“We are born out of the laughter of the Trinity."

— Meister Eckhart (1260-1328), Medieval Mystic

Dear Friends,

Around 2011, we discovered the work of Karen Horney and her insight into how humans relate to one another, especially under stress, in uncertainty, or for the sake of self-protection.

Her work on the styles of relating became catalytic for both of us. It gave language to dynamics we were feeling but didn’t yet understand — why, despite our love for one another, we so often felt hurt, alone, or misunderstood. We were desperate for clarity, longing to discover what was not working, and what needed to change within us and between us to grow the kind of marriage we both believed was possible.

In 2014, we recorded a live conversation exploring how our styles of relating had been colliding — and sometimes colluding — since before we were married. That conversation became Episode 9 of the Become Good Soil podcast, marking an early milestone in our journey toward healing and deeper connection.

Now, we invite you to join us again as we revisit this territory. This is the first episode in a three-part series reflecting afresh on the Styles of Relating — a return to what these styles are, an exploration of how they may be showing up in our relationships, and an honest look at what it could mean to employ them in the service of Love instead of fear.

We’re honored to walk this path with you.

For the Kingdom,

Cherie & Morgan

P.S. If you haven’t explored our first two podcasts and the blog on Styles of Relating recently, we would encourage you to check out the following soul-nourishing resources as well:

Wild, Unfettered, and Free - Jesus Modeling Styles of Relating (Blog)

Getting Naked - BGS Podcast Episode 014 (Part 1 of 2)

Getting Naked - BGS Podcast Episode 015 (Part 2 of 2)