Prayers from the Middle

Welcome to Prayers from the Middle. In this episode that's not an episode, Bria invites you in to the middle where it's tangled up with the junk we woke up to in this mess of everyday America. Somewhere in all of that she is holding on to and looking to follow the real Jesus.

We're finally here! And we're going deep. This episode is for those of us who are still standing in the rubble. Who are questioning, but still praying. Who want truth—not because someone told us what to believe, but because it stands up to Jesus. I’m calling Him my line of truth. And I’m inviting you to come with me.

In this episode, Brianna steps into the MRI machine—literally and spiritually. She talks about the moment she woke up to the reality of hypocrisy felt like it entered her world. It started with a pair of tiny metal feet. She was twelve. They were the size of a ten-week-old fetus, pinned to a brochure that told her what righteousness looked like. She believed it. She debated it. Because Christians love babies with teeny tiny feet.But 1984 was burning. Clinics bombed. Protesters turned violent. And somewhere between a Civics class debate and the headlines in USA Today, she felt the fracture. People were hurting people in the name of protecting life. And she couldn’t make it make sense.If you’ve ever felt the sting of waking up inside your own convictions, this one’s for you. Through confession, metaphor, and scripture, she invites listeners to scan their own convictions and discover the difference between junk food theology and the nourishing truth of Jesus. This is not a political rant. It’s a spiritual reckoning.jVlj4v3unnbMadvUVo8T

It's Episode 3, and Bria dips her toe into the tricky waters of Christian Nationalism. She talks about the line between love and idolatry and what happens when we try to make America the Kingdom of God.She's been reading through Genesis and keeps seeing this thing we do where we try to keep God’s promises for Him. Where we step in, take over, and try to control what only He can.And lately, she's been wondering if that’s what we’ve done in the American church.If you’re deconstructing, if you’re exhausted, if you’re trying to find Jesus in all of this—I hope you feel safe here.The three books I mentioned are: Jesus and John Wayne by Kristin Kobes DuMez, The Epic of Eden by Sandra L. Richter and Better Ways to Read the Bible by Zach W. Lambert

What if God keeps His promises and makes His name known even when sinful people do crappy things? Today, Bria struggles openly with the idea that maybe God was truly glorified and made Himself known at Charlie Kirk's funeral even though hatred and discord were also spoken from the same stage. She talks about God's pattern of faithfulness to always keep His promises even though the brokenness of sinful people seems like it should screw it up. It's not fun, but it sure seems like it's true, so hang on tight, guys! This one's a doozie.

We used to trust certain pastors and Christian leaders of institutions to tell us what we should believe. Now we trust our feeds. In this episode, Bria Wasson explores how curated truth, tribal loyalty, and algorithm-driven discipleship have distorted the voice of Jesus in the American church. From Paul’s warning to Timothy about itching ears to Joseph’s unjust silence in Genesis 39, we trace the cost of listening to the loudest voices instead of the truest ones. If you’ve ever felt like the gospel has been replaced by a pep rally—or wondered whether Jesus still speaks through the noise—this one’s for you.

What does God’s voice actually sound like—and why have so many of us stopped listening for it? In this episode, Brianna shares raw stories of longing, silence, and quiet nudges that just might be divine. She traces how the American Church traded intimacy for formulas and created a culture of its own, turning discipleship into a checklist and revelation into a rulebook. If you’ve ever felt like you’re doing all the “right” things but still can’t hear Him… this one’s for you. It’s not a how-to. It’s a holy invitation to get quiet, get honest, and remember that His sheep know His voice.www.PrayersfromtheMiddle.com

This one’s short. No deep dive, no theological takedown, no poetic lament. Just a pause—and a question.I’ve been naming hard truths, inviting Jesus into the mess, and watching this little podcast grow into something tender and bold. But before I go further, I want to listen. To you.So today, I’m asking for your help. I made a weird, honest, slightly mischievous survey to find out why you listen, what you long for, and who you wish I could interview. It’s not about branding—it’s about belonging.Click the link. Tell me what’s stirring in you. I’ll be listening, and I can't wait to hear from you.Here's the link to the survey: https://forms.gle/XAdJBuE6wmB26JJQA

What happens when the roles you were handed—pastor’s kid, missionary kid, “good Christian woman”—start to feel like a costume? In this episode, Sarah Bucy Klingler shares her story of spiritual formation, inherited faith, and the slow, painful realization that her gifts didn’t fit the box she was told to live in.We talk about protective suits, people-pleasing, and the ache of shrinking yourself to survive. We explore the moment when faith starts to feel off, the courage to ask dangerous questions, and the pivotal shift that led Sarah to seminary in search of safety, truth, and Jesus.This is a conversation for the ones in the middle—the ones who are unraveling, questioning, and aching to be fully themselves. You’re not alone. And smallness was never the calling.Find the book Sarah helped write Jesus Was Not What We Expected But Better Than We Imagined here's the linkFind Sarah on Facebook @Sarah Bucy Klingler, Instagram @Sarah Bucy Klingler, substack @SarahBucyKlingler, https://www.sarahbucy.com

In this continuation of Bria’s conversation with Sarah Bucy Klingler, they dive deep into the ache and awe of spiritual reformation. They name the loneliness of questioning and talk about the courage it takes to pull theological threads. And they discuss the longing for spaces where doubt isn’t dangerous.Sarah shares how seminary became her sanctuary—a place where she could be her full, questioning self without fear. They explore the tipping point when church stopped feeling safe, the cultural forces behind evangelical certainty, and why deconstruction isn’t a curse but a sacred invitation to re-center on Jesus.This episode is for the spiritually homeless and the ones who feel ghosted. It’s for those who wonder if they’re still welcome at the table—and a reminder that Jesus is always bigger than the boxes we build.Find Sarah on Facebook, Instagram, and Substack at Sarah Bucy KlinglerHer website is www.sarahbucy.comYou can find her writing in the book Jesus Was Not What We Expected But Better Than We Imagined (click the link)Other books mentioned in the episode: The Blue Parakeet by Scot McKnight and Jesus and John Wayne by Kristin Kobes DuMez