The Asha June, Oh! Report

Inspired by Caroline Chambers’ honest and heartfelt post: “i’ve been talking to God a lot lately”I’ve been so eager to record and release this conversation, friends. I hope this truth meets you right where you are and moves you toward the One from whom you were made and for whom you were made. Our souls all long for the same thing, but our journeys to faith and our journeys through faith will all be different. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ashajuneoh.substack.com/subscribe

I hope you’ll take the time to listen in this week, friends. Not because I’m anything special but because Jesus is everything good. And because the promise of everlasting life is actually really wonderful when we know the life we’re being promised.Happiest Holy Week to you and yours. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ashajuneoh.substack.com/subscribe

I had the honor of speaking at a local church recently about hearing from God. Not because I’m an expert on the topic — actually quite the opposite. I chose this topic because it’s always been a sticky spot for me, and I desperately wanted to experience some sort of breakthrough in this area. (And if not a breakthrough, I would have happily settled for just not being scared of it.)I’ve been wrestling with hearing from God for decades; and I’m here today to tell you that while I’m certainly not an expert, the past few months have absolutely been a turning point.I sure hope you’ll listen in today, friends. Perhaps this could be the start of a turning point for you too. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ashajuneoh.substack.com/subscribe

This is a sweet one, friends. (Fruit pun totally intended.) I had the opportunity to teach at a local women’s gathering recently, and it was very special.I’ve got that feeling that I’m right where I’m supposed to be, doing just what I’m supposed to be doing, you know? It hasn’t always been this way, and I’m sure there will be seasons when it won’t be again.But for now, I’m relishing in the truth that choosing daily to abide with Jesus really does lead to freedom and to fruitfulness.When we choose to abide with Jesus, we will become who we were made to be. I can say it with full confidence because I’m living it right now.I’m so excited for you to listen in (or watch!), and I pray that no matter how many times you’ve heard these verses, this truth will fall fresh on your ears and your heart today.https://youtu.be/8hC_8RHuDU8 This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ashajuneoh.substack.com/subscribe

Happy Launch Week to a very special collaborative book project: The Other Disciples: Conversations About The Twelve Named Women Jesus Called to Follow HimIt’s a collaborative book project BY women, ABOUT women, and FOR women; and I had the great joy and honor of writing the last chapter — the exclamation point! I’m very excited for you to hear this conversation with the book’s visionary, Mia Burke. This conversation is about the book, yes; but it’s just as much about having a dream and sticking with it through delay and disappointment and doubt. Sometimes it’s about doing it afraid. The Other Disciples: Conversations About The Twelve Named Women Jesus Called to Follow Him is available now on Amazon.ps. The Other Disciples is under the umbrella of an incredible new ministry by women, about women, and for women called… Also Called. You can follow along for updates and tons of encouraging content here on Substack, Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, Pinterest, and wherever you listen to podcasts. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ashajuneoh.substack.com/subscribe

Short and sweet story time today, friends. Because at the end of the day, that’s what we’ve got, right? Our stories. Our lived experiences. Stories are what connect us, what encourage us, what keep us going. Stories are the source of wonder, connection, and hope — and you know that’s what we’re about here.And before you listen to this and think, that would never happen to me, I encourage you to try it.Pray the prayer. Say the words, snark and all. And prepare to be pursued.ps. The book I mentioned is How to Hear God: A Simple God for Normal People by Pete Greig — SO. GOOD. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ashajuneoh.substack.com/subscribe

Our souls were made by God and for God. That’s the pull you feel — to beauty, to goodness, to love. A relationship with God is for you. It’s what your soul wants. It’s what will satisfy. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ashajuneoh.substack.com/subscribe

In 2023, I was invited to teach at a local church and do a series on their podcast. After a decade of writing and teaching about faith (but always hesitantly and with asterisks), this invitation is what finally helped me to see that this is how God wired me. This invitation helped me to step into my calling with holy confidence. Working on that podcast series made my heart come alive, and this podcast in particular is probably my most favorite thing I’ve ever recorded. I’m resharing a reedited version (I now know a lot more about editing out mouth noises, thank goodness!), and I’m so happy to have it hit your ears and your heart today.This truth is what I come back to time and time again. I’ve experienced it over and over, and I’ll never be the same. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ashajuneoh.substack.com/subscribe

If you do not have hope, I have some to share. And if you do have hope, now is the time to share it. Now is the time to give a reason for the hope that you have, but always with gentleness and respect. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ashajuneoh.substack.com/subscribe

Curious. Compassionate. Connected.Those are powerful words — powerful descriptors that I would imagine 99.9% of us hope could be used to describe us. Words that we hope could be used to describe how we engage not only with the world around us but with ourselves.Wherever we are on our journeys to becoming more curious, compassionate, and connected, The And Way is our guidebook. The And Way: Assertive Peacemaking in a Divided World is for me, for you, for us, for this specific time in history.We need peace now more than ever. Not passive “peace” but true PEACE — the absence of violence, despite differences. The ability to treat all people with kindness and respect, no matter how similar or not they seem or are to you.Today’s conversation is special, friends. The And Way author, Kelsey Blahnik, is so precious to me. (You’ll hear more in the intro to our conversation.) She has years of personal and professional experience putting into practice the philosophy she so generously shares with us in her book. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ashajuneoh.substack.com/subscribe

Diving right on into the deep end in this third week of the new year. We’re talking about pushing back the darkness in this divided world by coming together, getting close, seeking out proximity with people, seeing the humanity in everyone.When we keep others at arms length, it’s easy to then turn them into a stereotype, which then dehumanizes them, which then leads to violence. Dehumanizing someone — stripping them of their humanity — then leads to violence because if we don’t see someone as the human being that they are, well then why should we care if they’re being harmed?I’m sharing uncomfortable, embarrassing truths about myself and my own journey in hopes of inviting you to get weird too. We’re all in this together.If you connected with, were challenged by, or even just a little bit curious about the quote I shared from The And Way, make sure you don’t miss next week’s pod. It’s an eye-opening, encouraging, equipping conversation with the author herself (and my dear friend), Kelsey Blahnik! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ashajuneoh.substack.com/subscribe

Thinking and grieving and thinking and grieving, and realizing that life is hard. (Groundbreaking, huh?) But also realizing that the antidote to the hard isn’t to pursue ease — ease is a gift we can receive with gratitude — but it’s not the point of life, and the pursuit of it is pointless. The way to a good life in the midst of this hard life is to do good, hard work.The good, hard work of loving well, staying soft, leading with kindness, putting curiosity before condemnation, reaching out, teaching, being vulnerable, friendship, marriage, parenthood. I hope you’ll take the time to press play and lean into this truth. We were made for good. We were made for hard. We were made for good, hard work. And if we pursue ease, we are always going to miss out on good.I’m grateful for the good, hard work I get to do in this space, and I’m excited to pursue rest through the end of the year. I’m signing off and so looking forward to being with you again in 2026! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ashajuneoh.substack.com/subscribe

Grateful for y’all sticking with me through the both/and of this podcast, friends. The tears and the celebration. The weariness and the hope. We are here to have messy, honest conversations; and today was definitely that.Today, we’re talking about when detours, disappointments, setbacks, and stalling are actually setting us up for more than we could ask or imagine.ALSO! I’m finally able to tell you about a super cool book I’ve had the joy and honor of helping to write over this past year! It’s a collaborative book project BY women, ABOUT women, and FOR women called The Other Disciples: Conversations About The Twelve Named Women Jesus Called to Follow Him.I had the joy and honor of writing the final chapter, all about my girl Elizabeth (my soul sister from another generation). The book is under the umbrella of an incredible new ministry by women, about women, and for women called… Also Called. You can follow along for book updates and tons of encouraging content here on Substack, Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, Pinterest, and wherever you listen to podcasts. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ashajuneoh.substack.com/subscribe

I’m a big fan of context. Without it, the passage we’re talking about today is mildly encouraging at best and could be received as downright hurtful at worst.Let’s get to the root so we can bloom. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ashajuneoh.substack.com/subscribe

Last week, we talked about the physical act of going to your arms while running and what it means to go to your arms spiritually. It’s a really cool connection and conversation, sparked by something my husband shared with me. I left the house for dropoff/the gym/all the errands, and when I got home, he was like, thanks for the shoutout. Also, I did some more digging and found out that…And then he proceeded to share with me a list of things that left me standing there thinking, well, where was all this when I recorded this podcast two days ago?! So I crammed him in the podcast closet again, and VOILA! Go To Your Arms, Part Two. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ashajuneoh.substack.com/subscribe

Whew. Raw is the only word I’ve got for the state I was in when I recorded this.And wouldn’t you know the act of recording and lamenting and remembering what is true turned my day right around? This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ashajuneoh.substack.com/subscribe