Gospel Matrescence

The episode concludes the four-part series on the Rupture & Repair Cycle by looking at four case studies that will help you visualize how the Clearning Model (one aspect of the Rupture & Repair Cycle) looks in various situations.

Listen along and see if you resonate with any of these four case studies.  As you follow along, invite the Holy Spirit to open your eyes to how you can use these resources to become a more whole-hearted communicator and bring the ability to reconcile to your home culture. 

 As you listen to this episode, keep in mind the diagram and the weekly check-in questions you can find here - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1e2MSeQU6dxnchMF-K9YaHMCd-m5KXwaIQOJYSu-wNRQ/edit?usp=sharing

This week we continued discussing the Rupture and Repair Cycle with a focus on children and sibling relationships.  As you listen to this episode, keep in mind the diagram and the weekly check-in questions you can find here - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1e2MSeQU6dxnchMF-K9YaHMCd-m5KXwaIQOJYSu-wNRQ/edit?usp=sharing

How can we take this concept and apply it to conflict within our family?  How can we coach our children to use it with their siblings?  How can we model this 'ministry of reconciliation' (2 Cor 5:11-21) in our homes so that we can increase our non-anxious presence?  Listen and find out!  

This week we continued discussing the Rupture and Repair Cycle with a focus on marriage.  As you listen to this episode, keep in mind the diagram and the weekly check-in questions you can find here - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1e2MSeQU6dxnchMF-K9YaHMCd-m5KXwaIQOJYSu-wNRQ/edit?usp=sharing

Throughout the episode, Andie shares how a deep understanding of the Rupture and Repair Cycle can be a great help to improving healthy communication in your marriage and gaining a non-anxious presence in your home.  However, there are times when a marriage is so broken and sin has become so normalized that a couple needs third-party help.  Toward the end of the episode, Andie shares some resources that may be helpful in determining the difference between a disappointing marriage and a truly destructive marriage.  The books she recommends are:

• Is it Abuse?  A Biblical Guide for Identifying Domestic Abuse and Helping Victims by Darby Strictland
• A Biblical Counselor's Approach to Marital Abuse: Roadmap to Reunification by Julie Ganschow & Bill Schlacks
• The Emotionally Destructive Marriage by Leslie Vernic

In any relationship, misunderstandings, hurt feelings, or disagreements happen which lead to a "rupture" in the connection.  The ability to recognize and respond to this rupture is the key to maintaining a non-anxious presence in our homes.  In this episode, Andie introduces us to the seven steps of this cycle and gives a high-level overview that she will build upon in this four-part series as we apply the rupture and repair cycle in our relationships with our children, spouses, extended family, and friends. 

Here is the diagram that is referred to in this episode.  We encourage you to screenshot it and save it to your phone.  You can also print it and hang it in places in your home where you may need the reminder when a rupture occurs.  

As Christmas approaches, as believers, it is important that we understand the meaning and origins behind some of the traditions we celebrate.  In this episode, Andie digs into some of the myths of the pagan origins of Christmas, the history of the practice of the Twelve Days of Christmas, and offers a free gift for your family!

Here is the link to the article that explains how the early church fathers attempted to calculate the date of the birth of Christ -  https://www.touchstonemag.com/archives/article.php?id=16-10-012-v


Link to Free Gift Here:  "The Twelve Days of Christmas Study.pdf" for your review.
https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:VA6C2:e978a080-4cce-4bc0-8433-8d465f29d1b0

In this episode, Andie shares five ideas that you can apply to your family as you enter the Advent season.  These traditions will enrich and encourage you to lift your eyes to the gift of the incarnation and the hope of the second coming of Christ. 

Summary of ideas shared:
1. Advent story read-aloud at meal times - Jotham's Journey by Arnold Ytreeide available at Amazon (and other books in the series) 
2. Independent reading time by the Christmas tree
3. Advent Christmas Book Countdown Basket
4. Letters to Jesus Binder - Wrapped in a gift box and placed under the tree to write letters each Christmas Eve
5. Advent Prophesy Boxes - Get a large Christmas gift box at Hobby Lobby and twelve smaller boxes that fit inside.  Print out the scriptures below and find a correlating object to represent the fulfilled prophesy to open each night on the days leading up to Christmas. 

12 Prophecies About the Life of Jesus for Advent Prophesy Boxes

1. The Messiah would be preceded by a messenger
Old Testament (Isaiah 40:3) says:
A voice of one calling In the desert prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the wilderness a highway
for our God.
New Testament (Matthew 3:1-2) says:
In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the Desert of Judea, and saying, Repent, for the kingdom of
heaven is near.
Prophecy Box Ideas: Camel’s hair, small leather belt, plastic locust representing John the Baptist or a
small trumpet or voice magnifier representing a messenger

2. The Messiah would be born in Bethlehem
Old Testament (Micah 5:2) says:
But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me
one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.
New Testament (Matthew 2:1) says:
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod...
Prophecy Box Ideas: A small laminated map of where Bethlehem is.

3. The Messiah would come from the tribe of Judah
Old Testament (Genesis 49:10) says:
This passage talks about a ruler coming from the Tribe of Judah, one whose rule will be all-powerful: The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the rulers staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it
belongs and the obedience of the nations is his.
New Testament (Luke 3:23-34 and Matthew 1:1-16):
Here you'll find a list of Jesus' ancestors, going back to Judah, who was one of the 12 sons of Jacob. (Jacob's 12 sons were the fathers of the 12 Tribes of Israel).
Prophecy Box Ideas: Something representing the Tribe of Judah – a list of the tribes or lineage of Jesus

4. The Messiah would enter Jerusalem on a colt
Old Testament (Zechariah 9:9) says:
Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
New Testament (Luke 19:35-37) says:
They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. As he went along, people spread their
cloaks on the road. When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole
crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen
Prophecy Box Ideas: A small, plastic colt/horse

5. The Messiah would be betrayed by a friend
Old Testament (Psalms 41:9) says:
Even my close friend, whom I trusted, he who shared my bread, has lifted up his heel against me.
New Testament (Matthew 26:47-50) says:
While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived. With him was a large crowd armed with swords
and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the elders of the people. Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with
them: The one I kiss is the man; arrest

Do you ever feel like your dopamine system is broken?  Do activities and pleasures that used to bring you joy feel less satisfying?  It may be time for a dopamine reset.  
A dopamine reset is designed to regain control over cheap forms of dopamine through compulsive behavior. By doing this, you can experience a deeper happiness and satisfaction.  The main goal is to learn to see healthy dopamine highs and avoid unhealthy stimuli that cause dopamine crashes.  Learning to pursue healthy dopamine highs through well-timed deprivation can increase your reward sensitivity and happiness.  Listen to learn how!

*NOTE - The episodes in this series are designed to be shared with others so we have removed the lengthy introduction.  Feel free to send to your husband, a friend, or a struggling teen you may know! 

Most people would agree that pain is not pleasant.  We often do almost anything we can to avoid pain for ourselves and our children.  However, what if pushing the pain button actually allowed us to experience more pleasure in life?  Our dopamine system always seeks equilibrium, so the more we are willing to feel pain, the easier pleasure will come.  Listen to this episode to change your mindset on pain and find ways to learn to be willing to 'push the pain button' and teach your children to as well!  

*NOTE - The episodes in this series are designed to be shared with others so we have removed the lengthy introduction.  Feel free to send to your husband, a friend, or a struggling teen you may know! 

Have you ever considered the concept of dopamine stewardship?  Our pleasure system is a tremendous gift from our creator, but it can also be significantly abused, much like any gift.  Good stewardship of our dopamine system means accepting both sides of the system - both pain and pleasure.  As you look around society today, there are countless ways that people attempt to hijack the system with supernatural stimuli by pushing the pleasure button through social media, gaming, porn, binge-watching shows, etc.  This episode explores the ways we can resist the temptation to misuse our dopamine system and truly steward this gift of pleasure well. 

 *NOTE - The episodes in this series are designed to be shared with others so we have removed the lengthy introduction.  Feel free to send to your husband, a friend, or a struggling teen you may know! 

How much do you know about the effects dopamine has on your everyday life?  Did you know you were built on purpose with a very sophisticated system that regulates both pain and pleasure?  Do you struggle with anxiety or depression that might be related to a misuse of your dopamine system?  This is the first episode of a four-part series that will help you learn how to hack your reward system and increase the pleasure and joy you experience daily.  

*NOTE - The episodes in this series are designed to be shared with others so we have removed the lengthy introduction.  Feel free to send to your husband, a friend, or a struggling teen you may know!