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You've worked hard, saved diligently, and planned for the future. But when retirement finally arrives, how do you turn a lifetime of saving into a lifetime of income? In Part 2 of Can I Afford to Retire?, financial advisor Zak Dyer explores what it really takes to prepare for the next chapter. From learning how to spend the money you've saved to knowing when to work longer, give generously, or seek professional advice, Zak offers practical wisdom for making your retirement years count. What if you haven't saved enough? How can you help your children without putting your own future at risk? And if retirement is just five years away, what should you be doing right now? Discover how thoughtful planning, realistic expectations, and wise financial decisions today can create greater freedom tomorrow. Because retirement isn't just about reaching a finish line. It's about preparing to live well in the years ahead.

How do you know if you can actually afford to retire? It’s easy to hear numbers like “$1 million” or “80% of your current income” and wonder whether you’re anywhere close to being ready. But according to financial planner Zak Dyer, retirement doesn’t come with a one-size-fits-all number. In Part 1 of this conversation, Zak walks through the questions that really matter: How much income will you need? What about Social Security? Have you planned for healthcare, inflation, unexpected expenses and debt? And perhaps most importantly, will your resources give you enough flexibility when life doesn’t go according to plan? Whether retirement is years away or just around the corner, this conversation will help you think differently about what it really means to be financially ready.

What if retirement isn't the end of your working life, but the beginning of a new way to live out who God has made you to be? Mike Bayer has spent more than three decades pastoring in a retirement community, and at 82, he's still going. In this conversation, Mike challenges the idea that retirement means stepping away from purpose. He calls it the “fourth quarter of life” and encourages us to see those years not as a reduction of life, but an expansion of it. With decades of experience behind us, we have something valuable to offer: perspective, wisdom, lived experience, encouragement, service, and faith. Whether retirement is years away, just beginning, or already part of your story, Mike's message is simple: if you're still here, there's still something to do.

Priscilla never stood behind a famous pulpit, wrote her name on a book, or demanded a platform—and yet her influence helped shape the early church. Forced from Rome, she became a tentmaker, teacher, ministry partner, and spiritual leader alongside her husband, Aquila. In this episode, Mona Shields explores Priscilla’s remarkable story and the lessons her life offers us today: your calling doesn’t require a title, your influence doesn’t require a platform, and faithfulness in unseen places can have an impact that lasts for generations.

What if influence isn’t measured by how many people know your name, but by how faithfully you invest in the people God has placed around you? In this episode of Women in Scripture: Unseen, Unheard, and Unstoppable, Danielle Cook joins us to explore the life of Lois, the grandmother of Timothy. Though Lois is mentioned only once by name in Scripture, Paul specifically remembers her “sincere faith”, a faith that first lived in her, then in her daughter Eunice, and eventually in Timothy. Lois reminds us that some of the most significant kingdom work happens quietly: around dinner tables, in prayer, through everyday conversations, and by simply showing up again and again. For every mother, grandmother, mentor, teacher, or woman who has ever wondered whether her faithfulness matters, Lois offers a powerful reminder: God sees what others may never notice, and none of your faithfulness is wasted.

What if one of the most influential women in the early church has been hiding in plain sight? In Romans 16, Paul calls Junia “outstanding among the apostles” and identifies her as someone who suffered imprisonment for the gospel. Carrie Kittinger joins Ric to explore Junia’s courage, calling, and willingness to stand on the front lines of faith—even when the cost was high. Her story reminds us that being overlooked by people never means being overlooked by God.

In a culture obsessed with platforms, visibility, and recognition, Tabitha offers a radically different picture of influence. Known for her compassion, generosity, and practical care for widows, she never preached from a stage or built a public platform. Yet when she died, her community gathered in grief—and God used her story to impact many lives. In this episode, Renny Bailey explores what Tabitha’s life teaches us about faithful service, meaningful influence, tenderness and strength, and loving the people God places directly in front of us. Her story reminds us that ministry doesn’t have to be dramatic to be powerful—and you don’t have to be famous to be unforgettable.

What happens when shame becomes your identity? In John 4, Jesus meets a Samaritan woman at a well—a woman carrying a complicated past, social rejection, and deep shame. Yet Jesus doesn't avoid her, humiliate her, or define her by what she's done. He sees her, speaks truth to her, and offers her something no relationship or circumstance could provide: living water. In this episode, Ric is joined by Lea Newcomb, co-founder of Engedi Refuge, a ministry providing safety and restoration for women who have experienced sexual exploitation and trafficking. Drawing from 15 years of direct aftercare experience, Lea helps us see the Samaritan woman through the lens of women today who have been exploited, abused, abandoned, or forgotten. Together, they explore the destructive power of shame, the importance of compassionate truth, why trust takes time, and how a person's past does not have to disqualify them from purpose. Most importantly, we are reminded of the heart of Jesus: no one is beyond God's reach.

Rachel’s story is one of beauty, love, longing, jealousy, disappointment, and ultimately resilience. In this episode of Women in Scripture: Unseen, Unheard, and Unstoppable, Rachel Schaible helps us look beyond the familiar details of Genesis 29–35 and discover the deeper spiritual struggles reflected in Rachel’s life. Rachel had Jacob’s love, yet she still felt empty. She desperately wanted a child, compared herself to her sister Leah, tried to control circumstances, and even depended on household idols. Her story reminds us how easily we can allow unanswered prayers and unmet expectations to define our worth. But Rachel’s story also points us toward hope. God can bring gain from pain, beauty from ashes, and purpose from suffering. Instead of seeking only God’s hand, we are invited to seek His face—and to trust Him even when His timing doesn't match ours.

What happens when you’ve prayed for something for years, but Heaven seems silent? In this episode of the DoorWays® Ministry Podcast, Tina Morrow joins Ric to explore the story of Hannah, a woman who experienced deep longing, humiliation, disappointment, and unanswered prayer. Drawing from her own 11-year journey through infertility, Tina brings a deeply personal perspective to Hannah’s story. Together, they explore the danger of “name it, claim it” faith, the pain of comparison, why well-meaning people often say the wrong thing to those who are hurting, and what it means to surrender our deepest desires to God. Hannah reminds us that faith doesn't mean we will always receive the answer we want. Sometimes faith means saying, “Even if this does not happen for me, I will still serve You.” Because God’s promise isn’t that we will never walk through the fire or the flood. His promise is that He will be with us through it.

When conflict escalates, most people either run away or fight back. Abigail chose a different path. In this episode of the DoorWays® Podcast, Rachel Middleton explores the remarkable story of Abigail from 1 Samuel 25—a woman remembered not for power or position, but for wisdom, humility, and courageous action. Married to a foolish man and caught in the middle of a crisis she didn't create, Abigail stepped between David's anger and disaster with words that changed history. Together, Ric and Rachel discuss how God equips ordinary people to bring peace into chaotic situations, why our character is formed long before the crisis arrives, and how remembering our identity in God shapes the way we respond under pressure. Whether you're navigating conflict, waiting for justice, or wondering if your quiet faithfulness matters, Abigail's story offers timely encouragement and practical wisdom.

What does real courage look like? It may not look the way you expect. In this episode of the DoorWays® Ministry Podcast, Ric Shields is joined by his daughter, Tara Shields, to explore the remarkable story of Jael in Judges 4. Often overshadowed by Deborah, Jael was an ordinary woman who stepped into an extraordinary moment and changed history through courageous obedience. Together, they discuss fear, risk, women's unique challenges today, and why God often works through those the world overlooks. If you've ever felt unseen, underestimated, or afraid to step into what God is asking of you, this conversation will encourage you to "do it scared."

What happens when God's people hesitate to act? In Judges 4–5, Israel is trapped in oppression, yet God raises an unlikely leader—a prophetess, judge, and spiritual mother named Deborah. Join Ric Shields and guest Sherry Jackson as they explore Deborah's remarkable faith, courageous leadership, and unwavering trust in God. Discover how her story challenges us to stop waiting, embrace God's calling, and become the people He is looking for in our generation.

In this episode of the DoorWays® Ministry Podcast, Ric Shields is joined by attorney and First Assistant District Attorney Joy Thorp to explore the remarkable story of Zipporah, the wife of Moses. Though she appears only briefly in Scripture, her decisive act of obedience during one of the Bible's most mysterious moments may have preserved the mission that led to Israel's deliverance. Together, they unpack the cultural tensions of her marriage, the strange encounter in Exodus 4, and the powerful reminder that true spiritual leadership begins at home. Zipporah's story challenges modern assumptions about courage, leadership, marriage, and faithfulness, showing that God often works through those serving quietly behind the scenes. Whether you're carrying unseen responsibilities, navigating difficult family decisions, or wondering if your faithfulness matters, this conversation offers encouragement that God sees every act of obedience, even those hidden from the world's applause.

What happens when the system designed to protect you becomes the very thing that abandons you? In this episode of our Women in Scripture: Unseen, Unheard & Unstoppable series, Ric Shields welcomes biblical Hebrew teacher and ordained minister Barbie Odom to explore one of the Bible's most misunderstood women—Tamar. Together they unpack the cultural background of Genesis 38, revealing how Tamar courageously pursued justice when every avenue of protection had failed her. Her bold actions not only exposed hypocrisy but became the turning point in Judah's redemption and ultimately placed her in the lineage of Jesus. Discover what Tamar teaches us about dignity, courage, repentance, justice, and the God who redeems even the messiest stories.