Loved Called Gifted

Catherine Cowell chats with Andrea Clarke about surrender, rest, and rediscovering who we really are beneath all the roles and expectations. Andrea reflects on a sailing trip that became a powerful spiritual reset, where she sensed an invitation to join Jesus’ “crack surrender squad” — not about doing more, but about letting go. Through stories, poetry, and deep honesty, they explore surrender as returning to our “factory settings”: being loved, enough, and free to live authentically. It’s a gentle, thoughtful conversation about releasing over-responsibility, resisting pressure (especially in faith spaces), and learning to live and serve from a place of love rather than exhaustion.

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This episode is a deep, honest conversation with Addison Torrance and Caidyn Bearfield about their experiences in the foster care and youth institutional system in Ohio, and how those experiences led them into advocacy. They both share painful stories of being placed in congregate care and residential treatment facilities, where trauma, over-medication, lack of education, and loss of trust were common. Despite that, they talk about finding healing through community—especially with other former foster youth—and turning their experiences into purpose. Much of the episode focuses on challenging systems that profit from institutionalizing young people, advocating for safer, more humane alternatives, and pushing for systemic change (like the creation of a Youth Ombudsman). It’s heavy, but also hopeful, showing how shared experience, learning, and courage can turn harm into meaningful action.

If you would like a transcript, you can find one here

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As we start the New Year, Catherine is joined by Olga Malarkey for a rich, down-to-earth conversation about faith, identity, and noticing God in everyday life. Olga shares a bit of her story and together they reflect on Ireland, creativity, and the deep hunger for freedom and healing woven into Irish culture, before moving into Olga’s personal journey of faith — including walking through years of chronic illness and experiencing both God’s presence in the struggle and the joy of healing.

The heart of the conversation focuses on the Examen, an ancient Ignatian prayer practice that helps people reflect on their lives and become more aware of God’s loving presence in both the highs and the lows. Olga explains the practice in a simple, accessible way, sharing why it’s been so transformative for her personally and why it’s increasingly used in leadership, therapy, and spiritual formation.

It’s a gentle, hope-filled episode about living an integrated life, bringing our whole selves into the light, and learning to lay down the day with honesty, gratitude, and grace.

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If you'd like to get in touch, you can email Catherine at [email protected] 

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Sophie Killingley is a freelance artist who is passionate about the intersection of faith and creativity and breaking down the sacred/secular divide to explore the world as it is. Her work and cartooning are quirky offerings of humour and heart from her perspectives on mental health, Christian culture, and the daily realities of having a neurodivergent family. I discovered Sophie's work having been alerted to her presence in the world by a fellow parent of children with additional needs. When I came across her piece inspired by Vashti - the often overlooked woman in the biblical story of Esther, I immediately wanted to meet and record a conversation. Very grateful that Sophie said 'yes'. This is conversation that resulted. We explored life, finding your calling, neurodivergence, faith and the queen who dared to say 'no'. 

Discover Sophie's work on her website here

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Catherine talks with Anni Ponder and Kim Eckhart, who host a regular online meeting called “Finding Mama God”.

 

Both Anni and Kim describe how, independently, they have grown up in Christian churches which focused on the masculine aspects of the divine, and yet were drawn into a journey of discovering the transformative power of perceiving God as feminine, particularly through the lens of our motherhood.  How they met, and have been able to share together their experiences of deeply healing and empowering through their encounters with “Mama God”. They highlight the importance of creating spaces where this feminine divine can be openly acknowledged and celebrated, fostering a sense of community and shared experience, and how they have facilitated this with the establishment of their online “Finding Mama God” group of which everyone is invited to be a part.

 

You can find more about Finding Mama God at https://www.anniponder.com/finding-mama-god.

Anni Ponders podcast can be found here: Barely Christian, Fully Christian

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Find a transcript here. 

Have a look at our website. 

If you have comments or questions, or want to get in touch, you can email: [email protected]