Best Kyla Woods Podcasts (2024)

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Episode 223: Protecting Our Kids in This Wild World | with Julia Sadusky 47:41

1M ago47:41

47:41

If you’re a parent or mentor of young kids right now like we are, I am pretty sure you could marinate in fear every day of the week. Add the fact that it is up to us parents and mentors to teach these kids facts and wisdom about sexuality and body safety, and you can just find us in a panic attack on the floor every-other day of the week. But what …

1
Episode 222: Q & A with the Kriegs | Therapy, Burnout, and Your LGBTQ Q’s 36:59

2M ago36:59

36:59

It’s that time again: Let’s take your questions and try to respond with wisdom! Here are the ones we respond to today! How do you know when or if you need to move on from a therapist? How can we walk with people experiencing unwanted sexual desires? How do I recover my soul from burnout? How do I talk with my kids about a family member who is trans…

1
Episode 221: Two Approaches to Pride | Part 2 with Elizabeth Delgado Black 55:43

2M ago55:43

55:43

Today, we conclude our two-part series looking at strategies to intentionally and evangelistically approach Pride Month. To continue the conversation, we talk with Elizabeth Delgado Black who is an evangelist and the co-founder and president of Kaleidoscope. Together, we talk about practical ways to love LGBTQ people like Jesus as well as: Can we t…

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Episode 220: Two Approaches to Pride | Part 1 with Stephen Nylen 53:04

3M ago53:04

53:04

Some Christians write off June’s Pride festivals as Sodom and Gomorrah. They don’t think anyone there could possibly want God. Are we so sure about that? At least two ministries in the U.S. are regularly going to Pride festivals in their areas, and they are seeing people come to know Jesus because of their presence, preaching, and practical love of…

1
Episode 219: Treasures in the Dark with Katherine Wolf 42:42

3M ago42:42

42:42

When we are going through suffering, we don’t usually think, “Hmm, what treasures might God have for me to discover here?” It just feels like suffering. However, author and major stroke survivor, Katherine Wolf, has a message for us: God has gems for us to find in the darkness. “If you have to go through hardship, why not get the treasure? My goodn…

1
Episode 218: How Not to Be Discouraged in a Discouraging Year with Derwin Gray 38:57

4M ago38:57

38:57

“Hope in the gospel and discouragement are not mutually exclusive,” Pastor Derwin Gray encouraged us on today’s episode. But, how is that possible? The world can feel so defeating: Politics, racial division, pastor scandals, congregant sin, and the drudgery of faithfully trying to do this thing called advancing the Kingdom of God wherever we are ca…

1
Episode 217: What Trees Can Teach Us About Living with Joy Marie Clarkson 40:19

4M ago40:19

40:19

This is a very gentle but powerful episode. Since having the conversation, I (Laurie) can’t stop seeing the people-as-trees metaphor everywhere. How? You’re just going to have to listen to find out. :) // Highlights: “We all have the seasons in life. We can’t expect the same things of ourselves in every single season. When we don’t experience seaso…

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Episode 216: From Christian Cult to Christ Follower with Christy Lynne Wood 43:18

5M ago43:18

43:18

Christy grew up in a hyper-legalistic system that added rigid rules to the gospel of Jesus. (You might have seen glimpses of it if you watched the documentary, ‘Shiny Happy People.’) Even after leaving, Christy internally battled the legalism that attached itself to her knowledge of the real Jesus. How did she break free—not only physically, but me…

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Episode 215: A Testimony of Surrendered Gender with Kyla Gillespie 45:51

5M ago45:51

45:51

Oh, wow. This story. How does one woman go from a childhood of following Jesus as much as she knows how, to professional hockey, to same-sex relationships, to transitioning to male for six years, to finding the real Jesus, and then to de-transitioning in the midst of a loving church community? This episode has her story. Hear a testimony and take p…

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Episode 214: What is Uniquely Hard and Hopeful for Married People Now? With Chris Bruno and Tracy Johnson 46:13

6M ago46:13

46:13

Is anyone else feeling like they are in a rut in their marriage? Maybe you’re not in crisis mode, but it’s kinda just . . . meh? It’s easy to function; to sit on opposite couches and scroll on your phone. But, do you wonder if marriage could be better than that—not with some fantastical potion or even a weekend intensive per se, but what if it bega…

1
Episode 213: The Value of Singleness with Dani Treweek 48:13

6M ago48:13

48:13

We are going to talk about singleness until we as the Church get this right, friends. People talk about how marriage gives us a vision of eternity in how two different people seeking union shows the world a picture of how God (who is so different from us) will be one with His church. But, how does singleness show us a picture of what we will experi…

1
Episode 212: How We Are Doing 2024 Differently with Laurie, Matt, and Steve 39:28

7M ago39:28

39:28

It’s the end of 2023, so we are reflecting, looking ahead, and asking, “Do Laurie and Steve look alike?” Lol… (Matt and Laurie’s kids seem to think so…) HOWEVER, the conversation mostly revolves around… What did we learn in 2023? Based on what we learned, how do we want to engage 2024 with more wisdom? What simple tool did and are we using (and you…

1
Episode 211: Just Breathe; We Don’t Have to Be Perfect with Bonnie Gray 50:10

7M ago50:10

50:10

This time of year can feel unfair: “Just kick back and enjoy the season! But also get the perfect present for everyone. But don’t do too much! #selfcare But do enough so that you tell people you love and appreciate them. But don’t! But also do.” Thank the Lord we brought in our friend and wellness expert, Bonnie Gray, to help us learn how to approa…

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Episode 210: How Purity Culture Affected Men with Zachary Wagner 54:26

8M ago54:26

54:26

Ya’ll. This episode. It could put language to some things some of us have been holding onto for too long. How? Author and scholar Zach Wagner, author of ‘Non-Toxic Masculinity,’ unpacks: What is toxic masculinity? How does it relate to Purity Culture? How did Purity Culture affect both men and women? How can men and women approach each other with a…

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Episode 209: Courageous Pastors: The East Coast with Aaron Henning 47:51

8M ago47:51

47:51

How would you pastor a congregation filled with a range of people from academics to farmers, and then walk them through the human sexuality conversation? Pastor Aaron Henning, lead pastor at State College Alliance Church in Pennsylvania, tells us how engaged the topic with a congregation that was and is exactly that makeup. How did he do it? What d…

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Episode 208: Courageous Pastors: The West Coast with Tom Kang 50:18

8M ago50:18

50:18

Today we continue our Courageous Pastors series by interviewing Tom Kang, a lead pastor in Los Angeles, CA, on how he led his congregation through the human sexuality conversation. Additionally, we explore: What is unique about Tom’s West Coast church and their cultural vibe? How can pastors cascade the human sexuality conversation to all of their …

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Episode 207: Courageous Pastors: The South with Josh Laxton 49:08

9M ago49:08

49:08

We are so excited about this: Today, we are launching a mini-series interviewing three pastors from the South, the West Coast, and the East Coast on how they went from conceptualization of a sermon series on human sexuality to actualization. Why? In 2019, Barna shared the results of a study that said three of the top four things pastors feel both p…

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Episode 206: How to Talk With the Kids About Marriage with Sam Allberry 47:46

9M ago47:46

47:46

We get questions related to this topic often. Parents and disciple-makers of young kids are understandably anxious and wondering; How can we guide kids in a way that makes them both courageously truthful and loving? Pastor and author, Sam Allberry, comes back on the show to help us answer discipleship questions based on his new children’s book on m…

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Episode 205: How to Move Forward Without Ignoring Your Past with Christine Caine 51:29

10M ago51:29

51:29

Moving forward can feel terrifying: Like we are jumping out of an airplane and we don’t know if we have a parachute. Why does it feel that way? Today, author, multi-ministry founder, and teacher, Christine Caine, joins us to answer this question as well as: What happened to us in Covid that made us extra afraid of moving forward? Why is moving forw…

1
Episode 204: How to Share Your Story with Brenna Blain 46:23

10M ago46:23

46:23

Today on the podcast, ministry leader Brenna Blain joins us to help us discern how, when, and where to share our own stories with others. Together, we unpack: How do you know when you are ready to share? What was Brenna’s most challenging audience to share with? What are the benefits and challenges to opening up? //Highlights: “The question I have …

1
Episode 203: Who Are You? with Andrew Bunt 40:06

11M ago40:06

40:06

It’s the season seven launch!! We are so glad to be back with you all, and are equally glad to engage last season’s identity theme one more time to ensure we take it from the ethereal to the practical. The person here to help us do this is the author of ‘Finding Your Best Identity’ and ministry leader, Andrew Bunt. Andrew joins the team today to ta…

1
HIMH Shorts: Grief and Lament with Steve 12:55

11M ago12:55

12:55

“I think there are reasons we deny our pain including that we can are overwhelmed (‘Where do I start?’), the fear of ‘This will make things worse”… Or, we don’t have he community around us to help us process.” --Steve O'Dell Today, as only the Holy Spirit can do, these first three Shorts episodes link together. So today, we continue our accidental …

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HIMH Shorts: Emotional Resilience with Matt 11:46

12M ago11:46

11:46

“One thing I have learned about Jesus is that He wants to sit in uncomfortable emotions with me [Heb. 4:15]. If I am not willing to sit in these emotions, then how is He supposed to sit in them--with me?” --Matt Krieg Oh, dear, wise Matt. Today on HIMH Shorts (where we toss around the host table, “How has the gospel been good news for you lately?),…

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HIMH Shorts: The Bookcases with Laurie 16:02

12M ago16:02

16:02

Heyyyyy!!! We may be in-between seasons, but we missed you all so much we wanted to drop three, surprise mini-episodes for the next three Fridays!! In HIMH Shorts, Matt, Laurie, and Steve will host brief (heh heh, we will try!), one-topic conversations answering, "How has the gospel been good news for you lately?" This week, Laurie is up! She heard…

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Episode 202: Season 6 Wrap and Q & A Part 2 with Laurie, Matt, and Steve 45:24

1y ago45:24

45:24

Today, we wrap up season six by asking Matt, Laurie, and Steve if we have met our goal for the season: “Do you feel like you can walk into any room confidently because your identity is more rooted in Christ?” So, have we? :D We truthfully answer this question as well as: What we do when we feel tempted toward sexual sin or with wanting to buy every…

1
Episode 201: Q & A: Kids, Libraries, and the Pros & Cons of Coming Out with Laurie, Matt, and Steve 49:54

1y ago49:54

49:54

The lines are open, friends, and we are taking your questions today! What questions? How do you recommend talking with young kids about LGBTQ things/the definition of marriage? Should marriage make us happy or holy? (Or is that the wrong question to ask?) What qualifies as abuse in a relationship? (How does it compare to misuse of a person?) How sh…

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Episode 200: ”I am Healing for...” with Toni Collier 35:21

1y ago35:21

35:21

Oh, man…from start to finish this conversation sings…! Author and ministry leader, Toni Collier, helps us to finish the final “I am” in our identity series by exploring “I am healing for…” What we mean by this is when you’re going through a dark time, have you ever considered the people you will impact if you keep going through the darkness to the …

1
Episode 199: I am Worthy of Care with Alison Cook 45:16

1y ago45:16

45:16

Today, we talk codependence (over-reliance on people for our sense of stability), counter-dependence (under-reliance on people), and interdependence (healthy dependence on people) on the podcast, and the conversation does not disappoint. Psychologist and author, Dr. Alison Cook, leads us biblically through questions about codependence as well as: I…

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Episode 198: I am Befriended with Sheridan Voysey 42:24

1y ago42:24

42:24

What is it about adult friendships that can make them so hard to cultivate? People move, change, or we simply lose touch. What is the secret of friendship making (and keeping)? (Is there one?) Author and founder of The Friendship Lab, Sheridan Voysey, is back on the podcast today to help us unpack these questions as well as: Why is friendship often…

1
Episode 197: I am Known with Joan Rozeboom 38:10

1y ago38:10

38:10

Humanity’s desire to “be known” starts somewhere deep in the soul. However, when some of us experience being known, it can be such a jarring experience that we move toward a couple of options: Stoicism (“I’m good without that deep knowing…that’s too uncomfortable…”) or addiction/consumption (“I need that feeling more!”). What’s the proper response …

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Episode 196: I am Redeemed with Branson Parler 46:47

1y ago46:47

46:47

Today, we continue our identity series by exploring our deep-rooted need to know we are redeemed. Why? How? We ask these questions and more of our guest, theologian and author, Branson Parler. We also explore… What if we feel we are too far gone to be redeemed? How does suffering play into this conversation? How does all of this help us walk with f…

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Episode 195: Identity Series Intro // I am Loved by God with Laurie, Matt, and Steve 41:33

1+ y ago41:33

41:33

If you take away how people perceive you and how you perform tasks, what is left of you? Today on the podcast, we are launching a series on identity with the goal to help us know who we are “in Christ” so deeply that we can walk into any room with confidence. Join us today as we talk about the origin of this series as well as: What comes to mind wh…

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Episode 194: Let’s Define Some Things with Laurie, Matt, and Steve 53:14

1+ y ago53:14

53:14

Whenever we hear people talking about some of the topics we engage in (sexuality, marriage, addiction, sin, repentance, trauma, etc.), we hyper-tune our ears for what they believe and how they hold to what they believe. If you’re curious about our views, this is the episode for you! Today, we answer: What is our philosophy of approaching the LGBTQI…

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Episode 193: Who Wants to Hear Our Stories? with Laurie, Matt, and Steve 58:12

1+ y ago58:12

58:12

We do! Who is Steve? Who is Laurie? Who is Matt? Today, we are going to get to know the people behind the microphones. Steve shares his story of depression, feeling inauthentic, and finding hope in Jesus in the midst of addiction. Matt offers his journey of depression and subsequent porn addiction in marriage. Laurie shares how she learned to trust…

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Episode 192: Why ”Hole in My Heart”? with Laurie, Matt & Steve 44:54

1+ y ago44:54

44:54

You guysssss!!!!! After over a year off of the air, the Hole in My Heart Podcast is back!!! We are back and we got a shiny new studio and some awesome new friends who are producing this thing. Through a new partnership with West Michigan’s 91.3 WCSG, the Hole in My Heart Podcast has the opportunity to reach more people with the truth that the gospe…

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Episode 191: What Comes Next? with Matt, Laurie, and Steve 37:55

2+ y ago37:55

37:55

Well, dear family, we have an announcement. What is it? First, let's hang out for a while, and talk about... How did that "word for the year" go for you? In light of that reality, how has the gospel been uniquely good news for you this year? What is coming next for the podcast and our ministry in 2022? We'd love for you to sit at the podcast table …

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Episode 190: First Steps After Discovering They Cheated with Johnny & Amanda McKenna 50:28

2+ y ago50:28

50:28

The ugly truth has just come out: One spouse has just confessed to unfaithfulness and the other is reeling in shock. Where do we go from here? Is there hope for a marriage in crisis? Does Jesus have something to say to this place? We are thrilled to bring back our friends Johnny and Amanda McKenna, who have been in this place and walked through—wit…

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Episode 189: The Church Wasn’t Always So Bad at the LGBTQ Conversation with Greg Johnson 59:22

2+ y ago59:22

59:22

Did you know that CS Lewis’ lifelong best friend was gay? Did you know that Francis Schaeffer was against orientation-change pursuit for gay people? Did you know that Billy Graham was a compassionate defender of gay people who fell into sexual sin? Did you know that John Stott encouraged the church to “repent of the crippling ‘homophobia’… which ha…

1
Episode 188: How to Discover Your Identity with Bonnie Gray 48:18

2+ y ago48:18

48:18

In a world of pain, identity can be hard to find. With a diagnosis of PTSD, it can be even harder. How do we navigate knowing who we are—and equally important, who God is, in a world that assaults us with lies day in and day out? How do we do that with trauma? With cheerfulness and grace, Bonnie Gray tells her story and helps to answer these questi…

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Episode 187: How to be Emotionally Healthy with Pete Scazzero 59:19

2+ y ago59:19

59:19

Emotional health is something that can feel elusive and impossible. But is it? And even if "attaining" total emotional health on this side of eternity is unlikely, what steps can we take to at least walk toward it? And why do we need to? With the wisdom and tenderness of a kind father figure, pastor and author, Pete Scazerro, helps us answer some o…

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Episode 186: The Power of (And Cautions For) Engaging Listening Prayer with Michelle Kyle 48:05

2+ y ago48:05

48:05

Sometimes, God wants to use counseling to help us heal. Sometimes, it’s the Bible. Sometimes, it’s the powerful word from a dear friend. Sometimes, it’s prayer. Sometimes (oftentimes?), it’s all of the above. When Michelle Kyle and I (Laurie) met together for coaching, she said she felt “stuck.” I didn’t know if I could help her get unstuck, but us…

1
Episode 185: Which of the Six Types Are You? with Dan Allender & Cathy Loerzel 55:51

2+ y ago55:51

55:51

This is another episode we would pay you to listen to if we could. Do you approach your friendships, your work, or the pain in your life more as the orphan, the stranger, or the widow? Don’t know what that means? We didn’t either until we read “Redeeming Heartache” and then talked with the brilliant psychologist, Dr. Dan Allender, and to our new wi…

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Episode 184: What God Has to Say about Our Bodies with Sam Allberry 46:08

2+ y ago46:08

46:08

Without unnecessary clutching of our metaphorical pearls, when we look around, it does seem like there is something going on spiritually when it comes to an attack on the human body. What’s going on? Pastor and author Sam Allberry, a friend of the show and author of the new book “What God Has to Say about Our Bodies: How the Gospel Is Good News for…

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Episode 183: What Do You Want? With Curt Thompson 55:59

3y ago55:59

55:59

Desires: We all have ‘em. And sometimes they really get in our way. What are we supposed to do about this? Does Jesus care about our desires? Does He value them? As our good friend Curt Thompson points out, Jesus first question in the gospel of John is, “What do you want?” Clearly, our desires matter to God. How and why? Listen with us to find out.…

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Episode 182: How to Love Scripture with Tara Leigh Cobble 37:47

3y ago37:47

37:47

How many people do you know who currently feel slightly-to-very discouraged about their faith? Do you have a sense that the Bible could be a great help, but you don’t want to come across as legalistic or dismissive of their struggles? How do you walk alongside your friends? (Or, how do you walk alongside yourself if you’re struggling with cracking …

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Episode 181: How Not to Give Up with Christine Caine 52:44

3y ago52:44

52:44

“I’ve thought, ‘I don't know if I can do this, I don't know if I'm good enough or talented enough or whatever,’ but never had I thought [before that moment], ‘I don't know if I want to,’ because I really knew the price of going forward.” —Christine Caine The first time we had this conversation with anti-human trafficking activist and internationall…

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Episode 180: Helping Kids Navigate a Porn-Saturated World with Josh Glaser & Daniel Weiss 53:04

3y ago53:04

53:04

Real talk: When we think about raising our little kids in a porn-saturated world, we want to raze the whole broken system to the ground. That we even have to have this conversation plain ol’ stinks. (Darn you, Fall of Man!) Then, we start to brainstorm: How long can I keep porn away from our kids? (Forever?) What if they have already discovered it?…

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Episode 179: Three Types of Shame and Why They Matter with Matt Krieg 42:50

3y ago42:50

42:50

So...shame. It's talked about quite frequently and often with rightful animosity, but have you ever considered there might be some good types of shame? Buckle your seatbelt as we engage the three types of shame and why they are so important--not just when engaging the LGBT+ conversation, but anyone's life. Matt, Laurie, and Steve also dive into how…

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Episode 118 Take Two: Tough Conversations with Friends with Stephanie Thole 33:45

3y ago33:45

33:45

Engaging conversations on race or sexuality is a hard, holy task. As Christians, we don’t always do it well, even if our hearts are in the right place. Are these conversations the same? How are they different? Can we advocate justice and unity without endorsing what is not God’s best? And how do we do this with our friends? Stephanie Thole entered …

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Episode 114 Take Two: Seeing Friends As Siblings with Rachel Gilson 40:41

3y ago40:41

40:41

Sometimes, we need the cold water bucket of siblinghood thrown over our heads and our questions. What happens when we feel attraction toward our friends? What if we become enmeshed with other people? How do we guard against turning inward rather than outward, and encourage one another to continue on mission with Jesus? Rachel Gilson shares her stor…

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