Becoming Whole

Send us a textYour body was created by God and it is very good.  If that doesn’t feel true to you, this episode is for you. We’re challenging the lie that says your body is to blame. And that’s harder than it sounds. What would it look like to allow the words in this podcast to make their way from your ears to your brain, to your heart all the way to your fingertips? Be willing to believe your body is not the enemy. This shift in mindset matters so much as you find yourself wrestling with temptation and sin. Your body is an ally, fight for it not against it. Jesus himself saw fit to move into the human body. God is not against your body. He is for it. Are you? Highlights:God is not against our bodies. God is for our bodies. If our bodies are bad then the incarnation of Christ ceases to make sense. Jesus became flesh - fully God and fully human. The incarnation of Jesus is affirmation of the goodness of the body.Homework:Whether you’re wrestling against pornography, food, alcohol - Consider your battle to be not against your body but FOR your body. How does that change your approach? Your choices?Resources:Romans 8 We are waiting the redemption of our bodies.Romans 12:1 “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God - this is your true and proper worship.1 Corinthians 6 “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price.  Therefore honor God with your bodies.”"That which He has not assumed He has not healed.” Saint Gregory of Nazianzus Transcription:Full Transcription Available hereSupport Becoming WholeFree Resources to help you on your journey to Becoming Whole 👉Men's Overcoming Lust & Temptation Devotional👉Women 21-Day Prayer Journal & Devotional - (Women overcoming unwanted sexual Behavior)👉Compass 21-Day Prayer Journal & Devotional - (Wives who are or have been impacted by partner betrayal)

Send us a textTo “tread” means to walk in a specified way. Tread Boldly.As a parent, especially of teens, you may consider treading carefully as the best way to handle hormones and cold shoulders and uncomfortable conversations. But, as you’ll hear Josh explain; you are called to tread boldly.This is a special episode as our very own Josh Glaser releases his first book today - “Treading Boldly through a Pornographic World: A Field Guide for Parents.”  Josh and co-author, Daniel Weiss, lay out the groundwork for you to be better equipped in our digitally saturated culture.  Don’t shy away from this one. This is a unique opportunity to hear Josh’s heart and advice before reading the book. What’s one way to tread boldly today? “Focus on what you are FOR, not against.”Listen in.Highlights:Backward Vision: “Don’t have sex until you’re married. Don’t look at pornography.” That’s backward vision. Look forward.Don’t focus on the sin. Focus on the goal.Kids who have had premarital sex need a vision that is more robust than how they did sexually in one given moment or season.Homework:Forming a Family Vision:Mark your Starting Point as right here, right now. Understand it can and will travel with you.Consider falls or setbacks as opportunities to grow NOT failures of the goal.Let the focus be on what you are FOR versus what you are against.Focus on Jesus, not your sin or performance.Resources:Read more about this topic at Self-Giving, Self-Sacrificing Love - Treading Boldlytreadingboldly.com“Treading Boldly through a Pornographic World: A Field Guide for Parents” by Daniel Weiss & Joshua GlaserTranscription:Full Transcription Available hereSupport Becoming WholeFree Resources to help you on your journey to Becoming Whole 👉Men's Overcoming Lust & Temptation Devotional👉Women 21-Day Prayer Journal & Devotional - (Women overcoming unwanted sexual Behavior)👉Compass 21-Day Prayer Journal & Devotional - (Wives who are or have been impacted by partner betrayal)

Send us a textWe all long to be known, to be seen, and to be loved for who we are. Jesus aches for this very thing, and this is why Jesus Wants to Wash Our Feet.Are you willing to be cleansed by Jesus? For him to stoop down and to wash your dirty feet? For him to come near to the parts of you that perhaps even you don't want to look at yourself? This week Josh humbly speaks about Pride Month, LGBTQ+ loved ones, about pride in general, and about the humility of Jesus. He speaks deeply about the longing that Jesus has to cleanse us all of our dirt, our past, our hurts, our pride. He wants to enter into our pain and sin, and wash us clean.Let us put aside everything that keeps us from allowing Jesus to cleanse us and let us wash the feet of others just as Jesus does. Are you ready to Become more Whole?Highlights:...want to just honor the the reality that every single one of us, every single one of us longs to be known longs to belong, longs to be accepted longs to be affirmed, as the people we are...So my question for you today, and one of the reason I think this comes up in my prayer last week, is one of the reasons that we would say no to Jesus washing us.He actually desires to cleanse us from those things.Resources:Read more about this topic at Jesus Will Wash Your Feet If…Read Josh's new book  Treading Boldly through a Pornographic World: A Field Guide for ParentsTranscription:Full Transcription Available hereSupport Becoming WholeFree Resources to help you on your journey to Becoming Whole 👉Men's Overcoming Lust & Temptation Devotional👉Women 21-Day Prayer Journal & Devotional - (Women overcoming unwanted sexual Behavior)👉Compass 21-Day Prayer Journal & Devotional - (Wives who are or have been impacted by partner betrayal)

Send us a textDiscovering your young son or daughter has been exposed to pornography is upsetting.  You can’t make your children un-see what they saw, but you can help turn a bad thing into an opportunity for good conversation and a deeper connection with you around a very important topic.This week Josh jumps into 7 very important things not to do when you as a Parent find out your son or daughter has been looking at porn.Let us equip ourselves and one another as we continue towards “Becoming Whole.”Highlights:So many of us when we find out a son or daughter's been viewing porn, we feel paralyzed, we feel concerned we don't know what to do, we feel inadequate, we don't feel prepared for this. Temptation is a normal human experience for men and women living in a fallen world, including saved men and women, Christian men, and women who have a new identity in Christ....if your son or daughter has been exposed to pornography, they've been exposed to something that has troubled the waters of their soul, that it is disruptive stuff that they've seen.Don't ignore those things in your heart, this is actually an opportunity for you to grow closer to Jesus.7 Things Not to do:Don’t freak outDon’t shame your kidsDon’t do nothingDon’t let your own failures disqualify youDon’t lectureDon’t go it aloneDon’t make your children your godHResources:Read more about this topic at 7 Things Not to Do When Your Child’s Exposed to PornRead Josh's new book  Treading Boldly through a Pornographic World: A Field Guide for ParentsTranscription:Full Transcription Available hereSupport Becoming WholeFree Resources to help you on your journey to Becoming Whole 👉Men's Overcoming Lust & Temptation Devotional👉Women 21-Day Prayer Journal & Devotional - (Women overcoming unwanted sexual Behavior)👉Compass 21-Day Prayer Journal & Devotional - (Wives who are or have been impacted by partner betrayal)

Send us a textTemptation and Accusation are some of the strongest and most used tools of the devil(s) in making us feel like we are not worth it, we are weak, we will never heal and so many other lies he whispers to us. Temptation's One-Two Punch hurts!In this episode, we’re diving into the whys of temptation and the ways in which this deceiving intruder tries to get at us.A left jab gets us on our heels, and the right cross comes in fast and knocks us off our feet. This is right where the devil wants us.The truth is, that God is in the ring with us. He is beside us as we continue to fight and even when we fall against this sneaky enemy we have. When it comes to sexuality and the lies we believe, we must equip ourselves with truth.Let us equip ourselves and one another as our next step to “Becoming Whole.”Highlights:Temptation is a normal human experience for men and women living in a fallen world, including saved men and women, Christian men, and women who have a new identity in Christ....the real power of the accusation is when we when you bite on it when you start agreeing with the accuser and saying, you know what, you're right. You're right.Freedom does not necessarily mean that you are free from the feeling of temptation. Freedom means you have the power to say no to that temptation.Homework:Questions for Reflection:Where is he attacking you?What are you believing about yourself because of what he whispers?Where do you feel shame? (Identify it and maybe seek Healing or Listening Prayer for it)You can read even more about this from Josh at Is This One-Two Punch From the Enemy Taking You Out?Transcription:Full Transcription Available hereSupport Becoming WholeFree Resources to help you on your journey to Becoming Whole 👉Men's Overcoming Lust & Temptation Devotional👉Women 21-Day Prayer Journal & Devotional - (Women overcoming unwanted sexual Behavior)👉Compass 21-Day Prayer Journal & Devotional - (Wives who are or have been impacted by partner betrayal)

Send us a textPorn, voyeurism, extramarital affairs - We do what we do based on what we believe about ourselves. Let's start examining the roots. In this episode, we’re going beyond behaviors to examine roots. Understanding what you believe to be the truth about who you are deep down is key to making real change. And you are worthy. True change is more than a shift in behavior. Examining your deep-down beliefs about yourself determines how you’re growing, or not. Lord, open our hearts and show us what we are believing about ourselves. Give us the courage to examine our roots as our next step to “Becoming Whole.”Highlights:This is not about a bad habit. This is about an issue with your sense of identity.If you’re doing something you feel ashamed about its because you are reinforcing the shame you already feel about yourself.Our new identity isn’t meant to be a mask that we wear over our identity, that false identity comes off and we are reborn.Homework:H.A.L.T.S. These basic needs can become triggers unless we identify them and move in a healthy direction with them.H - HungryA- AngryL - LonelyT - TiredS - StressedThe next time you feel one of these basic needs: Identify it and Challenge yourself to eat a good snack, reach out to a friend, take a 20-minute nap, take long, deep breaths, etc. THEN make a decision.Questions for Reflection:Where are you wrestling with habitual sin?What are you believing about yourself that might contribute to that habit?Where do you believe you are shameful in your identity? (Identify it and maybe seek Healing or Listening Prayer for it)You can read even more about this from Josh at One Sign You Don't Believe Who You Really AreTranscription:Full Transcription Available hereSupport Becoming WholeFree Resources to help you on your journey to Becoming Whole 👉Men's Overcoming Lust & Temptation Devotional👉Women 21-Day Prayer Journal & Devotional - (Women overcoming unwanted sexual Behavior)👉Compass 21-Day Prayer Journal & Devotional - (Wives who are or have been impacted by partner betrayal)

Send us a textIs lust okay in marriage? That’s a loaded question.Dan Keefer joins the podcast to unpack the answer.Stopping to consider lust in your marriage may be new to you. We’ll take the first step to define and understand what lust means. There are so many layers. And this conversation is careful to help you understand them. Picking and choosing parts of your spouse to focus on deconstructs the person you married.We’re going to look at your spouse and lust more thoughtfully. We’ll go beyond fantasy so sexual intercourse becomes an expression of connection versus selfish wants. This look at lust points out it’s what we do with it; using phrases like “If Only…Then” can take our good, God-given desire and steer it somewhere it doesn’t belong. So, is lust okay in marriage? Let’s listen and find out.Highlights:Lust is using another person or using their image for selfish, sexual gratificationSexual Intimacy: Something that is born out of the relationship, born out of the connection. out of seeing one anotherLust: comes from a heart of dissatisfaction, taking an aspect of another person and believing that IF ONLY this were different, THEN I would be in a better spotHomework:“An act of selflessness has the potential to build desire.” What do selfless acts look like in your marriage day to day? (Setting the coffee machine the night before, doing the dishes, filling up the gas tank, scheduling a date night)Rather than acting with the end goal of having sex; shift to consider what would it look like to build desire in the moment.HOLD HANDS with your spouse: allow yourself to be saturated in the oxytocin that’s released from intertwining your fingers & saturated in the oneness of that intimacy.Transcription:Full Transcription Available hereOriginal music by Shannon Smith. Audio engineering by Gabriel @ DelMar Sound Recording.Support Becoming WholeFree Resources to help you on your journey to Becoming Whole 👉Men's Overcoming Lust & Temptation Devotional👉Women 21-Day Prayer Journal & Devotional - (Women overcoming unwanted sexual Behavior)👉Compass 21-Day Prayer Journal & Devotional - (Wives who are or have been impacted by partner betrayal)

Send us a textRecovery from unwanted sexual behavior is up to you. And only you can know how much of “you” is going into the work. It's about postures of recovery.In this episode, Josh and Kit examine a few postures toward recovery and how to readjust for lasting impact.  This important journey is about more than trying to quit a bad habit. True healing hinges on your posture. How vulnerable are you? Who are you doing this for?  We are digging deep into these questions with you. We pray you feel brave enough to recognize your motivation, honest enough to acknowledge your true level of commitment, and willing to stretch into a posture for true recovery. God is inviting you to more.Highlights:Postures of Recovery: If I’m really doing the work of recovery, it means that I am literally walking places, looking at parts of my life, talking about things that I may have never looked at, talked about or walked through before and that takes courage.Shallow recovery is like weeding, whereas real recovery is more like excavationThe reality of recovery is it extends beneath the ground in all sorts of directions and so, in recovery, we’re looking for roots.  It isn’t about going in and plucking a weed.Reflection:What am I learning that I need to do for my sake to become the whole person that I was meant to become?Why are you in recovery, because you don’t want to repeat that behavior anymore? Or are you in recovery to get more out of life?EXTRAS“Vulnerability is the birthplace of love, belonging, joy, courage, empathy, and creativity. It is the source of hope, empathy, accountability, and authenticity. If we want greater clarity in our purpose or deeper and more meaningful spiritual lives; vulnerability is the path.” Brené Brown “Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent and Lead.”Romans 12:2 “Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is - His good, pleasing and perfect will.”Transcription:Full Transcription Available hereOriginal music by Shannon Smith. Audio engineering by Gabriel @ DelMar Sound Recording.Support Becoming WholeFree Resources to help you on your journey to Becoming Whole 👉Men's Overcoming Lust & Temptation Devotional👉Women 21-Day Prayer Journal & Devotional - (Women overcoming unwanted sexual Behavior)👉Compass 21-Day Prayer Journal & Devotional - (Wives who are or have been impacted by partner betrayal)

Send us a textDesire is one of those touchy subjects no one really wants to touch. But we’re going there. Depending on the way you were raised; you might consider desire to be mysterious or dirty or something to be quiet about. In this audio snippet from our latest video, Kit and Rebecca are putting the subject of desire front and center. That deep down longing is part of your special wiring and it is worth exploring. Desire is spiritual, emotional, and physical - that means facing it is a vital part of your spiritual journey.  If you’re battling unwanted sexual behavior, let this conversation guide you into your own conversation with God about how your desire feels distorted. If you’re a parent, listen in for ways to understand your own desire and guide your children with more compassion. Have you considered bringing your desires before your Heavenly Father? God knows your deepest longings because He instilled them in you. Let’s reframe how we look at Desire. Press Play.Highlights:It takes a lot of work to connect what you need with what your body is telling you.What we really need is to feel safe, to feel comfort, to not feel alone - acknowledging that can feel really vulnerable and we have to slow down to get there.Naming the deeper longings we have can lead to deeper intimacy with God. And can be a very healing and spiritual part of our journey.Reflection:Desire is pointing you towards something.  Take time to ask God these questions:What am I searching for? What are my unmet needs?What are my deeper longings?What did I learn as a child about desire? How did it impact my desire today?Who is the person God created me to be?EXTRASWhere Do I Start? Becoming a Woman of Sexual Integrity Free video seriesWhere Do I Start? Becoming a Man of Sexual Integrity Free video series“The Glory of God is man fully alive.” Saint IrenaeusTranscription:Full Transcription Available hereOriginal music by Shannon Smith. Audio engineering by Gabriel @ DelMar Sound Recording.Support Becoming WholeFree Resources to help you on your journey to Becoming Whole 👉Men's Overcoming Lust & Temptation Devotional👉Women 21-Day Prayer Journal & Devotional - (Women overcoming unwanted sexual Behavior)👉Compass 21-Day Prayer Journal & Devotional - (Wives who are or have been impacted by partner betrayal)

Send us a textInfidelity can feel as crushing and disorienting as an earthquake. Sexual Betrayal is trauma. To help us navigate the aftershocks of discovery and pain; we’ve invited Dr. Barbara Steffens to the podcast. The Earthquake of Sexual Betrayal.As the founder of the APSATS, the Association of Partners of Sex Addicts Trauma Specialists, Dr. Steffens points out this is more than relationship counseling. She walks us through sexual betrayal with both the expertise of a trained clinician and the heart of a woman who has been betrayed. The earthquake of infidelity is unexpected. In the midst of your disorientation; we hope you’ll take this unique and deep offering as a first step to understanding your pain in a new way.  And then, use it as a launching point to move you in your next steps to “Becoming Whole.”If you want to read more on this topic, you can at Why You’re Still Angry at Your Recovering Spouse.Highlights:If we don’t understand it as trauma, what had been happening is that the focus goes onto the betrayed partner that says, “What was wrong with you that you would choose someone who would do this to you?”If Christians begin to practice thinking and talking about sex as a form of self-giving love, that’s what sex is designed to be.Once we understand that this is trauma it provides hope because we know how to heal. This is my body given for you - given is the operative wordThe aftershocks are usually finding out more information and the partner will ask questions. What does it lookIf Sex is an act of self-giving love, then tonight we didn’t reach climax but I’m going to love you where you are tonight. I’m going to love you in this space.Homework:Here are some professional options to explore: “Therapeutic Disclosure “ – a process facilitated by a trained professional for your spouse (if willing) to offer a planned, intentional way to disclose the truth.Couples Crisis InterventionGroup TherapyResources:“Your Sexually Addicted Spouse: How Partners Can Cope and Heal” by Dr Barbara Steffens, Ph.D., LPCChttps://www.drbarbarasteffens.comOther resources we recommended for Marriage Recovery.Transcription:Full Transcription Available hereOriginal music by Shannon Smith. Audio engineering by Gabriel @ DelMar Sound Recording.Support Becoming WholeFree Resources to help you on your journey to Becoming Whole 👉Men's Overcoming Lust & Temptation Devotional👉Women 21-Day Prayer Journal & Devotional - (Women overcoming unwanted sexual Behavior)👉Compass 21-Day Prayer Journal & Devotional - (Wives who are or have been impacted by partner betrayal)