Jodi Orgill Brown was living the perfect "white picket fence life" when the dizziness and headaches first began. Life quickly changed when she was diagnosed with a brain tumor.  Jodi has learned through many hard trials including multiple surgeries, hospital stays, and a variety of health challenges that thriving looks different at different stages in your life. Even if you can't always be the mom you thought you would be, you are enough for your kids. Learning to thrive is a process. But no matter what is happening in your life, the sun still shines! You get to choose everyday if you wil ..read more

A thriving marriage doesn't just magically happen! Just like motherhood, marriage is an arena for growth. We must be intentional if we want to become the best spouse we can be. It is a process of becoming. Perfection is the lie that can discourage us from trying.    In this conversation with couples coach and podcaster, Julia Woods, she teaches 5 tips to develop and maintain a thriving marriage. You are probably already doing some of them, but there's always room for improvement as you partner together with your spouse. Listen as she explains the importance of growing through tension ..read more

Motherhood is not a solo job. We need Christ by our side in our motherhood journey. It's our ressponsibility to seek Him. As we courageously lean into this relationship and partnership with God, we will receive spiritual guidance that blesses us and our children.    Listen to Neill Marriott, mother of 11 and spiritual giant, as she shares stories and ideas of how she sought Jesus as she raised her wonderful family.  Neill is also the author of "Seek This Jesus", a book I highly recommend.  ..read more

Easter egg hunts, new pajamas on Christmas Eve, chili on Halloween night... These are all fun traditions that our family looks forward to each year. But are these the traditions that matter most? Are we consciously creating righteous traditions in our homes or focusing more on earthly traditions? Righteous traditions not only bring parents closer to their children, but also bring them to God. Through our consistency and commitment to these righteous traditions we can prepare our children to leave home by strengthening their knowledge that they have a loving Father in Heaven who will always be ..read more

"Out of the mouths of babes" denotes wisdom given from a child. Teenagers also have wisdom to share. In this episode high school seniors, Zach and Harmony, give a teen perspective on life. What is enjoyable about being a teen, how does technology bless and hinder them, what are their greatest challenges? Zach and Harmony also give their best advice to parents so listen up and don't judge as you enjoy this episode! (So thankful for my son Zach who gave me a coupon last Christmas to "interview...your favorite son"!) Disclaimer: Please ignore the background noise as this episode was recorded duri ..read more

Suicide, unfortunately, is a growing problem in our society. In this interview Kristen shares with us her "why" that motivates her to be an advocate for mental health and suicide awareness. Suicide awareness and prevention begins with mental wellness. Mental wellness talks should start from the time our kids can talk. None of us are immune from life and the challenges that come from it. As we help our children understand their feelings, give them tools to handle their emotions in appropriate ways, and communicate openly we are creating connections and building strong kids.    #seize ..read more

As parents, we are in the business of building relationships with our children. We're in it for the long game. What will help us most is approaching parenthood with a stewardship mindset rather than one of ownership. Ganel-Lyn Condie explains the difference beautifully in this episode of Thriving With 8. An ownership mindset can destroy relationships and lead to comparisons and guilt. The stewardship principle, however, allows for growth to happen, strengthens relationships, and builds trust. It allows for simple things such as changing diapers and playing legos to be sacred experiences and re ..read more

Is screen time keeping your kids from being participants in life? Do they suffer from "virtual autism"? In this episode with Nicole Rawson from Screen Time Clinic we discuss how our children's behavior and feelings are being affected by their relationship with screens, particularly gaming. Because children's brains aren't fully developed until age 25 it is hard for them to self-regulate and addictions can start at a young age. As parents, we have the responsibility to be educated so we can recognize risk factors and protect our kids. When we know better we can do better ..read more

The holiday season is such a joyful time...for most people. But for many the holidays are a time of grief and loss. They can trigger memories of losing a loved one. They can be a hard time for single parents or for those without funds to provide Christmas for their children.  In this short bonus episode, Tiffany Papageorge, our guest from Thriving With 8 episode 86, reminds us to be aware of those around us who are grieving this holiday season.  ..read more

When we hear about loss and grief our thoughts tend to think of something big like death. However, there are many other ways that children experience loss including divorce, a friend moving, or losing a championship game. All of these things cause a sense of grief.  Author Tiffany Papageorge was a grieving child. As a Junior High student she wrote a book for a school assignment and it changed not only her life, but many others. "My Yellow Balloon" is a beautiful picture book that helps children navigate love, loss, and letting go. As parents we often want to rush our children through thei ..read more