Gender dysphoria is becoming more and more common, and parents with kids who are struggling are at a loss at what to do. Should they affirm their kids? Should they approve hormone blockers?  In this week’s episode of Java with Juli, Juli is joined by Dr. Miriam Grossman, a child psychiatrist and author who has testified before congress about some of the hidden dangers behind transgender activism. Guest: Dr. Miriam Grossman, MD Book: "Lost in Trans Nation: A Child...

While many of us are familiar with the concept of abuse, we are typically familiar with the conventional stereotypes around abuse. We typically picture a younger, weaker party who is taken advantage of by a dominant person. It’s rare we picture a friend, mentor or someone we trust harming us.   Unfortunately this is what happened to Tricia Lott Williford. In the same 72-hour span in which she experienced the sudden and unexpected death of her husband, she experienced sexual assault from...

Is laughter important? Why did God give us the ability to laugh? Laughter might not be top of mind when it comes to how we live as Christians or how we live in relationship with others, but laughter is a gift God has given to us, and there are many reasons why. This week, comedian, author and Pastor Ted Cunningham is Juli’s guest, and he explains the health and relational benefits of laughing much and laughing often.   Guest: Ted Cunningham   Website: Woodland Hills Church   Book: A...

Accidental influencer and author of “Forever Home”, Anh Lin, shares her story of journeying through trauma and brokenness to a place of healing.   You’ll hear Anh talk about: Her unlikely encounter with Jesus How she medicated her pain and grief with partying and alcohol Experiencing rock bottom, even after finding Jesus     Guest: Anh Lin     Anh’s website: girlandtheword.com Anh’s Instagram: @girlandtheword Book: “Forever Home: Moving Beyond Brokenness to Build a Strong...

David and Terri Sumlin are the founders of Marriage Life Ministries, a ministry that helps couples improve their marriages through a focus on communication, conflict and intimacy. Years ago, when their own marriage was on the brink of divorce and rocked by a 3-month affair, this ministry was exactly what they needed. Join Juli, David and Terri, as the couple talk about how God’s intervention saved and restored their marriage.     Guests: David and Terri Sumlin     David and Terri’s...

What can we learn from close examination of the lives of the men we read about in scripture? These were real people,who the Bible reveals had their own very human struggles, battling insecurity, pride, deception, and lust. This week’s podcast guest, Chase Replogle, is a pastor at Bent Oak Church in Missouri, and is the author of “The Five Masculine Instincts". The  book covers the lessons we can learn from male Biblical figures like Samson, Moses, and Cain. This is a great episode that...

Is there a theological approach or framework to understanding gender? Is there scriptural support for the messages we receive about gender from movies, books, and institutions? And what does it mean for us to live as ‘lights on a hill’ within a culture that continually evolves in its discussions about gender and sexual issues? Join John and Sarah Stonestreet from the Colson Center as they join Juli in exploring some of the underlying beliefs surrounding sexuality in our culture, and talk...

Ed and Lisa Young, founding pastors of Fellowship Church, join Juli for an honest and faith-filled conversation about their journey through grief. The couple’s oldest daughter, Lee-Beth, passed away a little over two years ago after an ongoing battle with poor mental health and alcohol abuse, and in this powerful interview, they share about the unexpected comfort and hope they discovered as they wrestled with their pain, loss and sorrow and held their faith in tandem.     Guests: Ed and...

For too long, many Christians have heard and believed the misconception that living in God’s freedom and redemption means they’ll never struggle with sin or temptation. This is one of the things the Bible is pretty clear on. The heroes of the faith like Paul, David, Moses, and Abraham loved and new God and still lived imperfectly. Maybe it’s time for us to recognize that being saved doesn’t mean we’ll never sin again, but that it means we’re on a journey of loving Jesus, pursuing Him,...

What does it look like to let God reclaim sex in your marriage…when sex is painful? Or when it feels like an obligation? Or when your spouse wants to engage in BDSM? In this special Live Q&A episode from Reclaim 2022, Juli is joined by Dr. Jennifer Degler and Dr. Michael Sytsma as they provide biblical, practical answers to questions on sex that some of us are too afraid to ask.   Guests: Dr. Jennifer Degler and Dr. Michael Sytsma   Jennifer’s Website: jenniferdegler.com/ Mike’s...

It’s one thing to hear someone say secrets and sexual addiction are destructive to a marriage and a family, it’s another thing entirely to experience it. Phil and Priscilla Fretwell understand this more than most. One afternoon, while her husband was at work, Priscilla got a call from the video store enquiring for an overdue video. Shocked and confused, she called her husband to ask him about it. His only response was: ‘I’m coming home’. Many years, tears and miracles later, Phil and...

Pregnancy has its ups and downs, but where the rubber hits the road for most is postpartum. If you’re a woman who has had a baby or you’re a man married to one, you understand that there are fairly common challenges specifically around postpartum sex. There’s a lot to navigate—changing bodies, new responsibilities, challenging hormones, it’s no wonder women struggle to figure out how they feel about sex and couples are hard pressed to find a new sexual rhythm. In this much-needed and highly...

How do we move from a faith that is shallow and superficial to one that is rooted in relationship? What does it take to take a prayer life that feels like a duty and make it into one of delight? Author, teacher, and poet Jackie Hill Perry joins Juli to talk about the inspiration behind her latest book, “Upon Waking”, and why God isn’t looking at the amount of time we spend with Him so much as He’s looking at the condition of our hearts. Guest: Jackie Hill Perry Website:...

We’ve all heard it said many times that marriage can be tough. But it’s possible we don’t discuss enough how good, sweet, and awesome marriage can be! Scott Kedersha, marriage pastor and author, joins Juli to share some of the things he’s learned in almost two decades of marriage ministry. In this episode, Juli and Scott discuss: How couples should handle sexual history and ongoing issues What qualities to look for in a potential spouse When to call off an engagement The role of...

If you caught someone in sin, how would you respond to them? Tim Ross was 18 years old when his mother caught him watching porn. Her response was to ask one question: “What are you doing?” and then to turn, walk away, and pray. 30 years later that night remains seared in Tim’s memory as the night grace, mercy and truth reached in and pulled him out of darkness and into light. Tim tells Juli: What finally prompted him to share what he had been through How a faith-filled response led...

What’s getting in the way of you becoming more like Christ? Could it be that while your knowledge of God is good, you haven’t embraced how He has designed you on your journey to become more like Him? Author and consultant Michel Hendricks is the first guest of 2024 for Java with Juli. He shares what he has observed from his years working as a Pastor of Spiritual Formation, and what he has learned from adopting a more right-brained approach to discipleship and formation. His advice may...

When was the last time you took time to reflect on your story? As you reflect on the year you’ve had, why not take some time to think more about your past and do some healing work? Cathy Loerzel, co-founder of The Allender Center and co-author of “Redeeming Heartache” joins Juli to talk about why sharing and hearing our stories helps us heal from past trauma and is crucial for cultivating emotional and spiritual maturity.     Guest: Cathy Loerzel Website: cathyloerzel.com Cathy’s...

Join Juli and Hannah as they revisit some of the common themes, topics and questions from this year’s Java with Juli episodes.   Juli and Hannah address some of the following questions: Can God reach the LGBTQ+ community? When did culture begin to emphasize sexual identity and pronouns? Have we made an idol of marriage and forgotten the dignity of singleness? Grab your coffee, get comfortable, and explore some of the common themes and lessons from 2023.   Guest: Hannah Nitz ...

What are the stories you’re telling yourself about who you are, about who God is, and about what life is supposed to look like? We’re all telling ourselves stories all the time. And those stories matter, because we interpret our experiences through them, and those narratives really heavily influence the choices we make and the people we become. Author Jennifer L Holberg joins Juli on the podcast to discuss her book, “Nourishing Narratives”, and explains why we need to challenge the...

We all know the purity narrative had its downsides for women, but what about men? Is it possible the purity narrative failed men too? What were men taught to do with feelings of lust? What harmful ideas were passed on in an effort to protect purity? Noah Filipiak, author, pastor, and founder of Beyond Ministries, joins Juli to unpack some of the messages men heard, and provide insight on where things need to change.   Guest: Noah Filipiak   Noah’s Instagram: @noahfilipiak Noah’s...

Is God really good? This is a question many people today are left asking as they consider biblical values on sexuality. The Bible comments on everything from same-sex attraction, the heart of marriage, singleness, and the cost of discipleship, and in this episode Juli and her guest, author and pastor Sam Allberry, unpack these topics. Sam is a frequent guest on the podcast who talks with honesty, humility, and wisdom about a lot of the hot button sexual topics of our modern culture. ...

Even with all the scriptures tell us of God’s capacity for miracles, many of us still often wonder, “Is God able to heal me? Is He really greater than the challenges I face?” There aren’t many things that show the depths of sin and brokenness in humanity like the horror of human trafficking. If you’ve watched a documentary on human trafficking or know someone personally impacted by it, it’s clear there is so much brokenness in both the victims and their perpetrators. Thankfully, God is...

Are men and women called to have the same kind of roles? Are women supposed to support men but not lead them, or lead alongside them? This is a sensitive ongoing discussion in the American Church. In this episode, author and esteemed theologian Dr. Michelle Lee-Barnewall joins Juli to discuss why this debate misses God’s heart for how men and women should relate to each other in the family of God.     Guest: Dr. Michelle Lee-Barnewall     Book: Neither Complementarian nor Egalitarian by...

On the journey of healing and recovery, it can be easy to wonder if things will “always be this way”, or feel like the challenges “will never stop”. The reality is that it often takes more than we expect to go from death to life. While the Bible says that real and lasting transformation is available to us, it can be hard to understand what part we have to play and where God is doing the work. Jonathan Daugherty, founder of Be Broken Ministries, will tell you true transformation is grace-led....