Shalomies with Elizabeth Woodson and Yana Jenay Conner

Count it all Joy

Have you ever been told to “count it all joy” in the middle of a difficult season and thought, "How am I supposed to do that?” In this episode, Yana and Elizabeth talk honestly about what perseverance looks like when life is hard. They explore what Scripture says about suffering, share some of their own experiences, and discuss why the voices you listen to and the people you walk with matter more than you may realize. If you're finding it difficult to trust God in the middle of disappointment, grief, or unanswered questions, this conversation is for you. We hope it encourages you to keep holding on to Christ and reminds you that God is at work, even in seasons you wouldn't rather not be walking through. Questions Covered In This Episode: 1. What is a recent season of difficulty you’ve experienced? What made it hard? 2. What did quitting look like or feel like as an option during that time? 3. What were people around you saying, and did it help or hurt? 4. Looking back, what did that season build in you that you're genuinely grateful for now? How did your faith in God grow? 5. In hindsight, where was God working that you couldn’t see or appreciate while you were going through.  6. What do you wish someone had told you when you were going through? 7. What would you say directly to the listener who is asking "Is perseverance worth it?" Key Passages: James 1:2-4, Romans 3:3-5, Galatians 6:9 Recommended Resources: Habits of Resistance by Elizabeth Woodson [https://a.co/d/048LUBRW] Join the Conversation: Thanks for listening to Shalomies! We’d love to hear how the podcast is helping you pursue peace and wholeness in your own life. Share your thoughts, questions, or testimonies with us over on Instagram @shalomiespodcast. Elizabeth and Yana would love to hear from you!  If you’re enjoying the show, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with a friend who could use a little more shalom this week. Follow Us: Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/shalomiespodcast] | YouTube [http://youtube.com/@shalomiespodcast]

What's Good, Shalomie?

In This Episode: * Why Yana spent three months on sabbatical * What Elizabeth learned from a season of nonstop ministry * The role counseling has played in cultivating shalom * How friendship sustains us through difficult seasons * What it means to trust God when you don't know what's next * The theme and vision for the new season of Shalomies Resources Mentioned: * Habits of Resistance [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F9SPX34K?ref=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_93YHC737JRFFHK6S7FR6&ref_=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_93YHC737JRFFHK6S7FR6&social_share=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_93YHC737JRFFHK6S7FR6&bestFormat=true&previewDoh=1] by Elizabeth Woodson * Waiting Isn't a Waste [https://www.amazon.com/Waiting-Isnt-Waste-Surprising-Uncertainties/dp/1433590972] by Mark Vroegop * Galatians 6:9 * Ephesians 2 Join the Conversation: Thanks for listening to Shalomies! We’d love to hear how the podcast is helping you pursue peace and wholeness in your own life. Share your thoughts, questions, or testimonies with us over on Instagram @shalomiespodcast. Elizabeth and Yana would love to hear from you!  If you’re enjoying the show, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with a friend who could use a little more shalom this week. Follow Us: Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/shalomiespodcast] | YouTube [http://youtube.com/@shalomiespodcast]

Shalom + The Culture

In this final episode of the first season of Shalomies, Yana and Elizabeth talk about what it really means to pursue shalom in a world that’s constantly forming us to reflect its image. Drawing from Elizabeth’s upcoming book, Habits of Resistance, they talk about suffering, the role of Scripture, and why God’s grace—not striving—is the key to a  faithful and distinctive Christian life. Recommended Resources: * Habits of Resistance [https://www.lifeway.com/en/product/habits-of-resistance-P005849436] (Book) * Bible Recap [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-bible-recap/id1440833267] (Podcast) * From Beginning To Forever [https://www.lifeway.com/en/product/from-beginning-to-forever-bible-study-book-with-video-access-P005837658] (Book) Join the Conversation: Thanks for listening to Shalomies! We’d love to hear how the podcast is helping you pursue peace and wholeness in your own life. Share your thoughts, questions, or testimonies with us over on Instagram @shalomiespodcast. Elizabeth and Yana would love to hear from you!  If you’re enjoying the show, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with a friend who could use a little more shalom this week. Follow Us: Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/shalomiespodcast] | YouTube [http://youtube.com/@shalomiespodcast]

Shalom + Work

In this episode of Shalomies, Yana Jenay sits down with her friend and mentor, LaToya King, Chief Operating Officer of the Triangle Community Foundation, for a rich conversation about what it means to pursue shalom in our everyday work. LaToya shares her story and the experiences that shaped her calling, as well as the Scriptures and beliefs that guide how she leads and serves. Together, they explore how so much meaningful ministry can happen outside of church walls and why it can be difficult for believers to see their jobs as part of God’s mission to restore wholeness in the world. LaToya speaks candidly about the challenges of living out faith in settings where values aren’t always shared—including how she navigates conflict, maintains integrity, and seeks the good of the communities she serves. Throughout the episode, LaToya offers wisdom for working with intentionality: approaching our roles not simply as tasks to complete, but as opportunities to seek the welfare of the city through presence, excellence, compassion, and courage. This conversation is an invitation to see your work—whatever it is—as a place where God is present and active, forming you and using you to bring shalom to the world. Key Scriptures: * Jeremiah 29:7 * Matthew 22:36-40 * Romans 12:2 Questions Covered In This Episode: 1. What beliefs or passages of Scripture guide your approach to your work? 2. It’s been said that most ministry happens outside of the walls of the church. Would you agree with this statement? If so, why? 3. Why do we struggle to see work outside of the church’s walls as a part of God’s mission to restore shalom? 4. One of the benefits of working in a church setting is that there is a shared biblical worldview, work ethic, and code of conduct. Even if we people stray, we have the Scriptures as a shared text to draw people back to. The same is not true outside of the walls of the church. What have been some of the challenges you faced when it comes to living out your faith at work? 5. How do you navigate conflict at work? Recommended Resources: Kingdom Calling: Vocational Stewardship for the Common Good [https://www.amazon.com/Kingdom-Calling-Vocational-Stewardship-Common/dp/0830838090] by Amy Sherman A Just Leader: Thriving in a Fractured World [https://www.amazon.com/s?k=a+just+leader&i=stripbooks&crid=2XSRGWSTH6OS6&sprefix=a+just+leader%2Cstripbooks%2C87&ref=nb_sb_noss] by David Spickard The Institute for Faith, Work, and Economics [https://tifwe.org] Join the Conversation: Thanks for listening to Shalomies! We’d love to hear how the podcast is helping you pursue peace and wholeness in your own life. Share your thoughts, questions, or testimonies with us over on Instagram @shalomiespodcast. Elizabeth and Yana would love to hear from you!  If you’re enjoying the show, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with a friend who could use a little more shalom this week. Follow Us: Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/shalomiespodcast] | YouTube [http://youtube.com/@shalomiespodcast]

Shalomies: Shalom + Friendship

In this episode of Shalomies, Yana and Elizabeth explore the joys and struggles of friendship, confessing the time they've gotten it wrong and what God has taught them along the way. They discuss the pain of friendship loss and share the practices they adopted to avoid it when possible. If you’re in the thick of a relational conflict or grieving friends lost, we pray this conversation will provide you with hope and direction as you consider what’s your next step in cultivating shalom in your friendships. Key Scriptures: * Psalm 131 * Psalm 139:23–24 * Ecclesiastes 4:9–12 * John 15:13 * Acts 15:36–41 * Romans 11:36 * Romans 12:18 * Galatians 2:11–14 * Galatians 6:2 * James 4:1–2 Questions Covered In This Episode: 1. Why do you think friendship has become a rising conversation in our culture? 2. How has your understanding about friendship evolved over time? 3. What does Scripture tell us about friendship? 4. How do we maintain and pursue shalom in our friendships? 5. Can you think of a time when shalom was broken in a friendship? What did it look like to repair that relationship? 6. How do we grieve friendship loss? Recommended Resources: * Living Beyond Offense: Doing The Hard Work of Forgiveness God's Way [https://www.amazon.com/Living-Beyond-Offense-Doing-Forgiveness/dp/0736990348] * Made for People: Why We Drift into Loneliness and How to Fight for a Life of Friendship [https://www.amazon.com/Made-People-Drift-Loneliness-Friendship/dp/0310363004] Join the Conversation: Thanks for listening to Shalomies! We’d love to hear how the podcast is helping you pursue peace and wholeness in your own life. Share your thoughts, questions, or testimonies with us over on Instagram @shalomiespodcast. Elizabeth and Yana would love to hear from you!  If you’re enjoying the show, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with a friend who could use a little more shalom this week. Follow Us: Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/shalomiespodcast] | YouTube [http://youtube.com/@shalomiespodcast]