Today’s guest, Ann Wyse, knows what it’s like to wrestle with the significance of her work in completely different seasons of life and to come out on the other side recognizing that nothing God calls us to is insignificant. Listen in to hear Ann’s story of being a solo missionary in Tibet, transitioning from the adventure of missions to the adventure of raising children stateside, and learning to trust that God places us where we are for a purpose. You’ll be reminded that your calling—whether...

Imagine if you got everything you ever wanted. Would it satisfy your soul? After experiencing great success in her athletic career, today’s wise-beyond-her-years guest realized that only Jesus could satisfy her soul and give her a firm foundation amid the ups and downs of life. Grace Lyons-Turk is the former captain of the Oklahoma University women’s softball team and a three-time Women’s College World Series champion. Rather than finding her identity in her athletic skills, accomplishments,...

Christmastime is a season of festivity—carols, parties, decorations, food. But do we understand the true meaning of festivity and its divine origins? Haley Stewart—mom, author, and editor at Word on Fire Spark—joins us this week to give us a true vision of festivity, one that begins with encountering God and responds with an overflow of joy for who He is and what He has done. Listen in for a rich conversation on true Christmas joy and finding echoes of festivity in our favorite Christmas...

What are women made for and what are they capable of? What makes them valuable? What is “women’s work”? One of the most culturally influential women in American history used her life’s work to answer these questions and affirm women in both society and the home—yet many people have never even heard of her. Sarah Josepha Hale was a mother, writer, activist, and editor of the popular nineteenth-century women’s magazine Godey’s Lady’s Book. Her work contributed to a robust and holistic view of...

What is education for? How does the Christian worldview shape our approach to it? If you ask this week’s guest, she’ll tell you that it’s for the flourishing of children, parents, and communities. Lynn Swaner is the Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer at the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI). She joins us to talk about a Christian ethic of education and discipleship, the unique landscape of schools today, as well as the exciting innovations happening in Christian...

From a young age, Kellie Fiedorek was driven by a passion to seek justice and uphold the dignity of every human life. Today, she serves as senior counsel and director of Government Affairs at Alliance Defending Freedom. In this episode, she shares her journey into the legal profession, her work with ADF, and her involvement in the 303 Creative v. Elenis Supreme Court Case. Kellie also underscores the vital importance of the fight for freedom of speech and freedom of religion, emphasizing that...

Did you have formal logic in school? I didn’t. As Kathy Gibbens was teaching her kids logic, she learned the importance of thinking clearly and logically herself. She recognized how helpful it is to have categories that bring order to confusing slogans and conversations. Amid the ramped-up rhetoric of 2020, Kathy launched a podcast to help train those of us who have never formally learned logic, so that we can learn not what to think but how to think. She joins me today to tell us her story...

Abortion has been packaged and falsely marketed as a form of healthcare necessary for women’s empowerment, while pro-life advocacy has been mislabeled as anti-woman. Dr. Christina Francis knows this reasoning is backwards, and she uses her voice to fight for the wellbeing of women and babies. Today, she does that as an OB-GYN and CEO of the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists (AAPLOG). Dr. Francis works hard to inform women about the realities of chemical abortion...

Many of us struggle with body image. Our bodies matter and we are called to care for them—but how do we do that without obsessing? What does it look like to steward our bodies? This week, Lainey Greer joins us to answer these questions. Lainey uses her unique background of exercise science and Ph.D. work in systematic theology, with an emphasis on human embodiment, to equip Christians with a biblical view of the body that applies to everyday life. We talk about the big picture of stewarding...

In part 2 of our conversation with Georgette Forney, she shares how God directed her pro-life advocacy toward end-of-life-care. She has taken time to research and write a Christian curriculum on end-of-life care, to help Christians think biblically about aging and death and care for those nearing the end of life. Georgette’s commitment to honoring and dignifying aging image bearers goes well beyond simply educating and informing others. You’ll hear how she has joyfully devoted her time to...

Georgette Forney is the director of Anglicans for Life and co-founder of the Silent No More Awareness campaign. At age 16, Georgette had an abortion. Even after becoming a Christian, she struggled to believe that God could forgive her. She joins us this week to share how God helped her bring her abortion into the light, receive His forgiveness, and walk free from guilt and shame. Although she describes herself as an unlikely activist, Georgette has obeyed God’s call to advocate for the...

How do we trust the Lord in the face of devastating loss? This week, I’ve invited my friend Dana St. John to share her experience of walking with the Lord through the unexpected loss of her husband at age 44. Through Dana’s grief, doubt, and wrestling with faith, God brought her into a deeper relationship with Him. She also shares how Christians can grieve well and prepare for loss.     The Knowledge of the Holy by A.W. Tozer  Trusting God Even When Life Hurts Jerry Bridges   A...

Virginia Prodan joins us for a second time to share the incredible story of how God saved her. She tells us about her participation in God’s work in communist Romania, the way He strengthened her through persecution, and what we can learn from her story of being faithful when faced with challenges and opposition to our faith.    Virginia Prodan Ministries  Signed copy of Saving My Assassin by Virginia Prodan  Saving My Assassin by Virginia Prodan  Strong Women Podcast Episode...

Crystal Downing joins us this week to talk about the 20th-century Christian author, Dorothy Sayers. Crystal is Co-Director of the Marion E. Wade Center at Wheaton College, where scholars research, write about, and preserve the memorabilia of a handful of British writers—including a few members of the Inklings. Though Dorothy Sayers wasn’t an Inkling herself, she was friends with many of them and was a major spiritual influence on C.S. Lewis. Dorothy was not afraid to challenge people,...

Lorie Smith is a graphic designer and the founder and owner of 303 Creative. She’s also the center of a landmark Supreme Court case regarding freedom of speech—a case she has just won thanks to her perseverance and the hard work of the Alliance Defending Freedom. She joins us to share her story of coming to Christ, developing as an artist and creator, and starting her business. In taking a public stand for religious freedom over the last seven years, Lorie has experienced backlash, hatred,...

Our guests today are Linda Noble and Linda Stewart, affectionately called “The Lindas.” I love how these two ladies in different seasons of life looked at the world around them and asked, “What is missing that we can add?” They tell us how they joined together to learn and then create something that offers a window into God’s design for sex, which fits into the larger story that He wants to be known by us, and He uses His creation—including our own bodies—to pursue a relationship with us. I...

Our guests today are Linda Noble and Linda Stewart, affectionately called “The Lindas.” I love how these two ladies in different seasons of life looked at the world around them and asked, “What is missing that we can add?” They tell us how they joined together to learn and then create something that offers a window into God’s design for sex, which fits into the larger story that He wants to be known by us, and He uses His creation—including our own bodies—to pursue a relationship with us. I...

Our guest today is Rachelle Starr, founder of Scarlet Hope. At 21, Rachelle felt God calling her to minister to women trapped working in strip clubs in her city of Louisville, KY. Today, she shares some of the stories she’s witnessed over 16 years of building relationships through good food and introducing these women to the God who sees and loves them. Scarlet Hope is now in many major cities around the nation, working to bring the hope of the Gospel to places that are often overlooked.  ...

This is one of my favorite episodes because Erin and I get to interview our husbands. Being made in the image of God as male and female is a good thing. It is not an accident that we are created to be a man or a woman. When God made us male and female, he said it was very good. We were created not to compete or be opposed to each other, but to work together in the cosmic task God has invited us into—to care for His creation and cause it to flourish. Join us as we wrestle through the idea of...

In this best-of episode, we are joined by Cindy Rollins, an author, mother of nine, speaker, and co-host of The Literary Life Podcast. Cindy has encouraged many women, including Erin and Sarah, to stay curious, hunt for beauty in the everyday, and bring those around them along for the journey of lifelong learning.     Morning Time: A Liturgy of Love by Cindy Rollins  Mere Motherhood by Cindy Rollins   People Pleasing: How Not to be an Approval Junkie by Lou Priolo  Literary...

We are joined by Sarah’s lovely and feisty English grandmother, Sheila Broderick. Sheila was ten years old when England declared war on Germany in World War II. She was evacuated by train to Wales, but unlike the Pevensie children of C.S. Lewis’ Narnia series, Sheila did not find a nice professor waiting to help spur on her imagination. Instead, she was the last child to be reluctantly taken in. From losing her father  to surviving the Blitz, Sheila’s formative years were shaped by...

We welcome Dr. Kathy Koch, president of Celebrate Kids, to talk about the importance of paying attention to those around us. As Kathy likes to say, we are all made on purpose, with purpose, for a purpose. Kathy has a unique gift of making the people around her feel seen and cared for—especially children. She lets us in on why this is so important to her.     Kathy’s Website for Celebrate Kids   The Picture Smart Bible  Start with the Heart by Kathy Koch  8 Great Smarts:...

This week we welcome Mollie Hemingway, senior editor at the Federalist Society and a Fox News contributor, to share her story with us. During her adolescence, Mollie’s family oriented their lives around the church. She shares with us how that foundation has shaped her over the years, as well as how Christianity has shaped her view of womanhood.     The Federalist Society   Justice on Trial: The Kavanaugh Confirmation and the Future of the Supreme Court by Mollie Hemingway and Carrie...

During our season break, we’re looking back at some of our first and favorite episodes. In this conversation with Joni Eareckson Tada, Joni shares her journey from being a young athlete to a quadriplegic and how God has used this as an invitation for her to know Him better. A few years after her accident, she founded Joni and Friends, which has impacted so many families and people with disabilities.     Joni’s Website  Through Gates of Splendor by Elisabeth Elliot   Suffer Strong...

We flip the microphone in this episode towards our guest, Erin Kunkle. Erin has been co-hosting Strong Women with me for three years now. The podcast has grown and has become more than the side project it was when we began. Nothing else in Erin’s life has slowed down, so she has made the difficult decision to step out of co-hosting Strong Women. Erin has been and continues to be a strong woman and dear friend in my life, so I wanted to share more of her story with you all.     ...