The Desire Line

From your favorite one-time pastor/podcast host (of a podcast hosted by a pastor and a therapist), comes a new offering: The Naming the Real Podcast. This is another preview episode of this new podcast, which you can find and subscribe to at Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. But wait...there's more! Be excited, because new content is coming from Susette right here in the Desire Line Podcast feed very soon!

From your favorite one-time pastor/podcast host (of a podcast hosted by a pastor and a therapist), comes a new offering: The Naming the Real Podcast. Because--as you may remember--the right naming of things is the beginning of wisdom. Enjoy this episode from Brandon's new podcast, and then come join the party by subscribing. You can find it at Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. And...look out for new (amazing) content coming from Susette, right here in the Desire Line podcast feed!

Brandon and Susette announce, The Desire Line Podcast is coming to an end. In this final episode they reminisce over their favorite memories from the past 3 years and recognize the wonderful content produced and relationships formed because of it. Susette and Brandon have exciting projects coming up; to stay up to date on them follow their social media channels. Until we meet again, may we all have the courage to walk the desire line...    

We jumped on mic for a bit for a raw episode talking about the CoronaVirus, Social Distancing, and how we're coping with this change.   Brandon identified the difference between Resistance and Acceptance, and aligned it with the normal emotional process of first fighting & resisting change and things we can't control, and the freedom that comes from accepting reality and leaning in.  Susette walked us through the serenity prayer & the 12 steps, which is a character development process that we all can use.  Especially Susette =) I hope you enjoy this off-the-cuff episode.   We care about you.  We're all doing our best.  Give yourself, and your people, grace as we're in this experience.     

We are finishing our arc on abuse and discussion on recovery from abuse. Susette and Brandon bring up how family of origin affect abuse experiences, common phrases they hear that dismiss abuse, and the importance of creating boundaries on the path to forgiveness. There is no limit to how much we can thrive and flourish. Coping skills created from family of origin: the good and the bad. Functioning in the midst of dysfunction. Not judging and not comparing  Common phrases that minimizes and ignores a victim's pain. Before forgiveness can happen boundaries need to be set that provide physical and emotional safety.   RESOURCES Domestic Violence Hotline: https://www.thehotline.org   Child Abuse Reporting  https://www.childwelfare.gov/organizations/?CWIGFunctionsaction=rols:main.dspList&rolType=Custom&RS_ID=%205   Elder Abuse: https://www.justice.gov/elderjustice   Toxic Faith https://www.amazon.com/dp/0877888256/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_c_api_i_yHyzEbTHV6EKN   Sexual Abuse Recovery: The Wounded Heart: Hope for Adult Victims of Childhood Sexual Abuse  

Susette and Brandon wrap up our arc on abuse by talking about recovery and how we can flourish, thrive and triumph in the face of our trauma. In this episode Susette shares experiences in which her body and mind show in a miraculous way how they are intertwined and Brandon calls us to live in compassion, not comparison, for ourselves and others who are in trauma. Recognizing and naming abuse. Triggers How the body reacts to triggers of abuse: reclaiming the value of the body Disassociation The importance of categorizing negative experiences as trauma and/or abuse while not comparing those experiences to others. RESOURCES Domestic Violence Hotline: https://www.thehotline.org   Child Abuse Reporting  https://www.childwelfare.gov/organizations/?CWIGFunctionsaction=rols:main.dspList&rolType=Custom&RS_ID=%205   Elder Abuse: https://www.justice.gov/elderjustice   Toxic Faith https://www.amazon.com/dp/0877888256/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_c_api_i_yHyzEbTHV6EKN   Sexual Abuse Recovery: The Wounded Heart: Hope for Adult Victims of Childhood Sexual Abuse  

Last episode we continued our discussion on  spiritual abuse. This week Brandon Cook shares a sermon he gave titled Forgiving Reality. In light of our arc on abuse we have explored the place forgiveness has on our path to healing from our trauma. Brandon takes the discussion a step further by suggesting that we have the choice to also forgive reality and the difficult circumstances and truths it brings.  

Join us as we continue our conversation on spiritual abuse as we strive for differentiation and being well informed to identify health church relationships. "Spiritual Abuse is when someone use their spiritual authority or manipulates your natural spiritual longings to have power over you..." Brandon Cook. Power can come from hierarchy and position such as created by the influence of the business model and the church. We can decide what kind of power your pastor has. "And do not call anyone on earth 'father,' for you have one Father, and he is in heaven" Matthew 23:9 “Classically, there are three ways in which humans try to find transcendence--religious meaning--apart from God as revealed through the cross of Jesus: through the ecstasy of alcohol and drugs, through the ecstasy of recreational sex, through the ecstasy of crowds." - Eugene Peterson  As a leader there is a danger to find "ecstasy in crowds," and feed into ones own hype. "Superpastor" problem  RESOURCES Domestic Violence Hotline: https://www.thehotline.org   Child Abuse Reporting  https://www.childwelfare.gov/organizations/?CWIGFunctionsaction=rols:main.dspList&rolType=Custom&RS_ID=%205   Elder Abuse: https://www.justice.gov/elderjustice   Toxic Faith https://www.amazon.com/dp/0877888256/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_c_api_i_yHyzEbTHV6EKN   Sexual Abuse Recovery: The Wounded Heart: Hope for Adult Victims of Childhood Sexual Abuse  

Susette and Brandon explore the topic of spiritual abuse. They recognize that leaders who have authority of the spiritual lives of others have a great impact however a powerful ability to hurt those they lead.  They call us to view our pastors and other spiritual leaders in appropriate roles. As well as pointing out to leaders some of their followers may project their God, paternal, or maternal images onto them. Although the person of authority has responsibility to refrain from abusing their power we all have the ability to sustain healthy boundaries in these relationships.  Spiritual Abuse - a pattern of behavior used by one person to gain and maintain POWER and CONTROL over another. RESOURCES Domestic Violence Hotline: https://www.thehotline.org   Child Abuse Reporting  https://www.childwelfare.gov/organizations/?CWIGFunctionsaction=rols:main.dspList&rolType=Custom&RS_ID=%205   Elder Abuse: https://www.justice.gov/elderjustice   Toxic Faith https://www.amazon.com/dp/0877888256/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_c_api_i_yHyzEbTHV6EKN   Sexual Abuse Recovery: The Wounded Heart: Hope for Adult Victims of Childhood Sexual Abuse  

Susette and Brandon discuss what qualifies as emotional abuse and what does not. Although it is difficult to identify emotional abuse, they outline language and tools to help us be aware of the possible unhealthy power dynamics of relationships.  "Emotional abuse is an attempt to control, in just the same way that physical abuse is an attempt to control another person. The only difference is that the emotional abuser does not use physical hitting, kicking, pinching, grabbing, pushing, or other physical forms of harm. Rather the perpetrator of emotional abuse uses emotion as his or her weapon of choice.” - (See the article attached from Psychology Today) Gaslighting: a form of psychological manipulation. Codependent relationships and lack of differentiation in relationship can be a cause of emotional abuse Pervasive Behaviors are good indicators of the presence of emotional abuse. The heightened sensitivity non-reciprocal relationships have to covert abuse. Emotional Abuse by Andrea Matthews of Psychology Today https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/emotional-abuse Silently Seduced: When Parents Make their Children Partners - Understanding Covert Incest by Kenneth M. Adams Ph.D. RESOURCES Domestic Violence Hotline: https://www.thehotline.org   Child Abuse Reporting  https://www.childwelfare.gov/organizations/?CWIGFunctionsaction=rols:main.dspList&rolType=Custom&RS_ID=%205   Elder Abuse: https://www.justice.gov/elderjustice   Toxic Faith https://www.amazon.com/dp/0877888256/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_c_api_i_yHyzEbTHV6EKN   Sexual Abuse Recovery: The Wounded Heart: Hope for Adult Victims of Childhood Sexual Abuse  

This week's episode continues our discussion with Barbara Sonofsky on the topic of sexual abuse. We explore the process of healing for individuals at different stages of their trauma, we identify what attitudes and obstacles keep us from healing and relish in a God who is the ultimate comforter, counselor and healer. Choosing to be offended Basic Pathway to Healing for Sexual Abuse Victims Naming your trauma Sharing trauma with a trusted confidant  What healing looks like for different experiences of trauma Faith Hope and Love - 3 Tenants of Healing How the Church Addresses Sexual Abuse Me Too Movement Dan Allendar and Narrative Therapy - https://theallendercenter.org/ What stands in the way of wholeness.  RESOURCES Domestic Violence Hotline: https://www.thehotline.org   Child Abuse Reporting  https://www.childwelfare.gov/organizations/?CWIGFunctionsaction=rols:main.dspList&rolType=Custom&RS_ID=%205   Elder Abuse: https://www.justice.gov/elderjustice   Toxic Faith https://www.amazon.com/dp/0877888256/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_c_api_i_yHyzEbTHV6EKN   Sexual Abuse Recovery: The Wounded Heart: Hope for Adult Victims of Childhood Sexual Abuse  

As we continue our arc on abuse Susette and Brandon invite Barbara Sonofsky to the conversation of sexual abuse. In this episode Barb shares her story and explains how her experiences and recovery has shaped her.  We shed more light on the complexities of this form of abuse in hopes to raise awareness and provide outlets for healing. Sexual abuse is unwanted sexual activity, with perpetrators using force, making threats or taking advantage of victims not able to give consent. Most victims and perpetrators know each other. Immediate reactions to sexual abuse include shock, fear or disbelief. Long-term symptoms include anxiety, fear or post-traumatic stress disorder. While efforts to treat sex offenders remain unpromising, psychological interventions for survivors — especially group therapy — appears effective. RESOURCES Domestic Violence Hotline: https://www.thehotline.org   Child Abuse Reporting  https://www.childwelfare.gov/organizations/?CWIGFunctionsaction=rols:main.dspList&rolType=Custom&RS_ID=%205   Elder Abuse: https://www.justice.gov/elderjustice   Toxic Faith https://www.amazon.com/dp/0877888256/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_c_api_i_yHyzEbTHV6EKN   Sexual Abuse Recovery: The Wounded Heart: Hope for Adult Victims of Childhood Sexual Abuse    

This week Susette Magana shares a sermon on recognizing and accepting our emotions, learning to regulate them and integrating them in our relationship with God.    Emotions (all of them) are normal.  EMOTIONS and BEHAVIORS are different.  When we feel something, we then make a choice to act.     “Ignoring our emotions is turning our back on reality;  listening to our emotions ushers us into reality. And reality is where we meet God.”  Dan Allendar.   God created us to experience a full range of emotions, but not to be subject to them (let them run our lives).    If we don't deal with painful emotions, like anger, fear, sadness, they can become WAYS OF LIFE or part of our IDENTITY, like being resentful, anxious, or hopeless.     Ezekiel 36:26 NLT  I will take your stony, stubborn heart, and give you a tender, responsive heart.    Emotional regulation:  Once we know what's happening, we can learn to regulate it.  Our Body:  deep breathing, exercise, muscle relaxation for tension Our Mind/Heart: Acknowledging our pain & fear, resisting shame, & asking for help.     Psalm 13 For the director of music. A psalm of David. 1 How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever?    How long will you hide your face from me? 2 How long must I wrestle with my thoughts     and day after day have sorrow in my heart?     How long will my enemy triumph over me? 3 Look on me and answer, Lord my God.     Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death, 4 and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,”     and my foes will rejoice when I fall. 5 But I trust in your unfailing love;     my heart rejoices in your salvation. 6 I will sing the Lord's praise,     for he has been good to me.   The soul seeks harmony, connection, and integration.  Dallas Willard   PROBLEM:   DISINTEGRATION:  When these parts of our soul feel disconnected (from self or others) or overwhelmed.   If we don't deal with painful emotions, like anger, fear, sadness, they can become WAYS OF LIFE or part of our IDENTITY, like being resentful, anxious, or hopeless.    These are more postures that our soul takes than emotional responses.    In order to NOT fall into these ways of living, we need to acknowledge them or confess them before God and trusted people, and work to keep our hearts and minds tender & responsive towards others.   Ezekiel 36:26 NLT   I will take your stony, stubborn heart, and give you a tender, responsive heart.   WHAT IF:  We could feel a full range of emotions, without self-judgement, but that we have enough wisdom to not “REACT” to them, but to “make decisions & respond” when we feel them. What if emotions were a normal part of our daily life, instead of something that we avoid or demand attention for?  What if, as the family of God, we invited a full range of emotions into our prayers, song, and relationships?

We continue the arc of abuse in this episode on the topic of physical abuse. Susette and Brandon discuss what this abuse looks like for children, and in romantic relationships, while more subvert forms physical abuse are brought to awareness. We realize these lines of definition are fine and more people than we realize struggle in pain than they let on.  Physical Abuse: is any intentional and unwanted contact with you or something close to your body. Sometimes abusive behavior does not cause pain or even leave a bruise, but it's still unhealthy. Scratching, punching, biting, strangling or kicking. Throwing something at you such as a phone, book, shoe or plate. Pulling your hair. Pushing or pulling you. Grabbing your clothing. Using a gun, knife, box cutter, bat, mace or other weapon. Smacking your bottom without your permission or consent. Grabbing your face to make you look at them. Grabbing you to prevent you from leaving or to force you to go somewhere. RESOURCES Domestic Violence Hotline: https://www.thehotline.org   Child Abuse Reporting  https://www.childwelfare.gov/organizations/?CWIGFunctionsaction=rols:main.dspList&rolType=Custom&RS_ID=%205   Elder Abuse: https://www.justice.gov/elderjustice   Toxic Faith https://www.amazon.com/dp/0877888256/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_c_api_i_yHyzEbTHV6EKN   Sexual Abuse Recovery: The Wounded Heart: Hope for Adult Victims of Childhood Sexual Abuse  

We continue the arc of abuse in this episode on the topic of physical abuse. Susette and Brandon define what is considered physical abuse while also providing resources on how to further assess situations. We identify misconceptions of physical abuse and embark on a the issue of spanking, a subject that has a widely varied opinion. Physical Abuse: is any intentional and unwanted contact with you or something close to your body. Sometimes abusive behavior does not cause pain or even leave a bruise, but it's still unhealthy. Scratching, punching, biting, strangling or kicking. Throwing something at you such as a phone, book, shoe or plate. Pulling your hair. Pushing or pulling you. Grabbing your clothing. Using a gun, knife, box cutter, bat, mace or other weapon. Smacking your bottom without your permission or consent. Grabbing your face to make you look at them. Grabbing you to prevent you from leaving or to force you to go somewhere. Power Control Wheel: https://ywcaspokane.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/2018-YWCA-Spokane-Power-and-Control-Wheel.pdf What Science Says - and Doesn't Say about Spanking: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/what-science-says-and-doesn-t-about-spanking/ RESOURCES Domestic Violence Hotline: https://www.thehotline.org   Child Abuse Reporting  https://www.childwelfare.gov/organizations/?CWIGFunctionsaction=rols:main.dspList&rolType=Custom&RS_ID=%205   Elder Abuse: https://www.justice.gov/elderjustice   Toxic Faith https://www.amazon.com/dp/0877888256/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_c_api_i_yHyzEbTHV6EKN   Sexual Abuse Recovery: The Wounded Heart: Hope for Adult Victims of Childhood Sexual Abuse  

This episode begins the arc on abuse in our season on Mental Health in the Church. Susette and Brandon discuss different types of abuse and how they should be properly addressed in their professional perspectives. We will recognize the different forms in which people experience abuse, how we can address it and efforts to take towards a recovery process.  Abuse: a pattern of behavior used by one person to gain and maintain POWER and CONTROL over another. Types of abuse: Physical, Emotional/Verbal, Sexual, Spiritual Abuse, Mental/Psychological, Financial/Economic (adult protected groups or rich kids), Cultural (using someone's culture to gain power over someone; e.g., undocumented worker), Neglect (in protected groups) Spectrum of abuse Trauma informed, abuse informed Contemplative and compassionate perspective of life Freedom Strategies we form to avoid pain we need to face such as grief and lament Mandated reporting   RESOURCES Domestic Violence Hotline: https://www.thehotline.org   Child Abuse Reporting  https://www.childwelfare.gov/organizations/?CWIGFunctionsaction=rols:main.dspList&rolType=Custom&RS_ID=%205   Elder Abuse: https://www.justice.gov/elderjustice   Toxic Faith https://www.amazon.com/dp/0877888256/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_c_api_i_yHyzEbTHV6EKN   Sexual Abuse Recovery: The Wounded Heart: Hope for Adult Victims of Childhood Sexual Abuse  

In this episode we get to look back at one of our most popular episodes on spiritual development.  Every faith journey is different, but are there discernible patterns that are common among us? Law was good, but it could never transform It was good, it taught you that we live in a moral universe, you weren't designed to live under a baby-sitter for ever, meant to mature and live by the Spirit It's openness to God that transforms, Jesus is the path to openness in God, in his death, he demonstrated his absolute trust—his absolute openness—to God and to resurrection life in God There often will come a point where you have to get off the paved path. Often times it's suffering or some sort of inner conflict, or a product of the Christian culture that we're living in today. “If you ask anybody, ‘What's the activity that you had that made you who you are?' no one says, ‘You know I had a really great vacation in Hawaii.' No one says that. They say, ‘I had a period of struggle. I lost a loved one. I was in the Army. And that period of struggle or that period of toughness made me who I am.'” This idea of the dark night, some period where your faith seems inadequate or your suffering makes you ask, “Where is God?” is one of the key characteristics in the pattern of spiritual development Every journey is different, but are there discernible patterns to the spiritual journey? This can help us normalize our journey! We are not alone. “It hurts to become real” -The Velveteen Rabbit SCRIPTURE This development is actually normalized in Scripture We are all being changed (2 Corinthians 3:18) What matters is becoming new creation So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image. Law-NT Paul: law is a baby-sitter (Galatians 3:24) Law was good, but it could never transform It was good, it taught you that we live in a moral universe, you weren't designed to live under a baby-sitter for ever, meant to mature and live by the Spirit It's openness to God that transforms, Jesus is the path to openness in God, in his death, he demonstrated his absolute trust—his absolute openness—to God and to resurrection life in God Development in the nation of Israel Jesus: Kingdom of Heaven: Mustard seed NT Wright: every generation must wrestle with… “We must stop giving 16th century answers…” PSYCHOLOGY James Fowler Stage of Faith M. Scott Peck The Road Less Traveled http://www.whale.to/b/peck1.html -Stage I Chaotic, Antisocial Antisocial in that it's all “me” (perhaps Hedonistic) -Stage II Formal, Institutional, Fundamental Boundaries good Dark side: very either-or, all-or-nothing. Have difficulty explaining, or comforting when experiencing suffering. -Stage III Skeptic, Individual, Questioner Life is more gray than previously acknowledged -Stage IV Mystic, Communal Open to God Notice, Every pattern or theory of development we're going to talk about today ends in some sort of “union” It's possible, or probable to be in more than one at once. Not linear. We may be in both or all at different times. Exercise:  In the midst of a painful thought, relationship or memory, asking God: "How can you be so good?"

The Desire Line Podcast presents a message given by our very own Brandon Cook. We will dive into the Lord's prayer and it's implications on our spiritual and prayer practices. Matthew 6:9-13 (NIV) 9 “This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10 your kingdom come, your will be done,     on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts,     as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation,     but deliver us from the evil one.'   Follow us on Twitter: @my desireline & @brandonalancook & @susettemtherapy On instagram: @desire.line.podcast @susette.magana.therapy & @brandonalancook Support us on Patreon on “The Desire Line Podcast”

Brandon and Susette continue the discussion of the long lasting myth that affects how we view mental health, especially in relation to faith; that the body doesn't matter. Having a dualistic mindset on this topic brings us closer to the desireline. The roles of neuroscience, contemplative practice and the balance of opposites are introduced. Although it is easier to separate body and mind, and pretend to live in a black and white world God created us as integrated beings and invites everyone to in the truth and mystery of that.   Follow us on Twitter: @my desireline & @brandonalancook & @susettemtherapy   On instagram: @desire.line.podcast @susette.magana.therapy & @brandonalancook   Support us on Patreon on “The Desire Line Podcast”

Brandon and Susette dive deeper into a long lasting myth that affects how we view mental health, especially in relation to faith; that the body doesn't matter. We talk about what healthy integration of both mind and body in terms of our faith looks like, and the importance of expressing that in a culture where the body is viewed as less than. Balance of Opposites Spirituality is Physical - Epigenetics Elevating the Role of the Body - Emotional pain received as physical pain to the brain The mind craves embodiment BOTH/AND in mind body and life   "Psychiatry & Psychotherapy Podcast" with David Puder Episode 60  "The Science of Storytelling" by Lani Peterson   https://www.harvardbusiness.org/the-science-behind-the-art-of-storytelling/    Follow us on Twitter: @my desireline & @brandonalancook & @susettemtherapy On instagram: @desire.line.podcast @susette.magana.therapy & @brandonalancook Support us on Patreon on “The Desire Line Podcast”

Brandon and Susette dive deeper into a long lasting myth that affects how we view mental health, especially in relation to faith; the body and mind are separate entities. This is seen in Greco versus Hebraic view of the body and mind. We talk about what healthy integration of both looks like, and the importance of expressing that in a culture where the body is viewed as less than. Join us on our Facebook Group: The Desire Line Podcast Community    Follow us on Twitter: @my desireline & @brandonalancook & @susettemtherapy   On instagram: @desire.line.podcast @susette.magana.therapy & @brandonalancook   Support us on Patreon on “The Desire Line Podcast”

In this bonus episode we take a break from our series on mental health and the church to talk about current events surrounding suicidality. Susette takes an educational moment to address how we talk about suicide in our communities and how talking about suicide relieves a stigma providing a space for us to support one another. They share their experiences, presuppositions, and truths they have found surrounding this topic. Discussing how we can walk alongside those who struggle with depression or suicidality and guide them toward mental health professionals who can appropriately help and treatment.  Suicide in ministry and the mental health profession How suicide has been viewed and portrayed in the past in the church  Important knowledge about suicidality Differentiation between suicidal thoughts, attempts and dying by suicide Talking about it, or asking about it, doesn't mean that we're going to plant suicidal thoughts in your own or someone's else's head. Mental health professionals are trained on how to assess the severity of suicidal thinking.  Factors of depression. Genetics  Environmental factors  Choice in engagement in community, health & treatment  https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org 1-800-273-8255 Steve Austin Article https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/voices/2019/09/22/christianity-suicide-church-pastor-jarrid-wilson-column/2386533001/ From Pastor to Psych Ward Steve Austin https://www.amazon.com/Pastor-Psych-Ward-Recovery-Possible-ebook/dp/B01LC1LI42   Follow us on Twitter: @my desireline & @brandonalancook & @susettemtherapy On instagram: @desire.line.podcast @susette.magana.therapy & @brandonalancook Support us on Patreon on “The Desire Line Podcast”  

Episode 54- MENTAL HEALTH AND THE CHURCH I: MYTHS OF MENTAL HEALTH CONT' Follow us on Twitter: @my desireline & @brandonalancook & @susettemtherapy On instagram: @desire.line.podcast @susette.magana.therapy & @brandonalancook Support us on Patreon on “The Desire Line Podcast”   In this episode the conversation of myths surrounding mental health in the church continues as we discuss why these myths are present, how they affect us and the truths in place of them that lead to spiritual growth. Brandon and Susette also share and compare their experiences of when people come to them for guidance in mental health issues. We chat about ways the some churches and organizations serve the mental health of their community and how others can do the same.  How people approach pastors and therapists with mental health issues. What were we taught about mental health from the church and/or family The power and responsibility spiritual leaders have of their followers. Myths: How Christians Have Viewed Mental Health Therapy helps people be self-involved   I Saw Satan Fall Like Lightning - Rene Girard https://www.amazon.com/See-Satan-Fall-Like-Lightning/dp/1570753199   Hope for Mental Health founded by Rick and Kay Warren  https://hope4mentalhealth.com/  

In this episode we introduce the theme of season three, mental health and the church, and begin to uncover some of the myths associated with these two different, yet integral movements. In this theme we'll explore how faith communities might or might not engage with issues and how we, in faith, live authentically, empathetic, and connected. The catch all phrase “mental health” looks at the emotional, psychological and social well being. We discuss how our body, mind and soul contribute to our mental health and dissect problematic theologies that can pull us away from optimum mental health and spiritual maturity. The myths that often surround mental health and its implication of one's faith are uncovered and disputed and a call to recognize and use the God given tools we have to be more mentally healthy is given.    What does the catch all phrase mental health mean?   Shema, the intention to Love the Lord God with your whole being.   “Those in whom the Spirit comes to live are God's new Temple. They are, individually and corporately, places where heaven and earth meet.” - NT Wright   Myths: How Christians Have Viewed Mental Health Focusing on emotion or physical body makes you weak (faithless) Body mind divide Prayer is all you need to heal problems   Deut 6:4-8 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.” Luke 10:25-28 “On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. ‘Teacher,' he asked, ‘what must I do to inherit eternal life? What is written in the Law?' he replied. ‘How do you read it?' He answered, ‘‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.'  ‘You have answered correctly,' Jesus replied. ‘Do this and you will live.'”   Lost Connections by Johann Hari https://www.amazon.com/Lost-Connections-Uncovering-Depression-Unexpected/dp/163286830X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=KHS13C5G38DV&keywords=lost+connections&qid=1567786680&s=gateway&sprefix=lost+conn%2Caps%2C229&sr=8-1   Join us on our Facebook Group: The Desire Line Podcast Community  Follow us on Twitter: @my desireline & @brandonalancook & @susettemtherapy On instagram: @desire.line.podcast @susette.magana.therapy & @brandonalancook Support us on Patreon on “The Desire Line Podcast”

The end is always bittersweet. We're wrapping up Season 2 this week with a discussion on all the topics covered throughout the past year. In part one of our chat, we go back into our arcs on Attachment Theory and Understanding The Bible. Thanks so much for tuning in!

It's an Enneagram Party! Part Two!

It's an Enneagram Party!  Kristy Hinds is a speaker, author and storyteller. You can find her book Redeemed: The Power Of A Single Story here at this link! Barbara Sunofsky is the Pastor of Family and Soul Care at Long Beach Christian Fellowship. You can find her at LBCF.org.  Bryan Rouanzion is the Pastor of Teaching and Formation at Canopy Church in Costa Mesa, California.  

We're back again with another Enneagram episode. This week we discuss with our esteemed colleague and friend of the podcast, Bryan Rouanzion, Enneagram Wings and the ways that each type turns to others in moments of stress and moments of health. Thanks for joining us!  

Part two is here! Continuing out discussion from last weeks episode, we dive into our final Enneagram Triad; The Mind. We also delve into the Myers Briggs correlation within enneagram types. Thanks for tuning in!   Bryan Rouanzion is the Pastor of Teaching and Formation at Canopy Church in Costa Mesa, California.

Bryan's back...alright! This week we're diving into further discussion on two of the three intelligence centers covered in the previous episode. If you are not caught up, we highly suggest you give episode 45 a listen. If you are bummed we didn't cover your enneagram number in this episode, have no fear, we will be continuing our conversation in the following ep. So keep your eyes peeled! Bryan Rouanzion is the Pastor of Teaching and Formation at Canopy Church in Costa Mesa, California.  

Personality reigns supreme. This week we're diving in to The Enneagram with friend-of-the-podcast, Bryan Rouanzoin. With ancient roots that transformed into a further exploration and understanding in the 20th century, The Enneagram taps into a deeper sense of human personality and archetype within all of us. We talk the nine types and how they divide into three separate centers existing within our own bodies. All of this with the hope that you, the listener, will consider it a helpful invitation to know thyself. Bryan Rouanzion is the Pastor of Teaching and Formation at Canopy Church in Costa Mesa, California.  

A bonus ep! We are so excited to share this conversation with our DLPC. We are huge fans of the CXMH Podcast and we hope you love our chat with Robert Vore & Dr. Holly Oxhandler as much as we did.  Click here to check out their podcast!   

We're back with another episode on personality! Today we discuss the different ways that we seek God.  We touch on how this correlates to our Myers-Briggs, strength praying/playing and what functionally puts you in touch with the divine. Thanks so much for tuning in, we hope you enjoy! NBC's One To Grow On   Four Temperaments: -Sanguine -Choleric -Melancholic -Phlegmatic   Episode 15: M Scott Peck   C.S Lewis Dark Night Of The Soul   Romans 14   1 Corinthians 8   “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. - John 15:5   “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law” Galatians 5:22-23   Please Understand Me - David Keirsey   Idealist Rationalist Artisan Gaurdian   Who We Are Is How We Pray - Charles Keating

In our 3rd episode on Personality, we dive into the Four "Ancient" Temperaments first introduced by Galen of Pergamon, a Greek physician and surgeon. We talk our own individual reflections on the aforementioned identities, the utilization of these in popular media and how Keirsey realigned them to work alongside the Meyer-Briggs theory on personality. All of this and more, to ultimately learn how to make sense of your identity while also living in peace with those around you. Dr. David Keirsey was an American psychologist, a professor emeritus at California State University, Fullerton, and the author of several books. With a focus on conflict management and cooperation, Keirsey specialized in family and partnership counseling and the coaching of children and adults. Episodes 25-29 of Desire Line Podcast- Attachment Theory Sermon On The Mount: Judging  Romans 1 & 2: Sexuality  Stage II: the stage at which a person has blind faith in authority figures and sees the world as divided simply into good and evil, right and wrong, us and them. Once children learn to obey their parents and other authority figures, often out of fear or shame, they reach Stage II. Many so-called religious people are essentially Stage II people, in the sense that they have blind faith in God, and do not question His existence. With blind faith comes humility and a willingness to obey and serve. The majority of good, law-abiding citizens never move out of Stage II. Matthew 22:21 Jesus said "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's; and to God the things that are God's." ... For there is no authority except from God and those which exist are established by God." If the law of the land is that everyone must pay war taxesthen that is what we must do. It is the law!   Ezekiel 36:26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh  

Find us!  We want to connect with you. Instagram: @susette.magana.therapy & @brandonalancook FB: The Desire Line Podcast Community Twitter: @susettemtherapy @brandonalancook @mydesireline Patreon: www.patreon.com/desirelinepodcast ______________________________________ In the second episode in our arc on personality, we dive into Personality Theory, taking on the questions that are essential to the human paradigm... How am I different from you? How are you different from me? How do see the world and learn about it? How do we make decisions? Personality theory, as we understand it in pop culture, is about unique gifts & individuality and how we interface with the world. In other words: How I'm different from you, and how we can live in relationship with these differences.  Maximizing our strengths, appreciating our differences. We can choose to not live in judgment of our weaknesses. This speaks beautifully to the Desire Line path -- sometimes following the paved path doesn't bring the results it promises (union with God), because we're made in a way that doesn't fit the model.  We have to discover our God-given way of walking. All of these and more in this episode. We hope you stay tuned! Heres some trusted MB links:   https://www.myersbriggs.org/my-mbti-personality-type/mbti-basics/home.htm?bhcp=1 https://keirsey.com/temperament-overview/ Click here for the Brene Brown Anatomy of Trust video  

Join us on our Facebook Group: The Desire Line Podcast Community.  Follow us on Twitter: @mydesireline & @brandonalancook & @susettemtherapy On Instagram: @susette.magana.therapy & @brandonalancook Support us on Patreon on "The Desire Line Podcast."   In this episode, we begin our arc on Personality Theories, and how they inform who we are.  These next few episodes will cover the Myers-Briggs, the Enneagram, and other theories (like the 4 Temperaments).  We'll look at what they have in common, how they differ, and how they teach us about how we experience the world & make decisions in life.   We talk "subjective vs. objective" personality theories, meaning, they're self-assessed.  Personality assessments are about discovering meaning in your relationships more than finding concrete facts about yourself.  “The unexamined life is not worth living” - Socrates Imago Dei ("image of God") ("image of God"): A theological term, applied uniquely to humans, which denotes the symbolical relation between God and humanity. ... To say that humans are in the image of God is to recognize the special qualities of human nature which allow God to be made manifest in humans. Flesh vs. Spirit: For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. Galatians 5:17 False self vs True self: You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ.  Romans 8:9 “Everyone of us is shadowed by an illusory person: a false self..We are not very good at recognizing illusions, least of all the ones we cherish about ourselves.” -Thomas Merton Henri Nouwen was a Dutch Catholic priest, professor, writer and theologian. His interests were rooted primarily in psychology, pastoral ministry, spirituality, social justice and community. “Joy is the most vulnerable emotion” - Brene Brown Brene Brown is a research professor at the University of Houston. She has spent the past two decades studying courage, vulnerability, shame, and empathy and is the author of five #1 New York Times bestsellers: The Gifts of Imperfection, Daring Greatly, Rising Strong, Braving the Wilderness, and her latest book, Dare to Lead, which is the culmination of a seven-year study on courage and leadership. Matthew 23:26 You blind Pharisee! First wash the inside of the cup and the dish, and then the outside will become clean, too. "Frankly, there isn't anyone you couldn't learn to love once you've heard their story” -Fred Rogers  

Today is a stand alone episode with Pastor & Author Kristy Hinds & Susette.  Kristy worked for years at a local Long Beach church as an Associate Pastor, now works in her denomination as a District Superintendent.  Or, a "Pastor for Pastors." She has recently written a book called "Redeemed: The Power of a Single Story."   Kristy and Susette talk about her experience with leading a group on Racial Reconciliation, and how they used prayer & a model from Ephesians 4 to join the group first in Unity in Christ before discussing their experiences & pain with each other.   We missed Brandon in this episode!  He'll be back in the next arc on Personality (starting with Episode 41).  Yea for personality theory! Check out Kristy Hinds'  Book:   Ephesians 4 Genesis 1:2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness covered the surface of the watery depths, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters." "And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters Listening Prayer: 1.  Relax your brain, either by walking or sitting still.  Get comfortable. 2.  Notice your breathing, and slow it down in order to reduce your heart rate and any racing thoughts.  3.  Think on things of God, prepare your mind to listen to Him.    Here's some ideas:  The Trinity. God the Father, Jesus the Son, and The Holy Spirit. Think about passages like Romans 8:26 that talk about how they interact.  God is Love (John 1 or 1 John) Names for God "Almighty Creator" - God creates and sustains the world God sees me God is Peace God Will Provide God is my protector God heals The Lord is present with us God Emmanuel - God is with us 4.  Sit silently.  Ask God to speak  

We finish our arc on Understanding the Bible, and our discussion on "Weird Bits" of the Bible that can bring up fear or doubt (cont'd from Episode 38).  In this ep, we look at Violence in the Bible, and use Greg Boyd's perspective on how to view it.   Click here to listen to our previous episode "If you're outside on a day when you can only catch glimpses of the sun, it means it's a mostly cloudy day. So, as we read the OT, we should remain aware that these authors had a rather cloudy vision of God.” Gregory A. Boyd, Cross Vision John 17 Philemon Slave Story Ephesians 5:22 Deut 20:16-18 Tutti Frutti - Little Richard Galatians 3:24 “I've to come to reveal the true heart of the law” - Romans 2:15 Gregory Boyd - podcast Hermeneutic def: concerning interpretation, especially of the Bible or literary texts. 1 Corinthians 13:12: For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. Colossians 1:15 2 Corinthians 4:6 Cognitive dissonance def: the state of having inconsistent thoughts, beliefs, or attitudes, especially as relating to behavioral decisions and attitude change. Psalm 137:9 “May the babies of our enemies be dashed against the rocks” Marvin Wilson - Our Father Abraham John 15:5 Exodus 14:14

Weird bits of the bible. They're there. Now what do we do with them? In this episode we dive into scripture, wrestling with the inconsistencies, theological differences and other instances in the bible that can sometimes give a bit of a gut punch. We discuss our own personal journey's, different schools of thought and resting in the trust of God despite these feelings.  How do the parts of the bible that don't make sense, or seem to not fit, inform our faith?   How can our perspective on scripture move from cognitive dissonance to doubt & questioning to trusting Jesus before anything else?  Click here for Jessica's Website Process Theology: is the philosophical and theological position that God is changing, as is the universe. Open theism: “Open theism,” also known as “openness theology,” the “openness of God,” and “free will theism,” is an attempt to explain the foreknowledge of God in relationship to the free will of man. The argument of open theism is essentially this: human beings are truly free; if God absolutely knew the future, human beings could not truly be free. Therefore, God does not know absolutely everything about the future. Open theism holds that the future is not knowable. Therefore, God knows everything that can be known, but He does not know the future. The Geneva Conventions comprise four treaties, and three additional protocols, that establish the standards of international law for humanitarian treatment in war. Dallas Albert Willard was an American philosopher also known for his writings on Christian spiritual formation. Much of his work in philosophy was related to phenomenology, particularly the work of Edmund Husserl, many of whose writings he translated into English for the first time. Marks Account Of Jesus   Matthew's Account Of Jesus   1 Kings 15:14   2 Chronicles 14:2   Click here to listen to our episodes on M Scott Pecks Four Stages Of Spiritual Development   Psalm 12:6   2 Timothy 3:16-17

Hey Desire Line family! We are back with another episode in our series on Understanding The Bible. Today we dive back into human development and the ways it mirrors spiritual development, seen throughout the history of the bible. We use Erik Erikson's Theory of Psychosocial Development to examine books of the bible and how early Christians stop defining themselves by the rules, and begin defining themselves as a people of God. In typical Desire Line tradition, there are at least two unplanned song breaks, so you really don't want to miss this one! ----------------- Richard Rohr OFM is an American author, spiritual writer, and Franciscan friar based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He was ordained to the priesthood in the Roman Catholic Church in 1970. He has been called "one of the most popular spirituality authors and speakers in the world.” “Heaven is important but it's not the end of the world” - NT WRIGHT Parable Of The Mustard Seed Rohr says: “Walter Brueggeman connects the story of the Hebrew Scriptures with the development of human consciousness. Brueggemann identifies different stages in the three major parts of the Hebrew Scriptures: the Torah, the Prophets, and the Wisdom literature. The Torah, or the first five books, correspond, Brueggemann says, to the good and necessary “first half of life.” This is the period in which the people of Israel were given their identity through law, tradition, structure, certitude, group ritual, clarity, and chosenness.” Erik Homburger Erikson was a German-American developmental psychologist and psychoanalyst known for his theory on psychological development of human beings. Healthy self-criticism helps you realize you are not that good, and your group is not the only chosen people. It begins to break down either/or, dualistic thinking as you realize all things are both good and bad. This makes idolatry of anything and war against anybody much less likely. The prophets do not have much good to say about Israel, and thus seem to have all been killed (Matthew 23:31-32). -Richard Rohr Matthew 9:13 But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." Isaiah 58 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. Ezekiel 36:26 " Universalism," in its simple and proper theological sense, is the doctrine of universal salvation; or in other words, of the final holiness and happiness of all humans, to be effected by the grace of God, through the ministry of his Son, Jesus Christ. Click here to listen to Episode 15 of The Desire Line   Numbers 6:24-26 New Living Translation (NLT) 24 ‘May the Lord bless you    and protect you. 25 May the Lord smile on you    and be gracious to you. 26 May the Lord show you his favor    and give you his peace.'   I Don't Want It by DC Talk Lyrics: https://genius.com/Dc-talk-i-dont-want-it-lyrics The Best Part:  S-e-x is test when I'm pressed So back up off with less of that zest Impress this brother with a life of virtue The innocence that's spent is gonna hurt you Safe is the way they say to play Then again safe ain't safe at all today So just wait for the mate that's straight from god Don't have sex 'til you tie the knot

We are back again with another episode in our arc on Understanding The Bible. In a decidedly lighter episode, we discuss how the development of scripture mirrors human development and human psychology. We go through M. Scott Pecks Four Stages Of Spiritual Development and how it ties in directly to the development of scripture in the history of the bible. We tackle everything from living and wrestling with our own stages and how that relates to our relationship with scripture to a lengthly tangent discussing personalizing tv theme songs to sing to loved ones in our life. It's a fun one! Let's dive in.  Click here to learn more about Reinvent Ministries Genesis 1:28 Isaiah 6 John 17: 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. Original Righteousness is a concept in Roman Catholic theology relating to the Edenic state of sinlessness. According to this doctrine, Adam and Eve were created without sin (a point that all Christian churches agree upon), and this original righteousness meant that a number of conditions that are now "natural" did not apply. Humans were, in such a state, united with their essence, and therefore their forms were, as their spirits, untainted. Mark 4:30-32 And He said, "How shall we picture the kingdom of God, or by what parable shall we present it? "It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the soil, though it is smaller than all the seeds that are upon the soil, yet when it is sown, it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and forms large branches; so that the birds of the air can nest under its shade." Galatians 3:24-26 New International Version (NIV) So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian. So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith. Scott Peck 4 Stages Of Spiritual Development Stage I is chaotic, disordered, and reckless. Very young children are in Stage I. They tend to defy and disobey, and are unwilling to accept a will greater than their own. They are extremely egoistic and lack empathy for others. Many criminals are people who have never grown out of Stage I. Stage II is the stage at which a person has blind faith in authority figures and sees the world as divided simply into good and evil, right and wrong, us and them. Once children learn to obey their parents and other authority figures, often out of fear or shame, they reach Stage II. Many so-called religious people are essentially Stage II people, in the sense that they have blind faith in God, and do not question His existence. With blind faith comes humility and a willingness to obey and serve. Stage III is the stage of scientific skepticism and questioning. A Stage III person does not accept things on faith but only accepts them if convinced logically. Stage IV is the stage where an individual starts enjoying the mystery and beauty of nature and existence. While retaining skepticism, he starts perceiving grand patterns in nature and develops a deeper understanding of good and evil, forgiveness and mercy, compassion and love. His religiousness and spirituality differ significantly from that of a Stage II person, in the sense that he does not accept things through blind faith or out of fear, but does so because of genuine belief, and he does not judge people harshly or seek to inflict punishment on them for their transgressions. This is the stage of loving others as yourself, losing your attachment to your ego, and forgiving your enemies. Philippians 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Matthew 18 Romans 13 & 14 1st Corinthians 8 Walter Brueggemann is an American Protestant Old Testament scholar and theologian who is widely considered one of the most influential Old Testament scholars of the last several decades Click Here to find classes by Rikk Watts How To Read The Bible Book By Book Prayer of Examen

How do we read scripture through the filter of Jesus, shifting the focus of our faith? We are now on our 3rd episode in our arc on Understanding The Bible. In this episode we talk about reading scripture as a story of ongoing development, the revelation of who God is in Jesus and how the understanding of a deeper meaning is a transformed heart.  Dive in with us. ----------------------------------- Purchase Brandon's Book! To read more on the Nazi's use of Romans 13 to justify evil click here John Knox was a Scottish minister, theologian, and writer who was a leader of the country's Reformation. He is the founder of the Presbyterian Church of Scotland. John 16:7  Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. “You need more than just scripture, you need divine understanding” “Jesus is the only perfect revelation of god” John 17:6-26 Heretic: person holding an opinion at odds with what is generally accepted Exodus 34 Habakkuk 3:4  His coming is as brilliant as the sunrise. Rays of light flash from his hands, where his awesome power is hidden. Job 38 Theodicy def: the vindication of divine goodness and providence in view of the existence of evil The Book of Job is set in the Land of Uz The story of Job was written down during the early Second Temple era (late 6th century BCE to the early 4th century BCE) Lament: a passionate expression of grief or sorrow Isaiah 58 Galatians 3:24 There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus Galatians 4:4 But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, More reading on M Scott Peck's Stages Of Spiritual Development Listen to the best song ever: Fergalicious Listen to: the Kids Incorporated theme Roger Rabbit Shave and Haircut Clip Ephesians 3:16-19 NLT  I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit.  Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God's love and keep you strong.  And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.  May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Further Up Further in is from The Last Battle by C.S. Lewis Romans 8:38-39 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,  neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Part three of Understanding The Bible is here! In this episode, we discuss our 'patron saint of the podcast', NT Wright and his thoughts on viewing the bible "from 20,000 feet". We discuss how NT breaks down scripture into 5 acts and how they ultimately serve as a love story of restoration between Creator and his beloved Creation, now embodied and personified in the church.   N.T. WRIGHT is the former Bishop of Durham in the Church of England and one of the world's leading Bible scholars. He is now serving as the Chair of New Testament and Early Christianity at the School of Divinity at the University of St. Andrews. For twenty years he taught New Testament studies at Cambridge, McGill and Oxford Universities. His award-winning books include The Case for the Psalms, How God Became King, Simply Jesus, After You Believe, Surprised by Hope, Simply Christian, Scripture and the Authority of God, The Meaning of Jesus (co-authored with Marcus Borg), as well as being the translator for The Kingdom New Testament. He also wrote the impressive Christian Origins and the Question of God series, including The New Testament and the People of God, Jesus and the Victory of God, The Resurrection of the Son of God and most recently, Paul and the Faithfulness of God.   ‘Each word must be understood within its own verse, each verse within its on chapter, each chapter within its own book, and each book within its own historical, cultural, and indeed canonical setting.' -NT Wright   Cognitive Dissonance: the state of having inconsistent thoughts, beliefs, or attitudes, especially as relating to behavioral decisions and attitude change.   Complementarianism: a theological view held by some in Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, that men and women have different but complementary roles and responsibilities in marriage, family life, religious leadership, and elsewhere. The word "complementary" and its cognates are currently used to denote this view.   Ephesians 5   Story of Philemon   NT Wright - Audio (For long commutes)   The Bible In Five Acts Creation Fall Israel Jesus Church   Revelation 22   Genesis 3   Genesis 6   Genesis 12   Centering prayer: is a modernized prayer method based on the intuitive prayer rooted in Lectio Divina. It is a method of silent prayer that prepares us to receive the gift of contemplative prayer, prayer in which we experience the Divine's immanent presence with us. Centering prayer is grounded in relationship with God, through Christ, and is a practice to nurture that relationship.   The Lord's Prayer New King James: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.   The Lord's Prayer by Dallas Willard Dear Father always near us, may your name be treasured and loved, may your rule be completed in us- may your will be done here on earth in just the way it is done in heaven. Give us today the things we need today, and forgive us our sins and impositions on you as we are forgiving all who in any way offend us. Please don't put us through trials, but deliver us from everything bad. Because you are the one in charge, and you have all the power, and the glory too is all yours-forever- which is just the way we want it!   Polemic: a strong verbal or written attack on someone or something. Rikk Watts: served as Regent College's Professor of New Testament from 1996-2016. Along with his position as a Research Professor with Regent, he is currently the Dean of Theology at Alphacrucis College in Australia. The Tyger By William Blake Towards the end of the episode, Brandon mentions that Susette will do an exercise, but we forgot!  Check out Lectio Divina at the end of Ep 33 for a method for reading the bible with a posture of "Listening for God's Voice." 

Please rate, review & subscribe to The Desire Line Podcast--it really helps us to get the word out! Do you relate to the Bible primarily as an orientation to right and wrong or as the story of God pursuing man? Are you willing to wrestle with it? For the second episode in our arc on Understanding The Bible, we dive straight into the history of the text itself. If you are a lover of some good ol' historical context, this episode is for you! We discuss Jesus's own relationship with scripture; how our understanding and idea of what the bible is has shaped our spiritual development; God's willingness to get on the level of his people and help those to seek to understand; and a musical rendition of all 66 books in the Christian Bible? Stay tuned.  Matthew 3:17: And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” Matthew 4:1-11 Psalm 91 Deuteronomy 6-8 Mason: a builder and worker in stone. Apocrypha are works, usually written, of unknown authorship or of doubtful origin. Biblical Apocrapha is a set of texts included in the Latin Vulgate and Septuagint but not in the Hebrew Bible. While Catholic tradition considers some of these texts to be deutercanononical , Protestants consider them apocryphal. Thus, Protestant bibles do not include the books within the Old Testament but have often included them in a separate section. Click here to read Bel and the Dragon Click here to read The Maccabees Click here for David Dungan, Constantine's Bible: Politics and the Making of the New Testament Romans 1 Psalms 19 : The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. Matthew 13:58:  And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith Matthew 22:32: I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. He is not the God of the dead but of the living. ________________________________________________________ Ways to connect to Brandon & Susette: Join our Facebook Group:  Desire Line Podcast Community Twitter: @mydesireline @susettemtherapy @brandonalancook Instagram: @brandonalancook @susette.magana.therapy

Please rate, review & subscribe to The Desire Line Podcast--it really helps us to get the word out! Do you relate to the Bible primarily as an orientation to right and wrong or as the story of God pursuing man? Are you willing to wrestle with it? For the first episode in our arc on Understanding The Bible, we dive straight into the history of the text itself. If you are a lover of some good ol' historical context, this episode is for you! We discuss Jesus's own relationship with scripture; how our understanding and idea of what the bible is has shaped our spiritual development; God's willingness to get on the level of his people and help those to seek to understand; and a musical rendition of all 66 books in the Christian Bible? Stay tuned.  Matthew 3:17: And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” Matthew 4:1-11 Psalm 91 Deuteronomy 6-8 Mason: a builder and worker in stone. Apocrypha are works, usually written, of unknown authorship or of doubtful origin. Biblical Apocrapha is a set of texts included in the Latin Vulgate and Septuagint but not in the Hebrew Bible. While Catholic tradition considers some of these texts to be deutercanononical , Protestants consider them apocryphal. Thus, Protestant bibles do not include the books within the Old Testament but have often included them in a separate section. Click here to read Bel and the Dragon Click here to read The Maccabees Click here for David Dungan, Constantine's Bible: Politics and the Making of the New Testament Romans 1 Psalms 19 : The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. Matthew 13:58:  And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith Matthew 22:32: I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. He is not the God of the dead but of the living. ________________________________________________________ Ways to connect to Brandon & Susette: Join our Facebook Group:  Desire Line Podcast Community Twitter: @mydesireline @susettemtherapy @brandonalancook Instagram: @brandonalancook @susette.magana.therapy

Click here to find Brandon's new book! "Be still and know that I am God".  How many times have we found ourselves wrought with feelings of anxious obligation when it comes to making time to be with God? For many of us, the time needs to look like silent prayer, meditation or other spiritual practices with an emphasis on stilling our bodies to be more susceptible to what God has to say to us. In an engaging and insightful interview, we speak with friend and pastor, Mike Goldsworthy. Mike challenges that idea by speaking about the impact of engaging in tangible, physical movement as a spiritual practice; otherwise known as Embodied Prayer. Click here to learn more about Dallas Willard  Click here to read The Divine Conspiracy Click here to read more on Spiritual Practices by Dallas Willard It is vital that Christians in every generation learn to discern what matters, to distinguish things that differ, to be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. NT Wright Puritanism. The haunting fear that someone, somewhere, may be happy. H. L. Mencken Join our facebook group: Desire Line Podcast Community to connect to us and other listeners. Website: www.desirelinepodcast.com Twitter: @mydesireline and @brandonalancook Instagram: @susette.magana.therapy and @brandonalancook Find Mike Goldsworthy on Twitter at @mikegoldsworthy, or hear Mike preached on Parkcrest Christian Church's podcast "Parkcrest's Podcast." on Apple Podcasts

It's the final (countdown!) episode in our arc on Attachment Theory. We have all this theory, now what do we do with it? In this episode we cover the practical application of attachment theory and what it means to be healthily and unhealthily attached in 9 different categories:  Body Attitudes Feeling Behavior Thoughts Abilities Desires Choices Limits Click here to read along with us.  As we read through, notice which ones strike you or speak to you. These may be areas where differentiation work can happen in your own life.  Charles Swindoll quote on attitude: The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than success, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company … a church … a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past… we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude… I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you, we are in charge of our attitudes. James 1 Humbly Grateful or Grumbly Hateful (re: Brandon's "What's Your Attitude") Next, we will take you through the practical application for responding to the need for Differentiation and Healthy Attachment: Awareness Self-regulation Responding with courage Click here to read more on Differentiation. Click here to read more on Healthy Attachment. Self Regulation (def.) : Behavioral Self-Regulation: the ability to act in your long-term best interest, consistent with your deepest values Emotional Self-Regulation: the ability to respond to the ongoing demands of experience with the range of emotions in a manner that is socially tolerable and sufficiently flexible to permit spontaneous reactions as well as the ability to delay spontaneous reactions as needed Click here to read through the full serenity prayer.  Please submit any question you have through https://www.desirelinepodcast.com/connect Join our facebook group: Desire Line Podcast Community to connect to us and other listeners. Website: www.desirelinepodcast.com Twitter: @mydesireline and @brandonalancook Instagram: @susette.magana.therapy and @brandonalancook  

Don't forget to subscribe, rate & review us on iTunes!   It REALLY helps us to grow.  Facebook:  www.facebook.com/groups/desirelinepodcast Instagram: @susette.magana.therapy and @brandonalancook Twitter: @mydesireline, @susettemtherapy and @brandonalancook Also, check out our Patreon (www.patreon.com/desirelinepodcast) if you'd like to help us to cover our production costs. Any amount is SO helpful to us. We're very thankful for you!! Today, we're continuing the discussion on Attachment. This arc starts on Episode 25. We've talked Bonding for a few episodes, and today, we continue to discuss Boundaries. Taking a lot of our information from the books "Boundaries" by John Townsend & Henry Cloud. "Exercising "Secure Attachment" as an adult includes learning how to have boundaries in our relationships." Differentiation: you feel bonded enough that you can set boundaries In other words, the is feeling bonding and safe enough that you can set boundaries. It also means you can comfort yourself without having someone else having to make you okay. And you don't have to inappropriately take responsibility for someone else's feelings. Codependency: a lack of boundaries, not “staying on your side of the fence” Taking responsibility (or over-responsibility) for someone's else's state of being rather than drawing an appropriate boundary Without "Differentiation" we respond to FEAR (see Amygdala, Fight or Flight). AVOID...because the person's feelings are too overwhelming PLEASING...taking responsibility for their overreaction and trying to please them enough to calm them down (which trains them to be codependent) You may recognize in these the attachment types VACILLATE...pretend like the overwhelming emotion doesn't exist or then getting overburdened by it and trying to solve it and then getting angry when we can't and perhaps withdrawing again “You're not the boss of me…” Bill Harley https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1cgWL3SH2g Dinosaurs/Hypnotize Me Mash Up: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VzZi-YrkRY John 17 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+17&version=NLT

Don't forget to subscribe, rate & review us on iTunes!   It REALLY helps us to grow.  Facebook:  www.facebook.com/groups/desirelinepodcast Instagram: @susette.magana.therapy and @brandonalancook Twitter: @mydesireline, @susettemtherapy and @brandonalancook   Today's episode will focus on the insecure attachment styles that are part of our relationships in adulthood.  Basically--how do we deal with feelings of rejection, vulnerability and deep needs?  Our material comes from the book "How We Love," by Milan & Kay Yerkovich.   "Internal Working Model" "A cognitive framework comprising mental representations for understanding the world, self, and others. A person's interaction with others is guided by memories and expectations from their internal model which influence and help evaluate their contact with others." Secure Attachment Definition: From "How We Love" by Milan & Kay Yerkovich “Secure Connectors..., are comfortable with reciprocity; balanced giving and receiving in relationships.They can describe strengths and weakness in themselves and others without idealizing or devaluing. Skilled at self-reflection, Secure Connectors are able to clearly and easily communicate their feelings and needs.“ (www.howwelove.com) Check out Ephesians 4 NLT... do you see the attachment theory language in this passage? https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+4&version=NLT Insecure Attachment Types from "How We Love" by Milan & Kay Yerkovich www.howwelove.com Avoider: Coming from often affection-less homes that value independence and self-reliance, the Avoider grows up learning to just take care of themselves. The catch? They restrict their feelings and needs so they can deal with the anxiety of having little to no comfort and nurturing from their parents. -I am usually “fine,” and when something bad happens I try to get over it quickly. -In my family growing up, we rarely discussed personal concerns. -I'm usually happiest when others are happy and don't want a lot from me. -I don't really think about my own feelings and needs very often. -I don't really miss my spouse or family if I'm away from them. -I need my space. Pleaser Pleasers usually grow up in a home with an overly protective or angry critical parent. Pleaser children do everything they can to “be good” and avoid troubling their reactive parent. These kids don't get comfort: rather, they spend their energy comforting or appeasing their troublesome parent. As adults, Pleasers tend to continually monitor the moods of others around them to keep everyone happy. Eventually, they can become resentful and break down or leave the relationship. For most (or all) of my childhood I could have been described as “the good kid.” I feel very upset if someone is upset or annoyed with me so I am good at “keeping peace.” I seek connection and avoid rejection by anticipating and meeting others' needs. Conflict makes me uneasy and I prefer to deal with disagreement by giving in or making up for it and quickly and moving on. I have difficulty confronting or saying no and sometimes it makes me less than truthful. VACILLATORS Growing up with an unpredictable parent, Vacillators' needs aren't top priority. Without consistent parental affection, they develop feelings of abandonment. By the time the parent feels like giving again, their child is tired of waiting and too angry to receive. As adults, Vacillators are on a quest to find the consistent love they never received as children. They idealize new relationships, but then get tired of it once life (and the relationship) gets less than perfect. -I feel like no one has really understood what I need. -I experience internal conflict and a high level of emotional stress in relationships. -At times, I find myself picking a fight and I'm not sure why. -I've always been especially sensitive and perceptive and can tell when others are pulling away from me. -Others have said they feel like they're walking on eggshells around me. CONTROLLERS Controllers need control to keep the vulnerable, negative feelings that they experienced in childhood from surfacing in their adult lives. Having control means having protection from the feelings of fear, humiliation and helplessness. Anger is the one emotion that is not vulnerable, so intimidation and anger are often used to keep control. Control may be highly rigid or more sporadic and unpredictable, but Controllers rarely realize the real reason they need to be in charge. -No one protected me from harm when I was growing up, so I had to get tough and take care of myself. -Life has taught me to either “be in control” or “be controlled.” -People would probably describe me as intimidating. -I prefer to solve problems on my own. -I need things to be done a certain way or I get angry. -I have few feelings about my childhood except I'm glad it's over because I wouldn't go back. VICTIM Kids survive a chaotic home environment by trying to “stay under the radar”, making themselves as invisible as possible. They'll hide and appease, learning how to escape into their own heads to lessen the pain from their angry, violent, chaotic parents. Victims lack a sense of self-worth or personhood and are often anxious and depressed. Rather than engage, they'll resort to just “going through the motions” in order to get by. Victims may emulate their childhood home environment by pursuing a relationship with a Controller. When children are involved in such a relationship, the Victim may even inflict their suppressed anger on their children whenever the Controller is not present. -Growing up, I experienced a great deal of intense anger and stress from a parent or parents. -I'm used to chaos and calm makes me anxious because something bad is always just around the corner. -If I spoke up more and had stronger opinions, my spouse (or other significant relationships) would be even angrier. -I feel like I'm just “going through the motions” and I'm tired and out of energy.

Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes/Apple Podcasts.   Find us on Facebook: Desire Line Podcast Community On Twitter: @mydesireline @susettemtherapy @brandonalancook On Instagram: @susette.magana.therapy @brandonalancook Episode 27: Our third episode in our Attachment arc starts discussing how attachment affects us in adulthood. We talk "Internal Working Model" "A cognitive framework comprising mental representations for understanding the world, self, and others. A person's interaction with others is guided by memories and expectations from their internal model which influence and help evaluate their contact with others." https://www.simplypsychology.org/bowlby.html And how we see our own IWM, and how our relationship with God affects it. Psalm 139:5 You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head. There are three main features of the internal working model: (1) a model of others as being trustworthy, (2) a model of the self as valuable, and (3) a model of the self as effective when interacting with others. These beliefs of who we are, vs. how safe “the world” guides many of our interactions. Differentiation: Differentiation means maintaining your own individuality while in a relationship. How do you take responsibility for your own thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and acknowledge how other's thoughts, feelings, behaviors effect you? This gives us the ability to communicate your thoughts, feelings, behaviors honestly & lovingly to others, and not try to make them take responsibility for you, while you don't take responsibility for them. Hugging til Relaxed Here's a terrific was to get more in touch with your partner while also getting a better grip on yourself. It turns a simple hug into a window into your relationship and a way to improve it. Prepare yourself by taking a few minutes to slow down, relax, and slow your heart rate. Then stand facing your partner a few feet away. Get a balanced, well-grounded stance over your own two feet. Close your eyes, take a breath, and relax again. Open your eyes, and when the two of you are ready, shuffle forward without loosing your relaxed balanced position, so that you have one foot between your partner's feet. Get close enough that you can easily put your arms around your partner without feeling off balance, or pulling or pushing your partner off-balance either. Shift your stance or position as needed to be physically comfortable. Let yourself relax into the hug and remember to breathe. Lots of feelings about your partner, your relationship and yourself are bound to surface. Note your resistances but don't give into them. Afterwards, talk about the experience with your partner. It often takes several months of practice, several times a week, but you'll be amazed by the many improvements this brings. Hugging 'till Relaxed is fully described in the book Passionate Marriage.