We recorded this episode with Tricia Goyer while she had fourteen people in her home. So if it sounds like she is hiding in the bathroom, it's because she is. But this is the norm for this mom of ten who manages to feed people one soup pot at a time. Where her approach is an open-handed one trusting God to provide food, space and energy to love those under her roof.
You’ll hear how Tricia’s family grew from an unplanned pregnancy when she was 17-years old to the large family she has today, what adopting children with past trauma is like, and how homeschooling fits into it all. Her honesty about how she manages this whirlwind of a very full life reminds us that perfection is not the goal, obedience to God's prompting is.
Tricia is a true inspiration to us as she uses prayer and creative time management to write, parent and run a huge household.
Katelyn Beaty has recently taken a big step. Into what...she is still waiting to find out. As the youngest and first female managing editor of Christianity Today magazine, Katelyn was doing work she found meaningful and interesting. And yet she sensed God calling her to a new season. And so she quit. With no backup plan. No "next" in order. Because sometimes that open door is very much into the unknown.
It seems fitting that this major work change would all be happening after the release of her first book on women, vocation and the Church (see below). We talk to Katelyn about her process to sense God's change for her next, what it looks like for women to use their gifts freely and how this presidential election has offered her opportunities to speak in venues like CNN and The Washington Post.
We recorded this interview the morning after the presidential election. Though the nation had only known the results a few hours, we could tell the divisiveness from the election cycle wasn't going away anytime soon. Listen to our conversation with Katelyn about how women in the Church can move toward unity despite political differences.
An insightful and inspiring sister interview that reminds us all that God's spirit is one of dignity as we do our work in the world.
How-to guides about how to plan well for big holiday meals abound, but food preparation is not the only piece of the pie in making our Thanksgiving or Christmas meal tradition meaningful and fun. Along with meal planning, it is helpful to think through how to set the table for connection (even before we sit down to eat), how to proactively avoid family conflicts, and how to use mealtime to build relationships and deeper bonds.
Emily Ley is a woman who understands busy. As the founder of Emily Ley Paper, Inc. and The Simplified Planner, she runs a business while parenting three children under five. And she recently released her first book, Grace Not Perfection: Embracing Simplicity, Celebrating Joy. It helps that her business is centered around women simplifiying their lives, she knows the systems that work.
A jam packed episode of helpful tips, from Sunday night routines to saying "no" to good things, Emily tells us how she developed a planner with the busy woman in mind. She doesn't over-complicate the life management tool, she (no surprise) keeps it simple. And as a busy woman she practices what she preaches.
You are sure to find Emily charming, inspirational and full of ideas on how to live with a posture of grace over a posture of perfection.
Every group, big or small, has a culture. If you've visited another country, you've seen the way people act and how they feel about being a part of that nation. There are certain norms, behaviors, and rituals that shape the people in that environment.
Companies also have cultures. Think of Nike. It is the innovator of athletic wear, and its brand communicates what they value: sports, comfort, trends, pro sports, female athletes, and working out...hard.
Every company has a mission statement that drives their company culture. Likewise, we as families also have a culture. If we create a family mission statement, it helps drive that culture that we are creating in our homes.
Listen to this episode to help you create a family mission statement for your family.
Go to theopendoorsisterhood.com to download a template for your mission statement.
This episode of The Open Door Sisterhood is close to our hearts because it talks about two things we can't escape: parenting and grace. Mom of four boys and author Jeannie Cunnion joins us as she talks through what parenting with grace looks like in her life. A fresh conversation on a classic subject, you will be sure to be encouraged and inspired to love others and yourself through the lens of acceptance and love.
Jeannie gives us great book suggestions, tells what it's like bringing a new baby into a house already filled to the rim with boys, and how parenting her fourth is different from parenting her first. Jeannie's warmth and genuine care for other moms is evident in this interview. We are sure you will feel the same care we did as she talked us through the good news that every day offers us new opportunities as parents to love our kids with grace.
Please join us for this conversation with our friend Jeannie, a trusted voice to learn from in a time when encouragement might feel rare. Airing on this historic election day, give yourself a gift of warmth and allow this new friend to remind you of God's love and acceptance for you as you stumble through the hard days.
Francie Winslow has a special place in our hearts. A woman of the Spirit, she humbly speaks wisdom to us at every turn. Whether her earnest prayers or gentle approach to guiding her children's hearts, we are always encouraged to take that next step, do that next thing.
As a homeschooling mom who tries to simplify her life in order to keep quiet and restful rhythms, she often goes against the grain, or at least the typical. She has been speaking and writing often these days on intimacy in marriage, but this episode centers on her family rhythms and her intentionally minimal use of technology in her daily life so that she might make space for God to speak to her heart and for her to respond.
In this episode you will learn how their family creates and practices daily declarations about the truth of who they are, how she is keeping multiple journals at once, and the power of words to build people up or tear them down. Like all of our conversations with Francie, you will leave feeling inspired to focus with more intentionality on the parts of your life and the relationships that matter most. Please listen to our precious sister!