Women & Work: Stepping into Kingdom Productivity: Recent Episodes
Courtney Moore and Missie Branch
Find inspiration for your work as Courtney Moore and Missie Branch hear from women in various professions about how their work makes an eternal difference in the kingdom of God.
What does it look like for women to live on mission in the everyday rhythms of life and work? In this episode, Courtney Moore and Missie Branch welcome David Platt, who challenges listeners to embrace the Great Commission with renewed courage, purpose, and dependence on Christ. Together, they discuss the vital role women play in the church, the beauty of ordinary faithfulness, and the call to share the gospel wherever God has placed us.
From conversations about evangelism and local missions to encouragement for weary seasons, this episode offers practical wisdom and gospel hope for women longing to serve God faithfully. Courtney, Missie, and David remind listeners that success in God’s kingdom is not measured by platform or productivity, but by abiding in Christ and saying “yes” to the work He’s entrusted to us. Whether you serve in the workplace, the home, the church, or your community, this conversation will inspire you to see your everyday life as part of God’s greater mission.
Bio:
David Platt serves as a Lead Pastor for McLean Bible Church. He is also the founder of Radical, an organization that makes Jesus known among the nations. David received his B.A. from the University of Georgia and M.Div., Th.M., and Ph.D. from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Some of his published works include Radical,Radical, Together,Follow Me,Counter Culture,Something Needs to Change, Don’t Hold Back, and How to Read the Bible. He lives in the Washington, D.C. metro area with his wife and children.
David's Social:
Instagram, Facebook
Chapters:
02:00—The Importance of Women’s Voices in the Church
03:55—David Platt’s Background and Faith Journey
05:49—Platt’s Call to Ministry
08:23—Passion for Evangelism and Missions
11:57—The Great Commission and Its Centrality
14:40—Spirit Empowerment of All Believers
18:17—Local Missions and Everyday Evangelism
22:45—Overcoming Distractions in Sharing the Gospel
26:18—Balancing Discipleship and Evangelism
28:25—Maintaining Passion for Evangelism in Difficult Seasons
29:38—Seeking Help and Grace
32:49—Valuing Women’s Work in the Church
35:35—God’s Sovereignty in Our Work
39:24—Defining Success in Faithfulness
45:42—Abiding in Christ Through Work
51:26—Finding Joy in Everyday Work
56:20—Radical: Making Jesus Known Everywhere
Mentioned:
- Radical
- The Gospel Coalition 2024, David Platt’s Message
- Women & Work Podcast episodes with Eric Schumacher and Elyse Fitzpatrick
- Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary
- The Church at Brook Hills
Thank you for listening! Ways you can support Women & Work:
- Become a Women & Work Partner
- Purchase our book, Women & Work: Bearing God’s Image and Joining in His Mission through our Workor in Spanish, La Mujer y El Trabajo
- Rate, subscribe, and share our show!
In this special episode, Courtney Moore, founder and president of Women & Work, and Courtney Powell, Director of Ministry Content, interview Dr. Karen Swallow Prior, author of our recent book club read, You Have a Calling: Finding Your Vocation in the True, Good and Beautiful.
Karen discusses the distinctions between passion, calling, and vocation, emphasizing the importance of serving others and understanding the true, good, and beautiful in discovering one’s purpose. She shares personal stories, practical advice, and philosophical insights to help women discern and live out their divine invitations.
Key Topics:
- The distinction between passion, calling, and vocation
- The role of serving others in understanding calling
- The concept of the transcendentals: truth, goodness, and beauty
- Practical steps for discerning one’s calling
- The importance of community and external calling
Chapters:
00:00—Introduction and Context Setting
03:03—Understanding Vocation and Calling
05:50—Distinguishing Passion from Calling
08:53—Personal Stories and Insights on Calling
11:56—Navigating Job Satisfaction and Fulfillment
15:03—The Role of Work in Our Lives
17:58—Serving Others Through Our Callings
21:10—Encouraging Others in Their Callings
24:10—The Transcendentals: True, Good, and Beautiful
34:00—Exploring the Transcendentals: True, Good, and Beautiful
38:03—Understanding Truth in the Context of Calling
38:57—The Importance of Self-Knowledge in Vocation
44:58—Navigating Multiple Callings and Life Transitions
50:03—Finding Light in Difficult Seasons of Calling
56:01—Transforming Obligations into Divine Invitations
Resources Mentioned:
- Dorothy Sayers, Why Work
- Elizabeth Gilbert on Distinguishing Between Hobbies, Jobs, Careers, & Vocation
- Women & Work Podcast episode 32 with Karen Swallow Prior
- Luther on Vocation
Karen Swallow Prior, Ph.D., is the 2025-26 Karlson Scholar at Bethel Seminary. She is a popular writer and speaker, a contributing writer for The Dispatch, and a columnist for Religion News Service. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Atlantic, Vox, The Washington Post, Christianity Today, and many other places. Her most recent book is You Have a Calling: Finding Your Vocation in the True, Good, and Beautiful (Brazos 2025).
Follow Karen on Facebook, X, and Instagram. Learn more at KarenSwallowPrior.com.
Thank you for listening! Ways you can support Women & Work:
- Become a Women & Work Partner
- Purchase our book, Women & Work: Bearing God’s Image and Joining in His Mission through our Work
- Rate, subscribe, and share our show!
In this special episode, Courtney Moore, founder and president of Women & Work, and Courtney Powell, Director of Ministry Content, interview Dr. Arianna Molloy, author of our most recent book club read, Healthy Calling: From Toxic Burnout to Sustainable Work.
They cover topics with Arianna, such as:
- What is burnout?
- Why is it so prevalent, especially among those who feel called to something?
- What are the effects of burnout and the symptoms of chronic stress?
- What’s the first step to take for someone who is burned out?
- What if you can’t control the stressors in your personal life, but you still need to show up 100% for your work?
- Tell us the distinction between job, career, and calling.
- One effect of burnout is shame. Share with us what shame looks like when it comes to calling?
- How does humility fit with burnout?
- What’s the difference between humility and modesty?
- How do you make and maintain wise decisions regarding boundaries?
- What is one piece of advice you want to leave with women who are in a season of burnout?
Arianna Molloy (PhD, University of Denver) is associate professor of organizational communication at Biola University.Her research focuses on meaningful work, work as a calling, and the connection between humility and burnout in the workplace.
She is an award-winning scholar and educator who has published in the International Journal of Business Communication, Communication Studies, and Christianity Today. Arianna is also a consultant for organizations, business professionals, and ministries.
Arianna and her husband, Allen, have one son and enjoy running half marathons, traveling the world, and drinking good coffee.
Follow Dr. Molloy on LinkedIn and Instagram.
Resources Mentioned:
- Os Guinness, Call: Finding and Fulfilling the Central Purpose of Your Life
- Daniel H. Pink, When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing
- Brené Brown
- Emily Nagoski & Amelia Nagoski, Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle
- Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith, Sacred Rest: Recover Your Life, Renew Your Energy, Restore Your Sanity
Thank you for listening! Ways you can support Women & Work:
- Become a Women & Work Partner
- Purchase our book, Women & Work: Bearing God’s Image and Joining in His Mission through our Work
- Rate, subscribe, and share our show!
Wendy Alsup is an author and math teacher by trade. She has written several books, including I Forgive You: Finding Peace and Moving Forward When Life Really Hurts. She is a founding Member of The Pelican Project, a guild of women fostering commitment to Christian faith and practice across cultural, denominational, and racial lines. Wendy has also been a speaker at women’s Bible conferences such as the The Gospel Coalition’s Women’s Conference in 2022. She lives on her family farm with her 2 boys, 2 dogs, and 3 cats.
Follow Wendy on Instagram or X.
In this episode, Wendy shares:
- How she was called to both teach math and be a minister
- How math reflects the glory of God
- Working as a single mom with ongoing health concerns
- Her story as a part of Mars Hill Church where Mark Driscoll pastored
- How she navigated controversial gender issues at Mars Hill
- What she hopes readers will learn from her latest book, I Forgive You
Wendy’s other Books include:
- Companions in Suffering: Comfort for Times of Loss and Loneliness (2020 The Gospel Coalition Book Award - Christian Living)
- Is the Bible Good for Women?: Seeking Clarity and Confidence Through a Jesus-Centered Understanding of Scripture
- The Gospel-Centered Woman
- By His Wounds You are Healed: How the Message of Ephesians Transforms a Woman's Identity
- Practical Theology for Women: How Knowing God Makes a Difference in Our Daily Lives
Resources Mentioned:
- The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill Podcast
Thank you for listening! If this content is helpful to you as you seek to live out your God-given calling to His glory, purchase Women & Work: Bearing God’s Image and Joining in His Mission through our Work, or donate today to help us continue to produce more inspiring content!
Rebecca George is the founder of Radical Radiance® - a podcast community where listeners are equipped to blend what they love with the Jesus who makes them shine. She is a podcaster, speaker, and author whose greatest joy in life is discipling others to pursue their passions in a way that builds the Kingdom. In her free time, you can find her running outside, writing, or trying a new recipe with 90s country playing in the background.
Follow Rebecca on Instagram or at radicalradiance.live
In this episode, Rebecca answers:
- What is Radical Radiance? How did you decide on the name?
- What led you to become passionate about encouraging women in their calling?
- What type of work were you doing before you founded Radical Radiance?
- Your husband is a pastor. How do you view your calling in relation to his; are these in competition? How do they correlate to one another?
- How do you think about and manage time spent serving your ministry versus your time spent serving your local church?
- How can women cultivate their calling, especially those just starting to discern it?
- How can women treat their calling seriously instead of just a “cute little side hobby?”
- Give us a teaser for your new book, You're Not Too Late: Trusting God's Timing in a Hurry-Up World.
- And more!
Resource Mentioned:
- You’re Not Too Late by Rebecca George
- Do the Thingby Rebecca George
- Courtney Moore on Rebecca’s Podcast, Radical Radiance
Thank you for listening! Ways you can support Women & Work:
- Become a Women & Work monthly partner
- Purchase our book, Women & Work: Bearing God’s Image and Joining in His Mission through our Work
- Rate, subscribe to, and share our show!
Shelbi Kate Strube is a passionate Personal Trainer and Functional Nutrition Specialist with over 8 years of experience and a Bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science. She specializes in helping clients overcome pain when training, build muscle, and break through weight loss plateaus in a supportive and motivating environment.
Shelbi combines her fitness expertise with certifications in Functional Nutrition, Precision Nutrition Level 1, and Health Mindset Coaching. She has also recently completed a year-long mentorship focused on gut health, hormone health, and optimizing physique development. Her unique ability to analyze blood work and provide supplement guidance sets her apart in the personal training industry. She also has specialized experience working with individuals managing Parkinson’s Disease and as a health coach for a doctor in Functional Nutrition.
Driven by a love for working with the general population, Shelbi empowers clients to take control of their health through personalized care, encouragement, and sustainable habits that lead to lasting results.
Follow Shelbi Kate on Instagram.
In this episode, Shelbi Kate answers these questions:
- How did your passion for fitness begin?
- What is functional nutrition?
- How did you gain knowledge in this space among so much information out there?
- What is your organization, Beginners Guide to Building Muscle (BGBM)?
- What challenges did you encounter as you built your business, and how did the Lord provide for those?
- How have you seen God use you in the lives of your clients? What’s your perspective on viewing your job as a ministry?
- What is your perspective of the human body from a biblical perspective?
- How do you image God as a functional nutritionist?
- How do you navigate what to wear to the gym?
Resources Mentioned: * Do the Thingby Rebecca George
Thank you for listening! Ways you can support Women & Work:
- Become a Women & Work monthly partner
- Purchase our book, Women & Work: Bearing God’s Image and Joining in His Mission through our Work
- Rate, subscribe to, and share our show!
Laureen Mgrdichian is an Associate Professor at the Crowell School of Business at Biola University. She teaches courses in marketing, entrepreneurship, consumer behavior, promotions, and women in leadership. She also oversees an annual student-led conference designed to encourage women in the workplace.
Laureen was president of a start-up video production company, placing product domestically as well as licensing internationally. In addition, she owns her own baking business specializing in corporate gifts. Her corporate work includes marketing for Universal Studios.
Laureen received her M.B.A. from the Anderson Graduate School of Management at U.C.L.A. focusing on marketing and organizational development. Laureen and her husband are the parents of triplets who are in their mid-twenties.
In this episode, Laureen discusses:
- Her role as an associate professor at Biola University
- What she’s learned about navigating work in various seasons of life, including becoming a mom of triplets after 18 years in the workforce
- What it means to honor and worship God with your gifts through your work
- How to persevere in a job that you don’t love and wish you could leave
- How to work with men well for the common good
- How she images God in the classroom as she teaches and mentors students
Resource Mentioned:
- Women & Work Podcast, Episode 54 with Biola University’s Dr. Joanne Jung and Dr. Richard Langer for their book, The Call to Follow
- Chapter 9 in our book, Women & Work: Bearing God’s Image and Joining in His Mission through our Work
- Shaunti Feldhahn’s The Male Factor: The Unwritten Rules, Misperceptions, and Secret Beliefs of Men in the Workplace
Thank you for listening! Ways you can support Women & Work:
- Purchase our book, Women & Work: Bearing God’s Image and Joining in His Mission through our Work
- Become a Women & Work partner
Lauren France is passionate about connecting other people's passions and resources to meet greater needs. As the Director of Development and Marketing at Equipping Leaders International, she forges meaningful relationships with donors and builds the organization's Annual Fund.
About a year ago, Lauren founded The Lydia Network, a giving society of Christian women solving the global leadership crisis in the Church. This vibrant community funds the training of global church leaders across 38 nations in the global South. The Lydia Network funds critical initiatives but also nurtures a network of women committed to the discipleship of Christ.
Lauren believes in a mission-driven approach to philanthropy that prioritizes donors' hearts and identity in Christ. She believes fundraising is, first and foremost, a ministry. When she's not listening to Mozart or boxing at the gym, Lauren is spending time with her husband Jake and her two precious toddlers, Amelia and Lydia. She resides in North Carolina.
In this episode, Lauren discusses:
—The Lydia Network, what it is, and how it came to be
—Who Lydia was in the Bible and how women today can become modern-day “Lydias”
—The urgency of the global leadership crisis among pastors
—How God can use women for His kingdom purposes around the world
—How to view fundraising from a more biblical perspective
—Tips and tools to help you succeed at fundraising
RESOURCES MENTIONED:
To join The Lydia Network: CLICK HERE
Fundraising Resources:
DonorBox
Building a Case for Support
Building a Fundraising Plan
Webinar on Planning and Goal Setting for Nonprofit Fundraising
Building a Communications Plan for Fundraising
A Spirituality of Fundraising: The Henri Nouwen Spirituality Series
In His Image: 10 Ways God Calls Us to Reflect His Character
None Like Him: 10 Ways God Is Different from Us (and Why That's a Good Thing)
Follow The Lydia Network on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and thelydianetwork.com
Thank you for listening. If this content is helpful to you as you seek to live out your God-given calling to His glory, please donate today to help us continue to produce more inspiring content. Purchase our book, Women & Work: Bearing God’s Image and Joining in His Mission through our Work.
Amy-Jo Girardier loves getting to disciple girls and women in her local church. She has served as Girls Minister for 19 years at Brentwood Baptist in Brentwood, TN. She currently is serving as the Women’s Minister. She is an author of 3 Lifeway bible studies for teen girls and an upcoming contributor on a devotional for women. In addition to ministry, Amy-Jo loves all things technology, drinking coffee, running, serving on staff with her husband
Darrel and being with their two boys: Scout and Skylar. She is a graduate of Southwestern Theological Seminary.
In this episode, Courtney and Missie ask Am-Jo these questions:
—How did you first sense that you were called into ministry?
—Tell us about your passion for teen girls. Why do you love this age in particular?
—What have you learned about the differences in the various generations: how they serve the Church, how to lead them well, how to wisely incorporate them into leadership, and how they show up in the workforce?
—How have you prepared your church as you have been a part of starting a women’s ministry from scratch?
—For those who may feel called to serve as a women’s minister on staff at a church, what should they expect?
—What has helped you maintain such longevity in ministry?
—Tell us about your newest Bible study.
—What is one final piece of advice you would leave with women who want to honor God through their vocational calling?
Resources Mentioned:
The New Bible in Pictures for Little Eyes
James - Teen Girls' Bible Study Book: Experience Abundant Life
Authentic Love - Bible Study for Girls: Christ, Culture, and the Pursuit of Purity
Faithful One - Teen Girls' Bible Study Book: A Study of 1 & 2 Thessalonians for Teen Girls
Follow Amy-Jo on Instagram.
Thanks for listening. Support our work by giving today and by subscribing to our show.
Kylie was born and raised in the Midwest and currently resides in central Iowa with her husband of 9 years, Aaron, and their 6-year-old daughter and 4-year-old son. She holds a Bachelor of Science Nursing degree from the University of Iowa and began her nursing career in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, caring for its most vulnerable and critically ill babies.
In the fall of 2022, she founded Walk With You and now works full-time, walking with families in their deepest and most desperate moments of grief - leading up to, during, and following the loss of their beloved child.
Kylie is passionate about weaving together grief and the Gospel, being an advocate for women to fulfill their God-given callings, be that at home or in the workforce or some combination of the two, and working in secular spaces to see the Good News of Jesus Christ brought to everyone, everywhere.
LINKS:
Kylie on Instagram
Walk With You on Instagram
Walk With You Website
In this episode, Kylie shares:
— What it’s like being a NICU nurse
— How she has seen God use her specific gifting to serve parents of NICU babies in the hospital
— How the Women & Work Podcast is a part of her story of founding Walk With You
— The beautiful ways Walk With You serves parents who have lost a child
— How the gospel intersects with grief
— How she practices self-care so she can be faithful to the mission of Walk With You
RESOURCES MENTIONED:
Women & Work Podcast:
Episode 19 Elyse Fitzpatrick & Eric Schumacher, Part 1
Episode 20 Elyse Fitzpatrick & Eric Schumacher, Part 2
Just Be Honest: How to Worship through Tears and Pray without Pretending
Therefore I Have Hope: 12 Truths That Comfort, Sustain, and Redeem in Tragedy
Every Moment Holy, Volume II: Death, Grief, & Hope
The Last Thing Sufferers Need to Hear, TGC article by Christ Davis
Resources on Grief and Suffering by Nancy Guthrie
Naná Castillo is the creator and mentor of the Filipenses Quatro Oito ministry (Philippians 4:8), which aims to transform the everyday lives of women through the truths of the gospel. She is a speaker, blogger, and co-author of the book Toda Mulher Trabalha (Every Woman Works). She is also a registered nurse with a master’s degree in pediatric nursing and a PhD in health sciences. She taught for years at a university before dedicating herself exclusively to ministry and her family. She lives with her husband and two children in São Paulo, Brazil, where they are members of the Igreja Batista Maranata. You can learn more about her and her ministry at @filipensesquatrooito or reach her at nana@filipensesquatrooito.com.
Claudia Lotti is a medical doctor specializing in neurology and a university professor. She grew up in a Christian home as the daughter of a minister in the Presbyterian Church of Brazil. She is a Sunday school teacher at her church and a Bible counselor. She began her public Bible teaching ministry in 2019. Claudia is married to Rinaldo, they have 3 children and live in Brazil.
Follow Naná on Instagram.
Follow Claudia on Instagram.
In this episode, Courtney and Missie asked Naná and Claudia these questions:
—Claudia, how did God lead you to become a doctor and a professor?
—Nana, how did you transition from pediatric nursing and teaching to founding Filipenses Quatro Oito?
—What is Filipenses Quatro Oito, and how did it begin?
—How did you two meet?
—What is Christian culture like in Brazil for women and particularly for women working outside the home?
—What did you learn about the Brazilian women who participated in the research you did in your book?
—Chapter 2 in your book is entitled (in English), “Created to Serve.” What is God’s design for women especially as it relates to what we’re called to do?
—What do you say to those who think a woman’s place is solely to bear children and tend to the home? How does the Bible validate women’s work outside the home?
—How do you both manage all of your God-given responsibilities well (serving family, women, patients, students)?
—How should Christians respond to the frustrating moments in our work?
—How can we work for the glory of God instead of for our own names and recognition or as those striving out of fear?
RESOURCES MENTIONED:
Toda Mulher Trabalha
Women & Work: Bearing God’s Image and Joining in His Mission through our WorkLa Mujer Y El Trabajo: Portadoras de la Imagen de Dios Y Unidas a Su Misión Mediante Nuestro Trabajo
The Gospel Coalition Women’s Conference 2024
Nancy Guthrie
Thank you for listening. Please support our work by giving today and by subscribing to our show.
Courtney Doctor received an MDiv from Covenant Theological Seminary and currently serves as the Director of Women’s Initiatives for The Gospel Coalition. She is a Bible teacher and author of From Garden to Glory as well as several Bible studies including In View of God’s Mercies, Behold and Believe, and Remember Your Joy. Courtney and her husband Craig have four children and five beautiful grandchildren.
Follow Courtney on Instagram.
Visit courtneydoctor.org
In this episode, Courtney answered these questions from Courtney Moore and Missie Branch:
—How did God lead you to this point as the Director of Women’s Initiatives at TGC?
—How would you encourage women trying to discern where God is leading them career-wise?
—What are some of the difficult things you’ve experienced in ministry to women? How did you overcome those?
—As director, where do you see your gifting and daily tasks align?
—How does your team decide on each TGC Women’s Conference theme such as “Behold & Believe?”
—For women who are looking to plan and host their own events or conferences, what should they know?
—What does it look like for you to prepare a message or write a curriculum/book?
—How do you distinguish (or do you?) your own personal time with the Lord vs prep time for teaching/writing?
—How old were you when you published your first book? What should our younger listeners who’d like to publish know?
—How do you balance serving in a parachurch organization which may involve traveling, etc. vs serving in your local church?
—What’s 1 piece of advice you’d leave with women who want to honor God through their vocational calling?
RESOURCES MENTIONED:
The Working Genius Assessment
The Gospel Coalition Women’s Conference 2024
Shane & Shane’s “Behold & Believe” Song
Courtney’s TGCW ‘24 Message
Thank you for listening. Please support our work by giving today and subscribing to our show.
Courtney Moore founded the nonprofit organization Women & Work in 2018. She is co-host of the Women & Work Podcast and general editor of Women & Work: Bearing God’s Image and Joining in His Mission through our Work(B&H Publishing, 2023). Courtney received her BA in Religious Studies from the University of Mobile and an MA in Biblical Counseling from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. She is passionate about seeing Jesus Christ honored by women as they steward their gifts and leverage their unique potential for His glory. Courtney, her husband Brent, and their 3 kids now live in Birmingham, Alabama after serving for 5 years in El Paso, Texas.
Missie Branch serves as CEO of My BLVD and is a graduate of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary with a degree in Ethics, Theology, and Culture. She is passionate about women seeing themselves as theologians and disciples first. Missie is the author of Guided Prayer Journal for teen girls and is a contributing author to Women & Work and The Whole Woman.She also serves as co-host of the Women & Work Podcast. Missie is married to Duce Branch and together they have four children.
In this episode, Courtney and Missie give life updates and answer these questions from listeners:
— How do you deal with male co-workers presenting your ideas as their own or as new insights they've come up with?
— Outside of treating people with kindness, what practical ways do you suggest bringing your faith into your workplace if you do not work for a Christian company?
— As a mother who recognizes her first priority is to the family given to her by the Lord, how do you keep in check the balance of raising kids, but also pursuing the passions the Lord has given you?
— What is the Lord revealing to both of you through His Word?
— What are key practical steps that high-capacity women must take to increase their margin?
RESOURCES MENTIONED:
The Bible in 90 Days: Cover to Cover in 12 Pages a Day Wisdom's Call: 100 Meditations for a Life in Christ
The Common Rule: Habits of Purpose for an Age of Distraction
Women & Work Podcast Episode 56: Justin Earley, The Common Rule Book Discussion
Habit Kit app
Guided Prayer Journal (For Teen Girls)
The Whole Woman: Ministering to Her Heart, Soul, Mind, and Strength Women & Work: Bearing God’s Image and Joining in His Mission through our Work
Thank you for listening. Please support our work by giving today.
Krystal has been blessed to live a life full of experiences. She's a former D1 softball player, saved at age 23, a former police officer, mother of 2 on earth, 1 in heaven and 1 in the womb. She's worked in finances, been an event planner for a Southern Baptist seminary, and is currently a project manager for a pro-life, whole life Christian ministry.
In this episode, Krystal shares mostly about her time as a police officer. She discusses:
- What led her to desire this profession
- What police academy was like, especially as a woman
- What a typical day looks like as an officer
- How she viewed her work as a police officer through the lens of the kingdom of God
- How she responds to critiques that women should not serve in this role
- What the average citizen should know about this work
Thank you for listening. If this content is helpful to you as you seek to live out your God-given calling to His glory, purchase Women & Work: Bearing God’s Image and Joining in His Mission through our Work, or donate today to help us continue to produce more inspiring content!
Whitney K. Pipkin is a journalist and writer living with her husband and three kids in Northern Virginia where they are members of Grace Bible Church. She serves as the written content coordinator for the ministry Women & Work and the author of We Shall All Be Changed: How Facing Death with Loved Ones Transforms Us, releasing February 2024 from Moody Publishing. Find her @WhitneyKPipkin on Instagram and Twitter, and read more of her work at WhitneyKPipkin.com.
In this episode, host Missie Branch and Courtney Moore interview journalist and writer Whitney Pipkin. They discuss the importance of curiosity and hard work in journalism, the role of relationships in the industry, and Whitney's personal experiences with grief and loss. They also cover topics such as the presence of God in difficult times, the process of writing, and the challenges of balancing work and family life.
In this episode, Whitney shares about:
- The importance of curiosity and hard work in journalism
- Building relationships and maintaining connections in the industry
- Her personal experiences with grief and loss
- The process of writing and the role it plays in processing emotions
- Balancing work and family life with three young children
Read more of Whitney's work on the womenwork.net blog, including articles like Why You Need a Hard Stop, How to Think about Work When You Get Overlooked, and (Re)considering the Proverbial Woman.
Whitney's new book, We Shall All Be Changed: How Facing Death with Loved Ones Transforms Us, will be released in February of 2024.
Thank you for listening. If this content is helpful to you as you seek to live out your God-given calling to His glory, purchase Women & Work: Bearing God’s Image and Joining in His Mission through our Work, or donate today to help us continue to produce more inspiring content!
Caroline Cobb is a singer-songwriter who before her 30th birthday, set a goal to write a song for every book of the Bible in one year. That year set a new calling into motion: to tell God's Story through music, helping you rehearse it and respond to it as you go about your everyday.
Her latest album, Psalms, released in May of 2023. Before that, A King & His Kindness (2021), zoomed in on Jesus and built on Caroline’s previous Story-telling projects: A Seed, A Sunrise (2019), The Blood + the Breath (2013), and A Home & a Hunger (2017).
Caroline has been featured by Christianity Today, The Gospel Coalition, Risen Motherhood, and many more, with a Home & a Hunger being named among “The Best Albums of the 2010s Decade” by The Gospel Coalition. Caroline and her husband live in Dallas, TX with their three children Ellie, Harrison, and Libby. Listen to Caroline’s music on Spotify, Apple Music, and all other streaming services.
In this episode, Caroline shares:
- How she began her work in music
- What she loves most about it
- Why storytelling is so important in music and art
- How she was led to focus on the Psalms for her latest album
- Her songwriting process
- Tips for women just starting out
- How she manages her schedule with work, touring, being a mother
Thank you for listening. If this content is helpful to you as you seek to live out your God-given calling to His glory, purchase Women & Work: Bearing God’s Image and Joining in His Mission through our Work, or donate today to help us continue to produce more inspiring content!
Erica P. is a graduate of Auburn University where she pursued a degree in electrical engineering. During that time, the Lord gave her a passion for Himself and a burden for the nations. He specifically called her to serve amongst East Asia.
She married her husband David in 2002 and joined the International Mission Board in 2004 with plans to serve an unreached people group in East Asia. David and Erica, along with their three children, served this people group for 16 years before being forced to leave due to security issues in March of 2020. Little did they know that the Lord would use this to prepare Erica for the loss of David suddenly and unexpectedly in October 2020.
Since then, the Lord has also continued to place the call of international missions on Erica’s heart and reminded her that though her circumstances had drastically changed, her God and her calling had not. Erica and her children will serve overseas later this year.
You will love hearing from Erica. In this episode, she discusses with Missie and Courtney:
– How the Lord led her to put down her electrical engineering degree and follow His call to the mission field
– Recommendations for discerning your own call and preparation for a life in missions
– How she met David, how they navigated challenges as missionaries, and how she has dealt with his sudden death
– What married women can do now to prepare if their husbands pass unexpectedly
– How she has found the resilience and faith to now go back to the mission field as a widow with her three children
RESOURCES MENTIONED
- Hudson Taylor: The Classic Autobiography
- Gladys Aylward: The Little Woman
- Lottie Moon: Giving Her All for China
- Perspectives Class
- Receive Updates from the Mission Field
Thank you for listening. If this content is helpful to you as you seek to live out your God-given calling to His glory, please donate today to help us continue to produce more inspiring content!
On this episode of the Women & Work podcast, Courtney Moore and Missie Branch kick off the fall 2023 podcast season answering some questions the Women & Work community asked over the summer. On this episode we discuss:
- The importance of balancing work and family responsibilities.
- The challenges and rewards of being a stay-at-home parent.
- Navigating societal expectations and cultural perceptions of women's roles.
- The value of friendships and community in supporting and encouraging one another.
- Finding purpose and contentment in one's current season of life.
And so much more. We can't wait for this season of the Women & Work podcast. Learn more about the mission of Women & Work at womenwork.net.
Want to support our team and help develop more resources? Give today at womenwork.net/give.
In 2021, Justin Earley joined the Women & Work team for a live disucssion about his book The Common Rule: Habits of Purpose for an Age of Distraction.
Justin Earley provides concrete, doable practices, such as a daily hour of phoneless presence or a weekly conversation with a friend. These habits are “common” not only because they are ordinary, but also because they can be practiced in community. They have been lived out by people across all walks of life―businesspeople, professionals, parents, students, retirees―who have discovered new hope and purpose.
In this Q&A, Courtney Moore, founder and president of Women & Work, and Courtney Powell, Ministry Content Director covered topics with Justin such as:
- His transition from full-time missionary to lawyer
- Habits as Formation
- A Theology of Work
- How our Daily Habits Redeem Our Work and Reorient our Minds
- The Freedom of Daily Habits
- Rhythms of Rest
- Boundaries and Limitations in our Work
- Habit and Heart Formation in the Home
We are nearing the end of this Summer Podcast season - we hope you have enjoyed these book club discussions.
Work has been a part of God's good creation since before the fall―created to reflect His image and glory to the world. What are we to make of this when work today is all too often characterized by unwanted toil, pain, and futility? Dr. Jim Hamilton, Professor of Biblical Theology at @southernseminary and senior pastor at Kenwood Baptist Church, joined the Women & Work team to talk about his book Work and Our Labor in the Lord.
Dr. Joanne Jung and Dr. Richard Langer wrote "The Call to Follow: Hearing Jesus in a Culture Obsessed with Leadership" and we interviewed them in the fall of 2022.
How often have you thought about or been trained in how to be a better follower? We hear so much about leadership and its importance but almost nothing about being a better follower.
Of course, as Christians, we know our main identity is marked by "followership" and we seek to follow Jesus. Some of the topics discussed in this fascinating episode:
-Followers are not failed leaders, as culture tends to think
-The best followers thrive under mission-centered organizations instead of leader-centered environments
-Jesus Himself repeatedly chose to live as a follower.
-How the Holy Spirit enables us to be good followers and live with an awareness of God's presence in our work, making the most mundane tasks, divine.
-The soul rhythms that help us become good, virtuous followers.
Resources mentioned:
The Call To Follow
The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence
Hannah Anderson is an author and Bible teacher who lives in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia with her husband, Nathan, and three children. Her books include All That’s Good: Recovering the Lost Art of Discernment and Turning of Days: Lessons from Nature, Season, and Spirit. She also cohosts the Persuasion podcast, which addresses cultural, theological, and more mundane issues from a Christian perspective. Hannah’s goal is to encourage believers to think deeply and broadly about how the gospel transforms every area of life.
In this episode, Hannah discusses:
- What image-bearing has to do with work
- Why non-income-producing work is just as important as paid work
- The purpose of learning and knowledge
- How we can love our neighbor through our work
- How the providence of God works hand in hand with the sovereignty of God and why that matters regarding our work
To purchase a copy of Made for More click here.
J.D. Greear is lead pastor of The Summit Church, a multi-site congregation in Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina. He holds an M.Div. in International Church Planting and a Ph.D. in Systematic Theology from the Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Greear also lived and worked among Muslims in Southeast Asia for two years and wrote Breaking the Islam Code. He and his wife have four children.
In this episode, JD discusses:
- Callings/assignments and how we can leverage our gifts to be significant in God's kingdom
- Women's gifting's and how those can be used inside and outside the home
- How the Great Commission can inform where you work and what you do
- Radical Obedience to Christ is costly
- Beth Moore and the Southern Baptist Convention
- How the church can help promote giftings of women
Purchase a copy of What Are You Going to Do with Your Life? here.
Resources mentioned:
- John Piper: Don't Waste Your Life
- Rosaria Butterfield: The Gospel Comes with a Housekey
- Amy Whitfield: SBC FAQ
- The Summit Church Document: The Role of Women at The Summit Church
- The Summit Church: GoNow
J. T. English, PhD, is an author and teacher, and currently serves as the lead pastor of Storyline Church in Arvada, CO. Previously, J.T. served as a pastor at The Village Church in Flower Mound, TX, where he founded and directed The Village Church Institute, which is committed to theological education in the local church. He received his ThM in Historical Theology from Dallas Theological Seminary and PhD in Systematic Theology from Southern Seminary. He is married to Macy English, and they have two children, Thomas and Bailey.
J.T. Also co-hosts the Knowing Faith Podcast with Jen Wilkin and Kyle Worley.
In this episode, J.T. joins Courtney Moore and Missie Branch to discuss:
- The importance of men and women working together as allies
- Insecurity and leadership
- Highest calling as Christians
- Complementarianism and the role of men and women in the church
- Utilizing every individual's gifts in the church
Thank you for listening. If this content is helpful to you as you seek to live out your God-given calling to His glory, purchase Women & Work: Bearing God’s Image and Joining in His Mission through our Work, or donate today to help us continue to produce more inspiring content!
RESOURCES MENTIONED
- Women & Work: Bearing God’s Image and Joining in His Mission through our Work
- Episode 17 with Macy English
- Knowing Faith Podcast
Amy Whitfield is Executive Director of Communications at The Summit Church in Raleigh-Durham. Prior to that, she served in various roles within the Southern Baptist Convention for twenty years. She co-authored the book SBC FAQs: A Ready Reference and is the co-host of the podcast SBC This Week. In 2019, she helped launch the SBC Women’s Leadership Network, and she serves as chairwoman of the board of directors of Women & Work. Amy and her husband Keith have two children and live in Wake Forest, North Carolina.
In this episode, Amy discusses with Courtney the chapter she authored in Women & Work. Chapter 10 is entitled, “Developing and Growing Your Gifts.” Here she shares:
– Why she is passionate about the topic of growth and development in Christian women
– How personal development is part of our design as image bearers
– The objections and hesitations many women feel toward growing in leadership
– Her encouragement to reluctant woman to move forward in personal development and leadership
– The most important advice she’s received as a woman in this area
– How the Holy Spirit is leading her own development in this season of life
Thank you for listening. If this content is helpful to you as you seek to live out your God-given calling to His glory, donate today to help us continue to produce more inspiring content!
RESOURCES MENTIONED:
- Women & Work: Bearing God’s Image and Joining in His Mission through our Work
- Episode 13 of the Women & Work Podcast
Joanna serves as Denver Institute’s Director of Public Engagement and oversees the Women & Vocation Initiative. Prior to coming to the Institute, she worked in global telecom, nonprofit consulting, and campus ministry with Cru. She served as associate faculty at Denver Seminary and as a sewing instructor at Fancy Tiger Crafts. She has an MA in Social Entrepreneurship from Bakke Graduate University and graduated magna cum laude from the University of Colorado, Boulder.
Joanna wrote chapter 8 in Women & Work, entitled, “The Grief and Grace of an Unexpected Career.” In this episode, she and Courtney discuss:
- Effects of the Pandemic
- What is the Faith and Work movement?
- Women's Role in the Kingdom of God
- The Grief of an Unexpected Career
- Caring for Women without Children
Thank you for listening. If this content is helpful to you as you seek to live out your God-given calling to His glory, purchase Women & Work: Bearing God’s Image and Joining in His Mission through our Work, or donate today to help us continue to produce more inspiring content!
RESOURCES MENTIONED
- Women & Work: Bearing God’s Image and Joining in His Mission through our Work
- Joanna' Podcast with the Denver Faith Institute, The Faith & Work Podcast
- Episode 23 of the Women & Work Podcast
- Called Together: A Biblical Look at Gender in the Workplace
Courtney is a writer and Bible teacher living in Little Rock, AR. She is the author of numerous books and bible studies, including Teach Me to Feel: Worshiping Through the Psalms in Every Season of Life and a forthcoming bible study on the covenants. Courtney and her husband are the proud parents of four sons and together they serve at Immanuel Baptist Church in Little Rock, AR where she is also the Discipleship Content Director.
Thank you for listening. If this content is helpful to you as you seek to live out your God-given calling to His glory, purchase Women & Work: Bearing God’s Image and Joining in His Mission through our Work, or donate today to help us continue to produce more inspiring content!
RESOURCES MENTIONED
- Women & Work: Bearing God’s Image and Joining in His Mission through our Work
- Promises Kept: 5 Old Testament Covenants and How Christ Fulfilled Them (6-Week Bible Study)
- Teach Me To Feel: Worshiping Through the Psalms in Every Season of Life
- Glory in the Ordinary: Why Your Work in the Home Matters to God
- The Accidental Feminist: Restoring Our Delight in God’s Good Design
Portia Collins is a Christian Bible teacher, writer, and podcaster with a passion for sharing God’s Word. Portia is also the founder of She Shall Be Called, a nonprofit women’s ministry focused on Bible literacy. You can also catch her hosting two weekly podcasts: Grounded—a podcast/videocast from Revive Our Hearts—and Sweet Tea with Jasmine & Portia.
Portia and her husband, Mikhail, have a daughter and currently make their home in the Mississippi Delta.
Portia wrote chapter 6 in Women & Work, entitled, “Don’t Waste Your Gifts.” In this episode, she and Courtney discuss:
- How the Bible defines stewardship
- How flourishing as humans is a result of good stewardship
- How fear and comparison are traps to managing our gifts and talents well, as mentioned in the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25
- What is holding women back from producing the life and growth that comes with faithfully putting our talents to use
- How Portia has overcome discouragement or exhaustion to persevere in being a good manager of her own gifts and talents
- Why humility is an important characteristic if you want to be a faithful steward
Thank you for listening. If this content is helpful to you as you seek to live out your God-given calling to His glory, purchase Women & Work: Bearing God’s Image and Joining in His Mission through our Work, or donate today to help us continue to produce more inspiring content!
RESOURCES MENTIONED
Women & Work: Bearing God’s Image and Joining in His Mission through our Work
Hannah Anderson is an author and Bible teacher who lives in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia with her husband, Nathan, and three children. Her books include Made for More, Humble Roots, All That’s Good, and Heaven and Nature Sing Her latest children's book, The World God Made, releases in May 2023. Hannah’s goal is to encourage believers to think deeply and broadly about how the gospel transforms every area of life.
In this episode, Courtney continues to chat with another contributing author to our forthcoming book, Women & Work: Bearing God’s Image and Joining in His Mission through our Work. Hannah wrote chapter 5 entitled, “Bodies of Work.”
Courtney and Hannah discuss:
– The fact that our current workspaces are systemically masculine and the challenges women face when we show up in those spaces in our female bodies
– Her answer to those who would assert that because workspaces aren’t made for women’s bodies, then women should only work at home
– Why she believes we have become a church and society that mostly emphasizes the spiritual or mental instead of the physical aspects of our humanness
– Suggestions for women whose work environments don’t honor their physical needs
– Her definition of society’s “success sequence” and how this sequence has not considered women’s bodies well
– Her thoughts on why the gender wage gap exists and what should be done about it
– How God designed our bodies from the beginning to fulfill work
– How Jesus’ work could only be accomplished in a human body
– How our bodies are an important part of us as humans and will one day be redeemed and resurrected just as Jesus’ was
Thank you for listening. If this content is helpful to you as you seek to live out your God-given calling to His glory, DONATE today to help us continue to produce more inspiring content.
RESOURCES MENTIONED
- Women & Work: Bearing God’s Image and Joining in His Mission through our Work
- The World God Made
- Women & Work Book Club Q&A with Hannah Anderson
- Made for More: An Invitation to Live in God’s Image
- Humble Roots: How Humility Grounds and Nourishes Your Soul
- All That's Good: Recovering the Lost Art of Discernment
- Heaven and Nature Sing
Jen Oshman has been in women’s ministry for over two decades on three continents. She’s the author of Enough about Me and Cultural Counterfeits, and her most recent book, Welcome: Loving Your Church by Making Space for Everyone. She hosts a weekly podcast about cultural events and trends called All Things, and she is the mother of four daughters. Jen's family currently resides in Colorado, where they planted Redemption Parker.
Jen is also a contributing author to Women & Work: Bearing God’s Image and Joining in His Mission through our Work.
In this episode, Jen shares about chapter 4 of Women & Work, which she authored, entitled, “You Are What You Do. Or Are You?” Courtney and Jen discuss:
- How our identity and value as a woman become tangled with our productivity; how to combat this biblically
- How to both work hard as unto the Lord, yet all the while knowing that it is God who is at work in you (Philippians 2:12-13)
- How to practically schedule our calendars in a way that embraces dependence on God instead of hustle
- How she personally renews her mind and realigns herself when her work life becomes too self-centered or self-sufficient
- Tools that she uses to make the most of her schedule
Thank you for listening. If this content is helpful to you as you seek to live out your God-given calling to His glory, purchase Women & Work: Bearing God’s Image and Joining in His Mission through our Work, or donate today to help us continue to produce more inspiring content!
RESOURCES MENTIONED:
- Women & Work: Bearing God’s Image and Joining in His Mission through our Work
- All Things Podcast
- Enough About Me
- Cultural Counterfeits
- Welcome
Courtney Powell holds a Bachelor of Music with an emphasis in Christian studies from Union University and a MA in church ministry from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. In addition to being an Operations Consultant for a non-profit, she also serves as the Director of Ministry Content for Women & Work, where she helps to create and promote content that encourages and inspires women to use their gifts for the advancement of the kingdom. She lives with her husband and three daughters in Arvada, Colorado where her husband serves on staff with Storyline Church.
Courtney is also the author of chapter 3 in Women & Work, entitled, “Am I Called?” In this episode, she discusses:
- The importance of community in the believer’s life to help form us and discern God’s call on our lives
- How she makes sense of her own vocational journey, which could appear disjointed
- How she images God in both lanes of her work: the creativity of a musician and the administrative aspect of working in operations
- One of the 3 myths of calling from her chapter, i.e., that there is no “highest calling” for women apart from walking in obedience to Christ
- A biblical understanding of calling
- Four ways to discern what vocation God is calling you to next
- When God leads us to an assignment we don’t want to be called to, similar to Jonah being called to Ninevah
- The beauty of diverse callings in the body of Christ
Thank you for listening. If this content is helpful to you as you seek to live out your God-given calling to His glory, purchase Women & Work: Bearing God’s Image and Joining in His Mission through our Work, or DONATE today to help us continue to produce more inspiring content.
Missie Branch serves as Asst. Dean of Students to Women and Director of Graduate Life at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in NC. She is also currently a student there completing her graduate degree in Ethics, Theology, and Culture. Missie is married to Duce Branch and together they have four children. She is passionate about women seeing themselves as theologians and disciples first. Missie is a contributing author to The Whole Woman: Ministering to Her Heart, Soul, Mind, and Strength and the co-host of the Women & Work Podcast. Currently, Missie is serving as the Chair of the Board of Trustees at Lifeway Christian Resources.
In this episode, Courtney interviews her co-host, Missie Branch, as Missie discusses the chapter she authored of Women & Work. Chapter 2 is entitled, “Image-Bearing and Your Good Works.” Missie shares:
- Her own work at Southeastern and how she has recently seen the faithfulness of God as she works, serves, and finishes up her Master’s degree
- What it means that we are image-bears of God and why that’s important to our work
- How our identity gets a makeover when we become believers in Christ
- The amazing benefits of knowing Christ and how that relationship with Him infuses our work with even more meaning
- What it means that we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand for us to walk in (Ephesians 2:10)
- And more!
Thank you for listening. If this content is helpful to you as you seek to live out your God-given calling to His glory, purchase Women & Work: Bearing God’s Image and Joining in His Mission through our Work, or donate today to help us continue to produce more inspiring content!
RESOURCES MENTIONED
- Women & Work: Bearing God’s Image and Joining in His Mission Through Our Work
- The Whole Woman: Ministering to Her Heart, Soul, Mind, and Strength
- Women & Work Podcast, Episode 29
- Women & Work Podcast, Episode 31
- Women & Work Podcast, Episode 34
Follow Missie on Instagram, twitter or visit her website.
Elyse Fitzpatrick has an M.A. in Biblical Counseling from Trinity Theological Seminary. She has authored 25 books on daily living and the Christian life. Elyse loves to proclaim the good news of the gospel: That Jesus, the Second Person of the Trinity, perfectly obeyed all the Law in our place, suffered in isolation and agony as punishment for our sin, died, and then rose again, all for our justification.
A frequent speaker at national conferences, she has been married for nearly 50 years and has three adult children and six really adorable grandchildren. Along with her husband, Phil, Elyse attends Grace Bible Church in Escondido, California.
Elyse wrote chapter 1 in Women & Work, entitled, “The Creation Mandate, Great Commission, and Your Work.” In this episode, Elyse and Courtney discuss the following:
- How she began teaching the Bible, counseling, and writing
- How a conversation with Paul David Tripp changed the direction of her ministry
- Her heart for women and why she’s passionate about women’s work
- What the Creation Mandate and Great Commission are
- How motherhood or the lack of being a mother intersects with the value of women in both the Old and New Covenants
- What it means for us and our work that God Himself is a worker
- How she overcomes the feeling that her work is futile
- How the hope of heaven informs our work now
Thank you for listening. If this content is helpful to you as you seek to live out your God-given calling to His glory, purchase Women & Work: Bearing God’s Image and Joining in His Mission through our Work, or donate today to help us continue to produce more inspiring content!
RESOURCES MENTIONED:
- W&W Podcast, Episode 19
- W&W Podcast, Episode 20
- Book Club Worthy Interview
- Women & Work: Bearing God’s Image and Joining in His Mission through our Work
- Worthy: Celebrating the Value of Women
- Jesus and Gender: Living as Sisters and Brothers in Christ
Mary Wiley is the author of the Bible study, Everyday Theology, and serves as the associate publisher for B&H Publishing Group. She holds a BA in Christian studies and English from the University of Mobile and an MA in theological studies from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. She and her husband, John, have three children and live in the Nashville area.
Through B&H Pubishing Group, Mary acted as the publishing editor for our book, Women & Work: Bearing God’s Image and Joining in His Mission through our Work. In this episode, Mary discusses with Missie and Courtney:
- The small hometown connection she and Courtney share
- Her own call to ministry and how she fulfills that in her work now as a publisher
- How she began her career at Lifeway, which led to her current role
- What she actually does day-to-day as a publisher
- What aspiring authors need to think through as they consider writing a book
- How she images God in her work
- How the book, Women & Work, came to be
- Her hope for the readers of Women & Work
- What encouraged her most in reading and editing Women & Work
- How listeners can support the launch of the book
Connect with Mary on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn or visit her website, marycwiley.com.
Thank you for listening. If this content is helpful to you as you seek to live out your God-given calling to His glory, purchase Women & Work: Bearing God’s Image and Joining in His Mission through our Work, or donate today to help us continue to produce more inspiring content!
RESOURCES MENTIONED:
Everyday Theology: What You Believe Matters
Dee Ann is a 33-year veteran of Chick-fil-A, Inc. Prior to retirement, she was Vice President, Talent and Vice President, Sustainability for Chick-fil-A, Inc. Selected as the company’s first female officer in 2001, she was instrumental in building and growing Chick-fil-A’s well-known culture and talent systems.
During her long career, she worked closely with Chick-fil-A’s founder, S. Truett Cathy, and other key leaders as an architect of their organizational culture. Turner was responsible for thousands of selections of Chick-fil-A Franchisees and corporate staff members. Additionally, she led Talent Management, Staff Learning and Development, Diversity and Inclusion, Culture and Engagement. Prior to her retirement, she launched and led Chick-fil-A’s Sustainability and Social Responsibility function.
Today, she leads her own organization, Dee Ann Turner & Associates, LLC, writing books, speaking to over 50 audiences per year and consulting and coaching leaders globally. She is the author of the best sellers, It’s My Pleasure: The Impact of Extraordinary Talent and a Compelling Culture (2015), Bet on Talent: How to Create a Remarkable Culture and Win the Hearts of Customers(2019), and Crush Your Career: Ace the Interview, Land the Job and Launch Your Future (2021). She also hosts the Crush Your Career Podcast and is the Talent Expert in Residence at High Point University.
She is a graduate of Clayton State University with a degree in Management. She also completed executive education courses at Emory University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and the University of Virginia’s Darden Business School. She is a 2009 alumna of the prestigious Harvard Business School Advanced Management Program.
Dee Ann has been married to her husband, Ashley, for 38 years and they are the parents of three grown sons. Currently, she serves on the Board of Directors for Booster Enterprises and Oak Dental Group. Additionally, she is an advisor to several non-profits. When she is not traveling, she can often be found on her Peloton bike in her home outside of Atlanta or on her stand-up paddleboard at Lake Hartwell in northeast Georgia.
LINKS:
https://www.deeannturner.com
https://www.facebook.com/DeeAnnTurnerAuthor
https://www.linkedin.com/in/deeannturner/
https://www.instagram.com/deeannturner/
https://twitter.com/DeeAnnTurner
In this episode, Dee Ann shares with Courtney and Missie:
– How she began her career at Chic-fil-A 38 years ago as a pastor’s wife
– How to create in your own organization the culture of care that Chic-fil-A has become known for
– How to find, select, and retain good talent in your business or organization
– Character traits that make employers want to hire you for the job
– 3 steps for success in the first 90 days on a new job
– How women can succeed in a male-dominated work environment
– How she views her work through a Christian lens
RESOURCES MENTIONED:
It's My Pleasure: The Impact of Extraordinary Talent and a Compelling Culture
https://amzn.to/3unFWwd
Bet on Talent: How to Create a Remarkable Culture That Wins the Hearts of Customers
https://amzn.to/3UsM2FW
Crush Your Career: Ace the Interview, Land the Job, and Launch Your Futurehttps://amzn.to/3VNqa9C
Crush Your Career Podcast
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/crush-your-career/id1553498036
Thank you for listening. If this content is helpful to you as you seek to live out your God-given calling to His glory, please donate today to help us continue to produce more inspiring content!
Erica Patrick is a graduate of Auburn University where she pursued a degree in electrical engineering. During that time, the Lord gave her a passion for Himself and a burden for the nations. He specifically called her to serve amongst Chinese peoples.
She married her husband David in 2002 and joined the International Mission Board in 2004 with plans to serve an unreached people group in southwest China. David and Erica, along with their three children, served this people group for 16 years before being forced to leave due to security issues in March of 2020. Little did they know that the Lord would use this to prepare Erica for the loss of David suddenly and unexpectedly in October 2020.
Since then, the Lord has also continued to place the call of international missions on Erica’s heart and reminded her that though her circumstances had drastically changed, her God and her calling had not. Erica and her children will serve overseas with the International Mission Board in Taiwan later this year.
You will love hearing from Erica. In this episode, she discusses with Missie and Courtney:
- How the Lord led her to put down her electrical engineering degree and follow His call to the mission field of China
- Recommendations for discerning your own call and preparation for a life in missions
- How she met David, how they navigated challenges as missionaries, and how she has dealt with his sudden death
- What married women can do now to prepare if their husbands pass unexpectedly
- How she has found the resilience and faith to now go back to the mission field as a widow with her three children
Thank you for listening. If this content is helpful to you as you seek to live out your God-given calling to His glory, please donate today to help us continue to produce more inspiring content!
Dr. Jen Bennett is a driven visionary communicator who has a unique way of connecting with her audience. She enjoys teaching, leading, and building and is committed to helping others be successful. As a Strategic Communication Professor at Indiana Wesleyan University, Jen equips college students to discover their voice, develop their expertise, and lead with influence to impact culture for Christ. Jen provides students with real-world opportunities that help launch them into the careers and professions that they are called to.Jen has consulted various entrepreneurs, small business owners, ministries, organizations, and college students in social media, personal branding, marketing, and public relations. Jen was named as one of 65 Women in Digital You Should Be Following. In 2019 she was chosen as one of 55 social media influencers (out of 700 applicants) to attend #NASASocial for the Falcon Heavy Rocket Launch. She is also the author of the book, #BeWorthFollowing: How to Be Different and Influence People in a Crowded Social World. In April of 2021, Jen launched the She Impacts Culture podcast, a podcast for trailblazing, faith-based women who want to lead with influence and impact culture for Christ through their work. And in 2022, Jen co-founded Faith First Digital Marketers, a community of Christian digital marketers seeking to put Christ first in their businesses and lives.
In this episode, Dr. Bennett shares with Missie and Courtney about:
- Her role as Strategic Communication Professor at Indiana Wesleyan University
- Her vision for how social media can be a tool used for kingdom purposes rather than self-promotion
- Her thoughts on whether Christian women should be social media “influencers”
- 4 marketing tips for new entrepreneurs or anyone just beginning to promote the cause God has called them to
- Tips for putting our phones down and being present with our real-life friends and family
Jane Creswell is an innovator and leader in the field of corporate coaching. She leveraged 17 years of product development and management experience at IBM to invent the role of “Organization Coach” and become the founder of IBM Coaches Network. At IBM, she focused her organization on achieving extraordinary results by individual coaching of the leaders at all levels of the organization.
Currently, Ms. Creswell is utilizing those experiences to help corporations worldwide wanting to establish a long-term, self-sustaining system of internal coaching and reap the benefits of a coaching culture. Her focus is on helping leaders make the high-impact transition from merely influencing others to developing excellent leaders who develop excellent leaders. Her work can be characterized as maximizing the strengths and knowledge of individuals for the benefit of both the person and the organization.
Jane has authored 3 books, including The Complete Idiot's Guide- Coaching for Excellence, and Christ-Centered Coaching: 7 Benefits for Ministry Leaders, and God Nods (co-authored with Joey Faucette). Jane was the inaugural recipient of the Thomas Leonard Achievement Award granted by the ICF Midwest Conference in June 2014 for her impact throughout the coaching industry for over 20 years.
In this episode, Jane shares with Courtney and Missie:
- How she transitioned from coding at IBM to becoming the first Organization Coach at IMB and founding the IBM Coaches Network
- How she views herself as a missionary to the corporate world
- What Christ-centered coaching is and how it differs from Christian counseling
- Why it’s important for women in particular to receive professional coaching
- Trends she sees in the areas of work or life that women seek coaching in
- How she actually helps women move forward through coaching
- How to step forward with confidence in your unique gifts and strengths
Resources Mentioned:
- God Nods: Discover the Greatest Treasure at Work
- The Complete Idiot's Guide to Coaching for Excellence
- Christ-Centered Coaching: 7 Benefits for Ministry Leaders
- Patterns of High Performance: Discovering the Ways People Work Best By Jerry L. Fletcher
We trust you will enjoy this episode with Carolyn McCulley, but we did want to let you know that we cover some heavy topics that might be triggering to some listeners. Carolyn is a filmmaker, and in this episode, she discusses her work in covering gun violence and sexual assault. We wanted you to be aware in case that type of content was not what you were expecting to hear. As always, we love learning from women who take these hard subjects and seek to redeem them to the glory of God through their work. We hope you enjoy this episode.
Carolyn McCulley is a storyteller in multiple formats. She is a filmmaker, podcast producer and host, and author of several books. She has run her own production company, Citygate Films, since 2009, which has been a great way of experiencing God's faithfulness in many ways.
Carolyn has directed, produced, and edited nearly 200 short films for clients while also working on her own film projects. Citygate Films has produced branded content for clients such as Discovery, WebMD, AstraZeneca, Adventure Scientists, Chick-Fil-A, Capital One, International Justice Mission, and numerous nonprofits. My most widely viewed short film has been seen by more than six million people and was the inspiration for a segment in Oprah's BELIEF series. Her independent film, The Rage of Evil, was about a former school shooter and was acquired by HuffPost.
She is currently working on a film project called Out Of Darkness in which she showcases the advocacy of Rachael Denhollander in one individual sexual abuse survivor’s case within the sexual abuse crisis of the Southern Baptist Convention. You can support her work through a tax-deductible donation here.
Carolyn is the author of 3 books including The Measure of Success: Uncovering the Biblical Perspective on Women, Work, and the Home. It was a silver finalist in the ECPA Book Awards and won an award of merit in the Christianity Today Book Awards. She has also written for a wide range of publications, including The Washington Post and Baltimore Sun.
For more than 15 years, she has been a speaker at women’s conferences in the U.S. and abroad, sharing narratives of hope and perseverance.
In this episode, Carolyn discusses with Courtney and Missie:
–– How she acquired the skills of filmmaking and the importance of storytelling
–– How her work in film and podcast production brings stories of redemption and hope to others, even in hard topics such as gun violence and sexual assault
–– How her views of womanhood have changed since coming to Christ
–– How she works with men on set in a God-honoring way as a single, Christian woman
–– How she hopes in God amidst the idolization of marriage within the church
Resources Mentioned
The Courage to Face Failure Podcast
The Measure of Success: Uncovering the Biblical Perspective on Women, Work, and the Home
Did I Kiss Marriage Goodbye?: Trusting God with a Hope Deferred
Dr. Tabitha Harder is a Women's Health Physical Therapist and Orthopedic Specialist in Brentwood, Tennessee. She received her Doctorate of Physical Therapy Degree from The University of Tennessee in 2004. She is a Board Certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialist with the American Physical Therapy Association and is trained in Obstetrics and Postpartum Physical Therapy. She is an advocate for Women's Health and has a private practice in Brentwood, Tennessee where she provides prenatal and postpartum care for women.
Tabitha is also a pastor's wife and mother of four. She is married to Mike Harder, a pastor of Brentwood Baptist Church. They have four children: Abigail, Violet, Georgia, and Josiah. Tabitha is active in her local church and serves in various roles. As an adoptive mom, Tabitha values community and support for other foster and adoptive families. She is honored to support women, families, and vulnerable children in the Middle Tennessee area as a member of the foster and adoption ministry team at Brentwood Baptist Church. Tabitha is also a special needs "Embrace Buddy" where she volunteers with her oldest daughter on Sunday mornings. They enjoy serving together and being part of a ministry that meets the unique needs of individuals and families impacted by disability.
In this episode, Dr. Harder discusses:
- What she does every day in her job as a physical therapist to improve healthcare for women in all life stages: prenatal, postpartum, and peri-menopausal
- Her passion for educating women on their body’s health and seeing the intentionality and design God intended when He created the human body
- How and why she transitioned to form her own private PT practice and the benefits she has seen by doing that
- How she images God as a physical therapist
- How as a pastor’s wife, she views her calling in secular work
- How she navigates being an “influencer” on social media and how she has seen God use Instagram to serve women across the world
Follow Dr. Harder on Instagram.
Vaneetha writes and speaks about finding hope in suffering. Her memoir, Walking Through Fire as well as her devotional, The Scars That Have Shaped Me both encourage readers to turn to Christ in their pain. Some of her greatest joys are being a wife to Joel and a mother to Katie and Kristi, and you can find her embarrassing them in Raleigh, NC, or online at vaneetha.com. Vaneetha writes regularly for Desiring God and has been featured on Family Life Today, Joni & Friends, and Christianity Today.
She also has an upcoming Bible study with Lifeway Christian Resources that releases in May of 2023 entitled Desperate for Hope: The Questions We Ask God in Suffering, Loss, and Longing.
In this episode, Vaneetha shares her life story which includes:
- Her polio diagnosis at 3 months old
- Her years of living in a hospital as a child and how that affected her view of God
- How she came to faith in Christ
- How she dealt with divorce and forgave her husband
- Her grief and God’s supernatural comfort after several miscarriages and the loss of her newborn baby
- How the Lord brought her to remarry
- Her more recent debilitating diagnosis of post-polio syndrome
- How He has used all of this to bring her to her current calling of serving others through writing and speaking
Recommended Resources from Vaneetha:
- Walking Through Fire
- The Scars That Have Shaped Me
- Desperate for Hope
Kelly Minter is an author, Bible teacher, and podcaster. Her most recent Bible study from Lifeway publishers is called Encountering God - Bible Study Book: Cultivating Habits of Faith Through the Spiritual Disciplines. Kelly speaks around the country and also works closely with Justice & Mercy International in the Amazon jungles of Brazil as well as the Eastern European country of Moldova.
Kelly is deeply passionate about teaching the Bible and believes it permeates all of life. Her love for the Word of God led her to create her Cultivate Event, an event centered around Scripture, worship, prayer, and mission. She is also the host of the Cultivate podcast, a weekly podcast where she walks through Scripture with her listeners.
When she’s not writing, traveling, or speaking, she enjoys time in her garden, cooking, and being with her friends and family. A Southern transplant, she delights in long walks, her local church, meaningful conversation, and coffee in her Justice & Mercy International diner mug.
In this episode, Kelly discusses:
– How God clearly thwarted her plans for a music career and steered her into Bible teaching and how women can adjust when they sense God doing this in their own lives
– Her most recent study on the spiritual disciplines and through which one she most encounters God
– Her process for writing Bible studies
– Her love of cooking and why sharing meals within community is good for Christians
– How we image God in cooking and gardening
– Her work with Justice & Mercy International, a non-profit organization that exists to make justice personal for the poor, the orphaned, and the forgotten of the world, primarily serving in Moldova in Eastern Europe and in the Amazon region of Brazil (Follow them on Instagram).
Mentioned Resources:
- Finding God Faithful: A Study on the Life of Joseph
- A Place at the Table: Fresh Recipes for Meaningful Gatherings
- Encountering God - Bible Study Book: Cultivating Habits of Faith Through the Spiritual Disciplines
- Ruth: Loss, Love & Legacy - Bible Study Book (Revised & Expanded) with Video Access
Nikki Lawrence is a connector by nature. Her warm personality leaves little room for anyone to be a stranger for too long. This trait has fueled her pastime and helped Nikki charm audiences as a Mistress of Ceremony at conferences, fundraisers, and events all across the country. By day, she is a Corporate Executive for a Fortune 500 Company with a global team and multi-billion dollar portfolio. She has been with her company for 19 years and held a plethora of leadership roles for almost two decades.
Among her passions is the desire to see women from every walk of life walk boldly into whatever God has called them into. When she can combine her love for hospitality and/or developing people with helping women on their leadership journey, she is in her happy place.
Nikki lives in Baltimore, Maryland, and in her free time, she is daydreaming about home décor projects, road-tripping with friends, or playing with her niece and nephews.
In this episode, Nikki shares:
- How she saw God’s hand in leading her to the profession she’s in today
- The importance of networking
- How she views ministry in the marketplace
- The significance of both one’s IQ and EQ
- The top leadership lessons she’s learned over the years
- The power of a “shaky yes”
- The importance of diversity in the workplace, as well as mentorships and sponsorships
Resources Mentioned:
- Lifeway Women Live
This episode of the Women & Work podcast features an interview with Dr. Karen Swallow Prior, a Research Professor of English and Christianity & Culture at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.
She is the author of Booked: Literature in the Soul of Me (T. S. Poetry Press, 2012), Fierce Convictions: The Extraordinary Life of Hannah More—Poet, Reformer, Abolitionist (Thomas Nelson, 2014), and On Reading Well: Finding the Good Life through Great Books (Brazos 2018). She is co-editor of Cultural Engagement: A Crash Course in Contemporary Issues (Zondervan 2019) and has contributed to numerous other books.
She is host of the popular podcast Jane and Jesus. She has a monthly column for Religion News Service. Her writing has appeared at Christianity Today, New York Times, The Atlantic, The Washington Post, First Things, Vox, Think Christian, The Gospel Coalition, Books and Culture and other places. She is a Contributing Editor for Comment, a founding member of The Pelican Project, a Senior Fellow at the Trinity Forum, a Senior Fellow at the International Alliance for Christian Education, a Senior Fellow at the L. Russ Bush Center for Faith and Culture and is a former member of the Faith Advisory Council of the Humane Society of the United States.
She and her husband live on a 100-year-old homestead in central Virginia with dogs, chickens, and lots of books.
In this episode, Dr. Prior discusses with Courtney and Missie:
–– Why she considers herself first a reader before a writer
–– How she realized writing and teaching were what God had called her to vocationally and how
listeners can discern their own calling
–– How she helps readers navigate literary pitfalls as well as read in light of the gospel
–– How reading builds character and how literature can help us discover “the good life”
–– How her work as a writer and professor images God
–– How she views her own unintentional childlessness in light of her profession
–– Advice for aspiring writers
Mentioned on the Show:
- On Reading Well
- Booked: Literature in the Soul of Me
- Cultural Engagement: A Crash Course in Contemporary Issues
- Fierce Convictions: The Extraordinary Life of Hannah More, Poet, Reformer, Abolitionist
- Jane Eyre: A Guide to Reading and Reflecting
- The Scarlet Letter: A Guide to Reading and Reflecting
- Tess of the d'Urbervilles: A Guide to Reading and Reflecting
- Frankenstein: A Guide to Reading and Reflecting
- Sense and Sensibility: A Guide to Reading and Reflecting
- Heart of Darkness
- Pride and Prejudice
If you find that the Women & Work Podcast is inspiring you to more confidently step into your God-given calling and view your work as meaningful to the kingdom of God, would you consider partnering with us by making a tax-deductible monthly or one-time donation? Go to womenwork.net/donate today. Thank you!
Courtney Moore is the Founder and President of Women & Work, as well as co-host of the Women & Work Podcast. She holds a B.A. in Religious Studies from the University of Mobile and an M.A. in Biblical Counseling from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Courtney is passionate about seeing Jesus Christ honored by women as they steward their gifts and leverage their unique potential for His glory. She has been married to Brent for 15 years. They have 3 great kids and live in El Paso, TX where Brent pastors LIFEchurch.
In this next get-to-know-your-host episode, Missie interviews our beloved founder, Courtney Moore. Courtney is passionate about seeing Jesus Christ honored by women as they steward their gifts and leverage their unique potential for His glory. Her and her family live in El Paso, Tx where they serve in church ministry.
In this episode, you get to learn more about Courtney’s story, including:
- The Story of Women & Work
- Growing into Leadership Roles
- Stepping Out in Faith
- Work in Seasons
We hope this episode encourages you to view your work as meaningful to the kingdom of God.
Missie Branch currently serves as the Assistant Dean of Students and Director of Graduate Life at the Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. She is married to Deuce and they have 4 children. Missie is passionate about women seeing themselves as disciples and theologians. She’s a published author, chairwoman of the trustees at Lifeway Christian Resources, and of course, one of our beloved podcast hosts!
In this episode, Missie discusses:
✨Her journey from owning a successful cake business to becoming the Associate Dean of Students at SEBTS.
✨Women and leadership and some of the messaging women hear
✨Women leaders in the black church and the positive influence that has had on her.
✨Being in predominantly white spaces and what she has learned about being in a culture that is different than her own.
✨A kingdom-minded vision of all peoples living reconciled.
And so much more. Missie is so wise and we are so thankful for her contributions to our team and to the broader evangelical culture. We loved this episode and getting to know her more and hope you were as encouraged as we were.
Dr. Sarah Rainer has her Masters and Doctorate degrees in Clinical Psychology. She specializes in child and adolescent mental health and development. Sarah is also the co-host of the Parenting & Pennies podcast on the Christian Parenting podcast network. Sarah serves in leadership at her church for women’s discipleship and enjoys discipling other women. She enjoys being a guest writer, speaker, and podcaster for different organizations.
In this episode, Sarah shares about her career as a Clinical Psychologist, caring for parents and caregivers, navigating a demanding career and family, and viewing all work as ministry.
On this episode of the Women & Work podcast Courtney Moore and Missie Branch interview Melissa Kruger, Director of Women's Content at The Gospel Coalition. This episode was recorded live at Cultivate Conference in March of 2022 at The Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.
Besides serving at The Gospel Coalition, Melissa is also an author and podcast co-host. Her books include The Envy of Eve: Finding Contentment in a Covetous World and Walking with God in the Season of Motherhood. She serves alongside Jackie Hill Perry and Jasmine Holmes as co-hosts of the Let’s Talk podcast, produced by TGC. Melissa is married to Mike, the president of Reformed Theological Seminary, and they have three children.
In this episode, Melissa shares about her role at The Gospel Coalition, how her work has changed in different seasons, on discerning the Lord's call on their lives, how to form a Kingdom perspective on work, and so much more.
Jess Barefield is an interior designer and business owner, wife and mom of 3. She has a love for beautiful and practical spaces that comes from years of executing her own interior design dreams. Jess grew up in Pittsburgh and made stops in Philadelphia, Washington D.C, and Atlanta before settling in Dallas. Living in so many different houses helped her to appreciate the impact a well-designed home can have on family life. After doing it so many times for herself, Jess wants to help other families create a home that reflects who they are and beckons them home after a long day.
Jess is married to Christian hip-hop artist Trip Lee and mother of three. Jessica understands the importance of balancing style with functionality. She firmly believes that our homes should not only be beautiful but also serve our needs. And even with kids, it is possible to have both. Ultimately, Jess wants to help you love where you live.
In this episode, Jess discusses:
- Her work as an interior designer
- The danger of comparison
- Serving to the point of exhuastion and believing that we as caregivers must also care for ourselves
Ashley Marivittori Gorman serves as an associate publisher at B&H Publishing Group, an imprint of Lifeway Christian Resources. She holds an MDiv from Southeastern Theological Seminary and has been trained under The Charles Simeon Trust. Her passions are biblical literacy, women’s discipleship, foster care, theology, books, the local church, and teaching the Bible. Ashley and her husband, Cole, live in Nashville, Tennessee, with their daughter, Charlie. You can find her writing in various Lifeway Women Bible studies, books like World on Fire, and on digital venues like The Gospel Coalition, Lifeway Voices, ERLC, Relevant, Lifeway Women, and Christ and Culture.
In this episode, Ashley discusses:
- Her experience working in publishing
- Helpful questions to ask yourself before taking on a new job
- Imaging God by viewing work as providing light, life, and order wherever God places you
- Advice on how to tactfully approach your supervisor when asking for a raise
- How to broaden one’s self awareness and move towards institutional awareness in the workplace
Resources mentioned:
- World on Fire: Walking in the Wisdom of Christ when Everyone's Fighting About Everything.
- To Change the World by James Hunter
Sheila is a businesswoman, entrepreneur, and communicator with thirty-plus years of experience. She was President/CEO of a multi-million dollar company that twice made the INC 500 list of America’s fastest-growing companies which has brought her national recognition and various awards. Sheila served as President of the Monroe County Chamber of Commerce after serving on the executive committee for seven years. She was the first woman to serve on the Archery Merchants and Manufacturers Organization Board of Directors, serving three years as Secretary-Treasurer.
Sheila has experience as a platform, seminar, and panel speaker nationwide, both within the business and Christian community. She is the author of Beyond Chaos: Stress Relief for the Working Woman published by NavPress and the founder of Real Living Ministries.
Joanna serves as Denver Institute’s Director of Public Engagement and oversees the Women & Vocation Initiative. Prior to coming to the Institute, she worked in global telecom, nonprofit consulting, and campus ministry with Cru. She served as associate faculty at Denver Seminary and as a sewing instructor at Fancy Tiger Crafts. She has an MA in Social Entrepreneurship from Bakke Graduate University and graduated magna cum laude from the University of Colorado, Boulder.
Tara has loved Jesus for as long as she can remember. She was saved as a child at a Billy Graham crusade, and then surrendered to the ministry as a teenager. A few years later, she married her high school sweetheart, Dr. Jamie Dew, who is now the President of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and Leavell College.
Together, they have 2 sets of twins: Natalie & Nathan (14 years old) and Samuel & Samantha (12 years old). Tara loves spending time with her family, trying out new restaurants in New Orleans, and teaching women to know and love the Word of God. She is the Director of Thrive: A Ministry Wives Certificate Program as well as an Adjunct Professor of Ministry to Women at NOBTS. Tara is also a contributing author to the book: The Whole Woman: Ministering to Her Heart, Soul, Mind, and Strengthpublished by B&H Publishing.
Resources Mentioned:
The Whole Woman (published by B&H, 2021)
Rachel is the Founder of Ministry Desk, a remote executive & administrative assistant agency for Christian leaders of churches, nonprofits, and businesses. Rachel has been serving in administrative roles for over ten years and currently serves as the executive assistant to the President of Reaching & Teaching International Ministries. Prior to this, she served as the assistant to Dr. Albert Mohler at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary for several years.
Rachel graduated from Texas A&M University where she received a bachelor’s degree in Human Resource Development and a minor in Business Administration. Rachel and her husband, Nathan, live in Louisville, Kentucky and have four children.
In this episode, Rachel discusses:
- Her story of how she came up with the idea of Ministry Desk and launched her own business
- The important role of administration in the church and workplace
- The positives and negatives of working remotely
- Practical tips on how to work more efficiently
- How the gift and work of administration reflects God’s image
Resources mentioned:
- Ministry Desk
In part 2 of this episode, Elyse and Eric discuss:
- How to place our confidence in the Lord when we fall into the lies of pride and self-loathing.
- Responding to people who fear that discussing the value of women is a slippery slope to egalitarianism.
- Women in the new covenant are not to be quantified based on their relationship status but recognized for their partnership in the gospel.
- How fearing women leads to dehumanizing and objectifying women which leads to pornography and abuse.
- The meaning of having a “gentle and quiet spirit” in 1 Peter 3:4 and how it does not mean women are to be quiet and not have an opinion.
- Encouragement for single women and affirmation of their value and work in the kingdom of God
Resources mentioned:
Worthy: Celebrating the Value of Women
https://amzn.to/3IMt3AG
How I’m Learning to Honor Vocations of Women in My Congregation by Eric Schumacher
https://www.madetoflourish.org/resources/how-im-learning-to-honor-the-vocations-of-women-in-my-congregation
Worthy Podcast
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/worthy-celebrating-the-value-of-women/id1497732229
Elyse Fitzpatrick is a nationally sought-after speaker and author of 25 books on daily living and the Christian life including Worthy: Celebrating the Value of Women that she co-authored with Eric.
Eric Schumacher is a pastor, songwriter, and author. He earned a Master of Divinity in Biblical and Theological Studies from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.
He and Elyse co-host the Worthy Podcast together, which we wholeheartedly recommend to our listeners.
In this episode, Elyse and Eric discuss:
- Their different work backgrounds and what led them to writing their book, Worthy.
- The lies that have caused harm to women in the church.
- The importance of looking at gender and gender relationships in light of the Gospel.
- The value and importance of the role of women throughout redemptive history.
- The problem with having a narrow definition of calling and ministry for women in the church.
- Encouragement for women who feel that their work isn’t valued or seen.
Resources mentioned:
Worthy: Celebrating the Value of Women
https://amzn.to/3IMt3AG
How I’m Learning to Honor Vocations of Women in My Congregation by Eric Schumacher
https://www.madetoflourish.org/resources/how-im-learning-to-honor-the-vocations-of-women-in-my-congregation
Worthy Podcast
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/worthy-celebrating-the-value-of-women/id1497732229
For more information on this episode and the ministry of Women & Work, visit womenwork.net/podcast.
Emily Jensen and Laura Wifler are the cofounders of the Risen Motherhood ministry and cohosts of the Risen Motherhood Podcast.. They are also in the trenches of motherhood, right alongside their listeners.
Together, they have authored the book: "Risen Motherhood: Gospel Hope For Everyday Moments.”
Laura and Emily are sisters-in-law and live with their families in central Iowa.
In this episode, Laura and Emily discuss:
- God’s vision for motherhood as a calling for women.
- How all women are called to spiritual mothering and mentoring other women.
- The reality of experiencing pride and guilt as a mother and how the Gospel frees us from both.
- How motherhood reflects the image and character of God.
- Encouragement and advice for mothers who work outside the home when they feel like they are better at their job than being a mom.
- The difference between biblical motherhood and the American idea of motherhood.
- How the ministry of Risen Motherhood started and how God has used it to encourage mothers.
Resources:
Risen Motherhood
Risen Motherhood: Gospel Hope for Everyday Moments
Click Here to Read Full Show Notes
Macy English is the Owner & Principal Consultant of English Media, where she helps businesses with all things sales & marketing. She is a lover of people, culture, marketing, and health, and she strives for all that matters in life. Macy and her husband, JT, live in Arvada, CO, with their two kids and love to travel.
In this episode, Macy discusses:
- How she balances being a pastor’s wife, mom, and business owner
- How she discovered her natural gifts and the path that led her to start her own business
- The importance of honing your strengths and not trying to do everything
- Her favorite aspects of her job and how she helps businesses thrive
- Seeking the Lord first when trying to make decisions about careers and jobs
- The importance of knowing who God has called you to be, not just what He has called you to do
- How to respond with grace to those who don’t think mothers should work outside the home
- Using the enneagram as a tool to grow and learn as a person
Learn more about Women & Work at womenwork.net.
Chelsea Patterson Sobolik serves as the Director of Public Policy with the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission in the Washington, D.C. office. Previously, she worked on Capitol Hill on pro-life policies, domestic and international religious freedom, adoption, and foster care issues.
Chelsea has been published at the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, The Gospel Coalition, Christianity Today, and others. She is the author of Longing for Motherhood – Holding onto Hope in the Midst of Childlessness, and a forthcoming book on the topic of women and work.
She has a B.A. in International Relations from Liberty University and lives in Washington, D.C. with her husband Michael.
In this episode, Chelsea discusses:
– Her experience working on Capitol Hill and the path that led her to working for the ERLC
– Trusting and seeking the Lord when pursuing career opportunities
– How all of our work matters to God and can make an impact for God’s Kingdom
– Advocating for policies that help people flourish is a way to love our neighbor
– Finding rest by reorienting our hearts and minds towards Christ and acknowledging that we are limited and need rest
– The various seasons of life women experience and the danger of comparing your season to someone else’s season
– Her struggle with infertility and the path that led her and her husband to pursue adoption
Read more at womenwork.net/podcast.
Blair Linne is an author, speaker, actress, and Christian spoken word artist. She has appeared in numerous theater productions, commercials, and television shows including Days of Our Lives, Alias, Malcolm in the Middle, Boston Public, The Parkers and American Dreams, as well as her own Saturday morning show, SK8 (Skate) on NBC.
Blair has toured globally and is known as one of the originators of the Christian Spoken Word genre. At 13, she was one of the youngest contributors at The World Stage Anansi writer’s workshop. Since then, she has written poetry for Sprite, Neutrogena, NBC, and the Gospel Coalition. She has been featured on ABC’s Nightline, 102.3 KJLH, Revive Our Hearts, the Los Angeles Times, and several Christian Hip Hop albums. Proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ through spoken word is her passion.
She lives with her husband Shai and their three children in Philadelphia. Blair serves in discipling women at Risen Christ Fellowship.
She is a contributing writer in the devotional His Testimonies, My Heritage, and her brand new book Finding My Father: How the Gospel Heals the Pain of Fatherlessness just released October 1st of this year.
In this episode, Blair discusses:
- Her testimony and what it was like being a Christian while working as an actress
- What it was like making the decision to step away from her acting career
- How God uses her gift and love for spoken word poetry to share the gospel
- Her experience growing up with a single mom and her inspiration for writing her book
- How the church can minister to single moms and the fatherless
…and more!
Books mentioned:
Finding My Father: How the Gospel Heals the Pain of Fatherlessness
https://amzn.to/3lRYocL
His Testimonies, My Heritage: Women of Color on the Word of God
https://amzn.to/2YYctgl
When Light Meets Water: A Collection of Poetry
https://amzn.to/3BW9GlM
The Perfection of Beauty
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kY9In41R1A
Trillia Newbell is an author and speaker, and currently works as an acquisitions editor for Moody Publishers. This comes after serving for 7 years as the Director of Community Outreach for the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission for the Southern Baptist Convention.
She is passionate about issues of faith, family, and diversity, and her writings on this topic have been published in the Knoxville News-Sentinel, Desiring God, True Woman, Christianity Today, The Gospel Coalition, and more.
Her most recently published book is a children’s book called: Creative God, Colorful Us
and she’s also written God’s Very Good Idea for children as well.
In this episode, Trillia discusses:
- How to transition to a new job or role and knowing when it’s time to make a transition
- Tips for being productive while working from home
- Her passion for seeing diverse ethnicities valued and celebrated
- The importance of hiring people based on their skills and not on skin color
- Personal experience as a black woman working in a predominantly white space
And more!
Amy Whitfield works as Executive Director of Communications at The Summit Church in Durham, NC. She came into this role after serving as the Associate Vice President for Convention Communications for the Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention.
Amy co-authored the book, SBC FAQs: A Ready Reference, with Keith Harper, and alongside Johnathan Howe, she hosts the SBC This Week podcast. She is on the steering team of the SBC Women’s Leadership Network and serves on the board of directors of Women & Work.
Amy lives in Wake Forest, North Carolina, with her husband, Keith, and her 2 children, Mary and Drew.
In this episode, Amy discusses:
– How women can use their gifts on the “front lines" of ministry
– The importance of showing up and taking opportunities
– How she keeps the gospel at the center of her work in communications
– The importance of developing people skills and pursuing humility when growing as a leader
– Her experience working in a complementarian setting while leading men on her team
– The value of having both men and women on the team and how The Summit is modeling this at their church
– How she and her husband navigate marriage and family when both have key leadership roles
…and, more!
Resources Mentioned:
SBC FAQs: A Ready Reference The Church Needs More Deborahs
Ruth Chou Simons is a bestselling and award-winning author of several books —including GraceLaced, Beholding and Becoming, and Foundations. This month, she released her newest book When Strivings Cease.
She is an artist, entrepreneur, and speaker, using each of these platforms to spiritually sow the Word of God into people’s hearts. Through her online shop at GraceLaced.com and her social media community, Simons shares her journey of God’s grace intersecting daily life with word and art. Ruth and her husband, Troy, are grateful parents to six boys–their greatest adventure.
In this episode, Ruth discusses:
- What it was like immigrating to the United States as a young child and how God used these circumstances to bring her family to faith
- How God has used her gift of creativity and the arts in different seasons of her life
- Being a mom to six boys and learning how to surrender to the Lord and experience His sustaining grace
- How she uses her work and art to adorn the gospel
- The importance of beauty in art as we reflect Him as image bearers
-
What it looks like to steward the value of your gifts and work
-
How to keep the gospel at the center of your work
…and, more!
Books by Ruth:
When Strivings Cease: Replacing the Gospel of Self Improvement with the Gospel of Life-Transforming Grace
GraceLaced: Discovering Timeless Truths Through Seasons of the Heart
Beholding and Becoming: The Art of Everyday Worship
Foundations: 12 Biblical Truths to Shape a Family
In this episode, we speak to Lauren Green McAfee, a speaker, writer, Ministry Investment Coordinator for Hobby Lobby. She is the author of Not What You Think: Why the Bible Might Be Nothing We Expected Yet Everything We Need and Only One Life: How a Woman’s Every Day Shapes an Eternal Legacy. Her grandfather founded Hobby Lobby and currently she works for their corporate office. Lauren and her husband Michael live in Oklahoma City and are the proud adoptive parents of their daughter Zion and soon-to-be-adopted son, known right now as E.
In this episode Lauren discusses:
- Her experience working for Hobby Lobby corporate
- The legacy of generosity passed down from her grandfather and how that shapes the vision of Hobby Lobby today
- How her family came up with the idea and founded the Museum of the Bible in Washington, DC
- The Supreme Court experience that inspired her to pursue a PhD in Ethics and Public Policy
- Their calling to pursue adoption and her struggle with infertility
- God’s provision when their daughter was diagnosed with cancer
For more information on this episode, visit www.womenwork.net/podcast/.
This week’s episode features Michelle Stratton, an attorney in Houston, TX whose practice focuses on complex civil, commercial, and white-collar criminal litigation and appeals.
Before entering private practice, Michelle served as law clerk to Associate Justice Clarence Thomas on the Supreme Court of the United States and to Judge Edith Jones on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
Michelle is married to Brandon, has 3 kids whom she homeschools part-time, and is a member at Christ Community Church in Houston.
In this episode, Michelle discusses: – The path that led her to become a lawyer and how she images God through her work
– Her God-given gifts and aptitudes that prepared her for the work God has given her as a lawyer
– The value and importance of having wise mentors and people affirming gifts when choosing a career path
– Her experience working for the Supreme Court and how God used her time in DC to grow her and her husband’s faith
– How she views her work in litigation as an instrument of God’s common grace towards mankind
– How she sees her role as wife, mom, and lawyer through a complementarian lens
– The importance for all women to have community with one another, no matter if they are single, married, working full-time, part-time, or as a stay-at-home mom
Books Mentioned:
Perspectives on Your Child’s Education: Four Views
View the transcript to this episode here.
This week’s episode features author and Bible teacher Jen Wilkin. Jen has organized and led studies for women in the home, church, and parachurch contexts. An advocate for Bible literacy, her passion is to see others become articulate and committed followers of Christ, with a clear understanding of why they believe what they believe, grounded in the Word of God. She also serves at The Village Church in Flower Mound, TX.
Here she discusses with Courtney and Missie: – How she became passionate about biblical literacy and what led her to begin teaching and writing, even when she had 4 children, ages 4 and under.
– The dual callings God places in women’s lives and how to balance and be faithful in all of the areas of work and responsibility God has given us
– The complex and negotiable factors involved in the view that all women should be stay-at-home-moms if and when they become mothers
– A biblical vision for women and work and how it relates to complementarianism, taking the conversation back to Genesis and forward to the Great Commission in the New Testament
– How Christian men and women in the church are brothers and sisters instead of adversaries, and how we can begin to shift the perspective back toward more equality and mutual respect as God intended
– Encouragement for women to use their gifts in the local church
– How to think through heart issues when work becomes an idol
– How she handles criticism
Resources Mentioned: Her new book, Ten Words to Live By: Delighting in and Doing What God Commands
Her 2-Part Bible study of the book of Genesis: God of Creation: A Study of Genesis 1-11God of Covenant: A Study of Genesis 12-50
For more content from Jen on the topic of women and work, view this video of her speaking at the 2019 Women & Work Forum in Birmingham, AL.
Episode 8 features the founder and CEO of Daily Grace Co, Kristin Schmucker. The Daily Grace Co exists to equip disciples to know and love God and His word by creating beautiful, theologically rich, and accessible resources so that God may be glorified and the Gospel made known.
In this episode, Kristin discusses:
-The tragedy that led her to start writing devotionals
-How the Lord grew her business from a small apartment to a warehouse and over 50 team members!
-Organization tips on how to manage a busy schedule and be intentional with how you block out your day
-Adopting from overseas and what led her family to do this
-How to keep perspective that your work is for God’s glory
...and more
Learn more about The Daily Grace Co. on their website, thedailygraceco.com or follow them on instagram.
For more information on this episode, view our show notes.
In episode 7, Courtney Moore and Missie Branch chat with Jessica Hotz, founder of Elevate, a non-profit that believes in creating sustainable job solutions globally that improve lives and transform communities.
In this episode, Jessica discusses:
– Life in Nebraska, her upbringing, and faith
– What led her and her husband to start the non-profit Elevate
– Elevate's mission and partnership with artisans around the world
Check out some of Jessica’s favorite Elevate products:
Dimarco bag
Travelers Tote
Utility Bag
Jess also mentions Personalysis in the show, a personality assessment she has used.
For more information on Elevate, visit their website elevatepeople.com or follow them on Instagram. To follow Jessica's Nebraska adventures, and for more behind the scenes look at Elevate, follow her on Instagram.
This month’s episode features Sara Beth Fentress, founder of 127 Worldwide, an organization that focuses on orphan prevention and caring for vulnerable communities around the world.
In this episode, Sara Beth discusses:
– How she began 127 Worldwide and some of the challenges with starting a non-profit – Singleness and the joys and griefs that can accompany it – What orphan prevention is and how 127 is meeting that need by connecting people with skills and giftings to communities around the world.
Check out their website here.
And if you have questions or want to connect with Sara Beth and 127 Worldwide, she graciously offered her email address. You can reach her at sarabeth@127worldwide.org
In this episode, we hear from professional soccer player, Jaelene Daniels. She is a celebrated women’s soccer player who played for the North Carolina Courage and the Women’s National Team. In this episode she discusses:
- Discipline of your mind and body
- Importance of Christian friends and community
- Standing firm in your faith in the midst of cultural pressure to do otherwise
- Mentorship and why it is so vital
Jaelene is a part of a mentorship program for female athletes. For more information, check them out at A Seat at the Table.
Press releases about Jaelene Daniels:
- Career Stats and Accomplishments
- Retirement Announcement
- Video Interview on giving up a chance to play for the US Women’s National Team because of LGBTQ jersey
Be sure to check out our Group Discussion questions on our website.
In this episode, we hear from realtor Tiffany Fykes. She and her husband founded Fykes Realty Group in Nashville, TN. In this episode she discusses:
- Flourishing and promoting flourishing for others
- Work-life balance
- The importance of rest
- Why community is vital
If you are interested in real estate or if you are moving to the Nashville area, check out fykesrealtygroup.com to contact Tiffany and her team.
She references several books in this episode:
Every Good Endeavor by Tim Keller
Why Business Matters to God to God by Jeff Van Duzer
Be sure to check out our Going Deeper Bible studies and Group Discussion questions at womenwork.net/episode-4-tiffany-fykes/
In this episode, founder and principal of El Paso Christian School, Michele Coats, discusses with us what led her to start a classical private school and how God paved the way to bring it to life. She also talks about her physical and mental journey along the way.
She discusses:
- God calling her when she least expected it- to do something that seemed unlikely and even impossible.
- God closing and opening doors in His timing and all of the ways He placed people in her path to help her in her weaknesses.
- The beautiful diversity on display in her school because of its location.
- Her physical health journey and why it was important for her to begin taking care of her temple to be able to accomplish all God has called her to.
Check out her school: El Paso Christian School
And this article on the importance of classical education:
Dorothy Sayers' article, The Lost Tools of Learning.
Be sure to check out the Going Deeper Bible study and Discussion Questions on our website.
In this month’s episode, Michele Rigby Assad shares with Courtney Moore and Missie Branch about her journey as a CIA operative.
Her full story can be found in her book: Breaking Cover: My Secret Life in the CIA and What It Taught Me about What's Worth Fighting For.
In this episode, Michele discusses: – How God used her childhood interests to help lead her to work abroad with the CIA – Overcoming her own self-doubt and fear to be able to do the job God had called her to do – What her day-to-day work looked like as a CIA agent – Being a woman working in a male-dominated field – How she overcame being underestimated by her superiors and fought to rise above and excel in her field – How God brought together all of her unique skillsets to help rescue persecuted Iraqi Christians from ISIS
Don't forget to download the Women & Work Going Deeper Bible Study and Discussion Questions that correspond to this episode.
For more conversation with Michele, check out our Summer Series event at womenwork.net.
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Join Courtney Moore and Missie Branch as they interview Courtney Reissig, author, wife, mom of 4 boys, and Bible teacher.
Courtney walks us through how she moved from blogger to author of 3 books: Accidental Feminist: Restoring our Delight in God’s Good Design Glory in the Ordinary: Why Your Work in the Home Matters Teach Me to Feel: Worshiping Through the Psalms in Every Season of Life
She discusses her reluctance to become a stay-at-home-mom and what the Titus 2:5 admonition for women to be workers at home really means.
How do she and her husband practically work out the balancing act of kids and home, along with her writing and speaking deadlines?
Courtney talks about the vital role that others played in her life to affirm her calling and gifts and how as Christians, we must offer that same life-giving encouragement to other women in our lives.
She discusses the guilt many women feel as they strive to do it all but fall short, and the freedom women have in Christ to pursue their unique God-given callings. There is no one-size-fits-all Christian womanhood.
Make sure to grab the Women & Work Going Deeper Bible Study that accompanies this episode. 4 lessons from Scripture on 4 topics found within this conversation.
