The Marcella Project

In this deeply personal episode, Jackie Roese shares why she’s stepping away from the mic. Jackie opens up about pain, purpose, and presence with spine surgery on the horizon and a sacred calling to train women to preach. She reflects on what it means to honor a beautifully good body, why women must preach, and how God shows up—even when we’re laid low. This isn’t a goodbye. It’s a benediction. To anyone wrestling with calling, chronic pain, and what it means to be faithful when life rearranges you—this one’s for you.

In this powerful and unfiltered conversation, Jackie sits down with Janet Ables—pastor, author, and leadership coach—to expose what it’s really like for women serving in male-dominated ministry spaces. From unequal pay and lack of titles to the subtle (and not-so-subtle) messaging that keeps women “one down,” Jackie and Janet share personal stories, theological insights, and hard-earned wisdom. Why does it matter if your church has a woman on staff? Because when women are in leadership, it expands the lens through which Scripture is interpreted, gives voice to half the congregation’s lived experiences, and reminds every woman in the pew that she, too, is made in the image of God—with gifts worth using and a calling worth honoring. Whether you’re in vocational ministry or simply attend a church, this episode will open your eyes to why women in leadership deeply matter—for all of us. Three Questions: Take a moment to think about who you were before the world told you who you should be. What do you think is your native way of being—who you’ve always been at your core? If you were exactly the same person you were at age 7—but grown—what would still be true about you? What’s stayed unchanged about how you move through the world? Take a breath and think of a moment when you felt most yourself. Not performing. Not proving. Just present. What did that version of you feel like?

In this introspective episode, Jackie invites listeners to explore a foundational question: What is your native way of being in the world? Rather than diving straight into behavior or belief, she challenges us to uncover our truest self—our Imago Dei—before the world told us who we should be. She introduces the concept of a rule of life, not as a rigid list of dos and don’ts, but as a gentle structure or trellis that supports spiritual growth rooted in who we truly are. Drawing from ancient Christian practices, the Desert Mothers and Fathers, the Rule of St. Benedict, and modern voices like John Mark Comer and Parker Palmer, Jackie suggests that a life of flourishing begins with reclaiming our birthright self. Jackie shares her own journey, reflecting that her native way of being is captured in the word WITH—a value that has shown up across her life in relationships, presence, and ministry. She encourages listeners to consider what has always been true about themselves, especially before the pressures of performance, ego, or cultural roles set in. This episode blends spiritual reflection with practical tools, offering questions for personal discovery and inviting listeners to create a rule of life rooted in their truest identity, not their striving. It’s an empowering reminder that we aren’t here to manufacture a holy life but to live from the goodness already woven into us. Links for the episode John Mark Comer, https://www.practicingtheway.org/ Parker Palmer, Let Your Life Speak https://www.amazon.com/Let-Your-Life-Speak-Listening/dp/0787947350 Three Questions: Take a moment to think about who you were before the world told you who you should be. What do you think is your native way of being—who you’ve always been at your core? If you were exactly the same person you were at age 7—but grown—what would still be true about you? What’s stayed unchanged about how you move through the world? Take a breath and think of a moment when you felt most yourself. Not performing. Not proving. Just present. What did that version of you feel like?

Tired of what’s happening in politics? Me too. I’m reposting an episode to remind us, we need to dream bigger — like Nazareth-big. I’m making the case for why my write-in vote this election would go to Mary, the mother of Jesus. In this episode, I sit down with the fierce and wise Adrienne Gibson—a therapist, mom, preacher, recent seminary grad, and now co-author with Dr. Scot McKnight (yeah, that Scot McKnight!). Adrienne just finished our She Can Teach training at The Marcella Project, and y’all—her Palm Sunday sermon was We dive deep into the toll life takes on women’s bodies. Adrienne says, “We women are living in dysregulated bodies—and it’s gonna kill us.” We unpack what that means, how it shows up in her therapy practice, and how women’s exhaustion isn’t just about busyness—it’s about systems, trauma, and the deep need for collective care. Then, we pull back the curtain on complementarianism—what it is, how it harms, and why it’s not about Jesus. Adrienne shares what trauma research revealed to her about power, patriarchy, and the stories women bring into her office. It’s raw, real, and deeply relevant. And because we just celebrated Easter, we talk incarnation, resurrection, and what it means that God gets up. How does that speak to women who feel stuck, silenced, or shattered? Finally, we get the scoop on Adrienne’s upcoming book and how you can work with her. This one is for the woman holding everything together and wondering why she feels like she’s falling apart. You’re not alone—and there’s another way forward. We’ll explore how Mary’s life experience — her leadership, her suffering, her faith — makes her more qualified than most modern candidates. Plus, I’ll midrash a little, take a few playful swings at politics-as-usual, and offer a fresh vision for leadership rooted in compassion, courage, and relentless hope. Because honestly? We don’t just need a President. We need a Mother. And Mary gets my vote.

Tired of what’s happening in politics? Me too. I’m reposting an episode to remind us, we need to dream bigger — like Nazareth-big. I’m making the case for why my write-in vote this election would go to Mary, the mother of Jesus. Forget the mudslinging, the super PACs, and the endless superlatives — what we need in the Oval Office is the guts, grit, and grace of a woman who survived patriarchal oppression, political refugeeship, and raising the Savior of the world. (And did it all without a social media manager.) We’ll explore how Mary’s life experience — her leadership, her suffering, her faith — makes her more qualified than most modern candidates. Plus, I’ll midrash a little, take a few playful swings at politics-as-usual, and offer a fresh vision for leadership rooted in compassion, courage, and relentless hope. Because honestly? We don’t just need a President. We need a Mother. And Mary gets my vote.