The Whole Family

EP20: Dalen's Message on Ezekiel

The Nature of God for Cleansing and Keeping us to fulfill original design.

EP19: The Good News and IRIS

Show notes 
 
Why do we long to be known, yet fear being fully seen?
 
Using a powerful moment from Deltopia and the song Iris, this episode explores our search for identity, belonging, and connection. 
 
We look at how Jesus entered our world, understands our struggles, and invites us into a lasting identity as children of God. 
 
Scriptures
John 1:10-13
 
Reflect This Week
What part of yourself do you hide from others?
What is currently shaping your identity?
What would change if you truly believed you are God's beloved child?
 
The invitation of Jesus is simple: come as you are, be known, be loved, and discover who you were created to be.
 
 
We want to hear from you!
 
Contact us at 
wholefamilypodcast@icloud.com

EP18: Finding Meaning In Your Wilderness

Show notes 
 
The Montage 
 
Have you ever thought about the montage in your favorite movie? That cinematic stretch of time that compresses weeks or months of wrestling, waiting, and becoming into a few powerful moments?
 
Here’s the thing — we all have montage seasons. And unlike the movies, ours don’t pass in seven minutes.
 
In this episode I’m talking to anyone whose dream feels buried, whose calling seems like it quietly died, or who’s been in a wilderness season that just keeps going. The lonely, confusing, embarrassing in-between that nobody talks about.
 
But what if that wilderness isn’t working against you — what if it’s actually for you?
 
We cover:
 
•Why death and burial are often required for resurrection and multiplication (John 12:24-25)
•The 4 characteristics of a true wilderness and what they reveal about our souls
•How Jesus himself was led into wilderness before his ministry began (Luke 4:1)
•How to hold fast to God’s word when the enemy gets loud in the dry season
•And — for those who can feel the wilderness wrapping up — what it looks like to take courage and bloom again
 
Scripture referenced:
John 12:24-25 
Luke 4:1-2, 14-19 
Luke 5:16 
Mark 1:35 
Romans 12:2 
John 15:1-5 
2 Chronicles 15:7
 
Book mentioned: Anonymous by Alicia Britt Chole
 
Some things have to die and be buried so they can come to life and flourish. The growth that happens in the dark is the actual sustenance the plant needs to bloom above ground.
 
Take courage. Your work will be rewarded.
 
We want to hear from you!
 
Contact us at 
wholefamilypodcast@icloud.com

EP17: All The Parts of The Body

Show notes 
 
What happens when we spend our lives searching for the “right” stream of Christianity, only to discover that every stream carries both beauty and blind spots?
 
In this message, Megan explores:
 
the tension between supernatural experience and spiritual formation
why different churches carry different strengths
how offense and disappointment can harden our hearts
the beauty of the interconnected Body of Christ
why maturity means staying rooted in truth while remaining open to growth
 
This message is an invitation to resist cynicism, embrace mystery, pursue both Spirit and Scripture, and stay unoffended toward Jesus even in tension.
 
Main Scriptures
 
Jeremiah 29:13
1 Corinthians 13:12
Matthew 11:6
Romans 5:3-5
James 1:4
John 6:66-69
1 Corinthians 12:13-27
 
Reflection & Practice This Week
 
Ask God where your heart has become rigid, offended, or closed off to other Christian’s who have different beliefs. 
Explore a part of the Body of Christ that carries a strength your stream may lack.
Pursue both depth of character and openness to the supernatural.
 
We want to hear from you!
 
Contact us at 
wholefamilypodcast@icloud.com

EP16: The Rupture and Repair of Community

Show notes 
 
Today we explored how sin, shame, hiddenness, confession, and community all connect. 
 
Megan and Dalen unpack how scripture presents sin not only as personal failure, but as relational fracture that impacts our connection with God and one another. 
 
We also discuss walking in the light, Spirit-led transformation, rupture and repair, and why honest community matters deeply in a digital age.
 
Scripture References
 
Genesis 3
Romans 6
Romans 8:9–11
Romans 10:9–14
Romans 13:8–10
1 John 1:5–10
James 5:16
2 Corinthians 5:21
 
3 Reflections / Practices
 
Ask the Holy Spirit where you may be hiding or self-protecting in relationships.
Practice bringing something honest into the light with a trusted person this week.
Notice when “enemy mode” begins rising in you, and invite Jesus to help you stay connected instead of defensive.
 
Conflict is not the end of community. Hiddenness is. Walking in the light together is how resilient, Spirit-filled community is formed.
 
Do you have a story from this weeks message? 
 
We want to hear from you!
 
Contact us at 
wholefamilypodcast@icloud.com

EP15: Community Mode

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wholefamilypodcast@icloud.com
 
Community Mode
 
Main Scripture:
1 John 1:1–4
 
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Main Idea
 
We were created for community with God and with one another.
 
Through Jesus, relationship is restored:
 
fellowship with God
fellowship with people
shared joy
shared life
 
Community mode is choosing to see people as image bearers instead of enemies.
 
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Key Points
 
Isolation was never the design
The gospel restores connection
Community is spiritual, emotional, and embodied
Shared joy is part of God’s design
Unity across differences is supernatural
 
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Practical Application
 
Choose connection over isolation
Let people into your life
Fight for shared joy and meaningful relationships
 
Create a Vision for Community
 
Write down:
 
why community matters to you
how you want to navigate conflict
the kind of person you want to be in relationships
 
Return to it when relationships become difficult.
 
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Closing Thought
 
You were never designed to walk alone.

EP14: Trading Enemy Mode for Peace

 
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Do you have a story from this weeks message? 
 
Contact us at 
wholefamilypodcast@icloud.com
 
Enemy Mode in Everyday Relationships
 
Main Scripture
 
Hebrews 12:14–17
 
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Key Idea
 
We are called to pursue peace from a pure heart.
Enemy mode distorts how we see people, replaces grace with suspicion, and causes us to trade long-term relational fruit for short-term emotional reactions.
 
Peace is something we partner in—internally and relationally.
 
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Practices to Implement This Week
 
1. Pause + Perception Reset
 
Interrupt enemy mode early.
 
Pause when you feel the internal shift
Ask: “What story am I believing right now?”
Ask: “Holy Spirit, how do You see this person?”
 
Create space for truth before reacting.
 
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2. Return to Identity Before Engagement
 
Anchor before stepping into conflict.
 
Remind yourself:
“I am a person of peace.”
“I am secure.”
“They are not my enemy.”
Let your body settle (slow breath, release tension)
 
Engage from a grounded, regulated place—not reaction.
 
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3. Cut Off Bitterness, Replant Grace
 
Don’t let the root grow.
 
Name the offense honestly
Choose:
“I release them from what I feel they owe me.”
“I choose goodwill toward them.”
Ask: “Holy Spirit, what is one true thing about them I can hold onto?”
 
Replace suspicion with intentional grace.
 
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4. Renounce Agreement with the Wrong Spirit
 
Break alignment with what is fueling enemy mode.
 
Identify what is present (anger, accusation, division, bitterness)
Say out loud:
“I renounce agreement with the spirit of accusation, division, and bitterness.”
“I break every assignment of these spirits in my life.”
Invite the Holy Spirit:
“Fill these spaces with Your peace, Your truth, and Your perspective.”
 
Shift out of spiritual alignment with enemy mode and back into peace.
 
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Closing Thought
 
Transformation happens through partnership—
not just hearing truth, but practicing it.
 
As we notice, realign, and respond differently,
we become people of peace in real relationships.
 
Resources:
“Escaping Enemy Mode” Book
https://a.co/d/0eOhGgKY
 
More resources:
https://lifemodelworks.org/resources/read/escaping-enemy-mode

EP13: How Do We Love Our Enemies?

 
We want to hear from you!
 
Do you have a story from this weeks message? 
 
Contact us at 
wholefamilypodcast@icloud.com
 
Scripture References
 
Matthew 5:44–48
John 13:35
1 Timothy 2:1–6
 
Practice: Noticing “Enemy Mode”
 
Pay attention to moments when someone shifts from being a person to being a problem in your mind
Notice internal cues: irritation, contempt, assumption of bad intent, loss of empathy
 
Actionable Step (This Week)
 
Choose one person you’ve felt resistance toward
Pray for them daily (blessing, clarity, and good in their life)
When negative thoughts surface, pause and intentionally replace them with truth about their humanity and value

EP12: Hear God For Direction

 
We want to hear from you!
 
Do you have a story from this weeks message? 
 
Contact us at 
wholefamilypodcast@icloud.com
 
Light for the Path, Light for the Heart
 
Key Scriptures
 
Psalm 119 105 (NLT)
“Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.”
 
Hebrews 4:12 (NLT)
“For the word of God is alive and powerful… It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.”
 
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Core Ideas
•We don’t need full clarity to move forward—we need enough light for the next step
•There are seasons of “just enough light” and seasons of fuller clarity—both are part of the process
•The Word doesn’t just guide where we go, it reveals what’s happening inside of us
•Growth happens as we move forward and allow our inner world to be shaped along the way
 
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Engaging This Message This Week
•Take a few quiet minutes and ask: Where am I right now—am I in a “next step” season or a “clear direction” season?
•Write out one area where we’ve been waiting for more clarity than we actually need, and identify the next simple step forward
•Pay attention to what keeps surfacing internally—reactions, thoughts, or patterns—and get curious about what’s underneath
•Spend time reading and reflecting, not just for direction, but for awareness—notice what stands out and why
 
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Closing Thought
 
We don’t need to see everything ahead of us. We need enough light to take the next step, and the willingness to let what’s being revealed in us shape us along the way.

EP11: God Our Safe Place

 
We want to hear from you!
 
Do you have a story from this weeks message? 
 
Contact us at 
wholefamilypodcast@icloud.com
 
God isn’t our “panic cubby”. He is our safe house! What we return to daily—our thoughts, rhythms, and actions—literally shapes how we experience life, relationships, and even ourselves. 
 
In today’s message Megan talks about how to practically practice peace in our lives. 
 
Practices for Peace 
 
1. Fixing the Mind (Thought Formation)
•Notice the thought → “What am I believing right now?”
•Name the distortion → fear, scarcity, rejection, control
•Replace with truth → specific truth about God
•Repeat until it stabilizes
 
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2. Meditation on Truth (Internalization)
•Choose one truth (not many)
•Sit with it slowly
•Speak it out loud
•Write it repeatedly
•Visualize it lived out
•Stay with it until something shifts
 
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3. Abiding (Relational Awareness with Jesus)
•Pause throughout the day → “Jesus, You are here with me”
•Include Him in ordinary moments
•Journal as if He is speaking
•Stay emotionally connected, not just mentally aware
 
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4. Emotional Processing with God
•Identify the emotion → “I feel…”
•Stay present (don’t rush it)
•Bring it to Him → “Jesus, what is true here?”
•Let truth meet emotion
 
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5. Thanksgiving + Joy
•Daily: name 3–5 specific things
•Revisit moments where God showed up
•Start small if needed
•Feel the gratitude, don’t just list it
•Celebrate intentionally
 
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6. Speaking Truth
•Speak truth daily
•Use Scripture + identity statements
•Speak even when it doesn’t feel true
•Keep it specific
 
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7. Surrender + Trust
•Identify what you’re trying to control
•Verbally release it → “God, I trust You with this”
•Return to trust when anxiety rises
•Let God define what is safe