Our Time to Rise in Midlife

"On the other side of our fear is our purpose." Founder of the socially conscious fashion brand Noonday Collection, Jessica Honegger is a world changer by anyone's standards. Though she has a built a business from scratch, she doesn't always feel brave. Quite the opposite, she feels scared. But she does whatever is set in front of her anyway. This is where Imperfect Courage comes in. Jessica is on...

It's time to hit the books. If you are sending kids back to school, (or are the student in your house), the change from summer-mode to school-mode can be drastic. Podcast hosts Alex and Krista help us think through routines that will help families make that adjustment. Both moms of four kids, they cover everything from school lunches to their own grief at another summer done. In true Open Door Sis...

Most of us are all too familiar with the feeling of being overwhelmed.  Whether it is due to our own decision making, challenging news, unexpected events, financial strain or emotional weight, this is a topic we intimately understand.  The problem with this state of mind is it takes us out of the game.  We succumb to the stress and stop living a life of joy, abundance, and fruitfulness. We are not...

Are you about to send your child off to college?  Or are you anticipating that time in the near future?   Author Carol Kuykendall is back for the second episode of this special two-part series where we discuss the joyful and complicated nature of letting go of our children as they move through the teen years and into college. Starting with high school graduation, we talk about lowering expectation...

There is something about letting our children step into the world that feels counter to our parenting instincts. Author Carol Kuykendall has been speaking and writing on the topic of parenting and letting go for decades. The re-release of her popular book Give Them Wings: Preparing For the Time When Your Teens Leave Home offers great opportunity for the sisterhood to talk about this topic. In fact...

The Bible tells us to pray, and we also seem to know that language intuitively in our spirits.  When something bad happens, what is the first thing most of us do?  Pray.  But what really is prayer?  And does it make a difference to God when we pray?  Also, does it matter HOW we pray?  What does prayer really do? These are some of the questions we tackle in today's episode with Elisa Morgan, author...

Fear God, Live Brave. These are the principles that guide Katie Westenberg's daily decisions. What does it mean to have courage? Is it the absence of fear? How about the fear of God? What does that look like? Though heavy questions, Katie examines them within the context of her smalltown, mom of four life which not only helps us understand the concepts, but shows us how she is living them out. Aut...

Using meaningful rituals is one of the best ways to celebrate those milestone birthdays that mark a coming of age or "set apart" occasion.  In this interview, Krista explains how her extended family uses rituals to mark two very special birthdays.   This episode will spark your creativity and help you think through how you can incorporate meaningful traditions into your family or community for bir...

From motherhood to work life, Kayla Aimee has had to adapt to unexpected turns the last decade. Her first child arrived very early, a micro-preemie throwing her into the world of NICU mothering. Now a mom to two, Kayla and her husband recently switched roles in the work/home life and Kayla has gone from stay at home mom to family breadwinner. We hear how the transition has gone for her and her hus...

Do you ever wonder how the next generation is going to grow up with a healthy view of sexuality?  Do you struggle talking about sexuality yourself?  Sometimes we want to start conversations with those we love, but we just don't have the words.  On this podcast we dive into the important and vulnerable topic of healthy sexuality with honesty and candor. Pastor and Pure Desire speaker Rodney Wright...

Jamie Ivey is a woman on the go. Fellow mom of four, wife to worship pastor Aaron, creator and host of the very popular podcast, The Happy Hour With Jamie Ivey , it's no surprise she has lots of energy. She also has a refreshing honesty as she talks about her own journey, her struggles (both past and current), and her faith. There is no pretense here, simply a woman who shares her story so others...

S-U-M-M-E-R  T-I-M-E!  It's what we wait for all year long.  We often have high hopes and big dreams for our summer months, yet the reality of unscheduled days can hit hard.  If you have kids at home this summer and want some help figuring out how to do the daily schedule well, we're here to help.  Or if you want tips and ideas on what to read, what to eat, and what to wear this season, this episo...

What does it mean to be a woman of legacy? To have an impact beyond today? The Open Door Sisterhood is set to equip women to do just that, design a life that has an eternal imprint. And mother/daughter duo Jackie Green and Lauren Green McAfee, of the Hobby Lobby Green family, are on a similar mission to inspire women to think past today. Their new book Only One Life features women throughout histo...

Summer is the perfect time to break out the fishing poles, pop the tent, and hit the trails.  It's a chance to put the electronics away and open ourselves up to good conversation and creative thinking.  For the first time in Open Door history, Krista's husband, Erik, an avid outdoorsman, joins her to talk about camping, backpacking, and mountain climbing. If you are wanting more connection with yo...

Hannah Brencher didn't aim to create a global love letter writing campaign. A recent college graduate, she was living in New York City and feeling isolated. She realized writing letters to strangers helped her take her focus off of herself. In her struggle with depression, this focus switch helped her mental health. But when she started sharing about her letter writing, her services were requested...

What if you could learn a tool that would change the way you communicate?  What if you could speak in a way that inspires action and change?  Would you be interested?  Us too.  That's why The Sisterhood invited Dr. John Trent to come on the show to talk about a time-tested communication tool:   word pictures.  Jesus used them, and as it turns out, so should we . Word pictures help us convey our th...

Shannon Polk is a modern day Renaissance woman. An attorney, a nonprofit consultant, and most recently an associate pastor, Shannon combines head work with heart work. We'll hear how Shannon lives an integrated life as pastor, wife, and mother, how her legal training impacts her ministry work, and how racial reconciliation plays out in her own church. From uncomfortable conversations about race to...

We are committed to helping you with practical matters in your life here at The Sisterhood, so we like to offer suggestions and help on financial health, knowing that this is an important need.  As summer approaches, many of us dream of vacations and memorable experiences with our friends, family, and children, but the question must be answered:  how do we prepare for them financially?  My guest,...

New York Times bestselling author, Lisa Bevere, joins The Open Door Sisterhood Podcast in a one of a kind interview. We talk about her newest book Adamant: Finding Truth in a Universe of Opinions . Lisa explains how she establishes fences (not walls) in her own life to ensure she has clarity of mind and purpose in pursuing God in a time in history where "anything goes" messages question the idea o...

'Tis the season for....ORGANIZING!  Is anyone else getting the spring cleaning - throw it out - organize every drawer in the house- bug?  Us too.  That's why this week the sisterhood is hosting Morgan Tyree, a professional organizer, to talk about tips and tricks for organizing the various sections of our homes.   This organization will help you in countless ways.  Not only will you know where thi...

Sherri Crandall is a woman willing to walk through the doors God opens, even if she's not quite sure what's waiting for her on the other side. Her most recent move took her from a place she loved to a place God had been preparing for years. As doors have opened she has seen just enough of God's preparation to say "yes" and then has been surprised when looking back at the details he has woven toget...

For the past several years, there's been a buzz about a self-assessment tool known as the Enneagram.  The purpose of it?   To know thyself.   It is a system of classifying personality types based on a nine-pointed starlike figure inscribed within a circle.  While it may seem the Enneagram suddenly surfaced into the milieu of culture, in fact it has been in existence for centuries.  If you've ever...

Karen Stott is the master at the work-life balance. Not afraid of the "b word", she sees balance as maintaining a healthy rhythm in her workload while knowing her own capacity. When she was building her photography business, Karen had a difficult time finding a support system that would encourage both work and family, so she started The Pursuit Community to help women entrepreneurs. We gain some i...

Some couples choose to be childless in our culture, but when this decision is not made by choice, it can be devastating.  Almost 5 million couples in the US experience infertility at some point in their marriage, and many more suffer miscarriages, or the loss of children.  Some singles who are moving beyond child-bearing years also mourn the idea that they will not get to experience biological par...

Belle means beautiful in Latin, and that is exactly what Erin Weidemann is trying to help girls define.  Using women of the Bible, Erin has created a company whose mission is to teach girls about prayerfulness, patience, bravery, leadership, and loyalty.  The hope is that girls would not only learn about these women of faith, but would then adopt those traits and live them out in their daily lives...