SheFindsTruth

It is my position that the church needs to be having a louder and more productive and useful conversation about sexual assault and what we can do to serve our neighbors who have faced such experiences. This is part I in a series I'm doing where I interview experts and helpers who can assist us in maneuvering this topic for the good of our friends and communities. 

We will start with a basic conversation of what sexual assault is, how prevalent it is, and the perspective of someone who is on the front lines of this subject matter. Kami Garrison is a local expert I asked to chat with me. She is Prevention and Education Coordinator at KC-CASA and ISAS. These offices are part of a broader coalition in Illinois called ICASA, Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault. These offices work to improve the quality of services for survivors of sexual assault, assist in their recovery, and work towards the elimination of sexual violence. 

Among other things we talked about teaching our kids about consent, what rape culture is and the damage it does, shame and why women don't report the majority of incidents, and how people can help. 

Future episodes on this topic will include how the church is successfully and unsuccessfully serving members who are survivors, why church leaders need to be held to a higher standard than other people in positions of authority, and more about rape culture and why we need to take it seriously. 

I'm pretty passionate about this topic, but I'm also very motivated to have civil and patient conversations about the various aspects which can sometimes be charged and complicated. Please don't hesitate to contact me or engage in a conversation about sexual assault because this abuse is rampant and needs to be brought out into the open so we can better serve one another. 

Here are the links to resources Kami talked about as well as some tips that may be of use to you. 

Am the only one who feels a lot of pressure that I'm supposed to "be the light"? Maybe I should just quit whining and do what needs done, but I'd also like to know what it means for sure to be the light. Today I hash through this after having had a conversation with a friend who felt like she had failed to be the light. Is it just about doing the right thing? What if I fail? 

Links from the show include:

This is the blog post I wrote about where God is while we are electing a president. 

Here's a simple and to the point article about Moral Therapeutic Deism written by Karen Jones titled What Is Moralistic Therapeutic Deism?

Here's the article by Mark Roberts called What Are the Good Works God has Prepared for Us?

Scripture references included 

Matthew 5:14-16 (Scroll down after the Beatitudes)

Ephesians 2:10

One more about listening to podcasts - How Does One Listen to A Podcast?

To continue the conversation, find me on TWITTER, go to the facebook page, or email me! - [email protected].

Check out blog posts on www.shefindstruth.com!

Production Notes · music - Spoke in the Wheel by Electric Tangerine Audio at http://audiojungle.net/user/ElectricTangerine · Vocal Introduction by Kena Clark ·  Intro/Outro Production by Bradley Hofbauer

As a young adult Christian I was constantly wondering what my life was supposed to look like as a follower of Christ. My everyday life. How does one "serve Christ," really, with all these distractions? What careers count? I definitely wanted to please God, but I wasn't sure how. Plus there was still sin in my life and I was super frustrated about that too. 

There was so much I didn't understand about how all this works. 

Of course the answers aren't as cut and dry as we'd like. 

So I've talked before about Gene Edward Veith's books and how they address this stuff. This weekend I got to meet him and hear him speak about my favorite topic Vocation! Today's show talks about how as Christians we ask the question "Now What?" and what the answers look like. 

Links and references include:

Lecture on Passive Righteousness by Jordan Cooper

Ephesians 2:1-10

Podcast Episode on Vocation - Episode #4

Gene Veith's -God at Work

              -Family Vocation

To continue the conversation, find me on TWITTER, go to the facebook page, or email me! - [email protected].

Check out blog posts on www.shefindstruth.com!

Production Notes · music - Spoke in the Wheel by Electric Tangerine Audio at http://audiojungle.net/user/ElectricTangerine · Vocal Introduction by Kena Clark ·  Intro/Outro Production by Bradley Hofbauer

Most of us have had a series of friendships that can bring up a whole host of emotions when we think about them. It occurred to me recently that some of us (me included!) might not be approaching our friendships intentionally as grownups. I think I took it for granted that friendships when I'm in my 30's would be easy and fulfilling. 

LOL

What is up with me and my unrealistic expectations of the world?! 

So here are a few of my observations:

• Friendships are potentially complicated at any age: 9,13, and 37.
• At the same time, every friendship is different. 
• Don't try to fix people. 
• People are complicated. (I say this way too many times during the show.)
• I over-analyze things. My friends know this which is helpful. 
• Being intentional about our friendships will be best in the longrun. Do it! 
• Find some wise women if you're struggling with this. 

I cited scripture during the show, but I'm only going to mention my favorites here. 

Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another. Proverbs 27:17

Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. 1 Thessalonians 5:11

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. Hebrews 10:24-25

Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. 1 Peter 4:8

Sara Groves song I love. In the show I think it's called "A Multitude of Sins" but actually it's "When It's Over" Go check it out here.

Meme Discussed:

Brene Brown on TED. 

Side tangents include the concept of "awake to your feelings."

Some books about friendship that could be useful:

Women are Scary

Friendship for Grownups

Better Together

To continue the conversation, find me on TWITTER, go to the facebook page, or email me! - [email protected].

Check out blog posts on www.shefindstruth.com!

Production Notes · music - Spoke in the Wheel by Electric Tangerine Audio at http://audiojungle.net/user/ElectricTangerine · Vocal Introduction by Kena Clark ·  Intro/Outro Production by Bradley Hofbauer

We are layered people. Not one-dimensional like the people on sitcoms. 

Me. My husband. The grocery store clerk. Everyone. 

Jesus too. 

There's way more to Him than I tend to think. 

He's layered like an onion - just like us. 

One way for us to unpeel the layers is to look at how Christ fulfills the 3 offices of prophet, priest, and king. This is called the threefold office of Jesus Christ and enlightens us on WHO God is, WHAT Jesus does, and HOW the Old Testament is totally tied into the New Testament. 

Defining prophet, priest, and king is important since the meanings now are different than the way the Bible uses them. I did this with the help of Google, a book by Henry Jacobs called Elements of Religion, and Scripture. Here are some of my links:

Elements of Religion

About prophets

About priests 

Deuteronomy 18:18

Isaiah 53:5

John 1:49

story of the woman at the well

I hope this episode was useful to you! Drop me a line and let me know what you think. I'm looking for feedback on whether this was too basic or actually useful or boring or condescending etc. Thanks so much for listening!

To continue the conversation, find me on TWITTER, go to the facebook page, or email me! - [email protected].

Check out blog posts on www.shefindstruth.com!

Production Notes · music - Spoke in the Wheel by Electric Tangerine Audio at http://audiojungle.net/user/ElectricTangerine · Vocal Introduction by Kena Clark ·  Intro/Outro Production by Bradley Hofbauer

Theology is interesting to me because I like to get to the crux of things. Analyze the snot out of them. (It's a gift. Sortof.) Hence I like critical thinking. Asking questions, finding answers. Good stuff. Which is why I'm digging deeper in this episode and asking some questions that I think probably a lot of people have but we don't talk much about. Like "Why is a sacrifice necessary to redeem us from sin?", "Is sin really that big of a deal?", and "Won't we all just go to heaven in the end?"

All of this leads me to say controversial things in this episode like:

• The Bible is not centrally about love. 
• I need a religion that is not at its core about me. 
• Why did Jesus have to die?
• Is sin inconsequential?
• Let's talk about the concept of the 2 kingdoms...
• A perfect holy God means any blemish separates us from Him. 
• Any sin we commit is a reflection of our rebellion against God. 
• We cannot sin against God and expect to be at peace with Him for eternity.

I'd love to hear what you think.

The next episode will dive into the threefold office of Christ so check that one out next!

To continue the conversation, find me on TWITTER, go to the facebook page, or email me! - [email protected].

Check out blog posts on www.shefindstruth.com!

Production Notes · music - Spoke in the Wheel by Electric Tangerine Audio at http://audiojungle.net/user/ElectricTangerine · Vocal Introduction by Kena Clark ·  Intro/Outro Production by Bradley Hofbauer

It's pretty self-explanatory. Lol Whether it's summer or not, if you feel like there's been a disconnect lately between you and your maker just because your head is filled up with other things.. then you'll probably feel right at home in this episode!

I discuss what's been going on a little and what it looks like when I do finally sit down with some quiet time. Plus I share what I've been learning about FASTING and how it might have more of a place in my life than I previously thought! 

It all comes together in this episode that will inspire you to carve out some time and rest in the faithful arms of your maker. No need to start over. You can just pick up where you left off. 

***

To continue the conversation, find me on TWITTER, go to the facebook page, or email me! - [email protected].

Check out blog posts on www.shefindstruth.com!

Production Notes · music - Spoke in the Wheel by Electric Tangerine Audio at http://audiojungle.net/user/ElectricTangerine · Vocal Introduction by Kena Clark ·  Intro/Outro Production by Bradley Hofbauer

Don't you hate it when you record a podcast one week but don't get it posted till the next? Well hate might be a strong word. I'm just glad I have one to post! 

This episode starts out me talking about how we got 4 inches of rain in these parts the night before. Interesting since a week later we got 6 inches and that's the state of things while I edited. Anyway, I wasn't treading water too much to get this thing ready, thank gooodness. 

Basically this is me re-thinking Episode 24 about God's plan and talking through some of the not-so-black-and-white aspects. This podcast and our language and our conversations have to be on-going so we can further explore this stuff and that's what today is about. Because this really is a complicated topic and we aren't God. So I think poetry helps the conversation. 

I reference the following: 

The Unwanted Necessity - My Hope for the Journey.co

Andrew Peterson's music that I want you to listen to:

You Never Let Go

The Rain Kept Falling

Dancing in the Minefields

To continue the conversation, find me on TWITTER, go to the facebook page, or email me! - [email protected].

Check out blog posts on www.shefindstruth.com!

Production Notes · music - Spoke in the Wheel by Electric Tangerine Audio at http://audiojungle.net/user/ElectricTangerine · Vocal Introduction by Kena Clark ·  Intro/Outro Production by Bradley Hofbauer

The topic of God's Plan for our lives is a complicated one. It opens up all sorts of roads of discussion about fate, destiny, happiness, grief, and intention. The reason I'm doing a show (shows actually) about it is because I think there is soo much mis-information about it and the way we casually talk about it doesn't take into consideration what God's word actually says.

On the other hand, let me be clear that I am not God and I don't know anything! If I've learned anything about the Bible it's all the times God says, guess what, I don't do things like you and you can't understand my ways and you need to get over it.

Honestly I think topics like this can be covered better in poetry and music. All the nuances, the paradoxes, the truths and realities.. it feels less like theology and more like poetry. And in this case, I say in the show, that I know I won't be answering many questions. In fact, I probably raise more than I explain. This show is like a big dining room table with a bunch of papers and items and newspaper clippings and Bible passages and some mementos on it. And we are sorting through them to see what we like and we what we don't like. What we want to keep and what we need to throw away because it's just taking up space in our brains and on our facebook feeds and it needs to be weeded out.

And after it's over we will probably have to do it again in a few other shows bc this topic is that huge. 

Links include:

All I Ever Have To Be on youtube

All I Ever Have to Be lyrics

Meme in question:

What Does the Bible Say about Joy? - at openbible.info ( I said it wrong on the podcast!)

Vocation Episode - Knowing God's Will for Your Life: Vocation

Thanks for listening! Tell your friends!

To continue the conversation, find me on TWITTER, go to the facebook page, or email me! - [email protected].

Check out blog posts on www.shefindstruth.com!

Production Notes · music - Spoke in the Wheel by Electric Tangerine Audio at http://audiojungle.net/user/ElectricTangerine · Vocal Introduction by Kena Clark ·  Intro/Outro Production by Bradley Hofbauer

Lately my brain has been swamped with emotional life stuff and I was feeling really annoyed until I remembered that everyone is dealing with something and it's just how it goes. The thing is, when we are in the thick of it it's hard to remember. 

Does God expect me to be handling this better than I am? Looks to me like the Bible tells us about all sorts of resources God has built into our lives for times such as this... 

Check out the episode and these links related to the content:

Holmes and Rahe Stress Scale

Issues Etc podcast episodes

I decided today I'm not going to link all the Bible verses. Look them up for a great way to spend some time in the Word!

Proverbs 12:15, 11:14, 15:22

2 Timothy 3:16

Hebrews 4:12

Galatians 6:12

James 1:5

Psalm 139

I Samuel 16:7

Psalm 8:4-5

To continue the conversation, find me on TWITTER, go to the facebook page, or email me! - [email protected].

Check out blog posts on www.shefindstruth.com!

Production Notes · music - Spoke in the Wheel by Electric Tangerine Audio at http://audiojungle.net/user/ElectricTangerine · Vocal Introduction by Kena Clark ·  Intro/Outro Production by Bradley Hofbauer