Doubt has gotten a bad rap in religious circles for centuries. Many of us have grown up hearing about "Doubting Thomas" as a cautionary tale – an example of insufficient faith rather than natural curiosity. But what if we've been approaching doubt all wrong?

In this eye-opening episode of The Tilted Halo, I challenge the conventional wisdom that doubt represents spiritual failure. Drawing from Frederick Buechner's brilliant definition that "doubts are the ants in the pants of faith" that "keep it awake and moving," I offer a refreshing perspective, particularly valuable for women in ministry and leadership positions.

Throughout the episode, I share some candid reflections on my journey through doubt – from wondering if I could ever become a pastor (especially when growing up in a tradition that didn't allow female ministers), to questioning whether I could complete seminary, secure positions, or make a meaningful impact. Rather than undermining her calling, these doubts continually drove me back to prayer, expanding my vision of what might be possible with God.

For anyone who has ever experienced second-guessing or found themselves trapped in the "should have, would have, could have" cycle of self-judgment, this episode offers liberation. Especially for women in faith leadership who feel pressure to be perfect while knowing they aren't, my message is this: your tilted halo isn't a sign of failure but evidence of authentic engagement with your faith. Your doubts don't diminish your ministry – they might be exactly what keeps it vital, growing, and receptive to divine possibilities beyond your imagination.

Ready to transform how you view doubt in your spiritual journey? Listen now, and discover how embracing uncertainty might be the key to deeper faith.

Gratitude transforms everything—yet in our demanding, rights-focused world, it's becoming increasingly rare. In this thought-provoking episode, we explore Jesus' Parable of the Money Lenders from Luke 7, discovering a profound link between gratitude and our capacity for love.

The parable seems deceptively simple: two debtors, one owing 500 denarii (nearly two years' wages) and another owing 50, have their debts completely forgiven. Jesus asks which debtor will love their creditor more. But the context reveals much more—Jesus tells this story while a "sinful woman" weeps at his feet, washing them with her tears and expensive perfume, while his Pharisee host silently judges both the woman and Jesus for allowing her touch.

Through this powerful narrative, we uncover life-changing truths: those who recognize how much they've been forgiven naturally express more gratitude and love. The woman demonstrated extravagant love precisely because she understood her great need, while the "respectable" Pharisee couldn't even offer basic hospitality.

This episode will challenge you to examine yourself honestly: Are we creditors demanding repayment or debtors grateful for forgiveness? Do we recognize our own need for grace? I share a personal story of being unexpectedly forced out of a ministry position and how choosing gratitude—initially finding just one thing to be thankful for—gradually transformed my perspective and freed me to forgive.

The implications reach far beyond religious settings. In a culture where gratitude seems scarce, practicing thankfulness becomes revolutionary. It opens our eyes to see blessings we'd otherwise miss and expands our capacity to love those different from ourselves. Even simple expressions of thanks create ripple effects that can transform relationships and communities.

Join me in exploring how gratitude might be the key missing element in your ministry, relationships, and personal growth. How grateful are you—and how might cultivating thankfulness change everything?

Have you ever felt stuck in a box of your own making? That nagging sensation that you're trapped in a role, a mindset, or a pattern that no longer serves you?

I want to take you on a journey through the concept of breaking free from self-imposed limitations and reframing our past experiences. Drawing from my book "Tilted Halo: Exposing the Truth of Women in Ministry and Untold Stories," I share a powerful personal story about transforming a painful wedding memory through the simple act of perspective shift. I recount how a reinterpretation of my father's wedding toast demonstrates how we can be "freed from" negative thought patterns that have constrained us for years.

The heart of this episode centers around the twin concepts of being "free from" and "free for." Through an engaging analogy about training a formerly wild dog, I illuminate how what initially feels like constraint can actually become the very thing that enables greater freedom and purpose. This isn't just philosophical musing—it's practical wisdom for anyone feeling boxed in by circumstances or their thinking. Whether you're a woman in ministry leadership or anyone seeking more authentic living, this episode offers a framework for identifying what you want liberation from and, more importantly, what mission or purpose you want liberation for.

Ready to break out of your box? Listen now, then reach out for additional resources to help you identify what you want to be freed from and freed for in your own life and ministry. Connect with me on LinkedIn to continue the conversation about living with your halo proudly tilted—perfectly imperfect in your calling.

What happens when you're called to blaze a trail with no map to follow? For women in ministry leadership, this isn't just a theoretical question—it's the daily reality of navigating spaces traditionally dominated by men.

I launch this episode of the "Tilted Halo" podcast with a powerful reflection on finding your place when there's no clear roadmap. Drawing from my experience as the only female pastor within a 60-mile radius of her first rural parish, I share the vulnerable story of receiving directions to "turn where the Peterson barn used to be"—a perfect metaphor for the challenges women face when following non-existent guides.

The journey unfolds with raw honesty as I recount conducting my very first funeral service for a stranger, quickly followed by 13 more funerals in just 14 weeks. This baptism by fire reveals how women in pioneering positions often learn through immediate immersion, without the benefit of seeing others who look like them in similar roles.

Though lacking in female predecessors, I reveal the unexpected sources of guidance that sustained me: scripture, supportive community members, fellow faith leaders across traditions, and most importantly, divine grace. My message resonates beyond ministry contexts to any woman creating new pathways in uncharted territory.

Whether your halo feels perfectly balanced or perpetually tilted, this podcast offers companionship and wisdom for the journey ahead. As I'd like to remind you, with gentle assurance, "You do not walk this way alone. God is there, walking the road with you, and so are some of us who've been there before."

Ready to find your way without a roadmap? Subscribe to the Tilted Halo podcast and join a community of women discovering their path in ministry and beyond.

What does it truly mean to be authentic in ministry? This profound question forms the heart of my conversation with award-winning life purpose coach Edna White, who brings wisdom born from both personal trauma and professional expertise.

Edna begins by taking us back to our five-year-old selves—that magical time when we believed anything was possible, when we innately trusted ourselves and the world around us. This, she explains, is our natural state of authenticity before life's expectations began reshaping us. Her definition resonates powerfully, especially for those of us navigating leadership roles while trying to maintain our genuine selves.

The conversation deepens as Edna courageously shares her journey through childhood sexual abuse and how it disconnected her from her true identity for decades. Despite outward achievements—modeling, marriage, motherhood—she describes living as if trapped "in a black bag," going through motions prescribed by others rather than living from her authentic core. Her story mirrors what many women in ministry experience: following paths laid out by institutions, mentors, or cultural expectations rather than the unique calling God has placed within them.

Most transformative is Edna's account of how a devastating accident became her pathway to genuine spiritual awakening. While relearning to walk after breaking her entire right side, she discovered a relationship with God more authentic than anything she'd experienced in 29 years of religious observance. This breakthrough illuminates the paradoxical truth that sometimes our greatest authenticity emerges precisely when our carefully constructed identities are broken open.

Ready to discover your authentic calling beneath the layers of "shoulds" and expectations? Listen now, and join our community of imperfectly perfect women of faith who are embracing their tilted halos while making a genuine difference in the world.

Journey into the intersection of faith and leadership with host Kathleen Panning and Ambassador Terry Earthwind Nichols in this thought-provoking episode that challenges conventional wisdom about power, choice, and authenticity.

Ambassador Nichols shares profound insights on how women of faith bring unique strengths to leadership roles. Far from the stereotype of "soft and gushy," women who lead from spiritual groundings demonstrate remarkable resilience and effectiveness because they're connected to something deeper than position or title.

The conversation explores our capacity for conscious choice—a revolutionary perspective that frees us from self-judgment and creates space for growth. "There is no good choice or bad choice," Nichols explains. "There's simply a choice, and we get to change our mind anytime." This framework allows leaders to make decisions from their hearts, use their souls for counsel, and keep their brains for storage.

Perhaps most fascinating is Nichols' perspective on humanity's evolution toward community-centered leadership. Drawing from both Native American wisdom and scientific understanding, he suggests we're moving into a new phase of consciousness where power-based approaches will give way to recognition that "we are all one." This shift mirrors quantum physics' revelations about interconnectedness and resonates with spiritual teachings across traditions.

Whether you're navigating ministry challenges, leading a business team, or simply seeking to understand yourself better, this conversation offers a refreshing framework for embracing imperfection as the very space where growth occurs. The "tilted halo" isn't a flaw—it's an invitation to authentic leadership that transforms both the leader and those they serve.

Ever found yourself staring at the ceiling at 3 AM, frustrated that you're not sleeping "like you should"? You're not alone—and surprisingly, you might not even have a problem.

Dr. Lucinda Sykes, a retired physician and mindfulness expert who directed the Meditation for Health Clinic in Toronto, joins us again to reveal fascinating truths about our natural sleep patterns. Contrary to popular belief, sleep naturally evolves as we age. After 30, we lose about 10 minutes of sleep per decade, experience more nighttime awakenings, and often shift to earlier bedtimes and wake times. These aren't disorders—they're normal biological changes.

Perhaps most fascinating is the historical context: before electric lighting, people typically experienced "segmented sleep"—sleeping for about four hours, waking for an hour or two (often for prayer or contemplation), then returning for a "second sleep." This pattern wasn't considered problematic; it was simply how humans slept for centuries. Dr. Sykes shares research showing indigenous Maori elders view nighttime awakenings as opportunities for spiritual practice rather than sleep failures—a perspective that brings peace instead of frustration.

Modern interventions like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBTI) now recommend approaches that align with these historical patterns—getting out of bed when sleep won't come, engaging in calm activities with dim lighting, and returning when sleepiness returns. Dr. Sykes offers practical suggestions like listening to scripture readings or "sleep stories" that engage the mind gently without creating the counterproductive "sleep efforting" that actually increases stress.

The key lesson? Our attitude toward sleep may cause more problems than our actual sleep patterns. By approaching sleep with cultivation rather than achievement in mind, we can reduce unnecessary suffering and find more peace with our natural rhythms.

Go to lucindagift.com for Dr. Sykes' free "Happy Sleep Secrets" guide and discover how to nurture your sleep naturally, without medication.

Dr. Lucinda Sykes drops a bombshell on The Tilted Halo podcast, revealing research that might forever change how you think about sleep medication. As a retired physician who has helped over 6,000 patients with stress reduction, her mission now focuses on sharing critical information about sleeping pills that many doctors simply aren't discussing with their patients.

The conversation uncovers startling research showing how common sleeping medications like Ambien actually suppress your brain's ability to clean itself at night. This natural cleansing process, called glymphatic flow, helps remove protein wastes that accumulate during waking hours—proteins linked directly to Alzheimer's disease development. Dr. Sykes calls this February 2023 finding the "smoking gun" that helps explain why sleeping pill users face higher dementia risks.

Most alarming are the studies showing significantly shortened lifespans among sleeping pill users. Landmark research comparing medical records found people taking sleeping pills had 3.5 times higher death rates over just a 2.5-year period, while Korean studies suggest users may live five years less than non-users who sleep the same duration. Despite these risks, many physicians continue prescribing these medications long-term, even though medical authorities recommend limiting use to just 1-4 weeks.

The fundamental misunderstanding, Dr. Sykes explains, is that these medications don't actually promote natural sleep—they sedate the brain, interfering with critical nighttime functions like memory processing, immune system boosting, and cardiovascular regulation. Whether you currently take sleeping pills or know someone who does, this episode provides essential information to have an informed conversation with healthcare providers about safer alternatives for better sleep.

Part 2 is coming next Monday!

Learn more about Dr. Lucinda Sykes and her teachings at lucindagift.com