Poema Podcast
Episodes
Wednesday Feb 22, 2017
Poema 008 | Sarah Heath on Creativity & The Art Of Community
Wednesday Feb 22, 2017
Wednesday Feb 22, 2017
It's my pleasure to welcome Rev Sarah Heath onto the podcast today. Sarah is a minister in a small but growing church in Costa Mesa, California, as well as an artist, writer and author. Her first book 'What's Your Story? Seeing Your Life Through God's Eyes' releases this coming April.
Sarah talks about her biggest passion, creativity. And together we explore the process of creativity and how this applies to all walks of life, not just the arts. Sarah talks about how she expresses her own creativity through painting, drawing, art, as well as writing - and how she's applied the principle of creativity in her work helping to create a church community.
We discuss the myth that some people are creative and others are not creative - and Sarah makes a strong case to say we are all creative people, whether we're accountants, scientists, pastors, or writers. Sarah talks about he sees her role as helping others create the authentic lives and work they were made to live, and how that begins by her living autnentically.
Sarah is such fun to talk to, has such wisdom, insight and passion for creativity and spirituality, and her words are so life giving and inspiring. Take a listen to her today & you'll be inspired to go out and create.
Wednesday Feb 15, 2017
Poema 007 : Shelly E Johnson on Finding Our Mosaic Of Grace
Wednesday Feb 15, 2017
Wednesday Feb 15, 2017
Today on Poema I'm joined by singer/songwriter/worship leader Shelly E Johnson. Most well-known for writing the powerful worship anthem “Power of the Cross”, which has been recorded by Natalie Grant, Steve Green and is being used in churches worldwide, Shelly has served as worship leader alongside Beth Moore, Tony Nolan, Andy Stanley, and toured North America with renown Irish Hymn-writers Keith & Kristyn Getty.
Today Shelly shares her own powerful story, of losing a parent at an early age, how it impacted her relationship with God and her creative journey. Having lost a parent myself, and as an artist, much of her story resonated with my own, and we explore some deep truths about grief, suffering and the spiritual journey.
We also discuss the true meaning of grace, and how God through our experiences, we have seen how God takes these broken pieces of our lives, and rebuilds them into something more beautiful - a Mosaic Of Grace, the title of one of Shelly's most memorable songs, and the title of my own bestselling book.
Wednesday Feb 08, 2017
Wednesday Feb 08, 2017
Today Sarah Bessey, author of 'Jesus Feminist' and 'Out Of Sorts', joins me on the podcast. We talk about writing and creativity as ways we interact with the divine, and express ourselves spiritually - as well as the spirituality of the TV show Doctor Who.
Sarah talks about writing as her altar, her way of interacting with God, and expressing her spirituality - and how this can be true for all of us in all our creative work, not just the work we share publicly. Sarah and I also talk about authentic creativity really is, and how as artists, we can deal with both criticism and praise in a healthy, Godly way.
Sarah shares with great wisdom and insight, how what we believe about God shows up in every area of our lives - our parenting, our marriages, our work - whatever we do - and why we need to listen to our lives to see where our relationship with God is.
Finally we talk about our mutual love of the TV show 'Doctor Who', the divine and theological truths we have found in the show, and how the show impacts our spirituality and relationship with God.
Sarah has such fierce integrity, wisdom and compassion, and a genuine love for God and others - talking to her is always such a blessing and again, in this interview, is so inspiring, encouraging and challenging.
Wednesday Feb 01, 2017
Poema 005 : Matthew Schmitt On The Table Setters & Loving Your Enemies
Wednesday Feb 01, 2017
Wednesday Feb 01, 2017
Today I'm joined by Matthew Schmitt, co-founder of The Table Setters, a new organisation running diversity workshops, and doing consulting that helps to develop culturally integrated lives in churches, schools & businesses in the US.
Matthew and I talk about issues of race and equality in the US today, and the challenge of what it really means to love your enemy. The concept of the Table Setters is to bring people of different perspectives, races, backgrounds, beleifs around the same table and have healthy dialogue, and Matthew and I discuss together what this looks like - in particular in the current political climate in the US.
And with the election of Donald Trump as President, we talk about how progressives and conservatives, instead of hating on each other, might follow Jesus example, come around a table together, and hear each others stories - and how that is what may bring about the change we desperately need.
Matthew is a truly inspiring man, doing some groundbreaking work, and his words will both encourage and challenge you.