Ila, with a panel including Dana Burk, Colleen O’Steen and Jill Yopp, discuss the song “Nearer, My God, To Thee” written by Sarah Adams. Women song writers have a special skill to succinctly express Bible truths, incorporating our senses and our emotions.

In this program, Cindy and her panelists Lauren and Colleen will consider what the scriptures reveal about “the heart of God” and the level of spiritual intimacy He desires with us. How might our intimacy with God affect our other relationships and aspirations? And as His bride, what does God say makes us beautiful in His sight?

Ashley Martineau presents a case study of Rahab as inspiration for the wonderful things that can happen when we gather the courage to turn back to God. Ashley lives in Rhode Island and recently celebrated 22 years of marriage. She stays home to shepherd and homeschool 3 children ages 11, 9, and 6. She has taught women’s and children’s Bible studies, and inherited a fascination with Biblical archeology from her grandmother, culminating in a recent visit to the Bible Lands. As an amusing challenge to try to literally do everything the worthy woman of Proverbs 31 did, Ashley discovered her love of fiber arts and now seeks and gathers sheep's wool and other fibers from local farms and merchants to wash, dye, spin and sell in her online yarn shop www.neauveau.com. Her skills as a fiber artist have since blossomed into consulting with spinning wheel companies to improve and design new spinning wheels, writing the book Spinning and Dyeing Yarn, and maintaining a thriving business that brings joy, profitable service, and education. You can follow her social media on @neauveau.

Thank you to Dr. Kenny Embry for permitting us to share this video series that originally aired on his annual Balancing the Christian Life 2024 Conference series https://www.balancingthechristianlife.com/

Cindy facilitates a conversation with Lauren and Colleen to discuss what God says about half-truths, exaggerations, and unconfirmed theories, and what we can do to, instead, to let Jesus Christ pilot our speech.

Scriptures:

Exodus 1:15-21

Ila, along with Colleen O’Steen and Nikki Lee, welcomes Montelle White to Older Women Likewise! Tonight, we continue our discussion as we talk about Esther, Miriam, and the Israelite midwives in Egypt. Join us as we explore their obedience to God and how their lives and service inspire and motivate us. We also find connections to Jesus here, as we do throughout the Old Testament.

Scriptures

Esther 4:8-14

Think about how many women in the Bible were saviors. They saved themselves, their families, and/or their people. What were their guiding principles and beliefs? How are we like them? How are they like our Savior, Jesus Christ? Ila leads a panel including Judy Dolan, Nikki Lee, Colleen O’Steen and Montelle White in exploring why God included their stories in His Word.

Scriptures:

Philippians 3:8

Count your blessings! Count the cost! Count it all joy…. But don’t count your life dear! Can you count the stars? Ila and Jill are joined by Lauren Bassford and Judy Dolan to explore the things that should be counted and those that should not be. What does God count? What should we count as we journey with Him?

Scriptures:

Genesis 21:2-7

Cindy Dunagan presents a case study of Sarah, and how her example of fearlessness can help us overcome. Cindy Dunagan is the author of Your Fresh Start, the host of the Nomads You And I podcast, and co-host of the live online program and podcast Older Women Likewise. She and her husband of 44 years live nomadically part-time in a van and have completed their quest to visit and encourage 100 conservative churches of Christ around the country in order to gather and share biblically sound, inspiring ideas for growing the kingdom of heaven. She shares those ideas on her blog at NomadsYouAndi.com and in her new book One Hundred Churches: A Three-Year Road Trip to Witness the Joy of Authentic Christianity — both books available through OneStone.com, truthbooks.com, bookstore.floridacollege.edu, and Amazon. Some of Cindy’s talks are also viewable online at the 2023 Florida College lectures @ https://youtu.be/3DfHvux7GFA and the 2024 Atlanta Women’s Weekend @  https://www.atlwomensweekend.com/speakers

 Thank you to Dr. Kenny Embry for permitting us to share this video that originally aired on his annual Balancing the Christian Life 2024 Conference series https://www.balancingthechristianlife.com/

In this final program of 2024, Cindy and her daughter Ashley introduce her new friend Zee, who describes an abusive childhood raised by a drug addict and her abandonment and adoption into a neglectful home. She tells what drew her into the LGBTQ community, then recounts why she started reading the Bible and her subsequent cancer diagnosis. Zee tells us about her journey of repentance and baptism, and her perspective on suffering and eternal hope in Christ as a 33-year-old woman with terminal cancer. Zee has some powerful lessons for us as we reflect on the closing of this year and contemplate the new one.

Scriptures:

2 Timothy 4:6-8

In tonight’s program, the Older Women Likewise panel of Cindy, Jill and Colleen O’Steen discusses the women whom they have seen “finish strong” in their walk with God. They will describe the beauty of interdependence often experienced toward the end of life and will each offer one inspiring piece of advice to the next generation.