The Proverbs 31 Ministries Podcast

Andy and Sandra Stanley, authors and experienced pastors, discuss parenting through the lens of building lasting relationships. They emphasize the importance of choosing a parenting direction, the role of prayer in parenting, building independence while fostering healthy relationships, and focusing on the relationship with adult children. Practical advice is given along the way.

One out of five Americans says they don't have one person they can talk to.As we move more and more into a digital society, we can lose our ability to have healthy, thriving relationships. Loneliness has become an epidemic, but the Bible has a lot to say about how we interact with one another. On this episode, Dr. Heather Thompson Day teaches us about the urgency of having meaningful friendships in a world that quickly writes people off as toxic. Learn how to find and commit to relationships even when they are challenging, and find the connection and happiness you are really longing for.Related Resources:Get your copy of Dr. Heather Thompson Day’s book I’ll See You Tomorrow: Building Relational Resilience When You Want to Quit, and recognize the value of a healthy (and small) circle rather than a large one, and refuse to let fear of what may or may not happen cause you to miss the beauty of what is.Don't miss an episode of our new Encouragement for Today Podcast! Subscribe on your preferred listening platform, and starting January 25, get a weekly audio devotion that will give you a moment with God to start each week. Click here to download the transcript.

A new year can bring a lot of anticipation and excitement. But it can also be a reminder of some things we aren't super proud of ...Maybe you're looking back at this last year a little disappointed. That habit you wanted to kick is still there or the relationship you wanted to better is not fixed. It can be easy to struggle with the lack of progress we've made and even more difficult when we may be filled with regret. On this episode, our host Kaley Olson is on the other side of the mic for a conversation that will help us look at how to move past our past mistakes. She will give us three lessons from the book of Deuteronomy on how to approach our mistakes and what the gift of God's grace and forgiveness offers us so we can move forward with purpose today.Related Resources:Download our free First 5 mobile app and spend the first moments of your day with God before the hustle of your to-do list begins. We also have study guides to help you dig a little deeper into God's Word.Connect with Kaley on Instagram @kaleyolsn. Click here to download the transcript.

Boundaries can feel like a touchy topic.How do we love others without losing the best of who we are? Lysa TerKeurst has wrestled with how to do boundaries well, and she understands the tension they cause in relationships. That's why she wrote her book Good Boundaries and Goodbyes. This episode comes from a live Q&A with Lysa where she answered the six most-asked questions she gets about boundaries. Both practical and personal, Lysa addresses how to set boundaries when you struggle with people-pleasing; what to do when it feels unchristian or unforgiving to tell someone "no"; and how to process disappointment from other people, especially around the holidays. We can't wait for you to dive in with us!Related Resources:Your life is crazy, but your Bible study doesn't have to be. Online Bible Studies is a place where you can dive deep into books by your favorite Christian authors alongside a community of women from right where you are. Check out our latest Online Bible Study now!Get your copy of Good Boundaries and Goodbyes here. Click here to download the transcript.

Money can be an uncomfortable topic. But what if God has something better in store for the way you look at your finances?Financial coaches Bob and Linda Lotich understand the tension that comes with money and know what it's like to have a complicated relationship with it. On this episode, they teach us the three financial mistakes we are likely making and how to overcome them so we can experience God's best in our financial lives. With its biblical teaching and practical application, you won't want to miss this episode!Related Resources: Make sure you grab a copy of Bob's book Simple Money, Rich Life!Stay connected with Bob and Linda on Instagram @seedtime.  For the moments you need wisdom to know what to do next but just aren't sure who to listen to, Proverbs 31 Ministries meets you with biblical Truth and encouragement. Will you help us continue to provide free biblical resources to you and other women like you by donating today? Give now! Click here to read the transcript for this episode.

What do you do when the "Christian" solutions for anxiety seem to stop working?What happens when we try to put a Bible verse over what we are feeling but it doesn't change how we actually feel? Taylor Joy Murray — author, COMPEL Writers Training member and our new friend — is all too familiar with these questions. On this episode, she shares her own struggles with anxiety and how God has met her in it. With practical ideas for how to navigate those feelings, this episode is great to send to a friend who needs encouragement.Related Resources:Pursue your writing dreams like Taylor did by joining COMPEL Writers Training! Get Taylor’s new book, Stop Saying I’m Fine: Finding Stillness When Anxiety Screams. Click here to read the transcript for this episode.

Have you heard about our new series on Therapy & Theology? "Let's Stop Avoiding This Conversation: 6 Topics Women Have Big Questions About" is here! Join Lysa TerKeurst; her licensed professional counselor, Jim Cress; and Proverbs 31 Ministries' Director of Theological Research, Dr. Joel Muddamalle, for a conversation about therapy and theology and why it doesn't help anyone when a woman is not walking in her God-given identity. This is the first episode of a series. For the next five episodes, subscribe to the Therapy & Theology show!Related Resources: Want more wisdom as you navigate hard relationship dynamics? Find practical next steps, powerful scriptures and timely guidance on how to set realistic, healthy boundaries in Lysa TerKeurst's book, Good Boundaries and Goodbyes. In the pages of this book, Lysa's personal counselor, Jim Cress, also provides therapeutic insight surrounding the topic of boundaries, helping you confidently apply what you read. Order here.Ready to take a personal next step in finding a Christian counselor? The American Association of Christian Counselors is a great place to find the right fit for you and your circumstances.Want to dig deeper? Dr. Joel Muddamalle put together additional biblical context for this episode. Click here to download now.Click here to read the transcript for this episode.

What is Advent?Depending on your church background, you might participate in Advent every year or you might stay away from it because it seems like a mysterious, age-old tradition that’s reserved for only certain denominations. You might even associate Advent with a candy calendar you see displayed in stores close to the holiday season.In this episode, Proverbs 31 Ministries' Director of Theological Research, Dr. Joel Muddamalle, will teach us about Advent and how it can help us refocus our minds on adoration for Jesus instead of rushing through the holiday season.Related Resources:Recognize the ways Jesus fulfilled God's promises in the Old Testament so you can remember how He will keep His promises to you today — grab your copy of our Advent study guide: Pointing to the Promise.Connect with Joel on Instagram @muddamalle. It's that time of year again ... Our Christmas Collection is here! Whatever the people you love are facing, we hope these gifts will remind them of Truth that only comes from God's Word. Our Christmas Collection has something for everyone on your list. Click here to shop now!Click here to read the transcript for this episode.

What comes to your mind when you think about the Holy Spirit?Depending on your background, maybe the Holy Spirit feels ambiguous or confusing. Or maybe you feel uncertain about this third Person of the Trinity. On this episode, our friend Max Lucado, bestselling author, teaches us about the role of the Holy Spirit. Learn about the purpose and power of the Holy Spirit and what that means practically for the struggles you are facing today.Related Resources:Your life is crazy, but your Bible study doesn't have to be. Online Bible Studies is a place where you can dive deep into books by your favorite Christian authors alongside a community of women from right where you are. Check out our latest Online Bible Study now!Has The Proverbs 31 Ministries Podcast helped you grow in your faith or gain fresh, biblical perspective? Tell us about it by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. When you review and rate the podcast, it helps us reach even more people with biblical Truth.Click here to read the transcript for this episode.

Do you think of yourself as a creative?Often we are quick to dismiss ourselves as creatives — giving that description to people who write, paint or sing. But what if creativity is different than you think it is?In this episode, our new friend and author Rachel Marie Kang teaches us what creativity is, why it matters to us and how we can can be stewards of the gifts God has uniquely given us. Discover the ways your Creator has made you to be like Him so you can see how to make things in this world better.Related Resources:Rachel's book, Let There Be Art: The Pleasure and Purpose of Releasing the Creativity within You, is now available! Click here to order now.Subscribe to our devotions and get weekday encouragement from writers like Rachel sent straight to your inbox for FREE!Subscribe to the Podcast Insider newsletter and get updates on what’s coming soon on both this podcast and the Therapy & Theology podcast. Each newsletter includes a thought to consider from an episode you heard that month and links to our favorite resources and products that Proverbs 31 has to offer!Click here to read the transcript for this episode.