Here at the Allender Center podcast and on our blog, we've done a lot of content and material on sexual abuse because we really believe that healing from sexual abuse is core to our mission.

Over the next couple of weeks, we're going to be

joined by multiple guests as we engage some elements of sexual abuse that aren't typically

talked about as sexual abuse, and thinking more theologically about what healing is possible

when we've been harmed and experienced sexual harm. We know anytime we're engaging in a topic

like sexual abuse,

those of us who are having the conversation and listening may have experienced sexual harm.

So just consider this a kind trigger warning that we're going to be engaging this topic,

but also consider it an invitation to lean in and join us over the next few weeks.

Thank you for listening to the Allender Center podcast.

I'm Dr. Dan Allender.

And I'm Rachel Clinton-Cent. We're fiercely committed to providing hope and healing to a fragmented world.

And restoration for the heart.

Thank you for joining us.

Let's get this conversation started. The topic that we've been addressing sexual abuse is never easy.

It is not meant to be.

But what we're going to engage today, let's just say, bears some degree of controversy, at least the folks that I've had the chance to talk with about this, find it offensive. And it just evokes a lot of very significant, strong emotion. So that is a bit of a trigger warning, but before we step into what we're going to

address, let me introduce our lovely and brilliant Dr. Shaliyah Sturns, who has been on the show

a number of times, but not recently. Dr. Stalee Stearns, who has been on the show a number of times, but not recently.

Dr. Stearns is a theologian at the Seattle School of Theology and Psychology.

And along with Rachel, again, let me just say, I view the two of you as our most significant

theological presences, you know, in the Allender Center.

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