Have you ever taken a device from your child only to have them lose their ever-loving mind? According to social researcher Dr. Jean Twenge, “That’s a good thing.”

Dr. Twenge graciously joins us in season 6 to talk about raising kids in a high-tech world. Dr. Twenge is one of the most prominent researchers of our day on generational differences and how screens are harming our brains and ability to related. But not only does she research it, she lives it and makes it incredibly practical for us as parents.

She highlights a few key truths. For example, did you know that the average teen uses just social media alone for 5 hours a day? Also, why are we not questioning Silicon Valley CEOs who follow the rules of drug dealers? “Don’t get high off your own supply.”

Dr. Twenge not only talks about these facts but also chronologically walks us through each age for setting tech rules (see time stamps).

Time Stamps:
0:00 Introduction
2:48 Dr. Jean Twenge shares research on happiness and what she did with her own children
7:50 What to do if your child is the only one who doesn’t have a screen
10:54 Tech rules for preschool - early childhood years
15:25 The research on happiness, depression, & inattention
17:57 Tech rules for late childhood years - pre-teen years
20:05 Latest trend: AI boyfriends and girlfriends
22:50 Video-gaming
24:45 Tech rules for teen years

Show Notes:
Get Dr. Jean Twenge’s latest book 10 Rules for Raising Kids in a High Tech World: https://amzn.to/4pP5o9m

To book Dr. Jean Twenge or see more of her works: https://www.jeantwenge.com/
 
Sign up for a free trial of KidsRQ! https://www.kidsrq.com
 
Join KidsRQ at the Founding Members rate: https://www.kidsrq.com
 
If you’re interested in a marriage you love, fill out this form: https://www.famousathome.com/loveyourmarriage
 
Download NONAH's new single Find My Way Home by clicking here: https://bellpartners.ffm.to/findmywayhome

"I used to think church was boring," says Landon, Josh and Christi’s 13-year-old son. He joins the show to talk about how he is learning to navigate faith and doubt, the defining faith moments he's had as a child, and what he's focuse on now that he's entering his teenage years. 

In this episode, we continue season 6 on Relational Intelligence in Kids by talking about how kids navigate faith and our role as parents in coming alongside them. 

Landon shares the defining moments in his life that helped him through seasons of doubt, fear, and boredom. He also shares the most impactful moments he's had in his faith journey and what he sees as the most effective way parents can lead their children in their respective faith journeys.

Time Stamps:
0:00 Introduction
2:40 Landon describes his experience of church and learning to hear the voice of God
8:04 Where a flip switched for Landon’s faith
14:30 Questions a 13-year-old asks about hearing God’s voice
17:34 The different journeys of doubt and faith
23:04 Landon’s perspective on how parents can show up in their children’s faith journey
31:08 Joy angels 

Show Notes:
Sign up for a free trial of KidsRQ! https://www.kidsrq.com

Join KidsRQ at the Founding Members rate: https://www.kidsrq.com

If you’re interested in a marriage you love, fill out this form: https://www.famousathome.com/loveyourmarriage

Download NONAH's new single Find My Way Home by clicking here: https://bellpartners.ffm.to/findmywayhome

If you have children, this episode is worth every minute. Kennedy Straub, Josh and Christi’s beloved daughter, joins the show to talk about how she’s learning to navigate emotions and feelings through the lens of an 11-year-old.
 
In this episode, we continue season 6 on Relational Intelligence in Kids by talking about the difference between emotions and feelings. For example, did you know that emotions keep you safe and feelings keep you aware? Or that one of them causes you “to move” or take action?
 
Kennedy also shares the tools she’s using to identify feelings and emotions in her life, what kids need from their parents in their uncomfortable feelings, and how her version of “spiritual jiujitsu” is helping her navigate those BIG feelings in prayer.
 
Time Stamps:
0:00 Introduction
2:25 The difference between feelings and emotions
6:38 An introduction to all things Kennedy
9:40 Iceberg of emotions through the eyes of an 11-year-old
13:40 Tools to identify the emotions under the iceberg
17:04 What kids need from parents in their uncomfortable emotions
24:08 Kennedy’s analogy for Jesus helping with emotions
 
Show Notes:
Sign up for a free trial of KidsRQ! https://www.kidsrq.com

Join KidsRQ at the Founding Members rate: https://www.kidsrq.com

If you’re interested in a marriage you love, fill out this form: https://www.famousathome.com/loveyourmarriage

Download NONAH's single Find My Way Home by clicking here: https://bellpartners.ffm.to/findmywayhome

Make no mistake, we live in a matrix. And the bar set by Western culture for raising children is deceptively low. As parents, we do everything we can to give our kids an advantage. But is more parenting “knowledge“ really what we need? Are child outcomes really better today than they were 10 to 20 years ago?
 
In this episode, we continue season 6 on Relational Intelligence in Kids by offering a new, yet ancient, paradigm for raising our children -- a paradigm that removes shame, grants God-given purpose, and breaks us free from the matrix. 
 
Time Stamps:
0:00 Introduction
1:13 What is the bar we’re setting for our kids?
3:02 Is more parenting “knowledge” really what we’re missing?
8:00 What makes KidsRQ unique
11:43 Why thinking, feeling, and relating at the same time is where growth happens
14:50 A vision for kids beyond the Western matrix
18:20 Raising “living letters” to the world
25:00 How life and fruit can grow from our emotions 

Show Notes:
Sign up for a free trial of KidsRQ! https://www.kidsrq.com

Join KidsRQ at the Founding Members rate: https://www.kidsrq.com

If you’re interested in a marriage you love, fill out this form: https://www.famousathome.com/loveyourmarriage
 
Download NONAH's single Find My Way Home by clicking here: https://bellpartners.ffm.to/findmywayhome

Kids are vulnerable, and vulnerability longs for safety. Perhaps it’s no wonder Jesus tells us to become like little children. Over time, our hearts grow hardened.

In this episode, Josh describes what children need, and talks about the “why” behind the new KidsRQ (Relational Intelligence) curriculum. 

*Note: This is a continuation from last week's episode Cultivating Relational Intelligence in Kids
 
Time Stamps:
0:00 Introduction
2:20 The vulnerability and dependence of a child
9:40 The presence of Jesus in our healing journey
f11:50 KidsRQ curriculum layout and experiential exercises
16:35 Get in with a free trial of KidsRQ 

Show Notes:
Sign up for a free trial of KidsRQ! https://www.kidsrq.com

Join KidsRQ at the Founding Members rate: https://www.kidsrq.com

If you’re interested in a marriage you love, fill out this form: https://www.famousathome.com/loveyourmarriage

Register now for the Tender & Fierce Fall Cohort: https://www.famousathome.com/offers/dDt2Aobj/checkout

Download NONAH's new single Find My Way Home by clicking here: https://bellpartners.ffm.to/findmywayhome

We all want to raise emotionally intelligent kids. Even more, we want them to be spiritually alive. For us, that’s what relational intelligence is all about. An overflow of experiencing the relational gospel of Jesus.

As we begin season 6, we’re covering relational intelligence in kids. In this episode, we start by introducing a brand new initiative called KidsRQ!

Time Stamps:
0:00 Introduction
3:00 The shift from emotional to relational intelligence
7:56 Kevin Wallace joins the show to talk about the creative journey
14:30 What is KidsRQ?
19:06 Emotion regulation and increasing rates of anxiety and depression in kids
23:18 The key components of KidsRQ

Show Notes:
Join KidsRQ at the Founding Members rate: https://www.kidsrq.com 

If you’re interested in a marriage you love, fill out this form: https://www.famousathome.com/loveyourmarriage

Register now for the Tender & Fierce Fall Cohort: https://www.famousathome.com/offers/dDt2Aobj/checkout

Download NONAH's brand new single Find My Way Home by clicking here: https://bellpartners.ffm.to/findmywayhome

Christi and Josh talk about the nervous system, childhood wounds, and why the motivation behind our spouse’s anger or criticism is deeper than we often give them credit for.

If you’re looking to have an understanding of your pain cycle and how to cultivate a deeper sense of emotional safety in your marriage, this episode is for you.

Time Stamps:
0:00 Introduction
1:15 Christi and Josh update on life this summer
6:15 Josh shares what’s coming for season 6
7:50 Introduction to the emotionally safe marriage
10:40 Your spouse’s motivation in the pain cycle
18:30 The nervous system, childhood wounds, and your pain cycle
29:17 A practice for interrupting your pain cycle and seeing your spouse
32:25 Learning what feels “safe” for you

Show Notes:
If you’re interested in a marriage you love, fill out this form: https://www.famousathome.com/loveyourmarriage

Register now for the Tender & Fierce Fall Cohort: https://www.famousathome.com/offers/dDt2Aobj/checkout

Download NONAH's brand new single Find My Way Home by clicking here: https://bellpartners.ffm.to/findmywayhome

The Tender & Fierce cohort is coming up again this fall! As we find ourselves sitting in between seasons on the Famous at Home podcast, we are replaying an interview with Christi about what it means to awaken the tender & fierce parts of your heart.

In this interview, Christi talks about how Tender & Fierce got started and answers questions about the Tender & Fierce cohort. She also shares how to awaken the tender and fierce part of who you are, why it begins with curiosity, and how it is enhanced through community.

Time Stamps:
0:00 Introduction
4:50 The genesis of and meaning behind Tender & Fierce 
10:46 What you can expect from Tender & Fierce
17:24 Who is Tender & Fierce for?
19:10 Why a Tender & Fierce retreat?
22:05 How to awaken your heart to be tender & fierce

Show Notes: 
Sign up for the Fall 2025 Tender & Fierce Cohort! Sign up here.
https://www.famousathome.com/offers/dDt2Aobj/checkout

For more information about the Tender & Fierce Cohort, click here. 
https://www.famousathome.com/tenderandfierce

If you’re interested in a marriage coaching cohort or intensive, fill out this form: https://www.famousathome.com/loveyourmarriage

Download NONAH's single Find My Way Home by clicking here: https://bellpartners.ffm.to/findmywayhome

Think about the deep neurobiological connection happening in your brain as you walk into a room and encounter someone who lights up at your presence, and the fulfilling sensation of knowing that person is beaming from the inside out with only one message, “I am so glad to be with YOU!”
 
Without relational joy, there is no relational intelligence. Instead, relational joy is the antidote to the numbing out of our hurried lives because you walk around with a sense of knowing you are seen and loved.

As we continue season 5 on relational intelligence, Josh provides what he calls the “JOY STARTS framework”—four principles and corresponding practices spelling the word JOYS to jumpstart relational joy in your life and in the lives of those around you. 

Time Stamps:
0:00 Introduction & Review of Season 5
4:54 Moving from self-protection to experience life-giving relationships
6:27 How our senses are tied to relational joy
11:38 What relational joy feels like
13:11 Introduction to the JOYS STARTS Framework
13:50 Joy is found in the face - practices that increase facial delight
21:40 Our brains are built for connection - practices for sharing joyful moments
25:02 You return to joy, not just peace - practices for redeemed conflict resolution and resilience
30:51 Set rhythms of joy - practices for daily joy rituals
33:32 Practices for building relational joy in a screen-saturated world

Show Notes:
If you’re interested in a marriage you love, fill out this form: https://www.famousathome.com/loveyourmarriage
 
Register now for the Tender & Fierce Fall Cohort: https://www.famousathome.com/offers/dDt2Aobj/checkout
 
Download NONAH's single Find My Way Home by clicking here: https://bellpartners.ffm.to/findmywayhome

Sam Jolman says, “Talking to your children about sex should be likened to having 100 one-minute conversations.”
 
As we continue season 5 on relational intelligence, therapist and author Sam Jolman joins us once again, this time to talk about how to help our kids script a narrative of romance.
 
In this episode, Sam shares profound insights on age-specific ways to talk to your kids about their body, why it’s important to follow their questions, and how to cultivate a value-based, not a fear-based conversation. In the end, the goal is to help our kids experience awe, not live in shame.
 
Time Stamps:
0:00 Introduction
2:19 Sam Jolman joins the show!
3:10 Talking to kids ages 0 to 6
6:40 A profound insight on shame and glory
12:09 Talking to kids ages 7 to 12
20:50 Moving from fear-based to values-base conversation with your kids
24:40 Talking to teens
30:10 The difference between arousal and lust 
33:20 Preparing our kids for marriage
40:02 Innocence, not naivety

Show Notes:
Get Sam Jolman’s book The Sex Talk You Never Got.
https://amzn.to/4kflULX
 
If you’re interested in a marriage you love, fill out this form: https://www.famousathome.com/loveyourmarriage
 
Register now for the Tender & Fierce Fall Cohort: https://www.famousathome.com/offers/dDt2Aobj/checkout
 
Download NONAH's brand new single Find My Way Home by clicking here: https://bellpartners.ffm.to/findmywayhome

Sam Jolman says, “The realm of evil hates your sexuality… [and] tries to, as quickly and as early as possible, join shame to your sexual story.”

As we continue season 5 on relational intelligence, therapist and author Sam Jolman joins us to talk about sex in marriage. Shame wreaks havoc on intimacy and relational connection, keeping us isolated and feeling alone.

It was never intended to be this way. Author of The Sex Talk You Never Got, Sam offers a refreshing, pure, and healing perspective on how to discuss, heal, and redeem intimacy with your spouse.

Time Stamps:
0:00 Introduction
2:39 Sam Jolman joins the show
6:04 Shame and the assault on sex
13:09 The human body created for pleasure
19:54 Song of Songs and the deep “knowing” that is the bedrock for intimacy
24:17 How to have the conversation of sex with your spouse
32:33 The role of kindness and compassion in the healing of your story
37:51 Talking about playfulness, safety, and sex with your spouse

Show Notes:
Get Sam Jolman’s book The Sex Talk You Never Got: https://amzn.to/4kflULX

If you’re interested in a marriage you love, fill out this form: https://www.famousathome.com/loveyourmarriage

Register now for the Tender & Fierce Fall Cohort: https://www.famousathome.com/offers/dDt2Aobj/checkout

Download NONAH's brand new single Find My Way Home by clicking here: https://bellpartners.ffm.to/findmywayhome

How well do you manage your relationship with the screen? How would your spouse describe how well you manage your relationship with the screen? What about your kids?

As we continue season 5 on relational intelligence, we discuss screen time and its effects on our nervous system. We share some sobering statistics about screens and hope by the end you honestly evaluate the answer to the question, “What role does the screen play in the quality of my life?”
 
Time Stamps:
0:00 Introduction
3:20 How do you relate with your screen?
8:57 Screens and the nervous system
12:12 Dopamine, screens, and temper tantrums
19:00 Multitasking, nervous system dysregulation, and attunement
27:20 Inattention in children’s television shows
32:29 Becoming relationally intelligent with screens

Show Notes:
If you’re interested in a marriage you love, fill out this form: https://www.famousathome.com/loveyourmarriage

Register now for the Tender & Fierce Fall Cohort: https://www.famousathome.com/offers/dDt2Aobj/checkout
 
Download NONAH's brand new single Find My Way Home by clicking here: https://bellpartners.ffm.to/findmywayhome

Forgiving others can be complicated. Especially when you’ve been hurt deeply by those you love the most.

As we continue season 5 on relational intelligence, we discuss the reality of forgiveness, why it’s so complicated, and a helpful process for forgiving others. We also offer a beautiful story of deep forgiveness in marriage as a model and a path forward.
 
Time Stamps:
0:00 Introduction to forgiveness and why it matters
3:16 The reality and process of forgiveness
7:50 The people we have to forgive
10:22 The complicated beauty of forgiveness
17:32 An example of forgiveness in marriage
21:30 The grace of our own forgiveness

Show Notes:
If you’re interested in a marriage you love, fill out this form: https://www.famousathome.com/loveyourmarriage

Register now for the Tender & Fierce Fall Cohort: https://www.famousathome.com/offers/dDt2Aobj/checkout
 
Download NONAH's brand new single Find My Way Home by clicking here: https://bellpartners.ffm.to/findmywayhome

Why do we self-protect in relationships? Especially if it hurts our deepest levels of intimacy with those we love?
 
Though we’re hurt in relationships, we’re also healed in relationships. As we continue season 5 on relational intelligence, we discuss the ways we self-protect, why self-protection is a form of artificial intelligence, and how to break free. Our hope for this episode is to give you hope that you can surrender self-protection and discover deeper relational connection with those you love.

Time Stamps:
0:00 Introduction
4:00 The ripple effect of relational intelligence
5:00 Self-protection as a form of artificial intelligence
8:12 The ways we self-protect
18:38 Ways to surrender our self-protection
24:06 Christi shares what she’s learning in her own journey of self-protection
31:43 Self-protection, overcoming fear, and the softening of your heart toward others
38:22 Disconfirming experiences, holding hope, and healing your heart 

Show Notes:
If you’re interested in a marriage you love, fill out this form: https://www.famousathome.com/loveyourmarriage

Register now for the Tender & Fierce Fall Cohort: https://www.famousathome.com/offers/dDt2Aobj/checkout

Download NONAH's single Find My Way Home by clicking here: https://bellpartners.ffm.to/findmywayhome

In season 5, we’re talking about relational intelligence. In this episode, we’re specifically looking at it through the lens of marriage, the delicate dance of intimacy, and why emotional safety is so important.
 
We also introduce season 5, which covers hot topics that challenge how we think about relationships, why we become numb to them, and how to navigate relational connections with those we love in a world becoming more artificially intelligent.
 
Time Stamps:
0:00 Introduction to season 5
3:00 The face-to-face nature of relational connection
4:19 Why and how we numb in relationships
13:11 Defining relational intelligence
16:00 Marriage coaching options
17:30 The delicate relational dance of marriage
24:51 Emotional safety in marriage
31:54 Your relationships in light of eternity
38:40 The inside-out nature of marriage 

Show Notes:
If you’re interested in a marriage you love, fill out this form: https://www.famousathome.com/loveyourmarriage
 
Download NONAH's brand new single Find My Way Home by clicking here: https://bellpartners.ffm.to/findmywayhome

In this episode, we address listener submitted questions, each of them around the constant demands and interruptions that come with raising children. Christi also walks us through an exercise to help calm nervous system dysregulation.
 
Time Stamps:
0:00 Introduction
4:15 Costco trips, homeschooling, and the evolution of a marriage and family
8:48 A practical exercise for nervous system regulation in the moment
15:55 Listener question: Mom of 4 littles trying to find a soul at rest with all the demands
26:36 Listener question: How to prioritize our sanity when constantly interrupted 

Show Notes: 
Ladies, interested in the fall Tender & Fierce Coaching Cohort? 
Register here: https://www.famousathome.com/offers/dDt2Aobj/checkout

If you’re interested in a marriage you love, fill out this form: https://www.famousathome.com/loveyourmarriage

Get John Eldredge’s latest book called Experience Jesus. Really.
https://amzn.to/4ks1NdL
 
Download NONAH's brand new single Find My Way Home by clicking here: https://bellpartners.ffm.to/findmywayhome

What does it mean to "love your marriage?" Is it something you've thought about? Or perhaps something you brag about to others? 

In this episode, Josh talks about what we mean by loving your marriage, the deeper meaning of marriage, and poses three revealing questions to ask yourself about your marriage. 

Time Stamps:
0:00 Introduction
1:50 Tender & Fierce coming up
2:55 What we mean by loving your marriage
9:50 The purpose of marriage
13:44 Falling in love over and over again
16:27 How our marriage influences our kids
17:30 Cultivating our marriage with the Bridegroom
23:00 Three revealing questions to ask yourself about your marriage

Show Notes: 
Ladies, interested in the fall Tender & Fierce Coaching Cohort?
Register here: https://www.famousathome.com/offers/dDt2Aobj/checkout

If you’re interested in a marriage you love, fill out form: https://www.famousathome.com/loveyourmarriage

Download NONAH's single Find My Way Home by clicking here: https://bellpartners.ffm.to/findmywayhome

Sometimes people come into your life as mentors, but they also become dear friends. We met Bill and Laurie Lokey in 2018 and little did we know how Bill’s cancer journey would unite our hearts and deepen our friendship.

As we continue our series on The People Who Shape Us, Laurie joins Christi to talk about the healing nature of relationships through grief and loss. No matter the loss in your life, whether it’s the loss of a spouse or loved one, or even the loss of a dream or deep relational hurt, we hope this conversation between Christi and Laurie encourages your heart.

Yes, we’re wounded in relationship, but we’re also healed in relationship. Laurie and Christi spend time talking about specific ways to heal the inner wounded parts of who we are and how to navigate loss while living in relational joy!

Time Stamps:
0:00 Introducing Laurie and how we all met
12:31 How Christi and Laurie partnered together
15:50 How Laurie navigates “withness” with Jesus since the loss of her husband
26:55 Healing the little boy and girl parts of who we are
35:55 Why we normalize our unhealthy reactions and how to slow them down
39:50 Ways Bill and Laurie celebrated the journey from this life to the next
52:15 Laurie’s grief journey living as a widow and the dreams God’s giving her today
1:00:51 Communing with God to heal your deeper inner wounds 

Show Notes: 
Ladies, interested in the fall Tender & Fierce Coaching Cohort? 
Register here: https://www.famousathome.com/offers/dDt2Aobj/checkout

If you’re interested in doing a Leader’s Heart cohort, click here. https://www.famousathome.com/theleadersheart

Click here for the episode: How to be Loved with Bill and Laurie Lokey. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-be-loved-with-bill-and-laurie-lokey/id1185660348?i=1000605800823

Click here for the episode: How to Love with Bill and Laurie Lokey. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-love-with-bill-and-laurie-lokey/id1185660348?i=1000605806112

Download NONAH's brand new single Find My Way Home by clicking here: https://bellpartners.ffm.to/findmywayhome

Have you ever been walking through life when you happen to look over and see someone else walking in the same direction? It’s like your spirit shouts, “Oh, me too!”

This is precisely what happened to Josh and Christi with their dearest friends, Luke (one-half of 4-Time Grammy Award winning For King & Country duo) and his wife, Courtney (founder of Technicolor Woman and author of Technicolor Woman Devotional).

Their ensuing friendship is one they share about in this episode, because it’s a testament to how our closest relationships shape our character. And that’s not just a cute social media post; it’s a scientific fact. We truly are the sum of those we spend the most time with. 

As we continue our series on The People Who Shape Us, Luke and Courtney join us to talk about how trusted friends call us higher, the beautiful consequences of letting others in, and how our adult friendships even shape our children. 

Time Stamps: 
0:00 Introduction 
4:00 How we all became friends
11:08 The character of friendship
19:41 The call and consequence of deeper friendship
33:32 The way adult friendships influence our children
40:43 How true friendship pushes us to higher living
51:34 How we experience God differently

Show Notes:  
Order a copy of Technicolor Woman Devotional by Courtney Smallbone.
Click here: https://technicolorwoman.com/products/technicolorwoman

Download the Famous at Home App! 
Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/famous-at-home/id6502221394
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.kj2147486660.app2&hl=en_US&pli=1

Ladies, just added! Sign up for the summer Tender & Fierce Coaching Cohort!
Register here: https://www.famousathome.com/offers/tVogjzHQ

Download NONAH's brand new single Find My Way Home by clicking here: https://bellpartners.ffm.to/findmywayhome

For the first time ever, Josh’s parents, Mike and Sharon Hess, join the show! We’re in a season called The People Who Shape Us, and we thought it fitting to have the most influential people in our lives share their own story of faith, and in this case, blended family. 
 
Josh shares his perspective of growing up in a blended family, and Mike and Sharon address co-parenting, raising kids in a two income home on shift work, and overcoming shame. Looking for hope and healing in your story? May this one be your catalyst.   

Time Stamps: 
0:00 Introduction
4:30 Shift work and parenting on two incomes
8:08 How our family navigated blended family
20:19 Hard conversations with parents, teachability, and healing in blended families 
35:00 From shame and isolation, to acceptance and community, after divorce 
40:30 Showing respect for stepparents and stepchildren 
 
Show Notes:  

Ladies, interested in the fall Tender & Fierce Coaching Cohort?
Register here: https://www.famousathome.com/offers/dDt2Aobj/checkout

Download NONAH's brand new single Find My Way Home by clicking here: https://bellpartners.ffm.to/findmywayhome