Heart of the Matter Radio/Podcast

Last week we discussed how to handle tough conversations with your children. This week, we are going to expand. Think about what your kids will say about you after you are gone. What are your actions communicating? My guest was Gwyen McCaslin, licensed counselor and dear friend. She overflows with grace and wisdom.

We've all put away our Christmas decorations (or most of us), and the New Year has begun. Now we must dust off those problems that came up during the year, or perhaps tough items we must discuss. Having that hard conversation with your children is nasty. I'd rather talk to my friend, my husband or even the cat rather than deal with the horrible issues our culture tosses us. Author Lori Wildenberg was my guest this week. She has written nurmerous books like The Messy Life of Parenting. Lori gave great information on getting started. Find common ground and launch that conversation.

When my daughter was abot three years old, we took down our real Christmas tree during her nap. When she woke, she saw it outside and she said, "Christmas tree, come back." That made me sad. I hate taking down the Christmas decorations. The house seems so bare and cold. My guest this week is Dr. Michelle Bengstrom. She holds a doctorate in psychology, and she addressed how to overcome the after Christmas blues. For instance, If you go outside and expose your body to sunshine, the light lifts your mood even if you wear sunscreen. She offered this and several other suggestions to engergize you for 2023.

As the year comes to an end, we look back negatively and plan on reaching all our goals for the next year. However, let's put a positive spin on the New Year. Author Peggy Sue Wells shared great ideas: Reflect - measure the gain. Reframe - marking you progress. Refocus - plan one to three goals for the New Year.

Cynthia offered a prayer of thanksgiving for the gift of God's only begotten son, Jesus.

How do you mix inflation with Christmas? If we look back in history, people recycled. So why not make gifts? Your kids will have fun, and grandparents love gifts from your kids. Cynthia created a refrigerator magnet from junk mail and yarn. You can download the free instructions here. This week my guest was Tina Yeager. Her last book, Upcycled, shows great ideas on how to take old stuff and reuse it, make it better. It's what God does for us with our heartache. Plus, it costs less. Be creative this Christmas!

Today women work themselves almost to exhaustion decorating, buying presents, and planning parties. How did they celebrate Christmas in the past? Has the holiday always been so hectic? Step back in history with "Martha Washington", wife of our first president. She offered thoughts from her experience and explained how her family celebrated Christmas.

Most Americans associate Santa with Christmas. Now that Thanksgiving is over, you'll see 'Santa' everywhere. However, the real Santa didn't sport a big belly or wear a red suit. He believed in Jesus, and he helped people in need. My guest this week spent hours reserching the man behind the myth. Rhonda Robinson wrote The Legend of Christmas, the Untold Story of the Real St Nicholas. under the pen name Theresa White.

"Mrs. Lincoln" shared the President Lincoln's ardent desire for the entire nation to praise God in November 1863. He made Thanksgiving a national holiday to be celebrated on the third Thursday of November.

If you live very long, you will face trials. Gut wrenching stuff. The Lord even promised we would have trouble in this life. So why on earth does the Word say to 'be thankful in all things?' (I Thessalonians 5:18). That really seems crazy because none of us like the hard parts of life. I would rather sip tea and read a mystery novel about some other person's problems. My guest this week was Author Carol Leatham. After living through a long-term trial, she wrote Finding Joy in My Messy Life. Her answers are raw but real.

My guest this week was Author Debbie Wilson. She teaches a Bible study in her home and has written a Bible study series about how God is big and we are not. The next book in the series, Little Strength Big God, comes out soon. Debbie shared one of her earthquake moments and told how God gave her strength through that time. How wonderful to have a God we can depend on when life falls apart.

With the holidays approaching, we'll all be entertaining in our home. By showing hospitality, we can have a huge impact on the lives of others. Author and speaker Victoria Duerstock was my guest this week. We talked about how hospitality touches people, overcoming barriers, and great ways to share your life with others.

Katherine von Bora was my guest this week. Complete with photos, "Katie" explained the events of October 31, 1517 and her husband's role in the Protestant Reformation. While we celebrate Halloween, we can remember Dr. Luther's contribution in history and praise God for his influence.

This is our third podcast on church trauma. This week my guest was author and speaker, Nancy Kay Grace. Her husband has served as a pastor for 47 years. From her wealth of experience, she offered her perspective on healing and forgiving. Download a list of tips for recovery from church trauma here.

Author Rebecca White was my guest this week. She shared her experience with a church split. You will hear her talking about kindness and working to fill in for missing people. You can see how the Holy Spirit works. When people in the church fail, the Lord graciously picks up the pieces and brings us through using imperfect people. Beautiful!

You don't expect to get hurt at church. However, sin causes chaos and people feel betrayed . Post Traumatic Church Syndrome. After suffering, we long to walk away and never go back, but that's not what God wants. Jesus established the church and we need to attend. My guest this week was Dawn Stephens who has authored several children's books. Dawn explains the complexity of her tough church situation, but she also shared how she healed.

Mothering is a big job. People used to say "the one who rocks the cradle rules the world." That quote reflects the importance of the job, yet it's hard work. How can moms maintain their joy and stamina? My guest this week was author Karen Whiting. She wrote a book, Growing a Mother's Heart, and a devotional by the same name. Karen's advice and experience can encourage and equip younger moms.

We celebrate the signing of the Constitution from Sept 17 to 23rd each year. Delegates signed this incredible document 235 years ago. Let's celebrate the freedom and greatness the Constitution gave us by looking back at those who fought for our freedom. My guest this week was Christina Rose learned about her Revolutionary War ancestors who crossed the Delaware with George Washington. She also discussed the fun of finding out your heritage.

This video drops you into history so you can 'hear' from a colonist who lived through the American Revolution. She was delighted when the Constitution was signed on Sept 17, 1787. The new document made the United States a republic and contributed to its greatness. Celebrate the moment the Constitution was signed by ringing bells at 4 p.m. on Sept 17.

Last week we started talking about the progressive church. Our guest was Lucas Miles. He is a pastor, author, media person, and serves on Spark Media. He authored the book, The Christian Left. We learned the progresive church drited from the Word of God. This week we talked about action steps. How should we react when we see disturbing signs in our church? What if our pastor won't talk about serious issues we face? What if we hear woke ideas?

As mothers, we want our children to get a full and correct understanding of the Word so they know how to apply it to their lives. We don't want them to misunderstand or water down the Gospel. Scripture called the church 'the pillar and support of the truth,' so its job is vital However, we continue to hear about the progressive church in America. My guest this week was Lucas Miles , and he will explain what the progressive church is and how we got there.. He is an author, pastor, media personality and on the exeuctive board for Spark Media. His latest book was The Christian Left.

What lies hold you back? I was embarrased by my frizzy hair on a date because I swallowed the lie that I had to look perfect all the time. Author Sheryl Turner believed lies from her childhood trauma, plus she held onto the sin from her past. However, there's good news.! She healed and offered hope to others.

Today people look inside themselves and decide who they are. And sometimes they even REdefine themselves based on how they feel. I recall that internal conflict in my early teens when I wondered who I was and what I was supposed to do on earth. Sometimes during transistions, we rethink all those issues. My guest this week, Liz Thompson, didn't know who she was. She went through a crisis when she realized her parents didn't give birth to her. Liz told her story and explained how she resolved her concerns.

Our children's education impacts their future. We want them to learn to love learning and fall in love with Jesus. Cynthia prayed for teachers and moms who teach.

Mavian Arocha Rowe, editor of Chispa Magazine, joined Cynthia for a Friday #momlife chat. They discussed how to handle extreme stress. You trust Jesus, but you still struggle with emotions.

While I grew up, government schools supported our core beliefs, so I didn't attend private school until high school. However, today many people take issue with material presented and choose to teach at home. My guest today was Terri Gillespie. Her choice to homeschool saved her daughter's life. She told her story to encourage others.

The next three weeks we'll be covering back to school topics as homeschool mothers start teaching. Training your children requires you to fully understand each child's temperment and inclinations. That means we need to pray for God's wisdom. Praying can be one of the hardest things we do. Robyn Dykstra was my guest this week. She didn't grow up in a Christian home. Robyn explained how she learned to pray and how she taught her children to pray.

As believers, we want to use our money wisely. However, rising prices at the grocery store and gas pump horrify us. What are some ways we can watch our spending in these challenging times? Author Sarah Geringer has learned to live on a shoestring budget. She shared her secrets to cutting back while still having fun.

We live in an incredible nation. The Constitution is amazing and has lasted longer than any other governing document. Plus, we enjoy wonderful freedoms. As we celebrate July 4, we also applaud those heroes who kept our nation free. This week my guest was Author Mary Jane Holt. She tearfully shared her husband's story. He proudly served in Vietnam.

We have been working and praying for years to see Roe v Wade overturned, and we rejoice with this court decision. However, we ache to see angry people in the streets, the nasty signs, and the threats to the court members. How should we respond to this backlash? Mavian Arocha Rowe, editor of Chispa and vitural assistant, joins us today as we talk about God's love in the midst of chaos.

My guest this week was Lori Vober. She suffered a stroke at 29, but she survived. As she told her story, she praised her husband for his loyal support. She also offered clues on keeping a marriage strong through adversity.

Sunday is Father's day. When my children were young, I encouraged them to come up with ideas to celebrate dad. However, to do that, you have to teach them to respect him all year. My guest this week was Rhonda Dragomir and she shared her thoughts on teaching respect. In addition, I'm offering moms a free resource for Father's Day. You can learn ways to show your hubby he's special all year.

Nothing hurts like watching your child struggle to learn. I've been there. This week, Victoria Cuore shared her story and explained how she ministers to families with disabled children.

As women, we tend to avoid conflict. We want our nest to be safe and peaceful. However, we cannot avoid conflict. Right now, our world overeflows with it. Oletha Barnett was my guest this week. She runs Conciliation Services.com which assists churches, schools and families manage conflict with Biblical principles. She shared her thoughts on how to navigate tense situations.

This is Memorial Day weekend, and we need to remember the warriors who kept us free. This week, Carla Morris told her father's story. He was a 'silent peacekeeper' in the Airforce, and officials have declassified his job. He cared for the atomic bomb. Learn about his airforce base here. And see a video here.

This week we have a special treat: a mother/daughter team who chat about mothering issues. We often think of tension between moms and daughters. Blythe Daniel and her mother Helen McIntosh get along well and share mothering secrets.

Women want to be moms, and ofen we have no issues carrying a child. However, a miscarriage hurts, and you realize so many things can go wrong. The next pregnancy frightens her. My guest this week was Jenny Albers who wrote about losing two different babies. She explains her emotions and tells how she survived.

As I was folding clothes, I recalled my mother folded towels in thirds and in thirds again. I assumed everyone folded them that way. Looking back, I wonder if she folded them so they would fit in her narrow linen closet, but I've seen lots of other was to fold towels. This week we celebrate Mother's Day. And my guest and I talked about how to encourage moms who might do things differently. Peggy Sue Wells had seven children and gained so much knowlege to share.

I used to watch cartoons when I was young, but today your child may get inappropriate messages. The new sexual agenda permeates our society. Hillary Ferrer was my guest. Her ministry is Mama Bear Apologetics and she talks about what a parent can do to make a difference today. We discussed her book, Mama Bear Apologetics: Guide to Sexuality.

We have an inutitive sense the world we live in was designed, which runs contrary to Darwin's Origin of the Species. Daniel Reeves from Discovery Institute was my guest, and he shared resources and research.

Our choices impact us and others. Remember, Eve at the forbidden fruit, which changed the world forever. This week, Peggy Sue Wells joined me. She has just co-authored the novel, The Patent. The central issue revolves around decision making which turned out poorly. In light of the story, Peggy Sue shared tips on making good decisions.

Many women deal with anxiety and worry. We ladies like our lives to be safe and comfy, but life disturbs our peace. My guest this week was Michelle Lazurek. The Lord taught her huge lessons on managining anxiety and she wrote a book sharing what she learned.

According to the NCADV, domestic violence hotlines receive about 19,000 calls each day. One in four women experience either sexual violence, physical violence or stalking by an imtimate partner during their lifetime. My guest this week was Victoria Cuore, who survived an abusive husband. She offers help and a listening ear to women in crisis.

Would you like to believe a lie? I wouldn't. That's why I'm always checking to ensure my I dropped my anchor in the right place, and God is my anchor. When Darwin Publishsed Oriigin of the Species, he proposed life evolved gradually over time, eliminating the need for a Creator. However, today new discoveries show evidence of design. My guest this week was Casey Luskin, who works for Discovery Institute in Seattle. He updated us on the latest research.

Our culture has adopted unique ideas in the last few years, and many don't make sense. As believers, we hold a Biblical worldview, and that makes us go against the culture. My guest, Lisa Betz, loves the Roman era and has written two mysteries from that time period. She gave her historical prespective on living counter-culturally.

Change! Last winter when it was cold, our power went out. We moved our cats to my son's to keep warm. However, the youngest cat was very unhappy, and he stayed under the couch refusing to eat. Whenever our kids face change, they experience stress too. Author Heidi Vertrees wrote a book called "Victor Survives Being a Kid. She offered tons of tips that manage the transistion.

Sometimes I ask my husband to hug me when I'm feeling tense. Nothing comforts quite as well as that physical contact. My guest this week was Donna Frisinger, and she loves to hug. She shared her research on touch to remind us to love on our children and husbands.

The most romatic folk in the world should be married couples. However, it's easy to let the romance go flat Author Pam Farrell offered fun and exiting way to WOW your husband this Valentines Day and everyday.

Red roses, puffy hearts, and candy fill the stores for Valentine's Day. However, these don't represent Biblical love. Author Lee Ann Mancini was my guest this week. She discussed the differencess in Biblical love vs worldly love.

We tend to think about getting healthy in the New Year, but this week we are going to address healthy living for your children. Author Susan Neal is a registered nurse and she has written on eating to stay healthy. Should you eat granola bars? What about fats? Nuts? She gave an excellent overview on lifestyle and food.