Setting Boundaries During the Holidays | Wounds of the Faithful Podcast In this special holiday episode of Wounds of the Faithful, host Diana addresses the challenges of celebrating Christmas for domestic violence survivors. She offers practical tips for setting boundaries with toxic family members, managing holiday expenses, and dealing with grief and loss. Diana also shares personal updates, talks about …
EP 195: Don’t Give Us On Finding A Good Church: Pastor John Smith: Part Two
Welcome back to Part Two of Pastor John Smith’s story about his experience with church hurt and how he dealt wit it. This week we talk more about how to find a healthy church and what kind of questions to ask during your search. God does want you to be in community! Join us for an excellent conversation in Christ. …
EP 194: Church Hurt and the Biker Ministry: John Smith: Part One
Have you been hurt by the church? Are you done with all the betrayal, pain, and suffering? John Smith knows exactly what that is like. He experienced it when planting churches in Arizona and starting a biker ministry to those seeking Christ. John candidly tells us about how he came to know Christ, start his ministry and suffered abuse from …
EP 178: Will I Get Justice For My Abuse? Psalm 10
Are my abusers going to get away with what they have done? We are looking at Psalm 10 in our series in the Psalms. Am I going to get justice for the things that they have done to me? Is it wrong to pray for my abusers to be punished? That is next on the Wounds of the Faithful podcast. …
EP 177: Is God Angry With Me? Psalm 6
How does God feel about us when we mess up? Is He really angry with us? What should we do when we want to run away from God? Why should we confess our sins to God and humble ourselves? When Does God love David so much? These questions and more we will be discussing in our study in Psalm 6! …
EP 175: Hope For Couples Struggling With Porn Addiction: Kirsten Samuel Part Two
Welcome back to Part Two of my interview with Kirsten Samuel! She continues with her journey of healing and saving her marriage from porn addiction. Kirsten holds nothing back sharing the guilt, shame, anger, and the hard work involved in coming out on the other side in one piece. But above all she finds hope, a new marriage, faith and …
EP 173: Grief and Hope Can Reside In The Same Heart: Kelly Hall Part Two
We are back with Part Two of Kelly Hall’s story, talking about her journey as a military wife, a mom with 4 children, 3 of which are deaf. Find out what happened when the faith community told her it was wrong of her to get cochlear implants for her children. She continues to tell the many stories of God’s grace …
EP 172: God Already Went Before Me: Kelly Hall Part One
God wouldn’t give me two deaf children, would he? My guest this week is my friend Kelly Hall who is the wife of an Air Force pilot and mother of four children, three of which who have special needs. She talks of her trials struggles and heartaches in raising her children, but also shares her great faith and the grace …
EP 161: When God Brags And Satan Accuses: Job Part Two
If God bragged about you to Satan, how would you respond? How would you hold up to Satan accusing you to God and wanting to destroy you? We’re continuing with our series in the book of Job. Today we are in the throne room of God. We talk about what an angel is, the trauma of Job’s wife, and Job’s …
EP 160: Your Faith When You Lose Everything: Job Part One
We are starting our series on the book of Job this week. We will start with an introduction of who Job is, where the events take place, who are the people involved in the story and what are the major themes of the book of Job. There is more to the story of Job than suffering. Come and discover the …
EP 144: What Is Deconstruction? Part One
We’re talking about deconstruction, what it is and why survivors choose to go down that road. We discuss many reasons that people give for abandoning their faith or turning their backs on God altogether. We’ll be exploring in a non judgmental, compassionate way, so join me for an encouraging episode. This is Part One of a Two Part series. Link …
EP 140? Why Don’t We Hear Sermons About Judge Deborah?
Deborah by Charles Landelle, 1901 Perhaps you came from a church background that recognized the valuable contributions of the women of the Bible, but for most Christians, they don’t ever get to hear about prominent women in the Bible, with the exception of Mary. Deborah, one of the Judges of Israel, is an godly example of a prophetess, military leader, …
EP 120: Jesus Wants To Minister To You! The Woman At The Well
We are starting a new series about notable people in the bible, namely those who have suffered abuse. This week we will explore the story of the woman at the well. We’ll dive into the culture, history, geography, and glorious truths that are part of this story. Why was this conversation between Jesus and the woman at the well so …
EP 96: Do I Need Bible College To Study The Bible? Paul Granger
We’re starting our new series this week on how to study the bible for abuse survivors! This is such an important part of our healing, especially with spiritual abuse. I have invited trusted bible teachers to come on the podcast and give their best tips and advice on studying the bible for yourself. Paul Granger is our first honored guest, …
EP 91: Hard Lessons From Work And Life
We are continuing this week talking about job loss, lessons learned the hard way, and sisterly advice sprinkled in along the way-in no particular order! I have lots of personal stories in this episode, such as, why Brian loves our new Instapot so much. I share the one rule you should never break at work, no matter what industry you …
EP 90: Surviving Unemployment
Have you lost your job? Are you dealing with the uncertainty and anxiety that comes with it? This will not be a how-to episode as much as it is a sharing of my own personal experience right now. I talk about the emotions of losing my job, dealing with the financial struggles, filing for unemployment benefits and unaffordable healthcare. The …
EP 82: Girl Talk With Brenna Covelens
Get out your sleeping bags, grab a favorite snack and beverage, and gather ’round for a virtual slumber party with my guest Brenna Covelens. We are having a girl talk session, 2 gals chatting about our dating experiences, where no topic is off limits or taboo. We covered stuff like boundaries, sex ed, fleshly desires, listening to the Holy Spirit’s …
Celebrating Women’s History Month With “The Called And Ready Writers!”
I was blessed to be invited to speak about my ministry on The Called And Ready Writers for Women’s History Month. Celebrating with phenomenal women Wanda Burnside, Ramelle Lee, Patricia Gallagher, Bonnie McPeak, Pastor Willie B White, Teirrany Bledsoe, and Izola Bird! Don’t miss the testimonials and encouragement from this meetup! Click on the link to listen! https://fccdl.in/aRXOPq8yel Website: https://dswministries.org …
Episode 67: How Do I Find A Job When Starting Over? Part One: Diana Alt
“How can I leave my abuser when I don’t have a job or marketable job skills?” That is a common reason why victims stay with their abusers. My guest this week is Diana Alt, a career coach who is here to show us that we do have marketable skills and can have a career after starting over again. We cover …
Episode 63: The Power Of Words To Destroy Or Heal: Allen Taylor
“Sticks and stones will break my bones, but names will never hurt me!” Do you remember that chant from childhood? Well, we will find out from my guest Allen Taylor that verbal abuse is just as damaging as physical abuse. We are talking about Allen’s new book “I Am Not The King”. Allen candidly shares the story of his difficult …
Episode 60: My Story: Spiritual Abuse In The Inner City: Part 11
Welcome back to the next part of my story when I was serving in an inner city church in the youth group. I recall the events that led up to us uprooting and moving to the inner city. I describe what it was like to live under a bridge, the wonderful people we were called to serve, and the delicious …
Episode 53: When You Find Out On Your Honeymoon That You Married The Wrong Person: Part 9
Happily ever after? It’s pretty disturbing to find out 24 hours after the wedding that you’ve made a big mistake. I’m continuing Part 9 of my abuse story, covering the wedding, the honeymoon, and the rocky first year of marriage. You’ll hear about the strange thing that was happening as I was walking down the aisle. Why did my new …
I Was A Guest On Embracing Abundant Life Podcast
https://podcasts.google.com/search/Embracing%20Abundant%20Life I had a great time chatting with Dr. Avis Sparks about my abuse story, my music and advocacy ministry. She is a great host! Be sure to check out her podcast! Show Notes: We do not need to wear a mask for God. The mask only hinders us from letting God help us deal with our real issues. God …
Episode 51: My Story: Why Didn’t I See The Red Flags? Part 7
“Why did you marry him?” is a question I’ve been asked more than once. This week, I tell the story of how I met my ex, his family’s rich heritage, and our strange dating relationship full of red flags. I point out some of the traits that are textbook narcissistic behaviors that he exhibited. I asked myself, “Why did I …
Episode 49: My Story: My Experiences During My First Year Of Bible College: Part 5
This week on the podcast, we are continuing with Part 5 of my story, where I reminesce about my first year in bible college. I talk about the culture of the church and the school, the dating scene, the legalistic standards, and the insane ministry schedule I kept. I started my formal voice and piano training and went on two foreign missions trips. I end with some of the things about the church and school that bothered me, but also remember the wonderful people who helped me out in tough times. Join me for the next leg of my journey!
Episode 47: My Story: Getting Baptized And Called Into The Ministry: Part 4
Thanks for joining me on Part 4 of telling my life, my ministry, and abuse story. It starts out with moving back east to be closer to extended family. I enter the work force with a few challenging jobs, join my cousin’s church, and finally get baptized. Learn why being overly vocal with your family about your new faith can …
Episode 45: My Story Two Pedophiles In The School Part 2
On this week’s podcast, I will continue telling my story. I reflect on the challenges of attending new public school out west. I share the story of how I came to saving faith in the Lord Jesus. You will also hear about the time I was followed home by a pedophile, and the harrowing experience of being fondled by a …
Episode 44: My Story: The Beginning Of My Journey And Faith Foundation Part One
Welcome to my journey! I’m starting a new series about my background, bible college years, church planting and abuse story. This will be the first time telling my entire story on the podcast. It will be a raw, honest, and transparent telling of heartaches, trials, successes, failures, and valuable lessons along the way. Each step of my journey, I reflect …
Episode 38: The Culty World Of The IFB Colleges: Will Hess Part One
Is your church a cult? My guest Will Hess wholeheartedly agrees that The Fundamental Baptist Church (a.k.a The IFB) he was raised in was a cult. He will share the story of how he suffered abuse from within his own family, as well as in his church. In this two part interview, here are the topics we covered this week: …
Episode 37: How To Treat Everyone As A Valuable Child Of God: Rev. Dr. Marcia Ledford
How can we be more like Jesus in this world of pain, suffering, and evil? Is it our responsibility as Christians to care for the oppressed? The Rev. Dr. Marcia Ledford guides us in answering these kinds of questions with empathy and compassion. She candidly shares her upbringing in the Baptist church, her divine call to preach, and becoming a …
Episode 34: When Is It Time To Leave Your Bully Church? Pastor Al Descheneau Part Two
When should you leave your church? Perhaps we should be asking God, “Should I stay?” instead. This is the second half of my riveting interview with Pastor Al Desheneau. We hear his story of being a young, green pastor, and pastoring churches filled with stubborn, legalistic people who didn’t want to change or be pastored. Pastor Al candidly shares the …
Episode 33: Being Bullied And Jesus Is Your Only Friend: Pastor Al Descheneau Part One
Have you been bullied? Then you must know how it feels to be alone, rejected, and friendless. My guest today is Pastor Al Descheneau, who shares the story of his upbringing in a transient Christian home. As always the new kid in school, he was subjected to frequent bullying and abusive treatment from his school mates. By the time he …
Episode 27: My Father Is A Pedophile-Jimmy Hinton Part 2
We continue our conversation with Pastor Jimmy Hinton this week, who had to turn his own father in to the police for pedophilia. Find out the sequence of events after Jimmy’s father is arrested and placed in prison with a life sentence. Jimmy describes how pedophiles think and how they abuse and manipulate their victims even from prison. He defines …
Episode 26: My Father Is A Pedophile: Pastor Jimmy Hinton Part One
Could you turn in your own parent to the police for committing unspeakable crimes of pedophilia? Would you be able to spot a pedophile in your midst? Pastor Jimmy Hinton and his family lived through this horrendous nightmare when he discovered that his father, a respected pastor and beloved member of the community, was secretly sexually abusing hundreds of children …
Watch Me Live On”Inspiration By Marie”!
I was a live guest on Marie McCarthy’s show Inspirational By Marie(UK). I told my story as it relates to the church and its teachings. There is a long version (1:10) and a short version (14 min) below. Sorry about my yellow tinted screen and my voice not matching my mouth. Squadcast seemed to be the culprit. Long version Short …
Episode 23: The Trauma Informed Church: Guest Suzanne Burns
How do you help a girl with a crisis pregnancy? Should you give money to the homeless man on the corner? We will find answers to these questions and more with our guest Suzanne Burns of Foundation House Ministries. Suzanne talks candidly about the inspiration behind starting Foundation House and her own crisis pregnancy. She shares the joys and challenges …
Episode 21:Guest: Wanda Burnside: When God Protected Me And Called Me To Write For Him
We have a special episode that was recorded during Black History month. Our guest is Wanda Burnside, who is an accomplished author, writer, and poet. Come and hear about her godly heritage growing up in Detroit, Michigan. In her signature storyteller style, she tells of how she served in the jail ministry with her father when she was 16, her …
Episode 20: Pastor Kyle Fox: What Does A Healthy Church Look Like?
Do you know what are the signs of healthy church? Many survivors are shell shocked from the aftermath of abuse that they don’t even know if they can trust a church again. Our guest today is Diana’s pastor, Kyle Fox, Senior Pastor of Red Mountain Community Church. Come and find out important questions you should be asking when looking for …
Episode 19: Guest: Janell Wood: When You Doubt Your Faith In God
We’re talking today about skepticism of Christianity, doubts about your faith, abandoning your faith, or never having your own relationship with Jesus at all. My guest today is Janell Wood, host of the podcast “Finding Something Real”, which she describes, is for seekers and believers needing encouragement. It’s for the believer struggling with faith and the skeptic struggling with doubt. …
EPISODE 15: GUEST WAYNE STILES: THE GODLY EXAMPLE OF JOSEPH
Don’t miss this episode with our guest Wayne Stiles from Walking The Bible Lands! Wayne shares insights on the godly example of Joseph, and how his life gives us some encouraging answers to one of life’s toughest questions: Where was God during our abuse and suffering? We reminisce about our favorite biblical sites in Israel and learn more about the …
Why Is There So Much Evil In The World?
As we look around our world right now, we are bombarded with images of violence, hate, racism, lying, cheating, rioting, and murdering. Where does it all come from? You make think that these current events are new to the world we live in. It’s “unprecedented times”. Well, not really. It’s just plain old sin as usual. Solomon says in Ecclesiastes …
What They Don’t Tell You About Your Pilgrimage To Israel.
A Christian pilgrimage to Israel is one of those ultimate trips on most believers’ lists. I mean, who wouldn’t want to walk in the footsteps of Jesus and see all the places where biblical events happened? I just returned from my own trip, so I wanted to let you know the good, the bad, and the ugly so you can …
10 Questions To Ask Yourself If You Want To Be A Star
It may be your son or your daughter who wants to be on American Idol, So You Think You Can Dance, or wants a record deal in Nashville. They want to move to New York to be on Broadway, be the next Academy Award winning actor. It just might be you yourself who has this dream. In the 15 years …
Radio Program Guest
I WAS INTERVIEWED ON A RADIO PROGRAM ABOUT MY MINISTRY Originally posted on September 10, 2017 If you’d like to listen to the program, the link is below. I am introduced an hour into the show. What an amazing opening of Restore! Restore! Season II hosted by Wanda Burnside and Ramelle Lee – Diana Winkler of Phoenix, Arizona gave a …
What Is Domestic Violence?
It Is Much More Than Bruises And Broken Bones. What comes into your mind when you hear of domestic violence or spousal abuse? An episode of COPS? Let’s talk about some of the common myths about domestic violence and abuse. We’ve had a lot of news media coverage about all kinds of abuse. It’s a good thing that the awareness …
How to Set Boundaries
BOUNDARIES! Originally posted on July 22, 2013 Personal Evolution There is one area of personal evolution that can make or break your self-esteem and your ability to have healthy relationships. It’s the ability to set and implement healthy personal boundaries. Personal boundaries are the imaginary lines we draw around ourselves to maintain balance and protect our bodies, minds, emotions, and …
Bible Myths?
GUNGOR AND THE BIBLE MYTHS Originally posted on August 10, 2014 I was trying to figure out what to post for my next blog entry when I read about the newest controversy in the Christian circle. Maybe you’ve heard about the blog that Michael Gungor posted about his beliefs about the Bible, and more specifically, Creationism. If you want to …
Stuff
IS TOO MUCH STUFF A BURDEN? Originally posted on May 1, 2013 All our lives, especially in the pursuit of the American Dream, we seek to work and accumulate material possessions and live a comfortable life. There is nothing wrong with this dream per se, but sometimes we forget that too much stuff can be a burden. Or maybe you …
Are You Wheezing?
SINGIN’ AND WHEEZIN’ Originally posted on October 24, 2012 As singers, we know that our instrument is an extension of our body. It is quite different than someone who plays a guitar, because our voice is subject to our health, our diet, our stress level, and environment. If I am a guitarist and get sick or have asthma, I can …