Are you the kind who has thousands of photos on your phone with little to no organization? Do you get overwhelmed when you look at your camera roll and wonder if these precious memories are safe and backed up? If your answer is yes, you are in good company.
In this episode we break down how to best organize our digital photos, how to delete duplicates, how to safely backup our camera roll, when to use an external hard drive, how to do a better job of printing photos, and how to get those precious vintage photos into a digital form.
This episode is practical and incredibly helpful. Let’s clean up our digital clutter and get organized!
Check out Casey's website for tips, services, and help!
Apple Photo App – Photos Take Out
Amazon Prime Photos – install on phone and it will back up entire icloud
External Hard Drives:
Seagate
Western Digital
Tobisha
Getting Photos from Print to Digital:
Epson Fast Photo – can scan at 300, 600, or 1200 DPI
Sharing Photos We Have:
Chat Books – Monthly Minis
imovie
Songs for Videos
“I often have to tell myself, done is better than perfect.” – Casey Von Stein
FOR LIFE COACHING, VISIT KRISTAGILBERT.COM
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSOR: PREP DISH
The Open Door Sisterhood gets two weeks free. Just go over to prepdish.com/sisterhood to sign up.
Bunmi Laditan hasn't always prayed like she does now. Her faith in recent years has grown and with it she finds herself praying all day long in a constant conversation with God. This episode in The Busy Mom's Guide series is about prayer. Not holy, big word prayer, but gritty, honest prayer that says exactly how we're feeling and what we're thinking.
We are always striving for part practical and part inspirational in our podcast episodes and this conversation hits the perfect balance of both. Bunmi reminds us of the good news of the Gospel. As a relatively returner to faith, her excitement about God's care for us IS inspiring. She also tells us why as a mom she prays for her kids (as her parents prayed for her for many years.) If you are a mom of older kids you will be inspired to pray for them.
Bunmi also shares about HOW she prays. She gets practical. She reads Scripture, journals, anoints her children with oil, and whispers and screams. She goes to God as her father and believes in his gentleness as he receives her. This sense of safety gives her the freedom to be completely honest in her prayers. She knows God won't reject her but will welcome her words.
If you are a mom who has never prayed you will find a friend in Bunmi. If you are a mom who wonders if your prayers matter, you will be reassured they do. If you are a mom who is tired of the fluff, we've got you. This conversation is for you.
Connect to Bunmi
You can find Bunmi on her website and on Instagram and Facebook
Listen to this episode
on iTunes or watch it here:
A few things mentioned in the interview
Bunmi's new book: Help Me God, I'm a Parent: Honest Prayers for Hectic Days and Endless Nights
"The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." -John 1:5 (NIV)
Thank you to our sponsor: 2 Free Weeks of Meal Plans HERE~
We know that busy moms need help getting dinner on the table. This is why we've invited Prep Dish to partner with us to bring you The Busy Mom's series.
Their weekly meal plans offer you meals that are
-quick & easy
-delivered straight to your inbox
-adaptable to your family's needs (gluten free and dairy free options available)
-answer the question "What's for dinner?"
And the BEST NEWS: Open Door Sisterhood get two weeks free. Just go over to prepdish.com/sisterhood to sign up.
Do you struggle finding time to declutter, pick up the house, or keep systems going? Some women are organized and structured in most everything they do – others, not so much.
Dana White, aka The Slob Comes Clean, joins us to talk about the 5 minute pick up, how to return items to the place that makes the most sense, and what freedom in finding our cleaning style looks like.
If you are desiring to start off your fall on a clean note, tune in!
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSOR: PREP DISH
2 FREE WEEKS OF MEAL PLANS
The Open Door Sisterhood get two weeks free. Just go over to prepdish.com/sisterhood to sign up.
If we know one thing about moms it's that we're busy. And if we know anything about this time of year it's that the busy ramps up. So we are kicking off our back to school series we are calling The Busy Mom's Guide. We're starting by talking about how to engage with Scripture in the middle of parenting chaos. As our guest Hunter Beless says, there is no quiet these days for the "quiet time."
Hunter is the author of the children's book Read It, See It, Say It, Sing It: Knowing and Loving the Bible. Those approaches work for moms too. We can place Scripture where we'll read it. On the steering wheel of our car, next to the kitchen sink, in our pocket. If we can see it, we can read it. We can also listen to it. Often the best approach to engaging Scripture when we never sit down is to have it playing over us and around us. Hunter understands that this is a unique time in a woman's life and it requires unique approaches.
From Scripture memorization to dinner time readings to habit stacking (you'll want to hear this one), we talk about what it means for busy moms to eat from the bread of life. We need to nourish our souls on God's good word and the busier we are, the more we need it. So how are you going to engage with Scripture today?
A Few Things Mentioned:
Hunter’s podcast The Journeywomen Podcast
Hunter’s children’s book, Read It, See It, Say It, Sing It: Knowing and Loving the Bible
"They are not just idle words for you—they are your life. By them you will live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess.” -Deuteronomy 32:47
"Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”Matthew 4:4
"These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up." Deuteronomy 6:6
"How sweet are your words to my taste,
sweeter than honey to my mouth!" Psalm 119:103
Atomic Habits by James Clearr
"The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely your goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
forever." Psalm 23
“Let us consider if we’re not spending time with God, why we’re not.” –Dallas Willard
Things Hunter Said:
“If I really want to know that God is who he says he is, I’m going to open up this book and ask him to show me…to show me who he is.”
“We need the Gospel. And we don’t just need it one time, we need it every day.”
Thank you to our sponsor: 2 Free Weeks of Meal Plans HERE~
We know that busy moms need help getting dinner on the table. This is why we've invited Prep Dish to partner with us to bring you The Busy Mom's series.
Their weekly meal plans offer you meals that are
-quick & easy
-delivered straight to your inbox
-adaptable to your family's needs (gluten free and dairy free options available)
-answer the question "What's for dinner?"
And the BEST NEWS: Open Door Sisterhood get two weeks free. Just go over to prepdish.com/sisterhood to sign up.
Connect with Victoria
On Instagram or her website
A Few Things Mentioned
Victoria's devotional books
Leave a Review
LET’S GET SOCIAL: LEAVE A REVIEW
Summer opens up some time to get creative and do those projects in our homes we’ve been meaning to get to during the year. Liz Marie Galvan, queen of cozy + cottage, joins the Sisterhood today to talk about how we can tap into our the designer in each of us.
Liz, the owner of The Found Cottage, has a knack for putting a warm, inviting, and highly styled touch on everything she does. In this episode she offers tips on how to overcome paralysis, how to style collections, and how to express our individual personality without fear.
You will walk away inspired to make a fresh mark in your own home.
Connect with Krista Gilbert or The Open Door Sisterhood on Instagram.
You can connect with Liz Marie on her website, Pinterest, or Instagram
SOME THINGS YOU HEARD ON THE SHOW
The great pumpkin shelves we talked about
Elkhorn Antique Show in Wisconsin
Springfield Antique Show in Ohio
Today is the first day of summer! The season often means putting on a swimming suit and facing the fun. Humor writer and comedian Anna Lind Thomas joins the sisterhood to talk about how she is never ready for summer and swimming suits. With a funny and practical twist Anna covers swimsuit shopping (make it an event), finding a suit that flatters (skirts are cute and functional), and harnessing all of the confidence of our good bodies as we enjoy the summer with our people.
Naturally this conversation takes us into deeper topics like how we speak to our bodies, how we honor them, what confidence looks like, and how our mindset about our bodies and aging impacts how we are able to enjoy our reality. There is no turning back the clock, we will never look like we did decades ago, so acceptance is part of the process of loving the bodies we have today.
Whether you're needing a little inspiration to embrace your 2022 body, or you want a reminder that God gives us bodies and we get to use them to do his good work in the world, this episode will be a good start to the summer months. Now get outside and enjoy the world God has made! Happy Summer!
Connect with Anna
On her website or Instagram
A few things mentioned on the show
Anna's new book I'm Not Ready For This: Everybody Just Calm Down and Give Me a Minute
Anna's first book We'll Laugh About This Someday: Essays on Taking Life a Smidge Too Seriously
Episode 38 of The Open Door Sisterhood Fashion: Tips for Telling Your Fasion Story with Megan Cobble
Today we are wrapping up the “This Cultural Moment” series with a sister straight talk with Krista and Alex.
We discuss why it is so hard to honor people with different ideas, how Ephesians 6 holds a secret to living well in this period of time, what grid we can use to filter our decisions, and what it looks like to lean into hope.
Join us for this honest conversation, and let’s “get our joy back” as we lean in to this moment of time in which we get to live.
Arthur Brooks in Conversation with Simon Sinek – a podcast episode about honoring people and differing with their ideas
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. --Ephesians 6:10-16
The Chart we referenced from Authentic Church by Vaughn Roberts
Romans 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him.
Our Sponsor: Simply Be Box
Their goal at Simply Be Box, through the subscription box & community, is to help teen + tween girls grow in their relationship with Jesus, know & love how they are uniquely created and encourage them to live out their faith & be a light in this world.
Simply Be Box has provided a discount code for our The Open Door Sisterhood Podcast listeners!
Use Code ODSSummer10 to receive $10 Off Your Subscription Purchase.
Head over to their website SimplyBeBox.com and Subscribe Today! You can also follow them on Instagram @SimplyBeBox.
We've been talking about what it means to live in "this cultural moment" as a follower of Jesus. No wonder the topic of parenting has popped up in this series a number of times. This episode is dedicated to how we as parents navigate decisions and conversations when cultural norms conflict with our own values. Can anybody relate?
We are thrilled to bring you Deborah Porter, the Ultimate Mom Coach, as we talk through social media, expectations of perfection, family non-negotiables, and difficult conversations. Deborah's wisdom soaks through in every word. She reminds us to approach our own views and our kids' opinions with humility, encourages us to ask for forgiveness when we've made mistakes, and to keep offering our children love as they navigate this world.
Our faith is about reconciliation with our heavenly father. Our parenting posture can mirror that spirit of welcoming home over and over. We know you'll find this conversation to be helpful and hopeful as you guide the young people in your life to think through cultural norms, hot topics, and headlines. Deborah reminds us that we can't control what our kids think, but we can teach them how to think as they face the world.
Connect with Deborah
On her website or Instagram
Listen to this episode
On iTunes or watch it here:
A few things mentioned on the show
Maverick City Worship, Wait on you
Things said
“Perfection was never the goal, love is the goal”
“We can’t tell them what to think, but we can teach them how to think.”
“God makes up the difference.”
Thank you to our sponsor
Simply Be Box
Are you looking for a gift for the teen or tween girl in your life that she will LOVE & you can TRUST? Simply Be Box is the perfect gift for her!
Simply Be Box is a faith-based subscription box for teen & tween girls filled with fun, positive, on-trend items, and encouragement to Simply Be who God created her to be.
Use Code ODSSummer10 to receive $10 Off Your Subscription Purchase.
What’s Inside a Simply Be Box:
Each box is focused around one of what they call the “Be Attitudes”. (Be You, Be Strong, Be Kind, Be a Friend…) These are reminders of who God created each girl to be and how He wants her to live.
Each box has both a seasonal & inspirational theme and includes something to…
· Read – Faith-based devotional, book, or bible study
· Do – Craft, game, puzzle, or activity
· Wear – Clothing, jewelry, or accessory
· Eat – Healthy snack or sweet treat
· Display – Candle, cross, sticker, sign, or magnet
· Use – Health & beauty product, accessory, or gadget
Boxes ship Quarterly – Fall Box in September, Winter Box in December, Spring Box in March, Summer Box in June
2 Ways to Subscribe…
1. Annual Subscription – Pre-pay for 4 boxes & save! [Total of $250 for 4 Boxes, includes shipping. Auto renews annually until paused or cancelled]
2. Seasonal Subscription – Auto renews each quarter until paused or cancelled [$67.50 per season, includes shipping]
Their goal at Simply Be Box, through the subscription box & community, is to help teen + tween girls grow in their relationship with Jesus, know & love how they are uniquely created and encourage them to live out their faith & be a light in this world.
Simply Be Box has provided a discount code for our The Open Door Sisterhood Podcast listeners! Use Code ODSSummer10 to receive $10 Off Your Subscription Purchase. Head over to their website SimplyBeBox.com and Subscribe Today! You can also follow them on Instagram @SimplyBeBox.
As people of faith, doubt scares us. We ask questions such as: Does doubt mean our children will never return to faith? Will I ever experience God again? Is God angry or punishing me for my doubt? How does doubt differ from unbelief? What should I say to those who are doubting?
Joining us for this important episode is A.J. Swoboda, award winning author, theology professor, and speaker. A.J. walks us through doubt vs. unbelief, how to respond to doubt, the definition of deconstruction, why this generation may be struggling with questions about faith, and why talking through doubts with trusted people matters.
We are sure the wisdom shared in this episode will speak to you and offer a fresh and helpful perspective.
SOME THINGS YOU HEARD ON THE EPISODE
After Doubt: how to question your faith without losing it
Deconstruction is the idea of undoing something. It comes out of the German post modern tradition.
Skye Jethani – The Holy Post Podcast
Preston Sprinkle: The Center for Faith, Sexuality, & Gender
In Faith & Doubt Podcast with AJ Swoboda & NiJay Gupta
John 20 – Jesus never rushes. He waits 7 days to show Thomas his scars. It is abundantly clear that Thomas’ faith crisis was not Jesus’ faith crisis.
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSOR!
Simply Be Box is a faith-based subscription box for teen & tween girls filled with fun, positive, on-trend items, and encouragement to Simply Be who God created her to be.
Use Code ODSSummer10 to receive $10 Off Your Subscription Purchase.
As we all reel from the senseless tragedy of the Robb Elementary shooting in Uvalde, Texas, once again this subject comes to forefront of our minds and hearts.
We are asking the questions: What if this happens to my child? How do I talk to my kids about this? How do survivors of school shootings ever learn to live life again? How do we stop this? These are some of the questions we attempt to address in this interview.
Beginning with Crystal’s personal story, she helps us understand what it really means to be a “survivor,” to trust God in the hardest of circumstances, and to find life again after tragedy.
When hard things happen, here at The Sisterhood we circle up. This is what we are doing today.
This is not a part of our regular series, but a special episode released in light of recent events. May God build our faith and may we trust God over our fears.
Resources:
Triumph Over Tragedy - a healing retreat for survivors of mass shootings
To my Fellow Survivors - an open letter to survivors of mass shootings
You can reach Crystal Woodman Miller through her website
What is the opposite of something that is real? A counterfeit. It's even more than that, it tries to come off as authentic and real, but it is fake. Our guest in this week's episode has a new book titled Cultural Counterfeits: Confronting 5 Empty Promises of Our Age and How We Were Made For So Much More. In this conversation we talk with Jen Oshman about five promises the world offers women today that don't follow through.
Jen is a faithful follower of Jesus that wants to face the reality of cultural norms without necessarily buying into them. She talks with us about being informed, having winsome conversations, and coming to terms with the losses we might face when we challenge cultural counterfeits. She reminds us that Jesus is worth the price of our discomfort and he always wants us to be looking for what is true and real. He asks us to face reality with full confidence that in the end grace and hope in him are what we'll find.
If you are feeling frustrated by the common narrative that you must either embrace the cultural tides or hide from them, Jen offers a third way. She encourages us to look at our closest places of influence, where we will impact the world with the most depth and begin there. As we take seemingly small steps of faith we will find ourselves on a bigger journey with God that is made up of small step after small step. This episode is certainly centered on what we charge each other with here at the sisterhood, "Be a world changer for good right where you are." Jen gives both the why and the how of this call.
Connect with Jen
You can find Jen on her website, podcast, or Instagram
Listen to this episode
Listen on iTunes or watch it here:
Things you heard mentioned
Jen's books Cultural Counterfeits and Enough About Me
Jen's podcast All Things
"Human wellbeing requires harmony with reality."
"We are called to be a porch light in a dark night."
Thank you to our sponsor
Simply Be Box
Are you looking for a gift for the teen or tween girl in your life that she will LOVE & you can TRUST? Simply Be Box is the perfect gift for her!
Simply Be Box is a faith-based subscription box for teen & tween girls filled with fun, positive, on-trend items, and encouragement to Simply Be who God created her to be.
Use Code ODSSummer10 to receive $10 Off Your Subscription Purchase.
What’s Inside a Simply Be Box:
Each box is focused around one of what they call the “Be Attitudes”. (Be You, Be Strong, Be Kind, Be a Friend…) These are reminders of who God created each girl to be and how He wants her to live.
Each box has both a seasonal & inspirational theme and includes something to…
· Read – Faith-based devotional, book, or bible study
· Do – Craft, game, puzzle, or activity
· Wear – Clothing, jewelry, or accessory
· Eat – Healthy snack or sweet treat
· Display – Candle, cross, sticker, sign, or magnet
· Use – Health & beauty product, accessory, or gadget
Boxes ship Quarterly – Fall Box in September, Winter Box in December, Spring Box in March, Summer Box in June
2 Ways to Subscribe…
1. Annual Subscription – Pre-pay for 4 boxes & save! [Total of $250 for 4 Boxes, includes shipping. Auto renews annually until paused or cancelled]
2. Seasonal Subscription – Auto renews each quarter until paused or cancelled [$67.50 per season, includes shipping]
Their goal at Simply Be Box, through the subscription box & community, is to help teen + tween girls grow in their relationship with Jesus, know & love how they are uniquely created and encourage them to live out their faith & be a light in this world.
Simply Be Box has provided a discount code for our The Open Door Sisterhood Podcast listeners! Use Code ODSSummer10 to receive $10 Off Your Subscription Purchase. Head over to their website SimplyBeBox.com and Subscribe Today! You can also follow them on Instagram @SimplyBeBox.
Standing up for truth in this cultural moment can be challenging and vulnerable, just ask Dr. Christina Crenshaw, an associate of Cultural Engagement and Leadership with Dallas Theological Seminary. In 2021 she was thrust in the media spotlight after taking a stand on a current hot button issue (which we talk about in this episode).
From asking more questions, to finding studies and data around the topic at hand, to leaning into lived experience, we get a full picture of what it means to be equipped for hard conversations as Christians.
If you have ever found yourself discouraged by current cultural norms, this whole series is for you.
You can find Christina on her website or Instagram
SOME THINGS YOU HEARD ON THE SHOW
Courage and Calling by Gordon T. Smith
SIMPLY BE BOX
Are you looking for a gift for the teen or tween girl in your life that she will LOVE & you can TRUST? Simply Be Box is the perfect gift for her!
Simply Be Box is a faith-based subscription box for teen & tween girls filled with fun, positive, on-trend items, and encouragement to Simply Be who God created her to be.
Use Code ODSSummer10 to receive $10 Off Your Subscription Purchase.
How do we live a Christian faith in today's cultural context? What is required of us? What should be concerned about? If anything? How do we talk to our kids about changing cultural norms? And what doe the Bible say about all of this uncertainty we are feeling?
We are starting a new series on the podcast this week we are calling This Cultural Moment to talk about these very questions. In fact this series is something you all have requested. We start with an incredibly encouraging and thoughtful conversation with Dr. Jerry Sittser.
Dr. Sittser recently retired as a professor from Whitworth University and his newest book, Resilient Faith: How the Early Christian "Third Way" Changed the World gives us some historical reference for where we are today. We are not the first Christians to feel disoriented or overwhelmed by our cultural environment and we can be refined as we walk through spaces that are pushing us past (maybe way past) our comfort zones.
From questions to ask ourselves as we're parenting to spiritual practices we can employ Jerry offers practical and hopeful responses for today's Christians. He also gives us hope that living a life of faith often involves a "third way" that is unfamiliar, yet intriguing, to those living near us. We can have a resilient faith as we do the internal work God asks of us to grow into mature followers of Jesus living in today's world.
Things mentioned on the show
An article in the Atlantic, Why the Past Ten Years of American Life Have Been Uniquely Stupid
An article in the Atlantic, Why American Teens Are So Sad
Robert Putnam, Bowling Alone, The Upswing
Jesus and John Wayne by Kristen Dumez
Jerry's new book Resilient Faith: How the Early Christian "Third Way" Changed the World
The New Catechismal, contact Jerry for more
Notable quotes
“Politics is a really bad religion. We all need to be political, and involved to some degree, but we can’t expect from politics what we can only expect from God.
When we turn politics into God we’re in serious trouble. ”
“Jesus is not only the way to life, through his death and resurrection, Jesus is also the way of life.
Both are equally true and important.”
"Small is beautiful if it's faithful to God."
Our sponsor for this series
Are you looking for a gift for the teen or tween girl in your life that she will LOVE & you can TRUST? Simply Be Box is the perfect gift for her!
Simply Be Box is a faith-based subscription box for teen & tween girls filled with fun, positive, on-trend items, and encouragement to Simply Be who God created her to be.
What’s Inside a Simply Be Box:
Each box is focused around one of what they call the “Be Attitudes”. (Be You, Be Strong, Be Kind, Be a Friend…) These are reminders of who God created each girl to be and how He wants her to live.
Each box has both a seasonal & inspirational theme and includes something to…
· Read – Faith-based devotional, book, or bible study
· Do – Craft, game, puzzle, or activity
· Wear – Clothing, jewelry, or accessory
· Eat – Healthy snack or sweet treat
· Display – Candle, cross, sticker, sign, or magnet
· Use – Health & beauty product, accessory, or gadget
Boxes ship Quarterly - Fall Box in September, Winter Box in December, Spring Box in March, Summer Box in June
2 Ways to Subscribe…
1. Annual Subscription – Pre-pay for 4 boxes & save! [Total of $250 for 4 Boxes, includes shipping. Auto renews annually until paused or cancelled]
2. Seasonal Subscription – Auto renews each quarter until paused or cancelled [$67.50 per season, includes shipping]
Their goal at Simply Be Box, through the subscription box & community, is to help teen + tween girls grow in their relationship with Jesus, know & love how they are uniquely created and encourage them to live out their faith & be a light in this world.
Simply Be Box has provided a discount code for our The Open Door Sisterhood Podcast listeners! Use Code ODSSummer10 to receive $10 Off Your Subscription Purchase. Head over to their website SimplyBeBox.com and Subscribe Today! You can also follow them on Instagram @SimplyBeBox.
We are wrapping up The Brain Game series today with a Sister Straight Talk – which simply means we share our insights, a-ha moments, and chat as if we were sitting around a table with you over coffee.
In this episode we asked Dr. Lucretia Berry, founder of Brownicity to join us. We discuss the power of releasing lies, how neuroscience has helped us alter the way we manage thoughts, and how harnessing the brain can help us in conversations around race and healing.
We also talk about the three core lies: I am helpless, I am worthless, I am unloveable. If you have ever found yourself repeating one of these in your narrative, you aren’t alone. We share the one we are most likely to believe.
Join us as we reflect on neuroscience, faith, and life.
SHOW NOTES:
Lucretia’s website – brownicity.com
Hues of You – Lucretia’s book
We are wrapping up The Brain Game series today with a Sister Straight Talk – which simply means we share our insights, a-ha moments, and chat as if we were sitting around a table with you over coffee.
In this episode we asked Dr. Lucretia Berry, founder of Brownicity to join us. We discuss the power of releasing lies, how neuroscience has helped us alter the way we manage thoughts, and how harnessing the brain can help us in conversations around race and healing.
We also talk about the three core lies: I am helpless, I am worthless, I am unloveable. If you have ever found yourself repeating one of these in your narrative, you aren’t alone. We share the one we are most likely to believe.
Join us as we reflect on neuroscience, faith, and life!
THINGS YOU HEARD ON THE SHOW
Lucretia’s website – brownicity.com
Hues of You – Lucretia’s book
Switch On Your Brain By Dr. Caroline Leif
“We make our decisions and in the end our decisions make us.” – John Wooden
There are three core lies we believe:
I am helpless
I’m worthless
I am unloveable
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. - Phil.4:8
John A Powell “We have to be hard on systems and easy on people.”
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. - Romans 12:2
THANKS TO OUR SPONSOR
We believe the goal of therapy is to increase both psychological and spiritual wholeness, and this can only be accomplished in an appropriate environment.
We have also seen proven success in the affordability and convenience of online mental counseling. By bringing together a network of professional counselors who are practicing Christians online, we see unprecedented opportunity to help believers access the help they need, when and how they can best receive it.
What if we could be present in all circumstances without judgment? What if we could step back from the moment, observe it, and ask God to reveal himself to us? What if we didn't let our emotions drive our thought processes, but gave them a comfortable spot in the passenger seat where they were buckled in, but not directing?
Dr. Regina Chow Trammel works with social work students at Azusa Pacific University and counselors in training and she has been studying the overlap between mindfulness and Christian practice. There is in fact space for a faithful Christian to pause and enter a mindful state in order to listen for God's voice. We promise this isn't wonky, in fact it echoes meditation and welcoming prayer that Christians have practiced for centuries. If you ever wondered if Christian faith and mindfulness go together, this is the episode for you.
The Brain Game is the series we're in. We hear a lot about neuroscience these days and want to know how all of the new research and findings connect to our faith. They aren't siloed topics, but helpful information that inform each other. In this conversation we talk about our trauma responses, the vagal nerve, and the parasympathetic nervous system. All of these physical responses impact our emotional responses and vice versa. As we practice mindfulness we are able to slow our racing thoughts down so our bodies can relax and we can more objectively observe our situations. It's a beautiful thing.
So don't wait. Take a deep breath, be mindful of where you are and how you're feeling, and push play on this episode.
Mentioned on the show
Regina's book A Counselor's Guide to Christian Mindfulness: Engaging the Mind, Body, and Soul in Biblical Practices and Theories written in partnership with John Trent
The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk, M.D.
Lectio 365 app
Pray As You Go app
John Trent Interview on The Open Door Sisterhood Podcast
Memorable quotes
“Mindfulness is a practice of joy, not happiness or toxic positivity, but joy.”
“A Christian definition of mindfulness: Paying attention to the current moment, inviting God into that, and abiding by his voice in that moment.”
Thank you to our sponsor
In week two of our series, The Brain Game, we are exploring the neuroscience of thinking on the good and wonderful. For many of us this is not our natural state of mind. We prepare ourselves for the worst and wait for the proverbial “shoe to drop.”
But what if we did the exact opposite of that? What if we instead expect the good and hold the posture of positive anticipation? Nicole Zasowski, a marriage and family therapist, joins us to explore practices such as thankfulness, celebrating others, savoring, and honest communication.
This episode will help change your mindset and in doing so, may alter the way you live your life.
Connect with Nicole on her website or Instagram
Nicole’s Book What If It’s Wonderful?
SOME THINGS YOU HEARD ON THIS EPISODE:
The Hedonic Treadmill – what it is
Winning the War of Your Mind by Craig Groschel
The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer
Brene Brown: Why joy is vulnerable – On Foreboding Joy
Join Our Newsletter - we want YOU in the Sisterhood!
THANKS TO OUR SPONSOR
We believe the goal of therapy is to increase both psychological and spiritual wholeness, and this can only be accomplished in an appropriate environment.
We have also seen proven success in the affordability and convenience of online mental counseling. By bringing together a network of professional counselors who are practicing Christians online, we see unprecedented opportunity to help believers access the help they need, when and how they can best receive it.
Dr. Thompson is a practicing psychiatrist who writes and teaches about how neuroscience can better help us understand how we function in the world. He also is a practicing Christian and explains how spiritual practices are in fact tapping into the brain in a way that helps us tell these more complete stories.
With humor and insight Curt Thompson reminds us that God doesn't expect perfection from us, in our work, our relationships, and especially our parenting, but he does want us to be present and redemptive in our actions. Being together in life, fully known by others, allows us to experience a full life of love and hope.
Dr. Curt Thompson’s books:
The Soul of Shame: Retelling the Stories We Believe About Ourselves
The Soul of Desire: Discovering the Neuroscience of Longing, Beauty, and Community
Curt’s podcast Being Known
THANKS TO OUR SPONSOR
We believe the goal of therapy is to increase both psychological and spiritual wholeness, and this can only be accomplished in an appropriate environment.
We have also seen proven success in the affordability and convenience of online mental counseling. By bringing together a network of professional counselors who are practicing Christians online, we see unprecedented opportunity to help believers access the help they need, when and how they can best receive it.
We are wrapping up our Raise Boys, Change the World series today with a Sister Straight Talk with Krista and Alex. They discuss the most important lessons they learned from the guests on this series as well as their own insights about raising boys.
The topics range from fatherlessness to allowing boys to grow in independence to how to connect better with our sons. If you care about a young man in your home, your family, your church, on your team, or in your neighborhood, this episode is for you!
We are wrapping up our Raise Boys, Change the World series today with a Sister Straight Talk with Krista and Alex. They discuss the most important lessons they learned from the guests on this series as well as their own insights about raising boys.
The topics range from fatherlessness to allowing boys to grow in independence to how to connect better with our sons. If you care about a young man in your home, your family, your church, on your team, or in your neighborhood, this episode is for you!
SOME THINGS YOU HEARD ON THE SHOW
Dr. Anthony Bradley Heroic Masculinity
Raising Sons of Promise by Rolund C Warren
James Clear Atomic Habits
THANKS TO OUR SPONSOR
We believe the goal of therapy is to increase both psychological and spiritual wholeness, and this can only be accomplished in an appropriate environment.
We have also seen proven success in the affordability and convenience of online mental counseling. By bringing together a network of professional counselors who are practicing Christians online, we see unprecedented opportunity to help believers access the help they need, when and how they can best receive it.
Sign up for Faithful Counseling HERE.
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or tell us what you liked or learned.
Perfection is not the aim in our parenting. Hope and encouragement are. We are real people raising real people and things don't always go as we want them to. Monica understands this and encourages us to not give up as we parent and to continually point our growing boys and young men toward character qualities to aspire toward and actively develop.
If you are in the middle of raising a boy, or know someone who is, you will want to introduce them to Monica Swanson and all things Boy Mom.
Heard on the show
Monica's list of character developing resources
Monica's podcast Boy Mom
Monica's book Boy Mom: What Your Son Needs Most from You
Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear
Looking for help getting unstuck with your boys?
Open Door Sisterhood Podcast Co-Host, Krista Gilbert, is a certified home coach who can help you get unstuck as you run up against some parenting challenges. As a mom of four, including three young men, she understands the challenges parents face today. Perhaps you need a fresh perspective or approach. Set up a consultation call with her here.
Generation Z is coming of age during a global pandemic and during a time when school shootings are not uncommon. They are the first generation in the history of the world that can claim the title “digital natives.” These markers are shaping who they becoming and what questions they are asking.
Joining us today is Tanita Maddox, Assistant Regional Director for Young Life and Adolescent Culture Expert. Tanita studied Generation Z in her doctoral program and has been working with youth for over twenty years. She has an up close look into the lives of kids living in this generation and helps us understand how we can better meet them where they stand.
Whether you are a parent, a boss, a youth leader, a teacher, or a coach, this episode will be helpful as you seek to understand Generation Z and the precious teens that fill our homes, schools, churches, workplaces, and teams.
Will you fill out our quick survey so we can hear from YOU, Sister?
The top question kids are asking in this generation: Is it safe or am I safe?
What they need to hear from us: they are courageous, they are strong, they are capable
Barna Research articles on Gen Z for further reading
Question to ask often to a Gen Z teen: On a scale of 1-10 how’s your mental health?
THANKS TO OUR SPONSOR
Host of the popular mothering podcast, Don't Mom Alone, Heather MacFadyen is right in the middle of parenting four boys. As we continue in our series on Raise Boys, Change the World we of course needed a few mom experts to join. Heather is one of those moms.
In this episode, we talk about noise levels, energy levels, and schooling choices. We cover how Heather approaches her relationships with educators, other moms, and her husband and how this web of support makes her a better mom as she faces life with four sons. We cover what it means to be "deregulated", how we can help our boys and ourselves get back to a place of healthy functioning when energies or feelings are high. And we cover the importance of boys witnessing a marriage where mom and dad choose each other.
Heather gives us her take on the state of boys right now (spoiler: she says they're "numbing out") and how we as the adults around them can help them build resilience in order to prepare them for lives of service as they leave home. If you are in the middle of raising kids, boys or girls, you will glean encouragement and wisdom from Heather's perspective.
Jon Tyson, lead pastor of Church of the City in New York and popular author, joins us to talk about how to be intentional with our boys. Jon discovered that other cultures all around the world had similar rituals around raising boys in their tribes and villages. He then took those ideas and implemented them with his own son, cultivating intentionality and significance.
We cover some ground in this episode talking about toxic masculinity, male passivity, intentionality, pornography, sowing and reaping, character, and relationships. There is much wisdom here – don’t miss it! And be sure to pass this along to anyone who wants to help raise young men of courage and character.
SHOW NOTES:
Follow Jon Tyson on Instagram
Jon Tyson’s Podcast – Church of the City NYC – Podcast
The Intentional Father: a practical guide to raising sons of character and courage by Jon Tyson
The Data Are Clear: The Boys Are Not Alright – The Washington Post
The Comfort Crisis by Michael Easter
Many societies had this formula of six conscious steps for raising sons:
1. Separation of the environment of childhood (put in environment with older. men to be formed)
2. Death of childhood psychology
3. Process for formation – the story of their community, religion of their community, the skills needed to function in a healthy way
4. Sent out on “the ordeal” – masculine moment where they test and see. Focused on courage and skill aquisition.
5. Welcomed back by the community of men.
6. Integration back into society
Great Quotes from the interview:
We don’t sow and reap in the same season.
Ask: What is a question that gives me access to their hearts?
Consistency vs. intensity is the key to parenting
The goal is to convert childhood authority to adult friendship
With older kids, keep asking about the 3 big questions of life:
character is destiny – who are you becoming with the freedom that you have?
vocation – what are you thinking about your future?
relationships – how are viewing sex and dating
Keep conversations running around these three topics:
What are you learning about God?
What are you learning about yourself?
What are you learning about life?
Humanize the struggle, but don’t minimize the impact.
Lent, the forty days leading up to Easter, begins tomorrow, Ash Wednesday. In this episode of The Open Door Sisterhood Podcast we talk about the tradition of practicing Lent, how it fits into the Church's liturgical year, and how it reflects the natural world's rhythm of moving from winter to spring and the spiritual rhythm of waiting for the Resurrection.
Lent may feel unfamiliar to you or it may hold undertones of legalism. You may just know it as the time of year you give up something you like because you "should", a challenge of sorts. This conversation helps us frame the intention behind Lent. The practice includes three pillars: fasting from something, adding something, and giving during Lent. When these three things are done in tandem we get the rich experience of practicing Lent in a way that builds anticipation toward Easter.
Tsh covers how to use practices with our kids, how her new book, Bitter & Sweet can be a guide, and how to be realistic as we introduce new practices into our rhythms. It's not too late to decide to make Lent different this year. You can add some intention to your days so that you are turning toward God as you consider Holy Week and all we remember and celebrate.
Whether you have been married twenty five years or three months, this episode will help offer a Godly perspective and encourage you to lean in to sex the way God intended.
If you are looking for wisdom in this area, you will find it here.
Heaven in Your Home Podcast with Francie WInslow
Finding the Hero in Your Husband by Juli Slattery
Rethinking Sexuality by Juli Slattery and Gary Thomas
The Married Guy’s Guide To Great Sex by Cliff and Joyce Penner