God Hears Her Podcast

Guest Bio: 

As an experienced communicator, Michele Cushatt speaks internationally to a wide variety of audiences and has published four books, “Relentless,” “I Am,” “Undone,”  and “A Faith That Will Not Fail.” A three-time head and neck cancer survivor and parent of "children from hard places," Michele is a (reluctant) expert on trauma, pain, and the deep human need for authentic connection and enduring faith. She and her husband, Troy, share a blended family of six children, including biological children, stepchildren, and foster-adopt children. They live on eight acres outside of Denver, Colorado.

Show Summary: 

Do you have any New Year’s resolutions this year? We’re in 2024 and a lot of us love to start the new year strong with new workout routines, diets, or personal goals. What kind of spiritual practices do you want to lean into this year? Michele Cushatt is a cancer survivor who has learned deeply about God’s mercy and hope through her pain. Join Elisa Morgan and Eryn Adkins as they learn spiritual practices to strengthen the foundation of your faith during this conversation on God Hears Her.

Notes and Quotes: 

• “What does faith look like not in theory but in reality?” —Michele Cushatt

• “God was faithful even though I didn’t understand what was happening.” —Michele Cushatt

• “Spiritual practices are not about doing more, it’s about being present to what’s already been done for you.” —Michele Cushatt

• “Human beings are always trying to earn grace.” —Michele Cushatt

• “At some point in time, everything in my life can be lost… except God Himself.” —Michele Cushatt

• “Contentment is never external.” —Michele Cushatt

• “The things that we think disqualify us end up to be the very things that God uses to touch mankind.” —Michele Cushatt

• “There are still days I cry about what I’ve lost, and I don’t feel guilty about it. Because I believe God mourns my suffering even more than I do.” —Michele Cushatt

Verses: 

• Romans 5:3–5

• John 19:30

• Romans 8:38–39

• 1 Thessalonians 4:13–14

• John 14:18

• Revelation 21:5

• Philippians 1:23

Links: 

• Michele’s books: https://michelecushatt.com/books/ 

• God Hears Her website: https://www.godhearsher.org/

• God Hears Her email sign-up: https://www.godhearsher.org/sign-upsfmc 

• Subscribe on iTunes! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/god-hears-her-podcast/id1511046507?utm_source=applemusic&utm_medium=godhearsher&utm_campaign=podcast

• Elisa’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elisamorganauthor/

• Eryn’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eryneddy/

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Guest Bio: Retired pastoral associate and former adjunct faculty at Seattle University, Kathleen MacInnis Kichline continues to offer retreats and online presentations and has recently authored her latest book, “Why These Women?: Four Stories You Need to Read Before You Read the Story of Jesus.”  

Show Summary: When we think of Christmas we don’t often focus on the genealogy of Jesus. As we celebrate the incredible birth story of our Savior, what if we also took a look at the people of faith who came before? During this conversation on God Hears Her, join Elisa Morgan and Eryn Adkins as they talk with Kathlenn Macinnic Kichline about four incredible women of faith in the genealogy of Jesus. Kathleen takes you through a journey that will leave you even more excited about the birth of Jesus. Get out your Bibles and some hot cocoa for this conversation on God Hears Her. 

Notes and Quotes: 

• “How do you prepare your heart for Christmas?” —Elisa Morgan 

• “Matthew’s account is the shadow account of the Christmas story.” —Kathleen MacInnis Kichline

• “The genealogy of Jesus shows that God was preparing for this.” —Kathleen MacInnis Kichline

Verses: 

• Ruth 1:16

• Story of Ruth 

• Genealogy of Jesus

• Story of Tamar 

• The story of Hagar 

• The story of Bathsheba 

• Mary and Joseph

Links: 

• Why These Women?: Four Stories You Need to Read Before You Read the Story of Jesus: https://www.amazon.com/Why-These-Women-Stories-Before/dp/B09R2WRK8W 

• God Hears Her website: https://www.godhearsher.org/ 

• God Hears Her email sign-up: https://www.godhearsher.org/sign-upsfmc 

• Subscribe on iTunes! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/god-hears-her-podcast/id1511046507?utm_source=applemusic&utm_medium=godhearsher&utm_campaign=podcast

• Elisa’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elisamorganauthor/

• Eryn’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eryneddy/

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Join Elisa Morgan and Eryn Adkins for all new episodes of God Hears Her starting December 18, 2023.  You’ll laugh, cry, relate . . . but most of all feel understood and uplifted as you tune in to these witty and wise women and their stellar line up of guests.  Don’t miss a single episode starting December 18th!

Links: 

• God Hears Her website: https://www.godhearsher.org/
• God Hears Her newsletter sign-up: https://www.godhearsher.org/signup
• Subscribe on iTunes! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/god-hears-her-podcast/id1511046507?utm_source=applemusic&utm_medium=godhearsher&utm_campaign=podcast
• Elisa’s Instagram: elisa morgan author
• Eryn’s Instagram: eryneddy

Guest Bio: Amy Nordhues is a survivor of both childhood sexual abuse and sexual abuse as an adult at the hands of a mental health professional. She is a passionate believer in Jesus and expert on the healing God provides. She has a BA in psychology with minors in sociology and criminology. In 2021, Amy published her story of abuse as an adult in the award-winning memoir Prayed Upon: Breaking Free from Therapist Abuse. Now a full-time advocate for victims of therapist/clergy abuse, she has a well-loved blog, speaks at conferences, and has more than 35 radio and podcast interviews on the subject. A married mother of three, she enjoys spending time with family, writing, reading, photography, and all things comedy.

Show Summary: We want to warn you that this episode includes the topics of suicide, sexual assault, and abuse. As an adult, we often think we’re incapable of falling into abusive situations or sexual grooming. However, roughly 50,000 people are working toward healing after finding themselves a victim to abusers within the church, doctor offices, therapy offices, jobs, and other places or situations where we often think we’re safe.  Amy Nordhues is a survivor and an advocate for other survivors who have been through clergy and therapist abuse. Join Amy as she tells her story to hosts Elisa Morgan and Eryn Adkins during this conversation on God Hears Her.

Notes and Quotes: 

• “I refer to these traumas like an earthquake; there’s the initial quake and there are these smaller, mini quakes that happen for years.” –Amy Nordhues

• “An ethical therapist will never burden the clients. They will be a blank slate for you when you walk in, and then you leave [your appointment] knowing that they can take care of themselves.” –Amy Nordhues

• “Suddenly I found myself thinking, ‘God doesn’t make abusers’, and, ‘God doesn’t make evil’ . . . so what if God restored my abuser to the person that He made, would I be okay with that person going to heaven?” –Amy Nordhues

• “Forgiveness is not that you like your abuser now or that you’re okay with what happened, but I feel like it’s telling God that this burden is too heavy for me and I need you to take it.” –Amy Nordhues

• I had spent most of my life in darkness, bitterness, and anger. . . . I wasn’t going back there. And I like to tell victims, “Don’t let your abusers take that [hope] away from you; don’t let them take away your faith. Don’t let them put you back into that cage of anger and bitterness.” –Amy Nordhues

Verses: 

• Exodus 14:14 NIV

• Deuteronomy 32:35 NIV

• Psalm 37:6 NIV

Links: 

• Amy’s website: www.amynordhues.com

• Amy’s book: https://www.amazon.com/Prayed-Upon-Breaking-Therapist-Abuse

• God Hears Her website: https://www.godhearsher.org/

• God Hears Her email sign-up: https://www.godhearsher.org/sign-upsfmc 

• Subscribe on iTunes! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/god-hears-her-podcast/id1511046507?utm_source=applemusic&utm_medium=godhearsher&utm_campaign=podcast

• Amy’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amynordhuesauthor/

• Elisa’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elisamorganauthor/

• Eryn’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eryneddy/

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Guest Bio: Rachel Marie Kang is a New York native, born and raised just outside of New York City. She is the founder of The Fallow House and author of Let There Be Art. Rachel’s writing has been featured in Christianity Today, Proverbs 31 Ministries, Ekstasis, She Reads Truth, and (in)courage. She lives and writes in North Carolina with her husband and two children.

Show Summary: When thinking about creativity, we often consider writers, painters, artists, poets, and many more to be the real “creative” people. What if we told you that there was so much more to the ways we express ourselves through different mediums of art? What if our ultimate Creator blessed us with all different forms of creating? Author and poet, Rachel Marie Kang, is excited to share a new outlook on the way we think about art. Join hosts Elisa Morgan and Eryn Adkins as they explore this new way of thinking on God Hears Her.

Notes and Quotes: 

• “There’s something really beautiful about creating in the private.” –Eryn Adkins 

• “It’s scary to be alone with your thoughts.” –Eryn Adkins 

• “That’s how you grow, you start small.” –Rachel Marie Kang 

• “He is creating light as boundary, so that light has a purpose.” –Rachel Marie Kang

• “I am pushing back the darkness in my own life.” –Rachel Marie Kang

• “He is always creating. He is always moving. He is always working. He is pushing back the darkness always.” –Rachel Marie Kang

• “You have something to offer.” –Rachel Marie Kang

Verses: 

• John 1:3

• Genesis 1:2-3

• Genesis 4:1

• Lamentations 3

Links: 

• Rachel’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rachelmariekang/

• Let There Be Art by Rachel Marie Kang: Amazon

• God Hears Her website: https://www.godhearsher.org/ 

• God Hears Her email sign-up: https://www.godhearsher.org/sign-upsfmc 

• Subscribe on iTunes! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/god-hears-her-podcast/id1511046507?utm_source=applemusic&utm_medium=godhearsher&utm_campaign=podcast

• Elisa’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elisamorganauthor/

• Eryn’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eryneddy/

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Guest Bio: Jess Ronne is an author, speaker, podcast host at Coffee with Caregivers, associate producer of the Unseen documentary, and caregiver advocate.  She is the founder and executive director of The Lucas Project, a non-profit dedicated to providing recognition, resources, and respite support for special needs families. She and her husband Ryan live in Michigan with their eight children, including their son Lucas who has profound disabilities. Her story of beauty from ashes has been shared on The Today Show, Daily Mail, and Huffington Post and is detailed in her memoir Sunlight Burning at Midnight. 

Show Summary: Jesus tells us that we will have struggles in our lives. What do we do while we’re facing those struggles? Jess Ronne is an example of someone who faces trouble with grit and determination. She did not give up in the face of many challenges and because of it she now has a non-profit that helps caregivers like her. During this conversation on God Hears Her, join Jess as she shares her story with hosts Elisa Morgan and Eryn Adkins.

Notes and Quotes: 

• “God and I have gone through a lot of wrestling together with anger.” –Jess Ronne

• “I’m a doer, and when I see a problem I say, ‘How are we going to fix this?’” –Jess Ronne

• “It’s an honor to do this work, but we all need breaks.” –Jess Ronne

• “I don’t want to be his forever caregiver, I want to be his mom.” –Jess Ronne

• “The child is only as healthy as the caregiver.” –Jess Ronne 

• “I don’t think grief ever really ends, it just looks different.” –Jess Ronne 

• “We weren’t necessarily made for this world, we were made for something better.” –Jess Ronne

Verses: 

• Job 33:12

Links: 

• The Lucas Project: https://thelucasproject.org/about/

• Jess’s Website: www.jessplusthemess.com

• God Hears Her website: https://www.godhearsher.org/

• God Hears Her newsletter sign-up: https://www.godhearsher.org/signup

• Subscribe on iTunes! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/god-hears-her-podcast/id1511046507?utm_source=applemusic&utm_medium=godhearsher&utm_campaign=podcast

• Elisa’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elisamorganauthor/

• Eryn’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eryneddy/

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Guest Bio: Chriscynethia Floyd is vice president and publisher of Our Daily Bread Publishing. Her more than twenty-year career spans both secular and Christian publishing, where she has served as a vice president in sales, marketing, and editorial for organizations such as Simon and Schuster Publishing, HarperCollins Christian Publishers, and David C. Cook.  She leads and collaborates with a talented group of editors and publishing professionals. Together they work to fulfill the mission of Our Daily Bread Ministries—to make the Bible's life-changing wisdom understandable and accessible to all. Chriscynethia is a classically trained singer and has traveled the world performing for such dignitaries as Desmond Tutu and President George Bush. When not with her ODBP team, Chriscynethia loves attending arts performances and being outdoors. 

Show Summary: The book of Ecclesiastes tells us that there is a time for mourning and a time for joy. What do we do when we’re in mourning? How do we handle the feelings of despair? Today’s guest, Chriscynethia Floyd, will share with hosts, Elisa Morgan and Eryn Adkins, how she overcame her pits of despair with the help of her loving friends and the guidance of God. You don’t want to miss her story during this conversation on God Hears Her.

Notes and Quotes: 

• “..And I’ve just been blessed. I mean, it [my singing] truly is a gift God gave me, and it’s the gift, I think, that brought me out of all of that despair.” - Chriscynethia Floyd

• “It’s true…the voice gave me a voice, being able to speak up for myself, being able to speak up for others.” - Chriscynethia Floyd

•  “...I do believe that the way that I was surrounded by my colleagues and my friends… is just one of the reasons that God moved me in this direction.” - Chriscynethia Floyd 

• “What I love about doing what I do is, one, being able to help people grow closer to God and to engage with the Bible. But also for those folks who have longed to write, or give voice to what they know God has placed on their hearts.” - Chriscynethia Floyd 

• “Our mission…is to feed the soul with the Word of God…that’s our mission for publishing at Our Daily Bread Publishing. And we want to make room for people to receive and read, and to reflect and respond to the Word… the ideas that it draws people closer.” - Chriscynethia Floyd

Verses: 

• Ecclesiastes 3:4

Links: 

• God Hears Her website: https://www.godhearsher.org/

• God Hears Her newsletter sign-up: https://www.godhearsher.org/sign-upsfmc

• Subscribe on iTunes! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/god-hears-her-podcast/id1511046507?utm_source=applemusic&utm_medium=godhearsher&utm_campaign=podcast

• Our Daily Bread Publishing: https://ourdailybreadpublishing.org/

• Elisa’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elisamorganauthor/

• Eryn’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eryneddy/

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Guest Bio: Lynn H. Cohick (PhD, University of Pennsylvania) is distinguished professor of New Testament and director of the Houston Theological Seminary at Houston Christian University. Prior to coming to HCU, she served as provost/dean of academic affairs at Northern Seminary, and provost of Denver Seminary. She was Professor of New Testament at Wheaton College and taught at Nairobi Evangelical Graduate School of Theology in Nairobi, Kenya. She serves as president of the Institute for Biblical Research. Her books include The Letter to the Ephesians in NICNT (2020); Christian Women in the Patristic World: Their Influence, Authority, and Legacy in the Second through the Fifth Centuries (co-authored with Amy Brown Hughes (2017); Philippians in the Story of God Commentary (2013); Ephesians in New Covenant Commentary (2010); and Women in the World of the Earliest Christians (2009). 

Show Summary: Do you ever feel like God doesn’t have a purpose for you? Maybe while reading your Bible, you notice the stand-out men doing all of the amazing things in the New Testament, or the fact that women don’t seem to be major participants in the events. However, Dr. Lynn Cohick noticed the remarkable way Jesus treated women and how God has a purpose for each and every one of us. She set out to teach more people about the truth of women in the New Testament. Join hosts, Elisa Morgan and Eryn Adkins, as they learn more from Dr. Lynn on this episode of God Hears Her. 

Notes and Quotes: 

• “. . .And that story [Mary of Bethany anointing Jesus], for me, has just resonated down through the decades. Really, of someone who was in the same moment as Jesus. She’s the one who recognizes His passion to come. And, she, in the face of ridicule by her friends, does what needs to be done in the name of love.” —Dr. Lynn Cohick

• “. . .With these women, it just broke my heart that they wanted nothing to do with Jesus because they wanted nothing to do with the Church. . .I wished they would know Jesus as I know Jesus, and I just lamented that reality. . .” —Dr. Lynn Cohick

• I am excited to see. . .and I dream of seeing it more and more. . .of women confidently stepping into what God has called them to do. . .and it’s not like they all need to teach, or they all need to evangelize. . .whatever good work that God has for them” —Dr. Lynn Cohick

• “In the global church, I think it’s going to be increasingly important that Christians work together for the sake of the world, as the world continues to fracture. . .” —Dr. Lynn Cohick

• “. . .with purpose, purpose might apply for some people as an end goal. But I think for believers we don’t always know what that end goal is in a concrete sense. Paul tells the Romans, and us, that we are predestined to be conformed to the image of the Son. . .that’s our ultimate goal.”  —Dr. Lynn Cohick

Verses: 

• Mark 14:1-9 

• John 4:1-26

• Acts 16:11-15; 16:39-40

• 1 Corinthians 4:3-5

• Romans 8:29

• 2 Corinthians 3:18

Links: 

• God Hears Her website: https://www.godhearsher.org/

• God Hears Her newsletter sign-up: https://www.godhearsher.org/sign-upsfmc

• Subscribe on iTunes! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/god-hears-her-podcast/id1511046507?utm_source=applemusic&utm_medium=godhearsher&utm_campaign=podcast

• Discover the Word series “Women in the Work of Jesus”: https://discovertheword.org/series/roles-of-women-in-the-work-of-jesus/

• Elisa’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elisamorganauthor/

• Eryn’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eryneddy/

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Guest Bio: Vickie and Victor are high school sweethearts, have been married for  39 years, have 4 married beautiful daughters, and have 9 adorable grandchildren. They have been ministry and business partners the entire 39 years—they are serial entrepreneurs with the desire to remind people, especially at-risk children, that “they are loved and not alone”. 

Show Summary: Do you like the smell of lavender? Have you ever used lavender to calm you down in a state of unrest, stress, or anxiety? Today’s guests, Victor and Vickie Bennett, own a lavender farm in Michigan where their mission is to bring comfort to children in foster care, bring awareness to a faceless crisis, and to mobilize communities around those on the front lines of the rescue. Join hosts, Elisa Morgan and Eryn Adkins, during this conversation on God Hears Her as they talk with the Bennett’s about managing a business as a married couple and the mission of their lavender farm.

Notes and Quotes:

• “There was a love for children right at the very beginning of our relationship.” —Vickie Bennett

• “I didn’t realize that growing up being in charge of. . . little calves, that God was training me and this ministry to be looking out for kids, especially kids in trauma.” —Victor Bennett

• “We’ve learned what each other’s strengths are, and we celebrate them.” —Victor Bennett

• “Foster care is kind of a faceless crisis. . . , so because of that, it’s hard for people to rally around this crisis because everything is on the low-down. But there are over 440,000 kids in foster care in our country alone, right in our own communities. . . .” —Victor Bennett

Links:

• God Hears Her website: https://www.godhearsher.org/

• God Hears Her newsletter sign-up: https://www.godhearsher.org/signup

• Subscribe on iTunes! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/god-hears-her-podcast/id1511046507?utm_source=applemusic&utm_medium=godhearsher&utm_campaign=podcast

• Lavender Life Company: https://lavender-life.com/?gad=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwiIOmBhDjARIsAP6YhSVFcvSmHm5-rQsfZBYr01jAyv3g1zD0Vz-4u3f0VROww7C7ikP1bToaAsUFEALw_wcB

• Elisa’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elisamorganauthor/

• Eryn’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eryneddy/

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Guest Bio: Amy Boucher Pye is an author, speaker, retreat leader, and spiritual director. She’s the author of six books, including Transforming Love: How Friendship with Jesus Changes Us and 7 Ways to Pray. She writes for Our Daily Bread and other devotional publications and has an MA in Christian spirituality from the University of London. She lives with her family in north London. 

Show Summary: Have you ever heard the phrase, you become like the people you spend the most time with? Friendships are really important, but if we’re not careful, we may become close with people who influence us in a negative way. Do you have close friends that uplift and encourage you? Do you feel like you have a friendship with Jesus? Author Amy Boucher Pye wants to help us learn how to have a close friendship with God to experience the transforming power of His love. Join Elisa Morgan and Eryn Adkins as they learn how to have a close friendship with Jesus.

Notes and Quotes: 

• “God works through… our desires, and He transforms us through the Holy Spirit.” —Amy Boucher Pye

• “God is so gentle, He corrects us even when we get it wrong.” —Amy Boucher Pye

• “[Jesus] wants to slake your thirst, and He will.” —Amy Boucher Pye

• “Jesus is with us now, here, too and He takes us on this journey of change and transformation.” —Amy Boucher Pye

• “We go and grab for the things that are physical to remedy something that is an eternal experience.” —Eryn Adkins

• “You may have turned away from God, but He is right there.” —Elisa Morgan

• “Love can be very uncomfortable.” —Eryn Adkins

• “God has put these desires in us and He wants us to be fully who we are so that we can love the world, so that He can love the world through us.” —Amy Boucher Pye

Verses: 

• Psalm 23

• Luke 10:38—42

• John 11

• Matthew 19:16—22

Links: 

• Transforming Love by Amy Boucher Pye: https://amyboucherpye.com/books/transforming-love-how-friendship-with-jesus-changes-us/

• God Hears Her website: https://www.godhearsher.org/

• God Hears Her newsletter sign-up: https://www.godhearsher.org/signup

• Subscribe on iTunes! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/god-hears-her-podcast/id1511046507?utm_source=applemusic&utm_medium=godhearsher&utm_campaign=podcast

• Elisa’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elisamorganauthor/

• Eryn’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eryneddy/

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