Episode 94: When My Convictions Aren't Your Convictions

/
Episode 94: When My Convictions Aren't Your Convictions

Homeschooling. Health food. Small church. Mom stays home. KJV only. Dresses. Youth group. Public school. No TV. Our convictions, or the things we strongly about, can drive so much of our lives and end up being the choices by which we define ourselves. They can bring like-minded believers together and set the tone for our families and homes.

But what happens when your convictions are different than mine? As soon as you discover that we don't have the same non-negotiables in our home as you do in yours, is it a deal-killer? 

What does it look like to love other Christians in our community who hold to different standards but agree that Jesus is everything? Can we love each other well, for the sake of the gospel?

Read More

Episode 90: Spiritual Abuse, Part 2

/
Episode 90: Spiritual Abuse, Part 2

So, what exactly is spiritual abuse? Do we have a working definition? What happens if we find ourselves in the midst of an abusive setting, aware that we are stuck and in need of the freeing grace of the gospel?

Join us for part two of Spiritual Abuse as we dive into the tough topics surrounding spiritual abuse with Dale and Jonalyn Fincher of Freedom Builders. We think you'll love their candor and deep love of the freedom Christ brings.

Read More

Episode 89: Spiritual Abuse, Part 1

/
Episode 89: Spiritual Abuse, Part 1

If you've ever been a part of a church or faith-based community where manipulation, control, and fear informed choices, you'll want to tune in for this episode of Homeschooling in Real Life where we talk about how the gospel turns all of that unhealthy behavior on its ear.

We're diving into the tough topics surrounding spiritual abuse with Dale and Jonalyn Fincher of Freedom Builders, and we think you'll love their candor and deep love of the freedom Christ brings.

Read More

Episode 88: What is Homeschooling in Real Life?

/
Episode 88: What is Homeschooling in Real Life?

Welcome to Season Two of the Homeschooling in Real Life podcast! We're excited to be back with you for an all new season of episodes that we hope will inspire, encourage, and spur you on in your home and family.

But first: what exactly is Homeschooling in Real Life? Are we a "how to homeschool" podcast, a curriculum review show, or something entirely different? Join us and John Wilkerson of The Wired Homeschool and for an interview that will answer all of your burning questions!

Read More

Episode 87: Losing Our Religion Rebroadcast

/
Episode 87: Losing Our Religion Rebroadcast

"My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness."

We sang the lyrics, believed that Jesus was everything, and then proceeded to stack up our own good works. We built our hope on our good behavior and choices, which tanked our spiritual lives and found us in a faith dead-end. 

This is our story:  How we found our 7-week-old baby in a coma, an event that led to a massive overhaul in our marriage, our parenting, and ultimately, our faith in Christ. That sickly baby boy was just the beginning; there would be harder trials and far more refining ahead. 

If you are wondering why your own faith feels stagnant or the Christian life joyless, join us as we share what unlocked the self-made prison doors and caused us to lose our religion but find a deeper, more glorious faith in the power of the cross!

Read More

Episode 86: How the Gospel Makes Us Unoffendable Rebroadcast

/
Episode 86: How the Gospel Makes Us Unoffendable Rebroadcast

Can we really be unoffended? Is it possible to be told the most offensive of criticisms or weather the worst of injustices but walk away without carrying the burden of offense?

Join us for a rebroadcast of an interview we did with radio personality and author, Brant Hansen, and learn how the gospel frees us from the need to walk around offended and how it informs our deepest desire for satisfaction and acceptance. 

Read More

Episode 84: Christ in the Chaos Rebroadcast

/
Episode 84: Christ in the Chaos Rebroadcast

It's time for a season break so Fletch and Kendra can get to work on our next season of Homeschooling in Real Life episodes! 

In this first rebroadcast of the most popular episodes of 2015, Kimm Crandall shares her story of chasing the perfect homeschooling dream. In the midst of the chaos of mothering and life, Kimm hits a wall that forces her to face the truth: she's replaced the freedom of the gospel with the chains of self-righteousness.

There's a reason this interview has been listened to by thousands. It's poignant, touching, and full of the hope of Jesus Christ!

You can find the original post and show notes for Episode 34: Christ in the Chaos here.

Read More

Episode 83: Homeschooling is a Buzzkill Remix

/
Episode 83: Homeschooling is a Buzzkill Remix

Our very first full episode of Homeschooling in Real Life was titled "Homeschooling is a Buzzkill", and our frank discussion of the harder parts of homeschooling quickly became our most popular episode. 

We're tackling the topic again, both because we wanted to improve our broadcast quality and because we think we have more experience to add. As always, our goal is to encourage and equip without glossing over the real life stuff. and we hope you'll feel like you feel the freedom to tell it like it is while still walking the road with your kids.

Read More

Episode 82: Stocking Stuffer

/
Episode 82: Stocking Stuffer

Merry, merry Christmas to our listeners, both new and old! We're very thankful for the gift you've given us of your listening ears for over two years of Homeschooling in Real Life. 

We're having a bit of fun with this one - HIRLers Treasure Chest, Q and A with K and A, our least favorite Christmas carols (and yours, too!) and a bit more Christmas fluff.

Put on your earbuds and pour yourself a glass of egg nog. We're having some fun stuffing your Christmas stocking!

Read More

Episode 81: Hope Shifting

/
Episode 81: Hope Shifting

For the past two years, Fletch and Kendra have been talking about "hope shifting" on every episode of Homeschooling in Real Life. What exactly do they mean?

Join us and pastor Jim Applegate on this episode to explore the ways in which we all, homeschooling or not, shift our hope to almost everything but the cross, every single day. Reminding ourselves of Whose we are and what He's done for us is a total game-changer!

Read More

Episode 78: Devotions for the Real Family

/
Episode 78: Devotions for the Real Family

Devotions for the Real Family? Yes. You know, the real family: the toddler is hijacking the deep discussion, the teens are daydreaming, and mom is falling asleep because it's been a long, long homeschooling day. Can you relate?

Family worship can be trying for most families, and on this episode of Homeschooling in Real Life, we talk with a dozen dads about what it looks like in their homes. But we won't leave you feeling like a failure! We want to encourage you to discover God's glory with your family in a way that suits you best.

Read More

Episode 77: Surviving the Holidays: Spread Too Thin

/
Episode 77: Surviving the Holidays: Spread Too Thin

Are the upcoming holidays already getting you down? Do you feel like the holiday months are just one long race to the finish line, and you're spread way too thin?

For certain, homeschooling kids who are home all day adds another dimension to preparing for Thanksgiving and Christmas, and on this episode of Homeschooling in Real Life, Fletch and Kendra talk about how to keep from feeling like all the Christmas spirit has been trampeled under schedules and to-do lists.

Read More

Episode 76: Surviving the Holidays: Family Feud

/
Episode 76: Surviving the Holidays: Family Feud

Oh, how the holidays can bring out the best and the worst in families. Let's get real together and talk about how to deal with the negative comments that fly our way, the tension that arises from differing opinions, and the hurt that biting words can cause in our hearts. 

But let's not just leave it there. Let's bring the gospel in to shine a spotlight and create healing where it's needed most: right in the middle of our family feud.

Read More

Episode 75: Surviving the Holidays: Financial Strain

/
Episode 75: Surviving the Holidays: Financial Strain

In this first of our series on surviving the holidays, we're talking all about the financial strain that occurs from November through January every year. When you're already struggling to make ends meet, how do you celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas without killing your budget and making life far more stressful than it has to be? 

Join us and financial planner Bill Kenoyer for Surviving the Holidays: Financial Strain.

Read More

Episode 66: What Josh Duggar Forgot

/
Episode 66: What Josh Duggar Forgot

Because we're 99% sure 100% of our listeners know about the recent events surrounding the Duggar family and in particular, their oldest son Josh, we felt it was time we go there: straight to the issue that seems to topple so many in public ministry.

And yet, is it unique to those only in ministry? Only to those in the public eye? And what exactly did Josh Duggar forget? 

Read More

Episode 60: Depression and the Homeschooling Mom

/
Episode 60: Depression and the Homeschooling Mom

Some subjects are difficult to talk about, especially if we're feeling pressure to show the world that everything is going well at home. For moms battling depression, the homeschool community can feel like an unsafe environment because that pressure to have everything all together seems even more acute.

Join us and Christian psychologist Dr. Melanie Wilson (a homeschooling mom of 6 herself) as we discuss the signs of depression, how to find help, and how to minister to the struggling mom.

Read More

Episode 56: The Quiet Fight Between Women

/
Episode 56: The Quiet Fight Between Women

"You know there are greater possibilities of friendship and Christian fellowship in your life. And yet — despite your best intentions — there is something in the way, something holding you back from your spiritual growth with your sisters in Christ. But what is it? A silence. A distance with no name. A weapon of the enemy fashioned to drive us apart and stop us from creating the fellowship we need for our growth in Christ.  Something so subtle you might never understand it alone, much less be able to overcome it." -The Quiet Fight Between Women

Join us and author Angie Tolpin as we explore reasons women have a difficult time connecting or feel as if there is an undercurrent of comparison and competition running through our relationships. We'll talk about how Jesus changes our communication and frees us to stand shoulder to shoulder with each other as we seek to bring glory to God.

Read More

Episode 51: Celebrating 50 Episodes!

/
Episode 51: Celebrating 50 Episodes!

Come celebrate our past 50 episodes with us! We're taking a brief tour through the best of the Homeschooling in Real Life podcast. It's fun, deep, interesting, and will bring a smile to your face. 

If you want your friends to know why you love the podcast, share this episode with them. You'll either get them hooked or scare them far, far away from the biggest homeschool whack jobs you know - Fletch and Kendra, of course! 

Read More

Episode 50: How the Gospel Makes Us Unoffendable

/
Episode 50: How the Gospel Makes Us Unoffendable

What if someone told you that you had no right to be angry? What if you could live a life that doesn't include becoming offended by the things people say and do, or by the way they treat you? And what if you could smile and relax, knowing that God has covered every offense with his inexhaustible love for you?

Read More