EDEN Speaks

God has been SO good to us in the season - a season of challenge, change, transition, growth and connection. We started this podcast in a time when we couldn't gather in person and we wanted nothing more than to be able to stay connected. EDEN Speaks was our answer to that. But we realize that while God called us into this, He also calls for us to create space for other things that He has for us. So, in this farewell episode we reflect on how much this meant, our favorite moments and the funny blooper moments that also brought us joy. We hope you enjoyed listening as much as we did sharing with you.

This week Shannon sits down with Aloysia to recap and discuss the message from Friday's EDEn Gathering. The dive into allowing God to rename, restore and resurrect areas of our lives where we may feel hopeless.

We are back after a short break in April and we felt like the season was right to talk about transitions. Transition in the literal season to summer (hopefully soon!), transition out of the school year, transition in all things big and small. We dig into how we can struggle with this for a million different reasons but that when we take a step back, we know we are always equipped to walk through these transitions because of Jesus.

A lot has changed since we last recorded! Over the last month and a half Shannon and Amy have been figuring out how to stay connected while being geographically in different places. In this episode, we dig into friendship and the challenges that come with relationships, having hard conversations, being intentional and navigating new and unknown territory. This is the first conversation, of many to be certain, about relationships of all kinds.

At our EDEN Gathering last Friday (sorry we are late y'all!) Pastor Stacy brought us a beautiful and encouraging message on healing. If you weren't able to make it in person for that you should definitely go back and listen, you won't be sad you did. In this episode we recap that and discuss what it means to be active participants in our own healing while recognizing that we don't have to earn the healing that Jesus readily gives us. #letthehealingbegin

This week we have an EDEN Gathering-EDEN Speaks mashup featuring Katie Barnhart! We are continuing with the sharing of our story but we are also continuing the topic of sex. At our EDEN Gathering we heard from Aloysia, Stacy, Shannon and Amy about their sexual stories but we wanted to continue that theme with another angle that is extremely important - the story of someone who waited until marriage to have sex. Katie shares with us her experience in walking that path, the positive and negative aspects of the "Purity Culture" and how those things impacted her as a person, how she parents her children and the challenges and blessings that it brought to her marriage.

It's February! Which means that our EDEN Gathering was all about sex and sexuality. A topic that is deep and vast and complicated......and sometimes hard to talk about. So here we are, talking about it, because it is important. The episode is a recap, kind of. We reference our Gathering, but since it wasn't recorded and those who were not able to attend can't go back and listen, we don't do a full recap. Instead, we are just diving a little deeper into the topic as a whole and what that means for us as women and as Christians.

Welcome back to another episode in our story series! Today we get to chat with Shirlee and hear more about her story. She shared a little of it at our last EDEN Gathering where she blessed us with a message but today we get to hear more detail of her full and fascinating life. She shares about her relationship with her mother and how the Lord was present in healing and repairing what was once painful. Sit back and enjoy.

We always love a good EDEN Gathering and we had one last Friday night! This episode is a recap and reflection on the encouraging and challenging message that the lovely Shirlee shared. She posed SO many good questions that really challenged us to look at how we are loving others, to examine if this is reflecting the love of Jesus and to help us determine if we are putting up walls (in the name of "boundaries") or if we are actually setting healthy boundaries that open us up to more meaningful and Christ-filled relationships. If you haven't listened to her message yet, you can find it at https://www.livingwordoakharbor.com/edenmessages

We are here with the third story in our series and you all just continue to amaze us with your vulnerability, faith and trust in our Heavenly Father (and rightly so, He is faithful to us!). Ryan shares her story of unexpected change and heartbreak and how through that, she has grown closer to God and found an ignited desire to hand her life and her future over to Him. Sit back and enjoy this awesome conversation with Ryan!

Merry Christmas Eve everyone! We are back this week with another amazing story shared by Chona. We aren't going to spoil it for you by telling you all about her journey, just know that it is beautiful and overflowing with God's faithfulness and her continued trust in Him! We hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

We are kicking off our "Story Series" and we are excited about this you guys! We each have such unique and special stories that are powerful in their own way. Whether it is something that changed your life in an instant, is supernatural (like Gerry's story!) or a testament to God's faithfulness throughout your life, telling it gives the opportunity to show someone the love of Jesus, connect with them over similarities or invite them to get to know our Lord. We are looking forward to hearing stories from people in our community so if you would like to share yours, let us know!

In case you missed it….Kathy Myhre was back again for the 4th year in a row at our November EDEN Gathering! And she never disappoints. Joining us today is Aloysia aka Ally Tennial so you know that awesome insight and Godly words will spoken. Kathy's message touched on so many great truths and we are spending some time discussing those and specifically obedience, discipline and calling. Join us for this fun and encouraging conversation.

In this week's episode we are continuing the conversation around our theme for this year, Be Intentional, Be Transformed. We know that connection is a vital part of relationship, including our relationship with Jesus. One of the ways we can cultivate this connection is through prayer, being intentional in our prayer life. Another important piece of this is our story and the vulnerability that comes from sharing our story with others. In December, we will start hearing stories from women in our church and we are SO excited! We know this will be POW-ER-FUL and we can't wait! Don't forget, EDEN Gathering is 11/19 at 6:30pm!

Join Pastor Shannon and Pastor Stacy as they recap Pastor Shannon's message from the EDEN Gathering on Friday night. They dig into being transformed and being intentional in our quest to silence, stillness and solitude. They also share about their journeys and the impact of The Rule of Life. If you weren't able to join us at our EDEN Gathering, you can listen to the message here: https://www.livingwordoakharbor.com/edenmessages

In case you are thinking of abandoning youself.....not only do we have some tips from Kathy Myher but in this week's episode we recap the amazing message the she delivered to us during our EDEN Gathering live stream last Friday. Kathy shared four ways that we abandon ourselves, while also lifting us up with the truths of God's Word . It was so rich with wisdom, undeniable biblical promises and encouragement that we just had to dig in a little deeper. We highly encourage anyone who hasn't yet had the opportunity to watch that to do so! We promise, you won't regret it. But for now, we hope that you enjoy this week's episode!

EDEN Weekend strikes again in all the best ways possible! There was delicious food, beautiful decorations, and, most importantly an amazing message that made it so clear how close the Lord is to us. Our guest speaker, Jessie Fure, is with us this week to share her heart on why she shared this specific message and how the Lord made it so clear to her that this is what He wanted her to do. We also dig into the how we each have experienced the death of something in our life and how the Lord's faithfulness continues to give us hope.

Welcome to Season 2 of EDEN Speaks! We are kicking off this season with our EDEN Weekend, which is an expanded version of our EDEN Gathering. The theme for this year is Be Intentional, Be Transformed. Pastor Shannon shares the heart and the motivation behind this theme and gives a little insight to what EDEN Weekend will entail - including EDEN Merch, which we know you all love! If you haven't signed up for EDEN Weekend, you can do that at https://www.livingwordoakharbor.com/eden See you there!

We are back again this week, for the final episode of this season, taking more about relationships. Whether we realize it or not, we were learning from the time were came into this world how we were supposed to connect (or attach) to people we are in relationship with. And we carry this throughout our lives - this is known as our attachment style. Listen in as we explain the four different attachment styles, what that means for our relationships and how we can learn more and begin to gain a better understanding of ourselves. And most importantly, how this impacts our relationship with the Father.

Here it is, the final episode of our 3-part series on body image. And what a journey it has been! To wrap this awesome conversation up, please welcome Carolyn Hansen. Carolyn shares her journey with us and gives a slightly different perspective on the idea of struggle with body image - it's not just weight. We can struggle with things such as our height, the size of our feet or other physical things that aren't what we want them to be. This can be magnified when we compare ourselves to others that we see as prettier or smarter or funnier. She invites us into how this has changed and how healing has presented itself as she has stepped farther into her life and into her later years......bringing wisdom and perspective.

Ok, we know we say this a lot....and we mean it every time...BUT this episode is not something you want to miss! This week is Part 2 of our series on body image and we have two very special people joining us - Kristen and Ainsley Nelson - mom and daughter power pair! These ladies awed us with their willingness to be raw and vulnerable not only with us and you but also with each other. They each share their stories and struggles with body image and how they have learned from one another as they have and continue to journey through it together. And there are some REAL truth-bombs so be prepared to soak it all in!

We are kicking off an awesome 3-part series on body image and, you guys, we are EXCITED! This is a topic that we have all likely had exposure to in one way or another in our life. Body image can encompass so many areas....weight, height, things about ourselves that we wish were different or all together not even a thing. In this first episode we talk with Kayla Angeles about her journey with her body image and the new challenges that she has faced as she stepped into new seasons of her life such as marriage (and the intimacy and vulnerability that comes with that!) and pregnancy. Join us!

So......did you know that the way ADHD symptoms look for females is very different than it looks for males? Yeah, neither did I until my good friend, Carrie Potter, LMHCA started talking to me about it. In today's episode, Carrie joins me (Amy, I'm flying solo on this one!) to share what she has learned about this, the impact that it can have on women when they are able to identify why they are struggling the way they are and how it changes our ability to live as who God calls us to be. We love mental health and feel it is so important to talk about, join us for this fun and educational episode!

We are constantly losing things.....but can we lose God? Sometimes it feels like maybe He has lost us. In this week's episode we are joined by Pastor Aimee Accetturo and Pastor Stacy Larsen as we reflect back on the message delivered to us by Pastor Melissa Nigro at our EDEN Gathering. We share about accepting the invitation to find Him when he seems absent, dig into the messy and beautiful world of emotions and cheer each other on as we embrace the encouragement from Pastor Melissa and "Don't give up. Keep on going". He is worth it.

Change.....it can feel like a loaded word. We know it is inevitable and even good for us, but it can also be scary, overwhelming or even something we use as a crutch to avoid going deeper. We could likely talk for days about change but for the purpose of this episode, we are discussing the different types of way we can experience change in life situations, but most importantly, how we experience change in our faith and how we see God show up in this.

Merry Christmas from EDEN Speaks! We have come to the last episode of Enneagram December, or as we have been referring to it, Enneapalooza! In this episode we sit down with three amazing young adults - Elizabeth Lawson, Alyssa McLeod and Mady Schwandt. It is inspiring to hear how these young women came to know of the Enneagram, how they began the process of leaning into it and learning more about themselves. Through this process, they initially thought they were a different number than what they truly are - also known as mis-typing. They share their stories of living from a perspective that didn't quite fit and how they discovered their true number, the one that really resonates with their soul. We hope you enjoy this fun episide and have a blessed Christmas!

This week we have two VERY special ladies joining us - Pastor Shannon's Mom, Lauri and Amy's Mom, Cindy.  Both Cindy and Lauri are new the the Enneagram so they share what it has been like for them as they have learned about it, about themselves and how it all impacts their relationships.  They share their persepctive of being introduced to this tool in a later stage of life and we also dig into the idea of nature vs. nurture.  You don't want to miss out on hearing from these sweet, loving, insightful women!

The month of April we will be playing reruns of our Enneagram series! We hope you enjoy and we look forward to being back with some new episodes in May. Enneagram December is here! This month we will have 3 weeks of all things Enneagram and this is the first one! Pastor Shannon and Amy give an overview of basics of what the Enneagram entails including a brief look at each number, triads, wings, stress and growth numbers, and subtypes. Our hope for this episode is to help you understand what the Enneagram is, or maybe even introduce you to it for the first time. Why do we think this is important? Because it is important to know who we are, second only to knowing God. We are, afterall, image bearers of Him. The Enneagram is a great place to begin this journey.......and it is just really fun! Below are some resources that we referenced in the episode: What the Ennegram symbol looks like: https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRuqAmeNvaWB-ARGlQgk1tF7ilOu-mclPlXIQ&usqp=CAU The Road Back to You: An Enneagram Journey to Self-Discovery by Ian Morgan Cron and Suzanne Stabile https://www.amazon.com/Road-Back-You-Enneagram-Self-Discovery/dp/0830846190/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAq8f-BRBtEiwAGr3Dga91JonnuWZumEIqdUhYJY7y90Oq7GIr34-qBBIkW_tmquvgFXcVeBoCgzMQAvD_BwE&hvadid=409986390134&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9033395&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=6050950547877927528&hvtargid=kwd-216686050597&hydadcr=22560_11319291&keywords=the+road+back+to+you&qid=1607658720&sr=8-1&tag=googhydr-20 What is Your Enneatype? An Essential Guide to the Enneagram: Understanding the Nine Personality Types for Personal Growth and Strengthened Relationships by Liz Carver and Josh Green https://www.amazon.com/Whats-Enneatype-Essential-Guide-Enneagram/dp/1592339522

Welcome back to another episode of EDEN Speaks! Last Friday at our EDEN Gathering we were blessed with an engaging and powerful message from Pastor Janell Martin. She spoke passionately about the power of the Holy Spirit and the good gift that God gave us through Jesus. In this episode we dig in further to some of the questions she asked us to consider such as what are we full of? Is it the Holy Spirit or is it other things of the world? Or is it fear, doubt or the enemy? We know the truth that is Jesus but also how easy it is to get distracted by the things around us. So let's lean in, open ourselves up to consider what we have been filling up on that isn't Jesus and allow Him to work in us. If you haven't watched Janell's message, you can find it here: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3dCgBD9U7Q

Joining us again this week is Elizabeth Kettlewell as we continue our conversation on sex and sexuality! Last episode we answered questions that were related directly to the talk that we did at our EDEN Gathering on February 19th; this week we are going to answer some additional questions that are still about sex but on some new topics. We had some wonderful, thought-provoking questions submitted regarding trauma, LGBTQ+, having healthy conversations with our kids about acceptance and "non-labeling", body image, and boundaries. We are excited to continue having this conversation and we know that we will keep this conversation going around this important topic! Resources: Embodied: Transgender Identities, the Church, and What the Bible Has to Say by Preston Sprinkle www.psychologytoday.com www.goodtherapy.com

One thing we know for sure - the topic of sex is vast and we could spent A LOT of time discussing the various areas of this topic. So let's continue this conversation! We started it at our EDEN Gathering on Friday, February 19th and quickly realized one episode to answer the questions we received that night will not be enough, so we are going to do two episodes! In this episode, Elizabeth Kettlewell, a college professor who teaches Human Sexuality, is back with us. We explore further what sexuality looks like for our ladies "in the middle"....women that are single, divorced, widowed or in a long term relationship and we also start answering some of the awesome questions submitted to us! We hope you will join us as we continue to engage in this important conversation.

Feelings.....we can have a love-hate relationship with them. As we have been exploring the book Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Pete Scazzero we have come face to face with the reality that we all have emotions, God gave us these emotions and He has them too. In denying, rejecting or ignoring these God-given emotions, we are stepping away from our true self that God made us to be, away from Him and further into our false self. In this episode, we have a fun and meaningful conversation with Mariah Connerley. She shares what it has been like for her to identify and embrace what she feels and courageously look at what it would mean to be her true self. And, of course, there is some enneagram talk! We hope that like us, you are encouraged by Mariah's vulnerability, energy and zest for life.

Grief is complicated. It can bring us to our knees and leave us feeling like we are swimming in a sea of emotions that are difficult to grasp. It can also bring us closer to God. At our most recent EDEN Gathering, Pastor Liz Sawczuck blessed us with a message on grief that was real, honest, vulnerable and uplifting. In this episode of EDEN Speaks, we dig in a little further to the topic of grief and the goodness that is disguised within it. Grab a warm blanket, something to drink and join us!

We are getting ready to kick off a new study and we are EXCITED! We will be digging into Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Pete Scazerro and we would love to get to share this experience with all of you. So, tune into this mini-episode as we share a little about what this book entails, what has been learned from previous times Pastor Shannon has read it and what we are looking forward to learning as we explore this together as a ministry. Let's take another step into faith and into growing and transforming our relationship with our one and only Savior, Jesus.

Welcome back to EDEN Speaks! We have something special for you this week. We had a fun and inspiring conversation with Katrina Dvorak about Chapter 8 of our book study, this chapter is titled "My Friend Sam, An Invitation to Break and Surrender Dreams." Katrina shares her heart, her of love of Jesus and her journey of giving up a dream and embracing the story the Lord has written for her. We also have some bonus audio! We pull back the curtain on our recording process and share a conversation that occured while we took a break from recording- lucky for us we always have a backup recording going and it was captured. We hope that you enjoy this as much as we enjoyed recording it!

Welcome to Episode 4 of EDEN Speaks! This week we will be reflecting on the message that was delivered by Ashley Potts at our virtual EDEN Gathering (don't worry, we give a little recap if you haven't had the chance to listen to that yet!). Ashley shared her story of unexpected circumstances, the fear and uncertainty that came with that and the beautiful ways that she has seen Jesus throughout a journey that is still in the process of unfolding. She highlighted scripture from John 16:33 "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world". In this episode, we dig into the second half of that scripture and explore how these beautiful words can be woven into our journey as well.

In this episode we have the pleasure of talking with the lovely Kendra Neugebauer! She shares her story of learning to be vulnerable, engaging in relationships in new ways, sheding the weight of shame she has carried throughout her life and how there was only one way she was able to accomplsh this - Jesus. She bravely discusses parts of her past that previously she avoided talking about and the freedom that this has brought her. You guys aren't going to want to miss this!

In this episode, we dig into the question "What is your rock?". What is the thing (or things!) that has been hard, painful or challenging but that you were able to rest your head on because of God's faithful promises. The thing that started as a rock and you were able to see as a pillar to build your faith on. He promises us many things, and one of those things is that when we face challenges, He is always with us and He is always faithful. We can trust Him! So let's dig in.

Our prayer for this podcast is that this can be a place of openness, grace, honesty, and connection with our sisters in Christ (and any brothers out there who are tuning in!). While this podcast is connection to our women's ministry at Living Word in Oak Harbor, Washington, we welcome everyone that is looking for real, Christ-centered conversations. Some of these conversations may be hard and emotional, stirring up parts of us that we would prefer to keep hidden and protected. Ephesians 5:13 says “But everything exposed by the light becomes visible - and everything that is illuminated becomes a light”. Let us be that light to one another. Let's take a step outside of our comfort zone. Let's trust Jesus to show us how to give grace and hope to others and also put us in a posture to receive it as we engage in a journey of growth. Let's speak truth of God's Word. Let's always speak love.