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The Trustworthiness of Pain | Stories & Other Things Holy

In this episode, Dr. Terry Nelson-Johnson and host Joshua Minden delve into the paradoxical relationship between pain, suffering, and healing. Through a humorous yet poignant story about physical therapy and a profound insight from Terry's son, the conversation explores how pain can be redemptive and lead us to new life when contextualized within love and trust.

Reflecting on the Paschal Mystery, they discuss Good Friday moments in life that call us to let go, surrender, and trust in the promise of Easter. This episode invites you to reimagine pain not as something to avoid but as part of the journey toward renewal and transformation.

In this episode:

• A father's journey through physical therapy
• An unexpected lesson from a son in recovery
• Understanding the relationship between pain and healing
• How suffering can lead to transformation
• Finding trust in life's challenging moments

Featured Storyteller: Dr. Terry Nelson-Johnson
Host: Joshua Minden

Chapters:
0:00 - Introduction
2:09 - The Story of Painful Physical Therapy
5:26 - Trusting Pain and Its Meaning
12:59 - Good Friday Moments: Letting Go and Surrender
16:29 - Jesus’ Suffering and the Authority of Pain
18:54 - Love and Life Contextualize Pain

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Welcome to this week’s episode of Stories and Other Things Holy!

Have you ever wondered what it really means to take a leap of faith? Dr. Terry Nelson-Johnson shares a joyful and tender story about a trapeze experience that illustrates how trust, hope, and risk are all part of living a life of faith. Through reflections on Jesus’ ultimate leap of trust, we’re invited to let go of our fears and take the risk of saying yes to God’s transformative love.

🌟 Key Themes:

• The vulnerability of taking a leap of faith
• Jesus’ decision to leap into the resurrection
• How trust and risk are connected to God’s invitation
• Cooperating with God’s transformative power in our lives

🎧 Watch or listen to experience the laughter, reflection, and spiritual insights!

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Discover the healing power of vulnerability in this week’s episode of Stories and Other Things Holy. Dr. Terry Nelson-Johnson shares a poignant and comical story about aching feet and the unexpected moments that reveal our deepest need for connection and healing. Inspired by Jesus washing his disciples’ feet and Pope Francis’ tender embrace of prisoners’ feet, this episode challenges us to invite God into the unsightly, weight-bearing, and aching parts of our lives. What happens when we allow God to meet us in our chaos and heal us in the places we most want to hide?

👉 Listen, reflect, and join the conversation.
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#StoriesAndOtherThingsHoly #Spirituality #Healing #Vulnerability #Christianity #JesusWashingFeet #Grace #PopeFrancis #GodsLove #FaithJourney #SoulCare

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✨ Epiphany: The Gift of Receiving God ✨

Join us for this special Epiphany episode of Stories and Other Things Holy.
Dr. Terry Nelson-Johnson dives into the profound mystery of the incarnation, reflecting on God’s vulnerability and what it means for us to truly receive the gift of divine love.

In this heartfelt story, Terry recalls a personal encounter that illuminates the deep connection between giving, receiving, and participating in God’s work in the world. Together, we explore:

The paradox of the wise men giving and receiving gifts.
The transformative power of saying “yes” to God’s gifts.
How our willingness to receive enables God’s work in the world.

🟡 What resonated most with you? Share your thoughts below!
🟡 Join the conversation: Like, subscribe, and share this episode with your friends and loved ones.

Richard Rohr (Amazon): https://amzn.to/4h5NSIz
Sara Thomsen (Amazon): https://amzn.to/3PoBmrX

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💬 "God's capacity to be God in the world depends on our willingness to receive the gift."

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Happy New Year and welcome to the latest episode of Stories and Other Things Holy!

In this special New Year’s episode, we dive into the unforgettable story of Mr. Riva, a man whose life was forever changed by an extraordinary encounter with Pope Francis. Our principal storyteller Dr. Terry Nelson-Johnson reflects on the courage it takes to embrace life’s messiness and the transformative power of love and vulnerability. Together with host Joshua Minden, they explore what it means to believe in new beginnings and live out the call to "always begin again."

💡 In This Episode, We Discuss:

• The profound story of Pope Francis and Mr. Riva’s healing embrace.
• The significance of St. Benedict’s call: “Always we begin again.”
• Why love and healing are often found in life’s messiest moments.
• How we can risk vulnerability and welcome renewal in the new year.

🔔 Don’t miss this inspiring episode to start your year with hope and courage!

👉 If you’ve been moved by this story, please LIKE, SHARE, and SUBSCRIBE to our channel.
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🎄 Merry Christmas! In this heartfelt episode of Stories and Other Things Holy, Dr. Terry Nelson-Johnson takes us back to his childhood with a story that reminds us of the power of belief and wonder during the Christmas season. When Terry’s brother, determined to preserve the magic of Christmas, goes to great lengths to recreate Santa’s visit, a profound lesson in faith and imagination emerges.

✨ Join us as we explore the courage it takes to "make belief," the beauty of childlike wonder, and the enduring mystery of the incarnation. How can choosing to believe, even for one more year, transform our lives and relationships? Terry’s reflection is a powerful reminder that the divine is woven into the everyday, and Christmas is an invitation to embrace the chaos with hope, faith, and joy.

🎁 What would it mean to believe one more year? Share your thoughts and reflections below!

👉 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share this episode to spread the magic of Christmas! 🌟

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Welcome to the fourth and final week of our Advent Reflection Series on Stories & Other Things Holy!

This week, Dr. Terry Nelson-Johnson reflects on Rachel Held Evans’ profound meditation on the incarnation, exploring:

• The mystery of God’s vulnerability in becoming human
• Mary’s radical self-giving and her role in feeding God Himself
• The connection between surrender, self-giving, and new life
• How Advent calls us to say “Amen” to God’s presence in the messiness of life

Let this reflection invite you to embrace the beauty and mystery of the incarnation, and to offer your own “Yes” to God this Advent.

Rachel Held Evans
Wholehearted Faith (2022 - Amazon)
Inspired: Slaying Giants, Walking on Water, and Loving the Bible Again (2018 - Amazon)

#StoriesAndOtherThingsHoly #AdventReflections #Incarnation #RachelHeldEvans #GodWithUs #MarysCourage #FaithJourney 🌟

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Welcome to week three of the Stories & Other Things Holy Advent series!

This week, Dr. Terry Nelson-Johnson reflects on Joyce Rupp’s stirring words about birthing new life and Meister Eckhart’s challenge for all of us to become “mothers of God.” Advent isn’t just about commemorating a past event—it’s about making space for God to be born in us today.

In this episode, we explore:

• The concept of spiritual availability: Are you willing to be open to God’s work in your life?
• Joyce Rupp’s prayer for trusting the birthing process of the Spirit
• Advent as a “Lamas class for believers”—a time of preparation and courage

Let this reflection inspire you to endure the sweat and the groans of spiritual growth, trusting that new life is waiting to burst forth.

Joyce Rupp, OSM
Prayers to Sophia: A Companion to "The Star in My Heart" (Amazon)
The Star in My Heart: Discovering Inner Wisdom (Amazon)
Vessels of Love: Prayers and Poems for the Later Years of Life (New - Amazon)

💬 Reflection Prompts:

1. Where might God be inviting you to create space for something new in your life?
2. What does spiritual availability mean to you this Advent season?
3. How can you practice courage and trust in the unknown?

#StoriesAndOtherThingsHoly #AdventReflections #SpiritualBirth #GodWithUs #TrustAndCourage #FaithJourney

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