The Intentional Parents Podcast

It may be the most wonderful time of the year, but it’s also one of the most stressful. In our Christmas episode, we explore how to foster peace — not striving for perfection, but accepting the Spirit’s invitation to enter the season with intention, humility, and grace. The holidays can stir up dysregulated kids, busy schedules, grief, and unrealistic expectations, so we walk through the acronym P...

In this episode, all four of us respond to your questions on marriage, parenting, and discipleship. We begin with a listener who feels stuck navigating a blended family and a husband who wants another child while she feels content with their current season. We talk about honoring both present realities and future hopes, acknowledging the unique weight moms carry, communicating clearly, and seeking...

In this episode, we explore what Scripture really means when it calls us to leave and cleave. Leaving isn’t just moving out, it’s a purposeful, decisive shift of loyalty and identity so a new family can truly become one. This kind of separation can feel confusing or even painful, especially for parents who have spent years nurturing their children. But leaving is not rejection; it’s the healthy fo...

In this episode, we explore the growing “aura farming” movement — the cultural pressure to project effortlessness, curate our image, and step into our “main-character era.” While the world urges us to amplify our greatness, Jesus invites us into something entirely different. We look at Jesus’ call to become like children in Matthew 18:1–5, a posture marked by humility, dependence, and openness. Au...

In this episode, we’re talking about one of the biggest parenting challenges today — raising kids in a digital world. Many of us have overprotected our children in the physical world but underprotected them in the digital world. To help you add some guardrails, we share the practical tools and boundaries our family uses around technology — from phones and iPads to TV — and the eight foundational r...

Recorded live at the Intentional Motherhood Retreat in Portland, Oregon, this special Q+R features our entire Intentional team, with Joey Odom of Reclaimwell guiding the conversation as we move from humor to depth. From lighthearted moments — like where Diane and Elizabeth’s pant suits came from — to honest questions about self-care, marriage, grief, and limitations, this episode captures the hear...

Note: This episode contains mature themes that may not be suitable for younger listeners. Please use discretion. This week, we’re joined by our new friends Jeff and Jourdan Johnson, hosts of the Open Spaces Podcast . They share their remarkable story — a journey marked by honesty, redemption, and deep faith. Jeff opens up about his decades-long battle with same-sex attraction and how bringing his...

In this special episode, we’re sharing a powerful recorded teaching from Diane and Elizabeth at our 2024 Motherhood Retreat. This session dives deep into our God-given desire for connection — the longing to be seen, soothed, safe, and secure — and how that shapes our relationships with one another. Our female relationships can often feel complicated, yet Scripture reminds us that we were created f...

In this Q+R episode, we’re tackling your questions about parenting through some of the more complex seasons — from helping phone-free tweens stay connected to navigating sibling rivalry and reflecting on what we might have done differently with our younger kids. We start with communication and technology, sharing practical ways to help teenagers connect with friends without giving them full phone...

In this episode, we dive into what it looks like to raise kids in today’s clickbait culture. With endless information at our fingertips, outrage-driven headlines everywhere, and our children frequently walking through traumatic national events, it can be hard to know what’s real, what matters, and what doesn’t. No matter how many boundaries we put in place, outside voices are loud — and that makes...

In this Q+R episode, we dive into some real-life questions about family patterns, parenting decisions, and initiating difficult conversations. First, we talk about the fear of repeating unhealthy family patterns. How can we learn from our past while creating a different path for our own kids? And what do we do when we notice ourselves falling into the same habits? We share how naming those fears —...

This week, all four of us sit down for an honest and emotional conversation about trauma and crisis — how to respond when it strikes, and how to navigate it as a family. The reality is that at some point in life, you will walk through seasons of pain, and the question becomes: how do we carry each other’s burdens as Galatians 6:2 calls us to? Together, we share raw, personal stories of both acute...

In this episode, we explore how generational sin, trauma, and family stories shape who we are — and how God invites us into healing and freedom. Scripture reminds us in Numbers 14:18 that the effects of sin can ripple through generations, but through the power of the Holy Spirit, those patterns don’t have to define us. We talk about epigenetics — how experiences like stress and trauma can actually...

This week, we are releasing one of the most-loved episodes from our Intentional Fatherhood podcast, all about knowing your story, facing generational sin, and trusting God to bless what’s broken. Note: This episode contains mature themes that may not be suitable for younger listeners. Please use discretion. We are storied people, living within the grand narrative of the kingdom of God. And as a fa...

As the school year begins, we’re diving into the hopes, pressures, and rhythms of this season. We start with the myth of “you only get 18 summers,” a phrase that can put unnecessary pressure on parents. Instead of viewing time with our kids through a lens of scarcity, Scripture reminds us that God’s kingdom is one of abundance (2 Corinthians 9:8). We also explore the power of words in shaping our...

Parenting can feel confusing. Many of us grew up in homes focused on rules and behavior, while today, there’s more awareness around emotions and connection. Both matter — but what do we actually do about our kids’ behavior? In this episode, Brook, Elizabeth, and Diane talk about what discipline really is, why it’s important, and how to approach it with wisdom and love. Discipline isn’t punishment...

This week, all four of us sit down to respond to your thoughtful questions about parenting and marriage. We start by exploring what to do when your parenting style differs from your spouse’s. Differences don’t have to be a problem — in fact, they can be a gift. But what about when the stakes are high, like deciding on the best schooling option for your child? We share how to find unity in your app...

It’s no secret that we live in an anxious world — and we are raising an anxious generation. One in eight kids will be diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, and that number is rising. So how do we parent through this? What exactly does anxiety look like in our kids? How do we recognize it — especially when it hides under the surface? What tools can we use to respond? And what hope does Scripture offe...

We’re thrilled to introduce Sowing a Hidden Seed — a 31-day prayer devotional for parents faithfully planting spiritual seeds in their children’s lives, even when the fruit feels far off. Each day features Scripture, a meaningful quote, and a guided prayer, with flexible themes you can make your own. Right now, Sowing a Hidden Seed is available exclusively to monthly donors who give $25 or more. A...

This week, Brook sits down with Andrew Damazio — pastor of Rose Church in Portland and author of My Heart Hurts: A Guide to the Theology of Pain and Suffering . After walking through deep, personal suffering — often multiple losses at once — Andrew emerged with a burden to help others navigate pain with both truth and tenderness. When enduring pain, he was either approached with a highly theologic...

This week, Brook sits down with Tyler Staton — pastor of Bridgetown Church in Portland, author, husband, and father of three boys — for a profound, powerful conversation about mortality, margin, weakness, and prayer. Tyler shares his journey through an unexpected and grueling cancer diagnosis, offering a raw look into the spiritual refinement that comes when you’re suddenly faced with your own lim...

This week, all four of us sit down for another Marriage Q+R, diving into your questions about navigating tension and other difficult dynamics in marriage. We talk through when it might be wise to extend forgiveness face-to-face versus process it privately, and explore the nuance between sin in thought and sin in action — while remembering that all sin must ultimately be brought before God. We shar...

Fresh off the Intentional Marriage Retreat, we sit down for a special Q+R episode — answering your thoughtful questions about marriage. In this conversation, we discuss a variety of topics with a special focus on one overarching theme: growing in spiritual connection with your spouse. We talk about how to nurture spiritual intimacy in your marriage by creating space for regular, meaningful convers...

Do you ever feel stuck in a reactive cycle as a parent — responding in ways you wish you wouldn't, again and again? Like Paul in Romans 7:15, you might find yourself saying, “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.” Here’s the good news: you’re not broken — you’re patterned. And patterns can be healed. In this episode, we unpack what it means to...

This week, we’re getting honest about our inadequacies as parents — when all we can say is, “I can’t.” Inspired by The Fellowship of the Withered Hand, a concept from John Ortberg’s Steps , we explore how embracing our weaknesses can actually be a gateway to deeper healing and growth. Rather than hiding our shortcomings, what if we brought them into the light — to both God and to trusted community...