Our Time to Rise in Midlife

Latest Episodes:

Ep.311: Christmas is Coming - Sister Straight Talk with Krista & Alex Dec 22, 2021

Show notes

Wrapping up this year's Christmas is Coming Series, Krista and Alex talk about what God is teaching them, what they are letting go of, the power of "Oh Well," and their ritual for reflection as they contemplate the past year and look forward to the one ahead.

Christmas is a time of joy, but it also highlights the pain some are experiencing. Krista and Alex offer a helpful prayer and perspective as people navigate both.

Listen in as you are driving around shopping for last minute gifts, whipping up something special in the kitchen, or taking a much needed walk. Let's finish out 2021 together!

Ep.310: Moving Through Grief and Loss at Christmas with Nancy Hicks Dec 14, 2021

Show notes

If you listen to anything this Christmas season, listen to this conversation with Nancy Hicks. She lost her son to cancer this year and she shares with us what this Christmas season means to her. It is raw. It is powerful. And it approaches grief with such honesty you won't know what hit you. God didn't come as a savior over two thousand years ago to save us from our comfortable lives, he came to rescue us from our real pain. That's not a free pass from experiencing loss, it's an invitation to sit with him in authentic tenderness. And anger? Oh she covers that too. Nancy covers how to approach grief this Christmas. If you are wondering how you're going to face the holiday because of disappointment, loss, anger, please push play and then let us know what you think.

Ep.309: Helping Moms Manage Christmas Gifts & Food with Tama Fortner Dec 07, 2021

Show notes

Tama Fortner is a mom to college aged kids. She can look back with clarity on the ways she managed (and mismanaged) the Christmas years throughout her mothering career. This episode is full of Tama, Krista, and Alex's insights on helping moms manage Christmas, keeping the special without keeping the crazy.

Tama shares some easy recipes, how she divides and conquers on food responsibilities, and how she creates gifts themed around what someone loves. We talk through how to manage a child's gift request that parents aren't willing or able to fulfill and how to approach the child about the why behind the decision.

Whether you are wanting to simplify food or gifts, you are wanting to ensure you keep the holiday season meaningful, or you simply want some fresh encouragement as you step into a busy few weeks, this episode will break down how a few moms consider food and gift choices this time of year. Tama's new devotional book is titled Simply Christmas, and it's about keeping the simple in Christmas.

Ep.308: The Legacy Series - Harnessing Traditions To Create Legacy w/ Krista & Alexshare Nov 30, 2021

Show notes

In this last episode of our Legacy Series, Alex and Krista share about how we can harness traditions and rituals to help build family legacy.

The holiday season is the perfect time to be having this conversation, as Thanksgiving and Christmas provide opportunities to pause, reflect, and order our lives.

Ep.307: The Family Legacy Series - How Marriage Impacts Legacy with Daniel and Kendra Tillman Nov 23, 2021

Show notes

Legacy is what is left behind after we are gone. Each one of us leaves a mark, either intentionally or unintentionally. Our actions, repeated over and over again, create an invisible thread between us and others.

Today Daniel and Kendra Tillman, co-founders of Living Well Today Marriage Ministry, join us to talk about the impact marriage has on legacy, how a blended family can make a positive impact, and how kindness and humility change a family.

The Tillmans also encourage parents to take their role seriously, while simultaneously offering their children freedom to have their own relationship and journey with God.

Ep.306: The Family Legacy Series, What is Legacy? with hosts Krista and Alex Nov 16, 2021

Show notes

Legacy is a big concept. Join Open Door Sisterhood podcast hosts Alex and Krista as they talk about what legacy means to them. When applied to a family system a healthy legacy can pass down values and seeds of faith that will impact generations to come. That sounds nice doesn't it, but HOW do we live so that we know we are leaving the kind of legacy we are wanting?

First we must know what our goals are. How do we want to be remembered by those we leave? What do we want to remain once we're gone? When we get those questions answered, we will know where we're headed. Then we can make decisions on opportunities offered us based on those priorities. We can implement habits into daily life that ensure we are making micro decisions toward the kind of life we want to live and the legacy we want to leave.

If you are wanting to live with intentionality, if you are considering what your larger family story has been, if you want to be intentional about how you shape your family story from here, push play. And then leave a comment here about what legacy means to you. How have you seen it play out (healthy or unhealthy)? And how would you like to leave the world better than you found it?

Ep.305 The Family Legacy Series: On Humility & Faithfulness w/ Eric Peterson Nov 09, 2021

Show notes

There are two words that encapsulate this episode: humility & faithfulness. These are themes that many talk about, but are difficult to practice and live out. So when a person encounters someone who embodies these traits, it is a rare and precious gift.

Pastor, author, and speaker Eric Peterson is the son of the late Eugene Peterson, who wrote The Message translation of the Bible. Eric describes what it was like growing up as the son of a spiritual giant, what he learned from his father's example of humility and faithfulness. A fourth generation pastor, Eric shares how his own ministry was impacted by not only Eugene, but also by his grandfathers.

Krista was moved to tears several times in this interview, as it speaks to the profound power of a life well lived, and the impact that leaves on those following behind.

This episode reminds us that legacy is not left in things, but in people and relationships.

Ep.304: Family Legacy with Rachel-Ruth Lotz Wright Nov 02, 2021

Show notes

Rachel-Ruth was born into a family known for its Christian faith. Her mother is Anne Graham Lotz and her grandfather is the evangelist Billy Graham. Rachel-Ruth, now a mom to three teenage daughters of her own, talks about how the seeds of a faith legacy are planted and then watered.

Authentic is a word that comes up quite a bit in this interview. Rachel-Ruth says living an authentic life in front of our kids will let them know Jesus is relevant to everyday situations. Admitting when we mess up, asking for forgiveness from our kids and from Jesus, and moving forward are all key. For moms who want to make a spiritual change in their life, so they can authentically model a life of faith to their children, Rachel-Ruth simply says, "Start today." Pick up your Bible, read a few verses, and tell your kids what you are learning.

From someone who is known by her family's legacy of faith, Rachel-Ruth reminds us that we all can plant the seeds. We all have the ability to choose a life that follows Christ and if we are moms, our kids are watching. Tune in to hear Rachel-Ruth's three questions to ask when reading the Bible. It will transform how you read Scripture and how to encourage your kids to do the same.

Ep.303: Seeking Out Kindness During the Holidays with Becky Keife Oct 26, 2021

Show notes

If there was ever a time we needed kindness, it's now. And as we approach the holidays, the discipline of practicing kindness is especially important.

Joining us for the last episode of our Seeking Out Goodness Series, Becky Keife, author of The Simple Difference, and community manager for (in)courage, reminds us that simple actions make a significant difference, and that we don't have to agree with people to listen well and treat them with dignity and respect.

Becky helps us define what kindness looks like, and offers practical examples of how we can move into the holidays reflecting the kindness Jesus models.

As we seek goodness in the world, turning to our own actions is a great place to start.

Visit the show notes here

Ep.302: Seeking Out Goodness: A Sisterhood Roundup Oct 19, 2021

Show notes

It seems fitting on that on the day Alex's new book, Seeking Out Goodness, hits bookshelves, we would invite a number of sisters to share with us about how they are seeking out and finding good in the world. We asked the attendees of the 2021 Open Door Sisterhood Mastermind Retreat to share with us how they are seeing God at work and how they are seeing evidence of his goodness.

From family to creation to provision of a bathroom for a family of six, these diverse answers remind us that we all see echoes of God's goodness through different lenses. For many it's how we interact with others, for some it's about God's direct gifts of his presence and his word, and for others, it is new friends and kindred spirits that bond quickly.

This is a sisterhood roundup. We want to hear how you are looking for and finding God's goodness in the world. Tell us here, and more importantly, put on new eyes so you can see God's goodness. Whether this is a reminder of what you've known for a long time, or good news you are hearing for the first time: God is with us, he has not left us, and he is good.

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