WEBVTT 00:02.208 --> 00:04.873 [SPEAKER_00]: Hey friends, welcome back to the Christian Parenting podcast. 00:04.953 --> 00:09.100 [SPEAKER_00]: I'm Steph Thirling and today's conversation is one that I think a lot of us need right now. 00:09.962 --> 00:18.056 [SPEAKER_00]: As parents, we care so much about discipling our kids well and we want to point them to Jesus, build strong faith foundations and do it all the right way. 00:18.637 --> 00:23.366 [SPEAKER_00]: But somewhere along the way, all the pressure can just quietly steal joy and fun out of it. 00:23.666 --> 00:25.870 [SPEAKER_00]: I don't know if you feel that, but I definitely do. 00:25.850 --> 00:30.947 [SPEAKER_00]: Faith can start to feel heavy instead of life giving, so my guest today is here to address that. 00:31.068 --> 00:37.429 [SPEAKER_00]: Her name is Amanda Joss, she's a friend of mine, and she brings such a refreshing, grace-filled perspective to this conversation. 00:37.662 --> 00:42.189 [SPEAKER_00]: She is a children's author, illustrator, and longtime kid's minister leader. 00:42.309 --> 00:47.857 [SPEAKER_00]: And she's also the creator of a new 30-day storybook devotional called Adventures in the Friendly Forest. 00:48.578 --> 00:58.573 [SPEAKER_00]: This book uses lovable forest friends imaginative storytelling and simple biblical truth to help families see how faith, joy, and discipleship can grow together at home. 00:58.553 --> 01:03.583 [SPEAKER_00]: So in this episode, we talk about partnering with the church without outsourcing discipleship. 01:04.164 --> 01:13.041 [SPEAKER_00]: How to make faith feel approachable instead of overwhelming in why play, story, and imagination are not extras, but essential when it comes to kids' spiritual formation. 01:13.762 --> 01:19.633 [SPEAKER_00]: So if you've ever felt behind, under a word to start or word you're not doing enough of this conversation, it's free to. 01:26.617 --> 01:29.000 [SPEAKER_00]: Hey, Amanda, welcome to the Christian Parenting Podcast. 01:29.741 --> 01:31.042 [SPEAKER_00]: Thanks so much for having me. 01:31.063 --> 01:31.964 [SPEAKER_00]: It's great to be back. 01:32.224 --> 01:33.826 [SPEAKER_00]: Yes, you've been on once before. 01:33.866 --> 01:35.568 [SPEAKER_00]: And so now you're back. 01:35.728 --> 01:37.090 [SPEAKER_00]: I'm really, really excited. 01:37.130 --> 01:41.576 [SPEAKER_00]: We're talking kind of about discipling our kids and fun and joy. 01:41.616 --> 01:51.628 [SPEAKER_00]: I think in general, as parents, we have so much pressure to do everything right, especially parents in 2026, like we wanted to parent and right, especially 01:51.608 --> 02:17.520 [SPEAKER_00]: Discipling our kids and sometimes we lose a little bit of the fun of it while we're trying to get it right because we take it so seriously Because it is serious business It is right right we put so much pressure on ourselves But yeah, yeah, yeah, so tell us a little bit about your background first Tell us about yourself and just your family and all the things so people get to know you and then we'll just jump right in That's okay, so I know me and the drafts. 02:18.120 --> 02:19.422 [SPEAKER_01]: I am a 02:19.807 --> 02:26.207 [SPEAKER_01]: Children's book, author, editor, and more recently, I've started to do some illustrating, too, which has been so fun. 02:26.808 --> 02:30.741 [SPEAKER_01]: So to do more of that, I am Mary Timmeth and Brian. 02:30.781 --> 02:33.208 [SPEAKER_01]: We've been Mary for 14 years. 02:33.357 --> 02:43.188 [SPEAKER_01]: with three girls who are 9, 8 and 6 and I absolutely love this, this age range, the elementary age. 02:43.208 --> 02:45.071 [SPEAKER_01]: I just, I can do so, so fun. 02:45.351 --> 02:55.703 [SPEAKER_01]: Like the little are fun in a different way, but also so elastic and I don't know, maybe it's just like how I'm wired or something, but I just think this age is like the best. 02:56.071 --> 02:57.094 [SPEAKER_00]: No, I totally agree. 02:57.114 --> 02:58.236 [SPEAKER_00]: There's a sweet spot. 02:58.617 --> 03:02.948 [SPEAKER_00]: Mine are a tiny bit older than yours, but I feel like I'm still in it. 03:02.988 --> 03:04.933 [SPEAKER_00]: Like as they get older, it just gets more fun. 03:05.294 --> 03:06.116 [SPEAKER_00]: It's a different type of fun. 03:06.537 --> 03:07.359 [SPEAKER_01]: But I love it. 03:07.399 --> 03:07.921 [SPEAKER_01]: Totally. 03:08.021 --> 03:13.675 [SPEAKER_01]: And I'm looking forward to a little nervous possible looking forward to the middle school and high school area, that is. 03:14.380 --> 03:17.847 [SPEAKER_01]: they'll have their old challenges but also so fun too. 03:17.987 --> 03:18.768 [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah. 03:18.788 --> 03:19.269 [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah. 03:19.289 --> 03:19.570 [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah. 03:19.590 --> 03:25.221 [SPEAKER_00]: So she with three girls I grew up with three girls so you know it's so I'm gonna be a lot but it's gonna be great. 03:25.501 --> 03:30.010 [SPEAKER_01]: Oh yeah, lots of emotion but I'm like we already have so many big emotions that are 03:29.990 --> 03:33.756 [SPEAKER_00]: All the people around us with older girls are like, uh-huh, getting ready. 03:34.117 --> 03:35.599 [SPEAKER_00]: But yeah, that's good. 03:35.619 --> 03:36.360 [SPEAKER_00]: Glad you're excited. 03:36.400 --> 03:38.343 [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah. 03:38.363 --> 03:41.288 [SPEAKER_00]: Okay, so you've served in Kids Ministry. 03:41.549 --> 03:44.493 [SPEAKER_00]: You've done curriculum development at your past church. 03:44.754 --> 03:47.598 [SPEAKER_00]: How you are a children's author, your illustrator. 03:47.638 --> 03:49.021 [SPEAKER_00]: You, like, have edited. 03:49.501 --> 03:51.745 [SPEAKER_00]: Bible is like, you've done so much. 03:51.725 --> 03:58.541 [SPEAKER_00]: And I'm kind of curious, like, what first drew into kids' ministry in this capacity? 03:58.801 --> 04:05.798 [SPEAKER_00]: And like, was there a moment where you're like, this is what I'm supposed to be doing is helping parents disciple their kids in a different type of way. 04:05.838 --> 04:08.063 [SPEAKER_00]: Then just like, traditional kids' ministry. 04:08.043 --> 04:11.710 [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, yeah, they're well, so I got into kids ministry. 04:11.890 --> 04:13.874 [SPEAKER_01]: Like I didn't go to school for that or anything. 04:13.914 --> 04:20.587 [SPEAKER_01]: I've actually worked in higher education and had gotten my masters in higher ed, but I'd always love children's ministry. 04:20.647 --> 04:27.621 [SPEAKER_01]: Like from like what I'm with a kid, like I was probably like nine years old when I started amongst here and with the toddlers that might change, but I just have always loved. 04:28.158 --> 04:30.561 [SPEAKER_01]: teaching kids about Jesus and things like that. 04:30.902 --> 04:39.254 [SPEAKER_01]: So anyway, while I was working in higher education, I was still volunteering in kids ministry at our church. 04:39.334 --> 04:48.226 [SPEAKER_01]: And then the Strava opportunity opened up, it's a big multi-site church, so they do all their own curriculum and media and things like that. 04:48.547 --> 04:51.651 [SPEAKER_01]: So an opportunity to open up to be the curriculum. 04:51.631 --> 05:16.508 [SPEAKER_01]: developer content developer for the church and I just thought let's do like a really cool opportunity and lending my enjoyment of writing and I've done some curriculum development at the college level and that while I get to I know I love teaching you the about Jesus so get to bring all of that together and in that job it was one of those jobs where it's like I can't leave I get to do this for 05:16.859 --> 05:19.422 [SPEAKER_01]: for my work, like I actually did do this. 05:19.502 --> 05:20.243 [SPEAKER_01]: It's so fun. 05:20.904 --> 05:33.360 [SPEAKER_01]: And most of that job was creating content for the weekends, the weekend ministry, but also we would create some resources, take home resources for families and parents. 05:33.540 --> 05:41.871 [SPEAKER_01]: And I just had such a heart and desire to equip parents well, because he has, yes, like what? 05:42.357 --> 05:54.759 [SPEAKER_01]: happens what kids experience that church is important, and they can lend so much, but that's like if you're going to church every, even at recently, that's one hour a week compared to all the rest of the hours that your home looks at. 05:54.939 --> 06:00.028 [SPEAKER_01]: I think that realization and just looking at some of the research and things like that, like I... 06:00.008 --> 06:11.125 [SPEAKER_01]: I still love weekend and value weekend ministry, but it is better to get more into resources that are used in the home that kind of is what it's what with that. 06:11.145 --> 06:16.633 [SPEAKER_01]: It's just realizing how important it really is and then becoming a parent to even before that. 06:16.613 --> 06:23.161 [SPEAKER_01]: I was intrigued by and wanting to equip parent the home, but then becoming a parent myself and seeing what is out there. 06:23.181 --> 06:31.672 [SPEAKER_01]: And there are some good stuff out there, but also seeing what's making not out there and everything in these different, and making needs different types of resources and things like that. 06:32.253 --> 06:36.478 [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, that was another big, they have a point of confirmation of. 06:36.745 --> 06:38.007 [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, this is what I want to do. 06:38.047 --> 06:43.777 [SPEAKER_01]: I want to help a quick parent and provide resources for families to use in their home. 06:43.797 --> 06:44.679 [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, okay. 06:44.699 --> 07:00.846 [SPEAKER_00]: I want to talk a little bit about kind of like the partnership between church and home before we get into more of the discipling at home piece, which is obviously super important, but because you worked so closely with churches and now with families to I feel like there's it's hard as a parent to be like, okay. 07:00.826 --> 07:08.420 [SPEAKER_00]: I mean, we're going to go to church and church is going to teach my kids all these things, but I also want to do stuff at home like there has to be a balance there and it can be really overwhelming. 07:08.480 --> 07:15.794 [SPEAKER_00]: So how do you how do you help parents understand the difference between partnering with the church or an outsourcing discipleship? 07:15.814 --> 07:21.585 [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I think some parents that that's a great question too, because I think there are a lot of 07:21.565 --> 07:31.440 [SPEAKER_01]: parents, families that are like, okay, if we center kids to church on Sunday, especially if we go to like, you know, Wednesday and I hear during the week, there was two, like, my kids are good. 07:31.520 --> 07:36.088 [SPEAKER_01]: Like, we don't need to talk about faith in the whole, like, that's that's where they learn about Jesus. 07:36.789 --> 07:37.750 [SPEAKER_01]: And, and they're good. 07:37.850 --> 07:40.094 [SPEAKER_01]: And, and that's a great starting point, right? 07:40.114 --> 07:43.038 [SPEAKER_01]: Like, if you're deaf, or you learn how faith, what's a great storyboard? 07:43.078 --> 07:44.080 [SPEAKER_01]: So I don't want to be like, 07:44.060 --> 07:47.383 [SPEAKER_01]: Like things have, but that's what it is with starting point. 07:47.783 --> 08:01.476 [SPEAKER_01]: So, and like I already previously just touched on a little bit is Saturday's research has shown that for kids, like kids that they're going to continue pursuing faith as they grow into adulthood. 08:01.817 --> 08:10.945 [SPEAKER_01]: One of the most important things isn't church attendance or as a child, but it's what was actually done and talked about in the home was faith and 08:11.448 --> 08:14.712 [SPEAKER_01]: of home life and incorporating it into the home and models in the home. 08:14.892 --> 08:17.756 [SPEAKER_01]: Obviously, in virtually, no one's going to be perfect at doing this. 08:17.856 --> 08:25.765 [SPEAKER_01]: But so I think yes, it's there is a beautiful blend of church and health. 08:25.785 --> 08:31.472 [SPEAKER_01]: And then too, like you can go to the other extreme and say, yeah, we're going to talk about that home, create home. 08:31.632 --> 08:32.814 [SPEAKER_01]: We don't need a church community. 08:32.874 --> 08:35.397 [SPEAKER_01]: We don't need that either, but I think having 08:35.630 --> 08:58.235 [SPEAKER_01]: both of those coming together and your ways that that they support and compliment each other because churches, hopefully if you're at a good solid church that has good kids in the street, Bible believe in church, they are wanting to come up here and support them and either click them up resources to use that home or just be either at the sounding board or question things like that. 08:58.255 --> 09:04.202 [SPEAKER_01]: So yeah, so I do like to 09:04.182 --> 09:09.673 [SPEAKER_01]: bridge that gap or kind of bring the two together because it really can work well together. 09:10.174 --> 09:10.394 [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah. 09:10.735 --> 09:17.048 [SPEAKER_00]: And then I think devotional and resources like yours that you write are such a good way to bring that into home. 09:17.068 --> 09:19.272 [SPEAKER_00]: It's just kind of get into a rhythm of just doing it. 09:20.230 --> 09:43.656 [SPEAKER_00]: You know, as a family together, there's kind of I think a fear that you're going to make it feel like it's homework or like something to check off your list, which is so real because there are so many times that you're just like going through their written through the motion of all of it and not internalizing and there will be seasons that that is how it is because I think that's just how faith is right like we look at our own faith in their seasons where I'm like kind of going through the motions more than other seasons and that's. 09:43.636 --> 09:47.965 [SPEAKER_00]: you know, the peaks and valleys of faith, but family discipleship looks like that too. 09:48.005 --> 09:54.640 [SPEAKER_00]: And I think parents get easily frustrated because they're like, oh, I'm not doing it right, or I'm really behind or we haven't started yet. 09:54.720 --> 09:58.548 [SPEAKER_00]: So like, what would you say to the parent feels like they're behind? 09:58.889 --> 09:59.991 [SPEAKER_00]: And they don't know how to start. 09:59.971 --> 10:09.844 [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I mean, I would say I think when it comes to like the cycling or kids or such that there's not, I don't know that there's any like real such things like behind, right? 10:09.944 --> 10:18.895 [SPEAKER_01]: Like it's God will meet every single one of us as parents, he will meet our kids, anyone at any point in their relationship got you on the as right where we're at. 10:19.256 --> 10:24.122 [SPEAKER_01]: So, so I just want to say if you are out there and you're feeling behind, 10:24.102 --> 10:26.786 [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, my neighbor are these people out of church like their kids. 10:26.867 --> 10:27.508 [SPEAKER_01]: I'm not cool. 10:27.568 --> 10:29.451 [SPEAKER_01]: Like chapters are books in the Bible. 10:29.511 --> 10:32.095 [SPEAKER_01]: We're doing all this like, you know, like that's great. 10:32.135 --> 10:32.776 [SPEAKER_01]: That's awesome. 10:32.796 --> 10:35.100 [SPEAKER_01]: But that doesn't mean that's where you need to be. 10:35.200 --> 10:36.703 [SPEAKER_01]: God, that is ready to come. 10:36.763 --> 10:43.714 [SPEAKER_01]: And also to like, you can, you can have the entire Bible memorized, right, but then have that head knowledge. 10:43.694 --> 10:49.623 [SPEAKER_01]: But what God really is looking at, what he cares about most is the heart that what's happening in our heart. 10:49.743 --> 10:55.592 [SPEAKER_01]: So, so well, yes, he wants us to, to read the Bible to learn more about him and to grow in that knowledge. 10:55.693 --> 11:02.764 [SPEAKER_01]: And that wisdom, that real transformation and that actually our life that comes internally like from the heart. 11:02.784 --> 11:04.386 [SPEAKER_00]: So moving from the head to the heart. 11:04.585 --> 11:06.787 [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, moving from wanting to do it. 11:06.847 --> 11:11.331 [SPEAKER_00]: So just checking off the box on the list and all those things totally. 11:11.351 --> 11:16.916 [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, anything like as far as the like devotional things like that feeling like homework. 11:16.956 --> 11:19.558 [SPEAKER_01]: Yes, like you said that you said it so well. 11:19.578 --> 11:21.480 [SPEAKER_01]: Like that that's just a reality. 11:21.540 --> 11:23.101 [SPEAKER_01]: Sometimes it's going to feel that way. 11:23.161 --> 11:26.084 [SPEAKER_01]: Like there are days where I don't feel like opening up my eyeball. 11:26.104 --> 11:27.885 [SPEAKER_01]: I'm like wondering what I do for a living. 11:28.006 --> 11:33.090 [SPEAKER_01]: Like so it's just like, you know, it's it's that's just that's just reality. 11:33.070 --> 11:38.799 [SPEAKER_01]: I think finding those resources that are good fit for your family. 11:38.819 --> 11:42.906 [SPEAKER_01]: So every, there's so many different devotionals out there. 11:42.926 --> 11:46.151 [SPEAKER_01]: But finding what your kids are interested in, do they love? 11:46.211 --> 11:49.417 [SPEAKER_01]: There's some fun like different nature types devotion. 11:49.457 --> 11:52.001 [SPEAKER_01]: Do they love their science, science, and faith? 11:52.021 --> 11:54.505 [SPEAKER_01]: There's some amazing devotion out there that are, 11:54.890 --> 12:02.524 [SPEAKER_01]: really cool, and so looking at what your kids are interested in, and then finding something that is a good fit. 12:02.584 --> 12:15.126 [SPEAKER_01]: Also, just like age-appropriate looking at their ages and things like that, if you're doing a devotional that's geared for more about 12-year-olds, and you're a three-year-old, like you're kind of sending yourself up for a failure a little bit there, totally overwhelming them. 12:15.106 --> 12:20.534 [SPEAKER_01]: It's just like they're totally checked out, but I have no idea anything that you're even saying. 12:21.035 --> 12:30.469 [SPEAKER_01]: But yeah, so trying to, if your kids are really, like, more kinesthetic learners are to be on the move, finding more interactive devotionals that do more of that or have activities involved in that. 12:30.509 --> 12:40.084 [SPEAKER_01]: So, really, just try and, if you try one, whether it's a resource or a devotional, whatever and then it doesn't work, it's not like, oh, this doesn't work, for our family. 12:40.064 --> 12:42.347 [SPEAKER_01]: like, tracing emails, tracing things different. 12:42.728 --> 12:59.710 [SPEAKER_01]: And sometimes like, it's got it's got better, but especially when our kids were little and you'd sit in due to emotional rebaggle stories, it was like probably two out of the three of them were like running around the room and like hanging from stealing whatever, you know, it's like not even seeing like their pain attention although, 13:00.382 --> 13:13.764 [SPEAKER_01]: They're legitimately not paying attention, but there've been plenty of times where then we'll like get to maybe there's some Functions and the defaults we'll get to the questions and that kid who was off like playing in the corner and like making weird noises That's not a question. 13:13.824 --> 13:21.597 [SPEAKER_01]: And then they type in like answering the like the one you were listening So yeah, I'm really some of the time because 13:21.577 --> 13:33.012 [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, so yeah, don't throw on the towel just because it's hard and also to give yourself some grace in like if it's like, I don't know, like at least how I'm wired our family. 13:33.032 --> 13:35.656 [SPEAKER_01]: We don't we're not like every single night at this time. 13:36.077 --> 13:43.787 [SPEAKER_01]: We're doing okay on the devotional, you know, we pray with the kids every night before bed and usually we'll sing a song or read a story or or do 13:44.037 --> 13:47.644 [SPEAKER_01]: or try to do some kind of devotional than actual more formal devotional kind. 13:47.684 --> 13:50.109 [SPEAKER_01]: That's immediately three or four days a week for us. 13:50.469 --> 13:52.453 [SPEAKER_01]: It's just a reality every night. 13:52.574 --> 14:05.218 [SPEAKER_01]: Okay, we're still tapping the kids and being with prayers and things together, but I'm still giving yourself some grace in that to and figuring out what a good rhythm is for your family or if it's not for benefits at breakfast or having flexibility there as well. 14:05.198 --> 14:33.433 [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, well, I think that's a good segue to and to just this idea that you can bring like fun and playfulness and story and imagination into faith like it doesn't have to be like you're saying like sit down be serious read these words and listen to me and then we're going to have this whole deep conversation like there can be kids running around and the books can be cute and engaging for kids and active so like why do you think that in your opinion like that idea of joy and fun isn't really 14:33.413 --> 14:36.518 [SPEAKER_00]: optional but like essential in kids spiritual formation. 14:36.698 --> 14:44.710 [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, I think so just looking at it, looking at how God created, and we bought the kids at some point, right? 14:44.810 --> 14:59.472 [SPEAKER_01]: But like how when kids are at that age that three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, like even as they get older, like even you talk, I mean, I could go until a whole street of all, like even adults how we accept so much of the fun out of like just not just kids, but like, 14:59.452 --> 15:28.564 [SPEAKER_01]: So much of what we do for the life, yeah, yeah, I mean, like I'm so serious about all that and I know there's you know, there's two sides of every quite right all that, but so I think yeah, just looking at the way kids they want to play they want to use their imagination they want to laugh and be silly and so to try to get an insert sure some kids are naturally more serious than out there's of course there's there's there's there's there's there too, but 15:28.544 --> 15:33.351 [SPEAKER_01]: That's where I think it's that whole, like, how, yes, God make this where we're Apple. 15:33.371 --> 15:53.320 [SPEAKER_01]: Let's try to meet kids where they're at, as well, with how talking to them, the types of resources and storage, or using to try to engage with them and realize developmentally, 15:53.300 --> 16:10.819 [SPEAKER_01]: key and when you bring things like fun and story and imagination some of those into into their conversation into just like looking at facts or information the the way our brains are wired. 16:10.879 --> 16:21.670 [SPEAKER_01]: If we if we just are learning that it's like the only a certain part of our brain or certain parts like essentially light up but if you bring a story bringing in a motion or fun or that 16:21.650 --> 16:23.615 [SPEAKER_01]: firing different parts of your brain. 16:23.655 --> 16:32.879 [SPEAKER_01]: And then there's this saying and anything it'll run, but it's like the neurons that fire together wire together or something along those lines. 16:32.959 --> 16:33.782 [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah. 16:33.862 --> 16:35.526 [SPEAKER_01]: So I'm not, I love neuroscience. 16:35.666 --> 16:36.609 [SPEAKER_01]: I'm not a neuroscientist. 16:36.629 --> 16:37.431 [SPEAKER_01]: I'm not a neuroscientist. 16:37.411 --> 16:49.610 [SPEAKER_01]: But it's that idea of like, okay, like, if you're lighting up as part of your brain networks, triggering a motion because the story or kids are having fun and something really exciting and also learning important truths about God. 16:49.730 --> 17:05.275 [SPEAKER_01]: I'm going to scan out as you go to like education with school and too, but like you're bringing that together, they're more likely when they remember that story or a few of those emotions again to remember then that important truth about about the Bible that they learned. 17:05.255 --> 17:12.684 [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, so those are just a couple of reasons why I think it's so important to bring, yeah, to bring fun into it. 17:13.304 --> 17:21.253 [SPEAKER_00]: Well, you think about it too, like when our kids are at school, especially in those younger elementary years, like they're playing games to learn things. 17:21.273 --> 17:29.743 [SPEAKER_00]: Or, you know, if like even play therapy, like if you send a kid to therapy, they're likely going to be doing art therapy or play therapy or something to engage just from parts of their mind. 17:29.723 --> 17:33.968 [SPEAKER_00]: And we just accept those things, but sometimes I think we're a little afraid to do it at home. 17:34.068 --> 17:34.789 [SPEAKER_00]: We'll do that church. 17:34.809 --> 17:42.418 [SPEAKER_00]: Like Sunday schools will be fun and we'll go play crazy silly games and do all the wild stuff at Sunday school and then you come home and then you're gonna have like the serious family time. 17:42.778 --> 17:44.520 [SPEAKER_00]: And we just run away from the joy part of it. 17:44.540 --> 17:49.927 [SPEAKER_00]: So like if you could get parents like two practical ways, however many you want. 17:50.047 --> 17:53.992 [SPEAKER_00]: Practical ways to make faith feel joyful and approachable at home. 17:54.372 --> 17:57.255 [SPEAKER_00]: What are like a couple of practical things you feel like you can do this easy. 17:57.476 --> 17:58.617 [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, well I think. 17:58.597 --> 18:02.685 [SPEAKER_01]: And I know we talked to quite a bit to the getting an actual devotional. 18:02.725 --> 18:06.572 [SPEAKER_01]: It's some families might want to kind of create their own devotional and that's something they want to do great. 18:06.893 --> 18:16.330 [SPEAKER_01]: But to make it easy, I think, a little book, a devotional book in your hands that you can just open up to, you know, to a page in the devotional. 18:16.350 --> 18:17.753 [SPEAKER_01]: And something that is... 18:17.733 --> 18:26.908 [SPEAKER_01]: again thinking about your kids' interests, what they like, what they want, and then some devotional they have activity ideas in there. 18:27.329 --> 18:34.460 [SPEAKER_01]: Some are more story driven versus versus maybe just like that, less as driven. 18:34.480 --> 18:38.607 [SPEAKER_01]: So looking at some of those kinds of things, what is a good fit or family? 18:38.947 --> 18:44.837 [SPEAKER_01]: And then anything too is such a big thing that I know you are really passionate about 18:44.817 --> 18:51.207 [SPEAKER_01]: prayer in the home and how do we bring some of that that we're joy into prayer and stuff here. 18:51.647 --> 19:03.325 [SPEAKER_01]: Ministry that you that you ran for a long time reading prayerful kids has so many great ideas on how and and your books on how to make prayer fun and prayer games, I think like that. 19:04.066 --> 19:05.629 [SPEAKER_01]: I think that's really great. 19:05.649 --> 19:12.259 [SPEAKER_01]: Something just really simple that our family 19:12.577 --> 19:21.975 [SPEAKER_01]: to just make it more fun, is we'll do gratitude, gratitude time, and we do like it's like the popcorn, like the popcorn prayer, popcorn reading, so we'll take turns. 19:22.035 --> 19:32.155 [SPEAKER_01]: Usually it's in the more name, but if you have access, download a school or something, and just yeah, take turn, saying, thank you, God, for what he's given us, what we're grateful for in the popcorn. 19:32.472 --> 19:39.542 [SPEAKER_01]: Then that's person and then just go and at the end, you know, we'll like, I'll shut like popcorn and thank you, God, I just kind of make the net like, I don't know. 19:39.562 --> 19:43.168 [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, Billy might just, I mean, gratitude in general. 19:43.328 --> 19:44.910 [SPEAKER_01]: It's so important for all of us. 19:45.551 --> 19:47.634 [SPEAKER_01]: Not this kid, but adults too. 19:47.855 --> 19:53.303 [SPEAKER_01]: I want to do what better way to bring joy back into your life to remember like, wow, bad as given. 19:53.503 --> 19:58.190 [SPEAKER_01]: Like, yeah, there's something I can sort of look at as given so much, so much to be grateful for. 19:58.250 --> 20:00.994 [SPEAKER_01]: And then they're your kids saying what they're grateful for too, it's so sweet. 20:01.042 --> 20:18.983 [SPEAKER_00]: Well, you know, I love that idea and it is such such a good example of bringing it down to their level, you know, by making it fun and like just shouting things out and then yelling popcorn to end just to be silly because we could very easily be like, okay, everyone's going to go around the dinner table and we're going to have a very serious conversation, but what we're grateful for, but 20:18.963 --> 20:20.645 [SPEAKER_00]: It doesn't have to be that way, you can make it fun. 20:21.105 --> 20:27.593 [SPEAKER_00]: And that's just like, and it's going to be way faster because kids' attention spans aren't that long and more engaging for them. 20:27.613 --> 20:31.537 [SPEAKER_00]: So I think that's like a super practical and realistic thing that families can do together. 20:31.918 --> 20:35.542 [SPEAKER_00]: But I want to move into your devotional a little bit. 20:35.982 --> 20:37.904 [SPEAKER_00]: So why don't you tell us about that? 20:38.065 --> 20:45.493 [SPEAKER_00]: And you really use this as kind of a, you've already talked about, like as a way to tell story to help kids' process things. 20:45.473 --> 20:48.278 [SPEAKER_00]: change and fear and obedience and trust in God. 20:48.339 --> 20:51.745 [SPEAKER_00]: And it's just in a way that is so relatable for them. 20:51.805 --> 20:59.881 [SPEAKER_00]: So tell us kind of how you created these forest friends and how they've kind of helped shape your faith and your kids and your family, but you guys are doing it. 21:00.121 --> 21:01.023 [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah. 21:01.183 --> 21:04.029 [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, this was such a fine on project to work on. 21:04.570 --> 21:04.630 [SPEAKER_01]: Oh. 21:04.610 --> 21:12.701 [SPEAKER_01]: The Adventures of the Family Forest is the 30-day Storybook devotional to help kids grow in an faith and character. 21:12.761 --> 21:27.681 [SPEAKER_01]: So, essentially, this overarching story of the Family Forest, like it starts out, there's a huge storm that will also be the Family Forest, and then the Forest friends throughout the book are trying to 21:27.661 --> 21:32.128 [SPEAKER_01]: work together to save their homes in the course before winter comes. 21:32.508 --> 21:34.231 [SPEAKER_01]: So they could stay in their homes. 21:34.251 --> 21:42.283 [SPEAKER_01]: And of course there's all sorts of little inventors like within that and they're making mistakes and learning things along the way. 21:42.323 --> 21:48.893 [SPEAKER_01]: And I think in writing this and then building these characters, I mean, I see 21:49.818 --> 21:57.089 [SPEAKER_01]: like parts of of myself and even in like my kids in all of these characters, you know, some I relate to more than others. 21:57.490 --> 22:05.543 [SPEAKER_01]: But I think especially when you look at like some of their short coming in or I don't think they say it looks like I, you know, I still do that too. 22:05.603 --> 22:07.145 [SPEAKER_01]: We're like trading fear for faith. 22:07.285 --> 22:08.327 [SPEAKER_01]: It's like one of them. 22:08.347 --> 22:09.008 [SPEAKER_01]: It's just like, 22:08.988 --> 22:15.816 [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, how often do I still struggle with that and just let sit in fear or, you know, turning worries into prayer. 22:15.836 --> 22:37.442 [SPEAKER_01]: It's turning worries over to God or perfectionism, like I found better with that over the years, but that's something, you know, for characters who struggle with or other things that it's like just like moving too quickly and then making, you know, on the other side of perfectionism and then looks, I made this mistake for this or that, so we see one of 22:37.878 --> 22:40.724 [SPEAKER_01]: And that made me some kind of silly mistakes because of that. 22:40.764 --> 22:50.605 [SPEAKER_01]: So my girl of love back there, I'm curious, I have a good fall, but yeah, so it's really, I think, writing the devotional, 22:50.905 --> 23:00.238 [SPEAKER_01]: reading these characters, it really has like shaped me and just in a good way convicted me of some of the things that I'm still working for. 23:00.478 --> 23:01.360 [SPEAKER_01]: No, right? 23:01.400 --> 23:02.161 [SPEAKER_01]: We all are so okay. 23:02.301 --> 23:04.985 [SPEAKER_01]: But like, oh yeah, I don't have this master yet. 23:05.365 --> 23:07.128 [SPEAKER_01]: I'm like, I need your help with it. 23:07.628 --> 23:12.475 [SPEAKER_01]: So I'm recognizing that and then also some of the things that 23:12.455 --> 23:19.793 [SPEAKER_01]: that these forest friends are struggling with the challenges that they're facing, how thinking about how that relates to my kids. 23:19.853 --> 23:25.246 [SPEAKER_01]: And then they, my girls actually have been like my, like many editors throughout this process. 23:25.266 --> 23:28.694 [SPEAKER_01]: So even from like rough draft stages of the look, I was reading it to them. 23:28.775 --> 23:28.995 [SPEAKER_01]: And 23:28.975 --> 23:48.462 [SPEAKER_01]: And that's been so fun to have them along and hear their thoughts and things, but also hearing how they relate to these characters too, and yeah, so yeah, I absolutely can see how it's built, even though it's a fictional, it's fictional stories, but then it absolutely stories shape us. 23:48.582 --> 23:50.925 [SPEAKER_01]: Jesus taught primary stories, right? 23:50.985 --> 23:53.228 [SPEAKER_01]: We don't know, so basically help shape us. 23:53.208 --> 24:22.557 [SPEAKER_01]: and then to help kids to help kids connect the story to their own lives or their own faith, then there is like discussion questions, that's where it's called, there's a verse with every so it's broken up into 30 days so each like so like eventually kind of 30 little chapters each chapter has a Bible verse and then also a like just a think about like a true statement that really brings out like here is kind of this main idea of the story for kids and then a 24:22.975 --> 24:23.295 [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah. 24:23.856 --> 24:28.302 [SPEAKER_00]: Well, I love how the concept of a bunch of stories within a bigger story. 24:28.662 --> 24:38.114 [SPEAKER_00]: Because I think what a great way to model for kids in just start kind of the conversation of the Bible is a bunch of stories that tell God's big story. 24:38.494 --> 24:43.240 [SPEAKER_00]: And that's a really hard thing to explain to kids because they're like, what on earth does that even mean? 24:43.601 --> 24:45.523 [SPEAKER_00]: Because sometimes I'm like, really, 24:45.503 --> 24:55.038 [SPEAKER_00]: I'm like, wow, this is so overwhelming because there's so much in here, but it's just such a good place to start with your kids. 24:55.418 --> 25:02.329 [SPEAKER_00]: You might look at these all these little stories and how it just fills a whole book into one story and it tells the whole story of the friendly forest. 25:02.389 --> 25:04.953 [SPEAKER_00]: And I just really love that concept of it because it breaks it down. 25:05.154 --> 25:08.659 [SPEAKER_00]: Once again, into pieces that are more kid friendly. 25:08.639 --> 25:09.782 [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, thank you. 25:09.922 --> 25:24.133 [SPEAKER_00]: Tell me a little bit about some of the, you kind of touch on it a little bit, but just to give people an idea, some of the different character traits and just things that all these little friendly forest creatures go through so that they can just get an idea of what types of stories their kids can hear. 25:24.113 --> 25:26.035 [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, so I made some of the things. 25:26.075 --> 25:27.097 [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I mentioned a few. 25:27.117 --> 25:34.565 [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, one, so then the overarching theme is this forest, or the strangles through the forest. 25:34.585 --> 25:37.509 [SPEAKER_01]: So there's overarching theme of handling change. 25:37.889 --> 25:40.853 [SPEAKER_01]: And handling change while in dealing with change, God's way. 25:41.273 --> 25:45.258 [SPEAKER_01]: And also not just external changes, because yes, things around us are changing. 25:45.758 --> 25:48.822 [SPEAKER_01]: But knowing that in mixed-all change, God doesn't change. 25:48.802 --> 25:54.795 [SPEAKER_01]: But then also, if the internal changes, like if God doesn't change, but He will change us to become more like Him. 25:55.317 --> 26:06.321 [SPEAKER_01]: So just so that brings in that again, like seeing the change around us, but looking for opportunities to grow in faith and character amidst. 26:06.301 --> 26:07.002 [SPEAKER_01]: The change. 26:07.022 --> 26:10.888 [SPEAKER_01]: So that's, you know, overarching throughout all of the stories. 26:10.948 --> 26:13.131 [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, some highlight that more than others. 26:13.531 --> 26:32.899 [SPEAKER_01]: But then there's also, even so each character, of course, they have their own unique personality in their own things that they struggle with, just like, you know, all of us. 26:33.098 --> 26:59.072 [SPEAKER_01]: that when the blaze the character I mentioned has to he has to learn the importance of community and coming together and choosing friendship over fighting that's the title one of one of the days one of the stories, friendship over fighting, um, greats over a production name mentioned that self-control, like, you know, what parent just wants their kids to learn more about 26:59.052 --> 27:01.776 [SPEAKER_01]: chocolate to the moment cabinet or whatever I don't know. 27:02.037 --> 27:07.705 [SPEAKER_01]: But I'm caring for the needs of others so putting others needs ahead of your own too in certain circumstances. 27:07.745 --> 27:14.816 [SPEAKER_01]: But what does it look like to care for the needs of others, things of kindness, choosing honesty, telling the truth, that sort of thing. 27:14.836 --> 27:21.887 [SPEAKER_01]: So I know I mentioned to like faith over fear, turning worse to prayers, and then and really an 27:21.867 --> 27:30.158 [SPEAKER_01]: that you've chosen joy and choosing, choosing to celebrate, choosing to trust God, even liver patients. 27:30.358 --> 27:38.188 [SPEAKER_00]: I know some questions, but yeah, all the big lessons and they all so much from it point back to the fruit of the spirit too, right? 27:38.208 --> 27:42.373 [SPEAKER_00]: Like these are the things that we really want our kids to be internalizing. 27:42.353 --> 27:47.358 [SPEAKER_00]: about the Lord and just the way we want them to live out their life as Christian parents. 27:47.378 --> 28:02.492 [SPEAKER_00]: You know, we want our kids to trust God in to understand that when things change or things go wrong or their friends are mean or they're mean to a friend on the other side too, you know, like God is the same and consistent and there is a guide on how we can handle all those situations and he gave it to us. 28:02.832 --> 28:09.238 [SPEAKER_01]: So, right, because yeah, it can be hard things can feel chaotic and a lot of 28:09.218 --> 28:28.307 [SPEAKER_01]: to turn our eyes towards God toward Jesus who faiths the same always and is the definition of love and goodness and just yeah all the peace the peace the fact can bring us to joy and like to all the fruit of the spirit that 28:28.608 --> 28:33.556 [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, and that we will give people help grow and ask the development us when we have that relationship with him. 28:33.917 --> 28:34.097 [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah. 28:34.438 --> 28:37.062 [SPEAKER_00]: Can you kind of just to wrap up our time together? 28:37.142 --> 28:39.226 [SPEAKER_00]: Can you give us, give the parent listening? 28:39.286 --> 28:40.308 [SPEAKER_00]: Who's like, yes. 28:40.468 --> 28:42.371 [SPEAKER_00]: I want to be in more intentional discipling my kids. 28:42.472 --> 28:44.275 [SPEAKER_00]: I want to make it more engaging and fun for them. 28:44.295 --> 28:45.817 [SPEAKER_00]: I only have so much time. 28:45.877 --> 28:48.462 [SPEAKER_00]: I'm so busy, like, don't know to do. 28:48.482 --> 28:51.246 [SPEAKER_00]: Just give a little encouragement to that parent to end our time. 28:51.407 --> 28:51.667 [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah. 28:51.948 --> 28:53.350 [SPEAKER_01]: I'm happy to end. 28:53.330 --> 29:07.244 [SPEAKER_01]: And I've been there, like, even I grew up in a Christian home and things like that, but but still, and then I worked in the industry and created these resources, but but I've been there, I'm still there sometimes, just so her well-being. 29:07.264 --> 29:11.949 [SPEAKER_01]: And there's a lot to do and what does discipleship look like in this season. 29:11.989 --> 29:16.334 [SPEAKER_01]: I go if I had it figured out for that season, but now it looks like now. 29:16.414 --> 29:17.855 [SPEAKER_01]: So, so I get it. 29:18.136 --> 29:19.337 [SPEAKER_01]: I, 29:19.823 --> 29:25.794 [SPEAKER_01]: I will say, like, it's not going to look perfect because we're all imperfect humans. 29:26.114 --> 29:29.741 [SPEAKER_01]: I suppose parents are children are perfect, it's not going to look perfect and that is okay. 29:30.182 --> 29:37.816 [SPEAKER_01]: So don't expect perfection and just small little things can make a really big difference. 29:38.056 --> 29:41.342 [SPEAKER_01]: And the more we do something, 29:41.322 --> 29:43.669 [SPEAKER_01]: it's like developing a habit, right? 29:43.689 --> 29:47.319 [SPEAKER_01]: It's like the more you do something, the more natural it becomes. 29:47.660 --> 29:50.488 [SPEAKER_01]: So it feels kind of awkward or 29:50.806 --> 30:19.716 [SPEAKER_01]: like homework or or just like okay this yeah you haven't done this before it seems weird I don't know but I'm the more you do something whether that opening up the devotional together spending some time to sit and pray or practice gratitude together whatever that looks like I say just just start and know that yeah it's not a little perfect might do a little awkward but that's okay and that would be in that he will help you through it keep going to him keep going to him for prayer you know asking him for help 30:20.050 --> 30:33.624 [SPEAKER_01]: help you with it, and then also if you aren't involved in a solid church like that a great place to help you get started to help come along side you, because I mean, Picasso are great, right? 30:33.704 --> 30:43.293 [SPEAKER_01]: Picasso are awesome, but having people in community in real time in, yeah, and first in that you could be talking to like, that's what we're creative for, right? 30:43.333 --> 30:46.176 [SPEAKER_01]: We're creative for community spectators for that. 30:46.595 --> 30:47.096 [SPEAKER_01]: yeah. 30:47.116 --> 30:49.480 [SPEAKER_01]: So making that a priority as well. 30:49.901 --> 30:50.301 [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah. 30:50.321 --> 30:51.724 [SPEAKER_00]: And that's just a good reminder too. 30:51.744 --> 30:53.046 [SPEAKER_00]: Like you don't have to do it all alone. 30:53.406 --> 30:54.128 [SPEAKER_00]: And you're not supposed to. 30:54.408 --> 30:55.310 [SPEAKER_00]: Not only do you not have to. 30:55.350 --> 30:56.371 [SPEAKER_00]: You're not supposed to. 30:56.411 --> 30:57.293 [SPEAKER_00]: Like that. 30:57.774 --> 30:58.395 [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah. 30:58.415 --> 31:06.949 [SPEAKER_00]: You get to partner with not just the church, but with your friends and your extended family, you know, like all sorts of people are on your side and want to disable your kids with you. 31:06.929 --> 31:12.138 [SPEAKER_00]: And what a gift, if you can have adults in your kids' lives that are like, we care about your relationship with Jesus. 31:12.479 --> 31:13.601 [SPEAKER_00]: So don't do it alone. 31:13.681 --> 31:15.104 [SPEAKER_00]: That's a good reminder. 31:15.124 --> 31:15.224 [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah. 31:15.244 --> 31:15.344 [SPEAKER_00]: Okay. 31:15.545 --> 31:23.860 [SPEAKER_00]: Tell us where we can get, not just this book, but all of your books and resources, because you have so much available for parents. 31:23.900 --> 31:26.364 [SPEAKER_00]: So just tell us where we can find some of that stuff to. 31:26.705 --> 31:27.807 [SPEAKER_00]: And I'll link it all in your notes. 31:27.787 --> 31:28.688 [SPEAKER_01]: Awesome, yeah. 31:29.209 --> 31:34.075 [SPEAKER_01]: So my website is Amanda, okay, Jax, Jax. 31:34.095 --> 31:48.934 [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, so you can find resources on there and then links to my books and things like that, including this advantage is in the friendly forest and then as far as socials go I am mainly on Instagram and my 31:49.370 --> 31:51.813 [SPEAKER_01]: and the layer is at the end of the cake. 31:51.954 --> 31:52.975 [SPEAKER_01]: Just, that's long. 31:53.055 --> 31:56.740 [SPEAKER_01]: So, they'll probably get to the team link places. 31:56.760 --> 31:57.141 [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah. 31:57.161 --> 32:02.649 [SPEAKER_00]: Now, I'll link that to people can find it easily because you just have a lot available to families to make discipleship easy and fun. 32:02.829 --> 32:04.431 [SPEAKER_00]: Definitely, people should go check that out. 32:04.451 --> 32:07.956 [SPEAKER_00]: So, thank you for being here and for sharing your wisdom with us. 32:08.076 --> 32:09.258 [SPEAKER_00]: I always love having you on. 32:09.919 --> 32:10.940 [SPEAKER_01]: Thank you so much. 32:11.161 --> 32:11.942 [SPEAKER_01]: This is so fun. 32:12.242 --> 32:13.123 [SPEAKER_00]: Okay, this is good to see you. 32:13.524 --> 32:14.365 [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, you did. 32:18.850 --> 32:20.592 [SPEAKER_00]: Thank you so much for being here. 32:20.732 --> 32:29.441 [SPEAKER_00]: I am very grateful for Amanda and the way she reminds parents that discipleship does not have to be perfect to be powerful and that small joyful moment really do matter. 32:30.061 --> 32:35.887 [SPEAKER_00]: Remember, you are not behind, you are not alone, and the work you are doing even when it feels small is holy work. 32:36.768 --> 32:42.313 [SPEAKER_00]: I have links to go find Amanda in her book and resources in the show notes, so definitely go check that out. 32:42.333 --> 32:43.775 [SPEAKER_00]: Thank you again for being here. 32:43.935 --> 32:47.018 [SPEAKER_00]: May you feel God's nearness in the middle of your ordinary days. 32:47.470 --> 32:53.012 [SPEAKER_00]: may you be released from pressure and comparison and may God meet you and your kids right where you are. 32:53.053 --> 32:57.852 [SPEAKER_00]: In gently grow seeds of faith in ways you may not see it, but will one day celebrate.