Fireside Talk Radio

Tamara Clymer joins Cathy to talk about her husband’s brain cancer, glioblastoma. Their daily moment by moment turned everything upside down. How did God prepare her and her family before the big battle ever began? She offers insight on how to prepare our children for battles we can’t predict. This is one mighty lady, bold and tender simultaneously. You are going to LOVE her. If you want battle re...

Author Michelle Lazurek joins Cathy to talk about how overwhelming and scary some of our adventures can be! As women we get a lot thrown at us. Strong, successful women almost universally struggle with control and perfectionism. A lot of times, we’re expected to do it all perfectly. And keep it all under control,” laughs Michelle. As if. Don’t miss this fast-paced, often funny conversation as Mich...

Michelle Lazurek joins Cathy to talks about her experience with anxiety, depression, and panic. “(Panic is) that constant feeling of fear. That comes in waves,” describes Michelle. Plus, she also gently shares insight about how controlling moms pass debilitating perfectionism down to their children. And why in the world would we stay in panic mode when we can find freedom? With compassion and auth...

In this episode, Anna shares a personal approach to instilling healthy ambition in our kids. She also tells Cathy privately what she wants to talk about after the break. Of course, our Producer Roy could’ve fixed her accidental comment. But we thought you might enjoy hearing the unvarnished ambition Anna has for YOU, our listening friend. Plus, Anna shares some amazing stuff about one of Cathy's f...

Author, Speaker, and Life Coach Deb DeArmond joins Cathy to talk about mother-in-law, daughter-in-law relationships. Plus, Deb offers practical tips for those drawn to mentoring. (Also, find more in the podcast we called: Family Fatigue: Building Back Better Families.) Are there some big no-no’s to avoid for both sides of the mother-in-law, daughter-in-law relationship? You bet! Ever wish you coul...

In this episode, Cathy interviews family expert, Deb DeArmond, a regular contributor to Focus on the Family. Deb shares personal stories about being a 19-year-old bride and how they grew together for 46 years of marriage. Plus, she shares some great stuff about how not to be THAT mother-in-law. Got “family fatigue”? With the holidays over, we all know family fatigue is real. Are you a mother-in-la...

Today, Anna and Cathy talk about how you can change your approach and succeed in one of the most frustrating challenges a parent faces. Getting your child to clean up. With a great attitude. Seem impossible? Cathy confesses her bad “black bag” attitude about cleaning up. Anna ever-so-gently offers her a better way to interface with the grandkids. Fortunately us all, one of Cathy's favorite joys in...

PATH Executive Director Andrea Wilson joins Cathy to talk about how communities can face the family challenge of homelessness. Andrea is an expert with tons of experience, but what you’ll love most is her compassionate heart for those who need help in a crisis. She offers great ideas about how to halt the quick slide from crisis to homelessness. Plus, she shares insight about the mindset churches...

Cathy couldn't wait to interview PATH Executive Director Andrea Wilson. PATH=People Attempting To Help. Don't ya love it! Andrea came through with tender and hilarious stories about how her parents influenced her to be the compassionate, civic-minded leader she is today. Are you also concerned about the culture we hand off to the next generation? Homelessness? Poverty? Hunger? Maybe, like Cathy, y...

Drug-related crisis in your family? You are not alone. Media guru and mom Bobbie Ziemer continues her conversation with Cathy about the ways drug addiction can manifest in families. Families can face one pill ending in instant death to long decades of addiction.  We fell in love with Bobbie’s beautiful heart. And with her great courage to pull together a book about Drug Addiction. We see God’s fin...

Media guru and mom Bobbie Ziemer brings unique blend of passion and pain to this episode with Cathy. Is the drug pandemic sweeping our nation simply media hype? Bobbie’s experience will open your heart to understand how families suffer. Bobbie brought together 167 moms who share their tender stories in the book, Not In Vain. Together, she and Cathy honor the memory of Bobbie's daughter, Madison, a...

Anna joins Cathy to talk about how great recipes get kids in the kitchen and reading! Anna points out how welcoming your children into your kitchen prepares them to welcome others into their hearts. AND prepares your pre-schoolers to read! “It’s about hospitality,” says Anna. “'Hospitality isn’t busy entertaining, but instead welcomes drop-in guests to join the daily pageantry of family life.’ Do...

Anna Pierce (Educator, Artist, and Cathy's daughter) co-hosts to talk about how we can use bedtime stories, pajama parties, and family games to encourage our kiddos to read. “All my pajama stories involve our cousins and the silly things we did," reports Anna. “It’s less about reading and more about silly adventures.” How can your bedtime rituals and family games help you conserve the things that...

Co-host Anna Krafve Pierce joins Cathy to talk about how memoirs for kids, even scrapbooking, can teach kids to read and to own their stories. Anna dazzles with her insight about how giving and story-telling can unite families. As so often happens with Anna, she took this conversation in an unanticipated and deeper direction, including a Krafve family story about a lost cemetery plot. Eventually w...

In this episode, Cathy and Anna offer encouragement to any young moms who might wonder if their child is dyslexic. Take heart! Anna shares a ton about how she helps dyslexic kiddos using spacial awareness in her classroom. Plus, how to protect your child from self-condemnation and self-inflicted defeat. She even finds an excuse to talk about horses at the barn! “Reading can be driven by just enjoy...

In this episode, Cathy and her daughter, Artist and Educator Anna Krafve Pierce talk about how pictures in comic books and magazines prepare an adventurous child to read. The key is sequencing, explains Anna. She includes lots of personal stories about her own kiddos. Also, why would anyone encourage their child to be adventurous? Adventure seems scary to the loving parent who foresees booboos, br...

Cathy chats with her daughter, Educator and Artist Anna Krafve Pierce about how reading the classics with her grandparents bound their love for each other. “I shared a vocabulary across generations and across time and now I guess across dimensions,” she says, referencing the fact that all her grandparents exist in heaven now. “Do you consider heaven a different dimension?” Anna’s comparison of hea...

A strong man. A devoted wife. Seems like a rarity, right? Cathy interviews gospel artist, Miles Pike. Together, Miles and his wife travel the globe inspiring through music. Plus, they are winning the heart of their first-born, a responsive three-year old named Lilly. With Dad’s Day, Cathy asks Miles to pass on some special ways parents can give their children the blessing of a big, beautiful faith...

Cathy is only kinda kidding hen she says she judges men by how they talk about their wives. She really likes what well-known Christian musician, Miles Pike says about his beloved wife, Martha. Clearly, their life mission unites them in a beautiful way. In this episode, Miles shares more personal stories about music and bedtime with their own kids. Please don’t miss out on what this daddy tenderly...

Scott Kedersha returns to share tons of wisdom with Cathy about growing healthy marriages and families. Who are our role models? "It’s going to be television. We’re gonna learn how to do marriage from the Batchelor, from social media. We’re watching Harry and Megan," he laughs. Fortunately he has a much better way. In this episode, Scott offers insight about the 5 nonnegotiable for communication a...

Waco's Harris Creek Church Marriage Pastor Scott Kedersha joins Cathy to tell his story. How do we foster wholehearted marriages in community? People always say marriage is hard work. But it's also a gift, according to Scott. You'll LOVE Scott's emphasis on the joy that comes from creating a wholehearted marriage. Don't miss the insight of this devoted husband and dad to four boys!

“Truthfully, at first I didn’t know the best ways to communicate. Eventually I was so frustrated, I didn’t care,” reports Cathy to Re/Engage Director Susan Cox in this extremely personal and transformative episode. “Humility melts the heart of stone. Colossians 3 tells us we are to bathe ourselves in humility,” laughs Susan, adding “Husbands and wives, if you’re listening, when you get dressed eve...

Nobody wants a broken marriage. We all want happily ever after and fairy dust. Where is the line for THAT marriage? Yet many of us get to a breaking point of frustration and pain in our marriage. We may feel like giving up. “I showed up broken and wanting to hide,” says Susan Cox, Director of Re/Engage, about the first time she came to her church, Watermark Community Church. Susan shares her story...

For better or worst? But who wants worse! "There’s a starry eyed bride and groom repeating the vows and when I see them I think they have no clue!” Nancy Kay Grace returned this week to talk with Cathy about creating grace-filled families. Married for 45 years to her hubby Rick, Nancy shares an example of his grace towards her in her "dandelion disaster." Plus, she shares the very personal challen...

We all feel overwhelmed sometimes. When our lives overwhelm us, we need grace. But what is grace exactly? Cathy's friend, author and speaker, Nancy Kay Grace talk together about one of their favorite topics. Even before her diagnosis, Nancy knew in her spirit something was wrong. “I shouldn’t wake up in the middle of the night with pain in my tongue,” she says. She shares her amazing story of find...