The Sword and Story Podcast

Find show notes HERE.An International Adventure Series for KidsWhat if your new board game could send you on real adventures to foreign countries? What if you were given a mission to accomplish, and failure meant you’d never make it home again?What if you could be part of God’s rescue mission and you didn’t have to wait until you were a grown up? Check out The Dreamer (To the Ends) by Jenny Marcelene.

Find show notes HERE.Wild West Books for 8-12 year oldsWhat if your quiet summer in a sleepy town turned into a wild Western adventure?What if your new best friend was a red-haired rascal who couldn’t stay out of trouble?And what if his tall tales landed you in real trouble, chasing smugglers and dodging bandits?Check out The Misadventured Summer of Tumbleweed Thompson by Glenn McCarty.

Find the show notes HERE.What if the place you feared most was the only place you could find the truth?What if escaping the Everglades wasn't about getting out, but about going back in?What if your best friend went missing and finding her meant facing the gator who almost killed you?Check out High Water series by Tim Shoemaker.

Find the shownotes HERE.Animal Devotions for Kids What if a capybara, an octopus, or a narwhal could help you understand God’s love more clearly?What if every wild animal you’ve ever seen—or never even heard of—had something to teach you about faith?What if chasing curiosity about the natural world led you straight into the heart of your Creator?Check out Wild Faith: Devotionals for Kids by Valerie Ellis

Find the show notes HERE.What if your ordinary life was just the beginning of a supernatural war for the fate of humanity?What if the devil lived among us in human form—and your mission was to find him before it’s too late?What if saving the world meant risking your soul—and everything you thought you knew about good and evil?Check out AlphaRed Comics by James Nguyen.

Find the shownotes HERE.Super Hero Fiction for Middle GradeWhat if you found out you could control gravity—during a school vision test?What if your boring life suddenly launched you into a world of secret agents, superpowers, and flying possibilities?What if the only person who could help you master your powers… was also the person you were told to avoid?Guest Author: Meredith DavisBook: The Amazing Adventures of Noah Minor

Find the blog version and show notes HERE.Guest Author: Bryan DavisBook: Dragons of CamelotFree Bible Reading Plan for Teens: www.FiveYearBiblePlan.com www.SwordandStoryPodcast.comwww.DragonSlayerBible.comwww.LaurieChristine.com

Find the show notes HERE.

Find the show notes HERE.www.SwordandStoryPodcast.comVisit Bradley Caffee's website here: https://www.bradleycaffee.com/

Find the shownotes at www.SwordandStoryPodcast.com

Find the blog version and show notes HERE.What if you found an old sword that once belonged to a Roman gladiator? What if a mysterious journal held the key to a secret that could change how you see the world?What if studying the book of Romans didn’t feel like a chore—but like an epic quest for truth and salvation?Our guest author today is Marty Machowski.Marty Machowski is a pastor and best-selling author. He serves as the Family Life Pastor at Covenant Fellowship Church in Glen Mills, Pennsylvania. He serves as the Executive Editor for Children’s Resources for New Growth Press. Marty has authored over twenty books and curricula for children and families, including The Gospel Story Curriculum and The Ology. 

Read the blog version HERE.

Learn more about the Kickstarter Campaign for Land of Giants HERE.Find the show notes and blog version HERE.A secret alliance, A dangerous mission, A deadly enemy.Twelve-year-old Shem wants one thing—to become a warrior. But his father, Noah, is too busy building a giant ark to train him. The world mocks his family, and Shem is tired of feeling left out and embarrassed. He’s ready to trade his tools for a sword and show the Cobras, the toughest gang in the city, that he’s not just some weird kid with a crazy dad.When Shem makes a secret deal with the son of a family rival, he finally gets the training he’s always wanted. But something isn’t right. Monstrous giants called Nephilites have invaded the land. And the dragon they serve is more dangerous than Shem ever imagined. If Shem wants to protect his family, he’ll have to learn what it really means to be a warrior.Land of Giants is an action-packed Biblical adventure, perfect for readers who long to battle dragons, defy giants, and discover the true strength that comes from the King.

Find the show notes and blog version of this episode HERE.

Find the blog version and show notes HERE.What if your kids could battle dragons, go on epic quests, and memorize Scripture—all at the same time?What if discipleship wasn’t just a workbook—but an epic story your boys got to live out week after week?What if Bible study felt less like a chore, and more like an adventure? Introducing, Lightraiders, a Christian role-playing game for teens, created by James R. Hannibal.James is a former stealth pilot who has been shot at, locked up with missiles, and pursued by an armed terrorist on a winding German road. He is a multi-award-winning author of suspense and fantasy novels for adults and children and the developer of the Lightraiders discipleship games and novels.www.Lightraiders.com

You can find the blog version and show notes HERE.Beneath the Swirling Sky by Carolyn LeiloglouWhat if famous paintings weren’t just pictures—but portals to other parts of the world?What if your little sister vanished into a painting—and you were the only one who could save her?What if the art you tried to forget held the key to your family's biggest secret?Welcome to The Sword and Story Podcast, where we help Christian families find exciting, faith-filled books for their boys. Our mission is to raise strong, courageous warriors for the kingdom of God. Join us on a quest to discover stories that inspire our boys to grow into godly young men.Our guest author today is Carolyn Leiloglou. AUTHOR BIO: Carolyn Leiloglou is the author of the award-winning middle grade fantasy series The Restorationists. She is the granddaughter of art collectors, daughter of an art teacher, and homeschooling mom to four wildly creative kids. Carolyn and her husband Demetrios make their home in San Antonio, Texas, and you can find her everywhere online as House full of Bookworms.

Find the blog version and show notes HERE.What if there was an ice age in Hawaii? What if your government could see and track your every move? What if the only way to save your sister was to hack into the system that held her captive?Our guest author today is Jeremiah Friedli. Jeremiah writes young adult fiction with a thriller feel, inspired by true stories of spies, chases, battles, and underdogs. He loves reading and writing tales of espionage, intrigue, and suspense. He’s the author of the Core Series and a 2025 Realm Awards finalist for his debut novel Core Deception. Learn more at www.JeremiahFriedli.com

Find the shownotes HERE.It’s no mystery that our boys love fighting and adventure.  They are drawn to TV shows, movies and books that involve blood, battles, bombs and booby traps.  In their play, someone is always getting killed or blown up.  Our boys thrive on fighting evil and taking risks. In our episode today, we’re going to find out why God created our boys in this way.

Find the show notes for this episode HERE.Have you ever asked yourself… Why are my boys so WILD?  Why do they have so much energy? Why are they so loud and rambunctious and aggressive?  In today’s episode, we’re going to find out where this wildness comes from.WELCOME TO THE SWORD AND STORY PODCAST! The Sword and Story podcast is dedicated to helping Christian parents discover exciting, faith-filled books for their boys—stories packed with courage, honor, and adventure. If you’re looking for books for your boys with thrilling storytelling from a Christian worldview, then you’re in the right place.Join us as we explore books that will help our boys grow to be strong, courageous warriors for the Kingdom of God. I’m your host, Laurie Christine. I’m the author of the Dragon Slayer Bible Series, adventure-packed biblical fiction for 8-12 year old boys. I’m also a wife and mom to 4 wild, wonderful young men. My boys are currently 9, 10, 13, and 14.I am busy interviewing and scheduling authors for the new episodes of the Sword and Story podcast. Those new author interviews will be airing later this summer. But in the meantime, I think it’s important that we take some time to understand how God created our boys. Last week we listened to an interview with Mark Hancock, CEO of Trail Life USA. If you missed that episode, go back and listen to episode 2 of the sword and story podcast and you can find that at swordandstorypodcast.com. In that episode, Mark and I discussed how we can let our boys be boys.This week, we’re tackling the question:  Why are my boys so wild? Why are they so loud? Why do they have so much energy? If we want to find books that will help our boys to become strong, courageous warriors for God’s Kingdom, we need to understand some of the core desires that God has given boys. That’s what we’re going to talk about in today’s episode. 

Learn more at www.SwordandStoryPodcast.comRead a transcript of my interview with Mark Hancock here: https://lauriechristine.com/let-boys-be-boys-with-mark-hancock/

WELCOME TO THE SWORD AND STORY PODCAST! The Sword and Story podcast is dedicated to helping Christian parents discover exciting, faith-filled books for their boys—stories packed with courage, honor, and adventure. If you’re looking for books for your boys with thrilling storytelling from a Christian worldview, then you’re in the right place.Join us as we explore books that will help our boys grow to be strong, courageous warriors for the Kingdom of God. Learn more at www.SwordandStoryPodcast.com

Find the shownotes HERE.LINKS:  JesusHelpMeParent.comRedeemingTheChaos.comLaurieChristine.comINTRO“What is causing the quarrels and fights among you?” How many of you have said that to your kids before? I know I have!  I would estimate about 95% of conflict and parenting challenges in our household stems from sibling conflict. Welcome to Redeeming the Chaos. I’m your host, Laurie Christine. I’m an author, Bible teacher, wife, and mom to four wild, wonderful boys. I would love for you to join me on this adventure of raising courageous warriors for the Kingdom of God.As moms of young men, we know that fighting among boys often gets very physical. While girls may sulk and hold a grudge for weeks on end, boys tend to explode with big emotions and lash out physically at whichever sibling is nearest to them.  (this is a generality. I’m sure you can tell me stories of your girls who have broken out into fist fights as well)So, what causes these fights and quarrels? If you didn’t pick up on it, this question is a quote from James chapter 4. I’ll read the rest of the passage here:“What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don’t they come from the evil desires at war within you? 2 You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them.”Does that sound familiar?  Our kids have strong desires. Maybe they want the biggest piece of cake for dessert. Maybe they want the best, squishiest chair for movie night, or the front seat in the minivan. Maybe they want to be treated fairly, maybe they just want to be left alone. (Granted, not all these desires are evil… but often a big desire is the underlying cause of sibling conflict). And look what the verse says… you scheme and kill… you are jealous… you fight and wage war… all this in order to get what you want.  Sound familiar? Now, hopefully the conflict in our homes has not escalated  to the point of killing… however, in the book of Matthew Jesus says “hating” someone is just as bad as “murdering them” in our hearts. So, how do we deal with the conflict that inevitably arises between siblings? How can we teach our kids to show kindness and love to each other, rather than seeking revenge? We have a guest on the show today to help us answer these questions. "B.J. Meurer has worked with families for over 25 years as an elementary educator, biblical parenting coach & presenter, and digital course creator. He has coached families with children of all ages and stages facing a wide variety of emotional, mental, and biological challenges and helped them discover and personalize the practical heart-based tools and strategies that bring about positive change in their families. You can find many more of B.J.’s parenting resources and videos at JesusHelpMeParent.com. 

View the shownotes at https://lauriechristine.com/why-i-dont-make-new-years-resolution/

Boys are different. From the moment they burst into your life, they bring a whirlwind of energy, noise, and adventure that never seems to slow down. If you’re a mom of boys, you know it’s not just a parenting style—it’s a lifestyle. And I wouldn't trade it for the world! Whether it’s the endless supply of dirt in their pockets, the creative use of furniture as a jungle gym, or the unspoken rule that socks never stay on feet, raising boys comes with its own unique (and often hilarious) set of challenges. Here are 50 telltale signs you might be a boy mom—prepare to laugh, nod along, and maybe even roll your eyes in solidarity! 

Find the shownotes for this episode HERE.RESOURCESGo BibleAverage Boy PodcastAverage Boy BooksClubhouse Magazine

Find the shownotes for this episode HERE.Many boys tend to be drawn to books about evil monsters, epic battles in space, fire-breathing dragons, and planets exploding into smithereens. Our kids are drawn to magical stories about fantastical creatures and worlds beyond our own.Are stories about fantastical creatures and magical places safe for our kids to read? Do they have value in the lives of our children? Find out in this episode of Redeeming the Chaos.We have a special guest on the show today who is a bit of an expert on fantastical stories.E. Stephen Burnett explores fantastical stories for God’s glory as publisher of Lorehaven.com and its weekly Fantastical Truth podcast. He coauthored The Pop Culture Parent and creates other resources for fans and families, serving with his wife, Lacy, in their central Texas church. Stephen’s first novel, Above the Circle of Earth, a science-fiction adventure, launches in 2025 from Enclave Publishing.

In this episode of Redeeming the Chaos, Laurie talks with Elizabeth Urbanowicz of Foundation Worldview, about God's design for gender.Find the full show notes HERE.There’s a lot of confusion in our society about sexuality and gender identity. A lot of voices are telling our kids that same-sex relationships are normal, or that you get to decide if you’re a boy or a girl. Our kids are confronted with these issues at younger and younger ages.And we’re not just talking about homosexuality anymore. Our kids are faced with vocabulary like transgender, non-binary, and genderfluid. They’re being asked in public schools what their preferred pronouns are. As parents, we need to be prepared to have conversations with our kids about these issues. And we need to be proactive about discussions we have with our kids. You want to be the first one having these types of conversations with your kids, rather than waiting until your child comes home from a birthday party wondering what “trans” means.You may be thinking: hold on, my kids are way too young to talk about these topics. Besides, I homeschool my kids so they don’t have to deal with these issues right away. Well, there may be some truth to that, but as parents we want to be intentional about teaching our kids about God’s design for gender, sexuality and marriage from an early age. That way, when our kids are confronted with an ideology that opposes the teaching of the Bible, they immediately recognize it as false. But how do we talk to our kids about these sensitive topics? How do you know what to say? Are there any resources available to help us do so? 

You can find the full shownotes for this episode HERE.Episode Summary: In today’s episode of Redeeming the Chaos, Laurie Christine talks with Jessica Hurlbut, author of Unlimited Motherhood and host of the Full Spectrum Parent podcast. Jessica is a mom to five children, two of whom have autism. She shares her journey of raising children on the spectrum while continuing to trust God through the difficulties of parenting.Key Takeaways:Autism is a spectrum, and every child’s needs are unique.There is a grieving process when a child is diagnosed, but healing and peace come with acceptance.God doesn’t call parents to fix their children, but to love them.Autism or any special need does not limit God’s ability to work in and through a family.It’s essential to seek the resources and help your child needs, even if you fear labels.The challenges of motherhood, especially with special needs children, can deepen faith and trust in God.

Get the show notes here: https://lauriechristine.com/how-to-talk-to-your-kids-about-pornography/Pornography. It’s not a fun topic to discuss, but it’s a very important conversation to have with our boys. (And not just an isolated discussion, but an ongoing conversation!)The average age that kids are exposed to pornography is between the ages of 8-10. It’s literally everywhere. Especially when younger and younger kids have unlimited access to cell phones, ipads, and other devices. Even if you’ve been super careful to limit your child’s internet access, chances are they have a friend at school, on the bus, in the neighborhood and yes, even at church, who might expose them to pornography. Pornography is a world-wide pandemic that has been normalized by our society. I don’t think many Christians truly realize the danger of pornography. This is a quote that I found from an article on NPR that I think describes this pandemic very well: “Imagine a drug so powerful it can destroy a family simply by distorting a man’s perception of his wife. Picture an addiction so lethal it has the potential to render an entire generation incapable of forming lasting marriages and so widespread that it produces more annual revenue … than all of the leading technology companies combined.”So, what can we do about this drug that is destroying the very foundation of our society? How can we protect our children and teach them to value God’s design for marriage? We have a special guest on the show to help us answer these questions. Kristen Jenson is the founder of Defend Young Minds and the #1 bestselling author of Good Pictures Bad Pictures, a read-aloud book to teach young children how to reject pornography. Her trusted resources and content, including the Brain Defense Digital Safety curriculum, have helped millions all over the world to defend children from all forms of sexual exploitation.

In this episode of Redeeming the Chaos, the Laurie Christine discusses the concept of the fruit of the Spirit. Guest Christy Thomas, a mom of three boys and an author with extensive experience in Children's Ministries, shares her insights on nurturing deep faith in children through small habits. They discuss common misconceptions about the fruit of the Spirit, the role of the Holy Spirit in fostering these qualities, and practical ways parents can instill these values in their kids. Christy also introduces her books Fruit Full, a family devotional on the fruit of the Spirit, and Little Habits Big Faith, which focuses on forming small, impactful habits to nurture faith in children.

 Frank Peretti meets the Jesus Storybook Bible! That's how I like to describe the Dragon Slayer Bible Series. Book 2 in the series, Garden of Mysteries,  is available to order through Kickstarter, April 3-19th, 2024.  ORDER YOURS TODAY! A mysterious prophecy. An ancient curse. An invisible dragon.Seth’s parents had secrets they wouldn’t share with him. Why had the King kicked them out of the Garden? Why had he cursed the land? And could anyone break the curse?Seth wanted to know more. He had to find out the truth. But finding answers to his questions would prove more dangerous than he imagined.In the second book in the Dragon Slayer Bible Series, readers will experience a world where the consequences of sin have affected every part of creation, even the animals.Can Seth learn his parents' secret before the dragon destroys him?Garden of Mysteries, book 2 in the Dragon Slayer Bible Series, is part Bible-based fictional narrative, part devotional, and part Bible study. Through action-packed stories, inspiring scripture, and challenging devotional readings, boys will be trained to identify lies of the invisible dragon, and to trust more fully in the God of Angel Armies. Learn more at www.DragonSlayerBible.com

View the show notes for this episode HERE.

You can find the show notes for this episode HERE.Order Garden of Mysteries on Kickstarter HERE.Don't forget to check out Lorehaven.com for Christian-made fantastical books.

Find out how cherubim can help you teach your kids about the significance of Easter. Read the blog post here: https://lauriechristine.com/cherubim-meaning-of-easter/Follow the Kickstarter campaign for Garden of Secrets: Book Two in the Dragon Slayer Bible Series: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/lauriechristine/garden-of-secrets

You can view the show notes for this episode HERE.

In this week’s episode of Redeeming the Chaos, Catherine Segars and I talk about why many teens walk away from the Lord, and what we as parents can do to help prevent them from doing so while our kids are still young.You can find the show notes HERE.

You can find the shownotes for this episode HERE.

You can read the blogpost version of this episode HERE.

You can view the shownotes for this episode HERE. 

Are you looking for family-friendly Advent devotions and activities to help you keep Christ at the center of your celebrations this year? You want to help your kids focus on Christ this Christmas season. You don’t want to get so wrapped up in all the parties, events and Christmas shopping, that you forget to slow […]You can find the shownotes for this episode HERE.The post Celebrate with Purpose: Family-Friendly Advent Devotions appeared first on Laurie Christine.

How can we cultivate a heart of gratitude in ourselves and our kids? I know I say this every year, but I feel like Thanksgiving really snuck up on us this time. I mean, weren’t we JUST finishing up summer vacation and getting ready for the school year to start? Like Yesterday??    Each year on […]You can find the shownotes for this episode HERE.The post How to Cultivate a Heart of Gratitude in Your Kids appeared first on Laurie Christine.

How can we use our words to speak life to our boys? Words are Powerful Words are powerful. Our words can be used to speak life and truth into the lives of our kids, or they can be used to hurt and damage them. Our words can destroy relationships or they can be used to […]You can find the shownotes for this episode HERE.The post The Power of Words: How to Speak Life to Your Children appeared first on Laurie Christine.

RISE OF THE ENEMY IS NOW AVAILABLE ON AMAZON! RISE OF THE ENEMY — NOW AVAILABLE! Today is BOOK LAUNCH DAY!  My new devotional book for boys has been launched out into the world, and it is now officially available on Amazon!  I’m super excited!  The book was funded successfully on Kickstarter back in May […]You can find the shownotes for this episode HERE.The post Rise of the Enemy is Available on Amazon! RTC 80 appeared first on Laurie Christine.

How can we empower our boys to be dangerous to the darkness? Of Course He Isn’t Safe… In C.S. Lewis’s book, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, Mr. Beaver tells Susan about Aslan, the true King of Narnia.  When Susan finds out that Aslan is a lion, she asks:  “Is he quite safe? I […]You can find the shownotes for this episode HERE.The post How Stories Can Empower Boys to be Dangerous to the Darkness (with SD Smith) RTC 79 appeared first on Laurie Christine.

How can rites of passage help your son become a man? What happened to rites of passage? Wearing gloves filled with fire ants. Running across the backs of a herd of cattle. Jumping from a 100 foot tower with nothing but a vine tied around your ankle.  What do these terrifying feats have in common?  […]You can find the shownotes for this episode HERE.The post Rites of Passage: How to help your son navigate the transition to manhood RTC 78 appeared first on Laurie Christine.

You’re invited to a free webinar! I am hosting a free webinar with Dr. Scott Turansky, co-founder of the National Center for Biblical Parenting. The webinar is called: Navigating the Storm: Heart Based Parenting Strategies for Managing Anger.  If you feel like anger is the only way you know to get your kids to obey, […]You can find the shownotes for this episode HERE.The post Navigating the Storm: A Parenting Webinar on Anger RTC 77 appeared first on Laurie Christine.

Conflict resolution isn’t fun. But it’s part of growing up. Helping our sons learn how to handle conflict and show empathy is an invaluable skill they will use into adulthood. Help! Someone is being mean to my son! Has your son ever come home and told you that someone was being mean to him on […]You can find the shownotes for this episode HERE.The post Conflict Resolution Strategies: How to help your son navigate challenging friendships with empathy (RTC 76) appeared first on Laurie Christine.

Parenting is HARD.  Many days you feel inadequate to raise those energetic boys God has given you. Sometimes you feel overwhelmed by the responsibility of training your boys to be strong, courageous young men.  You often feel like your efforts are futile. You may even feel like a fraud.  Sound familiar? I know I have […]You can find the shownotes for this episode HERE.The post The Imperfect Mom: Are you believing these three lies about your parenting? RTC 75 appeared first on Laurie Christine.