In This Together With Dr. Josh + Christi

A major new study just dropped on faith transmission across generations — and Josh breaks it down. Drawing from Passing the Torch (Institute for Family Studies), decades of research by Vern Bengston on relational warmth, and John Gottman's data on repair, this episode answers the question we’re all asking as Christian parents: Will my kids keep the faith when they leave home? Josh not only covers the key research findings, but more importantly offers practical strategies and connects the dots between your own spiritual growth and the faith your kids carry into adulthood.*Thank you to Bernhardt Watches for sponsoring this episode! Click here and be sure to use the code FAMOUS at checkout for free shipping! https://www.bernhardtwatch.com/ Time Stamps:0:00 Introduction of faith5:18 Happenings with Famous at Home6:20 How God concept and relational warmth influences faith transmission9:31 The spiritual growth connection to faith transmission especially when we mess up12:45 Josh explains key findings from a new stu

If you've ever wrestled with complicated family dynamics or wondered how to honor your parents or in-laws while protecting your own family, this episode will encourage and challenge you with a deeply biblical perspective. What does it really mean to honor your father and mother in a culture that often encourages us to walk away from difficult relationships? In this episode, Josh explores why honoring your parents doesn't mean denying your pain—but it does require a biblical perspective on love, boundaries, forgiveness, and generational legacy. In this episode, Josh discusses: How your children are learning from the way you treat your parentsWhy we've inflated words like toxic, trauma, and boundariesThe difference between honoring someone and enabling unhealthy behaviorWhy healing doesn't always require cutting people offThe power of reframing your family storyPractical ways to navigate difficult relationships with parents and in-lawsHow to discern between characterological versus circumstantial expectations o

Parents today have more resources, information, and support than ever before—yet anxiety, fragility, and emotional struggles among children continue to rise. In this conversation, bestselling author and counselor David Thomas joins Josh to explore a difficult question: Have our good intentions as parents unintentionally gotten in the way of raising capable, resilient kids? Together they discuss:Why confidence grows from competence—not constant praiseHow over-helping can undermine a child's resilienceThe surprising connection between failure and emotional healthWhy happiness should never be the primary goal of parentingThe dangers of "rescuing" kids from every struggleHow healthy boundaries create securityWhat today's anxiety epidemic reveals about modern parentingWhy children need opportunities to struggle, fail, and recoverPractical ways to build capability at every ageDavid also shares one simple challenge every parent can implement this week to begin raising children who are resourceful, resilient, and pre

Most men were never taught how to be emotionally present. They were taught how to provide, how to perform, and how to push through. And for a long time, that felt like enough. But if you've ever come home after leading hundreds of people at work and felt completely lost in your own living room, you're not alone. This is why famous at home exists in the first place. In this episode, Josh discusses the tension men feel between the demands of their professional lives and the deeper call of their homes. Drawing on decades of research—including what one USC longitudinal study found is the single greatest factor for passing faith across generations—his own coaching work with high-capacity men, and two personal moments where he heard the quiet voice of God, Josh unpacks the three relationships every father must tend: with his wife, with his kids, and with Jesus. Whether you lead hundreds at work and feel lost at home, or you're simply trying to figure out what a present, emotionally engaged husband and father looks

We've been asking our kids the wrong question since kindergarten. "What do you want to be when you grow up?" confuses identity with performance, and Josh argues we've been setting them up for anxiety and false selves ever since.This episode reframes the whole parenting mission around the theme of Jesus's central message: the Kingdom of God. When kids understand their personal role in building for the kingdom of God, their identity stops depending on what they do, what they have, or what anyone thinks of them. It's a parenting paradigm shift that gives our kids a purpose bigger than anything the world has to offer.We also announce the launch of a brand new parenting platform for raising emotionally healthy and spiritually mature kids called Raising Future Legends.*Once again, thank you to Bernhardt Watches for sponsoring this episode. Click here and be sure to use the code FAMOUS at checkout for free shipping!https://www.bernhardtwatch.com/Time Stamps:0:00 Introduction1:03 Life updates 4:03 Identity and purpos

After a break with family and a slower pace of life, Josh returns with some existential questions, one in particular that's been sitting heavy: Am I conforming to what everyone else around me is doing, or am I "appointing" my time well with the people who need me most? Drawing from Isaiah 43, Psalm 90, and Viktor Frankl's Man's Search for Meaning, Josh walks through what it looks like to grieve the past well, release the assignments of old, and step fully into the season God has for your family right now. He further unpacks how sweetening retrospect—or nostalgically living in the past—can breed depression, how anxiety about the future keeps us from the present, and why the mundane drive-time moments are shaping the hearts of your children more than you realize. A practical, honest reset if you're catching yourself distracted or not as intentional as you wish you might be.  ** Thank you to Bernhardt Watches for sponsoring this episode! Click here and be sure to use the code FAMOUS at checkout for free shipping

Have you ever had a conversation with a loved one go in a completely different direction than what you saw coming? Your intention was there, but the way your loved one received it was nothing in the way you intended it?  Our good friend, Jason VanRuler, started to see this pattern in many of the people he had come into therapy. Conversations between people -- where everything was at stake -- and the intentions were there, but someone inevitably walked away feeling hurt, unseen, or even abandoning the relationship altogether. What one person meant isn’t what the other person heard. So Jason asked himself, “Why does it sometimes land well, and other times not?”The more research he did, the more he learned predictable patterns that led to 5 primary communication types: Peace, Advocate, Thinking, Harbor, and Spark. Each one with a strength and each one with an opportunity. Not only that, each person has their own primary and secondary type. In this episode, Jason unveils each type, how we develop our own, and how

Quick note: We announced the Tender and Fierce fall cohort. See show notes below. What’s the first question we ask our kids in kindergarten? “What do you want to BE when you grow up?” We do our children a disservice by asking this question because the very nature of the phrase implies that what you DO is who you are. What about for ourselves as adults? What does it means to live in “fullness of life,” even when our circumstances might not match our heart’s desire? Perhaps Teresa of Avila held a clue to this mystery when she said, “God is among the pots and the pans.” In this episode, Josh and Christi define what we mean by the word “purpose” and also identify other flaws of our modern cultural understanding of purpose and how it influences how we shepherd the hearts of our kids. One question to consider, “Is our understanding of purpose, especially when raising our children, filtered through a biblical lens?” In other words, who is God calling our children to “become?”Josh and Christi also discuss Christi’s o

We all want our kids to be confident, resourceful, and to know what they’re good at. The trouble is that we make two big mistakes as parents: We either don’t give them enough challenge, or we burn them out with too much. Do your kids know that they have what it takes to overcome struggle? Do they feel confident in knowing what to do when it comes to life skills and everyday tasks like cooking, cleaning, doing laundry, or taking care of animals? Do they know what they’re good at and have a healthy sense of what to do with things they’re not good at? We call this resourcefulness, and it’s one of the most important traits to cultivate in our kids. What is resourcefulness? How do we offer a healthy dose of both support and challenge to help our kids build resilience? What do you do when you see things in your kids they don’t see in themselves? These are the questions we tackle in this episode. Time Stamps:0:00 Introduction1:24 What resourcefulness is and the two extremes we tend to take as parents7:40 The good an

Get ready for the early episode pivot in this one, folks. Talking about their marriage a few minutes into recording, Josh and Christi had a moment that sent them spiraling into laughter. The atmosphere shifted, so they shifted with it. And the result? A conversation about joy! In this episode, Josh and Christi talk about why joy can be so difficult to feel. “We’re actually scared of joy,” Christi says. “It is such an intense emotion that our bodies feel under threat.” Christi goes on to say, “The feeling of joy is so big that you can’t start at 95%, you have to begin by micro-dosing it at about 5%.”But feel it we must. The Bible says that the joy of the Lord is our strength (Nehemiah 8:10). If it strengthens us, it must be dangerous for darkness. No wonder it takes courage to feel it. Like anything else, joy is caught, not taught. Josh and Christi talk about how to overcome the fear, shift the atmosphere, and pass joy onto our kids. Time Stamps:0:00 Introduction1:24 10 Days of the Easter Story2:53 Josh &

Have you felt yourself revert back to a child in the way you react to your kids, or a particular situation?Watching from the sideline, Josh recently had a moment where his inner child wounds collided with the reality of the his son’s experience on the soccer field. When we come face-to-face with the dissonance between the way we REACT, and the way we want to ACT, something deeper is often at play. Becoming mindful of those moments, and how we respond to them, influences what we pass onto our kids. In this episode, Josh & Christi talk about how to identify an unhealed inner child “part” of yourself, give examples of redeemed and unhealed epigenetic transmission, and provide a beautiful example of how Jesus meets us right where we are. Time Stamps:0:00 Introduction1:15 The messages we picked up in childhood in order to fit in6:15 How to identify an unhealed inner child “part” of yourself9:13 Examples of epigenetic transmission of unresolved inner child pain17:37 The motivation of our parental decisions20:30

In this episode, we lay the foundation for what really matters most when it comes to raising Gen Alpha kids—emotional safety. It’s also the beginning of how we got started with Famous at Home — discovering the power of, and talking about how to cultivate, a posture of emotional safety in our homes for our kids.As we continue season 8 on Parenting Gen Alpha, we define what emotional safety is and why it matters for getting every outcome we desire in our kids. We also talk about the four walls of parenting, the importance of reparenting our own inner child, and why emotional safety is so important to who our kids are becoming. Time Stamps:0:00 Introduction and insight into Josh and Christi’s current day-to-day as parents3:20 Setting the stage for today's topic 7:21 What emotional safety is and why it matters11:13 Being able to bring the fullness of who you are to the relationship13:50 Support and challenge in parenting16:55 Reparenting our own inner child21:02 Leading in grace and following in truth25:49 Emotio

One of the most intriguing, humbling, and challenging aspects of being a parent is how our kids mirror who WE are. And what’s really difficult are the societal — or cultural — norms shaping who we are as humans. Who are we becoming as adults?How are the decisions we make shaping our kids?Do our unrealized emotions influence how resilient our kids are becoming? As we continue our series on Raising Gen Alpha Kids, these are questions Dr. Josh and Christi address. Some highlights include: What it means to “choose your hard”How loneliness becomes a byproduct of self-protectionHow silence plays itself out in marriage and the cost it has on our kidsWhat if you’re exhausted and can’t choose the hard thing?The joy and “hard” of helping our kids build resilienceTime Stamps:0:00 Introduction1:28 Ways to go deeper7:30 Choosing your hard11:40 Loneliness and the environment of the home16:19 How loneliness becomes a byproduct of our self-protection20:03 How silence plays itself out in marriage and the cost it has on our ki

The stats of anxiety, depression, and stress on Gen Z (ages 14-28) are scary and higher than ever before. That’s not hyperbole. What have been the cultural, familial, and individual influences at work, and what can parents of Gen Alpha (ages 0-13) learn from where we find ourselves? We believe that parents hold the keys to influencing the next generation. And there is much more hope than might appear at the surface. But the way through is by first addressing what may be our greatest adversary: Our own parental fears. In this episode, we ask the question, “Why are we doing what we’re doing as families?” We address issues like the self-fulfilling prophecy, the role of epigenetics in child outcomes, and the spiritual laws that influence our decisions. Time Stamps:0:00 Introduction1:03 Christi and Josh introduce a NEW season5:40 The mental health of Gen Z9:57 Parenting and mental health16:20 The effects of the decisions we make as parents and addressing parental fears25:30 Spiritual laws that influence our parent

Epigenetics is real. In other words, there’s a trickle down effect onto our kids based on our beliefs, feelings, and the environment in which we raise them. In this episode, Pastor Max Lucado joins the show to talk about helping parents meet children in their anxious thoughts. Having written multiple books on anxiety, Pastor Lucado has a new 90-day devotional called Calm Thoughts for Kids, and joins the show to talk about what he’s seeing as a grandparent and how parents today can help their kids with their anxious days. Having just become a grandparent for the sixth time, and about to be the seventh time, Pastor Lucado also talks about how grandparents can come alongside their adult children in raising their grandchildren. Time Stamps:0:00 Introduction3:51 Max Lucado talks about fear and kids9:50 How raising kids has changed13:40 How grandparents can support their adult kids in raising their grandkids19:00 How parents can disciple their kids and meet them in fear23:45 The power of story to help kids grow28:0

What is the love language that matters most?! That’s the focus of this week’s episode, as our friend, Dr. Gary Chapman, author of The Five Love Languages, joins us to talk about his new book by the same name, The Love Language That Matters Most.  In this episode, Dr. Chapman drops some serious one-liners to teach us how to practically identify and love our spouse in their own dialect. Sound intriguing to you? The insights are profound. Here are some of the gold nuggets Dr. Chapman shares:Why our agenda takes precedence over our valuesHow to know what your spouse needs to really feel lovedWhy the misbehavior of both children AND adults grows out of an empty love tankHow to be a great listenerThe three ways to help your children feel lovedAnd the most sobering question Dr. Chapman asked of himself while raising his kids As he stated, “The question is not, ‘Do you love your children.’ The question is, ‘Do your children feel loved?’” Time Stamps:0:00 Introduction1:19 What’s coming up with Famous at Home4:02 Dr. G

Quick note: If you haven't yet downloaded the Famous at Home app, see show notes below to download. Be sure to turn notifications on for the latest encouragement from Famous at Home. Welcome to a brand new season called Loving Well!In this episode, Josh and Christi talk about bringing order to all of the things in your home and life that might feel disordered. Why order? Because love gets smothered where chaos reigns. When we're in survival, we have a limited ability to look outward and love well. Josh and Christi share what we need to love well, talk about being victims of parenthood, and discuss very practical ways to move from "survival mode" to order and love. Time Stamps:0:00 Introduction to a new season2:43 Calling back to order that which feels disordered9:00 Upcoming guests on Season 7 of “Loving Well”10:11 The foundation of loving well16:56 Are we victims of parenthood?27:42 We are what we focus on33:00 Ways to work through “survival mode” and lead your family into order and love40:45 Ways to love yo

What does the star have to do with your soul? What does it mean to "make room" in your heart?In this episode, Josh and Christi each offer a personal Christmas reflection and message to you, our Famous at Home family.  May this Christmas be filled with wonder and awe for you and your family. Merry Christmas from Famous at Home!Show Notes: Register for Tender & Fierce 2026! https://www.famousathome.com/tenderandfierce Want a marriage you love in 2026? Fill out this form and we'll be in touch: https://www.famousathome.com/loveyourmarriage Sign up for our email list and Famous at Home Starter Bundle: https://www.famousathome.com/newsletter Download NONAH's single Find My Way Home by clicking here: https://bellpartners.ffm.to/findmywayhome

We have three special guests this week to share with you content and a TV series that has created such helpful, engaging, and at times, challenging dialogue between us as parents and our children. In the episode, Josh and Christi’s kids, Landon and Kennedy, join the show to interview Daniel Harmon, the creator of the Tuttle Twins TV show. The Tuttle Twins book series and TV show tackles topics we often don’t know how to address with our kids. If you’re looking for family friendly content you can engage with your kids, check out Tuttle Twins on Angel Studios. Seasons 1-3 are free. See link in show notes. Time Stamps: 0:00 Introduction 0:59 Daniel Harmon describes behind the scenes of Tuttle Twins TV show 8:00 Teaching kids to think critically 14:06 How topics, like entrepreneurship, are chosen and developed for the TV show 18:20 Inflation, bitcoin, college, personal responsibility, civil disobedience, and other favorite topics 20:33 How rhymes keep kids remembering lessons 24:23 Other behind-the-scenes questio

Why does it feel like stress always has the loudest voice during “busy” seasons? We want everyone in our family to get along, enjoy the holidays, and be truly present. Yet, it seems we all too often end up bickering, overwhelmed, and somehow wishing it could be different.Good news! Your family doesn’t have to succumb to the stress. You can find “the good!” In this episode, we walk through 5 ways to find “the good,” not just at Christmastime, but in any busy season you find yourself in. Time Stamps:0:00 Introduction1:22 “Experiencing” Advent as a family5:42 Make quick decisions11:20 Get off screens15:00 Say yes, to the hard, but good thing18:50 Say no to what feels disconnecting22:02 pursue relationships24:47 The faces of those under your roof Show Notes: Get 25 Days of the Christmas Story! https://amzn.to/49kHiO1Buy 25 Days of the Christmas Story in bulk: https://www.lifeway.com/en/product/25-days-of-the-christmas-story-P005829480Register for Tender & Fierce 2026! https://www.famousathome.com/tenderandfie