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Here’s the Big Idea

What happens to your faith when you ask a lot of questions?

What if the nature of God is rooted in a story of love, change, and becoming? I will never have this all worked out, but I am beginning to see how often I read the Bible with Western eyes and interpretations, instead of Jewish eyes. Somehow, I lost the Jewishness of Jesus.

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Kaleidoscopes and the Cross

Here’s the Big Idea…

The ancient narrative of Yahweh (a Hebrew name for God) is a story of created relationships, fragmented relationships, and redeemed relationships. It has been a life-giving story for us, while at the same time, there have been underlying presumptions in our Christian faith that have been destructive. Understanding how we got here––how we came to believe what we believe––has helped A LOT.

We had always heard that we could not pick and choose what we believed if we wanted to be Christians.

Who knew you actually do have the freedom to affirm some aspects of your faith tradition while rethinking or departing from other elements of it?!

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Launching Deconstructing & Reconstructing the cross 5-Part Series

They say courage happens in the midst of fear, not in the absence of it…so today we shall lean into courage as we bring a new project into the world!

We are releasing a 5-Part Series

DECONSTRUCTING & RECONSTRUCTING

THE MESSAGE OF THE CROSS.

  • Part 1: Am I a Sinner? What Does That Even Mean?

  • Part 2: Kaleidoscopes and the Cross

  • Part 3: Hold Up, Jesus was Jewish…Does that Matter?

  • Part 4: Changing the Story!

  • Part 5: Seriously, What the Hell Happened on the Cross?

JOIN US FOR LENT AS WE ORIENT OURSELVES TOWARDS NEW LIFE.

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Outdoing Jesus and Believing with Doug Pagitt 

Doug’s episode kicks off our Lent season…

For the next 6 weeks, we are releasing a series of episodes that follow our journey as we DECONSTRUCT and RECONSTRUCT the message of the cross.

We interrogate our faith and what it means to us to “follow Jesus.”

Join us in our conversation with author, activist, pastor, theologian, and friend DOUG PAGITT

Doug’s work and life collided with mine transforming me for the better in every way – pushing me forward.

I blame him for the audacious hope of starting Desert Voices. He is the force that told us, “you can…” YOU can make the world a “more beautiful place” with your voice. He is why we had access to the education and courage we needed to step out into the realm of activism & public theology.

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Prophetic Imagination with Micah Bournes

One of our favorite resources – Walter Bruggeman – writes, “The imagination is defined as nothing less than ‘the magnificent cause of being.’ Clearly, human transformative activity depends upon a transformed imagination…What the prophetic tradition knows is that it could be different, and the difference can be enacted.”

What is the difference you imagine?

We imagine a world, a spirituality, that values collaborative power, equity, justice, reconciliation, embodiment, connection, and human flourishing for ALL humankind.

It is possible…if only we can first imagine it.

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Non-Violence, Twilight, Buddha, & The Cross…Let’s Talk!

My good friend, Laura Beth Buchleiter asked me a while back, “What if all ministers of the Gospel first took a version of the Hippocratic oath? What if as ministers of the Gospel we first pledged to, Do No Harm.”

That idea has really stuck with me…what if?

Is the nature of God violent, non-violent, or somewhere in between? What is violence anyway? Is it possible to do harm when sharing the Good News of Jesus?

T Mark Montoya said, “We need to unlearn things by rethinking the reason why they existed in the first place.”

Come with us as we UNLEARN.

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Laughter, Deconstruction, & Storytelling with Phil Drysdale

Welcome to Winter 2021…

We all hoped to say goodbye to the heartache, confusion, isolation, and pain 2020 ushered in…well that lasted 6 days. Whatever your politics, the events of January 6th left us all with no doubt…Winter has come (a nod to all of us who were obsessed with GOT).

Winter is a time when the earth goes dormant. Trees have lost their leaves to hunker down and bear the winter storms. Snow falls (in some places), cold sets in, and the isolation in COVID season seems unending.

Winter can be harsh…it can also be majestic and breathtaking. Join us as we kick off Winter 2021 with deconstructionist Phil Drysdale. In this NEW episode, we talk about…

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Season 2 Promo

SEASON 2 HERE WE COME…Launching January 25, 2021

Thank you for joining us in our Rookie Year – Season 1 was a ride. We have no idea what we are doing and learning as we go! Yes, we made many mistakes. This first season was healing, challenging, adventurous, and filled with NEW connections. Both Holland and I made much needed NEW friendships with many of you this season. You are an OASIS in the desert.

Thank you for connecting with us via the Podcast, Instagram, Emails and in person. So many of you have shared your story with us, bringing community and healing. We are grateful to be on this journey together.

Time is the most valuable asset you have. Heck, it’s the most valuable asset we have as well! We commit to continue the work to consistently provide content that checks these boxes:

  • Storytelling – we believe in the art of healing through narratives. We think Jesus knew something of this hearing art!

  • Bold

  • Thought-Provoking

  • Tangible in our 21st-century context

  • Practical to everyday life

  • Speaks to Social Justice

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A Christmas Gift: Curious Woman by Gretta Miller (Tow’rs)

A HOLIDAY GIFT! Gretta Miller joins the conversation offering the gift of her VOICE. Gretta is no stranger to desert spaces. In this episode Gretta’s haunting melody and seering insights are a gift in our unprecedented pandemic Holiday season. Her new song “Curious Woman” has been on repeat in our homes.

Listen in as Gretta shares the inspiration behind her lyrics. You might just walk away from this episode with a new favorite song, wisdom, laughter, and JOY!

“Curious Woman the revolution is your joy”…This song is for ALL curious humans. The revolution of love is upon us. Are you curious about it?

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Courage is Contagious

2020 is the year of contagion! If something is contagious it spreads from one person or organism to another by direct or indirect contact. It is infectious!

Contagion is top of mind right now, so let’s talk about how contagious COURAGE is! Courage spreads from one person to the next. When you witness courage it has a way of touching our soul and transforms how we live.

Join in the conversation as we share stories of courage and offer a toolbox to tap into your passions. What are you passionate about and where is Divine Goodness inviting you to contribute to human flourishing? Courage has the power to heal us and connect us together. It gives us the oomph we need to live into our passions? Courage helps us imagine a more beautiful world and inspires us to co-create it!

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Growing up & Melting Fear with Shaleen’s Sisters

These two episodes get real.

Recorded late at night, in a cozy studio, with tequila, and my people…You’re welcome world!

Episode 15: Part 1 with my sisters opens up with childhood memories of Shanda and I terrorizing Sierra. If you need a good laugh, LISTEN IN. You will crack up along with us as we remember the good ol’ days driving the “maxi pad,” army crawling through parks, and surprise attacks!

The story arcs in this episode as we move from laughter to tears. Sierra opens up about her raw, rocky, and unique journey into parenting. You get to join the intimate conversation as Sierra describes being a first time mom and finding out her daughter has Down Syndrome and congenital heart disease. Sierra powerfully takes us on her spiritual journey through Sadie’s two open heart surgeries, ICU, and what it was like for her to experience God in the midst of fear.

Episode 16: Part 2 Holland, Sierra, and I fall off our chairs laughing as Shanda brings down the house sharing her childhood nightmare of being “Left Behind” with Kirk Cameron!

We narrow in on why our faith has shifted, parenting from a new perspective, and what it looks like when fear melts away.

“Fear is highly motivating.” – Shanda

Shanda beautifully describes how fear was a primary motivator to pursue a relationship with God. What happens when fear melts away?

Come find out!

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Exploring the “Sinner’s Prayer” and Belonging

I am afraid of this episode.

Holland and I boldly explore the practical implication of the “Sinners Prayer.” A prayer we never questioned and preached for years…until…

Join the conversation as we examine the connection between saying the “Sinner’s Prayer” and belonging in the family of God. Who belongs? Who’s in? Who’s out?

What happens when you put a face to the “statements of faith” you profess?

In this thought-provoking episode, we take you behind closed doors into conversations with my pastor that have changed my perspective…conversations that change what we think about the nature of God and end up changing how we live in the world.

This episode does not offer answers. Instead, we participate in the ancient art of healing through storytelling. You get to decide what to do with the stories.

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