Our episode this week is with our own Lizz Enns Petters, mom of two, author and podcast hostess.Our conversation is full of laughter, seriousness and our decision to have permission to explore our faith, along with Lizz's latest accomplishment of being published in a new children's Bible called God's Stories as Told by God's Children.We chat through these questions:1. You recently contributed to the Bible for Normal People’s publication of a children’s Bible. Why did you want to be a part of that? 2. What makes this particular children’s Bible different than all the others out there?3. You had a few stories you could have chosen to “re write”. Why did you choose this particular one? 4. What did you want your little readers to really receive about this story? 5. What have been your kids reactions to this Bible? 6. If you could sit with your kids in this current stage of life and tell them one thing they would take with them on their life’s journey, what would it be and why?? As this is our last episode of Season Seven, Esther and Lizz spend time candidly sharing their thoughts on the Bible and deconstructing and giving themselves permission to be right where they are on their spiritual quests.Instagram: @lizzennspettersFacebook: Lizz Enns Petters, the Deconstructed Mama
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50:34
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50:34
Recovering Sex - the Sexvangelicals (Julia Postema and Jeremiah Gibson)
“There's a misconception that once you leave religion, you magically learn everything you missed about relationships and sex” - The SexvangelicalsOur episode this week is with Jeremiah Gibson and Julia Postema, sex and relationship therapists, coaching and podcast hosts specializing in recovery from high-control religion as it relates to relationships and sexual intimacy.Our conversation is full of candor, surprises and mic-drop moments over and over again. We were blown away by one thing that will leave you wanting more. We chat through these questions:1. Even after all these years many of us still tense at that word. How do we help foster curiosity around sexuality in our children as opposed to fear and shame?2. How do we navigate the grief or trauma that can get activated for us as parents when talking about sexuality differently? 3. How do we lead our children through their questions when we are still working out our own thoughts and feelings on sexuality and sexual identity? 4. Are there tangible ways that we can heal our own wounds around sex while navigating all this with our own kids? 5. What do we do when we disagree with our kids’ choices around sex? How can we support their journey without shame?6. How important is maintaining our own sex life in the midst of parenting? How can we do this when it feels like the last thing on the list? Get ready to have your heart and mind and hopefully body open to new possibilities when it comes to healthy sex. There was one big surprising idea where we can all start no matter where we are in our relationship with this tricky and important subject.If you have these questions:How do we rebuild healthy, pleasurable, intimate relationships? How do we give ourselves permission to be sexual people?This is the podcast episode for you!!You can find the Jeremiah and Julia, the Sexvangelicals here:Website: www.sexvangelicals.comInstagram: @sexvangelicalsFacebook: SexvangelicalsPodcast: SexvangelicalsSubstack: substack.com/@sexvangelicals
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1:16:05
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1:16:05
Blessed are the Women - Claire K. McKeever-Burgett
''Without women we don’t have Jesus. We don’t have Christianity. We don’t have any of it.” (Claire K. McKeever-Burgett)Our episode this week is with Claire K. McKeever-Burgett, mom of two and author of Blessed are the Women: Naming and Reclaiming Women's Stories from the Gospels.Our conversation is full of wisdom, both fierce and tender, and the reclamation of the divine feminine in all her forms. We chat through these questions:1. Were there any particular women in the Bible whose stories deeply impacted you personally? If so, why?2. What was the most surprising thing you learned while researching the stories of these women?3. The Bible was written in a time and culture that was largely patriarchal. How did you navigate the cultural context while writing about these women’s stories? 4. What do you hope is the lasting impact of your work on the way people view women in the Bible? How have you and might we incorporate that into our parenting? 5. If you were sitting at a table with your kids and you knew for sure they would take one message with them on their life’s journey, what poem of yours would you read them?Get ready to sob your eyes out when you hear the answer to the last question. And also get ready to have your soul healed on the spot. If you want to feel understood and empowered as a woman or if you want to understand and empower women, this is the episode for you.You can find Claire here:Website: www.clairemckeeverburgett.comInstagram: @clairemckeeverburgett
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54:47
Rebellion or Integrity? - Jamin Coller
'''Diligent study is precisely what got us here." Jamin CollerOur episode this week is with Jamin Coller, dad of six, podcaster and author of Dear Evangelicals.Our conversation is passionate, funny and so very eye-opening. We chat through these questions:1. Your book, Dear Evangelicals, frames deconstruction not as rebellion, but as a painful act of integrity after "stumbling upon information we didn't want." How can parents reframe their children's deconstruction as integrity, not betrayal? How can we help both deconstructionists and their former communities reframe this process as an act of integrity rather than betrayal — especially in the context of parenting?2. You write “We believed it when we were told all questions were welcomed.” What impact does it have on a child’s development when questions are only welcome until they cross an invisible line? And how can parents make space for the kind of questioning that once got them scorned?3. You state that the first wave of shame comes from the community, but the harder wave is internal — “the shame of having shelved obvious red flags for so long.” How do we process that internal shame, and what does it look like to parent from a place of healing rather than guilt?4. The book describes former church members instinctively seeking new spaces to preserve their faith, even after painful exits. What does this tell us about the human longing for spiritual belonging, and how do we model that search honestly for our kids?5. How did diligent study get you “here”? Also, for those of us who were once taught that information was dangerous, how do we now encourage our children to stay curious and think critically without fearing where it might lead?6. You have said that many of us try not to think — because we fear losing our salvation — and try not to speak — because we fear losing our friends. How did this play out for you personally and how do we raise children to value honesty and connection when so many of us were taught to protect belonging at the expense of our inner truth?7. If you could tell your kids one thing for their life journey, what would it be and why?We found Jamin compassionate, wise and funny. If you are wondering how you got to this place of deconstructing your faith, this is the episode for you.You can find Jamin here:Website: jamincoller.comInstagram: @dear_evangelicals and @jamincoller
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58:42
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58:42
I Would Pick You (Queer Advocacy) - Rachel Pinto-Martin
'''Our job as parents is not to make other people comfortable with how we raise our kids, Our job is to make sure our kids grow up in a family where they’re comfortable being exactly who they are.'' Shelly RobinsonOur episode this week is with Rachel Pinto-Martin, founder of Self Love, Healthy Boundaries Coaching, mom of two, former Mormon and fierce Queer ally and advocate.On this episode, we talk with Rachel about what it means to have self-love along with healthy boundaries and help our kids to do the same. We also dive deep into advocacy on this front for the Queer community.We chat through these questions:1. Many of us have grown up in high control religious environments that doesn’t allow for a lot of individuality. How can we begin to foster a sense of being worthy of love when our faith or upbringing told us otherwise?2. What does it look like to deconstruct faith in a way that allows space for self-love and acceptance, especially for those in the LGBTQ+ community?3. What are some practical ways parents can create an environment where their children feel safe in their own identity and accepted for who they are, especially if the parents are still deconstructing their own beliefs around sexuality and gender identity.4. How can parents help their children navigate the complexities of faith and identity, especially if they are trying to reconcile their own religious background5. What advice do you have for parents who are struggling to reconcile their faith with supporting their queer child?6. How might we respond to members of the faith community or our family who may hold traditional or conservative views about LGBTQ+ issues?7. For families who feel isolated in their religious communities because of their child’s identity, what would you say to them?We found Rachel passionate and our conversation was spicy in all the best ways. We were fired up about the harm done to the Queer community by high-control religion and spoke about the best ways we can continue to change the narrative surrounding full affirmation and inclusion.You can find Rachel here:Website: selflovehealthyboundaries.comInstagram: @selflovehealthyboundaries and @thankyouforranting
If you are trying to figure out how to navigate the tricky tightrope of parenting while you have questions, doubts and wonderings about your spiritual journey, this podcast is for you. It doesn't matter if your kids are smalls, middles, or bigs. We will explore what and how we are deconstructing from churchianity, harmful belief systems, and diving deep into the ways we can work this out in parenthood. We will also work through ideas for reconstructing a space for our families to thrive under new systems of love and freedom. We can't wait to bring you some hope that you are not alone and that it's really okay, even good, to explore all the possibilities that may have felt closed off in the past. This podcast will offer you grace and space to be exactly where you are and who you are. We are glad you are here.