Smiling at the Future

Biblical counselor Marie Clark shares from God’s word and her own personal experience on how to keep Christ at the center of your home by answering the following questions: What are the priorities a woman should focus on to keep Christ magnified in the home? What can we do if burdens from our past create fear for our future? How can we temper our desire to have a beautiful home without becoming materialistic? How can we successfully accept and blend family cultures when we get married? And what are the daily habits you and your family have built in to keep Christ at the center of your home?

Website: smilingatthefuturepodcast.com

Email: [email protected] 

Support The Podcast: ⁠⁠https://donorbox.org/smiling-at-2024

Wife and Mom of 6, Cathy Olewiler shares her experience of how developing a life purpose statement helped shape their family life and culture by answering the following questions: What are the rewards of setting a life purpose statement for your life? How would someone go about developing a purpose statement? How do you say “no” to good things and keep from getting sidetracked with side issues rather than the main thing? What do you do when you feel overcommitted? How can you encourage your husband to lead in creating a family purpose statement? 

Website: smilingatthefuturepodcast.com

Email: [email protected] 

Support The Podcast: ⁠⁠https://donorbox.org/smiling-at-2024

Author and biblical counselor Martha Peace shares practical wisdom on how to navigate PMS symptoms by answering the following questions: What is God doing in our hearts through PMS? When do overwhelming emotions cross the line from being simply physical symptoms into being sinful responses? How should we respond when God does not deliver us from a long-standing trial? Why is it essential to think and act rightly even when we don’t feel like it? 

Website: smilingatthefuturepodcast.com

Email: [email protected] 

Support The Podcast: ⁠⁠https://donorbox.org/smiling-at-2024

The common tendency to overthink can be overcome, and Taylor Jones provides helpful insight in this process by answering the following questions: What is "overthinking"? What are the fruits produced by mature thinking, and the negative fruit produced by overthinking? Is it possible to overthink the Christian life? How can we curb the tendency to overthink ourselves, and our relationships? And how do we move from being preoccupied with ourselves to worshiping Christ?

Website: smilingatthefuturepodcast.com

Email: [email protected] 

Support The Podcast: ⁠⁠https://donorbox.org/smiling-at-2024

Recommended Resources:

Biblicalcounseling.com

"Self Image" booklet by Lou Priollo

"When People are Big and God is Small" by Ed Welch

"Trusting God" by Jerry Bridges

Biblical counselor Marie Clark helps us understand the negative women in Proverbs so that we can avoid being characterized as lacking discretion, being contentious, bringing shame to our husband, tearing down our house with our own hands, or being an adulterous woman. 

Website: smilingatthefuturepodcast.com

Email: [email protected] 

Support The Podcast: ⁠⁠https://donorbox.org/smiling-at-2024

Sophie helps us understand how to guide our emotions in a way that pleases the Lord by answering the following questions: If a woman is emotionally stuck on a crush or previous relationship, why is it important that she actively address those longings? How can you be aware if your emotions after a relationship ends are healthy and normal or are sinful and idolatrous? When God has made it clear that a relationship is not moving forward, what steps can we take to accept God’s will and begin to move forward in our hearts? Is it ok to remove yourself from contexts where you will interact with the man? And how can we shift our focus from what we have lost or given up to excitement for the goodness and care of God and for what is to come? 

Website: smilingatthefuturepodcast.com

Email: [email protected] 

Support The Podcast: ⁠⁠https://donorbox.org/smiling-at-2024

Recommended Book: “Picking Up the Pieces”  with Lou Priollo 

Recommended Episodes: 

30.False Starts: Navigating Rejection and Breakups with Lynne Brown: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/30-false-starts-navigating-rejection-and-breakups/id1526155723?i=1000523786604

63. A Biblical Understanding of Food and Body Image with Sophie Southedon: 

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/63-a-biblical-understanding-of-food-and-body/id1526155723?i=1000587968859

57. Recovering from a Breakup: Hope in the Midst of Heartache with Liz Tittle: 

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/57-recovering-from-a-breakup-hope-in-the/id1526155723?i=1000578555277

Pastor John Tucker and his wife Jane share comfort for those who have walked the painful road of sexual abuse by tactfully answering the following questions: Of all kinds of sin in this world, why is sexual abuse so devastating to the victim? For someone who has been abused, how do they know if it is something they still need to work through with a biblical counselor? What are wrong ways people deal with shame, and what is God’s prescription for how to move forward to healing? How can someone move forward in hope and trust into a future relationship, not protecting what happened in the past in this future situation? For those who feel that they have “baggage” or are tarnished in some way, how can they place their identity in Christ instead of a past event? And if you’re the friend of someone who has walked through abuse, how can you effectively come alongside and help bear that burden with them? 

Website: smilingatthefuturepodcast.com

Email: [email protected] 

Support The Podcast: ⁠⁠https://donorbox.org/smiling-at-2024

Recommended Resources: 

“Treasure in the Ashes” by Maria Brookins 

“Trusting God” by Jerry Bridges

“God’s Battle Plan for the Mind” by David Saxton

“Making all Things New” by David Powlison 

“Instruments in the Redeemers Hands” by Paul David Tripp 

Pastor Jeremy Vuolo balances our mindset on play and recreation by answering the following questions: Does Scripture help us see play as a gift from God, or as a distraction to be minimized? What are helpful principles that can help Christians avoid falling into pitfalls in our approach to recreation? How would you encourage a Christian who may feel guilty about spending time not in work or specifically spiritual pursuits? And how can Christians be wise in selecting hobbies or recreation? 

Email: [email protected] 

Support The Podcast: ⁠⁠https://donorbox.org/smiling-at-2024

Returning guest Chris Hamilton brings helpful clarity to questions couples may have during engagement such as: What are the contents and benefits of premarital counseling? What are the different topics that should be discussed during an engagement stage as opposed to the dating phase? What advice would you give a couple considering elopement? How should a couple navigate “cold feet” if one or both experience this during engagement? What are appropriate reasons to break off an engagement? Can physical boundaries change during engagement? And how can a couple keep their priorities straight during the excitement and busyness of engagement? 

Email: [email protected] 

Support The Podcast: ⁠⁠https://donorbox.org/smiling-at-2024

Biblical counselor Dr. Ernie Baker shares insights on how couples can grow in relational and communication skills by answering the following questions: What are God-honoring motives for pursuing growth in these two areas? What is the difference between character qualities and relational skills? What are the core areas of communication we need to put intentional effort into improving? What counsel would you give a couple who have different communication styles? What are the common ways that couples stumble regarding conflict resolution? 

Website: smilingatthefuturepodcast.com 

Email: [email protected] 

Support The Podcast: ⁠⁠https://donorbox.org/smiling-at-2024

Recommended Resources: 

“Marry Wisely Marry Well” by Dr. Ernie Baker

“Help! I’m in a Conflict” booklet by Ernie Baker 

“Peacemaking for Families” by Ken Sande 

“Marriage Maintenance and Minefield Management” article by Ernie Baker: https://www.biblicalcounselingcoalition.org/2021/04/26/marriage-maintenance-and-minefield-management/