Christian Parent, Crazy World

At some point, every parent will have to work through a crisis with their kids. Whether their child deals with a substance addiction or battles an eating disorder or questions their sexuality or walks away from the faith, parents need encouragement and strategy to work through these difficult seasons.   Joining Catherine again to discuss parenting through the hard times is best-selling author Laine Lawson Craft. Laine’s brand new book, The Parent’s Battle Plan: Warfare Strategies to Win Back Your Prodigal, covers a plethora of parenting potholes. Together, Catherine and Laine cover this vital parenting ground:   Maintaining self-care in a crisis Evicting enablement Establishing healthy boundaries Changing the rules Responding to manipulation Dealing with the judgment of others Establishing community Finding a Christian counselor Guarding our minds from discouragement Praying the Word over our children   And at the end of this episode, these ladies offer a powerful, Spirit-filled prayer to wage war in the heavenlies for this next generation.   LINKS:   Laine’s Book: The Parent’s Battle Plan: Warfare Strategies to Win Back Your Prodigal Laine’s website Laine’s Instagram Page Laine’s Facebook Page Laine’s podcast: Warfare Parenting Podcast   To receive a free copy of “Scriptures to Pray Over Children Who Have Walked Away from the Faith,” subscribe HERE   STUDY REFERENCED:   “45% of Parents with Adult Children Are Helping Them Pay Their Bills” (Money.com)   RELATED ARTICLES:   Crosswalk: “What Every Parent Needs to Know about the Prodigal Child” by Catherine Segars   Crosswalk: “What To Do if Your Child Has Walked Away from the Faith” by Catherine Segars (2/2/22) Lifeway Research: “Most Teenagers Drop Out of Church When They Become Young Adults” (1/15/19) Cold-Case Christianity: “UPDATED: Are Young People Really Leaving Christianity” by J. Warner Wallace (1/12/19) Barna Research: “Atheism Doubles Among Gen Z” (1/24/18)   SCRIPTURES REFERENCED:   Isaiah 43:5-6 Isaiah 54: 13,15,17 Romans 4:17 Jeremiah 31:16-17  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Statistics show that a majority of Christian kids are leaving the faith when they leave the nest. That means a majority of Christian parents are parenting a prodigal child. Support for those walking through the prodigal journey is one of the greatest needs for parents in the body of Christ today.   Where does the prodigal parent start?   Joining Catherine to discuss parenting prodigal children in a two-part series is bestselling author Laine Lawson Craft. Laine’s brand new book, The Parent’s Battle Plan: Warfare Strategies to Win Back Your Prodigal, chronicles her 15-year journey with multiple prodigal children who struggled with drugs, sex, depression, suicidal ideation, and so much more.   Parenting has always been hard, but it’s even harder in today’s dark world. Children are bombarded with technology, peer pressures, and substances that can lead to devastating repercussions for not only the child, but also their family. Today’s youth are just one click away from a destructive path.   How do parents recover from the shock, panic, and guilt they feel when a child chooses a destructive path? What can parents do to help their children when they continue making self-destructive life choices?  How can parents partner with God, the perfect parent, to win back their child?   In this episode, Catherine and Laine answer these questions while pointing parents to the single greatest weapon we have in the battle to win back a prodigal child—that is prayer.   Laine’s Bio: Laine Lawson Craft is an award-winning author, popular media host, and in-demand speaker. The founder and publisher of WHOAwomen magazine (2010-2018), she regularly hosts online challenges and masterclasses as well as Facebook Live events that reach thousands. Her Livin' Lively with Laine podcast encourages women around the world, and her Warfare Parenting podcast encourages parents of adult children.    Links: Laine’s website Laine’s Instagram Page Laine’s Facebook Page Warfare Parenting Podcast   To receive a free copy of “Scriptures to Pray Over Children Who Have Walked Away from the Faith,” subscribe HERE   REFERENCED AND RELATED PODCASTS: EPISODE 13: 4 Types of Prayer Every Believer Should Know EPISODE 14: How To Battle for Your Kids in Prayer EPISODE 15: What Should I Expect When I Battle in Prayer? EPISODE 26: What Every Parent Needs to Know about the Prodigal Child EPISODE 12: What To Do if Your Child Walks Away from the Faith   BOOKS REFERENCED: The Parent’s Battle Plan: Warfare Strategies to Win Back Your Prodigal by Laine Lawson Craft Intercessory Prayer: How God Can Use Your Prayers to Move Heaven and Earth by Dutch Sheets   RELATED ARTICLES:  “What Every Parent Needs to Know about the Prodigal Child” by Catherine Segars (3/22/22) “What To Do if Your Child Has Walked Away from the Faith” by Catherine Segars (11/2/22) "Christian Kids Are Leaving the Faith. What Can We Do about It?" by Catherine Segars (2/9/2

Do you wake up anxious first thing in the morning? Is your mind racing with thoughts of what you need to get done today and what you failed to do yesterday? If this is a pattern for you, we challenge you to break the morning cycle of worry with prayer! In this episode preview from Teach Us to Pray, host Christina Patterson shares what to pray in the morning for a worry-free day.   Discover More Episodes of 'Teach Us to Pray' with Christina Patterson: 3 Signs God Is Trying to Get Your Attention: https://apple.co/3pmZYHN / https://spoti.fi/42uBdYS  How to Turn Your Worries into Prayers: https://apple.co/3I4FPgd / https://spoti.fi/3VTyWUO  How to Pray When You Sense God Moving You In a New Direction: https://apple.co/42tOrVJ / https://spoti.fi/3BoBwIJ  Why Prayer Is So Hard: https://apple.co/3pz8jZ9 / https://spoti.fi/3LUNSx9   Follow the Show, 'Teach Us to Pray': Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3NBnXgt Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3NXSghLSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

May is mental health awareness month, and more families than ever are battling challenges in this area of health. Catherine and her special guest, Peyton Garland, dive deep into the topics of OCD, anxiety, and depression in this episode to offer unique insights, education, and encouragement to weary parents.   Peyton has a powerful testimony of how God is using a mental health disorder in her life for her good and for His glory. Having dealt with obsessive compulsive thoughts since early childhood, Peyton breaks down the four primary types of “sticky thoughts” that people who battle OCD contend with. They are:   Mental Thoughts & Taboo Rituals (a.k.a. Religious OCD) Symmetry Contamination Harm   Peyton expertly navigates the detours and dead ends associated with these compulsive thoughts, and Catherine shares the victory she has experienced in her 17-year battle with clinical depression, highlighting the most dangerous prayer you can pray as a Christian! Along the way, these ladies offer hope while pointing families that deal with mental health disorders towards healing.   Peyton Garland is an author and coffee shop hopper who loves connecting people to a grace bigger than expected. Her debut book, Not So by Myself, was ranked on Kharis Publishing's 2021 Bestseller List. Meanwhile, Wipf & Stock recently released her second title: Tired, Hungry, & Kinda Faithful. Outside the writing world, Peyton is a pilot's wife, dog mom, and soon-to-be boy mom who loves reading WWII fiction and faithfully defending the Oxford comma.    LINKS:   Peyton’s website Peyton’s blog: Uncured & Okay Peyton’s Instagram & Facebook Pages   BOOKS REFERENCED: Tired, Hungry, and Kinda Faithful: Where Exhaustion and Exile Meet God by Peyton Garland Not So By Myself: A safe space where God doesn’t fix the loneliness but sits with you instead by Peyton Garland The Book of Mysteries by Jonathan Cahn (day 191)   ARTICLES REFERENCED: “To the Mama with a Mental Health Disorder” by Peyton Garland “A Few Not So Stereotypical Thoughts on OCD” by Peyton Garland “What I Wish People Knew about Mental Illness” by Catherine Segars “What I Wish People with Mental Illness Knew” by Catherine Segars   SCRIPTURES REFERENCED: Psalm 40:1-3 2 Corinthians 10:5 1 Timothy 2:7  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Catherine continues her riveting conversation Blake Howard, the committed church kid raised in a Christian home who struggled with same sex attraction from a very young age. Then, tragically, Blake was molested and bullied in school for acting gay. So after high school, he became gay. He was also addicted to drugs and was doing drag to receive the love and affirmation that his heart longed for. Blake shares this part of his testimony in Episode 59.   Now you will hear the rest of the story… as Paul Harvey used to say. You will hear about Blake’s dramatic alter-call conversion to belief in Christ, his deliverance from drug addiction through the power of the Holy Spirit, and his continued struggle with homosexuality and eventual complete submission to Christ in that area of his life. You’ll also hear about his marriage and parenting and how he came to be a minister.   It is an incredible story!   And along the way, you will get some priceless, hard-earned advice on how to walk in relationship with the people in your life who struggle with same sex attraction and gender dysphoria… all from a guy who knows exactly what they need because he’s been there.   Blake Howard is the Associate Pastor &amp; Creative Director at Xtreme Harvest Church in San Antonio, TX. Blake graduated from Ramp School of Ministry in Hamilton, AL.   To see clips from this interview and find inspiring supplemental quotes and posts, connect with Catherine on Instagram and Facebook . To receive updates about each new podcast and free resources like Scripture songs, Bible verses to pray over prodigal children, and a topical index of Scriptures for prayer, subscribe to Catherine’s website.   LINKS: Blake’s Instagram &amp; Facebook Pages   BOOK REFERENCED: From Mascara to Manhood by Benjamin Blake Howard Gay Awareness: Discovering the Heart of the Father and the Mind of Christ on Sexuality by Landon Schott   SCRIPTURES REFERENCED: Romans 5:8-10   OTHER EPISODES IN THIS SERIES: Episode 59: How Does a Committed Church Kid Become a Drag Queen?   RELATED PODCASTS WITH BLAKE HOWARD: Red Pilled America, Episode 149: Bondage, February 10, 2023 Allie Beth Stuckey, Episode 748: From Drag Queen &amp; Drug Dealer to Jesus Follower   CPCW Series on Sexuality: Episode 45: How Do We Help Our Kids to Understand Biblical Sexuality? Episode 46: How to Talk to Your Kids about Biblical Sexuality Episode 47: What is Our Culture Teaching Kids about Sexuality Episode 48: How Our Culture is Distorting Sexuality and Harming Children   RELATED ARTICLES “Understanding Biblical Sexuality and How To Talk about It with Your Children” by Erin A. Barry and Catherine Segars “<a href="https://www.cr

We've all heard the story of a kid in the church youth group who is now on a destructive path. Many parents are living this story. Sometimes the lessons we teach our kids don’t stick. The faith we hand down doesn’t become their own. They have outside influences that erode the foundation that us parents seek so diligently to build.   In this episode, Catherine shares a cautionary tale of a young man who was raised in the church, in the Bible belt, and yet he chose a very destructive path. Blake Howard found love and affirmation under layers of make-up and pounds fake body parts. There are a lot of lessons that parents can learn from his story. Catherine and Blake discuss:   Why we need to talk to our kids about sex early, and how to go about that. The effects of bullying on kids who are struggling in the area of sexuality. How the church often reinforces unhealthy ideas about gender. How to help our kids understand masculinity and femininity. The effects of worldly affirmation.   Along the way, you will see how a church kid can slowly descend into a life of sexual confusion and gender dysphoria, all from a guy who has been there and has a lot of wisdom to offer.   And while today’s tale is tragic, in the very next episode you will hear how this same young man went from being a drag queen to being a minister of the Gospel.    Only God could write a story like that!   Blake Howard is the Associate Pastor &amp; Creative Director at Xtreme Harvest Church in San Antonio, TX. Blake graduated from Ramp School of Ministry in Hamilton, AL.   To see clips from this interview and find inspiring supplemental quotes and posts, connect with Catherine on Instagram and Facebook . To receive updates about each new podcast and free resources like Scripture songs, Bible verses to pray over prodigal children, and a topical index of Scriptures for prayer, subscribe to Catherine’s website.   Episode Links: Blake’s Instagram &amp; Facebook Pages   BOOK REFERENCED: From Mascara to Manhood by Benjamin Blake Howard God’s Design for Sex Series (4 books) by Stan &amp; Brenna Jones   PODCASTS REFERENCED: Red Pilled America, Episode 149: Bondage, February 10, 2023 Allie Beth Stuckey, Episode 748: From Drag Queen &amp; Drug Dealer to Jesus Follower CPCW Series on Sexuality: Episode 45: How Do We Help Our Kids to Understand Biblical Sexuality? Episode 46: How to Talk to Your Kids about Biblical Sexuality Episode 47: What is Our Culture Teaching Kids about Sexuality Episode 48: How Our Culture is Distorting Sexuality and Harming Children   ARTICLES REFERENCED: “Understanding Biblical Sexuality and How To Talk about It with Your Children” by Erin A. Barry and Catherine Segars “What Culture Is Teaching Our Kids about Sexuality: 7 Ways to Respond” by Erin

Our culture is selling a pack of lies to the next generation. Are your kids buying?   Joining Catherine again in this episode is Elizabeth Urbanowicz, creator of Foundation Worldview, a Christian worldview curriculum for kids ages 14 to 4. Elizabeth has distilled the catalog of cultural falsehoods into a best-of list containing the top seven most prevalent lies being sold to our kids.   They are: If I feel it, it must be true. Follow your heart. Love is affirming everything we feel. Faith is the opposite of knowledge. Humans are the products of blind, unguided evolution. You are the one you’ve been waiting for. A good God wouldn’t judge.   In this episode, Catherine and Elizabeth break down each lie and offer ways that you can teach your children to recognize them, reject them, and stand for what is true. We’ve got to know what these lies are if we want to help our kids not to fall for them.   Elizabeth Urbanowicz holds a B.S. from Gordon College in Elementary Education and Spanish, an M.S.Ed. from Northern Illinois University in Literacy Education, and an M.A. in Christian Apologetics from Biola University. Elizabeth created Foundation Worldview to equip Christian parents with the resources they need to train children to soundly interpret Scripture, carefully evaluate every idea they encounter, and understand the truth of the biblical worldview. Elizabeth firmly believes that the Christian youth exodus can be a thing of the past. When kids are equipped to soundly interpret Scripture, they will quickly develop a biblical worldview. And when kids are taught to think well, they can carefully evaluate the messages they are exposed to each day.   To see clips from this interview and find inspiring supplemental quotes and posts, connect with Catherine on Instagram and Facebook . To receive updates about each new podcast and free resources like Scripture songs, Bible verses to pray over prodigal children, and a topical index of Scriptures for prayer, subscribe to Catherine’s website.   COUPON CODE: Use the coupon code “CPCW10” to get $10 off any family license with Foundation Worldview.   STUDIES &amp; QUOTES: Lord Acton Quote: “Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Ligonier Ministries Bi-annual State of Theology Report Richard Dawkins’ quote from The Blind Watchmaker   SCRIPTURES REFERENCED: Jeremiah 17:9 Psalm 52:5-8 1 Corinthians 15:14 Matthew 11:1-6 Mark 12:30 Hebrews 11:1 To receive my free Scripture songs including Psalm 52:5-8, subscribe HERE.   RESOURCES MENTIONED: Mama Bear Apologetics The Discovery Institute The Gospel Project by Lifeway Dr. Stephen Meyer, Signature in the CellSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What type of mindset makes us vulnerable to chronic stress, anxiety &amp; depression? When you are stressed, what automatic coping mechanisms have you adopted that don’t help, but diminish your wellness?  What holds you back from getting the rest that you need when you’re stressed?   In this episode from Breathe: The Stress Less Podcast (another free show from LifeAudio), soul care coach Bonnie shares how to ditch mindsets that keep you stuck in anxiety, worry, and stress and what you can do to stop the stress, when you need it most. This episode will help you let go of unhealthy thinking patterns and replace them with a healthy biblical mindset to create a new rhythm to stop the stress cycle.   DISCOVER MORE EPISODES OF BREATHE: THE STRESS LESS PODCAST FROM BONNIE GRAY: Is Self-Care or Soul-Care Selfish or Unspiritual? - https://apple.co/40lhHxb / https://spoti.fi/3FIg305  How to Stop Numbing Your Emotions &amp; Stop Negative Self-Talk with Jesus - https://apple.co/405mcvz / https://spoti.fi/3Z2b0hP  Feeling Anxious? Cast Your Cares on God Because He Cares For You - https://apple.co/3FHsQA5 / https://spoti.fi/3ZWQb8R    LINKS &amp; RESOURCES: Take the Soul Care Quiz at soulcarequiz.com – your FREE personal wellness assessment – to learn which areas of wellness you’re missing most to flourish with God’s peace and joy in your life. Grab Bonnie’s new book to lower stress, Breathe: 21 Ways to Stress Less &amp; Transform Chaos to Calm Join the FREE Breathe Wellness Book Club to tackle for areas of wellbeing: emotional, physical, spiritual, and social wellness at http://thebonniegray.com/breathe. Get 4 LIVE sessions + community support! Want scientific articles mentioned in today’s show? Sign up for the FREE Breathe newsletter https://thebonniegray.com/subscribe/ Get Bonnie’s FREE 7 Prayers &amp; Scriptures to Calm Anxiety here!   FOLLOW BONNIE: Instagram: https://instagram.com/thebonniegray Facebook: https://facebook.com/thebonniegray Website: http://www.thebonniegray.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Christian worldview is challenged like never before in American culture. With a majority of kids leaving the faith after they leave the nest, Christian parents need to prioritize establishing a biblical worldview in the lives of our children.   Our kids can’t keep what they don’t own, and they can’t own what they haven't received.    But how do we teach our kids the Christian worldview?   What foundational principles need to be covered and how do we break it down for young minds to grasp?   Catherine’s guest in this episode is an expert at teaching the Christian worldview to children. Elizabeth Urbanowicz holds a B.S. from Gordon College in Elementary Education and Spanish, an M.S.Ed. from Northern Illinois University in Literacy Education, and an M.A. in Christian Apologetics from Biola University.   Several years into her teaching experience, Elizabeth realized that despite being raised in Christian homes, attending a Christian school, and being active in church, her students thought more like the culture than like Christ. Elizabeth began searching for curricular materials that would equip her students to think critically, helping them discover that Christianity is the worldview that lines up with reality. After not finding materials that effectively met this need, she created a curriculum that did.   Foundation Worldview exists to equip Christian parents with the resources they need to train children to soundly interpret Scripture, carefully evaluate every idea they encounter, and understand the truth of the biblical worldview. Elizabeth firmly believes that the Christian youth exodus can be a thing of the past. When kids are equipped to soundly interpret Scripture, they will quickly develop a biblical worldview. When kids are taught to think well, they can carefully evaluate the messages they are exposed to each day.   To see clips from this interview and find inspiring supplemental quotes and posts, connect with Catherine on Instagram and Facebook . To receive updates about each new podcast and free resources like Scripture songs, Bible verses to pray over prodigal children, and a topical index of Scriptures for prayer, subscribe to Catherine’s website.   COUPON CODE: Use the coupon code “CPCW10” to get $10 off any family license with Foundation Worldview.   CPCW WORLDVIEW SERIES REFERENCED: EPISODE 6: 5 Reasons You Should Teach Your Kids about Other Worldviews EPISODE 7: What Worldviews Are Competing with Your Kids Faith? EPISODE 8: What Sets the Christian Worldview Apart from Other Worldviews? EPISODE 9: How Does the Christian Worldview Create a World We All Want To Live In   RESOURCES MENTIONED: “Only 4 Percent of Gen Z Have a Biblical Worldview”, Impact 360/Barna Research “Atheism Doubles Among Gen Z”, Barna Research “Do We Live in a Post-Modern Society?”, William Lane Craig   SCRIPTURE MENTIONED: John 18:37 John 14:6 John 1:1See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There is no greater discipline that we can teach our children than the daily practice of prayer. Communing with our heavenly Father is the lifeblood of our faith.   But how do we teach our kids to pray?   Catherine wraps up this series on Gen Z by exploring that question.   Joining Catherine to discuss this vital topic is Erica Renaud, author of the brand new book Pray with Me: Help Your Children Engage in Authentic and Powerful Prayer. In addition to being a captivating speaker and writer, Erica is a mother five kids ages 18 to 6, and she is passionate about prayer.   Together, Catherine and Erica investigate what prayer is, why we pray, what prayer accomplishes, how to prepare for prayer, and how to respond when our prayers aren’t answered the way we hoped—all using terminology that your kids can understand. Their conversation is insightful, practical, encouraging, enlightening, and refreshing.   You don’t have to be an expert on prayer to teach your children how to pray... so breathe a sigh of relief, moms and dads! You just have to be willing to guide your kids on a journey to engage with God.   To see clips from this interview and find inspiring supplemental quotes and posts, connect with Catherine on Instagram and Facebook . To receive updates about each new podcast and free resources like Scripture songs, Bible verses to pray over prodigal children, and a topical index of Scriptures for prayer, subscribe to Catherine’s website.   OTHER EPISODES IN THIS SERIES: EPISODE 55: “The 5 Greatest Cultural Challenges Facing Gen Z” with Dr. Jonathan Morrow EPISODE 54: “5 Things Every Parent Needs to Know about Gen Z” with Dr. Jonathan Morrow EPISODE 53: “Practical Ways to Disciple Gen Z” with Dana Che   RESOURCES MENTIONED: Erica’s Website Erica’s Book: Pray with Me: Help Your Children Engage in Authentic and Powerful Prayer Erica’s Instagram and Facebook Pages   EPISODES ON PRAYER MENTIONED EPISODE 13: “4 Types of Prayer Every Believer Should Know” EPISODE 14: “How To Battle for Your Kids in Prayer” EPISODE 15: “What Should I Expect When I Battle in Prayer?”   BOOKS MENTIONED: Watchman Nee: Let Us Pray Watchman Nee: The Prayer and Ministry of the Church SCRIPTURE MENTIONED: 2 Chronicles 2:9See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.