"During my mission trip to India, I kept a detailed diary of the events, feelings, and experiences of my time. When I was writing I thought I would use the entries as notes for future blogs or maybe a book. So I wrote honestly and vulnerably, not expecting anyone to ever read it. But when I came home and years passed I realized that I would probably never take the time to write the blogs and I thought that would be the end of it. But this Spring I started reading my journal again and I realized that I wrote the entries as if I was blogging. They were blogs to God, and to myself. Some were prayers and some were lists. I realized that I didn’t need to change what I originally wrote to make it beautiful, the beauty was already there because it was authentic. So I have decided to publish my journal. All the vulnerable and cringe-worthy parts as well. The value of that summer is the truth of what I saw, felt, and experienced without any filters or edits. So here is my heart from India, with all the raw and beautiful parts intact." -Lindsey's book descriptionLindsey is a dear friend from my time completing the Pittsburgh Fellows program,  a lover of Jesus, AND the interim youth director at St. Stephen's Church in Sewickley, PA. She has a heart for missions, people, and God, and it shines through in everything she does. I'm so grateful she is sharing the story of her book with us on the podcast today. Can't wait for you guys to hear it! Here are some things we mentioned in this episode:Lindsey's bookLindsey's blog and website Lindsey's Instagram: @lindseyreichBe sure to stay up to date with Abundant Life: You Were Made for More by visiting our blog - and if you're loving the podcast, send guest recommendations to us or leave us a star-rating/review on your favorite listening platform to spread the word about the you were made for more message.You Were Made for More Social Media: FacebookTwitterInstagram

Melissa Giles is the Marketing and Development Coordinator for Human Life Alliance, a nonprofit, pro-life informational organization dedicated to creating a culture in which all human life, from the moments of fertilization to natural death, is respected and cherished. Distribution of HLA’s compelling materials have reached 232.4 million people over the past 31 years in all 50 U.S. states, 88 different countries, and all seven continents.Missy graduated from Eastern Michigan University with BA in Entrepreneurship. She founded a professional wedding photographer company and most recently served as a missionary for a non-profit Christian organization at the University of Michigan.She also has a diverse background working as a professional wedding photographer, and nonprofit mission work with college students. Currently in her role at HLA, she leads students through asking hard questions like... “If you’re pro-life, why? If you’re going to take the stance of being pro-choice, can you back that up?” These are all important questions to ask ourselves, and we have to be able and willing to ask tough questions in order to be educated about cultural issues that can so easily divide us. We’re going to chat with Missy about what it looks like to become educated on these issues and why we should be passionate about them. What I love about Missy’s story is that she’s able to see now how various jobs aren’t “lost” - that there was purpose in her faithfully going where God called her for a certain season because there was purpose in each one. Let’s dive into this conversation!Here are some things we mentioned in the podcast:Human Life Alliance Website (remember, they produce materials that can teach you 99% of the info you need to know about the culture of life! check it out today!)Be sure to stay up to date with Abundant Life: You Were Made for More by visiting our blog - and if you're loving the podcast, send guest recommendations to us or leave us a star-rating/review on your favorite listening platform to spread the word about the you were made for more message.You Were Made for More Social Media: FacebookTwitterInstagram

“...now that I am a mother, I understand what Mother's Day is about: it's about looking through our lives and recognizing the act of mothering everywhere we see it, and more than that, recognizing that when any of us mother-- when we listen, nurture, nourish, protect--we're doing sacred work.” -Shauna Neiquest This episode is FOR moms, ABOUT moms, and HONORING moms. We're so grateful for all the mommas who mother us. I pray this episode encourages you no matter what your emotions about this day are - my goal is to honor everyone's story, to spur you on in healing, and to remind you that the Gospel is for you. Be sure to stay up to date with Abundant Life: You Were Made for More by visiting our blog - and if you're loving the podcast, send guest recommendations to us or leave us a star-rating/review on your favorite listening platform to spread the word about the you were made for more message.You Were Made for More Social Media: FacebookTwitterInstagram

Easter is the reason we have hope; AND the reason we have access to Jesus. God has taught me so much through this Lent season and He impressed upon me that He is who He says He is. It got me thinking: what is Easter REALLY about and what does it mean to us? Not just on Easter Sunday - but all the days afterwards? I don’t want to forget what happened in those next 40 days after Jesus rose from the dead. He showed up in mysterious and miraculous ways, teaching and preparing his friends to do greater things than he did. “Jesus did countless things that I haven’t included here. And if every one of his works were written down and described one by one, I suppose that the world itself wouldn’t have enough room to contain the books that would have to be written!” John‬ ‭21:25‬ ‭TPT‬‬These post-Easter days are sacred days. My prayer is that this message would prevent us from moving on so quickly and missing out on what Jesus wants to do TODAY. Also, listen for an update on my (Sammie's) current season of life and some changes that you may see around here at the You Were Made for More Podcast! So thankful for you guys - we truly could not do this without you. 👏🏻Be sure to stay up to date with Abundant Life: You Were Made for More by visiting our blog - and if you're loving the podcast, send guest recommendations to us or leave us a star-rating/review on your favorite listening platform to spread the word about the you were made for more message.You Were Made for More Social Media: FacebookTwitterInstagram

Finding wholeness in your life is a continuous journey that can see hardships and healing. Discovering your identity in Christ and the worth your life is given will be the most rewarding experience. Join us as we discover tools and truths to walk in wholeness, worth and love - all of which are so important.Kristie serves as the youth director at the Church of St. Clement in El Paso, TX. Her heart’s desire is to see this generation of “youth” on fire for Jesus. Isaiah 61:1-3 has been near and dear to her heart throughout the past several years; to see chains broken and captives liberated, for crowns of beauty to be placed on the heads of our youth instead of a sack of ashes. Kristie has personal experience with what it really means to struggle over sin and seek healing because of the impact that it had on her life, her relationships, and her identity. Kristie has been married to her high school sweetheart, Mark, for three and a half years. Be sure to stay up to date with Abundant Life: You Were Made for More by visiting our blog - and if you're loving the podcast, send guest recommendations to us or leave us a star-rating/review on your favorite listening platform to spread the word about the you were made for more message.You Were Made for More Social Media: FacebookTwitterInstagram

Toni is someone who believes in the power of relationships and is passionate about sharing that with the next generation. She is vulnerable and real when sharing her own story of relationships, sex, and how God has redeemed her past. The thing we love about her story is the fact that she doesn’t overlook the hard work of healing that she needed to put in to set a new foundation for herself. Toni first and foremost wants to make sure that every person knows how to handle forgiveness, receive redemption, and look at mistakes through the lens of the Gospel. Toni speaks profoundly about love, identity, the sanctity of life, and how they all connect together.  Toni is an international speaker on the topic of abortion and healthy relationships. She is the founder of the program Relationships Matter which seeks to educate the youth on the degradation of sex in our culture while equipping them to walk out healthy relationships to not only protect themselves but honor their spouse in the future. Because of her background, she understands the power of overcoming a past and setting new foundations. Her goal is to educate and expose the lies of abortion by sharing her own story. She is a graduate of West Chester University, with a master’s in professional counseling from Clark’s Summit University. She is married to a wonderful man and blessed with 4 beautiful children.Make sure to check out Toni's first appearance on the You Were Made for More Podcast :) Be sure to stay up to date with Abundant Life: You Were Made for More by visiting our blog - and if you're loving the podcast, send guest recommendations to us or leave us a star-rating/review on your favorite listening platform to spread the word about the you were made for more message.You Were Made for More Social Media: FacebookTwitterInstagram

Abortion is a lot more than a political topic for debate - unfortunately, a lot of our society thinks otherwise. On this episode of the You Were Made for More Podcast, we will hear Kristan Hawkins' message from the ySummit 2021 as she presents the key facts about abortion that each person needs to know, which will help us understand why abortion is the key social issue of our day and what the role of God's people is in helping to abolish it. If you don’t know Kristan, she is a Christian, wife, mother, grassroots activist, author, speaker, Podcast host and a human rights advocate. You probably know her as the President of Students for Life of America, where she’s been doing activism and leading for 14 years now. She has built up a small organization made up of a few dozen student groups scattered around the country to a coordinated national team serving more than 1,200 Students for Life chapters in all fifty states. Kristan’s expertise includes abortion, feminism, disability advocacy, and healthcare, as she navigates the social conditions and public policy that impacts the human rights issue of our day. We’re going to hear from her about everything you need to know about abortion – the facts, the misconceptions, the important arguments. Kristan is so passionate about life, firmly believes that all children have value, no matter the perception of their abilities – something I love about her is that she doesn’t just spend her time working for this cause, but she’s living it out, as a mother of four children, two of whom have cystic fibrosis. Her goal is to make sure that millennials and generation Z recognize the horrors of abortion for women and their preborn infants, and I hope that after hearing her, you’ll walk away with that as your goal too.  Here are some things we mention in this episode:Kristan's Social Media Accounts (@Kristan Hawkins)Students for Life of AmericaBe sure to stay up to date with Abundant Life: You Were Made for More by visiting our blog - and if you're loving the podcast, send guest recommendations to us or leave us a star-rating/review on your favorite listening platform to spread the word about the you were made for more message.You Were Made for More Social Media: FacebookTwitterInstagram

Ryan Bomberger is an Emmy® Award-winning creative professional, international public speaker, columnist, factivist, and author of the powerful book, Not Equal: Civil Rights Gone Wrong. He is also the co-founder of RadianceFoundation.org, a life-affirming organization based on the belief that every human life has purpose. Ryan has a rather unique perspective of the innate nature of purpose. He is one of ten children who were adopted and loved in a racially diverse family of fifteen. Today, as an adoptee and adoptive father with his wife Bethany, he enjoys boldly illuminating the intrinsic worth we all possess.He and his wife, Bethany, founded The Radiance Foundation to extensively research and creatively present challenging social issues through ad campaigns, multimedia talks, fearless journalism, and compassionate community outreaches. What I love most about Ryan is that his life really does defy the myth of the “unwanted” child – his birth mother was raped yet courageously gave him a chance to live. Today on the podcast we are sharing Ryan's talk from the ySummit 2021 (which we held in conjunction with Anglicans for Life and the March for Life, virtually!). Ryan is one of the best of the best and we couldn't help but share his talk with you all, about exposing lies that are rooted in what we believe about humanity and the worth of all human beings.Here are some things we mention in this episode:The Radiance FoundationBe sure to stay up to date with Abundant Life: You Were Made for More by visiting our blog - and if you're loving the podcast, send guest recommendations to us or leave us a star-rating/review on your favorite listening platform to spread the word about the you were made for more message.You Were Made for More Social Media: FacebookTwitterInstagram

Today, we’re going to have a conversation that all the parents who are listening are going to want to TURN UP the volume on, save, and listen to again and again. One of my greatest friends (and also mentors), Jenn Fossee, is joining us for a conversation about all things motherhood and ministry and I am so, so excited for this! Jenn has a contagious personality, she lights up any room she walks into, and she’s one of the most faithful followers of Jesus that I have ever met. I met Jenn through the first church community I really ever had my freshman year of college and we instantly clicked - I asked her to get coffee and I think we chatted for over 3 hours. Since then, I’ve lived with her family, I’ve done life alongside of her, and we’ve been a part of so many different seasons of each other's lives. I really love her so much and she’s taught me so much as I’ve watched her go through trials + joys,  always seeking Jesus in the midst of them. I’m excited for you to hear this convo - we’re going to talk about so many things! Jenn is the mom of two girls, now 19 and 16, and has been a single parent for the majority of their lives. She also has faithfully led children's and youth ministries in a wide variety of capacities, both vocationally and on a volunteer basis. In today's episode, we talk about what it looks like to love teens - whether they are your own, or teens who are a part of your community or ministry - faithfully and consistently and how to tackle challenges that arrive. Here are some things we mention in this episode:Jenn's blog on YouWereMadeForMore.OrgBe sure to stay up to date with Abundant Life: You Were Made for More by visiting our blog - and if you're loving the podcast, send guest recommendations to us or leave us a star-rating/review on your favorite listening platform to spread the word about the you were made for more message.You Were Made for More Social Media: FacebookTwitterInstagram

If you’ve survived sorrow, have felt the pain of grief and know what it’s like to lose something: a dream, a loved one, etc., this episode is for you. Kim Erickson joins us in today’s episode to chat through practical ways to survive sorrow, seek God in the middle of it, and move urgently in obedience through the grieving process. Kim speaks to the one that hopes to share their story of sorrow, how to share it well, and what it looked like for her to get to the place that she is today.I’ll leave the specifics up to Kim to share with us, but what you need to know is that Kim met the Lord after the sudden death of her young son in 2008. Her testimony is beautiful, and speaks of how God met her in a place of deep grief and sorrow that unfortunately way too many parents understand. In Kim’s story, her experience allowed her to see God with a new perspective, and now, she’s following Him faithfully and sharing her story to help others struggling with grief find hope and light in the middle of it. When Kim’s was first finding her own way through her grief, she found plenty of resources for grieving. She says what she really needed, though, "was someone who would give me advice for living, not just grieving . . . How do I get through the grocery store without crying? What do I do with my son’s things? When will my mind stop replaying the emergency room scene?"Those questions caused her to dive into the Bible, and now, ten years from that moment, she has written a book, Surviving Sorrow, that is blessing so many people. I’m so excited and can’t wait for you to hear this conversation - let’s jump in.Here are some things we mention in this episode:Kim's Book / Surviving Sorrow: A Mother's Guide to Living with Loss Be sure to stay up to date with Abundant Life: You Were Made for More by visiting our blog - and if you're loving the podcast, send guest recommendations to us or leave us a star-rating/review on your favorite listening platform to spread the word about the you were made for more message.You Were Made for More Social Media: FacebookTwitterInstagram