Discerning God Emotionally and Relationally

Aging Faithfully | Discerning God Emotionally and Relationally Episode 06

Host: Steve Macchia, Guest: Alice Fryling

I want to look back on my life to see what I’ve learned about God and apply it to my life now and in the future.” – Alice Fryling

The aging process is never-ending, and it’s a goldmine for transformation. We have a choice as we age: will we do so selfishly and begrudgingly, or will we age gracefully and faithfully? Alice Fryling offers us wisdom for how best to lovingly give of yourself in the twilight years as we embrace the holy invitation of growing older. If we are vulnerable in our old age, we will acknowledge our weakness and losses, and shift from a transactional to a transformational spirituality. It’s a tipping point with a choice to keep growing in God or hang it up forever.

Join the conversation about spiritual discernment as a way of life at www.LeadershipTransformations.org and consider participation in our online and in-person program offerings. Additional LTI spiritual formation resources can be found at www.SpiritualFormationStore.com and www.ruleoflife.com and www.healthychurch.net

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Toxic Relationships | Discerning God Emotionally and Relationally Episode 05

Host: Steve Macchia, Guest: Gary Thomas

The Christian life is about an abundance of good fruit. We must walk away from toxic people in order to preserve that good fruit.” – Gary Thomas

Gary Thomas speaks to a glaring issue today: dealing with toxic people. He says, “Before you walk away from your ministry, try walking away from toxic people first.” We need to learn how to play defense, to protect what God has planted in our hearts and in our service to others. When we invest so much of our energy on toxic relationships, we lose sight of God’s missional call to build up the Kingdom. There may in fact come a time when it’s simply best to just “walk away” and maintain your focus on Jesus and his mission. Be wise. Say no. Turn away. Be free.

Join the conversation about spiritual discernment as a way of life at www.LeadershipTransformations.org and consider participation in our online and in-person program offerings. Additional LTI spiritual formation resources can be found at www.SpiritualFormationStore.com and www.ruleoflife.com and www.healthychurch.net

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Capturing Emotive Images | Discerning God Emotionally and Relationally Episode 04

Host: Steve Macchia, Guest: Amy Murgatroyd

When you live as if you’re dying, you begin to see the world in a much different way.” – Amy Murgatroyd

Mom, wife, and award-winning photographer and film-maker, Amy Murgatroyd (amymurgatroyd.com) shares today about the importance of capturing our emotions and relationships. She invites us to consider how we can become story catchers, who with wide-eyed wonder see the glory of God in the beauty that surrounds us, particularly in the people with whom we share our lives. Seeing with the eyes of our heart and listening to the whispers of God is a great spiritual practice. We are designed by God to co-create with him in this life.

Join the conversation about spiritual discernment as a way of life at www.LeadershipTransformations.org and consider participation in our online and in-person program offerings. Additional LTI spiritual formation resources can be found at www.SpiritualFormationStore.com and www.ruleoflife.com and www.healthychurch.net

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Sacred Marriage | Discerning God Emotionally and Relationally Episode 03

Host: Steve Macchia, Guest: Gary Thomas

What if God designed marriage to make us holy more than to make us happy?” – Gary Thomas

Imagine what your marriage would look like if you first and foremost prioritized your relationship with God. “If only we could just be Christians first, then our marriages wouldn’t become so difficult,” according to our guest Gary Thomas, author of Sacred Marriage.  Best marriage advice: seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness. Marriage isn’t for our personal romantic passion and family happiness, it’s for helping each other deepen our affections for God. When we focus on reverencing God, we in turn can love our spouses. 

Join the conversation about spiritual discernment as a way of life at www.LeadershipTransformations.org and consider participation in our online and in-person program offerings. Additional LTI spiritual formation resources can be found at www.SpiritualFormationStore.com and www.ruleoflife.com and www.healthychurch.net

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Boundaries for the Soul | Discerning God Emotionally and Relationally Episode 02

Host: Steve Macchia, Guest: Alison Cook

In my own personal story, I found it easy to love God, but very challenging to know and love myself.” – Alison Cook

In her ground-breaking book Boundaries for Your Soul, Alison Cook is seeking to help us turn our overwhelming thoughts and feelings into our strongest allies. Using the internal family systems model, she illumines our pathway forward by addressing the true struggles we face in life and relationships. She describes how a Christ-centered way to self-awareness will lead to internal freedom and joy, and much healthier relationships with others.  Her “U-turn” approach to emotional wholeness includes five key phases: focus, befriend, invite, unburden, and integrate. 

Join the conversation about spiritual discernment as a way of life at www.LeadershipTransformations.org and consider participation in our online and in-person program offerings. Additional LTI spiritual formation resources can be found at www.SpiritualFormationStore.com and www.ruleoflife.com and www.healthychurch.net

 

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Shame on You: The Power of Shame Upon the Soul | Discerning God Emotionally and Relationally Episode 01

Host: Steve Macchia, Guest: Adele Calhoun

Shaming voices have the power to cripple us. They isolate us from the truth about ourselves and others.” – Adele Calhoun

Shame is universal. It’s been with us since Adam and Eve hid from God after succumbing to the shaming voice of the devil.  How we deal with the shaming voices of our past will either set us free to live more abundantly, or will keep us crippled by their falsehood. In today’s episode, Adele Calhoun offers great wisdom and truth about the importance of knowing and naming the shaming narratives of our lives, and invites us to embrace practices that will lead to redemptive healing. Trust Jesus with your shame. When we are even at our worst, he comes to set us free. 

Join the conversation about spiritual discernment as a way of life at www.LeadershipTransformations.org and consider participation in our online and in-person program offerings. Additional LTI spiritual formation resources can be found at www.SpiritualFormationStore.com and www.ruleoflife.com and www.healthychurch.net

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Mitzi Mak

Selah-West Faculty & Emmaus Faculty

Mitzi started her professional life as a high school social studies teacher. She and her husband Jerry then served cross-culturally for ten+ years, living abroad first in India and then Kurdistan, N. Iraq. In addition to being a Spiritual Director, she now serves as a Formation and Care pastor in her local church in Houston, TX. She has graduated from LTI’s Selah Spiritual Direction training as well as LTI’s Emmaus Formational Leadership Program.

Mitzi enjoys engaging conversation, reading fiction, doing jigsaw/crossword puzzles, ocean gazing and exploring the world with Jerry through food and travel.

God has two main callings in Mitzi’s life: to care for those who care for others and to be a guide in helping others have a healthy relationship with the Trinity – recognizing God’s loving presence and activity in their lives and how to faithfully respond.

Selah was a transformative experience for me – allowing the contemplative within to emerge and to beautifully co-exist with my extraverted personality.