259: The Myth of Good Christian Parenting | Kelsey Kramer McGinnis

We know there is not *a formula* for parenting and discipleship, but is there at least a “Christian” way to do it?    Author Kelsey Kramer McGinnis says, “That’s talk about that.”   Okay! Let's do it. With her book, The Myth of Good Christian Parenting, as our guide, today on the podcast we explore how Christians started to believe there was *a right way* to do “Christian parenting,” and how we can parent in a Christlike way without feeling like we are walking on a tightrope.   Next Steps: Watch it here. Find her book here. Kelsey’s IG here. Join the HIMH Pod FB group here. Read the Krieg’s latest book here.

It’s our first ever Hole in My Heart Podcast LIVE, and we are taking your questions as they relate to raising wise kids in a sexually broken world: What are Matt and Laurie’s stories—and how do they relate to the Hole in My Heart? How did Laurie and Matt get into this work? Why is the gospel so important to conversations around sexuality? How can Christians approach pronouns? How can we help our kids not just put boundaries on porn but build strength to fight it when they encounter it? How can we talk to our kids as they go through puberty?  How can we talk with people who demand we buy into their affirming LGBTQ worldview but refuse to hear ours? As a public school teacher, how can we lead well in these conversations? How can we talk about crushes? My kids are 3 and 5, my sister just married a woman, how do I help them navigate it? How can we talk with our kids about God’s design for sex if it feels too early? (We don’t want to over-expose them!) How can we talk to our kids about modesty? Next Steps: • Find Raising Wise Kids here. • Find the Impossible Marriage book here. • Find Laurie’s Journey Well book here. • Watch the whole event here. • Want to invite Laurie and Matt to your next event? Email [email protected]!

We are reflecting today on the last 10 years of the sexuality conversation with ministry leader Kristen Miele. We explore changes over the last 10 years as well as: How has fear of the conversation morphed in the last 10 years? How have disciple-makers in this convo changed for the better? What can we learn from our past mistakes?   Next Steps: • Kristen’s site here.   • Her IG here. • Join the HIMH Pod FB group here. • Ask Laurie a Q on IG here. • Read the Krieg’s book here.

We always love conversations with people who truly understand the complexities of human sexuality, and today’s guest is no exception. Author and podcaster Greta Eskridge joins us to help parents and caregivers navigate one of the most challenging discipleship conversations of our time: pornography. Together, we explore how to thoughtfully and faithfully engage the topic of porn while leading the younger disciples in our lives with wisdom, clarity, and compassion. In this episode, we discuss: What to do when we feel unequipped to talk with our kids about pornography Why these conversations need to start earlier than most of us expect The specific words that are helpful before and after a child encounters porn Whether punishment is ever the right response when a child watches porn repeatedly How heart needs—not just curiosity—can drive teens toward pornography How to engage a culture that celebrates porn while forming resilient, Christ-shaped kids This conversation is practical, honest, and deeply hopeful for anyone raising or discipling kids in a sexually broken world.   Next Steps: • Greta’s book here. • Her site here. • Her IG here. • Join the HIMH Pod FB group here. • Ask Laurie a Q on IG here. • Our book here. • Watch it here.

It’s behind the scenes time of our latest book! Matt interviews Laurie on the writing process and more: What was the inspiration? What were the hardest and best parts in writing? What does it mean “by Laurie Krieg with Matt Krieg”? What is the one takeaway you hope people take from it? Next Steps: Find Raising Wise Kids here!  Get the audiobook here. Raising Kids Video Series here. Our marriage book here. Our Journey Well book here. There’s still time to join the live podcast!  Join the HIMH Pod FB group here. Ask Laurie a Q on IG here.  

Food Network star and author, Aarti Sequeira, is bringing the party to the podcast today.  We hear her story of finding Jesus as well as: How did she get into the Food Network world? Does she even struggle with cooking dinner every day? How can we turn the kitchen into a sanctuary instead of a place of angst? How can God use our past challenges to shape our futures? How does Aarti shine light both in the secular world and in the Christian world? Next Steps: Get her book here.   Follow her on IG here.  Live podcast here.   Join the HIMH Pod FB group here. Ask Laurie a Q on IG here.   

Happy New Year! We’re kicking off the year by diving into your thoughtful questions, including: How do we find the courage to speak truth with love? How can I love a gay friend well when they enter a same-sex relationship? How can a same-sex attracted man discern between marriage and singleness? How do I navigate pornography and masturbation conversations in a mixed-faith marriage? What healthy boundaries can we set for our kids when it comes to preventing sexual abuse without becoming “helicopter” parents? How do we engage and disciple our kids when family members identify as gay or trans? Thanks for bringing the content! We’re so glad you are here. Next Steps: Live podcast here. Raising Kids Video Series here. Our book here. Fight the New Drug Link here. Join the HIMH Pod FB group here. Ask Laurie a Q on IG here.

We’ve got author, pastor, and therapist Chuck DeGroat in the house—and he brought at least one of us to good tears. In this episode of the Hole in My Heart Podcast, we talk about healing the wound within and explore: Why so many of us swing from an anxious go-go-go pace into depression How we can begin looking inward—beyond simply calling a therapist The difference between solitary suffering and plain-old suffering Why boundaries matter… and where they can become a problem It’s tender, practical, and deeply hopeful. Join us?   | Next Steps | Get his book here. Visit his site here. Snag the LIVE podcast link here. Join the HIMH Pod FB group here. Ask Laurie a Q on IG here.

It’s another Q and A! You ask, and we are thinking it through with you. What did you ask? “My husband is gay and left our family to be with a man. How do I talk with my kids about this?” “My son wants to paint his nails, play with dolls, or wear a dress. How do I lead him?” “My transitioning cousin is coming to the holidays. How do I engage them and lead my kids? “How do I know what is age appropriate to teach my kids about God’s vision for marriage and gender?” “How did you overcome your struggle with wanting to end your life, Laurie?” | Next Step Resources |   Link to our book here.  Link to our launch team here. Ask more questions on IG here. Join the HIMH FB Group here.

People have 70,000 thoughts per day and about 80% of them are negative. What is that doing to our emotional health? What is that doing to our actions? How is that affecting our very DNA? Global bestselling author and pastor, Max Lucado, is here to help us understand not only the science behind our thoughts but the heart beneath them.  How can we “take every thought captive?” How does something like anxiety and depression factor in? Is this just plastering a smile on a bad day or a rough life? Let’s talk about it all. | Highlights | • “Everybody else says ‘do,’ but Jesus says ‘done.’” —Max Lucado • “Just because you have a thought does not mean you have to think it.” —Max Lucado • “Thought management can also be called unceasing prayer.” —Max Lucado | Next Steps | • Get his latest book here.   • Check out his site here.  • Join the HIMH Pod FB group here.  • Find Laurie on IG here.