Women & Work: Stepping into Kingdom Productivity

#38 Jane Creswell, Master Certified Coach

Jane Creswell is an innovator and leader in the field of corporate coaching. She leveraged 17 years of product development and management experience at IBM to invent the role of “Organization Coach” and become the founder of IBM Coaches Network. At IBM, she focused her organization on achieving extraordinary results by individual coaching of the leaders at all levels of the organization.  

 

Currently, Ms. Creswell is utilizing those experiences to help corporations worldwide wanting to establish a long-term, self-sustaining system of internal coaching and reap the benefits of a coaching culture. Her focus is on helping leaders make the high-impact transition from merely influencing others to developing excellent leaders who develop excellent leaders. Her work can be characterized as maximizing the strengths and knowledge of individuals for the benefit of both the person and the organization. 

 

Jane has authored 3 books, including The Complete Idiot's Guide- Coaching for Excellence, and Christ-Centered Coaching: 7 Benefits for Ministry Leaders, and God Nods (co-authored with Joey Faucette). Jane was the inaugural recipient of the Thomas Leonard Achievement Award granted by the ICF Midwest Conference in June 2014 for her impact throughout the coaching industry for over 20 years.

 

In this episode, Jane shares with Courtney and Missie:

•  How she transitioned from coding at IBM to becoming the first Organization Coach at IMB and founding the IBM Coaches Network
• How she views herself as a missionary to the corporate world
• What Christ-centered coaching is and how it differs from Christian counseling
• Why it’s important for women in particular to receive professional coaching
• Trends she sees in the areas of work or life that women seek coaching in
• How she actually helps women move forward through coaching
• How to step forward with confidence in your unique gifts and strengths

 

Resources Mentioned:

• God Nods: Discover the Greatest Treasure at Work
• The Complete Idiot's Guide to Coaching for Excellence
• Christ-Centered Coaching: 7 Benefits for Ministry Leaders
• Patterns of High Performance: Discovering the Ways People Work Best  By Jerry L. Fletcher

 

#37 Carolyn McCulley, Author, Speaker & Filmmaker

We trust you will enjoy this episode with Carolyn McCulley, but we did want to let you know that we cover some heavy topics that might be triggering to some listeners. Carolyn is a filmmaker, and in this episode, she discusses her work in covering gun violence and sexual assault. We wanted you to be aware in case that type of content was not what you were expecting to hear. As always, we love learning from women who take these hard subjects and seek to redeem them to the glory of God through their work. We hope you enjoy this episode.

 

Carolyn McCulley is a storyteller in multiple formats. She is a filmmaker, podcast producer and host, and author of several books. She has run her own production company, Citygate Films, since 2009, which has been a great way of experiencing God's faithfulness in many ways.

 

Carolyn has directed, produced, and edited nearly 200 short films for clients while also working on her own film projects. Citygate Films has produced branded content for clients such as Discovery, WebMD, AstraZeneca, Adventure Scientists, Chick-Fil-A, Capital One, International Justice Mission, and numerous nonprofits. My most widely viewed short film has been seen by more than six million people and was the inspiration for a segment in Oprah's BELIEF series. Her independent film, The Rage of Evil, was about a former school shooter and was acquired by HuffPost.

 

She is currently working on a film project called Out Of Darkness in which she showcases the advocacy of Rachael Denhollander in one individual sexual abuse survivor’s case within the sexual abuse crisis of the Southern Baptist Convention. You can support her work through a tax-deductible donation here.

Carolyn is the author of 3 books including The Measure of Success: Uncovering the Biblical Perspective on Women, Work, and the Home. It was a silver finalist in the ECPA Book Awards and won an award of merit in the Christianity Today Book Awards. She has also written for a wide range of publications, including The Washington Post and Baltimore Sun. 

 

For more than 15 years, she has been a speaker at women’s conferences in the U.S. and abroad, sharing narratives of hope and perseverance.

 

In this episode, Carolyn discusses with Courtney and Missie:

 

–– How she acquired the skills of filmmaking and the importance of storytelling

–– How her work in film and podcast production brings stories of redemption and hope to others, even in hard topics such as gun violence and sexual assault

–– How her views of womanhood have changed since coming to Christ

–– How she works with men on set in a God-honoring way as a single, Christian woman

–– How she hopes in God amidst the idolization of marriage within the church

 

Resources Mentioned

The Courage to Face Failure Podcast

 

The Measure of Success: Uncovering the Biblical Perspective on Women, Work, and the Home 

 

Did I Kiss Marriage Goodbye?: Trusting God with a Hope Deferred

 

#36 Dr. Tabitha Harder, Women’s Health Physical Therapist & Orthopedic Specialist

Dr. Tabitha Harder is a Women's Health Physical Therapist and Orthopedic Specialist in Brentwood, Tennessee.  She received her Doctorate of Physical Therapy Degree from The University of Tennessee in 2004.  She is a Board Certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialist with the American Physical Therapy Association and is trained in Obstetrics and Postpartum Physical Therapy.  She is an advocate for Women's Health and has a private practice in Brentwood, Tennessee where she provides prenatal and postpartum care for women.  

 

Tabitha is also a pastor's wife and mother of four. She is married to Mike Harder, a pastor of Brentwood Baptist Church. They have four children: Abigail, Violet, Georgia, and Josiah.  Tabitha is active in her local church and serves in various roles. As an adoptive mom, Tabitha values community and support for other foster and adoptive families.  She is honored to support women, families, and vulnerable children in the Middle Tennessee area as a member of the foster and adoption ministry team at Brentwood Baptist Church. Tabitha is also a special needs "Embrace Buddy" where she volunteers with her oldest daughter on Sunday mornings.  They enjoy serving together and being part of a ministry that meets the unique needs of individuals and families impacted by disability.

 

In this episode, Dr. Harder discusses:

• What she does every day in her job as a physical therapist to improve healthcare for women in all life stages: prenatal, postpartum, and peri-menopausal  
• Her passion for educating women on their body’s health and seeing the intentionality and design God intended when He created the human body
• How and why she transitioned to form her own private PT practice and the benefits she has seen by doing that
• How she images God as a physical therapist
• How as a pastor’s wife, she views her calling in secular work
• How she navigates being an “influencer” on social media and how she has seen God use Instagram to serve women across the world

 

Follow Dr. Harder on Instagram. 

#35 Vaneetha Risner, Author, Speaker & Sufferer

Vaneetha writes and speaks about finding hope in suffering. Her memoir, Walking Through Fire as well as her devotional, The Scars That Have Shaped Me both encourage readers to turn to Christ in their pain. Some of her greatest joys are being a wife to Joel and a mother to Katie and Kristi, and you can find her embarrassing them in Raleigh, NC, or online at vaneetha.com. Vaneetha writes regularly for Desiring God and has been featured on Family Life Today, Joni & Friends, and Christianity Today.

 

She also has an upcoming Bible study with Lifeway Christian Resources that releases in May of 2023 entitled Desperate for Hope: The Questions We Ask God in Suffering, Loss, and Longing. 

 

In this episode, Vaneetha shares her life story which includes:

• Her polio diagnosis at 3 months old
• Her years of living in a hospital as a child and how that affected her view of God
• How she came to faith in Christ
• How she dealt with divorce and forgave her husband
• Her grief and God’s supernatural comfort after several miscarriages and the loss of her newborn baby
• How the Lord brought her to remarry
• Her more recent debilitating diagnosis of post-polio syndrome
• How He has used all of this to bring her to her current calling of serving others through writing and speaking

 

Recommended Resources from Vaneetha:

• Walking Through Fire
• The Scars That Have Shaped Me
• Desperate for Hope

#34 Kelly Minter, Author & Bible Teacher

Kelly Minter is an author, Bible teacher, and podcaster. Her most recent Bible study from Lifeway publishers is called Encountering God - Bible Study Book: Cultivating Habits of Faith Through the Spiritual Disciplines. Kelly speaks around the country and also works closely with Justice & Mercy International in the Amazon jungles of Brazil as well as the Eastern European country of Moldova.

 

Kelly is deeply passionate about teaching the Bible and believes it permeates all of life. Her love for the Word of God led her to create her Cultivate Event, an event centered around Scripture, worship, prayer, and mission. She is also the host of the Cultivate podcast, a weekly podcast where she walks through Scripture with her listeners.

 

When she’s not writing, traveling, or speaking, she enjoys time in her garden, cooking, and being with her friends and family. A Southern transplant, she delights in long walks, her local church, meaningful conversation, and coffee in her Justice & Mercy International diner mug.

 

In this episode, Kelly discusses:

– How God clearly thwarted her plans for a music career and steered her into Bible teaching and how women can adjust when they sense God doing this in their own lives

– Her most recent study on the spiritual disciplines and through which one she most encounters God

– Her process for writing Bible studies

– Her love of cooking and why sharing meals within community is good for Christians

– How we image God in cooking and gardening

– Her work with Justice & Mercy International, a non-profit organization that exists to make justice personal for the poor, the orphaned, and the forgotten of the world, primarily serving in Moldova in Eastern Europe and in the Amazon region of Brazil (Follow them on Instagram).

 

Mentioned Resources:

• Finding God Faithful: A Study on the Life of Joseph 
• A Place at the Table: Fresh Recipes for Meaningful Gatherings
• Encountering God - Bible Study Book: Cultivating Habits of Faith Through the Spiritual Disciplines
• Ruth: Loss, Love & Legacy - Bible Study Book (Revised & Expanded) with Video Access

#33 Nikki Lawrence, President of BLACK+DECKER

Nikki Lawrence is a connector by nature. Her warm personality leaves little room for anyone to be a stranger for too long. This trait has fueled her pastime and helped Nikki charm audiences as a Mistress of Ceremony at conferences, fundraisers, and events all across the country. By day, she is a Corporate Executive for a Fortune 500 Company with a global team and multi-billion dollar portfolio. She has been with her company for 19 years and held a plethora of leadership roles for almost two decades.

Among her passions is the desire to see women from every walk of life walk boldly into whatever God has called them into. When she can combine her love for hospitality and/or developing people with helping women on their leadership journey, she is in her happy place.

Nikki lives in Baltimore, Maryland, and in her free time, she is daydreaming about home décor projects, road-tripping with friends, or playing with her niece and nephews.

In this episode, Nikki shares:

• How she saw God’s hand in leading her to the profession she’s in today
• The importance of networking
• How she views ministry in the marketplace
• The significance of both one’s IQ and EQ 
• The top leadership lessons she’s learned over the years
• The power of a “shaky yes”
• The importance of diversity in the workplace, as well as mentorships and sponsorships

Resources Mentioned: 

• Lifeway Women Live

 

#32 Dr. Karen Swallow Prior, Research Professor of English and Christianity & Culture

This episode of the Women & Work podcast features an interview with Dr. Karen Swallow Prior, a Research Professor of English and Christianity & Culture at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. 

 

She is the author of Booked: Literature in the Soul of Me (T. S. Poetry Press, 2012), Fierce Convictions: The Extraordinary Life of Hannah More—Poet, Reformer, Abolitionist (Thomas Nelson, 2014), and On Reading Well: Finding the Good Life through Great Books (Brazos 2018). She is co-editor of Cultural Engagement: A Crash Course in Contemporary Issues (Zondervan 2019) and has contributed to numerous other books. 

 

She is host of the popular podcast Jane and Jesus. She has a monthly column for Religion News Service. Her writing has appeared at Christianity Today, New York Times, The Atlantic, The Washington Post, First Things, Vox, Think Christian, The Gospel Coalition, Books and Culture and other places. She is a Contributing Editor for Comment, a founding member of The Pelican Project, a Senior Fellow at the Trinity Forum, a Senior Fellow at the International Alliance for Christian Education, a Senior Fellow at the L. Russ Bush Center for Faith and Culture and is a former member of the Faith Advisory Council of the Humane Society of the United States. 

 

She and her husband live on a 100-year-old homestead in central Virginia with dogs, chickens, and lots of books.

 

In this episode, Dr. Prior discusses with Courtney and Missie:

 

–– Why she considers herself first a reader before a writer

–– How she realized writing and teaching were what God had called her to vocationally and how 

     listeners can discern their own calling

–– How she helps readers navigate literary pitfalls as well as read in light of the gospel

–– How reading builds character and how literature can help us discover “the good life”

–– How her work as a writer and professor images God

–– How she views her own unintentional childlessness in light of her profession

–– Advice for aspiring writers 

 

Mentioned on the Show:

• On Reading Well
• Booked: Literature in the Soul of Me
• Cultural Engagement: A Crash Course in Contemporary Issues
•  Fierce Convictions: The Extraordinary Life of Hannah More, Poet, Reformer, Abolitionist 
• Jane Eyre: A Guide to Reading and Reflecting
• The Scarlet Letter: A Guide to Reading and Reflecting
• Tess of the d'Urbervilles: A Guide to Reading and Reflecting
• Frankenstein: A Guide to Reading and Reflecting
• Sense and Sensibility: A Guide to Reading and Reflecting
• Heart of Darkness
• Pride and Prejudice

 

If you find that the Women & Work Podcast is inspiring you to more confidently step into your God-given calling and view your work as meaningful to the kingdom of God, would you consider partnering with us by making a tax-deductible monthly or one-time donation? Go to womenwork.net/donate today. Thank you!

 

#31 Ask Anything with Missie Branch & Courtney Moore

#30 Courtney Moore, Founder + President of Women & Work

Courtney Moore is the Founder and President of Women & Work, as well as co-host of the Women & Work Podcast. She holds a B.A. in Religious Studies from the University of Mobile and an M.A. in Biblical Counseling from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Courtney is passionate about seeing Jesus Christ honored by women as they steward their gifts and leverage their unique potential for His glory. She has been married to Brent for 15 years. They have 3 great kids and live in El Paso, TX where Brent pastors LIFEchurch.

In this next get-to-know-your-host episode, Missie interviews our beloved founder, Courtney Moore. Courtney is passionate about seeing Jesus Christ honored by women as they steward their gifts and leverage their unique potential for His glory. Her and her family live in El Paso, Tx where they serve in church ministry.

 

In this episode, you get to learn more about Courtney’s story, including: 

 

• The Story of Women & Work
• Growing into Leadership Roles
• Stepping Out in Faith 
• Work in Seasons

 

We hope this episode encourages you to view your work as meaningful to the kingdom of God. 

#29 Missie Branch, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary

Missie Branch currently serves as the Assistant Dean of Students and Director of Graduate Life at the Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. She is married to Deuce and they have 4 children. Missie is passionate about women seeing themselves as disciples and theologians. She’s a published author, chairwoman of the trustees at Lifeway Christian Resources, and of course, one of our beloved podcast hosts!

 

In this episode, Missie discusses:

✨Her journey from owning a successful cake business to becoming the Associate Dean of Students at SEBTS. 

✨Women and leadership and some of the messaging women hear 

✨Women leaders in the black church and the positive influence that has had on her.

✨Being in predominantly white spaces and what she has learned about being in a culture that is different than her own.

✨A kingdom-minded vision of all peoples living reconciled. 

 

And so much more. Missie is so wise and we are so thankful for her contributions to our team and to the broader evangelical culture.  We loved this episode and getting to know her more and hope you were as encouraged as we were.