Velvet Ashes Legacy Podcast

In this episode of the Velvet Ashes Legacy Podcast, we explore the quiet but powerful theme of feeling like an imposter—especially in the unique spaces women navigate cross-culturally. Through an honest and hope-filled conversation with Jenn Chang, we unpack the tension between calling and doubt, confidence and comparison, and the ways imposter syndrome can take root in our stories.
Jenn shares from her own leadership journey, offering insight, language, and encouragement for women who wonder if they truly belong in the spaces God has placed them. This conversation is an invitation to name what feels hidden, to release comparison, and to step more fully into the person God created you to be.
Learn more about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Velvet Ashes⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
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Featured music is "Doxology of Mercy" by Eine Blume. Check out more from them on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠iTunes⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or wherever you get music!
We are grateful to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Barnabas International⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for sponsoring this podcast! Barnabas is a member care organization that shepherds global workers and trains global shepherds. Learn more about them ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.
Learn more about Yield Leadership Coaching
The Mission Leaders Blog
Blog posts on Women in Leadership
Check out the Velvet Ashes Membership Community

What are you listening to in the midst of all the noise?
The world hums with urgency, headlines, and endless voices—yet beneath it all, there is a quieter invitation: to listen for what is true, steady, and unseen.
In this episode, we sit with the weight many are carrying and the sacred practice of tuning our hearts again.
We also step into the story of John and Betty Stam—a story marked by courage, surrender, and a faith that echoes far beyond their years.
A story that asks us: what does it look like to listen… and to trust… with open hands?
Learn more about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Velvet Ashes⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Follow Velvet Ashes on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Featured music is "Doxology of Mercy" by Eine Blume. Check out more from them on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠iTunes⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or wherever you get music!
We are grateful to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Barnabas International⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for sponsoring this podcast! Barnabas is a member care organization that shepherds global workers and trains global shepherds. Learn more about them ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.
Learn more about our Online Retreat for this year, Listen: Hear My Voice
Check out Andrew's book, By Life or by Death: The Life and Legacy of John and Betty Stam
The new Velvet Ashes book, Yet We Still Laugh, is available on ⁠⁠⁠Amazon⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠Barnes & Noble

What does it really mean to retreat?
In this month’s episode, the entire Velvet Ashes team — Denise Beck, Danielle Wheeler, and Sarah Hilkemann — gathers for a behind-the-scenes conversation about the heart, history, and hope of Velvet Ashes retreats.
What started years ago as a simple experiment — an online invitation for women scattered across the globe to step away and meet with God — has grown into a sacred annual rhythm for cross-cultural workers worldwide. In this episode, you’ll hear how retreat first began, how it has evolved over the years, and why it continues to matter so deeply.
Danielle shares the heart behind this year’s theme: learning to recognize and respond to God’s voice. In a world filled with noise, fear, and competing messages, so many women ask: How do I know it’s really Him? This retreat gently and honestly explores that longing — creating space to sift through distractions, confusion, and doubt so we can listen more deeply to the One who is always speaking.
Learn more about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Velvet Ashes⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Follow Velvet Ashes on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Featured music is "Doxology of Mercy" by Eine Blume. Check out more from them on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠iTunes⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or wherever you get music!
We are grateful to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Barnabas International⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for sponsoring this podcast! Barnabas is a member care organization that shepherds global workers and trains global shepherds. Learn more about them ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.
Want to go deeper with the Velvet Ashes community? Learn more about Friends, Circle and Inner Circle levels of membership connection here.
Register for this year's Listen Online Retreat.

What does a faithful life look like when the fruit isn’t always visible right away?
In this month’s episode, Sarah talks with Jeff Barker about the life of Arlene Schuiteman—a Midwest farm girl whose quiet yes to God carried her across Africa and shaped generations to come. Listen in and be reminded that God is always at work, even when we can’t yet see it.
Learn more about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Velvet Ashes⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Follow Velvet Ashes on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Featured music is "Doxology of Mercy" by Eine Blume. Check out more from them on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠iTunes⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or wherever you get music!
We are grateful to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Barnabas International⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for sponsoring this podcast! Barnabas is a member care organization that shepherds global workers and trains global shepherds. Learn more about them ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.
Learn more about how to be part of the Velvet Ashes community
Check out Jeff's books about Arlene on Amazon: Sioux Center Sudan, Iowa Ethiopia, Zambia Home, and Whispers from the Lord: A Missionary Nurse's Journal
Performance of Sioux Center Sudan, a play written about Arlene's life
Performance of Iowa Ethiopia, a play about another part of Arlene's life
The new Velvet Ashes book, Yet We Still Laugh, is available on ⁠⁠Amazon⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠Barnes & Noble

What happens when everything that once defined you—your strength, your calling, your ability to serve—falls away?
In this episode of the Velvet Ashes Legacy Podcast, Denise and Sarah sit down with Joy, a former medical global worker and physician assistant whose life and ministry were radically reshaped after severe illness brought her fast-paced, highly productive life to a sudden halt. What followed was a long, painful wilderness season marked by loss, waiting, and deep questions about identity, worth, and God’s goodness.
This conversation is an invitation to anyone who feels stripped, sidelined, or unsure of who they are when they can no longer “do.” It’s a reminder that the wilderness is not punishment—but a place where God meets us with comfort, identity, and surprising goodness.
Learn more about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Velvet Ashes⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Follow Velvet Ashes on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Featured music is "Doxology of Mercy" by Eine Blume. Check out more from them on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠iTunes⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or wherever you get music!
We are grateful to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Barnabas International⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for sponsoring this podcast! Barnabas is a member care organization that shepherds global workers and trains global shepherds. Learn more about them ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.
Learn more about the ⁠2026 In-Person Tuscany Retreat
That Sounds Fun Episode 1021
The Uninvited Companion: God's Shaping Us in His Love Through Life's Adversities by Scott Shaum