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Hey, everyone. Jason here again. I got so much great feedback from the "Jesus the Mystic" message that I did a couple of weeks ago, that I decided to turn it into a series. Here is the second installment, "Are You Ready to Get Unstuck?". Sometimes, the way out of our rut is simpler than we think. What is your next step to getting unstuck? We'd love to hear from you in our Messy Conversations group on Facebook. By the way, the Robcast episode that I refer to in this message can be found here. It's the best argument I've heard against cancel culture and very much worth considering. If you'd prefer, you can watch the video of this episode on our Youtube channel. Recommended Reading: Jesus’ Alternative Plan by Richard Rohr Returning to Eden by Heather Hamilton Referred to in this episode: The Wisdom of Hobbits by Matthew J. Distefano Parenting Deconstructed Compiled by Jason and Brandi Elam Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This Quoircast podcast episode if brought to you by Keith Giles' latest book, Sola Mysterium: Celebrating the Beautiful Uncertainty of Everything. Order your copy of this groundbreaking book today! This episode is also brought to you by Peaceful Warrior Coffee Co. Use promo code "Messy" for 20% off of your first order! In this conversation, Lola, Kyle, and Jason are joined by publisher, author, and podcaster Matthew J. Distefano to discuss finding inspiration among the hobbits of J.R.R. Tolkien's Shire. Matthew J. Distefano is the author of multiple books, including the wildly popular Heretic! and From the Blood of Abel. He is an audio engineer, the producer of the Heretic Happy Hour podcast, cohost of Apostates Anonymous, and is a regular columnist for Patheos. He holds an undergraduate degree in Education from California State University, Chico. Matthew enjoys gardening, bicycling, and European football. He is a huge Tolkien nerd who one day hopes to live in Bag End with his wife and daughter. You can find his work at allsetfree.com. Be sure to check out Matt's brand-new book, The Wisdom of Hobbits, when it releases on March 14, 2023! Join the conversation on our Messy Conversations Facebook group. Don't miss our new compilation book, Parenting Deconstructed: Navigating Your Spiritual Evolution Without Leaving Your Family Behind, with chapters from some of your favorite heretics! Follow the crew: You can find Lola on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok You can find Kyle on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. You can find Jason on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter (because he's way too old for TikTok). Be sure to check out our Youtube channel. Thanks for listening! Please leave us a rating or review on your platform of choice! Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This Quoircast podcast episode is brought to you by the book "What Can't Be Hidden" by Brandon Andess. Order your copy today here. In this new episode, Lola, Kyle, and Jason welcome Quoir Publishers and authors Matthew J. Distefano and Keith Giles for a conversation about censorship and its' high cost for society. Books you are going to want to check out after listening to this episode: The Kingdom of God is Within You by Leo Tolstoy Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll A Spring Harvest by Geoffrey Bache Smith Sola Mysterium by Keith Giles The Wisdom of Hobbits by Matthew J. Distefano (releasing March 14) Returning to Eden: a field guide for the spiritual journey by Heather Hamilton Join the conversation on our Messy Conversations Facebook group. Don't miss our new compilation book, Parenting Deconstructed: Navigating Your Spiritual Evolution Without Leaving Your Family Behind, with chapters from some of your favorite heretics! Follow the crew: You can find Lola on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok You can find Kyle on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. You can find Jason on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter (because he's way too old for TikTok. Want to be a producer of the show and get exclusive access to videos, blog posts, and merch from the hosts of the show? Check out our Patreon page! Thanks for listening! Please leave us a rating or review on your platform of choice! Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hey, everyone! Jason here. I was in the car for 10 hours yesterday and had bursts of conversation with God. I took some notes to share with you. This one is a little out there and might stretch some of my evangelical friends. Please stick with me. I think you'll like where we end up. In this talk, I discuss: The need to separate Jesus the first-century teacher from the religious icon passed down to us. The first century understanding of some of Jesus' key teachings. What forgiveness and loving our enemies really look like. The value of surrender What it really means to be "woke". I hope you'll find this talk helpful. If so, please let me know. I'd love to hear from you in the comments at MessySpirituality.org. Suggested reading: How to Be An Anti-Racist by Ibram X Kendi Returning to Eden by Heather Hamilton Solo Mysterium by Keith Giles The Universal Christ by Richard Rohr The Universe Has Your Back by Gabrielle Bernstein Parenting Deconstructed compiled by Jason and Brandi ElamQuestion for discussion in the comments: What is your place of surrender? *These are affiliate links and buying these books from these links will send us a small stipend that will help us keep making these videos. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this brand-new episode, Jason speaks with author Heather Hamilton about her spiritual journey, mystical experiences that change our lives, and her brilliant new book, Returning to Eden. Heather Hamilton received her B.A. in Journalism from Georgia State University and spent many years doing video production before discovering her love of writing. After filming and editing stories with people from all over the world—celebrities, orphans, religious leaders, royal family members, political figures, and everyday people—Heather recognized the common threads and themes intertwining all humans across religions, cultures, classes, and demographics. She is passionate about fostering human connection through storytelling, writing, art, and exchanging ideas. She lives in Atlanta with her husband and three children. You can purchase her new book, Returning to Eden, on Kindle, in paperback, or in audiobook format here. Be sure to visit Heather's website and connect with Heather on Facebook and Instagram. Join the conversation on our Messy Conversations Facebook group. Want to be a producer of the show and get exclusive access to videos, blog posts, and merch from the hosts of the show? Check out our Patreon page! Thanks for listening! Please leave us a rating or review on your platform of choice! Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This Quoircast podcast episode is brought to you by the This is Not Church podcast featuring our friends Jon and Nat Turney. If you're not listening to them already you should definitely check them out! In this episode of Messy Spirituality, Jason interviews author and former pastor Kevin Sweeney about his spiritual journey and the hidden power of letting go. You're going to love this conversation! Be sure to check out Kevin's books The Making of a Mystic and The Joy of Letting Go. Kevin Sweeney was co-founder and lead pastor of Imagine Church—an urban church in Honolulu that is welcoming of all people, sees imagination as the key to the future, chooses authenticity over performance, substance over hype, and quality over quantity.  He is the host of podcast “The Church Needs Therapy” and lives In Honolulu with his wife and co-founder of Imagine, Christine, and their two kids, True and Mikayla. You can follow Kevin on Facebook and Instagram. Be sure to follow Jason on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter as well. Join the conversation on our Messy Conversations Facebook group and follow the show on Facebook and Twitter! Want to be a producer of the show and get exclusive access to videos, blog posts, and merch from the hosts of the show? Check out our Patreon page! Thanks for listening! Please leave us a five-star rating and enthusiastic review on your platform of choice! Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This Quoircast podcast episode is brought to you by the Heretic Happy Hour podcast. If you're not listening to the granddaddy of all destruction podcasts you definitely ought to check them out! In this episode of Messy Spirituality, Lola interviews Canadian born artist, Bri Shaw, about her life and work. You're going to love this conversation! You can follow Bri on Instagram and follow her art page here. You can get one of Bri's prints for free by following Birmingham Free Art. Be sure to follow Lola on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram as well! Join the conversation on our Messy Conversations Facebook group. Want to be a producer of the show and get exclusive access to videos, blog posts, and merch from the hosts of the show? Check out our Patreon page! Thanks for listening! Please leave us a five-star rating and enthusiastic review on your platform of choice! Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode is sponsored by the incredible book Divine Echoes by Dr. Mark Gregory Harris. If you haven't already read this book you're missing out! In today's episode, Jason speaks with Brent Schebler of Ink Drinker Editing and Literary Services about his spiritual journey and some of his favorite reads of 2022. Books mentioned in this episode: The Shack by William Paul Young Parenting Deconstructed: Navigating Your Spiritual Evolution Without Leaving Your Family Behind The Hidden Lives of Trees Kissing With Eyes Wide Open Solo Mysterium Blue Like Jazz I'm Glad My Mom Died Green Lights Night The Black Klansman The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon 11-22-63 Under the Dome Never Verity Night Monsters The Wish Join the conversation on our Messy Conversations Facebook group. Want to be a producer of the show and get exclusive access to videos, blog posts, and merch from the hosts of the show? Check out our Patreon page! Thanks for listening! Please leave us a rating or review on your platform of choice! Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This QuoirCast podcast episode is brought to you by our friends at the Heretic Happy Hour podcast! Check them out wherever you listen to podcasts! On this episode, Jason interviews returning guest Brad Jersak to discuss reframing the conversation about deconstruction and its impact. Brad Jersak is an author and teacher based in Abbotsford, BC. He currently serves as the Dean of Theology & Culture at St. Stephen’s University (SSU.ca/graduate) in New Brunswick and teaches peace studies courses with IRPJ.org and is a regular speaker with the Open Table Conference crew. He writes regularly for the Clarion Journal and CWR magazine. You can order Brad's new book, Out of the Embers, here and follow him on Facebook Join the conversation on our Messy Conversations Facebook group. Don't miss our new compilation book, Parenting Deconstructed: Navigating Your Spiritual Evolution Without Leaving Your Family Behind, with chapters from some of your favorite heretics! Follow the crew: You can find Lola on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok You can find Kyle on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. You can find Jason on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter Want to be a producer of the show and get exclusive access to videos, blog posts, and merch from the hosts of the show? Check out our Patreon page! Thanks for listening! Please leave us a rating or review on your platform of choice! Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This QuoirCast podcast episode is brought to you by the Ideas Digest podcast from two Aussie blokes-Konrad and Matt. Check them out! On this episode Lola, Kyle, and Jason discuss what makes each of them grateful. Auntie Lola also has an all new WTF Bible Story that will make all the ladies very grateful. During our interview segment, Jason interviews author Daniel Henderson who recently released "Confessions of a Recovering Evangelical". With a 40 year career in education, Daniel Henderson has the grounding of being a life-long mid-westerner, and having traveled extensively. His teaching career in the field of history and religion has given many of his students inspiration and motivation to pursue their own careers in these fields. Dan has traveled to Europe and Central America and all over the United States. He has a passion for history and historic sites. He is currently publishing a personal story of his own faith journey called, "Confessions of a Recovering Evangelical" available today from Quoir. You can order Dan's new book here and follow him on Facebook. Join the conversation on our Messy Conversations Facebook group. Don't miss our new compilation book, Parenting Deconstructed: Navigating Your Spiritual Evolution Without Leaving Your Family Behind, with chapters from some of your favorite heretics! Follow the crew: You can find Lola on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok You can find Kyle on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. You can find Jason on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Want to be a producer of the show and get exclusive access to videos, blog posts, and merch from the hosts of the show? Check out our Patreon page! Thanks for listening! Please leave us a rating or review on your platform of choice! Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This QuoirCast podcast episode is brought to you by This is Not Church podcast featuring our good friends Jon and Nat Turney. Check them out! On this episode Lola, Kyle, and Jason discuss what each of them think might happen after we die. Auntie Lola also has a very spooky Halloween edition of WTF Bible Stories. During our interview segment, Jason interviews poet Darrell Epp about life, art, and art's impact on the world. Darrell Epp is a poet, freelance journalist, and playwright whose work has appeared widely in magazines around the world, including Maisonneuve, Poetry Nottingham, Sub-Terrain, and The Saranac Review. Born in Toronto, he currently resides in Hamilton, Ontario where he earns a living locking up trains for CN Rail. You can order Darrell's new book here and find him on Facebook and Twitter. Join the conversation on our Messy Conversations Facebook group. Follow the crew: You can find Lola on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok You can find Kyle on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. You can find Jason on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Want to be a producer of the show and get exclusive access to videos, blog posts, and merch from the hosts of the show? Check out our Patreon page! Thanks for listening! Please leave us a rating or review on your platform of choice! Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This QuoirCast podcast episode is brought to you by This is Not Church podcast featuring our good friends Jon and Nat Turney. They drop new episodes every Monday and their latest episode features none other than our own Lola Robbins! This brand new episode features: A big announcement worthy of celebration! A special Halloween edition of "Auntie Lola's WTF Bible Stories" An interview with recording artist and all-around badass Hailey Dixon! A conversation about what happens to those who commit suicide. Hailey Dixon is a writer, songstress and a woman with a bone to pick with the American evangelical church. Growing up queer and with a severe mental disability, Hailey often felt rejected not only by the god she grew up with, but by the church as a whole. She escaped a cult only to be brought down by what others assumed were good, healthy churches. Now Hailey lives to tell the tale by writing songs that feel like worship music with just a hint of sacrilege. You can listen to Hailey's music here and follow her on Facebook and Instagram. If you’re struggling to hang on, please call or text 988 from any cell phone to talk to a professional counselor who can help. Join the conversation on our Messy Conversations Facebook group. Follow the crew: You can find Lola on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok You can find Kyle on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. You can find Jason on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Want to be a producer of the show and get exclusive access to videos, blog posts, and merch from the hosts of the show? Check out our Patreon page! Thanks for listening! Please leave us a rating or review on your platform of choice! Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This QuoirCast podcast episode is brought to you by This is Not Church podcast featuring our good friends Jon and Nat Turney. They drop new episodes every Monday so check them out! In this new episode, Lola, Kyle, and Jason discuss ballot initiatives in several states that seek to end forced labor in U.S. prisons and lingering racial injustice in the United States. Join the conversation on our Messy Conversations Facebook group. Please take a minute to like our Facebook page and follow/friend all of our hosts on social media! You can find Lola on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok You can find Kyle on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. You can find Jason on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter (because he's way too old for TikTok). Please rate and review this show on your podcast platform of choice. That really does help us find our way to new ears! Want to be a producer of the show and get exclusive access to videos, blog posts, and merch from the hosts of the show? Check out our Patreon page! We'll be back with a new episode every two weeks! Thanks for listening to the podcast. We love having you with us on this journey! Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this conversation, Lola, Kyle, and Jason discuss the news regarding Matt Chandler, lead pastor of The Village Church in Flower Mound, TX who recently stepped down due to what he referred to as "non-sexual, non-romantic, unwise course joking" with a female via direct messages. We look at how the situation was handled and the questions raised by the church's response. Join the conversation on our Messy Conversations Facebook group. Please take a minute to like our Facebook page and follow/friend all of our hosts on social media! You can find Lola on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok You can find Kyle on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. You can find Jason on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter (because he's way too old for TikTok). Please rate and review this show on your podcast platform of choice. That really does help us find our way to new ears! Want to be a producer of the show and get exclusive access to videos, blog posts, and merch from the hosts of the show? Check out our Patreon page! We'll be back with a new episode every two weeks! Thanks for listening to the podcast. We love having you with us on this journey! Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this new episode, Lola, Kyle and Jason discuss one of the most disgusting stories in the Bible and take a look at rampant financial exploitation and manipulation in the church. Join the conversation on our Messy Conversations Facebook group. Please take a minute to like our Facebook page and follow/friend all of our hosts on social media! You can find Lola on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok You can find Kyle on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. You can find Jason on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter (because he's way too old for TikTok). Please rate and review this show on your podcast platform of choice. That really does help us find our way to new ears! Want to be a producer of the show and get exclusive access to videos, blog posts, and merch from the hosts of the show? Check out our Patreon page! We'll be back with a new episode every two weeks! Thanks for listening to the podcast. We love having you with us on this journey! Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this new episode, Lola, Kyle and Jason discuss performance art at CPAC, the injustice of mass incarceration, another twisted Bible story, and the negative impact of religions based on fear. Take a minute to like our Facebook page and follow/friend all of our hosts on social media! You can find Lola on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok You can find Kyle on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. You can find Jason on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter (because he's way too old for TikTok). Please rate and review this show on your podcast platform of choice. That really does help us find our way to new ears! Want to be a producer of the show and get exclusive access to videos, blog posts, and merch from the hosts of the show? Check out our Patreon page! We'll be back with a new episode every two weeks! Thanks for listening to the podcast. We love having you with us on this journey! Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this new uncut conversation, Jason Elam discusses finding life and community outside of church with authors Laura and Karl Forehand. Karl Forehand is the award-winning author of Apparent Faith, The Tea Shop, Being, and The Hotel. Laura Forehand is an educator specializing in whole brain teaching. Laura and Karl are the authors of the new book, Out into the Desert: Thriving Outside Organized Religion which is available now in paperback and e-book format. Karl and Laura host The Desert Sanctuary podcast. Karl is a columnist for Patheos. They have three children and three grandchildren that they adore. Here's Jason's quick review of Out Into the Desert: "Many of us are on a spiritual journey with no known destination. We have tried mainstream religion and have found it to be lacking and often corrupt. So we walked away from it all with no particular place to go. This journey into the unknown is a lonely quest and the isolation can sometimes feel overwhelming. Karl and Laura Forehand have been there and share their wealth of transparency and hard-fought wisdom with us in the pages of "Out Into the Desert". Laura and Karl are on this unfamiliar path right beside us and don't pretend to have all the answers. Their only agenda is to help us know that we're not alone and that this desert isn't as barren as it seems." Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this Messy Conversations interview, Lola speaks with Andrew Pledger about life, God, and his unconventional spiritual journey. Andrew Pledger is a religious trauma survivor who escaped fundamentalist Christianity (the IFB cult). He brings awareness to spiritual and religious abuse. Andrew's podcast Speaking Up with Andrew Pledger offers a platform for people to share their stories of surviving toxic religion. Being a part of the LGBTQ+ community, and experiencing religious trauma has inspired Andrew to pursue psychology to help survivors. To connect with Andrew, please check out his website. Please rate and review this show on your podcast platform of choice. That really does help us find our way to new ears! Want to be a producer of the show and get exclusive access to videos, blog posts, and merch from the hosts of the show? Check out our Patreon page! We'll be back with a new episode every two weeks! Thanks for listening to the podcast. We love having you with us on this journey! Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode Lola, Kyle, and Jason discuss the question "Could Church Be Harming Our Kids?", the recent video of Uvalde police officers, and rethinking whether or not David was really a "man after God's own heart". Take a minute to like our Facebook page and follow/friend all of our hosts on social media! You can find Lola on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok You can find Kyle on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. You can find Jason on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter (because he's way too old for TikTok). Please rate and review this show on your podcast platform of choice. That really does help us find our way to new ears! Want to be a producer of the show and get exclusive access to videos, blog posts, and merch from the hosts of the show? Check out our Patreon page! We'll be back with a new episode every two weeks! Thanks for listening to the podcast. We love having you with us on this journey! Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to Season 4 of the show! We're excited to welcome Kyle Butler and Lola Robbins as our new co-hosts and we're launching a new format that we hope you will love! In this first episode of the new era, we discuss new beginnings, the story of Esther in the Bible, the US Supreme Court decision regarding Roe vs. Wade, and learning to hear the language of God/The Universe/love to you. It's a great conversation and we'd love to hear what you think over on the Messy Conversations group on Facebook. While you're there, take a minute to like our page and follow/friend all of our hosts! You can find Lola on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok You can find Kyle on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. You can find Jason on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Please rate and review this show on your podcast platform of choice. That really does help us find our way to new ears! Want to be a producer of the show and get exclusive access to videos, blog posts, and merch from the hosts of the show? Check out our Patreon page! We'll be back with a new episode every two weeks! Thanks for listening to the podcast. We love having you with us on this journey! Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.