God Hears Her Podcast

Guest Bio: Lily Meschi is a director of Partners Relations at Iran Alive Ministries, a ministry with the mission to transform Iran into a Christian nation one soul at a time. Lily’s convinced that her experiences have shaped her to be a strong woman of God while standing for what is true, right, and just. Her passion is to help others, especially women, to realize their identity in Christ and become an agent of transformation. 

Show Summary: Have you been paying attention to the news in Iran? Women are being devalued and oppressed in rising numbers with full governmental support. Lives are at stake and in need of Jesus. Elisa Morgan and Eryn Adkins are excited to sit with Lily Meschi, an Iranian American who works with Iran Alive Ministries to bring the knowledge of Jesus and the Gospel to Iranians with 24 hour broadcasting. Lily has an inspiring story about how God brought her out of her difficulties and pursued her heart. Sit with Lily and learn more during this conversation on God Hears Her. 

Notes and Quotes: 

• “I felt trapped…” —Lily Meschi

• “I didn’t want to be a burden on anyone else, really telling them my true feelings of what… I [was] feeling right here and right now.” —Lily Meschi

• “For the first time after forever I felt like oh my gosh I’m actually accepted and loved without any strings attached.” —Lily Meschi

• “I was filled with supernatural faith right then and there which I would call it a Holy Spirit encounter right then and there.” —Lily Meschi

• “I held no knowledge of Jesus, of His deity, of Trinity, of—nothing. I knew nothing about Jesus other than He was one of the greatest prophets… But when she read that to me, John 1:1 and John 1:14, there was a sense of knowing imparted to me that tears started rolling down my cheeks.” —Lily Meschi

• “I was a new person. I knew that I was blessed, I was chosen, I was accepted, and I was loved by the Creator of this universe.” —Lily Meschi

• “I don’t know why this was part of my story… I trust that [God] had something planned out that He will unfold for me in future years. ” —Lily Meschi

Verses: 

• John 1:1

• John 1:14

• Jeremiah 29:11

• James 1:2—4

Links: 

• 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

• Iran Alive Ministries: https://iranalive.org/

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

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

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Guest Bio: The author of more than fifty books, Sandra Byrd’s work has received many awards, nominations, and accolades, including a starred review, PW Pick from Publisher’s Weekly and multiple starred reviews and Best Book selections from Library Journal. Sandra is an experienced devotionalist. Her newest devotional, Dwell, will publish in Spring 2023. A dedicated foodie, Sandra cooks through the topic and location of every book she writes. In addition, she collects vintage glass and serveware in her free time, loves long walks with her husband, and Sunday Suppers with her growing family. 

Show Summary: What do you think of when you think of home? A place of comfort, or a bad environment? A nice warm bed, or couch hopping? The idea of home brings up all types of images, thoughts, and memories. Today’s guest, Sandra Byrd, wants to share with us how God is our home. We can dwell in Him as our comfort and safety no matter where we are physically. Join hosts, Elisa Morgan and Eryn Adkins, as they talk with Sandra about the longings for home on this episode of God Hears Her.

Notes and Quotes: 

• “We don’t live in mountain top experiences, we live in moments of vacuuming and driving to work.” –Sandra Byrd

• “When God gives me an idea and it continues to flourish, that’s how I know it’s meant to be shared with someone else.” –Sandra Byrd

• “If I say I’m at home with someone, that means I feel very comfortable around them.” –Sandra Byrd

• “Self-control is really not signing up for too much. . . it’s when we feel like we’re the savior of the world and we need to take care of everyone else in the world that we go on autopilot, and time with God gets neglected.” –Sandra Byrd

Verses: 

• Deuteronomy 11:19 

• Psalm 46:1 

• Mark 6:46

Links: 

• Dwell: https://ourdailybreadpublishing.org/dwell.html 

• 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: Sarah Cowan Johnson is a ministry trainer, consultant, and coach who works with church planters, pastors, and ministry leaders across the United States. She leads seminars for parents on family discipleship to help their children walk in the way of Jesus. She served with the Evangelical Covenant Church as the executive pastor for Sanctuary Church in Providence, Rhode Island, and she previously was a staff trainer and an area director for InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. Johnson is the cohost of The People of the Way podcast. She and her husband have two sons and live in Providence.

Show Summary: Do you have kids in your life? Maybe you’re a parent, a teacher, part of a kids ministry, or a babysitter in the midst of teaching or parenting kids. No matter what your role is, you may be overlooking the discipleship aspect of leading children. We are seeing high numbers of children who grow up and abandon their faith. Ministry trainer and leader Sarah Cowan Johnson is determined to grow awareness by equipping people with the tools they need to teach their children well. Join hosts Elisa Morgan and Eryn Adkins as they learn more about how to disciple children from Sarah Cowan Johnson during this conversation on God Hears Her.

Notes and Quotes: 

• “. . .50% of our kids in our churches that are actively involved are walking away from their faith after they graduate.” —Sarah Johnson

• “There is one thing that makes a difference. . . it’s parents who talk about and practice their faith at home. Statistics show that 82% of kids whose parents do that go on to follow Jesus as adults.” —Sarah Johnson

• “Kids go through stages of spiritual development just like they go through stages of emotional development, social development, all the things.” —Sarah Johnson

• “For the 12 and up crowd, the primary way that they engage their faith is by questioning and it looks like rejection even sometimes.” —Sarah Johnson

• “We are often tempted to be a priest for our kids, standing between God and our kids.” —Sarah Johnson

• “We should get out of the way and turn them over to God as soon as possible because that way, when the kid, as a natural part of growing up, rejects their parents’ values, they won’t reject God because God is theirs.” —Sarah Johnson

• “The goal is we want to connect them as early as we can to God directly, one to one and not make it a triangle, so that when they do push away from us they still are connected to God.” —Sarah Johnson

• “We need to teach our children how to hear God’s voice.” —Sarah Johnson

• “God knows our kids more than we do. He loves our kids more than we do. He wants a relationship with them more than we want them to know Jesus and He’s at work.” —Sarah Johnson

• “You’re yoked to Jesus, and He is the one actually doing the work.” —Sarah Johnson

Verses: 

• Deuteronomy 6

• Ezekiel 11:9

Links: 

• Sticky Faith: Everyday Ideas to Build Lasting Faith in Your Kids by Dr. Kara E. Powell and Dr. Chap Clark: https://a.co/d/8XicfL5

• The People of the Way podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/people-of-the-way-podcast/id1511317543 

• Teach Your Children Well by Sara Cowan Johnson: https://teachyourchildrenwell.co/

• 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-Eddy Adkins for all new episodes of God Hears Her starting August 28, 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 August 28th!

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

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Join Elisa Morgan and Eryn-Eddy Adkins for all new episodes of God Hears Her starting August 28, 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 August 28th!

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: 

Ask Cheryl about her greatest adventure and she’ll tell you, “That I know and love Jesus and get to make Him known.” She is a Bible teacher, author, speaker, and founder of Stepmom Sanity, a Christ-centered circle of support, providing help and hope for stepmoms who are “there” from stepmoms who’ve been there. She has authored 4 books including her most recent, Waiting to Be Wanted: A Stepmom’s Guide to Loving Before Being Loved. Cheryl uses her skills, education, and training as a Master Coach to equip blended families, support women in spiritual formation, and mentor formerly sex-trafficked women in basic life skills. Cheryl and her husband, Jonathan, make their home in Michigan and are frequently invaded by their 4 adult children looking for food and hugs! 

Show Summary: 

Have you ever felt like you’ve been waiting to be wanted? Waiting tests our patience and sometimes prevents us from taking action. In the case of being a stepmom, we may feel like we’re waiting for our stepchildren to want us. In the wait we don’t know how to pursue a relationship with these new kids in our lives.

Cheryl Shumake, the founder of Stepmom Sanity, wants you to know that you are not alone in your waiting season. In this conversation with Elisa Morgan and Eryn Eddy-Adkins, Cheryl will share how she waited to be wanted by growing a relationship with her stepchildren. Learn more during this conversation on God Hears Her. 

Notes and Quotes: 

• “A rose smells best when the roses have been crushed.” —Cheryl Shumake

• “God said to me, ‘No one will ever love you like Me.’”—Cheryl Shumake

• “We need to wait to be loved.” —Cheryl Shumake

• “We are active in our waiting.” —Cheryl Shumake 

• “Biblical love is actionable.” —Cheryl Shumake

• “In your season of waiting, lean into your relationship with Jesus. . . there are things that can be carved out of you.” —Eryn Eddy Adkins

• “Nothing is purposeless in your life.” —Cheryl Shumake

Verses: 

• Galatians 6:9

Links: 

• Stepmom Sanity community: https://www.stepmomsanity.com/ 

• 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: Sharon Hodde Miller, PhD, is teaching pastor at Bright City Church in Durham, North Carolina, which she cofounded with her husband, Ike. Miller is the author of Free of Me and Nice, she has blogged at SheWorships.com for over ten years, has been a regular contributor to Propel, Her.meneutics, and She Reads Truth, and has written for Relevant, Christianity Today, (in)courage, and many other publications and blogs. She lives with Ike and their three children in Durham, North Carolina.

Show Summary: Have you ever tried to control a situation or outcome? Have you caught yourself trying to control a person? In this episode of God Hears Her, author Sharon Hodde Miller shares how we can take situations into our own hands and how that negatively impacts our mental health and relationships. Join the conversation with hosts Elisa Morgan and Eryn Eddy as they discuss the cost of control with Sharon Hodde Miller.

Notes and Quotes: 

• “The one thing that was clear and troubling to me is that by and large, it did not appear that Christians were drawing on the millennia of spiritual resources that have been passed down to us by Christians passed.” —Sharon Miller (10:37)

• “We were taking all of our fears, all of our anxieties to the internet. That to me signaled a huge gap in discipleship.” —Sharon Miller (11:30)

• “We reach for control to rescue us, to alleviate our anxiety, to give us a sense of security.” —Sharon Miller (11:55)

• “We are in this age of technology where we are promised increasing mastery over our world.” —Sharon Miller (12:08)

• “Whenever I reach for control to empower me or to fix this situation, I am not just reenacting Genesis 3 but also its consequences.” —Sharon Miller (17:27)

• “God doesn’t give us control but He does give us agency.” —Sharon Miller (24:07)

• “We were created for Genesis 1. We were created for peace and security and wholeness.” —Sharon Miller (28:59)

Verses: 

• Genesis 3

• Genesis 1

Links: 

• The Cost of Control by Sharon Hodde Miller: https://sheworships.com/the-cost-of-control/

• Proverbs 31 Ministries website: https://proverbs31.org/

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

• 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: 

Dr. Alison Cook is a psychologist, podcast host, and the author of two books, including her new books, The Best of You (Thomas Nelson 2022) and Boundaries for Your Soul (Thomas Nelson, 2018). For twenty years, Alison has helped women, ministry leaders, couples, and families learn how to heal from painful emotions, develop confidence from the inside out, forge healthy relationships, and fully live out their God-given potential.

Show Summary: 

The terms narcissism, gaslighting, and blame shifting get thrown around a lot nowadays, but what do they actually mean? How do we notice those toxic behaviors and protect ourselves from falling into relationships where those behaviors are deemed normal? On this episode of God Hears Her, Join hosts Elisa Morgan and Eryn Adkins as they answer these questions with expert psychologist Dr. Alison Cook. 

Notes and Quotes: 

• “Self-knowledge goes hand-in-hand with God-knowledge.” —Dr. Alison Cook

• “[A] narcissist is someone with a pervasive pattern of not being able to empathize with another human.” —Dr. Alison Cook

• “Blame shifting is a strategy to put the blame anywhere outside of us.” —Dr. Alison Cook

• “Gaslighting is a form of manipulation. It’s a lie that also includes blame shifting that makes the other person feel shame.” —Dr. Alison Cook

• “Self-hood is a strong sense of self. Selfishness is only doing what you want and never thinking of someone else. Selflessness, which is what we’re taught as women, is to never think about your needs.” —Dr. Alison Cook

• “A healthy relationship starts with a healthy individual.” —Elisa Morgan

• “We could argue that the best gift we could give someone is the best version of ourselves.” —Dr. Alison Cook

Verses: 

• Genesis 3:12

• Matthew 10:16

• Mark 12:31

• Genesis 1:27

Links: 

• The Best of You by Dr. Alison Cook: Amazon

• Boundaries for Your Soul by Dr. Alison Cook: Amazon 

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

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

• Dr. Alison Cook’s website: https://www.dralisoncook.com/

• 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: 

Ryan Clevenger is a podcast producer at Our Daily Bread Ministries. He and his wife, Jennie, have been married for fourteen years, and have four daughters. Their first daughter, Eleanor, was born two months early and had to be in the NICU for thirty-three days. Their oldest three daughters are biological siblings who were adopted from Guyana, South America. Ryan did his PhD in historical theology with an emphasis on the Trinitarian theology of the early church. His wife, Jennie, is an RN with sixteen years of experience working in postpartum and pediatrics. Ryan and Jennie regularly take mission trips to Guyana, South America. While there, Ryan often teaches classes in Bible and theology to the national pastors in the seminary. Their whole family is actively involved in their church, Christ Church Anglican, in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Show Summary: 

Father’s Day may bring up good memories or disappointment. Are you someone that celebrates with your dad, or do you feel the loneliness from a lack of a good father in your life? Thankfully we are invited to have a relationship with our heavenly Father who stands with us in every emotion we face. Our guest today, Ryan Clevenger, tries to model the love God has for us by showing up for his daughters to help them navigate every feeling. On this episode of God Hears Her, join Elisa Morgan and Eryn Eddy Adkins as they talk with Ryan about his journey into becoming a father, and listen to how he shows up for his daughters. 

Notes and Quotes: 

• “Sometimes prayer is the only thing you can do.” —Ryan Clevenger

• “My job as a father is to try and show my children what it means to look like Jesus and to point them to Christ.” —Ryan Clevenger

• “I have to remember that I can’t fix all of my daughters’ problems.” —Ryan Clevenger

• “You have to learn who they [daughters] are. You have to spend time with them to be able to relate to them.” —Ryan Clevenger

• “Sometimes you just have to feel it, don’t fix it.” —Eryn Eddy Adkins

• “The thing about humans is that we have to explore. Some people have to learn by failure.” —Ryan Clevenger

• “Fathers, when you’re present, be fully present. Enjoy  as the gifts they are.” —Ryan Clevenger

Links: 

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

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

• Ryan’s Discover the Word series: https://discovertheword.org/series/testing/

• GHH Episode 92 with Jennie Clevenger: https://www.godhearsher.org/podcast/called-to-care

• 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: Chanel Dokun is a certified Life Planner and Relationship Expert trained in Marriage and Family Therapy. She specializes in helping women step into their life’s true calling through her Women of Consequence life planning organization. Prior to running her own business and co-founding a seven-figure therapy practice, Healthy Minds NYC, she worked in publishing at Hearst Magazines. She now splits her time between New York City and Atlanta with her psychiatrist husband and son. Chanel’s writing and contributions have appeared in publications such as the New York Times, Real Simple, Woman’s Day, Essence, Moneyish, Christianity Today, and Relevant Magazine.

Show Summary: Have you ever felt uncertain of your purpose? Have your eyes glazed over when it comes to talking about the future or thinking of your dreams? Sometimes we can get caught up in the mundane things that cause us to forget about the goals and plans we wanted for ourselves. Today’s guest, Chanel Dokun, is devoted to helping women find and pursue their passions. Join this conversation with hosts, Elisa Morgan and Eryn Eddy Adkins, to learn more about pursuing your purpose on this episode of God Hears Her. 

Notes and Quotes: 

• “She [my mom] said to me, ‘that’s so great you know who you want to be, because I never knew. Nobody ever asked me.”—Chanel Dokun 

• “I think we all have flickers of what our purpose is as children.”—Chanel Dokun 

• “Part of how we get unstuck, or come back to life, is by standing up in the truth of who we are. Reclaiming our identity, owning what our purpose is, and getting back into our own skin.”—Chanel Dokun

• “Because of social media, we’re constantly being presented with an idea of what flourishing is that is not unique to us. We lose sight of ourselves because we’re being presented with somebody else’s great life. . . but your great life is not my great life.”—Chanel Dokun 

• “All the things God has in store for you, He does not have in store for me. And that’s what gets us off track. We start to believe that our lives need to conform to something else, and we start to twist, shape-shift, and conform ourselves to be something we were never meant to be.”—Chanel Dokun

• “It’s this idea that my worth is associated with these particular things—by what my job is or the people who are in my life or the stuff that I have. We start to lean into these lies, and we start to believe that is what our life is about. And then we forget—I was made for something else.”—Chanel Dokun 

• “There is no one like you for a reason.”—Chanel Dokun

Links: 

• Chanel Dokun’s website: https://chaneldokun.com/ 

• Chanel Dokun’s book, Life Starts Now: https://chaneldokun.com/lifestartsnow 

• 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/

• Chanel’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chanel.dokun/

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