We all know that anxiety can take a big toll on the person who is personally suffering from it. But what we don’t talk about as often is how anxiety can take a toll on a marriage. The truth is, this challenging mental condition can often cause fear, exhaustion, and a sense of isolation that leaves both spouses wondering how to support one another or stay connected.

If you and your spouse are navigating anxiety, this conversation with Dr. Michelle Bengtson offers encouragement and practical wisdom.

Dr. Bengtson is a clinical neuropsychologist who understands anxiety both professionally and personally. She has endured anxiety and depression herself, and her book, Breaking Anxiety’s Grip: How to Reclaim the Peace God Promises, became an unexpected guide during her own season of fearful thoughts as she and her husband faced cancer and all the accompanying unknowns.

In this episode, Dr. Bengtson shares both clinical insight and spiritual wisdom to help couples navigate anxiety’s impact on their relationship. While anxiety can feel lonely and overwhelming for both partners, there is hope.

In this episode, Dr. Bengtson shares:

• How couples can draw closer to one another, even in the midst of anxiety
• Why presence matters more than perfection
• How to prevent compassion fatigue and caregiver burnout
• And much more!

We hope you enjoy this conversation!

Show Notes: growinghometogether.com/michelle-bengtson-124

*In this episode, we talk about abortion, pregnancy reduction, potential loss of an unborn baby, and infertility. If you have an aversion or are sensitive to any of these topics, we recommend skipping this episode.

How do we approach God with this?
Has my view of God changed because of this hardship?
Can I still trust God? Will I trust Him?
If this doesn’t go well, will I resent Him?

These are all questions that Mauricio and Christin Rosa faced when they received the news of a crisis in their pregnancy and learned that they were at risk of losing their unborn son. When doctors advised them to consider a “reduction” in their twin pregnancy, their hearts broke for their child and the hardships he would have to endure if he survived. But they held steadfast to their belief and trusted God with the outcome.

This story touches our hearts deeply, and we are so grateful that Mauricio and Christin were kind enough to share it with us personally on the The Growing Home Together Podcast. This courageous couple is here to encourage us and to speak about how that difficult season of life impacted their faith. Christin is a teacher, author, prayer leader, and pro-life advocate. She has written a powerful new book called Saving Nate: Choosing Life after a Devastating Prenatal Diagnosis.

In this episode, Mauricio and Christin share:

• The importance of guarding your heart against bitterness
• Encouragement for the “deep valleys” of life
• How to go to God with your worries
• And much more!

We hope you enjoy this conversation!

Show Notes: growinghometogether.com/mauricio-christin-rosa-123

As we settle into the heart of winter, the world outside our windows carries an unmistakable chill. Unfortunately, during this time of the year, many couples can start to feel like matters inside their household are growing cold, too. Did you know that January is also known as “divorce month” because a surge of separations occur around this time?

If this resonates with you, you may have felt the tension intensify in your relationship this past holiday season. Perhaps you felt miles apart from your spouse, and you are losing the hope or motivation to try to find your way back to one another again. If you are in a place of hurt or discouragement today, this episode is for you!

Our guest knows a thing or two about navigating the frigid seasons a marriage can encounter. Lindsey Maestas is a relationship expert, writer, speaker, and the creator of The Wife Project, an incredibly popular course that has impacted thousands of marriages. She is also the author of the amazing new book, Don’t Burn Your Own House Down, which guides readers on how to build a marriage that lasts.

In this episode, Lindsey shares:

• How the little moments can make a BIG difference
• Steps you can take today to restore your marriage
• How “tech interference” can create division
• And much more!

We hope you enjoy this conversation!

Show Notes: growinghometogether.com/lindsey-maestas-122

Technology is moving faster and faster every day. As parents, one of our biggest yet most challenging responsibilities is to safeguard our children. But these days, it can often feel like technology is outpacing our efforts. Just when we think we have online safety figured out, another threat comes knocking at our door.

You may have even considered whether it’s best to simply block your child from technology altogether. However, it’s important to remember that our children are going to have access to technology eventually. As parents, we have a powerful opportunity to guide them in using it wisely—helping them benefit from its advantages while steering clear of pitfalls that could lead them down a dangerous path.

In recent years, we’ve found ourselves relearning how to navigate the digital landscape as we educate and protect our teenage son. Technology has changed so much since we raised our older children, and this season has required fresh awareness and intention. That’s why we’re thankful for organizations like Protect Young Eyes, which is dedicated to helping families create safer digital spaces. We’re so happy that its founder, Chris McKenna, could join us for today’s conversation.

In this episode, Chris shares:

• Tips and tools to help protect our kids
• Why AI may stunt our kids’ development
• The importance of introducing the right tech at the right time
• And much more!

We hope you enjoy this conversation!

Show Notes: growinghometogether.com/chris-mckenna-121

It wasn’t too many months ago that I (Joanna) decided to give up on coloring my hair to cover up all the grey. But you want to know something funny? When I look in the mirror, I sometimes laugh to myself and wonder: How many of these grey hairs are from the stress of parenting our youngest daughter as a toddler? She was fearless, and one of her favorite phrases was, “I do it myself!”

We know we are not the only ones who have experienced a battle of wills with our children. Today, you may be feeling the constant push-and-pull with your child; your days might feel tired and stressful, and it’s becoming harder and harder to feel joy in your parenting.

If you’re craving some peace and guidance in your home today, we are happy to introduce our guest, Beth Read. Beth is a mom of four who loves coming alongside other parents to remind them that God’s grace shows up in the messiest, hardest moments. Beth is also the founder of HeartWriters and the creator of Fruit of the Family, a fun, activity-based resource to help you disciple your children and bond as a family.

In this episode, Beth shares:

• Characteristics of many strong-willed children
• What to do when you feel like you are failing as a parent
• The Seven C’s for relating better to your child
• And much more!

We hope you enjoy this conversation!

Show Notes: growinghometogether.com/beth-read-120

“But I don’t want to try that!” How many times have you heard this cry ring out whenever your child is faced with something new? Whether it be a new sport, trying to learn an instrument, or simply taking a bite of an unfamiliar food on their plate, our children can often resist new things—even if we know that they’ll eventually be grateful that they pushed through their anxious hesitations.

We want to be the type of moms and dads who help our kids grow in confidence. But it can be a challenge to know how to best support them. When should we push them to branch out or to stick with something they’ve committed to, and when should we give them grace and time to adjust to the thought of something new? We are so happy to welcome Valerie Ellis back to the show to help us answer these questions.

Valerie is the mom of two boys, and she is navigating parenthood with her husband every day. She’s the author of multiple books for kids, including Let’s Go! Bible Adventures and her exciting new project, Wild Faith Devotional for Kids. Valerie is a speaker and the founder of Our Everyday Parables, an online resource that offers parents ideas for pursuing faith and compassion.

In this episode, Valerie shares:

• Reasons our children may struggle to step into something new
• Ways to help our children shift their mindset
• How to model confidence, bravery, and even failure
• How to help our kids cope with the anxiety they feel in their mind and body
• And much more!

We hope you enjoy this conversation!

Show Notes: growinghometogether.com/valerie-ellis-119

Do you ever struggle to bridge the gap between your hearts in your marriage? Does deep connection feel always out of reach?

Whether in your marriage, your relationship with your kids, or even with an old friend, many of us can feel at a loss for how to express our care and empathy for the people we love.

And when we’re overwhelmed or hurting, we end up hiding the pain we feel inside. We settle for shallow relationships because we’re afraid to be truly vulnerable with another person.

The good news is, we can strengthen our empathy and ability to connect—and it all begins with seeing the depth of God’s care and understanding for us. But it doesn’t happen overnight. This is something that takes mindful, intentional work to develop.

Our guests, Bill and Kristi Gaultiere, are here to help. Bill and Kristi have been counseling and ministering for 30 years. Together, they founded Soul Shepherding, a nonprofit ministry that helps believers discover their next steps toward emotional health, loving relationships, and intimacy with Jesus.

In this episode, Bill and Kristi share:

• The four A’s of empathy
• Bible-based empathy practices to affirm that you are deeply loved by Jesus
• Ways to grow in self-empathy and calm emotional triggers
• And much more!

We hope you enjoy this conversation!

Show Notes: growinghometogether.com/bill-kristi-gaultiere-118

Years ago, when our oldest son was just a toddler, I (Joanna) was deep in the trenches as a stay-at-home mom. I had become engrossed in motherhood, and my world had shrunk to diaper changes and late-night wakings. I could not imagine the world beyond our front door.

While motherhood is absolutely a priceless gift from God, it’s important to remember that before we are mothers, we are daughters of the King. Even through the challenges of parenting, He is still inviting us to live out our full calling. Sometimes, what we initially think of as limitations on our lives turn out to be the very things that qualify us for what God is calling us to do next.

Helping us explore the challenges and callings of motherhood is Jessica Hurlbut. She’s a wife, author, speaker, pastor, and the mom to five kids. She’s also the host of The Full Spectrum Parent, a podcast serving parents of autistic children.

In this episode, Jessica shares:

• How God can shift our perspective in this season of life
• Lessons she has learned through her children’s autism diagnoses
• Encouragement to see beyond our current limitations
• And much more!

We hope you enjoy this conversation!

Show Notes: growinghometogether.com/jessica-hurlbut-117

If you’re married, you don’t need us to tell you that understanding your personalities is key—because the differences between you and your spouse can sometimes collide. In our marriage, we experienced this recently when a concert was coming to our town.

What sounded like a fun date night to one of us sounded like a miserable night to the other. In the end, we each walked away feeling a little misunderstood and frustrated. The truth is, mismatched expectations and preferences affect every couple when they share life together. And if they aren’t addressed in a healthy way, they have the potential to drive a wedge further and further between us.

This is why taking the time to learn your spouse’s personality is so important to growing a close and supportive relationship, and our guest for this conversation, Linda Goldfarb, is here to show us how.

Linda is an author, speaker, certified personality trainer, life coach, and the co-founder of the LINKED® Personality System. She is passionate about helping individuals discover their God-designed personalities.

In this episode, Linda shares:

• Each personality type and its motivations
• How our differences bring value and personal growth
• Advice on approaching our personalities with the intent to encourage
• And much more!

We hope you enjoy this conversation!

Show Notes: growinghometogether.com/linda-goldfarb-116

Of our five children, the oldest and the youngest are both boys—with a 17-year age gap between them! They’ve shown us that boys are a bit different to raise than girls, since they both seemed to thrive chaos, dirt, and taking big risks along the way.

But time and time again, we’ve recognized that our oldest son’s childhood looked much different from our youngest son’s. Our oldest grew up near dead-end roads and open fields where he could bike and explore all day with his friends. In comparison, our youngest has grown up in city neighborhoods where he’s had to stick closer to home.

With our second son, it can sometimes feel like we are learning how to parent for the very first time. Yet, for every challenge we encounter, we also know that boys all across the world (and their parents) are navigating the same obstacles. We find ourselves asking, “Is today’s culture of screens, schedules, and constant supervision what’s best for our sons?”

Our guest for this conversation has asked herself this same question. Rebekah Lovell is an author, speaker, and homeschool mom of two wild and noble boys. After homeschooling for a decade, she recognized the power of family culture and how it can help boys thrive by giving them an understanding of how they were wired.

In this episode, Rebekah shares:

• The unique way boys are wired
• How to encourage our sons toward leadership and independence
• Some of the best activities you can use to engage with how your son was created
• And much more!

Enjoy!

Show Notes: growinghometogether.com/rebekah-lovell-115