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An Advocate for the Exploited: The Josephine Butler Story

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Josephine Butler worked against sex-trafficking at a time when the words were taboo to speak aloud. She was an advocate for women who were looked down on by society. Stubborn does not begin to define her character. I think “will of steel” might be closer to accurate.

Josephine Butler – an Advocate for Exploited Women

While most people turn inwards through grief, Josephine used her sorrow as a catalyst to help others hurting worse than herself. She ministered to women who were marginalized in society and advocated for change in her culture.

Bibliography Resource list:

  • DeRusha, Michelle. 50 Women Every Christian Should Know. Baker Books: Grand Rapids, MI, 2014.
  • Thompson, L. (2015, May 18). Heroes of the Faith: Josephine Butler. Evangelicals for Social Action. Retrieved from https://www.evangelicalsforsocialaction.org/heroes-of-the-faith/heroes-of-the-faith-josephine-butler/
  • (The Femcyclopedia). (2018, July 18). Josephine Butler and Nellie Bly [Audio podcast].
  • W. T. Stead. ( nd.). In Wikipedia.

Josephine Butler’s story certainly inspired me. I hope this podcast encourages your faith and inspires you to push forward to do the hard things God calls you to do, even in the face of adversity. Share what inspires you about Josephine Butler’s story on PRN’s Facebook page.

May you be encouraged on your journey with Jesus!

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Grief and Grace: An Interview with Sarah Jonas

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For such a young person, Sarah has experienced more than her fair share of grief. In this podcast episode, she shares about her journey of both grief and faith through her mother’s illness and passing.

Sarah and her mother

This podcast will minister to anyone who is currently struggling with their own grief journey, or with those who’s lives, friendships, or families are affected by addiction.

In this episode, Sarah shares a verse that ministered to her throughout the care-giving process:

Fear not, for I am with you;
    be not dismayed, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you, I will help you,
    I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Isaiah 41:10 ESV

If this podcast encouraged you, or resonated with you in some way, please feel free to share it with others. You can join in the conversation at PRN’s Facebook page as well.

May you be encouraged on your journey with Jesus!

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Holding On To Each Other & Jesus

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I have interviewed some incredible women on this podcast and look forward to interviewing more in future episodes. My guest on today’s podcast, however, is my favorite of all time: my husband, Derek.

In this episode, we talk about how faith has played a role in our marriage and how the Lord has been faithful to us throughout our journey together. We discuss how we met, the ups and downs of our married life, and outside supports that help to strengthen our marriage.

As we look back over our journey together, we can clearly see God’s hand moving through circumstances and trials. His goodness and mercy to us has been evident.

Scripture quoted in this podcast: Psalm 23:6

I mentioned a previous episode on today’s podcast: Renewed and Transformed: My Story of Recovery

If something you heard on today’s podcast resonated with you, feel free to comment below, or join the conversation on PRN’s Facebook page.

May you be encouraged on your journey with Jesus!

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Refining Through Transition: An Interview with Becky Hurrie

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It was such a privilege to interview Becky Hurrie for this podcast. A wife, mother of four, and soon-to-be missionary in South Africa, she offers a wise but humble understanding of what it means to find value in God’s Kingdom.

In this interview, Becky shares how through the transition of moving and preparing for the mission field, the Lord has revealed idols in her own heart. She has learned to love the Gospel more, and has felt deeply how very much she is loved by the Lord. She also shares about how others have come alongside her to encourage her in her calling as a missionary.

One resource that Becky quotes on today’s podcast is Rachel Jankovic’s book, You Who?

Excerpts from this book were read on today’s podcast.

Additionally, Becky says that Tim Keller’s book, Counterfeit Gods and Christina Fox’s book, Idols of a Mother’s Heart were influential in her understanding of the idols that were gripping her heart.

During the podcast, Becky also shared a few Bible verses that have brought her comfort and encouragement through this refining process:

  • Proverbs 18:10
  • Isaiah 41:10
  • Psalm 28:7-8

If something you heard on this podcast resonated with you, please comment below, or join in the conversation on PRN’s Facebook page.

May you be encouraged on your journey with Jesus!

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Soul Care and Scripture

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What comes to your mind when you think of meditating on God’s Word? In today’s soul care episode, we explore some of the many ways that we can incorporate meditating on Scripture into our everyday lives.

Over the course of this podcast episode we define meditation, practice a short exercise in Scriptural meditation, and explore the use of multi-sensory processing to enrich our time with Scripture.

Sources referenced in this podcast:

Richard Foster’s presentation on meditative prayer and Scripture reading: The Sanctuary of the Soul

Article on hand movements: Cracking a Secret Code to Learning: Hand Gestures

Scripture discussed or quoted in today’s podcast:

Romans 12:2, Psalm 27, and Deuteronomy 6:4-9

If you have a creative idea to add to this list of ways to meditate on Scripture, please comment below or join in the conversation on PRN’s Facebook page.

May you be encouraged on your journey with Jesus.

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We Could Have Missed This: An Interview with Leeann Setliff

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It was my pleasure to interview Leeann Setliff about her journey into becoming a foster parent. Leeann has a heart and passion for children that come from hard places, and that really comes through in this interview. She discusses her own experience as a foster parent and offers encouragement for others who are currently fostering or are considering becoming foster parents.

PRN: Pause, Renew, Next, the Podcast, Episode #11 – A heart for fostering

During this episode, Leeann shared two book resources that inspired her own journey and ministry in foster care. I have provided links to both books below.

In each podcast, I ask my guest to share a Scripture that has inspired them in their faith journey. In this episode, Leeann said that she finds encouragement in Lamentations:

Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
    for his compassions never fail.
 They are new every morning;
    great is your faithfulness.
 I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion;
    therefore I will wait for him.”

Lamentations 3:22-24 NIV
It was such a joy to get to talk to Leeann!

If you are considering becoming a foster parent, I would encourage you to contact your county to find out about informational meetings and the process for becoming a foster/adoptive parent in your state. There are also many other ways that you can becoming involved in supporting foster care such as providing respite care or supporting foster/adoptive families that you know in your church or community.

Did anything that you heard in today’s podcast resonate with you? I’d love to hear about it! Comment below or on PRN’s Facebook page.

May you be encouraged on your journey with Jesus!

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Steps of a New Believer: An Interview with Liz Bergstrom

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How did your journey of faith begin? In this episode my guest, Liz Bergstrom, shares about her own road to a relationship with Jesus. She shares honestly about the struggles and hangups she faced as a new believer.

It was a joy to interview Liz. She has a lot of wisdom to offer!


“I think as a new believer you underestimate the situations you put yourself in. I think you underestimate that you’re always going to choose sin. The situations you put yourself in can make that easier or harder to do.”

In this episode, Liz offers words of encouragement for those who are mentoring new believers, as well as for those who are young in the faith themselves. She shares that vulnerability, accountability, grace, and patience were key elements to her own early faith journey.

Scripture mentioned in today’s podcast: Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 NIV

Two are better than one,
    because they have a good return for their labor:
 If either of them falls down,
    one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls
    and has no one to help them up.
Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
    But how can one keep warm alone?
Though one may be overpowered,
    two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

If there was something you heard on this podcast that was encouraging, inspiring, or helpful, please share in the comment section below. You can also join the conversation on PRN’s Facebook page.

May you be encouraged on your journey with Jesus!

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Tall Within: The Story of Sojourner Truth

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Sojourner Truth was a woman set on fire by a sense of faith, strength, and passion. Her life had an impact on a world full of injustice. Sojourner Truth was a woman who’s story from over a century ago still has an impact on our lives today. It is my pleasure to share her faith story on this podcast.

In such a short podcast, it was impossible to do Sojourner Truth’s story justice. There is so much more to know about her life and legacy. Many fabulous resources tell her story, the most famous of which is her own book, Narrative of Sojourner Truth. Here is a list of resources I used in researching this podcast:

  • Truth, Sojourner. Narrative of Sojourner Truth. Penguin: New York, 1998. First published 1850.
  • DeRusha, Michelle. 50 Women Every Christian Should Know. Baker Books: Grand Rapids, MI, 2014.
  • McDonough, Yona Zeldis. Who Was Sojourner Truth? Penguin Workshop, New York, New York, 2015.

How does Sojourner Truth’s faith story affect you? If it encourages, challenges, or inspires you in some way, please share below in the comment section. You can also join the conversation on PRN’s Facebook page.

May you be encouraged on your journey with Jesus.

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Renewed and Transformed: My Story of Recovery

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Full Disclosure: If I am going to be asking other women to share their faith stories on this podcast, then I thought I should be vulnerable enough to share my own story. Everyone who has walked with Jesus has a story of His grace to share, and this is one of mine.

In this podcast you’ll hear a story of sadness, fear, the devastation of an eating disorder, a life-changing experience, and the grace God used to rescue me from a path of self-destruction.

“I don’t remember a time that I didn’t know Jesus, but I think there’s a difference between knowing about Him, and reading about Him, and experiencing Him.  So, when I fell off a ledge, He caught me, and that’s how I experienced Him.”

Two passages of Scripture are mentioned in today’s podcast and both were important to my journey of faith and my recovery: Psalm 91 & Romans 12:2

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Romans 12:2 NKJV

I hope this story is an encouragement to your own faith. If something you heard in today’s episode resonated with you, please share in the comment section below or join in the conversation on PRN’s Facebook page.

May you be encouraged on your journey with Jesus.

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Cultivating Contentment: An Interview with Christina Morgan

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In today’s podcast episode, you’ll hear from Christina Morgan, who has a story to tell about God’s faithfulness and provision in her life. Throughout her story, she encourages us to have confidence that God will provide the means to go where He has called us.

Sharing a laugh before recording the podcast

In today’s podcast, Christina quotes I Timothy 6:6 as being a verse she finds herself going back to frequently for perspective and encouragement:

I am so grateful to Christina for sharing her story. I was really blessed by it personally, and I hope you were too. God is called Jehovah Jireh (“The Lord Will Provide”) in the Old Testament, and we all need to be reminded of His promise of provision in our lives.

May you be encouraged on your journey with Jesus!

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