Growing Home Together Podcast LifeAudio

Adopting our youngest son through the foster care system ten years ago was truly one of life’s greatest gifts. But one thing we didn’t fully understand as we looked forward to a bright future with our beloved little boy was just how much trauma a child suffers when they’re separated from their birth parents. 

Like many foster and adoptive parents, we are on a constant learning journey and are always looking for better ways to support our son through the unique struggles he experiences. That’s why we’re so grateful that Jenni Lord was able to join us for this candid conversation.

Jenni founded Chosen—an organization committed to empowering parents and fostering children’s trauma recovery. Chosen connects families impacted by the child welfare system with the resources and support they need to move from hurting to healing. 

Jenni shares:
How trauma impacts the brain, body, and behaviors of youth in foster careHow prioritizing connection over correction can strengthen your parentingThe importance of creating safe spaces for your child to open upAnd more!We hope you enjoy this conversation as much as we did!

Show Notes: https://growinghometogether.com/jenni-lord-91

There’s a common misconception that it's always the big things—like dishonesty or infidelity—that cause marriages to fall apart. But the truth is, many marriages experience death by a thousand cuts as small areas of misalignment add up over time.

Every marriage has its squabbles, clashes, and little flare-ups of friction. Over our more than 30 years together, we’ve certainly had our fair share of moments where our mindsets didn’t quite match up.

We’ve all been there at some point, and that’s why we were elated to chat with today’s guest, Kari Trent Stageberg. Kari is a wife and a mom of two little boys. With her dad, she runs a nonprofit called Strong Families, and she’s also the author of The Merge for Marriage, a book designed to help couples stay on the same page in spite of all the ways they may be different.

In this conversation, Kari shares:
How to work together with your spouse towards the same goal even if you use different approachesTools for resolving conflict, nurturing connection, and bringing joy back into your relationshipWhy today’s world creates unique challenges for modern marriages and how to overcome themAnd more!We hope you enjoy this episode!

Show Notes: https://growinghometogether.com/kari-trent-stageberg-90

We all have wish lists in life—wishes for bigger houses, more quality time with our spouses, or even just a simple wish for better weather.

While there’s nothing wrong with dreaming, we find our spirits dragging when we grow too preoccupied with the parts of life we wish would change. When this mindset takes over, it can prevent us from finding joy in the present.

So what’s the solution?

Our inspiring guest, Tama Fortner, is here to help us find out. Tama is a best-selling writer who has published and contributed to many books that are inspirational for all ages. Her newest book, Everyday Joys Devotional, invites us to experience God in our real day-to-day lives. Tama was moved to write this book during a time of great personal struggle. When her hope was scarce, she asked God for help, and He gave her a strength that empowered her to restore a joyful spirit to her heart and her home. 

Tama shares with us:
How to start seeing His divine presence even in the ordinary moments of lifeAdvice for setting a positive tone of joy and trust in your householdThe secret to holding happiness even during the “in-betweens” of lifeAnd more!We hope you enjoy this conversation!

Show Notes: https://growinghometogether.com/tama-fortner-89

Raising our two sons has been one of the most rewarding journeys of our lives. If you have boys of your own, you know that parenting sons comes with its own unique set of blessings and challenges.

One skill we strive to help our sons build is the ability to overcome the lies they encounter in life. We want to help them better understand what’s true and false about who they are, what’s really important in life, and where God is when things get hard.

That’s why we were so grateful for the opportunity to chat with today’s guests, Erin and Jason Davis. They’re the authors of Lies Boys Believe, a book that helps kids understand the truth of the Bible using strategies taken straight from Erin and Jason’s experiences raising four sons.

In this episode, you’ll hear:
How to use narratives from the Bible to counteract the lies society has told your sonTips for working the Word into daily life in a way that helps your sons appreciate the stories of ScriptureWhy grounding your sons in the truth of the gospel will help them identify lies for themselvesAnd more!We hope you enjoy this conversation!

Show Notes: https://growinghometogether.com/erin-jason-davis-88

Our son entered middle school this year and he is growing in all sorts of new and fun ways! He outgrew his shoe size, his appetite is bigger, he’s grown a wider circle of friends, and he’s definitely sleeping longer and longer hours. Along with that growth, his desire and appetite for screen time is growing bigger too!

Honestly, navigating our son’s screen time isn’t a new challenge to us. We’ve wondered for years how to set good boundaries so that screen time could be a blessing and not a burden as he grows.

That’s why we are glad to have our guest on the show today, Arlene Pellicane. She is the author of Screen Kids and is here to help us all navigate screen time with our kids.

In this episode, you'll hear:
How technology has been designed to be addictiveThe importance of managing your own screen timePractical tips for putting limits on screen time as a parentAnd more!We hope you enjoy this conversation!

Show Notes: https://growinghometogether.com/arlene-pellicane-87

The goal of our ministry has always been to help you care for the soul of your family and help you nourish relationships that keep God at the center of your home.

We know that many couples desire the closeness and encouragement of sharing their faith with their husband or wife. Instead, they feel a painful sense of disappointment when their spouse isn’t stepping into the role of spiritual leader as they expected. It can feel lonely and like you are single-handedly trying to teach your children about Jesus and deepen your family’s spiritual walk.

That’s why we are so glad to welcome today’s guest, Dana Che Williams, to talk about what it really means to lead your family spiritually and how couples can find peace in this area of their marriage. Dana is a wife, mom, speaker, marriage coach, and the host of the Real Relationship Talk podcast.

In this episode, you'll hear:
A definition of spiritual leadershipWhat it looks like to be unequally yoked in your marriageThe impact of cultivating a deep relationship with the LordAnd more!We hope you enjoy this conversation!

Show Notes: https://growinghometogether.com/dana-che-williams-86