“Rarely, are you going to be on the side of righteousness by doing nothing.”

Hannah Fordice, Domestic Violence Advocate &  Founder of House of Faith & Freedom

One in three women has been physically assaulted, raped, or stalked by an intimate partner. Fifty percent of both men and women have experienced psychological abuse by an intimate partner. Based on these statistics, there are men and women who are experiencing abuse walking into the doors of our church every week. Has the Church contributed to the solution of this issue by supporting congregants facing this difficulty?

Our guest Hannah Fordice, is a domestic violence advocate and founder of House of Faith and Freedom, an organization dedicated to creating practical resources for church leadership teams and faith communities to deal with domestic violence effectively. With a B.A. in Psychology and an M.A. in Human Services Forensic Behavioral Health, Hannah has experience working with various non-profits in the areas of domestic violence, victim services, and volunteer management. She saw the need to bring the training she was conducting in the community in secular settings to the Church so that the Church body has a healthy coordinated response in handling the issue of domestic violence. Hannah will challenge us as the Body of Christ to no longer turn our faces from domestic violence, but to understand what part in the solution He wants us to play.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How addressing domestic violence from the pulpit can create a safe environment for those experiencing it to come forward and seek help from the Church.
• How the local Church has the infrastructure to support an individual escaping domestic violence for a lifetime versus a nonprofit or government organization.
• The importance of understanding that abuse does not always present itself through physical wounds but in the power dynamic of the couple's relationship.
• How it is a mistake to encourage couples experiencing domestic violence to seek marital counseling.

This Month’s Challenge:

Share this podcast. By sharing this podcast, you are bringing light to an issue that could possibly save someone’s life.  Also, visit the House of Faith and Freedom website and ask God how He wants you to get involved in combatting the issue of domestic violence.

Scripture Reference: 1 Corinthians 12 : 25-27 (TPT)

Connect with Hannah:

House of Faith and Freedom’s Website  - www.houseoffaithandfreedom.org

Instagram: @houseoffaithandfreedom

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/houseoffaithandfreedom

Hannah’s Podcasts:

House to Heart - www.houseoffaithandfreedom.org/seeking-sanctuary-house-to-heart

House to House - www.houseoffaithandfreedom.org/house-to-house

Hannah’s Book: “Ready Refuge: A Cross-Denominational Guide for Church Leaders on Intimate Partner Violence” 

Connect with Leslie: www.leslieawilliams.com

“Self care is making sure your needs and wants are met. Period.” - Chari Twitty-Hawkins, Self-Care Mom Coach

With the lazy days of summer vacation coming to a close, and the hectic days of school work, schedules and carpool lines appearing, it is important for all moms to be reminded of the importance of consistent self-care. My guest this month is Chari Twitty-Hawkins, author, speaker, and self-care mom coach, whose mission is to encourage and inspire mamas to invest in themselves so that they can show up in their lives well, as God created them to be. Chari will challenge us this month to wear the badge of motherhood without the overwhelm, but instead wear it with daily rhythms of self-care. In this episode, you will learn:

• The importance of having daily self-care habits as a mom
• How taking the time to take care for the life that God has given you is not selfish, but good stewardship.
• Seven different types of self-care and how to practically implement them into your life.

Whether you’re a new mom with a baby at home, a mom who is sending your child off to school for the first time, or a mom that’s in the thick of homeschooling, this episode will bless you!

The Month’s Challenge:

• Put together a self-care plan consisting of one practical habit that will allow you to nurture three areas of your life: your spirit, your body, and your relationships.
• Send your self-care plan to leslie@leslieawilliams.com to be entered into a drawing to receive Chari’s book, “Self Care Affirmations for Moms: Speaking Life & Love into the Inner Woman of God in You.” Remember, you must show one practical habit for each of the areas listed above in order to be eligible.

Scripture References Mentioned:

• Galatians 5:14 (TPT)   
• Proverbs 31:17 (AMP)
• Romans 12:1-2

Connect with Chari:

• Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cicinspireme   **Check out for some mom humor**
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cicinspireme/
• Fb community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/RockYourFierceFaith
• Book a coaching call: http://bit.ly/callwithchari
• Self-care affirmations book: http://bit.ly/selfcarebookformoms

**Special Event Announcement**

Calling moms, dads and grandparents! If you would like prayer for the upcoming school year,  for you,  your child or grandchild and their school (including homeschool),  please sign up to participate in our Virtual Back-to-School Prayer Event that will be held via Zoom on August 14, 6 p.m. CST. For information visit, https://www.leslieawilliams.com/.

Connect with Leslie

• https://www.leslieawilliams.com/
• https://www.facebook.com/girlfriendsgetawaymovement

“In our heart of hearts, we know God has to have a Kingdom answer. And that’s when we talk about the third answer, that God values the woman and child equally, [that's why] Christians resonate so quickly because that’s what’s been bothering us.” - Angie Weszely, CEO of ProGrace

Did you know there was a third response when it comes to the abortion conversation? Prograce is the third response coined by the organization that my guest this month represents. My guest this month is Angie Weszely, CEO of the organization, ProGace. The mission of ProGrace is to help Christians transform their response to the issue of abortion that looks nothing like the political boxes that the issue has been placed in, and a lot more like the heart of Jesus. Angie will challenge us this month to dive deeper into the issue of abortion with a heart of grace for both the mother and the child because God values them both equally. In this episode, you’ll learn: *Why the third response of prograce represents God’s Kingdom more than prolife or prochoice *Some of the tensions Christians feel surrounding the abortion conversation *The reason why Church leaders have stayed away from discussing this topic with their congregations *How ProGrace equips Christian to lead and make a positive change in the abortion conversation

This Month’s Challenge:

Pray and ask God to give you revelation on the ProGrace approach. Write down how this compares to current or previous beliefs you had about the issue of abortion. Go onto the ProGrace website and read the information on there including Angie’s free e-book titled, “ ProGrace: A New Christian Response To Abortion.”

Scripture References Mentioned:

• Psalm 139:14-16
• John 8:2-11

Connect with Angie and ProGrace:

• Website: prograce.org
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iamprograce
• Instagram: @iamprograce
• Twitter: @IamProGrace

Are you up for the challenge? "The Challenge with Leslie Williams" podcast will challenge you to implement Biblical solutions to the issues that you are facing in your life, your community, and the world. In each episode, Leslie will feature an interview with an individual who is boldly applying their faith to create change. You will be inspired by those who are making a significant impact in our world by applying their faith to combat some of our world's greatest problems. You will be empowered by those who are using their faith to help them overcome great adversity. And, you will be encouraged by those who are simply living life with Jesus well. New episodes are released the first Tuesday of each month. For more information on Leslie Williams, visit leslieawilliams.com.