Terrie Tollerson returns this week to continue sharing her powerful story of healing after escaping an abusive marriage to a pastor. She describes her experience as living through an "unnatural disaster," one that brought deep destruction to her life and the lives of her children. After fleeing to safety, recovery did not happen overnight. It was a long and difficult journey marked by survival, grief, and the slow rebuilding of what had been broken.

Through that process, God began to restore Terrie's soul. The very Scriptures that had once been distorted and used against her became a source of truth, comfort, and life. As she spent time in God's Word, she came to understand His true heart for her and discovered that she was cherished and cared for by Him. Today, Terrie shares that same hope with other women who have experienced their own "unnatural disasters," pointing them to the healing power of God's truth.

Connect with Terrie: www.terrietollerson.com

Facebook: Unseen No More

Instagram: @TerrieTollerson

TikTok: @terrie.tollerson

To inquire about counseling, email Louise at [email protected].

My guest for this and next week's podcast episodes is author, teacher, and soon-to-be podcaster Terrie Tollerson. Terrie came to faith in Jesus at a young age and later met the man she believed she would serve alongside in ministry. After marrying a pastor, she looked forward to building a life centered on Christ. But soon after the wedding, the reality of his sexual addiction surfaced. What she had learned from Scripture as a child became twisted through his manipulation, leaving her confused, trapped, and unsure of what it truly meant to be a faithful Christian wife and mother.

As the abuse and addiction escalated, Terrie carried deep shame, believing she was somehow responsible for her husband's behavior. With no clear place to turn, she endured increasing harm until she made the courageous decision to escape with her children to find safety. In this episode, Terrie begins to share her story with honesty and vulnerability. Her journey reveals the devastating impact of spiritual distortion and the first steps of trusting God to begin again.

Connect with Terrie: www.terrietollerson.com

Facebook: Unseen No More

Instagram: @TerrieTollerson

TikTok: @terrie.tollerson

To inquire about counseling, email Louise at [email protected].

Healing from shame is not something we can accomplish on our own. It is a slow, daily journey that requires the supernatural work of God in our hearts. In this episode, I begin a new series on God's Tools for Healing Shame by sharing part of my own story. Learning to live in the power of the cross and resurrection moved me forward in profound ways, but God did not stop there. He continued to use practical, life-giving tools to transform my thinking and restore my heart.

Through His Word, I was taught truth that replaced the lies I believed about myself. Worship and gratitude shifted my focus away from shame and back to God's goodness. The encouragement and presence of the body of Christ strengthened me when I felt weak. And through it all, God's grace helped me trust Him with my life. In this episode, I share how these tools became part of my healing journey and how they can help bring freedom and transformation to yours as well.

Links Mentioned:

Receiving God's Forgiveness https://www.louisesedgwick.com/podcast/47

Forgiving Ourselves https://www.louisesedgwick.com/podcast/50

Forgiving Others https://www.louisesedgwick.com/podcast/53

Confession of Sin https://www.louisesedgwick.com/podcast/44

Repentance https://www.louisesedgwick.com/podcast/74

The Holy Spirit's Work in Us https://www.louisesedgwick.com/podcast/19-grxrx

Scripture Mentioned:

Isaiah 53:4-5

John 17:17

Hebrews 4:12

Psalm 119:105

John 13:35

Hebrews 3:13

Hebrews 10:24-25

Ephesians 4:29

Psalm 22:3 (KJV)

Psalm 16:11

To inquire about counseling, email Louise at [email protected].

"Forgive, and you will be forgiven." In Luke 6:37, the word forgive can also mean "release." When we hold onto unforgiveness, waiting for a debt to be repaid, it binds us in ways we often don't realize. But when we release others, even without apology or acknowledgment, we ourselves are set free. This truth becomes deeply personal in this week's episode as Jason Ellis, LMFT, returns to share more of his journey.

Jason experienced repeated abandonment by the men who were meant to care for him, including his birth father, stepfather, and others who had promised to guide him. The pain could have led him down a destructive path, but by God's grace, he chose forgiveness. In doing so, he found healing, freedom, and a new way of living. Today, Jason partners with God as a wounded healer, staying present with those he loves and helping others experience the same mercy and grace that transformed his life. His story is a powerful reminder that forgiveness releases us and opens the door to lasting healing.

Connect with Jason: https://therosemarytree.org/

To inquire about counseling, email Louise at [email protected].

This week, I'm joined by my dear friend Jason Ellis, LMFT, as we begin a meaningful conversation to close out this series on shame and abandonment. Jason and I spent many years serving together in ministry, walking through both joyful and difficult seasons side by side. I have had the privilege of witnessing his healing journey up close as he faced the deep wounds left by the very men who were meant to love and protect him.

Growing up, Jason knew the pain of waiting for a father who never showed up, followed by the disappointment of a stepfather who also let him down. Those experiences left him questioning his worth and wondering if any father would truly value him. In this episode, Jason shares the beginning of his story, including the profound turning point when he came to know Jesus and discovered that he had been adopted by a perfect Father. It is a powerful testimony of God's grace and the healing that begins when we understand we are fully loved and never abandoned by Him.

Connect with Jason: https://therosemarytree.org/

To inquire about counseling, email Louise at [email protected].

Author and New Zealander Carolyn Deck returns this week to share the rest of her story and how God brought purpose out of her painful past. After a turbulent childhood marked by neglect and abandonment, Carolyn could have remained stuck in the patterns and wounds of her early years. Instead, through coming to know and trust God, she began a journey of healing that included forgiveness and the courage to make healthy, life-giving choices.

In this episode, Carolyn reflects on how even her years working as a travel agent became part of God's greater plan, shaping the message of her life and her book, Above the Turbulence. What once threatened to keep her grounded became the very place from which she learned to rise. Her story is a powerful testimony of God's grace, showing how He can redeem the hardest beginnings and lead us into purpose, freedom, and hope.

Connect with Carolyn:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carolyn.deck

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carolyn.deck/

Links Mentioned:

Book: The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kold, MD

Carolyn's books:

Above the Turbulence: Your Ticket Out of Pain to Purpose

Christian Marriage: Devotionals From Both Perspectives (Christian Devotional Collaborations)

All proceeds from Carolyn's book goes to the ministry, Faces with Names.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_k4MriY50rQ

To inquire about counseling, email Louise at [email protected].

This week I'm joined by New Zealander and author Carolyn Deck, who begins sharing her story of growing up in a home shaped by brokenness and neglect. With an alcoholic mother and an absent father, Carolyn learned early to fend for herself. Instead of being nurtured, she found herself caring for her mother while her own needs went unmet. The message she absorbed from her chaotic childhood was painful and persistent. She believed she was unworthy of attention or care because her parents consistently chose themselves over her.

As a teenager, Carolyn received the opportunity to travel to the United States as a foreign exchange student and lived with a loving family in Kansas. For the first time, she witnessed what a healthy family could look like, and hope began to grow in her heart. During that time, she also sensed God speaking gently to her, assuring her that He saw her and would meet her needs. But when Carolyn returned to New Zealand, the welcome she longed for never came. Instead, she faced another painful experience of abandonment that would shape the next chapter of her journey.

Connect with Carolyn:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carolyn.deck

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carolyn.deck/

Links Mentioned:

Carolyn's books:

Above the Turbulence: Your Ticket Out of Pain to Purpose

Christian Marriage: Devotionals From Both Perspectives (Christian Devotional Collaborations)

All proceeds from Carolyn's book goes to the ministry, Faces with Names.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_k4MriY50rQ

To inquire about counseling, email Louise at [email protected].

Cathy Taylor, founder of Hurting Moms, Mending Hearts, returns this week to share more about the healing journey for parents whose relationships with their children have been fractured by painful choices. When sin brings brokenness into a family, the sorrow can feel overwhelming and the path forward unclear. In this conversation, Cathy speaks honestly about the process of learning to trust God in the midst of relational strain and uncertainty.

Through her own experience, Cathy discovered peace by surrendering her daughter and the situation to the Lord, believing that His plans and purposes were greater than the pain she was facing. She also highlights the importance of safe, grace-filled community where hurting parents can find encouragement and support in Christ. This episode offers practical wisdom and renewed hope for anyone walking through the heartache of strained family relationships, reminding us that God is greater than sin and faithful to bring healing.

Connect with Cathy: https://hurtingmomsmendinghearts.org/

Hurting Moms, Mending Hearts Facebook page

To inquire about counseling, email Louise at [email protected].

When teens or adult children act out or choose estrangement, the pain can feel unbearable. The shame that follows often drives parents into isolation, whispering that no one else could possibly understand. Many fear others will assume the broken relationship is their fault. In this series on Shame and Abandonment, I invited Cathy Taylor, founder of Hurting Moms, Mending Hearts, to share her story because this silent suffering is more common than we realize.

When Cathy's daughter struggled with addiction and destructive behaviors, her world unraveled. The heartbreak and shame drove her back to Jesus, where she found comfort, strength, and renewed hope. Out of her sorrow grew a longing to connect with other mothers walking the same road. What began as personal pain became a ministry devoted to bringing hurting moms out of hiding and into healing. Cathy's story is a tender reminder that even in seasons of estrangement and deep grief, God is still at work.

Connect with Cathy: https://hurtingmomsmendinghearts.org/

Hurting Moms, Mending Hearts Facebook page

To inquire about counseling, email Louise at [email protected].

In this week's episode, I'm joined again by Robin Taylor, who shares a powerful perspective that has shaped both her healing journey and her ministry: "If a flower doesn't bloom, don't blame the flower. Change the flower's environment." Growing up surrounded by domestic violence and rejection led her to believe she was unworthy of love and commitment. Those early wounds deeply impacted how she viewed herself and her relationships, reinforcing shame and insecurity that followed her into adulthood. But her story did not end there.

Robin recounts how coming to know God as her Ideal Parent transformed her understanding of her worth and identity. Through His relentless pursuit and tender care, the broken places in her heart began to mend, and shame started to lose its grip. Today, she carries that same hope to others who feel rejected or abandoned, pointing them toward the relational healing found in both healthy community and God's faithful love. Her testimony is honest, redemptive, and deeply encouraging for anyone longing to believe they are truly valued.

Connect with Robin: https://[email protected]/

Standard "Our Time to Bloom" Membership:

• Sunday Morning "Princess with a Crooked Crown" Live broadcast via the app (8am EST, then available as a recording)

• Monday's Morning Cup of Grace Devotional

• Community membership and posts

Premium "Our Time to Bloom" Membership

• Everything above

• God's Design: Domestic Violence Recovery Class

• 4 pre-recorded video lessons

• Workbook

• 30 day follow up journal

• 4 live Q and A sessions a month ( available recorded if missed)

• Messaging

The "standard" membership is $10.95 per month

The Premium membership that includes the recovery course is $79

I am giving away 5 of these for your listeners with the code: BRFREE

The link for the free code is https://withme.so/mytimetobloom?promo_code=BRFREE

The link for the app itself is:

https://withme.so/mytimetobloom

To inquire about counseling, email Louise at [email protected].