Grief has a way of making the holidays louder—the empty chair, the quiet phone, the tradition that now feels like a gap. With licensed clinical social worker Mandy Young, we talk candidly about why this season magnifies loss and how to face it with a plan rooted in compassion, faith, and rest. Instead of forcing yourself to “be strong” or attempting to skip December entirely, we explore a gentler path that honors love and creates space for both tears and tenderness.

Mandy introduces the idea of dosing your grief: small, intentional moments to feel and remember so the emotions don’t crash without warning. We unpack her ocean analogy, where early grief feels like riptides and later like shifting waves at your feet. Because holidays are predictable waves, Christmas Eve, church services, family meals, New Year’s, you can prepare with lower expectations, shorter visits, delegated tasks, scheduled breaks, and a friend on standby. We also name what helps and what hurts. Retire the clichés and anything that starts with “at least.” Choose presence over fixing. Say their person’s name. Meet simple needs: trash to the curb, mail collected, tissues and groceries, fresh pajamas, a reminder to shower and eat.

On the faith side, we offer realistic ways to connect with God when focus is hard: listen to Scripture, lean on worship, borrow hope from a friend whose faith is steady, and remember that Jesus modeled rest and limits. Therapy, prayer, and Jesus belong together; feeling distant does not mean God is distant. If you’re grieving, assign roles to your people, a friend for fun, another for deep talk, someone for logistics, and ask specifically for what you need.

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When the holiday calendar fills, and expectations skyrocket, opening your door can feel like a performance test. We push back on that pressure and return to the heart of hospitality: seeing people, making room, and letting welcome outweigh perfection.

We unpack why hospitality matters in a hyperconnected yet isolated world, drawing from the way Jesus used meals to restore dignity and build relationships. You’ll hear how an ordinary family table turned into a decades-long ministry, why no one remembers last year’s sides but everyone remembers who listened, and how to include people who don’t have a place to go during the holidays.

Expect practical takeaways you can use this week: a “party box” that reduces last-minute stress, three or four go-to meals you can repeat without guilt, small sensory touches that say “you belong here,” and simple first steps like calling someone who needs a voice of care or inviting a not-yet-close acquaintance to lunch. Whether you host in a cozy living room, a park, or your favorite coffee shop, the goal is the same: open doors, open hearts, and a welcome that points to Jesus.

If this resonated with you, subscribe, share it with a friend who needs the nudge to host without pressure, and leave a review telling us one small step you’ll take to practice hospitality this week.

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Instagram: @centralbaptistwomen

Facebook: CBC Women's Ministry

Ever wish your child would come to you first, not last, when life gets messy? We sit down with therapist and mom Courtney Newberry to unpack how to create a shame-free home where honesty feels safe, boundaries are clear, and grace stays at the center. Courtney draws a clean line between shame (I am wrong) and guilt (I did wrong), then shows how that shift changes the entire tone of discipline, confession, and repair. We talk about the pressures teens and college students carry—performing for peers, meeting moving expectations, chasing instant gratification—and how parents can respond with presence over control.

You’ll hear practical phrases that de-escalate conflict without backing away from truth, including how to validate feelings without crowning them as facts. We explore why predictable rules reflect God’s unchanging character, and how simple, sincere apologies from parents model humility and invite kids to be honest. Courtney shares how prayer turns into a living classroom: when kids hear us pray for them and with them, vulnerability stops being scary and starts feeling normal.

We also address the parent side of the heart: what to do with your own guilt and shame, how to return to your identity in Christ, and how sharing a wise, age-appropriate testimony can break cycles and open conversations. If you’re longing for a home that blends steady boundaries with warm connection—where kids learn to confess, repair, and grow—this conversation offers language, mindset shifts, and faith practices you can use today.

If this encouraged you, follow the show, share it with a friend who needs hope, and leave a review so more families can find grace-filled guidance.

Follow along at:

centralbaptist.com/women

Instagram: @centralbaptistwomen

Facebook: CBC Women's Ministry