Women & Work: Stepping into Kingdom Productivity

David Platt: Women, Work, and the Great Commission

What does it look like for women to live on mission in the everyday rhythms of life and work? In this episode, Courtney Moore and Missie Branch welcome David Platt, who challenges listeners to embrace the Great Commission with renewed courage, purpose, and dependence on Christ. Together, they discuss the vital role women play in the church, the beauty of ordinary faithfulness, and the call to share the gospel wherever God has placed us.

From conversations about evangelism and local missions to encouragement for weary seasons, this episode offers practical wisdom and gospel hope for women longing to serve God faithfully. Courtney, Missie, and David remind listeners that success in God’s kingdom is not measured by platform or productivity, but by abiding in Christ and saying “yes” to the work He’s entrusted to us. Whether you serve in the workplace, the home, the church, or your community, this conversation will inspire you to see your everyday life as part of God’s greater mission.

Bio:
David Platt serves as a Lead Pastor for McLean Bible Church. He is also the founder of Radical, an organization that makes Jesus known among the nations. David received his B.A. from the University of Georgia and M.Div., Th.M., and Ph.D. from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Some of his published works include Radical, Radical, Together, Follow Me, Counter Culture, Something Needs to Change, Don’t Hold Back, and How to Read the Bible. He lives in the Washington, D.C. metro area with his wife and children.

David's Social:
Instagram, Facebook

Chapters:
02:00—The Importance of Women’s Voices in the Church
03:55—David Platt’s Background and Faith Journey
05:49—Platt’s Call to Ministry
08:23—Passion for Evangelism and Missions
11:57—The Great Commission and Its Centrality
14:40—Spirit Empowerment of All Believers
18:17—Local Missions and Everyday Evangelism
22:45—Overcoming Distractions in Sharing the Gospel
26:18—Balancing Discipleship and Evangelism
28:25—Maintaining Passion for Evangelism in Difficult Seasons
29:38—Seeking Help and Grace
32:49—Valuing Women’s Work in the Church
35:35—God’s Sovereignty in Our Work
39:24—Defining Success in Faithfulness
45:42—Abiding in Christ Through Work
51:26—Finding Joy in Everyday Work
56:20—Radical: Making Jesus Known Everywhere

Mentioned:

• Radical
• The Gospel Coalition 2024, David Platt’s Message
• Women & Work Podcast episodes with Eric Schumacher and Elyse Fitzpatrick
• Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary
• The Church at Brook Hills

 

Thank you for listening! Ways you can support Women & Work:

• Become a Women & Work Partner
• Purchase our book, Women & Work: Bearing God’s Image and Joining in His Mission through our Work or in Spanish, La Mujer y El Trabajo 
• Rate, subscribe, and share our show!

Karen Swallow Prior, You Have a Calling—Book Club Author Q&A

In this special episode, Courtney Moore, founder and president of Women & Work, and Courtney Powell, Director of Ministry Content, interview Dr. Karen Swallow Prior, author of our recent book club read, You Have a Calling: Finding Your Vocation in the True, Good and Beautiful.

Karen discusses the distinctions between passion, calling, and vocation, emphasizing the importance of serving others and understanding the true, good, and beautiful in discovering one’s purpose. She shares personal stories, practical advice, and philosophical insights to help women discern and live out their divine invitations.

Key Topics:

• The distinction between passion, calling, and vocation
• The role of serving others in understanding calling
• The concept of the transcendentals: truth, goodness, and beauty
• Practical steps for discerning one’s calling
• The importance of community and external calling

Chapters:

00:00—Introduction and Context Setting
03:03—Understanding Vocation and Calling
05:50—Distinguishing Passion from Calling
08:53—Personal Stories and Insights on Calling
11:56—Navigating Job Satisfaction and Fulfillment
15:03—The Role of Work in Our Lives
17:58—Serving Others Through Our Callings
21:10—Encouraging Others in Their Callings
24:10—The Transcendentals: True, Good, and Beautiful
34:00—Exploring the Transcendentals: True, Good, and Beautiful
38:03—Understanding Truth in the Context of Calling
38:57—The Importance of Self-Knowledge in Vocation
44:58—Navigating Multiple Callings and Life Transitions
50:03—Finding Light in Difficult Seasons of Calling
56:01—Transforming Obligations into Divine Invitations

Resources Mentioned:

• Dorothy Sayers, Why Work
  
• Elizabeth Gilbert on Distinguishing Between Hobbies, Jobs, Careers, & Vocation
• Women & Work Podcast episode 32 with Karen Swallow Prior
• Luther on Vocation

Karen Swallow Prior, Ph.D., is the 2025-26 Karlson Scholar at Bethel Seminary. She is a popular writer and speaker, a contributing writer for The Dispatch, and a columnist for Religion News Service. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Atlantic, Vox, The Washington Post, Christianity Today, and many other places. Her most recent book is You Have a Calling: Finding Your Vocation in the True, Good, and Beautiful (Brazos 2025).

Follow Karen on Facebook, X, and Instagram. Learn more at KarenSwallowPrior.com.

Thank you for listening! Ways you can support Women & Work:

• Become a Women & Work Partner
• Purchase our book, Women & Work: Bearing God’s Image and Joining in His Mission through our Work
• Rate, subscribe, and share our show!

 

Dr. Arianna Molloy, Author of Healthy Calling

In this special episode, Courtney Moore, founder and president of Women & Work, and Courtney Powell, Director of Ministry Content, interview Dr. Arianna Molloy, author of our most recent book club read, Healthy Calling: From Toxic Burnout to Sustainable Work.

They cover topics with Arianna, such as:

• What is burnout?
• Why is it so prevalent, especially among those who feel called to something?
• What are the effects of burnout and the symptoms of chronic stress?
• What’s the first step to take for someone who is burned out?
• What if you can’t control the stressors in your personal life, but you still need to show up 100% for your work?
• Tell us the distinction between job, career, and calling.
• One effect of burnout is shame. Share with us what shame looks like when it comes to calling?
• How does humility fit with burnout?
• What’s the difference between humility and modesty?
• How do you make and maintain wise decisions regarding boundaries?
• What is one piece of advice you want to leave with women who are in a season of burnout?
  
  

Arianna Molloy (PhD, University of Denver) is associate professor of organizational communication at Biola University.Her research focuses on meaningful work, work as a calling, and the connection between humility and burnout in the workplace.

She is an award-winning scholar and educator who has published in the International Journal of Business Communication, Communication Studies, and Christianity Today. Arianna is also a consultant for organizations, business professionals, and ministries.

Arianna and her husband, Allen, have one son and enjoy running half marathons, traveling the world, and drinking good coffee.

Follow Dr. Molloy on LinkedIn and Instagram.

Resources Mentioned:

• Os Guinness, Call: Finding and Fulfilling the Central Purpose of Your Life
• Daniel H. Pink, When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing
• Brené Brown
• Emily Nagoski & Amelia Nagoski, Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle
• Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith, Sacred Rest: Recover Your Life, Renew Your Energy, Restore Your Sanity

Thank you for listening! Ways you can support Women & Work:

• Become a Women & Work Partner
• Purchase our book, Women & Work: Bearing God’s Image and Joining in His Mission through our Work
• Rate, subscribe, and share our show!

Wendy Alsup, Math Teacher and Author

Wendy Alsup is an author and math teacher by trade. She has written several books, including I Forgive You: Finding Peace and Moving Forward When Life Really Hurts. She is a founding Member of The Pelican Project, a guild of women fostering commitment to Christian faith and practice across cultural, denominational, and racial lines. Wendy has also been a speaker at women’s Bible conferences such as the The Gospel Coalition’s Women’s Conference in 2022. She lives on her family farm with her 2 boys, 2 dogs, and 3 cats.

Follow Wendy on Instagram or X. 

In this episode, Wendy shares:

• How she was called to both teach math and be a minister
• How math reflects the glory of God
• Working as a single mom with ongoing health concerns
• Her story as a part of Mars Hill Church where Mark Driscoll pastored
• How she navigated controversial gender issues at Mars Hill
• What she hopes readers will learn from her latest book, I Forgive You

Wendy’s other Books include:

• Companions in Suffering: Comfort for Times of Loss and Loneliness (2020 The Gospel Coalition Book Award - Christian Living)
• Is the Bible Good for Women?: Seeking Clarity and Confidence Through a Jesus-Centered Understanding of Scripture
• The Gospel-Centered Woman
• By His Wounds You are Healed: How the Message of Ephesians Transforms a Woman's Identity
• Practical Theology for Women: How Knowing God Makes a Difference in Our Daily Lives

Resources Mentioned:

• The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill Podcast

Thank you for listening! If this content is helpful to you as you seek to live out your God-given calling to His glory, purchase Women & Work: Bearing God’s Image and Joining in His Mission through our Work, or donate today to help us continue to produce more inspiring content!

Rebecca George, Radical Radicance Founder

Rebecca George is the founder of Radical Radiance® - a podcast community where listeners are equipped to blend what they love with the Jesus who makes them shine. She is a podcaster, speaker, and author whose greatest joy in life is discipling others to pursue their passions in a way that builds the Kingdom. In her free time, you can find her running outside, writing, or trying a new recipe with 90s country playing in the background. 

Follow Rebecca on Instagram or at radicalradiance.live

In this episode, Rebecca answers:

• What is Radical Radiance? How did you decide on the name? 
• What led you to become passionate about encouraging women in their calling?
• What type of work were you doing before you founded Radical Radiance?
• Your husband is a pastor. How do you view your calling in relation to his; are these in competition? How do they correlate to one another? 
• How do you think about and manage time spent serving your ministry versus your time spent serving your local church?
• How can women cultivate their calling, especially those just starting to discern it?
• How can women treat their calling seriously instead of just a “cute little side hobby?”
• Give us a teaser for your new book, You're Not Too Late: Trusting God's Timing in a Hurry-Up World.
• And more!

Resource Mentioned:

• You’re Not Too Late by Rebecca George
• Do the Thing by Rebecca George
• Courtney Moore on Rebecca’s Podcast, Radical Radiance

Thank you for listening! Ways you can support Women & Work:

• Become a Women & Work monthly partner
• Purchase our book, Women & Work: Bearing God’s Image and Joining in His Mission through our Work
• Rate, subscribe to, and share our show!

Shelbi Kate Strube, Functional Nutritionist

Shelbi Kate Strube is a passionate Personal Trainer and Functional Nutrition Specialist with over 8 years of experience and a Bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science. She specializes in helping clients overcome pain when training, build muscle, and break through weight loss plateaus in a supportive and motivating environment.

Shelbi combines her fitness expertise with certifications in Functional Nutrition, Precision Nutrition Level 1, and Health Mindset Coaching. She has also recently completed a year-long mentorship focused on gut health, hormone health, and optimizing physique development. Her unique ability to analyze blood work and provide supplement guidance sets her apart in the personal training industry. She also has specialized experience working with individuals managing Parkinson’s Disease and as a health coach for a doctor in Functional Nutrition.

Driven by a love for working with the general population, Shelbi empowers clients to take control of their health through personalized care, encouragement, and sustainable habits that lead to lasting results.

Follow Shelbi Kate on Instagram.

In this episode, Shelbi Kate answers these questions:

• How did your passion for fitness begin?
• What is functional nutrition? 
• How did you gain knowledge in this space among so much information out there? 
• What is your organization, Beginners Guide to Building Muscle (BGBM)? 
• What challenges did you encounter as you built your business, and how did the Lord provide for those? 
• How have you seen God use you in the lives of your clients? What’s your perspective on viewing your job as a ministry?
• What is your perspective of the human body from a biblical perspective? 
• How do you image God as a functional nutritionist?
• How do you navigate what to wear to the gym?
  
  Resources Mentioned:
  
  
• Do the Thing by Rebecca George

Thank you for listening! Ways you can support Women & Work:

• Become a Women & Work monthly partner
• Purchase our book, Women & Work: Bearing God’s Image and Joining in His Mission through our Work
• Rate, subscribe to, and share our show!

 

Laureen Mgrdichian, Associate Professor at Biola University.

Laureen Mgrdichian is an Associate Professor at the Crowell School of Business at Biola University. She teaches courses in marketing, entrepreneurship, consumer behavior, promotions, and women in leadership. She also oversees an annual student-led conference designed to encourage women in the workplace. 

Laureen was president of a start-up video production company, placing product domestically as well as licensing internationally. In addition, she owns her own baking business specializing in corporate gifts. Her corporate work includes marketing for Universal Studios. 

Laureen received her M.B.A. from the Anderson Graduate School of Management at U.C.L.A. focusing on marketing and organizational development. Laureen and her husband are the parents of triplets who are in their mid-twenties.

In this episode, Laureen discusses:

• Her role as an associate professor at Biola University
• What she’s learned about navigating work in various seasons of life, including becoming a mom of triplets after 18 years in the workforce
• What it means to honor and worship God with your gifts through your work
• How to persevere in a job that you don’t love and wish you could leave
• How to work with men well for the common good
• How she images God in the classroom as she teaches and mentors students

 

Resource Mentioned:

• Women & Work Podcast, Episode 54 with Biola University’s Dr. Joanne Jung and Dr. Richard Langer for their book, The Call to Follow
• Chapter 9 in our book, Women & Work: Bearing God’s Image and Joining in His Mission through our Work
• Shaunti Feldhahn’s The Male Factor: The Unwritten Rules, Misperceptions, and Secret Beliefs of Men in the Workplace 

Thank you for listening! Ways you can support Women & Work:

• Purchase our book, Women & Work: Bearing God’s Image and Joining in His Mission through our Work
• Become a Women & Work partner

 

Lauren France, Founder, The Lydia Network

Lauren France is passionate about connecting other people's passions and resources to meet greater needs. As the Director of Development and Marketing at Equipping Leaders International, she forges meaningful relationships with donors and builds the organization's Annual Fund. 

About a year ago, Lauren founded The Lydia Network, a giving society of Christian women solving the global leadership crisis in the Church. This vibrant community funds the training of global church leaders across 38 nations in the global South. The Lydia Network funds critical initiatives but also nurtures a network of women committed to the discipleship of Christ. 

Lauren believes in a mission-driven approach to philanthropy that prioritizes donors' hearts and identity in Christ. She believes fundraising is, first and foremost, a ministry. When she's not listening to Mozart or boxing at the gym, Lauren is spending time with her husband Jake and her two precious toddlers, Amelia and Lydia. She resides in North Carolina.

In this episode, Lauren discusses:

—The Lydia Network, what it is, and how it came to be
—Who Lydia was in the Bible and how women today can become modern-day “Lydias”
—The urgency of the global leadership crisis among pastors
—How God can use women for His kingdom purposes around the world
—How to view fundraising from a more biblical perspective
—Tips and tools to help you succeed at fundraising

RESOURCES MENTIONED:
To join The Lydia Network: CLICK HERE 

Fundraising Resources:
DonorBox
Building a Case for Support
Building a Fundraising Plan
Webinar on Planning and Goal Setting for Nonprofit Fundraising 
Building a Communications Plan for Fundraising
A Spirituality of Fundraising: The Henri Nouwen Spirituality Series
In His Image: 10 Ways God Calls Us to Reflect His Character
None Like Him: 10 Ways God Is Different from Us (and Why That's a Good Thing)

Follow The Lydia Network on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and thelydianetwork.com

Thank you for listening. If this content is helpful to you as you seek to live out your God-given calling to His glory, please donate today to help us continue to produce more inspiring content. Purchase our book, Women & Work: Bearing God’s Image and Joining in His Mission through our Work.

 

Amy-Jo Girardier, Women’s Minister, Former Girls' Minister, Author

Amy-Jo Girardier loves getting to disciple girls and women in her local church. She has served as Girls Minister for 19 years at Brentwood Baptist in Brentwood, TN. She currently is serving as the Women’s Minister. She is an author of 3 Lifeway bible studies for teen girls and an upcoming contributor on a devotional for women. In addition to ministry, Amy-Jo loves all things technology, drinking coffee, running, serving on staff with her husband
Darrel and being with their two boys: Scout and Skylar. She is a graduate of Southwestern Theological Seminary.

In this episode, Courtney and Missie ask Am-Jo these questions:
—How did you first sense that you were called into ministry? 
—Tell us about your passion for teen girls. Why do you love this age in particular?
—What have you learned about the differences in the various generations: how they serve the Church, how to lead them well, how to wisely incorporate them into leadership, and how they show up in the workforce?
—How have you prepared your church as you have been a part of starting a women’s ministry from scratch?
—For those who may feel called to serve as a women’s minister on staff at a church, what should they expect? 
—What has helped you maintain such longevity in ministry? 
—Tell us about your newest Bible study.
—What is one final piece of advice you would leave with women who want to honor God through their vocational calling?

Resources Mentioned:
The New Bible in Pictures for Little Eyes
James - Teen Girls' Bible Study Book: Experience Abundant Life
Authentic Love - Bible Study for Girls: Christ, Culture, and the Pursuit of Purity
Faithful One - Teen Girls' Bible Study Book: A Study of 1 & 2 Thessalonians for Teen Girls

Follow Amy-Jo on Instagram.

Thanks for listening. Support our work by giving today and by subscribing to our show.

 

 

Kylie Collins, Walk With You Founder

Kylie was born and raised in the Midwest and currently resides in central Iowa with her husband of 9 years, Aaron, and their 6-year-old daughter and 4-year-old son. She holds a Bachelor of Science Nursing degree from the University of Iowa and began her nursing career in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, caring for its most vulnerable and critically ill babies. 

In the fall of 2022, she founded Walk With You and now works full-time, walking with families in their deepest and most desperate moments of grief - leading up to, during, and following the loss of their beloved child. 

Kylie is passionate about weaving together grief and the Gospel, being an advocate for women to fulfill their God-given callings, be that at home or in the workforce or some combination of the two, and working in secular spaces to see the Good News of Jesus Christ brought to everyone, everywhere.

 

LINKS:
Kylie on Instagram
Walk With You on Instagram
Walk With You Website

 

In this episode, Kylie shares:

— What it’s like being a NICU nurse

— How she has seen God use her specific gifting to serve parents of NICU babies in the hospital

— How the Women & Work Podcast is a part of her story of founding Walk With You

— The beautiful ways Walk With You serves parents who have lost a child

— How the gospel intersects with grief

— How she practices self-care so she can be faithful to the mission of Walk With You

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Women & Work Podcast:
Episode 19 Elyse Fitzpatrick & Eric Schumacher, Part 1
Episode 20 Elyse Fitzpatrick & Eric Schumacher, Part 2

Just Be Honest: How to Worship through Tears and Pray without Pretending
Therefore I Have Hope: 12 Truths That Comfort, Sustain, and Redeem in Tragedy
Every Moment Holy, Volume II: Death, Grief, & Hope
The Last Thing Sufferers Need to Hear, TGC article by Christ Davis
Resources on Grief and Suffering by Nancy Guthrie