Into the desert we go, to lose our minds and find our souls. John Muir said it about the woods, but from what we can see in Exodus 13 and beyond, DESERTS are where God likes to meet and strengthen His people. We whip out the map and take a look at the meandering route God leads the Israelites on once they escape from Egypt. What’s the significance there? Are the wilderness seasons of our lives more important than we think?

Mindfulness practice: SILENCE

Lindsay and Marri unpack the first Passover meal and why, thousands of years later, Jesus at the Last Supper changed everything. We process the meaning of Jesus’ words to his disciples in light of the history of the people of Israel. What a story!

Mindfulness Practice: Sacrifice to Remember Meditation

Today's episode feels like why this podcast exists in the first place. Marri and Lindsay sit in the tension and rant about the disgust and discomfort of the plagues. And in the complaints, there’s an understanding that it’s in the process of wrestling with God that creates true intimacy and trust. It is possible to be messy and devoted at the same time.

Mindfulness Practice: Withholding Meditation

Lindsay and Marri mention The Prince of Egypt for the first time this season (why did it take so long!?) by taking a look at those infamous plagues. Why frogs? Why hail? Why locusts? We unpack God’s identifying statement as the “God of the Hebrews,” aligning Himself with the enslaved and marginalized.. and how He does the same for us.

Mindfulness Practice: False God Meditation

There was a phrase in Chapter 6 of Exodus that really made us pause. The “broken spirits” of the Israelites caused them to not be able to listen to Moses when he spoke the promises of God to them. The generations of slavery had left their spirits broken. Marri and Lindsay unpack this beat-down posture of the Israelites and how we can speak compassion to the broken-spirited in our own circle.

Mindfulness Practice: Loving Kindness Meditation

Today’s conversation led us to a discussion about lies - lies we believe about God and lies we believe about ourselves. When we think we understand God’s calling and then we hit an obstacle, is our first instinct to hear and believe the lies? Or to question either God’s character or our capacity? We wade into spiritual warfare and sit and meditate on the Armor of God in response.

Mindfulness Practice: Armor of God Meditation

Lindsay takes us through a discussion on leadership, based on Exodus 4 and Moses’ negotiations with God about why he is not the man for the job. What makes a leader? How do we lead well from where we are? Who suffers when we say no to leadership?

Mindfulness practice: Body Scan with Anchor Verses

The famous Burning Bush story from Exodus 3 takes the stage as Marri and Lindsay talk about calling. What qualifies us for our callings? Does imposter syndrome have a place in the kingdom? And where do we land on Kanye’s new spiritual calling?

Mindfulness practice: Turning Off the Path (includes 10 min of silence at end)

Exploring Exodus 2, Lindsay and Marri do a too-quick zoom-through of Moses’ life and then discuss the unexpected beauty and value in the ancient practice of lament, as the Israelites teach us to cry out in our pain.

Mindfulness practice: Psalm 13

Marri and Lindsay explore the Chapter 1 story of the midwives who went against Pharoah’s direct orders to save Hebrew babies. How do we respond when man’s law clashes with God’s law? How do we make wise decisions in the face of complex social/moral/political issues? We dive into some heavy topics, so buckle up.

Mindfulness practice: Wisdom in Controversial Topics