Changing family dynamics during engagement and beyond, plus a continued conversation on stress, and focusing on your own faith walk before dating.

Featured musical artist: All Sons & Daughters

Roundtable: Cutting the Apron Strings Before Marriage

The Old Testament book of Genesis describes how you’re supposed to leave your family of origin when you get married and “cleave” to your spouse. But how do you practically work through family dynamics? What do you do with clingy or controlling parents? How do you set habits, rhythms and traditions that define your new union? Our panel of marrieds shares ways they’ve learned to maintain a good relationship with their parents and in-laws while building and prioritizing their new life and relationships.

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Culture: Stress Reduction (Part 2)

Stressors are all around us: bills to pay, work deadlines, sorting through friend and family dynamics, and news headlines galore. What effect is stress having on our brains and bodies, and how do we cope with the fallout? Licensed professional counselor Eliza Huie discusses how you can tackle stress and find peace through lifestyle, helpful practices, and active dependence on God. In part two of our discussion, she brings up the need to recognize your limitations and she walks through the acronym NEAR, a helpful primer for dealing with anxiety.

I’m Stressed: A Path from Pressure to Peace (Ask the Christian Counselor)

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Inbox: He Ended a Relationship to Sort Out His Faith

Our listener would grade his faith walk as a D-. As a result, he broke off a dating relationship, concerned that he has to figure out his faith first. Was this the right thing to do? Lisa Anderson weighs in.

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Separating feelings from fact when it comes to love, plus what to do about stress, and coming to terms when something good didn’t happen.

I’m Stressed: A Path from Pressure to Peace (Ask the Christian Counselor)

Featured musical artist: Love and the Outcome

Roundtable: How Do I Know I Love Someone?

The feelings and excitement of being “in love” are celebrated everywhere from movies to music. But is love deeper than a mere feeling? Are feelings even an indicator that you actually love someone? Our guests get honest about how they’ve struggled with discerning the difference between love as a feeling and love as a choice. They’ll also explain love in the tough times and (yikes) loving the hard to love, including our enemies.

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Culture: Stress Reduction (Part 1)

Stressors are all around us: bills to pay, work deadlines, sorting through friend and family dynamics, and news headlines galore. What effect is stress having on our brains and bodies, and how do we cope with the fallout? Licensed professional counselor Eliza Huie discusses how you can tackle stress and find peace through lifestyle, helpful practices, and active dependence on God. In part one of our conversation she addresses good vs. bad types of stress and how to recognize the repercussions of stress on our lives.

I’m Stressed: A Path from Pressure to Peace (Ask the Christian Counselor)

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Inbox: I Had Faith but It Didn’t Happen

Our listener had faith for something that was genuinely good, but he prayed and things still didn’t go as he’d hoped. How can he trust that God really cares? Counselor George Stahnke weighs in.

Link to Counseling Services

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Ideas for getting out and making friends, plus author Jerry Jenkins on boundaries with the opposite sex, and signs you’re in an abusive relationship.

Featured musical artist: JJ Heller

Roundtable: Make New Friends

You may be asking, “Where are all the great people to hang out with?” Maybe, just maybe, they’re outside your front door? In order to find them, you may need to get creative. You may need to try something new. Visit new places. Join a new group. This week we discuss ways to step out of your comfort zone and meet quality people. Plus, if you’re single and looking for potential dates, we’ll offer thoughts on how to look without obsessing over whether every cute person could be the one.

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Culture: Boundaries With the Opposite Sex

Marriage experts talk often about creating boundaries when you’re married to guard against infidelity. But great boundaries with the opposite gender work best when you start early — when you’re dating someone, or even before. Setting up what bestselling novelist and author Jerry Jenkins calls “hedges” can be a great and practical way to do that. In our interview, he shares what hedges might look like in dating and marriage, how to set them, and how to avoid potential excuses and pitfalls when temptation strikes.

Hedges: 7 Ways to Love Your Wife and Protect Your Marriage

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Inbox: Am I in a Toxic Relationship?

The word toxic is too often tossed around to describe people we simply don’t like. But what are signs that you’re in a truly toxic or abusive relationship? Counselor Tim Sanford weighs in.

Link to Counseling Services

Article: Just Annoying or Truly Unsafe?: How to Navigate Get-Togethers With Difficult Family

Link: Help for Abusive Relationships

Article: Destructive Conflict: Recognize It. Stop It.

Link to Show: Setting Boundaries in Toxic Relationships

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Weird things Christians should stop saying, plus trusting God in a waiting season, and how to own your behavior in a world that shrugs responsibility.

Featured musical artist: About a Mile

Roundtable: Enough With the Spiritual Platitudes

God helps those who help themselves. I’m praying a hedge of protection. God will never give you more than you can handle. Some of our Christian clichés, while well-intentioned, can actually do more harm than good. Our guests share their least-favorite Christian cliches — plus ones they’re guilty of. They’ll also suggest better ways to encourage, exhort, and instruct others with our words.

Article: 5 Christian Clichés that Need to Die

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Culture: Waiting (Well) on God

So much of life is spent waiting. Not just waiting in line or for your next Netflix series, but waiting to find a spouse, to have kids, to achieve your career goals and more. When your patience and even your faith is tested, how do you wait well? Pastor Mark Vroegop reminds us that waiting is a normal part of life and something that God uses to refine us. It’s not easy, though, so this conversation will give you things to cling to as you sort and struggle through your next wait.

Waiting Isn’t a Waste: The Surprising Comfort of Trusting God in the Uncertainties of Life

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Inbox: Owning My Decisions and Behavior

As a Christian, how do you stay accountable for your thoughts and actions in a world that would rather make excuses? Counselor Kari A weighs in.

Link to Counseling Services

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Honestly assessing your life as a 20-something, plus more with Debra Fileta on soul care, and how do you address personal shame after you’ve sinned?

Featured musical artist: Tauren Wells

Roundtable: Lessons Learned in Our 20s

For some of us on this week’s panel, our 20s provided new opportunities, fun adventures, and lots of growth; for others, that decade is loaded with regrets. Yet all of us agree that our 20s were filled with trial and error as we learned to navigate life. As you review your 20s, how can you assess them honestly and learn from your mistakes without beating yourself up? We’ll give advice based on our lessons learned.

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Culture: Caring for Your Soul (Part 2)

Millennials and Gen Z report unprecedented rates of burnout and exhaustion. When our to-do lists keep growing and our frustrations add up, how do we find strength and stamina to continue? Our friend Debra Fileta shares how to create life-giving rhythms of caring for your soul, and why doing so honors God. In part two of our discussion, she outlines how to establish good boundaries, maintain your inner world, and savor life.

Soul Care: Find Life-Giving Rhythms, Live Restored, Avoid Burnout, Discover Unspeakable Joy

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Inbox: What to Do With Sin and Shame

We tend to isolate ourselves when we sin, especially if we can’t shake the sense of shame that lingers. Is it possible to break free? Counselor Tim Sanford offers hope.

Link to Counseling Services

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Living out your faith in a dark world, plus Debra Fileta on Jesus’ example of soul care, and dating someone in a different life stage.

Soul Care: Find Life-Giving Rhythms, Live Restored, Avoid Burnout, Discover Unspeakable Joy

Featured musical artist: Zach Williams

Roundtable: When the World Is Messed Up

Inflammatory news headlines, political division, divorce, abuse, people denying their Christian faith. When our world feels especially dark, what’s the godliest and most loving way for Christians to respond? Our guests wrestle with this topic, discuss how to have hope, and show us where Jesus is in all the chaos.

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Culture: Caring for Your Soul (Part 1)

Millennials and Gen Z report unprecedented rates of burnout and exhaustion. When our to-do lists keep growing and our frustrations add up, how do we find strength and stamina to continue? Our friend Debra Fileta shares how to create life-giving rhythms of caring for your soul, and why doing so honors God. In part one, she discusses sources of burnout and how we can learn from Jesus’ example of rest.

Soul Care: Find Life-Giving Rhythms, Live Restored, Avoid Burnout, Discover Unspeakable Joy

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Inbox: Too Much Drama to Date?

They started dating after he picked her up from a car accident. But he’s currently in grad school and she just finished her master’s degree. With these and other factors at play, is pursuing a dating relationship the best move? Counselor Glenn Lutjens weighs in.

Link to Counseling Services

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Processing sadness, plus how our bodies glorify our Creator, and should you barter with God?

Featured musical artist: Covenant Worship

Roundtable: When Sorrow Runs Deep

The loss of a loved one; betrayal by a trusted friend; local and international tragedies. We live in a broken world, and heartbreaking things happen. When grief and tragedy strike, how do you process the sadness? Is it possible to continue your work, your commitments, your routines as you seek to make sense of things? Our guests share how they’ve learned to find comfort from God in the midst of deep sorrow.

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Link to Counseling Services

Culture: How a Healthy Body and Mind Glorify God

The human body is incredibly complex. Science keeps revealing new truths about how God has designed us, leading to insights in how we can best steward how we’re made. Stephen Ko is a medical doctor, public health specialist and pastor. He offers motivation and methods for taking care of our physical and mental health, and why doing so is connected to our spiritual well-being.

Faith Embodied: Glorifying God with Our Physical and Spiritual Health

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Inbox: Can I Barter With God?

Our listener really wants to be married, but he also wants his dad to get saved. Is it OK to offer up a chance at marriage as a barter to God so his dad can come to Christ? Counselor Jerry Jones weighs in.

Link to Counseling Services

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When others don’t seem to understand you, plus the pros and cons of artificial intelligence, and God-honoring ways to spend your free time.

Featured musical artist: Hollyn

Roundtable: That’s Not What I Meant

We’ve all felt misunderstood — whether in our personalities, friendships, opinions or even intentions. So how do we respond when that happens? If you feel like people don’t get you, you’ll be encouraged to know you’re not alone. This week’s guests share personal stories and tips for navigating the frustrations of misunderstanding.

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Culture: How Should We Engage With A.I.?

Artificial intelligence is here to stay. From medicine to transportation to Bible translation, innovators rely on the marvels of A.I. to expedite searches, aggregate information, and push the boundaries of invention. But are there dangers that A.I. could kill creativity and even relationships? What does the Bible say about it? John Greco shares his researched perspective on using A.I. appropriately without letting it run our lives.

God, Technology, and the Christian Life

Article by John Greco: The Promise of AI

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Inbox: Is My Free Time Honoring God?

The time we call our own — away from work and other obligations — can be some of our most treasured moments. But does it matter that your free time is being used for God’s glory? If so, how can you be confident that it is? Lisa Anderson weighs in.

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