Sunshine, snorkeling, and saving money, this episode has it all!

In Episode 269 of The Family Meeting Podcast, Thomas and Lysandra share their family's recent vacation to the Florida Keys, from the planning process to the priceless moments along the way. Whether you're dreaming of your next getaway or looking for tips to make travel smoother and more affordable, this episode offers a mix of fun stories and practical advice for families on the go.

You'll discover:

• How we planned our family trip to the Florida Keys step-by-step.
• What to look for when choosing the right Airbnb for your family.
• How we decided what to do each day without over-scheduling.
• Our approach to meal planning on vacation (and saving money while eating well).
• Budget-friendly travel tips that make big memories without breaking the bank.

If you're planning a family vacation, or just want ideas for stress-free, memory-making travel, this episode will help you do it with purpose, joy, and togetherness.

Bonus Resource: Send an email to [email protected] for our Family Travel Planner & Budget Worksheet.

For more information: https://linktr.ee/familymeeting

Scrolling in bed for hours. Avoiding responsibility. Calling it "self-care."

Welcome to the culture of bed rot, where rest has turned into withdrawal, and comfort has replaced purpose.

In Episode 268 of The Family Meeting Podcast, Thomas and Lysandra unpack what this trend means for families and how parents can respond with both truth and grace. Instead of shaming laziness or enabling disengagement, they explore how to guide kids toward real rest, the kind that restores body, mind, and spirit.

You'll discover:

• What "bed rotting" really is and why it's rising among teens and young adults.
• How screens, stress, and anxiety fuel this cultural trend.
• The difference between healthy rest and harmful avoidance.
• Biblical principles for balance, purpose, and meaningful rest.
• Practical steps to help your kids re-engage with life, faith, and family.

If you've noticed your child spending more time retreating than participating, this episode will help you approach the issue with understanding, boundaries, and biblical wisdom.

Bonus Resource: Send an email to [email protected] for our Healthy Rest vs. Avoidance Family Conversation Guide.

For more information: https://linktr.ee/familymeeting

Your marriage is only as strong as your level of responsiveness.

In Episode 267 of The Family Meeting Podcast, Thomas and Lysandra explore the power of being a responsive spouse, emotionally, verbally, and physically. From laughter and listening to affection and empathy, your reactions shape the health of your marriage more than you realize.

When your spouse jokes, do you laugh? When they flirt, do you play along? When they share, do you really engage?

In this honest and practical conversation, you'll learn:

• Why emotional responsiveness is the foundation of healthy intimacy.
• How small reactions build or break trust in daily interactions.
• What Scripture teaches about mutual attentiveness and love.
• Signs you may be emotionally unavailable, and how to change that.
• Simple habits that create warmth, connection, and joy in your relationship.

Whether you've grown distant or simply want to reconnect, this episode will help you re-engage your heart and respond to your spouse in ways that strengthen your bond and honor God.

Bonus Resource: Send an email to [email protected] for our Responsive Spouse Self-Check Worksheet.

For more information: https://linktr.ee/familymeeting.

Faith isn't meant to live only in church, it's meant to live in your home.

In Episode 266 of The Family Meeting Podcast, Thomas and Lysandra share how to make talking about God a natural part of parenting. Instead of awkward, forced conversations, this episode shows you how to recognize everyday teachable moments, those small but powerful times when your child's heart is open and listening.

You'll discover:

• How to bring God into ordinary conversations naturally.
• What Deuteronomy 6 teaches about faith in the home.
• How to turn curiosity and mistakes into spiritual lessons.
• Simple ways to connect faith to daily routines, not just Sunday mornings.
• How to make God's presence a normal part of your family's culture.

Whether your kids are toddlers or teens, this episode will help you create a home where faith isn't just taught, it's caught.

Bonus Resource: Send an email to [email protected] for our Everyday Faith Moments Checklist For Parents.

For more information: https://linktr.ee/familymeeting.

Great intimacy doesn't end when sex does.

In Episode 265 of The Family Meeting Podcast, Thomas and Lysandra dive into the importance of after-sex care, what happens in the minutes and hours after intimacy. Too often, couples miss this vital step, leaving one or both spouses feeling disconnected, unseen, or even used. But with intentionality, after-sex care can become a powerful way to deepen love, security, and spiritual connection.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why after-sex connection is just as important as foreplay.
• How small gestures (touch, conversation, affirmation) build trust and intimacy.
• The differences between how husbands and wives often process intimacy afterward.
• Biblical wisdom on cherishing your spouse as more than just a physical partner.
• Practical "more play" ideas that help turn the bedroom into a place of bonding, not battle.

If sex has felt transactional, disconnected, or routine, this episode will help you rediscover God's design for intimacy as a gift that connects body, soul, and spirit.

Bonus Resource: Send an email to [email protected] for our 10 After-Sex Ideas For Couples.

For more information: https://linktr.ee/familymeeting.

It might look like simple fun, but pretend play is one of the most powerful tools for your child's early development.

In Episode 264 of The Family Meeting Podcast, Thomas and Lysandra explore why playing pretend with your kids isn't just silly games, it's a God-given way for children to learn, grow, and thrive. From building creativity to developing empathy, role play helps shape the skills your kids will carry into the rest of their lives.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• The science behind imaginative play and brain development.
• How pretend play builds problem-solving, creativity, and emotional awareness.
• Why role-playing fosters empathy, kindness, and stronger relationships.
• Practical ways parents can join in pretend play (without feeling awkward).
• A biblical perspective on childlike imagination and learning through play.

Whether your child is staging a tea party, building a fort, or pretending to be a superhero, this episode will inspire you to join in with joy, knowing you're helping shape their heart and mind.

Bonus Resource: Send an email to [email protected] for our 10 Simple Ways To Encourage Pretend Play At Home.

For more information: https://linktr.ee/familymeeting.

The family you come from shapes the family you build.

In Episode 263 of The Family Meeting Podcast, Thomas and Lysandra explore how growing up in a divorced home affects your marriage. From trust issues to conflict styles to fears of abandonment, the patterns we experience as children often reappear in the way we relate to our spouse. But your past doesn't have to define your future.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• 5 common ways a divorced upbringing influences marriage.
• Why unhealed wounds often resurface in conflict, intimacy, and communication.
• Biblical truth about breaking generational cycles of brokenness.
• Practical steps to build trust, stability, and security in your own marriage.
• How to invite God's healing into the places divorce left scars.

Whether your parents divorced when you were young or later in life, this episode will help you understand how your background affects your marriage, and how to walk forward in wholeness and hope.

Bonus Resource: Send an email to [email protected] for our Breaking The Cycle Of Divorce Reflection Guide.

For more information: https://linktr.ee/familymeeting.

Foster care is one of the most beautiful and challenging callings a family can walk through. It stretches your faith, tests your patience, and sometimes leaves you feeling overwhelmed, but it also reflects the very heart of God, who welcomes the vulnerable into His family.

In Episode 262 of The Family Meeting Podcast, Thomas and Lysandra open up about how families can stay strong in the midst of foster care. Whether you're fostering now, considering it, or supporting foster families in your church, this episode will encourage you to lean on God's strength and not your own.

You'll learn:

• The unique emotional and relational pressures foster families face.
• How to guard your marriage and family unity in the middle of chaos.
• Biblical wisdom for loving children through trauma and transition.
• Practical ways churches and communities can support foster families.
• Encouragement for weary parents who feel like giving up.

This episode is for foster parents, adoptive families, and anyone who wants to understand how to walk this journey with faith and resilience.

Bonus Resource: Send an email to [email protected] for our 10 Scriptures To Pray Over Your Foster Family.

For more information: https://linktr.ee/familymeeting.

Emotions are a gift from God, but how we express them can either build up or tear down.

In Episode 261 of The Family Meeting Podcast, Thomas and Lysandra explore the difference between emotional maturity (controlling and managing emotions) and emotional integrity (honestly expressing emotions without shame or suppression). Too often in Christian homes, we either explode in anger or shut down in silence, when God calls us to handle emotions with both truth and grace.

In this conversation, you'll learn:

• The difference between emotional maturity and emotional integrity.
• Why denying your feelings is just as damaging as losing control of them.
• Biblical principles for expressing emotions in a healthy, God-honoring way.
• How emotional maturity and integrity strengthen marriage and parenting.
• Practical steps for creating a safe space for emotions in your home.

If you've ever wrestled with when to speak up, when to hold back, or how to express emotions without sinning, this episode will give you clarity and hope.

Bonus Resource: Send an email to [email protected] for our Healthy Emotional Expression Worksheet.

For more information: https://linktr.ee/familymeeting.

Emotions are a gift from God, but how we express them can either build up or tear down.

In Episode 260 of The Family Meeting Podcast, Thomas and Lysandra explore the difference between emotional maturity (controlling and managing emotions) and emotional integrity (honestly expressing emotions without shame or suppression). Too often in Christian homes, we either explode in anger or shut down in silence, when God calls us to handle emotions with both truth and grace.

In this conversation, you'll learn:

• The difference between emotional maturity and emotional integrity.
• Why denying your feelings is just as damaging as losing control of them.
• Biblical principles for expressing emotions in a healthy, God-honoring way.
• How emotional maturity and integrity strengthen marriage and parenting.
• Practical steps for creating a safe space for emotions in your home.

If you've ever wrestled with when to speak up, when to hold back, or how to express emotions without sinning, this episode will give you clarity and hope.

Bonus Resource: Send an email to [email protected] for our Healthy Emotional Expression Worksheet.

For more information: https://linktr.ee/familymeeting.