Wholistic Hearts- A Journey from the Head to the Heart, Encounters with Jesus

How would you write Jesus' story? How would you write a letter describing Emmanuel in your own life?

📱 Instagram: @kristinfieldschadwick 📘 Facebook: Kristin Fields Chadwick 🌐 Website: www.kristinfieldschadwick.com ✉️ Email: [email protected]

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What if Christmas could mean something real again—not just the hustle and tinsel, but something honest that speaks to the chaos we're all feeling?

As I lean into creative rest this December, I'm re-airing one of my most beloved Advent interviews with artist and author Scott Erickson about his stunning book Honest Advent. This conversation absolutely changed how I see Christmas.

Scott shares how he went from feeling disconnected from Christmas ("elves and reindeer and buy stuff") to discovering the profound vulnerability in the Incarnation story. He invites us into an honest hope—not cheap or shallow, but real hope that can hold the weight of our exhausted, divided world.

In this conversation, we explore:

• Why creativity is a backdoor to what's really happening in our hearts
• The "haunting" or invitation we feel toward creating and saying yes to something more
• How Scott transitioned from art teacher to full-time artist and what that cost him
• Why paying attention to Mary's embodied experience and vulnerability matters for all of us
• The cost of divine revelation
• How the Incarnation—God becoming fully human—invites us to pay attention to our own humanity and find God in our midst

Scott's perspective is refreshing, honest, and deeply creative. His book Honest Advent has become one of my go-to resources every December, and I flip through it in the mornings letting his art and essays speak to my heart.

If you've ever felt like Christmas has lost its meaning in the midst of a complex, chaotic world—this conversation is for you. Because the offering of Advent is the offering of hope. And an honest Advent leads us to an honest hope.

Scott Erickson is a touring painter, performance artist, and creative instigator. His work focuses on the collision of art, spirituality, and meaning-making through meditative art pieces that open backdoors to the heart. He's the author of several books including Honest Advent, Prayer: Forty Days of Practice, and Say Yes: Discover the Surprising Life Beyond the Death of a Dream.

Book: Honest Advent by Scott Erickson Available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Target, local bookstores, and at HonestAdvent.com

Follow Scott's Work: Instagram: @scottthepainter (His daily art posts are absolutely worth following!) Website: scottericksonart.com

"Revelation is a hard gift to receive. You must give up everything else to receive it." - Scott Erickson

"I don't want Christmas to feel insignificant in a complex and chaotic world. Can celebrating Christmas mean anything this year? My belief is yes. My hope is yes."

"We find a God who's not insulating itself from the human experience, but is fully participating in it. And so then we, in our full human participation, can find God in our midst."

"I want an honest Advent because the offering of Advent is the offering of hope. Not a cheap hope, not a shallow hope, but a real honest hope that can deal with the realities of the world we find ourselves in."

As I mentioned in last week's episode on Sacred Rest, I'm taking creative rest this December. That means I'm re-airing some of my most impactful Advent content and encounters rather than creating brand new episodes from scratch. Rest isn't failure—it's faithfulness. And I'm modeling what I preach.

• More Advent encounters to prepare your heart for Christmas
• Holistic wellness update for 2026
• Continuing our journey through the Psalms in the new year

📱 Instagram: @kristinfieldschadwick

📘 Facebook: Kristin Fields Chadwick

🌐 Website: www.kristinfieldschadwick.com

✉️ Email: [email protected]

💚 Want to join the 10K Steps & Vitamin D Challenge? Message me on Instagram or Facebook and I'll add you to our group chat!

☕ Support the Podcast: buymeacoffee.com/kristinchadwick

Know someone who needs an honest hope this Advent? Share this episode with them! Tag me @kristinfieldschadwick on Instagram and let me know what resonated with you.

Wholistic Hearts Podcast Hosted by Kristin Fields Chadwick Where we encounter Jesus through Christian meditation and imagination From the head to the heart

#WholisticHearts #HonestAdvent #ScottErickson #AdventSeason #ChristianArt #HonestHope #CreativeRest #Incarnation

Are you running on empty this December? You might be getting enough sleep but still feeling exhausted. That's because physical rest is only one piece of the puzzle.

In this episode, I'm diving into Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith's powerful framework of the 7 types of rest—and I'm guessing at least one of them is going to make your heart leap (or your stomach clench) as the Holy Spirit highlights where you're most depleted right now.

We'll explore:

✨ Physical Rest - Why sleep alone isn't enough

✨ Mental Rest - Quieting the constant mental chatter

✨ Spiritual Rest - Moving from knowing ABOUT God to intimately KNOWING Him

✨ Emotional Rest - Permission to not be "fine" all the time

✨ Social Rest - Saying yes to life-giving relationships and no to draining ones

✨ Sensory Rest - Relief from constant digital stimulation

✨ Creative Rest - Receiving beauty instead of always producing it

This Advent season is the perfect time to evaluate where Holy Spirit is inviting you to rest. Because how can we make space for Jesus to come if we're running on fumes?

I'm also getting vulnerable about taking my own creative rest this month and inviting you to join me in a 10K steps and Vitamin D challenge. Let's walk this journey together—literally!

🌟 There are 7 distinct types of rest—you can be rested in one area but completely depleted in another

🌟 Rest isn't laziness or failure—it's faithfulness and stewardship of what God has given you

🌟 Your worth isn't tied to your productivity; the Sabbath principle declares this truth

🌟 Advent is about preparation and making space—what if rest is part of your spiritual preparation?

🌟 You don't have to fix all 7 areas at once—listen to where Holy Spirit is highlighting your greatest need

📚 Book: Sacred Rest: Recover Your Life, Renew Your Energy, Restore Your Sanity by Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith

🎯 Take the Free Rest Quiz: restquiz.com

Discover your primary rest deficit in just 5 minutes. Take it prayerfully and ask God to reveal the truth about where you need restoration.

✅ Take the rest quiz at restquiz.com

✅ Choose ONE type of rest to focus on this week

✅ Ask Holy Spirit daily: "How are You inviting me to rest today?"

✅ Join the 10K Steps & Vitamin D Challenge (see below!)

✅ Stay tuned for upcoming Advent encounter episodes

I'd love to stay connected with you! Here's where you can find me:

📱 Instagram: @kristinfieldschadwick

Follow for daily encouragement, behind-the-scenes, and join the 10K challenge!

📘 Facebook: Kristin Fields Chadwick

Connect with me and catch up on Facebook stories

🎙️ Wholistic Hearts Podcast: [Subscribe on your favorite platform]

New encounters and episodes to help you know Jesus intimately, not just know ABOUT Him

🌐 Website: www.kristinfieldschadwick.com

Learn more about retreats, coaching, and the Head to Heart Journey

✉️ Email: [email protected]

I'd love to hear from you! Share what type of rest Holy Spirit is highlighting for you.

☕ Buy Me a Coffee: buymeacoffee.com/kristinchadwick

If this episode blessed you and you want to support the continuation of Wholistic Hearts, I'd be so grateful! Your support helps me continue creating content that invites you into deeper encounters with Jesus.

Every coffee helps keep the podcast going and allows me to create more resources for your journey from head to heart. 💛

🎄 I'm taking creative rest this December by sharing some beloved Advent encounters from previous seasons. Stay tuned for guided meditations and Christmas-centered content to help you prepare your heart for Jesus this Advent season.

Wholistic Hearts Podcast

Hosted by Kristin Fields Chadwick

Where we encounter Jesus through Christian meditation and imagination

From the head to the heart

#WholisticHearts #SacredRest #AdventPreparation #ChristianPodcast #RestInGod #FaithJourney #KingdomRest

Sometimes the deepest healing happens not in the explaining, but in the encountering.

After exploring the beautiful paradox of Psalm 8 in our previous teaching episode, we now step into an intimate guided encounter with Jesus. This is where head knowledge moves to heart experience—where the truth of who God says you are becomes real, lived, felt.

In this guided meditation, you'll be invited to:

• Step into your favorite place in God's creation through your holy imagination
• Stand in awe of the work of His fingers—the moon, the stars, the vast expanse of His glory
• Visualize Jesus beside you, watching you take in His creation
• Receive the crown of glory and honor that God places on your head
• Hear the Father speak over what He has entrusted to your care—your heart, your family, your calling, your legacy
• Respond in worship just as David did: "O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth"

This encounter is for anyone who has ever felt too small to matter, too insignificant to be seen, too ordinary to carry glory. Friend, the God who created galaxies is mindful of you. He sees you. He knows you. And He is crowning you today.

How to Use This Episode:

Find a quiet space where you can be intentional, focused, and fully present with the Holy Spirit. Turn off distractions. Have a journal nearby to capture what God reveals to you. This isn't background listening—this is an invitation to encounter.

Journal Prompts:

1. Where did you go on an adventure with God?
2. What did your crown look like when Jesus placed it on your head?
3. What words did Jesus speak over you during this encounter?
4. What has God entrusted to your care?
5. How is He inviting you to steward it?

Find the Encountering the Book of Psalms playlist on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4GVleV8Nnb1fgeuJpPAyaX?si=4adffcbba8cf4fcc

Music by: Cody Martin through Soundstripe

Connect & Share

Share your encounter experiences with us at:

• https://www.wholisticheartspodcast.com
• https://instagram.com/wholisticheartspodcast
• https://facebook.com/kristenfieldschadwick

Thank you for your support through Buy Me a Coffee: coff.ee/kchadwick

Have you ever stood before something vast—the ocean, the mountains, a sky full of stars—and felt both incredibly small and strangely significant at the same time?

In this episode, we're exploring Psalm 8, one of the most beautiful paradoxes in all of Scripture. It's David's response to standing under the night sky, looking up at God's creation, and asking the question we've all asked: "What is man that You are mindful of him?"

Here's the tension we're unpacking today: We ARE small in the grand scheme of the universe. But we matter—deeply, personally, intimately—because we matter to Him.

In this teaching, you'll discover:

• The beautiful paradox of being both small and significant in God's eyes
• What it means to be made "a little lower than God" and crowned with glory and honor
• How the simple praise of a child has the power to silence the enemy
• The truth about dominion—what God has entrusted to your care and how to steward it well
• Why worship is the only appropriate response when we truly see who God is and who we are in Him

If you've ever felt overlooked, insignificant, or wondered if you really matter in the grand scheme of things, this episode is for you. Because the God who created galaxies still knows your name. The God who hung the stars is mindful of you.

Next Episode Preview:

Don't miss our Psalm 8 Encounter—a guided meditation experience where we'll drop into that secret place with God and let these truths move from your head to your heart. Find a quiet space, grab your journal, and get ready to truly experience being seen, known, and crowned by your Father.

Worship Song Recommendations:

• "What Is Man" by Jon Thurlow
• "How Great Thou Art"
• "Good Good Father" by Chris Tomlin
• "Indescribable" by Chris Tomlin

Journal Prompts:

1. Describe a time when you stood before God's creation and felt small. What did that moment reveal to you about God? About yourself?
2. God says you are "crowned with glory and honor." Does that feel true to you right now? If not, what lies have you been believing about your significance?
3. What has God entrusted to your care? How are you stewarding it? Where might He be inviting you to step more fully into the authority He's given you?

Find the Encountering the Book of Psalms playlist on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4GVleV8Nnb1fgeuJpPAyaX?si=4ad5b4ecd39044ee

Connect & Share

Share your experiences with us at:

• https://www.wholisticheartspodcast.com
• https://instagram.com/wholisticheartspodcast
• https://facebook.com/kristenfieldschadwick

Thank you for your support through Buy Me a Coffee coff.ee/kchadwick

Sometimes the deepest healing happens not in the explaining, but in the encountering.

After exploring the raw authenticity of David in Psalm 7, we now step into an intimate guided encounter with God, Our Truth Teller. This is where head knowledge moves to heart experience—where the truth of who God says you are replaces the lies spoken over you.

In this guided encounter, you'll be invited to:

• Enter your secret place where you feel safest with God
• Allow the Father to examine your heart with kindness (because His kindness leads us to repentance)
• Lay down false accusations, arrows of slander, and hurtful words at Jesus' feet
• Experience the Father as the Great Heart Surgeon, gently removing what has wounded you
• Receive the truth of your identity as He stitches your heart with words of life
• Offer praise to the One who loves you so much He went bankrupt in heaven for you

Just as David moved from being slandered to becoming a singer, you too can walk through the process of healing and emerge worshiping the One who sees you fully in your kingdom identity.

This encounter is for anyone who has been falsely accused, spoken about unkindly, or is carrying the weight of offensive words. God is not afraid of your messy—He's the greatest heart surgeon there is.

How to Use This Episode:

Find a quiet space where you can be intentional, focused, and fully present with the Holy Spirit. Have a journal nearby to capture what God reveals to you.

Journal Prompts to help you dive deeper:

1. The Heart Examination

David asked God to search his heart, even in the midst of being falsely accused. What did Holy Spirit reveal to you as He examined your heart? Was there anything you needed to own up to or lay at His feet? How did it feel to do this without shame in His presence?

2. The Truth Exchange

What words or accusations have been spoken over you that wounded your heart? Now, what did the Father speak over you as He stitched your heart back together? Write out both the lies you've believed and the truths He declared. Which voice will you choose to listen to moving forward?

3. From Slandered to Singer

Like David, you're invited to move from being wounded to becoming a worshiper. What does praise look like for you in this season? How can you offer God worship even while you're still healing? What would it look like to stay in your own lane while trusting God as the just Judge of your situation?

Music by: Shimmer provided through SoundStripe.com

Connect & Share

Share your encounter experiences with us at:

• https://www.wholisticheartspodcast.com
• https://instagram.com/wholisticheartspodcast
• https://facebook.com/kristenfieldschadwick

Have you ever been falsely accused or had unkind words spoken about you?

This Psalm displays how David took a false accusation, his name being dragged through the mud and examines how he responded. It may not be our first reaction.

This isn't a gentle ballad; this is a psalm of intense feeling, set to aggressive music. Less aromatherapy, more rage room. And yet, what we find is a beautiful roadmap for navigating accusation, confrontation, and hurt relationships.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• How Holy Spirit doesn't shy away from our messy, chaotic moments but hovers over them to create beauty
• The power of "staying in your own lane" and examining your own heart first
• What it means to move from being slandered to becoming a singer
• Why owning your part matters, even when accusations are unwarranted
• How David's humility and honesty before God becomes his pathway to praise

As Spurgeon beautifully says, "The slandered one is now a singer." Though life may knock us down for a season, we can stand again and give glory to God with adoring praise.

If you're walking through a difficult season, messy conversations, or the sting of false accusations, this episode is for you. God is trustworthy to hold your heart in every scenario.

Connect & Share

Share your encounter experiences with us at:

• https://www.wholisticheartspodcast.com
• https://instagram.com/wholisticheartspodcast
• https://facebook.com/kristenfieldschadwick

Stay tuned for our Psalm 7 Encounter episode coming next!

A Wholistic Hearts and life update from me! I've been deep in rest and rejuvenation and transition of seasons. So hear a quick update and what to expect as we move forward with Wholistic Hearts!

I mention this great parenting resource in the podcast:

https://axis.org/

Share your morning encounter experiences with us at 

https://www.wholisticheartspodcast.com

 https://instagram.com/wholisticheartspodcast 

https://facebook.com/kristinfieldschadwick

Email me [email protected]

Thank you for your support through Buy Me a Coffee coff.ee/kchadwick

Step into a guided encounter with Jesus based on Psalm 6. In this intimate meditation, you'll enter your Secret Place and meet with the One who sees, hears, and knows your heart completely. Perfect for those moments when you need to experience God's rescuing presence in a tangible way. Find a quiet space and allow Jesus to minister to your weary soul.

Key Truths to Receive:

• The Rescuer sees you
• The Rescuer hears you
• The Rescuer knows you

Perfect For:

Those walking through overwhelming circumstances, dealing with shame, experiencing spiritual dryness, or anyone who needs to feel God's rescuing presence.

Music by Moments "Morning in Solace" and "Folded Silence"

Share your morning encounter experiences with us at 

https://www.wholisticheartspodcast.com

 https://instagram.com/wholisticheartspodcast 

https://facebook.com/kristinfieldschadwick

Have you ever found yourself lying awake at 3 AM, tears soaking your pillow, wondering if God still sees you in the mess? In this wholehearted episode, we explore Psalm 6 - David's raw, honest prayer during his darkest moments. Discover how to run toward God instead of away when you're overwhelmed, ashamed, or walking through the dark night of your soul. This episode is for anyone who needs permission to bring their desperate, messy heart directly to Jesus.

What You'll Learn:

• How David shows us it's okay to be honest with God about our struggles
• Why running toward God in our darkest moments leads to breakthrough
• The power of lament as a pathway to experiencing God's mercy
• Two key truths about God's character revealed in Psalm 6
• How to live wholeheartedly even in seasons of spiritual angst

Key Scripture:

Psalm 6 (Amplified Version)

Key Quotes:

• "You are never too far gone from the One who hears your plea for help"
• "The most wholehearted thing we can do is admit we're not okay and run toward Jesus"
• "God sees you. God hears you. And He knows you. He never leaves us."

Share This Episode:

Know someone who needs to hear this message? Share this episode with a friend or family member walking through a difficult season. Sometimes we need someone else to remind us that we're never too far gone from God's love.

Resources Mentioned:

• Wholistic Hearts Encountering the Book of Psalms Spotify Playlist https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4GVleV8Nnb1fgeuJpPAyaX?si=63c3495a0d2f443d

Share your morning encounter experiences with us at 

https://www.wholisticheartspodcast.com

 https://instagram.com/wholisticheartspodcast 

https://facebook.com/kristinfieldschadwick

Thank you for your support through Buy Me a Coffee coff.ee/kchadwick