Solitude 03: Encountering Our Self with Bethany Allen

Rule of Life

Practicing the Way

Religion & Spirituality, Christianity

4.8 • 700 Ratings

🗓️ 28 September 2023

⏱️ 52 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Solitude is a place of encounter, where we confront the reality of who we are before God. There are so many voices, including our own false selves, that we use to curate who we are. But in solitude, we encounter our true selves — created and loved by God. And we are free to bring all of our selves before God for healing, prayer, and reflection.

In episode 2 of the Solitude season, John Mark Comer and Bryan Rouanzoin interview Bethany Allen. Bethany Allen is the pastor of spiritual formation and leadership development at Bridgetown Church in downtown Portland. She has a deep passion to see women defined by who they were created to be: image-bearers of God. Compelled by her affection for the Scriptures and her desire to be an effective learner in order to be an effective teacher, Bethany works hard counseling women, developing curriculum, and planning alongside Bridgetown’s pastoral team. A southern belle by birth, Bethany moved to the Pacific Northwest in 2007. She earned a Master of Arts in Specialized Ministry with a focus in Pastoral Care to Women from Western Seminary in 2011.

This podcast accompanies the Solitude Practice, developed by Practicing the Way. Thanks to the generosity of The Circle, all our resources are free. To learn more about The Circle or to run a Practice with your church, community, or small group, visit practicingtheway.org.

Transcript

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0:00.0	I think what bringing your whole self, those negative emotions, does for you, is it tells you the whole story.
0:07.0	It gives the opportunity for God to tell the whole story about what's going on in your life and your own transformation,
0:13.0	and it gives the spirit an opportunity to heal you.
0:16.0	And that's the purpose of encounter with God.
0:18.0	The only way we're transformed or changed is if we're able to bring to God the things
0:24.4	that need the most transformation and healing.
0:34.4	You're listening to the Rule of Life podcast by practicing the way.
0:38.3	In each season, we explore an ancient practice from the way of Jesus and its relevance for the modern era.
0:45.3	This is Season 4, Solitude. Well, here we are, you guys.
1:12.8	Episode three of the Solitude Season.
1:16.3	Brian, what's been coming up for you over the last few conversations?
1:22.2	Yeah, you know, one of the things I remembered, and someone was sharing, I think it was you, Bethany, and you reminded me of this moment I had in, I was desperately just in nature, trying not to be
1:34.2	distracted.
1:35.3	Maybe it was you had this conversation.
1:37.1	And I heard the birds.
1:38.7	And I heard all these external outdoor noises.
1:42.2	And I was reminded of this, this like bitter control that I had like
1:46.2	oh these people are just distracting me this these birds won't let me just have a moment of stillness
1:50.8	and I'm here trying to be intentional and Lord you're gonna speak to me and I just remember this like
1:56.0	the way like my inner I just felt this like inflation were these like the nice sounding birds
2:00.5	are like crow?
2:01.5	They were, they were truly, they were beautiful.
	...

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