8000 Promises: Responding to the world with compassion, beauty, love & laughter

In this episode of the 8000 Promises Podcast, host Adi Tilford, invites her friend and spiritual director, Megan Babayco, to discuss the significance of desires, longings, and dreams in spiritual formation. Megan shares her journey from dreaming of becoming an astronaut to actually becoming a pastor, highlighting how her underlying desire to make a difference manifested in her spiritual calling. They delve into the misconceptions about desires within the church and emphasize the importance of aligning desires with God's will for personal growth and fulfillment. Megan introduces practical spiritual practices, such as the prayer of examen to help listeners discern their deepest desires. She also explains the role of spiritual direction in guiding individuals on their spiritual journey. The conversation concludes with advice on finding a spiritual director and the positive impact of community in spiritual development.

00:00 Welcome to the 8000 Promises Podcast: A Conversation with Megan

00:42 Exploring Spiritual Direction with Megan

01:51 Megan's Childhood Dream and Its Impact

07:57 The Essence of Spiritual Direction and Its Personal Journey

17:20 Understanding Desires, Longings, and Dreams in Spiritual Formation

24:50 Exploring Spiritual Desires and Practices

25:37 The Journey of Spiritual Formation

26:22 Embracing and Understanding Our Desires

26:54 Daily Delights: A Practice of Gratitude and Connection

27:44 Spiritual Practices for Deeper Connection

28:11 The Prayer of Examine: Reflecting on God's Presence

31:05 Discerning Our Desires in Light of God's Will

42:23 The Role of Spiritual Direction in Intentional Living

45:00 Closing Thoughts on Gratitude and Spiritual Practice

Keywords

spiritual direction, desires, longings, spiritual formation, self-awareness, discernment, Christian faith, desires, spiritual formation, prayer of examen, discernment, spiritual director, gratitude

In this episode of '8,000 Promises,' the hosts, known as the Nerdy Bible Girls - Tiff, Jayme, and Amy, embark on a new series exploring dreams, longings, and desires titled 'These Dreams We Have: The Role of Desire and Longing in Our Lives.' They begin by discussing childhood dreams and how they intertwine with their present lives. Special focus is on Tiff's journey from a respiratory therapist to fulfilling her dream of writing a children's book, 'Mrs. Poppish's Pickles,' inspired by a family story and her longing for laughter during the challenging COVID-19 pandemic. The episode delves into the themes of spiritual formation, the role of community in fulfilling dreams, and trusting God's timing and plans. Encouragement is offered to listeners to pursue their dreams, recognizing the importance of surrendering to God, surrounding oneself with supportive people, and discerning the difference between dreams and goals.

00:00 Welcome to the New Series with the Nerdy Bible Girls!

00:55 Introducing 'These Dreams' Series: Exploring Dreams and Longings

02:09 Childhood Dreams: Marine Biologists, Olympians, and More

08:45 Tiff's Journey: From Respiratory Therapist to Children's Book Author

22:51 The Power of Dreams, Encouragement, and God's Guidance

28:03 The Power of Dreams and Intentionality

29:22 The Birth of Nerdy Bible Girls Podcast

31:46 The Journey of Sharing Dreams

32:48 Navigating the Fear of Failure

41:28 The Difference Between Dreams and Goals

45:28 Surrendering Dreams to God's Plan

51:33 Gratitude: A Spiritual Practice

Keywords

dreams, longings, childhood dreams, pursuing dreams, support, walking with God, dreams, goals, pursuing dreams, turning dreams into reality, sharing dreams, validation, difference between dreams and goals, gratitude

In this episode, Adi and Spencer discuss the theological aspects of forgiveness and the challenges that come with it. They emphasize the importance of understanding forgiveness as a process that starts within ourselves and extends to others. They also explore the concept of justice and how it relates to forgiveness, highlighting the need for restorative justice rather than punitive justice. The conversation touches on the role of the body in forgiveness and the significance of seeing ourselves and others as image bearers of God. They conclude by discussing the difference between trust and forgiveness and the importance of creating safe spaces for healing and restoration.

Keywords: forgiveness, theology, justice, restorative justice, image of God, trust, safe spaces

Adi (Christian) and Casey (Agnostic) discuss the topic of forgiveness. They explore the definition of forgiveness, the challenges of forgiving, and the importance of understanding and empathy in the process. They also touch on the role of faith in forgiveness and the impact of past experiences on one's ability to forgive. The conversation highlights the complexity of forgiveness and the need for personal growth and self-reflection in order to let go of anger and resentment.

Keywords: forgiveness, understanding, empathy, faith, past experiences, letting go, anger, resentment

Resources Mentioned

In this conversation, Janielle shares her story of forgiveness after experiencing childhood trauma. She discusses the importance of forgiveness in the healing process and how it lifts the weight of anger and resentment. Janielle emphasizes the role of God in guiding her through forgiveness and the need to trust Him. She also highlights the significance of boundaries and self-care in the forgiveness journey. Janielle's story serves as a reminder that forgiveness does not mean forgetting, but rather letting go and finding wholeness.

Janielle Westermire is a native of the Grand Valley on the Western Slope in Colorado. She is 5 generation and comes from a strong family of faith and love for God. She is widowed and has three wonderful adult children and 3 amazing grandchildren.

S 5: E 64 Born to Be Queen Part II: Born to Be Queen

8000 Promises host, Adi Tilford and comedian Monique Bellamy, explore the heavy topic of forgiveness and moving forward after experiencing harm. Monique shares her personal journey, highlighting the importance of laughter in difficult times and discussing complex issues like social media's influence, personal struggles, and the process of forgiveness. She emphasizes how humor has been a vital tool in her healing process and in facing life's challenges. Additionally, Monique touches on her experiences with alcoholism, the importance of community in overcoming personal struggles, and how she employs comedy to navigate and express complex emotions and experiences. The conversation concludes with a focus on the simple delights in life, illustrating the importance of finding joy amid hardship.

00:00 Opening Greetings and the Power of Laughter

01:22 A Light-hearted Interlude: The Selfie Dilemma

06:36 Introducing Monique Bellamy: A Journey of Identity and Faith

17:25 Exploring Forgiveness: From Personal Struggles to Universal Challenges

31:40 Unpacking Forgiveness and Its Complex Layers

32:47 The Role of Family in the Forgiveness Journey

33:59 Breaking the Cycle: Forgiveness as a Daily Offering

38:38 Navigating Triggers and Boundaries in Forgiveness

45:42 The Healing Power of Humor and Community

58:16 Embracing Delight: Finding Joy in the Everyday

In this episode of the 8000 Promises podcast, host Adi converses with Nicole Williams, a forgiveness coach, writer, and author, exploring the sensitive and profound subject of forgiveness. Nicole shares her personal journey of forgiveness with her mother, emphasizing how understanding and seeing the image of God in others can lead to transformative healing and forgiveness. The discussion delves into the challenges and misconceptions surrounding forgiveness, highlighting the difference between forgiving as a one-time act and viewing it as a continuous, grace-filled journey. Nicole offers insights into her work as a forgiveness coach, including the importance of identity in Christ, setting boundaries, and employing practical techniques for healing. She also introduces her upcoming course, 'Forgiveness School,' designed to help individuals find freedom from unforgiveness. Throughout the episode, Nicole underscores the significance of empathy, compassion, and seeing God's image in everyone for fostering true forgiveness and healing.

00:00 Welcome to the 8,000 Promises Podcast: A Tender Topic of Forgiveness

00:36 A Lighthearted Start: Would You Rather Sing or Dance?

03:36 Nicole's Journey to Becoming a Forgiveness Coach

04:58 The Transformative Power of Seeing God in Others

11:40 Defining Forgiveness and Its Continuous Journey

18:12 The Role and Impact of a Forgiveness Coach

25:57 Exploring Forgiveness and Personal Growth

26:41 Improving Communication and Setting Boundaries

30:00 The Difference Between a Coach and a Counselor

34:31 Facing the Struggle with Forgiveness

43:55 Unveiling the Course on Forgiveness

47:29 A Personal Delight: The Power of Empathy

*Shownotes were generated by Descript AI

Adoptee Sara Easterly, Birth Parent Kelsey Vander Vliet Ranyard, and Adoptive Parent Lori Holden join host Adi Tilford in a discussion focusing on the theme of forgiveness within the context of adoption. The authors of Adoption Unfiltered explore the complex emotional landscapes of adoptees, birth parents, and adoptive parents, utilizing Dr. Gordon Neufeld's metaphor of a traffic circle to illustrate the process of frustration, adaptation, grief, and attack when unaddressed emotional needs fester. Each guest shares their personal journeys and struggles with grief, loss, and the necessity of facing one's emotions to heal and forgive, emphasizing the importance of feeling sadness to move towards forgiveness.

The conversation highlights varied methods that the guests use to connect with their emotions, including engaging with animals, enjoying nature, indulging in sad media content, and creating intentional quiet moments. Towards the end, the participants reflect on moments of delight in their lives, illustrating the significance of recognizing simple pleasures amidst complex emotional experiences. The overall discussion underscores the critical role of understanding, processing grief, and the ongoing nature of forgiveness in the adoption triad's journey towards healing and connection.

00:00 Welcome to 8000 Promises: A Conversation on Forgiveness

00:54 Would You Rather: Funniest or Smartest?

04:04 Introducing the Guests: Stories of Adoption and Identity

05:13 Sara's Journey:  Developing Adoption Consciousness

09:17 Kelsey's Perspective: A Birth Parent's Experience 

13:45 Lori's Insights: An Adoptive Parent Navigating Adoption's Complexities

18:25 Exploring Forgiveness in the Adoption Narrative

30:24 Navigating Grief and Loss: Insights and Personal Stories

32:56 The Power of Sadness in Healing and Forgiveness

36:22 Embracing Forgiveness in Adoption: A Deep Dive

42:58 Finding Peace Through Feeling: Strategies and Personal Experiences

54:42 Simple Pleasures: Sharing Moments of Delight

Links: 

Sally shares her reflective writing on the journey of forgiveness in the Ignite Insight episode!

Hi there, I’m Sally Henry.  I am wife to Kim, mother of Sarah and Sean and grandmother of three crazy boys: Rilo, Rocco and Vito. I also have two sisters who sandwich me and I love dearly. I am a writer, pastor, musician and listener.  As an Enneagram 9, I love having people in our home, cooking for friends and family, having meaningful conversations and doing work that makes a difference.  I am an ordained Presbyterian minister, but currently work as a behavioral health care coordinator working with families who have children coming out of mental health crises. Kim and I host a house church every other week in our home, I’ve taken up lap swimming to be active and work out stress and therapy to keep chipping away at all those things that keep me from being truly whole. I turned 60 in 2023, and it was my best birthday yet.  I don’t do “churchy talk” and I’m usually 5-7 years behind the latest trends (be they clothing, social media or catchy phrases). I believe in transparency and sharing our stories because that’s how we learn from each other and grow as individuals, and I’ve been sharing my sh$% for a long time now. Oh, and I try to sometimes filter for the sake of others (that’s the Enneagram 9 in me), but sometimes a good f-bomb is what’s appropriate.  Sorry not sorry. 

In this episode of '8,000 Promises,' host Adi Tilford, alongside guests Tiffany (Tiff) and Jayme, delve into the profound topic of forgiveness within the Christian faith. Tiffany, a respiratory therapist, mom, and soon-to-be-published author, and Jayme, an amazing mom deeply involved in Young Life, share their personal journeys and struggles with understanding and practicing forgiveness. The discussion evolves to a deeper exploration of what forgiveness truly means, especially in challenging times. They ponder the difference between forgiving as God does—instantly and completely—and human forgiveness, which they note as a process filled with struggle, repeated efforts, and sometimes, shame for not achieving immediate closure. Additionally, the group discusses the concept of forgiveness as not just a one-time act but a repeated choice to let go of bitterness and anger, with God's help. Touching on forgiveness in the context of both interpersonal relationships and broader social injustices, they clarify that forgiveness does not necessarily imply restored trust or relationship. The episode closes with reflections on delight in daily life and the metaphorical packing of one's wounds with love, truth, and God's goodness as a way to heal and find freedom in forgiveness.

00:00 Welcome to Another Episode of 8,000 Promises

00:06 Introducing the Nerdy Bible Girls

02:34 Exploring the Complexities of Forgiveness

04:41 The Process of Forgiveness: Insights and Reflections

09:56 Forgiveness as a Continuous Journey

15:51 The Role of God in the Process of Forgiveness

21:01 Exploring Forgiveness and Relationship Healing

21:46 The Complex Nature of Forgiveness and Trust

22:35 Spiritual Insights on Forgiveness

23:19 Healing Wounds: A Metaphor for Forgiveness

25:38 The Journey of Forgiveness and Letting Go

26:56 Scriptural Reflections and Personal Growth

30:27 The Power of Naming and Trusting in God's Process

39:44 Embracing God's Truth and Love in Healing

44:01 Sharing Delights and Reflecting on God's Goodness

Casey (the agnostic) and Adi (the follower of Jesus) talk about what it means from two different world views to Amplify Voices.

Adi and Stephanie Jordan talk about Steph’s journey of widowhood, the lessons she’s learned along the way and how we can better care for the widows and widowers in our lives. 

Stephanie Jordan is an author, teacher, and speaker. She has been a cosmetologist for 24 years. She has 5 amazing kids. She has two dogs and two cats. 

She has broad life experiences and likes adventure. She loves Jesus and intends to  spend her life sharing His message in an unconventional way. Her artistic and rock n roll style influence her outlook on life and living it to the full. She is passionate about riding her Harley Davidson Sportster 48 and reading, writing and painting. 

Links:

Stephanie Jordan's

Molly Evans lives in Grand Junction, Colorado. She is a proud Auntie, recovering perfectionist and karaoke enthusiast. She has lived all over the world including Flagstaff, Arizona, Bandung, Indonesia, Bangkok, Thailand, and Portland, Oregon. Passionate about education, mental health, and advocating for children, she champions the cause of the vulnerable in her work as a school psychologist. When she isn’t lacing up her running shoes for a trail run, she’s crafting delicious treats in her kitchen to share with friends and family. 

She occasionally adds to her blog which is a collection of stories and reflections from her adventures overseas and in the world of education. She also has a weekly podcast with her two younger sisters called A Word with the Girls, a podcast where one word sparks conversation.

With Eyes Wide Open (Blog)

Adi and Michelle Vrabel  talk about how the concept of amplifying a voice can start with your own inner work and eventually become a journey of deliverance for others. We talk about the challenges of writing a story that includes really traumatic events and we discuss the journey of becoming a podcaster! It’s never too late to learn something new! 

Michele Vrabel is an expert bean counter by day. Her super powers and side hustles include pastry chef and author in training. Her writing coach, Bob Goff, says she has “sass”, which she deploys regularly. She is nearing the finish line with her first book…Butterfly Stitches…and according to her King apparently has several others in her.

Michele is available and lives in Mesa, Arizona. She has a daughter in college who lives with her and is lovingly known as Peanut. She is a passionate traveler, foodie, smart alec and lover of her King Jesus.

Michele’s Links:

Kristen Brock shares from her blog posts in 2020 with a call to action to become more informed. This episode or Kristen's new podcast is a great place to start.

Kristen runs Kiongozi Consulting, an LLC that trains people and organizations in trauma-informed care. She is also the executive director of Friends of Ruwenzori a non-profit that supports an NGO in Uganda. Her lifelong commitment to advocating for and empowering underserved communities of all stripes has seen her work with communities including US Veterans, families living under the poverty line, at-risk youth, and HIV+ communities in Africa. 

Kristen believes that the church should be a place for healing, a place that stands for the oppressed and vulnerable, and should be the bedrock of justice.  She believes we can create a body of believers who don’t retraumatize and who understand how deeply we have hurt our brothers and sisters. 

As a solo mom to three young men, Kristen added to her family by adopting through the foster system.   Hearing the call to establish a voice around trauma, race, adoption, and parenting — all grounded in her faith she is under the constant supervision of two exceptionally friendly dogs and two strong-willed cats. Kristen lives in Novato, California, and is a die-hard 49ers, Giants, and Warriors fan. While not doing “mom-dependent” study with her youngest or wrangling one of many home improvement projects, Kristen can be found whipping up some baked goods, working on a new podcast, or hiking in the warm Northern Californian hills.

Kristen holds both a Bachelor of Science degree and a teaching credential from Wheaton College in Illinois, and a Master of Science from San Diego State University in Marriage and Family Counseling and is working toward a Masters in Theology and Social Justice at Northeastern Seminary.

Adi and Pri talk health, holiness, unification, sanctuary and so much more in this mid-morning interview. Lean in and embrace what God has for you today.

Pricelis Perreaux-Dominguez is the founder/ceo of Full Collective and host of the annual Sowers Summit Conference in New York City. She is a coach, author, advocate, podcaster, creator, Bible teacher, entrepreneur, and is pursuing a Masters in Biblical and Theological Studies at Denver Seminary. Pricelis is a Black Latina living in NYC with her husband and son.

Ondi shares her blog post about the power of your testimony!

From Ondi:

Adi and Tracie talk about the power of having a writing coach, how to love and support yourself or others in the midst of divorce and the power of testimony.

Tracie Miles is the Author of seven best-selling books, a writing and author coach through her business, Tracie Miles Author Coaching Services, the Director of COMPEL Writers Training at Proverbs 31 Ministries, a member of the international Proverbs 31 Devotion Writers Team which reach 1.5 million people per day with God’s Word, and the founder of the Living Unbroken Divorce Recovery Program. Tracie has 3 grown children plus a daughter and son in law, and lives in Charlotte, North Carolina. I’m so grateful you showed up today. Enjoy this conversation with my friend and coach - Tracie Miles.

Connect Here:

Sally's Bio: Hi there, I’m Sally Henry.  I am wife to Kim, mother of Sarah and Sean and grandmother of three crazy boys: Rilo, Rocco and Vito. I also have two sisters who sandwich me and I love dearly. I am a writer, pastor, musician and listener.  As an Enneagram 9, I love having people in our home, cooking for friends and family, having meaningful conversations and doing work that makes a difference.  I am an ordained Presbyterian minister, but currently work as a behavioral health care coordinator working with families who have children coming out of mental health crises. Kim and I host a house church every other week in our home, I’ve taken up lap swimming to be active and work out stress and therapy to keep chipping away at all those things that keep me from being truly whole. I turned 60 in 2023, and it was my best birthday yet.  I don’t do “churchy talk” and I’m usually 5-7 years behind the latest trends (be they clothing, social media or catchy phrases). I believe in transparency and sharing our stories because that’s how we learn from each other and grow as individuals, and I’ve been sharing my sh$% for a long time now. Oh, and I try to sometimes filter for the sake of others (that’s the Enneagram 9 in me), but sometimes a good f-bomb is what’s appropriate.  Sorry not sorry. 

Adi, Tiff and Jayme riff on the concept for series 4: Amplify and share responses for God Hunt - the spiritual practice of this series.

Adi reads part one of her three part therapuetic story. Get your written copy here:

Born to Be Queen, by Adi Tilford

Part I: “The Lost Crown” Published Jan 22, 2024

A little of what's coming in 2024, and a new way of doing things!

Adi and Spencer Owen share the idea behind their recurring episode for the 8000 Promises Podcast - Grappling with God. You can catch their live conversation on Feb. 23 or listen here when the conversation is published on the pod.

Adi, Tiff and Jayme introduce themselves and the Nerdy Bible Girls concept. Each series, these friends will talk about the series topic as a way to introduce you to the concepts and spiritual practices embedded within the coming weeks! Enjoy!

Connect with the NBGs:

In this episode, Adi welcomes you back to the podcast and shares her new word for 2024. She also gives a layout of her rule of life for this first quarter of 2024.

In this episode Adi shares her decision to stop podcast production over the two week Christmas holiday, so that she can focus on living love with the people right in front of her. She shares a little about the word Rejoice/Celebration, and then sends you into the New Year with a Christmas Blessing.

Here are the links you might be interested in checking out from this episode:

Reflection Harvest. Thinking about a certain period of time and pulling out the fruit that's ready for harvest. Have questions or want to learn more?

In this episode, Adi shares four of the lessons she learned about God's advocacy for her life as she said Yes! to laying down advocacy for three months... even advocacy for her children! Each of the lessons is told through a short vignette of an experience during her Personal Sabbatical Sept. 1- Nov. 30, 2023.

Things Adi mentioned during this episode:

Today, Adi shares a thank you letter to her new podcasting hero, Julia Louis-Dreyfus for her award winning show, Wiser than Me.

Check it out at these links:

In this episode, Adi shares about her experience with silence and contemplative prayer and gives you an opportunity to give it a try for 30 seconds. It's amazing how 30 seconds can reset an entire situation, afternoon or even a day.

Join Adi in learning to be still.

If you want to hear the story of why she chose the word mercy at the retreat in September be sure to listen to S3, E9 from Thursday, Dec. 14

In this episode, Adi shares how an encounter with God at the Transforming Center's Silence and Solitude retreat in September helped her understand herself in a new way. God, the creator of the universe is also the one who took the sorrow that surrounded Adi and turned it into mercy, her highest spiritual gift.

Adi shares her daydream of writing a book dedication for Beth Moore who like the Samaritan woman at the well out of John 4 shares her testimony and leads Adi to a more intimate encounter with Jesus.

In this episode, Adi Tilford shares how the word recover didn't just disappear because she wasn't up for the hard work of uncovering what needed to be recovered. Instead, the work that began over sabbatical is continuing in this Advent season.

In today's episode I'll share about a book that made an impact on me during my personal Sabbatical. I read Curt Thompson's Anatomy of the Soul in the final weeks of my sabbatical, and it affirmed so many things I believe AND taught me some new ways to contemplate and think about transformative work in the mind and soul.

Hi! I'm back and so is the podcast though I'm in the process of restructuring!

Look forward to the next six weeks of listening M-F to short episodes. The first four weeks will include sharing and reflection from my Personal Sabbitical.

Monday episode: Welcome Back, Advent Reflection and Blue Christmas

Nancy is a momma of one, step momma of 3, an ESL teacher, as well as the voice of the One Minute Bible Study and the Five Minute Bible Study. She is also the creator of My Unphotoshopped Life on Instagram and TikTok, where she tries desperately to share her struggles with God and everyday life. In a world of perfect photoshopped pictures and perfect photoshopped lives, Nancy's aim is to try to live unphotoshopped - flaws, freakouts, meltdowns and all. After living a life believing she needed to photoshop herself to be lovable, and after following a God she had photoshopped to have limited mercy, grace and love for her, Nancy is passionate to share what she has found: a God who doesn't need photoshopping because He is way better than we ever thought. And this unphotoshopped God welcomes unphotoshopped people with open arms. 

I’d love to know  the treasures you found as you listened today. Share your insights on the Spotify Q & A.

Mona is a well known woman in my local community, and a woman whose wisdom deserves to be shared beyond our small city walls. 

Though Mona spent several years in the women’s ministry speaking circuit, her current priorities hone in on specific needs found in the heart of our community. Eight years ago, Mona founded the Joseph Center, an organization aimed at helping the unhoused, especially at-risk youth and elderly populations. Highline’s work helps people navigate the legal system with regard to child affairs, offers a day shelter for families to eat and shower and provides extra clothing among other services. 

Earlier this year, Mona was chosen as Nexstar’s 2023 Remarkable Woman of the Year out of thousands of nominees across the country. And within the last month, Mona said yes to a new adventure - voted in as an interim member of the Public Health Board. 

You can connect with Mona or the Joseph center through the website  www.josephcentergj.com. You can call the facility at (970) 245-4672. And you can visit, the team loves people to come in and give them tours and we are located at 25 11 Belford Avenue, suite B. 

I hope you enjoy this conversation with Mona much as I did.

Vivian Mabuni is a national speaker and author, bible teacher and podcast host. With 34 years serving on staff with Cru, Viv loves teaching about the Bible and practical application to ministry and life and serves on the Board of Trustees at Denver Seminary. Author of "Open Hands, Willing Heart," and host of the Someday Is Here podcast for AAPI (Asian American Pacific Islanders) leaders. Viv loves drinking coffee with her husband of 31 years, Darrin, and marveling at their young adult kids. 

Gerald and Tabby Zgabay  (pronounced sky-bye) have been married for 20 years and reside in Texas. They have 2 children Zaden (11) and Zenli (7) through adoption. Gerald is a banker but also a published author and has written two books about his faith walk and how God has met him in the darkest of places, addiction. Sobering Faith and Opening Up are available for purchase on Amazon. Tabby is a professional photographer, homeschool mom and a woman of immense joy! 

Content warning: Pornography dependence, addiction and recovery and how it potentially can impact people with trauma histories that include sexual abuse or assault. 

I hope you enjoy this conversation with Gerald and Tabby as much as I did.