She Speaks Stories She Speaks Stories

Those of you who have been long-time listeners know Portia and the goodness she brings, and though God called her to step down as host of She Speaks Stories, he called her towards some other great changes. And in this episode, Portia shares with us what she’s been up to this past year. 

Jesus has held her, through changes, in her identity and quieted her fast pace with deep renewal. Her organization Imago Dei is growing as they learn exactly what it looks like to come alongside the church and help organize conversations about diversity. Their goal is to help leaders see what Jesus taught. That it’s not about the outcome, but about opportunities and looking around to see what is needed in the church’s community. Imago Dei is a much needed perspective. Not just sweeping these hard questions under the rug but really coming alongside the confusion to bridge the gaps and guide them through so Jesus can be seen in all cultures and corners! As they say, “Diversity is a garden to grow, not a problem to solve.” 



To learn more about Imago Dei:

Website:www.weareimagodei.co

Instagram: @weareiagodei.co

Our Heart

We'd love to be a part of your (all who hear this podcast) church staff development through our recorded 5 session course to help rediscover diversity through a biblical perspective. The Foundations Course is available through the website.

Not sure where to begin? We'd love to hop on a free call with you. Click here.

Kim joins us today to share the steps she took to find Jesus. Even though she was raised to know there was a God, she didn’t see beyond him as a structured God of Wrath. Through some hard times and with many seeds planted over time, she found what she’d been missing!



Life is hard, and it can be confusing! Questions and uncertainties come and it really is hard to see any hope in the middle of some of the hard. Kim’s story is a clear message of salvation. In her story we can see grace exemplified. When we have a life with holes, God comes in and fills in the gaps!



Check out the episode we did with Kim's daughter, Episode #181 Finding Healing in Marriage with Dane and Brooke Lopez.

Sarah was a military spouse who was slammed with hard times, affairs, financial difficulties and so much unknown. But God knew her and did not leave her. Every step of the way he provided for her in the most personal ways with scraggly old strangers, kind judges, supportive churches and friendly empowering bosses. 



This is a story of redemption. Her life exemplifies how God is always there, no matter where you are!

Doris is the kind of gal you want at your table. In this episode we’re getting a good introduction of the quippy Doris Lama! She’s so fun and filled with a confetti of eclectic and mosaic stories all centered around God’s answering her question: “What would you have me do?” With the Holy Spirit’s help she “moves from less than to more than” and encourages anyone who has the pleasure of her company! This is really a part one, because we’re going to have her back after hearing (too many!) teasers of some of the stories from her past, including how she met her husband. So get cozy and join us in chatting with Doris!

Normally we have a lot of SHE’s on She Speaks Stories (it’s in the name!) but we love it when we can have a HE come join in on the fun. Today’s episode we have a HE and a SHE! Chris and Julie Bennett join us to share their story when they said yes to God before they knew what they were getting into, saw Him use bad for good and were enveloped in a community that allowed them to find permission for authenticity while Julie battled cancer.



They have the specific struggles in their story, but even if you can't relate to all the variants, their story is one worth listening to because it's jam-packed with such applicable truths that will leave you not only encouraged but motivated.



And just in case that description wasn’t enough, here’s a few teaser-quotes from our time with this incredible couple–



If you’ve ever gone through something hard:

“God doesn’t waste our hard.”



If you’ve ever had to step out on faith:

“Faith doesn’t feel heroic in the moment.”



There were many many more. We hope you’ll take the time to listen and that you are encouraged!

Life in the Congo was wonderful for our guest, Bijou Mushengezi, for the first 16 years of her life. But in 1996 everything changed when civil war shattered her beautiful country with evil. 

This is our Bonus Episode, specifically released on International Women’s Day with the intent to inform more people about the horrific tragedies that are destroying a country full of beautiful resources and innocent lives. Caitlin Sturgis and Bijou Mushengezi have a nonprofit that aids in mending the brokenness in the DRC, called: Moseka Action Project. We want this story to break your heart, as it did ours, in order for us to stop and really ask God how we can help. At the very least we need to pray for these people and for those who are doing something to offer a choice to rebuild lives that have been ripped apart. 

This is big. This is heavy. But our God is bigger and stronger. There is hardship but also joy! Listen in as we hear about the GOOD work he is doing!

Learn more about the Moseka Action Project:
https://www.mosekaactionproject.org/