Tara and guest Rev. Ellen Corcella—author of "Walk With Me: A Journey Through the Landscape of Trauma" and host of Faith and Resilience Podcast—talk about resilience during Lent and in everyday life. They discuss resilience as both internal and beyond oneself, rooted in meaning-making, adaptability, and connection rather than individualism. Tara shares her evolving definition of theopoetics as creative engagement with God in community, and reflects on Julian of Norwich’s hazelnut vision—God made it, loves it, and keeps it—as a grounding way to notice “thin spaces” of the sacred in ordinary moments. Tara describes practices like Lectio Divina and Visio Divina, using scripture, art, doodling, and poetry for contemplation, and reads her poem “Thin Space Day,” which locates pilgrimage-like holiness in daily routines (carpool, mailbox walks, lunchtime, coffee, commutes). The conversation connects thin spaces to Lent’s wilderness metaphor, emphasizes God’s presence in both mountaintops and valleys, and reframes “all manner of things be well” (AMOT) as holding both consolation and desolation. Ellen shares where to find her book, podcast and website (www.ellencorcella.com).

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Join Tara for Worship on Sunday morning at 10 am. Warren First Presbyterian Church at 300 Market Street in Warren Pennsylvania. A live stream is provided via FaceBook for people out of the region... During Lent Tara is facilitating a book club based on Madeline L'Engle's book A Circle of Quiet. Tuesday mornings at 10;30 am at the church.

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Rev. Tara Lamont Eastman is a pastor, podcaster and host of Holy Shenanigans since September of 2020. Eastman combines her love of ministry with her love of writing, music and visual arts. She is a graduate of Wartburg Theological Seminary’s Theological Education for Emerging Ministry Program and the Youth and Theology Certificate Program at Princeton Seminary. She has served in various ministry and pastoral roles over the last thirty years in the ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America) and PCUSA (Presbyterian Church of America). She is the pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Warren Pennsylvania. She has presented workshops on the topics of faith and creativity at the Wild Goose Festival. She is a trainer for Soul Shop Suicide Prevention for Church Communities.

Think Lent is only about giving things up? Join Tara as she describes the season as a way to “make room” - for meditation, reflection, and acts of service. She invites you to take up a new spiritual practice or write your own spiritual autobiography. She describes how two stories - Madeleine L’Engle’s Circle of Quiet & the Transfiguration of Jesus in Matthew 17 - taught her that transformation involves commitment, community, and action.

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Support the show

Rev. Tara Lamont Eastman is a pastor, podcaster and host of Holy Shenanigans since September of 2020. Eastman combines her love of ministry with her love of writing, music and visual arts. She is a graduate of Wartburg Theological Seminary’s Theological Education for Emerging Ministry Program and the Youth and Theology Certificate Program at Princeton Seminary. She has served in various ministry and pastoral roles over the last thirty years in the ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America) and PCUSA (Presbyterian Church of America). She is the pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Warren Pennsylvania. She has presented workshops on the topics of faith and creativity at the Wild Goose Festival. She is a trainer for Soul Shop Suicide Prevention for Church Communities.

Tara interviews Dr. Crystal Hall from Crystal Hall Coaching about supporting and affirming women in ministry. Dr. Hall shares her journey, the challenges women face in ministry, and the importance of cultivating sustainable and life-giving ministries. The conversation explores themes of patriarchal structures and the significance of women's voices in proclaiming the gospel. Listen in on an inspiring discussion of the intersections of St. Brigid's Day, earth traditions, and the contributions of women saints like Brigid and Hildegard of Bingen.

Hearth Keeper Prayer of St. Brigid - from St. Brigids.org

Brigid of the Mantle, encompass us,
Lady of the Lambs, protect us,
Keeper of the Hearth, kindle us.

Beneath your mantle, gather us,
And restore us to memory.
Mothers of our mother,

Foremothers strong.

Guide our hands in yours,
Remind us how to kindle the hearth.
To keep it bright, to preserve the flame.
Your hands upon ours,

Our hands within yours,
To kindle the light,

Both day and night.

The Mantle of Brigid about us,
The Memory of Brigid within us,
The Protection of Brigid keeping us
From harm, from ignorance, from heartlessness.

This day and night,
From dawn till dark,

From dark till dawn.

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Support the show

Rev. Tara Lamont Eastman is a pastor, podcaster and host of Holy Shenanigans since September of 2020. Eastman combines her love of ministry with her love of writing, music and visual arts. She is a graduate of Wartburg Theological Seminary’s Theological Education for Emerging Ministry Program and the Youth and Theology Certificate Program at Princeton Seminary. She has served in various ministry and pastoral roles over the last thirty years in the ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America) and PCUSA (Presbyterian Church of America). She is the pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Warren Pennsylvania. She has presented workshops on the topics of faith and creativity at the Wild Goose Festival. She is a trainer for Soul Shop Suicide Prevention for Church Communities.