Storyteller Sunday – Deborah Monroe

This episode is part of Storyteller Sunday, a recurring series at the church where Pastor Dan engages in a conversation with a member of the congregation. In this installment, Pastor Dan talks with Deborah Monroe.

Their wide-ranging conversation touches on several key themes, including:

• The nature and impact of judgment.
• The difficulty influential people face in embracing growth due to fears like losing power and being wrong.
• The role of emotional intelligence and the neurology of emotions.
• Strategies for overcoming fear and negative emotions by cultivating optimism, focusing on legacy, and practicing gratefulness.
• The particularly damaging nature of betrayal and its impact on the brain, along with the importance of empathy and forgiveness.
• The concept of information, revelation, and life formation as a process of personal growth.
• The exciting intersection of science and faith when it comes to understanding human emotions.
• The idea that emotions are information and can be used constructively.
• The distinction between a perceived “wicked heart” and our original good nature, emphasizing renewal over constant striving for betterment.
• The power of grace (karice) as a lifting force above natural limitations.

Deborah also shares a personal story of overcoming a serious illness by intentionally using positive emotions. The conversation emphasizes understanding and utilizing our emotions for personal and spiritual growth, aligning scientific understanding with faith-based principles.