Ever look around and think, "What is this nonsense?" The news is a disaster. Politicians disappoint. Pastors fall. The economy's a mess. And you're supposed to be joyful because... why exactly?

If you're tired of being told to "just choose joy" when the world feels like a dumpster fire, this conversation is for you.

In this episode with Brant Hansen (author of Life Is Hard, God Is Good, Let's Dance and host of The Brant Hansen Show), we're talking about how to actually experience joy without being fake, how to navigate Christian ministry and culture without becoming cynical and jaded, and why the children Brant serves through CURE International—kids facing severe medical challenges in some of the hardest places on earth—have more joy than most Christians in America.

Brant shares what he's witnessed behind the scenes in Christian America that makes cynicism so tempting, how to build something God-honoring without falling into the traps so many encounter, and why joy isn't about pretending everything is fine—it's about something much deeper and more real.

We talk about why grouchiness and jadedness are so easy right now (and honestly, understandable), what's different about the joy Brant sees in children who have every reason to be bitter, and how to maintain hope and perspective when you're watching people make terrible decisions and the world seems to be falling apart.

This episode is for you if:

• You're grouchy and cynical about everything right now (the world, the church, people)

• You feel guilty because you know you "should" be joyful but you're just... not

• You're tired of toxic positivity and fake Christian cheerfulness

• You're in Christian ministry/writing/influencing and struggling with what you see behind the scenes

• You're watching Christian leaders fall and wondering what the point even is

• You want real joy, not performed joy—but don't know how to get there

• You're exhausted by the state of the world and need a perspective shift

Brant gives honest, clear, practical guidance for anyone struggling with cynicism and jadedness right now—which is most of us. This conversation offers a much-needed change in perspective without the fluff or the guilt trip.

If you're thinking "I know I should be joyful, but the world is a dumpster fire"—this one's for you.

📖 RESOURCE MENTIONED:

Brant's book: "Life Is Hard, God Is Good, Let's Dance: Experiencing Real Joy in a World Gone Mad" https://amzn.to/4d81dAZ

🔗 CONNECT WITH BRANT:

https://www.instagram.com/branthansen/

Learn more about CURE International: https://CURE.org

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Ever ask your teenager "How was your day?" and get nothing but a grunt and "fine?" You miss the days when they were little and told you everything. Now they've gone quiet right when you need to know what's going on most.

In this conversation with Tim and Mark Shoemaker (father-son duo and authors of "What to Say and How to Say It to Your Teen"), we're talking about how to get your teenager to open up, what conversations you need to be having before they leave home, and how to reach their heart instead of just winning arguments.

Tim and Mark share why the tactics that worked in elementary school backfire with teens, how to avoid conversation killers (interrupting, sarcasm, claiming to know their motives), and why atmosphere, timing, and tone matter more than you think (hint: take them to a restaurant, not their bedroom).

We talk about the 30 tricky conversations parents need to have (friends, dating, screens, faith, anxiety, gender, church pushback), when to deal with something immediately versus waiting for the right moment (the Jesus-in-the-temple lesson you've never heard), and what to do when you've already blown it so many times you feel like you've lost their trust.

This episode is for you if:

• Your teenager has stopped talking to you and you don't know how to connect
• You're terrified of having "the big conversations" (sex, faith, mental health, culture)
• You resort to lecturing and then wonder why they tune you out
• You've already blown it multiple times and don't know how to rebuild trust
• You interrupt them because you "already know" what they're going to say
• You don't know when something is urgent versus when it can wait
• You're watching the teenage years slip by and know you need to speak into their life NOW

Tim and Mark give practical guidance on asking questions first (not lecturing), how to truly listen (Mark's dad took notes while he talked!), and why teenagers are incredibly forgiving when you genuinely apologize and try again.

Plus, the rat trap object lesson that shows your teen you're trying to protect them, not control them.

Remember: This isn't about winning an argument. It's about reaching their heart. And there's still time.

📖 RESOURCE MENTIONED:
Tim and Mark's book: "What to Say and How to Say It to Your Teen: A Parent's Guide to 30 Tricky Conversations" https://amzn.to/42r7B01 (affiliate)

🔗 CONNECT WITH TIM & MARK:
Tim's website: https://www.TimShoemaker.com
Mark on Instagram: https://www.Instagram.com/MarkShoemaker3/

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Ever feel crushing pressure to get parenting exactly right—but the advice you're following just isn't working for your family? Or worse, it's causing harm?

In this conversation with Marissa Franks Burt and Kelsey Kramer McGinnis (authors of The Myth of Good Christian Parenting: How False Promises Betrayed a Generation of Evangelical Families), we're talking about the hidden history behind popular Christian parenting advice, why methods from the 1970s are still shaping how we parent today, and how to tell what's actually biblical versus what's just cultural baggage.

Marissa and Kelsey share how the Christian parenting industry emerged as a reaction to 1960s social upheaval, why James Dobson's Dare to Discipline set the tone for decades of authoritarian parenting methods, and how ideas about authority, compliance, and control became marketed as "God's way" to parent even though the New Testament only gives one direct instruction to Christian parents.

We talk about why mothers are told not to trust themselves (you'll be too soft, too empathetic), how "prosperity gospel parenting" promises specific outcomes if you follow the formula, and why treating the Bible as an instruction manual for parenting robs families of freedom, connection, and relationship.

This episode is for you if:

• You're following Christian parenting advice that doesn't feel right in your gut

• Everything you try seems to conflict with other "biblical" advice

• You feel like a failure because methods that work for others don't work for you

• You're terrified of damaging your kids by getting it wrong

• You can't tell what's actually biblical versus what's just one person's opinion

• You're recovering from a strict religious upbringing and rethinking how to parent

• You want freedom to parent your actual children, not follow a formula

Marissa and Kelsey give research-backed clarity on evaluating parenting resources (check credentials, theology, how it lands in your body), why there's no such thing as a one-size-fits-all parenting expert, and how to reclaim your agency as a parent who knows your children better than any author.

Plus, why God gently leads those who have young—you are seen, known, and trusted with your particular children.

Remember: Your children are whole people and you can connect with them. You don't need a formula; you need freedom to parent the real kids in front of you.

📖 RESOURCE MENTIONED:

Marissa and Kelsey's book: "The Myth of Good Christian Parenting: How False Promises Betrayed a Generation of Evangelical Families" https://amzn.to/4vu7L4d (affiliate)

🔗 CONNECT WITH MARISSA & KELSEY:

Marissa's website: https://www.MarissaBBurt.com

Marissa on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mburtwrites/

Kelsey on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kelseykmcginnis/

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Ever feel like you're trying so hard to be a good Christian wife and mom, but life keeps getting in the way? Another bill. Another sickness. Another thing that knocks you completely off track. You get up, dust yourself off, try again and then life hits you with something else.

In this conversation with Charaia Rush (author of The Myth of Bouncing Back), we're talking about how to keep going when life keeps knocking you down, why "bouncing back" isn't the goal, and what to do when you're running on empty with nothing left to give.

Charaia shares why we need to dethrone the idol of ease (suffering isn't unnatural; it's part of the journey), how to know when you're choosing hard because God called you vs. trying to control the outcome, and why sometimes God hides things from us even when we're doing everything right (just like He did with the disciples).

We talk about setting realistic expectations when you have big dreams and a toddler climbing on your head, why it's okay to say "this is hard AND they're a blessing" (you don't have to invalidate your struggle), and how to discern when to take action versus when to surrender the outcome and just wait.

This episode is for you if:

• Life keeps hitting you with one thing after another
• You're trying so hard but nothing seems to work
• You don't know whether to keep going or quit
• You're exhausted from getting knocked down repeatedly
• God gave you dreams but you have no idea HOW to make them happen
• You're running on fumes and wondering if you're even on the right path
• You need permission to admit something is hard without feeling guilty

Charaia gives honest, grace-filled guidance on choosing your hard, listening to your body's signals about when to take action, and why "again" isn't a curse word; it's a blessing because it means God keeps showing up every single time.

A note: This conversation goes deep. We tackle questions about discernment, control, and waiting that don't have easy answers. Pause as you listen. Pray through the questions. Ask God to search your heart about what you're trying to control versus what He's calling you to. That's where the real fruit is.

Remember: You are blessed with again. Every time you have to get back up, God shows up with you.

📖 RESOURCE MENTIONED:
Charaia's book: "The Myth of Bouncing Back" https://amzn.to/3Q6ZwuE (affiliate)

🔗 CONNECT WITH CHARAIA:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/CharaiaRush

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Do you ever wonder what your kids are finding online? Or who's finding them?

Two juries just confirmed what parents have suspected all along: social media companies are knowingly designing their platforms in a way that harms children.

Last Tuesday, a New Mexico jury ordered Meta to pay $375 million after finding that the company misled consumers and knowingly allowed children to be exposed to predators and sexually explicit content.

The very next day, a California jury ruled that Meta and Google knowingly designed their platforms to be addictive and that those design choices caused real harm to a real person.

These verdicts open the door for regulation, but meaningful change could take years. In the meantime, it's our job as mamas to do what Big Tech won't: protect our kids and teach them how to navigate the online world wisely.

In this episode with Chris McKenna (founder of Protect Young Eyes and author of The 5 Habits of a Tech-Ready Family), we're talking about why every yes to technology requires ridiculously informed parenting, the five habits that create tech-wise families, and how to protect kids without becoming fearful or controlling.

Chris shares how apps are designed to exploit teenage brain development (targeting the reward center that asks "am I loved?"), what to do when all your kids' friends are on social media, and why modeling your own tech use matters more than the rules you set.

We talk about creating offline spaces for kids to connect with friends, how to say yes to technology without saying yes to every risk, and why you're more capable of this than you think, even when you feel overwhelmed.

This episode is for you if:
• You're terrified of invisible online dangers you don't fully understand
• You feel guilty for giving kids devices but stuck because everyone else has one
• You're exhausted being the only parent monitoring everything
• All your kids' friends are on social media and you don't know what to do
• You're overwhelmed by how fast technology changes
• You need practical steps, not just more fear

📖 RESOURCE MENTIONED:
Chris's book: "The 5 Habits of a Tech-Ready Family" https://amzn.to/3PBjHRg
(affiliate)

🔗 CONNECT WITH CHRIS:
Website: https://protectyoungeyes.com

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Ever feel completely overwhelmed trying to be an amazing Christian, an amazing wife, and an amazing mom, when you barely have enough hours in the day to get everyone fed and out the door?

In this conversation with Kyle Strobel (author of When God Seems Distant and director of the Institute for Spiritual Formation at Biola University), we're talking about how to follow God well when life is chaotic, messy, and overwhelming. This isn't influencer Christianity with three perfect tips; this is real life, real struggle, and real faithfulness in the middle of it all.

Kyle shares how to stand strong in your faith when you're drowning in responsibilities, why spiritual formation doesn't have to look like what you see online, and what it means to follow God's will when you're just trying to survive the day.

We talk about why you don't need more hours in the day to be faithful, how God meets you in the messy mundane (not just the quiet spiritual moments), and what following God actually looks like when you're living in survival mode.

This episode is for you if:

• You're overwhelmed by all the responsibilities of being a wife, mom, and Christian

• You feel guilty for not doing "enough" spiritually

• You don't have time for all the spiritual practices you think you should be doing

• You feel like you're failing at following God because you're drowning in daily tasks

• Influencer Christianity doesn't work in your real, chaotic life

• You want to be faithful but you're stuck in survival mode

• You feel distant from God because you're too busy to connect

Kyle gives honest, practical guidance on what faithfulness really looks like in the mundane moments, why you don't have to be perfect to follow God well, and how to stop comparing your messy reality to everyone else's highlight reel.

Remember: You can follow God faithfully in the chaos. You don't need perfect conditions; you just need to show up where you are.

📖 RESOURCE MENTIONED:

Kyle's book: "When God Seems Distant" https://amzn.to/3NnYfhZ (affiliate)

🔗 CONNECT WITH KYLE:

Substack: https://kylestrobel.substack.com/

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Ever feel like God loves you because He has to, but He doesn't actually like you? Like you're constantly disappointing Him and He's just tolerating you until you get it together?

In this conversation with Kristen LaValley (author of "Growing Up Saved"), we're talking about the shame so many of us absorbed growing up in church, why performing for God's love is exhausting (and impossible), and how to heal from believing you're too broken for God to genuinely delight in.

Kristen shares her story of growing up in a charismatic church feeling like God hated her because she didn't worship the "right" way, the pressure to reach spiritual milestones to earn validation, and how getting diagnosed with ADHD broke the shame she'd carried her whole life.

We talk about recognizing the "shame stories" you're telling yourself, finding "truth keepers" who remind you who God says you are, and why swinging to the opposite extreme after leaving strict church environments isn't real freedom either.

This episode is for you if:
• You believe God loves you but you're not sure He actually likes you
• You're exhausted from performing to earn God's approval
• You grew up in church and absorbed shame about who you are
• You feel broken because you don't "do faith" the right way
• You're terrified of being certain about everything or having doubts
• You compare your faith journey to others and feel like you're failing
• You struggle with perfectionism in faith, motherhood, or marriage

Kristen gives honest, grace-filled guidance on breaking shame's hold, why God went looking for Adam and Eve when they hid (He doesn't want you hiding either), and how metabolizing God's love changes everything about how you walk with Him.

Plus, why shame is a liar that keeps you from understanding how much God truly loves you.

Remember: God loves you AND He likes you. Not because of what you do, but because of who He is.

📖 RESOURCE MENTIONED:
Kristen's book: "Growing Up Saved"
https://amzn.to/40Q4q1g (affiliate)

🔗 CONNECT WITH KRISTEN:
Website: https://www.KristenLaValley.com

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Ever wonder if you're spending money on the right things or if you're stuck chasing "just a little bit more" that won't actually make your family happier?

In this conversation with John Coleman (author of Good Money: Six Steps to Building a Financial Life with Purpose), we're talking about what science says about money and happiness, why buying more stuff rarely makes us fulfilled, and what actually leads to human flourishing for your family.

John shares research from Harvard on what makes life good (spoiler: it's not more money after a certain point), the concept of "hedonic adaptation" and why we always want just a little bit more, and how to set a "financial finish line" so you stop chasing lifestyle upgrades that don't matter.

We talk about the difference between spending on stuff versus experiences, how to know when you're spending out of comparison versus genuine need, and why teaching your kids about money through "financial apprenticeship" matters more than you think.

This episode is for you if:
• You're stuck in the comparison trap (always wanting what others have)
• You feel guilty spending money on yourself or your family
• You're confused about what "enough" looks like
• You wonder if you're teaching your kids the right money habits
• You're tired of chasing things that don't actually make you happier
• You want a framework for using money as a tool, not a goal

John gives research-backed guidance on spending wisely (experiences over stuff), why normal is boring when it comes to comparison, and how creating a family mission and values can transform how you think about money.

Plus, the data on why relationships and generosity matter more than income for happiness.

Remember: Money is a tool for building a good life—not the goal itself.

📖 RESOURCE MENTIONED:
John's book: "Good Money: Six Steps to Building a Financial Life with Purpose"
https://amzn.to/477s6BM (affiliate)

🔗 CONNECT WITH JOHN:
Website: https://JohnWilliamColeman.com

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