Today the on-off series 'Questions We Don't Ask' continues with a discussion of hell. Which, obviously, means the question is 'What The Hell?'. So many people have so many different perspectives on hell, it's such an emotive and divisive topic in many ways. It's one that deserves examination and deeper reflection, because what we believe about hell has a huge bearing, indeed is usually born from, who we think God really is. My friend Charles Porter and I discuss the different perspectives today,...
Apr 03, 2018•59 min•Ep. 64
Author, speaker and coach Allison (Ally) Fallon joins me today. Ally has written several books and her latest, 'Indestructible:Leveraging Your Broken Heart to Become a Force of Love and Change in the World', is about to release. It's a memoir about the often painful and challenging journey she has been on in the last couple of years. Today, Ally shares her powerful testimony. It's a story of divorce, brokenness, and then overcoming deep pain and finding a way through to a thriving life. Ally sha...
Mar 27, 2018•47 min•Ep. 63
Today my dear friend Mariana Ruiz joins me on the podcast. Mariana is a certified business coach and consultant, who works with creative people, people launching their businesses and helps them gain confidence and focus, and find their true selves. Mariana is passionate about authenticity and helping people connect with their true selves and do the work they were made to do - and share their unique story with the world. She cares most of all about helping people make an impact and becoming truly...
Mar 21, 2018•39 min•Ep. 62
Today Dr Kate Thomas returns to the podcast to discuss her latest book, 'Bulletproofing The Psyche'. We explore the different strategies Kate has discovered in recent years for both preventing and treating mental illness. She shares about her work on implimenting these strategies in her work in the the military, and how we can each implement them in our own lives. We also talk about some best practices to treat mental illness, retraining our brains, and the concept of 'mental fitness' or 'resili...
Mar 13, 2018•36 min•Ep. 61
Today I'm delighted to be joined by filmaker Andrew Morgan. Andrew has just released his new movie, a documentary on Rob Bell called 'The Heretic'. The movie tells Rob's story, and gives an insider look into his work. Andrew travelled with Rob on a couple of tours over the course of two years and recorded several of his onversations with him, as well as many of his speaking events. Andrew also spoke to many of his close friends and wife Kristen, all to get a deeper insight and understanding into...
Mar 06, 2018•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 60
Today my dear friend, writer, podcaster and mental health advocate Sarah Fader, joins me on the show. Sarah, who herself faces mental health challenges, has become a strong and occasionally outspoken adovcate for mental health awareness. Sarah began the well known hashtag #ThisIsWhatAnxietyFeelsLike, and founded Stigma Fighters, a website for those with mental health challenges to share their stories. With great honesty and courage, Sarah shares her own challenging and inspiring story, and offer...
Feb 27, 2018•32 min•Ep. 59
Today “Science Mike”, otherwise known as author, speaker and podcaster Mike McHargue, returns to the show. On today’s episode Mike shares his thoughts on the impact of social media on mental illness, and how regulating our social media time — as he does - can improve our mental health. He also shares about his own recent spiritual journey, we touch on the recent shootings in Florida and talk about several methods all of us can use to improve our mental health - and a whole lot more. Mike is one ...
Feb 21, 2018•43 min•Ep. 1
Today my dear friend and longtime friend of the show Alexander Shaia returns to the podcast. This time we talk about the benefits & challenges of community & how this led directly to the creation of what we now call Lent, and Ash Wednesday. Alexander shares more of the history of Ash Wednesday - and the true symbolism behind the use of ashes. Finally, we look at the pre-atonement concept of Christian spirituality, theosis, and discover the grace, beauty and love which gives it is power. ...
Feb 14, 2018•50 min•Ep. 58
My dear friend Sarah Heath returns to the podcast today. Laat summer, challenged by her best friend, Sarah embarked on a journey into herself, going out of her comfort zone, trying to create the life she'd been running from. To find her 'Sonderlust'. (Or, you could say, find her Poema....) Sarah is in the midst of this challenge now - to step back out into the world of dating after hiding away for so long, to be living in a place she loved, and love her work. If in a year she doesn't find happin...
Feb 07, 2018•48 min•Ep. 57
Today I'm joined once more by my dear friend Laura Parrott Perry, who has just released her first book 'She Wrote It Down'. Today she returns to the show and we discuss the book, the powerful and painful stories shared in it, and power of sharing our stories. Laura shares with great wisdom, insight and honesty, about how our stories will always tell themselves one way or another and about the choice we have to take control of our stories, by having the courage to share them - even if it's only w...
Jan 30, 2018•42 min•Ep. 56
The Poema Podcast returns for a new series today as I interview writer & speaker Caroline McGraw. Caroline shares her powerful story about how she learned the damage perfectionism can do to our lives. Caroline talks movingly about how she learned to break through the trappings of perfectionism and find a thriving joyful love beyond it - and how we can all do this too. Caroline speaks with such honesty, wisdom and humour, and is so inspiring - it was such a blast to talk to her, so take a lis...
Jan 24, 2018•46 min•Ep. 55
Today, with the last episode of 2017, we continue with our series on those difficult questions of our spiritual journey. My friend and recurring guest Charles Porter rejoins me to discuss the challenging question of what we do when we begin to outgrow our spiritual community, feel like it's time for us to move on, feel rejected or excluded from the community, or don't agree with the leadership and need to walk away. This is a question many close friends and people I know have been asking, and it...
Dec 13, 2017•48 min•Ep. 54
The "Questions We Don't Ask" series continues today with arguably one of the biggest questions of all - why do we believe? My friend Daniel Skillman joins me for a fascinating discussion about the very reasons we choose to believe - why we believe what we believe, why we change our beliefs, and why we believe in anything at all. And what believing can do to us. Daniel has lots of profound wisdom and insight to share, and as ever in this series, our discussion goes off to all sorts of places. Fai...
Dec 06, 2017•58 min•Ep. 53
Today our we return to our series “Questions We Don’t Ask”, as myself and my friend Abi Lloyd discuss the challenging question of “What Kind of Life Am I Being Drawn Into?”. As ever, this question takes us to some interesting and unexpected places, sharing our own stories and challenges, and draws out further, deeper questions about our faith, spirituality and church. It also raises more questions about exactly what kind of life Jesus would have us live, and who God even is. I hope you’ll join u...
Nov 29, 2017•36 min•Ep. 52
My dear friend, author and speaker Claire Musters, joins me on the show today. Claire shares her powerful and challenging testimony of how she had to confront the masks she was wearing, the darkness in her life, and how through the love and grace of friends, her devoted husband and God, she found a way to healing and transformation - and in the process discovered her authentic self. Claire also talks about the masks we all wear, the different roles we play in our lives, and how to confront the c...
Nov 14, 2017•44 min•Ep. 51
Kaitlin Curtice joins me on the podcast today. Kaitlin is a Native American Christian author, speaker and worship leader. As an enrolled member of the Potawatomi Citizen Band and someone who has grown up in the Christian faith, Kaitlin writes on the intersection of Native American spirituality, mystic faith in everyday life, and the church. Kaitlin and I discuss her new book, 'Glory Happening', real stories of finding the divine in everyday places. We also explore how we can see the divine in th...
Oct 31, 2017•38 min•Ep. 50
I’m delighted to welcome author and speaker Matt Bays to the podcast today. Matt begins by sharing the powerful and moving story behind his book “Finding God In The Ruins”, his painful childhood which led to struggles with alcohol addiction, and how in the midst of his recovery he faced yet more challenges as his sister tragically lost her life to cancer. We talk about dealing with grief, addiction and being honest with both God and ourselves about suffering, and asking those tough questions. Ab...
Oct 25, 2017•51 min•Ep. 49
Author and blogger Tanya Marlow joins me today to talk about her new book 'Those Who Wait'. It's a book about learning the art of divine patience, and stories from scripture and life which teach us about waiting on God. Tanya has a powerful personal testimony which has taught her a lot about patience, both in life and in faith, and with her theological background has taken several stories from scripture and shown what they can tell us about waiting on God. Everyone is waiting. We wait for a bus,...
Oct 17, 2017•41 min•Ep. 48
Today I'm joined by author, speaker and theologian Kent Dobson. Kent, with great vulnerability and wisdom, shares his own spiritual journey, including his pilgrimage up what is often known as Mount Sinai - where he was bitten by a camel, both physically and metaphorically. This is a story he tells in his new book 'Bitten By A Camel'. Religion, God, Spirituality, Nature, Sacred Texts, Mystery, and the Human Soul are all being rethought, turned over and reborn. This unfolding conversation is wild ...
Oct 04, 2017•57 min•Ep. 47
Today musical quartet the Blacksmiths Daughters return to the podcast. Julida & Sean Alter return from our first interview we're also joined by the other half of the band, Annella and Brent Platter. Julida and Anetta are sisters, and together with their husbands, and others, are creating truly authentic, personal music. Their new video "You're My Man" releases not long ago, and their new album 'Seasons Turn', releases 10th October, and today we talk about the new songs, the new album, and th...
Sep 27, 2017•31 min•Ep. 46
My dear friend and author Chris Morris joins me today. Chris is a long time advocate of issues surrounding chronic illness, and reconciling these with faith. As someone who lives with chronic illness himself and has family members with chronic illness, he knows the challenges chronic illness can bring - as well as some of the stigma, in particular around some religious circles. Today Chris shares a bit of his story, lessons he's learned and research he's done behind the subject, all of which has...
Sep 20, 2017•30 min•Ep. 45
Today our 'Questions We Don't Ask' series continues, with the fundamental question of 'How Do I Believe?' Continuing from where we left off last week, Charles Porter and I discuss how, whilst so often we discuss what we believe, that maybe the deeper, more fundamental question is how we believe. These conversations aren't merely about answering the question. The questions are more jumping off points into a much bigger, wider and deeper exploration of Christian spirituality and our own journeys -...
Sep 13, 2017•58 min•Ep. 44
Season 2 of the Poema Podcast kicks off with a new series we'll be doing on and off over the next few months - Questions We Don't Ask. This series will see me and others discuss raw, honest and challenging questions of faith and our spiritual journey. Questions I've been asking myself a lot in the last year. The type of questions many of us don't like to ask, but the ones we need to ask more than anything if we really want to grow and move deeper in our spirituality. These conversations aren't m...
Sep 06, 2017•53 min•Ep. 43
Today I do a reflection on my own journey of the last 18 months - both spiritual and creative - and the story of how the podcast, and all my creative work, has grown and evolved. I talk about the importance of taking a break, of refuelling, reimagining, disconnecting, and how this is absolutely necessary to our growth, and to creating more great work, and a thriving, healthy life. This is the last episode of Season 1 of the Poema Podcast. Season 2 will begin in the Autumn, and in this episode I ...
Jul 26, 2017•25 min•Ep. 42
Today I'm delighted to host Matthew Brough, pastor, author and host of the 'Spirituality For Normal People' podcast. We talk about whole range of topics, including creativity, the spirituality of writing fiction, spiritual practices and more. Matthew shares his own story, and talks about how writing fiction has influenced his spiritual journey, and the circle of creativity and our spiritual journey - where each impacts and is part of the other, and how this has impacted his own role as a pastor....
Jul 12, 2017•34 min•Ep. 41
Today I'm joined by author and spiritual counsellor Joy Resor. Joy shares her own story of how suffering and grief set her on the path to finding her true purpose, and how she discovered joy in the process. It's a powerful story of expanding spirituality, creativity as a healer, and how suffering can be a catalyst for authentic and even positive change in our lives. Joy shows how it's possible to have truly hopeful, joyful perspective on our journey, whilst still bearing the scars of our past. T...
Jul 05, 2017•48 min•Ep. 40
Today author, blogger and podcaster Rebecca Lombardo joins me on the podcast. For 25 years Rebecca has battled with mental illness of various kinds. She's also had to undergo the trauma of losing both parents, and battled with suicidal thoughts. Yet through writing, publishing a book, podcasting, and an incredibly supportive husband, she has survived and is doing amazing work creating safe spaces for people to discuss mental illness. Rebecca, with great courage and honesty, shares her story, and...
Jun 28, 2017•39 min
Michael and Lisa Gungor are on the podcast today. Husband and wife, creatives, musicians, Jesus-followers, Michael and Lisa have created some amazing music over the years and have some phenomenal wisdom on spirituality, creativity, and the personal journey. Michael and Lisa share with great honesty and wisdom about their own personal journey, the challenges and struggles they've had to confront in recent years, and how they've shaped their spiritual and creative journey. The Gungors talk about t...
Jun 06, 2017•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 38
Today I'm joined by Julida and Sean Alter, who make up one half of 'The Blacksmith's Daughters', a folk/rock band from Minneapolis. The band is comprised of Julida and Sean, and Julida's sister Anella Platta and her husband Brent. Julida and Anetta are from a family with a long history of being blacksmiths - hence the name 'The Blacksmith's Daughters'. We discuss the creative process involved in songwriting and recording, and their unorthodox but effective approach to how they make their music. ...
Jun 02, 2017•36 min•Ep. 37
On the show today I do a short reflection on the importance of wrestling with the divine, and how I've learned from my own experience that being honest with God, voicing your doubts, questions, frustrations and anger towards God is actually the sign of a healthy relationship with Him. I also talk about how sacred wrestling is something which deepens our faith, not weakens it - and finally about the voice of grace which says to us in those moments "Friend, do what you came here to do"....
May 17, 2017•17 min
