Heart Set Above

Welcome back to the Heart Set Above Podcast with Ellen Radcliff, LMFT. In this episode from our Nearness series, Ellen shares practical wisdom on how reflection and intentional connection draw us closer to God and to the people we love.

Too often, life runs us instead of us running it. But by creating regular rhythms of reflection—annually, seasonally, weekly, and even daily—we can flip the script and live with greater intention. Ellen walks through how reflection protects us from overwhelm, keeps us aligned with God’s heart, and opens the door for deeper connection.

✨ What you’ll discover in this episode:

• Why pruning creates space for nearness to God

• How intentional connection strengthens marriages, families, and friendships

• How every act of connection becomes a glimpse of Eden

This episode will encourage you to pause, reflect, and invest in the relationships that matter most—your connection with God, yourself, and others.

--

Connect with Ellen

https://heartsetabove.com/

https://linktr.ee/ellenradcliff

--

Listen to the Podcast:

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast...

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6Ra0vlh...

So many of us—whether as parents, spouses, friends, leaders, or coworkers—find ourselves juggling endless responsibilities while feeling spiritually and emotionally stretched thin. If that sounds familiar, this episode of the Heart Set Above Podcast will meet you right where you are.

Host Ellen Radcliff, LMFT, continues our Nearness series with a powerful truth: if we want to draw close to God, we must first create time and space in our lives. Without pruning back, our souls remain restless, anxious, and overstuffed.

✨ In this conversation, you’ll learn:

• Why busyness leaves us drained and disconnected from God

• Why pruning isn’t about loss, but about making room for life to grow

• Simple, practical ways to begin creating space for God this week

  
  

This isn’t about doing more—it’s about finding freedom in doing less, so that you can truly be with God.

🙏 Stay tuned for the next episode in our Nearness series, where we’ll explore another everyday practice that can help you experience a deeper walk with Him.

--

Connect with Ellen

https://heartsetabove.com/

https://linktr.ee/ellenradcliff

--

Listen to the Podcast:

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast...

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6Ra0vlh...

Welcome back to the Heart Set Above Podcast with Ellen Radcliff, LMFT. In this second episode of our new series, Ellen explores the powerful truth that “nearness is never without effect.” Through stories, psychology insights, and Scripture, she reveals how proximity shapes us in relationships, in our emotions, in our bodies—and ultimately, in our walk with God.

Ellen unpacks how:

• Drawing near to God is the antidote to fear and anxiety

• Distance—whether emotional, relational, or spiritual—always leaves a mark

• Science and faith agree: closeness changes us for the better

This series is designed to move beyond abstract phrases like “cast your burdens” or “rest in His presence.” Ellen gives you practical, faithful, and psychologically grounded tools to actually live in God’s nearness—even in the mess of daily life.

✨ May this conversation help you notice His presence in the small, ordinary moments of your week, and let it begin to soothe your soul.

--

Connect with Ellen

https://heartsetabove.com/

https://linktr.ee/ellenradcliff

--

Listen to the Podcast:

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast...

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6Ra0vlh...

In this episode of the Heart Set Above Podcast, Ellen Radcliff, LMFT, unpacks the profound truth that “nearness is never without effect.” From synced heartbeats to shared emotions, Ellen shows how proximity transforms us in relationships, in our bodies, and in nature itself—and ultimately, how drawing near to God is the antidote to fear and anxiety.

You’ll learn:

• Why distance always leaves a mark in our lives, hearts, and relationships

• How science, psychology, and Scripture reveal the power of nearness

• Practical ways to actually draw near to God in everyday messy moments

This episode is the start of a new series exploring what it really means to live in God’s presence, not just in abstract phrases, but in simple, practical rhythms that bring calm and clarity.

✨ May you notice His nearness in ordinary moments this week—and let it soothe your soul.

--

Connect with Ellen

https://heartsetabove.com/

https://linktr.ee/ellenradcliff

--

Listen to the Podcast:

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast...

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6Ra0vlh...

In this episode, Ellen and Georgia open up about the rhythms of retreat, rest, and pilgrimage in their own lives. Georgia reflects on her recent journey to the island of Iona in Scotland—an experience filled with awe, joy, and the surprising intimacy of being “whisked away” by God. Ellen shares her anticipation (and nerves) about an upcoming silent retreat, unpacking what it means to step away from constant noise and distraction to be still in God’s presence.

Together, they wrestle with the sacrifice and reward of carving out intentional space with God, comparing it to a honeymoon or getaway in a marriage—demanding effort, but always worth it. They discuss the role of silence, joy, and letting go of agendas, offering both theological insight and practical encouragement for listeners who long for more spaciousness in their lives.

Whether your “pilgrimage” looks like three days in the Highlands, a one-hour walk, or simply a Sabbath at home, this conversation invites you to consider how God might be wooing you into deeper rest and relationship with Him.

--

Connect with Ellen

https://heartsetabove.com/

https://linktr.ee/ellenradcliff

--

Listen to the Podcast:

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast...

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6Ra0vlh...

Welcome to the final episode of the Holding On & Letting Go series on the Heart Set Above Podcast with Ellen Radcliff, LMFT—a space where therapy meets theology and grace meets grit.

In Part 5, we’re getting practical. What does it actually look like to love your adult child well when their choices, beliefs, or lifestyle don't align with your Christian values?

This episode is all about navigating the messy middle—the sacred, complex space where truth and grace meet. Ellen offers grounded tools and biblical wisdom to help parents:

• Set healthy, respectful boundaries

• Stay connected without compromising convictions

• Speak truth without pressure or panic

📖 “Can you stand before God with a clear conscience, knowing that you acted with integrity in the light He gave you?”

Whether you’re navigating pronoun changes, wedding invitations, or just deeply emotional conversations, this episode offers clarity, compassion, and practical hope for real-life dilemmas.

🛑 You don’t have to choose between conviction and connection.

💬 You can speak truth with love.🤝 You are not alone in this.

This is Part 4 of our series with host Ellen Radcliff, LMFT—for Christian parents navigating complicated or strained relationships with their adult children—especially those who have stepped away from the faith.

In this episode, Ellen explores the spiritual invitation of surrender—not as weakness or defeat, but as a powerful act of trust. When control fades, and answers seem elusive, how do you stay connected to your child and to God?

💡You’ll learn:

What surrender actually means (hint: it’s not giving up)

Why your role as a parent shifts from action to influence

Why your spiritual formation still matters—even now

📖 “Maybe it’s time to stop trying to be your child’s savior… and start being God’s daughter again.”

If you feel spiritually depleted, emotionally exhausted, or unsure of what’s next—this episode is a gentle invitation to rest, reconnect, and release.

--

Connect with Ellen

https://heartsetabove.com/

https://linktr.ee/ellenradcliff

--

Listen to the Podcast:

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast...

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6Ra0vlh...

In Part 3 of our series for Christian parents of adult children who’ve drifted from faith, Ellen Radcliff, LMFT, explores the unspoken grief that often sits beneath fear, shame, and confusion. This isn’t grief from loss by death—it’s the sorrow of watching your child become someone you didn’t expect… and mourning a future that never came.

💔 You’ll hear about:

Why this kind of grief is so isolating—and so real

How to "name it to tame it"

God grieves too—and joins you in yours

If you’ve ever whispered, "This isn’t the life I imagined for my child…", this episode is for you.

📖 “Hope deferred makes the heart sick…” – Proverbs 13:12

🤝 You’re not alone. God is near to the brokenhearted—and the story isn’t over yet.

--

Connect with Ellen

https://heartsetabove.com/

https://linktr.ee/ellenradcliff

--

Listen to the Podcast:

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast...

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6Ra0vlh...

In Part 2 of this series for Christian parents of adult children who are no longer (or not yet) walking with God, Ellen Radcliff, LMFT, unpacks two common burdens many faithful parents carry: delayed development and parental guilt.

💭 Is your grown child making choices that leave you confused, hurt, or worried?

💔 Do you find yourself replaying the past, wondering what you could’ve done differently?

This episode is for you.

Ellen explores:

• The hidden cost of comfort and how it affects spiritual maturity

• What Scripture says about growth through hardship

• How to release guilt while still owning your growth as a parent

Whether your child has left the church, is questioning everything, or simply isn’t where you hoped they’d be — this episode offers hope, perspective, and peace.

--

Connect with Ellen

https://heartsetabove.com/

https://linktr.ee/ellenradcliff

--

Listen to the Podcast:

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast...

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6Ra0vlh...

When your adult child walks away from the faith—or chooses a path that feels deeply at odds with what they were raised to believe—how do you respond as a Christian parent?

In this heartfelt opening episode of our new series, Holding On and Letting Go, Ellen Radcliff, LMFT shares her own powerful journey of coming out to her parents at 19, hitting rock bottom in a foreign country, and ultimately returning to faith through the steady, surrendered love of her mom and dad.

This episode is not just for parents of LGBTQ kids—it's for any parent walking through grief, fear, or spiritual disconnection with their adult child. Ellen offers deep encouragement, hard-won wisdom, and a reminder that there is a way to walk this road with your heart open and your conscience clear.

🛠️ In this episode, you'll hear about:

Ellen’s personal story of coming out and coming back

How her parents’ non-reactive, Spirit-led love made all the difference

How to hold space for your child without compromising your convictions

--

Connect with Ellen

https://heartsetabove.com/

https://linktr.ee/ellenradcliff

--

Listen to the Podcast:

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast...

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6Ra0vlh...