There’s something deep within us that craves a haven and a place to belong. We have been created to dwell with God. Although that desire, to reside and abide with Him a beautiful secure place of rest, can never fully be met on this side of heaven, we can receive a sacred foretaste through rooting ourselves to our homes in the here and now.

But sometimes the kind of home we long for feels out of reach. That can be discouraging.

Today we are going to think through godly desires, the seed of dreams planted within us, and the tension living in the present moment while working towards the future with Christie Purifoy.

Christie Purifoy is a writer and gardener who loves to grow flowers and community. Most of all, she is a placemaker, and the place she is making with her family is a red brick Victorian farmhouse in Pennsylvania called Maplehurst.

She’s the author of numerous books –all of which will encourage and delight you –and her latest book, A House to Call Home, might just be a new favorite.

There’s no place like Home! There’s no place like Home!

To thee, I’ll return overburdened with care,
The heart’s dearest solace will smile on me there.
No more from that cottage again will I roam,
Be it ever so humble, there’s no place like home.

–Home, Sweet Home, John Howard Payne (1791-1852)

All of motherhood is both hard and beautiful, but there is something uniquely intense about those first few weeks after welcoming a baby. A mother is recovering physically from bringing new life into the world while simultaneously learning how to care for a tiny, mysterious new person. It is tender. It is overwhelming. And it is often deeply exhausting.

In this episode, Annie VanderHedien, author of Christ’s Care for Postpartum Moms, joins us to offer gentle encouragement for weary mothers in the thick of postpartum sleep deprivation. Together we talk about how Christ meets us in our exhaustion, how His care is especially near when we feel unseen or invisible, and how we can experience real spiritual rest—even when physical rest feels out of reach.

If you are in the newborn fog, or if you love someone who is, this conversation is for you.

Pre-order Annie’s book here.

Annie VanderHeiden is the former editor of Risen Motherhood and now busies herself with freelance writing and editing, lay church ministry, and mothering two littles. She plants her roots in the uppermost corner of the PNW, enjoying salty sea air, drizzly days, long walks, overflowing mugs of matcha, and any thrifting opportunities she can get. Annie is the author of Cradled: Christ's Care for Postpartum Moms (P&R, 2026). Connect with her on Instagram (@anniekvanderheiden) or annievanderheiden.com.

Christian parenting is inherently missional. Rather than limiting ministry, parenting can provide a springboard for evangelism and discipleship within the home–both inside and outside our families. Far from being sidelined from ministry, parents who approach parenting with a missional mindset will find explosive opportunities to declare the glory of God.

In this episode I'll be talking to James all about how dads can easily engage with kids through nightly family worship. We will cover:

• Why is it specifically important for the dad to lead in discipleship within the home.
• How moms can encourage dads to lead in discipleship.
• Various opportunities a busy dad might have throughout the day to disciple his children.
• How long or short it has to be.
• Why leading nightly is important.

How do you process grief? How does your husband process grief?

Marriage is full of many good and lovely seasons. But every marriage will also experience losses. How do we process those losses in a way that brings us closer to one another and also closer to God? How is processing grief a chance to lean into God’s design for marriage? How can we work through differences in the way we grieve without bitterness or resentment?

Listen in to a real and vulnerable conversation with Clarissa Abbott, mom to two little girls and husband to Ryan, who serves with YWAM in Perth, Australia.

As members of a large-ish family, my kids aren’t often the center of attention. But I want them to know that they will gave a regular time when they have my full, complete, and undivided attention.

For us, this means special monthly one-on-one coffee dates on Sunday mornings before church. Listen in for why to "date" your kids and when and how to do it.

It’s by no means a requirement, but it has been a sweet way to connect one-on-one with the four kids I adore and cherish most in the world. And I really enjoy it!

Pretty soon, I will be welcoming a fifth baby, and my youngest will also be joining the date rotation. I’m sure continuing to carve out time will require creativity—but I am committed to it.

Setting year long goals can be a helpful way to stay on track with our ideals. Listen in for a very brief discussion of how and why to track fitness, reading, and outside time goals in 2026.

Parents are in the business of training --and that should include training to serve.

We train our kids not to run in the road, to put their shirt on frontwards, and to use the bathroom. During childhood these actions are challenging, but by adulthood, most of us have it figured out. We practiced these things over and over until they became ingrained and second nature.

In addition to learning to brush our teeth or make breakfast, I want to teach my kids to be kind and generous. As a parent, I can’t force my children to be servant hearted—only God can change them. But He has commanded me to train them in godliness, and training comes through repeated practice.

If I desire to raise servant-hearted kids, then I should give them lots of opportunities during their formative years to practice service both inside and outside the home.

Listen in for a discussion of why and how to do that in practical simple ways --without adding a bunch of extra tasks to our schedules.

If you’ve been married for more than five minutes, chances are you’ve faced conflict. Sometimes conflicts resolve easily, but other times they can eat away at your heart and mind.

What should your heart’s response be when your spouse is unreasonable and reconciliation seems impossible? When you’re facing serious disagreements with no clear path forward, what are some practical next steps you can take?

Today, we’re going to look at the conflict between two women in the Philippian church and see how Paul addressed and encouraged them. Although this disagreement was between two sisters in Christ rather than a husband and wife, the parallels are striking and deeply helpful.

Listen in as we think through how to navigate those tricky conflicts.