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There are seasons in life where I look around and notice that those I love are struggling more than usual with feelings of shame and guilt over their identity as parents. There are seasons when I feel that way as well. This is one of those messages that I keep going back to so I can be reminded that the first step toward being an example of Christ's grace to others is to learn to show grace to ourselves. There is no guest on this episode. I am excited to share my heart with you and my own journey of messy brokenness.

In this episode we took the show on the road. While working in Orlando, FL recently, I invited the band MercyMe to an impromptu recording session in my hotel room. With barely enough room for everyone to fit, we laughed and shared freely about what it's like to parent kids that are grown, and how we can manage the fear that comes with worrying that we didn't do enough.

The world is grieving today. We have been grieving since we first heard about the horrific shooting at Robb Elementary School yesterday. Dr. Mork returns to the podcast to sit with us in the pain and help us process. We do not seek to offer platitudes or to tie things up with a bow. We seek to offer you tools you can employ in talking with your children and sitting with your own hurt, as we all ask, "No seriously, how do I do this?"

Whether it’s your role as parent, spouse, employee, pastor, or soldier, any time we cling to something outward as our identity, we will struggle. Tony was a soldier who had found purpose in his work, and crisis when he returned home. He then found his identity in his ministry, and that too caused chaos. Join us as Tony shares all that he has gleaned from his journey of missteps and makeups, of successes and failures, on his way to finding his true identity and thus saving his marriage.

Connecting with our kids in meaningful ways is our ultimate mission as parents. But if men are from mars, where are our kids from? As a parent myself I can affirm that kids are downright mysteries at times. Dr. Chapman, author of The Five Love Languages has worked hard over his career to help demystify life’s more important relationships, including those we have with our children. In today’s episode he give us insights and ideas that will help us all connect with our children in ways that will fill their love tanks to overflowing.

Every year my kids run for the same book at Easter time: “The Donkey That No One Could Ride,” by Anthony DeStefano. It’s one of those stories that sticks with you and resonates long after Easter is past. This week we wanted to bring you something special- so gather your kids, as I gather mine0 and settle in for an Easter story.

On this special bonus episode, we want to introduce you to a beautiful audio drama put out by our friends at Northwestern Media called "In Fulfillment," just in time for Easter. Sit back and marvel at the faithfulness of God as we enter into Holy Week. Find "In Fulfillment" wherever you get your podcasts.

It was the unthinkable, and it was happening. Rachel's newborn son has suffered a severe injury as a result of mysterious abuse and Rachel found herself being accused of the act. Her family was taken from her for 40 days and 40 nights while she battled in court to prove her innocence. If you want to learn more about Rachel's story you can find her book, "Fractured Hope" on Amazon, and hear about it on today's episode.

Marriage, children, career, church commitments, friendship, self-care, hobbies, community involvement- the juggle is real, and few understand that better than Kati Whitledge. As the founder of a robust beauty empire, Kati understood hustle. When she welcomed a child into that world, however, the hustle had to be modified and she didn't always balance things well. Kati's honesty and transparency invite you to let your guard down and understand that this is a journey we are all on, and that the ability we have to learn from each other is a gift.

Kids are dreamers. But how do we, as parents, encourage those dreams and help them find fulfillment? Cade Thompson is not a parent. But he is chasing his dreams and he shares how his parents empowered him to do so. Take notes folks. Cade is basically who we all want our kids to grow up to be. Join us as he drops some serious wisdom and truth.

However you arrived there, chances are you didn't go into things planning to be a single mom. Let alone to be a single mom to a child whose worldview you can't fully share. Roland Warren has used his experience growing up in this context to inform his life's work. He serves as CEO of CareNet and served as the head the Fatherhood Initiative for over a decade. He has written a book specifically to aid single moms on their journey, and he offers his wisdom in this week's episode.

Try as we might, we can't out run trouble. Scripture promises that we will have tribulation, but that we can have hope in the face of whatever strives to bring us down. Misty Philip gets it. Through massive career upheaval, family health crises, and closed doors on her calling, she has had to bring her desperation to the Lord time and time again. But her story and how she reacted is guaranteed to inspire you.