The HeartStrong Way

When Advent Is Complicated

Our December episode looks at the complex version of the Advent season. Rick, Jenna, and Sandee are joined by Rick's wife, Laura, as she talks about walking with her daughter with special needs. Chapters 00:00 Welcome 01:27 Sandee's Sphinxsteen 04:14 Theme of a Suffering Advent 07:27 Laura's Story of Lottie Joy 10:48 Complicated Hope & Surrender to Suffering 19:20 Stephanie Duncan Smith on Expansion 26:51 Joy in Integrating Reality and Idealism 30:33 Slowing Down, Breathing to Stay Available 34:53 The Potato Farmer 37:46 Humility as a Posture of Acceptance 42:48 Rick: In the Still of the Night 45:20 Wrap up

Art+Heart with guest Jenna Brack

Jenna Brack shares her original poetry around the topic of surrender.   Written format of Jenna's poems [https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/7shj8o1ekyauiekdl11zf/Jenna-s-Poems.pdf?rlkey=cwn6knntyls1vhv3wbvg7u3eh&st=y69x9t4n&dl=0] Takeaways * Your deepest strength of heart comes from being chosen and prized just as you are. * Surrender is not about giving up, but about letting go to receive love. * Exploration and curiosity are vital for personal growth. * Art can be a pathway to understanding and processing emotions. * The act of writing poetry can be a form of play and exploration. * Community enriches the creative process and provides support. * Every new beginning requires a letting go of something else. * The beauty of life often lies in the mundane and overlooked moments. * Rereading poetry can reveal deeper meanings and insights. * Vulnerability is a sign of maturity and growth. 00:00   Welcome 03:04   Jenna: Art as Invitation to Explore 07:38   Poem: Drop the Marbles 24:55   Poem: Scrawling 42:55   Poem: A Tree, Of Sort 01:01:34  Final Reflections

Art+Heart with guest Sandee Finley

Our October episode of Art+Heart features the original poetry of Sandee Finley as she gives us a glimpse into her processing of grief and loss. Sandee Finley is spent 25 years teaching English, Speech, and Drama in public, private, and homeschool settings. She has published essays in Fathom and is currently working on a collection of essays and poems called Running Routes. Sandee and her husband Greg live in Leawood, KS near their five adult children. Art+Heart is a special feature of the HeartStrong podcast. About every month, our host Rick Pierce along with friends Sandee Finley and Jenna Brack take a look or listen at some piece of art as means of celebrating the heart.