EP19: Receiving the Whole Person with Anna Carter

About this Episode
What does it look like to truly receive someone’s story with reverence, curiosity, and care?

In this episode of The YDisciple Podcast, Pete Burds and Annie Grandell sit down with Anna Carter, co-founder of Eden Invitation, to talk about what it means to listen well when someone shares something vulnerable. Drawing from Anna’s work accompanying people with LGBTQ experiences who are seeking to follow Jesus and His Church, this conversation explores the difference between reacting to someone’s story and truly receiving it.

Together, they unpack how easy it is to fill in the gaps with assumptions, explanations, or quick answers—especially in ministry—and why a better first response is often simple gratitude and genuine curiosity. Anna shares how Eden Invitation builds a culture of listening by helping people move from vulnerability to empowerment, and why receiving someone’s story is not just a one-time moment, but an ongoing posture of accompaniment.

Pete, Annie, and Anna also reflect on the challenges that come with this kind of listening: compassion fatigue, over-functioning, numbness, and the temptation to fix what is not ours to fix. Along the way, they offer practical wisdom for ministry leaders, parents, and mentors who want to become safer, more attentive people for others.

Whether you’re walking with a young person, leading in parish ministry, or simply trying to become a better listener, this episode offers a thoughtful and deeply human vision for how to honor the holy ground of another person’s story.

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Reflection for This Week

Ask yourself:

• Where am I tempted to make assumptions instead of asking another question?
• How do I typically respond when someone shares something vulnerable with me?
• What would it look like for me to receive another person’s story as holy ground this week?

Pray for the grace to listen with compassion, humility, and patience—and to become someone who helps others feel seen, honored, and safe in the presence of Christ.