When I was younger, I wasn’t sure if abortion was all that bad. I’d never really heard it addressed much in the church while growing up, so I didn’t have a strong opinion about it either way. Not until my struggle with infertility did I become a strong proponent for choosing life for all babies. I saw the importance of every single child created in the womb and understood that life is formed at the moment of conception. I also saw how God is the Master Creator who has a grand plan for each of us, and we hinder His work when our will collides with His masterpiece. Today’s guest, Christy Braddock, has struggled with both scenarios. The guilt became a heavy weight to carry. Christy got pregnant at 15 and gave her baby up for adoption. Then at 21 she became pregnant again, but this time she decided to keep the baby and get married, thinking this was her second chance to raise a child. But because her marriage was so dysfunctional she made some poor choices, including abortion, that she’s had to overcome with Jesus’ grace and forgiveness.

Jacob’s teacher began by saying Jacob had been very distracted over the last few months, and she felt he needed to be tested for ADD. She handed us a paper outlining the symptoms and advised us to have a doctor confirm the diagnosis. Then she dropped the bomb. “I believe Jacob would be better off if you held him back a year,” she said coolly. “Of course, the choice is yours, but he won’t benefit if you send him on ahead.”

Liz Cobo says that nothing has deepened her faith and changed her walk with Jesus like studying the Bible. Studying God's Word literally changed her life. Things that were once important priorities aren’t anymore. Things that were once afterthoughts are now at the top of her list.  Scripture is God's self-revelation and is available to anyone willing to take the time and make the effort to read and study. Liz understands that now. God promises in his Word that he will give us greater understanding of His Word when we read it.  Liz always believed in God, but didn’t always know Jesus and lived a lot of her life not knowing what the Bible says and doesn't say.

I don’t know about you, but in my home the laundry room is considered one of the most important rooms. It’s command central. When my kids were still at home it was also a disaster on most days. Oh, it might be clean for a few brief hours, but then when everyone started slinging off boots and muddy clothes, you’d never know I’d darkened the door that day. Many days the frustration of laundry, picking up clothes, blankets, cups and shoes (the list could go on infinitely) is overwhelming, especially with kids in the home. Before my children flew the nest, I’d get mad and start to spew at them, wanting to ask the question my mom used to ask us in jest (mostly), “What’d your last maid die of—overwork and underpay?” I always laughed at that question, but now I can appreciate the significance of it. That’s sure what it feels like sometimes.

Husband-and-wife music duo, Kenny and Claire Hilliard both grew up in the upstate of South Carolina before God took them the long way around to finally settle in Nashville, TN.  In 2015, during Kenny’s tenure as a senior pastor and worship leader in Asheville, North Carolina, he was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Shortly after successful surgery to remove the tumor, Kenny received a second diagnosis, Ehlers Danlos Syndrome—a degenerative genetic disease that left him temporarily impaired. The couple embraced a return to music during Kenny’s recovery, founding a music teaching studio and penning modern hymns for their home congregation. Kenny and Claire also share some of their travel experiences from being on the road six months of the year touring with their 3 kids in an RV across the country. This special couple is honest about the struggles they’ve endured and continue giving God glory via their music through it all.

When my kids were teens, I shared with both of them that I used to curse—a lot. You should have seen the expressions on their faces as their jaws dropped, and eyes grew wide with disbelief.  “Not you Mom! I don’t believe it!” I was pleased that I had to convince them otherwise, glad that I’d decided when they were both very little that my speech needed to change. That, and the Holy Spirit got ahold of me.

Mary Marantz knows how fear can hold us back. Even though she was able to leave the musty single-wide trailer of her childhood in West Virginia and make her way to Yale Law School, she always carried the fear that she would be found out. Even though she had worked hard and earned every grade and scholarship she received she thought others saw her as an imposter. So, she strove to be the best at everything she did, and she was. But the life of perfection has a way of draining the joy out of you.

When I started this podcast Frieda and Julie graciously agreed to be my first interview. We wanted to help other women find and experience friendship like ours, because good, godly friends can have an amazing impact on your life, as we all can testify. One of the things Frieda said during that interview describes the foundation of our friendship. She said, “We started with [honoring God in our get-togethers]. When we started with that, God knit us together. That’s why we don’t have huge arguments because we’re knit together by God. He started our friendship, and I think we’ll be friends till we die.” I sure hope so. You might be listening to this thinking, “Good for you, Carol. I’m glad you found your friends but I’m still lonely, wishing I had at least one good friend I could count on.” And I understand. I remember how hard those days were when I was a young mom. Or maybe your kids have moved out and you’re struggling to learn how to live this new empty-nest lifestyle and would love to pour out your heart to other women in the same stage of life. Or you may have recently moved to a new community, and you don’t know how to find someone you can relate to. As I look back at how our friendship formed, I see lessons I’ve learned and things we did right when we weren’t even aware of it. So, here’s a list of things I hope will help you find your own lifelong friends:

Christian comedian Kerri Pomarolli knows what's it like to feel hopeless. After she and her comedian husband divorced, she didn’t think anyone would want to hire her for Christian events again, so she holed up in her bedroom and hid under the covers, binge-watching all five seasons of Friday Night Lights, drinking coke and eating a balanced diet of M&M’s and salt and vinegar potato chips. Becoming a member of the Single Moms’ Club wasn’t exactly on her bucket list, but God revealed a plan for her to reach a whole new group of people. That was the motivation for her to get out of bed and start working again as He provided opportunities she’d never expected. Kerri’s resume includes being on the Tonight Show 29 times and named one of LA’s Most Inspiring People by LA Voyage Magazine and Comedian of the Year by The Hollywood Red Letter Awards in 2022.