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. Mary opens up about wrestling with fear, imposter syndrome, perfectionism, and the pressure to constantly strive for more.

We talk about what it really means to feel stuck (especially in midlife), why procrastination isn't laziness, and how urgency can actually be a gift. Mary also breaks down the difference between setting goals and living with intention—and why that distinction matters.

If you’re tired of chasing worth and ready to reclaim your story, this episode is for you.

Mary Marantz - Website and Instagram

Mary Marantz Book- Underestimated

Mary's Other Books

-Dirt

-Slow Growth, Equals Strong Roots

Other Books

-Be The Unicorn

Mary's Podcast Show

-The Mary Marantz Show

1. Is there an area of life where you are feeling stuck?
2. What face of fear is feeding that: Perfectionism, procrastination, people pleasing etc?
3. How can you show up with authenticity in every area of your life so that you feel integrated as you go through your days?
4. Where do you feel like you've put on imposter syndrome as a means of self-protection?
5. How can you show up with intention daily to help you live in integrity?

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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 other human can. Yet we feel like we shouldn't go to him with our actual heartache.

Linda Dillow shares some of her life story with us. She is a woman who knows grief and anger. She also understands that life doesn't always get easier, sometimes it gets harder. And yet she has discovered some heart practices that connect her to God in these most grieved places.

If you are looking for more than a superficial faith, you are longing for a theology that withstands the worst life can throw at you and a relationship with Jesus that is authentic, push play. Linda is a comfort and a model of what it is to choose to turn back to God while asking the Holy Spirit to heal.

We want this kind of faith for us and for you.

Linda Dillow's Book- Hope for My Hurting Heart

Psalms 139

Romans 5

Chokmah- A Hebrew word meaning -Wisdom

Philippians 3

Linda's Book

Calm My Anxious Heart

1. What would you title the hard story you are living through right now?
2. Linda shared about her journey of forgiveness, who might you need to forgive and what is keeping you from doing that?
3. What is a declaration of hope that you can write over your story today?
4. What would it look like for you to worship in the minor-key right now?

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We did it—500 episodes! Today, we’re celebrating this incredible milestone by taking a look back at the conversations that have shaped us, stretched us, and stayed with us.

From unforgettable guests who made us laugh, to powerful lessons that changed the way we think and lead—this episode is a tribute to the moments that mattered most.

We’re sharing the episodes we return to again and again… and the ones you keep talking about too.

Whether you’ve been with us from the beginning or just found us recently, this 500th episode is a celebration of the journey we’ve taken together.

Come celebrate with us!

John Mark Comer - The Secret to Enoying Your Life

5 Episodes That I Think of Often

1. 388 How Boundaries Help Us Get What We Really Want for Christmas with Sasha Shillcut (people are upset when you establish new boundaries bc they benefitted from your lack of boundaries or are resentful they didn’t maintain the same boundary)
2. 444 Love, Pray, Listen, Parenting Young Adults with Mary DeMuth (emphasis on maintaining relationship)
3. 266 Our Relationship With Alcohol with Jenn Kautsch (Her own story of determining alcohol was no longer serving her)
4. 376 Midlife Is No Joke: The Big Questions in Midlife (The things that used to work no longer do)
5. 332 This Cultural Moment: Facing Reality with Jen Oshman (On being an informed citizen with boundaries)

Krista

Inheritance Gone Right with Sean and Jill Maher

Helping your young adult kids find their career path with Tyler Lafferty

The Soul of Shame with Dr Curt Thompson

Midlife is no joke - The big questions in midlife with Kelly Flanagan

Resilient Faith with Jerry Sittser

5 Guests I Won’t Forget 

1. 181 Kay Warren on Depression and Anxiety
2. 377 Midlife Is No Joke: Marriage with Jimmy and Irene Rollins
3. 310 Moving Through Grief and Loss at Christmas with Nancy Hicks
4. David Thomas —> 274 Parenting Teens: Navigating Emotions & 165 Parenting in the New Year
5. 261 Katherin Wolff on Suffering

Krista

Parenting Young Adult Children with Dr Jim Burns

Seven Surprising Ways to Rest with Dr Saundra Dalton

Candace Cameron Bure

Jackie Green and Lauren McAfee - how to be a person of legacy

What Healthy Relationships do and don’t have with Gary Thomas

5 Episodes Where I’ve Implemented Something I Learned

1. 446 Styling Fashion Over 40 with Julie Powell and Krista Olufson
2. 437 Jumpstarting Your Midlife Health with Megan Dahlman
3. 414 Beat the Frumpy - on fashion with Jammie Baker
4. 312 The Healthy Way: Productivity and Habits with Tanya Dalton
5. 430 The Art and Heart of Holiday Gathering with Anna Watson Carl

Krista

Ep 493 Experience God, Really with John Eldredge - quote + God being “right here” in you + pausing + day, week, month year plan for renewal

Lead your mindset with Emily Love

The Secret to Success with Jeff Henderson

Mental Training for Your Athlete and Yourself with Trisha Kroll

Healthy Relationships 101 with John Townsend

5 Episodes That Brought Me Joy (It was all about the guests)

1. 455 & 456 Building a Lasting Legacy with Rick and Diane Thomas
2. 445 Maximizing Your Look with Rebecca Reid, Color Analyst
3. 326 The Brain Game: The Soul of Shame with Dr. Curt Thompson
4. 305 The Family Legacy Series with Eric Peterson
5. 95  Sally Clarkson

Krista

Cultivating a Marriage that Lasts with Dan Allender

The Secret to being instantly understood with John Trent

Lisa Bevere - b/c she’s awesome

Kate Merrick - b/c there’s no one like Kate and it’s a moving story of faith

Edie Littlefield Sundby - Movement heals the body

5 Episodes Others Have Talked About 

1. 421 & 422: What I’ve Noticed About You: Our Keys to Longterm Friendship
2. 373: A Busy Mom’s Guide to Photo Organization with Casey Von Stein
3. 469: Who Am I If?
4. 378 Midlife is No Joke: Menopause with Dr. Carol Tanksley
5. 472: Faith-Driven Voters: Questions We Ask as We Cast Our Ballots With Kaitlyn Schess

Krista

How to feel the feels with Aundi Kobler

Fighting for Family with Julie and Chris Bennett

DISC your way to better relationships

How to incorporate meaningful rituals into milestone birthdays 

Innovation and creativity - two secrets to living life well with Ken Wytsma

She’s Re-launching - most recent episode on going back to work

SPOTIFY LINK TO THE PLAYLIST OF EPISODES WE MENTION

Books

Sacred Marriage- Gary Thomas

Sacred Parenting- Gary Thomas

And She Still Laughs- Kate Merrick

The Mission Walker- Edie Littlefield Sundby

Doing Life with Your Adult Children: Keep Your Mouth Shut and the Welcome Mat Out - Jim Burns

Try softer-Aundi kolber

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We are returning to our conversation with Kristen Douglass and Tammy Strait around re-entering the workforce after a mothering break. Whether you stepped out fulltime, took a part-time role for a number of years, or simply are looking for a pivot in your career as you enter midlife, this conversation will let you know you are not alone.

We are reminded that our mothering can have lots of transferrable skills, making us great leaders in the workplace. On the flip side, our work outside the home can offer us opportunity to provide financially for our families and give our kids insights in to what it is to live a multifaceted life.

From differentiating between facts and feelings to balancing work and family life, Tammy and Kristen speak directly to the midlife woman making career decisions. You are more than any of your roles. You are complex and your lane is wide for you to walk in step with God's good plans for you. We look forward to hearing where you are as you Relaunch your work life. IT IS YOUR TIME TO RISE!

Book

A Non-anxious Presence: How a Changing and Complex World will Create a Remnant of Renewed Christian Leaders by Mark Sayers

1. If you are a mom, what mothering skills have helped you in your work?
2. On the flip side, how has your work life impacted your mothering for good?
3. Consider a pressure you have experienced in the last 20 years. How has that refined you to increase your holiness and make you more impactful at work?

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

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So many women in midlife are stepping into something new—switching careers, transitioning roles, or heading back to work after time spent raising kids. If that sounds like you, you’re going to love this episode on re-launching your next chapter with purpose and courage.

In part 1 of this 2-part series, we sit down with Kristen Douglass, MD, and Tammy Strait, JD—two incredible women who share their real-life journeys from professional life to stay-at-home motherhood and back again. Together, we unpack the messy, meaningful middle of returning to work: rebuilding confidence, facing fears with faith, and remembering what we’re truly capable of.

We talk about the power of persistence, the courage it takes to do something uncomfortable, and the importance of not letting obstacles keep you from what you’re meant to do. Kristen shares her story about being the person in Oregon who took the longest break from medical practice—and successfully fought to get re-credentialed. (Spoiler: it wasn’t easy, but it’s seriously inspiring.)

This episode is filled with hard-earned wisdom on overcoming limiting beliefs, recognizing the value of motherhood in the workplace, and learning to lead with open hands. Tammy and Kristen offer encouragement that’s both practical and heartfelt—reminding us to separate facts from feelings and to own our worth in a fresh, new season.

If you’re standing at a crossroads with your work or calling, this episode is for you.

There is nothing that we do that can mess up God's plan over our lives.

1. What is a fear you have about transitioning with work or re-entering the workforce?
2. Kristen and Tammy both re-entering the workforce for different reasons, what is prompting you to make the transition in this season of your life? Name it specifically.
3. What skills have you gained from all of your experiences that will translate no matter what arena you are in?

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

Or message us on Instagram – we’d love to hear from you!

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Feeling a bit like the world has gone mad? Are you feeling like an outsider? Wondering where or how your understanding of God fits in today's cultural moment? Not sure how to respond in conversations when a certain topic comes up? This episode is for you!

No matter the issue of the moment, God invites us to be with people who think and live differently. The question is how do we do it in a way that honors God, others, and ourselves? Patrick Miller joins us to talk about the times we live in and how disorienting it can feel. He also offers practical approaches to conversations and situations that can feel awkward or downright uncomfortable without making them combative.

It is a tricky time to disagree. And yet, it is a joy to be with people who don't always see the world as we do. This is the tension Patrick speaks of that makes us joyful outsiders. This is one you may come back to often and will want to share with others.

Patrick Miller & Keith Simon website - Joyful Outsiders

Patrick Miller's & Keith Simon Book- Joyful Outsiders

Podcast

Ten Minute Bible Talks Devotional Bible Study

Truth Over Tribe: Christian Takes on Culture, News & Politics

Jeremiah 51

Jeremiah 29

Genesis 1

1. When have you recently felt like an outsider?
2. Patrick said Christians have always been outsiders, how does this truth shift your perspective on what it means to be an outsider?
3. What would it look like the next time you feel like an outsider to invite Jesus to sit next to you and offer wisdom?
4. How are you uniquely positioned to bring joy into the world?

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

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When we think of addiction, our minds often go to the "big three"—alcohol, drugs, and pornography. But addiction takes many forms. Workaholism, shopping, sugar, people-pleasing, and even exercise can become compulsive and harmful. The hard truth? We live in the most addicted culture in history.

In this conversation, Ian Morgan Cron joins us to explore how the 12 steps offer wisdom beyond traditional addiction recovery. We all need them and can apply them in our day-to-day lives. He shares his personal journey and reminds us that addiction isn’t a black-and-white issue—we’re all somewhere on the continuum, and the principles of recovery can benefit everyone.

One of our favorite takeaways from this episode: “We get sick alone. We heal together.” We dive into why community is essential for lasting wellness and why open conversations—especially with teens and young adults—are key to navigating today’s world.

If you’re ready to break free from unhealthy patterns and step into a healthier, more whole version of yourself, this episode is for you.

Ian Morgan Cron- Website and Instagram

Ian Morgan Cron Book- The Fix

Ian's Books:

-The Road Back to You

-Chasing Francis: A Pilgrim's Tale

-The Story of You-Enneagram

"The absence of addiction is not sobriety, it is connection"- Johann Hari

1. Ian describes addiction as an internal problem that you are trying to solve through external means what is that behavior for you?
2. Where do you think you fall on addiction continuum?
3. What mood altering behavior is having negative ramifications in your life?
4. What action can you take to learn about the 12steps and how it can help you?

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

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Eric Scofield has an incredible story about his dad building a plane. You need to listen to our conversation to believe it. And from that he learned many of his bigger life lessons around how God made us and for purposes beyond our own imagination.

If you are feeling discouraged today, listen to this episode.

If you are wondering if God still has good things for you, push play.

If you think your best days are behind you, enjoy the conversation.

Midlife can make us wonder if we truly are "built to fly" or maybe our flight time is short. Eric reminds us that God can do a good, and even new, thing in us so we can live a full and fruitful life.

Eric Scofield – Website

Eric Scofield book- Build To Fly  

• Proverbs 23:3,4
• Ephesians 4:27
• James 5:26
• James 1:15
• John 10:10

"The safest road to hell is the gradual one - the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts so that you do not know where you are going." - C. S. Lewis

Live No Lies book by John Mark Comer

1. How can you be a person who is faithful, available and teachable?
2. Who in my life can I invest in who is FAT, (Faithful, Available & Teachable)
3. Consider a recent crash in your life, what does rebuilding the plane look like for you right now?
4. What in your life is behind that glass that you are trying to get, just like the chocolate in the story?
5. What need do you think that will fulfill?
6. How realistic is it that your chocolate (whatever it is), will fulfill that desire for you, or will it turn to dust in your hands?

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

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Have you ever learned something, thought you had it down, and then—boom—you realize you need to learn it all over again in this season of life? Yeah, us too.

This week, we’re diving into the lessons we’re re-learning in midlife and what scripture has to say about them. We talk about how fear sneaks into our decision-making now more than ever, the shift in how our kids watch and learn from us as they grow, and why it’s time to embrace strong over skinny.

We also unpack the surprising power of journaling for mental clarity, the societal shift from risk-taking to playing it safe, and why we still need to take risks in this stage of life. And of course, we get into friendship—how midlife invites us to reconnect with old and new friends in deep and meaningful ways.

If you’re finding yourself re-learning some big truths in this season, you are not alone—this episode is for you!

-Matthew 6:34

-Centering Prayer song by Porter's Gate

-Interior Freedom Boon by Jacques Philippe

-James 4:8

-Romans 12:2

-Psalm 9

-Proverbs 3:5,6

-Isaiah 41:10

-House of David series on Prime Time

-Proverbs 31:17

-Deuteronomy 16,17

-Mark 12

-Hebrews 10:24-25

-1 Peter 1:3-6

-Psalm 56:3

-Matthew 19:26

1. What are you re-learning right now?
2. Are these welcome lessons or are you fighting the circumstances that are leading to them?
3. How can you find God in what you are learning?
4. What do you think He would say to you if you could hear His audible voice today?
5. What limitation can you thank God for today that help you more fully depend on Him?

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

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We talk a lot about our spiritual life, but how do we move from words to experience? From the head to the heart? To a place of knowledge to deep bone belief? Author and spiritual guide John Eldredge gives us questions to ask and practices to put in place that will help us encounter God's presence in the here and now. An incredible conversation, you WILL NOT want to miss what John says to those of us who have been living out our faith for years. We can still experience Jesus in a fresh way.

You may know John from his bestselling book Wild at Heart or you may be familiar with the Pause app intended to help us in our spiritual journey. Whether you're familiar with the Eldredge name or are just being introduced to this seasoned spiritual leader, you will want to press play and listen in on how God is beckoning you back to him and how you can say "yes".

John Eldredge Book- Experience Jesus. Really

Interior Freedom by Jacque Philippe

Union with Christ Book

William Augusto -Worship Instrumental Music

Pause App

John's Books

-The Secret Romance

-Wild at Heart

Bible Verse

Ephesians 3

1. Ask God what issue are we working on right now?
2. What is taking space in your heart that isn't allowing room for God?
3. Take a minute to practice benevolent detachment

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

Or message us on Instagram – we’d love to hear from you!

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