Leaving Religion: a Guide

Sharee shares about her struggles in having the courage to share her story of Mormonism, trusting God and her previous marriage where drug addiction was a massive problem.
Sharing about her naivety that all you need to do is to go to church and it will all be okay, God will take care of everything.
One day walking into her kitchen there was a needle, a ball of heroin and a spoon. She instantly called the police who said they couldn’t do anything as he wasn’t active using and was caught. Sharee had four young children at home and this was very difficult to hear as she wanted to protect her children.
Sharee shares how she lost herself for awhile. Everyone’s needs were above her own, the trauma of being in an unhealthy relationship and moving through life. She was exhausted.
Sharing, “It's almost like I see an image of a young woman that's just got her head down, that she's doing the things that she's told do and never really looked up to see what had happened. I didn't. And that's a very accurate articulate image, because that's exactly how I felt like when all of this came to the forefront. I came up, it was almost like I came up for a gasp of air, like I'd been swimming. I came up, I looked around, I didn't recognize the surroundings. And I was like, so probably some cognitive dissonance happening.”

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Today's episode is another raw and powerful episode. Talk about living under extreme patriarchy! My interview today was both challenging and profound to listen to.
Camilla had a childhood that was unique to many others. At a young age, her parents got divorced and her and her siblings were told that later they would be told why they were getting a divorce.,
Fast forward a few years later, after her mom has gotten remarried and she's told by her new cousins that they cannot hang out with her because of who her dad is. Camilla, at age 11, then learns from her cousins that her dad was a pedophile. You can imagine how difficult that was for her to hear.
Sharing her story through continual challenges with her dad, with why she chose out of Mormonism. This is another episode you will want to make sure you listen to.
Are you feeling the call to share your story? Send me a message!
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I am mixing things up a bit today as I had the privileged of sitting with one of my favorite people, Angie Shockley. Unlike my previous guests, Angie was not raised Mormon but raised as more 'protestant'.
Angie's grandfather was a huge influence in her life. At a young age, her grandfather enlisted in the military and later was deployed during World war 2. He was severely injured and while pleading with god for his life, he made the vow that if his life was saved he would devote his life to serving him.
His life was saved and he dove into reading the bible, later creating his own non-denominational church. He became a preacher, if you will, and raised his family in a religious setting that has some fairly strict rules, like women do not wear pants.
At around 14 years old, after a comment made from a woman in her church, Angie got up and walked out of the building and decided she would not go back. This was somewhat accepted in her family and was really never talked about.
Angie shares her beautiful story of life through these moments, her relationship with her grandfather after she left, her parents, her marriages and especially her year of being alone while she truly found herself. Angie and I also talk about trauma and some tools to navigate it.
As a Shamanic practitioner, teacher, business owner and someone who works with youth every day Angie brings with her a vault of wisdom and inspiration. This is another truly beautiful episode!
Links:

To connect with angie head over to her website: http://www.livingmindfullyaware.comYou can follow her on IG at: livingmindfullyaware
If you would like to contact her directly, her email is: [email protected]
Also, if you are feeling a souls call to join my next retreat head over and secure your room: https://www.amandajoyloveland.com/unbindMy speakers symposium is coming up April 24th. Grab your tickets at: https://www.amandajoyloveland.com/breakingthrough

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Her unraveling was started because of the massive amounts of good in the world. Yes, you. heard that right!
My latest guest was SO fun to chat with! I found myself captivated by her story as it is truly unique and beautiful!

Being raised by parents who literally felt that God told them to marry, doubting was never an option for her as she was a bi-product of a god ordained marriage. She was special and mormonism was a part of that sacredness.

As she has different events occur, as Keri comments it was the goodness in the world that started it, her belief system started to unravel. Get this, as she decided to leave Mormonism her husband decided to join! So, after she left he got baptized. How unique is this?
Keri shares that once she became more honest with herself, doors starting opening. "struggle is evidence that something needs attention"
Are you feeling the call to come to my retreat? There are 6 spots left! Snag your spot at: https://www.amandajoyloveland.com/unbind
If you are ready to shift your life and are wanting to work one on one with me, I have one spot available. Email me at [email protected] so that we can schedule a call to see if my three month program is a fit for you.

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Today I am sitting down with the beautiful Anna Ship. Anna shares her fascinating story of growing up in New Mexico. At a young age she experiences abuse, her mother passing and then her father leaving her life. Adopted by her aunt, Anna had many changes in her young life and is now Mormon with her adoptive family. The church, Anna says, was a safety blanket to her. It offered her comfort. The idea of Zion, she says, "this was it." In the community that she grew up in. "I embodied everything about the church."
Later on in life, after a marriage that she gave everything to - even sacrificing herself, she had experiences through her church that rattled her beliefs. For fourteen years, Anna shares, she was hustling to be the number one woman in her husbands life. It created a prison and she discovered that she was stuck. Her priesthood leadership was not great at the time and the experiences that she had with them would have caused her to leave. She was ready to walk away as she lost all respect for priesthood leaders. A book came into her life, "How to Love" by Thich Nat Hanh and it was a godsend to her at this time in her life.
Anna shares that she still has a lot of love for the church and still holds that there are a lot of truths there, she just now believes that it's universal.
During a conversation with her mother she asked Anna, "do you believe that God's work never fails? It's God's work and glory to bring past our eternal life, that's not our work. Our job is to love and we are on God's work table." This rang true to Anna.
Later, during a conversation with her bishop where she was not going to get her temple recommend, he said, "you know it's okay not to have a recommend. It's okay if it take a long time." Anna shares that this was the first time in the church that she felt someone was telling her it was okay to have the journey.
With this thought that it's okay to have the journey and the belief that everyone is on God's work table, gave her permission to allow the pieces to fall.
God has me. There is no space he's not
LINKS:
To join me in my upcoming speakers symposium grab your ticket here: https://www.amandajoyloveland.com/leanin
Are you feeling the call to write your book? Come join my upcoming retreat May 12th-15th! https://www.amandajoyloveland.com/writersretreat
The Book How To Love by Thich Nhat Hanh https://www.amazon.com/Love-Mindfulness-Essentials-Thich-Nhat/dp/1937006883
Grab my guided journey for the death and rebirth cycle. Are you feeling that something gets to die? This is a stunning practice and one that you will find extremely helpful. https://www.amandajoyloveland.com/offers/nHjFkTTY/checkout

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