The Shieldmaidens

🎉We made it to Episode 100 of The Shieldmaidens!🛡️  What started as a simple idea to create honest conversations about faith, life, struggle, friendship, and following Jesus has become so much more than we ever imagined.  For our 100th episode, we're turning the cameras on ourselves and answering questions that we imagine our listeners might have asked us after walking alongside us for the l...

What if worship showed up on your doorstep?  In this episode of The Shieldmaidens, we’re joined by our friend Christina Hitchcock, founder of Knot Alone - a nonprofit with a beautiful mission: Tying love and worship together on your doorstep.  Once a month, Knot Alone brings a choir to the homes of local cancer patients, offering music, encouragement, prayer, and a reminder to patients and their f...

What if the healing you’re asking God for isn’t the only thing He wants to give you?  In her first year away at college, Grace found herself facing a season of severe sickness and seizures that would stretch on far longer than she ever imagined. As she struggled physically, she was also wrestling spiritually - resisting the obedience God was calling her toward and struggling to surrender her own p...

What happens when you spend years feeling invisible - even while surrounded by people who love Jesus?  In this powerful conversation, Jillian shares a deeply personal testimony of childhood assault, teen pregnancy, harmful secrets kept with good intentions, and the choices that followed as she struggled to find her identity and worth.  Growing up as a pastor’s kid, Jillian knew about God.  But kno...

What happens when you faithfully pray for someone else?  In this episode of The Shieldmaidens, we sit down with Mary to talk about one of the most powerful (and often overlooked) ways we can love and serve others: intercession.  Mary shares real-life stories of how she has prayed for the people around her and witnessed God move in ways she never could have orchestrated herself. We talk about what...

One moment can change the course of your entire life.  Josh Simmons was pursuing his dream of becoming a pilot when a traumatic brain injury completely changed his future. Suddenly, things most of us take for granted - walking, talking, functioning independently - became things Josh had to learn all over again.  But in the middle of an unimaginable season, God began doing what only He could do.  I...

When Emilee Rathgeber lost her sister and best friend, Halee, in 2017, her world changed forever. In the middle of unimaginable grief, Emilee found herself angry at God.. and then faced another painful reality: being made to feel like she wasn’t allowed to be angry with Him.  In this deeply honest conversation, Emilee shares what it was like to grieve Halee during her senior year of high school, w...

What if the things you call coincidences are actually the providence of God?  In this episode of The Shieldmaidens, we’re talking about the difference between God’s provision and His providence... and how often we look back and realize that God was working behind the scenes long before we ever saw the answer.  Sometimes His provision looks obvious. Other times, it looks like a closed door, an unex...

Motherhood wasn’t meant to be lonely. ❤️  In this episode of The Shieldmaidens, we sit down with Kelly Doan, the creator of Mom Joy, a local women’s conference created specifically to encourage, love, and pour into moms.  Kelly shares the story behind Mom Joy and why moms became such a passion for her. After experiencing firsthand how much new moms need community, encouragement, and simply someone...

What do you do when doctors tell you there is no cure? In this powerful episode of The Shieldmaidens , we sit down with Ryan Seaton of Ernie Haase & Signature Sound and his wife, Krista, to hear the incredible story of their journey through one of life's darkest seasons. After Ryan was diagnosed with an aggressive, rare, stage 4 bladder cancer and given just 3–6 months to live, they were...

What does it take to stand firm in a world filled with darkness?  In this powerful conversation, Garrett Gross joins The Shieldmaidens to share how God used faithful men to strengthen his walk with Christ, why biblical brotherhood is essential for every believer, and how he's learned to face the reality of evil without losing hope.  As the founder of Operation 17:2, Garrett offers a unique pe...

Before we share some exciting news, we wanted to take a moment to talk about something that's been on our hearts.  In a world that loves to define people by their worst moments, the Gospel tells a different story. We open today's episode by reflecting on Psalm 130:3-4 and the incredible truth that none of us stand before God because of our own righteousness. We stand because of His mercy...

True worship is about so much more than the songs we sing on Sunday... it's about how we trust God in the every day.  In this episode of The Shieldmaidens, we're joined by Mike and Kirby Cheeseman, a married couple who serve on the worship team at their church. But this conversation goes far beyond music. They share powerful, personal stories of God's provision, His faithfulness in...

How should Christians think about mental health? When is counseling helpful? Is medication always the right answer? And how do we discern the difference between a mental health struggle and spiritual warfare?  In this episode of The Shieldmaidens, we're joined by a licensed mental health therapist, Marideth Kates, who specializes in working with teenagers and young adults. Together, we tackle...

As America approaches its 250th birthday, it's easy to focus on the challenges, divisions, and uncertainties that surround us. But what happens when we take a moment to look back and recognize God's faithfulness throughout our nation's history?  In this episode of The Shieldmaidens, we reflect on the many ways God has blessed America, discuss the importance of gratitude, and share o...

In this deeply personal episode of The Shieldmaidens, Cheryl shares the story of her son, Erik, and the heartbreaking loss her family experienced when he died by suicide at the age of 36.  With honesty, courage, and faith, Cheryl opens up about the realities of grief, the difficult questions that follow a tragedy like this, and how God has carried her through one of the darkest seasons of her life...

Have you ever felt God calling you to do something, but fear kept getting in the way?  In this episode of The Shieldmaidens, Lyndsi shares her journey of being called by God to paint for His glory - and the years she spent running from that calling. What started as a clear direction from the Lord became a battle with fear, doubt, insecurity, and delayed obedience.  Delayed obedience is still disob...

Samantha never expected to meet Jesus in a jail cell.  After years of hardship, anger, brokenness, and searching for something more, she found herself at one of the lowest points in her life. But it was there, in a place that felt hopeless, that God met her in a powerful and life-changing way.  In this episode of The Shieldmaidens, Samantha shares her raw and honest testimony of how Jesus recently...

Have you ever felt like you're carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders? Anxiety, comparison, worry, fear, unmet expectations - sometimes the burdens we carry become so familiar that we forget we were never meant to bear them alone.  In this episode of The Shieldmaidens, we sit down with author Brenda Phegley to talk about what it truly means to surrender our burdens to Christ. Draw...

A recent post online claimed churches shouldn’t celebrate Mother’s Day because “Sunday is for Jesus, not moms.” 👀 So… should churches avoid honoring individuals altogether? Can we celebrate people without taking the focus off Christ? And why does this conversation stir up such strong opinions among Christians?  In this episode, we lovingly unpack the tension between being Christ-centered and hono...

What happens when the battle is deeper than what can be seen?  In this powerful episode of The Shieldmaidens, we sit down with Darren Ricketts as he shares his testimony of finding true freedom in Christ. From spiritual warfare and deliverance to discovering his identity as a son of the King, this conversation is raw, honest, and full of hope.  One statement from Darren deeply impacted us: “The en...

Some words sting longer than we’d like to admit. In this episode of The Shieldmaidens, we’re opening up about the reality of harsh criticism, online hate, and the cruelty that can live in the comment section. We read real comments, share honest reactions, and talk about what it means to keep following Jesus when the opinions of others get loud.  How do you stay rooted in your calling when people m...

In this episode of The Shieldmaidens, we sit down with Elisha, the heart behind Waiting for Baby Bird , to hear her powerful and deeply personal story. What began as a blog documenting her journey through infertility has grown into a beautiful ministry that now supports and encourages other women walking the same road. Through seasons of waiting, grief, and unwavering faith, Elisha shares how God...

In this episode, we sit down with Dennis and Robin Lannert to hear the real story behind life on the mission field.  From powerful moments of faith to the unseen reality of spiritual warfare, Dennis and Robin share what it’s truly like to follow God’s calling... no matter the cost. After spending years going back and forth serving in Belize, they’ve experienced both the beauty and the battle that...

In this episode of The Shieldmaidens Podcast, we’re taking a step back to reflect on the past 18 months of podcasting, growth, and walking with God.  We went into this journey with expectations, but God had other plans.  From the lessons we didn’t see coming to the ways He’s been shaping our hearts in this current season, we’re sharing what surprised us most, what challenged us, and what God is te...