The Soul Enchilada

This Week’s Listener Question:My child came home from college and says he now identifies as gay and has a boyfriend. I was raised in a church that believes homosexuality is a sin. What do you think I should do? SOUL Group Questions:Ask each other these questions to build a stronger connection with a friend or in your Soul Group. 1.  What are your first thoughts and emotions after listening to this podcast? What comes up for you? 2. When you’re faced with a tough topic, how do you usually prepare for the conversation and carry it out? 3.  If you grew up in the church or attend one now, why do you think some sins are talked about more than others? 4.  Laura and Christine referred to the Bible passage Micah 6:9 – What does the LORD require of you? To act justly to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. How might this call help us to have the courage to engage in tough conversations? Connect with Laura & Christine: Have a question for us? Please send them to questions@soulenchilada.com.Check out our new cool and cozy t-shirts at soulenchilada.com To sign up for one-on-one grief and/or faith support with Laura, visit griefandhope.org   To ask Laura to speak at your event – laurabusse.comLearn more about Laura’s ministry, The 3 O’Clock Wake Up Call – HERE Learn more about Christine Ruth, counseling practice, and future retreats – HERE

This Week’s Listener Question:It seems that we’re living in a time when family and friends disagree significantly on important issues. I find myself arguing with some people and ignoring others because I’d rather live in unity and everyone get along. Do you have any advice? SOUL Group Questions:Ask each other these questions to build a stronger connection with a friend or in your Soul Group. 1.  How has judgment, categorizing, or labeling wounded you or someone you care about in the past? 2.  How can we step back from judging others and open up curious conversations? What does that look and sound like? 3.  Even when you disagree with someone, how can you maintain a connection of love or friendship? 4.  When have you welcomed people into your home or life who have different beliefs or lifestyles than you? Share your stories to encourage others to do the same.  Connect with Laura & Christine: Have a question for us? Please send them to questions@soulenchilada.com.Check out our new cool and cozy t-shirts at soulenchilada.com To sign up for one-on-one grief and/or faith support with Laura, visit griefandhope.org   To ask Laura to speak at your event – laurabusse.comLearn more about Laura’s ministry, The 3 O’Clock Wake Up Call – HERE Learn more about Christine Ruth, counseling practice, and future retreats – HERE

This Week’s Listener Question:I just got a job offer to move to Portland, Oregon. I’ve always lived in the Midwest. If I go, I’ll leave family, friends, and everything familiar. But this is a great opportunity for my career, and it could really feed my adventurous soul. How do I decide?    SOUL Group Questions:Ask each other these questions to build a stronger connection with a friend or in your Soul Group. 1.  What intelligence center (head, heart, or gut) did you use to make decisions as a child? Which one was prioritized in your family of origin? 2. How have you cultivated or practiced an intentional time of stillness? Where do you tend to go? What do you do during this time? 3.  Let’s practice! Think about one decision you need to make. Now imagine each option you could take. How does each one feel in your body? Do you have a sense of pressure, delight, or expansion? Does this help you make your decision? 4.  When have you done something afraid where you were trembling with fear? What did you learn about yourself, God, or others from this experience? Save the Date:Laura and Christine are planning a Soul Enchilada Live (SEL) event in Boulder, Colorado, on June 13 – 14, 2025. More information will be coming soon! Connect with Laura & Christine: Have a question for us? Please send them to questions@soulenchilada.com.Check out our new cool and cozy t-shirts at soulenchilada.com To sign up for one-on-one grief and/or faith support with Laura, visit griefandhope.org   To ask Laura to speak at your event – laurabusse.comLearn more about Laura’s ministry, The 3 O’Clock Wake Up Call – HERE Learn more about Christine Ruth, counseling practice, and future retreats – HERE

This Week’s Listener Question:I just got a job offer to move to Portland, Oregon. I’ve always lived in the Midwest. If I go, I’ll leave family, friends, and everything familiar. But this is a great opportunity for my career, and it could really feed my adventurous soul. How do I decide?    SOUL Group Questions:Ask each other these questions to build a stronger connection with a friend or in your Soul Group. 1.  What’s one decision you need to make in this season of your life? 2. Check in with what your head, heart, and gut are saying. How are they communicating with you in similar and different ways? 3.  Use your body as a resource. What is your “felt sense” when you envision the various options? How does your body help you make decisions? 4.  After these exercises, what decision are you leaning towards? What’s the first step you need to take? Resources Christine mentioned her brother’s church, Substance Church in Minneapolis. You can check it out here – substancechurch.com  Connect with Laura & Christine: Have a question for us? Please send them to questions@soulenchilada.com.Check out our new cool and cozy t-shirts at soulenchilada.com To sign up for one-on-one grief and/or faith support with Laura, visit griefandhope.org   To ask Laura to speak at your event – laurabusse.comLearn more about Laura’s ministry, The 3 O’Clock Wake Up Call – HERE Learn more about Christine Ruth, counseling practice, and future retreats – HERE

This Week’s Listener Question:I appreciate your podcast because, to be honest, I’m afraid to share the real details of my life. When I do share with my Christian friends, I feel judged, and they usually try to fix me. How do I find a safe community of Christians like the Soul Enchilada?    SOUL Group Questions:Ask each other these questions to build a stronger connection with a friend or in your Soul Group. 1. How would you describe a safe faith community? Have you found one? 2. When someone shares messy details about their lives with you, do you have fixer parts that jump into action? 3.        How does it make you feel when someone tries to control or fix your problems? 4. What about Christine and Laura’s conversation about Jesus resonated, fascinated, or perplexed you? 5.  What traditions or practices strengthen your faith or draw you closer to God during Holy Week? You Are Invited!Good Friday Prayer WalkFriday, April 18th, 3:00 p.m. (MT)Wanaka Lake, Lafayette, CO, or wherever you liveRegister to receive the Prayer Walk Guide – REGISTER BY 4/18/25 Connect with Laura & Christine: Have a question for us? Please send them to questions@soulenchilada.com. To sign up for one-on-one grief and/or faith support with Laura, visit griefandhope.org   To ask Laura to speak at your event – laurabusse.comLearn more about Laura’s ministry, The 3 O’Clock Wake Up Call – HERE Learn more about Christine Ruth, counseling practice, and future retreats – HERE

This Week’s Listener Question:My sister found out that her husband had an affair and he is promising to stop and wants to save the marriage. Can people truly get over an affair? SOUL Group Questions:To build connection with a friend or in your Soul Group, ask each other these questions. 1.   When has triangulation effected one of your relationships? 2.  What boundaries or expectations do you have in your most intimate relationship? 3.   Think of a time when you were able to rebuild trust or reconcile a relationship. What were the steps you took? 4.   How could you become a “better student” and learn more about your key relationships? 5.   What is a relationship “master class” you’d like to take with someone you love? How could your invite them to lean in and learn with you?  Resources: The State of Affairs by Esther Perel Book Connect with Laura & Christine: Have a question for us? Send it to questions@soulenchilada.com  To sign up for one-on-one grief and/or faith support with Laura, visit griefandhope.org   To ask Laura to speak at your event – laurabusse.comLearn more about Laura’s ministry The 3 O’Clock Wake Up Call – HERE Learn more about Christine Ruth, counseling practice, and future retreats – HERE

This Week’s Listener Question:My sister found out that her husband had an affair and he is promising to stop and wants to save the marriage. Can people truly get over an affair? SOUL Group Questions:To build connection with a friend or in your Soul Group, ask each other these questions. 1.   How would you define someone having a physical affair? 2.  What crosses the line for you and indicates someone is having an emotional affair? 3.   Would you be more upset if your partner had an emotional or physical affair? 4.   Why do you think some people emphasis sexual sin more than other sins like greed, pride, or lying? 5.   How can we express compassion and grace for ourselves or people we know in this situation?  Resources: The State of Affairs by Esther Perel Book Connect with Laura & Christine: Have a question for us? Send it to questions@soulenchilada.com  To sign up for one-on-one grief and/or faith support with Laura, visit griefandhope.org   To ask Laura to speak at your event – laurabusse.comLearn more about Laura’s ministry The 3 O’Clock Wake Up Call – HERE Learn more about Christine Ruth, counseling practice, and future retreats – HERE

This Week’s Listener Question:I feel like I’m running around doing a lot of things, but I’m not doing anything really well or making a difference. I’m skimming the surface, but never going deep. How do I know what to focus on so I’m not so scattered and can feel like I’m living my life on purpose. SOUL Group Questions:To build connection with a friend or in your Soul Group, ask each other these questions. 1.  In what was do you struggle or identify with the listener’s question? 2. What competes for your time and energy every day? 3.  If you could boil today down to one thing, what would be your BEST YES ? 4.  What do you need to weed out of your garden to focus on your best yes? 5.  What helps you lean in and listen to God’s voice, your soul, or yourself? How can you do that this week? Resources: We’ve got Merch! Check out our two Soul Enchilada Women’s V-Neck T-Shirts: https://www.3oclockwakeup.com/shop Have a question for us? Send it to questions@soulenchilada.com  To sign up for one-on-one grief and/or faith support with Laura, visit griefandhope.org   To ask Laura to speak at your event – laurabusse.comLearn more about Laura’s ministry The 3 O’Clock Wake Up Call – HERE Learn more about Christine Ruth, counseling practice, and future retreats – HERE

This Week’s Listener Question:My partner has Early Onset Alzheimer’s and every day feels like another challenge, crisis, or fire to put out. This is going to be a long journey. How do I not lose myself in it and find just a little bit of peace in the process? SOUL Group Questions:To build connection with a friend or in your Soul Group, ask each other these questions. 1. When have you faced a chronic problem, crisis, or challenge that went on for a long time or is still going on? 2. In the midst of many challenges, what are some of your coping mechanisms? Which ones help you? Which ones hinder you? 3. How have you noticed other people dealing with challenges or crisis’ differently than you? What helps you communicate with each other without judgment? 4. When you’re walking through a hard season in life, what are some platitudes that really make you angry when someone says them to you? 5. In what ways have you found peace in life’s biggest storms? Who or what do you cling to for anchoring support? By sharing your insights, you might be encouraging someone else to try new ways of anchoring their soul in the storms of life.  Resources: Have a question for us? Send it to questions@soulenchilada.com  To sign up for one-on-one grief and/or faith support with Laura, visit griefandhope.org   To ask Laura to speak at your event – laurabusse.comLearn more about Laura’s ministry The 3 O’Clock Wake Up Call – HERE Learn more about Christine Ruth, counseling practice, and future retreats – HERE

This Week’s Listener Question:I’ve been invited to a silent retreat. I’d like to attend but honestly every time I try to meditate or sit in silent prayer, my mind races and I feel restless and distracted. What’s the point of sitting still? SOUL Group Questions:To build connection with a friend or in your Soul Group, ask each other these questions. 1.  How would you describe your comfort level with solitude and silence? 2.  What comes up for you when you practice silence, meditation, or prayer? 3.  What helps you drop into a quieter, slower mode? What benefits do you receive when you do? 4.  Have you ever observed a “Sabbath”? What went well? What was hard? What did you learn about yourself or your faith? 5.  Bonus – What’s the difference between solitude and loneliness? Resources: To sign up for one-on-one grief and/or faith support with Laura, visit griefandhope.org   To ask Laura to speak at your event – laurabusse.com Have a question for us? Send it to questions@soulenchilada.com Learn more about Laura’s ministry The 3 O’Clock Wake Up Call – HERELearn more about Christine Ruth, counseling practice, and future retreats – HERE

This week we interview Claire Allen, a survivor of the 2021 Marshall Fires in Colorado in hopes of supporting friends now enduring massive fires in Los Angeles. This podcast is for anyone who is walking through trauma, loss, and grief or lovingly supporting someone who is. SOUL Group Questions:To build connection with a friend or in your Soul Group, ask each other these questions. 1.   When have you experienced a “fire storm” in your life? 2.  In the early days of trauma or tragedy, how would you have described your body sensations, thinking, feelings, or responses? Did you speed up or slow down? 3.  What have been your anchors during hard times? How have they helped or grounded you to stay standing in faith, health, or relationships during big storms? 4.  Claire shared her unique reactions to trauma, loss, and grief after losing her home in the Marshall Fires. What are some helpful take aways or tools to support others or yourself in the most challenging seasons of life? Resources: Have a question for us? Send it to questions@soulenchilada.com  To sign up for one-on-one grief and/or faith support with Laura, visit griefandhope.org   To ask Laura to speak at your event – laurabusse.comLearn more about Laura’s ministry The 3 O’Clock Wake Up Call – HERE Learn more about Christine Ruth, counseling practice, and future retreats – HERE

This Week’s Listener Question:I keep hearing that the new year is a perfect time to let go of the old in order to take hold of the new, but what does that really mean and how can I do it? Would you like to be with Laura and Christine as they record their 100th Soul Enchilada episode? If so, email Laura at laura@3oclockwakeup.com to reserve your seat. The recording will be done the week of January 20, 2025. We hope you’ll be a part of this fun event! SOUL Group Questions:To build connection with a friend or in your Soul Group, ask each other these questions. 1. What do you need to let go of because it is no longer serving you or holding you back? 2. When you think about letting go, what emotions arise in you? 3.  What rituals or actions could help you release what you need to let go of? How might this create more space for new things? 4.  How can you organize your day / time to step into new things? 5.  What are your 2025 intentions or highest priorities? How will you live these out? Resources: Laura is teaching a virtual women’s retreat on Saturday, January 11th 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. (MT). To learn more visit – 1/11/25 Women's Retreat To sign up for one-on-one grief and/or faith support with Laura, visit griefandhope.org   To ask Laura to speak at your event – laurabusse.com Have a question for us? Send it to questions@soulenchilada.com Learn more about Laura’s ministry The 3 O’Clock Wake Up Call – HERELearn more about Christine Ruth, counseling practice, and future retreats – HERE

This Week’s Listener Question:Even though I tried to make the holidays peaceful and wonderful for my family, everything seemed to blow up in my face. How is it that you can do everything “right” as a parent and your kids are still going through major mental health issues? Would you like to be with Laura and Christine as they record their 100th Soul Enchilada episode? If so, email Laura at laura@3oclockwakeup.com to reserve your seat. The recording will be done the week of January 20, 2025. We hope you’ll be a part of this fun event! SOUL Group Questions:To build connection with a friend or in your Soul Group, ask each other these questions. 1.  What mental health issues are talked about in your family? Which ones are kept secret? 2. Why do you think some emotions or experiences are easier to talk about then others, even though they’re universal? 3.  How has a painful experience led you towards a career path, opened a door, or invited you into a new opportunity? Share your story. 4.  How can you show up, be present, listen without judgment, and lean in with love to someone who is struggling with a mental health issue? Resources: To sign up for one-on-one grief and/or faith support with Laura, visit griefandhope.org   To ask Laura to speak at your event – laurabusse.com Have a question for us? Send it to questions@soulenchilada.com  

This Week’s Listener Question:My college-aged kid came home from school super stressed out! How can I talk her off the ledge when she’s about to have an anxiety attack? SOUL Group Questions:To build connection with a friend or in your Soul Group, ask each other these questions. 1.  How do your family members show their anxiety? 2.  When you witness someone super anxious, what does it activate in you? 3.   What helps you manage your personal anxiety? What’s in your “tool kit”? 4.   In what ways can we model calmness in the presence of anxiety? 5.   Brainstorm all the ways you can anchor yourself in calmness prior to a stressful situation, such as the holidays. Resources: To sign up for one-on-one grief and/or faith support with Laura, visit griefandhope.org   To ask Laura to speak at your event – laurabusse.com Have a question for us? Send it to questions@soulenchilada.com  Learn more about Laura’s ministry The 3 O’Clock Wake Up Call – HERELearn more about Christine Ruth, counseling practice, and future retreats – HERE

This Week’s Listener Question:What’s wrong with me? Every time I go home for the holidays, I revert back to my teenage self. I’ve matured so much since the but I act like a rebellious adolescent around my parents and siblings. SOUL Group Questions:To build connection with a friend or in your Soul Group, ask each other these questions. 1.  During the holiday, how do you regress or revert back to an older version of yourself? 2. How can you prepare yourself ahead of time for all the stress in this season? What do you need or want that might be different this year? 3.  Who could be an ally for you this year, someone who holds you accountable for who you want to be? How can you purposefully plan with them? 4.  What 3 values do you want to prioritize this holiday season? How will you live them out? 5.  How can you anchor yourself in the person you’re trying to become or create? What the first step? Resources:Laura is hosting 3 free classes during the holidays to help prepare you for all the big emotions that come up this time of year. To register – Free Sign Up To sign up for one-on-one grief and/or faith support with Laura, visit griefandhope.org   To ask Laura to speak at your event – laurabusse.com Have a question for us? Send it to questions@soulenchilada.com  Learn more about Laura’s ministry The 3 O’Clock Wake Up Call – HERELearn more about Christine Ruth, counseling practice, and future retreats – HERE