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 people work through practices that are attuned to their whole selves. Much of what we talk about on thi...
Aug 19, 2025•42 min
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 the wonder of God’s creation. Dr. West shares moving stories from his work in oncology and his personal j...
Aug 12, 2025•36 min
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, Krista and Alex talk through some of the ways they are letting go as they launch young adults toward...
Aug 05, 2025•37 min
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: ✅ Building their confidence without overstepping ✅ Practicing healthy emotional detachment ✅ Equipping them w...
Jul 29, 2025•40 min
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 spiritual journeys. The people who have written many of the books we follow about spiritual journeys...
Jul 22, 2025•39 min
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—author, speaker, and widow—who vulnerably shares her personal journey of loss after her husband’s sudd...
Jul 15, 2025•37 min
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, Allie Smith, gives us true and firm words about how social media use can impact quality of life. She al...
Jul 08, 2025•45 min
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? How might a life that dances in accordance with the Spirit bring you closer to God and to Jesus? These...
Jul 01, 2025•43 min
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!
Jun 10, 2025•4 min
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 support and pushing through the challenges of stepping back into the classroom after years away. Mo...
May 27, 2025•39 min
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 figure out how to live with fear. We have to figure out what courage looks like. In this episode, Alex an...
May 20, 2025•46 min
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 constan...
May 13, 2025•48 min
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 ...
May 06, 2025•38 min
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 ...
Apr 29, 2025•44 min
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 c...
Apr 22, 2025•30 min
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 u...
Apr 15, 2025•33 min
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 ...
Apr 08, 2025•46 min
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 pe...
Apr 01, 2025•46 min
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 t...
Mar 25, 2025•39 min
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 jou...
Mar 18, 2025•46 min
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 m...
Mar 11, 2025•47 min
Today is part 2 of discussing how we can grow and shape our relationships with our adult siblings. Siblings are special because they know us over the entire span of our lives. They also walked in similar shoes as children, having grown up in the same family, and that produces an understanding and knowing that is special. As we get older, life gets busy and we sometimes neglect these anchor relationships. Today we are discussing how we can intentionally grow them, work through conflicts that aris...
Mar 04, 2025•40 min
Adult siblings often know us in ways others simply can't. The shared history, the developmental years, the shaping of each other in our most formative stages, create dynamics that we aren't able to duplicate. Depending on your relationship with your siblings, you might feel they are your most trusted life companions. We are doing a two-part series with Krista and her brother Mitch and sister Kendra on the value of adult sibling relationships. This week we cover the unique role siblings can play,...
Feb 25, 2025•32 min
"Marriage can be heaven, and marriage can be hell." -Dan Allender Anyone who is married knows that marriage can reach the extremes of human experience, and sometimes even in the same day. It's the lab in which we grow personally, and where we grow together. It's also the place where everything can fall apart. Today Dan Allender of The Allender Center joins us to explore the transformative power of marriage, particularly in midlife. He talks about the deep work of understanding one another's stor...
Feb 18, 2025•47 min
Every year right around Valentine's Day we share some things we are loving that make our lives a little easier or more fun. This is a break from the thoughtful conversations we've been having, it settles in on some pretty practical tips. From books and podcasts to snacks and beauty products, Alex and Krista want to make sure you know what they are loving right now. How about you? What makes your life more entertaining? What makes you smarter? Who are you following? What are you wearing? We want ...
Feb 11, 2025•36 min
Teenagers: it's the best of times and the worst of times. We love them with our whole hearts, and they're also hard. Some are thriving, some aren't. We are quick to point fingers back at ourselves when things go wrong, and we breathe a sigh of relief when it's going right. In this conversation, Alex and Krista discuss parenting teenagers with Melissa Kruger, vice president of discipleship at The Gospel Coalition and author of Parenting with Hope . Melissa speaks about the challenges and joys of ...
Feb 04, 2025•38 min
Have you ever stuffed a feeling? Yeah, it happens for lots of reasons. We are afraid, don't like discomfort, or have been taught that certain feelings are bad. But no amount of pushing down makes the emotion go away. We need to deal with them at some point. Therapist and author Aundi Kobler joins the podcast with why we may be avoiding certain emotions and practical approaches to face them in manageable pieces. There is no need to rush in head first. We can allow our bodies and brains to experie...
Jan 28, 2025•45 min
What is the one place in your home you avoid? Has it built up clutter? Become the catch all for the things you don't know what to do with? Or is it full of items that have sentimental value that you can't throw out and yet feel stuck? This month we are talking about things we avoid and how we can face them. This week we are covering things we avoid in our home. Items we don't know what to do with that grow into piles, areas, even rooms that have taken on a life of their own. Professional organiz...
Jan 21, 2025•38 min
We've all heard of nightmare stories about inheritance gone wrong. Our mission today is to help you do it right. Inheritance, wealth transfer, wills, estate planning... whatever you call it, no matter the amount, it's important to be intentional around how to best pass on property, money, and items after someone passes away. This is kicking off our series this month "Things We've Been Putting Off." We're going to be talking about some areas we've been ignoring and what we can do to step into tho...
Jan 14, 2025•45 min
We've all heard of nightmare stories about inheritance gone wrong. Our mission today is to help you do it right. Inheritance, wealth transfer, wills, estate planning... whatever you call it, no matter the amount, it's important to be intentional around how to best pass on property, money, and items after someone passes away. This subject is relevant to us as people in midlife, and it's also relevant as our parents age. Joining us to today are Sean and Jill Maher. Sean is a principal at Valley Fo...
Jan 10, 2025•46 min
