Podcast Archives - My Side of 50

Episode 1 | God’s Direction for the Empty Nest Years with Misty Phillip

Misty Phillip is the author of The Struggle is Real, But So Is God, founder of Spark Media Ventures and host of top rated podcast By His Grace.

In this episode, Misty talks about how she asked for God’s Direction for the Empty Nest Years after 20 years of homeschooling her 3 sons.

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Two Broken Arms

As Misty saw the empty nest years approaching, she began to think that she needed a new purpose after her homeschooling journey or she would drive her boys CRAZY.

Then she had a bicycle accident that resulted in two broken arms and a year of not being able to do anything for herself.

But in his kindness, God spoke his love over her and showed her that she was now the “older woman” with much wisdom to share with those coming up behind her.

God lead her to write The Struggle Is Real But So Is God Bible Study.

The Struggle is Real But So Is God

Each lesson in The Struggle is Real But So Is God takes a “hero” from the Bible, all of whom were far from perfect, and shows how God uses them.

Their problem was the same as ours – SIN.

But in this study, Misty shows us that:

Our battle is not with people but with principalities and wicked forces.
God has given us weapons and everything we need in his Word to fight these battles.
That even though life is messy and hard, God can still use us.

How to hear from God

Women often hear phrases like “God told me” or “I felt led to” and sometimes wonder “How did they know?” I asked Misty how she would respond to a woman who wanted to hear from God.

Come in a posture of surrender
Pray
Journal
Ask
Come open-handed with your gifts and ask the Lord “How do you want me to use my gifts in THIS season?”
Wait for an answer
Take the first step in faith. He will show you the next step and pave the way after that. God rarely shows you the whole plan at once.

8 Scripture Prayers for New Direction – Free Download

By His Grace Podcast

Six months before the release of The Struggle Is Real But So Is God, Misty started her podcast By His Grace.

By His Grace is where Misty and her guests share about life’s challenges, and how God’s grace, hope and love changes everything.

When By His Grace launched, Misty fell in love with podcasting. God showed her the significance of Christian podcasting in this day and age.

When God’s Direction Requires a Pivot

I asked Misty if she had ever poured her heart and soul into something that she felt God had called her to do, only to be led in a different direction? The answer was “Oh, yes!”

Misty said, “After you’ve written a book, people start asking , when are you going to write another?”

Misty DID write a book. 40,000 words on a deeply personal topic. An agent was very interested and began working with her. As the process proceeded, the agent asked Misty to make a number of changes that would make the book more appealing to publishers. Things just weren’t working out.

Misty’s husband could see what this was doing to her and asked her why she would pour all this time into a book project that clearly wasn’t working out and take time away from her podcasting.

It was hard, but Misty dropped the book she had worked so hard on and focused on the By His Grace Podcast.

The Spark Christian Podcast Conference

Misty found herself at another crossroads. She went before the Lord again with that same question:

Where do my gifting and calling line up for THIS season?

Two of Misty’s gifts are the gift of hospitality and connecting people.

For several years she had hosted a Christian Women’s Mastermind Group in her home, connecting, teaching and encouraging people.

From there, God gave her the vision for the Spark Christian Podcasters conference.

It was a dream that the Lord gave her that was beyond what she could do in her own strength.

She had never hosted a big event like this.

It was a day by day journey of asking the Lord for the next step.

Misty came with her yes and God opened doors that only He could open.

She took the first step and God was faithful to guide her to the next one.

What is your practice that keeps you growing in your relationship with the Lord?

Practice surrender – “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me”. Luke 9:23
Start your day in The Word of God so that you know what it says and can use it as a weapon to go against everything that is coming against you.