podcast

July 25 2020

Wynter Pitts: She Is Yours

“Does not wisdom call out? Does not understanding raise her voice?” Proverbs 8:1

When I slow down and consider all of the people I’ve met since we began this ministry/company, there are a few special people whose voices ring with genuine wisdom and the incomparable truth found in God’s Word. They are the voices that I was looking for as a mama. Above the roar of culture, they are the voices our girls need to hear. They are powerful weapons in the fight for our girls. My dear friend Wynter Pitts had a voice like that, and she used it to empower parents to lead their daughters to Christ and encourage girls to live with the gospel at the center of everything.

When she suddenly passed away less than two weeks ago, the girl ministry community, as well as my own home and family, were rocked. But what began in sadness and confusion ended with incredible peace and a rallying by the body of Christ unlike any that I have ever seen.

On behalf of the team at Bible Belles, it is my honor to re-release the interview I did with Wynter a few months ago. It’s title, “She Is Yours,” carries with it special meaning for me today, as I think about every girl who was and will be affected by Wynter’s words and life, and as I think about my sweet friend who is now safe in the arms of Jesus, the One to whom she belongs. Lord, she is Yours. We celebrate her today, and we carry her legacy into tomorrow.

Transcript:

WYNTER PITTS

[Background music starts]

My name is Erin Weidemann and you are listening to Heroes For Her. This series features

candid conversations with real women who strive to balance their professional acumen with their

personal values. Join me as I interview positive female role models, who are working hard,

loving others and inspiring the next generation of girls to serve their unique purpose.

So, before we get to today’s episode with Wynter Pitts who is just amazing, I have a quick update on the Bible Belles front everybody. So today in the mail we got the cover for our new book Deborah: The Belle of Leadership. I am holding it in my hands right now and I wish this was a video because I just want to show it to you. It is stunningly beautiful in every way. I cannot wait to get these books into the hands of girls all over the place and for girls to experience the story of Deborah. She is awesome.

So, the other announcement that I wanted you to be aware of is that we also just finished the book trailer that gives you all the details about our partnership that’s coming up with World Vision around this book release.

So, to watch the book trailer, you can do that at biblebelles.com/deborah and it gives you all the details about the ‘buy one give one’, where the books are going to be donated, so we would love you to watch that video again, biblebelles.com/deborah and then email us, reach out and let us know what you think. You can do that at [email protected] or find us on Instagram or Facebook or wherever, that is where we hang out mostly.

Anyway guys, I’m so excited over the next couple of weeks to be able to share these updates on Deborah and World Vision and everything we have going on, but now please enjoy our newest podcast episode with the amazing Wynter Pitts.

Hi everybody and welcome to today’s episode of Heroes for Her. My guest today is Wynter Pitts. Wynter is the founder of For Girls Like You magazine and the author of several amazing resources that are very popular in the Weidemann household; For Girls Like You, You’re God’s Girl devotionals for tweens and her most recent book She Is Yours: Trusting God As You Raise the Girl He Gave You.

She is the proud wife of Jonathan and mom to four little girls and her mission is to empower and equip girls to walk boldly into becoming who God has created them to be and to provide parents with the resources and support they need to raise strong Christ followers.

Erin: Wynter, welcome to Heroes for Her.

Wynter: Thank you. So glad to be here.

Erin: So Wynter, just to get us started, will you give us just a little bit of insight into your childhood; mom, dad, family? What was life growing up? What was life like for you guys growing up?

Wynter: That’s so funny because that part, to say like a little intro, it’s kind of a heavy intro. So, I grew up in the inner city in Baltimore, Maryland. My mom raised my brother and I along with my grandmother and lots of support from our family, but there was no father in the picture.

My dad was addicted to drugs and was outside of our home ever since I was one year old. So, just kind of typical urban inner-city childhood of lots of poverty and crime and drugs, kind of all around us, but my mom was a believer and so our home was always faith filled and hopeful because of our relationship with Christ.

Erin: What did you notice specifically about the way your mom lived her life that you feel like really impacted your own experience with God and the faith that you now have?

Wynter: She, my mom, just given the circumstances, she had lots and lots and lots of reasons to just really act in different ways. I mean she could have reacted and you know just rebelled against God. She could have done lots, gone in lots of different directions.

However, she was consistent in her faith. It just drove everything that she did, her relationship with Christ, just her personal relationship drove everything she did and so even though she could have been hopeless she never seemed that way.

I mean we had a very full childhood and just, you know, fun home. She was totally selfless so I remember her not having lots of things but still always being willing to give like anything to anybody.

And as an eight-year-old, a nine-year-old, ten -year-old I grew so confused. I was like, “Why is she so kind?” like things did not, you know, didn’t seem like they should be great but she always just was willing to just be selfless in her actions so.

Erin: What are, so you know, growing up in that environment, how did you make your way up and out of that situation and where did you see God moving in your early adulthood?

Wynter: It’s just my mom’s faith that actually speaks a lot to this because we didn’t have any money. I was always kind of known as the smart one in school and just in the family like they always just used to tease me because I was, you know, I was really into reading and was just kind of a bookworm I guess.

So my elementary fifth grade teacher, I took some standardized tests and my teacher just said like “Hey you know I think Wynter should get tested for one of these elite or private schools.” And my mother like, just was like “Okay”, knowing we couldn’t afford it.

We didn’t have a car to get me there but she took me to get testing at this school and it just ended up just completely changing the trajectory of my life with just my standards and expectations on what I could accomplish or what life could look like outside of our inner city.

So, my mom just took me for that, I got into the school with a scholarship through and yeah. So that was kind of what changed things and how God opened doors in that direction. Now, it wasn’t until now that I can look back and say like “Wow God, like you really created that path all along the way!”

At the time, it just, I lived kind of two different lives even in my Christian life, my home was like a Christian-like faith-walk but then I would go to school and took a bus two hours away and I kind of put all things faith on the back burner.

And so it wasn’t until I got to college, probably actually even a little bit after college and really just Jonathan and I we got married, that serious personal relationship with Christ and growth started to take place in my own heart and life as I begin to, you know, raise a family and have kids and in life and I remembered all the things about my childhood and God was just faithful to guide me back to Him into a personal relationship.

Erin: I totally hear so much of my own journey in what you just said because, I mean, like having walked away from my faith but having those pillars to hold on to from childhood, like things like going to church and just hymns and different things you would talk about when you were younger, like I completely walked away from and then made my way back in my early twenties. Then Brent entered the picture so I sort of like, here’s some parallels there [Crosstalk07:00]

Wynter Yes

Erin: What was your relationship with Jonathan like in that early season? Were you both believers? Was it an immediate connection that you two had?

Wynter: Yeah, it’s funny because I wouldn’t even, saying it now, like at the time I wouldn’t even say that I walked away. I still, you know went out , I found a church on campus so I was kind of going but I wasn’t living like, you know, like a believer or really trying to seek growth or anything.

So it was funny when Jonathan and I met, we actually met at a party and both of us we didn’t know at the time but now we’re like both of us knew better. He grew up in a Christian home and not because it was a party but just the lifestyle that we were living.

But we, you know, he grew up in a Christian home, faith filled and got to college and kind of did the same thing and just, you know, wasn’t growing and just kind of walked away and doing his own thing.

And so when we both met it was an instant connection because he would say things about his family or his home or a church or whatever and I would be like “Oh my gosh, that sounds just like my life, that sounds just like my life or my mom.” Or, “My mom used to say that Bible verse.” Or, you know, “My mother never let me do that either.”

So it was just all these common factors that we had that even though, you know, we found each other in different and very distant relationship from Christ, those foundational things were still there and it actually just brought us together because it was like “Wait. This is actually what I was supposed to be looking for.” So [laughs]

Erin: I love how God brings those people to you at exactly the right time too.

Wynter: Yeah. [laughs]

Erin: So good. How long after you guys got together, you know, you’ve been married and you’re working on your relationship, did the kids come?

Wynter: Oh, that’s so funny. We got together, so we were dating for eight months and then we got engaged and then we were engaged for our entire senior year of college and then two weeks after graduation we got married.

About eight weeks after our honeymoon I was pregnant and so we started having kids right away and then that kind of, I was pregnant and then within like five years we had all four girls.

So, things just moved really, really quick which our plan was to wait five years to even start having children but we, like, waited, you know. I don’t know, three weeks maybe [laughs crosstalk]

Erin: Five seconds, yeah [laughts]. I love how God does that. I mean, and obviously you’ve got four girls. What do your days look like in a house and I’m wondering too from Jonathan’s perspective, like being in a house with all these girls all the time, how does that look?

Wynter: [Laughs] Just close your eyes and times yours, like times three time three or four actually, because we’ve twins in there so it’s just, it is great in a lot of ways. I mean girls are just precious and they’re fun and just different. I’ve enjoyed all the seasons, like my oldest is thirteen now, so they are thirteen, eleven and then our twins are eight.

And so each like stage and season, there are things that I just love about just their, the purity in them and their desire to just kind of seek and learn and have fun with whatever, but at the same time that level of fun is just the most chaotic and emotionally tense times like ever.

So, this week John and I always laugh because we’re like the same level of, like, that they like, have fun with, they fight with, so it’s just intense moments all the time.

And then it’s just funny for me because I am naturally kind of an introvert and I love my quiet time and I love just kind of my space and just moments to just sit and drink coffee and stare at nothing and none of my girls are like that.

And so, they are always on. I mean they wake up just like ready to tackle life, like the day and I’m just like, “Where’s my quiet time?”[laughter] I can hardly ever get that. Now it’s getting a little easier because they’re older, but when they were younger it was just non-stop action, laughter and tears like on both ends so.

I don’t know, Jonathan, he probably, he just spends his days just kind of seeing what, where everybody else lands emotionally [laughter] and filtering his comments through that.[ laughter]

Erin: So, like all that energy and the laughter and the fighting and every, like the whirlwind of parenting four girls inside one home, you know; different ages, lots of different things going on, you got the element of twins, like, when did you feel inspired to found a magazine? Was that writing and that…I mean you talk about quiet time and just, you know, kind of separating yourself from all of that and having quiet moments to talk with the Lord and hear from Him. Was the magazine and the start of it super intentional or did it just kind of happen?

Wynter: No. There was absolutely no intention with that, it was just…I have always loved to write and just given my background and how like I felt like God sent me to this certain school to get this great education and, you know, because I thought that He was going to do something, I thought I was gonna have some big career or do something really great and I can go into my my great was defined completely different at the time.

And so when God told me to come home, Alena was about six years, no, she was about four years old when I came home. I just had our second daughter. And I feel like God was telling me to quit my job and to come home full-time and that made no sense to me because I was like “Well, when am I gonna do my great thing, Lord? “ How am I going to do that, like home, you know, raising kids and so.

But I was obedient and I came home and I was pretty, you know, just going through the day, going through the motions of being a stay-at-home mom but constantly on the side just trying to rush through that season to get to whatever the great thing is that God was going to do in my life. And kind of hit a wall and just was like, okay, like nothing outside of raising my kids was happening, like no business that I tried to start was going great, nothing, you know, there was nothing else happening, but I felt like I was supposed to be home.

And so it’s just like a moment of surrender I was like, “Okay, Lord, if this is where you have me then I guess this is it. I’ll just be a mom, that’s just what I’ll do.”

And I say that now, at the time I was not…it was like, really, I felt like I’ll just be a mom, like, “Great, thank you Lord.” You know, like there was no “I’m gonna be a mom and raise these girls.” But it’s funny because as I was doing that, when I really just surrendered my heart to like “okay these are my girls and I’m just gonna go in and start, you know, doing that.” I was involved in all these mommy things and just anytime I couldn’t find what I was looking for I would just research more and do more.

And so the magazine came because I was looking for a resource for Alina was about six and she just was super intelligent and could read like the Bible. But you know fun resources like that, at that reading level are not always appropriate for six or seven year olds.

And so I just thought like okay, I had all these mommy friends because I was in mommy world and so I was like I’m just gonna create something a little resource for her and some of her friends and we’ll do like a little book club with it.

And slowly like God just started moving my heart and Jonathan’s heart to say like as I was doing that it was like “Oh wait, this is turning to be something different and something else.” And he literally just took it.

Now I didn’t know what I was doing, I’ve never done, you know, magazine work or graphic design work or any of that and so God just kind of took my little “I’m gonna do this little book club” and has grown it into like a resource ministry. It’s wild.

Erin: So cool. I wonder what some of the main challenges you faced were. So you have this idea, you’re going to create this for your daughter and it’s going to… like in your head I totally am with you because even when I started Bible Belles it was like “Oh this will just be like a fun little side project I’ll work on” and you know kind of in my free time.

And when you actually decided okay you’re going to create this thing and you made the first one and you’re formatting it and you’re putting it together, like what were some of the challenges you faced?

Wynter: One of the very practical challenges was we had no money and so even the design software, I had to keep downloading a trial version on different computers. So like I remember Jonathan’s sister was in town because I had used my computer and reached the trial end or whatever. And I had used Jonathan’s computer and reached the trial end and his sister was in town for like two weeks.

And so, I remember just like “Can I use your computer like down to finish up this thing I’m working on?” And so that was just a funny like, we didn’t even have, didn’t even own the software to be able to do the first one. And so then the next you know just trying to figure out like okay how are we going to print it? You know, what are we going to do there?

And Kickstarter campaigns was like brand new when I was starting this and Jonathan for his job had done some research on it for a project he was going to work on and he didn’t end up using it.

And so he was like “Well we can’t afford to print it but maybe we could do like a Kickstarter campaign.” So, like we did that and so as we even moved into that it just felt like okay God’s doing something like so I was expecting it to just be big; like He’s opening all these doors, He’s got us to where we can print now, like the design is done, like God’s going to do something big.

And it just was a very small, slow growth process and so that’s been, that was like the biggest just challenge and just feeling defeat like, “Okay, Lord I thought you wanted to do this.” But somehow it still was just, even though it was bigger than me and just my four girls, it wasn’t in my mind like big and I wanted it to be big and I wanted it to be big quick.

And so just learning to trust God and His timing through the process of all that which is still continuing, you never actually outgrow that. I don’t think so.

Erin: Totally. So after that first Kickstarter campaign, you know, you make the first one, it doesn’t go exactly how you hoped but you press on and you keep going. Like how have you watched, I mean over the last several years, the magazine grow and change and expand into you know what it started as to what it’s now?

Wynter: Oh my gosh, I mean it’s just been, it’s one of those, you always know it’s a God’s story when you’re kind of like “Well then, that happened and then I don’t remember because something else happened.” Like God just literally just has opened door after door from the people that we interview you know just, it’s just been social media.

I’ll just in a tweet and just say like “Hey, this is so random you don’t know me and you have like a million followers. Would you mind letting me interview you for this magazine I’m doing?”

Erin: Ttotally.

Wynter: And they reply and say “Yes.” And I’m like, “Seriously? You will?”

So just continue to do like even just those things and then just from doing the magazine and the consistency and the work with that like the relationships that God has opened up through that and then just you know that led into publishing world with the devotionals and the books.

But it was because of just this small thing that I didn’t see as being like that God was really gonna use that opening the relationship doors and conversations from just other things that He had claimed and just one thing after the other. It’s literally been sitting at a table when somebody says something. I’m like “Oh I can” you know, and that turns into the next thing. So it’s just been awesome and just watch…it literally has been unplanned on my part but completely purposeful on what God has wanted to do, so.

Erin: That’s so cool because it was born out of something that you needed as a mom. You’re going okay “I see this need. I feel like I can create something that’s gonna provide value to my girls.” And then so the magazine comes and the devotionals come and some of the books come and resources come after that and then this most recent book I really want to talk about because literally it sits on my nightstand and I refer to it so often.

Brent has already read it twice and I think we love it so much. And guys, for the book, if you’re not familiar with this new title, it’s called She Is Yours: Trusting God As You Raise the Girl He Gave You. I think what we love so much about this book, a lot of different things, but the offering and the perspective from both you as the wife and mom and Jonathan as the husband and father, like it’s really helpful to hear just your dual hearts, your opinions, your thoughts about how to approach parenting and not just parenting in general but specifically parenting girls, you know, toward understanding who they are in Christ, what a relationship with Jesus even looks like.

I think there’s so much value in this book so I wanted to ask you like you know when the girls were born did you right away say, “Okay our focus for these girls and their lives is going to be finding God’s dreams and purposes for them”? Or did you, like did you have to kind of talk yourself out of your own dreams for them? Was that sort of truth, you know, guiding them toward God’s dreams for their lives, was that a truth for you guys from the beginning or did you learn it sort of along the way as you parented?

Wynter: I think it’s a little of both because I’ll say that our hearts from the beginning, I mean, I remember being pregnant with Alena and that was my prayer; like “Lord let her have a heart for you.” Like, you know, “whatever you, have your will in her life.” Like all these things that you say and then I really wanted and believed.

But then as they got older and I had to watch that happen, and sometimes in the smallest ways, because if we’re raising Christ’s focus girls and that sometimes means that they aren’t the most popular little girl or they aren’t, you know, other kids aren’t kind.

So even just watching that really happen that’s when it really became like, okay I can’t just say these words but I have to literally like pray for God to help me surrender so that his, so that those words can actually become true in my heart and in their lives. So, I think it’s a little just of both, kind of in my heart it was always a prayer but with our actions it’s been an ongoing learning process.

Erin: It’s so cool. I think and what’s awesome about that is you guys have so many stories to share like obviously every little girl is different and her experiences and what she’s going to go through and her personality and her attitudes and her approaches to life, they’re all unique and so interesting and so different here you’ve got…

Wynter: I think we’ve got one of each in our house, so [laughter]

Erin: No, totally, right. No, it’s like there’s obviously not one formula. That’s why I like this book so much because you’ve got so many different experiences to share as they relate to girls with different personalities and attitudes.

So are there, as far as like, you know, your approach to parenting obviously doesn’t look the same for each of your girls but how do you, knowing their personalities and attitudes and the unique people God’s created them to be, like how do you approach parenting with regard to having these four totally different people in your house?

Wynter: It’s funny because I think it’s, you know, this is not like the old wise parenting like this is the what you do, because for us it really has been trial and error and a lot of apology. We, it just is, and a lot of surrendering to Go. So it’s just kind of trial and error and “I’m so sorry that I did not do that.” Like, “I didn’t do that. Mommy didn’t handle that right and daddy didn’t handle that right.”

And so we, that’s kind of just been our motto, is we’re doing the best we can and we’re praying, we’re asking God to guide us and to lead us and sometimes we hit the mark and it’s like “Yes, God, I heard you there! I really did that the right way.”

And then other times I try to do it and our response and I’m like “She didn’t… that wasn’t exactly how I should’ve handled that with her.” And I’m like, “Lord, you forgive me? Give me new direction give me new guidance.” And you know, “Katie I’m sorry. Can you forgive me? Help me, like you know this is actually what we need to be doing.”

So, just being very humble in our approach and just knowing that we’re all on this journey, our kids are on this journey growing in Christ and as parents like I’m on this journey growing in Christ too and so the same grace that Christ offers me like in my parenting, I offer, we just try to offer that to the girls and we try to teach them to offer that back to us.

Erin: So good. I know you have a lot going on. Moving into 2018 what are you most excited about doing this year? Is it speaking? Is it, are you working on some new resources? What does the next year look like for you?

Wynter: It’s funny. We’ve had a really busy couple of years. I mean it’s, I can say this because I know that it’s only been God like within, last year I released four books. And over the last two years I think we’ve like it’s a total of like nine books or something crazy in like a two and a half year period.

So honestly, this year I’m looking forward to some speaking engagements, I’m looking forward to I have had a couple of smaller like just For Girls Like You like a planner that I’m working on and then just some fun resources but mostly I’m excited to kind of just return to my motherhood to motherhood.

Like I’ve got one daughter that I have brought home and I’m homeschooling her now and I’m excited to not have a lot of deadlines or things and to just kind of go back. Like I felt like God did that season and it’s been great and I know He’s still doing things in that and I’m looking forward to doing some traveling and all that kind of stuff.

But really, I’m like, “Okay, Lord, I want to bake cookies with my girls.” I’m looking forward to doing that and kind of, it’s been a while since I’ve just been able to completely focus on that.

Erin: So awesome. I just love giving you a chance to share your heart and letting people know more about you and that’s the whole point of this podcast, right, it’s just to shine a spotlight on people who are out there serving the Lord. We don’t have it all figured out, you know, we’re very humble in our approach and I just, I love getting to highlight you and giving people a little insight into who you are and you know the work that you’re doing not only to just create things and put them out into the world but just, you know, being at home, being with your kids and pouring into the lives of our girls in such a positive way, so thank you for being here.

Wynter: Well thank you and I appreciate you and all the work that you’re doing as well, so I’m just grateful for a chance to be able to connect.

Erin: Thanks, so much Wynter. So, at the end of each episode we do something called “The scoop”. It is three rapid-fire questions. Are you ready?

Wynter: Oh no. [Laughs]

Erin: I know. The cap is on, lady. Alright first question; obviously this podcast is called Heroes for Her, we love heroes. When you were a little girl who was your hero?

Wynter: My, well, when I was a little girl; sorry, okay, because I was going to say my mom but at the time she was not. It was probably my, oh this is hard. Probably I had an aunt that I loved that was kind of, she was a teenager when I was born so she was kind of like a sister but I just watched her. She was kind of the first, just…she has three girls and I watched her just do her thing. She was a cosmetologist and she had her own, you know, hair studio and all this and she was cute and had fun hair, you know, so as a little girl I just remember like she was kind of my, I like looked up to her completely and I still love her to death so that was probably who I loved.

Erin: My next question, what is a piece of advice you’ve received that has impacted your life in a powerful way?

Wynter: Ah…these are hard, Erin! Okay. I have like three. I’ll choose the one that we, that I tried to live by. When my twins were born somebody said to me like, “You’re gonna have to let go of the perfect in order to enjoy the reality.” And I feel like that has just driven me [distortion in audio 25:29] like what I wanted to be. Not that I’m not gonna still try to make things happen, do whatever, but kind of letting go of the completely, like striving for this perfect little world in my imagination, imaginary world, in order to be able to enjoy the actual, the reality that’s right in front of me.

Erin: Last question, if you could have a secret superpower what would it be?

Wynter: [Laughs] It’s going to sound terrible and I don’t mean it really but I kind of do; to be invisible! [Laughs]

Erin: Just to sneak around?

Wynter: No, so that I could, so that I could actually be alone. [Laughs]

Erin: I was gonna say so when you have four girls going “Mom”, “Mom”, “Mom”, “Mom” [laughter] you could just like, you know, be unseen for a second.

Wynter: Yeah. I could just push a button and just disappear for a minute. Sometimes it only takes a minute of being away to be able to come back and be like “Okay”.

Erin: You don’t have to find the bathroom; you could just hide where you are. [laughter]

Wynter, where is the best place for people to connect with you online, find out more about For Girls Like You and everything you have going on?

Wynter: Everything social media handle and website is forgirlslikeyou.com.

Erin: Awesome. Thanks, Wynter.

Wynter: Alright. Thank you.

Thank you for listening to this week’s episode. If you enjoyed our conversation please be sure to

rate and review us on iTunes. If you have any questions, thoughts about the episode or ideas

about how we can come together and support our girls, we would absolutely love to hear from

you. You can email us at [email protected].

July 24 2020

Christine Caine: Embrace The Unexpected

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“Be unoffendable. In the words of Taylor Swift, shake it off.”

Today’s guest is Christine Caine. Christine is someone I admire and respect so much in the arenas of leadership, influence and encouraging women. She is an Australian-born, Greek-blooded lover of Jesus, activist, author and international speaker. Her primary passion is to make Jesus’ last command her first priority by giving her all to see the lost saved and to build the local church – globally. She has a passion for justice, and together with her husband, Nick, founded the anti-human trafficking organization, The A21 Campaign. In 2015, they founded Propel Women, an organization designed to honor the calling of every woman, empower her to lead, equip her for success, and develop a sense of God-given purpose. She’s known around the world as a passionate communicator of God’s word and his love.

Much of the work Christine does through A21 and Propel Women revolves around empowering women. In today’s episode, you’ll find out why she is so committed to those causes and how much it means to her that A21 just received the Mother Teresa Memorial Award for Social Justice “for providing the three essentials – food, water and clothing to refugees and for raising awareness against human trafficking.”

Christine and I have thyroid cancer in common. I was diagnosed first in 2007 and I know from experience how shocking, scary, and unexpected that kind of news can be. Christine’s diagnosis came in 2014 and she explains what it was like for her and what God showed her during that season. Her newest book, Unexpected, addresses fear of all kinds and how it can get in the way of us fulfilling our God-given destinies.

TRANSCRIPT

My name is Erin Weidemann and you are listening to Heroes For Her. This series features candid conversations with real women who strive to balance their professional acumen with their personal values. Join me as I interview positive female role models who are working hard, loving others and inspiring the next generation of girls to serve their unique purpose.

Hi everybody, and welcome to today’s episode of Heroes For Her. My guest today is someone I admire and respect so much in the arenas of leadership, influence and encouraging women. She’s an Australian born, Greek blooded lover of Jesus, an activist, author and international speaker.

Her primary passion, I love this, is to make Jesus last command her first priority and by giving her all to see the lost saved and to build the local church globally. She has a passion for justice and, together with her husband Nick, founded the anti human trafficking organization, The A21 Campaign, which recently received the Mother Teresa Memorial Award for social justice.

In 2015 they founded Propel Women, an organization designed to honor the calling of every woman, empower her to lead, equip her for success and develop a sense of her God-given purpose. She is known around the world as a passionate communicator of God’s Word and His love.

It is my extreme pleasure to welcome Christine Caine to Heroes For Her.

Erin: Christine, thanks so much for being here.

Christine: Erin, it’s my honor, I’m so pumped to be on this.

Erin: Oh, well we’re excited to have you. So I feel like we are about to go on a rollercoaster ride, because there are a few fun topics I want to discuss and a couple serious ones. So does that sound good?

Christine: Sure.

Erin: Okay awesome.

Christine: A hundred percent, yes.

Erin: I love that we get to celebrate this with you, the incredible work that The A21 Campaign is doing and you recently receiving, early or late last year, the Mother Teresa Memorial Award for Social Justice. This is so powerful, just simply stepping out and providing the three essentials: food, water and clothing to refugees and for raising important awareness against human trafficking.

Can you tell everybody about the work that’s being done through A21 and what it means to you to receive this award.

Christine: Sure. Well it was a great honor, I’ve got to tell you that much. It was kind of surreal being in Mumbai and having Gandhi’s great-grandson give us this award.

I’m kind of thinking “I’m watching a movie!” And it was bizarre. But a lot of why we got that award was we provided water containers for refugees because eighty-five percent of all the Syrian refugees that were crossing into Europe were coming one hour away from our headquarters in Greece, so it was on our doorstep.

What we did in the refugee camps is help to identify potential victims of trafficking, because those that are the most vulnerable to being trafficked are the ones nobody’s looking for. And nobody’s looking for refugees because they don’t know that they’re missing.

So the fact was that we helped one hundred Yazidi girls who had watched their fathers be murdered in front of their eyes and many of them had been raped themselves.

We helped identify those that were being trafficked into Europe and then we rebuilt a village for them in northern Iraq with housing and whatever parts of their families were left. So, it was quite huge.

But you know, our whole work with A21, we have fifteen officers in thirteen countries around the world, and you know, just last week we finally prosecuted a big case in Thailand with a very very high public official and police officers. One of them we put away for you know a hundred and twenty seven years, one for two hundred and twenty years, and one for three hundred years because they were trafficking four to twelve year olds in a whole northern region of Thailand, which is almost incomprehensible.

And you know, we’re seeing people rescued every day. We’ve got offices on every continent because the fastest-growing crime worldwide is the trafficking of human beings for sex and for labor; so it’s horrific.

Erin: I think, you know, and I’ve watched you give many talks over the last several years about why your heart stirred for this issue, but I think what you’ve at least brought to my attention and what I want to hone in on for listeners here is that we all think that Emancipation ended slavery and slavery is alive and well in this day and age.

So, I mean, your heart stirred for this, why did you feel emboldened to get involved in such a large-scale way? I mean, a lot of the times we’re looking at our day-to-day going, okay how do I get involved? Like what small-scale business can I do to make a dent in this problem?

But here you are, you know, you start this campaign and it’s really grown and expanded, it’s been interesting to see what God’s done. So I’m wondering, how did you go from, okay, my spirit is stirred for this issue, to I’m going to step out and do something in a big way, in a way that’s actually going to create the change that we’re looking for?

Christine: Absolutely. Well let me just say when I started I wasn’t thinking big, I was just thinking what’s the next thing I can do? It’s like all of us, you know, God lays something on your heart. And at first I was overwhelmed like most of us would be. And my big questions were, “But God, what could I ever do?” You know, I don’t even know where to begin with this.

I mean, this is Russian and Albanian mafia, they kill people, you know. This

requires money that I don’t have, resources that I don’t have, people that I don’t have, knowledge that I don’t have…

I mean, I when I started I felt like Moses in the back of the desert when the Lord said, I want to use you to set my people free. And Moses is like, “But God….”

And I felt it wasn’t like a Bible story for me anymore, but God, are you serious? I just had given birth to my second daughter, I’m like you know I’m forty years old.

So. like everybody, you get stirred and then I thought, well I can’t do everything. And mostly, especially us women, we don’t do anything because we think we can’t do everything, rather than doing one thing that is actually going to activate something.

And so I knew the one thing I could do was I had a mouth, God was using me already to speak at conferences around the world. I in no way could have imagined what we’re doing today, but I knew that I could talk about this.

And I thought, well if I’ve seen this and I’m a mother and I have two daughters and this has broken my heart, then I know that this will break a lot of people’s hearts . I probably really did think in the beginning, I would like be a spokesperson and I was looking for an organization that I could be a spokesperson for. Because I thought, well, I speak and I write books so I can.

And so, as I began to look for organizations, I couldn’t find one that kind of had a lot of the values that were very important to me; which is, I am a local church girl, it had to be local church, I wasn’t really thinking of being Wonder Woman or Rambo, I was just thinking there’s a lot of moms out there that are pretty much overwhelmed with just making life work in their normal life. How can I help plug that normal person into doing just the next right thing without feeling like I’ve got to pack up everything, sell my children and move to Africa and help. You know, how are we going to make this normal?

So because I really couldn’t find that, out of necessity, I started what I couldn’t find and then God breathed on it and I’m like look, I’m just like the rest of you to be honest.

When I was standing on that stage in Mumbai, I like, I’m not joking, I thought I was in a movie. I’m like, “This is not real.” Like, when God said I’m able to do exceedingly abundantly above and beyond anything you could ever ask, hope or think, I’m thinking, “I’m living that! This is real.”

But what A21 really is, to be honest, most of my partners, we have thousands of partners that contribute thirty dollars a month, and they’re the ones that are the rescues I’m talking about. Every day we see someone rescued, traffickers being put in jail. It’s those normal everyday people that are just trying to navigate life that go, “You know what? I’m gonna sacrifice three cups of coffee a week and that’s gonna make a difference for somebody.” That’s actually who the heroes of A21 are. It’s those people that go, “I can’t do everything but I can do one thing and I’m gonna do one thing”.

And I think if we could mobilize more women to believe that their one small thing is actually going to make a difference; the little boy’s lunch, a little lunch, five loaves two fishes. He could have held that back, that little boy, because he could have thought, “That’s not gonna feed fifteen thousand people.”

But he gave the little and I have found it’s not just a nice cute sermon, it’s actually truth; after ten years, it’s those little bits that have contributed to this big thing where we go, “Oh, my word! A21, fifteen offices, thirteen countries! Hero of human trafficking Awards, UN Awards” you know.

And I go yeah, but at the end of the day it’s just everyday people making a little bit of a difference that together makes a very very big difference.

Erin: That’s so good and to watch what God has done to grow and multiply it through just these little simple acts and consistency and having people step in and get involved.

Much of the work that you’re doing, not just with A21, but with Propel Women, it revolves around activating and empowering women specifically. Why do you feel like God has you in that, viewing the world through that lens and helping women understand their part, their role in tackling some of the world’s issues. Why do you feel like God has you doing that, like as an overarching goal and purpose for your own life?

Christine: Yeah. Well I think first and foremost I am one, that’s like, I am a woman so of course I’m going to view my life out of the lens of being a woman. And I think throughout history, you know Jesus has always used women; in Luke 8 verse 3 when the Bible says that women travelled with Jesus and funded his ministry out of their own means.

Jesus’ first word when he was resurrected he said, “Woman” and then, “Why are you weeping?” You know. “Woman.” That was his first word. And I think the scripture, Old Testament and New, has always dignified women, has always valued women.

Society hasn’t and I think right now we can see in our world there is just a real rising up where women have felt like you know, they’re being used and being abused. I certainly come from a background you know, I was left in a hospital unnamed and unwanted when I was born, I experienced sexual abuse for twelve years.

So, I was very broken and Jesus redeemed me, Jesus healed me. And so not only did Jesus rescue me, but redemption is that He now uses me to rescue others.

And I think that something we have to realize as women of God is it is so important we understand who we are in Christ, because as we step up and into the purpose that God has for us, there are other people on the other side of our obedience, there are other people waiting to be set free.

So, if I didn’t get free, there’s one thing about being angry and venting on social media and being so angry about what happened to me; there’s another thing about being healed and Jesus heals us, He does. He understands our frustrations, He understands our wounds, He understands our hurt, but He loves us too much to leave us in that pit of anger and despair.

He lifts us out of that pit, heals our life and then gives us a life beyond our past. And I feel that God has given me a voice in this hour, through the work of A21 and through the work of Propel, because I’m not speaking up out of anger and resentment and bitterness and unforgiveness, but hopefully out of wholeness and healing and to say the same Jesus that set me free he could set you free and He could give you a life beyond your past.

And freedom, of course, was important to Jesus; the Bible says it’s for freedom in Galatians 5:1, it’s for freedom that Christ set us free. So, freedom is very important, it’s not just a by-product. You know, the scripture says in John 8 if you abide in my word then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.

So it’s not enough just to know the truth, you’ve got to be set free by it. And I think we have a world that is in a lot of pain, a lot of turmoil. Women have been misrepresented, women as we’re seeing in every sector of society, have been hurt and marginalized and abused and there is nothing like the gospel of Jesus Christ that brings freedom to people.

And in a time on the earth where there’s a lot of anger, where there’s a lot of confusion about gender identity, Jesus, God did not create us genderless, He created us in His image, male and female Genesis 1:27 says.

So I think it’s important for us to have the conversation, what is it to be a woman? And what is it to be a free woman? And what is it to be a woman that empowers and loves other women?

There’s a lot of anger out there, there’s a lot of women going, “Well I want my

rights and I want my corner office.” And you know that’s not really going to get us very far, we need the freedom that is ours in Christ, one that is birthed in love and grace and mercy. And I don’t think anybody in history has dignified women like Jesus Christ has and so I think it’s an important message that we have for our generation.

Erin: Well, I love the way that you’re not afraid to just draw the lines and to reference the lines that are clearly drawn in God’s Word.

I want to switch gears though and talk about fear, because you know, we talk about freedom and the freedom in Jesus and that we are redeemed and we’ve been rescued, so we’re called to rescue.

But there’s this real, this very real element of fear standing in the way of women to step into their calling, to access the freedom that Jesus provides and then to go bless others with it.

So I want to talk about the new book, it’s called Unexpected and why you believe people and women specifically, experience so much fear regarding the things that we don’t expect and surprising scary situations that come up.

Like, why is fear running rampant in those situations for women, do you think?

Christine: Yeah, well I think, first and foremost, fear is running rampant, it’s always been a plot of the enemy and I think that’s why in second Timothy, Paul reminds us God has not given us a spirit of fear.

Because you know, whatever your Christian tradition is there is a spirit behind fear. I mean, that’s why the scripture says God hasn’t given us a spirit of fear and the way you counteract that is with love power and a sound mind.

But fear cripples us and fear paralyzes us and I think what the enemy is after always is our faith, because without faith it’s impossible to please God and without faith you can’t activate the promises of God, faith is the currency of heaven.

So the enemy has always been after our faith and that’s why, you know, scripture says that we’ve got to fight the good fight of faith. So, the fear makes you not operate in faith because you just shut down, fear makes you pull back, fear makes you go, “I’m not good enough.” Fear actually tells you, “I’m not enough, I cannot do this, I’m not smart enough, I’m not talented enough. What if?”

And that’s the big thing of fear. What if I do this? And of course, when I started A21, what about my children? What about my marriage? What about our finances? What about? What about? What if? What if? What if?

And so I think at some point you’ve got to make a decision where you make what you do know about God bigger than what you do not know about the future. So, I think a lot of us feel…we’ve got this false sense that we are controlling the future anyway. So we just think, man, if I step out here you know what’s gonna happen?

Like you were a full time teacher and then you stepped out to serve God in this way, well then you begin to think, “Oh my gosh! Okay, what if? What about our mortgage?” What about this? What about that? What about? All your what-ifs.

And so then at some point you’re going to have to make what you do know about God more important than what you don’t know about the future. And that’s for everyone. It’s not that I came with a special dose of courage, we all are the same people and I’ve got to decide that all the time, every time.

You know, two weeks ago we opened a new A21 office in Spain. Well, you know it takes as much faith for me to open a new office now, office number fifteen, as it did office number one.

Because people go, well you know Christine it’s okay for you. I’m like, “The stakes are a lot higher now, the income is a lot higher now, the way I have to trust God is a lot higher now.” So every new office requires as much faith as the first office. And so I think you never ever stop having to fight fear.

But you know I’ve learned that if I wait until I stop feeling fear to do what God’s called me to do I will never move. Because I’ve always got these, for lack of a better phrase, you know these butterflies in my stomach going “Oh Lord, I really hope this works.”

You know, there’s always that feeling before you jump where you go, “Man, I thought it would be easier to jump out of an airplane with a parachute on.” But it never is, it’s just kind of like, “I hope the parachute’s gonna go up.” You know there is just as much chance this time that the parachutes are not going to work as the first time.

And so I think at some point you’re going to go, “Well I’m gonna just jump and pull the cord and I’m praying to God that that parachute actually works.” And I’ve just learned to jump feeling the fear anyway nowadays.

Erin: So I mean, you and I share many things in common, but one of them is thyroid cancer which I found out pretty recently. So I was diagnosed in 2007, know battled it for a few years, and you were diagnosed just a few years ago too.

I know from experience how shocking and scary and unexpected news can come and hit you and just, I mean, pour over you in a way that does feel hopeless.

And for me I wasn’t walking with the Lord, I’m wondering if you could, to encourage people right now, what was it like for you to receive that news? And what did God reveal to you, what did He show you about Himself in that season of life where you yourself experienced something that was unexpected. It was scary, you know it was the fear of change, the fear of the unknown, it was affecting, the tool that you use to amplify the Lord’s message. What was God teaching you about Him in that season of trial?

Christine: Yeah, I think it’s major you know. In Chapter one I talk about this in Unexpected because, what do you do when you get those words, “Chris, you have cancer”? I mean nobody’s waiting to hear that; you know exactly what that feels like.

I think the Lord did this in that moment and I instantly knew that my fight was not against cancer, it was against fear because fear would have made me just kind of melt. I’d have a meltdown, you know, and so I wouldn’t be able to stand on the promises of God or even have the faith to go through the treatment and the surgery with a sense of faith. Because I still had two daughters, I still do you know, I still have a husband, we’re still running a ministry, it’s not that life stops. It’s not like you get a cancer diagnosis and everything else stops…

Erin: No, everything continues on, yes.

Christine: Everything continues and you know, I’ve got two hundred staff around the world, I’m running all of that. You go, okay well you know I just got this devastating news but it didn’t stop everything else.

So you need faith to just keep going through every day and so if you’re in fear, you meltdown and you actually stop operating in faith. So, really what I had to do was it really brought me to the foot of the cross yet again. I mean we’re all very aware; I live every day as if it’s my last anyway. So, really, again you begin to think okay I know theologically, cognitively that life is but a vapour, that I could be here today gone tomorrow and I know that actually you know every day could be our last day, none of us know. And the scripture says you don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow you know, you have got no idea.

But it is still, it is still like wow, sobering when someone actually says, “Well, you have cancer.” But it caused me to really really again get into the Word in a whole new way, you know. I had this Bible app that had you know a hundred-and-something faith scriptures about healing, so I would find myself three times a day almost like breakfast, lunch, and dinner that I would just spend you know, a certain amount of time where I would out loud, declare those scriptures and just speak that over myself, just to keep my head from spiralling down a negative track.

Because I found that if I could say scripture out loud and confess the promises of God, I wouldn’t spend that time worrying about what’s going to happen to my daughters, what’s going to happen to, you know, because if you don’t take every thought captive…

Erin: Oh, I know.

Christine: Every second, you will spiral…I think the battle, more than the physical battle of cancer in my body, it’s the mind games in your head, that’s where you’ve got to win the battle.

Erin: So true. I wanted to ask you , you know, you and Nick are doing ministry, he’s pastoring a church, you’re traveling all the time, you’re sharing this message, you’re also raising two girls and not necessarily in that order of priority.

So, we have a lot of parents listening, how do you see this message of understanding what fear is and what you can do to counteract it for God’s glory, how does that translate to your approach when you’re parenting Catherine and Sophia?

Christine: Yeah, I think it’s major because there’s so much fear in the world today. I think there’s so much instability, so much chaos, world events I mean you know there’s just, there’s so much terror, there’s so much crime, there’s so much violence.

Being a parent is very challenging in the twenty first century mostly because of the internet and social media. I mean I am sure there was a lot of crime and violence and terror and natural disasters when I was growing up, but you didn’t know about it every second because there was no internet.

So, I was living in Australia, it would take a while before I knew what was happening in Northern Europe or North America, whereas nowadays you know there is a shooting in a school, within two seconds I know that it’s happening instantly on my phone.

So I think for parents, I see it as I travel and speak, I have never seen so much fear because they’re like, “What kind of world am I bringing my kids up in? What does it mean?”

And I think now more than ever it is so important, that’s why I think the message of Unexpected, you know, when I launched it yesterday, I said I think I didn’t even realize what a “now word” this would be for this generation of parents, because there is so much fear-based parenting because of what we’re seeing in the news all the time.

You send your kids off to school and your heart misses a beat because you’re just like “Okay God, please, are they going to be okay today?”

Erin: Are they coming back?

Christine: Yeah, literally. I mean you were not thinking that when I was going to school, you know. So there is a reality I think with just the redefinition of so many things, of marriage and morality in the world today. You send your kids off and you’re like, “God let them be strong in their identity in who they are in You.” Because you know they’re going to confront twenty different identities in one day with their friends at school, with the way people parent.

So, it is a different world, no matter what anyone says, you know. People go well every generation says it was different in my generation. But the fact is it is different, it is like categorically different.

So, I think we have to learn, you know the Lord said to Joshua when he was going into the Promised Land. He said only be strong and very courageous. I think we need to speak a message of strength and courage because if we crumble in fear as parents, we are not going to steward our children right.

And that’s why I think I used so many of these stories in my book to go okay, we are not denying reality because sticking your head in the sand like an ostrich is not going to help anyone; getting legalistic is not going to help anybody; sort of running for the hills and stockpiling your food and water supplies and hiding your kids for the next twenty years, that is not going to help anyone.

So does scripture speak to today? Yes. Has God anointed us to be parents today? Yes. If God chooses the times and seasons He sets us in, well He knew we would be parents in 2018, in America right now He knew how cry cray everything would be…

Erin: He chose us for this opportunity, right? Like, we were we were chosen on purpose to do this now, yeah.

Christine: That’s what I’m thinking, let’s stop and go, “Well, He didn’t make a mistake.”

Erin: No.

Christine: “He picked me so there must be a way I can do it with strength, with courage, without fear, with confidence” and that’s why I wrote Unexpected, I’m going, I’m speaking straight to that. And I want to speak the faith and strength and courage to you.

I’m kind of glad that I am in a season where I have a sixteen year old and a twelve year old, so people can’t say, “Well Chris it’s okay for you, your kids have grown up.” Or , “You don’t have kids.” I’m going, “No, no, I’m in it with you. My kids are at school right now. I’m living this and I’m still saying that you can do this with faith and not fear, I really am.”

And so I think that the only hope, to be honest, the only hope for this generation is Jesus in His word. It is so cray-cray that you just go whoa, it is spiralling out of control.

But here is my deal, and I think this is the message of Unexpected in a very very bottom simplistic way. Just because the world and your friends and everyone around you is going cray-cray, you don’t have to. And there is a way only those things that can be shaken will be shaken so that those things that cannot be shaken shall remain. Jesus is our rock. What can you expect when the unexpected happens, whether it’s a medical diagnosis, whether it’s something going crazy economically or politically or socially or morally or environmentally?

Psalm 119, in the midst of unexpected Jesus said, “When trials come”, He didn’t say “If”, He said, “When”, so we will have trials, we will have tribulation.

So you know the fact is that Jesus didn’t say “If trials come”, He said, when, when trials and tribulation come. So therefore, He knew the trials that we would be confronting and He said, “My grace is sufficient for you in it.” And I think a lot of us want to be delivered from it, but Jesus says, “No no, I’m going to take you through it.”

And I think you have experienced that, I have experienced that, whether it is a sickness, whether it is challenges with our children, societal challenges, I think we have got to look for fresh manna every day in the midst of the challenge and that is where we are going to find Jesus; His grace is sufficient. Jesus says “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

And I think out of all of the most challenging trying situations in my life, the greatest gift is I have found God right there in the midst of it and without it I don’t think I would have known that. And so it strengthened my faith; it’s very powerful.

Erin: It’s so cool too because He is never, like, it’s a comfort to me because He is never surprised by anything that happens. Like, I can be surprised, I can be discouraged, I can, you know, hit a situation and go, “Oh my gosh that wasn’t what I expected, I’m scared I don’t know what to do.”

But God, like God sees all, He knows all, it’s all been preordained so we can rest in that life. What kind of encouragement do you think that is for people who are so shocked and scared and just like have this swirling of negativity around some of the things that do come that are unexpected, what hope do they have that God is literally never surprised.

Christine: Yeah and I think that’s the bottom line, it’s not that Jesus fell off the throne when you know, Wall Street crashed or when something happened politically or when a natural disaster. It’s not like He’s there in heaven going, “I had no idea that was going to happen.” But sometimes we act like that’s it.

And that’s what I think I said that in the book, many times unexpected to us is not unexpected to God, it’s just like, He is sovereign and He is good, what it does reveal to us though is what we think about God and I think that’s the big thing is that you go “Wow.”

Okay, if I believe that God is good, then I have to believe that even though this thing that’s happening to me is not good, God will work this thing out for my good, there is something He is trying to teach me through it, there is some way He wants me to grow, there is something He wants to make me aware of.

So it’s not that God…because I think the first thing we think when something unexpected happens we think God has forsaken and abandoned us and we think that, you know, “do you see me, God? Do you know, do you even care?” And He is going, “Yeah, I’m trying to get you to see me in the midst of this. You’re going to discover me in a way you never knew me, you’re going to discover my grace, you’re going to discover my strength, you’re going to discover intimacy with me.”

Because I think nothing throws us at the feet of Jesus like a challenge we were not expecting. I would say that’s a huge thing and out of that, you would never go. But it’s like me like you know, I would never want to be diagnosed with cancer again, but I don’t want to go back to the person I was before I was diagnosed.

Because I went on an intimacy journey with Jesus and many of the bad things that have happened to me in my life I don’t want them to happen again, but I don’t want to go back to the person I was before it happened because it drew me closer to Jesus. And you know, I think no matter what there is no easy way through sometimes, you just got to go through. But when you have discovered Jesus in the midst of that valley you go, “Oh, I would never not want to go through that valley, because I’ve become a different person.

Erin: So good, I have loved just getting a chance to connect with you and hear about your heart and just share the themes of this book, it is going to bless so many people.

We have got to wrap up though and I could literally talk to you forever. But we do, so we end each episode by asking three rapid-fire questions, I call the scoop. Are you ready?

Christine: I am ready for the scoop.

Erin: Okay. So obviously, Heroes For Her, we love real heroes for girls on this podcast, but when you were a little girl who was your hero?

Christine: So many. Okay, I did always love Wonder Woman, but in reality I loved Mother Teresa. That’s why getting the award blew me away because I have always honored and loved that woman.

Erin: Good. Second question, what is a piece of advice you’ve received that has impacted your own life in a powerful way?

Christine: Yep. Be unoffendable is the world, like don’t hold on to offence, let it go. So in the words of Taylor Swift, learn to shake it off.

Erin: I know that song. [She sings “Shake it off, shake it off.”]

Christine: That’s it [chuckles]

bThird question, if you could have a secret superpower what would it be?

Christine: Oh. Gosh, I love that…oh, yes to be able to shut my eyes and wake and just instantly be transported to the Italian Riviera of Santorini, on a whim.

Erin: Oh, that sounds amazing. I thought you were going to say like, I want to close my eyes and just wake up and feel like I got ten hours of sleep.

Christine: Oh no, I want to be sitting on a Greek island, that’s what I want to do.

Erin: That sounds good. I went to Santorini, oh my gosh was that was like thirteen years ago or so.

Christine: Did you like it?

Erin: I went to Mykonos and Santorini and I did a whole trip through Greece and it was awesome.

Christine: Yeah, it’s my favorite place in the world.

Erin: Thank you so much for being here, Christine and I just want to give everybody a chance, as we wrap up, where is the best place for people to connect with you online, find out more about the book and everything you have going on to champion the cause of women?

Christine: I think anyway you could go to christinecaine.com, @ChristineCaine on all social media, it won’t be hard to find me.

Erin: Sounds good. Christine, thank you so much again for being here, God bless you.

Christine: Thanks, Erin. Bless you.

July 23 2020

Michayla White: We Go Forward

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“Keep it simple. Focus on God and focus on loving others.”

Today’s guest is Michayla White. As the Executive Director for International Network of Children’s Ministry, Michayla oversees and provides guidance for initiatives that inspire and equip the kidmin community. For the past eleven years, she has had the privilege of working in children’s and family ministry. Prior to joining INCM, she served at a non-profit children’s ministry organization in various capacities like media production, digital strategy, conferences, partnerships, and ministry program design. Michayla has a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology with specializations in Christian Counseling and Life Coaching from Liberty University. Michayla is married to her best friend and childhood sweetheart Stephen. They are having a blast raising two little boys.

Michayla’s passion for children’s ministry started in middle school. Growing up, she was always involved in pretty much every aspect of her church’s kidmin efforts. Those experiences, and serving alongside her parents, ignited a burning passion in her heart to continue serving those who serve children and families. Her leadership and heart for women in ministry inspires me, and I believe her voice will be an important one as we move into the future and watch more women lead and lead well.

July 22 2020

Melanie Mudge: Translating Culture

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“For every one look we take at ourselves and the culture, we have to take ten looks at Christ.”

-Elizabeth Elliott, Keep a Quiet Heart

Today’s guest is Melanie Mudge. Melanie is originally from Albuquerque, NM, and she currently lives in Rapid City, South Dakota with her husband Josh and their two dogs, Diesel and Denali. Great names. As I prepped for this interview, I learned that Melanie loves cooking Paleo (bless her and anyone else with the ability to cook – I cannot relate), she’s on Pinterest and has so many craft goals, and that she hopes to someday beat her mom at tennis.

After graduating from the University of New Mexico, she made her way to Manitou Springs, CO to be on summer staff with Summit Ministries, and it was through that experience that she got connected with Axis – which is an incredible organization that works to resource parents and faith leaders to disciple and create legacies of lasting faith for kids. She’s the editor of The Culture Translator weekly email, and the writer and editor of Parent Guides.

Find out about all this and more during today’s episode.

July 21 2020

Rebecca Farris: Well Planned

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“It may be that the souls of all children are waiting for the call of knowledge to awaken them to delightful living.” – Charlotte Mason

My guest for today’s episode is Rebecca Farris. As C.E.O. of Home Educating Family Association, Rebecca inspires and supports thousands of homeschool moms each year through her speaking, talk show, daily planners, magazines, and online resources. Each year Rebecca uses her platform as the Well Planned Gal to share her inspirational story of grace. Challenging women to discover the unique journey God has for them, Rebecca mentors women in their work, marriage, parenting adventures, and life. Her personal journey and day-to-day activities can be found in the pages of Family Magazine, on wellplannedgal.com, and through social media.

Today, Rebecca explains why she describes her childhood as unusual, and how she wasn’t exactly a fan of homeschooling when she was the student. She breaks down why she had a change of heart about home education and how the Lord showed her how to balance keeping her home in order, maintaining multiple businesses, and homeschooling her children all at the same time. Her passion is to encourage homeschool families and create resources that make life organized, creative, and fun.

July 20 2020

Glynnis Whitwer: She Speaks

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“Just because a publisher is saying no doesn’t mean that God is saying no.”

My guest for today’s episode is Glynnis Whitwer. Glynnis is on staff with Proverbs 31 Ministries as Executive Director of Communications. She currently oversees and writes for the Proverbs 31 devotions, Encouragement for Today, with over 1 million daily readers. She also oversees content for the First 5 app with 2 million downloads, manages the content for She Speaks Writer and Speakers Conference and oversees COMPEL Writing Training.

Over the years, God has had Glynnis in a variety of roles: career woman, stay-at-home mom, work-at-home mom. She’s led ministry inside and outside her home. Consistently over the last 15 years, writing has been an important part of her life. Recently though, she realized that God was calling her into a new season with P31.

During today’s episode, Glynnis breaks down how she knew that God wanted her to switch gears and what she’s enjoyed most about working with P31. She also shares all the details for the 2018 She Speaks Conference and the brand-new intensive program called She Speaks Studio.

To register: http://shespeaksconference.com/

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July 19 2020

Crystal Stine: Holy Hustle

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“The work is good, and the rest is holy. Be still.”

Yes! Today’s guest is Heroes For Her alumna, Crystal Stine. We had Crystal on the show back in March 2016 and I love that we got to catch up today because so much has happened since our original interview.

Crystal makes her living as a writer. She’s the author of “Creative Basics: 30 Days to Awesome Social Media Art,” creator of the popular “Clarity Coaching” Course, editor of “Craving Connection” and host of the annual Write 31 Days challenge. Most recently, she is encouraging women everywhere to pursue holy hustle – a work hard, rest well lifestyle that chases faith instead of fame.

She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband Matt and their six-year-old daughter, Madi.

Some generations pride themselves on their strong work ethic. Other generations chase happiness. The “world” promotes 24/7 hustle as a necessity to success, while Christians avoid the word and prefer rest. Crystal’s been working to unpack what “hustle” truly means and why it shouldn’t be feared, using Scripture, personal stories, and reader reflections.

I’m so excited for you to hear today’s episode.

July 18 2020

Shaunti Feldhahn: Finding Rest

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“We can find rest for our ‘inner souls’—a place of true, Christ-centered peace and joy. It really is possible.”  

Today’s guest is Shaunti Feldhahn. Shaunti is a popular speaker, best-selling author, and groundbreaking social researcher. Her findings have been featured in media as diverse as Focus on the Family, FamilyLife Today, the New York Times and Cosmo. With a master’s degree from Harvard University, Shaunti has worked on Wall Street and Capitol Hill. Now she applies her analytical skills to helping people and relationships thrive. She and her husband, Jeff, live in Atlanta with their two children.

Shaunti’s journey with the Lord has inspired her research over many years. Recently, she’s been studying both what the Bible says and what science says about finding true rest as it relates to the stress and worry we face as women.

We know that being “busy” has become a status symbol in American life, but the fact is that for women there’s no avoiding it. How can we manage to rest well amidst all of our roles and responsibilities?

Shaunti teamed up with iDisciple to create Find Rest: A Women’s Devotional For Lasting Peace In a Busy Life, one of the most important and stunningly beautiful devotionals I’ve ever read. It’s a cross between a devotional, journal, bible study and a simple resource that covers the topic of rest.

The devotional contains eight essential elements for rest.

Build only on Rock
Live according to your design
Set aside superwoman
Connect with God
Shift your perspective
Create life-giving relationships
Walk in obedience
Have no fear

I loved my conversation with Shaunti today and I know you will too.

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July 17 2020

Bob Lepine: Like Arrows

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“Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth.”

–Psalm 127:4

Today’s guest is Bob Lepine. Bob is Senior Vice President of FamilyLife, as well as co-host of FamilyLife Today®, their nationally syndicated radio program. He is a veteran of Christian radio, working for local radio stations in Tulsa, Phoenix, Sacramento, and San Antonio before joining FamilyLife in 1992.

He is the author of The Christian Husband and the on-air voice for “Truth for Life” with Alistair Begg (@alistair_begg_truthforlife ). Bob also serves on the Board of Directors for National Religious Broadcasters (@nrbassociation ). He and his wife, Mary Ann, live in Little Rock, Arkansas. They have five children and a growing number of grandkids.

Bob’s work has taken him all over the world for many years, and he does more traveling now that his kids are grown. As a parent and grandparent, it has meant the world to him to be a part of FamilyLife teams and projects over the years that are helping to strengthen families across the globe.

In May 2018, FamilyLife is launching its first full-length feature movie, Like Arrows. It started as a parenting resource, and in today’s episode Bob shares what it was like taking it all the way to the big screen. The movie’s title, Like Arrows, is drawn from a passage in Scripture, Psalm 127:3-5.

Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them!

Parenting is a blessing, and it’s also a great responsibility. We are called to raise the children God has given us and launch them with aim into the world.

Brent and I were blessed to be able to watch Like Arrows a few weeks ago and it affected both of us in several ways. What an incredible power we have as parents to shape the next generation!

The two-day release of Like Arrows is May 1 and 3 and you can head to http://familylifeministries.org/likearrows/ to view the trailer, find a theatre near you, and purchase tickets.

Do not miss this movie. It’s a powerful and relatable story that I know will inspire and help families with the parenting challenges they are facing at home.

July 16 2020

Tammy Hotsenpiller: Your Own Story

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“Smart people put smarter people around them.”

My guest for today’s episode is Tammy Hotsenpiller. Tammy is an author, speaker, life coach and leader of a national women’s movement. She is the president of Total Life Coach – a coaching company that emphasizes life balance, purpose and reinvention. Tammy is also the founder and executive director of Women of Influence—an organization that seeks to educate and empower women in their spheres of influence – very near and dear to our hearts. Her passion is for equipping others to embrace their natural abilities, personal passions, and spiritual gifts.

The highlights from today’s episode are the stories! God has a story for all of us. We can look back through our lives and see where he has been at work, but we also need to look ahead and see what story he is writing about the days to come. Tammy shares some unbelievable stories about her own journey of faith – how God got a hold of her heart when she was young and she felt his tugging on a mission trip to Haiti. She shares how prayer has been a powerful component to strengthen her relationship with the Lord and how finding time to be with God has impacted her life in powerful ways.

As women, when we embrace our stories, we find freedom, purpose and our ability to influence future generations.