About This Video
Shawn McCraney introduces his daughter Delaney on the "Heart of the Matter ESPRESSO" show to discuss her spiritual journey, highlighting her experiences of growing up amidst different religious influences, navigating social challenges, and finding her own path in Christianity. The discussion aims to offer insights and inspiration to young truth seekers, as Delaney shares her journey from an active Evangelical background, through private Christian education, to being involved in ministry alongside her heretical father's unconventional beliefs.
Heart of the Matter ESPRESSO
Live from Salt Lake City, Utah, this is Heart of the MatterTGNN’s original show where Shawn McCraney deconstructed religion and developed fulfilled theology. ESPRESSO! where we do all we can to worship God in Spirit and in Truth. I’m Shawn McCraneyFounder of TGNN and developer of the fulfilled perspective—calling people to faith outside of religion., your host.
Show 34 563 Delaney McCraney August 22nd 2017 Prayer
October 1st Adam’s Road and the McCraney sisters – a free live concert. Join us.
Guests and Revelatory Discussions
Well before we break out into a new format for HOTM and a brand new show that is gonna kick some of you in the head come October 31st 2017, we are working through a series of guests and have had some really revelatory discussions with people who have in some way or another been LDS and have come out into some walk or way of life that is different. Next week we will be having former active and very LDS couple Rick and Kari Wahlquist and in the coming weeks several other exciting guests to inform and entertain us. But tonight I am so blessed and excited to have my youngest daughter on the show (both of her sisters will be showing up in the months to come) Delaney McCraney.
If you have watched the show in the last few years you may know our history together. But if you haven’t let me sort of give you the low down of our relationship over the years so we can hear Delaney’s thoughts on religion, God, and whatever else happens to come up. Of course, or at least from what her mother tells me, I am Delaney’s biological father. With my oldest Daughter Mallory I was a struggling new parent who was always hovering around and with our second Daughter Cassidy I was embarking on my journey out when Delaney was still a babe. So Mallory got the most Mormon Dad from me, Cassidy got the most searching and seeking Dad, (which Mallory also experienced) but Delaney was too young to know me in those ways. She only really began to know me with a truly cognitive mind about the time that I disappeared to come to Utah every week for ten straight years.
Delaney's Journey and Reflections
And while I tried to support Delaney in her life and attend important events Mary was her sole parent for more than half of the month for those ten years and as result Delaney and I were the most estranged of all my daughters. In some ways, and not to demean the older two, this has probably worked to her benefit as my influence on Mallory and Cassidy was probably detrimental in some ways. Nevertheless, Delaney and I, while we always loved each other, didn’t know each other really well – until these past two years. This was hard on her but I want her to know it was hard on me too because I did feel guilty as a father for my absence in her young life.
What made matters extremely difficult – and if you are a parent you will understand this – is that while Mallory was tough and sort of hung with a tougher group of kids in Huntington and Cassidy was extremely affable and popular with everyone, Delaney – when she was young – had trouble being accepted by the mean girls. This was extremely hard on her as she wanted friends so desperately but to her credit would not sell any part of her soul out to be accepted. And she paid for this abiding individuality dearly among the grade school and junior high – and even high school – crowd. Then one day Delaney stepped into social acceptability – and into her six foot one body – with personal integrity and vision intact. But the road was not easy for her – as it is not easy for anyone who is socially punished for being unique.
Amidst all of this, while her family was torn a bit by my growing up and becoming a real man and over which religion we would follow, Delaney made tracks into the Christian community on her own. So tonight I’m hoping to hear her insights on life – especially relative to being an active Evangelical at a young age, then going to a private Christian college, to coming here and being in ministry, learning Christianity through the eyes of her heretical father, and where she is now. I am pretty sure what she has to say will be of value to younger truth seekers out there in the world.
My dearest daughter, Delaney. Welcome.
