Stay ConnectedMany times parents can’t “see the trees” because the forest is overwhelming. Can I get an AMEN?
Each week, Chrys and Shellie, seasoned moms and grandmas, help listeners see life lessons in the simple events that happen daily.
If you could use some Godly parenting wisdom, encouragement and inspiration, along with some fun, real life stories, this podcast is for you!
Copyright: © 2021 Denison Ministries All Rights Reserved
What does it look like to belong to God? According to 1 John, there are marks that begin to show up in His children—and they touch our minds, our hearts, and our choices. In this episode of Rocking It with Chrys and Shellie—the grandmas you didn’t know you needed, we open 1 John 5 to explore what Shellie calls “the believer’s birthmarks”: biblical believing, overflowing love, and eager obedience. With a simple illustration about a chair, we talk about the difference between agreeing that Jesus is trustworthy and actually entrusting ourselves to Him. We also explore how our beliefs shape what we love, how love influences our choices, and how those choices become visible in everyday life. And because visible people can sometimes get on our last nerve, we get honest about what it means to love God by loving His children!
This conversation offers a practical spiritual checkup rooted in God’s Word. These birthmarks aren’t a checklist for earning God’s love or a demand for perfection. They describe the growing evidence of a life that belongs to Him.
In this episode, we discuss:
● The three birthmarks: believing, loving, and obeying.
● Moving from knowing facts about Jesus to trusting Him.
● Jesus as the promised Prophet, Priest, and King.
● Examining our beliefs, relationships, and choices when we feel spiritually distant.
● Loving people when it’s difficult.
● Finding assurance in John’s words: “so that you may know that you have eternal life.”
Questions to carry into your week:
What am I believing? Who am I loving? Where am I obeying?
Scriptures discussed:
1 John 5, especially verses 1 and
13; Matthew 22:37; James 2:19.
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In this heartfelt episode, Chrys and Shellie sit down with Luis Matos to hear the remarkable story of God’s faithfulness through hardship, waiting, friendship, education, and answered prayer. Louis shares about growing up in an orphanage in the Donovan Republic, meeting people from America through a church partnership with Chrys’ church, learning English,
navigating the long process of receiving his papers, and eventually graduating from Liberty University. His story is one of perseverance and grace and a powerful reminder that God is present even when the path forward is unclear. Throughout the conversation, Luis reflects on the people who encouraged him, the challenges he faced, and what it means to wait on the Lord with hope.
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In this episode, we discuss:
● Luis’s childhood and his experience growing up in an orphanage.
● What it meant to meet someone from America as an 11-year-old who did not yet speak English.
● How Luis realized he needed to learn English and the creative ways he learned.
● The long journey of receiving his legal papers.
● What it meant to graduate from Liberty University in front of thousands of people.
● The importance of waiting on the Lord.
● Encouragement for anyone currently living in a season of waiting.
● The grandmother-like figures who supported, encouraged, and cheered Luis on.
● The ways God uses relationships to provide care, direction, and hope.
Luis’s story reminds us that our beginnings do not determine
our endings. God can use faithful people, unexpected
opportunities, and long seasons of waiting to shape a life for
His purposes.
A thought to carry with you:
Waiting is not wasted when we are waiting with the Lord.
Even when we cannot see what He is doing, He is still faithful.
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How do you walk alongside your child when she faces a heartbreak you cannot fix?
In this tender episode of Rocking It with Chrys and Shellie—the grandmas you didn’t know you needed, we welcome a dear friend, Rhonda Perry, who shares her family’s story through a grandmother’s eyes.
Early in her pregnancy, her daughter, Jami-Lynn, learned that her baby, Jordyn, had anencephaly and would not survive long after birth. Jami-Lynn chose to carry her baby to term, cherishing the life she carried and preparing for a hello that would also mean goodbye. Jordyn lived just a few precious minutes, but her place in the family’s heart endures. Together, we talk about the months of waiting, the gift of those brief moments, and a grandmother’s experience of grieving while supporting her daughter. We explore God’s presence in suffering, meaningful ways to remember a beloved baby, and how to offer comfort when words fall short. At the heart of this conversation is a truth we want every hurting family to hear: There is room for both unwavering faith and profound grief.
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In this episode, we discuss:
● Receiving a heartbreaking diagnosis during pregnancy.
● Supporting our children when we cannot change their circumstances.
● Honoring Jordyn’s life and keeping her memory close.
● Carrying our own grief while helping someone we love carry theirs.
● What helps grieving families feel loved and supported.
● Walking by faith when the road ahead is unclear.
Whether you have experienced a similar loss or love someone who has, we hope this conversation helps you feel less alone.
Listener note: This episode includes discussion of a life-limiting prenatal diagnosis, infant loss, and grief.
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What if some of the hardest things you’ve walked through could become the very things God uses to encourage someone else?
This week on Rocking It with Chrys & Shellie, we sit down with wife, mom, grandmother, ministry leader, author, and speaker Rhonda Stoppe for an honest conversation about family, ministry, relationships, and finding purpose in the difficult parts of our stories. Rhonda believes meaningful relationships grow when we’re willing to move beyond surface-level conversations and honestly share some of the hard things we’ve experienced.
Her message is simple and powerful:
Don’t waste your hurts.
The difficult seasons we’ve survived may become the encouragement someone else desperately needs. When we’re willing to share our stories, not for attention, but for connection, our experiences can remind someone else that they aren’t alone and give them hope to keep going. Rhonda also gives us a peek into her very full life as a grandmother of 15, including what it’s really like to live on the same property with 11 of those grandchildren! She shares the joys, realities, boundaries, and blessings that come with having so much family close by.
As a longtime preacher’s wife and ministry leader, Rhonda brings honesty and humor to the realities of marriage, motherhood, grandmotherhood, ministry, and simply being a woman trying to follow Jesus through every season.
This conversation is a reminder that God doesn’t have to waste any part of our stories, even the parts we wish we could rewrite.
In This Episode, We Talk About
● What Rhonda means when she says, “Don’t waste your hurts”
● Why sharing our difficult experiences can give someone else hope
● Moving beyond surface-level relationships
● The importance of honesty and vulnerability
● Knowing when and how to share the harder parts of our stories
● Finding purpose in seasons we never would have chosen
● Rhonda’s life as a preacher’s wife and ministry leader
● What years of serving women have taught her
● Being a grandmother to 15 grandchildren
● What it’s really like having 11 grandchildren living on the same property
● Staying connected to adult children and grandchildren while respecting boundaries
● Using every season of life to encourage the people God puts in our path
Key Takeaway
Don’t waste your hurts. The story you once wished you didn’t have to tell may become the story that gives someone else hope.
Scripture Connection
“The God of all comfort… comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”
- 2 Corinthians 1:3–4
About Our Guest
Rhonda Stoppe is an author, speaker, wife, mother, grandmother, and longtime ministry leader. As a preacher’s wife, she has spent years walking alongside women through the joys and difficulties of real life. Known for her honest, practical, and faith-filled approach, Rhonda encourages women to build purposeful relationships, invest in their families, and allow God to use every part of their stories. She’s also the grandmother of 15 and has the unusual joy of living on the same property with 11 of them!
Listener Reflection
Is there a difficult season in your life that you’ve always
wished you could erase?
What if God could use what you learned in that season to help someone walking through the same thing today?
You don’t have to share everything with everyone. But maybe there is someone who needs to hear: “I’ve been there too. And here’s what God taught me along the way.”
Join the Conversation
We want to hear from you:
Has someone else’s willingness to share a difficult part of their story ever helped you through your own? Or maybe you’re the one who has learned to use a past hurt to encourage others.
Share this episode with a friend who has walked through something hard and come out with wisdom worth passing along.
Subscribe to Rocking It with Chrys & Shellie, the grandmas you didn’t know you needed, for more conversations about faith, family, relationships, and navigating the real stuff of life.
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What does it mean to be the “yes grandma” while still holding firmly to the faith and values you want to pass down?
This week, Chrys and Shellie welcome someone especially close to home: Dr. Joneal Kirby, Chrys’ sister. Joneal has worn about a million hats over the years: wife, mom, grandmother, teacher, principal, school counselor, private counselor and therapist, ministry leader, and more. Each role has given her a unique perspective on relationships, families, and the influence one generation can have on the next. But today, we’re talking about one of her favorite roles: Grandma.
Joneal shares what it means to be the “yes grandma,” the grandmother who makes room for fun, adventure, and a few extra treats, while also being willing to set boundaries and model what following Jesus looks like.
Because being a loving grandmother doesn’t mean saying yes to everything. It means creating a relationship where our grandchildren know they are deeply loved while also showing them, through our words and our lives, what matters most.
Joneal also shares the story behind Heartfelt Ministries, the women’s ministry she created 26 years ago to bring women closer to one another and closer to God. Through all her years of teaching, counseling, leading, mothering, and grandmothering, Joneal says what matters most is beautifully simple: She wants her grandchildren to know that Jesus loves them.
In This Episode, We Talk About
● What it means to be the “yes grandma”
● Why saying yes doesn’t mean abandoning boundaries
● The unique influence grandparents have in a child’s life
● Modeling faith instead of simply talking about it
● Balancing fun, freedom, and godly principles
● How our grandchildren learn about Jesus by watching the way we live
● Why relationships are at the heart of passing down faith
● Joneal’s years of experience working with children and families
● The story behind Heartfelt Ministries
● What 26 years of bringing women together has taught Joneal
● The one thing she most wants her grandchildren to know
Key Takeaway:
Be the grandma who says yes to fun, yes to time together, yes to listening, and yes to making memories. But most importantly, be the grandma whose life continually says yes to Jesus.
Scripture Connection:
“One generation commends your works to another; they tell of your mighty acts.”
- Psalm 145:4
About Our Guest:
Dr. Joneal Kirby is an author, counselor, educator, speaker, wife, mother, grandmother, and the founder of Heartfelt Ministries.
Throughout her career, she has served children, women, and families as a teacher, school principal, school counselor, private counselor, and ministry leader. For 26 years, Heartfelt Ministries has encouraged women to build meaningful relationships across generations while growing closer to God.
And yes, she also happens to be Chrys’ sister, so expect a few family stories along the way!
Listener Reflection:
What kind of grandmother do you want your grandchildren to remember?
Are you creating a relationship where they know they can come to you, laugh with you, ask hard questions, and feel completely loved while also seeing Jesus reflected in the way you live?
Maybe being the “yes grandma” starts with deciding what we’re saying yes to most.
Join the Conversation:
We want to hear from you! What is something you always say YES to when your grandchildren ask? Ice cream before dinner? One more story?
A sleepover? Staying up a little too late? Share yours with us, and send this episode to another grandma who wants to have fun with her grandchildren while leaving them a legacy of faith.
Subscribe to Rocking It with Chrys & Shellie, the grandmas you didn’t know you needed, so you can join us for more honest conversations about faith, family, relationships, and what really matters.
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You may know Phyllis Robertson Thomas as the daughter Phil Robertson never knew he had. But that remarkable discovery is only one chapter of her story. This week on Rocking It with Chrys & Shellie, we sit down
with Phyllis for an honest and hope-filled conversation about family, identity, trauma, faith, and healing. Phyllis’ story captured the attention of people around the world when she discovered as an adult that Phil Robertson was her biological father. Her journey to find him was filled
with unexpected twists and turns and, as many of us know, ended with a beautiful welcome into the Robertson family. But Phyllis reminds us of something important: not every difficult family story gets a storybook ending. So what do we do when it doesn’t? Drawing from her own experiences as well as her professional training, Phyllis shares how we can face the painful parts of our stories without allowing them to define
the rest of our lives. Phyllis is a wife, mom, grandmother, former psychiatric
nurse, and now a licensed professional counselor working with children and families. Her new book, I Never Knew: Finding Healing and Renewal After Trauma, goes far beyond the story of discovering her biological father. It explores trauma, identity, relationships, faith, and the healing that can come when we’re willing to face the truth about our past. This is a conversation about more than what happened to us. It’s about what happens next.
In This Episode, We Talk About
● The incredible story of discovering Phil
Robertson was her biological father
● What it felt like to finally meet her dad
● Being welcomed into the Robertson family
● Why finding her biological father was only one
part of her healing journey
● How childhood experiences can continue to
affect us as adults
● Understanding trauma and the ways it can
shape our identity and relationships
● Why not every family story has the happy
ending we hoped for
● How we move forward when circumstances
cannot be changed
● The role faith has played in Phyllis’ healing
● How her nursing background led her into
mental health counseling
● What she has learned from working with
children and families
● Why healing doesn’t mean pretending the
painful things never happened
● The story behind her new book, I Never Knew
Key Takeaway
You may not get to choose everything that happens in your story, but what happened to you does not have to define the rest of your story. Healing is possible, and there is hope on the other side of hurt.
Scripture Connection
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be
transformed by the renewing of your mind.”
- Romans 12:2
About Our Guest
Phyllis Robertson Thomas is a wife, mother, grandmother, former psychiatric nurse, and licensed professional counselor. Her personal journey became known publicly in 2020 when she discovered that Duck Dynasty patriarch Phil Robertson was her biological father. But Phyllis’ story extends far beyond that discovery. Her own experiences with trauma and healing eventually helped lead her into the mental health profession, where she now works with children and families.
In her new book, I Never Knew: Finding Healing and Renewal After Trauma, Phyllis combines her personal story, professional experience, and Christian faith to offer hope to others who are working through painful experiences of their own.
Listener Reflection
Is there something from your past that still has more influence over your present than you would like? Maybe healing doesn’t begin by changing what happened because we can’t. Maybe it begins by realizing our past can be part of our
story without becoming the author of our future.
Join the Conversation
We’d love to hear from you: What’s one truth you’ve learned that helped you move forward from something difficult in your past? And if you know someone who is walking through trauma, a difficult family relationship, questions about identity, or simply a season they didn’t choose, share this episode with them.
Sometimes knowing someone else has walked a hard road
and found hope is exactly what we need.
Subscribe to Rocking It with Chrys & Shellie, the grandmas you didn’t know you needed,
for more honest conversations about faith, family, relationships, and
navigating the real stuff of life.
Resources
I Never Knew: Finding Healing and Renewal After Trauma by Phyllis Robertson Thomas
Available through major booksellers and at Phyllis’ website.
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We’re back, and we couldn’t think of a better guest to help us kick off a brand-new season of Rocking It with Chrys & Shellie than Korie Robertson!
Korie happens to be Chrys’ daughter, which makes this conversation especially fun, but there was plenty to catch up on. While Duck Dynasty will always be a big part of Korie’s story, some exciting new adventures are unfolding in her life, and she’s sharing the behind-the-scenes with us.
One of those adventures is Kinkeeping, Korie’s new partnership with Hobby Lobby. Korie tells us where the word kinkeeping came from, why the idea immediately resonated with her, and what it means to be the person who intentionally keeps a family connected.
And she doesn’t just tell us about it. She challenges all of us to become kinkeepers in our own families.
Korie also gives us a peek into the making of the Hobby Lobby Kinkeeping commercial, featuring some very special family moments with Miss Kay and the rest of the Robertson family, including a sweet scene with Korie and her daddy.
Plus, Korie shares that she’s working on a new book by the same name, Kinkeeping.
It’s a conversation about family, connection, memories, legacy, and the importance of intentionally keeping the people we love close. We think it’s the perfect way to begin this new season.
Scripture Connection
“Love one another deeply as brothers and sisters. Take the lead in honoring one another.”
- Romans 12:10
About Our Guest
Korie Robertson is an author, speaker, entrepreneur, wife, mom, grandmother—and, as we discovered in this conversation, a natural kinkeeper. Many know Korie and her family through Duck Dynasty, but her greatest passion has always centered around faith and family. Her latest projects continue that mission by encouraging families to intentionally nurture the relationships, stories, and traditions that connect one generation to the next.
Listener Reflection
Who is the kinkeeper in your family?
Maybe it’s the person who organizes Sunday lunch, keeps everyone updated, takes the pictures, remembers the stories, or makes sure everyone comes home for Christmas.
And here’s an even better question: How can you help keep your family connected?
Join the Conversation
We’d love to hear from you! Tell us who the kinkeeper is in your family and what they do that keeps everyone connected.
Then share this episode with them. It might be a wonderful way to say, “I see what you do for our family, and it matters.”
Subscribe to Rocking It with Chrys & Shellie, the grandmas you didn’t know you needed, so you don’t miss what’s coming this season.
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In this episode, Chrys and Shellie sit down with bestselling author and speaker Carol McLeod to talk about her devotional book, Today Is a Verb. Carol encourages women to move beyond simply thinking about faith and instead live it out daily with intention, passion, and purpose.
Through practical wisdom and biblical encouragement, Carol reminds us that every day is an opportunity to choose faith, hope, gratitude, and action. She also shares insights from her ministry and her podcast, The Significant Women Podcast, where she continues encouraging women to live meaningful, faith-filled lives.
In This Episode, We Discuss:
• Why faith is something we live, not just believe
• The message behind Today Is a Verb
• Practical ways to walk boldly in everyday life
• How intentional living changes our outlook and influence
• Encouragement for women in busy or uncertain seasons
Key Takeaway:
Faith is active. Each day gives us a new opportunity to live with courage, purpose, and intention right where God has placed us.
For Listeners:
If you’re looking for daily encouragement to live your faith more intentionally, this conversation — and Carol’s devotional — will inspire you to step into each day with renewed purpose.
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In this episode, Chrys and Shellie welcome Randy Phillips, lead pastor of LifeFamily Church and founding member of the Christian trio Phillips, Craig & Dean. Randy joins the conversation to share about his new children’s book, Guppy and the Silvery Hook, a beautifully illustrated story that helps children understand the importance of respect, trusting wise guidance, and making thoughtful decisions.
Through gentle storytelling and vibrant artwork, Randy offers families a tool for starting meaningful conversations with children about choices, consequences, and learning to listen to those who care for them most.
In This Episode, We Discuss:
• Randy’s journey as a pastor, musician, and now children’s author
• The inspiration behind Guppy and the Silvery Hook
• Teaching children about choices in a loving, memorable way
• Why storytelling is such a powerful teaching tool for families
• Helping children understand trust and guidance at an early age
Key Takeaway:
Simple stories often carry the deepest lessons. When children learn early to trust wise guidance and make thoughtful decisions, it helps set a foundation for a lifetime of good choices.
For Families & Grandparents:
This episode encourages parents and grandparents to use stories as opportunities to talk with children about respect, trust, and listening to those who love and guide them.
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How do we help children understand why bad things happen to good people?
That’s one of life’s hardest—and most honest—questions.
In this meaningful episode, Chrys and Shellie sit down with author Courtney Reissig to talk about her new children’s book, Seth and the Very Scary Storm.
Drawing from her own personal experiences, Courtney gently helps children understand an important truth: bad things don’t happen because of something they did or said. Instead, this story points young hearts toward a God whose plans are rooted in goodness, purpose, and what is best for His kingdom—even when circumstances feel frightening or confusing.
This insightful and compassionate conversation equips parents and grandparents with language, perspective, and hope as they help children navigate fear, worry, and life’s storms.
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In This Episode, We Discuss:
• How Seth and the Very Scary Storm addresses fear in age-appropriate ways
• Courtney’s personal story and what inspired the book
• Talking honestly with kids about suffering and fear
• How to reassure children of God’s goodness during scary seasons
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