The holidays are full of joy and wonder, but for many families they also bring busy calendars, money pressure and difficult family situations. In this episode, Garrett, Daniel and Staci talk about how parents can do more than just survive the season. They share ways to enjoy it and use it to point their kids toward Jesus.

In this episode:

• Clarify your purpose: Decide what you’re celebrating, like gratitude at Thanksgiving and Christ’s birth at Christmas. Then look for ways your traditions, even the cultural ones, can point to it. Before the calendar fills up, sit down and list the five or six things your family most wants to do this season.
• Manage expectations: Let your purpose shape your plans instead of feeling pressure to top last year. Talk with extended family early, clearly and kindly about your schedule. Setting boundaries is about protecting your own household, not pushing extended family away.
• Navigate family drama: The holidays won’t fix long-standing conflict, so make a plan ahead of time. Sometimes that means setting your frustrations aside to show up and love well. Other times it means drawing a firm line to protect your kids. Either way, let your kids see what forgiveness and reconciliation look like.

Resources

• The Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones: read through it in the weeks before Christmas, ending with the birth of Jesus on Christmas Eve
• Need prayer or wisdom this season? Reach out to the team at FBC Boerne.

Thank you for joining us! Want more information? Check out our website:

Kids: https://www.fbcboerne.org/kids/

Youth: https://www.fbcboerne.org/youth/

Discipline That Draws Near

In this episode, Garrett and Daniel look at what Scripture says about disciplining our children and how to put it into practice at every age. Hebrews 12:10 says God disciplines those He loves “for our good, that we may share in his holiness.” Starting there, they make the case that discipline is an act of love that aims at the heart, not just at behavior.

In this episode:

• The purpose of discipline: Discipline is about shaping a child’s heart, not just changing their behavior, and the way parents discipline shapes how kids see God.
• Restorative discipline: A good correction ends with the relationship restored, and with toddlers that looks different than it does with teenagers.
• Clear discipline: Set expectations ahead of time, use consistent language, and know when a moment calls for consequences and when it’s a chance to show mercy.
• The parent’s heart: Check your own motives (frustration, inconvenience, embarrassment) and stay rooted in your walk with the Lord and in community. Take a pause when you need one.

Resources

• Habits of the Household by Justin Whitmel Earley: see the chapter on the practice of discipline
• Parenting: 14 Gospel Principles by Paul David Tripp: the chapters on the heart and on discipline
• Need support? Reach out to the team at FBC Boerne.

Thank you for joining us! Want more information? Check out our website:

Kids: https://www.fbcboerne.org/kids/

Youth: https://www.fbcboerne.org/youth/

Daniel and Teresa sit down with Amanda Farrar, a mom of three, middle school science teacher and longtime member of FBC Boerne, to talk about her book Small Talks. Amanda explains why kids learn best through connection, and why playtime is often a better place than discipline moments to share the gospel. She also walks through her simple NAP framework (Need, Action, Provision), which turns spilled milk and overdue library fines into 20-second gospel conversations. Her biggest takeaway: just play with your kids.

Resources

• Small Talks: Everyday Gospel with Everyday Play: Amanda’s book for parents ($15)
• Small Talks Activity Cards: ready-to-read gospel prompts to use during play ($15)
• Book + Activity Cards Bundle: both together ($25)
• The Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones: Amanda’s top pick for parents who are new to the Bible

All of Amanda’s resources are at smalltalksgospel.com.

Thank you for joining us! Want more information? Check out our website:

Kids: https://www.fbcboerne.org/kids/

Youth: https://www.fbcboerne.org/youth/

In this episode of the 226 Next-Gen Podcast, Garrett sits down with Brian Austin to talk about how missions can shape the faith of a family. Brian shares how God used mission trips, family service, and eventually sending his daughter overseas to deepen his family’s trust in the Lord and their commitment to the Great Commission.

Together, Garrett and Brian discuss the real costs of missions, the fear parents can feel when sending their kids, and the greater risk of never helping the next generation step outside of comfort and into a life on mission. This conversation is a practical encouragement for families to start where they are, take the next faithful step, and learn to say yes to whatever the Lord puts in front of them.

Thank you for joining us! Want more information? Check out our website:

Kids: https://www.fbcboerne.org/kids/

Youth: https://www.fbcboerne.org/youth/

Graduation season brings a lot of big questions: Where should I go to college? What career should I pursue? What if I make the wrong decision? For many students, seeking God’s will can feel overwhelming, especially when life suddenly opens up with more options than ever before.

In this episode of the 226 NextGen Podcast, Garrett sits down with Andrea and Pastor Jason to talk about how parents can help their students make major life decisions with wisdom, humility, and trust in the Lord. They discuss why God’s will is not a hidden trapdoor, how to take pressure off students, and how parents can guide conversations without controlling the outcome.

Pastor Jason also shares a simple process for making big decisions: pray, look to Scripture, use wisdom and logic, seek wise counsel, surrender your motives, and trust God with the outcome.

Whether your student is graduating this year or still years away from launching into adulthood, this conversation will help you build a biblical framework for guiding them toward faithfulness, wisdom, and confidence in God’s care.

Key Takeaways:
Parents can help students by being honest about their own uncertainty and past decisions.

God’s will is not a guessing game where one wrong move ruins your life.

Scripture gives clear boundaries for faithfulness, but there is often freedom within those boundaries.

Students need wise, trusted people who can speak truth into their lives.

Parents are called not to control their kids, but to help launch them into adulthood as people who can hear from the Lord and make wise decisions.

Resources Mentioned:
Kevin DeYoung, Just Do Something

Discussion Questions for Parents:
How have I talked about God’s will in a way that may create pressure or fear for my student?

Where does my student need freedom to make a wise decision without feeling like they must find the “perfect” path?

Who are the wise voices my student has in their life right now?

Am I helping my student learn to follow the Lord, or am I mainly trying to control the outcome

Thank you for joining us! Want more information? Check out our website:

Kids: https://www.fbcboerne.org/kids/

Youth: https://www.fbcboerne.org/youth/

In this episode of the 226 Next Gen Podcast, Garrett, Daniel, and Teresa tackle something almost everyone is feeling right now—anxiety, overthinking, and the constant noise in our heads.

We’re living in what many are calling the anxious age. From kids to students to adults, the weight of information, pressure, and uncertainty is higher than ever. But what if anxiety isn’t always a sign that something is wrong with your faith… but an invitation to bring your heart back to truth?

In this conversation, we unpack:

• What anxiety actually is (and what it isn’t)
• Why following Jesus doesn’t mean you’ll never feel anxious
• How culture, distraction, and information overload are shaping our minds
• A simple, practical framework for using Scripture to quiet the noise

If you’ve ever thought, “I know what’s true, but my thoughts feel louder than God’s voice,” this episode is for you.

Resources Mentioned

• Brick (distraction-blocking device/app to help limit phone use): https://getbrick.com
  
  

Thank you for joining us! Want more information? Check out our website:

Kids: https://www.fbcboerne.org/kids/

Youth: https://www.fbcboerne.org/youth/

Theresa and Garrett sit down with Daniel to unpack a framework Daniel recently taught at MomCo (formerly MOPS): most of us parent like “owners,” when God calls us to parent like “ambassadors.” And that shift changes everything: how you see your kids, how you measure “success,” and what you do when you blow it.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• The difference between parenting as an owner vs. parenting as an ambassador
• The four places “ownership” shows up most: identity, work, success, and reputation
• Why owner-parenting often feels like pressure… and how it can quietly turn into desperation
• How ambassador-parenting frees you to aim for faithfulness over outcomes
• Why confession, apology, and repentance with your kids can be a powerful discipleship moment
• Practical next steps: pause and pray, reframe discipline as discipleship, and anchor your identity in Christ

Resource mentioned:
Paul David Tripp, Parenting: 14 Gospel Principles That Can Radically Change Your Family

Thank you for joining us! Want more information? Check out our website:

Kids: https://www.fbcboerne.org/kids/

Youth: https://www.fbcboerne.org/youth/

This week, we’re joined by Kelly Newcomb—pharmacist, foster/adopt mom of seven, and founder of Brave Parenting—to talk about what’s actually happening in the digital world our kids are growing up in. Kelly shares the real story that launched her ministry (including a terrifying wake-up call involving online grooming and the very real threat of trafficking), and why she shifted her focus from “just data” to discipleship.

We cover:

• Why the best strategy for young kids is delay, delay, delay (especially personal handheld devices)
• The hidden way screens shape kids through isolation, not just “content”
• What’s happening with gaming and why it can function like addiction (and why it often escalates)
• Practical steps for parents who feel like they’ve already opened “Pandora’s box” (what to do if your teen already has a phone)
• The biggest red flags to watch for—TikTok and Roblox—and why they’re uniquely concerning
• Moving from tech “savvy” to tech wisdom: forming kids who can think, discern, and follow Jesus in a noisy world
• A surprisingly helpful tool for young families: the Tin Can kid-safe home phone

Kelly also points parents to resources you can use immediately—including app guides, her parent curriculum, and a new student study coming soon.

Resources mentioned:

• BraveParenting.net
• Brave Parenting Podcast
• Managing Media, Creating Character (Parent Small Group Study Guide)
• Managing Media, Creating Character (Student Study Guide — coming soon)

If you’ve felt overwhelmed, behind, or unsure how to lead your family through technology without fear—or without giving in—this episode is for you.

Thank you for joining us! Want more information? Check out our website:

Kids: https://www.fbcboerne.org/kids/

Youth: https://www.fbcboerne.org/youth/