91.3 WCSG: Hole In My Heart Vodcast Watch as Laurie, Matt & Steve talk about how the gospel is good news for everyone every day. https://www.wcsg.org/blogs/himh-vodcast/ Sat, 18 Apr 2026 09:06:06 +0000 en Copyright 2026 91.3 WCSG Aiir http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 260-How Should Christians Think About AI? with Christopher Lind How Should Christians Think About AI? Join the Hole in My Heart team and guest Christopher Lind to find out! Fri, 10 Apr 2026 04:00:00 +0000 https://www.wcsg.org/blogs/himh-vodcast/post/260-how-should-christians-think-about-ai-with-christopher-lind/ o296-1410-69d801ebdde39 WCSG & Hole In My Heart Podcast It’s time to talk about AI! We sit down with AI expert Christopher Lind and ask:

What even is AI?

How can we have a gospel lens when it comes to engage it? (Is that possible?)

What is the potential for evil?

What about good?

Is there an overlord of AI? (Who controls it?)

How can we help our kids live in an AI world when we don’t understand how to?

What’s the hope?

Next Steps:

His site: https://christopherlind.co/

His Substack: https://christopherlind.substack.com/

Join the HIMH Pod FB group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/himhpodcast

Ask Laurie a Q on IG: https://www.instagram.com/laurie_krieg

Our NEW book! https://a.co/d/eoCMIyO

]]> https://www.wcsg.org/_app_pages/stations/3516/blogs/posts/84498 259-The Myth of Good Christian Parenting with Kelsey Kramer McGinnis We know there is not "a formula" for parenting and discipleship, but is there at least a “Christian” way to do it? Fri, 27 Mar 2026 04:00:00 +0000 https://www.wcsg.org/blogs/himh-vodcast/post/259-the-myth-of-good-christian-parenting-with-kelsey-kramer-mcginnis/ o296-1410-69c2f80351b7f WCSG & Hole In My Heart Podcast We know there is not "a formula" for parenting and discipleship, but is there at least a "Christian" way to do it? 

Author Kelsey Kramer McGinnis says, “Let's talk about that.”

Okay! Let's do it. With her book, The Myth of Good Christian Parenting, as our guide, today on the podcast we explore how Christians started to believe there was "a right way" to do “Christian parenting,” and how we can parent in a Christlike way without feeling like we are walking on a tightrope.

Next Steps:

Find her book: https://a.co/d/08NQM0y2

Kelsey’s IG: https://www.instagram.com/kelseykmcginnis/?hl=en

Join the HIMH Pod FB group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/himhpodcast

Ask Laurie a Q on IG: https://www.instagram.com/laurie_krieg

Read the Krieg’s latest book: https://a.co/d/eoCMIyO


 

]]> https://www.wcsg.org/_app_pages/stations/3516/blogs/posts/84287 258-Hole in My Heart Podcast LIVE!! It’s our first ever Hole in My Heart Podcast LIVE, and we are taking your questions as they relate to raising wise kids in a sexually broken world! Fri, 13 Mar 2026 04:00:00 +0000 https://www.wcsg.org/blogs/himh-vodcast/post/258-himh-podcast-live/ o296-1410-699f32bed0e2f WCSG & Hole In My Heart Podcast

It’s our first ever Hole in My Heart Podcast LIVE, and we are taking your questions as they relate to raising wise kids in a sexually broken world:

  • What are Matt and Laurie’s stories—and how do they relate to the Hole in My Heart?
  • How did Laurie and Matt get into this work?
  • Why is the gospel so important to conversations around sexuality?
  • How can Christians approach pronouns?
  • How can we help our kids not just put boundaries on porn but build strength to fight it when they encounter it?
  • How can we talk to our kids as they go through puberty? 
  • How can we talk with people who demand we buy into their affirming LGBTQ worldview but refuse to hear ours?
  • As a public school teacher, how can we lead well in these conversations?
  • How can we talk about crushes?
  • My kids are 3 and 5, my sister just married a woman, how do I help them navigate it?
  • How can we talk with our kids about God’s design for sex if it feels too early? (We don’t want to over-expose them!)
  • How can we talk to our kids about modesty?

Next Steps:

Find Raising Wise Kids here: https://a.co/d/06ovgKG5

Find the Impossible Marriage book here: https://a.co/d/0blKmiHo

Find Laurie’s Journey Well book here: https://a.co/d/07iKtc7g

Want to invite Laurie and Matt to your next event? Email podcast@lauriekrieg.com!

]]> https://www.wcsg.org/_app_pages/stations/3516/blogs/posts/83878 257-From 2016 to 2026 with Kristen Miele Join Matt and Laurie Krieg as they reflect with guest Kristen Miele on the last 10 years of the sexuality conversation. Fri, 27 Feb 2026 05:00:00 +0000 https://www.wcsg.org/blogs/himh-vodcast/post/257-from-2016-to-2026-with-kristen-miele/ o296-1410-699f31ab2c66c WCSG & Hole In My Heart Podcast We are reflecting today on the last 10 years of the sexuality conversation with ministry leader Kristen Miele.

We explore changes over the last 10 years as well as:  
How has fear of the conversation morphed in the last 10 years?
How have disciple-makers in this convo changed for the better?
What can we learn from our past mistakes?  


Next Steps:  
Kristen’s site: https://www.sexedreclaimed.com/ 
Her IG: https://www.instagram.com/sexedreclaimed/ 
Join the HIMH Pod FB group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/himhpodcast 
Ask Laurie a Q on IG: https://www.instagram.com/laurie_krieg 
Read the Krieg’s book: https://a.co/d/eoCMIyO 

 

 

]]> https://www.wcsg.org/_app_pages/stations/3516/blogs/posts/83876 256-It’s Time to Talk about Porn with Greta Eskridge Dive in with the Hole in My Heart team as they explore how to thoughtfully and faithfully engage the topic of porn while leading the younger disciples in our lives. Fri, 13 Feb 2026 05:00:00 +0000 https://www.wcsg.org/blogs/himh-vodcast/post/256-its-time-to-talk-about-porn-with-guest-greta-eskridge/ o296-1410-698b6e9f9e19c WCSG & Hole In My Heart Podcast

We always love conversations with people who truly understand the complexities of human sexuality, and today’s guest is no exception. Author and podcaster Greta Eskridge joins us to help parents and caregivers navigate one of the most challenging discipleship conversations of our time: pornography.

Together, we explore how to thoughtfully and faithfully engage the topic of porn while leading the younger disciples in our lives with wisdom, clarity, and compassion.

In this episode, we discuss:

  • What to do when we feel unequipped to talk with our kids about pornography

  • Why these conversations need to start earlier than most of us expect

  • The specific words that are helpful before and after a child encounters porn

  • Whether punishment is ever the right response when a child watches porn repeatedly

  • How heart needs—not just curiosity—can drive teens toward pornography

  • How to engage a culture that celebrates porn while forming resilient, Christ-shaped kids

This conversation is practical, honest, and deeply hopeful for anyone raising or discipling kids in a sexually broken world.

Next Steps:

Greta’s book: https://a.co/d/1dqQktV

Her site:https://www.gretaeskridge.com/

Her IG: https://www.instagram.com/greta.eskridge/

Join the HIMH Pod FB group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/himhpodcast

Ask Laurie a Q on IG: https://www.instagram.com/laurie_krieg

Our book: https://a.co/d/eoCMIyO

]]> https://www.wcsg.org/_app_pages/stations/3516/blogs/posts/83700 255-Why We Wrote This Book Now with Laurie & Matt Krieg It’s behind the scenes time of our latest book "Raising Wise Kids in a Sexually Broken World." Fri, 30 Jan 2026 05:00:00 +0000 https://www.wcsg.org/blogs/himh-vodcast/post/255-why-we-wrote-this-book-now-with-laurie-and-matt-krieg/ o296-1410-697a4a3d52f18 WCSG & Hole In My Heart Podcast It’s behind the scenes time of our latest book!

Matt interviews Laurie on the writing process and more:

  • What was the inspiration?
  • What were the hardest and best parts in writing?
  • What does it mean “by Laurie Krieg with Matt Krieg”?
  • What is the one takeaway you hope people take from it?

Next Steps:

 

]]> https://www.wcsg.org/_app_pages/stations/3516/blogs/posts/83570 254-Faith and Food with Aarti Sequeira Join the Hole in My Heart Team and special guest from the Food Network, Aarti Sequeira, as we talk about faith and food! Fri, 16 Jan 2026 05:00:00 +0000 https://www.wcsg.org/blogs/himh-vodcast/post/254-faith-and-food-with-guest-aarti-sequeira/ o296-1410-6965457ad8632 WCSG & Hole In My Heart Podcast Food Network star and author, Aarti Sequeira, is bringing the party to the podcast today. 

We hear her story of finding Jesus as well as:

  • How did she get into the Food Network world?
  • Does she even struggle with cooking dinner every day?
  • How can we turn the kitchen into a sanctuary instead of a place of angst?
  • How can God use our past challenges to shape our futures?
  • How does Aarti shine light both in the secular world and in the Christian world?

Next Steps:

]]> https://www.wcsg.org/_app_pages/stations/3516/blogs/posts/83259 253-Q&A: Marriage vs. Singleness, Helicopter Parents, LGBTQ Family Join the Hole in My Heart team for another Q&A episode on marriage, singleness, and parenting! Fri, 02 Jan 2026 05:00:00 +0000 https://www.wcsg.org/blogs/himh-vodcast/post/253-qanda-marriage-vs-singleness-helicopter-parents-lgbtq-family/ o296-1410-69496269a0d58 WCSG & Hole In My Heart Podcast Happy New Year! We’re kicking off the year by diving into your thoughtful questions, including:  

How do we find the courage to speak truth with love?
How can I love a gay friend well when they enter a same-sex relationship?
How can a same-sex attracted man discern between marriage and singleness?
How do I navigate pornography and masturbation conversations in a mixed-faith marriage?
What healthy boundaries can we set for our kids when it comes to preventing sexual abuse without becoming “helicopter” parents?
How do we engage and disciple our kids when family members identify as gay or trans?  

Thanks for bringing the content! We’re so glad you are here.  


Next Steps:  
Live podcast: https://www.wcsg.org/events/raising-wise-kids-a-parenting-conversation-january-31-2026/
Raising Kids Video Series: https://courses.christian-sexuality.com/courses/raising-kids 
Our book: https://a.co/d/eoCMIyO 
Fight the New Drug Link: https://fightthenewdrug.org/how-porn-can-normalize-sexual-objectification/ 
Join the HIMH Pod FB group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/himhpodcast 
Ask Laurie a Q https://www.instagram.com/laurie_krieg 

]]> https://www.wcsg.org/_app_pages/stations/3516/blogs/posts/83129 252-Healing the Wound Within with Chuck DeGroat The Hole in My Heart Team is joined by Chuck DeGroat this week to talk about healing and suffering. Fri, 19 Dec 2025 05:00:00 +0000 https://www.wcsg.org/blogs/himh-vodcast/post/252-healing-the-wound-within/ o296-1410-694544e4b8352 WCSG & Hole In My Heart Podcast We’ve got author, pastor, and therapist Chuck DeGroat in the house—and he brought at least one of us to good tears.  

In this episode of the Hole in My Heart Podcast, we talk about healing the wound within and explore:

- Why so many of us swing from an anxious go-go-go pace into depression
- How we can begin looking inward—beyond simply calling a therapist
- The difference between solitary suffering and plain-old suffering
- Why boundaries matter… and where they can become a problem  

It’s tender, practical, and deeply hopeful. Join us?

| Next Steps |  

Get his book: https://a.co/d/0pj1QJa 

Visit his site: https://www.chuckdegroat.net/books 

Snag the LIVE podcast link: https://www.wcsg.org/events/hole-in-my-heart-live-podcast-january-31-2026/ 

Join the HIMH Pod FB group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/himhpodcast 

Ask Laurie a Q on IG: https://www.instagram.com/laurie_krieg 

 

]]> https://www.wcsg.org/_app_pages/stations/3516/blogs/posts/83116 251-Q & A: Age-Appropriate, Boys Painting Nails, & Two Choices Join Matt & Laurie as they answer your questions on this week's episode! Fri, 05 Dec 2025 05:00:00 +0000 https://www.wcsg.org/blogs/himh-vodcast/post/251-q-and-a-age-appropriate-boys-painting-nails-and-two-choices/ o296-1410-692efd8849a6c WCSG & Hole In My Heart Podcast It’s another Q and A!  

You ask, and we are thinking it through with you. What did you ask?  

“My husband is gay and left our family to be with a man. How do I talk with my kids about this?”

“My son wants to paint his nails, play with dolls, or wear a dress. How do I lead him?”

“My transitioning cousin is coming to the holidays. How do I engage them and lead my kids?"

“How do I know what is age appropriate to teach my kids about God’s vision for marriage and gender?”

“How did you overcome your struggle with wanting to end your life, Laurie?”

| Next Step Resources |  

Link to our book: https://a.co/d/bQlf3SJ

Link to our launch team: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeefTEM3zwnDzve9hV3uMN-JRx2b4pBI4s7mWxLD9XzzpKJXg/viewform

Ask more questions on IG: https://www.instagram.com/laurie_krieg

Join the HIMH FB Group:https://www.facebook.com/groups/himhpodcast

]]> https://www.wcsg.org/_app_pages/stations/3516/blogs/posts/82966 250-Tame Your Thoughts with Max Lucado The Hole in My Heart team is joined this week by Max Lucado to dive into a conversation on taking every thought captive. Fri, 21 Nov 2025 05:00:00 +0000 https://www.wcsg.org/blogs/himh-vodcast/post/250-tame-your-thoughts-with-max-lucado/ o296-1410-691f376bdee66 WCSG & Hole In My Heart Podcast People have 70,000 thoughts per day and about 80% of them are negative.

What is that doing to our emotional health? What is that doing to our actions? How is that affecting our very DNA?

Global bestselling author and pastor, Max Lucado, is here to help us understand not only the science behind our thoughts but the heart beneath them. 

How can we “take every thought captive?

How does something like anxiety and depression factor in?

Is this just plastering a smile on a bad day or a rough life? Let’s talk about it all.

| Highlights |

“Everybody else says ‘do,’ but Jesus says ‘done.’” —Max Lucado

“Just because you have a thought does not mean you have to think it.” —Max Lucado

“Thought management can also be called unceasing prayer.” —Max Lucado

| Next Steps |

Get his latest book: https://a.co/d/6n83sWq

Check out his site:https://maxlucado.com/

Join the HIMH Pod FB group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/himhpodcast

Find Laurie on IG: https://www.instagram.com/laurie_krieg

 

 

]]> https://www.wcsg.org/_app_pages/stations/3516/blogs/posts/82884 249-Father Yourself First with Glen Henry Join the Hole in My Heart team and Glen Henry as we understand his journey of being fathered by God as he walks with his own kids. Fri, 07 Nov 2025 05:00:00 +0000 https://www.wcsg.org/blogs/himh-vodcast/post/249-father-yourself-first-with-glen-henry/ o296-1410-690b86e68f418 WCSG & Hole In My Heart Podcast How can we walk with others—our kids or those we are called to disciple— if we are wounded by our own parents?

We need to be fathered by the Father first.

Today, author and popular YouTuber, Glen Henry, helps us understand his journey of being fathered by God as he walks with his own kids.

| Highlights |

  • “When you have a child, you are collaborating with God on a masterpiece.”
  • “I will fail my children. It’s not if I do but when I do.”
  • “Our children and our spouses are our biggest assets. The biggest stage you will ever stand on is in your living room.

| Next Steps | 

]]> https://www.wcsg.org/_app_pages/stations/3516/blogs/posts/82751 248-Surrendered Sexuality with Juli Slattery Join the Hole in My Heart Team and guest Juli Slattery for a conversation on surrendering sexuality. Fri, 24 Oct 2025 04:00:00 +0000 https://www.wcsg.org/blogs/himh-vodcast/post/248-surrendered-sexuality-with-juli-slattery/ o296-1410-68fb7ae38cfe8 WCSG & Hole In My Heart Podcast We don’t just follow a biblical sexuality, we surrender our sexuality.

What does that mean?

Today we have Authentic Intimacy co-founder, author, and psychologist, Juli Slattery, back on the show to help us understand the difference as well as: 

  • What do we do if we feel stuck in our broken sexuality and shame?
  • How do we love people who want to fight us?
  • How do you invite someone into bringing their full selves to Jesus?
  • What if we don’t want to do this ministry work anymore? 

| Highlights |

  • “Most Christians have a saving knowledge of Christ, but they don’t have an ongoing intimacy with Jesus that changes anything.”
  • “The idea of offering your body to God when you have been sexually traumatized is terrifying. It could be helpful to remember that although God has every right to pull rank, He never does that. He is always inviting. He gives, and He invites.”
  • “When I wake up and my job every day is to engage in sexual issues, I have no energy for that. Honestly. I don’t like it. When I wake up and I see that my calling is to engage people on the spiritual issues that sexually often represent, boy do I get energized.”

| Next Steps |

 


 

]]> https://www.wcsg.org/_app_pages/stations/3516/blogs/posts/82624 247-Q & A on Attraction, Protecting our Kids, and Cross-Dressing Join the Hole in My Heart Team as they answer YOUR questions on attraction, protecting our kids and navigating the world as Christians. Fri, 10 Oct 2025 04:00:00 +0000 https://www.wcsg.org/blogs/himh-vodcast/post/247-q-and-a-attraction-protecting-our-kids-and-cross-dressing/ o296-1410-68e679d5cd255 WCSG & Hole In My Heart Podcast

You aren’t making it easy for us today!

Today, Laurie and Matt take YOUR questions including:

+ How should we navigate attraction—when it’s not to toward our spouses? (Single people, there is is stuff in this one for you especially when we speak generally about friendship/intimacy in friendships)

+ Is it hard to be married to someone who experiences same-sex attractions?

+ How do you protect your kids from violence while keeping them informed?

+ How did we talk with our kids about the shooting at Annunciation by someone identifying as transgender, and how did we talk with our kids about Charlie Kirk? (We recorded this before the funeral, FYI.)

+ How should we engage someone who attends our church and cross-dresses?

Find Out More:

The Nov 7-8 Raising Kids Event: https://www.centerforfaith.com/programs/leadership-forums/grand-rapids-mi-raising-kids-conference

The Jan 31 HIMH Live Podcast Event Info coming soon!!

Preorder the Kriegs’ book: https://a.co/d/9Pv2xEe

Join the HIMH Pod FB group:https://www.facebook.com/groups/himhpodcast

Ask Laurie a Q on IG: https://www.instagram.com/laurie_krieg

]]> https://www.wcsg.org/_app_pages/stations/3516/blogs/posts/82474 246-You Are Not Alone with Toni Collier Join the Hole in My Heart team for a conversation on biblical community and friendship! Fri, 26 Sep 2025 04:00:00 +0000 https://www.wcsg.org/blogs/himh-vodcast/post/246-you-are-not-alone-with-toni-collier/ o296-1410-68d576ac5a208 WCSG & Hole In My Heart Podcast Many of us know that we were not made to be alone, but what if we don’t have good friends? 

What if we don’t have friends who we can rely on in not just the good times but the hard?  

Today, ministry leader, speaker, and author Toni Collier is back to help us understand why we need godly community and how to get it as well as:

What if I feel too disappointed in God to even talk to him as my friend?

What if I don’t access my emotions well enough to share with others?

What if I’m an introvert?

Find Out More:

Get Toni’s book: https://a.co/d/fHKq9dm 

Check out her site: https://www.tonijcollier.com/

Watch the last episode with Toni: https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=0GO333pKQhk&pp=ygUMI2hpbWhwb2RjYXN0

Join the HIMH Pod FB group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/himhpodcast

Ask Laurie a Q on IG: https://www.instagram.com/laurie_krieg

 

]]> https://www.wcsg.org/_app_pages/stations/3516/blogs/posts/82319 245-A New Tool To Help The Next Generation with Preston Sprinkle Join the Hole in My Heart Team with special guest Preston Sprinkle for a conversation on how to equip kids for this sexually broken world. Fri, 12 Sep 2025 16:19:00 +0000 https://www.wcsg.org/blogs/himh-vodcast/post/245-a-new-tool-to-help-the-next-generation-with-guest-preston-sprinkle/ o296-1410-68b9bbf643e43 WCSG & Hole In My Heart Podcast It’s hard to meet a parent of young kids today who isn’t desperately wondering how to equip their kids for this sexually broken world.

Thankfully, God is calling people to resource parents to equip their kids with a gospel vision for human sexuality, including a massive parenting discipleship project.

It is called Christian Sexuality: Raising Kids, and you can hear the behind-the-scenes details with friend, author, and theologian Dr. Preston Sprinkle today on the podcast!

Next Steps:

Preorder the series: https://courses.christian-sexuality.com/courses/raising-kids

Join the HIMH Pod FB group:https://www.facebook.com/groups/himhpodcast

Laurie’s IG: https://www.instagram.com/laurie_krieg

WCSG Instagram

WCSG Facebook

]]> https://www.wcsg.org/_app_pages/stations/3516/blogs/posts/82079 244-The Day I Knew I Was Burned Out with Laurie, Matt & Steve Hole in My Heart is back for Season 9 and we're jumping back in with a conversation on burn out! Fri, 29 Aug 2025 04:00:00 +0000 https://www.wcsg.org/blogs/himh-vodcast/post/244-the-day-i-knew-i-was-burned-out/ o296-1410-68aeffb9a90a4 WCSG & Hole In My Heart Podcast

Burnout. Maybe you’ve experienced it—or maybe you’re in it right now and can’t quite name it yet.

All we see is:

1. Emotional exhaustion
2. Autopilot living or cynicism 
3. Loss of fulfillment

Yup. That’s burnout. How can we heal from it? How does it affect our relationship with God? And how can we move forward with hope?

| Next Steps | 

Forbes article (with a quiz): https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbescoachescouncil/2025/08/11/burnout-isnt-new-we-just-have-a-name-for-it-now/

Psychology Today article: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/total-self-trust/202502/decoding-burnout?utm_source=chatgpt.com

The app Steve mentioned: https://app--sanctuary-scripture-meditation-a8a25080.base44.app/Dashboard

Join the HIMH Pod FB group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/himhpodcast

Laurie’s IG: https://www.instagram.com/laurie_krieg

WCSG Instagram

WCSG Facebook
 

 

]]> https://www.wcsg.org/_app_pages/stations/3516/blogs/posts/81978 243-Family Devotions Don’t Have To Be Hard | with guest Ruth Chou Simons Join the Hole in My Heart Team and guest Ruth Chou Simons for a conversation on family devotions on the last episode of this season! Fri, 23 May 2025 04:00:00 +0000 https://www.wcsg.org/blogs/himh-vodcast/post/243-family-devotions-dont-have-to-be-hard-with-guest-ruth-chou-simons/ o296-1410-682f2aaa69639 WCSG & Hole In My Heart Podcast

It’s our season wrap episode, and we could not have asked for a better guest.

Ruth is a teacher and author, and she knows the real-life challenges of helping kids to and parents to turn their hearts toward God.

How can we practice something like family devotions without it feeling too forced?

What if husbands and wives are on different pages about how to lead the family spiritually?

Is structure helpful or hurtful?

Let’s dive in.

| Next Steps |

Ruth’s site: https://ruthchousimons.com/

Her IG: https://www.instagram.com/ruthchousimons/

This book: https://a.co/d/2ZCQPUG 

Her new book: https://amzn.to/42RrGMS.

Join the HIMH Pod FB group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/himhpodcast

Sign up to get on the HIMH email list: https://www.wcsg.org/podcasts/hole-in-my-heart/

 

]]> https://www.wcsg.org/_app_pages/stations/3516/blogs/posts/80717 242-The Gap between Our Experience and our Faith | with guest Michael John Cusick Join the Hole in My Heart Team and guest Michael Cusick for a conversation on living in the tension of our faith and our experiences. Fri, 09 May 2025 04:00:00 +0000 https://www.wcsg.org/blogs/himh-vodcast/post/242-the-gap-between-our-experience-and-our-faith-with-guest-michael-john-cusick/ o296-1410-681a225c1b493 WCSG & Hole In My Heart Podcast THIS EPISODE.

We literally cried. All of us. And it led to a mentoring relationship between Matt and our guest, Michael John Cusick.

Why? We were struck thinking about how to *actually live* in that tension between our faith and our experience.

Join us?

Next Steps: 

Michael’s site: https://michaeljohncusick.com/about/

His book: https://www.amazon.com/Sacred-Attachment-Escaping-Spiritual-Exhaustion

Join the HIMH Pod FB group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/himhpodcast

Follow Laurie on IG (where she is the most active): https://www.instagram.com/laurie_krieg/

michaelcusick@mac.com

WCSG Instagram

WCSG Facebook 

]]> https://www.wcsg.org/_app_pages/stations/3516/blogs/posts/80480 241-Ministering to Families in Crisis | with guest Jennifer Ripley Catch up with the Hole in My Heart Team and guest Jennifer Ripley as they talk about the role of the Church when families are in crisis. Fri, 25 Apr 2025 04:00:00 +0000 https://www.wcsg.org/blogs/himh-vodcast/post/241-ministering-to-families-in-crisis-with-guest-jennifer-ripley/ o296-1410-6807928d1d572 WCSG Podcast As ministry leaders and therapists (Matt and Laurie), we have often wondered: When do church leaders and pastors utilize therapists and para-church ministries and when do they care on their own?

Do pastors always outsource?

Do they never outsource?

What role does the church have for families in crisis?

Let’s talk about it with author and psychologist (and lover of the Church), Jennifer Ripley.

| Highlights |

“The church…will bring you casseroles, but when a crisis shows up, we often don’t know what to do.”

“Pastors have a role in a person’s life that a therapist or medical doctor does not have.”

“A Church community can provide healing in ways that others cannot. I can provide that somewhat as a therapist…but a whole community that holds people and gives them opportunities for growth? That’s beautiful.”

| QOTW |

What was your favorite children’s book while growing up?

| Next Steps |

Her book: https://www.amazon.com/Ministering-Families-Crisis-Essential-Nurturing

Join the HIMH Pod FB group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/himhpodcast

Follow Laurie on IG (where she is the most active): https://www.instagram.com/laurie_krieg/

Sign up to get on the email list: https://www.wcsg.org/podcasts/hole-in-my-heart/

WCSG Instagram

WCSG Facebook 

]]> https://www.wcsg.org/_app_pages/stations/3516/blogs/posts/80219 240- How to Help Our Kids Navigate A Porn-Saturated World | with guest John-Michael Bout Join the Hole in My Heart Team with special guest John-Michael Bout for a conversation on navigating pornography with our children. Fri, 11 Apr 2025 04:00:00 +0000 https://www.wcsg.org/blogs/himh-vodcast/post/240-how-to-help-our-kids-navigate-a-porn-saturated-world-with-guest-john-michael-bout/ o296-1410-67f81ad8a8638 WCSG & Hole In My Heart Podcast If the average age of pornography exposure is between 8 and 12 years old, and the majority of Christians are looking at it regularly, we need to talk about it. 

Specifically, documentary creator and author John Michael Bout helps us ask and answer:

How can we help our kids prepare to see it?

How can we help them recover?

What hope do we have?

| Highlights |

“Parents are often like, ‘We live in a technological world. I know there is pornography out there. I have no idea what to do!” We can throw our hands in the air, and bury our heads in the sand. I always want to say to parents, ‘Yeah, this is hard. This is challenging. We live in a unique time. But God has given you everything you need to talk about sexuality.”

“At the heart of every situation where there is pornography going on, there are good and holy desires. They are finding their end in a counterfeit—in the wrong thing.”

“There are good studies to show that the first person to teach on the topic will become the expert. As a parent, you want to be the expert when it comes to questions of sexuality.”

| QOTW |

What is something you have purchased off a cookie ad or As Seen on TV and it was actually good? 

| Next Steps |

The trailer: https://www.intothelightdocumentary.com/

The site : https://intothelightministries.ca/

Join the HIMH Pod FB group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/himhpodcast

Follow Laurie on IG (where she is the most active): https://www.instagram.com/laurie_krieg/

Sign up to get on the email list: https://www.wcsg.org/podcasts/hole-in-my-heart/

WCSG Instagram 

WCSG Facebook 

 

]]> https://www.wcsg.org/_app_pages/stations/3516/blogs/posts/80039 239-How to Form a Gospel-Identity in the Next Gen | with guest Jonathan Holmes Join the Hole in My Heart Team and friend of the podcast Jonathan Holmes for a conversation on instilling the gospel in the next generation. Fri, 28 Mar 2025 04:00:00 +0000 https://www.wcsg.org/blogs/himh-vodcast/post/239-how-to-form-a-gospel-identity-in-the-next-gen-with-guest-jonathan-holmes/ o296-1410-67e59d18dfbac WCSG & Hole In My Heart Podcast

It’s so easy to identify as “I am what I do” or “I am how I feel.”

The next generations especially seem to feel this pull.

How can we help Gen Z and Alpha understand who they are in Christ? How can we start with our own identity so we speak from a place of firm-footing instead of hypocrisy? Author and therapist Jonathan Holmes is here to help lead us.

 

| Highlights |

“A gospel identity is one that is received and not achieved.” —Jonathan Holmes

“All of us parents can struggle with wanting to make our kids into our image, rather than helping them fulfill and live into their image-bearing capacity.”

“God’s first words about sexuality are ones of invitation not prohibition.” —Jonathan Holmes

| QOTW|

If you had the time and the desire, what sport would you want to get really good at?

| Next Steps |

His IG: https://www.instagram.com/akjonathanholmes/

His book : https://www.amazon.com/Grounded-Grace-Helping-Identity-Christ

Join the HIMH Pod FB group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/himhpodcast

Follow Laurie on IG (where she is the most active): https://www.instagram.com/laurie_krieg/

Sign up to get on the email list: https://www.wcsg.org/podcasts/hole-in-my-heart/

WCSG Instagram

WCSG Facebook

]]> https://www.wcsg.org/_app_pages/stations/3516/blogs/posts/79793 238-Screens: From Fighting to Flourishing | with guest Chris McKenna Join the Hole in My Heart team and guest Chris McKenna as they talk about digital technology and parenting. Fri, 14 Mar 2025 04:00:00 +0000 https://www.wcsg.org/blogs/himh-vodcast/post/238-screens-from-fighting-to-flourishing-with-guest-chris-mckenna/ o296-1410-67d2ee3716a71 WCSG & Hole In My Heart Podcast

Many parents feel a mixture of emotions about screens: On one hand, we see they can be useful tools. On the other, we feel a lot of shame because we are probably addicted to them ourselves and we let our kids use them too often.

We feel shame, anger, and . . . gratitude?

How should we feel? 

How can parents approach screen time with their kids—and move us all from fighting to flourishing?

Christian dad, tech-guru, and founder of Protect Young Eyes, Chris McKenna, is here to help us.

| Highlights |

“Some of the loudest voices advocating for our children are coming not from the Church.” —Chris McKenna

“There is no other issue on earth today that is at risk for darkening the hearts of our children than their digital spaces. It must be the thing we talk about second most to Jesus Christ.” —Chris McKenna

“This is Brain against the Game—not Kid versus Parent. If our child acts wild after stopping a game or show, our instinct is to think, ‘This is my kid is fighting back against me and being disobedient.’ That stirs up anger and confrontation between us. But if parents can remember, ‘That game is harming them. I am going to be upset at the *game* because of what it is doing to my precious child.’ That pivots our anger into empathy.” —Chris McKenna

| Next Steps |

Follow Protect Young Eyes on IG: https://www.instagram.com/protectyoungeyes/

Read Protect Young Eyes Resources: https://www.protectyoungeyes.com

Join the HIMH Pod FB group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/himhpodcast

Follow Laurie on IG (where she is the most active): https://www.instagram.com/laurie_krieg/

Sign up to get on the email list: https://www.wcsg.org/podcasts/hole-in-my-heart/

WCSG Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wcsgradio/

WCSG Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wcsgradio/

]]> https://www.wcsg.org/_app_pages/stations/3516/blogs/posts/79546 237-Parenting Without Panic | with guest Rachel Gilson Join the Hole in My Heart team as they talk about parenting in an affirming-LGBTQ world. Fri, 28 Feb 2025 05:00:00 +0000 https://www.wcsg.org/blogs/himh-vodcast/post/237-parenting-without-panic-with-guest-rachel-gilson/ o296-1410-67be283f3c8e8 WCSG & Hole In My Heart Podcast Parents and caregivers of the next generation need help to lead their kids in an affirming-LGBTQ world.

Our guest and author, Rachel Gilson, said it well on today’s episode: “Even my friends who had great discipling moms and dads didn’t grow up in this cultural moment. Their moms and dads didn’t have to help them navigate these cultural questions.”

She continued: “So even they feel out on a limb: ‘No one prepped me for this.’ There is a panic of feeling without a guide and lost. That’s no one’s fault but it’s where a lot of us find ourselves now.”

Parents were not prepared for this. How do we live and teach the next generation wisely?

We also talk discuss:

How do we engage this topic not with a culture-warrior mentality but a Jesus mentality?

When do we talk about sex and sexuality?

How can we teach our kids a gospel identity?

| Highlights |

“We are made for love, but for love that is richer and deeper and thicker than our culture is currently telling us it is.”

“If I talk about sex and sexuality in a way that is calm and confident, I am going to signal to my daughter that she is never going to be shamed for asking questions, and that she is not going to cause me to curl up into embarrassment and fear. 

“I worked as a campus minister with college students for a long time. I kept asking the kids who grew up in Christian households and came to university and who were strong in the faith, ‘Why did you not get inoculated to the gospel? How did this become real to you?’ The number one answer I heard over and over and over again was, ‘It was real for my parents. As in, when they did something wrong, they asked for forgiveness.’”**

| QOTW | 

What generation do you actually belong to and which one should you belong to?

| Next Steps |

Snag Rachel’s book here: https://www.amazon.com/Parenting-without-Panic-LGBT-Affirming-World

See her site here: https://www.rachelgilson.com

We talked with Rachel about temptation on the show here: https://lauriekrieg.com/podcast/the-thing-about-temptation/

We talked with Rachel about friendship here: https://lauriekrieg.com/podcast/seeing-friends-as-siblings/

We mentioned thinking through school systems with a certain lens. This is the episode Laurie was referring to: https://lauriekrieg.com/podcast/episode-234-your-parenting-discipleship-q-a-matt-laurie-steve/

Want to make sure you don't miss any episodes? Subscribe to the Hole in My Heart podcast to receive an email notification each time a new episode is released!

WCSG Instagram

WCSG Facebook

]]> https://www.wcsg.org/_app_pages/stations/3516/blogs/posts/79278 236-Remember Discipleship? Let's Do It! | with guest EK Strawser Today we dive into discipleship with the Hole in My Heart team and guest EK Strawser! Fri, 14 Feb 2025 05:00:00 +0000 https://www.wcsg.org/blogs/himh-vodcast/post/236-remember-discipleship-lets-do-it-with-guest-ek-strawser/ o296-1410-67ae0fedca922 WCSG & Hole In My Heart Podcast

Discipleship is something Christians are talking about more.

It’s so important. But…what is it?

Today, author and pastor Eun (EK) Strawser helps understand what discipleship is as well as:

--How can we become a community that centers discipleship?

--How can we know if we are doing it “right”?

--How does parenting relate to discipleship?

| Highlights |

“Discipleship means to imitate Jesus within the context of a community for the renewal of the local place around you.”

“If discipleship is centered within a community, then that also means within a family.”

“The discipleship of deficiency develops because people self-disqualify themselves all of the time. Jesus set out and said, ‘Every one of you who are making an intentional decision to imitate me within the context of community, you are a disciple maker. Go and make more.’ If that’s the call, then that should not be a leadership call. Making disciples should not be a criteria for leaders. It should be a baseline criteria for every congregant.”

| QOTW |

What do you need to prepare for winter?

| Next Steps |

Eun’s book: https://www.amazon.com/Centering-Discipleship-Multiplying-Spectators-Disciples

Her IG :https://www.instagram.com/ekstrawser/

Join the HIMH Pod FB group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/himhpodcast

Follow Laurie on IG (where she is the most active): https://www.instagram.com/laurie_krieg/

WCSG Instagram

WCSG Facebook

]]> https://www.wcsg.org/_app_pages/stations/3516/blogs/posts/79118 235-The Most Important Part of Parenting | with guest Dan Allender Join the Hole in My Heart Team and guest Dan Allender as they talk about parenting. Fri, 31 Jan 2025 05:00:00 +0000 https://www.wcsg.org/blogs/himh-vodcast/post/235-the-most-important-part-of-parenting-with-guest-dan-allender/ o296-1410-679cd1757f882 WCSG & Hole In My Heart Podcast  

This episode left us speechless.

Today, we are joined again by psychologist and author Dan Allender to talk about the most important part of parenting: Your marriage. 

(If you are a single mom or dad, we bless you and intersperse much of the conversation with relating the conversation to close friendships.)

For those of us who are married, why is that the most important part of marriage? Dan tells us well: 

“Our children are given the gift of watching the reality of love and life brokenness and beauty being played out in the theater of our marriage,” he says. “They are in the audience watching closely—far more closely than we presume. If our marriage doesn’t have the ability to actually name brokenness but also glory in one another, our children are going to be hungry souls looking for what they were made for.”

Okay, Dan. Help us out, friend. How can we lean in without setting the bar too high or low?

This episode is one we will be going back to again and again.

| Highlights |

“The process of growing in maturity is a family affair.” —Dan Allender

“You can communicate well in marriage when you learn to suffer on behalf of the other.” —Dan Allender

“My story needs to be known by my spouse well enough and deep enough to be able to engage it. Eventually, our kids need to know our stories. Each and every detail? No. Age appropriate.” —Dan Allender

| QOTW |

What is your go-to birthday dinner?

| Next Steps |

Talking with us about “Sexuality and Shame” https://lauriekrieg.com/podcast/sexuality-and-shame-with-dan-allender/

We also talked with Dan and Cathy Loerzal about “Which of the Six Types are You?” https://lauriekrieg.com/podcast/which-of-the-six-types-are-you-with-dan-allender-cathy-loerzel/

Check out Dan’s sites: theallendercenter.org and reconnectinstitute.com  

Snag his latest marriage book: https://www.amazon.com/Deep-Rooted-Marriage-Cultivating-Intimacy-Healing/

Join the HIMH Pod FB group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/himhpodcast

Follow Laurie on IG (where she is the most active): https://www.instagram.com/laurie_krieg/ 

WCSG Instagram 

WCSG Facebook 

Want to make sure you don't miss any episodes? Subscribe to the Hole in My Heart podcast to receive an email notification each time a new episode is released!

 

]]> https://www.wcsg.org/_app_pages/stations/3516/blogs/posts/78884 234-Your Parenting + Discipleship Q & A | Matt, Laurie, Steve Join the Hole in My Heart Team as they answer your questions about parenting and discipleship! Fri, 17 Jan 2025 05:00:00 +0000 https://www.wcsg.org/blogs/himh-vodcast/post/234-your-parenting-discipleship-q-and-a-matt-laurie-steve/ o296-1410-6791011d8d061 WCSG & Hole In My Heart Podcast

To launch our spring season focused on parenting and discipling the next generation, we are starting with YOUR QUESTIONS.

We toss around: 

“What parts of ‘the sex talk’ were helpful for us when we were growing up?”

“How can we protect our kids’ bodies without being a helicopter parent?”

“How can we approach school systems that don’t agree with our beliefs?”

“Should we talk to our kids about p*rn even if they don’t have unlimited access to the internet?”

Pull up an earbud and join us!

| Highlights |

“My parents taught me, ‘You are not defined by your behavior by your sin. It does not identify you or define you.’ That was very helpful in critical moments.”—Steve O’Dell

“One of the biggest indicators for how well people will recover from trauma is if they know they have a place they can come in the event that something does happen.”—Matt Krieg

“If our kids are going to hear an unbiblical worldview of marriage and sexuality in their schools, they need to hear the gospel vision of marriage and sexuality in our homes ten times more.” —Laurie Krieg

| QOTW |

Do you have a word, a focus, or theme for the year?

| Next Steps |

Jay Stringer’s book we cited: https://www.amazon.com/Unwanted-Sexual-Brokenness-Reveals-Healing/dp/1631466720

Julia Sadusky’s book: https://www.amazon.com/Start-Talking-Your-Kids-about

My friend, Phylicia Masonheimer who talks a lot about parenting from the home: https://phyliciamasonheimer.com

Join the HIMH Pod FB group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/himhpodcast

Follow Laurie on IG (where she is the most active):https://www.instagram.com/laurie_krieg/

WCSG Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wcsgradio/ 

WCSG Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wcsgradio/ 

]]> https://www.wcsg.org/_app_pages/stations/3516/blogs/posts/78767 233- Why Can't We Stay Friends? | with guest Bryan Loritts Join the Hole in My Heart Team and guest Bryan Loritts as they talk about friendships, boundaries and authenticity! Fri, 03 Jan 2025 05:00:00 +0000 https://www.wcsg.org/blogs/himh-vodcast/post/233-why-cant-we-stay-friends-with-guest-bryan-loritts/ o296-1410-6776b4c648e5d WCSG & Hole In My Heart Podcast Happy new year! Let’s talk about friendships!

Author and pastor Bryan Loritts joins us today to discuss:

—Are friendships seasonal? (Should they be?)

—How can we make and keep lifelong friends?

—How should we think about boundaries with friends?

| Highlights |

“The reason so many of our relationships are superficial is we are too scared of taking the time and the risk to walk in truth with each other.” 

“There is a place to draw boundaries. I am just cautious against that being our reflex reaction the first time someone does something to us.”

“Many people confuse transparency with authenticity. We have to be authentic with everyone but transparent with few.”

“We are so busy so we don’t make time and margin for the longing of our souls for friends.”

| QOTW |

What is your go-to quotable movie?

| Next Steps |

His site: https://bryanloritts.com/

His book: https://www.amazon.com/Enduring-Friendship-Sticking-Together-Unfriending

His IG: https://www.instagram.com/loritts/

Connect to O’Neill Asset Management: https://www.oneillassetmanagement.com

Join the HIMH Pod FB group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/himhpodcast

Follow Laurie on IG (where she is the most active): https://www.instagram.com/laurie_krieg/


Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wcsgradio/

WCSG Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wcsgradio/

]]> https://www.wcsg.org/_app_pages/stations/3516/blogs/posts/78536 232- The Genesis of Gender | with guest Abigail Favale Join the Hole in My Heart Team and guest Abigail Favale as they dive into the gender conversation. Thu, 19 Dec 2024 05:00:00 +0000 https://www.wcsg.org/blogs/himh-vodcast/post/232-the-genesis-of-gender-with-guest-abigail-favale/ o296-1410-67607a8f21683 WCSG & Hole In My Heart Podcast

If you care about the gender conversation at all, we believe this conversation is critical.

Dr. Abigail Favale wrote Laurie’s favorite book on gender this year called “The Genesis of Gender,” and the conversation about it is—*chef’s kiss*—rich and practical.

Together, they talk about:

—Is sexual difference an afterthought of the Bible?

—How can we define woman and man?

—Is the fact that intersex people exist the proverbial “trump card” for more than two sexes?

—How can people walk alongside those they love who wrestle with gender? (And what if we wrestle ourselves?)

| Highlights |

“The gender-affirming medical model presents itself as a quick fix. It is concrete. ‘I now have a very concrete, step-by-step process that I can follow that will speak to this misery I am undergoing.’ That is a very compelling narrative, so I have nothing but compassion for people who go down this road to try to manage their suffering. I have less compassion for people in authority who should know better.” —Abigail Favale

“Yes, boys can play with these toys, but they are still boys because of the kind of bodies they are…You  have a body where you could grow up and be a daddy one day.” And: “You have a body that could grow up and be a mommy one day.” —Abigail Favale

“There was never a time where the medical establishment said, ‘The cure for anorexia is liposuction or to affirm young women’s views of themselves…’ Now we have adults in authority telling distressed young women [who wrestle with gender], ‘You are right about how you feel about your body, and let me help you to radically change it.’” —Abigail Favale

| QOTW | 

What is the best pickle? (Oh, my word…Matt writes a haiku against pickles hahaha)

| Next Steps |

Abigail’s new memoir: https://ignatius.com/into-the-deep-idp/

Her gender book: https://www.amazon.com/Genesis-Gender-Christian-Theory/dp/1621644081

Her Twitter: Twitter/X @FavaleAbs

Connect to O’Neill Asset Management: https://www.oneillassetmanagement.com

Join the HIMH Pod FB group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/himhpodcast

Follow Laurie on IG (where she is the most active):https://www.instagram.com/laurie_krieg/

WCSG Instagram 

WCSG Facebook

]]> https://www.wcsg.org/_app_pages/stations/3516/blogs/posts/78395 231- Everyday Evangelism | with guest David Bennett Join the Hole in My Heart Team for a conversation on evangelism and how to do this in the everyday moments of life. Fri, 06 Dec 2024 05:00:00 +0000 https://www.wcsg.org/blogs/himh-vodcast/post/231-everyday-evangelism-with-guest-david-bennett/ o296-1410-67521344645a8 WCSG & Hole In My Heart Podcast

We LOVED this conversation.

In the midst of divisive ... everything… in the world today, it reminded us about what really matters: JESUS. THE GOSPEL. And that sharing Jesus (evangelism) is an absolute joy when you love Him.

Theologian, author, and our friend, David Bennett, is the one who reminds us of our first love (Jesus), and also helps us think through:

—Why should we tell people about Jesus?

—How can we make it less awkward?

—Should it feel natural to us?

—What if people respond poorly? 

| Highlights |

“If I was married, I would tell people how amazing my spouse is all the time because I like to share good things with people. If you’re in love with Someone, you talk about them. That’s my favorite form of evangelism.” —David Bennett

“Why do I love evangelism? Because I get to see God—Jesus—born in someone. There is nothing better than that in the world.” —David Bennett

“When you realize, ‘I ain’t got nothing’—that’s when you’re the best evangelist. Because I don’t have anything. Even with all my degrees, who cares? What matters is that Jesus died and rose again and he’s awesome and there’s nothing better in life and people need that and are perishing and it’s urgent.” —David Bennett

| QOTW |

What was your youth group name if you had one—or what would you name it now?

| Next Steps |

David joined us twice before. Listen here: https://lauriekrieg.com/podcast/the-awkward-middle/ and https://lauriekrieg.com/podcast/cant-we-all-just-get-along/

David’s site: https://www.dacbennett.com/

David’s IG: https://www.instagram.com/davidacbennett/

Connect to O’Neill Asset Management: https://www.oneillassetmanagement.com

Join the HIMH Pod FB group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/himhpodcast

Follow Laurie on IG (where she is the most active):https://www.instagram.com/laurie_krieg/

WCSG Instagram

WCSG Facebook 

]]> https://www.wcsg.org/_app_pages/stations/3516/blogs/posts/78254