Sojourn Podcast with Dienna Goscha

We all get angry. When do we need to act on that anger? When do we need to work it out ourselves? What difference does it make to use calm words when in an angry situation.

Encouraging words give courage. Let's think about how our words can encourage or discourage someone.

Words have the ability to breathe life or death. Empowering words help us to step into the woman God created us to be. Join Dienna as she shares a story of empowering words from her own life and scripture.

What is inside our hearts? Do we allow bitterness, envy, anger, and unforgiveness to reside there? Do we notice that our words that flow out of our mouths are attached to what is inside our hearts? What if we guarded our hearts? What difference would that make?

Sometimes our character faults are hidden from us. While other people may be well aware of them, we are oblivious to the things that come out of our mouths and actions. Let's learn to be open about our blind spots and be willing to make changes in our hearts.

We all experience fear. How do we navigate it? Join Dienna as she tells a few stories surrounding fear and shares a Psalm that helps us see how David dealt with the fear he experienced. 

We can throw around labels to define another person. Conservative. Liberal. Rich. Poor. Progressive. Fundamentalist. Democrat. Republican. What if we dropped the labels? What if we quit lumping people all together and saw each individual as God sees them?

What does it look like to be generous? What if we lived our lives with open hands instead of closed fists? How might our world look different?

What do we do when our dreams for the future fail? Especially when they are big dreams that someone says "No" to? Join Dienna as she talks about a dream her Grandma had and what was really behind the dream. Resources talked about during the podcast: Martha Esther Grant- womenofsojourn@gmail.com

When we think about hospitality, do we imagine a perfect home? A well set table? A delicious meal? Or do we think about love and belonging and being known. Listen to a few stories about a couple grandmas and how they learned to live a life of hospitality.

We don't always think about the first steps we take. . . whether they lead us toward wholeness or not. Some steps are neutral- neither good nor bad. Others can make a profound difference. Let's see what Grandma had to say about that.

Join Dienna and Susan as they discuss caregiving. From her wealth of experience as a caregiver to her mother and as a board certified life coach, Susan discusses strategies for resiliency in caregiving. Susan is most passionate about supporting caregivers who want to grow their personal resilience, so that they can be emotionally, mentally & physically healthier during one of life's most challenging seasons. Even though this session is directed toward caregivers, Susan's wisdom is beneficial to everyone- not just those actively caregiving. Susan can be found at springtolifecoaching.com. Download a free resource on her webpage.

Being pure in heart means our motivation comes from that one thing. Join us as we hear a story and some thoughts on that one thing.

It doesn't take long to discover that we aren't in control. What does it mean to be blessed in the midst of an uncontrollable situation? What did Jesus mean when he said "Blessed are the poor in spirit?" Join us to hear a story and a few thoughts by Dienna.

What does it mean to hunger and thirst after righteousness? A story about survival and a few thoughts about this beatitude.

In this first of the Stories from the Beatitudes series, we look at what it means to be comforted in the midst of suffering. TW: stillbirth

Some what ifs are healthy. They keep us out of trouble. Other what ifs make us fearful and keep us from action. How do we know the difference?

Jesus talks about darkness and light. He healed the blind man and light appeared. What happens when he brings light into our world?

Dienna talks about a near death experience in her family, the raising of Lazarus and how a dog saved a woman from loneliness. Join us as we talk about the many ways Jesus breathes life into us.

Have you ever been in a situation when you needed something and it came in a mysterious way? Have you wondered how that worked?

Jesus took a little boy's lunch and fed thousands. Do you ever wonder if he take the little that we have and make it enough?

What do you want for Christmas? What if we looked at Christmas through the eyes of a two year old and what he wanted?

Has anyone ever dropped in surprising you with joy and a bit of hope? How can we do that for others this Christmas season?

Surprise gifts that tell how much someone is loved and known spark joy. Join Dienna as she tells a story about a gift of joy.

When we look, we find gifts of joy and moments of peace. Listen to a story of a journey to Grandma's house.

This Thanksgiving it would be easy to have a scarcity mindset. Instead, let's choose to have a generous outlook.

It's easy to fall down the rabbit hole of complaining. Instead, lets look for glimmers of life around us that fill us with gratitude. Trigger Warning: Still birth will be discussed.

Bitterness can wedge deep into our souls coming out in wrath, clamor and slander. We can make the choice to let go of bitterness and replace it with kindness, compassion and forgiveness.

We need one another. Let's explore what it means to find rest in community.

It's those times when we are alone that we may be most vulnerable to betray others. What can we do to recognize this in ourselves?

It's hard to show loving kindness especially to those who might have treated us poorly. Let's explore hesed- the Hebrew word for loving kindness and see how it could make a difference in our lives.

What would it look like to put the interests of others before our own? Join us as we talk about elevating one another and about Sojourn's Martha Esther Grant and the difference it is making in women's lives.

Courage starts with imagining that things could be different. How might your life be different?

Jealousy can pop up when we least expect it. Learn some practices that replace jealous feelings with life-breathing thoughts.

When we step back from what God has woven in us, we see a beautiful weaving. One with imperfections and mishaps, yet one that tells a story of love and possibility. When we see the bigger picture, it gives us perspective on our life. It also calls to us to find meaning and purpose. What will we weave next with our life?

We were made for one another. We can make the choice to be woven into other's stories in positive, life-giving ways.

We were made for one another. Each one of us have women who have been woven into our story and we in turn are woven into each other's story. Learn about Mrs. Burgoyne and Dorcas who made a difference in other women's lives.

Emily Lee tells a part of her story of redemption and letting go of shame.

In the messy middle, we can get stuck in our suffering and our pain. We might keep secrets afraid to let people know what our struggle is which leads to shame. But we don't have to stay there.

We are woven into God's bigger story of redemption. Throughout Scripture, God's story unfolds of the Creation, the Fall, the Redemption and one day the Restoration. We live in the messy middle- redeemed but yet waiting for the day when He restores all things- makes all things right. Now, in the messy middle, he is redeeming our suffering and our brokeness.

Each one of us is known intimately by God. We can be vulnerable with him and with others when we truly believe God loves us.

We each have a desire to be known. Often we feel that we aren't known or seen or valued. Resources: Questions mentioned at the end of the episode can be found at sojournwomen.com or facebook.com/sojournwomen.