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Summary

Grace E. Kelley, a farmer, mother, author, and poet, discusses her journey as a storyteller and the power of fiction. She shares how her desire for storytelling began at a young age and how she initially believed that fiction was not for her. However, she later discovered that fiction provided a healing outlet for processing her emotions and experiences. Grace emphasizes that fiction allows for the exploration of deep feelings and questions in a safe and fictional setting. She also highlights the importance of fiction in engaging audiences at a soul level and fostering authentic community. The conversation explores the themes of healthy relationships, the human act of sex, the connection between femininity and spirituality, and the beauty that can arise from destruction. The guests discuss how fiction, including romance novels, can provide a platform for discussing healthy relationships and consent. They also touch on the concept of purity culture and the need to unlearn shame surrounding sex. The conversation delves into the imagery of God as a breastfeeding mother and the connection between childbirth and the body of Jesus. The guests share excerpts from Grace E. Kelley's poetry book, 'As the Sparrow Flies,' which explore these themes. In this conversation, Grace E. Kelley and Jon Pyle discuss the importance of art and imagination in Christian communication. They explore the fear of the non-literal and the stifling of the divine imagination. They also touch on the control and interpretation of scripture, the role of the Holy Spirit, and the joy of writing fiction. Grace shares her current project, a speculative dark romantic comedy called 'Just Drive.'

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Grace's Background

01:44 Discovering the Desire for Storytelling

02:57 The Healing Power of Fiction

05:54 Engaging Audiences at a Soul Level

09:26 The Subversive and Revolutionary Nature of Women's Book Clubs

23:50 Exploring Healthy Relationships and Consent Through Fiction

25:13 Unlearning Shame: Challenging Purity Culture

28:57 The Connection Between Femininity and Spirituality

32:03 Finding Beauty in Destruction: Childbirth and the Body of Jesus

38:06 The Power of Poetry: Capturing Complex Emotions and Experiences

44:30 The Role of Art and Imagination

47:58 Overcoming the Fear of the Non-Literal

49:27 Trusting the Holy Spirit in Interpretation

57:54 The Joy of Writing Fiction