Raising Godly Girls

What does a girl need most when her parents are walking through divorce? In this episode of Raising Godly Girls, Rachael Culpepper and Melissa Bearden turn their attention to the girls caught in the middle of one of life's most difficult family transitions. While Christian conversations often focus on God's design for marriage and the ideal of a two-parent home, this episode asks an equally important question: How can we faithfully care for the girls and families who are living through brokenness right now?

Melissa shares that one of the greatest gifts a girl can receive during divorce is a safe, steady adult who is courageous enough to step into the unknown with her—and committed enough to stay. Divorce can bring anger, grief, fear, and confusion that a girl may not yet know how to express. She needs adults who will not take those emotions personally, retreat when things become uncomfortable, or expect her to process everything neatly. Instead, she needs consistent reminders that the divorce is not her fault, that she is deeply loved, and that she is secure in Christ.

Rachael and Melissa offer practical ways parents, relatives, ministry leaders, teachers, and family friends can help bridge the gaps divorce can create. From respecting a family's privacy and avoiding taking sides, to offering groceries, childcare, rides, meals, or help around the house, small acts of generosity can relieve the pressure on a family and create more space for a girl to heal. Most importantly, a consistent adult presence can give her a place to belong and a place to breathe when life at home feels uncertain.

The conversation also explores a vital distinction from the Raising Godly Girls Minute: divorce may deeply affect a girl, but it does not define her. Her parents' marriage does not determine her identity, her value, her purpose, or the woman and disciple she will become. Through Christ, healing is possible, healthy relationships can be learned, and a beautiful future can still be written. As Rachael and Melissa remind listeners, we may not be able to change a family's circumstances, but we can ask God, "What do I have that You can use?" and faithfully offer our presence, prayers, resources, and love.

Three Things to Remember:

• Approach a girl's situation with wisdom and sensitivity.

• Make your service to the family one of generosity, recognizing that divorce can bring significant financial strain that affects the girl.

• No matter what, be consistent in the girl's life so she knows she is loved, has a safe place to belong, and will not be abandoned.

Scriptures Referenced:

• Matthew 19:1–9

• Matthew 28:20

• 1 Kings 17

Visit raisinggodlygirls.com for more encouragement and faith-based parenting tools.

Learn how to find or start an American Heritage Girls Troop in your community at americanheritagegirls.org.

What does it look like for Christians to create a true place of belonging for families walking through seasons of hardship, loss, or instability? In this episode of Raising Godly Girls, Rachael Culpepper and Melissa Bearden explore how the Church can better welcome and support vulnerable families—including single-parent families, families experiencing divorce or the loss of a spouse, foster families, and those facing financial, medical, or other unexpected challenges.

While Scripture presents marriage as a lifelong covenant between a man and a woman, we also live in a fallen world where brokenness touches every family. The challenge for Christians is to honor God's design for marriage while also making room for healing, compassion, and community when families experience loss or brokenness. Rachael and Melissa discuss some of the blind spots that can unintentionally leave families feeling marginalized and consider what it means to see every person as an image bearer worthy of dignity, practical care, and genuine belonging.

Drawing from the story of Elijah and the widow of Zarephath, this conversation reminds parents that Biblical compassion is more than feeling sorry for someone in need. Elijah saw the widow, entered into her circumstances, prayed for her family, and responded to their practical needs. Likewise, our families can teach girls to notice those who are struggling, open their hearts and homes, and look for meaningful ways to help—without approaching service from an "us versus them" mindset.

The conversation also offers practical guidance for families who want to put their faith into action. From praying for Holy Spirit eyes to recognize needs, to working alongside churches, food pantries, pregnancy care centers, family resource organizations, and other community ministries, parents can show their daughters that compassion and strategy can work together to make a lasting difference. With examples from American Heritage Girls' service culture, including National Day of Service and HUGS Bags, this episode encourages families to move beyond simply talking about Biblical community and begin living it out.

Two Things to Remember:

• Being made in God's image makes all of us alike, so move in Gospel love rather than a better-than mindset when serving vulnerable families.

• Link arms with churches, community impact organizations, and your whole community to maximize your power in spreading compassion, love, and resources wherever you are!

Scriptures Referenced:

• Psalm 82:3

• Psalm 113:7

• 1 Kings 17

• John 15:13

Visit raisinggodlygirls.com for more encouragement and faith-based parenting tools.

Learn how to find or start an American Heritage Girls Troop in your community at americanheritagegirls.org.

Sending a daughter into the world—especially onto a college campus—can feel both exciting and uncertain for Christian parents. In a culture where faith is often questioned and Biblical truth is challenged, how can we prepare our girls to stand firm with confidence, clarity, and grace?

In this episode of the Raising Godly Girls Podcast, Patti Garibay welcomes apologist, author, and former academic Neil Shenvi for a thoughtful and timely conversation about strengthening a young woman's faith before she steps into higher education. Drawing from his background in scientific research and his work engaging cultural worldviews, Neil offers practical insight into the intellectual and spiritual challenges many students encounter on today's secular campuses.

Together, Patti and Neil explore how parents can equip their daughters with a strong Biblical foundation—one that helps them navigate conversations around race, gender, identity, and truth through the lens of Scripture. They also discuss how to discern a college's underlying worldview, why worldview formation matters long before move-in day, and how Christian families can thoughtfully prepare girls to engage culture without compromising their convictions.

This episode also highlights an encouraging reminder: while the pressures of culture may feel overwhelming, God is faithful. When girls are rooted in His Word and grounded in His truth, they are not only able to withstand challenges—they can become thoughtful, courageous ambassadors for Christ in the world around them.

If you are raising a daughter who is approaching high school graduation or preparing for college, this conversation will equip you with wisdom, perspective, and hope for the journey ahead.

Scriptures Referenced in This Episode:

• Colossians 2:6–8

• Romans 12:2

• 2 Corinthians 10:5

• 1 Peter 3:15

• Ephesians 6:10–11

• Psalm 119:105

For more information on Dr. Neil Shenvi's work and his new book, visit shenviapologetics.com

Visit raisinggodlygirls.com for more encouragement and faith-based parenting tools.

Learn how to find or start an American Heritage Girls Troop in your community at americanheritagegirls.org.

What happens when your daughter's faith is tested after she leaves home?

On this episode of the Raising Godly Girls Podcast, Rachael Culpepper and Natalie Ambrose continue a week of conversations about apologetics, higher education, and helping Christian girls navigate the complex world of ideas they will encounter in high school, college, and beyond. As daughters launch into young adulthood, their Biblical Worldview will inevitably encounter new questions, competing beliefs, and perspectives that may challenge what they have been taught at home. Rather than fearing that friction, parents can prepare their girls to meet it with wisdom, confidence, humility, and faith.

Rachael and Natalie share honestly about their own experiences navigating public higher education and encountering new ideas after high school. They explore why a daughter asking hard questions does not necessarily mean she is abandoning her faith—and why the home should be the safest place for her to wrestle with difficult questions about God, Scripture, culture, suffering, and truth. Drawing from Patti Garibay's Raising Godly Girls Minute, they remind parents that faith does not eliminate questions; instead, Biblical faith teaches girls where to take those questions.

This episode offers practical encouragement for parents preparing to launch a high school or college-aged daughter. From grounding conversations in a shared identity in Christ to learning how to distinguish between core, secondary, and tertiary matters of conviction, families can approach complicated worldview issues without falling into either fear or polarization. Rachael and Natalie also emphasize the importance of keeping the door open for honest conversation over the long haul, trusting that God—not the parent—is ultimately the One who holds a daughter's heart.

American Heritage Girls exists to build women of integrity, and the AHG Program gives girls opportunities to strengthen their Biblical Worldview, develop resilience, practice leadership, and prepare to live out their faith beyond the Troop. Through AHG Alliances with Summit Ministries, families can also access resources designed to equip teens and young adults to engage culture and apologetics with confidence.

Three Things to Consider:

• Your shared identity in Christ—not your family name—is the true common ground when navigating difficult worldview conversations.

• There will be gray areas. Help your daughter learn to navigate them with wisdom and love rather than quick answers or polarized camps.

• Keep the door open. A healthy family makes room for respectful, genuine conversations—even when parents and adult daughters do not see eye to eye.

Scriptures Referenced:

• Job 42:1–6

• Luke 15

• Romans 8

Explore more resources to raise girls rooted in Christ at raisinggodlygirls.com.

To find or start an AHG Troop in your area, visit americanheritagegirls.org.

What happens when your daughter starts asking big questions about her faith?

On this episode of the Raising Godly Girls Podcast, Rachael Culpepper and Natalie Ambrose launch a week of conversations focused on apologetics and helping girls navigate the questions, doubts, and competing worldviews they will inevitably encounter—especially during the high school and college years. For analytical, question-asking girls, those questions can be a powerful pathway toward deeper understanding and a faith that moves from something she has inherited to something she personally owns.

Rachael and Natalie explore why parents should not be afraid of a daughter's questions about God, Scripture, culture, or the Christian faith. Instead, those questions can become invitations to dig deeper into God's Word, seek honest answers, and learn to trust God even when every question does not have an immediate or satisfying answer. The conversation also examines the difference between genuine faith exploration and simply adopting the latest cultural "hot take," emphasizing the importance of Biblical truth as the foundation for reconstructing a worldview.

Parents will discover practical ways to walk alongside an analytical girl as she wrestles with doubt and competing ideas. From asking questions about her questions to helping her recognize Biblical truth in a crowded marketplace of ideas, Rachael and Natalie offer encouragement for parents who may feel intimidated by their daughter's intellectual curiosity. Most importantly, they remind parents to pray boldly—not from a place of fear, but with confidence that God can use this season to deepen a girl's discernment, wisdom, and hunger for His Word.

American Heritage Girls provides girls ages 5–18 with opportunities to develop leadership, explore the world around them, and strengthen their Biblical Worldview alongside caring adults. With resources from ministries including the Colson Center, Summit, and Mama Bear Apologetics, as well as AHG Badges that encourage analytical thinking and discernment, families can help girls prepare to engage a complex culture with both intellectual confidence and unwavering faith.

Three Things to Consider:

• Asking big questions about her faith doesn't automatically mean your girl is walking away from God.

• Discern whether her questions are genuinely hers or simply part of a cultural trend, then lead her toward a sincere search for truth.

• Pray boldly! God can use this important season to strengthen your daughter's faith in both heart and mind.

Scriptures Referenced:

• Matthew 7:13–14

• John 14:6

• Matthew 13

• Psalms

Explore more resources to raise girls rooted in Christ at raisinggodlygirls.com.

To find or start an AHG Troop in your area, visit americanheritagegirls.org.

What does it mean to value life in a culture shaped by rapidly changing science and medical technology? In this powerful final episode of our three-part pro-life series, the Raising Godly Girls Podcast invites Christian families into a thoughtful, hope-filled conversation about embryo adoption, the sanctity of life, and God's faithfulness from the very beginning.

Host Patti Garibay sits down with an extraordinary mother-daughter duo: Marlene Strege and Hannah Strege. Decades ago, Marlene and her husband stepped out in faith to become the first family to adopt a frozen embryo and carry that baby to birth. Today, that baby—Hannah—is using her voice to advocate for the millions of pre-born embryos still waiting for families and protection.

Together, Patti, Marlene, and Hannah explore the emotional, ethical, and Biblical dimensions of embryo adoption, infertility, IVF, and the growing urgency for Christian families to thoughtfully engage these conversations with both truth and compassion. You'll hear the Strege family reflect on what it was like to pioneer a path no one had walked before, how faith sustained them through uncertainty, and why Hannah's story has become a powerful testimony that life truly begins at conception.

This episode also addresses the modern realities surrounding reproductive technology, surrogacy, and the commercialization of human life—while pointing listeners back to the unchanging truth that every child is known, loved, and created intentionally by God. For parents raising daughters in today's world, this conversation offers wisdom for cultivating a deeply Biblical understanding of human dignity, courage, and compassion for the vulnerable.

Whether your family has personally experienced infertility, adoption, or difficult conversations surrounding life issues—or you simply desire to equip your daughters with a Christ-centered worldview—this episode will encourage you to approach these topics with grace, discernment, and unwavering hope in God's design.

Listeners will also learn more about Embryo Adoption Awareness Day, the evolving legal landscape surrounding embryo adoption, and practical ways families can support the protection and care of pre-born children.

To learn more about the Strege family's story, check out the book A Snowflake Named Hannah: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B084654GH5?lv=shuf&channelId=500&plpRedirect=mhFallback

Scriptures Referenced in This Episode:

• Psalm 139

• Jeremiah 1:5

• Genesis 1:27

• Psalm 127:3

• Proverbs 31:8-9

• Revelation 21:5

Visit raisinggodlygirls.com for more encouragement and faith-based parenting tools.

Learn how to find or start an American Heritage Girls Troop in your community at americanheritagegirls.org.

What if your life story began before you were even born?

In this powerful episode of the Raising Godly Girls Podcast, Patti Garibay sits down with Hannah Strege—known as the world's first adopted embryo—for a deeply personal conversation about life, identity, and God's sovereign design. Hannah's story is a living testimony that every life is created with purpose, value, and intention, even in circumstances that the world may overlook or misunderstand.

As conversations around in vitro fertilization (IVF) continue to grow, many Christian families are asking how to think biblically about life at its very earliest stages. With over a million embryos currently frozen in the United States, this episode invites listeners to consider what it truly means to uphold the sanctity of life—from the very beginning.

Hannah shares what it was like growing up with a story that captured national attention, how her parents faithfully navigated media pressure while standing firm in their convictions, and how her own faith has been shaped by understanding the unique way God brought her into the world. With both grace and clarity, she offers a perspective that is rarely heard—one rooted not in theory, but in lived experience.

This conversation also encourages girls to step into their role as advocates for life, learning how to speak truth with compassion in a culture filled with complex questions. Whether you're navigating these topics as a parent or beginning to explore them as a young woman, this episode offers both wisdom and hope.

Because every life—seen or unseen—is known and cherished by God.

Scriptures Referenced in This Episode:

• Psalm 139:13–16

• Jeremiah 1:5

• Genesis 1:27

• Luke 1:41–44

• Deuteronomy 30:19

• Proverbs 31:8

To get Marlene's husband, John Strege's book A Snowflake Named Hannah: Ethics, Faith, and the First Adoption of a Frozen Embryo just search on Amazon. To learn more about adopting frozen embryos, or snowflake children, visit

flourishadoptions.com/

Explore more resources to raise girls rooted in Christ at raisinggodlygirls.com. To find or start an American Heritage Girls Troop in your area, visit americanheritagegirls.org.

What does it truly mean to be pro-life in today's world?

In this episode of the Raising Godly Girls Podcast, Patti Garibay sits down with Marlene Strege for a deeply personal and thought-provoking conversation about infertility, adoption, and the often-overlooked ethical questions surrounding in vitro fertilization (IVF). As reproductive technologies continue to advance, Christian families are increasingly being called to consider how a Biblical view of life applies not only in the womb—but even at the earliest stages of human existence.

Marlene shares her own journey through infertility and how God led her family to pursue embryo adoption, often referred to as "snowflake adoption." Her story is a powerful reminder that every life is created with purpose and value, and that God can work redemptively through even the most complex circumstances.

Together, Patti and Marlene explore the current landscape of IVF in the West, including the reality that over a million embryos are currently frozen in the United States. They discuss how believers can approach these issues with both truth and compassion, while remaining grounded in a "womb to tomb" commitment to the sanctity of life.

This episode also offers guidance for parents seeking to have age-appropriate conversations with their daughters about life, dignity, and God's design. In a culture where these topics can feel overwhelming or confusing, this conversation equips families to respond with clarity, conviction, and grace.

Because raising Godly girls means helping them understand that every life—seen and unseen—is precious in the eyes of God.

Scriptures Referenced in This Episode:

• Psalm 139:13–16

• Jeremiah 1:5

• Genesis 1:27

• Deuteronomy 30:19

• Proverbs 31:8

• Luke 12:6–7

To get Marlene's husband, John Strege's book A Snowflake Named Hannah: Ethics, Faith, and the First Adoption of a Frozen Embryo just search on Amazon. You can also learn more about adopting frozen embryos or snowflake children at flourishadoptions.com

Explore more resources to raise girls rooted in Christ at raisinggodlygirls.com. To find or start an American Heritage Girls Troop in your area, visit americanheritagegirls.org.

What does it look like to raise a girl who is both bold in her convictions and wise in how she uses her voice?

In this episode of the Raising Godly Girls Podcast, Natalie Ambrose sits down with attorney and advocate Alexandra Gaiser of Alliance Defending Freedom for a powerful conversation about raising daughters who are prepared to lead with truth, courage, and grace. In a world where cultural conversations are growing louder and more complex, girls are being called to step into leadership earlier than ever before.

Alexandra shares her personal journey into the legal field and her passion for defending constitutional freedoms, offering insight into how God can use both faith and profession to make a meaningful impact. Together, Natalie and Alexandra explore how parents can guide strong-willed, outspoken girls to channel their boldness in ways that reflect Christ and create lasting influence.

This episode also offers practical encouragement for families raising girls who feel called to leadership, advocacy, or public service. From preparing for careers in law to developing character, wisdom, and discernment at a young age, this conversation highlights the importance of intentional discipleship long before adulthood.

In a culture that often confuses volume with influence, this episode reminds us that true leadership is rooted in truth, shaped by humility, and sustained by faith. When girls are grounded in God's Word, they can step confidently into the roles He has prepared for them—bringing light, clarity, and courage to the world around them.

Scriptures Referenced in This Episode:

• Micah 6:8

• 1 Timothy 4:12

• Joshua 1:9

• Proverbs 31:8–9

• Colossians 4:6

• Matthew 5:14–16

To learn more about Alexandra Gaiser and the work of Alliance Defending Freedom, be sure to visit their adflegal.org

Explore more resources to raise girls rooted in Christ at raisinggodlygirls.com. To find or start an American Heritage Girls Troop in your area, visit americanheritagegirls.org.

What happens when the things we most desperately want to change are the very things we cannot control? For mothers, the desire to protect our daughters, fix what hurts, and help their stories turn out well can easily become an exhausting pursuit of control. But what if true peace doesn't come from finally getting everything under control—it comes from knowing Who is?

On this special bonus episode of Raising Godly Girls, host Rachael Culpepper welcomes bestselling author, Bible teacher, and Proverbs 31 Ministries founder Lysa TerKeurst for a powerful conversation inspired by her new book, Making Peace with What I Can't Control. Lysa draws from her own difficult circumstances and decades of helping women navigate life's hardest moments to unpack why we reach for control, the deeper longings that fuel it, and what it looks like to surrender what we cannot control to a trustworthy God.

For moms, this struggle can become especially personal when it involves a daughter. As girls grow, they make their own choices, face their own challenges, and experience circumstances their mothers cannot always prevent or fix. Rachael and Lysa explore how moms can discern what God has actually entrusted to them—and what they need to release back to Him. They also tackle an important distinction: surrendering control doesn't mean caring less, becoming passive, or stepping away from the God-given role of motherhood. It means learning to trust God more deeply while continuing to love, pray, guide, and faithfully show up.

If you're carrying a circumstance, relationship, fear, or outcome you desperately wish you could change, this conversation offers a gentle invitation to ask: Is this actually mine to carry? Because there will be things we cannot change, choices we cannot make for our daughters, and outcomes we must ultimately place in God's hands. The good news is that we don't have to carry what God never asked us to carry. Tune in to discover how surrender can lead not to resignation, but to freedom, deeper faith, and the peace that comes from trusting the One who loves our daughters even more than we do.

Scriptures Referenced:

• Proverbs 3:5–6

• Philippians 4:6–7

• 1 Peter 5:7

• Matthew 6:25–34

To learn more about Lysa's ministry work and to get her new book, visit lysaterkeurst.com. Visit raisinggodlygirls.com for more encouragement and faith-based parenting tools.

Learn how to find or start an American Heritage Girls Troop in your community at americanheritagegirls.org.