Looking for the Real God

Christy begins a series focusing on specific tools that have helped her to heal and flourish. In this episode she shares her personal experience with the concept of core lies -- something you believe about yourself based on past hurts that isn't true. She then shares the truth about our identity in Christ and how that truth has set her free. LInk to the Core Lie/Core Truth worksheet Christy mentio...

Christy walks her listeners through the transformation of her understanding of Biblical Womanhood. Godly women in the cultic-church were quiet, gentle, and submissive and Christy never felt like she fit in. Christy shares personal stories of learning to understand and accept herself as a strong, passionate woman. She also questions conservative teachings about women in the church -- what if those...

All Christy ever wanted was to be a mother. Eight months after getting married she was pregnant and so excited. But instead of the joy of a baby, Christy and her husband faced loss. The next couple of years were a rollercoaster of hope and grief. However after an incredible and unexpected gift, Christy discovered that motherhood was harder than she'd ever imagined. She was forced to face her belie...

Christy continues the stories of her early marriage -- this time focusing on how ten months in her "dream job" left her with total disillusionment and a loss of identity. You'd think that the description Residential Treatment Center for Psychiatric Children would have given her a hint into reality, but it didn't. A challenging year teaching math to troubled junior and high school students caused C...

Christy begins Season Three with a peek into her early marriage. She explores the way fundamentalism initially influenced her view of marriage and how being married to her wonderfully opposite husband for the past thirteen years has changed that perspective. Christy rejects some common Christianese claims about marriage. And she suggests that while there is no perfect formual. marriage is actually...

In light of a recent Christian influencer announcing they no longer believe in God, and in the midst of evil, chaos, and cries for justice in our world today, Christy tackles the topic of evil. She acknowledges our deep questions about how a good God can allow evil to thrive, and she gently but passionately shares the reasons she still believes. Scripture Referenced: Romans 1:18-23 Romans 8:18-23...

Christy acknowledges the way a form of repentance has often been used in spiritually abusive situations. But then she helps us to redefine Biblical repentance as a change of mind rather than behavior. Christy gently calls her listeners to genuine repentance both personally and corporately as the Body of Christ. Scripture Mentioned: Joel 1-3 Blog Post Referenced: https://christylynnewood.com/2020/0...

What if church as we know it changes? How could those changes be amazingly positive? Christy contemplates the differences between The Church (the worldwide body of Christ) and church (the building and organization we attend). She wonders how The Great Pause of COVID19 will change things in the long run and she lays out some things that need to change. Although Christy has been accused of being ant...

Christy finishes her series on the deconstruction and reconstruction of the idea of holiness by exploring the Holy Spirit. She wonders why He gets less than His fair share of the attention in many evangelical churches. Christy ponders the roll the Holy Spirit plays in surrender and a life lived in genuine holiness. Interview with John White: https://renewaljournal.com/2011/07/22/supernatural-minis...

Christy continues her deconstruction of holiness and then begins to reconstruct through the idea of surrender. What is the difference between making Jesus the Lord and surrendering to His Lordship? Is there a difference? Christy introduces us to two people who understand the daily sacrifice surrender requires and yet who believe the sacrifice is worth it. Related Websites: Laurie Krieg - https://l...

Christy honestly shares her struggles with the word holiness and the way that concept has often included following the rules based on external motivation. But what if her struggle is based on a faulty view of God's pleasure? So often our understanding of the Real God is mixed up because of the fake god in our head. Scripture Verses Referenced: 1 Thessalonians 4:1 This is a public episode. If you w...

Christy offers an Easter Sunday meditation on the ways the coronavirus is pointing the world to our need of a Savior. As modern humans, we thought we were intelligent, sufficient, and independent. But a microscopic virus changed all that in a matter of days. Instead we have discovered that we are helpless, selfish, and afraid of death. Christy believes this time of brokenness is a gift from a lovi...

In another heartfelt, honest episode Christy reflects on her quiet Palm Sunday at home during this COVID19 quarantine. She ponders the global Church vs our little churches that we are currently missing. And finally talks about the restoration process for fixing old furniture. Christy's word for 2020 was "restore" and she notices how the coronavirus has stripped all of us in many ways. What if Jesu...

Christy shares honestly from her own season of lament during this coronavirus pandemic. How do we process our deep feelings of grief, sorrow, and regret? By bringing them to a powerful and loving God who has not lost control. Christy contemplates this Lenten season and the celebration of Jesus Christ's death and resurrection that is coming. She questions whether the Real God might very well be usi...

Christy contemplates the ways COVID19 is revealing what we believe about God, prayer, and spirituality. She encourages her listeners to trust that God is in control and reminds them that He is using the fear, uncertainty, sickness, and even death to draw people to Himself. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chri...

How do we forgive and what does forgiveness really look like? Christy explores some Christianese myths about forgiveness and lays out truth that has helped her own heart to heal. Related Blog Posts: https://christylynnewood.com/2019/12/22/healing-from-spiritual-abuse/ Related Resources: https://youtu.be/TzHtql5Ur5Q This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers...

Christy decided to record an extra episode to address the fear and anxiety that we are currently feeling because of the coronavirus pandemic. She encourages us to trust in a God who has not lost control despite the hysteria and panic around us. Christy also gives practical advice for dealing with our anxiety and fear. Related Blog Post: https://christylynnewood.com/2020/03/13/fearful-people-are-ea...

In the final episode of the Rediscovering Jesus series, Christy takes us to the book of Daniel. There she reminds her listeners that it has always been about faith and about a God who pursues people despite of the mess. Scripture Referenced: Daniel 3 John 3:17-18 Bible Tools Referenced: https://netbible.org/bible/ https://www.blueletterbible.org/ Article about Suzerain-Vassal Treaty: https://www.f...

Continuing her series on finding Jesus in the Old Testament, Christy tells the story of Abraham and Isaac. She looks into the culture, context, and foreshadowing that makes this story a powerful display of Jesus and the free salvation He offers. Scriptures Referenced: Genesis 12-24 Romans 4:20-22 Galatians 3:1-9 Bible Study Tools Referenced: https://netbible.org/ https://www.blueletterbible.org/ R...

The Old Testament can be a complicated book to understand through the lens of our modern culture. Christy challenges some popular assumptions and reminds us that we cannot reject or abuse the Old Testament. Rather we should reframe and embrace it as we search for the Real Jesus. Understanding how the Old Testament is often used within spiritual abuse, Christy begins a series on finding Jesus withi...

Growing up in her cultic-subgroup of Christianity, everything was either physical or spiritual. There was no room for actual mental illness, but plenty of guilt and shame for feeling depressed, anxious, or more. Christy shares personal stories, recounts crazy scenarios, and explores what happens when we function in fear. Related Blog Posts: https://christylynnewood.com/2018/10/18/mental-illness-po...

There are two main things that have influenced Christy's choice to continue her journey as a Christian: meeting a Living Jesus, and experiencing His love. Christy tells stories about Frankie, a broken bad-boy that God used to teach her about His love. Coming out of her performance driven religion, Christy was shocked to discover that God loved her even more because of her mess. She wants her liste...

In part two, Christy tells the story of how she met her husband. She talks about how the purity culture influenced both of them separately even though they had wildly different backgrounds. Christy admits the ways fallout from the purity culture influenced them even after they were married. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus ep...

Christy explores the purity culture that was so popular in Evangelical Christianity during the 90s and early 2000s. She shares wild stories of the extreme version she experienced while influenced by her cult. Courtship (I mean arranged marriage) anyone? Christy also ponders what went wrong in the purity culture and how that ties back to our naturally religious hearts. This is a public episode. If...

Christy begins Season Two with a series that looks back to the middle years. She was in her early twenties and fresh out of her cultic organization and church. Sorting through truth and lies, letting go of legalistic rules, and trying to figure out how to live in the normal world was a constant challenge. In this episode Christy talks about starting college, being a nanny, and learning she wasn't...