Redeeming the Chaos

Find the show notes for this episode HERE.Have you ever asked yourself… Why are my boys so WILD?  Why do they have so much energy? Why are they so loud and rambunctious and aggressive?  In today's episode, we're going to find out where this wildness comes from.WELCOME TO THE SWORD AND STORY PODCAST! The Sword and Story podcast is dedicated to helping Christian parents discover exciting, faith-filled books for their boys—stories packed with courage, honor, and adventure. If you're looking for books for your boys with thrilling storytelling from a Christian worldview, then you're in the right place.Join us as we explore books that will help our boys grow to be strong, courageous warriors for the Kingdom of God. I'm your host, Laurie Christine. I'm the author of the Dragon Slayer Bible Series, adventure-packed biblical fiction for 8-12 year old boys. I'm also a wife and mom to 4 wild, wonderful young men. My boys are currently 9, 10, 13, and 14.I am busy interviewing and scheduling authors for the new episodes of the Sword and Story podcast. Those new author interviews will be airing later this summer. But in the meantime, I think it's important that we take some time to understand how God created our boys. Last week we listened to an interview with Mark Hancock, CEO of Trail Life USA. If you missed that episode, go back and listen to episode 2 of the sword and story podcast and you can find that at swordandstorypodcast.com. In that episode, Mark and I discussed how we can let our boys be boys.This week, we're tackling the question:  Why are my boys so wild? Why are they so loud? Why do they have so much energy? If we want to find books that will help our boys to become strong, courageous warriors for God's Kingdom, we need to understand some of the core desires that God has given boys. That's what we're going to talk about in today's episode. 

Learn more at www.SwordandStoryPodcast.comRead a transcript of my interview with Mark Hancock here: https://lauriechristine.com/let-boys-be-boys-with-mark-hancock/

WELCOME TO THE SWORD AND STORY PODCAST! The Sword and Story podcast is dedicated to helping Christian parents discover exciting, faith-filled books for their boys—stories packed with courage, honor, and adventure. If you're looking for books for your boys with thrilling storytelling from a Christian worldview, then you're in the right place.Join us as we explore books that will help our boys grow to be strong, courageous warriors for the Kingdom of God. Learn more at www.SwordandStoryPodcast.com

Find the shownotes HERE.LINKS:  JesusHelpMeParent.comRedeemingTheChaos.comLaurieChristine.comINTRO“What is causing the quarrels and fights among you?” How many of you have said that to your kids before? I know I have!  I would estimate about 95% of conflict and parenting challenges in our household stems from sibling conflict. Welcome to Redeeming the Chaos. I'm your host, Laurie Christine. I'm an author, Bible teacher, wife, and mom to four wild, wonderful boys. I would love for you to join me on this adventure of raising courageous warriors for the Kingdom of God.As moms of young men, we know that fighting among boys often gets very physical. While girls may sulk and hold a grudge for weeks on end, boys tend to explode with big emotions and lash out physically at whichever sibling is nearest to them.  (this is a generality. I'm sure you can tell me stories of your girls who have broken out into fist fights as well)So, what causes these fights and quarrels? If you didn't pick up on it, this question is a quote from James chapter 4. I'll read the rest of the passage here:“What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don't they come from the evil desires at war within you? 2 You want what you don't have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can't get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them.”Does that sound familiar?  Our kids have strong desires. Maybe they want the biggest piece of cake for dessert. Maybe they want the best, squishiest chair for movie night, or the front seat in the minivan. Maybe they want to be treated fairly, maybe they just want to be left alone. (Granted, not all these desires are evil… but often a big desire is the underlying cause of sibling conflict). And look what the verse says… you scheme and kill… you are jealous… you fight and wage war… all this in order to get what you want.  Sound familiar? Now, hopefully the conflict in our homes has not escalated  to the point of killing… however, in the book of Matthew Jesus says “hating” someone is just as bad as “murdering them” in our hearts. So, how do we deal with the conflict that inevitably arises between siblings? How can we teach our kids to show kindness and love to each other, rather than seeking revenge? We have a guest on the show today to help us answer these questions. "B.J. Meurer has worked with families for over 25 years as an elementary educator, biblical parenting coach & presenter, and digital course creator. He has coached families with children of all ages and stages facing a wide variety of emotional, mental, and biological challenges and helped them discover and personalize the practical heart-based tools and strategies that bring about positive change in their families. You can find many more of B.J.'s parenting resources and videos at JesusHelpMeParent.com. 

View the shownotes at https://lauriechristine.com/why-i-dont-make-new-years-resolution/Adventure-Packed Biblical Fiction & Devotions for Kids 8-12Garden of Mysteries, A Dragon Slayer Bible Story, is now available for purchase on Amazon. Learn more at www.DragonSlayerBible.com

Boys are different. From the moment they burst into your life, they bring a whirlwind of energy, noise, and adventure that never seems to slow down. If you're a mom of boys, you know it's not just a parenting style—it's a lifestyle. And I wouldn't trade it for the world! Whether it's the endless supply of dirt in their pockets, the creative use of furniture as a jungle gym, or the unspoken rule that socks never stay on feet, raising boys comes with its own unique (and often hilarious) set of challenges. Here are 50 telltale signs you might be a boy mom—prepare to laugh, nod along, and maybe even roll your eyes in solidarity! Adventure-Packed Biblical Fiction & Devotions for Kids 8-12Garden of Mysteries, A Dragon Slayer Bible Story, is now available for purchase on Amazon. Learn more at www.DragonSlayerBible.com

Find the shownotes for this episode HERE.RESOURCESGo BibleAverage Boy PodcastAverage Boy BooksClubhouse MagazineAdventure-Packed Biblical Fiction & Devotions for Kids 8-12Garden of Mysteries, A Dragon Slayer Bible Story, is now available for purchase on Amazon. Learn more at www.DragonSlayerBible.com

Find the shownotes for this episode HERE.Many boys tend to be drawn to books about evil monsters, epic battles in space, fire-breathing dragons, and planets exploding into smithereens. Our kids are drawn to magical stories about fantastical creatures and worlds beyond our own.Are stories about fantastical creatures and magical places safe for our kids to read? Do they have value in the lives of our children? Find out in this episode of Redeeming the Chaos.We have a special guest on the show today who is a bit of an expert on fantastical stories.E. Stephen Burnett explores fantastical stories for God's glory as publisher of Lorehaven.com and its weekly Fantastical Truth podcast. He coauthored The Pop Culture Parent and creates other resources for fans and families, serving with his wife, Lacy, in their central Texas church. Stephen's first novel, Above the Circle of Earth, a science-fiction adventure, launches in 2025 from Enclave Publishing.

In this episode of Redeeming the Chaos, Laurie talks with Elizabeth Urbanowicz of Foundation Worldview, about God's design for gender.Find the full show notes HERE.

You can find the full shownotes for this episode HERE.Episode Summary: In today's episode of Redeeming the Chaos, Laurie Christine talks with Jessica Hurlbut, author of Unlimited Motherhood and host of the Full Spectrum Parent podcast. Jessica is a mom to five children, two of whom have autism. She shares her journey of raising children on the spectrum while continuing to trust God through the difficulties of parenting.Key Takeaways:Autism is a spectrum, and every child's needs are unique.There is a grieving process when a child is diagnosed, but healing and peace come with acceptance.God doesn't call parents to fix their children, but to love them.Autism or any special need does not limit God's ability to work in and through a family.It's essential to seek the resources and help your child needs, even if you fear labels.The challenges of motherhood, especially with special needs children, can deepen faith and trust in God.

Get the show notes here: https://lauriechristine.com/how-to-talk-to-your-kids-about-pornography/Pornography. It's not a fun topic to discuss, but it's a very important conversation to have with our boys. (And not just an isolated discussion, but an ongoing conversation!)The average age that kids are exposed to pornography is between the ages of 8-10. It's literally everywhere. Especially when younger and younger kids have unlimited access to cell phones, ipads, and other devices. Even if you've been super careful to limit your child's internet access, chances are they have a friend at school, on the bus, in the neighborhood and yes, even at church, who might expose them to pornography. Pornography is a world-wide pandemic that has been normalized by our society. I don't think many Christians truly realize the danger of pornography. This is a quote that I found from an article on NPR that I think describes this pandemic very well: “Imagine a drug so powerful it can destroy a family simply by distorting a man's perception of his wife. Picture an addiction so lethal it has the potential to render an entire generation incapable of forming lasting marriages and so widespread that it produces more annual revenue … than all of the leading technology companies combined.”So, what can we do about this drug that is destroying the very foundation of our society? How can we protect our children and teach them to value God's design for marriage? We have a special guest on the show to help us answer these questions. Kristen Jenson is the founder of Defend Young Minds and the #1 bestselling author of Good Pictures Bad Pictures, a read-aloud book to teach young children how to reject pornography. Her trusted resources and content, including the Brain Defense Digital Safety curriculum, have helped millions all over the world to defend children from all forms of sexual exploitation.

In this episode of Redeeming the Chaos, the Laurie Christine discusses the concept of the fruit of the Spirit. Guest Christy Thomas, a mom of three boys and an author with extensive experience in Children's Ministries, shares her insights on nurturing deep faith in children through small habits. They discuss common misconceptions about the fruit of the Spirit, the role of the Holy Spirit in fostering these qualities, and practical ways parents can instill these values in their kids. Christy also introduces her books Fruit Full, a family devotional on the fruit of the Spirit, and Little Habits Big Faith, which focuses on forming small, impactful habits to nurture faith in children.

Learn more about Garden of Mysteries, Book 2 in the Dragon Slayer Bible Series HERE.

 Frank Peretti meets the Jesus Storybook Bible! That's how I like to describe the Dragon Slayer Bible Series. Book 2 in the series, Garden of Mysteries,  is available to order through Kickstarter, April 3-19th, 2024.  ORDER YOURS TODAY! A mysterious prophecy. An ancient curse. An invisible dragon.Seth's parents had secrets they wouldn't share with him. Why had the King kicked them out of the Garden? Why had he cursed the land? And could anyone break the curse?Seth wanted to know more. He had to find out the truth. But finding answers to his questions would prove more dangerous than he imagined.In the second book in the Dragon Slayer Bible Series, readers will experience a world where the consequences of sin have affected every part of creation, even the animals.Can Seth learn his parents' secret before the dragon destroys him?Garden of Mysteries, book 2 in the Dragon Slayer Bible Series, is part Bible-based fictional narrative, part devotional, and part Bible study. Through action-packed stories, inspiring scripture, and challenging devotional readings, boys will be trained to identify lies of the invisible dragon, and to trust more fully in the God of Angel Armies. Learn more at www.DragonSlayerBible.com

View the show notes for this episode HERE.Learn more about Garden of Mysteries, book 2 in the Dragon Slayer Bible Series, at www.DragonSlayerBible.com

You can find the show notes for this episode HERE.Order Garden of Mysteries on Kickstarter HERE.Don't forget to check out Lorehaven.com for Christian-made fantastical books.

Find out how cherubim can help you teach your kids about the significance of Easter. Read the blog post here: https://lauriechristine.com/cherubim-meaning-of-easter/Follow the Kickstarter campaign for Garden of Secrets: Book Two in the Dragon Slayer Bible Series: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/lauriechristine/garden-of-secrets

You can view the show notes for this episode HERE.

In this week's episode of Redeeming the Chaos, Catherine Segars and I talk about why many teens walk away from the Lord, and what we as parents can do to help prevent them from doing so while our kids are still young.You can find the show notes HERE.

You can find the shownotes for this episode HERE.

You can read the blogpost version of this episode HERE.

You can view the shownotes for this episode HERE. 

Are you looking for family-friendly Advent devotions and activities to help you keep Christ at the center of your celebrations this year? You want to help your kids focus on Christ this Christmas season. You don't want to get so wrapped up in all the parties, events and Christmas shopping, that you forget to slow […]You can find the shownotes for this episode HERE.The post Celebrate with Purpose: Family-Friendly Advent Devotions appeared first on Laurie Christine.

How can we cultivate a heart of gratitude in ourselves and our kids? I know I say this every year, but I feel like Thanksgiving really snuck up on us this time. I mean, weren't we JUST finishing up summer vacation and getting ready for the school year to start? Like Yesterday??    Each year on […]You can find the shownotes for this episode HERE.The post How to Cultivate a Heart of Gratitude in Your Kids appeared first on Laurie Christine.

How can we use our words to speak life to our boys? Words are Powerful Words are powerful. Our words can be used to speak life and truth into the lives of our kids, or they can be used to hurt and damage them. Our words can destroy relationships or they can be used to […]You can find the shownotes for this episode HERE.The post The Power of Words: How to Speak Life to Your Children appeared first on Laurie Christine.

RISE OF THE ENEMY IS NOW AVAILABLE ON AMAZON! RISE OF THE ENEMY — NOW AVAILABLE! Today is BOOK LAUNCH DAY!  My new devotional book for boys has been launched out into the world, and it is now officially available on Amazon!  I'm super excited!  The book was funded successfully on Kickstarter back in May […]You can find the shownotes for this episode HERE.The post Rise of the Enemy is Available on Amazon! RTC 80 appeared first on Laurie Christine.

How can we empower our boys to be dangerous to the darkness? Of Course He Isn't Safe… In C.S. Lewis's book, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, Mr. Beaver tells Susan about Aslan, the true King of Narnia.  When Susan finds out that Aslan is a lion, she asks:  “Is he quite safe? I […]You can find the shownotes for this episode HERE.The post How Stories Can Empower Boys to be Dangerous to the Darkness (with SD Smith) RTC 79 appeared first on Laurie Christine.

How can rites of passage help your son become a man? What happened to rites of passage? Wearing gloves filled with fire ants. Running across the backs of a herd of cattle. Jumping from a 100 foot tower with nothing but a vine tied around your ankle.  What do these terrifying feats have in common?  […]You can find the shownotes for this episode HERE.The post Rites of Passage: How to help your son navigate the transition to manhood RTC 78 appeared first on Laurie Christine.

You're invited to a free webinar! I am hosting a free webinar with Dr. Scott Turansky, co-founder of the National Center for Biblical Parenting. The webinar is called: Navigating the Storm: Heart Based Parenting Strategies for Managing Anger.  If you feel like anger is the only way you know to get your kids to obey, […]You can find the shownotes for this episode HERE.The post Navigating the Storm: A Parenting Webinar on Anger RTC 77 appeared first on Laurie Christine.

Conflict resolution isn't fun. But it's part of growing up. Helping our sons learn how to handle conflict and show empathy is an invaluable skill they will use into adulthood. Help! Someone is being mean to my son! Has your son ever come home and told you that someone was being mean to him on […]You can find the shownotes for this episode HERE.The post Conflict Resolution Strategies: How to help your son navigate challenging friendships with empathy (RTC 76) appeared first on Laurie Christine.

Parenting is HARD.  Many days you feel inadequate to raise those energetic boys God has given you. Sometimes you feel overwhelmed by the responsibility of training your boys to be strong, courageous young men.  You often feel like your efforts are futile. You may even feel like a fraud.  Sound familiar? I know I have […]You can find the shownotes for this episode HERE.The post The Imperfect Mom: Are you believing these three lies about your parenting? RTC 75 appeared first on Laurie Christine.

Wondering how to thrive (and not merely survive) this summer with your boys? Keep reading, or listen to the podcast episode below: Summer is Here! Will You Cheer or Fear? How do you feel about summer vacation?  Some of you may be looking forward to lazy days, fun trips to the beach, and more family […]You can find the shownotes for this episode HERE.The post How to Have an Amazing Summer With Your Boys in 2023 RTC 74 appeared first on Laurie Christine.

Do you struggle to manage anger in your household? Do you get angry with your kids?  Do you struggle to control your own anger when your kids are off track?  And more importantly, is anger a bad thing??  As parents, we often use anger to deal with all the problems in our families. We think […]You can find the shownotes for this episode HERE.The post How to Manage Anger in Yourself and Your Kids RTC 73 appeared first on Laurie Christine.

Update on my Kickstarter Campaign for Rise of the Enemy – Book One in the Dragon Slayer Bible Series. BACK ON KICKSTARTER HEREYou can find the shownotes for this episode HERE.The post Update: Some Exciting News! RTC 72 appeared first on Laurie Christine.

How do you overcome doubts? How do you replace the lies of the enemy with the truth of God's word? Imagine this scenario. You're a little girl and your parents took you to the swimming pool. You decided you wanted to try out the highest high dive for the first time. You get in line, […]You can find the shownotes for this episode HERE.The post How to Overcome Doubts – Replacing Lies With Truth RTC 71 appeared first on Laurie Christine.

Do you want your boys to be strong and courageous followers of Jesus?  Do you want to equip your boys to fight the evil one?  Have you been looking for devotional books that will engage your boys and get them excited about reading the Bible? There's a battle raging in our world for the hearts […]You can find the shownotes for this episode HERE.The post My New Devotional Book for Boys RTC 70 appeared first on Laurie Christine.

Ever wonder how to teach your kids to analyze books they read from a Christian perspective? Find out in my interview with Steven A. Guglich. Foster a Love of Reading in Your Kids If you have been listening to this show for any length of time, you know that I love children's books. One of […]You can find the shownotes for this episode HERE.The post How to Encourage Your Kids to Analyze Books From a Biblical Viewpoint RTC 69 appeared first on Laurie Christine.

RTC 68 Heart Based Parenting Tool #3 – Casting a Vision Does your son need a positive vision for his future? Sometimes our sons can get stuck in patterns of negative behavior, and you begin to lose hope that he will ever change.  You wonder… Does he listen to anything I say? Will he ever […]You can find the show notes for this episode HERE.The post How to Give Your Son a Vision For His Future RTC 68 appeared first on Laurie Christine.

What is the significance of Easter and how can we teach our kids about it? Are You Ready for Easter? Did you ever think about the fact that we spend a whole month getting ready for Christmas, but Easter often seems to sneak up on us?  Well, not this year! Easter is April 9th this […]You can find the show notes for this episode HERE.The post How to Teach Your Kids About the Significance of Easter RTC 67 appeared first on Laurie Christine.

How can you use firmness as a parenting tool, without being harsh? Find out in today's episode of Redeeming the Chaos. I Get Frustrated With my Kids When… What is it that makes you frustrated with your kids? I know for me, I often get frustrated when my boys won't do what I asked them […]You can find the show notes for this episode HERE.The post How to Use Firmness With Your Kids Without Being Harsh RTC 66 appeared first on Laurie Christine.

It's often hard to trust God when our children have special needs. In a recent episode of Redeeming the Chaos, we talked about trusting God with our kids' hearts. But what happens when our kids' needs feel like more than we can handle? How do we trust God when parenting a child with special needs?  […]The post Trusting God With Your Special Needs Son RTC 65 appeared first on Laurie Christine.

Do you have a son who is extra sensitive and intense? This episode is for you! This post contains affiliate links. I earn a small commission from any purchases you make through these links. It's a great way to support the show! How to Parent a Sensitive and Intense Son We all have that one […]The post Parenting Sensitive and Intense Boys RTC 64 appeared first on Laurie Christine.

What is heart-based parenting and how can I use it to connect with my son's heart? Find out in this episode of Redeeming the Chaos. Have you tried all the things? Have you tried all the parenting strategies and you just don't see any difference in your son's negative behavior?  You've tried everything from sticker […]The post 7 Tools of Heart-Based Parenting RTC 63 appeared first on Laurie Christine.

Finding balance seems elusive. But maybe we don't understand what balance really is! Finding Balance as a Busy Boy Mom As moms of boys, finding balance in life often feels like chasing after the horizon, doesn't it? You can see it in the distance, and you have a vague idea of what it looks like, […]The post Finding Balance as a Busy Boy Mom RTC 62 appeared first on Laurie Christine.

“God won't give you more than you can handle.” Has anyone ever said this to you?  Well guess what, honey. It just ain't true! Sorry to burst your bubble.

Can't Take No For an Answer Does your son struggle to take No for an answer? Does he whine, complain, argue and stomp, whenever you try to set limits for him?  We have a guest on the show today who is going to talk to us about how to teach our kids to take no […] The post My Son Won't Take No for an Answer RTC 60 appeared first on Laurie Christine.

Are you looking for Christmas devotionals for families? Keep reading, or listen here: Christmas in the Chaos (This post contains affiliate links) The days between Thanksgiving and Christmas can often be some of the busiest days of the year. But I want to encourage you to slow down and be intentional with your kids this […] The post 5 Christmas Devotionals for Families appeared first on Laurie Christine.

Why Are My Kids Discontent? Are your kids discontent? Do they struggle to be satisfied with what they have? This is the time of year we often talk about thankfulness. Not that we shouldn't be thankful the rest of the year, but November is often a time when we focus our efforts on teaching our […] The post Why Are My Kids Discontent? RTC 58 appeared first on Laurie Christine.

How do we teach our boys about spiritual warfare? Boy Moms, we are at war. There's a battle raging in our world for the hearts and minds of our boys. The enemy is working harder than ever to deceive our sons and distract them from the truth of the Gospel. As moms, we need to […] The post How to Teach Boys About Spiritual Warfare appeared first on Laurie Christine.

Hey there mommas… I don't know about you, but I am often overwhelmed by my boys' big, angry, often physical, outbursts of emotion. So, how do we raise boys who know how to respond appropriately to their own feelings? How do we help our boys manage big emotions? That's what we're going to talk about in […] The post How to Help Boys Manage Big Emotions with David Thomas — RTC 56 appeared first on Laurie Christine.