The Allender Center Podcast

Rev. Dr. Michael Chen, a pastor, musician, and theologian with a PhD, dives into the significance of the Trinity during Advent. He unpacks how this divine mystery influences our understanding of love, relationality, and beauty. The conversation touches on the profound implications of the Imago Dei, the beauty found in suffering, and divine participation. Michael also draws parallels between musical harmony and the Trinity, while emphasizing the dignity in our faces and the importance of family dynamics. This heartfelt dialogue invites listeners to deeply engage with God's presence this season.

Blaine Eldredge, a writer and theologian known for his work on church history, dives deep into the significance of Advent and the early church. He illuminates Athanasius's tumultuous life and his pivotal role in shaping early Christian belief during a period of crisis. The conversation unveils the political implications of Christology debates and the moral challenges posed by aligning faith with empire. Blaine also reflects on how the incarnation invites humility, healing, and a profound understanding of God's presence amid turmoil.

Dan and Rachael delve into the complexities of loneliness, revealing how cultural factors amplify isolation. They share personal experiences that highlight the struggle to reach out for help, and discuss the significance of honest connections. The conversation shifts to the impact of trauma on our willingness to seek comfort and care. Listeners are encouraged to reflect on their own feelings of ambivalence and the courage it takes to connect with others, especially in a world that often fosters disconnection.

Thanksgiving is right around the corner. It can be a day of tradition, family, and connection. It can also bring tension, exhaustion, grief, or even trigger old wounds. Today, Dan and Rachael reflect on the complex reality of the holiday: the joy, the nostalgia, the chaos, and the moments that can leave us feeling overwhelmed or even "devoured" by family dynamics. Drawing on their own stories and looking ahead to this year's holiday, they explore how to hold gratitude alongside grief, and how to create meaningful connection without losing yourself. Whether you're hosting, traveling, or creating a quiet space for yourself, this conversation offers gentle guidance and practical tools. You'll learn how to approach Thanksgiving with intention, better honor your boundaries, and participate with a heart that's more open to the day, however it unfolds.

Join Becky Allender, a seasoned ministry partner and wife of Dan Allender, as she shares heartfelt insights on navigating marriage during life's toughest challenges. They discuss how trauma and stress can stretch relationships to their limits and the importance of mutual care and humor in overcoming these trials. Becky reflects on personal experiences with loss and the couple's journey towards acceptance and healing. Their candid conversation reveals how kindness and empathy serve as vital lifelines, even in the darkest moments.

In this engaging discussion, emotional dysregulation is explored, shedding light on how trauma affects our nervous systems. Personal anecdotes and real-life experiences illustrate common triggers that lead to anxiety. The hosts delve into the roles of the amygdala and vagus nerve in managing stress responses. They advocate for compassion over shame, discussing practical tools like humming and somatic techniques for rapid regulation. Insights from Scripture connect spirituality with emotional care, making the conversation both relatable and enlightening.

Explore the profound themes of healing and justice in the wake of trauma. The hosts link Psalm 13's lament to the persistent struggles faced by survivors of abuse. They discuss Erin Brockovich's fight for justice as a model for recovery. With candid reflections on emotional volatility and the physiological impacts of trauma, they emphasize the complex journey of healing. Amidst anger and anguish, there's a thread of hope, highlighting the power of community and small acts of goodness on the road to restoration.

Hillary L. McBride, PhD, is a registered psychologist and the author of 'Holy Hurt: Understanding Spiritual Trauma and the Process of Healing.' In this conversation, she dives into the complexities of spiritual abuse and trauma, revealing how these experiences can be reinforced by the very systems meant to support us. Hillary emphasizes the importance of witnessing, connection, and collective healing. She encourages listeners to reclaim hidden aspects of themselves, grieve effectively, and build supportive communities for a healthier recovery journey.

In this week's wise and profoundly human conversation, Dr. Dan Allender sits down with longtime friend and former student Michael John Cusick, founder of Restoring the Soul and author of the new book Sacred Attachment: Escaping Spiritual Exhaustion and Trusting in Divine Love. Together, they explore the link between spiritual exhaustion and divine love, and how attachment, or the way we learn to connect and be connected, shapes our experience of God, ourselves, and one another. Michael shares pieces of his remarkable story: from surviving profound childhood trauma and addiction to discovering the slow, sacred work of healing that unfolds over a lifetime. He reflects on the moments that first revealed divine love to him and later, the painful exposure that became the turning point of his adult life. Dan and Michael talk about what it means to practice attachment—to be seen, soothed, safe, and secure—and how even our deepest wounds can become doorways into God's relentless, restorative love. This episode engages the topic of abuse, particularly sexual abuse and child abuse. Listener discretion is advised.

When you hear the words "surrendered sexuality," what comes to mind—loss, shame, control? In this conversation, you'll hear a different vision. In this week's episode, Dr. Dan Allender is joined by clinical psychologist and author Dr. Juli Slattery. Together, they open up a vulnerable and hope-filled dialogue about sexuality—one that goes far beyond rules or "right answers." Drawing from her new book Surrendered Sexuality: How Knowing Jesus Changes Everything, Juli shares how her own journey, through disruption, prayer, and deepening intimacy with God, led her to recognize the unspoken pain so many of us carry around sexuality. Rather than focusing on behaviors, Dan and Juli invite you to see sexuality as a core part of being human: your body, your emotions, your longing for connection, and ultimately, your intimacy with God. They also reframe what it means to surrender. Instead of shame or control, surrender becomes a gentle, ongoing invitation into the goodness of God—an opening to more pleasure in life, meaningful healing, and deeper trust in Jesus. This isn't an episode with tidy conclusions or quick fixes. It's an invitation to step into the mystery of sexuality as part of your discipleship journey, and to discover that in surrender, you don't lose yourself. You find life: a life that is more whole, more connected, and more deeply rooted in the goodness of God.