Captivated

Stasi invites Blaine Eldredge, our Director of Spiritual Formation at Wild at Heart, for a conversation about recapturing beauty—not the exhausting beauty our culture demands, but the deeply personal beauty that originates in the heart of God. Together they explore how Jesus reveals a beauty that is vulnerable, relational, and inviting; a beauty that isn’t based on performance, but draws us into His love. Come and rediscover the beauty that moves our hearts toward Him. This is Part 1 of a 2-part conversation.

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SHOW NOTES:
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VERSES: 
Genesis 2:18 (NIV) – The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”

Exodus 33:11 (NIV) – The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend.

Deuteronomy 34:10 (NIV) – Since then, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face.

Song of Songs 2:14 (NIV) – My dove in the clefts of the rock, in the hiding places on the mountainside, show me your face, let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely.

Hebrews 12:18–24 (NIV) – You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm; to a trumpet blast or to such a voice speaking words that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them… But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem… to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant.

2 Corinthians 3:18 (NIV) – And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

John 4:16–18 (NIV) – He told her, “Go, call your husband and come back.” “I have no husband,” she replied. Jesus said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband. The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband.”

2 Kings 17:24–41 (NIV) – Clearly referenced in the discussion of the Samaritan people being brought from five nations associated with false gods and attempting to worship Yahweh alongside them.

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RESOURCES
The Green Ember by S.D. Smith  ⁠https://amzn.to/4dyvZCh⁠

The Prophets by Abraham Joshua Heschel  ⁠https://amzn.to/4wUgygG⁠
 
The Sabbath by Abraham Joshua Heschel  ⁠https://amzn.to/4nEW8np⁠

God in Search of Man: A Philosophy of Judaism by Abraham Joshua Heschel   ⁠https://amzn.to/49cEn99⁠

Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics by Aristotle  ⁠https://amzn.to/495TaCE⁠

Creation and Fall: A Theological Exposition of Genesis 1-3 by Dietrich Bonhoeffer ⁠https://amzn.to/4tPgr3h⁠

Jesus of Nazareth: From the Baptism in the Jordan to the Transfiguration by Joseph Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI)   ⁠https://amzn.to/3RvX3dV⁠

The Glory of the Lord by Hans Urs von Balthasar  ⁠https://amzn.to/4wEjTA5⁠

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CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS
00:00  The Beauty That Captures Our Hearts
01:52  Jesus Pursuing the Hearts of Our Children
06:11  Why Beauty Begins in God
07:41  The Danger of “Instagram Face”
11:12  How Empire Erases Personhood
14:19  The False Beauty of Invulnerability
17:19  Beauty, Limits, and Being Human
19:42  Why the World Loves Artificial Beauty
22:25  The Enemy’s War Against True Beauty
24:14  When Beauty Becomes Power
26:14  The Beauty That Invites Relationship
28:15  The Trinity and Relational Love
30:23  God’s Desire to See Our Faces
33:09  Jesus’ Beauty Is Deeply Personal
34:45  Vulnerability at the Heart of Beauty
36:11  Choosing Intimacy Over Universal Approval
39:08  Why Every Woman Bears Beauty
40:10  The Beauty of the Crucified Christ
41:50  Jesus’ Beauty Pursues Our Hearts
42:58  The Samaritan Woman and Divine Love
45:59  The Lordliness and Goodness of Jesus
47:12  Becoming Like the One We Behold
48:15  Closing Prayer

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Today’s episode is a special guided encounter, where Stasi gently leads us beyond learning about Jesus and into experiencing His presence within us. Through prayer, breath, Scripture, and sacred imagination, we are invited to settle our souls, release our burdens, and meet with the living Christ in the deep places of our hearts. We encourage you to set aside a quiet moment for this encounter, come expectant, and let Jesus draw you into His love.

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SHOW NOTES:
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VERSES: 

Ephesians 3:17 (NIV) – so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love
Psalm 42:7 (NIV) – Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me
Revelation 3:20 (NIV) – Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me
Psalm 23:1–3 (NIV) – The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul
Psalm 18:6 (NIV) – In my distress I called to the Lord; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears
Psalm 18:35 (NIV) – You make your saving help my shield, and your right hand sustains me; your help has made me great
Psalm 91:11–12 (NIV) – For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone
1 Corinthians 6:19 (NIV) – Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own
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RESOURCES

The Pause App — Includes the One Minute Pause, 30 Days to Resilience, the Experience Jesus 20-day program, and the Prayer of Descent.  https://www.pauseapp.com/

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Don’t Miss Out on the Next Episode—Subscribe for Free
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Intimacy with Jesus isn’t reserved for the spiritually polished—it’s an open invitation, already within reach, and woven into our ordinary moments. In today’s podcast, Stasi and Amber Sales—of the Wild at Heart team—reflect on what it means to cultivate intimacy with Jesus over time: trusting Him with our loneliness, our shame, and our longing to be truly known. He is already nearer than our breath, already delighting over us, and as we draw near to him, he draws near to us.

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SHOW NOTES:
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VERSES: 
Nehemiah 8:10 (NIV) – Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.

James 4:8 (NIV) – Come near to God and he will come near to you.

Zephaniah 3:17 (NIV) – The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.

Romans 2:4 (NIV) – Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness is intended to lead you to repentance? 

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RESOURCES

The Ladder of Love Retreat — October 1–4, 2026 in Fraser, Colorado. The lottery for this event will be held May 13-19, 2026: https://wildatheart.org/events/ladder-of-love-2026

The Ladder of Love: A pathway to emotional healing and spiritual intimacy with Jesus by Stasi Eldredge: Available October 6, 2026  https://wildatheart.org/books/the-ladder-of-love

Stasi’s Soaking Worship Playlist on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/60NJpEJ8knwoN9seX0kqky

The Pause App — Includes the One Minute Pause, 30 Days to Resilience, and the Experience Jesus 20-day program.  https://www.pauseapp.com/

The Daily Prayer from Wild at Heart — Now available within the Pause App or on the Wild at Heart App.  https://wahe.art/4e1NSIg

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Don’t Miss Out on the Next Episode—Subscribe for Free
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What might God do if we gave him our attention and our yes, for a single day? In the midst of our full lives, it is often easier to come away for one day than the full 4-day Captivating Retreat. In this episode, Stasi and Stacey Burton are excited to share about a new offering from Wild at Heart: the Captivating 1-Day Retreat. It's amazing how deeply Jesus can move when we give him a day to come away and be with him. Listen and discover what can unfold when we make space for deeper connection with Jesus.

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SHOW NOTES:
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VERSES: 

Genesis 2:7 (NIV) – Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.
Acts 17:28 (NIV) – For in him we live and move and have our being. As some of your own poets have said, We are his offspring.
John 15:5 (NIV) – I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
Ephesians 2:5 (NIV) – made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.
1 Corinthians 15:45 (NIV) – So it is written: The first man Adam became a living being; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit.
John 10:10 (NIV) – The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
Colossians 3:4 (NIV) – When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
Romans 5:10 (NIV) – For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!
Romans 8:2 (NIV) – because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.
Romans 8:11 (NIV) – And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.
Colossians 1:27 (NIV) – To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
1 Corinthians 6:17 (NIV) – But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit.
John 10:18 (NIV) – No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.
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RESOURCES

The Life Prayer – https://wildatheart.org/prayer/life-prayer/
Also available on the Pause App – https://www.pauseapp.com/

Captivating 1-Day and 4-Day Retreat – https://wildatheart.org/events/captivating-retreat
Ladder of Love Retreat – October 2026 – Retreat and registration details available soon through Wild at Heart  https://wildatheart.org/events

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What if the ways we’ve learned to live with food and our bodies could begin to make sense—and even soften—when seen through a deeper, more compassionate understanding of our story? In Part 2 of this series, Stasi and Diane Summers continue their conversation on food and the body as they explore the impact of our early years. As shame is named and grace is invited in, a more grounded and accepting way forward begins to unfold. We hope this conversation leaves you feeling encouraged, blessed by mercy, and hopeful for the goodness that is ahead.

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SHOW NOTES:
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If you haven’t listened to Part 1 — E118 | Food and Our Bodies: Learning to Live in Kindness — you can do so here: 
YouTube: https://wahe.art/4clbkB7
Wild at Heart App:  https://wahe.art/4cad3ug

VERSES: 
John 8:32 (NIV) – Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free

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DIANE SUMMERS

Website: HopeNutritionTherapy.com
Contact: diane@hopenutritiontherapy.com  — If you tried to reach out to Diane after Part 1 and didn’t hear back, her contact form was down. Please try again—she doesn’t want to miss you. 

BIO
Diane Summers, MS, RDN has had the immense privilege of providing nutrition therapy for folks from all walks of life as they heal from the full spectrum of eating concerns and struggles, to include but not limited to severe eating disorders, chronic dieting and weight cycling, and orthorexia. She has a private practice, Hope Nutrition Therapy, and works virtually with clients all over the world. She has done this work for 22 years and absolutely loves it, as it's an incredible joy to show up for her clients and journey alongside them as they seek healing, freedom, and peace. Diane attends a neighborhood based church, serving on the board and occasionally preaching. She is a believer that we heal in the context of relationship and community. In her free time, you will find her exploring the Pacific Northwest beaches during low tide and geeking out on sea creatures, enjoying coffee from a local shop, traveling to see friends and family, leading Story Workshop and Narrative Focused Trauma Care groups with The Allender Center, dining out on delicious food, hosting friends in her home, hitting the ski slopes, or prepping for her soon to arrive golden retriever puppy who will hopefully become a therapy dog in her practice one day.

Diane’s Podcast Appearances:

The Allender Center Podcast — Food & Body Series https://theallendercenter.org/category/podcast/food-and-body/

The Allender Center Podcast — Food Insecurity: https://theallendercenter.org/2023/11/food-insecurity/

Life Unrestricted: EP 32 – There is hope for healing and achieving a life free from body issues https://open.spotify.com/episode/5Sv77OBYNMiOQnJ8AuiM2m

Impossible Beauty Podcast — Lent, Fasting, & Diet Culture: https://www.impossible-beauty.com/podcast/lent-fasting-and-diet-culture
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ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Health At Every Size: The Surprising Truth About Your Weight by Linda Bacon
https://www.amazon.com/Health-At-Every-Size-Surprising/dp/1935618253/ref=sr_1_1

Association for Size Diversity and Health (ASDAH) — An organization promoting Health at Every Size® principles and inclusive, weight-neutral care. https://asdah.org

Research:  https://www.intuitiveeating.org/studies/

Substack: https://weightandhealthcare.substack.com/

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Don’t Miss Out on the Next Episode—Subscribe for Free
Subscribe using your favorite podcast app:
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