Shalom Sistas

  I'm so excited for y'all to meet Carrie Wilson. I learned about Carrie and her ministry to women who have been diagnosed with STDs when I heard her on Jamie Ivey's podcast interview with Jamie Golden.  Carries is passionate about create safe spaces for women who struggle with sexual shame in the church, specifically those who have been diagnosed with an STD.  She knows that isolation and shame well, not too long ago, Carrie was diagnosed with HSV 2 and if it were not for loving leaders in the church coming alongside her she wouldn't have been able to find joy and purpose even after her rock bottom moment.  What's subversive about her joy is that historically, the church has not been a safe and kind place who have sexual pasts but Carrie listens to God's call to change that on her church campus, she created "New" a small group for women in her church to find the joy of authentic and kind community. I just love our conversation and can't wait for you to listen. What we talk about: Shame in the church The pra

Today's guest is one of my favorite women, Victoria Tiedemann.  She and I only know each other from online— we're both Anabaptist women bloggers who love fashion and justice...were were bound to meet and become friends.  Victoria is passionate about ending modern day slavery, she's what some call an abolitionist. She tells us about the Justice Network and how she started working with them to educate others about human trafficking and she gives us some VERY SPECIFIC ways we can practice shalom when we shop. You are going to love how practical and fun this episode is.  What we talk about: The Justice Network How Target is actually a GREAT PLACE to shop...Glory be Lord. Resource Lists for Shopping Ethically: Non-consumable ethical & Fair Trade list of goods: https://justice-network.org/resources/fairtrade/ Ethical and Fair Trade chocolate (GREAT for Halloween) https://justice-network.org/resources/chocolate-companies/ How her Anabaptist convictions encourage to love and humanize everyone caught in the sy

Welcome to the sixth edition of the “Shalom Book Club” where once a month, my friend Cara Meredith joins me to talk about a book.  Like I said in the first episode of this series this is partly to solve a very real problem I have- I simply can’t work in a book club in my week here in L.A.. This month we read the “The Geek’s Guide to Unrequited Love’ by Sarvenaz “Sarv” Tash. Stats:   249 pages, 26 chapters   Authors: Sarvenaz “Sarv” Tash was born in Tehran, Iran, and grew up on Long Island, New York. She received her BFA in film and television from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. That means she got to spend most of college running around making movies (it was a lot of fun). She has dabbled in all sorts of writing, including screenwriting, copywriting, and professional tweeting. Sarv currently lives in Brooklyn, NY. New mom!   Context: Graham met his best friend, Roxy, when he moved into her neighborhood eight years ago and she asked him which Hogwarts house he’d be sorted into. Graham has been in love with h

On the show today I talking to one of my favorite women, Melanie Dale. Melanie runs the website, Unexpected where she writes about motherhood, friendships, infertility, adoption, orphan care, and so much more.  What I love about her site is it feels like one big hug and then a completely satisfying belly laugh. Melanie is also the author of two books: Women Are Scary: The Totally Awkward Adventure of Finding Mom Friends and It's Not Fair: Learning to Love the Life You Didn't Choose. We talk about that "It's Not Fair" on the episode since it just released LAST WEEK!  Whoo-hoo!  Go, Mel! In fact, I loved this book so much I have an extra copy to give away; directions are in the podcast episode.   On the podcast we talk about the Shalom Sista Manifesto point, "We Will Choose Subversive Joy".  She gives is the best advice on motherhood and laughter, she's gives us permission to own our feelings, and she her end of the show quote is spot on! It was a really great conversation and I hope you'll take a listen. Pra

Cara and I discuss the book the Knock-off, if we feel old (even though one of us, is a true Millennial), and how to have relationships with women and NOT lose our minds.   Join us for next month's book, "The Geek's Guide to Unrequited Love"    

Today I have on Jamie Ivey from the Happy Hour podcast.  I’ve been listening to Jamie’s show several years now and she’s actually a huge inspiration to me so when she said yes to coming onto the show I kinda did a happy dance all across my living room. True story.  The reason why and why you’ll find out soon in our conversation today about her work in a prison ministry with Redeemed Ministries is that Jamie is incredibly genuine, intelligent, and passionate. Her desire to make Jesus known and to offer her support to women in need is infectious.  You simply want to be better after listening to Jamie. Which is why her podcast is a favorite of mine.  Today Jamie share with us sex trafficking opened her eyes to the needs of women in jails, how the book Just Mercy by Brian Stevenson opened her heart to have compassion for people entangled in the justice system, and how Redeemed Ministries is opening doors for her to love and encourage women trying to overcome the hard things in their lives that landed them in jail

    From Amazon: "There are hundreds of metaphors for God, but the church only uses a few familiar images: creator, judge, savior, father. In Wearing God, Lauren Winner gathers a number of lesser-known tropes, reflecting on how they work biblically and culturally, and reveals how they can deepen our spiritual lives." Exploring the notion of God as clothing, Winner reflects on how we are “clothed with Christ” or how “God fits us like a garment.” In this "Shalom Book Club" episode, Cara and I discuss "Wearing God" by Lauren Winner. Have you ever picked up a book and wanted to love it so much but something keeps you from diving in?  Yeah...that's a little how Cara and I felt about "Wearing God" we both love Winner and we both wanted to jump right into the book, but we both had a hard time.  Cara read it last year so it was a re-read for her, I started is last summer and couldn't finish it.  As we chatted on the podcast, we realized that maybe it wasn't the book, but the season.  We both think Lauren F. Winner i

I’m so thankful for my friend, Alice Colegrove. For nearly twenty years, Alice has worked on initiatives to help youth and young adults exit homelessness. She has worked on the issue of homelessness at nearly every level including local direct service, city and state policy initiatives, and national academic forums.  Locally, she has over fifteen years of direct service experience, including street outreach with homeless youth and young adults in Boston and Cambridge, MA, and she is an active member of the advisory board for the Y2Y youth shelter in Harvard Square. And today she came on the podcast to tell us her story and teach us about homelessness and what we can do to alleviate the suffering of so many people.  This episode was particularly special for me because of the make up of our church, we're so close to Skid Row and oftentimes I feel out of my depth. I know I want to help and I'm moved by the need every time I drive downtown, but I don't know where to being. Alice really spoke to those concerns an

My guest on the podcast this week is Rachel Hollis. Rachel Hollis the brilliant founder of the Chic Site, head of the #chictribe and one of the most authentic women I've ever met.         I've followed her site for almost a year now and I can tell y'all that every single time I read a post or watched a #RachTalk I thought, 'This woman is practicing Shalom in such a profound and important way' so I knew eventually I'd invite her to come onto the show. Then last Christmas, I attended a holiday party with a purpose at the Chic Site's headquarters just minutes from my house and I KNEW I needed to have her come teach us how to #PartywithPurpose and how she practices shalom in her everyday life. It was an incredible conversation. We talk about everything from her upbringing as a PK  (pastor's kid) and how that inspired her to see the sacred in gathering people together.  She share with us the how the ChicShows Up Christmas Event came to be— which I have to say, y'all was a highlight of our first Christmas in L.A.

My guest on the podcast this week is Sarah Quezada. Sarah and I write for some of the same places and so we've been cheering each other on on the interwebs, but I feel for her over chips and salsa when I was in Atlanta this past fall after the Allume conference. Sarah Quezada is the author of the blog, "A Life With Subtitles" where she writes about living a multicultural life in Atlanta, GA with her Guatemalan husband and two talkative kiddos!     Today's episode is a follow up to my book club conversation with Cara Meredith on the book, "Esperanza Rising". Since so much of the book focuses on the struggle of the immigrant worker in California during the Depression Era and we see glimpses of the gaps in the  immigration policies in America, I thought it was important to bring on my friend to share her story of falling for an undocumented worker and EVERYTHING they've gone through to secure his citizenship. Check out  "Immigration Love Story"! It's a fantastic detailing of her love story with Billy in three

Esperanza thought she’d always live with her family on their ranch in Mexico–she’d always have fancy dresses, a beautiful home, and servants. But a sudden tragedy forces Esperanza and Mama to flee to California during the Great Depression, and to settle in a camp for Mexican farm workers. Esperanza isn’t ready for the hard labor, financial struggles, or lack of acceptance she now faces. When their new life is threatened, Esperanza must find a way to rise above her difficult circumstances–Mama’s life, and her own, depend on it. In this episode, Cara and I chat about, "Esperanza Rising" by Pam Munoz Ryan.  I feel like Sanda Sherdin, a listener said in the hangout sums up everything we loved about the book: I really loved the perspective on the era, immigration, the struggle of migrant workers, and prejudices. Stories like this are huge at developing empathy for people in positions we otherwise wouldn't even know how to imagine. More than anything though, I loved the identity story. Esperanza first found her id

Hey Sistas, Toady's episode is all about celebrating the ways you're practicing Shalom in your everyday lives.  I'm joined by my friend, Abby Perry and we share the ways we've seen Shalom in  the media this past month, we cheer on our listeners who shared their stories of Shalom, and we introduce our really fun #SummerofShalom Instagram Challenge! Abby is the writer behind the blog, "Joy Woven Deep".  She's a mom of two in College Station, Texas who loves Jesus, personality types, books, television, and movies! She kicks off the episode by sharing her primary practices of Shalom, is caring for her boys, supporting the foster care community by offering them date night childcare through the "childcare pantry", and leading a local cohort of "Be The Bridge to Racial Unity",  a community of people with a common goal to see healthy dialogue around the topic of race. Abby told us about, Runway of Dreams: Runway of Dreams is a nonprofit organization working with the fashion industry to adapt mainstream clothing fo

Today's episode is short and sweet.  An Annoucement and answer to a listener named Heidi about Kristin Schell's perfect day in Austin...what happened to it? It wasn't in her episode.  Well I explain what happened and then play it for you in this episode. I also give a fun announcement.  Check the link to Kristin's episode for the recipe for the Chicken Marbella http://shalominthecity.com/2016/03/30/podcast-episode-o5-meet-shalom-sista-kristin-schell/   See ya next week with our Celebrate Shalom episode with Abby Perry! Signup for the "Shalom in the City" Newsletter here shalominthecity.com   Follow me on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/oshetam/        

My guest on the podcast this week is Jessica Kelley. Jess is a dear friend of mine who share with us her story of loss.  When her son, Henry was five years old, he was diagnosed with brain cancer. Within the year, he passed away. Jess share with us that her primary practice of shalom, seeking wholeness where there is brokenness in to share a picture of God in the midst of our suffering that’s altogether lovely, beautiful, and good. Jess and I laugh, we’re vulnerable about our own losses and we cry. It’s just like if we were sitting on my couch talking about being Mamas in a broken world and I really hope you take a listen. Jessica Kelley is a writer, speaker, and survivor of child loss. She has a B.S. in Psychology, a M.S. in Counseling & Human Development, and experience as a School Counselor. Born and raised in the South, Jessica now lives with her husband and five-year-old daughter in Saint Paul, Minnesota. She survives the absurdly long winters by going to the gym, dreaming about the beach, and eatin

Hey Sistas, Cara and I had a blast talking about "Bad Feminist" written by Roxane Gay on the podcast today.          A collection of essays spanning politics, criticism, and feminism from one of the most-watched young cultural observers of her generation, Roxane Gay. “Pink is my favorite color. I used to say my favorite color was black to be cool, but it is pink—all shades of pink. If I have an accessory, it is probably pink. I read Vogue, and I’m not doing it ironically, though it might seem that way. I once live-tweeted the September issue.”           We talk about how Sarah Bessey's book, "Jesus Feminist"  prepped us to read this book from a whole place. We share our favorite essays (yay), and the ones that didn't quite speak to us, (nay...or more accurately.. meh), we touch on the differences between feminism and womanism, and, of course, Cara sings We give shout outs to the Sistas who shared their thoughts of the book over at the Shalom Sista Hangout.  Ashley Ford's thoughts were SO SPOT ON! I love the

My guest on the podcast this week is Kori Williamson.  I learned so much from her.  She’s thoughtful, kind, and you’re going to wanna run out to Lowe's and get a compost bin. You know, tomorrow is Earth Day and I never know what to do!  I know that when we think about Shalom, we think about wholeness in our relationships, in systems, and the Earth itself, but that last part feels so inaccessible to me.  What does recycling and conserving water have to do with wholeness?  And more than that, how can I work it into my life without being all or nothing!  By the end of my conversation with Kori, I not only felt like I could do something to care for the Earth as a practice of Shalom but I felt so much grace for the moments I forget to recycle or my garden is a huge failure.  I'm actually excited about tomorrow I hope you'll listen to today's episode and get excited too. We have a great time talking about creation care, documentaries, and of course, "The Lorax"!   Kori Williamson is passionate about creation care

The first episode of the Shalom in the City's books club episode.  In the book club episode, Cara and I discuss, "The Light of the World", by Elizabeth Alexander.   In THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD, Elizabeth Alexander finds herself at an existential crossroads after the sudden death of her husband. Channeling her poetic sensibilities into a rich, lucid price, Alexander tells a love story that is, itself, a story of loss. As she reflects on the beauty of her married life, the trauma resulting from her husband’s death, and the solace found in caring for her two teenage sons, Alexander universalizes a very personal quest for meaning and acceptance in the wake of loss. In this episode, we deep dive into the two major themes of the book: death (obs) and identity.  We also laugh, share deep, dark confessions, and Cara breaks out into song.   We also answer a question from a listener posted to the Shalom Sistas' Hangout The passage that stands out most to me is on p.93 about Alexander's parents' response to her husband

My guest on the podcast this week is Margot Starbuck.  I love Margot so much.  She’s funny and whip-smart and you're going to love my conversation with her about her community, "North Street Neighborhood", a neuro-diverse community built around person with disability. We break down some terms and she gives us the most incredibly Shalom Steps.  You know, I sometimes feel so out of depth when it comes to being a good friend to persons with disabilities.  But by the end of my conversation with Margot, I was so empowered that I rallied my kids to go to the upcoming Special Olympics and..y'all...IT WAS AMAZING!  I hope you take a listen because there's some good stuff for everyone of us in this episode.  Plus, we laugh...a lot!     I've known about Margot for a little bit now because I review books for one of her publishers, Herald Press. Margot Starbuck is passionate about effective communication. She's the author of seven books and a quiet collaborator on others. She speaks to audiences across the country abou

My guest on the podcast this week is Kristin Schlle.  Y’all.  She’s kind and welcoming and incredibly generous, not just with her time, but her encouragement too.  I hope you take a listen because she's also incredibly practical on the topic of hospitality which is the practice of Shalom she's most passionate about.   You may know Kristin as the "Turquoise Table Lady", she's the founder of the Turquoise Table movement. She put a picnic table in her front yard, painted it turquoise, and began inviting neighbors, friends, and even strangers, to hang out and do life together at The Turquoise Table. A new concept of hospitality unfolded in her neighborhood, and before long The Turquoise Table led to a movement of Front Yard People—ordinary people who long to create community right where they live.A gatherer at heart, Kristin brings people together for delicious food and stories at her table and online home www.kristinschell.com. She also shares with us a recipe for this amazing dish which she says is a crowd-ple

My guest on the podcast this week is Kathy Escobar.  Y'all. She is wise and funny and so, so thoughtful.  You're going to love everything she has to say about having hard conversations with people we disagree with and what peacemaking is (and is not). We both share a passion to take big concepts (like Shalom, like unity, like reconciliation, you know...so meta ;)) and making them practical so that we can actually live them out. She tells us about a recent video series she did with The Work of the People, "Different Not Divided: A Third Way" with her co-pastor, Karl Wheeler about how they've navigated living together in unity while still honoring their differences at their church, "The Refuge".   From the "The Work of the People" website: When we love our theology more than our brothers and sisters we are usually left with only two options: 1. Create increasingly larger, theologically monolithic and homogeneous churches, or 2. Disintegrate, fracture and eventually close the doors and lose relationship with e