Wholistic Hearts- A Journey from the Head to the Heart, Encounters with Jesus

Imagine you have been selected to win an incredible prize! The reality is, we have all been chosen to receive the invitation to enter the Holy of Holies. Join me today as we keep reading through the Gospel of Luke this holiday season and step into Zechariah's shoes.What prayers are you praying in this season? They are a fragrance that is sweet and beautiful to the Father's nose. CONNECT WITH KRISTIN📱 Instagram: @kristinfieldschadwick 📘 Facebook: Kristin Fields Chadwick 🌐 Website: www.kristinfieldschadwick.com ✉️ Email: [email protected]💚 Want to join the 10K Steps & Vitamin D Challenge? Message me on Instagram or Facebook and I'll add you to our group chat!☕ Support the Podcast: buymeacoffee.com/kristinchadwick

How would you write Jesus' story? How would you write a letter describing Emmanuel in your own life? CONNECT WITH KRISTIN📱 Instagram: @kristinfieldschadwick 📘 Facebook: Kristin Fields Chadwick 🌐 Website: www.kristinfieldschadwick.com ✉️ Email: [email protected]💚 Want to join the 10K Steps & Vitamin D Challenge? Message me on Instagram or Facebook and I'll add you to our group chat!☕ Support the Podcast: buymeacoffee.com/kristinchadwick

What if Christmas could mean something real again—not just the hustle and tinsel, but something honest that speaks to the chaos we're all feeling?As I lean into creative rest this December, I'm re-airing one of my most beloved Advent interviews with artist and author Scott Erickson about his stunning book Honest Advent. This conversation absolutely changed how I see Christmas.Scott shares how he went from feeling disconnected from Christmas ("elves and reindeer and buy stuff") to discovering the profound vulnerability in the Incarnation story. He invites us into an honest hope—not cheap or shallow, but real hope that can hold the weight of our exhausted, divided world.In this conversation, we explore:Why creativity is a backdoor to what's really happening in our heartsThe "haunting" or invitation we feel toward creating and saying yes to something moreHow Scott transitioned from art teacher to full-time artist and what that cost himWhy paying attention to Mary's embodied experience and vulnerability matters for all of usThe cost of divine revelation How the Incarnation—God becoming fully human—invites us to pay attention to our own humanity and find God in our midstScott's perspective is refreshing, honest, and deeply creative. His book Honest Advent has become one of my go-to resources every December, and I flip through it in the mornings letting his art and essays speak to my heart.If you've ever felt like Christmas has lost its meaning in the midst of a complex, chaotic world—this conversation is for you. Because the offering of Advent is the offering of hope. And an honest Advent leads us to an honest hope.ABOUT SCOTT ERICKSONScott Erickson is a touring painter, performance artist, and creative instigator. His work focuses on the collision of art, spirituality, and meaning-making through meditative art pieces that open backdoors to the heart. He's the author of several books including Honest Advent, Prayer: Forty Days of Practice, and Say Yes: Discover the Surprising Life Beyond the Death of a Dream.RESOURCES MENTIONEDBook: Honest Advent by Scott Erickson Available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Target, local bookstores, and at HonestAdvent.comFollow Scott's Work: Instagram: @scottthepainter (His daily art posts are absolutely worth following!) Website: scottericksonart.comQUOTES FROM THIS EPISODE"Revelation is a hard gift to receive. You must give up everything else to receive it." - Scott Erickson"I don't want Christmas to feel insignificant in a complex and chaotic world. Can celebrating Christmas mean anything this year? My belief is yes. My hope is yes.""We find a God who's not insulating itself from the human experience, but is fully participating in it. And so then we, in our full human participation, can find God in our midst.""I want an honest Advent because the offering of Advent is the offering of hope. Not a cheap hope, not a shallow hope, but a real honest hope that can deal with the realities of the world we find ourselves in."CREATIVE REST REMINDERAs I mentioned in last week's episode on Sacred Rest, I'm taking creative rest this December. That means I'm re-airing some of my most impactful Advent content and encounters rather than creating brand new episodes from scratch. Rest isn't failure—it's faithfulness. And I'm modeling what I preach.COMING UP NEXTMore Advent encounters to prepare your heart for ChristmasHolistic wellness update for 2026Continuing our journey through the Psalms in the new yearCONNECT WITH KRISTIN📱 Instagram: @kristinfieldschadwick 📘 Facebook: Kristin Fields Chadwick🌐 Website: www.kristinfieldschadwick.com ✉️ Email: [email protected]💚 Want to join the 10K Steps & Vitamin D Challenge? Message me on Instagram or Facebook and I'll add you to our group chat!☕ Support the Podcast: buymeacoffee.com/kristinchadwickSHARE THIS EPISODEKnow someone who needs an honest hope this Advent? Share this episode with them! Tag me @kristinfieldschadwick on Instagram and let me know what resonated with you.Wholistic Hearts Podcast Hosted by Kristin Fields Chadwick Where we encounter Jesus through Christian meditation and imagination From the head to the heart#WholisticHearts #HonestAdvent #ScottErickson #AdventSeason #ChristianArt #HonestHope #CreativeRest #Incarnation

Are you running on empty this December? You might be getting enough sleep but still feeling exhausted. That's because physical rest is only one piece of the puzzle.In this episode, I'm diving into Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith's powerful framework of the 7 types of rest—and I'm guessing at least one of them is going to make your heart leap (or your stomach clench) as the Holy Spirit highlights where you're most depleted right now.We'll explore:✨ Physical Rest - Why sleep alone isn't enough✨ Mental Rest - Quieting the constant mental chatter✨ Spiritual Rest - Moving from knowing ABOUT God to intimately KNOWING Him✨ Emotional Rest - Permission to not be "fine" all the time✨ Social Rest - Saying yes to life-giving relationships and no to draining ones✨ Sensory Rest - Relief from constant digital stimulation✨ Creative Rest - Receiving beauty instead of always producing itThis Advent season is the perfect time to evaluate where Holy Spirit is inviting you to rest. Because how can we make space for Jesus to come if we're running on fumes?I'm also getting vulnerable about taking my own creative rest this month and inviting you to join me in a 10K steps and Vitamin D challenge. Let's walk this journey together—literally!KEY TAKEAWAYS🌟 There are 7 distinct types of rest—you can be rested in one area but completely depleted in another🌟 Rest isn't laziness or failure—it's faithfulness and stewardship of what God has given you🌟 Your worth isn't tied to your productivity; the Sabbath principle declares this truth🌟 Advent is about preparation and making space—what if rest is part of your spiritual preparation?🌟 You don't have to fix all 7 areas at once—listen to where Holy Spirit is highlighting your greatest needRESOURCES MENTIONED📚 Book: Sacred Rest: Recover Your Life, Renew Your Energy, Restore Your Sanity by Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith🎯 Take the Free Rest Quiz: restquiz.comDiscover your primary rest deficit in just 5 minutes. Take it prayerfully and ask God to reveal the truth about where you need restoration.ACTION STEPS✅ Take the rest quiz at restquiz.com✅ Choose ONE type of rest to focus on this week✅ Ask Holy Spirit daily: "How are You inviting me to rest today?"✅ Join the 10K Steps & Vitamin D Challenge (see below!)✅ Stay tuned for upcoming Advent encounter episodesCONNECT WITH KRISTINI'd love to stay connected with you! Here's where you can find me:📱 Instagram: @kristinfieldschadwickFollow for daily encouragement, behind-the-scenes, and join the 10K challenge!📘 Facebook: Kristin Fields ChadwickConnect with me and catch up on Facebook stories🎙️ Wholistic Hearts Podcast: [Subscribe on your favorite platform]New encounters and episodes to help you know Jesus intimately, not just know ABOUT Him🌐 Website: www.kristinfieldschadwick.comLearn more about retreats, coaching, and the Head to Heart Journey✉️ Email: [email protected]'d love to hear from you! Share what type of rest Holy Spirit is highlighting for you.SUPPORT THE PODCAST☕ Buy Me a Coffee: buymeacoffee.com/kristinchadwickIf this episode blessed you and you want to support the continuation of Wholistic Hearts, I'd be so grateful! Your support helps me continue creating content that invites you into deeper encounters with Jesus.Every coffee helps keep the podcast going and allows me to create more resources for your journey from head to heart. 💛COMING UP NEXT🎄 I'm taking creative rest this December by sharing some beloved Advent encounters from previous seasons. Stay tuned for guided meditations and Christmas-centered content to help you prepare your heart for Jesus this Advent season.Wholistic Hearts PodcastHosted by Kristin Fields ChadwickWhere we encounter Jesus through Christian meditation and imaginationFrom the head to the heart#WholisticHearts #SacredRest #AdventPreparation #ChristianPodcast #RestInGod #FaithJourney #KingdomRest

Sometimes the deepest healing happens not in the explaining, but in the encountering.After exploring the beautiful paradox of Psalm 8 in our previous teaching episode, we now step into an intimate guided encounter with Jesus. This is where head knowledge moves to heart experience—where the truth of who God says you are becomes real, lived, felt.In this guided meditation, you'll be invited to:Step into your favorite place in God's creation through your holy imaginationStand in awe of the work of His fingers—the moon, the stars, the vast expanse of His gloryVisualize Jesus beside you, watching you take in His creationReceive the crown of glory and honor that God places on your headHear the Father speak over what He has entrusted to your care—your heart, your family, your calling, your legacyRespond in worship just as David did: "O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth"This encounter is for anyone who has ever felt too small to matter, too insignificant to be seen, too ordinary to carry glory. Friend, the God who created galaxies is mindful of you. He sees you. He knows you. And He is crowning you today.How to Use This Episode:Find a quiet space where you can be intentional, focused, and fully present with the Holy Spirit. Turn off distractions. Have a journal nearby to capture what God reveals to you. This isn't background listening—this is an invitation to encounter.Journal Prompts:Where did you go on an adventure with God?What did your crown look like when Jesus placed it on your head?What words did Jesus speak over you during this encounter?What has God entrusted to your care? How is He inviting you to steward it?Find the Encountering the Book of Psalms playlist on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4GVleV8Nnb1fgeuJpPAyaX?si=4adffcbba8cf4fccMusic by: Cody Martin through SoundstripeConnect & ShareShare your encounter experiences with us at:https://www.wholisticheartspodcast.comhttps://instagram.com/wholisticheartspodcasthttps://facebook.com/kristenfieldschadwickThank you for your support through Buy Me a Coffee: coff.ee/kchadwick