

🎵 Music Feature — Unique-ly Chosen 

New Music Coming Soon!!! 

So many of us grew up believing that God is disappointed in us, angry with us, or waiting to punish us for our mistakes. In this episode, Keana gently unpacks where those beliefs come from — childhood conditioning, religious trauma, guilt, and misinterpreted scripture — and replaces them with the truth of God’s character: restorative, compassionate, and deeply loving.

Through biblical examples, emotional insight, and trauma‑informed spiritual guidance, this episode helps you release fear‑based theology and step into a relationship with God rooted in safety, intimacy, and grace.

• Why so many people subconsciously believe God wants to punish them
• How childhood experiences shape our view of God
• The impact of fear‑based theology on your emotional and spiritual life
• Scriptures that have been misused — and what they actually mean in context
• Biblical stories that reveal God’s mercy, not wrath
• How shame, guilt, and performance‑based faith distort your spiritual identity
• Five healing practices to reframe your view of God
• Why God’s heart is always restoration, not punishment

• Psalm 103:8 — God is “slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love”
• Romans 6:23 — A verse about redemption, not condemnation
• Hebrews 10:26 — A call to community, not a threat of abandonment
• Exodus 20:5 — God’s protective love, not human jealousy
• 1 John 4:18 — Perfect love drives out fear
• Hosea 14:4 — “I will heal their waywardness and love them freely.”
• Luke 15 — The prodigal son
• John 8 — The woman caught in adultery
• Romans 5:8 — God meets us in our mess

• God is not punitive — He is restorative
• Fear distorts intimacy with God
• Shame is not from God
• You don’t have to earn love through spiritual performance
• God’s correction is always aimed at healing, never humiliation
• You are pursued, not punished

• Scripture reframing
• Compassionate journaling
• Inner child prayer
• Meditative listening
• Daily truth declarations

These practices help you gently rewire your spiritual lens and reconnect with God through safety, not fear.

“Devotion” — Unique‑ly Chosen

A beautiful reminder of God’s unwavering love and commitment to us.

You are not being punished. You are being pursued by a God who loves you, forgives you, and wants you whole. His love is not a reward for perfection — it’s the foundation of your healing.

Take a deep breath. You are safe. You are seen. You are loved.

📬 Contact Information for Keana W. Mitchell — Finding God Podcast 

🌐 Website 

Emory Rose 

https://keanawmitchell.com 

📘 Facebook Page 

Finding God 

https://www.facebook.com/FindingGod 

👥 Facebook Group 

Finding God Community 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/FindingGod 

📸 Instagram 

Keana W. Mitchell 

https://www.instagram.com/findinggod2 

🎧 Listen to Finding God on RedCircle 

https://redcircle.com/shows/190efd66-2f1a-4c5f-861e-40ab89d4c41b 

💛 Free Skool Community: Restoring Faith After Abuse 

https://www.skool.com/restoring-faith-after-abuse-4824/about?ref=afeaf0bc4df2485d81b2e43d18415929 

📧 Email 

[email protected] 

🎵 Music Feature — Unique-ly Chosen 

New Music Coming Soon!!! 

In today’s Q&A session, Keana explores what legalism really is, how it shows up in church culture, and why it can be so damaging to your emotional and spiritual well‑being. If you’ve ever felt like you had to earn God’s love, be perfect, or follow endless rules to be accepted, this conversation offers clarity, compassion, and a path toward healing.

This episode builds on last week’s message, “Religion Cannot Save You but God’s Love Can,” and continues the journey of rediscovering God’s heart beyond fear, pressure, and performance.

• What legalism actually means
• How legalism shows up in church environments
• Why legalism creates fear, shame, and spiritual exhaustion
• How to separate God’s character from harmful religious expectations
• Practical steps to begin breaking free from legalism
• Five healing exercises to support emotional and spiritual restoration
• Reflection questions to guide your week

• “God Is Love” Reframing — Replace fear‑based beliefs with grace‑based truth
• Inner Child Prayer — Speak compassionately to the younger you who tried to be perfect
• Scripture Detox — Revisit misused verses through a lens of love
• Nervous System Reset — Use breathwork when spiritual triggers arise
• Identity Journal — Write who God says you are: loved, chosen, forgiven, seen

• What beliefs about God were shaped by fear instead of love
• Where have I confused religious performance with spiritual connection
• What parts of my faith feel heavy or shame‑based
• What does spiritual freedom look like for me now
• What is one legalistic belief I’m ready to release

Legalism may have shaped your view of God, but it does not define who He is  or who you are. God is not the author of fear. He is the source of freedom. You don’t have to earn His love; you simply receive it.

Thank you for joining this week’s Q&A. See you next time and remember, you are worth loving.

In this powerful and healing episode, Keana explores what legalism looks like in the church, how it distorts our view of God, and how to break free from fear‑based faith. If you’ve ever felt like you had to earn God’s love, perform perfectly, or follow endless rules to be accepted, this conversation will help you breathe again.

Keana gently unpacks the emotional and spiritual impact of legalism, explains why so many believers struggle with shame and anxiety around God, and offers a path back to a relationship rooted in love, grace, and freedom. This episode builds on last week’s message “Religion Cannot Save You, But God’s Love Can” and continues the journey of rediscovering God’s heart beyond religious pressure.

You’ll also receive five healing exercises to help you unlearn harmful beliefs, reconnect with God’s love, and rebuild your identity on truth instead of performance.

• What legalism actually is and what it is not
• How legalism shows up in church culture and teaching
• The emotional and spiritual wounds legalism creates
• Why legalism replaces relationship with rules
• How to separate God’s character from harmful religious expectations
• Practical steps to break free from fear‑based faith
• Five healing exercises to help you reconnect with God’s love

• “God Is Love” Reframing Practice
• Inner Child Compassion Prayer
• Scripture Detox Exercise
• Nervous System Reset for Spiritual Triggers
• Identity Rebuilding Journal Prompts

• What beliefs about God were shaped by fear instead of love
• Where have I confused religious performance with spiritual connection
• What parts of my faith feel heavy, pressured, or shame‑based
• What does spiritual freedom look like for me now
• What is one legalistic belief I’m ready to release

Legalism may have shaped your view of God, but it does not define who God is. God is not the author of fear. He is the source of freedom. You don’t have to earn His love. You just have to receive it.

📬 Contact Information for Keana W. Mitchell — Finding God Podcast 

🌐 Website 

Emory Rose 

https://keanawmitchell.com 

📘 Facebook Page 

Finding God 

https://www.facebook.com/FindingGod 

👥 Facebook Group 

Finding God Community 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/FindingGod 

📸 Instagram 

Keana W. Mitchell 

https://www.instagram.com/findinggod2 

🎧 Listen to Finding God on RedCircle 

https://redcircle.com/shows/190efd66-2f1a-4c5f-861e-40ab89d4c41b 

💛 Free Skool Community: Restoring Faith After Abuse 

https://www.skool.com/restoring-faith-after-abuse-4824/about?ref=afeaf0bc4df2485d81b2e43d18415929 

📧 Email 

[email protected] 

🎵 Music Feature — Unique-ly Chosen 

New Music Coming Soon!!!

💛 Episode Summary 

In this powerful and deeply healing episode of the Finding God Podcast, we explore one of the most misunderstood truths in Christianity: religion cannot save you but God’s love absolutely can. Many of us grew up believing that God’s acceptance was tied to our performance, our behavior, or our ability to follow religious rules. But Scripture, psychology, and the life of Jesus all reveal a different story. 

Today, we break down the difference between religion and relationship, and we look at why God’s unconditional love is the only thing that truly transforms, heals, and saves. 

🔄 Last Week’s Episode Recap 

Last week, we talked about why God’s love is not performance‑based. We explored how: 

• God loved us before we changed 
• His love is not tied to our behavior 
• Fear and shame are not tools God uses 
• Jesus consistently loved people into transformation 

This week builds directly on that foundation. 

✨ What We Explore in This Episode 

💔 Why People Confuse Religion With God’s Love 

We unpack the reasons so many believers mix up rules with relationship, including: 

• Childhood conditioning 
• Fear‑based church cultures 
• The desire for structure and predictability 
• Misrepresentation of God by religious systems 
• The human tendency to earn approval 

You’ll learn why this confusion is common and how to break free from it. 

💛 The Difference Between Religion and God’s Love 

We take a deep dive into the contrast between: 

• Religion: rules, pressure, performance, fear 
• God’s Love: relationship, grace, identity, transformation 

You’ll hear how religion focuses on the outside, but God’s love transforms from the inside out. 

⛓️ Why Religion Can’t Save You 

We explore why religion falls short: 

• It modifies behavior but doesn’t heal the heart 
• It creates fear instead of freedom 
• It produces shame instead of restoration 
• It cannot heal trauma or change identity 
• Scripture clearly teaches that salvation is a gift, not a reward 

💖 Why God’s Love Can Save You (Side‑by‑Side Comparison) 

This section breaks down the truth: 

• Religion says “earn it” / God says “I came to you first” 
• Religion says “try harder” / God says “rest in Me” 
• Religion says “your mistakes define you” /God says “My grace covers you” 
• Religion says “change first” /God says “you are changed because you are loved” 

This comparison brings clarity and freedom. 

📖 Biblical Examples 

We look at people in Scripture who relied on religion and those who discovered God’s love: 

People who trusted religion: 

• The Pharisees 
• Saul before becoming Paul 
• The Rich Young Ruler 

People transformed by God’s love: 

• The Woman at the Well 
• The Prodigal Son 
• The Thief on the Cross 

These stories reveal that religion never saved anyone but God’s love always did. 

🧠 Psychology + Faith: Why Love Heals 

We connect Scripture with modern psychology, referencing leading experts like: 

• Dr. Bessel van der Kolk 
• Dr. Gabor Maté 
• Dr. Sue Johnson 
• Dr. Kristin Neff 

Their research confirms what the Bible has always taught: 

 Love, not fear, is what heals the human heart. 

🧘🏽‍♀️ Healing Exercises 

You’ll learn practical ways to shift from religious pressure to God’s love: 

• Daily love reminders 
• Rewriting harmful beliefs 
• Stillness practices 
• Scripture meditation 
• Releasing the “spiritual scorecard” 

These tools help retrain your heart to trust God’s love. 

🤝 Join the Faith After Abuse Community 

If you’re healing from religious trauma or spiritual abuse, you’re invited to join the Faith After Abuse free Skool community a safe, supportive space to rediscover God’s love without fear or pressure. 

💬 Final Thoughts 

Religion can give you structure, but it cannot save you. 

 Only God’s love can heal, restore, and transform your life. 

Thank you for listening to this week’s episode of the Finding God Podcast. 

 Share this episode with someone who needs to hear the truth about God’s love. 

📬 Contact Information for Keana W. Mitchell — Finding God Podcast 

🌐 Website 

Emory Rose 

https://keanawmitchell.com 

📘 Facebook Page 

Finding God 

https://www.facebook.com/FindingGod 

👥 Facebook Group 

Finding God Community 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/FindingGod 

📸 Instagram 

Keana W. Mitchell 

https://www.instagram.com/findinggod2 

🎧 Listen to Finding God on RedCircle 

https://redcircle.com/shows/190efd66-2f1a-4c5f-861e-40ab89d4c41b 

💛 Free Skool Community: Restoring Faith After Abuse 

https://www.skool.com/restoring-faith-after-abuse-4824/about?ref=afeaf0bc4df2485d81b2e43d18415929 

Spiritual abuse is often subtle, masked by scripture, tradition, or authority but its impact is deeply personal and profoundly damaging. In this episode, Keana W. Mitchell gently unpacks what spiritual abuse looks like, how to recognize its signs, and why naming it is the first step toward healing.

Whether you’ve felt silenced in your faith community, manipulated by religious leaders, or shamed in the name of God, this conversation offers clarity, compassion, and hope. Keana shares real-life examples, biblical insight, and trauma-informed guidance to help you discern truth from control and begin reclaiming your spiritual voice.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• What spiritual abuse is and what it isn’t
• Common signs and patterns to watch for
• Why healing begins with naming the harm
• Steps to rebuild trust in your faith and yourself

Who It’s For:

• Survivors of religious trauma
• Listeners questioning their faith experience
• Anyone seeking a safe, loving relationship with God
• Join Me on social media!!!!
• Facebook:
• Finding God | Facebook
• Facebook Group:
• Finding God | Facebook
• Instagram:
• Keana W. Mitchell (@findinggod2) • Instagram photos and videos
• Listen to Finding God on Spotify:
• https://open.spotify.com/show/022Zht5DjU1i3k7BAeHaTW?si=8c728b93da5d43c2