Faith and Resilience with Ellen Corcella

In this powerful episode, Ellen Corcella explores the concept of resilience through the extraordinary life of Congressman John Lewis. Drawing from the Latin root resiliere ("to leap back"), she examines how faith can be the foundation for bouncing back from life's most challenging circumstances and achieving our goals. Through Lewis's example of getting back up after every beating, arrest, and setback during the Civil Rights Movement, listeners discover practical ways to build resilience in their lives.

Key Topics Covered
  • The Etymology of Resilience: Understanding resiliere - "to leap back"
  • John Lewis's Faith-Fueled Resilience: From sharecropper's son to Civil Rights icon
  • Bloody Sunday (March 7, 1965): Lewis's remarkable courage at the edge of Edmund Pettus Bridge
  • Core Faith Beliefs That Build Resilience: 
    • God's unconditional love
    • The divine spark in everyone
    • Hope as eternal possibility
    • The Beloved Community vision
  • Seven Keys to Building Resilience: 
  1. Worldview and transcendence
  2. Feeling loved and secure
  3. Meaning and purpose
  4. Flexibility
  5. Discipline and taking care of basics
  6. Planning for the future
  7. Seeking support

Scripture Referenced
Romans 5:1-5 - Paul's teaching on how suffering produces perseverance, character, and hope

Find "Walk with Me: A Journey through the Landscape of Trauma" by Ellen Corcella
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Connect with Ellen Corcella

Upcoming Events
Wild Goose Festival Workshop

Resources & Links
John Lewis Resources
  • "How the images of John Lewis being beaten during 'Bloody Sunday' went viral" - The Conversation
  • "John Lewis: Love in Action" - On Being Podcast with Krista Tippett (2013)
  • National Archives: John Lewis - March from Selma to Montgomery
Additional Resources
  • Julia Cameron's tools for creativity and "The Artist's Way": juliacameronlive.com

How You Can Help
  • Like this episode
  • Subscribe to the Faith & Resilience Podcast
  • Share with others who might benefit from this message
  • Leave a review to help expand our community of resilient faith

Closing Thought

"We must never give up. We must never give in. We must never give out. We must keep the faith and keep our eyes on the prize." - John Lewis
Remember: You have within you the capacity to get back up. Your faith can be the foundation that helps you leap back, again and again, into the fullness of life God intends for you.

Creators and Guests

Host
Ellen Corcella
Ellen writes and speaks about the intricate relationships between faith, spirit, trauma, and resilience.
LR
Producer
Loren Richmond Jr.

What is Faith and Resilience with Ellen Corcella?

Ellen writes and speaks about the intricate relationships between faith, spirit, trauma, and resilience. Aiming to unearth pathways for deeper faith integration and heightened resilience in times of adversity, she urges us to embody love, mercy, courage, hospitality.

Opening
How can we respond to those times when life hits so hard you're not sure you can take another step forward? How do we persevere in our contemporary culture that thrives on hate rather than hope? If you feel weary, burdened and overwhelmed, then join me for this episode of the Faith & Resilience Podcast. In today’s episode we look at the life of John Lewis who said, "We must never give up. We must never give in. We must never give out."
Hello, and welcome to the Faith & Resilience Podcast. I am Ellen Corcella, author of "Walk with ME: A Journey through the Landscape of Trauma," and ordained minister with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).
The Faith & Resilience Podcast explores the complexity of our lives, while illuminating paths towards healing and hope. We examine the sacred values that anchor us to who we are and who we can be, despite the turbulence, trauma, and anxiety of our contemporary lives.
Before we dive in today, would you hit the like button and subscribe. Through the mysterious algorithms of social media, likes and subscribes expand the podcast's reach and helps us build a community of resilient faith.
Also, I have a special coupon code announcement at the end for anyone wishing to attend the Wild Goose Festival August 29-31.

Introduction to Resilience
Today we explore "resilience" – a word whose very origins inspire hope. I love the Latin root of this word: resiliere, which means "to leap back." Picture that visual: bouncing back into shape after adverse circumstances.
It reminds me of those inflatable plastic punching bags from childhood – you remember them? No matter how hard you hit them, they'd bounce right back up, never staying down. That's resilience – the ability to adapt to adverse and challenging life circumstances. And, through our faith, we can build and enhance resilience throughout out lifetime.
The apostle Paul gives us an idea of how endurance through suffering works Romans 5:1-5:
We boast in the hope of the glory of God. … and we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us."
This connection between faith and resilience is illustrated by the extraordinary life of Congressman John Lewis.

John Lewis: A Portrait of Faith-Fueled Resilience
Born to sharecropper parents near Troy, Alabama in 1940, John Lewis grew up attending segregated schools. He was one of ten children in a poor family, yet he possessed something that would change the course of American history.
Many people said John Lewis was "hard-headed." And he was – not just because he survived multiple beating about his head, not because he was stubborn. He was hard-headed because he developed the remarkable ability to get up again and move forward after adversity, opposition, and violence. Last week marked the fifth anniversary of his death in 2020, but his legacy of resilience continues to inspire us.
Lewis became one of the 13 original Freedom Riders in 1961, traveling through the South with others to protest continued segregation on interstate buses through out the South. This was despite a court ruling outlawing racial segregation in restaurants and transportation terminals. The first Freedom Ride left Washington, D.C., on May 4, 1961, and was scheduled to arrive in New Orleans on May 17, 1962. As Lewis and others entered the now illegally segregated bus terminal, they were beaten by bystanders. Yet, Lewis continued to participate in the Freedom Rides and the Civil Rights Movement.
On March 7, 1965 – a day that would become known as "Bloody Sunday." Lewis and others peaceably traveled over the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, intending to march to the Alabama state capital in Montgomery. There they were set upon and beaten by state troopers. Lewis suffered a skull fracture, and was one of fifty-eight people treated for injuries at the local hospital.
Lewis lived and went on to be elected the Congressional Representative of the 5th District in Georgia for over 30 years.

Lewis's Core Faith Beliefs: The Foundation of Resilience
What enabled John Lewis to keep getting back up? Krista Tippet of the On Being Podcast explored Lewis’ fortitude in a remarkable 2013 interview. The link is available in the show notes. It is clear that Lewis’ resilience was deeply rooted in his faith beliefs, he articulate the sacred values that anchored him during times of trauma, turbulence and, even, apparent defeat:
God's Unconditional Love: Lewis believed in God, God’s unconditional love and Lewis’ determination to extend that love to others.
The Divine Spark: Lewis maintained that every person carried within them a spark of the divine. This belief transformed how he saw his opponents – not as enemies, but as fellow human beings who had lost their way.
Hope: His faith was anchored in the hope of things not yet seen, the sense that the world could be better, could be a society based on justice, equal opportunity, and love of one's fellow human beings.

How Lewis Built His Resilience: Practical Preparation
What is particularly interesting in this interview is Lewis’ preparation for the campaign of nonviolence, given the likelihood they would be met with violence. In other words, we expand our capacity to be resilient, to meet adversity and get back up.
Establishing Community: Lewis and others met weekly to study nonviolence, to explore options to oppose injustice and to create a community joined through common values and goals. Lewis never tried to go it alone. He was part of a movement, surrounded by people who shared his vision and supported his calling.

Study: There was systematic preparation. They immersed themselves in the techniques, styles, and foundational principles of nonviolence.
Practice: Before sitting at whites-only lunch counters or entering segregated bus terminals, they role-played different situations. They prepared for both the expected and unexpected responses to their actions.
Faith as Future Orientation: Their faith motivated them to set goals, practice patience and courage, and always remember that their opponents, too, carried that spark of the divine.

The Keys to Resilience: Lessons from Lewis's Life
From John Lewis's extraordinary example, we can identify key elements that can enhance resilience in our own lives:
1. Belief in something greater than ourselves. Lewis's faith gave him a cosmic perspective – he wasn't just fighting for immediate political gains, but participating in what he saw as God's ongoing work of justice and reconciliation. This larger perspective helped him endure temporary setbacks and defeats.
2. Feeling A deep sense that we are supported, loved, and embraced. Lewis drew strength from his faith community, his relationship with God, and his conviction that he was loved unconditionally. This security allowed him to take extraordinary risks.
3. Believing your life is valued and valuable. Lewis never doubted that his life had profound purpose – he was called to bend the arc of history toward justice. This sense of calling sustained him through beatings, jail sentences, and death threats.
4. Willingness to adjust to new circumstances. Lewis understood that resilience requires adaptability. Like a card player who must adjust strategy based on the hand they're dealt, Lewis prepared for various scenarios while remaining flexible about tactics and timing.
5. Planning for the Future
Setting both small and large goals. Lewis always had both immediate objectives and long-term vision. He celebrated small victories while keeping his eyes on the ultimate prize of justice and equality.

Building Resilience Through Faith: Practical Steps
How can we apply these lessons in our own faith journey?
Connect to Something Greater Than Yourself
Start by cultivating a sense of connection to something larger than your immediate circumstances – whether that's faith in God, commitment to justice, or dedication to family and community. Lewis's faith gave him perspective that transcended temporary setbacks.
Nurture Your Sense of Being Loved
Create and maintain connections with people who see your value, especially during difficult seasons. Lewis drew strength from knowing he was unconditionally loved by God and supported by his community.
Discover Your Purpose
Regularly reflect on your values and how your daily life connects to larger purposes. Ask yourself: What am I here to contribute? How does my work, my relationships, my presence make a difference? Lewis never doubted that his life had profound purpose.
Practice Flexibility
Try new things and disrupt your usual schedule occasionally. When circumstances change, resist getting mired in resentment about how things "should" have been. Instead, ask: Given this new reality, what's my best next move? Like Lewis adjusting tactics while maintaining his vision, learn to bend without breaking.
Take Care of the Basics
Don't neglect sleep, nutrition, and basic self-care, especially during stressful times. Resilience requires a strong foundation, just as Lewis and his fellow activists ensured basic needs were met even during intense struggle.
Set Goals and Create Options
Set small, achievable goals and develop multiple ways to achieve those goals, back up plans and options. Think through potential scenarios you might face in living out your faith. How will you respond to setbacks, criticism, or failure? Having considered these possibilities in advance builds confidence and reduces anxiety when difficulties actually arise.
Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help
Lewis never tried to go it alone– he was part of a movement that sustained him.
Practice
Don't just read sacred scripture – write out verses in a journal, illustrate them with color, or meditate on a single phrase for an entire week. As Julia Cameron writes in "The Artist's Way," input is extremely important – refilling one's soul with new experiences and perspectives.

Conclusion
Resilience isn't about being invincible – it's about developing the capacity to get back up. John Lewis got back up after every beating, every arrest, every setback because his faith gave him the vision, community, and inner strength to keep moving forward.
John Lewis’ story illustrates that we can cultivate the practices, nurture the relationships, and deepen the faith that will help us bounce back from whatever life throws our way.
As Lewis himself often said, we must never give up. We must never give in. We must never give out. We must keep the faith and keep our eyes on the prize.

Closing
It is truly an act of faith and tenacity to search for and listen to a new podcast. Thank you for listening to today's episode of Faith & Resilience.
I'll be offering a workshop called "Resilient Faith" at the Wild Goose Festival, August 28-31, 2025. If you'd like to purchase an Adult Weekend Ticket, use Ambassador Code A-EC for $50 off. A link is in the show notes. I would love to meet you there and continue this conversation about building resilience through faith.
Visit my website, ellencorcella.com to find help when you do feel down or defeated and you'll find resources for grief, PTSD, trauma, and loss. You may learn more about the road of resilience in my book, Walk with Me: A Journey through the landscape of Trauma, available at bookbaby, Amazon and other major retailers. See the shownotes for links.
Until next time, remember you have within you the capacity to get back up. Your faith is the foundation that helps you leap back, again and again, into the fullness of life God intends for you.