Making Hesstory

Brian and Katie have a big announcement to make! Making Hesstory is officially coming to end, but only to make room for what's coming next. They're saying goodbye for now with plans to be back soon with a re-brand and a re-launch. If you want to follow along and see what's coming next, use the following links to connect with us! Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: makinghesstory.com Fill out our f...

The Bible says in Proverbs 9:10 that "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom," which is a good thing. But then it describes fear as something that God intends to "cast out" of us in 1 John 4:18. So...are we supposed to fear God, or not? In this episode, Brian and Katie examine a few Greek and Hebrew words found in the Bible that get translated as "fear," and they discuss what this means f...

Being a disciple of Jesus means more than attending a church service once a week (or whenever it's convenient). Learning and following the ways of Jesus happens in the daily rhythms of life. In this week's episode, Brian and Katie talked about... Raising kids in a home that is centered around Jesus. The difference between active and passive discipleship. The reality that the best way to raise kids...

Most Christians today primarily associate Jesus with being their Savior, and rightfully so. But His original disciples didn't just know Him as the Messiah, they also knew Him as their Rabbi (Teacher). Would we also benefit from thinking about Him this way? In this episode, we explore what it meant in the first century to call someone “Rabbi,” why this role was central to the life of a disciple, an...

This week, we’re sharing the sermon version of The Economy of the New Creation —a message Brian recently preached at his church ( Be Love Company ) that covers the same powerful truths we explored in our last two episodes. In a world built on fear, greed, and self-preservation, Jesus invites us into a radically different economy—one marked by trust, generosity, and the pursuit of God’s Kingdom. Dr...

What if financial peace isn’t always about having more money, but about where we place our trust? In this episode, we continued walking through Matthew 6 and Jesus’ invitation to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. The world trains us to obsess over money, often leading to fear, greed, and self-preservation—but Jesus teaches us to trust, to live generously, and to fix our eyes on...

In this episode, we begin exploring Jesus’ words in Matthew 6 about righteousness, generosity, and laying up treasure in heaven. Jesus has a way of challenging not just our actions, but our motives—exposing where we place our trust and what we truly treasure. As followers of Christ, we’re ushered into a radically different economy—one in which we’re free to practice radical generosity, and where o...

Do Christians have to tithe? Short answer: no. But should we? Yes—but probably not for the reason you think... In this episode, we’ll unpack why tithing isn’t a “rule” for Christians under the New Covenant to avoid being cursed by God (as many teach), but why it might still be a wise and helpful practice. Jesus warned how easily money can become the object of our love and trust—and giving regularl...

In the church, wealth is often seen as a blessing from God. But what happens when that wealth becomes the object of your trust? In this episode, Brian and Katie unpack the biblical tension between wealth, worship, and trust. The ease with which we can grow to love and rely on money shouldn’t be overlooked—or taken lightly. Whether you have a lot or a little, this conversation will challenge you to...

When parents never apologize to their kids, it’s either because they're perfect or prideful. And since we know that every parent makes mistakes, that leaves us with only one option: pride. In this episode, Brian and Katie explore the process of rupture and repair, and why humility, not perfection, is what builds lasting connection with your kids. Want to connect with us? Use the links below to fin...

Matthew 12:25 — “...a house divided against itself will not stand.” In this episode, Brian and Katie explore what division looks like in parenting—from “good cop / bad cop” roles to decisions made behind each other’s backs. Whether it’s driven by insecurity, resentment, or different parenting styles, disunity sends the wrong message to your kids. You’ll learn why unity matters, how to handle disag...

"Kids will be kids," as they say — immature, loud, defiant, and sometimes downright disrespectful. But what if their behavior — especially the frustrating kind — is actually an attempt to communicate something deeper? In this episode, Brian and Katie consider the normalcy and nature of childhood immaturity and challenge parents to take responsibility for their own emotional responses. Rather than...

Have you ever wondered why God created both the Tree of Life and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil? In this episode, we explore the story of Adam and Eve in Genesis, and take a biblical look at God’s design for relationship, freedom, and the human will—and how it all connects to the way we lead and love our kids. You’ll learn: Why the existence of love requires the freedom to make a choic...

Why do kids push back, resist, or seem downright defiant when we try to get them to obey? In this episode, we explore the concept of counterwill —the instinctive resistance to being controlled—and how it plays a critical role in your child's development, autonomy, and attachment. You’ll learn: Why coercion and manipulation often backfire in parenting How healthy attachment creates true influence W...

Words have power — not just emotionally, but neurologically. In this episode, we explore how the words we use impacts brain development, emotional connection, and relational safety. Whether you're a parent, spouse, educator, or friend, understanding the science of words can transform how you communicate and connect. In this episode we covered: The forming of neural pathways How words affect our re...

The shift that needs to happen in the life of every believer is from worship of self to worship of God. The values that the culture of the world is built upon are generally selfish in nature, and will result in people being the lord of their life, seeking to build their own kingdoms. The values that the culture of God's Kingdom is built upon are generally focused on learning to love like Jesus and...

Right now you are either intentionally being discipled by Jesus, or you are unintentionally being discipled by the world. The same will be true for your kids, and there is no third direction. Jesus didn't ask His followers to make converts - He asked them to make disciples. A convert is willing to trust Jesus as their Savior, but sees little growth and waits to die to experience God's Kingdom. A d...

In many parts of the world, words like "Christian" and "disciple" have nearly lost their meaning. For countless believers, actively practicing the ways of Jesus is optional and typically reserved for the few "radical" Christians. But this mindset will only lead to a weak and powerless church consisting of people who believe in the existence of God while lacking love, power, and authority. In this...

God is good and He does good things, but He also allows us to experience difficult circumstances in life in the interest of helping us grow up and become people of love, hope, and joy. In this episode Brian and Katie discussed the nature and source of the trials we face, why we might need to revisit our definition of "good," why joy can be found in the difficulties of life, and how this all relate...

It's normal to want our kids to be happy...but what if the goal of "happiness" is robbing us and our kids of something better? Happiness is good, but it's fragile and circumstantial. Joy, on the other hand, is lasting, and is something that we can choose even when life gets hard. Join Brian and Katie as they discuss the difference between happiness and joy, and why loving our kids well requires th...

Sometimes the nice things we do for our kids are, in all seriousness, very unkind. Love is kind, and kindness is motivated by what you can do for the good of someone else. Niceness, on the other hand, does not typically regard what is good for someone else, and is more selfishly motivated. Join Brian and Katie as they talk about what they believe to be simultaneously one of the nicest and most unk...

This may come as a surprise, but it's possible that your efforts of being nice are coming at the expense of your ability to be kind. The Bible describes kindness as an expression of love. And if love means to "will the good of another" then kindness means to regarding the needs of others for their sake and benefit. Niceness, on the other hand, is often manipulative. It may look like kindness on th...

Love is many things, but passive is not one of them. God disciplines those that He loves, and in the interest of trying to become the best parents we can be for the sake of our kids, we're actively learning how to discipline well. Discipline, as opposed to punishment, considers the long-term goals and ramifications of different forms of correction, and involves instructing, equipping, and empoweri...

In light of our previous episode, which is all about the necessity of forgiving our fathers for any ways that they weren't who we needed them to be, we thought it would be helpful to talk a little bit about what forgiveness is and what it isn't. Join us on this episode as we hope to clear up a few possible misconceptions in the interest of helping our listeners experience the freedom that comes th...

Every father in the world has one thing in common: they aren't perfect. But there's one who is - our Heavenly Father - and our task as parents and Christians is to perceive Him as clearly and accurately as possible, model His methods and ways in our. parenting, and lead our kids to Him. The problem is that there is a tendency that many people have to project the image and character of their earthl...