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Shame rarely shouts.
It whispers.

It tells us this sin was too much.
This failure crossed a line.
God may forgive others, but He could never forgive me.

In this teaching episode, Amy Donathan gently addresses the kind of shame many Christian women carry quietly. The shame that lingers long after confession. The shame that shapes identity, relationships, and how close we allow ourselves to get to God.

This episode grew out of a recent conversation with Regina Thompson from Grace Haven Pregnancy Resource Clinic about meeting women in crisis with compassion and truth. While that conversation centered on unplanned pregnancy and abortion, this teaching expands the lens. Because shame does not stay in one category. It shows up in many stories, many past decisions, and many hidden places of the heart.

Together, we slow down and look honestly at what Scripture actually teaches about forgiveness.

You will learn:
• Why shame often feels louder than truth, even when we know Scripture
• The difference between conviction and shame and why confusing them keeps us stuck
• Why forgiveness is not based on the severity of your sin
• What covenant grace really means and why it changes everything
• Why consequences are not rejection and discipline is not disqualification
• How biblical grace holds even after failure

Amy walks through powerful biblical examples including David and Peter to show that covenant grace is not canceled by sin. God may lead us through repentance and healing, but He does not revoke His love, His forgiveness, or His calling because of our failure.

This episode also includes a gentle, practical reflection to help you identify where shame may still be hiding. You will be invited to name the lie you have been believing and replace it with truth from Scripture, not as homework or pressure, but as an invitation toward freedom.

Scriptures referenced include:
• 1 John 1:9
• 2 Corinthians 5:17
• Isaiah 54:10
• Romans 8:1
• Romans 11:29
• Hebrews 8:12
• Romans 5:8

This teaching is for the woman who believes in grace but struggles to receive it personally. For the woman who wonders if she has failed too many times. For the woman who loves Jesus but still carries shame she cannot seem to shake.

You are not disqualified.
You are not condemned.
You are not too far gone.

Grace still covers this.

At the end of the episode, Amy prays for both the woman who knows Jesus and the woman who is still searching. If shame has been keeping you distant from God, this episode is an invitation to step back into the light and live from the truth of who you are in Christ.

You can also find Amy on social media and reach out by email. She would love to hear how God is meeting you in your healing journey.

Blessings, friend.
You are deeply loved.

Website: www.hopeandhealinglifecoach.com

Email: amydonathan@hopeandhealing.faith

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In this episode of Encounters at the Well, Amy Donathan sits down with Regina Thompson, a licensed clinical social worker and the manager of GraceHaven, a pregnancy resource clinic in Mt. Vernon, Illinois and a ministry of Baptist Children’s Home and Family Services. Regina has worked with pregnant women since 1990 and shares what it looks like to offer truth, compassion, and practical support when an unplanned pregnancy feels overwhelming.

Regina explains what happens when a woman walks into GraceHaven for the first time, including pregnancy testing, time to talk in a private advocacy room, and two key questions every client is asked: “Are you feeling pressured?” and “Do you feel safe at home?” These questions help women slow down, feel seen, and realize they are not alone.

Amy and Regina discuss a powerful ultrasound story involving a 21-year-old who believed she was only a few weeks pregnant and was considering abortion. She discovered she was actually 16 weeks along, saw her baby moving, and heard the heartbeat. That moment helped her recognize the reality of life growing inside her and gave her space to choose a different path.

The conversation also addresses common misconceptions about pregnancy resource clinics, including the fear that women will be pressured or abandoned. Regina makes it clear that GraceHaven meets women where they are, offers education and support without judgment, and continues to care for women even if they choose abortion.

GraceHaven provides free and confidential services, including pregnancy testing, ultrasounds, STI testing and treatment, live parenting and prenatal classes, diaper giveaways, help with Medicaid applications, and an “earn while you learn” boutique program that allows parents to earn brand-new baby items by attending classes.

For women carrying shame or grief after abortion, Regina shares about the eight-week Bible study Surrendering the Secret by Pat Layton and how God brings healing, forgiveness, and restoration. The episode also explores why secrecy deepens shame, especially with chemical abortions, and why safe community and truth matter.

If you are scared, unsure, or carrying regret, this episode is for you. You are not alone. You are loved. And help is available.

GraceHaven Contact Information
Phone: 618-816-7526
Website: https://gracehavenprc.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GraceHavenPRC

Website: www.hopeandhealinglifecoach.com

Email: amydonathan@hopeandhealing.faith

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What does the Bible really mean when it calls something good?

For many of us, the word good has become shorthand for comfort, ease, or life going according to plan. When things are smooth, relationships are calm, and prayers seem answered the way we hoped, we’re quick to say God is good. But what about the seasons that are full, messy, painful, or unfinished? What does good mean then?

In this teaching episode, we take a closer look at the biblical definition of good and how it differs from the way we often use the word in everyday life. Instead of viewing good through the lens of circumstances, Scripture invites us to see good through the lens of God’s redemptive work in us.

Using James 1:2–4 (ESV) as a foundation, this episode explores why trials are not meaningless interruptions, but purposeful tools God uses to grow and mature His people. We unpack what James means when he says believers become “perfect and complete, lacking in nothing,” and why that language does not describe a flawless or pain-free life.

Instead, perfect in the biblical sense means fully formed and mature, a life where every season is being used to shape us into the likeness of Jesus. Complete points us to the finished work of Christ on the cross, reminding us that our identity and standing with God are secure, not earned through performance or suffering. And lacking nothing speaks to God’s faithful provision, that He supplies exactly what we need in every season to grow in faith, perseverance, and spiritual maturity.

This episode also gently addresses the tension many believers feel when trying to reconcile a good God with hard experiences. Rather than offering easy answers or spiritual platitudes, we hold space for real pain while anchoring ourselves in biblical truth. We reflect on how God’s goodness is often revealed not in the removal of hardship, but in His presence, purpose, and faithfulness within it.

Whether you are a woman who knows Jesus and is learning to trust God’s process more deeply, or a woman who is searching, questioning, and wondering if God can truly be good, this conversation offers a grounded, Scripture-based perspective that brings clarity, hope, and reassurance.

This episode includes:

• A biblical explanation of what good means in Scripture
• Teaching from James 1:2–4 (ESV)
• A reframing of suffering through God’s redemptive purposes
• Encouragement for believers in stretching or refining seasons
• A gentle invitation and prayer for those who are seeking faith

If you’ve ever wondered how God’s goodness fits with real life, this episode invites you to see good the Bible’s way, purposeful, redemptive, and rooted in Christ.

Website: www.hopeandhealinglifecoach.com

Email: amydonathan@hopeandhealing.faith