Loved Called Gifted

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. transcript Explore the Loved Called Gifted website If you'd like to get in touch, you can email Catherine at [email protected]  Join us on Facebook  

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 Transcript Have a look at the Loved Called Gifted website Find us on Facebook

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 Follow us on Facebook. 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]

Catherine is joined once again by the wonderful Heidi Steele from Live Play Learn. Heidi’s an unschooling parent of four and a former teacher, and she shares what life looks like when learning happens naturally — no classrooms, no curriculums, just curiosity. They dive into how unschooling has supported Heidi’s neurodivergent family, what it means to unschool ourselves as adults, and how questioning old assumptions can lead to more compassion, joy, and freedom in everyday life. You can find more about Heidi at Live Play Learn. Follow us on Facebook. 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]

Maria Skoyles, founder of Dorcas Dresses, shares her journey inspired by the biblical figure Dorcas, a dressmaker known for her acts of charity. Maria’s business supports women in financial hardship, providing them with sewing machines and training to establish their own businesses. Through her work, Maria witnesses the transformative power of empowering women, enabling them to bless others and create a ripple effect of positive change. You can find a transcript of this episode at lovedcalledgifted.com Find the Dorcas Dress Project here: https://dorcasdressproject.org/