Send us a Text Message. already figured out this is a very pronounced theme in John. This Gospel is likely one of the most difficult to understand. Without doubt, those who first heard Jesus speaking these words must have struggled to comprehend this teaching especially because they were taking Jesus literally. We need to remember that Jesus has ta…

Curious about the benefits of parenting at your child's pace? Listen in as my guest, Dr. Joel Warsh shares insights you won't want to miss! Click here for the show notes and extra resources. Our children’s well-being and health are among the biggest responsibilities we take on as parents.. Yet today it has become complex to navigate the does and do…

Send us a Text Message. Most loving relationships do experience the ebb and flow of relationships. Relationships go through periods of intensity and periods of distance. People sometimes like being close and other times they need their space. Its clear that God respects our space, but we can clearly see he is the pursuer in this relationship. Some …

Do you think we should dedicate a month to celebrate families? Listen in to find out what Anne Doherty's plan to do just that. Click here for the show notes and extra resources. Families are the backbone of our societies and they have evolved over time. Today my guest wants us to have a whole month every year to celebrate all families. What We Talk…

Send us a Text Message. In the Gospel, we are told that the people have found Jesus after having searched for him for awhile. Jesus challenges them to look at their reasons for following him. Ideally Jesus probably wished they were following him because they wanted to learn more in order to deepen their faith. Jesus realizes however, that most peop…

How can you teach your child to be financially smart? Listen in as my guest, Anthony Delauney, shares his essential advice. Click here for the show notes and extra resources. You would not necessarily think of financial literacy as something a child should know, yet my guest today shares the importance of learning about finances early so we can hav…

Send us a Text Message. John describes the miracle of Jesus feeding a large group of followers. John indicated 5,000 men. We don’t know how many women or children were present. I suspect there might be some exaggeration here. Although Jesus knew what he was going to do, he still asks Philip to give an opinion of what could be done. It is a great te…

Why do you think comparing yourself to other parents is a trap? Listen in as my guest, Kathy Bowers explains why it's unnecessary and unhelpful. Click here for the show notes and extra resources. Kathy is a nursery teacher turned life and parenting coach and shares with us some compassionate advice for modern-day parents. What We Talked About: The …

Send us a Text Message. In Today’s Gospel from Mark, we learn that the apostles had returned from some mission activity and are updating Jesus on their experiences. What is immediately noteworthy is that Jesus’ first response is an invitation to get away and rest. It seems to me that Jesus is talking about the value of rest. Jesus is a head of his …

Are you ready to uncover the power of shared courage? Listen in as my guest, Jessica Patay shares her inspiring story. Click here for the show notes and extra resources. Parenting is already a journey with many ups and downs add to it a child with special needs, then the community becomes your lifeline. Jessica created an amazing international comm…

Send us a Text Message. Jesus is sending his disciples to gain some missionary experiences. The first thing is that Jesus sends the disciples out two by two. I thought Jesus could have doubled his impact by sending them out alone. It becomes clear that Jesus is not concerned with numbers. He is making several teaching points about spirituality and …

Do you know whether your child's sippy cup is doing more harm than good? Listen to my guest, an infant feeding expert for the answers. Click here for the show notes and extra resources. An infant feeding expert explains why it’s best to ditch the sippy cup and use an open cup instead when teaching children to learn to drink on their own. She also s…

Send us a Text Message. The Gospel Mark 6:1-6 is unusual, it seems that Jesus is returning to his hometown, likely to visit his family and friends. We don’t know if this visit occurred early in his mission work or towards the end. However, his family and friends have heard about his ministry, and they are not impressed. Jesus is understandably disa…

Have you ever had a gut feeling that something was off? Listen in as Marisa Peters inspires and encourages people to embrace being seen. Click here for the show notes and extra resources. Being a new parent can be stressful and exhausting; add to it a devastating health diagnosis, and you’re in for some very challenging times. Today, my guest share…

Richard Polton is a native of Paterson, New Jersey, USA, and an expert on local history. He has been actively engaged in research and public history projects on the Paterson story, delivering many lectures on the city’s development. A published author of books like ‘Paterson’s Industrial Age’ (2023), he also gives walking tours and has been involve…

2024 marked the 80th anniversary of the invasion of Europe, and in this episode we chat with Mark Scott, author of a new book on D-Day, and the men from Ulster who served. The book draws on testimony from Northern Ireland veterans who took part in the D-Day operations. Mark Scott is a researcher and author of two publications, ‘The man who shot the…

Scott Edgar has been the driving force behind the amazing WartimeNI for the last 10 years, sparked by a love of local history and an inspiring visit to Normandy for the 70th anniversary of D-Day in 2014. His digital platform is the go-to place for info on all things Second World War-related in Northern Ireland. Scott joins us in the museum for a ch…

Send us a Text Message. Today’s Gospel is a miracle story within a resurrection story. The first is the story of a woman who is healed after many years of suffering from hemorrhages. This miracle story is unique as the miracle happens without her saying anything to Jesus. She believes that she simply needs to touch the hem of his garment for the he…

Are you confused by all the parenting advice available? Listen in to hear what Jamie Glowacki has to say about modern parenting. Click here for the show notes and extra resources. Tune in to an animated discussion about parenting and how we might be messing it up. Jamie and I covered much ground today, from gentle parenting techniques to potty trai…

Send us a Text Message. Today’s Gospel describes an experience Jesus had with his disciples on the Sea of Galilee. This story was well known during the early days of the Church, especially during the persecutions. The early Church community was often in crisis as it dealt with factions from within and persecutions from the Roman Empire. The people …

How can opting out of the digital world lead to a more fulfilling family life? Listen in as my guest, Erin Loechner shares her inspiring stories. Click here for the show notes and extra resources. Making choices about what we bring into our homes or put in our children’s hands has been a long-standing issue I would like to examine. Today, Erin Loec…

Send us a Text Message. We have two very short parables where Jesus is describing the Kingdom of God. The first question that comes to mind is what does Jesus mean by “kingdom of God”? The term is used 126 times in the Gospels alone. I am also reminded of the statement where Jesus said: “If you had the faith the size of a mustard seed you could say…

How can you empower your child to embrace independence? Listen in to my guest, Lenore Skenazy as she shares her time-tested insights. Click here for the show notes and extra resources. Today’s guest was named “America’s Worst Mom” for supporting her son's desire to take the subway home 16 years ago. Since then, she has been on a mission to support …

Send us a Text Message. This Gospel is perhaps one of the most unusual of all the Gospels. Jesus’ family, including his mother Mary are coming to take him home believing that he is either possessed or has lost his mind. Jesus is accused of being possessed by members of his own family. Due to the lack of understanding of mental illness in those days…

Have you ever considered changing your family dynamics? Listen in as my guest, Linda Fruits, shares her journey of changing family dynamics. Click here for the show notes and extra resources. Sometimes, I encounter people whose life stories intrigue me. Today is no exception. Linda shares her family dynamics as it evolves from the stereotypical het…

Send us a Text Message. Jesus and the disciples are celebrating the Passover Meal, a major feast day in the Jewish faith and history. The Passover commemorates the “passing over” of the angel of death who would strike down the first born of the Egyptians. This was the tenth and final plague that Moses would bestow on the Egyptians to force the Phar…

Are you burnt out working as a childcare provider? Listen in as my guest, Caroline Allen shares her insights on how to keep the joy and wonder alive. Click here for the show notes and extra resources. I can relate to Caroline’s words. When I started in a Montessori environment as a second career, some days were hard, yet that sense of wonder kept m…

Send us a Text Message. I urge you to spend some time reflecting on who God is for you? The answer may give you insight about how you see God, your expectations of God and how you allow God to impact your life. One of the questions I ask people is; “What does God have to do to get your attention?’ This is another way of looking at what God means to…

Is your child's picky eating a sign of something more? Listen in to discover support and insights with my guest, Jaclyn Pederson. Click here for the show notes and extra resources. Feeding matters; parents often complain about their child's picky eating habits. We start to wonder if we’re doing something wrong, if our child is a picky eater, or if …

Send us a Text Message. Today’s Gospel is an account of the descent of the Holy Spirit on the disciples. This account is very different from the other accounts in the Gospels. Jesus makes another appearance. He welcomes his disciples with the call to Peace. I want to point out that Jesus said this to the disciples who were afraid, the doors were lo…

Send us a Text Message. Jesus makes some serious claims of those who follow Him, who will be able to drive out demons, speak new languages, pick up serpents, and even if they drink poison they will survive. Jesus promises miraculous cures simply by laying hands on the afflicted. I recognize that miracles do happen. I am not questioning that, howeve…

Do you strongly feel that staying home would be best for your child? Listen in to find out why your hunch is correct and critical. Click here for the show notes and extra resources. We know in our mama's heart that staying home with our children is important because they need us to. Today, my guest confirmed this instinct we have as mothers and why…

Are you curious about the magic of daily rituals? Listen in and learn from my guest, Britta Bushnell, how they can transform your life. Click here for the show notes and extra resources. I’ve always been fascinated by the transformative process of birth, and why I became a birth doula. Today, I’m excited to be speaking with Britta, a seasoned child…

Send us a Text Message. John is writing on his favourite theme of love. We are given a command to love one another. I struggle with this because one cannot be commanded to love. I wonder if the personality of Jesus, described in the Gospels, could shed light on how to respond to the call to love. We might start by focusing on and developing these p…

Do you want to foster confidence in your teen better? Listen in and discover how you can start today at home. Click here for the show notes and extra resources. Helping our teenagers feel confident is critical to their well-being and future success, starting at home. Karleen shares her personal and professional experience as a conflict resolution e…

Send us a Text Message. In this Gospel Jesus compares himself to the true vine. There are many points I want to draw your attention to. This metaphor of the vine would be well understood by the people. There were vineyards where people would grow grapes for wine. People would understand that vines were frequently pruned to produce much more fruit. …

Is your child's screen time stealing precious moments? Listen in as my guest, Katherine Martinko, shares how to unplug and reclaim childhood. Click here for the show notes and extra resources. What We Talked About: Katherine’s desire to write her book “Childhood Unplugged.”’ The effects of excessive screen time have on our children's development an…

Send us a Text Message. Today’s podcast is from John 10: 11-18. This Gospel will be read in churches April 21, 2024. Jesus compares himself to a shepherd, not just any shepherd but a good shepherd. Fortunately, Jesus goes on to clarify what he means. Probably most of us have little or no experience with shepherds and likely have never met one. Jesu…

How far would you go to save your child's vision? Listen in as Stephen Johnston shares his mission to fight blindness for his son and thousands of others. Click here for the show notes and extra resources. It’s hard to imagine losing one sight, and even more heartbreaking to discover that your child is. My guest today is a father on a mission to fi…

Send us a Text Message. There are many stories in which Jesus is revealed to people in various communities. I am proposing that the aspect community in our faith may be more important than we realize. I want to draw your attention to Matthew 18:20 where Jesus promises, “When two or more are gathered in my name I am there”. I am beginning to realize…

Do you have difficulty overcoming past trauma to start living the life you desire? Tune in to listen to Karena’s transformative insights. Click here for the show notes and extra resources. The negative stories we tell ourselves can be quite damaging to our well-being. My guest today shares how to move beyond so we can rise above the story to live a…

Send us a Text Message. In this Gospel of John, we have another appearance of Jesus. Although the doors are locked Jesus has no trouble appearing to his disciples. The first thing Jesus says is “Peace be with you”, and He will soon say it again. Jesus makes it clear that peace is an important part of his Gospel. He says it twice here and in several…

Do you struggle with digital consumption, whether you or your children in your home? Listen in and learn what we now know about how technology impacts our children. Click here for the show notes and extra resources. I’m concerned about technology's effects on our children’s developing brains. Today, I spoke with Forest Bronzan, a father leading glo…

Send us a Text Message. Today’s podcast is from the Gospel of John 20: 1-9. This gospel focuses on one of the earliest accounts of the resurrection of Jesus. The story starts with Mary of Magdala going to the tomb and finding it empty. I wonder what it was like for the followers of Jesus during and after the crucifixion. They were devastated! Likel…

Join us as we chat with author and historian Ken Dawson on all things 1798. Who was Henry Munro? Why does 1798 matter? Find out!

Join us as we chat with Peter Forbes about Newtonards man, and founding members of the SAS, Blair 'Paddy' Mayne!

What if the teenage years weren't something to fear but a breakthrough opportunity for growth? Listen in as my guest, Ellen Galinsky, unveils a fresh approach. Click here for the show notes and extra resources. Adolescence is a transformative and extremely important time in human development. In her latest book, The Breakthrough Years, Ellen Galins…

Send us a Text Message. Jesus is welcomed by the people of Jerusalem in a fashion reserved for royalty. I have no way knowing for sure how Jesus felt. On one hand he was likely pleased that the people were happy to welcome him. He probably recognized many of the people and genuinely felt welcomed. On the other hand, Jesus, who knew the thoughts of …

We speak with the fascinating Dr Jim O'Neill who has re-written the history of the Nine Years' War (1593-1693) in Ireland.

We chat wit Dr Sarah Doherty, Egyptologist, archaeologist and expert on everyday life in ancient Egypt!