Presented by St. Andrew United Methodist Church, all LIFT podcasts are available at no cost on Apple iTunes; a new season launches in August
LIFT: A Parenting Podcast, launched by St. Andrew United Methodist Church in August 2019 and available at no cost on Apple iTunes, is entering its third season of helping parents navigate the challenges of raising children of all ages in today’s world. Along with focusing on everyday parenting issues such as discipline, anxiety, college preparations, technology, sex, and drugs, LIFT podcasts have tackled many additional timely, tough subjects including mass shootings, grief and suicide, the challenges of COVID-19, and race, featuring community leaders, church members and other experts as guests.
“Parenting is hard,” said Rev. Kim Meyers, host of LIFT and associate pastor, Family Ministry, St. Andrew United Methodist Church. “It requires heavy lifting – both physically and spiritually. This podcast was created to connect with families in a timely manner and be a source of support. Parenting did not come with any instruction booklets, and we often do not know what to do or ask. LIFT is a perfect way to gain knowledge and support as a parent in what is, without a doubt, one of the most challenging times parents have faced in recent years.”
“I started listening to LIFT last fall while in carpool line,” said Sarah Kubehl, mother of three children, ages 12, 16, and 18. “Kim’s voice is positive, kind, and very real, and she focuses on what is happening now in the community and the world, giving me guidance on how best to handle current situations with my kids. Also a mom, Kim is going through it all with us. Another thing I love is that LIFT is OK for my children to hear, so if they happen to get in the car while I’m listening, it’s OK for us to listen to it together, and that can lead to some helpful discussions.”
The third season of LIFT will launch this August and will initially address the challenges parents will face as school begins in the fall. There are 13 podcasts in each season.
“Depending on what is happening in the world, we may adjust the schedule or add additional podcasts to address important topics,” added Rev. Meyers. “Last year when our church family experienced the tragic suicide of one of our youths, we quickly put a podcast together on grief, featuring Bryna Talamantez, a licensed professional counselor. The podcast had hundreds of listeners, and following the funeral, multiple people stopped to speak with me about how the podcast had helped them cope.”
“My son was a close friend and classmate of this young man,” added Kubehl. “In fact, we had just seen him the night before. I happened by chance to hear the podcast addressing grief soon after this happened, and it helped me to help my son cope. I learned that kids prefer to grieve with other friends, so I knew it was a good thing to encourage my son to be with his friends during this difficult time. This podcast proved to be quite beneficial at a time when we all needed help in coping with such a devastating tragedy. Other LIFT podcasts that I have found especially helpful include one on the power of our words and expectations, which affect our kids more than we know, and a podcast on race, which provided valuable perspective at a critical time.”
“The podcast on how to talk to your children about race aired on June 16,” added Rev. Meyers. “We invited Jenny Gomez, a licensed professional counselor with years of experience in both private and non-profit settings, to join us along with Dr. Kari Roan, assistant principal at Prosper High School. Our guests shared their insight into the best ways to have conversations with your family about race; how to help children after they have seen violent videos on the news or social media; how seeing skin color is a good thing; and the importance of continuing conversations about racial injustice in our homes.”
Kathy King, a retired educator who served as principal of Plano West Senior High School for 12 years, and a guest for a Lift podcast stated, “Kim’s passion for connecting with and serving her community is evident. She knew there was a need to connect in different ways with our community about relevant topics, and she made it happen through LIFT. She clearly understands the importance of getting helpful resources to families in a timely manner.”
Podcasts available to date are: How to Talk with your Children About Race; Parenting Under Pressure, Marriage In COVID-19; COVID-19 Week 4: Checking in with a Family; Adjusting to Online Learning; COVID-19 Q&A; COVID-19: How do we do our new normal?; What to Expect: College 101; Depression and Anxiety; Sex, Drugs, and Rock and Roll; Divorce; Expectations: The Power of Our Words; What is Discipline?; Teens and Technology; Technology: What Do We Do with It?; Success in Sports; Grief 101; Let’s Talk about Sex; Allowing Your Children to Experience Failure; Faith and Family; How do I Talk to My child about God when I Don’t Feel Qualified?; Our Family Rules vs. Others; Enneagram and Parenting; Who is in Your Web?; How Do We Live into a New Back-to-School Rhythm and Where is God in That?; and Mass Shootings.
“Recently, I learned that our podcasts are not only benefiting parents, but they are also benefiting prospective parents,” added Rev. Meyers. “I recently spoke with a young man familiar with our podcasts. He shared that he had a difficult childhood and was not sure if he would be a good parent. After listening to our podcasts, he has changed his view and is feeling more confident about becoming a father one day. That was a wonderful moment for me as I had not even thought about this young, single man being a part of our audience. Please join us and consider subscribing to LIFT: A Parenting Podcast and see firsthand how it can be helpful to your family.”
LIFT Podcasts are available at https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/lift-a-parenting-podcast/id1475570506
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St. Andrew United Methodist Church began in 1986 in the spirit of its namesake, a disciple of Jesus. The life of the Apostle Andrew embodies the church's mission, which is to invite the Christian-ish and the unchurched to become passionate servants of Christ. The congregation of St. Andrew follows Jesus, lives in relationship, serves others, and takes risks in faith. Worship includes four services each weekend on a 21.2-acre campus at the corner of Plano Parkway and Mira Vista in Plano, Texas, where more than 2,000 people gather each weekend. Recent renovation allows the Sanctuary to host worship in both Traditional style, with the classic pipe organ, and Contemporary style, with a new LED center screen and lighting technology. Small groups and Bible studies gather on campus and throughout the region every day of the week. Mission opportunities serve our local area, neighboring regions, and global communities. The church has been repeatedly selected as a "Best Place to Worship in Plano” by the readers of the Plano Star Courier. St. Andrew United Methodist Church is located at 5801 W. Plano Parkway, Plano, Texas 75093. Visit www.standrewumc.org; call 972-380-8001.