Our Time to Rise in Midlife

Latest Episodes:

Ep.331: Stand Up with Dr. Christina Crenshaw May 17, 2022

Show notes

Standing up for truth in this cultural moment can be challenging and vulnerable, just ask Dr. Christina Crenshaw, an associate of Cultural Engagement and Leadership with Dallas Theological Seminary. In 2021 she was thrust in the media spotlight after taking a stand on a current hot button issue (which we talk about in this episode).

From asking more questions, to finding studies and data around the topic at hand, to leaning into lived experience, we get a full picture of what it means to be equipped for hard conversations as Christians.

If you have ever found yourself discouraged by current cultural norms, this whole series is for you.

You can find Christina on her website or Instagram

SOME THINGS YOU HEARD ON THE SHOW

Courage and Calling by Gordon T. Smith

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Use Code ODSSummer10 to receive $10 Off Your Subscription Purchase.

Ep.330: This Cultural Moment, Resilient Faith with Dr. Jerry Sittser May 10, 2022

Show notes

How do we live a Christian faith in today's cultural context? What is required of us? What should be concerned about? If anything? How do we talk to our kids about changing cultural norms? And what doe the Bible say about all of this uncertainty we are feeling?

We are starting a new series on the podcast this week we are calling This Cultural Moment to talk about these very questions. In fact this series is something you all have requested. We start with an incredibly encouraging and thoughtful conversation with Dr. Jerry Sittser.

Dr. Sittser recently retired as a professor from Whitworth University and his newest book, Resilient Faith: How the Early Christian "Third Way" Changed the World gives us some historical reference for where we are today. We are not the first Christians to feel disoriented or overwhelmed by our cultural environment and we can be refined as we walk through spaces that are pushing us past (maybe way past) our comfort zones.

From questions to ask ourselves as we're parenting to spiritual practices we can employ Jerry offers practical and hopeful responses for today's Christians. He also gives us hope that living a life of faith often involves a "third way" that is unfamiliar, yet intriguing, to those living near us. We can have a resilient faith as we do the internal work God asks of us to grow into mature followers of Jesus living in today's world.

Things mentioned on the show

Whitworth University

The Atlantic

An article in the Atlantic, Why the Past Ten Years of American Life Have Been Uniquely Stupid

An article in the Atlantic, Why American Teens Are So Sad

Robert Putnam, Bowling Alone, The Upswing

Jesus and John Wayne by Kristen Dumez

Jerry's new book Resilient Faith: How the Early Christian "Third Way" Changed the World

The New Catechismal, contact Jerry for more

Notable quotes

"Politics is a really bad religion. We all need to be political, and involved to some degree, but we can't expect from politics what we can only expect from God.

When we turn politics into God we're in serious trouble. "

"Jesus is not only the way to life, through his death and resurrection, Jesus is also the way of life.

Both are equally true and important."

"Small is beautiful if it's faithful to God."

Our sponsor for this series

Simply Be Box

Are you looking for a gift for the teen or tween girl in your life that she will LOVE & you can TRUST? Simply Be Box is the perfect gift for her!

Simply Be Box is a faith-based subscription box for teen & tween girls filled with fun, positive, on-trend items, and encouragement to Simply Be who God created her to be.

What's Inside a Simply Be Box:

Each box is focused around one of what they call the "Be Attitudes". (Be You, Be Strong, Be Kind, Be a Friend…) These are reminders of who God created each girl to be and how He wants her to live.

Each box has both a seasonal & inspirational theme and includes something to…

· Read – Faith-based devotional, book, or bible study

· Do – Craft, game, puzzle, or activity

· Wear – Clothing, jewelry, or accessory

· Eat – Healthy snack or sweet treat

· Display – Candle, cross, sticker, sign, or magnet

· Use – Health & beauty product, accessory, or gadget

Boxes ship Quarterly - Fall Box in September, Winter Box in December, Spring Box in March, Summer Box in June

2 Ways to Subscribe…

1. Annual Subscription – Pre-pay for 4 boxes & save! [Total of $250 for 4 Boxes, includes shipping. Auto renews annually until paused or cancelled]

2. Seasonal Subscription – Auto renews each quarter until paused or cancelled [$67.50 per season, includes shipping]

Their goal at Simply Be Box, through the subscription box & community, is to help teen + tween girls grow in their relationship with Jesus, know & love how they are uniquely created and encourage them to live out their faith & be a light in this world.

Simply Be Box has provided a discount code for our The Open Door Sisterhood Podcast listeners! Use Code ODSSummer10 to receive $10 Off Your Subscription Purchase. Head over to their website SimplyBeBox.com and Subscribe Today! You can also follow them on Instagram @SimplyBeBox.

The Brain Game: Sister Straight Talk with Alex, Krista, & Lucretia Berry May 03, 2022

Show notes

We are wrapping up The Brain Game series today with a Sister Straight Talk – which simply means we share our insights, a-ha moments, and chat as if we were sitting around a table with you over coffee.

In this episode we asked Dr. Lucretia Berry, founder of Brownicity to join us. We discuss the power of releasing lies, how neuroscience has helped us alter the way we manage thoughts, and how harnessing the brain can help us in conversations around race and healing.

We also talk about the three core lies: I am helpless, I am worthless, I am unloveable. If you have ever found yourself repeating one of these in your narrative, you aren't alone. We share the one we are most likely to believe.

Join us as we reflect on neuroscience, faith, and life.

SHOW NOTES:

Lucretia's website – brownicity.com

Hues of You – Lucretia's book

Join us as we reflect on neuroscience, faith, and life!

THINGS YOU HEARD ON THE SHOW

Lucretia's website – brownicity.com

Hues of You – Lucretia's book

Switch On Your Brain By Dr. Caroline Leif

"We make our decisions and in the end our decisions make us." – John Wooden

There are three core lies we believe: I am helpless I'm worthless I am unloveable

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. - Phil.4:8

John A Powell "We have to be hard on systems and easy on people."

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. - Romans 12:2 THANKS TO OUR SPONSOR

Faithful Counseling

We believe the goal of therapy is to increase both psychological and spiritual wholeness, and this can only be accomplished in an appropriate environment.

We have also seen proven success in the affordability and convenience of online mental counseling. By bringing together a network of professional counselors who are practicing Christians online, we see unprecedented opportunity to help believers access the help they need, when and how they can best receive it.

Ep.328: The Brain Game, Christian Mindfulness with Dr. Regina Chow Trammel Apr 26, 2022

Show notes

What if we could be present in all circumstances without judgment? What if we could step back from the moment, observe it, and ask God to reveal himself to us? What if we didn't let our emotions drive our thought processes, but gave them a comfortable spot in the passenger seat where they were buckled in, but not directing?

Dr. Regina Chow Trammel works with social work students at Azusa Pacific University and counselors in training and she has been studying the overlap between mindfulness and Christian practice. There is in fact space for a faithful Christian to pause and enter a mindful state in order to listen for God's voice. We promise this isn't wonky, in fact it echoes meditation and welcoming prayer that Christians have practiced for centuries. If you ever wondered if Christian faith and mindfulness go together, this is the episode for you.

The Brain Game is the series we're in. We hear a lot about neuroscience these days and want to know how all of the new research and findings connect to our faith. They aren't siloed topics, but helpful information that inform each other. In this conversation we talk about our trauma responses, the vagal nerve, and the parasympathetic nervous system. All of these physical responses impact our emotional responses and vice versa. As we practice mindfulness we are able to slow our racing thoughts down so our bodies can relax and we can more objectively observe our situations. It's a beautiful thing.

So don't wait. Take a deep breath, be mindful of where you are and how you're feeling, and push play on this episode.

Mentioned on the show

Regina's book A Counselor's Guide to Christian Mindfulness: Engaging the Mind, Body, and Soul in Biblical Practices and Theories written in partnership with John Trent

https://www.amazon.com/Counselors-Guide-Christian-Mindfulness-Practices/dp/031011473X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=D18TUIU4PDHU&keywords=regina+chow+trammel&qid=1650922868&sprefix=regina+chow%2Caps%2C113&sr=8-1

The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk, M.D.

Dr. Stephen Porges

Lectio 365 app

Pray As You Go app

John Trent Interview on The Open Door Sisterhood Podcast

Memorable quotes

"Mindfulness is a practice of joy, not happiness or toxic positivity, but joy."

"A Christian definition of mindfulness: Paying attention to the current moment, inviting God into that, and abiding by his voice in that moment."

Thank you to our sponsor

Faithful Counseling

The Brain Game: Think On The Good with Nicole Zasowski Apr 19, 2022

Show notes

In week two of our series, The Brain Game, we are exploring the neuroscience of thinking on the good and wonderful. For many of us this is not our natural state of mind. We prepare ourselves for the worst and wait for the proverbial "shoe to drop."

But what if we did the exact opposite of that? What if we instead expect the good and hold the posture of positive anticipation? Nicole Zasowski, a marriage and family therapist, joins us to explore practices such as thankfulness, celebrating others, savoring, and honest communication.

This episode will help change your mindset and in doing so, may alter the way you live your life.

Connect with Nicole on her website or Instagram

Nicole's Book What If It's Wonderful?

SOME THINGS YOU HEARD ON THIS EPISODE:

The Hedonic Treadmill – what it is

Winning the War of Your Mind by Craig Groschel

The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer

Brene Brown: Why joy is vulnerable – On Foreboding Joy

Join Our Newsletter - we want YOU in the Sisterhood!

THANKS TO OUR SPONSOR

Faithful Counseling

We believe the goal of therapy is to increase both psychological and spiritual wholeness, and this can only be accomplished in an appropriate environment.

Ep.326: The Brain Game: The Soul of Shame with Dr. Curt Thompson Apr 12, 2022

Show notes

As we begin our new series on the intersection of Christian faith and neuroscience, Dr. Curt Thompson, joins us. The stories we tell ourselves are often incomplete, incorrect, or clouded by shame. He reminds us we need to retell the stories we believe about ourselves using the framework of the Gospel and the new heaven and earth. He emphasizes the importance of being together in community and how belonging is the antidote to shame.

Dr. Thompson is a practicing psychiatrist who writes and teaches about how neuroscience can better help us understand how we function in the world. He also is a practicing Christian and explains how spiritual practices are in fact tapping into the brain in a way that helps us tell these more complete stories.

With humor and insight Curt Thompson reminds us that God doesn't expect perfection from us, in our work, our relationships, and especially our parenting, but he does want us to be present and redemptive in our actions. Being together in life, fully known by others, allows us to experience a full life of love and hope.

Dr. Curt Thompson's books:

The Soul of Shame: Retelling the Stories We Believe About Ourselves

The Soul of Desire: Discovering the Neuroscience of Longing, Beauty, and Community

Anatomy of the Soul: Surprising Connections Between Neuroscience and Spiritual Practices That Can Transform Your Life and Relationships

Curt's podcast Being Known

THANKS TO OUR SPONSOR

Faithful Counseling

We believe the goal of therapy is to increase both psychological and spiritual wholeness, and this can only be accomplished in an appropriate environment.

Ep.325: Raise Boys, Change the World - Sister Straight Talk with Krista & Alex Apr 05, 2022

Show notes

We are wrapping up our Raise Boys, Change the World series today with a Sister Straight Talk with Krista and Alex. They discuss the most important lessons they learned from the guests on this series as well as their own insights about raising boys.

The topics range from fatherlessness to allowing boys to grow in independence to how to connect better with our sons. If you care about a young man in your home, your family, your church, on your team, or in your neighborhood, this episode is for you!

SOME THINGS YOU HEARD ON THE SHOW

Dr. Anthony Bradley Heroic Masculinity

Raising Sons of Promise by Rolund C Warren

James Clear Atomic Habits

THANKS TO OUR SPONSOR

Faithful Counseling

We believe the goal of therapy is to increase both psychological and spiritual wholeness, and this can only be accomplished in an appropriate environment.

LET'S GET SOCIAL

If you enjoyed today's episode we would love for you to rate the podcast in iTunes or tell us what you liked or learned.

Find us on the Gram! We love it over there.

Ep.324: Raise Boys Change the World: Inspiring Good Character with Monica Swanson Mar 29, 2022

Show notes

Host of the Boy Mom podcast and mom to four young men, Monica Swanson, gives us the mom to mom encouragement we all need today. Monica talks about instilling faith, identity, and healthy influences in boys' lives. She talks about good character qualities, how we help our boys identify them and grow into them. From fostering sibling relationships to redirecting unpleasant attitudes, Monica gives us both the how and the why of inspiring our boys toward good character.

Perfection is not the aim in our parenting. Hope and encouragement are. We are real people raising real people and things don't always go as we want them to. Monica understands this and encourages us to not give up as we parent and to continually point our growing boys and young men toward character qualities to aspire toward and actively develop.

If you are in the middle of raising a boy, or know someone who is, you will want to introduce them to Monica Swanson and all things Boy Mom.

Heard on the show

Monica's list of character developing resources

Monica's podcast Boy Mom

Monica's book Boy Mom: What Your Son Needs Most from You

Coach Carter

Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear

Looking for help getting unstuck with your boys?

Open Door Sisterhood Podcast Co-Host, Krista Gilbert, is a certified home coach who can help you get unstuck as you run up against some parenting challenges. As a mom of four, including three young men, she understands the challenges parents face today. Perhaps you need a fresh perspective or approach. Set up a consultation call with her here.

Ep.323: Raise Boys, Change the World - Let's Talk About Gen Z with Tanita Maddox Mar 22, 2022

Show notes

We can't talk about raising today's boys without putting them in context in the generation in which they are being raised: Generation Z (kids ages 13-18).

Generation Z is coming of age during a global pandemic and during a time when school shootings are not uncommon. They are the first generation in the history of the world that can claim the title "digital natives." These markers are shaping who they becoming and what questions they are asking.

Joining us today is Tanita Maddox, Assistant Regional Director for Young Life and Adolescent Culture Expert. Tanita studied Generation Z in her doctoral program and has been working with youth for over twenty years. She has an up close look into the lives of kids living in this generation and helps us understand how we can better meet them where they stand.

Whether you are a parent, a boss, a youth leader, a teacher, or a coach, this episode will be helpful as you seek to understand Generation Z and the precious teens that fill our homes, schools, churches, workplaces, and teams.

Will you fill out our quick survey so we can hear from YOU, Sister?

Young Life

The top question kids are asking in this generation: Is it safe or am I safe?

What they need to hear from us: they are courageous, they are strong, they are capable

Barna Research articles on Gen Z for further reading

Question to ask often to a Gen Z teen: On a scale of 1-10 how's your mental health?

THANKS TO OUR SPONSOR

Faithful Counseling

Ep.322: Raise Boys, Change the World: Don't Mom Alone with Heather MacFadyen Mar 15, 2022

Show notes

Host of the popular mothering podcast, Don't Mom Alone, Heather MacFadyen is right in the middle of parenting four boys. As we continue in our series on Raise Boys, Change the World we of course needed a few mom experts to join. Heather is one of those moms.

In this episode, we talk about noise levels, energy levels, and schooling choices. We cover how Heather approaches her relationships with educators, other moms, and her husband and how this web of support makes her a better mom as she faces life with four sons. We cover what it means to be "deregulated", how we can help our boys and ourselves get back to a place of healthy functioning when energies or feelings are high. And we cover the importance of boys witnessing a marriage where mom and dad choose each other.

Heather gives us her take on the state of boys right now (spoiler: she says they're "numbing out") and how we as the adults around them can help them build resilience in order to prepare them for lives of service as they leave home. If you are in the middle of raising kids, boys or girls, you will glean encouragement and wisdom from Heather's perspective.

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