We fasted for 72 hours, and 48 hours in, Nick had a seizure. This is our honest story of the fog, the fear, and how it pulled us back toward our faith.

If your faith feels low right now, you have our permission to press pause and come back when you are ready.

In this episode, we talk about what brought us back toward faith after years of feeling far away, why we chose a 72 hour fast, and the clarity about dreaming bigger that came with it. We also share the ER visit, the weeks of fog afterward, the 90 day driving ban, and what we would do differently before any long fast. Along the way, we talk about gratitude, prayer walks, and why starting again from day zero is a great place to begin.

Books we mention: The Circle Maker and In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day, both by Mark Batterson.

Prefer to watch? This episode is on our YouTube channel, Just An Epic Life: https://youtu.be/phdVcTJDAIk

We're Keslie and Nick Halonen. Come hang out with us at JustAnEpicLife.com/podcast.

Email: Nick@JustAnEpicLife.com

Enjoy an epic life.

Life changes fast. In this episode, Nick and Keslie sit with grief after saying goodbye to a dear friend, adjust to an empty nest after dropping their child off at college, and reflect on how differently the last two "Chicagos" looked: a points-funded trip in person a year ago, versus presenting at this year's conference over Zoom.

They also talk through what "welcome week" gets right for new college parents, tips for beating homesickness and parent FOMO, a surprising Airbnb win in Tacoma, and one hotel near Pike Place Market they wish they'd skipped.

Topics covered:

• Grieving a friend and finding perspective after a celebration of life
• Sending a child off to college and adjusting to an empty nest
• A year-ago points trip to Chicago vs. presenting at this year's conference from home over Zoom
• Building a calendar for quick, easy points trips
• What move-in and welcome week get right (and how to prepare)
• Managing homesickness and parent FOMO
• A Tacoma Airbnb that saved money vs. a Pike Place hotel that missed the mark
• Dream destinations on the list: Denver and Quebec City

We're Keslie and Nick Halonen. We teach realtors, business owners, and regular families how to turn the spending they already do into first class seats and luxury stays, funded by points instead of cash.

Website: JustAnEpicLife.com
Podcast: JustAnEpicLife.com/podcast
Free live classes: classes.JustAnEpicLife.com
Email: Nick@JustAnEpicLife.com

#JustAnEpicLife #PointsAndMiles #TravelStrategy

The quiet after your kid leaves can be louder than the goodbye. We’re recording from a little “datecation” in Sacramento, celebrating our anniversary and bracing ourselves for the biggest family shift we’ve felt in years: launching our first child to college at the University of Puget Sound. We expected emotions, but we didn’t expect how layered they’d be, pride sitting right next to heartbreak, and how fast it can change from one day to the next.

We also keep it real about the messy, human details around a big transition. Travel stress is a thing, and yes, we have thoughts about overhead bins, carry-ons, and the strange entitlement that shows up in business class. Somehow those small moments become a mirror for what’s happening underneath: we’re raw, we’re adjusting, and we’re trying to stay kind while our nerves are already stretched.

From there, we dig into what’s actually helping. Letting Isaiah take a solo road trip, camp alone, meet his roommate face-to-face, and handle the unexpected is more than a cool adventure. It’s college preparation, independence, and identity-building in real time. We talk about boundaries, support, and the mindset shift of parenting a young adult, plus the practical stuff like points, hotels, dorm setup, and why we want his first days on campus to feel successful.

If you’re in the middle of sending a kid to college, preparing for empty nest life, or supporting a friend through it, we hope this conversation makes you feel less alone. Subscribe, share this with a parent who needs it, and leave a review. What feeling surprised you most when your kid left home?