Discovering Our Scars

Steph and Beth bring their five-year podcast journey to an end. They've shared a lot of honest conversations over the years and invited you to bring that conversation into your own life. This episode is no exception. Steph and Beth have shared the stories of their scars, but what stories do your scars tell?Questions for ReflectionWhat is the last chapter of your life you turned the page on? Was it your choice?What has changed in your life over the last 5 years?Do you have a favorite Discovering Our Scars podcast episode? If you were to start a podcast, what would it be about?Follow: Steph & Beth

Scars can be beautiful. The injuries that cause them might be terrible, but a scar is beautiful because it is proof of healing and growth. In this episode, Steph and Beth listen to and discuss chapter 15 of Steph's memoir. The chapter is titled, “Beautiful Scars.” Steph's journey has not been easy and writing and sharing her story brought its own challenges. In the end, the effort was worth it because so much beauty grew out of the process and the final product. The book ends with the question at the heart of this podcast: What stories do your scars tell? Are you willing to hear them? Come back and join us for episode 160 where we explore that question further and bring the podcast to its conclusion.Buy Discovering My ScarsAudiobook: https://amzn.to/2XCe9a3Paperback: https://amzn.to/2O4U5dhebook: https://amzn.to/2r8mPsAFollow: Steph & Beth

They say “love makes the world go ‘round,” but what is love? What does it mean to love someone? Steph and Beth reflect on their experiences and delve into why love is more than something we feel—it's something we do.Show NotesSteph's day with her foster greyhound videoQuestions for ReflectionWho do you feel love for in your life? How do you show love for those people?Can  you show love for someone you dislike? How do you show yourself love? Follow: Steph & Beth

More than ten years ago, Steph and her mom were painting a room in Steph's house when a thought passed through Steph's mind, “How cool would it be if Home Depot paid us to paint my house?” A few years later, that fleeting thought became a reality. Steph's DIY hobby converged with her love and talent for video production to become her full-time job. From a college student dealing with life by using unhealthy coping mechanisms, to a self-employed full-time content creator was quite a journey. Steph tells her story in her memoir, Discovering My Scars. In this episode, she and Beth listen to and discuss chapter 14, “Found.”  Questions for Reflection :Have you ever dreamed of turning your hobby into a job? Have you done it? Why or why not?  If you were going to be a content creator, what would your content be focused on? Have you ever had a fleeting thought about something that seemed impossible but later came to pass? Steph created her business alongside her mom, Vicki. Would you be able to create a business with your mom? Why or why not?Buy Discovering My ScarsAudiobook: https://amzn.to/2XCe9a3Paperback: https://amzn.to/2O4U5dhebook: https://amzn.to/2r8mPsAFollow: Steph & Beth

In this episode, special guest Tracy shares her experience as a Christian who happens to be gay. When Tracy  “came out,” she struggled to reconcile her sexuality with her belief in Christ. Like many, she was raised to believe that homosexuality and Christianity were incompatible and yet, both existed in her very person. Tracy dove into Bible study and she found that when she was honest about who she was created to be, her relationship with God only grew deeper and stronger. This is an engaging, and deeply personal, testimony about one person's realization that God made her, accepted her, and loved her, even when the church tried to convince her otherwise. Show notes:How Pride Became Personal, Episode 1391946 the movieDoing Justice Together BookA Distinctly Wesleyan Spirit-Led Movement of New Christian Communities that Serve the Present Age BookQuestions for Reflection: Reflect on Tracy's story. What resonated with you? Is there something about yourself or a part of your life that you've been afraid to explore? How do you interact with the LGBTQ community? What would you say to someone who thinks Christianity and homosexuality are incompatible?Follow TracyFacebookTikTokMidweek Grind FacebookMidweek Grind IG

Steph and Beth originally met at work where they did a step study, working through all 12 steps together. In this episode they listen to and discuss chapter 13 of Steph's memoir, Discovering My Scars, where Steph talks about the revelations of abuse that came from working the fourth step, making a searching and fearless moral inventory. Use these Questions for Reflection to apply this episode in your own life:Have you ever taken an inventory of your life? Would you consider it and where would you start?Do you have a quirk like Steph's aversion to sticky things? Where do you think it comes from?Have you ever been harmed by a family member or someone you trusted? Do you tend to focus on the positive or negative things in life? Do you want that to change?Reflect on a miracle moment you've experienced in your life. Buy Discovering My ScarsAudiobook: https://amzn.to/2XCe9a3Paperback: https://amzn.to/2O4U5dhebook: https://amzn.to/2r8mPsAFollow: Steph & Beth

Although we sometimes say that people can't or don't change, the truth is, life is all about change. Hopefully, we are always growing and learning so that we can become a better version of ourselves. Beth was recently going through a box of memories and found a bumper sticker declaring her to be a proud member of an organization she would never support in any form these days! She and Steph reflect on all sorts of (mostly) positive changes from the last several years. Use these Questions for Reflection to apply this episode to your own life: (1) Do you believe people can change? Have you changed? (2) Are you the same person you were in high school? Would the high school version of yourself recognize you today? (3) If you could forecast the next five or ten years of your life, what changes do you think you might see? (4) Do people hold us back from growing up?Follow:StephBeth

Chances are good that you've heard of “The Twelve Steps.” These are often discussed in the context of addiction recovery, but Steph and Beth both learned a lot by walking the steps as part of a step study. Each step helps you address those hurts, habits, and hangups that get in your way. It was a helpful process for them in that season of life. In this episode, Steph and Beth listen to and discuss chapter 12 of Steph's memoir and share some of their memories beyond what's captured in the book. Questions for Reflection:(1) What are your hurts, habits, or hang-ups? (2) Who are the people in your life who keep you accountable? Have you been intentional about developing accountability partners? (3) Is there something you found beneficial in the past that you wouldn't participate in now? (4) Reflect on someone who was in your life for only a season. What was the impact that person made on you? Why did that season end?  Show notes:Episode 14: Invisible Scars, What We Discover in Recovery (with Lori K.)Buy Discovering My ScarsAudiobook: https://amzn.to/2XCe9a3Paperback: https://amzn.to/2O4U5dhebook: https://amzn.to/2r8mPsAFollow: Steph & Beth

At age 36, Steph discovered something important about herself--she is a lesbian. Steph and Beth have an honest conversation about how heteronormativity, especially in the church, delayed Steph's full awareness of who she is created to be. Questions for Reflection:(1) Do you think people are born queer? (2) How have church and society influenced your understanding of who you are? (3) Would the you of ten years ago recognize yourself today? What might surprise you? (4) Do you care what the Bible says about homosexuality? Why or why not?Show notes:Episode 139, How PRIDE Became PersonalDr. Steve Harper's book, Holy Lovewww.1946themovie.comFollow:StephBeth

Steph and Beth continue to listen to the audiobook version of Steph's memoir, Discovering My Scars, and discuss what is revealed in chapter 11.At the end of the episode, Steph and Beth offer you these Questions for Reflection:(1) Have you had the experience of knowing only the next right step? What was that like?(2) Reflect on the transitions in your life. What is it like when a transition isn't attached to a life event like graduating from school? (3) Have you ever had a God-moment (or sense of knowing) like Stef had on the beach?(4) What does having faith mean to you?Buy Discovering My ScarsAudiobook: https://amzn.to/2XCe9a3Paperback: https://amzn.to/2O4U5dhebook: https://amzn.to/2r8mPsASteph: https://www.stephaniekostopoulos.comBeth: http://bethdemme.com

Steph and Beth continue to listen to the audiobook version of Steph's memoir, Discovering My Scars, and discuss what is revealed in chapter 10. In this chapter, God reveals to Steph that she was sexually abused  when she was a young child. Steph shares that truth with people she trusts and she finds both common ground and grief. At the end of the episode, Steph and Beth offer you these Questions for Reflection: (1) What do you think of how God reveals truth to people? (2) Have you ever shared a hard truth with a friend and found common ground? (3) Do you need solid proof to believe things in your own life (like the videotape Steph found), or do you trust your intuition? (4) Have you discovered someone in your life was not a safe person? What was that reveal like for you?Buy Discovering My ScarsAudiobook: https://amzn.to/2XCe9a3Paperback: https://amzn.to/2O4U5dhebook: https://amzn.to/2r8mPsASteph: https://www.stephaniekostopoulos.comBeth: http://bethdemme.com

Have you ever found yourself at a crossroads, the kind where you wave off a piece of your life and step into the unknown? That's the heart of our latest episode, where Beth and Steph peel back the layers of emotion that accompany the goodbyes we face throughout life. From the annual farewells to years and birthdays, to those deeply personal ones like leaving a job, or even more profound, coping with the loss of someone close, we share our insights and stories on how each parting offers a path to growth.Full transcript and show notes here: https://bit.ly/dospod149Voicemail & text: (850) 270-3308Stephanie Kostopoulos : https://www.stephaniekostopoulos.com/Beth Demme: http://bethdemme.com/

In this episode of the Discovering Our Scars Podcast, hosts Beth Demme and Stephanie Kostopoulos discuss chapter 9 of Steph's memoir, "Discovering My Scars." We unveil the profound power of vulnerability as we navigate the choppy waters of past traumas, workplace mental health, and PTSD. Full transcript and show notes here: https://bit.ly/dospod148Voicemail & text: (850) 270-3308Stephanie Kostopoulos : https://www.stephaniekostopoulos.com/Beth Demme: http://bethdemme.com/

Join us, Steph and Beth, as we embark on a festive journey to explore the emotional roller coaster that is the holiday season. Ever wondered why holidays stir up such complex emotions? We'll be examining the joy, frustration, comfort, and nostalgia that come with holiday traditions and how our past memories and family dynamics shape our perspectives.Full transcript and show notes here: https://bit.ly/dospod147Voicemail & text: (850) 270-3308Stephanie Kostopoulos : https://www.stephaniekostopoulos.com/Beth Demme: http://bethdemme.com/

In this episode of the Discovering Our Scars Podcast, hosts Beth Demme and Stephanie Kostopoulos discuss chapter 8 of Steph's memoir, "Discovering My Scars." They discuss Steph's experience working at Apple and her passion for the company. They also delve into her experience of being sexually harassed in the workplace and the lack of appropriate response from HR. The episode ends with reflection questions for listeners to consider.Buy Discovering My Scars Book Paperback: https://amzn.to/2O4U5dhebook: https://amzn.to/2r8mPsAAudiobook: https://amzn.to/2XCe9a3Full transcript and show notes here: https://bit.ly/dospod146Voicemail & text: (850) 270-3308Stephanie Kostopoulos : https://www.stephaniekostopoulos.com/Beth Demme: http://bethdemme.com/

In this episode of the Discovering Our Scars podcast, hosts Beth Demme and Stephanie Kostopoulos have an honest conversation with Kristin Barnett about refugees in their community. Kristin, who works with the nonprofit organization Neighborly, shares her experiences working with refugees and the challenges they face in resettlement. At the end of the episode, you're invited to consider your own experiences with starting over, your perceptions of immigrants, and how you might get involved in nonprofit work.Full transcript and show notes here: https://bit.ly/dospod145Voicemail & text: (850) 270-3308Stephanie Kostopoulos : https://www.stephaniekostopoulos.comBeth Demme: http://bethdemme.comKristin Barnett: https://thatsneighborly.org

We continue our journey with Steph through her memoir, Discovering My Scars. Steph and Beth listen to Chapter 7 of the audiobook and discuss it. In this chapter, Steph is released from the mental hospital, but then made to jump through hoops to help other people feel secure or reassured. She tries to go one with life like nothing happened, but a sorority initiation makes it all too real.Buy the Discovering My Scars book hereFull transcript and show notes here: https://bit.ly/dospod144Voicemail & text: (850) 270-3308Stephanie Kostopoulos : https://www.stephaniekostopoulos.com/Beth Demme: http://bethdemme.com/

September is Suicide Awareness Month. Veterinary professionals are significantly more likely to die by suicide than people working in other professions. Our special guest, Stephanie B., has been a vet professional for many years. She shares her insights about why individuals in this industry are susceptible to this tragic ending. Show Notes- Not One More Vet: https://www.nomv.org/- FOGO: Fear of Going Outside Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fogo-fear-of-going-outside/id1473836011Full transcript and show notes here: https://bit.ly/dospod143Voicemail & text: (850) 270-3308Stephanie Kostopoulos : https://www.stephaniekostopoulos.com/Beth Demme: http://bethdemme.com/

We continue our journey with Steph through her memoir, Discovering My Scars. Steph and Beth listen to Chapter 6 of the audiobook and discuss it. In this chapter, Steph remains in the mental hospital, more prisoner than patient. She's told, again, to play the game and do things that will “add positively” to her case. But she experiences moments of awareness and humanity, too. She begins to wonder why her heart and brain are disconnected. She begins to wonder if self-injury is not the issue, but rather the symptom.Full transcript and show notes here: https://bit.ly/dospod142Voicemail & text: (850) 270-3308Stephanie Kostopoulos : https://www.stephaniekostopoulos.com/Beth Demme: http://bethdemme.com/

We've all had someone try to guilt trip us. It's the one trip no one wants to take! In spite of that, there are times we pick up the bags packed for that trip. The thing is, a guilt trip usually isn't about you at all; it's about the person trying to manipulate you. Once you know it's not about you, you realize those aren't your bags to carry. Don't we all have enough emotional baggage already?Full transcript and show notes here: https://bit.ly/dospod141Voicemail & text: (850) 270-3308Stephanie Kostopoulos : https://www.stephaniekostopoulos.com/Beth Demme: http://bethdemme.com/

We continue our journey with Steph through her memoir, Discovering My Scars. Steph and Beth listen to Chapter 5 of the audiobook and discuss it. Steph's coping mechanism, Non-Suicidal Self-Injury (NSSI), is misunderstood by a series of professionals and she is transferred to an intensive treatment psychiatric center. Things go from bad to worse.Full transcript and show notes here: https://bit.ly/dospod140Voicemail & text: (850) 270-3308Stephanie Kostopoulos : https://www.stephaniekostopoulos.com/Beth Demme: http://bethdemme.com/

From the beginning, Steph and Beth planned to be intentional about inviting LGBTQ voices into the conversation. Turns out, that was there all along! This is an honest conversation about a personal realization that PRIDE really is personal.Full transcript and show notes here: https://bit.ly/dospod139Voicemail & text: (850) 270-3308Stephanie Kostopoulos : https://www.stephaniekostopoulos.com/Beth Demme: http://bethdemme.com/

Loss is part of life, but restarting after a major loss can be especially challenging. In this episode, Steph and Beth reflect on recent and long ago losses and how they interrupted life. Whether it's the loss of a parent, sibling, friend, pet, or job, life invites us to go on. This is an honest conversation about how hard it can be to hear and accept that invitation.Full transcript and show notes here: https://bit.ly/dospod138Voicemail & text: (850) 270-3308Stephanie Kostopoulos : https://www.stephaniekostopoulos.com/Beth Demme: http://bethdemme.com/

We make plans—the BEST plans—and then life does what it does and our plans are for nothing. Steph and Beth planned to have a great start to 2023, but then Steph's roof started leaking, Beth got COVID, and Steph had to say goodbye to her dog Mac. This is an honest conversation about grief, intentions, catastrophizing, and why the first month of 2023 might have already ruined the year, or not.Full transcript and show notes here: https://bit.ly/dospod137Voicemail & text: (850) 270-3308Stephanie Kostopoulos : https://www.stephaniekostopoulos.com/Beth Demme: http://bethdemme.com/

Daniel is the first guest to three-peat on the podcast! This time he's here to fill Steph and Beth in on how men think. Are men as superficial as we think? Are they simple or complicated? Daniel addresses this and more in this honest conversation.Full transcript and show notes here: https://bit.ly/dospod136Voicemail & text: (850) 270-3308Stephanie Kostopoulos : https://www.stephaniekostopoulos.com/Beth Demme: http://bethdemme.com/

Rather than making a New Year's resolution, Steph and Beth invite you to take time for a New Year reflection. Instead of ending the episode with Questions for Reflection, this is an entire episode of Questions for Reflection. Steph and Beth take turns answering questions that reflect on what last year was and what they hope this year will be. There's a 30-second pause between questions so you can reflect on your own answer (or use your 30-second skip to move forward in the episode).Full transcript and show notes here: https://bit.ly/dospod135Voicemail & text: (850) 270-3308Stephanie Kostopoulos : https://www.stephaniekostopoulos.com/Beth Demme: http://bethdemme.com/

It's what Beth considers the most wonderful time of year—Christmas! Despite the importance of this holiday on the Christian calendar, some Christians spend the season being grumpy and unnecessarily aggressive, especially when they hear the phrase Happy Holidays.Christmas Trivia: https://bethdemme.com/christmastriviaFull transcript and show notes here: https://bit.ly/dospod134Voicemail & text: (850) 270-3308Stephanie Kostopoulos : https://www.stephaniekostopoulos.com/Beth Demme: http://bethdemme.com/

We continue our journey with Steph through her memoir, Discovering My Scars. Steph and Beth listen to Chapter 4 of the audiobook and discuss it. Steph begins using Non-Suicidal Self-Injury (NSSI) as a coping mechanism and, later, admits it to her mom. Her parents immediately help her find a psychologist. This is an honest conversation about everything from pretending to be “normal” to the cleansing power of tears.Full transcript and show notes here: https://bit.ly/dospod133Voicemail & text: (850) 270-3308Stephanie Kostopoulos : https://www.stephaniekostopoulos.com/Beth Demme: http://bethdemme.com/

The typical “American Dream” is to work hard so you can play hard. Success means a family that looks a certain way, a home that looks a certain way, and a life that looks a certain way. And it's all based on consumption. We buy more to feel more.  But is there another way? What is YOUR dream, how has it changed over time, and how will you achieve it?Full transcript and show notes here: https://bit.ly/dospod132Voicemail & text: (850) 270-3308Stephanie Kostopoulos : https://www.stephaniekostopoulos.com/Beth Demme: http://bethdemme.com/

Our special guest for this episode is Beth's long-time friend Katrina. Katrina served in the US Army from 1998 to 2014. She served in the US, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Korea. She shares with Steph and Beth what it was like to be in the Army and what it's like now to be a female veteran. How does it feel for her when someone thanks her for her service? How can civilians best show their appreciation to veterans? She tells us this and more.Full transcript and show notes here: https://bit.ly/dospod131Voicemail & text: (850) 270-3308Stephanie Kostopoulos : https://www.stephaniekostopoulos.com/Beth Demme: http://bethdemme.com/

This is an honest conversation about what happens when we die. Who decides who goes to Hell? Do all Christians believe in Hell? Does Beth have all the answers about the afterlife since she is a pastor? (Spoiler alert: She does not.)Full transcript and show notes here: https://bit.ly/dospod130Voicemail & text: (850) 270-3308Stephanie Kostopoulos : https://www.stephaniekostopoulos.com/Beth Demme: http://bethdemme.com/

We continue our journey with Steph through her memoir, Discovering My Scars. Steph and Beth listen to Chapter 3 of the audiobook and discuss it. This chapter is about Steph's first few hours in the mental hospital, when she was in a holding pen like an animal. We talk about some of the patients Steph was with and what it was like for her when her family refused to help her get out.Full transcript and show notes here: https://bit.ly/dospod129Voicemail & text: (850) 270-3308Stephanie Kostopoulos : https://www.stephaniekostopoulos.com/Beth Demme: http://bethdemme.com/

Steph and Beth talk about scars, but what are the steps they've taken to be able to actually say they love their scars? Do they love their scars? Why?Full transcript and show notes here: https://bit.ly/dospod128Voicemail & text: (850) 270-3308Stephanie Kostopoulos : https://www.stephaniekostopoulos.com/Beth Demme: http://bethdemme.com/Support the show

Lisa thought she had a son and twin daughters, but by age four one of the twins began to describe themselves differently. Now, Lisa has a son and boy/girl twins. She generously shares with Steph and Beth how she knew her child's gender expression was not a phase, but was an accurate description of who he is.Full transcript and show notes here: https://bit.ly/dospod127Voicemail & text: (850) 270-3308Stephanie Kostopoulos : https://www.stephaniekostopoulos.com/Beth Demme: http://bethdemme.com/Support the show

Beth has said before that she chooses to be an easy “yes.” Steph, however, asks questions and gets information before saying yes or no. Beth admits she is a people pleaser with a serious case of FOMO. Steph confesses that she once said no when a friend asked her to be a bridesmaid. What does it mean to be a yes-person? What are the repercussions of saying yes when you should have said no?Full transcript and show notes here: https://bit.ly/dospod126Voicemail & text: (850) 270-3308Stephanie Kostopoulos : https://www.stephaniekostopoulos.com/Beth Demme: http://bethdemme.com/Support the show

Steph might have a chip on her shoulder when it comes to men, but the reality is men have tremendous power. They make decisions that impact the lives of women in huge ways, often with very little input from women. Steph and Beth discuss why they think men need to do more to change the power dynamics we all live with.Full transcript and show notes here: https://bit.ly/dospod125Voicemail & text: (850) 270-3308Stephanie Kostopoulos : https://www.stephaniekostopoulos.com/Beth Demme: http://bethdemme.com/Support the show

We continue our journey with Steph through her memoir, Discovering My Scars. Steph and Beth listen to Chapter 2 of the audiobook and discuss it. When Steph was fourteen, she was diagnosed with depression. She reacted by denying her feelings and trying to put on a happy face. In high school, she discovered a love for video production and re-built her Girl Scout Troop, but the depression was still there. Steph reflects on that and more in this episode. This episode is an invitation to reflect on what you remember about your own childhood and how key experiences as a child and teenager still influence who you are today.Full transcript and show notes here: https://bit.ly/dospod124Voicemail & text: (850) 270-3308Stephanie Kostopoulos : https://www.stephaniekostopoulos.com/Beth Demme: http://bethdemme.com/Support the show

Beth's daughter, Hannah, recently turned 18 and graduated from high school. In this episode, Steph and Beth toss out not-so-rapid-fire questions at her about life and what she's figured out so far. She answers questions about politics, personal rights, and more. When you were 18, how would you have answered these questions? How have your answers changed?Full transcript and show notes here: https://bit.ly/dospod123Voicemail & text: (850) 270-3308Stephanie Kostopoulos : https://www.stephaniekostopoulos.com/Beth Demme: http://bethdemme.com/Support the show

Steph's memoir, Discovering My Scars, is the inspiration for this podcast. For the first time, Steph and Beth listen to the audiobook version together and discuss it. This episode covers the Introduction and Chapter One. Steph introduces the story and explains her motivation for writing and sharing it. Then we are with her as she uses NSSI as a coping mechanism and ends up in a mental hospital—a traumatic and dehumanizing experience. More episodes like this will be sprinkled in the feed in the coming months.Full transcript and show notes here: https://bit.ly/dospod122Voicemail & text: (850) 270-3308Stephanie Kostopoulos : https://www.stephaniekostopoulos.com/Beth Demme: http://bethdemme.com/Support the show

The events of the last few years have helped Steph and Beth see that there's a lot they don't know about racism in America. This episode is about what they've been learning recently, specifically about the racism at the heart of the case of the Groveland Four and the Rosewood massacre. Both happened in Florida, the state where Steph and Beth were born, raised, and educated, but they only recently learned about these racist atrocities.Full transcript and show notes here: https://bit.ly/dospod121Voicemail & text: (850) 270-3308Stephanie Kostopoulos : https://www.stephaniekostopoulos.com/Beth Demme: http://bethdemme.com/Support the show

Rev. Dr. Latricia Edwards Scriven is a joy-filled person. She actually exudes joy. She joins Steph and Beth for a conversation about why joy matters, how it's different from happiness, and how it is a skill that can be practiced. Latricia explains that there is nothing naïve or innocent about joy, it is a choice. Sometimes joy is even an act of defiance.Full transcript and show notes here: https://bit.ly/dospod120Voicemail & text: (850) 270-3308Latricia Edwards Scriven: https://laughingblackjesus.comStephanie Kostopoulos : https://www.stephaniekostopoulos.comBeth Demme: http://bethdemme.comSupport the show

May is Mental Health Awareness Month and it's also the anniversary of when Steph and Beth launched this podcast! In this episode, they talk about some of their darkest mental health moments. If you've experienced darkness, know there's no stigma attached to you.Full transcript and show notes here: https://bit.ly/dospod119Voicemail & text: (850) 270-3308Stephanie Kostopoulos : https://www.stephaniekostopoulos.com/Beth Demme: http://bethdemme.com/Support the show

We are programmed to think it's wrong to be selfish. But what if … it's good? Steph and Beth explore the benefits of selfishness.Full transcript and show notes here: https://bit.ly/dospod118Voicemail & text: (850) 270-3308Stephanie Kostopoulos : https://www.stephaniekostopoulos.com/Beth Demme: http://bethdemme.com/Support the show

Beth is a pastor in The United Methodist Church, but in this episode she and Steph discuss whether she should leave it behind. The UMC is undergoing a schism of sorts. Current denominational rules exclude LGBTQ+ Christians from serving as pastors and prohibit all pastors from performing weddings for LGBTQ+ individuals. There is a broad movement to change those rules and some who want to keep those rules are leaving the UMC to form a new denomination called the Global Methodist Church. “Should” Beth leave, too?Full transcript and show notes here: https://bit.ly/dospod117Voicemail & text: (850) 270-3308Stephanie Kostopoulos : https://www.stephaniekostopoulos.com/Beth Demme: http://bethdemme.com/Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/dospod)

When Steph was in the mental hospital, Pastor Matt visited her. He brought her clothes and the journal that ended up being the beginning of her book, Discovering My Scars. You heard Steph's side of the story in Episode 2 and here you can hear Matt's side of Steph's story. How did they end up in the same city? How did he know she was in the mental hospital? What did he think when he heard that where she was and why? How did it feel for him to see her at her worst? Pastor Matt answers these questions and more. As always, the episode ends with Questions for Reflection, inviting you to apply the conversation in your own life.Full transcript and show notes here: https://bit.ly/dospod116Voicemail & text: (850) 270-3308Stephanie Kostopoulos : https://www.stephaniekostopoulos.com/Beth Demme: http://bethdemme.com/Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/dospod)

Ballerinas and figure skaters are graceful. Some folks exhibit grace under pressure. We say grace before a meal (at least, that's what people call it where Steph and Beth live). So, what IS grace anyway? Steph asks Pastor Beth to explain “grace,” and together they explore how grace exists culturally outside of any religious context. What is the connection between grace and gratitude? Why does it feel like grace when another person honors our humanity? Listen to this episode and see how this honest conversation might apply in your own life.Full transcript and show notes here: https://bit.ly/dospod115Voicemail & text: (850) 270-3308Stephanie Kostopoulos : https://www.stephaniekostopoulos.com/Beth Demme: http://bethdemme.com/Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/dospod)

For two years, the COVID pandemic has been our shared global experience. Two years in, we have to ask, have things changed FOR GOOD? Have they changed permanently? Have things changed in a way that is beneficial? Steph and Beth review their own lives and find new commitments to public health as well as new friendships and other positives that have emerged from the last two years.Full transcript and show notes here: https://bit.ly/dospod114Voicemail & text: (850) 270-3308Stephanie Kostopoulos : https://www.stephaniekostopoulos.com/Beth Demme: http://bethdemme.com/Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/dospod)

From the earliest days of dreaming about the podcast, Steph and Beth knew they wanted to have Dr. Jill as a guest. The long-awaited day has arrived! Dr. Jill joins Steph and Beth for a conversation about the kinds of people we all need to stop wasting our emotions on. This is a great conversation about narcissism, psychopathy, sociopathy, and more.Full transcript and show notes here: https://bit.ly/dospod113Voicemail & text: (850) 270-3308Dr. Jill Ricke: https://aftermath-surviving-psychopathy.org/Stephanie Kostopoulos : https://www.stephaniekostopoulos.com/Beth Demme: http://bethdemme.com/Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/dospod)

Let's face it, no one gets through life without some brokenness. We don't choose our brokenness, but we can choose how we react to it. Do we see our brokenness as something ugly, or can we see the beauty in our healing and recovery? We aren't saying we are broken but nonetheless beautiful, we are saying we are broken and that brokenness? It's beautiful.Full transcript and show notes here: https://bit.ly/dospod112Voicemail & text: (850) 270-3308Stephanie Kostopoulos : https://www.stephaniekostopoulos.com/Beth Demme: http://bethdemme.com/Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/dospod)

Some words trigger an involuntary reaction or feeling in us. Steph and Beth share personal experiences with words that bother them. For Beth, it's hearing someone claim the Bible CLEARLY says something. For Steph, it's being called GIRL. For both of them, it's being told they SHOULD do or say something. Sometimes trigger words are a minor annoyance, but sometimes they relate to past trauma and harm. How do we identify our triggers and communicate with others about them? How do we respect other people's triggers? And, have we collectively become too sensitive? Steph and Beth talk about all of this and more in Episode 111.Full transcript and show notes here: https://bit.ly/dospod111Voicemail & text: (850) 270-3308Stephanie Kostopoulos : https://www.stephaniekostopoulos.com/Beth Demme: http://bethdemme.com/Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/dospod)

When Ryan was a little girl, she told people that when she was all grown up she wanted to be a chair. When she was sixteen, a car accident left her a paraplegic. She wouldn't be a chair, but she would live life from a wheelchair. From the days immediately following the accident, to trying out for the US Paralympic Team, to becoming a mom, Ryan has made the brave decision to live, really live. She  Her story is interesting and her resilience is inspiring.Full transcript and show notes here: https://bit.ly/dospod110Voicemail & text: (850) 270-3308Ryan Rae Harbuck: https://www.ryanraeharbuck.com/Stephanie Kostopoulos : https://www.stephaniekostopoulos.com/Beth Demme: http://bethdemme.com/Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/dospod)