In this episode, Bethany and her husband Alex sit down with Jeff and Sarah Walton to talk about their new book, Together Through the Storms . Speaking from their own experience, the Waltons share biblical encouragement to help couples to strengthen their marriage during times of trial. The Waltons discuss the role of suffering in the Christian life, and how we ought to respond to it as believers. For both the married and the single, this is a message that both challenges and encourages the Chris...
May 07, 2020•1 hr 13 min•Season 4Ep. 61
Today, I’m talking with Summer Jaeger about the topic of feminism. We hit a variety of topics related to this worldview, including legalism, faithfulness, Bible reading, agreeing with God, and cultivating discussion about hard topics with our friends. Summer is a great encouragement to us to be living for God’s approval and to evaluate all things through Scripture. You can check out her show Sheologians wherever you listen to podcasts. Support the show...
Apr 30, 2020•43 min•Season 4Ep. 60
What is the goal of vulnerability for a Christian woman? What do we do with our shame? And how do we look at these in relation to finding belonging? In this episode, I sit down with WE team member Katie Morin to talk about these topics from a Christian perspective. We discuss some of the problems with the worldview and answers offered to us by a popular writer and researcher, and talk about how the gospel answers those problematic solutions. Support the show...
Apr 23, 2020•41 min•Season 4Ep. 59
In today's episode, Bible teacher and author Nancy Guthrie shares about her newest book, Saints and Scoundrels in the Story of Jesus (Crossway, 2020). We discuss some of the things God is teaching us about His generous grace through a few particular people in Jesus' story highlighted in her book. Nancy answers for us some ways we might grow by learning more about these people and some warnings we should heed. We also discuss encouragement we can receive as believers in Jesus from these accounts ...
Apr 17, 2020•47 min•Season 4Ep. 58
In this episode, Pastor Bo Cogbill talks with Bethany about sin and forgiveness and the truths Pastor Bo covers here with us are things we as believers in Christ need to be reminded of over and over. Bo discusses specifically what sin is, dealing with feelings of guilt, how Christians should be thinking about sin, our identity now, confession, and the Father’s heart for us. Bo has so much encouragement for you in this episode and we are praying it will be a blessing to you. Support the show...
Apr 09, 2020•39 min•Season 4Ep. 57
Author and podcaster Danielle Hitchen is back on the show to talk with me about Jesus, broken bodies, and Lent. Even though I recorded this conversation with Danielle before COVID19 became a pandemic, it’s not lost on us that as we get nearer to Good Friday and Easter, we are in the midst of something that is daily confronting us with the way sin brings brokenness, disease, and death. I’m grateful for this chance to share this conversation with Danielle and think together about the importance of...
Apr 02, 2020•43 min•Season 4Ep. 56
Jasmine Holmes joins the show today to talk about understanding our identity from a Scriptural perspective as well as dealing with expectations and people-pleasing. We love this conversation and how Jasmine points us to God's Word as our authority to evaluate the different voices and opinions in our lives. You can find Jasmine on Facebook and Instagram , as well as at her website . Thank you so much for listening and for sharing the WE podcast with your friends! Did you know? Women Encouraged is...
Mar 19, 2020•32 min•Season 4Ep. 55
Jen Oshman joins the show today to talk about the good news that we're not enough - but Jesus is! Today, we talk about why the philosophy of you're enough is failing us, how to identify me-centered practices and relationship with God's word, what repentance looks like, and how Jesus demonstrates true joy for us. Jen recently wrote the book Enough About Me: Finding Lasting Joy in the Age of Self (Crossway, 2020) . She is a clear communicator and you will definitely want multiple copies of this bo...
Mar 03, 2020•42 min•Season 4Ep. 54
Today, we have a slightly different style of a show for you because we’re giving you a little taste of the content from our latest Women Encouraged conference in the Portland, Oregon area. If you’re a longtime listener you might already know that WE started as a women’s conference, and in fact, the reason we originally started the podcast was to share great teaching with women in our community. At the end of the episode, Bethany shares about a new way to support the Women Encouraged podcast , th...
Feb 27, 2020•23 min•Season 4Ep. 53
Author Trillia Newbell joins Bethany to discuss how we should think about beauty and our bodies from a biblical perspective. They discuss how the gospel changes our view of our bodies, and the necessity of reflecting Christ's beauty. Support the show
Feb 19, 2020•30 min•Season 4Ep. 52
Today, Christina Fox joins the podcast to share on the topic of Christian friendship. Christina and Bethany talk about how friendships within the Church are developed, how they're different from other relationships, some thought patterns we should avoid, and the gospel purpose that our friendships really have. Editor's note: There are a few technical issues on our guest's end. We apologize for some of the sound quality in this episode, but we think you'll be greatly encouraged by what Christina ...
Feb 12, 2020•34 min•Season 4Ep. 51
On today's episode, Amy Gannett joins the show to discuss what discipleship is, why it matters, and some of the misconceptions or misunderstandings we might have about it. Amy's course, Daily Disciple-Making is a "no-frills guide to discipleship relationships", co-taught by several other Bible teachers and authors. Support the show
Feb 05, 2020•55 min•Season 4Ep. 50
In today's episode, Dr. Kathryn Butler (Katie) joins the show to discuss how Christians should view life and death and medical intervention with a gospel-centered perspective. Her book Between Life and Death: A Gospel-Centered Guide to End-of-Life Medical Care is incredibly helpful and insightful. We're grateful for this conversation about modern medical practices, the differences between preserving life and prolonging death, physician-assisted suicide, and what Christians need to know in order ...
Jan 31, 2020•51 min•Season 4Ep. 49
It’s a joy to welcome pastor and author Costi Hinn to the show today. Costi's passion is to preach the gospel and serve the church and he wrote the book God, Greed, and the (Prosperity) Gospel for that purpose. Today, Costi answers some key questions about what the prosperity gospel looks like, whether it's a true gospel, and how to talk about it with fellow Christians. Support the show...
Jan 24, 2020•41 min•Season 4Ep. 48
We're back for another cycle of episodes and so thrilled to be sharing this episode with you! Abby Hutto joins Bethany to talk about some of the ways God the Father demonstrates His heart for us through the person and work of Jesus Christ. Abby shares about how studying the gospel of John changed how she saw God's intention toward her and awakened her to what her invisible Father is like. Abby's message (and her book God for Us ) is poignant and thought-provoking. She and Bethany talk about how ...
Jan 17, 2020•45 min•Season 4Ep. 47
Today, author Rosaria Butterfield joins me to talk about reaching out to members of the LGBTQ community. We discuss how we can talk about, with, and minister to them in ways that are honoring to the Lord and faithful to Scripture. She also talks about the power of simple, faithful acts like opening our homes to our unbelieving neighbors and demonstrating the love of Christ to them with our lives. Support the show...
Nov 15, 2019•52 min•Season 3Ep. 46
Today, Tony Reinke joins me to talk about parenting in the digital age. Tony is author of the books 12 Ways Your Phone is Changing You , and Competing Spectacles: Treasuring Christ in the Media Age . Our discussion covers questions like how is parenting in our digital age different from past generations, what kind of protective limits are wise, and how can we teach our children about the importance of connection and relationships, when we’re all being tempted to connect through a screen? If this...
Nov 08, 2019•52 min•Season 3Ep. 45
Today, I’m talking with Katie Guiliano, artist and founder of Hosanna Revival . Her business is devoted to helping women engage in Scripture by creating beautiful and intentional tools for their lives. Today, Katie shares the story of how she was led to share the beauty of God’s word with women all around the world. We also talk about practicing perseverance in dry seasons, and encouraging one another to make the most of our giftings and opportunitites. Support the show...
Nov 01, 2019•33 min•Season 3Ep. 44
In this episode, I’m talking with college-age student Katherine Forste r about her book Transformed by Truth and her passion to help teens know that the Bible transforms them. Katherine shares why teens can’t put off engaging in Scripture until later in life and explains the fallacies in thinking that they’re too young to be changed and shaped by the word of God. If you have teens, I’d love to welcome them to listen along with you, because I really think Katherine’s encouragement today is for us...
Oct 28, 2019•30 min•Season 3Ep. 43
In this episode, I’m welcoming back to the podcast, Lydia Brownback to talk about her book, Flourish: How the Love of Christ Frees Us from Self-Focus. This book deals with so many of the shapes that self-focus takes and we discuss a few of them, including self-improvement, self-analysis, and self-condemnation. We also discuss discipleship and community in light of this topic and how we can encourage one another to be freed from focusing on ourselves, rather than Christ and what He’s done for us....
Oct 19, 2019•49 min•Season 3Ep. 42
Today I’m joined by Bible study author Asheritah Ciuciu . Asheritah has such a heart to encourage women to pursue and form the habit of Scripture study and she has so many helpful tips for those of us who struggle to build a habit of being in the word. Asheritah’s newest book, Bible and Breakfast, releases on October 10th and it’s not just a Bible study book – it’s actually packed with gorgeous, delicious recipes for breakfast and ideas to help you look forward to your mornings. Today, Asheritah...
Oct 04, 2019•39 min•Season 3Ep. 41
In this episode, I welcome Matt and Lisa Jacobson to the podcast, for a couples chat along with my husband Alex. Matt and Lisa tell us about their newest books 100 Ways to Love Your Husband/Wife and their accompanying books 100 Affirmations Your Husband/Wife Needs to Hear. If you’re married, we’d love for you to invite your husband to listen in with you, because this episode is full of topics that will be some great conversation starters for couples. Alex and I really enjoyed hearing from Matt a...
Sep 27, 2019•50 min•Season 3Ep. 40
In this episode, I'm chatting with Lindsey Carlson , author of Growing in Godliness: A Teen Girl’s Guide to Maturing in Christ. We discuss the great value of pursuing growth, ways we can encourage one another, and the importance of coming alongside the teen girls within our churches. If you’re a mom of a teen girl, we’d love to welcome her to this conversation too, and introduce her to Lindsey’s ministry through her writing. If you don’t have teens, or even children, Lindsey’s encouragement will...
Sep 20, 2019•53 min•Season 3Ep. 39
Hannah Anderson joins me for this helpful and insightful discussion about discernment. Hannah is the author of the book Humble Roots and more recently, All That’s Good – Recovering the Lost art of Discernment. Hannah clarifies for us what discernment is and isn’t and explains the connection between discernment and humility, and how fear and pride hinder us from experiencing God’s goodness. We’re praying this episode stirs your affections for the Lord and for his truth. Would you consider leaving...
Sep 13, 2019•45 min•Season 3Ep. 38
Jennifer Brogdon joins me for a candid discussion about viewing perfectionism in light of the gospel. We discuss why it’s so vital that we look at perfectionism from a biblical perspective and define grace according to God’s terms and not our own. We also talk about shame, and how perfectionism impacts our relationships and the way we confess sin with one another. Jennifer also explains how repentance and abiding in Christ is the solution for when we’re discouraged about our sin or our lack of f...
Aug 23, 2019•46 min•Season 3Ep. 37
Laura Hardin joins Bethany to talk about joyful obedience, how abiding in Christ strengthens and equips us to obey him (even when the feelings aren't there), and how God fills our cup with what we need to faithfully obey. Wondering about whether this leads to legalism? Take a listen to hear Laura define legalism and how obedience is different. You can find show notes and more at our website . Be sure to connect with us on Instagram and Facebook , too! Support the show...
Aug 16, 2019•45 min•Season 3Ep. 36
In this episode, Caroline Saunders joins me to talk about delighting in the Lord and who he has created us to be. I love Caroline's perspective on knowing God for who he is, "staying weird", and resting in the favor we have in Christ. And is God ok with humor? Listen in to hear Caroline's take on how fun and humor play a role in our Christian walk! You can find show notes and more at our website . Be sure to connect with us on Instagram and Facebook , too! Support the show...
Jun 28, 2019•29 min
In today's episode, some of the WE team members Alyssa Donovan and Katie Morin chat with Bethany about what it means to renew our minds. We discuss how easily we're influenced, how Bible reading has equipped us and fed us, and why Christian-izing the world's message just won't work. You can connect with us on our Women Encouraged webpage, as well as on Instagram and Facebook . Thanks for listening! Support the show...
Jun 04, 2019•43 min•Season 3Ep. 34
In today's episode, I'm chatting with Rachel Jankovic about Bible reading, the Bible Challenge , and how God's word feeds us. Rachel explains how the Bible challenge was inspired and started, how it's grown, and how women have grown through it. We're getting ready to jump into the summer reading challenge on June 3rd, and there are over 9,000 women who would love to welcome you over in the Facebook group . But no matter when you're listening to this episode, we invite you to come to the table th...
May 31, 2019•54 min•Season 3Ep. 33
On today's episode, author and speaker Stacy Reaoch and I sit down to talk about how we should respond when life doesn't look the way we expected it to. Stacy and I chat about how the gospel answers our tendencies to live in a what-if world and how we can often mirror the Israelites in our grumbling. We also talk about the differences between grieving loss and living in bitterness and discontentment. What's the right response to feeling like our situation isn't what we had hoped for? Listen in a...
May 24, 2019•37 min•Season 3Ep. 32
