The Happy Home Podcast with Arlene Pellicane

Contrary to what many say, most marriages aren't destroyed by parental wounds, unresolved anger, or a sinful past.  Jim Ramos, founder of Men in the Arena, talks candidly with Arlene about his new book Guardrails: 10 Boundaries for an Unbreakable Marriage. They dive into practical wisdom for building a marriage that lasts, drawn from Jim's 34+ years of real-life experience. Jim has seen enough marriages crumble to know one thing: most of them didn't fail because of deep psychological wounds or unresolved trauma — they failed because of small, unwise decisions that compounded over time. Tune in for practical wisdom and ways to avoid these costly mistakes for marriages.  2:08 Why Jim & Shannon created guardrails after 34 years 4:51 Navigating opposite-sex coworkers and professional boundaries 8:00 How to receive compliments without opening emotional doors 10:50 Guardrail #9: Always send gifts from us, never just from you 14:00 The story loop problem (King Solomon & the Queen of Sheba) 21:14 Guardrail #3: Staying emotionally connected  24:07 Social media dangers: Jim's personal rules (150k followers, zero apps on his phone)   Get a copy of Jim's book, Guardrails: 10 Boundaries for an Unbreakable Marriage and find out more about his ministry at meninthearena.org. More Resources from Arlene Pellicane: SUBSCRIBE to Arlene's newsletter "What I'm Learning This Week" and get the checklist, 7 Warning Signs of Screen Overuse. Check out Arlene's BOOKS including Parents Rising, Screen Kids, and Making Marriage Easier. Follow Arlene on Instagram and/or Facebook Go to Arlene's YouTube Channel How did Arlene's kids adapt to not having phones, video games or social media? Watch the free video, Screen Kids: In Their Own Words. Have a question for Arlene to address on the podcast? Want to invite Arlene to speak to your group? Email [email protected] Not sure about a smartphone for your child? Check out the Gabb Wireless phone for kids and teens (use the promo code ARLENE) Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Author Addison Bevere joins Arlene to talk about what honest, un-performative prayer actually looks like — for you and your kids. He shares why humility is a parenting superpower, how to guide children toward "second innocence," and why your morning routine might be the most spiritually significant part of your day. Join us for a truly wisdom-filled conversation about prayer and Addison's new book, Words with God. 02:02 The difference between complaining about God vs. going to God in messy intimacy 03:07 Humility creates safety — modeling authentic faith for your kids 08:37 First innocence vs. second innocence — the real goal of protecting your kids 10:39 God won't always deliver you from a thing when that thing will ultimately deliver you to him 12:40 Prayer is about presence, not performance 15:21 Morning routines, brain science, and how God designed us as receptors 20:52 Addison's no-phone morning ritual — and the neuroscience behind it 25:02 "Smart mornings do not include smartphones" 31:49 Insomnia and surrender: how waking up differently changed everything   Grab a copy Addison's books: Words With God (book and prayer journal)  Connect with Addison at rediscoverprayer.com.  More Resources from Arlene Pellicane: SUBSCRIBE to Arlene's newsletter "What I'm Learning This Week" and get the checklist, 7 Warning Signs of Screen Overuse. Check out Arlene's BOOKS including Parents Rising, Screen Kids, and Making Marriage Easier. Follow Arlene on Instagram and/or Facebook Go to Arlene's YouTube Channel How did Arlene's kids adapt to not having phones, video games or social media? Watch the free video, Screen Kids: In Their Own Words. Have a question for Arlene to address on the podcast? Want to invite Arlene to speak to your group? Email [email protected] Not sure about a smartphone for your child? Check out the Gabb Wireless phone for kids and teens (use the promo code ARLENE)   Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Blending families isn't easy and you can feel alone in the struggle. But did you know there are several prominent step-families found in the Bible?  Smart stepmom, author Laura Petherbridge offers heartfelt insights and solutions for navigating big emotions in complex homes. Her new book is Stepfamilies of the Bible: Timeless Wisdom for Blended Families. God's people have always included families with complex configurations, strained dynamics, and serious problems. The fact that complex, imperfect families have always been part of God's family is good news!  In today's conversation, you'll learn:  3:00  53 percent of kids come from complex families, going between two homes  9:00 When my dad got remarried and I got a step-mom... 14:15 When children feel they lost dad to the new stepmom/stepfamily  18:00 When you feel offended by your step-kids  22:15 If a child senses you look down on the other family, he will side with the other family as the underdog  25:00 You don't see two women who hate each other more (Sarah and Hagar)  Connect with Laura and get her book, Stepfamilies of the Bible at thesmartstepmom.com. More Resources from Arlene Pellicane: SUBSCRIBE to Arlene's newsletter "What I'm Learning This Week" and get the checklist, 7 Warning Signs of Screen Overuse. Check out Arlene's BOOKS including Parents Rising, Screen Kids, and Making Marriage Easier. Follow Arlene on Instagram and/or Facebook Go to Arlene's YouTube Channel How did Arlene's kids adapt to not having phones, video games or social media? Watch the free video, Screen Kids: In Their Own Words. Have a question for Arlene to address on the podcast? Want to invite Arlene to speak to your group? Email [email protected] Not sure about a smartphone for your child? Check out the Gabb Wireless phone for kids and teens (use the promo code ARLENE) Learn more about Every Woman's Bible today by visiting: https://hubs.la/Q0427v7r0 Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

If you're feeling overwhelmed by clutter, today's expert Katy Joy Wells is here to help with steps you can implement today!  She's helped more than 250,000 families take control of their homes by solving the real clutter problem--what's underneath it all? What if your clutter isn't just a mess problem — it's a heart problem? Katy is the host of The Maximized Minimalist (5M downloads!) and author of Making Home Your Happy Place. She joins Arlene to unpack why traditional decluttering never sticks. Katy breaks down the 4 types of clutter, shares her CBT-rooted 4S Framework for letting go without the guilt, and draws a freeing distinction between clutter and everyday mess. You'll also get to hear some of Katy's story and how her challenges led her to start decluttering. Let's learn together how to declutter without being overwhelmed by taking small, practical steps.  2:07 The 4 types of clutter: the "clutter onion" framework 6:52 How to overcome scarcity and identity clutter  10:59 Too many toys? 11:31 Set physical boundaries as your decluttering goal  17:54 Katy's story and her shift to holistic decluttering  22:05 Pull the weed by the root — why clutter comes back and how to stop it  27:37 Navigating sentimental clutter & guilt clutter   Listen to Katy's podcast, The Maximized Minimalist, grab a copy of her new book, Making Home Your Happy Place, and connect with Katy on Instagram @katyjoywells. More Resources from Arlene Pellicane: SUBSCRIBE to Arlene's newsletter "What I'm Learning This Week" and get the checklist, 7 Warning Signs of Screen Overuse. Check out Arlene's BOOKS including Parents Rising, Screen Kids, and Making Marriage Easier. Follow Arlene on Instagram and/or Facebook Go to Arlene's YouTube Channel How did Arlene's kids adapt to not having phones, video games or social media? Watch the free video, Screen Kids: In Their Own Words. Have a question for Arlene to address on the podcast? Want to invite Arlene to speak to your group? Email [email protected] Not sure about a smartphone for your child? Check out the Gabb Wireless phone for kids and teens (use the promo code ARLENE) Learn more about Every Woman's Bible today by visiting: https://hubs.la/Q0427v7r0   Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

If you've ever felt guilty for struggling with anxiety or have a child who wrestles with worry, this conversation is for you. Holley Gerth, Wall Street Journal bestselling author and counselor, is on the show to talk about her latest book, Prayers for Peace of Mind: Scripture and Encouragement for Days of Anxiety, Worry and Stress.  Holley shares practical and compassionate tools for families navigating fear and worry, sharing on what God wants us to do with our anxieties, and what He really means when He says, "Do not fear." 3:27 How to turn your anxiety into excitement  5:58 Emotions: great messengers, terrible bosses  8:00 The real reason social media makes you anxious  13:22 You are beloved-- anchor yourself in this truth  16:30 Introverts, anxiety and the overstimulation connection  23:41 How to signal to your kids that they are safe  27:27 The prayer that carried Holley through her hardest season    Connect with Holley Gerth and grab a free, 5-day excerpt of her book at holleygerth.com/peace.  More Resources from Arlene Pellicane: SUBSCRIBE to Arlene's newsletter "What I'm Learning This Week" and get the checklist, 7 Warning Signs of Screen Overuse. Check out Arlene's BOOKS including Parents Rising, Screen Kids, and Making Marriage Easier. Follow Arlene on Instagram and/or Facebook Go to Arlene's YouTube Channel How did Arlene's kids adapt to not having phones, video games or social media? Watch the free video, Screen Kids: In Their Own Words. Have a question for Arlene to address on the podcast? Want to invite Arlene to speak to your group? Email [email protected] Not sure about a smartphone for your child? Check out the Gabb Wireless phone for kids and teens (use the promo code ARLENE) Learn more about Every Woman's Bible today by visiting: https://hubs.la/Q0427v7r0   Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.