Something We Can Talk About

Audio Blog Post for part three of "Leaving the Evangelicals" blog post series that can be found on The Blog

A short mediation for my skeptic friends, a trust me when I say I used to be one, but let's just see what happens when we explore mediation together.  If you would like more episodes of "Something we can talk about", become a patron of Megan Meredith on Patreon for as little as $3 a month. Click the link below to get access to all the episodes today! https://www.patreon.com/meganmeredith  

It's been a minute and this one has been sitting in the hopper for a while. I'll be honest, I don't know what the future hold for this podcast, but I'll plug along as things come along. But I didn't want to just leave this one just hanging out there in the cyber void because its a good one!  Shelia and I talk about her newest book "She deserved better" and we cover everything from DARVO to consent to sex ed in the 90's.  Enjoy! 

Shelia Wray Gregoire, best selling author of The Great Sex Rescue, blogger and podcast host of The Bare Marriage Podcast, joins me today as we discuss weird sex advice from Evangelicals, the harm Purity Culture did, and her campaign to reframe sex for Christians. Disclaimer: This conversation has value for everyone. Even is you no longer identify as a Christian. but especially if you grew up in the Conservative Evangelical South like I did. If you've been listening for very long at all then you probably know I'm no longer in the space. And while hypothetically, Shelia and I may have disagreed on the definition of marriage and who that includes or excludes, or how we interpret the Bible...seeing eye to eye on everything is not the point. We still had PLENTY to talk about.   This episode was produced, edited and supported by {MEG}aphone Publishing Original Music by : MKC   Hear more from Shelia Wray Gregoire:   Twitter   Instagram   Bare Marriage Pod   Bare Marriage   Patreon   Amazon     You Have Permission Episode: Massive Evangelical Sex Survey  

Possible Trigger Warning: An honest conversation about the results from Megan's Purity Culture Survey. Part 2 of Many. There's A LOT here to talk about.   Other articles to consider about Purity Culture and other topics covered: Show Notes: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/faqs-know-purity-culture/ https://lindakayklein.com/what-is-purity-culture/ https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0091647120974992 https://unbscholar.lib.unb.ca/islandora/object/unbscholar%3A10449   https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2022/july-web-only/rape-david-bathsheba-adultery-sexual-sin-prophet-nathan.html https://www.baylor.edu/content/services/document.php/96029.pdf     Original song by Michael Curtis Today's episode is produced and supported by Megaphone Publishing  

Before we talk results, lets talk about why. Why I wanted developed a survey, why I want to talk about purity culture, why it matters, and what do we do with the results.   This is a quick episode just as an intro to the results episode coming later this week. Stay tuned for the results!  

When life feels stressful or too much, which it often does lately, our sleep can be affected. If it feels difficult to settle the body down or calm the mind.   Sometimes it just helps to have some guide you some relaxation that lead to deep sleep. This is for you.   Goodnight!

Something we can talk about with Genessa Newberry is adoption, trauma, the Enneagram, and belonging. This is a full one and we didn't even have time for a commerical break.   If you are interested in more Enneagram talk, a few of my favorite Instagram handles to follow are : @enneagramandcoffee @mirabellecreations @theenneagrammom   For self driven research about the Enneagram: The Enneagram Institue The Sacred Enneagram Living The Enneagram   The Book we reference By Richard Rohr, Everything Belongs here on Amazon.   We are supported soley by monthly membership on www.meganmeredith.com in the Speakeasy, where you have access to bonus material, books, episodes, and merch for just $5. Also by one time donations, in any amount, as well.  

For my friends that would rather listen than read: a audio version of the recent Blog Post: Leaving Conservative Christianity

Something We Can Talk About, with Nicola Hawkins, in this episode is whats its like to experience "hope deferred" when it come to pursuing your dreams or "callings". We talk knowing how to respond to the ebb and flow, knowing that pausing doesn't equal giving up, knowing when to pivot. She shares her journey of going back to school to become a therapist and mothering her five daughters at the same time.   You can find Nicola's new therapy podcast called "Healing for Her" on Itunes. You can email her at healing4her@gmail.com   This episode was produced and edited by Megan Meredith Original music is by Micheal Curtis   Support this podcast on MeganMeredith.com or become a member to receive exclusive content for just $5 a month. It helps us create more episodes just like this.

In this episode we talk about what its like to be Cleft affected kid with one of my tweens, Jax. We let ya'll into a little bit of our journey and you can hear in his own words what its like to have been born with a cleft lip and palate. As you will hear, Arkansas Children's Hospital is very important part of our story. And becoming ambassadors helped us learn to tell that story. If you feel inspired to give toward Jax's yearly ambassador goal, you can do so HERE. Each ambassadors fundraising goes directly to their department, so Jax's efforts go toward the Cleft/ENT department.   (We were in no way compensated by ACH or ACHNW by the making of this episode.) Episode was written and directed by Jax and Meg Meredith (Stitch joke written by Jax and voiced by Jax) Music by Michael Curtis

Melinda Williams and two of her friends started a labor of love during the "lockdown" of the Covid pandemic. Its a local food truck that provides free Thursday night meals for "Neighbor Night". We talk about the inspiration, the beauty of seeing it accomplish its mission, how to avoid burn out in doing good, and what you can do FOR THE LOVE.   You can follow along with other food truck friends on Instagram & Facebook : @forthelovenwa And find out all about the truck, volunteering, more HERE   If you enjoy this podcast, consider supporting THIS labor of love over on our website with a one time gift, an ad purchase, or a speakeasy membership (just $5 a month that comes with bonus content.)    

Welcome to Season Three!   Our guest for today's episode is not only a longtime friend, but she's an author and political canditate; Kelly Krout. Kelly is running for Lt. Governor for Arkansas. She gives us an inside view of what it's like to campaign during a pandemic (twice!) and we discuss how to disagree respectfully.   Learn More about Kelly and get involved with her campaign  HERE Follow her campaign on Socials @kellyforarkansas Find Kelly's Books on Amazon HERE   Vote for Kelly for Lt. Governor!!   Become a member of the Speakeasy on www.MeganMeredith.com to get unpublished books, novella, blog posts, bonus episodes, swag, and more, for ONLY $5 a month or a one time payment.

In our last episode of Season 2, Tammy Mores shares her journey of being a transplant to Northwest Arkansas and her deep dive of self discovery around the topic of belonging. She shares her struggles, as well as, practical tips to help us all practice belonging.   Tammy Mores is a 25+ year retail executive veteran whose stress was balanced with the practice of yoga. After spending years on her personal practice and not finding the experiences & community she was longing for, she decided to dive in and develop her own yoga studio. Cocoon Yoga Lab was born just months before the pandemic hit causing her quite a bumpy start-up. Despite closures, masks, virtual and limited class sizes, her studio has not only survived but thrived. Named Small Emerging Business of 2021 by Bentonville’s Chamber and Best Yoga Studio of NWA by Citiscapes Magazine, her story is just beginning to unfold. Cocoon thrives on creating unique experiences that deliver harmony to the mind and body. Tammy is certified in multiple yoga modalities including Aerial Yoga, Stand-up Paddleboard, Yin, Reiki, and Sound Healing. Her focus is helping those with an overactive mind find a switch to a calmer mind and stronger body, creating balance and purpose. Tammy is also a wife of almost 25 years, a mom of 2 sweet girls, lover of photography, art and travel. And butterflies, of course…hence the metamorphosis her life has been on.   Thanks for listening in!   More about Cocoon HERE Follow Cocoon on IG @cocoonyogalab PEGS is available on Amazon   Our original music is by Micheal Curtis This episode was written, produced, and edited by Megan Meredith Follow along on IG: @_meganmeredith_ or on FB @authormeganmeredith   Note from your host: I'm taking a break for Christmas, through January. Join us for Season 3 staring in February. In order to help us make more episodes just like this, consider becoming a member for just $5.

A chicken named Beyonce. Chicken rigor mortis. These are things we can talk about today. Telling you a story on myself today, laughing about how a chicken named Beyonce  helped me begin to unravel a lifetime of doing "all the right things".   Megan on Instagram : @_meganmeredith_ Megan on Facebook: @authormeganmeredith The love Note Blog: www.meganmeredith.com/blog Membership (exclusive content and bonus episodes for just $5) : www.meganmeredith.com/membership   Original music by Micheal Curtis : www.producedbymkc.com      

Here is the "Coming Home" Meditation that I shared at the end of Episode 4 "Trauma and weight" in a stand alone format should you want to revisit it.   Original Music by Michael Curtis @producedbymkc www.producedbymkc.com Written, Produced, and Edited by Megan Meredith @copyright 2021 All Rights Reserved

Dr. L. Carol Scott talks with us about child development, ACEs, resiliency, and her own unique models for personal growth and success.    ACEs infographic TEDx Talk The S.E.L.F. model The SASS Model More about Dr. L. Carol Scott   Original Music by Michael Curtis @ Produced by MKC Written, Edited, and Produced by Megan Meredith Become a member for bonus episodes and more! www.meganmeredith.com    

In this episode Megan rounds out the three part series centered around Body Talk by sharing her own personal story around trauma and weight gain. She does not offer subscriptions, plans, miracles, or even tried and true-one size fits all plans. Or any plans at all. She just shares what happened and how its going.  Megan guides us through a short meditation at the end of the episode specifically about feeling safe and at home in your body.  Enjoy!   If you like this podcast and want more from Megan, become a member on the www.meganmeredith.com for free ebooks, bonus audio, swag and more, for just $5 a month. It helps us create more content just like this.  As always please like, rate, review, and share any episode you like to help spread the word and start conversations.    Theme and Mediation Music is by Michael Curtis at www.producedbymkc.com Written, Edited, and Mixed by Megan Meredith  

Friends!    I’m over the moon this week to have my dear friend Kerry Underwood, who is a wonderful marriage and family therapist, on the podcast this week, to have a conversation about body image.  In the same vein as our last episode, but with a therapists perspective, we discuss the lies that we’ve been fed about our bodies and why it matters to debunk those.      Several things that we mention in this episode, I want to drop here for your extracurricular personal reading/listening:      Glenn Doyle’s Episode on Warring with our bodies:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/our-bodies-why-are-we-at-war-with-them-and-can-we/id1564530722?i=1000528690307   Origins of Diet Culture: https://theconversation.com/the-long-strange-history-of-dieting-fads-82294   https://find-foodfreedom.com/history-of-diet-culture/       Origins of Modesty and Purity Culture:   https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/06/us/abstinence-pledge-evangelicals.html   https://time.com/3918215/modesty-culture-rape-culture/   https://www.cbeinternational.org/resource/article/mutuality-blog-magazine/7-lies-purity-culture-teaches-women   As always, if you'd like more exclusive content and member swag, become a member on the website (meganmeredith.com) for just $5 to get access.    Thanks for listening!    

Welcome back for Season 2, Ep 2.  Special guest Natasha Hobson has something wonderful to talk about: weight. Natasha is a personal trainer, holistic health coach, fitness nutrition specialist, and reiki practitioner who is passionate about helping women love their bodies inside and out.  Check her out on Instagram :@natasha_hobson_  Feel free to reach out to utilize her expertise and services.    Want some bonus content? Want to talk about more things? Become a member for just $5 a month on meganmeredith.com   Follow along and join the conversation on Instagram with Megan: @_meganmeredith_