It started with Mia asking me to be on a podcast again. This invitation prompted a feeling of dread, but I’m learning to pay closer attention to my emotional responses. I’m learning to ask Jesus about what I’m feeling when I notice it. Trying to get to the bottom of this feeling of dread, I did what I do more and more often these days: I asked Jesus a question, then listened. “Will you bring to mind a time when I felt that way before?”

A memory of when I tried to speak in front of my elementary school classmates and stuttered came to mind. I saw the discomfort in my classmates’ eyes. Maybe they were afraid they too would stutter on their turn to speak. Then God brought to mind an episode of All Creatures Great and Small I had recently watched, where a character was invited to face his own fear, but he failed miserably at first. Freezing, then running away. But I am getting ahead of the story.

All Creatures Great and Small (2020-2026) is a PBS series based on the veterinarian experiences of James Alfred Wight in the 1930s and 1950s. The series takes place in the fictional small town of Darrowby, England. Siegfried (Samuel West), the older Farnon brother, is an experienced veterinarian who raised his younger brother, Tristan (Callum Woodhouse), after their parents’ deaths. Throughout the show, Tristan also trains as a vet and joins the practice.

At the end of Season 3, Tristan leaves to serve in the Royal Army Veterinary Corps.

In the current season, Season 6, Episode 6, entitled “Our Hearts are Full,” it is 1945, and Tristan is home on leave from the war. War always makes a personal impact, and we are about to discover its effect on Tristan and the role a horse plays in his recovery.

Elijah Wentworth, a client, calls the veterinary office asking for help with his ailing Shire horse, Weissmuller. Not Siegfried’s favorite client, he is eager for Tristan to come with him on this particular call. Plus, Tristan has a reputation for being very good with horses. Tristan agrees, and off they drive to the farm.

Horse Vet (2023). Photo by Ambitious Studio* | Rick Barrett courtesy of Unsplash.

Siegfried takes one look at the imposing Weissmuller and notices the unusual angle of one hoof. Placing a hand on the hoof, he discovers it feels warm. Herein lies the problem. One touch reveals an abscess. It’s clear what to do. Open it up. Get to the infection. Drain it away.

But Weissmuller is spooked. Calming the horse is imperative. Siegfried directs Tristan to stand by the horse’s head to calm him. Tristan starts in the horse’s direction, but as he looks more closely at the horse, something stops him. He pauses. He freezes, really.

What is wrong with Tristan?

Siegfried has a harder time diagnosing his brother’s condition than he does the horse’s. Even he will admit that Tristan has always been really good with horses. All he is asking him to do now is stand by the horse’s head, after all. But Tristan doesn’t move. He doesn’t appear to even hear. In the end, he just runs away, literally. He takes the car, leaving Seigfried stranded.

Back at home, it’s dinnertime. The family gathers around the table, but Tristan doesn’t eat much. Before the meal is done, he excuses himself to go to his room. Later that night, most of the family is already in their beds. Only Siegfried lingers, listening to the radio. Just before midnight, Siegfried hears the alert. A news announcement is expected in just a few minutes.

Sensing an important announcement about the war, Siegfried rushes from room to room, waking each family member. Calling them to come quickly to listen. They gather around the radio. And there it is. WORLD WAR II IS OVER! Everyone laughs, shouting with joy, dancing, and hugging each other. All but Tristan. Without so much as a smile, he quietly retreats to his room. Which is completely out of character for the normally jovial jokester, younger vet.

In the morning, Tristian doesn’t join them for breakfast. Finally, the two older vets and the housekeeper check. He is not in his room. Where would he have gone?

Out in the community, they look. A neighbor has seen him at the church. At the church?! Siegfried goes to find him. There he is, sitting alone on a church bench. Like the good doctor he is, Siegfried begins the gentle probing.

“Leave me alone.”

As the brothers sit side by side on the church bench, in an effort to draw Tristan out, Siegfried begins to speak of shared memories, of happier times.

“Why don’t you go away?”

Then he asks about the military cross Tristan was awarded in the war. The one that had been found in his room, which Tristan had never mentioned.

Ah, a good question.

Tristan slowly begins to tell the story.

During the war, in the midst of an attack, his comrade alerted him to a nearby land mine. “Don’t move!” Tristan’s life was saved because his friend acted. But he wasn’t able to save his friend, who was later killed in that skirmish. Yet Tristan is alive. And to make matters worse, he was awarded the military cross. The injustice of it all!

Now Siegfried gets it. Now he understands that Tristan’s reaction to the horse was not really about the horse. He says, “You weren’t afraid of the horse. What you couldn’t bear was his fear.” Meaning, not the horse. But his friend’s, his own. Tristan sobs, letting it all out in his brother’s arms.

Two Hands (2018). Photo by Toa Heftiba courtesy of Unsplash.

I love this episode for how it helps us see the way unresolved trauma plays out in ordinary life. We can see the symptoms of trauma in the horse: His skittishness, the fear in his eyes, the pain. He’s ready to run if he could, but he is tied to the fence and tethered, looking ready to fight anyone who comes near.

We see the signs in Tristan, too. These are what mental health professionals call derealization, the feeling of being disconnected from the world around us. Tristan is no longer hearing Siegfried’s voice, let alone processing or following directions.

The reactions we see in Tristan are greater than the current situation warrants, indicating “triggering.” That is, events happening in real time are bringing up a traumatic event from the past.

He exhibits the “freeze response.” Tristan is immobilized. He doesn’t or can’t move toward the horse. He doesn’t move at all. Then, when he “unfreezes,” he “flees.” Literally. He runs away, gets in the car, and leaves his brother stranded.

Tristan’s responses are not quickly resolved. Later that evening and into the next day, he continues to show the signs of trauma: He experiences loss of appetite. At dinnertime that evening, with the family around the table, food doesn’t appeal to Tristan at all. He leaves the table without eating.

He experiences depression, a low joy mood, leading to a lack of interest and motivation. Tristan doesn’t celebrate even at the very joyful news that the war is over!

It’s helpful to be aware of these responses in ourselves and others. Seeing them in stories like this one raises our awareness of them. But what good is that if we don’t know what to do about it?

In this episode, the story explores some ways recovery and healing take place. We see it in the context of a loving relationship. Siegfried and Tristan know each other well, and underneath the daily irritations of living together, they really do care for each other’s well-being. When Tristan is finally able to tell the story of the original war wound. Hearing himself say it out loud is part of the healing. Healing occurs when what is shared is heard with empathy and understanding. And recovery finally takes place when emotions are released. Somehow, they are contained better when shared.

We take for granted that God designed our bodies to heal. First, the wound bleeds, then the body stops the bleeding (homeostasis). White blood cells move in to clean the wound (inflammation). The body makes new skin tissue and repairs broken blood vessels (proliferation). Finally, the wound closes. (remodeling)

In the same way, God has healed our souls.

He heals the broken-hearted and binds up their wounds (healing the pain and comforting their sorrow).

-Psalm 147:3 (Amplified)

God also uses His people to be participants in His healing process. First, we receive God’s love, then we can offer it to others.

Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God.”

-I John 4:7 (NLT)

Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear.”

-I John 4:18a (NLT)

Tristan can’t calm the horse until he himself is no longer full of fear. Receiving empathy from his brother relieves his fear.

Helpers have to see beyond the symptoms of the trauma, caring more about the person than the problem they present. Who can love someone who is acting unreasonably?

Symptoms of trauma can be offensive. We don’t like it when someone lashes out in anger toward us, ghosts us, won’t listen to us, or resists our efforts to get close to them.

As God’s people, we can see these occurrences as an opportunity to “enemy love.”

To you who are ready for the truth, I say this: Love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the supple moves of prayer for that person.

-Luke 6:27 (MSG)

The reality is, God is love.

In this is real love - not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.

- I John 4:10 (NLT)

Apparently, I was still spooked by the idea of having to speak on a podcast. Reflecting on this episode has been part of the process of relieving my fear. Like Tristan seeing fear in the horse’s eyes, the memory of seeing fear in his comrade’s eyes came forward. Reading about his experience brought forward my memory of seeing the discomfort in my classmate’s eyes.

When a forgotten memory is uncovered, it can be healed; drained of its infection, helped to heal by those who come to our aid, and recovery is possible. In the end, Tristan is able to go back to carry out his task with the horse. In the end, I am able to carry out mine. The podcast has been recorded. I am just a little freer having done it.

WORKS CITED

1. “Our Hearts are Full,” All Creatures Great and Small, S 6, E 6. Hay, Andy, aired February 15, 2026, on PBS.

In the video podcast episode, we explore Inception as a lens for understanding

how easily reality can be shaped by perception, emotion, + belief. It

challenges us to consider whether we are grounding our understanding

of reality in truth or constructing our own versions of it.

Check it out here: https://www.bibleandpopculture.com/blog/extracting-theology-and-reality-in-inception

Another panelist mentioned a rising trend in online chats: the belief that we’re living in a simulation. This train of thought leads some to believe that everything they do is preordained and that free will is an illusion. In this line of thinking, since we lack free will, should we just go with the flow or act on our feelings? I couldn’t understand how one could come to this conclusion—living in a world where choices don’t matter, and actions are part of a prewritten script, feels wrong. This mindset makes our sense of purpose seem like an illusion created by a simulated reality. For me, believing that our lives have meaning and that our choices matter is essential to understanding myself and my place in the world.

This month’s edition of Bible+PopCulture asks, “What is Reality?” What is it, and how do we know? In a world shaped by perspective, culture, and competing truths, we’re left asking: Is reality something we define, or something God reveals? As we navigate what feels real, this edition invites us to consider what is ultimately true—and how knowing God reshapes the way we see everything.

These questions brought to mind the Disney+ series Loki (2021-2023), a mind-bending exploration of what’s real. In the show’s opening episode, “Burdened with Glorious Purpose,” Loki, the god of mischief, finds himself out of time and place after jumping from the Battle of New York with the Tesseract in 2012 to the Gobi Desert of Mongolia in an unknown year. There, he is arrested for being out of his timeline, which, in the TVA’s (Time Variance Authority) words, makes him a “Variant.”

The Weight of Becoming (2017). Painting acrylic on canvas by Emily Yen.

Over the Deep (2017). Painting acrylic on canvas by Emily Yen.

After his trial, there’s a great philosophical conversation between Agent Mobius (Owen Wilson) and Loki (Tom Hiddleston), as he tries to get a handle on this new reality.

LOKI: Trust is for children and dogs. There’s only one person you can trust.

MOBIUS: Yourself? I like it. Slap it on a T-shirt.

LOKI: If the TVA truly oversees all of time, how have I never heard of you until now?

MOBIUS: ‘Cause you’ve never needed to. You’ve always lived within your set path.

LOKI: I live within whatever path I choose.

MOBIUS: Sure you do. Okay, come have a seat.

Word Made Visible (2017). Painting acrylic on canvas by Emily Yen.

Later in the scene, Mobius shows Loki a projector reel of his life, calling it “a sampling of your greatest hits, if I may.” Loki watches the curated scenes: his battle losses against the Avengers, his killing of Agent Phil Coleson, his acts of murder and terror, and his future betrayal of his mother, all through Mobius’s perspective. Loki’s reality cracks, followed in quick succession by denial and rebellion—weak attempts to protect his ego. In truth, what he thought was reality wasn’t, isn’t, and won’t be. Then Mobius hits him with the harsh truth of his life,

MOBIUS: You weren’t born to be king, Loki. You were born to cause pain and suffering and death. That’s how it is, that’s how it was, that’s how it will be. All so that others can achieve their best versions of themselves.

Ouch. A broken Loki returns to the projection room to watch his reel further—future conversations with his parents, Freya and Odin, and his brother, Thor. His perspective and reality are altered by the viewing: He is loved, accepted, and needed. (**Spoiler) Best of all, he does have a glorious purpose through his sacrificial death at the hand of Thanos. After seeing the future, he has a choice: to live out Mobius’s definition of his reality or to change it.

This new perspective shifts everything. Loki spends the rest of the series testing Mobius’s assessment of him and his new reality, fighting off his old self and old point of view. That is reality for us, too. We also have a choice because of Jesus. We are no longer doomed to be who we were, to believe the old reality, or live without hope for a future. By His grace and as we follow the Spirit’s leading to, in Mobius’ words, “achieve our best versions of ourselves.” Consider,

Romans 6:7-20, Paul explains that through Christ we are set free from the law of sin and death and embrace new life.

Romans 8:1-2, Paul invites us to explore the vibrant freedom found in a life led by the Spirit.

1 Corinthians 15:21-28 Paul reminds us that in Christ all will be made alive, and we become part of God’s redemptive purpose.

Together, these passages build a biblical foundation for understanding our new reality and identity in Christ. And this is good news.

Join us this edition as we explore what is real, how we can tell, and the importance of a central, physical, undeniable truth: God’s reality is truth. As you reflect on this month’s articles, take a few minutes to notice when you feel most grounded or truly present in reality. Why? What are you basing these feelings or knowings on? Small acts of curiosity and reflection in these moments, in light of God’s version of reality, can move us closer to understanding what is truly real and meaningful in our lives. Happy discovery as you Explore. Engage. Enjoy.

WORKS CITED

1. “Burdened with Glorious Purpose,” Loki, S 1, E 1. Herron, Kate, aired June 9, 2021, on Disney+.

Hi friends,

We’re so excited to be back after a five-year hiatus! Our May edition is finally here—and this month, we’re asking a question that feels more relevant than ever:

What is reality… and how do we know what’s true?

In a world shaped by algorithms, curated identities, and competing narratives, it’s easy to feel like truth is constantly shifting. But what if reality isn’t something we create—but something God reveals?

In this edition of Bible + Pop Culture, our writers explore how culture wrestles with reality—and how faith invites us to see more clearly.

✨ Inside this edition (clickable links):

• Edition Lead: Exploring Reality Through Loki

• The Other Disciples: It’s Not Just For Women

• Fantasy Football: The Fantasy Relationship Dynamics in Ted Lasso

• Extracting Theology and Reality in Inception (video podcast)

• No Fear in Love: Healing Trauma in All Creatures Great and Small

• Through The Lens: Does A.I. Pose a Threat to the Art of Photography?

• The Reality of Nostalgia: Why the 90s Still Feel Like Home

• The Bachelorette and Our Complicated Relationship with the Truth

• Reality, AI, and Faith: Can Something Without Belief Help Us Seek Truth?

• Red Pilled: Looking for Reality in The Matrix (podcast)

Each piece offers a unique lens—some personal, some cultural, some deeply theological—but all point toward the same invitation: to consider what is ultimately real, how that truth shapes the way we live, and to choose to see reality through God’s perspective.

We’d love for you to dive in and Explore. Engage. Enjoy! As you reflect, join the conversation in our comments section and on our social media.

👉 Read the full edition here:
www.bibleandpopculture.com

📬 Subscribe for future editions (clickable links):

• 📰 Newsletter

• 📺 YouTube

• 📸 Instagram

• 📘 Facebook
  

Blessings,
The Bible + Pop Culture Team

P.S. If this edition resonates with you, feel free to share/forward this email with a friend—we’re grateful to build this community with you.

Writers often get asked, “Where do you get your ideas?” My answer is usually somewhere between curiosity and conviction. But this time, it was both, sprinkled with a bit of fear and lots of prayer.

I found myself in a season where I was a square peg in a round hole, questioning my life, calling, purpose—you name it, I was looking at myself in pieces. I sat at my writing desk, looking out my window, wondering if a lifetime of inwardly rebelling against the teaching that as a woman, my purpose was only to be married, raise my children, and serve where I was allowed—it just wasn’t sitting well with me.

In my past, I taught at a Christian university, served as a director and vice president, and worked with youth for years in leadership- all things that would often be attributed to men, not a woman. I never allowed myself to sink fully into it, take the calling and position as mine. I struggled with imposter syndrome. So as I sat at my desk, I began reciting what I knew to be true: God loves me, God made women, and God has a purpose for everyone. These truths kept swirling around in my mind: God loves me, He loves women, He must also have a purpose for me and for women. Which led me to think about the women in the Bible.

I took my musings to a co-worker, lamenting, “God must have called women, too, right?” After a cursory dive into the gospels with that lens- lo and behold- there were women, lots of women, who Jesus called and gave purpose to. A torturous year passed as I left that job and toiled on a fictional project (shameless plug, watch for Come Undone to release as a novel this summer). But the whole idea of calling never left me. I was momentarily buoyed by the initial finding of women in the gospels who had a calling and purpose. But that would be only the surface. The hope of finding my calling and meaning stuck with me.

As I studied the gospels, observed the women who appeared quietly in the background—sometimes unnamed, sometimes overlooked—all who would go on to follow Jesus faithfully, courageously. They didn’t make the headlines of the Bible nor of history, yet their lives spoke unceremoniously about devotion, courage, and faith. I kept asking myself: Who are they really? What’s their story? What would it mean to me and others to bring their deeper stories to light? To see them not just as footnotes, but as disciples in their own right?

Writing The Other Disciples became a journey of digging into church history, imagining, and unearthing voices that history has almost forgotten or worse: intentionally overlooked. Every chapter was an invitation for both our writers and me to step into their sandals, to explore their questions, their fears, their boldness, and their committed love for Jesus. The companion Study Guide allowed us to extend that invitation to readers, offering space to reflect, discuss, and apply these stories to everyday life.

The process wasn’t easy. Wrestling with research, their issues and ours, and the truth about who God says women are—trying to balance faithfulness to Scripture with storytelling—was both challenging and humbling. Not to mention the personal struggles of overcoming fear, doubt, all the while taking the next step forward in almost blind faith. But every step reminded me why I write: to illuminate, to question, to connect, and sometimes, to give voice to those who’ve been silent too long. In this journey, I found myself again. And if I’m honest, maybe for the first time.

Philosophers of aesthetics and anthropology often say the purpose of story is for us to find out what it means to be human. In coaxing these gospel women from the shadows of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, as well as church history, my prayer is that we writers in this project learned not only about them, but about ourselves and our relationship to Jesus as well. May we be better for it.

I share this here not to sell a book, but to share a piece of the journey. For writers, for followers of Jesus with a calling, for anyone who’s ever felt inspired—or even intimidated—by the stories we long to tell: the work is worth it. And sometimes, what begins as a desperate curiosity can grow into something much larger than ourselves and a deep conviction. I invite you to consider grabbing a copy of The Other Disciples and its companion study guide to meet the beautiful and messy women of the Gospels. And prayerfully, as you journey with them, learn about your beautiful, messy self, too.

Show Notes

References

• The Ten Minute Bible Hour Podcast episodes on Galatians 6:10 

• The Rise of Christianity by Rodney Stark

• Galatians 6:10

• Jefferson Fisher Podcast

Our Socials and Sites

• Our socials and sites: https://blinq.me/HHp3f0ZoizQV?bs=db

• Our newsletter: https://substack.com/@bibleandpopculture

• Purchase books and study guide: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G2TPFQ2Z?binding=paperback&ref=dbs_dp_rwt_sb_pc_tpbk

Support the show

Join us as we discover who they were, their remarkable experiences, Photini’s enlightening interaction with Jesus, and Elizabeth’s ache and awe, as we consider what their stories offer us today. Get ready for the journey into the heart of grateful and surrendered followers—let’s get started! 

Show Notes

• Photini of Sychar is found in: John 4:1-42 (ESV)

• Hagar: Genesis 16: 1-15

• CS Lewis Quote: If you think of this world as a place simply intended for our happiness, you find it quite intolerable: think of it as a place for training and correction, and it's not so bad. God in the Dock, pg. 52.

• Psalm 139:13-16

• Romans 6:4

Elizabeth Zechariah is found in:  Luke 1:8–80

• Psalm 126

• John 15:1-17

• Stephanie Duncan Smith

• The Place We Find Ourselves, Adam Young podcast (Ep 173)

• Hope quote: People speak of hope as if it is this delicate, ephemeral thing made of whispers and spiders' webs. It's not. Hope has dirt on her face, blood on her knuckles, the grit of the cobblestones in her hair, and just spat out a tooth as she rises for another go.

Our Socials and Sites

• Our socials and sites: https://blinq.me/HHp3f0ZoizQV?bs=db

• Our newsletter: https://substack.com/@bibleandpopculture

• Purchase books and study guide: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G2TPFQ2Z?binding=paperback&ref=dbs_dp_rwt_sb_pc_tpbk

• Asha can be found at: https://ashajuneoh.substack.com/ and https://www.ashajuneoh.com/podcast

Support the show

Join us as we discover who they were, their remarkable experiences, Salmoe’s big, audacious ask of Jesus, and Anna’s remarkable calling and patience in her waiting, and consider what their stories offer us today. Get ready for the journey into the heart of two grateful and surrendered followers—let’s get started!

Show Notes

• Salome Zebedee is found in: Mark 15:40; 16:1-8; Matthew 20:20-21, 27:56; Luke 23:49

• Mark 9:24, Help my unbelief scripture

• Jesus and Women, study by Kristi McClelland

• Anna of the Temple is found in: Luke 2:36–38

• Deuteronomy 13:5

• Hebrews 11

• Colossians 3:2, 10

• 1 Corinthians 4:18

Our Socials and Sites

• Our socials and sites: https://blinq.me/HHp3f0ZoizQV?bs=db

• Our newsletter: https://substack.com/@bibleandpopculture

• Purchase books and study guide: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G2TPFQ2Z?binding=paperback&ref=dbs_dp_rwt_sb_pc_tpbk

Support the show

Join us as we discover who they were, their remarkable experiences, Martha’s new way of considering Jesus’ observation of her, and Mary’s response to her disillusionment with Jesus in a situation, and consider what their stories offer us today. Get ready for the journey into the heart of grateful and surrendered followers—let’s get started!

References

• Martha of Bethany  is found in: Luke 10:38–42; John 11:1-45; 12:1-9

• Hebrew Terms from Martha’s chapter:

  • Hachnassat Orchim- act of hospitality

  • Gemilut Hasadim - kindness

  • Mitzvah - act of charity

• Pause App

• Benevolent Detachment

• Proverbs 31 Ministries, First 5 App

• Proverbs 27:17

• Mary of Bethany is found in: Luke 10:38-42, John 11:1-45, 12:1-9 (ESV)

• Psalm 45:13

• John 8:32

• Psalm 118:6

• John 8:35

• Nehemiah 8:2-3

• Psalm 120:1-2

• Ephesians 4:26-27

Our Socials and Sites

• https://blinq.me/HHp3f0ZoizQV?bs=db

• www.pinterest.com/AlsoCalledSeries/

• www.substack.com/@bibleandpopculture

Support the show

Join us as we discover who they were, their remarkable experiences, and Susanna’s generous response to her healing by Jesus, and a new way of considering Mary’s “Yes!” to God’s ask. We’ll explore the lessons from their lives, ministries, and deep love for Jesus, and consider what their stories offer us today. Get ready for the journey into the heart of grateful and surrendered followers—let’s get started! 

Show Notes

• Susanna is found in Luke 8:3

• Cynthia Westfall

• John Mark Comer

  • Generosity 01: Jesus’ surprising teaching on money – and why he’s right

  • Generosity 02: Is it wrong to want more money?

• The Proverbs 31 Ministries Podcast- “Our Job is Obdience; God’s Job is Everything Else” Lysa TerKeurst

• Mary of Nazareth is found in: Luke 1:26-38, 2:4-7, 11:27-28, 22-51; Matthew 1:16-25, 2:1-12, 12:47; John 2:12, 19:25-27; Acts 1:14, 12:12

• Proverbs 27:17 (ESV)

• C.S. Lewis quote: “You’ve never met a mere mortal.”

Our Socials and Sites

• Our socials and sites: https://blinq.me/HHp3f0ZoizQV?bs=db

• Our newsletter: www.substack.com/@bibleandpopculture

• Purchase books and study guide: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G2TPFQ2Z?binding=paperback&ref=dbs_dp_rwt_sb_pc_tpbk

Support the show

Join us as we discover who they were, their remarkable experiences, Daughter’s more-than-she could have asked for healing, and Joanna’s grateful response to her own. We’ll explore the lessons from their lives, ministries, and deep love for Jesus, and consider what their stories offer us today. Get ready for the journey into the heart of faithful and devoted followers—let’s get started!

Show Notes

• Daughter is found in: Matthew 9:20-22, Mark 5:25-34, and Luke 8:43-48

• Women’s Cleanliness Laws: Leviticus 12:2-8, 15:19-33

• Sickness from sin: John 9:1-3

• Healing in His wings: Malachi 4:2

• Man at the Pool of Bethesda: John 5

• Joanna is found in: Luke 8:3, 24:10 (ESV)

• Psalm 139 (ESV)

• 2 Corinthians 3:17 (ESV) 

Our Socials and Sites

• Our socials and sites: https://blinq.me/HHp3f0ZoizQV?bs=db

• Our newsletter: www.substack.com/@bibleandpopculture

• Purchase books and study guide: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G2TPFQ2Z?binding=paperback&ref=dbs_dp_rwt_sb_pc_tpbk

Support the show

Show Notes

• Mary Cleopas: Matthew 27:55-61, 28:1-10, 5-7; Mark 15:40-47, 16:1-8, Luke 24:3-32; John 19:25

• John 3:27

• Acts 26:18-20

• Mary of Magdala: Matthew 27:55-56,61; 28:1-10; Mark 15:40-47, 16:1-11; Luke 8:2, 24:10; John 19:25, 20:1-2,11-18

• Deeper Walk International

• What Every Believer Should Know about Spiritual Warfare, Marcus Warner book

Our Socials and Sites

• Our socials and sites: https://blinq.me/HHp3f0ZoizQV?bs=db

• Our newsletter: www.substack.com/@bibleandpopculture

• Purchase books and study guide: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G2TPFQ2Z?binding=paperback&ref=dbs_dp_rwt_sb_pc_tpbk

Support the show

Show Notes

References

• Disciple = One who embraces and assists in spreading the teachings of another.

• Grace Theological Seminary article “What is the True Meaning of Christian Discipleship?” 

• The Great Commission Matthew 28:19-20

• “Dust of the Rabbi: Hebraic-Based Discipleship” by Tim Kelley 

• Eric Metcalf’s 5 Steps of Apprenticeship

  • I do. You watch. We talk. Luke 6:12-19

  • I do. You help. We talk. Luke 9:10-17

  • You do. I help. We talk. Luke 9:37-43

  • You do. I watch. We talk. Luke 10:1-12, 17-20  

  • You do. Someone else watches. 1 Peter 5:13

• Experience Jesus Really  byJohn Eldridge

• Luke 14:25-35

• Commit to His mission

  • Love God - Matt 22:36-38

  • Love one another - Matt 22:39-40

  • Abide in His word - John 8:31

  • Bear Fruit - John 15:8

  • Serve others - Mark 10:45

  • Share the gospel - Acts 1:8

  • Make disciples - Matt 28:19

Our Socials and Sites

• Our socials and sites: https://blinq.me/HHp3f0ZoizQV?bs=db

• Our newsletter: www.substack.com/@bibleandpopculture

• Purchase books and study guide: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G2TPFQ2Z?binding=paperback&ref=dbs_dp_rwt_sb_pc_tpbk

Support the show

Show Notes

References

• Proverbs 31 (NLT)

• The Virtuous Woman by Vicki Courtney

• She Reads Truth podcast

• No trust in chariots, Psalm 20:7 (NIV)

• Our trust is in the Lord, Zechariah 4:6 (ESV)

• Sons of Issacar times and seasons, 1 Chronicles 12:32 (ESV)

• Our steps are ordered, Psalm 37:23 (NKJV)

Our Socials and Sites

• Our socials and sites: https://blinq.me/HHp3f0ZoizQV?bs=db

• Our newsletter: www.substack.com/@bibleandpopculture

• Purchase books and study guide: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G2TPFQ2Z?binding=paperback&ref=dbs_dp_rwt_sb_pc_tpbk

• Find Dr. Davidson at Ahsatglobal.com

• Or at her socials

Support the show

Show Notes

References

• Kristi McClellend Jesus and Women

• 1 Corinthians 14:34–35 (ESV) and 1 Timothy 2:11–12 (ESV)

• Simon Sinek podcast

• Romans 5:3-4 (NLT)

• 1 Corinthians 6:12 (NIV)

• 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 (NIV)

• CS Lewis Quote: If you think of this world as a place simply intended for our happiness, you find it quite intolerable: think of it as a place for training and correction, and it's not so bad. God in the Dock, pg. 52.

• Worldview link

Our Socials and Sites

• Our socials and sites: https://blinq.me/HHp3f0ZoizQV?bs=db

• Our newsletter: https://substack.com/@bibleandpopculture

• Purchase books and study guide: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G2TPFQ2Z?binding=paperback&ref=dbs_dp_rwt_sb_pc_tpbk

• You can find Melody@

Support the show

Show Notes

References

• Genesis 2:18

• Genesis 2:21-22

• Dr. Joel Muddamalle at the Therapy and Theology podcast

• Genesis 1:28

• Feminism definition: according to the International Women’s Development Agency, is about all genders having equal rights and opportunities, respecting diverse women’s experiences, identities, knowledge, and strengths, and striving to empower all women to realize their full rights. It’s about leveling the playing field between genders and ensuring that women and girls have the same opportunities in life as men and boys. 

• What Paul Really Said About Women, book by John Temple Bristow

• Chayil: Release the Power of a Virtuous Woman by John Eckhardt

• Jesus and Women: In the First Century and Now by Kristi McLelland

• Help for the Helpmeet: God’s Strategies for Becoming His Helpmeet Suitable by Yvette Benton

• 1 Peter 3

Our Socials and Sites

• Our socials and sites: https://blinq.me/HHp3f0ZoizQV?bs=db

• Our newsletter: https://substack.com/@bibleandpopculture

• Purchase books and study guide: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G2TPFQ2Z?binding=paperback&ref=dbs_dp_rwt_sb_pc_tpbk

• Yolanda can be found at: https://pinksisters4life.com/

Support the show

 In today’s episode, we talk about the Also Called Podcast, how it came to be, what it is, what it isn’t, and where we hope to go. Get ready as we journey into the heart of the show—let’s get started!

Show Notes

References

• Ephesians 5:22-33 (ESV)

• 2 Corinthians 11:2 (ESV)

• Revelation 21:2, 9 (ESV)

• Ezekiel 9:4 (ESV)

• Amanda Ripley's book High Conflict: Why We Get Trapped and How We Get Out

• The Apostle's Creed article

• Difference Between Catholics and Protestants article

Our Socials and Sites

• Our socials and sites: https://blinq.me/HHp3f0ZoizQV?bs=db

• Our newsletter: https://substack.com/@bibleandpopculture

• Purchase books and study guide: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G2TPFQ2Z?binding=paperback&ref=dbs_dp_rwt_sb_pc_tpbk

Support the show

Women are looking for truth and connection in the era of smartphones, social media, and constant access to information. The pendulum of Boomers and our generation’s motto of “Suck it up/emotions are weakness” has swung far in the opposite direction.

People believe every emotion is truth, which leads them to follow every desire—to their detriment. Now, we’re figuring out that following every emotion is damaging, the information they have access to isn’t the truth, and constant contact with the world is not a genuine connection.

Relationships have become surface-level: we can’t be who we truly are if our lives don’t match our social media feed. We’re so busy that we can only connect with others on social media or with the image they project on it. How often do we really reach out?

On the other side, church doctrine tells us who we’re supposed to be. An almost impossible standard in our own strength, willing ourselves to change, be good, be the Proverbs 31 ideal. Women are questioning scripture, their trauma, their health, everything. They have questions, but aren’t necessarily questioning their faith.

We find the church good at loving you when you’re on the outside. But once you’re in, there’s an expectation to have it all together. Many of us find we don’t measure up to either: social media or the church.

What is our answer to that problem? Glad you asked! Also Called is a group of women coming together to ask hard questions in a world that’s lost connection with God, ourselves, and each other.

Through weekly podcasts (launching Nov. 5th and premiering each Wednesday on your favorite podcast platforms), we work through questions of our faith. We gather on social media, commenting as we explore facets of the issue together with hearts to seek, stay curious, and understand.

We also dive into the stories of women from ages past who asked the same questions to discover who they were and the conclusions they reached through our book series (launching Monday, December 1st on Amazon- just in time for Cyber Monday and for the holidays!) and study guide (available Feb 1st on Amazon). Join us as we discover God, ourselves, and others- because we are also called.

Join the conversation on our social media: FB, Insta, YouTube, Website, etc., and for the latest news! Also, if you know anyone who’d love to join the conversation, please share us with them. Can’t wait to talk! In the meantime, keep seeking. And stay curious.