#70: Wholeness and Suffering (with Stephanie Tait)
“There is no failure or shame in being a disabled person who exists in a disabled body and who is not healed. Asking for healing is not asking for wholeness; I am whole. Asking for healing is simply acknowledging that it’s not fun living life in pain.”
My guest this week is author, speaker, trauma-survivor and disability advocate Stephanie Tait. We had a profoundly deep conversation on the theology of suffering, prosperity, faith, trust, disabilities and ableism, and community. I cried real tears, you guys. I strongly urge every one of you to take the time to listen to this, Stephanie’s wisdom and grace are remarkable and every one of us have something to learn from her.
Resources mentioned:
Support me and my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle
Order Stephanie’s book, The View from Rock Bottom: Discovering God’s Embrace in our Pain
Visit Stephanie at stephanietaitwrites.com
Support Stephanie’s work on Patreon
Follow Stephanie on Twitter and Instagram
Pastor, writer and social leader Jonathan Martin returns to the show to explain how the journey that we’re each on is the journey we need to be on. Using the story of the disciples leaving Jerusalem on the road to Emmaus, Jonathan explains that even when we think we’re walking away from God, love finds us on the road. Tryphena and I ask him about the risky nature of doubt, of how granting freedom works as a pastor, and how to be honest about the harm done to us, while holding on to hope that perhaps healing is possible after all. It’s beautiful and raw and real, if you’ve felt at all disillusioned by God or church or the world in the last few years then I commend this to you wholeheartedly.