"Send us a message! (questions, feedback, etc.)"

We've just had a birthday, and we're celebrating by giving you a "Little Extra Helping" of the podcast.

Bobby, Stacey and I sat down recently to reflect on this first year of What We Really Want... all the great conversations we've had, things we've heard from our listeners, things we hope for the future, etc. One thing we talked about was how simple the idea for this show really is.

Let's just talk. About ways we connect. And by doing that, we're actually connecting and modeling for our listeners what that can look like.

We're incredibly grateful for all of you who have been along for the ride this first year. We have more great conversations with wonderful guests in the weeks to come, so please keep listening in. Even better, please support the show by writing a positive review and giving us 5 stars where you get your podcasts.

#Greg Oliver #StaceyOliver #BobbyWest #podcastbirthday #podcastanniversary #celebration #reflection #lookingback #oneyear #recovery #healing #sexaddiction #pornaddiction #sexualaddiction #betrayaltrauma #awaken #awakenrecovery #awakenpodcast #whatwereallywant #wwrw #grace #connection #conversation

Awaken website
Roots Retreat Men's Intensive
Roots Retreat Women's Workshop
Awaken Men & Women's support meeting info (including virtual)

"Send us a message! (questions, feedback, etc.)"

What We Really Want for our first anniversary episode 🎂 🎉🎈 is to celebrate a year of Conversations About Connection with the one-and-only John Eldredge.

John is known for his work as a therapist, for his development of the immensely popular One-Minute Pause app, and for his MANY books (like Wild at Heart, The Sacred Romance, Get Your Life Back, Resilient) including his newest book Experience. Jesus. Really.

John has an important message for all of us. We have been conditioned AWAY from real connection, trust, and dependence; and conditioned FOR distraction, immediate answers, fear and anxiety. We had a rich, deep conversation about what we can notice and how we can move back toward a God who deeply loves us and wants us to connect with him, with others, and with our own souls.

Our souls were not made for the unsustainable pace of Internet discipleship. Our souls were made for union with God. We hope you'll slow the pace and take time to listen to this gracious call to remember what your soul is made for.

#johneldredge #wildatheart #experiencejesusreally #oneminutepause #pauseapp #unionwithgod #gospel #grace #awaken #awakenrecovery #awakenpodcast #whatwereallywant #wwrw #recovery #connection #conversation

Wild at Heart (John's ministry web site)

John's books on Amazon

Wild at Heart on Instagram

Wild at Heart on Facebook

Wild at Heart on YouTube

Wild at Heart podcast

Awaken website
Roots Retreat Men's Intensive
Roots Retreat Women's Workshop
Awaken Men & Women's support meeting info (including virtual)

"Send us a message! (questions, feedback, etc.)"

We've known our guests Chad & Melissa Barrett for over 30 years. From days in Bible college to early church ministry, the Barretts and their families have been special people to us. So it was wonderful to be able to catch up with them and ask them to tell their beautiful story.

Chad and Melissa have four children. One of their kids, Kristina, bravely walked through a 4-year journey with cancer before passing away in 2014. During the time of her illness, Chad & Melissa experienced every emotion imaginable. Their story is heartbreaking but also filled with hope.

Many times when we hear stories of families walking through the valley of the shadow of death, we think or say, "I could never make it through something like that." We hear Chad and Melissa share how - even in the midst of grief, anger, sadness, depression and anxiety - they experienced deep, close connection with God, their children, and each other.

This is our longest conversation to date. Feel free to listen to it in pieces. But, like Chad said during our talk, when sharing through surges of emotion, "Don't edit this out..."

#inspiredbykristina #thrivenotjustsurvive #chadbarrett #melissabarrett #kristinabarrett #cancer #community #counseling #recovery #awaken #awakenrecovery #awakenpodcast #whatwereallywant #wwrw #grace #gospel #connection #conversation

Thrive Not Just Survive (Chad's website where you can find his book and podcast)

Inspired By Kristina Facebook Group

Awaken website
Roots Retreat Men's Intensive
Roots Retreat Women's Workshop
Awaken Men & Women's support meeting info (including virtual)

"Send us a message! (questions, feedback, etc.)"

Our guests this week understand the tough path to be navigated by couples recovering from sexual betrayal. Joanna and Matthew Raabsmith walked through this themselves when, three years into marriage, Matthew confessed his sexual addiction while Joanna was in training to become a therapist.

Out of their own healing experience they have created a counseling practice called The Raabsmith Team, located in Memphis TN. Joanna (as a therapist) and Matthew (as a certified coach) and their team work with couples and individuals with a strong emphasis on helping people heal from sexual addiction and betrayal trauma.

We talked about how tricky it can be for a healing couple to walk through the minefield of sexual reconnection, and discovering - often for the first time - a healthy, connected sexual relationship. Considering how daunting a task this is, it's important for couples to set reasonable expectations and measurable goals, and to take the "small wins" whenever they come.

Joanna and Matthew are the co-authors, along with Dan Drake, of the book Building True Intimacy: Creating a Connection That Stands the Test of Time.

#raabsmithteam #joannaraabsmith #matthewraabsmith #marriage #couplestherapy #counseling #recovery #sexaddiction #pornaddiction #betrayaltrauma #sexualaddiction #awaken #awakenrecovery #awakenpodcast #whatwereallywant #wwrw #grace #connection #conversation

The Raabsmith Team main site

The Honest Connection (free resource)

Renewing Us couples retreat info

Building True Intimacy on Amazon

Awaken website
Roots Retreat Men's Intensive
Roots Retreat Women's Workshop
Awaken Men & Women's support meeting info (including virtual)

"Send us a message! (questions, feedback, etc.)"

It can be terrifying to give another person full access to what we're thinking, feeling, believing, and struggling with. That's why almost no one does it. Even at our most vulnerable, most of us still withhold maybe 3% of what we really need to share.

This is the foundation of a new company/community launching this week. The Three Percent Co. was founded by Jamie Haigh and today's guest, Blake Roberts. Jamie and Blake are therapists in Nashville who met in the rooms of recovery. They developed a friendship in which they grew to trust each other enough to admit when they were withholding and needed to share "the three percent."

The Three Percent Co. is a space for "pursuing holistic masculinity, growing your emotional awareness, and cultivating deeper relationships and an authentic faith."

In our conversation we talked about how men can experience the presence of God when we connect with our own bodies and through safe, trusted friendships.

#BlakeRoberts #ThreePercentCo #JamieHaigh #friendship #therapy #counseling #recovery #sexaddiction #pornaddiction #sexualaddiction #awaken #awakenrecovery #awakenpodcast #whatwereallywant #wwrw #grace #connection #conversation

Three Percent Co. main site

Blake Roberts therapist site

The Man the Moment Demands on Amazon (Jason Wilson book Blake referenced)

Awaken website
Roots Retreat Men's Intensive
Roots Retreat Women's Workshop
Awaken Men & Women's support meeting info (including virtual)

"Send us a message! (questions, feedback, etc.)"

Walking through a life where so many things go wrong (often so early), it’s no wonder many people struggle to understand what they need or even who they really are. That’s why I was so excited to talk with Ian Morgan Cron.

Ian is is an author, speaker, psychotherapist, songwriter, and Episcopal priest. He’s also known for popularizing the Enneagram, a personality typing system identifying nine types of people and how they relate to one another and the world. Ian’s book The Road Back to You, is considered by many to be THE authoritative primer on understanding the Enneagram.

In recovery since 1987, Ian also has a love for and belief in the efficacy of the Twelve Steps. In fact, he’s written a book about it. The Fix: How the Twelve Steps Offer a Surprising Path of Transformation for the Well-Adjusted, the Down-and-Out, and Everyone In Between released January 28, 2025.

#ianmorgancron #enneagram #theroadbacktoyou #thefix #typologypodcast #twelvesteps #purpose #gospel #grace #awaken #awakenrecovery #awakenpodcast #whatwereallywant #wwrw #connection #conversation

Ian Morgan Cron’s website
Ian’s books on Amazon
Typology podcast
“Self-Awareness” song by Andy Gullahorn

Awaken website
Roots Retreat Men's Intensive
Roots Retreat Women's Workshop
Awaken Men & Women's support meeting info (including virtual)

"Send us a message! (questions, feedback, etc.)"

People say, "Pain has a purpose." While we all know that's true, statements like that are often pretty unhelpful for the person in pain. Physical, emotional, relational, and spiritual pain takes a toll and can push people to doubt or even walk away from what they once believed.

Barnabas Piper is a pastor and author who has walked through a lot of his own pain. From the difficulties of growing up a pastor's kid (and a well-known pastor at that), to unexpected job loss, to an unwanted divorce, there were many experiences that led to cynicism in Barnabas' life.

In our conversation, we talked about his story, his pain & trauma, and why it invited him closer to God rather than driving him away. About how good care from loving people was a gift from God to help him heal. And about how our presence in other people's lives - as they walk through pain - can offer them the same gift.

Barnabas is an author, speaker, podcast host, and Assistant Pastor at Immanuel Church. He is married to Laura, is the father of three kids, and lives in Nashville TN.

#barnabaspiper #immanuelchurchnashville #helpmyunblief #thepastorskid #belong #johnpiper #pain #healing #church #gospel #grace #awaken #awakenrecovery #awakenpodcast #whatwereallywant #wwrw #connection #conversation

BarnabasPiper.com

Barnabas' books on Amazon

Immanuel Church, Nashville TN

Awaken website
Roots Retreat Men's Intensive
Roots Retreat Women's Workshop
Awaken Men & Women's support meeting info (including virtual)

"Send us a message! (questions, feedback, etc.)"

Greg & Stacey got to meet and talk with a couple we've wanted to know for a long time... a couple offering hope for men and women harmed by toxic messages.

Sheila Wray Gregoire has been a writer and blogger for many years. But in 2021, with the release of The Great Sex Rescue (which she co-authored with Rebecca Gregoire Lindenbach and Joanna Sawatsky), she became an "infamous" name in evangelical Christian circles. The book calls out by name Christian books and authors whose messages contribute to harm within marriages and to individuals.

Along with her husband, Dr. Keith Gregoire, Sheila continues to promote the message that God intended men and women to experience incredible sexual intimacy in their marriages, and to provide resources to help people identify and heal from damaging messages they've always heard.

Their latest book, The Marriage You Want: Moving Beyond Stereotypes for a Relationship Built on Scripture, New Data, and Emotional Health, releases March 11, 2025.

#sheilawraygregoire #keithgregoire #thegreatsexrescue #themarriageyouwant #baremarriage #sexualintimacy #greatsex #gospel #grace #awaken #awakenrecovery #awakenpodcast #whatwereallywant #wwrw #connection #conversation

Sheila's website: Bare Marriage

Sheila on Instagram

Sheila & Keith's (and co-authors') books on Amazon

Video Course: The Whole Story: "The Talk" for Parents and Kids

Awaken website
Roots Retreat Men's Intensive
Roots Retreat Women's Workshop
Awaken Men & Women's support meeting info (including virtual)