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The Desert Sanctuary

Karl and Laura Forehand

The Desert Sanctuary

Karl and Laura Forehand

Life is hard some times! People often long for safe places where they can express their grief, confusion or even anger. Whether you are deconstructing, questioning, or doubting, you are welcome and valued here. When many of us venture out to find healing or relief or adventure, it can often feel like walking out into the Desert. Welcome to our Sanctuary in the Desert. You are welcome to share your thoughts and what you are producing while you are processing. We will endeavor to lean toward the contemplative and shy away from politics. Welcome to the Sanctuary, Karl and Laura Forehand

Feb 25

AI Ready

435 – Dorothy Littell Greco – Misogyny in America

If we hope to fight and eventually heal from misogyny, we must first be able to identify and understand it. Despite the undeniable progress for women and girls in the 20th and 21st centuries, misogyny is still alive and well in today’s culture—often in way...

435 – Dorothy Littell Greco – Misogyny in America

Feb 18

434 – Melissa Duge Spiers – Holy Disobedience

“Holy Disobedience is a visceral portrayal of a daughter’s quest for the dark truth beneath the religious veneer of forced beauty and familial cover-ups. Spiers’s writing is propulsive and intelligent.” -Tia Levings, author of the New York Times bestsellin...

434 – Melissa Duge Spiers – Holy Disobedience

Feb 11

433 – Laura and JD – Deconstructing the Pastor Family – 2 of 2

Laura and JD have a unique perspective, having been part of a ministry family for 20-25 years. The discussion begins with religion and turns to what truly makes for great people and great families. You’ll enjoy this! Are you serious about deconstruction an...

433 – Laura and JD – Deconstructing the Pastor Family – 2 of 2

Feb 04

432 – Laura and JD – Deconstructing the Pastor Family – 1 of 2

Laura and JD have a unique perspective, having been part of a ministry family for 20-25 years. The discussion begins with religion and turns to what truly makes for great people and great families. You’ll enjoy this! Are you serious about deconstruction an...

432 – Laura and JD – Deconstructing the Pastor Family – 1 of 2

Jan 28

431 – Karl & Laura – Essentia-Limited or Existentially-Impotent God

Essentia-limited implies exploring whether the fundamental nature of God inherently includes limitations, a concept generally rejected by traditional theology, which defines God’s essence as inherently limitless and infinite. Existential impotence is a co...

431 – Karl & Laura – Essentia-Limited or Existentially-Impotent God

Jan 21

430 – Nora Bontrager – Living the Non-Amish Life

Part 2 of 2 This is part 2 of our discussion with Nora as she discusses the pain of a high-control Amish lifestyle. While she admits there were parts of that life that she cherished, there were also parts that were devastating and unbearable. If you haven’...

430 – Nora Bontrager – Living the Non-Amish Life

Jan 14

429 – Nora Bontrager – Living the Non-Amish Life

Part 1 of 2 This is part 1 of our discussion with Nora as she discusses the pain of a high-control Amish lifestyle. While she admits there were parts of that life that she cherished, there were also parts that were devastating and unbearable. Enjoy part 1 ...

429 – Nora Bontrager – Living the Non-Amish Life

Jan 02

428 – Stuart Delony -The Tribulation Survival Guide

Stuart Delony, is a former pastor who walked out of the church but couldn’t shake the ways of Jesus. These days, he hosts Snarky Faith—a podcast and platform that wrestles with faith, culture, and meaning from the fringe. He is not here to fix Christianity...

428 – Stuart Delony -The Tribulation Survival Guide

2025/11/19

427 – Becky Garrison – Gaslighting for God

Gaslighting for God is a no-BS survival guide to dodging narcissistic gurus and reclaiming your spiritual sanity—with wit, wisdom, and a whole lot of side-eye. With the sharpness of a court jester’s wit, Garrison uncovers the tactics of narcissistic gurus ...

427 – Becky Garrison – Gaslighting for God

2025/11/12

426 – Melody Post – Cultimatum

The Cultimatum Podcast A deep dive into the dark world of cults, coercive control, and trauma recovery. Hosted by survivor and producer Melody Post, Cultimatum gives voice to those who’ve escaped — and educates those who never saw it coming. Are you seriou...

426 – Melody Post – Cultimatum

2025/10/22

425 – A Chat with Tia Levings

Recruited into the fundamentalist Quiverfull movement as a young wife, Tia Levings learned that being a good Christian meant following a list of additional life principles––a series of secret, special rules to obey. Being a godly and submissive wife in Chr...

425 – A Chat with Tia Levings

2025/10/16

424 – Karl & Laura – Why we Don’t Need Religion

I am fully convinced that connection is essential for us as human beings. It begins early in life when we form an attachment to our mother or caregiver. If we don’t receive proper care during childhood, we can face issues later on. The quality of that care...

424 – Karl & Laura – Why we Don’t Need Religion

2025/10/01

423 – Survivor Stories – Dr. Leona Stucky

A couple of years ago, a group of women encouraged me to read women’s stories. They echoed each other’s sentiments that men, especially pastors, tend to read theology and leadership books, but ignore stories about women’s experience. Instead of reading the...

423 – Survivor Stories – Dr. Leona Stucky

2025/09/24

422 – Steve & Dorthy Halley – The River of Cruelty

The Family Peace Initiative (FPI) is a certified battering intervention program operated by Halley Counseling Services, P.A. Presently, FPI operates more than 25+ groups in communities throughout the state of Kansas. Along with direct service, the staff of...

422 – Steve & Dorthy Halley – The River of Cruelty

2025/09/18

421 – The Religious Trauma Collective

Australia and New Zealand The Religious Trauma Collective We are therapists who have personal and professional experience with religious harm and the trauma that can come from losing your worldview and identity, where it was once found in faith. We see a s...

421 – The Religious Trauma Collective

2025/09/10

420 – Deconstruction Questions – 10-15

Finding Truth starts with asking good questions Are you serious about deconstruction and asking bigger questions? If that’s the case, this book was created for you. As a former pastor, I made the mistake of deconstructing a bit and then trying to start som...

420 – Deconstruction Questions – 10-15

2025/09/03

419 – Deconstruction Questions – 1-9

Finding Truth starts with asking good questions Are you serious about deconstruction and asking bigger questions? If that’s the case, this book was created for you. As a former pastor, I made the mistake of deconstructing a bit and then trying to start som...

419 – Deconstruction Questions – 1-9

2025/08/28

418 – Learning to Celebrate Yourself

Chapter 9 of 24 This was a big lesson for me. Celebrating my accomplishments is something that I look forward to during every project, but it’s hard for me to do. Several guides in my life, including my current therapist, have reminded me of this fact. Thi...

418 – Learning to Celebrate Yourself

2025/08/20

417 – Learning to Trust Yourself

Chapter 8 0f 24 Organized religion and many other institutions operate under the mistaken belief that we cannot trust ourselves due to our inherent flaws. We often think leaders possess a unique ability that distinguishes them from others, leading us to de...

417 – Learning to Trust Yourself

2025/08/13

416 – Learning From Survivors

Chapter 7 of 24 “Just listening is what turns a victim into a survivor.” – Christine Ristaino When we ask women who have survived abuse and narcissistic relationships within organized religion what men can do to help the situation, they almost always expre...

416 – Learning From Survivors