We Made People Podcast

We decided to share the women’s retreat sessions on both our church podcast and We Made People. We’re building a library of helpful episodes—some for men, some for women—and these three are just for the ladies. Each one centers on the importance of worship, especially through hymns. We hope you enjoy them!

We decided to share the women’s retreat sessions on both our church podcast and We Made People. We’re building a library of helpful episodes—some for men, some for women—and these three are just for the ladies. Each one centers on the importance of worship, especially through hymns. We hope you enjoy them!

We decided to share East River Church’s women’s retreat sessions on both our church podcast and We Made People. We’re building a library of helpful episodes—some for men, some for women—and these three are just for the ladies. Each one centers on the importance of worship, especially through hymns. We hope you enjoy them!

In this episode, Michael breaks down the three historical purposes of marriage with some practical applications for each one.

In this episode, Emily talks about why a home should look lived-in.

In this episode, Emily shares some of the unique lessons God taught her through our nine children.

In this short episode, we’re starting to get our hearts and heads ready for the fact that our oldest is getting married.

About two years ago, we started We Made People—a podcast about marriage and family for first-generation Christians. We wanted it raw, real, and relatable—not perfect heroes, just honest guides with some hard-won wisdom. We named it We Made People because, well, we have—nine of them. But right after we launched, life hit hard.

My mom went in for a routine surgery that went wrong. Months of hospitals and heartbreak followed, and when she passed, it split our life in two: before and after. God carried us through with faithful friends and a church that showed up.

That season taught us to slow down—to stop living in the red and learn to “get back to green.” Rest isn’t laziness; it’s obedience.

So here we are. Back at it. New episodes. Same goal. Still about marriage, family, and the good fight of faith.Welcome back to We Made People.

In April of this year, Joel Littlepage announced to his congregation that he would be leaving in the coming months. He wrote:

“I want to be clear that we came to this conclusion before Pastor Russ’ return from his sabbatical and communication about his departure. While the timing is surprising in many ways, it is nonetheless the truth. Once I learned of Pastor Russ’ imminent timeline, I had to discern whether or not to divulge this decision to Mosaic now. The timing is very painful (especially given current events in DC). I hate to cause pain to this congregation, and I wrestled with whether to continue for the next year(s) to offer pastoral stability. After hours of agony, prayer, and counsel from several wise advisors, I came to see that the most caring course was to make my journey known to you now so that Mosaic can discern its future of pastoral leadership without my long-term presence weighing on that decision.”

A few weeks later, in May, his wife Melissa posted “Habemus Papam!” (“We have a pope”) after the election of Pope Leo XIV.

Then, just last week, Littlepage said in his sermon:

“I want everyone to hear it from me as your pastor, because you’re going to hear it either way. What Melissa and I discerned in our journey seeking the Lord’s face is that our calling was to come into full communion and unity with the Catholic Church.”

After this declaration, he administered communion to the congregation—including Teaching Elder and current Mission to North America coordinator Irwyn Ince. At the close of the service, TE Ince prayed over them, saying:

“I’m gonna ask, uh, most particularly GMO’s elder shepherdesses, leaders, come surround them, and anyone else who wants to come on down to the front. Put your hands on our dear Littlepages, as we get to go before the Lord on their behalf, understanding that as said before the service, this is just see you soon, not full goodbye.”

The whole service was riddled with problems—and this is only scratching the surface.

This bonus episode "The Labor of Motherhood" is taken from a sermon series Michael preached at East River Church. In it, Michael talks about how mothering prepares the next faithful generation of Christians through seemingly insignificant acts of love and nurture.