What We Really Want: Conversations About Connection

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Go to whatwereallywant.show and follow the podcast, to make sure you don't miss out on our conversation with Blake Roberts, therapist and co-founder of Three Percent Co., a new online community for men designed to help them uncover what gets in the way of being who they want to be and offers the authentic tools needed for tangible growth.

Episode 32 | Blake Roberts: It's the Three Percent will be available Tuesday, March 4th!

Awaken website
Roots Retreat Men's Intensive
Roots Retreat Women's Workshop
Awaken Men & Women's support meeting info (including virtual)

"Send us a message! (questions, feedback, etc.)"

People say, "Pain has a purpose." While we all know that's true, statements like that are often pretty unhelpful for the person in pain. Physical, emotional, relational, and spiritual pain takes a toll and can push people to doubt or even walk away from what they once believed.

Barnabas Piper is a pastor and author who has walked through a lot of his own pain. From the difficulties of growing up a pastor's kid (and a well-known pastor at that), to unexpected job loss, to an unwanted divorce, there were many experiences that led to cynicism in Barnabas' life. 

In our conversation, we talked about his story, his pain & trauma, and why it invited him closer to God rather than driving him away. About how good care from loving people was a gift from God to help him heal. And about how our presence in other people's lives - as they walk through pain - can offer them the same gift.

Barnabas is an author, speaker, podcast host, and Assistant Pastor at Immanuel Church. He is married to Laura, is the father of three kids, and lives in Nashville TN.

#barnabaspiper #immanuelchurchnashville #helpmyunblief #thepastorskid #belong #johnpiper #pain #healing #church #gospel #grace #awaken #awakenrecovery #awakenpodcast #whatwereallywant #wwrw #connection #conversation

BarnabasPiper.com

Barnabas' books on Amazon

Immanuel Church, Nashville TN

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Awaken website
Roots Retreat Men's Intensive
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Awaken Men & Women's support meeting info (including virtual)

"Send us a message! (questions, feedback, etc.)"

Go to whatwereallywant.show and follow the podcast, to make sure you don't miss out on our conversation with Barnabas Piper, author of books like The Pastor's Kid, Help My Unbelief, and Belong: Loving Your Church by Reflecting Christ to One Another and pastor at Immanuel Church Nashville.

Episode 31 | Barnabas Piper: Why Is This Worth It? will be available Tuesday, February 18th!

Awaken website
Roots Retreat Men's Intensive
Roots Retreat Women's Workshop
Awaken Men & Women's support meeting info (including virtual)

"Send us a message! (questions, feedback, etc.)"

Greg & Stacey got to meet and talk with a couple we've wanted to know for a long time... a couple offering hope for men and women harmed by toxic messages.

Sheila Wray Gregoire has been a writer and blogger for many years. But in 2021, with the release of The Great Sex Rescue (which she co-authored with Rebecca Gregoire Lindenbach and Joanna Sawatsky), she became an "infamous" name in evangelical Christian circles. The book calls out by name Christian books and authors whose messages contribute to harm within marriages and to individuals.

Along with her husband, Dr. Keith Gregoire, Sheila continues to promote the message that God intended men and women to experience incredible sexual intimacy in their marriages, and to provide resources to help people identify and heal from damaging messages they've always heard.

Their latest book, The Marriage You Want: Moving Beyond Stereotypes for a Relationship Built on Scripture, New Data, and Emotional Health, releases March 11, 2025.

#sheilawraygregoire #keithgregoire #thegreatsexrescue #themarriageyouwant #baremarriage #sexualintimacy #greatsex #gospel #grace #awaken #awakenrecovery #awakenpodcast #whatwereallywant #wwrw #connection #conversation

Sheila's website: Bare Marriage

Sheila on Instagram

Sheila & Keith's (and co-authors') books on Amazon

Video Course: The Whole Story: "The Talk" for Parents and Kids

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Roots Retreat Men's Intensive
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"Send us a message! (questions, feedback, etc.)"

Follow the show to make sure you don't miss out on our conversation with Sheila Wray Gregoire, host of the Bare Marriage podcast and author of several books including The Great Sex Rescue, and her husband Dr. Keith Gregoire, co-author of The Good Guy's Guide to Great Sex, and their upcoming book The Marriage You Want: Moving Beyond Stereotypes for a Relationship Built on Scripture, New Data, and Emotional Health which releases in March 2025.

Episode 30 | Sheila Wray Gregoire & Keith Gregoire: First Do No Harm will be available Tuesday, February 4th!

Awaken website
Roots Retreat Men's Intensive
Roots Retreat Women's Workshop
Awaken Men & Women's support meeting info (including virtual)

"Send us a message! (questions, feedback, etc.)"

Walking through a life where so many things go wrong (often so early), it's no wonder many people struggle to understand what they need or even who they really are. That's why I was so excited to talk with Ian Morgan Cron.

Ian is is an author, speaker, psychotherapist, songwriter, and Episcopal priest. He's also known for popularizing the Enneagram, a personality typing system identifying nine types of people and how they relate to one another and the world. Ian's book The Road Back to You, is considered by many to be THE authoritative primer on understanding the Enneagram.

In recovery since 1987, Ian also has a love for and belief in the efficacy of the Twelve Steps. In fact, he's written a book about it. The Fix: How the Twelve Steps Offer a Surprising Path of Transformation for the Well-Adjusted, the Down-and-Out, and Everyone In Between releases January 28, 2025.

#ianmorgancron #enneagram #theroadbacktoyou #thefix #typologypodcast #twelvesteps #purpose #gospel #grace #awaken #awakenrecovery #awakenpodcast #whatwereallywant #wwrw #connection #conversation

Ian Morgan Cron's website
Ian's books on Amazon
Typology podcast
"Self-Awareness" song by Andy Gullahorn

Awaken website
Roots Retreat Men's Intensive
Roots Retreat Women's Workshop
Awaken Men & Women's support meeting info (including virtual)

"Send us a message! (questions, feedback, etc.)"

Follow the show to make sure you don't miss out on my conversation with Ian Morgan Cron, host of the Typology podcast and author of The Road Back to You and The Fix: How the Twelve Steps Offer a Surprising Path of Transformation for the Well-Adjusted, the Down-and-Out, and Everyone In Between, releasing January 28th.

Episode 29 | Ian Morgan Cron: Desperate for a Fix will be available Tuesday, January 21st!

Awaken website
Roots Retreat Men's Intensive
Roots Retreat Women's Workshop
Awaken Men & Women's support meeting info (including virtual)

"Send us a message! (questions, feedback, etc.)"

For our first episode of 2025, Greg & Stacey talk about the first week of January, in which they have TWO significant anniversaries. The first is their wedding anniversary, but just two days later is the anniversary of Greg's "Fan Day," when his 20+ year-long addiction was exposed.

Each year, the first week of January is a chance for Greg & Stacey to reflect on where they are, what healing has looked like, and what they've learned in recovery. We hope as you listen to their 100% unscripted conversation, you'll be encouraged about what can happen when a person (or a couple) surrenders to God's process of healing and recovery.

Check out our links below, and PLEASE give us 5-stars and write a positive review wherever you get your podcasts!

#Greg Oliver #StaceyOliver #anniversary #anniversaries #fanday #therapy #counseling #recovery #sexaddiction #pornaddiction #sexualaddiction #awaken #awakenrecovery #awakenpodcast #whatwereallywant #wwrw #grace #connection #conversation

Red Therapy Group (practice in Franklin TN, offering Emotionally Focused Therapy marriage intensives)
Jenna Riemersma (expert in the Internal Family Systems model referred to in the episode)

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We're closing out 2024 with a conversation with a long-time friend of mine. David Graves is - among many other interests - a photographer who uses his camera to capture images that connect us with faith.

This year he released a book, Alabama Faith: Churches and Stained Glass. It's a collection of over 125 photos from almost 100 churches across the state of Alabama. David's desire for the book is that these pictures would remind people that there is always hope, and that no one is ever beyond redemption.

Whether it's reminiscing about on-stage worship leading blunders, growing up in a family where not going to church on Christmas was NOT an option, or needing and receiving grace when life blows up, this was a great time for me to catch up with an old friend. As you prepare to walk into a new year, we hope it will encourage you to look for glimpses of hope wherever you are.

#davidgraves #alabamafaith #stainedglass #coffeetablebook #hope #redemption #gospel #grace #awaken #awakenrecovery #awakenpodcast #whatwereallywant #wwrw #connection #conversation

Alabama Faith: Churches and Stained Glass (on Amazon)
David's photography website
David on Instragram

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Roots Retreat Men's Intensive
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Awaken Men & Women's support meeting info (including virtual)

"Send us a message! (questions, feedback, etc.)"

Known as the "Mr. Rogers of personal development," Mike Foster is a best-selling author, speaker, and executive coach empowering people to build strong lives by turning their setbacks into superpowers.

Mike is the creator of the Primal Question Framework, host of the highly acclaimed Primal Question podcast (formerly Fun Therapy), and creator of Rescue Academy, a training model for caregivers.

In our conversation we talk about curiosity and how it is an essential PRE-step to action. Curiosity helps us understand what we and others are going through, and also helps us determine what healthy actions we want and need to take. We also talk about his most recent passion, helping people identify their Primal Question, the one question that drives everything in life. 

Mike lives in San Diego. He and his wife Jennifer have two grown children and live with their fluffy dogs.

#mikefoster #primalquestion #peopleofthesecondchance #rescueacademy #funtherapy #purpose #gospel #grace #awaken #awakenrecovery #awakenpodcast #whatwereallywant #wwrw #connection #conversation

Mike Foster's website (mikefoster.tv)
The Seven Primal Questions book (on Amazon)
Primal Question free assessment (5-7 minutes to complete)
Primal Question podcast (formerly called "Fun Therapy")
Rescue Academy (coaching tools for caregivers)
People of the Second Chance

Support the show

Awaken website
Roots Retreat Men's Intensive
Roots Retreat Women's Workshop
Awaken Men & Women's support meeting info (including virtual)