Better Together With Barb Roose

Have you ever felt like your faith is failing? Like your suffering and pain is just too much to handle? Join us for today's conversation as Barb speaks with author and speaker, Michele Cushatt, about how we can develop a faith that will not fail. From divorce, to struggles with motherhood, to walking through three bouts of cancer, Michele is no stranger to suffering. Yet through it all, her faith has endured.  If you feel like you are at the end of your rope, you are not alone. There is hope, friend, even when it's hard to see it. May this conversation serve as a warm hug and a reminder that you are seen, known, and dearly loved.    RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE michelecushatt.com A Faith That Will Not Fail: 10 Practices to Build Up Your Faith When Your World Is Falling Apart Connect with Michele on FB! Connect with Michele on IG!   ABOUT OUR SPECIAL GUEST As an experienced communicator, Michele Cushatt speaks internationally to a wide variety of audiences and has published three previous books, includin

Who struggles with their body? Most of us do.  Our guest, Jennifer Taylor Wagner, today shares her journey as a chronic dieter. After a lifetime of struggle she lost 150 pounds and kept it off.  Instead of giving us meal plans, dieting tips, and rigid exercises, Jennifer teaches us how to make peace with food, to eat foods we love, and to nourish our bodies with foods we love. A recovering chronic dieter herself, Jennifer understands how hard it is to shift our mindset around food. As we embrace freedom in the foods we eat, we can walk toward our healthiest selves yet.   RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE jenniferwagner.co Your Good Body: Embracing a Body-Positive Mindset in a Perfection-Focused World Your Good Body Podcast Check out Jennifer's YouVersion Devotional Connect with Jennifer on IG!   ABOUT OUR SPECIAL GUEST Jennifer Taylor Wagner is an author, podcast host, and educator who challenges women to renew their mindset concerning health and wellness. As the author of Your Good Body, and the host of You

Relationships are messy because we live in a messy, sinful world. Is it truly possible to love the people in our lives who hurt us, disagree with us, or just rub us the wrong way? Join us for today's conversation as Barb speaks with Becky Keife, general editor of Come Sit With Me: How to Delight in Differences, Love through Disagreements, and Live with Discomfort. After experiencing the divorce of her parents and the resulting tension she had to navigate for the majority of her life, Becky knows what it's like to be hurt by relationships. However she also has experienced God's redemption. Listen in as she speaks about learning how to listen well, stay curious, choose tenderness, and open our hearts to hope.   RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE beckykeife.com Come Sit With Me: How to Delight in Differences, Love through Disagreements, and Live with Discomfort  Connect with Becky on IG!   ABOUT OUR SPECIAL GUEST Becky Keife is the Community and Editorial Manager for (in)courage. She’s also the author of several boo

Navigating conversations about race doesn't always have to feel like a minefield.    Join us for today's episode as we chat with Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith and Lori Stanley Roeleveld, two unlikely co-authors who God brought together to write a book called Colorful Connections: 12 Questions About Race That Open Healthy Conversations. Together we will discover how to talk about race in a way that values the experiences of others, emphasizes listening over just getting a point across, and is filled with grace.   RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE colorfulconnectionsbook.com Purchase your copy of Colorful Connections! Connect with Dr. Saundra on IG! Connect with Lori on IG!   ABOUT OUR SPECIAL GUESTS Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith is a board-certified internal medicine physician, work-life integration researcher, speaker, and host of the I Choose My Best Life Podcast where she shares biblical ways to help you live fully, love boldly, and rest intentionally. Her previous books include Sacred Rest, Set Free to Live Free and Come

Come laugh with us today on The Better Together Podcast! I’m talking with my longtime friend and Aspire Women’s Event sister, comedian Sally Baucke. Today, we are talking about tiaras, tweezers, and how to find healing in our hearts when life hurts. Sally grew up in a home where she didn’t always feel seen and loved but she now stands on stages across the country to make audiences laugh and so they know how much God loves them. If you need a dose of laughter and love, you don’t want to miss my chat with Sally!   RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE www.funnygalsal.com   ABOUT OUR SPECIAL GUEST Sally Baucke (aka “Funny Gal Sal”) brings two decades of experience making audiences laugh hysterically while keeping it “Always Clean, Never Mean.” Funny Gal Sal artfully combines observational comedy and storytelling with a dose of refreshing hope (well, most of the time!). Funny Gal Sal is relatable to men and women alike because she has survived 38 years of marriage, motherhood and has experience as an RN to draw upon. She w

If your pastor called and asked if you would take in a Middle Eastern family who escaped from their homeland, what would you do? Chicago pastor, Joshua Sherif, escaped from his home in Egypt as a new believer to come to America. In this episode, Joshua and I talk about what it was like for him to leave his homeland, Islam, and encounter resistance in America. During our conversation, Josh tells us the 3 ways that believers need to stop hardening their hearts towards strangers and practical ways for us to love and disciple the immigrants and refugees that God puts in our path.   RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE The Stranger at Our Shore: How Immigrants and Refugees Strengthen the Church   ABOUT OUR SPECIAL GUEST Joshua Sherif was born in Egypt to a Muslim family and immigrated to the United States, where he later came to faith in Jesus. Before transitioning to a new role, he planted and pastored in Albany Park, Chicago, IL, one of the most diverse neighborhoods in the country for a decade. Joshua has enjoyed his ye

Calling all book lovers! If you are a fan of Christian fiction, then chances are, you’ve heard of best-selling author Tessa Afshar. Guess what?! I recently talked with Tessa and in this new episode, we’re discussing her new novel, The Hidden Prince, as well as Tessa’s fascinating background. She was born in the Middle East, survived boarding school in England and then moved to the United States and came to Christ in her 20s. During today’s conversation, you’ll find out about how Tessa writes novels to help you embrace God’s love and truth in powerful ways.   RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE tessaafshar.com   ABOUT OUR SPECIAL GUEST Tessa Afshar’s book have been translated into 11 languages, and loved by fans around the world. Her novels have been on Publishers Weekly and CBA best-selling lists. Her book, The Way Home, God’s Invitation to New Beginnings, is the winner of the Christian Book Award in the Bible Study category. Afshar’s biblical and historical novels have won a number of awards including the Christy an

Sometimes it’s hard to determine whether we are hearing God’s voice or whether it’s our own thinking. It’s possible to learn how to hear God’s voice in your life!   In this new episode, Barb talks with the founder of Equipping Godly Women, Brittany Ann about the 6 tips to help you hear God’s voice loud and clear in your life. Brittany Ann leads a large online community committed to helping Christian women live all in for Jesus. She’s a wife, mom, and Bible teacher who loves to challenge and encourage women to grow in their faith.   RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE equippinggodlywomen.com Follow God's Will: Biblical Guidelines for Everyday Life   ABOUT OUR SPECIAL GUEST Brittany Ann is an ECPA bestselling author, speaker, and founder of EquippingGodlyWomen.com, a popular Christian-living website dedicated to helping busy Christian moms find practical ways to go "all in" in faith and family. Brittany is the author of books including “Fall in Love with God’s Word: Practical Strategies for Busy Women” and “Follow God’

It’s not over yet! If you are still breathing, then God has big dreams for you! Join me on this new episode where I’m talking with speaker, author, leader and someone that I’ve admired from afar for many years, Jo Saxton. She has powerful words and wisdom to share with you about owning your voice, living out your purpose and how to stop apologizing for your desire for more.    Jo is the founder of the Ezer Collective and dedicated to investing in women leaders around the world. She was born in Nigeria, raised in London and now lives in Minneapolis with her family. Jo's message will encourage and inspire you to go further than you ever could have imagined!    NOTE: There is a slight echo in the beginning of this episode due to tech issues, but it does not last more than 2 minutes or so!    RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE josaxton.com Jo's Upcoming Ezer Collective Events!   ABOUT OUR SPECIAL GUEST Jo Saxton is a speaker, podcaster, author, guest TV host and leadership coach. She is the founder of the Ezer Collectiv

When it comes to the topic of race and racial healing, many of us have one of two responses: hide away from the uncomfortable conversation or become overzealous and use our words to cut and hurt others. In today's episode, our special guest, Dr. Lucretia Carter Berry, shows us a new approach that is characterized by understanding, growth, and grace.    In today's conversation we talk about accepting God's call to dive into the deep (and at times terrifying) waters, taking the time to learn, and rising up to teach and educate our families as well as others in our lives.    RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE brownicity.com Teaching for Justice and Belonging: A Journey for Educators and Parents Hues of You: An Activity Book for Learning About the Skin You Are In   ABOUT OUR SPECIAL GUEST Lucretia Carter Berry, PhD is an author, educator, speaker, and the founder of Brownicity, an agency committed to making important, scholarly-informed, antiracism education accessible, and the director of its learning community. With t

Are you grieving and desperate for people to understand how you really feel?    After author Gwendolyn Burton’s 26-year old son died suddenly from an epileptic seizure, no one around her could say anything to help her feel better. She’s spent years working through the grieving process and has captured her journey and the lessons learned in her new book “You Don’t Know Just How I Feel”.    During our conversation, Gwendolyn explains why we should never tell a grieving person, “I know just how you feel.” Grief is so personal, but in this episode, Gwendolyn shares practical boundaries, grief self-care, how to handle social media as well as how to find hope after devastating loss.    RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE gwendolynoburton.com You Don't Know Just How I Feel   ABOUT OUR SPECIAL GUEST After three miscarriages and an adult son who passed away from sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP), Gwendolyn Burton is uniquely qualified to help others navigate their grief journey by discussing common challenges and mi

If you find that you take a long time to process, feel emotions strongly, or can be highly stimulated by external factors such as scent and taste, chances are that you may be an HSP (highly sensitive person)! Today on the show, we have the pleasure of hearing from Cheri Gregory, an HSP and the co-creator of Sensitive and Strong, a place where fellow HSPs can grow, encourage one another, and discover the beautiful way that God has made them to function.    Being an HSP is an incredible blessing! So whether you think you may be one yourself or know others in your life who exhibit these characteristics, this episode is for you!   RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE sensitiveandstrong.com Take the HSP Quiz!   ABOUT OUR SPECIAL GUEST Through Scripture and storytelling, Cheri Gregory delights in helping women draw closer to Jesus, the strength of every tender heart. She is the co-leader of Sensitive & Strong, the founder of Write Beside You coaching services, and coauthor of five books. Cheri speaks locally and interna

No matter how messy your story is or how challenging your past has been, your story is not beyond the reach of God's redeeming power.   Join us for today's episode as we chat with Bible study author, Shadia Hrichi, about her study Tamar: Rediscovering the God who Redeems Me. Tamar's story was FAR from neat and tidy, yet God used even the messy and broken parts of her life to ultimately accomplish His purposes. Have hope friends, your pain is never wasted.    RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE shadiahrichi.com Tamar: Rediscovering the God who Redeems Me   ABOUT OUR SPECIAL GUEST Shadia Hrichi is a passionate Bible teacher, author, and speaker who stirs the hearts and minds of her audience through personal story, illustration, and her unwavering confidence in the authority of God’s Word. She holds a master’s in biblical and theological studies as well as a master’s in criminal justice. Shadia is the author of several Bible studies, including TAMAR, HAGAR, LEGION, and WORTHY OF LOVE and the recipient of the 2022 WCCW “

Do you struggle with fear, worry, or overwhelm? Sometimes our challenging circumstances can become the breeding ground for anxious thoughts that leave us feeling crippled and afraid.   Join us for today's episode as we dive into Philippians 4 with our dear friend, Jill Savage, as she shares how we can move past fear and anxious thoughts and lead lives of peace and trust. It is possible, friends, and we want to show you how!   RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE markandjill.org NoMorePerfect.com Mark's episode on The Better Together Podcast!    ABOUT OUR SPECIAL GUEST   Jill Savage is an author, speaker, and coach who is passionate about encouraging and empowering others.   A graduate of Butler University in Indianapolis, IN, and founder of Hearts at Home, a ministry that served moms for 24 years, Jill now travels the world as an author and speaker. Called one of today’s most exciting Christian female speakers, Jill’s honest, engaging communication is strengthened by her ability to make her audience laugh while th

We all have past mistakes and hurts that we cannot change, but we can choose to not allow our pasts to dictate our futures. Join today's conversation as Barb chats with her producer Tabitha about how we can let go of our pasts (while not ignoring the fact that they happened) and press forward in faith, peace, joy and obedience.   RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE Follow Barb on Instagram! Check out Tabitha's Blog!    ABOUT YOUR HOST Barb Roose is a speaker and author who is passionate about teaching women to live beautifully strong and courageous so that they experience God’s great adventure of faith and purpose for their lives. Barb is the author of multiple Bible studies including her newest study Surrendered: Letting Go and Living Like Jesus, Joshua: Winning the Worry Battle and several books like Surrendered: 40 Days to Help You Let Go and Live Like Jesus. Barb lives in NW Ohio and is proud mother of three adult daughters. Whenever possible, Barb prefers to eat dessert first. Visit Barb’s online home at bar

Is there something God is calling you to do but you just keep putting it off? Today's special guest, Shari Braendel, knows exactly how you feel. After sensing God calling her to use her passion for fashion to help those in the church, Shari put it off for 7 years before finally taking the leap, and now she is here to encourage us to take a step of faith too! It's time to stop waiting and debating and to start taking action!   RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE sharibraendel.com stylebycolor.com Follow Shari on Instagram!   ABOUT OUR SPECIAL GUEST Shari Braendel is president of Fashion Meets Faith and author of Help Me, Jesus! I have Nothing To Wear (Zondervan). As president of FMF, Shari has helped thousands of women reveal who they are in Christ and shine outwardly with confidence through her conferences, online instructional videos, podcasts, consultant training, and more. As a Christian speaker, she has presented over 500 events in 18 states, including Hearts at Home, She Laughs, and She Speaks and has shared

In a world full of suffering, heartache, and bad news, many of us are feeling depleted, overwhelmed, and undone. If you are feeling worn out, there's good news: hope is alive. In today's episode, special guest and friend Susan Seay shares how we can walk victoriously despite our circumstances. Whatever you are going through today, we pray this episode helps you feel seen. You are not alone.    RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE susanseay.com Follow Susan on Instagram!   ABOUT OUR SPECIAL GUEST Susan Seay has a highly engaging podcast- "Mentor 4 Moms" and she's also the Author of “The Intentional Parent: Parenting On Purpose When Life Gets Busy". As a wife and mom to 7, she understands the challenges of trying to raise kids in a noisy and distracted world. Her mission is to help families create a culture in their homes that is both on purpose and full of purpose. It’s what Susan refers to as - Intentional Parenting. Her commitment to being a Mentor 4 Moms on Intentional Parenting has given her the opportunity to s

When life feels uncertain and we can't trace the hand of God in the middle of our trying circumstances, it can be easy to wonder if He's really there walking alongside us. In today's conversation we have the privilege of hearing from special guests, Amy Carroll and Lynn Cowell, about their new Bible study, Esther: Seeing Our Invisible God in an Uncertain World. In this conversation, you will be encouraged with the reminder that God is always active, working out His bigger and better plan, even when we can't always see it in the moment.    RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE estherbookstudy.com amycarroll.org lynncowell.com Esther: Seeing Our Invisible God in an Uncertain World   ABOUT OUR SPECIAL GUESTS Amy Carroll finds delight in gathering a community of women with tender hearts and strong voices. She’s a speaker and writer for Proverbs 31 Ministries, a speaker coach, and the author of Breaking Up with Perfect and Exhale. A woman who adores a great story and a challenging idea, Amy has branded co-hosting the Gri

Sometimes we can get so caught up in the everyday routines and busy schedules that we fail to take the time to slow down and truly connect with our families. In today's episode, Barb speaks with special guest and friend, Amberly Neese, about how we can start creating meaningful moments with our families by pressing in, building up, and prioritizing connection over perfection. This is an episode you won't want to miss!   RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE amberlyneese.com The Belonging Project: Finding Your Tribe and Learning to Thrive   ABOUT OUR SPECIAL GUEST Amberly Neese is a popular speaker/teacher, comedian, author, and all-around encourager dedicated to helping you become the joyful person you were created to be. She helps people like you experience the freedom found in meaningful relationships with God and others. Her bible study, “The Belonging Project: Finding Your Tribe and Learning to Thrive” was released in May 2020 by Abingdon Press. Amberly is a featured speaker for the Aspire Women’s Events and the

After serving as a pastor for 20 years, Mark Savage hit a crisis point in his own life. There was a season where Mark turned his back on God, disconnected from his children, and had an affair. After a dark year, Mark experienced his own resurrection on an Easter Sunday long ago. He stopped fighting with God and began to climb out of the hole of his own making. Now, Mark helps others do the same.    In this new episode of The Better Together Podcast, I’m thrilled to talk with my friend Mark Savage as he shares about 5 things that a struggling husband wished that his wife knew. Mark and his wife, Jill Savage (one of my favorite people!), speak internationally, and around the country. They also host marriage intensives in their home, helping couples in every stage of married life. Make sure to tell your girlfriends to check out this interview!   RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE www.markandjill.org No More Perfect Marriages by Mark and Jill Savage Courses: No More Perfect Marriages: Home Edition The Wait is Not Wasted