Growing Home Together Podcast

Sometimes, when we are on the journey of parenting, it’s easy to forget that we are also children. Not just to our earthly parents, but to our Heavenly Father. As we consider what it means to be a parent, it’s foundational to first consider what it means to be a child of God. That’s exactly what we’re doing on today’s episode with Christina Fox, a licensed counselor, retreat speaker, and author of...

Have you ever noticed that you struggle for control? Maybe you care a little extra about how your spouse loads the dishwasher. Maybe you struggle to recover when life goes a different way than you were planning. Maybe you have trouble letting your kids make mistakes. Or maybe your marriage feels like a battle for leadership more than it feels like a partnership towards a united goal. Today on the...

We imagine, like us, you desire to leave a spiritual legacy for your family and see your children making their faith their own. But it can be so tough to navigate how to do that well, all while releasing control and trusting God. Today, we have the opportunity to welcome our guest Ray Pritchard, president of Keep Believing Ministries. Ray has written 31 books, is a co-host on Today’s Issues on Ame...

If you have known us for long, you know our passion for books! Whether reading them, writing them, or sharing authors and titles with you , they’re a huge part of our lives. Books—and reading together—has also made a big impact on our life as a family. We know it’s the same for you. They are a simple but powerful tool to connect with our kids and share the truths of God as well. Today’s guest, Kri...

Fifteen years ago, Joanna and Rob began their journey of foster parenting and opened their home to little ones in need of care. Through the blessings and struggles, questions and fears, joys and griefs, their lives were changed forever. For the Teigens, foster parenting was a walk through the unexpected. They had to ask questions they’d never faced and lean on God like never before. Today’s guest,...

One of the most important questions we’ll ever ask about marriage is this: Why do some marriages fall apart in a crisis while others develop a stronger bond in the face of the most impossible life pressures? Each of us wants to grow a relationship that not just survives, but thrives in times of pain and stress. Today’s guests, Carol and Gene Kent, give us encouraging tools to build staying power i...

Your child was created by God and placed in your family—and in this world—for a unique purpose like no one else. Yet as parents, it can be difficult to understand our kids’ behavior and point of view. We’re tempted to push our kids into a mold of our own making instead of celebrating the God-given qualities that set them apart. Today’s guests, Bill Hendricks and Bev Godby, offer their expertise in...

Do you feel mismatched in your marriage today? Maybe your spouse wants to pack your weekend full of outings and family gatherings while you’re dreaming of quiet time on the couch with a good book. You secretly feel jealous of the way your spouse comes alive at a party while you feel overwhelmed and out of place. An introvert-extrovert marriage can struggle from misunderstanding, frustration, and f...

Do you find yourself hiding in the bathroom in tears after losing your temper and saying words you regret? Has the peaceful home you imagined—pre-children—become a place of slamming doors, frustration, and negativity? Do angry emotions hijack your self-control and leave you feeling guilty and sad? Maybe like so many of us, you wonder How can I become a wise and gentle parent who loves my kids the...

We’re excited to welcome Marcus Warner and Chris Coursey back to the show today, to teach us the impact of joy on our kids’ confidence, happiness, and confidence to do hard things. If your child is struggling with difficult emotions on their road to maturity, don’t miss the great insight to understand How to build your kids’ “emotional immune system” to cope with life challenges Strategies to rais...

Need a sign to know if your marriage is thriving or struggling today? The clues are standing at your own front door:    How do you feel when your spouse walks in at the end of the day?   Are you greeting with a kiss or a cold shoulder?  Do you feel eager to connect and share the events of the day?  Is your spouse the reason you’re excited to come home?   If your stress goes up and your happiness g...

You put your trust in Christ a long time ago. Since then, you’ve spent countless hours in prayer and reading the Bible. You’ve attended church and been faithful to give and serve however you can. You could tell story after story of how God met your needs and helped you along the way.  Yet today, God feels distant and out of reach. It seems like your prayers hit the ceiling. Doubt, guilt, and disco...

Like Gary Thomas says, we come into marriage with certain “sexpectations” of what we’ll experience with our spouse. We look forward to romance, pleasure, and satisfaction over a lifetime of love together. But every couple struggles to sustain the passion and to communicate our thoughts, feelings, and desires about the most personal part of our relationship.  Today’s guest, Gary Thomas, comes with...

In our dreams, we’d love our Christmas season to look and feel like a Hallmark movie. We imagine handmade stockings hung over a crackling fireplace, smiling children wearing matching pajamas, colorful gifts piled underneath a stunning Christmas tree, and a delicious feast to share with the ones we hold dear.     Yet so often, our reality is more frantic than festive. Our to-do list of shopping, co...

 In our full days of homework and errands, after-school activities and to-do lists, it can feel like our boys’ childhoods are rushing by. Yet we crave meaningful moments of connection with our sons. We want to share laughter, make memories, and speak truth into their hearts and minds. As moms, we wonder how to draw close and help our sons to know the God who loves them even more than we do. Today’...

A fun, snowy day of sledding ended in broken bones for our young daughter. The following weeks held an hours-long surgery, isolation at home, and painful bullying after her re-entry into her classroom. We watched our child lose her smile. Her confidence. Her assurance that she was strong, wanted, and truly loved.    Every child will face threats to their sense of worth. They’re pressed into a mold...

Before your son or daughter even started kindergarten, you dreamed of all they’d do. You imagined an excitement to learn, fun friendships, and positive teachers who cherished your child and brought out their best.     Yet perhaps you’re like many parents who grieve the gap between your hopes and expectations and the tough realities your child is facing at school. Pressure to perform is crushing yo...

I stood over my screaming child in her bedroom, making it as clear as possible that she was going to wear those pants OR ELSE! After a miserable two-hour tantrum, she was wearing those pants. But the victory in winning that battle was really a defeat of broken trust, hurt feelings, and distance between us.    Do you struggle to relate to your stubborn child? Does your son push your buttons and ref...

Headaches. Bad Dreams. Upset tummies. Grumpy moods. Distracted attention. Aches and pains. Sugar cravings. Our kids can show us they’re stressed without even saying a word. As moms and dads, we know the worries and troubles of life can take a toll on our kids’ physical health and well-being.    Today’s guest, Dr. Kate Lyzenga-Dean, is here to help us understand the effects of stress on our kids’ b...

This spring our daughter walked the aisle to say “I do” to the man who won her heart. As her mom and dad, we’re celebrating this season of firsts right along with them: Their first apartment, first shared trips and holidays as a married couple, and all the new discoveries they’re making about the one they love.    Yet we know that this newlywed season only lasts for a time. To grow and thrive, the...

This summer, we dropped off our son for a week of summer camp. We sent him away with a sleeping bag, bug spray, and a whole lot of hopes and fears in our hearts. We worried if he’d stay safe and healthy, if he’d feel homesick or left out, or if he’d make poor choices he’d regret. We also carried high hopes that he’d have fun, build positive relationships, and grow a stronger faith in Jesus.    Hon...

Maybe like us, you put your faith in Jesus many years ago. Yet as life has brought pain and disappointment, loss and frustration, your faith in God has worn away. You look at your marriage and family relationships and wonder how you’ve grown so far apart. You wonder how your passion for Christ can be rekindled and if your most important relationships can ever be happy and close again.  Today’s gue...

You scroll through your social media feed and feel layers of shame and insecurity building in your heart. Other parents’ kids seem confident and successful, while yours are taking one step forward and two steps back. Other couples create romance and fun every day, while you and your spouse are stuck in a rut and feel miles apart. The burden of shame steals the joy from your home. And, you see the...

Every child’s heart longs for the love of a father. A warm and attentive dad gives his son or daughter a sense of security. They feel valuable, supported, and understood. A dad’s care and presence allow a child to grow and thrive into a healthy, whole adult who is able to build strong relationships for life. Yet many women and men carry painful father wounds that never heal. Those wounds create a...

If we bump into a friend and they ask how we’re doing, most of us would probably reply the same way: I’m busy. Life feels overwhelming. I don’t know how to juggle the kids and my to-do list. I’m always running behind. Stress and fatigue is knocking me down. I wish I could just get away from it all.    Today’s guest, Jennifer Dukes Lee, helps you to identify the “hurry sickness” that so easily infe...