Hi, we are Julie & Lynda, the mother-daughter duo of Kindred Tribes. We want to welcome and invite you to keep reading, as we share a little about who we are and our hearts behind the vision of this multi-generational ministry!
Who are the faces behind Kindred Tribes?
Meet Julie.
I am a wife and a mom who got to enjoy the blessing of being raised by a truly great wife and mom. My mom, Lynda Newman, used her skills and training and passion for the Lord to instill in me and my brothers a passion for the Lord. My mom was an educator by trade and a creative and encouraging teacher-in-action as a mom.
The tools and resources she passed down to my generation in our family have been invaluable in equipping me and my brothers to handle what life throws at us. Now that I have my own kids and young teenagers, I find myself equally passionate about instilling in them a love for the Lord and the tools and resources they need to navigate this world effectively and intentionally according to God‘s word.
While my mom’s personality and mine could not be more opposite from each other, and our ages, interests, and life experiences might place us at different angles on a variety of topics, we think there is some real value to that multi dimensional voice when trying to figure out how to build a family legacy of connectedness, spiritual growth, outreach and mentorship.
Mom and I are excited about partnering together to take on some of the challenges, issues, and goals involved in passing down spiritual legacy to our children and our grandchildren as well as to build spiritual growth and mentorship within our communities and friendship groups. We seek to offer a multi generational voice and experience as we take on these topics.
I married my husband, Josh, at the preciously naïve age of 19 and we promptly tackled our educational goals and launched his medical career as well as our family. I completed my bachelors degree from Oral Roberts University in Mass Communications and Josh started and completed medical school, and a five-year urologic surgical residency program. We have lived in Ohio, Michigan, and Oklahoma.
We have three children, Seth, Lilah, and Isaac. My life for the past 15 years has been focused on supporting my husband’s medical career and getting involved in our different communities as a family. I actively serve in my children’s school, Metro Christian Academy, on both the board of trustees and the Parent Teacher Fellowship board. I serve in a variety of areas at our church, Sanctuary Tulsa. I am an active member with Junior League of Tulsa. I serve in the Tulsa chapter of Side-by-Side through the Christian Medical and Dental Association, which is a mentorship ministry designed to support and encourage medical families.
My extrovert heart also loves any and all opportunities to travel, spend time with friends, or get to know people better. I will show up for the book club or Bible study or coffee date or a girls night out. And there’s nothing I enjoy more than a real, authentic conversation with a friend over a cup of coffee or some over-sharing over a glass of wine.
Meet Lynda.
I live life in the older mom category. My empty nest is quiet and clean (most of the time) and the only things waking me up during the night now are hot flashes.
I love being Mom to Julie Vicena and her 3 brothers, Mother-in-law to 3 wonderful people God handpicked especially for our family, and Nana to 11 of the most precious grandchildren this world has ever known (no bias here). And while I sometimes miss those young mom moments, I am enjoying every minute of the growth and richness that having adult kids brings to my life.
The lens through which I view life has a lot of hindsight perspective. It is an awesome perspective filled with valuable wisdom that can be shared with younger women. But, it has been through my relationships with younger women that my hindsight perspective has gained depth and clarity.
I am challenged in my faith and inspired daily as I watch my daughter Julie, and other women in her generation, minister to the hearts of their children in magnificent ways – and walk in the transparency and vulnerability that is needed for true connection in their relationships. I have learned so much from them and am continually in awe of the grace and authenticity with which they do life.
And that is what is at the heart of Kindred Tribes. Women of all ages and perspectives learning from one another and walking together in friendship and mentorship, along with encouraging and equipping one another as parents and grandparents, in order to build a rich and beautiful spiritual legacy.
My passion to pass a spiritual heritage down to the next generation has driven many of my life choices. My degree is in elementary education, we homeschooled at times (during which I was in my element), led a teen drama ministry, and for many years served as the director of children’s ministries at a growing church.
In this stage of life, I’ve become more involved in women’s ministries. I particularly enjoy being a mentor mom for MOPS and coming alongside other medical families through our local Christian Medical and Dental Associations’ Side by Side chapter. My college sweetheart, whom I’ve been married to for over 40 years, is a busy Emergency Medicine physician nearing retirement. We are both currently wondering what that’s going to look like.
I love spending time with my family, traveling to new places, and upping my cooking skills with the Food Network. We currently live in Tulsa, OK.