Embrace Your Strengths

EP !87 Finding Hope and Healing through Lament with Erin Rodrigues

Erin's Top 5 CliftonStrengths are: Empathy, Developer, Harmony, Belief and Includer 

Erin Rodrigues is a Texas girl serving with Cru in Queens, NY with her family. She gained a heart for the world on an overseas summer mission as a college student, and, in a surprising twist to everyone around her, was won over by the vision of the gospel advancing throughout NYC. Eight years, a lot of coffee with students, a husband, and two baby girls later (one with Jesus and one in her arms), she continues to learn to trust Jesus in all the ways she never expected. 

Erin’s ideal day involves a very slow morning, a black cup of coffee from the beans roasted in her kitchen, and dinner with friends at any of her favorite Queens restaurants.

One of her recent  favorite books that has helped her in her journey is Dark Clouds Deep Mercy by Mark Vroegop

Find out your strengths by taking the CliftonStrengths Top 5 Assessment  

Workshops and Coaching with Barbara Culwell

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EP 186 Passionately Leading The Women of Pader, Uganda with Holly Williamson

Holly's Top 5 CliftonStrengths are:  Developer, Connectedness, Relator, Achiever and Adaptability 

Holly first visited Pader, Uganda in 2013. when she felt an immediate connection and a call from God to help the women restart their lives after a 20-year war in Northern Uganda. She founded the Non Profit The Women Of Pader Uganda to help provide a variety of programs and projects  with goals of brining hope healing and empowerment to the women and community with a foundation in Christ and intentional relationships. 

She travels to Pader three times a year with groups to come alongside these women in various ways. 

Holly lives in Austin, Texas and  is a wife, mother to two adult sons and joyful grandmother to 4 sweet children.   

 You can learn about The Women of Pader Uganda here.

Follow what they are doing on Instgram  or Facebook.   

Find out your strengths by taking the CliftonStrengths Top 5 Assessment  

Workshops and Coaching with Barbara Culwell

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EP 185 Living Purposefully as a Father and Pastor with His God Given Strengths with BJ Chandler

BJ's top 5 CliftonStrengths are: Woo, Communication, Maximizer, Input and Competition

BJ  met Jesus on a very hungover walk across campus his freshman year at the University of Florida (Go Gators!). He graduated with a history degree and a lifelong conviction: God is always faithful to His promises. Through college ministry, he met his wife Rachel, and nearly eight years later, they’re raising 3.2 kids—Elijah, Gracie, Mackenzie Joy, and “Fluffy,” due December ’25!

BJ serves as the Director of Multiplication at the Church of Eleven22, where he helps people “get in the game” with the mission of God. When he’s not chasing around people telling them to give their lives to Jesus and the Great Commission, you can find him coaching Eli’s little league team, shooting clays at the skeet range, or nurturing a rack of ribs on the back porch smoker.

Find out your strengths by taking the CliftonStrengths Top 5 Assessment  

Workshops and Coaching with Barbara Culwell

Subscribe & Leave a Review on Embrace Your Strengths

 

EP 184 In Her Sweet Spot as a Therapist with Salena Allen

Sal's Top 5 CliftonStrengths are:  Empathy, Belief, Connecteness, Adaptability and Woo 

Sal lives in Fort Worth, TX.  and is  a licensed therapist. She feels strongly Jesus has set her apart for this work and continually feels  honored to walk with so many women on their healing journey. When she is  not counseling women, she  enjoy keeping up with Texas Tech sports, solo dates at local coffee shops, traveling, and time with family, friends, and her cats!

 

You can connect with her about counseling at His Story Counseling  

or by email at salena.allen@cru.org 

 

Find out your strengths by taking the CliftonStrengths Top 5 Assessment  

Workshops and Coaching with Barbara Culwell

Subscribe & Leave a Review on Embrace Your Strengths

 

 

EP183 Strengths Based Onboarding that Builds Connections with Suzanne Trotter

Suzanne's Top 5 Clifton Strengths are: Harmony, Empathy, Arranger, Connectedness & Activator.

Suzanne Fox Trotter is an Associate Professor and the Director of Student Affairs at the Tufts University Doctor of Physical Therapy Program in Seattle. A proud Auburn Tiger, she began her academic journey in Public Relations but felt a powerful calling to physical therapy—and she’s never looked back. Suzanne earned her Master’s in Physical Therapy from Emory University in 1995 and went on to complete her Doctor of Science at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in 2014. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapists, a recognition of her dedication to advanced clinical practice and dedication to lifelong learning. Suzanne is also one of the co-founders of Tesoro Project, a nonprofit organization committed  that is on mission  to empower healthcare leaders to heal and transform lives primarily in local Guatemalan communities. 

Find out your strengths by taking the CliftonStrengths Top 5 Assessment  

Workshops and Coaching with Barbara Culwell

Subscribe & Leave a Review on Embrace Your Strengths

 

EP 182 Legacy Wisdom from a Grammie called “Honey" with Beth English

Beth's Top 5 CliftonStrengths are: Ideation, Input, Connectedness, Learner & Intellection 

Mother of four, grandmother of 1, Beth English has learned the refining power of waiting years to be a mother and grandmother. If there are encouragement cheerleaders in heaven, Beth wants to be one. She delights in small group discussions like the ones she has had mentoring women for over 50 years with Cru. She and her husband, David, frequently speak on Phases of
Life for women and men. Her book, The Unextinguished Light, speaks to what it means to have a truly significant life. It is available at the bookstore at davidaenglish.com

Embrace Your Strengths EP 97 Called to Encourage with Beth English

Find out your strengths by taking the CliftonStrengths Top 5 Assessment  

Workshops and Coaching with Barbara Culwell

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EP 181 Serving with Joy: Loving Her Bonus Career Adventure with Patti Chesney

Patti's Top 5 CliftonStrengths are: Relator, Learner, Focus, Achiever & Maximizer 

Patti  has experienced Austin’s transformation since arriving at The University of Texas. With a degree in civil engineering, she spent the early part of her career collaborating with developers and planners to design subdivisions in Austin in the 1980s. During this time, she also began investing in Austin real estate, giving her firsthand experience with the city’s dynamic housing market.  As she raised her family, Patti embraced her role as an educator, which allowed her to connect with people from various Austin communities. Her passion for helping with housing continued to grow, and over the years, she has become a trusted consultant to family and friends, helping them unlock the potential in their homes and maximize living spaces.

Patti’s real estate business is driven by her friendly approach and systematic problem-solving skills, cultivated through her engineering and math teacher background. Her approach is built on strong relationships, clear communication, and a commitment to efficient, streamlined processes. Whether you are  buying, selling, or looking to invest, Patti leverages her deep
knowledge of Austin and her growth mindset to help her clients achieve their housing goals.  When she’s not working, you’ll find Patti exploring Austin’s neighborhoods, reading or listening to books, cheering on her grandchildren with her husband or enjoying the mountains of Colorado with her two children and their families.

You can learn more about Patti at Patti Chesney Realtor

Follow her  Patti Chesney Realtor on Instagram

Call her: 512:891-9585

Find out your strengths by taking the CliftonStrengths Top 5 Assessment  

Workshops and Coaching with Barbara Culwell

Subscribe & Leave a Review on Embrace Your Strengths

EP 180 Outgrowing Doubt, Growing in Strengths with Brittany Green

Brittany's Top 5 CliftonStrengths are: Relator, Positivity, Developer, Communication & Adaptability 

Brittany  is a wife, adoptive mom, former foster mom, and the Executive Director of Radiance Women’s Center—a life-affirming pregnancy resource center serving women and families facing unplanned pregnancies. With a heart for the vulnerable and a passion for walking with others through hard seasons, Brittany brings a unique blend of compassion, leadership, and faith to both her family and her ministry.

Her personal journey as an adoptive and foster mom has deepened her commitment to seeing every life as valuable and every story as redeemable. Through her role at Radiance, she leads a team dedicated to offering free, Christ-centered services like pregnancy tests, ultrasounds, compassionate care, and material support—so no mom or dad has to walk alone.

Whether at home or in the community, Brittany is driven by a desire to be the hands and feet of Jesus, helping others flourish even in the most unlikely places.

Radiance Women's Center

Find out your strengths by taking the CliftonStrengths Top 5 Assessment  

Workshops and Coaching with Barbara Culwell

Subscribe & Leave a Review on Embrace Your Strengths

 

 

 

 

EP 179 Revisiting Strengths Confirmed Her Next Ministry Season with Faye Waidley

Faye's Top 5 CliftonStrengths are:,Responsibility, Consistency, Harmony, Belief and Restorative 

Faye has been on Cru Staff for 41 years and currently serves as the Cru City Director of Oneness and Diversity.  She believes God has called His people to be bridge builders in our polarized world and seeks to live out that reality through her life and ministry. 

Faye has been married to John for 42 years. She loves being Mom to Josh, Alex, and Kathryn. She absolutely loves being the “Tutu” (Hawaiian for “Grandmother”) to her two rambunctious grandsons, Liam, age 10 and Gabriel, age 6. 

You can follow Faye on Instagram @fwaidly

Find out your strengths by taking the CliftonStrengths Top 5 Assessment  

Workshops and Coaching with Barbara Culwell

Subscribe & Leave a Review on Embrace Your Strengths

 

EP 178 Loving Her Work, Living in Her Strengths with Kari Kennedy

Kari's Top 5 CliftonStrengths are:  Woo, Activator, Communication, Connectedness & Developer 

In 1998, at her first Cru Winter Conference, Kari stood to her feet as Bill Bright laid out a challenge inviting students to fully surrender their lives to Christ. Though she had no idea what that meant at the time, it launched her toward a life of connecting others to Jesus.

Kari spent 15 years with Cru’s campus ministry, leading teams in Texas and Oklahoma, but it was her time in Ethiopia that shaped her heart for the world. Gripped by a desire to reach the unreached, she spent five years as a Global Missions Director before joining Jesus Film Project in 2017. (total yrs on staff 24)

Kari’s love for connecting the body of Christ to kingdom resources along with her experience serving in Global Partnerships, Global Expansion, and Digital Strategies naturally led to her current role as Director of Global Expansion. She brings two decades of experience to her role and a passion for seeing the Great Commission fulfilled.

When she isn’t on a plane, she enjoys hosting others in her Atlanta home. You might stop by for a bowl of jambalaya but you’ll stay for a life-giving dose of southern hospitality.

Learn About The Jesus Film

Follow Kari on Instagram

Follow Kari on Facebook

Find out your strengths by taking the CliftonStrengths Top 5 Assessment  

Workshops and Coaching with Barbara Culwell

Subscribe & Leave a Review on Embrace Your Strengths