Our Time to Rise in Midlife

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Ep.81: Nicole Johnson Aug 08, 2017

Show notes

Nicole Johnson knows busy. As a mom of two and a dramatist with Women of Faith she was maintaining a steady pace. And then a life event sent her in a downward spiral she couldn't escape. She realized she needed to find internal calm in the midst of external crazy. This episode is our conversation with her about this journey.

Nicole explains what it means to react verses contemplate in stressful moments, why fear and avoidance of being still can cripple us, and how facing hard feelings is often not as hard as we think it will be. We talk through the Prayer of Examen, what that has meant for Nicole and how she makes a quiet space in her home when she needs to recenter. This is a conversation that challenges us to stop in order to be in the difficult places. Not something we often want to do. But as Nicole explains we can find a richness of God's presence and care for us in our brokenhearted places.

You will want to listen in to this conversation. In a world of busy we can intentionally and unintentionally avoid our pain. In our attempts to mask the difficult we miss how God can meet us in all circumstances, feelings and fears. We don't need to keep moving sisters. We can stop and feel the pain and hurt. God meets the brokenhearted right where we are. He is already in our grief and fear. We need to stop long enough to recognize and settle into his presence.

Ep. 80: Candice Curry Jul 31, 2017

Show notes

Candice Curry's story has had its share of heartache. From a father who was a con man and battled mental illness, to divorce and infidelity, to unexpected triplets and financial strain, she knows what it is to live under pressure. And yet she walks through life these days with a freedom she attributes to God's restoration of her spirit and her marriage. A refreshing straight forward storyteller, Candice is frank about her past and her current freedom, giving Christ credit for the drastic change that happened in her family.

If you've ever wondered what it's like to have three infants at once, to have a father who stole cars and gave them to you as birthday gifts, to celebrate your daughter's step-mother because she is both beautiful and kind, then this is the episode for you. Candice talks about healthy co-parenting, the gift of step-parents, and God's use of a broken air conditioner to save her marriage. As a mom of five, she cooks for a crowd and an age span of kids. We are certain you will find her a kindred spirit as she finds true refreshment in God's provision.

At The Open Door Sisterhood we are committed to highlighting women's stories. Women who say yes to God in all kinds of circumstances. Candice has a unique story, one that in some ways none of us can relate to and in other ways all of us can. We walk the same road toward hope, no matter where are steps land along the way.

Ep.79: How To Talk to Your Teens About Sex & Other Issues Jul 27, 2017

Show notes

As our teenagers grow, we do our best to set them up for success for life. We teach them to drive, set up a bank account, help them learn about car insurance and credit, and offer support for college applications. But what about an issue equally important, that could profoundly affect the rest of their lives? Do we spend the same amount of intentional energy and time talking to our teens and young adults about sex?

Tracy Levinson, author of Unashamed - Candid Conversations about Dating, Love, Nakedness, and Faith, joins Hey Sister! today to speak candidly and directly about the most pressing issues surrounding this topic. You will be surprised, and maybe even blush a little, as we dive honestly into issues not frequently talked about in a public space.

Whether you are a parent of young children, looking to prepare and equip, or you are in the midst of the teen/young adult years, this podcast will embolden you with courage and hope.

Ep.78: Sharon Hodde Miller Jul 25, 2017

Show notes

Sharon Miller has found herself in some public conversations in recent years. As a PhD, writer, and soon to be author, her voice is one of encouragement to women pursuing Jesus. She sifts through Scripture to discern if particular expectations and behaviors are cultural or are indeed directed by God's word. Sharon holds a posture of listening to learn. Whether with friends who bring difference to the conversation or her own Bible, she wants to know what is, so she can better understand and walk through the doors God is opening.

We talk with Sharon about her research, the impact of speaking to others about their potential, and the value of having a support system cheering you on. We hear why she started writing years ago, how her writing platform has grown and created some interesting online interactions, and how asking for help is one of her must haves in life. We learn a little about her new book, Free of Me, and the difference between diminishing ourselves and right-sizing ourselves to God's greatness.

Sharon's warmth comes through in this interview. We are sure you will find her to be a woman on your side as you pursue a life of following Jesus. She is humble in her accomplishments, takes a posture of learning both in the classroom and the living room, and points us all away from ourselves and back to the greatness that is God. You will feel her gentle nudge to pursue Jesus with a sincere heart after listening to our conversation.

Ep. 77 Gari Mitchell Jul 19, 2017

Show notes

What happens when life changes suddenly? Gari Mitchell was living her regular life in 1988. She was taking her two kids to school, enjoying tennis with her friends, when she had a routine sinus surgery. She woke up to debilitating depression that lasted for ten years. And then a phone call a few years later from the FBI changed her new normal even further. The following months resulted in her husband, Bo, going to prison for ten months while Gari tried to hold their life together. - A woman whose life was turned upside down a few times, she found an intense intimacy and dependence on God. With years now since those events went down, she can see with a clarity that time and perspective offer that God's presence was palpable and her own growth exponential during those difficult years. She talks about her children's journey, how she was spiritually prepared for the difficult when it came, and how those years impacted her marriage for the better. - Gari's story is one of life changing dramatically and quickly, of feeling as though the rug had been pulled out from under her. It is a story of clinging to Jesus in the middle of the darkness, wondering if life will ever feel good again. It is one of perseverance, and ultimately victory, because God was right there in the middle of the heartache. Yes, Gari's story is one for the sisterhood because it is about those doors we must walk through and find God on the other side.

Ep.76: Mom Anger - Identifying Triggers & Helpful Tips Jul 13, 2017

Show notes

Like a sleeping giant, anger can sit dormant or relatively calm until we become parents. Then, suddenly, it can feel like it wakes up and takes over. If you feel that parenting triggers anger, on any level, this podcast is for you.

My guests for this episode, Amber Lia and Wendy Speake, are the authors of Triggers: Exchanging Parent's Angry Reactions for Gentle Biblical Responses. We discuss common parenting issues that cause us to explode inappropriately at our children. Moving beyond simple parenting tips on how to change your child's behavior, Amber and Wendy offer biblical insight that gets to the deeper internal places of the heart.

From setting reminders on your phone, to coming up with new plans for old patterns, to affirming positive behavior, we discuss practical ways that parents can break the cycle of anger and emerge more patient, kind, grace-filled and effective.

Ep.75: Ann Swindell Jul 11, 2017

Show notes

What happens when prayers aren't being answered? At least in the way we are asking God to answer them? When the circumstances we desperately want to change, don't? In this episode we talk about this with our guest Ann Swindell. Her new book, Still Waiting, is birthed from her own experience of moving through life within the context of unanswered prayers. Where she has been still waiting.

We talk with Ann about living with trichotillomania, postpartum depression, and years of unanswered prayers. This is a conversation about calling out what we hope for and trusting God regardless of his timing. This is not a faith for the faint of heart. But one that believes God is good regardless of circumstances because that is his nature. There's no question this is the part of life that is hard. We are here to talk about the difficult places.

For the woman who is crying out to God and waiting for his answers. For the woman who wants to be compassionate to her sister on that journey. For the woman who needs to be reminded that God's promises are dependable, but don't always arrive in the packaging we expect. This is the sisterhood.

Ep. 74: Lisa Whittle Jul 04, 2017

Show notes

Lisa Whittle is a woman who gets to the bottom of things quickly. She calls herself a bottom line person. So she tells it as she sees it, but always with a humble spirit. This combination of self disclosure with honest (and sometimes uncomfortable) truth makes her a voice worth listening to in this noisy world.

A mom of three, we cover Lisa's latest adventures of moving, and then moving a year later back into the same house, feeding high school football players, holding to her own family's plans loosely while trying to discern God's voice and direction. You will be inspired as she talks about getting tired of her own comfort and pushing toward Jesus regardless of the cost, letting go of her own ideas of how his plan should go, and recognizing her change is sometimes God's intended outcome. We hear about Lisa's new book Put Your Warrior Boots On, what opening her home looks like now, and what she thinks it might look like in the future.

Lisa's straight forward style seasoned with humor makes her both endearing and relatable. You won't want to miss this conversation with a trusted sister. A great one to share with any woman who is tired of living a flat faith and is willing to put sensible, reasonable options aside in order to follow God to unexpected places even if it might seem crazy by the world's standards.

Ep.73: Innovation + Creativity: Two Secrets to Navigating Life Well Jun 29, 2017

Show notes

Change is an inevitable part of life. Whether we are looking at personal or cultural shifts, dead end roads, a strained relationship, or a season of crisis, we will be forced to deal with transitions. What we get to choose, however, is how we navigate that challenge.

Ken Wytsma, author, speaker, innovator, and social entrepreneur, shares with us how we can explore various aspects of creativity and imagination that lead us toward a healthy, confident, more innovative life mindset -- one that helps us harness creativity to take charge of our lives, navigate changing times, and ultimately, flourish and succeed.

You will walk away from this interview with countless nuggets of wisdom that you can apply to your life today, in whatever situation you are facing. Personally, the concepts discussed in this episode have been life-changing for me and came at the perfect moment in time.

Our prayer is that this will be an interview that will come to you at just the right time as well.

Ep.72: Catherine McNiel Jun 27, 2017

Show notes

Catherine McNiel found herself in the middle of mothering. Pregnant, with two small children already underfoot, she was forced to tackle the question, what happens to a mom's spiritual journey? Do exhaustion and distraction prevent mothers everywhere from having a deep and meaningful spiritual life? Or does God perhaps have a rich spiritual journey available to moms right here and now?

In her book Long Days of Small Things, Catherine tackles this question by discovering the spiritual disciplines already built into a mother's days. She shares some of those practices with us on this episode of The Open Door Sisterhood Podcast, (along with her favorite apps and go-to drink.) An encouraging conversation for any mom who has ever wondered, can I connect with God during these minutes, days, years of caring for small people and living in the middle of the mundane?

A great episode to share with your mama friends and to take this episode with you as you complete your everyday, not-so-glamorous, tasks. A conversation for the laundry folding, swim team driving, kitchen sweeping activities. Because these small moments are the doors that God has opened for us, and no door is too small, or too insignificant, for his purposes.

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