Our Time to Rise in Midlife

Midlife can be exhausting. The amount of change we go through in this season of life brings grief. At the same time our bodies are changing in a way that can make us feel even more out of sorts. That is why Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith is talking to us about emotional rest.   It's not a surprise that fear peaks its head and identity is questioned in this storm of change. Dr. Dalton-Smith reminds us we...

Do you want to make the most of this holiday season?  Do you want to let go of what doesn't matter and grab onto those things that make real and lasting memories?  So do we.     In this episode, Jessica Smartt joins us to discuss how to create lasting memories during the holidays while balancing traditions and new experiences. We talk about the importance of creating a welcoming home environment,...

The holidays are approaching, which means conversations around the dinner table. Are you looking forward to them or dreading them? We can prepare mentally and spiritually for those moments, by choosing the opposite of our natural inclinations. Jesus calls us to be peacemakers, but often we don't feel like it when our buttons are being pushed. So how? How do we choose the opposite of anger, and got...

Letting go is the name of the game in midlife. We're invited to open our hands, releasing what was and receiving what is. Whether it's a role we once held, a relationship that's shifted, a long-held dream, or even our health, midlife invites deep transformation through loss and renewal. In this episode, Krista Gilbert and Alex Kuykendall explore the sacred art of letting go through the lens of Scr...

Jessica Kastner isn't afraid to talk about divorce. Though it's not part of what she anticipated as part of her story, it is and she wants to give women, especially Christian women, the space and place to talk about it. What does it feel like? How do we understand it in terms of faith? How can we move forward in health for ourselves and our children? Midlife is often a time when divorce enters the...

Most resources around adoption focus on early childhood—when questions are simple and development is more predictable. But what happens when our kids become teens and young adults, and the questions grow deeper? In this episode, we sit down with  Sherri Crandall , children's book author and VP of Global Ministries and Leadership Experience for The MomCo, Sherri opens up about her family's path to...

John Trent and his daughter Kari Trent Stageberg understand family dynamics. They want families to be strong and welcoming. But how? How do you offer a blessing to those you hold most dear? The father-daughter duo take a fresh approach to the classic book The Blessing to encourage families today to incorporate key Biblical elements so that kids grow up knowing they are loved. Parents are setting p...

Motherhood and identity often get so tightly woven together that it feels impossible to separate the two. But what if motherhood isn't our highest calling? What if it's a beautiful and significant part of who we are, but not the ultimate definition of our purpose? As our children grow, into their teen and young adult years especially, it becomes crucial to rediscover and redefine who we are beyond...

Life is not meant to be lived alone. Throw some midlife stress in the mix and we really aren't meant to handle life's storms without the scaffolding of a community of friends. Toni Collier joins us to share her experience facing huge life challenges and how her friends were there in her darkest moments. What does friendship look like these days for you? Do you feel like you are pulled in multiple...

Parenting doesn't stop when our kids turn 18, but it sure does change. In this episode, we're talking about what it really looks like to navigate the young adult years with these children we love so much. We dig into that tricky shift, moving from the role of "director" to more of a "guide on the side." You'll hear honest insights about letting go, building trust, and learning how to communicate i...

Hosanna Wong has been traveling the country (literally, you need to listen to her story) and speaking to women about what it means to know and and believe what God says about us. Our pathway to freedom is allowing God's good words in Scripture to meet us in our daily experiences. It's through the everyday soaking that we can know God better and therefore know ourselves better. We know that childho...

Midlife can feel like standing at a crossroads - full of change, transition, and often, questions we didn't expect. It's a season that can shake our confidence, but it's also a powerful invitation to pause, reflect, and grow. In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Terri Watson, a board-certified clinical psychologist, to explore how counseling can be a life-giving tool for women in midlife. Dr. Wat...

Our bodies need our attention. When stress comes knocking, we often don't realize how much we hold. We need a way to slow down and release the physical tension. Our guest Whitney Simpson discovered this need after a major medical crisis. Stretching and holding poses through yoga allowed her to be fully present in her skin while praying and meditating. A Christian spiritual director - she helps peo...

Have you ever wondered how science can actually  deepen  your faith and help you know God more fully? In this episode, we sit down with Dr. William West—respected medical doctor, author of  Sacred Science , and someone whose own life has been shaped by both the lab and his faith. Together, we explore how faith and science aren't enemies at all, but beautifully woven together in ways that reveal th...

You have controlled some aspect of your child's life their entire life and now you are expected to let go?! To let them make mistakes and decisions without you?! Yes and no. Yes to letting go and making decisions on their own. But you don't have to leave them completely alone. This is the fine line of parenting young adults, you are now the coach. In the second part of this two-part conversation,...

Parenting young adults can feel like walking a tightrope. You're not  fully in charge anymore, but your influence still matters deeply. So how do you walk alongside them well? Helpful, but not controlling? Wise, but still letting them make their own decisions? Loving, but with healthy boundaries? In this first episode of a two-part series, we dive into the art of parenting post-childhood: ✅ Build...

We often hear the first half of life is about building and the second half of life is about facing limitations. That can be true. What is also true is that many women spend much of their lives investing in others, that the life trajectories we often hear talked about reflect a traditional career path that don't exactly capture a female career path. The same is true for discussions around lifetime...

It's hard enough dealing with our own grief, but helping children, teens, and young adults navigate grief and loss is another level of hard, one that we often avoid or find ourselves lacking, not knowing how to do it. Grief is never one-size-fits-all—especially for kids, teens, and young adults who are still learning how to make sense of the world. In this conversation, we welcome Clarissa Moll—au...

Distraction kills our purpose. It keeps us from focusing on what we truly want by throwing our attention to other things.   Social media offers a new type of distraction for humanity and we are experiencing the repercussions. So how do we know if our own social media habits are hurting us? How do we assess we need a break? And then how do we actually take one?   Our guest on the podcast this week,...

Holy Spirit feel familiar? Intimidating? Confusing? This part of the Trinity can be mysterious. And yet the Spirit is an integral part to living a life of faith. Author Margaret Feinberg joins the podcast to talk about the nature of Holy Spirit, how we can engage and access this delightful part of our Christian experience. What have you been taught about Holy Spirit? What questions do you have? Ho...

In all of our excitement this spring we forgot to mention that we are taking the month of June off! No new episodes until July. We will connect with you again in July and until then, remember, it's our time to rise!  

Ever thought about going back to school to pursue that career you've always dreamed of—but life just got in the way? In this episode, Ashley Larkin shares her inspiring journey of returning to school to study counseling—all while raising three teenage daughters. We dive into what it really takes to make a big move like this, from learning how to discern your next right step to leaning on community...

How do we face what makes us scared? How do we muster up courage when all we feel is afraid? Midlife has no shortage of fears, those things that are out of our control and threaten to bring us harm, or at least discomfort. We wake up in the middle of the night, we ask God for definitive outcomes, but mostly we wish for clarity and certainty when those outcomes were never promised. We have to figur...

Ever felt like you're not enough, or that someone's going to find out you don't belong? You're not alone—and Mary Marantz gets it. In this honest and inspiring conversation, Mary—author, speaker, and host of  The Mary Marantz Show —shares her journey from growing up in a trailer in rural West Virginia to graduating from Yale Law and becoming a bestselling author. But this isn't a highlight reel. M...

How do we face grief when it feels overwhelming? How do we keep from being bitter when life turns out differently than we planned for? What do we say to God when we're simply pissed off and don't want to face the day because we did not ask for this kind of day? Our faith does not need to be shallow, offering us only minor comfort for minor problems. Jesus understands pain and grief in ways no othe...