Oh, the heels of last week’s mostly silly conversation, this week we got real deep, real fast! Dusty has a new sweater that made her question her political beliefs, and Christina shares about her connection to Scottish heritage. This segues into a wonderful conversation around biblical history, the importance of reverence in worship, and how apathy is the death of - well, most things - and how Dusty’s view of heaven has shifted.

LISTEN ON: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

→ scroll for the chapter breakdown + links

CHRISTINA’S LINKS: Website | Substack | Instagram

DUSTY’S LINKS: Website | Instagram | Substack

Subscribe for free to join us every week, chatting about theology, creativity, business, and whatever else we can’t stop talking about.

WHAT WE DISCUSSED:

* Dusty had a full political values crisis before buying an American flag sweater and bought it anyway.

* Christina found a Scottish poet thirty minutes before recording and ended up grieving a cultural heritage she can’t quite claim.

* Losing any real sense of cultural roots might be why so many American evangelicals can read the Bible their whole lives and still miss the point.

* Dusty burst into tears during communion as a teenager while her peers snickered

* The pendulum between white-knuckle legalism and “God loves me anyway” apathy keeps swinging, and the American church might be living out the consequences right now.

* Dusty used to genuinely not want to go to heaven, and C.S. Lewis is largely why that changed.

* There’s a yellow Tinkerbell dress Christina can’t wear to her Oxford summer ball, and what that opened up about existing in a body nobody sexualizes.

More From Christina and Dusty:

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thechristinaanddustyshow.substack.com

This week, Dusty’s frustrated about the Instagram update no one asked for, and Christina has thoughts about the final season of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. But most of our conversation centers around pop culture, the need for digital boundaries, and a desire for more light-hearted conversations in the online space.

WHAT WE DISCUSSED:

* Dusty’s reaction to Instagram’s new disappearing content feature is a face that says everything you need to know.

* Why the bot purge on Instagram might actually be the beginning of social media collapsing in on itself.

* The question every parent is quietly wrestling with — when do you actually give your kid a phone, and what do you do in the meantime.

* Why Substack being desktop-first might be its most underrated feature, and what that means for people trying to break a scrolling habit.

* The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel ending has people divided — and it says a lot about how you see women and ambition.

* Tolkien vs. George R.R. Martin as a proxy for two completely different beliefs about whether humans are capable of redemption.

* Dusty got banned from watching Grease as a child for repeating something Rizzo said, and she has not recovered.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thechristinaanddustyshow.substack.com

Christina has new hair (and a lot of feelings about it), and Dusty gets on her soapbox about trad wife culture, slow living, and what ambition is actually supposed to look like. They get into the pressures placed on men and women, why good friendship matters so much, and why we're all so grateful for long-form content these days. Dusty's got exciting book news, and Christina is still buried in her Oxford philosophy papers (because Philosophy is…a lot, and the surgery really didn't help).

→ scroll for the chapter breakdown + links

LISTEN ON: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

CHRISTINA’S LINKS: Website | Substack | Instagram

DUSTY’S LINKS: Website | Instagram | Substack

LINKS MENTIONED:

No Dumb Questions Podcast

Subscribe for free to join us every week, chatting about theology, creativity, business, and whatever else we can't stop talking about.

WHAT WE DISCUSSED:

* Christina realized her hair was a security blanket after chopping most of it off.

* Why trad wife culture, slow living, and hustle culture might all be lies we keep falling for.

* What “holy ambition” actually looks like when the world only rewards visible metrics.

* Why downplaying the weight of fatherhood ends up hurting everyone, not just men.

* The reason men can’t “chit chat” the way women do — and the edge women don’t realize they have.

* Why long-form content might be the last sane corner of the internet (AI ads, we’re looking at you).

More from Dusty and Christina:

If you enjoyed this episode, would you please share it and let us know what stood out!

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thechristinaanddustyshow.substack.com

We start where we always do — in the thick of real life — with a rogue robin, a bird loose in Christina's attic, and Dusty getting hacked at 2am. Things get a little heavier from there as Christina opens up about something that's had her genuinely grieved and glued to her phone, which spills into one of those conversations about discernment and digital noise that we could honestly talk about for hours. Dusty also has book news — the kind we've been hoping for — and we get into what the road to publishing actually looks like, why Christian writers can't afford to stay silent, and what we both wanted to be when we grew up.

CHRISTINA’S LINKS: Website | Substack | Instagram

DUSTY’S LINKS: Website | Instagram | Substack

WHAT WE DISCUSSED:

* We finally got to the bottom of why Filbert the Robin won’t stop attacking the windows.

* Someone tried to steal from Dusty in the middle of the night — and she almost missed it.

* Christina’s long-overdue essays are finally in, and we’re celebrating accordingly. (!!!)

* When do you speak, and when do you stay silent? A question neither of us has a clean answer to.

* Dusty has some very exciting book news she’s been waiting to share.

* A moment from Christina’s feed that stopped us both cold and felt like a rallying cry for Christian writers.

* What Christina’s Wind & Breath workshops are, how they work, and how to join.

* What we each wanted to be when we grew up.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thechristinaanddustyshow.substack.com

LISTEN ON: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

Dusty has a kamikaze robin trying to break in (Filbert, thank you very much), and Christina has a rose bush that’s carrying way more emotional weight than a plant should have to carry.

Today, we talk about why feeding ourselves can be such a challenge, which dovetails into a lively conversation around self-care, soul care, and Dusty’s framework for not letting her days get away from her.

The heart of it, though, is Christina naming that her perfectionism might be quietly feeding her depression, and how Oxford is gently dismantling an identity she didn’t realize she’d built. We end up somewhere I didn’t see coming — a charcoal fire, John 21, and the way God tends to redeem broken things rather than erase them.

CHRISTINA’S LINKS: Website | Substack | Instagram

DUSTY’S LINKS: Website | Instagram | Substack

LINKS MENTIONED:

* The book Christina is reading: The Anti-Inflammatory 30-Day Reset by Sophie Richards - Get it in the UK | Get it in the US

* The book Dusty’s reading - Courageously Soft: Daring to Keep a Tender Heart in a Tough World | Amazon UK

* Gentle and Lowly: The Heart of Christ for Sinners and Sufferers by Dane Ortlund - Get it here

* 40 Plant Challenge by Brie Townsend

* Root and Brand Nutrition on Instagram

WE DISUCSS:

* A plant is just a plant. It’s okay to release something whose symbolism has soured.

* Caring for your body isn’t selfish.

* Across most diets that “work,” the common denominator is cutting ultra-processed foods.

* Perfectionism served you once — be kind to that version of you as you let it go.

* The all-or-nothing trap is often what’s feeding the depression underneath.

* At its root, perfectionism is a trust issue.

* Break your day into quarters. A rough morning doesn’t have to scrap the whole day.

* Slow living isn’t always a choice — sometimes it’s a surrender, and there’s intimacy with Christ in it.

* God doesn’t always remove our brokenness, but He is always redeeming it.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thechristinaanddustyshow.substack.com

Christina and Dusty talk about why they are pissed as punch. Dusty’s daughter got an eye injury, Christina’s husband is sick, and they both need a minute to wallow about well, everything. Once they (we) get it together, we pray and talk about how good our God is, even in the midst of trials, blasphemy, bad leadership (thanks, Trump), and whatever nonsense the world throws our way.

LISTEN ON: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

We’d love for fo you to join us each week! Subscribe below for free.

CHRISTINA’S LINKS: Website | Substack | Instagram

DUSTY’S LINKS: Website | Instagram | Substack

What we talk about:

* Humility and discernment are crucial in navigating current cultural and political chaos

* President Trump’s AI image painting himself as Jesus

* Prayer and scripture provide peace and clarity amid overwhelm

* Christian traditions and community offer stability and meaning

* Recognizing and speaking out against blasphemy and heresy is vital for believers

Thanks for reading The Christina & Dusty Show! This post is public so feel free to share it.

LAST WEEK:

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thechristinaanddustyshow.substack.com

A conversation about why failure is an important part of creativity.

Christina and Dusty talk about seasonal drink preferences and why Squarespace is better than Showit. Dusty shares updates about her solo Company Retreat and how she’s working on submitting a sample chapter to a literary agent. Christina shares a story about her neighbor’s butt and the importance of letting ourselves pursue creativity even if it’s not “publishable,” which sparked an incredible conversation around the value of not hiding or dwelling in our public failures.

LISTEN ON: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

CHRISTINA’S LINKS: Website | Substack | Instagram

DUSTY’S LINKS: Website | Instagram | Substack

Chapters

00:00 Adorable Greetings and Garden Adventures

02:54 The Allure of Gardening and Nature

05:51 Dreaming of Devon and Cornwall

08:59 The Healing Power of the Sea

11:58 Travel Plans and Nostalgic Memories

14:53 Unexpected Adventures and Hospital Tales

16:46 Seasonal Sips: Changing Tastes in Alcoholic Beverages

21:09 Reflections on Retreat: Personal Growth and Writing Progress

27:59 Navigating the Writing Process: Embracing Imperfection

34:14 Artistic Journeys: The Intersection of Creativity and Self-Discovery

36:34 Embracing Failure and Resilience in Leadership

39:36 The Paradox of Social Media and Creativity

42:33 Navigating the Pressure of Perfection

45:21 Intentionality and Surrender in Ambition

48:25 The Evolution of Blogging and Content Creation

57:30 Navigating Website Design: Showit vs. Squarespace

01:01:17 Client Management and Website Maintenance

01:02:07 Course Offerings and Pricing Strategies

01:05:29 Balancing Perfectionism and Productivity

01:09:43 Building Community Through Writing Sessions

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thechristinaanddustyshow.substack.com

Christina and Dusty share a candid and lively conversation about fasting, spiritual practices, and spiritual warfare. Christian shares about all that she’s learned through Lent, and Dusty shares about her conviction to start fasting and embrace this spiritual practice as God so graciously commands.

LISTEN ON: Here on Substack, on Apple Podcasts, or on Spotify - or wherever you get your podcasts. Just search “The Christina and Dusty Show” in your favorite podcast player!

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CHRISTINA’S LINKS: Website | Substack | Instagram

DUSTY’S LINKS: Website | Instagram | Substack

WE TALK ABOUT:

* The significance of prayer and fasting in spiritual growth

* Biblical stories illustrating Jesus’ humanity and divine nature

* Theological reflections on the Trinity and Incarnation

* The role of spiritual warfare and the importance of spiritual tools

* Personal struggles with academic and spiritual challenges, personal journey with fasting

* Fasting as a spiritual discipline

* Overcoming discomfort in fasting

* Trusting God’s grace during fasting

If you enjoyed this episode of The Christina & Dusty Show, tell people about it!

MORE FROM DUSTY & CHRISTINA:

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thechristinaanddustyshow.substack.com

Christina and Dusty share an honest (albeit meandering) conversation about mental overload and theology (per our usual). Christina talks about how few of the biblical commentaries she’s reading for her Oxford studies are in English, and Dusty shares a few tweaks in her routine that have made all the difference. Plus, we have a lengthy discussion about Firefly and Gilmore Girls, because who doesn’t love a good fandom?

LISTEN ON: Here on Substack, on Apple Podcasts, or on Spotify - or wherever you get your podcasts. Just search “The Christina and Dusty Show” in your favorite podcast player!

Subscribe to get new episodes in your inbox!

CHRISTINA’S LINKS: Website | Substack

DUSTY’S LINKS: Website | Instagram

Chapters

* 00:00 - Navigating Life’s Chaos

* 02:50 - The Struggles of Academic Reading

* 05:39 - Engaging with Biblical Scholarship

* 08:39 - The Challenge of Interpretation

* 11:26 - Wrestling with Theological Concepts

* 14:24 - The Relevance of Scripture

* 17:08 - The Future of Biblical Understanding

* 26:43 - Unexpected Adventures and Travel Tales

* 33:08 - Daily Routines and Family Dynamics

* 38:31 - Inventions and Problem Solving

* 44:19 - Morning Rituals and Personal Time

* 52:28 - Melancholy and Hope: The Periwinkle Mood

* 53:04 - Fandoms and Pop Culture: A Shared Love

* 53:56 - Exploring Firefly: A Space Western Adventure

* 55:33 - Commitment to TV Shows: The Journey of Watching

* 57:29 - The Disappointment of Revivals: Gilmore Girls and Maisel

* 58:49 - Character Development: The Downfall of Rory

* 01:01:04 - The Impact of Storytelling: Humanity’s Connection to Fiction

* 01:02:37 - The Weight of Expectations: Fan Reactions to Series Endings

* 01:05:42 - Personal Connections: Stories and Life Experiences

* 01:08:20 - Revisiting Characters: The Complexity of Relationships

* 01:11:17 - The Color of the Day: Emotional Reflections

LAST WEEK ON THE PODCAST:

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thechristinaanddustyshow.substack.com

Dusty and Christina share health and business updates. And we explore our approaches to Bible study routines, spiritual discipline, and Christina shares what she's learned about fasting. Enjoy!

CHRISTINA’S LINKS: Website | Substack

DUSTY’S LINKS: Website | Instagram

LINKS MENTIONED:

* KJ Ramsey’s ‘The Place Between Our Pain’

* Percolator coaching program

* Pick Up Your Sword Writing Course

* Blue Letter Bible App: (Free app!)

* She Reads Truth Bible Reading Plans

Chapters

* 00:00 - Catch-Up and Hair Talk

* 11:58 - Navigating Haircuts and Expectations

* 12:38 - Surgery Experience and Healthcare Insights

* 28:00 - Navigating Personal Challenges and Health Updates

* 38:02 - Struggles with Medical Care and Endometriosis

* 47:57 - Family Dynamics and Support Systems

* 53:37 - Teaching, Coaching, and Community Engagement

* 53:45 - Adapting Course Formats for Better Engagement

* 55:19 - Building Community Through Group Learning

* 58:54 - Redefining the Percolator Experience

* 59:20 - Navigating Bible Study Routines

* 01:03:05 - Engaging with Scripture: Personal Approaches

* 01:13:33 - The Authority of Scripture and Interpretation

* 01:22:17 - Embracing Grumpiness in Worship

* 01:25:26 - The Journey of Commitment in Faith

* 01:27:08 - The Challenge of Fasting and Spiritual Discipline

* 01:32:02 - Creative Outlets and Writing Process

* 01:33:45 - Exciting Discoveries and Personal Announcements

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thechristinaanddustyshow.substack.com