Our Time to Rise in Midlife

Latest Episodes:

Ep.191: Shelley Brouwer Jul 16, 2019

Show notes

When Shelley Brouwer's third child Hallie was born, she had no idea how her life and understanding of it would be turned toward heaven. Born with special needs, Hallie's optimism and welcoming spirit impacted everyone she met. In this episode we hear about Hallie's life and Shelley's process of living with her and now living without her.

A raw conversation about what it means to live an unconventional life marked by special needs. How Shelley's identity changed with Hallie and then again as Shelley came to faith. We hear about Shelley's home staging business that started accidentally with a friend and has grown beyond expectations to now stage over 85 homes a month.

For the mom of the special needs child. For the mom who has lost a child. For the woman who is wondering if the Christian faith has anything to offer her. For the friend of anyone in these places in life. This episode will keep you thinking for weeks after as together we explore the value of one life and its impact on the world.

Ep.190: How to Navigate Change with Kristen Strong Jul 09, 2019

Show notes

Whether we like it or not, life is a series of changes. How we navigate those changes is vital to our future as well as our health and well being. Studies show, however, that most of us resist change and do everything we can to avoid it.

Kristen Strong is no stranger to change. When she married an Air Force pilot, this set her on a course of moving every few years and living a life completely opposite from that of her predictable childhood. Kristen had to learn to adapt to new surroundings, value the growth that accompanies change, and most of all, to rely on her faith to sustain her during the hardest times.

If you find yourself in the midst of any change - from the change in a relationship, to a change in health, a physical move, job change, or any other circumstance that has turned your world upside down, this episode will offer encouragement for the journey.

Ep.189: Cara Meredith Jul 02, 2019

Show notes

Cara Meredith joins The Open Door Sisterhood Podcast in a candid conversation about race, marriage, and parenting. Cara recounts her eharmony romance with her now husband James, son of the civil rights leader by the same name, James Meredith. Their courtship opened her eyes to the privileges she unknowingly had as a white girl growing up in the United States. She recognized blind spots she hadn't considered as she viewed the world through her husband's experiences.

In this episode we talk about marriage, families of origin, expectations, talking to kids about race, and selective history. We cover mistakes made, intentions, trying again, and imperfect attempts at learning. A conversation for us all as we "give up on saving face" as Cara says, and move toward honesty and what is true.

Pick up a copy of Cara's book The Color of Life and in the meantime push play to hear how listening and learning are helping Cara understand God's creation with a more complete picture.

Ep.188: Have More Fun with Mandy Arioto Jun 25, 2019

Show notes

Many of us struggle to make time for fun. With so many practical needs shouting for our attention, we forget to value it and honor it like we do with other important habits.

Mandy Arioto, president and CEO of MOPS International, joins us to share how she weaves creative fun into her friendships, marriage, family, and world.

We talk about how friendships flourish when a person stops trying to be cool and instead goes over the top, why Mandy put on her wedding dress at the beach for her ten year anniversary, and how the absurd actually cements memories for a lifetime.

You will be inspired to welcome spice back into your days and kick boredom out the door!

Ep.187: Ruth Soukup Jun 18, 2019

Show notes

New York Times bestselling author Ruth Soukup didn't set out to found a large company when she started her blog Living Well, Spending Less, but as she shared her journey toward financial peace with her readers, she realized how much her experiences and practical tips were resonating with readers. Now she reaches more than 1 million women per month encouraging them to create a life they love. "Do it scared" has been a mantra in her own business and when she found her readers quoting it back to her, she knew it was a topic worth exploring.

In this episode of the podcast we hear Ruth's business story and talk through her new book Do It Scared. Ruth's research uncovered 7 archetypes of fear, different ways we limit our actions because of fear. Ruth tells us about each type, its upside, and its limiting belief. From perfectionism to fear of rejection, we all have at least one fear archetype we lean toward. Find out what yours might be.

A quintessential Open Door Sisterhood conversation that pushes us all to take that next step, do that hard thing, to be world changers for good right where we are.

Ep.186: On Photography with Mary Marantz Jun 11, 2019

Show notes

When Mary was growing up on a mountaintop in a small logging town in West Virginia, she never dreamed that she would one day become a Yale Law graduate turned wedding photographer sensation. Yet, that is exactly what happened. You will be captivated by Mary's compelling story, and at the same time learn about the art and heart of photography in today's episode.

We cover practical tips and tricks as well as the art of storytelling through the lens. If you are a simple iPhone photographer, or one who makes a living behind the camera, you will love learning from the best of the best in the industry.

Ep.185: Surviving Summer, Joint Episode with Surviving Sarah Podcast Jun 04, 2019

Show notes

In an Open Door Sisterhood Podcast first, we are doing a joint episode with the Surviving Sarah podcast! That means you can listen to half of the conversation here on our podcast and head over to Episode 180 of the Surviving Sarah podcast to listen to the second half of our discussion about...you guessed it, Surviving Summer!

We are choosing to do this shared episode with our great friend Sarah Bragg because we want you to get to know her. And bonus, we brought on two more of our shared friends, Kate Merrick and Morgan Tyree, as the experts in how to be intentional about being with our people and using time well in the summer months. In this episode we talk about being present. What does that mean? How are we distracted? And what are we distracted from? Over on Surviving Sarah we talk through the time management aspect of summer so that WE CAN be present with those we love best.

This is also an Open Door Sisterhood Podcast first because we feature five, yes five! voices. Consider it your sisterhood round table on intentional approaches to making the most of your summer (especially if you're a mom!) From social media to busyness, we all need to see the forest from the trees and lay out what is most important to us in the summer months.

Head over to Surviving Sarah Episode 180 to hear the other half of our conversation.

Ep.184: On Mentoring & Discipleship with Brenda Jacobson & Kandi Gallaty May 28, 2019

Show notes

Have you ever considered the impact your life could have on others for eternity? Have you ever thought about gathering a group of women, or a group of teenagers together to dive into scripture? If you've ever wondered what kind of difference you could make in the world, this episode is for you.

Today we are bringing you a two part episode highlighting Christian mentoring and discipleship. We begin with Brenda Jacobson, founder of the MomAid online community and author of Something to Stand On discussing mentoring. We end with Kandi Gallaty, author of the book Disciple Me, and co-founder of Replicate Ministries. Kandi offers important insights about discipleship.

Come learn with us!

Ep.183: The Mental Health Series - On Living With Bipolar With Alia Joy May 21, 2019

Show notes

Alia Joy didn't know she had Bipolar Disorder until she was an adult. Married, living life as a homeschooling mom, she'd always thought her manic phase was who she was and she got down sometimes with depression. In this final episode of our Mental Health Series, Alia shares what it's like to live with mental illness. If you've ever wondered what it feels like to be in depression, to have suicidal ideation, or to try to manage regular responsibilities and relationships while living with mental illness, this conversation offers an enlightening perspective.

Alia describes sitting in the Wal-Mart parking lot scratching the label off of her first prescription of anti-depressants from shame of the original depression diagnosis. Contrast that to now years later, writing and speaking openly about life with mental illness. Her honesty paired with her ability to articulate her experiences is a priceless combination for those of us wanting to know we are not alone or who want to better understand the experiences of someone we love.

In true Open Door Sisterhood fashion, this episode (and entire series) is part practical and part inspirational. We don't want mental health to have a stigma that keeps us from talking about it. It's too important not to dive in, learn, and discuss this life-impacting issue. As Alia says, God is with us whether we feel it or not in this dark place. We don't need to be afraid.

Ep.182: The Mental Health Series - on suicide with Joannie DeBrito of Focus on the Family May 14, 2019

Show notes

One of the troubling aspects of suicide is that not all people display obvious signs that they are at risk. There are some behaviors we can watch for, however, and some measures we can take to help curb the alarming growing statistics of suicidal deaths.

Joannie DeBrito, the Director of Parenting and Youth at Focus on the Family, and co-creator of Alive to Thrive: a curriculum about suicide prevention, joins us to talk through all aspects of this troubling topic.

This is a hard conversation to have, sisters. We know. Yet, as the church, we have a responsibility to be equipped and informed surrounding the topic of suicide so that we can help bring light and hope to hurting people, some of whom are living in our same circles or even homes.

Do you know the signs? Do you know what to do or say if you suspect someone is suicidal? Do you know what resources are out there? What help is there for someone who is contemplating suicide? Join us and let's all learn together.

This information could save a life.

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