Gratitude isn’t just a nice idea, it’s a powerful habit that can transform your family, your outlook, and even your brain.

In today’s episode of Little Shoots Deep Roots, we dive into how practicing intentional gratitude (whether through simple daily lists or creative family rituals) truly reframes challenges and brings us closer to God and one another. The real magic happens when these small acts are modeled and repeated, turning thankfulness into a defining quality of your life and leadership.

Start simply, keep it real, and watch gratitude seep out of you and inspire those around you.

✨ In this episode:

• Why gratitude matters for your child’s spirit, brain, and relationships

• Real-life family struggles—plus hope for progress (not perfection!)

• Brain science and faith: how God designed gratitude to shape us

• A creative “thanks living calendar” tradition to try in your own home

• Tips for modeling and teaching gratitude, even when kids resist

• How grace and gratitude team up to reframe hard moments

⁠EPISODE PAGE (including transcript)⁠

📚 FOLLOW-UP RESOURCES:

Book: ⁠Little Habits, Big Faith by Christie Thomas

Podcast: Living the Grace Life, with Jennifer Sakata

When life feels like a storm—whether in your child’s heart or your own—gratitude can be the calm in the chaos.

Discover how developing simple gratitude habits can transform chaotic moments into opportunities for growth, and gain practical, gentle strategies for helping your kids (and yourself!) find joy and contentment...even on tough days. Listen to a heartfelt story from Christie’s own family and learn why gratitude is more than just polite words - it’s a lifeline during life’s storms.

✨ In this episode:

- How gratitude calms hearts, rewires anxious minds, and invites God’s peace

- A real-life story about shifting a child’s anxious meltdown with simple thankfulness

- The science and Scripture behind gratitude’s transformative power

- Easy, grace-filled ways to build thankful rhythms into your family life (daily, seasonal, and in tough moments)

- Breath prayers you can use right now to help your family relax and find hope

EPISODE PAGE (including transcript)

📚 FOLLOW-UP RESOURCES:

Book: Little Habits, Big Faith by Christie Thomas

Join us as we embrace practical, grace-filled habits and watch faith, peace, and joy take root in our families!

#ChristianParenting #FamilyGratitude #FaithHabits #ParentingPodcast #ChristianFamily #PeacefulParenting #AnxietyHelp #GratitudePractice

Welcome to Little Shoots Deep Roots, where we help parents cultivate deep faith in their families, one small habit at a time!

In this episode, host Christie Thomas sits down with special guest Sarah Ruth Owens to explore what it looks like to prioritize real family connection (both practically and spiritually) even in the midst of busy schedules and unconventional family rhythms.

Discover why togetherness matters for your children’s sense of belonging, how dads can step beyond the provider role to become central to family life, and hear simple but powerful tips that will help you connect intentionally with your kids every single day.

Whether your days feel jam-packed or you’re seeking meaningful ways to foster faith at home, you’ll leave this episode encouraged and equipped with ideas to deepen your family’s roots.

🔗⁠Episode page⁠ (including summary article)⁠

📚 FOLLOW-UP RESOURCES:

1. ⁠⁠⁠📚⁠ SarahRuth's book: Everyday Banquet
2. 📚⁠⁠ My book: Little Habits, Big Faith

If you’ve ever been worried by the statistic that two-thirds of youth stop attending church as young adults, you’re not alone. But there’s hope!

Recent studies show the ONE thing that's most important in developing your child's faith...and you're probably already doing it!

Listen in for the reason "family warmth" makes the biggest difference in your child's faith, as well as actionable ideas for how to improve your connection with your child.

🔗 ⁠Episode Webpage (with full transcript)⁠

📚 FOLLOW-UP RESOURCES:

1. ⁠Little Habits, Big Faith:⁠ find the right habits for this moment in your family life
2. 5-Day Fun With Your Son Challenge
3. Mother Son Prayer Journal

Subscribe on your favorite listening platform for practical tips, real parent interviews, and encouragement as we become faith gardeners together!

Ever wondered how to actually create meaningful Sabbath rhythms, even with reluctant kids and packed weekends? Eryn and Christie share honest stories, practical ideas, and encouragement to help you rediscover Sabbath as a real gift, one that brings joy, connection, and refreshment (not just rules and guilt!).

Whether your family’s rest day is more chaos than calm right now, or you’re longing to try simple, doable Sabbath practices, this episode will equip you with inspiration and real-world tools to start small, tweak what’s not working, and grow new family habits of rest...rooted in God’s delight for you.

🔗Episode page (including summary article)⁠

📚 FOLLOW-UP RESOURCES:

1. ⁠📚 ⁠Eryn's book, The Nature of Rest
2. 🎧 Nat Theo podcast⁠ (for kids)
3. 🛏️ ⁠The Family Sabbath Guide⁠⁠

If you feel stuck in the constant churn of parenting, work, and activities, this episode is your gentle invitation to pause, breathe, and discover how making room for rest is not only possible, but transformative.

You’ll leave with actionable ideas for simple Sabbath habits—plus permission to start imperfectly, one little step at a time.

📚 Read LITTLE HABITS, BIG FAITH

🔗 Read the TRANSCRIPT

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN:

✅ Rest is a gift

✅ You don’t have to be perfect

✅ Start small

✅ Involve your family

✅ It’s flexible

What if worship isn’t just about singing in church, but about chasing God’s glory through everyday moments—like running, cooking, or simply watching the sunset?

Discover how ordinary rhythms can become opportunities to honor God, invite healing, and nurture deeper faith for the whole family.

Dorina Lazo Gilmore-Young, mother of three, children’s author, Bible study teacher, and remarried widow, opens up about her family’s journey through grief and healing. Her story beautifully illustrated that worship isn’t confined to church pews or Sunday morning sing-alongs—it’s a treasure hunt for God’s glory in the everyday moments.

Here are 3 key takeaways for parents, educators, and anyone passionate about cultivating faith with kids:

1) Worship Isn’t Just Singing: Dorina encourages us to redefine worship as “chasing after God’s glory”—seeking and honoring God in all aspects of daily life, whether it’s through music, movement, creativity, or nature.

2) Healing Through Expression: She shared how singing and creative expression played a crucial role in her family’s healing after loss, showing the power of worship in both joy and grief.

3) Invite Kids on a “Glory Hunt”: Dorina’s tip for parents: help children connect with God using their five senses—seeing, hearing, tasting, feeling, and smelling God’s presence in everyday experiences.

🔗 Full Episode webpage

📚 FOLLOW-UP RESOURCES:

1) Chasing God’s Glory (Children’s Book)

2) Glory Gram (Weekly Family Inspiration)

3) Devotional Journal: "Breathing Through Grief"

4) Glory Chasers Bible Study

KEYWORDS:family worship, teaching kids about worship, Christian parenting, children and grief, spiritual habits for kids, chasing God's glory, redefining worship, worship beyond music, kids and music, faith-building activities, creative worship for families, faith and resilience, healing through worship, family Bible study, worship through running, worship through cooking, worship and daily life, incorporating faith in routines, liturgical calendar for families, Advent traditions, Lent for kids, grief and faith, multicultural worship experiences, worship in Haiti, children’s faith resources, Christian picture books, Glory Chasers Bible study, Breathing through Grief devotional, parental encouragement in faith, finding God in nature, worship and the five senses

What is Worship… Really?

“Worship” can feel hard to define, but that’s also what makes it so freeing! Let's walk through how worship is woven into everything we do—through music, prayer, service, or even a mindful walk outside. The heart of worship is honoring God in spirit and truth, letting Him shape every part of our lives.

🔗 Episode Webpage (with full transcript)

✨ In this episode:

• What worship really means for families—beyond Sunday songs
• The “faith growth cycle” and how to start a worship habit at home
• Creative, bite-sized worship ideas for busy family routines

📚 FOLLOW-UP RESOURCES:

1. Worship Styles quiz for kids
2. Little Habits, Big Faith: find the right habits for this moment in your family life, habits that will help root your family into “waking up to God and to the purposes of God in the world, and then living lives that actually show it.”

Subscribe on your favorite listening platform for practical tips, real parent interviews, and encouragement as we become faith gardeners together!

KEYWORDS:family worship, faith habits, cultivating faith, worship habits, Christian parenting, worship styles, worship music, daily rituals, faith growth cycle, Old Testament worship, New Testament worship, acts of service, teaching children faith, worship at home, gratitude practices, church routines, spiritual formation, faith and music, creative worship, serving others, Bible memory, family prayer, celebrating small wins, spiritual creativity, worship playlists, deepening worship, worshipping through chores, worship reflection, encouraging participation, parenting tips