Have you ever felt like life hit you from every side: chaos, doubt, and discouragement flooding in at once? In this episode of She is Courageous, Rachel opens up about her own season of spiritual battles and unpacks what Scripture says about warfare we cannot see. You’ll discover how to recognize the enemy’s schemes, stand firm in faith, and remember the victory already secured in Christ.

In this episode, Rachel explores what the Bible says about spiritual warfare, why it often shows up after moments of breakthrough, and how we can face it with courage. Through personal stories and Scripture, she reminds us that while the enemy schemes, God has already won the victory.

• Ephesians 6:12 – “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”

• Matthew 24:10–12 – “And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold.”

• 1 Peter 5:8–9 – “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.”

• Matthew 13:24–30 – The Parable of the Weeds (full passage included in transcript).

• Mark 4:18–19 – “And others are the ones sown among thorns. They are those who hear the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.”

• 2 Kings 6:15–17 – “When the servant of the man of God rose early in the morning and went out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was all around the city. And the servant said, ‘Alas, my master! What shall we do?’ He said, ‘Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.’ Then Elisha prayed and said, ‘O Lord, please open his eyes that he may see.’ So the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.”

• Romans 8:37 – “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”

• Psalm 91 – “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, ‘My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.’ For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler…” (full chapter recommended for reading).

• Spiritual warfare often shows up after spiritual victories.

• The enemy sows doubt, distraction, and lies to keep us from seeing God’s work.

• We must ask God to open our eyes to His perspective.

• Victory is already ours in Christ—our role is to remain steadfast and aware.

We live in a culture obsessed with instant results, but God calls us to something deeper—the slow, faithful work of sowing and reaping. In this episode of She is Courageous, Rachel shares biblical wisdom, personal stories, and practical encouragement for staying faithful while you wait. Whether you’re sowing into your family, your spiritual walk, or your daily habits, you can trust God’s timing for the harvest.

• Job 4:8 -“As I have seen, those who plow iniquity and sow trouble reap the same.”

• Proverbs 11:18 -“The wicked earns deceptive wages, but one who sows righteousness gets a sure reward.”

• Proverbs 22:8 -“Whoever sows injustice will reap calamity, and the rod of his fury will fail.”

• 1 Corinthians 3:6 -“I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.”

• Matthew 7:16–17 -“You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit.”

• Galatians 6:7–9 - “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.”

• James 1:3–4 - “For you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

• Why our culture struggles with waiting for results—and how that impacts our faith

• What the Bible teaches about sowing and reaping from Job, Proverbs, Galatians, and more

• Personal stories of gardening, motherhood, and seeing God’s slow but sure work

• How to stay faithful when the fruit isn’t visible yet

• Encouragement to keep planting good seeds in your family, friendships, and spiritual life

Is it possible to look spiritually put together while running on empty? In this episode of She is Courageous, Rachel Rupert unpacks the parable of the ten virgins and the urgent need to bring your own oil—your personal, intimate walk with God. If you’ve felt the weight of a weary church culture or struggled with spiritual complacency, this message is your wake-up call. It’s time to guard your heart, tend your spiritual flame, and stay ready for the return of the Bridegroom.

• Why the parable of the ten virgins still speaks to us today

• The danger of outsourcing your spiritual life

• Cultural messages that lead us to neglect the heart

• Personal stories that illustrate spiritual vigilance

• What it means to carry your own oil in a weary world

• How comfort and distraction can kill spiritual intimacy

• A raw look at obedience, even when it’s painful

• Encouragement and a prayer to rekindle your passion for God

• 1 Kings 11:4 – “As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the Lord his God…”

• Jeremiah 5:23–24 – “But these people have stubborn and rebellious hearts; they have turned aside and gone away…”

• Isaiah 29:13 – “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me…”

• Proverbs 4:23 – “Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.”

• Matthew 25:1–13 – The parable of the ten virgins

• Deuteronomy 8:11–14 – A warning not to forget the Lord in seasons of satisfaction

• Hosea 13:6 – “When I fed them, they were satisfied; when they were satisfied, they became proud; then they forgot me.”

• Ezekiel 24:15–17 – “I am about to take the delight of your eyes away… yet you shall not mourn or weep.”

In a world flooded with noise and distractions, hearing God’s voice can feel impossible. In this heartfelt episode, Rachel shares her personal journey through confusion, spiritual wounds, and the longing to hear from God again. She offers practical, biblical steps to help you recognize God’s voice, make space for stillness, and approach Him with reverence. You’ll leave encouraged to tune out the noise and confidently draw near to the God who wants to speak to you.

• The challenge of hearing God’s voice in a world filled with distractions

• How spiritual wounds and religious trauma can cloud our ability to hear God

• Three practical ways to recognize and hear God’s voice:

  • Scripture — letting God’s Word become familiar

  • Stillness — making space for God to speak

  • Reverence — remembering who God is and approaching Him with awe

• Encouraging reminders that God’s voice is gentle, steady, and aligned with His Word

• John 10:27 - “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.”

• 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 - “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”

• Philippians 4:7 - “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

• Hebrews 4:12 -“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

• Psalm 46:10 - “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”

• Isaiah 40:31 - “But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”

• 1 Corinthians 6:19 - “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own.”

• Ecclesiastes 5:2 - “Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore let your words be few.”

• Proverbs 9:10 - “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.”

Motherhood is messy, beautiful, and sometimes downright exhausting — especially when you’re carrying a heart for ministry, your own God-given dreams, and the daily chaos of family life. In this episode, we dive into the real-life struggles and sacred moments of navigating motherhood, ministry, and the “messy middle.” Rachel shares her personal journey of moving cross-country, finding community, staying spiritually rooted in busy seasons, and how motherhood itself is ministry. Get ready for encouragement, biblical truth, and reminders that even your ordinary moments matter deeply to God.

• Motherhood is a daily dying to self — but it’s also the path to becoming more Christlike.

• Your home is your first and most vital ministry.

• It’s okay to wrestle with the “messy middle” while waiting for dreams God has planted in your heart.

• Stay rooted in God’s Word, even in small ways:

  • Listen to the Bible while folding laundry

  • Pray in the carpool line

  • Read a single verse that carries you through the day

• Invite God into the mundane moments. Whisper prayers while washing dishes, folding laundry, or managing bedtime chaos.

• Be honest with God about exhaustion, frustration, or deferred dreams.

• Find your people—community matters, even if it’s just one good friend.

• Keep an eternal perspective: the exhausting moments are investments in your children’s faith and character.

Most importantly: Give yourself grace. You’re not called to be perfect — just faithful.

• 2 Kings 22:11-13 -When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his clothes. And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Achbor the son of Micaiah, and Shaphan the secretary, and Asaiah the king’s servant, saying, “Go, inquire of the Lord for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that has been found. For great is the wrath of the Lord that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book, to do according to all that is written concerning us.”

• Judges 2:10-12 -And all that generation also were gathered to their fathers. And there arose another generation after them who did not know the Lord or the work that he had done for Israel. And the people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and served the Baals. And they abandoned the Lord, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt. They went after other gods, from among the gods of the peoples who were around them, and bowed down to them.

• Deuteronomy 6:6-7 - And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.

In this deeply personal episode of She is Courageous, Rachel speaks candidly about the ache and tension of knowing you’re called by God—but feeling unseen, unwanted, or excluded by people around you. Drawing from her own journey in ministry, she explores how rejection from others doesn’t invalidate God’s calling and emphasizes that obedience sometimes requires stepping out of comfort zones and traditional “safe” roles.

Rachel challenges women to distinguish comfort from calling and encourages listeners not to shrink back, even when the cost is misunderstanding or isolation. She reminds us that boldness isn’t arrogance—it’s faith in action.

• Wrestling with God’s call when others don’t see it

• Feeling uninvited to the table of ministry

• The difference between comfort and calling

• Women in ministry beyond “safe zones”

• Rejection vs. God’s redirection

• Boldness as humility and obedience

• Encouragement not to shrink back

• Hebrews 10:39 - “But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.”

• Galatians 1:10 - “For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.”

• Hebrews 11:16 - “But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.”

• Isaiah 43:1 - “But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: ‘Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.’”

• Zephaniah 3:17 - “The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.”

• Romans 8:16-17 - “The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.”

• Ephesians 2:1 - “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

• 1 John 3:1 - “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.”

In this episode, Rachel speaks directly to the women who feel the call of God but have been told to sit down, stay quiet, or wait their turn. Through Scripture, honest reflection, and a strong challenge to church culture, she unpacks why ministry isn’t about gender—it’s about obedience.

✨ What truly qualifies someone for ministry

✨ Why titles, degrees, and platforms aren’t the measure of calling

✨ Biblical examples of women God used to lead, teach, and disciple

✨ The dangers of silencing half the Body of Christ

✨ Encouragement to walk boldly in your gifts—right where you are

If you’ve felt disqualified, discouraged, or dismissed, this episode is a reminder that you are called, equipped, and courageous. You don’t need permission when you’ve already been commissioned.

• Romans 16:1–2 (ESV) I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant of the church at Cenchreae, that you may welcome her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints, and help her in whatever she may need from you, for she has been a patron of many and of myself as well.

• Romans 16:7 (ESV) Greet Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen and my fellow prisoners. They are well known to the apostles, and they were in Christ before me.

• Acts 18:26 (ESV) He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.

• Acts 16:14–15 (ESV) One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul. And after she was baptized, and her household as well, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us.

• James 1:27 (ESV) Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

• Micah 6:8 (ESV) He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

• Philippians 3:4–8 (ESV) Though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ.

In this powerful episode, Rachel breaks down misconceptions about biblical womanhood. She challenges the narrative that equates godliness with silence, submission with invisibility, and leadership with masculinity. Drawing from both Scripture and church history, Rachel affirms that God’s design for women was never inferiority—it was partnership. From the Garden of Eden to the early church, women have been called, commissioned, and empowered. If you’ve ever felt overlooked or disqualified because you’re a woman, this episode will speak life into your calling and ignite your courage to lead with confidence.

• Biblical womanhood is not silence or subordination. God designed men and women for partnership, not hierarchy.

• Misunderstood verses in the New Testament have long been used to silence women, but the full narrative of Scripture tells a different story.

• Women played critical roles throughout biblical history, including leaders, prophets, and evangelists.

• The Holy Spirit is for all believers. If God poured out His Spirit on both sons and daughters, who are we to deny women’s voices?

• You are already commissioned by God. You don’t need to wait for permission to walk in your calling.

• Genesis 2–3 – Creation of Eve and the effects of the Fall

• Galatians 3:28 – There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

• Joel 2:28 – And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh;

  your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions.

• Acts 2 – Fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy during Pentecost

• Exodus 4:24–26 – God confronts Moses over circumcision

• Luke 8:1–3 – Soon afterward he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with him, and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s household manager, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their means.

• John 20:11–18 – Mary Magdalene, first witness to the Resurrection

• Numbers 27:1–11 – The daughters of Zelophehad are right. You shall give them possession of an inheritance among their father’s brothers and transfer the inheritance of their father to them

• Judges 4 – Deborah, prophet and judge

• Matthew 1 – Genealogy of Jesus includes Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba

• Mark 9:38–40 -John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.”But Jesus said, “Do not stop him, for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. For the one who is not against us is for us.”

Church hurt is real—and it can shake your faith in deep ways. In this episode, we talk honestly about spiritual wounds, the difference between unintentional hurt and abuse, and how Jesus still meets us in the middle of the mess.

1. Recognize that Pain and Suffering are Inevitable - And Not a Reflection of God’s Heart

   • Hurt in the church is, unfortunately, part of life in a broken world. It doesn’t reflect God’s heart, but it’s something every believer may face. We must separate God’s character from people’s failures.

2. Become Spiritually Mature

   • Growth often comes through hardship. Like Paul, we’re called to keep going—even when wronged—allowing trials to sanctify us and deepen our faith.

3. Don’t Let the Process of Healing Stall You Out.

   • It’s easy to sit in offense, but healing requires movement. Don’t wait for apologies or justice to move forward—Jesus calls us to follow Him regardless of what others do.

• John 21:21–22 – When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?” Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!”

• Proverbs 27:17 – “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.”

• Hebrews 5:12–14 – For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.

• James 1:2–4 – Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

• Romans 5:8 – “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

• Luke 22:42 – “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.”

In this honest and personal relaunch episode, Rachel shares why She is Courageous is coming back—and what it means to carry a calling even through discouragement, burnout, and silence.

She opens up about moving to a new city, wrestling with fear, questioning her place in ministry, and the voice of God that wouldn’t let her quit. This is for the woman who feels tired, overlooked, or unsure if she still belongs in the Church.

“If you’re burned out on religion… come to me, and you’ll recover your life.”