Sparking Wholeness

Host Erin Kerry sits down with Matthew Gay, Christian author, health coach, and founder of Fit Church United, to explore why the church has been slow to connect faith and physical health. Together, they discuss how fitness became an idol for Matthew before it became a tool for growth, why processed food has become normal even in church fellowship halls, the line between stewarding your body and worshiping it, what 1 Corinthians 10:31 means for how you eat and move, and why your body is even more intricately designed than Solomon’s temple. You’ll also learn why building a healthy life works best one brick at a time, how to get started with movement when the gym feels intimidating, and why grace, not guilt, is the best reason to care for your body. Key Topics * Matthew’s story of fitness as an idol and how his faith reshaped it * How Fit Church United began and went international * Why the church struggles to connect body, mind, and spirit * Donuts, processed food, and church culture * Stewardship vs. idolatry: how to tell the difference * “Whether you eat or drink, do all for the glory of God” * Being “fit for the kingdom” (1 Thessalonians 5:23) * How to start moving when the gym feels intimidating * Building healthy habits one brick at a time * Your body as a temple more detailed than Solomon’s * Grace, not shame, as the motivation for health * Physical, emotional, and spiritual cravings * Why praying for health while ignoring God’s design creates frustration * How churches can launch their own health ministry Links Mentioned: * Fit Church United: fitchurchunited.com * Fit Church United on Instagram: @fitchurchunited * Preorder Kitchen Therapy (releases January 19, 2027): erinbkerry.com/kitchen-therapy * Join Erin’s email list: https://erinbkerry.mykajabi.com/email-list

Did you know insecurity may have less to do with a poor self-image and more to do with where you’re looking for your worth? Host Erin Kerry sits down with Anna Light, wife, homeschool mom of two, and author of In_Security, to unpack insecurity, identity, and what it means to steward your body well. Together, they discuss insecurity as a lack of secure attachment to your God-given identity, why comparison grows so easily in an online world, how to share your work without chasing approval, faithfulness in small things, and why Christian culture has often kept the body separate from the mind and spirit. You’ll also learn why time in God’s Word is the habit that makes every other habit easier, how Anna’s view of her body shifted as her identity in Christ grew, and why strength training became a source of confidence for both women at midlife. Erin also explains how your muscles release myokines, sometimes called “hope molecules,” that support your mood and stress resilience. Whether you’re stuck comparing yourself to other women online, feeling intimidated to start strength training, tired of chasing the next wellness trend, or wondering whether God cares about your body at all, this conversation offers a grounded, grace-filled way to stop performing and start partnering with your body and your Creator. Links Mentioned: * Anna Light on Instagram: @annalight09 * In_Security by Anna Light (Amazon) * Anna’s Bible plans on the YouVersion Bible App: Break Free from Insecurity, Break Free from Envy, Break Free from Comparison, Break Free from Fear * Preorder Kitchen Therapy: erinbkerry.com/kitchen-therapy * Join Erin’s email list: https://erinbkerry.mykajabi.com/email-list

Erin Kerry sits down with Chuck DeGroat, licensed therapist, spiritual director, and professor of pastoral care and Christian spirituality at Western Theological Seminary. They talk about his new book, Who You’re Becoming: The Slow and Courageous Work of Cultivating Character in a Narcissistic Age. Together, they discuss: * why our culture values platform over character * the rise of “faux vulnerability” * the “storm” and “fog” states of a dysregulated nervous system * how compulsive habits form * dopamine-seeking and scrolling * why the habits we’re ashamed of often started as protection You’ll also learn: * why the Greek word behind “be perfect” in Matthew 5:48 points to wholeness, not flawless behavior * how years of ignored stress landed Chuck in the hospital with a septic gallbladder at 42 * why true resilience means a wider window of tolerance, not toughing it out Whether you’re stuck in patterns you can’t explain, worn out from trying to be the “perfect” Christian, ignoring signals from your body, or wondering why change feels so slow, this conversation offers compassion for your story and hope for who you’re becoming. Links Mentioned: * Who You’re Becoming by Chuck DeGroat (releases October 20, 2026) * Chuck’s website: chuckdegroat.net * The Soul Care Collaborative: soulcarecollaborative.com * Chuck’s Substack: Sit with Chuck * Chuck on Instagram: @chuckdegroat * Join Erin’s email list: https://erinbkerry.mykajabi.com/email-list

Did you know that spotting for days before your period, pain around ovulation, or anxiety that shows up at the same point every month can all be clues about what your hormones need? Host Erin Kerry sits down with registered nurse, functional hormone coach, and author Andrea Jones to go back to the basics of the menstrual cycle, the conversation most of us never got growing up. Together, they discuss what a healthy cycle and period actually look like, what spotting can signal, how the brain, gut, and ovaries communicate, the roles of estrogen and progesterone across the month, why histamine can drive ovulation pain, bloating, reflux, and mood shifts, blood work vs. DUTCH testing, and what hormonal birth control does to the brain-ovary connection. You’ll also learn why progesterone acts as a calming buffer for your nervous system, why “common” symptoms aren’t the same as optimal function, and the simple daily foundations that support hormone detox, including water, fiber, minerals, and daily bowel movements. LInks Mentioned: * Andrea’s website: abundantwellnesswithandrea.com * Andrea on Instagram: @abundantwellnesswithandrea * Andrea’s podcast: From Surviving to Thriving: The Abundant Wellness Podcast * DUTCH Complete hormone test * Mira at-home hormone monitor * Preorder Erin’s new book, Kitchen Therapy: erinbkerry.com/kitchen-therapy *Erin's courses: https://erinbkerry.com * Join Erin’s email list: https://erinbkerry.mykajabi.com/email-list

Host Erin Kerry sits down with Lynnelle Peters, host of the Knowing Motherhood Podcast and author of But First Honesty, to talk about her journey through birth trauma, pregnancy loss, and a postpartum mental health crisis. Together, they discuss why Lynnelle struggled with postpartum OCD in silence for nine months, how anxiety she'd carried since childhood set the stage for that season, the link between hormone imbalance, stress, and the nervous system, why emotional suppression is a real stressor on the body, what biblical lament actually looks like, how to prepare for the postpartum season, and why protecting your mind from news and social media is good stewardship. You'll also learn why being angry is not the same as sinning, how our view of God can be shaped by the authority figures from our childhood, and why the healing you want may not be the healing you need most. Links Mentioned: * Lynnelle Peters website: lynnellepeters.com * Instagram: @lynnellepeters * But First Honesty by Lynnelle Peters: https://www.lynnellepeters.com/book * Knowing Motherhood Podcast * Join Erin's email list: https://erinbkerry.mykajabi.com/email-list