**Be sure to check out our new discussion guide to help you make the most out of this episode. [Go to Discussion Guide]

What do you think about when you think about God? Is He distant, uncaring, weak or unjust? Or is He good, near, powerful, just, and loving? Every person has a story they tell themselves about God, and we continually feed this story. 

Today Jay shares how we have a choice in what we choose to feed in our story about God. He then shares how those choices tend to have control over us in ways that we don’t expect. The story you tell yourself about God will affect how you handle temptation, trials, and tragedies. Will sin become a coping mechanism or an evil to avoid? It all depends on the story you are feeding yourself about God.

This principle also holds true in the story we tell ourselves about other people. You can make or break relationships based on the internal story you create and then seek to prove through your interactions. If you are stuck in a bad story, listen and hear how Jay shares two powerful antidotes that can change your story. 

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Resources mentioned:

Join my Things for Thursday Email List and get a free Marriage Snapshot Tool and Fun Family Conversation Ebook!

Support Let’s Parent on Purpose as we help families thrive though the gospel: https://letsparentonpurpose.com/support/

What do you do when you and your children experience intense personal loss, like the unexpected death of a loved one? Eliza Huie helps us walk through a series of questions that parents wrestle with as they try to process shock and grief while also helping their children deal with tragedy.

Listen as Eliza answers the following questions from Jay:

• How can parents shepherd their children through intense personal loss?
• How can they do this while also dealing with the loss themselves?
• What are normal feelings and emotions that go along with trauma.
• What might counseling to do help. How do you know if counseling is appropriate? How soon after the loss?

In crisis we have (psychological needs):

• The Activation of the Body
• The Activation of the Mind and Emotions
• The Activation of the Soul

What does a person in crisis need? (relational needs):

• What determines if a crisis situation results in long-term trauma?
• What are the essential characteristics of a helper in these situations?

A plan for what’s ahead (situational needs):

• First few days
• First 1-3 weeks
• Four weeks and beyond

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About Eliza Huie

Eliza Huie is the director of counseling at McLean Bible Church located invthe Washington D.C. metro area. She is the Dean of Biblical Counseling for Metro Baltimore Seminary in Maryland. She and her husband Ken have been married for almost 30 years and they have 3 grown children and a lovely daughter-in-law.

Resources mentioned:

Biblical Virtual Counseling Resource:

Anchored Hope Counseling – https://anchoredhope.co

Fieldstone Counseling – https://fieldstonecounseling.org

Christian Trauma Counseling – https://christiantraumacounseling.com

Breath as Prayer by Jennifer Tucker

Tips for Survivors of a Disaster or Other Traumatic Event: https://store.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/sma13-4776.pdf

Join my Things for Thursday Email List and get a free Marriage Snapshot Tool and Fun Family Conversation Ebook!

Support Let’s Parent on Purpose as we help families thrive though the gospel: https://letsparentonpurpose.com/support/

**Be sure to check out our new discussion guide to help you make the most out of this episode. Download it here.

Research shows that the average adult makes over 35,000 decisions every day! We make a lot of choices, and many of our choices have a compounding effect as we repeat them day after day. Other choices are not as important but drain our energy. This week Jay shares insights on the power of pre-deciding in seven areas of your life that will have tremendous compound interest. Listen as Jay explains why you should:

1. Pre-decide when you are going to have your time with God each day.

2. Pre-decide when you are going to bed and when you are going to wake up as a normal habit. 

3. Pre-Decide your default meals for breakfast and lunch. 

4. Pre-decide your days and time to be a part of the church

5. Pre-decide your date nights

6. Pre-decide family dinner nights

7. Pre-decide to be proportionally generous

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Resources mentioned:

The Greatest Choices of Strategic Leaders: https://go.roberts.edu/leadingedge/the-great-choices-of-strategic-leaders

Join my Things for Thursday Email List and get a free Marriage Snapshot Tool and Fun Family Conversation Ebook!

Support Let’s Parent on Purpose as we help families thrive though the gospel: https://letsparentonpurpose.com/support/

**Be sure to check out our new discussion guide to help you make the most out of this episode. Download it here.

What does it mean to walk in the Spirit and live in the Spirit? This week I am joined by Dr. Don Love for a walk through Galatians 5 and a discussion of the Fruit of the Spirit in the life of a believer. We talk about how to discern the will of God in your life, ways that the Lord might be speaking to you, and the importance of the statement “God’s will is found in God’s Word.” You will learn the difference between the gifts of the Spirit and the Fruit of the Spirit and how this understanding can be transformational in your marriage and parenting. Finally, Don leads us in a time of prayer to seek the Lord’s guidance on each aspect of the Fruit of the Spirit in our own lives.

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Bio

Dr. Don Love is the director of Pray Through It and the host of the weekly podcast Unquenchable: Biblical Theology, Listening Prayer, and Christian Living. You can find out more and interact with Dr. Love at www.praythroughit.com

Resources mentioned:

Episode 341: Inner Healing Through Prayer with Dr. Don Love

www.praythroughit.com

Join my Things for Thursday Email List and get a free Marriage Snapshot Tool and Fun Family Conversation Ebook!

Support Let’s Parent on Purpose as we help families thrive though the gospel: https://letsparentonpurpose.com/support/

**Be sure to check out our new discussion guide to help you make the most out of this episode. >> https://bit.ly/3Hilh2R

Character changes destiny, and character changes culture. Dr. Kathy Koch helps define the core character qualities we want to instill in our children to help them honor Christ, even when no one is looking. As we learn to parent for character instead of outward obedience, we begin to raise children who will change their culture.

Listen today as Jay and Dr. Kathy discuss:

•   The definition of character, and the vital importance of training for gratitude, joy, and self-efficacy.

•   How to cast vision in your children to be culture changers instead of just rule followers.

•   The definition of joy and the dangers of comparison and unrealistic expectations.

•   The way technology teaches us to live entitled and the wisdom of limiting choices.

•   Why “choice” is one of the most powerful words a parent can use.

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Bio

Dr. Kathy Koch is the founder and president of Celebrate Kids, Inc., and a child development specialist. She is also the author of seven bestselling parent-child enrichment books including her latest book, Parent Differently: Raise Kids with Biblical Character that Changes Culture.

 Resources mentioned: 

www.celebratekids.com

 Parent Differently: Raise Kids with Biblical Character that Changes Culture

 Screens and Teens

 Start with the Heart

 Eight Great Smarts

 No More Perfect Kids

 Resilient Kids

 Five to Thrive

 Facing the Dark Podcast

 Dr. Kathy Says Podcast

 Celebrate Kids Podcast

Join my Things for Thursday Email List and get a free Marriage Snapshot Tool and Fun Family Conversation Ebook!

Support Let’s Parent on Purpose as we help families thrive though the gospel: https://letsparentonpurpose.com/support/

Today Jay revisits his very favorite interviews from 2023. He also celebrates the fruitful year for The 127 Project, including production of Let’s Parent on Purpose and Stories of Hope with Dr. Samuel Thomas, the building and remodeling of three Hope Homes in India, and supporting a pioneering church planter in Nepal.

Be sure to check out the full interviews from Jay’s favorite episodes:

• Episode 319 Family Identity Through Teams with Jeremy Pryor
• Episode 340 Parenting Through the Stupid Years with Jim Ramos
• Episode 345 Moving Beyond Anxiety in your Parenting with Sissy Goff
• Episode 341 Inner Healing Through Prayer with Dr. Don Love
• Episode 344 The Sex Talk with Nick Liberto
• Episode 358 The Five Traits of a Healthy Family with Dr. Gary Chapman

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Resources mentioned:

Join my Things for Thursday Email List and get a free Marriage Snapshot Tool and Fun Family Conversation Ebook!

Support Let’s Parent on Purpose and The 127 Project: https://letsparentonpurpose.com/support/

The beginning of a new year is a great time to think through resolutions, habits, and goals. Today Jay takes you far beyond setting resolutions that will likely fail by February. He walks through his process for starting with determining your specific goals for five aspects of your life: Spiritual, Family, Professional, Financial, and Physical. Once you have determined “who you want to be”, Jay walks you through how to set multi-year goals and then determine the steps for this coming year. 

Many of our plans will fall short. We will constantly encounter new opportunities, calamities, and circumstances that will change our ability to achieve specific goals. But if we have a solid vision for who we want to be over the course of our life, God tends to do far more in and through us than we would ever imagine!

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Resources mentioned:

Join my Things for Thursday Email List and get a free Marriage Snapshot Tool and Fun Family Conversation Ebook!

Support Let’s Parent on Purpose as we help families thrive though the gospel: https://letsparentonpurpose.com/support/

Jay walks us through Ephesians 5 and 6 to point out a key truth: the greatest section of the Bible on family and interpersonal relationships is right next to the greatest section of the Bible on spiritual warfare. Today we look at the reality of spiritual warfare in our homes, and how we are called to remember that our family members are not the enemy, they are the prize. Jay discuses the armor of God in terms of being “in Christ”. Finally, he gives pointers for families who find themselves in a difficult time of anger or arguing with one another. Remember, you have an enemy, but it’s not your family member!

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Resources mentioned:

www.cpgive.org

Join my Things for Thursday Email List and get a free Marriage Snapshot Tool and Fun Family Conversation Ebook!

Support Let’s Parent on Purpose as we help families thrive though the gospel: https://letsparentonpurpose.com/support/

Why does Scripture compare the husband-wife relationship to that of Christ and the church? How does a marriage reflect Jesus and His bride? Today Jay walks through the commands of Ephesians 5:22-33 and then expands on the greater story of redemption in the gospel. He shares the larger story of the Bible from the viewpoint of creation, sabbath rest, sin/vandalism, redemption, and restoration. Jay then goes on to show how a husband and wife can mirror God’s restoration of the vandalism sin causes  as they believe the gospel in their household. 

Resources mentioned:

Join my Things for Thursday Email List and get a free Marriage Snapshot Tool and Fun Family Conversation Ebook!

Support Let’s Parent on Purpose as we help families thrive though the gospel: https://letsparentonpurpose.com/support/

Dr. Gary Chapman brings his 30+ years of biblical wisdom and counseling expertise to help identify the core traits of a healthy family. In this episode we unpack what each trait looks like and how to progress towards health if you are not there yet. Listen as Dr. Chapman describes:

• Families who Serve

• Husbands and Wives Who Relate Intimately

• Parents Who Guide

• Children Who Obey and Honor Parents

• Husbands Who Love and Lead

Bio

Gary Chapman, Ph.D.—author, speaker, pastor, and counselor—has a passion for people, and for helping them form lasting relationships. Chapman is a well-known marriage counselor and director of marriage seminars. The 5 Love Languages® is one of Chapman’s most popular titles, topping various bestseller charts for years, selling over twenty million copies, and has been on the New York Times best-sellers list continuously since 2007. Chapman has been directly involved in real-life family counseling for more than 30 years, and his syndicated radio programs air nationally on Moody Radio Network and over 400 affiliate stations. For more information visit www.5lovelanguages.com

Resources mentioned:

www.5lovelanguages.com

5 Traits of a Healthy Family: Steps You can Take to Grow Closer, Communicate Better, and Change the World Together

Join my Things for Thursday Email List and get a free Marriage Snapshot Tool and Fun Family Conversation Ebook!

https://letsparentonpurpose.com/support/

Our lives are shot through with sacred purpose even when, especially when, we are too busy or too caught up in our busyness to notice. Jay’s guest Douglas McKelvey has spent the last several years penning beautiful prayers to help us bring Christ into the mundane parts of our lives. As Jay and Douglas discuss the Every Moment Holy series, you’ll discover how your life is already full of liturgy whether you realize it or not. Liturgy shapes us. Let’s be intentional about our rhythms and prayers!

Bio

Douglas Kaine McKelvey is an author, song lyricist, scriptwriter, and video director. He has penned more than 350 lyrics recorded by artists such as Switchfoot, Kenny Rogers, Sanctus Real, and Jason Gray. Doug and Lise McKelvey, the parents of three young adults, live near Nashville, TN.

Resources mentioned:

http://everymomentholy.com/

To download the Every Moment Holy app: https://www.everymomentholy.com/app

Join my Things for Thursday Email List and get a free Marriage Snapshot Tool and Fun Family Conversation Ebook!

https://letsparentonpurpose.com/support/