Advertise on podcast: Spirituality Matters with Rev Karla

I Dislike the D Word Too Deconstructing, Decolonizing, and What Spiritual Honesty Demands Rev Karla has never loved the word deconstructing. For years, it felt harsh. More like demolition than discovery. In this episode, she reflects on why she still uses the term, what it truly demands, and why deconstructing without decolonizing risks rebuilding the same systems with softer language. This is not a conversation about rejecting the past, but about understanding it honestly and choosing what belongs in the future. This episode is for anyone who has found themselves questioning what they were taught, sitting with uncertainty, and learning that spiritual honesty often costs comfort but creates space for something real. 🔔 Like, share, and subscribe. Join the conversation and support Rev Karla's work by subscribing to my Substack.  Rev Karla's Book Deconstructing: Leaving Church, Finding Faith Out Now

This isn’t just another policy shift. This is a spiritual crisis. In today’s episode, I’m unpacking what’s happening with the defunding of USAID—and why it matters for those of us who are deconstructing our faith, reclaiming our values, and learning to see every life as sacred. Behind the headlines are calculated efforts by billionaires and ideologues to dismantle humanitarian aid, silence compassionate outreach, and replace it with religious control and nationalist agendas. This isn’t efficiency—it’s eugenics in everything but name. If you’ve ever wondered how Christianity became a weapon for power instead of a force for love and healing, this episode is for you. It’s heavy, yes—but it’s also a call to awaken, to resist, and to live out a spirituality that protects the vulnerable, not abandons them. This is your reminder that your voice matters. Your compassion matters. And your spiritual path can—and should—be part of the resistance. 🔔 Like, share, and subscribe. Join the conversation and support my work by subscribing to my Substack.  Rev Karla's Book Deconstructing: Leaving Church, Finding Faith Out Now

In this episode, I return to the heart of everything I teach: why spirituality matters. For those of us who have untangled from high-control religion, the word spirituality can feel loaded—dismissed, distorted, or used to keep us in fear. But I believe spirituality isn’t about rules or performance—it’s about remembering. Remembering that we are already sacred. Already loved. Already whole. This conversation is for the ones who no longer pray the way they used to, who wonder if they’re doing it “wrong,” who feel the pull toward something deeper and more honest. If that’s you, I hope this meets you right where you are—and reminds you that your humanity is holy. Because spirituality matters. Because you matter.   🔔 Like, share, and subscribe. Join the conversation and support my work by subscribing to my Substack.  Rev Karla's Book Deconstructing: Leaving Church, Finding Faith Out Now

This one is for the quiet hearts—the ones who feel the ache on Sunday mornings, wondering if they’ve lost something holy, or if they’re somehow failing at faith. In today’s episode, I’m here to remind you: you’re not failing—you’re redefining. You’re shifting into a new kind of faith, one that doesn’t require performance or perfection, but allows for rest, softness, and truth. What may feel like unraveling is actually sacred becoming. And even if the path feels uncertain, it is not without direction. You are moving toward something more honest, more peaceful, more your own. Let this episode be your reminder: You are not broken. You are becoming. And that is sacred. 🔔 Like, share, and subscribe. Join the conversation and support my work by subscribing to my Substack.  Rev Karla's Book Deconstructing: Leaving Church, Finding Faith Out Now

How Understanding the Overton Window Can Help you Decode Trump and Deconstruct Christian Patriarchy In this episode, I’m talking about something many of us on the deconstruction path are feeling right now: disoriented, exhausted, and deeply aware that something is not right. I connect the dots between indoctrination, the Overton Window, and how they’ve shaped not just our faith, but our politics, our relationships, and our sense of self. If you’ve been told your questions are dangerous, your healing is rebellion, or your compassion makes you weak—this episode is for you. You're not losing your way. You're waking up. 🔔 Like, share, and subscribe. Join the conversation and support my work by subscribing to my Substack.  Rev Karla's Book Deconstructing: Leaving Church, Finding Faith Out Now

In today’s episode, I’m sharing five of the most common misconceptions about those of us who’ve left church. If you’ve ever been called selfish, bitter, or “just hurt by the wrong church,” this one is for you. I unpack each assumption with honesty and clarity—and speak directly to those of you who have found peace outside of organized religion. Your story is valid. Your path is sacred. And despite what others may say, leaving church did not make you less faithful—it made you free. 🔔 Like, share, and subscribe. Join the conversation and support my work by subscribing to my Substack.  Rev Karla's Book Deconstructing: Leaving Church, Finding Faith Out Now

In this episode, Rev Karla unpacks the manipulative tactics of patriarchal systems—from gaslighting and blame-shifting to spiritual bypassing—and how they echo across our homes, churches, and political structures. Drawing connections between recent headlines and the personal experiences of those deconstructing from Christianity, she offers clarity, validation, and a reminder that your intuition isn’t broken—it was silenced. This is your invitation to keep healing, keep questioning, and keep reclaiming your voice. 🔔 Like, share, and subscribe. Join the conversation and support my work by subscribing to my Substack.  Rev Karla's Book Deconstructing: Leaving Church, Finding Faith Out Now

In this episode, Rev Karla confronts the dangerous theology behind the phrase “Drill Baby Drill” and the Christian fallacy of dominion over the Earth. She explores how harmful interpretations of scripture have fueled environmental destruction, justified with faith, and used to silence efforts to protect creation. From endangered species to national parks, this episode is both a warning and a call to heal. If you’ve ever been told that caring for the planet contradicts your faith, this conversation is for you.   🔔 Like, share, and subscribe. Join the conversation and support my work by subscribing to my Substack.  Rev Karla's Book Deconstructing: Leaving Church, Finding Faith Out Now

History does not look kindly on those who stood by in silence. From Nazi Germany to present-day America, Christianity has been used as both a tool of oppression and a force for justice. Today, as we witness forced deportations, the stripping of LGBTQIA+ rights, and the systematic erasure of marginalized communities, we must ask ourselves: Where do we stand? Some Christians are embracing oppression. Others remain silent. And then there are those who resist. History will remember who spoke out—and who chose comfort over courage. The time to act is now. 🔔 Like, share, and subscribe for more conversations.  Rev Karla's Book Deconstructing: Leaving Church, Finding Faith Out Now

In this gentle Sunday reflection, Rev Karla speaks to the sacredness of rest and the quiet rebellion of the unchurched. For those feeling pulled to justify, perform, or prove their worth—this is your reminder that rest is not laziness. It is holy. It is healing. And it belongs to you.   🔔 Like, share, and subscribe. Join the conversation and support my work by subscribing to my Substack.  Rev Karla's Book Deconstructing: Leaving Church, Finding Faith Out Now

For those of us who have left the church, the message is clear: we are not lost, and we are not looking for a way back. Yet, in deconstructing spaces, the loudest voices still belong to the churched. We are treated as a project to fix, an enigma to understand, or a problem to solve. But the truth is, many of us left because we saw the harm church as an institution perpetuates—patriarchy, white supremacy, homophobia, power abuses, and spiritual manipulation. This episode is not an argument—it is a declaration. I am unchurched. I am not broken. I am spiritually independent. For those who have walked away and felt pressure to return, your path is sacred. Listen in as we reclaim the space of the unchurched and challenge the idea that church is the only place where spirituality can thrive. 🔔 Like, share, and subscribe. Join the conversation and support my work by subscribing to my Substack.  Rev Karla's Book Deconstructing: Leaving Church, Finding Faith Out Now

I’m not an alarmist—I’m a realist. I see the patterns, I pay attention, and I take action when I know something is wrong. And right now, I need you to hear this: If you aren’t terrified, you aren’t paying attention. Democracy is being dismantled at a speed designed to keep us overwhelmed, exhausted, and unable to fight back. From forced deportations and gutted workers’ rights to billionaires tightening their grip on government power, we are watching an orchestrated plan unfold. So, what do we do? We prepare. We resist. We take care of each other. Because submission will not save us, and waiting for someone else to act is no longer an option. If not you, then who? If not now, then when? 🔗 Listen now and don't forget—Stay Awake, Stay Inspired and Stay Informed  🔔 Like, share, and subscribe for more conversations.  Rev Karla's Book Deconstructing: Leaving Church, Finding Faith Out Now

Faith should not require fear—but for many of us, that’s exactly how we were taught to believe. Fear of asking questions. Fear of losing community. Fear of what happens if we step outside the lines. In this episode, I respond to a message from a reader whose concerns reveal just how deeply fear-based theology shapes belief systems. From xenophobia to LGBTQIA+ erasure to patriarchal control, fear is the foundation of a faith that demands obedience over understanding. But fear-based faith isn’t faith at all—it’s control. And once you see it, you can begin to break free.   🔔 Like, share, and subscribe. Join the conversation and support my work by subscribing to my Substack.  Rev Karla's Book Deconstructing: Leaving Church, Finding Faith Out Now

Deconstructing faith comes with a paradox—the longing for a time when belief felt simple, safe, and certain. But that simplicity was never real. It only existed because we weren’t supposed to question. In this episode, I explore the deep contradictions of deconstruction—the nostalgia for what once was, the pain of seeing the truth, and the sacred transformation that comes when we step beyond the roles we were given. Keep going. You are not who you once were, and that is sacred. 🔔 Like, share, and subscribe. Join the conversation and support my work by subscribing to my Substack.  Rev Karla's Book Deconstructing: Leaving Church, Finding Faith Out Now

While some voters are waking up to the consequences of Trump’s policies—losing jobs, benefits, and essential programs—MAGA Christians aren’t among them. They aren’t disillusioned. They aren’t questioning. They’re celebrating. In this episode, I break down why MAGA Christianity remains steadfast in its loyalty, how blind faith and Christian nationalism fuel their unwavering support, and why we won’t change their minds—but we must change our approach to protecting democracy. Because when faith and power merge into unquestionable devotion, history warns us of the consequences. 🔔 Like, share, and subscribe. Join the conversation and support my work by subscribing to my Substack. Rev Karla's Book Deconstructing: Leaving Church, Finding Faith Out Now