The Formed Life Podcast

Hey friend—Merry Christmas Eve, and welcome back to The Formed Life Podcast!Today’s episode is one of my favorites of the whole year because it’s simple, sacred, and so close to my heart. This Christmas Eve reflection is all about tradition, story, and the awe-filled wonder of Jesus coming near.
 
I start by sharing some of the Christmas rhythms that shaped me growing up—like reading ’Twas the Night Before Christmas and the Luke 2 Christmas story, and the Nat King Cole record my parents played every Christmas morning. I talk a bit about how our childhood stories shape our adult traditions, and how my husband, our son, and I are now creating new rhythms of our own as a family.
 
Then we turn our hearts toward what this night is really about: the incarnation—Jesus, fully God and fully man, born in Bethlehem, the Light of the World. I read the Luke 2 account from the Jesus Storybook Bible, a version I love because it pulls us into the wonder, miracle, and reality of God becoming flesh.
 
We sit with the shepherds on the hillside, the bright star, the angels singing, and the holy hush of that stable—letting Scripture lead us into worship. And to close our time, I share a Christmas lullaby that has become meaningful to me as a mom—one I sang even when my son was in the NICU.
 
This episode is meant to be a quiet space for your soul, a moment to step out of the hurry and back into the heart of the Christmas story—the humility, the history, and the hope.
 
✨ Your Invitation This Week
Let the wonder of Jesus’ birth settle into your soul tonight. Read Luke 2. Light a candle. Sing a song. Remember Emmanuel—God with us.
 
🌿 Explore more resources & rhythms: https://theformedlife.org/home-page📸 Connect with me: @vwear | @theformedlife

Hey friends—welcome back to The Formed Life Podcast!If Christmas feels a little loud this year, you’re not alone. We’re told it’s “the most wonderful time of the year,” but for many of us… it’s also the busiest, heaviest, or most tender. In today’s episode, I’m inviting you into a quieter way—into spiritual rhythms that help us slow down, reconnect with God’s heart, and remember the quiet call to service and generosity.
 
As I share in the episode, the Advent season is meant to stir holy longing, hope, and deep connection But our calendars get crowded with school programs, office parties, travel, and endless to-dos. Before we know it, the very practices that help anchor our souls—service, generosity, presence, compassion—get pushed out by noise.
 
So today, we explore two spiritual rhythms that often feel natural at Christmas but are easily swallowed up by the cultural hustle:Service — the kind that simply asks, “Holy Spirit, who needs love right now?” Maybe it’s a widow, a single parent, a friend walking through grief, a family facing illness, or someone spending their first holiday alone Generosity — not the stressed, cultural version of gift-giving, but the Jesus-shaped kind that flows from gratitude and aligns our hearts with the Father’s own cheerful generosity.
 
We talk about practical ways to pause, pray, and ask the Spirit to spotlight someone to reach out to. And we dig into why generosity forms us—why giving, even in small ways, draws us back into the unhurried heart of God.
If you’re longing for a Christmas that feels more like worship than whirlwind, this episode will gently reorient you.
 
✨ Your Invitation This Week
Pause after the episode. Pray. Ask the Holy Spirit:Who can I serve? Where can I practice generosity? Even one person. One act. One moment of presence.
 
🌿 Explore more resources & rhythms: https://theformedlife.org/home-page📸 Connect with me: @vwear | @theformedlife

Hey friend—welcome back to The Formed Life Podcast! Today I’m pulling back the curtain and sharing the story behind The Formed Life Foundation—the heartbeat, the journey, and the holy unraveling that God used to move me from striving to true formation.
 
In this episode, I walk you through a very real and vulnerable part of my faith story—those early years marked by performance-driven discipleship, “formula Christianity,” and the belief that if I did everything “right,” God had to give me the life I imagined. Maybe you’ve been there too.
 
I share about that season in my late twenties when my life felt nothing like the plans I had prayed for. It was here that the Holy Spirit gently exposed my misplaced expectations, my entitlement, and my striving, and invited me into Jesus’ words in Matthew 11: “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to Me… and learn the unforced rhythms of grace.”
 
This episode traces how God led me into a theology of suffering, an experience of Emmanuel, and a relationship shaped by intimacy—not performance. It’s a story of moving from formulas to formation, from checking boxes to being transformed in the presence of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
 
I also share how this personal journey—and years of leading spiritual formation groups—shaped the creation of The Formed Life Foundation, a digital on-ramp for Christians who feel stuck, overwhelmed, disappointed, or hungry for deeper connection with God. Inside this course are spiritual rhythms, practices, reflection prompts, Scripture meditations, and an invitation to walk the narrow road with the Trinity.
 
✨ Your Invitation This WeekIf you feel spiritually stuck or weary from striving, pause and ask: What foundation am I standing on? Am I performing… or being formed?Explore The Formed Life Foundation through the link in the show notes.
 
🌿 Explore more resources & rhythms:  https://theformedlife.org/home-page
📸 Connect with me on Instagram: @vwear | @theformedlife

Hey friends—welcome back to The Formed Life Podcast! Today’s conversation is one that will meet you right where you are, especially if you’re feeling tired, stretched thin, or longing for a little more peace, presence, and spiritual grounding in your home. I’m joined by my dear friend Tricia Sherlin, the hands and heart behind Willow Oak Roots.
 
Tricia is a former special educator and mental health therapist turned adoring wife, subpar homemaker (her words, not mine!), and homeschooling mama. She creates thoughtful resources for spiritual formation, family discipleship, and intentional faith practices, helping bone-tired, spiritually hungry moms slow down and reconnect with God through simple rhythms and ancient traditions.
 
In this episode, we dive deep into Advent, talking about how this season invites us to wait, watch, and prepare our hearts for Jesus—not with hustle or pressure, but with holy stillness. Tricia shares how she cultivates rhythms of peace in her home, how to practice presence in a noisy world, and why creating spiritual habits with our kids shapes not only their faith but our own.
 
We explore what it looks like to build holy rhythms at home—rituals that form us slowly, gently, deeply. Tricia offers practical ideas for families, creative Advent traditions, and encouragement for moms who want to lead their families spiritually but feel overwhelmed.
 
If you’ve been looking for ways to make your home a place of rest, worship, and connection, this episode will give you hope and soul-breathing space.
 
✨ Your Invitation This WeekChoose one simple Advent rhythm to practice with your family. Slow down. Light a candle. Read a Scripture. Pray together. Let peace take root.
 
📘 Resources: Family Advent Guide + PRAYERS in Advent: Lectio Divina Prayer Journal🌿 Connect with Tricia: @willow.oak.roots | https://payhip.com/WillowOakRoots
🌿 Explore more resources & rhythms:  https://theformedlife.org/home-page📸 Connect with me: @vwear | @theformedlife

Scripture quotations taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version® (NIV). Copyright © 1984, by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
 
Hey friend—welcome back to The Formed Life Podcast. Today’s episode is a little different, and honestly, one of my favorites. Instead of a conversation or teaching, I’m inviting you to simply slow down, breathe, and let the Word of God wash over your soul as I read Psalm 100, Psalm 103, and Psalm 118.
 
As we continue reflecting on the theme of gratitude this month, these psalms remind us of who God is—His goodness, His mercy, His compassion, His unfailing love, and His enduring faithfulness through every generation. These passages are some of the richest in Scripture when it comes to worship, thanksgiving, and remembering God’s benefits.
 
In this episode, I read through each psalm slowly and prayerfully, giving you space to let the truth settle in your heart. Psalm 100 calls us into joyful worship and thanksgiving. Psalm 103 invites us to remember the deep healing, forgiveness, and compassion God offers us. And Psalm 118 reminds us of God’s steadfast love, His salvation, His presence in trouble, and the victory He brings.
 
These aren’t just words—they’re spiritual formation rhythms, anchoring us in praise, gratitude, and trust. If you’ve been feeling rushed, overwhelmed, or spiritually dry, my prayer is that this Scripture reading becomes a moment of rest and reorientation.
 
✨ Your Invitation This WeekLet these psalms shape your gratitude. Listen slowly. Pray them. Speak them. Return to them. Let Scripture form the way you see God—and the way you see your life.
 
🌿 Explore more resources & rhythms:  https://theformedlife.org/home-page📸 Connect with me: @vwear | @theformedlife

Hey friend—welcome back to The Formed Life Podcast! Today’s episode is a little different—it’s part celebration, part reflection, and all about a spiritual rhythm that has truly shaped my life: gratitude.
 
We’re four months into this podcast journey, and can I just say… I’m overwhelmed in the best way. When The Formed Life launched, I never imagined it would reach listeners across the globe—and yet, here we are, now being heard in 10 countries! The U.S., the Philippines, Canada, the Cayman Islands, Australia, Singapore, the U.K., Pakistan, Belgium, and The Gambia. What a beautiful picture of God’s kingdom at work across the world.
 
So first—thank you. Thank you for listening, for sharing, for inviting me into your homes, cars, and morning walks. This episode is my heartfelt “thank you” and a reflection on how gratitude transforms our souls.
We explore how gratitude is more than a feeling—it’s a practice. You don’t have to wait until you feel thankful to give thanks. You can start right where you are: writing it, saying it, or sharing it with someone else. Gratitude shifts our focus, opens our spiritual eyes, and helps us recognize God’s fingerprints in every season.
 
I share a few creative ways to practice gratitude—in conversations, at the dinner table, in community, or even before a big work presentation (yes, I’ve done that!). And as we approach Thanksgiving and the Advent season, I reflect on how gratitude prepares our hearts to receive Jesus afresh.
 
✨ Your Invitation This WeekPractice gratitude today—write it, say it, share it. Let it shape your soul and open your eyes to God’s goodness.
📸 Connect with me: @vwear | @theformedlife

Hey, friend — can we just take a deep breath together? Before the rush, the shopping lists, the travel plans, and the pressure to make everything perfect… let’s pause. In this episode, I’m talking about something near and dear to my heart — the sacred invitation of Advent.
 
I share a personal story about how my early years of marriage, motherhood, and even hospital stays reshaped the way I approach Christmas. Somewhere between the chaos and the beauty, I discovered that Advent isn’t just a countdown to Christmas — it’s a call to slow down, to wait well, and to make room for Jesus.
 
We’ll explore:✨ What Advent truly means — the dual invitation to remember Christ’s first coming and long for His return.✨ How our hearts are formed in the waiting through hope, repentance, joy, and peace.✨ Simple, practical ways to prepare early — not for the sake of doing more, but to free up December for what matters most: presence over perfection.✨ Why slowing down and creating space can actually deepen our experience of God’s love this season.
Whether your tree goes up in November or Christmas Eve, my prayer is that Advent becomes the heartbeat behind all your holiday rhythms — shaping you into a person who resists hurry and embraces holy anticipation.
 
Let’s make this Christmas different. Let’s prepare Him room.
If today’s episode encouraged you, share it with a friend who needs to be reminded that slowing down isn’t falling behind — it’s sacred. Subscribe to The Formed Life for more reflections, and let’s walk through this Advent season together. 🌿
 
📸 Follow along: @vwear | @theformedlife

🎙️ Episode 14: Echoes of Insight: The Transforming Power of Reflection
 
There I was, sitting on a flight home after a weekend of speaking, ministry, and deep connection. It was one of those experiences where God moved so clearly and beautifully — truly immeasurably more than I could have asked or imagined. But as I was heading home, I could feel there was something I needed to process… something I didn’t want to rush past.
 
In this episode, I share how God invited me into a moment of reflection — not just thinking about what happened, but looking with Him at where He was present, what He was forming, and how He was shaping my heart.
 
We explore:
Why reflection is not optional for the spiritual life — it is formational.
The difference between replaying events and inviting God to give insight.
How slowing down helps us notice God’s love, our growth, and our opportunities to be shaped.
Why our culture resists stillness — and why our souls crave it.
Biblical invitations to remember, ponder, consider, and call to mind what God has done.
 
I walk through the exact reflection questions God gave me on that airplane (and they’re yours now, too):
What happened?
Where did I experience God’s love?
Where did I love others?
What was hard or where did I struggle?
What is beneath that?
What do I take with me? (Think differently / repent / take action.)
What is still stirring in my soul?
 
If you want to explore this practice more, I recommend looking into the Ignatian Examen:https://www.ignatianspirituality.com/ignatian-prayer/the-examen/the-examen-video/
Reflection is not about perfection — it’s about presence.It’s how we notice the God who is already near.
 
If this episode encouraged you, share it!And go check out Virginia on Instagram @vwear, find her podcast The Formed Life on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube, and grab her book:In Everything Give Thanks → https://www.amazon.com/Everything-Give-Thanks-Transformational-Gratitude/dp/B086Y6J4KG 🎉

Hey friends, welcome back to The Formed Life Podcast! Today we’re continuing a beautiful and honest conversation with my dear friend Katie Hoover—someone I’ve known since our freshman year at Evangel University. Katie is a godly mom, spiritual director, licensed therapist, and serves as the Kids Ministry Director at New Life Church East in Colorado. She’s wise, grounded, and has such a gentle way of inviting us into deeper reflection and healing.
 
In this part two conversation, we dive into the healing work we can’t skip—that sacred intersection where story, therapy, and spiritual formation meet. Katie and I talk about how unhealed pain can quietly shape our view of God, ourselves, and others—and how the Spirit often leads us back to those tender places, not to shame us, but to bring wholeness.
 
We unpack how healing is not a quick fix or checklist, but a lifelong rhythm of honesty, courage, and grace. Katie shares insights from her work as a therapist and spiritual director—reminding us that tending to our stories is actually spiritual work. God is present in the remembering, in the naming, and in the gentle re-storying of our lives.
 
If you’ve ever wondered how therapy and spiritual formation intersect, or if you’re walking through a season of deep healing, this conversation will meet you with empathy and hope.
 
✨ Your Invitation This WeekTake time this week to reflect: What part of your story might God be inviting you to revisit—with kindness, not condemnation?
📩 Connect with Katie on Substack: katiehoover.substack.com 
📸 Follow along: @hoover.katie 📸 Follow along: @vwear | @theformedlife

Hey friends, welcome back to The Formed Life Podcast! Today’s episode is extra special because I get to sit down with one of my dearest friends—someone I’ve known since our freshman year at Evangel University—Katie Hoover. Katie is a godly mom, spiritual director, licensed therapist, and serves as the Kids Ministry Director at New Life Church East in Colorado. She’s one of those people who radiates wisdom, warmth, and grace—and this conversation is such a gift.
 
In this first part of our two-part conversation, Katie and I talk about what happens when grace interrupts your life—how God meets us in unexpected seasons, gently reorders our priorities, and leads us back to intimacy with Him. Katie shares candidly about her own journey of formation—the beauty and the breaking—and how the Lord used those interruptions to shape her heart in ways she never could’ve orchestrated on her own.
 
We talk about motherhood, ministry, therapy, and the art of slowing down enough to notice God’s kindness in the middle of real life. There’s laughter, honesty, and a deep sense of God’s presence woven through every moment of this conversation.
 
If you’ve ever found yourself in a season that didn’t go according to plan—this episode is a gentle reminder that sometimes grace looks like interruption. And when it does, it’s always an invitation to deeper formation.
 
✨ Your Invitation This WeekPause and ask: How might grace be interrupting my life right now? What might God be forming in me through it?
 
📩 Connect with Katie on Substack: katiehoover.substack.com📸 Follow along: @vwear | @theformedlife