I Peter 4:8 tells us, “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers a multitude of sins.” But what does this mean, and how do we walk it out in a healthy way? Does it mean dismissing sin, hiding abuse and allowing it to continue, accepting ongoing mistreatment without ever setting a boundary? Covering has several dimensions, and God is ou…

The topic of abortion is making a huge appearance this election year, but political speeches often distort the realities on the ground. Misinformation and carefully-crafted language can make it easy to think that a vote for abortion is a vote for the empowerment of women while a vote against it endangers women’s health, dignity, and welfare. Today …

Is attraction something that just comes and goes, completely beyond our control? Today Cinthia explores attractiveness as a responsibility we have to others, one that is not primarily about our physical makeup. While she introduces this topic in terms of spouses who are no longer attracted to their spouses, she explores it further as it applies to …

Today Cinthia continues a conversation she began a few weeks ago with the episode “Why Don’t You Believe Me?” Trust is impacted by many factors on both sides of a relationship, and it is difficult to sort out when our fears indicate legitimate warning signs about another person and when they signal our own trust issues or immaturity. (And sometimes…

Today Cinthia discussed what it means that we as human beings are made in the image of God. We say all kinds of things about ourselves, and not all of the things we say are true. We work hard to define ourselves, to figure out who we are and grasp some kind of identity for ourselves. But these attempts will never make us free until they line up wit…

Today’s title is one that requires some definitions. First of all, what is an addict? What is addiction? Addiction has more than one definition but usually involves becoming physically or psychologically dependent on a substance; it can sometimes apply to compulsive involvement in behavior, such as gambling or sexual compulsions. Not all habits nec…

Twilight seems like a wisp of time; it comes and goes and is gone. It occurs twice a day, bookending the days and nights. Is this simply an accident of the Earth’s rotation and revolutions around the sun? Nothing God creates is without meaning and purpose, and twilight, Cinthia explains, is a beautiful gift to us. Cinthia explored dictionary defini…

Have you ever told the truth and yet not been believed? Have you ever struggled to know whether to believe someone else? Distrust can be painful on both sides, but knowing what to believe can be difficult. Today Cinthia tackles the dual topic of trusting and being trusted, starting with the statement that everything is a risk. Trust is necessary fo…

Practice makes perfect, right? Well, that depends on what we are practicing. Habits are powerful, and repetition makes them stronger. This can be a huge advantage when we form and reinforce positive habits; it means we automatically do positive things without the decision fatigue that can come with making so many conscious decisions. Habits are use…

The past is hard for everyone. Some long for the past, while others want to erase or avoid it. Many of us want to erase parts of our pasts while holding onto others. But the key to dealing with the past is not romanticizing it or avoiding it; it is learning from it. Cinthia states today that “time is either a guide into your future or a tormentor t…

Today’s topic is the neuroplasticity of the brain and how we can use it to take charge of our own thought processes. Cinthia opened today with a quote usually attributed to Albert Einstein: “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, expecting different results.” We see the problems that occur with repeating behaviors that are not workin…

Human beings are locked in time while we live on the earth, and we used to know it. The sun went down, and people could no longer see to continue working, which meant they had to end the day’s work and rest. Time used to pace us, just as our bodies used to do. Now, however, we seem to be in a game against time. Our technology allows us to multitask…

When we do not take responsibility for being the best versions of ourselves, we often move toward pleasure to mitigate the pain. Now, pleasure is not bad -- it’s great, actually. But pleasure always has a price. Sometimes the price is worth paying, but, when we are using pleasure to mitigate pain, we often pay more than we acknowledge ourselves to …

Do you reject compliments, explaining why you don’t really deserve them? Do you get nervous when someone does something nice for you, turn down offers of help even when you could really use them, or hate the feeling you get when someone forgives you or extends grace and kindness your way? Today’s show is on letting other people love you. It can be …

Today's topic is devotion, devotions, and the interaction between the two. Devotion has to do with love, loyalty, enthusiasm for someone or something, faithfulness, fidelity, and even strong emotional attachment. It can also have to do with religious worship or observance. A devotion can be a quiet time spent praying, reading the Bible, reflecting,…

Like it or not, humans need to attach to other humans. We may not want to need that; we may associate it with pain and fear, or may simply not have developed the skills to attach well. We may actually push away the very thing we need. But it doesn’t stop us from needing to be loved, seen, understood by someone. Today Cinthia challenged us to let “t…

What does it take to be attractive? Often we think of characteristics that are beyond our control or measures that require lots of time and money. Some changes would even require compromises to a person’s value system. Is attractiveness something that most of us are doomed to miss, or that we can have only briefly before age takes it away from us? …

We all have problems with trust. We want to trust. We get scared to trust. Some of us resist trusting, as if we could get through a single day without trusting anyone or anything. We have all found ourselves to be untrustworthy at times. Some of us trust too easily, layering our hopes on things that have not proven themselves worthy of it. Most of …

Anger is a gift that helps us survive and protect, but it can also be used to destroy or to protect the wrong things in the wrong ways. Especially when paired with fear, anger can enable us to do things we would not or could not otherwise do. The adrenaline it triggers to flow through our bodies can energize us, helping us to confront wrongs and fa…

Today Cinthia welcomes Peter Rosenberger to talk about his newest book, A Minute For Caregivers: When Every Day Feels Like Monday. As his website www.hopeforthecaregiver.com explains, Peter has been a caregiver to his wife Gracie for about four decades now since a tragic car accident at age 17 changed the direction of her life. Gracie has had more …

Garrison Keillor once said, “The lovely thing about Christmas is that it’s compulsory, like a thunderstorm, and we all go through it together.” Whether you are working Christmas, spending it alone, hosting a gathering you hope will be beautiful, or gearing up to attend the usual round of work and family activities, you are in this with all the rest…

Today Cinthia talks with Michael Johnson, president of the Slavic Gospel Association. Michael discusses his own story including his conversion, journey from corporate to non-profit work, and time in ministry. He notes that we tend to want to know God’s plan for our lives, but that God wants our obedience step-by-step. Mr. Johnson discusses some of …

What does it mean to act like an adult? We all know it includes things like laundry, bill-paying, and going to the dentist, but what underlies those activities and determines the priorities of an emotional adult? Today Cinthia explains how the three core truths she teaches apply to the topic of growing up emotionally. As an example of what this loo…

What is emotional baggage, and how does it affect our relationships? Emotional baggage is the remaining residue of trauma on our lives, whether from traumatic events (e.g., physical assault) or in a broader sense (e.g., relational trauma). It can become an ongoing part of what we carry with us into new relationships. We unwittingly take it into new…

Today Cinthia discusses concepts from her book God Wants You Truly Living (Not Walking Dead). God knows we cannot achieve happiness by chasing it. The book of Ecclesiastes in the Bible demonstrates this; Solomon chased happiness with gusto and resources but found the chase futile. Jesus, however, said that He came that we might have abundant life –…

Why are things not happening when you want? Sometimes things will not work out on our time! God/Universe knows best. Trust the process, embrace the Journey!

Have you ever heard that saying, “The devil is in the details?” The idea behind this saying is that something which seems simple and straightforward may, in fact, have a catch, a hidden element that can eat away until it causes destruction. It is important to pay attention to the little things that can cause big problems and to do the work it takes…

Don’t let anyone take away from your greatness!

What does it take to be attractive? Often we think of characteristics that are beyond our control or measures that require lots of time and money. Some changes would even require compromises to a person’s value system. Is attractiveness something that most of us are doomed to miss, or that we can have only briefly before age takes it away from us? …

What are you holding on to that you can’t seem to let go of? Could it be what is blocking you from living your best life?

With the tragedies happening in the world right now, Cinthia encourages each of us to discover and remember why God has placed us on the earth. With that in mind, today she discusses concepts from one of her books, God Wants You Truly Living (Not Walking Dead). God is wanting us each to have a life beyond our wildest dreams, but it requires that we…

Some shows are easy to do; they make people feel better and inspire sighs of relief in listeners around the world. Some are more difficult, though, addressing controversial topics and potentially stirring up painful memories, regrets, and even anger for many listeners. Today’s show is one of the latter. If abortion is a part of your story in any wa…

Today’s show title comes from a statement Cinthia found herself making to her husband when he lamented having accidentally dropped a suitcase on her foot while trying to accomplish a project perfectly. She recognized the statement to be much like what God says to those of us who struggle with perfectionism: He is perfect. He wants us. Any perfectio…

Cinthia opened today’s episode with a famous sonnet by Elizabeth Barrett Browning, entitled “How Do I Love Thee?” The poem famously begins, “How do I love thee? Let me count the ways,” and then beautifully lists a variety of ways the lover in the poem loves the beloved. Cinthia cited this as a beautiful exploration of the reality that love is acted…

What do you do with your own moral failures? Today Cinthia talks about when you know you have gone beyond “nobody’s-perfect-everybody-makes-mistakes” territory and ventured into real harm. Everyone has been there – those times we shock ourselves and rock our own self-perceptions with the depths of our bad choices. You may even have experienced remo…

What is emotional baggage, and how does it affect our relationships? Emotional baggage is the remaining residue of trauma on our lives, whether from traumatic events (e.g., physical assault) or in a broader sense (e.g., relational trauma). It can become an ongoing part of what we carry with us into new relationships. We unwittingly take it into new…

Do you acknowledge the choices you have? You may not always have the choices that you wish you had, but you always have a choice. Today Cinthia discussed what it means to take ownership of your life and the choices you have. Acknowledging your own choices means giving up the option to blame others for the entire direction of your life (although it …

Today Cinthia spent the first two segments with guest Aaron Knipp of Cicospace (cicospace.com), whom long-time listeners will recognize from previous shows. The two discussed some recent changes in the business world that have implications for women. The business world has shifted from its traditional emphasis on authority, competition, strength, a…

Today Cinthia interviews Antoine Anderson, a church planter (2ten.church in southern Phoenix), men’s life coach, husband, father, and author of the book Journey to Fulfill Your Destiny (https://www.amazon.com/s?k=journey+to+fulfill+your+destiny&crid=38ZS5AS1HXZZD&sprefix=journey+to+fulfill+your+destiny%2Caps%2C93&ref=nb_sb_noss). In this new book, …

Do you reject compliments, explaining why you don’t really deserve them? Do you get nervous when someone does something nice for you, turn down offers of help even when you could really use them, or hate the feeling you get when someone forgives you or extends grace and kindness your way? Today’s show is on letting other people love you. It can be …

Remember that song “I Want to Know What Love Is” by the band Foreigner? Today Cinthia discusses the lyrics of that song and the deep human longing it captures. Love is foundational to human beings because God, Who is Love itself, made us in love. The Bible even says that “love never fails” (I Corinthians 13:8). Many people, however, think love has …

Following last week’s show about shame, Cinthia talked today about a life circumstance that can cause a significant amount of shame: being or having been in a toxic relationship. People are imperfect, so our relationships are bound to be the same. Some relationships, however, are more than imperfect – they are dangerous to your physical and/or emot…

Did you know there is a healthy type of shame? We are so used to talking about the toxic kind that we often forget it has a more helpful counterpart. Shame is a spiritual crisis because it interacts with identity, but not all shame interacts with it in the same way. Today Cinthia explores the many facets of shame and discusses some strategies that …

For every person in the world diagnosed with an addiction or mental disorder, there is at least one other person trying to help someone in this condition. Families are deeply impacted, and these situations can be ripe for misunderstanding, misinformation, and stigma. Today Cinthia explores how to love well when a loved one struggles with a mental i…

In the arena of identity, we often struggle to let go of negative aspects of who we think we are. Past failures, old labels, experiences we cannot forget, mistakes we cannot change - It can be such a relief to realize we no longer have to define ourselves by those things. But today Aaron Knipp talks with Cinthia about moving on from past successes.…

While freshly taught and recorded for this week, today’s topic is a Cinthia-Classic and relates to her reason for doing this podcast in the first place! Cinthia has been saying, “Be your own best version,” since 2010, but what does she mean by that? What is the difference between striving to meet lists of expectations (your own or other people’s) a…

What is your “Achilles Heel,” the weakness or “limp” that is always there in your life? Do you judge yourself for it, berate yourself for having it? Do you try to avoid it, chasing feelings that make it seem less painful for a while? Healthy self-esteem involves a balance, both for individuals and for society. We tend instead to swing back and fort…

Which is more important, friends or family? To some, family should always come first at all ages and stages of life. Others see the family of childhood as little more than an option once adulthood is reached since one can create a “family of choice” and no longer depend on the family of origin. Today Cinthia explored the similarities and difference…

Inspired by a listener’s request, today Cinthia discussed how to let go, applying it to various kinds and levels of loss: the loss of something or someone to which we have become attached, someone or something we loved, something for which we hoped, something on which our hearts were set, something to which we so looked forward, something we enjoye…

Do you let people love you? Do you accept gifts graciously, receive compliments kindly, and gratefully experience help when it is offered? If not, you aren’t alone; many people minimize compliments, feel uncomfortable with gifts and kindnesses given, and even reject help offered despite really needing it. We all need love, but it can be harder to r…