The Being Formed Podcast

In this special dual-release episode, The Being Formed Podcast welcomes Jessica Vangsnes, host of the Transforming Us podcast, for the first of a two-part conversation exploring pilgrimage, attachment, and the slow work of spiritual formation.
Jessica is a certified trauma-informed relationship coach, group facilitator, and the visionary behind Transforming Us. Integrating a rich background in ministry, soul care, Gottman 7 principles facilitation, and the Enneagram in relationships, Jess guides individuals and couples away from internal division and toward sacred wholeness with Christ.
Her work is forged in the fire of her own need for wholeness. For 18 years, she and her husband, Travis, have navigated the beautiful, complex terrain of marriage, foster care, adoption, and caregiving. It was through her own profound seasons of pain and personal healing that Jess discovered her calling: helping others tend to the shadowy places of their souls.
Today, Jess lives in South Carolina with Travis and their five children, ages 7 to 20. Jess views every person as a unique reflection of God’s image. Believing that true healing is a collaborative process with Jesus, she helps people unearth subconscious patterns and name attachment wounds, bridging practical psychological tools with spiritual formation.
Part One of our two-part conversation focuses a bit more on Adam's story - from discovering spiritual direction and walking the Camino de Santiago to the lessons learned about trust, embodiment, and the transforming love of God. Along the way, Adam and Jessica explore how the Enneagram, attachment theory, and the ministry of presence can help us move from striving to abiding, from performing for God to walking with Him as a beloved friend.
In this episode:
Jessica's journey into spiritual formation and soul care
Lessons from walking the Camino de Santiago
Pilgrimage as a way of life
Anxious attachment and discovering God's loving gaze
Friendship, presence, and spiritual companionship
Learning to live in the easy yoke of Jesus
Part Two continues the conversation by exploring more of Jessica's story, her journey into attachment work and relational transformation, and the ways God has shaped her through coaching and the Enneagram.
Connect with Jessica Vangsnes and Transforming Us:https://transformingus.org
If this conversation encourages you, consider subscribing to The Being Formed Podcast, leaving a review, and sharing the episode with someone who could use a fellow pilgrim on the journey.
The Being Formed Podcast is a soul care ministry of LifePoint Resources.

Adam Ormord (LifePoint Resources) sits down with author, worship leader, coach, and spiritual director Becky Ykema to discuss her new book.
After more than two decades serving in churches ranging from church plants to one of the largest churches in the country, Becky began noticing subtle patterns shaping ministry culture. Those observations became her new book, Composing Church: Considerations for the Modern Creative Leader.
While written with worship leaders and creative teams in mind, this conversation reaches much further, exploring the formation of ministry leaders, the culture of our churches, and the invitation to become people who lead from authenticity rather than performance.
Whether you're a pastor, worship leader, volunteer, elder, or someone who simply longs for a healthy ministry culture, we believe you'll find encouragement and hope in this conversation.
In this episode, we discuss:
• What it means to "compose" a church culture.• The subtle pressures ministry leaders often carry.• Performance versus presence.• How church culture shapes the souls of those who serve.• Henri Nouwen's timeless warnings about relevance, spectacle, and power.• How spiritual direction has further shaped Becky's understanding of leadership.
Resources Mentioned:
Composing Church: Considerations for the Modern Creative Leader (by Becky Ykema)
Connect with Becky:
www.beckyykema.com
Thanks for listening to The Being Formed Podcast. If this conversation encouraged you, consider sharing it with someone who loves the Church and longs to see her become more like Christ.
The Being Formed Podcast is a soul care ministry of LifePoint Resources.

What if the deepest truth about you is not what you do, what you believe, or even what you have accomplished, but that you were created for relationship?
In this solo episode, Adam Ormord explores the idea that we are, at our core, relational souls. Drawing from the work of Richard Plass and James Cofield, Todd and Elizabeth Hall, Trevor Hudson, Henri Nouwen, and others, Adam reflects on the transformative power of loving relationships and why trust sits at the heart of spiritual formation.
Along the way, he shares personal stories of God's faithfulness, explores the difference between knowing about God and knowing God relationally, and invites listeners to consider what it means to live as God's beloved.
Whether you find yourself longing for deeper connection, wrestling with trust, or simply seeking a more experiential relationship with God, this conversation offers a timely reminder that transformation happens in the context of love.
In This Episode
What it means to be a "relational soul"
The difference between informational knowing and relational knowing
Why trust is central to spiritual formation
How loving relationships shape our ability to love God and others
The connection between attachment, belovedness, and transformation
Hospitality, presence, and the ministry of spiritual direction
Learning to receive God's love more deeply
The invitation to come home to the Father
The Sacred Way Community (LifePoint's Cohort-Learning Community)
Books and Resources Mentioned
The Relational Soul — Richard Plass & James Cofield
Relational Spirituality — Todd Hall & Elizabeth Hall
Seeking God — Trevor Hudson
Reaching Out — Henri Nouwen
The Life We're Looking For — Andy Crouch
A Reflection Question
Where in your life might God be inviting you to move from simply knowing something about Him to experiencing it more deeply through trust?
Closing Thought
"Perhaps the deepest invitation of the spiritual life is learning to come home - home to the God who sees us, delights in us, and has never stopped watching the horizon for our return."
The Being Formed Podcast is a Soul Care Ministry of LIfePoint Resources.

What if Jesus is always moving toward us, offering us friendship and love, but we've lost the ability to notice?
In this episode of The Being Formed Podcast, Adam Ormord sits down with Dale Gish, founder of The Ignatian Center, spiritual director, retreat leader, and guide of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius.
Drawing from a recent pilgrimage through Spain, Dale shares stories from visiting significant locations in the life of Ignatius of Loyola, including Montserrat and Manresa. Along the way, he reflects on the transformative power and enduring wisdom of the Spiritual Exercises, and why Ignatian spirituality continues to resonate with so many people today.
Together, Adam and Dale explore the life of Ignatius and the invitation to discover God's presence in the ordinary moments of daily life. They also discuss the growing interest in the 19th Annotation of the Exercises and how this accessible pathway allows people to journey deeply with Jesus while remaining fully engaged in everyday responsibilities.
Whether you're new to Ignatian spirituality or have been walking this path for years, this conversation offers a thoughtful introduction to a tradition that has helped countless people cultivate a more attentive, discerning, and relational life with God.
 
In this episode, you'll hear:
Dale's reflections from leading an Ignatian pilgrimage through Spain
A brief introduction to the life and conversion of Ignatius of Loyola
An introduction to the 19th Annotation of the Spiritual Exercises
Examples of how imaginative prayer draws us closer to our friend, Jesus
Opportunities to engage with The Ignatian Center and upcoming training cohorts
 
About Dale Gish
Dale Gish is the founder of The Ignatian Center, a ministry devoted to helping people encounter God through the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. He is a spiritual director, retreat leader, and experienced guide of the Exercises. Through teaching, training, retreats, and pilgrimage experiences, Dale helps individuals and groups cultivate deeper attentiveness to God, greater discernment, and a more intimate relationship with Jesus.
 
Resources & Links
The Ignatian Center: https://www.theignatiancenter.org
Connect with Dale and learn more about upcoming cohorts, webinars, and training opportunities through The Ignatian Center.
 
Reflection Question
Where do you sense yourself on the journey with Jesus right now, and what invitation might be waiting for you in this particular stretch of the road?
 
The Being Formed Podcast is a soul care ministry of LifePoint Resources.

What does it look like to walk with Jesus in a way that is relational, intentional, and deeply transformative?
In this episode of The Being Formed Podcast, Adam is joined by spiritual director and retreat guide Kim Van Natta for a conversation about a new initiative from LifePoint Resources called the Sacred Way Community.
Together, they explore the growing hunger many people are experiencing for a more relational and experiential life with God, especially in a cultural moment marked by exhaustion, disillusionment, disconnection, and spiritual uncertainty. They discuss the difference between merely learning about God and learning how to be with God, and why intentionally small, immersive, and formational communities can become sacred spaces of healing, growth, and transformation.
Adam and Kim also unpack the vision and rhythm behind The Sacred Way Community, an 18-month cohort journey centered around relational spiritual formation, shared retreats, contemplative practices, and authentic community.
This conversation is an invitation to slow down, listen deeply, and consider where God may be inviting you into deeper formation and a more sustainable way of following Jesus.
In This Episode
Kim’s personal journey into spiritual formation and relational discipleship
Why transformational growth happens best in authentic community
The growing spiritual hunger beneath disillusionment and deconstruction
What we mean by “The Sacred Way”
Relational spirituality and secure attachment with God
Why retreats and immersive experiences matter
The difference between information-based learning and transformational knowing
What spiritual transformation actually looks like in everyday life
Why slower, smaller, and more intentional communities matter right now
Personal reflections on being with Jesus and becoming people of love
About Kim Van Natta
Kim Van Natta is a spiritual director, Ignatian retreat guide, and the founder of Transforming Experiences. Her work centers on helping people cultivate deeper awareness of God’s presence through spiritual direction, contemplative practices, creation-based experiences, and relational spiritual formation.
Kim is helping lead the development of The Sacred Way Community and will serve as the first Director of this new initiative through LifePoint Resources.
The Sacred Way Community
The Sacred Way Community is an 18-month journey of relational spiritual formation designed for those longing for a deeper, slower, and more authentic life with God.
The journey includes:
Seven retreats over 18 months
Ongoing relational connection and spiritual companionship
Contemplative practices and guided formation
Space for honesty, discernment, healing, and transformation
A community-centered approach to becoming more deeply rooted in the love of God
Our first cohort is scheduled to begin in September 2027.
To receive updates and learn more as plans continue to unfold, visit: LifePoint Resources or email: swc@lifepointresources.org.
Sacred Way Retreats (2026)
Interested in experiencing a taste of this journey sooner? We will also be hosting two Sacred Way Retreats in 2026:
Breckenridge, Colorado — September 10–13, 2026
Franklin, Tennessee — October 1–4, 2026
These three-night retreats are designed to help participants reconnect with the way of Jesus through rest, reflection, contemplative practice, and authentic community.
More information is available at: LifePoint Resources
Reflection
As you listen to this conversation, where do you sense an invitation toward deeper formation in your own life? What has been stirring in you?
Connect with LifePoint Resources
The Being Formed Podcast is a soul care ministry of LifePoint Resources, a nonprofit ministry devoted to making soul care accessible to all. Through spiritual direction, retreats, webinars, and formational community, we help you cultivate a deeper, more sustainable life with God. www.lifepointresources.org
Share the Episode
If this episode resonated with you, consider sharing it with a friend, colleague, or leader who may be interested in joining the Sacred Way Community.

What sustains a leader over time?
In this episode of The Being Formed Podcast, Adam Ormord (Founder and President of LifePoint Resources) sits down with retired Navy chaplain and author Gregory Woodard to explore the inner life of leadership. Drawing from years of experience in ministry and the military, Greg shares how leadership that lasts is not built on competence alone, but on a life that is rooted, attentive, and formed from within.
Together, they explore the drift many leaders experience - remaining effective on the outside while becoming disconnected, isolated, and unhealthy on the inside - and why so many leaders struggle to finish well.
Greg introduces a framework of four essential rhythms - relational, spiritual, emotional, and physical—that help leaders cultivate a more sustainable and integrated life.
This conversation moves from Greg’s personal story, to practical insights for leaders today, and ultimately to the deeper invitation of becoming the kind of person who leads from the soul.
In This Episode, You’ll Hear
Greg’s journey from Navy chaplaincy into a new season of spiritual formation
Why leadership often becomes disconnected from the inner life
The hidden cost of burnout, isolation, and unprocessed emotion
The four rhythms that sustain healthy leadership: relational, spiritual, emotional, and physical
Why emotional awareness is essential - not optional - for leaders
How identity and calling unfold over time, rather than being quickly discovered
What it means to “finish well” in leadership
Simple, meaningful steps toward cultivating a life of leadership from within
About Greg Woodard
Greg Woodard is a retired Navy chaplain who served for over two decades, walking alongside individuals and leaders in some of life’s most challenging and formative moments.
He is the author of Leadership from Within: Navigating the Path Toward Soul-Driven Success, a book that invites leaders to cultivate a sustainable and integrated life through intentional rhythms of soul care.
Learn more: www.gregwoodard.com
Key Themes
Leadership begins beneath the surface
Formation over performance
Integration of the inner and outer life
Paying attention to the soul as a leadership practice
Sustainability and finishing well
Reflection
As you listen, you might take a moment to notice:
Where in your life are you leading from the outside in… rather than from within?
And gently consider:
What might it look like to pay attention to your soul - not to fix anything, but to be present to God there?
Resources & Links
Leadership from Within: Navigating the Path Toward Soul-Driven Success – Greg Woodard
Stop Chasing Work-Life Balance: Four Rhythms for Sustainable Leadership Integration - Greg Woodard
Connect with LifePoint Resources
The Being Formed Podcast is a soul care ministry of LifePoint Resources, a nonprofit ministry devoted to making soul care accessible to all. Through spiritual direction, retreats, webinars, and formational community, we help individuals and leaders cultivate a deeper, more sustainable life with God. www.lifepointresources.org
Share the Episode
If this episode resonated with you, consider sharing it with a friend, colleague, or leader who might be carrying more than they realize.

What if your life with God isn’t meant to stay in your head?
In this conversation, Adam sits down with spiritual director and author Deborah Gregory to explore what it means to experience God not just in our thoughts, but in our bodies, our movement, and the ordinary rhythms of daily life.
Drawing from her new book Spiritual Wayfinding, Deborah invites us into an embodied spirituality that integrates attentiveness to God with the wisdom of the body and the realities of how we are actually formed.
Together, they explore how walking can become a form of prayer, how our nervous systems shape our awareness of God, and how practices of movement and attention can open us to deeper discernment.
This conversation offers a timely invitation to become more present, to lift our eyes and our gaze, and to begin noticing God in places you may have overlooked.
In This Episode, You’ll Hear
Deborah’s personal journey into embodied spirituality
How relearning to walk reshaped her understanding of life with God
The connection between Ignatian spirituality and embodied awareness
How the body and nervous system influence our experience of God
Why walking can be a powerful form of prayer and discernment
The role of neurodivergence in expanding our understanding of spiritual formation
Simple ways to begin practicing awareness of God in your everyday life
A Simple Invitation
As you finish this episode, consider taking a walk.
Notice your body.Notice your surroundings.Notice what’s happening within you.
And ask:“God, where are You in this moment?”
About Deborah Gregory
Deborah Gregory is a spiritual director specializing in Ignatian spirituality, an award-winning documentary filmmaker, and the host of The Betwixt Podcast. Her holistic approach to Christian formation bridges ancient wisdom and modern neuroscience, helping people experience God through both body and soul.
Drawing from her experience in a neurodiverse family, Deborah is passionate about cultivating an inclusive spirituality that honors the wisdom of the body and supports those navigating a neurotypical world.
She leads retreats, trains spiritual directors, and lives in Central Florida with her husband and two daughters.
Resources & Links
Spiritual Wayfinding by Deborah Gregory: Purchase on Amazon
Deborah Gregory's website: https://www.flourishspiritualdirection.com/
The Betwixt Podcast
About The Being Formed Podcast
The Being Formed Podcast is a soul care ministry of LifePoint Resources. It is a space for honest, thoughtful conversations about spiritual formation, leadership, and the interior life. Hosted by Adam Ormord, Co-founder and President of LifePoint, each episode invites listeners to slow down, pay attention, and participate more fully in the life of God.

In this episode, Adam sits down with Anne Richardson, author of Not Alone and a trauma-informed spiritual director, for a thoughtful and honest conversation about trauma, shame, and the slow work of healing.
Anne shares from her own story, including a pivotal season that led her into deeper healing through therapy, spiritual direction, and contemplative practices with God. Together, Adam and Anne explore the impact of sexual trauma, the difference between truth and toxic shame, and what it means to rediscover God’s presence in places that once felt unsafe.
In This Episode, You’ll Hear
How shame takes root and distorts identity
The difference between truth and toxic shame
Anne’s personal journey of healing through the “desert”
The role of silence, solitude, and contemplative prayer
How anger, grief, and the body are part of the healing process
What it looks like to rebuild trust with God, yourself, and others
The importance of safe people and compassionate presence
What healing and freedom can look like over time
A Word for Listeners
This episode touches on themes of trauma. While no graphic details are shared, you may notice something stirring as you listen. You are invited to go at your own pace. You can pause, step away, or return later. You are in control of how you engage with this conversation.
Resources & Next Steps
Not Alone by Anne Richardson: Purchase on Amazon
Anne Richardson’s website: https://www.annemarierichardson.com
Learn more about LifePoint's Webinar on April 28, 2026: Accompanying Survivors of Sexual Trauma
Connect with LifePoint Resources
Website: https://www.lifepointresources.org
Spiritual Direction, Formational Mentoring, Retreats, and other Soul Care offerings
The Being Formed Podcast is a soul care ministry of LifePoint Resources.