Found Family with MaryB. Safrit

In today's episode, you'll hear Henry and I talk about: Holding our married friends accountable The vulnerability of sharing our suffering,  Tangible ways the church can show up for singles And so much more! Originally from Kenya and currently based in Fort Worth, Texas, Henry is a Christian man who writes on Faith, Friendships, Sexuality, Race, Jesus and a host of other topics. He loves...

In this episode, you'll hear Katie and I talk about: How the Billy Graham rule affects single women What the church gets right about community Our thoughts on "changing the church from the inside"  The specific value single women bring to the church Dr. Katie Gaddini is a sociologist at the Social Research Institute, University College London (UCL), and a research associate at the U...

In today's episode, you'll hear Ekemini and I talk about  the unique injustices single black women face  how to broaden the way we think about contentment  what a healthy community in singleness looks like  ways to uproot shame  Ekemini Uwan is a public theologian and co-author of Truth’s Table: Black Women’s Musings on Life, Love, and Liberation . She is the co-host of the award-winning...

This is Unsuitable with MaryB. Safrit, where I interview single Christians in order to broaden the conversation on singleness and expand our collective imagination of what is possible for the single life.  Each episode this season, we’re going to be talking about being single and in the church--the good, bad, and awkward. Episode 1 drops October 11. We've also launched a Patreon community. Fo...

We’ve made it to the season wrap-up, where I (MaryB., the host) answer the question of the season and tie all the episodes together. In this episode, you’ll hear a story of unexpected calling, and what I learned from this season’s guests. I’m MaryB. Safrit, a communicator, creator, and coach passionate about filling the gap between what the church offers and what single Christians need. If you’re...

In this episode, Matt Linden and I talk about the power of saying “I don’t know,” the global church, and Matt’s calling to come out. Matt is a gay Christian from Tacoma, Washington. He’s a church kid who grew up in a conservative non-denominational environment – so when he realized he was gay at 13, a 21-year battle began to reconcile his faith with his sexuality. He was a member and Community Gro...

In this episode, you’ll hear Averi Israel and I talk about contributing to life’s bigger story, working through self-doubt, and why it’s important to have teammates. Averi is an actress and writer/director from the eight cities that raised her. She moved to New York City to pursue a Film Studies degree from Columbia University, where she graduated as the recipient of the Louis Sudler Prize in the...

Malinda Fugate and I talk about what happens when a calling sends you in an unexpected direction, experiencing God’s love tangibly, the mixed bag of singleness, and adjusting standards that don’t apply to us. Malinda serves as the Children's Education Director at a church in Southern California. She attended Azusa Pacific University and worked behind the scenes in Los Angeles Christian radio....

Kristina Hart and I talk about the power of comedy to heal and connect, combating imposter syndrome, and encountering the divine in rehab. Kristina is a faith-informed writer, comedian, host, and popular online persona. The spirited voice behind The DTR Blog, this Persian-American woman is unafraid to break barriers and raise tough questions related to topics like trauma, emotional suffering, and...

Eric Demeter and I talk about two different kinds of calling, what it’s like to write a book, the power of mentorship, and how to not overcomplicate our calling. Eric is a relationship and conflict resolution specialist with advanced studies in mediation, peacemaking, and negotiation. He is currently a missionary with Youth With a Mission based in Athens, Greece where he disciples young people and...

Kathryn Freeman and I talk about the fluidity of calling, calling as a series of small faithful acts, and calling as a communal act. Kathryn is a writer, lawyer, advocate, and podcast host. She has a degree in English with a minor in Political Science from Texas A&M University, a Master of Divinity from Baylor University, and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Texas School of Law. Previo...

Joan Watson and I talk about the connection between desire and calling, Joan’s process of following a calling out of a comfortable job and into the world of speaking and writing, waiting as a participatory act, and the unexpected benefits of asking for help. Joan is a Catholic speaker and writer who loves to make Scripture, theology, liturgy, and history accessible and applicable. In 2013, she beg...

Michael Frazier and I talk about the humbling path of following a calling, the power of mentorship, and surrendering our desires by naming them. Michael is an award-winning poet & educator living in central Japan. He graduated from NYU, where he was the 2017 poet commencement speaker & a co-champion of CUPSI. He's performed at Nuyorican Poets Café, Lincoln Center, Gallatin Arts Festiv...

Carmen Ross and I talk about how we’re all creative, the risk of vulnerability, and using creativity to express ourselves. Carmen’s mission is to connect people to resources to help amplify, or empower them. She does this through her work in philanthropy, and more recently, through her photography and artistry. She believes we have all been created, by our Creator, to create. She is a daughter, si...

This is Unsuitable with MaryB. Safrit, the podcast featuring interviews with single Christians about their lives and faith. We are entering our seventh season and we have an awesome line-up for y’all. Each episode this season, we’re going to be talking about calling and direction, and what it’s like to pursue a calling as someone who is single. Episode 1 drops on February 15th. Make sure you’re fo...

How do we, as singles, form relationships of depth? For the final, wrap-up episode, I’m giving my thoughts on this question, as well as tying together the content from this season’s episode. Support the show

In this episode, you’ll hear Bridget Eileen Rivera talk about how she got into LGBTQ advocacy work, what Christians misunderstand about pride, what queer culture can teach the church about community and chosen family, and queer platonic partnership. Just as a heads up, there is a brief mention of homophobia and suicidal thoughts in this episode. Please listen with care. Bridget Eileen writes and s...

In this episode, you’ll hear Annamarie Reed talk about her involvement in Deep Healing Prayer, how she was able to forgive and heal from past hurts, the three components of forgiveness, and why we need to release the wrongs that have been done to us. Annamarie is a native of Portland, Oregon, but has lived in Atlanta for the past 15 years. She is the author of Through the Cleanness of Our Hands: A...

In today’s epsiode, you’ll hear Pieter Valk talk about building community as a gay Christian called to lifelong, vocational singleness, the necessity of commitment in relationships, the Nashville Family of Brothers’ modern twist on mosastic life, and mutually beneficial relationships between singles, married folks, and the church. Pieter is a licensed professional counselor, the director of EQUIP,...

In today’s episode, you’ll hear Chinbo Chong talk about the benefits of mentor and mentee relationships, The challenges of making friends when you have to move around a lot, how self-reflection can improve your relationships, and how to cultivate relationships sustainably. Chinbo is a postdoctoral fellow and a visiting assistant professor of Political Science at Indiana University. She holds a Ph....

In this episode, you’ll hear Sara-Mae Dafoe talk about her new EP, Letters to Ben, healing through different types of loss, learning to forgive ourselves, and finding security in friendship. Just as a heads up, there is a brief mention of abuse. Nothing explicit, but please listen with care. Sara-Mae is an independent Singer/Songwriter from Calgary, Alberta. A life-long love of creative writing le...

DeVon Wade talks about his journey back to the church, how he found community in a new city, how to build friendship across differences, and the unexpected benefit of being an outsider. DeVon cares a lot about Christians actually doing what Jesus commanded and believes that siblings in Christ should act as such, regardless of relationship status. He works in Refugee Resettlement and is a big fan o...

Jenna DeWitt (she/her) is an aromantic asexual Methodist. She lives in sunny Southern California and spends her time advocating for queer belonging in the church. In this episode, Jenna and I talk about the value of both intergenerational and digital relationships, the challenges of not having a community of people like you, why the idolatry of romance and marriage is harmful for everyone, what ch...

Sarah is an actress, singer, voice-over artist, humanitarian, and lover of adventure. Having moved from spending years in the non-profit world, working in the Middle East, to hustling as a film actor on both the east and west coast, her life has been anything but linear. She is also the creative director at Empower Women Media. On today’s episode, you’ll hear Sarah and I talk about how she learned...

Each episode this season, we’re going to explore what it looks like to form deep relationships as people who aren’t married. Here’s a sneak peek of what you’ll hear. Support the show