What We Really Want: Conversations About Connection

70 | Zac Hicks: Why Does Recovery Feel More Like Church Than Church Does?

"Send us a message! (questions, feedback, etc.)" [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2342685/fan_mail/new] Why do people often feel more "churched" and cared for in recovery meetings than they do in their actual churches? What is present at those meetings, and/or missing from those churches? And what can we do about it? Zac Hicks thinks these are important questions to consider. Zac is the lead pastor of Church of the Cross, a church plant in Birmingham AL. Over the past 20+ years, his extensive ministry experience has also included worship leading, songwriting, seminary teaching, and authoring books. Zac is a contemplative thinker and it was really fulfilling to have a deep dive conversation that delved into multiple topics, including pastoral vulnerability, empathy, how we scrutinize song lyrics in worship, Family Systems theory, you name it and we talked about it.  Whether you're a pastor/ministry leader, someone in recovery, or just anyone interested in being a safe person for others, there's a lot of helpful stuff here. We hope you enjoy the conversation! #zachicks #zachicksmusic #churchofthecross #pastor #empathy #traumainformed #pain #suffering #connection #vulnerability #recovery #grace #gospel #transformation #healing Zac's personal website [https://zachicks.com/] Church of the Cross [https://www.crossbham.org/] (Birmingham AL) Zac's books [https://www.amazon.com/stores/Zac-M.-Hicks/author/B01DYM9AII?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1783281915&sr=8-1&shoppingPortalEnabled=true&ccs_id=3ce1d728-4d59-414f-9cc9-12cceae5426d] (Amazon) Zac on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/_zachicks/] Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2342685/support] Awaken website [https://awakenrecovery.com/] Roots Retreat Men's Intensive [https://awakenrecovery.com/intensives/men/] Roots Retreat Women's Workshop [https://awakenrecovery.com/intensives/women/] Awaken Men & Women's support meeting info [https://awakenrecovery.com/meetings/] (including virtual)

69 | Jason Gray: A Conversation Worth Staying For

"Send us a message! (questions, feedback, etc.)" [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2342685/fan_mail/new] Conversations that don't feel rushed can feel pretty rare, but they're special when they happen. That's what it was like talking to our new friend, singer/songwriter Jason Gray.  Jason has been around Christian music for a long time, writing and releasing music that connects deeply with the heart. He's a man who has been through a lot of pain in his life, including parental abandonment, divorce, a speech handicap, and an adult child with a life-threatening illness. Throughout all that, Jason has channeled his pain, his anger, his curiosity, and his hope into his music (you'll hear clips of several songs as you listen). This is, for sure, a conversation worth staying for...all the way to the end. Song clips in this episode: (2:44 [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2342685/episodes/19372549?t=154]) Death Without a Funeral (11:52 [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2342685/episodes/19372549?t=712]) Remind Me Who I Am (13:26 [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2342685/episodes/19372549?t=806]) Why You Brought Me Here (29:07 [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2342685/episodes/19372549?t=1747]) Worth Staying For (43:23 [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2342685/episodes/19372549?t=2603]) Honesty #jasongray #jasongraymusic #singer #songwriter #singersongwriter #pain #suffering #connection #vulnerability #recovery #grace #gospel #transformation #healing Jason's website [https://www.jasongraymusic.com/] Jason on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/jasongraymusic/] Jason on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/jasongray] Jason's music on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/artist/4i2mkyKkRrc0OvPrWqb4BE] Jason's music on Apple Music [https://music.apple.com/us/artist/jason-gray/204588268] Jacob Gray's GoFundMe page [https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-jacob-fight-leukemia-round2] Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2342685/support] Awaken website [https://awakenrecovery.com/] Roots Retreat Men's Intensive [https://awakenrecovery.com/intensives/men/] Roots Retreat Women's Workshop [https://awakenrecovery.com/intensives/women/] Awaken Men & Women's support meeting info [https://awakenrecovery.com/meetings/] (including virtual)

68 | Troy & Melissa Haas: We Just Want to Walk With People

"Send us a message! (questions, feedback, etc.)" [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2342685/fan_mail/new] One of the greatest gifts that can be given a person in recovery is presence. Company. Someone to walk with you. Someone to make sure you aren't doing recovery alone. For 25 years, Troy and Melissa Haas have been walking with men and women impacted by addiction and betrayal trauma. Out of their own experience - with Troy's multiple addictions and incarceration and Melissa's discovery of Troy's infidelity & sexual addiction - came a process of healing, recovery, and wholeness.  Their experience hasn't been wasted. In 2001 they founded The HopeQuest Group, an organization offering help and resources for addiction treatment. Based out of the Atlanta GA area, they offer inpatient treatment, intense outpatient treatment, individual and couples' counseling, and recovery communities for men in sexual addiction recovery (Walking Free) and women healing from betrayal trauma (The Journey). #troyhaas #melissahaas #troyandmelissahaas #hopequestgroup #walkingfree #thejourney #recovery #healing #treatment #sexaddiction #sexualaddiction #pornaddiction #betrayaltrauma #grace #gospel #healing #awaken #awakenrecovery HopeQuest Group [https://hopequestgroup.org/] website Walking Free [https://hopequestgroup.org/walking-free/] men's sex addiction recovery community The Journey [https://hopequestgroup.org/journey/] women's betrayal trauma support community Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2342685/support] Awaken website [https://awakenrecovery.com/] Roots Retreat Men's Intensive [https://awakenrecovery.com/intensives/men/] Roots Retreat Women's Workshop [https://awakenrecovery.com/intensives/women/] Awaken Men & Women's support meeting info [https://awakenrecovery.com/meetings/] (including virtual)

67 | Kristen Jenson: The Ability to Make a Good Choice

"Send us a message! (questions, feedback, etc.)" [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2342685/fan_mail/new] Parents raising kids today face challenges different from any other generation before. Technology is expanding and changing more rapidly than ever, and dangerous and harmful content hunts for young eyes.  Kristen Jenson has a mission: to help equip parents to prepare their kids. When kids know what is out there, how it is harmful, and what to do when they're exposed, they'll be safer, healthier, and more resilient. No one can fully prevent their kids from seeing porn or other harmful content, but they can make sure their kids know what to do when they see it. Kristen is the author of the book series Good Pictures, Bad Pictures, which just released a Girl's Guide edition. She is also the founder of Defend Young Minds, an organization providing training and resources to help parents and caregivers more effectively teach and prepare their kids. #kristenjenson #goodpicturesbadpictures #defendyoungminds #parents #parenting #pornography #connection #vulnerability #recovery #grace #gospel #transformation Kristen's Good Pictures, Bad Pictures books [https://www.amazon.com/s?k=kristen+jenson&dc&crid=35BSJNRYS1GFM&sprefix=kristen+jenson%2Caps%2C181&ref=a9_asc_1] (Amazon) Defend Young Minds [https://www.defendyoungminds.com/] website "My Kid Saw Porn...Now What?" [https://www.defendyoungminds.com/product/smart-plan-for-parents] SMART Plan guide Books [htps://defendyoungminds.com/books] (Defend Young Minds website) DYM on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/DefendYM/] DYM on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/defendyoungminds] DYM on X (formerly Twitter) [https://x.com/defendYM] DYM on LinkedIn [https://linkedin.com/company/defend-young-minds] Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2342685/support] Awaken website [https://awakenrecovery.com/] Roots Retreat Men's Intensive [https://awakenrecovery.com/intensives/men/] Roots Retreat Women's Workshop [https://awakenrecovery.com/intensives/women/] Awaken Men & Women's support meeting info [https://awakenrecovery.com/meetings/] (including virtual)

66 | Andy Gullahorn: Bowling League, Bonfire, or Badminton

"Send us a message! (questions, feedback, etc.)" [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2342685/fan_mail/new] There's a song lyric that reminds us of something important: "If beauty’s what you’re after, just look close to see... Knowing small things matter is really no small thing." That's from one of our friend Andy Gullahorn's songs. What a treat to have Andy back for another conversation. Talking with someone who's been a friend for a long time means you don't have to have much planned...the conversation will happen naturally. And this one defintely did. From friendship rituals to turning 50 to signing up for the Senior Olympics, Andy looks for meaning in everything. And the people who are around can sense there's something special about finding connection everywhere. Which, not coincidentally, actually gives us What We Really Want. That's not just the title of this show, it's also the title of one of Andy's newest songs, which he performs for us during the conversation [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2342685/episodes/19156897?t=2020]! Here's to you finding beauty and meaning, whether in bowling leagues, bonfires, badminton, or anything else around you. Thanks for the reminder, Andy. #andygullahorn #winningstreak #highfive #songwriting #connection #relationships #spirituality #vulnerability #recovery #grace #gospel #transformation Andy's website [https://www.andygullahorn.com/] Andy's Patreon page [https://www.patreon.com/c/andygullahorn] Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2342685/support] Awaken website [https://awakenrecovery.com/] Roots Retreat Men's Intensive [https://awakenrecovery.com/intensives/men/] Roots Retreat Women's Workshop [https://awakenrecovery.com/intensives/women/] Awaken Men & Women's support meeting info [https://awakenrecovery.com/meetings/] (including virtual)