Lent is a time rich with spiritual significance. It’s also a time when the ideas of self-deprivation and fasting can get emphasized in faith-based circles. This Lent I have the privilege of being a part of a teaching series called “Losing the Lies for Lent.” The lie I am tackling is the message that “self-deprivation makes us holier or brings us closer to God.”

In today’s episode, Registered Dietitian, Brittany Braswell, and I do a deeper dive on this particular lie. Brittany is a non-diet dietitian who approaches nutrition and wellness from a holistic standpoint. She is passionate about helping her clients establish a healthy relationship with food and body to improve their quality of life and walk free and fearlessly in their purpose.

In this episode, I have the privilege of speaking with one of the co-creators of Intuitive Eating, Elyse Resch, MS, RDN, CEDS-S. Elyse is a nutrition therapist, with forty years of experience, specializing in eating disorders, Intuitive Eating, and Health at Every Size. She is the co-author of Intuitive Eating, now in its 4th edition, and is nationally known for her work in helping patients break free from diet culture through the Intuitive Eating process.

 In my time with Elyse, we discuss what first drew her to the concept of Intuitive Eating, what Intuitive Eating is and how it differs from diet culture, sneaky ways diet culture is showing up these days, and how the concept of health can be expanded beyond weight.

Richard Foster is the founder of Renovaré Institute for Christian Spiritual Formation. He is also the author of several foundational books on the Christian journey of faith, including Celebration of Discipline, which has sold over two million copies worldwide. Brenda Quinn is Pastor of Spiritual Formation at Living Way Fellowship in south Denver and helped with idea development behind Foster’s latest book.

In this conversation, we discuss Richard’s most recent title, Learning Humility: A Year of Searching for a Vanishing Virtue. In our time together we talk about what spiritual formation is and why it’s important, why humility is considered a foundational virtue, how we can cultivate humility in our life, and how humility is tied to beauty of the soul.

When Sarah Berger’s nineteen-year-old son went to heaven, Sarah found herself plunged into deep grief. Having journaled her experiences in the wake of that event, Sarah shares her insights with us in her book, Hope in the Eleventh Hour: A Mothers’ Journey Through Grief with Eternal Eyes and in today’s episode.

Sarah helps us see both life and death with an eternal perspective. She also helps us open our eyes and hearts to how God might be speaking to us amidst our grief and how she experienced God as good and loving amidst her own grief. Overall, Sarah encourages us with so many overlooked truths about God, ourselves, and our loved ones this side of heaven. 

Beth Davis is the Director of Ministry Advancement for an international sisterhood of women called Blessed Is She. This online and in person community seeks to help women deepen their prayer life and foster community. Beth is also the co-author of the book, Loving God, Loving Others.

In our time together, Beth passionately shares about what drew her to a life of faith and how it changed her life, how our relationship with God impacts our relationship with others, how our bodies can be seen as gifts of love, and how she knows Jesus to be Beauty itself.

Author and Bible teacher, Hannah Anderson, helps us explore one often-overlooked aspect of the Christmas story, inviting us to take a closer look at the created world. In her new book, Heaven and Nature Sing: 25 Reflections to Bring Joy to the World, she invites us to consider the earthy, unnoticed things like snowflakes, trees, bodies, and swaddling bands that reveal the glory of the Promised Son.

Hannah helps us see how creation bears witness to God’s character and spiritual realities, how Jesus’ birth, death, and resurrection redeems humanity and the entire creation, the usefulness of seemingly dormant seasons of our lives, and her experience of redefining beauty in her relationship with her own created body.

Dr. Deb Haarsma is an astronomer, experienced research scientist, and the president of BioLogos. She has studied large galaxies, galaxy clusters, the curvature of space, and the expansion of the universe using telescopes around the world and in orbit. Dr. Haarsma completed her doctoral work in astrophysics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and previously served as professor and chair of the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Calvin University.

In today’s conversation with Dr. Haarsma, we talk about the compatibility of faith and science, what the natural world can teach us about God, and how the study of space and the physical universe has deeply impacted her faith and what it has taught her about authentic beauty.

Dr. Chinwé Williams is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and the founder and owner of Meaningful Solutions Counseling & Consulting. She also recently co-authored the book, Seen: Healing Despair and Anxiety in Kids and Teens Through the Power of Connection.

In today’s conversation, we talk about the current mental health crisis among kids and adolescents; particularly, the prevalence of anxiety and despair. We also discuss the impacts of social media and the pressure among kids and teens to be ‘perfect.’ Thankfully, Dr. Williams also tells us about and encourages us with the antidote to despair, the power of connection.

Jennifer Tucker is a mom, artist, and graphic designer, primarily working for Ann Voskamp. Jenn is also the author of Breath as Prayer: Calm Your Anxiety, Focus Your Mind, and Renew Your Soul.

In this conversation, we talk about how both Jenn and her daughter’s struggles with anxiety led her to the practice of breath prayer. Jenn also talks about the importance of making church a safe space for those struggling with mental health issues and encourages us in the slow work of true beauty; it may not be glamorous or a quick fix, but it is ultimately what brings about wholeness and thriving in our lives.

Justin McRoberts is the author of six books, a musician, host of The @Sea Podcast, retreat leader, and leads workshops on the creative process.

In our time together, Justin expands and deepens the ideas of happiness, creativity, and art. He also shares his desire for people to live fully, allowing our souls to actively participate in the world around us. He reminds us that each of us is an essential element in our communities and in the world and that our creative decisions done in love at home and at work deeply matter.

In this episode and in her book, The Connected Leader, Montana-based psychotherapist and author, Karen Hardwick, shares all about how to re-connect with our true selves, our purpose in the world, our connection with God, and with other people.

Karen Hardwick is a clinically and spiritually trained psychotherapist-turned-leadership coach, podcast host, and speaker. As a globally recognized leadership consultant, Karen has witnessed a transformation in the lives and performance of thousands of leaders at companies like ESPN, Turner Broadcasting, UPS, and Intercontinental Hotels Group.

This week, Tori Hope Petersen’s memoir, Fostered: One Woman’s Powerful Story of Finding Faith and Family through Foster Care, will release. Tori is a former foster youth, foster care advocate, and is passionate about foster care reform, adoption advocacy, and vulnerable populations. In addition to her advocacy work, Tori was crowned Mrs. Universe in 2021.

In this episode, I talk with Tori about the powerful story she tells in her forthcoming memoir about growing up in the foster care system, how God’s love has shaped her story, what are helpful and not so helpful ways to support foster youth, and her authentic thoughts on being in the pageant world.

Liz Wienke wanted to help others find healing in their relationship with food and body image in the same way she had. Liz is a therapist, Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor, and a fellow Minnesotan, working at Venture Therapy in White Bear Lake.

In today’s episode, Liz talks about why she gave up dieting, what intuitive eating is and why she’s so passionate about being an intuitive eating counselor, the prevalence of diet culture, the importance of self-compassion, and how faith communities have often gotten it wrong when it comes to our relationship with food and our bodies.

After spending a decade as a radio personality in markets that included Las Vegas, Cara Whitney found herself longing for the simple life. Having grown up on a cattle farm in Northern Wisconsin, she found her way back to the country, this time a horse farm in Nebraska. That is where Cara now lives, along with her husband Dan, known as “Larry the Cable Guy.”

Cara is the author of the bestselling books Fields of Grace and Unbridled Faith. Her latest book is called Country Soul: Inspiring Stories of Heartache Turned to Hope. In today’s episode we talk about lessons of life and faith Cara has learned from the farm, how others’ stories of hope amidst brokenness inspire our own perseverance and faith, and how that “cloud of witnesses” reminds us we’re not alone on this journey home.

In this episode, I talk with licensed clinical psychologist and eating disorder specialist, Dr. Colleen Reichmann, all about the trends of wellness culture and clean eating. Dr. Reichmann helps us see how, through the lens of diet culture, our ideas on health and wellness may be a bit warped.

In addition to being a licensed clinical psychologist and eating disorders specialist, Dr. Reichmann is the founder of Wildflower Therapy LLC, and the coauthor of the book, The Inside Scoop on Eating Disorder Recovery: Advice from Two Therapists Who Have Been There.

Dr. Curt Thompson is a psychiatrist, author, speaker, and the host of The Being Known Podcast. Curt desires to show us how to form deep relationships, discover meaning, and live integrated, creative lives.

In today’s conversation, Curt explains why beauty makes all the difference in our lives; how we can put ourselves in the path of oncoming beauty, and why it’s so important to do so. Curt also names the importance of community in helping us see beauty in ourselves and envisioning beauty amidst the chaos of our own lives. Perhaps most importantly, Curt reminds us that God is a God who wades into the chaos of the world, and the chaos of our lives, and not only sees beauty but is intimately involved in bringing that beauty about.

Manda Carpenter is an author, speaker, advocate, and the co-host of A Longer Table Podcast, alongside her husband, Eric. Manda has written two books, the most recent being Soul Care to Save Your Life. Manda is very passionate about “seeing people own their full identity and do their inner work,” as she puts it.

In today’s episode, I talk with Manda about why she’s so passionate about foster care, the importance of radical honesty in her own story, why tending to our inner world and wounding is so important, how slowing down is pivotal for self-awareness and soul work, and how beauty so often occurs in the unseen.

Dylan Murphy is a Registered Dietitian and the founder of Free Method Nutrition, based in Nashville, Tennessee. Free Method Dietitians practice from a non-diet, Health at Every Size (HAES) approach with an emphasis on Intuitive Eating and mindset work.

In my conversation with Dylan, we talk about unhelpful cultural messages around food and body image that get in the way of women feeling trust, respect, and safety in their bodies. We also discuss why postpartum bounce back culture is toxic, why commenting on body shape and size in general is not helpful, the normalization of disordered eating, and how we can move toward feeling more confidence and peace in our relationships with food and our bodies.

Bob Goff is a New York Times bestselling author, hosts the popular Dream Big Podcast, and is the founder of Love Does. Love Does is committed to fighting human rights, caring for the vulnerable, and providing education in conflict zones.

In this episode, I talk with Bob about his new book, Undistracted, and how we go about living a life of purpose. I also talk with Bob about the importance of dreaming, why he left his law practice after 25 years to dream big himself, why courage is beautiful, and the importance of letting go of rules or stories were telling ourselves that no longer serve us. I can’t wait for you to hear this encouraging conversation with Bob Goff.

Jo Saxton is an author, speaker, International Justice Mission Ambassador, podcast host, leadership coach, and a fellow Minnesotan. Jo invests in women leaders in a number of ways, including an initiative called the Ezer Collective. She is especially passionate about helping women realize and live into their God-given identity.

In today’s conversation, Jo talks about her own struggles with beauty growing up. She also names that the influence of beauty culture is a gentle seduction in the world and in the church. Jo also reminds and challenges us in the church to offer a counter cultural narrative for beauty, turning away from the objectification of women. And with powerful conviction, Jo inspires us to engage our true identity and purpose, as that is what produces true beauty in the world.