On this week’s episode of Significant Women, I welcome my sister in the faith, Natalie Runion. Natalie is an author, pastor, and communicator with a passion for helping women walk in unity instead of comparison or competition. In our honest and heartfelt conversation, we talk about gossip, drama, friendship, and the hard reality that sometimes—even in the church—we don’t always like each other. But Natalie’s wisdom and biblical insights invite us back to a place of grace, generosity, and Spirit-filled sisterhood.

Key Points

• The surprising story behind Natalie’s book title: I Don’t Even Like Women
• Childhood friendships and why adult relationships can feel more complicated
• Gossip as a symptom of deeper heart issues—and how to lead groups away from it
• Comparison and how the story of Mary and Elizabeth teaches us to celebrate one another instead of compete
• Deborah and Jael: two women who modeled partnership and obedience for God’s glory
• Navigating “high drama” friendships and learning emotional regulation
• What true friendship looks like: transparency, listening, and accessibility
• Obedience as the key to a truly significant life
• Scriptures that anchor Natalie: Matthew 10:16, Luke 1 (Mary and Elizabeth), Judges 4–5 (Deborah & Jael)

Resources Mentioned

• I Don’t Even Like Women by Natalie Runion
• Pete Scazzero’s Emotionally Healthy Spirituality series (leadership, relationships)
• Key Scriptures: Luke 1, Judges 4–5, Matthew 10:16, James 3

Connect with Natalie at https://natalierunion.com/
Order ‘I Don’t Even Like Women’ and Other Lies That Get in the Way of Sacred Sisterhood at https://a.co/d/bGDgdhT

Have a prayer request or feedback?
Email Carol at: [email protected]
She and her team would love to pray for you.

Stay Connected:
Subscribe to the Significant Women Podcast and share this episode with a friend who needs to be reminded of her worth today.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carolmcleodministries
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carolmcleodministries
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@CarolMcLeodMinistries

The Significant Women Podcast with Carol McLeod is edited and produced by WileyCraft Productions. Visit https://wileycraftproductions.com/ to learn more.

This week, I’m joined by my dear friend, Jenny Randle. Jenny is a wife, mom, Bible teacher, author, and creative who is passionate about helping believers encounter the power of the Holy Spirit in everyday life. From her family’s move to Amelia Island, to her own health struggles, to writing her fifth book The Promised Presence, Jenny shares how God’s Spirit meets us in weakness, sustains us in hardship, and empowers us to live as witnesses of Jesus. You’ll be encouraged, challenged, and inspired to lean in closer to the Spirit’s work in your own journey.

Key Points

• Jenny’s story: raised Catholic, radically saved at 18, and shaped by a Pentecostal church.
• The turning point in her faith: learning that “nobody will save you except Jesus” during a health crisis.
• Her new book The Promised Presence—a Bible study through Luke and Acts exploring the power and authority of the Holy Spirit.
• How to contend for miracles, even when we don’t see them right away.
• Understanding continuationist theology: why Jenny believes the gifts of the Spirit are still active today.
• The baptism of the Holy Spirit: what it means and how it empowers believers to endure and witness.
• Seeing the Holy Spirit throughout Scripture—from Genesis to Revelation.
• Acts as “to be continued”—we are living out the next chapter of the early church.
• Jenny’s joy: beach walks with Jesus, parenting middle schoolers, and living present in creation.

Resources Mentioned

• Jenny Randle’s new book: The Promised Presence: An Introduction to the Holy Spirit’s Power and Authority
• Scripture references: Luke 24, Acts 1–2, Acts 1:8, Genesis 1:2, 1 Corinthians 13
• Jenny’s ministry work at the Holy Spirit Ministry Center

Have a prayer request or feedback?
Email Carol at: [email protected]
She and her team would love to pray for you.

Stay Connected:
Subscribe to the Significant Women Podcast and share this episode with a friend who needs to be reminded of her worth today.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carolmcleodministries
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carolmcleodministries
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@CarolMcLeodMinistries

The Significant Women Podcast with Carol McLeod is edited and produced by WileyCraft Productions. Visit https://wileycraftproductions.com/ to learn more.

When life doesn’t look like we hoped, God’s Word still points us to joy. Today, Carole Leathem shares her hard-won story—from a pastor’s-wife life that unraveled through her husband’s mental health crisis to becoming a steady, grace-filled caregiver who clings to Jesus. You’ll hear how James 1 reshaped her questions from “Why me?” to “What now?” and how the God of all comfort meets us in the mess. Carole’s practices for soul health are simple, doable, and drenched in Scripture and hope.

Key Points

• Carole’s backstory and marriage: decades of ministry, infertility followed by two “miracle babies,” and then a devastating mental health crash in 2016.
• Choosing to stay: honoring vows while recognizing mental illness as a brain disorder—and making safety plans with her therapist in the hardest season.
• The pivot from “Why?” to “What now?”—how James 1 reframed her response to trials and anchored her joy in Christ, not circumstances.
• Caregiving realities: ongoing medication management, emotional roller coasters, multiple surgeries, and learning to live one breath at a time.
• Practical soul care: “mini five-minute vacations,” monthly deep-tissue massage, gym five mornings a week with her daughter, staying in the Word, worship, reading, and grandkids time.
• Scripture threads: James 1; 2 Corinthians 1:3–4 (the God of all comfort); Psalm 34:18 (near to the brokenhearted); Genesis 50:20 (God’s redemptive good).
• Calling and message: preparing for trials, building a God-first foundation, and finding joy even when “the mud and muck” feel up to your neck.
• Community and stats Carole sees: most caretakers are women; she hears from many who felt utterly alone until they found her resources.

Resources Mentioned

• Are You Ready to Find Joy When Life Gets Messy? by Carole Leathem.
• Podcast: The Caretaker’s Journey (available on major platforms and on her site).
• Scriptures: James 1; 2 Corinthians 1:3–4; Psalm 34:18; Genesis 50:20.

Join Carole Leathem and the Caretaker’s Journey Community at https://www.thecaretakersjourney.com/

Have a prayer request or feedback?
Email Carol at: [email protected]
She and her team would love to pray for you.

Stay Connected:
Subscribe to the Significant Women Podcast and share this episode with a friend who needs to be reminded of her worth today.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carolmcleodministries
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carolmcleodministries
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@CarolMcLeodMinistries

The Significant Women Podcast with Carol McLeod is edited and produced by WileyCraft Productions. Visit https://wileycraftproductions.com/ to learn more.

This week on Significant Women, I’m joined by my new friend, Kristen Strong—a gifted writer and woman of deep wisdom. Kristen and I dive into the subject of loneliness and the sacred gift of friendship. With heartfelt vulnerability and practical wisdom, she shares her personal story of navigating seasons of isolation, especially as a military wife, and how she learned to build community on purpose. If you’ve ever struggled to make new friends or wondered what true friendship really looks like, this episode is for you. You’ll walk away with encouragement and practical steps to pursue deeper, life-giving relationships.

Key Points:

• Kristen’s journey from a childhood full of built-in community to adult seasons of loneliness
• Why friendship takes intentional effort, especially in adulthood
• The impact of social media and busyness on modern relationships
• What healthy friendship looks like: vulnerability, reciprocity, and being present
• Scriptural examples of loneliness and God’s faithfulness to provide companionship
• Practical steps to finding new friends: “show up, open up, pray up”

Resources Mentioned:

• Kristen Strong’s book: Desperate Woman Seeks Friends
• Drew Hunter’s book: Made for Friendship
• The story of Ruth and Naomi (Book of Ruth, Bible)
• Story of David (Book of Psalms, Bible)

Have a prayer request or feedback?
Email Carol at: [email protected]
She and her team would love to pray for you.

Stay Connected:
Subscribe to the Significant Women Podcast and share this episode with a friend who needs to be reminded of her worth today.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carolmcleodministries
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carolmcleodministries
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@CarolMcLeodMinistries

The Significant Women Podcast with Carol McLeod is edited and produced by WileyCraft Productions. Visit https://wileycraftproductions.com/ to learn more.

Welcome back to another First Friday episode of the Significant Women Podcast with Carol McLeod! On today’s episode Carol tackles loneliness, a problem faced by so many in our increasingly isolating culture. Through life experience and biblical wisdom Carol delivers a powerful encouragement to both embrace the gifts of solitude and proactively counter the despair of loneliness.
 

Order ‘Significant: Becoming a Woman of Unique Purpose, True Identity, and Irrepressible Hope’ at https://a.co/d/bj1uqwW

Have a prayer request or feedback?
Email Carol at: [email protected]
She and her team would love to pray for you.

Stay Connected:
Subscribe to the Significant Women Podcast and share this episode with a friend who needs to be reminded of her worth today.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carolmcleodministries
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carolmcleodministries
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@CarolMcLeodMinistries

The Significant Women Podcast with Carol McLeod is edited and produced by WileyCraft Productions. Visit https://wileycraftproductions.com/ to learn more.

In this heartfelt episode of the Significant Women podcast, Carol McLeod welcomes worship leader, speaker, and trauma survivor Noelle Borgia. With raw honesty and powerful hope, Noelle shares her journey of healing, wrestling with the lies of the enemy, and learning to walk in the truth of who God says she is. 

Noelle’s story is a testimony to the power of God’s love to redeem every broken place. From an encounter with the Holy Spirit at age seven to years of silence and struggle, and eventually to breakthrough and ministry, Noelle opens up about how worship and truth became the weapons that pulled her out of shame and darkness. 

This episode is a must-listen for anyone walking through pain, carrying trauma, or believing they’re too broken to be used by God. 

In This Episode You’ll Learn: 

• The difference between knowing Scripture and living it
• What it looks like to partner with the Holy Spirit in healing
• How worship played a pivotal role in her breakthrough
• Why your story matters and how God can use it

Find Noelle and the work of Shattered Mirror Ministries at https://shatteredmirrorministries.com/ 

Have a prayer request or feedback?
Email Carol at: [email protected]
She and her team would love to pray for you.

Stay Connected:
Subscribe to the Significant Women Podcast and share this episode with a friend who needs to be reminded of her worth today.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carolmcleodministries
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carolmcleodministries
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@CarolMcLeodMinistries

The Significant Women Podcast with Carol McLeod is edited and produced by WileyCraft Productions. Visit https://wileycraftproductions.com/ to learn more.

In this inspiring episode, Carol McLeod sits down with author Michelle Ule to explore the remarkable life of Letty Cowman—the woman behind the beloved devotional Streams in the Desert. Michelle’s new book, Overflowing Faith, offers an intimate look at Letty’s deep love for Jesus, her passion for missions, and the enduring power of her words.

Michelle shares Letty’s journey from a privileged upbringing in Iowa to becoming a pioneering missionary in Japan, the first female president of an international missionary society, and the heart behind one of the best-selling devotionals of all time. You’ll hear stories of Letty’s extraordinary faith, her partnership with her husband Charles, and how God used her obedience to reach millions—even in the face of war, grief, and cultural barriers.

From Japan to Europe, from grief to global missions, Letty’s story reminds us that significance doesn’t require perfection—just a willing heart.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

• How Letty Cowman and her husband led a campaign to bring the gospel to every home in Japan
• Why Streams in the Desert has never gone out of print in over 100 years
• How Letty learned to hear God’s voice through worship and scripture
• What we can learn from Letty's fearless leadership as a woman in ministry
• How Michelle Ule brings history to life through the stories of faith-filled women

Books Mentioned:

Overflowing Faith: Letty Cowman and Streams in the Desert by Michelle Ule

Streams in the Desert by Mrs. Charles E. Cowman

Mrs. Oswald Chambers: The Woman behind the World's Bestselling Devotional by Michelle Ule

Don’t miss Michelle’s heartfelt prayer for anyone feeling called to share the story of Jesus in their own unique way.

Connect with Michelle Ule:
Website: michelleule.com
Facebook & Instagram: @michelleulewriter

Have a prayer request or feedback?
Email Carol at: [email protected]
She and her team would love to pray for you.

Stay Connected:
Subscribe to the Significant Women Podcast and share this episode with a friend who needs to be reminded of her worth today.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carolmcleodministries
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carolmcleodministries
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@CarolMcLeodMinistries

The Significant Women Podcast with Carol McLeod is edited and produced by WileyCraft Productions. Visit https://wileycraftproductions.com/ to learn more.

In this episode of Significant Women, I have the great joy of welcoming Mary Marantz, a gifted author, speaker, and host of The Mary Marantz Show. Mary’s story is both tender and powerful—a testimony of healing, courage, and transformation. Together, we talk about what it means to break free from generational pain, let go of perfectionism, and begin the long, faithful journey of becoming who God created us to be.

Mary shares rich insight from her new book Underestimated, a message for every woman who has questioned her voice, her strength, or her ability to make a meaningful impact. Our conversation explores the process of healing from the inside out, recognizing fear for the liar it is, and learning to trust yourself as a vessel for the work God has entrusted to you.

This episode will meet you in your hidden places and help you start again—with grace, with faith, and with a deeper sense of purpose.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Healing from decades of limiting beliefs and deep-rooted fear
• The myth that “more” will lead to our downfall
• Generational patterns and where the chain breaks
• The link between perfectionism and fear
• How self-sabotage keeps us in cycles of playing small
• Why consistency is more powerful than excellence alone
• Reparenting yourself as an adult and learning to feel safe
• Understanding the Parable of the Talents as a call to trust
• How to stop delaying obedience while waiting for “permission”
• Embracing your God-given gifts and using them with courage

Scripture Themes:

• Matthew 25:14–30 — The Parable of the Talents
• The calling to be faithful with what you’ve been given
• The importance of small, daily obedience in spiritual growth
• Trusting that if God gave it to you, He intends for you to use it

Mary’s Books Mentioned:

• Dirt — A memoir about returning home and making peace with your past
• Slow Growth Equals Strong Roots — A guide for those tired of hustle, who long to grow at a soul-deep level
• Underestimated — A book for every woman who feels overlooked, underqualified, or unsure of her place in God’s plan

Quotes to Remember:

“We are doing the heavy lifting of breaking generational chains. So it’s okay if it takes us a little longer.”

“You were never asked to be perfect. You were asked to be faithful.”

“When we hide our gifts, we forfeit the good work that was prepared in advance for us.”

“Fear is not creative. It’s repetitive. The lies don’t change. But neither does the truth.”

Carol’s Challenge to Listeners:
Start small. Ask yourself: What one thing can I do today to become more of the woman I long to be? Maybe it's a simple decision. Maybe it’s a single act of obedience. But begin there. Because your story matters, and the small things are never small when done with God.

Mary’s Final Prayer:
Mary closes the episode with a beautiful and vulnerable prayer over every woman listening. She prays that you would grow weary of fear, stop giving weight to old lies, and begin trusting the God who planted gifts in you before the foundation of the world. She reminds us that showing up matters more than being perfect—and that hiding your voice serves no one.

Where to Find Mary Marantz:

Website: www.marymarantz.com

Instagram: @marymarantz

Podcast: The Mary Marantz Show

Books: Available wherever books are sold

Listen and Subscribe:
If this episode encouraged you, consider subscribing and leaving a review. Every share, rating, and recommendation helps us reach more women with the hope of Jesus. If you know someone who feels like their voice doesn’t matter, send them this conversation. Remind them: the climb might be steep, but the view is worth it—and they’re not alone.

Have a prayer request or feedback?
Email Carol at: [email protected]
She and her team would love to pray for you.

Stay Connected:
Subscribe to the Significant Women Podcast and share this episode with a friend who needs to be reminded of her worth today.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carolmcleodministries
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carolmcleodministries
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@CarolMcLeodMinistries

The Significant Women Podcast with Carol McLeod is edited and produced by WileyCraft Productions. Visit https://wileycraftproductions.com/ to learn more.

Welcome to The Significant Women Podcast with Carol McLeod. In this powerful solo episode, Carol dives deep into the topic of identity—a message every woman needs to hear.

So many of us—whether we’re stay-at-home moms, career women, widows, singles, or teenagers—wrestle with the same haunting questions:
“Am I enough?” “Do I matter?” “Who told me I was less than?”

Carol takes us all the way back to the Garden of Eden to uncover the truth about who we are, why God created us, and how to reject the lies of the enemy. You’ll discover the profound beauty of being made in the exact image and likeness of God, and what it means to be called “very good” by your Creator.

In this episode, Carol teaches:

• Why self-esteem is a spiritual battle
• The biblical foundation for our identity
• What it means to be the “muchness” of God’s creation
• How to silence the lies and believe eternal truth
• Why your voice and presence are needed in the world today

Whether you’ve struggled with shame, comparison, or simply forgotten who you are in Christ, this episode will help anchor you in unshakable truth.

"You are not created to be the mirror of past rejection... You are created to reflect the character and the nature of God." – Carol McLeod

Resources Mentioned:
Significant by Carol McLeod – A book that unpacks your identity, purpose, and the powerful truth of living as a woman of God.
Purchase it at CarolMcLeodMinistries.com or wherever books are sold.

Have a prayer request or feedback?
Email Carol at: [email protected]
She and her team would love to pray for you.

Stay Connected:
Subscribe to the Significant Women Podcast and share this episode with a friend who needs to be reminded of her worth today.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carolmcleodministries
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carolmcleodministries
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@CarolMcLeodMinistries

The Significant Women Podcast with Carol McLeod is edited and produced by WileyCraft Productions. Visit https://wileycraftproductions.com/ to learn more.

In one of the most moving episodes of the Significant Women podcast, Carol McLeod welcomes Rachel Brown—author, speaker, and founder of Never Alone Widows—for a powerful conversation about love, loss, and the miraculous restoration that only God can bring.

Rachel opens up about marrying her college sweetheart Todd and building what felt like the perfect life. But just three months into their marriage, a tragic and unexpected health crisis took Todd’s life—leaving Rachel a widow at only 23. With raw honesty, she shares the shock of sudden grief, the sacred moments of heartbreak, and how Jesus met her in the wreckage.

Now, twice widowed and walking in deep joy and renewed purpose, Rachel is helping thousands of women heal and find hope. This episode will speak to your soul—whether you’re grieving, supporting someone who is, or simply wondering where God is in your hardest moments.

Key Takeaways:

• Rachel’s sweet love story and simple church-gym wedding.
• The sudden, life-shattering death of her husband Todd at age 27.
• The surreal and sacred moments of early grief—and the body’s protective instincts.
• The small comforts that became lifelines: Sunday night rituals, Pizza Hut, and the book Give Me Jesus by Anne Graham Lotz.
• How Rachel turned her pain into purpose by ministering to widows nationwide.
• Why healing, freedom, and joy are not just possible—they are promised through Christ.

About Rachel Brown:
Rachel Brown knows the profound pain of loss and the miraculous power of restoration. Twice widowed, she uses her story to inspire women to find joy, purpose, and freedom.

She is the founder and leader of Never Alone Widows, the largest Christian widows’ ministry in the U.S., where she equips women to rediscover joy, embrace their identity in Christ, and live with renewed hope.

Rachel is an ordained minister, a national speaker for Folds of Honor, and the co-creator of resources such as Father’s House, the There Is More podcast, and the How to Widow Well video series. She lives in Atlanta, Georgia, with her husband Rod and their two children, Davis and Campbell.

Connect with Rachel:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rachelfaulknerbrown
Website: www.neveralonewidows.com

Resources Mentioned:

• Give Me Jesus by Anne Graham Lotz
• Rachel’s new book Widow’s Might: A 365-Day Devotional (discussed later in the episode)

Subscribe & Share:
If Rachel’s story touched your heart, please subscribe, rate, and review the Significant Women podcast. Share this episode with someone walking through grief—they’ll be reminded they’re not alone. 

Have a prayer request or feedback?
Email Carol at: [email protected]
She and her team would love to pray for you.

Stay Connected:
Subscribe to the Significant Women Podcast and share this episode with a friend who needs to be reminded of her worth today.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carolmcleodministries
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carolmcleodministries
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@CarolMcLeodMinistries

The Significant Women Podcast with Carol McLeod is edited and produced by WileyCraft Productions. Visit https://wileycraftproductions.com/ to learn more.