She Speaks Stories

Hey Friends! Katie Hawkins and Julia Sifers start off our new season with some stories of how they've continued to learn from and share stories in OTHER ways besides our podcast. From the zoom book club, to other podcasts and even the Netflix series The Crown, our gal pals talk about all the ways we can see Stories Changing Lives! Then to wrap things up, they introduce us to the new theme this year all about making decisions, but more on that in our next episode! 

Links: 

Episode with Sharon Garlough Brown

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-141-sharon-garlough-brown/id1318514560?i=1000516375689

God Has A Name, by John Mark Comer

https://a.co/d/2uzTVrt

John Mark Comer Teachings Podcast

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/john-mark-comer-teachings/id1592847144

The Crown

https://www.netflix.com/title/80025678

This season has been full of guests with stories of loneliness. Even though it’s not fun to feel lonely, we have had a blast talking with each guest because they all shared what happens during a time of loneliness or one the other side of it. And although all of these stories are unique they all have something in common: they wouldn’t trade their hard time for anything because of what they learned, how they grew and who they’ve become.

Powerful stuff! Today’s guest is no different! Heather Myers wraps up our season of loneliness like a bow on a present. Her perspective and truth have what it takes to carry anyone feeling lonely to a place of hope. She has written a bible study for mom’s who need to connect more with God but just can’t figure out how to add time with God in the middle of all the other things that spring up in the day. (And we all want to read it!) Until we can get our hands on a copy, we hope you enjoy this episode, and the perspective it brings!

Have you ever wondered why you had to go through a hard time in your life? Today’s guest, Lisa Steven, wondered that as a child when a tragic situation hit her family. And again, when she was a teen and found out she was pregnant. But God put incredible people in her life who did not judge her, like they could have, but came alongside her and pointed her towards good. Lisa learned about community, and the importance of loving people when they're in a season of hard. And when she joined MOPS (Now MomCo) she was welcomed in and found her calling. She realized the hard time in her life hard a purpose, and she was going to use all she learned to love on teen moms. And do what her in-laws did: welcome them in and point them to Jesus. Lisa encourages us to lean into our callings, because “Jesus will surround you with people to make His calling a reality.” Just like He did for her and her nonprofit organization Hope House Colorado. Listen in for encouragement and hope even in hard times!

Lisa’s Book: A Place to Belong, https://a.co/d/5WgIohY 

To learn more about Hope House: https://hopehousecolorado.org/

For info on MOMCo (MOPS): https://www.themom.co/home

Becky Harling joins us in our series of Stories of Loneliness with great perspective and practical advice on how to walk out of a season of being lonely. She’s full of wisdom on the topic because after “clarifying” season of cancer, God walked her through moving beyond elements causing her loneliness by dealing with the past. In this time of emotional and narrative healing she began to see that being busy doesn’t mean she isn’t lonely. That having a full schedule doesn’t mean you’re more important. She had to ask “what does God want from me?” And His answer involved loving like Jesus loved, which starts off with being present. She saw that we need to “cultivate listening in order to kill loneliness.” In a cultural time of being addicted to our phones we need to choose to connect with people! Even if those people don’t think like us, or think like we think or do how we do… we need to choose to not be offended. Sometimes it’s hard to push past this, but when we take some initiative and walk through some of the steps Becky shares with us from her book, we can make a difference in other people’s lives and watch the loneliness in our own lives melt away!

As we continue to share Stories of Loneliness, we are delighted to have Jen Brooks as our guest. Jen has coped with loneliness starting from childhood, that grew to insecurity and her attempt to numb and deal with it on her own. That is, until she met Jesus and literally “shut the door” on her old self and walked onto a new path of healing. Through the healing she was shown 4 transformational steps that unpacked her questions of “What is a new creation?” Because although trauma can be heavy, sticky and echo in our lives, it does not define us! In this episode, Jen shares so much wisdom and truth and even access to a (free!) course she has in helping us walk out of the lies of whatever is plaguing our hearts and keeping hold of us. We can’t wait to have her back on to unpack more! 

Find out more about Jen on her website here:
https://anchoredandassured.com/

Today we had the pleasure of chatting with Jennifer Wing, who has been through some back to back seasons of loneliness mostly due to chronic fatigue and other unknown illnesses. Everyone has different reactions to hard times, and one of Jennifer’s was being angry at God. But instead of pretending to be fine, or not upset at God, Jennifer learned to be angry WITH God, not in His general direction, but in His presence. And here she found a closeness. Jennifer shared that she wrestled with concepts of performance based community and what she called “devine unavailability.” And throughout her struggles, God showed her over and over He is gracious, kind and generously gives specifically just what she needed. 

This conversation was so encouraging to all of us who have been in seasons of loneliness or have friends and family who are currently in those seasons. Jennifer encourages us to remember “God sees your unseen work.” That “growth doesn’t feel like growth” but it really is when you look back. And challenges us to remember that “God’s mercy is so much bigger than we think.” We hope you walk away from listening with the same encouragement and hope we felt from chatting with Jennifer!

Listen to Jennifer's sermon here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4nwbgLFhwpGP0oeyvDa3kZ?si=fMMLf-c7RGaVsamIZMu7wQ

Or Watch her whole service here: https://www.mygateway.life/sermons/speakers/jennifer-wing/faith-healing-the-whole-truth-embracing-jesus-in-our-suffering

We’re so excited to share this Bonus Episode about the upcoming NorthStar Women’s Conference and give you a chance to hear a little from our featured speaker, Kelly Minter, herself! Kelly is deeply passionate about teaching the Bible and believes it permeates all of life. AND she's coming to Northern Virginia to share about Cultivating Our Stories - the blessed life we have through our encounters with Jesus! Joining Kelly will be Kimberly Williams, our amazing worship leader, and Susan Wanderer, our incredible emcee. PLUS, there will be many exhibitors and vendors, including Katie Hawkins with a She Speaks Stories table!

We hope you enjoy this special episode with Kelly and will get your ticket soon, so we can plan to SEE YOU at the conference! For more fun, invite your friends, neighbors, and sisters and make it a girls' day out!

Conference Details:

Area-Wide Women's Conference

Saturday, May 3, 2025

9:00 AM - 3:00 PM

Columbia Church in Falls Church

Tickets: bit.ly/NWN2025

More Info: https://www.nswomensnet.org/2025

Life is full of seasons, and in today’s episode we hear from Jess Ronne, who uses the four seasons to walk us through caregiving. Winter hits with the hard truth of a diagnosis, Spring shows up when we find our new normal, Summer blasts with a wave of intensity and change, but then Fall walks over with acceptance and sweet surrender. And in this surrender we can find the peace that God has called us to a work. And this work is a type of worship! Jesus came to earth to give care. When we love whoever God places in our lives we are learning to be more like Him!

Nonprofit & Podcast:

The Lucas Project

Book:

Care Giving with Grit and Grace

Documentary:

Unseen

Here we are with another great episode in our series: Stories of Loneliness, with a fantastic guest: Brenda Yoder. Brenda is part of the 3rd largest Amish community in Shipshewana, Indiana, which has also been voted the number one midwest tourist destination in 2025. Why do so many people flock to this little pocket in northern indiana? Brenda shares in her book, Uncomplicated, what the draw really is. And spoiler, it really doesn’t have much to do with the location, it has a lot more to do with the lifestyle. She’s excited to share that it’s something anyone can cultivate in their lives no matter where they live. When the world isn’t sure what to do, “God’s ways still work.” If we focus on that and stop listening to the lie that we don’t have what it takes or we’re just waiting for the next thing, or caught in the when/then trap we can find joy and live in the present and really uncomplicate our lives! 

Her Books:

Uncomplicated

Fledge

Balance, Busyiness and Not Doing it All

Who Do You Say I Am?

Her Website: 

Life Beyond the Picket Fence

This episode’s guest is our friend from this past summer’s bookclub! Last June we were chatting with Amy about the Mr. Roger’s book that we’d read and we just knew we had to get Amy on the podcast. Amy is full of fun energy and authentic truth. She spent years wrestling removing a deeply impacted UNtruth from her life; so truth really matters to her. The idea of emptying ourselves, embracing silence and sitting in seasons of purposely aloneness can feel so foreign or anti-cultural but wow can it bring some amazing growth and understanding. She brings it all to the table in this episode, where we hear about what loneliness has looked like to her and how she saw spotlights of hope (aka the Bible) pour truth, encouragement and support in ways only our Jesus can.