Reclaim-App Podcast

In our Lenten series, Soul Feast, we’re using the dual lens of Counselling Therapist (Liz Kahle) and Christian Spirituality (Pastor Cari) in hopes of gaining a deeper understanding of what our soul is, how to become more aware of our soul, and what it may be communicating to us right now.

The basic definition we’re using for the soul comes from the work of Ruth Haley-Barton who defines the soul as the core of our very selves. Which we would add, points to our truest identity.

It’s within this context that we’re going to try to tackle the big topics of sin and shame as they are deeply interwoven into the very fabric of life, and deeply impact our connections.

Before we dive in, we’d like to take a moment to ground our conversation in the love and hope we are moving toward in this season of Lent.

Richard Foster writes,“At the heart of God is the desire to give and to forgive. Because of this, He set the entire redemptive process that culminated on the cross and was confirmed in the resurrection. The usual notion of what Jesus did on the cross runs something like this: people were so bad and so mean and God was so angry with them that he could not forgive them unless something big enough took the rap for the whole lot of them. Nothing could be further from the truth. Love, not anger, brought Jesus to the cross. Jesus knew that by his vicarious suffering he could actually absorb all the evil of humanity and so heal it, forgive it, redeem it.”

It's from this place of greatest love, and the movement toward healing, forgiveness and transformation - that we talk about sin and shame in the second episode of Soul Feast  - A Lenten Series by Counselling Therapist Liz Kahle and Pastor Cari Fydirchuk. 

References:
Richard Foster - Celebration of Discipline
Brene Brown - Altas of the Heart 
Mark McKinnon - Counselling Therapist and Christian lens 
Gregory Boyle - The Whole Language - The Power of Extravagant Tenderness 
Genesis 3:15, NIV
Genesis 1:26-28
Luke 5:16, NIV
Luke 15 - The Prodigal Son 
Ignatian Spiritual Exercises 

What is the soul? 
How would you describe it?
How is your soul right now?

Join us as we consider these questions alongside the practice of fasting, in the first episode of Reclaim’s Lenten series Soul Feast. Available now, on YouTube and wherever you listen to your podcasts!

As we begin Lent, this quote from Henri Nouwen caught my eye and seems to encompass a good deal of our conversation today...

He writes, “Whether we give alms, pray, or fast, we are to do it in a hidden way, not to be praised by people but to enter into closer communion with God. Lent is a time of returning to God. It is a time to confess how we keep looking for joy, peace, and satisfaction in many people and things surrounding us, without really finding what we desire. Only God can give us what we want…Lent is a time of refocusing, of re-entering the place of truth and reclaiming our true identity.”

Henri Nouwen (1932-1996) from Sabbatical Journey: The Diary of His Final Year as recounted in Lent and Easter Wisdom from Henri J.M. Nouwen, comp. by Judy Bauer (Liguori: Liguori Publications, 2005) 8.

Episode References:
*Special Guest, Lesley McClure - Intermittent Fasting (IT) and Spirituality 

Over the past couple of years, Lesley has been on a journey with intermittent fasting, finding a deep connection to God through this practice. We are so blessed to hear from parts of her story in this episode! Along with being Cari's beautiful mom, Lesley is also an accomplished artist. You can learn more about her and check out her artwork at her Etsy shop called MixedMediaMum. 

Richard Foster - Celebration of Discipline

Henri Nouwen - Sabbatical Journey: The Diary of His Final Year 

Jay, W., Richards, (Jason Fung - forward): Eat, Fast, Feast - Heal Your Body While Feeing Your Soul - A Christian Guide to Fasting

Ruth Haley Barton 

Marjorie Thompson  - Soul Feast (Thank you for the great title :))

Mark 8:36, NIV

Matthew 6:16-18, NIV

Matthew 4:1-11, NIV

Psalm 139:23,24

In this episode, we continue to look at spiritual rhythms and God in the Ordinary, as we have a conversation about mindfulness and meditation. These two practices invite us into a non-judgemental place of awareness. Helping us grow and transform our capacity for connection as well as compassion of self, others, and our Creator.

We are God’s beloved. This is our truest self. That’s often easier to say than it is to believe and know - and maybe hardest to allow that truth to sink into our bones and be our breath.

If we pause for a moment and consider the ways we engage with ourselves on a daily basis, reflecting on our relationship with ourselves - it’s probably pretty shocking. No? 

The overwhelming amount of negative self-talk, thoughts, doubts, and perceptions we are burdened with; the things we say, think and do to ourselves that we would never repeat or want to intentionally say, think, and do, to another person, especially someone we love.

Join us, as we look at how mindfulness and meditation invite us to see ourselves and others as God sees us.

References

Richard Foster - Celebration of Discipline
David G. Benner - The Gift of Being Yourself
Brené Brown - Atlas of the Heart
Henri Nouwen - "Three Identity Lies"
How to Practice Mindfulness Mediation (Worksheet)
Ignatius Spirituality (Daily Examen)
Matthew 22:37-40, NIV

Welcome back friends! Once again, we're dancing our way through a conversation on spiritual rhythms, as we seek to find connection with God in the Ordinary. 

The “unforced rhythms of grace” that flow from our lives are meant to feel as natural as breathing. Yet, rarely is creating healthy and long-lasting habits, patterns or rhythms - quick and easy. Even getting started can be a struggle!

Join us as we consider the blessings and challenges of two spiritual rhythms that are near and dear to our hearts...Prayer and Solitude.

Lots of references this week! :) 

• 50 Was to Pray - by Teresa A. Blythe
• Celebration of Discipline - Richard Foster
• Prayer: Does It Make Any Difference? - Philip Yancey 
• Clinging: The Experience of Prayer - Emilie Griffin
• Martin Luther King
• Matthew 6:9-13, NIV 
• Curt Thompson, M.D., The Soul of Shame and Anatomy of the Soul
• Augustine of Hippo (13 November 354 – 28 August 430)
• John 10:10, NIV 
• Ruth Haley-Barton, Invitation to Solitude and Silence 

In this episode, we discuss 'rhythms' - looking specifically at spiritual rhythms (or spiritual disciplines).

Rhythms are the ways we intentionally seek spaces of connection with God, each other, and ourselves. The new year is always a good time to pause, reflect and consider how our habits, patterns, routines, and ways of being are serving us or not.

Sometimes, rather than sensing growth, transformation, joy and peace - the rhythms of our life can feel like a burden, obligation, and duty. Leaving us spinning in discouragement and even self-condemnation. Words like disciplines, exercises, and behaviours can bring forth a sense of legalism: we want to stress that we are not talking about a set of religious obligations. As Richard Foster notes in his book, Celebration of Discipline, “The life that is pleasing to God is not a series of religious duties. We have only one thing to do, namely, to experience a life of relationship and intimacy with God.”

References:

Matthew 11:20-30 - The Message 

Richard Foster - Celebration of Discipline

Mark Buchanan - Spiritual Rhythms: Being with Jesus Every Season of Your Soul

James Clear - Atomic Habits

Poem - Patient Trust, Written by Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, SJ, excerpted from Hearts on Fire

Happy New Year from all of us at Reclaim-App!

"He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end."
-Ecclesiastes 3:11

Christmas Blessings from all of us at Reclaim-App! 

"The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it!" 

During the season of Advent, joy is an important part of our waiting and anticipation for Jesus’ coming – to restore – to heal – to save.

However, if we’re honest, joy may not be as easy to cultivate or as comfortable as we’d like it to be – or think it should be. Joy can often feel fleeting and imaginary. Even in the midst of some of our most joyous moments – we can find ourselves cautiously waiting for the other shoe to drop.

It’s this strange tension that we’re going to talk about today as we look at the idea of joy in darkness, and see if we can point to the ways we may be able to anchor our joy in something real, tangible, and long lasting!

References:

Inside Out - Pixar Films (movie)

Brene Brown - Atlas of the Heart - Foreboding Joy

Henry Nouwen (1932-1996)

John 1:14, NIV

Nehemiah 1:8, NIV

Psalm 62:11, TPT

In this 3rd episode of our series, we look at the difficult emotion of grief and share how grief has been experienced in our stories. Although grief is a natural human response to loss and something we will each experience in our lifetime; we may not always be aware of it and may find more often than not that it surprises us.

What makes grief especially hard is that it’s a journey and not a short sprint, but often more like a marathon - with twists and turns and unexpected bumps along the way.  How can we give ourselves permission to process this difficult emotion while also moving towards healing and maybe even transformation?

References

Henry Nouwen (1932-1996)

Alan Wolfelt, Understanding Your Grief - Ten Essential Touchstones For Finding Hope And Healing Your Heart (2nd edition).

Isaiah 9:2, NIV

John 11:35, NIV

Last week we sat with the difficult and uncomfortable space of 'loneliness.' In this episode, we’ll continue to share in one another's stories as we look at how we can create spaces of solitude in our everyday life - as a way of finding greater connection.

References from today's episode:

Quote by Brene Brown from her newest book - Atlas of the Heart, Mapping Meaningful Connection and the Language of Human Experience, pgs 144/145

Luke 5:16 (NIV) Bible

Job 33:4 (NIV) Bible