Life, especially military life, is replete with transitions. Maria Johnson is a best-selling author and speaker. As a military wife Maria encountered Catholic saints who have accompanied her through life.

In this conversation Maria shares about her new book "A Beautiful Second Act: Saints and Soul Sisters Who Taught me to Age With Grace." In her new book Maria explores the adventure of life’s second half, drawing inspiration from twenty saints and “soul sisters” who faced these challenges with courage.

As advancements in health and medicine extend our lifespan, women of the sandwich generation—those balancing the needs of both children and parents—are experiencing a multitude of challenges as they transition out of the workforce and into the promise of retirement. This book contains encouragement and wisdom from saints and contemporary soul sisters who experienced similar challenges during their transition to midlife and beyond and offers insight into the aging process.

Chapter after chapter, these inspiring saints and contemporary changemakers from all over the world will help you, too, embrace your second half and the changes it brings to our health, our personal relationships, our responsibilities, our work, and our faith.

In this episode Elizabeth Tomlin and Maggie Phillips discuss Maggie’s recent article in America Magazine,

Lay volunteers are often the backbone of Catholic parishes. But they need support, too. | America Magazine.

We ponder how we can “work smarter not harder” in our parishes, honor the service of particularly women volunteers and church employees.

Maggie Phillips authors the series “Religious Literacy in America” for Tablet Magazine through a grant from the Arthur Vining Davis Foundations. Her work has also appeared at America Magazine, Word on Fire, and Real Clear Investigations. You can find Maggie online @maggies_words and www.mrsmaggiephillips.com

Elizabeth Tomlin and Lynda MacFarland draw on their experiences as military wives to explore the virtue of hope.

Lynda's new book, The Anchor For Our Souls - Certain Hope In An Uncertain World is a devotional full of encouragement for anyone struggling in today's tumultuous times. We have a hope that transcends any challenge we will face in our earthly life. It's a Person who is with us now and He never leaves us or forsakes us.
This small devotional book is intended to be savored slowly, in stolen moments of quiet, away from the noise and endless activities of the world today. It is for reading in small increments, a few pages at a time. And then ponder, contemplate the ideas and consolation conveyed, in the words of others and in those of the author.
Divided into three sections, the first includes Lynda's own essays on hope; section two contains the quoted words of others with reflections by the author; the last section is composed of the essays of seven thoughtful, faith filled people, each one well-known in his or her own sphere of influence.

You can find Lynda @lyndawithawhy on Instagram and on Substack