Female by Design

Latest Episodes:

Freedom Chat: How You Talk about Your Body (#163) Jul 31, 2023

Show notes

Vagina. Clitoris. Vulva.

Blushing or uncomfortable? Let's talk about the layers of silent shame that impedes you from talking about your body comfortably. You'll hear my personal journey (and recent growth in freedom) as we unpack getting more free, why it matters and how to take steps forward.

You were designed to walk in freedom and joy, living integrated mind, body and spirit. Join this chat and gain insight to take one more small step toward more freedom.

Resources Mentioned:

Growing Desire Challenge

Related Episodes:

Pleasure Series Pt. 2: Female Anatomy, Orgasm 101 and Guiding Your Husband to Your Pleasure with with Dr. Jennifer Degler Episode 93

Pleasure Series Pt. 3: Your Orgasm Questions with Dr. Jennifer Degler Episode 94

Your Wonderful Female Body Series Start Here

Healing and Growing through Sex Therapy with Tish Hedger Episode 103

You're Invited:

Keep learning with Francie! Join the Discipleship Circle group mentorship. This is a SWEET community of women, connected with the purpose of seeking God's heart for their reclaiming a redeemed view of sex and sexuality. Inside the circle, we will explore and discover the good news about God's heart for sex. Learn more here: Discipleship Circle

Listen to Heaven in Your Home Family Music:

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Mentorship with Joyce and Clifford Penner (#162) Jul 24, 2023

Show notes

Let's lean in and glean wisdom from pioneers in sexual discipleship, Dr. Clifford and Joyce Penner. The Penners offer both theologically sound and practical wisdom on sexuality, pleasure, desire and growing a thriving sex life throughout your marriage. In today's conversation we talk about:

Importance of education, understanding and communication
Creating a marvelous sex life
Intentionality and keeping your sex life alive through the seasons and stages of marriage
Healing and growing from shame and feeling "shut down" and disconnected from desire and sexuality
Finding the sweet spot in your marriage to build connection and a thriving sex life.

About Dr. Cliff and Joyce Penner:

The Penners are best known for their pioneer work in encouraging people of all faiths to connect their sexuality with their belief system ─ helping them embrace sex as good and of God. Clifford is a licensed clinical psychologist, received a B.A. from Bethel College in St. Paul, Minnesota, earned an M.A. in theology from Fuller Theological Seminary, and holds a Ph.D. from Fuller's Graduate School of Psychology. Joyce is a registered nurse and clinical nurse specialist, holds a B.S. in nursing from the University of Washington. Her master's degree in psychosomatic nursing and nursing education is from UCLA. They work together as a team to counsel, teach and train.

Connect with them at www.passionatecommitment.com or contact them directly at penners@passionatecommitment.com.

Resources Mentioned:

Getting Your Sex Life Off to a Great Start by Dr. Clifford and Joyce Penner

Enjoy!: The Gift of Sexual Pleasure for Women by Dr. Clifford and Joyce Penner

The Married Guy's Guide to Great Sex by Dr. Clifford and Joyce Penner

Restoring the Pleasure by Dr. Clifford and Joyce Penner

Sex Facts for the Family by Joyce and Cliff Pennerby Dr. Clifordf and Joyce Penner

Healthy Sexuality Parent Guide

You're Invited:

Listen to Heaven in Your Home Family Music:

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Apple Music

YouTube

Connect with Francie:

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How a Flourishing Wife Can Call Forth Holy Masculinity (#161) Jul 17, 2023

Show notes

While you may see your man as a tower of strength, do you know how to honor and even call forth his holy masculinity? The culture seems to be against our men, either pitting their masculinity as toxic or, even worse, placing them in competition or comparison with women.

Challenge yourself to flourish in God's unique role for you as a wife. Learn to come alongside your husband to honor his strength and even speak life and blessing over his sexuality and holy image bearing masculinity. Your journey in loving your husband allows you to see his strength and his vulnerability.

In this episode, you'll hear practical ways to speak life over your husband's sexuality, including a few things that may make you blush. And, you'll learn how to honor your husband when he initiates…even when you are far from feeling ready to connect.

You're Invited:

Listen to Heaven in Your Home Family Music:

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Apple Music

YouTube

Connect with Francie:

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Toxic War on Masculinity with Nancy Pearcey (#160) Jul 10, 2023

Show notes

In the beginning God created us male and female, with intention and purpose. Yet, more and more our culture seems to pit women against men, even to the point of not liking men and seeing their role as harmful. In this episode, we discuss the roots of toxic masculinity and the good news we can see in Biblical manhood (and womanhood) with esteemed scholar Nancy Pearcey, author of "The Toxic War on Masculinity: How Christianity Reconciles the Sexes." Our discussion includes:

Goodness of God's design for male and female
Hostile cultural views of men and masculinity
Favorable data and good news about the impact and role of Jesus-following men
Need for healing and restoration as we seek to have a culture of honor
How to support Biblical manhood, supporting and developing image-bearing manhood

About Nancy Pearcy:

Nancy Pearcey is a bestselling author and speaker. A former agnostic, she was hailed in The Economist as "America's preeminent evangelical Protestant female intellectual." Her work has appeared in The Washington Post, The Washington Times, First Things, Human Events, American Thinker, Daily Caller, The Federalist, CNSNews, and Fox News. She has appeared on NPR, C-SPAN, and Fox & Friends. She is currently a professor and scholar in residence at Houston Christian University. Pearcey's books have been translated into 19 languages and include Total Truth, The Soul of Science, Saving Leonardo, Finding Truth, Love Thy Body, and The Toxic War on Masculinity.

Connect with Nancy at www.nancypearcey.com

Related Episodes:

How a Flourishing Wife Can Call Forth Holy Masculinity Episode 102 Sexual Confusion in Culture & Our Kids Episode 146 Celebrating Gender: Goodness of Male and Female Episode 43

Resources Mentioned:

Love Thy Body by Nancy Pearcey

The Toxic War on Masculinity by Nancy Pearcey

Heaven in Your Home Family Music

You're Invited:

Listen to Heaven in Your Home Family Music:

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YouTube

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Foreplay: Husband Chat (#159) Jun 26, 2023

Show notes

Let's continue the conversation on foreplay with a chat to encourage and equip husbands. (Wives will be encouraged, too). Let's continue to reframe foreplay and the unique beauty of masculinity and femininity. In this chat, you'll be encouraged as we discuss:

Being a man of strength, with unique strength to serve your bride.
Becoming an expert of your wife
Removing the duty perspective and helping your wife flourish
Foreplay as an opportunity to go at the pace of her pleasure and treasure her from head to toe
What it looks like practically to serve with sexual strength before and during foreplay

Related Episodes:

Your Wonderful Female Body - Erogenous Zones, episode 107

How Taking Hotel Dates Helps My Marriage Connection, episode 126

Francie Recommends:

Feel confident in your own skin with Mentionables. A fresh and pretty item of lingerie every now and then is so fun!

The Mentionables selection is beautiful and they never use human models for their items, which gives it such an honoring tone as you're shopping. No comparison or feelings of TMI as your browse, and it's run by ladies who love the Lord! How fun is that!?!

Use code WINSLOW for 10% savings.

You're Invited:

Listen to Heaven in Your Home Family Music:

Spotify

Apple Music

YouTube

Connect with Francie:

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Foreplay: Reframe & Celebration (#158) Jun 19, 2023

Show notes

What is foreplay and what purpose does it serve? In this discussion you'll learn about the role of foreplay, but it may surprise you. Instead of seeing foreplay as a way to get ready for the main event, what if it were a time of relaxing into more pleasure and greater intimacy?

You were made for deep connection and naked and unashamed intimacy. Let's look at foreplay as a tool for connection through rest, relaxation and celebration of your feminine beauty.

Related Episodes:

Your Wonderful Female Body Series, start here

Great Sex Grows Series, start here

How Taking Hotel Dates Helps My Marriage Connection, episode 126

Sex Toys & Vibrators, episode 137

Francie Recommends:

Feel confident in your own skin with Mentionables.

A fresh and pretty item of lingerie every now and then is so fun!

Use code FRANCIE for 10% savings.

You're Invited:

Listen to Heaven in Your Home Family Music:

Spotify

Apple Music

YouTube

Connect with Francie:

Receive Francie's weekly newsletter

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Female Sexuality & Growth with Nancy Houston (#157) Jun 12, 2023

Show notes

Welcome back for part two of the conversation with a licensed counselor and sex therapist Nancy Houston. Nancy offers wonderful insight and compassion into the profound connections between love, sex, and healing. In this episode we discuss:

Permission given - God made you as a female to be sexual and your sexuality is beautifully designed
Getting familiar with your desire and your female body
Owning and expressing your want
Communication and pursuing each other in marriage
Foreplay and learning to receive as a woman
Mutual pleasure, mutual joy and mutual respect

About Nancy Houston:

Nancy Houston is an author, speaker, Executive Leadership Coach, Licensed Professional Counselor and Certified Sex Therapist. She loves to help people grow into their full potential, empowering them to be truly alive. Nancy has been married to the love of her life for almost 50 years. Together they have four wonderful married sons and six adorable grandchildren.

Nancy is the author of Love and Sex and Then God Made A Woman: Unwrapping Female Sexuality.

Related Episodes:

Your Wonderful Female Body - Erogenous Zones, episode 107

Great Sex Grows…When I Tune Into My Body, episode 121

Francie Recommends:

Feel confident in your own skin with Mentionables.

A fresh and pretty item of lingerie every now and then is so fun!

Use code FRANCIE for 10% savings.

You're Invited:

Listen to Heaven in Your Home Family Music:

Spotify

Apple Music

YouTube

Connect with Francie:

Receive Francie's weekly newsletter

Website

Instagram

Finding Healing in Love & Sex with Nancy Houston (#156) Jun 05, 2023

Show notes

In today's episode, we have rich conversations with a licensed counselor and sex therapist Nancy Houston. Nancy offers wonderful insight and compassion into the profound connections between love, sex, and healing. We discuss:

The spiritual mystery and depth to our sexuality
Emotional and soul connection in marriage
How to keep sex on the "front burner"
Power and beauty of the feminine body
Identifying what's informed your view of sex and understanding how you may be modeling your sex life accordingly
Working through sexual trauma through sharing your story (or receiving the story of another)
Normalizing, rather than demonizing, our sexuality
Styles of attachment (healthy and unhealthy)

About Nancy Houston:

Nancy is the author of Love and Sex and Then God Made A Woman: Unwrapping Female Sexuality.

Resources Mentioned:

A Celebration of Sex: A Guide to Enjoying God's Gift of Sexual Intimacy by Dr. Douglas E. Rosenau, Jeff Durham, et al.

Then God Made A Woman: Unwrapping Female Sexuality by Nancy Houston

Enjoy!: The Gift of Sexual Pleasure for Women by Joyce and Clifford Penner

Related Episodes:

Your Wonderful Female Body Series, start here

Great Sex Grows Series, start here

Francie Recommends:

Feel confident in your own skin with Mentionables.

A fresh and pretty item of lingerie every now and then is so fun!

Use code FRANCIE for 10% savings.

You're Invited:

Listen to Heaven in Your Home Family Music:

Spotify

Apple Music

YouTube

Connect with Francie:

Receive Francie's weekly newsletter

Website

Instagram

Sex in Seasons of Suffering May 29, 2023

Show notes

Whatever season you currently find yourself in, this is a conversation not to be missed. The reality is, you will have seasons of abundance as well as refining seasons of trial and suffering. You'll hear my honest perspective on and journey through suffering and God in the midst of it all, including:

Intimacy resilience and building intimacy in all seasons.
Challenges in life and how they can create tension and disconnection in marriage.
Opportunities to lean into your marriage connection, especially in the hard seasons.
Learning to not only be strong for one another, but to be weak together and talk about hard things, loss and disappointment.
Physical touch and intimacy as a powerful way to process challenge and stress.
Restoration and rejuvenation brought through biological releases sex provides.

Mentioned Resources:

The Savvy Sauce: Practical Chats for Intentional Living

Learn more here

The Gap and the Gain: The High Achievers' Guide to Happiness, Confidence, and Success

Related Episodes:

Finding Breakthrough from Anxiety, episode 134

The Science of Sex, episode 2

You're Invited:

Keep learning with Francie! Join the Discipleship Circle group mentorship. This is a SWEET community of women, connected with the purpose of seeking God's heart for their reclaiming

a redeemed view of sex and sexuality. Inside the circle, we will explore and discover the good news about God's heart for sex. Learn more here: Discipleship Circle

Listen to Heaven in Your Home Family Music:

Spotify

Apple Music

YouTube

Connect with Francie:

Receive Francie's weekly newsletter

Website

Instagram

Finding Your Sexy as a Mom May 22, 2023

Show notes

Finding energy as a wife, while spinning all the plates of motherhood, can be a bit of a challenge. Switching gears from "tired mom" to feeling sexy doesn't exactly just happen. Can you relate?

Good news! In this episode we have some real talk about how to be intentional, cultivate the needs of your body and maybe even find some ideas to "get your groove back" in the bedroom. Let's tap into more joy and enjoyment, because God created you with an incredible capacity for pleasure.

Related Episodes:

Your Wonderful Female Body - Erogenous Zones, episode 107

Great Sex Grows…When I Tune Into My Body, episode 121

Growing Intimacy…Even When You Have Little Kids, episode 127

You're Invited:

Keep learning with Francie! Join the Discipleship Circle group mentorship. This is a SWEET community of women, connected with the purpose of seeking God's heart for their reclaiming

a redeemed view of sex and sexuality. Inside the circle, we will explore and discover the good news about God's heart for sex. Learn more here: Discipleship Circle

Listen to Heaven in Your Home Family Music:

Spotify

Apple Music

YouTube

Connect with Francie:

Receive Francie's weekly newsletter

Website

Instagram