Run Like a Woman

On the outside, Holly was a confident, quiet achiever and a perfectionist. But on the inside, she had been living with anxiety from a very young age. Holly didn't tell anyone that she was struggling with her mental health. Until, at age 18, she finally opened up to a friend and to her mum. She told them that she didn't want to live anymore. This is a raw, honest and compelling look inside the struggle facing thousands of Aussie families. Top two Bec's recommendations: Ten Percent Happier podcast with Dan Harris; and Faith, Work & Rest podcast with Teena Dare Penny's recommendations: Beyond Blue website and No Feeling is Final podcast with Honor Eastly Holly's recommendation: Better Than Yesterday podcast with Osher Günsberg Parts of this discussion may be triggering or distressing for some listeners. If you need support, please contact Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636 or Lifeline on 13 11 14. *Statistics on youth mental health taken from the Australia Talks National Survey 2021 and Suicide Prevention Australia.

"All of us have limits and we have seasons. And there can be seasons where we really need to step back ..." Robyn Wrigley-Carr learnt this lesson the hard way. At a time in her life when she was working too much and sleeping too little, Robyn hit burnout. This caused her to reassess her lifestyle and her priorities. In this episode, Robyn – an author and Associate Professor in theology and spirituality at Alphacrucis College in Sydney – shares practical advice on how to beat burnout. Top two Penny's recommendations: For the Joy – 21 Australian Missionary Mother Stories of Real Life & Faith, edited by Miriam Chan and Sophia Russell Bec's recommendations: Fight Hustle, End Hurry podcast, by John Mark Comer & Jefferson Bethke Books by Robyn Wrigley-Carr: Evelyn Underhill's Prayer Book (edited by Robyn Wrigley-Carr) The Spiritual Formation of Evelyn Underhill Music of Eternity: The Archbishop of York's Advent Book 2021 – Meditations For Advent With Evelyn Underhill

Complementarians say women shouldn’t be senior leaders of a church and some say women also shouldn’t teach or preach to men. Egalitarians say women can lead churches and they can preach and teach to anyone. So who's right and who's wrong? And what does the Bible really say? Jacqui Grey, Dean of Theology and Professor of Biblical Studies at Alphacrucis College, steps us through the answers she has found to these questions. She also addresses the cultural and practical barriers for women in church ministry, and suggests how to open doors for women to better use their gifts. Top Two Bec - Women in Ministry Support Scheme - funding from Anglican Deaconess Ministries and 'Fixing Her Eyes' website. Penny - 'Grounded in the Body, in Time and Place, in Scripture', Edited by Jill Firth and Denise Cooper-clarke and the book of Ecclesiastes in the Holy Bible.

Susannah McFarlane is one of Australia's most respected children's book authors. Her books and series – including EJ12 Girl Hero, EJ Spy School, Boy vs Beast and D-Bot Squad – have sold over a million copies in Australia alone. But not even Susannah could have scripted the plot of her own life story. She went from being the "unwanted baby", to meeting her birth mother at age 50. And then she experienced another, even deeper, reunion. Susannah has shared her powerful story on Sunrise, TODAY, Radio National and ABC Radio and TV. But in this episode, she gives Run Like A Woman listeners the full inside story. Top Two Bec – Fairytales for Fiesty Girls by Susannah McFarlane Penny – Heartlines – The Year I Met My Other Mother by Susannah McFarlane and Robin Leuba; Grumble Boats by Susannah McFarlane and Tamsin Ainslie Susannah mentioned The Tree of Life film by director Terrence Malick (actually, Susannah called it "The Tree of Man", but we get you, Susannah!) As Penny said, we'd love to hear your Top Two recommendations. Email us at eternitynewsau@gmail.com; contact us via our website; or send a direct message through Eternity's Facebook page.

From 'death knocks' as a TV reporter to working for mining giant Rio Tinto – Kara Martin faced some big ethical dilemmas during her early career. Today, Kara writes and speaks about how work (both unpaid and paid) and God fit together. She also mentors others in finding their God-given purpose. In this episode, Kara reveals how Christianity and motherhood shaped her career decisions, as well her insights on integrating work and faith. And she also shares how her six-year-old daughter's leukemia diagnosis changed Kara's outlook on life. Top Two Bec - Living Forward: A Proven Plan to Stop Drifting and Get the Life You Want by Michael S Hyatt and Daniel Harkavy Penny - Grounded in the Body, in Time and Place, in Scripture Edited by Jill Firth and Denise Cooper-Clarke The Intern on Netflix Kara Martin's books – Workship: How to Use Your Work to Worship God and Workship 2: How to Flourish at Work

"Dream bigger. You can do more." "Take a risk. What's the worst that could happen?" "If porridge is good for your kids for breakfast, then it's also good for dinner." These pieces of advice were passed on from Melissa Lipsett to upcoming leader Clare Steele. Today, both Clare and Melissa are CEOs of Christian social justice organisations. On this episode they share about the grit and determination, as well as the sacrifices, it takes to get to the top. They also discuss the importance of mentoring in their own lives, as well as for other women. And they tell how their skills and passions are now being employed to lift women and children out of poverty. Top Two Melissa - A Church Called Tov: Forming a Goodness Culture That Resists Abuses of Power and Promotes Healing by Scot McKnight and Laura Barringer and Women and Leadership: Real Lives, Real Lessons by Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and Julia Gillard. Clare - The Crucifixion: Understanding the Death of Jesus Christ by Fleming Rutledge and Canoeing the Mountains by Tod Bolsinger.

As a society we are not very good at talking about death and dying. And yet, it is the one certainty we have. We will all die. In this episode we have a remarkable opportunity to talk with someone who was given advance notice of her husband’s death. What does it mean? Can you plan for death in a different way when you know it is coming soon? Does it change how you relate to each other? Mary Hawkes humbly shares her insights on caring for her beloved life partner as she watches his health slowly decline due to cancer. Top Two Soar Above the Storm: Hope in Suffering (A 40-day Devotional) by Nick Hawkes and The Stone Collection series by Nick Hawkes.

Our three guests share their unique experiences and perspectives on being a woman at work, in the home and in the church. Maryanne Davis discovered that Parliament House was a boys' club long before Brittany Higgins. When Maryanne started work there 40 years ago, it was "an incredibly sexist place". Fortunately, God had other plans for Maryanne. She went on to become a school principal, teacher and mentor who has impacted the lives of thousands of girls. Diana grew up in Uganda with her single mum, three sisters and brother. Her mum was the only woman in the neighbourhood who worked outside the home. Now Diana is passing on her mum's example as a "strong, independent and confident" woman to her own children. Amy went to an all-girls school in Melbourne and worked hard to become a lawyer. But when a work retreat ended with the suggestion to visit a strip club, Amy's values as a woman and a Christian were challenged. She has since left the legal profession and now runs her own well-being business that helps Millennials to flourish. We chat with these women about prejudice, glass ceilings, headship and their hopes for the future, as well as what International Women's Day means to them. Top Two Bec - 'Live Life Well' podcast by Amy Leong and 'Ms Represented with Annabel Crabb' on ABC ivew Penny - 'Fixing Her Eyes' website.

After a traumatic upbringing, Bindi Cole Chocka first encountered Jesus inside a prison cell, before going on to become a prolific artist and raise a family of her own. In the last 12 years, Bindi has held 25 solo shows, been in over 60 group exhibitions and has been shortlisted for 18 art prizes and won or placed in 6. However, since 2018, she became 'The Cancelled Artist' due to her conservative Christian views. Bindi's story is gut-wrenching at times yet a powerful testament of God's love, forgiveness, and grace. Top Two Bec - 40 Stories website and 'Our Mob, God's Story: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Christianity' by Bible Society Australia (publisher) and Christobel Mattingley (Compiler) Penny - 'Last Year's Artist: Contemporary Art, the Christian Conversion and Cancel Culture' Thesis by Bindi Cole Chocka and 'Penguin Bloom' film on Netflix.

Holed up in a remote village in Nepal, homeschooling three sons while monsoons and a civil war raged outside for months and years on end – this is Naomi Reed's story. She survived and went on to tell the tale in several books. Since then, Naomi has turned her love of writing and storytelling into a profession. She has collated hundreds of stories about people encountering Jesus; retold the stories of women in the Bible in creative ways; and helped tell the story of Feby Chan – the wife of Andrew Chan, who was executed for drug smuggling as part of the 'Bali Nine'. Raw, vulnerable, fascinating, impactful – these are stories we all need to hear. Top Two Bec – A Time To Hope: 365 Daily Devotionals from Genesis to Revelation by Naomi Reed. Penny – The Atlantis Stone (The Stone Collection #1) by Nick Hawkes. Check out Naomi's popular Faith Stories series on Eternity here. You can find other books by Naomi Reed mentioned on this episode here.

This is dedicated to 'pretty much every woman I know'. So begins Justine Toh's recent mini-book Achievement Addiction. And Christian women are particularly susceptible to achievement addiction, says Justine. "I think a lot of women see themselves as needing to kind of be a certain way in order to be a good Christian – being hospitable, being really gracious, being cheerful all the time," she tells Run Like a Woman co-hosts Penny Mulvey and Bec Abbott. "It's terrible because that embeds a performance culture, where you are supposed to perform what it means to be a good Christian woman. And in the back of your head is the Proverbs 31 woman, who manages the household, is a leader in business and does all these other things as well." So how do we spot the signs of achievement addiction in our own lives? And more importantly, how do we break free from this addiction to fully embrace grace – for ourselves, for our families and others around us? Top Two Bec - Life + Faith podcast, The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind on Netflix and 'How I harnessed the wind' TED talk by William Kamkwamba Penny - Marvellous film

Settle in for a cuppa and a chat as you get to know your friendly co-hosts. Meet Penny. Penny likes meaningful (and fun) conversations with friends and strangers; the waves pounding on a sandy beach on a cold winter’s day; being challenged by her adult children; a hot shower in the morning. She doesn’t like dropping the balls! Penny is also a seasoned radio professional, with 30 years’ experience in media. She is just the right person to bring you the best conversations with amazing, insightful Australian Christian women. Meet Bec. Bec is an Eternity journalist. She likes order, yoga and people who walk fast, like her. She doesn’t like the cold, cliff edges or when slow walkers step in front of her. Bec has never hosted a podcast before – until now. But she loves women’s stories and can’t wait to showcase and learn from exceptional Aussie Christian women on Eternity’s new Run Like a Woman podcast. Top Two Recommendations Penny - Morning Wars Apple TV series; Cruella film on Disney+; and Educated by Tara Westover. Bec - Lectio 365 Bible devotional app and This Is Our Village podcast.