Send us Fan Mail 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. Gu...

Send us Fan Mail 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.&nb...

Send us Fan Mail 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 ...

Send us Fan Mail 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...

Send us Fan Mail 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 livi...

Send us Fan Mail 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 p...

Send us Fan Mail 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 JOH...

Send us Fan Mail 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 Heig...

Send us Fan Mail 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 Eve...

Send us Fan Mail 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...