Welcome to Season Six of the FDM Podcast: Empty Nest, Full Purpose | An FDM Update

Life's seasons change, but purpose endures. As I (Tosha Williams) launch Season Six (!!!!) of the Family Disciple Me podcast, I'm also entering a new personal chapter—my youngest just turned 18, marking the end of almost three decades of active parenting. This transition feels monumental yet clarifying: though my daily routines will transform, my fundamental mission remains steadfast.

From childhood through parenthood and now approaching empty-nester status, my north star has been consistent: knowing Christ and making Him known. This simple yet profound purpose—what we at Family Disciple Me call "seek Him, speak Him"—transcends life stages and circumstances. Whether you're raising young children, launching adults, or entering grandparenthood, discipleship adapts while its essence remains unchanged.

May brings our eighth annual prayer-focused conversation series, "The Plugged In Prayer Life," and our ministry continues developing a discipleship app, hopefully launching by year's end. But remember—discipleship doesn't require advanced tools; it starts with simple conversation. Jesus walks with us, His power flowing through us, His presence guiding our way. Whatever your current life season, embrace the conversations that matter most. Because when every believer steps up to seek and speak Christ, the world changes one relationship at a time. Will you join this journey today?

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The Family Disciple Me ministry exists to catalyze devotion driven discipleship in our homes and around the world. We believe that discipleship starts with a conversation, and FDM provides free, easily-accessible, biblical resources to encourage these meaningful conversations along life's way. Sign up through our website to be "the first to know" about upcoming releases and resources (including the FDM App - coming soon!!!) You can also follow Family Disciple Me on social media.

Family Disciple Me is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit ministry, and all donations are tax deductible. More information, blogs, statement of faith and contact info can be found at familydiscipleme.org

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
It's hard to believe, but here we are, starting
season number six of the FamilyDisciple Me podcast.
I am so excited about what's instore for us.
I always feel so excited aboutwhat's in store for us.
But as we get started with thisnew season, I wanted to give

(00:20):
you just a little bit ofbackground and share with you
for just a couple of momentsabout what I see ahead of us.
God is good.
He continues to open doors forthis ministry, but he also
continues to work in our hearts.
And well, I thought that thebeginning of season six would be
a great time to give you anupdate.

(00:41):
Well, yesterday was a huge dayat my house.
My husband and I have fivechildren, and yesterday our
youngest turned 18.
She's officially an adult, andfor us that marks the completion
of over 28 years of pregnancyand child rearing.

(01:05):
So here I am.
Today is a whole new season aswell.
We're about to be empty nesters.
Journey Grace is going to behome for a few more months
before she leaves for college,but there's something really
significant about the closurethat we had yesterday and well,
the new beginnings that starttoday.

(01:27):
My life is about to look verydifferent than it has looked in
the past almost three decadesand yet, I have to say, my
purpose is still the same.
My goal, ever since I was achild, ever since I was a
teenager, is to know Christ.
I want to know Christ, but moreand more and more as the years

(01:50):
and the decades.
Now, as the seasons have comeand go, more and more my goal
isn't just to know Christ, asamazing of a goal as that is.
My goal is to know Christ andto make Him known.
For me, personally, I sum thatup as meet with God and make Him

(02:11):
known, and really that's theheart of the Family Disciple Me
ministry.
My sweet Journey, grace, whoturned 18 yesterday.
Her life has been marked by theseasons of the Family Disciple
Me ministry.
She was only about 10 years oldwhen I first began to see the

(02:31):
vision for this ministry, andevery step along the way she has
been impacted by this, whetherit was the sacrifice for this,
or the writing of this, or thememorization of scripture, or
going to conferences and tellingother people about this, or
helping me edit, or, as she'sgotten older, helping me
brainstorm about this.

(02:53):
She's grown up now.
She'll graduate in a coupleweeks from high school and then
she'll be going off to collegeand the way that it looks for me
to meet with God, then make himknown in her life is going to
look different than it's lookedin the past 10 years, 18 years,
really.
Just like it looks differentnow that my other kids are grown

(03:16):
up.
But here's the thing wherever Iam in this journey of parenting
, or now grandparenting, orleading or serving, the goal
remains the same I want to knowChrist and make him known.
I want to meet with God andhelp others meet with him too.

(03:38):
I want to to use thecatchphrase of the Family
Disciple Me ministry I want toseek him, speak him and friend.
Wherever you are in yourjourney, I encourage you to do
the same.
Sometimes that's intimidating,though I get it.
Sometimes I feel intimidatedtoo, and that's why we have the

(04:01):
Family Disciple Me ministry.
So here's what's ahead thismonth.
As we dive into May, we aregoing to be presenting our
eighth annual May you Prayseries of conversations.
Did you hear that?
It's our eighth annual May youPray series?
That is one of the mostconsistent traditions of the

(04:24):
Family Disciple Me ministry, andthis month I invite you into a
collection of conversations thatI call the Plugged In Prayer
Life.
I encourage you to listen tothe podcast and just think about
the things that I share in it.
It's not everything that couldbe said about the matter, but
it's just enough to get yourthoughts going.

(04:45):
And then I encourage you tospend some time with Jesus in
the Coordinating ConversationGuide.
Encourage you to spend sometime with Jesus in the
Coordinating Conversation Guide.
The Plugged In Prayer Lifeseries is one that has been
resonating in and impacting myown heart for about three or
four years now, so I'm reallydelighted to get to share it
with you, and I encourage you tomeet with God in this series.

(05:08):
Look at his word, listen towhat he says to you through this
series, through his word,through the things that are
shared, and then turn around.
Don't just seek him.
Turn around and speak him aboutthis series.
Invite somebody else into theplugged-in prayer life with you.
That's what I'm doing.
I believe that this is powerfuland has great impact.

(05:30):
So that's one thing that's onthe docket for the Family
Disciple Me ministry as we starthere, with season number six
Also coming up in June, I'm soexcited that we have a new
series coming called the GreatKing.
Have you seen the movie Mufasa.
Yet Well, I think that that isone of the best movies that's

(05:51):
come out in quite a while,because it is an amazing bridge
to teach the next generationabout not just a great king like
the Lion King, but to teachthem about the great king, and
that is King Jesus.
That will be a conversationcollection that you can use to
spend time meeting with God inyour own life and then turning

(06:15):
around and making him known tothose entrusted to you.
Oh, friend, there's so manypieces and parts to all this,
but I know a big question thatkeeps being asked is the
question what about the FamilyDisciple Me app?
Well, I'm so glad you askedbecause, well, it is coming
along.
We are steadily making progressand I am so grateful for the

(06:38):
partners and ministry that Godhas brought alongside this
ministry so that we can createthis powerful, devotion-driven
discipleship tool.
I don't have an exact targetdate yet, but we are getting
close.
Personally, I'm hoping byyear's end we're going to have
that to be able to share withyou, maybe for a Christmas
present.

(06:59):
We'll see.
All told, discipleship doesn'tstart with an app.
It doesn't start with a podcastor a conversation series.
Discipleship starts with aconversation.
Discipleship starts with aconversation that we
individually have with Jesus,with our Savior, as we grow

(07:19):
closer to Him, as we know Christbetter.
And then discipleship continueswhen we make Him known to
others, when we speak Him.
All these amazing thingspodcasts, apps, online
conversation, guides, websitesthese are all tools to
accomplish the great purpose offulfilling the Great Commission.

(07:42):
You see, I believe the FamilyDisciple Me ministry believes
that that is something thatevery single one of us who has a
real relationship with Jesuscan do.
So what does that look like inyour life?
What does it look like in mylife?
I believe that this world willbe impacted for Jesus when every

(08:02):
single one of us who has a realrelationship with him steps up
to the plate and says I'm goingto seek him, speak him.
Oh friend, thank you forjoining me in this journey.
So much ahead of us, so muchhistory behind us, but all the
way we have gotten to walk thisjourney with Jesus, I am so

(08:26):
thankful that he is with us,that his power is flowing
through us, his presence isguiding us, his provision is
abundantly showering upon us.
I pray that today, wherever youare in your journey, that you
too will be encouraged,challenged and blessed.
Oh friend, go in Jesus' nametoday.

(08:47):
Remember, discipleship startswith a conversation, so skip the
intimidation and get straightto the conversation today.
Until next time, be encouraged.