In This Together With Dr. Josh + Christi

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

Have you ever felt stuck in knowing how to disciple your kids? Or perhaps even where to begin? We’ve got some answers! In this episode, biblical scholar and founder of Walking the Text, Brad Gray joins the podcast to talk about his new book Bringing Heaven Here, and his new feature film now airing on Angel Studios called The Lord’s Prayer. Brad joins us to talk about what fascinated him so much about the Lord’s Prayer, why it’s the heartbeat of Jesus’ entire ministry, and how it applies contextually to our lives today. As Brad says, “Salvation is never the end game, it’s just the beginning.”Brad helps us as families begin to see how we can lead our kids to partner with Jesus in bringing heaven here.**Now playing on Angel Studios, The Lord’s Prayer. For key highlights of this episode, see time stamps below.Time Stamps: 0:00 Introduction 2:11 Brad Gray shares his journey into parenting and biblical literacy 6:54 Brad breaks down The Lord’s Prayer 12:45 Brad’s first “ah ha” moment when it came to the Lord’s Pray

Advent season is about “waiting in anticipation” for Jesus’ coming. In the Western world, we wait by throwing Christmas parties, buying presents, and trying to avoid the hustle and bustle. But instead of trying to avoid, what if we tried to embrace? It’s one thing to avoid, it’s quite another to step into something with intention. In this episode, Josh and Christi share ways of embracing presence this Christmas — both with your spouse and kids, and with God as well. They cover some key highlights from their Advent book for families, The 25 Days of the Christmas Story, and also talk about what’s coming for Tender & Fierce in 2026!Time Stamps: 0:00 Introduction and 25 Days of Christmas Story4:50 What’s coming up for the podcast6:15 Christi updates on Tender & Fierce and what’s coming for 202615:08 Embracing presence this Christmas20:50 Ideas for helping your kids experience God’s presence this ChristmasShow Notes: Get 25 Days of the Christmas Story! https://amzn.to/49kHiO1Buy 25 Days of the Christmas St

Have you ever said your child, “Don’t yell at your brother!” What’s happening in a child’s body filled with anger is louder than what’s going on in their brain. As Christi says in this episode, “Our body sends 10 messages to our brain for every 1 our brain sends to our body.” This is why lecturing an overwhelmed child often feels useless. In other words, our body speaks louder than our brain. So why have we stopped listening to the body? What’s actually going in our child’s body in their anger? What’s happening on our body in our anger? And why, for our children, is loving touch the most powerful way for the body to know “felt safety?”As we close out season 6 on Relational Intelligence in Kids, Christi answers these questions and shares why the body protects our children anytime there is a threat to their connection, belonging, safety, and dignity. She also explains how we as parents can help our kids restore felt safety and why these principles will be an integral part of KidsRQ.Time Stamps:0:00 KidsRQ and b

Have you ever taken a device from your child only to have them lose their ever-loving mind? According to social researcher Dr. Jean Twenge, “That’s a good thing.”Dr. Twenge graciously joins us in season 6 to talk about raising kids in a high-tech world. Dr. Twenge is one of the most prominent researchers of our day on generational differences and how screens are harming our brains and ability to related. But not only does she research it, she lives it and makes it incredibly practical for us as parents.She highlights a few key truths. For example, did you know that the average teen uses just social media alone for 5 hours a day? Also, why are we not questioning Silicon Valley CEOs who follow the rules of drug dealers? “Don’t get high off your own supply.”Dr. Twenge not only talks about these facts but also chronologically walks us through each age for setting tech rules (see time stamps).Time Stamps: 0:00 Introduction 2:48 Dr. Jean Twenge shares research on happiness and what she did with her own children 7:5

"I used to think church was boring," says Landon, Josh and Christi’s 13-year-old son. He joins the show to talk about how he is learning to navigate faith and doubt, the defining faith moments he's had as a child, and what he's focused on now that he's entering his teenage years. In this episode, we continue season 6 on Relational Intelligence in Kids by talking about how kids navigate faith and our role as parents in coming alongside them. Landon shares the defining moments in his life that helped him through seasons of doubt, fear, and boredom. He also shares the most impactful moments he's had in his faith journey and what he sees as the most effective way parents can lead their children spiritually.Time Stamps:0:00 Introduction2:40 Landon describes his experience of church and learning to hear the voice of God8:04 Where a flip switched for Landon’s faith14:30 Questions a 13-year-old asks about hearing God’s voice17:34 The different journeys of doubt and faith23:04 Landon’s perspective on how parents can s

If you have children, this episode is worth every minute. Kennedy Straub, Josh and Christi’s beloved daughter, joins the show to talk about how she’s learning to navigate emotions and feelings through the lens of an 11-year-old. In this episode, we continue season 6 on Relational Intelligence in Kids by talking about the difference between emotions and feelings. For example, did you know that emotions keep you safe and feelings keep you aware? Or that one of them causes you “to move” or take action? Kennedy also shares the tools she’s using to identify feelings and emotions in her life, what kids need from their parents in their uncomfortable feelings, and how her version of “spiritual jiujitsu” is helping her navigate those BIG feelings in prayer. Time Stamps: 0:00 Introduction 2:25 The difference between feelings and emotions 6:38 An introduction to all things Kennedy 9:40 Iceberg of emotions through the eyes of an 11-year-old 13:40 Tools to identify the emotions under the iceberg 17:04 What kids need from

Make no mistake, we live in a matrix. And the bar set by Western culture for raising children is deceptively low. As parents, we do everything we can to give our kids an advantage. But is more parenting “knowledge“ really what we need? Are child outcomes really better today than they were 10 to 20 years ago? In this episode, we continue season 6 on Relational Intelligence in Kids by offering a new, yet ancient, paradigm for raising our children -- a paradigm that removes shame, grants God-given purpose, and breaks us free from the matrix.  Time Stamps:0:00 Introduction1:13 What is the bar we’re setting for our kids?3:02 Is more parenting “knowledge” really what we’re missing?8:00 What makes KidsRQ unique11:43 Why thinking, feeling, and relating at the same time is where growth happens14:50 A vision for kids beyond the Western matrix18:20 Raising “living letters” to the world25:00 How life and fruit can grow from our emotions Show Notes:Sign up for a free trial of KidsRQ! https://www.kidsrq.com Join KidsRQ at