Our Time to Rise Krista Gilbert & Alexandra Kuykendall

Do you have a high school graduate this year? Or does someone you know? In this episode Alex is interviewing Krista, asking questions such as:

-How do you celebrate a high school senior well?
-How do you help them practically prepare for college?
-How do you say goodbye when it’s time for them to leave (nooooooo… I’m not ready!)?
-And what do you do about this grief over the loss?
In this conversation, you will find practical advice and helpful questions to ask. Krista emphasizes the importance of communication, setting expectations, and planning ahead. She also discusses ways to make graduation and the moment of departure feel special and recognized.
No matter where you find yourself – fully party planned or not even started, happy or sad, prepared or completely unprepared, this episode is for you!

A FEW THINGS MENTIONED
HOW WE SAY GOODBYE BEFORE OUR CHILDREN GO TO COLLEGE

Takeaways
Communicate with your child about their expectations and what success looks like to them Plan and budget for the expenses of launching a child to college Make graduation and the moment of departure feel special and recognized Acknowledge and cope with the emotions and grief that may arise during this transition Find joy in the journey and embrace the new chapter
Before College weekend questions

What will make this fun for you? What will make this feel special for you? What does support look like to you during this time?
QUESTIONS TO HELP YOU RISE
What conversation do you need to have with your child now about graduation coming up? What is important to you as you mark this transition? What can you do now to practically prepare for fall? How can you have that significant conversation with your child before he/she leaves?

What if instead of fighting our family, we fought FOR our family? This is the charge Chris and Julie Bennett are putting in front of us. That sounds like something we want to do, but how do we practically implement it?
The Bennetts give us practical ways to implement grace, forgiveness, and hope into our relationships with our children, our spouse, and those we bring into our family fold. Family is about belonging - so our aim is to create a place of honesty, safety, and grace. Chris and Julie speak from a lifetime of fighting for their family together.
If you are needing both some inspiration and practical help today, this conversation is for you. The world hands us a lot to deal with, especially in midlife. We don't have to fight with those we love, as much as we have to fight for a family culture that demonstrates wild love.
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT CHRIS & JULIE BENNETT Chris & Julie's - website
Chris Bennett's - Instagram
Julie Bennett's - Instagram
Chris and Julie's book- Fighting For Family
A FEW THINGS MENTIONED The chosen - Tv show
1 peter 1:23- Imperishable seed
QUESTIONS TO HELP YOU RISE What would it look like to fight for your family in this season, rather than fight with your family?
Think of someone in your life who seems particularly complicated, how can you embrace them in their complexity?
Who or what do you need to forgive?
What prayer can you craft for your children to pray over them consistently?
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

Have you ever asked the question, "Does anyone like me?" Maybe people used to like you, but you are wondering if they do now. Or maybe your son or daughter is asking that question.

Few admit they have these thoughts, and even less talk about them out loud. We're changing that! Today on the podcast we are discussing the topic of feeling liked and building friendships. We explore the middle school mentality that often resurfaces in adulthood, the impact of transitions on confidence, and the transfer of insecurities from failed relationships.

You will learn how many hours it takes to build a new friendship and what we can do to open ourselves up to new relationships.

Midlife can shift our friendships - we're here to help!

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT SARAH
Website: sarahbragg.com 
Instagram: sarahwbragg

Sarah's Book- Is Everyone Happier Than Me?


KEY TAKEAWAYS:
The middle school mentality of questioning whether people like us often resurfaces in adulthood, especially during times of transition.   Being introspective and self-aware can help us recognize and address our insecurities and negative patterns of thinking.   Building friendships takes time, with casual friendships requiring 40-60 hours, and deeper friendships requiring over 200 hours of quality time together.   Being open to new friendships, even on a casual level, can lead to meaningful connections and a sense of belonging.   Noticing the good in ourselves and approaching relationships with curiosity and compassion can enhance our ability to build and maintain friendships.
QUESTIONS TO HELP YOU RISE
Has there been a season or circumstance where you have been more prone to feeling like no one likes you? How could you focus on showing how much you enjoy others around you today, rather than focus on how others feel about you? What are some qualities you have that make you a good friend? How could you convey a posture of openness to others around you today as you are out in the world?  

Molly Stillman's story is not all laughter and fun. She lost her mother at an early age. But it was watching her parents maneuver through hardship with levity and humor that modeled to her that life is always a combination of good and hard. Through their story and her own - Molly offers concrete examples of how taking ourselves and our circumstances too seriously can rob of us the joy that is also available.

In this episode, Molly emphasizes the importance of the human experience in balancing joy and pain. Whether it's cracking a joke to break tension in a moment or realigning what is important when details of life surprise us, you will be encouraged that in your disappointment, frustration, or grief, you can have a lens of holding everything with lightness. God's plan is always at work. We can allow laughter and levity in to places and moments that need the reminder that there is still good news and goodness in our days.

Connect with Molly
Molly's website and Instagram

Molly's Book: If I don't laugh, I will cry

A few things mentioned on the show
China Beach Tv show

Airplane movie

Questions to Help You Rise
What kind of humor do yo enjoy? What is your natural response when faced with a stressful situation? How could you add some levity to your responses? What could you incorporate to your life to bring more lightness? In what relationship do you need to add some humor, some play, or levity?

Do you fear artificial intelligence (AI)? or augmented reality (AR)? Do you wonder what is going to happen if we, as a culture, transition to using these technologies more and more?

We wonder that too. That's why we decided to have Jen Richey on the podcast. Jen is the Chief Strategy Officer of Gravity Jack, Inc. an augmented and virtual reality company. She is also a committed Christian who is striving to use their technology to further the gospel message in the world.

In this conversation, Jen helps us define artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented reality (AR) and how they can be used as tools. Most notably, she emphasizes the importance of understanding the limitations and biases of AI and the need to be discerning when using AI tools (this was an especially surprising part).

Jen also shares her personal journey with technology and how her faith has influenced her work in the tech industry. She encourages all of us to approach technology with wisdom and to find ways to do our creative best to use it for the Kingdom purposes.

You will walk away from this episode less fearful of technology and more inspired to use it for good!

Find out more about Jen Richey
on LinkedIn
follow on Instagram
or check out her website gravityjack.com

SOME THINGS YOU HEARD ON THE SHOW
ChatGPT

Bible GPT

War Tribe of Benyamin AR game

QUESTIONS TO HELP YOU RISE
What new insight did you discover about AI or AR after listening to this episode? 

In what way have you allowed fear to root inside of you surrounding technology? 

What action do you feel led to take after listening to this episode?

What good could you bring to the world using technology? 

Our bodies are changing...and well...that means our bodies are changing ;).

Our trusted, go-to OBGYN, Dr. Carol Tanksle,y is back on the show to remind us that as our bodies change our need for intimacy does not. In fact, midlife can be a time of great emotional upheaval, or at least of emotional awareness, which can then impact how we experience sex. The combination of physical changes with all of the other external life circumstance changes, it's no surprise our bodies don't respond like they did twenty or even ten years ago.

After decades of working as a physician and speaking with thousands of women, Dr. Carol gives incredible advice to both married and single women about the need for intimacy and self-care during midlife. As whole people, we must address all areas of ourselves in order to be fully healthy.

No topic is off limits and we know this is one you want to talk about, so here we are. Sex in midlife. It's a thing. Let's make it a very good thing as God intended.

Connect with Dr. Carol
On her website

A few things mentioned on the shoe
Dr. Carol's new book Sexpectations: Reframing Your Good and Not-So-Good Stories About God, Love, and Relationships


Good Clean Love personal lubricant

Geneev.com

Dr. Carol's Guide to Women's Health

Dr. Carol's episode with us on menopause

Dr. Juli Slattery's episode on Difficult Conversations: Talking About Sexuality

Questions to Help You Rise
How is midlife impacting your body?   How are you feeling about sex these days?   If you are married, how can you talk to your spouse about sex and what you would like?   What is one thing you can do today to "deal with your stuff" as Dr. Carol mentions at the end of the episode?