Poema Podcast

Poema S3 017 | Meeting Julyda

Today I'm joined again by two members of the Blacksmiths' Daughters - Julida and Sean Alter. This husband and wife team have now collaborated to form their own band, simply called Julyda. They've just released their first EP together, 'Do You Hear Me'. 
In this episode we talk about the creative journey behind the formation of Julyda, and the EP itself. It's a powerful story, about faith, social justice, doubt, and mystery - which in many ways sums up the journey we'll all on, individually, and cooporately, in the world today.
We also explore the creative process behind the album, how we find our voice, how we can tell our unique stories in our art and how creating and engaging with music, writing and other forms of art can touch us and speak to us in unique and intimate ways. 
You can find out more about Julyda and hear some of the songs from their amazing new EP at www.theblacksmithsdaughters.com/julyda 

Poema S3 016 | David Andrews Is Poetry In Motion

Today I'm joined by David Andrews, a poet and author from New Zealand. Today he shares his story, a story of faith, doubt and creativity. We talk about how his faith journey led him into poetry and then explore how what we create is birthed deep inside of us. 
David also does a beautiful reading of one of his poems, and we discuss the story and creative process behind this poem. Together we explore the mystery and mysticism of poetry and music, and how this can connect with the deeper parts of our soul. We talk about being authentic in our art, and why it's more important to focus on the process, on the joy of creating - and not on the result of our work, or the numbers - and how this perspective plays out in our day-to-day lives. 
David is a great guy and a hugely talented poet, and it was a pleasure talking to him. Take a listen!

Poema S3 015 | Andy Mort Is A Gentle Rebel

Today I'm joined by my friend, inspiring writer and podcaster Andy Mort. Andy's work focusses on encouraging, providing support and community for highly sensitive people and introverts - people he calls 'gentle rebels'. Just like myself, Andy is an introverted highly sensitive type, and knows all the challenges which come with it.
Andy talks today about what it's like to be a highly sensitive introvert, how that can impact daily lives and relationships, and also the ability to have an impact with creative work.
He shares how those who aren't sensitive introverts can have healthy relationships with those who are, and how he discovered a way to have an creative impact even with those challenges, including the community he created for highly sensitive people and introverts and how it's been part of his own journey.
This was such a great conversation, and Andy is honest, down to earth, encouraging and wise - his words will bring hope and solidarity to all those challenged by being introverted or highly sensitive. 

Poema S3 014 | Adam Baker on Creativity, Broken Dreams & The Divine Pursuit

Today my good friend Adam Baker joins me on the show. Adam is a singer-songwriter and former missionary, and today he shares his powerful and inspiring story with us.
Adam tells us of his creative journey which led him and his wife Sarah into missionary work on the African continent. With great honesty, Adam shares how these dreams went sour, the pain this caused, and how it led him and his wife to question and explore their faith in a way they had never done before - and how this led him deeper into his faith, pursuing God as never before - an experience which turned into a song, 'The Pursuit' (which you can hear at the end of the episode).
Adam's story reveals once again that doubting and questioning God, far from being something we should avoid, is something to be embraced, and can be a fundamental part of going deeper with the divine.

Poema S3 013 | Brandan Robertson on The Unheard Stories Of LGBT Christians

Today I welcome my dear friend Brandan Robertson back to the show. Brandan Robertson is a pastor, speaker, author and LGBT activist from San Diego, US. Today we talk about his experiences as an LGBT pastor in the US, and about the release of a new book Brandan edited and compiled, 'Our Witness: The Unheard Stories of LGBT Christians'. 
Brandan shares a few of the most powerful stories sent to him by LGBT Christians of rejection, prejudice and abuse by members of the evanglelical church, and the dark and profound impact these have had on people's lives. And I discovered in our conversation that many of  these stories come from the church in the UK, which, far from being more inclusive and progressive,  is causing just as much damage to the lives of LGBT Christians. This was horrifying for me, and shows us just how much work needs to be done on LGBT inclusion. 
We also talk about the power of stories, over the power of theology and argument, to change people's perspectives, and how Brandan himself came to understand this. 
Brandan also talks about his experiences as an LGBT pastor, with a church which whilst it has many LGBT Christians, still has people who disagree on LGBT theology - including members of the LGBT community themselves. And he offers words of encouragement and hope to members of the LGBT community pursuing the journey of faith.
This is one of the deepest, powerful and arguably most important conversations I've had on the podcast. Whatever your perspective, I'd ask you listen with an open heart and open mind, and allow yourself to be moved. 
You can buy 'Our Witness' on Amazon now. 

Poema S3 012 | Teresa Colón Is A Writer & Christian Living With Bipolar

I'm delighted to welcome my dear friend Teresa Colón to the show today. Teresa is a writer, podcaster, and mental health advocate, who has a dignosis of Bipolar Disorder. Today Teresa shares her raw, honest and inspiring story with us. 
Teresa talks about her long journey to diagnosis, and how being bipolar has impacted her day to day life. She shares how creativity, and in particular writing, helped her come to terms with her journey, and own the truth of her story - as well as bringing life and healing to others. Then she talks about how her diagnosis impacted her faith and her spiritual journey, and helped her understand how she is loved, blessed and precious - just as she is.
Finally, Teresa and I talk about our new podcast - my second podcast, to go alongside Poema - called Creating Normal, about creativity and mental illness. 
This conversation with Teresa left me, and will leave you, especially those with mental illness, a message of genuine hope, and solidarity. 
You can find Teresa's work at WoundedBirdsMinistry.com & the Creating Normal podcast here. 

Poema S3 011 | Questions We Don't Ask 6 - 'What The Hell?' (with Charles Porter)

Today the on-off series 'Questions We Don't Ask' continues with a discussion of hell. Which, obviously, means the question is 'What The Hell?'. So many people have so many different perspectives on hell, it's such an emotive and divisive topic in many ways. It's one that deserves examination and deeper reflection, because what we believe about hell has a huge bearing, indeed is usually born from, who we think God really is. 
My friend Charles Porter and I discuss the different perspectives today, each sharing our own views and experiences, the thoughts of some well known authors/thinkers on this subject and, as ever, it takes us into interesting and unexpected directions, ending with a discussion and experience of divine grace and Judas in the garden, which left us both in tears. 
Like all the questions in this series, it's merely a jumping off point into a bigger, wider discussion of Christian spirituality that many of us are having. I hope you'll come join us. 

Poema S3 010 | Allison Fallon Is Indestructible

Author, speaker and coach Allison (Ally) Fallon joins me today. Ally has written several books and her latest, 'Indestructible:Leveraging Your Broken Heart to Become a Force of Love and Change in the World', is about to release. It's a memoir about the often painful and challenging journey she has been on in the last couple of years.
Today, Ally shares her powerful testimony. It's a story of divorce, brokenness, and then overcoming deep pain and finding a way through to a thriving life. Ally shares about the first actions she took on realising her marriage was ending, and the first steps she took to rebuilding her life. With great candidness and courage, she shares about the major challenges she faced, both personal and financial, and how she confronted those challenges. 
Ally also discusses the three key practices she discovered which can help people find healing and rebuild their lives - practices she lives out to this day, and which she now teaches to others. 
Ally concludes by sharing about what she believes is the only way out of trauma and pain, and to rebuild a thriving life. It's a message of hope for every single one of us. 
You can pre-order her book 'Indestructible' here and follow Ally on Twitter here.

Poema S3 009 | Mariana Ruiz Is An Impact Driven Entrepreneur

Today my dear friend Mariana Ruiz joins me on the podcast. Mariana is a certified business coach and consultant, who works with creative people, people launching their businesses and helps them gain confidence and focus, and find their true selves. Mariana is passionate about authenticity and helping people connect with their true selves and do the work they were made to do - and share their unique story with the world. She cares most of all about helping people make an impact and becoming truly authentic in their lives and work.
Here she shares her powerful story of how she found her voice, how she moved from an overly busy life with no financial freedom and no purpose, to finding a clear purpose to her life, which has allowed her to make a positive impact on the world, overcoming deep pain and conflict in the process.
We discuss what it means to be truly authentic and having integrity in business, art and life, and Mariana shares how she manages to maintain her integrity whilst managing and marketing a successful business.
Mariana is kind, encouraging, and cares about helping people having a positive impact on the world - and she has so much wisdom to share. 

Poema S3 008 | Dr Kate Thomas Can Bulletproof Your Psyche

Today Dr Kate Thomas returns to the podcast to discuss her latest book, 'Bulletproofing The Psyche'. We explore the different strategies Kate has discovered in recent years for both preventing and treating mental illness. She shares about her work on implimenting these strategies in her work in the the military, and how we can each implement them in our own lives.
We also talk about some best practices to treat mental illness, retraining our brains, and the concept of 'mental fitness' or 'resilience training' - training our brains to be more resilient, and to have mechanisms and strategies which can help us manage mental illness and cope with mental health challenges in way which is healthier and allows us to thrive. Kate also talks about the the importance of spirituality in combatting mental illness.
With great courage and honesty, Kate also shares about some of the challenges she's faced and is facing in her own life, and how the methods she teaches to others have been helpful to her on her own journey.
Kate is courageous, intelligent and wise - she has so much expert knowledge and experience in this area and I know this episode will be so helpful to you all. 
You can find out about her new book at: http://www.bulletproofingthepsyche.com/