Bölümler
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When you’re hungry and ordering a hamburger at the drive thru, do you expect to have a deep, personal conversation with the person at the window? Probably not.
More likely, you’re hoping to find that deeper emotional connection in your marriage with your spouse. But that can be harder to do than you think!
In this episode, John and Austin explain that communication in marriage ranges from very shallow, to very deep. Most couples stay in the shallow end, afraid to take a deeper dive into emotional intimacy.
The reason why it’s so difficult to have deep, meaningful conversations with your spouse is that it requires honesty and openness that feels very vulnerable and requires safety and trust. It takes patience, persistence and intentionality to build this trust over many years of marriage.
However, we think that learning how to REALLY talk with your spouse is worth pursuing for several reasons:
Knowing and being known will change who you are.
Cultivating a lifelong friendship will help your marriage endure life’s challenges.
Deep emotional connection prepares you for a healthy sex life.
You have a confidant to share your hopes, dreams, fears and worries with.
With sustained emotional intimacy you can believe the best about your partner.
If you liked this episode, text it to a friend! And please consider rating WYITW on your podcast player and leave the team a review. You can subscribe to our newsletter at withyouintheweeds.com and follow us on Instagram @withyouintheweeds! -
Do you believe that all of your needs, longings and desires will be met when you get married? What might happen when your marriage falls short of your expectations?
While it’s normal to want the ideal marriage, living in a world that’s been infected by sin makes that impossible. If you’re not prepared for what marriage will be like with two flawed people, you may be disillusioned, disappointed and full of resentment when your relationship hits the “ordeal” of life.
In this episode, John and Lynn discuss what it means to live in the reality of marriage, which means that you will not have all of your expectations met, you will not get your way all the time, and you will need to learn to live with a certain measure of incompletion in your marriage.
Hiding, blaming, shaming and judging may characterize your marriage until you’re ready to accept the limits of your relationship and grieve the loss of the “ideal” and so you can live in the “real deal”. This conversation will help you see that living in an imperfect relationship requires humility and divine grace.
If you liked this episode, text it to a friend! And please consider rating WYITW on your podcast player and leave the team a review. You can subscribe to our newsletter at withyouintheweeds.com and follow us on Instagram @withyouintheweeds! -
Eksik bölüm mü var?
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A commonly asked question is: “How do I know if I’m marrying the “right” person?”
As counselors, we’ve learned that the best way to help someone make the decision of who to marry is what we call: Informed Consent.
If you’ve ever bought a car, or had surgery, or signed a lease to an apartment, it’s likely that you only moved ahead with that decision after signing an agreement of “Informed Consent”. That means that you were given fair warning about the possible defects, side effects or pre-existing conditions before you agreed to move ahead with the decision. Having this information meant that you would have realistic expectations of the outcomes if you said “yes”.
Deciding who to marry is arguably one of the most important decisions you’ll make in life. So we think that the process of dating and engagement is a chance to obtain “Informed Consent”. That means that you are learning enough about the other person, and understanding their values, personality, dreams for the future, spiritual maturity and level of compatibility so that you know what you’re getting into when you get married.
In this episode, Austin and Lynn explain the purpose of dating, the 3 phases of the dating relationship, what to look for in a potential spouse, and red flags to be aware of as you consider whether or not to marry someone. The process of dating is your chance to learn as much as possible about the other person so you can visualize what marriage with this other person would be like. Although feelings of attraction are important, depth of character that’s demonstrated over a period of time is the best way to learn if your dating relationship is ready for marriage.
Bonus: Lynn shares the best dating advice she ever received, and it may completely change the way you see your dating relationship!
Book Recommendation:
Outdated: Find Love That Lasts When Dating Has Changed
If you liked this episode, text it to a friend! And please consider rating WYITW on your podcast player and leave the team a review. You can subscribe to our newsletter at withyouintheweeds.com and follow us on Instagram @withyouintheweeds! -
As a high school counselor, Laura Verkamp’s job is anything but boring. Between helping her students fill out college applications, checking in with students who are struggling, or challenging kids to come out of their comfort zone, Laura's invested in equipping them to move forward in life.
Listen as Austin interviews Laura and asks about a “typical” day in the life of a school counselor (if there is one). Their discussion reveals what Laura sees as the top stressors in the lives of high school students today, and the unique ways that she equips them to keep moving forward even in the midst of challenges.
What brings Laura the most joy in her job is seeing her students grow. From the first day of school, to the last day of class, one thing is certain, kids are longing to learn, mature, and overcome the obstacles that may be in their way.
You will appreciate the insight Laura has into the life of a high school student, and learn that the thing she loves most about them is, well, they’re just really cool kids!
If you liked this episode, text it to a friend! And please consider rating WYITW on your favorite podcast player. Follow us on FB & IG @withyouintheweeds and subscribe to our weekly newsletter at withyouintheweeds.com for more free Christian Counseling resources. -
The state of men in our culture is worse than ever in terms of loneliness, shame, and “purpose void”. How did we get here? And why do so many men avoid church?
In this enlightening conversation, Shay Roush and Kermit Summerall, Pastors of Crossing Men, discuss what men are longing for: the good, the bad and the ugly.
Shay and Kermit explain how many men feel trapped and defeated by the demands and pressures of life and are tempted to check out from reality and stop showing up where they’re needed most.
The good news is that men are starting to come out of isolation and build authentic relationships based on honesty and trust. Men are investing in each other’s lives and working side by side towards a common mission, using their strengths to serve others and show up in their families and communities.
Studies even show that Christian men who are actively involved in church are the best husbands, the best fathers, and experience the highest levels of happiness. This episode will challenge and encourage you as you hear about the powerful ways God is moving in the lives of Crossing Men as they follow Jesus together!
If you liked this episode, text it to a friend! Follow us on FB & IG @withyouintheweeds and subscribe to our weekly newsletter at withyouintheweeds.com.
Resources:
The Toxic War on Masculinity: How Christianity Reconciles the Sexes by Nancy Pearcey
Podcast: The Aaron Renn Show - May 20, 2024 episode with Anthony Bradley - “Evangelicalism’s Man Problems” -
Women are wearing more hats than ever: student, professional, friend, sister, mother, daughter, and everything in between. Slowing down long enough to consider what it is you really long for is an opportunity to connect with parts of your soul that need attention.
This conversation with Crossing Women director Jeannette Cover and counselor Lynn Roush is a chance to acknowledge that your longings for validation, affirmation, peace, confidence and hope are real and not going away.
This discussion also highlights that the encouragement we can offer each other as women is rare and hard to find. While our lives may look happy on the outside, many of us are carrying heavy burdens, and struggling to make sense of our current realities. In this episode you will learn how important it is to be honest about your thoughts and feelings so you can give and receive the encouragement you need to keep going in life.
That’s why we want to offer you a 30-Day Encouragement Challenge as a way to connect you to the life of God and the people you care about most in your life. While you may not always have your longings met, you can provide encouragement to your friends and family who are also on the journey of waiting, hoping and trusting in God's promises even when life is hard.
For practical ideas and ways to encourage others, download our FREE 30-Day Encouragement Challenge PDF at our website: withyouintheweeds.com, and start the challenge today!
If you liked this episode, text it to a friend! And please consider rating WYITW on your favorite podcast player. Follow us on FB & IG @withyouintheweeds and subscribe to our weekly newsletter at withyouintheweeds.com for more free Christian Counseling resources. -
Whatever control you believed you had over how your life would turn out is going to be challenged when you reach midlife. Also known as the “crunch” years, research on levels of happiness in midlife suggests that it can be the most dissatisfying life season.
Spanning the ages of 35-64, midlife is a time of raising and launching kids, reaching (or not reaching) your professional goals, defining your important relationships and watching your parents age. To say that midlife is a stressful time would be an understatement.
Many of the hopes and ideals that you believed would come true may be met with disillusion and disappointment when you realize that your life isn't turning out as you had planned. In midlife, your longing for control is overshadowed by powerlessness as you slowly lose friendships, manage health issues and experience the pain of regret.
The temptation in midlife is to checkout, numb, or avoid painful realities, while also pull away from close relationships. Yet there is much spiritual growth happening in midlife that is an opportunity for deep relational connection with God and others.
In this episode, Crossing Small Group directors Ryan and Kelley Wampler discuss with John the unique perspective that midlife brings, and the new longings that come when you realize that life is fleeting.
John, Kelley and Ryan share the most important thing you shouldn’t neglect during the business of midlife, as well as highlight the deep spiritual treasures that are in store when you surrender to God the things you can’t control.
If you liked this episode, text it to a friend! And please consider rating WYITW on your podcast player and leave the team a review. You can subscribe to our newsletter at withyouintheweeds.com and follow @withyouintheweeds on IG & FB for more great content! -
The 20’s is a time of transition from college to adulting, requiring tenacity and adaptation. It is also a time of making big decisions about career, relationships and establishing yourself in the world. In your 20’s the weightiness of life is pressing in, while the sharp edges of reality are becoming more pronounced.
As “digital natives”, 20’s don’t know life apart from screens, social media, texting and the internet. Although more connected than ever, 20’s are finding that real and meaningful relationships are harder to come by. This makes dealing with the pressures and expectations of this season of life feel even more isolating and overwhelming.
Ever present is the lure of the “good life” as procured on social media: the best vacation, the most extravagant reveal party, the perfect latte…20’s are searching for the good things in life while often struggling to tolerate anything that challenges their ideals.
What may surprise you is that 20's are open, curious, teachable and hungry for authenticity, real community and practical wisdom for everyday life. That’s what makes this conversation with Lynn Roush and Crossing 20’s directors Nathan Tiemeyer and Colleen Luley so interesting.
As 20’s are coming of age, they’re finding out that the source of the good life doesn’t come from today’s digital landscape, but from the ancient teachings of Jesus who points to where true life is found.
If you liked this episode, text it to a friend! And please consider rating WYITW on your podcast player and leave the team a review. You can subscribe to our newsletter at withyouintheweeds.com and follow @withyouintheweeds on IG & FB for more great content! -
Whether you’re in college, work with, or are parenting a college student, this conversation with Austin, Kyle and Emilee will open your eyes as to why Gen Z is a generation worth investing in. Their curiosity and openness is evidence that God is doing something incredible in the lives of college students around the world.
Gen Z is known as the loneliest and least religious generation of all time. Plagued by anxiety and isolation, college students are facing unique pressures and are looking for the pieces to the puzzle of life.
Kyle Richter and Emilee McEnery, leaders of The Crossing college ministry, Veritas, see these obstacles as opportunities to introduce Gen Z to a relationship with Jesus and a chance to help them find their purpose in the world.
The takeaway? “Don’t sleep on Gen Z!”
If you want to learn more about college students, check out these resources - especially the article that Kyle and Emilee wrote for The Gospel Coalition.
Meet Gen Z
Gen Z’s Biggest Obstacles May Be Their Greatest Gospel Opportunities: Kyle Richter & Emilee McEnery
Find Your People
The Great DeChurching
If you liked this episode, text it to a friend! And please consider rating WYITW on your podcast player and leave the team a review. You can subscribe to our newsletter at withyouintheweeds.com and follow @withyouintheweeds on IG & FB for more great content! -
We were so excited to have Caroline Sundvold in the studio with us to share her story as part of our "What Are You Longing For" series!
If you’ve browsed Netflix recently, you might have noticed a docuseries called “America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders” at the top of the most-watched list. Featured in the documentary is Missouri’s own Caroline Sundvold, a DCC veteran who has since retired from the squad after five years.
In the docuseries, Caroline shares the difficulty of transitioning out of life as a DCC while recovering from surgery and figuring out her future. In this episode, Lynn talks with Caroline about her life during and after her cheerleading days, including overcoming health challenges, navigating the pressures of competition, and letting go of the burden to be ‘perfect’.
She also explains how listening to the With You in the Weeds podcast has been a source of insight and inspiration to her as she’s worked through disappointment, life transitions and processing her emotions.
You’ll be encouraged by Caroline’s honesty and authenticity as she shares how she takes care of her mental, emotional and spiritual health by pursuing her deepest longing: peace.
If you liked this episode, text it to a friend! And please consider rating WYITW on your podcast player and leave the team a review. You can subscribe to our newsletter at withyouintheweeds.com and follow us on Instagram @withyouintheweeds! -
If you’ve been trying to read the mind of a teenager and still feel perplexed, today’s episode is for you!
Today we ask:
What does your teen really want?
What are some challenges and opportunities they are facing?
How can you love your teen when they push you away?
What can you do to encourage their growth?
Austin asks all of these questions and more to the co-directors of Crossing Students - Jeff Parrett and Anna West. You’ll learn that teens are asking deep questions about identity, belonging and purpose that can be a catalyst for great conversations. This episode is full of wisdom and resources from two talented people who work with teens every day, so we know you’ll be encouraged as you listen!
Book Recommendations:
3 Big Questions That Change Every Teenager
Parenting With Hope
Habits of the Household
The Worry Free Parent
If you liked this episode, text it to a friend! And please consider rating WYITW on your podcast player and leave the team a review. You can subscribe to our newsletter at withyouintheweeds.com and follow us on Instagram @withyouintheweeds! -
Childhood cancer forced Samantha to face reality at an early age, but working through the myriad of emotions that come with hardship has been an ongoing process in her life. Giving herself permission to fall apart and “not be ok” was just one thing she learned through counseling.
Battling cancer, infertility, infant loss and the journey of adoption are just a few elements of Samantha’s story that will open your heart. In this special episode with Austin, she vulnerably shares her struggle with resting in Jesus when she’s tempted to control everything around her.
If you’ve ever wondered, “should I go to counseling?”, this conversation will open up a whole new world for you. Not shying away from hard topics, Austin and Samantha discuss how counseling can be a way to work through life’s hardships, learn tools for healthy coping, and get comfortable with negative emotions.
To hear more from Samantha, find her podcast Going There, where she invites women to get away from shallow conversations and go deep into their friendships and relationship with God.
If you liked this episode, text it to a friend! And please consider rating WYITW on your podcast player and leave the team a review.
You can subscribe to our newsletter at withyouintheweeds.com and follow us on Instagram @withyouintheweeds for more great content and message us with your topic suggestions for future episodes. -
“Addiction is about filling a hole in your heart.”
Have you considered that the underlying dynamics of addiction are driven by a relationship? A simple definition of addiction is: “An unhealthy, mood-altering relationship with a person, behavior or substance.” This relationship promises comfort and significance to fill the hole in your heart, but it always falls short.
This enlightening conversation with clinical therapist and author Michael John Cusick will invite you to understand addiction in a way that makes sense: Addiction is a form of false connection that serves as a substitute for the intimacy you were designed for.
Addiction involves your entire being: your body, mind and spirit. This conversation will help you understand that breaking free from an addiction is more than stopping an unhealthy behavior. Recovery involves creating a true and genuine connection with others where there are no more secrets, and where you can be known and loved for who you are.
This vision of the gospel message - that God pursues and loves you while you are in the middle of your messy life - is the grace that you need to open your hands and surrender yourself to a process of restoration.
You will be inspired and encouraged to reconsider what wholeness and healing means as you listen to John, Austin and Michael peel back the layers of addiction, grace, humility and recovery.
Restoring the Soul
Surfing for God
If you know someone who could benefit from this episode, please text it to a friend and let them know about With You in the Weeds!
Please consider rating WYITW on your podcast player and leave us a positive review! Or message us on Instagram @withyouintheweeds to ask a question or suggest a topic. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter at withyouintheweeds.com for more great content from our team of counselors. -
Does the current political climate make you want to bury your head in the sand? Whether you enjoy political debates or try to avoid politics altogether, we think you’ll appreciate this episode.
John and Shay offer a biblical view of the role of government and provide guidance on how to love others who you have political disagreements with. They also share how you can have hope, no matter which candidate wins the election.
Shay studied political science at the University of Missouri, and has enjoyed following and observing the ever-changing political landscape. His wisdom and informed perspective will encourage you to not lose faith as you navigate political conversations with grace.
If you know someone who could benefit from this episode, please text it to a friend and let them know about With You in the Weeds!
Please consider rating WYITW on your podcast player and leave us a positive review! Or message us on Instagram @withyouintheweeds to ask a question or suggest a topic. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter at withyouintheweeds.com for more great content from our team of counselors. -
Imagine that you’re in a tunnel and you don’t see a way out. Or maybe there isn’t a way out. What would that feel like?
If you are managing a chronic illness, or love someone who is, the feeling of being trapped in a tunnel may be all too familiar. Whether it’s chronic pain, autoimmune disease, recurrent migraines, cancer or some other life-altering illness that prevents you from living a “normal” life, you’re probably exhausted.
In this episode, John, Shay and Lynn share openly and personally about the impact of chronic illness on your mental and emotional health, as well as your relationships and spiritual life. The discouragement, depression and fear are powerful when you are in the tunnel, and we want to speak to these feelings and help guide you through the darkness.
If you can relate to this struggle, or know someone else who needs to be encouraged while battling difficult health circumstances, this episode was created just for you.
We would love to hear from you! Please consider rating WYITW on your podcast player and leave us a positive review! Or message us on Instagram @withyouintheweeds to ask a question or suggest a topic. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter at withyouintheweeds.com for more great content from our team of counselors. -
Have the flaws and imperfections in the body of Christ become a stumbling block to your faith? Whether it's a church leader abusing their power, a congregation full of gossip, or a legalistic message that curdles your soul, a church can be a source of hurt just as easily as a source of healing.
In this special episode, Austin interviews author, pastor, and university professor Trevin Wax, to discuss the ways that being part of a church can be both a source of blessing and pain. For as many ways as fellowship with other believers can be life-giving, there is also an opportunity for hurt that can lead to distrust and rejection of the faith altogether.
This episode will both challenge and encourage you to think more deeply about why your role in a church matters, how powerful your personal influence is on the body of Christ, and how to process church hurt when it happens.
To hear more from Trevin Wax, check out his podcast Reconstructing Faith, or his books The Thrill of Orthodoxy and Rethink Yourself.
If you liked this episode, text it to a friend! And please consider rating WYITW on your podcast player and leave the team a review.
You can subscribe to our newsletter at withyouintheweeds.com and follow us on Instagram @withyouintheweeds for more great content and message us with your topic suggestions for future episodes. -
If you've experienced betrayal, then you know the pain and heartache that comes with it. Betrayal is a piercing wound that can cause you to never want to trust anyone again, even God.
John and Lynn discuss the impact that betrayal can have in the areas of:
- friendship
- marriage
- with a parent
- within a church
By naming the reality of this hurt, and using the Psalms as a guide, this conversation will give you the words you need to describe, explain and understand the pain of betrayal.
We hope you find comfort in knowing that your feelings are real, your hurt matters, and you are not alone in what you are experiencing. Even when betrayal leaves you feeling gutted, we want you to know that God acutely understands the pain you are in, and is near to your broken heart.
If you liked this episode, text it to a friend! And please consider rating WYITW on your podcast player and leave the team a review.
You can subscribe to our newsletter at withyouintheweeds.com and follow us on Instagram @withyouintheweeds for more great content and message us with your topic suggestions for future episodes. -
When you're suffering and in pain, hope is something you wish would arrive like a package on your doorstep. But that's not actually how hope is formed.
In this special episode, John and Austin interview Christian psychiatrist Curt Thompson, MD, author of the book: "The Deepest Place: Suffering and the Formation of Hope".
This conversation will completely change the way you've thought about HOPE, and dispel the belief that forming hope is a solitary exercise.
Hope is not something that "I try to have", but something that "we form together" through the power of presence and relational connection. All of your efforts to manage the suffering of life are in some fashion designed to pull you into a relationship with someone, or something, that can be WITH YOU in the pain.
We are honored that Curt Thompson joined the WYITW team to share his love of psychology, interpersonal neurobiology and biblical scholarship!
We know you will be encouraged by Curt's insight, and will want to check out his books that have shaped our thinking as Christian therapists, as well as his podcast, Being Known.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/being-known-podcast/id1556261828
Anatomy of the Soul
The Soul of Shame
If you liked this episode, text it to a friend! And please consider rating WYITW on your podcast player and leave the team a review.
You can subscribe to our newsletter at withyouintheweeds.com and follow us on Instagram @withyouintheweeds for more great content and message us with your topic suggestions for future episodes. -
What are you most afraid of?
If you can honestly answer that question, then you are well on your way toward facing your fear.
There are many reasons why fear can be overwhelming, but how you handle fear will determine whether or not you stay stuck or keep growing. And understanding the biblical antidote to fear will help you not lose faith, even when your fear threatens to shut you down.
In this episode we want you to understand what's happening when fear gets activated in your body, and how you can manage the fears that you can't avoid.
Lynn and Austin discuss how fear affects you in the following four areas:
- Mentally
- Physically
- Emotionally
- Spiritually
Once you have an idea of how fear affects you, you can learn how to accept and acknowledge it rather than ignore and minimize it. After listening, you’ll be better equipped to not only determine what you are most afraid of and why, but you’ll be reminded where to take those fears.
If you liked this episode, text it to a friend! And please consider rating WYITW on your podcast player and leave the team a review.
You can subscribe to our newsletter at withyouintheweeds.com and follow us on Instagram @withyouintheweeds for more great content and message us with your topic suggestions for future episodes. -
After working as a therapist in an inpatient treatment center for eating disorders, Travis Steward realized that rejecting shame with his clients was the way to break the pattern of a compulsive behavior.
In this installment of "Stories in the Weeds", Austin and Travis discuss what it takes to surrender self-destructive patterns and give up your personal strategies for making life work apart from God. Loosening your grip on habits that make you feel powerful and comfortable may feel impossible, but safe and trusting relationships are the pathway to finding freedom.
This interview with seasoned therapist Travis Steward will have you rethinking the ways you've learned to feel accomplished and valuable, and challenge you with a question:
"How will you get better without trusting God or others?"
Would you take a moment and rate this podcast on your player? Your 5 star ratings and positive reviews will help others find us. Thank you!
For more great content you can subscribe to our newsletter at withyouintheweeds.com and follow us on Instagram @withyouintheweeds. - Daha fazla göster
