Welcome to the first episode of 2023! This podcast is called Gospel Tech because we parent in a tech world, from the hope of the Gospel. Today we walk that out!

Today we'll talk about hope, and how the Gospel gives us a reason for today and a purpose for tomorrow. In today's episode we discuss how the Gospel changes how we parents our kids with tech, how we look at ourselves, and the way we handle tough circumstances that may even be out of our control.

Show Notes: https://bit.ly/3jLpowa

What better way to celebrate 2022 than listen to the most popular episode of the year? I dug into the data and found that htis episode, #137, is the most listened to of all this year's productions. Maybe we'll have to talk some more video game content in the new year!

Episode #137 Description:
Video games can feel overwhelming for parents. How do we know if video games are a good idea? Which games should we pick? Today we answer these questions and give all parents a firm-foundation with which to love their children and make intentional tech choices when it comes to video games.

Resources mentioned:
Episode #133: What to do when your child asks for new tech:
https://www.gospeltech.net/133-back-to-school-3-what-to-do-when-your-child-asks-for-new-tech/

ESRB for game reviews: https://www.esrb.org
Watch the game for yourself: http://youtube.com
A wonderful example of story in games done well: The Bastion character video. https://youtu.be/to8yh83jlXg

Show Notes: https://bit.ly/3PMs48q

Advent means Arrival, and in this season of Christmas we celebrate Christmas and the arrival of the Christ child.

Yet as Christians we really celebrate three advents: The arrival of the Messiah, the Holy Spirit, and the glorified King.

Today we’re taking a look at the incredible joy, hope, and reverence that should accompany our celebration of Christmas this year; that there are really three advents at hand, and they each matter very much for how we live out our daily, and tech, lives.

Show Notes: https://bit.ly/3G33rB7

Some verses to read for your Advent this year:

1. Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:18-23 (a virgin and Joseph's doubt)
2. Micah 5:2-5, Matthew 2:1-6 (a savior and the magi)
3. Matthew 4:12-17, Isaiah 9:1-7 (I like reading the NT account first—I feel it adds beauty and emphasis to the Isaiah passage)

How can we have fun at the pace of real life?

Video games are fun, movies are festive, but at some point we need a break. Our brains, hearts, and lungs need some space to breath. We need some Analog Adventures.

Three things to keep in mind:
1. “I’m bored” is really asking for a reset back to the pace of real life. 😵‍💫
2. Keep activities wonder-focused. Fun should never be a punishment. 🤗
3. Fun doesn’t have to mean expensive.

Today we discuss a few adventure ideas, how to make them work for your family, and give some options that even the Scrooge's out there will enjoy.

Show Notes: https://bit.ly/3hlcQdT

Resources:
.Amazing puzzles: Buffalo Games (on Amazon, 300pc, $13)
.Craft: Diamond Art
.Tag: Make a marshmallow shooter, or go with this laser tag set
.Game: Sushi Go ($7 at the time of this recording)
.Bake: My favorite pie book (The Perfect Pie), for kids Raddish is great!

That board game list (because I can’t resist):

• ages 3-4: Animal Upon Animal (Hadley loves it!), Hoot Owl Hoot, Memory (Hadley prefers Pete the Cat)
• ages 5-7: Sleeping Queens, Outfoxed, Labyrinth (our kiddos love the Pokemon version!)
• ages 8-10: Sushi Go, Carcassonne, Clank!
• ages 11-12: Wingspan, Dixit, Kingsburg, Imperial Assault
• ages 13+: Superfight, Edge of the Empire Tabletop RPG, Lord of the Rings LCG
• Party Games: Anomia, Codenames, Mad Gab

The Trampoline! It's sold out now, but it will come back. It goes on sale for $250 including shipping.

What’s your plan for tech when family comes to town?

There’s a good chance someone in your life, maybe even someone you’ll see for Christmas, has a different tech standard than you and your family. So what can you do?

First, make sure you’ve listened to last week’s episode about making tech safe at home! 🤗

Remember that you’re not scared of tech: Your boundaries come from hope for your kiddos. You want them to become all they are made to be!

So ask:
is it safe (Drool Tech, Browser, App, Accountable)
does it mean family expectations (Phil. 4:8 - content)
does it line up with my child’s purpose and potential (Gal. 5:22—the fruit)

Then, take these three steps to ensure tech is a benefit for all this season:

1. Be open. Bring up your concern, your expectations for your child, and ask for suggestions on how it could be handled.

2. Be gracious. focus on the problems, not the people: We don’t let our kids play games (at all, very long, rated T or higher…)

3. Be focused. your experience, and solutions.

Show Notes: https://bit.ly/3UAkZc3

Christmas is officially on the way, so how do we ensure that our tech at home is safe and maximize the opportunity for fun, sharing, and engagement? In today's conversation we'll discuss how to build a hedge around our tech, create clear expectations, and be present in tech to ensure we use it in hope and for God's glory and our good.

Show Notes: http://bit.ly/3VBwfFS

Christmas is an amazing time to remember the gifts God has given us: His only son and the Holy Spirit (Lk. 11:11). As parents we get a chance to show our children a bit of what it means to give good gifts, and today we're going to talk about how. Today we address:

1. A great way to think about gift purchasing
2. How to assess new tech for your family
3. Ten analog adventure gifts for Christmas!

Resources:
.Check out our new partner: Gabb Wireless! (gabbwireless.com/promo/GOSPELTECH). Use this link to get a free phone with a 2-year contract and $20 towards accessories.

As we head towards Thanksgiving, lets take this opportunity to call out these areas in our lives that steal our Thankfulness:
Control
Anxiety
Distraction

And let’s combat them in Christ with the tools we’re given:
Draw close to God
Stay connected to the vine
Check the fruit


Timeline:
0:00: Intro
2:10: Thank You

5:30: What deters our thankfulness?
6:30: Control
15:30: Anxiety
17:30: Distraction

21:30: Solution #1: Draw Close (James 4:4,8)
26:00: Stay Connected (John 15:4-5)
29:00: Check the fruit (Galatians 5:19-22)

Show Notes: http://bit.ly/3UVb69j

🎉🎧NEW PODCAST (Ep. 146) IS LIVE!🎙🎉

Wonder is critical when it comes to living as God calls us to live. Wonder helps us realize our place in creation, it re-establishes the pecking order of power, and it reminds us not only of God’s greatness but also of the loving, kind, and gentle Heavenly Father he is—one who gives good gifts.

In our digital age it feels like we live in an Age of Wonders, yet few of our technological advances cause us to look past the object itself towards a greater source.

In today’s conversation we’ll discuss the importance of wonder, how to experience in our digital age, and why wonder is so important as we experience Wonder that is truly rooted in the Gospel.

There are three ways to listen:
🔗 click the link in the profile
🎧 search Gospel Tech in your favorite streaming service (iTunes, Amazon, Spotify) ⭐️
🌎 copy this link into your browser: https://www.spreaker.com/user/14032757/interview-with-kristen-clark-girl-define

Today's verse: Psalm 139:14
“I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works;
my soul knows it very well.”


Timeline:
0:00: Overview
1:00: Thank you’s
1:40: Check out Lome! (withlome.com)

2:10: What is Wonder?
3:00: Wonder Part 1: Amazement
5:30: When amazement goes askew
7:45: Amazement in the Bible
11:30: Tech should bring true amazement

15:30: Wonder Part 2: Awe (/terror)
17:25: Awe in the Bible
22:35: Awe exposes us. They begged Jesus to leave.

26:00: The purpose of Wonder
27:00: Making Wonder #1
27:30: Making Wonder #2
28:00: Making Wonder #3

6:15: What motivates your ministry to women and young women?
7:50: What does comparison look like in the digital age?
11:25: What can we do to help our daughters with comparison?
15:00: How can parents begin conversations about self-image, beauty, and the digital world with our children?
21:15: What advice would you give to your 12-14 y/o self?
25:00: What are some positive social media accounts and follows for young women?
30:15: What other resources can our families utilize for these important conversations?

37:00: Review & Closing


Resources to help your family use tech well:
.Lome: go to withlome.com to use Lome for free!

.Bark: A fantastic resource to help make the internet a more loving place for our kiddos. We’re such big fans of this resource that we’ve partnered with Bark: You can enter GospelTech10 at checkout for 10% off!

.Gryphon Internet Routers are running a sale! Check out gryphonconnect.com to help build your family's network hedge.

.Gabb Wireless: Takes the guess work out of giving your child a phone. Your child gets a phone: no internet, app store, image-texting, or backdoors. They get a GPS, a quality camera, and the freedom to enjoy these formative childhood years.

Show Notes: https://bit.ly/3hhiVYt




#parenting #parentoutside #internetsafety #gaming #socialmedia #streaming #tiktok #instagram #snapchat #parentingishard #parenting #raisingkids #gospel #LoveGod #usetech

Hope can be hard to come by in a digital world. We are surrounded by bad news, inundated with people doing better than us, and constantly teased with promises of a better life if we only play that game, watch that show, use that product.

When we talk to our children about technology, and parent them in a tech world, we need to remember that hope means having a reason for today and a purpose for tomorrow. As Christians we find that in Christ, and it influences the shows we watch, apps we use, games we play, and tech we use as a family.

Today's conversation revolves around three reasons for hope that I want every child to hear from a caring adult:
1. Little choices matter (and that's a good thing)
2. Everyone has a purpose
3. It's never too late to be great


Timeline:
0:00: Hope Intro
1:45: Thank Yous
4:00: Healthy Tech Partner — Lome! (withLome.com)

4:30: The Hope Talk, preface =)
7:20: Hope (not shame)

10:40: Little choices matter
17:00: Everyone has potential
22:20: It’s never too late to be great (making a mistake doesn’t make you a mistake)
30:00: Student #1, grades
35:00: Student #2, mental health

38:50: Final Thought: Hope isn’t a better version of you, it’s becoming more like Christ.
43:00: Closing



Show Notes: https://bit.ly/3DiyUNi