What should a pastor with a porn problem do? How should his church respond? Pastor Garrett Kell joins Juli on the podcast to talk about his years-long struggle with porn, coming clean, and how his church responded to his sin.   Garrett’s Instagram: @j.garrett.kell Book: Pure in Heart: Sexual Sin and the Promises of God by J. Garrett Kell   Donate to Authentic Intimacy on Giving Tuesday!   Java with Juli with Dr. Juli Slattery – Christian Discussions on Marriage, Sex and Singleness.

Purity culture taught a lot of unhelpful things and left a lot of questions unanswered for believers. While it’s clear a new approach is needed, it’s challenging to know how to leave legalism behind and teach a true-to-scripture vision of sexuality. Noah Filipiak, the author of Beyond the Battle, joins Juli to share where he sees a need to educate today’s youth, and why he wrote his new book, “Needed Navigation”.   Guest: Noah Filipiak   Book: Beyond the Battle by Noah Filipiak Book:...

Knowing what God’s word says about a topic and walking that out in a way that honors Him and dignifies others are two very different things. So how do we move in love and integrity towards friends and loved ones struggling with gender dysphoria? Pastor Sam Ferguson joins Juli to get practical about loving the hearts of hurting people while staying rooted in God’s Word.   Guest: Sam Ferguson   Book: Does God Care About Gender Identity? By Sam Ferguson SUBMIT A QUESTION FOR THE SHOW!   ...

We all experience shame, and for many of us that shame is deeply connected to our sexuality. “Why am I drawn to sinful things?” “Will I ever overcome my addictions?” When it comes to addressing shame, few of us know how to address it effectively, so Curt Thompson, MD, author of “The Soul of Shame”, joins Juli to help explain what it is, where it comes from, and what to do with it.   Guest: Curt Thompson, MD   Curt’s website: curtthompsonmd.com Curt’s Instagram: @curtthompsonmd   Book:...

buse so often warps our sense of self and our sense of who God is. How do you lose the lies and rediscover your faith? Author and adventurer Ryan George joins Juli to talk about how he disentangled the manipulation and abuse of his past and discovered who God really is.     Guest: Ryan George     Ryan’s Website: explorience.org Ryan’s Instagram: @ryplane   Book: Hurt and Healed by the Church by Ryan George   Java with Juli with Dr. Juli Slattery – Christian Discussions on...

Why did God design our bodies the way He did? Is our gender more than our bodies? What does it look like to live out our male and femaleness? Dr. Abigail Favale, author of “The Genesis of Gender”, joins Juli to talk about why our bodies matter and how to cultivate a deep and rich theology around sex and gender.     Guest: Dr. Abigail Favale     Abigail’s website: abigailfavale.wixsite.com/home  Book: The Genesis of Gender by Dr. Abigail Favale   Learn more about becoming an...

When we struggle with sexual sin, what is God’s ultimate hope for us? Is it that we stop our sexual sin? Or does it go beyond that to addressing our sinful nature and hearts, bringing us to a place of submission and surrender? Jackie Hill Perry shares how God drew her to Himself and brought her out of a lesbian lifestyle.   Guest: Jackie Hill Perry     Book: Gay Girl, Good God by Jackie Hill Perry   REGISTER FOR RECLAIM: SURRENDERED SEXUALITY! Learn more about becoming an Authentic...

How do we root our identities in Christ and help our children do the same? Jonathan Holmes, Executive Director at Fieldstone Counseling, shares with Juli how we can avoid identity traps and teach our kids to do the same. Guest: Jonathan Holmes Jonathan’s Instagram: @akjonathanholmes Book: Grounded in Grace: Helping Kids Build Their Identity in Christ by Jonathan Holmes   Get more info about Reclaim: Surrendered Sexuality!   Java with Juli with Dr. Juli Slattery – Christian...

Many men and women experiencing same-sex attraction struggle to imagine they can be loved by God and live a life of real freedom. Is there a future where you can be free and fulfilled? Laurence Koo, guest speaker at our upcoming Reclaim Conference, joins Juli to share what freedom looks like when you experience same-sex attraction.   Guest: Laurence Koo   authenticintimacy.com/reclaim2024   Java with Juli with Dr. Juli Slattery – Christian Discussions on Marriage, Sex and Singleness.

The vast majority of men didn’t get a sufficient sex education. Besides a handful of condoms and advice to not get girls pregnant, wasn’t there more they needed to know about women, sex, and romance? Sam Jolman, LPC, author of “The Sex Talk You Never Got”, joins Juli to talk about what men didn’t learn about sex growing up.   Guest: Sam Jolman, LPC   Sam’s Website: samjolman.com Sam’s Instagram: @samjolman   Java with Juli: #275: Finding Freedom from Unwanted Desires Blog: Purity...

Female sexuality is complex, with numerous factors weighing into how a woman may feel about sex at any given time. Obstacles run the gamut, from parenting young kids, to demanding jobs, and sexual pain. What about the lesser-explored reasons why a woman might not feel excited about sexual intimacy with her husband? Dr. Jennifer Degler joins Juli to share her thoughts and observations.     Guest: Dr. Jennifer Degler     Jennifer’s Website: jenniferdegler.com Jennifer on Instagram:...

Are we supposed to battle our sin or surrender it to the one who has already defeated it? Juli and Hannah discuss the difference between struggle and surrender, the role of the Holy Spirit in our lives, and what happens when we resist God’s leading in our lives instead of embracing it.     Co-host: Hannah Nitz     Hannah’s Website: hannahnitz.com Hannah’s Instagram: @hannahnitz   Book: Absolute Surrender by Andrew Murray   Find out more about Reclaim: Surrendered Sexuality Claim...

Studies have shown that churches are often among the first places people turn when they are experiencing domestic abuse, but unfortunately churches aren’t always well-informed when it comes to how to help victims. Chris Moles and Stacey Womack, who work independently in organizations PeaceWorks and Abuse Recovery Ministry Services, join Juli to talk about what churches need to know when it comes to helping abuse victims.     Guests: Chris Moles and Stacey Womack     Chris’s Website:...

Discussing sexuality with children can be intimidating. As a Christian parent you long to give your kids a faith-based sex education and you want to do so without shame, but often the very first step towards this is the most challenging. Thankfully, there are more and more experts providing support and guidance in this area. Dr. Julia Sadusky, author of “Start Talking To Your Kids About Sex” and “Talking with Your Teen about Sex”, joins Juli to provide wisdom on age-appropriate sex education...

How do you help your kids develop a healthy relationship with social media, avoid the traps and pitfalls, and learn how to connect with peers safely and authentically? Pastor James Talbert from Citizens Church Akron joins Juli to share what he’s learned through ministry about the good, the bad, and the ugly of social media.   Guest: James Talbert   Website: citizensakron.com Instagram: @citizensakron   Get your free resource on answers to questions your child may have about...

How do you set the pace for a dating relationship? What kind of expectations should you have? How do you break up with someone without disrespecting them? Kait and JJ Tomlin from Heart of Dating join Juli to help singles navigate the ups and downs of modern dating.   Guests: Kait and JJ Tomlin   Heart of Dating website: heartofdating.com Heart of Dating Instagram: @heartofdating @kaitness @jjtomlin Book: Thank You for Rejecting Me by Kait Warman Tomlin Podcast: @HeartofDating   Get...

Wondering how to improve your sex life? Beyond the general relationship advice and intimacy tips you might have found online, there’s an unpopular argument you might not have heard: that the key to improving your sexual connection lies with you. Christian Sex Therapist Dr. Michael Sytsma joins Juli to talk about three underrated ways couples can boost their sexual and emotional intimacy.   Guest: Dr. Michael Sytsma Michael’s website: intimatemarriage.org   Java with Juli: #516 Don’t...

In this special re-release, Troy and Melissa Haas of HopeQuest join Juli to answer the question: Can a couple’s sexual relationship survive and thrive after infidelity? While they were serving as missionaries, Troy’s long-term addiction to pornography was revealed. As hard as this was on their marriage, Melissa soon realized she had her own issues around sexuality too. They join Juli to tell her what was wrong, and how God helped them heal and find restoration.   Guests: Troy and Melissa...

Have we lost our vision for loving relationships outside the context of marriage and the nuclear family? What was the greatest love Jesus described in the Bible? Was it romantic love, or a different type of sacrificial love? Rebecca McLaughlin joins Juli to explain how we’ve minimized friendship and overemphasized sexual relationships.   Guest: Rebecca McLaughlin   Rebecca’s Website: rebeccamclaughlin.org Rebecca’s Instagram: @rebecc_mclaugh   Book: “No Greater Love” by Rebecca...

Abuse and the trauma it creates run deep. How can survivors begin to move forward? In this episode we explore a deeply personal journey of recovery from decades of sexual, physical and emotional abuse, discussing how embracing the fatherhood of God can transform your life. Author Jennifer Michelle Greenberg shares how her heavenly father and a healthy marital relationship helped her heal from her  painful past.     Guests: Jennifer Michelle Greenberg and Jason Greenberg   Website: Jen’s...

Struggles with pornography are incredibly common within the Church, and the problem isn’t going to go away on its own. What can churches do to be an environment where it is safe for congregants and leaders to admit struggles and get the support they need to overcome them? How can those going into ministry receive sufficient discipleship and care so they can heal from past traumas, win the battle, and walk closely and authentically with Jesus? Sam Black, Director of Life Change Education at...

Introducing “Her Freedom Journey”, Juli and Joy’s brand new book! In this very special podcast episode, Joy and Juli talk about the lack of discussion around female sexuality in the Church, and particularly around issues like pornography and masturbation. Joy shares some of her personal story, and together she and Juli talk about the heart behind the new book.     Guest: Dr. Joy Skarka     Website: joyskarka.com Instagram: @joyskarka   Listen to the episode where Joy tells her full...

The way we are brought up has a significant influence on the way we form attachments with others. There are few relationships in which this is as pronounced or as obvious as marriage. Kay and Milan Yerkovich, authors of the breakthrough book, “How We Love”, want to empower couples to become more aware of the ways in which their early years formed them, and to acquire the skills to develop secure attachments for healthy, long-lasting relationships.     Guests: Kay and Milan Yerkovich   ...

In Jesus there is hope for healing and transformation, but that doesn’t mean that in this life we won’t experience hardship and brokenness. Brenna Blain, renowned speaker and new author, knows this better than most. Experiencing same-sex attraction and fighting her own mental health battle from around the age of 14, Brenna joins Juli to explain how coming to the very end of herself led her to a place desperate enough to long for God Himself, and not just His healing.   Guest: Brenna Blain ...