This I Know
Conversations with Christians
on Life, Faith, and Following Jesus
This I Know grew from The Lydia Project: Conversations with Christian Women, an Australian podcast co-hosted by Tori Walker and Taryn Hayes, featuring many remarkable guests whose lives bore witness to God’s faithfulness through every season. After several years, the podcast entered a season of hiatus as ministry, work, and family commitments grew.
Now the journey continues.
Through conversations with Christian men and women from different walks of life, we explore the ways God shapes us through seasons of joy and suffering, doubt and faith, failure and growth. These are stories of grace at work: ordinary people being patiently transformed by our Saviour, Jesus.
Along the way, we’ll reflect on the books, authors, and resources that have helped shape our understanding of God and deepen our walk with Him.
Whether you’re weary, hopeful, searching, or simply seeking to keep following Jesus faithfully, This I Know is here to encourage you, challenge you, and strengthen your courage in Christ. In a world full of shifting opinions and uncertain answers, we return again and again to the same firm ground: God’s Word is trustworthy, and His promises hold. Yes, Jesus loves us. This we know. For the Bible tells us so.
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“Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus…” Hebrews 12:1–2
Episodes
Jun 14, 2022
Jun 14, 2022
46 min
Abuse in the church is, sadly, rife. It is in the light of this that Dr Diane Langberg has penned her latest book, Redeeming Power: Understanding
Authority and Abuse in the Church. In this chat, Dr Langberg discusses her journey to faith and her years of clinical work with trauma victims, including those impacted by church hurt.
Dr Diane Langberg is globally recognised for her 50 years of clinical work with trauma victims. She has trained caregivers on six continents in responding to trauma and to the abuse of power. For 29 years, she directed her own practice in Jenkintown PA, Diane Langberg PhD, and Associates. Now in partnership with Dr. Monroe, Langberg, Monroe & Associates continues this work which includes seventeen therapists with multiple specialties.
Dr. Langberg’s newest book is Redeeming Power: Understanding Authority and Abuse in the Church. Her other books include Counseling Survivors of Sexual Abuse, On the Threshold of Hope (with accompanying workbook), In Our Lives First: Meditations for Counselors, Suffering the Heart of God: How Trauma Destroys and Christ Restores, Bringing Christ to Abused Women and many others.
Dr. Langberg is the recipient of the Distinguished Alumna Achievements from Taylor University., the American Association of Christian Counselors Caregiver Award, The Distinguished President’s award, and the Philadelphia Council of Clergy’s Christian Service Award. She is married and has two sons and four grandchildren.
Links:
https://twitter.com/DianeLangberg
https://missio.edu/global-trauma-recovery-institute/
https://www.biblesociety.org.au/projects/trauma-support-ntd/
Review: Redeeming Power (The Gospel Coalition, Australia)
For gospel workers who have experienced mistreatment, abuse, or unfair dismissal head to the Gospel Workers Advocacy group for confidential care: gospelworkersadvocacy.org.au
For links to many more articles, videos, books and reviews this document is helpful: https://bit.ly/th-churchabuseresourcelist
May 30, 2022
May 30, 2022
46 min
Nina Hampton chats to Taryn about her battle with cancer and her story of faith. In this chat, Nina shares how her cancer journey led her to not only begin to better understand the connection between mind and body, but also to trust Jesus with every moment of her life. Nina's journey has led her to start a personal Instagram account (@faith_love_and_breastcancer ) where she shares her story with others.
Nina is a wife and mum passionate about working with and teaching children. She and her husband Nick serve in their church as bible study leaders. They are also parents to their delightful young son, Thomas. Nina was diagnosed with stage 1 breast cancer in October 2020 aged 38, and since then has been on a journey healing and growing mentally, physically, and spiritually.
LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
@faith_love_and_breastcancer - Nina's health journey through instagram
SHOW SNIPPETS:
“If I didn't have my faith then I'm not sure how I would've gotten through that time.”
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Apr 15, 2022
Apr 15, 2022
47 min
Barbara and Stacy Reaoch put the mother-and-daughter-in-law relationship under the microscope (starting with their own) in their new book, Making Room for Her (B&H Publishing). In this Lydia Project Book Club chat, Barbara and Stacy share their wisdom and failures - from over 20 years of forming a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law bond - as well as Biblical insight into growing healthier, God-glorifying in-law relationships.
Making Room for Her is available at all leading bookstores, including at The Wandering Bookseller with a 15% discount with the code LYDIA15.
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Barbara Reaoch, author of A Better Than Anything Christmas (2020), is the former director of the children’s division at Bible Study Fellowship International. Her home is in Minneapolis, Minnesota, with her husband, Ron. Prior to her role at BSF, Barbara and Ron lived in Cape Town, South Africa, to teach Bible Study Fellowship classes. They also worked with the Rafiki Foundation to train young women in job and life skills. You can connect with her at www.barbarareaoch.com.
Stacy Reaoch is a pastor’s wife, mother of four, and the author of Wilderness Wanderings: Finding Contentment in the Desert Times of Life. She has written for various ministries including Desiring God, The Gospel Coalition, and Revive Our Hearts. Stacy and her husband, Ben, live in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with their children. You can find more about Stacy and her writings at www.stacyreaoch.com.
Feb 28, 2022
Feb 28, 2022
43 min
In this episode, Taryn chats to the man behind our Book Club partner, The Wandering Bookseller. Karl shares about his love for books and how The Wandering Bookseller came to be. He also speaks about his struggle with anxiety and God's hand in helping him deeply grasp his love and forgiveness. Karl and The Wandering Bookseller are again offering 15% off all The Lydia Project book club books for 2022.
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Karl Grice has been matching books with people – and people with books – since the turn of the century. He started The Wandering Bookseller to provide hand-picked bookstalls for Christian events across Australia. Karl also curates an indie bookshop in Katoomba, with a piano hidden upstairs, poetry readings and second-hand chairs. Karl and his wife Naomi live with their four children, a few chooks, a vegetable garden and, yes, even more books!"
LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
- Review of Down But Not Out, Chris Cipollone - https://au.thegospelcoalition.org/book-review/review-down-not-out-by-chris-cipollone/
- Andrew Petersen - https://www.andrew-peterson.com/ (songwriter and author of The Wingfeather series)
- SD Smith - https://sdsmith.com/ (author of The Green Ember series)
- The Wandering Bookseller - https://www.wanderingbookseller.com.au/
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The Little Lost Bookshop - https://www.littlelostbookshop.com.au/
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The Lydia Project: Conversations with Christian Women is a podcast co-hosted by Tori Walker and Taryn Hayes. It features informal chats with Christian women around faith, life, ministry and the ways in which God is shaping their thinking and their lives. The views of TLP guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the hosts.
Feb 15, 2022
Feb 15, 2022
42 min
Jan and Chrissy began meeting together when Chrissy began a traineeship at her local church. Their one-to-one disciplining relationship developed over the course of the year, bringing them both much joy, encouragement, and growth. In this episode, Taryn chats with Jan and Chrissy about the value of mentoring relationships among women and how they grew both relationally and spiritually in their 5 years of meeting together regularly.
Jan Wilson has been a Christian for about 35 years after discovering Jesus as an atheist in her mid-thirties. Jan has four adult children and 2 grandchildren. When she is not helping out with grandchildren, she enjoys having great theological chats with her husband, spending time with God, doing her best to keep fit, walking her dog or spending time with Christian sisters. She also likes to relax by reading mediocre novels, watching French films and AFL matches - sometimes while knitting and hoping she doesn't make too many mistakes!
Chrissy Vellacott found during year 10 - when she changed schools and was dealing with much uncertainty - that she could trust God, she could know Him, and she could let Him change her life. She enjoys one-to-one discipleship with women from her church, working in AV, and teaching flute. Chrissy and her husband, Andrew, look forward to welcoming their first child in a few months.
Jan 15, 2022
Jan 15, 2022
8 min
This year is to be one with a focus on relationships - women to women, across the sexes, within the church, with our communities and as Christians in an increasingly hostile world. Join us this year as we chat with Christian women about their personal stories of Christ at work.
The episode that follows this one will be Tori and Taryn discussing the book Growing Together: Taking Mentoring from Small Talk and Prayer Requests by Melissa Kruger. Still available from The Wandering Bookseller with a 15% discount. Following that episode, we will chat with two women who have had a wonderful experience of one-to-one fellowship. Soon after that we will introduce our first book club book of the year with an interview with the author.
If you would like to get cracking on reading our book club books for the year, here's the list:
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Dec 30, 2021
Dec 30, 2021
31 min
Joanne Hobbs is the CEO of Teen Challenge Qld, a ministry helping young people from addiction to hope. Tori Walker chats with Jo about how she ended up in this position, and how God is at work through the ministry.
EPISODE NOTES:
Joanne Hobbs is the CEO of Teen Challenge Qld, a ministry helping young people from addiction to hope. Tori Walker chats with Jo about how she ended up in this position, and how God is at work through the ministry.
LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
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Dec 10, 2021
Dec 10, 2021
34 min
EPISODE NOTES:
Whether you are a new Christian, or have been for a while and feel in need of a refresher, "Need to Know” will give you the essentials—what you really need to know if you’re going to follow Jesus.
Host Tori Walker chats with Gary Millar about his work at the Queensland Theological College, as well as his most recent book, “Need to Know”. This practical and easy-to-read book shows readers how letting the fundamental truths of the gospel take root in our hearts changes everything about the way we see God, ourselves and the world around us. He explores what this miraculous change on the inside looks like on the outside as we live our lives shaped around gospel priorities.
Packed full of warmth and wisdom, this book will set anyone up for a lifetime of living for Jesus. It's perfect for giving to new Christians and makes a great gift for baptisms or confirmations. Mentoring questions are included for each chapter, so it's also an ideal resource to use in one-to-one discipleship with younger believers.
“Need to Know” is available online or in bookstores worldwide. In Australia, a 15% discount is available for all Lydia Project Book Club books through The Wandering Bookseller. Simply use the discount code LYDIA15 at the checkout.
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LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
The Wandering Bookseller: The Lydia Project Collection
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Nov 27, 2021
Nov 27, 2021
44 min
As an Aboriginal Christian Leader who is a descendant of the Waka Waka peoples, Brooke Prentis uses her talents and experience to lead Common Grace, a movement of people pursuing Jesus and justice. Tori Walker talks with Brooke about her family background, how she came to know Christ at uni, and why she is so passionate about the work she leads at Common Grace.
Brooke Prentis is CEO of Common Grace, a movement of people pursuing Jesus and justice. Brooke is an Aboriginal Christian Leader who is a descendant of the Waka Waka peoples. Brooke is a writer, speaker, poet, theologian, community pastor, Chartered Accountant, and Company Director.
Brooke has appeared on numerous national TV and Radio programs including ABC's The Drum, NITV's The Point, ABC RN’s Soul Search, God Forbid, and the Religion & Ethics Report. Brooke shares a message of Reconciliation as friendship across these lands now called Australia. @commongraceaus @brookeprentis.official
LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
SHOW SNIPPETS:
"Just showing the reality of our warming world."
"Together we feel less tired and less alone and so I understand the reality, I can’t afford to be overwhelmed by injustice."
"What I pray is that non-indigenous Christians don’t get overwhelmed, because we actually need you to walk alongside us, to share that burden of injustice."
"It’s the Body of Christ."
"It’s knowing that God is up to something and I want to be part of that something."
"Build us up in our leadership and share that across these lands now called Australia."
"People don’t know."
"The call is still to listen, to learn, and to love."
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Oct 30, 2021
Oct 30, 2021
42 min
What does it actually mean to disciple someone? What is ministry supervision? And why should every ministry have it? These are some of the questions that Sarah Balogh answers in her chat with Taryn today on The Lydia Project. Sarah has a psychology practice in the Blue Mountains in Sydney, which she loves, but she also loves discipling women, caring for people in ministry in her role as a ministry supervisor, enjoying her family and supporting her husband in his role as the CEO of the Gospel Coalition, Australia.
EPISODE NOTES:
What does it actually mean to disciple someone? What is ministry supervision? And why should every ministry have it? These are some of the questions that Sarah Balogh answers in her chat with Taryn today on The Lydia Project. Sarah has a psychology practice in the Blue Mountains in Sydney, which she loves, but she also loves discipling women, caring for people in ministry in her role as a ministry supervisor, enjoying her family and supporting her husband in his role as the CEO of the Gospel Coalition, Australia.
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Sarah Balogh is a Christian, wife, mother, friend, psychologist, ministry supervisor and flower appreciator. She’s also a women’s chaplain at Moore College and loves being involved in her local church, Springwood Anglican. Sarah lives in the Blue Mountains, NSW with her husband, Akos and their three children. In the rare moments when she has time, Sarah likes to write. Many of her articles can be found at The Gospel Coalition, Australia.
LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
Ministry Supervision - What It Is and Why Your Ministry Needs It
Australian Fellowship of Evangelical Students (AFES)
Dane Ortlund - Gentle and Lowly
Sarah Balogh.com - Ministry Supervision
SHOW SNIPPETS:
“Our house was always full of church, the bible and people.”
“Life was faith and faith was life.”
“As a young Christian, this was life, true life, if the gospel was true, which I believe it is, then He demanded my whole life.”
“I have a real heart for discipling women.”
“In practical terms, we should always be looking out for someone to disciple.”
“Sometimes God is more interested in our holiness than our happiness.”
“Often there are gaps between what we say we believe and what we do. A ministry supervisor can help fill the gaps.”
“Some of our children by be like dandelions - they can grow anywhere, while others are like orchids - they need a little more care.”
One of my favourite sayings is “I can only do what I can only do. The rest goes to the keeper and that’s God!”
“We do life with and for others.”
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