In this episode, we look at Jesus' response to his disciples' request to teach them how to pray in Luke 11. We consider the parallel between prayer and family dinner, and ask how our thinking surrounding prayer might be off. In my observation, we pray small, we pray seldom, we pray safe, and we pray selfish. Small prayers reflect a small view of Go…

Today I have the privilege of sitting down with a very special guest, my mom, Julie Brenton. For those of you who know my mom, she has a devoted faith in the Lord, she loves his Word, and because of this, she overflows with wisdom. What led me to reach out to her was that I had been thinking recently about how many people in my world have dealt wit…

Mike Cooper recently retired from working as a chaplain in the federal prison system for 20 years. He is a husband to Denese, a father to 5 grown children, and grandpa to two grandkids. Mike is a gifted storyteller and has a legacy of ministry that challenges us to consider how we spend our time and where we invest our heart. This interview pushes …

Today I sit down with Ryan and April Berg, the founders of the Aruna Project, a nonprofit organization committed to bringing lifelong freedom to victims of human trafficking. They join us from Cincinnati, Ohio, and talk about the organic beginnings of an organization they started 10 years ago in South Asia as a result of a weighty problem that they…

Tim and I worked at a very special place called Doulos Discovery School from 2009-2014. This expeditionary learning school is found in the mountains of the Dominican Republic in a town called Jarabacoa. The summer of 2023, Tim and I got to go back to be a part of the school’s 20th reunion, and I had the unbelievable privilege of connecting with one…

In some ways, you could argue that today’s guest and I are choosing to parent our children very differently. While our family is invested in our local public school, Hannah Hernandez has started a home school co-op for folks in the area. But Hannah and I agree big on the importance of raising our kids while we as parents demonstrate a transparent f…

Today I get to share a fascinating conversation with Territa Chambers. Territa joins us from Charlotte, North Carolina and is a delightful woman who loves to read, learn new things, craft, and be with friends and family. She is married to Terry Jr. and they have 3 young adult sons. Territa has been practicing as a licensed counselor and transformat…

If you’ve met Erik Johnson, you know he has a huge heart and a contagious joy. Erik and his wife Kristen are friends of ours from church, and it was only in the past year that I learned more of his life story and asked if he would share it on the podcast. Erik was born in the midwest and grew up in Nebraska, where he lived in a tiny town of 1300 pe…

In this episode, I have the privilege of sitting down with bestselling author and speaker Gary Thomas. He and his wife Lisa have been married 40 years and have 3 kids and 2 grandkids. He actually lived in Houston near my home base in La Grange for about 12 years, but now resides in Colorado, which we joked about as a great place to end up after the…

Kathleen Wadkins lives with her husband, 2 kids and their dog in eastern Iowa. In her words, “it actually exists!” Kathleen is the head of content at The Pour Over, which aims to be a politically neutral, Christ-first news source. When you subscribe to The Pour Over, you’ll get an email newsletter 3x a week with a brief overview of some of the worl…

Today I get to sit down with my dear friend, Alisha Keating. She’s a wife to Nate and mom to Corban and Simon. She works as pediatric nurse practitioner and has a deep, beautiful soul. We talk about everything from why it's worth it to travel with kids to the importance of getting involved in the local church. We dive into the grief of losing child…

Vivian Mabuni is an author, speaker, and fellow podcaster who lives in southern California. As an Asian American woman, Vivian is passionate about leading and discipling and does this as she shares her authentic faith. She has written several books, including one we dive into in this episode, Open Hands, Willing Heart. She and her husband Darin hav…

As we close out Season 3 of Whit's End, we look toward the disciplines we want to put into practice this fall. At Woven, we are big on Bible study and think it's important to always know the WHY behind our WHAT. So today we take a closer look at some scriptures that give meaning to what we practice. What are spiritual disciplines? Why does Bible st…

Lindsey Hicks joins us from Houston, Texas to share the miraculous story of watching God revive her 4-month old son. She talks about the abiding presence of God through the darkest moments, growing in patience and grace in the grieving process, and allowing gratitude to push against the bitterness and cynicism that threatens to harden our hearts. S…

Tim and I reflect on our past 12 years of parenting and share mortifying moments, hilarious travel stories, and wisdom we've picked up from those further on in the parenting journey. We talk about faith formation over behavior modification, our strengths and weaknesses as parents, and pushing against the constant temptation to find our worth in our…

Note: This podcast contains graphic content including domestic violence and the persecution of Christians. We pray this episode moves you to respond in prayer as well as support the ministry of Lumens of Truth that Samir has started! We encourage you to consider giving financially to support this ongoing work. You can donate through Servants Intern…

Today I’m joined by Jeanne Luebbe. True to the podcast’s name, this episode centers on leaning in to ask the hard questions. Jeanne brings genuine humility and inviting warmth to conversations that feel electrically charged. We talk about engaging people thoughtfully, recognizing and understanding worldview and changing definitions, thinking about …

Studies show that over 90% of professing Christians don't actively practice the discipline of prayer. Several years ago, I read A Praying Life by Paul Miller. This book profoundly shifted my perspective and helped me discover the true joy of prayer. I recently connected with Adam Barker, who serves as the Southwest Coordinator for seeJesus, the min…

Today, my husband Tim and I take on some of your hard questions. We reflect on 15 years of marriages, highs and lows, massive ridiculous fights, and bringing people in through confession and counseling. We talk about our tension over finances, my OCD tendencies, and how to keep pursuing each other physically and emotionally. Let's dive in! Quotes: …

Hannah brings humor, joy and candidness to the podcast with this upbeat but thought-provoking episode! She talks about road trips (are you an "enjoy the journey" or a "hurry up and get to the destination" type of person?), getting married young, surprise pregnancies, and being led to adoption. She opens up about her role at the Archibald Project an…

Today you're invited to listen in on a raw, honest, gut-wrenching conversation with Samantha Hadaway. She takes us back throughout her life, walking through the unthinkable in high school, continuing on a dark path and finally finding Jesus. She shares about how coming to experience the love of Christ has completely transformed her life. Now, she's…

Summer is here - which is a season for kids out of school, popsicles and pool time, and, of course, WEDDINGS. Who doesn't love a good wedding? Listen in as we look closely at Jesus' first sign and seek to understand his miraculous act of turning water into wine. What does it teach us about Christ? What does is say about marriage? Why is it signific…

If you've had the opportunity to learn from Natalie West, then you know she is a skilled Bible teacher who is passionate about the scripture. She is both seriously entertaining and profoundly insightful. She joined us in Season 1 of Whit's End to discuss God's heart for foster care and share a little of her personal journey. In this episode, Natali…

NaKeya Harris joins us from Charlotte, NC. She shares about how God re-routed her steps as a rebellious teen and offers marriage advice after recently celebrating 21 years. She talks about being the most unlikely candidate for seminary and God opening doors she hoped would close. She shares her thoughts on race and having a kingdom mindset first an…

In honor of Mother's Day, Heather MacFadyen kicks off Season 3 with this freeing conversation! Author and podcaster of Don't Mom Alone shares about sudden losses and painful rejections. She reminds us that God is so not done with our kids and challenges us to think about the role we play in accomplishing God's purposes in our children's lives. She …

in the end its great

In this fourth episode of our mini-series and the final one in the season, we talk about how God has called us to live abundant and purposeful lives. We look at the relatable arc of Peter's journey and how Christ renewed the call on his life despite getting off course time and again. Finally, we talk about the kind of fruit God desires for us as we…

Before Jesus was crucified, he gave the disciples some encouraging words they didn't quite understand. He was about to send a Helper who would be more present and integrated into their lives than even Christ could be in His time on earth. In this episode, we continue to look at the theme of discipleship and how the Holy Spirit plays a critical role…

Why is our culture seemingly obsessed with fraudsters and con-men? In the second podcast of our Discipleship miniseries, we take a look at what Christ has to say about hypocrisy. While our words and actions are hopelessly inconsistent, we can put great confidence in the truth that Christianity is built on Jesus Christ, the only person to live in to…

The word DISCIPLE is both a noun and a verb. As a noun, it tells our identity as a Christian. As a verb, it gives our job description as a follower of Christ. Over the next 4 weeks, we will be looking at this theme of Discipleship through the lens of the gospels. To start out, we ask the question of "What Does It Mean To Be a Disciple?" *If you're …

Mary Moore is one of those people who builds her life on Jesus Christ as the solid foundation. I have seen firsthand her humble and teachable heart, always eager to learn and dig deeper into the Bible. In this raw interview, she shares her wisdom on building a 55-year marriage. She opens up about walking through a decade-long season of deep waters …

Dan Brenton has worked in a variety of roles, including campus ministry, pastor, and speaker. But I've known him best in the role of dad for the past 37 years. He shares how the roles of parenting shift in different seasons and how Jesus shows up and fills in the gaps where we are lacking. My dad reminds us that raising kids is all about stewardshi…

In this candid conversation about a failed business startup, Alex West takes us back through a journey of stepping out in faith and trusting God with a dream. She challenges our most commonly held understanding of success and teaches us to place our obedience over the outcome. This wife and mother of four also shares a practical approach to engagin…

Jonathan Hernandez gives a powerful testimony of many small decisions that led to huge life changes. He talks openly about his journey of pursuing health and weight loss, and how to create habits that contribute to the kind of person you want to become. He reminds us that some of the hardest sacrifices lead to the greatest rewards. The hundreds of …

Oftentimes our lives don't unfold as expected. Jen Etter shares about a long season of singleness that led to a surprising 2020. She challenges us to rethink what it takes to be truly content and to pray big, unimaginable things of God. This episode touches on a wide range from cancer to the gentleness of God to job loss and the gift of marriage. J…

Dan LeMoine challenges our perspective on work and helps us see that business is not outside the realm of God's redemption. He talks about working closely with family and the gift that waits on the other side of conflict. Dan reminds us to be faithful in whatever job God has called us to and invite Jesus to redeem our imagination about our work. Go…

In this episode, Jamie Moreau gracefully guides us into a conversation on politics and how to engage thoughtfully as a follower of Christ. With refreshing honesty and a hopeful perspective, she shares how God has surprised her in the process of running for local office. We talk about redefining success, God leading us unexpectedly into different ro…

We dive right in to Season 2 with this tear-jerking first episode. Christen Byker shares about her and her husband being called overseas, God using a women's retreat to fight against fear, and her first labor and delivery that brought both a precious daughter and insurmountable challenges. This episode is one of those unforgettable stories that is …

Friends, it's time to wrap up our first season. In this podcast, Whitney shares Woven Ministry's theme words for the year of provision, rest, and endurance. She talks about the relationship between these three and how prayer plays a crucial role. Stay tuned for Season 2 of Whit's End while we put these words into practice.…

Lisa Miser knows what it means to experience the goodness of God while walking through intense grief. She shares her powerful story through tears and invites us in to trust in God's faithfulness while recognizing we may never have answers to all the hard questions this side of heaven.

It seems most fitting that the first male guest is none other than my husband Tim. In this candid interview, he takes us back to an early memory of faith in childhood and experiencing a distinct call on his life in middle school. He shares the behind the scenes struggle of living out his faith while being pulled into the party scene over nearly a d…

This conversation is one of the most important we've recorded so far. After a painful conflict several years ago, Kelli Biles ventures into uncomfortable territory as we process rebuilding a friendship in this episode. What if Jesus' charge that the world will know Christians by our love for one another is just as much about encouraging words as it…

In this refreshingly honest interview, Heather Brenton opens up about her journey of stepping away from social media after seeing the toxic pull it had on her. She challenges us to evaluate our motives, look closely at our personal habits, and be the odd man out in order to experience true freedom.

Erin Daniel is the once-in-a-lifetime kind of friend who lives from an unoffendable place and invites in hard conversations. She shares about prioritizing people over profit in direct sales, shifting our mindset to view our dollars as votes in a ballot box, and learning from mistakes along the way.

Natalie shares what it's like to be a foster parent as a single female. She describes how God has directed her steps to obediently pursue the next right thing. Natalie challenges each of us to engage the children around us from a biblical perspective and to re-think how we view prayer.

Taylor Fontenot lives her life from a place of gratitude. She talks about a scary diagnosis as a young adult that forever shifted her perspective and caused her to see God's unbelievable, intentional kindness throughout her life.

Melisa Gomez shares about singleness, skin color judgments, doing life with folks in different seasons and entering into pain that may be unfamiliar. Stick around till the very end for a fun surprise update in Melisa's journey. Special thanks to Amie Finch for recording this episode!

Mandie Psencik talks openly about a painful time of infertility and what it means to show up for people in the hurt. Her story reminds us of how God is always working, often in the most unexpected ways.

While DeAndrea Baker just celebrated her 20th wedding anniversary, it has not been an easy road. She shares her journey about getting married as a teenager and finding God in a seemingly hopeless season.

We flip the script and put Whitney in the hot seat.