Let's Parent on Purpose: Christian Marriage, Parenting, and Discipleship

Jay Holland and Aaron Smith explore the transformative power of the gospel and prayer in relationships, particularly in marriage. They discuss the importance of recognizing one's identity in Christ, the challenges of receiving correction, and the significance of prayer as a means to align hearts with God's will. The discussion also highlights the 31-Day Marriage Prayer Challenge, designed...

Jay Holland and Chris Sasser explore the concept of emotional baggage that children carry into adulthood, particularly focusing on the pressures of performance, the importance of healthy relationships, and the role of parental influence. Chris shares insights from his book 'Bags', discussing common emotional burdens children face and practical ways parents can help lighten their load. The...

In this conversation, Jay Holland and Eliza Huey continue to explore the complexities of trauma, its effects on individuals, and the importance of support systems. They discuss the evolution of understanding trauma, the role of God in times of suffering, and how Scripture can provide comfort. The conversation also delves into the concept of post-traumatic growth, emphasizing that trauma can lead t...

In this conversation, Jay Holland and Eliza Huey delve into the complexities of trauma, its definitions, and the importance of understanding its impact on individuals and relationships. They discuss the physiological responses to trauma, the significance of being present for those who have experienced trauma, and how caregivers can provide support. Eliza emphasizes the need for compassion and unde...

In this conversation, John Donges shares his journey from a challenging childhood marked by family dysfunction and abuse to finding faith and hope through a local church. He reflects on the impact of his upbringing in West Virginia, the struggles with his stepfather's abuse, and the transformative experience of discovering a relationship with God. John's story highlights the importance of...

In this episode, Jay Holland reflects on the challenges of parenting in the digital age, particularly focusing on the alarming rise in mental health issues among children and teenagers. He discusses insights from Jonathan Haidt's book, 'The Anxious Generation,' which explores the impact of technology and social media on childhood development. Holland emphasizes the need for unstructure...

In this episode, Jay reflects on the past year, discussing the impact of the 127 Project and the importance of gratitude. He explores how to measure a good year and life, drawing insights from Ecclesiastes about the meaning of life and the concept of everything being a vapor. The conversation emphasizes the significance of relationships, faith, and making intentional decisions to create a fulfilli...

Kristen Hatton discusses the concept of redemptive parenting, emphasizing the importance of confession, grace, and humility in raising children. She shares insights from her book 'Parenting Ahead' and offers practical advice for parents of young children and teenagers. The discussion highlights the significance of establishing healthy habits, navigating consequences, and the ongoing need f...

In this conversation Christie Thomas shares insights from her book, 'Little Habits, Big Faith,' emphasizing the importance of small, intentional habits in nurturing faith within families. Jay and Christie explore how these small changes can lead to significant transformations over time, supported by real-life examples. The discussion highlights the critical role of family warmth and love i...

In this conversation, Andrew Peterson shares his journey from being a pastor's kid to a successful songwriter and author. He discusses the importance of faith, creativity, and the influence of family and friends in shaping his life and work. Peterson reflects on the challenges of parenting, the creative process of writing for children, and the significance of community in his life. He also sha...

In this conversation, Jay Holland and Jordan Raynor discuss the themes of heaven, purpose, and stewardship as presented in Raynor's book, 'The Royal in You.' They explore the misconceptions surrounding heaven, emphasizing a biblical perspective that highlights the new earth and the role of work as worship. The discussion also touches on how understanding these concepts can inspire grea...

Jay shares a sneak peak of upcoming episodes of his new podcast Guided By Faith: Devotions and Advice for Teens and Young Adults. He also shares with his listeners an exciting opportunity to help spread solid Biblical Teaching throughout the nation of India. On this week’s episode, you’ll hear three short devotionals from the Guided by Faith Podcast. Through the Lens of the Gospel – how to view th...

In this conversation, Jay Holland and Matthew Gille discuss Matthew's unique journey to becoming a missionary, the challenges he faced with his family, particularly with his daughter who has special needs, and how God has provided for them throughout their journey. They explore themes of faith, identity, and community, emphasizing the importance of trusting God in difficult circumstances and r...

Show Notes: Take a sneak peek into Jay’s new daily devotional podcast designed to encourage teens and young adults. Don’t worry, mom and dad can listen too! Listen to Jay’s heart behind launching Guided by Faith, then enjoy three short episodes to get a flavor for the podcast. If you think it’s valuable, please subscribe, listen, review, and share Guided by Faith with your children, pastors, and fr...

Chick-Fil-A is known for the highest level of excellence in customer service and food quality. The vast majority of their workforce are teenagers and young adults. How does Chick-Fil-A elicit such superior work from young people? This week Jody Kidd joins Let’s Parent on Purpose to share the principles he uses for communication, accountability, and ownership as he trains hundreds of young people e...

How can we hope to have children who are steady, kind, and resilient in an increasingly hostile culture? It starts with what mom and dad model at home. On this episode Jay is joined by Pastor Ken Castor for a discussion on modeling healthy identity, communication, and kindness in our homes to prepare our children for the challenges of a word that wants to label Christian morality as hate. As you l...

Summer break is a great time to catch our breath and decompress. If we are intentional, the break is also an amazing opportunity to inspire our children with awe and wonder at their Creator God. Jay is joined this episode by Rita Diapoules, the director of Children’s Ministry at Covenant Fellowship Baptist Church. Rita helps walk us though little intentional activities we can do throughout the sum...

**Be sure to check out our new discussion guide to help you make the most out of this episode. [Go to Discussion Guide] What do you think about when you think about God? Is He distant, uncaring, weak or unjust? Or is He good, near, powerful, just, and loving? Every person has a story they tell themselves about God, and we continually feed this story.  Today Jay shares how we have a choice in what...

What do you do when you and your children experience intense personal loss, like the unexpected death of a loved one? Eliza Huie helps us walk through a series of questions that parents wrestle with as they try to process shock and grief while also helping their children deal with tragedy. Listen as Eliza answers the following questions from Jay: How can parents shepherd their children through int...

**Be sure to check out our new discussion guide to help you make the most out of this episode. Download it here. Research shows that the average adult makes over 35,000 decisions every day! We make a lot of choices, and many of our choices have a compounding effect as we repeat them day after day. Other choices are not as important but drain our energy. This week Jay shares insights on the power o...

**Be sure to check out our new discussion guide to help you make the most out of this episode. Download it here.   What does it mean to walk in the Spirit and live in the Spirit? This week I am joined by Dr. Don Love for a walk through Galatians 5 and a discussion of the Fruit of the Spirit in the life of a believer. We talk about how to discern the will of God in your life, ways that the Lord mig...

**Be sure to check out our new discussion guide to help you make the most out of this episode. >> https://bit.ly/3Hilh2R Character changes destiny, and character changes culture. Dr. Kathy Koch helps define the core character qualities we want to instill in our children to help them honor Christ, even when no one is looking. As we learn to parent for character instead of outward obedience, w...

Today Jay revisits his very favorite interviews from 2023. He also celebrates the fruitful year for The 127 Project, including production of Let’s Parent on Purpose and Stories of Hope with Dr. Samuel Thomas, the building and remodeling of three Hope Homes in India, and supporting a pioneering church planter in Nepal.   Be sure to check out the full interviews from Jay’s favorite episodes: Episode...

The beginning of a new year is a great time to think through resolutions, habits, and goals. Today Jay takes you far beyond setting resolutions that will likely fail by February. He walks through his process for starting with determining your specific goals for five aspects of your life: Spiritual, Family, Professional, Financial, and Physical. Once you have determined “who you want to be”, Jay wa...

Jay walks us through Ephesians 5 and 6 to point out a key truth: the greatest section of the Bible on family and interpersonal relationships is right next to the greatest section of the Bible on spiritual warfare. Today we look at the reality of spiritual warfare in our homes, and how we are called to remember that our family members are not the enemy, they are the prize. Jay discuses the armor of...