Christian Parent, Crazy World

We’ve all come under the scrutiny of others, and so have our kids. When we are judged by other Christians, the pain can be acute. It can lead us away from God and the faith. Catherine begins a new series on judging by establishing a proper foundation of God’s overwhelming love before we dissect someone’s behavior. Then she examines the pain that ungodly judgments can cause. With those critical prerequisites in mind, Catherine begins to unpack what Scripture has to say about judging other people. This series will bring a lot of insight, hope, and healing to parents and kids dealing with the pain of judgment from others. SCRIPTURES CITED:Matthew 18:6Romans 5:8Luke 15Romans 8:35-39Matthew 7:1-3Romans 7:7SOURCES CITED:Episode 4: Is Christian Just a Religion of Do’s and Don’ts?: https://bit.ly/3T9DxAaBait of Satan: Living Free from the Deadly Trap of Offense by John Bevere: https://bit.ly/3PHdVYP Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Catherine concludes this uplifting series on the power of our words by pulling the lens way back to show how our words water the seeds of legacy in our kids’ lives. In this episode, Catherine travels to the future, to a place where all our hard parenting work is done. All the seeds are planted. All the water has poured out of us onto those little seeds, and these precious plants are strong and vibrant. The fruit growing out of their lives is bold and beautiful. And these plants are blessing others. They are blessing us. That may seem like a long way off, but when you are in the thick of a long journey, you need to be reminded of the destination, because those sweet reminders keep us going. “Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom… Let us, your servants, see you work again; let our children see your glory.” (Psalm 91:12, 16)SCRIPTURES CITED:Proverbs 18:21Deuteronomy 11:18-21Psalm 90:12, 16OTHER EPISODES IN THIS SERIES:Episode 36: How Powerful Are Our Words in the Lives of Our Kids?: https://bit.ly/3SQdA8GEpisode 37: 7 Ways to Bless Your Kids with Words: https://bit.ly/3dlqStARESOURCES CITED:Blog: Sing to Me by Catherine Segars: https://catherinesegars.com/2020/03/07/sing-to-me/Episode 14 (testimony): How To Battle for Your Kids in Prayer: https://www.lifeaudio.com/christian-parent-crazy-world/how-to-battle-for-your-kids-in-prayer-episode-14 Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Words can change the course of a life. They can build dreams, or they can break them. Proverbs 18:21 says, “The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” We want our words to produce healthy fruit in the lives of our children. But how can we do that specifically?In this refreshing episode, Catherine offers seven ways to bless your kids with words. As a parent, you need to:1.Speak into your kids’ strengths.2.Speak into your kids’ weaknesses.3.Thank your children for what they do well.4.Ask God to give you a life verse for your child.5.Ask God to give you a specific word of encouragement for your child.6.Write a note of encouragement for your child7.Speak this blessing over your child.SCRIPTURES REFERENCED:Proverbs 18:212 Corinthians 2:9Psalm 46:4SOURCES CITED:“Olympic Memories of Wilma Rudolf/Doctor Said She Could Not Walk, So She Ran,” Sports Café: https://bit.ly/3vOSj5EThe Blessing with Kari Jobe & Cody Carnes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zp6aygmvzM4 A Father’s Blessing by John Paul Jackson: https://bit.ly/3vJxubOEPISODES CITED:Episode 14: “How to Battle for Your Kids in Prayer”: https://bit.ly/3P30hyFSubscribe on Catherine’s website to receive a special copy of John Paul Jackson’s blessing for your child. https://catherinesegars.com/resources Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

A little boy whose dreams were dashed by the words of a teacher. A young man whose aspirations were ignited by the words of a co-worker. A poor child who believed he could be anything if he kept reading because his illiterate mom said so. These are some of the incredible stories that Catherine brings to life in this uplifting series on the power of our words. Words are weighty. They can shape the course of a life.Scripture tells us that “Life and death are in the power of the tongue.” Proverbs 18:21Our tongues can be a megaphone we use to cheer our kids on in their purpose and calling in life, or they can be a sword that cuts them down, that brings death to their destiny. We’ve got to speak life over our kids because what we tell our kids sticks. The good and the bad.Join Catherine in this uplifting series on how impacting our words can be in the lives of our kids. RESOURCES CONSULTEDSean Dietrich, a.k.a. “Sean of the South”: Personal Memoir -https://amzn.to/3J2QsiKSonya and Dr. Ben Carson’s story: https://bit.ly/3b76wnhTHEME VERSE:Proverbs 18:21FOLLOW CATHERINE:Email questions or answers to Catherine catherine@catherinesegars.com. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

In this episode, Catherine wraps up this series on dealing with the difficult parts of the Bible by addressing those parts of Scripture we still don’t understand. Let’s be honest—sometimes Scripture does say what we want it to say. What is the point of these passages dealing with rape, slavery, and murder? Issues like these frequently come up when discussing the Christian faith with unbelievers and with our kids. They wonder how we can overlook such things.We shouldn’t.We should wrestle with these sections of Scripture. We must not change them. We must not discard them. We must study and question and pray and wring our hands. Often when we do, we will find answers rendered more precious because of the journey it took to find them. Join Catherine in this divine search for answers to the tough questions in the Bible.EPISODES IN THIS SERIES:Episode 31: Why Does the Bible Say… Fill in the Blank? – https://bit.ly/3xX9XnVEpisode 32: How Can Parents Deal with the Difficult Parts of Scripture? - https://bit.ly/3NouE1P Episode 33: Is the God of the Old Testament a Monster? - https://bit.ly/3nmxtWFEpisode 34: How Can We Help Our Kids Understand Who God Is? - https://bit.ly/3yYZZUHRESOURCES MENTIONED:Article: “How Do I Deal with the Terribly Disturbing Parts of Scripture?” - https://bit.ly/3z8j5YRVideo: “Where Does the Evidence Lead? What Darwin Didn’t Know.” - https://bit.ly/3yYmglHVideo: “Jonathan Wells: Zombie Science Keeps Pushing Junk DNA Myth” - https://bit.ly/3yXw8ffArticle: “There’s Nothing Blind about Faith,” by Alister McGrath - https://ab.co/3PiDkbl SCRIPTURES MENTIONED:The Rape of Tamar: 2 Samuel 13The Levite Concubine: Judges 19-20Jesus allows divorce: Matthew 19:8Love your neighbor as yourself: Mark 12:311 Corinthians 13:9-12Proverbs 25:2 Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Catherine continues in a series on dealing with the difficult parts of Scripture by discussing two often misunderstood aspects of God’s nature: his mercy and his justice. These attributes are opposite ends of the divine pendulum. If we don’t understand them, we don’t understand who God is. We must properly comprehend these parts of God’s character if we want to prevent our kids from falling for the mischaracterizations of God that abound in our culture. In a tour through literature that ends with a fascinating story from a world-renowned theologian, Catherine unpacks these beautiful attributes of God. He is passionately concerned about justice, but he is equally if not more concerned about mercy. Time and time and time again we see that God forgoes justice and gives mercy. Mercy literally runs through God’s veins. But God does not force his mercy upon us. If we don’t choose to receive God’s mercy, we will receive his justice. We must teach our kids that God is merciful and He is just. How he interacts with us is up to us. So, we must teach our kids to choose wisely.OTHER EPISODES IN THIS SERIES:Episode 31: Why Does the Bible Say… Fill in the Blank? – https://bit.ly/3xX9XnVEpisode 32: How Can Parents Deal with the Difficult Parts of Scripture? - https://bit.ly/3NouE1P Episode 33: Is the God of the Old Testament a Monster? - https://bit.ly/3nmxtWFSummary for the Merchant of Venice: https://bit.ly/3uFPJOTPortia’s Speech: https://poets.org/poem/merchant-venice-act-iv-scene-i-quality-mercy-not-strained“Holiness and Justice” by Dr. R. C. Sproul: https://www.ligonier.org/learn/series/holiness-of-god/holiness-and-justice SCRIPTURES CITED:Psalm 82:3Isaiah 1:17Micah 6:8Jeremiah 1:5Psalm 139Psalm 56:8Genesis 16:1-16 (Story of Hagar)FOLLOW CATHERINE:Email questions or answers to Catherine: catherine@catherinesegars.com Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

There are many out there who would mischaracterize God. We need to prepare our kids for these mischaracterizations of God. We must not ignore, sanitize, or downplay the difficult parts of Scripture. We must address them head on and give our kids an accurate understanding of who God is.If we read the Old Testament honestly, we will see a God of great compassion and mercy. A God who pleads with his people to choose wisely. A God who continually points to his plan of salvation for all mankind – Jesus. And Jesus continually points back to God in the Old Testament. You can’t separate the God of the Old Testament and Jesus. “Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” - John 14:6OTHER EPISODES IN THIS SERIES:Episode 31: Why Does the Bible Say… Fill in the Blank? – https://bit.ly/3xX9XnVEpisode 32: How Can Parents Deal with the Difficult Parts of Scripture? - https://bit.ly/3NouE1P RESOURCES MENTIONED:A New Kind of Apologist by Sean McDowell: https://seanmcdowell.org/item/a-new-kind-of-apologistScary Mary Film Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2T5_0AGdFic&t=3sScary Mrs. Doubtfire Film Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ckv_Dz-SioRichard Dawkins Quote: https://strangenotions.com/richard-dawkins-and-the-god-of-the-old-testament/Episode 4: Is Christianity Just a Religion of Do’s and Don’ts?: https://www.lifeaudio.com/christian-parent-crazy-world/is-christianity-just-a-religion-of-dos-and-donts-episode-4FOLLOW CATHERINE:Email questions or answers to Catherine: catherine@catherinesegars.com. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Catherine continues in her series on dealing with difficult parts of Scripture with installment two. In this episode, Catherine applies the practical guidelines that she gave in episode 31 to a difficult story from the Bible that led a young college-age Christian to abandon his faith. Our kids are getting blindsided by parts of the Bible that they haven’t heard or haven’t properly considered, and this is causing many young believers to leave the faith.We need to help our kids find reasonable, rational answers for why the Bible is true. As you walk with Catherine through this difficult part of Scripture, you will learn how to provide those answers yourself.GUIDELINES for dealing with the difficult part of Scripture:1. Take away the ambush.2. Don’t ignore the question.3. Don’t downplay the question.4. Pray about it.5. Get to work. (Research)6. Stand on what you know.7. Wrestle out loud.RESOURCES MENTIONED:Episode 31: Why does the Bible Say… Fill in the Blank?: https://www.lifeaudio.com/christian-parent-crazy-world/why-does-the-bible-say-fill-in-the-blank-episode-31A New Kind of Apologist by Sean McDowell, Chapter 6: “Don’t Blame Us, It’s in the Bible” by Dan Kimball: https://seanmcdowell.org/item/a-new-kind-of-apologistSCRIPTURES REFERENCED:- James 1:5- The Exodus & the ten plagues: Exodus 1-12- Herod’s massacre of the innocent: Matthew 2:1-18- Exodus 1:22- Galatians 6:7-9 Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

There is stuff in the Bible that is hard to understand and difficult to explain. And too often, the first time many Christian kids encounter these difficult parts of the Bible is when an atheist professor brings them up in a class, or a friend who is a secular humanist challenges them in the cafeteria or at work. Kids are getting blindsided because they didn’t cover those topics in Sunday School or in their youth group. Moms and dads, we aren’t doing our kids any favors when we skip these parts of the Bible. In this episode, Catherine discusses what can happen when our kids get questions about parts of the Bible that they’ve never considered or even heard before. Then she offers 7 practical guidelines on how to approach these sections of Scripture with your kids.GUIDELINES: 1. Take away the ambush. 2. Don’t ignore the question.3 .Don’t downplay the question. 4. Pray about it.5. Get to work. (Research)6. Stand on what you know.7. Wrestle out loud. ARTICLES & PODCASTS MENTIONED:1. “How Do I Deal with the Terribly Disturbing Parts of Scripture?”: https://bit.ly/3wWtlC6 2. “Why Does the Bible Tell Women to be Silent and Not to Teach?”: https://bit.ly/38Xw1Gy3. “Christian Kids Are Leaving the Faith. What Can We Do About It?”: https://bit.ly/3t0WUjt4. CPCW Episode 2: “What is the Key for Our Kids to Have an Authentic Faith?”: https://bit.ly/3z7o5NJ 5. CPCW Episode 3: “How Do I Teach My Kids to Contend for Their Faith?”: https://bit.ly/3a5DDa6 RESOURCES CITED:A New Kind of Apologist by Sean McDowell: https://bit.ly/3M4rfnX The Questions Christians Hope No One Will Ask by Mark Mittelberg: https://bit.ly/391XJlkSCRIPTURES CITED:James 1:5FOLLOW CATHERINE:Email questions or answers to Catherine catherine@catherinesegars.com. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

In this episode, Catherine tackles a question that every parent needs to have firmly settled: is it ok to question God and the Christian faith? Kids are coming home from school, extracurricular activities, higher education, work, or even church with serious questions about their beliefs. This is a good thing. But how do you handle that? How do we help our kids with these difficult topics? How do we encourage them to seek answers?Catherine answers those questions in this episode of CHRISTIAN PARENT/CRAZY WORLD. And she gives some critically important advice on how to prepare for the tough conversations that inevitably arise in our parenting.*REFERENCES CITED:The Lee Strobel Center for Evangelism and Applied Apologetics at Colorado Christian University:https://www.ccu.edu/strobelcenter/https://www.ccu.edu/The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel: https://bit.ly/3MfjZXoThe Case for Christ for Kids by Lee Strobel: https://bit.ly/3PzHsVsThe Case for Christ Movie DVD: https://bit.ly/3MlYggDChristian Apologetics: A Comprehensive Case for Biblical Faith by Dr. Douglas Groothuis: https://bit.ly/39XeRZH*SCRIPTURE REFERENCED:Acts 17Job 38Luke 1:18Luke 1:38Proverbs 25:2*FOLLOW CATHERINE: https://catherinesegars.com/https://www.instagram.com/catherinesegars/ Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.