Goodbye Guilt & Shame

About Goodbye Guilt & Shame

Welcome to Goodbye Guilt & Shame, the podcast that offers a beacon of hope for those navigating the complex emotions of guilt and shame. Each week, hosts Ashley and Jess engage in powerful, interview-style conversations with individuals who have triumphed over their past traumas. Through authentic stories of healing and resilience, they provide listeners with the tools and resources necessary to embark on their own journeys toward emotional freedom. Our mission is to foster a safe and supportive community where everyone—from youth to elders—can find inspiration and guidance. Join us as we explore meaningful testimonies, share practical resources—including support groups, books, and Bible studies—and empower each other to break free from negative life cycles. Tune in every Wednesday for real stories of hope and healing, and discover how today can—and will—be better than yesterday. Together, we can move toward a brighter future.

Publisher

Ashley Vanderpool & Jess Layne - Restored Nation

Category

health & fitness · religion & spirituality · society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

9 Oct 2024

Latest episode

8 Jul 2026

Latest episodes

31 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   8 Jul 2026

   No More Whispering: Abortion & Church Culture - From Conversation to Commission

   After eight powerful conversations, this season comes full circle. Throughout this series, Jess Layne and Autumn Smith have invited pastors, ministry leaders, parents, and everyday believers into an honest conversation about abortion, healing, and the culture we create within our churches. In this final episode, they reflect on the biggest lessons from the series, revisit the voices that shaped the conversation, and reveal the complete "Church Culture Recipe"—practical steps every church can begin taking today. Whether you've listened from Episode One or you're joining us for the first time, this finale offers encouragement, practical direction, and hope for churches desiring to become places where truth and compassion work together. The Complete Church Culture Recipe Throughout this series we've shared one ingredient at a time. Here is the complete recipe: Teach healthy, life-giving language. Create safe spaces for honest conversations. Publicly acknowledge that healing after abortion is available. Build practical support systems for families. Partner with trusted local ministries and resources. Remember fathers need healing too. Support the entire family—not just the individual. Equip pastors, leaders, and volunteers to respond well. Build strong community partnerships. Celebrate life through practical acts of love and support. Make help visible and easy to access before a crisis ever happens. Church culture isn't built overnight. It's built one conversation… one meal… one support group… one safe response at a time. Featured Ministries Restored Nation Helping churches become places where healing, restoration, discipleship, and practical support are available for those navigating grief, trauma, abortion recovery, miscarriage, addiction, and life challenges. Programs include: She's Restored (Post-Abortion Healing) Keys to Hope & Healing Unraveled Roots (Men & Women) In His Arms (Pregnancy & Infant Loss) Strong Moms Church partnership opportunities include: Speaking engagements Leadership training Church culture consulting Facilitator training Healing group implementation Share This Series If this series has encouraged or equipped you, consider sharing it with: Your pastor Church leadership Women's ministry leaders Small group leaders Prayer teams Anyone passionate about creating churches where truth and compassion meet Together, we can build churches where no one has to whisper one of the hardest chapters of their story. Connect with Restored Nation 🌐 www.restorednation.org 📧 ask@restorednation.org 🎙️ Follow Goodbye Guilt & Shame wherever you listen to podcasts.

2. 

   24 Jun 2026

   No More Whispering: Abortion and Church Culture — A Church That Shows Up

   About the Series No More Whispering: Abortion and Church Culture is a special mini-series from Goodbye Guilt & Shame exploring how churches can move beyond silence and become places of truth, compassion, healing, and hope for those impacted by abortion, unexpected pregnancy, and reproductive loss. Connect With Us Restored Nation Website: Restored Nation Email: ask@restorednation.org If today's episode encouraged you, please subscribe, leave a review, and share this conversation with a pastor, ministry leader, or church member who wants to help create a healthier culture of life in their church community. "Church culture isn't just what we believe. It's what people experience when they need us most." Episode 7: A Church That Shows Up What does it actually look like when a church moves beyond simply being "pro-life" and intentionally creates a culture where women, families, and children are supported, valued, and loved? In this episode, Jess Layne and Autumn Smith sit down with Pastor Rich Blum and Women's Ministry Director Pam Plotner from Bethel Community Church, a church that has spent years cultivating a culture of life through practical ministry, discipleship, and community support. Pastor Rich shares the deeply personal story that first drew him into pro-life ministry and explains why church leaders cannot afford to remain silent on issues of life, abortion, healing, and restoration. He discusses how leadership shapes church culture and why churches must become places where people feel safe enough to ask for help before a crisis decision is made. Later, Pam shares the story behind bringing the national ministry Embrace Grace to Bethel Community Church. She explains how the ministry walks alongside women experiencing unexpected pregnancies through practical care, biblical community, discipleship, and ongoing support long after a baby is born. Together, these conversations offer a powerful picture of what happens when churches intentionally choose compassion, courage, and action. Resources Mentioned Restored Nation (https://chatgpt.com/c/6a39f6a8-0b94-83e8-92d8-39533d60d99e) Embrace Grace (https://chatgpt.com/c/6a39f6a8-0b94-83e8-92d8-39533d60d99e) Pathways Women's Clinic (https://chatgpt.com/c/6a39f6a8-0b94-83e8-92d8-39533d60d99e) Bethel Community Church (https://chatgpt.com/c/6a39f6a8-0b94-83e8-92d8-39533d60d99e) Care Net & LifeWay Research on Church Culture and Abortion

3. 

   10 Jun 2026

   No More Whispering: Abortion & Church Culture - From Fear, to Knowledge, to Hope

   In this episode of Goodbye Guilt and Shame, hosts Jess Layne and Autumn Smith welcome special guest Ashley Vanderpool, Registered Nurse with Infinite Worth and former co-host of the podcast. Throughout this mini-series, we've talked about abortion and church culture from many angles—sanctity of life, the gray space surrounding abortion decisions, the influence of fathers and families, and the role churches play in creating safe places for difficult conversations. Today, we move even closer to the front lines. Ashley serves as a nurse with Infinite Worth, a 24/7 nurse chat ministry that partners with hundreds of pregnancy resource centers across the country. Through text-based conversations, Ashley and her fellow nurses connect with women and families in moments of fear, uncertainty, and crisis—often before they have spoken to anyone else about their pregnancy. In this conversation, Ashley provides a rare glimpse into what women are actually experiencing in real time. She shares what she hears every day from women facing unexpected pregnancies, the fears that drive many abortion decisions, the questions people are asking, and what churches need to understand if they truly want to create cultures where people feel safe seeking help. One of the most powerful statements Ashley shares is that her goal is helping women move from fear, to knowledge, to hope. Whether you are a pastor, ministry leader, volunteer, parent, or simply someone who wants to love people well, this episode offers valuable insight into the reality many women face long before anyone else knows their story. Key Quote "They're not waking up saying, 'I think I'll have an abortion today.' They're scared, often uneducated, and they need to be loved, given good information, and provided a safe place to process what they're facing." — Ashley Vanderpool Research Referenced 3 in 10 women who have had an abortion report having experienced more than one abortion. Approximately 51% of women agree that churches do not have a ministry prepared to discuss options during an unexpected pregnancy. About 52% of churchgoers who have had an abortion report that no one at church knows about their abortion experience. 4 in 10 women report that the father of the baby was the most influential person in their pregnancy decision. Source: Care Net and Lifeway Research Featured Organization Infinite Worth Infinite Worth provides a 24/7 nurse chat ministry that connects women facing unexpected pregnancies with licensed nurses who offer compassionate support, education, referrals, and pregnancy resource center connections. Their mission is to reach women in the moment they need help most and connect them with life-affirming care and local support. They currently partner with hundreds of pregnancy centers across the United States and provide around-the-clock nurse support through text-based communication. Learn more: https://www.infiniteworth.org (https://www.infiniteworth.org/) Connect With Us If abortion is part of your story, please know that you are not disqualified from belonging. There is hope. There is healing. And you do not have to walk alone. For information about post-abortion healing and support: RestoredNation.org (https://www.restorednation.org)

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Apple Podcasts (US)

4.6 / 5

9 ratings

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Guest appearances

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