Head to Heart

How do you create a safe space for others who are hurting when you don’t know what to say? 

You might feel pressure to say or do the right thing, but have no idea what “the right thing” is. 

In this subscriber-only episode, I talk about:

 - embracing the uncomfortable 

- what not to say to someone hurting 

- how to provide comfort with good boundaries 

- how to practice empathy & avoid secondhand trauma

Show Notes:

Want to listen to this locked episode? Become a subscriber today and unlock it by using this link! - https://anchor.fm/jenny-marcum/subscribe

Every Moment Holy - https://www.everymomentholy.com/

Since masturbation is not directly mentioned in the Bible, is it sin or not?

What if you're able to masturbate without lusting? 

Ashlyn R. Watkins, the host of Spiced Wife Podcast, joined me to discuss this topic. It would be so much easier if this was just a simple yes or no, but it's actually a lot more complex than that. The Word does not directly mention masturbation, but it does give us a roadmap for how to evaluate our own hearts and James 1:5 tells us that if we lack wisdom, we can ask God and He will give it to us. Ashlyn walked us through questions like:

- Is masturbation wrong if I'm single?

- Is masturbation wrong if I'm married & I have my spouse's consent?

- how do I get out of the habit/addiction to masturbation?

All of our discussion was rooted in the Word, not just in our own opinions and experiences.

Find me on Instagram: @headtoheart_podcast

Here's our website: https://www.podpage.com/head-to-heart/

Ashlyn's corner of the Internet:

Spiced Wife: https://www.spicedwife.com/

How does a single person steward their sexuality in a way that honors God? If you're not committed to anyone, then what do you do with the feelings and thoughts that come up? 

Ashlyn R. Watkins and I discussed the answer to this question, because Ashlyn is all about answering the taboo questions some of us do not feel permission to ask in church. She is the host of Spiced Wife podcast, an author, wife, mom, and woman of God.

Want to listen to this episode, but haven't subscribed yet? Use this link to unlock all subscriber-only episodes! - https://anchor.fm/jenny-marcum/subscribe

Ashlyn's Corner of the Internet:

Sex Before Marriage : A Church Girl's Truths - https://www.amazon.com/SEX-BEFORE-MARRIAGE-CHURCH-TRUTHS/dp/1797454803

Spiced Wife Podcast: https://www.spicedwife.com/podcast

Why are kids taught about Matthew 19:13-14 where Jesus welcomes the little children, but then we stop preaching it from the pulpit as we grow up? Why do we assume “pain in childbearing” is God’s curse on labor? I think we need to reevaluate that interpretation.  

Victoria Hedger & her 8 month old son joined me for an extended conversation about the lies that American culture tells women about dignity, becoming a mom, and raising children. Let's be honest. Our culture tells women: 

- Children are an inconvenience to your career, plans, finances, and time 

- You'll lose your identity in the process 

- You are incapable of mothering well 

- Your life is over once you start having kids 

But this is not what the Word says. Our lens in which we read Scripture has been tainted by the culture around us. Victoria walked us through the actual interpretation of Genesis 3, the lies she wrestled with while she was pregnant, and the dignity that every human being has been given. Women do not have less dignity. Children do not have less dignity. I'm very thankful I had previously served under a leader who lived by the saying, "If you don't think children are important, then you're not very important." Children are the next generation. 

Psalm 127:5 - "Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from Him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one's youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. They will not be put to shame when they contend with their opponents in court."

 WARNING: There are many baby coos, burps, and giggles in this episode. 

The Bible Project - https://bibleproject.com/podcasts/the-bible-project-podcast/

Is it possible to truly not care what other people think of you? How do you overcome shame if you’ve lived with it your whole life? Victoria Hedger is on the show for a 2nd time & we talked about something pretty much everyone wants to achieve in life - not caring what others think. That’s a nice phrase, but we also don’t want to live in complete disregard of how you affect others. What we really mean is how to not live in fear of man. Victoria defined what the fear of man is, shared her process of overcoming shame in huge ways, and how Cognitive Behavior Therapy is a simple and timeless way to replace anxious thoughts with truth. Only one thing gets to sit on the throne of your heart, so it is either God or people’s perceptions of you. There’s also an immense amount of laughter in this episode as well, so if you’re opposed to giggling - BEWARE

Our Sponsor:

Life in Order - https://bit.ly/lifeinorder

Conversion therapy is essentially therapy to help someone who is gay become straight. When that's all that you know, you might find yourself wondering, "Okay... is that wrong? Is that a bad thing?" Laurie Krieg answers this question beautifully by laying out what the heart of conversion therapy actually is. Our conversation is continued from last week's episode. Should "making someone straight" really be the goal at all? 

Resources:

Preston Sprinkle - https://www.prestonsprinkle.com/

Pray Away Documentary Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tk_CqGVfxEs

There are so many questions about gender and sexuality demanding answers in our culture today. Does the Bible affirm same-sex marriages or not? What do you do if you're just not attracted to the opposite gender? Who do you talk to about your same-sex attraction? What should you say when your sibling comes out? How should the church respond to the LGBTQ+ community? Laurie Krieg is an author, speaker, and host of Hole In My Heart podcast whose mission is to train the church with a Gospel-centered approach to gender and sexuality. She shares her story of experiencing same-sex attraction from a young age, yet feeling unsafe to talk about it in any church setting. After graduating from a Christian university, her life was interrupted when she encountered God's love.  In this episode, Laurie explains: - how God designed the mystery of marriage to be - how to be a safe person - why we should not compare our different brands of sexual brokenness - the advise she would give her 22 year-old self & anyone else who is struggling with same-sex attraction - that God loves LGBTQ+ people just the way they are **This is not Laurie and I's FULL conversation! You can listen to the rest of it where we discuss conversion therapy next week by becoming a subscriber today using this link - https://anchor.fm/jenny-marcum/subscribe  Resources: Website - https://lauriekrieg.com/ An Impossible Marriage by Matt and Laurie Krieg - https://www.amazon.com/Impossible-Marriage-Mixed-Orientation-Taught-Gospel/dp/0830847936/ref=sr_1_1?crid=32EIQ3FAD5SYH&keywords=impossible+marriage+krieg&qid=1641316967&sprefix=impossible+marriage+krieg%2Caps%2C87&sr=8-1 The Center for Faith, Gender, and Sexuality with Preston Sprinkle - https://ondemand.centerforfaith.com/ Hole In My Heart Podcast - https://open.spotify.com/show/7lanhpj9eRbEoVpt13G7dI

Our Sponsor:

Life In Order - https://bit.ly/lifeinorder

I answered all the questions I received from listeners, so this is quite a fun episode! While I fight through jet lag, I talked about what motivates me, my quiet time routine, my favorite plants, celebrity crushes, defining success, my most prized possession, my weirdest habits & a lot more. If you want to become a subscriber, use this link to join the community & get a new episodes every single week! https://anchor.fm/jenny-marcum/subscribe

Our Sponsor:

Life In Order - https://bit.ly/lifeinorder