The "Surviving Saturday" Podcast

So maybe for a while now you have been exploring your story--the formative incidents from growing up that have left their mark on you, for both good and ill.  It's one thing to do that on your own, maybe even with the help of your favorite podcast.   Some of you may have even experienced how story work goes to a whole different level when you do it one on one, under the care and guidance...

Imagine being struck dumb for almost nine months.  If you were unable to speak, or prohibited from talking, what would that be like?   What would happen to the rest of your body if your mouth could not run and your tongue could not wag and your jaw could not flap, just for a season? Would you clamor for alternative means of communication?   But what if other means of communication w...

If God does indeed offer us peace and comfort in the midst of heartbreak and seemingly insurmountable challenges, well then, this episode coming out on Election Day 2024 might be our timeliest ever. (Don't worry, folks, we're not explicitly talking politics.) This week Wendy and Chris continue their conversation about the surprising moments and settings where God seems to make himself more known....

We're back, folks! The podcast returns for Season 2 after a bit of a hiatus. In this episode, Chris and Wendy talk about different ways that God has shown up and made his kindness and goodness known in more tangible ways. What are the circumstance, settings, and commitments that make communion with God in everyday life more possible to experience? Sit in on this heartfelt conversation to be inspir...

We often think of Jesus' resurrection on the third day after his crucifixion  as a quiet, clandestine act, carried out quietly in the dead of night.  But that was no small stone that was rolled away.  And we are talking about making "death work backwards" here.   What if our assumptions are wrong?  And what might that mean about the power of the Resurrection in our own liv...

Spiritual formation is somehow both simple and yet really really hard. On the one hand, being made like Jesus is God's work, something he promised to do and form and bring alive in us. It is the divine work of the Holy Spirit that God IS doing and will continue doing in us. Spiritual disciplines can feel less laborious when we understand them less as duties or requirements, and more like putting o...

Spiritual formation is somehow both simple and yet really really hard.   On the one hand, being made like Jesus is God's work, something he promised to do and form and bring alive in us. It is the divine work of the Holy Spirit that God IS doing and will continue doing in us. Spiritual disciplines can feel less laborious when we understand them less as duties or requirements, and more like pu...

Allender Center Facilitator and licensed mental health counselor Wendy Osborn takes the mic for an intimate look at two recent and very vital components of her journey to healing from trauma.  Each of them may surprise you, and each will definitely be an encouragement for your own healing path. No spoilers here, so check it out!

Chris and Wendy are back with Part 2 of their effort to untangle the thorny threads of a recent conflict. ( Wait, how can "threads" be "thorny"?  Can we maybe pick one metaphor and stick with it here, people, alliteration be darned? ) Anyway, you'll want to listen in to get the REAL story of what happened -- er, um, I mean... Chris' perspective on the conflict. :-)  It's often quite surp...

The Scarecrow in the Wizard of Oz just wanted a brain, and he thought--er, felt?--that then everything would be all right.  But it turns out that brains are complicated things.  Sometimes a part of our brain that is wired for survival (and thank God that it is!) can have a reaction of its own, before the rational part of our brain can even realize what is going on.   And as it turns...

Come friend.  Come a little closer. That's good--right there. Can we tell you a secret or two?  Maybe one that might help you feel a little less alone, less crazy, or less hopeless, even if just for a half-hour or so? In this one, Chris and Wendy debrief a recent argument where they missed one another's hearts significantly. Listeners, you might be surprised to hear the directions their...

[Well, it almost rhymes! :-) ]   Fun episode here, folks. We'll bet good money that this may be the first podcast episode EVER mentioning both Mary Magdalene and a herd of angry mama elephants. (But if you find another one, by all means let us know and we'll give you a prize.  Seriously.)  A poignant scene from an episode of the groundbreaking TV series  "The Chosen" (Season 3,...

In this episode, Chris and Wendy talk thru a particular season of upheaval and challenges early in their marriage. The perspective shifts to Chris's this time, as Wendy asks with kindness and curiosity what that season was like for him.  You'll hear how God showed up (directly and through people serving as Hs hands and feet) to care for them and their young family during that tumultuous time....

How does "looking back" or "reflecting" on the formative moments in our lives help us look ahead to anticipate what God might be doing or want to do in or though us as we move forward? And how can a slower, more meditative reading of the Bible called "lectio divina" help us hear form God in a different fashion than we may be used to? In part 2 of a  two-part episode,  Chris and Wendy con...

How does "looking back" or "reflecting" (as we did with the "examen" prayer format in a previous episode) help us look ahead to anticipate what God might be doing or want to do in our lives in the coming year? Perhaps the ancient holy day known as Epiphany might provide a clue or two. Epiphany is a sacred day in the Christian tradition that marks the arrival of the Three Kings immortalized in the...

Wendy and Chris take an opportunity to reflect on 2023 as it draws to a close.  As a loose framework for this conversation, they discuss and employ the spiritual practice of the examen.  At its essence, the examen involves looking back over a day, a year, or other period of time reflectively and prayerfully reflection looking signs of God’s presence.  It can serve as a source of gra...

This episode is the first of a 2 part series in which Chris & Wendy revisit another season of curveballs, derailments, and tilt-a-whirls from the early days of their marriage.  (Yep, the metaphorical mashups keep multiplying!)  In Part 1, Wendy tells the story of being a young mother of two, facing unexpected news from Chris, and what it stirred up in her. Wendy also shares one of th...

In this episode, Chris and Wendy talk through an early time in their marriage when the shine of new love began to fade, conflicts escalated, and the challenges to maintain intimacy in marriage just seemed to keep coming: A mother’s devastating diagnosis… Their own unexpected health issues… The ugly reality of one another’s unhealthy coping strategies… The after-effects of having been raised in the...

In a special post-Thanksgiving episode, Wendy and Chris talk about gratitude--both in recognition of its power and value in affecting one's mindset, and with an eye for how it can sometimes be used to deny or bypass our less pleasant emotions such as sadness, anger, disappointment, or fear.  Their own personal stories plus wisdom gleaned from the likes of C.S. Lewis, "soul-centered psychother...

In an episode recorded during a trip to celebrate their 30th anniversary, Chris and Wendy reflect on 30 years of marriage--and the many twists and turns in the road along the way--including a few that came right out of the gate.  And you are enjoying the podcast so far, please take just a minute or two to rate it, leave a review, and subscribe!

On this episode, Wendy shares an original Advent poem, and she and Chris talk about some of the formative lessons they have had to learn about "waiting well" during the tougher seasons of their marriage.  Wendy also shares details about an upcoming half-day Advent Retreat that she is offering for women seeking community and encouragement during a time of waiting and wresting.

WARNING: This podcast is NOT for you if all you do is "win win win no matter what," or you are just "slaying" and "slapping" and "living your best life" every day.   Nope.  It's for anyone who has encountered super-hard seasons in life. Where you or those you love are struggling or hurting in ways you never dreamed might happen. (Or in ways that you actually dreaded and may even have pra...