Her Story Speaks: Recent Episodes
Her Story Speaks
Liz Childs Kelly is a writer, award-winning researcher, educator, community builder, and host of the popular Home to Her podcast dedicated to amplifying the voices of the Sacred Feminine. She is also the author of Home to Her: Walking the Transformative Path of the Sacred Feminine, a 2023 Nautilus Gold award winner, and the founder of Home to Her Academy. In this episode, Liz shares her story of her path to the sacred feminine and how she has dedicated her life to amplifying all aspects of Her. In honor of Women’s History Month, we talk about the ancient history of the sacred feminine, how She shows up today, and how She drives our social justice work. Liz’s writing has been featured in a variety of online publications, including Forbes, Mashable, Rebelle Society, Human Parts (a Medium publication), and Braided Way, as well as the Girl God Books anthology Just As I Am: Hymns Affirming the Divine Female. An initiated priestess in the 13 Moon lineage, she also holds certifications in Reiki and Vinyasa and Yin Yoga. Liz lives in rural Virginia with her family and can often be found exploring the nearby Blue Ridge Mountains or wandering in the woods behind her home.
Rozella Kennedy is a thought-leader, author and content creator specializing in equity, intersectional women’s history and storytelling as a tool for change. She founded Brave Sis Project in 2019, publishing the world’s only guided journal and day planner honoring BIPOC women in US history and creating events and facilitations supporting authentic allyship. She is also the author of the acclaimed book Our Brave Foremothers: Celebrating 100 Black, Brown, Asian, and Indigenous Women Who Changed the Course of History (Workman, 2023). Her publications and social media platforms have reached thousands of readers and engagers in over a dozen countries on six continents. Rozie also serves as Director of Impact and Equity for global strategic advisory firm Camber Collective, helping support equitable practices within the humanitarian, development, philanthropic, and social impact sectors.
Samantha Salem is a proud Palestinian mother of three, currently living in the Kansas City area. Having lived ten years in Gaza and with most of her family still living there but currently displaced, she knows firsthand the devastating effects of Israel’s occupation of the land of her ancestors. With a passion for educating others about Palestine and committed to ensuring Palestinian voices are not silenced, she advocates for keeping important Palestinian and humanitarian conversations alive. As a realtor in the Kansas City area with Reece Nichols, she blends her love for real estate and entrepreneurship to empower others to create passive income while honoring diversity and culture. Outside of work, Samantha engages in activism, enjoys bookstore visits, dreams of travel, and captures life through her lens.
For this episode, I am joined by Dr. Paige Rawson (she/they). Paige is a writer, speaker, life coach, epistimactivist and a biblical scholar with a doctorate in religious studies. Having survived five years of reparative therapy, Paige knows firsthand the trauma inflicted by exclusivist ideologies and toxic theologies, including those of white Christian nationalism and (Christian) Zionism, which have been especially instrumental in the genocide in Palestine. Their personal experience of discrimination and dehumanization motivated them to self-acceptance, personal healing, and social action, as well as the pursuit of an MDiv, an MA, and a PhD. Paige now focuses their energy on teaching, preaching, coaching, consulting, and counseling, educating people about (the use and abuse of) privilege, empowering minoritized people to advocate for themselves, and encouraging solidarity among marginalized communities. They have published essays and articles in multiple anthologies, wherein they cross several disciplinary and discursive boundaries to resist Western European epistemological hegemony and inspire interpretation in honor of the various “others,” who have historically been excluded in traditional biblical interpretation and “othered” within the text itself. Paige is particularly interested in educating people about the Hebrew Bible and New Testament in light of their historical relevance and deployment in representations of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, American values, and the justification of colonialism and US diplomacy.
The Rev. Dr. Jacqui Lewis (she/her) uses her gifts as author, activist, preacher, and public theologian toward creating an antiracist, just, gun violence free, fully welcoming, gender affirming society in which everyone has enough. Jacqui is the Senior Minister at Middle Collegiate Church-preaching Fierce Love throughout the year. She is the first African American and first woman to serve as a senior minister in the Collegiate Church, which was founded in New York City in 1628 and is the oldest continuous Protestant Church in North America. A womanist theologian, Jacqui has preached at the Festival of Homiletics, the Wild Goose Festival, The Children’s Defense Fund’s Haley Farm, and was a featured speaker on the Together national tour with best-selling author, Glennon Doyle. She has been featured on the The Today Show, All In with Chris Hayes, AM Joy, The Melissa Harris Perry Show, NY1, ABC, NBC, PBS, CBS. Her writing has appeared in Harper's Bazaar, USA Today, Vox, The Huffington Post and more. Her newest book, Fierce Love: A Bold Path to Ferocious Courage and Rule-Breaking Kindness That Can Heal the World, was released in 2021 and is the subject of much of our conversation. Inspired by the Ubuntu philosophy “I am who I am because we are who we are”, Dr. Lewis shares practices necessary for transforming ourselves, our communities, and our world at large. Her Fierce Love is a manifesto for all generations, a universalist’s vision for mending our broken hearts and fractured world.
Rev. Dr. Angela Yarber: an award-winning author, artist, and founder of Tehom Center Publishing. Her newest book, Queering the American Dream, is the subject of our conversation where Angela shares the radical journey of her queer family who left it all and the revolutionary women who taught them how. With five of her eight books listed in QSpirit's Top LGBTQ+ Religion Books, Dr. Yarber started Tehom Center Publishing, an imprint publishing feminist and queer authors, with a commitment to elevate BIPOC writers. She holds a Ph.D. in Art and Religion and is an Affiliate Professor for Women in Religious Leadership at Drew University. Her work has been featured in Forbes, Ms. Magazine, HuffPo, The Independent, NPR, Maya Angelou's memorial celebration, the television show Tiny House Nation, and more; to see her folk-feminist art, purchase a book, or learn more about Tehom Center Publishing, visit www.tehomcenter.org
In this episode, my guest and I talk about the healing benefits of psilocybin. We share our personal journeys about the healing we experienced on psilocybin as well as medical facts that support the healing. My guest, Jennifer Chesak is the author of The Psilocybin Handbook for Women. She is an award-winning freelance science and medical journalist, editor, and fact-checker, and her work has appeared in several national publications, including the Washington Post. Chesak earned her master of science in journalism from Northwestern University’s Medill, and she currently teaches in the journalism and publishing programs at Belmont University. Find her work at jennferchesak.com. And follow her on socials @jenchesak.
Lyvonne Briggs, MDiv, ThM, Emmy Award winner, is a body- and sex-positive womanist preacher. She is an author, pastor, spiritual life coach, and highly sought-after transformational speaker and seminar leader. A TEDx speaker, she has been featured in Essence, Cosmopolitan, and The Washington Post, and Sojourners named her one of "11 Women Shaping the Church.” Lyvonne is a graduate of The Lawrenceville School, Seton Hall University, Yale Divinity School,and Columbia Theological Seminary. She is currently based in New Orleans, LA.Her new book, "Sensual Faith: The Art of Coming Home to Your Body" is the topic of our conversation. Lyvonne shares her story of breaking free from body and sex shame and invites women to discover a healthier approach to spirituality and sexuality that centers on pleasure rather than shame.
Marcie Alvis-Walker is an author and curator of the popular Instagram handle @blackcoffeewithwhitefriends, which focuses on race, theology, and current events with a companion blog of the same name. She is also the writer and creator of Black-Eyed Bible Stories, a Substack newsletter and podcast focused on Black Womanist readings of the Bible. In her debut book, Everybody Come Alive: A Memoir In Essays, Marcie explores intersectionality, diversity, and inclusion in our spiritual lives. In her coming-of-age journey, Marcie touches on the bittersweet pain and joy of what it takes to become a person who embraces being Black, a woman, and holy in America. In this vulnerable conversation Marcie shares more of her deeply personal story with her own mother’s journey with mental illness and its imprint on her life now.
Tina Strawn (she/they) is a joy and liberation advocate, activist, author of "Are We Free Yet? The Black, Queer Guide to Divorcing America," and the owner and host of the Speaking of Racism podcast. The heart of her work is founding and leading Legacy Trips, immersive antiracism experiences where participants visit historic locations such as Montgomery and Selma, AL, and utilize spiritual practices as tools to affect personal and collective change. Most recently Tina is the co-founder of Here4TheKIds, a national movement to ban guns and buy them back.
Sara Cunningham is an author, activist, and founder of the non-profit organization Free Mom Hugs. Her journey is a surprising one that began in conservative Oklahoma when her son, Parker, came out as gay. As a woman of faith, Sara wrestled with the news until she began to study, research, and reconcile the two worlds. This journey resulted in her book How We Sleep at Night. She found herself on a journey “from the church to the Pride parade,” falling in love with the LGBTQIA+ community. The mission of Free Mom Hugs began in the wake of beautiful glitter-covered hugs and heart-breaking horror stories. Simple acts of love and acceptance turned into a viral sensation, and Sara knew she had the opportunity to lead impactful change. Free Mom Hugs is now a movement across the country and the world. Sara goes Beyond the Hug to educate and advocate organizations of all types, including schools and businesses striving for safe and protected spaces. She has often appeared with her son Parker, on the Today Show and The RuPaul Show and spoke at the 2019 GLAAD Awards. She also has been featured in many national publications, including The Washington Post, Woman’s Day magazine, and People magazine. Sara is currently in partnership with Jamie Lee Curtis, who has purchased the rights to her book and will release a movie based on her story. An upcoming documentary about the Mama Bears movement by award-winning director Daresha Kyi also features Sara and the Free Mom Hugs movement. Sara’s passion is to change the perspective of the outside world toward this beautiful part of our community so that we, as a society, not only learn to affirm but, more importantly, celebrate. Her goal is to help parents, and children have authentic relationships and understanding for each other using her own experience and education as a guide. Sara is passionate about connecting with faith, civic, and business leaders in efforts to make the world a kinder, safer place for our LGBTQIA+ family. She is gifted at inspiring others to join her in this movement that is sweeping the nation and the world.
Hillary Whittington is a mom, author, and advocate who has dedicated her life to her children and to raising awareness about the transgender community. After discovering her son was both deaf and transgender, Hillary began dedicating her efforts to raising awareness about the transgender community. Hillary created a viral YouTube video and co-authored a book titled "Raising Ryland: Our Story Of Parenting A Transgender Child With No Strings Attached." In this episode, Hilary shares her journey of parenting a transgender child, and what she learned along the way. From the earliest stages of deciphering Ryland through clothing choices to examining the difficult conversations that have marked every stage of Ryland’s transition, she shares her experiences as a mother through it all.
When Breonna Taylor was killed, her police report was virtually blank. Feeling as if she was suffocating in the initial silence and lack of public outcry, anti-racism educator and activist Faitth Brooks wondered, “Would the world care about and remember me if I was killed?” In her new book, Remember Me Now, Faitth grapples with the answer, charting the story of her activist grandparents and ancestors, as well as chronicling her own journey as the first-generation suburbs kid who becomes an activist and organizer herself. In our conversation Faitth shares her story of how she has learned to celebrate the fullness of herself and invites other Black women to do the same in a world determined to silence Black voices. Faitth is a writer, speaker, social worker, activist, and co-host of the Melanated Faith podcast. Faitth has served as the director of programs and innovation for Be the Bridge and director of women's empowerment for Legacy Collective.
Saira Rao grew up in Richmond, Virginia, the daughter of Indian immigrants. For forty years, she wasted her precious time aspiring to be white and accepted by dominant white society, a futile task for anyone not born with white skin. Several years ago, Saira began the painful process of dismantling her own internalized oppression. In this episode Saira shares her story of how her eyes finally started to open to her own internalized oppression to start speaking up against white supremacy. Saira is the co-founder of Race2Dinner, co-author of New York Times Bestseller White Women: Everything You Already Know About Your Own Racism and How To Do Better and Executive Producer of the documentary Deconstructing Karen.
In part four of this bonus podcast series, paying tribute to Black motherhood, I am joined by Marcie Alvis-Walker, Cha Sears-Barefield, Patricia A. Taylor, Dr. Quintrilla Ard and Nya Abernathy as they discuss the theme “In Our Mother’s Gardens.” In this episode the women share their experiences of being multidimensional Black women and how they have fought for dignity in a world that has tried to take it. They share personal stories from their own mothering journeys and talk about some of the hardest chapters where their own lives have been jeopardized . They also share about the legacy their ancestors have left for them and the soil they tend to daily to leave a bounty of dignity for the children that come after them.
In part three of this bonus podcast series where we are paying tribute to Black motherhood, I am joined by Marcie Alvis-Walker, Patricia Taylor and Nya Abernathy as they discuss the Black Motherhood in Media. Not only do they share their own experiences growing up and the Black mothers in media that influenced them but also share their passion for having more representation of Black women and girls in media today. They talk about raising daughters under the heavy influence of whiteness all around them and the very real struggle they face as Black mothers keeping their children’s dignity fully intact. Book bans, censorship and teaching our children more accurate history is also discussed.
In this bonus podcast series we are paying tribute to Black Motherhood. For this episode I am joined by historian Lettie Gore, Marcie Alvis-Walker, and Nya Abernathy as they discuss the The Imprint of Black Mothers on our Country. The women discuss everything from our country's Founding Mothers, to Black domestics raising white children, to Black mothers shaping American Politics. (please note, some content may be triggering.)
In this bonus podcast series we are paying tribute to Black motherhood during the month of February in honor of Black History Month. I hand over the mic to a group of phenomenal Black women as they bring their voices and expertise to talk about all aspects of Black motherhood. In this episode I am joined by historian Lettie Gore, Marcie Alvis-Walker, Cha Barefield, Nya Abernathy, and Dr. Quantrilla Ard as they discuss the History of the Black Womb. Please note that the content of this episode may be triggering for some and the language may not be for young ears. As always the goal with sharing these stories and true history is not to create more trauma but rather to acknowledge the trauma done to Black bodies in this country thus to bring more Black women’s stories out of the darkness and into the light.
In this episode, I sit down for a conversation with my 20 year-old daughter, Grace Kingsley Miller, for one of the most vulnerable conversations I have had to date. Grace shares her story of struggling with mental illness starting at the age of 14. She shares about some of her childhood trauma that impacted her mental health as battled self harm and depression for many of her teenage years. At the age of 19, Grace was finally diagnosed with bi-polar disorder, and she shares openly about coming to terms with and accepting this difficult diagnosis. We talk about the stigma associated with mental illness and bi-polar disorder especially and the importance of having real conversations about it. Grace also shares her journey of finding effective treatment and help and just how challenging that can be. Finally she shares about her recent experience with ketamine assisted therapy and how promising and effective it has been for her treatment. This episode is for anyone who has struggled with mental health and for family members that love them through it or want to learn to do better in helping them.
Karen González is seeking to see and love her neighbors as God does. She is a speaker, writer, public theologian, and immigrant advocate, who herself immigrated from Guatemala as a child. Karen is a former public school teacher and attended Fuller Theological Seminary, where she studied theology and missiology. For the last 15 years, she has been a non-profit professional, currently working for an organization that serves asylum seekers. She wrote a book about her own immigration story and the many immigrants found in the Bible: The God Who Sees: Immigrants, The Bible, and the Journey to Belong (2019). Her second book Beyond Welcome: Centering Immigrants in Our Christian Response to Immigration seeks to elevate the discourse in the church beyond just hospitality to immigrants. In our conversation we talk about her new book and why the traditional approach to immigration ministries and activism is at best incomplete and at worst harmful. Karen lives in the heart of Baltimore, Maryland, where she enjoys cooking Guatemalan food, traveling, watching baseball, studying the Mayan language Kaqchikel, and writing while her tabby cat Oscar naps beside her.
Rev. Aurelia Dávila Pratt is an imago dei enthusiast, sacred space maker and paradigm shifter with a passion for liberation. She’s the lead pastor of Peace of Christ Church, a radically loving community in Round Rock, Texas. Named by Sojourners as one of “Ten Christian Women Shaping the Church in 2022”, Aurelia is also the author of A Brown Girl’s Epiphany: Reclaim Your Intuition and Step into Your Power and the co-host of the Nuance Tea Podcast. In this episode Aurelia shares her story of growing up as a brown girl in mostly white spaces. She talks about overcoming people pleasing, perfectionism and imposter syndrome on her journey to liberation.
Rev. Kyndall Rae Rothaus (she/her) is an award winnng preacher, spoken word artist, feminist theologian, spiritual director, and preaching coach. She is the author of Thy Queendom Come: Breaking Free from Patriarchy to Save Your Soul (2021) and Preacher Breath (2015). She is the co-founder and Executive Director of Nevertheless She Preached, a national, ecumenical preaching conference designed to elevate the voices of folx on the margins. Kyndall also spent eight years as a Senior Pastor at a Baptist church in Texas, where, among other things, she left a legacy of fighting for LGBTQ+ inclusion in the church before leaving institutional church work to start her own business, Kindle Your Soul Fire, working with individuals to heal from religious trauma and re-imagine their spirituality. Kyndall is a queer woman and the single mom of two adopted children who are the biggest joys of her life. In this conversation Kyndall shares her story of growing up in a conservative Christian home in Oklahoma. Despite being taught to believe that women could not be pastors, she followed her calling and went to seminary to become a pastor. She shares about her experience in seminary, what led her to create "Nevertheless She Preached" and her passion for helping others who are deconstructing their faith and healing from religious trauma.
Myisha T Hill is a mental health activist, speaker, and entrepreneur passionate about mental wellness and empowerment for all. Myisha runs the advocacy site Check Your Privilege with over 700K followers on Instagram. Her newest book, “Heal Your Way Forward”, is the book her followers have been waiting for—a marriage of her personal story, antiracist handbook, and an emotional plea for all people to start healing themselves today so we can heal the world of tomorrow. In this episode Myisha shares her own story with mental illness and how her biggest breakdown led to her greatest breakthrough. We also talk about the value of white tears and grief and coming back to the work after the great white awakening.
Quantrilla Ard, PhD, is a recent transplant to the Atlanta area along with her husband and three littles. A passionate creative at heart, she has answered the call to encourage women in all stages of life and of various backgrounds through empathy, transparency, and love. Quantrilla is a faith-based personal and spiritual development writer, dynamic speaker, and people-connector who believes in the power of collective strength, community, and fellowship. She recently graduated from Walden University with a PhD in Health Psychology and is an advocate for social justice with a focus on Black maternal and infant health and mortality. She currently shepherds stories as a literary agent for Embolden Media Group. In this episode Quantrilla shares her story of her first pregnancy that nearly resulted in tragedy, but instead propelled her journey forward to be an advocate for Black women’s maternal health. She talks about her view on the recent Roe v Wade decision as a Black woman, Christian, and advocate for women’s health. You can find her sharing stories of triumph at www.thephdmamma.com.
Mindy Corporon was the CEO of a successful wealth management firm, when an unimaginable tragedy struck. Mindy’s father and oldest son were murdered by a white-supremacist intent on killing Jewish people. In a split second, Mindy’s life purpose changed from guiding people financially to helping people find space to learn about their differences and discover commonalities. With compassion and forgiveness Mindy shares her experience of loss as a daughter and a mother, a wife and co-worker both nationally and internationally. Mindy’s endeavors include writing her memoir, Healing a Shattered Soul (2021), where she takes readers inside her family’s struggle and her commitment to courageous kindness. In addition, along with her family, Mindy started SevenDays® Inc., a foundation dedicated to overcoming hate by promoting kindness and understanding through education and dialogue.
Jeannie Gainsburg is an award-winning educational trainer and consultant in the field of LGBTQ+ inclusion and effective allyship. Formerly the Education Director at the Out Alliance in Rochester, N.Y., she is now the founder of Savvy Ally Action and author of the book, The Savvy Ally: A Guide for Becoming a Skilled LGBTQ+ Advocate. Jeannie has a BA in psychology from Brown University and an MA in social work and social research from Bryn Mawr College. She was under the impression that a citation was the result of driving too fast until January of 2019, when she received one from the New York State Assembly for Distinguished Educational & Human Rights Services for her work in promoting LGBTQ+ rights and inclusion. Her encouraging, passionate, and warm-hearted approach will surely jumpstart even the most tentative ally. Visit her website and download free ally goodies at: www.savvyallyaction.com.
For this bonus episode I am joined by past guest, Mariah Humphries. Mariah is a Mvskoke Nation citizen, writer and educator. Through her experience navigating the tension between Native and White American culture, she brings Native awareness to non-Native spaces. With over 20 years of vocational ministry service, she is focused on theology, racial literacy and reconciliation within the American Church. In this episode we discuss the often overlooked and under reported topic of Missing and Murdered Indigenous women. Mariah shares real stories of the women behind the statistics as well as reasons why Indigenous women and (girls +) are murdered ten times higher than all other ethnicities, yet this number often goes under reported.
Idelette McVicker describes herself as a creative soul and midwife for liberation. She was born and raised in South Africa during the apartheid era and spent half of her life living in a system created to benefit her white body. When she was 16, she read a book that cracked open her all-white world and shattered so many of her belief systems. Since then she spent her life leaving the construct of whiteness, unlearning so much of what she had internalized to learn a new way of being human. In this conversation we talk about Idelette's journey out of whiteness that she shares in her new book: *RECOVERING RACISTS Dismantling White Supremacy and Reclaiming Our Humanity.” Please note, 90% of proceeds from this book go directly to BIPOC communities who have been harmed by racist systems of oppression.
Leading Christian activist, author and founder of the consulting group Freedom Road, Lisa Sharon Harper has spent three decades researching ten generations of her family history through DNA research, oral histories, interviews and genealogy. In her new book, Fortune: How Race Broke My Family and the World—and How to Repair It All, Harper draws on her lifelong journey to know her family’s history to recover the beauty of her heritage, expose the brokenness that race has wrought in America, and cast a vision for collective repair.
In this episode Tasha Hunter shares her journey with forgiveness, infertility, and mothering her bonus daughter. Tasha Hunter, MSW, LCSW is Black, queer Internal Family Systems therapist and consultant. She is the owner of Ascension Growth Center, PLLC located in North Carolina. As a United States Air Force veteran, she primarily serves military, Black/BIPOC women, and LGBTQ+. She is the author of her memoir, "What Children Remember" and host of the podcast " When We Speak". She is passionate about speaking about adult child trauma, suicide, and collective healing and liberation.
Did you know that women in this country continue to experience discrimination and disadvantage in nearly every sphere of life? A 2018 survey named the United States among the ten most dangerous countries in the world for women and the World Economic Forum recently ranked the United States 53rd out of 153 nations for gender parity. In this episode we talk about the Equal Rights Amendment and who it is a crucial step toward greater gender justice in the U.S and ending gender discrimination in this country. Human rights lawyer and faith leader, Allyson McKinney, and author and Speaker Meghan Tschanz talk about the history of the ERA, why it has still not been published as the 28th amendment, why it is desperately needed, some of the myths and opposition to it and what you can do to help ratify the ERA to the U.S. Constitution
In part four of this bonus podcast series, paying tribute to Black motherhood, I am joined by Marcie Alvis-Walker, Cha Sears-Barefield, Patricia A. Taylor, Dr. Quintrilla Ard and Nya Abernathy as they discuss the theme “In Our Mother’s Gardens.” In this episode the women share their experiences of being multidimensional Black women and how they have fought for dignity in a world that has tried to take it. They share personal stories from their own mothering journeys and talk about some of the hardest chapters where their own lives have been jeopardized . They also share about the legacy their ancestors have left for them and the soil they tend to daily to leave a bounty of dignity for the children that come after them. Because Black women have a history of not getting paid for their time and work, we would like to honor each of the guests for this series and compensate them for their time. We are asking listeners to donate minimum $1 for each episode they download and listen to in this series. Money can be given via Venmo to @herstoryspeaks and all money given in the month of February will be divided equally among the guests for this series.
In part three of this bonus podcast series where we are paying tribute to Black motherhood, I am joined by Marcie Alvis-Walker, Patricia Taylor and Nya Abernathy as they discuss the Black Motherhood in Media. Not only do they share their own experiences growing up and the Black mothers in media that influenced them but also share their passion for having more representation of Black women and girls in media today. They talk about raising daughters under the heavy influence of whiteness all around them and the very real struggle they face as Black mothers keeping their children’s dignity fully intact. Book bans, censorship and teaching our children more accurate history is also discussed.
Christena Cleveland Ph.D. is a social psychologist, public theologian, author, and activist. She is the founder and director of the Center for Justice + Renewal as well as its sister organization, Sacred Folk, which creates resources to stimulate people’s spiritual imaginations and support their journeys toward liberation. A weaver of Black liberation and the sacred feminine, Dr. Cleveland integrates psychology, theology, storytelling, and art to stimulate our spiritual imaginations. She recently completed her third full-length book, God is a Black Woman (HarperOne), which details her 400-mile walking pilgrimage across central France in search of ancient Black Madonna statues, and examines the relationship among race, gender, and cultural perceptions of the Divine. Dr. Cleveland holds a Ph.D. in social psychology from the University of California Santa Barbara as well as an honorary doctorate from the Virginia Theological Seminary. An award-winning researcher and author, Christena is a Ford Foundation Fellow who has held faculty positions at several institutions of higher education — most recently at Duke University’s Divinity School, where she led a research team investigating self-compassion as a buffer to racial stress. Though Dr. Cleveland loves scholarly inquiry, she is also a student of embodied wisdom. She recently completed the Art & Social Change intensive body wisdom training for millennial leaders, and is currently deepening her mind-body-spirit integration in a year-long life practice program for BIPOC. A bona fide tea snob, lover of Black art, and Ólafur Arnalds superfan — Christena makes her home in Boston. https://www.christenacleveland.com/ https://www.patreon.com/cscleve IG@ christenacleveland
In this bonus podcast series we are paying tribute to Black Motherhood. For this episode I am joined by historian Lettie Gore, Marcie Alvis-Walker, and Nya Abernathy as they discuss the The Imprint of Black Mothers on our Country. The women discuss everything from our country's Founding Mothers, to Black domestics raising white children, to Black mothers shaping American Politics. (please note, some content may be triggering.)
In this bonus podcast series we are paying tribute to Black motherhood during the month of February in honor of Black History Month. I hand over the mic to a group of phenomenal Black women as they bring their voices and expertise to talk about all aspects of Black motherhood. In this episode I am joined by historian Lettie Gore, Marcie Alvis-Walker, Cha Barefield, Nya Abernathy, and Dr. Quantrilla Ard as they discuss the History of the Black Womb. Please note that the content of this episode may be triggering for some and the language may not be for young ears. As always the goal with sharing these stories and true history is not to create more trauma but rather to acknowledge the trauma done to Black bodies in this country thus to bring more Black women’s stories out of the darkness and into the light.
Dr. Christy Bauman, Ph.D., MDFT, & LMHC is committed to helping women come into their true voice. Christy is an author, teacher, psychotherapist, and a mother of 4. As a fierce dreamer who is passionate about advocating for women, her work focuses on the female body, sexuality, and theology.
Staci Frenes is a Christian author, singer/songwriter and speaker. Her new book Love Makes Room is about the process by which her heart and faith grew when her daughter came out as gay. As someone with a conservative Christian background, When Staci Frenes learned her teenage daughter was gay, she found her dreams for the future—along with her lifelong faith—collapsing around her. Coming to terms with a new reality was a challenge, and an invitation, to make room for many things along the way: the inevitability of uncertainty, hope in the midst of loss, awkward and tough conversations, an expanding faith, and a greater understanding of how people are more the same than different. Staci and her husband live in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Patricia Taylor is a wife, mom and California native turned Georgia peach. She believes in Jesus, loving all our neighbors, and having critical conversations around racial justice with grace and honesty. Her work is rooted in anti-racism education, and she currently serves as the Director of Programs for Be The Bridge. Patricia is also a co-host for Upside Down Podcast, which is an ecumenical faith space that has unscripted conversations around justice, spirituality, and culture. Most recently she has done education-based course writing for Sesame Street in Communities at this link. In this conversation we talk about her most recent celebration of turning 40 and all that means to her. Patricia shares what she has learned about becoming fully who she was created to be as Black woman taking up space and owning her voice. We dive into topics like setting boundaries, being a “token” Black friend, and thoughts to her younger self.
Monica DiCristina is a Licensed Professional Counselor with over fifteen years of experience in mental health. She runs a private practice in Atlanta, GA serving individuals and couples in therapy. Monica walks with people as they process difficult experiences, helping to bring healing to their relationship with themselves and others. The intersection of her years of therapy experience, as well as her personal mental health journey, inform her perspective and work. Through her podcast, writing, speaking, and counseling work, Monica carries out her heartfelt mission to collaborate with others in their process of healing, hope, and becoming. In this episode Monica shares more about her story about her own walk with mental illness and what drives the work she does. We talk about "unbecoming" to become, being an HSP and setting boundaries.
Mariah Humphries is a Mvskoke Nation citizen, writer and educator. Through her experience navigating the tension between Native and White American culture, she brings Native awareness to non-Native spaces. With over 20 years of vocational ministry service, she is focused on theology, racial literacy and reconciliation within the American Church.
In our conversation Mariah shares her story of being raised by her Native American mother and her White father and learning to hold on to her Native American identity as she navigated a world of whiteness. She shares about her own faith journey and how she embraces both her Christianity and identity as a Native American instead of either or. Finally we dive into the Native American historical stereotype of being a violent aggressor and take a look at the real history of Native Americans as peacemakers. We also talk about navigating thanksgiving and reclaiming the holiday with learning real history and the importance of land recognition.
Emmy Kegler is a pastor, author, and speaker called to ministry at the margins of the church, especially among LGBTQ+ Christians. Emmy has a Master’s in Divinity from Luther Seminary in Saint Paul, Minn., and is an ordained pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America. In this episode, Emmy shares herstory of walking with mental Illness for much of her life. We talk about her second book, All Who Are Weary: Easing the Burden on the Walk with Mental Illness, which offers a pastoral and Scriptural accompaniment to those facing symptoms and diagnoses of mental illness along with those who walk alongside them. Find Emmy here: emmykegler.com Twitter: @emmykegler Instagram: emmykegler Facebook: facebook.com/emmy.kegler
In this episode Tasha Hunter and Andrea Miller talk about finding community in the wilderness. They discuss the invisible wilderness so many seem to be living in right now, and opening yourself up to relationships after experiencing hurt and loss. They share about their meeting one year ago on IG in Oct of 2020, at a time when both felt to be living in an invisible wilderness with loss of community and an unraveling of their faith. Over the past year, as their friendship has expanded, so has their desire to create a safe space for others to heal and find community. They share their vision for the future to create a space where all can be fully welcome to the table just as they are.
As a former journalist, Kayla Craig is adamant about paying attention and embracing curiosity in her work as a writer and podcast producer. She writes nuanced, nurturing prayers at Liturgies for Parents on Instagram and co-founded the Upside Down Podcast, a place for ecumenical conversations on faith and justice. Professionally, she writes, produces, and edits prayers and podcasts for Christian spiritual formation.
In our conversation we talk about Kayla’s newest book, To Light Their Way, and what led her to write it after a chapter in her life where she doubted it prayer even “worked.” Kayla shares how her view of prayer has evolved thru the years and what it means to her now. She also shares her adoption journey and how transracial adoption has changed how she views the world and her place in it.
Kayla and her pastor-husband, Jonny, live in Iowa, where they’re raising four young kids who joined their family via birth and adoption. When she’s not playing LEGOs with her sons or advocating for her daughter with disabilities, Kayla can be found sipping strong coffee. You can connect with Kayla at kaylacraig.com and on Instagram @kayla_craig and @liturgiesforparents.
Dr. Angela N. Parker is a Womanist New Testament scholar and an Assistant Professor of New Testament and Greek at Mercer University’s McAfee School of Theology. With an M.T.S. from Duke Divinity School and a Ph.D. in Bible, Culture, & Hermeneutics from Chicago Theological Seminary she is a notably educated and accomplished author, speaker and theologian. However Angela Parker wasn’t just trained to be a biblical scholar; she was trained to be a White male biblical scholar. Dr. Parker’s experience of being taught to forsake her embodied identity in order to contort herself into the stifling construct of Whiteness is common among American Christians, regardless of their race, ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation. In her latest book, If God Still Breathes, Why Can’t I: Black Lives Matter and Biblical Authority, Dr. Parker draws from her perspective as a Womanist New Testament scholar. She shares how she learned to deconstruct one of White Christianity’s most pernicious lies: the conflation of biblical authority with the doctrines of inerrancy and infallibility. In our conversation we talk about this and how historically, White males in positions of power have used Scripture to justify control over marginalized groups.
In this episode I welcome back Emmy Kegler for a bonus conversation about raising kids beyond purity culture in an LGBTQ+ affirming home, we talk about what to do if and when a child comes out to you and how to best support them, setting up boundaries and the importance of teaching kids about body autonomy and consent. Emmy Kegler is a pastor, author, and speaker called to ministry at the margins of the church, especially among LGBTQIA+ Christians. She serves as pastor of Grace Lutheran Church in Northeast Minneapolis, a small servant-hearted neighborhood congregation focused on feeding the hungry and community outreach.
For this bonus summer 2021 episode I am joined by writer and thinker Marcie Alvis-Walker, the creator of the IG account and blog “Black Coffee With White Friends.” Marcie is also the creator of Mockingbird History lessons for adults where she shares the missing narratives of history and her most recent project, Black Eyed Bible study, where she dives deeper into the Bible from a womanist perspective. Marcie has a passion for seeking truth and sharing real history that challenges folks to dig deeper and think critically.
In this episode Marcie and I talk all things Critical Race Theory and more. CRT continues to be a hot topic especially at school board meetings where many parents are objecting the possibility it be taught to their children. Why is this theory, that has been around for years, even at the forefront right now? Why is it so hotly debated and opposed by some parents? What is it exactly? Why does it matter and what does the Bible actually have to say about it?
Dr. Paula Stone Williams is an internationally known speaker on gender equity, LGBTQ advocacy and religious tolerance. As a transgender woman, Paula brings a unique perspective to her work on gender equity. She says, "The differences between living as a man and a woman are massive. There is no way an educated white male can understand how much the culture is tilted in his favor, because it is all he has ever known and all he ever will know." Paula’s recently released memoir, As a Woman: What I Learned about Power, Sex, and the Patriarchy After I Transitioned (Simon & Schuster), chronicles her transition journey and sheds light on the gendered landscape that impacts many in the LGBTQ+ community and women in the workplace and beyond. In addition to her public speaking and corporate consulting, she is also a Pastor and Pastoral Counselor in Boulder County, Colorado. Paula has been featured in the New York Times, the Washington Post, TEDWomen, TEDSummit, TEDxMileHigh, Red Table Talk, National Public Radio, Good Morning America, ABC Primetime News, CNN, People Magazine, and many other media outlets. She has been a keynote speaker for hundreds of conferences, corporations, and universities around the world. Her TED Talks have had over six million views. Paula lives in Boulder County, Colorado, where she also serves as a pastor with Left Hand Church.
Jamie Bruesehoff (she/her) is an award-winning writer, speaker, and advocate. She is an openly queer woman married to a Lutheran pastor and mom to three spirited children, including a 14 year old transgender daughter, Rebekah. She is passionate about sharing her family’s story, because she believes our stories are bridges to understanding, compassion, and celebration. Jamie works alongside her daughter Rebekah to spread a message of hope for LGBTQ people of all ages and show the world that transgender kids are just like other kids. She advocates for LGBTQ youth and adults creating opportunities for learning and conversation in schools, churches, workplaces, and beyond. She also works for legislative change in her home state of New Jersey and on a federal level. Jamie holds a Masters in Religion from the Lutheran Theological Seminary and previously worked in outdoor and youth ministry. She and her family have been featured by media outlets and advocacy organizations around the world including Human Rights Campaign, Good Morning Britain, Disney, Marvel, Good Morning America, NPR, and USA Today. Whether it’s in front of ten people or more than thirty thousand, Jamie shares her experience in a way that touches hearts, changes minds, and inspires positive change.
Cha Sears-Barefield is a powerful speaker, entrepreneur and talk show host of The Cha Show. The Cha Show is committed to fostering meaningful conversations that bring people together, create a safe space to share our stories and inspire our hearts to be better, love better, and hope more. Cha believes in the power of pushing the needle towards love. She sees the extraordinary in the ordinary and causes us to see the same. The world needs what Cha seeks to amplify, now more than ever. Cha is committed to being an impactful presence in this world. She knows that we can all leave the world better. And, she’s doing everything she can to do her part. In this episode Cha shares her story of fully becoming herself through a life of feeling like she was never enough. Cha lived her early childhood years in the Bahamas but moved to the US for elementary/boarding school. It was in the US when Cha felt ugly, fat, and undesirable for the first time as her brown skin was surrounded by whiteness. As Cha says, the rest of her life was then spent trying to renegotiate and re-learn the essence of her brilliance and beauty that was broken when she was seven years old.
Emmy Kegler is a pastor, author, and speaker called to ministry at the margins of the church, especially among LGBTQ+ Christians. She serves as pastor of Grace Lutheran Church in Northeast Minneapolis. Emmy has a Master’s in Divinity from Luther Seminary and is an ordained pastor of the ELCA. She is a co-leader of the Queer Grace Community, a group of LGBTQ+ Christians in the Twin Cities who meet for worship, Bible study, and fellowship. She is also the founder and editor of the Queer Grace Encyclopedia, a curated collection of online resources around LGBTQ life and faith. Emmy was a previous guest on the podcast where she shared her story. In this episode we dive into the clobber verses and talk about the Christian response to the LGBTQ community. Emmy answers questions and also shares resources and knowledge to help educate those wrestling with this topic.
In this weekend bonus episode I am joined once again by Marcie Alvis-Walker from Black Coffee with White Friends and special guest, Cha Sears-Barefield from the ever popular The Cha Show.In this conversation, Marcie shares about her newest endeavor, “Black Eyed Bible Study” and what led her to create this unique study that dives into popular bible verses and stories, biblical translations, bible history, biblical language and culture all from a Black woman’s point of view. We also talk about the “Womanist Book Club” starting this month that Marcie and Cha are teaming up to lead. But as you will hear in this conversation, this isn’t your usual book club. Marcie and Cha are choosing books from the past that were part of white female cisgender conversation and diving deeper into them to with a Black Womanist view. The first book to start things off is one we all remember; “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.” by Judy Blume. Listen in as we talk about books, censorship, and how you can join in more of the conversation with Marcie and Cha.
Meghan Tschanz is a writer, speaker, podcast host, and former missionary who is passionate about empowering women and reclaiming feminism for the Christian faith. For years she worked as a missionary with sexually exploited and oppressed women. After befriending them and hearing their stories, they taught her what no one else could have: how to take a stand. As she spoke out against the atrocious injustices they endured, ranging from rape to being beaten within an inch of their lives to worse, she started to notice a link. Their oppression, while more life-threatening and extreme, had the same roots as her own.⠀In Meghan’s new book, “Women Rising” she shares her personal journey of transformation. She not only examines her own upbringing in "the Church" that led to her feeling "less than" but also her own complacency as a white woman upholding an unjust system. Meghan's book serves as a Christian blueprint for anyone wanting to confront injustice against women while pointing to a biblical standard for gender equality. She boldly calls Christian women to amplify their voices for righteousness—and she calls the church to listen.
In this special bonus 'Mother’s Day’ Episode, I sit down for a conversation with my 18 year-old daughter, Grace Kingsley Miller. Grace spent her formative years growing up in the Bible belt and being raised in the conservative, white evangelical church. But at some point in her journey, she questioned all that she had been taught to believe about faith and politics. In this candid conversation, Grace and I talk about 'what happened' to our family as we opened our hearts up to stories and voices from the margins that completely shifted our faith and politics. Grace shares her story of growing up in the Bible Belt and the damaging effects purity culture had on her as a teenage girl. She opens up about the messages she got about what it meant to be a female in the conservative church and how she felt it devalued her worth. But perhaps what is most impactful is Grace talks about the people and stories she encountered along the way that started to change everything for her and our family. Grace’s faith and political beliefs started a profound shift, as she met real people on the margins and she started to question all she had been taught to believe in the church. As Grace began to question and search for who Jesus really was and what it really means to 'love your neighbor', the shift in her faith paradigm had a profound effect on what her parents had always taught her to be true.
Kellie Haddock is a singer, songwriter, wife and mom. A former widow, Kellie has lived through tragedy and found hope and joy on the other side. Her music draws from real-life stories of beauty, heartache, hope and the celebration of life. The Thank You Project, a short film featuring Kellie’s story of gratitude after tragedy, has attracted more than 150 million views and has been featured on The TODAY Show, The Huffington Post, and Cosmopolitan among other national and international media outlets. Kellie Haddock has performed in Iraq, Israel, China and across the U.S., - in stadiums for up to 10,000 - in people's homes and everything in between - offering music that engages the soul in all of its beauty and vulnerability. Kellie’s music is a reminder that no matter what life brings, love will have the last word.
Emily Joy Allison is a queer author, artist, public speaker and yoga teacher from Nashville, TN. Her passion and work focuses on fighting sexualized violence and purity culture in Christian communities. In November of 2017, Emily took to Twitter to share her story of being groomed for an abusive relationship by a church youth leader when she was in her teens, and the #ChurchToo movement was born to expose the culture of sexual abuse and assault utterly rampant in Christian churches in America. In her debut book, #ChurchToo: How Purity Culture Upholds Abuse and How to Find Healing, Emily turns over the rocks of the church's sexual dysfunction. She reveals just what makes sexualized violence in religious contexts both ubiquitous and uniquely traumatizing. Her book also lays the groundwork for healing from a religious culture of sexual shame, secrecy, and control. Emily holds a B.A. in Philosophical Theology and Apologetics from Moody Bible Institute and is currently pursuing a Masters of Theological Studies with a concentration in religion, gender and sexuality from Vanderbilt Divinity School.
Dorina Lazo Gilmore-Young is an author, speaker, podcaster, former news reporter, and coach. She is passionate about helping women discover God’s glory on life’s unexpected paths and flourish in their God-given callings. In this episode, Dorina shares the most painful part of her story she would never have written for herself and three young daughters. In 2003 Dorina and her husband, Ericlee, started a life together with hopes of having children and serving in ministry. Everything seemed to be going according to plan, until at and the height of their ministry in Haiti, Ericlee was given a devastating diagnosis. Just three months later, Dorina found herself living as a widow raising three young daughters without their dad. Dorina shares openly about her grief journey, holding on to her faith, and finding hope and joy in the midst of the hardest life chapters. In an unexpected turn of events, she also shares about how God wrote a new chapter, redeeming her story by bringing beauty to the brokenness.
Dr. Chanequa Walker-Barnes is a clinical psychologist, public theologian, and minister whose work focuses upon healing the legacies of racial and gender oppression. She earned her M.S. and Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Miami and her Masters of Divinity from Duke Divinity School and is currently an associate professor at Mercer University. Dr. Chanequa is the author of Too Heavy a Yoke: Black Women and the Burden of Strength, and her most recent book: I Bring the Voices of My People: A Womanist Vision for Racial Reconciliation which recognizes the complexity of racism and centers the conversation on those it victimizes most: women of color.
She blends her unique background to advocate for the healing and justice in and beyond the Christian church. Beyond the classroom, Dr. Chanequa spends most of her professional energy writing and ministering to clergy and faith-based activists, and generally caping for women of color engaged in Christian social justice activism.
In my conversation today Dr. Chanequa Walker-Barnes shares her story of growing up as a Black girl in the south with an early awareness of racism. She shares about her faith journey and her passion to fight for justice when she was still young. Much of our conversion focuses on the crucial need to bring the voices of black women forward. As Chanequa says, “If we truly hope to work towards racial reconciliation, the perspectives of women of color must be moved from margin to center.”
In this special episode Michelle Reyes, PhD, Grace P. Cho, Tasha Jun, and Dorina Lazo Gilmore-Young all join me for a vulnerable conversation about the Atlanta Massacre and the Anti-Asian hate/violence in this country. As Asian American Christian women, they share what that means especially in this time of increased hate and violence aimed at Asian-American bodies. In this conversation we talk about the impact of being erased and silenced as an Asian American woman and how that has affected their lives as mothers, leaders, and creatives. We also take an honest look at what justice means to them for their community and what they need from the faith communities right now. Finally, we talk about the role of Christian Nationalism, purity culture and the stereotypes of Asian American women in this timely and necessary conversation.
Tiffany Bluhm is an East Indian born, author, speaker, podcaster, and adoptive parent who is passionate about the restoration of marginalized people groups. As a minority, immigrant woman with a interracial family, she cares deeply about women's equality, justice, and dignity. Tiffany’s story includes serving as an Outreach Pastor at an urban mega church where she engaged parishioners with marginalized individuals. But there is another party of Tiffany’s story she wishes wasn’t hers to tell. Like many women today, Tiffany’s story has led her to take action against sexual harassment and sexual assault. In our conversation and her new book, “Prey Tell: Why We Silence Women Who Tell the Truth and How Everyone Can Speak Up”, Tiffany shares about the dynamics of power and abuse in systems we all find ourselves in.
Tasha Hunter’s story is nothing short of a miracle. A survivor in the truest sense, Tasha has overcome child abuse, incest, and an attempted suicide attempt that should have destroyed her life. Through her years of struggling with issues of abandonment and post-traumatic stress, her story brings to life her search for meaning, acceptance, and love. As a mental health advocate who now specializes in the treatment of PTSD, she provides a unique perspective on the importance of building relationships with one's self, with others, and with God. Tasha’s mission is to spread awareness about complex trauma and to give survivors a safe space to heal. Her story validates the emotional pillars of faith and forgiveness in one's lifelong recovery.
In this final episode of the four-part series celebrating Black Women, I am joined once again joined by Marcie Alvis-Walker from @blackcoffeewithwhitefriends and special guests: author and therapist; Tasha Hunter, and Historian; Lettie Shumate from @sincerely.lettie. In this conversation, we continue our discussion about Black women throughout our history focusing on Black women as our first ladies of democracy. From Fannie Lou Hammer to Michelle Obama to Kamala Harris, we discuss the the role of black women in the White House and how America has typecast the roles they can and can not play in our democracy. But as we share in this episode, once again Black women have broken through that type-casting and plotted their own freedom with their history of political rebellion and rising above the status quo.
In episode three of a four-part series during Black History Month, we celebrate BLACK WOMEN. I am joined once again by Marcie Alvis-Walker from @blackcoffeewithwhitefriends and special guests Patricia Taylor from the popular blog and instagram account ‘Some Thoughts from Your Black Friend’; author and therapist Tasha Hunter and Historian Lettie Shumate from @sincerely.lettie. In this conversation, we continue our discussion about distorted ideas and images of Black women throughout history; from the asexual mammy image to the hypersexual jezebel stereotype to black women as the backbone of society. This episode is not for young ears, and for those of you who have sexual trauma as part of your story should approach this episode with caution, as the history we share could be triggering. The tragic story of Sarah Baartman is shared as we discuss how her story weaves throughout the history of the voyeurism and consumption of Black women's bodies. Guests very candidly and openly share their own stories of learning to embrace their Black bodies while being under the white gaze and how they have had to fight to love and accept the skin they are in. Finally, my guests share their own personal Black women ‘SHE-ROS’ who they feel fully encompass mind, body, and spirit.
In episode two of a 4-part series during Black History we celebrate BLACK WOMEN. Once again I am joined by Marcie Alvis-Walker from @blackcoffeewithwhitefriends and special guests Patricia Taylor from the popular blog and instagram account "Some Thoughts from Your Black Friend" and author and therapist, Tasha Hunter. We pick up where we left off in our last conversation and discuss the origins of distorted ideas and images of Black women vs their actual roles in our history. My guests share their thoughts on the movie "The Help" and why it is not an accurate portrayal of the stories of Black women. We dive into the stories of the real life Black women to be celebrated From Rebecca West to Nancy Green to Georgia Gilmore
In this special episode I am joined by Marcie Alvis-Walker. This month Marcie joins me each with as we celebrate Black Women in American History. We talk about the stories of Black women who are often overlooked or hidden from our mainstream History lessons—from the Kitchen to the White House. In this particular episode we talk about “The Jemima Code” and celebrate how from the beginning of our country’s history, Black women have excelled as chefs, cook and running the households they were put in charge of. We also talk about the integration of food in America and the story behind some of our favorite foods and recipes.
Chandra Crane is an author, speaker and multi-multi-ethnic specialist who is passionate about diversity and family. Growing up in a multi-ethnic home, she has too often felt the otherness of never quite fitting in. Her own mixed multiethnic and multicultural background includes a Thai birth father, a European American mother, and an African American father who adopted her when she was five. In her newest book, Mixed Blessing, Chandra explores what scripture and history teach us about ethnicity and how we can bring all of ourselves to our sense of identity and calling.
By integrating theology, sociology, and psychology, Gigi Khanyezi has devoted her life to healing, equipping, and mobilizing people to seek racial justice. She is the Founder/Director of Jesus and Justice, where she is a writer, artist, activist, and speaker and where she facilitates the groundbreaking Jesus and Justice Course with an emphasis on healing racial trauma. After growing up in E. Oakland, 30 years in the US as a Latina woman of color activist, Gigi relocated to Soweto, South Africa for ten years. Living in a beautiful, entirely African community of five million in the most racially polarized country in the world, she was considered WHITE. It was the greatest identity crisis of her life and became the most important training ground. While in South Africa she fostered and adopted two precious little boys whom she named Jericho and Judah.
Michelle Reyes (PhD) is the Vice President of the Asian American Christian Collaborative and the Editorial Director at Pax. She is also the Scholar-in-Residence at Hope Community Church, a minority-led multicultural church in East Austin, Texas, where her husband, Aaron, serves as lead pastor. In this conversation Michelle shares her story of growing up as a 2nd generation Indian-American in predominantly white spaces. She shares how her experiences shaped her narrative and her own cultural identity that led to her passion for building lasting connections across cultures. We also talk about the importance of making space for multiculturalism as we celebrate the birth of Christ.
Diana Oestreich heard God’s call to love her enemies in the most unlikely place: on the battlefield of Iraq. She’s now a soldier turned peacemaker and author of “WAGING PEACE”. Diana is also an activist who shares her story and passion with others. Speaking across the country she empowers us to identify our own rural, urban, political and religious divides to cross our own “enemy lines” to remake the world and heal all that’s tearing us apart.
Marlena is a writer, pastor, deep thinker, and speaker who is passionate about the eternal implications of our life in God. She is a lover of beauty and a seeker of justice seeker. Marlena deeply believes that spiritual formation and justice should never be separated. She is most concerned with those who profess to follow Jesus but speak and behave so unlike him. As a Puerto-Rican influenced by many streams of the faith, she feels as if she dwells on the borderlands of Evangelicalism.
Patricia Taylor is the woman behind the blog, "Some Thoughts From Your Black Friend” where she seeks to cultivate a space in which difficult yet necessary topics can be shared and discussed with grace, truth and love. She is a thirty-something wife, mom and California native turned Georgia peach who believes in Jesus, loving all of our neighbors, and having critical conversations around racial justice. As a passionate advocate and anti-racism educator, she wants her heart to break for what breaks the Lord’s.
Beth Silvers co-hosts Pantsuit Politics, a bipartisan podcast focused on nuanced and grace-filled dialogue about the toughest issues we face as a nation. In our conversation, Beth shares her story that led her to the role she now has of talking politics and the passion she has for grace-filled political conversations. She shares how the last 4 years have shifted her political leaning and the role stories have played in her evolution. We talk about how to move forward with friends and family in this time of such political division and if it is possible to still have grace filled political conversations with folks who may have voted differently than you in this election.
Jamie Grace is a two-time Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter, and actress. Diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome, OCD, ADHD, and anxiety at a young age. At 19 years old, Jamie was nominated for a Grammy for a song she wrote in college, and her career skyrocketed in a matter of months. Among several other nominations, Jamie won the Dove Awards New Artist of the Year, a lot happened, fast. While these are dream scenarios for any aspiring musician, they collided with the symptoms of Jamie’s diagnosed illnesses – a tendency to overanalyze decisions, ongoing social worry, fear, periods of reclusiveness, a never-ending cycle of ruminating on choices and situations, anxious thoughts which turn into anxious feelings which turn into panic.
Gabes Torres is an anti-oppressive researcher, decolonized psychotherapist, artist, speaker, and seer. Gabes was born and raised in the Philippines, and is a descendant of the Aeta Indigenous tribes of the Luzon and Mindanao islands. She comes from an ancestral lineage of nomadic healers, musicians & poets, theologians, educators, and revolutionists. Gabes has been active in the work of antiracism and decolonization, particularly in the fields of mental health, education, spirituality, music, and community organizing. She is a racial and migration trauma-informed psychotherapist, and intends to decolonize the therapeutic space by politicizing it — especially since the world of mental health is not excluded from having origins and cultures of white supremacy and racism. Gabes created and facilitates the Heritage Workshop, a BIPOC only space that explores what it is like to connect with our ancestors through our individual and collective stories, our bodies, and in community with kin and the Earth. She also offers clinical support and care at recovery centers that house survivors of human trafficking and domestic violence.
Marcie Walker joins me again for another honest chats about racism, faith and current events Marcie is a Christian, African-American writer and creator of the blog and Instagram feed, Black Coffee with White Friends, where she chronicles her experiences as a black woman navigating white-dominant spaces. Marcie is also the creator of “Mocking Bird History Lessons” where she researches, writes and shares the missing narratives of our country’s history. In this episode Marcie shares why “she’s not ok and you shouldn’t be either” with all that is going on in this country. We talk about the Breonna Taylor ruling, Black Lives Matter and the church’s complacency in all of it.
Karen González is seeking to see and love her neighbors as God does. She is a speaker, writer, and immigrant advocate, who herself immigrated from Guatemala as a child.
Jessica Goudeau’s life was forever changed in 2007 when she volunteered and met a group of Burmese refugees. Since then she has spent more than a decade working with refugees in Austin, TX. As an author and activist, Jessica has a passion to ethically and authentically bring the stories of people who have become vulnerable because of war, persecution, and oppressive systems that keep them from being able to speak out to an audience that needs to hear who they really are and what really happened.
Dr. Chanequa Walker-Barnes is a clinical psychologist, public theologian, and minister whose work focuses upon healing the legacies of racial and gender oppression. She earned her M.S. and Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Miami and her Masters of Divinity from Duke Divinity School and is currently an associate professor at Mercer University. In my conversation today Dr. Chanequa Walker-Barnes shares her story of growing up as a Black girl in the south with an early awareness of racism. She shares about her faith journey and her passion to fight for justice when she was still young. Much of our conversion focuses on the crucial need to bring the voices of black women forward. As Chanequa says, “If we truly hope to work towards racial reconciliation, the perspectives of women of color must be moved from margin to center.”
Nikole Lim is a speaker, educator, and consultant on leveraging dignity through the restorative art of storytelling. She is the founder and international director of Freely In Hope, a nonprofit organization dedicated to equipping survivors and advocates to lead in ending sexual violence through their rewritten stories. With a background in photography and film making, Nikole has the ability to see the world through paradox which provides surprising insight into our world full of pain and joy, brokenness and beauty, despair and hope, suffering and love. Liberation is Here shares her story with honest introspection—capturing empowering and heart-wrenching stories that have transcended into her experience.
Lettie Shumate is a Black woman, historian, anti-racism educator, and racial justice advocate with a passion for breaking down and sharing true History. In this episode Lettie shares the real story behind the 19th amendment and who actually got the right to vote when it was passed. She also breaks down the racist history of many of the early white women suffragists and perhaps most importantly we talk about the Black women suffragists that history often ignores.
Author and speaker Cara Meredith grew up in a colorless world. From childhood, she didn't think issues of race had anything to do with her, and she was ignorant of many of the racial realities (including individual and systemic racism) in America today. A colorblind rhetoric had been stamped across her education, world view, and Christian theology.That all changed Cara met and fell in love with the son of black icon, James Meredith. After she married and their family grew to include two mixed-race sons, Cara knew she would never see the world through a colorless lens again.
In this episode of the HerStory Speaks podcast, Osheta Moore, Marcie Walker and Cara Meredith join me for an honest conversation about peacemaking, racial reconciliation and friendships between Black and white women. Toward the end of the episode they share what is bringing them joy right now and what they are reading. You don’t want to miss this truth telling episode mixed with hard topics and some light hearted fun along the way.
Patrice Gopo was born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska and she is the child of Jamaican immigrants. Drawing on her experiences, Patrice enjoys exploring racial identity formation, race relations, and the search for a sense of belonging. Her essays have appeared in a variety of publications, including Catapult, Creative Nonfiction, and online in The New York Times and The Washington Post. Her essay collection, All the Colors We Will See, was a Fall 2018 Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers selection. When she’s not writing, Patrice enjoys speaking to groups about the power of personal storytelling. She believes sharing personal stories help us both see our commonalities and honor our differences. These actions ultimately can contribute to a more equitable and just society. Patrice lives with her family in North Carolina.
We are revisiting an episode from the fall of 2019. Emmy Kegler is the pastor of Grace Lutheran Church, a small servant-hearted neighborhood congregation in Northeast Minneapolis focused on feeding the hungry and community outreach. Emmy has a Master’s in Divinity from Luther Seminary in Saint Paul, Minn., and is an ordained pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America. She was raised in the Episcopal Church and spent some time in evangelical and non-denominational traditions before finding her home in the ELCA. Her first book, One Coin Found: How God’s Love Stretches to the Margins, tells her story as a queer Christian called to ordained ministry and how it formed her relationship with Scripture.
Marcie Walker joins me again for our monthly chat. In this episode we talk about all things U.S. monuments and memorials and the recent controversies to take them down. Marcie gives her wisdom and insight from a biblical, historical and justice perspective. We end our convo with a message of hope and encouragement that even in these times of racial tensions and pandemic, there are still glimmers of hope and joy that can be found.
Lettie Shumate is a Black woman, historian, anti-racism educator, and racial justice advocate living near Wilmington, North Carolina. Not only is breaking down history one of Lettie’s passions, but leading anti-racism work, facilitating conversations in anti-racism workshops and programs, and continuing to inform others about the larger issues that must be confronted to dismantle white supremacy culture in America, all encompass her purpose. Her podcast, ”Sincerely, Lettie" dives deep into true history, anti-racism, racial justice, and more. Breaking down history to connect the past to today, and encompassing anti-racism work is Lettie’s passion and she doesn’t hold back when it comes to tough conversations.
Marcie Walker joins me again for this bonus episode. Marcie is a Christian, African-American writer and creator of the blog and Instagram feed, Black Coffee with White Friends, where she chronicles her experiences as a black woman navigating white-dominant spaces. Marcie is also the creator of “Mocking Bird History Lessons” where she researches, writes and shares the missing narratives of our country’s history.
Lisa Bevere is a New York Times best-selling author and speaker who is known for her powerful and passionate teaching style. She’s been teaching from the stage for more than 30 years, inspiring women to follow her example and to become the women God calls them to be. In her new 90-day devotional, Strong, Lisa takes her teachings one step further, inspiring women to embark on a journey to grow deeper in their relationships with God in order to become the strong, powerful, passionate women they were created to be
Khristi Lauren Adams is a speaker, author, youth advocate and ordained Baptist minister. She is passionate about youth advocacy and committed to work that affirms the wholeness and self-worth of black girls and women. She is the author of Parable of the Brown Girl, released February 2020. The book highlights the cultural and spiritual truths that emerge from the lives of young black girls. In this episode, Khristi joins me to discuss her new book and her passion behind sharing stories of girls of color that are often overlooked, unseen, and ignored rather than valued and heard. She also shares her story of growing up as a black girl surrounded by white peers and how she found solace and encouragement in the black church she attended.
Myisha T is an awesome and sometimes exhausted mom to 3 different-ability children. She is an anti-racism guide, mental health activist, speaker, and entrepreneur who is passionate about women’s mental wellness and empowerment. A passionate advocate for mental wellness, Myisha T believes that when people get real, they can begin to heal. She founded the “Check Your Privilege” (CYP) movement, an online community, and a series of workshops that support women all over the world in exploring their relationships with power, privilege, and racism.
D. L. Mayfield is a writer and activist who has spent over a decade working with refugee communities in the United States. She has written for places as varied as Christianity Today, Image journal, and The Washington Post. Her book of essays, Assimilate or Go Home: Notes from a Failed Missionary on Rediscovering Faith was released in 2016. Her second book, The Myth of the American Dream: Reflections on Affluence, Autonomy, Safety and Power released May of 2020. D.L. examines the central values of the American dream and asks us to take a deep look at if they compatible with Jesus' command to love our neighbor as ourselves
Emily Joy Allison is an author, poet, and yoga teacher. In November of 2017, as the #MeToo hashtag was going viral, Emily came forward with her own story of abuse at the hands of her church and launched the #ChurchToo movement overnight. She has been writing and speaking about religious sexualized violence and its theological underpinnings ever since. Her work takes place where faith, sexuality, and healing collide. Her debut book about #ChurchToo will be published with Broadleaf Books in 2021. Emily lives in Nashville with her dog Harley and her partner Caitlin, and she works at a church in her spare time.
Ruth Everhart is an ordained Presbyterian Pastor who has been serving the church for more than twenty-five years. She been writing about sexual abuse and faith since 2012, when she authored her memoir, Ruined, that tells her deeply personal story of being raped at gunpoint at age 20. We talk about this and her decade-long journey to build a new faith in the aftermath of that horrific night. Ruth’s newest book, The #MeToo Reckoning: Facing the Church’s Complicity in Sexual Abuse and Misconduct, shines light on the prevalence of sexual abuse and misconduct within faith communities. Ruth shares how far too often, churches have been complicit in protecting abusers, reinforcing patriarchal power dynamics, and creating cultures of secrecy, shame, and silence.
Rozella Haydée White is the #LoveBigCoach, one who believes that love and Revolutionary Relationships can heal the world and bring us back to ourselves and to each other. She is the owner of RHW Consulting, which provides life and leadership coaching, retreats, inspirational speaking, and writing that accompanies people as they create and live their most meaningful lives. Rozella actively works to restore hearts to wholeness so that all can not simply survive, but thrive. As a writer, teacher, speaker, and public theologian, Rozella boldly engages issues of faith, justice, self-care, mental illness, and the radical and transformative love of God as embodied in the person of Jesus.
Kathy Escobar co-pastors The Refuge, a Christian community and mission center in North Denver. Her passion is creating safe and brave spaces for transformation and healing in a variety of contexts. A speaker, spiritual director, group facilitator, and organizational consultant, she is author of several books including her most recent, Practicing: Changing Yourself to Change the World as well as founder of the non-profit #communityheals--Making Spaces for Transformation Accessible for All. More at kathyescobar.com. In this episode we talk about walking through grief and a global pandemic, evolving faith during hard times and the concept of Friday/Saturday/Sunday living as we approach the Easter holiday.
Kelley Nikondeha is the co-director and chief storyteller for Communities of Hope, a community development enterprise in Burundi, Africa. She is the co-founder of Amahoro Africa, a conversation between theologians and practitioners within the African context.
Kathy Khang is a writer, speaker, activist and yoga teacher. Kathy was a newspaper reporter in Green Bay and Milwaukee, WI before spending more than two decades in vocational ministry where she focused on leadership development and training leaders in diversity and justice. In today’s episode we talk about the importance of learning to use your voice, recognizing your privilege and how to stay engaged in difficult conversations to build community.
Stephanie Tait is a author, speaker, trauma-survivor and disability advocate with Lyme Disease. In the fourteen years it took her to get a diagnosis, she struggled with miscarriages, medical indifference and sexism, and the birth of her two sons. Her book, The View from Rock Bottom, is a tale of her struggles with chronic illness along with messages about faith, pain, suffering, joy, and hope.
Sheila Walsh is a powerful communicator, bible teacher, co-host of LIFE TODAY and a best-selling author with over 5 million books sold. Her international ministry has reached millions of women by combining honesty, vulnerability, and humor with the transforming power of God’s Word. In today's episode, Sheila candidly shares the heartaches of her early family life and how she struggled to prove herself worthy of God’s love. We also talk about her journey through grief, shame, healing and the power of prayer.
Rebekah Charleston is passionate about the crime of human trafficking. She is the Executive Director of Valiant Hearts, a ministry dedicated to eradicating sexual exploitation. At the age of 17 Rebekah became a victim of sex trafficking when she ran away from home. She remained a victim for more than 10 years with multiple traffickers. She was able to escape when the federal authorities finally became involved. As a survivor, Rebekah has wisdom to impart and a story that will help give understanding to the crime of human trafficking as well as shed light on what happens here in America. She is an advocate for victims of human trafficking, a consultant with the National Criminal Justice Training Center, a mother, and honors graduate student. Rebekah’s story is one of hope and restoration.
Julia Sadler, LPC, is the author of Pray Big Things: The Surprisingly Life God Has For You When You’re Bold Enough to Ask! She reality star from TLC's Rattled who has seen God do immeasurably more than anything she could hope or imagine with experiencing three miscarriages in a year and then delivering miracle triplets!
Sarah Quezada is an author, advocate, and business owner. She has a master's in sociology and nearly two decades of experience working across cultures and leading conversations about justice and faith. Her first book, Love Undocumented: Risking Trust in a Fearful World, chronicled her journey through the immigration system with her husband, Billy, who emigrated from Guatemala City.
Rebekah Lyons is a national speaker and bestselling author. An old soul with a contemporary, honest voice, Rebekah reveals her own battles to overcome anxiety and depression—and invites others to discover and boldly pursue their God-given purpose from a place of freedom
Pastor Emmy Kegler joins host, Andrea Miller, for this bonus episode. Emmy was a guest on episode 44 of the Her Story Speaks Podcast where she shared her story growing up as a Queer Christian called to ordained ministry. In this episode we dive into the clobber verses and talk about the Christian response to the LGBTQ community. Emmy answers questions and also shares resources and knowledge to help educate those wrestling with this topic.
Marcie Walker is a Christian, African-American blogger. She is the creator of the blog and Instagram feed, Black Coffee with White Friends, a blog that chronicles her experiences as a black woman navigating white-dominant spaces.
Natasha Sistrunk Robinson is an international speaker, leadership consultant, author diversity and mentoring coach with nearly 20 years of leadership experience in the military, federal government, church, seminary, and nonprofit sectors.
Carolyn Custis James is an award winning author who thinks deeply about what it means to be a female follower of Jesus in a postmodern world. As a cancer survivor, she is grateful to be alive and determined to address the issues that matter most.
Emmy Kegler is the pastor of Grace Lutheran Church, a small servant-hearted neighborhood congregation in Northeast Minneapolis focused on feeding the hungry and community outreach. Emmy has a Master’s in Divinity from Luther Seminary in Saint Paul, Minn., and is an ordained pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America. She was raised in the Episcopal Church and spent some time in evangelical and non-denominational traditions before finding her home in the ELCA. Her first book, One Coin Found: How God’s Love Stretches to the Margins, tells her story as a queer Christian called to ordained ministry and how it formed her relationship with Scripture.
Sarah Bessey is the author of the best-selling and critically acclaimed books “Jesus Feminist” and “Out of Sorts: Making Peace with an Evolving Faith.” Her latest book “Miracles and Other Reasonable Things” was just released Oct. 2019. Sarah is a sought-after speaker at churches, conferences, and universities around the world. She is the co-curator and co-host of the annul Evolving Faith Conference and she also serves as chair of the board for Heartline Ministries in Haiti. In this episode, Sarah and I talk about evolving faith, leaving the church, finding Jesus, women’s role in ministry/the church and why it matters, and making more room at the table for those on the margins.
A self-described "wrestling poet," singer/songwriter Nichole Nordeman doesn't shy away from life’s messier realities when performing and creating her music. Unflinchingly honest, her songs are too numerous to list but include "Slow Down,"Holy," “Legacy” and "What If." During the formation of each song, and played out within the lyrics, Nichole explores the nuances of life, faith and theology.
As a bestselling author, performer, and motivational speaker, Nicole Johnson is one of the most sought-after creative communicators in America today. Her unique ability to blend humor with compassion as she captures the inner-most feelings of women facing life’s daily struggles, has enabled her to create a unique sense of community for women of all ages. Over three million women across America have seen Nicole’s live portrayals of the challenges facing today’s mega-multi-tasking woman. Her “Fresh Brewed Life” message gives women “Hope for the Daily Grind”.
A difficult childhood, public infidelity, and a fight with cancer - Kasey Van Norman has walked a rocky road of regret and loss. Thru sharing the the brokenness in her own life, Kasey reminds us that a holy, sovereign God lovingly works, not in spite of our past, but through it.
Jada Edwards is an experienced speaker, Bible teacher and mentor. She has committed her life to equipping women of all ages, regardless of marital status, with practical, biblical truth to help them live authentic and transparent lives. Jada currently serves as the Creative Services Director and the Women’s Director for One Community Church, in Plano, TX, where her husband Conway serves as the Lead Pastor
Kat Armstrong is a powerful voice in our generation as an innovative ministry leader and sought-after communicator. She has a passion for emboldening women to be all in for Jesus. She is the co-founder and executive director of Polished Ministries (polishedonline.org), an organization that gathers young professional women to navigate career and explore faith together.
In November 2004, Lora Jones was a happy wife and proud mother of two beautiful children. That all changed when Lora and her family left for a family vacation and the sounds of music and laughter in their van were shattered by a head-on collision. Lora watched helplessly as, one-by-one, her beloved family slipped into eternity. Awake in a nightmare, all traces of laughter were replaced by the mournful cries of a wounded heart. How in the world could Lora go on alone? With nothing left of her former life, Lora began the long journey toward finding hope. In her book, Song of a Wounded Heart, Lora tells the true story of her journey from death to hope.
Gena Thomas is a writer, a faith wrestler, a wife, and a mom. She has written for several Christian publications, and published her first book, A Smoldering Wick: Igniting Missions Work with Sustainable Practices in 2016. Her second book, Separated by the Border: A birth mother, a foster mother, and a migrant child’s 3,000-mile journey unpacks the story of Gena reuniting her Honduran foster daughter with her family after separation at the US border.
Karen González is seeking to see and love her neighbors as God does. She is a speaker, writer, and immigrant advocate, who herself immigrated from Guatemala as a child.
In 2013 Kate Merrick said goodbye to her 8 year-old daughter Daisy Love when she left for heaven after suffering through cancer treatments for 3 1/2 years. After Daisy's passing, Kate was silent for three years in grief and contemplation. She now blogs at KMerrick.com with fresh perspective and newfound freedom to be sentimental or silly or anywhere in between.Kate is making her way back toward laughter and finding life to be filled with good things.
When a drowning claimed the life of her four year old son Evan, Amy Mutispaugh turned to God for her own survival. Through prayer, scripture meditation, and a strong pursuit of the will of God, she has found beauty for ashes.
Mo Isom is the New York Times Bestselling author of Wreck My Life: Journeying from Broken to Bold and the author of Sex, Jesus, and the Conversations the Church Forgot. Having faced great personal tragedy—including battling an eating disorder, overcoming the suicide of her father, and surviving a horrific car accident—Mo is passionate about speaking on a wide variety of topics and is able to connect with men and women of all ages and demographics.
Katherine McGibbon is a mother, advocate, author and playwright who is passionate about helping others. She was raised in Canada by her mother, who instilled solid family values and taught Katherine and her siblings the importance of standing up for what is right and speaking out about what is not. Katherine was raised in church and to be strong and independent. And yet, when she was 21 years old, Katherine became a victim of sex trafficking. After nearly a year of being trapped, Katherine successfully escaped and returned to life in Houston, never looking back to a life of hell and trauma. After many years of living in silence, Katherine decided to journal what happened to her as a way of dealing with the horrific experience. That journal became a book. That book became a stage play. Thus, she has mustered the strength to join the movement against sex trafficking. Partnering with several nonprofit organizations, Katherine’s ultimate goal is to raise awareness, fight for those who are being trafficked and mentor those who have overcome it. She has finally found her voice and speaks passionately to faith-based organizations, medical professionals, and politicians. Katherine believes that sharing her story contributed to her healing process. She is now helping others to creatively share their stories in a way that does not re-victimize or re-traumatize survivors. Katherine‘s book, “Destined” can be purchased here: For More info on Katherine and to connect with her: https://www.kathymcgibbon.com/
Lisa Kratz Thomas’ life is nothing short of a miracle. She literally went from the crack house to the State House, serving on a Senate Sub-committee that studied prisoner reentry in Virginia.
Katie Davis Majors moved to Uganda over a decade ago when she was just 18 yrs old-with no idea that this would be the place that God chose to build her home and her family. Today, she is a wife to Benji and mom to 13 adopted daughters and 2 sons. Katie and her family invest their lives in empowering the people of Uganda with education, medical care, and spiritual discipleship.
Nicole Braddock Bromley is the founder of OneVOICE (www.iamonevoice.org), a sexual abuse survivor and an international activist on child sexual abuse, sexual assault and sexual exploitation. For 16 years, Nicole has traveled extensively as a voice of awareness, prevention, hope and healing to some of the most at-risk populations around the world as well as to some of the most prestigious colleges and universities.
Mary DeMuth is an international speaker and podcaster, novelist and nonfiction author. As the survivor of childhood sexual abuse, Mary has done the long, unselfish work of healing wounds. She now loves to help other people re-story their lives and find freedom in Christ
Going through an unplanned pregnancy in her teens was one of the hardest times in Amy Ford's life. Looking back on those nine months of brokenness, fueled the passion and desire to change things for young women with unplanned pregnancies.
Shadia Hrichi is a passionate Bible teacher who has a heart for seeing lives transformed by the power of God’s Word. In this episode of Her Story Speaks, Shadia shares her amazing true story of her miraculous encounter with the child she lost to abortion that serves as the inspiration behind her Bible study, Worthy of Love.
shley Abercrombie fought to overcome addiction, rape, abortion, perfectionism and dysfunctional relationships to become an honest, whole and free woman (most days). She wore a mask more than half her life, and considers herself too old, and too annoyed to ever put that thing on again. She has been in urban, multicultural, racially diverse ministry for more than 15 years, leading people and teaching and preaching at Bible studies, classes, schools, small groups, and Sunday services.
Melissa Ohden is the survivor of a failed saline infusion abortion in 1977. Despite the initial concerns regarding Melissa’s future after surviving the attempt to end her life at approximately seven months gestation, she has not only survived but thrived.
Alex Seeley is a passionate communicator and teacher of the Word. Possessing a unique ability to reveal how the Word of God is applicable to our everyday lives, Alex shares openly about how the power of God has proven real in her own life. Known for her boldness and tenacity, you’ll love the way Jesus shines through her.
Shannan Martin, author of The Ministry of Ordinary Places: Waking Up to God’s Goodness Around You and Falling Free: Rescued from the Life I Always Wanted, is a speaker and writer who found her voice in the country and her story in the city. Shannan, her jail-chaplain husband, Cory, and their kids, live as grateful neighbors in Goshen, Indiana.
My name is LaShell Davis. I am 19 years old and I am a Sophomore at Oklahoma Christian University. I grew up battling feelings of inadequacy and shame throughout my many years in the foster care and guardianship placements. I have learned how to be healed and allow myself to be loved unconditionally by the one true king. I'm telling my story to encourage hurting and broken people recognize the healing power that comes through a relationship with Christ.
In today’s episode Melinda shares her story about her lifelong struggle with depression and how she battles it as a woman of faith. She also opens up about her difficult childhood growing up as a pastors daughter where things were not what they seemed.
Jon and Andrea Miller are approaching their 20th wedding anniversary and want to share their story, believing their struggles are not unique and perhaps some couples can find hope in this testimony to what God can do in a marriage to help them make it through their own marital journey.