A new year is a clean slate and a good time to think about what you want the new year to hold! In this episode, we're talking about goals versus resolutions versus words to live by versus points of focus and everything in between! We discuss "goal fulfillers" and "goal killers" and how to keep our eyes fixed on the goal for the long run. We talk about what the Bible says about reaching for goals, and how to pick ourselves back up when we feel like we've failed on a goal. Be sure to share this...

Do you really, truly trust God with your life? This is a question Michele Stewart was faced with almost 15 years ago when she was facing the battle of her life against addiction. She had been to treatment facilities, prison, homeless and alienated from her kids and family. In 2008, she had an encounter with God that changed her life and in that moment she knew she had to "let God" heal her. Healing is hard work, and it's something that takes time. Michele's testimony is full of hope for...

As the song says, "it's the most wonderful time of the year"! But for many women, it's also the most busy time of the year. Sports schedules, holiday work hours, Christmas Parties, Christmas programs at school, visiting multiple families, figuring out gifts for kids and grandkids and friends and family, wrapping all those gifts, making a side dish for this party and a dessert for that party and a $10 gift for another party... these are just a few of the stressors that can complicate the...

For 12 years, she suffered. She tried everything to get breakthrough, but still her condition remained. Finally, she heard about a man named Jesus who could heal her. She pushed through a crowd of people, struggling through her shame and condemnation, just to touch the hem of His garment because she knew that just a touch would make her well. In Mark 5, we read the story of a woman whose faith brought her deliverance and in today's episode we hear a similar story unfold in the life of someone...

In 1 Kings 3, we see a story of King Solomon making a wise judgment to determine the "real mother" of a child after some question of his custody. Ultimately, the "real mother" was deemed to be the woman who sought to preserve and protect the child and his wellbeing, even though it might have required sacrifice on her part. In this podcast episode, we're talking all about being a stepmom and the two amazing ladies sharing their wisdom on this episode really echo the same sentiment of the "real...

"You don't have to have an active eating disorder to be in bondage to food..." Lisa Frye was 19 years old, a freshman in college, and taking up to 90 diuretics per day. After the loss of her father, Lisa came to realize that her collegiate dance career had to end so that she could get healthy. In this episode, Lisa talks about her struggle with bulimia, how she overcame this issue, and the victory she's had on this side of healing. If you struggle with food in some way, or you have a friend...

"[For a long time] I didn't even want to hear the word [widow]... it was too hard." Losing a spouse after more than fifty years of marriage is devastating. Bev Nunley and Rheada Brown talk with us about how they've discovered the faithfulness of God in new ways since their husbands passed away, and the hope they have for the future. They share practical advice for what life looks like after the loss of a spouse, including where to eat lunch and how to make big decisions. We're so blessed to...

She wasn't even 30 years old yet... how could "widow" be part of her testimony?? Alexandra Craig walked beside her husband, John, through a terminal and extremely rare diagnosis along with their 4 year old son, Johnny. Today, she's sharing her inspiring story of how the Lord has given her beauty for ashes and revealed His goodness in the midst of heartache. She talks about grief and loss, how she's moving forward today as a mommy and widow, and how the Body of Christ can best support women...

The enemy wants you to feel insignificant, incapable, and UNWORTHY. That word-- unworthy-- is what Angie Backer remembers screaming so loudly in her mind when she decided to take her own life. Hear her story of how the Lord literally saved her from suicide and delivered her from despair. Angie is currently hosting a CARE Group for women who have struggled with depression, anxiety and suicide on Mondays at 6:30pm and you can sign up at fopchurch.net/fopgroups There is HOPE in her testimony,...

High school sports, discipleship even as they leave home, parenting an adult child who still lives at home, and standing with your child in faith... we're tackling these topics and more in part two of this episode!! Ms. Bobbi Morgan, Susan Billingsley and Lisa Greely provide great insight about how to walk the tight rope between "making your kid go to church" and "helping them developing a real relationship with Christ". They discuss things they wish they had done differently, and their best...

Navigating new romantic relationships, figuring out independence and responsibility, the ills of social media, and bringing "inlaws" into the family... these are topics moms face in the high school/ young adult stage of parenting, and we're talking about them ALL!! Ms. Bobbi Morgan, Susan Billingsley and Lisa Greely share their wisdom with us on how to take every new obstacle in stride, things they wish they had done differently, and the importance of recognizing the unique parenting-needs of...

Oh, those preteen years! They can feel like some of the busiest year, the moodiest years, and the most critical years. In part two of this episode, we're talking with RaSheena Barnes and Diana Brothers about balancing extra curricular activities with family and church, what discipleship looks like for this age group, and how to just get started with a plan for discipleship if you don't already have one. If you missed part one, go back and listen!! Don't forget to SHARE, SHARE, SHARE this...

Parenting is one of the hardest jobs anyone can do. Especially when you're dealing with big emotions, big changes, and big developing personalities in the preteen years, parenting the elementary/ middle school age group can leave you exhausted and confused. We talk with Diana Brothers and RaSheena Barnes about the challenges parents face in this age range, and how we can overcome those obstacles as followers of Christ. Today we're tackling some pretty big topics including media choices, cell...

With the start of a new school year only days away, we had several women request a parenting series... so here it is!! If you missed part one of this episode, go back and listen!! SO GOOD! Here we are diving in on the topics of "mom-shaming", discipleship and best words of encouragement for parenting this age group. Be sure to share this episode, and join us for our next episode tackling the elementary and middle school age group!!

With the start of a new school year only days away, we had several women request a parenting series dealing with issues like discipline, discipleship, extracurricular activities and overcoming unique obstacles for this age group. WE HEARD YOU, LADIES!! We're diving into this Parenting Panel Series with the first age group: babies and toddlers. Megan, Heather and Jaiden all have multiple kids in this age range, and they each bring a unique perspective to this episode. From potty training to...

According to the CDC, 1 in 3 women have experienced sexual violence involving physical contact at some point in their lifetime. That means that 1 in 3 women in our church, in our community, in our friend groups, in our schools, at our places of work, and in our families are actively healing or have had to process that attack and go through the healing process regarding some situation where they were violated sexually. In this episode, we talk with Rachael Hogan who bravely shared part of her...

Sometimes your summers can be so busy and full, that you just need to take a break!! So here's our little "summer break" with the ladies where we're discussing some of our best "life hacks". The whole room recommended "Redeeming Love" by Francine Rivers as a favorite summer read. Some other recommendations are Bar Keeper's Friend, Dose & Co. Collagen coffee creamer, playing video games on your phone, and Oil of Olay. Take a listen and find out why each of these things were recommended and...

"If I had just immediately taken it to the Lord..." We can't always instantly control our hurt feelings toward an offense, but we CAN control how we respond to it!! In part two of this podcast episode, we're wrapping up our conversation with Alex Elliott regarding "church hurt". We discuss the best way to begin moving forward and what boundaries are important to consider in moving forward. If you haven't heard part one of this episode, be sure to go back and listen, and then share this...

"Eventually I just kind of stopped going..." This is an all too common phrase among people who have been hurt in a church setting. The hurt might have come from a person, a circumstance, or just change. No matter how the hurt occurred, it's very real and it's devastating to the Body of Christ when it makes a member of the body feel isolated and alone. In this two-part episode, we talk with Alex Elliott who experienced "church hurt" in a church setting many years ago and has since found...

According to the US Census Bureau, as of 2020 there are 18.3 million kids in this country who are living in a "fatherless home". That means 1 in 4 kids this Father's Day won't have a dad to celebrate with, for whatever reason. In this episode, we're talking with Feather Farler about her experience with a distant father for many years of her life, how she came to a place of reconciliation with him, and how the Lord is still working on her through this situation. Above all else, we know that...

The CDC reports that 1 in 8 women suffer from postpartum depression in the wake of childbirth. However only about 50% of those women are actually diagnosed and treated for postpartum depression, and a big reason for that is simply not knowing enough about postpartum depression to recognize and understand the signs and symptoms. Kristen Wesler courageously shares her story about how she discovered that she was dealing with postpartum depression after the birth of her second baby, and how she...

What do you do on Mother's Day when your relationship with your biological mom feels like it's not worth celebrating? Mary Dixon tells us about how her mom was only 14 years old when she was born, she became a raging alcoholic, and lost custody of her and her sisters for part of their childhood. When tragedy brought her mom back into her life, Mary discovered just how mighty God is when you lean into Him with your prayers and petitions. No matter what the reason for the difficult...

Year after year, she prayed for a baby and year after year, her arms remained empty. She was devastated, desperate and downcast. The women all around her had babies without issue and each month that came and went without a pregnancy in her womb, she wondered: "Why not me?" In 1 Samuel, we read about Hannah's struggles to conceive and how that even her prayers seemed despondent, so much so that the priest, Eli, even thought she was drunk when she was crying out to God to give her a child. One...

While Mother's Day is a celebrated holiday among most people, there are many women who struggle to celebrate Mother's Day because of personal battles... one of those issues is that they have lost their mother and cannot celebrate with her on Mother's Day. In this episode, we hear from Brenda Cox and Sherrie Banks who have both lost their mother's in recent years. They share how they have coped with this loss and how they spent their difficult Mother's Days without their moms. We hope you'll...

ALL THE SINGLE LADIES!!! Listen up! This is for you!! God uses our singleness for specific purpose, and in this episode we talk to Karan Keiter about how God used her time of singleness into her 30s to bring growth, establish faith strength and prepare her for her future. She talks about how frustrating it was to watch her friends in their 20s getting married and having kids and how she dealt with feeling "passed up". If you're the one living in that singleness and you're frustrated waiting...