The Lutheran Ladies' Lounge from KFUO Radio

How do imagination, poetry, and fantasy literature like of J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis help us deepen our faith in Christ? Sarah sits down with esteemed poet Malcolm Guite in this special Wild Card episode (recorded on location at the Getty Sing! Conference) for a conversation full of delightful storytelling, brilliant insight into the Christian faith, and encouragement to lean into the imagination God has given each of us. “What they [Tolkien and Lewis] meant was that the human mind and the depth of the imagination, especially the imagination, knows more than we do. There's a deeper wisdom. And that story knows more than we do, that a great story, a story which is working at the level of myth. Mythopoeic is actually older and wiser than we are, and even the author writing the story doesn't know everything that's in it. And a really great story is continuously suggesting more.” Malcolm Guite is a poet, musician, Anglican priest, and literary scholar who has taught at universities including Cambridge, Duke, and Regent. He’s penned five volumes of poetry, several books on Christian faith and theology, and a highly acclaimed biography of Samuel Taylor Coleridge entitled Mariner. He has lectured widely on the fantasy writings of J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis and is currently undertaking his own epic retelling of the legends of King Arthur. Find his writing wherever books are sold and view his YouTube channel at youtube.com/@MalcolmGuitespell. Connect with the Lutheran Ladies on social media in The Lutheran Ladies’ Lounge Facebook discussion group (facebook.com/groups/LutheranLadiesLounge) and on Instagram @lutheranladieslounge. Follow Sarah (@hymnnerd), Rachel (@rachbomberger), and Erin (@erinaltered) on Instagram! Sign up for the Lutheran Ladies' Lounge monthly e-newsletter here, and email the Ladies at lutheranladies@kfuo.org.

“Bring us some Figgy Pudding!” Inspired by the traditional Christmas carol, Andy Bates (co-host of The Coffee Hour) joins Sarah (also a co-host of The Coffee Hour) and Erin in the Lounge for a festive, fig-filled crossover episode all about the legendary dish everyone’s heard of (but few have ever actually tasted): Figgy Pudding, also known as Christmas Pudding. What is it made from? Is it secretly its own food group? Will Erin try it again? From its origins as a savory dish, through the faux liturgical feast day of “Stir Up Sunday,” and ending with Andy sharing his first go at making this dish at home, this episode invites you to celebrate the holiday season with the hosts of The Coffee Hour and The Lutheran Ladies’ Lounge Podcast. Click to learn more: Andy's recipe Figgy Pudding Recipe - Food.com (Replaced butter with plant butter, milk with oat milk, and brown sugar with madhava raw sugar) A Lutheran Witness article mentioning Stir Up Sunday The Lutheran Ladies’ Lounge cover Fruitcake in this Recipe Card Episode Connect with the Lutheran Ladies on social media in The Lutheran Ladies’ Lounge Facebook discussion group (facebook.com/groups/LutheranLadiesLounge) and on Instagram @lutheranladieslounge. Follow Sarah (@hymnnerd), Rachel (@rachbomberger), and Erin (@erinaltered) on Instagram! Sign up for the Lutheran Ladies' Lounge monthly e-newsletter here, and email the Ladies at lutheranladies@kfuo.org.

Although Scripture is never trivial, Bible trivia games can be an effective and motivational teaching tool — as the Ladies discover in this week’s episode. Inspired by Sarah’s account of the New Testament knowledge exam she took upon matriculating into Concordia Seminary’s deaconess program, Rachel here quizzes her friends — and all the ladies listening at home — on their New Testament acumen. From sleepy sermon-goers to sparring sisters-in-Christ to Greco-Roman power couples, Rachel's questions will help you test your own biblical literacy — even as they inspire you to dig in and get even better acquainted with the people, places, numbers, and key passages of the New Testament. Connect with the Lutheran Ladies on social media in The Lutheran Ladies’ Lounge Facebook discussion group (facebook.com/groups/LutheranLadiesLounge) and on Instagram @lutheranladieslounge. Follow Sarah (@hymnnerd), Rachel (@rachbomberger), and Erin (@erinaltered) on Instagram! Sign up for the Lutheran Ladies' Lounge monthly e-newsletter here, and email the Ladies at lutheranladies@kfuo.org.

Class is back in session, Ladies, this time at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis! What even is deaconess ministry, and how do deaconesses serve the church? Sarah begins her studies in the Online Deaconess Studies program at Concordia Seminary, and she’s revisiting experiences from Orientation Week at the Seminary and her first class in Deaconess Ministry, including insights into personality types and theological frameworks. Are you an eagle, parrot, dove, or owl? Sarah shares how understanding another person’s tendencies in group work, stressful situations, or everyday relationships helps you walk better together. Building on this understanding of self and others, she briefly describes how we can rightly understand insights from God’s First Article Gifts and discern theological wisdom to grow into better leaders and guides for those around us. “I’m understanding more and more why they call it church worker formation. Wearing the blue, putting on my crucifix every day, being more bold about talking theology with people, it’s all part of the formation. This program isn’t just to learn theology and be let free in the wild. We’re learning about what it means to serve people, to serve in the church, to really bring God’s Word to people in a hugely wide variety of ways. It's the unexplainable feeling of growth. You are wildly conscious that you’re a different person than you were a week ago because of what you’ve learned and experienced, and it’s wonderfully scary and amazing.” Next time, Sarah will share insights from her Introduction to Spiritual Care class. Stay tuned! Click to learn more: Concordia University’s Online Deaconess Studies The DISC Assessment Birds and Taking Flight Profiles Dr. Mark Rockenbach’s Practical Theological Framework Connect with the Lutheran Ladies on social media in The Lutheran Ladies’ Lounge Facebook discussion group (facebook.com/groups/LutheranLadiesLounge) and on Instagram @lutheranladieslounge. Follow Sarah (@hymnnerd), Rachel (@rachbomberger), and Erin (@erinaltered) on Instagram! Sign up for the Lutheran Ladies' Lounge monthly e-newsletter here, and email the Ladies at lutheranladies@kfuo.org.

Following their recent book club discussion of Joel Biermann’s Day 7: For Work, Rest, or Play, the Ladies welcome Dr. Biermann himself to the Lounge for a Kitchen Table Talk conversation all about Sabbath-keeping and the Third Commandment. What does Sabbath have to do with the meaning of life? What does the Bible teach us about how we are to “remember the Sabbath”? How are work, leisure, sleep, play, and worship all woven together in the fabric of creation and the life of the believer? How does Christian theology inform how we spend our time? The Rev. Dr. Joel Biermann is professor of systematic theology at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. His books include Day 7: For Work, Rest, or Play (CPH) and Wholly Citizens: God’s Two Realms and Christian Engagement with the World (Fortress). Hear more from Dr. Biermann on his YouTube channel, in our previous Kitchen Table Talk episode with him, or his interviews on The Coffee Hour with Andy and Sarah. Connect with the Lutheran Ladies on social media in The Lutheran Ladies’ Lounge Facebook discussion group (facebook.com/groups/LutheranLadiesLounge) and on Instagram @lutheranladieslounge. Follow Sarah (@hymnnerd), Rachel (@rachbomberger), and Erin (@erinaltered) on Instagram! Sign up for the Lutheran Ladies' Lounge monthly e-newsletter here, and email the Ladies at lutheranladies@kfuo.org.

While “Halloween” for most people involves scary costumes, candy, and jack-o'-lanterns, the Ladies are tracing the word back to its roots — “All Hallows’ Eve” — as they team up to plan a Halloween-alternative All Saints/Reformation Day party around the theme of “saints, reformers, and heretics.”* The episode starts with each of the Ladies suggesting a pair of apropos costume ideas. Sarah then shares a curated Spotify playlist (link here) to set the musical mood before providing a range of ideas for party decorations, favors, and crafts. With the party “vibes” all in order, Erin offers recipes fit for a feast and Rachel demonstrates a handful of fun party games, including “Two Doctrines and a Heresy” and saints-based pub trivia. Check out ... Companion Party Spotify Playlist Recipe for eyeball buckeyes Pics and instructions for a fake fire craft *Fun fact: Martin Luther fits all three categories. Connect with the Lutheran Ladies on social media in The Lutheran Ladies’ Lounge Facebook discussion group (facebook.com/groups/LutheranLadiesLounge) and on Instagram @lutheranladieslounge. Follow Sarah (@hymnnerd), Rachel (@rachbomberger), and Erin (@erinaltered) on Instagram! Sign up for the Lutheran Ladies' Lounge monthly e-newsletter here, and email the Ladies at lutheranladies@kfuo.org.

In this Lutheran Ladies’ Book Club recap episode, Rachel leads Erin and Sarah through a discussion of Joel Biermann’s Day 7: For Work, Rest, or Play. What does it mean to "remember the Sabbath Day by keeping it holy"? Does how we think about "leisure" change how we "remember the Sabbath"? How does a biblical understanding of Sabbath help us recognize good and bad ways to use the days that God has given us? At the end of the episode, Rachel reveals the Ladies' next book club pick — one of her all-time favorites, which Sarah has never yet read: C. S. Lewis’s The Screwtape Letters. Connect with the Lutheran Ladies on social media in The Lutheran Ladies’ Lounge Facebook discussion group (facebook.com/groups/LutheranLadiesLounge) and on Instagram @lutheranladieslounge. Follow Sarah (@hymnnerd), Rachel (@rachbomberger), and Erin (@erinaltered) on Instagram! Sign up for the Lutheran Ladies' Lounge monthly e-newsletter here, and email the Ladies at lutheranladies@kfuo.org.

“What should we be talking about that we’re not?” That’s the starting prompt for every installment of “Erin’s One-Question Interview.” While the answers to this question may change, the quality of these vital, hard-hitting conversations remains the same. In this episode, Sarah, Erin, and Rachel welcome special guest Carrie Ill to the Lounge to share her personal experience with infertility. Why is it so hard for women to talk about infertility? What is it about this condition that makes it so painful and fraught with grief? How does Lutheran theology shape our ways of thinking about infertility? How can Lutheran women show compassion and sensitivity in their conversations with one another — regardless of family size and fertility struggles? Carrie Ill is a pastor’s wife, Lutheran schoolteacher, and fellow Lutheran lady. Resources referenced include: He Remembers the Barren by Katie Schuermann The National Infertility Association (resolve.org)* *Note: This is a helpful but not Christian resource; not all guidance given may be in accord with Lutheran doctrine. For more insight into a Lutheran view on IVF, these posts from The Lutheran Witness provide theological and ethical guidance: witness.lcms.org/tag/ivf Connect with the Lutheran Ladies on social media in The Lutheran Ladies’ Lounge Facebook discussion group (facebook.com/groups/LutheranLadiesLounge) and on Instagram @lutheranladieslounge. Follow Sarah (@hymnnerd), Rachel (@rachbomberger), and Erin (@erinaltered) on Instagram! Sign up for the Lutheran Ladies' Lounge monthly e-newsletter here, and email the Ladies at lutheranladies@kfuo.org.

In their latest “How to Lutheran” conversation, Rachel celebrates the ongoing legacy of quilting circles in Lutheran Churches. Beginning with a look back at the significance of quilts and quilting bees in American history, she then explores biblical examples of women who used their skill with textile arts to help those in need. From there, the conversation examines the heyday of Lutheran quilters after the Second World War and the state of quilting circles today, considers ethical pitfalls to avoid when quilting for charity, and offers a range of novel ideas for using quilts to spread the love of Christ. Click to learn more about donating quilts to the following organizations: Lutheran World Relief Orphan Grain Train Download LWML’s “Blessing of the Quilts” litany here. Listen to our conversation about Adam Minter’s book Secondhand (referenced in the episode) here. Many thanks to Miriam Maassel Neumann (Rachel’s great aunt) for sharing her quilting story in a written interview featured in the episode. Click here to view a list of free downloadable Bible studies by Aunt Miriam, available from LWML. Connect with the Lutheran Ladies on social media in The Lutheran Ladies’ Lounge Facebook discussion group (facebook.com/groups/LutheranLadiesLounge) and on Instagram @lutheranladieslounge. Follow Sarah (@hymnnerd), Rachel (@rachbomberger), and Erin (@erinaltered) on Instagram! Sign up for the Lutheran Ladies' Lounge monthly e-newsletter here, and email the Ladies at lutheranladies@kfuo.org.

“Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!” (Psalm 150:10). As we mark the beginning of the end of Ordinary Time and begin our descent toward the end of the church year, Sarah’s turning her attention to Praise and Adoration hymns in this all-new Hymn Sing episode. Hymns featured include “Praise to the Lord, the Almighty” (LSB 790), “Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee” (LSB 803), “Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow” (LSB 805), “Great Is Thy Faithfulness” (LSB 809), and “How Great Thou Art” (LSB 801), along with more than a dozen other well-loved classics. Get to know the stories behind the hymns you love — and get better acquainted with hymns you may not yet know well — as you sing along with #hymnnerd Sarah. As always: to learn more about these and other hymns in Lutheran Service Book, check out Lutheran Service Book: Companion to the Hymns, available from CPH. Connect with the Lutheran Ladies on social media in The Lutheran Ladies’ Lounge Facebook discussion group (facebook.com/groups/LutheranLadiesLounge) and on Instagram @lutheranladieslounge. Follow Sarah (@hymnnerd), Rachel (@rachbomberger), and Erin (@erinaltered) on Instagram! Sign up for the Lutheran Ladies' Lounge monthly e-newsletter here, and email the Ladies at lutheranladies@kfuo.org.

Have you ever imagined becoming an international missionary? Can you think of someone in your life who would make a good missionary? In this third International Mission 101 episode, Erin invites her colleague Anne Gonzalez to the Lounge to answer common questions about missionary recruitment. Who is qualified to be an LCMS missionary? What mission roles are open to (and even ideally suited to) Lutheran lay women? What’s the recruitment process like? DCE Anne Gonzalez is manager of lay missionary recruitment for the LCMS Office of International Mission. Click to learn more about LCMS International Mission, what missionaries do, types of missionary service, and current mission service opportunities. Connect with the Lutheran Ladies on social media in The Lutheran Ladies’ Lounge Facebook discussion group (facebook.com/groups/LutheranLadiesLounge) and on Instagram @lutheranladieslounge. Follow Sarah (@hymnnerd), Rachel (@rachbomberger), and Erin (@erinaltered) on Instagram! Sign up for the Lutheran Ladies' Lounge monthly e-newsletter here, and email the Ladies at lutheranladies@kfuo.org.

The Ladies are celebrating their SIXTH ANNIVERSARY in style this week — with a potluck party for the ages. The challenge: prepare and share at least one recipe published in a vintage (pre-A.D. 2000) church cookbook. The result: pull up a chair, grab a fork, and find out for yourself! From perennial favorites like broccoli salad and tater tot casserole, to neglected classics like chocolate eclair cake and corn chip taco salad, to some truly unexpected historical artifacts like beet cake and jellied salmon loaf, this smorgasbord of an episode is bound to have you smiling, sobbing, or even salivating as you listen. Connect with the Lutheran Ladies on social media in The Lutheran Ladies’ Lounge Facebook discussion group (facebook.com/groups/LutheranLadiesLounge) and on Instagram @lutheranladieslounge. Follow Sarah (@hymnnerd), Rachel (@rachbomberger), and Erin (@erinaltered) on Instagram! Sign up for the Lutheran Ladies' Lounge monthly e-newsletter here, and email the Ladies at lutheranladies@kfuo.org.

“Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!” — Psalm 150:6 In this episode, Rachel embarks on a new Adventure in Lutheranism as she helps start and lead a new children’s choir at her church. After cruising through a cursory history of children’s music in church, she invites Sarah, Erin, and her own daughter, Emalie, to share their personal stories of singing in Lutheran children’s choirs. She then relates her own recent experience as a children’s choir director, outlines the benefits of children’s choirs for both children and the congregations who love them, and shares advice and encouragement for leading a successful children’s choir in your own congregation. Sources, links, and resources for further study mentioned in this episode include: Portraits in American Lutheran Sacred Music, 1847–1947 - CPH {The Lutheran Ladies' Lounge} Adventures in Lutheranism: Church Choir Why Music Is Important in Church According to Luther - CPH blog American Lutheran History Question- Why did Lutherans not bring the Boy Choir tradition to America? : r/Lutheranism - Reddit Going My Way (1944) - Official Trailer Connect with the Lutheran Ladies on social media in The Lutheran Ladies’ Lounge Facebook discussion group (facebook.com/groups/LutheranLadiesLounge) and on Instagram @lutheranladieslounge. Follow Sarah (@hymnnerd), Rachel (@rachbomberger), and Erin (@erinaltered) on Instagram! Sign up for the Lutheran Ladies' Lounge monthly e-newsletter here, and email the Ladies at lutheranladies@kfuo.org.

For the first time ever, Erin’s asking a Big Question in the Lounge — and it’s a doozie: Is Dungeons and Dragons actually great? Throughout the 80s and 90s, as Erin recalls, many conservative Christians regarded the fantasy role-playing game Dungeons and Dragons as “a gateway to advance along the primrose path to perdition” — something roughly in the same moral category as “cigarettes and death metal." Now, with the rise of Gen X nostalgia culture, the popularity of Dungeons and Dragons is once again on the rise among players of all ages. Should Lutheran ladies be concerned? Or is there a place for collaborative story-telling games like D&D in the life of a Christian? And if D&D is “actually great” (as Erin posits, having now played for a year herself) are there any simple, practical ground rules that can help make sure it remains a wholesome experience for all involved? Connect with the Lutheran Ladies on social media in The Lutheran Ladies’ Lounge Facebook discussion group (facebook.com/groups/LutheranLadiesLounge) and on Instagram @lutheranladieslounge. Follow Sarah (@hymnnerd), Rachel (@rachbomberger), and Erin (@erinaltered) on Instagram! Sign up for the Lutheran Ladies' Lounge monthly e-newsletter here, and email the Ladies at lutheranladies@kfuo.org.

What are Lutherans to think about the saints? How, especially, are we to regard the most controversial saint of all — Mary, the Mother of Jesus? In this Kitchen Table Talk episode, aired in honor of Mary’s commemoration on August 15, Sarah, Erin, and Rachel welcome the Rev. William Weedon to talk through pressing questions about whether and how we can faithfully and appropriately celebrate the saints of God. What actually is a saint? How have Lutherans historically thought about saints? How does the Lutheran view differ from that of Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, and Evangelical Christians? What can we learn from the saints today? The Rev. William Weedon is assistant pastor and catechist at Saint Paul Lutheran Church in Hamel, Illinois; host of The Word of the Lord Endures Forever from Lutheran Public Radio; and author of several books for children and adults, including I Remember: A Life of Mary and Celebrating the Saints. Resources referenced include the following: I Remember: A Life of Mary - Amazon.com Celebrating the Saints - Concordia Publishing House Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary – The Lutheran Witness The Word of the Lord Endures Forever Thank, Praise, Serve, and Obey: Recover the Joys of Piety - Concordia Publishing House We Praise You, O God – Kloria Publishing The Sanctoral Calendar of Wilhelm Loehe's Martyrologium 'With All the Company of Heaven': Angels, Saints and Our Departed Loved Ones at the Lord's Table – The Lutheran Witness Connect with the Lutheran Ladies on social media in The Lutheran Ladies’ Lounge Facebook discussion group (facebook.com/groups/LutheranLadiesLounge) and on Instagram @lutheranladieslounge. Follow Sarah (@hymnnerd), Rachel (@rachbomberger), and Erin (@erinaltered) on Instagram! Sign up for the Lutheran Ladies' Lounge monthly e-newsletter here, and email the Ladies at lutheranladies@kfuo.org.

This riveting episode from August 2024 celebrates America's love of corn culture, so the Ladies wanted to share it again. Q: Why shouldn’t you tell secrets in a cornfield? A: Because the corn has ears! It’s a “cornival” of craziness as Erin leads Sarah and Rachel in an Iron Ladle Challenge celebrating the joys of “corn culture” (or “corny culture”) in midsummer. After discussing results from a pair of lively listener polls on how to cook and butter corn-on-the-cob (Facebook group members can find those here), the Ladies share their own favorite sweet corn recipes. Which will you try? Rachel’s creamy corn chowder? Sarah’s cowboy caviar? Erin’s colorful confetti corn salad? Or all of the above??? Still can’t get enough corny goodness? Check out this adorable music video on YouTube. Erin’s Confetti Corn Salad Vegetables: 2 cans corn, drained 1 small green pepper, chopped 2 green onions, sliced 2 stalks celery, chopped 1 large tomato, chopped Dressing 1 Tablespoon lemon juice 3 Tablespoons mayo Directions mix dressing toss with salad add pepper to taste Rachel’s Corn Chowder (Measurements are all approximate.) Dice ½ yellow onion and ¼ green pepper. Sautee in 2 T butter in a heavy pot over medium heat until soft. Peel, wash, and dice 3 or 4 medium potatoes. Add to pot with water or chicken broth to barely cover. Add *either* 2 cans creamed sweet corn or 1 quart garden corn from the freezer. Add salt and pepper (and chicken bullion in place of broth) to taste. Simmer until potatoes are soft. Add 2-4 cups whole milk and return to low simmer. (Be careful not to boil after this point.) Thicken in one of two ways (or both together): Melt ¼ cup butter and 2 T all-purpose flour in a small skillet and stir slowly into chowder. Use potato masher to mash some of the potatoes to release the starch. Serve with crusty buttered bread. Sarah’s Cowboy Salad Mix together: Cowboy Caviar Salsa (Trader Joe’s) Lettuce Shredded cheese Taco-spiced beef Any other fun salad ingredients because there are no rules. Sarah just loves cornbread Betty Crocker recipe with lots of variation: bettycrocker.com/recipes/traditional-cornbread-recipe/8990e15c-fc1d-4a8d-b8b3-4b37f45eca49 Connect with the Lutheran Ladies on social media in The Lutheran Ladies’ Lounge Facebook discussion group (facebook.com/groups/LutheranLadiesLounge) and on Instagram @lutheranladieslounge. Follow Sarah (@hymnnerd), Rachel (@rachbomberger), and Erin (@erinaltered) on Instagram! Sign up for the Lutheran Ladies' Lounge monthly e-newsletter here, and email the Ladies at lutheranladies@kfuo.org.

Class is back in session, Ladies — one more time (for now)! Sarah wraps up her studies at Concordia University Irvine’s Townsend Institute for Counseling and Leadership as she revisits her capstone project on humor in the workplace and celebrates the completion of her M.A. in organizational leadership. She also gives Erin and Rachel an eye-opening crash course in different types of humor and how they contribute (or don’t) to workplace morale, team building, and productivity. Is your favorite style of humor affiliative, self-enhancing, self-defeating, or aggressive? Listen in to find out what those terms mean and which is your default — and learn, too, about how to optimize your use of humor to bring people together and get things done. “I hope you’re inspired to think about humor in a different way,” says Sarah. “Being funny, witty, or engaging in banter isn’t just a cute thing to do. It has real positive impacts not only in the workplace, but in relationships and in your own mental health.” At the end of the episode, Sarah announces her next big academic adventure: Concordia Seminary’s Online Deaconess Studies program. Stay tuned! Click to learn more: Concordia University Irvine’s Townsend Institute for Counseling and Leadership Concordia University’s Online Deaconess Studies Connect with the Lutheran Ladies on social media in The Lutheran Ladies’ Lounge Facebook discussion group (facebook.com/groups/LutheranLadiesLounge) and on Instagram @lutheranladieslounge. Follow Sarah (@hymnnerd), Rachel (@rachbomberger), and Erin (@erinaltered) on Instagram! Sign up for the Lutheran Ladies' Lounge monthly e-newsletter here, and email the Ladies at lutheranladies@kfuo.org.

It’s a story of joyful mission service with two LCMS Lutheran Lady Missionaries! In this delightful conversation (recorded in person at the LWML Convention in Omaha), the Ladies welcome Deaconess Carol Halter, the LCMS’s longest-serving missionary, and Chelsea Irwin, one of the youngest LCMS missionaries, to share their stories of serving as international missionaries. Did they always want to serve overseas? What do they actually *do* as a missionary? How have they seen Jesus at work in the lives of the people they serve? Did Carol’s story *really* influence Chelsea in her vocational path? Deaconess Carol Lee Halter has served as an evangelistic missionary among the Chinese people in Hong Kong since 1981. From 1969 to 1981, Carol served as a missionary with the Chinese Lutheran Church of the Holy Spirit in San Francisco. For three and a half years before that, she was a volunteer missionary in Hong Kong. Carol does humanitarian, evangelistic and educational work among Chinese people of all ages who live in Hong Kong. Her prayer is that all Chinese people will hear the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ — especially from each other. Chelsea Irwin serves the Lord through The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) in the Eurasia region as missionary coordinator for volunteer opportunities. Based out of Český Těšín, Czech Republic, she works with LCMS missionaries and local church partners to place and send volunteers to serve in Eurasia. These individuals or groups engage in projects such as English Bible Camps, theological education and mission education, to name a few. Chelsea seeks to challenge volunteers to live out the Great Commission by viewing each day as a mission trip. She encourages them to support and stay connected to the Eurasia region, as well as serving in their own churches and communities. To learn more, check out the following links: Deaconess Carol Halter – The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod Chelsea Irwin – The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod International Mission – The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod LCMS International Mission Facebook Page How you can serve: Missionary Service – The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod Erin’s *other* podcast: 5 Minutes with a Missionary Archives – KFUO Radio Connect with the Lutheran Ladies on social media in The Lutheran Ladies’ Lounge Facebook discussion group (facebook.com/groups/LutheranLadiesLounge) and on Instagram @lutheranladieslounge. Follow Sarah (@hymnnerd), Rachel (@rachbomberger), and Erin (@erinaltered) on Instagram! Sign up for the Lutheran Ladies' Lounge monthly e-newsletter here, and email the Ladies at lutheranladies@kfuo.org.

In this joy-filled conversation (recorded in person at the LWML Convention in Omaha), the Ladies welcome “leading lady” Donna Snow to Lounge, as they continue celebrating and learning from Lutheran women in positions of influence in the church and around the world. Donna Snow is founder and CEO of Artesian Ministries, an organization dedicated to equipping disciples to share Jesus by becoming biblically literate. She’s also a sought-after speaker and the author of more than a dozen books and Bible studies, including Without This Ring: Surviving Divorce, Chosen: A Study of Esther, and, most recently, Strong and Courageous: Studying God’s Promises in Joshua. Click to learn more about Artesian Ministries or browse Donna Snow's books from CPH. Connect with the Lutheran Ladies on social media in The Lutheran Ladies’ Lounge Facebook discussion group (facebook.com/groups/LutheranLadiesLounge) and on Instagram @lutheranladieslounge. Follow Sarah (@hymnnerd), Rachel (@rachbomberger), and Erin (@erinaltered) on Instagram! Sign up for the Lutheran Ladies' Lounge monthly e-newsletter here, and email the Ladies at lutheranladies@kfuo.org.

Inspired by the LCMS Youth Gathering, the Ladies round the homestretch with part three of their summer series celebrating young Lutheran ladies. In this eye-opening multicultural International Mission 101 conversation, Sarah, Erin, and Rachel welcome to the Lounge missionary teens Bella (daughter of the Rev. Dr. J.P. and Aimee Cima, serving in Cambodia) and Lydia (daughter of the Rev. Dr. Carl and Chenhsi Hanson, serving in South Korea). What does daily life look like for these third-culture kids? Where do they go to school? What comfort foods do they enjoy? Do they drive? What is church like for them? What do they wish more folks knew about life on the mission field? Click to learn more about, pray for, or support these mission families in the field: Rev. Carl and Chenhsi Hanson - The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod J.P. and Aimee Cima - The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod Square Two: The Cima Family Website Connect with the Lutheran Ladies on social media in The Lutheran Ladies’ Lounge Facebook discussion group (facebook.com/groups/LutheranLadiesLounge) and on Instagram @lutheranladieslounge. Follow Sarah (@hymnnerd), Rachel (@rachbomberger), and Erin (@erinaltered) on Instagram! Sign up for the Lutheran Ladies' Lounge monthly e-newsletter here, and email the Ladies at lutheranladies@kfuo.org.