172. A Guide Through Emotional and Spiritual Abuse (with Natalie Hoffman)

Guest Bio: Natalie Hoffman is the author of Is it Me? Making Sense of Your Confusing Marriage: A Christian Woman’s Guide to Hidden Emotional and Spiritual Abuse and All the Scary Little Gods: a Memoir, as well as the host of the Flying Free podcast. She is a mother, grandmother, educator, and passionate advocate for Christian women experiencing emotional and spiritual abuse. Through the Flying Free Sisterhood program, Natalie empowers Christian women to discover and use their God-given voices, gifts, and freedom to make healthy choices for their spiritual, emotional, and physical well-being. 

Show Summary: Sometimes an unhealthy relationship may be hard to recognize while we’re in the beginning stages or rationalizing things that hurt us. It can be hard to recognize or make sense of a confusing or hurtful relationship. Natalie Hoffman was in an emotionally and spiritually abusive marriage for 25 years. After trying everything she could to work on her marriage, she decided to get a divorce. Now Natalie teaches women the covert signs of emotional and spiritual abuse. Join hosts, Elisa Morgan and Vivian Mabuni, as they are guided through the signs and symptoms of emotional and spiritual abuse during this very informative episode of God Hears Her. If you or someone you know is in an abusive situation, please call 1-800-799-7233 or visit this website.

Notes and Quotes: 
“Are you safely allowed to just be yourself in the relationship? Without being afraid that there will be repercussions if you show up?” —Natalie Hoffman 

“The egregious nature of spiritual abuse is that it drives a wedge between the survivor and God—her lifeline.” —Natalie Hoffman

“My religious beliefs are what kept me in that [abusive] relationship for so many years, but my relationship with God is what got me out.” —Natalie Hoffman 

“God was my rescuer—not the church, not my friends, and not my family of origin.” —Natalie Hoffman

“I listen to my former self—that younger version of myself—and I decided that I was going to be a witness to her pain.” —Natalie Hoffman   

Verses: 
Psalm 121:1-2

Links: 
Natalie’s website: https://www.flyingfreenow.com/

Natalie’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flyingfreesisterhood/

God Hears Her website: https://www.godhearsher.org/

God Hears Her email sign-up: https://www.godhearsher.org/sign-upsfmc 

Subscribe on iTunes! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/god-hears-her-podcast/id1511046507?utm_source=applemusic&utm_medium=godhearsher&utm_campaign=podcast

Eryn’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eryneddy/

Elisa’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elisamorganauthor/

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