What do we do when we bump up against the inevitable difficulties of life? Do we despair, or do we grow from it and cultivate hope?

Many, if not most, people today are living in a state of fear, shame, and perpetual despair. They are stuck in a state of Provisional Existence. We’ll discuss what this means and explore the antidote…  Cultivating Hope! Listen in and learn how to grow more hope in your own life.

Today we discuss how being broken can actually be a gift to us. Brokenness is the beginning of transformation.

Society tends to look at brokenness as a weakness or negative. We have found it to be the beginning of compassion, empathy, and wisdom. It is from our failures that we grow, not our perfection or success.

Humility is the foundation for goodness.  Grandiosity keeps us stuck in our False Self. Humility is certainly counter-cultural as a way of life. Yet, it is a great gift that opens us up to Grace, the most powerful force in the universe.

Today we discuss 3 key components of healthy sexuality. Physical connection, Emotional connection, and Spiritual connection. Sexuality has been largely presented to us as merely physical. We need to be taught a healthier way of thinking about our sexuality. Today’s society is sexually saturated, yet we are largely dysfunctional at intimacy.

How did we each learn to define sex? Was it good? Was it shameful?

We are designed to desire. Attraction is part of our God-designed wiring.

Healthy sexuality is a mutually satisfying experience. It is characterized by desire, but free of lust and shame. It communicates openly.

Self-love is critical to experience healthy and mutually satisfying sexuality. You can not be fully intimate with another in a complete way unless you have fully embraced who you are. All of you. Another person can not fill this in you, only enhance it.

Hope can be cultivated in this area! Self-discovery. Self-love, and healthy relational intimacy can all begin in a relationally healthy small group.

What does true intimacy look like? When we think of intimacy we often go straight to the thought of romantic relationships. In reality, it is outside of romantic relationships that we first lean how relationships work. Healthy relationships have 6 hallmarks distinguishing them as open to true intimacy.

If we break intimacy down into component parts, we can then compare what is healthy and what is dysfunctional and can better understand how being a part of a healing community can contribute to overall relational health.

The Six Hallmarks: Initiative, Presence, Completion, Vulnerability, Nurturing, and Honesty come directly from Dr. Patrick Carnes work in his book Don’t Call it Love.

In this episode Scott and Anna discuss the difference between 2 basic motivation factors, Extrinsic and Intrinsic. They will discuss the value that each type of motivation possesses and the kind of motivation that drives us to transformational and sustainable life change. They also discuss the invaluable contribution of being a part of a healing community to promote change. To learn more about Restore Small Groups and how to engage with us, please visit www.restoresmallgroups.org

Telling your story—while being witnessed with loving attention by others who care—may be the most powerful medicine on earth. In this episode, Scott talks about the healing power of sharing your story, and Anna shares some of her personal story through childhood pain, struggle, grief, hope, and healing. Anna’s story reminds us that we are all capable of healing and restored hope, no matter what life has dealt us. And no one has to do that alone. Visit us at www.restoresmallgroups.org to learn more about online and in-person groups.

At Restore Small Groups we focus on sustained personal transformation through opportunities for spiritual and emotional growth in small groups and one-on-one change coaching. We create experiences that expand personal perspective and point people toward the sacred center to find creative, healthier responses to the world. In this way we cultivate hope.

Everyone is struggling with something. You are not alone! In small group, we extend love, empathy, and respect to each other in our shared humanity. Check out our in- person and virtual group offerings at www.restoresmallgroups.org .

Hello and welcome back to Searching Inward.

In this episode, we talk about getting past your past. 

We discuss why it's important to express our regrets and move through our grief so that we can both learn from our past and create a new future by making better decisions now.

We hope you enjoy this episode.

to find out more visit us online at www.restoresmallgroups.org

Welcome back to Searching Inward.  

In this episode, we talk about boundaries. 

Why we need them, how to set them and why they’re so vital for not only our personal growth but the growth of our most important relationships as well. 

We hope you enjoy this episode.

To find out more about upcoming small group registration visit us online at www.restoresmallgroups.org

You are never alone and you are loved.