Kids & Family
**Crazy Cool Family**

Want home to be your favorite place in the world? Want to see siblings get along like best friends? Want to send your kid off to college with hope instead of fear? At Crazy Cool Family, we can help you answer all of those questions with a resounding “YES!”

We have one simple mission: To show parents how to create amazing families by building their lives around Jesus and helping their kids to do the same. In Matthew 22, Jesus tells us that what is most important in life is our relationship with God and our relationships with one another. We believe that families are our most important relationships and their strength will determine the strength of your family. You will Rethink the Way You Do Family when you see God’s incredible relational design for your families.

God wants a Crazy Cool Family for you and we want to help you get there!

Latest Episodes:

#218: Holy Spirit, Bring on the Fruit! Week 6: Kindness (feat. Maddox Manning) Aug 09, 2023

Show notes

Kindness is choosing to serve others with LOVE and MERCY.

Maddox, our 6th child joins us to talk about how love and mercy are connected to kindness. We unpack how God is kind - it is His nature. Because God is a good father, He is our example of how to be a thoughtful, loving, merciful, and kind parent. When we tap into his kindness towards us, it leads to relational intimacy.

The same is true for you and your family!

When we choose to walk with the Holy Spirit, we release kindness into our family.

Here are a few main takeaways for this episode:

Kindness is ultimately understanding and loving others right where they are
Kindness starts in our mind and is often a perspective shift from God
God's heart is kind, He has abundant kindness for us daily
Kindness is a doorway, judgment is a wall
Kindness destroys criticism (especially of self)

Maddox shares personal ways to be personally kind to your mind, heart, and journey. Suz shares how, as parents, we can show our family the kindness of God by walking daily with the Holy Spirit. This conversation is challenging and full of truth. Listen and share today!

Want MORE resources?

Join Basecamp Here!
Click here to watch the Culture Course in Basecamp
Other Resources!

#217: Holy Spirit, Bring on the Fruit! Week 5: Patience Jul 26, 2023

Show notes

The Fruit of the Spirit is something we HAVE because we are in step with the Holy Spirit...

That is what this series is all about! We are unpacking the fruit of PATIENCE today. All summer we have been learning to walk with the Holy Spirit. When we do, we will see His fruit in our lives.

Patience is waiting with JOY!

We created each definition with your kids in mind. The goal is for you to start saying them around your house and planting Holy Spirit fruit in your family's culture. Each definition is something we can remind them of throughout the day and helps us build culture in our home.

Romans 12:12 invites us to "be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer." God invites us to be patient amidst good AND BAD moments in life.

Psalm 37:7 says, "be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!"

Here are a few highlights from the podcast:

Fruits are linked and they work together for the good of our family.
Long term patience vs. short term patience - how do we operate in both?
Lacks of patience leads to "acts of the flesh" like we see in Galatians 5.

How do we personally walk in patience in every season?

Focus on God and His character
Remember your identity- you are the first example of God to your kids
It's not about the season, it's about recognizing the invitation to practice patience

Listen to the rest of the podcast to hear how to plant patience in your kids - it's worth the listen!

There is SO MUCH in this podcast! Listen to the full episode today and share it with a friend who is longing to learn how to have a culture of patience in their home. Keep listening and start walking with the Holy Spirit today, bring on the fruit!

Want MORE resources?

Join Basecamp Here!
Click here to watch the Culture Course in Basecamp
Other Resources!

#216: Holy Spirit, Bring on the Fruit! Week 4: Peace (Feat. Mollie Torres) Jul 12, 2023

Show notes

Is your home defined by PEACE or CHAOS?

Peace is resting in God’s control of everything. Mollie, our oldest daughter speaks into this definition in today's episode. Her insight into this fruit will inspire and challenge you.

“Because Jesus is inside of us – when our world is chaos- we are always at peace in God.” - Mollie

In Isaiah 26:3 says, “you will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast because they trust in you.”

When we receive the peace of God, it takes over our circumstances. The world we live in is CHAOS – which is the opposite of peace.

Here are a few main points of the podcast:

Peace is a person, His name is Jesus, and He can enter any chaos you are feeling
Ask and rest in the Holy Spirit when you feel chaos overtaking your family
When you feel “away from peace” it’s an opportunity to ask Holy Spirit to lead you
The God of peace surpasses any worldly experience or emotion you are experiencing

How do we carry God’s peace?

Recognize when you are not walking in it
Ask the Holy Spirit to wash over you with peace
Respond to your spouse, kids, or environment with peace instead of chaos.

When we experience God’s peace, it is a miracle. It is within you and recognizing the Holy Spirit is in us and working on our behalf. Jehovah Shalom is who we get to call upon when we need peace – He is the God of peace, and we have full access to it.

Want MORE resources?

Join Basecamp Here!
Click here to watch the Culture Course in Basecamp
Other Resources!

#215: Holy Spirit, Bring on the Fruit! Week 3: Joy (Feat. Madeline Jones) Jun 28, 2023

Show notes

What does it mean to "have joy?"

We are in the third episode of our new series. This week our 2nd daughter, Madeline, joins us to talk about living with JOY!

We are slowing down our rhythm and releasing episodes EVERY OTHER WEEK!

What is this series all about?

A word we received from God for 2023 is culture. Culture is one our ministry's main themes. It was highlighted to us at the end of 2022 and we are diving in with all we've got! If you feel like your family's culture is "off" then this series is for you. We are intentionally diving into Galatians 5 and learning how to live and walk by the Spirit.

JOY: Gladness despite circumstances.

Joy is a choice in many circumstances and comes from abiding in the father. Jesus said in Hebrews that for the joy set before him he endured the cross. We get to choose joy as we endure trails and circumstances in life. Don, Suz, and Madeline talk about finding joy in different seasons of parenting. No matter what circumstance you are faced with, having a joyful perspective is possible.

Joy is a gift from God to help lighten the burdens of life. He designed us to walk in joy. He wants us to walk with Him so He can give us daily joy – despite our circumstances. God is a good father and wants to release joy over your heart today.

If you need joy today, this podcast is for you!

Want MORE resources?

Join Basecamp Here!
Click here to watch the Culture Course in Basecamp
Other Resources!

#214: Holy Spirit, Bring on the Fruit! Week 2: Love (Feat. Macy Robinson) Jun 14, 2023

Show notes

Is your home filled with love?

We are in the second week of our FRUITS series and this week we are talking all about LOVE!

We are slowing down our rhythm and releasing episodes EVERY OTHER WEEK!

What is this series all about?

LOVE: Seeking the highest good of others.

Here are the main things we talk about:

What is love? What does God say about love?
Love is a fruit but is also a person - Jesus is love!
How do we partner with the Holy Spirit to bring God's love into our family?

Want MORE resources?

Join Basecamp Here!
Click here to watch the Culture Course in Basecamp
Other Resources!

#213: Holy Spirit, Bring on the Fruit! Week 1: Introduction May 31, 2023

Show notes

Holy Spirit, bring on the fruit!

We are kicking off a new podcast series this week! We are slowing down our rhythm and releasing episodes EVERY OTHER WEEK!

What is this series all about?

Here are the main things we will cover in this series:

Definition of each fruit (Crazy Cool Family Version)
How we live and walk with the Holy Spirit
How we can change the culture in our families by walking with the Holy Spirit

We believe this slower, simpler series will radically change your family and any family that decides to listen! Listen and send this to families you know who want to build a Kingdom culture this year!

Want MORE resources?

Join Basecamp Here!
Click here to watch the Culture Course in Basecamp
Other Resources!

#212: Family Culture Made Simple: Let's Wrap It Up! May 24, 2023

Show notes

It's the last week...

Our Family Culture Made Simple series is wrapping up today. What did you learn? How did you see your family change over the last 3-5 months?

This series was designed with your family in mind. In this episode, we unpack a few key reminders and practical ways to cultivate culture in your home. We encourage you to take what you learn into the summer and keep building life-giving culture in your family!

Do you remember the four culture pillars?

The 4 pillars of culture are:

The Power of Encouragement
Safe Haven
Relational Discipline
Unity

Each pillar is vital to a family’s culture and each episode focused on one pillar. Our hope was to simplify these four pillars and give you 4 declarations to go with them. Did you learn the pillars? Do you remember these statements:

How do we build culture in our family?

Encourage extravagantly and correct carefully
Become a listener
Move from parent control to self-control.
Celebrate differences and establish values

Want MORE resources?

Join Basecamp Here!
Click here to watch the Culture Course in Basecamp
Other Resources!

#211: Family Culture Made Simple: Building Unity with the Family Name (Feat. Mollie Torres) May 17, 2023

Show notes

How do you build a Family Name?

If you've been with us for a while, you know about this term, "Family Name." But for anyone new to the podcast or to our CRAZY COOL FAMILY, Mollie (our oldest daughter) joins us to unpack the concept again! Her take on family is unique and so insightful for families in all seasons.

If your family is having a hard time...

Connecting with each other...
Feeling unified...
Enjoying time with just family...
OR generally lacking vision...

THEN THIS PODCAST IS FOR YOU!

Listen as Mollie and Suz unpack how to build a family name AND how to get your kids to buy in! Culture starts when kids are young, but it is never too late to build new, life-giving culture in your family. We share practical ways for you to cultivate unity in your home by using your Family Name.

So, take 26 minutes out of your day (less if you listen at 2X speed) and invest in your family's culture by learning about the POWER of the Family Name!

Want MORE resources?

Join Basecamp Here!
Click here to watch the Culture Course in Basecamp
Other Resources!

#210: Family Culture Made Simple: Values Build Unity May 10, 2023

Show notes

How do you define UNITY?

Last week we talked about embracing the differences and uniqueness of each family member and how it helps build unity. Today we are talking about how family values are a great way to unite our family.

First, we define VALUES.
Second, we define UNITY.
Third, we share ways to determine your family's values and use them to build unity!

Here are a few questions we answer in today’s episode:

How did we decide what our family values are?
What are some things you value in your family?
What are values or things in your home that are keeping you from living in unity?

The bottom line is: UNITY IS NEXT LEVEL!

If you want to take your family to greater depths of joy, life, and unity – then this podcast is for you! If you know someone who needs to hear a podcast on unity – send this episode their way!

As always, check out all our resources on unity by signing up for Basecamp! Click the links below to get started today!

Want MORE resources?

Join Basecamp Here!
Click here to watch the Culture Course in Basecamp
Other Resources!

#209: Family Culture Made Simple: Unity is Unique! May 03, 2023

Show notes

Are you ready to take your family to the next level?

Unity is the fourth culture pillar, and it is NEXT LEVEL! If you can grasp this concept, your family will see breakthrough!

God values unity. He says so in his word:

Psalm 133:1 says, how good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!

What is unity?

Family unity is celebrating family uniqueness as we unite under family values.

Why is unity so important?

It allows you as a parent to multiply your efforts. You go from addition to multiplication. Instead of just working on family values, now your whole family is working on those values.

BOTTOM LINE: GOD LOVES UNITY!

“God says things WORK BEST in unity.”

God designed his creation to be unified.
God designed the body to be unified.
God designed marriage to be unified.

Unity does not mean everyone is the same, no way! UNITY EMBRACES UNIQUENESS. Unity is working to bring out the best in each person in your family.

Here are a few key points from the podcast:

Embracing the differences each of our kids bring to the family is powerful
Each of our kids are very similar in some ways- but are very different in many more ways
These differences open our eyes and hearts to be, do, and see things from new perspectives
What we value determines how we will live – so value unity!
Bringing unity in your home is key to having strong relationships

Want MORE resources?

Join Basecamp Here!
Click here to watch the Culture Course in Basecamp
Other Resources!

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Crazy Cool Family

Kindness is choosing to serve others with LOVE and MERCY.

Here are a few main takeaways for this episode:

Want MORE resources?

The Fruit of the Spirit is something we HAVE because we are in step with the Holy Spirit...

Patience is waiting with JOY!

Here are a few highlights from the podcast:

How do we personally walk in patience in every season?

Listen to the rest of the podcast to hear how to plant patience in your kids - it's worth the listen!

Want MORE resources?

Is your home defined by PEACE or CHAOS?

“Because Jesus is inside of us – when our world is chaos- we are always at peace in God.” - Mollie

Here are a few main points of the podcast:

How do we carry God’s peace?

Want MORE resources?

What does it mean to "have joy?"

What is this series all about?

JOY: Gladness despite circumstances.

Want MORE resources?

Is your home filled with love?

What is this series all about?

LOVE: Seeking the highest good of others.

Here are the main things we talk about:

Want MORE resources?

Holy Spirit, bring on the fruit!

What is this series all about?

Here are the main things we will cover in this series:

Want MORE resources?

It's the last week...

Do you remember the four culture pillars?

The 4 pillars of culture are:

How do we build culture in our family?

Want MORE resources?

How do you build a Family Name?

If your family is having a hard time...

THEN THIS PODCAST IS FOR YOU!

Want MORE resources?

How do you define UNITY?

Here are a few questions we answer in today’s episode:

The bottom line is: UNITY IS NEXT LEVEL!

Want MORE resources?

Are you ready to take your family to the next level?

Unity is the fourth culture pillar, and it is NEXT LEVEL! If you can grasp this concept, your family will see breakthrough!

What is unity?

Why is unity so important?

BOTTOM LINE: GOD LOVES UNITY!

Here are a few key points from the podcast:

Want MORE resources?

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