Bill and Pam Mutz, parents of 12 and grandparents of 27, join me as we pick back up on our conversation on parenting and grandparenting in light of the gospel. They are sharing about how they are learning the balance of being engaged grandparents while also yielding to their children. They also are discussing the importance of family fun, our legacy and how can we live our days in light of this focus. They emphasize the importance of letting our children fail while they are in the home and extending grace to both ourselves and our children on our journey as parents. They encourage us to live “open handed” in regards to what the Lord would have for us in our days and the deep impact of modeling a life changed by the gospel to both our family and the watching world.

What is the Lord’s design and purpose in grandparenting? What should we strive for in terms of our lasting legacy - both in our family and community? Scripture advocates the importance of “dying to self”…how does this impact our marriages, parenting and grandparenting? What have you discovered over the years that keeps you connected and thriving in your marriage? These are some of the questions we will target in this episode along with their transparency of things they wish they did differently, what the Lord is currently teaching them and how they are choosing each day to come before the Lord and ask “What is it that you would have me to do today?”

How can we balance work, activities outside the home and service to others while also being tuned into the hearts of our kids? How does the Lord use his word to guide us in our role as parents? As our children began to marry, is there a process in learning to let them go….how do we navigate through this or better yet, how does the Lord lead us?

Bill and Pam Mutz join me on today’s episode as we dive into life, marriage and raising children with a focus on becoming “difference makers” for the sake of the gospel. This conversation is packed with rich gospel truth, encouragement, practical ways to bring the gospel into our homes and parenting, lots of laughter and even tears as we witness how the Lord can and does work in our hearts. They also have a specific word for those walking through infertility and the mom out there who feels overwhelmed.

Bill and Pam are parents of 12 and grandparents of 27. Bill currently serves in the role as mayor of Lakeland, Florida and Pam ministers to her family, community and others through Bible study, mentoring and many other roles.

Today's episode is focusing on the empty nest years and how God can work and use this season of our lives for continued eternal impact. How does the Lord prepare us prior to “officially” entering these years? How can we know what he would have for us? What about the concerns we hear voiced such as becoming "reacquainted with our spouse" or feeling like we have lost our “purpose” with our children gone? For those of us with kids still in the home, how can we set up safeguards in these areas of understandable concern? How might this season allow us to embrace the call of mentorship found in Titus 2 and 2 Timothy 2?

I am chatting with parents, Steve and Julie Lane, who are embracing God's call and purpose in their empty nest years. They are transparently sharing about some parenting "re-dos," what God is teaching them, the excitement of pouring into the lives of others and how the Lord is blessing this season of their life.

On today’s episode, we are talking about some common perceptions of the teen years but what this season can be looking through the lens of the gospel. How we can walk alongside and shepherd our children’s hearts in these years? How can we help them navigate this transition into adulthood? If more is “caught than taught,” how can we live out an “authentic faith”, an overflow of who Jesus is to us, in front of them? What about those of us who feel we are too far into these years and have lost too much ground…is there any hope?

It can be easy to set our eyes “outside the home” in terms of “doing important things” but how can we be mindful of our primary mission field being first within the walls of our home? How can we practically lean into walking in the Spirit versus the flesh as we parent-what influences the direction we choose? How does Scripture help us navigate through the times when we mess up and feel like a complete failure? What are some “end goals” of parenting and how might this shape how we fill and walk out our days?

I am chatting with Chris and Sabrina Miller, parents of six, as we talk through these questions and more on today's episode. I hope this conversation feels more like sitting around the table with good friends as we share about what the Lord is teaching and opening our eyes to, as we walk this journey of parenting together.

How we can recognize opportunities to present and keep the gospel in front of our children…where do we start in even knowing how to do this? We are also talking about hard days: how do we walk in the power of the Holy Spirit, to not only parent but to do it with His joy and ability. How can we take the truths of scripture and fully stand upon God’s promises of not leaving us and finishing the work he has begun in us? I am chatting with parents, Corben and Keribeth Atkins, on how scripture speaks to this and what it can look like to practically walk in this: in the good and messy days of life. There is much laughter, transparency and most of all gospel-hope and truth woven throughout this episode.

Why do we pray? How can we learn to grow and become passionate in our prayer life? How can we practically carve out time in our busy and full days to pursue God through prayer? How might the Lord be using our hard times to draw us to himself? I am sitting down with two prayer warriors, Billie Sue Raboin and Alicia McMurray to talk about prayer and how we can learn of God's leading for our lives through this avenue. They are also sharing from their own lives and specific examples of how God has dramatically intervened through their prayers.

On today’s episode of as we press, I am sitting down with John Avant, President of Life Action Ministries, and his wife, Donna, to talk about knowing God’s will. At times, discerning God's will for our lives at times can seem intimidating, but perhaps it isn’t meant to be. How can we learn how to hear from God and his recognize his leading? Where do we start? How can we practically apply the Bible to our day to day lives and future? What would it look like to live out the call of the Great Commission in the midst of a pandemic, national unrest and protests?

We are talking through these questions and more as we continue in our series on “reflections: our life.” This series is designed to help us reflect on this past year and God’s leading to help navigate where he might be directing us in 2021.

The Avant’s are also sharing from their own experiences on how God has called them to deeper faith and trust. Their “yes” to God’s leadings has led them to experience his faithfulness like never before. They also share specific encouragement for pastors and their wives as they talk about this being “one of the hardest times to be in ministry.”

On today's episode we are beginning a series, "reflections: looking back to better look ahead" as we begin to prepare for 2021. I am sitting down to chat with Melody Shannon on exuding joy and Christ in our day to day, where true joy is found, dangers of comparison and how to practically rehearse truth to ourselves. Melody has taught art for 21 years at Providence Academy and is now in her 5th year at Kingsport Christian Academy.

In this episode, John and Alicia recall God's redemption and restoration of dormant hopes and dreams as they talk about what life looks like now. They passionately share a word to younger couples (John specifically addresses the men) from their own life's journey. Alicia passionately reminds us of the power and unity that overflows as couples join together to pray and what is truly at stake. We close the conversation talking about the hard but necessary road of learning forgiveness and what God is currently teaching them.