Parent Talk

  Parent Talk: Raising Magnetic Teens Lynn Cowell is a columnist here at Choose NOW Ministries and a long-time friend of Parent Talk. She's a speaker with Proverbs 31 Ministries and the author of His Revolutionary Love: Jesus’ Radical Pursuit of You. Lynn speaks to young women nationwide about the radical love of Jesus Christ and how to build an inner confidence that leads to smart choices. Lynn and her husband, Greg, have been married for over twenty-five years and are the parents of three.   Do your teens ever wonder… What does he have that I haven’t got? Why doesn’t he ask me out? What makes her popular? Why not me? We need to help them ask different questions so they can find the right answers. We can show them how to ask: What does it take to become magnetic? In this episode of Parent Talk, guest Lynn Cowell and I (host, Nicole O'Dell) talk about how parents can help teens move beyond negative thoughts, capricious emotions, and others’ opinions as they gain unshakeable confidence. We'll look at how to limit the draining affect of drama so our teens can invest time in personal growth. And parents can help teens replace the agonizing frustration of wanting to be noticed and liked with a deep assurance that they already are. Parents, we can help our teens live out nine amazing characteristics—known as the fruit of the Spirit—so they can not only cultivate an inner and outer beauty, but also hold an irresistible appeal for godly relationships as they become the magnetic young person God created them to be. ***Parent Talk is part of the Choose NOW Radio network, a division of Choose NOW Ministries. You can download the podcast right here, but we'd love it if you'd subscribe to us for free on iTunes or to the RSS feed! Also, while you're over at iTunes, leaving us a little review would be most helpful in keeping the show front and center so more people can find it. Thank you so much!   NICOLE O'DELL Nicole O’Dell, author of 23 books since 2007, founder of Choose NOW Ministries, host of Choose NOW Radio: Parent Talk and Teen Talk, publisher at Choose NOW Publishing and a national Christian event speaker, brings messages of hope to women, parents, teens, and tweens. The mother of six, including pre-school triplets, writes issue-driven YA fiction, like her popular Diamond Estates Series and upcoming Drama Ensues series, and non-fiction for teens like Girl Talk, based on the popular advice column she writes with her two daughters. Hot Buttons, O’Dell’s Focus-on-the-Family approved non-fiction series for parents, pre-empts peer pressure by helping parents tackle tough issues. 

Carol Kent is the bestselling author of When I
 Lay My Isaac Down and Becoming a Woman of
Influence. She is an expert on public speaking,
writing, and on encouraging people to hold on to hope when life’s circumstances turn out differently from their dreams. She speaks internationally on the subjects of her books. With vulnerable openness, restored joy, and a sense of humor, Carol helps people to discover the secret of maintaining an enduring faith in the middle of an imperfect world. In her newest release, UnQuenchable, Kent offers encouragement and guidance on how to get through the worst firestorms of life – from employment struggles to the loss of a loved one – and ignite a passion that will burn in others. Readers will discover how to endure, thrive, and once again burn with a wildfire faith when we’re wondering or doubting if our faith even makes a difference at all. For more information about Carol Kent, please visit www.carolkent.org.   To register for the Carol Kent event at Christian Life Church, Rantoul, IL, call 217-892-8960 or visit www.christianliferatoul.com. ***Parent Talk is part of the Choose NOW Radio network, a division of Choose NOW Ministries. You can download the podcast right here, but we'd love it if you'd subscribe to us for free on iTunes or to the RSS feed! Also, while you're over at iTunes, leaving us a little review would be most helpful in keeping the show front and center so more people can find it. Thank you so much!

The Porn Invasion is a three-part Choose NOW Ministries blog series by Vicki Tiede and a Parent Talk podcast episode with guest Vicki Tiede and host Nicole O'Dell. The Porn Invasion Part One: Oh, be careful little eyes what you see.  Let’s just, for a moment, peek behind a door that you might prefer to keep closed. Regardless of how great a parent you are or how careful you’ve been about raising your children in the church, the fact of the matter is porn has a pervasive Internet presence and tempts even the best kids. The Porn Invasion Part Two: Is your child viewing pornography? Now what? Before you overreact, you need to find out if this was your child’s first exposure. If it was, then have a frank discussion, move the computer, and get some filtering software on your computers, notebooks, Smartphones, etc. – STAT! (See my recommendations in the article.) If you’re pretty certain this is not a first-time exposure, then it’s time to have a very frank conversation with your son/daughter. Be prepared; you will most likely face resistance. Whether or not you’ve had conversations about porn in the past, most kids won’t stand before a parent and say they think looking at porn is a good idea. In their gut, they know it’s wrong and depending on what they’ve watched … very wrong! So in all likelihood, they are going to deny their use and vehemently deny that they have a problem. The Porn Invasion Part Three: What should we tell the kids about our porn invasion? That's an obvious question to ask if pornography has invaded your home and is tearing apart your marriage. Here’s a hard fact that’s difficult to swallow: according to a survey*, in 67% of cases in which one parent was acting out sexually (pornography, adultery, etc.), the children knew before there was an official disclosure. This Parent Talk episode w/ guest Vicki Tiede   ***Parent Talk is part of the Choose NOW Radio network, a division of Choose NOW Ministries. You can download the podcast right here, but we'd love it if you'd subscribe to us for free on iTunes or to the RSS feed! Also, while you're over at iTunes, leaving us a little review would be most helpful in keeping the show front and center so more people can find it. Thank you so much!

  Parent Talk with guest Brenda Yoder. When middle schoolers ask for your time, you have to take the opportunity. It may mean getting home at 1:30 in the morning and having a mom-hangover the next day, but these moments are few and far between.  Where can you spend time with your middle-school child so you can have some unexpected conversations, laughs and God-moments? If your young teen asks for time with you – any time – what can you sacrifice so you can build memories and bond with them? You won’t regret it. It was the busiest week we’d had in a long time. National Honor Society induction, Sports Awards Banquet, driver’s license exam, semi-state basketball championship, a parenting class we were teaching, and a large retreat I was speaking at and organizing in our community were on the agenda for the week. There wasn’t one night open and I was already exhausted. ...read more or tune in to the podcast. ***Parent Talk is part of the Choose NOW Radio network, a division of Choose NOW Ministries. You can download the podcast right here, but we'd love it if you'd subscribe to us for free on iTunes or to the RSS feed! Also, while you're over at iTunes, leaving us a little review would be most helpful in keeping the show front and center so more people can find it. Thank you so much! 

By Nicole O'Dell Francine Rivers began her literary career at the University of Nevada, Reno, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Journalism. From 1976 to 1985, she had a successful writing career in the general market and her books were awarded or nominated for numerous awards and prizes.   Although raised in a religious home, Francine did not truly encounter Christ until later in life, when she was already a wife, mother of three, and an established romance novelist. Shortly after becoming a born-again Christian in 1986, Francine wrote Redeeming Love as her statement of faith. First published by Bantam Books, and then re-released by Multnomah Publishers in the mid- 1990s, this retelling of the biblical story of Gomer and Hosea set during the time of the California Gold Rush is now considered a classic work of Christian fiction and continues to be one of the Christian Booksellers Association’s top-selling titles; it has held a spot on the Christian bestseller list for nearly a decade. Join me on Parent Talk with guest Francine Rivers where she answers readers' burning quesiotns about her books, her writing process, and her upcoming books. Including... Bridge to Haven, Francine Rivers s expected of an ambitious girl with stars in her eyes. But fame comes at an awful price. She has burned every bridge to get exactly what she thought she wanted. Now, all she wants is a way back home. In this riveting and highly anticipated tale of temptation, grace, and unconditional love, New York Times best-selling author Francine Rivers delivers big-canvas storytelling at its very best.   ***Parent Talk is part of the Choose NOW Radio network, a division of Choose NOW Ministries. You can download the podcast right here, but we'd love it if you'd subscribe to us for free on iTunes or to the RSS feed! Also, while you're over at iTunes, leaving us a little review would be most helpful in keeping the show front and center so more people can find it. Thank you so much!

    From Shannon Deitz’s recent post: A question has come to mind lately within my home and that is, ‘Which is more important, the marriage or the kids?’ Within the bible verses that discuss the importance of marriage and family I find the focus to be on the husband and the wife. Genesis 2:24 proclaims, ‘The man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife…’   and Ephesians 5:22, ‘Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord,’ and in Ephesians 5:23, ‘the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church…’  read more… You can read more about what Shannon has to say on the topic of putting your marriage first or your kids first, or you can tune in to Parent Talk where we talked about it live. SHANNON DEITZ Shannon Deitz's work with teens led to a full-time youth ministry. Within the next four years, that ministry bloomed, allowing her to witness God’s amazing work in her church and her life. Having spread the message of God’s amazing love to thousands of teens, she eventually felt called to broaden the sphere of those with whom she shared her personal story. Shannon wrote Exposed: Inexcusable Me…Irreplaceable Him (Believers Press 2010) as a way of offering encouragement and hope to both teens and adults suffering from physical and emotional abuse. MORE INFO ***Parent Talk is part of the Choose NOW Radio network, a division of Choose NOW Ministries. You can download the podcast right here, but we’d love it if you’d subscribe to us for free on iTunes or to the RSS feed! Also, while you’re over at iTunes, leaving us a little review would be most helpful in keeping the show front and center so more people can find it. Thank you so much!  

What is the role of Biblical Manhood? Where have we gotten off track as a society? How can men step into the role God intended for them in the home and the church? And how can women support that effort?  Those questions and more are ones we tackle on this episode of Parent Talk. Join us with gues, Pastor Jason Lane, as we uncover the truth about the plan God has for men.  Jason knows that regaining true leadership is not an easy task in many of today's homes. But we can't ignore God's design.  It's time!   Pastor Jason Lane currently serves as the lead pastor at Skyway Community Chapel in Palmetto, FL.  His heart is one that loves to serve and develop other people.  God has given him a great desire to help men  become the men God intended them to be.  He is founder of mr. ministries™ which goal is to help men to resume the role for which God created them..  He believes his greatest ministry is to his family and is proud to be married to his wife, Elizabeth and to be the father of Isaiah, Elijah, Rebecca, and Ezra.   ***Parent Talk is part of the Choose NOW Radio network, a division of Choose NOW Ministries. You can download the podcast right here, but we'd love it if you'd subscribe to us for free on iTunes or to the RSS feed! Also, while you're over at iTunes, leaving us a little review would be most helpful in keeping the show front and center so more people can find it. Thank you so much!  

Over the course of his life, William Sirls has experienced both great highs and tremendous lows--some born of chance, some born of choice. Once a senior vice president at a major investment firm, he was incarcerated in 2007 for wire fraud and money laundering, where he learned a great deal more than he ever bargained for. Life lessons involving faith, grace, patience, and forgiveness are evident in his writing. He is the father of two and makes his home in southern Michigan. Visit his site at: www.williamsirls.com   In the small Lake Erie township of Benning, someone is at work cultivating a supernatural garden … Andy Kemp’s young life has been as ravaged as his scarred face. Disfigured by an abusive father, the teenager hides behind his books and an impenetrable wall of cynicism and anger. As Andy’s mother struggles to reconnect with him, his Uncle Rip returns transformed from a stint in prison and wants to be a mentor to the reclusive boy, doing everything he can to help end Andy’s pain. When Andy begins hearing strange music through his iPod and making near-prophetic announcements, Rip is convinced that what Andy is hearing is the voice of God. Elsewhere, police officer Heather Gerisch responds to a late-night breaking and entering in one of the poorest homes in town. She soon realizes that the masked prowler has left thousands of dollars in gift cards from a local grocery store. As the bizarre break-ins continue and Heather pursues the elusive “Summer Santa,” Andy and Rip discover an enormous and well-kept garden of wildflowers that seems to have grown overnight at an abandoned steel mill. Soon, they realize who the gardener is, and a spree of miracles transfigures this small town from a place of hopelessness into a place of healing and beauty.   ***Parent Talk is part of the Choose NOW Radio network, a division of Choose NOW Ministries. You can download the podcast right here, but we'd love it if you'd subscribe to us for free on iTunes or to the RSS feed! Also, while you're over at iTunes, leaving us a little review would be most helpful in keeping the show front and center so more people can find it. Thank you so much!  

 What is worship? How can we be examples to our teenagers through worship? Are we preparing our families for worship, or arriving at church in chaos? Join me as I talk with Jacque Deshetler about Worship and the family on Parent Talk.   People know Jacque DeShetler for her overflowing praise and worship, but there are many more facets to the singer/songwriter than most know. Teaching herself to play guitar on a wholly instrument at the age of nine, singing professionally in clubs with cover bands at sixteen, laying down her craft “for good” only to pick it up again for the church are a few things that have molded Jacque’s distinctive style and instilled a relentless passion in her. In “Signal” her studio project, Jacque in collaboration with producer Brian Tankersley, has created what she calls “my best effort yet”. Her gutsy style and Brian’s great ears have combined to give this collection of new songs from Jacque a fresh, honest sound. Jacque’s uncommon vocals and artful lyrics express the deepest passions of her heart. This is the second collaboration between Jacque and Brian, the first being “Free to Worship”, a praise and worship project recorded live during Jacque’s tour as worship leader for Joyce Meter Ministries. Brian Tankersley has worked with many of the industries best, including Shania Twain and Brooks & Dunn. During her JMM tour, Jacque toured across the country and around the globe ministering before hundreds of thousands with a team of talented and dedicated musicians and singers. She has ministered in South Africa and India with Joyce Meyer and performed with Martin Smith of Delirious? at “Hope Rwanda”. She has also performed on stage with Darlene Zschech at Conferences in Nashville, Chicago and St. Louis and was a session speaker for the 2006 Hillsong Conference in Sydney Australia. Jacque has appeared as a guest on Joyce Meyer’s Enjoying Everyday Life with Darlene Zschech and has also appeared on TBN. She has several recording projects to her credit including “Shout it Loud” with Hosanna’s Integrity Music. She has co-written with Shawn Craig and has her music recorded by other artists including Petra. Jacque is an ordained minister and has taught and brought her music to prisons across the USA. She has ministered in Budapest, Togo, Nigeria, France and Australia and and speaks at churches regularly and ministers in many capacities. Jacque served as a Worship Pastor for nine years at Life Christian Church in St. Louis, Missouri. She now attends Destiny Church, where she works with the worship team whenever her busy schedule allows. She also teaches song writing and vocals at Revolution School of Worship Leadership & Technology and is a teacher at Legacy School of Arts in St. Louis. Jacque makes her home in Eureka, Missouri. Her husband Steve is a Supervisor/Producer in the Broadcast Department of Joyce Meyer Ministries, she is the mother of two, Chelsea and Aaron.   ***Parent Talk is part of the Choose NOW Radio network, a division of Choose NOW Ministries. You can download the podcast right here, but we'd love it if you'd subscribe to us for free on iTunes or to the RSS feed! Also, while you're over at iTunes, leaving us a little review would be most helpful in keeping the show front and center so more people can find it. Thank you so much.

It's Tax Season! Are you prepared with your finances, your paperwork, and your expectations? Or are you relying on luck to get your through? Steve Repak, Choose NOW financial guru joins us to share some strategies to better focus your finances at tax time and to plan better for next year. Don't miss this one! ***Parent Talk is part of the Choose NOW Radio network, a division of Choose NOW Ministries. You can download the podcast right here, but we'd love it if you'd subscribe to us for free on iTunes or to the RSS feed! Also, while you're over at iTunes, leaving us a little review would be most helpful in keeping the show front and center so more people can find it. Thank you so much!

Maybe you’ve never asked the question out loud, but you’ve wondered. You do the things that look good on paper: read your Bible, pray, attend study groups and go to church on Sundays.  But you aren’t convinced you really know Him. Angie Smith understands, because she had run circles around the same paths searching for Him, frustrated at her lack of progress. And she probably would have continued to do so had it not been for one realization that changed everything.She wasn’t following God; she was trying to catch up with Him. And without realizing it, you may be as well.It’s a distinction that affects every aspect of our lives with Christ, and it begins with learning where we’ve relied more on man’s explanation of God than God Himself.So many requirements, so many rules, and so much guilt where there is supposed to be freedom. It’s the reason you wonder if you’ve measured up, and the nagging voice that tells you you’re a failure as a Christian.Three simple words changed everything for Angie, and she believes they can do the same for you.Stop chasing God.   Angie Smith is the wife of Todd Smith (lead singer of Dove Award winning group Selah), author of I Will Carry You, What Women Fear, and Mended. She is one of the most popular speakers and blog writers in the country. She holds a Master’s degree in Developmental Psychology from Vanderbilt University and lives with her husband and daughters in Nashville, TN.    ***Parent Talk is part of the Choose NOW Radio network, a division of Choose NOW Ministries. You can download the podcast right here, but we'd love it if you'd subscribe to us for free on iTunes or to the RSS feed! Also, while you're over at iTunes, leaving us a little review would be most helpful in keeping the show front and center so more people can find it. Thank you so much!

What is a difference maker? How can you be a difference maker...and how can you raise your teen to be one? Hear from author, speaker, and "people guru" Tony Bridwell as he shares his passions for inspiring people to seek to mentor and to be mentored.  You may think you're doing just fine on your own, but after hearing from Tony, you'll be hunting for your own personal board of directors.  Bridwell's book, The Difference Maker is a fable that unpacks that need for intentional mentorship.  The death of Taylor Bellows, one of the wealthiest men in the world, devastates Brendan Austin, his best friend since childhood. But even more than Taylor's death, it's the set of journals he left behind that shakes the foundation of Brendan's life.  In reading Taylor's journals, Brendan uncovers things he had never known...about his friend, his life, and his faith. He discovers what it means to be a difference maker. A conversation starter, an approachable guide—in fable form—for mentors both deliberate and unintentional, The Difference Maker looks at the godly principles of true success, mentorship, leadership, courage, and transformation. The truths are powerful and applicable, in life and in faith, for everyone who reads them. Learn how to lead others while you follow The One.   Tony Bridwell is an international speaker, consultant, and coach, making a difference at some of the world's largest organizations and churches. When Bridwell is not traveling the globe, he turns his efforts toward home by teaching a Bible Study class at his local church. With three children and two dogs, Bridwell and his wife, Dee, have called the Dallas area home for almost thirty years. Bridwell is where he is today because someone made a difference in his life.    ***Parent Talk is part of the Choose NOW Radio network, a division of Choose NOW Ministries. You can download the podcast right here, but we'd love it if you'd subscribe to us for free on iTunes or to the RSS feed! Also, while you're over at iTunes, leaving us a little review would be most helpful in keeping the show front and center so more people can find it. Thank you so much!

You don’t have to look far to see that many teens are having a tough go at it. In school, their teachers will tell you about short attention spans and superficial interests crowding out their appetite and even capacity for learning. Out of school, even part-time jobs are hard to come by, depriving them of the chance to develop a work ethic, build skills, and earn money. At home, one in three is being raised without the love, protection and security of a father. After high school, the link between higher education and professional success has never been stronger. Yet higher education has never been more expensive, and the U.S. now has the highest college dropout rate in the industrialized world: 44 percent of those who enter a four-year college will not graduate in six years. And 71 percent of those who start two-year degrees will not finish them within three years. Join me, Nicole O'Dell as I talk with Dr. Alex Chediak about how thriving at college begins before your teens get there–with what you do as Moms, Dads, youth pastors, mentors, and guidance counselors. Academic and professional success flow from character and maturity. And as Christians we know that character and maturity flow from a God-mastered life, from the heart of a person who has bowed the knee to the Lord Jesus Christ. Preparing Your Teens for College is about helping you raise teens who understand the biblical message and are committed to putting away childishness, embracing responsibility, pursuing godly relationships, practicing moral purity, aiming for academic excellence, working unto the Lord, and honoring God in every aspect of their lives. If that describes the kind of teen you want to see leave your home someday, then this book is for you. Born and raised in Chicago, IL, Alex Chediak earned a B.S. Degree at Alfred University in Ceramic Engineering and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Material Science & Engineering from U.C. Berkeley. He worked as an engineer for IBM for three years (1996-1999). From 2005-2007 he was an apprentice at The Bethlehem Institute (now Bethlehem College and Seminary), a masters-level theological training program overseen by Pastors John Piper and Tom Steller. During those years, Alex got his start in Christian higher education at Northwestern College. As of 2007, he's been a professor of engineering and physics at California Baptist University.   ***Parent Talk is part of the Choose NOW Radio network, a division of Choose NOW Ministries. You can download the podcast right here, but we'd love it if you'd subscribe to us for free on iTunes or to the RSS feed! Also, while you're over at iTunes, leaving us a little review would be most helpful in keeping the show front and center so more people can find it. Thank you so much!

  Nothing reveals the gaps in our theology like a big, bad battle. When we are faced with a larger-than-life giant, we soon discover what we truly believe about God’s willingness and ability to defend us. In her first book, Beautiful Battlefields, Bo Stern discussed the ways her family’s battle with ALS has made them stronger and more effective than they have ever been—crediting the mercy of God and a solid understanding of His character. She’d studied His track record. She’d fastened herself to what she knew to be true of Him and refused to budge. These core truths about our Commander have become the sustaining force through her family’s struggles. While their theology has grown increasingly simple, it has also grown increasingly strong. In her new book, Ruthless, Bo’s theology gets wonderfully practical as readers discover what God does for them and through them during “battles” they are engaged in. Ruthless helps readers to see God’s character in those battles and understand how He ruthlessly fights for them. When you face the biggest battles of your life—and they will come—you need to know who has your back. Who can you trust with rock-solid certainty?   God is the One who will go before you in the fight. Do you trust Him? You might be plagued with doubt and start thinking Can I really trust God? Why would He do this to me? Doesn’t He love me? Why has God abandoned me? But God goes before you in battle and ruthlessly fights for you. In each chapter of Ruthless, author Bo Stern paints a portrait of one fundamental aspect of God’s character as revealed throughout Scripture. Reflection questions help you dig deeper to personally process what you believe. Understanding God and knowing His character will help you deliberately choose to trust Him, which can be the most powerful weapon you will ever have in your arsenal. Bo Stern is a sought-after speaker, writer and a teaching pastor at Westside Church in Bend, Oregon. She possesses a unique gift of making complex theology accessible and exciting and loves finding new ways to help people fall in love with the Word of God. Bo is a wife to one guy, a mom to four kids and a newbie grandma to the coolest baby ever. She is also passionately involved in raising awareness and funding for research for ALS (Lou Gehrig's), a disease her husband was diagnosed with in 2011. In Beautiful Battlefields (NavPress 2013), Bo tells the story of the infinite, eternal beauty that is developed in the midst of the fiercest fights in life. She stores her daily thoughts on life, battle, cupcakes and Dr. Seuss at www.bostern.com.     ***Parent Talk is part of the Choose NOW Radio network, a division of Choose NOW Ministries. You can download the podcast right here, but we'd love it if you'd subscribe to us for free on iTunes or to the RSS feed! Also, while you're over at iTunes, leaving us a little review would be most helpful in keeping the show front and center so more people can find it. Thank you so much!

Are you living the if? Wendy Fitzgerald is the founder of If Then Move and author of the Cause and Effect column at Choose NOW Ministries. Today on Parent Talk, we're talking about scripture memorization! Is it a lost art?  Even Jesus, when He was tempted by Satan in the wilderness, used Scripture to fight the temptations. (See Matthew 4:1-11) How about you? Are you actively memorizing God’s Word? Do you know how to use God’s Word when the temptations come or when questions arise? Do you excuse yourself from knowing God’s Word because it is hard to memorize? Are you encouraging your children to memorize God’s Word? God’s Word is the best weapon you have. Don’t settle for a dull knife – strive for a sharp sword! Memorize:  “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” Psalm 119:11 read more... Or tune in to Parent Talk to hear Wendy Fitzgerald, herself. And, we'd love it if you'd visit If Then Movement's crowdfunding campaign . ***Parent Talk is part of the Choose NOW Radio network, a division of Choose NOW Ministries. You can download the podcast right here, but we'd love it if you'd subscribe to us for free on iTunes or to the RSS feed! Also, while you're over at iTunes, leaving us a little review would be most helpful in keeping the show front and center so more people can find it. Thank you so much!

Claire Culwell, abortion survivor, asks, "Are you pro-life with exceptions?" By: Claire Culwell From Claire's most recent "On Life" column: Lately I have been confronted with some tough questions and statements. Some will agree and some will not but I will share it anyway because I know without a doubt that I am speaking the hard truth about abortion. When Planned Parenthood, our nations largest abortion provider, released their yearly report, this is what we learned: abortion numbers decreased 2% but accounted for 93.8% of their pregnancy services for the year of 2012-2013. In that same year their prenatal services decreased by 32% and their adoption referrals decreased by 4.5%. For every (one) adoption referral given by Planned Parenthood, 149 abortions were performed. read more... Or tune in to Parent Talk to hear Claire Culwell, herself, talk about the very important, but emotional question of abortion in the case of rape, incest, or life-threatening conditions.  ***Parent Talk is part of the Choose NOW Radio network, a division of Choose NOW Ministries. You can download the podcast right here, but we'd love it if you'd subscribe to us for free on iTunes or to the RSS feed! Also, while you're over at iTunes, leaving us a little review would be most helpful in keeping the show front and center so more people can find it. Thank you so much!

Pro Music Academy offers Skype Music Lessons with Today's Top Musicians  Instructors Stem from Long Line of Entertainers Including Carrie Underwood, Lady Antebellum, Toby Mac, Vince Gill and More  Offering 50 Percent Off for Lifetime of Lessons for New Student Signups From Now Until Christmas  Pro Music Academy is known for making dreams come true as they gather today’s top musicians for private music lessons to students of all ages and levels of experience. Lessons are conducted via skype in the comfort of the student’s home or the Academy’s studio location, where they have access to professional studio equipment and cutting edge instruments and technology. All of the instructors stem from a long history of experience, having played for some of the top acts in entertainment such as Carrie Underwood, Vince Gill, Lady Antebellum, Kenny Chesney, Ben Folds, Backstreet Boys, Toby Mac, Casting Crowns, finalists on NBC’s The Voice and more. For a full list of instructors, visit www.promusicacademy.com. Since its inception last year, Pro Music Academy has taught over 200 students and proves to be the only one of its kind that features instructors that are also professional musicians who have played with the biggest bands and recording artists in the business. Students have the opportunity to train with the pros in a variety of mediums including vocals, songwriting, guitar, drums, keyboard/piano, mandolin, fiddle/violin, bass and all marching instruments. To celebrate the holidays, Pro Music Academy is currently offering a 50 percent discount for a lifetime of Skype music lessons for new student signups from now until Christmas. For a complete list of lesson packages and pricing please visit www.promusicacademy.com. ***Parent Talk is part of the Choose NOW Radio network, a division of Choose NOW Ministries. You can download the podcast right here, but we'd love it if you'd subscribe to us for free on iTunes or to the RSS feed! Also, while you're over at iTunes, leaving us a little review would be most helpful in keeping the show front and center so more people can find it. Thank you so much!

Valerie Comer is our On Being Green columnist and today she's joining me to talk about ways we can simplify yet be creative this Christmas. There's still time!! Do you feel cheap, uncreative, and envious yet? Are we somehow missing the boat if our house is the least lit-up on the block? If our (sole) tree is decorated with crafts our preschoolers made instead of monochromatic glass balls or Hallmark ornaments? If every surface isn’t covered with something gleaming, something scented, something with bells on? If we haven’t rushed out and purchased every item our kids begged for then wrapped them in huge boxes with the glitteriest paper available and gigantic designer bows? Or maybe, instead, we’re missing the boat if we don’t make 18 kinds of cookies and decorate them perfectly. If we don’t invite the neighborhood kids in to make beautiful crafts. If we don’t throw a holiday party for our friends and colleagues. Not that we’re trying to impress anyone. Are we? Is that what Christmas is all about? read more... Who is Valerie? Valerie Comer is a gardener, beekeeper, farmer, and active member of her local food action coalition. She believes shopping local is the best possible antidote to many of today's environmental concerns. On her own blog and website, she shares her philosophy on why Christians should care about the environment and the local food movement. Valerie is an avid supporter of anything that will make her precious granddaughters' lives healthy, happy, and hopeful.   ***Parent Talk is part of the Choose NOW Radio network, a division of Choose NOW Ministries. You can download the podcast right here, but we'd love it if you'd subscribe to us for free on iTunes or to the RSS feed! Also, while you're over at iTunes, leaving us a little review would be most helpful in keeping the show front and center so more people can find it. Thank you so much!

Cara Putman: Doing it All Cara Putman is the "Do it All" columnist at Choose NOW Ministries. As a busy homeschooling mom, an MBA student, and a novelist, Cara sure knows how to do it all. But what about rest? Where does rest fit in with a lifestyle like Cara's? Where can it fit into your life? Cara joins me on Parent Talk to talk about: How to get the rest you need How to say no when you need to How to protect your time How to prioritize in your schedule and your home If you're a busy mom or dad of teens, I know for sure you wonder about how to address each of those things in your own life from time to time. Join us to hear our perspective and see if there's a better way to do it all.  And, in keeping with the theme of doing it all, busy mom, Cara Putman is so excited to announce the release of her new WWII novel, Shadowed by Grace. Shadowed by Grace is a dramatic story inspired by the Monuments Men of World War II by acclaimed author Cara C. Putman. Desperate to save her dying mother, Rachel accepts her newspaper’s assignment to travel to Italy to capture images dangerously close to the front lines of WWII. Her real motive – to find the father she never knew -- an artist she hopes can offer the comfort and support both she and her mother need to survive. It’s an unlikely situation for love and faith to flourish, but soon Rachel not only finds herself, but also her long-lost earthly father, and ultimately, the man her Heavenly father created to cherish and provide for her. Who is Cara? Since the time I could read Nancy Drew, I have wanted to write mysteries. In 2005 I attended a book signing at my local Christian bookstore. The rest, as they say, is history. There I met Colleen Coble. With prompting from my husband, I shared my dream with Colleen. Since those infamous words, I've been writing books. Shadowed by Grace is my 17th novel and a story of my heart. I have also written one non-fiction title (the Complete Idiots Guide to Business Law). In addition to writing, I am an attorney, lecturer at a Big Ten university, active in women's ministry, and all around crazy woman. Crazy about God, my husband and my kids. I graduated with honors from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (Go Huskers!) and George Mason Law School. Because I had a few spare moments, I am now in Purdue University's MBA program. You can learn more about my books at http://www.caraputman.com. ***Parent Talk is part of the Choose NOW Radio network, a division of Choose NOW Ministries. You can download the podcast right here, but we'd love it if you'd subscribe to us for free on iTunes or to the RSS feed! Also, while you're over at iTunes, leaving us a little review would be most helpful in keeping the show front and center so more people can find it. Thank you so much! feed! Also, while you're over at iTunes, leaving us a little review would be very helpful in keepign the show front and center.

Fight: Winning the Battles That Matter Most This is the second Parent Talk show specifically directed to fathers that I've aired recently. I love it! I love that these men of God like Craig Groeschel are reaching out to fathers and husbands with resources that offer them encouragement and direction as they answer the call to be the man God is calling them to be. It's a difficult task men face. The responsibility. The burden. The commitment. And all in a society that fights hard against the God-given role of the man. [Tweet "Men face a difficult task in a society that fights hard against their God-given role."] Craig Groeschel, pastor of Lifechurch.tv joins me to talk about the Fight men have. How it's vital they jump into the fray on the battles that matter most. But how do they know what those battles are? And then how can they be sure to win them? Fight: Winning the Battles That Matter Most Discover who you really are---a man created in the image of God, with a warrior's heart! Exploring biblical examples, including Samson, Groeschel helps you defeat the demons that make strong men weak; arm yourself with faith, prayer, and the Word of God; and win the battles that matter most to your heart, marriage, and family. 160 pages, hardcover from Zondervan. Craig is the Senior Pastor for LifeChurch.tv and provides leadership and guidance for the church as a whole. Following a vision God gave Craig for a different kind of church, he and a handful of people launched LifeChurch.tv in 1996. ***NOTICE*** This is the new format for Parent Talk with Nicole O'Dell. If you're already an iTunes subscriber, you'll need to resubscribe here. Don't worry, it's still free! Thanks for supporting the shows in the Choose NOW Radio network!* ***Parent Talk is part of the Choose NOW Radio network, a division of Choose NOW Ministries. You can download the podcast right here, but we'd love it if you'd subscribe to us for free on iTunes or to the RSS feed! Also, while you're over at iTunes, leaving us a little review would be most helpful in keeping the show front and center so more people can find it. Thank you so much!

***NOTICE*** This is the new format for Parent Talk with Nicole O'Dell. If you're already an iTunes subscriber, you'll need ot resubscribe. Don't worry, it's still free! Thanks for supporting the shows in the Choose NOW Radio network! Today on Parent Talk, join me and guest Susie Shellenberger, the awesome personality behind Susie Magazine, now Sisterhood Magazine. Tune in as Susie shares about what global sisterhood means to her and what she's doing to make it possible for you. Sisterhood Magazine comes alongside moms to help raise up a new generation of teen girls who love God. A print and mobile magazine with an engaged online community, Sisterhood is the only Christian teen girl publication of its kind. Sisterhood is filled with compelling content about all the topics that interest teen girls most—fashion, faith, relationships, music, sports and more. Each article is presented through the lens of a biblical worldview. While the primary focus of Sisterhood Magazineis to reach a Christian teen audience, the broad span of topics, musicians and celebrities is sure to appeal to all teen girls.  Sisterhood Magazine exists to lead girls into intimacy with Christ, guide them in developing healthy relationships, showcase positive entertainment choices, provide healthy role models and teach positive self-image. Learn more and subscribe at SisterhoodMag.com!       ***Parent Talk is part of the Choose NOW Radio network, a division of Choose NOW Ministries. You can download the podcast right here, but we'd love it if you'd subscribe to us for free on iTunes or to the RSS feed! Also, while you're over at iTunes, leaving us a little review would be most helpful in keeping the show front and center so more people can find it. Thank you so much!

***NOTICE*** This is the new format for Parent Talk with Nicole O'Dell. If you're already an iTunes subscriber, you'll need ot resubscribe. Don't worry, it's still free! Thanks for supporting the shows in the Choose NOW Radio network! Today's guest on Parent Talk is author John Blase. Time goes so fast. This is never more true than when it's revealed to us as parents. If you're like me, you've got a kid or two who has crossed the finish line, so to speak. My son, Erik, is almost 22. While, yes, I am still Mom and he will always be my first baby, I will never again have the ability to impact his life and his choices in the way that I could when he was young. It's from that place of encouragement and even warning that my guest, author John Blase, joins me on Parent Talk to call out to fathers everywhere. Know when to Hold 'em is the title of Blase's new book and the basis for out chat. He believes that fatherhood is a high-stakes game and he wants to reach dads before it's too late. Far from the conventional parenting book, Know When to Hold 'Em will encourage readers as they see parenting and fatherhood through a new lens--that of adventurer, risk-taker. Blase moves into new territory to invite fathers and parents to look at the risk and challenge--and great rewards of parenting--as he invites readers into his imperfect, yet loveable home. Blase says, “What I’ve seen so far has convinced me that being a father is a lot like gambling--fatherhood is a risk-tasking venture." In the high-stakes game of fatherhood, you gotta play to win.  John Blase is a pastor’s son, writer, collaborator, and a full-time editor for David C. Cook Publishing. He was a pastor for 14 years in Texas, Arkansas, and Colorado. John has recently co-authored two books with Brennan Manning – All is Grace and Smack Dab in the Middle of God’s Love. John has been married for 22 years and is the father of three. His writing is intensely personal, filtered through a brass-knuckled optimism, the perspective of a first-born, and the gratefulness of a descendant of a strange thing called grace.   ***Parent Talk is part of the Choose NOW Radio network, a division of Choose NOW Ministries. You can download the podcast right here, but we'd love it if you'd subscribe to us for free on iTunes or to the RSS feed! Also, while you're over at iTunes, leaving us a little review would be most helpful in keeping the show front and center so more people can find it. Thank you so much!