What the Church Needs to Know About a Woman’s Highest Calling | Dr. Sandra Glahn

What is a woman’s highest calling in God’s eyes? And how does the church sometimes miscommunicate about what this calling truly is?

In this heartfelt episode of Hear Women, Dorina Lazo Gilmore-Young sits down with Dr. Sandra Glahn—author, seminary professor, and scholar—to uncover what it means to be a Christian woman when your life doesn’t fit the often expected script of marriage and motherhood.

Together, they open up about the unspoken struggles of infertility, the pain of failed adoptions, and the silent grief that many women carry. Glahn shares how church culture, outdated scholarship, and unseen suffering can leave women feeling adrift and unsure of their God-given purpose. Their discussion challenges the church to embrace lament, support all forms of grief, and recognize that a woman’s highest call is not limited to motherhood.

If you’re curious about a woman's place and purpose in Scripture, the church, and the academy, tune in to learn from Glahn’s expert biblical insights, clarifying wisdom, and comforting pastoral heart.

This episode highlights the following themes:
✅ Why a woman’s worth isn’t tied to motherhood
✅ The importance of lament and honest grief in the Christian life
✅ How Christian culture shapes a woman’s sense of purpose—and how to rethink those messages

Links from this episode:
✅ Learn more about Dr. Sandra Glahn (sandraglahn.com/)
✅ Preorder Dr. Sandra Glahn’s book, A Woman’s Place Is in the Story (www.ivpress.com/a-woman-s-place-is-in-the-story)
✅ Read Dr. Sandra Glahn’s book, Nobody’s Mother (www.ivpress.com/nobody-s-mother)
✅ Check out Julie Fowler’s book, Treasures in the Waiting (www.amazon.com/Treasures-Waiting-Finding-Companionship-Infertility/dp/B0D8Q5T8M8)
✅ Read the transcript here (drive.google.com/file/d/1RIa9e4bAORyXTeWJXvxwtzj7dER3lAH1/view)
✅ Learn more about Hear Women (www.ivpress.com/hear-women-podcast)
✅ Learn more about your hosts, Dorina Lazo Gilmore-Young (www.ivpress.com/dorina-lazo-gilmore-young), Nijay Gupta (www.ivpress.com/nijay-k-gupta), and Tara Beth Leach (www.ivpress.com/tara-beth-leach)
✅ Read Redeemer (www.ivpress.com/redeemer) by Dorina Lazo Gilmore-Young
✅ Read Tell Her Story (www.ivpress.com/tell-her-story) by Nijay Gupta
✅ Read Emboldened (www.ivpress.com/emboldened) by Tara Beth Leach

SPECIAL OFFER | Visit ivpress.com (ivpress.com/) and use the code IVPHEAR40 for 40% off and free shipping on any IVP resource mentioned in this episode.

FOLLOW THE CALL | Visit truett.seminary.baylor.edu to register for the inaugural Follow the Call: A Conference for Women in Ministry, hosted by Baylor University’s Truett Seminary.

SPONSOR | Hear Women is sponsored by Northern Seminary, where thousands of women have been equipped to serve as pastors, practitioners, church planters, and ministry leaders across the globe. Explore your calling and visit seminary.edu (www.seminary.edu/) to learn more.

Credits:
✅ Producers: Christine Pelliccio Melo, Helen Lee, and Travis Albritton
✅ Research Assistants: Abby Lee and Jazmin Rose
✅ Sound Engineering: Honest Podcasts (honestpodcasts.com/)
✅ Social Media Manager: Makayla Payne
✅ Podcast Art: Kate Lillard
✅ Theme Song: "Organica" by Artax

==== Time Stamps ====

00:00 – Introduction
01:12 – About Dr. Sandra Glahn, Motherhood, and the “Highest Calling”
05:30 – Rethinking Christian and Cultural Narratives
07:31 – Re-reading Scripture and Seeing New Purpose
08:42 – Why We Need to Tell Our Stories of Grief
11:24 – The Healing Power of Narrative and Truth-telling
15:45 – From Grief to Bioethics and Faith in Action
18:38 – All Ears: Reflections from the IVP Team
21:05 – Why Our Stories Matter in Formation
21:35 – Reading the Bible’s “Problem Passages” on Women
23:59 – Real Pastoral Care for Infertility
28:26 – Lament Is Biblical
32:16 – What the Church Gets Wrong About Grief
34:46 – Women Doing Good Work in Lament and Grief
36:26 – What the Book of Ruth Really Teaches

Disclaimer: The comments, views, and opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the host and/or the guests featured on the podcast and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of InterVarsity Press or InterVarsity Christian Fellowship.