Restore The Glory Podcast

Jake and Bob continue their conversation with Christopher West. If you haven't heard part one, click here to listen because it's essential for understanding the content of today's episode.

Join Jake, Bob and Christopher as they take a deep 'excavating' look at the transformation and healing of identity through the power of an honest and loving spouse. Sexual healing is more than just the healing of sexual things, it's a deeper healing of our identity as men and women made in the image of God. Overtime, within the safety of a loving marriage, each man has discovered areas of their hearts that are in need of redemption. Humility before God and our spouses, and a willingness to invite the Lord into our wounds leads to powerful healing and wholeness.

Guiding Quote:

"It is not in our power to not feel or to forget an offense; but the heart that offers itself to the Holy Spirit turns injury into compassion and purifies the memory in transforming hurt into intercession." (CCC 2843)

Key points:

• Sexual healing is more than a healing of sexual things, it's a healing of our masculinity and femininity
• How the excavation/ archaeological process is a rich analogy for the cooperative healing that can happen between God and ourselves
• The importance of where we find our identity
• The power of an honest spouse in sexual healing
• If we're not living out our commitment of marriage in love for our spouse, then we're also not honouring God
• God is the ultimate healer, because there are things that are beyond our human capacity to transform
• The enemy distorts and sets up idols that prevent us from seeing the God's goodness in world as he intended it
• Breaking open an analogy of self-condemnation: coming 'face to face with the hunchback in the woods'

Practical Application:

1. Where do I find my identity: in what others think or in how God sees me?
2. What in my life have I turned into an idol, and how might that get in the way of loving my spouse well?
3. How would my perspective shift if I saw the idols in my life as icons providing a window to God?
4. Where have I made agreements with the opinions of others that has led to self-condemnation? Go to the Lord in prayer and ask him to love you back to wholeness in those places.

References:

• Theology of the Body Institute from Christopher West
• The Good News about Sex and Marriage, Christopher West (book)
• Christopher West on Pints with Aquinas (podcast)

Connect with Restore the Glory:

Instagram: @restoretheglorypodcast

Twitter: @RestoreGloryPod

Facebook: Restore the Glory Podcast

Never miss out on an episode by hitting the subscribe button right now! Help other people find the show and grow in holiness by sharing this podcast with them individually or on your social media. Thanks!

Editing by ForteCatholic.com

This week, Jake and Bob spend time with an old friend, Christopher West. They reminisce about their spiritual history with each other, and Christopher gets real about his own journey of healing from rejection wounds. Christopher is well known as 'the Theology of the Body guy,' but after nine years of hiding his own brokenness behind masks in his marriage, he was confronted with the reality that he was living out his brokenness with his wife. Christopher walks us through his testimony of learning to take off the masks to let God love him.

Guiding Quote:

"For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with wisdom and eloquence, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power." - 1 Cor 1:17

Key points:

• Christopher, Jake and Bob talk about their friendship and how they first met
• How Christopher's wounds of rejection created a blindspot that prevented him from loving his wife well in their first decade of marriage
• How wounds of rejection can affect identity
• We have to go into our family history to understanding our wounds
• The 'archaeological dig' into our own wounds must be done with Christ
• Our wounds play out in the marriage bed
• We can show up as we are because we're loved by God

Practical Application:

1. What is your spiritual legacy? Who has shared the faith with you and is your spiritual father or grandfather?
2. Where have you experienced rejection wounds? Pray over those areas to ask God to heal those wounds.
3. Reflect on how God has worked in your history to bring you to where you are today.

References:

• Theology of the Body Institute from Christopher West
• The Good News about Sex and Marriage, Christopher West (book)
• Christopher West on Pints with Aquinas (podcast)

Connect with Restore the Glory:

• Instagram: @restoretheglorypodcast
• Twitter: @RestoreGloryPod
• Facebook: Restore the Glory Podcast

Never miss out on an episode by hitting the subscribe button right now! Help other people find the show and grow in holiness by sharing this podcast with them individually or on your social media. Thanks!

Editing by ForteCatholic.com

This week, Jake and Bob reflect on the last episode conversation with Matt Fradd. They discuss the link between shame and compulsion, the addiction cycle and how to truly find healing from sexual sin.

Guiding Quote: "Take heart!" - John 16:33

Key points

• The link between shame and compulsion
• Pornography blurs the lines of fantasy and reality
• A fresh perspective on deeper, long-lasting healing
• Explanation of the addiction cycle
• How our attitude toward our wounds and our sin affects our spiritual lives
• Practical advice about the process and next steps in the healing journey
• The role of grace in the healing process

Practical Application:

1. Where have you not experienced love that there might be a shame response?
2. Pray about what might be your 'holy desire' (for God, connection, love, etc) behind areas of shame, and what might be your unholy desires?
3. Every morning, reflect on your wedding vows and recommit to them.

References:

• Sexual Healing (Part 4) - Battling Pornography with Matt Fradd, Restore the Glory Podcast
• Unwanted, Jay Stringer (book)
• Be Transformed, Dr. Bob Schuchts (book)
• Be Restored, Dr. Bob Schuchts (book)
• Be Healed, Dr. Bob Schuchts (book)
• Breaking Free From Pornography w/ Fr. Sean Kilcawley, Pints with Aquinas Podcast

Connect with Restore the Glory:

• Instagram: @restoretheglorypodcast
• Twitter: @RestoreGloryPod
• Facebook: Restore the Glory Podcast

Never miss out on an episode by hitting the subscribe button right now! Help other people find the show and grow in holiness by sharing this podcast with them individually or on your social media. Thanks!

Editing by ForteCatholic.com

Renowned expert Matt Fradd joins the conversation for our fourth episode in the series on Sexual Healing. Matt shares about ongoing journey to freedom from a pornography addiction that began at a young age. Matt, Jake and Bob discuss compulsions towards porn, how to avoid temptation and overcome addictions over time with the help of God and His people. If you or someone you know is battling a porn addiction, we hope you find this episode and the resources below helpful.

Guiding Quote: "But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." - 2 Corinthians 12:9

Key points

- Dealing with the fallout from a porn addiction in childhood- Desire and compulsions that come in response to unmet desire- How to find recovery from porn addiction- The lie that there is a 'silver bullet' to healing. Rather, it's a consistent effort to break free from addictions- Why it's often hard to talk about these things in the church - God loves us in our weakness and failures- Overcoming shame - The importance of compassion and exhortation

Resources:

- Treating Pornography Addiction: The Essential Tools for Recovery, Dr. Kevin Skinner (book) - The Porn Myth, Matt Fradd (book)- Matt Fradd's Podcast, Pints With Aquinas (podcast)- Strive: 21-Day Porn Detox (for men)- Magdala Ministries for women struggling with sexual addiction- Forged: 33 Days Toward Freedom, Jason Evert & Matt Fradd (book)- Integrity Restored: resources for overcoming porn addiction

Practical Application:

1. Find a trusted person to share honestly about your struggle, if you find yourself battling pornography use.
2. Thank God for the opportunities he has given you to show you his power through your weakness.
3. Explore one of the resources on our list to find new ways to support a loved one or overcome your own struggles.

Connect with Restore the Glory:

Instagram: @restoretheglorypodcast

Twitter: @RestoreGloryPod

Facebook: Restore the Glory Podcast

Never miss out on an episode by hitting the subscribe button right now! Help other people find the show and grow in holiness by sharing this podcast with them individually or on your social media. Thanks!

Editing by ForteCatholic.com

As they continue the series on Sexual Healing, Jake and Bob share their takeaways and insights from last episode's conversion with Sr. Miriam James Heidland. If you missed that powerful episode, please go back and listen! Jake and Bob revisit some core aspects of Theology of the Body, how Sister's story illustrates these principles, and how we can find healing and help others do the same.

Key points

• What stood out to Jake and Bob from last episode's conversation with Sr. Miriam James Heidland
• Revisiting insights from Theology of the Body as applied to healing journey
• Where to begin in our own healing journey
• Healing of our identity and how we see God's identity
• Understanding the importance of the healing of trust in our relationship with God and others
• The role of shame and how to find freedom from shame
• We've all experienced disorder in our sexuality by virtue of living in a fallen world

Resources:

• Theology of the Body Series: Episodes 3-8 from Restore the Glory (podcast)
• The Wounded Heart by Dan Allender (book)
• Be Restored by Bob Schuchts (book)
• Unwanted by Jay Stringer (book)

Connect with Restore the Glory:

• Instagram: @restoretheglorypodcast
• Twitter: @RestoreGloryPod
• Facebook: Restore the Glory Podcast

Subscribe/Rate

Never miss out on an episode by hitting the subscribe button right now! Help other people find the show and grow in holiness and wholeness sharing this podcast with them individually or on your social media. Thanks!

Editing by ForteCatholic.com

Show Notes

It's a joy to welcome our dear friend and special guest, Sr. Miriam James Heidland, onto the podcast. Continuing the series on Sexual Healing, Sr. Miriam teaches us how to have a disposition of tenderness and reverence toward our own stories, what she calls holy ground. Jake, Bob and Sr. Miriam regularly work alongside each other leading healing events, so this conversation is familiar territory. We are grateful for her vulnerability. Content warning: sexual abuse and the impacts of childhood abuse are discussed within this episode.

References:

• Abiding Together Podcast
• Sr. Miriam's Twitter
• Loved As I Am, book by Sr. Miriam
• JPII Healing Center
• Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity (SOLT Sisters)

Connect with Restore the Glory:

• Instagram: @restoretheglorypodcast
• Twitter: @RestoreGloryPod
• Facebook: Restore the Glory Podcast

Subscribe/Rate

Never miss out on an episode by hitting the subscribe button right now! Help other people find the show and grow in holiness and wholeness sharing this podcast with them individually or on your social media. Thanks!

Editing by ForteCatholic.com

In this episode, Jake and Bob lay the groundwork for a new series on sexual healing. Sexual woundedness affects almost everyone on some level. Jake and Bob offer their professional perspective on healing in this important area and share why it's important to let the Holy Spirit lead us when it comes to addressing wounds. Please note: specific examples of trauma and disordered sexuality are discussed within this episode. Listen with discretion.

Editing by ForteCatholic.com

We all bring brokenness into marriage and by God's grace, we also get to participate in our spouse's healing journey. In part three of the Healing in Marriage series based on Dr. Bob's book, "Be Devoted," Jake and Bob discuss how to restore trust in broken areas of a marriage. They give practicals on how to navigate this often difficult journey, and show us how reconciliation is possible for anyone who is willing.