The Wounds Of The Faithful

DSW Ministries
  • 4.8 (19)
  • Christianity

The mission of this podcast is to help survivors within the Evangelical Christian community heal from domestic violence, abuse, and trauma. It features encouraging, uplifting music, guidance from from industry experts, and empowering survivor stories.

  1. May 30

    Three Book Reviews and School Updates EP 227

    Seminary Update and Book Reviews: Women in Leadership, Political Exile, and Healing or Harm from Misused Scripture Diana shares an update on her seminary studies toward a Master of Divinity to become a hospital chaplain. She explains why she has not republished older episodes and then recommends three books: Preston Sprinkle’s From Genesis to Junia, which she is midway through and says is readable yet scholarly on what the Bible says about women in leadership, highlighting many biblical women and themes of servant leadership; Sprinkle’s Exiles, on Christians’ identity as foreigners whose allegiance is to King Jesus rather than partisan politics; and Dr. Steven Tracy’s To Heal Or Harm, focused on how misused scripture can wound abuse survivors and how to apply the Bible redemptively.  00:00 Podcast Welcome 00:33 Life Update and School 06:09 Colorado Conference Plug 07:12 Making Time to Read 08:26 Book Review Genesis to Junia 12:18 Women Leaders in Scripture 22:49 Book Review Exiles 28:04 Book Review To Heal Or Harm 34:22 Mending the Soul Mission 36:43 Wrap Up and Resources 38:57 Closing and Subscribe

  2. Mar 17

    When You're Face To Face With Your Abuser After 17 Years: EP 226

    Diana shares a solo episode about unexpectedly meeting her abusive ex-husband at her work after 17 years of no contact. She walks through the encounter describing intense triggering and how she chose to speak with him compassionately. She learns of his debilitating health conditions, being cared for by a girlfriend, as he remains in an IFB church. Diana processes the shock with her circle of support, reflecting on forgiveness, boundaries, and feelings about “justice” without seeking revenge. She encourages listeners to prioritize safety, use legal resources when needed, and seek licensed trauma therapy. She recommends Mending the Soul groups as an additional tool for healing and coping with triggers.   00:00 Trigger Warning Intro 02:16 Backstory And Healing 03:40 Hearing His Name 06:48 Facing Him At Work 10:03 Health Decline Explained 14:03 Faith And Awkward Goodbye 16:14 Aftershock And Reflections 17:02 Googling And Second Marriage 20:31 Father In Law Discovery 24:05 Snark Fades Away 24:52 Aftermath support at Work 26:02 Therapy Barriers 27:42 Calling Jodeen 29:03 Alternate Reality Thoughts 30:44 Telling Brian at Home 34:50 Boundaries and Closure 36:42 Advice for Survivors 40:17 Violence and Safety 44:01 Healing Resources and Wrap   Website: https://dswministries.org Subscribe to the podcast: https://dswministries.org/subscribe-to-podcast/ Social media links: Join our Private Wounds of the Faithful FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1603903730020136 Twitter: https://twitter.com/DswMinistries YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxgIpWVQCmjqog0PMK4khDw/playlists Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dswministries/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DSW-Ministries-230135337033879 Keep in touch with me! Email subscribe to get my handpicked list of the best resources for abuse survivors! https://thoughtful-composer-4268.ck.page #abuse #trauma Can’t travel to The Holy Land right now? The next best thing is Walking The Bible Lands! Get a free video sample of the Bible lands here! https://www.walkingthebiblelands.com/a/18410/hN8u6LQP An easy way to help my ministry: https://dswministries.org/product/buy-me-a-cup-of-tea/ A donation link: https://dswministries.org/donate/

  3. Feb 19

    Returning to a Jesus centered Christianity: Jake Doberenz EP 225

    In this new episode, host Diana welcomes back guest Jake Doberenz, who shares updates on his life since his last appearance in Season 2. They discuss Jake's new podcast 'Christianity Without Compromise,' his new Substack, and his middle-grade book series 'Super Jake.' The conversation delves into Jake's personal challenges, including a difficult divorce and the loss of his father, and how his faith journey and mental health were affected. They also cover topics such as Christian nationalism, tribalism, and the importance of returning to a Jesus-centered Christianity. Jake emphasizes the value of listening and learning from diverse perspectives as a path to spiritual and personal growth. 00:00 Introduction and Sponsor Message 00:47 Welcome to the Podcast 01:28 Introducing Jake Dorin 01:50 Jake's New Ventures 02:51 Technical Difficulties and Housekeeping 03:33 Jake's Return to the Show 04:13 Jake's Journey and Challenges 13:45 Support Systems and Church Reactions 20:16 Jake's Writing Journey 26:21 Introduction to the Podcast's Mission 26:41 Focusing on Jesus-Centered Christianity 27:50 Challenges and Pushback 28:45 The Call to Smash Idols 29:38 Diverse Conversations and Controversial Topics 31:34 Personal Growth and Education 39:01 Christian Nationalism and Its Dangers 45:04 Reflecting on History and Moving Forward 48:07 Final Thoughts and Advice 50:36 Conclusion and Farewell   Jakedoberenz.com for all things Jake! I am a writer, speaker, minister, coach, and creative thinker living in Oklahoma City, OK. I have earned my Master of Theological Studies at Oklahoma Christian University, the same place I earned my Bachelor’s degree in Bible with a minor in Communication Studies. I write fiction and nonfiction in a variety of mediums, including poetry, short stories, books, stage plays, academic essays, and devotionals. I also venture out into other mediums, like podcasts and video. My favorite topics of choice to discuss and write about (though always changing) include: Christian writing, helping people understand the Bible better, Christian identity, theology of technology and social media, use of humor in faith messages, how to get young people back in church, and a Christian response to culture.   Website: https://dswministries.org Subscribe to the podcast: https://dswministries.org/subscribe-to-podcast/ Social media links: Join our Private Wounds of the Faithful FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1603903730020136 Twitter: https://twitter.com/DswMinistries YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxgIpWVQCmjqog0PMK4khDw/playlists Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dswministries/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DSW-Ministries-230135337033879 Keep in touch with me! Email subscribe to get my handpicked list of the best resources for abuse survivors! https://thoughtful-composer-4268.ck.page #abuse #trauma Affiliate links: Our Sponsor: 753 Academy: https://www.753academy.com/ Can’t travel to The Holy Land right now? The next best thing is Walking The Bible Lands! Get a free video sample of the Bible lands here! https://www.walkingthebiblelands.com/a/18410/hN8u6LQP An easy way to help my ministry: https://dswministries.org/product/buy-me-a-cup-of-tea/ A donation link: https://dswministries.org/donate/   Jake Doberenz [00:00:00] Special thanks to 7 5 3 Academy for sponsoring this episode. No matter where you are in your fitness and health journey, they've got you covered. They specialize in helping you exceed your health and fitness goals, whether that is losing body fat, gaining muscle, or nutritional coaching to match your fitness levels. They do it all with a written guarantee for results so you don't waste time and money on a program that doesn't exceed your goals. There are martial arts programs. Specialize in anti-bullying programs for kids to combat proven Filipino martial arts. They take a holistic, fun, and innovative approach that simply works. Sign up for your free class now. It's 7 5 3 academy.com. Find the link in the show notes. Welcome to the Wounds of the Faithful Podcast, brought to you by DSW Ministries. Your host is singer songwriter, speaker and domestic violence advocate, [00:01:00] Diana. She is passionate about helping survivors in the church heal from domestic violence and abuse and trauma. This podcast is not a substitute for professional counseling or qualified medical help. Now here is Diana. Hello everyone. How are you guys today? This is one of our new episodes. We have Jake Dorin back on the show. He was on season two and I did rebroadcast, the first interview that I had with him. So please go back and listen to that. It is fantastic and there's a lot of new things going on with Jake. He has a new podcast, which is called Christianity Without Compromise. He also has a new substack, [00:02:00] that is fabulous. He is written a book, super Jake and a second book. Super Jake and Cool Kenny. So that's a fictional book. Got remarried recently and there's a lot of here to talk about that is very timely for today. I just love his podcast. It is really great. He talks about, current topics that affect the church. And so I'm not gonna do too much intro because, like I said, you can listen to the original podcast interview from, last time. I've got lots of questions for him. I don't really have a script today. I'm just gonna go with the flow as to, what he wants to talk about. Um, a couple housekeeping things. I had some computer problems, some internet problems, and so I [00:03:00] was this afternoon switching out my computer in my studio with my laptop, so I didn't have to do the podcast on my cell phone. Um, this camera isn't as wonderful as my other one, and the sound isn't as wonderful, but I'm gonna try and fix the sound part post-production. But this is gonna be a fantastic show, perfect for the new year. So I hope that you will enjoy my second conversation with Jake Doberenz. Alright, welcome back to the show from season two. Jake, do thanks for coming on the show again. Of course, of course. I'm glad you'll have me all these seasons later. That's, that's really fun. It's cool. Yeah. There's a lot of things that have happened since, you were on the show, so I was glad that you were looking to be a [00:04:00] guest again, and, definitely wanted you to come back and share what you've been up to since then, some exciting things, and then some contemplative things that you've experienced. So remind the folks , what you're all about. Oh, what I'm all about. I mean, the formats change, but I've always just been trying to communicate Christian truth to people, you know, through podcasts, through books, through plays, like whatever the, the medium changes all the time. I just think Jesus is pretty cool and I want people to know him better and, um, I want people to know the real Jesus and not, there's a bunch of posers running around. Don't know if you knew that, but I want people to encounter the real thing. So, I mean, that's who, that's what I'm all about. Since the last time we've talked, I've probably started and also abandoned like a hundred projects, you know, that's just my nature. Fortunately, and [00:05:00] unfortunately, well, I was a big fan of your creatively Christian mm-hmm. Podcast. I was a guest on there with Andrea. Yeah. And I really enjoyed that being a musician and everything, and a creative myself. I understand that you're not doing that anymore, right? Yeah. That one's not, active anymore. I handed that off to Brandon. Brandon was one of our anchor hosts there on the show. He still posts about the show sometimes, and, uh, he has all the rights and access to the material. And so episodes still get shared and still get listens to. I think stopped, early, like 23, or 24, man, I don't know. The years have blurred together. But I still get notifications of people wanting to be guests on that show or, you know, some, something like good pods will say, Hey, this is ranked in the top for Christian, you know, arts and stuff. I'm like, whoa, it's crazy. So it [00:06:00] still gets traction even though we're not actively publishing, which is definitely fun. Wow. And you. Have this new podcast, Christianity Without Compromise, which I am like fan number two. Jake, I just absolutely love this podcast, I know you had it branded as Smashing Idols, which actually liked that title. Oh. Or did you decide to change it? Well, I decided to change it because it's a cool title, but I would tell that to people and they'd be like, I, what is that? Huh? What's going on here? Um, and so I wanted a fit of a couple keywords in there. I wanted to be very clear. It was about Christianity and Christian stuff. So a little bit to get found better. I mean, that was a lot of it. Mm-hmm. It get understood a little bit better. Um, but we're still this pretty much the same mission. We're smashing the idols. We're trying to bring the church back to kind of a faithful Christian witness. Right. And that means, hey, there are some idols in the [00:07:00] way. We're just gonna, move them and sometimes get a hammer out and start smashing 'em. 'cause we gotta get those out of the way to get back to the real deal. I totally agree. Yeah. When you are on here in season two. You went through some really difficult times of your life and I wanted to have you share with our audience, what you've learned in, those tough times and what was your relationship with the Lord and how he helped you through that. Whatever you're comfortable sharing with us. Yeah, I mean, since then I've had my job more than a year, uh, my job, period of life, right? But before we catch everybody up, I want people to understand, like, I had a relatively more or less comfortable life. I grew up in the church. My, my parents stayed together. It wasn't perfect, but they stayed together and didn't really have anybody like die or leave in my [00:08:00] world. Like it wasn't bad. And then I

  4. Feb 4

    Exciting Life Changes: Diana's Journey Back to Seminary

    Exciting Life Changes: Diana's Journey Back to Seminary   In this new episode Diana shares a major life update: she is returning to seminary to pursue a Master of Divinity with the goal of becoming a hospital chaplain. Diana discusses the inspirations behind this decision, the requirements for becoming a chaplain, and how it aligns with her extensive background in ministry and healthcare. She addresses potential concerns about women in ministry, outlines her plans for the podcast during this busy period, and offers resources and support to listeners. Tune in to hear about Diana's exciting new chapter and her continued commitment to helping others through her podcast and future chaplaincy.   00:00 Introduction and Sponsor Message 00:47 Welcome to the Podcast 01:20 New Year Updates and Announcements 01:56 Journey to Becoming a Chaplain 05:12 Role and Responsibilities of a Chaplain 11:19 Podcast Changes and Future Plans 16:34 Conclusion and Support

  5. Jan 14

    Mastering Bible Study: Insights and Tips with Jake Doberenz: EP 224

    In this episode, Diana's special guest Jake Doberenz, founder of Theophany Media and host of the Creatively Christian podcast, shares his expertise on effective Bible study. The discussion covers essential principles of biblical interpretation, the importance of studying scripture in community, and approaches to understanding difficult passages. Listeners are also guided on selecting appropriate Bible translations and utilizing various online resources, ensuring a comprehensive and balanced approach to scripture study. The episode concludes with a prayer for listeners' spiritual journey and their engagement with the scriptures. Bio: Jake Doberenz isn’t one thing. He identifies as a polymath, a Renaissance man, or a multipotentialite–one interest or specialty can’t contain him. But enough of the third-person. I am a writer, speaker, minister, and creative thinker living in Oklahoma City, OK with my wife Samantha. My most significant role is the founder and president of Theophany Media, a Christian education company dedicated to helping Christians engage with culture through new media. I have earned my Master of Theological Studies at Oklahoma Christian University, the same place I earned my Bachelor’s degree in Bible with a minor in Communication Studies. I also worked at my alma mater as a Resident Director and Bible TA. I write fiction and nonfiction in a variety of mediums, including poetry, short stories, books, stage plays, academic essays, and devotionals. I also venture out into other mediums, like podcasts and video. My favorite topics of choice to discuss and write about (though always changing) include: creating Christian art, helping people understand the Bible better, Christian identity, theology of social media, use of humor in faith messages, superheroes and theology, and a Christian response to culture. If you want to see his progress, achievements, and appearances sign up for the newsletter so you’ll never miss an update! website: Home – Jake Doberenz 00:00 Introduction and Sponsor Message 00:47 Welcome to the Podcast 01:44 Introducing the Guest: Jake Doberenz 02:43 Jake's Background and Interests 05:56 Jake's Teaching Journey 10:46 Bible Study for Abuse Survivors 13:25 Choosing the Right Bible Translation 18:42 Understanding the Bible Without Knowing Greek or Hebrew 21:34 Basic Rules of Bible Interpretation 25:43 Embracing Uncomfortable Bible Stories 26:47 Using Jesus as a Lens for Interpretation 30:54 The Importance of Community in Bible Study 34:14 Red Flags in Spiritual Leadership 37:02 Recommended Bible Study Resources 41:33 Exploring Different Perspectives 44:58 Connecting with the Speaker 46:29 Closing Prayer and Final Thoughts   Website: https://dswministries.org Subscribe to the podcast: https://dswministries.org/subscribe-to-podcast/ Social media links: Join our Private Wounds of the Faithful FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1603903730020136 Twitter: https://twitter.com/DswMinistries YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxgIpWVQCmjqog0PMK4khDw/playlists Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dswministries/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DSW-Ministries-230135337033879 Keep in touch with me! Email subscribe to get my handpicked list of the best resources for abuse survivors! https://thoughtful-composer-4268.ck.page #abuse #trauma Affiliate links: Our Sponsor: 753 Academy: https://www.753academy.com/ Can’t travel to The Holy Land right now? The next best thing is Walking The Bible Lands! Get a free video sample of the Bible lands here! https://www.walkingthebiblelands.com/a/18410/hN8u6LQP An easy way to help my ministry: https://dswministries.org/product/buy-me-a-cup-of-tea/ A donation link: https://dswministries.org/donate/ Jake Doberenz [00:00:00] Special thanks to 7 5 3 Academy for sponsoring this episode. No matter where you are in your fitness and health journey, they've got you covered. They specialize in helping you exceed your health and fitness goals, whether that is losing body fat, gaining muscle, or nutritional coaching to match your fitness levels. They do it all with a written guarantee for results so you don't waste time and money on a program that doesn't exceed your goals. There are martial arts programs. Specialize in anti-bullying programs for kids to combat proven Filipino martial arts. They take a holistic, fun, and innovative approach that simply works. Sign up for your free class now. It's 7 5 3 academy.com. Find the link in the show notes. Welcome to the Wounds of the Faithful Podcast, brought to you by DSW Ministries. Your host is singer songwriter, speaker and domestic violence advocate, [00:01:00] Diana . She is passionate about helping survivors in the church heal from domestic violence and abuse and trauma. This podcast is not a substitute for professional counseling or qualified medical help. Now here is Diana. Hey there, everybody. Come on in, set for a spell. How are you guys doing? I appreciate your support in listening to the podcast, and I hope that you are enjoying some really encouraging words and practical things for you to do your own Bible study and read the word of God for yourself. We have a new guest on the show now I'm very familiar with his podcast, creatively Christian. I've been on his podcast. His show has a few different interviewers. And so [00:02:00] Andrea Sandifer, who you guys know that was on the show, she interviewed me on her show. And our guest today, Jake Doberenz, the man behind that podcast, he is a funny guy. He likes to bring humor from the Bible. And I've been reading his blog and following his newsletters. And his Facebook group. So I thought he would be a great addition to the podcast , and I think you're gonna love him. I'm gonna tell you a little bit about him. He has a lot of interest here, so here we go. Jake, Doberenz isn't one thing. He identifies as a polymath, a renaissance man or a multipotentialite. One interest or specialty, can't contain him. So he [00:03:00] says of himself, but enough of the third person. I'm a writer, speaker, minister, and creative thinker, living in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. My most significant role is the founder and president of Theophany Media. A Christian education company dedicated to helping Christians engage with culture through new media. I have earned my Master of Theological studies at Oklahoma Christian University, the same place I earned my bachelor's degree in Bible with a minor in communication studies. I also worked at my alma matter as a resident director and bible ta. I write fiction and nonfiction in a variety of mediums, including poetry, short stories, books, stage plays, academic essays, and [00:04:00] devotionals. I also venture out into other mediums like podcasts and video, my favorite topics of choice to discuss and write about. Although always changing, include creating Christian art, helping people understand the Bible better. Christian identity, theology of social media, use of humor in faith messages, super heroes and theology, any Christian response to culture. So this is gonna be awesome. So I hope that you enjoy my conversation with Jake Doberenz. Please welcome to the show, Jake Doberenz. Thanks for coming on today. Sure thing, anytime. I'm glad to be here. I really enjoyed being on your [00:05:00] podcast, A creatively Christian, and Andrea interviewed me and then she was on my podcast and I follow your Facebook group and get your. Very humorous email newsletter. And so I thought you were the perfect fit to come on to the podcast. And you're a bible geek like me, and you have a different perspective on life. In the Bible, you find humor in the Bible, which a lot of people don't find the Bible very funny. So welcome to the show. Yeah, I'm glad to be here providing some humor and quite possibly even some wisdom and intelligent comments. We'll see if we get to that part. So you haven't been on the podcast before, so. Tell the folks a little bit about yourself and your family. Okay? Yeah. Always a fun question because where do you [00:06:00] start? Where do you end? But yeah. I am in Oklahoma City right now. I'm an Oregon native and got stuck in Oklahoma. Stuck sounds too negative, but I got planted here. That sounds better. I got my bachelor's degree in biblical studies with a minor in communication studies. I have a Master's of Theological studies and for a while I was kind of going down the Bible professor route. That was gonna be my thing. And it's not like completely off the table right now, but it is not my chief kind of path anymore because there are not a lot of jobs in that area and there's a lot of different things there that make it quite challenging. A lot of schooling, a lot of debt for maybe not so much reward, but we'll see what the future brings. I am still flexing my desires to write and teach. That has always been what I wanted to do, even when the subject changed, even when it [00:07:00] was cat psychology or whatever, I always wanted to write and teach and so I'm still doing that in in different ways. I'm certainly still using my degrees, even though I'll be going into teaching middle school geography this year. Ooh, kind of a new adventure. Add some more skills and weird things on my resume. That's kind of how I do it. So geography. Cool. I think that's me. Yeah. Yeah. That's very brave. Middle school, that particular age, did you pick the age group you were teaching or did they just kind of throw you in there? I applied to high school and middle school. I wasn't going to do anybody under middle school and the high school jobs never called me back. And the, I got some different offerings on the middle school side of thing, so I said, okay, that's what you want me to do. God, I will walk into this wilderness. And then they gave me some kind of choices between, and I chose sixth grade specifically, so I'll be with, with sixth graders. [00:08:00] They, uh, w

  6. 12/31/2025

    Surviving Clergy Abuse: Sandy Phillips Kirkham EP 223

    In this episode, the focus is on clergy abuse—a topic made even more pressing by recent headlines. The featured guest, Sandy Phillips Kirkham, shares her harrowing ordeal of being abused by a charismatic youth pastor starting at the age of 16. Sandy discusses the grooming process, the five years of abuse, and how she was ultimately expelled from her church while her abuser was merely relocated. She delves into the long-lasting impact of the abuse on her life and her spiritual journey, how she concealed her trauma for 27 years, and how she ultimately confronted her abuser. Sandy also provides valuable insights and actionable advice for preventing abuse and supporting victims within church communities. Her story is also detailed in her book, ‘Let Me Prey on You,’ which offers a detailed account of her journey from victim to advocate. 00:00 Introduction and Sponsor Message 00:47 Welcome to the Podcast 01:32 Introducing Today's Topic: Clergy Abuse 02:17 Sandy Phillips Kirkham's Early Life and Church Involvement 06:22 Meeting the Abuser: The Charismatic Youth Pastor 08:43 Red Flags and Grooming Tactics 13:51 The First Inappropriate Act 16:37 The Abuse Escalates 21:06 The Aftermath and Church's Response 28:15 Life After Abuse: Marriage and Keeping Secrets 32:09 Protecting Future Generations 35:17 The Importance of Sex Education in the Church 36:32 Techniques for Discussing Sex with Children 37:22 Personal Experiences with Sex Education 38:20 Triggering Memories and Emotional Breakdown 40:13 The Journey of Healing Begins 41:31 Understanding Clergy Abuse and Self-Forgiveness 43:52 Confronting the Abuser 47:07 Challenges in Seeking Justice 54:47 Preventing Abuse in the Church 01:00:31 Supporting Victims of Clergy Abuse 01:05:07 Final Thoughts and Resources Sandy Kirkham and her husband Bill enjoy life with their two grown children, two beautiful granddaughters, and two fairly well-behaved dogs. Sandy continues to use her voice to help victims of clergy abuse. She currently serves on the board of Council Against Child Abuse. Sandy has spoken before the Ohio Senate, a Maryland court, and appeared on a local television show in Boston. Her story, “Stolen Innocence,” was told in a documentary produced by The Hope of Survivors. Sandy works with survivors conducting victim support conferences. She has participated in The Voice of the Faithful (VOTF) panels moderated by SNAP (Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests), sharing her perspective from the non-Catholic point of view. Sandy has been a presenter/speaker at major events on clergy abuse including the Hope & Healing Conference. Sandy has earned a certificate of completion from the Faith Trust Institute entitled, “A Sacred Trust: Boundary Issues for Clergy and Spiritual Teachers.” https://sandyphillipskirkham.com/ https://www.facebook.com/KirkhamAuthor/  sandykirkhamauthor@gmail.com  Purchase her book “Let Me Prey Upon You” on amazon: https://sandyphillipskirkham.com/shop/let-me-prey-upon-you/   Link Tree   Website: https://dswministries.org Subscribe to the podcast: https://dswministries.org/subscribe-to-podcast/ Social media links: Join our Private Wounds of the Faithful FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1603903730020136 Twitter: https://twitter.com/DswMinistries YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxgIpWVQCmjqog0PMK4khDw/playlists Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dswministries/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DSW-Ministries-230135337033879 Keep in touch with me! Email subscribe to get my handpicked list of the best resources for abuse survivors! https://thoughtful-composer-4268.ck.page #abuse #trauma Affiliate links: Our Sponsor: 753 Academy: https://www.753academy.com/ Can’t travel to The Holy Land right now? The next best thing is Walking The Bible Lands! Get a free video sample of the Bible lands here! https://www.walkingthebiblelands.com/a/18410/hN8u6LQP An easy way to help my ministry: https://dswministries.org/product/buy-me-a-cup-of-tea/ A donation link: https://dswministries.org/donate/   Sandy Phillips Kirkham [00:00:00] Special thanks to 7 5 3 Academy for sponsoring this episode. No matter where you are in your fitness and health journey, they've got you covered. They specialize in helping you exceed your health and fitness goals, whether that is losing body fat, gaining muscle, or nutritional coaching to match your fitness levels. They do it all with a written guarantee for results so you don't waste time and money on a program that doesn't exceed your goals. There are martial arts programs. Specialize in anti-bullying programs for kids to combat proven Filipino martial arts. They take a holistic, fun, and innovative approach that simply works. Sign up for your free class now. It's 7 5 3 academy.com. Find the link in the show notes. Welcome to the Wounds of the Faithful Podcast, brought to you by DSW Ministries. Your host is singer songwriter, speaker and domestic violence advocate, [00:01:00] Diana Winkler. She is passionate about helping survivors in the church heal from domestic violence and abuse and trauma. This podcast is not a substitute for professional counseling or qualified medical help. Now here is Diana. Hello. Welcome everyone. Welcome to my regular listeners, as well as some new listeners that have joined us today. I have a great guest for you today. We're going to be talking about clergy abuse today. Religious leader, abuse. Pastor, youth leader. You've seen this in the news recently with all these preachers being arrested or charged with sexual misconduct or rape or [00:02:00] pedophilia. I'm sure you've seen the news. Well, today we're going to hear a story about a woman who's been victimized in that way and she's fighting back. So let me read her bio for you. A church is where an insecure 16-year-old girl should feel welcome, happy, and most importantly, safe tragically. For some, the church can become a place of great harm. Sandy Phillips Kirkham details her account of how charismatic youth minister preyed upon her, a betrayal which left her broken with a shattered faith and the ultimate shame of being blamed enforced from the church she loved. Despite a successful and happy life, is a wife, mother, and friend. Sandy successfully concealed her abuse for [00:03:00] 27 years until a trigger forced her to face the truth. Sandy's story will take you on her journey of healing. Her strength and courage will inspire you. Let me pray upon you her book details. Sandy's journey from innocent 16-year-old, a victim to a survivor, and advocate. We please welcome Sandy Phillips. Kirk, welcome Sandy to the show. Thanks so much for coming on. Well, thank you for having me. I'm glad to be here. Wow. So I've been listening to you on the Preacher Boys podcast and thought you had a really great story, and so I wanted to come and bring you on so my listeners can hear your story as well. Mm-hmm. So tell us a little bit about your home and your church environment growing up. Let's [00:04:00] start from the beginning here. Okay. I'm the oldest of five. My parents were divorced when I was about seven, which that was really the impact of my life, of just how it altered everything about that time in my life. Then my mother remarried and we moved in with my stepfather shortly after my father remarried, and so I was dealing with these blended families and it was just very confusing for me at the time, my parents and stepfather did not attend church. So I, I wasn't a part of a church until I was about eight, and that's when my best friend who lived up the street invited me to go with their family, and I went with them and I went every Sunday after that, I absolutely fell in love with church. It was a place that I felt safe. I think it provided for me a place away from home that I felt comfortable and I got attention there. I was very active even as a small child. I went to vacation Bible school, church camp, love Sunday School. I sang in a junior choir. Really, it was a just a great place for me to [00:05:00] be. When I was 13, I was baptized and then my faith really deepened and my involvement in the church became even more so, started teaching Sunday school and teaching vacation Bible school. I started serving on committees with adults and doing more of the activities that would, , just be more in depth than just typical youth group activities. So, it's just no exaggeration to say that if the doors of the church were open, I was there and I loved it. I loved serving God. I felt that was the place for me, and everything about it was brought me joy and peace in the church. Wow. You really, were very sincere in your faith. It was not a fake one. I hear a lot of stories of. Being brought up in the church and being made to go to church and, you just go through the motions kind of thing. But it sounds like it was the opposite for you. It was that you really believed this with all your heart. Was that a fundamental Baptist church you were going [00:06:00] to or what? It was a church, Christ Christian Church, which is similar to the Baptist. It's an independent church. Yeah, that's the church. That was so something happened while you were serving the Lord and loving God. You met your abuser? Yes. Shortly after I turned 16, our church hired a new youth pastor, and from the moment he arrived, he was totally different than anyone we'd ever seen before. He was very charismatic, very dynamic. His sermons were really like nothing we'd ever heard before, and people were just drawn to him. He had a personality that people found themselves wanting to be around him. They wanted to please him. So he was very good at asking people to do things and they didn't hesitate. It, it was just a different kind of atmosphere. When he came to the church, the youth group exploded in numbers. We went from like 25 to almost 200 in a very short time. Even the [00:07:00] adult church was growing be

  7. 12/17/2025

    Struggles with Self-Worth: Rosalie's Journey from Abuse to Healing Through Faith EP 222B

    Struggles with Self-Worth: Rosalie's Journey from Abuse to Healing Through Faith In this episode host Diana welcomes Rosalie Janelle, host of 'The Good News' podcast, to share her powerful survivor story. Rosalie opens up about her journey from an abusive relationship to finding faith and beginning her healing process through therapy and a closer relationship with God. The discussion covers Rosalie's background, the signs of abuse, the harrowing experiences she endured, and how she was ultimately saved, both physically and spiritually. This episode aims to provide hope and encouragement to those in abusive situations, emphasizing the importance of faith, support systems, and professional help. 00:00 Introduction and Sponsor Message 00:47 Welcome to the Podcast 01:26 Introducing Today's Guest: Rosalie Janelle 02:31 Rosalie's Background and Upbringing 04:42 College Years and Faith Struggles 07:21 Entering an Abusive Relationship 09:40 Escalation of Abuse 18:16 Struggles with Self-Worth and Infidelity 19:40 A Violent Turning Point 23:39 Realization and Rock Bottom 24:27 The Violent Incident 26:10 Aftermath and Legal Proceedings 26:56 Spiritual Awakening 30:39 Healing Journey 35:19 Therapy and EMDR 40:30 Advice for Those in Abusive Situations 43:31 Conclusion and Final Thoughts Website: www.thegoodnewspodcast.org Email: genaor@gmail.com Social media links: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Rosellygenao Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zealouzlysweet/ My podcast: The Good News Podcast www.thegoodnewspodcast.org Available on Anchor, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Breaker, Google Podcasts, Pocket Cast, Radio Public Bio: Roselly Genao is a podcast host, spiritual coach and an operations supervisor in the emergency services industry. Roselly has been serving God faithfully since November 2019, shortly after she survived a traumatic attack on her life. Roselly’s affinity is drawing people nearer to Christ through encouragement and inspiration. She currently is the host of The Good News Podcast and is a certified emotional first aide provider. With these means she helps bring people closer to God daily in conjunction with serving God.   Website: https://dswministries.org Subscribe to the podcast: https://dswministries.org/subscribe-to-podcast/ Social media links: Join our Private Wounds of the Faithful FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1603903730020136 Twitter: https://twitter.com/DswMinistries YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxgIpWVQCmjqog0PMK4khDw/playlists Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dswministries/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DSW-Ministries-230135337033879 Keep in touch with me! Email subscribe to get my handpicked list of the best resources for abuse survivors! https://thoughtful-composer-4268.ck.page #abuse #trauma Affiliate links: Our Sponsor: 753 Academy: https://www.753academy.com/ Can’t travel to The Holy Land right now? The next best thing is Walking The Bible Lands! Get a free video sample of the Bible lands here! https://www.walkingthebiblelands.com/a/18410/hN8u6LQP An easy way to help my ministry: https://dswministries.org/product/buy-me-a-cup-of-tea/ A donation link: https://dswministries.org/donate/ [00:00:00] Special thanks to 7 5 3 Academy for sponsoring this episode. No matter where you are in your fitness and health journey, they've got you covered. They specialize in helping you exceed your health and fitness goals, whether that is losing body fat, gaining muscle, or nutritional coaching to match your fitness levels. They do it all with a written guarantee for results so you don't waste time and money on a program that doesn't exceed your goals. There are martial arts programs. Specialize in anti-bullying programs for kids to combat proven Filipino martial arts. They take a holistic, fun, and innovative approach that simply works. Sign up for your free class now. It's 7 5 3 academy.com. Find the link in the show notes. Welcome to the Wounds of the Faithful Podcast, brought to you by DSW Ministries. Your host is singer songwriter, speaker and domestic violence advocate, [00:01:00] Diana . She is passionate about helping survivors in the church heal from domestic violence and abuse and trauma. This podcast is not a substitute for professional counseling or qualified medical help. Now here is Diana. Hello everyone. How are you doing ? I'm glad you joined me today on my podcast. We have a survivor story today. I think you'll be really blessed by her story. Rosalie. Janelle is on the show today. And I hope that you'll listen closely to what she has to share with you. She's the host of the Good News podcast. She's going to bring a raw and honest story of how she got into an abusive relationship and how she got out, how she found the Lord, and how she has started her healing journey. So without [00:02:00] further ado, here's Rosalie. Welcome, Rosalie Janelle to the show. Thank you so much for coming on. No problem. I'm happy to be here. Diana, thank you for inviting me on. Now the tables are turned , you're in the guest chair today? Yes. My first time too, so I'm not used to it. I was just on her podcast, the Good News podcast. Mm-hmm. And uh, that's what podcasters do. We go on each other's shows. Yes. Amen. Absolutely. I'm happy to be here. So tell the audience a little bit about your fine self. Yes, absolutely. So as Diana mentioned, my name is Rosalie Genow. I go by Rose, by trade. I'm a manager of an operation center. And, by night I'm a podcast host of the Good News podcast and, full-time. I'm a believer for Jesus. I love, spreading the gospel, talking to others about the gospel, and what he has done in my life. So that's why I'm here. Awesome. So let's start from the [00:03:00] beginning. What was your family upbringing like? Were you raised in a Christian home? Oh, this question from the beginning. I wasn't, I was raised in a Catholic home. And I say that very loosely because my parents weren't practicing when I was growing up. They mostly like practice, up until the point I was born. And then I got baptized as a baby into the Catholic. Church. But I still went to Catholic school, so we weren't practicing at home, but I went to Catholic school, so that kind of shaped, you know, gave me a little bit of foundation as I was growing up. But weirdly enough, I still, I didn't know God and not when I was younger. So what was, your home like growing up? I mean, it was typical. I don't think that it was, abnormal. I had both my parents, I have, I'm one of three, I have two siblings and I. I don't know. I don't, I wouldn't say it was atypical. It was a loving home. I was involved in a lot of extracurricular activities growing up in [00:04:00] school. I was, involved in, pretty much every group that you could think of. I was a good academic kid. My siblings, they did, have their children, a little on the younger side, so. Towards like my teenage years, I was growing up in the home alone. 'Cause my siblings moved out and started their families. And at that point in time when I was a teenager, I was a little bit of a, I was trouble, I was definitely trouble. I was not making great decisions. I started dating really young. Oh gosh. Probably younger than I should have. And, I think that really started, in my early college years, I really started to make some pretty bad decisions. So it started in my teenage years. So when you went off to college, you said that you had a collapse of your faith. What was your relationship with God like then in your life? Yeah, when I got to college, I wasn't really practicing any kind of religion or [00:05:00] even praying to God. My life was, like I said, I started a tr a path on my life where I was making da bad decisions almost daily. Now looking back, I think it was, the lack of having a relationship with God. But I would say that in the beginning of my college career, I had no relationship with God. I actually was very confused, because I had graduated from a Catholic, high school, and then I went to a Catholic university and I was seeking answers. So I was going to the Catholic mass, almost weekly, but it was kind of like just going through the motions of my, that was in the first year of my, of. The first semester of college and then I went to a girlfriend's church. And it was a non-denominational Christian Church, probably second semester of freshman year. And, that kind of started to change my perspective. On, God and who he was and who Jesus is because, it was so different than the Catholic church. So, mm-hmm. It sparked us an interest, but I would [00:06:00] say not enough for me to do anything about it. Not at the time. Yeah. I can relate. I was raised Catholic. I know it means to go through the motions on the outside and nothing happening on the inside really. So you mentioned you made some bad choices in life. Why do you think that happened? I mean, for me at the time there was definitely, I was definitely going through a lot of stuff, just on the inside because I didn't have any kind of foundation. I didn't have any, belief and a higher power at that point in time. So I kind of saw life for what it was. It felt worthless, it felt like, so I made some pretty bad choices based off that root feeling of just feeling like, you know, there was no purpose for life. And I actually fell into depression. And during college, I was mixed up in bad relationships, through college. And then ultimately I ended up dropping out of college because. I was just making horrible decisions. I was partying all night and all of those things stemmed from the fact that I [00:07:00] viewed life as purposeless and therefore I didn't give myself enough self-worth. Mm-hmm. So, mm-hmm. So it sounds like you were prime target for an abusive relationship that you got into. Would you be able to talk about that? Were there any red flags beforehand? Yeah. So, let's backtrack a little bit. Mm-hmm. So, after colleg

  8. 12/03/2025

    What Does Comedy Have To Do with Sex Trafficking? Dave and Bobbie Ebert EP 221B

    Diana revisits a former interview with the late Dave Ebert, who went to be with Jesus in July 2024. His wife, Bobbie Ebert, joins the conversation to discuss their unique ministry. The couple uses improv comedy as a tool to help survivors of sex trafficking rediscover their voice, improve communication, and build confidence. Bobby shares her personal story of overcoming abuse and finding faith, while Dave discusses their journey into full-time ministry and their goal of creating a residential facility to support survivors. The episode also touches on the importance of laughter and joy in the healing process and provides details on how listeners can support their mission. 00:00 Introduction: Comedy and Sex Trafficking? 00:23 Sponsor Message: 7 5 3 Academy 01:11 Welcome to The Wounds of the Faithful Podcast 01:42 Introducing Dave and Bobby Ebert 02:12 The Power of Improv Comedy in Healing 04:48 Dave's Ministry Journey 07:50 Bobby's Testimony and Healing Journey 15:38 How Dave and Bobby Met 24:16 A Surprise Proposal 25:29 The Significance of the Ring 26:07 Life After Marriage 27:11 Transition to Full-Time Ministry 28:11 Using Comedy to Heal Trauma 29:24 The Missionary Journey 32:16 Fundraising and Support 32:48 Future Plans and Goals 35:06 The Power of Laughter 41:17 Final Thoughts and Call to Action The website is still up after his passing. Bobbie may be keeping the ministry going in his place. www.gifts4glory.com   Website: https://dswministries.org Subscribe to the podcast: https://dswministries.org/subscribe-to-podcast/ Social media links: Join our Private Wounds of the Faithful FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1603903730020136 Twitter: https://twitter.com/DswMinistries YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxgIpWVQCmjqog0PMK4khDw/playlists Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dswministries/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DSW-Ministries-230135337033879 Keep in touch with me! Email subscribe to get my handpicked list of the best resources for abuse survivors! https://thoughtful-composer-4268.ck.page #abuse #trauma Affiliate links: Our Sponsor: 753 Academy: https://www.753academy.com/ Can’t travel to The Holy Land right now? The next best thing is Walking The Bible Lands! Get a free video sample of the Bible lands here! https://www.walkingthebiblelands.com/a/18410/hN8u6LQP An easy way to help my ministry: https://dswministries.org/product/buy-me-a-cup-of-tea/ A donation link: https://dswministries.org/donate/   Dave and Bobbie Ebert [00:00:00] What does comedy and sex trafficking have to do with each other? It's not what you think. We have my guest, Dave Ebert on the show again from the first season of the show to talk to us about his ministry once again. So find out the answer to my question next on The Wounds of the Faithful podcast. Special thanks to 7 5 3 Academy for sponsoring this episode. No matter where you are in your fitness and health journey, they've got you covered. They specialize in helping you exceed your health and fitness goals, whether that is losing body fat, gaining muscle, or nutritional coaching to match your fitness levels. They do it all with a written guarantee for results so you don't waste time and money on a program that doesn't exceed your goals. There are martial arts programs. Specialize in anti-bullying programs for kids to combat proven Filipino martial arts. They [00:01:00] take a holistic, fun, and innovative approach that simply works. Sign up for your free class now. It's 7 5 3 academy.com. Find the link in the show notes. Welcome to the Wounds of the Faithful Podcast, brought to you by DSW Ministries. Your host is singer songwriter, speaker and domestic violence advocate, Diana . She is passionate about helping survivors in the church heal from domestic violence and abuse and trauma. This podcast is not a substitute for professional counseling or qualified medical help. Now here is Diana. Hello friends. Welcome back to the podcast. I'm so glad to be here with you. We have a great show for you. More Dave Ebert. If you didn't hear Dave's first interview, please go back and listen to it. It was excellent. He told his personal [00:02:00] story and then how he started his ministry. He's gonna bring his wife tonight because they're doing this together. So you wanted to get the answer to the question that I posed in the beginning. The power of improv comedy in healing and growth. Reverends Dave and Bobby Ebert are on a unique mission to minister to survivors of sex trafficking using the power of improv comedy. With their help survivors find their voice, tap into their creativity, improve communication, and rediscover confidence as US missionaries. They use their unique calling to help those in need and bring light to the darkest of situations. So there areas of focus on their webpage here. Use comedy to break down walls and find the good soil for the seeds of God's word to be [00:03:00] planted. Rebuild confidence through fun, creative games and challenges. So these survivors are better prepared to reenter society. Provide a needed respite from the challenges of healing and recovery by creating a safe, fun, and laughter rich environment. Demonstrate the love of the father and share the redeeming power of Christ to encourage forgiveness of those who inflicted the unimaginable trauma. So I think you're gonna really enjoy Dave and Bobby. I mean, what, what could go wrong with comedians, right? I know that you're going to be blessed with their stories and their vision to help sex Traffick victims to heal. So without delay. Here's my conversation with Dave and Bobby Ebert. Please welcome back to the [00:04:00] show, Dave Ebert, and we also have his wife Bobby, on the show with us tonight. Welcome both of you guys. Thank you, Diana, for having us back or having me back. And then first time guest, long time listener. Bobby, thanks for having us. This is gonna be great having, uh, comedians on the show again, and you're on episode 12 of season one. So I definitely wanna see what you've been up to since then and you have some updates for us today. Yeah, absolutely. Did you want us to start? There's, there's a lot to cover. Yeah. Just remind the folks what you do, and then I'll have Bobby tell the folks a little bit about herself and what role she plays in the ministry you have there. Awesome. So for the last, decade, I've, run an improv ministry based here in Chicago where we sp spring the, light of Christ into various rooms using comedy to bring people together. [00:05:00] Most of our shows have been either ministry to the homeless or it's been fundraisers where we've raised funds for everything from animal care shelters to people who lost part of their home in a fire. To camps for foster kids, and it's all about bringing people together and uniting them in laughter. 'cause I truly believe that laughter is a gift from God because he knew that things would get stressful and science bears out that laughter is such a stress reliever, such a healthy benefit for the body that there's no way that happened by accident. God designed laughter as a gift to help us, kind of deal with, the things that are stressful and help us forget the things that really aren't our burdens to carry. And part of that ministry included for the last four and a half years have been working at Salt and Light Coalition in Chicago, working with survivors of sex trafficking, using improv as a way to kind of break down the walls that they've had to put up to just to survive because mm-hmm. Frankly, they've [00:06:00] been through hell on earth. And to survive you've gotta develop some calluses and around their heart, around in inside, there's just so many calluses and walls that are up and the gift of laughter kind of unlocks that and allows them to really advance in their healing. Mm-hmm. I'm such a big supporter of what you do, Dave, and, um, when you talk about. Oh, God created humor. I, I really wished in scripture there was more of like Jesus laughing or Jesus telling jokes, don't you? Yeah, I would think that the human experience would tell you that you get 13 men just camping out, walking the water in wilderness. They're gonna crack some jokes. They're gonna make some funny things like James and John teased Peter, oh, help me Lord, I'm drowning. Help me. And he would fire back, Hey, at least I got out of the boat. And the whole, the verse where, Jesus is talking about is easier for a camel to get through the eye of a needle. To me, that's. [00:07:00] That could be taken as a sarcastic moment, like just Jesus in front of everybody, just like making this comment, which is so ludicrous. It could easily be interpreted as being of a funny comment. Like, I mean, camel obviously can't pass through a needle. So I think that there are moments you can find in scripture that, that are funny. It wasn't his focus. Mm-hmm. But. Proverbs 17:22 says, Lightheart is like good medicine. Some translations say laughter is like good medicine. So I think mm-hmm. If it's covered at least once, then we can stick to it. 'cause the Bible is true from front to back. But yeah, it would be kind of fun to hear like open night in Jerusalem, open mike night. Yeah. That's awesome. So Bobby, why don't you tell the folks about your background and how you met the Lord maybe, and how you met Dave. Yeah, so [00:08:00] I am Bobby Ebert, Dave's wife. We've been married for eight years and. My testimony starts in my childhood is through a series of abuse growing up all the way from junior high all the way through high school. Um, it became pretty serious. The police ended up being, getting involved and just a wide variety of things that happened with. All of that and being severe trauma, the Lord revealed to me in a vision, my sinful nature. And so how that happened was I was in a counseling session at a crisis center, and it was in the middle of that crisis center session that. T

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About

The mission of this podcast is to help survivors within the Evangelical Christian community heal from domestic violence, abuse, and trauma. It features encouraging, uplifting music, guidance from from industry experts, and empowering survivor stories.

Information

  • Creator
    DSW Ministries
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    225
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © @DSW Ministries 2020
  • Show Website
    The Wounds Of The Faithful