Attaching to God: Neuroscience-informed Spiritual Formation

Have you ever been tossed around by the storms of life and wondered where God is in all? Or have you wished Jesus would quiet the storms a little quicker and more often? Today we are talking about bearing God in the storms of life. Marlena Graves is the Assistant Professor of Spiritual Formation at Northeastern Seminary in Rochester, NY. She has written five books, most recently Bearing God: Livin...

Scripture tells us, “Be still and know that I am God”.  But for so many of us, this is so hard.  Today’s episode explores downtime, devotions, and distractions as we seek to be with God in our private and public lives. Our guest, Brian Heasley, is a long-term pioneer within the 24-7 prayer movement and serves as the International Prayer Director, he has years of experience in local-church and pion...

Is the abundant life as promised in Scripture possible for trauma survivors? Can those who suffer deep tragedy really find wholeness, or happiness, again? Today we are talking with a medical doctor who has walked with many people through trauma and tragedy even as he was walking through it himself. Dr. Lee Warren (MD) is an award-winning author, brain surgeon, and Iraq War veteran. Dr. Warren host...

When reactions shoot out of us that we regret, then what do we do? Do you blame or berate yourself? Do you shame and shout at yourself? Too often we are unkind to ourselves in situations like this.  But instead of this, we need to cultivate compassion (and build understanding) for the attachment strategies that have (literally) shaped our nervous systems, which fire semi-automatically when we are...

How can two different people experience the same event differently? Do we see, hear, and even feel the world differently? Are we filtering social and emotional information in different ways?  The answer is yes. And this has to do with what Dr. Todd Hall calls attachment filters (or what attachment theory calls "attachment styles").  Dr. Todd Hall is Professor of Psychology at Rosemead Sc...

The church is not immune to the growing mental health crisis, certainly not pastors and leaders. And we don’t always know where to get mental health resources for creating resilient individuals and churches. Howe guest today is passionate about bridging that gap. Laura Howe is a clinical mental health social worker, addictions counselor, and project manager. She has spent her 15-year career suppor...

( During our Summer Break we are airing important past episodes ) We're tackling a topic that treads the tightrope between theology and personal acceptance - body theology and body shame. Why have we turned "your body is a temple" into a shaming mechanism? What if our bodies are the place we meet God? The place through which we glorify God? In this episode we wade deep into the wate...

( During our Summer Break we are airing important past episodes ) What if the secret to impactful leadership and genuine community connection lies deep within our biological construct?  Are emotions and moods contagious, between people and in groups? Why are we unconsciously drawn to certain people and repelled by others? And what does this have to do with leadership? This episode uncovers the pow...

( During our Summer Break we are airing important past episodes ) We spend our days feeling like we’re the only one with problems, when everyone else has their act together.  We feel like other are achieving so much, but we aren’t living up to our potential. What if the answer wasn’t a higher self-esteem, but a lower anthropology? What if instead of expecting more from others (and ourselves) we ac...

What does it mean to be human? This timeless question proves critical as we seek to understand our purpose, identity, and significance. Amidst the many voices clamoring to shape our understanding of humanity, the Bible reveals important truths related to our human identity and vocation that are critical to the flourishing of all of creation. In this episode, we unpack the profound depths of human...

How do you escape enemy mode? When your brain and body are just against someone (and maybe you don’t even know why).  What if one brain state could explain why we stop listening to, talking with, or caring about, other people? What if this brain state reveals why we lose it on people, fall out of love, and traumatize one another? Clinical Psychologist & Neurotheologian Jim Wilder is on to help...

Is it possible to raise kids who are emotionally resilient within the dysfunctional dynamics of abuse, divorce, or shared custody? And how can the church be more supportive for children who have hidden trauma? That's what we are talking about with Jessica Nagy, the founder of Mosaic Motherhood , a community of warrior moms who are navigating co-parenting with a destructive individual. Join us...

Seems like everyone is talking about spiritual formation. But what is it exactly? In this two-minute explainer episode, Dr. Geoff Holsclaw dives into the realm of spiritual formation, and how it is a "process of being conformed to the image of Christ, within the community and trajectory of Christ, for the sake of others. And come study with Cyd and Geoff in this new, innovative Doctor of Mini...

Ever wondered how your mind, brain-body, and relationships shape your identity? How do experiences become a part of who you are? This two-minute explainer episode delves into the realm of relational neuroscience, a field that embraces our fundamentally social nature and how it influences our neural and relational connections. In it Geoff summarizes relational neuroscience into four digestible E&ap...

What if the Fruits of the Spirit can build a "nest of resiliency" to weather life's trials?  What if these fruit were less spiritual and more relational? Join us as we speak with Michael Sullivan, director of relational networks at Life Model Works, who shares his insights on how focusing on LOVE, JOY, and PEACE can transform us into Christ. Together, we discuss the power of God&apo...

We've all heard about mindfulness. But what about "mentalization"? We are talking about how this little-known concept helps us understand ourselves (creating more self-compassion), understand others (leading to more empathy), and connect to God.  Our guest, Dr. Lina Ponder is a clinical psychologist, psychoanalyst, and spiritual director—so she is perfect for this podcast. She has t...

Jesus told his followers, “Go and make disciples of every nation,” but a lot of us stop before we start—because we feel like we don’t have what it takes. But Jesus didn’t ask spiritual superstars to make disciples. He invited ordinary people into the adventure of following him. Our guest, Jessie Cruickshank , holds an M.Ed. from Harvard in mind, brain, and education. She is an ordained minister an...

What if the Psalms aren't just old religious poetry, but guideposts for our everyday struggles and wounds? What if the Psalms are a pathway into the presence of God through the all too human emotions of joy, sadness, and even anger? Join Geoff and Cyd Holsclaw for a conversation with David Taylor , associate professor of theology and culture at Fuller Theological Seminary, as we explore the r...

What if the key to a deep and fulfilling faith journey lies in the integration of the brain, body, and Bible? Join Geoff and Cyd as they discuss the importance of integration, taking inspiration from the Trinity, the Church as the Body of Christ, our union with God, and the great commandment to love God with our heart, soul, mind, and strength.  As they talk about interpersonal neurobiology, inter...

Whether we are aware of it or not, we are constantly living from the answers of three core attachment questions. Join us for a conversation on the three default attachment questions deeply embedded in our nervous systems and implicit memories: 1) are other people available to me; 2) will this distress be alleviated; and 3) can I use my agency for good? ANNOUNCEMENTS:   — HELP SUPPORT this podcast...

What would you say to someone who just feels that in-person worship is for them?  If we worship in spirit and truth, do our bodies even matter? Are our bodies just neutral spectators, reluctant participants in worship? Dr. David Taylor joins us to talk about just how important our bodies are for worship, that we "get to" and "need to" worship God with our bodies.  Check out his...

Will power + Knowledge ≠ Spiritual Change. What is the role of community, of joy, of honoring our parts, and of self-compassion as we seek to unstick our minds and break unhealthy spiritual patterns? Geoff and Cyd offer a brief reflection on themes from our previous episode. ANNOUNCEMENTS:   — HELP SUPPORT this podcast financially by joining our Substack for only $8 a month (every little bit helps...

How can you unstick your mind? How can faith be a key to mental resistance? We talk it with Mimika Cooney, a faith-based author, speaker, and coach.  She empowers Christians to rewire their brain by combining neuroscience, positive psychology, and a faith-based approach. Author of the recently released Unstick Your Mind: Shift your Mindset, Develop Grit & Break Barriers. You can find Mimika at...

What is so important about joy? The great commandment is to love God and others, but is joy even more central than that? Where does joy fit in the landscape of political outrage and cynicism, in the seriousness of life today? We're talking about it. Looking at why joy and love are so connected. (And this is really the beginning of season 4...Ignore that Geoff said it was the beginning of seas...

Did Brené Brown miss something about shame? Is it always bad, or something good? Does God save us from shame? Or might God save us through shame? If this sounds crazy, maybe it is because we thinking about shame in a Western cultural framework.  Dr. Jackson Wu talks about how honor and shame work in the Bible, and how that might help us read the scriptures and understand salvation. Check out his n...