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Impossible Beauty

Impossible Beauty

By: Melissa Louise Johnson
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 The brand of beauty we are so often sold is way too small. It divides and dis-integrates us. Melissa Louise Johnson is on a mission to re-discover authentic beauty. Not the counterfeit kind reserved for the toned and airbrushed, but a lasting kind of beauty. Eternal and sacred. Living and moving all around us. Join Melissa as she interviews men and women who exude internal and eternal beauty in order to reshape cultural scripts. It's time we re-discover what beauty truly is.Copyright Melissa Louise Johnson Social Sciences
Episodes
  • Episode 174: Eric Pothen- Food & Body Image Struggles Among Men

    Episode 174: Eric Pothen- Food & Body Image Struggles Among Men
    Jun 24 2025
    Most often, this podcast focuses on struggles with beauty and body image among women. Today, however, I want to give us a glimpse into the widespread nature of struggles around food, exercise, and body image among men.

    Eric Pothen is a Certified Eating Disorder Recovery Coach who works primarily with men and knows firsthand the journey of eating disorder recovery. In particular, Eric works with clients navigating eating disorder recovery, disordered eating, and body image struggles, helping them break free from the grip of food rules, body shame, and self-doubt.

    In today’s conversation, Eric helps us better understand the differences between disordered eating and eating disorders, why men are often hesitant to seek help for struggles with food and body image, names some of the disordered trends he sees at work in our culture when it comes to food and body image, and gives us helpful reminders of how we might all work toward greater wholeness in these areas.

    I can’t wait for you to listen in to this important conversation!

    Buy Melissa L. Johnson's book, Soul-Deep Beauty: Fighting for Our True Worth in a World Demanding Flawless, here. Learn more about Impossible Beauty and join the community here.
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    48 mins
  • Episode 173: Kimberly Stuart-Letting Go of Striving

    Episode 173: Kimberly Stuart-Letting Go of Striving
    Jun 10 2025
    American culture is full of striving: hustling at work, pushing ourselves in the gym, working to be beautiful or good enough. In today’s conversation, I have the gift of talking with Kimberly Stuart about the concept of grace; how to apply it amidst our culture and why it’s entirely miraculous and worth revisiting.

    Kim Stuart is the author of eight published novels, a speaker, a writing coach alongside author Bob Goff, co-leads writing retreats, and hosts two podcasts, For Real with Kimberly Stuart and The Writing Room. In today’s conversation, Kim shares about her latest book, Star for Jesus and Other Jobs I Quit: Rediscovering the Grace that Sets Us Free. In particular, Kim discusses what drew her to the topic of grace, how we might reframe perfectionism, what living a great story looks like, and how we can use our agency to redefine beauty in our lives.

    This was such a fun and meaningful conversation; I can’t wait for you to listen!

    Buy Melissa L. Johnson's book, Soul-Deep Beauty: Fighting for Our True Worth in a World Demanding Flawless, here. Learn more about Impossible Beauty and join the community here.
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    52 mins
  • Episode 172: Michelle Keener- When Life Isn't Beautiful

    Episode 172: Michelle Keener- When Life Isn't Beautiful
    May 28 2025
    When discussing the topic of true beauty, it’s also important to talk about the times when life isn’t so beautiful. In today’s discussion, with Michelle Keener, that’s exactly what we tackle.

    Michelle K. Keener (PhD, Liberty) is an adjunct professor of Christianity at Houston Christian University, as well as associate research fellow with the Kirby-Laing Centre for Public Theology. She is also the director of discipleship for a growing church in Las Vegas and an award-winning novelist and devotional author.

    In our time together, we discuss Michelle’s latest book, Comfort in the Ashes: Explorations in the Book of Job to Support Trauma Survivors. Michelle helps us see how we can be a loving, healing presence to those undergoing struggles, how the church can be more helpful and attentive to those undergoing or recovering from trauma, and what Job teaches us about the beauty of God amidst suffering.

    My hope is that this conversation will help you feel less alone in any struggle you may be undergoing and, as Michelle says, may we experience God to be our place of refuge.


    Buy Melissa L. Johnson's book, Soul-Deep Beauty: Fighting for Our True Worth in a World Demanding Flawless, here. Learn more about Impossible Beauty and join the community here.
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    37 mins
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