Welcoming God

When triggers hit, it can feel like an explotion of fire in your chest! Then comes the second wave: the inner judge that says you shouldn't feel this way, you shouldn't want this, something must be wrong with you! In this episode, we get honest about this crazy spiral and how to choose a different path: one of self-compassion, as both a spiritual practice and a grounded way to work with...

Manifesting sounds like an empowering tool, but what happens when you manifest something that's not actually right for you or good for the whole of life? I’m Sarah, and today I’m getting honest about jealousy, envy, and covetousness, plus the emotional hangover that can come from chasing a desire that isn’t actually aligned with our life or God’s will for us! Powerful stuff. I reflect on a si...

Jealousy, envy and couventous desires can feel totally cringe! But, don't throw them out and just try to make them go away! How can seeking to understand these thoughts and feelings and what motivates them help you to uncover something deeper, something way more fruitful than having what others have?  Today I’m reframing jealousy, envy and covetousness through a spiritual lens and asking a qu...

A labyrinth looks like a simple pathway in the grass, on concrete or made of stones or bricks. But the experience of walking a labyrinth can be anything but simple. I share how walking a labyrinth has become a deeply grounding spiritual practice for me, especially when it comes to communing with God and receiving clarity on a question I have or something I'm unsure about.  There is something...

Your worth is not a prize for good behavior. Your worth and value, as a human being, are "inherent in your beingness," as Feminine Power would say. It can't be earned or taken away. It just is. To close out the season, I share what I’m still learning about self-love, inherent value, and the unconditional love of God. I talk about the ongoing work of honoring our worth and value even...

I used to feel embarrassed even saying the name "Jesus". And today, I’m sharing something deeply personal: what it’s like when a lifetime of resistance finally loosens and a real spiritual awakening begins to take root. Not a perfect conversion story, not a tidy explanation, just an honest awakening of welcoming Jesus Christ into my heart. We explore the difference between repeating spir...

Lent has a way of showing us what we spend the rest of the year avoiding. My name is Sarah Haykel, and in Welcoming God I share a candid reflection on celebrating Lent with real intention for the first time.  If you’re a spiritual seeker who wants a grounded, honest take on Christian spirituality, this one is for you. Quick note: I sometimes use swear words, and we may touch on adult content! I ta...

Love this AI description, so I'm using it!  I've edited a bit, but enjoy it's take on this fourth and final episode of Season 4 of Welcoming God. Some moments are revelatory. Walking into church decked in Christmas lights, I felt overcome with joy—and then a sudden inner tension, the old fear that joy requires certainty, rose up immediately after. That crack revealed a tender truth:...

This Christmas season, I was struck with a new awareness: that I could celebrate and honor the traditions of Christianity, Celtic celebrations and the natural rhythms of the seasons and solstice.   What a revelation: to be able to celebrate and honor various traditions in the returning of the light, both the physical, natural light of the sun and days getting longer.  And, the celebration of the C...

What do we do when God's call for us is to "wait."  How do we listen?  And, why?  What's truly important about heeding God's call? In this episode of Welcoming God, I talk about this and share a funny story about ice cream that led to an important realization about accepting when "not much is going on" in my life as a source of peace instead of boredom and an att...

New Years rituals and reviewing our previous year can be game changers!   In this episode, I share the importance of integrating past experiences and celebrating accomplishments, large and small, through a year in review practice. And, how one word can help guide us into co-creating a more intentional new year! A "year in review" and new years intention setting ritual can be as simple or...

A flat tire becomes a gateway to a beautiful, miraculous moment when a group of strangers enthusiastically changes Sarah's tire without being asked. The experience sparks a beautiful exchange of kindness that continues when Sarah promises to bake them a cake as a thank you and then actually feels God's guidance to follow through and do it! Their mutual astonishment at each other's g...

Have you ever wondered if spiritual connection could be simpler than we make it? What if the most profound practice required nothing more than your willingness to be present? Sitting With God is a simple practice that offers restoration and joy without elaborate steps or rigid structures. Unlike many spiritual disciplines that demand specific techniques, this approach simply invites you to pause a...

Have you ever noticed something that instantly captures your attention—a phrase in a book, a striking image, an unexpected sound, or a moment in nature that makes you pause? That "shimmering" sensation might be more than coincidence; it could be an invitation to a deeper spiritual experience. Drawing inspiration from Christine Valters Painter's book "Lectio Divina: The Sacred A...

Have you ever found yourself shocked by the beliefs of people who follow the same faith as you? That jarring moment when you realize someone reading the same Bible has arrived at conclusions that seem completely foreign—or even extreme—to you? I recently experienced what I can only describe as a "veil-lifting moment" after attending a Bible study where I encountered perspectives that fel...

Join me for a continuation of this evolving spiritual journey in Season 3 of Welcoming God, which launches Tuesday, September 16th. While we prepare for our return, we're excited to offer a special gift to you - a free companion ebook to Season 1. This thoughtful resource is designed to support your personal introspection and help you discover what you're truly seeking on your spiritual...

Have you ever found yourself learning the same spiritual lesson over and over again, wondering why you keep forgetting what you thought you already knew? This fascinating exploration of our continuous learning journey reveals why repetition may be essential to spiritual growth. At the heart of this episode lies a powerful metaphor: We are Mount Zion, not the weather that surrounds it. Drawing from...

What happens when we finally stop fighting reality and simply accept what is? Not resignation to circumstances, but a profound spiritual opening that transforms our relationship with life itself. Most of us carry some form of denial—parts of reality we refuse to acknowledge or accept because they feel too painful, too threatening, or too disruptive to our sense of safety and happiness. This episod...

What happens when you begin to question the spiritual path you've been walking? When the God you thought you knew becomes a question mark rather than an exclamation point? This deeply personal episode explores the disorienting yet ultimately transformative experience of going through a spiritual crisis. After an unexpected ending to a five-year relationship with my spiritual coach, I found my...

We're back after a two-month hiatus with the start of our four-week summer season. Recent unexpected changes and life experiences have felt challenging and prompted reflections on personal growth, trauma integration, and the journey towards personal and spiritual maturation. In the first episode of season two, I'll discuss:  • Moving from the first half of life (focused on success and ac...

Hi! Season 2 will start Tuesday, July 15th and will be a four week season.  I want to know what you'd like to hear about on Welcoming God.   Please go to WelcomingGod.com and scroll to the bottom of the page to the "Get In Touch" section and send me an email answering the question, "What would you like to hear me talk about on Welcoming God?" See you July 15th on your favo...

What happens when we pause to notice what's happening within us? Freedom emerges in that space between stimulus and response.  This guided mindfulness meditation introduces a simple yet profound practice of noticing—bringing awareness to breath, physical sensations, thoughts, and emotions without judgment. Unlike many meditation practices that feel disconnected from everyday life, this approa...

Prayer transforms our spiritual journey from transactional requests to authentic divine communion. Whether you've prayed your entire life or struggle to understand what prayer means, this episode offers fresh perspectives on connecting with the God through prayer. The foundation of meaningful prayer isn't found in perfect words or formulas but in genuine intention. We explore various app...

Have you ever struggled to maintain a consistent spiritual practice amid life's constant distractions and seeming demands? Creating space for authentic connection with God doesn't require hours of meditation or elaborate rituals—it simply needs our heartfelt desire and commitment. We live in a world where everything competes for our attention. Responsibilities, relationships, work, enter...

Have you ever felt weighed down by shame so heavy it seems impossible to escape? The burden of our past mistakes can weigh on us, yet the most transformative power in the universe awaits: forgiveness. This Good Friday episode takes us deep into a scene from the film "The Mission," beautifully described in Savannah Guthrie's book "Mostly What God Does." We witness the journ...