Let's Parent on Purpose: Christian Marriage, Parenting, and Discipleship
385 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 1 month ago - ★★★★★ - 136 ratingsA weekly podcast designed to strengthen your marriage, parenting, and personal relationship with Jesus. Let's Parent on Purpose 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 www.ChristianParenting.org
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Episodes
LPOP 86 Your Spouse's Greatest Need
September 10, 2018 03:00 - 19 minutes - 18.3 MBEvery spouse has specific ways they best give and receive love. Additionally, depending on circumstances and the season of life, you’ll find that certain felt needs rise to the top and seem to overshadow all of their current met needs. Learn how you can recognize and meet your spouse’s greatest need. Resources mentioned in this podcast: His Needs Her Needs by Willard F. Harley Jr. The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman
LPOP 85 Celebrate Failure!
September 04, 2018 13:31 - 19 minutes - 17.9 MBFailure is a natural part of a child’s life. They way we respond to their failures (and ours) will steer them towards egomania, paralyzing fear, or optimistic self confidence. Today I’ll share how we can produce resilient optimists by celebrating the lessons learned through failure.
LPOP 84 Should I Hate Common Core?
August 27, 2018 05:00 - 35 minutes - 32.1 MBMy good friend (and top 5 finisher for the Florida State Teacher of the Year) Patrick Farley joins me again for a very helpful explanation of philosophy and methods behind Common Core. As a parent, I’ve mostly been frustrated with my inability to help my 4th grader do math homework. As a Christian, I’ve heard concerns that Common Core is designed to destroy my children’s moral foundation. Patrick helps walk me through the truth and the hyperbole. If you have friends that are educators, I...
LPOP 83 One Year After Chemo
August 20, 2018 05:00 - 29 minutes - 26.8 MBOne year, one week, and one day ago we celebrated my son’s last dose of chemo. On this week’s podcast I share the essay I wrote for that occasion, as well as thoughts from a dad with one full year of no treatment and no relapse under our belt. Here’s my original essay: We are done with chemo, and I’m a little bit afraid. As of today, we are done with all chemo treatment. I can’t believe I’m actually writing this. On April 14, 2014, our family’s world was turned upside down when we w...
LPOP 82 Transitioning into the School Year
August 13, 2018 20:24 - 31 minutes - 29 MBThis is not the podcast you were expecting. Rather than talk about bedtime routines or homework strategies, I’m joined by Patrick Farley, who placed in the top 5 in the Florida State Teacher of the Year awards for 2018. We talk strategies for helping you establish solid communication and rapport with your child’s teacher. Listen and share with others to learn how to communicate concerns, resolve conflicts, and get the best out of your parent-teacher-student relationship. Patrick Farley ...
LPOP 81 Beware of this Joy Killer
August 06, 2018 13:06 - 29 minutes - 26.8 MBThere’s one thing that can rob you of your joy no matter what’s going on in your life. You can live in a house on the beach with a million dollars in the bank, yet be absolutely miserable. This Joy Killer is a cancer to the soul and a destroyer of relationships. Listen to today’s podcast to find out what it is and what you can do about it.
LPOP 80 Two Ways to Get People to Like You
July 30, 2018 05:00 - 29 minutes - 26.8 MBI know, this sounds like the most manipulative, self-help title I can imagine. But the principles are totally Biblical. Going a little further in my reading of Dale Carnegie’s classic How to Win Friends and Influence People, I was shocked to realize that Carnegie’s strategy for getting people to like you is simply a practical working out of God’s command to us in Philippians 2:3-4 Philippians 2:3–4 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significan...
LPOP 79 How to win hearts and influence your family
July 24, 2018 13:16 - 29 minutes - 26.8 MBI recently found a copy of Dale Carnegie’s classic How to Win Friends and Influence People in the bargain rack at my local bookstore. Honestly I had very low expectations. And I was very wrong. The book is largely an exposition of the Golden Rule – “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” As I’ve worked through the chapters I realize that the principles given in this book, if applied, would absolutely change the tone of relationships in our homes. It’s not about manipulatio...
LPOP 78 Choosing a Church for your Family
July 16, 2018 16:41 - 29 minutes - 26.8 MBYour church family can inspire your household towards deeper faith in Christ and years of meaningful service. It can also sow doubts about Jesus, hurt your marriage, and stir seeds that lead your children to abandon the faith. On today’s podcast I talk about choosing a healthy church for your family. If you’re already happily nestled in the church of your dreams, I want to encourage you to listen because this is still going to be really important for you to hear. But if you find yourself ...
LPOP 77 Self-care AFTER a Crisis
July 07, 2018 14:00 - 27 minutes - 25.2 MBHave you ever been driving along and experienced an accident, or even a near-miss accident? Things happen so fast, your body essentially takes over before your mind knows what’s going on. Do you remember how you felt in the moments after you got through the event? As your brain begins to comprehend what happened, your adrenaline is still pumping, and suddenly your emotions catch up with the reality of what could have happened. The event might only last for seconds, but the emotional rec...
LPOP 76 Self-care in the Midst of Crisis
July 02, 2018 10:45 - 27 minutes - 25.2 MBWe all go through significant times of crisis in our lives. For some it’s in response to a major event, for others it can be a drawn out season of chronic challenges. On today’s podcast I want to share some perspectives on self-care while going through crisis. As a parent or a spouse, you might find yourself dealing with the fallout of traumatic events in your loved one’s life. Some of these things might be short seasons or events, the others might be chronic. But in either case, as you...
LPOP 75 Questions to Ask Before Dating
June 24, 2018 14:00 - 30 minutes - 27.8 MBI received a question about dating recently in an “Ask Anything” session with my teenagers at church. In this podcast, I review the set of questions I gave the group to ask themselves before getting into a relationship (which, by the way, should not be until late in their teenage years at the earliest). Whether you’re a teen or an adult, if you’re considering entering a dating relationship, you should be able to give thoughtful answers to these questions. For an in depth analysis of each...
LPOP 74 Identifying and Avoiding Toxic Relationships
June 17, 2018 14:00 - 22 minutes - 20.4 MBIn a recent “ask anything” segment with my teenagers, I was asked “how do I removed myself from toxic relationships without being the bad guy?” This excellent question assumes that we know a toxic relationship when we see one. Unfortunately, that’s not always true. We discovered principles from six verses in Proverbs 20 that gave us clues on the types of people to avoid: The Manipulator Unequal weights and unequal measures are both alike an abomination to the Lord. Proverbs 20:10...
LPOP 73 Parenting Children with Sensory Processing Disorder Part 2
June 10, 2018 14:00 - 36 minutes - 33.5 MBOccupational therapist Diane Corson from the Florida Elks Children’s Therapy Services provides very practical strategies to help children with Sensory Processing Disorder cope at home and in public. Although these tools are specifically designed to help SPD children, many of them can be employed with great benefit to your other children as well!
LPOP 72 Parenting Children with Sensory Processing Disorder Part 1
June 03, 2018 14:00 - 32 minutes - 29.9 MBDiane Corson, an Occupational Therapist with the Florida Elks Children’s Therapy Services, joins me for two fascinating podcast as we look into the world of children with sensory processing disorder. As promised, here are Diane’s notes from our talks. Be sure to check out LPOP 71 and LPOP 72 for our two part discussion. Even if you don’t have children with sensory processing disorder, 1) you know someone who does (I do!) and 2) some of these same strategies will be a blessing in any home! ...
Base Hits and Home Runs
May 27, 2018 14:00 - 21 minutes - 19.3 MBHome runs are few and far between in parenting. But MASSIVE change can take place if you just keep making contact. This week’s podcast gives you tips on how to make best use of the natural times of contact in your home: Morning routine, drive times, meal times, and bedtime.
LPOP 70 Setting Small Goals for the Summer
May 20, 2018 13:00 - 21 minutes - 19.2 MBPeople vastly overestimate what they can do in the short-term, but vastly underestimate what can be accomplished over the long-term. This week’s podcast gives tips and ideas on how to set small goals with your kids this summer that can redeem some of that free time and start them on long-term pathways to accomplish big things. Set SMART Goals! Specific Measurable Attainable Realistic Timely Here’s a link that goes into smart goals in detail.
LPOP 69 Parenting is a Marathon, Not a Sprint
May 13, 2018 14:00 - 26 minutes - 23.9 MBI’m revisiting my very first Let’s Parent on Purpose topic ever, and I need to remember this perspective just as much today. 12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right...
LPOP 68 Developing Systems and Structure With Your Kids
May 06, 2018 16:00 - 24 minutes - 22.1 MBYour systems are perfectly suited to give you the life that you now have. Your children’s routines are perfectly suited to give you the current level of chaos or order that you’re currently experiencing. All of us have routines with our children. Some of those routines weren’t designed, they just happened. And most of the ones that just happen put the extra burden on mom and dad. On this week’s Let’s Parent on Purpose Podcast I talk with my good friend Sheila Hoadley, who is one of the ...
LPOP 67 Don't lie to your kids about Jesus
May 01, 2018 17:27 - 24 minutes - 22.6 MBWhat happens when we tell our children that Jesus will fix all of their problems? How do we damage their faith by not preparing them for adversity? This week we talk about the danger of presenting the gospel as a tool for life enhancement rather than salvation from our sin.
LPOP 66 A Devotional for Parents: Little by Little
April 22, 2018 14:00 - 22 minutes - 21 MBWe want God to transform all of the frustrating things in our family and lives in an instant. But Scripture shows that God is in the habit of driving out enemies from the Promised Land little by little.
LPOP 65 How To Teach Contentment
April 15, 2018 14:00 - 17 minutes - 15.9 MBA parent recently asked me to address the topic of contentment with children. That’s the source of this week’s podcast. Listen to hear my thoughts. I’ll give you a hint: it’s not going to come by giving them everything they want! Listen and share with any of your friends who might be struggling with the same issue. I talk about how we can Create perspective Take responsibility for others Live more by having less The good news for moms and dads – the steps to encourage contentment ...
LPOP 64 How to Help High Drama Kids
April 09, 2018 03:00 - 17 minutes - 15.9 MBSome kids are miraculous makers of mountains out of molehills. It can be incredibly frustrating as a parent. In my podcast this week I share how to create some emotional resiliency using a tool called a Drama-meter. I learned about the Drama Meter from a book I highly recommend by Sissy Goff, David Thomas, and Melissa Trevathan called Are My Kids on Track. You should definitely pick up a copy. Listen to the podcast and let me know how the Drama Meter works for your family! And if you l...
LPOP 63 An Easter Devotional For Parents
March 31, 2018 08:00 - 16 minutes - 14.7 MB29 Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” John 20:29 ESV As a dad who has never seen, but still believes, here’s how I feel blessed and hopeful as a parent: Easter is the celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus. The resurrection is the validation of everything Jesus said and did: It means that His teachings aren’t just sound advice, they are commands with a supernatural power behind them. It mean...
LPOP 62 Parenting Special Needs Kids
March 25, 2018 18:10 - 24 minutes - 22.8 MBThis might be more confessional than instructional, but here are my thoughts as the parent of two different special needs kids. I was asked to do a podcast giving advice to parents of special needs kids, that went something beyond “cut yourself some slack”. After spending 20 minutes talking about my own experiences, maybe I can can offer double the wisdom: You are not alone. Cut yourself some slack. If you’re a special needs parent, or friends with someone who is, I pray this podcas...
LPOP 61 Talking to your children about sex
March 18, 2018 16:00 - 29 minutes - 27 MBThis guest post is from my friend Willow Sander of Protect the Heart Ministries, in conjunction with our podcast discussion on “Talking to your children about sex”. “Hey, it’s time to talk!” Funny how that phrase does not startle us as parents as much as this one: However, eventually the time will come. Unfortunately, in our fast-paced culture the need for that “talk” will come sooner than most of us would like. We do not have to dread it though. Honestly most of us probably have dre...
LPOP 60 Protecting your children in a sexualized society
March 11, 2018 16:00 - 29 minutes - 26.8 MBThank you Willow Sanders of Protect the Heart Ministries for joining me for a fantastic discussion of safeguards and protections we parents can instill for our children. Below is an incredibly helpful guest post by Willow that goes along with our discussion. Eyes, Ears, Hearts and Souls I don’t know, in my head the preschool song “Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes” came to mind as I searched for how to slap a title on this. And realistically THOSE are just the areas we are charged with s...
LPOP 59 Honor and Exasperation: A devotional for parents
March 05, 2018 05:00 - 18 minutes - 16.9 MBChildren, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), 3 “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” 4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. Ephesians 6:1-4 This is one of the most basic, foundational passage in the Bible for parent/child relationships. But basic doesn’t mean simple. Check out this w...
LPOP 58 Choosing to Cheat
February 26, 2018 04:00 - 19 minutes - 17.9 MBEveryone wants your 100% best. But it’s impossible for everyone to get your 100% best. During a time in my life when my family was suffering because of my inability to set appropriate boundaries in work, a wise friend recommended this book to me: When Work and Family Collide (by Andy Stanley) made an incredibly complex subject very clear to me. I want to give my best to everyone, but the truth is that I’m replaceable in nearly every context. But not in my home. In the grand scheme, o...
LPOP 57 Great Sexpectations
February 19, 2018 17:00 - 25 minutes - 22.9 MBI have a question for those who think that sex is primarily a physical act: why have you never heard of someone going to a counselor for years after smashing their thumb with a hammer? I’ve done that before. I’ve also smashed a finger in a barn door, and it was one of the most intensely painful experiences of my life. But aside from having a silly story to tell and being extra carful around the hinges of doors, I’ve really never looked back. One single, violating sexual act, however, ...
LPOP 56 Identity - Different By Design
February 11, 2018 03:00 - 20 minutes - 18.6 MBIf I can think of one word to describe the culture we live in, it’s “Confused”. Gender identity might be the battle that gets the biggest headlines, but it’s not like the vast majority of males and females are killing it. I believe that a paper understanding of our identity is key to stability, resiliency, purpose, and meaning. A misunderstanding of identity leads to confusion, anxiety, and… basically the United States in 2017. On this week’s podcast I share a model for understanding o...
LPOP 55 Teaching your kids to think different
February 04, 2018 16:05 - 9 minutes - 8.39 MBI want to share with you two simple object lessons you can use with your kids encourage them to think different. And yes, I know it’s “think differently”. But Apple made a bazillion dollars off of it’s “think different” ad campaign, so I’m sticking with it. Anyway, we know that we live in a culture that is continually pressuring kids to conform to patterns of destruction, all in the name of “not conforming.” Here’s a simple little illustration i did with the teens in our church, using...
LPOP 54 Choosing your battles
January 29, 2018 04:00 - 20 minutes - 18.5 MBIn case you haven’t notices, your children typically have multiple character issues that need addressing. Also, in case you haven’t noticed, they usually don’t appreciate when you address those issues. They especially don’t like when you bring up multiple issues all at once. In that way, they’re like the rest of us humans. But unlike the rest of humanity, children often have no sense of urgency in developing character habits, responsibility or personal industry. Inside the safety of th...
LPOP 53 Jesus modeled how to disciple our children
January 22, 2018 01:00 - 28 minutes - 25.9 MBHave you ever longed to be in a great discipleship relationship, where you get to mentor someone and watch them grow into a fully devoted follower of Jesus? Are you in one of those relationships now? If you don’t think you are, let me encourage you to go back home and take a peak in your extra bedrooms at the little people who eat all of your food. You’ve got your disciples. Now, how are you going to disciple them? Jesus modeled a very clear, understandable way to make and train disc...
LPOP 52 What youth pastors wish they could tell parents
January 15, 2018 01:00 - 23 minutes - 21.7 MBI had a recent conversation with one of my good friends and partners in local youth ministry, Crisman Koechig. It was fun for me and I think it will be helpful for you to listen. We hit these important topics, and you should really listen in! What are the commonalities you see in families who’s children actually spiritually thrive? What kind of families are most challenging for kids to thrive spiritually? Should you force your kid to come to church or youth/kids ministry? What level...
LPOP 51 A New Year's Parent Pep Talk
January 08, 2018 01:00 - 21 minutes - 19.3 MBWe are one week into 2018. Have you radically changed your life yet? Me neither. I’ve mostly been trying to convince my body that I’m not still in India. I love mornings. But I don’t love 2AM. Many people love New Year’s Resolutions, and others just as passionately hate them. I mostly stay away from the “resolution” word because it feels like as soon as theirs failure, there’s despair and giving up. Anything really worth “resolving” at the front of the year should be worth sticking ...
Depression and Anxiety in Parenting and Mariage
December 18, 2017 05:00 - 32 minutes - 29.4 MBHelplessness. Hopelessness. Darkness. Lethargy. Racing thoughts. Why am I feeling this way? My good friend Jenny Price joins me again this week for a very honest and helpful talk on anxiety and depression. Jenny is 26 years into her marriage and is raising 5 children with her husband, Pastor Matt Price. She gives a very open, honest account of her personal struggle with anxiety and depression over the years. It’s almost an absolute certainty that you either struggle with anxiety ...
LPOP 49 Depression and Anxiety in Marriage and Parenting
December 18, 2017 01:00Pastor’s wife, mother of five, follower of Jesus Jenny Price shares her struggles and wisdom from a life battling forms of depression and anxiety.
LPOP 48 Looking Back: A College Mom’s Perspective
December 11, 2017 01:00 - 23 minutes - 21.7 MBMother of 5, career coach, and pastor’s wife Jenny Price muses on what she would tell her early parenting self if she had a time machine.
LPOP 47 Matching Behavior and Consequence
December 04, 2017 04:49 - 25 minutes - 23.2 MBProfessional Counselor and adoptive father Bradley McCallester joins me again to talk about strategies for using mistakes to train desired behaviors.
LPOP 46 Behavior Should Make us Curious
November 27, 2017 04:59 - 30 minutes - 28.3 MBProfessional Counselor and adoptive father Bradley McCallester joins me to talk about strategies for using mistakes to train desired behaviors.
LPOP 45 Relatives + Holidays = Why do we do this?
November 20, 2017 13:05 - 21 minutes - 19.3 MBWhen families come together for the Holidays, sometimes it’s a clash of worldview and parenting styles. Here are some steps to ease the pain.
LPOP 44 Should I Withhold Church As a Consequence?
November 15, 2017 10:58 - 21 minutes - 19.3 MBThis is a sticky subject: should you keep your children home from church as a consequence for bad grades or behavior?
LPOP 43 The Parent-Child Love Bank
November 06, 2017 04:49 - 19 minutes - 17.5 MBHere are strategies you can use to invest in your child emotionally, making behavior and conflict resolution much easier.
LPOP 42 The Love Bank
November 02, 2017 18:21 - 20 minutes - 19.1 MBInvesting in your spouse will keep your marriage from going bankrupt!
LPOP 41 Messy Families
October 23, 2017 04:49 - 19 minutes - 17.8 MBIf you think your family is a mess, you’re in good company. Most families in the Bible were the definition of dysfunction!
LPOP 40 Technology Slaves
October 16, 2017 00:12 - 19 minutes - 17.8 MBWhat happens when all of the devices that were supposed to make life easer make living harder? Technology Slaves Be honest, are you in control of the technology in your home, or does it control you? I recently read a book by Andy Crouch called the The Tech-Wise Family. I was anticipating a guide warning me about the dangers of this website or that ap. Instead I got a soul-convicting call to lead my family out of the slavery of the “Everything Everywhere Always” culture. I highly re...
LPOP 39 The Grief Monster
October 09, 2017 04:59 - 16 minutes - 14.8 MBTragedy and loss are going to come. Here’s what your soul needs in order to heal.
LPOP 38 Gritty Parents
October 02, 2017 04:59 - 21 minutes - 19.8 MBHow do we develop long term passion and perseverance in our kids?
LPOP 37 Conflict Without Catastrophe
September 25, 2017 04:59 - 18 minutes - 17.2 MBThese are really helpful tips for navigating conflict in your marriage AND parenting without starting a war.