If you want to hear my personal story, you can hear almost the full version of it. Jason was a great host and I appreciate him having me on to share my story. Part One Part Two
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 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 171:The Responsibility Of The Church: Tina Smith Part Two
We’re back with Part two of my conversation with Tina Smith talking about the responsibility of the churches to help victims of abuse in their congregation. To purchase her book Renewing Our Minds in Love: Amazon. ca if you’re in Canada Amazon. com if you’re in the States Rewired by Love Radio Program: The radio station is played in three …
EP 167: When Strangers Join In To Attack You: Job Part 8
This week you will hear from the long winded, very young eavesdropper who has come to counsel Job. Elihu takes 5 chapters to accuse, abuse, and brag about his puffed up knowledge to Job, an elder with a lifetime of experience. God is approaching Elihu, job and the three friends in the storm, ready to settle the score and end …
EP 165: When Your Friends Think They Are More Spiritual Than You: Job Part 6
Zophar is Job’s third friend and he is more arrogant and judgmental than his other two friends. Job holds strong in his innocence and even fights the fiery darts of spiritual abuse. Why are his friends so mean? What do we learn during the tough times? Join us in Part 6 on this series of Job. Link Tree Website: https://dswministries.org …
EP 163: When Your Friends Are Unsupportive: Job Part 4
In our continuing series of Job, we meet Job’s first rotten friend, who does nothing to support him or comfort him. Only to abuse him. What is Job’s response to this treatment? What should our response be? Join us for Part 4! Link Tree Website: https://dswministries.org Email: diana@dswministries.org Social media links: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DSW-Ministries-230135337033879 Twitter: https://twitter.com/DswMinistries YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxgIpWVQCmjqog0PMK4khDw/playlists Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dswministries/ Available …
EP 159: You Don’t Have To Hate Yourself Anymore: Marina Carrier Part 2
Part Two! As a trauma survivor, and current minister who helps women overcome obstacles to faith, I’m passionate about the message that God has put on my heart: in our deepest darkness, we find the greatest light through His Spirit. Over the past 20 years, I’ve gone through a profound inner transformation, which culminated after ‘listening to my pain’ with …
EP 156:The Difference Between Forgiveness and Denial: Rev Cheryl Kincaid
We are covering a variety of topics today with my guest Cheryl Kincaid: surviving child abuse, spiritual abuse, forgiveness, denial, women’s empowerment, being called to preach, and the lesser known golden nuggets of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Join us for an exciting conversation! Biography Reverend Cheryl Kincaid is a Presbyterian Minister who studied Marriage and Family Therapy at Bethel …
EP 138: Processing Shiny Happy People and the IBLP
We’re talking about the latest hot topic, the documentary Shiny Happy People. It exposes the Duggar secrets and the Bill Gothard’s fundamentalist cult, the IBLP. What do they believe? What did Josh Duggar go to prison for? What’s it like growing up on a reality show? How do you heal from such a religious cult? All these answers and more …
EP 135: What Do You Do When Ministry Becomes Misery? Scott Distler
What do you do when you have been abused, betrayed and abandoned by your own church? Pastor Scott Distler is all too familiar with that scenario and talks about his journey in his book, The Cave: When Ministry Becomes Misery. Scott uses examples of Bible heroes, fresh encouragement, and proven practical strategies to help others towards healing. He is passionate …
EP 131: The Weeping Prophet We Can Relate To
Most people can recite Jeremiah 29:11, but what does the rest of the book of Jeremiah have to offer us today? Why was Jeremiah called The Weeping Prophet? Well, you are going to find out on this week’s episode. Jeremiah has lots of reasons to weep during his days of warning the Israelites of the coming judgement of God for …
EP 129: Jesus As An Abuse Victim
We all know that Jesus suffered and died for us on the cross, but have you ever considered that Jesus can relate to those of us who are abuse survivors? We are exploring a different perspective of the life and death of Jesus-That he was an abuse survivor Himself. I talk about his birth, his ministry, his array of human …
EP 126: Transforming Personal Trauma into Complex and Likable Characters: Guy Morris
Guy Morris has led an extraordinary life. After escaping an abusive childhood at age 13 to become a homeless runaway, Guy worked alongside migrant workers before he earned three degrees by age 27, including acceptance to Harvard and scholarship award from University of Arizona for his innovations in building a macro-economic that out-performed the Federal Reserve. His career led him …
EP 125: Our Faith And Our Endless Entertainment Choices: Paeter Frandsen
We have a fun treat for you today. This week I interview Paeter Frandsen, of Christian Geek Central Podcast. You’re going to love Paeter’s nuance and fresh perspective on topics like music, video games, movies and TV shows in relation to our Christian faith. We also cover spiritual abuse, legalism in the church, and cancel culture before it was even …
I Was A Guest On “Voice For The Hurting” Podcast!
Check out my friend Lori Armstrong’s podcast, A Voice For The Hurting! I tell the abbreviated version of my abuse story and my healing journey. Click the link below: A Voice for the Hurting – Podcast Lori Armstrong A Voice for the Hurting Podcast was created to tell the stories of those who have felt alone. Whether by our own misconceptions …
EP 113: My Story: Part 20: The Aftermath Of My Divorce
There are a myriad of emotions, thoughts and choices after you have gone through a divorce, especially a survivor of abuse. I go through the roller coaster ride of the 2 years after the divorce, which involves depression, bankruptcy, sleepless night, and sabotage. I also take time to reflect the positive things that I did afterwards that I was not …
EP 109: My Story: Part 16: What’s It Like To Be Fired From A Church?
Thank you for continuing with me on the next chapter of my story. I start out clarifying what went down when the church fired me, and the fallout from that. I fill in the rest of that time period with what happened at home behind the scenes, including nearly losing everything on a business venture, my ex sabotaging expressions of …
EP 108: My Story: Part 15: When The Church Staff Doesn’t Like You
Welcome back to My Story series on the podcast. This week I recall the good, the bad, and the ugly about the time I was on staff at a church. I hated the politics, the backbiting, gossip, and legalism that went on behind the scenes. I explain why I haven’t been to a ladies retreat in 15 years and the …
I Was A Guest On Crime Over Cocktails Podcast
Checkout Crime Over Cocktails Podcast! If you like True Crime Podcasts, this one would be a great one to listen to. She has recently featured abuse survivors’ stories, so that’s why I was invited on the show. I get into some nitty gritty details of my story. Thank you to Tiffanie Richards for having me on the show and the …
EP 104: Domestic Violence And PTSD Can Keep Us In A Loop, How Do We Break The Cycle? Christina Foxwell
We have a fantastic lady for you on the show today! Christina Foxwell is here to tell her powerful story of her healing journey from domestic violence. She is talking about her new book, Glass Angel as well. Join me for a delightful conversation Down Under! Transcript below! Biography I am a HUMAN one who is passionate about People and …
EP 99: Why Should I Study The Bible When It Triggers Me? Pastor Jason Harris
Welcome back to Part 4 of our series on How To Study The Bible For Abuse Survivors! Pastor Jason Harris is back on the podcast from Cairns, Australia! He and his Mom, Joy Harris, told their survival story of abuse on Episode 57 and 58. One of the reasons survivors stop reading the Bible, is that certain verses trigger them. …
Ep 97: How Do I Choose A Bible For A Bible Study? Pastor Al Descheneau
We are back with Part 2 of our series on “How To Study The Bible For Abuse Survivors”! We have back on the show, none other than XtianNinja himself, Pastor Al Descheneau! He’s back to talk about all things Bible, answering questions like, What Bible translation do I pick amoung the dizzying array of choices!? How do we interpret the …
EP 95: When Your Church Prays For You, But Won’t Help You: Donna Wayles
Donna’s husband was trying to kill her. He has attempted it before by throwing her down a flight of stairs. So you would expect that the pastor would provide her a safe place to stay, but he only offered to pray for her. Come follow her riveting story through dating, not seeing the red flags, a physically and emotionally abusive …
I Was Invited To Be A Guest On Christian Writing & Speaking Podcast with Jacqui Wilson
It was a blessing to chat with Jacqui on The CWS Podcast recently. I was invited to share a brief version of my story and what the Lord has been doing in my ministry as a musician and abuse advocate. She has a great show, so be sure to check her out! Her website: https://iamjacquiwilson.com/CWS/ Connect with her on Facebook, …
Where Did You See God? Sitting In Suffering: Longsuffering-With Paul Grainger
I had a great time talking with Paul Grainger on his podcast Where Did You See God? I talked about my abuse story and my ministry now. Paul very eloquently adds some insights and encouragement to the story as well. Here is the link to listen: https://anchor.fm/wheredidyouseegod/episodes/Sitting-in-Suffering-Long-suffering-e1i6al5 Here’s Paul Grainger’s website: https://www.wheredidyouseegod.com/ https://www.facebook.com/wheredidyouseeGod/ https://www.instagram.com/wheredidyouseegod/ Website: https://dswministries.org Email: diana@dswministries.org Social media …
EP 79: When You Choose Your Own Name: Danielle Bernock: Part Two
More love from Danielle Bernock this week! We have Part Two of my conversation with her. We find out why she decided to choose her own name and what people thought of that. We talk about how to heal childhood trauma, which can take longer to heal. Did you know you can suffer from trauma for years and not even …
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 62: Surviving Abuse From A Therapist: Amy Nordhues
Imagine being a survivor of multiple abuses from childhood, and then the therapist that you chose to help you to heal from that abuse, abuses you as well. This is exactly what happened to our guest Amy Nordhues. We talk about her childhood, how she found her therapist, and the events that led to the betrayal of her trust. The …
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 59: My Story: The Beginning Of My Missionary Service: Part 10
We are continuing the next stage in my life story and abuse story. We left off at graduation from bible college and the tumultuous first year of marriage. I describe the process of becoming a Baptist missionary, the different kinds of missionaries, and the pitfalls. I explain why we chose an unorthodox path as missionaries and who our first couple …
Episode 57: Consent In Marriage: Joy And Jason Harris: Part One
Is there such a thing as consent in marriage? Is there ever a time when you can say no to your spouse? Can someone be raped in a Christian marriage? These are some of the questions we will answer with my two guests from Down Under, Joy Harris, and her son Pastor Jason Harris. Joy is a survivor of years …
One Year Anniversary Of The Podcast: Part Two
Welcome back to Part Two of the One Year Anniversary celebration! I have more new music featured for you, as well as more highlights from my great guests this past year! There is a book giveaway for those who share and comment on their favorite guest’s podcast! This is a great episode to get a sample of all the guests …
I Was A Guest On “Finding God In Our Pain” With Sherrie Pilkington
I had a great conversation with Sherrie talking about the short version of my abuse story. Be sure to check out Sherrie’s podcast! Sherrie’s bio: I’m so glad you’re here. Addressing our grief is never easy, so I am truly grateful for your trust as we navigate this delicate subject. I promise there is healing and love to be found …
Episode 39: The Culty World Of The IFB Church: Will Hess: Part Two
Will Hess continues the story of his life in the Independent Fundamental Baptist Church. He talks about getting married, transitioning out of the IFB, exposing a sexual abuse cover-up, and being manipulated as a pastor of his church. Will shares how to avoid false teachings, how to study the bible in context, and why you shouldn’t walk away from God …
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 …
I Was A Guest On “From Mess To Miracle” Podcast
Join me as I have a great conversation with Keith Haney, host of “From Mess To Miracle” podcast. I share my story and talk about spiritual abuse in the church, one of the worst abuses we can suffer. It affects our self image and our perception of God. Click on the link below to listen: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1546138/8589270 Website: https://dswministries.org Email: diana@dswministries.org …
Episode 4: Why Spiritual Abuse Is One Of The Worst Kinds Of Abuse
In this episode, Diana speaks about a kind of abuse that she is the most familiar with: spiritual abuse. She discusses the many obvious and subtle ways that a person can experience spiritual abuse, and that it is not only found in cults. She explains why this kind of abuse is the worst kind of abuse there is. The episode …
A Series on Domestic Violence Part 5: Spiritual Abuse
What constitutes spiritual abuse? Is it just referring to cults? It does include cults, but it is so much more. Continue reading on below to learn more. To read previous posts in this series, click on these links: Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Remember, It’s All About Power and Control. I have been watching Leah Rhemini’s Scientology …