Women Behind the Words

Episode 89 - When God Calls You Higher: How Saying Yes Changed Everything with Pamela Long

Date: October 7, 2025
Podcast Show Notes: Interview with Pamela Long

 

Story Highlights:

In this heartfelt episode of The Women Behind the Words, Debbie Dufek sits down with Pamela Long, founder of Embracing Faith Ministries, to talk about the beauty of saying “yes” to God, even when it stretches us beyond our comfort zone. Pam shares her journey from insecurity to confident obedience, the birth of her ministry, and the lessons she’s learned about humility, leadership, and letting God lead every step.

Pamela opens up about the seasons of insecurity, growth, and restoration that shaped her leadership, and the powerful ways God confirmed His calling along the way. From early church partnerships to navigating leadership transitions, she has learned to hold ministry with open hands, recognizing that everything ultimately belongs to God.

Together, Debbie and Pamela explore:

• How God uses weakness to prepare us for leadership

• What it means to obey God even when it doesn’t make sense

• The importance of structure, humility, and prayer in ministry

• How to let go and trust God through seasons of change

• Why rest and restoration are essential for those who serve

Pam’s story is a reminder that God equips those He calls, and that when we say yes to Him, He does more through us than we could ever imagine on our own.

 

About Our Guest:

Pamela Long was saved at the young age of five years old, but didn’t start to understand God’s love, the Holy Spirit’s leading, and His word until 2003, when she found herself with a giant hole in her life that nothing was able to fill. This trial drew her back to the church and into a closer encounter with Jesus. Pam’s journey of learning God’s love has been filled with trials, lessons, growth, and healing, and she wouldn’t trade it for the world.

Pamela is the proud mother of Lucas Long and wife to Richard Long III, and her heart is filled with the joy of making her family a priority.

A mother, wife, sister, friend, prayer warrior, speaker, and founder of Embracing Faith Ministries, Pamela is focused on empowering, equipping, and encouraging women to walk in the callings that God has placed on their lives, as well as encouraging them to fully dive in with God to find their true identities in Jesus.

 

About Embracing Faith Ministries:

Embracing Faith Ministries exists to strengthen women in their walk with God through teaching, conferences, and community. Founded by Pamela Long in 2009, the ministry focuses on equipping women to embrace faith over fear and to step boldly into their God-given assignments.

Pam’s heart is to see women restored, confident, and rooted in the truth that God’s call never depends on perfection, only on obedience.

 

“He must increase, but I must decrease.” — John 3:30

 

Key Takeaways: 

• God’s call to leadership often begins in our weakness.

• True success in ministry comes from obedience, not outcomes.

• Every transition, even the painful ones, can become a doorway to deeper faith.

• Proper structure, humility, and prayerful leadership protect both people and vision.

• Our ministry should always point back to the One who owns it: God Himself.

 

Connect With Pamela: 

Website: www.embracingfaithministries.org
Facebook: Embracing Faith Ministries, LLC
YouTube: Embracing Faith Ministries
Email: embracingFaithministries17@gmail.com

Episode 88 - You Are Enough: A Granddaughter’s Story of Faith, Healing, and Finding Purpose with Sasha Razen

Date: September 25, 2025

Podcast Show Notes: Interview with Sasha Razen

 

Story Highlights: 
In this heartfelt and unscripted episode of The Women Behind the Words, host Debbie Dufek welcomes her granddaughter, Sasha Razen, for a tender grandmother and granddaughter conversation about faith, identity, and the power of speaking life. Debbie opens with a brief apology for a two week break and then invites listeners into a real time story that many families will recognize.
Sasha shares how words spoken over her during a painful breakup left her feeling not enough in her faith. She explains how easily criticism can masquerade as spiritual concern and why our words shape how loved ones see themselves. From there, Debbie and Sasha talk openly to moms, daughters, and sisters about apologizing quickly, approaching hard moments with love, and creating safe spaces where young hearts can talk without fear of judgment.
Sasha then recounts a turning point at a young adult retreat. Feeling hesitant and alone, she sensed God whisper you are enough and learned that He meets us exactly where we are. Returning home, she realized that faith must be personal and daily, not dependent on other people or perfect circumstances. She offers practical encouragement to set aside time with God and to seek fellowship that strengthens rather than replaces a personal walk with Jesus.
Listeners will also hear how God rekindled Sasha’s purpose through dance. After a lifelong family friend reached out, Sasha stepped into a worship dance class and felt a weight lift the moment she walked in. The joy of worship and movement returned as if she had never stopped, reminding her that God delights to guide our steps and restore passion.
Throughout the conversation, Debbie and Sasha speak directly to mothers of teens and to teen girls themselves. The message is simple and strong. Speak life. Apologize quickly. Come to Jesus as you are. You are never too far to come back.

 

About Our Guest:
Sasha Razen is eighteen and currently lives in New York with her Aunt Glory while her mom and sisters live in Texas. She is close with her big extended family and loves pouring into the younger kids in her world, especially her cousins and little sisters. Sasha is passionate about kindness, being a safe place for middle school girls, and speaking life into others. After attending a young adult retreat that changed her perspective, she began rebuilding daily rhythms of time with God. A lifelong lover of movement, Sasha recently returned to dance through a worship class and is excited to follow where God leads next.

 

Takeaway for Moms and Daughters:
This conversation is full of practical wisdom you can carry into your own family life:

• For Moms. Speak one life giving word over your daughter this week and follow it with a prayer together.

• For Daughters. Write down a truth you’ve learned about being enough in God’s eyes and keep it where you’ll see it daily.

• For Sisters & Friends. Apologize quickly when words sting and remind each other of the love that holds stronger than mistakes.

• For Mentors. Be intentional. Invite a younger girl for coffee or a walk and ask how you can encourage her faith today.

Closing Thought:
You do not have to get cleaned up to come to God. He meets you where you are and calls you enough because He is enough. Mothers, daughters, sisters, and friends, let your words carry life. Apologize fast, love deeply, and keep coming back to Jesus together.

Episode 87 - Finding God in Nature: 52 Hiking Devotions with Maureen E. Wise

Date: September 5, 2025
Podcast Show Notes: Interview with Maureen E. Wise

 

Story Highlights:
In this inspiring episode of The Women Behind the Words, host Debbie Dufek welcomes Maureen E. Wise, a woman whose gentle and beautiful message is sure to encourage your soul. Together, they dive into her newest book, Strength for My Path: 52 Devotions from the Hiking Trail, a collection of weekly reflections designed to be pondered while hiking or spending time in God’s creation.

Maureen shares how nature has been a vital part of her spiritual journey, reminding us of the example Jesus set when He withdrew to quiet places in creation to meet with His Father. She encourages us to follow that same pattern, finding refreshment, peace, and strength through the beauty of the outdoors.

In their conversation, Debbie and Maureen explore:

• The accessibility and affordability of hiking as a spiritual practice
• How time on the trail quiets distractions so we can better connect with God
• The role of awe and wonder in deepening our appreciation for the vastness and creativity of our Maker
• What it means to practice creation care and live responsibly as stewards of God’s world

For women whose plates already feel full, Maureen offers practical encouragement and creative ideas for weaving time in nature into everyday life. Whether through a long hike, a short walk, or even a few quiet minutes outdoors, she reminds us that nurturing our souls with God in creation is an essential part of both spiritual health and self-care.

 

About Our Guest:
Maureen E. Wise has worked in stream restoration and higher education sustainability and is now employed as a sustainability consultant. She lives in a Cleveland suburb with her husband, young son, and three cats. In addition to her devotional work, Maureen also writes cozy mysteries and other novels under the pen name Iris March.

 

Book Spotlight:
Strength for My Path: 52 Devotions from the Hiking Trail by Maureen E. Wise

This devotional blends daily Scripture and prayer with reflections from the hiking trail. Inside, you’ll find 52 devotions that:

• Provide hiking tips and nature facts
• Encourage responsible creation care
• Heighten your wonder in the world around you
• Deepen your love of God and His creation

Whether you’re preparing for a day hike or simply looking for a few quiet minutes before work, this book is the perfect companion for connecting with your heavenly Father in the beauty of the world He has made.

 

Connect with Maureen E. Wise:
Website: https://maureenewise.com
Pen Name Website (Iris March): https://irismarchbooks.com
Facebook: Maureen E. Wise, Author
Instagram: @irismarchbooks

Episode 86 - We Will Get Through This with Debra Butterfield

Date: August 29, 2025
Podcast Show Notes: Interview with Debra Butterfield

 

Story Highlights:
In this episode of The Women Behind the Words, host Debbie Dufek sits down with Debra Butterfield, an author, Marine Corps veteran, and editor whose life is marked by resilience, faith, and unshakable determination.

Debra’s story begins with a life-changing moment as a teenager: while babysitting during a tornado, nearly every house around her was destroyed, yet she and the children survived unharmed. She says she “grew up that day,” and it became the first of many defining moments that shaped her strength and perseverance.

Her journey hasn’t been without pain. After enduring two failed marriages, one impacted by her husband’s alcoholism and the other shadowed by her daughter’s abuse, Debra chose not to let brokenness define her. Instead, she found healing and strength in her faith and determination to move forward.

From being bullied in school to navigating some of life’s hardest battles, Debra leaned into the encouragement of a teacher who once told her she could accomplish anything she put her hand to. That truth, coupled with her disciplined mindset developed through her service in the Marine Corps, helped her develop her personal motto: Just keep going.

In this heartfelt conversation, Debra shares how her faith in Christ, her commitment to perseverance, and her ability to find joy even in hardship have shaped her into a woman of endurance and hope. Listeners will be inspired to press on, no matter the challenges they face.

 

About Our Guest:
We all begin as beginners. For Debra Butterfield, her writing career started at Focus on the Family, where she worked as a junior copywriter and account/project manager for their in-house ad agency. In 2006, she transitioned into freelance writing, adding freelance editing in 2010. By 2014, she joined CrossRiver Media as an editor, where she has since worked on numerous award-winning books.

Debra is also a Marine Corps veteran, a mother of three adult children (each born in a different decade and state), and a grandmother of two. Her years living abroad in Europe, her military service, and her life experiences have all shaped her into the writer and editor she is today. A graduate of the Jerry B. Jenkins Christian Writers Guild Apprentice program and CLASSeminar, Debra continues to combine her passion for storytelling with her heart for helping others grow as writers.

 

Book Spotlight:
Claiming Her Inheritance by Debra L. Butterfield

A secret beyond her wildest imagination. Will this fierce loner finally find love and acceptance?

Sally Clark, a fifty-eight-year-old Marine Corps veteran stuck in a publishing job she dreads, is praying for a fresh start. When she unexpectedly inherits a substantial sum of money, but with serious conditions attached, her life takes an unpredictable turn.

Traveling to a luxurious Montana ranch, Sally must work alongside the late multi-millionaire’s children and grandchildren for a month. But when suspicious accidents nearly cost her life, she realizes someone may want her gone. Despite her strong Christian faith and willingness to serve others, Sally wrestles with staying where she isn’t wanted.

Can she dig deep, lean on her faith, and find the courage to stay the course?

Claiming Her Inheritance is the fast-moving first book in the Her Inheritance Christian fiction series. Readers who love strong female characters, touches of humor, suspenseful twists, and faith-filled themes will be drawn into this unforgettable story.

 

Connect with Debra Butterfield:
Website: https://DebraLButterfield.com
Email: deb@DebraLButterfield.com
Facebook: Debra L. Butterfield, Author
YouTube: Debra L. Butterfield on YouTube
LinkedIn: Debra L. Butterfield, Editor

Episode 85 - Obedience Equals Opportunity: Faith, Covenant Marriage, and Parenting Through Trials with Heather Dwyer

Date: August 21, 2025
Podcast Show Notes: Interview with Heather Patterson Dwyer

 

Episode Highlights:
In this powerful episode of The Women Behind the Words, host Debbie Dufek sits down with longtime friend and prayer warrior, Heather Patterson Dwyer, for a conversation that is both raw and deeply hope-filled.

Heather opens her heart about the realities of marriage, motherhood, special needs parenting, foster care, and adoption, weaving her story with the thread of God’s faithfulness through every season. With honesty and joy, she shares how obedience to God opens doors to opportunity, even when the path is hard and messy.

From her testimony of salvation to her ongoing journey as a mother of biological, adopted, foster, and special needs children, Heather’s story radiates God’s grace in action. Listeners will hear how the Lord transformed her bitterness into joy, equipped her to stand in her covenant marriage, and gave her the courage to parent through trials that would break many.

Highlights from this episode include:

• The meaning behind the phrase obedience equals opportunity and how it has shaped Heather’s walk with God

• The transformative moment of prayer that changed her life from bitterness to joy

• How to view marriage as a covenant and mission field, even in seasons of struggle

• The reality of raising a severely autistic son while still living with joy and purpose

• The importance of godly female friendships, discipleship, and spiritual soldiers who pray with you in the night

• Why fellowship in the home is vital for families and how it even transforms her son Isaiah’s worship

• Parenting through hardship, including special needs advocacy, sibling struggles, and standing firm in prayer when life feels overwhelming

This heartfelt conversation will stir your faith, challenge your perspective on obedience and marriage, and remind you that God equips us to walk through the messiness of life with His joy, His grace, and His presence.

 

About Our Guest:
Heather Patterson Dwyer is a wife, mother, foster parent, and advocate who has lived a life of obedience and surrender to God’s calling. Married to her high school sweetheart, Tom, for 26 years, Heather is the mother of a severely special needs son, Isaiah, 17, kin gap parent to her niece Alexis, 15, foster parent to a sibling group of three, adoptive mom to twins Hannah and Nathan, and mother to two grown children, Leah, 25, and Ian, 24.

Professionally, Heather has served as a family peer advocate for mental health and prevention services in Albany, New York, and as part of the women’s emergency shelter staff at Capital City Rescue Mission. She previously worked as a registered respiratory therapist in multiple hospitals across upstate New York.

Heather and her husband currently live with their large, beautiful family in upstate New York in a home they see as a miracle from God. Her life is a testament to the power of faith, prayer, and choosing joy in the middle of challenges. 

 

Faith Spotlight:

Heather’s story is living proof that God meets us in the middle of life’s hardest places. From parenting children with special needs to navigating foster care and adoption, she reminds us that obedience to God brings new opportunities and that His grace equips us for the challenges we never thought we could face. Through Scriptures like Psalm 84:11 and Romans 15:13, Heather clings to God’s promises, choosing joy even when life feels overwhelming. Her encouragement is clear: pray over your children, honor your marriage covenant, and lean into fellowship that strengthens your walk with Christ.

 

Connect with Heather:
Heather is active in ministry, discipleship, and prayer within her community. To connect or learn more about her journey, you can reach out through The Women Behind the Words podcast team.

 

Closing Thought:
Obedience may not always be easy, but it always leads to opportunity. Heather’s life reminds us that God never wastes our struggles. When we surrender, trust, and step out in faith, He breathes joy into the messiest parts of our lives and equips us to live out His calling with courage.

Episode 84 - Boundaries: Loving Others Without Losing Yourself with Dana Morehouse

Date: August 15, 2025
Podcast Show Notes: Interview with Deb Dufek and her daughter, Dana Morehouse

 

Story Highlights:
In this heartfelt episode of The Women Behind the Words, host Debbie Dufek sits down with her first-born daughter, Dana Morehouse, for a candid conversation about a topic that affects every part of our lives, boundaries. Do you set them? Do you keep them? And if not, why?

 

Deb and Dana share a real-life moment that unfolded in the middle of Target when a last-minute family birthday party crisis hit. One daughter was exhausted with a house full of sick children and feeling overwhelmed by the promise to host that night. Dana, already fresh off a month of non-stop hosting her son, daughter-in-law, and grandchildren visiting from Switzerland, plus daily visits from her other children and grandchildren, was physically and emotionally drained. On top of that, she was still recovering from skin cancer surgery. When the request came for her to host, Dana took a quiet but firm “pause” to honor her limits.

 

Here’s the twist, after processing, she still said yes. But this time, it wasn’t at the expense of her health or her boundaries. The family rallied together, each person pitching in with food, setup, and cleanup so no one carried the burden alone. It became a powerful example of how protecting your well-being can still leave room for generosity, joy, and connection.

 

Together, Deb and Dana dive deep into the freedom that comes from knowing your capacity, setting healthy limits without guilt, and refusing to be swayed by the pressure of others’ expectations. They share how releasing the need for everyone to operate in the same gifting allows for more grace, understanding, and peace within relationships. Listeners will walk away with practical, faith-filled tools to protect their well-being, love others wholeheartedly, and live from a place of balance and joy.

 

About Our Guest:
Dana Morehouse has been married to her husband, Bill, for 39 years. They have 5 children, 7 grandchildren, and one more on the way, 5 boys and 3 girls. Dana homeschooled her children through 8th grade for 25 years, building a family culture rooted in faith and connection. She loves the thrill of a great garage sale find, eagerly anticipates football season, and treasures every moment with her growing family. Most importantly, Dana cannot imagine life without Jesus at the center.

 

Takeaway Topic:

While there’s no featured book in this episode, the conversation offers a living guide on setting boundaries with grace. Through their personal story, Deb and Dana highlight lessons every listener can apply: knowing when to pause, finding peace in saying no, and creating space for shared responsibility, principles that protect health, deepen relationships, and strengthen faith.

 

Connect with Dana:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/danalesliemorehouse
Instagram: @danajoye

Episode 83 - Seeing My Life Through God’s Eyes with Ann Harrison

Date: August 8, 2025
Podcast Show Notes: Interview with Ann Harrison

 

Story Highlights:
In this powerful and faith-filled episode of The Women Behind the Words, Debbie Dufek welcomes author, poet, and freelance editor Ann Harrison for a deeply personal conversation about trusting God in every season, especially when life looks nothing like what you expected.

Born completely blind due to a medical error shortly after birth, Ann has lived her entire life without physical sight. Yet, what she shares in this episode goes far beyond the physical. Ann invites us into her world, a world where she “sees” through texture and shows us how God has shaped her creativity, calling, and purpose.

Ann recounts her early struggles with anxiety, her transition from fiction to poetry and devotionals, and the healing journey God took her on that changed everything. Her vulnerability is matched with wisdom as she describes the way God met her in her pain and gave her the words to minister to others.

We also take a look behind the scenes of her creative process as she explains how she uses screen reading software, structures her writing days, and stays connected to Scripture and the Spirit of God through journaling and prayer. One standout moment comes when she talks about the lasting influence of Mr. Rogers and the profound way he helped shape her perspective on life and faith.

This conversation is not just about overcoming challenges. It is about stepping into the unique calling God has placed on your life, no matter what stands in the way. If you have ever doubted your voice or your purpose, Ann’s story will remind you that God equips those He calls.

 

About Our Guest:
Ann Harrison is an author, poet, and freelance editor who is totally blind. When she is not editing or writing, you can find her crocheting with a podcast playing in the background or reading a good book on her electronic Braille display.

Her debut devotional, Praying Through the Seasons: Seven Aspects of Prayer and Communion with God, is a heart centered guide to building a meaningful prayer life. She is also the author of The Spirit of Creativity: Inspirational Poems for the Creative at Heart and is currently working on the second book in her devotional series, Walking With God Through The Chapters.

Ann’s work appears in several anthologies including God Things: Hope for the Hurting and the upcoming 540 Writers Community anthology. She serves as a professional writer and freelance content editor with Scrivenings Press and Elk Lake Publishing Inc. Ann lives with her daughter in a tiny house in Rochelle, Georgia, and continues to write stories, devotionals, and poetry that reflect God’s grace and creative power.

 

Book Spotlight:
Praying Through the Seasons: Seven Aspects of Prayer and Communion with God
This self paced devotional is a thoughtful guide to cultivating a more intentional prayer life. Whether you are new to prayer or seeking to deepen your practice, Ann’s book offers Scriptural examples, personal experiences, journal prompts, and creative challenges that walk you through daily communion with God. From corporate prayer to private reflection, each section encourages you to draw closer to the Lord in every season of your life.
Perfect for personal study, small groups, or church communities, this devotional is a beautiful tool to help you hear from God and act on His word.

 

Connect with Ann:
Website: www.annharrisonauthor.com
Facebook: Ann Harrison, Author
Pinterest: @AnnHarrisonAuthor
X (formerly Twitter): @annwrites75
Instagram: @annharrisonauthor
Threads: @annharrisonauthor
YouTube: Ann Harrison Author

 

Closing Thought:
Ann’s life reminds us that even when the world tells us we are limited, God’s vision is bigger. He does not need you to be perfect. He just needs you to say yes.

Episode 82 - A Story of Waiting, Obedience, and the Power of Redemption with Maureen Miller

Date: August 1, 2025

Podcast Show Notes: Interview with Maureen Miller

 

Episode Highlights:
In today’s heartfelt episode of The Women Behind the Words, host Debbie Dufek is joined by the beautiful soul and kindred heart of Maureen Miller, wife, mom, Mosie, writer, encourager, and award-winning author. A connector of people and a true wordsmith, Maureen shares the deeply personal journey behind her debut novel Gideon’s Book, a story God placed on her heart during a season of quiet surrender.

Through vulnerability and wisdom, Maureen invites us into the tension of living what you write. She shares the moment God whispered fiction into her heart, the obedience it took to begin, and the waiting that refined both her message and her character. From rewriting the manuscript entirely to wrestling with themes that mirrored her own life, Maureen’s story is one of transformation, trust, and hope for all of us navigating seasons of delay.

This conversation explores:

• How God nudged Maureen to begin her first novel

• Why fiction felt like a stretch and a surrender

• The trials and delays that served as divine preparation

• What Maureen learned about God, herself, and the creative process in the waiting

• The moment she felt called to start the manuscript over completely

• Whether Gideon’s Book will become part of a series

• The real-life inspirations behind her characters and themes

• Scriptures that carried her through the writing and rewriting process

• How writing something so close to the heart makes it both harder and holier

• Her prayer for how Gideon’s Book will impact readers and draw them closer to Jesus

If you’re a writer, a dreamer, or someone stuck in a long season of not yet, this episode will gently remind you the Author of your life is always writing and He finishes what He begins.

 

About Our Guest:
Maureen Miller has been wife to Bill for 35 years, is mom to three “born-in-her-heart” children, and Mosie to two grand-girls with a third on the way.

A teacher by degree and writer by calling, Maureen has been crafting stories, devotions, and essays for decades. She is an award-winning author featured in over twenty collaborative works including Guideposts’ All God’s Creatures and regularly contributes to both print and online publications including her own blog, Penning Pansies.

Though she identifies as an introvert, Maureen is known as a connector, someone who brings people together for God’s greater purpose. She is passionate about encouraging others to pursue their gifts and grow in their relationship with Jesus.

She is currently finishing her first novel Gideon’s Book and is the author of the children’s title Daisy the Circus Dog. Through all of her work, Maureen hopes to show others the extraordinary character of God revealed in the ordinary moments of life.

 

Book Spotlight: Gideon’s Book
In this captivating time-split Christian novel, Maureen Miller beautifully weaves together three lives on a journey toward healing, purpose, and faith.

2016: Cassie faces a daunting health diagnosis and lingering insecurities when she is given the chance to write a memoir for her friend’s parents. As hidden truths about her past come to light, she must confront where her worth truly lies.

Spring, 1969: Ava Jackson is 19 and in love with her best friend’s brother. A Spring Break trip to Myrtle Beach sets off a chain of events that will alter her future in ways she never expected.

Summer, 1969: Gideon Stallings is a successful architect battling inner doubts. But when he opens a Bible found in his room, a new story takes root in his heart, one that just might change everything.

From Myrtle Beach to Eden, North Carolina, Gideon’s Book is a sweeping tale of faith, self-discovery, and the impact of one life surrendered to God. Inspired by true events and real people, it’s a deeply emotional read that fans of The Notebook and Stepping Heavenward won’t want to miss.

 

Connect with Maureen Miller:
Website & Blog: www.penningpansies.com
Instagram: @penningpansies
Facebook: Penning Pansies
Email: adaisy4you@gmail.com

 

Books by Maureen Miller:

• Daisy the Circus Dog (Children’s Book)

• Gideon’s Book – Published May 2025

• Contributor to 20+ devotionals and collaborative works including Guideposts’ All God’s Creatures

 

Closing Thought:
Maureen ends this episode with a tender prayer for anyone feeling the ache of delay, the fear of beginning, or the fatigue of waiting. Be reminded God sees, He speaks, and He finishes what He starts in you.

 

Next Week on the Podcast:
Don’t miss our powerful conversation with Ann Harrison, a blind author whose testimony proves that our limitations never define us. God does. Tune in for an unforgettable story of courage, creativity, and grace.