The Holy Shift Show
recent episodesJoin us as we explore the complexities in life, the paradoxes of faith, and how the upside-down kingdom of God always points the right way forward.
EP 31: Surrender Leads to Freedom
What if the freedom you’re desperately seeking only comes through surrender?
Bestselling author and trauma survivor Mary DeMuth returns to The Holy Shift Show to explore one of faith’s most challenging paradoxes: we can’t control our way to peace—we have to learn to let go.
If you’re struggling with cynicism, exhausted from trying to control everything, or frustrated by how long it takes to heal, this episode offers both validation and gentle encouragement. Mary reminds us of the upside-down kingdom truths that sometimes God takes a long time to do something suddenly, and freedom comes only through surrender.
DNDW 10: Silence & Solitude
What if the noise in your life is drowning out the voice of God?
For the final episode of the 2025 Draw Near Dwell Well Series, Christine chats with soul care extraordinaire Andrew Ranucci about why silence and solitude are essential for spiritual, mental, relational, and physical health. Andrew unpacks the difference between self-care and soul care and helps us understand why silence and solitude feel so uncomfortable and what they reveal about our image of God.
DNDW 9: Emotional Health and Flourishing
What if the uncomfortable emotions you're experiencing aren't sins or failures, but invitations?
In this raw conversation, Christine chats with Christy Boulware, author of Nervous Breakthrough, to talk about stewarding our mental and emotional health. This isn't about quick fixes or spiritual bypassing—it's an honest exploration of recognizing our emotions as information and invitations that deserve attention, not shame.
Christine and Christy share the messy, honest reality of stewarding emotional health while following Jesus. Most importantly, they offer what so many need to hear: "I believe you. You're not crazy. You deserve help."
DNDW 8: Stewarding Your Relational Health and Safety
Join Christine for a powerful conversation with relationship expert Bob Hamp as they explore what love does (and doesn't) look like, why mutuality is vital in healthy relationships, and how many of us have misunderstood both the mission and the two-become-one mystery of marriage.
Bob breaks down the patterns that define destructive relationships and why some people feel entitled to demand that others become less so they can feel like more. From misassigned responsibility to weaponized theology, they discuss how flawed or misguided teachings about submission, gender roles, and "dying to self" have damaged countless marriages and driven women away from the church. They also explore how both partners must remain whole to experience the oneness God intended.
If you're struggling in a relationship or supporting someone who is, this episode offers clarity, validation, and a path toward the dignity and unity God designed.
DNDW 7: Stillness, Therapy & Theology
Join Christine for a special bonus episode featuring her personal therapist, Crystal Logan. They dive deep into the role and purpose of emotions and explore why grief, trauma, and hurt often need to be addressed in the body, mind, and spirit. Crystal also explains how therapy and prayer intersect, and self-compassion helps us heal. This is an intimate conversation about the peace and freedom we experience when we learn to be still in Jesus’ healing presence.
DNDW 6: Slowing Down
We're all feeling overwhelmed, distracted, and somehow still disconnected despite being "connected" 24/7. Our generation might just be the loneliest and most frazzled bunch to date! Christine chats with author Laura L. Smith about how pressing pause, practicing gratitude, and noticing beauty can transform our relationship with God, ourselves, and others. They discuss how the Bible and neuroscience agree (how cool is that?): our hurried, distracted living is robbing us of the deep connections we were created for.
DNDW 5: Sabbath Rest
Exhaustion is an epidemic, especially for women. Christine chats with physician and author Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith about battling burnout and faithfully engaging with soul care through sacred rest. They discuss how rest and trust are connected and why most of us need more than a nap or a vacation to experience the restoration we yearn for. Dr. Saundra shares the seven types of rest needed to increase our overall happiness, overcome burnout, and live our best lives. If you’ve been fighting fatigue or battling burnout, this episode will guide you toward drawing near to—and dwelling well with—God through sabbath rest.
DNDW 4: Simplicity
Feeling buried under your stuff, suffocated by your schedule, and exhausted by others’ expectations? Author and simplicity expert Jan Johnson chats with Christine about the paradoxical liberation of simplification. They explore how to determine your core values, establish your priorities, and chisel away what’s getting in the way of rest, joy, and abundance. They also discuss how “checkbox spirituality” contributes to our exhaustion, why Amazon won’t save us, and how to do a heart exam in the middle of Target.If you’d like to learn to be more present, generous, and peaceful, this episode will encourage and equip you to take practical steps toward simplifying your life and faith.
DNDW 3: Shifting
Feeling frazzled or frustrated in faith and life? Christine chats with author, podcaster, and Spiritual Director Emily P. Freeman about embracing spiritual curiosity, integrating our theology with our humanity, and recognizing how the rooms and relationships we live in—and the rhythms and rituals we live by—shape who we are becoming.They also explore questions like:*Are women allowed to have desires?*Can we trust ourselves?*Is soul care new age or woo-woo?*How do we move toward God and others?*How can we discern when to walk away from someone/something?If you are stuck in analysis paralysis or hoping to make some holy shifts in your own faith & life, this episode is for you!
DNDW 2: The Theology of Invitation
Whether you’re battling burnout, grappling with grief, recovering from trauma, or just feeling tired, stuck, frustrated, frazzled, or disconnected, Christine invites you on a journey toward healing and wholeness.As part of our 2025 series, Draw Near Dwell Well, Christine delves into The Theology of Invitation. She reminds us that faith is not about knowing more ABOUT God, doing more FOR God, or meeting some long list of expectations we think comes FROM God. Instead, Christine emphasizes the importance of stewarding our hearts, souls, minds, strength, and stories, and invites us to accept the one big, beautiful invitation to DRAW NEAR to—and DWELL WELL with—God. She also introduces soul care and spiritual formation practices that foster flourishing and help us live deeply connected to God, ourselves, and others.
DNDW 1: My Accidental Sabbatical
Christine is back to kick off the 2025 series centered on overcoming overwhelm and learning to live healed and whole. Eager to impart what she learned about God, herself, and love during her 1-year "accidental sabbatical," Christine shares some major holy shifts in her life, including an unwanted divorce, an unplanned move, and unwelcome health issues. She also introduces season 3’s theme, DRAW NEAR DWELL WELL, inviting you to explore soul care and spiritual formation practices that will help you live deeply connected to God, yourself, and others.
EP 20: Faithing Forward
Does your faith journey sometimes feel like stumbling blindly through a dark valley? Have you ever felt paralyzed by fear of the unknown? Christine chats with Fr. Cliff Warner about walking in freedom and learning how to live healed and whole. If you have experienced loss, grief, or doubt and are questioning how you can keep "faithing forward" in the middle of a broken world and story, this episode is for you.♥
EP 19: A Kingdom Perspective of Politics
Christine chats with author & scholar Kaitlyn Schiess about faithfully (and theologically) engaging with politics and power. They discuss the formational force of fear and lament over how it has divided families, churches, and communities. Kaitlyn also shares the four false political gospels she believes plague the modern evangelical American church, then suggests practices for staying sane this next election season and engaging respectfully with people who hold differing viewpoints.
EP 18: Being with and Becoming like Jesus
Christine chats with Pastor Ian Simkins about church hurt and the “upside-down” kingdom way of Christ. They discuss why our greatest calling is to be with—and become like—Jesus (and why it must happen in that order,) and commiserate about ending up in ministry rather accidentally and against their will. If you have been wounded by/disillusioned with the church, we hope this episode will be an encouragement to you. ♥
EP 17: Sometimes Women Lie About Being Okay
Christine chats with writer Rachel Joy Welcher about the purpose of poetry and how it serves as an invitation to notice beauty and interact with the sorrows, joys, and tensions of life. Rachel shares more about the loves and losses that have inspired her work, and Christine asks her to read some of her favorite poems aloud. Rachel then offers helpful writing tips plus 3 poetry prompts, inviting listeners to share online with #theholyshiftpoetry.
EP 16: Making Friends and Neighboring Well
Christine chats with author Shannan Martin about creating lasting connections by living as “ambassadors of awkwardness.” Together, they explore why “loving our neighbors is not the same as not hating them” and the vital role curiosity, hospitality, and empathy play in neighboring well. Christine gets advice on making friends as the introverted new kid in her forties, and Shannan shares practical tips from her book, Start with Hello, for living less divided and more connected.
EP 15: Jesus and Gender
What do Jesus and the Bible have to say about women’s roles in marriage, life, and the church? Christine chats with author Kelley Mathews about the competing positions on the topic and why developing and holding those positions with humility matters. Kelley also explores some of the toughest questions she and her co-author, Dr. Sue Edwards, wrestled with in writing their newest book, 40 Questions about Women in Ministry.
EP 14: REST AS A RESOLUTION
Christine opens up about her recent struggle with burnout and chats with rest and worthiness expert, Emily K. Louis. Together, they discuss the endemic exhaustion that women are especially experiencing and why so many of us confuse people-pleasing productivity with God-glorifying priorities. Emily then shares 3 practical practices to help us SHIFT the way we look at rest, plus offers The Holy Shift community an “Anti-challenge Challenge” to rest and belonging.
EP 13: CHURCH BASEMENT FAITH
Christine chats with author and pastor Scott Sauls about regret, shame, and redemption. Scott shares highlights from his newest book, Beautiful People Don’t Just Happen, and why he believes that faith is formed more deeply in church basements than in sanctuaries. Together, they discuss the vital roles confession and community play in spiritual growth and emotional healing. If you have ever struggled with fear, doubt, shame, grief, regret, or anxiety, this episode is for you!
EP 12: PEACEMAKING IN A POLARIZED WORLD
Christine chats with Jason Porterfield, author of Fight Like Jesus, who offers a definition of peace and outlines how Jesus exemplified living as a peacemaker in a polarized world. Together, they discuss some “Kingdom Contrasts” Jesus makes during the week leading up to his crucifixion and resurrection and what Kingdom allegiance really looks like. They also explore our call to embody peace in our communities and why doing so proves we are children of God.