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Our Time to Rise In Midlife

Together we are rising to meet midlife's challenges, seasons, opportunities, and changes with strength, courage, optimism, and faith. From the heavy and hard to the light-hearted and fun, popular podcast hosts and leadership mentors Krista Gilbert and Alexandra Kuykendall bring you honest and hopeful conversations for this moment in your life. We are intentional here. We are hopeful. We are courageous. We are honest. We are realistic. We are for each other. We are God fearing and Holy Spirit welcoming. We are joyful. We are generous. We are capable. We are rising together. It is our time to meet the moment. It is OUR TIME TO RISE.
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Our Time to Rise In Midlife
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Now displaying: March, 2026
Mar 31, 2026

This episode is one of those conversations that stays with you. Katie Blackburn joins us to share her deeply personal journey through divorce, her husband’s addiction, parenting a child with autism, and the long road of starting over as a single mom. With honesty, humility, and so much heart, she opens up about what it really looks like to walk through seasons that feel impossible—and how grace met her there.

Throughout this conversation, Katie reminds us that grace isn’t something we have to climb toward—it’s already beneath us, holding us through every fall, every setback, and every uncertain step forward. And maybe more importantly, she shows us what it looks like to keep going anyway… one day at a time.

We talk about healing, faith, and the quiet, daily work of rebuilding a life. Katie shares how writing became part of her healing process, how community quite literally carried her when she couldn’t carry herself, and why the idea of “doing it all on your own” is one of the biggest lies we buy into. There’s also so much wisdom here about what it means to actually move through pain—not avoid it. 

In the midst of it all, Katie speaks to hope. If you’ve ever gone through a season of pain, loss, sadness, or great change, this episode is for you.  

We cover: 

  • What grace actually looks like in the middle of chaos and trauma
  • Using writing as a tool for healing and processing pain
  • Why community and relationships are essential—not optional—for resilience
  • Practical ways to metabolize pain through movement, support, and honesty
  • The beauty and strength found in intergenerational living
  • Rebuilding faith and hope after loss
  • Letting go of self-sufficiency and trusting God’s steady grip
  • Living “one day at a time” in seasons of crisis
  • The impact of self-talk and daily persistence in long-term healing

If This Episode Spoke to You…

Share it with a friend who might need a reminder that they’re not alone. And that even here—especially here—grace is already holding them.

Bio: KATIE BLACKBURN is a writer, teacher, and a lifelong learner, but her most cherished role is being a single mom to her six incredible kids. Her favorite thing to do is tell people about the ways God has held her through circumstances that seemed impossible. When she’s not taking care of kids or telling stories, you can probably find her riding her bike, pretending she’s in the Tour de France. L

FIND MORE ABOUT KATIE BLACKBURN

Katie Blackburn – Instagram and Website

Katie Blackburn Book - Grace Will Meet You There

Katie Blackburn Podcast- Coffee+Crumbs Podcast

A FEW THINGS MENTIONED

Burn the Ship- Essay

QUESTIONS TO HELP YOU RISE

  1. Has God met you in a difficult place?
  2. What did His Grace feel like to you?
  3. Why is it important to remember these moments when God has met you?
  4. Who can you show up for right now and help in a practical way?
  5. How can your feeling inform you about what is going on inside of you?
  6. How can you ask and invite God's grace to meet you in the middle of your emotions?

LET’S CONNECT

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 healthier

 

Mar 24, 2026

People can often see the many responsibilities we carry - but what about the invisible stress? Do we even recognize what we are carrying?

Personal coach and dear friend Kendra Tillman, joins us to talk through the stress we carry in midlife and how we can name it and move forward.

From body changes that come with midlife to relationship shifts - Kendra gives us some perspective on how to tackle the new normal that is in front of us.

Midlife is an opportunity for us to recognize all that we have accomplished, decide what we are carrying forward and what we want to leave behind. Instead of fixating on loss, we can recognize it and take the best of us forward.

God has not forgotten you. You may be carrying many stressors others can't see. He knows - and we can relate! Know that every change eventually also has an opportunity to rise to meet the moment. This is our time to rise

FIND MORE ABOUT KENDRA TILLMAN

Kendra Tillman's - LinkedIn and Website

Kendra Tillman's - Instagram

A FEW THINGS MENTIONED

James 1:27

QUESTIONS TO HELP YOU RISE

  1. What have you learnt about this part of you, about this part of your life, from whom you have been and what you have experienced from the beginning until now?
  2. What do you want to carry forward in this new season of life in this one area?
  3. What do you want to lay down?
  4. How can you start implementing this changes soon?

LET’S CONNECT

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 healthier

 

Mar 17, 2026

Midlife can feel like a season of uncertainty — roles shift, questions surface, and the path forward isn’t always clear. But what if this chapter could be one of the most alive and purposeful of your life? In this rich conversation with global leadership coaches Krista Gilbert, Emily Jamieson, and Emily Love explore what it truly means to be wide awake in midlife — fully present, deeply self-aware, and oriented toward what matters most.

We explore what being “wide awake” really means, how to walk in purpose, and how to navigate the varied emotions that barrage us everyday of our lives.  Ultimately we talk about what does it mean to live the John 10:10 life – one full of life and abundance?  

Let’s come alive together!  

FIND MORE ABOUT TRANSFORMATION TRIAD

The Transformation Triad

A FEW THINGS MENTIONED

John 10:10

Podcast Interview with Dr Sash Shilcutt

QUESTIONS TO HELP YOU RISE

  1. What is a way that you could manage your emotions better?
  2. What could a possible rest ritual be for you? A physical action that you could do that feels practical to you that would help you pause and choose your emotions and how you want to proceed?
  3. How can you cultivate more aliveness inside of you?
  4. What does growth look like for you in this season?

LET’S CONNECT

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 healthier

 

Mar 10, 2026

Midlife can feel like a season of uncertainty — roles shift, questions surface, and the path forward isn't always clear. But what if this chapter could be one of the most alive and purposeful of your life? In this rich conversation with global leadership coaches Krista Gilbert, Emily Jamieson, and Emily Love explore what it truly means to be wide awake in midlife — fully present, deeply self-aware, and oriented toward what matters most.

We explore what being “wide awake” really means, how to walk in purpose, and how to navigate the varied emotions that barrage us everyday of our lives.  Ultimately we talk about what does it mean to live the John 10:10 life - one full of life and abundance?  

Let’s come alive together!  

FIND MORE ABOUT TRANSFORMATION TRIAD

The Transformation Triad

A FEW THINGS MENTIONED

1 Corinthians 10:31

John 10:10

QUESTIONS TO HELP YOU RISE

  1. What is your bigger macro purpose that doesn't change?
  2. What is your current assignment that God has given you right now in this season?
  3. How have you handled your emotions historically?
  4. What growth can you practice when it comes to navigating the landscape of your emotions?

LET’S CONNECT!

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 healthier

 

Mar 3, 2026

Are you caring for aging parents while still supporting your young adult children? You’re not alone. In this episode, Krista and Alex explore the emotional complexity of the sandwich generation — a season marked by grief, shifting roles, guilt, and unexpected growth.

They discuss how to manage changing family dynamics, set healthy boundaries, reevaluate expectations, and embrace the opportunity for deeper relationships during this transitional stage of life.

If you’re feeling stretched between two generations, this conversation offers practical insight, encouragement, and hope.

In this episode:

  • Why grief and opportunity often coexist
  • How guilt shows up in caregiving
  • The importance of boundaries and self-care
  • Parenting adult children with clarity and respect

Listen in for wisdom and practical tools to help you navigate this complex season with intention.

A FEW THINGS MENTIONED

Podcast - Andy Stanley Leadership Podcast -Managing Leadership Anxiety: Yours and Theirs with Steve Cuss

Book- Managing Leadership Anxiety by Steve Cuss

Bible Verses:

Exodus 20:12

Ephesians 6:1-3

Mantras

*Stay relational, not controlling

*Honor without self abandoning

LET’S CONNECT!

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 healthier

 

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