2017

Counseling Others When You Have Your Own "Me Too" Story

How to walk alongside sexual assault victims when you’ve been a victim yourself
Counseling Others When You Have Your Own "Me Too" Story
Image: iStock

The scandal of Harvey Weinstein and the festering wounds left along his destructive path of sexual exploits made America face a fact: every day we interact with women who have suffered the horror of sexual assault. As #metoo flooded social media channels, multitudes of women felt the tide of suppressed emotion wash over their lives. In this world where every 98 seconds another ...

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Lead in a Way Only You Can

Many have tried to box us in or tell us who we should be, but we are kingdom women, and we are diverse.
Lead in a Way Only You Can
Image: iStock

Knowing that our roles within the body of Christ are divinely inspired, women who lead, teach, preach, and use their gifts within the kingdom should look like a divine rainbow of diversity. Some might very well have an inspired imagination to teach, preach, and lead fearlessly like Deborah. Others might lead maternally. For me, both are true. Breaking through gender molds ...

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Changing the Conversation about Holiness

Jess Connolly on calling, co-leading a church, and challenging people to be more in awe of God
Changing the Conversation about Holiness
Image: Provided by Jess Connolly

If you’re not familiar with Jess Connolly’s name, you may be familiar with her work. She started Naptime Diaries (now All Good Things Collective) in 2011, cofounded SheReadsTruth in 2012, and cofounded The Influence Network in 2013. She also co-wrote Wild and Free (2016) and her second book, Dance, Stand, Run, releases today. She and her husband, Nick, co-lead ...

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Beat Imposter Syndrome

How to stand firm in who God says you are when you feel like a phony
Beat Imposter Syndrome
Image: iStock

Karie sits in the boardroom around the table with her co-workers. Having just presented the fall vision, her manager asks for feedback from the team. Karie knows what she wants to say, even how to say it. Just as she begins to open her mouth and give her response, however, she hears a voice whisper sternly.


Don’t you dare say anything.

Scanning the room, Karie notices ...

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When You Feel Like a Failure

Whether you've truly failed―or you just feel like a failure―the experience can actually be a blessing.
When You Feel Like a Failure
Image: iStock

“Well, Cara, I’m not really sure what to say, but you failed to do what we hired you to do.” The chairperson folded her hands on her lap, and looked at me blankly. I stared back at her, numb to the world around me.

Glancing at the paper in front of her, she went on to list all of the many ways she believed I had failed at in my first two years of ministry. ...

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Make an Appointment with Your Heavenly Doctor

As we lead others, we can’t overlook our own need for God’s healing.
Make an Appointment with Your Heavenly Doctor
Image: iStock

As leaders, we can find ourselves so busy administering the cure for the incurable situations in other people’s lives that we somehow forget about the painfully self-destructive situations in our own. We find ourselves having private conversations about our pains, only to sweep it under the rug once we find temporary relief―or distraction.

Being in pain will cause us ...

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Is Seminary Part of Your Calling?

Sitting at the feet of Jesus might mean getting a degree
Is Seminary Part of Your Calling?
Image: iStock

I had zero intentions of ever going to grad school. In my mid-30’s, college was a distant memory, and the thought of pulling together enough time, focus, and mental energy to sit down and write a paper sounded like signing up for voluntary torture. “Ugh, school again? No thank you,” I blurted out to my friends when the topic of an advanced degree came up. ...

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Find Your Prophetic Voice

First steps you can take to learn to speak out against injustice
Find Your Prophetic Voice
Image: iStock

A few years ago I had a chance to watch a movie entitled, Blood Done Sign My Name. In this movie, viewers get to know two leaders who are faced with civil unrest during the Civil Rights Era. In one scene a young white pastor is having a discussion with his predecessor over how, or if, the church should get involved in the Civil Rights Movement. His predecessor tells him to ...

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How to Keep Leading When You Feel Like Falling Apart

5 things to do when you face tragedy and turmoil
How to Keep Leading When You Feel Like Falling Apart
Image: iStock

I just can’t do this without her. The defeating thought came without warning and forced its way into my heart. I could barely breathe. We had worked side by side in ministry for years, and now she was gone. I’d lost her—my confidante, prayer partner, and best friend.

We sat on the front row at church before Sunday morning service when she gave me the news: ...

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Why We Need Single Women Leaders

The unique challenges and powerful insights of unmarried ministry leaders
Why We Need Single Women Leaders
Image: Lightstock

Editor’s Note: This article is part of “Change Makers,” our recent CT special issue focused on some of the ways women are influencing the church, their communities, and the world. It includes articles that explore trends in women’s discipleship, examine research on women and leadership, highlight women who are making a difference, and grapple with the ...

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