Episode 88

True to form, this episode starts with me feeling sure that I messed up my guest’s name. I didn’t even bother to edit it out because the reality is, I am who I am. Laugh with me!

My guest, Eryn Eddy Adkis, is the founder of the company So Worth Loving, and a host of the podcast God Hears Her.

I loved learning about Eryn’s upbringing and how it impacted her as an adult and the company she started called, So Worth Loving. This company exists “to create product as an entry point to vulnerable conversations”. When I read that, I was instantly intrigued. In the work I do, so many people I talk to have been hurt or are hurt. What I find is that they often want to go deep and share vulnerably but it is scary to do so. By going first, I get to help them find the courage to do that. And that is exactly what Eryn is doing with So Worth Loving.

Eryn and I also talked about the podcast God Hears Her, and the way it has given space for women to have the courage to share their own difficult stories. And that has given Eryn and so many others freedom to walk in freedom and not in shame. What a gift!

Be sure to look up the work that Eryn is doing with both her company and the podcast.

You will be blessed.

Where to find Eryn:

Find So Worth Loving here

Find Eryn on Instagram here

Find God Hears Her podcast here

The Greta Eskridge Podcast is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.org

Today I got to talk to Brian Smith and Ed Uszynski about their new book, Away Game—A Christian Parent’s Guide to Navigating Youth Sports. This is a new topic for the podcast but as soon as I saw the title pop up in my email, I was intrigued. Youth sports are such a huge part of the lives of many families, and I love that Brian and Ed are asking the question, “where does the Gospel fit into youth sports?”

Brian and Ed were collegiate athletes and now work with an organization called Athletes in Action that brings Christ into the lives of coaches and athletes of all levels. But it was when their own kids began playing youth sports that they decided to begin looking at things like: how kids and families can grow in relationship with Christ through sports, not allowing sports to become an idol, showing grace through failure, reflecting the love of Christ to every other athlete on the field, and so much more.

In their book, they talk about “spiritual formation rather than sports formation”. And I just love their desire to make sports culture something that reflects Jesus’ heart instead of making it self-focused, like so much of sports can be. We discussed the youth sports industry that really isn’t about what’s best for our kids, but rather about playing into our own insecurities as a parent, and the pressure we parents are putting on our kids as a result. That led us to talk about the importance of making sports about joy and fun and less about winning. 70% of kids are quitting youth sports by age 13 because the joy of play is gone for them. As Christians our joy isn’t in winning or being the best, but in showing and knowing the love of Christ no matter the outcome of the game.

I found this book and my conversation with Brian and Ed so encouraging and helpful. I know you are going to enjoy it too.

Where to find Ed and Brian:

Find their new book here

Find Brian and Ed on Instagram here

Find more of Brian and Ed’s writing here

The Greta Eskridge Podcast is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.org

I feel so fortunate that I got to interview today’s guest, Dr. Trish Leigh. As soon as I saw her book, Mind Over Explicit Matter: Quit Porn and Improve Intimacy Through Neuroscience, I knew I had to talk to her about it. Friends, this conversation is incredibly important, and you must not miss it!

Dr. Trish is a neuroscientist, a sex addiction recovery coach, a brain health coach, an author, speaker and mom to 5. She is a wealth of knowledge about the way the brain is impacted by pornography. So, if you are wondering how porn impacts the brain, and you should, this episode is for you!

Dr. Trish helps us understand how porn hijacks the brain’s dopamine system and the problems and dangers that causes. She explains the main reasons people use porn, how people use porn to numb negative feelings and ultimately how it causes a lack of joy in life. We talk about toxic relationships fueled by porn use. We also discuss masturbation and why it is not harmless. Yep, we went there! (If you want to learn more about the topic of masturbation, I have a whole chapter in my book on this topic because it is a question I get asked so often. So many parents have questions and so many of us don’t know who to ask or where to go. I’m here to help!) We also discuss how putting boundaries in place for our kids is hard, but worth it.

Dr. Trish gives us practical, doable tips as we are raising kids in this new era of parenting. There is just so much here.

Dr. Trish and I don’t agree on everything—for example, I do believe porn is a moral issue as well as an addiction issue—but wow, I am so grateful for what I have learned from her! Learning how things like pornography impacts and even changes the brain is a powerful tool as we raise kids in this porn saturated world. I know that God is the designer of our incredible, intricate brains and that we can honor Him by protecting not just our kids’ bodies, but their brains and hearts too. It is up to us offer our kids something better than porn could ever give them. If you don’t know how to do that, read my book, It’s Time to Talk to Your Kids About Porn. And if you are ready to educate yourself about how porn impacts the brain, get Dr. Trish’s book.

Where to find Dr. Trish:

Find Dr. Trish’s new book here

Find Dr. Trish’s website here

Find Dr. Trish on Instagram here

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Find my new book here

The Greta Eskridge Podcast is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.org

Episode 84

What a treat this episode was to record! A conversation with my friend Jaime Fennwick about our recent women’s walking retreat in the Cotswolds! What are the Cotswolds, you ask? Well we explain everything in this episode.

We talk about where we went (England!) and what we did (lots more than walk!) what we ate (the food was sooooo good!) where we slept (the nicest inns and hotels!) the incredible nature we saw (God is the master artist) and how He met us through the week in the beauty we saw and in the friendships that we formed. He even met us in the middle of a thunder and lightning storm! Ultimately what we found was this trip was so much more than a sightseeing tour. It was soul care.

Jaime and I are so excited to share a glimpse of this trip with all of you. But even more we’d love you to consider joining us on our next trip! We don’t have the exact dates yet, but you can be the first to know by signing up for alerts and newsletters from Jaime and I. You’ll find all the links below as well as on our Instagram pages. This was honestly one of the most wonderful trips I have ever been on. I hope you’ll be inspired to walk through the Cotswolds too! Or at least your own neighborhood.

Where to find Jaime and info about our next retreat:

Get updates about the next walking retreat here

Read Jaime’s blog here

Find Jaime on Instagram here

Find Greta’s blog here

Find Greta on Instagram here

The Greta Eskridge Podcast is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.org

Episode 83

Oh friends, this episode made me smile so big! I loved, loved my conversation with Hosanna Wong. Hosanna is an author and spoken word artist and she is intent on equipping people to share the gospel around the world. She also loves basketball and sports so much that she and her husband call themselves a sports family and especially a basketball family. In fact, we spend the first 5 minutes of this episode (at least) talking about sports and basketball. But then! Then we get to the heart of our conversation, which is all about Hosanna’s new book, “What God Says About You”.

Friends, this book is fantastic! And Hosanna’s heart for Jesus shines through each page, the pictures and the words too. This children’s book came about from a spoken word poem Hosanna wrote and shared around the world. The poem is called, “I Have a New Name” and she wrote it for herself, but it resonated with so many people as she shared it. But it was in 2023 that she heard kids sharing her poem online and it made her sit up and realize that kids need to know who they are in God’s eyes too. Thus, the book was born.

I loved hearing Hosanna read to us from her book and also to hear her explain some of the different names in the book and what our kids can take away from it as they read it.

In fact, I found myself in tears as I listened to Hosanna read. The message of her book is powerful and profound. And it is needed! You are going to love it and want to add it to your bookshelves right away.

PS. Be sure to have your kids count the dogs as they read the book!

Other things we talk about in this episode: the weight of writing children’s books, Illuminate Literary Agency (Hosanna and I’s literary agency!), the way the truths in this book can combat the shame, the immense value and importance of speaking God’s words over our children, and even how parents can use What God Says About You to reenforce the truth that they are made in God’s image and their bodies are worthy of respect and protection.

Where to find Hosanna:

Find Hosanna’s new book here

Find Hosanna’s new book on audio here

Find Hosanna’s other books here

Find Hosanna’s website here

Find Hosanna on Instagram here

Other resources mentioned in this episode:

Find Greta’s book, It’s Time to Talk to Your Kids About Porn here

The Greta Eskridge Podcast is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.org

Episode 82

I am so over the moon excited about today’s guest! I have followed Ashley Campbell online for about 16 years but this is the first time we have actually talked to each other and it was just so much fun! Over the years I have found Ashley to be such a source of inspiration to me. I watched her raise her 5 kids, home schooling them, making art with them and on her own, and living an intentional lifestyle in pursuit of dream. That dream was to take their family of 7 on a trip around the world for a whole year.

Then they actually did it and she wrote a book about it!

Ashley’s new book I’ve Never Been Here Before: Our Family’s Year of Budget Travel, Wandering the World and Finding the Sacred is even more wonderful that I imagined it would be. And in today’s episode we get to hear all about the details, planning, dreaming that went into creating this trip and then about the trip itself. Ashley is candid about the parts of this experience that were challenging, exciting and so fulfilling. We talk about what her family learned about the people of the world as they met other teens on basketball courts and soccer fields. Spoiler alert: it was far better than they imagined!

I know you will be so inspired by this episode and even more by reading Ashley’s book. The photography is all from their trip and the stories will just fill your soul. Be sure to go grab your copy after you listen to today’s episode!

Where to find Ashley:

Find Ashley’s new book here

Find Ashley on Instagram here

Find Ashley’s website and blog here

The Greta Eskridge Podcast is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.org

Episode 81

It's been a while since I’ve sat down to talk with you heart to heart, and I felt like it was time. Mostly because I know that in my desire to help you protect your kids from the devastating effects of pornography it is important to share them with you.

In today’s episode I am covering 3 things I want you to know about pornography right now. First, I’m talking about how pornography steals sexual integrity, and secondly, how erotic (some people call them spicy) books are pushing girls into consuming pornography. The last one is more encouraging: how it’s easier to talk to your kids about pornography than you think!

You’ll have to listen to hear about each one, but I am certain you will find this episode encouraging and helpful. I hope you’ll share it with friends because we all need to do our part and join in this fight to protect our kids.

I mention quite a few things in this episode that you’ll find in the resources listed below.

Be sure to take some time to look through them.

God bless you!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Find the Forest Frank video here

Find Greta’s book, It’s Time to Talk to Your Kids About Porn, here

Find info about Forest Home family camp here. *Mention my name for that first time family discount.

The Greta Eskridge Podcast is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.org

Hey friends, today we’ve got something special for you: a bonus episode straight from the Pardon the Mess podcast!

Every Monday, host Courtney DeFeo shares a short prayer to help you lift up your kids. This year’s series follows Christian Parenting’s brand new prayer journal, A Great Cloud of Witnesses.

Each week highlights a biblical hero of the faith, paired with Scripture-based prayers for your kids. Here is a sneak peek into week one:

This first week is all about Noah—a man of incredible faith and obedience. While the world around him turned away from God, Noah walked in righteousness. Building the ark probably looked foolish to everyone else, but Noah trusted God’s word even when it didn’t make sense. That’s the kind of faith we want for our kids: to listen to God’s voice over any others and walk confidently with Him even when it means standing apart.

If you love this episode and don’t have your copy of A Great Cloud of Witnesses yet, it’s not too late to get yours! Go ChristianParenting.org to get your copy and follow along. And don’t forget to tune in to Pardon the Mess every Monday for more prayer episodes.

Order A Great Cloud of Witnesses today

Follow Pardon the Mess on Apple or Spotify

The Greta Eskridge Podcast is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.org