Bestselling author and beloved pastor Max Lucado returns to the Happy Home to talk about his latest book, Tame Your Thoughts: Three Tools to Renew Your Mind and Transform Your Life. Drawing from Scripture and personal stories, Max shares how you can manage negative thought patterns (even if you've carried it around for years). 

Perfect for parents, you'll learn how to battle anxiety personally and how to help your kids, especially in this world of constant digital noise. On today's episode, you'll learn: 

1:00 The importance of thought management 

2:20 Tool #1: Practice picky thinking 

10:00 The helmet of salvation does this 

13:50 UFO: Untruth, False Narrative, Overreaction 

17:10 Even Max's dog can apply the UFO 

21:00 How Scripture meditation uproots untruths 

Max Lucado is a bestselling author with more than 150 million books in print. He's a teaching pastor at Oak Hills Church in San Antonio, TX.  He and his wife Denalyn have three grown daughters, three sons-in-law, and four grandchildren. 

Learn more about Max Lucado and his book Tame Your Thoughts

More Resources from Arlene Pellicane:

SUBSCRIBE to Arlene's newsletter "What I'm Learning This Week" and get access to 12 free resources to help you as a parent. 

Check out Arlene's BOOKS including Parents Rising, Screen Kids, and Making Marriage Easier. 

Follow Arlene on Instagram and/or Facebook 

How did Arlene's kids adapt to not having phones, video games or social media? Watch the free video, Screen Kids: In Their Own Words.   

Have a question for Arlene to address on the podcast?  Want to invite Arlene to speak to your group? Email [email protected]

Not sure about a smartphone for your child?  Check out the Gabb Wireless phone for kids and teens (use the promo code ARLENE). 

Discover more Christian podcasts at LifeAudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Visit donate.accessmore.com and give today to help fund more episodes and shows like this.

Need help understanding your neurodivergent child? Maybe your child has ADHD, autism, or another challenge. Author Kim Botto is here to give us the gift of understanding this Christmas. She knows how to create spaces where every child feels heard, valued, and loved. She's the author of Boundless Hope for Every Child and specializes in trauma-informed, disability ministry at home and in the church.  

On today's episode, you'll learn:

2:30 How to understand the needs behind your child’s big behavior 

4:20 Helpful correction strategies that actually work 

7:20 What steps to take in order to establish a routine 

12:00 Why making your kids feel safe is so important 

18:50 Don’t be afraid to go back to church, even with a neurodivergent child

23:40 How to encourage your kids by speaking to their potential 

27:30 How screen time affects kids with ADHD or autism 

Kim Botto has worked with children and teens for over three decades through churches, schools, nonprofits, and adoption and foster care initiatives. She has a Masters in Family Ministry and is a frequent speaker on trauma, disability, and neurodivergence. 

Learn more about Kim Botto, her podcast Every Child Belongs, and her book, Boundless Hope for Every Child on her website https://kimbotto.com/

Subscribe to Arlene's newsletter "What I'm Learning This Week" and get the 25 Days of Christmas activity and devotional guide. https://www.happyhomeuniversity.com/subscribe

How did Arlene's kids adapt to not having phones, video games or social media? Watch the free video, Screen Kids: In Their Own Words. https://www.happyhomeuniversity.com/film

Have a question for Arlene to address on the podcast? Please email Arlene your questions and the topics you want covered on the show! Email speaking @ arlenepellicane.com

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Visit donate.accessmore.com and give today to help fund more episodes and shows like this.

We live in a culture obsessed with self-care and personal branding.  But what if freedom and happiness is found more in forgetting ourselves and remembering God instead? Sharon Hodde Miller shares from her new devotional, Gazing at God: A 40 Day Journey to Greater Freedom from Self.  On today's episode, you'll learn: 

3:25 What does it mean to gaze at God 

10:36 How to help your kids avoid being self-centered 

15:57 How to avoid harming your children with your own insecurity 

22:10 Why we should practice self-forgetfulness

25:30 The journey of getting out of a scarcity mindset

Sharon Hodde MIller PhD is the co-founder and leader of Bright City Church in Durham, North Carolina.  She teaches about faith, culture and the Bible, and her books include Nice, The Cost of Control, and Gazing at God. 

Learn more about Sharon Hodde Miller on her website https://sheworships.com/

Follow Sharon on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/sharonhmiller/

Subscribe to Arlene's newsletter "What I'm Learning This Week". https://www.happyhomeuniversity.com/subscribe

How did Arlene's kids adapt to not having phones, video games or social media? Watch the free video, Screen Kids: In Their Own Words.  https://www.happyhomeuniversity.com/film

Have a question for Arlene to address on the podcast?  Please email Arlene your questions and the topics you want covered on the show!  Email speaking @ arlenepellicane.com

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Visit donate.accessmore.com and give today to help fund more episodes and shows like this.

In this broken world, building a strong family can seem out of reach. Your family doesn’t have to be perfect to be strong. Bestselling author Jessica Smartt shows us how to build a home where love and connection are every day occurrences. We're talking about her new book, Come on Home.  

On today's episode, you'll learn: 

5:25 The legacy we should want to leave for our kids 

7:40 How a close-knit family can change the world

11:30 The role of “taking-inventory” in your family

19:20 How making memories plays a special role in shaping your family 

23:35 How to make all of your children feel like the favorite

26:20 The fruit of delaying giving your children technology

Jessica Smartt is the author of Memory Making Mom and Let Them Be Kids, and today we’re talking about her new book, Come on Home. She’s wife to Todd and homeschooling mom of 3. Her family lives on twenty acres with her parents and her two sisters' families. That means there's a never-ending circus of kids, chickens, cats, and horses. 

Learn more about Jessica Smartt and her new book, Come on Home https://jessicasmartt.com/come-on-home

How did Arlene's kids adapt to not having phones, video games or social media? Watch the free video, Screen Kids: In Their Own Words. https://www.happyhomeuniversity.com/film

Subscribe to Arlene's newsletter "What I'm Learning This Week". https://www.happyhomeuniversity.com/subscribe

Have a question for Arlene to address on the podcast?  Please email Arlene your questions and the topics you want covered on the show!  Email speaking @ arlenepellicane.com

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Visit donate.accessmore.com and give today to help fund more episodes and shows like this.

Talking about sex can be awkward, shameful, embarrassing or painful. But what if it could be healing and hopeful? Dr. Juli Slattery is here to talk about God’s transformative love for every area of life, including our sexuality. We're talking about her new book, Surrendered Sexuality. On today's episode, you'll learn: 

3:30 We don’t talk about sexuality. What are we really missing? 

9:30 How to find wholeness and healing with your sexuality 

12:00 Practical ways to help disciple your child in their sexuality 

19:15 The problems with our mindset shift from viewing sex as procreational to recreational 

24:53 How we should think about sex from a biblical worldview 

27:43 Finding hope after sexual brokenness 

Dr. Juli Slattery is the president and cofounder of Authentic Intimacy, a ministry dedicated to reclaiming God’s design for sexuality. She hosts the Java with Juli podcast, and has written several books including her newest book, Surrendered Sexuality: How Knowing Jesus Changes Everything. She and her husband Mike have 3 grown sons. Before she began Authentic Intimacy, she served as the co-host of the Focus on the Family Broadcast.  

Learn more about Dr. Juli Slattery and her book, Surrendered Sexuality https://www.authenticintimacy.com/

Listen to the podcast, Java with Juli https://www.authenticintimacy.com/podcast/

Check out Arlene's book, Making Marriage Easier (listen to the first chapter, get free date night ideas and more)  makingmarriageeasier.com

Subscribe to Arlene's newsletter "What I'm Learning This Week." https://www.happyhomeuniversity.com/subscribe

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Visit donate.accessmore.com and give today to help fund more episodes and shows like this.

Are you too young to be thinking about legacy? Hobby Lobby Founder David Green says we can all be planning to make a lasting eternal impact on the generations that follow. Legacy is created now, not only in the last decades of your life. David Green and Bill High have written a new book, The Legacy Life. On today's episode, you'll learn: 

2:40 Our legacy is not about money???

9:40 Why it's important for a family to start thinking generationally

14:50 What are we doing now to shape eternity?

19:30 How do we steward our money well (and not be consumed by it)

22:14 How to avoid crippling your own children financially

27:00 Being child-focused is not the same as being family-focused

David Green is the founder and CEO of Hobby Lobby, which employs 50,000 people at 1,000 stores in 48 states.  His books include Leadership Not by the Book, and his new book co-authored with Bill High, The Legacy Life: Leading your family to make a difference for eternity. David and his wife Barbara and their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren all live in Oklahoma City. 

Bill High is CEO of Legacy Stone, a ministry dedicated to helping families thrive today and for generations to come. 

Learn more about David Green, Bill High and the book, The Legacy Life. https://legacystone.com/legacylife

Leave the legacy of a strong marriage. Get Arlene's free date night ideas and check out her book, Making Marriage Easier. https://makingmarriageeasier.com/

Subscribe to Arlene's newsletter "What I'm Learning This Week". https://www.happyhomeuniversity.com/subscribe

How did Arlene's kids adapt to not having phones, video games or social media? Watch the free video, Screen Kids: In Their Own Words. https://www.happyhomeuniversity.com/film

Have a question for Arlene to address on the podcast? Please email Arlene your questions and the topics you want covered on the show! Email speaking @ arlenepellicane.com

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Visit donate.accessmore.com and give today to help fund more episodes and shows like this.

You're busy. I'm busy. Is there a way out of this rat race? You've heard advice on burnout and busyness, but probably not how author and mom Tara Sun explains it from her new book, Overbooked and Overwhelmed: How to keep up with God when you're just trying to keep up with life. 

On today's episode you'll learn:

3:55 How to NOT ignore warning signs God gives you 

8:32 Will this matter for eternity? 

12:00 Why “no” is the Christian cuss word

17:05 Steps you can take to better communicate with your spouse 

20:11 How to reclaim our attention from social media

Tara Sun is the host of the popular podcast Truth Talks with Tara, where she’s interviewed leaders like Sadie Robertson Huff and Levi Lusko. She is dedicated to helping you to know, love, and live God's Word in your everyday life. She's married to her high school sweetheart. Her new book is Overbooked and Overwhelmed: How to keep up with God when you’re just trying to keep up with life. 

Learn more about Tara's podcast, Truth Talks with Tara https://www.tarasunministries.com/podcast

Learn more about Tara Sun's book, Overbooked and Overwhelmed. https://www.thomasnelson.com/p/overbooked-and-overwhelmed/

Need more reasons to put the pause on social media? Read Arlene's book Screen Kids https://www.happyhomeuniversity.com/books or get the video course. https://www.happyhomeuniversity.com/course

Subscribe to Arlene's newsletter "What I'm Learning This Week." https://www.happyhomeuniversity.com/subscribe

How did Arlene's kids adapt to not having phones, video games or social media? Watch the free video, Screen Kids: In Their Own Words. https://www.happyhomeuniversity.com/film

Have a question for Arlene to address on the podcast? Please email Arlene your questions and the topics you want covered on the show! Email speaking @arlenepellicane.com

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Visit donate.accessmore.com and give today to help fund more episodes and shows like this.

Our kids and teens are hearing loud messages about gender, and it can be terribly confusing. Social media has glamorized and normalized things like same sex attraction. How can parents equip their kids with truth and love in this secular culture? Trusted voice Dr. Kathy Koch is here to help us raise kids who are confident in their gender, knowing we are all wonderfully created by God. 

On today's episode, you'll learn: 

2:15 Why are we talking about gender?

3:55 What parents are unaware of about social media 

9:40 Dangerous misconceptions that your kids may have

11:50 What to do if your child wants to change their gender 

15:23 How to advise a friend who’s struggling with gender 

21:54 What does an AI chatbot say about gender? 

27:50 The connections between a parent and a child matter! 

30:51 A few warning signs that your child is struggling

Dr. Kathy Koch is the Founder and CEO of Celebrate Kids, Inc. and a respected voice on child development and biblical parenting. Her many books include Screens and Teens, 8 Great Smarts, and her newest book written with Dr. Jeff Myers, Raising Gender-Confident Kids: Helping Kids Embrace Their God-Given Design.  

Learn more about Dr. Kathy Koch and the book, Raising Gender-Confident Kids http://celebratekids.com/

Need more reasons to put the pause on social media?  Read Arlene's book Screen Kids or get the video course

https://www.happyhomeuniversity.com/books

https://www.happyhomeuniversity.com/course

Subscribe to Arlene's newsletter "What I'm Learning This Week" https://www.happyhomeuniversity.com/subscribe

How did Arlene's kids adapt to not having phones, video games or social media? Watch the free video, Screen Kids: In Their Own Words. https://www.happyhomeuniversity.com/film

Have a question for Arlene to address on the podcast?  Please email Arlene your questions and the topics you want covered on the show!  Email speaking @arlenepellicane.com

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Visit donate.accessmore.com and give today to help fund more episodes and shows like this.

Is it possible to delay social media for your teen, even your teen girl? My daughter Lucy and I are asking another mom/daughter duo about this. Today’s guests are comedian Kerri Pomarolli and her daughter Lucy. Two moms, two Lucys with no social media. It's going to be a fun ride. This month, we're kicking out harmful tech. On today's show, you'll learn: 

3:28 The option that not many parents are aware of when raising their kids

8:52 From a teen’s perspective: The difference between life with or without social media

11:45 Won't my child feel left out without social media?

17:55 How time looks different with a phone in hand 

21:40 How to help our girls not to have the “celebrity mentality”

Kerri Pomarolli grew up performing at a young age. Her first comedy gig was at the world-famous Hollywood Improv. Although she performed in front of a very secular crowd, she was the only performer asked to return.  Kerri is a nationally headlining stand up comedian who has worked with everyone from Jay Leno, Jerry Lewis, and Candace Cameron Bure. She's been on the Tonight Show 29 times, and she's also an author (Mom's Night Out) and screenwriter (Hallmark Channel). 

Learn more about Kerri Pomarolli at her website https://www.kerripom.com/

Need more reasons to put the pause on social media?  Read Arlene's book Screen Kids or get the video course

https://www.happyhomeuniversity.com/books

https://www.happyhomeuniversity.com/course

How did Arlene's kids adapt to not having phones, video games or social media? Watch the free video, Screen Kids: In Their Own Words. https://www.happyhomeuniversity.com/film

Distracted on dates with your spouse? Get free date night ideas whether you have 15 minutes or one hour, small group questions for Making Marriage Easier and more

Have a question for Arlene to address on the podcast?  Please email Arlene your questions and the topics you want covered on the show!  Email speaking @ arlenepellicane.com

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Visit donate.accessmore.com and give today to help fund more episodes and shows like this.

How addicted is your son or daughter to video games? Today’s guest Ian McCready is a former video game addict who understands the lure of gaming. He’s found a way to redeem his time from technology (you and your kids can too). 

This month we're kicking out the tech! We want to keep the tech that's helping us, but kick out the tech that’s hurting our families. On today's episode, you'll learn: 

2:20 What’s wrong with video games?

6:36 How God spared Ian from the game 

11:53 I can game while babysitting my child… right? 

16:25 Getting your loved one on board with a hold on video games

21:27 What to do when time on video games competes with time with family 

Ian McCready was crushing it in video games, but gaming was also crushing him. He was gaming 12-14 hours a day. Based on his own experience, he founded the nonprofit Selfctrl which focuses on helping people build self control and be set free from video game addiction. His teaching has been vetted by numerous addiction specialists and marriage & family therapists. He and his wife have two kids and live in Arkansas.

Learn more about Ian McCready and the many resources available to you at Selfctrl https://selfctrl.com/

How did Arlene's kids adapt to not having phones, video games or social media? Watch the free video, Screen Kids: In Their Own Words. https://www.happyhomeuniversity.com/film

Distracted on dates with your spouse? Get free date night ideas whether you have 15 minutes or one hour, small group questions for Making Marriage Easier and more

Have a question for Arlene to address on the podcast?  Please email Arlene your questions and the topics you want covered on the show! Email speaking @ arlenepellicane.com

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Visit donate.accessmore.com and give today to help fund more episodes and shows like this.

We know smartphones can be really harmful to kids and teens, but what can we do about it? Clare Morell brings a practical guide to freeing kids and teens from smartphones as we kick out the tech this month. Social media and addictive video games are not safe for kids, no matter what tech companies promise. In today's episode, you'll find out:

2:15 What no one would guess about social media

6:10 TikTok is digital fentanyl???

10:00 Why parental controls are a myth

14:27 The simplest solution to this complex tech problem

21:35 Why your child is LESS safe with a phone 

25:30 What parents don’t see about “harmless” apps like Roblox

28:45 Why parents need to support phone-free schools

34:50 How the tech exit is especially important as Christians 

Clare Morell is a trailblazing mama who is a policy analyst at the Ethics and Public Policy Center. She is the director of its Technology and Human Flourishing Project. Her work has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Newsweek, National Review, and The Washington Times. She and her family live out their Tech Exit life together in Washington DC.  

Learn more about Clare Morell and her book, The Tech Exit: A Practical Guide to Freeing Kids and Teens from Smartphones https://thetechexit.com/

https://claremorell.substack.com/

How have Arlene's kids adapted to not having phones, video games or social media? Watch the free video, Screen Kids: In Their Own Words. https://www.happyhomeuniversity.com/film

Distracted on dates with your spouse? Get free date night ideas whether you have 15 minutes or one hour, small group questions for Making Marriage Easier and more

Have a question for Arlene to address on the podcast?  Please email Arlene your questions and the topics you want covered on the show! Email speaking @ arlenepellicane.com

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.