SummaryThe Between Heaven and Earth episode, hosted by Justin and Amy Howard, features a powerful conversation with Reverend Michael Worsley about race, ethnicity, and the gospel of the kingdom. Michael shares his journey as a Black Christian in predominantly white spaces, including lessons learned through forgiveness, repentance, and embracing a kingdom mindset. The discussion explores how racism operates not only socially but spiritually, as a principality meant to divide. Both Black and white Christians are called to repentance, forgiveness, and love to reflect the unity of God’s kingdom. The hosts and guest emphasize that political and racial identities have often compromised the gospel, and true reconciliation requires spiritual authority, deliverance, and discipleship. The episode closes in prayer, calling for healing and unity under Christ. Highlights✝️ The gospel calls believers to live beyond racial and political identities, united in Christ.💔 Forgiveness and repentance break the cycle of bitterness and spiritual bondage.🌍 Racism is not only a social issue but a spiritual principality that must be confronted.🤝 Reconciliation requires mutual repentance, empathy, and active listening.🕊️ The church is called to embody the diverse, multiethnic kingdom of God. Key Insights✝️ Kingdom Identity: True identity in Christ transcends race and frees believers from resentment, replacing it with grace and love.💔 Healing Through Forgiveness: Bitterness gives the enemy access; forgiveness and repentance restore peace and spiritual freedom.🌍 Spiritual Warfare: Racism operates as a principality—believers must use spiritual authority, not just activism, to overcome it.🤝 Mutual Repentance: Healing begins when both Black and white Christians listen, empathize, and repent of bitterness, fear, or defensiveness.⚖️ Pure Gospel: Political and racial allegiances often distort the gospel; repentance realigns the church with Christ’s kingdom mission.🔥 Deliverance Power: Deliverance and spiritual authority are essential to dismantling division and walking in unity through the power of the Holy Spirit. The episode reminds listeners that racial reconciliation is a spiritual calling, not merely a social goal—one fulfilled through repentance, love, and the transforming power of the gospel.

SummaryThis episode of Between Heaven and Earth, hosted by Justin and Amy Howard, features Carrie Wolfe—a frontline minister, pediatric nurse, church planter, and mother of three from Portland, Maine. Carrie shares her journey of faith and ministry in one of America’s most post-Christian cities, reflecting on the challenges of parenting, nursing, and leading amid spiritual and cultural brokenness. She discusses learning to hold onto hope while facing hostility, emphasizing the power of kindness, authenticity, and long-term relationships in ministry. Carrie also recounts her experience of renewal through the Encounter Culture Mission Collaborative, where repentance, forgiveness, and the Holy Spirit brought deep personal healing. The episode closes with encouragement to take bold steps of faith and a heartfelt prayer for freedom and transformation. Highlights🙏 Carrie balances ministry, nursing, and motherhood in a post-Christian city.🌍 Portland’s secular culture demands relational, trust-based church planting.💔 She shares honestly about church hurt and finding renewal through Encounter Culture.🕊️ Repentance, forgiveness, and encounter with the Holy Spirit lead to deep healing.🤝 Ministry thrives through long-term relationships and authentic kindness.❤️ True kindness costs something and stands against cultural hostility.✨ Transformation requires vulnerability and surrender to the Spirit. Key Insights🌟 Living “between heaven and earth” means embracing tension—trusting God’s kingdom amid brokenness and hope.🏙️ Ministry in post-Christian contexts relies on patience and authenticity over programs or quick results.💔 Church wounds are real; healing comes through honesty, grace, and Spirit-led renewal.🕊️ Encounter Culture’s model shows how repentance and spiritual encounter foster transformation.💬 Kindness in hostile spaces becomes a radical, missional act revealing God’s love.🎯 Leadership grows through intentional relationships and wise use of time.🌈 Transformation is lifelong—marked by persistence, surrender, and grace. Additional ReflectionCarrie’s vulnerability—from her teenage encounter with Scripture to parenting struggles—reminds listeners that faith is personal, messy, and redemptive. The episode calls believers to live courageously amid brokenness, build authentic relationships, and rely on the Holy Spirit for continual healing and renewal.

💡 Our podcast is 100% crowd-funded. Want to help us keep these conversations going? Partner with us here: BECOME A SPONSOR!   EncounterLife for Pastors: REGISTER HERE!   SummaryThe podcast episode Between Heaven and Earth, hosted by Justin and Amy Howard, features Reverend Matthew McIntosh sharing about Encounter Life, a 12-week cohort for pastors and church leaders designed to foster healing, renewal, and sustainable ministry. Born out of the need to integrate powerful encounters with God into everyday life, the program offers a safe, confidential space where pastors can process wounds, uncover lies, and develop healthy rhythms of rest and prayer. With nearly four decades of ministry experience, Matthew describes how the cohort helped him face deep emotional pain and find freedom through practices like praying with people rather than just for them, recognizing Kairos moments, and cultivating “soul friends” for accountability. Unlike typical leadership training, Encounter Life centers on heart transformation, Sabbath rest, boundaries, and storytelling as tools for healing. Ecumenical in design, it welcomes pastors from diverse traditions. The episode closes with prayer and an invitation to embrace Encounter Culture’s community, reminding leaders that effective ministry flows from intimacy with God and wholeness of heart. Highlights🙏 12-week cohort for pastors focused on healing, growth, and renewal.💔 Creates safe space to face wounds and hidden struggles often ignored in ministry.🔄 Emphasizes praying with people for Spirit-led encounters.📖 Curriculum integrates emotional awareness, Sabbath, and storytelling.🌍 Inclusive across denominations, fostering broad renewal.🙌 Encourages “soul friends” and trusted relationships for long-term support. Key Insights💡 Pastors’ Hidden Struggles: Many leaders mask pain out of fear, leading to isolation and burnout. Encounter Life offers a safe, healing alternative. 🔄 Praying With vs. For: Shifting to interactive prayer invites deeper encounters with God. ⏳ Kairos Moments: Recognizing emotions as signals of God’s timing fosters breakthrough. 🔐 Discerning Lies: Leaders learn to replace false beliefs with God’s truth for authentic ministry. 🛑 Boundaries Matter: The program helps pastors avoid codependency and burnout. 🌿 Sabbath & Rhythms: Healthy leadership requires sustainable rest and soul care. 🤝 Soul Friends: Trusted relationships provide ongoing accountability and healing. 🌐 Ecumenical Reach: Adaptable across traditions, reflecting a growing hunger for authentic encounter with God.

💡 Our podcast is completely crowd-funded. If these conversations matter to you, would you consider partnering with us? Learn more here: https://keap.page/mlh527/podcast-affiliate-landing-page.html SummaryThis episode of Between Heaven and Earth with Justin and Amy Howard features Paula Schrod, a therapist and spiritual director, sharing her experience with Encounter Culture Mission Collaborative (ECMC). ECMC integrates therapy, spiritual direction, and healing prayer to create safe spaces rooted in God’s love and emotional health. Paula describes a life-changing encounter with Jesus through ECMC and highlights how therapy and spiritual direction work together in discipleship. The conversation also introduces Trinitas, a two-year training program co-created by Amy and Paula that blends liturgical, charismatic, and evangelical traditions to equip pastors, therapists, and lay leaders for spiritual direction. The episode emphasizes supporting pastors through trained spiritual directors, using practical tools like the “four R’s” (repent, renounce, release, receive), and prioritizing God’s love over behavior management in true healing and transformation. Highlights🌟 ECMC blends therapy, spiritual direction, and healing prayer.💖 God’s love is central to healing and growth.🎓 Trinitas unites three Christian traditions in training.🤝 Spiritual directors lighten pastoral burdens.🛠️ The “four R’s” give simple steps for healing. Key Insights💡 Therapy + Direction Together: Both disciplines complement each other, countering evangelical stigma around therapy.💡 Love First: Experiencing God’s love is essential for lasting change.💡 Trinitas as a Bridge: Training draws on evangelical, charismatic, and liturgical streams for holistic formation.💡 Shared Pastoral Care: Lay spiritual directors help prevent burnout and strengthen communities.💡 Practical Tools: The “four R’s” provide an easy framework for daily healing. Overall, this episode invites listeners into a vision of discipleship that unites emotional health, spiritual formation, and healing prayer—equipping a new generation of spiritual directors to bring renewal in churches and communities.  

💡 Our podcast is completely crowd-funded. If these conversations matter to you, would you consider partnering with us? Learn more here: https://keap.page/mlh527/podcast-affiliate-landing-page.html SummaryThe Between Heaven and Earth podcast, hosted by Justin and Amy Howard, features Ashleigh Coleman, an encounter life coach and photographer. Ashleigh shares her journey from spiritual numbness to awakening at an Encounter Weekend, moving from head knowledge of God to a heartfelt experience of His love. She describes spiritual growth as a slow, steady process and highlights tools like the Kairos Circle for healing and discernment. Through coaching and photography, Ashleigh brings dignity and beauty into broken spaces, encouraging believers to embrace curiosity, prayer, and safe community for authentic discipleship. Highlights✨ Encounter Weekends bridge head knowledge and heart experience.🌿 The Kairos Circle guides emotional healing with the Spirit.📸 Creativity reveals God’s image in places of pain.💡 Growth is gradual—God’s kindness meets us where we are.🙏 Safe community fosters confession and restoration. Key Insights💖 Transformation involves both knowing and experiencing God’s love.🌱 Spiritual growth takes time, requiring patience and grace.🌀 The Kairos Circle is a simple, powerful tool for discipleship.📷 Art and ministry intersect by honoring dignity amid brokenness.🙌 Confession in community breaks shame and fosters healing. Additional ReflectionsAshleigh’s story shows how encounters with God, community, and creativity bring lasting healing. Her journey encourages believers to embrace God’s pace and join Him in bridging heaven and earth through everyday life and ministry.

💡 Between Heaven and Earth is fully crowd-funded, which means every episode exists because of listeners like you. Want to help us keep sharing these conversations? Partner with us here: https://keap.page/mlh527/podcast-affiliate-landing-page.html   SummaryThe Between Heaven and Earth podcast, hosted by Justin and Amy Howard, features J.C. Alzamora, a veteran deliverance and inner healing minister. J.C. shares his journey into deliverance ministry and its impact on his life, marriage, and global ministry. The conversation emphasizes deliverance as an essential part of discipleship—particularly in the Western context, where intellectualism often overshadows spiritual realities. J.C. highlights the importance of joy, obedience, and God’s presence in sustaining ministry and encourages believers to walk in true freedom and generational transformation through Jesus’ authority. Highlights✨ Deliverance is a vital aspect of discipleship and freedom in Christ.🌍 Global South approaches to ministry confront spiritual realities more directly than the West.🛡️ Healing and freedom require repentance, renunciation, and renewal of the mind.💖 Joy, obedience, and presence sustain long-term spiritual health.🔥 A rising movement of young believers is embracing vibrant, empowered faith. Key Insights💡 Deliverance addresses spiritual roots often mislabeled as psychological issues.🌐 Western churches must balance teaching with experiential, Spirit-led ministry.🧩 J.C.’s Five Rs—Repent, Renounce, Release, Receive, Renew—provide a holistic path to lasting freedom.👪 Deliverance breaks generational cycles, creating healthier families and communities.⚖️ True authority flows from heavenly alignment, not striving in the flesh. ConclusionThis episode calls believers to move beyond intellectualism toward experiential freedom in Christ, embracing deliverance, healing, and Spirit-led discipleship for lasting personal and generational transformation.

🔗 Sponsor UsIf this podcast has been life-giving to you, we invite you to partner with us! Between Heaven and Earth is a crowdfunded venture, and we depend on the generosity of listeners like you. Your support helps us continue creating content that brings hope and healing. Click Here to Give!  👪 Work with Anna, Parent Coach at OneLifeIf you’re looking for guidance and support in your parenting journey, you can book a session with Anna here.   SummaryThe Between Heaven and Earth podcast, hosted by Justin and Amy Howard, explores the role of judgment in today’s culture through a Christian lens. They distinguish between toxic judgment—condemnation, labeling, and loss of dignity—and holy judgment, which is evaluative, hopeful, and Spirit-led. Judgment often springs from fear, envy, or hurt and is amplified by social media and politics. Listeners are encouraged to ask whether an issue truly involves them and to seek God’s perspective before engaging. Instead of “drive-by judgment,” Christians are called to respond with compassion and hope. Groups often judged—like parents, leaders, and the envied—should be seen through prayer, remembering that harsh labeling blocks the possibility of healing. The episode closes by pointing to intimacy with Jesus as the path to freedom from judgment. As believers experience His grace and forgiveness, they can reflect His love, bringing restoration instead of condemnation. Highlights🙏 Judgment as a cultural and spiritual force💡 Toxic vs. holy judgment—condemnation vs. hopeful evaluation🌍 Social media fuels quick, shallow judgments👪 Parents, leaders, and the envied are frequent targets❤️ Believers are called to respond with compassion, not condemnation Key Insights⚖️ Judgment reflects the cultural “air we breathe,” not just personal flaws🧠 Good judgment evaluates with God’s wisdom; bad judgment condemns💔 Judgment often masks deeper pain or fear🌐 Media and politics magnify judgment into polarization💖 Freedom from judgment grows through intimacy with Jesus

Summary Between Heaven and Earth is a podcast hosted by Justin and Amy Howard, leaders of Encounter Culture Mission Collaborative in New England. The show seeks to explore what it means to follow Jesus by uniting heaven and earth within families and communities. This episode focuses on the theme of judgment, addressing its cultural prevalence and biblical understanding. The hosts examine how judgment manifests in believers and communities, differentiating between toxic judgment, which condemns and limits, and healthy judgment, which is restorative and compassionate. They highlight the cultural spirit of the age (“zeitgeist”) that fosters fear and judgment, often opposing the gospel’s message of grace and healing. The podcast emphasizes the need to respond to judgment through the power of the Holy Spirit, moving beyond fear and anger towards freedom and hope. The conversation also addresses the complexity of judgment in Christian communities, the importance of self-awareness and healing, and how to practice non-toxic judgment rooted in love, restoration, and truth. The hosts encourage listeners to confront their own pain caused by judgment, seek healing, and foster communities that extend grace without compromising truth. They conclude by inviting listeners to continue the conversation on judgment—especially in polarized cultural and political contexts—and to engage with Encounter Culture’s resources for support and growth in discipleship. Highlights 🌍 The podcast explores how to bring heaven and earth together in everyday life through Jesus’s mission of restoration. ⚖️ Judgment is dissected into toxic judgment that condemns and healthy judgment that restores and encourages growth. 🕊️ The “spirit of the age” often fosters fear and judgment, conflicting with the gospel’s message of freedom and grace. ❤️ True Christian judgment calls people higher in their identity and is rooted in compassion and healing, not condemnation. 🔄 Self-judgment impacts how we judge others; healing personal pain enables greater compassion and mercy. 🏘️ Healthy community judgment involves safe, honest conversations that acknowledge sin and brokenness while maintaining hope. 🙏 Listeners are encouraged to seek healing from past wounds caused by judgment and to embrace Christ’s restorative love. Key Insights 🌬️ The Spirit of the Age as a Cultural Stronghold: The hosts describe the “zeitgeist” or spirit of the age as a pervasive cultural mindset that influences global and regional values and behaviors. This spirit often manifests as Babylonian opposition to the kingdom of God, embedding fear and judgment into social, familial, and church environments. Recognizing this helps believers understand why judgment feels natural yet unhelpful and challenges them to consciously oppose it through the Spirit’s power. ⚖️ Differentiating Toxic and Healthy Judgment: The episode clarifies that judgment is not simply prohibited by scripture; rather, Jesus and Paul call believers to exercise righteous judgment. Healthy judgment involves discernment that seeks restoration and loving correction, while toxic judgment is characterized by final condemnation, assigning identity labels, and writing off others based on limited perspectives. This distinction is vital for navigating relationships and church discipline. 💔 Judgment’s Impact on Identity and Relationships: Toxic judgment damages relationships by reducing people to their worst choices or perceived faults, robbing them of dignity and the possibility of change. It creates barriers to the movement of the Holy Spirit and shuts down healing. By contrast, judgment rooted in grace sees people as made in God’s image and holds space for their potential to grow beyond current failings. 🔄 Self-Judgment and Its Cyclical Effect: The hosts emphasize that the way believers judge themselves directly influences how they judge others. Those who live under harsh self-condemnation or self-righteousness tend to project th

Summary The podcast episode of Between Heaven and Earth, hosted by Justin and Amy Howard, features a deep and insightful conversation with Carolyn Poteet, a seasoned leader and pastor with extensive experience working globally in challenging environments through World Vision. Carolyn shares her transformative journey working in war-torn, impoverished, and spiritually diverse regions, highlighting the contrasts between physical and spiritual poverty she witnessed. Her experiences across Africa, Eastern Europe, and other global contexts profoundly shaped her theology, compassion, and understanding of ministry, teaching her to rely deeply on faith and lament amid suffering. Carolyn reflects on the resilience and spiritual wealth found in some impoverished communities, such as Ethiopia and Angola, contrasted with the stark spiritual poverty in places like Romanian orphanages and Native American reservations. These observations challenged Western assumptions and underscored the importance of discerning local contexts in ministry. The conversation explores the concept of “territorial spirits” and the spiritual struggles embedded in places marked by historical trauma and ongoing oppression. A significant theme is the power of lament as a biblical and spiritual practice, which Carolyn emphasizes as vital for navigating suffering and brokenness in ministry and life. She explains lament’s structure—addressing God, expressing honest complaint, making specific requests, remembering God’s faithfulness, and culminating in praise—and how it fosters authentic relationship with God, especially when faith feels tested. The episode also touches on the importance of holistic ministry that addresses both physical and spiritual needs, exemplified by Carolyn’s stories from World Vision projects. Throughout, Carolyn encourages listeners to engage with their local realities thoughtfully, seeking God’s heart for the unique struggles and hopes within their own communities. She emphasizes faith as a muscle strengthened through persistent trust even when outcomes seem uncertain. The episode closes with lighthearted moments and an invitation for pastors to join Encounter Life, a supportive journey of spiritual renewal and healing. Highlights 🌍 Carolyn Poteet’s decade-long global experience with World Vision shaped her theology and ministry approach. 💔 Stark contrasts seen between physical poverty with spiritual richness and spiritual poverty despite material resources. 🌳 The story of the Boabab tree illustrates God’s power over entrenched spiritual oppression. 🙏 Lament Psalms offer a biblical framework for expressing pain honestly and maintaining faith amid suffering. 🌱 Holistic ministry addresses both physical needs and spiritual transformation. 🏡 Understanding local contexts is crucial for relevant and effective ministry. 💪 Faith is like a muscle, strengthened through continual trust even when life is unpredictable. Key Insights 🌍 Global Exposure Deepens Compassion and Theology: Carolyn’s work in diverse, high-conflict regions exposed her to forms of faith and suffering that transcended Western paradigms. Witnessing resilient faith in war zones and impoverished communities humbled her and expanded her understanding of God’s presence in suffering, prompting a posture of learning rather than assuming cultural superiority. This highlights the transformative power of cross-cultural ministry experiences for shaping mature, compassionate Christian leadership. 💔 Physical Poverty vs. Spiritual Poverty: Carolyn contrasts vibrant spiritual life amid extreme physical poverty (e.g., Ethiopia and Angola) with devastating spiritual emptiness in orphanages and some post-communist Eastern European contexts. This distinction reveals that material conditions do not determine spiritual vitality, and ministry must address both domains carefully. Spiritual poverty, characterized by hopelessness and broken relationships, can be harder to detect but is equall

Summary The podcast episode of Between Heaven and Earth, hosted by Justin and Amy Howard, features an intimate conversation with Tim Kennerson, a longtime friend and church planter, who shares his powerful testimony of faith, struggle, and healing. Raised in a solid Christian home, Tim initially believed he lacked a testimony because his faith journey was not marked by dramatic conversion or deliverance experiences. However, through candid reflections, he reveals a lifelong wrestling with shame, secrecy, and sin—particularly around sexuality and pornography—starting from a young age due to early exposure and lack of open, grace-filled conversations about human sexuality. Tim describes growing up in a loving, intentional Christian family where faith was part of daily life, but personal confession and community accountability were minimal. He navigated his teenage years feeling distant from Jesus, burdened by shame and unworthiness, and engaged in early sexual activity that conflicted with his faith values. The episode highlights the harmful effects of a shame-based approach to sexuality in many Christian contexts and underscores the need for a more redemptive, theologically rich conversation that celebrates the goodness of human sexuality as designed by God. A turning point in Tim’s journey came through Encounter Culture Mission Collaborative’s Encounter Weekends, where he experienced “directed confession” in a safe, non-judgmental environment. This practice involved confessing sins aloud to trusted prayer ministers, renouncing shame and lies, and receiving grace and healing from the Holy Spirit. Tim recounts how this experience radically transformed his relationship with God, moving from distance and shame to intimacy and freedom, and how it shaped his marriage with Sam, who extended grace and forgiveness when he confessed past mistakes, including a lie about his sexual history. The episode also addresses broader themes of church culture, emphasizing the importance of cultivating confessional communities that normalize confession and healing, thereby breaking strongholds of shame and secrecy. Tim and the hosts encourage parents to proactively engage their children in age-appropriate, grace-filled conversations about sexuality to prevent the damage caused by secrecy and pornography exposure. The podcast closes with an invitation for listeners to join Encounter Life cohorts for pastors, which offer spiritual renewal and healing in a supportive small group setting. Ultimately, the episode offers a hopeful message: freedom from shame and past sins is possible through confession, grace, and community, and embracing this process leads to deeper intimacy with Jesus and transformation in all areas of life. Highlights 🙌 Tim Kennerson shares a powerful testimony of healing from shame and addiction through directed confession. 💡 The podcast emphasizes the importance of confession to another person, not just to God, for true healing. ❤️ The episode highlights the grace and forgiveness experienced in Tim’s marriage after confessing past sexual sins and lies. 📖 A richer, redemptive theology of human sexuality is needed in Christian communities to combat shame and disordered desires. 🛡️ Early exposure to pornography can cause lifelong struggles; parents must proactively and lovingly address sexuality with their children. 🕊️ Encounter Culture Mission Collaborative offers safe spaces for spiritual renewal, confession, and healing through Encounter Weekends and ministry cohorts. 🤝 Building a confessional community is essential for breaking strongholds and living in freedom and grace. Key Insights 🔥 The Power of Testimony as a “Sword”: Tim’s story demonstrates how every believer has a testimony, regardless of how dramatic their conversion story is. Testimonies reveal God’s goodness and faithfulness even in ordinary, everyday struggles, and sharing them publicly breaks the power of shame and isolation. This encourages believers to

Summary The podcast episode of Between Heaven and Earth, hosted by Justin and Amy Howard, centers on the complex topic of codependency and the human tendency to place one’s own sense of well-being in the hands of others. The hosts explore how unhealthy emotional dynamics often stem from deeply embedded family systems, early childhood trauma, and cultural influences, particularly within Christian and communal contexts. Drawing from personal stories, psychological insights, and biblical principles, Justin and Amy unpack how codependency manifests as the compulsive need to control other people’s feelings and environments to maintain one’s own sense of “okay.” They emphasize the significance of reclaiming an internal, God-given sense of well-being rather than relying on external circumstances or people. The conversation touches on family origins, early childhood experiences—including traumatic births—and societal pressures such as political polarization and church dynamics, all contributing to emotional idolatry. The episode concludes with practical advice for identifying codependent patterns by tuning into bodily reactions and invites listeners to continue the healing journey through prayer, therapy, and community support offered by the Encounter Life program and other resources. Highlights 🌿 Codependency often arises from unresolved family trauma and early life experiences. 🧠 Our family systems shape what we perceive as “normal” and impact our emotional health. 💔 Emotional idolatry occurs when we tie our well-being to others’ feelings or approval. 🔄 Healing requires reclaiming an internal sense of “okay” anchored in faith, not external validation. 🕊️ Jesus offers freedom from codependency, enabling us to respond rather than react emotionally. 🔥 Moments of emotional agitation are opportunities for deep healing if we lean into them. 🤝 Encounter Life and counseling resources provide practical tools and community for breaking codependency. Key Insights 🎻 Family Systems as Emotional Harp Strings: The metaphor of a harp string being plucked illustrates how unresolved childhood trauma creates a physical and emotional resonance that triggers disproportionate reactions to adult conflicts. This insight reflects the somatic nature of trauma and its long-lasting imprint on the nervous system, emphasizing the importance of healing at both emotional and physical levels. By understanding these “strings,” individuals can begin to recognize why certain adult interactions evoke intense feelings of fear or instability. 🔄 Codependency as Displacement of Well-Being: Codependency involves shifting one’s internal sense of stability onto external factors—whether it’s another person’s emotional state, a political affiliation, or congregational approval. This displacement creates emotional volatility and an unhealthy either/or mindset, which locks people into black-and-white thinking and stifles spiritual and emotional growth. The hosts highlight that true freedom and resilience come from rooting one’s “okay” in God’s promises rather than cultural or relational circumstances. 🙅‍♂️ The Challenge of Boundaries in Codependent Relationships: The episode underscores how both parents and pastors often struggle with boundaries due to guilt or a sense of responsibility for others’ feelings. Parents may “guilt-give” to compensate for perceived shortcomings, while pastors may exhaust themselves trying to care for everyone’s spiritual state. This lack of boundaries leads to emotional exhaustion and stunts maturity in relationships, underscoring the necessity of learning to say “no” and recalibrating one’s own “okay.” 🌱 Early Childhood Trauma and the Formation of Well-Being: Traumatic experiences from birth, such as neglect or medical complications, can prevent the establishment of a foundational sense of safety and well-being. The hosts describe how healing can even occur in adulthood through prayer and intentional work, highlighting the possi

Summary The podcast episode “Between Heaven and Earth,” hosted by Justin and Amy Howard, explores the profound topic of codependency and the need to control, especially as it relates to the Christian journey of healing and restoration. The hosts emphasize that understanding and overcoming codependency is essential for true freedom in Christ. They introduce the concept of being “okay” — a deep sense of well-being rooted in Jesus, which is distinct from fleeting emotions. Through a biblical story from Luke 7, they illustrate how Jesus embodies this ideal “okay,” being free from the need to control others or be controlled by their judgments, allowing Him to respond with compassion, wisdom, and love in complex social situations. The conversation highlights how codependency shifts a person’s sense of well-being away from Jesus and into the hands of others, causing emotional bondage and unhealthy relational patterns. The hosts identify key factors that contribute to codependency: guilt, misunderstandings of holiness and submission, lack of healthy anger, lack of resiliency, and family systems dynamics. They stress that real freedom involves learning to trust God deeply, embracing healthy emotional expressions such as anger, and building relational resiliency through tear and repair—working through conflicts rather than avoiding or reacting destructively. Justin shares a personal story of navigating a challenging relationship, demonstrating how setting boundaries, embracing honesty, and trusting God’s guidance allowed for healing and growth. The episode closes by inviting listeners to reflect on their own emotional health and relational dynamics, with a promise to continue the conversation on family systems and freedom in the next episode. The Howards encourage ongoing partnership through donations to support their ministry and resources for listeners seeking deeper healing and wholeness. Highlights 🌟 The concept of being “okay” is a deep, stable sense of well-being rooted in Jesus, not dependent on circumstances or other people. 📖 Jesus in Luke 7 models freedom from codependency by responding with grace and love, despite social tensions and judgments. 💔 Codependency often arises when our emotional well-being shifts from God to others, driven by guilt, unhealthy submission, or fear of conflict. 😡 Healthy anger is a God-given emotion that signals when something is wrong and motivates constructive action, distinct from rage or suppression. 💪 Emotional resiliency grows through “tear and repair” in relationships, allowing for conflict resolution and deeper trust. 🧬 Family systems and generational patterns play a significant role in shaping codependent behaviors, to be explored in future episodes. 🤝 The journey to freedom involves trusting God’s infinite possibilities rather than limiting ourselves to reactive either/or choices. Key Insights 🔄 The “Okay” as a Foundation for Freedom: The Howards define “okay” as a deep internal well-being that includes permission to be well and a trust in God’s ultimate goodness. This framing helps listeners separate transient emotions from their core identity, reducing reactive behaviors rooted in fear or control. Rooting one’s “okay” in Jesus allows for infinite responses beyond the binary of fight or flight, enabling grace-filled engagement with others. 👁️‍🗨️ Jesus’ Example in Social Complexity: The Luke 7 story reveals Jesus’ unique ability to be present to conflicting needs—honoring Simon’s hospitality, responding to the woman’s faith, and addressing judgment without defensiveness. This illustrates how being emotionally free and spiritually rooted allows a person to see others as whole, complex individuals and respond with clarity and love rather than control or withdrawal. ⚖️ Codependency vs. Compassion: The episode distinguishes codependency from true compassion. Codependency is driven by a need to control others’ emotions or outcomes for one’s own well-being, often disguised as

Summary The podcast episode from Between Heaven and Earth, hosted by Justin and Amy Howard, features a powerful testimony from Ashley Nute, a longtime friend and fellow believer. Ashley shares her journey from a traumatic childhood marked by intense demonic oppression and spiritual warfare to finding deliverance and freedom through a transformative encounter weekend. Raised in a broken family with generational trauma, Native American spiritual influences, and abuse, Ashley endured years of nightly terror and demonic visitation that deeply affected her faith and life. Despite her early belief in God, she struggled with doubt and confusion about His goodness as the darkness of her experiences deepened. Ashley recounts how her life changed after a desperate, fearful moment while nursing her baby, when she confronted a terrifying demonic presence in her home. She and her husband, Adam, attempted to rid their environment of spiritual invitations to darkness but found no lasting relief. The turning point came when she attended what she thought was a typical women’s retreat, which turned out to be an intense encounter weekend focused on deliverance and healing. There, Ashley experienced profound ministry led by two deliverance ministers, Maria and JC, who helped her dismantle family curses, rejection, and spiritual strongholds through prayer and inner healing. This encounter brought a radical shift in Ashley’s life—she was filled with the Holy Spirit, experienced deep joy, and began to rebuild her understanding of God, moving away from legalistic and hurtful doctrines towards a personal, intimate relationship with Jesus. She emphasizes that freedom from demonic bondage is often much closer than people think—sometimes just seconds away—and encourages others struggling with spiritual oppression to seek help and not give up hope. The episode closes with a prayer for listeners who may be afflicted and an invitation to access spiritual guidance and deliverance support through the Encounter Culture community and One Life Group counseling services. Highlights 🙏 Ashley’s testimony reveals the reality of spiritual warfare and deliverance in modern Christian life. 🌪️ Childhood trauma and generational curses deeply affected Ashley’s spiritual and emotional health. 💔 Despite early faith, Ashley struggled with doubt and confusion about God’s goodness. 🔥 A terrifying demonic encounter while nursing her baby catalyzed her pursuit of freedom. ✝️ An encounter weekend with deliverance ministers led to radical inner healing and deliverance. 🌟 Ashley experienced filling with the Holy Spirit and newfound joy post-deliverance. 🤝 The podcast encourages listeners facing spiritual oppression to seek prayer ministry and support. Key Insights 👶 Early spiritual sensitivity combined with generational trauma creates a vulnerable environment for demonic oppression. Ashley’s story illustrates how open doors in family history—such as untreated generational abuse, addiction, and occult involvement—can invite spiritual strongholds. This highlights the importance of understanding generational spiritual dynamics when addressing deliverance and healing. 🌙 Demonic oppression can manifest with tangible, terrifying physical and emotional symptoms. Ashley describes paralysis, night terrors, auditory hallucinations of rushing wind and screeching, and violent demonic aggression. Such experiences challenge Western skepticism about spiritual warfare and emphasize the need for the Church to develop a robust theological and practical framework to address these realities. 🤐 Silence and shame around spiritual oppression can exacerbate trauma. Ashley’s early experiences were dismissed or misunderstood in her legalistic church setting, leaving her isolated and without tools for healing. This underscores the critical need for churches to provide safe spaces and knowledgeable ministry for those suffering from spiritual and emotional trauma. 💥 Deliverance ministry, especia

Summary The podcast episode from Between Heaven and Earth, hosted by Justin and Amy Howard, explores the intersection of spiritual manifestations, ministry, and the Holy Spirit’s work in daily life and church communities. The conversation dives into understanding physical manifestations of spiritual power, distinguishing between immature and disobedient ministry expressions, and processing personal wounds from “weird” or harmful ministry experiences. The hosts emphasize love as the core motive of Christian ministry, cautioning against rigid “formulaic” approaches and encouraging discernment rooted in grace and compassion. They share stories illustrating how God’s power can work through imperfect people, highlighting the importance of recognizing God’s love beyond human flaws. The discussion encourages believers to cultivate a hunger for more of the Spirit’s work, to embrace risky obedience out of love, and to develop mature leadership that fosters safe spaces for growth without enabling chaos. They advocate for healthy liturgical structures that facilitate encounters with the Holy Spirit without demanding emotional extremes, stressing the importance of both order and openness to spontaneous Spirit-led moments. The episode concludes by urging listeners who have been hurt to engage in forgiveness and healing, nurture personal discernment, and lean on community and professional help where necessary. Ultimately, it calls Christians to courageously live as a vibrant, Spirit-led community that embodies the love and power of God in everyday life. Highlights 🌟 Love is the ultimate aim of ministry, shaping how spiritual gifts and obedience manifest. 🔥 Physical manifestations of the Spirit’s power, including healing, should be expected and embraced in whole-person experiences. 💔 Forgiveness and healing are crucial for those hurt by immature or harmful ministry practices. 🤔 Distinguishing between immaturity and disobedience in ministry fosters grace and accountability. 🌿 Cultivating a hunger for the Holy Spirit’s presence is essential for spiritual growth and revival. 🕊️ Healthy liturgy balances order and openness, creating space for Spirit encounters without chaos. 🤝 Community, prayer, and professional support can help believers process wounds and deepen their relationship with God. Key Insights 💖 Love as the Fulfillment of the Law and Ministry’s Foundation: The hosts repeatedly underscore that loving God and loving others are the fulfillment of God’s law—the central “main thing” in ministry. This means ministry must be shaped not by formulas or performance but by genuine love, embodied in patience, humility, and grace. Misguided approaches driven by pride, fear, or control hinder the true flow of the Spirit and harm relationships. Love becomes the litmus test that validates spiritual experiences and leadership effectiveness. 🌬️ Physical and Emotional Manifestations Reflect a Whole-Person Encounter With God: Justin and Amy assert that Christian experience is holistic, involving body, mind, and spirit. Manifestations such as healing or emotional renewal are biblically grounded and meant to be normal, not aberrations limited to fringe groups. Embracing these expressions leads believers into wholeness and a tangible experience of God’s kingdom among us. 🩹 Navigating Hurt from Abusive or Disruptive Ministry: A significant part of the discussion deals with addressing pain caused by ministry that was immature, sinful, or manipulative. The hosts advocate intentional forgiveness as a release, alongside a season of healing often requiring community and professional help. This approach recognizes the reality of trauma and encourages a pathway toward restoration rather than bitterness or judgment. ⚖️ Differentiating Immaturity From Disobedience Is Crucial for Spiritual Maturity: Not all “weird” behaviors or unexpected manifestations reflect disobedience. Some reflect immaturity—a normal phase in growth requiring patient corre

Summary The podcast episode from Between Heaven and Earth, hosted by Justin and Amy Howard, delves into the often misunderstood and sometimes “weird” manifestations of the Holy Spirit in ministry and worship settings. They explore how such expressions—ranging from emotional worship experiences to prophetic acts and deliverance ministry—can sometimes appear odd or unsettling to observers yet hold significant spiritual meaning. The hosts emphasize the core purpose of any Spirit-led ministry: to help people truly know and feel God’s love, rather than to draw attention to individuals or create theatrical displays. They stress the importance of balancing openness to the Holy Spirit’s movement with mature discernment to avoid exploitation, manipulation, or immaturity in ministry expressions. The conversation is candid about the challenges leaders and congregations face when unconventional manifestations occur, including emotional intensity, physical reactions such as shaking or falling, and prophetic acts that may initially unsettle the community. Amy and Justin wrestle with how cultural expectations, fear of judgment, insecurity, and pressure can lead ministry participants to act artificially or “weird.” Throughout, they highlight scriptural foundations and emphasize that true prophetic and Holy Spirit ministry must ultimately produce the fruit of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control—and bring glory to Jesus rather than focusing on human performance. They also address how physical manifestations—though sometimes uncomfortable or misunderstood—may accompany genuine encounters with God, citing biblical examples and personal stories. The hosts conclude by encouraging listeners to love well, exercise wisdom, and embrace authenticity in their spiritual journeys without succumbing to anxiety or the compulsion to control others’ experiences. Highlights 🙏 Exploring Holy Spirit manifestations that can appear unconventional or “weird” without losing spiritual authenticity. ❤️ The primary goal of Spirit-led ministry is to foster genuine love and connection to God, not spectacle or control. 🔍 Discernment is key: manifestations must be weighed against biblical fruit and focus on Jesus, not individual attention. ☯️ Balancing emotional worship with maturity to avoid manipulation or unnecessary theatricality. 🎭 Pressure, fear, and insecurity often drive people to perform or replicate strange behaviors in ministry settings. ✨ Scriptural prophetic acts can be unusual or jarring but must ultimately edify and build up the church in love. 🛡️ Caring leadership involves loving both the individual experiencing God in a unique way and the corporate community simultaneously. Key Insights 🔥 Manifestations of the Spirit are diverse and can be misunderstood: The podcast acknowledges that manifestations such as shaking, laughing, falling, or prophetic acts can seem strange to outsiders or even insiders but often represent genuine encounters with God’s presence and power. However, this diversity requires careful discernment to avoid mistaking human immaturity or emotional manipulation for divine activity. This insight reminds ministry leaders to cultivate an environment where authenticity and spiritual fruitfulness override the desire for control or spectacle. 🤝 Love is the ultimate litmus test for ministry practices: The hosts underscore that the hallmark of any authentic Holy Spirit activity is love—both for God and neighbor. Manifestations that cause division, offense, or self-glorification fail this test. Love involves patience, gentleness, kindness, and self-control, even amid intense emotional or spiritual experiences. This emphasis on love challenges ministries to prioritize relational integrity and community health over dramatic displays. ⚖️ Cultural and personal factors contribute to “weirdness” in ministry: Anxiety, fear of judgment, immaturity, and pressure within con

Summary In this episode of Between Heaven and Earth, hosts Justin and Amy Howard explore the complex nature of suffering caused by other people’s sin and how followers of Jesus can engage with it biblically and practically. The discussion distinguishes between forgiveness, healing, and reconciliation—three distinct responses to suffering that often get conflated. Forgiveness is a personal choice to release retribution, healing is a divine work of restoration, and reconciliation requires mutual effort and repentance. They delve into common unhealthy ways people respond to suffering caused by others, such as codependency, where one absorbs harm wrongly, leading to emotional and physical consequences. Instead, they advocate for an “upcycling” approach of handing suffering over to Jesus and partnering with Him in healing, which requires setting healthy boundaries, acknowledging anger, and reframing pain in a Christian spiritual context. The hosts affirm the validity and importance of anger as a divine signal that propels one to action but warn against unresolved resentment and rage, which are harmful and unchristian. Through personal testimony, they illustrate how setting boundaries guided by God’s love can transform difficult relationships. They also introduce the concept of “love covering a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8), emphasizing that love does not ignore sin but chooses relationship and costly engagement nonetheless, modeled on Christ’s sacrificial love. The discussion extends to the mysterious and redemptive nature of “unitive suffering,” where believers share in Christ’s sufferings, deepening intimacy with Him and others. Finally, they offer practical pastoral wisdom: suffering is often mysterious, healing is incremental, humility is crucial when intervening in others’ pain, and prayer should be honest, raw, and persistent—marked by a shameless audacity to bring our suffering to God. The episode encourages listeners to embrace suffering as part of spiritual growth while maintaining hope and trust in divine healing and restoration. Highlights 💡 Forgiveness, healing, and reconciliation are distinct but interconnected responses to suffering caused by others’ sin. 🔥 Anger is a healthy, God-given signal that calls for action and boundary-setting. 🤝 Codependent responses to suffering are harmful; healthy boundaries and handing pain to Jesus are crucial. ❤️ “Love covers a multitude of sins” means choosing relationship despite cost, following Christ’s example. 🌿 Unitive suffering deepens intimacy with Christ by participating in His sufferings. ⏳ Healing often takes time and involves gradual restoration rather than instant relief. 🙏 Honest, persistent prayer with shameless audacity is essential in engaging suffering and receiving God’s guidance. Key Insights 😔 Differentiating Forgiveness, Healing, and Reconciliation: Forgiveness is a voluntary release of personal vengeance; healing is God’s work restoring brokenness; reconciliation requires mutual repentance and rebuilding trust. This clarity prevents common misunderstandings in pastoral care and personal relationships, emphasizing that forgiveness does not necessitate instant reconciliation nor does healing always follow immediately. 🛑 The Danger of Codependency: Absorbing others’ sin and pain as one’s own, often justified as “being holy” or a “good victim,” leads to emotional overload, physical symptoms, and eventual relational explosion. Recognizing codependency allows believers to break cycles of dysfunction by learning to set boundaries and hand over pain to Jesus rather than internalizing it. 😠 Biblical Role of Anger as a Propellant for Action: Anger in Scripture reflects God’s righteousness and motivates necessary action for justice and boundary-setting. Healthy anger is not sinful but is a bodily and spiritual signal that “something is not good.” When properly stewarded, anger leads to constructive responses that defend one’s integrity and relational healt

Summary The podcast episode “Between Heaven and Earth,” hosted by Justin and Amy Howard, delves deeply into the complex and often challenging topic of suffering from a Christian perspective. They position suffering as an inevitable part of living in a broken world that exists in tension between the kingdom of God and earthly realities. The hosts emphasize that suffering is universal—everyone experiences it, either as the sufferer or as one who causes suffering. They explore different types of suffering: suffering caused by the broken world, by our own sin, by others’ sin, and sympathetic suffering, which is sharing in the pain of others, especially in intimacy with Jesus. Justin and Amy articulate that suffering, while painful and difficult to discuss, holds redemptive potential when engaged with God, transforming hearts and producing empathy, compassion, and hope. Their theological framing highlights the promise of the kingdom of God, where suffering and death will ultimately end. However, until that divine restoration occurs, believers must navigate suffering with courage, discernment, and God’s presence. The episode also critically challenges common pitfalls in responding to suffering, such as trying to rationalize or solve all suffering logically (“head responses”) versus attending to the emotional and spiritual realities (“heart responses”). They critique simplistic or harmful Christian responses like blaming the sufferer (exemplified by the friends of Job) or offering superficial platitudes. Instead, the Howards advocate for thoughtful engagement that includes repenting for one’s own sin, practicing authentic forgiveness without rushing reconciliation, and being present without trying to “fix” others’ pain. A significant portion of their discussion focuses on the practical outworking of faith amid suffering—embracing missional living, serving others, praying boldly, and discerning the nature of the suffering in order to respond appropriately. They reject the narrow focus on human justice or equal rights as the ultimate resolution, reminding listeners that the kingdom of God operates on the upside-down principle of servanthood and humility modeled by Jesus. Finally, they give hope that none of our suffering is wasted and invite listeners to bring their pain before God, allowing Him to transform it into growth and deeper fellowship. They preview a follow-up episode that will further explore suffering caused by others and sympathetic suffering, promising a continued journey toward understanding and healing. Highlights 🌍 Suffering is universal and inevitable in a broken world existing between heaven and earth. 💡 Distinguishing types of suffering (worldly, own sin, others’ sin, and sympathetic) helps us respond rightly. ❤️ Redemptive suffering transforms hearts, fostering empathy, hope, and intimacy with Jesus. 🧠 Avoid rigidly intellectualizing suffering; true healing often requires heart-level engagement. 🤝 Forgiveness is distinct from reconciliation; both require patience and God’s grace. 🙌 Kingdom justice is upside down, prioritizing servanthood over equality or human retaliation. 🕊️ Practical response to suffering includes service, intercession, discernment, and courageous trust in God. Key Insights 🌪️ Suffering as a Theological and Existential Reality: The podcast situates suffering as an inescapable aspect of the “veil of tears” in which believers live until the full manifestation of the kingdom of God, where suffering will cease. This theological framing helps listeners understand suffering as both a present challenge and a future hope, preventing despair while encouraging perseverance. 🕵️‍♂️ Necessity of Suffering Discernment: The Howards emphasize discerning the origin of suffering—whether it stems from the fallen world, personal sin, others’ sin, or empathetic sharing—as a crucial step in how one responds. This insight encourages a nuanced approach that avoids one-size-fits-all solutions, instead p