Potter's Inn Soul Care Conversations

SHOW NOTES Each year we hear about New Year’s Resolutions – we make plans to lose weight, become more organized, be on time more. All great goals, but how many times have those goals been forgotten in February?  (I raised my hand too!) In today’s podcast we discuss “The Great Annual Examen,” a simple question and answer exercise to help you reflect on the past year and anticipate the year to come. There are several different categories given for you to reflect on:   My Physical Health. My Emotional Health. My Relational Health. My Vocational Health. My Spiritual Health. As you reflect upon this past year, it’s our hope that it will give you a clearer GPS—a sort of marker that will help you discern where you are and how you are and where you want to go this next year.   RESOURCES MENTIONED IN PODCAST The Great Annual Examen - DOWNLOAD this PDF with more details on the exercise. The Space Between Us by John O’Donahue     Moment to Breathe For a New Beginning by Stephen W. Smith Text Audi

SHOW NOTES In this episode we are treated to a special preview of the Potter’s Inn Soul Care Institute where Gwen Smith teaches on Sabbath Keeping: God’s Design For Our Dilemma. The discussion includes the origin of Sabbath, why we feel so much guilt concerning Sabbath, and why God gave us Sabbath in the first place. Gwen also introduces her 4 Pillars of Sabbath: Rhythm - Sabbath is God’s built-in way of giving us rhythm in our lives instead of just running full-steam continuously. Protection - In a sense, Sabbath protects us from ourselves and the violence that we inflict on ourselves, driving ourselves to work harder and harder. Sabbath gives us rest. Joy, Delight, and Celebration - Sabbath is a blessed and holy day, when God rests in His creation and He delights and celebrates in you. Belovedness - Taken altogether, Sabbath is a reminder that we are beloved by a good and gracious God who truly cares for us and our well-being.   RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THE PODCAST Soul Care Institute program inform

SHOW NOTES In our heads, we know that being is more important than doing. But the reality of our day-to-day life is that we easily drift into a performance-based relationship with God and others. Jesus modeled a different way to live. In today’s episode, we learn how Jesus lived a life that began with acceptance by his Heavenly Father and ended by achieving more than any human being ever has. He has shown us the way---living as the beloved of God.   RESOURCE The Sacred Cycle Summary – Free Download   RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THE PODCAST Moment to Breathe:  Belovedness Life of the Beloved: Spiritual Living in a Secular World by Henri J.M. Nouwen Clinical Theology, a Theological And Psychiatric Basis to Clinical Pastoral Care by Frank Lake The Cycle of Grace: Living In Sacred Balance by Trevor Hudson and Jerry P Haas   Support the Podcast: Donate Here for an individual contribution or on Patreon to set up monthly support. Sign up to receive email notifications as future episodes are available: Sign

This cool breeze by the river bank. A great blue heron feeding in the shallows. The pilated woodpecker serenading the forest with its haunting song. I think I need one hundred days like this!   Slowly, ever so slowly. Here. Now. This! Bit by bit and little by little, I feel a twinge of what may be life. A steady erosion has happened in me. It’s taken time to do this damage. It will take more time to regain what’s been lost.     The locust have ravaged much I feel now. Sad stories, and far too many of them, have layered my heart with deep grief. I think I need one hundred days like this. But today, I just may have felt my heart again.   As I let this breeze wash over me, is this a baptism of love? And as silence does what only the deep quiet does, I sit here and stay here for a while this beautiful morn. Soaking. Marinating. Feasting . Healing.

Discernment is the process of gaining clarity on finding direction for the next step of our journey.   SHOW NOTES Today’s podcast is part two of a discussion between Steve and Spiritual Director Martie McMane. Martie is a retired minister, artist, and spiritual director who used a collage process with Steve & Gwen to help them make some crucial life decisions during a period of repositioning. They continue the conversation today about how the collage process can work in each of our own lives Thank you for joining us in today’s conversation!   ABOUT MARTIE MCMANE Rev. Martie McMane, MA, M.Div, is an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ and was the Senior Minister of First Congregational Church in Boulder from 2000-2016.  As a certified Enneagram teacher for 25 years, Martie has reached well over 1,000 people with her in-depth knowledge of the Enneagram and how its understanding can be transformative for our lives. In retirement, she enjoys creating pastels and mixed

Discernment is the process of gaining clarity on finding direction for the next step of our journey.   SHOW NOTES Last year Steve and Gwen went through a period of repositioning: changes were on the horizon but any clarity about what to do next was clouded by the realization that they were not on the same page. They reached out to a trusted Spiritual Director for help and the result was what they called a “Discernment Retreat.”  They needed clarity. They needed discernment. Today’s podcast is a discussion between Steve and the Spiritual Director they called on for help, Martie McMane. A retired minister, artist, and spiritual director, Martie used a collage process that helped Steve & Gwen in making those crucial, life decisions. Today they dive deep into the process. Thank you for joining us in today’s conversation!   ABOUT MARTIE MCMANE Rev. Martie McMane, MA, M.Div, is an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ and was the Senior Minister of First Congregational Churc

I am simply humbled at this stage in my career, to have the privilege to tell Walter’s story and to help amplify his amazingly relevant voice. Getting to know Walter has been a healing and restorative experience for me as a former pastor and a professor deeply committed to social justice when so much of the church and society has forgotten what the biblical text says about God’s care for the marginalized. — Conrad L. Kanagy   SHOW NOTES Steve’s chats with Conrad Kanagy, the author of coming soon book Walter Brueggemann's Prophetic Imagination: A Theological Biography. (releases Oct 24, 2023) Steve and Conrad focus on the book and how it reveals the most complete portrait to date of this remarkable prophet, pastor, preacher, teacher, and friend. Thank you for joining us in today’s conversation!   ABOUT CONRAD L. KANAGY Conrad L. Kanagy is professor of sociology at Elizabethtown College, Pennsylvania. He holds an undergraduate degree from Wheaton College (Illinois) and a PhD from Penn

I came to the conclusion that I could not stay in that role and be healthy. So I chose to be a healthy person over a megachurch pastor, and it was an incredibly hard choice. — Pete Briscoe   SHOW NOTES In today’s conversation, Steve talks with Pete Briscoe about why Pete no longer calls himself an “evangelical.” You’ll hear Pete’s story, filled with pain and struggles, as he discovers more beautiful ways to live the Christian life. While you may not agree with his path, we think there’s something here to learn in his story. Thank you for joining us in today’s conversation!   ABOUT PETE BRISCOE After leading Bent Tree Bible Fellowship church for nearly three decades and preaching for Telling the Truth ministry for more than a decade, God led Pete to a new season of life. With his wife Libby, they sold their home, donated most of their stuff, and bought an RV. They drove west into the sunset, took a couple of months to catch their breath, and then started to work from the road. Pete no

I have learned to prize holy ignorance more highly than religious certainty and to seek companions who have arrived at the same place. We are a motley crew, distinguished not only by our inability to explain ourselves to those who are more certain of their beliefs than we are but in many cases by our distance from the centers of our faith communities as well. Like campers who have bonded over cook fires far from home, we remain grateful for the provisions that we have brought with us from those cupboards, but we also find them more delicious when we share them with one another under the stars.   —Barbara Brown Taylor _____________________________________________________ “Bible-believing religious people often miss the gospel. Just because you believe in the Bible doesn't mean you understand it. Over and over the tax collectors, prostitutes, and the amoral come to Jesus, while the religious miss who he is.” These are the words of well known and lived Tim Keller. Steve and Brandon Cook explore how our view and

Note From Steve: We are living in a day and age of distractions. We are bombarded with choices, options and desires. This podcast lays out the way to to cultivate peace and contentment. It's about practicing the daily Examen. This is an ancient practice developed by Ignatius of Loyola. He said this ONE spiritual practice would change your life for the good. It's true. My life has thoroughly changed by learning to incorporate this one spiritual practice. It's my final recommendation for the summer.   SHOW NOTES The art of reflecting on our day is almost a lost art in our busy and over-committed life. However, in this week’s podcast, Steve explores an ancient spiritual exercise called The Daily Examen. In this podcast, Steve walks us through five easy steps used to reflect back upon our day, to see where God was in our midst that we might have missed because of our busyness, and to foster a heart of gratitude.   RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THE PODCAST Five Steps to the Daily Examen Moment to Breathe: Matthew 11:

Note From Steve: This conversation for me was like having a trusted friend do the deep excavation of my heart. There is nothing like a good question to allow one to feel safe and begin to open up. Steve Macchia and I had a lovely conversation which I commend to you this summer. There's a lot in this wide ranging conversation. I hope you'll enjoy!   SHOW NOTES I (Steve) recently sat down with Steve Macchia of Leadership Transformations to have an honest conversation and assess where we are today in light of all that has been happening. I was able to reflect backwards and think forward through Steve Macchia’s thoughtful questions. I felt liberty to just open my heart; this podcast is the result. I hope you’ll find the space to listen.  We want to thank Steve Macchia and Leadership Transformations, Inc (LTI) for allowing us to edit and air this episode (Season 15, Episode 3). The Discerning Leader Podcast   MENTIONED IN PODCAST The Jesus Life by Stephen W. Smith SOLO: Creating Space with God by Stephen W

NOTE FROM STEVE: I love this particular podcast because it is foundational to understanding the care of the soul. In this podcast, I explain what the soul is and how we can participate in the caring for our soul.   As I’ve said , this message is needed because the message of soul care gets lost in our busyness and all the issues of life hitting us day by day!  I hope you’ll listen and pass this along to a few friends you think could really benefit by listening to it!  Summer blessings! Steve   SHOW NOTES Join co-hosts Steve Smith and Joe Chambers as they give more definition to what soul care is and how it relates to icebergs and the Brooklyn Bridge! Steve Smith shows us the stress of living divided lives and lays out the importance of caring for all aspects of the human experience: physical, emotional, relational, vocational, and spiritual. Plus enjoy an interview with Joe Walters, head of the Soul Care Institute and learn how you can take part in a 2 year journey to better soul health.   LINKS AND RESOURC

FROM STEVE: Until we answer life’s deepest questions, we will remain stuck— unable to live with freedom and vitality. This podcast is one where Gwen and I explore three core questions.  Remember this: we can never hear this message too much because living with soul and by soul is counter cultural and for many, counter intuitive!   SHOW NOTES In this episode we join Steve and Gwen for two sessions of their Soul Care 101 course recorded at the retreat center known as Potter’s Inn at Aspen Ridge. Enjoy this fireside conversation with pops and crackles from the fireplace, as they examine the three core questions of every soul. In the first session they talk about:   Question 1 - Am I Loved? Every person everywhere wants to know if they are loved. Some (or all) of us may have love wounds where we either didn’t get the love we needed or we looked for love in all the wrong places. Learn what it means to be beloved and how to rest in the truth of God’s love for us.   Question 2 - Am I Safe? What fears do we carry wit

This is a way of praying that just helps! And help is what most of us seem to need these days. How do we find words to form in prayer when we are knotted up inside; when we are speechless? The Welcome Prayer is a prayer of letting go and holding palms up in sweet surrender. I use this prayer often and this podcast is about learning to mouth the words and find meaning each time we pray it! Enjoy!   MENTIONED IN PODCAST The Welcome Prayer by Father Thomas Keating Matthew 6:5-13 (The Message) Lectio Divina   SUPPORT THE PODCAST Donate Here for an individual contribution. CONTACT US podcast@pottersinn.com   INTERESTED IN MORE SOUL CARE RESOURCES? Check out our recommended reading, books on spiritual growth, and our soul care blog. Want to experience soul care in person? Learn more about our soul care intensives and retreats. 

FROM STEVE: I consider Belden Lane to Be among the most important voices in the 21st century. For the next two weeks listen deeply to his wisdom and insight. I relish in his books and find him to be among the most authentic voices I've ever heard! SPECIAL GUEST BELDEN C. LANE Belden and his dog Joey Belden C. Lane is a Presbyterian theologian who teaches on a Jesuit faculty at Saint Louis University. His interests include the relationship between geography and faith, wilderness backpacking in the Ozarks, the magic of storytelling, desert spirituality, exposing students to urban poverty through the Catholic Worker community, and the poetry of Rumi. He also works with men, helping to lead initiation rites through Richard Rohr's program for Men as Learners and Elders in Albuquerque. He lives with his wife Patricia, a spiritual director and retired school teacher, in Saint Louis. Drawn to sacred places around the world, his travels have involved camping in Egypt, Ireland

FROM STEVE: I consider Belden Lane to Be among the most important voices in the 21st century. For the next two weeks listen deeply to his wisdom and insight. I relish in his books and find him to be among the most authentic voices I've ever heard! SPECIAL GUEST BELDEN C. LANE Belden and his dog Joey Belden C. Lane is a Presbyterian theologian who teaches on a Jesuit faculty at Saint Louis University. His interests include the relationship between geography and faith, wilderness backpacking in the Ozarks, the magic of storytelling, desert spirituality, exposing students to urban poverty through the Catholic Worker community, and the poetry of Rumi. He also works with men, helping to lead initiation rites through Richard Rohr's program for Men as Learners and Elders in Albuquerque. He lives with his wife Patricia, a spiritual director and retired school teacher, in Saint Louis. Drawn to sacred places around the world, his travels have involved camping in Egypt, Ireland a

NOTE FROM STEVE: We all need spiritual diodes to help us find the way. I consider Trevor to be a Spiritual Master. In todays world, I am suspicious of people who are not credible-- who are too young, too inexperienced and too unbroken. The voices I trust and listen to are seasoned women and men who know the landscape of the inner journey. Trevor Hudson is one voice I trust and respect. His two podcasts are stellar and should be listened to many times. Repetition is the mother of all learning! Steve ABOUT OUR GUEST Trevor Hudson has been part of the Methodist movement for over 40 years. Serving primarily around Johannesburg, he is deeply committed to the work of spiritual formation within local congregational contexts. A significant part of his weekly work presently consists of leading people through the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius and offering spiritual direction. Besides his local commitments, Trevor travels widely, preaching and teaching. He lectures at Fuller Seminary, the Reno