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We're living in a time filled with distraction and disconnection from the things that matter most. Things like faith, family, friendship, and childhood innocence feel harder and harder to hold onto.
But I believe a joyful, connected life is possible with Jesus's help because he offers us life to the full!
It's time to open our eyes to the wonder God has put all around us, so join me each week on The Greta Eskridge Podcast as some of my favorite friends and I explore ways to create connection in our families and chase joy through both the peaks and valleys of parenting and life.
All Episodes:
Finding Healing and Freedom After Being Exposed to Pornography as a Child with John Begeman →
Episode 70-- Friends, this may be one of the most important episodes Ive ever recorded on the podcast. This is an episode that every parent, and probably every young adult and teen needs to hear. Please listen and then share with everyone you know who could benefit from it.
This episode is part 1of this conversation. Part 2 is coming next week where I go through some of the most important things John and I talked about, and I go into them with a little more depth. In part 1, this episode, John Begeman tells his story of pornography exposure as a child that led to years of addiction, shame and hiding. But then he shares the story of the healing he is walking in now as a man in his 20s, free from the bondage porn held in.
John also shares how his parents handled this issue of pornography exposure and addiction in his lifewhat didnt help and what did. He is very honest, and I believe what he shares is incredibly helpful and important for every parent to hear.
You cant see it because this is audio and not video, but I cried through this entire episode. I cried for John, for his mom, for every child that is exposed to porn and suffers as a result, and for every mom that finds her child has been exposed to porn and has to navigate the fear and hurt that comes from that. I cried for all of us and the way porn is devastating and destroying lives. This episode is raw and real and honest, but ultimately it is hopeful. YES! There is hope still in the darkness. There is always hope because there is always the love of God, which is bigger and stronger than any darkness.
And my hope is that with this episode and then with the next, you will feel empowered with tools to make the best choices to help your kids and yourself, wherever you see yourself in this story. Johns testimony as well as the resources he mentions will be such a great help. I pray this episode is a blessing to you and I am so grateful for John and the work hes doing to help set people free.
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Find Pure Desire Ministries here
Find Summit Ministries here
Find my book Its Time to Talk to Your Kids About Porn here
Find Hopeful Mom here
Find the 7 Pillars workbook and groups here
The Greta Eskridge Podcast is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.org
Decluttering Your Heart and Home for Maximum Joy with Julia Ubbenga →
When her ideal life as a stay-at-home mom didnt pan out the way she hoped, Julia Ubbenga found herself pleading with God. Instead of the extra time with her kids that shed been dreaming of, she felt more like a time stuff. And as she prayed to God about this, she read Luke 12:21, be rich in what matters. This planted a seed in her heart, knowing that something in her life around possessions needed to change.
Through a series of more learning and growing, Julia embraced minimalism where she got rid of 75% of her familys things, downsized to a smaller home to reduce debt, and she and her family havent looked back. In this process, Julia realized that she needed to declutter her outer home but also her inner homeher heart.
She and I discuss the question: what is cluttering up our heart? What do we, and others, use, consume, buy, or do to fill that void?
Julias book, Declutter Your Heart and Your Home: How a Minimalist Life Yields Maximum Joy, made me face some uncomfortable truths about my own possessions. It was really eye opening and helpful. I really loved talking to Julia about those revelation, her book and so much more in this episode, and I know you will love listening to it!
If you loved this episode and you love this podcast, will you consider leaving a review?
It really helps the podcast grow and helps other people find it easily. Just go to your favorite podcast platform and leave a rating or a review, or both! Thanks so much!
Where you can find Julia:
Get Julias new book here
Find Julias website here
Find Julia on Instagram here
The Greta Eskridge Podcast is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.org
What Happens When the Anxious Generation Goes to Church with Thom Rainer →
As soon as I saw the title of the upcoming book by Dr. Thom Rainer, I knew I had to have him on the show. He told me right away to call him Thom and it was easy because hes friendly and down to earth. But his newest book, The Anxious Generation Goes to Church is anything but down to earth. It is a compelling, well researched and fascinating look at what our kids are navigating with church involvement while growing up in a tech saturated world.
And while it would be easy to believe kids nowadays really arent interested in church, Thoms research shows something different. He has found that kids today are interested in spiritual things and are longing for a place to belong. Inviting them to church is not something we should be afraid of. Rather, it should be at the top of our list of things to do to reach the hearts of todays youth. And if its our own kids were talking about, Thoms advice is that we model showing up for church and actually being involved in church. That is the best way for our kids to care about being part of churchby seeing that we care.
You will find this conversation encouraging and hopeful. Thom is a loving father and grandfather and his wisdom and kindness felt like a warm hug to me. I loved having him on the show and you will love hearing him share. Go pre-order his book today so you can read it as soon as it hits the shelves. You wont be disappointed!
Where to find Thom:
Pre-order Thoms new book here
Find Thoms website, Church Answers, here
Where to find Greta:
Find Gretas new book here
Find Gretas website here
Find Gretas other books here and here
Find Greta on Instagram here
The Greta Eskridge Podcast is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.org
Catching Up on All the Things: the engagement, trips, a new Instagram handle, and more! with Greta Eskridge →
Well, cue all the tears, team. This episode is full of them.
It felt like it was time for a life update, so this episode catches you up on all the big happenings and some of the littler ones too.
The biggest one is our eldest sons engagement to the love of his life, and a girl hes known since they were both 5. Its the sweetest story and I loved sharing some of it with you in this episode.
The rest of the episode is full of other life updatestrips and conferences where maybe well get to hang out! And also, yes, why I changed my Instagram handle after 10 + years.
There is a lot here and youll want to check the show notes to links for all the things.
As always, thanks for listening and being a part of my community. It means the world!
Links mentioned in this podcast episode:
Find out more information about Forest Home Family Camp here. Mention my name for the 1st time family discount!
Message Greta to get tickets to the Literature Soirée or with questions here. (scroll to bottom of page)
Find out more about Gretas womens walking retreat through the Cotswolds here
Make sure you are keeping up with Greta and her new Instagram handle here
Check out Gretas beautiful new website here
The Greta Eskridge Podcast is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.org
How to Host a Summer Book Club for Moms, Kids, and Everyone Else! with Greta Eskridge →
It's almost summer, so lets talk about one of my favorite ways to pursue intentional connection with our kids and friendshaving a book club! Reading books together has been one of the most connecting activities for me since I was a little girl and my mom read aloud with me. It has remained that in my life until now, as I have read books with my kids and with my friends. And then what has taken our reading together to the next level is to celebrate the books weve read together by having a book club meeting/celebrationyou can call it what you want. These book club celebrations have been a huge part of my kids childhood. They have loved them! And still do. And the book club I have had with my own friends for 12 years is still going strong and bringing me so much joy!
Book clubs are a way to take reading to the next level and make it feel more special. Invite friends! Make fun snacks! Dress up! Or just gather some friends to sit around the picnic table, have some popsicles or iced tea, and talk about the book you read together. No matter how you do it, being intentional about gathering to read a book together and then celebrating it will be a gift in your life. And I am inviting you to try it this summer!
Some of the resources mentioned in this episode:
My book, Adventuring Together, that has a whole chapter with instructions for a kid or mom book club and book lists. Find it here.
My friend Ainsleys inspiring Wild + Free book about book clubs. Find it here
Find some Instagram posts about our kids book club here, here,here, here and here, and the famous Hobbit book club here.
Find some Instagram posts about our moms book club here, here, here and here.
The Greta Eskridge Podcast is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.org
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