Talk for 12: Recent Episodes
Orange Evangelical Church
Talk for 12 is a podcast hosted by the women at Orange Evangelical Church. These 12-minute episodes teach from God’s Word and encourage and equip women in their daily walk with Jesus.
How can we as the church "weep with those who weep" when some suffering can often be experienced silently? In the second episode of our series on "an empty womb", Meg and Rochelle discuss the experience of miscarriage and how we as the church body can better care for couples going through one.
The experience of an empty womb can leave us feeling empty, alone and disappointed. In the first episode of this two-part series, Meg and Rochelle, two women who have both personally experienced and cared for others going through infertility, discuss what the bible says on the topic and where we can find comfort and hope.
We all have limitations. These often shape how we serve Jesus and his people. Listen in as Suellen and Caz talk about how MS has impacted Caz's daily life and her interactions with Jesus.
Moving to another country and being immersed in a language that is different to your native tongue has blessings and challenges. Suellen chats with Deb about her transition from Indonesia to living in Australia as a woman who loves Jesus.
Two women: one physically present at Jesus feet with a need for forgiveness, one at Jesus feet in our lifetime with a need for reassurance and comfort. Suellen speaks with Ali, a visiting SMBC student about what we read in Luke 7 and the journey Ali is on.
We all serve God in the place he has put us. Sometimes that is close to home and sometimes that is in a country on the other side of the world. In this episode, Stef shares about her life as a missionary in Chile, what God has been teaching her during her time there, and what she is looking forward to when she goes back.
Using 4 simple questions to help guide their time in the Bible together, Grace and Natasha model 1 to 1 Bible reading for us by dipping into Psalm 32. They discuss they joy that is found when we confess our sins to God and live in relationship with him.
Listen in as Melody and Abbey read Psalm 23 together. They discuss what is means and how it has been an encouragement to them when they have faced hard times, using 4 simple questions to help guide their time in the Bible together.
Have you ever been nervous to strike up a conversation with another parent at the school gate or the back of assembly? Gill asks Heather what she's learned from intentional interaction with a diverse range of school mums and dads.
Join Gill and Tash to consider how the season of life caring for small children at home can bring opportunities for connection and deep conversation and how Bible stories might play a part.
How good it is to start a new year secure in the knowledge of salvation in Jesus, our living hope, an inheritance 'unfading, kept in heaven for you' (1 Peter 1:3). So many people we live and work with do not know this hope. Be encouraged and inspired by God's story and Lauren's story of seeking opportunities at work to live a gospel-shaped life and speak gospel truths in whatever context God has placed you.
Matthew tells us how the birth of Jesus took place. Christine invites us to consider Mary and Joseph and who the central character, Jesus, is and what he came to do. Have a listen and keep in mind who you might share this with this Christmas. Talk for 12 will be taking a break until after the summer holidays. Please join us again in 2025!
The house is a mess, there's nothing in the cupboard and we are running between work and social activities. God can't expect me to invite people over to my house can he? Meg speaks with Krista about why hospitality is still important and possible in the messiness of life.
It often seems that 'anything goes' in the online world - you can say anything, be anyone. Or can you? Meg asks Caity what she's learned interacting online and asking whether there is a place for visible, kind Christianity online.
This is the first episode in a series of three conversations where Meg asks ‘How do you…?’ Jodi is responding to ‘How do you keep coming to church?’ You might like to read Colossians 3 before you listen!
It's always exciting to celebrate a birthday, even of a podcast! In this episode, the Talk for 12 team reflect on the past year of podcasts, share how different series came about as well as some moments of joy and encouragement. Happy 3rd Birthday, Talk for 12!
New to Orange and OEC, Katelyn shares her experience of being a new person at a new church. Listen in to her conversation with Suellen and be encouraged.
Using our words to build up our brothers and sisters in Christ, is a huge privilege and is a foundational aspect of Christ-centred fellowship. In this second episode of our 2 part series on common phrases in Christian community, Lily and Nicki talk through the phrase "Praise God", when we say it, and what it tells us about our own hearts
How often do you reflect on the meaning of what you say? In this first episode of a 2 part series on common Christian phrases, Lily and Amanda talk through the phrase 'thoughts and prayers', and how the Bible teaches us to care for one another through grief.
Christian community is a place of comfort for the anxious and downhearted. But it doesn't always live up to expectation. In the second episode of this series Belinda shares with Gill helpful and practical ways to respond to anxious thoughts and feelings in ourselves and in others.
Is anxiety bad? Should Christians not have Anxiety? Clinical Psychologist, Belinda, helps us bust some 'myths' about what anxiety is, where anxiety belongs in the Christian life and the place of prayer and professional help.
Anna and Beth both work in situations that isolate them from a lot of adult contact beyond their own families. In this episode Mel invites them to share how God is challenging and teaching them as they serve him in their different contexts. Anna is a farmer, working alongside her husband, and Beth is a stay at home mum, home-schooling her five children.
Mel chats with Pauline and Lauren about owning a business, about tattoos and about core identity and how that plays out in what you do. Listen in to this third episode in our series on work as these women consider their identity as loved and esteemed children of God in very different work circumstances.
In this episode Katherine and Lis speak with Mel about what work and family have looked like at various stages of their lives. They reflect on how they have sought to be godly in the midst of the challenges of the workplace and in their desire to honour God as they have cared for their children. Mel asks them how they have been intentional in the decisions they have made and the priorities they have set.
Mel introduces us to Katherine to begin our four part series on ‘Work’. Katherine is considering what God’s word has to say about work. Listen in as she reminds us that we have been created for work and as she unfolds three themes that shape our priorities in this area of life.
Kelly, Marion and Mel discuss what they love about studying theology, why they think it's a good thing for every Christian woman to do, and how we can grow in our study of our good God and His word.
Kathy has been serving as a Bible Translator overseas for 20 years. How did she start this journey and why would she continue when there are lots of hard and uncomfortable aspects to her life? Listen into this episode as Monica has an open conversation with one of our long serving mission partners.
Life in a busy household is anything but boring! This week, Dani shares with us what God has taught her through the joys and struggles of living in a household of many.
Living in a household of one has many joys but also some struggles. Join Phoebe as she shares with Mel how God has grown her through her time as a single woman, as well as gives some advice on how we can love other sisters in Christ who are living in a household of one.
As we begin a new series on women interacting with Jesus, Tab introduces us to Priscilla. While we are only given glimpses into the life of Priscilla in the book of Acts, and a few other epistles, there is much we can learn from her about what it looks like to serve God where we are using the gifts that God has given us.
Chocolate, buns, egg cups and egg-hunts. What traditions will you foster this Easter? Rhianna and Robyn chat with Gill about the ways we celebrate the truths of Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday that help us have an eternal mindset all year long. Resources in the show notes.
Did you make a reading goal for 2024? Looking for some inspiration for some long weekend reading? Sara, Jill and Gill have you covered with 3 very different books about faith, talking and praying. Listen in for reviews and recommendations to get your pages turning!
In 2 Timothy, Paul finds himself chained and in prison, awaiting execution. Join Jan as she wraps up our series on Confidence in God for our past, present and future by teaching us from the life of Paul about the great confidence we can have that our future is secure, held in Jesus, the one who is steadfast and firm even when our confidence may waver.
In episode two of our series on confidence in God for our past, present and future, Kristy asks us to consider what confidence in God looks like in our day-to-day lives. As well as teaching from the Bible, Kristy shares the story of Elisabeth Elliot, whose deep confidence in God in her daily life helped shape a pattern of trust, obedience and love in her actions that we can learn a lot from.
Kicking off our series on having confidence in God for our past, present and future, Kerryn teaches us from John 4 and reminds us that no matter what we may have done or who we may have been previously, we can confidently draw near to Jesus who has washed us clean and given us a new start. If you can, read John 4 before you listen to the podcast.
In the second part of our series, Suz, Madi and Jill share their stories of coming to know Jesus and reflect on what we can learn from other generations that will help us relate well in the body of Christ?
How much does your generation define you? In our final series for 2023 we bring together Baby Boomers, Gen X and Gen Z. Join the conversation as Jill, Suz and Madi consider how important generational culture is for our relational and communication styles.
To help us continue preparing well in the lead up to Christmas, join Fay and Rochelle as they talk about how Fay tries to intentionally share the love of Jesus with her non-Christian neighbours at this time of year.
Christmas is fast approaching and as our thoughts turn to all the things we need to do to prepare for the festive season, join Mel as she shares how she shows love to her non-Christian family members at Christmas and how preparing well can help you to do the same.
To celebrate Talk for 12 turning 2, the team chats to five OEC women who have either listened or contributed to the podcast in its second year. Happy 2nd birthday Talk for 12!
In episode 3 of this series, we hear from Sarah who is preparing to go overseas to serve God. Sarah shares with Mel how she and her family have chosen to make decisions based on their theology and not just their feelings.
In this episode, Monica, a working mother of two children, shares with Mel how being a follower of Jesus affects her day to day decision-making. When she is needing to weigh up what to say ‘yes’ and ‘no’ to in regards to work, school and church commitments, Monica shares the gospel-shaped question she asks of herself and her capacity to take on more.
How do you make decisions? Are you a list-maker? Do you seek the counsel of everyone you know and trust? To kick off our new series "Making Gospel-Shaped Decisions", Karina takes us through a biblical framework of how to do just that. Karina also helps us think through what questions to ask of ourselves as we seek to make decisions that honour God, rather than ourselves.
In the very first verse of James 2:1-13, the topic of "favouritism" is raised. Tune in as Jess and Claire unpack what this passage has to say on this topic by asking some key questions about the context, the big idea and how we can apply this passage to our lives.
Join Katherine and Bec as they unpack James 1:19-27. In their 1-2-1, Katherine and Bec ask some helpful questions of each other and God's word to understand what the passage is saying and figure out how they should respond in light of what they have learnt.
This week, we start our new series "A Walk through James" and look at how we can do 1-2-1s on any passage in the bible. Join Wendy and Ros as they meet up to discuss some of the stand-out points from James 1:1-18.
In John 10:10, we hear that Jesus came so that we could have life and have it to the full, but does that "full" life include having fun? In the second episode of our series, Jill and Alex chat about what fun has looked like in their own Christian lives and how it comes from the freedom they have in Christ.
In the first episode of our new series "What puts a smile on your face?", Rosemary takes a look through the Bible at whether God has a sense of humour. It seem that God has revealed the answer through his word time and time again, so why not tune in and find out if a holy God can really enjoy a laugh or a joke? We are all made in his image after all!
When life felt meaningless and hopeless, Naomi found peace, happiness and life in God. Despite continuing to struggle with occasional doubts and fears, Naomi shares with Susan how she knows and is reminded of God's faithfulness and hold on her life through his word spoken, sung and preached to her.
To continue our series on suffering and God's faithfulness in it, Susan chats to Olwyn. Olwyn shares how despite going through multiple hard seasons in life, including the breakdown of her marriage, she has been able to persevere because her joy and identity is rooted in Christ. This has proven to be a constant in and out of the seasonal happiness we all face in this fallen and broken world.
In the second episode of our series, Skye shares with Susan about how she has been reminded of God's steadfastness over the past five and a bit years. At times, when Skye has felt unable to walk beside God, God carried her through as she and her family have dealt with and continue to deal with medical concerns for their youngest son
How should we respond when life is hard? Is it ok to break down and cry out to God? Is it ok to ask "why me"? In the first episode of our new series, local Christian Psychologist Susan introduces us to the idea of 'lamenting', the pattern of praying in tough times seen in the bible. In Psalm 77, we see the author go through different stages of lament, which can be helpful for us to keep in mind when we ourselves face suffering.
In our final episode of ‘Women interacting with Jesus’, we get an inside look into what it is like to be a Christian teenager! Rochelle chats to Mackenzie and Hannah about their experiences of meeting Jesus and how that affects their day to day lives as they juggle uni and school.
Being a part of the neurodivergent community can have both its joys and challenges for many. Tune in to the second episode of our ‘Women Interacting with Jesus’ series, to hear how for Naomi it has also been a real blessing in her walk with Jesus.
Jesus' resurrection, which is at the very heart of our hope, was first witnessed by three women. In the first of our 2023 series of 'Women interacting with Jesus', Meg will be teaching us from Mark 16 and sharing with us the implications that this has for us.
Being a part of the family of God is a wonderful blessing. Join Tess as she shares how surrounding herself with other Christians has encouraged her in her walk with God.
Helen shares her story with Heather of being found by Jesus and sticking with him in the ups and downs of life. Join us to discover that on the road with Jesus, the burden is light.
Knowing and loving Jesus gave Roni identity and hope. Tune in to hear how she has learned to pray and trust God with each step as a disciple through some of the toughest times.
As we kick off a new year, what better resolution as a disciple of Jesus than to strive to know him better and be found in him? In this first episode of ‘No Turning Back’ Christine explores how we might start the year with resolve to grow more like Christ, not just today but everyday.
Life is busy no matter what your life looks like. Knowing that God has shown us rhythms of rest through His Word, how do we find time to rest? In the second part of our series on rest, we're joined by Sam, Christie and Lily as they explore how they find rest in their everyday lives.
As we head into the holidays, which can often end up being busier than we would like as we cram more and more things in, why not stop to think about the topic of "rest"? Join Sam in this two-part series as we hear about what God and the bible has to say and why we should be intentional about how we do it.
To Santa or not to Santa? That is the question being asked in the second part of this year's series on preparing well for Christmas. Join Candice and Kath as they discuss this age-old question with Gill.
Can you believe it is nearly Christmas? Whether that makes you excited or makes your stomach churn, listen in as Gill brings us a two part series on preparing well for the Christmas season. In this first episode, Gill chats about how we can use our Christmas traditions to ensure that we all remember the real reason for the season.
The Talk for 12 Podcast is celebrating the milestone of turning one year old! Listen in to this special birthday episode where you can get a behind the scenes look at who and what is involved in getting a podcast uploaded once a fortnight, as well as some of the joys and challenges. Happy birthday Talk for 12!
In Luke 7:40-50, Jesus asks his dinner host Simon "do you see this woman?" Jesus is referring to an uninvited dinner party guest - a woman of questionable reputation. Whilst others see her as a "great sinner", Jesus sees her as a woman who's many sins have been forgiven. Jane and Sarah unpack this woman's act of love and devotion as she kisses and washes Jesus' feet with her hair. For those of us who have been recipients of the same forgiveness she has received in Christ, have we responded in the same way?
In one of Jesus' appearances to his disciples after his resurrection, he asks Simon Peter three times "do you love me?". What is the significance of this question, especially in light of Simon Peter rejecting Jesus three times before the rooster crowed? Join Jill and Chris as they discuss this question posed by Jesus in John 21:1-17 and what it should mean for those of us who claim to love Jesus.
On a hillside in Galilee, Jesus asks the gathered crowds, "why do you worry?" Does Jesus know just how many things there are to worry about in this day and age, compared to back then? In the first episode of this series on "Questions Jesus Asked", Dani and Eleanor read Matthew 6:25-35 together and find out whether Jesus really does have the answer to worry.
In this one-off episode, we get to hear from Gillian, one of our link missionaries about how God used a "normal" girl like her to take his gospel to the nations. Gillian was challenged during her time at university to align her life with Christ and allow him to lead her to serve in His world, wherever that may be... it just turned out to be in Rome!
In a world of increasingly polarised views about the environment, resources and climate change, how do we as Christians care and rule over the creation God has given us? In this episode, Gill talks to Lis about what the Bible has to say about creation here and now, and the work we do to 'subdue' the earth responsibly.
Time. We all wish we had more of it and Allie is no different. In this episode, Allie chats with Gill about how being busy isn't inherently wrong but may not be the best way we can serve God with it.
In this episode, we hear from Fiona about how sharing a meal and welcoming people into our homes can be an outpouring of the grace we have been shown in Christ. To help us think about how to do this well, Fiona goes on to share with Gillian some of her top tips on where to start.
Have you ever wondered what we should do with the good gifts God has given us here on earth? In this new series on Stewardship, we are going to look at four such gifts and how we can be using them to honour God and serve those around us. To kick us off, Gillian chats to Pauline about the sometimes difficult and uncomfortable topic of "Money".
As we say no to the flesh and obey the leading of the Spirit, how do we avoid creating another list of rules to check off? Sam talks with Meg about the freedom we now have and encourages us to keep returning to our triune God as we seek to grow.
Have you ever felt weighed down or overwhelmed by the brokenness of this world? Anna has. In this episode, Anna shares with Meg how looking to Jesus has brought ultimate peace.
In this episode, Meg chats to Robyn about walking in step with the Spirit. Robyn shares how remaining in Christ throughout the different seasons of life has helped her to bear spiritual fruit.
What is spiritual growth as a Christian? In this new series women from OEC share how God sometimes uses hard times or unexpected places to grow us bit by bit in Christlikeness. In this first episode, Marion encourages us to sow in the way we will grow, bearing spiritual fruit.
God's plans can sometimes be incredibly different from what we had planned or imagined for ourselves. This was certainly the case for Jill when she realised she was going to be the mother of four boys! In this last episode of the series, we will see how Jill seeks to serve God and her family in her situation.
Interacting with Jesus on a daily basis can look different for each of us and that was certainly the case for Karen when she moved to Australia from Mexico. Join Rochelle as she chats to Karen about some of the joys and challenges encountered as a Christian from a different land.
When was the first time you met Jesus? How did that meeting change your life? In this episode, Suellen dives in to John 4, where we see the Samaritan woman at the well meeting Jesus for the first time. Join us and see how Jesus offering this woman the gift of living water changes her life significantly.
After the summer break the start of a new year can feel like a juggle of commitments and an adjustment to new routines. In the last episode of the series Gill talks with Tabatha about preparing to serve in the year ahead by looking at our calendar, our opportunities and our hearts.
When it comes to personal prayer time, many of us feel like it's something we don't do enough of. In this podcast, Rachel and Marianne share how they pray and encourage us to consider our own prayer life and how our fresh start in the gospel should motivate us to spend time in prayer.
In light of the fresh start we have in the Gospel everyday, Lily and Janice help us think through our own Bible reading habits by sharing what they do for their own Bible reading time.
We have our first Christmas episode! Stef, who is serving Jesus in Chile but is back in Australia this Christmas, encourages us to think about how to celebrate Jesus and keep him in our conversations.
How can you understand your own worldview and talk to others about what they think? And how does cake with thick icing help? In this final episode in the Serpents and Doves series, Lydia answers some questions from Sandy and Hannah and the answers might be useful for us all.
And now the podcast you've probably all been waiting for in this series - Lydia discussing the biblical worldview. Using the five questions we heard about in our second episode, Lydia will be expanding on how we can make sense of our broken and sinful world through the lens of the gospel.
In response to the first two episodes in our series on Serpents and Doves, Lydia will be chatting with two other OEC women. Tune in this week to hear Heather and Eleanor share how they have been personally challenged as they have thought through what their own worldviews are and how they can be used to engage with the world around us in everyday life.
Every worldview proposes answers to the important questions we as humans have about life, the universe and everything. This podcast with Lydia looks at five of those questions, and why different worldviews have very different answers to them.
In this episode, we will hear from Lydia about what a worldview is and how it affects everything a person does, says and believes. As the first of a six-week series, this episode will lay the foundation for why it is important to understand not only our own worldview but those of others in order that we can be as wise as serpents and as gentle as doves (Matthew 10:16) in our dealings with those around us.
Have you heard of Talk for 12 but would like to know more? In this teaser episode we will be having a chat to Suellen, our Women's Ministry Worker, about the inspiration behind and vision for this new podcast. Listen to find out more about what is being created by the women of OEC for the women of OEC. Hear what you can expect from Talk for 12!