Tracey's journal entry, after her first encounter with a man beyond her marriage...I found myself sitting across the table from a man whose intellectual and spiritual roots ran far deeper than my own; whose composure exuded that rare blend of wild abandon, yet calm stability; whose very essence reflected, without fanfare, the evidence of a rich array of life experiences.   You were no "character", but one who stood at the far end of a path I had just begun to travel.  And though our verbal communication stayed somewhat shallow and, at times, even a little disconnected, there was an unspoken message coming from you that resonated loud and clear within me.I was drawn...You kissed me.  And I knew I had a choice to make.  Back at your apartment, as I looked out over the skyline, I immediately felt a sense of "coming home" --- it was as though I was being reunited with a part of me that I had lost long, long ago.  In the spillover of your quiet strength, I found safety to follow the voice that had been beckoning me for months;  the voice that gave me permission to follow my desires.  Releasing my sensuality with you came as naturally as breathing, without guilt or fear, shattering once and for all the guise of truth the lies had worn.  No more self-doubt...You were a springtime awakening in the dead of my winter.  A gift --- hand picked by the universe to encourage me forth into vibrant and ... "luscious living".  And though I have only skimmed your surface, I will forever be grateful to you for choosing a lifestyle that encourages the freedom of sensual expression, and for sharing even a small part of that with me.  ***********************************Sharon's poem, the first time she felt a sense of emotional, romantic love and connection with a man...When I awake my thoughts take flightAnd far across an ocean flyTo light upon the love who holds my heartOnce cold, once left to dieAnd as the sun his journey makesMy soul is filled with silent songWhispered to this secret loveTo whom my hopes and dreams belongAnd when the stars and moon embraceTo gently fade the twilight blueI close my eyes and feel the joyOf knowing, trusting, loving you"Feet of Clay - Confessions of the Cult Sisters" is a new podcast hosted by  Sharon Madere (Bennett)  and Tracey Phalen (Reed), who both worked alongside Keith and Melody Green at Last Days Ministries (LDM).  As one-time key leaders in the organization, they go on record about the spiritually traumatic and often damaging influences of the Greens and the multitude of materials (many of which are still available today) published through LDM, including 'The Last Days Newsletter'.  Sharon and Tracey each joined LDM as teenagers, where they met and married their respective spouses during those cult-commune years.  Both couples independently left LDM in 1987 and moved hundreds of miles apart.  They continued in their hard-held beliefs for over ten additional years, yet ultimately divorced in the early 2000s.  In this podcast Tracey and Sharon  come together to talk about their parallel journeys out of the cult mindset, the long process of unpacking indoctrination and spiritual trauma, and thttps://www.instagram.com/feetofclay.cultsistershttps://feetofclayconfessionsofthecultsisters.buzzsprout.comWe love acronyms -- and we aren't afraid to use them! Here are some common ones that we might forget to explain:LDM - Last Days Ministries (organization) ICT - Intensive Christian Training School (at LDM)YWAM - Youth With A Mission (organization) CCM - Contemporary Christian Music