Empty Nest Guests

What Makes a Grandparent Grand?

With Ann and Bill Parkinson

The Legacy Coalition – Christian Grandparenting Ministry

Whether you are a seasoned grandparent or soon to be one, this podcast is for you.

Filled with wisdom, encouragement and insight, Ann and Bill share how to invest in the lives of grandchildren.

The Legacy Coalition raises the importance of grandparenting through training, discussion, seminars, webinars,

conferences, podcasts, ministry partners and through a wealth of resources.

They are all about elevating grandparents, reminding them that they have been called to disciple their grandchildren.

The Legacy Coalition desires that grandparents reap the rewards of their ministry to their grandchildren.

Their staff of veteran ministry leaders is deeply devoted to helping you pass on your faith so multiple generations of your family follow Christ.

Charlotte, Ann, and Bill discuss important principles for grandparents. You’ll love hearing about:

Listeners, there IS a war going on for families and grandparents can and should serve on the front lines.

The mission to preserve families and leave a legacy is paramount and, through grandparenting, much is possible.

“…be careful and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as you live.

Teach them to your children and to their children after them.”  - Deut. 4:9

To learn more about the Legacy Coalition – Christian Grandparenting Ministry:

Legacy Coalition - Christian Grandparenting Ministry

To reach Charlotte: https://charlotteguest.com

As we get closer to Mother’s Day, this podcast is super insightful.   

Tune in to hear:

Are You Struggling with A Difficult Mother-Daughter Relationship?

Join Charlotte as she visits with Dr. Helen McIntosh and Daughter Blythe Daniel,

authors of Mended – Restoring the Hearts of Mothers and Daughters.

(This wonderful book is endorsed by Lysa TerKeust, Stasi Eldredge and other best-selling authors.)

Relationships between mothers and daughters can be messy and hurtful.

In their book, Helen and Blythe share how they’ve built, guarded and renewed

a relationship centered around respecting and listening first…then talking.

In this podcast, Charlotte, Helen and Blythe will walk you through the steps to restoring

what’s between you and include conversation starters that are welcoming. They also share.

how to experience freedom when you aren’t able to mend or reconcile.

Listen in and learn how to:

*Choose the relationship above your difference of opinion

*Focus on not changing or controlling the other person

*Recognize and remove behaviors that have carried over from generations

* Confront hurts today – not digging through the mess of yesterday

* Cope when reconciliation is not possible

* Experience healing when your mother or daughter is no longer in your life and more.

For more information about Mended – Restoring the Hearts of Mothers & Daughters

To buy the book go to: www.ourmendedhearts.com

To reach Charlotte:       https://charlotteguest.com

Also, listeners, this dynamic duo also has written a wonderful gift book: I Love You Mom!

It’s a wonderful gift for mom for Mother’s Day or any day.

This special book contains more thoughts than a greeting card and is beautifully illustrated.

The sentiments in I Love You Mom! will help you recall the ways you love your mom.

The forward of the book allows you to leave a personalized message for mom.

In the back of the book, there is room for her thoughts.

Pick up your copy today on Amazon,

at Tyndale House Publishers and other stores.

Episode #38

Loss, Grief and Living Your Gospel

Losing my cousin Michael has left such a void in my life and in that of our family.

Michael was a blessing and his life was a bright light in this world.

In this short episode, I share some thoughts about loss, grief and how that affects our lives.

Hopefully, with every loss we experience, we are reminded that our lives matter and how we live does too.

Thankfully, I served at a hospice facility with my therapy dog, Fitz shortly after losing Michael.

I picked up some helpful Care Notes booklets about how to care for yourself and others while grieving.

(You can find these books here.) These booklets helped me tremendously and sure will in the future as well.

I hope my words from what I learned will bless you.

Also, in preparing my thoughts about Michael’s life, I reflected on some dear words I heard at my friend’s

brother’s Celebration of Life. He reminded us that our lives are a gospel and asked What does the gospel of you say?

Tune in to this episode to hear more.

Your life and your time are blessings to me.

Loss and grief are so hard. Thankfully, we have a Comforter and a Creator. Jesus understands and so desires to walk through sorrows with us.

Another of His names is Son of Suffering. May He bless you if you are grieving today.

Thanks for listening.

Charlotte

To reach Charlotte:

https://charlotteguest.com

To see more Care Notes on other topics:

CareNotes Inspirational Booklets | Carenotes

To read some YouVersion Bible plans, written by Charlotte:

Charlotte Guest | YouVersion Search | The Bible App

Episode #37 Mothers, Adult Sons & Empty Nesting

(Guest: George Stahnke from Focus on the Family)

As a son grows into a young man, he needs his mother’s love and, now, more than ever, her respect.

This respect needs to be unconditional.

We need to understand our son’s:

Listen in as Charlotte and George Stahnke from Focus on the Family discuss some key points from Dr. Emerson

Eggerichs’ new book entitled: Mother and Son – The Respect Effect.

Your son does want to connect with you, but on his own terms. “Men do not fear transparency,” says Eggerichs, “they

fear shame, disapproval or a lecture. They fear disrespect.”

Charlotte and George dive in to unveil helpful understandings of your son and his need for your respect to establish

deeper levels of trust in your relationship.

Listen in to hear how to do life “shoulder to shoulder” with your son and more.

Other topics discussed include:

As we mothers believe in our sons and the person God made them to be, we can get through difficult seasons and enjoy

the blessings found in good times together.

Special thanks to George for his time and his own wise insight.

Remember… “the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinth. 13:13.

To reach George Stahnke:

[email protected]

For countless resources from Focus on the Family:

https://www.focusonthefamily.com/

To reach Charlotte:

https://charlotteguest.com/

Personal trainer and health coach, Jana Love offers inspiration and insight regarding our health and wellness during the empty nest years. Charlotte & Jana discuss what is unique about self-care during this phase of life.

More about Jana:

- Certified Whole Food Plant-Based Health Coach

- Married to husband Rich for 30 years

- Mom to two adult sons

- BSF Leader for 5 years

- Youth Mentor

- Women’s Ministry Deacon

- Jana Love, M.S. Exercise Physiologist

- Certified Personal Trainer

- Certified Mat Pilates|SPIN|Bender Barre

- Certified Whole Food Plant-Based Health Coach

- Inspire.Motivate.Encourage

- LoveWorks Fitness & Wellness | The Farm

[email protected]

Click here:

https://charlotteguest.com/about/ for more about Charlotte and to reach her regarding this podcast.

Let’s Pray AND Rebuke

When times are tough, most of us know about the power of prayer.

But…

What about when times are REALLY tough?

- What do you do with a health diagnosis that is unexpected?

- How about when you feel oppressed, stressed and sense something bigger is at play?

You know what? It probably is. Spiritual warfare is swirling about us all every day.

In this video, Charlotte discusses the importance of rebuking illness and dis-ease.

Recently diagnosed with RA and a strange tick-borne illness call Alpha-Gal, Charlotte

has really suffered lately with inflammation, immobility and has needed a season of rest.

Sickness is a hard part of life BUT, as believers, we do not have to accept a diagnosis lightly.

There is power in prayer and much to learn about what rebuking is.

Mark 4:36-40 talks about Jesus rebuking the wind and said “Peace, be still…”

The wind ceased and there was a great calm.

Luke 4:38 & 39 shares how Jesus rebuked a fever “and it left…”

Friends, we, too, can rebuke in Jesus’ name because, as believers we have Him living inside of us.

Listen in how you can pray and harness the awesome power of rebuking.

To reach Charlotte about this topic go to:

https://charlotteguest.com

Thanks for tuning in.

YOU will be in my prayers, especially if you are dealing with illness.

Please share your prayer request here and I promise to pray for you.

(Hey, I’d appreciate yours too! RA is tough! )

Charlotte Guest

Podcaster & Writer

CharlotteGuest.com | [email protected]

Listen to Empty Nest Guests – The Podcast

Check out my YouVersion Bible Plans

For this podcast and other amazing Christian podcasts, visit

Edifi Podcast Network | Edifi

Empty Nest Guests is part of the Spark Media Collective.

Spark Media

“May the God of hope fill you with joy & peace.”

Rom. 15:13

Let’s Stay Encouraged in These Encore Years

& Please Stay In Touch

Thank you listeners for joining Charlotte on her podcasting journey!

In this episode, Charlotte recaps the key messages shared on her past 33 episodes.

She has been so blessed with incredible guests who have shared wisdom and insight for living our best lives now.

Charlotte is excited as she will be on a hiatus for a bit and plans to concentrate on some writing.

(Please keep her in your prayers as she writes.)

She’ll be working on a book that summarizes the podcasts thus far and offers encouragement for the encore years.

She also loves children’s books and will work on those as well.

Charlotte hopes you’ll enjoy this podcast that offers key tips from past episodes and suggests you re-listen to past episodes too!

Here’s a note from Charlotte:

“Thank you, thank you listeners for sharing your valuable time with me on Empty Nest Guests.

We’ve had some great shows together and I have loved every minute and learned so much from my incredible guests.

As I spend writing time outside of the recording studio, please reach out to me at https://charlotteguest.com for encore year topic suggestions.

You all stay in my prayers and I thank you for your wonderful support of me, my guests and the podcast.

Stay healthy and hopeful and keep shinin’! These can be your best years yet!”

With love,

Charlotte

For this podcast and other amazing Christian podcasts, visit

Edifi Podcast Network | Edifi

Empty Nest Guests is part of the Spark Media Collective.

Spark Media

Getting Beyond Burnout

When You Are Barely Hanging On As a Caregiver

Adult caregivers, you can avoid burnout as you care for your loved one.

It’s sure not easy and, often, we forget to care for ourselves in the process.

“Honor your father and mother,” in Exodus 20:12 is a commandment with a promise.

The Lord shares that if we honor our parents, our days may be long in the land He gives us.

Being a caregiver of your own parents or an aging adult is both a labor of love and a responsibility. The task comes with many stressors that affect your mental and emotional health, your ability to relax, sleep well and overall quality of life. Often, your own finances are affected as is your work/life balance and time with your immediate family, perhaps your own children.

Join Charlotte and Carole Jeanne Runnels, R.N. as they talk about caring for yourself in the process of caregiving while ensuring your loved one receives the best possible care.

Carole Jeanne is a committed Christ-follower, a dear friend of Charlotte’s, and lovingly cared for her mother, father, aunt and uncle for 12 years into their end-stages of life. Her nursing career of 38 years included serving as an oncology nurse, an educational programs coordinator and as a school nurse.

Caregiving is hard. Yet it is priceless time to help your loved ones finish out their lives well. Keeping your spiritual tank full, involving Christian community and finding small things that bring you joy are helpful as is taking the scenic route and remembering the fullness of your aging adult’s life. Carole Jeanne suggests sharing the freedom that comes from the ability to discuss everything and to serve as your loved ones advocate. Tapping in to community resources and offering yourself a bit of grace will help you “do the next right thing” as you care for your loved one. Tune in to hear more from this insightful conversation.

These scriptures helped Carole Jeanne and they can help you:

“The Joy of the Lord is my strength,” Nehemiah 8:10

“I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” Phil. 4:13.

A suggested book for help is Cruising Through Caregiving by Jennifer FitzPatrick, MSW, LCSW-C, CSP.

You can purchase it here: Amazon.com : cruising through caregiving.

To reach Charlotte: https://charlotteguest.com

Empty Nest Guests is part of the Spark Media Collective.

For this podcast and other amazing Christian podcasts, visit the Edifi Podcast Network | Edifi.

You Have a Fierce Calling Yes! 

Even in the encore years you have a call on your life. God has great purposes for you. 

Your life has meaning and, each day, He has a mission for you. Why do we forget that as empty nesters? 

Listen in as Charlotte and Doris Swift, host of the Fierce Calling podcast, talk about: 

· What having a “call” on your life means (and one that is “fierce”) 

· Why some empty nesters have lost a calling 

· How we need to surround ourselves with “dream defenders” 

· Why we need to NOT compare our calling with others (and what Jesus says about that) 

Before being called into something, we are called to some One. Jesus calls us to Him to carry out the very missions He created us to do. 

Doris is a devoted follower of Jesus. She is passionate about discipleship and encouraging others to walk deeper in biblical truth and in their calling. 

As a leader and lay counselor, Doris is blessed to assist people in discovering God’s solutions to their needs. 

She loves unveiling how they can use their gifts to impact the world for the furtherance of the Kingdom of God. Her Fierce Calling Podcast will encourage, equip, and engage you to walk deeper in God’s word, bloom in your fierce calling, and use your gifts to impact the world for Christ. 

Learning through community is an amazing thing and our voices matter. 

We all have a sphere of influence. God places us where we are for a reason. 

In ministry for over 30 years, Doris is blessed to be on staff at her church and serves as a Christian lay counselor. She is an author, speaker, and podcast host who loves encouraging people to flourish in their calling and purpose. 

Charlotte and Doris agree that God has plans for each one of us. God knows us personally and He is calling us to know Him more. He is also calling us to tell others about Him so they can know Him more. 

It’s exciting to see those plans come to life in the encore years! We’d love to share some time with you. 

Scriptures for our podcast: * Eph. 3: 16 - 19 “I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.

And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” * Romans 8:16 “For His Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children.” 

* Romans 15:13 “I pray that God, the source of hope will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then, you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.” 

* John 15:5 “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me and I in them will produce much fruit. For apart from me, you can do nothing.” To reach Doris: FIERCE CALLING PODCAST WITH DORIS SWIFT part of the Spark Network and Fierce Calling Ministries

⋆ ...BECAUSE EVERY WOMAN OF GOD HAS A FIERCE CALLING Click to

join Doris’s email list. To reach Charlotte: Charlotte Guest

To join Charlotte’s e-mail list: Contact | Charlotte Guest

To see Charlotte’s Etsy shop for art cards that help fund Empty Nest Guests: CharlotteGuestArt | Etsy

Charlotte Guest Podcaster & Writer

Finding Joy in the Empty Nest Discover Purpose and Passion in the Next Phase of Life Join best-selling author and President of Home Word, Jim Burns, and Charlotte as they talk about JOY! 

Sometimes, in the empty nesting years, you need to look for joy to find it, as well as purpose and passion. 

Jim and Charlotte will discuss some treasures from his latest book: Finding Joy in the Empty Nest, Discover Purpose and Passion in the Next Phase of Life. Whether you've been looking forward to it, or dreading it, the experience of coming home to the empty nest brings with it a well of emotions, realizations and one gigantic, all-consuming thought: Now what? As an empty nester, the options before you are practically limitless -a fact that can be as exciting as it is terrifying. In his new book, Jim Burns combines his personal experiences with extensive research, interviews with other empty nesters and his professional work as a family educator to help you navigate your new life as an empty nester and find JOY in the opportunities for life-change before you. 

In this conversation, Jim and Charlotte will encourage you to lean in to the source of all joy, Jesus Christ. 

They will encourage you to pursue a few fresh starts, to get to know and re-invent yourself and life and thrive beyond this new stage.                                  Jim offers practical advice and timeless principles, including how to: 

* change the relationship you once had with your children - for the better, 

* face big issues (like aging parents, finances and kids returning home) with confidence, 

* rekindle your fire and purpose to live with passion day by day. 

Charlotte and Jim agree...these next years offer countless blessings and wonderful opportunities for you to seize and offer joy.                                          Thanks for listening and sharing time with us! Scriptures about JOY: James 1:2 - "When troubles come, of any kind, consider it an opportunity for great joy." Gal. 5:22 - "But the Holy Spirit produces joy." Phil. 4:4 - "Always be full of joy in the Lord..." Psalms 126:5 - "Those who plant in tears will harvest shouts of joy!" Romans 15:13 - "I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in Him. 

Then, you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit." To reach Jim Burns: HomeWord | Helping Families Succeed

HomeWord seeks to advance the work of God in the world by educating, equipping, and encouraging parents and churches to build God-honoring families from generation to generation. 

HomeWord is non-profit, donor supported ministry. If you would like to partner with HomeWord in our effort to help more parents and families you can

make a donation. 

Your investment will allow us to expand this ministry and is deeply appreciated. To reach Charlotte: Charlotte Guest

Empty Nest Guests is on the Spark Network which can be found on the Edifi app. Edifi offers thousands of Christian podcasts; download that awesome app today. Visit Charlotte's Etsy shop

purchase art cards that help fund Empty Nest Guests. Thank you for listening! Your time is valuable. Thanks for spending it with Empty Nest Guests. Charlotte Guest Podcaster & Writer

CharlotteGuest.com |

[email protected]

Listen to Empty Nest Guests - The Podcast

Check out my YouVersion Bible Plan "May the God of hope fill you with joy & peace." Rom. 15:13