In this last episode before our summer break, Catherine talks with Maria Garvey, who, twenty years ago, founded a L'Arche community in Northern Ireland. She describes her work as being about 'creating communities of belonging for people who find themselves marginalised'. She says 'who I am really is a commitment to everyone knowing that they matter, no matter what.' In this wide ranging conversation, Maria talks about encountering people who experience themselves as marginalised and her understanding of God, of whom she says 'God is a space in which everyone and everything has its place. Everything and everyone belongs.'

Link to transcript

Loved Called Gifted website

What does it mean to have a love relationship with the divine? Christianity has at its core the concept that faith is about loving God and being loved by God. But what does that actually look like in practice? In this episode, Catherine shares some thoughts about that. The truth is that it's different for everyone...

Transcript

Website

"Window of Tolerance" might not be a term that you've heard before, but it's a really useful concept and in this episode, Sally Bubbers explains it beautifully. You know that there are good days, when you are in that zone where life has enough interest and excitement and challenge to keep you engaged, curious, grounded, emotionally stable and winning at life. That's when you're operating in your 'window of tolerance'. Sally explains what the window of tolerance is, how we can spot the signs that we've left our window of tolerance, how to get back into it again and how to support others who are struggling. Lots of really practical ideas, hints, tips and insights that will be useful for anyone but particularly helpful for parents of children who have experienced trauma  - or for anyone who has experienced trauma or is supporting others who have. 

​Show notes for this episode that can be found here.

Full transcript

Loved Called Gifted website

Transcript

Loved Called Gifted website

Polly joins Catherine for the last of our series looking at personality through the lens of Myers Briggs. This time we're talking about judging and perceiving. 

​

Do you like things planned, organised and decided, or do you prefer to keep possibilities open? Do you find structure and rules calming or constraining? Do you like the adrenaline of the unexpected? Or the opportunity to prepare properly? 

​

We all have a preference for either what the MBTI calls 'judging' or for 'perceiving'. Understanding our own preferences and how they differ from those of other people can really help us to work more harmoniously and effectively with others. 

Catherine is joined by Polly for our fourth conversation looking at personality throughout the lens of the Myers Briggs model. This time we’re discussing what Myers Briggs refers to as Sensing and Intuition - the S and the N for those who speak MBTI.

Are you practical, down to earth and good at remembering details? Do you like ideas and theories? Do you prefer to learn by thinking things through or experiencing them first hand? Do you love a good gossip or do you get bored by small talk? How many notebooks do you own? 

We all have a preference for either sensing (focusing on details and practicalities) or intuition (seeing the big picture, looking for connections and possibilities). Catherine and Polly discuss the profound impact these  differences have on the ways that we understand the world, communicate with one another and organise our lives. Even down to how many notebooks we might choose to own. Lots of information here to help you to understand yourself and other people a bit better and avoid some common causes of misunderstanding. 

We’d love to know what you think. If you’d like to get in touch, you can email: [email protected]

Find a transcript here. Or visit the Loved Called Gifted website to find out about coaching, spiritual direction and other stuff.

Howard is a baptist minister who chose to leave his successful church in the posh part of Birmingham to move with his wife, Iona, to Cobridge, one of the most deprived areas of Stoke on Trent. He no longer leads a church. Instead, working as part of Urban Expression, he and Iona seek simply to be a blessing to the community they have grown to love. He talks honestly about the challenges and joys of leaving behind his previous role and what he has learnt about the radical acceptance of Jesus. 

You can find a transcript of the episode here.

We would loved to hear your thoughts and comments. You can email [email protected]

Or you might like to explore the website. 

Do you feel like your faith suddenly isn't making sense any more? Have the answers you've been relying on stopped making sense? Feeling like you've outgrown church...but you don't really want to abandon it? Like you're too far along and this should all be sorted by now? Where the worldview you formed from reading the Bible doesn't properly fit your actual  real life, and, like having one foot each side on a cracking iceberg, you need to take a leap in order to be left with any hope at all? And, ever felt like you're all on your own with it?

Transcript

Loved Called Gifted website

Catherine is joined again by Hannah Lamberth, who has been redecorating recently. She shares reflections about faith, Jesus, life and Farrow and Balls paint charts. 

Full transcript of this episode

The Loved Called Gifted Website

Catherine talks with Felicia, who founded and pastors New Life Family Church. In their conversation together, Felicia shares the story of how that happened.  

It's a story of welcome, of tears, of considered decisions and second chances. And a story of reading the times, knowing when to move forward and when to wait. It’s about the fact that calling is far more about who we are than what we do. Above all, it’s about love. There’s a lot to learn from Felicia in this episode!

You can find a full transcript of this episode here.

Loved Called Gifted website

Sally Bubbers is a level 3 trained, certified IFS therapist 

Further information about Internal Family Systems and Dr. Richard C Schwartz PhD can be found at  www.ifs-institute.com