Re-release of Shame Because of Domestic Abuse with Lisa (Part 1)
Release Date: 06/10/2025
A High School Sweetheart Changes Colors with Casandra Morgan, Part 1
Lifted to Hope
My guest for this and next week’s podcast episodes is Casandra Morgan, a self-professed military brat who shares the beginning of her deeply personal story. As a teenager, Casandra finally found a sense of belonging when she arrived at a new high school and made close friends, including a young man who quickly became her sweetheart. When his family received orders to move across the world, she assumed their relationship was over. Years later, they unexpectedly reconnected as young adults, stepping back into a relationship without realizing they were not yet ready for the weight of...
info_outline
God Provides After a Father Abandons, with Matthew Summit, Part 2
Lifted to Hope
Matthew Summit returns this week to share the powerful story of how God faithfully provided for him after his biological father abandoned him as a preschooler. Though that loss could have defined his life, God stepped in with remarkable relational provision. A man who adopted Matthew, along with a devoted youth pastor, invested deeply in him, modeling healthy manhood and committing to him for the long haul. Through their presence, and through the steady love of his mother and wife, Matthew began to experience healing and restoration. In this episode, Matthew also shares how forgiving his...
info_outline
Becoming the Man of the House at Age Four, with Matthew Summit, Part 1
Lifted to Hope
What happens when expectations are placed on you before you even understand who you are? In this episode, Matthew shares how the weight of expectation followed him from preschool into his early years. Instead of processing his emotions, he learned to tuck them away into what he calls his “junk drawer,” a place where unresolved feelings are stored when you do not know what to do with them. As a teenager, Matthew’s story began to shift. When his faith became his own rather than something handed to him, the healing process started. He reflects on identity, emotional suppression, and the...
info_outline
Healing from the Shame of Abandonment and Rejection
Lifted to Hope
In today’s episode, I begin a new series exploring the deep and often hidden experience of shame that can grow out of abandonment. I share parts of my own story of being abandoned by my parents and other family members, and how that loss shaped my identity, relationships, and sense of worth. The effects of abandonment can linger quietly for years, influencing how we see ourselves and God. In this honest and personal conversation, I also share how God met me in my brokenness. Through His compassion and faithfulness, He began the work of healing my heart and freeing me from the shame I carried...
info_outline
God Vindicates after Spiritual Abuse, with Charlaine Martin, Part 2
Lifted to Hope
Choosing to trust again after being wounded takes courage, yet for some, that trust is met with harm more than once. This was the painful reality for my guest, author Charlaine Martin, and her first husband, Don. After experiencing spiritual abuse in their very first church assignment, they later faced it again further along in Don’s pastoral career. The repeated betrayal left deep wounds of hurt and shame, made even heavier by the silence and inaction of denominational leaders who should have offered support and protection. In this episode, Charlaine shares how the path to healing did not...
info_outline
A Pastor’s Family Experiences Spiritual Abuse, with Charlaine Martin, Part 1
Lifted to Hope
Many who enter full-time Christian ministry expect hardship, but few anticipate the depth of disappointment, betrayal, and criticism that can come from within the church itself. For some, the wounds go even deeper, resulting in spiritual abuse by those entrusted with oversight and care. These experiences have led many faithful servants to quietly step away from ministry, carrying grief they never expected. In this week’s episode, Charlaine Martin joins me to share the first part of her story. As a pastor’s wife, Charlaine faithfully served alongside her husband in small rural churches for...
info_outline
God Heals after Spiritual Abuse, with Tanyka Abbott, LCSW, Part 2
Lifted to Hope
The miracle of God’s grace is that He is never hindered by the walls we build or the shame we carry. Even when our hearts feel locked away, He faithfully creates safe places for us to risk drawing near to Him. Through His Word and His presence, He reveals Himself as the God who heals, restores, and frees us from the burdens we were never meant to carry. This week, therapist and advocate Tanyka Abbott, LCSW, returns to the podcast to share how God gently earned her trust after the trauma of sexual and spiritual abuse. In this powerful conversation, Tanyka describes the slow, holy journey of...
info_outline
Hiding from the Trauma of Spiritual Abuse, with Tanyka Abbott, LCSW, Part 1
Lifted to Hope
My guest this week, Tanyka Abbott, LCSW, bravely shares how years of sexual and spiritual abuse drove her into hiding. After being date raped twice by a pastor, she carried the shame that never belonged to her. Those who violated her were relieved to let her hold the weight of their wrongdoing, and Tanyka convinced herself that staying silent was the only way to stay safe. In this episode, she begins opening the door to her story, revealing how secrecy shaped her life, how shame distorted her identity, and how the long road toward healing is unfolding. Her honesty is both heartbreaking and...
info_outline
Wrestling with God after Spiritual Abuse, with Josh Patterson (Part 2)
Lifted to Hope
One of the most damaging impacts of any kind of abuse, including spiritual abuse, is the belief that we somehow deserved it. We can become convinced that the mistreatment was our fault, that our past experiences justify it, and that those who harmed us must be right in their assessments. Spiritual abusers are skilled at exploiting insecurity. Their words can sound logical, even righteous, while quietly destroying confidence and identity. In this week’s episode, Josh Patterson returns to share more of his story. When he faced spiritual abuse within the church where he served, he had no one...
info_outline
When Spiritual Abuse Happens at Church, with Josh Patterson (Part 1)
Lifted to Hope
This week, I’m joined by podcaster Josh Patterson, who courageously shares the first part of his story while still in the middle of the struggle. Josh has experienced spiritual abuse twice at the hands of church leadership. The first wound came as a teenager when his family was shunned from their church. Years later, it happened again while he was serving on pastoral staff. These experiences left deep marks, and Josh is still walking the long road of recovery. I am grateful for his willingness to speak while the story is still unfolding. Nothing is tied up neatly, justice has not yet...
info_outlineAs we dive into this summer series on shame and trauma, I’m revisiting a powerful two-part story from my friend Lisa. When we met, she was rebuilding her life after escaping an abusive marriage.
Despite deep wounds and heavy shame, Lisa clung to the faithfulness of God and slowly reclaimed her worth. Her raw honesty and resilience are unforgettable, and I’m honored to share her journey with you again.
To inquire about counseling, email Louise at Louise@louisesedgwick.com.