Making Biblical Family Life Practical

We all start homeschooling knowing that we'll have to teach reading, spelling, math ... all the traditional classroom subjects. But we quickly realized there were some things that "just happened" in school, and now that we're the school, we need to make plans for them. Unfortunately, we meet a lot of homeschool families who are missing out on some important topics that don't normally show on a transcript - but are critical for their kids' future! You don't want to miss this episode ... Some Resources We Mentioned:  Internet safety with Covenant Eyes filtering/monitoring/accountability software (this affiliate link helps support our ministry!) Love, Honor, and Virtue: Gaining or Re-Gaining a Biblical Attitude Toward Sexuality Boot Camp 9-12        

Do you feel uncomfortable about your own body? When Melanie wrote about this on our blog, it turned out to be one of our most popular articles! This episode, we talk about handling negative self-talk, building up your wife, and recognizing the impact your self-doubt may be having on your kids. Melanie's original blog post: For Our Future Daughters-in-Law Join us for our fall marriage retreat in the glorious Great Smoky Mountains! October 20-22, 2017 CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE!      

Even the best friendships run into rough spots - husbands and wives, parents and kids, church friends, neighbors. Sometimes you need to have those terrible conversations that begin, "We need to talk ..." But even if they're difficult, those conversations are critically important in the life of a relationship. Dodge them, and you may be ditching the friendship! This episode, we look at what the Bible says about open, transparent talk between friends, why you have to engage the hard conversations, and how to make them as helpful as possible! For more notes, check out our blog!   This episode brought to you in part by Autumn 2017 "Come Away" Marriage Weekend - Sylva, N.C. October 20-22, 2017 CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION!

It's been ten years since Apple introduced the iPhone - and the whole world has changed because of it. Like many new devices and technologies, what started as an amusement became a near-necessity. But should our kids have access? Do young people need a phone of their own? Or is it a popular trap that causes more trouble than any possible benefit? This episode we talk about why some of our kids have phones and others don't, and some common sense ways you can navigate that winding road in your own family.   This episode brought to you in part by Great Waters Press, publishers of LOVE, HONOR, AND VIRTUE: Gaining or Re-Gaining a Biblical Attitude Toward Sexuality CLICK HERE to find out more!

We're back from our hiatus and we're talking about relationships! How can we build trust, restore injured feelings, and safeguard the bond between parents and children? We've seen that relationships are built on moments, hundreds of day-by-day interactions and decisions, and often we don't discover we've made a misstep until it bears unhappy fruit long after. This episode we share some things we've found very helpful - even critically important - for cultivating better relationships with your kids!    

Our sons face particular pressures on their way to becoming husbands - and fathers face some of the same issues as they live out their own vows! In the second part of Hal's presentation to a recent men's conference, he's talking about the reality of both the temptation and the grace to resist it or if necessary, to repent and recover from a fall. It's another look about being intentional about preparing our sons to be effective and godly husbands! Want to know more about our new book, Love, Honor, and Virtue, and how it can help you teach your son about Biblical sexuality and equip him to walk with integrity? CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE! 

  We probably all share the hope that our children will marry, and marry well, and serve God in their family one day. But are we being intentional about preparing our sons to become godly husbands?  It's important to live a good example in front of them, but we need to train them to deal with the issues that affect them as young men, and we need to encourage them to see marriage as a likely part of their mission in God's kingdom! This episode includes part of a presentation Hal gave to a men's conference earlier this year, about laying a foundation for your son's future marriage - because "He who finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor from the Lord!" (Proverbs 18:22)     Like to know more about our new book, Love, Honor, and Virtue ? CLICK HERE!

"Mom, I'm hungry!" That call from the back of the van is more frequent than "Are we there yet?" - especially when there are teenagers in the mix. So what can a budget-conscious family do when the stomachs start to growl? This episode we talk about how we keep the food expenses low, keep the troops happy, and eat cheap when we're on the road!   Resources We Mentioned: The incredible Instant Pot (affiliate link) Where we find neat local restaurants: RoadFood.com Or "as seen on the Food Network," restaurants from Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives   How We Make Pimiento Cheese (Large Southern Family Edition): 2 lb bag of shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese (unseasoned) 1 pint of salad dressing-style mayonnaise (think "Miracle Whip") - basically half a standard jar 4 oz jar of diced pimientos (usually on the aisle with olives and pickles or in the Hispanic food section) Yes, this is a big batch! We often make this much for lunch at church or to take on the road. Simply combine the ingredients. It blends easier if you use mayonnaise from a newly opened jar at room temperature. Use the entire jar of pimientos including the juice - sometimes we add a dash of pickle juice for variety. Stir in the mayonnaise bit by bit and stop when you like the consistency. The flavor is even better if you keep it overnight in the refrigerator. Great in sandwiches, on hamburgers, eaten on crackers, or spread on celery. This Episode is Sponsored By: Sony Pictures: AffirmsFilms.com and the latest movie with great values and message – Smurfs: The Lost Village. Click here for the FREE Faith-based Movie Guide!

Spring's in the air and summer vacation is just a few weeks away. You may be making plans already! The past several years, our family's hit the road for twenty- to thirty thousand miles annually,literally coast to coast and into Canada too. How can a large family with a limited budget see and do so much? We've got some tips to help you plan big time family travel on a limited budget!   This Episode is Sponsored By: Sony Pictures: AffirmsFilms.com and the latest movie with great values and message – Smurfs: The Lost Village. Click here for the FREE Faith-based Movie Guide!

How and Why to Celebrate Although some Christians are suspicious of holidays and celebrations, there are many examples and principles in Scripture that throw some light on the question.  What makes a Biblical celebration unique? Should we feel guilty for going off our diet for the holidays? Why are there different "right answers" to some of these questions? Join us as we're planning a wedding and looking forward to Easter, as we try to find Biblical principles to guide our celebrations!     This Episode is Sponsored By: Sony Pictures: AffirmsFilms.com and the latest movie with great values and message – Smurfs: The Lost Village. Click here for the FREE Faith-based Movie Guide!  

Psalm 103:2 says "Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits." But is that all it's about - "Bless me, God - Amen"? This episode Hal talks with Bob Sjogren of UnveilinGLORY, about a bigger -- and more Biblical -- vision of God, that can look beyond the gifts to really worship the One who gives them! Learn about why Bob calls this entitlement attitude "Cat Theology," and how we can teach our kids (and ourselves) to delight in really glorifying God.

Sooner or later, all of us are likely to need to find a new church - whether it's due to relocation, or a change in the doctrinal stand, or a need for a different sort of community for your family's spiritual growth. And even if we don't make that decision for our own family, each of our children will face that issue when they go away to college or move into independent adulthood. This episode, we're talking about reasons you might need to find a new church, reasons that you really ought not, how to leave a church graciously, and how to go about the search for your new church! RESOURCES WE MENTIONED Episode 113, "Dealing with a Toxic Church" (Interview with Andy and Kendra Fletcher) Episode 132, "Recovering From Legalism" Tim Challies' blog - http://www.challies.com/

Although most high school graduates head off to college, most don't reach their bachelor's degree. And the ones that do, are usually saddled with a boatload of debt. Is this really necessary? Not in every field, no. Are there alternatives? Yes, indeed. This episode, we speak with the founder of a successful software company which has specialized in apprenticeship as their training model and Christianity as their business ethics!   For more information Role Model Software Software Craftsmanship Academy     This program is brought to you in part by Click here for more information! (Clicking this affiliate link helps support this podcast!)

One contentious question in the conservative wing of the church is modesty. What defines modesty? How should a modest spirit be expressed? The difficulty is that Scripture gives guidelines but no hemlines - and actually, appropriate dress and behavior will differ from one context or one culture to another. What's more, it isn't a women's issue - men have their issues, too. This episode we have a lively discussion involving blue jeans, ladies in the tropics, swimming in long skirts, and the Old Order Amish. It's all about making Biblical family life practical. This program is brought to you in part by Click here for more information! Check out Hal and Melanie's new book! CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION

  What happens when you do everything right and it turns out terribly, awfully wrong? Do you doubt God's love? Does it shake your faith? Or does it drive you to a closer walk with your Lord and Savior? This episode, we talk with Kendra Fletcher, the author of the new book (affiliate link!), Lost & Found: Losing Religion, Finding Grace. Kendra and her husband Andy Fletcher (hosts of Homeschooling IRL on this network) have seen both sides of the coin, as God brought them from a cold, rule-based religiosity, to a living faith in a living Jesus day by day. You'll find it both challenging and encouraging as we talk about this crucially important distinction!