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 must pray for God's clarity and as we move through this journey. We need to watch our self-talk and the messages we are repeating in our own minds. And we must find a community of true belonging, where we are safe to explore these changes and how they impact our self perception. We hope this is a place that feels like true belonging to you. As you experience the stress of midlife, we hope you press play, exhale, and remember that you belong to God no matter your age or stage. FIND MORE ABOUT DR. SAUNDRA DALTON-SMITH

Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith- Website and Instagram

Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith Book- Being Fully Known

A FEW THINGS MENTIONED

DR. Saundra's other books

Sacred Rest

QUESTIONS TO HELP YOU RISE

1. Where in your life are you resisting change?
2. If your pot is being stirred, is there something coming up in you that you need to pay attention to?
3. What does it look like to accept your current situation so you can find the joy in what is?
4. What form of sacred rest are you practicing so your soul is being watered?
5. How can you explore what is underneath a fear you have? What have you been avoiding facing?
6. What part of you are you holding back?

LET'S CONNECT!

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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, managing expectations, and engaging older kids in meaningful activities. We also dive into the significance of building sibling relationships and the challenges that come with the holiday season, always landing with both feet on the hope that comes from celebrating together despite difficulties. If you want to prepare your head and heart for the holiday season, listen in! Takeaways

• The holidays are a time to create special memories with family.
• Strong families are built through intentional moments and connections.
• It's important to balance time-honored traditions with new experiences.
• Creating a welcoming home environment can enhance family gatherings.
• Managing expectations is crucial to enjoying the holiday season.
• Flexibility is key when planning holiday activities.
• Engaging older kids in meaningful traditions can strengthen family bonds.
• Sibling relationships can be nurtured through shared holiday activities.
• Every family faces challenges during the holidays, and that's okay.
• Celebrating the holidays is an opportunity to embody hope and joy.

Titles

• Creating Lasting Holiday Memories
• Balancing Traditions and New Experiences

Sound Bites

• "I want our memories to be special."
• "What is your howling coyote?"
• "That's hope. That's beautiful."

FIND MORE ABOUT JESSICA SMARTT

Jessica Smartt's- Website and Instagram

Jessica Smartt's Book- Come on Home

A FEW THINGS MENTIONED

Jessica's Other Book

Memory Making Mom

The Light at Tern Rock-

QUESTIONS TO HELP YOU RISE

1. What would it look like to take a posture of flexibility this holiday season?

2. As Jessica said, God has uniquely wired you with gifts for your family, how can you capitalize on those gifts that you already have to create more of a nest for your family?

3. How can you embody the spirit of the holiday you are celebrating?

4. What is one action step from the podcast you can implement and be specific is it an idea, posture, game or tradition?

5. What is the opportunity God is inviting you into your specific hard this holiday season?

LET'S CONNECT!

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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 gotcha, when that is what our instincts are indicating? On the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches us to not only consider the opposite, but also practice it. Tammy Melchien, a teaching pastor at Community Christian Church in Chicago, joins us as we consider what it means to be people of peace this holiday season. We do not need to meet anger with anger. We CAN make different choices with the help of the Holy Spirit. We can allow God's goodness to work in us, and therefore through us. Push play to listen in. FIND MORE ABOUT TAMMY MELCHIEN Tammy's- Website and Instagram Tammy's Book- Choosing the Opposite A FEW THINGS MENTIONED Finding Nemo Movie QUESTIONS TO HELP YOU RISE

1. Where is a place in your life where you could choose the opposite?
2. Is there a person you will see over the holidays that may cause you to respond in a way that is not aligned with who you want to be?
3. How can you prepare now to practice healthy detachment in the moment when you are with them?
4. How can you cultivate becoming more of a person of peace both internally, what you're experiencing in your soul and externally how you respond to other people?

LET'S CONNECT!

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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 Scripture and grounded psychological insight. They discuss the necessity of grieving what's been lost while making space for new beginnings. Ultimately, letting go isn't a passive act - it's an intentional, faith-filled practice that opens the door to freedom, peace, and deeper trust in God's unfolding story.

If you find yourself in a surrendering season, this episode is for you!

TAKEAWAYS:

• It's essential to discern when to end something and when to persevere.
• Letting go is a gradual process, much like building a muscle.
• Midlife brings significant changes that require us to let go.
• Grief is a natural response to change and loss.
• Surrendering to God's will is a key aspect of faith.
• Self-regulation is essential in navigating life's transitions.
• Letting go can be painful, as it often involves loss of identity.
• Ending well is important for personal growth and closure.
• Recognizing expectations can help in the letting go process.
• Scripture provides numerous examples of letting go and trusting God.

FEW THINGS MENTIONED

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

John 12:24

Episode 469- Who Am I if?

QUESTIONS TO HELP YOU RISE

1. Is there an area where you need to surrender?
2. Thinking of Ecclesiastes 3, what season is changing for you right now?
3. Can you form a statement much like in Ecclesiastes 3 that says there is a season for one thing and a season for another in your life, be specific in how your seasons are changing.
4. What is God inviting you into as you discern your next steps?
5. When have you been blessed by letting go?

LET'S CONNECT!

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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 picture. The changes and stressors that happen can accentuate hurtful patterns. This episode is meant to be a reminder that God meets us in all circumstances. Whether divorce is part of your story or you have friends walking that road, this conversation provides a framework for forging a path toward healing.

FIND MORE ABOUT JESSICA KASTNER

Jessica Kastner/Blog – Website and Facebook

Jessica Kastner Podcast- Free Failing

Jessica Kastner Book- Hiding from My Kids in the Prayer Closet

FEW THINGS MENTIONED

Psalms 91

1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18

Alex's Book- Seeking Out Goodness

QUESTIONS TO HELP YOU RISE

1. How has divorce impacted you?
2. What insights did you gain from this conversation and how will it impact your relationships?
3. How can you be a good friend to someone else that's been impacted by divorce

LET'S CONNECT!

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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 adoption and the evolving conversations she's having now with her daughter, Lexi, as she steps into adulthood.

Together we explore:

• Why it's important to invite young adults to lead conversations about identity, heritage, and belonging
• How to honor each child's unique story, rather than forcing a one-size-fits-all narrative
• Practical ways to help adopted young people connect to their cultural roots

If you're a parent, family member, or anyone who loves an adopted child, this episode is especially for you. Join us as we dive into what it really means to walk alongside someone through adoption during the teen and young adult years.

FIND MORE ABOUT SHERRI CRANDALL

Sherri Crandall's – Website and Instagram

Sherri Crandall's Book- Lexi the Butterfly

QUESTIONS TO HELP YOU RISE

1. If you are not adopted, consider for a moment what it would be like to enter adulthood with no connections to your birth family, what questions would you picture rising up in you?
2. If you are an adoptive parent, how can you let your child or young-adult lead the conversation around adoption?
3. How can you honor your child's heritage and birth family in both your traditions and conversations?
4. What message do you want to make sure they know from you?

LET'S CONNECT!

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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 patterns for future relationships.

Parents pay attention. No matter the age of your children - you can give them building blocks to receive God's love. Push play on this episode for more.

FIND MORE ABOUT JOHN AND KARI

John Trent's – Website and Instagram

Kari Trent Stageberg - Website and Instagram

John and Kari's Book- The Blessing

FEW THINGS MENTIONED

Books

The Merge for Marriage

Bible verses

• Genesis 27
• Genesis 48
• Deuteronomy 23:5
• Ephesians 1:1
• Ephesians 1:2

Quote

"It's not that we fear God's best, we fear how painful His best can be" Cs Lewis

QUESTIONS TO HELP YOU RISE

1. Who was it who looked at you with unconditional love and acceptance?
2. What part of this interview felt most relevant to your life now?
3. If you could make one shift or change based on what John and Kari said, what would it be?

LET'S CONNECT!

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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 motherhood.

Today, we are joined by author and speaker Vicki Courtney. Vicki is not only a seasoned writer but also a mother who has walked this journey, learning how to release control and embrace life outside of her children.

Moms, this is a conversation you won't want to miss. It's a timely reminder that while motherhood matters deeply, your ultimate identity rests in something far greater.

FIND MORE ABOUT VICKI COURTNEY

Vicki Courtney's – Website and Instagram

Vicki Courtney's Book- Motherhood Is Not Your Highest Calling

FEW THINGS MENTIONED

Vicki's other books

-Move On

-5 Conversations You Must Have With Your Daughter

-5 Conversations You Must Have With Your Son

QUESTIONS TO HELP YOU RISE

1. How does it sit with you to hear that motherhood is not your highest calling?
2. How can we be more intentional about how we speak about our calling and identity with our children?
3. What can you do to cultivate intimacy and growth in your marriage in this season or this week?
4. What can you do to cultivate parts of yourself toward growth and discovery?

LET'S CONNECT!

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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 directions? You have guilt you haven't offered your friends more of your attention? How about vulnerability? Are you willing to trust those around you? How about repairing when things have been fractured? How can you find friends if you are feeling all alone?

We talk through the unique aspects of female friendships in midlife. How to discern who to invest in, who to hold tight, and who to welcome to the larger group. If you are lonely this episode is for you. If you are exhausted this episode is for you. If you want to be a good friend to those around you this episode is for you.

FIND MORE ABOUT TONI COLLIER

Toni Collier's – Website and Instagram

Toni Collier's Book- Don't Try This Alone

Toni Collier's Podcast- Still Coloring

FEW THINGS MENTIONED

-Kurk Thompsons Concept

(To be Seen, Soothed, Safe and Secure)

-Jim Murphy Book- Inner Excellence

-Lysa TerKeurst Book's- Good Boundaries and Goodbyes

- Forgiving What You Can't Forget

QUESTIONS TO HELP YOU RISE

1. In what area of your life have you been isolating or hiding?
2. Who could you bring into your close circle?
3. If there is one thing you are taking away from this interview, what would it be?

LET'S CONNECT!

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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 in a way that actually works for this new season.

It's not always easy, especially when every instinct tells you to jump in and fix things, but there's real beauty when we step back, trust our kids' choices, and cheer them on.

Joining us for this episode is Catherine Hickem, a licensed clinical social worker, psychotherapist, and the founder of Parenting Adult Children Today. With over 40 years of experience in parenting and therapy, Catherine is dedicated to equipping parents with the tools needed to love and support their adult children effectively.

If you're ready to build healthier, stronger connections with your adult kids (and maybe even enjoy the ride a little more), this conversation is for you.

FIND MORE ABOUT CATHERINE HICKEM

Catherine Hickem – Website and Instagram

QUESTIONS TO HELP YOU RISE

1. Is there an expectation you need to grieve when it comes to your adult children inorder to enter with curiosity into their lives?
2. What would a pause or a statement look like if you don't know how to respond?
3. Is there a conversation that needs to be had, in order to move forward with a young adult child?
4. Is there any anger you need to get underneath and what fear or sadness lies underneath that anger?

LET'S CONNECT!

Did you like this episode? Let us know and leave a review on itunes or share it with a friend.

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Get the Daily Dozen Checklist -12 habits that will immediately make you happier and healthier