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148 | God Didn’t Make Us to Hate Us: Unlearning Fear & Reclaiming Joy with Rev. Lizzie McManus-Dail

  • Emily Reuschel
  • May 14
  • 4 min read

Updated: Jul 23


Gather in Growth Podcast episode #001

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 about God didn’t make us to hate us: unlearning fear & reclaiming joy, we cover:

  • 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


Want to dive deeper into Lizzie’s world of radical joy, healing, and playful faith? Here’s where you can find her:


If you found yourself nodding along, laughing out loud, or feeling seen in all the best ways—don’t keep it to yourself.


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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.


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For more transformative conversations, visit: EmilyReuschel.com


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