The Christian Parenting Podcast - Motherhood, Teaching kids about Jesus, Intentional parenting, Raising Christian kids

Latest Episodes:

How to help your kids grieve with Sissy Goff Sep 29, 2026

Show notes

In this episode, therapist and author Sissy Goff joins Steph to talk about what kids really need when they're experiencing loss and how their grief can look very different from ours.

Sissy explains why grief isn't linear, how kids often revisit loss as they grow and reach new developmental milestones, and why behaviors like anger, anxiety, or even risk-taking can sometimes be signs of sadness underneath. She also talks about secondary losses, why consistency and boundaries still matter during hard seasons, and the importance of surrounding our kids with safe, steady adults.

If your family is walking through grief, or you simply want to know how to support your kids when loss eventually comes, this conversation offers practical wisdom, permission to grieve, and the reminder that God is still faithful even in the hardest moments.

Resources Mentioned

Raising Boys and Girls

Daystar Counseling

Helping Kids Through Grief book

Carpool Conversations with WinShape Camps

GO Bible

Faith in Action: Prayers from James for the Next Generation

Prefer video? Find this and other episodes on YouTube!

The Christian Parenting Podcast is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.org

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What the Bible promises about the new earth with Randy Alcorn Sep 22, 2026

Show notes

What will heaven actually be like, and how do we talk to our kids about it?

In this episode, I’m sharing a conversation from the Faith & Clarity podcast with Dr. Mark Turman and author Randy Alcorn about his children’s book, Heaven on Earth, and the biblical promise of a new heaven and new earth.

We talk about resurrection, grief, losing loved ones, miscarriage, disabilities, animals, and some of the big questions kids ask about eternity.

If your family has ever wondered what happens after we die, this conversation will help you move beyond the “clouds and harps” picture of heaven and toward the incredible hope Scripture gives us for what is to come.

Resources Mentioned

Eternal Perspectives Ministry

Heaven on Earth book

Denison Forum

Faith and Clarity Podcast

Hands on Bible

Get your copy of our latest prayer journal Faith in Action: Prayers from James for the Next Generation today!

Prefer video? Find this and other episodes on YouTube!

The Christian Parenting Podcast is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.org

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How to talk about faith without lecturing with Katheryn Saunders Sep 15, 2026

Show notes

As we wrap up our discipleship series, we're talking about one of the most important—and often overlooked—parts of raising children who continue following Jesus into adulthood: having meaningful spiritual conversations.

In this episode, Steph talks with Katheryn Saunders, author of Having Spiritual Conversations with Your Kids, about how parents can create safe spaces where children ask honest questions, wrestle with their faith, and ultimately build a relationship with Jesus that becomes their own.

This conversation beautifully ties together everything we've explored throughout the discipleship series. Reading Scripture, praying together, worshiping through music, serving others, and practicing everyday discipleship all become even more powerful when they're accompanied by genuine conversations that help our kids process what they believe and why.

Resources Mentioned:

Having Spiritual Conversations With Your Kids book

Hands on Bible

Thanks-Living: Embracing the Power of Gratitude Every Day

Prefer video? Find this and other episodes on YouTube!

The Christian Parenting Podcast is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.org

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Why listening to Christian music matters more than you think with Jason Houser Sep 08, 2026

Show notes

What if one of the simplest ways to disciple your children was as easy as pressing play?

In this episode of our discipleship series, we're looking at another practice that research from Lifeway identified as having a significant impact on helping children develop a lasting faith: listening to Christian music.

Steph is joined by Jason Houser, Executive Director of Seeds Kids Worship, a ministry that has spent more than two decades helping families hide God's Word in their hearts through Scripture-based worship music.

Together they explore why music has such a powerful influence on our hearts, how worship songs create natural opportunities for conversations about God, and why Christian music isn't just something to listen to on Sunday—it can become a simple rhythm that shapes your family's faith every day.

Resources Mentioned

Seeds Kids Worship

Dedicated by Jason Houser

Calming Your Anxious Child

Thanks-Living: Embracing the Power of Gratitude Every Day

Hands on Bible

Christian Parenting's latest prayer journal:

Faith in Action: Prayers from James for the Next Generation

(PS You can also listen to Pardon the Mess podcasteach Monday starting September 14th to listen to guided prayer and reflection that follows the journal.)

Prefer video? Find this and other episodes on YouTube!

The Christian Parenting Podcast is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.org

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How serving helps kids build a lasting faith with Eric and Sarah Holmstrom Sep 01, 2026

Show notes

What if one of the most important things you can do for your child’s faith is help them become part of the church, not just attend it?

In this episode of our discipleship series, I’m joined by Sarah and Eric Holmstrom to talk about why regularly serving in church can have such a lasting impact on our kids’ faith.

Sarah and Eric share how serving has shaped their own family, why kids are never too young to begin, and practical ways to help children discover where their gifts and personalities fit within the church. We also talk about what to do when your child doesn’t want to serve, why more is often caught than taught, and how to create a family culture of serving without making it feel like something we do to earn God’s love.

If you want your kids to know they have a place and a purpose in God’s kingdom, this conversation will encourage you to move beyond simply going to church and help your family become an active part of it.

Resources:

Calming Your Anxious Child

Thanks-Living: Embracing the Power of Gratitude Every Day

Hands on Bible

Raising Prayerful Kids book

Christian Parenting's latest prayer journal:

Faith in Action: Prayers from James for the Next Generation

(PS You can also listen to Pardon the Mess podcast each Monday starting September 14th to listen to guided prayer and reflection that follows the journal.)

Prefer video? Find this and other episodes on YouTube!

The Christian Parenting Podcast is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.org

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

How to teach kids to pray for a lasting faith with Erica Renaud Aug 25, 2026

Show notes

In this episode, Steph continues the discipleship series by exploring one of the strongest predictors of lasting faith: regular prayer. We know prayer is important, but many parents feel unsure where to begin or worry they aren't "good enough" at praying out loud.

In this episode, Steph sits down with author Erica Renaud to talk about how prayer becomes the foundation of a child's relationship with God. Together they discuss practical ways families can incorporate prayer into everyday life, how to move beyond memorized prayers without abandoning them, and how to help children navigate unanswered prayer with trust in God's character.

Whether your children are preschoolers, teenagers, or somewhere in between, this conversation offers simple encouragement to help your family grow closer to God through prayer.

Resources Mentioned

Website

Pray With Me book

Raising Prayerful Kids book

The Creation of Us

Hands on Bible

The Secret Life of Christians

Prefer video? Find this and other episodes on YouTube!

Get your copy of our latest prayer journal Faith in Action: Prayers from James for the Next Generation today! You can also listen to Pardon the Mess podcast each Monday to listen to guided prayer and reflection that follows the journal beginning September 14th!

The Christian Parenting Podcast is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.org

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Why Scripture is the foundation of lasting faith with Andrew and Charlotte Ollerton Aug 18, 2026

Show notes

The Bible can feel overwhelming, especially when you're trying to read it with your kids. Where do you start? How do you help them understand it? And how do you make it something they actually enjoy?

In this episode, Steph continues the discipleship series by exploring one of the strongest predictors of lasting faith: regularly reading Scripture at home. Joined by Andrew and Charlotte Ollerton, authors of God's Story, Our Story, they discuss why understanding the Bible as one unified story changes everything. They also share practical ways to make family Bible reading simple, engaging, and consistent without adding guilt or pressure.

If you've ever felt intimidated by opening the Bible with your children, this conversation will encourage you to start small, stay faithful, and trust God to use his Word to shape your family's faith for years to come.

Resources Mentioned

God’s Story, Our Story book

God’s Story, Our Story journey cards

The Creation of Us

Hands on Bible

Maker of the Mountain

Get your copy of our latest prayer journal Faith in Action: Prayers from James for the Next Generation today!

Prefer video? Find this and other episodes on YouTube!

The Christian Parenting Podcast is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.org

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What actually helps kids follow Jesus for life? With Jana Magruder Aug 11, 2026

Show notes

Every Christian parent wants to raise kids with a lasting faith, but with so much parenting advice available, it's easy to wonder where to focus your time and energy.

In this episode, Steph kicks off a special discipleship series by sitting down with Janet Magruder of Lifeway Christian Resources to discuss the groundbreaking research behind the book Nothing Less. After years of studying what influences children who grow into adults with a vibrant, enduring faith, the research points to a handful of practices that consistently make the biggest difference.

If you've ever wondered what matters most when it comes to discipling your kids at home, this conversation will encourage you to let go of the pressure to do everything and instead invest in the things that have the greatest lasting impact on your child's faith.

Resources Mentioned

Lifeway Kids

Instagram

Kids Ministry Calling podcast

Lifeway research

The Creation of Us

Hands-On Bible

The Adventure Bible

I Love You, Little Light

Get your copy of our latest prayer journal Faith in Action: Prayers from James for the Next Generation today!

Prefer video? Find this and other episodes on YouTube!

The Christian Parenting Podcast is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.org

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

What college students need most spiritually with Paul Worcester Aug 04, 2026

Show notes

The college years can be one of the most defining seasons in a young person's faith. So how can parents prepare their kids to stand firm long before they leave home?

In this episode, Steph sits down with longtime college ministry leader Paul Worcester to discuss the spiritual habits that help faith last. They talk about the power of Scripture memory, daily time in God's Word, the challenges today's college students face, and practical ways parents can train, not just teach, their teens to follow Christ. Paul also shares how his new Bible study, Thrive, equips college students and young adults to build a faith that is grounded in Scripture and prepared to withstand the challenges of this pivotal season.

Whether your child is heading to college soon or you still have years to prepare, this conversation will encourage you to invest in the kind of faith that endures

Resources Mentioned

Thrive Bible Study

Instagram

GenSend Podcast

Campus Multiplication Network

The Creation of Us

Hands-On Bible

The Adventure Bible

Get your copy of our latest prayer journal Faith in Action: Prayers from James for the Next Generation today!

The Christian Parenting Podcast is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.org

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Why the things we pray for can still exhaust us with Melissa Miller Jul 28, 2026

Show notes

Have you ever received an answer to prayer only to discover it was much harder than you expected?

In this episode, author Melissa Miller talks about "change fatigue," the emotional exhaustion that can come even during the seasons we've prayed for.

Melissa shares her family's adoption story, the surprising challenges that followed, and how God met her in the middle of overwhelming change. We talk about why Christians often feel guilty admitting that good change is still hard, how Scripture validates those experiences, and practical ways to process complicated emotions with God.

If you've ever felt grateful and overwhelmed at the same time, this conversation will remind you that you're not alone and that God's grace meets you right where you are.

Resources Mentioned

But I Prayed for This book

The Adventure Bible

Bridging Resilience

Get your copy of our latest prayer journal Faith in Action: Prayers from James for the Next Generation today!

Prefer video? Find this and other episodes on YouTube!

The Christian Parenting Podcast is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.org

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy