Can I Still Be Loved? Faith, STIs, and the Journey Out of Shame, #605
Java with Juli - Making Sense of God and Sex
Authentic Intimacy®
4.9 • 1.7K Ratings
🗓️ 27 April 2026
⏱️ 44 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Shame has a way of convincing us to hide. But Jesus doesn't turn away from your shame. He steps toward it.
This week, Juli sits down with Dr. Carol Tanksley and Allie Mazur to shed light on the often unspoken reality of living with an STI. Together, they unpack the weight of shame, the fear of rejection, and the questions that can follow a diagnosis like herpes.
You'll be reminded that while consequences of sin may linger, they don't have the final word. Jesus meets us right in the middle of our brokenness, offering freedom, healing, and hope.
If you've ever felt like your story is "too much" or "too broken," this conversation is for you.
Guests: Dr. Carol Tanksley, OBGYN and Allie Mazur
Follow-Up Resources:
Q&A: Are sexual sin and sexual brokenness the same thing? (video)
Q&A: Where do I begin healing? (video)
How to Get Past Shame from Sexual Sin by Juli Slattery (blog)
Dr. Carol Tanksley's website: drcarolministries.com
Follow Dr. Carol at @drcarolt
Allie Mazur's website: livebeyondherpes.com
Follow Allie Mazur at @allie_beyond
Follow Authentic Intimacy at @authenticintimacy
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Hey, welcome to Java with Julie. I'm Julie Slattery, and this podcast is an outreach of authentic intimacy, a ministry dedicated to helping people make sense of God and sexuality. Well, I think few things challenge our sense of identity more than consequences that we just can't undo. When someone learns they've contracted a sexually transmitted infection that has no cure, |
| 0:26.4 | boy, that can trigger deep feelings of shame, regret, and isolation, |
| 0:31.3 | questions about your worth, future relationships, and even God's grace often surface. |
| 0:37.5 | Well, today we want to talk honestly about how to navigate the stigma connected to past |
| 0:42.1 | sexual choices and how freedom and hope are still possible. |
| 0:46.7 | You're going to hear from a young woman, Ali Mazur. |
| 0:50.5 | She's going to share her story of navigating life after contracting an SDI and what it looks like to |
| 0:56.3 | navigate shame and regret in the wake of being diagnosed with herpes. But before we get to |
| 1:02.4 | Allie's story, I have Dr. Carol Tanksley in the studio with me. Dr. Carol is a good friend who has |
| 1:08.2 | practiced as an OBGYN physician and reproductive |
| 1:11.3 | endocrinologist for over 29 years. |
| 1:14.2 | And she's retired now, but Dr. Carol, you have such a heart to help people navigate |
| 1:19.8 | some of these sensitive issues around sexuality that I understand that keeps you pretty |
| 1:25.2 | busy. |
| 1:25.7 | Is that right? |
| 1:26.9 | It sure does. |
| 1:28.3 | And let me say, Julie, to be called a friend of Dr. Julie Slattery is one of the best compliments I could receive. |
| 1:36.0 | I consider you a friend also. |
| 1:38.4 | And yes, this area of sexuality and helping people through the hard places in relationships and intimacy and the sexual |
| 1:48.0 | part of that specifically has become, if anything, I'm busier now than ever. |
| 1:53.0 | Yeah. |
| 1:54.0 | And really honored that God would ask me to speak into this. |
... |
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