Kristi McLelland on Reading Luke in Its Historical, Cultural, and Geographical Context

A lot of Christmas devotionals use "celebrate" language, and indeed, we should celebrate all that Christmas means! But singer-songwriter Caroline Cobb is on the podcast today to emphasize the concept of longing—and how we should focus on it just as much as celebration during the Advent season.  LINKSTell That Story song by Caroline Cobb Advent for Exiles Joy to the World Advent Bible studyRECOMMENDED: Listen to this special Advent episode with Jennifer Rothschild and Ellie Holcomb. MARKED is a podcast from Lifeway Women: https://women.lifeway.com/blog/podcasts/.Hosted by Elizabeth Hyndman.CONNECT WITH US!Follow Lifeway Women and Caroline Cobb on Instagram.We'd love to hear from you! Send us a text message.Learn more about Kelly Minter's Bible study on the book of Esther at lifeway.com/estherstudy. Learn more about the Joy to the World Advent Bible study at lifeway.com/joytotheworld.  Learn more about the Prepare Him Room virtual event at lifeway.com/preparehimroom. 

Esther is someone we talk about quite a bit in women's ministry spaces, but Kelly Minter is here to give us deeper insight into the book of Esther. She shares what her opinion is on why God's name isn't mentioned, provides context for the famous verse in Esther 4:14, talks about how she approached the theme of reversals in the story, and more! Plus, she shares how Beth Moore, who first wrote an Esther Bible study in 2008, impacted her and how she has been honored to follow in her footsteps as a Bible teacher.LINKS: Esther Bible study Encountering God Bible study More from Kelly Minter Justice and Mercy International Kelly's blog: “When You Don’t Know, Do What You Do Know.” Karen Jobes Esther commentary Beth Moore Esther Bible study (2008) Breaking Free Bible study by Beth MooreRECOMMENDED: Check out what's coming up next year for our 2025 Lifeway Women events! Hear Kelly, along with Priscilla Shirer, Jen Wilkin, and more, at a 2025 event.MARKED is a podcast from Lifeway Women: https://women.lifeway.com/blog/podcasts/.Hosted by Elizabeth Hyndman.CONNECT WITH US!Follow Lifeway Women and Kelly Minter on Instagram.We'd love to hear from you! Send us a text message.Learn more about Kelly Minter's Bible study on the book of Esther at lifeway.com/estherstudy. Learn more about the Joy to the World Advent Bible study at lifeway.com/joytotheworld.  Learn more about the Prepare Him Room virtual event at lifeway.com/preparehimroom. 

We were drawn to Tracie Miles' new book, God's Got You, because of the topic of embracing new beginnings with courage and confidence and remembering that God never changes. We can all relate to entering a life transition and feeling anxious, whether that transition is to something we’ve looked forward to or something we never saw coming. We loved this conversation with Tracie as she shared encouragement for women entering a time of transition, as well as how we can support our friends entering a new season. LINKS: God’s Got You Living Unbroken Unsinkable Faith Love Life Again Proverbs 31 Ministeries Compel Pro Elizabeth Woodson's Instagram postRECOMMENDED: Check out our interview with Rachel Setliffe when she joined us from Scotland to share her heart behind her ministry, Restored Home.MARKED is a podcast from Lifeway Women: https://women.lifeway.com/blog/podcasts/.Hosted by Elizabeth Hyndman.CONNECT WITH US!Follow Lifeway Women and Tracie Miles on Instagram.We'd love to hear from you! Send us a text message.Learn more about Kelly Minter's Bible study on the book of Esther at lifeway.com/estherstudy. Learn more about the Joy to the World Advent Bible study at lifeway.com/joytotheworld.  Learn more about the Prepare Him Room virtual event at lifeway.com/preparehimroom. 

Former MARKED Podcast co-host Mary Margaret West is back on the podcast today! She's written a new teen girls' Bible study called Made Worthy. She shares her heart behind the study, as well as how she wants to encourage those listening to live lives as those made worthy by Jesus, the only One worthy. LINKS: Made Worthy Bible StudyExperiencing God Bible StudyMore from Mary Margaret WestRECOMMENDED: Check out the Lifeway Girls Blog for resources to equip you as you lead teen girls. MARKED is a podcast from Lifeway Women: https://women.lifeway.com/blog/podcasts/.Hosted by Elizabeth Hyndman.CONNECT WITH US!Follow Lifeway Women and Mary Margaret West on Instagram.We'd love to hear from you! Send us a text message.Learn more about Kelly Minter's Bible study on the book of Esther at lifeway.com/estherstudy. Learn more about the Joy to the World Advent Bible study at lifeway.com/joytotheworld.  Learn more about the Prepare Him Room virtual event at lifeway.com/preparehimroom. 

In a political climate where people are often fighting online and in other venues, many people try to stop the fighting by making the claim that Jesus wasn’t political, or at least didn’t have a political agenda in His ministry, and therefore we shouldn’t be political either. Patrick Schreiner, author of Political Gospel: Public Witness in a Politically Crazy World, joins us today to shed some light on this claim. In this episode, hear Patrick's view on how believers can be appropriately political in line with their Christian faith. LINKS: Political Gospel Midwestern Seminary Lifeway Women Academy More books from Patrick SchreinerCultishRECOMMENDED: Read Elizabeth's article on the Lifeway Women blog: "It's Election Day. Now what?" MARKED is a podcast from Lifeway Women: https://women.lifeway.com/blog/podcasts/.Hosted by Elizabeth Hyndman and Ashley Gorman.CONNECT WITH US!Follow Lifeway Women and Patrick Schreiner on Instagram.We'd love to hear from you! Send us a text message.Learn more about Kelly Minter's Bible study on the book of Esther at lifeway.com/estherstudy. Learn more about the Joy to the World Advent Bible study at lifeway.com/joytotheworld.  Learn more about the Prepare Him Room virtual event at lifeway.com/preparehimroom. 

Sisters Natalie Abbott and Vera Schmitz from Dwell Differently are with us today to share how Scripture memory has transformed their hearts and minds. Hear the story behind the temporary tattoos they use to help with Scripture memorization through their ministry, Dwell Differently, and why they chose to focus on Philippians 4:4-9 for their new Bible study, Dwell on These Things. LINKS:Dwell Differently Dwell on These Things Dwell Differently PodcastPhilippians 4:4-9 MARKED Episode with Eunice ChungDwell on These Things Online Bible Study (Starting October 10!)RECOMMENDED: Read Vera's article on the Lifeway Women Blog about how training for the Olympics impacted her Christian faith.  MARKED is a podcast from Lifeway Women: https://women.lifeway.com/blog/podcasts/.Hosted by Elizabeth Hyndman.CONNECT WITH US!Follow Lifeway Women on Instagram.We'd love to hear from you! Send us a text message.Learn more about Kelly Minter's Bible study on the book of Esther at lifeway.com/estherstudy. Learn more about the Joy to the World Advent Bible study at lifeway.com/joytotheworld.  Learn more about the Prepare Him Room virtual event at lifeway.com/preparehimroom. 

Generation by generation, God can accomplish great things through family. In this episode, Ray and Jani Ortlund joined us to discuss the importance of family and passing on a legacy of faith to future generations. We loved the wisdom they shared with us about how we each will impact future generations far more than we realize, whether you are a young mom, grandparent, or single person. LINKS: To the Tenth Generation Your Family Is God’s Plan How Much More Bible Study by Lisa Harper Lifeway Women AcademyMore Resources from Ray OrtlundImmanuel Church RECOMMENDED:Listen to our conversation with Tara Dew on living a joy-filled life. MARKED is a podcast from Lifeway Women: https://women.lifeway.com/blog/podcasts/.Hosted by Elizabeth Hyndman.CONNECT WITH US!Follow Lifeway Women on Instagram.ABOUT JANI ORTLUNDJani Ortlund, the Vice President of Renewal Ministries, loves connecting women with the Word of God.  Serving Christ through writing, speaking and discipling is her chief passion in life.  Jani, who podcasts at herestoresmysoul.org, and Ray, the President of Renewal Ministries, have been happily married for over 50 years, with four married children and fifteen grandchildren.ABOUT RAY ORTLUNDRay Ortlund is the President of Renewal Ministries, a Canon Theologian in The Anglican Church in North America, and a founding member of The Council of The Gospel Coalition. He founded Immanuel Church in Nashville, Tennessee, and upon retirement was named Pastor to Pastors. Ray has authored a number of books, including The Gospel: How the Church Portrays the Beauty of Christ and Marriage and the Mystery of the Gospel. His Ph.D. is from The University of Aberdeen, Scotland. Ray and his wife Jani have been happily married for over fifty years, with four married children and fifteen grandchildren.We'd love to hear from you! Send us a text message.Learn more about Kelly Minter's Bible study on the book of Esther at lifeway.com/estherstudy. Learn more about the Joy to the World Advent Bible study at lifeway.com/joytotheworld.  Learn more about the Prepare Him Room virtual event at lifeway.com/preparehimroom. 

Our friend and teammate Mary Wiley is back on the podcast! In this episode, Mary talks about how redefining theology changed her perspective, what makes something a "theology devotional," and how we can exercise theology in everyday life. LINKS: Our Highest Good Everyday Theology Bible Study You Are a Theologian Lifeway Women Academy—Theology 101 Discovering the BibleMore resources from MaryRECOMMENDED:Listen to our conversation with Mary about her Bible study, Everyday Theology. MARKED is a podcast from Lifeway Women: https://women.lifeway.com/blog/podcasts/.Hosted by Elizabeth Hyndman.CONNECT WITH US!Follow Lifeway Women and Eunice Chung on Instagram.We'd love to hear from you! Send us a text message.Learn more about Kelly Minter's Bible study on the book of Esther at lifeway.com/estherstudy. Learn more about the Joy to the World Advent Bible study at lifeway.com/joytotheworld.  Learn more about the Prepare Him Room virtual event at lifeway.com/preparehimroom. 

Spiritual formation is not a new term by any means, but it is one that we're hearing more often these days. A wide range of things point to growing in Christlikeness, so we invited Eunice Chung on the podcast to talk about how art and the Christian imagination, as well as some of the spiritual disciplines, point to growing in Christlikeness. LINKS:Lifeway Women Academy New Testament Survey course How to Grow in Christlikeness: Spiritual Formation 101 courseLiberty University School of DivinityPilgrim’s Progress Jane Eyre East of Eden The Israel Museum Encountering God Bible study RECOMMENDED: Check out Symposium! A Biblical training event for women by Lifeway Women Academy. MARKED is a podcast from Lifeway Women: https://women.lifeway.com/blog/podcasts/.Hosted by Elizabeth Hyndman.CONNECT WITH US!Follow Lifeway Women and Eunice Chung on Instagram.We'd love to hear from you! Send us a text message.Learn more about Kelly Minter's Bible study on the book of Esther at lifeway.com/estherstudy. Learn more about the Joy to the World Advent Bible study at lifeway.com/joytotheworld.  Learn more about the Prepare Him Room virtual event at lifeway.com/preparehimroom. 

We are so excited to share our 2025 Lifeway Women Event lineup with you! Catherine Inman and Mickey Pitts from our Lifeway Women events team join Elizabeth to share what's coming up next year, including a brand-new event with Jen Wilkin. You'll learn more about how you can incorporate these events into your women's ministry calendars, as well as hear personal stories from Catherine and Mickey about how women's events have marked them. LINKSLifeway Women Events LineupWar Room movie Lifeway Women map Joy to the World Advent Bible Study Book Luke in the Land Bible Study Book Lifeway Women AcademyLIVE EVENTSGoing Beyond Live with Priscilla ShirerFeast with Kristi McLelland In the Word with Jen WilkinDIGITAL EVENTSGoing Beyond SimulcastPrepare Him RoomTRAINING EVENTSYou LeadEssentialsWomen’s Leadership Forum Women’s Ministry You Lead WebinarsSymposium  CONNECT WITH US!Follow Lifeway Women.We'd love to hear from you! Send us a text message.Learn more about Kelly Minter's Bible study on the book of Esther at lifeway.com/estherstudy. Learn more about the Joy to the World Advent Bible study at lifeway.com/joytotheworld.  Learn more about the Prepare Him Room virtual event at lifeway.com/preparehimroom.