Today’s episode of Fearless is a special one. This week President Donald Trump announced that he has asked me to serve as U.S. Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom. The nomination is a great honor and privilege and, if confirmed, a position I would take on as the calling from the Lord that it is.

This episode is mainly a closer look at what the role would entail, both here in the United States and around the world. Plus I also share the story behind getting a call about the position earlier this year and how my initial reaction was that although this ambassadorship would be an amazing opportunity, it was not the season of life to be taking on this kind of role. But as I’ve said many times on this podcast before, God calls us to live a fearless faith—to stand on the truth of His Word and promises—even when it’s uncomfortable, even when culture pushes back against us.

So if I could, I would ask this of you: will you pray for me and my family? Pray for wisdom. Pray for discernment. Pray for my marriage and our children. Pray for the confirmation process. But most of all, pray that, if confirmed, God would give me the courage, strength, and humility to steward this responsibility well. I’m so thankful for this Fearless community that’s come around my family and this mission for so many years. As always, keep chasing a fearless faith in this compromising culture.

Follow me on social media for updates at @cissiegrahamlynch

Preorder Stand Steady here: https://bookstore.billygraham.org/stand-steady.html?pk_vid=67ef3ffeb412b961178673680342e652.

I grew up with a lot of anger and resentment towards my dad. By the time I was in college, those feelings had turned into bitterness, defiance, and unforgiveness. That is until I went along on one of my dad, Franklin Graham’s, trips with Samaritan’s Purse. It was there in Kenya that I saw my dad living out all God had called him to, and it was there that I finally forgave him for being gone during a lot of my childhood.

Today on Fearless we’re talking about one of the 10 attributes I chose to write about in Stand Steady: the attribute of forgiveness. Your story probably looks different from mine, but we all harbor unforgiveness towards someone or about something that happened to us. Unforgiveness breeds bitterness and bitterness, if allowed to grow, can affect our relationships, our calling, and our heart, just like it did for me.

So today let’s ask ourselves: Who have I not forgiven? As part of today’s episode I’m also sharing some other vulnerable stories that I haven’t shared elsewhere, plus how I write in Stand Steady about American hero, Louis Zamperini, and what his incredible story of forgiveness in the face of the worst life has to offer can teach us about ourselves. Don’t live one more day in bondage to unforgiveness. Choose to forgive today, and walk forward into the life of freedom Jesus has in store.

Preorder Stand Steady here: https://bookstore.billygraham.org/stand-steady.html?pk_vid=67ef3ffeb412b961178673680342e652.

Last time on Fearless I finally got to share with you the news of my upcoming book, Stand Steady. Today we’re going to dive into much of the heart behind why I wrote the book, answering the question: “What kind of woman will you choose to be?”

And really, that question comes down to choices. We make over 35,000 choices every day. Most of those choices don’t matter all that much, but some of those choices are slowly defining who we will become in the years ahead. And if we simply choose to sit on the sidelines, the world will gladly make choices for us. Even though women have more opportunities and freedoms now than ever before, over 40% of us still struggle with anxiety. That’s not freedom, that’s bondage. And it’s a direct result of our lack of decision-making.

Because ultimately, we do have to make a choice. Will we choose Jesus or will we choose the world? Will we choose our families or will we choose ourselves? Will we choose to compromise or will we choose to stand steady? In this episode I’ll share some examples from the lives of women I wrote about in Stand Steady—some women who chose Jesus, and some women who chose the world. Every one of us is stepping onto a battlefield each day, whether we know it or not. And the choices we make (or don’t make) on that battlefield will determine the person we become. So, who will you choose to be today, and every day after?

Preorder Stand Steady here: https://bookstore.billygraham.org/stand-steady.html?pk_vid=67ef3ffeb412b961178673680342e652.

Welcome back to a brand new season of Fearless! I usually take a break from the podcast over the summer, but this summer especially looked very different for our family in many ways. It was a quieter season, a season we didn’t really plan for, as my mom battled some health issues and our family stayed put in Boone. But sometimes even those seasons we don’t plan for can end up being exactly what God uses to slow us down and show us what really matters. That was this summer for me.

Going into the fall though, I wanted to take today’s new episode of Fearless to tell you all about my book coming out this October, Stand Steady: A Fearless Faith in a Compromising Culture. For a number of reasons, I never planned on writing a book—in fact, a lot of my friends and family didn’t even know I wrote Stand Steady until just a few weeks ago. But I couldn’t seem to shake this question: What kind of woman will you choose to be? It’s one that I first asked during a church service, and it became the heart of everything I wrote about in Stand Steady.

Because following Jesus will always cost us something. Standing steady in our faith requires preparation, and we can’t always wait until the storm hits to prepare. So, who will you choose to be when the world shifts, when the culture compromises, when following Jesus becomes uncomfortable? Those are the questions I’m asking today and all throughout this new season of Fearless. Will you stand steady? That’s my prayer for you, and it’s my prayer for myself as we head into this new season and all God has for us.

Preorder Stand Steady here: https://bookstore.billygraham.org/stand-steady.html?pk_vid=67ef3ffeb412b961178673680342e652.

A few weeks ago I had the honor of speaking at Rededicate 250 in Washington, D.C. it was a national call to prayer on the National Mall as our country approaches the 250th anniversary of its founding. And though the event reiterated our deep need for God as a nation, what I left Washington asking myself was this: How do we rededicate not just our country, but our homes, our marriages, our children, our own hearts? Because while, yes, we’re living in a time of deep political division and cultural upheaval, true revival doesn’t start in the halls of government—it begins in our own homes. Renewal starts with us.

In addition to the remarks I gave at Rededicate, I also share my dad, Franklin Graham’s message. During his time on stage, my dad called our nation to repentance and back to true dependence on God, the principles we were founded on 250 years ago. As we approach this milestone anniversary for our country, let’s once again examine our own role in building a nation rooted in the message of the Gospel. What would it look like for me—what would it look like for you—to truly rededicate ourselves and our families to the Lord? Our answer to that question has the power to change the course of our country, and our world.

This week’s episode of Fearless is a little different. I had my childhood friend and now Samaritan’s Purse colleague, Gracie O’Loughlin, join me to share her powerful testimony of Jesus redeeming first her life, and then using her to bring Christ to family members far from Him. Gracie was one of the popular girls in our small town high school, and I remember looking up to her, but never fully knowing her story. Well, today you’ll get a front-row seat to that story—one where Gracie went from trying everything the world’s way after her parents’ divorce, to a young woman sold-out for the Lord and determined to lead those closest to her towards the One who saved her life.

Together Gracie and I talk about why our families can sometimes feel like the most difficult mission field, how to set aside our own comfort to preach the Gospel with directness, and why we believe it’s never too late for someone’s life to be drastically changed by a God who specializes in bringing the lost home (don’t miss when Gracie talks about her 98 year-old grandmother accepting Christ!).

Time is running out to share the greatest news we’ll ever hear. As Gracie says, sometimes we can’t simply bank on our faith “rubbing off” on our families and friends through the way we live our lives—we’re called to preach the Gospel, no matter the personal cost.

My Hope America: Billy Graham’s TV Special: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFxjZeNEcfQ.

Recently I got to take a last-minute trip to Lima, Peru for one of my dad’s crusades—something that, as a mom of three, I don’t always get the chance to do as much as I used to. While we were there I sat down with pastor and longtime family friend, Skip Heitzig. Skip is no stranger to Fearless, but today’s episode felt different.

During this candid—and honestly, pretty unplanned—conversation, Skip and I hit on everything from his friendship with my dad and the many adventures in ministry they’ve been on together to the signs of health we should all be looking for in a church home. Skip also shared why he offers a Gospel invitation every time he preaches, and encouraged pastors and all ministry leaders to preach the Word, not some trendy, watered-down version of the Gospel.

Wherever you’re at today, this is a conversation I pray will strengthen you, convict you if needed, and challenge you during these uncertain times. God is moving in so many ways right now, and, like Skip’s life is a testament to, God is able to do so much more than we could ever imagine when we’re willing to follow where He leads.

My brother Edward Graham is back on Fearless this week, talking about the current conflict in the Middle East, how to trust God in uncertain times, and his story of serving 16 years in the U.S. Army. As tensions continue to rise around the world, it’s difficult to know where to turn for truth. Speaking from his experience serving post-9/11, Edward gives us his honest take on how he thinks the conflict in Iran will unfold, why we should continue to stand with Israel, and why knowing Scripture is more important now than maybe ever before.

During our conversation, Edward also shares some of the stories he’s rarely talked about publicly before. From his call into the military at a young age and his first experiences under fire to losing friends on the battlefield and ultimately his call out of the Army and into ministry, Edward gives us an inside look into trusting God even when we’re unsure of the outcome.

More than anything, my prayer is that this episode would be a reminder that God is always sovereign, truth still matters, and that we don’t have to be shaken by every headline we read. In a world that constantly feels like it’s shifting under our feet, let’s put our trust in the firm foundation of the God who is, who was, and who always will be.