From the Marine Corps and Department of Homeland Security to seminary, Natasha Sistrunk Robinson is a powerhouse leader. And she is following God’s call to raise up the next generation and create liberative spaces where everyone, especially women and people of color, can show up fully, share stories, and take risks.

In the season finale of Lavish Hope, she joins Rev. Liz Testa for a conversation about finding hope, staying grounded in Scripture, surrounding yourself with people who help you live into your God-given potential, and so much more. A sought-after international speaker, leadership consultant, mentor, and executive leadership coach, Natasha recently released Voices of Lament: Reflections on Brokenness and Hope in a World Longing for Justice.

Natasha is a doctoral student at North Park Theological Seminary and the founder of the North Carolina-based nonprofit, Leadership LINKS, Inc., where she cultivates an intergenerational and multiethnic network of leaders committed to using their skills and resources for the greater good of humanity.

Brian Keepers and Jeremy Simpson join Rev. Liz Testa to discuss male allyship and working toward a culture where women serve freely and fully alongside their brothers. This topic is not only important in the broader church, and is particularly relevant to Lavish Hope’s home denomination, the Reformed Church in America. The RCA will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of women’s ordination as elders and deacons in 2023, and the 45th anniversary of women’s ordinations as ministers.

Brian Keepers and Jeremy Simpson are pastors, change-makers, and longtime champions of women in leadership. They are committed to building up authentic and equitable spaces for all of God’s children to belong. And both have decades of experience in churches from Iowa to Michigan, to Connecticut.

This conversation gets deep fast, as Jeremy and Brian share their journeys and reflect on their experiences. They offer helpful resources, encouragement, and of course, lavish hope for a future in which the gifts, influence, and leadership of women from all generations and backgrounds are fully embraced for the flourishing of the whole church.

At 98 years young, retired missionary nurse Arlene Schuiteman has nearly a century’s worth of wisdom and stories to share. During her nursing career, she helped open a “dresser school” in the city of Mettu, Ethiopia, teaching wound care and other medical skills to Ethiopian healthcare workers. From 1966 to 1977, Arlene witnessed a spiritual revival that swept through Ethiopia—a revival that touched her personally and resulted in surprising gifts of the Holy Spirit in her own life. Arlene states, “It has been a very satisfying and full life with no regrets.” She and her friend and biographer Jeff Barker joined Rev. Liz Testa to share more about her trailblazing faith-filled life on this week’s episode of Lavish Hope!

Rev. Michelle T. Sanchez shares how God called her to create a new book series for all ages focused on moving from color-blind to color-courageous discipleship on this week’s episode of Lavish Hope. A ministry executive and former investment banker, Michelle candidly discusses how hope, resilience, and overcoming have been foundational for her and her family, and how God’s promises are made manifest through Scripture and the blessing of community. Her passion for raising up disciples who make disciples is so clear as she offers powerful insights and helpful examples for strengthening resilience and finding hope, even in the midst of challenging times. Particularly inspiring is hearing how her lived experiences have helped shape a curriculum for all ages, stages, and races to engage in color courageous discipleship. She also has a free sneak-peak opportunity, especially for Lavish Hope listeners!

Rev. Deb Rensink is known around Northwest Iowa as the “Shop Church Pastor.” She is the founder and president of Whispers of Love, Hope, and Joy, a faith-based non-profit serving women who have been impacted by domestic violence and their children as they move forward and create new meaning. She joins Rev. Liz Testa on Lavish Hope this week to share her story and offer plenty of practical tips and spiritual insights.
This episode is brought to you by Faithward.org, an online learning community where you’ll find ideas for living out your faith, reflections on Scripture and church, stories about how other Christians are following God’s call, and resources to bring your own faith community along for the ride.

When Rev. Ancela Fransisca Rumokoy arrived in New York City from Indonesia, she didn’t know English, but she did know that God had sent her to the U.S. to be a pastor. What happened next is an amazing story of hope and resilience. With wisdom and humor, she shares the joys and challenges of her journey with Rev. Liz Testa on this week’s episode of Lavish Hope. She also offers encouragement to listeners and casts an inspiring vision for the future of the church.

Rev. Liz Testa talks to Rev. Kate Meyer about grief and moving forward in a healthy, life-giving way in the season 4 premiere of Lavish Hope. Kate is an ordained minister, licensed professional counselor, and hospice chaplain. She is also an author. Her latest book is Faith Doesn’t Erase Grief. Kate discusses hope, resilience, and overcoming as we navigate grief in today’s complex world. She also offers inspiring stories, tips, and practical insights to help us all embrace the process.
This episode is brought to you by Faithward.org, an online learning community where you’ll find ideas for living out your faith, reflections on Scripture and church, stories about how other Christians are following God’s call, and resources to bring your own faith community along for the ride.

It's been a heavy week for a lot of us this week. Spiritually, we struggle to make sense of it all. Lesley Mazzotta's calling as a spiritual director and her own life journey have equipped her to offer guidance for navigating these times with resilience and hope. She also happens to be Liz Testa's guest for this week's season 3 finale of Lavish Hope! We encourage you to take some time to listen to their powerful conversation.

Lesley is an innovative non-profit visionary, educator and certified spiritual director, with many years' experience empowering women and girls. She is the founder and executive director of One World Girl, a non-profit organization in the New York metro area that equips girls to become changemakers. As part of her commitment to this work, Lesley has been on her own journey of healing past trauma and embracing how to live fully and joyfully even in the midst of the challenges brought on by COVID-19. Lesley’s expertise as a spiritual director shines brightly as she shares best practices for navigating isolation and anxiety, making time to cultivate peace within, and taking courageous steps into new opportunities that God brings. She also gives us a glimpse into what it’s like to start a non-profit (spoiler alert: it is not for the faint of heart!) and the resiliency and agility needed to bring a creative vision to life and help it to thrive and grow.

Listen here: https://www.faithward.org/lavish-hope-podcast/.

In this special episode of Lavish Hope, we focus on solidarity with the AAPI (Asian American & Pacific Islander) Community. Host Liz Testa is honored to be in conversation with Gerri Yoshida, a third-generation Japanese-American, NYC-based actress and church leader, who is passionate about dismantling racism in transformative ways. Over the past two years, God has called her to courageously use her voice and family stories to engage Asians and Non-Asians alike in deepening their understanding of the root issues and discovering opportunities for justice and healing. Gerri’s compelling, heartbreaking, and hopeful story offers an inside look at the power of forgiveness and living into God's calling with courage and purpose at any stage of life.

Irma Williams went from being a high school dropout who was navigating addiction, a challenging health diagnosis, homelessness, and despair, to embracing God's love and plan for her life. Today she is the director of social services at Barrier Free Living, an organization that supports survivors of domestic violence and veterans who have disabilities. She is a proud Afro-Latina originally from Guatemala, a mother of four, a leader in her church, and a beloved child of God. She shares her story with Rev. Liz Testa in the latest episode of Lavish Hope.