The "Surviving Saturday" Podcast
by Chris & Wendy Osborn
Join licensed clinical mental health counselor Wendy Osborn and her husband Chris as they share intimately about their journey through three decades of marriage, and the healing and growth God has brought them individually and as a couple in the process. From a storybook beginning right out of an 80s rom-com, though times of disappointment, heartache, seemingly unresolvable conflict, loss, and grief, their story forms the backdrop for considering how God uses struggle to draw folks closer to the real Jesus. Surviving Saturday is all about holding tenaciously on to hope in the darkest days-- in between the crucifixion on Friday, and his resurrection and ascension on Sunday. Brought to you by Nurture Counseling [https://www.nurturecounseling.net/], PLLC in Charlotte, NC, a counselling teaching and training center in Charlotte NC committed to helping families flourish, one story at a time. Special thanks to singer/songwriter extraordinaire BIll Mallonee for the licensing rights to use
Episodes
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This is What it Means to Be Held... and to "Hold Fast"... With Grace - Amanda Held Opelt
Wendy warmly welcomes the winsome and wise Amanda Held Opelt for an honest conversation about grief, faith, and what it means to love like Jesus in a fractured world. Amanda, an author, speaker, and songwriter living just outside Boone, NC, opens up about the sudden death of her older sister,...
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From Missionary to Counselor to Somatic-Healer--The Journey of Jenny McGrath!
In this episode of Surviving Saturday, Wendy sits down with Jenny McGrath, a psychotherapist and Somatic Experiencing Practitioner, for a powerful conversation about religious trauma, purity culture, faith, embodiment, and healing. Jenny shares her journey from growing up homeschooled in Colorado...
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A Conversation with the Fierce and Formidable Rebekah Vickery
"Though she be but little, she is fierce..." This compact complement, from Shakespeare's play The Merchant of Venice, could really apply to either of the women whose conversation you get to listen in on for this one. One has to be fierce to come alongside people who have suffered often…
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Destigmatizing Desire:--Our Discussion About Desire with Jay Stringer (Part Deux)
Quick thought experiment: If someone says the word, "desire," what's the very first thought that pops into your head? Was it any of the following: Romantic love? “Say what?” The U2 song off their woefully underappreciated Rattle & Hum album? (IYKYK) Nice to have, but more like a luxury. Desiring...
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From "Half-hearted" to Infinitely Joyful--Digging (Into) Desire with Jay Stringer (Pt. 1)
C.S. Lewis famously wrote in The Weight of Glory, "It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in…
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Kissing "Purity Culture" Goodbye?
We all have stories about how we first learned about sex. If asked when and how you were told about it, and by whom, what or who comes to mind? Were you given "the talk" by a parent, or a youth group leader, or maybe your Health teacher at school? Or maybe you were surreptitiously given (or found...
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The Complexity of the Self (or selves) and the Perplexity of God...
Here's a fun thought experiment: Imagine you are in line at a coffee shop or helping with a newcomer's lunch at church, and you spot a person who seems really, really familiar. Once you look past the questionable fashion choices and the "what exactly were they thinking?" haircut, you realize that...
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Wintering in the Wilderness... and the Surprising Playfulness of the God Who Meets Us There
Just in time for Snowmageddon(-ish?) 2026, we are back for Season 3! So, it's, uh, been a minute... There may be a few things going on--in the world at large, in our lives for sure, and likely for all you good folks as well. That predictable flip o' the calendar is often a time that prompts...
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Sue Cunningham: Finding Poetry in Unexpected Places
What if poetry isn’t just for English majors and literary journals—but for anyone trying to make sense of their story? In this episode, Wendy sits down with longtime friend, counselor, and poet Sue Cunningham to talk about the unexpected ways poetry has shown up in their lives—and how it’s helped...
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The Feedback Loop: What Helps, What Hurts, What Heals
Feedback is one of the trickiest things to get right in any relationship—especially the ones that matter most. In this episode, Wendy and Chris unpack a recent exchange that gave them a front-row seat to what helps… and what hurts. From tone and timing to defensiveness and shame, they name the...
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Big News! Introducing Chris the intern (Yes, THAT Chris)
There’s a new intern at Nurture Counseling — and y’all, while Chris Osborn might be married to Wendy, that doesn’t mean he’s off the hook for the usual intern duties. In this episode, we officially welcome Chris to the team… and gently remind him that coffee runs and red carpet rollouts may still...
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Losing Is the New Winning: Choosing Love Over Being Right
Why is it so hard to stay connected when conflict shows up? For most of us, the moment tension rises, we slip into debate mode — fighting for the win instead of fighting for the relationship. In this episode, Wendy and Chris get honest about what that looks like in their own marriage, and what it...
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Becky Allender on Marriage, Voice, and Growing Through Every Season
We had the best time sitting down with Becky Allender — writer, grandmother, co-founder of The Allender Center, and yes, longtime partner-in-life-and-love to Dr. Dan Allender. But make no mistake: Becky is a force in her own right. Her presence is warm, steady, and disarmingly honest. And for...
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Rachael Clinton Chen (Part 2): Harmers and Healers
As our lives grow more complex, so does our faith. The black-and-white answers we once held tightly often lose their grip when we find ourselves sitting beside hospital beds, walking through grief, or holding space for the pain of others. In this second half of our conversation with Rachel…
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Rachael Clinton Chen (Part 1): Story, Suffering, and the God Who Meets Us
Some people come into your life and quietly, powerfully change its trajectory. For Wendy, that person was Rachael Clinton Chen. In this first half of a two-part conversation, we sit down with Rachael — a pastor, teacher, and co-host of the Allender Center Podcast — for a conversation that’s rich...
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Alone, But Not Lonely: A Conversation About Soul Care with Danielle Hughes
What comes to mind when you hear the words “self-care”? A bubble bath? A walk in the woods? Maybe… a little guilt? In this episode, Wendy sits down with her good friend Danielle Hughes—a counselor, spiritual director, and fellow traveler in the world of soul-tending. They talk about what it…
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Sex, Story, and the Hope of Healing with Sam Jolman
Y’all… we’re blushing just a little over this one. Because today, we’re going there — with therapist and author Sam Jolman, who joins us for a gracious, grounded, and yes, occasionally awkward conversation about sex, story, and the deep hope of healing. Sam’s new book The Sex Talk You Never Got…
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Story Work in Your Marriage: The Hope, The Challenges, and The Power (Pt. 3)
A frequent theme of this lil' ol' podcast is that having a more honest, compassionate, and kind regard for your own story of formation in your family of origin can be a huge source of greater intimacy and kindness in your marriage. But how exactly does that work? What does it look like in…
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Story Work in Your Marriage: The Hope, the Challenges, and the Power (Part 2)
A frequent theme of this lil' ol' podcast is that having a more honest, compassionate, and kind regard for your own story of formation in your family of origin can be a huge source of greater intimacy and kindness in your marriage. But how exactly does that work? What does it look like in…
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Story Work in Your Marriage: The Hope, The Challenges, and The Power
A frequent theme of this lil' ol' podcast is that having a more honest, compassionate, and kind regard for your own story of formation in your family of origin can be a huge source of greater intimacy and kindness in your marriage. But how exactly does that work? What does it look like in…
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Hope for Any Marriage (Yes, Even Yours!) with Steve & Lisa Call (Pt. 2)
Here's a crazy thought: The hardest places in your marriage--the most maddening merry-go-rounds of misery, mixed motives, meanness, malcontendedness, and missed moments--might actually hold the key to discovering greater intimacy and connection. (Yep. Read that again.) Hang with us here. What if...
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Hope for Any Marriage (Yes, Even Yours!) with Steve & Lisa Call
Have you ever been "stuck" in your marriage? Maybe it's the same old conflict loop that seems to play over and over. You run through the familiar moves and countermoves until one or both of you reaches the point of exhaustion. So you put down the weapons for a bit, and limp into a cease fire, but...
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Cultivating a Deeply-Rooted Marriage... with Dr. Dan Allender! (Pt. 2)
This one has it all: Logs and specks, vows and curses, mustard seeds of faith, our relationships with power and control... and a compellingly redemptive conversation on a ski slope... We pick up the conversation with everyone's absolute favorite marriage themes, lust and anger. Yep. :-) As...
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Cultivating a Deeply-Rooted Marriage... with Dr. Dan Allender! (Pt. 1)
Y'all... This can't be happening... And yet it is. Our special guest this episode is none other than Dr. Dan Allender, whom we are honored to call our friend, mentor, wise guide, and chief source of inspiration in everything we do at Nurture Counseling and here on the podcast. We are beside...
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The Role of Ritual and Reflection in Transformational Healing-With Dr. Christy Bauman (Pt. 2)
Have we got a treat for you! Surviving Saturday is so excited to bring you our first podcast GUEST, the intrepid, insightful indomitable, and inimitable Dr. Christy Bauman! Christy joins Wendy for a delightful conversation about their respective journeys as women counseling other women dealing…
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The Role of Ritual and Reflection in Transformational Healing-with Dr. Christy Bauman (Pt. 1)
Have we got a treat for you! Surviving Saturday is so excited to bring you our first podcast GUEST, the intrepid, insightful indomitable, and inimitable Dr. Christy Bauman! Christy joins Wendy for a delightful conversation about their respective journeys as women counseling other women dealing…
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The Uniquely Transforming Power of Group Story Work - Pt. 2
So maybe for a while now you have been exploring your story--the formative incidents from growing up that have left their mark on you, for both good and ill. It's one thing to do that on your own, maybe even with the help of your favorite podcast. Some of you may have even experienced how story...
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The Uniquely Transforming Power of Group Story Work- Pt. 1
So maybe for a while now you have been exploring your story--the formative incidents from growing up that have left their mark on you, for both good and ill. It's one thing to do that on your own, maybe even with the help of your favorite podcast. Some of you may have even experienced how story...
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Encountering God... in Silence
Imagine being struck dumb for almost nine months. If you were unable to speak, or prohibited from talking, what would that be like? What would happen to the rest of your body if your mouth could not run and your tongue could not wag and your jaw could not flap, just for a season? Would you clamor...
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From the Head to the Heart to the Body-Fully Experiencing the Kindness of God (Pt. 2)
If God does indeed offer us peace and comfort in the midst of heartbreak and seemingly insurmountable challenges, well then, this episode coming out on Election Day 2024 might be our timeliest ever. (Don't worry, folks, we're not explicitly talking politics.) This week Wendy and Chris continue...
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From the Head to the Heart to the Body-Fully Experiencing the Kindness of God
We're back, folks! The podcast returns for Season 2 after a bit of a hiatus. In this episode, Chris and Wendy talk about different ways that God has shown up and made his kindness and goodness known in more tangible ways. What are the circumstance, settings, and commitments that make communion…
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When the Bread of Life simply cannot be contained..
We often think of Jesus' resurrection on the third day after his crucifixion as a quiet, clandestine act, carried out quietly in the dead of night. But that was no small stone that was rolled away. And we are talking about making "death work backwards" here. What if our assumptions are wrong? And...
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The Trials and Tribulations of True Transformation-Pt. 2
Spiritual formation is somehow both simple and yet really really hard. On the one hand, being made like Jesus is God's work, something he promised to do and form and bring alive in us. It is the divine work of the Holy Spirit that God IS doing and will continue doing in us. Spiritual disciplines...
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The Trials and Tribulations of True Transformation
Spiritual formation is somehow both simple and yet really really hard. On the one hand, being made like Jesus is God's work, something he promised to do and form and bring alive in us. It is the divine work of the Holy Spirit that God IS doing and will continue doing in us. Spiritual disciplines...
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Ingredients for the Healing Journey
Allender Center Facilitator and licensed mental health counselor Wendy Osborn takes the mic for an intimate look at two recent and very vital components of her journey to healing from trauma. Each of them may surprise you, and each will definitely be an encouragement for your own healing path. No...
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Desires and Stories and Fears-Oh My! (Part 2)
Chris and Wendy are back with Part 2 of their effort to untangle the thorny threads of a recent conflict. (Wait, how can "threads" be "thorny"? Can we maybe pick one metaphor and stick with it here, people, alliteration be darned?) Anyway, you'll want to listen in to get the REAL story of what...
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Desires and Stories and Fears-Oh My! (Pt. 1)
The Scarecrow in the Wizard of Oz just wanted a brain, and he thought--er, felt?--that then everything would be all right. But it turns out that brains are complicated things. Sometimes a part of our brain that is wired for survival (and thank God that it is!) can have a reaction of its own…
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Wielding Woundedness Woefully, or Well?
Come friend. Come a little closer. That's good--right there. Can we tell you a secret or two? Maybe one that might help you feel a little less alone, less crazy, or less hopeless, even if just for a half-hour or so? In this one, Chris and Wendy debrief a recent argument where they missed one...
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Shame, Your Name, and Mary Magdalene
[Well, it almost rhymes! :-) ] Fun episode here, folks. We'll bet good money that this may be the first podcast episode EVER mentioning both Mary Magdalene and a herd of angry mama elephants. (But if you find another one, by all means let us know and we'll give you a prize. Seriously.) A poignant...
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Shaking Up Shalom (and Waking to Reality) (Part 2-Chris)
In this episode, Chris and Wendy talk thru a particular season of upheaval and challenges early in their marriage. The perspective shifts to Chris's this time, as Wendy asks with kindness and curiosity what that season was like for him. You'll hear how God showed up (directly and through people...
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Epiphany: Hope, Healing, and the Value of "Story Work" (Part 2)
How does "looking back" or "reflecting" on the formative moments in our lives help us look ahead to anticipate what God might be doing or want to do in or though us as we move forward? And how can a slower, more meditative reading of the Bible called "lectio divina" help us hear form God in a...
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Epiphany: Hope, Healing, and the Value of "Story Work" (Part 1)
How does "looking back" or "reflecting" (as we did with the "examen" prayer format in a previous episode) help us look ahead to anticipate what God might be doing or want to do in our lives in the coming year? Perhaps the ancient holy day known as Epiphany might provide a clue or two. Epiphany is…
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"Examen"-ing 2023-Where Did God Show Up & Meet You This Year?
Wendy and Chris take an opportunity to reflect on 2023 as it draws to a close. As a loose framework for this conversation, they discuss and employ the spiritual practice of the examen. At its essence, the examen involves looking back over a day, a year, or other period of time reflectively and...
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Shaking Up Shalom (and Waking to Reality) (Part 1-Wendy)
This episode is the first of a 2 part series in which Chris & Wendy revisit another season of curveballs, derailments, and tilt-a-whirls from the early days of their marriage. (Yep, the metaphorical mashups keep multiplying!) In Part 1, Wendy tells the story of being a young mother of two, facing...
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"Shalom" Shattered
In this episode, Chris and Wendy talk through an early time in their marriage when the shine of new love began to fade, conflicts escalated, and the challenges to maintain intimacy in marriage just seemed to keep coming: A mother’s devastating diagnosis… Their own unexpected health issues… The…
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Gratitude... and Grief?
In a special post-Thanksgiving episode, Wendy and Chris talk about gratitude--both in recognition of its power and value in affecting one's mindset, and with an eye for how it can sometimes be used to deny or bypass our less pleasant emotions such as sadness, anger, disappointment, or fear. Their...
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Remembering and Reminiscing-How Many "Saturdays" Have We Survived?
In an episode recorded during a trip to celebrate their 30th anniversary, Chris and Wendy reflect on 30 years of marriage--and the many twists and turns in the road along the way--including a few that came right out of the gate. And you are enjoying the podcast so far, please take just a minute…
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An Advent Meditation and an Advent Invitation
On this episode, Wendy shares an original Advent poem, and she and Chris talk about some of the formative lessons they have had to learn about "waiting well" during the tougher seasons of their marriage. Wendy also shares details about an upcoming half-day Advent Retreat that she is offering for...
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Introducing... The "Surviving Saturday" Podcast!
WARNING: This podcast is NOT for you if all you do is "win win win no matter what," or you are just "slaying" and "slapping" and "living your best life" every day. Nope. It's for anyone who has encountered super-hard seasons in life. Where you or those you love are struggling or hurting in ways…
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About this show
Join licensed clinical mental health counselor Wendy Osborn and her husband Chris as they share intimately about their journey through three decades of marriage, and the healing and growth God has brought them individually and as a couple in the process. From a storybook beginning right out of an 80s rom-com, though times of disappointment, heartache, seemingly unresolvable conflict, loss, and grief, their story forms the backdrop for considering how God uses struggle to draw folks closer to the real Jesus. Surviving Saturday is all about holding tenaciously on to hope in the darkest days-- in between the crucifixion on Friday, and his resurrection and ascension on Sunday. Brought to you by Nurture Counseling [https://www.nurturecounseling.net/], PLLC in Charlotte, NC, a counselling teaching and training center in Charlotte NC committed to helping families flourish, one story at a time. Special thanks to singer/songwriter extraordinaire BIll Mallonee for the licensing rights to use
Hosted by
Chris & Wendy Osborn
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