Is That Normal Podcast

In this episode Randell and Mark talk about the season of Advent and how to take time to prepare your family for Christmas.

Mark and Randell are joined in this episode by Tyler Boggs, the current Youth Leader at Calvary Chapel FWB Church. They discuss the similarities and differences in the faith journey of generations.

Can you believe it? We made it to our 100th episode! To celebrate we've compiled a list of essential things everyone needs to know about young people!

Mark and Randell take a look at a new book from Randall House Publishing that encourages discipleship as a partnership between church and family.

At this change in season, Randell and Mark encourage parents and students to make some intentional plans for having a spiritually successful school year.

In this episode, Mark and Randell review and discuss Kara Powell and Brad Griffin's book "3 Big Questions That Change Every Teenager".

In this episode, Randell and Mark interview some youth leaders from their church about why they choose CIY MOVE conference and how parents can engage their children.

In our divided, volatile culture, we can often find ourselves on opposite sides of issues with our children. In this episode, Randell and Mark discuss some ways to discuss those issues and pursue relationship even when we disagree.

Who doesn't like a good fight? Well, ok, most of us don't like to fight, but it happens. How do we resolve conflicts particularly when they are with our family? Mark and Randell discuss some solutions in this episode.

Everyone loves summer. We want to encourage you and your family to make this summer about loving God and other people!

With summer coming, we wanted to give some advice on family vacations as a great way to make memories and build foundations.

With Mother's Day approaching, this episode takes a look at a book that focuses on God's design for moms!

As we try to lead our children to know and love Jesus, we must be lifelong learners for ours and their spiritual development.

We all want a deep connection to the loved ones in our life. When it comes to engaging our teens and young adults in that type of relationship it can be a challenge. In this episode Mark and Randell discuss some tools to help parents connect with their children.

In this episode, Randell and Mark look at a great resource for connecting ourselves and our children to the wonders of the Bible!

It's hard to ask for help, particularly when it comes to mental health. This episode talks about some of the ways parents can find the help they and their children need in this important area of life.

In this episode we cover our recent survey results and re-air one of our first episodes - ITN #8: Drinking Coffee and Rites of Passage.

In this episode Randell and Mark take a look at navigating a healthy approach to smartphones and social media apps.

We all wish we could read minds or fly, but by employing empathy, we can all become relational superheroes! In this episode, Randell and Mark discuss what it takes to harness this power!

As we enter a new year, we look forward to continuing to provide episodes full of great ideas and resources for parents. And we need your help to do it!

Why do we love stories so much? It's because there are echoes of the true story of God and His people in most of them. In this episode Randell and Mark share how to help our families find the true story in their favorite fiction.

It has never been easier to engage with the Word of God! In this episode Mark and Randell discuss how to use the YouVersion Bible app for yours and your family's spiritual growth.

Everyone's got one - the question is "Is it the right one?"! Of course, we're talking about worldviews! In this episode, Randell and Mark discuss some of the common worldviews and how to help young people navigate finding the truth.

Have you ever said "yes" to too many commitments? Do you sometimes want to say "no" to even the best requests? Have you ever realized too late that you ran a relational stop sign? If so, you might have a boundary problem! In this episode, Mark and Randell discuss the habit of boundary setting.

In this episode, Randell and Mark discuss Vicki Courtney's book "Five Conversations You Must Have With Your Daughter". Through this review, they highlight some of the tough but necessary conversations we must have with the young women in our families.

If you live with other humans, you are going to have conflict. In this episode, Mark and Randell discuss some approaches to making conflict a positive in your family's story.

We are all uniquely designed by God. Understanding our uniqueness and the uniqueness of others can really help us get along better! In this episode, Randell and Mark explore some tools to help identify our personalities.

We all want our children to grow up to own their faith and be life-long learners. In this episode, Mark and Randell talk about some of the important factors that influence that path!

While cerebral horror sci-fi TV shows may not be your thing, finding out what your kids are listening to/watching/streaming/casting/playing/etc and having good conversations about those things can be a huge key to helping them shape their worldview. In this episode, Mark and Randell talk about some of the reasons and approaches to that process.

It's summertime, which makes some obvious and awesome opportunities to create memories and moments with our family! In this episode, Randell and Mark talk about why and how to create those moments.

Family members are often the closest and most consistent relationships throughout our lifetime. In this episode, Mark and Randell talk about helping our children develop close relationships with their siblings.

Having "the talk" with our kids about the biology of relationships can be uncomfortable and daunting. In this episode Mark and Randell talk about some of the approaches and tools parents can use to successful share God's truth about sex.

In our changing culture, the likelihood of adult children living at home or returning home is increasingly likely. In this episode, Randell and Mark talk about some of the reasons why and how to handle it.

We're glad you have taken time to check out our podcast today! In case you are new or newer to our podcast, we take some moments in this episode to talk about the vision of what we do and suggest some prior episodes to go back and check out!

We are all leading our kids towards something. The question is whether we are doing that intentionally. In this episode we review Matt Chandler and Adam Griffin's book "Family Discipleship" and discuss the tools needed to disciple your family on purpose!

We all blow it sometimes. We make mistakes. We let people down. We hurt others. And that is tough and humbling, but it is especially hard when it happen with our children. This episode shares some healthy habits we can foster in response to those moments with our kids.

We have all of these hopes and dreams for our kids, so when they have those big or small crashes in life, it can be a real challenge to know how to respond. This episode discusses some healthy ways to keep perspective and keep moving towards hope in those "blowing it" type of moments.

There seems to be no end to teams, clubs, camps, and classes into which you can enroll your child. The question is should you? And if so which ones? In this episode Mark and Randell have a conversation with their friend - and a school administrator - Jared Wallace to talk about the pros, cons and balances of extracurricular activities!

This episode is a review of the book Are My Kids On Track and related resources. In this review, we discuss the maps and milestones that help us direct our children in their developmental journey towards adulthood!

It's one of parents' worst fears - your child categorically rejects your beliefs and views. In this episode, Mark and Randell talk about the tensions and directions we must navigate when that happens.

In this culture of overwhelming options, Mark and Randell give some advice on other great podcasts that will help you in your faith, your parenting, and connecting with young people!

The central family unit is changing and that might not be all bad. Randell and Mark discuss some of the contrasts between our idea of the ideal family and what the Bible has to say about community.

Everyone wants to be part of something that makes a difference. In this episode, Randell and Mark talk about how to evaluate causes and discuss some tools to help young people connect with the most important cause!

While we don't have a tricked-out DeLorean, we do see some trends coming that parents and concerned adults need to be aware of. In this episode we talk about eight of them and some ideas on how to respond.

As we end this unusual year, Randell and Mark challenge us to do some evaluating by looking to the past and the future...as well as sharing some interesting facts about their personal family trees!

As we enter this exciting week of Christmas, we want to remember to use this time to invest in our relationships with our family. In this episode Mark and Randell explore some ideas to make space for some quality time.

Buying gifts for teenagers can be really challenging. In this episode, Randell and Mark give some ideas of gifts you can buy teens and young adults that they will truly enjoy!

This final episode in our series talks about the components of healthy youth ministry and parents' roles in fostering a life-time of faith.

In this second installment on our series on fostering a life-long faith, Randell and Mark talk about the advent of adolescence and how to challenge young people to hard things that build faith.

Part one of a series of posts centered on how to encourage a lifetime of faith in young people.

Marking one year of producing the Is That Normal? Podcast, this episode shares the heart behind the podcast, a preview of year two, some great youth ministry stories, and what makes Mark and Randell abnormal!