S2 E 1 | What Does Wholeness Really Look Like?

S2 E1 What Does Wholeness Really Look like?

Welcome to Life Reclaimed, a place for honest conversations about faith, healing, and real life.

We are three friends learning to walk in freedom and trust God through the messy middle.

Pull up a chair.

We’re glad you’re here.

Let’s dive in.

Welcome to the Life Reclaimed Podcast. We’re so glad you are with us today.

My name is Kim and I’m joined around the table with my friends, Brenda and Cindy.

We hope you enjoyed season one and even had some time to listen to our Spotify playlist with some of our favorite worship songs that bring us encouragement, hope, and draw us toward our heavenly Father.

So today’s check-in question is, since we are recording this while it is still summer, do you have a favorite summer memory or summer activity?

The lake.

Yes. I love being at the lake.

I grew up water skiing, going to the lake. It’s just peaceful.

Lots of fun activities, lots of friends and family.

We, I guess camping is thrown in there too.

Like, I have all these great memories from childhood, and then I got married, and I have great memories from taking our kids to the lake and camping.

I would say that’s my favorite summer activity.

Love that.

How about you, Kim?

Yes, the lake. I mean, I remember going to Clear Lake as a child and just thinking that was amazing.

And it was so hot at night and I love that. 

Oh,

One of the things I used to love. I once had a convertible and I loved warm evenings where you could drive around with the top down.

So nice, so warm. And since we’ve moved up here, that’s actually one of the things I enjoy the most is being able to sit outside in the evening where it’s still warm.

You don’t even need a sweatshirt, but it’s beautiful. But if I had to take my pick, I’d be at the lake.

Go Lakers.

No, wait.

Wait, that’s basketball.

Well, as I was thinking about it, I was remembering that I went to summer camp as a kid, starting around fifth grade.

I’m pretty sure I went every year from fifth grade through 12th grade.

Oh, that’s awesome.

That’s cool.

Yeah.

And it was such a great time because you’re just set apart.

You’re just out there with your friends and you’ve got a cabin and there’s competition between the cabins. And, you know, they’re going to make you, who’s got the cleanest cabin?

Of course, you know, because otherwise it would just be a pit. Yes, you know, after a few days.

But, yeah, I have some really fun memories as a kid of summer camp.

I love that.

That’s awesome.

Well, you’ve made it to season two.

Woo! Hoo!

Whole.

Congratulations.

And thanks for spending a little more time with us around the table.

This season is all about becoming more whole.

Today, specifically we’re talking about what wholeness really looks like.

Now, I know some of us might struggle with this idea.

It can be pretty deep.

And if we’re being honest, it might even be scary.

But wholeness isn’t perfection.

It’s the lifelong work of God bringing every part of us into alignment with him.

In this season, we’re exploring what it means to live as integrated women of faith , learning to trust God with our stories, our relationships, our identities, and our unfinished places.

And our disclaimer for this season is that we don’t have this all figured out yet.

Not even close.

We are still works in progress.

That’s why we’re sitting with you and we’re talking about this journey.

All three of us are still in process.

So real quick, how do you feel about wholeness?

I think it can be scary.

Yeah.

It feels like a heavy topic.

Yes.

It is something I always thought was like untouchable.

And I do believe that it’s not achievable this side of heaven.

Yeah, yeah.

Amen.

Agreed.

But I do think God brings us into the fold to transform us and to work on this journey to be like Christ.

And he wants every piece of our identity to be wrapped up in him.

Nice.

And that’s what I think about.

Okay.

That’s a good. That’s a great definition.

I mean, when I think of wholeness, I have to think of the opposite, you know, which is brokenness.

And I think that we see ourselves, we know if we’re broken, how we’re broken, how broken we are.

Right?

Yeah.

And so I think that we probably never imagine ourselves as being a whole.

But I know that God sees us as a whole once we have invited Christ into our life and His blood covers us.

God sees us as whole, but we are still going to pick ourselves apart and have to work hard on getting there.

Interesting.

I feel this topic in particular, for me personally, is probably the topic I’m least equipped to talk about.

And only because I have felt broken for more of my life than I have felt whole. And so I have the experience behind me and I’ve got those grooves and my thought patterns that have taught me that I am broken and I am all of those things.

And so for me, the idea of wholeness is what I am looking at as opposed to the real reality of wholeness, if that makes sense.

Yes.

Because it’s something I aspire to want to be. I’m just not sure I will ever be until we get to heaven. And I think wholeness is not something I can do for myself.

Right.

I think it’s something God is doing in me. And so I think it’s a journey.

It’s a process.

And I’m not sure we ever actually arrive. That’s how I feel about wholeness.

In a quick synopsis.

Yeah.

So when you hear the word whole, what emotions stir or what thoughts come to mind?

I’m not.

Oh 

That’s the first thing that comes to mind.

I want to be, but I’m not. And then because I have a growth mindset, I have to add the word yet.

I am not yet.

How about you guys?

When I think about whole the emotion for me that comes up is sadness, some of the thoughts that come up, I think of my younger self and how broken I was. And just looking back like that can make me sad.

Thankfully, through God’s grace, I’m where I’m at today.

For sure.

I’m feeling a lot less broken. And on my journey to whole, for sure. But there’s some sadness when I think about my younger self.

Yes, I think that’s natural.

I think that’s probably the case for most of us.

You know, when we look back, especially at those broken seasons, we can really see how we felt then and how we really wanted to feel more whole.

Yes..

Yeah, I get that.

For me, when I just, I don’t dwell on the meaning behind wholeness, this, I have some conflicting emotions that arise at the same time, I feel peace.

Oh, that’s so good.

Because like, oh, to be whole, there’s peace in that.

But then I also, on the flip side, feel anxious because of what the work may be diving into being whole or just this battle going on inside your brain of, why can’t I get there?

Can I ever be there? Will I be whole? Can I be whole?

What does it mean to be whole?

Like all these things arise that, that try to, I think, hold me back from even attempting to be whole.

Sure.

I think when I feel like the Lord originally gave me the healthy, whole, and healed words back years ago, six years ago or so, I think the word whole for me also meant hope because it was the hope of restoration.

And I wanted to one day have that hope of being able to take that story that I’ve walked through, that journey that I’ve been on, and be able to make it into something that is redeemed and is completely whole and hopeful.

That’s good.

That’s a good word.

It’s all I got.

Have there been seasons when you felt fragmented or divided?

Yes.

Yes.

I actually have sections of tine. Childhood, my adult life, my young adult. You know, my midlife.

I really have probably five year chunks that I could go back and show, wow, during this five-year chunk, you know, from five to 10, from 21 to 26, from 26 to 31.

Like I could literally track some of these different time periods.

And in those time periods, I really, really felt like the circumstances of that time were so unrecoverable that there was never going to be a moment where I was feeling all put back together.

I used to, I always would talk about being that broken vessel, you know, that Bible story thats about the alabaster tar that’s broken.

And so God’s light actually shines through all the cracks and the holes in the broken vessel. And I see that as my identity.

I am that broken vessel and I’m hopeful that the Lord is filling my vessel with himself and then pouring out his light through all my cracks. So regardless of how crazy or fragmented or divided those seasons were, I would get up every morning when I was working.

I started at this school and I started at the school when like life couldn’t have been worse. The rug had been pulled out from underneath me.

Satan was really attacking me from all angles and it was just rough.

And one of the things I remember saying every morning is, Lord, I don’t have anything to offer to these children as an educator, but I know you do. So I’m going to show up and would you give them what they need today? Through me?

And I’m just, I have nothing. There’s nothing left.

But if you would use me, I’m just going to show up.

And so though I felt really divided and broken and was in the middle of some crazy seasons, it’s been actually really remarkable to see how he has used those moments to draw me near, so that then I could allow his light to shine through my cracks.

That’s fantastic.

I feel like it.

I love that vision.

I love that vision, though, of that. Of the light. Of the light pouring down and shining through.

Yeah…

I love that.

How about you guys?

Yes.

I kind of similar to you, like what you had said of looking back over the course of my life and from early on seeing the brokenness just developing, you know, I didn’t grow up going to a church.

Well, I shouldn’t say that. I did go to churches.

Sure.

I even, the bus would even come and pick me up and take me to a church.

Me too.

I went to all different denominations.

Me too!

So, but there wasn’t a solid foundation there.

And so moving out of the house, you know, I experienced trauma before I moved out of the house, you know, I’m looking back over my college days, and choices made, and just poor choices that led me to just more and more brokenness that just followed along.

Sure.

Like, I don’t know if I’ve really ever felt not fragmented.

Right.

That’s how I feel.

Yes.

So finding my identity in Christ and clinging to Him, I’ve started to go, okay, I have fragmented pieces.

Right.

But it’s not all of me.

Exactly.

It’s not all of me.

And I’m really hoping that this season of this conversation at the table will heal some of those fragments.

Wouldn’t that be amazing?

Yeah, I know God can do it.

I think he’s already doing it.

And I love that about God.

Like we talked about the end of last season.

He’s not finished with us.

And he doesn’t want us to not have his best while we’re here.

And so he’s going to continue to refine and reform and to make us whole.

Amen.

I love how God brings people together that are, their life experiences are very different.

Yes.

And we learn.

We are from one another, right?

But I listened to your stories, both of you, and mine was so different. As I said, you know, I went to Christian, I may not have said it was Christian, but it was summer camp every year and it was through the church.

I had an incredibly stable childhood.

Wow.

And, I mean, so blessed in that my parents, we went to church every week, really involved, that was just our life.

And then I went to Christian College following that. And so I kind of felt like, all right, I’ve done it all.

I am, I am on the path and this is what my life is going to look like. So my expectations were, were high.

You know, I mean, I had what I really thought it was going to be like. So then to find myself in a situation where it was nothing like I thought it would be.

Sure.

And just kind of as time went on feeling very crushed, and my spirit was really crushed.

And I, you know, I still continued to go to church and I continued to ask God, you know, to give me my heart’s desire, you know, a really strong Christian marriage and just having that same experience for my own kids like I had growing up.

And it was absolutely shattering to me.

And I was very broken over it and I continued to ask God for it.

And I know there are people out there with, you know, not the same situation as me, but life doesn’t look like what you planned at all.

Probably everyone.

Right.

I mean, you, you want that baby and God hasn’t given you that baby yet, or you want the marriage, or you want out of a marriage that’s so hurtful, whatever it is, God has brought you there and, you know, he blesses you.

And I will say, I was blessed during that time. It wasn’t that I had a horrible, horrible thing that my deep in my heart, I felt very broken.

But he redeems, like you said, you know, I mean, and for some people, unfortunately, that doesn’t happen on this side of heaven.

You know, they have a desire. And for whatever reason, God saves that for them until they are with him.

And so, it’s a wholeness, you know, again, just what it looks like.

That’s, it’s just presenting your brokenness to God, I think, and having him heal you and make you whole.

I love that.

Presenting your brokenness to God and allowing him to do his work as only he can.

Right.

Yes.

I love that.

That’s so good.

Well, what do you think we often confuse with wholeness?

Having it all together?

Yes.

That’s what we pretend.

Oh, yeah, right?

We pretend like we have it all together.

Mm.

Perfection.

Right.

That’s what I would say.

Yeah.

Wholeness often you equate perfection with wholeness. If I’m perfect, if I have it all together, then I’m whole.

Right.

I’m not sure if that’s the biblical way of looking at wholeness.

I would agree.

I don’t think it’s biblical.

Yeah.

We can bring in some verses here.

If we look at wholeness isn’t perfection, what might biblical wholeness actually look like?

Right away, we can look at Hebrews 10:14.

Let’s do it.

“For by one sacrifice, he has made perfect forever, those who are being made holy. You have been made perfect by the blood of Jesus.”

Yes.

He covered you.

All of you.

That is when your perfection came.

Now that you’re walking on this earth and this journey, you are being made holy.

You are being made whole by transforming into the likeness of Christ.

Wow.

And then the second piece I would share with you, why is this happening?

2 Corinthians 6:18 – “and I will be a father to you and you will be my sons and daughters. Says the Lord Almighty.”

So good.

So you’re first claimed as his daughter.

And now through him, you can transform into the likeness of Christ. And I think that is the journey of becoming whole.

So what I didn’t hear was, if I work harder, if I stay up later, if I scrub the floors better, if I was a better parent, if I was better at my job, if I was a better wife.

All the laundry. I didn’t, I didn’t hear those things in that biblical explanation of wholeness.

No.

No, you know plenty of people that are completely empty that do all that.

Yes.

That’s the thing.

I mean, I think probably we’ve all been there too.

I’ve been doing all of that. Empty and you’re chasing this idea and going nowhere.

Right.

Your the hamster on a wheel.

Yes.

I think we’re, we’re trying to fill something. We’re that hole, the hole in our heart.

We’re trying to fill that hole because with that hole, H-O-L-E. Yes.

If it’s filled, then we think we’ll have wholeness.

HW-O-LE. And that’s not the case.

The only person who can fill that hole is Jesus.

Wow.

And we’ve all been there.

And even today, as we sit here, we said earlier, like, we’re not, we’re nowhere near complete wholeness at all.

And we’re on this journey still also.

And I know for me, I catch myself, why am I doing this? Why am I feeling guilty?

Why am I, you know, regretting these things that are in my life?

Making these choices.

Making these choices, Whatever it is, from simple to…

Complicated.

Very complicated.

When I need to be sitting at the feet of Jesus.

He knows me.

He sees me.

He already knows all that we’ve walked through, like stop trying to fill the hole with something else.

It’s so good.

And we need to be reminded.

That’s why you need community.

It does help, they say.

Yes.

So if wholeness isn’t perfection, what might biblical wholeness actually look like?

What I love about that is you just answered that question and I didn’t even have to ask it.

But I would add to obedience.

Yes.

Oh, yes.

I would add trust, peace and joy, even in times of real difficulty.

That’s good.

So why do we spend so much energy hiding our unfinished places?

This question really kind of hits me. And I have some theories on this.

I think first, we don’t want anyone else to think less of ourselves. Because if you knew I had unfinished places where I’m still not healthy or whole and I’m still yucky inside, you would reject me.

And so I think it’s this fear, right, of other people’s rejection if you think I don’t have it all together.

I think it goes deeper.

I would reject me.

If I sat and recognized the places I’m broken, I might then have to look at my own life and say, ugh, look at the yuck. And I would maybe reject myself.

And then I’d say it goes even one level deeper.

If I admit to God where I’m broken, maybe he would reject me. And so for me, these three levels make me want to hide my unfinished places.

And I have had to, over my lifetime, break that thinking because the answer is running to Jesus with the unfinished place, like dragging it and laying it at his feet and saying, I can’t do this.

I can’t fix this, but you can. You can cover this with your blood.

You can heal me from this sin, thing, whatever. We fill in the blank, right?

But I’ve got to give this to you as this is more than I can handle. And so I think that’s for me why I think some people hide their unfinished places.

What do you guys think?

No, I agree.

I think rejection not being loved.

And I was going to bring up that God knows already. So bring it to him. He sees you. He wants you to run to him.

I think what I was thinking about regarding what you said was just that it takes that trust, that trust in God, that I’m going to bring this to you.

Even though he already knows it, the fact that he wants you to trust him. And so when you do that in obedience, you bring that to him.

He is so ready to make you feel whole. He’s waiting to do that.

But we have to be the ones to say, hey, I recognize where I’m missing a piece. I recognize what I’m not giving over to you.

Yes.

I recognize what I’m holding on too fiercely.

And can I just say it?

I mean, on a personal note, I wanted that marriage so bad and I held onto it and I just kept praying, and praying, and praying.

God, please fix my marriage.

And when I finally just gave it to him and just said, you’re going to do what you’re going to do.

And I lost the marriage. But I feel way more whole now than I did in the marriage.

God has replaced that broken piece in my heart and given me so much more companionship with friends, with Christian friends who love me, who they feed my soul, and they lift me up, and they help me, and encourage me in my faith.

And my faith grows because of my relationship with them.

It’s so much more. But I had to surrender something that I never, ever, ever wanted to give up.

Sure.

Sure.

And I think, I think there’s two sides of that.

It could be something that you desire so much that you are continuing to chase after it.

It could be also the opposite.

You’re so ashamed of something that you don’t want to admit it, right?

Maybe I’ve had a sin or maybe I’ve had an addiction or maybe I’ve had a whatever.

And so it could be that I haven’t brought that last 2% as Jenny Allen talks about to God’s feet because either I’m fighting and striving for it to keep it, or because I don’t want to admit to whatever behavior it was, right?

I think there’s maybe two sides of that.

Right.

If there’s something that we feel ashamed of. And again, we’ve said it over and over.

He already knows it.

He already sees it.

So it’s just a matter of admitting, I’m sorry.

Forgive me.

I shouldn’t, I shouldn’t have withheld this.

Right.

And that’s where I think all of possibly we spend so much energy hiding it because we’re ashamed of it.

Right.

Right.

If, or we regret something.

Mm.

Or we think we can deal with it ourselves.

Right.

Right.

I have, I’m doing all these things, but not bringing it to the feet of Jesus.  So we think we’re surrendering it basically to ourselves.

Yeah.

It could be a little bit of pride in there.

Yes.

Yes.

I can do this on my own.

Absolutely.

I can stand on my own two feet.

You know, I I’ve got it all together.

So, it could also be a, a little bit of pride in there.

Yes.

Interesting.

Well, and pride leads to, if your circumstances were something’s been done to you and you feel pain, and betrayal, and all the things , now you’re angry.

Yes.

And then you’re angry at God.

And so, well, why am I going to bring it to you anyways?

Yes.

You know, so you now, you have that, you know, you start there, surrender the anger.

So I think there can be more than.

There’s so many levels.

Yes.

Yes.

Interesting.

So what parts of ourselves are hardest to surrender to God?

The hidden parts?

The parts you think nobody knows that you’ve kept in the dark.

I was just going to say the parts that they can’t see or hear.

Yes.

For sure.

And sometimes it’s the life you imagined for yourself too.

Yeah.

You know, I mean, yes, there’s stuff that we want to hide.

There can be, but also, you know, just kind of not giving up or anything like that, but just I had this idea of what I wanted and I have to surrender that.

And like any good father, like any good parent, and God is omnipotent, he knows what’s best.

And so if I will go ahead and just surrender what I think is best, he has so much more in store for you.

Love that.

I think the other part of what’s hard for us to surrender to God is also the part we don’t want to admit to ourselves.

Because I think sometimes there’s something we’re not admitting to ourselves, whether it be positive or negative and when we aren’t willing to admit it to ourselves, we’re probably also not surrendering it to God.

So very true.

So that begs to ask, can someone be growing and struggling at the same time?

I think we are.

I sounds like it.

I think that’s the only time that you’re going to grow.

Right.

That’s good.

That’s when you’re struggling.

When you’re struggling.

That’s when you’re going to grow.

Otherwise, if you’re just like status quo, everything’s good, how would you grow?

That’s a good question.

I’ve lived a lot of my life, always at some point having somebody, a friend, somebody next to me or in my circle who doesn’t believe in growth.

Or maybe not believe in it, but..

What does it mean to grow?

Sure.

Like, we’re just, we stay the same. We are is who we are. This is the way I’ve always been. 

I’ve always been.

We’re just going to keep acting this way.

And that message can rub off.

Those are definitely lies from the enemy.

Sure.

And I’ve had to fight that because I caught myself there.

I caught myself there. And I kind of agree with you, Cindy.

I think in the struggle, you grow, but you have to let yourself. Otherwise, you’re just stuck in the struggle.

Right.

And like, keep asking yourself, why?

Why is it always like this?

Why am I always struggling?

Because you’re not letting yourself grow and move forward.

Sure.

Well, and I remember from last season, the little saying that you brought up that, “cats don’t play with dead mice.”

Right?

And so for the person that just doesn’t isn’t growing, they’re not challenged and they don’t, they’re just, you know, scooting along in life, you know, maybe God puts these challenges or we’re faced with these challenges and God is using them to grow us.

So we’re living mice.

Yes.

That’s a good thing.

That’s a good thing.

I actually think in the times that I can think of when I was having the biggest struggles, are almost always the times when I had the biggest growth.

And though the struggle was not fun to go through and I don’t wish them on my worst enemies, I think the reason I am the way I am today is because I’ve grown through each one of those seasons.

And the Lord allowed me to be dependent on him to make it through each season. And that dependency brought me to his feet, and that is where he was able to nourish me, and heal those wounds, and grow me into the person that he wants me to be.

And so I think they almost have to go together.

I mean, you were saying they do go together, but I, I think they really go together. I think it is, it is not something God wants for us to find ourselves in hard seasons.

But I think in the middle of that hard season, if you surrender that season to him, he’s able to make something beautiful and amazing happen through the season as he walks with you and often in my case, carries you through the season. Right?

I think he does amazing, beautiful work with us on this.

And that growth, you can’t, I couldn’t have done that growth without those struggles.

Right.

And I think if we look at the Bible, we can look at the people, the humans.

Yes.

The stories in the Bible, like I think of David, the struggles, the battles. And the growth that he had through each one of those.

And I would point out that that growth was leaning more and more on God.

Yes.

Each time proclaiming his love, proclaiming his peace, asking for strength, asking for coverage, like always turning to seeking God.

You know, there’s just so many characters. People that they reflect our people today.

Right.

They really do.

Maybe we’re, we are not in an actual physical battle with a human being, but we are spiritually and we are maybe in a household living with someone that we’re battling with daily, whether it be a spouse or a child.

Like we have your own mind.

Right.

We have our own battles.

Yeah.

And it’s through those battles and those struggles, keep turning to God.

Keep laying them down.

This made me think what you were saying, Kim, the scripture that God is close to the brokenhearted.

Yes.

And I love that that scripture.

So, you know, when you’re going through it, for those of us and those of you that have been through gut-wrenching experiences, I know for myself, that is when I have felt the closest to God.

I feel his presence. And that is such a privilege.

Right.

I mean, to be in his presence like that.

So there’s a good thing that comes out of brokenness, as well.

Sure.

It’s that close relationship with the Lord and that dependency on him.

I feel like worship also helps bring me to that moment where I can feel very close to him, and I can feel that we’re in his presence and not a shameless plug, but that’s why that worship playlist for me was so important that we started because it’s in those moments when you’re feeling lost that you put on a worship song, and all of a sudden, you perspective does start to change.

Your problem starts to get smaller. Your God starts to get bigger and you start to realize, wait, I’m going through this moment, but God has not left me.

He is not finished with me yet, and we are walking on this journey, and he’s going to do something amazing.

And I love that on the flip side of worship music when we’re, if we’re struggling, that worship music is going to bring us to the feet of Jesus.

But also, if we’re on a high, if we’re enjoying a blessing, if we are experiencing just an overwhelming joy in our life, that worship music is going to let you praise him.

Yes.

So good.

It’s his words.

You just sing them out loud.

Love it.

I praise him.

And so many of them are scriptures put to music, which is just fantastic.

And sometimes I’m crazy enough that I’ll just take a verse and start singing it, even if it doesn’t actually have a song to it.

But that’s why.

It reminds us that we have hope.

Yes.

Right.

You know, let’s, we are talking about some heavy burdens that we carry, and we want to talk about them at the table because many people don’t talk about them.

Right.

That’s why we’re here.

But we also recognize that there is so much hope in this life because of Jesus.

Well, we were just talking about God sightings before we started, you know, this recording.

So let’s give God a shout out.

Yes.

How have you seen God working in an area where you still feel unfinished?

This is kind of what we were just, you know, talking about.

We keep getting to the questions, before we even ask the question.

But how amazing is it when you can have an issue, go to the Lord, in prayer, in worship, in gratitude, grateful for what he’s doing in you? And then he resolves it in such a way that you wouldn’t even have thought of, or ever have, you know, imagined it’s even better than what you expected, or thought was going to happen.

And so cool because he knows what we need. And he knows how to give us the good gifts.

And so what do you think?

Well, I even think this has been happening to me a lot in the last couple couple of weeks is I have something that I think is so ginormous and I’m letting it weigh me down.

And I pray about it and I’m listening to my worship music and digging for scripture.

Like, just tell me, just tell me how to deal with this.

And all of a sudden, like I’m doing these things and I’m like, oh, it’s not even a big deal. And I just have to laugh at myself and praise God.

Like, okay, you’re right.

Like I had all this expectation of a battle that’s going to have to take place to get through it.

And then he does something that it’s changes the attitude of someone, or I get the right affirmation from somebody, you know, or I love this. The kid walks through the door and they themselves are just so joyful.

You’re like, oh, my whole attitude changes.

And I’m like, praise God.

Like, you don’t recognize it a lot of times that that is God working.

Yes.

Answering your prayers, changing your mindset, transforming you. Renewing of your mind.

Yes.

I love that.

God is good.

So good.

Woop.

All right.

Well, there’s our shout out.

So, shall we add some scriptures?

Do you guys have anything else you want to say on this topic of wholeness?

I think we’ve said a lot.

I think we’ve said a lot.

We’ve said a lot.

And I think we’ve made it clear that this is a process.

None of us have arrived.

And honestly, it’s not anything that I can do to earn wholeness.

This is the process the Lord is taking me through of his blood redeeming my story, me surrendering my story, and allowing him to use his redemption and his healing to share my story with people.

Yes.

And I think to remember, it’s a journey.

Yeah.

It is an intentional journey.

We said that word a lot in last season. You might hear it again. It’s intentional to lay things down at the feet of Jesus.

Yes.

And that’s faith too.

For sure.

It’s faith that I’m trusting God with this and he grows our faith.

It just takes a little bit.

We just have to have a little bit of faith, but he will grow that in us.

Yes.

Let’s look at some scripture.

Love it.

Psalm 86:11 – “Teach me your way, Lord, that I may rely on your faithfulness. Give me an undivided heart that I may fear your name.”

So, we asked that question earlier, what is holdeness?

Yes.

We would look at this scripture, I would argue an undivided heart.

Right.

Meaning everything belongs to God.

Yes.

That is so good.

I wonder if that’s what it means to have a pure heart and a clean heart, an undivided heart where everything belongs to God.

Man, it could that be wholeness?

It could be.

Wow.

Love that.

Another scripture is 1 Thessalonians 5:23 and 24 – “May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul, and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.

So who creates it?

Yeah.

Who creates it?

God.

God’s work in the whole person.

I love that.

And it isn’t dependent on me or anything that I can do.

Right.

Love that.

Philippians 1:6 – “he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion.”

I love this.

I mean, this is why we have hope, right?

Yes.

Because he is not finished with us.

He is going to keep working and keep going until we are complete and whole.

And we can have confidence that he will finish what he started.

So good.

I love that.

Okay.

Let’s pray.

Heavenly Father, we just come before you as your daughters, your vessels.

You know our hearts.

You know the pieces they may be in, the shatteredness, the things that we experience in this life that just bring brokenness, but we lay it at your feet.

We look to you knowing that we are your child and you will not leave us.

You will be right by us until your work is finished.

Your word promises us. It gives us hope that we can depend on you.

When I just ask that each woman who has had an impression on their heart that they have felt the spirit move in them and brought to the surface the pieces that they want to surrender.

Lord, I just would give each of them strength and courage to lay it at your feet. To listen to your voice whisper in their ear.

Daughter, I love you as you are.

You are mine and I will never forsake you.

Father, we love you and we give you all the glory in Jesus name.

Amen.

Amen.

Oh, so good.

Well, if you only take away one thing from today, we hope it’s this:

Wholeness isn’t something we achieve. It’s something God is creating in us as we surrender every part of our lives to him.

The reflection this week, Where do you sense God inviting you to trust him with an unfinished part of your story?

Thanks for sitting at the table with us.

We’ll leave you there for now.

May God meet you in the quiet places this week. And remember, becoming whole isn’t about becoming someone else.

It’s about becoming who God created you to be.

As we close, we pray that you would notice Jesus meeting you in the ordinary moment of your week.

He loves you.

He sees you.

He is fighting for you.

For show notes, resources, or to answer the reflection of the week, visit LifeReclaimed.net.

If this conversation encouraged you, consider subscribing for leaving a rating and review.

It helps other women find a seat at the table.

Until we’re together again, may the grace and peace of Jesus go with you. 

Hebrews 10:14 – For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.

2 Corinthians 6:18 – And, “I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”

Psalm 86:11 – Teach me your way, Lord, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 – May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.

Philippians 1:6 – He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion.

Books

Find Your People by Jennie Allen

A practical, biblical look at building authentic Christian community. Many of the themes explored in this episode—including vulnerability, trust, and bringing hidden struggles into the light—are developed more deeply in this book.

Podcasts

The Last 2% — The Jennie Allen Podcast (Episode 277)

Jennie Allen shares how freedom often begins when we bring the hidden places of our lives into the light with God and trusted believers. Her teaching on the “last 2%” inspired part of our conversation about surrendering our unfinished places to Christ.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

Worship

Life Reclaimed Season 1 Worship Playlist

Created to accompany Season 1: Healthy, this Spotify Playlist features the worship songs that encouraged us throughout the season. We hope these songs help you spend time with the Lord and remind you of His faithfulness as you continue walking with Him.