Stephanie's experience with her ex-boyfriend is long and frustrating, but when you've been conditioned to make yourself small to make room for someone else for so long, it can simply feel like second nature.  

She's come an incredibly long way when it comes to realizing she deserves to take up space, speak up for herself, be happy, and know when to ask for and receive help and I'm thankful for her willingness to hold nothing back in telling her story.


CW: Domestic violence, sexual assault, rape, suicidal ideation, and body shaming.

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Lena connected with Daniel in very personal ways and he treated her like she was rocking his world.  When his behavior oddly shifted, she took note but didn't have enough evidence to prove herself right... until she had a dream that drove her to investigate further and uncover more than she ever suspected. 

 Sometimes we have to walk something out fully in order to fully decide that our intuition is right... and something IS very wrong.

CW: Abortion 

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I had a one-in-a-million encounter while in Mexico this week that couldn't NOT be told.

Instead of missing this week's episode due to a crazy schedule, we're sitting down for another session of "Storytime with Sara" - and if you notice anything funky with the music or audio, it's because I threw this together myself without the usual help of a professional and finally gave up.  It was either get this episode out today or wait until next week, and waiting just wasn't an option!

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Want me to read your story for you? Write "Minisode Story" in the subject line!

As we know, toxic people don't just show up in romantic relationships... family members can wreak havoc and cause deep stress in our lives, too.

Mia recounts growing up with her stepsister, Hilary, and how years of patterns of behavior led to her making the scary decision to cut her out of her life.  It meant drawing boundaries that other family members wouldn't understand or support, but she stood up for herself and finally drew a line.

She recounts insight and support she's gleaned through her therapist and information she's learned through research that helps shed light on "Vulnerable Narcissism" that we hope will be validating to anyone who needs it!

CW: Suicidal ideation, animal death

Instagram Account Referenced by Mia: @therelationshiprecovery

Article on Vulnerable Narcissism 

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Six months later, Elle is still dating the guy she met the night before we recorded her episode... and the healthy dynamics are rocking her traumatized world.

We talk about the upsides AND struggles of accepting something healthy and healing after multiple dysfunctional relationships, and where Elle is now.  This was a very exciting and fulfilling episode to record!  May it infuse hope to whoever needs it, whether your healing comes in the form of a new relationship or not.

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Warner was everything Elle had been looking for:  Admired as a Godly man, a position of leadership in church ministry, well-admired, athletic, and passionate.   She developed a huge crush on him after working with him in ministry, and very soon she found herself with her dream wedding booked and fast approaching.

She was in so deep that she brushed off subtle jokes at her expense, inconsistencies in his character, and the intrusive, hurtful questions from his family.  It was her first time dating a "Godly Christian man," and he was telling her he was in love with her.  

CW: Rape, spiritual abuse. 

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Kerri's boyfriend finally pushes her to her limits, and everything clicks.   She's done, she gets out, and for a while, she's never felt so free.   She sets out to make up for lost time until a few months later when the reality of her experience crashes in on her and she is diagnosed with CPTSD.

Resources mentioned:
OneLove #ThatsNotLove Commercial
OneLove Website
No More's "Text Talk" Commercial

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When Kerri met Scott, it felt like the pieces were falling together.  They were the ideal Instagram couple, and within a month Kerri was ready to marry him.   No one had ever made her feel the way he did.

Within months, Kerri's life looked nothing like it used to. She was isolated from important friendships, walking on eggshells, and living in fear of someone she thought she loved who controlled every aspect of her life.


CW: Domestic violence, suicidal ideation

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Want me to read your story for you? Write "Minisode Story" in the subject line!

Solo episode time!  After a nightmare circus of a broken engagement, what were the green flags that told me marrying my now husband was the right choice?  What gave me peace and reassured me that this would be different and I could trust myself again?

I make myself laugh, I make myself cry... it's a one-way conversation about the comparison game of dating that hopefully you'll relate to in some ways.   May this reach and reassure whoever needs to hear it!

If you enjoyed this kind of episode and would like to hear more, please let me know! 

CW: Infertility

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Anna makes the discoveries that would finally give her the strength to move on, then we dive into building her new life and navigating the dating world from a very new set of eyes.

Need some hope for a future relationship?  We both share about how much we enjoy our current marriages, and Anna talks about how different her husband's approach was from the very start compared to her ex.  

Sustain the podcast with a cup of coffee! buymeacoffee.com/spaceandpurpose
My Instagram: @spaceandpurpose
Share your story: [email protected]
Want me to read your story for you? Write "Minisode Story" in the subject line!