Finding Joy In Our Journey Ryan & Brandi Wassom

In this episode we catch up on the latest. Earthquakes, corona and conference oh my! But for us, the most important topic discussed tonight is that our parents and family know that our faith transition is not their fault. All we need to do is be patient with each other and love so fiercely that we know that no decision is too hard to move past together when it isn’t quite what we expect. Comfort zones are being stretched and we can learn so much from each other.

Tonight we discuss the things we’ve found helpful in the past year to deal with the transitions and changes in our lives. We’ve found some very valuable tools and groups that have helped us cope with our world being turned upside down and we want to share these with you.

After a several week hiatus (life happens….) we’re back. We discuss the beginning of the new year, new stuff that’s been happening with us, and also touch the dreaded topic of…..wait for it…..what happens with our son who’s turning 12???? DUN DUN DUN…..

This milestone is a hard one to grasp as dynamics, beliefs, goals, and ultimately life has changed for us the past year in very huge ways. We discuss the challenge of our son wanting vs. not wanting the priesthood and how pressures from peers, family, etc., are affecting that.

So...Ryan is flying solo tonight, with a (suggested by Brandi) impromptu moment of raw and open expression of the pain and loneliness he's feeling right now. We all too often avoid feeling the emotions associated with pain, fear, nervousness, anxiety, etc. And instead we replace it with things that help numb it or avoid it altogether. Sometimes in order to get through something, we just have to allow ourselves to feel all the feels. That's what tonight's about. Allowing ourselves to feel it. 

Totally being facetious by that title of course. But for some people, “goals” might be a trigger word. Triggering in the sense that expectations are sometimes tied to a persons sense of self-worth. And in relation to the church, it causes some to feel like they’ll never quite be enough and thus can be hard for someone to attain goals. We talk about the potential challenges this can bring up and how we plan on fixing it.

Whoa....tonight Brandi kind of took over. But in a much needed, very vulnerable way.  Her inner child was screaming it's time for me to feel all of this! We shed some tears most definitely tonight, but hope that someone can find some comfort in knowing they're not alone in where SHE's at also.