On this month’s M2P podcast, you’ll join the conversation we had with wife, mom, and writer Carrie Bevel Partridge. Carrie and her husband, Kevin, have five children, two of whom they adopted from Colombia in 2016. They have been right in the middle of parenting struggles for a long time, and Carrie has a lot to say about our focus this month, “When Parenting Hurts.” Throughout the podcast, we will discuss her article, When Parenting Hurts: A Resource for Moms and Dads. This resource is full of ideas for parents to think through when they are going through hard times as a family. Carrie has been creating resources for families for over a decade, and her hope is to support, encourage, and offer hope to families as they navigate real life. This episode does just that.

As we all move along our journey of life, we are no doubt shaped by what we encounter. Our experiences and the people we encounter have a tremendous impact on who we are. This is especially true of kids and teenagers. Kids and teenagers have many voices and influencers in their lives. As we attempt to disciple the children and teens in our church, in our homes, and in our community, we need to pay attention to the voices in their lives and do everything we can to surround them with the “cloud of witnesses” they need to grow in their faith.

On this episode of the M2P podcast, you’ll join Sass, Amy, and Kerry as they bring to you an interview they recorded while at the 2024 D6 Conference in Orlando, FL. The M2P team had a great conversation with pastor, author, professor, and dad Rich Griffith, about the power of surrounding kids and teens with the positive influences they need. Rich shares a lot of great nuggets from his book Voices: Helping Our Children and Youth Listen to Wise Counsel. Rich has many years of experience both in ministry and as a parent. Rich and the M2P team offer some great insight and encouragement to those of us leading kids and teenagers. It really is a great conversation!

One of the most significant challenges that parents have today is getting face-to-face with their kids and teens. The frantic pace of life and ever-increasing digital focus we all have can prevent us from engaging each other in ways that help us grow closer to the people we love. We all struggle in some way with having the healthy conversations we need to have. Our growing tendencies to isolate and communicate via screens are leading us away from the healthy relationships we all need and the conversations that help build and strengthen those relationships.

On this month’s M2P podcast, you’ll join Sass, Amy, and Kerry as they bring you an interview they recorded while at the 2024 D6 Conference in Orlando, FL. The M2P team talks with Patti Pilkington Reed about the importance of having what she calls “smart conversations” with ourselves, our teenagers, and our young adults. Patti is an entrepreneur, author, certified coach, and a growth-oriented leader. The M2P team will dive into a conversation with Patti and discuss some of the key principles found in her new book Face to Face: Smart Conversations with Yourself, Your Teenager, and Your Young Adult. This book is a great encouragement and resource for parents and ministry leaders alike. There are lots of practical nuggets in this episode that will help you both evaluate how you deal with conflict through conversations and how you can help the parents in your church do the same.