The Beloved podcast

In this episode we hear from Elizabeth, talking to Zechariah as she waits for a visit from Mary and responding to her Magnificat. Clare reflects on this monologue and leads us towards spending time in praise. Within the episode the following scripture is referenced:

Luke 1:39-55

Isaiah 55:11

1 Samuel 2:1

In this episode we hear from a woman in the crowd at the Sermon on the Mount, as she hears Jesus teach us to pray. Iffa reflects on this monologue and leads us in praying this most perfect of prayers. Within the episode the following scripture is referenced Mt. 5: 1-12

Mt. 6: 7-13

Lk. 11: 1-4

Dt. 8: 3

Introducing and looking forward to season 5 of the Beloved Podcast, which starts on Ash Wednesday, 14th February.

In this episode Iffa is joined by Jenny Lochner and Anna Bailey. We discuss Emmanuel, Word made flesh, look back at 2020 and forward to Epiphany and the new year. This is the last episode of this season, but The Beloved Podcast will return for a new season in Lent! Make sure you have subscribed using your podcast app if you want to ensure you are notified when it is released.

You can also join our mailing list to keep up to date with all things Beloved by emailing [email protected]

Journaling questions

1. How well do you love yourself, body and soul? Are there any areas of your perception of your physical or spiritual being that you want to change?

2. In what ways do you use your body in prayer? In what ways do you use your body to show the glory of God to others?

3. What day to day challenges have you faced during 2020? Have you recognised any particular blessings amongst the challenges? How have you responded to your experiences?

4. In what ways have you seen God at work in people / in the world during 2020? How has your faith been affected?

5. What do you feel about new year resolutions? Does your relationship with the Lord guide any resolutions that you make? What might your ‘Yes’ to God be during the coming year?

6. Do you find it easy or challenging to depend on God as his child? What does being a child of God mean for you?

If you have enjoyed the podcast, we invite you to prayerfully consider donating to the work of Sion Community, by going to https://www.sioncommunity.org.uk/ and clicking the donate button.

Do you use Facebook? We invite you to join our Facebook group to find others who are listening to the podcast and to share the experience, the challenges and the blessings that come from it. https://www.facebook.com/groups/belovedministry/?ref=share

In this episode Jenny Lochner returns and Iffa is also joined by Jo Casey. We discuss the Holy Family, our own families and waiting on God's promises.

Journaling questions

1. What Christmas traditions do you have that help you to grow in wisdom, favour and relationship with Jesus?

2. How do you seek to share Faith with those you love?

(Reflect on the following questions to help you think about this:

What has worked for you in the past and what have you learnt is unhelpful?

Do you try to talk about your faith?

Or pray for their conversion?

On what way do you seek to witness your faith through your actions?

Do you tend to listen before you act or act before you listen when you are sharing Gods word with others?

3. Are you waiting on a particular promise God has given you in your life? Write down His promises to you in order to reclaim them afresh. Do you find it hard to trust in God’s promises?

4. How can you bring the truth of the message of Christmas into your everyday life?

5. How can you prepare for ordinary time when perhaps you may have spiritually ‘fallow’ times? How can you keep encountering the Beloved in your everyday life?

If you have enjoyed the podcast, we invite you to prayerfully consider donating to the work of Sion Community, by going to https://www.sioncommunity.org.uk/ and clicking the donate button.

Do you use Facebook? We invite you to join our Facebook group to find others who are listening to the podcast and to share the experience, the challenges and the blessings that come from it. https://www.facebook.com/groups/belovedministry/?ref=share

This week Iffa is joined by Alice Hall and Kasia Bieganska to discuss the great example of Mary, and how we can take her for our model over the whole octave of Christmas

Journaling questions

Reflecting on the presence of Mary in the gospels, can you identify her quiet presence in your life? If so, where? If not, consider asking her to journey with you as you seek to encounter her son this Christmas.

Are there any particular ‘knots’ you are experiencing in yourself /your life at the moment you could bring to Mary in prayer for her to present to Jesus this Christmas?

Can you recognise either rebellion or resignation rather than a fully consensual ‘Yes’ to who God is calling You to be at this time? (Book Recommendation: Interior Freedom by Jacques Philippe)

How can you make space and time simply to ‘BE’ with our Beloved Emmanuel this Christmas Octave?

If you want to dig further into your relationship with Mary, we recommend another podcast; Abiding Together. Their 4 week advent series is all about Mary. https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/abiding-together/id1206416686

If you have enjoyed the podcast, we invite you to prayerfully consider donating to the work of Sion Community, by going to https://www.sioncommunity.org.uk/ and clicking the donate button.

Do you use Facebook? We invite you to join our Facebook group to find others who are listening to the podcast and to share the experience, the challenges and the blessings that come from it. https://www.facebook.com/groups/belovedministry/?ref=share

This week Iffa is joined by Jenny Lochner and Cassie Hall, talking about how Jesus surprises us and being open to, recognising and telling others about this.

Journaling questions

In this season of covid, of Advent, of waiting for the Lord to come, how is God changing my perspective?

How is He drawing my gaze to Him?

How am I preparing the way / creating space for an encounter with the the Beloved this advent?

Am I expectant to encounter Him and to lead others to encounter Him this Christmas?

Who are the people who have (and maybe continue) to lead my to Christ? Who are the people who listen and ask, 'have you prayed'? - how? why?

How do people know I am a follower of Christ?

If you have enjoyed the podcast, we invite you to prayerfully consider donating to the work of Sion Community, by going to https://www.sioncommunity.org.uk/ and clicking the donate button.

Do you use Facebook? We invite you to join our Facebook group to find others who are listening to the podcast and to share the experience, the challenges and the blessings that come from it. https://www.facebook.com/groups/belovedministry/?ref=share

In this episode Iffa is joined by Alice Hall and Fiona Whitehead as we consider how we can prepare the way for our Beloved this advent.

Journaling questions

How will I prepare my heart for Jesus this advent? What is the Spirit calling me to?

How do you feel about the work of healing and transformation God is doing or wants to do in your life?

How do you experience convictions of sin? Do you struggle with condemnation of yourself or others? Read Romans 8:1 and see what God wants to say to you about this?

In what areas do we need to work on loving and caring for ourselves? How does God want to love, help and care for you at this time?

How better can you love and reach out others or share your faith with them in this season and how can you help to prepare the Bride/a Gift for the coming Bridegroom?

If you have enjoyed the podcast, we invite you to prayerfully consider donating to the work of Sion Community, by going to https://www.sioncommunity.org.uk/ and clicking the donate button.

Do you use Facebook? We invite you to join our Facebook group to find others who are listening to the podcast and to share the experience, the challenges and the blessings that come from it. https://www.facebook.com/groups/belovedministry/?ref=share

In this first episode of the Beloved Podcast, Iffa Willis is joined by Alice Hall and Jenny Lochner, as we discuss staying awake during the first week of advent.

Journaling questions

What is your response to the challenge to radically define yourself as God’s beloved and that this definition is the only one that isn’t an illusion?

If you have attended a Beloved weekend - take some time to look back at what the Lord showed you on that retreat and the journey since.

In what ways this Advent can you make ‘staying awake’ to this truth a priority?

If you have enjoyed the podcast, we invite you to prayerfully consider donating to the work of Sion Community, by going to https://www.sioncommunity.org.uk/ and clicking the donate button.

Alice and Iffa invite you to return to the Beloved podcast episodes we started with from 2020, which will take us through the four Sundays of Advent and the first two Sundays of Christmastide.