Halfway There

241: Sheila Wray Gregoire and the Great Sex Rescue

[https://ericnevins.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/SheilaWrayGregoire-1024x576.png] Sheila Wray Gregoire is a popular speaker, marriage blogger, and the author of nine books, including The Good Girl s Guide to Great Sex and her latest book, The Great Sex Rescue, which she coauthored with her daughter Rebecca Lindenbach and Joanna Sawatsky. Today, Sheila shares how she became a Christian sex blogger, when she first realized that she must stand for justice, and how studying the messages Christians were sending about sex affected her faith. Plus, we talk all about the research behindThe Great Sex Rescue, and the more faithful way to look at a hot issue like sex. This conversation reminds us that love and mutuality is the way. Listen to Sheila’s story today Stories Sheila shared: * Picking up a copy of Love and Respect and how that bothered her * Growing up as an evangelical in multiple denominations * Struggling with gender roles and her own calling * Being ready to ditch the faith at 16 * Losing a son after five years of marriage * Discovering her spiritual prophetic gift * Getting into blogging about sex by accident * Why it’s sad we’ve turned sex into a transaction * How sex and power are related * The mutuality of sex in the Bible * Why men are the victims of shame * The message that is sent when sex is taught as an obligation Great quotes from Sheila: > Life does not have to be happy for it to be real. Your faith can still be genuine even when you’re grieving. It doesn’t you’re spiritually weak to grieve. My heart is with the oppressed. When I see an injustice I can’t handle it and I need to speak out. God is an intimate God. When we follow Jesus we are not harmed. Resources we mentioned: * Sheila’s blog [http://tolovehonorandvacuum.com/] * The Great Sex Rescue: The Lies You’ve Been Taught and How to Recover What God Intended [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1540900827/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1540900827&linkCode=as2&tag=ericn05-20&linkId=bd99b3d4f6fc3c78124268332083707c] * Books we mentioned: * Making of Biblical Womanhood [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1587434709/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1587434709&linkCode=as2&tag=ericn05-20&linkId=b27c43df67ed4e2e3ebdd92e841231d0] by Beth Allison Barr * A Church Called Tov: Forming a Goodness Culture That Resists Abuses of Power and Promotes Healing [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1496446003/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1496446003&linkCode=as2&tag=ericn05-20&linkId=5a8ee57d66592166f015670adb9b9073] by Scot McKnight and Laura Barringer * Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1631495739/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1631495739&linkCode=as2&tag=ericn05-20&linkId=fc5f096e97d000e5cb9c1c12b94f5d4c] by Kristin Kobes Du Mez * We Too: How the Church Can Respond Redemptively to the Sexual Abuse Crisis [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0736979182/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0736979182&linkCode=as2&tag=ericn05-20&linkId=ef6aeb1873caa01a4f968dbe7abd2562] by Mary DeMuth * When Narcissism Comes to Church: Healing Your Community From Emotional and Spiritual Abuse [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0830841598/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0830841598&linkCode=as2&tag=ericn05-20&linkId=f12808a76626c65df9e9eb23dc35ab45] by Chuck DeGroat Related episodes: * J. Parker and How the Gospel Applies to Sex [https://ericnevins.com/podcast/halfwaythere/080/] * Thomas Umstattd Jr. and Untwisting the Gospel [https://ericnevins.com/podcast/halfwaythere/113/] * Chris Taylor and Sex and Spiritual Growth [https://ericnevins.com/podcast/halfwaythere/chris-taylor/] The post Sheila Wray Gregoire and the Great Sex Rescue [https://ericnevins.com/podcast/halfwaythere/sheila-wray-gregoire/] appeared first on Eric Nevins [https://ericnevins.com].

240: Shea Watson and Conquering Shame

[https://ericnevins.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/SheaWatson-1024x576.png] Shea Watson is the cohosts The Pantry Podcast with his wife Michelle. Today, Shea shares his journey of sexual abuse at 8 years old, joining the army to avoid jail for drug dealing, and realizing he was losing it in the special forces. He constantly strived to keep up appearances by succeeding in high school sports and excelling in the army but it wasn’t enough to base his identity. Finally, after the failure of his second marriage, he turned to the Lord. Shea’s story reminds us that God’s love overcomes shame. Listen to Shea’s story now! Stories Shea shared: * The Pantry Podcast with his wife * Being abused as an 8 year old * Going to live with his dad and the requirements to go to church * Trying to prove himself * Getting into drug dealing to make some money * Joining the military to escape * Wanting to achieve in the Army * Having PTSD while he was still in the Army * Telling his superiors that he needed help * Feeling like he was running from God * Staying at Walter Reed in a psychiatric unit for two years * Struggling with drug addiction * When his sister took him in and loved him * Getting married to a woman who became his fix * Having 8 miscarriages and the sorrow that comes from that experience * His dream about Jesus being crucified * StartingThe Pantry Podcast with his wife Michelle Great quotes from Shea: > I needed someone to tell me I was good because I didn’t feel good inside. My life in the Army started through reckless decisions. I was tired of turning to things to cover the pain. I didn’t want to put a band-aid on it anymore. Resources we mentioned: * Shea’s website [https://thepantrypodcast.com/] Related episodes: * John Swanger Shares Light in Dark Places [https://ericnevins.com/podcast/halfwaythere/067/] * Cherrilyn Bisbano and the Struggle for Identity in Christ [https://ericnevins.com/podcast/halfwaythere/cherrilynn-bisbano/] * Blake Brewer and A Father’s Legacy [https://ericnevins.com/podcast/halfwaythere/blake-brewer/] The post Shea Watson and Conquering Shame [https://ericnevins.com/podcast/halfwaythere/shea-watson/] appeared first on Eric Nevins [https://ericnevins.com].

239 Merritt Onsa the Patient Love of God

[https://ericnevins.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/MerritOnsa-1024x576.png] Merritt Onsa is a trail guide for the passionate and creative Christian woman who wants to get over her fear of failure, comparison, and imposter syndrome so she can get moving on her God-shaped dream without wasting more time second-guessing herself, procrastinating, or trying to be perfect. Today, Merritt shares how her ex-boyfriend led her to Christ, learning to be honest with her story, and how her husband taught her about God’s patient love. Merritt’s story reminds us how sweet the Lord’s patience is with us. Listen to Merritt’s story now! Stories Merritt shared: * Growing up in Central California whose parents were educators * Knowing of God until her parents stopped going to church * Feeling like she had to be a perfect kid and seeing God as the bully in the sky * Moving to Dallas for a job * The infidelity that broke up her relationship * The change she saw in her ex-boyfriend that piqued her interest in God * Clicking on the “Free Gift” button on her friend’s church and hearing the Gospel * Celebrating her conversion with her friend * Going to Celebrate Recovery * Healing through serving and learning to be honest with her story * How she met and married her husband and the provision from God * Caring about women finding freedom * Why Zephaniah 3:17 matters to her Great quotes from Merritt: > This man that I had betrayed ministered to me. When I stopped hiding, the healing exponentially grew. The infatuation and passion that you see in movies is unsustainable for a marriage. Resources we mentioned: * Merritt’s website [https://www.merrittonsa.com/] * Merritt’s podcast [https://www.merrittonsa.com/podcast] Related episodes: * Brandy Goebel and Running Back to You [https://ericnevins.com/podcast/halfwaythere/136/] * Tracy Winchell and the Value of Starting Over [https://ericnevins.com/podcast/halfwaythere/101/] * Tammy Helfrich is Trust Falling with God [https://ericnevins.com/podcast/halfwaythere/059/] The post Merritt Onsa the Patient Love of God [https://ericnevins.com/podcast/halfwaythere/merritt-onsa/] appeared first on Eric Nevins [https://ericnevins.com].

238: Phil Mershon and the Creative's Journey

[https://ericnevins.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/PhilMerson-1024x576.png] Phil Mershon is the founder and host of the Man in the Pew Show. By day, he is director of events for Social Media Examiner. He’s a jazz saxophonist, songwriter, former pastor, and author of two forthcoming books. Today, Phil shares the journey of discovering he is a creative. He shares how he studied economics, the mentor who encouraged him to speak and write, and how he discovered his need to express his creativity every day. Phil’s story reminds us that it’s so valuable to know yourself and express yourself creatively. Listen to Phil’s story now!! Stories Phil shared: * Clinging to God in the middle of chaos in his life * Growing up in a church-going family * High school pranks at church * Going to Wheaton College and studying economics * Discovering that he was more artistic than analytical * The mentor who challenged him to try speaking * Going to seminary to study worship * Serving churches and moving around the country * Struggling with depressive cycles as a creative * Getting to Social Media Examiner * Learning that he has to express parts of himself Great quotes from Phil: > I wasn’t around people who could see that side [the creative side] of me. Abundance is the way the Kingdom works. There are certain parts of who I am that I can’t allow to go unexpressed. I am more than enough because God is more than enough. Resources we mentioned: * Phil’s website [https://maninthepew.com/] Related episodes: * Matt Tommey and Partnership in the Gospel [https://ericnevins.com/podcast/halfwaythere/matt-tommey/] * Patrick Meyers and the Kind Initiator [https://ericnevins.com/podcast/halfwaythere/147/] * Matt Rhodes Blends Spiritual Formation and Creativity [https://ericnevins.com/podcast/halfwaythere/066/] The post Phil Mershon and the Creative’s Journey [https://ericnevins.com/podcast/halfwaythere/phil-mershon/] appeared first on Eric Nevins [https://ericnevins.com].

237: Kristin Du Mez and Knowing Christian History

[https://ericnevins.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/KristinDuMez-1024x576.png] Kristin Du Mez is Professor of History at Calvin University and author of Jesus and John Wayne.If you haven’t heard about this book yet, you will soon because it is lighting Evangelicalism on fire. Kristin shares about growing up a bit sheltered in Northwest Iowa Dutch country, how moving and travel began to expand her understanding of the world, and why she decided to address militarism in the Christian faith. Kristen’s story reminds us that we need to know Christian history to understand our faith. Listen to Kristin’s story now! Stories Kristin shared: * Growing up in Dutch Reformed circles in Northwest, Iowa * Feeling supported and nurtured in that area * Moving to Tallahassee, FL and learning that she was a little sheltered * Spending a year in Germany * Growing up always believing and making a profession of faith in college * Cultivating spiritual experiences through reading in Christian history * Observing how faith can be used to grasp for power * A summer of discontent * How understanding Christianity changed her faith * The history of biblical literalism and how that shaped her * Taking off the pressure to be right * Landing on intellectual engagement as a way to inform her faith * Deciding to address militarism in Christian faith * Wrestling with whether she should be bringing issues to the fore * How the cold war influenced our faith today * How the Bible gets distorted and treated as truth * The fruit of the Spirit as the definition of biblical masculinity Great quotes from Kristin: > My working assumption was that Christianity is constant within history. If anything, my historical studies disrupted this notion of communion with my fellow believers. If you’re holding on so tightly to your narrow conception of truth, that’s a faith that can easily be shaken. A lot of Evangelicals have bought into a very us versus them mentality, that God is on our side and therefore anything that I do is righteous. Resources we mentioned: * Kristin’s website [https://kristindumez.com/] * Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1631495739/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1631495739&linkCode=as2&tag=ericn05-20&linkId=911f3b51db33e4155b5418d8ababf084] Related episodes: * Karen Swallow Prior and the Spiritual Practice of Reading Fiction [https://ericnevins.com/podcast/halfwaythere/karen-swallow-prior/] * Kyle Strobel and Integrating Spirituality and Theology [https://ericnevins.com/podcast/halfwaythere/kyle-strobel/] * Jeff Munroe and Stewarding Your Pain [https://ericnevins.com/podcast/halfwaythere/jeff-munroe/] * Aimee Byrd and Recovering From Biblical Manhood and Womanhood [https://ericnevins.com/podcast/halfwaythere/aimee-byrd/] The post Kristin Du Mez and Knowing Christian History [https://ericnevins.com/podcast/halfwaythere/kristin-du-mez/] appeared first on Eric Nevins [https://ericnevins.com].