CBB Interview with Sonja Corbitt

CBB Interview with Sonja Corbitt January 2, 2017

sonja_corbitt_spotlightSonja erupted on the scene early last spring with her explosive book, Unleashed, where she shared how the Holy Spirit is freeing her from her patterns of toxic relationships, self-medicating habits, awful circumstances, and overwhelming desires.

Now she’s showing up everywhere. Her 13-episode Unleashed TV series, perfect for study groups, aired weekly on CatholicTV. Soon after, her radio show Bible Study Evangelista launched on Breadbox Media, (previously named Pursuing the Summit) on which Sonja offers 6-8 week Bible study series. You can catch the show every week or listen via podcast.

Recently Micele had a chance to interview Sonja about her book Fearless: Conquer Your Demons and Love with Abandon.

Michele: I really enjoyed reading your book and found it full of practical advice for reminding myself that ultimately the battle is won and I do not need to take part in it… I only need to set my sights on God and stay there. Thank you for that reminder! And thank you for the tools to keep me there! Often insights like these follow some type of deep conversion or re-version experience. Did this happen with you? And if so, would you care to share a bit about your experiences that led you to your deep knowing and understanding that you share in your book?

Sonja Corbitt: For me it sprouted from attempting to properly understand authority, because rebellion (rage, practically speaking) is my predominant fault; pop quizzes (circumstances) seem to always meander back to that issue for me

As non-Catholics, about ten years ago now, my husband and I experienced a couple of church splits, and that church’s rebellion had me ranting at God about how evil those people in that church were!

In response, God used Hebrews 3:12 to confront my fear and struggle against His leadership and provision through the pop quizzes I was experiencing. That verse specifically says fear is unbelief and therefore evil. He told me I was evil! After I got over being offended, I investigated the passage and that’s where the journey from fear to love began for me.

I was so shocked that the Bible is almost silent on the major manifestations and forms of what we normally consider “spiritual warfare” and evil, but vocal about “unbelief” as what is truly evil.

Michele: A very significant part of your book for me was the section called “The What That’s in a Name”. Do you know the meaning of your name, and would you like to share it and how profoundly it relates to who you are?

Sonja Corbitt: Sonja is a variant of sophia, meaning “wisdom.” Ever since I learned that I have prayed to be formed into that “what.”

Michele: I like the “God Prompt” sections throughout your book. Would you mind answering your own question… “What is the most significant sentence, scripture, passage or idea” you have read lately?

Sonja Corbitt: Ha! In the readings from this Sunday was the mention of “latter rain.” The Israelites were a farming people whose livelihood depended on God’s provision of early rains to soften the soil for plowing and planting, and latter rains for the full ripening of the crops. I have been praying for a Carmelite community in my area; God used almost every reading from the Office that day to tell me I had to “be patient until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains. You too must be patient” (James 5:7-8).

I have been meditating on those readings all week, so I know that He has already provided the early rains, and will be sending those latter rains and answering my prayers soon. This “voice” from God, particular to my specific questions and circumstances, yet offered to the whole Church at once, is exactly why I exhort everyone who reads me to seek His face in the daily Scripture readings for themselves. He is simply waiting for us to engage with Him there with some discipline and consistency and anticipation!

Michele: In the section entitled “The Walking Wounded” you tell us “Because God is love, when I experience a lack of love, I am really experiencing a lack of God. This experience is perceived, not actual, because if God did not love me, I would not exist: this is the irrefutable dignity of every person.” How do you move that knowledge and wisdom from your head to your heart?

Sonja Corbitt: I don’t. The soul is too deep an abyss, my self-knowledge too resistant and incomplete, and my wounds too complicated and painful to do that kind of eternal work. I pray for the early and latter rains as consolation through the difficult process, I obey Him as completely as possible at every step (whining and complaining the whole time, usually), and I stand on the promise that He who began the work in me will complete it (Phil 1:6).

Michele: Time for our signature ending question. This is a blog about books. What books are currently on your bookshelf to read?

Sonja Corbitt: I am finishing up “The Complete Visions of Anne Catherine Emmerich” and “Faith According to St. John of the Cross” by JPII, and then I’ll move on to “The Weight of Glory,” by CS Lewis.

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