Practically Christian Podcast

Send us Fan Mail Low views can mess with your head fast. We talk candidly about why we stopped posting the Field Brief after seeing tiny numbers, and how that moment exposed something deeper than motivation: a quiet hunger for people’s approval. If you create content, lead a team, serve at church, or just want to live with more courage, this conversation hits the real tension between obedience and...

Send us Fan Mail The fastest way to learn who you really are as a dad is to ask the people who live with you. So we did exactly that. Josh and Debbie bring JT, Kayla, and Gabby into the room for a Father’s Day roundtable that is funny, uncomfortable, and surprisingly practical if you care about real Christian parenting, not just good intentions.  We unpack two very different parenting instincts: t...

Send us Fan Mail Bad weeks have a way of stripping off the polite version of our faith. When the equipment fails, the schedule slips, your health takes a hit, and you’re staring at the ceiling thinking, I can’t take much more, what do you do with that moment spiritually? Josh shows up with an honest, short solo message from the Practically Christian Podcast, because real life got messy and the usu...

Send us Fan Mail We get honest about anger, self-control, and the split second where our reactions can either look like Jesus or miss the mark. Kyla shares what she struggles with, and we work toward simple choices that keep anger from running our lives.  • defining self-control as emotional control in hard moments  • tying self-control to the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5  • sorting feelings...

Send us Fan Mail Fear is loud, persuasive, and weirdly logical when it’s talking you out of the very things that would help you grow. Josh is joined by Kayla for a candid, funny, and surprisingly deep conversation about fear, anxiety, and the kind of pressure that hits teens hardest: rejection, embarrassment, and getting labeled by other people. We start with the fear of being outcast and why it c...

Send us Fan Mail Show Notes: Is your faith giving you a free pass from hardship, or is it giving you the grit to push through it? This week, we are talking about the military concept of "Embracing the Suck"—accepting miserable circumstances and choosing to complete the mission anyway. In This Episode: The Reality Check: Why modern culture expects an easy life, and how to change your mind...

Send us Fan Mail The Rundown: In this episode, Josh sits down with Jared Altic , a veteran police chaplain and host of the Hey Chaplain podcast. They dive deep into the often-overlooked world of law enforcement chaplaincy—from delivering death notifications to supporting officers who see the worst of humanity. They discuss the theology of trauma, why a "safe" childhood isn't a spiri...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Josh and Debbie brave the elements—literally. With the office heater broken, we’re recording outside in the Florida "cold" to talk about a different kind of chill: The Wilderness Phase. We often think spiritual dryness is a punishment or a sign that God has left the building. But what if the wilderness isn't about abandonment? What if it’s about pre...

Send us Fan Mail Arguments don’t wreck relationships—bad rules do. We sat down to unpack a counterintuitive promise: you can “win” every fight by changing what winning means. Instead of louder voices and sharper comebacks, we build a simple, repeatable framework that turns conflict into connection, whether you’re married, parenting, or navigating tough moments at work. We start by swapping pride f...

Send us Fan Mail We argue that complacency, not crisis, is what erodes marriages, faith, health, and safety. From police training to family routines, we show how to replace autopilot with alert, steady awareness and small habits that change outcomes. • complacency as the real silent killer across life • why no task is routine and what that means at home • color codes of awareness from white to bla...

Send us Fan Mail Resolutions fade; systems stick. We kick off 2026 by trading wishful thinking for a practical playbook you can run at home, at work, and in your walk with Jesus. Drawing on years in construction, the military, law enforcement, and the classroom, we lay out how briefings, BOLOs, and standard operating procedures translate into calmer mornings, better decisions, and a family that ru...

Send us Fan Mail A hallway chat about flat earth lit the fuse—but the explosion wasn’t about science. It was about trust. We’ve all felt it: headlines that spin, institutions that protect themselves, and platforms that sound more “human” than the people in charge. That’s the current we wade into as we ask a harder question: when credibility sinks across the board, how can Christians rebuild it in...

Send us Fan Mail Ever wish your kid would open up without the eye rolls and shutdowns? We sat down with Josh’s 15-year-old daughter, Kayla, for an unfiltered conversation about what actually helps teens talk, think, and grow when the room feels awkward and the stakes feel high. No scripts, no big speeches—just the daily habit of honest questions, listening for meaning, and pushing past “because I...

Send us Fan Mail The porch light tells a story. Flip it off, and you signal retreat. Turn it on—and pull a couch into the yard—and you signal something else entirely: presence, welcome, and a little courage. We lean into the tension many Christians feel around Halloween and ask a better question than “Should we opt out?” We explore what happens when we opt in with discernment, kindness, and a miss...

Send us Fan Mail A string of lights splits the night sky. Hearts jump, stories surge, and for a few charged minutes it feels like the invasion has begun—until research points to Starlink gliding through orbit. That whiplash from wonder to explanation sets the stage for a bigger question we wrestle with: what are we really seeing when we call something “alien,” and are we using the right lens to in...

Send us Fan Mail Ever feel like your family life is one chaotic moment after another? What if a simple shift in mindset could transform that chaos into calm? This powerful episode explores how preparation isn't just a nice-to-have skill—it's essential for family strength and stability. Through personal stories (including a misplaced bistec and frozen lettuce), we reveal how even imperfec...

Send us Fan Mail Do you ever feel so exhausted that you're tired of being tired? That overwhelming sensation of running on empty while life keeps demanding more? You're not alone. In this authentically raw conversation, we dive into the epidemic of exhaustion that's affecting so many of us. From the micro-problem of driving aimlessly looking for a restaurant to the macro-issue of li...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when a pastor and his wife have a "robust conversation" on air? Find out as we dive into the authentic, sometimes uncomfortable reality of marriage in ministry.  During this uniquely vulnerable episode, I challenge Debbie to share what genuinely frustrates her about me, triggering a fascinating exploration of how we handle conflict. The conversation quickly...

Send us Fan Mail Could your family's digital habits be destroying your relationships more than any banned book? While parents storm school board meetings over inappropriate literature, the unbridled use of technology in homes might be the real enemy we should be fighting. The passionate debates about removing certain books from schools have dominated headlines, but this episode explores a mor...

Send us Fan Mail A Florida charter captain's viral meltdown (Brock Horner) serves as the perfect backdrop for our most powerful discussion yet on the critical virtue of self-control. When this captain boarded another man's boat in a fit of rage, he didn't just create a social media sensation – he lost his reputation, business, and possibly his freedom in mere minutes. Sound familiar...

Send us Fan Mail What if the secret to a stronger marriage was as simple as laughing together more often? In this refreshingly candid episode, we dive into the surprising power of humor in relationships—including those awkward bedroom moments that couples rarely discuss publicly. Marriage shouldn't feel like a business arrangement where two people fulfill assigned roles without joy or genuine...

Send us Fan Mail There's a raw honesty that hits you from the first moment of this episode as Josh opens up about his lifelong relationship with anger. "Anger is my go-to emotion," he admits without hesitation, "and it's the emotion I filter all other things through, because anger is easy for me to process." What follows is a deeply personal exploration of how this pa...

Send us Fan Mail In a world where every relationship seems to be constantly tested by daily stressors, the question arises: do lovers really need a holiday away from each other? This episode navigates the fine line between healthy time apart and necessary intimacy, encouraging couples to consider whether escaping together or apart will truly enhance their bond. We discuss the stresses that marriag...

Send us Fan Mail The episode examines the culture of youth sports and the high expectations placed on children to become professional athletes. Through personal stories and statistical insights, we discuss the sacrifices families make, the pressures on children, and the importance of seeking balance in prioritizing family dynamics, interests, and faith.  • Exploring the idolization of youth sports...

Send us Fan Mail Conflict in relationships often stems from unmet expectations and selfishness. The episode guides listeners to embrace selflessness and serve their partners, presenting this approach as the key to eliminating arguments and fostering mutual understanding.  • Discussing the biblical perspective on arguments  • Identifying unmet expectations as a cause of conflict  • Real-life exampl...