Have you ever known some hetero Christian married couple who were together a real long time and then one of them is like, “oops, I’m gay!” and they break up? A lot of us have known folks in this position. And we also remember the fallout and the “prayer chain” (read: gossip train) buzz when these woes befell our brethren.

By the way, is there such a thing as “sisthren?” or “siblingthren?” There should be. We digress.

Long story short, this podcast is hosted by a sisthren of “oops, I’m gay!” women in their 40’s. Lindsay, Meg, and Sarai have all experienced different journeys in discovering, accepting, and embracing their queerness. In this episode, our Holy Ghosting triumvirate share the ways their paths wound from compulsory heteronormativity toward full awareness of their unique sexualities.

In this episode topics include feeling like imposters, finding acceptance and love in the LGBTQIA2S+++ community, and navigating the aftermath of a lifetime of mandatory sexual repression.

Content Warning: welp. These broads definitely talk a lot about LGBTQIA2s+ history including discussion of internalized homophobia, general homophobia as disseminated by the evangelical right wing from the 80’s until…um, right now, and honestly, the hosts are wont to talk about sexual trauma kind of a lot. Listen with care, and if it’s not an episode that feels good to you, take a beat and take good care of your beautiful human self.

Just when you thought your hellacious heroines, Lindsay, Meg & Sarai, couldn't possibly have more to say about YWAM, BAM! A fourth episode! This time, the call is coming from inside the house, so to speak, because Ghosties like you are sharing their YWAM experiences.

Hang out with us as your Ghostie compatriots get brave and tell us the wild tales from their days traveling the world on God's dime. You'll have all the feelings there are to feel.

Before you listen, know there are some contents that may be disturbing to some people. Content Warnings: sexual assault, animal cruelty, religious trauma, attempts to colonize the world for Jesus or something

Ahoy, Ghosties! Set sail with us on the turbulent waters of YWAM's Mercy Ships as Karen Alea, from the Deconversion Therapy podcast, joins us for a deep-sea adventure into religious deconstruction. From the highs of missionary zeal to the lows of financial strain and the choppy waves of communal living, Karen shares her journey of finding land after leaving the evangelical archipelago.

In this episode:

• 🌍 Travel Bugs and Belonging: Karen dives into why YWAM's promise of adventure lured her in.
• 💸 Financial Storms: Unpack the dicey ethics of fundraising in missionary work.
• 🙏 Deconstruction Lifelines: How humor can be your life jacket when navigating the heavy currents of faith questioning.

Grab your life vests and join our crew as we explore how to keep your head above water in the sea of spiritual uncertainty.

👻 Support the Journey: Like what you hear? Show your support by subscribing, sharing this episode, and dropping us a review. Every bit helps us keep the conversation flowing and the community growing.

Find Karen on the Deconversion Therapy Podcast

In this episode, Karen shared about a 10-step prayer ritual she had to go through every time she prayed. The same person who came up with the Plumb Line made this gem. Enjoy!