In this episode, Katie and Graham discuss the value of taking a step back and conducting a family evaluation. No matter when you're accessing this episode, if it's been a while since you've done this -- or if you've never done it at all -- now is a great time to take stock of where God has been at work and where He may want to use you for the upcoming season. Like any organization, the family periodically needs an evaluation so we can think deeply about what's going well, what's not going well -...
Dec 27, 2021•30 min
We all give each other so many gifts for Christmas, and that's all fine. But there's one Person we often leave out -- Jesus Christ! In this episode, Graham and Katie dive into the Scriptures to explore what it could look like in our families for each person to give Jesus a gift. After all, it's His birthday we're celebrating! Think about what we do for others' birthdays: we give them gifts that THEY want. How do we know what Jesus wants? He's told us -- in His Word.We discuss:Exploring the Word ...
Dec 13, 2021•37 min
In this episode, we give suggestions on how your family can be a catalyst for community building in your neighborhood and spheres of influence. Christmas is an awesome time of year to "break the ice" by bringing something to your neighbors and being an instrument of God's love! Take a risk and watch the LORD work through your family! When we bring our meager "loaves and fishes" to Him, He multiplies them and uses them for His glory.Remember: don't overload yourself! It's so easy to do this time ...
Dec 06, 2021•25 min
In this episode, Amy Frank shares about St. Nicholas Day, an awesome opportunity for your family to bless another family who needs encouragement. If you've never heard of St. Nicholas Day, this is a crash course on what it is and how God can use it in your community!If this podcast been a blessing to you, please consider subscribing, leaving us a review and/or donating to our Patreon account. Thank you!
Nov 28, 2021•18 min
Ever wanted to celebrate Advent but not sure where to start? I highly recommend starting with books by Arnold Ytreeide (pronounced IT-TREE-IDE, a gifted storyteller whose adventures will delight your family during the Advent season. In this episode, Ytreeide gives the back story on his amazing books for families, explains why he wrote them and shares a little on his parenting philosophy.To learn more about Ytreeide's work, visit www.jothamsjourney.com. Now is a great time to get any one of his b...
Nov 21, 2021•48 min
If you're like us, sometimes you're bracing for this time of year with your family -- it can be so much fun but can also be overwhelming. Join us as Katie Clark walks us through a helpful way to navigate this time of year as a family through remembering, resting and rejuvenating, as we thank God for what He has done and celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ!This episode also features a brief introduction of Graham & Katie Clark and gives a preview of what we're planning over the next ...
Nov 15, 2021•27 min
This episode of the Strategic Families podcast includes an interview with Andrew & Janelle Devlin -- awesome young parents with four kids who run a business together and have their own podcast, Love + Money. They have tons of energy and great tips on how to be healthy and involve our kids along the way. You're going to enjoy and be inspired by this! A few things Andrew & Janelle share in this interview:Their adoption storyThey encourage us to know His Word and His promises and take the n...
Nov 08, 2021•55 min
In this episode, Graham interviews author Jessica Smartt, who's also a homeschool co-op director and mom of 3. Jessica shares important ideas from her two great parenting books, Memory Making Mom and Let Them Be Kids.In this interview, Jessica discusses:their new property, where her extended family and her own family now livewhy it's so important for kids to have in-person, physical interactionthe value of family traditions in our homesthat parents need not be deterred if their kids don't really...
Oct 31, 2021•34 min
In this episode, Graham interviews his brother, Chris Clark, an engineer & more importantly, a great dad and husband who is a faithful man of prayer. In this interview, Chris:Shares about the value of your kids seeing you on your knees in humility before the LORDTalks about how he follows up with people to let them know you've prayed for them and seeing how the LORD has worked.mentions how he prays throughout the day and lets the Holy Spirit leadnotes that many people just don't know how to ...
Oct 24, 2021•30 min
In this episode, Graham interviews Cliff Wright, executive director of the Charlotte Eagles, which Cliff describes as "a world-changing, disciple-making, community-building mission cleverly disguised as a soccer club." Cliff, who spent 15 years with YoungLife, shares compellingly about how we as adults should think about interacting with young people as they grow and navigate the challenges of modern life in middle school and high school.Cliff is a gifted communicator who has spent many years wi...
Oct 17, 2021•50 min
In this episode, Graham interviews David Vroon, the leader of the Reallife men's ministry of Stonebridge Church Community in Charlotte, NC. David shares how we as men are called to be not only providers but protectors, priests, and presiders over our homes & families. In this interview, David:shares about his own family, including his four children and what life was like in the Vroon home when their kids were young'discusses his experience with a fantastic ministry called Radical Mentoring (...
Oct 10, 2021•35 min
This episode features an interview with Amy Wray Frank, an awesome woman of God and homeschool mom, with five kids, who has a ton to teach us about how to create a beautiful home environment that is not only a respite for our souls but a place where real ministry can and should happen.In this episode, Amy:shares about why she turned down a very lucrative opportunity early in her marriage.encourages us to see our children in the home as fellow worshipers & workers as we treat out homes as mon...
Oct 03, 2021•43 min
In this episode, Graham interviews homeschool dad Jeff Greene, a homeschool dad who with his wife Diana, are so intentional and purposeful with their family, which includes four kids. They have an awesome set of core values, based on Scripture, that they have posted in their home and strive to live by. Jeff also shares about:family adventureshaving their own family daybeing intentional as familieshow they've worked travel into their liveshaving a regular date night / meeting with your wife to ta...
Sep 24, 2021•44 min
Former pastor Dan Martin is part of the exclusive "3 Daughters Club" (of which your host is a card-carrying member) and has so much to teach us young parents. In this episode, Dan shares:What his ultimate desires were for his daughters, and how he wanted them to desire something beyond themselves.His one primary regret (Editor's note: this is worth the price of admission; when a faithful man of God like Dan Martin says he has a regret, the rest of us will do well to listen up!).That as important...
Sep 19, 2021•51 min
In this episode, Graham interviews Lynn Wray, who has faithfully raised five awesome children, who have given her 18 amazing grandchildren. Lynn Wray shares about the four basic needs of all humans (aside from the obvious physical needs): Love, Acceptance, Worth & Security and how important this is in our parenting and how our job is to point them to God, who is the only One who can truly fill these needs.In this interview, Lynn:helps us see the danger we can fall into with our discipline if...
Sep 12, 2021•29 min
In this episode, Graham interviews awesome, faithful woman of God, Lynn Wray, who has raised five amazing children, who have given her 19 amazing grandchildren. This will be an especially encouraging episode to any young families who may have come to faith later than many others, as this often happens in the middle school or high school years. Lynn and Bruce were in their early 30s and had two small children when the LORD intervened and radically changed their life and their family's trajectory....
Sep 06, 2021•39 min
In this episode with Dan Wray, business owner and faithful Christian father and husband, we explore:How to make your own time for reading & valuing the Scriptures, including his own entertaining story of how he first started to get serious about God's Word.How to bring God's Word into the daily rhythms of life.Not just teaching the Word to our children, but helping them see the importance of God's Word regarding what you face in life.Why it's so important to spend the time and energy to help...
Aug 23, 2021•49 min
Bruce Wray is a retired businessman and faithful follower of Christ who has "walked the walk" of excellent parenting (and grandparenting) for decades. In this interview, Bruce looks back at when his kids were young and and how he and his wife, Lynn Wray, brought the business principles of strategic planning to bear on family life. Bruce teaches us:How strategic planning can prevent guilt, regrets and missed opportunities in our parenting.The importance of your kids knowing the Scriptures.A how-t...
Aug 23, 2021•44 min
As a parent, do you feel overwhelmed at the task? Like you're failing? Guilty you're not doing more? Constantly comparing yourself to others? Checked out? We can drop all of that and embrace the lifegiving freedom and peace for parenting that are found only in Jesus Christ.In this episode, we discuss the key principles to having a strategic family. Begin with the end in mind (thank you, Stephen Covey!) -- think about what you want God to accomplish in your family by the time your kids leave your...
Aug 23, 2021•22 min
