8.26 [CONVERSATION] Recovery from Distorted Images of God, Self, and Others

South Bend City Church

Jason Miller and Dale and Juanita Ryan - The biblical story, including what we see lived out in the life and teachings of Jesus, is this: God is love, we are loved, we are capable of loving others and we are called to a life of love. Participating in this story is, however, not always easy for us. Instead of welcoming the love of God, we sometimes find ourselves afraid that God is angry, distant, displeased, uncaring, or impatient. Instead of celebrating that we are loved, we sometimes fear that we are not lovable, not enough, or not measuring up. Instead of rejoicing in our calling to love others, we sometimes see other people through the distorting lens of our fears and judgments.

This fall, we'll be hosting a workshop led by Dale and Juanita Ryan to explore these dynamics in community. Whether you're able to join us in person for the workshop or not, this episode will help you get to know Dale and Juanita, and to hear the heart behind their work.

Until his retirement, Dale Ryan was a member of the faculty at Fuller Theological Seminary where he taught pastoral care classes about addiction, abuse and trauma. Currently Dr. Ryan is the executive director of the National Association for Christian Recovery, which he founded in 1990. He has earned a PhD (UCDavis, Biochemistry) and an M.Div. (Bethel Theological Seminary, St. Paul, MN). Juanita Ryan is a mental health clinical nurse specialist. She has had a private counseling practice for over 35 years. Because she writes and speaks about spirituality and trauma, many of the people she works with are seeking help in these areas. To learn more about her you can visit her website.

Dale and Juanita have been married for 55 years. They have two sons and four grandkids. Most of what they know about distorted images of God, of self and of others comes from personal experience.