In Her Image: Finding Heavenly Mother in Scripture, Scholarship, the Arts, Mythology & Everyday Life (In Her Image)

In the previous episode, episode 59, Jess read "First Visions and Last Sermons: Affirming Divine Sociality, Rejecting the Greater Apostasy", written by Dr. Val Larsen and published in 2020. In this week's episode, Jess interviews Dr. Larsen on how he first started contemplating Heavenly Mother and what he has discovered through careful reading of the Book of Mormon and studying associated historical works. He suggests that Lehi and Nephi, along with Joseph Smith, received and worked to restore the pre-deuteronomistic, old religion of Abraham in their respective dispensations. As Dr. Larsen and contemporary scholars have found, this ancient religion believed in a divine Council of the Gods, including Heavenly Mother, Heavenly Father, and their Son Jesus Christ. This belief in separate embodied, glorified members of a Heavenly Family makes the theology of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints distinctive from other religions. Yet, as a church, we tend to deemphasize this point. Val suggests that this "Greater Apostasy" keeps us from fully worshiping the Divine Family, and that as we undo the removal of Heavenly Mother from our theology (which took place in the days of Josiah), we can continue to see the unfolding of the ongoing, modern-day restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ and better help prepare the world for His Second Coming.

Tune in next Sunday for part 2 of this conversation. Read Dr. Val Larsen's articles on Heavenly Mother here:

"Hidden in Plain View: Mother in Heaven in Scripture"

https://squaretwo.org/Sq2ArticleLarsenHeavenlyMother.html

"First Visions and Last Sermons: Affirming Divine Sociality, Rejecting the Greater Apostasy" 

http://journal.interpreterfoundation.org/first-visions-and-last-sermons-affirming-divine-sociality-rejecting-the-greater-apostasy/

"Josiah to Zoram to Sherem to Jarom and the Big Little Book of Omni"

https://journal.interpreterfoundation.org/josiah-to-zoram-to-sherem-to-jarom-and-the-big-little-book-of-omni/

Today we have a a simplified retelling of an ancient Christian text that talks about Heavenly Mother and our special mission in this life. Get your own copy with InHerImage discount code at https://www.thehymnofthepearl.com/ LORI NIELSEN DRIGGS and her husband, Paul, live in South Jordan, Utah. They are the parents of six children and eight grandchildren. Lori loves learning and studying—especially the scriptures. This beautiful hymn is one of her favorites. She is so grateful to work with Mandy Green, who brought the hymn back to her attention and expanded her love of the scriptures. She feels so blessed to have Tshikamba (the beautiful Melissa Kamba Boggs) bring it to life with her glorious illustrations.

Mechelle Wingle, our guest from episode 67 titled The Mother Hunger with Mechelle Wingle, sent us this beautiful meditation to share with you on the podcast. It is the second meditation in a series of four being releasing this month. Enjoy!

Join Meg Rittmanic as she explores female milestones and a new unique way to celebrate and acknowledge them through a Mala Necklace. Each bead of the divine feminine path mala represents an important milestone or passage in the life as a woman and daughter of God. This mala represents a Christ Centered feminine path that your life may follow. It includes archetypal examples that you may pattern your life after. This mala necklace may act as a type of initiation into the mysteries of God and can help one understand the ordinances, anointings and covenantal endowments one may receive in this life. The idea of initiation into the mysteries of God is an ancient concept that has always been taught through myth and represented through passages. I have tried to include these concepts that are both ancient and modern. When certain stories or characters are mentioned I recommend studying those things in addition to this guide. Each bead is a natural stone from mother earth; and has been chosen to represent and aid in these life events or help you to develop the archetypal characteristics described. These stones have a special metaphorical capacity to assist you on your path and they are a gift from Mother earth. Just like in the bible the priest used stones in ceremonial garments and to represent milestones of the people; these beads represent the past, present, and future. You may use this mala as a map of where you have been and where you are going, but not every milestone or attribute may be obtained in the order presented here.

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What do Isaiah and Instagram have in common? This week we're bringing you a conversation about a prophecy Isaiah gave about our times, on a subject that has hit home for many a woman over the last two months: the role of women in the Church. A large survey recently released showed a societal shift with regard to women leaving religion at significantly higher rates than men. Did Isaiah prophesy of this happening? We address the pains that women are feeling inside religion. We unpack the roadmap Isaiah laid out to help us change the system that is no longer serving our spirituality as women. Following this road map will fulfill an even greater prophecy; a gathering of women in their spiritual power that will bring joy to all humanity.

Summary

In this episode of the In Her Image podcast, host Jessica Woodbury speaks with Emilie Call, co-host of the That's Church podcast. They discuss Emilie's journey in interfaith dialogue, the importance of the divine feminine, and her personal spiritual experiences. Emilie shares insights on empowerment, community, and the significance of acknowledging one's strengths. The conversation also highlights an upcoming event focused on women's empowerment and the divine feminine, featuring various speakers and opportunities for connection.

Links

That’s Church! Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thats-church/id1711856369

That’s Church! Experience Divine Feminine & Women Empowerment Event. Tinyurl.com/empower2025

Code for $10 off: 10EMPOWER

Instagram:

@thatschurchpodcast

Email:

Thatschurchpod@gmail.com

Keywords

Divine Feminine, Women Empowerment, Interfaith Dialogue, Spirituality, Personal Growth, Community, Podcast, Emily Call, That's Church, Heavenly Mother

Jess welcomes her new co-host, Kate, to the podcast!  Kate discusses her passion for Women's health, body literacy and what it means to live in harmony with your cycles and recognize how you were literally created in God's image. Kate shares how her appreciation for her body preceded her search for Mother God and how the two met in the middle. She explains balancing the Divine Masculine and Divine Feminine energies in all of us and in the world.  Whether you are a man or woman, whether you are currently menstruating or not, we can all follow the divine patterns our Heavenly Parents have given us such as multiplying and replenishing (not just about having kids), and spiritual and physical creation.

For more from Kate you can follow @daughterofmother_earth on Instagram and you can listen to episode 19 of In Her Image.

Other References:

Period Repair Manual  (Book)
Taking Charge of Your Fertility (Book)

In this episode, Pam and Meg unpack the ancient Mesopotamian story of Inanna's ascent from the underworld. With Inanna, we learn how to rise from our personal dark night of the soul as new, fully embodied creatures.

So many elements of the epic tale are up for interpretation by the listener, yet themes and meanings unveiled by Pam provide invaluable information to the initiate. Her experience as a birth worker and student of mythology combine to provide the listener clues to help navigate their own internal quest.

We hope you've enjoyed this four part series on Inanna, queen of heaven as worshiped in ancient Sumer. Her story has great application to our lives today as we individually and collectively journey from maiden to mother to crone, and it has been a privilege to hear this story from the wise Pam England herself.

For more from Pam including story seminars on navigating initiations, visit pamenglandbirth.com.

Love, Jess and Meg

The sacrament meeting talk you wish you heard today: another Mother's Day talk about Heavenly Mother!

Jessica Woodbury interviews Lauren Robinson about her talk and two poems she's written with the Divine Feminine in mind.

Happy Heavenly Mother's Day!

Artist and art show curator Natalie Smith joins Jess for this episode to talk about her experience envisioning, painting, and writing about the Feminine Divine. Her recent art show titled "In Her Image"in Colorado featured various pieces by herself and other artists on symbols of Heavenly Mother. Natalie shares her story of loss, study, and inspiration and a poignant dream she had which led to the creation of her piece "Mother of All Living." She recites a poem she wrote in conjunction with this piece. Natalie's bravery and authenticity is inspiring!

See Natalie's art and writings at www.instagram.com/natalieillustrates and at www.natalieillustrates.com

Have you ever noticed the mental gymnastics it takes to constantly translate the written sacred texts to female pronouns? We have, and we're happy to share a resource that will bless your study of the New Testament and finally give that mental gymnast a break. In this episode, Jess and Kate introduce The Divine Feminine Version of the New Testament and why it's such a valuable resource. We read from its prologue, discuss the gender-expansive term "Godde", and share a few passages from this new-to-us version. We hope you'll enjoy the conversation on female representation in the scriptures, and especially the emphasis on seeing our Heavenly Mother there. 

https://godde.files.wordpress.com/2017/06/dfv-final-2nd-ed.pdf

https://www.amazon.com/Divine-Feminine-Version-Testament-Second/dp/1545080852/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=the+divine+feminine+version+of+the+new+testament&qid=1673731684&sprefix=divine+feminine+version%2Caps%2C119&sr=8-1

In this episode, Sara and Jess discuss how worshipping and adoring our Heavenly Mother enhances our relationship with both of our Heavenly Parents and our spiritual siblings.

Tessa and Kate explore the relationship between the Divine Feminine and spiritual sovereignty.  Like a true artist, Tessa weaves incredible stories that teach of coming home to ourselves and to the women who birthed us--all the way back to our Mother God.  We learn about the inspiration for some of her artwork, the feminine symbol of snakes and the recurring cycle of birthing ourselves--over and over again.  

We know you'll enjoy this thoughtful conversation about embracing your inner knowing.  

You can find these and other paintings at Tessaleeart.com or on her Instagram @tessaleeart

Art can be such a powerful tool in sharing important messages and teaching in a deeper, more powerful way. In this episode, Jessica Woodbury interviews artists turned curators and art exhibition co-founders Laura Erekson and Nicole Woodbury. They have been putting on the Certain Women Art show in Utah for the past 5 years. They share how they came to choose the 2021 theme, Reflections on a Mother in Heaven and what that particular show was like. All of the art from the 2021 exhibit has been published in this beautiful book: https://a.co/d/5qNRBsC

In this episode, Jessica Woodbury interviews Anne Pimentel, one of the founding members of Meetinghouse Mosaic, the woman behind the Instagram account The Vision Beautiful, and upcoming author of a book centering stories of women co-authored by McArthur Krishna. Anne shares her story of how she came to know The Mother, how her husband became an ally for her, and how she uses her voice now to bring others to their Mother God.

Here is the article discussed in the episode by Anne's husband Roger on 100 References to Heavenly Mother in General Conference: https://www.rogerpimentel.com/p/100-heavenly-mother-general-conference

And another article written by Roger on how he came to understand the importance of seeking Heavenly Mother: https://www.rogerpimentel.com/p/beloved-son-of-a-heavenly-mother

*Book Discount Code Below!*

Daneen Akers is a writer, producer, and teacher who believes deeply in the power of stories. She grew up in the Seventh Day Adventist faith tradition and along her deconstruction journey heard one verse of a hymn that was flipped to female divine pronouns. She had no idea how powerful it would be in her life to begin to understand the feminine face of God. She is the mother of two children who have been primary motivators for her writing about a faith that works for the common good.

We discuss her most recent publication, a children's book titled Dear Mama God. She shares how her children inspired the book, parenting when your faith has shifted, and why it's important to her to recognize the divinity in femaleness and connect with a Mother Creator.

Daneen has graciously provided a 25% off discount for our listeners! Go to dearmamagod.com at Checkout enter IHI25 (for In Her Image).

AND right now enjoy FREE shipping in the US!

You can also look for her other book Holy Troublemakers & Unconventional Saints

And watch her documentary Seventh Gay Adventists for free online.

You can follow her work on Instagram at @daneenakers and @dearmamagod

In this episode, Sara talks about her journey to becoming involved in birth work, and the way it connects her with Mother God. Jess and Sara discuss how Heavenly Mother invites all of us to birth new life, whether it's our own new lives or children or other creations. The episode ends with an important announcement from Sara.

Today we are republishing an episode from 2022 on the gospel topics essay titled "Mother in Heaven". In it, Kate Gregory and Jessica Woodbury highlight the beautiful gems found in the essay, which confirms the church's doctrine of a Heavenly Mother. This essay was published on October 23, 2015. As we near the 9 year anniversary of its publication, we chose to re-share this episode as the foundation next Sunday's episode, which will explore what would change and how it might look if we fully embraced the doctrines and principles found in this landmark essay. We think you'll love it!

Jessica was invited to write an article pulling out truths from the "Mother in Heaven" essay for Meridian Magazine. Her article can be found at https://latterdaysaintmag.com/what-the-mother-in-heaven-gospel-topics-essay-teaches-us-about-our-eternal-mother/ Feel free to share it, and this episode, far and wide!

Jessica can be found on Instagram as @with.eve.i.partake

Kate and her new work as a hormone practitioner can be found at queenbeehormonehealth.com and @queenbeehormonehealth on Instagram

Brynne Canozo relates the Roman myth "Minerva and Arachne." This single story prompts multiple musings between Meg and Brynne. First, Meg recounts the tale's affect on her relationship with sacred clothing. Next, Brynne reflects on the character and motivations of the goddess Minerva (Athena) in the story. And finally, the two discuss what The Weaver could mean and how that title applies to Heavenly Mother.

Have you ever asked yourself, 'is there more than one Heavenly Mother? Will we practice eternal polygamy?' The scriptures actually directly answer these questions. Join Meg Rittmanic in a conversation with Jocelyn Pedersen as they address this topic and how this corruption is hurting us and Heavenly Mother. 

Jocelyn Pedersen  is a mother and grandmother currently residing in Utah with her husband and two of her children.  She uses social media and the non profits she has helped to establish in the US to educate patients, the public, and medical providers about the risks of psychiatric drugs and how to safely taper off of them. 

Along with this, Jocelyn followed the call in 2020 to begin a second platform, The Teachings of Jesus Christ blog and channel, where she has evolved from sharing brief non denominational messages on healing and coming unto Christ, to more deep doctrinal dives covering a range of topics from Isaiah, to the Divine Feminine, and The Second Coming of Jesus Christ. 

When Jocelyn isn't busy homeschooling her son, writing her new book,  All things In One: Courageously Claiming Our Divine Destiny In Zion, or feeding the chickens,  you can usually find her forcing her family to watch old black-and-white movies with her, or rocking out to big band music.

This summer we're switching things up for a few weeks and offering you a series of meditations. Each week will feature a different meditation that relates to the Divine Mother, whether through symbol or guided experience. We hope that each meditation will bring you closer to Her and closer to peace and harmony within yourself. We kick off our "summer of meditations" with a Moon Meditation by Meg Rittmanic.

In this episode, Martin Pulido shares about his experience researching, publishing, and presenting his findings on the historical teachings on Heavenly Mother in the BYU Studies Article "A Mother There", referenced in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' Gospel Topics Essay "Mother in Heaven". He shares how he came to know his Heavenly Mother intellectually and on a personal, relational level. Martin discusses how he thinks boys and men benefit from gaining a knowledge of and relationship with their Mother God. He describes his work co-authoring A Boy's Guide to Heavenly Mother, and shares ways we can all better acknowledge and treasure the feminine half of deity. 

A Boy's Guide to Heavenly Mother: https://deseretbook.com/p/boys-guide-to-heavenly-mother?queryID=bfb943f3325eae24d6bf4aad78fe2617&variant_id=194660-hardcover

"A Mother There: A Survey of Historical Teachings about Mother in Heaven": https://byustudies.byu.edu/article/a-mother-there-a-survey-of-historical-teachings-about-mother-in-heaven/

Kate invites co-host of the Speak Up Sister Podcast, Jody Steurer to share her experiences finding the need for Heavenly Mother in her life.  They discuss how a Mother in Heaven influences our perception of ourselves, and how that can influence every relationship we have.  Jody expounds on her personal journey of finding her voice, and the process of learning to use it effectively. Whether you are learning to speak up in your marriage, at church, or anywhere else, Jody gives some wisdom and encouragement to help us all build bridges and greater partnership.

Find More Resources at https://speakupsister.net/ and check out their podcast wherever you listen. 

Amanda Lynn Blair joins Jessica Woodbury to discuss how the divine feminine has helped her rethink embodiment, sexuality, the connection between the sacred and profane and the concept of partnership as opposed to patriarchy. 

What can we learn of our divine destiny, and the character of our Heavenly Mother by studying the titles of Prophetess, Priestess, and Queen?  Aspen Moore is a lover of words, and has created an account on Instagram to share her studies of the Divine Feminine in the scriptures, along the schedule of Come, Follow Me.  Her journey to connect with Heavenly Mother started 9 years ago and she has channeled her thirst for understanding into seeing the stories of women in the scriptures and how they are archetypes for our Mother Goddess.

We discuss what it means to be a Prophetess, Priestess, and Queen both anciently and modernly and how Heavenly Mother is leading us into claiming these titles for ourselves.  Find more from Aspen @seeking.her.wisdom on Instagram.

*NOTE: We wanted to clarify that although in our discussion we identified Mary Magdalene as the one anointing Christ before his death, it is unclear which Mary was really the one to do so.  We still love this example of a woman using her Priestesshood to anoint the Savior and also that women were the first witnesses for his Resurrection as well. 

This week we continue our conversation with Mandy Green and dive into the book of Proverbs, exploring some of the key words associated with Heavenly Mother in the Scriptures. If you're studying Come, Follow Me this week, this will be a great enrichment to your study! 

Check out a sample lesson of Mandy's course Finding Heavenly Mother in Scripture here.  Also, connect with her on Instagram at @mandy.b.green and @reflectinglightpodcast 

Sara asks Katie Garner about her painting, "Mother to Mother." Katie tells about what inspired her to create the painting and describes the process of staging the photograph on which she based the painting. She discusses how creating "Mother to Mother" has influenced how she sees the world and others, and how it has shaped her view of herself in her motherhood. She also shares details about an exciting art show coming up this fall in Salt Lake City, with the theme, "Reflections on a Mother in Heaven."

Today Jess introduces the show's new guest co-host, Jessica Woodbury. Jessica W. shares her decade-long journey of seeking the feminine face of God. She recounts the experience that initially woke her up to what she had been missing her whole life; the lack of a relationship with God the Mother. Her experience receiving a personal call from the Divine is inspiring, and we're grateful it's brought her here to help us spread the love of Heavenly Mother through this podcast. The next several episodes to air will contain interviews Jessica W. will do with individuals about their personal encounters and journeys seeking the Feminine Divine. We look forward to having her as part of the In Her Image team! BYU Studies article "A Mother There": https://byustudies.byu.edu/article/a-mother-there-a-survey-of-historical-teachings-about-mother-in-heaven/ If you would like to share an experience on the podcast, please send us an email at inherimagepodcast@gmail.com or a message on Instagram to @inherimagepodcast.

Kathryn enlightens Jess on what led her to study landscape design and writing, and how a growing awareness of the feminine divine merged those two passions inspiring her poetry collection, The Tree at the Center. She describes some of the fruits of taking a more feminine path, and bestows words of wisdom for others just beginning, or anywhere along that path. Kathryn shares a few of her poems, and gives a glimpse into what her forthcoming book will be about.

We are so grateful to Aspen Moore, Rebecca Young, and Carol Robins for providing an inclusive version of the Book of Mormon. Here are some resources they shared during the interview and their Instagram information:

Heavenly Parents: An Inclusive Book of Mormon Reading

The easiest way to read it is on your phone through the Medium app or on your computer @ Medium.com

Those interested can download the Medium app on their phones which has a black background with a white capital M and 1/2 of a lowercase e.

They can also create a free account (scroll down to the bottom of the registration page to find the free option)

and follow Heavenly Parents Project which houses Heavenly Parents: An Inclusive Book of Mormon Reading

Additionally, here are a couple links to resources that have more information about Heavenly Mother from the LDS Church that we used during our discussion.

A Mother There - BYU Studies Article

A Mother in Heaven - Gospel Topics Essay

The Heavenly Parents Book of Mormon instagram page is @heavenly.parents.bom

Rebecca's instagram page is @our.heavenly.parents

Aspen's instagram page is @seeking.her.wisdom

Jolyn Laney joins Jess to discuss the difference in form, function, and permanence in the two different types of priesthood: hierarchical and familial/patriarchal. Of the hierarchical priesthood and its roles, President M. Russell Ballard taught, “Although the church plays a pivotal role in proclaiming, announcing, and administering the necessary ordinances of salvation and exaltation, all of that, as important as it is, is really just the scaffolding being used in an infinite and eternal construction project to build, support and strengthen the family. And just as scaffolding is eventually taken down and put away to reveal the final completed building, so too will the mortal, administrative functions of the church eventually fade as the eternal family comes into view. In that context, it’s important to remember that our church assignments are only temporary, and that at some point we will all be released either by our leaders or by death. But we will never be released from our eternal callings within the family.” -M. Russell Ballard

Moses 6:7 proclaims, "Now this same Priesthood, which was in the beginning, shall be in the end of the world also." Referring to this verse of scripture, Jolyn shares on her Instagram: "this Priesthood that is spoken of here, is the patriarchal order of the Priesthood. Entered into through marriage and held equally by woman and man. This Priesthood is what creates worlds by exalted women and men. This Priesthood is used by Kings and Queens, Priests and Priestesses. This Priesthood is what will be used and held in the eternities. This Priesthood is what we have now. Holding it. Accessing it. Using it. This is what will endure. This is the power used to govern, teach, exalt families. I just love pondering this patriarchal, familial priesthood and the possibilities when we step into our powers and privileges." 

Jolyn can be found on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.familial.priesthood/ and https://www.instagram.com/jolyn.laneyphoto/

J Kirk Richards is a LDS artist working in oil paints. He has painted over 2,300 works of art in 23 years and his work engages with themes of antiquity, religion, spirituality, equality, and love. His art is featured at Deseret book as well as found in the Girls' and Boys' guides to Heavenly Mother books. Since the beginning of his career as an artist, the feminine divine has been a popular theme for him. Kirk shares with us his beliefs about Heavenly Mother, how he connects with Her and how God works through him as he paints. We discuss the attributes he feels he has gained from both the women in his life and from our Mother God, particularly that of listening with empathy, yearning and working for equality and loving without judgement.

There are many ways to follow Kirk's work including his instagram page @jkirkrichards. You can visit his art galleries and various shows throughout the year, as well as his art academy with both in person and virtual options.

In this episode, Jess speaks with Luann Purnell, who has had special experiences and a growing connection with Heavenly Mother. Luann shares how she was inspired through artwork and dreams to seek Mother God, and relates how Mother helped her in a vulnerable time. She discusses how finding the female half of God helps people embrace their own identities, and expand in love and understanding for others and their journeys. Luann testifies that one of Heavenly Mother's great roles is to relieve the oppressed. 

Welcome back to our new season of In Her Image. Today we will review scriptures about Heavenly Mother in the Old Testament and other historical Hebrew texts. We will also say goodby to Kate as she is leaving the podcast for maternity leave and getting to know Meg Rittmanic as a new podcast host.

These Translations are taken from The Divine Feminine in Biblical Wisdom Literature: Selections Annotated & Explained (SkyLight Illuminations)

https://www.amazon.com/Divine-Feminine-Biblical-Wisdom-Literature/dp/1594731098

Samantha Beach is a writer, musician, Clinical Social Worker, Wife, Mother and long time friend of Kate's.  It was a treat to chat with her about the impact that understanding our divine worth will have on our confidence before God and others. 

We discussed the idea that no matter where you go, because you are a child of Heavenly Parents, They are always with you.  Divinity is in your DNA.  Your connection with God cannot be measured by anyone else, and your light can never be taken away.  To begin to believe these things opens up an entirely different view of self, and can also come with even more decostruction fallout.  

Find more of Samantha's words of wisdom on Instagram at @samanthabeach.writes 

Picking up where she left off two episodes prior, author and birth worker Pam England shares the second half of Inanna's story: her ascent back up from the underworld. We finally learn how Inanna, Queen of heaven and archetypal warrior, goes from dead and decaying in the pit of the underworld to ascending with new wings into her new, fuller reality. Pam, with extensive wisdom gained through her own initiation years ago and subsequent midwifing of others along the path, adds valuable insight into how we can find our way in our present transformations.

Next week, in our final installment of this series on Inanna's story, we will further explore possible applications and gems from the epic tale.

Love, Jess and Meg

“For me, I learned about the existence of Heavenly Mother at a relatively young age through experiencing the death of my older brother, Landon. This was a pivotal moment in my life and I actually didn't even know that I was seeking Her out. But ever since then, I've known I have not only a Heavenly Father, but a Heavenly Mother too. That conviction has stayed firm ever since.” - Regan Stewart

Jill Opdahl shares her experience of overcoming a 20 year battle with depression that involved understanding her true nature through Heavenly Mother. She is currently studying to become a mental health therapist and shares her insights on Mother God through instagram at @thefeminine.divine

Partly because the current cannon of scriptures are comprised of the testimonies of men, about a male God, to an audience of men; Jill is currently working on a project to collect the experiences and testimonies of Heavenly Mother. Our stories and faith in Mother God can and do strengthen one another and this compilation will someday be a treasure on your bookshelf! If you'd like to contribute or share your experience and testimony in writing, see the linktree on Jill's Instagram page or email her at jillsyourfave@gmail.com

After reading the book The Ghost of Eternal Polygamy this year we knew we needed to address this topic and how it relates to the erasure of a Heavenly Mother in the LDS discourse. We were so pleased and lucky to be able to discuss it with the author herself and get her stories and background. We encourage everyone to read this book for themselves either to understand the pain of others or to feel validation for their own experiences and release the ghost from their psyches.

We hope to someday eradicate the common response that "maybe we don't talk about Heavenly Mother because there are so many of them!"

To find this book as well as Carol Lynn's newest book The Love Map you can go to carollynnpearson.com or Amazon.com

Valerie Hamaker is a relationship therapist with advanced training in trauma recovery, sexual health, and family systems work. She runs a private practice in Kansas City, Missouri and speaks locally and nationally on a wide variety of topics.  She is the host of two podcasts, Generation Xausted and the Latter Day Struggles Podcast which is currently growing at an exponential rate due to the large number of Latter Day Saints going through faith and trust crisis.  Valerie has found her calling in reaching out to those struggling with their faith of origin and giving an honest and expansive perspective for those seeking to stay, and stay in their integrity.

Kate and Valerie discuss psychological agency and spiritual progression.  Kate asks Valerie for help understanding the common fear response to seeking Heavenly Mother and making Her part of our worship.  Valerie shares some of her ideas for why fear comes up in the institution and among our friends and family, as well as advice for responding in these situations. 

Check out Latter-Day Struggles Podcast on instagram @latterdaystrugglespodcast and on Apple and Spotify. 

 We think you'll like Episode 33. Stages of Faith Development, Why we are stuck, How to get Unstuck. 

 As well as Episode 9.  How Does Ignoring the Divine Feminine Hurt Us?

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/latter-day-struggles/id1612326898

In this weeks' episode, Kate interviews Natalie Nazer Cosby, Kira Woodfield Leeper, and Jess Burdette about an event they are putting on in April 2023 centering the Divine Feminine in the Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas area. From the group's page: "Our mission is to facilitate finding the common threads of feminine divinity throughout time and culture through sharing traditions, art, conversation, and community. We aim to empower everyone to explore their own divinity through an inclusive exploration of The Feminine Divine." Natalie, Kira, and Jess share details of the event, their why, and the scope of various religions and traditions that will be represented through artwork, poetry, dance, and lectures. 

We look forward to this celebration, and invite all to participate whether through physical attendance, submitting poetry to be read at the event, or donating/volunteering. 

Reserve your free tickets to the event here:  https://tinyurl.com/bdfpwawz

Class descriptions and presenter bios: https://www.nataliejeanneart.com/bios

Event schedule: https://tinyurl.com/bd955ry2

General info, including art and poetry submission details: https://www.nataliejeanneart.com/dfwdivinefeminineevent

In this episode of the In Her Image podcast, Jess Burdette, Jessica Woodbury, and Meg Rittmanic come together to discuss their personal journeys, the importance of community, and the launch of their Patreon. They share their experiences with the podcast, the significance of celebrating the divine feminine, and the various ways listeners can engage with the show. The conversation emphasizes the value of connection, support, and the collective journey of understanding Heavenly Mother.

Join us on Patreon: patreon.com/InHerImagePodcast

Make a One-Time Donation to the Show: https://venmo.com/u/JessBurdette

(Include that it’s for the podcast in the notes!)

Keywords

In Her Image, Heavenly Mother, podcast, community, Patreon, divine feminine, motherhood, women empowerment, spirituality, personal journeys

Happy Mother's Day!

The sacrament meeting talk you wish you heard on Mother's Day.

Kelli Dougal is on Instagram as pocketfulofkelli and her poetry book can be found at https://amzn.to/4aeHIC5

In this engaging conversation, Meg Rittmanic and Amy Sedgwick explore the themes of Easter, Holy Week, and the significance of feminine symbolism in Christianity from a more feminine lens. They discuss the beauty of spring as a time of renewal and rebirth, as well as the sacredness of liminal spaces and death. The conversation delves into the role of Mary Magdalene, the symbolism of the cross, and the Divine Feminine. Amy shares a beautiful campfire-style story of Holy Week from the perspective of Mary Magdalene. Meg and Amy reflect on personal experiences with Lent and Easter and reflect on the importance of creating meaningful celebrations that connect with spiritual traditions going forward.

Amy Sedgwick is a multi-generational Latter-day Saint woman, fertility awareness mentor, massage therapist, yoga teacher, and the creator of the Embracing Sacred Cycles podcast. Amy has spent over two decades navigating her own fertility journey, which led her not only to deep healing but also to a spiritual awakening she calls her “faith expansion.” Through her work, Amy helps women reconnect with their bodies, their cycles, and the Divine, weaving together wisdom from her Mormon roots and sacred feminine traditions around the world. https://podcasts.apple.com/nz/podcast/embracing-sacred-cycles-a-latter-day-fertility-podcast/id1773097600

Amons' Adventure: a Family Story for Easter

https://a.co/d/fdpnfYf

Christ Centered Easter by Emily Bell Freeman

https://a.co/d/5E41VBb

https://www.etsy.com/market/emily_belle_freeman_easter

This Holy Week, Amy Sedgwick has created a special episode that weaves together what she’s learned from studying Holy Week through the lens of high church traditions—like Catholic, Anglican, and Eastern Orthodox practices—and combines it with her own sacred re-story-ation of Holy Week told from the perspective of Miriam of Magdala, or Mary Magdalene.

This episode is a deeply reflective offering—rich in feminine symbolism, ancient scripture, apocryphal texts, and expansive Latter-day Saint theology. Amy invites us to see Holy Week not just through the lens of Christ’s suffering, but through the eyes of the women who were there—and to reclaim the often-overlooked role of Mary Magdalene in the passion, death, and resurrection of Christ. It’s a poetic and reverent journey that brings us closer to the Divine Mother, the Tree of Life, and the sacred union of Heavenly Parents.

After discovering Heavenly Mother through Instagram over one year ago, teacher and writer Monica Alvarado's spiritual life has been transformed.  Monica's connection with the Divine Mother shines through her IG account @her_mighty_works where she expounds on the scriptures and unveils feminine wisdom in some of the Bible's oldest stories.  We loved hearing how she steps into the darkness, seeing it as a womb space, and welcomes the metamorphosis of new birth.  She taught us to seek to learn what messages pain has for us, and that the process of healing is liberation for you and all humanity. 

We hope you gain as much courage and light as we did as you listen. 

Marianne Paventy shares how the In Her Image podcast helped inspire her recently published book of poems titled Walk in Wisdom’s Paths.

Join Meg Rittmanic in this expansive interview with Meghan Farner about the Divinely Feminine role in covenants and ordinances.

Sign up for notifications for Meghan’s book “Consider Yourself As Eve: A Guide to Spiritual Development for Women (and the Men Who Love Them)” to be published November 2024:

https://share.hsforms.com/1XDjgKqfITm2OpCLDKvrLpQe860f

Meg’s favorite episodes of Latter-day Disciples podcast:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep-93-mothers-feminism-and-priestesshood-with/id1598827209?i=1000632454519

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep-127-the-law-of-the-gospel-a-new-view/id1598827209?i=1000660937877

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep-83-ancient-egypt-and-seeking-truth-with-jared-rubalcaba/id1598827209?i=1000624538616

Shadow work podcast links:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/in-her-image-finding-heavenly-mother-in-scripture-scholarship/id1566494543?i=1000659941361

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/in-her-image-finding-heavenly-mother-in-scripture-scholarship/id1566494543?i=1000642368934

Hold on for the continuation of last weeks conversation with David Butler about Temple literature and the Divine Feminine being the center of Temple literature. Last week we talked about so many beautiful things and we’re just going to continue that conversation now. One of the most important things that you will learn from this conversation is when it comes to the most sacred things, they’re often coded in the text that are hard to identify, Until you understand the language, and then when you understand the language. You’ll have eyes to see and ears to hear. You’re going to get more keys to unlock the doors of understanding today as you listen. I hope you can enjoy it as much as I did.

In this episode, Jess reads "Nephi and His Asherah" by Daniel C. Peterson.

Abstract

Asherah was the chief goddess of the Canaanites. She was El’s wife and the mother and wet nurse of the other gods. At least some Israelites worshipped her over a period from the conquest of Canaan in the second millennium before Christ to the fall of Jerusalem in 586 BC (the time of Lehi’s departure with his family). Asherah was associated with trees—sacred trees. The rabbinic authors of the Jewish Mishna (second–third century ad) explain the asherah as a tree that was worshipped. In 1 Nephi 11, Nephi considers the meaning of the tree of life as he sees it in vision. In answer, he receives a vision of “a virgin, . . . the mother of the Son of God, after the manner of the flesh.” The answer to his question about the meaning of the tree lies in the virgin mother with her child. The virgin is the tree in some sense and Nephi accepted this as an answer to his question. As an Israelite living at the end of the seventh century and during the early sixth century before Christ, he recognized an answer to his question about a marvelous tree in the otherwise unexplained image of a virginal mother and her divine child—not that what he saw and how he interpreted those things were perfectly obvious. What he “read” from the symbolic vision was culturally colored. Nephi’s vision reflects a meaning of the “sacred tree” that is unique to the ancient Near East. Asherah is also associated with biblical wisdom literature. Wisdom, a female, appears as the wife of God and represents life.

Peterson, Daniel C. (2000) "Nephi and His Asherah," Journal of Book of Mormon Studies: Vol. 9: No. 2, Article 4.
Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/jbms/vol9/iss2/4

Is change possible inside of the organization of the church? If so how? Luann and Meg talk about what it will take for change to happen; and the part that woman can play in the future of the church.  Hint the solution to the problem was actually prophesied by Isiah, Luke and modern day prophets. Listen to the end to hear what they say, it might just surprise you. 

In this episode, Jess interviews Meagan Bigger about her experiences connecting with and sharing Heavenly Mother with her daughters and at church. Meagan's enthusiasm for speaking about Heavenly Mother is infectious. She inspires us to discuss more freely our divine feminine deity, and to continue shouldering the "beautiful burden" of bringing Her more into the light. 

Natalie describes her journey creating artwork of Heavenly Mother and how she was lead to depict Her. She shares her poem "Peeking Through Her Veil", the artist statement she wrote to go along with her corresponding painting. Natalie and Jess discuss the symbolism of veils. Natalie shares another powerful poem, yet unnamed, describing her experience being loved and nourished by our Mother. Natalie's artwork can be found at https://www.nataliejeanneart.com and on Intagram @nataliejeanneart. 

In this episode, Sara interviews Ariel Finlinson, host of Ladies Talking Love. Ariel's passion is helping women find joy and fulfillment in sex... and her journey to hosting a podcast on the topic started when the young women she taught asked questions about Heavenly Mother! Ariel walks us through her journey of coming to understand her place in gathering Israel, and how that is intimately tied up in understanding women's priesthood power, coming to know Heavenly Mother, and teaching women about their sexuality.

Email us at inherimagepodcast@gmail.com

Find us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/inherimagepodcast/

RSVP to the Divine Feminine interfaith event in Dallas/Fort Worth at https://www.nataliejeanneart.com/dfwdivinefeminineevent

Have a wonderful Holiday season!

This presentation was given at the DFW Divine Feminine Conference on April 22, 2023 by Jared Rubalcaba. For more information regarding upcoming tours with Professor Rubalcaba, go to https://www.forbiddenadventure.com

For his online Esoteric Egypt Vol 1 course go to https://projectillumination.thinkific... use code: ladyoflife for 50% off

With Thanksgiving and Christmas coming up, we'll be taking a break from publishing new episodes of In Her Image until January 2022. Take this time to go back and listen to episodes you missed or re-listen to your favorites! If you have ideas for podcast episodes or would like to be a guest on the podcast, send us an email to inherimagepodcast@gmail.com! Happy Holidays!

Ashli Carnicelli and Trina Caudle, curators of the newest book Cherish: The Joy of our Heavenly Mother, join me for a discussion on what inspired the book and the process and joy of compiling it.

This book was created with LDS women and men in mind, to help us all put our love into action and demonstrate the broad and holy relationship we can have with our Heavenly Mother.

You can order the book now on Amazon here. And follow/ share on instagram @cherisheddoctrine

Angie shares the behind-the-scenes of writing and producing her song "A Mother There". She articulates how the song was inspired, what the lyrics mean to her, and her vision behind creating the music video. The art piece referenced near the end of the episode is "In Her Image" by Amber Eldredge. It can be found at https://thecoloramber.me. Subscribe to Angie Killian on YouTube for more of her beautiful music, and visit https://www.angiekillian.com to purchase her songs and sheet music!

Where is Heavenly Mother in the Temple, or where should we find Her in the Temple? Join me and David Butler as we break into temple literature and how understanding hebrew can give you keys to understanding more about the Divine Feminine. Dave takes the position that the Book of Mormon is an ancient document and also that the Book of Mormon is a work of temple literature. The Nephite prophets were members of an esoteric lineage that wrote for an audience that they expected to possess eyes to see and ears to hear, and the intended way to understand the meaning of their writings is to read through the lens of our own temple experience. He embodied his early thoughts in this vein in a pair of short books, Plain and Precious Things and The Goodness and the Mysteries, both self-published under the pen name D. John Butler. More recently, he published In the Language of Adam.

https://a.co/d/fF7Fc8a

https://a.co/d/fF7Fc8a

https://a.co/d/491VwfE

We welcome back Intuition Coach Emily Carolynn Baker for a discussion on the intangible world of energetics.  As the wisdom of the feminine rises within the world and within the church, each of us have the opportunity to rise with it.  Emily explains what masculine and feminine energies look like WITHIN each one of us, and how structure combined with intuition and exploration provide the opportunity for a rise.  This rise can manifest as more love, more faith, more light and knowledge, more peace, more community and healing.  

While the benefits of the rise are hopeful, the process does not always feel smooth or easy.  Emily helps us to navigate the staircase model and have compassion for the struggle within ourselves and within others as we embrace the power of the feminine and seek the Divine Feminine (or our Mother God). 

Examples include in the workplace, church, relationships, and general conference.

For more help from Emily in navigating the Feminine Rise, follow her Instagram @i.am.emily.carolynn.baker AND check out her new 3 month group program at emilycarolynnbaker.com, enrollment starts this week (4/3/22).  Simply mention the In Her Image Podcast in your application for a $500 discount. 

Krystal Barnes is a Family Life Educator, Singer/Songwriter, and Mother of boys.  She shares with Jess about "the Mother wound", and tells her own story of finding Heavenly Mother and how she has shared Her with others.  Krystal also gives us a peak into some of her letters written to leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

You can hear more from Krystal at @myheavenlymother on Instagram

Join Meg Rittmanic in an engaging conversation with Dave Butler and Jocelyn Henderson Pederson as we discuss the parable of the vineyard and how this story gives us the tools to restoring truth about the divine feminine and also warns us about corruption. How has the Divine Feminine been corrupted throughout history and how can we avoid repeating historical mistakes. How do we move forward in the great restoration of truth around Heavenly Mother.

Kate and Jess discuss prophetic quotes about women's role in influencing the Church and the world around us.  They share some of their feelings and insights from Sharon Eubanks' 2017 talk "Turn On Your Light."

In a tumultuous world we may feel powerless and insignificant. However our words, our faithful intentions and our connection to God can truly make a difference.  

Kate and Jess explain their efforts to invite the women leaders of the Church to ask questions that inspire revelation about our Heavenly Mother.  For more information and instructions on their letter writing campaign, see this Google Doc---> Letters For Our Mother  

You can also check out our new Instagram page @inherimagepodcast 

In response to some messages from listeners and friends concerning staying "positive and hopeful" rather than angry, Kate invites Jill Freestone for a discussion on emotions, particularly anger and how we can make sense of it.  Jill is a certified life coach whose focus is on helping teens and adults handle anxiety and big emotions. Jill has an incredible heart and capacity for compassion and curiosity--and she says part of that has come from healing her relationship with anger.

We're so happy that many of you have found our podcast to be upbeat and positive, and we want you to know that this project was born (by Jess and Sarah and now me) out of anger and disappointment that there has been such an unnecessary taboo on Heavenly Mother.  Anger is a gift that gives important messages, and as we learn to move through it and with it, the result can be a push forward in a positive direction.  We hope that you enjoy this sacred conversation and that you'll share it with those you love.

Please check out @Jillfreestonecoaching on Instagram for more from Jill.  

And lastly, please forgive the audio quality-- some parts are a bit choppy because I had a little technical difficulty during recording. 

Jess and Kate interview Alynne Scirkovich, research extraordinaire on all things Eve and Heavenly Mother. In this conversation, Alynne dives into her discoveries from the scriptures, extra-canonical texts, and personal revelation on the parallels between the women protagonists that begin each portion of the Bible-- Eve in the Old Testament, and Mary in the New. She provides insight into how we can learn about the  Divine Mother through these women's examples, which in turn inspires introspection on how one can better embody these feminine qualities of unabashed faithfulness and sovereignty. 

Wanting more from Alynne? Check out her online course "Our Glorious Mother Eve" at https://ourmothereve-s-school.thinkific.com/courses/glorious-mother-eve

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Susan Madsen to discuss the role of women in leadership within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and how recognizing Heavenly Mother could transform the Church's culture and leadership structures. Susan shares her insights on gender equality in religious and community contexts, offering practical suggestions for how integrating the divine feminine into worship and doctrine could empower both women and men. Join us for a thought-provoking conversation about the future of leadership in the LDS Church.

Susan R. Madsens main website:

https://susanrmadsen.com/index

Unleashing Sister Saints Podcast:

https://open.spotify.com/show/1EDz9mIXhDotTyhEZzp0as?si=AVEyuFUgSTKc0Moi-UjxFw

Utah Women and Leadership Podcast

https://open.spotify.com/show/6S9DnvzcpGLHgPxvqQrqZ7?si=Sc3x3OhJQaWMuvshE3__bw

A Bolder Way Forward website:

https://www.usu.edu/uwlp/a-bolder-way-forward/overview

The primary aim of A Bolder Way Forward is to help more Utah women and girls thrive. Utah women and girls thrive when all aspects of their safety, security, health, and wellbeing are met, allowing them to explore and pursue educational, professional, civic, leadership, and other opportunities according to their interests, and to feel abundant levels of support and a sense of belonging as they do so.

A Future Only God Can See for You: a Guide for Teen and Young Adult Women on Preparing to Lead

https://a.co/d/4qlwtU5

Instagram accounts:

Her main Instagram page

@susanrmadsen

Unleashing Sister Saints

@unleashingsistersaints

A Bolder Way Forward

@bwfutah

Utah Women and Leadership Project

@utwomenleaders

In this episode of the In Her Image podcast, host Jessica Woodbury welcomes back Rebecca Young to discuss her journey of connecting with Heavenly Mother. They explore themes of grief, community, and the transformative power of the divine feminine. Rebecca shares her personal experiences, including pivotal moments that deepened her understanding of Heavenly Mother, the impact of loss on her spiritual journey, and the importance of creating supportive spaces for women. The conversation highlights the significance of prayer, nature, and intuition in fostering a deeper connection with the divine, as well as the challenges of navigating patriarchal structures within religious institutions. Ultimately, Rebecca emphasizes the joy and growth that can arise from embracing both sorrow and beauty in life.

Keywords:

Heavenly Mother, Divine Feminine, Spiritual Journey, Community, Grief, Connection, Prayer, Nature, Women Empowerment, Personal Growth

Emily Baker talks with Sara about her journey of being found by Heavenly Mother. She tells her story of following God's plan for her life, even though it was very different than what she'd intended, and coming to better know her Heavenly Parents and Savior along the way.

Tara Williams shares her experience of coming to really KNOW Heavenly Father, Heavenly Mother, and the Savior. She explains that anything divine requires emptying ourselves of any distortion and pain that may get in the way of those relationships. Tara’s greatest desire is to be one with Them, and to be changed by Them and do good in this world. But, for her take the next steps in her spiritual maturation she had to face her shadow. Tara and Meg discuss the importance of this spiritual shadow work and its connection to the divinely feminine path.

Dan is a scripture translation supervisor for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and BYU adjunct instructor. His education in Biblical Hebrew, Classical Greek, and biblical studies along with his passion for excavating the scriptures to find ancient truths made for an incredible conversation in this episode. He discusses how he came to work in the scripture translation department, the ancient history of Ashera the consort of El, and how he deals with dissonance, among other things. We know you'll be fascinated and inspired by the wisdom and expertise he brings to the table.

For more from Dan, search Daniel O. McClellan online for his published works, and find him on Instagram and TikTok as @maklelan.

Friends and co-editors McArthur Krishna and Bethany Brady Spalding join the podcast today to introduce their new ebook “In the Image of our Heavenly Parents: A Couple’s Guide to Creating a More Divine Marriage”. The purpose of the book is to create "more vibrant, thriving, equal partnerships", as Bethany puts it. They share the 12 principles included in the guide book that couples can work on throughout the year to model their marriages more closely on our Heavenly Parents’. They discuss why they saw a need for such a workbook and how they envision it being used in marriages. They share how the principles in the book have blessed their own marriages, and how they hope these principles will change not only the couples who put them into practice, but also the world at large. 

The book is available here: https://dstreetpress.myshopify.com/products/a-couples-guide-to-creating-a-more-divine-marriage 

Several respected therapists contributed to the guide book: Dr. Jennifer Finlayson-Fife, Dr. Julie Hanks, Dr. Ty Mansfield, Geoff Steurer, LMFT & Jody Steurer. It is illustrated by artist and graphic designer Ben Crowder.

Julie Dean Richards is a Wife, Mother-of-three, doula, herbalist, astrologer, numerologist, attorney, and the Co-Founder of Feminine Alychemst: School of the Deep Feminine. She is also the co-host of the podcast "Feminine Alchemy". Before completing her doctorate degree in law,  Julie worked in research for 7 years.  She consulted high-touch clients such as Harvard, Yale, Standford, and Google on creating and completing peer reviewed and other research projects. She has lived in 3 countries and speaks 5 languages. Julie has always been deeply spiritual; a follower of Christ and interested in the divine feminine, the quantum field, spirituality, and esoteric topics. She is an advocate for bodily autonomy including home and free birth. Julie balances logic and wisdom by combining nature's rhythms, modern astrology, science, and law to help her clients realize their greatest potential. 

Links:
Connecting to the Divine Feminine Guide:

https://www.femininealchemyst.com/divine-feminine-guide

School: https://www.femininealchemyst.com/

Podcast: https://femininealchemy.buzzsprout.com/1835081

Website: https://astrologicalattorney.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/astrologicalattorney?igsh=MTJ4dTZrYmhrN2d5bw==

Jess and Kate talk about the Other Half of God... Her Eternal Partner, our Heavenly Father. They discuss how seeking the Mother for the last few years has affected their relationship with the Father, how their faith in Him has shifted, and how He has responded to prayers regarding His perfect match. They share how seeking both members of the coupled God has influenced the way they see themselves and their own partnerships. Kate shares some key questions she received while contemplating these things... and invites all to reflect on the Divine Partnership in perhaps a new way for the first time. 

Happy Father's Day! The In Her Image podcast will be back with more episodes in August 2022. 

Carol Lynn Pearson graces us on the podcast for the second week in a row to read a section from her book The Ghost of Eternal Polygamy: Haunting the Hearts and Heaven of Mormon Women and Men. She shares chapter 8, titled "Our Mothers Who Art in Heaven".

In this episode, Jess Burdette reads Dr. Val Larsen's article "First Visions and Last Sermons: Affirming Divine Sociality, Rejecting the Greater Apostasy". In it, Dr. Larsen discusses the scrubbing of the Divine Mother from the church's canonical texts, why She was erased (and how we can find Her there still), and how Her restoration is a pivotal piece in our ongoing restoration.  https://journal.interpreterfoundation.org/first-visions-and-last-sermons-affirming-divine-sociality-rejecting-the-greater-apostasy/

Meg Rittmanic and Gwendolyn Wyne discuss the the Matrimonial order being the highest order of God and how we can join our Heavenly Parents in the divine order of partnership.

Gwendolyn Stevens Wyne is a former librarian who now writes about women's opportunities and responsibilities in theology and culture. Links to her writings about women’s opportunities and responsibilities in theology and culture, as well as butterfly conservation efforts, are found at

https://gwendolynwyne.com/

She also makes youtube content that address polygamy

https://www.youtube.com/@gwendolynwyne

This week, Esther Hi’ilani Candari joins Jess in discussing representation in artwork and her personal journey of seeking and depicting Heavenly Mother. In this discussion, Esther shares of her mixed Asian American family and rich multicultural upbringing in Hawai’i. Pulling from the beautiful influence of Polynesian symbolism and ideology, she explains her painting titled “Makua.” She also describes the details of “She Who Shall Become,” and the months of research into ancient Ethiopian and Egyptian cultures that inform the piece. Emphasizing the importance of using our abilities to serve underprivileged peoples, Esther explains why she strives to depict women and diversity with her brush. Join Esther as she recounts to Jess the hope she has found since difficulties during and post-missionary service for the Church. She shares how embracing the theology of a Mother in Heaven has the potential to not only improve her own experience, but the lives of all humankind. Esther is on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/hiilanifinearts Her piece "Makua" is featured in A Girl's Guide to Heavenly Mother, sold at Deseret Book and https://bit.ly/qnoorgirlsguide

How might a transgender or gender fluid individual feel about Heavenly Mother? The idealization of God as a deified, cishet couple may not be accessible or comforting for everyone. Additionally, could this doctrine be weaponized against our LGBTQIA+ siblings? In Her Image hosts, Jess and Kate, acknowledge that their personal experience with Heavenly Mother is going to be different than those who hold a variety of marginalized identities. In an effort to edify and increase understanding, they invite Arawn Billings (they/he) to share his perspective. As a trans individual, Arawn engages with the doctrine of Heavenly Mother in a unique and beautiful way. Jess and Kate’s eyes are opened to the bittersweet duality of  the application of this doctrine. Arawn shares about the art and writings he has created as a result of his search for the goddess, as well as their vision for the future of the church. Ultimately, he hopes for a proactive examination of underlying bias, a rejection of social dogma, and the creation of a truly inclusive safe haven for all of God’s children. Arawn is on Instagram at @artbyarawn. His art and blog posts can be found here: https://artbyarawn.weebly.com

Carol Lynn Pearson has been a pioneer in finding Mother God and inspiring others to do so for decades. In this episode, Sara asks about her journey writing and performing her one-woman play Mother Wove the Morning in the late 80’s and 90’s, and about her more recent publication, Finding Mother God, a book of poetry published in 2020. Carol Lynn recites some of her favorite poems from that book with all the eloquence and bravado of a stage performer, yet the sincerity and humility of a true seeker. She offers encouragement for others hoping to find and share about Heavenly Mother, urging us not to be afraid to use our voices and step outside the lines to make our desires known for greater church-wide recognition of the female half of God.

Visit https://carollynnpearson.com to find Carol Lynn's works, including Mother Wove the Morning in video format and Finding Mother God (autographed!) 

Sara is on Instagram as @my.mother.is.the.queen, and her co-host Jess is on Instagram as @her.scriptures.

In this special pre-Christmas episode, host Jessica Woodbury welcomes artist Brittany Nguyen to discuss her spiritual journey and artistic exploration of Heavenly Mother. Brittany shares the inspiration behind her breathtaking painting Entrusted, which depicts Mary, Baby Jesus, and a divine, loving Heavenly Mother blessing them. The conversation delves into Brittany's personal experiences as a mother, her awakening to Heavenly Mother, and how she channels her faith and creativity into her art. Brittany also introduces her children’s coloring book about Heavenly Parents and reflects on how her relationship with Heavenly Mother has influenced her as a woman, mother, and artist. This heartfelt discussion invites listeners to celebrate the season with a renewed perspective on divine love and family.

Connect with Brittany Nguyen:

• https://www.instagram.com/brittanynguyenart
• Etsy shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/BrittanyNguyenArt
• Purchase Brittany's coloring book on Amazon: https://a.co/d/9hErM2b.

Follow In Her Image:

• Patreon: https://patreon.com/InHerImagePodcast
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/inherimagepodcast

In this episode, Jess tells the story of Asenath and her husband Joseph. Joseph is a well-known character in the Bible, but much less is known or said about the young Egyptian daughter of a priest he falls in love with. The apocryphal text, "Joseph and Asenath", tells the story of Asenath's conversion and subsequent marriage. Her story includes a week of extreme penitence, a visit from an angel, her receiving a new name, and a miraculous encounter with honeybees. The entire translated text, which dates back to the first centruy AD, can be found at https://archive.org/stream/josephasenathcon00broo/josephasenathcon00broo_djvu.txt

Following this rendition of Asenath's story, Jess shares about an exciting new music project spearheaded by producer Kristina Bishoff (who made the music you hear on this podcast)! DIVINE is the first collection of music about Heavenly Parents and our divine potential. The goal is to release a new song every month starting in May 2024. To help make this dream a reality, and gain access to these incredible songs and other gifts, visit https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/kristinaabishoff/divine

Join Jessica Woodbury in this conversation with Crystal Haitsma, a parenting and intuition coach whose discovery of the Divine Feminine unlocked a whole new level of connection not only with her kids, but also with herself. Dive into the possibilities of knowing our Heavenly Parents more fully as we come to release shame and know and love OURSELVES more fully. Connection, intuition, radical self-love; the things we want for our own children/loved ones are the exact things our Mother Goddess surely wants for us.

Find Crystal at her website: www.coachcrystal.ca 

Podcast: www.coachcrystal.ca/blog 

Instagram: www.instagram.com/the_intuitivecoach 

Re-parenting retreats: www.coachcrystal.ca/the-retreat (With one coming this fall!)

In this enlightening episode of In Her Image, host Jessica Woodbury dives into a profound conversation with Bethany Brady Spalding and McArthur Krishna about the role of Heavenly Mother in Latter-day Saint theology and the deep, often overlooked, impact of acknowledging Her in doctrine and personal worship. They discuss the disconnect between church teachings and member practices, and how integrating a more holistic view of Heavenly Parents can transform personal spirituality and church culture. With inspiring personal stories, Bethany and MacArthur share their experiences of bringing Heavenly Mother into daily life and teaching. They explore how recognizing Her role affirms the divine potential of women, fosters equal partnership in marriage, and supports a nurturing model of spiritual sovereignty. This episode invites listeners to rediscover and cherish the expansive nature of the Divine Feminine and consider the ways it can bring balance, healing, and joy to their faith journeys.

McArthur and Bethany’s article “Why Heavenly Mother is Essential for Women Understanding their Eternal Destiny”: https://squaretwo.org/Sq2ArticleKrishnaSpaldingEternalDestiny.html#:~:text=If%20the%20theology%20of%20Heavenly%20Mother%20is%20embraced,show%20them%20a%20glorious%20vision%20for%20their%20future

Kayla (@k_thought_nuggets on Instagram) shares how she has found Heavenly Mother in singing, in the stars, and even in spiders. She relates her journey coming to hunger for more knowledge about the Queen of Heaven, remembering back to her childhood fascination with ancient goddesses in mythology, a study she has since reignited. 

In this episode, we refer to a few different resources that have been illuminating for Kayla (and Jess): 

Valerie Hudson's Two Trees article https://latterdaysaintmag.com/article-1-12563/

Sharing Heavenly Mother Panel Discussions on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=sharing+heavenly+mother

Jess also mentions Faith Matters' podcast episode 82. The Future of Women at Church, which Sara and Jess highly recommend. 

In Her Image co-hosts Jess and Sara are on Instagram as @her.scriptures (Jess) and @my.mother.is.the.queen (Sara).

Happy birthday to the Relief Society! Shelbey Neil takes us on a journey through her research of 2 decades of discourses by Eliza R. Snow. She shares quotes both powerful and spicy from the early, semi-official church publication The Women's Exponent. Shelbey discusses how the Relief Society organization has changed since its inception and shares her vision for its future.  Follow Shelbey on Instagram @ldschangemakers for ideas (within church policy) on how to increase gender equality in the church. Resources:  Eliza R. Snow's public discourses, Emmeline B. Wells diaries, and other writings: churchhistorianspress.org "The Historical Relationship of Mormon Women and Priesthood" by Linda K. Newell: https://www.dialoguejournal.com/wp-content/uploads/sbi/articles/Dialogue_V18N03_23.pdf  Relief Society Healing by Anthony Sweat: https://anthonysweat.com/relief-society-healing/

In this episode Jess leads a short guided meditation to help you reconnect with your core; your essence. Relax and enjoy.

Continuing the conversation from the last episode #123, Jessica Woodbury interviews artists turned curators and art exhibition co-founders Laura Erekson and Nicole Woodbury. They have been putting on the Certain Women Art show in Utah for the past 5 years. In today's half of the conversation, Laura and Nicole share how they came to the themes for the more recent Certain Women installment. They discuss their own pieces from the current show and share their journeys with coming to know Heavenly Mother for themselves. Each of their powerful witnesses of Her comes through their artwork and their words here in this podcast.

The current Certain Women exhibition can be seen until June 7th at the JKR gallery in Provo, Utah. The theme is "The Measure of Her Creation".

The artwork from the 2021 exhibit "Reflections on a Mother in Heaven" has been published in this beautiful book: https://a.co/d/5qNRBsC

Today’s episode is with Bethany Brady Spalding, co-author of the bestselling Girls Who Choose God series and the Guide Books to Heavenly Mother. In this episode, she tells Sara how each of her children’s books came to be. Originally inspired by an inquisitive 3 year old, these books portray a healthy balance in the male and female divine. The purposeful order and progression of the books, culminating in the Girl’s and Boy’s Guides to Heavenly Mother, is absolutely fascinating to hear spelled out. Bethany shares her wisdom with fellow pioneers blazing the trail in uncovering Heavenly Mother, inspiring persistence and faith in positive changes to come.

As we mentioned in episode 28 with Bethany’s co-author McArthur Krishna, A GIrl’s Guide for Heavenly Mother and A Boy’s Guide to Heavenly Mother are now being sold through Deseret Book! If you, like us, appreciate these books being carried by a church-owned bookstore, please send an email to Deseret Book retailbuying@deseretbook.com letting them know.

Unfortunately, the article Bethany mentions that she wrote for Exponent II about her daughter's entrance into young womanhood is not accessible without a subscription, but we hope the ideas she shares here help spark your own meaningful rituals and traditions.

Bethany's children's books can be found at Deseret Book through the following links:

A Girl's Guide to Heavenly Mother

https://deseretbook.com/p/girls-guide-to-heavenly-mother?queryID=4044744900145169cc4429b8b0864511&variant_id=194661-hardcover

A Boy's Guide to Heavenly Mother

https://deseretbook.com/p/boys-guide-to-heavenly-mother?queryID=4044744900145169cc4429b8b0864511&variant_id=194660-hardcover

Our Earthly Family, Our Heavenly Families

https://deseretbook.com/p/our-heavenly-family-our-earthly-families?query=earthly%2520family%2520Heav&variant_id=135731-hardcover

Girls Who Choose God

https://deseretbook.com/p/girls-who-choose-god-mcarthur-krishna-92526?queryID=b6c17c97bc556b69abb82724a7e24b65&variant_id=3041-hardcover

Sara is on Instagram as @my.mother.is.the.queen, and her co-host Jess is @her.scriptures.

Welcome to this summery of Bridget the Goddess of the Celtic Tradition. We get to hear about this goddess of the eternal flame from authors Niki Dewart and Elizabeth Marglin of Mothers Wisdom Deck and the new Wild and Sacred Feminine Deck.

you can buy the deck here

https://www.thewildandsacredfeminine.com/

https://shopgenara.com/products/wild-and-sacred-feminine-deck

The Wild & Sacred Feminine Deck was created to invoke the sacred feminine—the untamable energy that pulses through all things. The feminine creates and transforms, adapts and abides, loves and nourishes.

In this episode of In Her Image, we are honored to host Maxine Hanks, a renowned historian and theologian whose work focuses on women, gender, and the sacred feminine in Mormon and Christian traditions. Maxine shares her fascinating journey, including her excommunication as one of the September Six in 1993, her 15 years of ministry and interfaith chaplaincy, and her return to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 2012.

We discuss the impact of her groundbreaking book, Women and Authority: Re-emerging Mormon Feminism, first published in 1992. Maxine reflects on her mission to recover the feminist history and theology of the Latter-day Saint tradition, creating a vital resource for those seeking to explore women’s roles in the Restoration. She also announces the upcoming reprint of the book in 2025, providing greater access to this transformative work.

Maxine’s insight into the importance of formal, informal, and personal authority offers a roadmap for integrating women’s history and theology more fully into the church today.

Maxine shares her perspective on collective vs. personal revelation, and what to do when personal revelation differs from general revelation. She emphasizes maintaining personal convictions while building bridges in love and compassion.

In this episode of In Her Image, we continue our inspiring conversation with historian and theologian Maxine Hanks.

She shares her research on the influence of women on Joseph Smith's early spiritual journey and Heavenly Mother's role in the First Vision and in the early church.

Together, we explore themes of self-discovery, personal revelation, and how women can find strength in their spiritual paths. Maxine discusses the interplay between LDS feminism, gender and sexuality, and how/who should define the Divine Feminine in the restored church. She opens up about pivotal moments in her life that drove her work and shaped her perspective, and how she has learned to trust in the Divine.

Sara talks with Ashley Workman about her poetry and how it reflects her journey in seeking after Heavenly Mother. Ashley reads a few of her poems, focusing on how our Heavenly Parents feel about each other and us, what Heavenly Mother's personality might be like, and why we should seek after Her.

Sara and Jess met as BYU students embarking on an internship overseas to serve motherless children. Now, 10 years later, they reflect on the precious truths they learned from those experiences; and how those lessons can be applied when we find ourselves feeling "Motherless" as well. 

Meg Rittmanic shares her plans for her contribution to the podcast for this season. At minute 13 Meg shares a talk she gave in her ward about Heavenly Mother on Mother's Day. This talk is a great place to start to connect the dots around Heavenly Mother's story in scripture. Join Meg in a journey to come to understand Her attributes, Her healing love, Her mission, and how exciting it is to help in restoring truths about Her!

Join us.

Melonie Cannon, our guest from the previous episode (162. Mother's Melodies of Embodiment with Melonie Cannon) shares a special meditation. Enjoy!

Crystal Schultz shares her journey of finding the Mother through meditation, and discusses how she continues to deepen that relationship through her daily practice. She shares that a focus on freeing the soul to be open to truth allows for self-authorship and yoga- or union with God.  Find her on Instagram @crystalmeditates

In this episode, Jess and Sara have a conversation about things they've learned since seeking Heavenly Mother. A uniting theme among all of their learnings is abundance. They discuss how the Mother invites them to feel all of their feelings, to love all of Her children, to see the vastness of the role of motherhood, to care for all creation, and more!

As the LDS General Conference approaches, many Mother-Seekers have mixed emotions.  We love to hear general council from wise leaders and have enjoyed our various conference weekend traditions.  However, the weekend can also feel very "Motherless", or otherwise disappointing.  We encourage each listener to be co-creators with our Heavenly Parents and create the balance you need to fill your cup.  Starting this week, set your intention to be in tune with the Spirit and learn relevant truths for your own life. 

 Invite Heavenly Mother into your space with art, ritual and pondering to soften your heart and hear what you need.  The discourse of the Church in General Conferences may take time to change--we encourage you to have faith in that process, and faith in God.

Jen Alvi joins Jessica Woodbury to share how the Restore conference in 2022 by Faith Matters inspired her to create artwork depicting Heavenly Mother. Through the guidance of her friends, she created 9 pieces that have moved viewers into a more personal space with the Divine Mother. These unique pieces combine Jen's mastery of photography, digital art, and hand-painted embellishments Her art will be displayed at this year's Restore conference held September 5th-7th in Sandy Utah.

Jen's website: https://www.jenalvi.com/fine-art1Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jenalviartMaking-Of Videos:"Mother of All" - https://vimeo.com/830689587"She Is" - https://vimeo.com/838063344
"Aware of Every Tear" - https://vimeo.com/830694456"The Passing" - https://vimeo.com/830693469"Comforting Christ" - https://vimeo.com/815774983"I Am Here" - https://vimeo.com/993122480
"Welcome Home" - https://vimeo.com/993131406"Our Glorious Purpose" - https://vimeo.com/993140168"Hear Her" - https://vimeo.com/993134475

Info and tickets for the Restore 2024: https://faithmatters.org/restore-2024/

Melissa Tshikamba, an illustrator and figurative artist, joins Jess for a conversation about artwork, divinity, and diversity. Melissa's art reflects sacred imagery, the divine feminine, history, African symbols, mythology, cosmology, Mother Nature, and her ancestral heritage.

Tshikamba was raised in a mixed race, religious family, which instilled in her a love for the Divine. As a visual and kinesthetic learner, she noticed early on there weren’t any images that looked like her, or her siblings. Many religions claim that we are all sons and daughters of a Creator, yet their artwork lacks truth and diversity. This fueled her mission and passion to help shift that narrative and create images that are a better reflection of our human family. (Taken from Melissa's website, https://tshikamba.com/)

See the website for inquiries, prints, and commissions, and browse Melissa's instagram https://www.instagram.com/tshikamba/?hl=en for some truly inspiring art!