Episode 75

Buckle up friends, this episode is wild! And it is honest and fun and so good!

As the title suggests, we are talking about sex. More specifically, how to teach our kids about sex that is honoring to ourselves, others and God.

Today’s guest, Rodney Wright, is perfect for this job. He is honest, brave, kind and filled with joy! And as the author of the book, How to Talk with Your Kids About Sex, he has a lot to share. Rodney is passionate about helping people, families, and kids be healthy in their sexuality, because it is a God given gift. He reminds us that we don’t need to have negative thoughts about sexuality because God created it!

So many of us are afraid to talk to our kids about sex because we have our own stories of sexual brokenness or sexual dysfunction of some kind. We want to do better for our kids but we don’t know how. Rodney reminds us to look at our own story, not with shame but with compassion. And then we continue to learn and grow, because when we know better, we can do better!

Ultimately, we need to give our kids a different view of sex than the world is giving them. We need them to know it is about dignity, honor and respect. That is not the world’s messaging about sex. Let’s give our kids a better framework.

I have so much more I want to say about this episode, but instead I am just going to have you listen to it! And please be sure to rate and review this podcast and share this episode! Oh, and then go do some puzzles for that healthy dopamine hit! (You’ll get that when you listen to the episode)

Where to find Rodney:

Find the organization Rodney works for, Pure Desire, here

Find Rodney’s book here

Find the Pure Desire Podcast here

Find Greta’s book, It’s Time to Talk to Your Kids About Porn here

The Greta Eskridge Podcast is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.org

Episode 74

Today’s guest is the author of 10 books, a mom to 3, a wife to a fire chief of their small town, the founder of The Midnight Moms Devotional Community, has what she calls a neuro spicy brain, and is the author of the new book, Healing Rest: An Invitation for Mommas Who Carry So Much to Lean into the Arms of the One Who Holds It All.

Becky and I have a lot of fun together in this episode. We met long ago at my beloved Forest Home camp and just click. But we also dove into deep conversation, like the topic of her new book, which calls us to true, deep rest. Spiritual rest. I resonated so much with the topic of this book. I think so many of us moms can.

If you’ve been tempted to parent and live in anxiety, listen to this episode and get Becky’s book. If you’ve been tempted to parent and live in fear, especially when it comes to protecting your kids from pornography, read my book It’s Time to Talk to Your Kids About Porn. Both these books will remind you of the truth that God really carries and protects your kids. It’s not all on you.

I know you’ll love this episode like I did! And if you do, please consider leaving a review of the podcast on iTunes. It only takes a moment but does a world of good. Thank you!

Where to find Becky:

Find Becky’s new book here

Find Becky on Instagram here

Find Becky’s Midnight Moms Devotional Community here

Find Becky’s website here

Find Becky’s Bible study here

The Greta Eskridge Podcast is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.org

Episode 73

Today’s episode is a going to challenge you to think outside the box. Or at least outside of the way so many parents in America are parenting. My guest today is Claire Morell, author, mom, wife, policy creator, researcher and passionate about offering kids and families something different than the norm for growing up with tech. Through her work in the tech policy space, Claire recognized that kids’ health was in danger due to smart phones and being on social media. She finally decided to put her research into one place, her new book called, The Tech Exit.

It is the sobering and convicting guide we need.

But it is also really hopeful, helpful, practical and purposeful.

Based on dozens of interviews with families who really are living out a tech free childhood, this book shows parents that this lifestyle is possible and it allows kids to thrive.

My hope is that you’ll take some of the ideas Claire offers in this episode to help your kids begin taking a tech exit this summer:

Here are some ideas to consider:

*Focus on real life experiences that will overshadow the experience on a screen.

*Get lots of practical ideas for this way of life in my book Adventuring Together right here.

*Let your kids be bored and learn to play independently and creatively.

*Engage with them in play and experiences rather than sending them off to those things on their own.

*Or be even bolder and engage in the 30-day tech detox Claire mentions in this episode.

It might feel overwhelming or that you can’t make those changes now, but remember what Claire says, “it is never too late to reverse course!”

I know you’ll enjoy this episode and find it really encouraging, helpful and hopeful!

Where to find Claire and her work:

Find Claire’s book here

Find discussion questions for the book here

Find Claire’s Substack here

Find Claire’s work at the Ethics and Policy Center here

The Greta Eskridge Podcast is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.org

A couple reminders I started this podcast with: if you are looking for a ticket to the Literature Soiree I am hosting with my dear friend Rea Berg, founder of Beautiful Feet Books, we have just a few tickets left. Please message me here to get all the info and to purchase your ticket! A

Also, if you’ve read my new book, It’s Time to Talk to Your Kids About Porn, I’d be so grateful if you leave a review. Leaving a review, especially given the topic of this book, is immensely helpful for getting others to be brave enough to read it. You can leave a review of the book here! Plus, the book is on sale this week for a really great price! Pick up a copy or 2 to share!

Now, onto the show!

I know you guys are going to love this podcast episode with Kara Stout. Kara vulnerably shares her story and in doing so, she shows us how doing this can bring healing and hope to others. Kara’s story reminds us that God comforts us in our troubles and brings peace, even when if we are dealing with anxiety. I found a lot of reminders of God’s comfort myself, both in talking with Kara and in reading her book. I hope you’ll get some of that same hope and help when you listen to this episode.

Where to find Kara:

Find Kara’s book here

Find Kara’s website here

Find Kara on Instagram here

The Greta Eskridge Podcast is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.org

Episode 71— This is the follow up episode to last week’s episode with John Begeman. If you have not listened to episode 70, go back and listen to that one now. In this episode, I am going over some of the things John talked about in more detail. Because he dropped some wisdom!

One of the most important things discussed are the power of going first—being willing to vulnerably share our story so that someone else has the courage to go next. Going first might also be the one to recommend the book first (like my book It’s Time to Talk to Your Kids About Porn) or the podcast episode (like this one!) to just start the conversation. Every one of us has the ability to go first and bring good to the people around us!

Additional things discussed were best practices for responding after your child has been exposed to porn, understanding why people use porn to medicate pain, the positive value in being the first one to talk to your kids about pornography, the importance of getting help for parents of kids who have used or are using porn, pornography does not mean your child’s story is over and so much more!

Like the last episode, this one is filled with hope. And that is possible because we serve One who is greater than he who is in the world! I hope you will listen and share this episode and the last one far and wide.

One last thing, if you appreciate this podcast, would you consider leaving a rating and review of it? You can do that on iTunes here and on Spotify here. On iTunes, scroll down to the reviews and look for button that says, “leave a review”. On Spotify, you just leave a rating. It’s easy! Doing this is one of the best ways for more people to discover the podcast. Thank you so much!

Resources mentioned in this episode and last week’s episode:

Find Pure Desire Ministries groups and books here

Find Summit Ministries here

Find my book It’s Time to Talk to Your Kids About Porn here

Find Hopeful Mom here

The Greta Eskridge Podcast is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.org

Episode 70-- Friends, this may be one of the most important episodes I’ve ever recorded on the podcast. This is an episode that every parent, and probably every young adult and teen needs to hear. Please listen and then share with everyone you know who could benefit from it.

This episode is part 1of this conversation. Part 2 is coming next week where I go through some of the most important things John and I talked about, and I go into them with a little more depth. In part 1, this episode, John Begeman tells his story of pornography exposure as a child that led to years of addiction, shame and hiding. But then he shares the story of the healing he is walking in now as a man in his 20s, free from the bondage porn held in.

John also shares how his parents handled this issue of pornography exposure and addiction in his life—what didn’t help and what did. He is very honest, and I believe what he shares is incredibly helpful and important for every parent to hear.

You can’t see it because this is audio and not video, but I cried through this entire episode. I cried for John, for his mom, for every child that is exposed to porn and suffers as a result, and for every mom that finds her child has been exposed to porn and has to navigate the fear and hurt that comes from that. I cried for all of us and the way porn is devastating and destroying lives. This episode is raw and real and honest, but ultimately it is hopeful. YES! There is hope still in the darkness. There is always hope because there is always the love of God, which is bigger and stronger than any darkness.

And my hope is that with this episode and then with the next, you will feel empowered with tools to make the best choices to help your kids and yourself, wherever you see yourself in this story. John’s testimony as well as the resources he mentions will be such a great help. I pray this episode is a blessing to you and I am so grateful for John and the work he’s doing to help set people free.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Find Pure Desire Ministries here

Find Summit Ministries here

Find my book It’s Time to Talk to Your Kids About Porn here

Find Hopeful Mom here

Find the 7 Pillars workbook and groups here

The Greta Eskridge Podcast is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.org

When her ideal life as a stay-at-home mom didn’t pan out the way she hoped, Julia Ubbenga found herself pleading with God. Instead of the extra time with her kids that she’d been dreaming of, she felt more like a time stuff. And as she prayed to God about this, she read Luke 12:21, “be rich in what matters.” This planted a seed in her heart, knowing that something in her life around possessions needed to change.

Through a series of more learning and growing, Julia embraced minimalism where she got rid of 75% of her family’s things, downsized to a smaller home to reduce debt, and she and her family haven’t looked back. In this process, Julia realized that she needed to declutter her outer home but also her inner home—her heart.

She and I discuss the question: what is cluttering up our heart? What do we, and others, use, consume, buy, or do to fill that void?

Julia’s book, Declutter Your Heart and Your Home: How a Minimalist Life Yields Maximum Joy, made me face some uncomfortable truths about my own possessions. It was really eye opening and helpful. I really loved talking to Julia about those revelation, her book and so much more in this episode, and I know you will love listening to it!

If you loved this episode and you love this podcast, will you consider leaving a review?

It really helps the podcast grow and helps other people find it easily. Just go to your favorite podcast platform and leave a rating or a review, or both! Thanks so much!

Where you can find Julia:

Get Julia’s new book here

Find Julia’s website here

Find Julia on Instagram here

The Greta Eskridge Podcast is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.org

As soon as I saw the title of the upcoming book by Dr. Thom Rainer, I knew I had to have him on the show. He told me right away to call him Thom and it was easy because he’s friendly and down to earth. But his newest book, “The Anxious Generation Goes to Church” is anything but down to earth. It is a compelling, well researched and fascinating look at what our kids are navigating with church involvement while growing up in a tech saturated world.

And while it would be easy to believe kids nowadays really aren’t interested in church, Thom’s research shows something different. He has found that kids today are interested in spiritual things and are longing for a place to belong. Inviting them to church is not something we should be afraid of. Rather, it should be at the top of our list of things to do to reach the hearts of today’s youth. And if it’s our own kids we’re talking about, Thom’s advice is that we model showing up for church and actually being involved in church. That is the best way for our kids to care about being part of church—by seeing that we care.

You will find this conversation encouraging and hopeful. Thom is a loving father and grandfather and his wisdom and kindness felt like a warm hug to me. I loved having him on the show and you will love hearing him share. Go pre-order his book today so you can read it as soon as it hits the shelves. You won’t be disappointed!

Where to find Thom:

Pre-order Thom’s new book here

Find Thom’s website, Church Answers, here

Where to find Greta:

Find Greta’s new book here

Find Greta’s website here

Find Greta’s other books here and here

Find Greta on Instagram here

The Greta Eskridge Podcast is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.org