Hi! I am Steph Moore your host of the Kinda Preachy Podcast! You are going to get to know me best on the podcast but I wanted to give you a quick get to know me. Somehow, the calendar shows that I am 44 and that I have been married to my husband Matt for 22 years and I have 3 kids, Alaina (20), Sam (14) and Avie (11). The other love of my life is a 4 legged maltese mix who I casually refer to say Brucie DeWayne The Rock Johnson (I don't know why it has come to this version of a name but we have all accepted it at this point).
I have worked in and out of vocational ministry and in the last decade God has done somethings in my heart that I have pulled some strings to pull me way out of my comfort zone. When I left my last job in a church it was to be present in my family and raising my kids and I always thought I would land right back. Instead, God stretched me in different entrepreneurial ways, increased my desire to volunteer and laid a heavy heart of study on me. That was all prep for some wild and hard for times in my family that he knew was on the horizon.
All that to say, being exactly where I needed to be has not looked like how I pictured. I am someone who wildly enjoys people but for this season God has given more more solitude time than I have ever been comfortable with. But, the call to write, study and create new things was where he wanted me. Last year, after building up a handmade business over the last 6 years, I felt God tell me to close it. I felt that strong pull towards ministry again and I slowly dipped my toes back into what that looked like vocationally. But, every opportunity had a random pause that required me to wait and each time I felt my heart sink with disappointment but God started stirring up some old dreams and giving them new life.
The dream to write a book was reignited. For now, my husband refers to it more as a diary because releasing it feels scary. What felt even scarier is that as I started editing and pouring more words out of me, two words crept into my head in the way that I know that familiar voice. Kinda Preachy. It was spoken in my soul with a strange combo of jest and authority. It wasn't long before the editing of my book was taking a strange turn looked more like a podcast outline, the biggest calling in my heart was to not let people fall through the cracks of Christianity and the church. Its why I wanted to be back in ministry.
God reminded me that ministry does not start in a building. I am going to share a lot more of my personal story over time. But, I can tell you this now, I know what its like to feel like an abandoned outcast. I know the gut punches and grief. I have heard and seen the hypocritical finger wagging from other Christians and I have watched people that I love walk away from Jesus because the "church" hurt them. (I am not anti church, I whole heartedly believe in having a faith community, I also know that space can be a source of hurt so two things can be true here and give latitude to support both)
Kinda Preachy is a space that wants to share your story, your struggles and claim restoration on those raw places. Its also the space we make jokes, lean into sarcasm and say the first thing that come to our minds because God wants all of you and there is not a hurt or shame on your spirit that God doesn't want make room for. You are worthy and if you feel like maybe you are slipping through some cracks, let this be a promise to you, you are not alone and God sees you.
I have straddled a line growing up in church and seeing the immense pouring of love to be met with the harsh judgement of others making it people feel that acceptance was just out of reach. Whether its been a person, a place or personal shame, let me say this as loud as I can for you, God loves you. I want to have honest and relatable conversations about faith, there is biblical truth that we won't try and deny. But, it won't come attached to judgment and shame.
I am so glad you are here.
*While you listen do me a favor, picture me like the pic above. That's a fresh hair and make up day and you are most likely hearing me podcast in pajamas and on my 4th Diet Coke of the day.