Episódios
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When Joanna was in fifth grade, her teacher passed out a pamphlet to everyone in the class. On that pamphlet were all kinds of topics about puberty and sex, and it had a phone number that you could call to listen to pre-recorded information on every subject. In all honesty, there were lots of terms and phrases on that pamphlet that she had never heard of before!
Why it’s important to have more than one "Talk"How to overcome the barriers around starting these conversationsPractical tips for helping our kids navigate sexualityAnd much more!
This led to Joanna's mom giving her “The Talk.” If you remember back to your own "talk", your parents may have been open, honest, and informative; or maybe they felt awkward, and you walked away with more questions than answers. Now that you are a parent, you may be wishing for some sort of manual or coach to lead the way as you prepare to broach this topic with your own children.
That’s why we are so happy to welcome back Jim Burns to the show. Jim is the president of HomeWord, an amazing ministry that equips parents to build God-honoring families for generations. He’s also the author of several books, including his latest, A Student’s Guide to Sexual Integrity: God’s Plan for Sex and Your Body. This book tackles the sensitive issues of sexuality for kids in today’s confusing culture.
In this episode, Jim shares :We hope this episode is a helpful resource as you navigate the discussion on sexuality!
Show Notes: https://growinghometogether.com/jim-burns-103/
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As our children grow up, they may start to handle some things themselves. This could be chores, getting up on time, or saving up their allowance or earned money whenever they want a new toy.
The connection between gratitude and happinessHow to identify entitlementThe danger of instant gratificationAnd much more!
This is a natural part of getting older, but as a parent, it can be difficult to navigate when to step in and when is it healthy to let your child fail. There are going to be times when “helping” is actually preventing our children from developing their independence and sense of responsibility. We’ve been going through this with our own son lately so this conversation hit home as we are asking ourselves if we were actually helping our son or if we are feeding an entitled spirit.
And this topic of entitlement can pop up in all kinds of areas such as how much to buy for our kids, how much we expect them to help out around the house, or even when it comes to birthdays and Christmas gifts.
Today’s guest, Kristen Welch, has wrestled through these questions in her own home. She is the author of Raising Grateful Kids in an Entitled World and the founder and CEO of Mercy House Global, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to empower marginalized communities with life-changing opportunities that create hope.
In this episode, Kristen shares :We hope you enjoy this conversation!
Show Notes: growinghometogether.com/kristen-welch-102 -
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A number of years ago during one of our Michigan winters, our kids had a snow day off of school. What should have been a fun memory for our daughter became really scary since she suffered a sledding accident that put her in the hospital. She went through surgery and weeks at home in a wheelchair. To make matters worse, when she finally returned to school she was pushed out of her friend group by a bully who made the rest of her school year lonely and miserable.
What trauma is and the different typesSome of the behaviors children may display after a traumaHow we can best support our children through the painAnd much more!
For a time, these things affected her deeply until she healed and regained her strength. Yet for many children, traumatic events go beyond a single, difficult crisis. When kids experience ongoing abuse, neglect, and risk of harm, the effects can last for life. It’s no secret that traumatic events can have a profound impact on our kids’ lives. We all want to serve and love our kids well when they experience pain, and the awareness and understanding of the impact of trauma can make a world of difference.
That’s why we are so glad to welcome our guest, Jayne Schooler. Jayne is the author and co-author of many books including Caring for Kids from Hard Places. She’s an expert in Child Welfare, she’s an adoptive parent, and she has brought trauma-informed training worldwide to help adults care for kids in pain.
In this episode, Jayne shares :This conversation has been so helpful in understanding how trauma can affect our children!
Show Notes: growinghometogether.com/jayne-schooler-101 -
This is an exciting podcast for us since it’s our 100th episode! Wow! We are so grateful for every one of our guests who have joined us to encourage us in our faith and in loving our family well. We are also truly grateful for all of you who have tuned in, listened, and supported the ministry of the Growing Home Together podcast.
We want to grow our empathy for young couples and parents in this season.We want to learn how to serve as a support system.And we want to gain some ideas for how to connect with our grandchildren as they grow.
We have the honor of welcoming some of our favorite people to the show for this very special episode—our oldest son, Josh, with his wife, Cassie, and our oldest daughter, Emma, and her husband, Adonis. They’ve given us some of the greatest gifts of our lives, our grandbabies, and they’re here to help us accomplish three goals:Listen in as our family shares their wisdom and perspective on these topics and more. We hope you enjoy this special conversation! It was so fun!
Show Notes: growinghometogether.com/teigen-family-100 -
In this stage of life with our middle schooler, it is pretty clear what our job description is as his parents. He needs us to provide clean clothes, food in the fridge, some help with his homework, drive him everywhere, and pay for his schooling and extracurriculars. We are his biggest cheerleaders and guides as he is doing this work of growing up.
Strategies for redefining your relationship with adult childrenThe danger of offering unsolicited adviceTips for the child who resists launchingAnd much more!
But things aren’t so clear when it comes to our adult children. We are having to tear up that old job description and learn a whole new way of relating and supporting them. Today’s guest knows all about this and often says that “the transition is complicated, often messy, and can sometimes feel like you are walking on eggshells.”
Jim Burns is the president of HomeWord and the author of several popular books, including Doing Life With Your Adult Children. He and his wife, Cathy, reside in Southern California and have three grown daughters and four grandchildren.
In this episode, Jim shares :We hope this episode is a helpful resource as you navigate this season of parenting!
Show Notes: growinghometogether.com/jim-burns-99 -
If we could use one word to describe Christian parents right now it would probably be “overwhelmed.” Parents feel overwhelmed by their busy schedules, concern of how culture will influence their kids, insecurity in their own ability to teach their kids about Jesus, or even the pressure to get everything right.
How to use the bit-by-bit approachTips for engaging different ages with ScriptureThe power of prayer at bedtimeAnd much more!
Our guest is bringing a word of encouragement and hope to us as moms and dads. Christie Thomas is a mom and best-selling author with expertise in Children’s Ministry and Family Discipleship. Her latest book is Little Habits, Big Faith: How Simple Practices Help Your Family Grow in Jesus. Christie is here to set us free from overwhelm with wisdom and advice to help us disciple our kids with confidence and joy.
In this episode, Christie shares with us:We hope this episode gives you confidence as you disciple your children!
Find resources mentioned and more in the show notes: growinghometogether.com/christie-thomas-98 -
We got married when we were pretty young after we met at Bible college. Needless to say, we had a lot of lofty ideas about what our Christian marriage would look like. We thought we would never argue, never lose our temper, keep the romance alive all the time, and always put each other first.
How God uses marriage to grow usThe source of true happiness in marriageHow your spouse has been uniquely designed to love youAnd much more!
While we meant every word of our vows and we have stayed committed for over 30 years, we did not anticipate that we both entered our marriage with a sinful nature and would fail to love well at times. We’ve said words that have hurt each other deeply and haven’t always been there when we needed each other the most.
Looking back, we wish we had started with a more solid foundation of what God’s design for marriage truly looks like. That’s why we are glad to welcome Chad and Emily Van Dixhoorn. They are authors of Gospel-Shaped Marriage: Grace for Sinners to Love Like Saints. If you need fresh hope and vision for your relationship today, this is the place to be!
In this episode, Chad & Emily share with us:We hope this episode strengthens your relationship!
Show Notes: growinghometogether.com/chad-emily-vandixhoorn-97 -
When I (Joanna) was in middle school, I can remember having a love of learning, I enjoyed being outdoors and moving through childhood content with who I was. It wasn’t until I moved to a new school and got my hands on my first Seventeen Magazine that it seemed like I was overwhelmed with feelings of not being enough. I felt like I wasn’t pretty enough, popular enough, or good enough to be wanted and loved for who I was.
What it means to be a “comparison girl”Some comparison cues to look out for as you interact with your daughterThe importance of biblical literacy when it comes to issues of self-worthAnd much more!
I think most girls could tell you the moment when comparison drove insecurity deep into their spirit. As we parent our daughters, we want to be aware of how comparison is destructive to their mind, their body, and their souls as they grow.
We are so excited to have Shannon Popkin and Lee Nienhuis, authors of Comparison Girl for Teens: Thriving Beyond Measure in a World That Compares, with us on the podcast for this episode.
In this episode, Shannon & Lee share with us:We hope you find encouragement and hope in this episode!
Show Notes: growinghometogether.com/popkin-nienhuis-96 -
“A mom is only as happy as her unhappiest child.” Have you seen this quote floating around social media? It’s caught our eyes more than a few times.
The danger of focusing too much on a single circumstanceHow we can unwittingly direct what our children are placing their faith inPractical ways you can remain connected with your spouse in this seasonAnd much more!
I think for a lot of us as parents, this phrase can feel accurate because when our child is hurting or struggling, it becomes the main focus of our lives. Our emotions can get all tangled up in their anxiety, pain, or their failures, and those feelings can make us feel like we let them down.
You may be in a hard parenting season right now. You may be having a difficult time feeling okay because your child is not okay at all. If that’s you, we are so glad to introduce our guest, Erica Wiggenhorn.
She is a national speaker, best-selling author, and she’s on the writing team for Proverbs 31 Ministries. Erica’s passion is to equip people to read God’s Word with confidence. She’s also a wife and a mom of two who knows all about the joys and challenges of parenting.
In this episode, Erica shares with us:We hope you find encouragement and hope in this episode!
Show Notes: growinghometogether.com/erica-wiggenhorn-95 -
Does your calendar have nearly every square filled to the brim? For most families, May is a particularly busy time of year with graduation parties, school concerts, sports, final exams, and all the things that go along with wrapping up the school year.
Some of the underlying reasons for stressThe role of interdependence in regaining communityThe simple power of ordinary practicesAnd more!
Even with such a busy schedule, we can get to the end of a packed-out day and still feel like we don’t have much to show for it. We can be in the same room with the people we love and feel like we haven’t connected at all. When we take a minute to slow down and look inside, we may even realize how we have lost our sense of purpose and joy in it all.
Brenda Yoder is here to talk about this very thing! Brenda is the author of Uncomplicated: Simple Secrets for a Compelling Life. She’s also a speaker, a counselor, an educator, and a mom who knows what it’s like to juggle a full and complicated life. Brenda is here to share how the wisdom and simple habits of the past can speak into the busy and hectic lives that we lead today.
Brenda shares with us:We hope you find encouragement and hope in this episode!
Show Notes: growinghometogether.com/brenda-yoder-94 -
When we got married over 30 years ago, we learned right away that growing a strong relationship would be a never-ending process. In our years together, we keep blending our personalities, habits, and the good and bad in our backgrounds so that we can love each other well and accomplish the oneness that God designed for marriage.
The challenges of a blended familyTips for maintaining a relationship with all your childrenDifferent ways grief can manifestAnd more!
For couples who marry after divorce or the loss of a spouse, they face even more layers of grief and complexity to grow a strong relationship. That’s why we are so glad to welcome Sabrina McDonald on the podcast today to help us understand the challenges of building a blended family.
She is a writer and speaker with expertise in marriage and family counseling. Sabrina has been a contributor to national ministries like Focus on the Family and FamilyLife. She is the author of her latest book, A Home Built from Love and Loss: Coming Together as a Blended Family. For anyone facing the challenges of blended families, this book offers practical advice and spiritual guidance to find hope amid grief.
Sabrina shares with us:We hope you find value in this conversation!
Show Notes: https://growinghometogether.com/sabrina-mcdonald-93 -
This week on the podcast, we're revisiting an excellent conversation originally shared in 2021. Anxiety remains a challenge for many children and families (including ours). While you’ll hear references to COVID-19 in this episode (as this was recorded in the height of shutdowns), the practical tips for anxiety are well worth revisiting so we can better support our kids in their challenges.
Show Notes: https://growinghometogether.com/kelly-boprie-92/—
We don’t need the experts to tell us that anxiety is a very real and growing struggle for children today. It touches nearly every family we know, and moms and dads are feeling discouraged and helpless in the face of their kids’ emotions.
That’s why we’re thrilled to welcome an expert therapist and mom of two to the podcast today. Kelly Boprie provides therapy for kids who face struggles with anxiety and depression, trauma and eating disorders. In her practice, she guides children through the transformative work of overcoming difficult emotions and behavior. This episode provides a wealth of practical help for parents by teaching us:
How to recognize anxiety issues in your kids at all ages and stagesHow to discern the difference between a temporary struggle and a mood disorderThe ways anxiety affects your kids’ ability to function and thriveSimple stress-management skills you can teach your kids to move them from panic to peaceThe importance of managing your own anxiety as parentsHow to teach your kids to name and express their emotionsKnowing when and how to seek professional help for your childThe impact of faith on our fears -
Adopting our youngest son through the foster care system ten years ago was truly one of life’s greatest gifts. But one thing we didn’t fully understand as we looked forward to a bright future with our beloved little boy was just how much trauma a child suffers when they’re separated from their birth parents.
How trauma impacts the brain, body, and behaviors of youth in foster careHow prioritizing connection over correction can strengthen your parentingThe importance of creating safe spaces for your child to open upAnd more!
Like many foster and adoptive parents, we are on a constant learning journey and are always looking for better ways to support our son through the unique struggles he experiences. That’s why we’re so grateful that Jenni Lord was able to join us for this candid conversation.
Jenni founded Chosen—an organization committed to empowering parents and fostering children’s trauma recovery. Chosen connects families impacted by the child welfare system with the resources and support they need to move from hurting to healing.
Jenni shares:We hope you enjoy this conversation as much as we did!
Show Notes: https://growinghometogether.com/jenni-lord-91 -
There’s a common misconception that it's always the big things—like dishonesty or infidelity—that cause marriages to fall apart. But the truth is, many marriages experience death by a thousand cuts as small areas of misalignment add up over time.
How to work together with your spouse towards the same goal even if you use different approachesTools for resolving conflict, nurturing connection, and bringing joy back into your relationshipWhy today’s world creates unique challenges for modern marriages and how to overcome themAnd more!
Every marriage has its squabbles, clashes, and little flare-ups of friction. Over our more than 30 years together, we’ve certainly had our fair share of moments where our mindsets didn’t quite match up.
We’ve all been there at some point, and that’s why we were elated to chat with today’s guest, Kari Trent Stageberg. Kari is a wife and a mom of two little boys. With her dad, she runs a nonprofit called Strong Families, and she’s also the author of The Merge for Marriage, a book designed to help couples stay on the same page in spite of all the ways they may be different.
In this conversation, Kari shares:We hope you enjoy this episode!
Show Notes: https://growinghometogether.com/kari-trent-stageberg-90 -
We all have wish lists in life—wishes for bigger houses, more quality time with our spouses, or even just a simple wish for better weather.
How to start seeing His divine presence even in the ordinary moments of lifeAdvice for setting a positive tone of joy and trust in your householdThe secret to holding happiness even during the “in-betweens” of lifeAnd more!
While there’s nothing wrong with dreaming, we find our spirits dragging when we grow too preoccupied with the parts of life we wish would change. When this mindset takes over, it can prevent us from finding joy in the present.
So what’s the solution?
Our inspiring guest, Tama Fortner, is here to help us find out. Tama is a best-selling writer who has published and contributed to many books that are inspirational for all ages. Her newest book, Everyday Joys Devotional, invites us to experience God in our real day-to-day lives. Tama was moved to write this book during a time of great personal struggle. When her hope was scarce, she asked God for help, and He gave her a strength that empowered her to restore a joyful spirit to her heart and her home.
Tama shares with us:We hope you enjoy this conversation!
Show Notes: https://growinghometogether.com/tama-fortner-89 -
Raising our two sons has been one of the most rewarding journeys of our lives. If you have boys of your own, you know that parenting sons comes with its own unique set of blessings and challenges.
How to use narratives from the Bible to counteract the lies society has told your sonTips for working the Word into daily life in a way that helps your sons appreciate the stories of ScriptureWhy grounding your sons in the truth of the gospel will help them identify lies for themselvesAnd more!
One skill we strive to help our sons build is the ability to overcome the lies they encounter in life. We want to help them better understand what’s true and false about who they are, what’s really important in life, and where God is when things get hard.
That’s why we were so grateful for the opportunity to chat with today’s guests, Erin and Jason Davis. They’re the authors of Lies Boys Believe, a book that helps kids understand the truth of the Bible using strategies taken straight from Erin and Jason’s experiences raising four sons.
In this episode, you’ll hear:We hope you enjoy this conversation!
Show Notes: https://growinghometogether.com/erin-jason-davis-88 -
Our son entered middle school this year and he is growing in all sorts of new and fun ways! He outgrew his shoe size, his appetite is bigger, he’s grown a wider circle of friends, and he’s definitely sleeping longer and longer hours. Along with that growth, his desire and appetite for screen time is growing bigger too!
How technology has been designed to be addictiveThe importance of managing your own screen timePractical tips for putting limits on screen time as a parentAnd more!
Honestly, navigating our son’s screen time isn’t a new challenge to us. We’ve wondered for years how to set good boundaries so that screen time could be a blessing and not a burden as he grows.
That’s why we are glad to have our guest on the show today, Arlene Pellicane. She is the author of Screen Kids and is here to help us all navigate screen time with our kids.
In this episode, you'll hear:We hope you enjoy this conversation!
Show Notes: https://growinghometogether.com/arlene-pellicane-87 -
The goal of our ministry has always been to help you care for the soul of your family and help you nourish relationships that keep God at the center of your home.
A definition of spiritual leadershipWhat it looks like to be unequally yoked in your marriageThe impact of cultivating a deep relationship with the LordAnd more!
We know that many couples desire the closeness and encouragement of sharing their faith with their husband or wife. Instead, they feel a painful sense of disappointment when their spouse isn’t stepping into the role of spiritual leader as they expected. It can feel lonely and like you are single-handedly trying to teach your children about Jesus and deepen your family’s spiritual walk.
That’s why we are so glad to welcome today’s guest, Dana Che Williams, to talk about what it really means to lead your family spiritually and how couples can find peace in this area of their marriage. Dana is a wife, mom, speaker, marriage coach, and the host of the Real Relationship Talk podcast.
In this episode, you'll hear:We hope you enjoy this conversation!
Show Notes: https://growinghometogether.com/dana-che-williams-86 -
Before you got married and into the first year of marriage, you probably spent hours dreaming about what your life would look like together. But today those dreams may feel far out of reach. Your marriage may have settled into a predictable routine that seems impossible to get out of. You may even feel like you're stuck in a rut and have lost your sense of excitement for what the future could hold for you as a couple.
Practical tips for discussing your dreamsThe importance of knowing your limits and triggersHow chasing after a dream can bring out the best in youAnd more!
We’ve heard this from many other couples and even felt it at times in our own marriage. But the truth is you still have many exciting years ahead of you! They can be full of exciting adventures and dreams if you take the time to talk with your spouse and dream together.
This is why we are so excited to have our good friends, Kathi & Roger Lipp, on the show today. They know what it is like to dream together and make those dreams become a reality. Kathi is a popular author and speaker as well as a marketing and writing coach. She hosts the popular Clutter Free Academy the Podcast! and the Writing at the Red House Podcast.
Kathi and Roger are also homesteaders who traded their life in the city for the mountain life in California.
In this episode, you'll hear:We hope you enjoy this conversation!
Show Notes: https://growinghometogether.com/kathi-roger-lipp-85 -
I take you to be my wedded wife/husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part.
How everyone responds to grief differentlyThe role “Switch Theory” can play in our outlook during hard timesPractical tools for navigating grief togetherAnd so much more!
Whether it’s been one year, ten years, or 25 years since you uttered those vows, we can all agree that they have and will be tested! We all experience some kind of disappointment, loss, or pain. And even though we’ve vowed to walk through hard times together, grief can take a toll on our marriage, causing us to question how to communicate about the deep loss we feel, how to best support each other in grief, and even how to maintain our faith when life circumstances just don’t make sense.
Chuck & Ashley Elliott are popular speakers and workshop leaders, a pastor and a counselor who hold numerous psychoeducational certifications. After walking through miscarriage and grief in their own lives, they authored their new book, I Used to Be ___: How to Navigate Large and Small Losses in Life and Find Your Path Forward. Chuck and Ashley are here today to help us understand how grief can actually draw us closer to God and each other.
In this episode, you’ll hear:We hope you find this conversation insightful and valuable in your own relationship!
Show Notes: https://growinghometogether.com/chuck-ashley-elliott-84 - Mostrar mais
