Pursuing Healing Revives Hope ~ Susan Habegger Ep. 126

Why should we explore the profound journey of healing from the pain woven into our stories? In today's episode, Susan Habegger, the author of A New Song, articulates beautifully why this pursuit of healing is so vital to our lives. She reminds us that the healing process is a powerful antidote to despair, unveiling truths that illuminate our path forward and ultimately bring us hope.

Here's an exciting opportunity for you. Join Susan LIVE for a transformative webinar on Our Emotions, happening on May 9th from 6 to 7:30 PM MST.  This webinar will provide valuable insights into our emotional landscape and how we can navigate it. Best of all, it's free! Register now at https://bit.ly/49RbJYA

Susan will delve into the depths of our emotional landscape, exploring where our emotions lead us and whether we can alter their course. It promises to be an incredible experience you won't want to miss!

Join the waiting list for A New Song online life groups launching in August >> HERE.
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Transcript

LRL Ep 126 Final Transcript

[00:00:00] Denisha: Why should we explore the [00:00:05] profound journey of healing from the pain that has been woven into our stories? [00:00:10] Well, in today's episode, Susan Habegger, the author of a new song, [00:00:15] articulates so beautifully why this pursuit of healing is so vital to our lives. [00:00:20] She reminds us that the process of healing serves as a powerful antidote to [00:00:25]despair.

And it unveils truths that illuminate our path forward [00:00:30] and brings us hope. I am thrilled to share with you that a new song [00:00:35] is officially available. You can find Susan Habegger's book, A [00:00:40] New Song on Amazon, and we'll also include the links in our show notes. Before [00:00:45] we dive in, we have an exciting personal invitation for you.

You can [00:00:50] join Susan live for a transformative webinar on our emotions. [00:00:55] It's taking place May 9th from 30 p. m. Mountain [00:01:00] Standard Time. Susan will delve into the depths of our emotional landscape, [00:01:05] exploring where our emotions lead us, and whether we can alter their course. It [00:01:10] promises to be an incredible experience that you don't want to miss.

You can find the [00:01:15] registration link in our show notes or on our social media accounts for Reclaimed [00:01:20] Story. And you can also email us at connect at reclaimed [00:01:25] story dot com. Now for this episode with Susan [00:01:30] Haubegger. Welcome to Living the Reclaimed Life podcast. I'm Denisha. We're glad you're [00:01:35] here for conversations that revive hope, inspire healing, and encourage you [00:01:40] to live a vibrant life with Christ.

Amen. So grab a cup of coffee as we chat with [00:01:45] today's guest. I have the pleasure of bringing back Susan Habegger. If [00:01:50] you missed last week's episode, I really want to recommend you go back [00:01:55] and listen to that because Susan talks about a new song she has just [00:02:00] finished and completed a book that is a course.

on how [00:02:05] to walk towards healing from our stories. I am just so excited for you guys [00:02:10] to get your hands on the book and also to hear Susan's heart today as we come [00:02:15]back together. Susan, I'm so happy to have you back on the podcast. 

[00:02:17] Susan: It's good to be here. We have a good time [00:02:20] talking together. 

[00:02:21] Denisha: We really do. And I think we talked for like an hour before I even hit [00:02:25]record.

So, and 

[00:02:25] Susan: we just get to include everyone else in that conversation. I love it. 

[00:02:29] Denisha: [00:02:30] Yes, it's so fun. It's so fun. Well, if you don't know Susan, she works through [00:02:35] her humanitarian nonprofit thrive life skills. And her heart is to come [00:02:40]alongside people in their suffering. Susan has this incredible natural [00:02:45] ability to walk people through to where they can walk through [00:02:50] their suffering, look at real things that have happened in their lives without shoving things under [00:02:55] the rug.

And yet come out on the other side and desire to move forward. And [00:03:00] hope and healing. And in such a refreshment, Susan, you have such a unique way [00:03:05] of writing that I really appreciate. 

[00:03:07] Susan: I am grateful for the privilege [00:03:10] of, of doing that. And I suppose I put down on paper, what is [00:03:15] going through my mind and my heart.

And I hope that connects with others. 

[00:03:19] Denisha: Oh, it's such a [00:03:20] gift. You know, not. All of us always want to go back and [00:03:25] pursue healing from things in our story or from our past. So, why, [00:03:30] this is a passion of yours is to help us to heal from suffering and trauma. [00:03:35] So, why does pursuing our healing, you know, this month we're talking about reviving hope.[00:03:40]

Why does pursuing healing revive hope? Because sometimes it can be stinking [00:03:45] hard. 

[00:03:45] Susan: Yes. If, if we do it right, it's always hard, but I love that [00:03:50] you have this as your, as your theme, your topic for this month. [00:03:55] The idea of you use the words pursue healing because that [00:04:00] really is what we must do. We've all heard the saying that [00:04:05]time heals all wounds.

Well that's not true. Time doesn't necessarily [00:04:10] heal all wounds. And sometimes we have to pursue that healing in a particular [00:04:15] way. I thought it might be good for us to just clarify a bit the [00:04:20] difference between healing and healed. It's [00:04:25] important for us to relieve ourselves of that expectation [00:04:30] to be healed.

It's actually a journey. It's a journey of ups and downs [00:04:35] and twists and turns and we can become very discouraged. If we [00:04:40] think that at some point we need to be able to sit in a group [00:04:45] or talk with someone else and say, I had this experience and I [00:04:50] had suffering, but now I'm healed. That is a terrifying [00:04:55] expectation because all of us realize that Or at least I want to, I [00:05:00] want to give that permission to you to comprehend and [00:05:05] understand that just around the corner, there's another moment.

There's another [00:05:10] layer. There's another awareness of loss. There's [00:05:15] another trigger that happens that sends us to a particular place. And [00:05:20] just like that, we don't feel healed anymore. And so I really [00:05:25] encourage us to think of this as the healing journey. And we [00:05:30] give ourselves permission to step on to this journey [00:05:35] without drawing a finish line ahead of us.

So, [00:05:40] that gives us freedom in even taking that step, I think. [00:05:45] And then, there also is the idea, after having said that, that it's not a journey [00:05:50] without intentional action. So we are pursuing forward movement. And [00:05:55] we want to understand that pain and suffering not only have an [00:06:00] initial impact on us, but then those, those [00:06:05] experiences and all that comes out of those experiences.

Can [00:06:10] settle down inside of us and take root and begin [00:06:15] to take control of how we live our lives, how we [00:06:20] respond in certain situations, how we react to others, and they take over [00:06:25] the control center of, of our life. One of the impacts of trauma [00:06:30] is to feel out of control. And maybe we should stop just for a moment and [00:06:35] talk about trauma because trauma is not trauma is not what [00:06:40] happened to you.

Trauma is not that event or that way of [00:06:45] living or that way you were treated or that experience that you [00:06:50] saw. Or any of those things, that's not the trauma, that's the [00:06:55]experience, that's the pain, that's the suffering. But when that experience or [00:07:00] painful event or suffering settles down inside and takes [00:07:05] root and begins to take over the control centers so that we're [00:07:10] not able to function.

In a healthy way, that's trauma. That's [00:07:15] what the trauma is. So when that happens, we either feel [00:07:20] out of control or we feel. Controlled in some way. [00:07:25] Now, some of you listening will say, well, she just said the same thing two ways, but some of [00:07:30] you who are listening will understand exactly one of those or the other, the [00:07:35] feeling of being out of control, not, not knowing what to [00:07:40] do.

And like your body. And your mouth and your mind and your [00:07:45] heart. Doing things that you are not initiating and others [00:07:50] of you will understand, or maybe we do this at various times. We experienced both of [00:07:55] these, the idea of feeling that something is actually [00:08:00]controlling how you're responding. Something is controlling [00:08:05] how you're reacting and the way you're, the way you're walking, [00:08:10] the way you're eating, the way you're doing life, And so those are [00:08:15] two different things, but trauma is what is doing that in us.

And so [00:08:20] desperation quickly sets in, and we want to get a grasp of the [00:08:25] situation, but we can't, and we don't have the strength to push back. And so [00:08:30] the healing journey provides opportunities for us to take [00:08:35] back some of the control that trauma is stealing from [00:08:40] us. And as we do this, In small areas at first, [00:08:45] possibility for good begins to come to life.

And [00:08:50] essentially, when that happens, know that hope is beginning to come to life. When you [00:08:55] begin to see the possibility of good. And so that [00:09:00] pursuit of healing is, is reviving [00:09:05] the capability of good and hope. in your, in your life. [00:09:10] I have one more way that I'd like to share. Do you want me to keep going? 

[00:09:13] Denisha: Yes, please keep going [00:09:15] because I'm like you could have mic dropped a couple of times even in the healing versus [00:09:20] healed.

Man, I love that. So yes, please keep going. 

[00:09:23] Susan: Well, one, just one more [00:09:25] clarification in that the other way I think that, uh, pursuing [00:09:30] healing revives hope and that's, you started it all off with a perfect question. [00:09:35] So, so thank you for that. But Along the healing journey, we [00:09:40] pursue truth. We must. And one of the ways that we really [00:09:45] pursue truth is in how we speak truth to ourselves.

Because [00:09:50] Trauma and the negative effects of suffering, they're speaking untruth. Suffering is [00:09:55] real. Trauma is real. The negative [00:10:00] nuances and messages that trauma speaks to us, it is not true. [00:10:05] It is untruth. So as we pursue healing, we [00:10:10] begin to recognize untruth. We get to know it. And it is [00:10:15] at that point that we can begin to establish some boundaries.

We can say, [00:10:20] oh, I recognize those words. I'm going to set a boundary for that. Because we are [00:10:25] taking that control. And each time we do that, we become a little [00:10:30] stronger. So pursuing healing revives hope because that [00:10:35] process, that journey pushes back on despair. We are [00:10:40] not just giving in. Pursuing healing opens the door to truth and [00:10:45] truth sheds light and light invites and so [00:10:50] pursuing healing is important as difficult as stepping on to the journey [00:10:55] of healing is as frightening as it may be to remember [00:11:00] and to re feel some of that pain as [00:11:05] challenging as it is to begin to reconfigure some of [00:11:10] our responses and our perspectives, it is only that [00:11:15] journey that can take us in a new direction, away from despair and [00:11:20] toward hope.

And so that stepping on to that journey in [00:11:25] itself begins to revive hope and it just does. It grows [00:11:30] in life and beauty as we continue on that journey, no matter how hard it [00:11:35] is. 

[00:11:35] Denisha: So true. That's so true, Susan. One of the things that we kind of joke about [00:11:40] in, in actually in the new song groups too, is that we have to feel it to heal it.

And [00:11:45] so if, if this is a time in your life where you're hearing Susan talk about this and you're going, [00:11:50] wow, I can relate, I can really relate to that. I've heard those voices. I've been under that [00:11:55] control. Maybe now is your time. So we just pray that God will reveal it so that he can [00:12:00] heal it because it really is a beautiful journey.

Susan, there's so many different topics [00:12:05] that you have in a new song. What are some of the [00:12:10] topics that come to mind for you that you enjoy? I know all of them, but what are some of your [00:12:15] favorites? Can 

[00:12:15] Susan: we go? There are some, there are some favorites and it's. [00:12:20] Again, fun for me to, fun or interesting to look back because I never [00:12:25] dreamed that it would have as many chapters as it does, but, but we [00:12:30] would find that, that one needed to be broken down into [00:12:35] more than one because it was too much for us to handle in, [00:12:40] in one chapter.

So, so they, they grew and they multiplied [00:12:45] as, as I went through the process. I think one of the, in the beginning of [00:12:50] the book, we just talk about this new kind of journey that, [00:12:55] that it is not, as we talked about last time, it's not a, [00:13:00] a one solution fits all. It's, it's not, we're not going to [00:13:05] clinically give you a diagnosis of your suffering and your trauma.

It, [00:13:10] it's going to be a different kind of journey. We call it a contemplative journey, [00:13:15]that it's a taking time, it's a stepping away from all that [00:13:20] is happening in our lives and the way that we have often convinced [00:13:25] ourselves that what we need to do is just get on with life. We're, we're talking ourselves out of [00:13:30] that and taking time to really think about the journey.

So [00:13:35] then of course we can talk all we want about our story, but how do we even [00:13:40]begin? How do we begin to tell our story? How do we share it? How do we put it [00:13:45] down in the visual? And I think that's one thing that. If you, if you get the book [00:13:50] and you read it, you'll realize I'm a visual. I'm a visual person.

I'm a visual [00:13:55] learner. And so the expression and the ways that I [00:14:00] heal and express and, and will encourage you to as [00:14:05] well is through the visual. Because, oh, I'll give you the short [00:14:10] answer. In our, in our response to trauma, [00:14:15] so many of our cognitives, our ways of thinking, they're [00:14:20] skewed now because of the suffering and the trauma.

But our [00:14:25] visual stays. And so anytime we can connect through the [00:14:30] visual, it really helps us in our healing. We'll talk about the relationship of the way life [00:14:35] was. Or, for many of us, the way we thought life was [00:14:40] and the way life is now. That is a, that is a place for us to [00:14:45] settle down for a while and, and think about things because we have [00:14:50] to get our, to wrap our, our heads and our hearts and our [00:14:55] thinking around that in order to heal from it.

We will actually take [00:15:00] time to become familiar with suffering and trauma. And you may say, that is not on my list [00:15:05] of things to become familiar with, but, but it's important for us [00:15:10] because that's how we're going to be able to recognize when, when trauma is [00:15:15]speaking to us and leading us in ways that are not healthy.

I just [00:15:20] yesterday received an email from my bank, and it was telling [00:15:25] me the, the new Scams that are out there right now [00:15:30] and and they were saying this is what some scammers are doing This is [00:15:35] what they're doing. This is what they're doing. Well, you know what that did for me. It gives me an [00:15:40] alert So that when that happens, I can say to myself, wait a [00:15:45] minute, wait a minute.

I've heard about this before, and this is a red flag. [00:15:50] That's what I want to do with you for trauma. I want to tell you, [00:15:55] this is what it does. It skews your memory. It causes you to think about [00:16:00] yourself in a different way. It causes you to think about others in a different way. It [00:16:05] grabs hold of you through triggers and takes you to a place that is not the present [00:16:10] reality.

And so when we can do that, then we can respond to [00:16:15] it in a healthy way. Another thing that we talk about is discovering loss. [00:16:20] We have many different kinds of suffering, even if We have [00:16:25] experienced similar things, there, we respond to them differently, [00:16:30] and so even in, in a particular event, I [00:16:35] can, I can use words like abuse, or rape, or death of a [00:16:40] child, all of these things, even if one person says to another person, [00:16:45] Oh, I experienced that as well.

It's not the same. Each [00:16:50] person's suffering is unique and individual, and in that, we will [00:16:55] discover loss. That is the one common thread that we have, the one [00:17:00] common taproot, that there is loss of some kind. And many of us [00:17:05] have not stopped to think through all the layers of [00:17:10] loss. that have been caused by one event.

The obvious is [00:17:15] there, but there are many layers. We recognize them sometimes immediately, [00:17:20] sometimes it takes months, sometimes years later suddenly. The [00:17:25]awareness of a loss. That has now shown [00:17:30] itself to an event that happened years ago, sweeps over us. And [00:17:35] that is important for us to recognize, to learn how to mourn those losses, to learn [00:17:40] how to express emotion without fear of, [00:17:45] of shame or embarrassment, or the idea that I [00:17:50] shouldn't do this because I'm a child of God and I should not be expressing this kind of [00:17:55] emotion.

These are things that we will talk about. We will talk about the idea [00:18:00] of what I call a strange comfortableness. Our suffering [00:18:05] has perhaps been with us a long time, for some of us. And we have [00:18:10] adjusted to that suffering and that pain. And I think this might be a good [00:18:15] opportunity for me to read one page.

It's a chapter, but it's just one [00:18:20] page. So that should be an encouragement to you that some, some chapters are just one page. So [00:18:25] do not despair when you actually find out how many chapters there are. But this chapter [00:18:30] is called a new pair of shoes. And it will lead you [00:18:35] into some things that we talk about and maybe it will resonate with you a little [00:18:40]bit.

Imagine a pair of shoes that don't fit you well. Something about them [00:18:45] isn't quite right. They cause pain on your little toe and your heel. But you [00:18:50] need to keep moving, so you begin to adjust how your feet hit the ground. You [00:18:55] roll them a bit to one side so that the shoes won't rub painfully across your little toes.[00:19:00]

You put less of your weight on your heels. You might not even realize you are making these [00:19:05]adjustments. You are doing them subconsciously in order to avoid the pain. [00:19:10] After walking this way for some time, your adjusted stride begins to feel very [00:19:15] familiar, almost comfortable. In fact, when you finally buy a new pair of shoes that fit you [00:19:20] well, they feel strange at first.

You had become so familiar with the way you needed [00:19:25] to walk in the ill fitting shoes in order to avoid the pain, that walking [00:19:30] correctly now feels almost uncomfortable. The same thing happens when we learn to [00:19:35] walk a certain way through suffering. We attempt to keep going, adjusting our [00:19:40] stride in whatever way necessary to elude the dull aches, the sharp twinges, [00:19:45] or the ever present tenderness.

We adapt. We avoid. We never [00:19:50] give ourselves fully to life because the weight of doing so increases the pain. [00:19:55] After a while, this adjusted way of living with the negative effects of suffering becomes familiar. [00:20:00] So in the same way that we might feel uncomfortable in a new pair of shoes after [00:20:05] adjusting to the old ones, We might also feel some discomfort as we attempt to [00:20:10] walk a new pathway, even one that is leading us beyond the control of [00:20:15]trauma and toward healing.

This is my way of alerting you that there might be some [00:20:20] discomfort ahead, some unfamiliarity. But know that your new [00:20:25] pair of shoes is waiting, and that with time, They will be a good fit. [00:20:30] A strange comfort must can catch us off guard. And I hope [00:20:35]that through the chapters, you will know that it's okay to express [00:20:40] that.

We'll also talk about a new vocabulary with ourselves in particular. [00:20:45] And yes, we're going to bring God into this conversation multiple times. In particular, [00:20:50] we're going to ask him some questions. We're going to actually concentrate on [00:20:55] four questions is how we will, will approach the subject. We will [00:21:00] ask, why is there suffering in the world?

Why did suffering happen to me? Where is [00:21:05] God in my suffering? And why did God allow this to happen? And [00:21:10] then we'll come to a conversation about others, others in my pain, others that [00:21:15] experienced the same thing that I did, but they're not responding the same way. And those who [00:21:20] caused the pain. And we will talk about forgiveness and [00:21:25]reconciliation and how that all works and what's true about it and what is not.

And [00:21:30] we'll get to peace and hope and joy. And all of those [00:21:35] wonderful things, but it takes us a while, and there is a journey [00:21:40] in the layers of experience as we move forward in [00:21:45] this journey of suffering towards healing. 

[00:21:47] Denisha: Those layers, Susan, are so [00:21:50] brilliantly put together. Just how each one leads into the next one.

There's not [00:21:55] like an abrupt stop, and then this. Crazy fast start. It really is like a friend [00:22:00] is walking with you as you go from topic to topic in a new song. 

[00:22:04] Susan: Partially my [00:22:05] experience. I'm trying to be honest with you as far as the reality [00:22:10] of the journey, because there's no way that. I was able to jump [00:22:15] from the understanding of the suffering to the hey, I've got joy and now I'm healed.[00:22:20]

And so I'm sorry you have to come along that journey with me. 

[00:22:22] Denisha: Oh, I thank you for putting it in writing [00:22:25] in such a beautiful way. You've been teaching and training on this material for the [00:22:30] last six years, as we talked in the last episode. What have, what have you seen in the [00:22:35] lives of women who are doing this work of healing through a new song?

[00:22:39] Susan: You know, I think [00:22:40] that we've seen the effect of opening that door to the conversation [00:22:45] that it's so needed in many of us. I have [00:22:50] not known anyone who's not gone through some kind of pain, [00:22:55] some time, some kind of disappointment, some type of [00:23:00] just life not coming out exactly the way we thought it was going to be, even if it's not what [00:23:05] someone else would call traumatic.

And so it seems that [00:23:10] we think this invitation has been given in our, in our churches, in our [00:23:15] small groups, in our, in our friendships. How often do we say, you know, if you ever need [00:23:20] anybody to talk to, just, just, I'm here. Or if you want to tell your story, you know, I [00:23:25] would be here to listen. But But how often does that actually [00:23:30] happen?

I think this is relevant because we're actually seeing the [00:23:35] effects of saying, I am here to sit beside you as you heal. I'll be [00:23:40] a witness to your story. We've talked about this before. We can't fix it. [00:23:45] But we will be a witness to your pain. We will stay. I hear you. I will let [00:23:50] you know that you are not alone in those crazy and sometimes frightening [00:23:55]emotions and expressions and, um, We [00:24:00] have seen this one on one and then in small groups and you have, [00:24:05] you have had the experience of leading the women through small groups.

And I want to add [00:24:10] on that coming out with this book is a leader's guide for We're [00:24:15]helping you lead through a small group as well. So that will be available [00:24:20] and, and will be, will be good. But I think primarily what we've [00:24:25] seen from people who have, have worked through this healing [00:24:30] process is Maybe one is, I'm not crazy.

I'm, [00:24:35] I, someone else has at least expressed some things that I have felt [00:24:40] and that there is the possibility for hope and [00:24:45] healing. I'm able to sort out some of the things that are happening. A woman [00:24:50] who I did in person and also Zoom classes in [00:24:55] India in a couple of places, I'm And one woman wrote afterward, A new song [00:25:00] sessions help those who are so confused and struggling with the chaos in their [00:25:05] minds and hearts.

It's like putting your messed up closet into order and [00:25:10] sanity. I love that because if that can happen, if we can get our, some of our [00:25:15] closets in order a little bit, that will be a really good feeling. But it [00:25:20] is, it is opening the conversation in a way that says I can [00:25:25] integrate this into my everyday life.

I'm not trying to [00:25:30] negate the suffering, it is part of my story, but I am attempting to move [00:25:35] beyond so that it is not my identity. And that's what we're seeing in the [00:25:40] women. 

[00:25:40] Denisha: It's really amazing. When we finished the groups that we [00:25:45] did, we had an in person and a Zoom group, and we had them write down how [00:25:50] they came into a new song, right?

They had expectations. You know, some thought, Oh, it's, [00:25:55] it's a Bible study. And that was a little shocker. They were like, okay, we're really going deep. And they got [00:26:00] a lot more than they thought they were coming for when we, when we did that. And so we had [00:26:05] ladies write down on the front of a piece of paper, what they came expecting, feeling [00:26:10] like, how they showed up basically.

And then on the other side of the paper, kind of like those [00:26:15] cardboard testimonies that were going viral in churches a few years ago. We had them flip the [00:26:20] paper and say how they're leaving. And Susan, I was so encouraged. I was moved to [00:26:25] tears. I mean, it was just no way to not cry during that. Some said [00:26:30] they came as a victim, feeling flat, monotone, left leaving [00:26:35] a new song open to embrace joy and rest.

As we talk about [00:26:40] suffering, I remember one lady, she wrote down, I came despising suffering. I [00:26:45] left seeing purpose, God's goodness and hope. I mean, [00:26:50] Susan, it's truly is a new song is really life transforming. If you're [00:26:55] willing to do the work, the results will match the effort. That's for sure. 

[00:26:59] Susan: [00:27:00] I'm grateful.

I'm so grateful for that. And your willingness [00:27:05] to have those groups when everything wasn't complete yet. [00:27:10] was so helpful to me and through this whole process of [00:27:15]understanding how I needed to clarify, things I needed to [00:27:20] clarify, and just to be honest with you, it was such great encouragement to me [00:27:25] that yes, I was I'm supposed to be doing this because one has [00:27:30] doubts at times and so you, you were a great encouragement [00:27:35] to put this, really put a feet on this.

[00:27:38] Denisha: Well, we had 30 [00:27:40] very brave women who jumped into this and we said, there's not a book yet, but we'll [00:27:45] email you the chapters. We had 30 just amazing women, each, like you said, with unique [00:27:50] stories. And some that overlapped but were experienced so uniquely and it [00:27:55] was just beautiful. And now they're coming to us saying, when is this book going to be out?

Because we want to [00:28:00] bring it to our church or we want to bring it to our small group or you know, we want to have women going through [00:28:05] this. So we're just so excited about what God is doing through a new song, Susan, it's just really amazing. 

[00:28:09] Susan: [00:28:10] Well, I'm grateful for your part in it. 

[00:28:11] Denisha: Well, it has been fun. I can't wait to get this, to see this [00:28:15] go in hands all over, all over, all over the world.

Well, Susan, how can we [00:28:20] find this amazing book, A New Song? How do we get it? How can we put our [00:28:25] hands on it so we're not getting emailed chapters every week? Right. Right. 

[00:28:28] Susan: The best [00:28:30] way, we're hoping that it will be out by April 30th, at least, if not before. And [00:28:35] so the primary way will be to go to amazon. com and type in [00:28:40] a new song and make sure you, you see the book that is out.

By Susan [00:28:45] Habegger and has the subtitle of Our Journey Toward Healing. There are several books out [00:28:50] there titled A New Song, but this one has a beautiful picture of a sunrise on the [00:28:55] front of it. And I think you won't be able to miss it because it's so, so pretty. I'll also [00:29:00] be publishing it through IngramSpark, so it will be able to be in bookstores [00:29:05] as well.

So if you, you know, at some point are looking for it in a bookstore and you don't [00:29:10] see it, we'll ask for it. That would be a good thing as well. I'll put a link to it on our [00:29:15] website and we'll just try to keep you posted on all the possibilities. 

[00:29:19] Denisha: And you [00:29:20] can definitely find it on our social media. And as soon as we have links, it'll be on Reclaim Stories [00:29:25] website as well.

Susan, what is so unique about what you've done here is [00:29:30] one, you can buy the book now I'm an introvert. Okay? I might just wanna [00:29:35] open the book and do it on my own and not involve anybody else. And I love that you've [00:29:40] written it to where I can do that. I can grab this book, pursue it at my own pace, pursue [00:29:45] this journey toward healing.

I can also do it in a small group. And so in [00:29:50] August, we're going to be launching online small groups. So it doesn't matter what country you're in, what [00:29:55] state you're in. We can all come together and create a safe place for us to journey [00:30:00] this together through a new song. And the other thing I love about this, Susan, and this is [00:30:05] just my vision for what I pray God does through this.

Is that [00:30:10] churches and ministries, places where people are hurting, right? Which is [00:30:15]everywhere, right? Corporate America, all the way to these different places. I think of a friend of mine who [00:30:20] runs a domestic violence shelter. This is the perfect curriculum for their women. I think [00:30:25] of people who are, you know, nurses and doctors who are showing up for somebody[00:30:30] every day and need somebody to show up for them.

This curriculum is amazing. So I just [00:30:35] see churches utilizing it, small groups utilizing it, you know, we're seeing an [00:30:40] increase in home churches and small groups getting together to worship. And this is [00:30:45] just a great, great way to walk through the pain of our [00:30:50] past. And, you know, we love to say around here, it's when your story becomes your strength.

And I really feel like [00:30:55] that is the outcome of a new song. You also did a leader's guide. So if I'm going, man, [00:31:00] I'd love to start a group in my home, but I'm a little bit nervous because I'm not sure what's going to happen when I [00:31:05] start unpacking my suitcase. Tell me about the leader's guide. We didn't talk a lot about that in the last [00:31:10] episode.

[00:31:10] Susan: Right, right. And, and I love that you opened the door [00:31:15] for this idea of the, of the small groups in churches and in other [00:31:20] places, because I think we avoid. We avoid that because we're afraid [00:31:25] or a little bit fearful of doing that. You know, do people really want to talk about their pain? Do [00:31:30] I really want to hear it?

What am I going to say in response? Shouldn't we have [00:31:35] counselors available at all times for that? And what, what a new song [00:31:40] does is give a foundation for those conversations. So it's [00:31:45] not a, let's everyone sit around and tell about, How we feel or [00:31:50] what you want to talk about tonight, each, each session in a small group [00:31:55] is, is guided and there are particular chapters to read their particular questions to [00:32:00] answer.

And so the leader's guide is for a leader, the women in the [00:32:05] group would have the book leader's guide is for the leader and, and divides the [00:32:10] book up into sessions, particular chapters that will be read. And [00:32:15] then hones in on particular questions. questions from those chapters that are in [00:32:20] the book and gives a guidance through so you don't have to worry about what you're [00:32:25] going to say.

There, it even is, it provides a script, but [00:32:30] you're not expected to read it. But for those who might say, I don't even know where to [00:32:35] start, it does give you a start. And, and this safety net to fall back [00:32:40] on. So I think it will be very helpful for churches and all sorts of [00:32:45]small groups that want to have a conversation with people about suffering, don't know quite how [00:32:50] to do it, and are afraid to put their toe in the water.

[00:32:52] Denisha: Wow. I love it. I love it. I think [00:32:55] I've said several times this morning, talking to you that this stuff gets me up in the morning. This really [00:33:00] gets me out of bed in the morning and was such a hope and an anticipation about what God's going to do [00:33:05] through it. So thank you for all of the courage it took to go [00:33:10] really vulnerable in these, in this book and in the leader's guide as well.

And for [00:33:15] your perseverance to get this in hands all across the world, Susan, we just appreciate you [00:33:20] so much. 

[00:33:21] Susan: It was God's doing that he brought me [00:33:25] together with you and Reclaim Story because he knew I was going to need you to [00:33:30] accomplish this and bring this to completion. 

[00:33:32] Denisha: And we needed your curriculum because Valerie and I had a [00:33:35] whole wall of post its.

We were moving around trying to figure this out. And then you. It was just [00:33:40] perfect, Susan, perfect. Just God intersection there, so. Well, [00:33:45] I want to encourage you grab a new song by Susan Habegger on [00:33:50] Amazon. And we're going to have links in the show notes as well. You can definitely find Susan on [00:33:55] Thrive Life Skills.

She is going to be there. And Susan, did you start a website for yourself as [00:34:00] an author? 

[00:34:00] Susan: Yes. It's, um, SusanPobigerAuthor. com.

[00:34:03] Denisha: Perfect. Awesome. And [00:34:05] we'll have a link to that as well. Stay connected with Susan, you guys. She's really doing some [00:34:10] incredible things and, um, we pray that a new song is a gift to you.

If [00:34:15] you do pick it up and begin journeying through it, we want to encourage you to leave a review [00:34:20] for Susan on Amazon. That is huge. We would love to have your review to increase that [00:34:25] visibility for a new song. So thank you so much, Susan. I know you're going to be on again, cause I'm going to come [00:34:30] bug you in the fall when we kick off these groups, but.

Oh, I just love having you on. Thank you so much [00:34:35] for being you. 

[00:34:35] Susan: Thank you. I look forward to our conversations. 

[00:34:39] Denisha: Thanks for [00:34:40] listening. I pray you found hope in today's conversation and maybe even [00:34:45] feel a little less alone in your story. Stay connected with us on Facebook and [00:34:50] Instagram at reclaimed story.

Want to learn more about living a reclaimed life and [00:34:55] how you can be a part of our growing community of reclaimers? Check out our website at [00:35:00] reclaimedstory. com. All of those links and more will be in the show notes. [00:35:05] And if you enjoyed this inspirational podcast, be sure to subscribe, rate, and [00:35:10] review. Not only will you be the first one to know when new content comes out, but it [00:35:15] is also a huge help in helping us reach more people to live the reclaimed [00:35:20] life.