“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

The great thing about birthdays is that they encourage us to pause and reflect on everything that has brought us to this point in life. Recently, Joanna celebrated her birthday, but coming soon is an even more important celebration—her spiritual birthday. This is the day that she accepted Christ as her Savior and committed to living for him.

As we remember our new birth in Jesus, we’re reminded of the many ways God uses the people around us to strengthen our faith. In marriage especially, a husband and wife can play a powerful role in nurturing one another’s walk with Christ.

However, we often hear from couples who find themselves in a difficult season—one spouse is growing in their faith while the other seems to be drifting further from God. In these situations, the spouse who is struggling may not feel comfortable praying together, may hesitate to get involved in church, or may simply prefer to keep their spiritual life private and unspoken.

We know this dynamic can be incredibly hard on both spouses in a marriage. That’s why, in this special episode, we want to take some time to encourage you and let you know how you can help your spouse move closer to God.

In this conversation, we share:

• The importance of listening first
• How we should respond to an unrepentant or resistant spouse
• Ways to encourage and strengthen our spouse’s walk with the Lord
• And more!

We hope this conversation brings you encouragement and gives you practical ways to help your spouse discover the love of God in their life.

Show Notes: growinghometogether.com/spouse-faith-grow-114

The longer you share life with your spouse, the more you can struggle with frustrations and disappointments that chip away at your love. Through the years, we’ve heard from many couples who sincerely love one another but struggle to like each other or feel satisfied in their marriage anymore.

Every couple goes through seasons of feeling hurt or let down. They begin to pull apart. Joy fades. They lose hope that they’ll ever get what they want from their spouse. Bitterness creeps in, hardening hearts and crushing hope for tomorrow.

Does it feel like arguments are frequent, but moments of closeness are few and far between? Is it difficult to cherish your spouse for who they are? Do you feel lonely, misunderstood, or ready to give up on your marriage? Our guest is here to help us discover how to get rid of bitterness and love one another with the love of Jesus.

You may recognize him from The 5 Love Languages® series. Gary Chapman is an author, speaker, and counselor. He’s the director of Marriage and Family Life Consultants. Gary has a passion for people and helping them form lasting relationships.

Gary shares with us:

• The three questions to start asking your spouse
• Why you should negotiate your differences
• The power of loving your spouse with a godly love
• And more!

We hope you enjoy this conversation!

Show Notes: growinghometogether.com/gary-chapman-113

Three and a half years ago, we stepped into a whole new world with the birth of our first grandchild. Everyone told us that this new chapter would be full of joy, laughter, and love for this tiny person. And they weren’t wrong!

Still, we had no idea just how amazing grandparenting would be, and soon we were dropping everything for the chance to see him and make memories together. Today, we are the grandparents of three little ones (and another one on the way) and we love to spoil them like crazy.

But we also know that being a grandparent is about so much more than the fun, silly moments—we are called to a special role that is very significant in their lives. Our latest guest, Larry McCall, knows this responsibility well. He is a pastor, author of the book Grandparenting With Grace, and the grandfather of six kids. Larry has a passion to equip followers of Christ to have an impact on their grandchildren’s lives both now and for eternity.

In this episode, Larry shares:

• Our biblical call as grandparents
• Ways to cultivate a close relationship with grandchildren
• The importance of respecting boundaries
• And much more!

Christian grandparenting resources are such a blessing—but sometimes, it can feel like they are few and far between. That’s why we are so grateful for this conversation, and we hope it serves as an inspiration and encouragement on your grandparenting journey. Enjoy!

Show Notes: growinghometogether.com/larry-mccall-112

One of the hardest moments I (Joanna) can remember as a mom is when our six-year-old daughter refused, to the point of tears, to wear her blue pants with a butterfly on the pocket. Thinking she was just being stubborn, I refused to back down—and it wasn’t until two hours later that I finally gave up on trying to convince her.

Well, a few months later, I learned that our daughter has a significant sensory processing disorder. Those pants that I was so determined for her to wear were actually causing her very real physical pain. In my determination to prove my authority, I was not just hurting my daughter’s spirit, but her body as well.

This is just one of countless examples I could give of how we can parent with the best intentions but still make mistakes. When this happens, shame can wash over us, polarizing our relationships and overwhelming us with despair. If you are struggling with guilt and shame today, I am so happy to be able to introduce you to this episode’s guest, Jodi Jackson Tucker.

Jodi is a biological, foster, and adoptive mother to eight children with her husband, Jerry. She is a sought-after speaker, ministry leader, and the author of Healing for Every Heart in Adoption. Jodi knows what it’s like to battle and overcome feelings of guilt or thoughts that she is simply not enough.

In this episode, Jodi shares:

• How false beliefs can shake our confidence
• The role of prayer in our parenting
• A mom’s truest job description
• And much more!

Mom guilt is something every woman will experience at some point in her parenting journey. I hope Jodi’s insights will encourage and help you navigate those feelings. Enjoy!

Show Notes: growinghometogether.com/jodi-jackson-tucker-111

Do you have a dog who panics on a trip to the vet or groomer? It can be quite an ordeal! It’s something we experienced recently with our Bernedoodle, Jovy, on grooming day. While the perceived threat wasn’t real, her reaction to it could have put her (and Joanna!) in real danger.

We can sometimes react just like Jovy as we interact with our spouse. Something that seems simple on the surface can trigger instant feelings of stress and anxiety. Our bodies go into overdrive. And in our fight to feel secure with our spouse, we only push them further away.

These painful patterns can occur in any relationship—not just marriages—and when they do, we can end up on a trajectory that causes even more pain and frustration. That’s why we are so grateful to have Ron and Nan Deal joining us for a conversation about how emotional reactions can hurt instead of help our relationships.

Ron is a bestselling author, licensed marriage & family therapist, podcaster, and popular conference speaker who conducts marriage and family seminars and professional trainings. Nan has a degree in Early Childhood Education and taught in schools for over 25 years. She is a leader with a local Re-Generation ministry and, together with Ron, leads a support group for parents who have lost a child.

Together, Ron and Nan are co-authors of The Mindful Marriage: Create Your Best Relationship Through Understanding and Managing Yourself.

In this episode, Ron and Nan share:

• The four reactive coping styles
• Practical steps to uncover your painful patterns
• The role regulation plays in the equation
• And much more!

This is such a rich conversation about how we can resolve the patterns of the past and find healing in our relationships. Enjoy!

Show Notes: growinghometogether.com/ron-nan-deal-110