God-Esque: Reflecting on faith, femininity, and a few frogs

In this episode, I sit down with Cristina for a conversation about life as an expat, the courage it takes to start over, and the quiet reality behind “big decisions” that change everything. We talk about what it means to leave familiar ground behind, how you grow into courage rather than wake up with it fully formed, and the moments that ask you to trust yourself before you feel fully ready. At th...

Reading: Leviticus 11–14 · Deuteronomy 14 · Surah Al-Baqarah 2:173 · Surah Al-Ma'idah 5:3 · Surah Al-An'am 6:145 · Surah An-Nahl 16:115 In Part 2 of Why Pork? , we leave Mark 7 for a moment and return to the Torah and the Qur'an. What are the actual food laws? Why is pork specifically prohibited? Are there other interesting or surprising restrictions? And what do these texts seem to be trying to t...

Conversations with Mandie: Life Stages, Letting Go, and Learning What Fits In this episode, I sit down with my soul-sister Mandie — one of those rare friendships that felt instant, grounding, and somehow right from the beginning. Together, we reflect on life stages, unexpected reinventions, relationships, and the often uncomfortable process of realizing that what we once wanted may not actually be...

Reading: Mark 7:1–23 – Jesus, the Pharisees, ritual purity, Corban, and deeper questions around faith, tradition, and what truly matters Rules, Religion, and Why We’re Doing Any of This Anyway In this episode, we begin unpacking one of those oddly fascinating questions that can lead to much bigger conversations: Why pork? But rather than jumping straight into food laws, we start in Mark 7 , where...

Showing Up, New Motherhood, and the Strength We Don’t Always See In this episode, I sit down with Raquelle , a new mother navigating one of life’s biggest seasons - raising a child, making decisions that feel too heavy at times, and learning to trust herself along the way. We talk about what it means to show up as the mother you want to be , even when doubt creeps in, the future feels uncertain, a...

Showing Up, Surrender, and Hagar’s Legacy In this episode, we sit with the story of Hagar/Hājar - a woman who didn’t know how the future would unfold, who didn’t know how her choices would shape history, and yet, by surrendering and taking the next right action, she changed everything. She saved herself, her son Ishmael/Ismāʿīl, and helped lay the foundations of Mecca , one of the most sacred plac...

Conversations with Crissy: Friendship, Timing, and Building a New Life After Hurt In this episode, I sit down with Crissy , a friend (now sister) I met in Taiwan - two women from very different cultures and backgrounds, brought together at exactly the right moment. At the time, neither of us knew how much the other truly needed the friendship we were stepping into. We talk about how we met, how co...

Conversations with Nicole: Hindsight, Hard Things, and the Stories That Change Us In this episode, we sit with the story of Hagar — Hājar in Islamic tradition — a woman pushed to the margins, sent into the wilderness, and yet repeatedly seen by God. Reading: Genesis 15–17, 21 · Galatians 4:21–31 · Qur’an Surah 14:37; 2:125–127; 2:158 · Hadith & Midrash Reflections We read her story across trad...

The Unexpected Path and Making Meaning Where You Land In this episode, I sit down with Donne for an honest, steady conversation about life unfolding in ways we never planned. We talk about loss, motherhood, and the quiet courage required when you find yourself in places you didn’t expect to be — emotionally, practically, and spiritually. Donne shares what it looks like to keep going when certainty...

Reading: Qur’an Surah 21:51–70 & Surah 19:41–50 Cross-references: Genesis (Bible) · Midrash + Bible: Leviticus 19:31 + 20:6, Exodus 20:3-5 & Deuteronomy 5: 7-9 In this episode, I sit down with myself on my birthday to reflect on who I used to be, who I’m becoming, and the lessons in between. Sort of a letter to the woman I was, the woman I am, and the woman I am still growing into when I t...

Reading: The Qur’an (Surah 6:74–83) & Genesis / Midrash Reflections Conversations with Chelsey: Wrestling, Faith, and the Hills We Stand On In this episode, we continue the journey of Abram/Ibrahim — but now through the Qur’an’s lens. We explore Surah 6:74–83, where young Ibrahim questions the idols of his people, wrestles with the nature of God, and begins a journey of truth that goes against...

Reading: The Bible ( Genesis 10 - 12) The Story of Abram & Sarai: Trust, Fear, and a Woman’s Lesson on Faith In this episode, I retell the early days of Abram & Sarai (Abraham and Sarah) from the Bible and reflect on how Abram’s fear, doubt, and protective instincts mirror our own spiritual struggles - even when we think everything is going well. Laugh along as we discover how, just like u...

Why am I recording this? Welcome to my journey. Certainly not the beginning, nor the end. In this introductory episode, I share why I’m discovering the Word of God (Allah - Glorified is He), faith, and inner grounding through the stories of Scripture. This podcast is a space for women rediscovering themselves and God as adults - honestly, gently, and with curiosity, audacity and laughter. Along th...