Did you know that the classic A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens has many themes that go well with Advent? Join us as we talk to returning podcast guest Jessica Hooten Wilson about this famous Christmas story and what it teaches us about time, waiting, and remembering Christ’s birth. You won’t want to miss the wonderful conversation.      Today, Christians face mounting pressure to conform to harmful secular ideologies about race, sexuality, human identity, and more. In response, the Colson Center seeks to equip believers with a Christian worldview on all these things, so they can know, live, and speak the truth in love. As we reach the end of the year, would you consider donating to support the ongoing work of the Colson Center? You can make your donation at colsoncenter.org/swyearend. This Summer, give your teens an unshakeable faith that will last a lifetime. Summit Ministries' Student Conferences give students reasons to trust the biblical foundation you have laid for them. Students will wrestle through the hard questions as they build an unshakeable faith. Register for a two-week session in Colorado or Georgia. Use  code STRONGWOMEN24 for an exclusive discount.  Learn more at summit.org/strongwomen.  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 journal: 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/           

Best of Strong Women With Jessica Hooten Wilson

In our culture, if a woman is said to have strength it usually means she is competing with a man or acting like a man.

What if there is strength in the way God made us, as women?
There is and we recognize it when we see it.

We are excited to introduce you to women who display true strength, not in spite of being women but because of it.

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Our post-Christian culture often promotes justice at the expense of mercy. God takes injustice seriously, and His forgiveness is the only thing in the universe that can deal with the full weight of injustice while also securing our redemption. According to theologian and apologist Amy Orr-Ewing, Christians have a precious opportunity in this cultural moment to show our neighbors how God meets their need for both justice and mercy through the cross. Amy joins us this week for an encouraging and hope-filled conversation  Where is God in All the Suffering? by Amy Orr-Ewing    Lead Like the Real You by Amy Orr-Ewing (coming August 2024)    Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis    Dominion: How the Christian Revolution Remade the World by Tom Holland    Be Thou My Vision: A Liturgy for Daily Worship prayer book by Jonathan Gibson    Registration is now open for the Great Lakes Symposium on Christian Worldview, which is on Thursday, July 25th at 7 p.m. Eastern Time. John Stonestreet is going to be joined by Alisa Childers and Ryan Bomberger of the Radiance Foundation. The topic for the evening is going to be truth and its counterfeit, discerning the lies that take people captive. This event is free and you can attend in person in Bay Harbor, Michigan, or online via a live stream. Register today at GreatLakesSymposium.org. Time is running out to apply for the Colson Fellows program. Applications close on June 30th. Do you want to understand this cultural moment so that you can live faithfully in it? Join a dedicated group of Christians who share that same desire. Colson Fellows dive into thought provoking books, webinars, devotionals and monthly cohort meetings to learn the biblical story of creation, fall, redemption, and restoration. They come to understand this cultural moment in light of the big story. As a result, they find unshakable hope and take action. Participating in God's work of restoration, wherever he calls them. Discover timeless wisdom for this time and place in the Colson Fellows program. Submit your application before June 30th at ColsonFellows.org/apply. 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 journal: 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/    https://linktr.ee/strongwomencc 

S4 42: Injustice, Cancel Culture, and Gospel Hope With Amy Orr-Ewing

You and I are not machines. We are trees. That’s just one of the beautiful observations in Joy Clarkson’s latest book, You Are a Tree: And Other Metaphors to Nourish Life, Thought, and Prayer. Joy joins us this week for a delightful conversation about metaphors and how they deepen our understanding of the human experience, including love, sadness, creativity, and even our own humanity.     Plough Quarterly    You Are a Tree: And Other Metaphors to Nourish Life, Thought, and Prayer by Joy Clarkson    Heavenly Participation: The Weaving of a Sacramental Tapestry by Hans Boersma     The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck    Shakespeare poem, Sonnet 116    Hannah Coulter by Wendell Berry    A Series of Unfortunate Events series by Lemony Snicket    Daniel Deronda by George Eliot    The Marriage Question: George Eliot's Double Life by Clare Carlisle    Caravaggio: A Life Sacred and Profane by Andrew Graham-Dixon     Secrets of God: Writings of Hildegard of Bingen translated by Sabina Flanagan          We’re able to produce Strong Women and make it available for free thanks to the support of listeners like you. You make it possible for more women and girls to step out of shallow definitions of womanhood and into strong womanhood in Christ. We’re approaching the end of our fiscal year at the Colson Center, which is a critical time for raising support for the upcoming year of ministry. To support the production of the Strong Women podcast in the coming year, would you consider making a gift to the Colson Center by June 30? You can make your gift today at colsoncenter.org/swclarity.    Do you or people you care about need help answering tough questions about sexuality, gender, and identity? Cut through the confusion with the Identity Project. This digital platform features over 150 videos from vetted experts addressing topics like same-sex attraction, parenting, pornography, transgender ideology, sexual health, marriage, and a theology of the body. Experts include apologist Sean McDowell, child safety advocate Maria Keffler, psychologist Andrew Sodergren, and former transgender-identifying author and speaker Laura Perry Smalts. Get a free, 24-hour trial to explore the entire library of videos at identityproject.tv.      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 journal: 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/    https://linktr.ee/strongwomencc 

S4 41: You Are Not a Machine With Joy Clarkson

Laura Perry Smalts spent nine years rejecting God and chasing a different "gender identity." Despite Laura’s social, hormonal, and surgical attempts to become a man, the promises of gender ideology proved to be lies. In the face of her anger and hatred of God and the Church, God miraculously broke through Laura’s heart with loving conviction and compassion. Tune in to hear her incredible journey and learn how to persevere in Christlike love toward loved ones embracing gender ideology.     Eden's Redemption    Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis    God, Sex and Marriage by Juli Slattery    Love Thy Body by Nancy Pearcey    God's Smuggler by Brother Andrew    The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom    As Christians, we’re called to love God with all our minds, and be transformed by the renewal of our minds. Without a mind that’s shaped by God’s Word, we’ll struggle to champion the truth, beauty, and goodness of God’s Kingdom in this time and place. To address this problem, Michael Craven, Vice President of Equipping and Mobilization at the Colson Center has written a brand-new, free e-book called The Christian Mind: Its Necessity to Christian Relevance and Renewal. It’s a primer on developing a thoroughly Christian mind for the sake of the Kingdom. If you want a more robust faith that actually shapes how you live in the world today, or if you’re wondering why cultivating a Christian mind really matters, you should read this book. You can grab your free copy by going to colsoncenter.org/book.        The Strong Women podcast exists to display the beautifully diverse ways God invites and equips women to participate in His story, encouraging us to step out of shallow definitions of womanhood and into the freedom of strong womanhood in Christ. Strong Women is a listener-funded program from the Colson Center that is only available for free because it has already been paid for by hundreds of listeners like you. To support the ongoing production of Strong Women, visit colsoncenter.org/give today.        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 journal: 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/    https://linktr.ee/strongwomencc 

S4 40: From Transgender to Transformed With Laura Perry Smalts

Sometimes we forget how radical and powerful God’s grace is. This week’s guest, Toni McFadden, has not forgotten. Toni travels the country to speak about abortion, promote healthy sexuality and relationships, and advocate for the unborn. After Toni had an abortion in high school, God transformed her life through radical salvation, healing, and a new calling. Her life testifies to how Jesus forgives our sin and redeems our stories.     Toni’s Website     Redeemed: My Journey After Abortion by Toni McFadden or at https://tonimcfadden.com/    Campus Crusade for Christ (Now Cru)    Forgiven and Set Free: A Bible Study for Women Seeking Healing after Abortion by Linda Cochrane     The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis     Live Action    March for Life    Pro Love Ministries and Love Line    On the Threshold of Hope: Opening the Door to Healing for Survivors of Sexual Abuse by Diane Mandt Langberg     “Remembering Pro-Life Trailblazer Mildred Jefferson,” Feb 4,  2020 Commentary from The Heritage Foundation          Strong Women listeners, the Colson Center is accepting applications for the Colson Fellows program Class of ‘25, until June 30th. This flagship program takes participants on a ten-month journey into the study of the Christian life and worldview. Why? Because Christians need to understand the entire biblical story so we can properly order our lives and the world around us in a way that rightly relates to us God, self, others, and creation. You can expect to deepen your relationship with Christ, gain clarity in your calling, develop practical skills and wisdom, and join a powerful network of commissioned Colson Fellows around the globe. Ultimately, you’ll be equipped to make an impact for God’s Kingdom right where he has placed you. To learn more and apply before the June 30th deadline, go to www.colsonfellows.org. Please note, tuition increases $50 for all applications submitted after June 5, so submit your applications soon!         The Strong Women podcast exists to display the beautifully diverse ways God invites and equips women to participate in His story, encouraging us to step out of shallow definitions of womanhood and into the freedom of strong womanhood in Christ. Strong Women is a listener-funded program from the Colson Center that is only available for free because it has already been paid for by hundreds of listeners like you. To support the ongoing production of Strong Women, visit colsoncenter.org/give today.       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 journal: 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/    https://linktr.ee/strongwomencc 

S4 39: Radical Redemption After Abortion With Toni McFadden

Living with unmet longings often feels like suffering. Rachel Miller knows, from experience, that our longings confront us with an opportunity to struggle toward God and community, rather than away from them. Her latest book is When It Hurts to Hope: Honest Conversations about Living with Unmet Longing. She joins us this week to talk about wrestling with longings and desires, and correcting the bad theology that worsens our suffering.     Rachel’s Website    When It Hurts to Hope, Honest Conversations About Living with Unmet Longing by Rachel Miller    The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan    The Midnight Library by Matt Haig    Emma by Jane Austen         As Christians, we’re called to love God with all our minds, and be transformed by the renewal of our minds. Without a mind that’s shaped by God’s Word, we’ll struggle to champion the truth, beauty, and goodness of God’s Kingdom in this time and place. To address this problem, Michael Craven, Vice President of Equipping and Mobilization at the Colson Center has written a brand-new, free e-book called The Christian Mind: Its Necessity to Christian Relevance and Renewal. It’s a primer on developing a thoroughly Christian mind for the sake of the Kingdom. If you want a more robust faith that actually shapes how you live in the world today, or if you’re wondering why cultivating a Christian mind really matters, you should read this book. You can grab your free copy by going to colsoncenter.org/book.      Strong Women listeners, the Colson Center is accepting applications for the Colson Fellows program Class of ‘25, until June 30th. This flagship program takes participants on a ten-month journey into the study of the Christian life and worldview. Why? Because Christians need to understand the entire biblical story so we can properly order our lives and the world around us in a way that rightly relates to us God, self, others, and creation. You can expect to deepen your relationship with Christ, gain clarity in your calling, develop practical skills and wisdom, and join a powerful network of commissioned Colson Fellows around the globe. Ultimately, you’ll be equipped to make an impact for God’s Kingdom right where he has placed you. To learn more and apply before the June 30th deadline, go to www.colsonfellows.org. Please note, tuition increases $50 for all applications submitted after June 5, so submit your applications soon!       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 journal: 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/    https://linktr.ee/strongwomencc      

Best of Strong Women With Jessica Hooten Wilson

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