The Proverbs 31 Ministries Podcast

Have you ever struggled with a love-hate relationship with your body?  As women, the world has a lot to say about our bodies. But there's a big difference between having a Kingdom perspective of ourselves rather than a worldly one. And we need to be able to recognize what the enemy says v. what God says. Author, speaker and coach Jess Connolly joins us on the podcast today and shares her personal journey to breaking free from the body shame. Friend, your value is not wrapped up in the world's definition of beauty, but in who you are in Christ. It's time to break free. Listen in!Related Resources:Make sure you grab a copy of Jess' book, Breaking Free from Body Shame and rename what the world has labeled as less-than.Want to go deeper? Get the Bible study that goes along with Breaking Free from Body Shame ,and become a change agent in partnering with God to bring revival to a generation of women.At Proverbs 31 Ministries, we offer professional and biblical training by industry experts for women who are called to write, speak and lead, through our She Speaks Conference and COMPEL Writers Training membership site. Click the links to learn more!Click here to download the transcript for this episode.

Does grace feel confusing sometimes?  Maybe it's a word you hear thrown around so often that it can lose its meaning. Or perhaps you struggle to understand what it means for you. Get ready to learn from our new friend Melissa Kruger, an author and the Director of Women's Initiatives for The Gospel Coalition. She will walk us through what grace is, and why it's the best news we could receive for whatever we are facing today. She also shows us how we can explain the goodness of grace to the kids in our lives.Related Resources:Make sure you get a copy of Melissa’s book, His Grace is Enough: How God Makes it Right When We’ve Got it Wrong to help you walk your kids through understanding grace.Connect with Melissa on Instagram at @melissabryankrugerJoin our “Proverbs 31 Mamas” Facebook group for a place to connect and find encouragement with other moms like you.If you are interested in learning more about a relationship with Jesus, click here.Click here to download the transcript for this episode.

Contentment can feel impossible to achieve, especially in a season of singleness.  But if we dig into what the Bible actually says about contentment, we may find a different definition than we thought. On this episode, our friend Kendra LaGrand joins us for a conversation about finding contentment in singleness. We will discuss the feelings and struggles of being single, confusing messages from the church about singleness, practical ways to find purpose in singleness and what the Bible says about being content in any season. Including a helpful list of things to say and not to say to your single friends, there is something in this episode for everyone, no matter what your relationship status is.Related Resources:If you haven't participated in one of our FREE Online Bible Studies, now is the time! Each study ranges from 4-6 weeks, with varying topics, but there are plenty of options to stay connected and feel like you’re part of a movement of women journeying through the same book or Bible Study together. Learn more at proverbs31.org/study. Our Mother's Day collection is here! Shop our intentional, curated collection for the woman you’re celebrating this year. Maybe this year the thing she needs most is a kind note and a book or a meaningful reminder to display around the house … we’ve got you covered! Check out our Mother’s Day collection at p31bookstore.comClick here to download the transcript for this episode.

What if the most crucial step we've been missing in preparing for a difficult conversation is first understanding how to best relate to the other person?  Our friend and leadership coach, Lisa Allen is back to help us understand the four conflict personality styles so we can be more self-aware and more understanding of the other person. Using Scripture as our guide, she will teach us why healthy conflict is important and how to do it better. Learn to meet the needs of the person you are talking to, without denying your own needs the next time you enter a tough conversation.Related Resources:Connect with Lisa Allen on her website at ljallencoaching.com. You can download her free resource, "Check Your Capacity" today! We created "A Guide to Tough Conversations" to give you some practical and biblical steps to having challenging conversations with the people you love. Click here to download for free today! At Proverbs 31 Ministries, we offer professional and biblical training by industry experts for women who are called to write, speak and lead, through our She Speaks Conference and COMPEL Writers Training membership site. Click the links to learn more!Click here to download the transcript for this episode.

Motherhood and loss are two things that should not go together.  Yet most of us either have experienced or know someone who has experienced infertility, a miscarriage, infant loss, or postpartum anxiety and depression.  Walking through loss can leave a mother, or hopeful mother-to-be, feeling like she's alone in her struggles. So over the next three weeks, we will be joined by Proverbs 31’s biblical content specialist — author Wendy Blight — and Rachael Elmore, who is a licensed, professional counselor, to address the realities no one talks about related to motherhood and loss. Our deepest desire is that, through the content in these three episodes, you leave encouraged and more rooted in what Scripture says about the specific trials you, or those you love, are walking through.Click here to download the transcript for this episode.Related Resources: -We know this topic is difficult to process in a short podcast episode. That's why we put together a free resource, "What Nobody Talks About: When the Journey of Motherhood Involves Disappointment, Suffering & Loss," to help you further unpack what you heard today. -If you have a friend who is in the middle of processing unmet expectations or other painful situations, we recommend Lysa TerKeurst's book It's Not Supposed to Be This Way. -Follow Wendy Blight @wblight and Rachael Elmore @rachaelhuntelmore on Instagram for more biblical encouragement and resources. -If you are looking for a licensed Christian counselor near you, visit aacc.net A note from Proverbs 31 Ministries: Some content in this episode is not appropriate for children and may serve as a trigger due to circumstances in your past. Please use discretion before listening.

Motherhood and loss are two things that should not go together.  Yet most of us either have experienced or know someone who has experienced infertility, a miscarriage, infant loss, or postpartum anxiety and depression.  Walking through loss can leave a mother, or hopeful mother-to-be, feeling like she's alone in her struggles. So over the next three weeks, we will be joined by Proverbs 31’s biblical content specialist — author Wendy Blight — and Rachael Elmore, who is a licensed, professional counselor, to address the realities no one talks about related to motherhood and loss. Our deepest desire is that, through the content in these three episodes, you leave encouraged and more rooted in what Scripture says about the specific trials you, or those you love, are walking through.Related Resources: -We know this topic is difficult to process in a short podcast episode. That's why we put together a free resource, "What Nobody Talks About: When the Journey of Motherhood Involves Disappointment, Suffering & Loss," to help you further unpack what you heard today. -If you have a friend who is in the middle of processing unmet expectations or other painful situations, we recommend Lysa TerKeurst's book It's Not Supposed to Be This Way. -Follow Wendy Blight @wblight and Rachael Elmore @rachaelhuntelmore on Instagram for more biblical encouragement and resources. -If you are looking for a licensed Christian counselor near you, visit aacc.netClick here to download the transcript for this episode. A note from Proverbs 31 Ministries: Some content in this episode is not appropriate for children and may serve as a trigger due to circumstances in your past. Please use discretion before listening.

Motherhood and loss are two things that should not go together.  Yet most of us either have experienced or know someone who has experienced infertility, a miscarriage, infant loss, or postpartum anxiety and depression.  Walking through loss can leave a mother, or hopeful mother-to-be, feeling like she's alone in her struggles. So over the next three weeks, we will be joined by Proverbs 31’s biblical content specialist — author Wendy Blight — and Rachael Elmore, who is a licensed, professional counselor, to address the realities no one talks about related to motherhood and loss. Our deepest desire is that, through the content in these three episodes, you leave encouraged and more rooted in what Scripture says about the specific trials you, or those you love, are walking through.Related Resources: -We know this topic is difficult to process in a short podcast episode. That's why we put together a free resource, "What Nobody Talks About: When the Journey of Motherhood Involves Disappointment, Suffering & Loss," to help you further unpack what you heard today. -If you have a friend who is in the middle of processing unmet expectations or other painful situations, we recommend Lysa TerKeurst's book It's Not Supposed to Be This Way. -Follow Wendy Blight @wblight and Rachael Elmore @rachaelhuntelmore on Instagram for more biblical encouragement and resources. -If you are looking for a licensed Christian counselor near you, visit aacc.net A note from Proverbs 31 Ministries: Some content in this episode is not appropriate for children and may serve as a trigger due to circumstances in your past. Please use discretion before listening.Click here to download the transcript for this episode.

Are there books of the Bible you hesitate to dive into?  Sometimes they can seem boring, heavy or just plain confusing. We understand, and that's why we invited, our friend and First 5 writer Kayla Ferris to the podcast! On this episode, Kayla walks us through 8 things you might be surprised to learn from the book of Leviticus. Through this book of laws, we get to see the goodness of the Lawgiver and why God's holiness is good news for us. Understand the cultural context of why some of these laws still apply to us, and why some do not. Tackle the hard and holy things God's Word offers us for a more abundant life today.Related Resources:Download our free First 5 mobile app and spend the first moments of your day with God before the hustle of your to-do list begins. We also have study guides to help you dig a little deeper into God's Word.Click here to download the transcript for this episode.

If your schedule feels full and your soul feels weary, our friend Shae Tate has a word for you today.  Using Psalm 103:1-5 as our guide, Shae shows us the power that comes from remembering the Truth of God's word so we can live that Truth and pass it along to those around us in need. Together we can leave this episode saying, "God has not forgotten me, so I will not forget His promises to me." Get out your journal, friends, because you'll want to keep your notes from this one. Related Resources: Has the Proverbs 31 Ministries Podcast helped you grow in your faith or gain fresh, biblical perspective? Tell us about it by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. When you review and rate the podcast, it helps us reach even more people with biblical Truth. Our staff loves the opportunity to pray for you. Head over to our Prayer Wall and let us know how we can be praying for you in this season. Check out our FREE resource library! We've got tons of topical and study resources you can download to use for whatever you're going through right now.Click here to download the transcript for this episode.

We've got some good news for you: It's not your job to make everyone happy!  Have you ever said "yes" when you knew you should have said "no"? Maybe you've gotten caught in the trap of people-pleasing. When we find ourselves feeling afraid to disappoint or upset the people we love, it's time to look at what's driving those fears. In this practical and honest episode, author and speaker Karen Ehman will show us what the Bible says about people-pleasing. Addressing different seasons and relationships, Karen will help us bust out of the prison of trying to make everyone happy and put our priorities in the right place.Related Resources:Get a copy of Karen’s book, When Making Others Happy Is Making You Miserable: How to Break the Pattern of People Pleasing and Confidently Live Your Life today!Connect with Karen on Instagram at @karenehman or on her website at karenehman.com Are you looking for a woman who knows how to teach the Bible? Someone dynamic — who can encourage, uplift and inspire audiences both big and small? Check our our Proverbs 31 Speaker Team to find the perfect speaker for your event!Click here to download the transcript for this episode.