Embodied Holiness: Recent Episodes
Rev. Susan Eaton, Dr. Lindsey Lewis, Dr. Lyerly Christensen
Holiness is one of those words that seems out of reach and reserved only for God or the super spiritual. But, Jesus taught us that holiness can become a reality in the everyday moments and events of our lives. So if we take Jesus seriously, what would it look like to embody holiness on a chaotic Tuesday morning? What would it sound like to embody holiness when we're running late or having a stressful conversation with our spouse? In each episode, we'll address an everyday topic and talk about the specific challenges that come with embodying holiness in that aspect of life. We'll share resources we've found helpful to our own spiritual journeys and share our stories of growth and failure. We'll also be joined by special guests from time to time. If you're interested in learning how to grow in holiness, you're in the right place. Thanks for joining us on the journey!
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What on earth are we to do with the troubling passages we come across in scripture? The Old Testament is especially rife with narratives and sentences that can make God sound cruel and unloving at times. I asked Dr. Sandra Richter, the Robert H. Gundry Chair of Biblical Studies at Westmont College in Santa Barbara, CA to discuss how sincere biblical readers can approach difficult passages with openness, curiosity, and faithfulness.
DR. SANDRA RICHTER is the Robert H. Gundry Chair of Biblical Studies at Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California. She holds a Master's Degree from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and her PhD in Hebrew Bible from Harvard University’s Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations Department. She has taught at Asbury Theological Seminary, Wesley Biblical Seminary, and Wheaton College, and is a veteran of many years of leading student groups in field archaeology and historical geography in Israel.
Her ambition? To make the real people and places of the Old Testament come alive for her students. She is recognized in the Church for her book, The Epic of Eden: A Christian Entry into the Old Testament (IVP Academic), and the Epic of Eden adult Bible Study series that has grown from that project. In the academy, she is known for her work in Deuteronomy and the Deuteronomistic History and the role of Mt. Ebal in the history of Israelite religion. She is also deeply invested in environmental theology (see Stewards of Eden), often addressing both lay and academic audiences on the topic. Her current research involves a forthcoming commentary on Deuteronomy with Eerdmans, a textbook for the introduction of the Old Testament with Zondervan, and a children’s book on environmental theology. She is married to Steven Tsoukalas and has two (perfect) college-aged daughters.
Thanks for listening to the Embodied Holiness Podcast. We invite you to join the community on Facebook and Instagram @embodiedholiness.
Embodied Holiness is a ministry of Parkway Heights United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg, MS. If you're in the Hattiesburg area and are looking for a church home, we'd love to meet you and welcome you to the family. You can find out more about Parkway Heights at our website.
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Thomas Michael Reed is a Mississippi Circuit Court Judge for the 12th District, serving Forrest and Perry Counties. He brings over 27 years of experience in criminal defense, personal injury, and municipal law. He’s also a follower of Jesus and an active member of Parkway Heights UMC in Hattiesburg, MS. Susan and her colleague, Rev. Julie Collins, sat down with Judge Reed to discuss the people who shaped him, the importance of mentoring, and how his faith informs his work.
Thanks for listening to the Embodied Holiness Podcast. We invite you to join the community on Facebook and Instagram @embodiedholiness.
Embodied Holiness is a ministry of Parkway Heights United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg, MS. If you're in the Hattiesburg area and are looking for a church home, we'd love to meet you and welcome you to the family. You can find out more about Parkway Heights at our website.
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Life is hard. We live in a time riddled with political, emotional, economic, and spiritual crises. Deb Engle helps her readers stay true to their spiritual principles and find peace amid chaos. Susan spoke with Deb about her book, Be the Light That You Are, which provides a course of action for people who want to make a difference.
Learn more on Deb's website.
DEBRA ENGLE serves as executive director of Story Summit, an online writing school that builds community and connections for emerging writers with the help of the world’s most successful authors and entertainment professionals. She presents classes based on her books and the spiritual teachings of A Course in Miracles, offers one-on-one mentoring, and leads retreats worldwide.
Debra’s books include...
- The Only Little Prayer You Need: The Shortest Route to a Life of Joy, Abundance and Peace of Mind (Hampton Roads Publishing), an international bestseller featuring a foreword by His Holiness, the Dalai Lama, and an endorsement by Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu.
- Let Your Spirit Guides Speak, which was published in the U.S. by Hampton Roads and in Germany by Random House. It won a silver award from Nautilus, which recognizes books that build a better world.
- Be the Light That You Are: 10 Principles for Bringing Peace to a Chaotic World, another award winner, which helps readers apply their spiritual practice in everyday situations, with practical ideas of what to say and do when life throws you challenges.
- Twenty, her debut novel and Amazon Kindle #1 bestseller, telling a powerful story of loss and redemption at mid-life.
Debra and her husband Bob live in Madison County, Iowa, the location that inspired the literary and film phenomenon, The Bridges of Madison County.
Thanks for listening to the Embodied Holiness Podcast. We invite you to join the community on Facebook and Instagram @embodiedholiness.
Embodied Holiness is a ministry of Parkway Heights United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg, MS. If you're in the Hattiesburg area and are looking for a church home, we'd love to meet you and welcome you to the family. You can find out more about Parkway Heights at our website.
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Susan sits down with Anna Valentine, PhD, LPC, to discuss how we can bring wholeness, healing, and rest into our lives by calming our nervous systems. This practical and spirit-filled conversation will leave you feeling refreshed.
Visit Anna’s website.
Listen to Anna’s podcast.
Anna Valentine is based in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, where she works at March Holistic Christian Counseling. She holds a PhD in Mind-Body Medicine with a specialization in Integrative Mental Health from Saybrook University and is also a published author who enjoys sharing ideas beyond the therapy room.
She earned her master’s degree in Drama Therapy from New York University and brings a creative, integrative approach to her work. Her experience spans inpatient and outpatient settings, including a forensic psychiatric unit at Bellevue Hospital in New York City, the Veterans Affairs Hospital in West Haven, Connecticut, and community programs serving individuals with chronic and persistent mental illness. She has also worked on PACT teams, supporting clients in their everyday environments.
A registered drama therapist with training in open dialogue, psychodrama, and expressive arts modalities, Anna believes that healing is both creative and embodied. She integrates mindfulness, movement, and expressive practices like drama, dance, and storytelling to help clients access growth, resilience, and meaningful change.
Thanks for listening to the Embodied Holiness Podcast. We invite you to join the community on Facebook and Instagram @embodiedholiness.
Embodied Holiness is a ministry of Parkway Heights United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg, MS. If you're in the Hattiesburg area and are looking for a church home, we'd love to meet you and welcome you to the family. You can find out more about Parkway Heights at our website.
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Episode 100 feels like a good time to pause and take a look at where we’ve been and where we’re going. Susan is joined by original co-hosts Lyerly Christensen and Lindsey Lewis for a rich and meaningful conversation about how life has changed over the past four years. Along the way, they dive into topics that hit close to home: navigating compassion fatigue in a nonstop news cycle, finding your voice when it feels risky to speak, and learning to own your faith instead of living to please others. It’s an honest, encouraging conversation for anyone trying to live faithfully in a complex world.
Thanks for listening to the Embodied Holiness Podcast. We invite you to join the community on Facebook and Instagram @embodiedholiness.
Embodied Holiness is a ministry of Parkway Heights United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg, MS. If you're in the Hattiesburg area and are looking for a church home, we'd love to meet you and welcome you to the family. You can find out more about Parkway Heights at our website.
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Grammy-nominated jazz musician and Hattiesburg native Steve Wiest joins Susan for a wide-ranging conversation about faith, creativity, mentorship, and making the most of the one life we’ve been given.
Steve reflects on his formative years in the church, the mentors who “saved his life” during a difficult season, and how those roots shaped both his faith and his wildly creative career. This episode is honest, eclectic, and full of hope — a reminder of the power of people who pour into us and the importance of living fully, right now.
Website: https://steve-wiest.com/
ABOUT STEVE: Steve Wiest is a Grammy-nominated trombonist, composer, author, and cartoonist with multiple albums to his name as both a leader and sideman.
As a young soloist and composer for Maynard Ferguson, he later toured with Doc Severinsen and The Tonight Show Orchestra, performing alongside numerous renowned artists.
Steve is also a distinguished figure in jazz education, best known for his tenure as director of the One O’Clock Lab Band at the University of North Texas. Under his leadership, the ensemble earned two Grammy nominations—one for Best Large Jazz Ensemble and another for Best Instrumental Composition for his original work, Ice-Nine. He also received a Grammy nomination for his arrangement of Bésame Mucho, featured on Maynard Ferguson’s final album, The One and Only.
After UNT, Wiest served as Co-Chair of Jazz Studies at the University of Denver’s Lamont School of Music. Before that, he was Director of Jazz and Trombone at UW-Whitewater and began his teaching career as Assistant Director of Jazz at the University of Texas at Arlington.
A sought-after guest artist, clinician, composer, and conductor, Wiest has led numerous all-state ensembles and continues to perform and teach worldwide. Wiest is an artist for Edwards Instruments playing his custom “Excalibur” version of the Edwards T302 and the Griego-Steve Wiest Mouthpiece exclusively.
Steve makes his home in Chicago, Illinois with his wonderful wife Deborah and their golden retriever Phoebe, where Wiest can often be heard remarking “Ain’t life grand?!”
Thanks for listening to the Embodied Holiness Podcast. We invite you to join the community on Facebook and Instagram @embodiedholiness.
Embodied Holiness is a ministry of Parkway Heights United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg, MS. If you're in the Hattiesburg area and are looking for a church home, we'd love to meet you and welcome you to the family. You can find out more about Parkway Heights at our website.
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Conversations around addiction and recovery are too often avoided, even in the church. In this episode, Matt Johnson, National Director of Faith-Based Initiatives for the Fletcher Group, discusses why recovery and substance use disorder are something churches and Christians should care deeply about. Whether you’re walking your own recovery journey, loving someone who is, or wondering how your church can become a safer place for healing, this episode is what you need.
MATT JOHNSON works to help faith-based organizations grow their impact within the recovery ecosystems in their communities. Previously, he worked as a pastor, empowering his congregation to engage in recovery work in their West Virginia community. Matt founded the Abundant Life Recovery Housing Network, a non-profit recovery residence organization in West Virginia. As an experienced founder and operator of recovery housing, Matt is a sought-after public speaker.
Contact Matt Johnson: mjohnson@fletchergroup.org
A Spiritual Kindergarten: Christian Perspectives on the Twelve Steps
Breathing Underwater
Thanks for listening to the Embodied Holiness Podcast. We invite you to join the community on Facebook and Instagram @embodiedholiness.
Embodied Holiness is a ministry of Parkway Heights United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg, MS. If you're in the Hattiesburg area and are looking for a church home, we'd love to meet you and welcome you to the family. You can find out more about Parkway Heights at our website.
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In 1982, at the age of 19, Lonny Schrader was struck with a change in his storyline he did not see coming. His testimony of choosing forgiveness and thriving after tragedy is one we all need to hear and learn from. I hope you enjoy getting to know Lonny as much as I have.
Thanks for listening to the Embodied Holiness Podcast. We invite you to join the community on Facebook and Instagram @embodiedholiness.
Embodied Holiness is a ministry of Parkway Heights United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg, MS. If you're in the Hattiesburg area and are looking for a church home, we'd love to meet you and welcome you to the family. You can find out more about Parkway Heights at our website.
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Welcome to Season 8! How do I know when it's God speaking to me? In this episode, Susan and Cliff share their personal experiences of hearing and discerning the voice of God, recommend books that have helped them grow in hearing God, and offer encouragement for your own journey to hearing and knowing God's voice.
Resources Mentioned:
Hearing God, by Dallas Willard
How to Hear God: A Simple Guide for Normal People, by Pete Grieg
Widows of the Soul: Hearing God in the Everyday Moments of Your Life, by Ken Gire
Thanks for listening to the Embodied Holiness Podcast. We invite you to join the community on Facebook and Instagram @embodiedholiness.
Embodied Holiness is a ministry of Parkway Heights United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg, MS. If you're in the Hattiesburg area and are looking for a church home, we'd love to meet you and welcome you to the family. You can find out more about Parkway Heights at our website.
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In this episode, Susan and Cliff sit down with spiritual director Anne-Russell Bradley for a rich conversation about the practice of spiritual direction. Together, they explore what spiritual direction is (and isn’t), how it creates sacred space for listening to God, and why this ancient practice can be such a life-giving companion on our faith journey. If you’ve ever wondered what spiritual direction looks like or how it might support your own formation, this conversation is a beautiful place to start.
Rev. Anne-Russell Bradley contact information: soulspeak.csd@gmail.com
Finding a Spiritual Director:
https://www.sdicompanions.org/find-a-spiritual-director-companion/
https://directory.transformingcenter.org
Suggested reading:
Soul Feast by Marjorie Thompson
Right Here, Right Now by Amy G. Oden
Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Peter Scezzero
Thanks for listening to the Embodied Holiness Podcast. We invite you to join the community on Facebook and Instagram @embodiedholiness.
Embodied Holiness is a ministry of Parkway Heights United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg, MS. If you're in the Hattiesburg area and are looking for a church home, we'd love to meet you and welcome you to the family. You can find out more about Parkway Heights at our website.
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How do we faithfully weave our life with God into the work we do every day? In this episode, Susan and co-host Rev. Smith Lilley talk with authors and businessmen Al Erisman and Randy Pope about what it means to view our work as a calling to serve the Lord. Together, they explore how the hours we spend in offices, classrooms, homes, and communities can become places of formation, worship, and witness.
AL ERISMAN is currently a writer, speaker, and board member, including serving as chair of the board for the Theology of Work Project and as a founding board member for KIROS. He is a senior Fellow for both the Center for Faithful Business at Seattle Pacific University and the Institute for Marketplace Transformation. Since 2015, he has authored or co-authored numerous books on theology, business, and mathematics. After earning his PhD in applied mathematics at Iowa State University, Al spent 32 years at The Boeing Company, starting as a research mathematician. In his last decade there, he was Director of Technology, where he led a 250-person research staff exploring innovation paths for the company. He participated in committees on science and mathematics through the National Science Foundation, National Research Council, and National Institute for Standards and Technology. He is the co-founder of Ethix magazine, exploring business ethics in a technological age. After retiring from Boeing in 2001, he taught in the Business School at Seattle Pacific University until 2017.
RANDY POPE has practiced law for 45 years in his hometown of Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Since 2017, he has served as City Attorney for the City of Hattiesburg. He has tried numerous cases in state and federal courts in Mississippi and has successfully handled appeals to the Mississippi Supreme Court and the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. He is also admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of the United States. He is a graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi, the University of Mississippi School of Law, and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. He is the founding President of the C. S. Lewis Society of South Mississippi, and he served on staff with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA from 1973-1976.
Thanks for listening to the Embodied Holiness Podcast. We invite you to join the community on Facebook and Instagram @embodiedholiness.
Embodied Holiness is a ministry of Parkway Heights United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg, MS. If you're in the Hattiesburg area and are looking for a church home, we'd love to meet you and welcome you to the family. You can find out more about Parkway Heights at our website.
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Spiritual warfare can be confusing, even intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. In this conversation, Susan Eaton, Cliff Burris, and Dr. Stephen Seamands discuss what spiritual warfare is, why it shows up in our lives, and how we can discern when it’s happening. Dr. Seamands offers practical wisdom from years of ministry, emphasizing the importance of helping people heal instead of getting preoccupied with the oppression itself. It’s a grounded, hope-filled exploration you won’t want to miss.
Book Recommendation: The Believer's Guide to Spiritual Warfare, by Tom White
ABOUT: Dr. Stephen Seamands currently serves as Professor Emeritus at Asbury Theological Seminary, having retired in May 2018 from
his position as Professor of Christian Doctrine, in which he had served for thirty-five years. Prior to assuming a teaching position at the seminary in 1983, he pastored United Methodist churches in southern New Jersey for eleven years.
Steve has continued to teach courses for the seminary as an affiliate professor. He is known for gracefully merging the classical and the practical. His courses on doctrine and practical theology are taught with a scholar’s mind and a pastor’s heart.
He is the author of eight books including Holiness of Heart and Life (Abingdon Press, 1990), Wounds that Heal: Bringing Our Hurts to the Cross (InterVarsity Press, 2003), which is available in six languages and Ministry in the Image of God: The Trinitarian Shape of Christian Service (InterVarsity Press, 2005), which received the 2006 Christianity Today “Award of Merit” for books in the area of Church and pastoral leadership; The Unseen Real: Living in the Light of the Ascension of Jesus (Seedbed, 2016). His most recent book is Follow the Healer: Biblical and Theological Foundations for Healing Ministry (Zondervan Reflective/Seedbed, 2023). He has also written articles for various journals and magazines
Thanks for listening to the Embodied Holiness Podcast. We invite you to join the community on Facebook and Instagram @embodiedholiness.
Embodied Holiness is a ministry of Parkway Heights United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg, MS. If you're in the Hattiesburg area and are looking for a church home, we'd love to meet you and welcome you to the family. You can find out more about Parkway Heights at our website.
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Have you ever wished you had superpowers? Maybe we actually do! We may not be able to fly or shoot lasers out of our eyes, but what if we were made for more than that? In this episode, Susan talks with Rev. Smith Lilley about what it means to be human and how the life of Christ within us empowers us to live supernaturally in our everyday lives.
ABOUT SMITH: Smith Lilley is an ordained elder in the Mississippi Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church and the pastor of Fulton UMC and Verona UMC. He previously served churches in Tupelo and Tremont in northeast Mississippi and in Nashville, Tennessee. Smith’s passions in ministry are preaching and teaching, worship, and small group discipleship.
Originally from Clinton, Smith is a graduate of Vanderbilt Divinity School, the University of Limerick in Ireland, and Mississippi State University. He is currently a student in the Doctor of Theology program at United Theological Seminary. Prior to ministry he was an officer in the U.S. Air Force.
His wife Jessica is a pediatric endocrinologist and native of Belmont. They have three daughters—Emelyn, Abigail, and Alexis.
Thanks for listening to the Embodied Holiness Podcast. We invite you to join the community on Facebook and Instagram @embodiedholiness.
Embodied Holiness is a ministry of Parkway Heights United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg, MS. If you're in the Hattiesburg area and are looking for a church home, we'd love to meet you and welcome you to the family. You can find out more about Parkway Heights at our website.
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In this episode, Rev. Chad Bowen joins us to unpack a big question from one of our church kids: “How are we made in God’s image when we can’t see God?” Together, we explore what it means to “image” God in the world—not by what we look like, but by how we live. From creativity and innovation to stewardship and community, we discover the many ways God’s character is reflected through us as we care, create, and connect with one another.
ABOUT CHAD: Rev. Chad Bowen serves as pastor of First United Methodist Church in West Point, Mississippi, and is a graduate of Millsaps College and Duke Divinity School. He and his wife, Katie, live in West Point with their two young children.
Thanks for listening to the Embodied Holiness Podcast. We invite you to join the community on Facebook and Instagram @embodiedholiness.
Embodied Holiness is a ministry of Parkway Heights United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg, MS. If you're in the Hattiesburg area and are looking for a church home, we'd love to meet you and welcome you to the family. You can find out more about Parkway Heights at our website.
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If you’ve ever wrestled with questions about purpose—why you’re here, what you’re made for, or how to uncover it—you won’t want to miss this episode with the always dynamic Dr. Bev Smallwood. Learn how God can use even seasons of adversity to reveal your unique purpose and calling.
Contact Beverly: bev@drbevsmallwood.com
ABOUT BEV: Dr. Bev Smallwood is a licensed psychologist who, for the past 40-plus years, has been spreading her message of hope to individuals, families, and organizations across the U.S. and around the world. She’s the Founder and CEO of The Hope Center, a psychological clinic she established in 1984. Since the early 80s, Bev’s high-content, high-fun, live, in-person programs have enabled organizations to accomplish successful transitions, develop more skillful leaders, intensify employee engagement, reduce turnover, and create fiercely loyal customers. Dr.Bev also creates high-engagement learning in her virtual programs and courses.
Bev received her Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Southern Mississippi in 1981. Since that time, she has regularly received advanced professional training in such areas as stress and anger management, trauma treatment, forensic psychology, organizational assessment and intervention, and leadership development.
Dr. Bev is well-known as a resource to the national media. She’s been interviewed and quoted in such media outlets as MSNBC, CNN, FOX News, Maury Povich, New York Times, USA Today Weekend, Focus on the Family, Chicago Tribune, Cincinnati Enquirer, Self Magazine, Cosmopolitan, Women’s Health, Entrepreneur, and numerous major radio stations and networks.
Bev is the author of This Wasn’t Supposed to Happen to Me: 10 Make-or-Break Choices When Life Steals Your Dreams and Rocks Your World, (Thomas Nelson, Publishers). She also co-authored KidSpiration: Out of the Mouths of Babes. Currently, she is working on a new book on anger called All The Rage.
Dr. Bev Smallwood lives in Hattiesburg, MS. She’s the Mom of Greg and Amy, and the grandmother of Joseph, Ethan, Scarlett, and Eli.
Thanks for listening to the Embodied Holiness Podcast. We invite you to join the community on Facebook and Instagram @embodiedholiness.
Embodied Holiness is a ministry of Parkway Heights United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg, MS. If you're in the Hattiesburg area and are looking for a church home, we'd love to meet you and welcome you to the family. You can find out more about Parkway Heights at our website.
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Susan and her friend, Dr. Jamie McNally, explore what it means to see all of creation as a sacred trust and how the well-being of humans and animals overlaps. Together, they reflect on the biblical call to steward the earth with care. With both theological and psychological insight, this conversation invites us to consider how loving God also means tending His creation.
ABOUT JAMIE: Dr. Jamie McNally is a Licensed Professional Counselor, trauma specialist, moral injury researcher, and founder of Sycamore Counseling Services, a Michigan-based group practice, and Fortifyu, a wellness and coaching platform for animal care workers. With a background in mental health, military service, animal sheltering, and higher education, Jamie integrates her clinical training in EMDR and Compassion Fatigue with certifications in Veterinary Social Work and Somatic Breathwork. Her work centers on the mind-body connection and values-based and somatic healing to help those in animal care navigate moral injury, loss, and burnout by reconnecting with their values, bodies, and the healing power of the human-animal bond.
Thanks for listening to the Embodied Holiness Podcast. We invite you to join the community on Facebook and Instagram @embodiedholiness.
Embodied Holiness is a ministry of Parkway Heights United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg, MS. If you're in the Hattiesburg area and are looking for a church home, we'd love to meet you and welcome you to the family. You can find out more about Parkway Heights at our website.
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Another great question from one of the children of Parkway Heights UMC: "What happens when we take communion? Are the bread and juice (wine) turning into Christ’s body and blood?" Susan and Cliff talk with Rev. Dr. Ricky James about the mystery of this sacred meal and why it matters for our life of faith.
ABOUT RICKY: The Rev. Dr. Ricky James is the Dean of the Chapel and Director of Church Relations at Millsaps College. A native of Hattiesburg, Ricky is a graduate of Millsaps College, Duke University, and Emory University.
Ricky also serves as a Chaplain in the United States Navy Reserve. He is the Battalion Chaplain for the 4th Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, USMC, in Camp Pendleton, CA.
He is married to Megan James, VP of Student Affairs and Dean of Students at Millsaps College and they have two amazing children, Henry and Catherine.
Thanks for listening to the Embodied Holiness Podcast. We invite you to join the community on Facebook and Instagram @embodiedholiness.
Embodied Holiness is a ministry of Parkway Heights United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg, MS. If you're in the Hattiesburg area and are looking for a church home, we'd love to meet you and welcome you to the family. You can find out more about Parkway Heights at our website.
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Welcome back to Season 7 of the Embodied Holiness Podcast! Susan welcomes her friends, Rev. Dr. Leanne Burris and Rev. Cliff Burris, for a thoughtful exploration of the question: "What is prayer and how do I pray?"
ABOUT LEANNE: Rev. Dr. Leanne Burris is the planting pastor of The Bridge Church. As an ordained Elder, she is deeply passionate about connecting people to God’s love through authentic community. She holds a doctorate in ministry from Wesley Biblical Seminary, and she’s had the privilege of studying at Asbury Theological Seminary, USM, and William Carey. She has in the past taught many adult education classes (religion and English as a second language) for numerous community colleges and universities. She is currently an English language tutor at Biloxi High School. Outside of ministry, she enjoys traveling, reading, running, seafood, and spending time with her husband, Cliff, and their four kids, Josh, Jon, Zoe, and Joel.
Thanks for listening to the Embodied Holiness Podcast. We invite you to join the community on Facebook and Instagram @embodiedholiness.
Embodied Holiness is a ministry of Parkway Heights United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg, MS. If you're in the Hattiesburg area and are looking for a church home, we'd love to meet you and welcome you to the family. You can find out more about Parkway Heights at our website.
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Do you have trouble connecting with God? What if the opportunity to connect with God were as close as your next breath? Susan sits down with author, podcaster, spiritual director and campus minister, Whitney Simpson, to talk about how we can practice a more embodied spirituality that will draw us closer to Jesus.
ABOUT WHITNEY - Whitney's writing encompasses her passion for embodied spirituality and spiritual formation. A soul-care practitioner, she helps others reach their fullest human potential as they explore the gift of God's peace. Whitney is the author is Holy Listening with Breath, Body, and the Spirit and Fully Human, Fully Divine and is the founder of Exploring Peace. You can learn more about Whitney at exploring peace.com.
Thanks for listening to the Embodied Holiness Podcast. We invite you to join the community on Facebook and Instagram @embodiedholiness.
Embodied Holiness is a ministry of Parkway Heights United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg, MS. If you're in the Hattiesburg area and are looking for a church home, we'd love to meet you and welcome you to the family. You can find out more about Parkway Heights at our website.
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Susan and Alex are joined by co-host Josh Burris and special guest Nicole Zasowski for a heartfelt conversation around the question: "How does God call us to talk with others about pain?" Together, they explore what it looks like to hold space for one another, speak truth with compassion, and reflect God's love in our hardest conversations.
NICOLE ZASOWSKI is a licensed marriage and family therapist and author of What If It's Wonderful, From Lost to Found and her new Bible Study Daring Joy. She is also the coauthor of Advances and Techniques in Restoration Therapy and Families and Forgiveness. As a writer who wears her heart proudly on her sleeve, Nicole’s work is a weave of biblical wisdom, psychological expertise, and vulnerable storytelling. Often praised for her wisdom and approachable style, Nicole is a sough-after speaker, frequently teaching at conferences, retreats, and women’s events around the country on topics that integrate faith and psychology.
In addition to her private practice, Nicole’s therapeutic work has included teaching as an adjunct professor at Alliance Theological Seminary in New York and leading marriage intensives at the Hideaway Experience.
Nicole and her husband, Jimmy, are the grateful parents of three young children. Her favorite place to be is looking for sea glass on the Connecticut shoreline, exploring a New England town or New York City neighborhood, or sitting in her front yard around a fire with her family, friends, and neighbors.
Nicole would love to connect with you on Instagram @nicolezasowski. You can also subscribe to Nicole’s newsletter to have wisdom and encouragement sent straight to your inbox!
In Nicole’s newest Bible study, Daring Joy, you will learn to release fear, comparison, and control so you can embrace the joy God designed you for. You can find all her books and resources here: https://www.nicolezasowski.com/
Thanks for listening to the Embodied Holiness Podcast. We invite you to join the community on Facebook and Instagram @embodiedholiness.
Embodied Holiness is a ministry of Parkway Heights United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg, MS. If you're in the Hattiesburg area and are looking for a church home, we'd love to meet you and welcome you to the family. You can find out more about Parkway Heights at our website.
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Erin Peterson, founder of Cinderella's Closet, joins Susan and Lindsey to talk about her calling to help young women know their worth. From giving dresses for prom, providing scholarships for college, to hosting body positivity seminars, God is using Erin and the ministry of Cinderella's closet to help turn dresses into dreams.
Find out more, learn how to donate or get involved at the Cinderella's Closet website.
Cinderella’s Closet NKY began n 2006 as a ministry of a local church and in 2024 became an individual non-profit organization. It’s an effort inspired by a teenager, our founder, Erin Peterson met while shopping at a consignment store. Erin overheard the teenager ask a clerk if the beautiful, gently-used gown on display could be put on hold while she figured out how to pay for it.
She asked her foster mother for the money, but a prom dress is an extra in life, and its price was out of their reach. Seeing her disappointment, Erin bought the dress for her. As tears flooded her eyes, said she would look “just like Cinderella.” For one day, a little girl was transformed into a princess.
Erin was transformed as well. Shortly thereafter, Cinderella’s Closet NKY began. Each year we are able to help nearly 450 girls in Northern Kentucky find the dress of their dreams and renewed confidence in themselves.
Thanks for listening to the Embodied Holiness Podcast. We invite you to join the community on Facebook and Instagram @embodiedholiness.
Embodied Holiness is a ministry of Parkway Heights United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg, MS. If you're in the Hattiesburg area and are looking for a church home, we'd love to meet you and welcome you to the family. You can find out more about Parkway Heights at our website.
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Are you a people pleaser? Do you sometimes confuse being a peacemaker with being a peacekeeper? Is your sense of worth wrapped up in what others might be thinking about you? In this episode, Susan and Alex sit down with Dr. Beverly Smallwood to talk about the roots and ripple effects of people pleasing. Whether this is your struggle or not, the insight and wisdom shared here offer something meaningful for everyone. Thanks for listening!
ABOUT DR. SMALLWOOD: Dr. Bev Smallwood is a licensed psychologist who, for the past 40-plus years, has been spreading her message of hope to individuals, families, and organizations across the U.S. and around the world. She’s the Founder and CEO of The Hope Center, a psychological clinic she established in 1984. Since the early 80s, Bev’s high-content, high-fun, live, in-person programs have enabled organizations to accomplish successful transitions, develop more skillful leaders, intensify employee engagement, reduce turnover, and create fiercely loyal customers. Dr.Bev also creates high-engagement learning in her virtual programs and courses.
Bev received her Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Southern Mississippi in 1981. Since that time, she has regularly received advanced professional training in such areas as stress and anger management, trauma treatment, forensic psychology, organizational assessment and intervention, and leadership development.
Dr. Bev is well-known as a resource to the national media. She’s been interviewed and quoted in such media outlets as MSNBC, CNN, FOX News, Maury Povich, New York Times, USA Today Weekend, Focus on the Family, Chicago Tribune, Cincinnati Enquirer, Self Magazine, Cosmopolitan, Women’s Health, Entrepreneur, and numerous major radio stations and networks.
Bev’s the author of This Wasn’t Supposed to Happen to Me: 10 Make-or-Break Choices When Life Steals Your Dreams and Rocks Your World, (Thomas Nelson, Publishers). She also co-authored KidSpiration: Out of the Mouths of Babes. Currently, she is working on a new book on anger called All The Rage.
Dr. Bev Smallwood lives in Hattiesburg, MS. She’s the Mom of Greg and Amy, and the grandmother of Joseph, Ethan, Scarlett, and Eli.
Thanks for listening to the Embodied Holiness Podcast. We invite you to join the community on Facebook and Instagram @embodiedholiness.
Embodied Holiness is a ministry of Parkway Heights United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg, MS. If you're in the Hattiesburg area and are looking for a church home, we'd love to meet you and welcome you to the family. You can find out more about Parkway Heights at our website.
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Why is my loved one not healed? Should I pray for healing? How do I pray for healing? If you've ever asked these questions or similar ones, this episode is for you. Dr. Stephen Seamands wisely helps us understand the nature of healing and how we can broaden our understanding of Christ's healing work in our lives.
Access Dr. Seamands latest book, Follow the Healer, and the study HERE.
ABOUT: Dr. Stephen Seamands currently serves as Professor Emeritus at Asbury Theological Seminary, having retired in May 2018 from
his position as Professor of Christian Doctrine, in which he had served for thirty-five years. Prior to assuming a teaching position at the seminary in 1983, he pastored United Methodist churches in southern New Jersey for eleven years.
Steve has continued to teach courses for the seminary as an affiliate professor. He is known for gracefully merging the classical and the practical. His courses on doctrine and practical theology are taught with a scholar’s mind and a pastor’s heart.
He is the author of eight books including Holiness of Heart and Life (Abingdon Press, 1990), Wounds that Heal: Bringing Our Hurts to the Cross (InterVarsity Press, 2003), which is available in six languages and Ministry in the Image of God: The Trinitarian Shape of Christian Service (InterVarsity Press, 2005), which received the 2006 Christianity Today “Award of Merit” for books in the area of Church and pastoral leadership; The Unseen Real: Living in the Light of the Ascension of Jesus (Seedbed, 2016). His most recent book is Follow the Healer: Biblical and Theological Foundations for Healing Ministry (Zondervan Reflective/Seedbed, 2023). He has also written articles for various journals and magazines
Thanks for listening to the Embodied Holiness Podcast. We invite you to join the community on Facebook and Instagram @embodiedholiness.
Embodied Holiness is a ministry of Parkway Heights United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg, MS. If you're in the Hattiesburg area and are looking for a church home, we'd love to meet you and welcome you to the family. You can find out more about Parkway Heights at our website.
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We're back with another great question! Rev. Andy Stoddard joins Susan and Alex to explore, "Did God really create the world in seven days?"
ABOUT ANDY: Andy Stoddard is the Lead Pastor at St. Matthew's UMC in Madison, MS. He has served churches across Mississippi. Andy is a 1998 graduate of Mississippi College and a 2003 graduate of Memphis Theological Seminary. He is married to Holly and together they have two children, Sarah (a junior at Southern Miss) and Thomas (a senior at Germantown High School in Madison). Andy enjoys watching his kids perform, rooting for the San Francisco Giants, and reading —especially C.S. Lewis, Tim Keller, and (of course) John Wesley. If you are on social media, you can become his friend on Facebook at www.facebook.com/rev.andys or read his blog at www.revandy.org.
Thanks for listening to the Embodied Holiness Podcast. We invite you to join the community on Facebook and Instagram @embodiedholiness.
Embodied Holiness is a ministry of Parkway Heights United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg, MS. If you're in the Hattiesburg area and are looking for a church home, we'd love to meet you and welcome you to the family. You can find out more about Parkway Heights at our website.
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Rev. Dr. Raigan Miskelly, senior pastor at Galloway UMC in Jackson, MS, joins Alex and Susan to answer the questions, "How did God never have a beginning? Was God made?"
ABOUT RAIGAN: Rev. Dr. Raigan Miskelly is an Ordained United Methodist Elder in the Mississippi Conference. Dr. Miskelly holds a Master of Divinity degree from Pacific School of Religion and a Doctor of Ministry from Duke Divinity School. She is currently pursuing a Master of Business Administration with an emphasis on Nonprofit Management. She is a certified coach, teacher, and speaker with the John Maxwell Leadership Team. She's also a certified spin instructor. Raigan is married to Rocky and is the mother of two college-age children. She is also the stepmother of two adult sons.
Thanks for listening to the Embodied Holiness Podcast. We invite you to join the community on Facebook and Instagram @embodiedholiness.
Embodied Holiness is a ministry of Parkway Heights United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg, MS. If you're in the Hattiesburg area and are looking for a church home, we'd love to meet you and welcome you to the family. You can find out more about Parkway Heights at our website.
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Will Rambo, senior pastor at the Orchard in Tupelo, MS, joins Susan and Alex to explore this thought-provoking question from one of the children of Parkway Heights UMC: What happens when judgment day comes?
About Will: Will Rambo is the Senior Pastor of The Orchard Tupelo where he has been on staff for 21 years. His passions include: the local church, teaching, training, equipping, and spiritual formation. For recreation, Will enjoys reading, disc golf, Mississippi State athletics, all things food (particularly key lime pie), and, most importantly, his family. Will and his wife, Merissa, have three children: Lilla, Kinley, and Isaac. For questions or inquiries, email him at will@theorchard.net.
Thanks for listening to the Embodied Holiness Podcast. We invite you to join the community on Facebook and Instagram @embodiedholiness.
Embodied Holiness is a ministry of Parkway Heights United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg, MS. If you're in the Hattiesburg area and are looking for a church home, we'd love to meet you and welcome you to the family. You can find out more about Parkway Heights at our website.
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Welcome back to Season 6 of the Embodied Holiness Podcast! Susan and Alex welcome their good friend, Rev. Cliff Burris, for a thoughtful exploration sparked by a question from one of the children at Parkway Heights UMC: "Did God die when Jesus died on the cross?" Listen in as they delve deep into understanding the nature of God, explore the significance of the cross, and discuss why being brave enough to ask big questions can transform how we understand faith.
ABOUT CLIFF: Rev. Cliff Burris attended Asbury Theological seminary and has served as Methodist pastor for twenty-eight years. Cliff lives in Biloxi, MS where he is the pastor of Heritage UMC. He and his wife Leanne (who is also a Methodist pastor) have four children. Cliff enjoys playing his Taylor guitar, leading worship, running, playing golf and tennis, and reading theology.
Thanks for listening to the Embodied Holiness Podcast. We invite you to join the community on Facebook and Instagram @embodiedholiness.
Embodied Holiness is a ministry of Parkway Heights United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg, MS. If you're in the Hattiesburg area and are looking for a church home, we'd love to meet you and welcome you to the family. You can find out more about Parkway Heights at our website.
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In a cultural season that rages against the spiritual disciplines of peace and focus, we must remind ourselves that time with God is the most accessible and powerful tool for gaining a perspective greater than our own. May we all realize the Lord's coming to us in a new and powerful way this Advent season. Let us be people who are quick to see each other's perspectives as a means of seeing more of God's.
Thanks for listening to the Embodied Holiness Podcast. We invite you to join the community on Facebook and Instagram @embodiedholiness.
Embodied Holiness is a ministry of Parkway Heights United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg, MS. If you're in the Hattiesburg area and are looking for a church home, we'd love to meet you and welcome you to the family. You can find out more about Parkway Heights at our website.
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For the Christian, the season of Advent marks the beginning of a new year. We begin this new year by waiting with anticipation for the coming of our Savior. As we wait it's easy to get caught up in the consumerism of the culture. This series is here to help you not get caught up. To help you stay focused on the presence of God at work among us. May you experience the Lord's presence this Advent. And may you awaken to others as you awaken to God.
Thanks for listening to the Embodied Holiness Podcast. We invite you to join the community on Facebook and Instagram @embodiedholiness.
Embodied Holiness is a ministry of Parkway Heights United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg, MS. If you're in the Hattiesburg area and are looking for a church home, we'd love to meet you and welcome you to the family. You can find out more about Parkway Heights at our website.
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Children often ask remarkably profound questions -- questions that resonate far beyond their years. In this episode, we explore a thought-provoking question submitted by one of the children at Parkway Heights UMC: "How can I believe in God when there's no proof he exists?" Joining Alex and Susan is Rev. Keith Keeton, lead pastor of PHUMC. Together, they'll dive into this timeless question and offer insights for seekers of all ages.
KEITH KEETON began his role as lead pastor of Parkway Heights in June 2022. Keith has served in ministry for over 20 years in various United Methodist churches in Mississippi. He received his bachelor's degree from Ole Miss and his Master of Divinity from Memphis Theological Seminary. Keith is married to Emily, who is a teacher for Petal Schools. They have three children, Ava, Kate Rivers and Asher. Keith enjoys photography, and he also loves computers and technology.
Thanks for listening to the Embodied Holiness Podcast. We invite you to join the community on Facebook and Instagram @embodiedholiness.
Embodied Holiness is a ministry of Parkway Heights United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg, MS. If you're in the Hattiesburg area and are looking for a church home, we'd love to meet you and welcome you to the family. You can find out more about Parkway Heights at our website.
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Western culture is increasingly polarized, and Christians often feel they are “under siege” by the dominant secular culture. Compounding the problem is that Christians cannot agree among themselves on how to respond to an increasingly “post-Christian " culture. Susan and Alex talk with authors Randy Pope and Al Erisman about how we can engage the culture we live in as disciples of Jesus.
Grab a copy of Living with Purpose in a Polarizing World here.
RANDY POPE has practiced law for 45 years in his hometown of Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Since 2017, he has served as City Attorney for the City of Hattiesburg. He has tried numerous cases in state and federal courts in Mississippi and has successfully handled appeals to the Mississippi Supreme Court and the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. He is also admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of the United States. He is a graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi, the University of Mississippi School of Law, and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. He is the founding President of the C. S. Lewis Society of South Mississippi, and he served on staff with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA from 1973-1976.
AL ERISMAN is currently a writer, speaker, and board member including chair of the board for the Theology of Work Project and founding board member for KIROS. He is a senior Fellow for both the Center for Faithful Business at Seattle Pacific University and the Institute for Marketplace Transformation. Since 2015, he has authored or co-authored numerous books on theology, business, and mathematics. After earning his PhD in applied mathematics at Iowa State University, Al spent 32 years at The Boeing Company, starting as a research mathematician. In his last decade there, he was Director of Technology, where he led a 250-person research staff exploring innovation paths for the company. He participated in committees on science and mathematics through the National Science Foundation, National Research Council, and National Institute for Standards and Technology. He is the co-founder of Ethix magazine, exploring business ethics in a technological age. After retiring from Boeing in 2001, he taught in the Business School at Seattle Pacific University until 2017.
Thanks for listening to the Embodied Holiness Podcast. We invite you to join the community on Facebook and Instagram @embodiedholiness.
Embodied Holiness is a ministry of Parkway Heights United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg, MS. If you're in the Hattiesburg area and are looking for a church home, we'd love to meet you and welcome you to the family. You can find out more about Parkway Heights at our website.
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Holidays can be hard after we've suffered the loss of a loved one. However, there are ways to approach special seasons without being overwhelmed. Rev. Julie Collins talks with Susan and Alex about how we can enter the "most wonderful time of the year" with a plan, healthy expectations, and the readiness to give yourself and others grace when it's still hard.
Learn more about Stephen Ministry here.
Get your copy of Surviving the Holidays Without You by Gary Roe here.
Thanks for listening to the Embodied Holiness Podcast. We invite you to join the community on Facebook and Instagram @embodiedholiness.
Embodied Holiness is a ministry of Parkway Heights United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg, MS. If you're in the Hattiesburg area and are looking for a church home, we'd love to meet you and welcome you to the family. You can find out more about Parkway Heights at our website.
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Meet Dwight Owens. Dwight shares his journey from life as an able-bodied young man chasing his dreams to having his world turned upside down by the thoughtless act of a 71-year-old drunk driver. With no visible signs of life, having coded twice, the doctors called his death. But Dwight survived against all odds. Although there were many physical and emotional setbacks, Dwight Owens is alive and well today, embodying what it means to live life with joy and hope.
“After spending almost a full year of my life in the hospital fighting for my life, God brought me back from the brink of death. I was declared a miracle. For that reason, despite my circumstances, I wake up every morning with unbelievable joy with a goal to make each day count for something!” ~Dwight Owens
Visit Dwight’s Website
Grab a Copy of Dwight's Book
To see a video of how Dwight gets in and out of his truck, go to his Instagram @stillstandingwithdwight and watch the video that says "Beyond Excuses."
Thanks for listening to the Embodied Holiness Podcast. We invite you to join the community on Facebook and Instagram @embodiedholiness.
Embodied Holiness is a ministry of Parkway Heights United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg, MS. If you're in the Hattiesburg area and are looking for a church home, we'd love to meet you and welcome you to the family. You can find out more about Parkway Heights at our website.
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Singer-songwriter Abbye West Pates talks with Susan and Alex about her experiences over the past year following the sudden passing of her husband, Jeff, in August 2023. She reflects on what she has learned about grief and the healing process during this time. Abbye also shares some of her original songs and poetry.
Follow Abbye on Instagram @awpmusic
Abbye's website: www.abbyewestpates.com
Thanks for listening to the Embodied Holiness Podcast. We invite you to join the community on Facebook and Instagram @embodiedholiness.
Embodied Holiness is a ministry of Parkway Heights United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg, MS. If you're in the Hattiesburg area and are looking for a church home, we'd love to meet you and welcome you to the family. You can find out more about Parkway Heights at our website.
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When Benson St. Louis, a strong and active father and husband, began experiencing unusual physical symptoms in 2022, he and his wife, Karol, embarked on a year-long journey of testing and doctor visits. After ruling out various possibilities, they received a heartbreaking diagnosis: Benson had Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). In this episode, Benson and Karol discuss how they have adjusted to life after the diagnosis and share how their faith has helped them face one of life's most difficult challenges with grace, love, and humor.
Mentioned in the Episode:
Watch Steve Gleason's speech from the Espy's here.
Find Steve Gleason's book here.
Thanks for listening to the Embodied Holiness Podcast. We invite you to join the community on Facebook and Instagram @embodiedholiness.
Embodied Holiness is a ministry of Parkway Heights United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg, MS. If you're in the Hattiesburg area and are looking for a church home, we'd love to meet you and welcome you to the family. You can find out more about Parkway Heights at our website.
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Enjoy this conversation with Andrew Peterson, one of Alex and Susan's favorite artists, singer/songwriters, and authors. Do you have a favorite Andrew Peterson song? Send us a text and let us know which one!
ABOUT ANDREW:
For more than twenty years now, Andrew Peterson has been about the business of quietly changing lives in four-minute increments. In the city of Nashville where music is an industry in the same way fast food, generic greeting cards, and bumper stickers are industries, Peterson has forged his own path, refusing the artistic compromises that so often come with chasing album sales and radio singles and creating instead a long line of songs that ache with sorrow, joy and integrity, and that are part of a real, ongoing, human conversation.
In 2019, Andrew celebrated the 20th anniversary of his Behold the Lamb of God project with an anniversary tour and brand new album recording.
Andrew is also the award-winning author of The Wingfeather Saga, a four-book fantasy adventure series for young people. He is also the Executive Producer of The Wingefeather Saga animated tv series by Angel Studios (The Chosen).
Andrew’s second nonfiction book, The God of the Garden: Thoughts on Creation, Culture, and the Kingdom, released in October of 2021, following his 2019 memoir, Adorning the Dark: Thoughts on Community, Calling, and the Mystery of Making.
In 2008, driven by a desire to cultivate a strong Christian arts community, Andrew founded a ministry called The Rabbit Room, which led to a yearly conference, countless concerts and symposiums, and Rabbit Room Press, which has published over thirty books.
Andrew and his wife, Jamie, have been married for 29 years and have three children, Aedan, Asher, and Skye. In his spare time Andrew keeps bees, builds dry stack stone walls, gardens, draws, and sleeps.
Thanks for listening to the Embodied Holiness Podcast. We invite you to join the community on Facebook and Instagram @embodiedholiness.
Embodied Holiness is a ministry of Parkway Heights United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg, MS. If you're in the Hattiesburg area and are looking for a church home, we'd love to meet you and welcome you to the family. You can find out more about Parkway Heights at our website.
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Susan, Cliff, and Alex are back! And this time, we're getting practical. Knowing what to do is not enough; we must practice it. We're definitely not perfect when it comes to living out the love and grace that Jesus did, but we don't do it alone. We have the Spirit of God, the grace of God, the power of God, and we have a community of faithful believers we can surround ourselves with on this journey. We can be more like Christ. Let's practice together.
Use this link to grab your copy of Practicing the Way by John Mark Comer.
You can follow @practicingtheway on Instagram.
Thanks for listening to the Embodied Holiness Podcast. We invite you to join the community on Facebook and Instagram @embodiedholiness.
Embodied Holiness is a ministry of Parkway Heights United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg, MS. If you're in the Hattiesburg area and are looking for a church home, we'd love to meet you and welcome you to the family. You can find out more about Parkway Heights at our website.
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Susan and Alex are joined by their good friend, Rev. Cliff Burris, to discuss John Mark Comer's latest book, Practicing the Way—Be With Jesus. Become Like Him. Do as He Did.Use this link to grab your copy of Practicing the Way by John Mark Comer.
Thanks for listening to the Embodied Holiness Podcast. We invite you to join the community on Facebook and Instagram @embodiedholiness.
Embodied Holiness is a ministry of Parkway Heights United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg, MS. If you're in the Hattiesburg area and are looking for a church home, we'd love to meet you and welcome you to the family. You can find out more about Parkway Heights at our website.
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Susan and Alex talk with University of Southern Mississippi President, Dr. Joe Paul, about how his faith informs how he leads and relates to others, and how his mantra, "Leave it better than you found it," is a good summary of what he believes we're all called to do. You'll enjoy this lively conversation with the USM's 11th President!
DR. JOSEPH S. PAUL began his service as the 11th President of The University of Southern Mississippi on November 1, 2022, after having served in the interim role since July 16th.
A well-known Southern Miss alumnus who previously dedicated 40 years of service to his alma mater as a student affairs administrator, Dr. Paul’s priorities include growing enrollment at all locations, especially on the Coast; further supporting excellent teaching and research; creating a student life experience that is second to none; reaching and exceeding the capital campaign goal; engaging the alumni base as never before; and supporting intercollegiate athletics' ongoing transition to the Sun Belt Conference.
Thanks for listening to the Embodied Holiness Podcast. We invite you to join the community on Facebook and Instagram @embodiedholiness. You can find all our episodes and more at www.embodiedholiness.com.
Embodied Holiness is a ministry of Parkway Heights United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg, MS. If you're in the Hattiesburg area and are looking for a church home, we'd love to meet you and welcome you to the family. You can find out more about Parkway Heights at our website.
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Come on, admit it. You love being practical! We do, too. In this episode Susan, Alex, and Lindsey dive into some of the habits found in Justin Early's book Habits of the Household and discuss ideas on how we can begin implementing them into our routines.
Also, here's the link to Susan's episodefrom the Talk it Up Podcast, where she shares about her and her husband's journey of parenting a child with depression and anxiety. Grab a copy of Susan's book, You're Gonna Be Okay, here.
Thanks for listening to the Embodied Holiness Podcast. We invite you to join the community on Facebook and Instagram @embodiedholiness. You can find all our episodes and more at www.embodiedholiness.com.
Embodied Holiness is a ministry of Parkway Heights United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg, MS. If you're in the Hattiesburg area and are looking for a church home, we'd love to meet you and welcome you to the family. You can find out more about Parkway Heights at our website.
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Welcome back to Season 5 of the Embodied Holiness Podcast! You long for tender moments with your children, but do you ever find yourself too busy to stop, make eye contact, and say something you really mean? Do you find yourself giving in to screen time just to get through the day? You want to parent with purpose, but do you know how to start? No matter what stage of parenting you're in (or even if you're not a parent!), you'll benefit from this discussion. Grab a copy of Justin Early's Habits of the Household to learn how to begin.
Thanks for listening to the Embodied Holiness Podcast. We invite you to join the community on Facebook and Instagram @embodiedholiness. You can find all our episodes and more at www.embodiedholiness.com.
Embodied Holiness is a ministry of Parkway Heights United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg, MS. If you're in the Hattiesburg area and are looking for a church home, we'd love to meet you and welcome you to the family. You can find out more about Parkway Heights at our website.
What are the "rules" for leadership within the Church? Are women allowed to lead in the same capacity as men? Why are there different views on this within the Church? In this episode, Susan and Alex speak with Hannah Garnett, host of the Clothed In Strength Podcast, about the varying theological viewpoints surrounding women's roles within the church.
HANNAH GARNETT is a gifted leader who is passionate about supporting and empowering women to be who God made them to be. Hannah is a graduate of both Asbury University and Asbury Seminary in Wilmore, KY, and currently works as the Special Events Manager at Ronald McDonald House Charities in Lexington, KY. Through her speaking and leading, Hannah invites Christians into a broader way of understanding gender in the church and hopes to empower all believers to use their prophetic giftings in the work of the Lord. You can listen to the Clothed In Strength Podcast here.
Thanks for listening to the Embodied Holiness Podcast. We invite you to join the community on Facebook and Instagram @embodiedholiness. You can find all our episodes and more at www.embodiedholiness.com.
Embodied Holiness is a ministry of Parkway Heights United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg, MS. If you're in the Hattiesburg area and are looking for a church home, we'd love to meet you and welcome you to the family. You can find out more about Parkway Heights at our website.
"This is how the season of Lent concludes. Things are quiet. We are silent. Whether we have kept our fasts or failed has no bearing on the final outcome. God either has the power to raise Christ from the dead, or he does not. We are Christians because we have concluded that he does." ~Esau McCaulley from the book Lent: The Season of Repentance and Renewal
Thanks for listening to the Embodied Holiness Podcast. We invite you to join the community on Facebook and Instagram @embodiedholiness. You can find all our episodes and more at www.embodiedholiness.com.
Embodied Holiness is a ministry of Parkway Heights United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg, MS. If you're in the Hattiesburg area and are looking for a church home, we'd love to meet you and welcome you to the family. You can find out more about Parkway Heights at our website.
In this episode, Alex and Susan discuss three Lenten prayers that can lead us on our journey of renewal. These prayers remind us that we never outgrow God, Jesus is the bread of life, and the life of the Christ follower should be one of ever-increasing maturity.
Resource: Lent - The Season of Repentance and Renewal by Esau McCaulley
Thanks for listening to the Embodied Holiness Podcast. We invite you to join the community on Facebook and Instagram @embodiedholiness. You can find all our episodes and more at www.embodiedholiness.com.
Embodied Holiness is a ministry of Parkway Heights United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg, MS. If you're in the Hattiesburg area and are looking for a church home, we'd love to meet you and welcome you to the family. You can find out more about Parkway Heights at our website.
In this episode, Susan and Alex discuss the practices of the Lenten season that help us connect with Christ and his journey to the cross. Discover how willingly stepping into discomfort helps form our character more into the character of Christ.
Resource: Lent - The Season of Repentance and Renewal, by Esau McCaulley
Thanks for listening to the Embodied Holiness Podcast. We invite you to join the community on Facebook and Instagram @embodiedholiness. You can find all our episodes and more at www.embodiedholiness.com.
Embodied Holiness is a ministry of Parkway Heights United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg, MS. If you're in the Hattiesburg area and are looking for a church home, we'd love to meet you and welcome you to the family. You can find out more about Parkway Heights at our website.
Every year, the church invites us into a season of repentance and fasting in preparation for Holy Week. It's an invitation to turn away from our sins and toward the mercy and grace of Christ. In this episode, Susan and Alex discuss the symbolism of the season of Lent and how we can engage with it to draw closer to the love of Christ.
Thanks for listening to the Embodied Holiness Podcast. We invite you to join the community on Facebook and Instagram @embodiedholiness. You can find all our episodes and more at www.embodiedholiness.com.
Embodied Holiness is a ministry of Parkway Heights United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg, MS. If you're in the Hattiesburg area and are looking for a church home, we'd love to meet you and welcome you to the family. You can find out more about Parkway Heights at our website.
Susan and Alex talk with communications professional, leadership coach, and "serial entrepreneur", Kristan Getsy, about how her faith impacts her ability to lead and train others with confidence. This episode is full of so much high-value content about entrepreneurship, imposter syndrome, making a significant contribution to the world, why we can lead with confidence, how to bring your faith into your workplace, how to lead without getting caught up in ego, and more! Kristan also tells us about her upcoming book, The Cussing Christian. You're going to love this conversation!
KRISTAN GETSY is an accomplished communications professional who empowers business, government, and nonprofit leaders to lead and communicate with authenticity, confidence, and grace. From radio to television to CEO of her own creative agency, Kristan's expertise has received numerous industry accolades. With over a decade of "boots on the ground" reporting experience in the news industry, Kristan worked as a photojournalist, anchor, and news director before founding her award-winning production and consulting company, Life's Eyes Media. These days, most of her time is spent developing the next generation of leaders and communicators.
Thanks for listening to the Embodied Holiness Podcast. We invite you to join the community on Facebook and Instagram @embodiedholiness. You can find all our episodes and more at www.embodiedholiness.com.
Embodied Holiness is a ministry of Parkway Heights United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg, MS. If you're in the Hattiesburg area and are looking for a church home, we'd love to meet you and welcome you to the family. You can find out more about Parkway Heights at our website.
FLASHBACK EPISODE! Today's episode is a re-release of our most popular episode to date with guest and local business owner, Steve McAlister (Versus Strength and Conditioning, Hattiesburg, MS). Listen again or for the first time, and be sure to share with a friend! (This was also Alex's first time podcasting with Susan and Lindsey. I guess we thought he did a great job, since he's now a regular host!)
When does a gym become more than a gym? When it becomes a place of true community. Today, we talk with Steve McAlister, founder and owner of Versus Strength and Conditioning in Hattiesburg, MS, about the principles he founded his business on and how his efforts in building a healthy, supportive community have come back to bless him and his family during his wife's cancer diagnosis.
Thanks for listening to the Embodied Holiness Podcast. We invite you to join the community on Facebook and Instagram @embodiedholiness. You can find all our episodes and more at www.embodiedholiness.com.
Embodied Holiness is a ministry of Parkway Heights United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg, MS. If you're in the Hattiesburg area and are looking for a church home, we'd love to meet you and welcome you to the family. You can find out more about Parkway Heights at our website.
In Matthew chapters 5-7, we read the good words of Jesus that not only shocked his audience then but have continued to shock, inspire, and even trouble followers of Jesus for two thousand years. In this episode, we talk with author Gena Anderson about her new study on the Sermon on the Mount and how the words of Jesus continue to be shockingly relevant to our lives and the world today.
Use this link to grab a copy of Gena's latest Bible Study, Dear Disciple: A Bible Study on the Sermon on the Mount.
Gena Anderson is a Bible teacher, author, nurse practitioner, and wellness coach. She is the author of Dear Disciple: A Bible Study on the Sermon on the Mount, The Well Woman and No Excuses: A Bible Study on the Book of James. She loves writing, reading, traveling, and brownies.
Gena lives in Hutto, TX with her husband, children, and faithful dogs. You can find her books and other free content on her website GenaWrites.com. Follow Gena on Instagram @genaandersonwrites.
Thanks for listening to the Embodied Holiness Podcast. We invite you to join the community on Facebook and Instagram @embodiedholiness. You can find all our episodes and more at www.embodiedholiness.com.
Embodied Holiness is a ministry of Parkway Heights United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg, MS. If you're in the Hattiesburg area and are looking for a church home, we'd love to meet you and welcome you to the family. You can find out more about Parkway Heights at our website.
In Part 2 of Faith, the Church, and Addiction, David and Cliff are back to talk with Alex and Susan about the practical steps you can take to begin the recovery process.
"The process of recovery is more than just us. [Addiction] has affected more than just us, and as a result [recovery] can't be just on us. You can't do it alone, but the good part is that you're not alone." -Rev. David Sellers
Links:
Online Addiction recovery Meetings and 12-Step Programs
SAMHSA's National Helpline
Thanks for listening to the Embodied Holiness Podcast. We invite you to join the community on Facebook and Instagram @embodiedholiness. You can find all our episodes and more at www.embodiedholiness.com.
Embodied Holiness is a ministry of Parkway Heights United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg, MS. If you're in the Hattiesburg area and are looking for a church home, we'd love to meet you and welcome you to the family. You can find out more about Parkway Heights at our website.
Alex and Susan talk with pastors David Sellers and Cliff Burris about the truth of our belovedness, how we can move into a life of recovery through a relationship with Christ and his church, and how the church can become a safe and brave space for those in recovery. (Part 1 of 2) For more content on the practical steps you can take to begin recovery, be sure to also listen to Episode 55, "Practicing Recovery." (Coming February 6, 2024.)
"Addiction is where God found me. It blew my mind that God loved me as I was. I was longing and hungering for acceptance and found that in Jesus and his Church." -Rev. Cliff Burris
SAMHSA (Substance Abuse & Mental Health Admin)
National Helpline, free, confidential 24/7 help with treatment referral and information - 1-800-662-4357 or https://samhsa.gov
The National Association for Christian Recovery
https://www.nacr.org/
Helpful material, including guides for working the 12 Steps and meeting resources.
Breathing Underwater - Richard Rohr (book about the Christian spirituality of the 12 Steps)
A Spiritual Kindergarten - Dale Ryan (Christian workbook/study on the 12 Steps - good for small groups or individual.)
Thanks for listening to the Embodied Holiness Podcast. We invite you to join the community on Facebook and Instagram @embodiedholiness. You can find all our episodes and more at www.embodiedholiness.com.
Embodied Holiness is a ministry of Parkway Heights United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg, MS. If you're in the Hattiesburg area and are looking for a church home, we'd love to meet you and welcome you to the family. You can find out more about Parkway Heights at our website.
Is it possible to live a life of true joy even in the midst of our deepest pain and sorrow? Because of Christ, it is. In this episode, Susan and Alex talk with their good friend, Nicolet Bell, about how followers of Jesus can access the deep joy of the Lord even when their circumstances tell them otherwise. This is one episode you'll want to listen to again and again.
NICOLET BELL serves as Executive Vice President / Chief Operations Officer for the JourneyWise Network. Prior to this, Nicolet served in Adult Ministry & NextGen Ministry at Christ United Church in Jackson, MS. In her position, Nicolet led family ministry efforts and women’s ministry. Nicolet has written and developed Bible study curriculum for adults and youth at the local church level. Prior to that, she served as a youth pastor for 3 years at St. Matthew’s UMC in Madison, MS. Nicolet has been the guest speaker at countless women’s and youth retreats and has a true passion for sharing God’s Word. Nicolet has a Master’s and Undergraduate degree in Communication Studies from The University of Southern Mississippi and is currently pursuing her seminary degree at Wesley Biblical Seminary. Nicolet has completed collegiate study in marketing, is a small business owner and served as Vice President of her local Chamber of Commerce. Out of all the hats she wears, her favorite is being wife to Dr. Preston Bell and mom to baby Josie. Find out more about Nicolet on her website at nicoletbell.com.
Thanks for listening to the Embodied Holiness Podcast. We invite you to join the community on Facebook and Instagram @embodiedholiness. You can find all our episodes and more at www.embodiedholiness.com.
Embodied Holiness is a ministry of Parkway Heights United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg, MS. If you're in the Hattiesburg area and are looking for a church home, we'd love to meet you and welcome you to the family. You can find out more about Parkway Heights at our website.
When our co-host, Lindsey Lewis, received the call that her younger brother, Cody Miller, had been involved in a traumatic car accident, she had no idea how close Cody had come to losing his life or how Cody's life would be permanently altered as a result. In today's episode, Cody shares about the day his life changed, the miraculous ways he experienced the hand of God, and how his faith strengthens him to persevere and share about the goodness of God with others.
Thanks for listening to the Embodied Holiness Podcast. We invite you to join the community on Facebook and Instagram @embodiedholiness. You can find all our episodes and more at www.embodiedholiness.com.
Embodied Holiness is a ministry of Parkway Heights United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg, MS. If you're in the Hattiesburg area and are looking for a church home, we'd love to meet you and welcome you to the family. You can find out more about Parkway Heights at our website.
Susan and Alex discuss three ancient spiritual practices that invite us to gain a new glimpse into who God is and how to follow him so we can be stirred up toward love and good deeds.
From the book, Advent by Tish Harrison Warren:
"For the early church these three spiritual disciplines -- prayer, fasting, and giving-- were held together. All three of them were robustly physical. Early church leaders spoke about them in almost medicinal terms: a way of healing our souls through how we use our bodies. To work on the body was also to work on the soul; to discipline the body was to purify the soul. Prayer, fasting, and giving are tangible ways to learn to follow Christ not only with our minds but with the entirety of our beings."
Thanks for listening to the Embodied Holiness Podcast. We invite you to join the community on Facebook and Instagram @embodiedholiness. You can find all our episodes and more at www.embodiedholiness.com.
Embodied Holiness is a ministry of Parkway Heights United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg, MS. If you're in the Hattiesburg area and are looking for a church home, we'd love to meet you and welcome you to the family. You can find out more about Parkway Heights at our website.
"If we are healthy, financially secure, and privileged, we can seek to meticulously rid our lives of waiting. We dwell in an impatient culture. We collectively avoid the hard lessons found in waiting." ~Tish Harrison Warren
Join Susan and Alex as they discuss how the season of Advent invites us to cultivate the habit of patience and trust the slow work of God.
Thanks for listening to the Embodied Holiness Podcast. We invite you to join the community on Facebook and Instagram @embodiedholiness. You can find all our episodes and more at www.embodiedholiness.com.
Embodied Holiness is a ministry of Parkway Heights United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg, MS. If you're in the Hattiesburg area and are looking for a church home, we'd love to meet you and welcome you to the family. You can find out more about Parkway Heights at our website.
Listen in as Susan and Alex discuss the paradoxical nature of Advent and how letting go of expectations can help us fully embrace this season of the Christian year.
Listen to the O Antiphons at this link.
The O Antiphons:
"O Wisdom!"
"O Adonai!"
"O Root!"
"O Key!"
"O Light!"
"O King of the Nations!"
"O Emmanuel!"
"These poetic prayers reverberate with longing and hope. They tell us we need a rescuer and a ransom. They remind us that, even if we had never heard the name of Jesus, we would still need all he came to give." ~Tish Harrison Warren, Advent
Thanks for listening to the Embodied Holiness Podcast. We invite you to join the community on Facebook and Instagram @embodiedholiness. You can find all our episodes and more at www.embodiedholiness.com.
Embodied Holiness is a ministry of Parkway Heights United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg, MS. If you're in the Hattiesburg area and are looking for a church home, we'd love to meet you and welcome you to the family. You can find out more about Parkway Heights at our website.
Feeling overwhelmed? In this episode you'll learn about spiritual and physical practices that bring rest, peace, and restoration to you body, mind, and spirit.
For even more on this topic, you can listen to Susan's conversation with Tammy and Whitney from 2020 at this link.
WHITNEY R. SIMPSON holds a certification in Spiritual Formation from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary and is the founder of Exploring Peace Ministries. She is a trained spiritual director, retreat facilitator, and experienced yoga and meditation teacher. Whitney has authored two books: Holy Listening with Breath, Body, and the Spirit and an Advent devotional, Fully Human, Fully Divine. She is also a Deaconess in the United Methodist Church and serves as a campus minister with the Wesley Fellowship Campus Ministry at Cumberland University.
Between her 20's and early 30's, Whitney experienced multiple health crises including melanoma skin cancer, stroke, and brain surgery. During this time of healing and recovery, she began to seek God's peace and deepen her relationship with God while exploring contemplative prayer tools. You can find out more about Whitney at her website exploringpeace.com.
TAMMY KOLBO is the owner of The Yoga Room in Hattiesburg, MS and a Certified Yoga Therapist with The International Association of Yoga Therapists. Tammy believes that yoga practices are effective as alternative and adjunct therapy for the prevention of illness, the management of symptoms, and a companion on the road in recovery. She also currently serves as a Senior Consultant with the Gulf Coast Trauma Institute.
In 2005, Tammy began work at Pine Grove Behavioral Health Women’s Center teaching yoga and wellness principles to women in recovery from eating disorders and chemical dependency. She eventually developed the Behavioral Health Yoga Therapy Program at Pine Grove Gentle Path, now called Gratitude, where she currently works with men and women in recovery from multiple addictions, including relationship and sexual addiction. In June of 2022, she added Pine Grove’s Professional Enhancement Program and Next Step to her weekly agenda. You can find out more about Tammy at her website https://theyogaroom-ms.com/about/.
Thanks for listening to the Embodied Holiness Podcast. We invite you to join the community on Facebook and Instagram @embodiedholiness. You can find all our episodes and more at www.embodiedholiness.com.
Embodied Holiness is a ministry of Parkway Heights United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg, MS. If you're in the Hattiesburg area and are looking for a church home, we'd love to meet you and welcome you to the family. You can find out more about Parkway Heights at our website.
In this episode, Susan is joined by her husband, Stewart Eaton, her brother-in-law, Fletcher Eaton, and sister-in-law, Susan Eaton. Together, they discuss why belonging and connection are so important and how we can go about repairing ruptures that occur in our relationships. Using John Ortberg's book I'd Like You More if You Were More Like Me as a guide, they also bring their professional expertise from the world of therapy, education, and pastoral leadership to the table (as well as plenty of laughter) to make this an episode from which you're sure to benefit.
About the Guests:
Stewart Eaton, LPC, CSAT, works with active duty sailors and their families as a Clinical Counselor with the US Navy. He earned his Master's Degree in Counseling from Asbury Theological Seminary. He is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Mississippi and a Certified Sex Addiction Therapist. His previous experience includes working with children, teenagers, and their families in various mental health settings. For over a decade, he has been helping adults struggling with problematic sexual behaviors and intimacy difficulties.
Fletcher Eaton is the Manager of EAP Services for USA Health System, where he focuses on mental health support for employees, critical incident stress debriefing, and conducting psychoeducational training. He earned his MA in Marriage and Family and MA in Christian Education from Southwestern Seminary. He has additional doctoral studies in Mental Health Counseling from the University of Florida. Fletcher has previous work experience with inpatient psychiatry, addiction medicine, eating disorders, suicide, and critical incidents with first responders. He enjoys spending time with his wife and family, working on projects in the yard, volunteering at church, and reading.
Susan Campbell Eaton has worked as an early childhood educator for twenty-five years. A Florida native, Susan attended the University of Mississippi, where she met Fletcher, her husband of twenty-five years. Together, they have three children (two grown and one almost grown). Susan currently lives in Fairhope, AL, where she teaches first grade. Susan enjoys reading and leading a small group of students at her church.
Thanks for listening to the Embodied Holiness Podcast. We invite you to join the community on Facebook and Instagram @embodiedholiness. You can find all our episodes and more at www.embodiedholiness.com.
Embodied Holiness is a ministry of Parkway Heights United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg, MS. If you're in the Hattiesburg area and are looking for a church home, we'd love to meet you and welcome you to the family. You can find out more about Parkway Heights at our website.
Is it crazy to say we had fun talking about mourning and loss? Maybe, but it's true. In this episode, Susan, Lindsey, and Alex sit down with author Jasmine Cochran to talk about her latest book, Keep Waking Up in the Mourning, a collection of father-daughter experiences that will move and entertain you while highlighting the stresses of a loved one’s final moments and the trying days after loss.
We hope this episode will help you navigate through grief and show you that it is possible to keep living and moving forward even after loss.
JASMINE COCHRAN is an international speaker, writer, and inaugural Democrats Abroad Global Black Caucus Poet Laureate who brings stories to life. She enjoys traveling near and far, laughing too loudly, and taking naps. Her family of four lives on the Mississippi Gulf Coast where they settled after five years of living abroad. After assisting more than 20 authors in birthing their literary dreams, Jasmine is giving life to her own.
Keep Waking Up in the Mourning is an extended eulogy of Greg Walls, an attentive father, community advocate, Vietnam veteran, NASA retiree, star athlete, husband, grandfather, and friend. Between treatments and check-ups, Jasmine interviewed her father to gather material that would become a book about his eclectic life.
Thanks for listening to the Embodied Holiness Podcast. We invite you to join the community on Facebook and Instagram @embodiedholiness. You can find all our episodes and more at www.embodiedholiness.com.
Embodied Holiness is a ministry of Parkway Heights United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg, MS. If you're in the Hattiesburg area and are looking for a church home, we'd love to meet you and welcome you to the family. You can find out more about Parkway Heights at our website.
Kym Garraway-Braley is an artist with a zest for life that is vividly portrayed in her paintings, which feature vibrant colors along with everything she loves from God's creation. Her favorite subjects include florals, fruits, botanicals, wildlife, and children's themes, which she beautifully illustrates so that they seem to leap out at you. This creative artist is never one to claim praise for her work. She feels that her talent is a gift from God. "It is God's talent and God's Glory," she says.
In addition to being an artist, Kym is a wildlife rehabber and part of the wildlife rehab group Wild at Heart. Kym has rescued hundreds of animals in her lifetime. Through this work, the Spirit of God has taught her many lessons about love, compassion, brokenness, and restoration.
Kym is also the author of the book The Word and The Wild. This devotional book tells the stories of some of the animals Kym has worked with. But mainly, it's a book that will ground you in scripture and teach you about the love of God.
You can find out more about Kym by visiting her website at www.kymgarraway.com, or by finding her on Facebook.
Thanks for listening to the Embodied Holiness Podcast. We invite you to join the community on Facebook and Instagram @embodiedholiness. You can find all our episodes and more at www.embodiedholiness.com.
Embodied Holiness is a ministry of Parkway Heights United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg, MS. If you're in the Hattiesburg area and are looking for a church home, we'd love to meet you and welcome you to the family. You can find out more about Parkway Heights at our website.
Whether it's over the loss of a loved one, the loss of a job, a friendship, or from going through the inevitable transitions of life, grieving is a reality we all face. In this episode, Susan and Lyerly talk with Rev. Dr. Vicki Johnson about the importance of tending to our grief and how hope helps us move forward through the pain of loss. Whether you're in a current season of grief or not, this episode will give you the tools to face life's diffculties with faith and resilience.
VICKI JOHNSONhas been coaching leaders of families and organizations since 2015. A devoted life-long learner and teacher, she delights in the way the coaching process unleashes deeply creative and authentic transformation for all those who see themselves as leaders. With coaching, she has found a natural fit and dynamic next step for her long-time passion of partnering with individuals and groups for discernment, decision, and action.
You can find out more by visiting Vicki's website at www.coachingtheartofwellbeing.com
Thanks for listening to the Embodied Holiness Podcast. We invite you to join the community on Facebook and Instagram @embodiedholiness. You can find all our episodes and more at www.embodiedholiness.com.
Embodied Holiness is a ministry of Parkway Heights United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg, MS. If you're in the Hattiesburg area and are looking for a church home, we'd love to meet you and welcome you to the family. You can find out more about Parkway Heights at our website.
"We are shaped every day, whether we know it or not, by practices — rituals and liturgies — that make us who we are. We receive these practices — are often rote —not only from the church or the Scriptures but from the culture, from the 'air around us' ... The church is to be a radically alternative people, marked by the love of the triune God in each area of life. But often, we are not sure how to become this sort of alternative people."
That's an excerpt from Chapter 2 in Tish Harrison Warren's book Liturgy of the Ordinary. In this episode, Susan and Lindsey talk with their friend, Kristin, about the power of habits and why it's necessary to pay attention to the small ways we may be misaligning ourselves and bringing unnecessary burden into our lives.
Thanks for listening to the Embodied Holiness Podcast. We invite you to join the community on Facebook and Instagram @embodiedholiness. You can find all our episodes and more at www.embodiedholiness.com.
Embodied Holiness is a ministry of Parkway Heights United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg, MS. If you're in the Hattiesburg area and are looking for a church home, we'd love to meet you and welcome you to the family. You can find out more about Parkway Heights at our website.
Are you ready to break the cycle of unhealthy patterns and make wellness a priority? If so, this episode is just what you need. Today, we speak with author, wellness blogger, and nurse practitioner, Gena Anderson, about how we can obtain spiritual, mental, and physical wellness. Our conversation is based on Gena's book The Well Woman - A Journey to Wellness Through Loving Jesus.ABOUT GENA: Gena is a Jesus-lover, writer, and nurse practitioner who has a passion for helping busy women experience wellness. She is the author of The Well Woman and No Excuses: A Bible Study on the Book of James.
She proudly holds the title of wife, mom, and the world's most average CrossFitter. She loves writing, reading, traveling, and brownies. She's working on that last one. Gena lives in Hutto, TX with her husband, children, and faithful dogs. You can find her books as well as other free content on her website GenaWrites.com. Follow Gena on Instagram @genaandersonwrites.
Thanks for listening to the Embodied Holiness Podcast. We invite you to join the community on Facebook and Instagram @embodiedholiness. You can find all our episodes and more at www.embodiedholiness.com.
Embodied Holiness is a ministry of Parkway Heights United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg, MS. If you're in the Hattiesburg area and are looking for a church home, we'd love to meet you and welcome you to the family. You can find out more about Parkway Heights at our website.
If you've been a parent for any length of time, you've probably experienced parent guilt at some point along your parenting journey. In this episode, we talk with our friend, Jennifer Sheridan, from Restoration House Counseling in Hattiesburg, MS about what to do with parent guilt, and how we can navigate all the emotions and pressures of parenting in a healthy way.
Thanks for listening to the Embodied Holiness Podcast. We invite you to join the community on Facebook and Instagram @embodiedholiness. You can find all our episodes and more at www.embodiedholiness.com.
Embodied Holiness is a ministry of Parkway Heights United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg, MS. If you're in the Hattiesburg area and are looking for a church home, we'd love to meet you and welcome you to the family. You can find out more about Parkway Heights at our website.
When Sarah Williams experienced an unplanned pregnancy at the age of nineteen, there were no congratulations or happy tears. Instead, she was told that her life was over — that she had made the biggest mistake ever.
But neither God nor Sarah bought that narrative. Instead, after completing her bachelor's and master's degrees, Sarah answered God’s call to be an encourager, ambassador, and resource for pregnant teens and young single mothers.
Through her ministry, Reach Just One, Sarah leads young women to the hope of the Gospel and creates space for their stories to be heard. Listen in as we talk with this former NFL cheerleader about how God is using her choice to say yes to bring hope to others.
Thanks for listening to the Embodied Holiness Podcast. We invite you to join the community on Facebook and Instagram @embodiedholiness. You can find all our episodes and more at www.embodiedholiness.com.
Embodied Holiness is a ministry of Parkway Heights United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg, MS. If you're in the Hattiesburg area and are looking for a church home, we'd love to meet you and welcome you to the family. You can find out more about Parkway Heights at our website.
When does a gym become more than a gym? When it becomes a place of true community. Today, we talk with Steve McAlister, founder and owner of Versus Strength and Conditioning in Hattiesburg, MS, about the principles he founded his business on and how his efforts in building a healthy, supportive community have come back to bless him and his family during his wife's cancer diagnosis.
Versus Strength and Conditioning isn’t just a gym. It’s a community. A place where professional athletes, housewives, small business owners, high school athletes, police officers, young professionals, and more come together to redefine and rediscover themselves. With a little elbow grease, perseverance, and determination our athletes (because that’s what they are) not only set goals but smash through them.
Thanks for listening to the Embodied Holiness Podcast. We invite you to join the community on Facebook and Instagram @embodiedholiness. You can find all our episodes and more at www.embodiedholiness.com.
Embodied Holiness is a ministry of Parkway Heights United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg, MS. If you're in the Hattiesburg area and are looking for a church home, we'd love to meet you and welcome you to the family. You can find out more about Parkway Heights at our website.
Imagine you're twenty-something years old. You're touring the world with your friends in your extremely popular pop/rock band, King Konga. You have a hit song that reaches #81 on the AC Hot 100 Pop Charts, and you've captured the eyes of many major record labels. You have the opportunity to take a big step toward fame, and you say... no. That's precisely what TONY LYMON did. But more than saying no to a lifestyle of world tours and hit songs, Tony said yes to how God was calling him to contribute to others. Listen in as we talk with Tony about his journey of saying yes (and where you can find his awesome new Eyrthbeat Coffee brand)!
Thanks for listening to the Embodied Holiness Podcast. We invite you to join the community on Facebook and Instagram @embodiedholiness. You can find all our episodes and more at www.embodiedholiness.com.
Embodied Holiness is a ministry of Parkway Heights United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg, MS. If you're in the Hattiesburg area and are looking for a church home, we'd love to meet you and welcome you to the family. You can find out more about Parkway Heights at our website.
SCOTT ERICKSON has had long midnight conversations with the Voice of Giving Up, and knows how depression can make the Voice especially loud. In this episode we talk with Scott about how he's moved beyond the Voice of Giving Up into a life of saying yes, the difference between a desire and a dream, and how the spiritual practice of taking away helps us grow closer to God.
Scott is currently touring his one man show, “SAY YES: A Liturgy of Not Giving Up On Yourself”, juxtaposing story-teaching, participation, humor, and image curation as he walks us through the very personal and universal conversation about the death of a dream and the overwhelming voice of Giving Up in our lives.
Learn more about Scott by visiting his website.
Get your copy of Scott's book here.
Thanks for listening to the Embodied Holiness Podcast. We invite you to join the community on Facebook and Instagram @embodiedholiness. You can find all our episodes and more at www.embodiedholiness.com.
Embodied Holiness is a ministry of Parkway Heights United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg, MS. If you're in the Hattiesburg area and are looking for a church home, we'd love to meet you and welcome you to the family. You can find out more about Parkway Heights at our website.
In this last installment of our Embodied Advent series, we look at Mary, who so willingly received her Christ, becoming a tabernacle for the divine, a dwelling place, a shelter for the embryonic God to grow. She received the calling to carry, birth, and raise a child — to love and pour herself out for him — and then she released him and her heart to the will of the Father.
As we draw closer to the day of Christ’s birth, consider what you may be holding too tightly. What do you have a grip on, or what are you striving for that has a grip on you? How might you be trying to prove your worth instead of accepting what is already yours and trusting God even with what you see as weakness? How do you need to let go and surrender to the call of the Divine over your life?
Thanks for listening to the Embodied Holiness Podcast. We invite you to join the community on Facebook and Instagram @embodiedholiness. You can find all our episodes and more at www.embodiedholiness.com.
Embodied Holiness is a ministry of Parkway Heights United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg, MS. If you're in the Hattiesburg area and are looking for a church home, we'd love to meet you and welcome you to the family. You can find out more about Parkway Heights at our website.
If you’ve ever wondered why — in a season when we’re supposed to be focused on the humility of Christ’s entrance into the world — we seem to be more chaotic and stressed than ever, you’re not alone. Listen in as our friend Alex Doleac shares his thoughts about how we can step away from the chaos of the season in order to become unadorned and embrace the simplicity and humility of Christ.
Thanks for listening to the Embodied Holiness Podcast. We invite you to join the community on Facebook and Instagram @embodiedholiness. You can find all our episodes and more at www.embodiedholiness.com.
Embodied Holiness is a ministry of Parkway Heights United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg, MS. If you're in the Hattiesburg area and are looking for a church home, we'd love to meet you and welcome you to the family. You can find out more about Parkway Heights at our website.
Even though the season of Advent is marked by longing and waiting for deliverance, it's not a season without hope. Our Savior has come and will come again to make all things new. In this second week of Advent, we explore the purpose darkness can serve in our lives. If you're going through a difficult time, we pray that this message will remind you that you are never alone. God is with us. God is with you.
Thanks for listening to the Embodied Holiness Podcast. We invite you to join the community on Facebook and Instagram @embodiedholiness. You can find all our episodes and more at www.embodiedholiness.com.
Embodied Holiness is a ministry of Parkway Heights United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg, MS. If you're in the Hattiesburg area and are looking for a church home, we'd love to meet you and welcome you to the family. You can find out more about Parkway Heights at our website.
For the Christian, the season of Advent marks the beginning of a new year. We begin this new year by waiting with anticipation for the coming of our Savior. Of course, we're on the other side of Christ's first coming, and so while we celebrate and remember with joy how God took on flesh and dwelt among us, we also hold on to the hope that Christ will return -- His second advent.
As we wait it's easy to get caught up in the consumerism of the culture. This series is here to help you not get caught up. To help you stay focused on the presence of God at work among us. May you experience the Lord's presence this Advent. And may you awaken to others as you awaken to God. Happy Advent, everyone.
Thanks for listening to the Embodied Holiness Podcast. We invite you to join the community on Facebook and Instagram @embodiedholiness. You can find all our episodes and more at www.embodiedholiness.com.
Embodied Holiness is a ministry of Parkway Heights United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg, MS. If you're in the Hattiesburg area and are looking for a church home, we'd love to meet you and welcome you to the family. You can find out more about Parkway Heights at our website.
For the Christian, the season of Advent marks the beginning of a new year. We begin this new year by waiting with anticipation for the coming of our Savior. Of course, we're on the other side of Christ's first coming, and so while we celebrate and remember with joy how God took on flesh and dwelt among us, we also hold on to the hope that Christ will return -- His second advent.
As we wait it's easy to get caught up in the consumerism of the culture. This series is here to help you not get caught up. To help you stay focused on the presence of God at work among us. May you experience the Lord's presence this Advent. And may you awaken to others as you awaken to God. Happy Advent, everyone.
Thanks for listening to the Embodied Holiness Podcast. We invite you to join the community on Facebook and Instagram @embodiedholiness. You can find all our episodes and more at www.embodiedholiness.com.
Embodied Holiness is a ministry of Parkway Heights United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg, MS. If you're in the Hattiesburg area and are looking for a church home, we'd love to meet you and welcome you to the family. You can find out more about Parkway Heights at our website.
(Maybe you feel shipwrecked or stuck at a dead end. Maybe you feel foolish for even daring to dream at all. When our dreams die, our vision of who we hoped to become often dies too. That's when the Voice of Giving Up appears."
That's an excerpt from the back cover of Scott Erickson's book Say Yes - Discover the Surprising Life Beyond the Death of a Dream. Listen in as we discuss why this book took us so long to read, what our key takeaways were, and why you should get a copy. Thanks for joining us!
Get your copy of Scott's book.
Thanks for listening to the Embodied Holiness Podcast. We invite you to join the community on Facebook and Instagram @embodiedholiness. You can find all our episodes and more at www.embodiedholiness.com.
Calling all parents! Listen in as we talk with Jennifer Sheridan, owner and lead therapist at Restoration House Counseling in Hattiesburg, MS, about effective and ineffective styles of parenting and what it looks like to keep the love of Christ at the center of our parent/child relationships.
Parenting styles discussed in the episode (taken from John Gottman's Book Raising an Emotionally Intelligent Child):
- Dismissing Parent
- Disapproving Parent
- Laissez-faire Parent
- Emotion-Coaching Parent
About Jennifer:
Jennifer Sheridan, owner and lead therapist of Restoration House Counseling, is a Licensed Clinical Social Work and Registered Play Therapist practicing in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Jennifer specializes in working with families and children struggling with attachment and behavioral challenges in the home and at school. She has experience working with families grown through adoption and helping parents make sense of the emotional needs of children from hard places.
Jennifer is a TBRI practitioner and TraumaPlay Certified Therapist. She has also completed Level I and II Theraplay Training and utilizes this model of attachment-based therapy with families in the playroom. As a former junior high math teacher and school psychometrist, Jennifer understands the many challenges faced by teachers and school administrators addressing problematic behaviors in the classroom. Jennifer believes children communicate through play and supports families and caregivers in learning how to interpret the behaviors of the children in their care.
Find out more about Restoration House counseling by visiting their website at restorationhousecounseling.com. You can also follow them on Instagram @restorationhousecounseling.
Thanks for listening to the Embodied Holiness Podcast. We invite you to join the community on Facebook and Instagram @embodiedholiness. You can find all our episodes and more at www.embodiedholiness.com.
A native of South Mississippi, Abbye West Pates is a singer-songwriter who has called Memphis, Tennessee her home for over a decade. She loves people and songs so it only makes sense that she'd feel most at home at a house concert or dark listening room somewhere, close enough for a conversation with the listeners. She's a little folk, a little country, and loves a good story. You're invited to listen in as we talk with Abbye about songwriting, faith, and what motivates her to keep creating.
Her newest songs, To Be Well and Better With Time, are now available! Listen on her website, on Spotify, and everywhere you stream music.
Thanks for listening to the Embodied Holiness Podcast. We invite you to join the community on Facebook and Instagram @embodiedholiness. You can find all our episodes and more at www.embodiedholiness.com.
In so many ways we have lost our ability to effectively converse with others, especially when the topic is a tough one. Technology promises to bring us together; however, isolation and discord seem more prominent than ever. But we can redeem that! In this episode, we'll go over several principles that will help us all communicate more effectively with love and grace to the people around us:
1) Godly speech comes from a godly heart.
2) Speak for the good of others.
3) Godly speech embraces godly silence.
4) Listen.
Thanks for listening to the Embodied Holiness Podcast. We invite you to join the community on Facebook and Instagram @embodiedholiness. You can also find all our episodes and more at www.embodiedholiness.com.
If you've wanted to know your 2022 Miss Mississippi better, here's your chance! In this conversation, Emmie shares how her faith in God has sustained her, her thoughts on rest and striving for perfection, and what she hopes to accomplish as Miss Mississippi and as a follower of Christ.
You can find out more about Emmie and follow her journey to Miss America on Instagram @emmieperkins and @missamericams.
Thanks for listening to the Embodied Holiness Podcast. We invite you to join the community on Facebook and Instagram @embodiedholiness. You can also find all our episodes and more at www.embodiedholiness.com.
In this episode we have the honor of speaking with Sidney Smith. After 27 years of addiction, crime, homelessness, eating out of garbage dumpsters, prison, and 10 different rehabilitation centers, one encounter with Christ changed everything. Sidney is a good friend, a powerful speaker and an extremely talented pianist and singer. He is as authentic as they come, and we hope you'll be inspired and reminded of the goodness and power of God's love and forgiveness as you listen to him share.
You can learn more about Sidney by visiting his website at www.sidneyhsmithiii.com
Sidney Smith is a speaker and the author of 4 books titled: Unbelievably Amazing, Alone with GOD, Addiction Treatment Outcomes, and Big Braining the Whole Thang. Smith is a two-time graduate of The University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg Campus, having completed a bachelor’s degree in Social Work and a minor in psychology, as well as a Master of Social Work. Smith was awarded student of the year 2018-2019, Honors College Graduate, and McNair Scholar by The University of Southern Mississippi. Smith was also selected and awarded a Fellowship by The Council of Social Work Education 2018- 2019.
Sidney H. Smith III currently works for The United States Department of Veteran Affairs as a Licensed Master Social Worker. Smith has worked as a Substance Abuse Counselor, Community Outreach Counselor and currently volunteers his services monthly at 4 local residential drug and alcohol treatment centers and ultimately desires to own private practice. Smith conducted Opioid Addiction Classes statewide for law enforcement officers, ambulance, and firefighters. Sidney H. Smith III is featured in National Outlets such as Guidepost Magazine, Pat Robertson’s televised 700 Club and spoke in circles with United States Senator Roger Wicker.
Thanks for listening to the Embodied Holiness Podcast. We invite you to join the community on Facebook and Instagram @embodiedholiness. You can also find all our episodes and more at www.embodiedholiness.com.
What if you had a magic wand to help you know how to best work with and communicate with others? The DiSC personality profile might not be a “magic wand”, but it can help you understand your personality and the personality of others. Listen as we use the DiSC Agile EQ profile to explore how to read the emotional and interpersonal needs of ourselves and others.
To learn more about the DiSC assessments, visit www.everything disc.com
For a free DiSC assessment visit www.TonyRobbins.com
Thanks for listening to the Embodied Holiness Podcast. We invite you to join the community on Facebook and Instagram @embodiedholiness. You can also find all our episodes and more at www.embodiedholiness.com.
In this episode, our friend, Glenna, shares how her faith in God kept her moving forward and holding onto hope after a brain tumor diagnosis and five subsequent surgeries. Glenna’s story is one of strength, courage, and faith. May you receive encouragement for whatever you’re facing as you listen to Glenna share her journey of hope and resilience.
About Glenna:
Glenna is a 6th-grade gifted studies teacher at Sumrall Middle School. She is a lifelong resident of Hattiesburg, MS. She and her husband, Clay, have been married for twenty years and have two children, Lyla and Trent. They are members of Heritage Church in Hattiesburg.
On April 16, 1976, when Andy was just two years old, his father shot and killed his mother in cold blood. The rest of Andy's life he would struggle with this, but he would eventually come to a place of forgiveness. He now helps others learn to live that same journey. We hope this conversation will help you lay down your objections to forgiveness and find the courage to step forward into the life of freedom God has for you.
REV. ANDY STODDARD is the Lead Pastor at St. Matthew's United Methodist Church in Madison, MS.
You’ve left the toxic environment or relationship. You’ve been doing the work of healing past wounds. You’ve moved forward in so many ways. Then one day you’re face-to-face with the person who caused you so much pain. How do you respond? In this episode, we discuss the power of forgiveness and how it is essential to living a life of joy. Yes, it can be hard, but it is possible to forgive even that person, and it’s necessary if we’re going to be a source of healing for the world. Listen in as we wrap up our 3-part series on Reclaiming Joy.
Reflection/Discussion Questions:
1. Look up and read Ephesians 4:25-5:2
- (vs. 26-27) Who does Paul say we are making room for when we hang on to anger?
- Look carefully over the entire passage. What does Paul say we need to put away or give up?
- (vs. 4:32-5:2) What are the traits and/or actions Paul says we should possess?
- Looking at both lists, which traits are more prevalent in your life right now?
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Ask yourself, "Based on my current attitudes, who am I making room for in my soul?
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What is one practical step you can take today to live in love?
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What sins of others have you been retaining? What has been the result of that physically, emotionally, and spiritually?
"Forgiveness is dangerous to those who prefer tragic storylines." To Forgive is Human, by Everett Worthington
Additional resources mentioned:
To Forgive is Human, by Everett Worthington
How to Pray for Someone Who Hurt You, by Crystal McGowen
This week we journey with Isaac (Genesis 26) into the valley and discover how God uses even the painful times in our lives to do His good work in us. In this session, we dig deep into what it really takes to unstop the life-giving wells of our souls so we can experience God’s deep joy and gladness and find healing.
Use this link to order your copy of Reclaiming Joy. We encourage you to get the book and use these episodes to enhance your personal study.
Reflection or Discussion Questions
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Have you ever treated someone poorly because you were envious or jealous of them? (Put downs, deliberately not celebrating their accomplishments, ignoring them, talking poorly about them to others, etc.)
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Think about a "valley" you have been through or are currently experiencing. What would you name that valley? (Ex. The Valley of Weeping, The Valley of Wrecked Relationships)
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Can you see how God has transformed or is transforming your valley into a place of blessing? If so, how?
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What wells need to be opened in your life? How have they been renamed?
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Are you in a situation or relationship that is toxic to your mental, spiritual, physical, or emotional health? If so, name the ways this situation or relationship is having a negative impact on you.
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In what ways are you being tempted to act or react according to the flesh instead of the Spirit?
Welcome to Season 2 of the Embodied Holiness Podcast! Today begins a three-part series as we explore Susan's book Reclaiming Joy - Living in the Transforming Power of Reconciliation and Forgiveness. In this episode, we look at three things that are sure to prevent joy from flourishing in our lives: fear, assumption-making, and contempt.
We encourage you to get the book (see link below) and use these episodes to enhance your personal or small group study.
About Reclaiming Joy:
Do you feel stuck in a place that is stealing your joy? This study of Genesis 26 will help you explore where you might be stuck. It will ask you to address some common attitudes, habits, and behaviors that are preventing you from living the life of joy God desires for you. After taking this journey you will:
- understand how ineffective and damaging fear is in your life
- recognize where you might be making assumptions about others
- discern whether you may need to exit a toxic relationship or environment
- be equipped to express kindness and love to difficult people
- be positioned to forgive those who have hurt you.
Reclaiming Joy - Living in the Transforming Power of Reconciliation and Forgiveness, by Rev. Susan Eaton
Are you one of those who likes to plan and control and know what's coming before it comes your way? In this episode, Susan explores how listening to the guiding voice of the Father is better than knowing what's ahead.
Imagine this: You're 13 years old without a care in the world when one day you find out you need to have major back surgery. In this episode, Claire Christensen shares how a scoliosis diagnosis and surgery affected her and what it taught her about trusting God.
Claire is a senior at Oak Grove High School in Hattiesburg, MS. She is a student leader in the Parkway Heights UMC youth ministry. She plays oboe and clarinet and enjoys hanging out with her longtime group of friends.
Human beings are defined by their relationships more than anything else, and our relationships say more about who we are than any biographical sketch or social media profile. But the one relationship that defines who we genuinely are is our relationship with God. In this episode, Rev. Julie Collins shares with us her thoughts on how we can build and cultivate a relationship with God.
Julie serves as the Executive Pastor at Parkway Heights UMC. You can learn more about Julie here: https://www.parkwayheights.org/staff
If you're like me (Susan), you would much rather avoid pain than experience it. But you don't have to spend much time on this planet to realize that pain can't be avoided. Christ, however, teaches us that our top priority shouldn't be to avoid pain. Rather, as we journey through painful circumstances with a renewed perspective, we find the strength that comes from Christ's presence within us, and our hearts and minds are transformed more and more into the character of Christ.
Today, Susan shares how one of those days opened her eyes to the deeper work the Spirit was doing within her. If you've ever had a day where you just finally came apart, listen in. Perhaps the Spirit is doing a greater work in you, too.
Let’s face it. No one is immune to shame and brokenness. Many of us have gone through seasons of spiritual isolation due to that shame and brokenness. But what if, instead of barriers, they could be tools for deeper community and connection to God? In today's One Voice episode, Alex Doleac helps us understand how God can use even our shame as a means of spiritual transformation and growth.
You can access The Heart of Man movie that Alex mentions here: https://www.amazon.com/Heart-Man-William-Paul-Young/dp/B082XGSQHN
About Alex: In addition to being a fabulous photographer, Alex serves as the Director of Youth and Family Ministries at Parkway Heights UMC in Hattiesburg, MS. To see some of Alex's creative work, you can visit his website at http://www.alexdoleacphotography.com You an also follow Alex on Instagram @alexdoleac.
"Big girls don't cry!" Maybe you've heard it, maybe you've said it, or maybe you even believe it. In this episode, Lindsey shares how a tearful moment with her daughter taught her a lesson about embracing vulnerability and how to find comfort in the sufficiency of Christ.
In today's One Voice episode, Susan shares how the Lord spoke a word of encouragement to her from a most unexpected source.
In today's One Voice episode, Lyerly shares what she's learning about busyness, balance, and the one thing worth being concerned about.
Welcome to the first episode in our summer series, Embodied Holiness One Voice.In today's episode, Susan shares what an experience in traffic court taught her about how the Lord can turn even the most difficult and undesirable situations into holy and sacramental moments.
If a spontaneous celebration broke out right now, what would you be celebrating? How easy is it for you to play? What do you do for fun? We discuss all this and more in today's episode, so buckle up! This is a fun one!
Questions for Personal or Group Reflection:
If a spontaneous celebration broke out right now, what would you be celebrating?
What do you do for fun?
Have you ever noticed yourself being annoyed by other people's celebrations?
What difference does it make to understand celebration as a discipline rather than simply a reflex?
Name five delights that are present in your life right now.
What If It's Wonderful by Nicole Zasowski
In this episode, we talk with our good friend Kristin McNair about how she has learned to trust God during a season of infertility and how she continues to find hope in this season of waiting. We also explore a terrific book, Prayer in the Night by Tish Harrison Warren.
Even if infertility is not an issue for you, it may very well be for someone you know and love. Kristin's perspective is good for all of us to hear. Also, the spiritual principles she's learned are applicable to all of us. Thanks for listening!
About Kristin:
Originally a native of Mobile, AL, Kristin McNair has been a Hattiesburg, MS transplant for over 15 years. She attended The University of Southern Mississippi where she completed her B.S. in Child and Family Studies. Kristin is the Parish Administrator at Trinity Episcopal Church. While struggling with infertility issues for a combination of almost 5 years (& counting), Kristin became passionate about spreading awareness & normalizing the topics surrounding it.
Kristin and her husband, Luke, of ten years are blessed with their 4-year-old daughter, Eleanor, and have a Bernese Mountain Dog, Penny. She enjoys roller skating, reading books, taking nature walks with her family, and singing in a local community choir called The Meistersingers.
Today we explore Chapter 12, "Confession and Laughter - Why Lightheartedness is the Truest Kind of Miracle", from Emily P. Freeman's book Simply Tuesday. Listen in as we explore our own reactions to embarrassments and failures, how to nurture a more lighthearted approach to your flaws, and why Encanto is our favorite movie.
Questions for Personal or Group Reflection:
How do you typically respond to your embarrassing moments: Shock, shame, or lashing out?
How does shock prevent you from apologizing or cause you to shrink back from others?
Can you think of a time when you were able to be lighthearted about an embarrassing moment?
What connections and experiences have you missed because you are either remembering a former embarrassment or fearing a new one?
What storylines do you tell yourself when you are humiliated?
How can taking your failures and mistakes to the Lord help you heal? What do you think the Lord would say to you?
How can talking to another person about a failure help you heal?
"Nobody escapes being wounded... The main question is not how can we hide our wounds so we don't have to be embarrassed, but how can we put our woundedness in the service of others. When our wounds cease to be a source of shame and become a source of healing, we have become wounded healers." - Henri Nouwen
Have you known someone who has become a wounded healer? How did you see that lived out in their life?
And the most important question yet: Have you watched Encanto yet? If not, your homework is to drop everything you're doing, grab your tissues, and enjoy the beauty that is Encanto. ☺️
Simply Tuesday - Small-Moment Living in a Fast-Moving World
Conflict in life and relationships is inevitable, but conflict doesn't have to end in disaster. In this episode, we're joined by special guest Rev. Bruce Case to discuss how followers of Christ can learn to disagree, resolve the conflicts we tend to avoid, and create real change.
Bruce is an ordained elder in the United Methodist Church and has served as the lead pastor of Parkway Heights UMC in Hattiesburg, MS for the last five years. He grew up in Brookhaven, Mississippi, has served churches in central and south Mississippi, and also founded a church in Palmer, Alaska. Bruce is a leader in the group End Racism for Good (ER4G) for the Mississippi Annual Conference. He is also a certified life coach.
Bruce is married to Jennifer, who is a fifth-grade math teacher at Oak Grove Upper Elementary School. They have two children: Tripp, 23, and Susannah, 19. They have a beautiful Great Pyrenees named Luna.
Bruce will be taking a new appointment in June of 2022 where he'll serve as the lead pastor at St. Luke's United Methodist Church in Jackson, MS.
Questions for Personal or Group Reflection
How do you respond or react to conflict?
How do you see conflict being fueled in toxic ways on social media?
Have you ever considered that conflict can result in a gift? If not, how might this perspective change how you approach or handle conflict?
"If you discover yourself on the extreme end of anything but love it's time to reevaluate."
Ashley Abercrombie, Love is the Resistance
How do you put your own opinions and rights above love when it comes to being in conflict with others?
"The narrative of Scripture is trying to mark us as ambassadors for Christ." ~Bruce CaseAs you consider the truth that followers of Christ are his ambassadors in this world, how do your words and actions reflect Christ in the face of conflict? What adjustments do you need to make? What attitudes do you need to confess?
Bruce said, "If you want to make everyone happy, sell ice cream." Where are you "selling ice cream" instead of leaning in and dealing with conflict in healthy ways?
How will you use what you've heard today to engage in better conflict? Check the list below. What on this list might be the hardest for you to put into practice?
Listen more than you talk.
Consider where the other person is coming from.
Consider that there is some truth in what they're saying. Look for it. Bring it out.
Find the common ground you share.
Pray and be reflective before engaging.
Don't handle conflict on social media or via text or email. Meet face-to-face as often as possible.
Don't ask loaded questions. Ask "help me understand" questions.
Give the other person time to process and think.
"What are you growing when no one is watching? What are your faithful ordinary practices and will they sustain you when conflict calls?" ~Ashley Abercrombie
Resource mentioned: Love is the Resistance by Ashley Abercrombie
Anyone who's been to Disney World has experienced some pretty amazing hospitality. Disney really gets hospitality. As followers of Christ we are also called to live a life of hospitality — a hospitality even more radical than Disney's. In this episode we'll explore Scripture for evidence of the radical hospitality of Christ and share stories of where we've experienced it in our own lives.
Questions for Personal or Group Reflection:What's the best hospitality you've ever received?
Why was that act of hospitality so meaningful? How did it make you feel?
When you think about the hospitality Christ lived and taught, what are the most challenging aspects of his teaching for you?
Have you ever thought about how love and hospitality are the actions of freeing someone? How does that image open your mind up to what loving acts of hospitality might look like in your life?
Where do you need to be more hospitable?
What is one thing you can do today to share the hospitality of Christ with another person?
Resource Mentioned:
Radical Hospitality - Benedict's Way of Love, by Lonni Collins Pratt and Father Daniel Homan
Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations, by Bishop Robert Schnase
Far too many of us suffer from a lack of self-compassion. We often speak to ourselves in ways we would never speak to someone else. On today's episode we discuss our own struggles with self-compassion and explore ways we can become more self-compassionate people.
Questions for Personal or Group Reflection:
How kind are you to yourself? Bring into your mind the last few statements you've made directly to yourself over the last few hours or the past few days. Now consider:
- What messages did you tell yourself?
- What kind of tone did you use?
- How did that make you feel emotionally, physically?
"Self rejection is the greatest enemy of the spiritual life because it contradicts the sacred voice that calls us the beloved. Being the beloved constitutes the core truth of our existence."
Henry Nouwen
Have you ever considered that self-rejection can have a negative impact on you spiritually? If so, how have you noticed it affecting you?
If you struggle with negative self-talk, can you name when that started for you?
What seems to trigger your negative self-talk?
How would you rate your own self-compassion practice on a scale of 1 to 10 with 1 being "I'm terrible at practicing self-compassion" and 10 being "I've never been hard on myself. Self-compassion is so easy for me!"
What intentional practices of self-compassion do you incorporate into your life? If you don't have any, will you choose one to begin practicing this week?
"Our brokenness is what needs to be accepted. Unfortunately, this is what we tend to reject. Here the seeds of a corrosive self-hatred take root. This painful vulnerability is the characteristic feature of our humanity that most needs to be embraced in order to restore our human condition to a healed state. The spiritual life begins with the acceptance of our wounded self." ~Brennan Manning, Abba's Child
Resource mentioned: Abba's Child by Brennan Manning
You might also like Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself by Kristin Neff
Have you ever had one of those mornings where everything goes wrong? You know the ones. You wake up late, you find dog poop in your closet, you forget that today's the day to bring snacks for your kid's class, and now there's water seeping from under the sink. Your morning has turned into the apocalypse. Now, how do you respond?
Thanks for joining us as we dig into Chapter 4 of Tish Harrison Warren's book Liturgy of the Ordinary.
Personal or Group Questions:
How do you respond when small things go wrong or your plans are suddenly interrupted?
What does your response to these "small sufferings" reveal about your loves and fears? About your heart?
Is there anything in your life that you feel you have a "right" to be annoyed about?
We talked some about our pet peeves. What are your pet peeves? Have you ever considered that those are places where you think you're better than somebody else?
What is your response to moments of sin and failure in your day? How might you meet God in those moments?
Visit us at our website and follow us on Instagram @embodiedholiness or on Facebook.
We all know we need more rest in our lives, but putting it into practice can be challenging for many of us. In the first half of this episode, Lindsey and Susan talk with Tammy Kolbo about her practice of rest. In the second half, Tammy leads us through a guided meditation designed to help you experience rest in body and mind.
ABOUT TAMMY:
A native Mississippian, Tammy Kolbo is the founder of The Yoga Room in Hattiesburg. Since 2001, Tammy has been studying, teaching and living yoga.
In classes, workshops and private sessions she integrates the art and science of yoga as an alternative and complementary method for health and healing - infusing joy, compassion and spirituality. A fitness enthusiast and instructor for over 39 years, she holds degrees in nursing and psychology. She is certified at the highest rank with Yoga Alliance and is an Internationally Certified Yoga Therapist with the International Association of Yoga Therapists.
Tammy is also the creator of the Behavioral Health Yoga Therapy program at Pine Grove Behavioral Health and Addiction Services in Hattiesburg. Through personally designed postural sequences, guided meditation and breathwork, she empowers patients to face each day with hope and courage. With a passion to educate and inspire, Tammy encourages her students to take the peace and freedom that yoga provides into their everyday lives.
Follow Tammy on Instagram @strengthandgraceyoga
In Matthew 11:28, Jesus said, "Come to me all you that are weary and carrying heavy burdens and I will give you rest." We're tired as individuals, as a community, as a nation in more ways than we even understand how to name. We're tired in body, mind, and soul. But as Jesus promised, rest is available to us. We don't have to live in a perpetual state of exhaustion. In this episode, we'll dive deeper into this topic of rest to discover how we can incorporate this necessary and healing practice into our lives.
Questions for Personal or Group Reflection“What if Christians were known as the countercultural community of the well-rested? People who embrace our limits with zest and even joy?” Tish Harrison Warren, Liturgy of the Ordinary
Have you ever thought of the practice of rest as a way to trust God more and release control of being responsible for everything?
Susan shared her story of hitting a wall physically that led her to search for truer and deeper rest. Have you ever experienced anything like that?
How do you notice your body telling you that you aren’t resting enough?
How have you experienced unrest in your “mind”? (Overthinking, trying to problem-solve and fix-everything, working tirelessly mentally, anxious thoughts, etc…)
How have you experienced your body reacting when your mind is in a state of unrest?
Have you ever tried a breathing exercise, breath prayer, relaxation technique, or meditation practice to help you find rest? (You can access practices like these and other resources in Susan’s book, You’re Gonna Be Okay - link below.)
“Without the essential nutrients of rest, wisdom, and delight embedded in the problem-solving process itself, the solution we patch together is likely to be an obstacle to genuine relief… In the soil of the quick fix is the seed of a new problem because our quiet wisdom is unavailable.” Wayne Muller, Sabbath
We said soul rest is not just an individual activity found in “quiet time” with the Lord, but it’s also found when we meet with others and share and process our life experiences together. Do you have a space to do this type of soul work? If not, what would it take for you to find that type of community?
Resources:Liturgy of the Ordinary, by Tish Harrison Warren
Sabbath: Finding Rest Renewal and Delight in Our Busy Lives, by Wayne Muller
You’re Gonna Be Okay: Truth, Practices, and Encouragement to Give You Hope When You Feel Hopeless, by Rev. Susan Eaton and Stewart Eaton, LPC, CSAT
Do you ever feel like you're losing yourself in your calendar? Is your day-to-day life a series of checking off boxes but never quite getting caught up? Are you just too busy? In this episode we'll talk about how we can release ourselves from the slavery of busyness and live in a way that embraces margin and makes room for the holy.
Personal Reflection and Small Group Questions
“When I ask people how they are, what they are doing or creating with their life, how they are using their precious time, their heart’s best attention. Their response is invariably the same: I am just trying to get caught up… When I hear this now familiar refrain, I cannot help but ask gently, ‘Caught up to what?’”
“Our whirlwind of fearful rush and hurry saturates our days with the feeling that we are already somehow inexplicably behind before we ever make in out of the house, even before we get out of bed.”~Wayne Muller, A Life of Being, Having, and Doing Enough
Can you relate to the feeling of being behind or overwhelmed with everything you have to do before you even start your day? If so, can you name why that is?
Lindsey talked about being so busy at times that she felt like she was “losing herself in her calendar”? How have you experienced this?
We said that sometimes we can use busyness as an avoidance tactic (to avoid a difficult situation or relationship, to avoid stillness, to avoid self-reflection, etc.). Have you ever noticed yourself doing this?
Have you ever noticed that your busyness is a result of an attempt to prove you’re “enough” or a desire to achieve?
We said that work without rest is a big problem. How good are you at creating margin and rest into your days?
“Jesus lived a rhythm completely different from anyone around him. The rhythm of his life was itself a prophetic act against the rhythms of the world.” ~A.J. Swoboda, Subversive Sabbath
Have you ever considered the fact that Jesus always had full days and many things going on, but he never lost himself in that busyness?
How would you describe your pacing? Do you pay attention to your heart, mind, and soul and consider the pace they need instead of the pace in which your mind can keep up?
Self-Evaluation Questions:
- Am I able to nurture my relationships? Is anyone in my sphere suffering in any way because of my busyness, my hectic way of living? (Spouse, children, friends, co-workers, etc.)
- What is my body saying about how over-worked, overwhelmed, burned out I am?
Resources Mentioned:
A Life of Being, Having, and Doing Enough, by Wayne Muller
Subversive Sabbath, by A.J. Swoboda
In a world of counting Instagram followers and Facebook likes, the definition of friendship has become pretty shallow. We're friends with a lot of people, but let's face it, we only know a portion of most people's stories and they only know a portion of ours.
In this episode, we'll talk about what true friendship is, why we need friendships, and how we can form and nurture the types of relationships that will help us embody holiness.
Questions for Personal Reflection or Small Groups
What do you look for in your friendships as an adult?
Do you find it more challenging or less challenging to develop deep friendships as an adult than when you were a child? What do you think the difference is?
Have you ever thought of friendship as an aspect of life that will help you grow in holiness?
Who are the people in your life that help carry your burdens, who you can be vulnerable and honest with?
“God loves and delights in the people around me and dares me to find beauty in them.” ~Tish Harrison Warren, Liturgy of the Ordinary
We talked about judgement, comparison, competition, jealousy, and envy as some attitudes and mindsets that serve as hindrances to healthy friendships. How do you see this playing out in your life and relationships?
We said that celebration is the antidote to competition. How easy does celebrating the successes and joys of others come to you?
- If it’s not easy for you, can you name why that is?
- Listen for the unfulfilled longing or desire that might be causing an inability to truly celebrate others. Talk to the Lord about that.
“My best friendships are with the people who are willing to get in the muck with me, who see me as I am, who speak to me of our hope in Christ in the midst of it. These friends lives become a sermon to me. We hold up the experiences of our lives to the word of truth.” ~Tish Harrison Warren
Resources Mentioned: Liturgy of the Ordinary, by Tish Harrison Warren
Welcome to the Embodied Holiness Podcast! In this episode you'll learn more about what this podcast is all about , get a sneak peek into upcoming episodes, and meet your hosts. (Warning: We had way too much fun recording this. Get ready for some bad singing and silly stories.)