Prayers from the Middle

E20: Jesus, Nuance and the Complexity of the Law

Bria opens a new series on nuance as a discipline. She introduces it as love with depth perception as opposed to an ideal. She shares honestly about ministry and motives and talks a lot about the Pharisees and how Jesus embodies the Law with both holiness and compassion. This episode is a soft landing and a reminder that Jesus sees every tree, every person, and still loves the whole forest. Including you. Themes: * Nuance as a spiritual posture * Loving ideas vs. loving people * Jesus as the embodiment of nuance   Join the discussion: Find the episode transcript and comment thread at www.prayersfromthemiddle.com. Email Bria: briannarwasson@gmail.com

E19 When Power Refuses to See - The Bent Over Woman, the Survivors, and Ourselves

In this episode, Bria explores what happens when power looks away - and what happens when love chooses to see. From a quiet moment on a Paris sidewalk to a painful exchange in a recent Judiciary hearing, to the story of the bent-over woman in Luke 13, this episode traces the difference between eyes that restore dignity and eyes that protect themselves. It's an invitation to slow down, notice, and see the people God see, even when it costs us something. Find journal prompts and a list of books and resources to help think through all the stuff we talk about. Connect with Bria at www.prayersfromthemiddle.com [http://www.prayersfromthemiddle.com]

E18: Chris Morris : When God Says “I Still Love You” in Your Darkest Moments

In this episode, I sit down with author, speaker and mental‑health advocate Chris Morris to talk about a moment that changed everything for him. In 2020, during one of the darkest seasons of his life, Chris attempted to end his life. What came next were two conversations - in the psych ward, in the middle of shame, anger, and despair. Chris heard God speak the words he least expected: “I still love you.” Not after he got better or after he pulled himself together. Just right there in the middle of the mess. The next day, his pastor walked in and spoke words that restored dignity instead of demanding performance: “Our church is incomplete without you.” For Chris, those words were life from the dead. So many of us ache for belonging. That’s why this episode and Chris’ story matters. Because two truths thread themselves throughout the episode: You cannot un-earn God’s love. And. There is a place for you inside of God’s family. In this conversation, Chris and I talk about: * what it’s like to meet God in the middle of depression and suicidality * how spiritual dismissal and “pray more” theology deepen shame * why belonging is not earned through performance * the power of going first and giving others “the gift of going second” * how to discern when a church space is harming your mental health * what hope looks like when the season feels endless If you’re in a dark place, or you’ve been carrying the fear that you’re too much, too broken, or too far gone, hear this clearly: you are not alone, and your story is not over. Chris’s honesty is an invitation to breathe again — and to believe that God’s love does not flinch at your darkness. Connect with Chris: www.chrismorriswrites.com [https://feeds.alitu.com/www.chrismorriswrites.com] Instagram: @ChrisMorriswrites [https://www.instagram.com/chrismorriswrites/] Find journal prompts to go with today's episode: www.prayersfromthemiddle.com [https://feeds.alitu.com/www.prayersfromthemiddle.com]

E17: When ”Pray More” Isn’t Enough: Chris Morris’ Story

Most of us were taught to tell our testimony as a tidy before-and-after story. Before Jesus I was a mess. Then I met Jesus. Now everything is better. But what happens when that's not your story? In this two-part conversation, author and mental health advocate Chris Morris joins Bria to tell the truth about a life that stayed messy even after he met Jesus. Chris shares his long-term struggle with depression and suicidality and the myths that can sometimes keep the church from offering real help. Together, Bria and Chris explore why the church is so uncomfortable with long-term suffering, how Scripture can sometimes get weaponized against people in pain, and what it looks like to follow Jesus when healing is slow and God feels silent. Chris offers some pure gold and give new ways of seeing God's presence as His goodness even when He feels absent. This episode is for anyone who has wondered why their healing hasn't come yet, why their faith feels messy, or why God feels so far away. It's for those of us in the middle, still wrestling and waiting and strying to make sense of a God who doesn't always move quickly. You belong here! Content note: This episode includes a gentle, non-graphic discussion of suicidal thoughts from Chris' teenage years. Please listen with care and honor what you need. Follow Chris on Instagram: @ChrisMorrisWrites [https://www.instagram.com/chrismorriswrites/] His Tedx Talk is here: http://chrismorriswrites.com/ted [http://chrismorriswrites.com/ted] It’s about The Power of Deep Listening and is totally worth the listen. Find Chris online here: https://www.chrismorriswrites.com/ [https://www.chrismorriswrites.com/] Find out about Chris' books here: https://www.chrismorriswrites.com/books/ [https://www.chrismorriswrites.com/books/] email Bria with questions, feedback or for journal prompts: briannarwasson@gmail.com

E16: Feeling Safe With God: Healing Shame and Spiritual Trauma

This one is for those who grew up learning that following Jesus meant performing for God. If the world feels unsafe right now, you’re not imagining it. And if this is somehow bringing up old fear around God, you’re not the only one trying to make sense of that. This conversation is for the ones who are trying to untangle all of that and still believe that Jesus steps into the middle of real life. In this second part of my conversation with Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor Ruth Friend — someone who understands trauma, identity, and spiritual wounds from the inside out — we talk about what happens when your earliest experiences of God were shaped by fear, shame, pressure, or conditional love. Ruth names the things you’ve felt but maybe never had language for: why God feels unsafe and why trust feels dangerous. We talk about what safety actually does to your brain, how to recognize a spiritual community that won’t gaslight you, and why integrity — not performance or perfection — is the only foundation for a relationship with God that doesn’t re-traumatize you. And toward the end, Ruth offers a way to reconnect with God that doesn’t require forcing yourself into someone else’s version of faith but that honors your story, your wiring, and your genuine self. In this episode, you’ll hear: * why your body reacts the way it does around God or church * how shame rewires your sense of identity * what spiritual trauma actually is (and isn’t) * how to recognize people and communities that are truly safe * a simple, compassionate practice for rebuilding trust with God This episode is not about fixing yourself. It’s about finding a God who is safe enough to be honest with. Connect with Ruth: www.ruthfriend.org [https://feeds.alitu.com/www.ruthfriend.org] — trauma‑informed counseling and resources Get Ruth's journal prompts: www.prayersfromthemiddle.com [https://feeds.alitu.com/www.prayersfromthemiddle.com] — If you subscribe, you'll also get weekly journal prompts. Email thoughts and feedback to Bria: briannarwasson@gmail.com [briannarwasson@gmail.com] — questions, stories, or collaboration If this episode feels like oxygen, share it with someone who needs a safe space to find their way back to God without losing themselves again.