How might believers get back to offering the gifts of suffering-faith, perseverance, empathy, and hope-to those living in a literal world of hurt?People used to seek support from the Church when life got hard. But instead of providing a place for people to suffer well together, many churches today focus more on big growth, how-to programs, and positive news. If we come to value comfort over depth, chasing after more safe, predictable lives, we risk diminishing our light and His hope.In Holy Disturbance, author Karen Sjoblom aims to reacquaint people of faith with the gifts of suffering by weaving historical and current-day narratives around Reverend Addison Groff's timeless prayer, "Disturb Us, O Lord." Focused on equipping and encouraging pastors, leaders, volunteers, and congregants, Sjoblom invites the Church and Her people to move toward deeper faith and community-especially within our storms.Study how and why we've drifted from being suffering servantsRead dozens of stories from congregants, leaders, and pastors about grief, recovery, hurt, and growth within the ChurchSoak in reflection questions, meaningful practices, and leadership wisdom to map a new course for your church and community-and a renewed thirst for GodSuffering engenders messier lives but richer, deeper connections...and this is what the Church was built for. Holy Disturbance is part love letter and part wake-up call to the Church and Her people-to recognize the gifts that come from our seasons of struggle, and to share our hard-won lessons and His hope with a hurting world.About Karen:An award-winning author, freelance writer, and editor, Karen Sjoblom has had a 40-year career in healthcare, science, education, high tech, and nonprofit communications, as well as decades in faith-based nonfiction. She also co founded and ran for nine years Eve‟s Daughters, a nonprofit for single moms and their kids outside of Portland, Oregon. In addition to Holy Disturbance, she‟s published Gone for Good: Lessons from a Midlife Exodus; One: Single Mothering, Full Circle from her time with Eve‟s Daughters; two parenting books with New Leaf Press as part of the Mom2Mom series; plus a patient and family handbook on living with Lou Gehrig‟s disease. She‟s also edited several books by multiple authors. She‟s passionate about matters of faith, resilience, and re-creation: studying our stories and scars, witnessing His mercy, and stepping into our missions. She lives in the Midwest, writing, teaching, and encouraging others to know, value, and share the wisdom gained from their life-journeys with a hurting world. Follow Karen:Website: KarenSjoblom.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/karen.sjoblomLinkedIn: https:/www.linkedin.com/in/karensjoblom/

Regina V. Cates is an author, activist, podcaster, and founder of Romancing Your Soul, an organization that helps people develop lives of love, compassion, and purpose. Her first internationally bestselling book Lead with Your Heart: Creating a Life of Love, Compassion, and Purpose continues to be an inspiration to people who desire a more fulfilled life. Regina is followed by hundreds of thousands on social media who embrace her messages of kindness, compassion, and empathy for one another as equal members of our human family.In this conversation we discuss Regina's new book The Real Conversation Jesus Wants Us to Have: A Call to Bravery, Peace, and Love.Viewing modern Christianity from Jesus’s point of view Why are we not loving our neighbors as ourselves? What has changed? What questions can you ask to confront the judgmental attitudes alive within Christianity? How do you think Jesus would view modern Christianity? What attributes, from Jesus’s viewpoint, make great leaders great? Demonstrating why it is necessary for individuals to critique their religious and social experiences from Jesus’s viewpoint in order to truly love Christ. For individuals who are fed up with church but still love Jesus, what should they do? Where should they go? What is broken within Christianity? What are some tangible solutions to fix what is broken within Christianity? What religious, social, and political persecution have you witnessed? How does the church fail to address sexual abuse, misogyny, homophobia, corrupt politics, and religious authority? Resonating with those who have themselves fallen victim to widespread religious judgment. How can this book be a guide to those fallen victim to widespread religious judgment? Compelling Christians and Christianity to answer questions Jesus would ask of anyone who claims to love and follow Him. What do you think it would be like to have a conversation with Jesus about our modern world? What would the conversation focus on? Follow Regina:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ReginaVCates/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/regina_cates_music/Website: ReginaVCates.com

Jenna Riemersma is a Harvard-trained speaker, therapist, and best-selling author. She is a Certified IFS Clinical Consultant, and teaching faculty for the International Institute of Trauma and Addiction Professionals, Jenna is dedicated to helping others know that "all parts are welcome."Jenna Riemersma applies the groundbreaking insights of Internal Family Systems (IFS) for anyone who feels stuck in unwanted feelings and behaviors, with a special focus on personal transformation for readers of faith.Altogether You delivers practical, life-affirming counsel from a place of deep personal faith. Riemersma understands the unique discouragement that people of faith experience when their actions do not line up with their sincere beliefs. With genuine sensitivity to tradition and biblical teachings, she helps readers understand that God is not waiting in frustration on the other side of our “pile of sins” until we “get our act together.” Rather, the God of grace is with us right here, right now in our core imago Dei—the always-accessible starting point for healing. Riemersma’s book is packed with warm, personal stories and immediately applicable insights. She guides readers through paradigm-altering understandings with helpful definitions and summaries, self-inventories, action steps, and resources.Tell us a bit about your journey towards authentic faith and becoming acquainted with the IFS model?Let’s start with giving a basic overview of the IFS model for those who are not familiar with the model.There are many folks who feel hesitant about psychological theories being incorporated into spiritual formation. Can you take a moment to explain how the “Spiritualizer” manager part of self influences how we experience authentic Christianity?Can you share more about what you mean by “move towards”?Are there any upcoming projects that you are working on?

Gwendolyn aka Melika Miller is a passionate writer, counselor, singer-songwriter, soul music artist, and advocate for spiritual growth and emotional healing. As the founder of Love Abundantly Counseling and Love Abundantly Ministry, she is dedicated to helping individuals deepen their intimacy with God and overcome life's roadblocks. She shares personal experiences and biblical wisdom through her books to inspire others on their faith journey.What inspired you to write 40 Years a Virgin: Why the Wait?How do you respond to societal pressures regarding purity and relationships?Can you share some personal experiences that shaped your journey of waiting?How does Healing: Inside Out and Outside In merge biblical principles with mindfulness?What are some practical ways to overcome negative thought patterns through faith?How does forgiveness contribute to inner peace, and what steps can people take to truly forgive?Follow Melika onWebsite: www.LoveAbundantlyMinistry.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gmelika-miller22/Patreon

Becky a trauma-informed somatic marriage coach and somatic practitioner, CEO of I Do Breakthrough, and the proud host of the top 5% globally ranked podcast, Your Breakthrough Blueprint.Becky spent a decade undergoing every mode and mainstream modality for saving her marriage after a long history of abandonment and betrayal only to find herself separated on the brink of divorce.That's when she found the buzzer-beater, hail-mary play that completely changed the game for her marriage and countless other marriages that she’s coached around the world.Becky is going to share some steps that will some of us to experience the long-awaited breakthrough we’ve been waiting for.Follow Rebecca OnFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/gerald.godinhoTwitter: https://twitter.com/godinhojerryInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/jerry_godinho/Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/geraldgodinho/

Aubrey Sampson is a church planter and serves as a teaching pastor at Renewal Church, a multiethnic congregation in Chicagoland. Aubrey has a MA, evangelism and leadership and speaks regularly at churches and conferences around the country. She is an award-nominated author, a coach with Propel Women Cohorts, and the cohost of The Nothing Is Wasted Podcast. Aubrey is the author of several books, most recently Big Feelings Days: A Book about Hard Things, Heavy Emotions, and Jesus’ Love (October 2023). She is passionate about helping hurting Christians find God’s presence in their pain. She and her husband, Kevin, and their three sons live, minister, and play in the Chicagoland area. Today we will be talking about her latest book What we find in the dark: Loss, Hope, and God’s Presence in Grief.Follow Aubrey OnInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/aubsamp/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aubsamp/Twitter: https://twitter.com/aubsampLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aubrey-sampson-39110226

Brian is a minister of reconciliation with twenty-five years of exemplary results in organizational development, change management, and leadership development in churches and nonprofits in the United States and abroad. He specializes in developing culturally intelligent strategies for growth and impact.Christian ministry began for him as a church planter. Along the way, he earned a master’s in Organizational Leadership from Gonzaga University and a Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership from Eastern University. Currently, his is an associate professor and director of intercultural leadership at Berkeley School of Theology."I discovered that there is no single formula for the growth and health of a church. Instead, the church’s growth and ministry effectiveness depend on leadership, culture, community engagement, spiritual vitality, discipleship, and contextual relevance—each shaping how the church connects, serves, and impacts its community."Follow Brian OnLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abrianleanderYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC57X1pPV9jx5uYKLWhyq0PgTwitter: https://x.com/ableanderInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/abrianleander/

Jackson TerKeurst is an entrepreneur and leader who continues to defy the odds as a first-generation immigrant from West Africa who owns and runs a small business. The adopted son of bestselling author and speaker Lysa TerKeurst, Jackson is passionate about drawing together people from diverse backgrounds to experience authentic community. He lives with his wife and their two children outside Nashville, Tennessee.In this episode he joins us to discuss his book The Only Way Forward Is Back: A Story of War, Adoption, and Finding Your Purpose in God's Plan.

In a world where mental health issues and loneliness are at an all-time high, it's more important than ever to find ways to cultivate joy, community, and meaning in our lives. Many of us feel trapped within ourselves, struggling to find a way out of our own negative thoughts and emotions. Author and psychologist Richard Beck (Hunting Magic Eels) argues that we are struggling because our shape is currently "curved inward." We are self-focused, self- absorbed, ruminative. We're trapped inside ourselves. And we're definitely not happy or filled with joy. So how do we control our egos and ambition when those drives have been useful to us in the past? How do we engage our imagination and our faith?In his latest book, The Shape of Joy, Beck offers a powerful argument for how we can break free and rediscover the transcendent and the sacred. Beck argues that to find true joy and fulfillment, we need to understand the importance of "curving outward" and moving beyond the self to encounter true lovingness. Drawing from the principles of positive psychology, Beck explores concepts like gratitude, mindfulness, ego volume, and the small self to provide readers with a road map toward a healthier, happier, and more fulfilling life. Whether you're struggling with mental health issues, yearning for a deeper connection with your faith, or simply seeking greater happiness and fulfillment, The Shape of Joy will offer you an inspiring vision for a better future.Follow Richard onhttps://richardbeck.substack.com/abouthttps://experimentaltheology.blogspot.com/Interview OutlineTell us a bit about your background and why you decided to write this book.The Shape of Joy has 3 main parts, let’s briefly touch on the concept of what you mean by “curved inward”?The second part is entitled “turning away” can you give us a brief understanding of this concept?The last part gets into being “curved outward” , why do you think this will be beneficial for people to understand?How have you personally benefitted from writing this book?

One of the number one issues facing most churches is the inability to resolve conflict. I have invited an expert who works to help people of faith towards growth in the art of reconciliation.Richard Parrish is the Director of Richard ParrishMinistries, an outreach of Music Serving the Word(MSW). Richard attends to the soul care of pastors,leaders, and learners. Richard is an ordainedminister and speaks in many cross-denominationalsettings. A seasoned, empowering, andcompassionate leader, he devotes his life toassisting others through writing, speaking,mentoring, and offering spiritual care to pastors andministry leaders. He resides in Arizona with his wife.Questions:Can conflict really be a good thing?What tips can you offer to those who avoid conflict but recognize the need for itin some circumstances?What does the Bible say about conflict?Why are we afraid of conflict?Is conflict-avoidance a detriment to personal growth and development?What are some barriers that prevent reconciliation and how do we break them?How can an individual recognize when they are avoiding conflict?What are the biggest misconceptions about conflict?How can we find peace during conflict—in personal relationships and the worldaround us?Can conflict birth hope?Follow Richard onFacebook:https://www.facebook.com/RichardParrishMinistriesPodcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/discover-the-lectionary/id1207472495Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/0ZDBj6QQFzMlq8DnFzqfgLYouTube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCH7YOau1FqQ2DbGkmWfdUNwLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-parrish/