Social can be crazy… drop your email below for positivity and personal growth straight from our farm to your inbox!
let's be friends!
forever grateful for you!
148 | God Didn’t Make Us to Hate Us: Unlearning Fear & Reclaiming Joy with Rev. Lizzie McManus-Dail
Listen to God Didn’t Make Us to Hate Us: Unlearning Fear & Reclaiming Joy with Rev. Lizzie McManus-Dail on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Your player of choice
What if God never meant for you to live in fear, shame, or self-hatred?
In this powerful conversation, I’m joined by Rev. Lizzie McManus-Dail, Episcopal priest, creator, and author of God Didn’t Make Us to Hate Us: 40 Devotions to Liberate Your Faith from Fear and Reconnect with Joy. Together, we dive deep into what it means to untangle faith from fear, reclaim the radical joy of being fully loved by God, and heal from the wounds of toxic theology. Whether you’ve been deconstructing for years or are just beginning to question the faith you were handed, this episode offers hope, healing, and a reminder that curiosity, nuance, and belonging were always part of the story.
We explore the intersections of spirituality, feminism, queerness, and justice; the messy, holy work of reconstruction; and the enduring truth that God’s love has never been rooted in fear. If you’ve ever felt like there’s no room for you at the table — or if you’re ready to liberate your faith and reconnect with a deeper, truer joy — this conversation will meet you right where you are.
Meet Rev. Lizzie McManus-Dail:
Rev. Lizzie McManus-Dail is an Episcopal priest, author, and joyful disruptor of toxic theology. With roots stretching from devout Irish Catholicism to earthy Southern Methodism (and even a stint with the Mennonites), Lizzie brings a refreshingly intersectional and liberating approach to Christian faith. She’s the founding pastor of Jubilee Episcopal Church in Austin, Texas—a vibrant, colorful community rooted in ancient worship and radical hospitality for all.
A second-generation clergywoman and proud mom of two, Lizzie is passionate about creating spaces where faith, feminism, queerness, and justice meet. She holds degrees from Mount Holyoke College (Summa Cum Laude), Duke Divinity School, and Seminary of the Southwest, where she brought her deep love for intersectional feminism and queer theology into her ministry. When she’s not pastoring, you can find her bedazzling vestments, detoxing bad theology in delightfully silly online videos, or writing prayers and reflections that call us back to God’s radical, abundant love.
Lizzie’s debut book, God Didn’t Make Us to Hate Us: 40 Devotions to Liberate Your Faith from Fear and Reconnect with Joy (available wherever books are sold), is a love letter to the disillusioned, deconstructing, and deeply hopeful. It’s an invitation to move beyond fear-based faith and reclaim the joy, belonging, and freedom that was always meant for you.
In this episode, God Didn’t Make Us to Hate Us: Unlearning Fear & Reclaiming Joy, we explore:
- The deep roots of fear-based faith — and how it shapes our sense of self
- Why reclaiming joy is a radical act of spiritual liberation
- Healing from church hurt and toxic theology without losing your connection to God
- The intersections of faith, feminism, queerness, and justice
- How to navigate spiritual deconstruction with gentleness, curiosity, and hope
- Embracing the truth that you were created from love, for love — not fear
- Finding (or creating) spaces where your questions are welcome and celebrated
- The difference between toxic forgiveness and God’s vision of true mercy
- Building a spirituality rooted in joy, abundance, and radical belonging
- Trusting that your faith, even in its unraveling, is a sacred and beautiful journey
If this conversation stirred something in your heart, I’d be honored if you’d subscribe, leave a review, or share it with a friend who might need to hear it. Your support helps us spread messages of hope, healing, and spiritual liberation to more souls who are ready to reclaim the joy they were made for.
Want to dive deeper into Lizzie’s world of radical joy, healing, and playful faith? Here’s where you can find her!
- Follow Rev. Lizzie on Instagram
- Visit her website
- Listen to the And Also With You Podcast
- Learn more about Jubilee Episcopal Church in Austin
- Order God Didn’t Make Us to Hate Us
Connect with Emily:
Stay connected and keep up with my latest updates, podcast episodes, and personal growth insights:
- Instagram: @emilyreuschel
- Facebook: Emily Reuschel
- LinkedIn: Emily Reuschel
- Email List: join here
- Website www.EmilyReuschel.com
Related Gather in Growth Episodes You’ll Love:
If today’s episode resonated, here are a few more conversations that dive deeper into healing, reclaiming your voice, and redefining your faith journey.
- Episode 123 | How to Overcome People-Pleasing, Self-Abandonment, and Good Girl Syndrome with Sara Fisk
- Episode 137 | Breaking Out of Black and White Thinking
- Episode 139 | Unraveling & Rebuilding: My Journey Through Faith, Politics, and Personal Growth
- Episode 144 | Star-Spangled Jesus: Deconstructing Christian Nationalism & Reclaiming Faith with April Ajoy
Resources & Links:
- Sign up here to get the inside scoop to my book writing journey!
- Interested in sponsoring Gather in Growth? Apply here
- Book me as a speaker for your next event – email inquiries to emilyreuschel@gmail.com or schedule a call here
- Gather in Growth Podcast – Produced by Jill Carr Podcasting | Learn More
More about the Gather in Growth podcast:
Gather in Growth is more than a podcast—it’s a sanctuary for women coming home to themselves and each other. A sacred space to expand horizons, reignite our power, and live unapologetically as our fullest, most authentic selves.
Hosted by Emily Reuschel, this is a gathering place for the doers, dreamers, and seekers who crave connection, purpose, and meaningful impact. Through raw conversations and soul-deep reflections, we’ll embrace curiosity, step to the edges of our comfort zones, and defy expectations.
Picture this: women gathered around a fire, sharing stories with open hearts—connecting, healing, and evolving together. That’s the spirit of Gather in Growth. This is our space to awaken and embody the lives we’ve been yearning for—lives rooted in alignment, guided by intuition, and built with intention.
If you’re ready to move beyond limits and labels, cultivate deep inner trust, and courageously embrace the magic of who you are, then welcome home. Together, let’s Gather in Growth.
Share the Love!
If this episode resonated with you, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who needs to hear it! Your support helps us reach more people who are ready to question, grow, and evolve.
Reply...
THE PODCAST
GATHER IN
GROWTH
Catch up on the latest eposides
raising rural voices
Join us!
Welcome to Gather in Growth, a show created for passionate, growth-focused rural women like you. From mindset work and building strong habits to nerding out over personal growth books and exploring the unique joys and challenges of living rural, this is a show to leave you feeling joyful, inspired, ready to take action, and a little less alone.
“Being connected to Emily is a blessing because her radiant energy and positive vibes are contagious. She makes me feel like it’s okay to stay grounded in my own truths and be the kind of person who walks around with a smile even if everything isn’t okay. Her genuine smile and charming personality is a blessing to the world. She continues to inspire me even on the days when I feel uninspired.”
Blair Pollister
Turquoise by the Water
“Emily has a beautiful zest for life and a true passion to help others achieve greatness. She knows the importance of self-investment, and not only encourages others to do so but also follows through with bettering herself in this way, too. As you get to know Emily, you’ll see a unique, loving and vulnerable person. She’s always open to learning and seeing things from different points of views because she knows that leads to true change.”
Denise Talcott
TEDDYco Media