Episode 131: Church Hurt, Trauma and Grace with Amber Jones

Spiritual abuse and church wounds are far too prevalent. The question for many is how does one not leave their faith altogether or how do they avoid carrying such toxicity to others? With stories like the one told in the The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill Podcast, many wonder if they can ever trust again.   Today’s conversation is about a story of spiritual abuse and the grace found when we choose to face our stories of trauma and heal. Terra Mattson interviews Amber Jones, founder of GraceStory Ministries, an organization helping people who’ve been wounded in the church and aren’t sure how to find help. If you’ve silently suffered, or tried to speak up against unhealthy dysfunctional patterns in your home or spiritual community, this podcast is for you. If you are a parent who wants to grow healthier relationships with the kids in your home, or a parent looking for a pathway to restoration with your adult children, this episode is for you. And, if you are a spiritual leader who longs to live more wholehearted, this episode is for you.   Amber says, "Trauma isn't the event but the meaning we take away from the event." Listen in as Amber walks us through the dysfunctional past of her American Christian leader's family and the healing she courageously chased. In addition to being the founder and president of GraceStory Ministries, Amber is a peer psychoeducator and considers herself blessed to be an advocate for families and individuals who are in need of hope. Amber authors the GraceStory Instagram blog, My_Grace_Story, and hosts the Gracestory Podcast where she draws from her own journey toward healing and the expertise of professionals.   If this podcast is helpful, we’d love to hear from you through a review! To connect with Amber, visit: ONLINE - www.gracestoryministries.com   SOCIAL - Facebook - @GraceStoryMinistries Instagram - @GraceStoryMinistries @my_grace_story YouTube - @GraceStoryMinistries   PODCAST - GraceStory Podcast   If you want to know more about Living Wholehearted and the resources we offer, from our books and e-Courses, to our professional counseling and organizational and leadership development services, go to livingwholehearted.com and sign up for our monthly newsletters. Each month you will be connected with resources and on-going support for your journey toward living more wholehearted. And if you want to participate in one of the monthly group coaching sessions, registration is now open. The application process for our next Wholehearted Leadership Cohort will begin this summer. If you get our newsletter, you will be the first to know! That’s www.livingwholehearted.com or follow us on instagram @living_wholehearted     To connect with Jeff and Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to: Instagram @TerraMattson @Living_Wholehearted @MyCourageousGirls #living_wholeheartedpodcast #shrinkingtheintegritygap Facebook @MyCourageousGirls @WeAreLivingWholehearted Websites LivingWholehearted.com TerraMattson.com MyCourageousGirls.com MyCourageousBook.com   Resources Shrinking the Integrity Gap Shrinking the Integrity Gap e-Course Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace Dear Mattsons