Authentic Love

The idea of pursuing in relationships has been in the church for a long time, but what does it really mean? Help the Authentic Love and special guest Justin determine what dropping your handkerchief would like in today's culture and listen as they discuss what it looks likes to pursue someone. They look at who should make the first move, if pursuing ever ends, and the art of being direct.

Relationship timelines don't always align with our plans, and it can be hard to know how to embrace where you are when it seems like you've been waiting forever. Join Authentic Love and special guest Kara as she walks through both the joy and hardship that came with her waiting season. Listen as Kara talks about rewriting her list, praying for her future husband, and chasing after the other desires of her heart while trusting that God would meet her in the waiting.

There are so many things to learn when you're in a relationship, and when you're from different cultures there's another layer to learning about your partner. Janie and Heather are joined by their husbands Josh and Kirk to talk about their experience dating across cultures. They tackle everything from different approaches to food, respect for family, and the new adventures being with someone from another culture has brought them.  

Content Warning: This episode addresses themes of abuse and gaslighting. 

When forever doesn't turn out to be forever how do you find the strength to rebuild and trust God? What does it look like to walk through the pain of a broken relationship with honor and authenticity? Join Authentic Love and special guest Dabria as they delve into how to completely surrender to God when the direction you thought you were headed shifts. Dabria shares her experience of resilience, relying on God, and how to dream again. 

Whenever you take the leap to pursue a relationship there's a possibility it won't be reciprocated. When faced with rejection it can be really easy to become bitter or resolve not to take that risk again, but those are not healthy answers. Join the Authentic Love team as they talk about maintaining your identity in Christ through rejection, the vulnerability it takes to put yourself out there and how to respond well when having to turn someone down.

Authentic Love is back with another story time episode. Join Heather, Teddy and special guest Jill as she shares the story of how she met her husband. Listen into first date impressions, the power of grace and how third time really was the charm. Also, find out how Heather made a guest appearance the first time Jill met her husband!

Change is inevitable, but it can often be hard to adjust to. When it comes to relationships there's a lot of change that happens, but one of the biggest changes is the relationships you have with people outside of your significant other. How do you make space for those in your life that aren't in the same season as you? Join the Authentic Love team as they talk about the good, and bad, ways they've maintained friendships while being in a relationship, and how both singles and couples can make space for one another's needs despite the changes to their relationships.

Content Warning: This episode addresses themes of physical and emotional abuse and gaslighting.

What's the differences between preferences and red flags in a relationship? Do all red flags mean you need to walk away from the relationship? Even once a red flag is identified, it's not always easy to know how to respond to them. Join the Authentic Love team as they delve into the various sizes of red flags and how to respond to them.

After a breakup it can be hard to know what comes next and how to move forward with hope. The season of singleness after a breakup is difficult to walk through, and understand God's plan in the midst of it. Join the Authentic Love team and special guest Ben as they discuss ways that have helped them work through a breakup and how to make sure you're taking care of yourself. Ben shares about a recent relationship that ended, and how he's been connecting with God, rediscovering himself, and the hope he has for what's to come. 

There's no one size fits all solution when it comes to meeting someone, but it's important to know where your heart is when you're looking. Join the Authentic Love team as they discuss different perceptions of online dating and how it factors into the church. Listen in as they answer questions around discerning if online dating is right for you, the heart approach to take, and some practical experiences about how it has and hasn't worked for them. 

Online Dating. Long Distance Relationship. This month's episode features the story of special guests Timothy and Dionne and how they unexpectedly found love. From the first DM to getting engaged it's a fantastic journey of choosing to commit, knowing what's important when seeking a relationship, and above all pursing the Lord in your desire for a relationship. 

Authentic Love is back with part two on Purity Culture. Janie's husband, Josh, talks about how his experience with Purity Culture differed from hers, and how that played out in their marriage. Join the team as they discuss what honour between the opposite sex should look like, how expectations around Purity Culture can sometimes do more harm than good, and speaking truth in love.

Purity culture is a big Christian concept that has become confusing and associated with many different things in the church. Join the Authentic Love team, and special guest Ali Poetker, as they unpack purity culture from a female perspective. In part 1 of a 2 part series, the team will discuss the concept of sex in and outside of marriage, why sex isn’t talked about enough in the church, and why that needs to change. Ali shares some of her own personal journey and how there is grace, love and redemption to everyone’s story.

Flirt to Convert. Unequally Yoked. If you’ve been in the church awhile you’ve probably heard these phrases thrown around before…but what do they mean? Why shouldn’t we be dating non-believers? Is there a long term effect? What about navigating a relationship with someone from a different denomination or church? Join the Authentic Love team as they discuss these popular Christian terms, and how to examine the heart when it comes to making these tough decisions

Valentines Day is almost here, which means flowers, chocolate and romance! Teddy and Hanna kick things off talking about their Valentines Day experiences, before taking a look at what it means to be in a relationship beyond February 14. It takes a lot more than the excitement of spending romantic days together to make a relationship work - it takes the four C's: Clarity, Commitment, Consistency...and then Clarity again?! Join the Authentic Love team to find out what a clarity sandwich looks like, and how to bring you and your partner closer to God in your relationship. 

Content Warning: This episode addresses themes of suicide, mental health, ghosting and gaslighting.  

Who exactly is the Authentic Love team? Join us for story time where our own hosts discuss how their relationships solidified their faith and helped them understand what a good relationship looks like. From awkward first dates to heartbreak get ready to know host Hanna Karman a little deeper, and learn why discussing relationships in the church became a passion for her. 

Starting a new relationship can be exciting. There's the romantic dates, butterflies, and the hope that this might be the "one". But you also need to make sure you're rooted in your identity, and prioritizing God for a fruitful relationship. Join the Authentic Love team live from Harvest City church as they discuss what identity in Christ looks like, how to recognize and heal from a toxic relationship, and how to have a significant other without it consuming your whole life.  

Touch, Gifts, Quality Time, Words of Affirmation and Gifts. What are all of these? They're the five love languages. Join the Authentic Love team and guest Josh Kachaluba as they unpack the importance of understanding one another's love language, and how it impacts your relationships. 

Being single in the church isn't talked about often, and it can be easy to feel like you're alone in your singleness. Join the Authentic Love team, and special guest Leslie Afedo, as they discuss the pros and cons of being single, and how you can start preparing yourself now for a future relationship. 

Timing is important when it comes to relationships, and that is especially true for special guests Renee and Justin Hay. Join the Authentic Love team as they unpack Renee and Justin's love story, and dive into the importance of timing, trusting God, and figuring out who you are before settling into a relationship. 

Every relationship starts somewhere. Join the Authentic Love team with special guest Ibim Inko-Tariah as they talk about square one in relationships. Get ready for some advice on new relationships, and what they would tell their younger selves when it comes to dating!

Have you ever experienced a plot twist in your dating life? Or had God redirect your relationship plans? Join the Authentic Love team as they discuss their dating experiences, and how to move forward when that plot twist comes around! 

Join us as for real, raw, and redemptive discussions on singleness and dating in the church.