Velvet Ashes Legacy Podcast

What exactly is Velvet Ashes, and who is it for? In this episode of the Velvet Ashes Legacy Podcast, Denise and Sarah pull back the curtain and invite you into the heart behind the ministry.

Velvet Ashes began with a simple desire: for women serving cross-culturally to have a place where they could be known and understood without having to explain every layer of their lives. More than a collection of resources, Velvet Ashes began as...

This month, Denise and Sarah jump into the topic of jealousy. Using stories from Helen Roseveare, Isabel Kuhn, Elisabeth Elliot, and Amy Carmichael, they dig into the potential disguises of jealousy and comparison, and chat what to do if you see jealousy coming up in your life. We hope you join us for this conversation!

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Featured music is "Doxology of Mer...

Aubri Casey knows what it's like to serve faithfully while quietly carrying more than anyone can see. After over ten years living and serving cross-culturally with her family, unexpected transitions, health challenges, and the weight of ministry reshaped her understanding of what true rest looks like.

Now, as Associate Director of Adult Debriefing with TRAIN International, Aubri spends her days helping global workers unpack the stor...

What does it cost to give your life away quietly?

In this month’s Velvet Ashes Legacy Podcast, Sarah sits down with author Jordan Monson to explore the remarkable story of Katharine “Katy” Barnwell—a woman whose influence on Bible translation shaped millions of lives, even though most people have never heard her name.

Born in London during the Blitz, Katie’s story begins in the shadow of war and unfolds ...

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,...

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 ...

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...

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...

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...

This month on the Velvet Ashes Legacy Podcast, Denise and Sarah open the episode with a joyful December check-in and a little book talk—because what better way to start a conversation than with reading rhythms and favorite formats from our community?

But the heart of this episode is something deeply special. Sarah sits down with her former professor, Rick Clark, to talk about the extraordinary life and legacy of his mother, Ma...

What if rest isn’t a reward after burnout—but part of how God designed us to live and serve?

This month on the Velvet Ashes Legacy Podcast, Denise talks with Nathan and Tricia LaGrange of Oasis Rest International—a ministry offering safe spaces of renewal for global workers around the world. 🌍

They share how God gave them a vision for helping others find true rest—body, mind, and soul.

Tune in and be reminded:...

This month we’re welcoming a new theme song and diving into stories of resilience, refuge, and calling. Denise and Sarah share favorite cross-cultural kitchen gadgets (yes, rice cookers and electric kettles make the list!) and talk about creating safe spaces when home doesn’t always feel safe. They highlight upcoming Velvet Ashes events—including the Equip Conference and the Unplugged Retreat—designed to sup...

Denise and Sarah kick things off with something lighthearted—our recent Instagram poll on pen preference. Yes, pens! Because sometimes delighting in the little things—like whether you love a bold gel pen or a fine-tip ballpoint—really does matter.

Then we’ll turn to something deeper as we hear Dawn’s story from Italy. She shares how God has been at work in her life and how attending the Velvet Ashes In-...

God has woven the language of story into the fabric of Scripture, inviting us into His grand narrative of redemption. And here we are, in the middle. The middle of our own stories, with all their beauty, brokenness, questions, and quiet miracles.

We want to share more of your stories this upcoming season on the Legacy podcast! Do you have a story of a way you have seen God work? A way he has brought comfort or joy in a hard season? ...

In this episode, we explore the remarkable life and legacy of F. Grace Allen, a little-known but deeply influential Free Methodist global worker who spent 53 years serving in Southern Africa. Born in 1864 to a devout Methodist family, Grace’s calling to the mission field led her to Portuguese East Africa and later to Fairview Mission Station in South Africa, where she built a home and school for marginalized girls. Through de...

In this episode, Sarah and Denise dive into the complicated nature of home—how it shifts, stretches, and sometimes splinters as we live across cultures. Drawing from their own experiences around the world, they reflect on what it means to belong, how home can be more of a feeling than a place, and the surprising ways God meets us in the in-between. Whether you're longing for home, rebuilding it, or redefining it, this convers...

In this episode of the Velvet Ashes Legacy Podcast, we welcome Dr. Kendal P. Mobley to explore the life and legacy of Helen Barrett Montgomery — a pioneering educator, preacher, translator, and leader in the early women’s missionary movement. Dr. Mobley shares stories from Helen’s childhood, her passion for social reform in Rochester, and her deep commitment to missions as a form of Kingdom work. We also take a th...

In this episode, Cindy Wu shares her journey of faith and service, exploring the intersection of cross-cultural work, hospitality, and justice. With a heart for the marginalized and a deep understanding of cross-cultural ministry, Cindy unpacks what it means to welcome the stranger and embody the love of Christ in tangible ways. Join us as we discuss her experiences, the lessons she's learned, and how we can all cultivate a spirit ...

This month on the Legacy Podcast, we explore the extraordinary life of Volahavana Germaine, known as “Nenilava.” Her bold faith and unwavering spirit carried herthrough immense challenges as she ministered in Madagascar and beyond.

Guiding us through her story is Reverend Dimbiniaina H. Randrianasulu—Reverend Andry—an ordained clergy in the Lutheran Church of Madagascar and Nenilava’s godson. His person...