What It’s Like to Be a Teenager Right Now: Pressure, Comparison, and Technology Boundaries (With Our Kids, Duke and Scarlet)

In this special end-of-year episode, we’re joined by our two oldest kids — Duke (16) and Scarlet (13) — for an honest, funny, and unfiltered conversation about what it’s really like to be a teenager right now. From public high school to middle school in a Christian co-op, they share what daily life looks like in their worlds, complete with sibling jokes, family banter, and plenty of real-life messiness.We talk about the unique pressure of growing up as the kids of parents who lead a family ministry — the sense of being watched, the expectation to perform, and how that shapes their experience. Duke and Scarlet also open up about social pressures, anxiety, comparison, cancel culture, gossip, and the high standards — especially for girls — around appearance and image, even beyond social media. Throughout the conversation, we return to deeper truths about identity, insecurity, and remembering that we are God’s beautiful handiwork.We also discuss technology and social media, including how boundaries around technology have affected them and what’s been most helpful from a parenting perspective. The episode wraps up with a lighthearted bonus question: what they love and don’t love about each of us as parents — a reminder that our family is far from perfect.Our hope is that this conversation encourages you to keep showing up with humility, curiosity, and trust in God’s steady work in your family. Merry Christmas!Books Mentioned: The Anxious Generation by Jonathan HaidtSubmit Questions: Send a voice recording to [email protected], mentioning your name and where you’re from.Intentional’s Year-End Match Campaign: Every $25 equips a family for a full year of spiritual formation. All gifts given through December 31 are matched up to $200,000. Make a donation to double your impact!Sowing a Hidden SeedIntentional Fatherhood Retreat: February 19-21, 2026 in Costa Mesa, CAIntentional Motherhood Retreat: April 23-25, 2026 in Franklin, TNJoin Our Legacy BuildersWatch on YouTubeFollow Us on Instagram: @intentional_parents @brook_mosser @emosserFREE Bottom-Up vs. Top-Down Parenting PDFFREE Text Message Daily DevotionalRaising Passionate Jesus FollowersThe Intentional Film Series

In this episode, we sit down with our dear friend Joey Odom of Reclaimwell for a timely and challenging conversation about reshaping our relationship with our phones. Reclaimwell exists to help people put technology back in its proper place, and Joey shares his own story of struggle and growth, along with honest examples of both failure and success. He names the urgency of our moment, reminding us that the opposite of hope isn’t hopelessness, but resignation — and that without action, distraction quietly forms our lives.Joey explains why our phones have such a powerful grip on us, highlighting the “PID Loop,” where proximity leads to interaction, interaction to dependence, and dependence back to constant proximity. With most of us (91%!) living near our phones at all times, the solution sounds simple but feels difficult: put the phone down. Like Jesus’ teachings, it’s straightforward, yet costly. Rather than relying on willpower, Joey invites us to shape our environments and remove shame from the conversation.We explore practical ways to reduce proximity, including spending intentional time away from your phone each day, aligning with your spouse around sacred times and spaces, and implementing simple practices like a date-night phone swap. The conversation names distraction for what it is: anything that gets in the way of our intentions, and connects it to Scripture’s call to remove what hinders love. Joey frames our phones as modern “digital thorns” that choke out intimacy through constant worry, striving, and pleasure. The episode closes with a compelling vision of presence as witness — preaching the gospel not just with words, but by being fully present and off our phones in order to notice and tend to the world around us.Scripture Mentioned: Matthew 5:30, Matthew 13:1-23 + 1 Corinthians 13:13Submit Questions: Send a voice recording to [email protected], mentioning your name and where you’re from.Intentional’s Year-End Match Campaign: Every $25 equips a family for a full year of spiritual formation. All gifts given through December 31 are matched up to $200,000. Make a donation to double your impact!Download the FREE Reclaimwell App + Join Our Prayer Challenge in JanuaryPurchase the Aro BoxSowing a Hidden SeedIntentional Fatherhood Retreat: February 19-21, 2026 in Costa Mesa, CAIntentional Motherhood Retreat: April 23-25, 2026 in Franklin, TNJoin Our Legacy BuildersWatch on YouTubeFollow Us on Instagram: @intentional_parents @brook_mosser @emosserFREE Bottom-Up vs. Top-Down Parenting PDFFREE Text Message Daily DevotionalRaising Passionate Jesus FollowersThe Intentional Film Series

It may be the most wonderful time of the year, but it’s also one of the most stressful. In our Christmas episode, we explore how to foster peace — not striving for perfection, but accepting the Spirit’s invitation to enter the season with intention, humility, and grace. The holidays can stir up dysregulated kids, busy schedules, grief, and unrealistic expectations, so we walk through the acronym PEACE as a reminder of how we might bring peace to our families this season.We start with Presence, setting aside our phones to be fully available to the people in front of us. Engagement draws from Philippians 2:2–4, reminding us to stay curious, humble, and willing to disagree without being disagreeable. Affection encourages slowing down to show loved ones that they matter, while honoring different comfort levels with touch.Compassion and Care helps us look beyond outward behavior to the burdens others may be carrying; instead of asking “What’s wrong with them?” we ask “What might they be walking through?” And with Empathy, we practice feeling with others rather than trying to fix them, living out 2 Corinthians 1:3–4 as those who comfort because we’ve first been comforted by God. Anchored in Scripture, we remember that Christ, the Prince of Peace, is the one who makes true peace possible.Prayer from Amy Carmichael:Love through me, love of God.Shine through me, joy of God.Speak through me, word of God.Flow through me, peace of God.Scripture Mentioned: Psalm 26:2-3, Philippians 2:2-4, 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, Colossians 3:15 + John 14, Isaiah 9:6Submit Questions: Send a voice recording to [email protected], mentioning your name and where you’re from.Reclaimwell: Download the free appIntentional’s Year-End Match Campaign: Every $25 equips a family for a full year of spiritual formation. All gifts given through December 31 are matched up to $200,000. Make a donation to double your impact!Sowing a Hidden SeedIntentional Fatherhood Retreat: February 19-21, 2026 in Costa Mesa, CAIntentional Motherhood Retreat: April 23-25, 2026 in Franklin, TNJoin Our Legacy BuildersWatch on YouTubeFollow Us on Instagram: @intentional_parents @brook_mosser @emosserFREE Bottom-Up vs. Top-Down Parenting PDFFREE Text Message Daily DevotionalRaising Passionate Jesus FollowersThe Intentional Film Series

In this episode, all four of us respond to your questions on marriage, parenting, and discipleship. We begin with a listener who feels stuck navigating a blended family and a husband who wants another child while she feels content with their current season. We talk about honoring both present realities and future hopes, acknowledging the unique weight moms carry, communicating clearly, and seeking unity through prayer and counsel. We reference passages like 1 Corinthians and Ephesians 5 to remind couples to love well, listen well, and move forward on the same page.We also tackle the challenge of parenting kids with very different personalities. Rather than trying to change them, we encourage learning from each other as parents, recognizing differences as gifts, and affirming each child’s place in the family.Finally, we revisit a previous comment about being a better follower than leader and explore why followership matters deeply in your spiritual walk. Before building influence, we must learn to listen, serve, and follow Jesus faithfully. As Mark 8 reminds us, leadership grows out of surrender — those who follow well are the ones God often entrusts to lead.It’s a concise but meaningful conversation packed with encouragement and practical wisdom.Scripture Mentioned: 1 Corinthians 1:10, Ephesians 5:25-27, Mark 8:34-35 + Luke 18:15-17Submit Questions: Send a voice recording to [email protected], mentioning your name and where you’re from.Intentional’s Year-End Match Campaign: Every $25 equips a family for a full year of spiritual formation. All gifts given through December 31 are matched up to $200,000. Make a donation to double your impact!Sowing a Hidden SeedIntentional Fatherhood Retreat: February 19-21, 2026 in Costa Mesa, CAIntentional Motherhood Retreat: April 23-25, 2026 in Franklin, TNJoin Our Legacy BuildersWatch on YouTubeFollow Us on Instagram: @intentional_parents @brook_mosser @emosserFREE Bottom-Up vs. Top-Down Parenting PDFFREE Text Message Daily DevotionalRaising Passionate Jesus FollowersThe Intentional Film Series

In this episode, we explore what Scripture really means when it calls us to leave and cleave. Leaving isn’t just moving out, it’s a purposeful, decisive shift of loyalty and identity so a new family can truly become one. This kind of separation can feel confusing or even painful, especially for parents who have spent years nurturing their children. But leaving is not rejection; it’s the healthy foundation God designed for a flourishing marriage. We look at what this requires; physically, emotionally, spiritually, and socially, and how both parents and adult children can navigate these transitions with grace together.From that foundation, we move into the biblical command to honor our parents. We clarify what honoring is, and just as importantly, what it’s not. It isn’t blind obedience or ignoring unhealthy patterns. Instead, honor means giving weight and dignity to the person and the role, even when it’s challenging. We offer six practical ways you can live into honoring your parents today!Six practical ways to honor your parents:• Speak with kindness and dignity• Appeal rather than criticize• Speak the truth in love• Express gratitude for what they did right• Forgive ongoing or past wounds• Seek to understand their storyWhether you’re forming a new family or parenting adult children of your own, this conversation offers a hopeful, grounded path toward healthier relationships across generations.Scripture Mentioned: Genesis, 1 thessalonians 2:7-8, Ephesians 1-4, Proverbs 1:23+31, Proverb 15:1, 1 Timothy 5:1, Ephesian 4:15, Colossians 4:2-4, Luke 4:22Submit Questions: Send a voice recording to [email protected], mentioning your name and where you’re from.Sowing a Hidden SeedIntentional Fatherhood Retreat: February 19-21, 2026 in Costa Mesa, CAIntentional Motherhood Retreat: April 23-25, 2026 in Franklin, TNJoin Our Legacy BuildersWatch on YouTubeFollow Us on Instagram:@intentional_parents @brook_mosser@emosserFREE Bottom-Up vs. Top-Down Parenting PDFFREE Text Message Daily DevotionalMerchGrab a Copy of Our Book:Raising Passionate Jesus Followers (Now available in audiobook!)BlogThe Intentional Film Series

In this episode, we explore the growing “aura farming” movement — the cultural pressure to project effortlessness, curate our image, and step into our “main-character era.” While the world urges us to amplify our greatness, Jesus invites us into something entirely different.We look at Jesus’ call to become like children in Matthew 18:1–5, a posture marked by humility, dependence, and openness. Aura farming pushes us to present ourselves in a certain light, but spiritual formation pulls us into honesty, groundedness, and a truer way of being. Drawing from Henri Nouwen’s reflections on the Church’s long struggle with relevance, power, and success, we examine the deeper tension between cultural curation and kingdom transformation.From there, we walk through five practices that help move us from aura farming to the way of Jesus. We choose hiddenness over hype, leaning into quiet righteousness rather than performing for others. We pursue honesty and vulnerability, acknowledging that beauty and pain often coexist. We embrace slowness instead of the spectacular, allowing our souls to catch up with our schedules. We cultivate childlike dependence by asking for what we need rather than proving we can manage everything on our own. And we trade curation for authentic presence, resisting the urge to hustle for attention and choosing instead to simply be where we are.As we navigate new seasons — in which the old ways of striving may no longer work — we return to Jesus’ invitation in Matthew 11:28 (MSG): “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life.”Scripture Mentioned: Matthew 18:1-5, Matthew 6 + Matthew 11:28-30 (MSG)Submit Questions: Send a voice recording to [email protected], mentioning your name and where you’re from.Sowing a Hidden SeedIntentional Fatherhood Retreat: February 19-21, 2026 in Costa Mesa, CAIntentional Motherhood Retreat: April 23-25, 2026 in Franklin, TNJoin Our Legacy BuildersWatch on YouTubeFollow Us on Instagram: @intentional_parents @brook_mosser @emosserFREE Bottom-Up vs. Top-Down Parenting PDFFREE Text Message Daily Devotional MerchGrab a Copy of Our Book:Raising Passionate Jesus Followers (Now available in audiobook!)BlogThe Intentional Film Series

In this episode, we’re talking about one of the biggest parenting challenges today — raising kids in a digital world. Many of us have overprotected our children in the physical world but underprotected them in the digital world. To help you add some guardrails, we share the practical tools and boundaries our family uses around technology — from phones and iPads to TV — and the eight foundational rules that guide us. We’re not speaking as experts, just practitioners learning through trial and error.We start with the “why.” The data is clear about what technology is doing to us — especially our kids — and now it takes courage to respond wisely. Parenting in this area isn’t black and white, but it’s possible to approach it with grace and hope. In our home, that looks like saving smartphones for older teens, starting with basic phones, keeping devices out of bedrooms overnight, and using contracts and monitoring tools to stay accountable.Technology is always changing, which means our family’s digital rules should too. In fact, it’s okay to adjust your strategy along the way. Above all, we want our kids to grow into freedom — not be thrown into it. As parents, we can lead with empathy, stay connected, and offer a safe place for our kids to learn how to navigate the digital world with maturity and wisdom.Books + Resources Mentioned: Gabb PhonePinwheel PhoneThe Anxious Generation by Jonathan HaidtRefurbished Phones: Back MarketThe Mossers’ iPhone ContractParental Controls: Life360, Bark, Canopy, Screen Time + iPhone settings like locking apps and setting up downtime10 Rules for Raising Kids in a High-Tech World by Jean M. Twenge, PhDThe Opt-Out Family by Erin LoechnerThe Hang 10 MovementProtect Young EyesGreta EskridgeSubmit Questions: Send a voice recording to [email protected], mentioning your name and where you’re from.Sowing a Hidden SeedIntentional Fatherhood: Website, Instagram, Spotify, Apple Podcasts + YouTubeMotherhood Retreat 2025: More Info + Purchase TicketsJoin Our Legacy BuildersWatch on YouTubeFollow Us on Instagram: @intentional_parents @brook_mosser @emosserFREE Bottom-Up vs. Top-Down Parenting PDFFREE Text Message Daily Devotional MerchGrab a Copy of Our Book:Raising Passionate Jesus Followers (Now available in audiobook!)BlogThe Intentional Film Series

Recorded live at the Intentional Motherhood Retreat in Portland, Oregon, this special Q+R features our entire Intentional team, with Joey Odom of Reclaimwell guiding the conversation as we move from humor to depth. From lighthearted moments — like where Diane and Elizabeth’s pant suits came from — to honest questions about self-care, marriage, grief, and limitations, this episode captures the heart of our weekend together.Together, we reflect on the generational swing from overextending ourselves to idolizing self-care, inviting us instead to pursue soul care — a rhythm of rest and renewal with God that enables us to love well. We also share wisdom for marriages: that husbands and wives are both called to lay down their lives in love, not through grand gestures but through small, consistent acts and words that build one another up.We speak tenderly about grief and child loss, pointing to the reality that while suffering is never good, God meets us in it. Grief and joy can coexist, and community is where we help one another carry both. The conversation closes with reflections on social media boundaries and discerning our limitations, reminding us that humility and dependence on God are where true peace and growth begin.Scripture Mentioned: Acts 20:35, Ephesians 5:22-33, Isaiah 53:3, Psalm 116:15, Romans 8:28-29, Luke 16:10, Philippians 1:4-6, 2 Corinthians 10:13, Philippians 1:12 + Psalm 131:1-3Book Mentioned: A Grace Disguised by Jerry L. SittserSubmit Questions: Send a voice recording to [email protected], mentioning your name and where you’re from.Intentional Fatherhood Retreat: February 19-21, 2026 in Costa Mesa, CAIntentional Motherhood Retreat: April 23-25, 2026 in Franklin, TNSowing a Hidden SeedIntentional Fatherhood: Website, Instagram, Spotify, Apple Podcasts + YouTubeJoin Our Legacy BuildersWatch on YouTubeFollow Us on Instagram: @intentional_parents @brook_mosser @emosserFREE Bottom-Up vs. Top-Down Parenting PDFFREE Text Message Daily Devotional MerchGrab a Copy of Our Book:Raising Passionate Jesus Followers (Now available in audiobook!)BlogThe Intentional Film Series

Note: This episode contains mature themes that may not be suitable for younger listeners. Please use discretion.This week, we’re joined by our new friends Jeff and Jourdan Johnson, hosts of the Open Spaces Podcast. They share their remarkable story — a journey marked by honesty, redemption, and deep faith. Jeff opens up about his decades-long battle with same-sex attraction and how bringing his struggle into the light marked the beginning of real freedom. From childhood trauma to seasons of breaking up and coming back together, their story is one of radical acceptance, surrender, and the relentless kindness of God.After years of wrestling with faith and learning to let go of control, Jeff and Jourdan eventually got married and are now raising three children together. Their relationship stands as a living testimony that vulnerability truly leads to freedom. Jeff describes it as a daily surrender — dying to himself, trusting God’s goodness, and finding hope in the truth that even in life’s “unfinished symphony,” God is still writing a story of redemption.In a cultural moment filled with confusion and competing messages about sexuality, Jeff and Jourdan share how important it is for parents to speak about these topics early and without fear — to create space for honesty, and even share their own stories, so their kids know they’re not alone. Through Open Spaces, Jeff and Jourdan invite others to bring hidden struggles into the light, reminding us that God can use even our deepest brokenness and pain for His glory.Open Spaces: Website, Instagram, YouTube + Contact (with Questions)Scripture Mentioned: Romans 8:28Book Mentioned: Wrestling with God by Ronald RolheiserSubmit Questions: Send a voice recording to [email protected], mentioning your name and where you’re from.Intentional Fatherhood Retreat: February 19-21, 2026 in Costa Mesa, CAIntentional Motherhood Retreat: October 23-25, 2025 in Portland, ORSowing a Hidden SeedIntentional Fatherhood: Website, Instagram, Spotify, Apple Podcasts + YouTubeJoin Our Legacy BuildersWatch on YouTubeFollow Us on Instagram: @intentional_parents @brook_mosser @emosserFREE Bottom-Up vs. Top-Down Parenting PDFFREE Text Message Daily Devotional MerchGrab a Copy of Our Book:Raising Passionate Jesus Followers (Now available in audiobook!)BlogThe Intentional Film Series

In this special episode, we’re sharing a powerful recorded teaching from Diane and Elizabeth at our 2024 Motherhood Retreat. This session dives deep into our God-given desire for connection — the longing to be seen, soothed, safe, and secure — and how that shapes our relationships with one another.Our female relationships can often feel complicated, yet Scripture reminds us that we were created for blessing and belonging. From Genesis to 2 Corinthians, we see that God blesses us so that we might bless others — calling out the good we see in our children, our husbands, our friends, and others we come in contact with.Diane and Elizabeth walk us through what it looks like to cultivate a culture of encouragement: getting curious about what gets in the way (old hurts, insecurities, or fear), learning to speak life over people, and practicing the language of encouragement in everyday moments. Through passages like Proverbs 27:17 and John 1:35–51, we see the power of vulnerability and how Jesus models truly seeing others for who they are.When we learn to see others as God sees them — and to speak that truth out loud — we participate in His work of building one another up. As Proverbs reminds us, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.” Our words matter. They shape the culture of our homes, our friendships, and the next generation.Scripture Mentioned: Genesis 1:27–28, Genesis 1:22, Genesis 2:3, Genesis 5:22, Genesis 9:1, Genesis 12:2–3, 2 Corinthians 1:3–4, Proverbs 27:17, John 1:35–51, Romans 12:10, Proverbs 18:21, Proverbs 16:24Submit Questions: Send a voice recording to [email protected], mentioning your name and where you’re from.Sowing a Hidden SeedIntentional Fatherhood: Website, Instagram, Spotify, Apple Podcasts + YouTubeMotherhood Retreat 2025: More Info + Purchase TicketsJoin Our Legacy BuildersWatch on YouTubeFollow Us on Instagram: @intentional_parents @brook_mosser @emosserFREE Bottom-Up vs. Top-Down Parenting PDFFREE Text Message Daily Devotional MerchGrab a Copy of Our Book:Raising Passionate Jesus Followers (Now available in audiobook!)BlogThe Intentional Film Series