Growing Home Together Podcast

Deep down, you want more than anything to be a good man. A man of courage and self-discipline. Of character and integrity. Of wisdom, insight, and faith. You want to be the kind of man your friends and family can count on when life is tough. You’re eager to see admiration in your wife’s eyes and joy in your kids when you walk through the door. Yet with all the pressures and shame you feel from inside and the world around you, you feel far from the man you wish you could be. Joining Rob and his son Josh today, guest Nathan Clarkson offers a signpost to point the way to becoming a good man. With honesty and insight, he helps men to understand: What inspired Nathan to write about the issues men face How men “living wrongly” affect everyone in their life Why men are losing their identity in our culture The powerful role of community and friendship in men’s lives The way to become the hero of your own life story How sexuality can be restored to the rightness of God’s design How to instill “good man” qualities into your son Nathan Clarkson (https://www.clarksonfamily.com/nathan) is an actor, author, filmmaker, artist, poet, and full-time wannabe philosopher. He is the coauthor of the bestselling book Different and has acted in numerous popular TV shows and films. Nathan lives in New York City but can often be found in Los Angeles, Colorado Springs, or adventuring around the country and world speaking and sharing his passion for helping people better know their Creator and the story He has for them to tell. Josh Teigen is Rob’s oldest son and the husband of four years to his wife, Cassie. Since pursuing studies in psychology and theology, Josh is an active volunteer and leader at his local church. He founded the nonprofit organization Banner Media (bannermediagroup.org), whose mission is to create high-quality digital media that shares powerful, personal testimonies of God engaging with people today. To win your own copy of Nathan’s latest book, “Good Man: An Honest Journey into Discovering Who Men Were Actually Created to Be,” leave a comment with your name and GOOD MAN. You’ll be entered in a drawing with the winner chosen on January 31, 2021. This podcast is produced and edited by Angie Elkins Media, Inc.

At the end of this long year, perhaps your marriage feels battered and bruised. Stressors, losses, and obstacles have tested your vow to cherish and love one another “for better or worse.” Affection gives way to irritation. Warmth is chilled by cold distance. Passion and intimacy fall away, leaving you with empty arms and lonely nights. Today our guests Bill and Pam Farrel offer hope to couples who want to rekindle the passion in their relationship. They bring years of expertise as marriage speakers and writers—and their own decades of shared life together—to bring this hope and wisdom today: How God brought Bill and Pam together and gave them a vision for their relationship. Why sexual intimacy is so powerful and important in your marriage. The pitfalls that keep couples from sustaining “red-hot monogamy.” How to open up communication about your love life. How sexual intimacy can thrive and grow through every stage of life together. How your love can shine the light of Christ to others. Bill and Pam have also created an amazing devotional planner to help you grow a successful and intimate marriage. Simply comment on this podcast post with your name and “Marriage Meet Ups” to enter our drawing for your own copies! Bill and Pam Farrel inspire audiences around the world to live better, laugh often and love skillfully. It has often been said, “More is caught than taught,” and this is the secret to Bill and Pam’s effectiveness. They are a real couple helping real couples. As couples watch Bill and Pam present, they see a couple in action, experience the kind of support that builds trust in relationships and can visualize their own success. Bill and Pam don’t just teach about marriage, they demonstrate it for their audiences. Learn more about Bill and Pam’s wide collection of books and messages at http://www.love-wise.com/. This podcast is produced and edited by Angie Elkins Media, Inc.

This Christmas, we’re all a little weary. A little stressed. A little lonely for the friends and loved ones we’ve felt separated from for so long. Many of the gatherings, events, and traditions we cherish each year have been taken from our hands, leaving us empty or confused. And yet, there is hope. Today’s guest, Asheritah Ciuciu, points the way to perhaps the most beautiful and significant Christmas we’ve ever known. By immersing in the names of Jesus—and in the presence of Jesus himself—you and your family can capture the peace and joy you’ve been searching for all along. With heartfelt honesty, Asheritah shares: How she redeemed the painful Christmas memories of her childhood to create a joyful season for her own family. The history and significance of the Advent tradition Practical ways to slow down and pursue Jesus as a family How to unwrap the names of Jesus in creative ways with your children How connecting together with Jesus can bring healing in this difficult season Asheritah Ciuciu is an author and speaker, wife and mama, and founder of One Thing Alone Ministries—an online ministry that helps overwhelmed women find joy in Jesus through consistent and creative time in His Word. Discover Asheritah’s interactive family devotional, Unwrapping the Names of Jesus, at unwrappingthenames.com. As you and your children gather together to focus on Jesus, your hearts will be prepared to celebrate Christmas like never before. This podcast is produced and edited by Angie Elkins Media, Inc.

If most dads are honest, they carry a truckload of insecurity about parenting their daughters. They wonder, How do I know if I’m the dad she needs? Why won’t she open up and talk to me? How do I show I love her even when I don’t like her choices? What difference can I really make in her life, anyway? That’s why we’re thrilled to welcome today’s guest, Dr. Michelle Watson Canfield. Michelle has marked a path for any dad to follow that leads right to his daughter’s heart. She offers powerful, practical insight as she shares: How God led Michelle to her ministry as a “coach” for dads of daughters Creative, intentional ways to help your daughter open up and talk What holds men back from stepping up to lead their families How a dad can build a bridge to a daughter who’s distant or hard to understand The impact of a dad’s love on a girl’s emotional health, identity, and confidence How to make amends if you’ve wounded your daughter’s heart How a girl’s dad can introduce her to Father God Dad, this is one episode you don’t want to miss! Dr. Michelle Watson-Canfield is a licensed professional counselor, speaker, author, and radio host of “The Dad Whisperer.” She is the co-chair--with her husband, Ken--of the Dad-Daughter Division of the National Center for Fathering. Michelle is also the founder of the Abba Project, a group forum for dads with daughters. She is passionate to equip and inspire fathers to dial in to their daughters’ hearts. Take hold of Dr. Michelle’s latest book, Let’s Talk: Conversation Starters for Dads and Daughters, and her other powerful resources at www.drmichellewatson.com. This podcast is produced and edited by Angie Elkins Media, Inc.

Thanksgiving Reset: Raising Kids to Have an Attitude of Gratitude During Thanksgiving—and the holiday shopping frenzy that follows—we want to see a grateful and generous spirit in our kids. At the end of this rough year of struggles and losses, we want our sons and daughters to recognize God’s blessings through it all. In today’s episode, Rob and Joanna share a personal conversation about their own family’s journey of learning to be thankful. They tackle parenting strategies to teach kids to Delay gratification and wait for good things Help others in fun and practical ways Weave thankful words and actions into life every day Trust God as their true provider As your family steps into this season of giving and receiving, Rob and Joanna offer the encouragement you need to raise “cheerful givers” who count their blessings all year long. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours! Rob and Joanna Teigen have celebrated over 25 years of marriage and are loving life with two sons, three daughters, and a beautiful daughter-in-law. They share an addiction to coffee, bookstores, and Christmas music. They debate whether two dogs are enough and who should win “The Voice” every season. Rob and Joanna are a neat-freak married to a mess, an explorer to a homebody, and an introvert to a ‘people person.’ In this season of thankfulness, they’re grateful for you and pray for God’s blessing on your family.

How to Let Go of Your Young Adult Children – with guest Jill Savage Our kids’ passage from childhood to life as adults is rarely smooth, straight, or simple. As moms and dads, we carry a burden of worry over our young adult children’s lives. We wonder, Will they ever be fully independent? Will they succeed in school or in a career? What if they reject our values and Christian faith? Will their friends and dating relationships move them forward or hold them back? How will they stay emotionally strong in this time of turmoil? How do I help my kids navigate this new phase of their lives? Today’s guest, Jill Savage, is here to tackle those concerns with practical wisdom and hope. She offers moms and dads a fresh mindset as we launch and let go of our young adult children. In today’s podcast, you’ll learn: The difference between accepting and affirming our kids’ poor choices Why we struggle with giving up control How to discern if you’re helping or enabling your child What our young adult kids need from us the most How to trust God with your kids’ future—and your own! The reason your next phase of parenting is so exciting Jill will leave you encouraged and equipped to parent your child as they step into life as an adult. For even more of her insight, enter to win her book Empty Nest, Full Life: Discovering God’s Best for Your Next. Simply leave the comment “Letting Go” on this podcast episode by November 30 to be entered in a drawing for your very own copy! Jill Savage is an author and speaker who is passionate about encouraging families. She is the author or co-author of fourteen books, including No More Perfect Moms and No More Perfect Marriages. Featured on Focus on the Family, Family Life Today, and Today’s Christian Woman magazine, Jill is also the founder of Hearts at Home. Jill and her husband Mark have five children and three grandchildren. They make their home in Normal, Illinois.

In all the talk about 2020, the word we’ve heard the most is “unprecedented.” Who in the world expected a pandemic to land on our doorsteps? Who could foresee the fires and natural disasters. The school closures and financial losses. The empty shelves at the store. Lockdowns and travel bans. Is it possible that our families could have been prepared for crisis after crisis this year? Today’s guest, Kathi Lipp, gives an enthusiastic YES to that question. Kathi offers a truckload of tips and steps to get ready for whatever might come your way. In her smart and positive style, she shares The scary event that started her on the road to preparedness The number one item to have on hand at all times Three specific goals to achieve to be ready for a crisis The spiritual and emotional payoff for your family when you’ve prepared Why you’re closer to “ready” than you think! Comment on this episode by November 15, 2020, with “Ready for Anything!” to win your own copy of Kathi Lipp’s book, Ready for Anything: Preparing Your Heart and Home for Any Crisis Big or Small. Kathi Lipp inspires thousands of women each year to strip down their expectations and lives and live with real purpose. With humor and wisdom, Kathi offers hope paired with practical steps to live with meaning. Kathi Lipp is the author of 20 books including Clutter Free, The Christmas Project Planner, The Husband Project, and Overwhelmed. She is the host of Clutter Free Academy the Podcast! with Kathi Lipp, and also runs the Facebook group Clutter Free Academy, where thousands of women (and a few brave guys) support each other in living a Clutter Free life. She is a national speaker and is often featured on Woman’s World as one of their “Ask the Experts”, Focus on the Family, MOPS International, Crosswalk.com, Girlfriends in God and Proverbs 31 Ministries as well as a number of other media outlets around the country.

How to Walk Your Way Closer to God and Each Other Stress. Political turmoil. Racial division. Financial hardship. The pain of life’s burdens can shake your faith to the core. In this year of trouble, relationships struggle too. Couples, families, and friendships suffer from loneliness and conflict with no relief in sight. Today’s podcast offers great hope in the hurt. Our guest Mark Buchanan shares how the simple act of walking has the power to draw us closer to God and the ones we love most. Listen as Mark describes: Walking as the spiritual discipline you never heard about at church Why walking is a powerful way to connect deeply with God How walking is a tool to grow and repair our relationships with the ones we love. How walking is not only exercise, but can “exorcise” the darkness from our hearts and minds Why walking is uniquely relevant in this day and age A word of encouragement for those who are unable physically unable to get out and walk Comment with “God Walk” on this episode to be entered to win your own copy of Mark Buchanan’s book, God Walk! This podcast is produced and edited by Angie Elkins Media, Inc.

You want a close, intimate relationship with your spouse. Both of you want to make memories as one another’s best friend. You aim for unity and teamwork in your parenting, decisions, and plans. Yet for many couples, these goals and desires crash against the rocks of your circumstances. You might be separated by job assignments or military deployment. One of you may be called away to care for an aging parent. Daily barriers like opposite work shifts or a health crisis might keep you alone. How can you stay connected as a couple when life forces you apart? Today’s guest, Kristi Woods, is a military wife who knows the pain of separation from the one she loves. During her husband’s lengthy deployments, she shouldered the burdens of loneliness, single parenting, and navigating life on her own. She can also share a beautiful testimony of God’s love and faithfulness through it all. In today’s episode, we’ll discover: The losses and struggles you face if you can’t be together. The challenges of parenting when you’re away from your partner. The confidence – or “Godfidence” -- that can be learned while you’re alone. How to cope with feelings of guilt or loneliness. How to recapture unity and teamwork when you are reunited. The ways God can grow you closer to him and each other at all times. For more insight from Kristi Woods, join us on the blog as she shares more on this topic. Kristi Woods is a writer, speaker, and podcaster, but she most loves the label “Jesus girl.” Her latest Bible study, Created to Believe: A Bible Word Study, and other faith-building tools can be found at www.KristiWoods.net. Kristi, her handsome, retired-from-the-Navy husband, and their three children survived a nomadic, military lifestyle and have set roots in Oklahoma--where she keeps a close watch for tornadoes and good chocolate. This podcast is produced and edited by Angie Elkins Media, Inc.

Bryan and Shayla Moffitt, co-founders of Anguished Hearts, are speakers, writers, parents to the two most adorable kids, and followers of Jesus. Shayla loves coffee and Bryan loves running marathons. They have been best friends for over 22 years and husband and wife for over 20 years. They use their own life experiences to show that hope can be found no matter the situation, struggle, or sin you're facing. Anguished Hearts exists to lead broken people into a powerful relationship with Jesus. Their desire is to share the hope of Jesus so others can experience the same forgiveness and freedom that they have. You can learn more about their story at www.anguishedhearts.com. Facebook: www.facebook.com/anguishedhearts Instagram: @AnguishedHearts Be sure to check out our website at growinghometogether.com for even more wisdom, family resources, and a free marriage devotional that will help you conquer fear with faith! You can also find us on the Growing Home Together Facebook page. This podcast is produced and edited by Angie Elkins Media, Inc.