Lorie Smith is a graphic designer and the founder and owner of 303 Creative. She’s also the center of a landmark Supreme Court case regarding freedom of speech—a case she has just won thanks to her perseverance and the hard work of the Alliance Defending Freedom. She joins us to share her story of coming to Christ, developing as an artist and creator, and starting her business. In taking a public stand for religious freedom over the last seven years, Lorie has experienced backlash, hatred, and misrepresentation. But she has also experienced great strength from the Lord and support from His people. Her story of courageous faith displays the faithfulness of God and the role of the Church in helping Christians persevere through difficulty.    Lorie’s Website 303 Creative  Alliance Defending Freedom  The Cost of My Faith: How a Decision in My Cake Shop Took Me to the Supreme Court by Jack Phillips      Do you want to confidently share the Christian worldview with people of differing beliefs? Request a copy of Greg Koukl’s latest book, Street Smarts, and be equipped to hold fruitful conversations across worldview lines without fear. We'll send you a copy as a thank-you for your gift to the Colson Center this month at colsoncenter.org/swstreetsmarts.  The Strong Women Podcast is a product of the Colson Center which equips Christians to live out their faith with clarity, confidence, and courage in this cultural moment. Through commentaries, podcasts, videos, and more, we help Christians better understand what’s happening in the world, and champion what is true and good wherever God has called them.  Learn more about the Colson Center here: https://www.colsoncenter.org/   Visit our website and sign up for our email list so that you can stay up to date on what we are doing here and also receive our monthly book list: https://www.colsoncenter.org/strong-women   Join Strong Women on Social Media:   https://www.facebook.com/StrongWomenCC  https://www.facebook.com/groups/strongwomencommunitycc/  https://www.instagram.com/strongwomencc/ 

Our guests today are Linda Noble and Linda Stewart, affectionately called “The Lindas.” I love how these two ladies in different seasons of life looked at the world around them and asked, “What is missing that we can add?” They tell us how they joined together to learn and then create something that offers a window into God’s design for sex, which fits into the larger story that He wants to be known by us, and He uses His creation—including our own bodies—to pursue a relationship with us. I am excited for you to learn about how God has designed our bodies and our sexuality to invite us into a deeper relationship with Him. We must learn these big truths about God’s design in order to invite the young people in our lives to grasp the significance of the gift of sex within marriage. Without the big picture, this seems like just a rule to follow instead of an invitation to flourish.    Before the Sex Talk: A Theology of the Body Perspective for Parents & Mentors by Linda Noble and Linda Stewart  Our Bodies Tell God's Story by Christopher West  Strong Women Episode 31. Our Bodies Proclaim the Gospel with Christopher West  THE Conversation Workshop podcast  THE Conversation Workshop blog   Seeking God: Finding Another Kind of Life with St. Ignatius and Dallas Willard by Trevor Hudson   Josh Glaser Regeneration Ministries  Eden Invitation  The House at the End of the World by Dean Koontz    In the fight against suicide, the Church has a vital role to play, but what does that look like in action? Our next Lighthouse Voices event on September 5 will help you answer that question. Our featured speaker is Dr. Matthew Sleeth, author of Hope Always: How to Be a Force for Life in a Culture of Suicide. Dr. Sleeth will help us understand the current suicide epidemic and share how Christians can fight against it and care for those who are struggling. This event will be offered both in-person and online, and you can register now at colsoncenter.org/lighthousevoices.  To help you live the Truth in a “my truth” world, we want to send you a copy of Alisa Childers’ latest book, Live Your Truth and Other Lies. Request your copy by giving a gift of any amount to the Colson Center in August at colsoncenter.org/swchildersresource.   The Strong Women Podcast is a product of the Colson Center which equips Christians to live out their faith with clarity, confidence, and courage in this cultural moment. Through commentaries, podcasts, videos, and more, we help Christians better understand what’s happening in the world, and champion what is true and good wherever God has called them.  Learn more about the Colson Center here: https://www.colsoncenter.org/   Visit our website and sign up for our email list so that you can stay up to date on what we are doing here and also receive our monthly book list: https://www.colsoncenter.org/strong-women  Join Strong Women on Social Media:   https://www.facebook.com/StrongWomenCC  https://www.facebook.com/groups/strongwomencommunitycc/  https://www.instagram.com/strongwomencc/ 

Our guests today are Linda Noble and Linda Stewart, affectionately called “The Lindas.” I love how these two ladies in different seasons of life looked at the world around them and asked, “What is missing that we can add?” They tell us how they joined together to learn and then create something that offers a window into God’s design for sex, which fits into the larger story that He wants to be known by us, and He uses His creation—including our own bodies—to pursue a relationship with us. I am excited for you to learn about how God has designed our bodies and our sexuality to invite us into a deeper relationship with Him. We must learn these big truths about God’s design in order to invite the young people in our lives to grasp the significance of the gift of sex within marriage. Without the big picture, this seems like just a rule to follow instead of an invitation to flourish.   In the fight against suicide, the Church has a vital role to play, but what does that look like in action? Our next Lighthouse Voices event on September 5 will help you answer that question. Our featured speaker is Dr. Matthew Sleeth, author of Hope Always: How to Be a Force for Life in a Culture of Suicide. Dr. Sleeth will help us understand the current suicide epidemic and share how Christians can fight against it and care for those who are struggling. This event will be offered both in-person and online, and you can register now at colsoncenter.org/lighthousevoices.  To help you live the Truth in a “my truth” world, we want to send you a copy of Alisa Childers’ latest book, Live Your Truth and Other Lies. Request your copy by giving a gift of any amount to the Colson Center in August at colsoncenter.org/swchildersresource.  The Strong Women Podcast is a product of the Colson Center which equips Christians to live out their faith with clarity, confidence, and courage in this cultural moment. Through commentaries, podcasts, videos, and more, we help Christians better understand what’s happening in the world, and champion what is true and good wherever God has called them.  Learn more about the Colson Center here: https://www.colsoncenter.org/   Visit our website and sign up for our email list so that you can stay up to date on what we are doing here and also receive our monthly book list: https://www.colsoncenter.org/strong-women   Join Strong Women on Social Media:   https://www.facebook.com/StrongWomenCC  https://www.facebook.com/groups/strongwomencommunitycc/  https://www.instagram.com/strongwomencc/ 

Our guest today is Rachelle Starr, founder of Scarlet Hope. At 21, Rachelle felt God calling her to minister to women trapped working in strip clubs in her city of Louisville, KY. Today, she shares some of the stories she’s witnessed over 16 years of building relationships through good food and introducing these women to the God who sees and loves them. Scarlet Hope is now in many major cities around the nation, working to bring the hope of the Gospel to places that are often overlooked.    Rachelle’s Website Scarlet Hope  Outrageous Obedience: Answering God's Call to Shine in the Darkest Places by Rachelle Starr  Resilient: Restoring Your Weary Soul in These Turbulent Times by John Eldredge  Discernment by Henri J.M. Nouwen  The Way of the Heart by Henri J.M. Nouwen  Tramp for the Lord by Corrie Ten Boom  S3 27: Looking Back and Looking Forward: Reflecting on Three Years of the Strong Women Podcast With Erin Kunkle     In the fight against suicide, the Church has a vital role to play, but what does that look like in action? Our next Lighthouse Voices event on September 5 will help you answer that question. Our featured speaker is Dr. Matthew Sleeth, author of Hope Always: How to Be a Force for Life in a Culture of Suicide. Dr. Sleeth will help us understand the current suicide epidemic and share how Christians can fight against it and care for those who are struggling. This event will be offered both in-person and online, and you can register now at colsoncenter.org/lighthousevoices.  To help you live the Truth in a “my truth” world, we want to send you a copy of Alisa Childers’ latest book, Live Your Truth and Other Lies. Request your copy by giving a gift of any amount to the Colson Center in August at colsoncenter.org/swchildersresource.  The Strong Women Podcast is a product of the Colson Center which equips Christians to live out their faith with clarity, confidence, and courage in this cultural moment. Through commentaries, podcasts, videos, and more, we help Christians better understand what’s happening in the world, and champion what is true and good wherever God has called them.  Learn more about the Colson Center here: https://www.colsoncenter.org/   Visit our website and sign up for our email list so that you can stay up to date on what we are doing here and also receive our monthly book list: https://www.colsoncenter.org/strong-women  Join Strong Women on Social Media:   https://www.facebook.com/StrongWomenCC  https://www.facebook.com/groups/strongwomencommunitycc/  https://www.instagram.com/strongwomencc/ 

This is one of my favorite episodes because Erin and I get to interview our husbands. Being made in the image of God as male and female is a good thing. It is not an accident that we are created to be a man or a woman. When God made us male and female, he said it was very good. We were created not to compete or be opposed to each other, but to work together in the cosmic task God has invited us into—to care for His creation and cause it to flourish. Join us as we wrestle through the idea of difference and design with our amazing and funny husbands.    Our Bodies Tell God's Story: Discovering the Divine Plan for Love, Sex, and Gender by Christopher West  A Practical Guide to Culture: Helping the Next Generation Navigate Today's World by John Stonestreet, Brett Kunkle  Restoring All Things: God's Audacious Plan to Change the World Through Everyday People by Warren Cole Smith, John Stonestreet   Erin and her husband, Brett, run Maven which “exists to help the next generation know truth, pursue goodness, and create beauty, all for the cause of Christ.” Check out more about Maven here: https://maventruth.com/   The Strong Women Podcast is a product of the Colson Center which equips Christians to live out their faith with clarity, confidence, and courage in this cultural moment. Through commentaries, podcasts, videos, and more, we help Christians better understand what’s happening in the world, and champion what is true and good wherever God has called them.  Learn more about the Colson Center here: https://www.colsoncenter.org/   Visit our website and sign up for our email list so that you can stay up to date on what we are doing here and also receive our monthly book list: https://www.colsoncenter.org/strong-women    Join Strong Women on Social Media:   https://www.facebook.com/StrongWomenCC  https://www.facebook.com/groups/strongwomencommunitycc/  https://www.instagram.com/strongwomencc/ 

In this best-of episode, we are joined by Cindy Rollins, an author, mother of nine, speaker, and co-host of The Literary Life Podcast. Cindy has encouraged many women, including Erin and Sarah, to stay curious, hunt for beauty in the everyday, and bring those around them along for the journey of lifelong learning.     Morning Time: A Liturgy of Love by Cindy Rollins  Mere Motherhood by Cindy Rollins   People Pleasing: How Not to be an Approval Junkie by Lou Priolo  Literary Life Podcast    Erin and her husband, Brett, run Maven, which “exists to help the next generation know truth, pursue goodness, and create beauty, all for the cause of Christ.” Check out more about Maven here: https://maventruth.com/   The Strong Women Podcast is a product of the Colson Center, which equips Christians to live out their faith with clarity, confidence, and courage in this cultural moment. Through commentaries, podcasts, videos, and more, we help Christians better understand what’s happening in the world, and champion what is true and good wherever God has called them. Learn more about the Colson Center here: https://www.colsoncenter.org/   Visit our website and sign up for our email list so that you can stay up to date on what we are doing here and also receive our monthly book list: https://www.colsoncenter.org/strong-women   Join Strong Women on Social Media:   https://www.facebook.com/StrongWomenCC  https://www.facebook.com/groups/strongwomencommunitycc/  https://www.instagram.com/strongwomencc/ 

We are joined by Sarah’s lovely and feisty English grandmother, Sheila Broderick. Sheila was ten years old when England declared war on Germany in World War II. She was evacuated by train to Wales, but unlike the Pevensie children of C.S. Lewis’ Narnia series, Sheila did not find a nice professor waiting to help spur on her imagination. Instead, she was the last child to be reluctantly taken in. From losing her father  to surviving the Blitz, Sheila’s formative years were shaped by suffering and resilience in the face of great uncertainty.

We welcome Dr. Kathy Koch, president of Celebrate Kids, to talk about the importance of paying attention to those around us. As Kathy likes to say, we are all made on purpose, with purpose, for a purpose. Kathy has a unique gift of making the people around her feel seen and cared for—especially children. She lets us in on why this is so important to her.     Kathy’s Website for Celebrate Kids   The Picture Smart Bible  Start with the Heart by Kathy Koch  8 Great Smarts: Discover and Nurture Your Child’s Intelligences by Kathy Koch  Raising Resilient Kids: Help Them Embrace Life with Confidence by Kathy Koch  Everyday Prayers: 365 Days to a Gospel-Centered Faith by Scotty Smith   Motivational Interviewing: Helping People Change by William R. Miller and Stephen Rollnick   MAVEN Conference  The Clutter-Free Home: Making Room for Your Life by Kathi Lipp    Free Download: Strong Women Summer Reading Plan - Three Top Ten Book Lists Cultivate a rich reading life!  The world is full of books, but not all of them are worth your time. Good books stand the test of time and discerning readers. Do you want to start reading more, but feel overwhelmed? Not sure where to start? We can help! Sign up here to receive THREE top ten book recommendation lists to challenge and inspire your reading life.   Erin and her husband, Brett, run Maven which “exists to help the next generation know truth, pursue goodness, and create beauty, all for the cause of Christ.” Check out more about Maven here: https://maventruth.com/   The Strong Women Podcast is a product of the Colson Center which equips Christians to live out their faith with clarity, confidence, and courage in this cultural moment. Through commentaries, podcasts, videos, and more, we help Christians better understand what’s happening in the world, and champion what is true and good wherever God has called them.  Learn more about the Colson Center here: https://www.colsoncenter.org/   Visit our website and sign up for our email list so that you can stay up to date on what we are doing here and also receive our monthly book list: https://www.colsoncenter.org/strong-women    Join Strong Women on Social Media:   https://www.facebook.com/StrongWomenCC  https://www.facebook.com/groups/strongwomencommunitycc/  https://www.instagram.com/strongwomencc/ 

This week we welcome Mollie Hemingway, senior editor at the Federalist Society and a Fox News contributor, to share her story with us. During her adolescence, Mollie’s family oriented their lives around the church. She shares with us how that foundation has shaped her over the years, as well as how Christianity has shaped her view of womanhood.     The Federalist Society   Justice on Trial: The Kavanaugh Confirmation and the Future of the Supreme Court by Mollie Hemingway and Carrie Severino  He Restores My Soul by Katie Schuermann   Strong Women listeners, we're excited to offer the Colson Center National Conference...ONLINE! Use promo code Strongwomen (all one word) to get $5 off the $49 ticket price. For one low price, you can experience all the main stage talks, breakouts, and panel discussions from our annual Christian worldview conference at your own leisure. Visit colsonconference.org for full event details and registration.       Erin and her husband, Brett, run Maven which “exists to help the next generation know truth, pursue goodness, and create beauty, all for the cause of Christ.” Check out more about Maven here: https://maventruth.com/    The Strong Women Podcast is a product of the Colson Center which equips Christians to live out their faith with clarity, confidence, and courage in this cultural moment. Through commentaries, podcasts, videos, and more, we help Christians better understand what’s happening in the world, and champion what is true and good wherever God has called them.  Learn more about the Colson Center here: https://www.colsoncenter.org/   Visit our website and sign up for our email list so that you can stay up to date on what we are doing here and also receive our monthly book list: https://www.colsoncenter.org/strong-women  Join Strong Women on Social Media:   https://www.facebook.com/StrongWomenCC  https://www.facebook.com/groups/strongwomencommunitycc/  https://www.instagram.com/strongwomencc/

During our season break, we’re looking back at some of our first and favorite episodes. In this conversation with Joni Eareckson Tada, Joni shares her journey from being a young athlete to a quadriplegic and how God has used this as an invitation for her to know Him better. A few years after her accident, she founded Joni and Friends, which has impacted so many families and people with disabilities.     Joni’s Website  Through Gates of Splendor by Elisabeth Elliot   Suffer Strong by Jay and Catherine Wolff   The Warner Boys by Curt and Anna Warner  Susanna Wesley by Charles Ludwig  Colson Center National Conference Online video content is available now on-demand! This year's theme is "Earth Crammed With Heaven: An Invitation to Encounter God and His Mighty Works." For just $49, you can experience all the main stage talks, breakouts, and panel discussions from our annual Christian worldview conference at your own leisure. Visit colsonconference.org for event details and registration and if you use the promo code “Strongwomen” you can receive $5 off. Sign up today to learn from:   Stephen Meyer, Ph.D. | Discovery Institute  Kristen Waggoner | Alliance Defending Freedom  Chris Brooks | Woodside Bible Chapel & Moody Radio  Kristin Collier, MD | University of Michigan  Roland Warren | Care Net  ...and many more!  Erin and her husband, Brett, run Maven which “exists to help the next generation know truth, pursue goodness, and create beauty, all for the cause of Christ.” Check out more about Maven here: https://maventruth.com/   The Strong Women Podcast is a product of the Colson Center which equips Christians to live out their faith with clarity, confidence, and courage in this cultural moment. Through commentaries, podcasts, videos, and more, we help Christians better understand what’s happening in the world, and champion what is true and good wherever God has called them.  Learn more about the Colson Center here: https://www.colsoncenter.org/   Visit our website and sign up for our email list so that you can stay up to date on what we are doing here and also receive our monthly book list: https://www.colsoncenter.org/strong-women    Join Strong Women on Social Media:   https://www.facebook.com/StrongWomenCC  https://www.facebook.com/groups/strongwomencommunitycc/  https://www.instagram.com/strongwomencc/