And Sons

One of the best parts of parenting is being a friend to our kids. Yet we can sometimes get so focused on correcting them about everything, we miss the chance to connect with them about anything. Amy Dale joins Sam and Blaine to share what it looks like to be a safe place for our kids, to be fully present when they're ready to talk, and to speak life by saying "Here's what I see in you that's true" when they lose sight of who they really are.

Does the pursuit of your dreams feel like the "forever project"—one you can't quit thinking about but never quite happens? Wild at Heart team member Allen Arnold understands how we get stuck in these areas...and the ways to break free. He's spent more than two decades working with people in the area of story, dreams, and creativity. Along the way, he's discovered the exponential power of concentrated periods of creativity over what most of us do...which is spend micro moments as time permits and wonder why we never get to the finish line. Your passion project may be closer to reality than you imagine...once you know how to approach it. SHOW NOTE: Check out www.withallen.com for ways to pursue your creativity with God.

Have you gotten into a rut with your close friends? Do you tend to just watch sports together, go to the same hang-outs, or re-tell the same high school or college stories? If you want your friendships to last, you'll have to master some more difficult relational skills. Such as refusing to talk about people not in the room as well as practicing vulnerability, unselfishness, and reconciliation. It isn't hard, but it does take intention.

What one practice stirs your heart...yet you're not currently doing it? Maybe you've never believed you had time or the courage to try it. Now, imagine joining a group of like-minded people all committed to doing their "one thing" during the same window of time. That's the February Experiment for the AndSons community. Here's how it works: 1) Choose a practice that you want to try for the month of February (hey, that's only 28 days!). 2) Pick a buddy to do it with you. 3) Make it real by emailing [email protected] to commit to your one thing. Do so by February 1st. We'll regroup in a March podcast to see how it went. This isn't a performance-driven, self-betterment resolution. It's an invitation into 28 days of self-discovery, life, and joy. Are you in? SESSION NOTE: Email [email protected] to name your February Experiment commitment.