Shalomies with Elizabeth Woodson and Yana Jenay Conner

Elizabeth Woodson and Yana Jenay Conner
  • 5.0 (13)
  • Christianity
  • Updated Weekly

What does it look like to pursue peace and wholeness in a world that often feels chaotic and disconnected? Join Elizabeth Woodson and Yana Jenay Conner—two friends and Bible teachers—as they laugh, dig into Scripture for direction and hope, and get real about what God’s peace looks like in everyday life. Each week, they’ll dive into honest conversations about discipleship, friendship, forgiveness, and the often persuasive yet misleading calls of culture—and how the theology of shalom reshapes it all. Come for the laughter, stay for the wisdom, and leave with a deeper vision of what it means to live a life of wholeness in a broken world.

  1. Aug 5

    Why Women Are Leaving The Church (with Dr. Sandra Glahn)

    The role of women in the church is a topic that usually sparks a lot of debate. But in the middle of that conversation, a more important question often gets lost: how can the church help women flourish? In today's episode, Yana and Elizabeth talk with Dr. Sandra Glahn to tackle that question. They explore the role of women in the church through historical, theological, and practical perspectives—and discuss how, regardless of their theological position, churches can help women flourish, create space for them to lead, and build meaningful partnership alongside their brothers in ministry. Questions Covered In This Episode What do you think is driving women to leave the church, or leave the faith altogether?What for women has changed in our current culture that is contributing to this problem? How does a conversation about how women are valued, developed and invested in get lost in the debate about women in ministry?Regardless of a church's position on leadership roles, what do women need in order to flourish spiritually, relationally, and in their gifting? Can you share about a church that's gotten this right, where women are genuinely thriving? What did leadership do specifically?If you could speak directly to a woman struggling with whether or not she should leave her church, what would you want her to know?Key Passages: Ephesians 4:11-13 1 Corinthians 7 Recommended Resources: Barna Study on Women Leaving The ChurchA Woman's Place Is in the Story: Seeing Women in the Biblical Narrative - Sandra Glahn Join the Conversation: Thanks for listening to Shalomies! We’d love to hear how the podcast is helping you pursue peace and wholeness in your own life. Share your thoughts, questions, or testimonies with us over on Instagram @shalomiespodcast. Elizabeth and Yana would love to hear from you!  If you’re enjoying the show, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with a friend who could use a little more shalom this week. Follow Us: Instagram | YouTube

    Why Women Are Leaving The Church (with Dr. Sandra Glahn)

  2. Jul 15

    Fig Leaves and Yokes: Finding Our Way Out of Shame to Shalom

    Shame is a powerful emotion. This makes sense, considering it is one of the first negative human emotions we encounter in Scripture. After Adam and Eve sinned against God, their first instinct was to cover themselves with fig leaves and go into hiding. Since then, however, we've become more creative. Shame not only drives us into lives of masking and hiding, but also into lives of performance and spiritual over-functioning beneath ill-fitting yokes. In this episode, Elizabeth and Yana have an honest conversation about the many ways shame can shape our lives. Together, they explore how shame manifests in both subtle and obvious ways, our attempts to cover it with fig leaves or out-perform it with ill-fitting yokes, and how Jesus offers us a better way to live. If you struggle with shame or perfectionism, we hope this conversation will help you enter into the rest and freedom Christ died for you to enjoy. Questions Covered In This Episode How would you define shame?What are some ways we try to cover our shame with fig leaves?What is a yoke? What ill-fitting yokes can we put on to try to out-perform our shame? What is the yoke Jesus offers? How does the gospel liberate us from shame?What are some practical ways we can come to Jesus in response to His invitation in Matthew 11:28-30? Key Passages: Genesis 2:25, 3:6-7; Matthew 11:28-30 Recommended Resources: Habits of Resistance by Elizabeth WoodsonShame Interrupted by Ed Welch The Woodson Institute  Join the Conversation: Thanks for listening to Shalomies! We’d love to hear how the podcast is helping you pursue peace and wholeness in your own life. Share your thoughts, questions, or testimonies with us over on Instagram @shalomiespodcast. Elizabeth and Yana would love to hear from you!  If you’re enjoying the show, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with a friend who could use a little more shalom this week. Follow Us: Instagram | YouTube Join the Conversation: Thanks for listening to Shalomies! We’d love to hear how the podcast is helping you pursue peace and wholeness in your own life. Share your thoughts, questions, or testimonies with us over on Instagram @shalomiespodcast. Elizabeth and Yana would love to hear from you!  If you’re enjoying the show, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with a friend who could use a little more shalom this week. Follow Us: Instagram | YouTube

    Fig Leaves and Yokes: Finding Our Way Out of Shame to Shalom

  3. Jul 1

    When Our Heroes Fall w/Lisa V. Fields

    "Nobody's outside the possibility of moral failure." — Lisa V. Fields In a broken world filled with fallen people, these words are sobering—but true. When a ministry leader we admire falls into sin, the impact can reach far beyond disappointment. The pastor whose sermons strengthened your faith, the Bible teacher who helped you understand Scripture, or the Christian influencer whose content encouraged your walk with God can suddenly become the source of confusion, grief, and even spiritual disillusionment. Their failure can leave us questioning not only them, but also the faith they once helped nurture. In this episode, Elizabeth and Yana are joined by Lisa V. Fields, founder of The Jude 3 Project and author of When Heroes Fall: Healing from the Aftermath of Sin. Together, they have an honest and compassionate conversation about hero worship, the tension between mercy and accountability, and how to hold on to faith when someone you respect has failed. Lisa, Elizabeth, and Yana share candidly about moments when their own faith was shaken by the moral failures of ministry leaders and discuss the biblical truths that helped them regain their footing. They explore how to process grief, disappointment, and distrust without allowing another person's sin to define your relationship with God. If you've found yourself discouraged, wounded, or questioning your faith in the aftermath of a ministry leader's failure, this conversation is for you. Our prayer is that, despite the failures of human leaders, you would cling afresh to the faithfulness of the One who never fails. Questions Covered In This Episode What personal experiences and observations of the church and church leadership led you to write this book? Why do you think that a ministry leader’s moral failure tends to impact someone’s faith in God? There are our parasocial heroes and IRL (in real life) heroes. Why do you think it's important for us to keep this distinction in mind when navigating our hurt and disappointment when our heroes fall?What truths from God’s Word do we need to hold onto when our heroes fall?How do we seek the restoration of those who have been directly impacted by the moral failures of others?Why do you think the church has historically given more attention to the restoration of fallen heroes than victims? When a hero falls, how do we faithfully live in the tension of doing justice on behalf of the offended and loving mercy in response to the offender? How would you encourage someone who is struggling in their faith in the aftermath of a ministry leader’s moral failure?  Key Passages: Exodus 20:2-3, Micah 6:8, Mark 10:18  Recommended Resources: When Heroes Fall by Lisa V. Fields The Jude 3 Project  Join the Conversation: Thanks for listening to Shalomies! We’d love to hear how the podcast is helping you pursue peace and wholeness in your own life. Share your thoughts, questions, or testimonies with us over on Instagram @shalomiespodcast. Elizabeth and Yana would love to hear from you!  If you’re enjoying the show, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with a friend who could use a little more shalom this week. Follow Us: Instagram | YouTube

    When Our Heroes Fall w/Lisa V. Fields

  4. Jun 17

    Count it all Joy

    Have you ever been told to “count it all joy” in the middle of a difficult season and thought, "How am I supposed to do that?” In this episode, Yana and Elizabeth talk honestly about what perseverance looks like when life is hard. They explore what Scripture says about suffering, share some of their own experiences, and discuss why the voices you listen to and the people you walk with matter more than you may realize. If you're finding it difficult to trust God in the middle of disappointment, grief, or unanswered questions, this conversation is for you. We hope it encourages you to keep holding on to Christ and reminds you that God is at work, even in seasons you wouldn't rather not be walking through. Questions Covered In This Episode: What is a recent season of difficulty you’ve experienced? What made it hard?What did quitting look like or feel like as an option during that time?What were people around you saying, and did it help or hurt?Looking back, what did that season build in you that you're genuinely grateful for now? How did your faith in God grow?In hindsight, where was God working that you couldn’t see or appreciate while you were going through. What do you wish someone had told you when you were going through?What would you say directly to the listener who is asking "Is perseverance worth it?"Key Passages: James 1:2-4, Romans 3:3-5, Galatians 6:9 Recommended Resources: Habits of Resistance by Elizabeth Woodson Join the Conversation: Thanks for listening to Shalomies! We’d love to hear how the podcast is helping you pursue peace and wholeness in your own life. Share your thoughts, questions, or testimonies with us over on Instagram @shalomiespodcast. Elizabeth and Yana would love to hear from you!  If you’re enjoying the show, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with a friend who could use a little more shalom this week. Follow Us: Instagram | YouTube

    Count it all Joy

  5. Jun 3

    What's Good, Shalomie?

    In This Episode: Why Yana spent three months on sabbaticalWhat Elizabeth learned from a season of nonstop ministryThe role counseling has played in cultivating shalomHow friendship sustains us through difficult seasonsWhat it means to trust God when you don't know what's nextThe theme and vision for the new season of ShalomiesResources Mentioned: Habits of Resistance by Elizabeth WoodsonWaiting Isn't a Waste by Mark VroegopGalatians 6:9Ephesians 2 Join the Conversation: Thanks for listening to Shalomies! We’d love to hear how the podcast is helping you pursue peace and wholeness in your own life. Share your thoughts, questions, or testimonies with us over on Instagram @shalomiespodcast. Elizabeth and Yana would love to hear from you!  If you’re enjoying the show, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with a friend who could use a little more shalom this week. Follow Us: Instagram | YouTube

    What's Good, Shalomie?

  6. 12/17/2025

    Shalom + The Culture

    In this final episode of the first season of Shalomies, Yana and Elizabeth talk about what it really means to pursue shalom in a world that’s constantly forming us to reflect its image. Drawing from Elizabeth’s upcoming book, Habits of Resistance, they talk about suffering, the role of Scripture, and why God’s grace—not striving—is the key to a  faithful and distinctive Christian life. Recommended Resources: Habits of Resistance (Book)Bible Recap (Podcast)From Beginning To Forever (Book) Join the Conversation: Thanks for listening to Shalomies! We’d love to hear how the podcast is helping you pursue peace and wholeness in your own life. Share your thoughts, questions, or testimonies with us over on Instagram @shalomiespodcast. Elizabeth and Yana would love to hear from you!  If you’re enjoying the show, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with a friend who could use a little more shalom this week. Follow Us: Instagram | YouTube

  7. 12/10/2025

    Shalom + Work

    In this episode of Shalomies, Yana Jenay sits down with her friend and mentor, LaToya King, Chief Operating Officer of the Triangle Community Foundation, for a rich conversation about what it means to pursue shalom in our everyday work. LaToya shares her story and the experiences that shaped her calling, as well as the Scriptures and beliefs that guide how she leads and serves. Together, they explore how so much meaningful ministry can happen outside of church walls and why it can be difficult for believers to see their jobs as part of God’s mission to restore wholeness in the world. LaToya speaks candidly about the challenges of living out faith in settings where values aren’t always shared—including how she navigates conflict, maintains integrity, and seeks the good of the communities she serves. Throughout the episode, LaToya offers wisdom for working with intentionality: approaching our roles not simply as tasks to complete, but as opportunities to seek the welfare of the city through presence, excellence, compassion, and courage. This conversation is an invitation to see your work—whatever it is—as a place where God is present and active, forming you and using you to bring shalom to the world. Key Scriptures: Jeremiah 29:7Matthew 22:36-40Romans 12:2 Questions Covered In This Episode: What beliefs or passages of Scripture guide your approach to your work?It’s been said that most ministry happens outside of the walls of the church. Would you agree with this statement? If so, why?Why do we struggle to see work outside of the church’s walls as a part of God’s mission to restore shalom?One of the benefits of working in a church setting is that there is a shared biblical worldview, work ethic, and code of conduct. Even if we people stray, we have the Scriptures as a shared text to draw people back to. The same is not true outside of the walls of the church. What have been some of the challenges you faced when it comes to living out your faith at work?How do you navigate conflict at work? Recommended Resources: Kingdom Calling: Vocational Stewardship for the Common Good by Amy Sherman A Just Leader: Thriving in a Fractured World by David Spickard The Institute for Faith, Work, and Economics Join the Conversation: Thanks for listening to Shalomies! We’d love to hear how the podcast is helping you pursue peace and wholeness in your own life. Share your thoughts, questions, or testimonies with us over on Instagram @shalomiespodcast. Elizabeth and Yana would love to hear from you!  If you’re enjoying the show, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with a friend who could use a little more shalom this week. Follow Us: Instagram | YouTube

  8. 12/03/2025

    Shalomies: Shalom + Friendship

    In this episode of Shalomies, Yana and Elizabeth explore the joys and struggles of friendship, confessing the time they've gotten it wrong and what God has taught them along the way. They discuss the pain of friendship loss and share the practices they adopted to avoid it when possible. If you’re in the thick of a relational conflict or grieving friends lost, we pray this conversation will provide you with hope and direction as you consider what’s your next step in cultivating shalom in your friendships. Key Scriptures:Psalm 131Psalm 139:23–24Ecclesiastes 4:9–12John 15:13Acts 15:36–41Romans 11:36Romans 12:18Galatians 2:11–14Galatians 6:2James 4:1–2Questions Covered In This Episode:Why do you think friendship has become a rising conversation in our culture?How has your understanding about friendship evolved over time?What does Scripture tell us about friendship?How do we maintain and pursue shalom in our friendships?Can you think of a time when shalom was broken in a friendship? What did it look like to repair that relationship?How do we grieve friendship loss?Recommended Resources:Living Beyond Offense: Doing The Hard Work of Forgiveness God's WayMade for People: Why We Drift into Loneliness and How to Fight for a Life of Friendship Join the Conversation: Thanks for listening to Shalomies! We’d love to hear how the podcast is helping you pursue peace and wholeness in your own life. Share your thoughts, questions, or testimonies with us over on Instagram @shalomiespodcast. Elizabeth and Yana would love to hear from you!  If you’re enjoying the show, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with a friend who could use a little more shalom this week. Follow Us: Instagram | YouTube

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What does it look like to pursue peace and wholeness in a world that often feels chaotic and disconnected? Join Elizabeth Woodson and Yana Jenay Conner—two friends and Bible teachers—as they laugh, dig into Scripture for direction and hope, and get real about what God’s peace looks like in everyday life. Each week, they’ll dive into honest conversations about discipleship, friendship, forgiveness, and the often persuasive yet misleading calls of culture—and how the theology of shalom reshapes it all. Come for the laughter, stay for the wisdom, and leave with a deeper vision of what it means to live a life of wholeness in a broken world.

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