Women Worth Knowing

Bertha, born in November 1888, struggled through most of her young life with doubts about her salvation. She had a habit of going forward at every altar call because she never felt she had a true relationship with Jesus. She excelled in school and Sunday School. She worked harder than everyone else, memorized whole passages of Scripture when only one verse was required, and topped her class in eve...

Have you ever felt expendable? That's exactly how Dr. Eleanor Chesnut felt growing up. Her relatives treated the orphan like a burden, and Eleanor resented it until the day she gave her heart to Jesus. From that time forward, Eleanor considered her "expendability" a gift that she could give to God for His work. Dr. Eleanor Chesnut's story is one of the most selfless and moving testimonies I have e...

Have you ever felt expendable? That's exactly how Dr. Eleanor Chesnut felt growing up. Her relatives treated the orphan like a burden, and Eleanor resented it until the day she gave her heart to Jesus. From that time forward, Eleanor considered her "expendability" a gift that she could give to God for His work. Dr. Eleanor Chesnut's story is one of the most selfless and moving testimonies I have e...

As a young girl, Ruth promised the Lord that she would serve Him in China. Yet when the opportunity finally came, she was anything but eager. This is the remarkable story of a young woman who surrendered her own plans and simply let God choose her for His work. Her life became one faith-filled adventure after another as she witnessed His miraculous protection, provision, favor, and power. He deliv...

As a young girl, Ruth promised the Lord that she would serve Him in China. Yet when the opportunity finally came, she was anything but eager. This is the remarkable story of a young woman who surrendered her own plans and simply let God choose her for His work. Her life became one faith-filled adventure after another as she witnessed His miraculous protection, provision, favor, and power. He deliv...

As a young girl, Ruth promised the Lord that she would serve Him in China. Yet when the opportunity finally came, she was anything but eager. This is the remarkable story of a young woman who surrendered her own plans and simply let God choose her for His work. Her life became one faith-filled adventure after another as she witnessed His miraculous protection, provision, favor, and power. He deliv...

As Billy Graham’s ministry grew from a local church to a global stage, Ruth was left to raise their five children largely on her own. In this episode, we look at the life Ruth built at home, including settling near her parents, participating in and serving her local community, and finding purpose “on the sidelines” while Billy was away. We also talk about the times she traveled with him and what i...

When Ruth arrived at Wheaton College, she planned to become an “old maid missionary” to Tibet, not fall in love with a transfer student named Billy Graham. In this episode, we follow Ruth and Billy’s unlikely courtship, including their first date, Ruth’s determined attempts to convince Billy to become a missionary, and the ultimatum that finally brought them together. We also talk about their earl...

Have you ever felt like God wasn’t listening or didn’t care about how you felt? In this episode, we look at Ruth’s early years as a tenderhearted creative growing up in China with missionary parents who both worked at a local hospital. Although Ruth struggled with schoolwork and homesickness, she was sent to boarding school at age fourteen to complete her high school education. While there, she be...

Karen Lafferty is one of the early pioneers of the Jesus Movement and a beloved voice in Christian music. Best known as the composer of the scripture song "Seek Ye First," Karen shares the remarkable story behind the song that has encouraged believers around the world for decades. In this episode of Women Worth Knowing, Karen reflects on her years with Calvary Chapel and Maranatha! Music, how God...

Karen Lafferty is one of the early pioneers of the Jesus Movement and a beloved voice in Christian music. Best known as the composer of the scripture song "Seek Ye First," Karen shares the remarkable story behind the song that has encouraged believers around the world for decades. In this episode of Women Worth Knowing, Karen reflects on her years with Calvary Chapel and Maranatha! Music, how God...

Karen Lafferty is one of the early pioneers of the Jesus Movement and a beloved voice in Christian music. Best known as the composer of the scripture song "Seek Ye First," Karen shares the remarkable story behind the song that has encouraged believers around the world for decades. In this episode of Women Worth Knowing, Karen reflects on her years with Calvary Chapel and Maranatha! Music, how God...

Dixie Edwards loved her life in Indiana. After receiving the Lord at 9 years old, she quickly began to thrive in church ministry. She married the heart throb of her church, Max Edwards, when she was only seventeen. They lived on a successful farm surrounded by family. Dixie looked forward to raising her three children there. However, God had different plans. Max began to feel an intense call on hi...

Dixie Edwards loved her life in Indiana. After receiving the Lord at 9 years old, she quickly began to thrive in church ministry. She married the heart throb of her church, Max Edwards, when she was only seventeen. They lived on a successful farm surrounded by family. Dixie looked forward to raising her three children there. However, God had different plans. Max began to feel an intense call on hi...

Dixie Edwards loved her life in Indiana. After receiving the Lord at 9 years old, she quickly began to thrive in church ministry. She married the heart throb of her church, Max Edwards, when she was only seventeen. They lived on a successful farm surrounded by family. Dixie looked forward to raising her three children there. However, God had different plans. Max began to feel an intense call on hi...

What do you do when you feel called by God but you don’t have all the right requirements? Do you give up when the way seems daunting? Evelyn Rychner was faced that very dilemma. She was sure she was called to Ecuador, but she lacked a diploma and more schooling. After meeting those requirements she applied again and was again stymied by more requirements. However, being sure of God’s call on her l...

What do you do when you feel called by God but you don’t have all the right requirements? Do you give up when the way seems daunting? Evelyn Rychner was faced that very dilemma. She was sure she was called to Ecuador, but she lacked a diploma and more schooling. After meeting those requirements she applied again and was again stymied by more requirements. However, being sure of God’s call on her l...

How easily do you lose hope? Does it wane when circumstances are hard? Ethel Bell’s faith did not stagger even when she lost her husband. She chose to return to the mission station where they had been serving with her children only to be evacuated because of Nazi invasion. Still her faith did not waiver. Even after the freighter that she was on was hit by a torpedo and she was stranded at sea with...

How easily do you lose hope? Does it wane when circumstances are hard? Ethel Bell’s faith did not stagger even when she lost her husband. She chose to return to the mission station where they had been serving with her children only to be evacuated because of Nazi invasion. Still her faith did not waiver. Even after the freighter that she was on was hit by a torpedo and she was stranded at sea with...

How easily do you lose hope? Does it wane when circumstances are hard? Ethel Bell’s faith did not stagger even when she lost her husband. She chose to return to the mission station where they had been serving with her children only to be evacuated because of Nazi invasion. Still her faith did not waiver. Even after the freighter that she was on was hit by a torpedo and she was stranded at sea with...

Elisabeth Elliot (1926–2015): What was Elisabeth Elliot like before she was, well, Elisabeth Elliot? In this episode, we dive deep into Elisabeth’s early years as a believer following God’s call into the unknown. After much prayer and some rejection, Elisabeth spent her first year as a single missionary in the jungles of Ecuador where she hoped to translate the unwritten Colorado language into the...

Elisabeth Elliot (1926–2015): What was Elisabeth Elliot like before she was, well, Elisabeth Elliot? In this episode, we dive deep into Elisabeth’s early years as a believer following God’s call into the unknown. After much prayer and some rejection, Elisabeth spent her first year as a single missionary in the jungles of Ecuador where she hoped to translate the unwritten Colorado language into the...

Welcome Mary Pero, our newest co-host here at Women Worth Knowing! Mary is a certified ghostwriter and book coach, worship leader, and former missionary to Poland and Ireland who loves a good story. When she’s not filling in for Cheryl or Robin, you can find her reading, writing, and dreaming up new projects for her husband in their historic English Revival home in Southern California. Resources:...

Welcome Mary Pero, our newest co-host here at Women Worth Knowing! Mary is a certified ghostwriter and book coach, worship leader, and former missionary to Poland and Ireland who loves a good story. When she’s not filling in for Cheryl or Robin, you can find her reading, writing, and dreaming up new projects for her husband in their historic English Revival home in Southern California. Resources:...

Diane Comer is a writer, teacher, and co-founder of Intentional Parents International. She has been married for 47 years to Phil, who just completed 50 years in full-time ministry, and together they have 4 grown children, now 8 with “in-laws”, and 9 grandchildren. Diane heard and immediately embraced the Gospel for the first time when she was 15 during the “Jesus Movement” days. She wrote He Speak...