What’s Your Story? Join the Week of Sharing

0:00 [Music] hi my friends welcome back I'm Stacy belward the host of the connected families podcast Welcome to our community we are people committed to pursuing God's grace and truth for ourselves and then daily working to pass that Grace and Truth onto our children I'm so glad that you're here today well we are just a few days away from the connected fames week of sharing and today I have three special friends on

0:30 the show two are parents from our community who live in Australia and one is Adele Irwin our connected fames development director so Adele welcome to the podcast this is your debut on the podcast right yes I've never been on a podcast before and I'm looking forward to talking about the week of sharing and introducing our guests today no we're excited for everybody to see them but today we are talking about the connected family

1:00 week of sharing which is August 1 through 7 which is all about inviting our community to help us organically spread the word about the transformation that connected families framework can bring I don't know about you guys in fact well actually I do kind of know because I hear but it sure made a transformation in my life and so we want to invite you in our community to joyfully give this week and Dell I also

1:30 want to say just right away thank you for your care of our donor community and you just recently joined the connected families team as our first director of development so welcome yes you're very welcome I joined connected families about seven months ago and it sure is a joy to be here on the TM I think that I actually have the most fun job getting to meet with donors a cup of coffee and hearing their

2:01 stories about their families about their heart for this ministry and all the ways that God is moving through courses and coaching and all the things that does sound like fun but I think maybe I have the most fun job and it's funny because a few of us around here have said that for a while and I'm thinking about Chad H who started it I think yes I know God has gifted us each so differently and I

2:29 really do enjoy um talking to people about the ways that God has called them to Steward the resources that he has gifted them with and inviting them to give a gift here to Connected families It Feels So natural you know I think it feels so natural to me because I see this ministry as one that is making a kingdom impact you know one family at a time pointing parents to Jesus and that's something I'm definitely blessed

2:56 to be a part of well you know what Adele I am celebrating my my eth anniversary here that's crazy eight I know but being able to point people to Jesus is maybe one of my favorite parts of the job and working here at Connected families so can you tell our listeners a little bit more about the week of sharing that starts in just a couple of days and how they can participate yes of course when we find

3:26 something good we talk about it right uh yes for sure we hope that connected families resources are good things that people just can't help but talk about so during the week of sharing which is August 1st through the 7th we invite all of you listeners to make an impact today with your gift you know Stacy parents around the world are really struggling and we often hear requests for course scholarships because people want this so

3:56 much but just don't have the financial means to invest in their parents parenting and we want to say yes to everyone who asks and lack of finances really should never hinder somebody from accessing content and coaching which is anchored in scripture and informed by brain science you know these things are so lifechanging they are lifechanging and I know it's true too we do get the emails every day we hear about the struggles and the joys right our kids

4:26 are so precious and they are struggling and parents are seeking guidance aren't we grateful Adele we're so grateful that we can be here for those families and witness the work that God wants to do in their lives well in just a couple of minutes we have invited a few parents who live in Australia to come on the show and share their story their connected family story of those struggles and the joys and the transformation that they experience

4:56 right their names are Joel and Mindy and since they found connected families their life and their parenting has really been transformed Joel and Mindy told us that they really see connected families as a tool to share Jesus and that is our heart too we desire to point more parents to Jesus you know to experience God's grace for themselves as you always say Stacy in the podcast and to pass it on to the next Generation so during the week of sharing we invite our

5:27 listeners to joyfully give give a gift that empowers families a gift that shares Jesus and that transforms Generations yeah transforms Generations it's the work that we're about and our donor team is so valuable donors enable us to continue to move forward into the growth that we see God leading us to which is a lot you guys as I often say we are a donor supported Ministry and we wouldn't be able to reach parents in

5:58 Australia in Hong Kong in Finland but I don't know if you know this Adele but we are reaching over 180 countries with our podcast alone and it wouldn't be possible without the generous support of donors that enable us to do the work yes right our donor team is so valuable and today as we start the week of sharing we invite each listener to consider joining the donor team with their gift of $20 $30 $100 monthly or one time you know

6:32 even though small gifts matter when we all join together and give what we feel like God is calling us to give then God multiplies our Loaves and Fishes for this lifechanging impact you know andelle you said small gifts matter but I'm going to be honest sometimes I don't feel that my monthly $20 gift really makes that big of a difference does it great question I know many people might feel like that but it's all about the

7:01 math you know small monthly gifts from a large number of people can add up we have about 4 or 6,000 people listening to this podcast every month say half the people listening today feel inspired and decide to joyfully give a $5 gift as they listen that could raise $23,000 which could have a huge impact $23,000 could provide 193 parents a scholarship to take the discipline that connects with your child's heart online

7:32 course yeah that's meaningful I mean imagine 193 parents learning to experience more of God's grace and then if each of those parents had two kids here we go with math adult that would be over 385 kids learning that they are safe that they are loved they're called and capable and they're responsible for their actions that is yeah that is something yes listeners small month gifts can add up to make a tremendous impact it's true there is great impact

8:05 when we all come together okay Adele I've been waiting for this can you please introduce our guests Joel and Mindy and then we're gonna Jump Right In yes Joel and Mindy first heard about connected families six years ago from a friend who really loves our resources this friend has nine children and Joel and Mindy trust their judgment when it comes to parenting resources so they began to listen to the connected fames podcast and read articles and now

8:36 they're taking the sibling conflict course and learning a lot I'm so excited to hear more from them me too okay D are we ready yes hi Joel and Mindy welcome good night Stacy thanks for having us hi Stacy Hi D hi we're so glad to have you on the connected families podcast and let's just jump in Joel and Mindy you guys both you live in Queensland Australia with your two girls and you've followed connected families for a while

9:07 now what was your persistent struggle that you remember having before you encountered connected families and the connected families framework well just to start with I I feel like I know you so well you know like the whole connected families team aunties and uncles so such a privilege to be here with you today and um you know before we started recording I noticed that you've made me right for all the right reasons a million times and you know that voice

9:32 that I've heard in the podcast is now praying with with us for us and for for God's glory and once again you know you've brought tears to my eyes for the right reasons it's uh it's such a privilege to be with you you know to be able to support each other globally the question that you asked you know the the persistent struggle it's Grace for me and I've always had a certain harshness in my heart and mind and and and I can

10:00 bring it into the home I have a perfectionist tendency and my wife used to say just be kind and I could never get it and connected families is how connected families has absolutely changed my world and the way I view myself and others Around Me by receiving God's truth and Grace and passing it onto others I would definitely agree with those sentiments and I've seen a lot of change in our family and definitely in the way that we parent

10:31 individually and together as a team so just being able to have that framework to come back to and having those those practical skills has been just really really good for our family thanks for that you guys and Joel when we were talking you told me about this aha moment that you had when you heard Lynn praying can you tell us more about that moment for you yeah I'd love to I was listening to Connected families podcast

10:55 for a couple years but at the end of a specific one Lynn prayed for the kids and then and the application on of the foundational principles of connected families and then ly said and dear God I pray for all the parents listening that they know that they fall under this framework with you as their father that they are safe and loved and called and capable and responsible just to know that the same principles that apply to

11:22 our kids and the things we try and show them actually applies to us as well with our heavenly father is um yeah really means a lot and something we often forget when we feel like we're in the battleground of parenting isn't that true that we can fail and then come back to Jesus and he forgives us and washes us clean and we can make it right with him and with our kids and isn't that just what the gospel is and how we as

11:48 families demonstrate the gospel each day and you know it's such a good example also of what I say in the podcast every single week which is we receive God's Grace and Truth so that we can pass it on so Mindy you mentioned that one significant shift that you made was to see things from your children's perspective so what connected families tool helped you with that change so doing the sibling conflict course in particular I found that for me changed

12:20 the way that I see conflict between the kids it can be very easy to get sort of very wound up in the in the argument having you know it's over something that you perceive as being very very small because you're running around the house doing a hundred things at once or you're trying to get to work or whatever the story might be and they're arguing over who's got the bigger slice of toast so it's it's really being able to to

12:47 actually pull back from that and to to say okay well let me see this from their point of view and you know what's going on in their world at the moment you know how they cope with this conflict they're having because you know they're not enjoying it either I know I often say to the girls you know do you enjoy arguing with each other because often it can seem like that but I think as humans we

13:12 we you know it's we prefer to be in a state of Peace it's not something we we technically do enjoy so really being able to to level with them on that and and to say okay well I can see that this is important for you and that you're having these feelings and what can we do what a beautiful perspective shift for you and to empower your girls in that way so um could you tell us some

13:35 tangible things about what's changed between you and your girls with this shift um I've definitely been able to feel closer to them as they get older and as we go through the pre-teen and teenage years and you know there's more of that hormonal stuff happening you know and the arguments become a little bit different they shift a bit I found that I can I'm able to model a little bit more of how they feel in myself in

14:05 similar situations yeah so really definitely the connection with them and being able to show Grace and and forgiveness for things that you know I get upset about as well has been really important how old are your girls Mindy 12 and a half she likes to say that she's almost 13 um and and uh just turned 10 now youngest and how long have you been tuned in to Connected families it'll be a good few years now like I I feel like

14:39 it would be coming up on around five years since we sort of first discovered connected families and then I guess the engagement we've had with it has sort of been you know an EB and flow type of thing depending on what stage we're at and certainly when we really hit a wall it's something we're able to go back to and just get back to those basics we still have the magnet on the fridge and you stuff like that so I love it we all

15:05 have a magnet on a fridge that is for sure I think that's just like part of being in the community yeah yeah what are other ways that you have engaged with us the podcast or online courses yeah so podcast and also we've done I've done the sibling conflict course and the discipline that connects um course we've done that a couple of times the first time we did it we got about halfway through and then sort of fell off the

15:31 wagon a little bit not so much that we weren't enjoying it but more so just finding the time to to do that and sit down and do it together and then we came back and did it again a second time and got all the way through it so and then I find a lot of times people grab some friends and do it with their friends and we just love when people do it with their friends because I feel like number

15:53 one you're kind of teaching it if you've already gone through it or you just learn when you're with people and you can be transparent with them about your struggles I feel like the learning can just go even deeper so Joel I heard that you said my friends know that I talk about connecting families until my lips turn blue and I just died laughing I thought that was the absolute best but I'm wondering so what what do you tell

16:21 your friends about connected families well it was funny what you were just saying about doing it with friends and I can't understand why more people don't get it and I suppose that comes from my perfectionist Tendencies you know it just makes so much sense it bits and I say to my friends they've got a podcast for whatever you're going through you know they've they've been through it it's just great but it's more than that it's the foundational principles that

16:46 can apply to everything but the difference is the grace in my heart and how I act and react to the people around me including the friends that I talk to and that connected families is so accessible I started by following it on social media by picking up a few tips and tricks and then started to listening to the podcast on Spotify and then by enrolling in some of the courses and I also sometimes think that maybe it's an

17:11 apology for in the past when I was putting them on a pillar of perfection and not giving them the grace to be themselves and just to be doing life the best they can and and by isolating them you know when I held them to that standard of perfection so just then you were you were talking about your own kids is that what you were referring to when you held your kids to this pedestal of perfection that they just couldn't

17:36 achieve well specifically for friends you know you look at some friends you like well you've got a a car and a house and kids and a you know your life must be great you know it looks great from the outside but at home you know we're struggling and when I was with somebody and I would expect that Perfection and they're really not I know it made them uncomfortable and it took quite a while for me to see how my Tendencies made

18:04 people feel around me and that's when you come to this awareness hey we are all together in this parenting Struggle No one kind of gets out of it this is a difficult job and it's just so much we just feel so good when we know we're not alone yeah we appreciate you sharing it with your friends sharing connected families with your friends for sure yeah yes thank you so much for being Advocate and you know doing this word of moue

18:31 sharing with people that you know um could really benefit from the resources that we provide and the framework that's changed you so much so it means so much to to the families that you share with probably Ripple effects that um you won't even know that are just endless and so I know that inspires you as well to be a financial supporter of this ministry and we so appreciate that would you share a little bit more with us

18:57 about what motivates your generosity why do you give to Connected families it's a privilege and an honor to give our resources are God's to use for his glory and the connected family's framework is the gospel in action in the home we're just so grateful you know this is our week of giving we're excited about it and your gift Joel and Mindy everyone's gift just makes a huge impact I wonder Joel if you would do the inviting of our

19:26 thousands and thousands of listeners literally literally across the globe many many in Australia would you invite them to give during this week of giving well thank you so much for the difference that connected families has made in my heart and my mind for the accessibility across so many platforms for the getting it even though Jim and Lynn's kids are grown up they still know me and my struggles and what we go through connected fam has created content that

19:56 makes such a difference in our home the home is God's micro Society where we learn how to survive and thrive foundational application of this is through God's law and Grace this can change the world please join us to spread God's grace and truth to others thank you for that Joel we do hope that everyone would consider specifically this week during our week of giving a time where they would share connected families we're providing lots of ways to

20:26 do that on social media and especially if anyone's on our list but also financially Joel Mindy I wonder if you have any final words that you would like to share of your own testimony or encouragement to others I definitely feel like it's a really practical way to become more involved with your kids and and be a better role model in the home to share God's grace and even for listeners who may not have younger kids

20:56 in the home they might be listening for other reasons in you know to help out friends or family the skills are so practical and so useful to be donating financially is a is a privilege and I really would advocate for other people if you know if they can spare the money and I know things are hard for a lot of people right now I feel like it really is a gift that just gives and gives and

21:20 gives also the connective families framework I find practical as Mindy just said and I love sharing with people who aren't Christian as well because it's practical and it also gives them an education on what being a Christian is being a Christian isn't perfection and thinking that I'm perfect because I'm Christian it's knowing that I'm a sinner and that I need God's grace and Redemption is why we're Christians and that is incredible to share I love that

21:51 and it starts in our home starts with us and then in the ways that we interact with our kids and then like you said Joel We can spread that out to our friends and then offer them the resources so that they can be exposed to the gospel and the Holy Spirit is probably working on all those friends too so just wonderful I love it how it comes full circle oh so good isn't this great Adelle oh I love Joel and Mindy

22:16 they are fantastic I know I was just so delighted to meet with them and hear their story and the story of humble Persistence of focusing on Grace for F parenting and you know knowing that we're not perfect and that's one thing that stood out to me right away Joel when we um talked first just about your humility and saying you don't have a perfect home but you are taking one step at a time walking and step with the Lord

22:45 as he's guiding you and leaning on the connected families framework uh as a tool for for supporting you and your parenting and that connection with your kids what a delight to have you thank you so much I'm sorry my responses have sounded very um mechanical you know I've written it all down I was reading it out no it is that's all good Mindy and Joel thanks so much for being on the connected families podcast and for

23:11 sharing your story thanks for having us we hope it makes a massive difference we do pray that this interview today with Joel and Mindy is relatable to you is encouraging and just might inspire you our listener to joyfully support what God is doing here at Connected families yes this is the week of sharing and we encourage you to prayerfully give a gift if you are ready to give now you can text the keyword parenting to

23:43 50155 we so appreciate every gift Additionally you can share your story in whatever way feels comfortable to you and feel free to share social media posts that we'll be posting this week yes share those good posts about things like doovers and slow and listen they're fun they're great content and write adult sharing posts that are valuable to us is kind of like a duty it's like when we find something that really works we want to pass it on yes that's exactly

24:17 why we're calling it the week of sharing we know that hundreds of thousands of parents have been transformed and in turn families across the globe have set a new course that is Christ centered and anchored in connection and in God's purposes and that's why we wake up every day and do this work we are asking you listener to give a gift today and share your connected family story this week hey I'll even tell you the text number

24:47 again text the keyword parenting to 50155 to give today well Adele thanks for being on the podcast Cece than so much for having me I'm so grateful to be a part of this community and we are grateful that you are a part of this community too well thanks for tuning in today friends we are a listener supported organization over 45,000 parents like you listen to this podcast every month individual donations

25:18 make the work to equip and encourage families possible for more information about connected families follow us on Instagram or Facebook or go to to Connected families.org I will see you next time [Music]