There is little more painful than when an adult child decides they no longer want to have a relationship with a parent. Sometimes, we sense the fracture coming but aren't sure how to stop the destruction. For others, their son or daughter's desire to cut contact feels unexpected and without provocation. Things may feel so tense, we fear there's no hope for reconciliation. But no situation, relationship, or individual is beyond God's transformative, healing grace. In this episode, mental health professional, speaker and author Gina Berkemeier returns to talk with host Jennifer Slattery on signs a fracture might be coming, how we can avoid adding to our child's pain and the distance developing between us, how to respond when they accuse us of something we don't remember doing, and more. 

Resource referenced: Generations Deep: Unmasking Inherited Dysfunction and Trauma to Rewrite Our Stories Through Faith and Therapy

Discussion/Reflective Questions:

1. What resonated with you most in this episode?
2. Where would you currently place your relationship(s) with your adult child(ren)––becoming steadily healthier, tense and potentially on the verse of fracture, or nonexistent?
3. How do you tend to react when your adult child tells you something you did hurt them? 
   1. If you've become defensive, what unhealed wounds and/or insecurities might have impacted your reaction?
4. In what ways might estrangement or relational dysfunction be generational in your family?
5. What are some ways you are actively working on (or have you worked on) becoming your healthiest self?
6. When you become aware or think of parenting mistakes, what are some ways you resist falling into shame? 
7. What is one action step God might be inviting you to take having listened to this episode?

Connect with Gina Birkemeier:

On her website

On Instagram

On Facebook

Follow her on Amazon

Find Jennifer Slattery:

On her website

Instagram

Facebook

Amazon

Subscribe to her free newsletter

Join the private Faith Over Fear Facebook Group 

(Inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.)

Have a topic you'd like us to discuss? Contact Jennifer through her website to suggest a focus for an upcoming episode. 

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Deciding to go "no contact" can be one of the most painful and confusing decision we make, especially when it involves people in our family of origin. This can feel even more difficult for those taught "hyper-grace" at the expense of health and truth. In this episode, mental health professional, author, and speaker Gina Birkemeir shares insights on how we can heal from learned shame, differentiate between uncomfortable versus unsafe relationships, how to express boundaries clearly, and why these issues are so important to our well-being and our ability to live for Christ. 

Resource referenced: Generations Deep: Unmasking Inherited Dysfunction and Trauma to Rewrite Our Stories Through Faith and Therapy

Discussion/reflective questions:

1. What resonated with you most in this episode?
2. How would you differentiate between an uncomfortable versus an unsafe relationship?
3. Why might it be beneficial, to your mental health and sense of identity, not to make decisions out of anger?
4. What are some steps you can take to work through your anger in regard to a relationship so that you can set boundaries from a place of calm wisdom?
5. Who in your life can act like an "emotional cushion" before and after difficult conversations with challenging people?
6. In what ways can shame be learned (or, in what ways has your upbringing created within you learned shame)?
7. What is one action step you can take having listened to this episode?

Connect with Gina Birkemeier:

On her website

On Instagram

On Facebook

Follow her on Amazon

Find Jennifer Slattery:

On her website

Instagram

Facebook

Amazon

Subscribe to her free newsletter

Join the private Faith Over Fear Facebook Group 

(Inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.)

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

God understands that we live in a world that often feels frightening and overwhelming, but He doesn't want us to become enslaved by fear. But neither does He expect us to simply will ourselves into a state of peace and inner calm. Instead, He with each verse in which He says, "Do not be afraid", He provides important truths that enable us to live with the courage and confidence of a well-cared for child of God, which is precisely who we are. In this episode hosts Carol McCracken and Jennifer Slattery discuss verses from the Old and New Testament in which God tells us not to be afraid, why He says we have no cause for fear, and how we can apply these truths to our lives when we feel anxious and afraid. (Scripture discussed: Deuteronomy 31, 33:12, 34, James 1:5, John 14:1-27.)

Discussion/Reflective Questions:

1. What resonated with you most in this episode?
2. Had you been Joshua, what aspects of your assignment might you have found most challenging or intimidating, and why?
3. How might Joshua's time following Moses have helped prepare him for his leadership role after Moses passed?
4. What does God's repetition in the verses discussed (Do not fear; I'll go with you; I won't leave you ...) reveal regarding His heart?
5. What does it mean to you in your current circumstances that God Almighty is with you?
6. What are some ways you intentionally try to "get out of your head" when you feel your anxiety escalating?
7. What is one action step God might be inviting you to take having listened to this episode?

Find Carol McCracken:

On her website 

On Facebook

On Instagram

Find Jennifer Slattery:

On her website

Instagram

Facebook

Amazon

Subscribe to her free newsletter

Join the private Faith Over Fear Facebook Group 

(Inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.)

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

How can we maintain faith when our economy always seems so unstable? How can we hold tight to God's promises when enduring long seasons of unemployment or when our financial situation feels outside of our control? Join hosts Carol McCracken and Jennifer Slattery as they discuss a passage in Scripture that demonstrates God's ability to provide and how He uses our needs to deepen our faith and relational intimacy with Him. (Scripture referenced or discussed: 1 Kings 17, Proverbs 14:1, Philippians 4:19)

Discussion/Reflective Questions:

1. What resonated with you most in this episode?
2. What most surprised or intrigued you regarding how God provided for Elijah and the widow?
3. What does this reveal regarding His character, ways, or heart?
4. How can recognizing our needs draw us closer to Christ?
5. What might it look like to turn to and rely on God during your current season?
6. What is one action step God might be inviting you to take having listened to this episode?

Find Carol McCracken:

On her website 

On Facebook

On Instagram

Find Jennifer Slattery:

On her website

Instagram

Facebook

Amazon

Subscribe to her free newsletter

Join the private Faith Over Fear Facebook Group 

(Inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.)

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Maybe you sensed God calling you to pursue a dream and you began with passion and focus. But then you experienced numerous difficulties and setbacks and started to doubt if you heard God correctly or He ever plans to bring fruit to your obedience. If so, you'll relate to Kristi Wood's story and will gain encouragement through how God met her in her disappointment and doubt. 

Grab Kristi Wood's free prayer guide here: https://kristiwoods.net/podcast-download/

Discussion/Reflective Questions:

1. What resonated with you most in this episode?
2. When did you first sense God calling you to pursue a divinely-orchestrated dream?
3. Why might it be important, as we progress toward our goals, to ask God to purify our souls from pride and selfishness?
4. What might God be teaching or training in you in your waiting season?
5. In what ways are you, or have you been, tempted to diminish your gift(s)?
6. In what way(s) is God using you, or calling you, to add beauty or order to our world?
7. What is one action step God might be inviting you to take having listened to this podcast?

Connect with Kristi Woods:

On her website

On Instagram

On Facebook

Connect with Jennifer Slattery:

On her website

Instagram

Facebook

Amazon

Subscribe to her free newsletter

Join the private Faith Over Fear Facebook Group 

(Inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.)

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Most, if not all, of us recognize, at a soul-level, that we need deep and lasting companionship. When we're weathering difficult relationships, longing for a relationship we haven't yet experienced, or have experienced developmental trauma, our pain and insecurities can make us fear we'll end up alone and lonely. In this episode, singer/songwriter and actress Rebecca St. James and her film producer husband share their emotional struggle during singlehood, how trauma and pain has shaped them individually and affected their marriage, and how their faith in God's goodness carried them through their most difficult seasons.

Book mentioned: Lasting Ever: Faith, Music, Family, and Being Found by True Love by Rebecca St. James and Cubbie Fink

Discussion/Reflective Questions:

1. What resonated with you most in this episode?
2. How content are you with your current relationships? 
3. How might your upbringing have impacted your view of relationships?
4. How does or has your view of God impacted how you weather painful seasons?
5. Have you considered how "unfinished business" related to wounds you've experienced impact your present relationships? And if so, what steps are you taking, or have you taken, to pursue increased health?
6. What is one action step God might be inviting you to take having listened to this episode?

Find Rebecca St. James:

On her website

On Instagram

On Facebook

On Spotify

Find Jennifer Slattery:

On her website

Instagram

Facebook

Amazon

Subscribe to her free newsletter

Join the private Faith Over Fear Facebook Group 

(Inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.)

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Have you ever thought of yourself as a hope- giver, commissioned to tell God’s story? Do you ever feel weary, defeated or terrified? How do we arise in hope and awaken hope in others? (Scripture referenced: Judges 4:4-9, Judges 5: 6-7)

Discussion/Reflective Questions:

1. What  resonates with you most in this episode?
2. How has a time when hope faded motivated you or someone you know into action?
3. When have you experienced a time when community has reminded you that you are not responsible for God’s plan all by yourself?
4. How has someone motivated you to act when your hope had become suffocated in the face of insurmountable odds?
5. What does it mean to take hope into your hands?
6. What does the term hope-giver mean to you?

Find Angela Donadio:

On her website

On Facebook

On Instagram

On YouTube

Find Carol McCracken:

On her website 

On Facebook

On Instagram

Join the private Faith Over Fear Facebook Group 

(Inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.)

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

How has insecurity impacted your dreams and your calling? Do you ever feel like a fraud, you don't deserve your position or role, or compelled to prove your competency? These are signs of "imposter syndrome", a common struggle with the power to sabotage our lives and relationships. (Scripture referenced: Exodus 2-4, 32-33; Deuteronomy 34:10-12; 1 Samuel 9-10, 13, 18; Isaiah 41:10.)

Discussion/Reflective Questions:

1. What resonates with you most in this episode?
2. How has, or might, imposter syndrome caused you to compare yourself with others?
3. How had, or might, imposter syndrome caused you to prove your competency by powering up or shield yourself by withdrawing?
4. Why might God routinely call His children into arenas for which they feel ill-prepared?
5. How has your relationship with Christ impacted your confidence? 
6. What is one action step He might be inviting you to take having listened to this episode?

Find Kelly Hall:

On her website

Instagram

Facebook

Unshakable Hope Podcast

Find Carol McCracken:

On her website 

On Facebook

On Instagram

Find Jennifer Slattery:

On her website

Instagram

Facebook

Amazon

Subscribe to her free newsletter

Join the private Faith Over Fear Facebook Group 

(Inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.)

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

The church is supposed to be a safe place where we can experience healing, grow, and encounter God. Sadly, for many people, this hasn't been the case. Unfortunately, they've experienced deep soul-wounds in a religious environment. Join host Jennifer Slattery as she talks with author, speaker and pastor Sam Ranier on the impact of church hurt, how to bring our hurts to God, and ways to tell if an environment is safe for us and, if we're parents, for our children as well. (Scripture discussed: Psalm 22-23, Matthew 21:12-13,Mark 11:15-18)

Discussion/Reflective questions:

1. What resonated with you most in this episode?
2. When have you encountered or been in a high hospitality, low security environment?
   1. What are some signs of such an environment?
   2. What was your experience?
3. In what ways, if any, has your "trust meter" become crooked?
4. How comfortable are you bringing your anger to God?
5. What is one action step He might be inviting you to take having listened to this episode?

Sermon referenced: When It's Appropriate to Turn Over Tables

Book referenced: Make My Church Safe: A Guide to the Best Practices to Protect Children and Secure Your Congregation from Harm

Connect with Sam Rainer:

On his website

On Facebook

On Instagram

Church Answers

Connect with Jennifer Slattery:

On her website

Instagram

Facebook

Amazon

Subscribe to her free newsletter

Join the private Faith Over Fear Facebook Group 

(Inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.)

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Almost exactly twenty years ago, today’s guest, popular international speaker Carol Kent was thrust into a situation that made her feel as if her world was unraveling. Her son was arrested for murder, revealing just how little control we parents often have over our children’s lives. Though her life felt out of control, she found peace and security through surrender. She discovered God is big enough and strong enough and loving enough to carry her through she did or might someday face.

Group Discussion Questions:
1. What resonated with you most in Carol’s story?
2. When do you most feel out of control?
3. How do you typically respond when life feels out of control?
4. What lies does Satan tend to whisper to you when you feel out of control?
5. Read Romans 8:28-29. What does this passage tell you regarding our most fearful, “out of control” situations?
6. How might your current circumstances point you to heaven?

Resources:
• When I lay My Isaac Down by Carol Kent, released by NavPress: http://urlme.cc/6VQd
• He Holds My Hand by Carol Kent, released by Tyndale Publishers: http://urlme.cc/rVRv

Find Carol Kent:

On her website

Facebook

the Speak Up for Hope site

Find Jennifer Slattery:

On her website

Instagram

Facebook

Amazon

Subscribe to her free newsletter

Join the private Faith Over Fear Facebook Group 

(Inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.)

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Often, the greatest hindrance to living out our calling comes from internal, rather than external, influences. When our insecurities dominate our lives, we become our biggest limiting factor. If you’re familiar with the Bible, you may recognize, intellectually, that you are a radiant, redeemed, chosen, called and empowered child of God. The question is, how do we let this truth define us and our actions? In this episode, author and speaker Amanda Pittman discusses her latest release Stand in Confidence: From Sinking insecurity to Rising to Your God-Given Identity and shares actionable steps toward growing in courage and confidence. 

Discussion/Reflective Questions:
What resonated with you most in today’s episode?
When do you most tend to struggle with feelings of insecurity?
How has insecurity limited your calling? 
When has your insecurities caused you to strive and overwork in an area God’s already equipped you for and called you to?
In what areas are you placing your identity in insufficient things (your role/position, relationships, skills …)?
What truth most encourages you and helps build your confidence?
When has a “I should of” or “I could have” mentality hindered your confidence?
When has a human’s rejection negatively affected your view of yourself?
What is one action step God is calling you to take in the next week? (Right this down somewhere prominent to help with follow-through.)

Resources Mentioned: Stand in Confidence: From Sinking in Insecurity to Rising in Your God-Given Identity by Amanda Pittman and Emotional Healing in 3 Easy Steps (The Kingdom of God Made Simple) by Praying Medic 

Find Amanda at:

On AmandaPittman.com

Facebook

Instagram

Find Jennifer Slattery:

On her website

Instagram

Facebook

Amazon

Subscribe to her free newsletter

Join the private Faith Over Fear Facebook Group 

(Inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.)

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.