Continuing with our War on Women series, here is part two, chronicling my journey with treating myself like a second-class citizen in my family. And it all started with some leather leggings…

Do you find that you put yourself on the back burner more than once a week? How about more than once a day? In fact, when IS the last time you prioritized yourself over anything else, or anyone else in your life? Are we telling the world it is ok to treat us, as women, like second-class citizens? What are we teaching our kids in this process?

Here is my journey with taking my life back and giving myself a first-class seat in my life. I hope it helps you and inspires you to stop letting life live you, and to start living your life. Refuse to live like leftovers. Start living like the Child of God you are and were meant to be!

For more, read Wendy’s blog at www.wendyjolson.com or follow Wendy on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Pinterest! Let us know what you think! We love hearing your feedback on these episodes. (more…)

Have you ever met someone that you just knew you were kindred spirits? This is my friend Allison. We met in a group of special needs moms and I loved her the instant she laughed at my joke about praying that I don’t kill my husband or my kids throughout the day. I knew she was cool.

But I had also seen her walk through the adoption of two special needs girls as well as their deaths only a few, short years later with such courage and tenacity that I knew she was something special.

She is on the podcast today telling her journey of how she came to know Jesus in the first place, how she met her husband, who used to be a drummer for CHRIS TOMLIN,(WHAT?!!??!) and how, after having two boys, they decided God was trying to grow their family again. You’ll never hear a better story of how two girls with special needs had such a vast mission field in their short lives. Be ready to be encouraged!

If you love this episode make sure you Subscribe and leave us a review!

Be sure to find Allison on Facebook!

For more info on Grief Share visit their website here.

Follow me on Instagam @mrswendyjolson or find me on Facebook !

For more, visit www.wendyjolson.com

You guys know I love a good social justice warrior when I meet one. Now it is your turn to get excited!

Meet Micah Gamboa. Micah is the Executive Director of Houston-based Elijah Rising, an anti-trafficking organization aimed at bring education to their community about the dangers of sex trafficking through their three basic principles of prayer, awareness, and intervention. Besides being a social justice warrior she is also a wife a new mom!

Micah was raised by a single-parent mom, (like me!) and was an only child, (like me too!) She talks about the issues she faced growing up, her father’s mental health, and gives us some wisdom on what that can mean for our lives moving forward. We had a great conversation about what it looks like to live and learn and let go of toxicity in our lives, and how moving on can be difficult, but necessary.

She also explains the much debated topic about the non-difference between prostitution and sex-trafficking. Wherever you fall on this issue, it is so good to hear a real insider’s voice in the matter, having first-hand experience with these women coming directly out of sex-trafficking.

We hope you enjoy this talk with Micah. Be sure to check out Episode 7 if you missed it, as we interviewed Sam Hernandez who also works for Elijah Rising earlier this year.

If you are in or around the Houston area, please consider donating to or volunteering with Elijah Rising, and getting involved in the fight to take back your city!

www.elijahrising.org

Twitter @micahgamboa

Instagram @micahgamboa

Elijah Rising on Facebook

 

Find more on www.wendyjolson.com

Follow me on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook: @mrswendyjolson

We are starting a new series on the podcast called, War on Women. From time to time we will be popping in, between our beloved Jesus stories, and sharing our thoughts on women’s issues. We’ll also be touching on what the spiritual realm is really up to in regards to women and how it is affecting us today, inside and outside the church.

This episode is an introductory talk about why we as women feel like we have to be so hard on each other, and how we make enemies too quickly of our barely-hanging-on sister. This episode is also available on the blog at www.wendyjolson.com

For more encouragement along the way, and lots of poor form and bad language, visit the website or follow me on social media!

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter

 

Sure, you think your mom is pretty bad-a. But my grandma, my Nan, has got you beat.

In this week’s episode I share the story of my grandma, my Nan, and how she helped shape and change the life of this young girl forever. My Nan was and is like a mom to me. Having a heavy hand in raising me and never giving up her grip over my life, she has guided me, course-corrected me, and even set me back on the right track more than a couple times in my life, her NY accented voice still ringing in my ears!

She is now bed ridden and has suffered from crippling dementia for the last six years, but was she ever a spit-fire, a firecracker, the first strong, independent woman I ever looked up to.

This one is for you Nan! And for all you survivors out there, struggling alongside a loved one with dementia…Don’t put on a brave face, go and be brave. And in case you don’t know, being brave sometimes means not being afraid to cry.

 

Want more? Visit my website where you can find more talk about faith, life, style, autism-mom-ing it, and anything else that comes out of this crazy head of mine.

www.wendyjolson.com

Or follow me on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter!

A long time ago, in a town far, far (well, maybe not that far,) away lived a Wendy on a farm…This is her story.

Maybe it’s not that epic, but it is the third part of my story, Wendy J Olson, and how we came to be where we are and what we are doing here in Fort Worth, Texas. In this week’s episode I talk about some hard truths that Jesus laid on me a couple years ago and the hard truths He’s been laying on me since. I walk you through what was the end of our journey working in anti-trafficking for two years, our not wanting to go and not wanting to stay, leaving the farm life, and all the craziness in between. I also read you excerpts from my book entitled, Turmoil, which is not out yet, but YOU can be part of the process to get it edited and ready to be birthed out into the world!!

If you are into reading, editing, or just plain nosey, send me a message on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter @mrswendyjolson ! I am looking to give my book to ten people to help me review and edit it, and I will be choosing those people the first week of September 2018. Also feel free to visit me on my website, you can also send me a message there, www.wendyjolson.com under CONTACT.

Hope y’all enjoy! Remember to SUBSCRIBE and leave us a review! We’d love five stars if you love this podcast as much as we love bringing it to you every week!

Did you ever meet someone that you just KNEW, knew Jesus?!? That person for me is Carrie Poffenberger. I met this gorgeous woman two years ago at a random conference and she just radiated peace. She sat behind me and I just had to know her, and now you are so lucky to get to know her yourself.

Carrie is a mother to three beautiful babies, but only tucks one of them in each night. After a painful childhood with trials of its own, and those ever-famous, rough teen years, Carrie and her husband decided to start a family. Having no genetic disorders or anything in their family history, they were shocked to find out their son had a horrible disease no one could explain. Later giving birth to their baby girl they would soon find out that she too would suffer this same terrible fate.

Carrie is one of the most inspiring, truth-filled, caring and loving people you will ever meet. And she explains how the only reason she even seems strong, is because of who her Savior is.

Journey with me on this emotional story of despair, grief, and resurrection as Carrie Poffenberger shares her heart and a WHOLE-LOTTA wisdom in this episode of She’s Got Gumption.

Who doesn’t love a good story of super sinner turned Jesus freak? I know I do, because it is also MY story. I met Lavina three years ago and we instantly hit it off. She’s real, she’s raw, she’s honest, and God love her for it. She tells the story of how she found Jesus even in the darkest of circumstances, shortly after her brother was sent to prison for capital murder, and how Jesus pursued her despite all her restless rebelliousness. We also talk about parenting and what a crap-shoot that is sometimes, and we have real conversations about the struggles we have even IN the church. This is a great episode. Don’t miss it!

In this episode Sam Hernandez, from Elijah Rising in Houston, shares with us her Jesus story and her amazing calling as a social justice warrior, fighting for an end to sex trafficking and violence against women. Sam is so full of life and wisdom and Jesus! We also talk about her upcoming new addition and all things women inside and outside of the church encounter.

We even talked about the recent legislation Elijah Rising got to be a part of and ways even you and I can help put an end to human trafficking in our cities.

It’s a great conversation, can’t wait for you to be a part of it!

Elijiah Rising

@samcandoo on Instagram

Sam Can Do YouTube channel

Some people collect baseball cards, some people collect shoes. I collect friends. And finding amazing women to connect with on Instagram is no exception. I will either mom, cheerlead, encourage, or friend the crap out of you if you are put in my path. Brittani Haney is one of those people. I instantly connected with her on Instagram and loved her blog. I knew she’d have an amazing story to share…and I was right. As usual. Just ask my husband.

You guys are gonna love her! Not to mention she lives in the Pacific Northwest and I swear you can hear the beautiful sounds of the Pacific breeze as we were recording. It just doesn’t get any better!

Brittani’s Blog Carry the Fire

@brittanihaneyy on Instagram

For more fun off the podcast, find me on Instagram or over on the Blog

or on Facebook on the Love Like I’m Not Scared Page