Catholic Evangelista, Sonja Corbitt

Ep 08 #556 It’s a wonderful life. Or is it?

I mean, is yours really a wonderful life? In this final episode, I use It’s a Wonderful Life to look at shadows, archetypes, and what Jung called individuation. The Bible calls that same work sanctification, purification, and healing. Benedict XVI said the entire content of redemption, fully understood, is healing of the whole person. While The Wizard of Oz was a youthful hero story of departure and return, this movie is a midlife life review. George Bailey looks back at the life he did not get to live, all the dreams that went unfulfilled, and the ordinary life and accomplishments he judged as too small. That crash of unlived expectation is the story of the film, and it happens to all of us. I share how God invited me to dream big as a young adult, fulfilled those dreams, and then invited me to dream big again, so that preparing this episode became my own life review. I saw residual masculine shadow and ambition I had thought was completely healed. I saw diminishment of all my accomplishments with the Holy Spirit over my lifetime. The illumination was deep, but it was not a tornado. If we cooperate with Scripture and with our dreams, the process can rearrange us without destroying everything. The message of It’s a Wonderful Life, and of this series, is that Jesus in the self is already in the ordinary choices of your life. He was there, then, and He is waiting for you to find Him there, now. A midlife crisis or a painful life review is not proof that your relationship with God is false. It's an invitation to a deeper stage. Thank you with all my heart to my newest Friends of the Show, Carolyn McG; Lynn V; Caiti M; and Diane M, for loving and lifting me. Friends of the Show get all Premium Content. New Premium Content coming soon! L | Listen (Receive the Word via audio or video.) O | Observe (Connect the passage to your life and recent events.) Ever been ready to jump off a bridge? What choices have you made that you dismissed as small, but were actually accomplishments that you did not take time to celebrate? What would celebrating those, now, look like? What do you want to say to the Lord about that? V | Verbalize (Pray about your thoughts and emotions.) Remembering that He loves you and that you are in His presence, talk to God about the particulars of your O – Observe step. You may want to write your reflections in your LOVE the Word® journal. Or, get a free journal page and guide in the right-hand margin. E | Entrust (Rest in the Word.) St. Joseph, Patron of Dreams and "Master Dreamer," with the Holy Spirit, guard and illumine the contents of my sleep, I pray, so I that I may hear God speak as you did. Amen + And here's something I found that I want to share with you... Click! Connect Step back from soul-sucking social media, and join me (click here) in the Catholic Evangelista community, where you can connect with me directly and with a flourishing community of help, support, and deeper healing. Transcript Transcripts and CC are now provided automatically within both the audio and video players.

Ep 07 #555 Your Yellow Brick Road

What if the tornado ripping through your life right now is an invitation to finally come home? We're exploring The Wizard of Oz as both an archetypal dream and a powerful picture of the pop quizzes God allows in our lives and the healing offered to us in them. We look at Kansas as our personal, limited conscious world; the Wicked Witch and the Wizard as devouring complexes; the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Cowardly Lion as parts we must befriend; the poppy field as self-medication; and the Ruby Slippers as the permanent grace of Christ already present at the cornerstone of the self. Using the familiar story of Dorothy’s journey, I show how the movie mirrors recent readings in the Church and the purgatory of integration we all face: confronting shadow complexes, reclaiming disowned parts of ourselves, withdrawing projections, and discovering that the home we have been searching for has been with us all along. Tune in and let the Scriptures and this beloved tale show you how to navigate your yellow brick road, all the way home. Thank you with all my heart to my newest Friends of the Show, Carolyn McG; Lynn V; Caiti M; and Diane M, for loving and lifting me. Friends of the Show get all Premium Content L | Listen (Receive the Word via audio or video.) O | Observe (Connect the passage to your life and recent events.) What is your tornado? What is the upheaval calling you beyond the familiar? And what would it mean to finally walk your own yellow brick road all the way home? What do you want to say to the Lord about that? V | Verbalize (Pray about your thoughts and emotions.) Remembering that He loves you and that you are in His presence, talk to God about the particulars of your O – Observe step. You may want to write your reflections in your LOVE the Word® journal. Or, get a free journal page and guide in the right-hand margin. E | Entrust (Rest in the Word.) St. Joseph, Patron of Dreams and "Master Dreamer," with the Holy Spirit, guard and illumine the contents of my sleep, I pray, so I that I may hear God speak as you did. Amen + Love Heals. Learn More. And if you're ready to stop sleeping through your life in the poppy field of self-medication, join me for the upcoming How Love Heals Self-Medication Retreat, August 14-16.👇 At least take a look... ...and get some real, practical, proven-to-work tools for growing out of addiction and self-medication. Connect Step back from soul-sucking social media, and join me (click here) in the Catholic Evangelista community, where you can connect with me directly and with a flourishing community of help, support, and deeper healing. Transcript Transcripts and CC are now provided automatically within both the audio and video playe

Ep 6 #554 – I Thought I Had to Use Willpower

And so did everyone around me. But just like Peter was delivered in Acts 12 from the tyrant king Herod, his 'two' jailers and 'two' chains (shadows, complexes, and contradictions), I thought it was a dream when the 'gate' to symbolism opened with no effort at all, and I discovered that the symbols in our addictions, dreams, and Scripture reveal a more direct, even 'miraculous,' angelic way to deliverance from self-medication. In Episode 6 of the Dreams series, I offer the symbolism in self-medication and addiction, revealing the hidden thing you're really searching for underneath—not relief from the superficial moral failure or bad habit, but the shadows that reveal where your heart is still wounded and yearning to heal. At the core lies a universal wound: emotional unavailability and the deep deficit of love it leaves behind. But the way this wound is expressed is specific to each of us and what we're really grasping for. I unpack the ten most common forms of self-medication—including alcohol, food, caffeine, work, internet and gaming, pot, shopping, nicotine, pornography, gambling, and more—and reveal the symbolic longing behind each one. Whether it's spiritual thirst, soul hunger, fear of vulnerability, boredom and escape from reality, or the pursuit of counterfeit transcendence, every compulsion points toward a specific deeper need. Drawing on a client's powerful dream example and Scripture—especially Jesus as the True Vine—I show how these behaviors are unconscious attempts to soothe a love wound while bypassing the difficult but saving work of integration. Lasting freedom doesn't come through willpower. You know that by now, right? It arrives gently and luminously, in withdrawing projections, cultivating the Good Mother (unconditional love) and the Good Father (order, encouragement, and meaning), and meeting Christ in the abandoned places within us—the places we avoid, reject, or despise, but where He has been waiting all along. If you're still languishing in a self-medication prison, wondering why you keep reaching for things that never truly satisfy... ... this episode is a powerful roadmap to understanding your inner world and cooperating with God's invitation and power for authentic healing, freedom, and wholeness. Thank you with all my heart to my newest Friends of the Show, Antonia R, Susan O, and Kelly S, for loving and lifting me. Friends of the Show get all Premium Content L | Listen (Receive the Word via audio or video.) O | Observe (Connect the passage to your life and recent events.) Have you noticed how your dreams+Scripture tell you the absolute truth about the path to freedom and healing from self-medication? Do you believe it can really be as simple as withdrawing your projections? What do you want to say to the Lord about that? V | Verbalize (Pray about your thoughts and emotions.) Remembering that He loves you and that you are in His presence, talk to God about the particulars of your O – Observe step. You may want to write your reflections in your LOVE the Word® journal. Or, get a free journal page and guide in the right-hand margin. E | Entrust (Rest in the Word.) St. Joseph, Patron of Dreams and "Master Dreamer," with the Holy Spirit, guard and illumine the contents of my sleep, I pray, so I that I may hear God speak as you did. Amen + Love Heals. Learn More. Connect Join me (click here) in the Sacred Healing community for our Masterclass and Consultation Group coaching calls, healing prayer livestreams, monthly Bible studies, LOVE the Word® takeaways, a healing masterclass and other courses, a dynamic phone app, and a flourishing community to help you find help, support, and experience deeper healing. Transcript Transcripts and CC are now provided automatically within both the audio and video player

Ep 05 #553 Why love feels unavailable

Because it is. The people you're trying to get love from are wounded, just like you. But the problem is not that you're not loved. It's that you're expending creative energy desperately grasping at it. Wounded love is the root of self-medication and other toxic behaviors and relationships. But even in the best relationships - such as with God Himself - others feel distant, often when we need them the most. Why does God allow that? Why does He feel distant when He knows that love is the primary human need? And how are we supposed to get our need for love met, when everyone around us is emotionally unavailable to us? This deficit of love that we all share is often formed in childhood through emotionally distant or unavailable parents, and gets unconsciously projected onto God, our spouses, and others — creating cycles of chasing connection, scanning for approval, self-abandonment, and self-medication. Using dream symbols (including the warehouse, little boy, and sunflower from Ep 4), and Scripture, I'll walk you through through the painful yet liberating process of recognizing this pattern, withdrawing projections, and beginning to integrate the masculine and feminine (animus/anima) with some practical tools. True healing moves us from earning love to receiving and giving it freely — without inner collapse or compulsion (pop quizzes). This episode offers profound insight into why so many of us feel unseen or disconnected even in good relationships, and how God uses pop quizzes, dreams, and Scripture to lead us into deeper wholeness and authentic love. If you're feeling unseen or disconnected, even in good relationships, I bet you need some new tools for coping. Thank you with all my heart to my newest Friend of the Show, Tessa W, for loving and lifting me. Friends of the Show get all Premium Content! LOVE the Word® is a Bible study method based on Mary’s own practice: lectio without the Latin. Get the book based on Sonja’s method in the right margin, How to Pray Like Mary. L | Listen (Receive the Word via audio or video.) O | Observe (Connect the passage to your life and recent events.) What's your usual reaction to reaching for connection, but not being met? How have the daily readings and your dreams been speaking to you about that? What do you want to say to the Lord, now? V | Verbalize (Pray about your thoughts and emotions.) Remembering that He loves you and that you are in His presence, talk to God about the particulars of your O – Observe step. You may want to write your reflections in your LOVE the Word® journal. Or, get a free journal page and guide in the right-hand margin. E | Entrust (Rest in the Word.) St. Joseph, Patron of Dreams and "Master Dreamer," with the Holy Spirit, guard and illumine the contents of my sleep, I pray, so I that I may hear God speak as you did. Amen + Love Heals. Learn More. Connect Join me (click here) in the Sacred Healing community for our Masterclass and Consultation Group coaching calls, healing prayer livestreams, monthly Bible studies, LOVE the Word® takeaways, a healing masterclass and other courses, a dynamic phone app, and a flourishing community to help you find help, support, and experience deeper healing. Transcript Transcripts and CC are now provided automatically within both the audio and video player

Ep 04 #552 Undoing Inner Masculine & Feminine Knots – Dreams Series

So he's "just like your father"? What if he's supposed to be, so you and the Holy Spirit can work out your issues together? And what if you're "just like" your mother? 😱 In this episode we're talking about undoing inner masculine and feminine knots. I'll show you how the Holy Spirit uses pop quizzes, Scripture, and dream symbols to help us integrate two powerful, often conflicting, masculine and feminine archetypes so we can stop repeating destructive patterns and live creatively in and through Him. I explain how our inner opposites show up in dreams, in marriage (where your spouse often mirrors what you’ve disowned or underdeveloped), and in the lifelong process of becoming whole. When doing the hard work of confronting the shadow and integrating father/mother archetypes, a similar (sometimes simultaneous) stage is balancing masculine and feminine qualities inside yourself — moving from emotional unavailability, control, or self-medication toward authentic connection, creativity, and "peace that passes all understanding." We continue the Dreams series by probing deeper into the Animus (the masculine side in a woman’s psyche) and the Anima (the feminine side in a man’s psyche). This episode builds directly on the previous one and offers practical insight into why so many of us struggle with the same relational and emotional issues — and how God invites us into deeper healing. We moved house these past weeks, right in the middle of my busiest travel season, Lent. I’ve traveled every weekend, and will through Easter, and my producer-son is also moving house while working full-time elsewhere. That’s why you're waiting longer for new episodes (you can help us release episodes more quickly by becoming a YouTube channel member). But... ...if you’ve ever wondered what your dreams really mean, this is for you. Thank you with all my heart to my newest Friends of the Show, Michelle P; Paul D; Cathy H; and Chris L, for loving and lifting me. Friends of the Show get all Premium Content! LOVE the Word® is a Bible study method based on Mary’s own practice: lectio without the Latin. Get the book based on Sonja’s method in the right margin, How to Pray Like Mary. L | Listen (Receive the Word via audio or video.) O | Observe (Connect the passage to your life and recent events.) Can you identify the dark and positive aspects of your inner father and mother, masculine and feminine? How have the daily readings and your dreams been speaking to you about that? What do you want to say to the Lord, now? V | Verbalize (Pray about your thoughts and emotions.) Remembering that He loves you and that you are in His presence, talk to God about the particulars of your O – Observe step. You may want to write your reflections in your LOVE the Word® journal. Or, get a free journal page and guide in the right-hand margin. E | Entrust (Rest in the Word.) St. Joseph, Patron of Dreams and "Master Dreamer," with the Holy Spirit, guard and illumine the contents of my sleep, I pray, so I that I may hear God speak as you did. Amen + Love Heals. Learn More. Connect Join me (click here) in the Sacred Healing community for our Masterclass and Consultation Group coaching calls, healing prayer livestreams, monthly Bible studies, LOVE the Word® takeaways, a healing masterclass and other courses, a dynamic phone app, and a flourishing community to help you find help, support, and experience deeper healing. Transcript Transcripts and CC are now provided automatically within both the audio and video players.

Ep 03 #551 How to Integrate Inner Opposites to Heal Self-medication

"Sin will have no dominion over you" (Rom 6:14). Do you believe this? This episode is a two-month “road trip” through biblical and psychological archetypes in dreams and Scripture in January and February's daily Catholic readings. I show you how God has been speaking on the dangers and dualities of unintegrated inner father/mother and male/female (animus/anima). I illustrate how He is also speaking through your dreams in the archetypes -- universal symbols that appear in dreams, Scripture, and stories — each has positive and negative sides. The goal of spiritual/psychological growth is integration — unifying opposites (good/dark father and mother, male and female) to achieve wholeness, holiness, and freedom from self-medication/addiction. Then we concentrate on three stages of development: Early life: Building the persona/mask (outward identity to fit in); Midlife: Confronting and integrating the shadow (disowned dark parts like anger, fear, deceit); Later life: Balancing father/mother and masculine/feminine within oneself (often through marriage/spouse as mirror) — leading to union/wholeness. The negative father archetype (devouring/rigid/controlling) appeared in daily Scripture through figures such as Saul, David, and Herod. Positive father = wisdom, protection, order (logos principle). The negative mother archetype (possessive/smothering) appears in Eve, Jezebel, Rachel, and Herodias. Positive mother = nourishment, unconditional love, creativity, transformation. Mary exemplifies the integrated good mother. Cooperation with your individual illuminations through Scripture and dreams in the Holy Spirit — not force or control — brings shadows into balance. The episode emphasizes that true healing - especially in addiction - can only happen when we stop fighting the shadows within and let God unify opposites, freeing us from destructive patterns. God uses this lifelong process to free us from sin’s dominion and make us fully authentic reflections of His image. This episode is my longest, and we moved house these past weeks, right in the middle of my busiest travel season, Lent. I've traveled every weekend, and will through Easter, and my producer-son is also moving house while working full-time elsewhere. That's why you waited so long for a new episode (you can help us release episodes more quickly by becoming a YouTube channel member). But... ...if you’ve ever wondered what your dreams really mean, this is for you. Thank you with all my heart to my newest Friends of the Show, Patricia V; John C; and Beth W, for loving and lifting me. Friends of the Show get all Premium Content! LOVE the Word® is a Bible study method based on Mary’s own practice: lectio without the Latin. Get the book based on Sonja’s method in the right margin, How to Pray Like Mary. L | Listen (Receive the Word via audio or video.) O | Observe (Connect the passage to your life and recent events.) Can you identify the dark and positive aspects of your inner father and mother, masculine and feminine? How have the daily readings and your dreams been speaking to you about that? What do you want to say to the Lord, now? V | Verbalize (Pray about your thoughts and emotions.) Remembering that He loves you and that you are in His presence, talk to God about the particulars of your O – Observe step. You may want to write your reflections in your LOVE the Word® journal. Or, get a free journal page and guide in the right-hand margin. E | Entrust (Rest in the Word.) St. Joseph, Patron of Dreams and "Master Dreamer," with the Holy Spirit, guard and illumine the contents of my sleep, I pray, so I that I may hear God speak as you did. Amen + Love Heals. Learn More. Connect Join me (click here) in the Sacred Healing community for our Masterclass and Consultation Group coaching calls, healing prayer livestreams, monthly Bible studies, LOVE the Word® takeaways, a healing masterclass and other courses, a dynamic phone app, and a flourishing community to help you find help, support, and experience deeper healing. Transcript Transcripts and CC are now provided automatically within both the audio and video players.

• Transcript

Ep 2 #550 Dream Symbols & Archetypes

What if your dreams are speaking in the language of the Bible, because the Bible speaks in the language of dreams? Dreams aren’t random noise. They’re self-knowledge rising from your subconscious through symbolic language. Dreams speak in symbols because some truths can't be reached by logic alone. And with Scripture and prayer, they can reveal truths for growth, healing, and deeper authenticity in loving God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. In this episode, we dive into the archetypes and biblical symbols that shape our dreams — the hidden patterns common to all humanity. We explore Carl Jung’s key archetypes. Among them: the persona (the public mask), the shadow (the repressed dark side), and the anima/animus (the inner opposite gender). Then we compare them to biblical figures and stories — Christ as the unified Self, the serpent in Eden as new awareness, the hero in David and Jesus, and the wise old man in Elijah and Simeon — showing how universal symbols appear in Scripture and come to life in real people. Dream symbols are deeply personal (your own associations matter most), but they're drawn from the "collective unconscious" — a shared reservoir of humanity’s inherited patterns. Learn to prayerfully interpret your dreams with solid Catholic discernment, deepen your prayer life, and encounter Christ in the hidden places of your soul. No New Age fluff — just faithful exploration at the crossroads of psychology and Scripture. If you’ve ever wondered what your dreams really mean, this is for you.👇 Thank you with all my heart to my newest Friends of the Show, Patricia V; John C; and Beth W, for loving and lifting me. Friends of the Show get all Premium Content! LOVE the Word® is a Bible study method based on Mary’s own practice: lectio without the Latin. Get the book based on Sonja’s method in the right margin, How to Pray Like Mary. L | Listen (Receive the Word via audio or video.) O | Observe (Connect the passage to your life and recent events.) Now that you know some common universal symbols, did you gain insight into the meaning of your dream? What do you think the message might be? What do you want to say to the Lord about that? V | Verbalize (Pray about your thoughts and emotions.) Remembering that He loves you and that you are in His presence, talk to God about the particulars of your O – Observe step. You may want to write your reflections in your LOVE the Word® journal. Or, get a free journal page and guide in the right-hand margin. E | Entrust (Rest in the Word.) St. Joseph, Patron of Dreams, with the Holy Spirit, guard and illumine the contents of my sleep, I pray, so I that I may hear God speak as you did. Amen + Love Heals. Learn More. Connect Join me (click here) in the Sacred Healing community for our Masterclass and Consultation Group coaching calls, healing prayer livestreams, monthly Bible studies, LOVE the Word® takeaways, a healing masterclass and other courses, a dynamic phone app, and a flourishing community to help you find help, support, and experience deeper healing. Transcript Transcripts and CC are now provided automatically within both the audio and video players.

Ep 1 #549 DREAMS: Why Your Dreams Aren’t Sinful (and Might Be Sacred)

Ever wake up disturbed by a dream and wonder, What does this say about me—or my faith? The Church has an answer, and it’s wiser than you think. From Aquinas to Augustine, from Joseph the Dreamer to Pope Francis, Catholic tradition teaches that dreams are involuntary, symbolic, and morally neutral—not sins, not prophecies on demand, but invitations to understanding. “Interpretation belongs to God” (Gen 40:8). Long before modern psychology, Scripture knew what science is now confirming: dreams speak in symbols because some truths can’t be reached by logic alone. Jung called them archetypal. Tolkien called them mythic. The Church calls them meaningful—when measured against Church teachings and discerned with Scripture. In this conversation, we explore: • Why disturbing dreams don’t equal moral failure • How Scripture itself trains us to read symbols • Where psychology helps—and where it must stop • Why superstition is condemned, but dreams are not Dreams are not divine commands. They are subtle communications—“this is God’s way,” as Pope Francis says—asking for silence, prayer, and wise interpretation. If you’ve ever questioned or feared your dreams, this is for you.👇 Thank you with all my heart to my newest Friends of the Show, Nancy R; Cynthia C; and Michael G, for loving and lifting me. Friends of the Show get all Premium Content and access to our monthly Bible study! What are you waiting for? Come join us for our next Monthly Meetup Bible study on the Sacred Holy Trinity! LOVE the Word® is a Bible study method based on Mary’s own practice: lectio without the Latin. Get the book based on Sonja’s method in the right margin, How to Pray Like Mary. L | Listen (Receive the Word via audio or video.) O | Observe (Connect the passage to your life and recent events.) Write down the last dream you can remember and those between now and the next episode. Save them for the next show, where we'll talk about specific symbols. What were the main emotions you felt? Have you asked the Holy Spirit for insight into their meaning? V | Verbalize (Pray about your thoughts and emotions.) Remembering that He loves you and that you are in His presence, talk to God about the particulars of your O – Observe step. You may want to write your reflections in your LOVE the Word® journal. Or, get a free journal page and guide in the right-hand margin. E | Entrust (Rest in the Word.) St. Joseph, Patron of Dreams, with the Holy Spirit, guard and illumine the contents of my sleep, I pray, so I that I may hear God speak as you did. Amen + Love Heals. Learn More. Connect Join me (click here) in the Sacred Healing community for our Masterclass and Consultation Group coaching calls, healing prayer livestreams, monthly Bible studies, LOVE the Word® takeaways, a healing masterclass and other courses, a dynamic phone app, and a flourishing community to help you find help, support, and experience deeper healing. Transcript Transcripts and CC are now provided automatically within both the audio and video players.

• Transcript

Ep 02 #548 Get to the root with Confession, ‘Tis the Season

If you’re already in spiraling self-medication mode, this episode is your rescue plan. Continually confessing “I drank too much," "I yelled,” or “I ate the whole pie” will never fix what’s really broken. Using real-life examples and Scripture, I'll walk you straight past the surface symptoms to the root your holiday triggers are screaming about: wounded love showing up in fear, control, unforgiveness, worthlessness, pride. You’ll discover: why the same sins keep showing up every Christmas, the exact questions to ask yourself before you step into the confessional, and why “name & number” confession is good…but why confessing the root changes everything. Advent is a penitential season for a reason. Stop band-aiding symptoms. Get to the root with confession and walk into the new year lighter than you’ve felt in years. Thank you with all my heart to my newest Friends of the Show, Nancy R; Cynthia C; and Michael G, for loving and lifting me. Friends of the Show get all Premium Content and access to our monthly Bible study! What are you waiting for? Come join us for our next Monthly Meetup Bible study on the Sacred Holy Trinity! LOVE the Word® is a Bible study method based on Mary’s own practice: lectio without the Latin. Get the book based on Sonja’s method in the right margin, How to Pray Like Mary. L | Listen (Receive the Word via audio or video.) Get to the root with Confession, 'Tis the Season O | Observe (Connect the passage to your life and recent events.) When's the last time you went to Confession? Isn't it time? Advent is a penitential season, the time to get to the wounded love at the root of your self-medication, and let God love and heal you there. V | Verbalize (Pray about your thoughts and emotions.) Remembering that He loves you and that you are in His presence, talk to God about the particulars of your O – Observe step. You may want to write your reflections in your LOVE the Word® journal. Or, get a free journal page and guide in the right-hand margin. E | Entrust (Rest in the Word.) Our Lady, Seat of Wisdom, with the Holy Spirit your Beloved Spouse, lend me your wisdom and illumine my heart and mind so I may become free to glorify God by reaching my full potential, the glory for which I was created. Amen + Love Heals. Learn More. Connect Join me (click here) in the Sacred Healing community for our Masterclass and Consultation Group coaching calls, healing prayer livestreams, monthly Bible studies, LOVE the Word® takeaways, a healing masterclass and other courses, a dynamic phone app, and a flourishing community to help you find help, support, and experience deeper healing. What We Discussed | Show Notes Overview: Minutes 00:00-15:00 – addictions and abstinence; not a counseling session; name and number Minutes 15:01-30:00 – finding the predominant fault, the root; guilt and shame; stages of purification and healing Minutes 30:01-60:00 – "sin will have no dominion over you"; the open door; applying the right medicine to the right place in the soul Transcript Transcripts and CC are now provided automatically within both the audio and video players.

Ep 01 #547 ‘Tis the Season! Boundaries that save the holidays

If the mere thought of Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Year’s gatherings already has your stomach in knots, your heart racing, or your temper flaring weeks in advance—this episode is your lifeline. We're kicking off a brand-new holiday survival series, Tis the Season, with the one thing that actually works when family triggers, old wounds, and impossible expectations threaten to steal your peace: boundaries. Whether you’re bracing for difficult parents, in-laws, divorced-family logistics, grief anniversaries, or the annual political/religion blow-up at the dinner table—the holidays don’t have to wreck you. You can love your family, honor your vocation, and still protect the gift of peace God died to give you. Thank you with all my heart to my newest Friends of the Show for loving and lifting me. Friends of the Show get all Premium Content and access to our monthly Bible study! What are you waiting for? Come join us for our next Monthly Meetup Bible study on the Sacred Holy Trinity! LOVE the Word® is a Bible study method based on Mary’s own practice: lectio without the Latin. Get the book based on Sonja’s method in the right margin, How to Pray Like Mary. L | Listen (Receive the Word via audio or video.) O | Observe (Connect the passage to your life and recent events.) What's one new boundary you can put in place to add peace to your holidays for yourself and your family this year? V | Verbalize (Pray about your thoughts and emotions.) Remembering that He loves you and that you are in His presence, talk to God about the particulars of your O – Observe step. You may want to write your reflections in your LOVE the Word® journal. Or, get a free journal page and guide in the right-hand margin. E | Entrust (Rest in the Word.) Our Lady, Seat of Wisdom, with the Holy Spirit your Beloved Spouse, lend me your wisdom and illumine my heart and mind so I may become free to glorify God by reaching my full potential, the glory for which I was created. Amen + Love Heals. Learn More. Connect Join me (click here) in the Sacred Healing community for our Masterclass and Consultation Group coaching calls, healing prayer livestreams, monthly Bible studies, LOVE the Word® takeaways, a healing masterclass and other courses, a dynamic phone app, and a flourishing community to help you find help, support, and experience deeper healing. What We Discussed | Show Notes Overview: Minutes 00:00-15:00 – Great Expectations; what is "abuse"?; inappropriate behaviors Minutes 15:01-30:00 – fight or flight; recognizing trauma bonds; guilt associated with boundaries Minutes 30:01-60:00 – 6 P's: Predict, Plan, Priorities, Prepare, Protect, Peace Transcript Transcripts and CC are now provided automatically within both the audio and video players.

Ep 08 #546 Free to play! God “wants” you to play?

What if He *made* you to do the stuff that feels the most like play to you? What’s holding you back from "playing" - living fully alive? In this series finale, we wrap up Free Indeed with the ultimate freedom: play as God’s child. From Peter’s recommissioning, to pop quizzes, to healing from fear, discover how God's divine judgment isn’t wrath—it’s gentle transformation. Break free from scruples, sin, and the fear of death, purgatory, or deprivation. Step into the joy Jesus restored; love the Lord with all of your heart, soul, mind, and strength; and learn to play again. Thank you with all my heart to my newest Friends of the Show, Kimberly P; Kim L; Gary K; Christine C; Louie M; Elizabeth M-K; Denise E; and Jeanne K, for loving and lifting me. Friends of the Show get all Premium Content and access to our monthly Bible study! What are you waiting for? Come join us for our next Monthly Meetup Bible study on the Sacred Holy Trinity! LOVE the Word® is a Bible study method based on Mary’s own practice: lectio without the Latin. Get the book based on Sonja’s method in the right margin, How to Pray Like Mary. L | Listen (Receive the Word via audio or video.) O | Observe (Connect the passage to your life and recent events.) In my work with people one-on-one, I have found that most have no idea what even feels like play to them anymore. They have no idea what they like; they have few or no hobbies. Life is all WORK! Spend some time talking to God about creativity, hobbies, the stuff you LIKE to do and desire to do. What if that's also what He made you for and *wants* you to do more of? V | Verbalize (Pray about your thoughts and emotions.) Remembering that He loves you and that you are in His presence, talk to God about the particulars of your O – Observe step. You may want to write your reflections in your LOVE the Word® journal. Or, get a free journal page and guide in the right-hand margin. E | Entrust (Rest in the Word.) Our Lady, Seat of Wisdom, with the Holy Spirit your Beloved Spouse, lend me your wisdom and illumine my heart and mind so I may become free to glorify God by reaching my full potential, the glory for which I was created. Amen + Love Heals. Learn More. Connect Join me (click here) in the Sacred Healing community for our Masterclass and Consultation Group coaching calls, healing prayer livestreams, monthly Bible studies, LOVE the Word® takeaways, a healing masterclass and other courses, a dynamic phone app, and a flourishing community to help you find help, support, and experience deeper healing. What We Discussed | Show Notes Overview: Minutes 00:00-15:00 – glory of God is man fully alive; freedom from scruples, indecision, sin, and a few of the Four Last Things Minutes 15:01-30:00 – Peter's judgment, and our judgment; it happens NOW Minutes 30:01-60:00 – Catholic Morality is ultimately "happiness" Transcript Transcripts and CC are now provided automatically within both the audio and video players.

Ep 07 #545 Freedom from Fear of Deprivation: Why is God “late” on purpose?

Wondering how to turn life’s dry seasons into growth? Through Sonja’s story of (what seemed like) a shattered ministry promise, church splits, and learning to rest amid fear, discover how pop quizzes expose the roots of your fear, how to silence complaints and multiply provision with thanksgiving, and why “God is late on purpose” in a crisis of faith. This seventh episode of Free Indeed: "Thrive in the Desert" reveals the desert as God’s classroom— where deprivation after deprivation builds unshakeable faith in His provision and perfect timing. Building on the series’ journey to Christian freedom, begin the process of learning to be free of the fear of trials. This episode unpacks the Exodus template: God’s ways of the desert, repetition, and daily Word (Hebrews 3-4). Reflect daily on His Word, surrender your anxiety, and watch your desert bloom into the Promised Land of peace. Thank you with all my heart to my newest Friends of the Show, Kimberly P; Kim L; Gary K; Christine C; Louie M; Elizabeth M-K; Denise E; and Jeanne K, for loving and lifting me. Friends of the Show get all Premium Content and access to our monthly Bible study! What are you waiting for? Come join us for our next Monthly Meetup Bible study on the Sacred Holy Trinity! LOVE the Word® is a Bible study method based on Mary’s own practice: lectio without the Latin. Get the book based on Sonja’s method in the right margin, How to Pray Like Mary. L | Listen (Receive the Word via audio or video.) O | Observe (Connect the passage to your life and recent events.) Deprivations cause a crisis of faith, where we are challenged to believe God will provide and is good despite what looks like contrary evidence. Where in your life are you experiencing deprivations that provoke fear in you? What are the roots of that fear? V | Verbalize (Pray about your thoughts and emotions.) Remembering that He loves you and that you are in His presence, talk to God about the particulars of your O – Observe step. You may want to write your reflections in your LOVE the Word® journal. Or, get a free journal page and guide in the right-hand margin. E | Entrust (Rest in the Word.) Our Lady, Seat of Wisdom, with the Holy Spirit your Beloved Spouse, lend me your wisdom and illumine my heart and mind so I may become free to glorify God by reaching my full potential, the glory for which I was created. Amen + Love Heals. Learn More. Connect Join me (click here) in the Sacred Healing community for our Masterclass and Consultation Group coaching calls, healing prayer livestreams, monthly Bible studies, LOVE the Word® takeaways, a healing masterclass and other courses, a dynamic phone app, and a flourishing community to help you find help, support, and experience deeper healing. What We Discussed | Show Notes Overview: Minutes 00:00-15:00 – Just Rest book; two Baptist church splits; Heb 3-4 Minutes 15:01-30:00 – God's "ways": desert, repetition, Word Minutes 30:01-60:00 – Pop quizzes in the Exodus Transcript Transcripts and CC are now provided automatically within both the audio and video players.

Ep 06 #544 Freedom from Fear of Purgatory: Was everything you learned about purgatory wrong?

Is purgatory a place or a Person? Afraid of suffering and purification? Be free from the fear of God's punishment and delve into the mysteries of sanctification with me in this episode of our series on Christian freedom. Discover purgatory not as a fiery torture chamber of punishment, but as God's purifying love, as I share how our Heavenly Father healed me from a rage-fueled father wound in this truth. Explore what the Bible calls God's "consuming fire" (Hebrews 12:29) -- from Genesis' covenant torch to the Holy Spirit's descent -- distinguishing eternal/temporal punishment and mortal/venial sin. Unpack particular judgment as a loving revelation, not wrath, and sanctification as a state of the soul in divine mercy (1 Cor 3:15). Embrace purification, recognize suffering as personal growth, and find freedom from the fear of it. Reflect on God's tenderness, cooperate with His healing, and step into His grace. Thank you with all my heart to my newest Friends of the Show. Friends of the Show get all Premium Content and access to our monthly Bible study! What are you waiting for? Come join us for our next Monthly Meetup Bible study on the Sacred Holy Trinity! LOVE the Word® is a Bible study method based on Mary’s own practice: lectio without the Latin. Get the book based on Sonja’s method in the right margin, How to Pray Like Mary. L | Listen (Receive the Word via audio or video.)  O | Observe (Connect the passage to your life and recent events.) Does this view on purgatory clear up any fear associated with it for you? What do you want to say to the Holy Spirit about that? V | Verbalize (Pray about your thoughts and emotions.) Remembering that He loves you and that you are in His presence, talk to God about the particulars of your O – Observe step. You may want to write your reflections in your LOVE the Word® journal. Or, get a free journal page and guide in the right-hand margin. E | Entrust (Rest in the Word.) Our Lady, Seat of Wisdom, with the Holy Spirit your Beloved Spouse, lend me your wisdom and illumine my heart and mind so I may become free to glorify God by reaching my full potential. Amen + Love Heals. Learn More. Connect Join me (click here) in the Sacred Healing community for our Masterclass and Consultation Group coaching calls, healing prayer livestreams, monthly Bible studies, LOVE the Word® takeaways, a healing masterclass and other courses, a dynamic phone app, and a flourishing community to help you find help, support, and experience deeper healing. What We Discussed | Show Notes Overview: Minutes 00:00-15:00 – OT types of God as "fire" Minutes 15:01-30:00 – What the Church says about purgatory Minutes 30:01-45:00 – Heaven, hell, and purgatory as states of the soul in God; Thomas Aquinas on purgatory as a Person Transcript Transcripts and CC are now provided automatically within both the audio and video players.

Ep 05 #543 Freedom from Fear of Death: Reincarnation? Pre-existing souls? Why do we die? What happens after?

Should we fear death? Why do we?"Memento Mori" is the ancient practice of remembering death, and how Christ’s resurrection turns it into a hopeful transition (Phil 1:21, "to die is gain"). Probe the mystery of Jesus’ descent to the dead, the Church’s teachings on near-death experiences, reincarnation, pre-existing souls, and a cautious perspective on psychedelics, marrying centuries of timeless wisdom from the Church Fathers and Catechism with modern insights. Learn to embrace the Holy Spirit's divine illumination, and prepare for eternity in love and peace. Whether you’re pondering the resurrection, mourning a loved one, or are just curious about the soul’s eternal journey, this episode offers a roadmap to freedom from the fear of death.Weigh the mysteries of death and learn to anticipate a new frontier of wonder with me. Thank you with all my heart to my newest Friends of the Show. Friends of the Show get all Premium Content and access to our monthly Bible study! What are you waiting for? Come join us Monday the 22nd for our Monthly Meetup Bible study as we finish up the Gospel of John, and begin to study the Sacred Holy Trinity! LOVE the Word® is a Bible study method based on Mary’s own practice: lectio without the Latin. Get the book based on Sonja’s method in the right margin, How to Pray Like Mary. L | Listen (Receive the Word via audio or video.) O | Observe (Connect the passage to your life and recent events.) Does death seem exciting to you at all? What do you need to do to prepare better for the inevitability of your death? What do you want to say to God about that? V | Verbalize (Pray about your thoughts and emotions.) Remembering that He loves you and that you are in His presence, talk to God about the particulars of your O – Observe step. You may want to write your reflections in your LOVE the Word® journal. Or, get a free journal page and guide in the right-hand margin. E | Entrust (Rest in the Word.) Our Lady, Seat of Wisdom, with the Holy Spirit your Beloved Spouse, lend me your wisdom and illumine my heart and mind so I may become free to glorify God by reaching my full potential. Amen + Love Heals. Learn More. Connect Join me (click here) in the Sacred Healing community for our Masterclass and Consultation Group coaching calls, healing prayer livestreams, monthly Bible studies, LOVE the Word® takeaways, a healing masterclass and other courses, a dynamic phone app, and a flourishing community to help you find help, support, and experience deeper healing. What We Discussed | Show Notes Overview: Minutes 00:00-15:00 – Christ's death and "Harrowing of Hell" Minutes 15:01-30:00 – Thomas Aquinas' eight articles on death Minutes 30:01-45:00 – near-death experiences, reincarnation, pre-existing souls Minutes 45:01-60:00 – the Church Fathers on death Transcript Transcripts and CC are now provided automatically within both the audio and video players.

Ep 04 #542 Freedom from God’s Wrath: Is God Angry at Me?

Does God want to scare us? Death. Judgment. Hell. My own or someone else's. This is what most Christians fear the most. But fear of God and The Last Things is about punishment. And the Bible says there is no punishment in love. What does it mean to "fear" God, if "there is no fear in love" (1 Jn 4:18)?Unpack the shift from fear to love, exploring death, judgment, heaven, and purgatory as a journey of purifying love. Embrace the Holy Spirit's grace, dare to be transparent with God, and step into hope. Thank you with all my heart to my newest Friends of the Show, Gina S; Theresa VP; Denise H; Colette G; Angela C; Noel N; Sharon T; Estelle C; Carolyn McG*; and Katy P, for loving and lifting me! (*special thank you ;) Friends of the Show get all Premium Content and access to our monthly Bible study! What are you waiting for? Come join us Monday the 22nd for our Monthly Meetup Bible study as we finish up the Gospel of John, and begin to study the Sacred Holy Trinity! LOVE the Word® is a Bible study method based on Mary’s own practice: lectio without the Latin. Get the book based on Sonja’s method in the right margin, How to Pray Like Mary. L | Listen (Receive the Word via audio or video.) O | Observe (Connect the passage to your life and recent events.) Were you convicted of something in this episode that you need to bring to God for discussion and illumination? Ask Him, now, to bring anything to mind that He might want you to know. V | Verbalize (Pray about your thoughts and emotions.) Remembering that He loves you and that you are in His presence, talk to God about the particulars of your O – Observe step. You may want to write your reflections in your LOVE the Word® journal. Or, get a free journal page and guide in the right-hand margin. E | Entrust (Rest in the Word.) Our Lady, Seat of Wisdom, with the Holy Spirit your Beloved Spouse, lend me your wisdom and illumine my heart and mind so I may become free to glorify God by reaching my full potential. Amen + Love Heals. Learn More. Connect Join me (click here) in the Sacred Healing community for our Masterclass and Consultation Group coaching calls, healing prayer livestreams, monthly Bible studies, LOVE the Word® takeaways, a healing masterclass and other courses, a dynamic phone app, and a flourishing community to help you find help, support, and experience deeper healing. What We Discussed | Show Notes Overview: Minutes 00:00-15:00 – The Four Last Things; explanation of eternal life Minutes 15:01-30:00 – definition of "wrath"; why wrath "abides on the ungodly" Minutes 30:01-45:00 – death, judgment, heaven, & hell are all "a development of premises set by people in this life" (JPII) Minutes 45:01-60:00 – wrath for the unrepentant, mercy for the children Transcript Transcripts and CC are now provided automatically within both the audio and video players.

Ep 03 #541 Freedom from Sin: How to Escape Habitual Sin, Free Indeed Series

If you're confessing the same sin over and over, you probably feel like you're never going to be free of it. But that's a lie of the enemy, meant to keep you enslaved. Let's strategize with St. Augustine’s three stages of sin (suggestion, pleasure, consent) and Sonja's proven 4-step STOP method, and get you free in Jesus!Conquer addictions like porn, anxiety, or overeating. Learn to walk in the Spirit, rewire your brain, and shatter shame’s chains with practical tools. From personal battles to biblical wisdom, this episode and series equips you to live "free indeed"! Thank you with all my heart to my newest Friends of the Show, Gina S; Theresa VP; Denise H; Colette G; Angela C; Noel N; Sharon T; Estelle C; Carolyn McG*; and Katy P, for loving and lifting me! (*special thank you ;) Friends of the Show get all Premium Content and access to our monthly Bible study! What are you waiting for? Come join us for our Monthly Meetup Bible study as we finish up the Gospel of John, and begin to study the Sacred Holy Trinity! LOVE the Word® is a Bible study method based on Mary’s own practice: lectio without the Latin. Get the book based on Sonja’s method in the right margin, How to Pray Like Mary. L | Listen (Receive the Word via audio or video.) O | Observe (Connect the passage to your life and recent events.) Take a few moments to strategize what you will do to battle your usual tempting thoughts the next time they arise. What will you distract yourself with? With what will you replace the usual behavior? For instance, when I battle self-medication, I make a cup of my favorite tea rather than reaching for the usual "thing." Typically, in the time it takes, and the almost-ceremonial process of making tea, the temptation has subsided enough that I can resist it. What will your new "replacement strategy" be? What do you want to say to the Holy Spirit about that? V | Verbalize (Pray about your thoughts and emotions.) Remembering that He loves you and that you are in His presence, talk to God about the particulars of your O – Observe step. You may want to write your reflections in your LOVE the Word® journal. Or, get a free journal page and guide in the right-hand margin. E | Entrust (Rest in the Word.) Our Lady, Seat of Wisdom, with the Holy Spirit your Beloved Spouse, lend me your wisdom and illumine my heart and mind so I may become free to glorify God by reaching my full potential. Amen + Love Heals. Learn More. Connect Join me (click here) in the Sacred Healing community for our Masterclass and Consultation Group coaching calls, healing prayer livestreams, monthly Bible studies, LOVE the Word® takeaways, a healing masterclass and other courses, a dynamic phone app, and a flourishing community to help you find help, support, and experience deeper healing. What We Discussed | Show Notes Overview: Minutes 00:00-12:00 – what is "sin," exactly?; is my body evil? Minutes 12:01-24:00 – Augustine's stages of sin; suggestion Minutes 24:01-36:00 – second and third stages of sin; learning to STOP Minutes 36:01-48:00 – S-sin not; T-tell God; O-Offer the right sacrifice; P-put your trust in God Transcript Transcripts and CC are now provided automatically within both the audio and video players.

Ep 02 #540 Freedom from Indecision: Gratification or Edification? Free Indeed series

How do I make godly decisions when my needs or preferences clash with someone else's, especially someone who is important to me, such as my spouse or parents? Using the principle of edification over gratification from 1 Corinthians 8, we learn when to put others’ spiritual growth (e.g., avoiding scandal with meat offered to idols) above self-interest, and when to LEAN IN to self-interest (e.g., doom scrolling). Sonja shares her contraception dilemma, balancing freedom and legalism when faced with her husband’s salvation, guided by prayer and the Catechism’s call to dignity (1738). Discover how to set boundaries (e.g., skipping family Christmas) and use Ignatius’ discernment rules for mature Christian liberty. Thank you with all my heart to my newest Friends of the Show, Gina S; Theresa VP; Denise H; Colette G; Angela C; Noel N; Sharon T; Estelle C; Carolyn McG*; and Katy P, for loving and lifting me! (*special thank you ;) Friends of the Show get all Premium Content and access to our monthly Bible study! What are you waiting for? Come join us for our Monthly Meetup Bible study in the Gospel of John! LOVE the Word® is a Bible study method based on Mary’s own practice: lectio without the Latin. Get the book based on Sonja’s method in the right margin, How to Pray Like Mary. L | Listen (Receive the Word via audio or video.) O | Observe (Connect the passage to your life and recent events.) In what situation has the Holy Spirit spoken to you through this episode about choosing between edification and gratification? What do you want to say to Him about that? V | Verbalize (Pray about your thoughts and emotions.) Remembering that He loves you and that you are in His presence, talk to God about the particulars of your O – Observe step. You may want to write your reflections in your LOVE the Word® journal. Or, get a free journal page and guide in the right-hand margin. E | Entrust (Rest in the Word.) Our Lady, Seat of Wisdom, with the Holy Spirit your Beloved Spouse, lend me your wisdom and illumine my heart and mind so I may become free to glorify God by reaching my full potential. Amen + Love Heals. Learn More. Connect Join me (click here) in the Sacred Healing community for our Masterclass and Consultation Group coaching calls, healing prayer livestreams, monthly Bible studies, LOVE the Word® takeaways, a healing masterclass and other courses, a dynamic phone app, and a flourishing community to help you find help, support, and experience deeper healing. What We Discussed | Show Notes Overview: Minutes 00:00-12:00 – Spirit vs flesh; others over self Minutes 12:01-24:00 – social media scrolling?; meat on Fridays? Minutes 24:01-36:00 – when your boundaries offend; parents; contraception Minutes 36:01-48:00 – Catholics and non-Catholics in decision making; evaluating Christian witness Transcript Transcripts and CC are now provided automatically within both the audio and video players.

• Transcript

Ep 01 #539 Freedom from Scruples: Am I a bad Christian? Breaking the Rules While Living for God, Free Indeed Series

What’s okay to eat and drink? Can I EVER eat cake if I’m diabetic, or drink alcohol if I struggle with temperance? Should I veil or not? Charismatic or traditional? TLM or Novus Ordo? How does a Christian make godly decisions in specific situations when the Bible and the church are unclear, or such "rules" are imposed by others? If you’re stuck in your own or someone else’s spiritual minutiae of “you should or you have to or you must do this or that” to be a REAL Christian or a GOOD Catholic, it’s likely because you’re following imposed rules rather than living in the Christian freedom Jesus died to give you. Living in freedom is Christian maturity. It’s an art of love. The good news is…There is a right answer. Paul said “For freedom Christ has set you free! Do not submit again to the yoke of slavery.” Learn biblical principles for Christian freedom, and you will know when to keep the rules and when to break them. Today we’re talking about the purpose of Christian freedom. Thank you with all my heart to my newest Friend of the Show, Karin S, Mary M, and Antonia R for loving and lifting me! Friends of the Show get all Premium Content and access to our monthly Bible study! What are you waiting for? Come join us for our Monthly Meetup Bible study in the Gospel of John! LOVE the Word® is a Bible study method based on Mary’s own practice: lectio without the Latin. Get the book based on Sonja’s method in the right margin, How to Pray Like Mary. L | Listen (Receive the Word via audio or video.)  O | Observe (Connect the passage to your life and recent events.) What's that "castle" of idealism you've built in your mind? How does it enslave you to arbitrary and unrealistic expectations and rules that God has not imposed? What are the demands such ideas make on your personality and temperament that are unnatural for you? V | Verbalize (Pray about your thoughts and emotions.) Remembering that He loves you and that you are in His presence, talk to God about the particulars of your O – Observe step. You may want to write your reflections in your LOVE the Word® journal. Or, get a free journal page and guide in the right-hand margin. E | Entrust (Rest in the Word.) Our Lady, Seat of Wisdom, with the Holy Spirit your Beloved Spouse, lend me your wisdom and illumine my heart and mind so I may become free to glorify God by reaching my full potential. Amen + Love Heals. Learn More. Connect Join me (click here) in the Sacred Healing community for our Masterclass and Consultation Group coaching calls, healing prayer livestreams, monthly Bible studies, LOVE the Word® takeaways, a healing masterclass and other courses, a dynamic phone app, and a flourishing community to help you find help, support, and experience deeper healing. What We Discussed | Show Notes Overview: Minutes 00:00-12:00 – Moses and the Exodus from Egyptian slavery; whacking the rock Minutes 12:01-24:00 – the glory of God; a painful tyrannical childhood Minutes 24:01-36:00 – Eden's trees; irrational expectations Minutes 36:01-48:00 – the purpose of freedom in Christ Transcript Friends of the Show, sign in first to download a transcript of this episode: Protected Content. Click Here to sign in

Ep 10 #538 “Spiritual bypassing” is the name for that stuckness and confusion

Get your copy of Love Heals here and participate with us in the Book Club. There’s a word for that Jesus-confusion you’re feeling that's keeping you stuck: it’s called spiritual bypassing. It's pretty rare to see or hear about spiritual bypassing in Catholic clerical or professional circles. It’s often completely unheard of and/or misunderstood by those of us with faith who are trying to heal, and this is part of why we get stuck and confused in trying to make sense of what is love and what is not, when to erect a boundary and when to just "offer it up." It's also sometimes called over-spiritualizing. Spiritual bypassing is a very real issue that prevents change when we refuse to work through natural causes that we can actually do something about. “Offer it up!” can be a major spiritual bypass: used this way, it dismisses your own and others feelings and experiences. The whole idea of redemptive suffering can be, and is often, twisted to mean God wants you to suffer because it’s good for you! or the Kingdom, or someone else. So what is spiritual bypassing, why does it happen, and how we can navigate it using insights from Scripture, Psychology, and Catholic teaching? Thank you with all my heart to my newest Friend of the Show, Karin S, Mary M, and Antonia R for loving and lifting me! Friends of the Show get all Premium Content and access to our monthly Bible study! What are you waiting for? Come join us for our Monthly Meetup Bible study in the Gospel of John! LOVE the Word® is a Bible study method based on Mary’s own practice: lectio without the Latin. Get the book based on Sonja’s method in the right margin, How to Pray Like Mary. L | Listen (Receive the Word via audio or video.) O | Observe (Connect the passage to your life and recent events.) What are you not facing? Where is the area of your life that you have begged God to fix without also looking for what He might want you to do or stop doing? How is this spiritual bypassing? What does He want you to do next? V | Verbalize (Pray about your thoughts and emotions.) Remembering that He loves you and that you are in His presence, talk to God about the particulars of your O – Observe step. You may want to write your reflections in your LOVE the Word® journal. Or, get a free journal page and guide in the right-hand margin. E | Entrust (Rest in the Word.) Dearest Jesus, illumine my eye, speak to my ear, that I may see and hear Your word, and be healed. Amen + Love Heals. Learn More. Connect Join me (click here) in the Sacred Healing community for our Masterclass and Consultation Group coaching calls, healing prayer livestreams, monthly Bible studies, LOVE the Word® takeaways, a healing masterclass and other courses, a dynamic phone app, and a flourishing community to help you find help, support, and experience deeper healing. What We Discussed | Show Notes Overview: Minutes 00:00-12:00 – new series; what is spiritual bypassing? Minutes 12:01-24:00 – why do we spiritually bypass Minutes 24:01-36:00 – consequences of spiritual bypassing Minutes 36:01-48:00 – examples of spiritual bypassing; steps to detect and avoid spiritual bypassing Transcript Friends of the Show, sign in first to download a transcript of this episode: Protected Content. Click Here to sign in

Ep 09 #537 Where are you in the stages of prayer and faith?

Get your copy of Love Heals here and participate with us in the Book Club. These stages of prayer and faith can save your sanity throughout your spiritual life. When you feel lost in darkness and dryness and like God has suddenly "left the building" after an extended time of fruitful prayer; when you don't understand your neighbor's rude rigid faith and she is criticizing your Christian freedom; when you wonder how the road looks up ahead, the Stages of Prayer and Stages of Faith will help you find secure footing and understand others better throughout the rest of your spiritual life. Thank you with all my heart to my newest Friend of the Show, Karin S, Mary M, and Antonia R for loving and lifting me! Friends of the Show get all Premium Content and access to our monthly Bible study! What are you waiting for? Come join us for our Monthly Meetup Bible study in the Gospel of John! LOVE the Word® is a Bible study method based on Mary’s own practice: lectio without the Latin. Get the book based on Sonja’s method in the right margin, How to Pray Like Mary. L | Listen (Receive the Word via audio or video.) O | Observe (Connect the passage to your life and recent events.) Can you discern which stage of prayer and which stage of faith you might be in? Does having a general road map for the spiritual path give you a little more peace? V | Verbalize (Pray about your thoughts and emotions.) Remembering that He loves you and that you are in His presence, talk to God about the particulars of your O – Observe step. You may want to write your reflections in your LOVE the Word® journal. Or, get a free journal page and guide in the right-hand margin. E | Entrust (Rest in the Word.) Dearest Jesus, illumine my eye, speak to my ear, that I may see and hear Your word, and be healed. Amen + Love Heals. Learn More. Connect Join me (click here) in the Sacred Healing community for our Masterclass and Consultation Group coaching calls, healing prayer livestreams, monthly Bible studies, LOVE the Word® takeaways, a healing masterclass and other courses, a dynamic phone app, and a flourishing community to help you find help, support, and experience deeper healing. What We Discussed | Show Notes Overview: Minutes 00:00-12:00 – Parable of the Talents Minutes 12:01-24:00 – Purgative Way, Night of the Senses, Illuminative Way Minutes 24:01-36:00 – Dark Night of the Soul, Unitive Way; Primal, Intuitive-Projective, Mythic-Literal, and Synthetic-Conventional Stages Minutes 36:01-48:00 – Individual-Reflective, Conjunctive, and Universalizing Stages Transcript Friends of the Show, sign in first to download a transcript of this episode: Protected Content. Click Here to sign in