The Well

Mark Gregston, Wayne Shepherd and Courtney LaFleur unpack why gratitude can be difficult for teens, especially during the holidays when entitlement and cultural pressure rise. They explain that real thankfulness grows over time through modeling, conversations, boundaries, and opportunities to work and give. Building a thankful heart takes patience, but it strengthens teens and prepares them for adulthood.

Have a question about raising your teen? Ask Mark at markgregston.com

Parenting Today's Teens is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To find practical and spiritual advice to help you grow into the parent you want to be, visit parentingtodayteens.org. 

Comedian and podcast host Sherri Lynn and her mama, Ms. Bev, swap raw and hilarious stories from Sherri's latest book, Holy Ghost Mama. They dish on the Holy Spirit's power through poverty, parenting, rebellion, and undeserved compassion in rough moments. From near disasters to divine rescues, they prove faith still works in the mess. Laugh, cry, and remember: tough love and Jesus can raise a miracle anywhere—even in chaos.

Show Notes and Resources

• Find Sherri's book, Holy Ghost Mama: 21 Old School Lessons That Saved My Life, on her website.

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The rise of Friendsgiving celebrations, plus the real story behind Thanksgiving, and navigating grief during the holidays.     

Featured musical artist: Darlene Zschech 

Roundtable: Thanksgiving With Friends

For people who either can’t or won’t celebrate Thanksgiving with family, the trend of “Friendsgiving” is here. We interview three single young adults who’ve hosted and participated in Friendsgiving celebrations. They’ll provide tips for how to invite and include people, divvy up the food, plan activities around the meal, and keep thankfulness at the center.       

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Culture: What Really Happened at the First Thanksgiving?

Pilgrims, Squanto, turkey, corn, big hats and a New World: We think we know the details of the first Thanksgiving, but what’s fact and what’s fiction? Thankfully, Bill Petro has done all the research so we don’t have to. He’ll share what led up to the historic feast, who participated, what it meant, and why it matters in 2025. We’ll also discuss the commercialization of Thanksgiving and some of the more modern applications and traditions.  

 They Came for Freedom: The Forgotten, Epic Adventure of the Pilgrims    

Visit Bill Petro’s Blog

Inbox: Grief at the Holidays

Whether you’ve experienced a recent loss or not, the holidays are a trigger for grief and other big emotions. Using the example of his father’s recent death, counselor Geremy Keeton weighs in on how to process feelings of intense sadness. 

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More people complain about headaches than any other health condition. About 45 million people suffer from them each year. The major causes? Stress and lack of sleep, among others. There’s a lot on our minds. Many people feel overwhelmed much of the time. But today on A NEW BEGINNING, Pastor Greg Laurie helps us chart a new path. He’ll talk about the giants we face . . . those forces that seem bigger than we are. We’ll learn today how to stand against them in the power of God.

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Become a Harvest Partner today and join us in knowing God and making Him known through media and large-scale evangelism, our mission of over 30 years.

Explore more resources from Pastor Greg Laurie, including daily devotionals and blogs, designed to answer your spiritual questions and equip you to walk closely with Christ.

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Jay Milbrandt shares his research about the Pilgrims’ journey from England to North America as they fled religious persecution. As a descendant of two early immigrants on the Mayflower, Milbrandt was curious about what the true story was behind their ocean voyage. He describes the harsh conditions that the Pilgrims and Puritans endured, as they barely survived the first couple of years, with the help of an Indian named Squanto and the native Wampanoag tribe, explaining how festivals in Plymouth, Massachusetts became connected to our modern-day Thanksgiving. He also shares about the significance of the Mayflower Compact, which in some ways laid a foundation for the U.S. Constitution.    

Receive Jay Milbrandt's book They Came for Freedom for your donation of any amount! And when you give today, your support will be DOUBLED to Give Families Hope!

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Is it possible to actually be “good” AND “mad”? According to scripture there are times when the right thing to do is get angry. In this message, Chip persuades us that it's possible to know when anger is the best option.

Introduction: How to be good and mad

• Anger is a channel to maximize your potential in Christ.
• God’s agenda for your life is for you to trust Him.
• What’s at stake – God gave you this gift of anger to transform your life to make you like Christ.

I. God commands us to express our anger. -Ephesians 4:26a

II. God commands us to express our anger appropriately. -Ephesians 4:26b

III. Righteous Indignation: How God Used Anger

• Jesus was visibly angry. -Mark 3
• Jesus was verbally angry. -Matthew 23
• Jesus was physically angry. -Mark 11

IV. God commands us to resolve our anger before bedtime. -Ephesians 4:26c-27

• Anger Resolution = “Healing the Wound” so good things can happen.

Step #1 – Cleanse the wound -Ephesians 4:31

• How? CONFESS and REPENT of unresolved anger!

Step #2 – Treat the wound -Ephesians 4:32

• How? Extend FORGIVENESS and seek RECONCILIATION! As far as it depends on you!

Step #3 – Bandage the wound -Ephesians 5:1-2

• How? Put the PAST behind you!

Broadcast Resource

• Overcoming Emotions that Destroy Resources
• Message Notes

Additional Resource Mentions

• Overcoming Emotions that Destroy Small Group Offer

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For God so loved the world that He gave. Christmas is a time of giving, and it began more than two thousand years ago with God’s greatest gift to us, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Today, Ron begins his teaching series, “The Gifts of Christmas,” an in-depth look at four of the greatest gifts God offers all those who come to faith in Christ.