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#393 Raising Teens for Christ in a Secular Age with Melissa Kruger of The Gospel Coalition

56m · Can I Laugh On Your Shoulder? · 24 Apr 09:45

Melissa Kruger serves as the Vice President of Discipleship Programming at The Gospel Coalition. As an author and Bible teacher, she regularly teaches women in her community and speaks at conferences around the country.

I’m so excited to have her on the show today to talk about her latest book,Parenting with Hope: Raising Teens For Christ in a Secular Age, and dive into the ins and outs of raising teenagers. We talk about transitioning with your children as they grow, modeling a life of faith, creating a prayerful home, and so much more.

In a culture that often implies that the teenage years are miserable and difficult, Melissa encourages parents to not overlook the beauty and joy in this chapter. Whether you're a parent, teacher, or simply someone who influences young lives, this conversation is SO important, and I can’t wait for you to hear it!

2:00 – Melissa 101

  • Vice President of the Gospel Coalition
  • Mother of 3 and wife
  • Former math teacher
  • An unexpected path to writing 16 books

6:42 – Changing The Parenting Narrative

  • The negative narrative surrounding parenting teenagers and tweens
  • Understanding the development stages of this time period
  • Being gracious and patient with teenagers + adapting your parenting style

14:21 – The Gracious Home Vs. The Permissive Home

  • Setting boundaries and allowing for mistakes
  • A lack of structure leading to negative outcomes
  • Setting boundaries as a parent
  • Allowing children to face consequences in a safe and supportive environment

21:25 – Parenting Through Different Stages

  • Transitioning parenting styles from one stage to the next
  • Recognizing children as independent human beings
  • Walking alongside your children as they make their own decisions
  • Avoiding placing your identity in your children’s actions or behaviors

33:03 – Modeling Faith

  • Being gracious with failure as a parent
  • Setting the example by walking with God
  • Incorporating prayer into everyday life as a family
  • Connecting with Melissa

FEATURED QUOTES

“I think growing up with our teen in some ways, is remaining curious about who they are and not making assumptions about why they're pushing back on something.”

“I think it's really tempting as a parent sometimes to place a lot of our identity and in our teen…we start trying to control who they become, rather than walk alongside them as they're becoming who God made them to be.”

“Learning how to make a mistake is actually a life lesson.”

“I always say aim for patterns, not perfection.”

Learn more about Melissa:

https://melissabkruger.com/

Get your copy of Parenting with Hope

https://www.amazon.com/Parenting-Hope-Raising-Christ-Secular-ebook/dp/B0CFTGDKJ1

The Gospel Coalition

https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/

Connect with me:

http://www.stillbeingmolly.com

http://instagram.com/stillbeingmolly

http://instagram.com/canilaughpod

http://twitter.com/stillbeingmolly

http://facebook.com/stillbeingmolly

http://facebook.com/canilaughpod

http://tiktok.com/@stillbeingmolly

GET YOUR COPY of ‘IF I DON’T LAUGH, I’LL CRY” TODAY:

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About Can I Laugh On Your Shoulder?

Can I Laugh On Your Shoulder? Podcast is a weekly podcast where we have honest conversations about faith, business, life, and everything in between. Hosted by speaker and author, Molly Stillman, her mission is to make you laugh, cry, and laugh till you cry. She wants to create a community of people who are unafraid to be themselves and have honest conversations about the things that matter most. Her vision is to create a safe space for people to explore their faith and share their stories and gifts with the world.

The episode #393 Raising Teens for Christ in a Secular Age with Melissa Kruger of The Gospel Coalition from the podcast Can I Laugh On Your Shoulder? has a duration of 56:22. It was first published 24 Apr 09:45. The cover art and the content belong to their respective owners.

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I’m thrilled to have her on the show today to talk about her new book, Why Do We Stay? How My Toxic Relationship Can Help You Find Healing. It’s not only an incredibly powerful story but an excellent resource for spotting red flags and starting your journey toward healing. She’s here to share her story with us today, reflect on life post-toxic relationship, and share some of the steps she took to navigate the most difficult times of her life.

If you’ve ever experienced an unhealthy relationship or are supporting someone who is going through one, this conversation is so important. Stephanie has such an incredible story and was such a joy to talk to!

2:45 – Stephanie 101

  • Growing up on a farm in Montana
  • Starting a record label in 2015
  • Performing at the Grand Ole Opry
  • Becoming an author

4:14 – Digging Deeper Into Stephanie’s Story

  • Facing bullying and discovering a love for music
  • Experiencing the underbelly of the industry in LA
  • Losing partner in a plane crash and discovering infidelity shortly after
  • Moving to Nashville, starting a label, and falling into another toxic relationship
  • Confronting the past and writing a book to help others

20:22 – Reflections On Toxic Relationships

  • Staying in unhealthy relationships
  • Forgiving toxic partners and yourself during the healing process
  • Finding the unconditional love of Jesus

34:18 – Life After A Toxic Relationship

  • Seeking out professional support in the healing process
  • Leaning on faith and God’s tools
  • You are not the problem, but you are the solution
  • You are enough on your own

42:03 – Stephanie’s Advice For Those In Toxic Relationships

  • Listening to your intuition
  • Recognizing red flags
  • Surrounding yourself with trusted people
  • Considering the advice you would give to others

FEATURED QUOTES

"We are not meant to do this on our own. God gives us tools. God gives us people. And we need to utilize those."

"You are not the problem, but you are your solution. And that only happens by us getting stronger."

“Until we fix ourselves, there's, there's really no way around it, there's no way of getting over it… The only way to get over it is by getting through it to get to the other side."

“No one is going to fix you. No one is going to complete you. You know, I think that sometimes when we think of equally yoked, we think of ourselves as only 50%. And that then our other 50% will be this person that comes in like saves our lives, right? Well, there's only one that does that. That's Jesus.”

Learn more about Stephanie:

Stephanie’s website

https://www.stephaniequayle.com/home

Get your copy of Why Do We Stay?

https://www.amazon.com/Why-Do-We-Stay-Relationship/dp/140024451X

Stephanie on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/stephaniequayle

Stephanie on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/stephaniequayle

Stephanie on X:

https://x.com/stephaniequayle

Stephanie on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/user/STEPHANIEQUAYLE

#398 WRITING YOUR STORY WITH ALLY FALLON

This week's guest is Ally Fallon, an award-winning author, ghostwriter, and expert book coach who has helped countless individuals find their voice and share their stories through her community Find Your Voice.

Her new book, Write Your Story: A Simple Framework to Understand Yourself, Your Story, and Your Purpose in the World is incredibly powerful, and a testament to her belief that everyone has a story worth telling.

I’m thrilled to have her on the show today to share insights on why writing can be such a powerful tool for personal growth and healing. If you’ve ever thought about writing a book, starting a blog, or even starting to journal, this conversation is sure to inspire you to pick up that pen and start writing!

2:32 – Ally 101

  • Passion for books and writing at a young age
  • Becoming a teacher
  • Finding a niche in coaching aspiring writers

6:33 – The Transformative Power Of Storytelling

  • The desire to write should be pursued
  • Seeing life through the lens of storytelling
  • Gaining new perspectives and finding empowerment

11:09 – The Science Behind Writing

  • The physical and emotional benefits of writing
  • Developing your writing skills through consistent practice
  • Anyone can write!

19:32 – The Keys Elements To A Good Story

  • Recognizing oneself as the hero
  • Embracing problems as a pathway to growth
  • Transformation as the heart of the story
  • Self-reflection and honesty in storytelling

37:01 – The Path To Healing

  • Spiritual growth through storytelling
  • Authentic change and growth cannot be rushed or forced
  • Connecting with Ally

FEATURED QUOTES

“Writing your story will connect you to yourself and your own intuition. It connects you to the people around you, especially your family members and the people who are immediately related to you. And it also connects you to the broader world at large.”

“Problems are the lighter fluid on the fire of stories. Without problems, there's no story.”

“Consistently the people who come to the Write Your Story workshops, who pick up this book, who come to me asking for help with a book 100% of the time, these are people who are hungry for spiritual growth. And they're like, ‘I don't care what it takes. I don't care how uncomfortable it is. I want this for myself.’ And I hope that the book can help them to achieve that.”

Learn more about Ally:

https://writeyourstory.com/

Get your copy of Write Your Story

https://www.amazon.com/Write-Your-Story-Framework-Understand/dp/1637632592

Ally on Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/allyfallon/?hl=en

Connect with me:

http://www.stillbeingmolly.com

http://instagram.com/stillbeingmolly

http://instagram.com/canilaughpod

http://twitter.com/stillbeingmolly

http://facebook.com/stillbeingmolly

http://facebook.com/canilaughpod

http://tiktok.com/@stillbeingmolly

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ChristianBook: https://bit.ly/IIDLICcb

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About Can I Laugh On Your Shoulder?

Can I Laugh On Your Shoulder? Podcast is a weekly podcast where we have honest conversations about faith, business, life, and everything in between. Hosted by speaker and author, Molly Stillman, her mission is to make you laugh, cry, and laugh till you cry. She wants to create a community of people who are unafraid to be themselves and have honest conversations about the things that matter most. Her vision is to create a safe space for people to explore their faith and share their stories and gifts with the world.

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My guest this week is Terry Crist. He is the co-lead pastor of City of Grace in Phoenix, alongside his wife, Judith. As a fifth-generation pastor, Terry is dedicated to community transformation and advocates for adoption and foster care through his involvement in state government.

Outside of his pastoral duties, he's a passionate outdoorsman, a skilled communicator, and has shared the gospel in 65 countries. Terry and Judith have three married sons and three grandkids, and their family is dedicated to spreading the good news of Jesus.

Terry’s new book, Loving Samaritans: Radical Kindness In An Us VS. Them World, explores the transformative power of radical kindness. I am so excited to dig into the meat of his book with him today and talk about how even the smallest acts of kindness can pave the way for deeper connections and understanding.

I know you’re going to love this one!

2:43 – Terry 101

Raised as a church kid
Falling in love with ministry
Planting 3 churches


6:38 – Faith In The Everyday World

Why Terry felt called to write this book
The significant polarization and division in today's world
Feeling a call to live more intentionally on mission


13:02 – The Woman At The Well

The significance of this story
Jesus’ radical inclusivity
Jesus' reconciliation and healing
What is truth?

26:30 – Living On Mission Anywhere

Jesus became a neighborhood kid
The distinction between hospitality and fellowship
Being hospitable to people outside the church
Jesus’ model of loving people

38:15 – Walking In Love

Looking for traces of grace every day
Walking through the day with eyes open
Identifying everyone we meet as a neighbor
Understanding God’s love in order to love others well


FEATURED QUOTES

“I think all people have some fundamental things in common. We all want the best for ourselves and our family, we all want to be seen, we want to be heard, we want to be loved, we want to be valued, we want to be known.”

“All people are worthy of being heard. All people are worthy of hearing the truth without insult, and all people are worthy of unconditional love. Even if they don't accept our gospel, we can and should still give them our love, in the hopes that they do receive our gospel.”

“We don't need to assume that we don't have strangers around us, because we do, even in the smallest of towns. Hospitality is really opening our doors to them, just as Jesus did to us.”

“Loving people unconditionally, with strength, faithfully, enduringly, blessing our enemies, being compassionate to those who are in need, welcoming strangers- these are the practices of the gospel.”

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES OR LINKS THAT NEED TO BE INCLUDED IN POST

Learn more about Terry:

https://www.terrycrist.com/

Get your copy of Loving Samaritans

https://www.zondervan.com/p/loving-samaritans/

Terry on Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/terrycrist

Terry on X

https://x.com/terrycrist

City of Grace Church

https://www.cityofgrace.com/

The Chosen Woman At The Well Scene

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ordhsDeAt60

Connect with me:

http://www.stillbeingmolly.com

http://instagram.com/stillbeingmolly

http://instagram.com/canilaughpod

http://twitter.com/stillbeingmolly

http://facebook.com/stillbeingmolly

http://facebook.com/canilaughpod

http://tiktok.com/@stillbeingmolly

GET YOUR COPY of ‘IF I DON’T LAUGH, I’LL CRY” TODAY:

Barnes & Noble: https://bit.ly/IIDLICbn

Amazon: https://amzn.to/48VYFkG

ChristianBook: https://bit.ly/IIDLICcb

Target: https://bit.ly/3Shh3Q2

Walmart: https://bit.ly/3MmGVpJ

Indie Bound: https://bit.ly/IIDLICib

Audible: https://amzn.to/3ITcdm8

Kindle: https://amzn.to/3ITaSvv

About Can I Laugh On Your Shoulder?

Can I Laugh On Your Shoulder? Podcast is a weekly podcast where we have honest conversations about faith, business, life, and everything in between. Hosted by speaker and author, Molly Stillman, her mission is to make you laugh, cry, and laugh till you cry. She wants to create a community of people who are unafraid to be themselves and have honest conversations about the things that matter most. Her vision is to create a safe space for people to explore their faith and share their stories and gifts with the world.

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Julie and Chris Bennett have spent the majority of their 23 years of marriage working in vocational ministry. Through overwhelming challenges- a cancer diagnosis, a relapse, and a pandemic- they have learned how to fight for the things that matter and devote themselves to helping others do the same.

Today, they are the founders of Welcome Home Lifestyle which exists to create and promote content that celebrates all things family. Their new book Fighting For Family: The Relentless Pursuit of Building Belonging, was just released in March and is all about embracing togetherness in a time when so many suffer from loneliness.

I’m so excited to dive into the heart of their new book with you and talk about how vulnerability, intentionality, and grace play pivotal roles in nurturing healthy relationships, whether with family, chosen family, or friends.

2:50 – Chris and Julie 101

  • Met at 19 and married at 21
  • Working in ministry in Oklahoma
  • A calling to move their family to LA
  • Julie’s stage 3 breast cancer diagnosis
  • Challenges after the move + writing a book

7:34 – Guided By Faith

  • Life is not linear
  • Trusting God's plan and remembering His track record
  • Inviting children into the journey and allowing space for emotions
  • Relying on His guidance

16:57 – Cultivating a Healthy Family Culture

  • Chasing after a healthy family instead of a perfect family
  • The greenhouse effect at home
  • Modeling vulnerability and self-awareness as parents
  • Remembering God’s faithfulness

28:37 – Building Belonging

  • The 3 commitments for healthy relationships
  • Creating space for understanding, vulnerability, and belonging
  • Being intentional about building relationships
  • Connecting with Chris and Julie

FEATURED QUOTES

“We find out what we really believe about God, not when we get answers- it's when we're tested.”

“The idea of a greenhouse is that no matter what is happening externally- if it's scorching heat, if it's freezing cold, if it's raining- inside that greenhouse is a culture that things can grow year-round. And so we know that our kids are being exposed to all types of things. The world we're living in is very difficult for our kids… so we've tried to create this greenhouse effect at home.”

“Remembering what God did yesterday is what gives us faith for tomorrow.”

“Belonging is not something that you find, it’s something that you bring… people are able to do that and bring belonging when we give space for not having it all together and being messy.”

Learn more about Chris and Julie:

Fighting for Family

https://www.fightingforfamily.org/

Get your copy of Fighting For Family

https://www.amazon.com/Fighting-Family-Relentless-Building-Belonging/dp/0785293191?maas=maas_adg_980D35D24FEFF4EC892FEA9B34155B43_afap_abs&ref_=aa_maas&tag=maas

Julie on Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/juliebennett_/

Chris on Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/chrisbennett143/

Chris and Julie on Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/chrisandjuliebennett/

Connect with me:

http://www.stillbeingmolly.com

http://instagram.com/stillbeingmolly

http://instagram.com/canilaughpod

http://twitter.com/stillbeingmolly

http://facebook.com/stillbeingmolly

http://facebook.com/canilaughpod

http://tiktok.com/@stillbeingmolly

GET YOUR COPY of ‘IF I DON’T LAUGH, I’LL CRY” TODAY:

Barnes & Noble: https://bit.ly/IIDLICbn

Amazon: https://amzn.to/48VYFkG

ChristianBook: https://bit.ly/IIDLICcb

Target: https://bit.ly/3Shh3Q2

Walmart: https://bit.ly/3MmGVpJ

Indie Bound: https://bit.ly/IIDLICib

Audible: https://amzn.to/3ITcdm8

Kindle: https://amzn.to/3ITaSvv

About Can I Laugh On Your Shoulder?

Can I Laugh On Your Shoulder? Podcast is a weekly podcast where we have honest conversations about faith, business, life, and everything in between. Hosted by speaker and author, Molly Stillman, her mission is to make you laugh, cry, and laugh till you cry. She wants to create a community of people who are unafraid to be themselves and have honest conversations about the things that matter most. Her vision is to create a safe space for people to explore their faith and share their stories and gifts with the world.

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My guest this week is Emily Morrow who founded the social media channel Really Very Crunchy with her husband, Jason, in 2022. Since then, her platform has rapidly grown, amassing over 3 million followers and more than a billion views across various video platforms.

Emily is passionate about living a natural and sustainable lifestyle, and she uses her platform, along with her incredible sense of humor, to educate and inspire others on their journey to a healthier, toxin-free life.

Her new book, Really Very Crunchy: A Beginner's Guide to Removing Toxins from Your Life Without Adding Them to Your Personality, is now available wherever books are sold, with her upcoming children's book, Little Helper, Big Imagination, set to release in July 2024.

Stay tuned as we chat about her journey into crunchy living, navigating the comparison trap, the power of small changes, and so much more. I absolutely loved getting to know Emily and hope this conversation leaves you smiling and feeling inspired!

1:45 – Emily 101

Emily’s new book release
A mom of two boys
Moving to South Korea
Falling into content creation

15:52 – The Crunchy Journey

How Emily started making healthy lifestyle changes
Finding what works for your family
Creating relatable, non-judgemental content online
Navigating feedback and perception along the way


26:28 – Crunchy Living in Practice

How family members have supported this lifestyle
What crunchiness looks like on a day-to-day for Emily’s family
Universal childhood experiences


37:51 – Takeaways

Focusing on what’s best for your family
Making realistic lifestyle changes for you
Connecting with Emily


FEATURED QUOTES

“If you can't make all the changes, choose one thing…It doesn't have to be this big, extreme, and scary thing. You can make little changes.”

“I hope that people are able to resist falling into a comparison trap. Honestly, I hope that people realize the only person they have to convince that they're doing their best is themselves.”

Connect with me:

http://www.stillbeingmolly.com

http://instagram.com/stillbeingmolly

http://instagram.com/canilaughpod

http://twitter.com/stillbeingmolly

http://facebook.com/stillbeingmolly

http://facebook.com/canilaughpod

http://tiktok.com/@stillbeingmolly

GET YOUR COPY of ‘IF I DON’T LAUGH, I’LL CRY” TODAY:

Barnes & Noble: https://bit.ly/IIDLICbn

Amazon: https://amzn.to/48VYFkG

ChristianBook: https://bit.ly/IIDLICcb

Target: https://bit.ly/3Shh3Q2

Walmart: https://bit.ly/3MmGVpJ

Indie Bound: https://bit.ly/IIDLICib

Audible: https://amzn.to/3ITcdm8

Kindle: https://amzn.to/3ITaSvv

About Can I Laugh On Your Shoulder?

Can I Laugh On Your Shoulder? Podcast is a weekly podcast where we have honest conversations about faith, business, life, and everything in between. Hosted by speaker and author, Molly Stillman, her mission is to make you laugh, cry, and laugh till you cry. She wants to create a community of people who are unafraid to be themselves and have honest conversations about the things that matter most. Her vision is to create a safe space for people to explore their faith and share their stories and gifts with the world.

Learn more about Emily:

https://www.reallyverycrunchy.com/

Get your copy of Really Very Crunchy

https://www.zondervan.com/p/really-very-crunchy/

Tik Tok:

https://www.tiktok.com/@reallyverycrunchy

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLEvpTMBa0WuZuWAF2M9m0w

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/reallyverycrunchy/?hl=en

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/reallyverycrunchy/

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