Mary DeMuth strives to live with a generous spirit. And by all measures we think she is living out her desire. A writer and speaker in her career, she makes it her business to help other writers with their business. Whether in a mastermind group or on her website, Mary promised herself years ago that she would not hide any insider tricks, but rather would help others as they pursued their call to write out words for God's glory.
In our conversation on the podcast we hear about Mary's love of cooking, how her palette changed when she lived in France, how she formed her own personal prayer team, and how the garden taught her to choose small and tend large. We hear about her decision to write about her family despite hurtful details, what her word for the year is and why she works to build an email list of readers. In true Open Door Sisterhood form, this is an interview that is part practical, part inspirational.
For any person who wonders how to get feedback from others, who wants to change patterns developed in their early years, who finds gardening or cooking a metaphor for life, this episode is for you. We invite you to get to know Mary better as we talk through the open doors she has walked through in the last decade.
Lisa-Jo Baker knows a few things about friendship. As the manager of the (in)courage community she has set a space for women to experience belonging in both the online space and real world arena. Her new book, Never Unfriended, tackles the tricky dynamics of female friendships: why are they important, the roadblocks to finding, growing and sustaining healthy relationships, and how we can move past those blocks toward healthy, mutual friendships.
In our conversation with Lisa-Jo we hear about her most recent move in the D.C. area, how that put her in a position to look for new friends and how awkward always plays a part in that process. We cover reaching out to the "new girl" when our lives already feel full, how to move past friendship wounds from the past, and how God meets our needs in ways no friend (or husband or child or parent) ever can.
We are sure you will love Lisa-Jo as much as we do. She is honest, fun and insightful as she talks through a topic all women must deal with: friendships. Whether you feel confident in this area or can name specific wounds from the past, you will gain insight into how to be a good friend to others while experiencing the joy of God-gifted friendships.
Drained. Exhausted. Empty. Barren. Does this describe how you feel? Most of us reach a point at some time in our lives where we feel like we're camped in dry land. When we get to this place we don't have the energy or the motivation to dream or move forward in our areas of giftedness and calling.
Suanne Camfield joins us today to help us find water in the desert. She guides us through what it feels like to have a stirring deep inside of us and how God guides and shapes us through that sense of calling. We talk about how our goal shouldn't be a vocation or even discernment, but rather how our aim should focus on becoming the person God designed us to be. It is about having the wisdom and courage to step into the places of our most vulnerable longings.
In this episode of The Open Door Sisterhood Podcast, Elisa Morgan does what she does so well, she draws us in with her combination of storytelling, humor and insight. A communicator on the stage, page and radio waves to audiences around the world Elisa is an author of 25 books, speaker, radio host, mom, wife, grandmother and President Emerita of MOPS International. She has a lifetime of leadership experience. It has not all been easy (perhaps the biggest understatement of they year!), but she has done her best to be obedient in each call and season.
Our conversation with Elisa covers parenting the teenager who is in rebellion mode, what it means to be called and "uncalled" in ministry, and how she lives these days as interruptible as possible. From marriage after the kids leave home to reminding our teenagers about who they uniquely are, Elisa offers wisdom for women wanting to love those around them well. She is bold and fun and vulnerable in this hour of conversation.
In true Elisa fashion we are laughing as we are learning through her storytelling and insights throughout our conversation. You won't want to miss this part tender, part truth-filled episode of the podcast. A perfect addition to your hour long commute or chores at home. Push play and join the sisterhood!
Christie Purifoy gets her hands dirty. Her garden and property Maplehurst, are her current places to create. As a former English professor she lived for years in a thought-centered creative space. Her new physical space and work feed her writing in a different way. A mom of four she fit right in with Alex and Krista as they talked books, cooking and having space for people to enter a family home. Join their conversation as they cover seasons, grief, and some of this former English's professor's favorite reads.
This episode is perfect for Spring as many of us are looking outside and even planting a few seeds in our own gardens. You will hear how Christie landed at her Pennsylvania farmhouse named Maplehurst, the things she was looking for in her new home and the process of letting go of the career track she'd always pictured. Tragedy hit Christie's family this year. We talk through what that has meant for her and how her book's release landed right in the initial weeks of grief.
We are certain you will enjoy this talk about writing, expectations, cycles of creation, cooking, making, gardening, and the creative life. We found an instant friend in Christie and we think you will as well. A completely delightful hour that we invite you to enjoy.
Do you have a big event coming up? Maybe a graduation party, a wedding, a family reunion, a milestone birthday, or a baby shower? Me too. That’s why I decided to reach out to my friend, Michele Dirks, for help with the details.
As a former caterer, Michele is the master at planning for large groups of people. Whether in her home at her famous annual Christmas party, or feeding 500 in a rural Honduran village, this woman embodies the gift of hospitality on a grand scale.
Today we talk about the nuts and bolts of planning for a party: budget, how to work on a timeline, what kind of food to serve, how to think creatively about theme and decorations, how to keep food cool and/or hot, and what not to forget. Using my upcoming graduation party as an example, Michele walks us through party planning 101.
I have no doubt you will walk away from this episode more equipped to get out there and throw a crazy good party that will be a gift to your family and friends!
All recipes and products mentioned are in the show notes on theopendoorsisterhood.com
Some people have a moment in life when everything changes. Rebekah Gregory is one of those people. A spectator at the 2013 Boston Marathon, Rebekah was standing near the finish line with her five-year old son Noah and some friends when a bomb went off only a few feet behind her. Rebekah's life was spared, but after months in the hospital and dozens of surgeries she eventually lost her left leg. This is a true story of courage, perseverance, and moving forward despite life's unexpected turns.
In this inspiring and emotionally charged interview (yes the hosts might shed a tear or two), we hear one mother's story of pushing through tragedy for the sake of her child. Rebekah walks us through the day of the marathon, how her legs acted as a shield protecting her son, and the heroic people who walked into a danger zone to save her life. We hear the details of the trauma on her body and emotions over the following months and how her life is changed today.
We are sure you will be inspired by Rebekah's story and share The Open Door Sisterhood's appreciation of her mutual strength and vulnerability. She reminds us sometimes the doors we walk through are ones we never hope for and God is still present in them. Won't you join us in listening to this beautiful story of hope despite tragedy?