Behind The Mirror

The Jussie Smollett attack - thoughts on racism and the church

This week has been a crazy one in the media. Like many of you, I've been bombarded with stories in the news. One story however, stood out - the story of the attack on Jussie Smollett (Empire) gripped me. In this episode, I share my candid thoughts on racism and the church. I dig into the history of racism inside the Christian faith and how it continues to play an active role inside the western world. I also share how I believe Jesus would respond, with a current take on the Good Samaritan. 

Anna's blog: www.justajesusfollower.com

NY Times Article: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/29/arts/television/empire-jussie-smollett-attacked.html

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/annadimmel

Embracing surrender - letting go of control and my lovely stubbornness

Well, let's be honest - I like being in control. I like being "right". I like winning. And I like knowing the outcome. As much as I believed this offered me the upper hand, this last year I learned how much power actually rests in surrender. I haven't historically embraced surrender - it's often been something I avoided (in arguments, board games, grief, pain and just about anything I put my hand to). I used to believe that surrender meant failure - or that I had "given up". But, what I've learned is that surrender is the ultimate prize. It is not only a gift to your soul but is the core of spirituality; it is the true ticket to a free and authentic life. 

Anna's blog: www.justajesusfollower.com

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/annadimmel

 

Say goodbye to fear

Love and fear can't share the same space - and yet, I spent a lot of my life fearing many things: hell, disappointing God, the power of the "enemy" - I lived in a tightly constructed box with a narrow view of the world on the outside. There were "others" and there were those like me. As I have ventured through a deconstruction of faith, I have let go of many of those fears and yet, the cycle of fear continued. This episode explores many reasons why we are afraid, the affects of a life built on fear and steps we can take to step outside our walls. You were made for a full life - one with freedom, joy, peace, love and limitless possibilities. You were made for a life free from fear.

Anna's blog: www.justajesusfollower.com

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/annadimmel

Facebook Group: www.justajesusfollower.com/podcast/podcastgroup

 

We're all the same - Traveling the globe with PBS show host Rachel Parsons

I invite Rachel Parsons, host of the show The Peregrine Dame (PBS and Amazon), to talk about her perspectives and experiences as a solo world traveler. Rachel shares how she has broken through cultural, language and religious barriers throughout her journeys and the love she develops for the people who welcome her. She offers insight into ways we can overcome our fear of people who are different than us and steps we can take inside our own cities to bridge cultural/religious gaps. 

Rachel Parsons: http://theperegrinedame.com/

Anna's blog: www.justajesusfollower.com

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/annadimmel

 

All About Family - Meet my kids as we talk about ALL things family

Given this is the first episode of 2019, I thought it would be fun to introduce you to my kiddos: Bria, Lyla, Viola & Noa. We discuss ALL THE THINGS (and I promise, they hold nothing back - including a laughing fit from Viola and a personal confession from Lyla). I ask them what grown ups should understand about kids and also their thoughts about church and God. They answer questions directly from the facebook group and they give a personal thank you to each Patreon at the end. Happy New Years! And I hope you enjoy :)

Anna's blog: www.justajesusfollower.com

Patron: https://www.patreon.com/annadimmel

 

When it's time to be honest

So much of my life has been spent avoiding hard conversations. I have tried to keep people happy, relationships tension free and everyone I care about free from being upset or angry. But, what ended up happening, is that I was unhappy and full of tension and anger. Because, we all need to feel heard - we also need to be fully known and understood. But, that doesn't happen when we avoid being honest with ourselves and with those closest to us. In this episode I explore the reasons why we are dishonest; I also talk about how to navigate honesty in kindness and love inside our friendships, marriage, parenting and careers. 

Anna's blog: www.justajesusfollower.com

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/annadimmel

 

When trust has been broken - how to trust people again and build relationships that thrive

If you have a history of relationships with broken trust, trying to trust people again can feel like an attempt to climb Mount Everest. If this has been your story, most likely you want to crawl into a hole and hide - vowing to never trust again. I SO GET IT. In this episode, I share my own story of broken trust and expose the dark loneliness I landed in after closing myself off to wanting to trust anyone again. I break down why we stop trusting people (including God) and offer steps to heal and create lasting, healthy trusting relationships. 

Anna's blog: www.justajesusfollower.com

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/annadimmel

 

The single mom, prostitute, adulteress and widow - the genealogy Jesus chose

In this episode I open up about my struggles with the holiday season: the loneliness and the empty spaces that just feel like they should be filled. This year, I am viewing the story of Jesus a bit differently. I explore the wilderness journey and the striking similarities that Mary faced during her own wilderness. I also dig into the genealogy of the four (rather scandalous) women the Bible says Jesus comes from; all of it painting a rather different picture than the one I often heard about during Christmas. 

Anna's blog: www.justajesusfollower.com

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/annadimmel

 

Theology, Politics and a Flexible Faith - with Bonnie Kristian

I invite writer and author Bonnie Kristian to talk about her recent book, A Flexible Faith, Re-thinking what it means to follow Jesus today. Bonnie is a political writer as well as a seminary graduate from Bethel University. We talk about embracing diversity in theology and politics and how we can love eachother while disagreeing. Bonnie offers insight into the loneliness you experience when you are the "outsider" in your community as well as offering permission to leave your denomination when needed. One of my favorite parts of our conversation was her list of 5 things she considers when looking for a new faith community or church. She is a wealth of knowledge and insight and I loved every minute of picking her brain. 

Bonnie Kristian: http://bonniekristian.com/

Anna's blog: www.justajesusfollower.com

FB Group: www.justajesusfollower.com/podcast/podcastgroup

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/annadimmel

 

When you find yourself in the wilderness - walking through mental battles and loneliness

One of the most difficult parts in the deconstruction journey is that of loneliness. Whether you've lost your community, friends, family or career many find themselves wandering in a wilderness while deconstructing their faith. In this episode, I dive into this portion of my journey and expose the pain, isolation and mental battles I faced and continue to face. I offer three phases of the wilderness, taking notes from Jesus' personal journey in the wilderness. This is an encouraging episode to offer comfort and empower you to continue following where Spirit leads.  

Anna's blog: www.justajesusfollower.com

FB Group: www.justajesusfollower.com/podcast/podcastgroup

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/annadimmel