We’re talking about sex and our kids. How do we talk to our kids about sex? About their bodies? What’s normal? And, what do we do about hot topics like touching themselves? This episode is actually a peek inside The Circle, the group mentorship that meets for monthly live teaching. This is a more in depth conversation about navigating healthy sexual development in our kids, through the ages and stages, based on this core framework: Sex is good and of God Sexual curiosity is natural Sexual respon...
Jun 03, 2024•42 min•Season 3Ep. 196
Way better than anything Hollywood could ever portray, today’s guest Alexa PenaVega shares her vulnerable testimony of finding more in her marriage. How do you go from a wife who really doesn’t feel very excited about physical intimacy to finding celebration and joy? In this episode, Alexa and Francie chat about the fruitfulness that has flowed from pursuing oneness, their callings as mothers to disciple their children and be the best source for all things, including sex. Note: This episode endu...
May 20, 2024•40 min•Season 3Ep. 195
You have permission to break free from silence and shame and show up in a different way. Perhaps you’ve experienced silence or unhelpful messages about your body and your sexuality. You’ve heard about sex being a man’s need or a wife’s duty. You’ve been told your body is a stumbling block and that sexual desire is dirty. The “don’t do it, don’t do it” message is ingrained in your brain, even if you’re already married. It’s no wonder you show up to marriage with questions and even some confusion,...
May 13, 2024•23 min•Season 3Ep. 194
You have a story…and, perhaps the purity culture movement has been a part of shaping your views about your body and your design. Let’s unpack some of the shame and fear that may be holding you back as we walk toward more integration and celebration of the gift of married intimacy. Playfulness and novelty in your marriage is good and of God. In this episode you’ll get insight and practical tips to bring more of the goodness of playfulness into your marriage and your intimacy. You’re Invited to Le...
May 06, 2024•25 min•Season 3Ep. 193
Overwhelm, endless to-do lists, and exhaustion is real, especially in the season of life when you’re pouring your heart and soul into a growing family. Raising little children and having little babies can feel like a sprinting marathon. Let’s talk about the challenges faced by many mommas to nurture sexual intimacy while raising young children. And, let’s infuse some practicals for navigating this season with grace and helpful perspectives and ideas to help you thrive in every season of life. Yo...
Apr 22, 2024•25 min•Season 3Ep. 192
Friend, this chat is critical. As we attempt to reframe our view of sex, we are missing the mark if we continue to focus on a narrow and limiting view of “sexual activity” vs. the oneness and meaning that comes through “sexual intimacy.” Let’s unpack the differences, think about how we got here and how we find a way forward. And, let’s embrace a lifestyle of love making, where intimacy permeates every aspect of a marriage. We’ll dig into these topics: The traditional view of sex as solely sexual...
Apr 15, 2024•26 min•Season 3Ep. 191
Let’s pause and get on the same page. Language plays a crucial role in shaping culture and creating a sense of familiarity and understanding. And, a word used quite often in our conversations here is integration. What does it mean and why does it matter? In 1 Thessalonians 5: 23 we see, “May God himself, the God who makes everything holy and whole, make you holy and whole, put you together - spirit, soul, and body - and keep you fit for the coming of our Master, Jesus Christ.” We are all on a jo...
Apr 08, 2024•17 min•Season 3Ep. 190
Ever feel stressed out?!? In this episode, Francie discusses ways to find regulation in the body when feeling stressed out, because we are actually living with chronic stress. Friend, your body is so good to you and even protects you in times of stress. Let's befriend our bodies and understand our nervous system. You’ll get TEN practices to help you regulate your nervous system, including breathing exercises, sensory input, and posture. Key takeaways include: Befriending our bodies and understan...
Mar 25, 2024•39 min•Season 3Ep. 189
Walking through seasons of suffering can feel lonely, isolating and can even create a debilitating spiral of despair. Regardless of what your hard looks like, in this episode you’ll be equipped and encouraged as Francie shares her personal journey of embracing the challenges in her life and how it has reshaped her perspective on suffering. Key takeaways include: Emphasizing the importance of living embodied, Francie discusses the significance of caring for our bodies amidst hardship and how it i...
Mar 18, 2024•40 min•Season 3Ep. 188
In this vulnerable episode, Francie reflects on the pain and struggle caused by sexual sin in the church. Let’s have some honest reflections, informed and stirred up by a culmination of years of sexual sin being exposed publicly in some church leaders. This is not about finger pointing towards anybody, all while we acknowledge the incredible pain that is experienced by victims. In this episode, we will explore some important questions about honesty, stress, sexuality, and the dangers of Christia...
Mar 04, 2024•42 min•Season 3Ep. 187
Your female body is an extravagant gift from God. He gave you a beautiful body and He’s called you to steward it well. Stewardship starts with knowing your body. And knowing that your female body was created for pleasure. When you look at the way you were designed, you can marvel at the Creator who made you with such a huge capacity for pleasure. I want to hold open, celebratory conversations about the female body and have a different kind of conversation about pleasure. Friend, we’re continuing...
Feb 19, 2024•27 min•Season 3Ep. 186
Let’s have a practical chat, rooted in spiritual truth as we answer a recent listener question. Francie, my physical well being often suffers at the expense of serving my children. How do I take time for myself at the expense of my children when the Bible is so clear about placing the needs of others above my own? Many of us have fallen prey to the trap of dualism - the idea that some things are sacred and some things aren’t. We tend to categorize certain activities as spiritual, even more impor...
Feb 12, 2024•34 min•Season 3Ep. 185
The topic of sex so often shuts us down. The thought of learning or growing isn’t even an option when it’s a no-go territory. Yet, we learn about creation in two ways: through God’s words (the Bible) and through God’s works (His creation, which includes you and me). The body is His design. When we look at the beauty of our body and how it works, we can see the heart of a good Creator. In this episode we’ll unpack common fears and practical thinking to challenge those fears so that we might overc...
Feb 05, 2024•24 min•Season 3Ep. 184
It’s a new year…whether you listen to this now or later, this episode is a foundational conversation I want to share with you. There’s a longing in my heart to share what God is doing and how He is growing hearts in this community. In this episode you’ll hear more of the vision for vital needs we need as women on a path for growth. Tune in and hear more about this vision for five things we really need, including: Mentorship Honesty Integrated living as a flourishing woman Thriving masculinity an...
Jan 29, 2024•31 min•Season 3Ep. 183
In all seasons, we face circumstances that remind us that things aren’t as they should be. Can we be honest about the struggle and walk with authenticity? In this teaching episode, we’ll look at suffering and longing through the story of Mary, the mother of Jesus, who embodied love and trusting God in less than ideal circumstances. Jesus came in a body. And, this is no accident, sweet friend. Your body is significant and serves great purpose. As we reflect on the Christmas story, how can we brin...
Dec 11, 2023•29 min•Season 3Ep. 182
Your husband is strong, yet has a very tender side that only you get the gift of seeing. But, how can you help his heart come alive? What is your man longing to hear? Your words have incredible power to build your husband in a way that no one else can. It’s true! This episode might surprise you, but it’s insight on how to speak right into the masculine strength of your husband. Let’s get specific and learn to honor the ways God created you both, male and female. Download the Merry Marriage Gift ...
Dec 04, 2023•22 min•Season 3Ep. 181
Join us in this quick and lighthearted episode where we explore creative ways to nurture intimacy OUTSIDE of the bedroom. With hectic schedules and the 'roommate rut' that can sneak into even the happiest relationships, it's crucial to carve out quality time for genuine connection and joy. This episode is all about sparking new life into your relationship and reigniting the passion with intentional FUN. You’ll har some fresh ideas for intentionally growing your connection, making each moment tog...
Nov 27, 2023•20 min•Season 3Ep. 180
Friend, get ready for a freedom chat in this rich conversation with Molly Rhodes, who is a fellow listener and Discipleship Circle member. In this conversation we have an honest, vulnerable chat about the amazing beauty of our feminine body and how to tap into the ways God designed us as women. It's a conversation that seeks to rekindle the awe and appreciation we should feel for our own femininity. Many of us have been disconnected from our feminine beauty, and it's time to take notice, lean in...
Nov 20, 2023•53 min•Season 3Ep. 179
In this heartfelt episode, you’ll hear a beautiful summation of life lessons I've yearned to impart to my own daughters. Join me as we explore crucial insights and TRUTH to share and pass down to the next generation about their bodies, sexuality, and the incredible way in which God has thoughtfully created them. Many of us were raised in the shadow of purity culture, often instilled with the belief that there's something dangerous about the female body. In this conversation, we aim to break free...
Nov 13, 2023•28 min•Season 3Ep. 178
In this episode, we address a common struggle faced by so many of us - the overwhelming exhaustion that often leaves us feeling too drained for intimacy. It’s real! Life's demands can leave you physically and emotionally depleted, and at the end of the day, sex might feel like just another exhausting task. But what if we could change this narrative? What if we could reframe sex as a source of nourishment, a pathway to renewal, and a means to receive rather than just give? In this conversation we...
Nov 06, 2023•26 min•Season 3Ep. 177
Let’s reclaim novelty and excitement in our marriage bed to fully live out and honor God’s design for married sex and intimacy. In this episode we’ll reframe our view of novelty and unpack ways to avoid monotony as we keep our marriages exciting and growing. A few key points for this episode include: Monogamous relationships are proven to be the happiest and healthiest in various aspects. The journey towards embracing one's body and sexual side may require inner healing and questioning societal ...
Oct 30, 2023•23 min•Season 3Ep. 176
This episode is a unique offering. A time for margin to encounter the Lord and allow Him to meet you right where you may be. There is great power in intimacy and Christ has made a way for us to be one with God. May you encounter some intimate space with Jesus and connect to the love of God that you were made for. Donate to the Heaven in Your Home Ministry: Let’s keep the message moving. Your one time donation will allow us to continue to produce and distribute teaching and resources. Thank you f...
Oct 23, 2023•24 min•Season 3Ep. 175
We talk a lot about married intimacy, but ultimately this is about surrendering our whole selves to our Maker, the lover of our souls. In this episode, you’ll hear Francie share from her heart as she follows the Holy Spirit walking with Jesus in every season. May you be encouraged in your own pursuit of Jesus and longing for deeper intimacy with Him. Related Episodes: Finding Breakthrough from Anxiety, here Listening to Your Body for Physical, Emotional, Spiritual, and Sexual Health, here Suffer...
Oct 16, 2023•31 min•Season 3Ep. 174
We all have a story. And, our story informs and shapes our present reality, especially the ways we show up in the most intimate and vulnerable spaces. In this episode, you’ll hear a beautifully redemptive story. Kristin Richardson from the Fearless In Love podcast joins to share the journey she and her husband Todd made through the devastation of sexual brokenness. While pornography is part of Todd’s story, there is greater depth behind that sin struggle. Kristin brings insight, understanding an...
Oct 09, 2023•54 min•Season 3Ep. 173
This is an Invitation to reconnect our roles as mom and wife, seeing the beauty and value in both. Yet, how do you navigate life as a whole woman, filling our role as a wife and our role as a mother in a way that doesn’t feel disconnected? This episode was inspired by one of your questions and I hope that it will meet you right where you are, whether you’re a biological or a spiritual mother. Let’s upgrade our perspective and see all the ways God has created women and even how we see “hard” that...
Oct 02, 2023•29 min•Season 3Ep. 172
Come celebrates a listener’s story of experiencing joy, growth and freedom in her marriage. Learn how her freedom has begun to ripple out to the next generation, as the oneness in marriage has begun to lead to more and more fruitfulness. Don’t miss this beautiful testimony and teaching reflection. May it encourage and inspire you to walk as a Titus 2 woman, mentoring the next generation of women. Resources Mentioned: Authentic Intimacy with Juli Slattery, here Mentionables, feel confident and sh...
Sep 25, 2023•27 min•Season 1Ep. 171
A husband has a unique and powerful role in his wife’s healing journey, and in this episode you’ll hear from Jess and Matt Seitz as they share their story of navigating the pain and hurt of vaginismus. Through many years of enduring bad advice and hurtful counsel, their marriage connection remained strong. They share a powerful story of loving one another well, through sickness and, now, health. Learn more about Pain Free Intimacy help and The Mind-Body-Sex Reset Vaginismus Program here . About ...
Sep 18, 2023•41 min•Season 1Ep. 170
Painful intercourse, known medically as vaginismus, is more common than you may believe. In today’s episode, you’ll hear a beautiful testimony of hope and recovery from Jess Seitz, founder of Pain Free Intimacy. Jess shares her story with grace and vulnerability in a refreshing and hopeful manner. You will hear about the mind, body, spirit connection and the importance of integration and connecting to your story, which may or may not be informed by trauma. God made your body wonderfully. You are...
Sep 11, 2023•48 min•Season 1Ep. 169
You were made for intimate connection; with God, with your spouse, with your family and friends. Yet, in the culture of busyness, you may find yourself pulled in so many directions, the noise of life and doing all the things begins to drown out the ability to cultivate true connection. Margin is required for deep intimacy. We’re going to talk about how to create margin on purpose and start taking ground in creating deep connection and intimacy. Whether you are newly wed, in the thick of raising ...
Sep 04, 2023•28 min•Season 1Ep. 168
Is masturbation right or wrong? There’s a healthy pause that comes with answering this question because it’s quite layered and there isn’t scripture that provides a firm answer. Yet, we know that all things are permissible, but not all things are beneficial. In this conversation we’ll take a bigger picture view at the issues involved. Touching yourself or doing something in private that you want to keep secret is riddled with shame and not helpful to your marriage connection. On the contrary, th...
Aug 28, 2023•37 min•Season 3Ep. 167
