Famous at Home

For many of us, inviting people into our lives and homes feels more like inviting judgment on our entertaining skills and stress on our already maxed-out schedules. And with the holidays approaching, you may be feeling the pressure.But what if you knew that opening your front door had the power to radically change the world around you? To make an impact and leave a legacy with everyday invitations?Jen Schmidt has set out to reframe how we think about hospitality and to equip us to walk a road of welcome in our daily lives. Jen knows that every time we choose open-door living—whether in our homes or by taking hospitality on the road—those we invite in get to experience the lived-out love of Jesus, our kids grow up in a life-lab of generosity, and we trade insecurity for connection.In this episode, we talk to Jen about how you and your family can offer the life-changing gift of invitation, no matter the stage of life your family is in. We talk about: * The freedom of hospitality, not the burden of it * How invitation gives purpose to our kids and family * The difference between hospitality and entertaining * How your invitation can expand beyond your home * Ways you can see your home as the most likely location for changing the world around you, one open door at a time.Show Notes:To learn more about Jen's book and Bible study, Just Open the Door, click here. For information on The Becoming Conference, click here. Podcast Sponsors:

What happens when our son is exposed to pornography at a young age? Or our daughter begins hearing about sex at school and asking you questions? Many of our own parents didn't model for us how to have these difficult conversations with our kids. Not only that, our kids seem to be exposed to sex at even younger ages today.In this episode, we revisit with Linda Noble and Linda Stewart, two leading voices helping parents talk to their children about body image and sex through THE Conversation Workshop. This is part two of a two part series.In this episode, Linda and Linda discuss with us how to talk to our kids about sex through a simple, yet powerful framework of flourishing.We discuss: * how to talk to our kids about difficult topics, like when they discover their private parts * why a Theology of the Body is an important framework for us as adults as well * age-appropriate ways--from preschool through the teen years--to talk to our kids about sexIn the show notes below, you can also gain access to free PDF downloads from THE Conversation Workshop that help you have these conversations with your kids.Show Notes: To access free PDF conversations of "The Talk" with your kids, click here. To learn more about THE Conversation Workshop, click here.To subscribe to THE Conversation podcast, click here. 

What happens when our daughter tells us she's fat? Or our son begins to ask questions about his private parts? These questions are enough to throw off any good parent. So how can we raise our kids to have a healthy body image in a culture that has distorted it?That's the conversation we have today with Linda Noble and Linda Stewart, two leading voices helping parents talk to their children about body image and sex through THE Conversation Workshop. This is part one of a two part series.In this episode, Linda and Linda discuss a framework for the Theology of the Body, and how we as parents can be ready anytime these conversations arise with our kids.We discuss: * the 2 most common parenting approaches to the body and the one we need to take * the 3 truths we need to instill in our kids about their body-selves on an ongoing basis * practical questions we receive from parentsIn the show notes below, you can also gain access to free PDF downloads from THE Conversation Workshop that help you have these conversations with your kids.Show Notes: To access free PDF conversations of "The Talk" with your kids, click here. To learn more about THE Conversation Workshop, click here.To subscribe to THE Conversation podcast, click here.   Podcast Sponsors:

There are eyes on your marriage. If you have kids, they watch how you interact. If you lead others in your community, those you lead watch how you live. In other words, your marriage is in a fishbowl.Some feel it more than others. But regardless of who's watching, if we don't pursue a marriage we'd wish on our kids, or we keep leading others without tending to our own marital garden, it will catch up to us. And besides, isn't it better to enjoy life with our spouse than merely tolerate it and go through the motions?We think so. That's why this episode covers four ways we can become teammates in marriage and why it's so important.Show Notes:To learn more about our Coaching Programs, click here.To learn more about Winshape Marriage Intensives and Adventures, click here. Podcast Sponsors:

This episode is a treat. Lisa Harper joins us to talk about her newly released children's book, Who's Your Daddy: Discovering the Awesomest Daddy Ever.But she's not the only one to join us! After the break, her daughter Missy joins us - along with our kids - to sing and talk about Sid the Science Kid, the Greatest Showman, and Sing. They also talk about God and people they know in heaven. It is a precious portion we decided to keep in. We hope you enjoy the "real" interaction.The best description of this episode comes directly from the children's book:Missy has lived with her new mommy (Lisa) ever since she was adopted from Haiti. But when someone asks little Missy a BIG question—"Who's your daddy?"—she starts thinking and learning a lot about daddies.Missy could be sad that she doesn't have a "skin" daddy who can make her pancakes and take her to soccer practice. But through lots of talks with Mommy, Missy realizes that she DOES have a Daddy! In fact, no matter what our family looks like, we all have the same amazing Daddy; and Missy can't wait to tell everyone about the Daddy who loves us more than all the stars in the sky.Told mostly through a mother-daughter conversation, this sweet story is careful to affirm relationships with the good, strong daddies here on earth, but it is also comforting for children who might be struggling due to divorce or the loss of a father.Show Notes: To purchase Who's Your Daddy? Discovering the Awesomest Daddy Ever, click here:

How we set boundaries with our parents and in-laws is a frequent stressor for many families, especially around the holidays. Whether family lives close by or far away, everyone brings expectations into what that relationship should look like. We navigate this on an ongoing basis as well.The first question deals with that very issue. How do we talk to our parents about it in an honoring way? How can we be united as husband and wife in making decisions and setting our own traditions?In this episode, we also discuss questions related to: * helping kids set their own boundaries and manage their feelings * teaching kids to play independently * how we can avoid showing favoritism when one child is more compliant than another * resources to manage explosive or strong-willed kidsThe questions: Question 1: Hi! I've recently listened to your grandparent episode - THANK YOU. My husband and I are new parents, and his parents live close by. My (divorced) parents both live out of state. Anytime they come visit they usually stay with us (and they come separately so it's kind of double visits). I know my husband doesn't love when they stay with us but he grins and bares it for the most part since he knows it means a lot to me.However, this Christmas my mom had announced (not asked) that she will be visiting and staying with us for over a week. It's really important to my husband that she does not stay with us on Christmas Eve since we have (and are still) developed our own family traditions. I know that the "guidelines" we set in this first year of our child's life will live forever, and I'm so nervous to have this conversation with my mom. I want to honor my husband's wishes and present a united front to my mom and also be respectful to her when I ask that she stays elsewhere for two nights. Help?? How do I handle it? She is emotionally very dependent on me since I am an only child and I don't want to hurt her feelings but I need to put my own small family unit first.Question 2: Thank you so much for your book and podcast. The book has given me a framework with which to help navigate this parenting world that I am very new to and I am so appreciative!My question is about teaching kids about their own boundaries. It is so important that they are taught to be kind and think of others first, but how do you balance that with the fact that each person is responsible for their own actions and feelings. For example, I watched a 4 year old emotionally manipulate her friend into giving her what she wanted by pouting and her friend said after she just wanted her “to be happy”. Being kind, sharing, and self sacrifice are so important but so is developing the ability to say no. How do you find the balance?Question 3: In episode #42, you referenced a question that my husband and I both responded with "get out of my head!!" but didn't answer it. The question was something like, "How do you parent/discipline a strong willed boy and a compliant boy without showing favoritism?" We need this one! The strong willed, older boy is in a cycle of feeling defeated while his younger brother just doesn't deal with defiance as a frequent heart issue. We are on the cycle with him - and its incredibly hard on the entire family.Also - another aspect of the same scenario - since our firstborn is also incredibly strong willed, explosive, and hyper - we wonder these things: was it our doing, especially since we had no idea what we were doing and parented so much out of our own issues and dysfunctions? Regardless,

Do you have a recurring issue in your marriage you can't seem to settle?Perhaps every now and again your marriage is tested in ways you couldn't even imagine at the time. Some nights you don't even sleep in the same bed.Maybe right now you just can't seem to connect with your spouse at all. Just getting on the same page would feel like a win.If you've been married for any length of time, you likely experience all of the above.That's because spiritual warfare is real. Natural and supernatural forces attack our most cherished relationship regularly. In this episode, we talk about how the things that separated Adam and Eve in the Garden are the very things attacking our marriage today.In this episode we discuss: * The three most common enemies of a great marriage * The importance of coming into agreement as a couple * How blame and shame distance us from our spouse * Why the love of God is the antidote to seeing your spouse as the enemy * Effective ways to pray and fight for your spouseShow Notes: Get the Ransomed Heart AppClick here for Moving Mountains, by John EldredgePodcast Sponsors:

Did you know that singing is one of, if not the most, stated commands in all of the Bible? Filling our homes with song has a deep, visceral effect on who we are and what we believe. Perhaps it's no wonder why singing is arguably the most powerful way to pass God's truth onto our kids.In this episode, Keith Getty joins Josh to talk about the importance of singing in the home. Keith and Kristyn Getty occupy a unique space in the world of music today as preeminent modern hymn writers. According to CCLI, it is estimated that 40 to 50 million people sing their hymn “In Christ Alone” (penned by Keith and long-time writing partner, Stuart Townsend) in church services each year.With four young daughters, Keith takes us behind the walls of the Getty home to describe how he and Kristyn pass on the truths of God to their kids through song. Even more, Keith gives us insightful reasons for (that are quite convicting by the way) and practical ways to implement song into our kid's lives every single day.To learn more about the Getty's, click here.Show Notes:Sing Conference 2019     Getty Kids Hymnal: Family Hymn Sing       Sing: How Worship Transforms Your Life, Family, and Church  Getty Music Tour Joy: An Irish Christmas Tour  Podcast Sponsors:

Thanks again for your questions. These episodes are gold for us because we get to interact with you, our family of listeners, on a regular basis.The questions this week are vulnerable and honest. We appreciate that so much about this community. Let's keep striving to be better spouses, parents, and all out human beings.This week we discuss: * How being raised in a legalistic home can impact our own parenting and climate of our home * How grandparents can influence the spiritual lives of their grandchildren * How to make Jesus attractive to our kids and grandkids * The one key factor to faith transmission across the generationsShow Notes:For more information on the findings of the study on faith transmission across the generations, click here to check out Families and Faith: How Religion is Passed Down Across Generations by Vern Bengtson. The Questions:#1. My question relates to the spiritual life of my 5 year old daughter. I am a pastor's kid and was brought up in a very legalistic but loving family. I went astray for a few years of my life but I know for certain that my parent's prayer is what kept me not too far so that I could come back to Jesus. My husband was brought up in a semi-Christian home, where his mom was/is a very devoted Christian but his dad was/is not. All of this is to give you an idea as to why I am concerned. We both love the Lord, we both serve in the church and are leaders, but we definitely have different views of what a Christian life is or should be.I am more on the legalistic side, where I put all the burden on him being the head of the family. I feel that if I don't say "Let's read the Bible or pray," we don't do it. It makes me mad that I have to be the one initiating these times. And so I enter into this guilt trip where if I don't do it, my fear is that my daughter will not grow up in a Godly home. My husband feels that if we serve in an area at church, we do not need to be involved in anything else. I, on the other side, go the extreme of having to be involved in everything the church offers (to the point that it gives me anxiety if I don't).How do I let go of the legalistic way of thinking? No matter what my decision is I feel like I'm letting someone down. And I feel like my daughter is living in an unstable environment when it comes to our spiritual lives.#2. From Collene: As a grandmother who really failed as a mother, but have sought and received full forgiveness from my son - Praise the Lord, I am puzzled how to be a spiritual guide to my two grandsons, 9 and 12 years old. I don't get to be around them all the time, but do visit frequently. My son and his wife want their children to be brought up in church (which really didn't start until 2 years ago). The boys love church and have gone to church camp once last summer. When I ask my grandsons if they would like me to say night time prayers or read the Bible or anything that I would like to do to open the door to spiritual talks they say no. I let it go at that. I grew up in a very strict religious home and was forced to do everything right. So, I guess I am asking for ideas to free our spiritual conversations up. Thank you for your prayers to lead all of us in the Truth of leading our children in His wisdom and love!Podcast Sponsors:

In a recent survey of over 700 parents, we found that “being too busy” or “not having enough time” was the biggest parenting struggle of our day. Can you relate?Do you wish you could slow down a bit? Do you seem to use the phrase "too busy" too often?We did. That's why we're having this conversation on today's episode. And it begins by realizing one thing: You are the only person looking out for your family.Starting at a 30,000 foot view, we begin our discussion asking of ourselves one question: "What are we chasing?" Usually we can see what it is we're chasing when we look at our calendars and see where we're spending our time. From here we discuss what the Bible says about rest, provide practical ways for creating margin, and why it's more important than ever to honor the Sabbath.Show Notes: What Makes a Good Parent? - A Scientific Analysis Ranks the 10 Most Effective Child-Rearing Practices by Robert Epstein. Click here for journal article. In our conversation we talk about kids being able to play independently. Click here for a blogpost I wrote on it: 4 Ways to Help Your Child Play Independently.Two books influencing our lives right now and that helped birth this conversation:Rest: Why You Get More Done When You Work Less by Alex Soojung-Kim PangThe 3 Big Questions for a Frantic Family by Patrick Lencioni For Pastor John Lindell's message on the Sabbath, click here. Podcast Sponsors: