Lioness Women: Rooted in Christ

What happens when the relentless pursuit of success nearly costs you your life?Kibi Anderson was living a life of extraordinary achievement. An Emmy Award-winning storyteller, Harvard graduate, and accomplished leadership strategist, she had built a career defined by ambition, excellence, and impact.But behind the success was a woman running on empty.Years of pushing through exhaustion and serious health challenges eventually left Kibi hospitalized, confronting a painful question: Why was she willing to give everyone else her brilliance but not use that same brilliance to care for herself?In this deeply personal episode of Lioness Women: Rooted in Christ, Kibi returns to share her chapter, "The Anti-Hustle Advantage," from LIONESS: Stories to Awaken Your Roar Within, and joins Jen Porter for a powerful conversation about redefining success.Together, they explore:How childhood survival patterns can quietly shape our relationship with ambition, achievement, and self-worth.Why rest isn't the opposite of productivity—and how it can actually expand our capacity for meaningful work.The surprising connection between rest, play, and rediscovering joy.Why moving from me-care to we-care changes everything about how we give and receive support.How to become a "Rested Rebel" through small, intentional practices that restore energy and possibility.Kibi also shares the inspiration behind her Rested Rebel Summer Camp, her practical approach to asking for help, and why she now treats rest as a discipline rather than a reward.This episode is for every woman who has ever believed she must keep doing more to be enough.You don't have to abandon your ambition. You may simply need to change how you pursue it.Learn more about Kibi at kibianderson.com and discover her complete story in LIONESS: Stories to Awaken Your Roar Within.https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H3G2TKVM

What if the most loving way to honor someone you've lost isn't to remain in your grief, but to choose healing?When Rachel Tenpenny McGonigle lost her infant twin daughters, Aubrey and Ellie, her world was shattered. In the depths of unimaginable heartbreak, she encountered a message that terrified her: Once a griever, always a griever. You will never be okay again.But Rachel refused to accept that her daughters' legacy would be a lifetime of suffering.In this deeply moving episode of Lioness Women: Rooted in Christ, I'm joined by Rachel, author, grief coach, and founder of The Grief Gal, whose remarkable story is featured in my book, Lioness: Stories to Awaken Your Roar Within, in the chapter The Woman Who Chose to Heal the Impossible.Together, we explore what it means to choose healing when everything within you feels broken, and why moving forward doesn't mean leaving behind the people you love.Rachel challenges some of our most deeply held beliefs about grief, identity, and loss. She shares how she began reclaiming her life, not by denying her pain, but by discovering that her heart, her future, and her capacity for joy were not beyond restoration.In our conversation, we explore:Why healing is not betrayal — and how we can honor our loved ones more through our healing than through our hurting.The danger of making grief our identity — and what becomes possible when we stop allowing our most painful experiences to define us.Why the body matters in healing — including simple, restorative practices that help us begin again.The power of small, intentional choices — and why healing begins with self-awareness, grace, and the courage to ask for help.Moving from enduring life to embracing it — discovering that there is still purpose, beauty, love, and joy to be found in the life we have today.Perhaps most powerfully, Rachel reminds us that while we cannot always choose what happens to us, we can participate in deciding who we become through it.This conversation is for anyone who has experienced devastating loss, is carrying grief that feels impossible to overcome, or loves someone who is struggling to find their way forward.It's an invitation to consider that your story is not over. That you can carry love without carrying endless suffering. And that the God who created you has not exhausted the possibilities for your life.Because healing doesn't mean forgetting. It means learning to live fully while carrying love forward.Connect and learn more:Rachel Tenpenny McGonigle — The Grief Gal www.thegriefgal.comRachel's book: The Truth About Healing After LossRead Rachel's story in Lioness: Stories to Awaken Your Roar Within: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H3G2TKVMExplore coaching and the Lioness community: https://jenportercoach.comThe lioness in me sees the lioness in you.

What does it mean to be one Body in Christ when part of that Body is suffering—and we don’t even know it?In this powerful conversation, Jen sits down with Ed Brown, Secretary General of Stefanus Alliance International, to step into the lives of Christians around the world whose faith carries a cost most of us can scarcely imagine.Ed takes us inside the underground Church in North Korea, where believers may gather only two or three at a time and women are quietly carrying the Gospel into places where possessing a Bible can mean imprisonment or death. He shares the unforgettable story of a woman who spent a year reading the Bible again and again, memorizing more than a thousand verses so that when she returned to North Korea, the Bible she carried would not be in her hands—it would be written on her heart.But this conversation is about more than persecution.Ed challenges us to consider whether the Body of Christ is functioning as a healthy body at all. When our physical bodies experience pain, signals travel immediately and the entire body responds. But when our brothers and sisters across the world are imprisoned, displaced, attacked or killed because of their faith—do we feel it? Do we respond?Together, Jen and Ed explore what meaningful response can look like: caring for those who are suffering now, strengthening communities so they become more resilient, and engaging leaders and systems that can prevent persecution before it happens.They also explore what persecuted Christians have taught Ed about faith itself.Perhaps courage isn’t always triumph.Perhaps strong faith doesn’t mean escaping suffering.Perhaps sometimes faith looks like Good Friday. Sometimes it looks like the silence of Saturday. And sometimes the deepest expression of faith is trusting that Christ is still with us—even when He does not immediately remove the pain.This conversation is an invitation to look beyond our own experience of Christianity and remember that we belong to something much larger: a global Body of believers across cultures, denominations and nations.And then to ask:Where am I in this Body?What might God be asking of me?And how can I use the freedom, resources and influence I’ve been given for the sake of someone else?CONNECT WITH ED BROWN + STEFANUS ALLIANCEStefanus Alliance exists to strengthen the persecuted Church and protect freedom of religion or belief for everyone.Learn more, read stories from the global Church, support the work and sign up for their newsletter and prayer updates:https://www.stefanus-usa.org/Connect directly with Ed Brown:Email: [email protected] Alliance International on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/stefanusalliansen/If your church, small group, university or ministry would like Ed to speak about the persecuted Church, religious freedom or the global human-rights landscape, reach out to him directly. Ed regularly speaks with audiences ranging from youth groups and churches to universities, diplomats and international leaders.CONNECT WITH JEN PORTERJen Porter is a leadership and career coach helping ambitious, heart-centered women become deeply rooted in who God created them to be so they can live boldly, lead courageously and do the work they were made for.Explore coaching, the Lioness community and Jen’s book, Lioness: Stories to Awaken Your Roar Within:https://www.jenportercoach.com/And if this conversation stirred something in you, share the episode with a friend, church leader, small group or someone who wants to understand more about our brothers and sisters in the global Church.Awareness is where it begins.Then we can listen for what God may be asking us to do with what we now know.

What if you didn’t have to accomplish one more thing to be worthy?For ambitious, high-achieving women, striving can look a lot like strength. We become capable, dependable, productive women who know how to push through, carry responsibility, and get things done.But underneath all that achievement can live a quieter question:Am I enough?In this episode of Lioness Women: Rooted in Christ, Jen Porter sits down with Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Christian coach, speaker, and podcast host Melissa Gendreau for a powerful conversation about breaking free from performance and learning to live from an identity already secured in Christ.Melissa shares her own journey from perfectionism and proving into what she calls humble confidence—knowing who you are, recognizing that your gifts come from God, and using them boldly without needing them to establish your worth.Together, Jen and Melissa explore the difference between striving and abiding, self-reliance and surrender, happiness and deeply rooted joy, and what happens when we stop trying to control the outcome and allow God to be the one driving our lives.You’ll also hear a beautiful reframe for every woman who has spent her life climbing invisible ladders of achievement and comparison:There is no ladder. There is a table—and you’ve already been invited to sit at it.If you’ve ever wrestled with feeling like you’re simultaneously not enough and too much, this conversation is an invitation to come home to the truth of who God says you are: chosen, loved, worthy, adopted, and His.You don’t have to prove your worth.You get to live from it.CONNECT WITH MELISSA GENDREAUWebsite: melissagendreau.comPodcast: Forward Path with Melissa: Life and Marriage God’s WayFind Melissa’s free resources, including 10 Bible Truths About Your Identity in Christ, along with her courses, coaching, speaking, and other resources on her website.CONNECT WITH JEN PORTERWebsite: jenportercoach.comPodcast: Lioness Women: Rooted in ChristBook: Lioness: Stories to Awaken Your Roar WithinLeadership & Career Coaching + Lioness Community: jenportercoach.com

What does it look like to keep choosing life after unimaginable loss?In this deeply moving episode of Lioness Women: Rooted in Christ, Jen Porter sits down with Barb Hollace — one of the featured women in the upcoming book Lioness: Stories to Awaken Your Roar Within — for a conversation about faith, grief, resilience, surrender, and the unshakable faithfulness of God.Widowed at just 33 years old after losing her first husband to cancer, Barb shares the heartbreak, questions, and spiritual wrestlings that followed. Years later, after finding love again, she would walk through devastating loss a second time when her husband unexpectedly passed away during the COVID era.And yet, through every season of suffering, Barb’s story is not ultimately one of despair — it is one of extraordinary hope.With wisdom, humility, and profound honesty, Barb opens up about:• what it means to trust God when life does not unfold the way you imagined• how faith is built through relationship, not religion• why God’s faithfulness becomes undeniable through lived experience• the hidden strength of women who quietly endure• and how pain, when surrendered to God, can become purposeThis episode is filled with tender moments, powerful truths, and reminders that courage does not always roar loudly. Sometimes courage looks like waking up one more day, trusting God one more time, and continuing to love others through the pain.If you are walking through grief, disappointment, uncertainty, or a season that feels impossible, Barb’s story will remind you that you are not abandoned — and that God is still writing redemption into your story.Chapter 9 of Lioness is Barb Hollace’s powerful story:“Protected by Unyielding Faith: Choosing to Live a Life Marked by Resilience, Where Faith Turns Survival Into Purpose.”Find out more at: https://bereadyministry.org/Connect with Jen: https://www.jenportercoach.com/

What happens when God calls you beyond comfort, beyond fear, and into something far bigger than yourself?In this powerful conversation, Jen sits down with Meredith Murray to talk about surrender, courage, mentorship, and the life-changing impact of simply showing up for others.Meredith shares her deeply personal journey through profound loss, caregiving, breast cancer, and unexpected transition — and how those seasons refined her faith and awakened a greater calling. What began as a quiet life of serving behind the scenes became a global mission to empower vulnerable children through Allies in Youth Development, now impacting more than 27,000 children across 92 countries through mentorship, education, and humanitarian aid.Together, Jen and Meredith explore: Why “playing small” keeps so many women from fully stepping into their calling  What surrender to God actually looks like in everyday life  How faith grows through trust, discomfort, and obedience  The transformational power of mentorship and human connection  Stories from orphan villages in Africa that will move your heart deeply  Why empowered people empower people This episode is both deeply emotional and profoundly inspiring — a reminder that God often works through ordinary women willing to say yes one faithful step at a time. Connect with Jen:https://www.jenportercoach.com/Connect with Allies in Youth Development:https://alliesyouth.org/linktr.ee/EmpoweredLifePodhttps://www.facebook.com/alliesyouthCheck out Meredith's podcast:Empowered Life Podcast- YouTubeyoutube.com/@empoweredlifepodcast?si=OPjAPlIU-hN2qJca

In this deeply moving and eye-opening conversation, Jen Porter sits down with Vija Herefoss — theologian, human rights advocate, and global voice for persecuted women of faith — to explore the hidden realities facing Christian women around the world. Through stories gathered from Iran, North Korea, Central Asia, and beyond, Vija shares how women are often the unseen backbone of the global church — courageously carrying faith forward in environments marked by persecution, exclusion, violence, and profound sacrifice. Yet rather than portraying these women merely as victims, she reveals them as resilient leaders, creative change agents, and powerful witnesses of hope. Together, Jen and Vija explore: Why women make up the majority of the global church  The radically dignifying way Jesus treated women  How faith transforms families and entire communities  Why Christian community is essential for survival in persecuted regions  The unique forms of persecution women face  The extraordinary courage of women leading underground churches  The power of prayer, generosity, and global solidarity  What the Western church can learn from believers who risk everything for Christ One of the most compelling themes throughout the episode is this: many women around the world are holding onto their faith at tremendous personal cost — losing homes, marriages, safety, inheritance, freedom, and sometimes even their lives — yet still refusing to let go of Christ. Their stories become a profound invitation for all of us to reflect on the depth, beauty, and eternal value of faith. Vija also shares breathtaking examples of women “gossiping the gospel” from house to house, imprisoned believers leading Bible studies behind bars, and exhausted pastors’ wives finally finding rest and encouragement through gatherings supported by Stefanus Alliance. This conversation is both sobering and deeply hope-filled — a reminder that even in the darkest places, the light of Christ continues to shine through ordinary women living with extraordinary courage.To learn more about the work of Stefanus Alliance International, support persecuted believers, or read stories from the global church, visit:https://www.stefanus-usa.org/Connect with Coach Jen Porter:https://www.jenportercoach.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenportercoach/Podcast: https://lioness.transistor.fm/

In this deeply thought-provoking conversation, Jen Porter sits down with Lead With Impact founder Cynthia Vazquez to explore the intersection of faith, leadership, humanity, and artificial intelligence.A former federal executive turned AI strategist, Cynthia shares her unexpected journey into the world of AI and why she believes this moment in history is not just a technological shift — but a deeply human one.Together, Jen and Cynthia explore: how women can navigate the rapidly changing future of work with courage instead of fear,  why AI should amplify humanity rather than replace it,  the importance of stewardship over ambition,  leadership rooted in values and integrity,  trusting God through career pivots and uncertainty,  and how technology can actually create more space for meaningful connection, clarity, and purpose. This conversation is both grounding and empowering — especially for women who sense they are being called to lead differently in a noisy and rapidly evolving world.If you’ve been feeling uncertain about AI, questioning your next step, or longing to lead with greater alignment and intention, this episode will leave you feeling hopeful, challenged, and inspired.“The future isn’t about becoming less human. It’s about learning how to lead with even more wisdom, presence, and courage.”You can connect with Cynthia Vazquez and learn more about her AI leadership training, workshops, and consulting through https://leadwithimpact.io/ or by following her on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/cynthiavaz-lwi/.To connect with Jen Porter’s coaching, podcast, and leadership work empowering women to lead with courage, clarity, and deeper purpose, visit https://www.jenportercoach.com/

In this deeply honest and faith-centered conversation, Jen Porter sits down with Lindsay Harwell to explore what it truly means to reclaim your voice, identity, and life—especially in seasons of disruption, transition, and awakening.After a life-altering personal crisis, Lindsay found herself at a crossroads: continue living on autopilot—overextended, people-pleasing, and disconnected from herself—or choose a new path rooted in healing, truth, and courage. What followed was a powerful journey of intentional transformation.Together, Jen and Lindsay unpack the hidden patterns so many women carry—seeking permission, losing themselves in roles and responsibilities, and tying their worth to performance. They challenge the illusion of “having it all” and instead invite women into a deeper question:What is truly mine to carry—and what am I finally ready to release?Lindsay shares how faith, therapy, and radical self-honesty helped her rebuild from the inside out—learning to ask for what she needs, let go of fear-based living, and step boldly into something new. That journey ultimately led to the creation of her podcast, Reclaimed—a space for women navigating identity, purpose, and the courage to begin again.This episode is a call to every woman who feels the quiet nudge:You don’t need permission.You need a decision.And on the other side of that decision… is the life you were meant to live.Check out Reclaimed Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/reclaimed-trailer/id1894713160?i=1000762289892Check out Jen's work and the Lioness Community at https://www.jenportercoach.com/

In this deeply moving and spiritually grounding conversation, Coach Jen sits down with Kristen Stockton—a woman who has not only led at the highest levels, but has walked through the hidden fires of leadership, identity, and healing.Kristen’s story begins where many high-capacity women quietly find themselves: achieving, leading, carrying… yet internally weary, misaligned, and disconnected from the deeper rhythm of God. What unfolded for her wasn’t a strategy—it was a surrender.Through a pivotal retreat experience, Kristen came face to face with unhealed wounds, buried shame, and the weight she had normalized carrying for decades. And in that moment, everything shifted. Not through striving harder—but through releasing control and allowing God to restore what strength alone never could. What she shares in this episode is both profound and practical:You don’t have to strive your way into purpose—you can be led into it.Peace isn’t found in doing more, but in learning how to be with God without performing.Resilience is built not through pressure, but through rhythm—daily renewal, stillness, and surrender.The very areas you’ve been carrying alone are often the ones God is inviting you to release so He can restore them.Kristen introduces a powerful reframe for ambitious women: what feels like pressure, burnout, or resistance may actually be a signal—not to push harder—but to realign.She also offers a tangible pathway forward through her Restore, Rebuild, Rise framework—helping women identify where they are out of sync, rebuild their capacity from a place of divine rest, and rise into leadership that is anchored, sustainable, and Spirit-led.Perhaps most powerfully, this conversation reminds us:You were never meant to carry it all.You were meant to walk with God—and let that relationship shape everything.If you’ve been leading, achieving, and holding it together… yet sensing there is more—more peace, more alignment, more depth—this episode is your invitation to pause, release, and begin again.Connect with Kristen, take the free online assessment and get 10% of her book using this link. https://kristenstockton.myflodesk.com/morefromrestoreLearn more about the Lioness Community, Jen's coaching experiences and how to nominate someone for the podcast at https://www.jenportercoach.com/