Best Christianparenting Podcasts (2024)

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Episode 61 How do I laugh (when I want to cry)? with Molly Stillman 40:46

5h ago40:46

40:46

My family is on vacation this week, and in honor of family trips gone wrong, here’s a little summer travel excerpt from Life is Messy, God is Good: I appreciate how Home Alone completely lowered the bar on family travel expectations after the parents left Kevin at home TWICE. Not to mention that biblically speaking, Jesus’ parents lost Him for more…

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A Prayer for Christ-Like Friends 4:52

7h ago4:52

4:52

A prayer based on Luke 5:18-19. There were several times during my college years that I questioned my faith and wondered if God was real. During an especially hard time when my parents were separated, I wondered, “Why do I hurt so bad if God loves me so much?” Instead of answering that question directly, God spoke to me through my friends. How has …

1
252. Bringing God's Miracles to Life for Kids 34:07

5h ago34:07

34:07

Welcome back to the kitchen table. This week, Bethany is joined by Gabe and Andrea Olson, the authors of The Big God Books series. As parents, we often turn to books as learning tools for life moments, helping our children gain a deeper understanding of the world. Books can teach kids about complex concepts without them having to experience everyth…

1
A Prayer to Know Real Love 5:56

1h ago5:56

5:56

A prayer based on 1 John 4:11. But as I look back, I recognize that moments pass very quickly. It's made me look back on the years we have had with my daughter in our home. All the years, and there have been many, and all the good times, and there have been many of those too, play through my mind and I wish I could slow time down. Since I can't, I'…

1
A Prayer to Trust God's Timing 5:55

3h ago5:55

5:55

A prayer based on Psalm 30:5. I often feel guilty about my need to fight, struggle, and strive to believe God when what I can see seems to contradict his truth. I have felt like I should be further along than I really am in my faith journey, and wonder if it lets God down that I'm not. I want to be one of those devoted women of God who says earnest…

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A Prayer for Trusted Friends 4:42

2h ago4:42

4:42

A prayer based on Daniel 2:17-18. This morning I received an email from a friend asking for prayer. Her husband was getting ready to meet with another man for breakfast who was struggling in some pretty big ways…a difficult marriage, lost job, and major car wreck that totaled his only vehicle the night before. Stressed beyond his ability to cope, t…

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A Prayer for Clean Hands and Pure Hearts 4:11

7h ago4:11

4:11

A prayer based on Psalm 24:3-4. It seems like such a tall order–clean hands and a pure heart. Knowing we are dust, how can we have clean hands and a pure heart, and how can we encourage our children toward such a lofty goal? Today’s verse doesn't stop with the requirement but tells us how to approach the kind of purity that makes our lives a living…

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Episode 60 Sidetracked with Makayla Noble : Cynthia and Heather 38:00

2d ago38:00

38:00

This week we have a fun show as Heather and I continue surprising each other with guests on Sidetracked. I was in charge of our guest today and I’m so excited for you to hear our conversation with Makayla Noble. If you don’t know Makayla, here’s a little background: On September 20, 2021, Makayla Noble, a world-champion cheerleader, suffered an inj…

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A Prayer for Rejoicing 4:31

9h ago4:31

4:31

A prayer based on Ecclesiastes 11:5. Certainly, the physical world has many God-given pleasures; gifts to be counted like sunshine on soap bubbles, my child's laughter, and the wind rushing by as I swing with him on the playground. God gives us all things to richly enjoy, yet a life consumed for self doesn't count for much in the end. Is our focus …

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251. Finding Peace in Motherhood: Overcoming Anger with Natalie Hixson 48:37

2h ago48:37

48:37

Welcome back to the kitchen table. Bethany sits down with Natalie Hixson, who shares her powerful testimony about her struggles and triumphs with anger in motherhood. Natalie's story is incredibly relatable, reflecting a silent battle many mothers face. Together, Natalie and Bethany offer hope and guidance, encouraging mothers to turn to God during…

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Episode 229: How to Stay Healthy When Counseling Others 45:25

1h ago45:25

45:25

Calling all therapists, both emerging and seasoned, this episode is for you! Today Terra and Dr. Michelle discuss what they have discovered about themselves as experienced clinicians and share what they feel is important for therapists to know as you learn and grow and step into your authentic self in your career. Dr. Michelle is a tenured professo…

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A Prayer for Proclaiming Jesus 4:39

11h ago4:39

4:39

A prayer based on Mark 5:20. Around the time of my 50th birthday, I began to feel the need to study the word and find out specifically what God desires from me as an “older woman.” I'd raised two children and had been spending time with younger women for several years, but as my children were entering a season that took them away from our home more…

1
A Prayer for Deeper Confidence in God 4:22

3h ago4:22

4:22

A prayer based on Acts 14:21-22. In the movie Miracle on 34th St. the main character convinces herself to believe in Santa. Sitting in her bed, she says, “I believe, I believe…it’s silly, but I believe.” We often approach our Christian faith the same way. We simply close our eyes, tighten our fists, and chant, “I believe, I believe.” But faith isn'…

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A Prayer for Broken Friendships 4:25

1d ago4:25

4:25

A prayer based on Hebrews 12:14. When I was in my early 20s, I had a falling out with a friend I loved dearly. Things were said and done that were difficult to come back from, hard to take back. We were both in the wrong. Now, about five years later, I sat behind my computer screen knowing I had to reach out. Would she respond? Would she even talk …

1
A Prayer for Walking in Integrity 4:44

3d ago4:44

4:44

A prayer based on Proverbs 10:9. Our son has always been willing to take the dog outside to do her business, but recently we started noticing that the dog was having frequent accidents in the house. We asked our son if he was waiting for her to actually go when he took her out, and he responded with downcast eyes, “No, I don't want to wait for her …

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Episode 59 How do I find joy? With Jenna Griffith 34:19

3d ago34:19

34:19

I’ve been trying to slow down and enjoy the “moments” this summer with my family. It slips by so quickly if we aren’t careful, and that seems especially true now that we have one in college (and another one going away in a year). Tonight we played pickle ball and let’s be clear, my kids get their athletic ability from Mike. But we laughed, watched …

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A Prayer for Knowing Your Purpose 4:08

4d ago4:08

4:08

A prayer based on Luke 4:43. I am in a new season of life. Both of my children got married within a year of each other, and so I am having to learn a new way of living. My life once looked very much like yours does—a busy life that revolved around the needs of our family of four—but things have changed. My life now consists of quiet evenings at hom…

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250. Unraveling the Myth of Balance: Embracing Purposeful Presence with Sandra Stanley 35:20

3d ago35:20

35:20

Welcome back to the kitchen table. Bethany sits down with her good friend and mentor, Sandra Stanley, to begin a heartfelt conversation about understanding the myth of balance and accepting that, as mothers, we don’t have to do it all. Sandra shares her journey of living with purposeful presence during her seasons with her children and how she has …

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A Prayer to Live in Humility 4:51

5d ago4:51

4:51

A prayer based on Proverbs 11:2 It's hard to admit we need help. Coming to the end of ourselves humbles us. It goes against our self-reliant culture. We want to power, hustle, and fight our way through the hard things. We are proud—we've got this. And yet, sometimes it's not the big thing that humbles us, but the smallest How have you seen God humb…

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A Prayer for Growing in Christ 5:30

6d ago5:30

5:30

A prayer based on Psalm 119:97-98. Some of us treat God like we do our friends online. We read about him. We might pick up a key verse here and there. We may even listen to the preacher on Sunday, but we don’t have a personal relationship with him. Are you seeking God wholeheartedly, even amongst your busy schedule? How do you spend time with the L…

1
A Prayer for Counting the Cost 6:55

9d ago6:55

6:55

A prayer based on Matthew 26:31-35. Mai Sing was near death, in a septic state, after a 2 day journey to Memorial Christian Hospital. Staff fought to save this mother who came from an idol worshiping village, and during six weeks of recovery at the hospital, she and her husband decided to follow Jesus. The family would never be the same. They hunge…

1
A Prayer for Fearing the Lord 3:58

10d ago3:58

3:58

A prayer based on Proverbs 1:7. Should we fear the Lord? And how does that lead to knowledge and understanding? The type of fear this verse speaks of isn't what we feel for snakes, spiders, or even our worries coming true. It isn't the fear that cripples us, that nails us to the place where we stand, unable to speak. No, this type of fear is more l…

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Episode 58 How do I get through my child’s hard diagnosis? With Jessica Hurlbut 37:27

10d ago37:27

37:27

Happy 4th of July week! I’m hoping you have big plans with friends and family to celebrate our country’s Independence Day. I found a new homemade ice cream recipe this summer that’s super easy and has been a fan favorite. I’m linking it here in case you're feeling ambitious and want to give it a whirl. In continuing our “how do I series,” we have J…

1
A Prayer for True Worship 7:27

11d ago7:27

7:27

A prayer based on Ephesians 3:19. My prayers as a child were of the silent kind, the rote kind, the unbelieving kind. They dangled like the Jewish leaders’ tassels from their robes. They hung in the air, a long string of names of people I feared would go to hell. I was afraid of many things and this is why I got baptized in my father’s church, and …

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249. Resetting Our Hearts with Jesus 44:02

11d ago44:02

44:02

Welcome back to the kitchen table. In this episode, Bethany is joined by a wonderful friend, Joy Pitner, a remarkable woman and mother. Together, they challenge the common cultural belief that women and mothers need a glass of wine to unwind after a difficult day. Society often teaches us to look for comfort in all the wrong places, especially duri…

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Episode 228: Parenting On Phones and Social Media 53:29

16d ago53:29

53:29

What do we know to be true about digital devices and social media? Today we are talking as clinicians, executive coaches and parents about what the research is showing with regard to the impact that the digital world is having on us, our children and our teens. We are Jeff and Terra Mattson, a husband and wife team, and co-hosts of the Living Whole…

1
A Prayer for the Key to Joy 4:20

12d ago4:20

4:20

A prayer based on Matthew 25:21 All my boys grumbled as I called them downstairs. How dare I ask them to help sort the enormous pile of clean laundry? It wasn't like they had put the pile in the middle of the floor. Instead of forcing them to get moving or yelling at them, I reminded them that daddy put the laundry on the floor and was planning to …

1
A Prayer for Our Children to Find Wisdom 4:18

13d ago4:18

4:18

A prayer based on Proverbs 15:21-22 As my boys have gotten older, I've spent a lot of time talking to them about the kind of men they want to be when they grow up. I was blessed to be surrounded by good men as a young girl, men who loved their families hard, served others faithfully, and stood for something greater than themselves, men who sacrific…

1
A Prayer to Trust God 4:43

16d ago4:43

4:43

A prayer based on Daniel 3:16-17. King Nebuchadnezzar was in a furious rage when he asked Daniel's friends why they wouldn't worship his image of gold. They had the audacity to refuse to bow down and worship the statue made in the King's image. Did they not know who he was? Were they not aware that he had conquered their land and brought them into …

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A Prayer for Seeking Peace 4:51

17d ago4:51

4:51

A prayer based on Proverbs 20:3. The world around us rewards those who speak up, don't back down, go down swinging, and rise again. We can simply step into the ring of social media to contend for our opinions without even leaving our homes. Stand at the edge of a fight, and you'll hear the cheers of energy and exhilaration as onlookers enjoy the cl…

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Episode 57 How do I grieve well? with Abby Rike 41:19

17d ago41:19

41:19

“There’s no fast-tracking the grief process.” - Abby Rike My good friend Abby is with us today talking about grief and the many forms it takes. Grief is most often associated with death, but it’s also important to acknowledge the grief we face in the loss of a dream, relationships, health, and so much more. Abby reminds us that there is hope in the…

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Prayer to Live in God's Shelter 4:17

18d ago4:17

4:17

A prayer based on Psalm 27:5. The day of trouble is inevitable; For moms, it sometimes seems like every day has its own share of trouble. In fact, some days take the cake‑‑with trouble oozing out and running over! According to Psalm 91, if we dwell in God's presence, we will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. Not only is it geographically a safe p…

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248. Navigating Tantrums with Jesus’s Wisdom 37:00

19d ago37:00

37:00

This week, Bethany is applying the five pillars to address tantrums. She provides listeners with a framework to view these moments through a Gospel lens. Tune in as Bethany offers encouragement for both understanding and handling tantrums in your households. She emphasizes the importance of using all five pillars during these times. Bethany particu…

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A Prayer to Remember God's Grace 4:52

19d ago4:52

4:52

A prayer based on Psalm 86:15. We look at things, people and places for grace. We try to chase grace, we forget to embrace grace, and we think we can earn grace when all we really need to do is open our hands and receive it. Let the true grace that only God can give wash over our bodies and settle deep into our bones. But we often keep record of wh…

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A Prayer for Personal Godliness 4:42

20d ago4:42

4:42

A prayer based on 1 Timothy 6:11. The path to contentment is clearly blazed, Paul says, but the world places the signs all backwards. Thinking gain IS godliness, we follow our natural desires and feed unhealthy cravings. If we could do things our way… if we only had more money… if we had more obedient children… then we'd be content. It's always jus…

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A Prayer for Being Fully Devoted 5:04

23d ago5:04

5:04

A prayer based on Matthew 20:15-16. When Jesus invited people to follow him, his invitation wasn't an opportunity for advancement. In fact, it was quite the opposite. He wasn't offering a chance to become famous or to build a following, Jesus gave his followers a different challenge. His call was one to be last, to serve, to honor others ahead of t…

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A Prayer to Follow God Faithfully 4:37

24d ago4:37

4:37

A prayer based on Mark 1:17-18. What things in this world do you find comfort and security in? Maybe you look to a spouse or children for your sense of purpose. Or maybe you feel valuable or important because of your education or accomplishments. Perhaps you find feelings of security in your money or possessions. When Jesus says to us, “Come, follo…

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Episode 56 Special Edition of MESSmerized: Sidetracked with Beth McCord 49:33

24d ago49:33

49:33

I mentioned it last month, but as a little reminder, Heather MacFadyen of the Don’t Mom Alone podcast and I have a super fun show we do together called Sidetracked. As a part of this little venture, this summer we’ve decided to surprise each other with a guest and then release the episode on both of our shows. It’s been super fun so far, and we’d l…

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A Prayer to Trust God's Timing 3:31

25d ago3:31

3:31

A prayer based on Matthew 9:21-22. Faith itself does not heal. God does. Have you asked God to move in the hearts of your children, and been confused when He didn't? Has a "no," or, "not now," answer from God left you confused about what it means to have faith? If you've struggled to trust in God's timing for your children, listen to today's podcas…

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247. Transforming Motherhood: Becoming Legacy Changers 35:10

1M ago35:10

35:10

Welcome back to the kitchen table. Today Bethany welcomes listeners into a conversation that promises to resonate deeply with every parent. Bethany is thrilled to have Kristen Hallinan join her. They explore what it means to rewrite the narrative of our family legacies. Kristen begins by sharing her personal journey through a childhood marked by ch…

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Episode 227: Letting Go of Expectations 46:06

27d ago46:06

46:06

Are you a high-capacity female leader? Join our cohort here: https://www.livingwholehearted.com/womens-cohort-application The historical, societal and cultural pressures that women face to live their lives a certain way is palpable for many 20-30 year olds today. With 80% of our life's most defining moments happening before the age of 35, the press…

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A Prayer for Taking up Your Cross 5:05

26d ago5:05

5:05

A prayer based on Luke 14:27. We know what happened to Jesus on His cross. His entire life led up to that point—His death. Not only death, but because it was public and painful, the cross would also bring shame, sorrow, and suffering. Jesus knew this even before He came to earth. In Isaiah’s prophecy about Jesus in chapter 53, he wrote, “He was des…

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A Prayer for Living One Moment at a Time 4:24

27d ago4:24

4:24

A prayer based on Daniel 2:27-28. God has a plan. Our ignorance of the plan does not mean it doesn't exist. Only sometimes do we get glimpses of the master plan, but with great knowledge comes greater responsibility.God is God, and I am not, and there are good reasons to be in the dark about the plans. They might look scary and confusing to my huma…

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A Prayer for Finding Your Life 4:29

1M ago4:29

4:29

A prayer based on Matthew 10:39. Have you ever heard someone say, “I took a year off to find myself”? It seems like a noble goal, to find out who you truly are, to live your most authentic and best life. But what if this was actually the opposite of how God intended for you to live? What if, instead of finding your life, you're actually supposed to…

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A Prayer for Godly Influence 4:42

1M ago4:42

4:42

A prayer based on Matthew 5:14-16. Hosea was an Old Testament prophet whom God asked to marry a prostitute. Crazy, right? God literally required his prophet to marry someone who not only was already a prostitute when she came on the scene, but also continued to offer herself in exchange for favors after their marriage. It's unthinkable, really, tha…

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Episode 55 How do I save money? With Crystal Paine 39:05

1M ago39:05

39:05

Summer . . . I love you, but you’re chaotic and expensive. Kids . . . I love you, but you’re chaotic and expensive. Vacation . . . I love you, but you’re chaotic and expensive. Feel free to join in on my mindless chants of summer. I’m super excited about today’s show and talking about ways to save a little money. To be clear, I’m not talking about …

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A Prayer to Open God's Word 5:21

1M ago5:21

5:21

A prayer based on Matthew 13:15-16. As children we tend to be very open. When we get older, we learn to dull our ears and hearts, close our eyes, judge others and forget the precise, powerful teachings of Christ. We say all the right things we think God wants to hear, but we miss the simple things he wants us to know. There can be an erosion of fai…

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A Prayer for Being Committed to God's Word 5:06

1M ago5:06

5:06

A prayer based on Matthew 4:3-4. Do you struggle to find time in the Word? The Bible is so much more than a sentimental piece of memorabilia—it's the living and active Word of God. It's the place where we find God's revelation of himself to us, where we learn of his plans and purpose for us, and where we discover the depths of his love and sacrific…

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A Prayer for Words of Wisdom 4:42

1M ago4:42

4:42

A prayer based on Ecclesiastes 5:6-7. Our words should be framed with His Word, seasoned with scripture that points to God. The more we meditate upon God’s Word, the more it indwells us and flows over into our everyday speech and actions. Praying God’s Word helps focus us during prayer and reminds us of the One we’re spending time with. Praying the…

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A Prayer for True Strength 5:00

1M ago5:00

5:00

A prayer based on Psalm 18:19. Strength is easy to love. It doesn't take convincing to be awed by the power of the ocean, the forces of nature in a storm. We wonder at professional athletes with extreme physical prowess and cheer wildly at the growing strength of our own children on the court or on the playing field. But is this what true strength …

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