The Home and Hearth Podcast

Latest Episodes:

116: Conspiracy Theories and the Gospel with Kristen LaValley Sep 30, 2020

Show notes

Kristen LaValley is a wife, business owner, mom of 3, and writer who is passionate about the gospel and living life in light of it. She comes on the show today to help dispel some of the myths and obsessions these days surrounding conspiracy theories and equips us to reframe our approach to them in light of the good news of the gospel. We pray you will walk away encouraged by today's show!

What She Chats about in Today’s Episode:

~Kristen's new book, No Fruitless Words: Reframing the Pursuit of Knowledge Around the Gospel, what led her to write it, and what readers can expect

~The onslaught of conspiracy theories, especially this year

~What God has been teaching Kristen about "no fruitless words"

~Defining "conspiracy theory"

~A Biblical response to conspiracy theories; what Christians are called to do with them

~How the gospel helps us to deal with these theories which can be very fear-inducing

~Jesus' example of how to respond to hard things

~The Christian call to be the hands and feet of Christ, to be salt and light; how that corresponds to what we should do if the conspiracy theories are true

~Striking a balance between an unhealthy addiction to knowledge and learning more about conspiracy theories and our call to bring God's light and truth into the world and into areas of evil

~The ways in which Scripture is being taken out of context in this conspiracy theory age

~The big difference between just posting something on social media and actually calling out darkness

~The importance of being equipped beforehand to bring light into darkness; the heaviness of this task

~The legalism bandwagon running rampant on social media today which tells you *precisely* how a believer is "supposed to" respond to the issues of the day; the importance instead of each of us as individuals walking by the Spirit

~The wisdom found in being slow to speak and to wait on the Lord for direction rather than rushing to respond to the issues of the day as quickly as possible

~How the pursuit of knowledge in 2020 can choke out the hope of the gospel in our minds

~The idol of pursuing knowledge outside of God; the problem this led to for Eve

~The problem with pursuing knowledge outside of God and neglecting true communion with God

~How we can pursue and prioritize communion with God in the midst of a year like 2020

~Communion with God as the only thing that will actually equip us to fight darkness

~And more!

For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

115: God's Ezer Design for Women with Rebekah Hargraves (Solo Episode 7) Sep 22, 2020

Show notes

Rebekah Hargraves is the host of the Home and Hearth Podcast, which, up until recently, has always been mostly an interview-style podcast. Now, however, she is branching out into recording the seventh of her solo podcasts to talk today on the topic of God's beautiful "ezer" design for women and its implications for our understanding of Biblical womanhood.

What She Chats about in Today's Episode:

~The full definition of the Hebrew word "ezer" translated as "helper" in Genesis 2:18

~A survey of the OT Scriptures to discover the 21 times this word is used

~The definition of the Hebrew word "azer", the root word behind "ezer"

~A survey of the OT Scriptures to discover how "azer" is used; its full definition and meaning in the Word; what this all reveals to us about God's design for women and their God-given roles and responsibilities to come alongside men, partnering with them to subdue and take dominion

~The problem with both the "I am woman, hear me roar" concept as well as the "Women are subordinate to men" concept

~The wrong understanding of the word "helper" or "helpmeet" that we can come to if we follow the culture's teachings rather than the reality of the Hebrew meaning behind that word

~The warrior-nature of ezers; the way in which this Hebrew word is also used to refer to the mighty men of valor who fought in Israel's army

~3 characteristics of a Biblical helper:

*Being a helper is a position of great strength and valor (see Joshua 1:14, 10:, 1 Chronicles 5:20, 12:1, 21)

*Being a helper is a position of ministry and edification (1 Kings 14:26, 1 Chronicles 12:18, Job 29:12, Psalm 28:7, Psalm 37:40, Psalm 79:9, Isaiah 41:10)

*The New Testament position of Helper is what actually grows and sustains the church (see the Holy Spirit's role described in John 14:16, 26; 15:26, 16:7, 1 John 2:1)

~What the context of Genesis 2:18 (i.e. Genesis 1:27-28) reveals to us as to the mission and tasks associated with us being ezer helpers as women

~How the "ezer" role coincides with Paul's admonition to women to be "managers" and "guardians" of their homes and families

~The Victorian (not Biblical) idea that there are to be separate spheres for the sexes

~God's 'ezer' design for women as a design that all women everywhere can live out, whether they are married or single, childless or running a house full of children, young or old

~And more!

For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

114: God's Beautiful Design for Men and Women with Kat Armstrong Sep 16, 2020

Show notes

Kat Armstrong has been emboldening women to be all-in for Jesus for twenty years as a speaker, Bible teacher, author, and podcast host. She is the author of No More Holding Back and The In-Between Place. As cofounder of The Polished Network, a nonprofit connecting and gathering working women to navigate career and explore faith, her mission is to create holy curiosity. Kat holds a master of christian education from Dallas Theological Seminary. She and her husband, Aaron, have been married for eighteen years, and live in Dallas, Texas, with their son, Caleb. They attend Dallas Bible Church, where Aaron serves as the lead pastor. She comes on the show today to dispel some of the myths and stereotypes surrounding the topic of "Biblical womanhood" and to open our eyes to the beautiful design for men and women that is found in God's Word. We pray you will walk away encouraged by today's show!

What She Chats about in Today’s Episode:

~Kat's book, No More Holding Back: Emboldening Women to Move Past Barriers, See Their Worth, and Serve God Everywhere , what led her to write it, and what readers can expect

~Kat's own journey through legalism and wrong stereotypes surrounding the topic of "Biblical womanhood"

~The implications of the greatest commandment on our views of men and women and their roles; the common, perhaps subconscious, assumption that loving God with your heart and soul is women's work and loving God with your mind and strength is men's work; the problem with gendering this great commandment

~Addressing the common myths that say marriage is to be our greatest joy and motherhood is to be our highest calling; the idolization and other problems these lies lead to

~The fruits of the Spirit as being our litmus test for whether or not we are living as Christ has called us to

~The ways in which Christ called, commissioned, and equipped women and how Paul praises them for partnering with him in the early church

~Asking ourselves the question: Would I allow women to take on the roles today that Jesus and Paul allowed them to take on in the early church to advance the gospel or would that go against my belief system on "Biblical womanhood"?

~Wrong views of "male leadership" and what we actually see in the Word

~The examples of Phoebe, Priscilla, Lydia, and others

~Roman household codes in the 1st century and how Paul's and Jesus' teachings in the NT reveal the revolutionary nature of the ways of Jesus and Paul said relationships should work in Christian families

~Mutual submission between all Christ-followers, one to another

~What knowing the Greek of Ephesians 5 reveals about Paul's actual teachings on submission

~The importance of knowing the cultural and historical context of the Scriptures

~Jesus' breaking down of gender barriers as shown in the book of John

~And more!

For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

113: The Most Important Thing for Christians to Remember This Election Year Sep 10, 2020

Show notes

What She Chats about in Today's Episode:

~A post ("The Most Important Thing for Christians to Remember This Election Year") she wrote back in 2016 during the last presidential election

~What our name-calling, personal attacks, hand-wringing, and political anxiety reveal about our hearts and the true condition of our faith

~The emphasis we as believers are too often placing on debate over love; how this is very different from the call we are given in the Word

~A survey of Scripture to see what our ultimate call is and what the most important thing is for us to remember and live out this election year

~How our love for America is crowding out the most important thing - love for God and love for others

~The reality that our ultimate goal is not first and foremost to 'save America', but to fulfill the Great Commission; that our ultimate goal is not to make patriotic Americans, but to make disciples of Christ

~The way our lambasting our fellow believers in Christ over political differences is hindering our witness and our ability to live out the Great Commission

~It being love - and not being our political viewpoints- that proves we are Christ's disciples

~How Paul tells us that truth without love is worthless

~The sobering, convicting words spoken by Christ to the church at Ephesus in the book of Revelation and what His message to them says to us today

~How grace and truth, mercy and truth, love and truth, are always paired together in the Scriptures when describing the character of God - it is never one without the other - and neither should it be with us

~The importance of being slow to speak and quick to listen, seeking to understand where the other person is coming from

~The impossibility of our wrath, anger, and hatred ever producing the righteousness of Christ in the lives of others

~The politicide going around today emulated by a Twitter thread hoping for destruction to come to Trump voters; the importance of asking ourselves as conservative Christians if we are guilty of the same thing towards Biden voters

~And more!

For full show notes head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

112: Answering the Claims of Progressive Christianity with Alisa Childers Sep 02, 2020

Show notes

Alisa Childers is a wife, mom, former Christian music artist through ZoeGirl, apologist, podcast host of The Alisa Childers Show, and author of the soon-to-release book, "Another Gospel?: A Life-Long Christian Seeks Truth in Response to Progressive Christianity". She comes on the show today to equip us as believers to be able to answer the claims thrown our way by progressive Christianity.

What She Chats about in Today's Episode:

~Alisa's new book, her life story and experience with progressive Christian teachings which led her to write it, and what readers can expect

~The way progressive Christianity nearly wrecked Alisa's faith, but how God strengthened it in the process

~The reality that the claims of progressive Christianity are actually nothing new and have already been refuted by the early church fathers and others down through the ages by the tenets and truths of historic Christianity

~Proof and evidence for historic Christianity as opposed to progressive Christianity

~How progressive Christianity is infiltrating the church; what is leading to this

~What progressive Christianity is and what some of its main tenets are

~Red flags and buzzwords to look out for which point to the presence of progressive Christian thought

~The primary core doctrines of the faith that are called into question by progressive Christianity

~Progressive Christianity's view of the Bible

~The direct correlation between the emergent church movement and progressive Christianity

~How to combat the claims of progressive Christians with truth, facts, and evidence; the importance of apologetics

~Recommended resources for growing in your understanding of apologetics

~Jesus' own teachings regarding the reliability and inspiration of the Old Testament Scriptures

~Progressive Christianity's connection to relativism

~How to engage with progressive Christians and their claims

~The key question undergirding the progressive Christian movement - "Did God really say?"

~Striking a balance between a highly intellectual and strong faith and also actually living out your faith as the hands and feet of Christ; raising our kids with that balance

~The pull progressive Christianity has on those stuck in legalism

~The importance of being a safe place for those who are expressing doubt; the importance of being able to ask questions in order to grow deeper in our faith and truth

~Addressing the terms "deconstruction" and "reconstruction; the difference between an appropriate and Biblical deconstruction/reconstruction process and one that isn't

~Progressive Christianity's culture of doubt and addressing what your true motive is during seasons of doubt

~The reality that good works and acts of justice for the truly Biblical Christian is a result of their beliefs; how right doctrine leads to right action

~Engaging with progressive Christians with both truth and love; the importance of both

~The crucial importance of first knowing the character of God

~The impact on our children of our relationship with the Lord

~And more!

For Full Shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

111: Patriotism and the Christian with Rebekah Hargraves (Solo Podcast 5) Aug 26, 2020

Show notes

Rebekah Hargraves is the host of the Home and Hearth Podcast, which, up until recently, has always been mostly an interview-style podcast. Now, however, she is branching out into recording the fifth of her solo podcasts to talk today on the topic of patriotism and the Christian. This is a timely topic given that we are in the midst of an emotionally-charged election year, so on today's show she chats a bit about nationalism, the nationalization of Christianity, and what a believer's role is regarding patriotism.

What She Chats about in Today's Episode:

~The emotionally-charged election year we find ourselves in

~What patriotism does and does not mean for us as Christians:

*Patriotism and being patriotic do not mean that we never call out our nation's problems. (think of God's example with us and our example with our children where if we love someone, we will point out their shortcomings in an attempt to call them up to greatness)

*Patriotism and being patriotic do mean that we want what is best for our country. And it is righteousness that exalts a nation.

*Being patriotic does not mean we seek to set up a theocracy in America

*Being patriotic does not mean that we can allow America or the preservation of America as we know it to become our idol

~The full meaning of the Hebrew word "tsedaqah" translated "righteousness" in Proverbs 14:34

~Our call (Acts 5:29) to obey God rather than man, while also respecting His institution of government (Romans 13)

~The reality that this country is not our home and was never meant to feel like it; our identity as but pilgrims passing through

~What we have seen around the world and down through history regarding the direct correlation between a loss of freedom and an increase in persecution and a subsequent increase in strong and deepened faith among believers

~Our roles as good citizens and the importance for each of us to individually walk by the Spirit

~The importance of not binding the conscience of our fellow believers; giving the Holy Spirit room to work

~And more!

For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

110: Feelings, Emotions, and Walking by the Spirit with Elizabeth Laing Thompson Aug 18, 2020

Show notes

Elizabeth Laing Thompson is a church-planting minister's wife, mom of four following a long season of infertility, and author of the new book, All the Feels: Discover Why Emotions Are (Mostly) Awesome and How to Untangle Them When They’re Not. She comes on the show today to talk all about emotions and feelings and how we can walk by the Spirit in the midst of them.

What We Chat About in Today's Episode:

~Elizabeth's new book, what led her to write it, and what readers can expect

~Elizabeth's own experience and life story of being a big feeler

~Understanding a Biblical view of our feelings and how God views emotions; battling some of the myths and stereotypes surrounding emotions and feelings in Christian circles

~The problems that a legalistic view, rather than a Biblically balanced view, on emotions lead to

~My own experiences as a big feeler also raising a big feeler

~Wisdom and advice for those who are parenting big feelers

~Emotional boundaries and striking the right balance between knowing we have a God-given personality that might lead to big feelings when the reality that that personality also cannot excuse away sinful behavior

~The impact of our minds and thoughts, especially on our feelings

~The practical nature of God's Word

~The problem big feelers have of crossing boundaries over into taking on other people's burdens as their own rather than bearing them together; how to be empathetic but not give over into debilitating co-dependence; striking that balance

~The power of prayer

~Making choices about how you feel rather than allowing your feelings to drive your life and make you into a martyr with a victim mentality; strategies for untangling those hard feelings

~Standing our deceptive feelings up to the truths of Scripture

~And more!

For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

109: "What is Biblical Womanhood?" with Rebekah Hargraves (Solo Podcast 4) Aug 12, 2020

Show notes

Rebekah Hargraves is the host of the Home and Hearth Podcast, which, up until recently, has always been mostly an interview-style podcast. Now, however, she is branching out into recording the fourth of her solo podcasts to talk today on the topic of what Biblical womanhood actually is. This is a topic Rebekah has written about extensively and shared about on other podcasts, as well, so she's excited to now be branching out into discussing it on her own podcast!

What She Chats about in Today's Episode:

~Answering the question "What is Biblical womanhood?" as a kick-off of sorts to an entire series coming up soon

~How my own understanding of Biblical womanhood has changed over the years

~The extremes and main camps of thought surrounding the topic of Biblical womanhood

~The importance of solely using the Bible alone to define womanhood, rather than someone's teachings of the Bible, what someone's pastor says, or your own camp of thought

~The crucial importance of looking to the entire canon of Scripture rather than to just a few choice passages for our picture and understanding of what constitutes womanhood by God's design

~The rich, robust, beautiful picture of womanhood by God's design that we find in the Scriptures

~The reality of womanhood by God's design applying to all women everywhere and being good news for all women everywhere; the understanding that if our own picture of womanhood does not/is not, then it is not Biblical

~Four truths about Biblical womanhood:

*Biblical womanhood is womanhood as God designed it, Genesis-Revelation

*Biblical womanhood is for every woman, applicable to every woman, and good news for every woman; it can look like being:

-A wife, mother, and homemaker (Titus 2:3-5)

-A leader like Deborah (Judges 4 & 5)

-Working to provide financially for your family (the book of Ruth)

-A Great Commission worker like Priscilla, proclaiming truth to her brothers-in-Christ (Acts 18:24-26, Romans 16)

-Running a business like the Proverbs 31 woman and Lydia (Proverbs 31, Acts 16:14)

-Being a servant (or deaconess) of the church like Phoebe (Romans 16:1-2)

-Serving the poor and needy (Proverbs 31:20, Acts 9:36, 1 Timothy 5:9-10)

*Biblical womanhood has been clearly defined by God and is to be embraced by us

*Truly Biblical womanhood leaves room for different personalities, tastes, likes and dislikes, and the overarching crucially important practice of walking by faith by walking by the Spirit.

~The lie floating around that says motherhood is a woman's highest calling; the other lies this lie leads to and what it does to our sisters-in-Christ and their understanding of Biblical womanhood

~Understanding where a woman's true worth lies

~The reality that marriage and motherhood (as wonderful, impactful, beautiful, and important as those roles are!) are not the sum total of Biblical womanhood

~And more!

For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

108: Comparison, Sabbath, Gratitude, and Living in Light of 2020 with Amber Cullum Aug 05, 2020

Show notes

Amber Cullum is a wife, mom, host of the Grace Enough Podcast (on which I have had the pleasure of being a guest!), and a dear online friend of mine. On today's show we do a bit of processing over all that has gone on in this country during the first half of 2020. In addition, Amber shares her unique and enlightening perspectives on topics such as comparison, gratitude, and Sabbath rhythms. It's a good one!

What We Chat about in Today's Episode:

~The strong pull of comparison on social media

~A different way of thinking of comparison; how it isn't necessarily all bad or always the thief of joy

~Comparison as a useful tool to point us toward godliness

~Paul and comparison

~Important questions to ask ourselves to see which kind of comparison we are operating out of

~Following in the footsteps of those a step ahead of you in the faith

~Walking forward boldly in our faith in the midst of a hard, confusing year

~The reality that both beauty and brokenness are both woven throughout the Word, beginning to end

~The importance of remembering past evidences of the faithfulness of God

~How life-changing the daily practice of exercising gratitude can be; how to get started practicing gratitude in a year such as this one

~How listing out what we are grateful for leads to our being more aware of what is going on around us and noticing the blessings all around

~The brain science behind taking every thought captive

~Sabbath and the benefit of incorporating Sabbath rhythms into your life; advice for how to get started

~Pursuing true rest for your soul

~And more!

For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

107: Boundaries, Forgiveness, and Loving When it Hurts with Sarah Mae Jul 29, 2020

Show notes

Sarah Mae is a wife, mom of 3, host of the Complicated Heart podcast, and author of the new book, The Complicated Heart: Loving Even When It Hurts. Today we are sitting down to chat about loving when it hurts, boundaries, forgiveness, and so much more.

What We Chat about in Today's Episode:

~Sarah Mae's newest book, The Complicated Heart: Loving Even When It Hurts, what led her to write it, and what readers can expect

~Sarah's story of being raised by an alcoholic mother and all the trials and struggles that resulted in her childhood, but finding God's grace and redemption through it all

~The way God continuously was with her and pursued her throughout this whole time and wooed her mom, as well

~Discovering the love of God when you're far less than perfect

~The beautiful gospel truth found in Psalm 40

~Our journeys into and out of legalism

~The real meaning of a "meek and quiet spirit"

~The importance of understanding and recognizing the lies you are believing and how to replace them with truth

~Letting go of expectations in order to forgive

~The importance of getting counseling in any situation where abuse of any kind is involved

~The importance of boundaries, what they are, how to appropriately live them out, and what that can look like as a believer

~Gaslighting - what it is and how to respond

~The good that God brings out of everything

~Dealing with manipulative relationships