The stress of the holidays become amplified when we know we'll spend time among dysfunctional people. As Christ-followers, this can elicit questions and confusion. How can we share the light of Christ in a way that feels emotionally safe? Is there a way to reduce the chaos? Carol's guest Pam Farrel believes, often, there is. In this episode, she shares some strategies she's developed in dealing with an alcoholic father and a mother-in-law with significant mental illness. (Scroll down for discussion/reflective questions.)

Related episode: Dealing with Toxic People with Gary Thomas

Find Pam Farrel at:

On her website (Love-Wise)

On Facebook

On Amazon

Find Carol McCracken:

On her website

On Facebook

On Instagram

Join the private Faith Over Fear Facebook Group

(Inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.)

Discussion/Reflective Questions:

1. What most resonated with you in this episode?
2. What are some ways you can plan ahead to reduce chaos and stress this holiday season?
3. What might an escape plan look like in your circumstances and what scenarios might move you to enact follow that plan?
4. What emotions might you need to work through in order to move from bitterness and healing?
5. Throughout her discussion, Pam shared how God guided her through her holidays. What is God telling you in regard to how He wants you to engage (or not engage) with certain dysfunctional people this season?
6. Sometimes God calls us to love up close, and sometimes He encourages us to love people from a distance. Which most applies to your circumstances, and what might this look like?
7. What is one action step God might be inviting you to take having listened to this episode?

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

The grace of God and the unwavering love of a praying mom pulled Chad Mattson out of addiction and transformed him into a dad, husband, and musician who now lives to proclaim all the Lord has done. His story speaks hope to those who feel they've fallen too far to start again, those who remain chained to their past mistakes, and who, like Mattson, are learning, perhaps for the first time, to become acquainted with emotions they've suppressed for far too long. (Scroll down for discussion/reflective questions.)

Find Chad Mattson and his band:

On the Unspoken website

Facebook

Instagram

Spotify

YouTube

Find Jennifer Slattery:

On her website

Instagram

Facebook

Amazon

Subscribe to her free newsletter

Join the private Faith Over Fear Facebook Group

(Inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.)

Discussion/Reflective Questions:

1. What most resonated with you in this episode?
2. Consider your current social sphere. Do your friends tend to bring out the best in you or tempt you to engage in unhealthy behaviors?
3. When has something fun turned into something enslaving?
4. Reflect upon some of your current coping mechanism. What might it look like to turn to Jesus when working through difficult emotions?
5. What does Chad's story reveal regarding the heart of God?
6. What does Chad's story reveal regarding the power of grace?
7. What is one action step God might be asking you to take having listened to this podcast?

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Do you find yourself battling loneliness and long for deeper connections? Do you struggle going deeper in your current relationships and wonder why tension often invades certain interactions? In this episode, host Carol McCracken talks with author and Bible teacher Becky Harling about our longing to connect, things that can hinder our connections, and practical ways we can build deeper relationships. (Scroll down for discussion/reflective questions.)

Resource referenced: Cultivating Deeper Connections in a Lonely World

Find Becky Harling:

On her website

On Instagram

On Facebook

Check out her podcast, the Connected Mom

Find Carol McCracken:

On her website

On Facebook

On Instagram

Discussion/Reflective Questions:

1. What resonated with you most in this episode?
2. When has God used a difficult season to shift or correct your priorities?
3. What are some ways you experience a sense of belonging in your relationship with Christ?
4. When has envy hurt one of your relationships?
5. When has comparison hurt one of your relationships?
6. When have you seen celebrating others deepen a relationship?
7. What is one action step God might want you to take having listened to this episode?

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.