What If Project

What if we've misunderstood what it means for God to be all-powerful? And what if beginning with God's love instead of God's power changes just about everything?
This week I'm joined by theologian, author, and friend Thomas Jay Oord to explore his book, "A Systematic Theology of Love, Volume 1: God and Creation".
BUT.
Don't let the phrase "systematic theology" scare you away! This conversation gets into some very human questions about love, suffering, relationships, faith, and what it actually means to imagine a loving God.
Tom makes the case that love (not sovereignty, dominance, or control) should be the starting point for how we understand God. Why? Because from that perspective ...
God isn't controlling everything that happens.
Isn't untouched by our suffering.
AND.
Isn't simply a distant, all-powerful Being who's pulling the strings behind the scenes.
Among (lots!) of other things, we talk about why the traditional image of an all-controlling God can be comforting, why it can also create some difficult questions, and how a God who works in relationship with us might offer a different way forward.
We also explore what a theology of love looks like in everyday life: parenting, responding to suffering, LGBTQ+ affirmation, political and religious differences, and learning to meet people with humility rather than hostility.
And perhaps the biggest question of all: What if the God we've been hoping for is even more loving than we imagined?
Enjoy.
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LINKS:
• Thomas Jay Oord: https://thomasjayoord759927.substack.com
• A Systematic Theology of Love: https://link.amazon/B0aopdsXj
• My New Book: https://a.co/d/fsUTllj
• Art Studio: https://www.whatifproject.net/art
• Support the What If Project: https://www.whatifproject.net/support
(*Affiliate link: some purchases support the channel at no extra cost to you.)

What if the people we've been taught to fear have something to teach us about spirituality because what if God is way, way bigger than what our own religion tells us?
In this episode, I'm joined by Sunshine Witchski (aka the Pink-Haired Sober Witch). She's a psychic medium, spiritual advisor, teacher, and author whose journey has taken her from a Catholic upbringing and decades of addiction to sobriety and a deeply personal spiritual practice.
Sunshine began drinking at just eight years old. After 32 years of drinking, a long journey of searching, and a turning point that led her to recovery, she began building a different relationship with herself, her spirituality, and the world around her. At the time of our conversation, she was celebrating SEVEN years of sobriety.
Over the course of our conversation, we talk about her childhood in the Catholic Church, the questions she wasn't allowed to ask, and how exploring witchcraft and mysticism opened up new possibilities for her spiritual life. Sunshine explains what witchcraft means to her, how intention and ritual fit into her daily practice, and why she believes spiritual insight must be accompanied by real-world action.
As someone who grew up in conservative evangelical Christianity, I share some of my own journey of questioning the beliefs I inherited and discovering how much there was to learn beyond the boundaries I'd been given.
This isn't a conversation about agreeing on every belief; instead, it's about curiosity, freedom, and the possibility that listening to another person's story might deepen our own understanding of spirituality.
What if we became a little less afraid of the questions and a little more curious about the people asking them?
If you're exploring new ways of thinking about God, spirituality, faith, and what it means to be human, be sure to subscribe to the What If Project and join us in asking better questions.LINKS & RESOURCES:
• Sunshine Witchski: https://soberwitch.life
• Sunshine's Book: https://link.amazon/B0fLh3IY6 
• Sunshine's Workbook: https://link.amazon/B08Cglj2U 
• My New Book: https://a.co/d/fsUTllj 
• Art Studio: https://www.whatifproject.net/art
• Support What If Project: https://www.whatifproject.net/support 

In this episode, Dr. Nicole LePera (The Holistic Psychologist) returns to the podcast to discuss her book, "Reparenting the Inner Child: The New Science of Our Oldest Wounds and How to Heal Them".
And this one?
It's a GAME CHANGER.
We chat about why inner child work isn't just about childhood nostalgia or play, but about understanding the survival habits, protective instincts, and implicit emotional memories that dictate our adult lives, relationships, and reactions.
Dr. Nicole opens up about her personal journey with overfunctioning and perfectionism and I share a bit about how I spent years trying to "exorcise" demons out of my life ... only to realize what I thought was a demon was really my "inner child" all along.
In this episode, we explore:
What the "inner child" really is from a psychological and physiological perspective.
Why we unconsciously mistake familiar, painful relationship dynamics for comfort and safety.
How to tell the difference between an old childhood wound and true intuition.
The transformative power of "the pause" when big emotions or triggers arise.
Practical, day-to-day steps to begin observing and reparenting yourself.
... and SO. MUCH. MORE.
Enjoy.
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Show Notes:
(*Note: Some links above are affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.) 
Dr. Nicole LePera: https://www.selfhealerscircle.com
Reparenting the Inner Child: https://link.amazon/B0djTZJy0
My New Book: https://a.co/d/fsUTllj
Art Studio: https://www.whatifproject.net/art
Support What If Project: https://www.whatifproject.net/support
Dr. Nicole's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TheHolisticPsychologist

What if technology isn't just changing what we do, but changing who we're becoming?
This week I sit down with Aaron Hanbury, author of "Wired for Wonder: Dispatches on Technology, Culture, God, and Self".
Aaron doesn't approach technology as a tech expert with all the answers. Instead, he approaches it as a human being trying to understand how decades of increasingly rapid technological change has impacted him.
NO - this is not just another convo about tech; instead, this is a convo about how living in a world that is flooded with all sorts of tech is impacting our ability to be human.
We talk about a lot and the biggest question I've been left with after chatting with him and reading his book is this:
Is it getting harder to be human in a world where technology can increasingly do the wondering, searching, choosing, and answering for us?
Aaron and I don't have all the answers. Maybe that's part of the point. Listen in on our convo and share your thoughts in the comments!
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About Aaron Hanbury
Aaron Hanbury is a writer and editor with nearly two decades of experience in journalism and publishing. He is the author of Wired for Wonder: Dispatches on Technology, Culture, God, and Self.
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AARON CLINE HANBURY: https://aaronclinehanbury.com
WIRED FOR WONDER: https://link.amazon/B0hHb6mWn
MY NEW BOOK: https://a.co/d/fsUTllj 
ART STUDIO: https://www.whatifproject.net/art 
SUPPORT THE SHOW: https://www.whatifproject.net/support 
(**NOTE: these show notes contain Amazon affiliate links. If you use these links to buy something I may earn a small commission)

What if our phones aren't just distracting us from our lives, but helping us avoid feeling them AND from feeling all the feelings that tend to make life feel messy?
Now THAT’S a big “what if”, right?This week I'm talking with Shannon Algeo about his book "The Power in Your Hands" - a book you NEED on your shelf.One thing to note:Shannon's book isn't a call to throw away our phones; it's an invitation to examine our relationship with technology and reclaim our attention, our creativity, our relationships, and (ultimately) our ability to be fully present for this one wild and precious life that we get to live.This was one of the more vulnerable conversations I've had on the podcast. I hope you'll listen with an open heart.
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About Shannon Algeo Shannon Algeo is a psychotherapist, yoga and meditation teacher, writer, and author of The Power in Your Hands: Liberate Yourself from Attachment to Technology. His work explores the intersection of psychology, spirituality, embodiment, creativity, and our increasingly complicated relationship with technology.
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SHANNON ALGEO: www.shannonalgeo.com 
THE POWER IN YOUR HANDS: https://amzn.to/4zgjsNE
MY NEW BOOK: https://a.co/d/fsUTllj
ART STUDIO: https://www.whatifproject.net/art
SUPPORT THE SHOW: https://www.whatifproject.net/support
(**NOTE: these show notes contain Amazon affiliate links. If you use these links to buy something I may earn a small commission)

For years, many of us have been told that anxiety is primarily a thinking problem—that if we could just change our thoughts, our anxiety would disappear.
But what if that's only part of the story?
In this conversation, physician, neuroscientist, and "Anxiety Rx" author Dr. Russell Kennedy explains why anxiety often begins as a feeling in the body before it becomes a story in the mind.
Who knew?!
He shares why uncertainty fuels anxiety, why overthinking doesn't solve it, and how reconnecting with your body may be one of the most important steps toward healing.
SO. GOOD.
If you've struggled with chronic anxiety, overthinking, or feeling stuck in endless mental loops, this conversation offers a refreshing perspective.
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DR. RUSSELL KENNEDY: https://www.dr-russ.com
ANXIETY RX: https://amzn.to/4fBBeCb
MY NEW BOOK: https://a.co/d/fsUTllj
ART STUDIO: https://www.whatifproject.net/art
SUPPORT THE SHOW: https://www.whatifproject.net/support
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(**NOTE: these show notes contain Amazon affiliate links. If you use these links to buy something I may earn a small commission)