Poema Podcast
Episodes
Wednesday Mar 22, 2017
Poema 012 | Jo Cleary on her Radical Love Journey
Wednesday Mar 22, 2017
Wednesday Mar 22, 2017
I'm joined today by Jo Cleary, a learning development officer, and writer from Coventry in the UK, who blogs on issues of identity, self-worth and learning to love yourself. Jo shares her powerful story of depression, psychosis and chronic fatigue syndrome, and how they have all influenced both her spiritual and creative journey.
We discuss together how mental health can impact your relationship with both God and the church, and the power of creativity for healing and transformation. And Jo shares honestly and vulnerably about how the her mental illness impacted her relationships and her day to day life. Jo explains how she discovered that God is someone who, no matter how much we might push him away, no matter how much we think He's abandoned us, will remain to pick up the pieces of our broken lives, and redeem them.
Finally Jo talks about her recent work, with the Radical Love Journey Facebook group & blog, and how she is using her story to give hope to others.
Jo has a powerful story and great insight to share, on some important issues, it's definitely worth a listen.
Wednesday Mar 15, 2017
Wednesday Mar 15, 2017
Today my dear "wolfie" friends, musical and creative duo Chloe and Taylor Turner (AKA Chasing Lovely), join me again. Today we talk about the personal stories and influences behind their work, as well as the spiritual and personal journeys which influence all of us creatively, and shape who we are and who we become.
Chloe and Taylor talk about the journey of their first EP, Unbridled, (which released 2015 and is available now), and also, the the powerful, personal stories behind the songs on their upcoming EP - which they are currently raising money to make via Kickstarter. We also talk about how we interact with our own work and how others interpret creative work isn't always how we intended, that each of us comes to a creartive work with our own story, and how great art will meet us where and impact us there.
It's always great fun talking to Chloe and Taylor, who are wise beyond their years, and have great insight on creativity and spirituality - and are just plain awesome people!
Take a listen, then, if you can, please ensure their new EP gets made, by going to support their Kickstarter in any way you can - you can find it here.
Wednesday Mar 08, 2017
Poema 010 | Laura Parrott Perry on Surviving Sexual Abuse & Valuing Our Stories
Wednesday Mar 08, 2017
Wednesday Mar 08, 2017
Today I'm joined by my dear friend Laura Parrott Perry. Laura is an author and a speaker, and co-founder of Say It, Survior, a non-profit dedicated to helping survivors of sexual abuse.
With great courage and honesty, Laura shares her own story of abuse, and it's impact on her and her family, and the story of how a phone call with her cousin and a blog post sharing her story, led to her co-founding a non-profit which now provides a safe space for survivors of sexual abuse to get the support and healing they need.
Laura also talks about the importance of valuing our own story, and the power of owning our story and being honest about our journey. Laura argues passionately that all our stories have value, and all deserve respect, and to be received with love and grace - and when that happens, we can begin our journey to healing and transformation.
Laura speak with great wisdom, insight and courage, and her story is well worth a listen.
Wednesday Mar 01, 2017
Poema 009 | Brian McLaren on The Great Spiritual Migration
Wednesday Mar 01, 2017
Wednesday Mar 01, 2017
Speaker, author and theologian Brian McLaren joins me today. Brian is the author of many books, such as 'A New Kind Of Christian' and 'A Generous Orthodoxy'. Today on the podcast we discuss his most recent work, 'The Great Spiritual Migration', which explores how our world is looking for a better way to be Christian.
Brian shares with great wisdom and insight about why the traditional models of church and Christian faith are no longer working, why the church is dying and it's connections with the rise of the political right in the West. And he shares an exciting new vision of what church can and could be if we choose to move beyond traditional boundaries of 'conservative' and 'liberal' and to a more transcendent, non-dual view of Jesus and the Christian faith.
Brian argues with great conviction that the most important thing is not simply what we believe - but how we believe it, and why it's important to be open to allow God to take us ever onward and deeper into more transcendent, mysterious, and inclusive understandings of who He is and what He wishes for His church to be.
Brian is a man of great wisdom and insight, with a deep love for Jesus and His church - and his message is much needed. Definitely worth a listen!