Hey Friends!

I’ve never done a solo episode before, but Christmas felt like the right time to try. In the middle of a season that can feel loud, full, emotional, and a little overwhelming, this episode is an invitation to take just ten minutes to pause and breathe and remember the gift that never fades.

Whether your home feels busy and chaotic or quiet and tender this year, remember Emmanuel, God with us.

Through Scripture, simple family traditions, and honest encouragement, this episode is for weary parents who want to love their kids well and keep Jesus at the center without feeling pressure to get everything just right.

With love,

Steph Thurling

P.S. Please consider making a year-end gift to Christian Parenting to help us create more encouraging, faith-filled podcast episodes for families in every season.

Prefer video? Find more episodes on YouTube!

The Christian Parenting Podcast is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.org

Let’s talk about Christmas. Not just the cozy traditions or the sparkling lights, but the actual story of what happened in Bethlehem over 2,000 years ago.

This week on the podcast, I had the absolute honor of sitting down with Lee Strobel and together we explore the deeper truths of the nativity story, why the details matter, and how we can share that with our kids in a way that builds their faith.

Here are a few highlights from our conversation:

• Why understanding the virgin birth is crucial to understanding who Jesus really is
• The difference between the cultural version of Christmas and what Scripture actually says
• How to talk to kids about the parts of the story that might confuse them (like the wise men and the timeline!)
• And yes, we even touch on Santa and how to navigate that as Christian parents

Lee Strobel is a former legal editor for the Chicago Tribune and a New York Times bestselling author of more than forty books, including The Case for Christ and The Case for Faith. After investigating the claims of Christianity as an atheist, he became a follower of Jesus and now speaks and writes to help others explore faith with confidence. His newest book, The Case for Christmas, explores the historical and biblical evidence behind the nativity story.

Whether you’ve heard the Christmas story a hundred times or are learning it with your kids for the first time, this conversation will give you a fresh perspective and a renewed sense of awe.

(00:00) From Atheism to Faith: Lee Strobel's Journey

(03:00) The Cultural Significance of Christmas

(05:47) Revisiting the Nativity Story: Myths vs. Reality

(09:04) Understanding the Virgin Birth

(12:12) The Role of the Magi in the Christmas Story

(14:56) The Importance of Context in Biblical Narratives

(18:05) The Legacy of Saint Nicholas and Santa Claus

(20:47) Celebrating Christmas with Children

(24:01) The True Meaning of Christmas

Connect with Lee

LeeStrobel.com

Lee Strobel X

Case For Christmas

Resources Mentioned

Lee’s books

Case For Christmas

Christian Parenting resources

The Christian Parenting Podcast: Faith, apologetics, and the supernatural with Lee Strobel

Support Christian Parenting

Prefer video? This episode is on YouTube!

The Christian Parenting Podcast is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.org

The lights are twinkling, the carols are playing, and everything should feel magical... but sometimes, it just doesn’t. Whether your kids are navigating big feelings of disappointment or you're trying to balance joy and weariness in your own heart, this conversation is for you.

This week I’m joined by author and speaker Sheila Walsh, and we’re talking about what really matters this Christmas: God’s love, Emmanuel with us, and how to guide our children through holiday letdowns with grace, presence, and prayer.

Here are just a few things we talked about:

• How to help kids walk through disappointment (even when they don’t get the part they wanted in the play)
• Why our prayers for our children matter more than any gift we could ever wrap
• Simple ways to re-center your home on Jesus in a culture that’s always asking for more
• How unmet expectations can be invitations to discover God's love more deeply

Sheila’s brand-new picture book, The Little Drummer Girl, tells a beautiful story about a child who doesn’t get what she wants… and instead finds the joy of giving to Jesus. It’s such a special book to read together this season. You can find the link in the show notes!

Sheila Walsh is a best-selling author, Bible teacher, speaker, and co-host of TBN’s Praise. She has written over 50 books for women and children, including It’s Okay Not to Be Okay, Holding On When You Want to Let Go, and The Storm Inside. Her new book, The Little Drummer Girl, is a heartwarming Christmas story for kids about faith, giving, and the love of Jesus.

So whether you’re on your third cup of cocoa or hiding wrapping paper in the closet, I hope this episode wraps around you like a warm blanket and reminds you: Jesus is with us. That’s what matters most.

(00:00) Embracing the Christmas Spirit

(02:52) Sheila Walsh: A Journey of Faith and Family

(05:59) The Heart of Christmas: Lessons from Isabella

(08:59) Navigating Disappointments: Teaching Kids Resilience

(12:06) The Power of Prayer in Parenting

(15:05) Finding Joy in Community and Service

(18:13) Understanding God's Love and Forgiveness

(20:47) The Impact of Prayer Across Generations

(24:08) Celebrating God's Plan in Our Lives

(26:54) The Gift of Christmas: Sharing God's Love

Connect with Sheila

Website

Facebook

Instagram

Better Together show

Resources Mentioned

The Little Drummer Girl book

Christian Parenting resources

Christian Parenting Christmas Gift Guide

Prefer video? This episode is on YouTube!

The Christian Parenting Podcast is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.org

Let’s be honest, parenting can feel incredibly isolating at times. Whether you're in a full house or navigating solo moments between the chaos, it’s easy to feel like no one really sees what you're carrying. But here’s the good news: you were never meant to do this alone. This week’s conversation is a beautiful reminder of that truth.

I had the joy of sitting down with Elisa Morgan. And let me tell you, her wisdom is like a warm hug and a pep talk wrapped in one. We talked all about community: the kind that meets us in our mess, challenges us with grace, and reminds us we’re not the only ones still figuring this out.

Here’s what you’ll take away from our time together:

• Why showing up as you are is the key to finding meaningful friendships
• How biblical community helps us grow spiritually and emotionally
• What to do when you feel disconnected or unseen
• Ways to nurture authentic relationships in every season of motherhood

Elisa is a speaker, author, and podcaster with Our Daily Bread Ministries, and formerly served as president of MOPS International (now MomCo). She has a deep passion for encouraging women through honest stories of faith and motherhood. Elisa’s personal experience of brokenness and grace infuses her work with incredible hope and healing.

I hope this episode helps you feel just a little more seen—and reminds you that you are never parenting alone.

(00:00) Introduction to Community and Personal Stories

(03:05) The Importance of Community in Parenting

(06:06) Navigating Changing Friendships

(09:12) The Role of Scripture in Community

(11:52) Encouragement for Women to Reach Out

(14:57) Building Relationships with Non-Christians

(18:00) Final Thoughts on Parenting and Community

Connect with Elisa

Instagram

God Hears Her podcast

Blog

Website

Resources Mentioned

God Hears Her podcast

MomCo

Christian Parenting resources

Christian Parenting Christmas Gift Guide

Fizzlebop Super Science Board Books

Prefer video? This episode is on YouTube!

The Christian Parenting Podcast is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.org

Hey friend,

We all know the ache of unanswered prayer, the kind that keeps us up at 2 a.m., whispering desperate prayers into the dark.

This week on the podcast, I sat down with Kara Stout, who knows that ache all too well. From infertility and adoption to financial stress and deep grief, Kara’s story is one of wrestling with disappointment, surrendering expectations, and still choosing to trust a good and faithful God.

This conversation is for anyone who’s walked through the valley and wondered if God was still near. Kara gently reminds us: He is. Even when it hurts.

Here are a few things we talk about:

• What it looks like to pray through grief instead of performing for God
• How to hold space for fear, faith, and surrender at the same time
• The simple but powerful gift of morning and evening prayer rhythms
• Why honesty with God invites deeper healing

Kara Stout is a writer, speaker, wife, and mom who has walked through more than her share of heartache, but she’s also found the beauty of God’s nearness in it all. Her new devotional, An Untroubled Heart, is a 30-day prayer guide to help you start and end your days grounded in God’s presence. She is passionate about helping women grow deeper roots of faith even in hard seasons.

Let this episode remind you that unanswered prayer doesn’t mean unseen pain—and healing often begins in the honesty of the wait.

With love,

Steph

Connect with Kara

KaraStout.com

Instagram

Facebook

Resources Mentioned

An Untroubled Heart book

Christian Parenting resources

Christian Parenting Christmas Gift Guide

Prefer video? This episode is on YouTube!

The Christian Parenting Podcast is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.org

This week’s conversation is tender, powerful, and one that so many carry quietly: the journey of waiting for a child. I’m joined by Alice Matagora and she shares her story of infertility with such grace and vulnerability, offering encouragement for anyone walking through a season of waiting or supporting someone who is.

Whether you’ve walked this road yourself, are in the middle of it, or love someone who is, this episode is an invitation to sit with hope and trust that God is near, even in the waiting.

Here are a few truths Alice helped shine a light on:

- God's timing is never wasted, even when it feels like everything is on pause

- It’s okay to feel unseen—God still sees and is working in your story

- Waiting seasons can deepen our faith and strengthen our identity in Christ

- How to support others walking through infertility with compassion and sensitivity

Alice is a licensed marriage and family therapist, a wife, mom, and a missionary with the Navigators. She serves as the leader development initiative program director and is passionate about raising up disciple-makers in everyday life. Alice’s personal journey through infertility has shaped her deep belief in God’s faithfulness, even in unseen seasons.

Wherever you are today, waiting, celebrating, or supporting someone on their journey, know that you’re not alone. God sees you.

00:00 The Joys and Challenges of Parenting

02:54 The Journey of Infertility

05:53 Faith and Waiting

09:01 The Impact of Infertility on Relationships

12:01 Navigating Joy and Grief

14:52 Supporting Friends Through Infertility

17:59 The Miracle of Life

21:12 Celebrating the Gift of Children

Connect with Alice

AliceMatagora.com

Instagram

Facebook

TikTok

Resources Mentioned

You Are My Miracle book

Christian Parenting resources

Christian Parenting Christmas Gift Guide

Prefer video? This episode is on YouTube!

The Christian Parenting Podcast is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.org

Have you ever felt pulled between being deeply grateful and totally overwhelmed? You’re not alone, and today’s conversation will meet you right in that tension.

I’m joined by author and TV journalist Jillian Benfield, who shares her powerful story of navigating unexpected challenges and discovering a deeper, more honest relationship with God along the way. We talk about avoiding toxic positivity, embracing life’s hard and holy moments, and learning to live in the “and.”

Here are a few of my favorite takeaways:

• How the Psalms teach us to see life through the lens of order, disorder, and reorder
• What it means to raise emotionally aware kids using simple practices like “highs and lows”
• Why honesty with God is more powerful than forced positivity
• How to start practicing daily rhythms of gratitude and lament

Meet Jillian Benfield:

Jillian is a former TV journalist turned author and disability advocate. Her book, Overwhelmed & Grateful, invites readers to reframe unexpected seasons and find deeper purpose in the midst of pain. She writes and speaks with vulnerability, wisdom, and a deep heart for helping others see God’s goodness even when life doesn’t go as planned.

With Love,

Steph

(03:02) Navigating Parenting Challenges

(06:08) The Power of Vulnerability

(08:56) Understanding Overwhelm and Gratitude

(11:55) Practicing Honest Gratitude

(14:55) Order, Disorder, and Reorder

(18:02) Finding God in the Everyday

(21:03) Creating a Daily Rhythm of Gratitude

(24:03) Connecting with Jillian Benfield

Connect with Jillian

Website

Facebook

Instagram

Resources Mentioned

Overwhelmed & Grateful book

Biggest Story Holy Bible for Kids

What to Say and How to Say it to Your Teens

Christian Parenting resources

Prefer video? This episode is on YouTube!

The Christian Parenting Podcast is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.org

If your mornings feel more like survival mode than sacred space, this week’s episode is for you.

I’m joined by Tara Beth Leach, she's pastor, author, and mom, and we’re talking all about how to make mornings with God doable and deeply meaningful, even in the busiest seasons of parenting. Tara Beth shares how a personal valley led her to create a simple rhythm that invites God into the start of her day… and now she’s helping the rest of us do the same.

Whether you’re up before the sun or waking to chaos and cartoons, there’s something here for you.

Here’s a little of what we cover:

• A simple “G.R.E.A.T.” framework for mornings with God: Gratitude, Reflection, Exalt, Ask, and Trust
• Why five intentional minutes can shift the tone of your whole day
• How to create spiritual connection as a family (yes, even with toddlers!)
• Ideas for inviting your spouse or teens into the rhythm with you

Meet Tara Beth Leach:

Tara Beth is a pastor, preacher, and author with a deep passion for helping people walk closely with Jesus in their real, everyday lives. Her newest book, The GREAT Morning Revolution, invites readers into a grace-filled rhythm of connection with God, no perfect routine or Instagram-worthy quiet time required.

Because the way you begin the day can shape your family’s whole rhythm.

(01:58) Transitioning to Morning Time with God

(06:02) Becoming a Morning Person: A Personal Journey

(14:59) Practical Morning Prayer for Parents with Littles

(20:09) Creating a Morning Routine: The GREAT Framework

(21:00) Transforming Morning Routines with God

(32:55) The Impact of Morning Practices on Family Dynamics

Connect with Tara

Website

Instagram

Facebook

The GREAT Morning Revolution

Resources Mentioned

The GREAT Morning Revolution

Operation Christmas Child

Bishop's Block & Young Whit and the Shell Game

Christian Parenting Christmas Gift Guide

Biggest Story Holy Bible for Kids

Prefer video? This episode is on YouTube!

The Christian Parenting Podcast is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.org