Raising Rock

As Christian parents, it's easy to give every issue the same weight. Screen time. Bedtimes. Music. Smartphones. Lying. Stealing.

But should they all be treated the same?

In this episode, we're introducing a simple framework that's changing conversations in our own home: Is this a moral issue... or is this our family's preference?

We'll talk about the difference between God's clear commands in Scripture and the ways individual families faithfully apply biblical wisdom. More importantly, we'll discuss why that distinction matters and how confusing the two can unintentionally shape the way our children think about God, sin, and obedience.

Our goal isn't to raise children who simply follow our family rules. It's to raise children who know how to seek the Lord, understand His Word, and faithfully apply it throughout their lives. We also created a free discussion guide to help your family continue the conversation together.

⁠⁠How to connect with Raising Rock:
Learn more about ⁠Raising Rock⁠.
Follow Raising Rock on ⁠Instagram⁠ and ⁠Pinterest⁠.

⁠⁠ ⁠
On our website, you’ll find our products and merch, parenting tools and resources, and a deeper look into who we are and the heart behind Raising Rock.

On the Resources page, you’ll also discover free downloads created just for families—practical tools to help you raise a ROCK, a Playlist For The Heart, and more.

As a thank-you for being a podcast listener, enjoy 20% off your first order with code PODCAST20 (one-time use per customer).

Subscribe and listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Grief touches every one of us, yet so many of us feel completely unprepared when someone we love experiences a devastating loss. We want to help. We want to say the right thing. But too often, our words unintentionally place even more weight on the person who is already carrying so much.

In this episode, we sit down with Pam McConnell, former Vice President at Nike. After walking through the heartbreaking loss of her husband and other profound personal losses, Pam has dedicated her life to helping others navigate grief with compassion, wisdom, and practical care. She challenges one of the most common phrases we say to grieving people—"Let me know what you need"—and offers a more thoughtful, Christlike way to come alongside those who are hurting.

Whether you're grieving yourself or simply want to love someone else well, this conversation will equip you with practical ways to show up, meaningful encouragement rooted in empathy, and a better understanding of what people experiencing loss truly need. This is one of those conversations every person should hear—because sooner or later, every one of us will either grieve or walk alongside someone who is.

Check out Pam's new podcast

⁠⁠How to connect with Raising Rock:
Learn more about ⁠Raising Rock⁠.
Follow Raising Rock on ⁠Instagram⁠ and ⁠Pinterest⁠.
On our website, you’ll find our products and merch, parenting tools and resources, and a deeper look into who we are and the heart behind Raising Rock.

On the Resources page, you’ll also discover free downloads created just for families—practical tools to help you raise a ROCK, a Playlist For The Heart, and more.

As a thank-you for being a podcast listener, enjoy 20% off your first order with code PODCAST20 (one-time use per customer).

Subscribe and listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Divorce changes a family forever, but it doesn't have to define its future. Whether you're walking through a divorce, raising children in a blended family, co-parenting with an ex-spouse, or considering remarriage, this conversation offers biblical wisdom, practical encouragement, and realistic expectations for the road ahead.

In this episode, we sit down with Laura Petherbridge, author of The Smart Stepmom and a trusted voice on stepfamilies, remarriage, and divorce recovery. Together, we talk honestly about how divorce impacts children, why blended families are often more challenging than people expect, common mistakes couples make when entering remarriage, and practical ways to build stronger, healthier relationships. Laura's wisdom is compassionate, realistic, and deeply rooted in Scripture.

Whether you're a child of divorce, a single parent, a stepparent, remarried, dating after divorce, or simply want to better understand and support families walking this road, this is an episode you'll want to save and share.

How to connect with Laura:
Visit her website The Smart Stepmom
Follow her on Instagram

⁠⁠How to connect with Raising Rock:
Learn more about ⁠Raising Rock⁠.
Follow Raising Rock on ⁠Instagram⁠ and ⁠Pinterest⁠.

⁠On our website, you’ll find our products and merch, parenting tools and resources, and a deeper look into who we are and the heart behind Raising Rock.

On the Resources page, you’ll also discover free downloads created just for families—practical tools to help you raise a ROCK, a Playlist For The Heart, and more.

As a thank-you for being a podcast listener, enjoy 20% off your first order with code PODCAST20 (one-time use per customer).

Subscribe and listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Every photo, funny story, milestone, and parenting moment can now be shared with the world in just a few seconds. But just because we can post something about our children, should we? In this episode, we sit down with Leah Plunkett, author of Sharenthood, for one of the most thoughtful conversations we've had about raising kids in a digital age. Rather than telling parents what they should or shouldn't post, this conversation invites us to think more intentionally about how we steward our children's stories.

Together, we explore what it means to protect not only our children's physical privacy, but also their emotional, spiritual, mental, and digital privacy. We discuss the lasting digital footprints we create for our kids, how to think critically before sharing online, and practical questions every parent can ask before hitting "post." Whether you're someone who shares often or rarely, this episode offers biblical wisdom and thoughtful perspective for navigating social media in a way that honors both our children and the responsibility God has given us as parents.

How to connect with Leah Plunkett:
Follow Leah on Instagram

⁠⁠How to connect with Raising Rock:
Learn more about ⁠Raising Rock⁠.
Follow Raising Rock on ⁠Instagram⁠ and ⁠Pinterest⁠.

⁠⁠ ⁠
On our website, you’ll find our products and merch, parenting tools and resources, and a deeper look into who we are and the heart behind Raising Rock.

On the Resources page, you’ll also discover free downloads created just for families—practical tools to help you raise a ROCK, a Playlist For The Heart, and more.

As a thank-you for being a podcast listener, enjoy 20% off your first order with code PODCAST20 (one-time use per customer).

Subscribe and listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

John Corcoran’s story is almost unbelievable. He graduated from college, became a high school teacher, and spent 17 years in the classroom, all while unable to read. He finally learned to read as an adult, and what happened next turned his greatest struggle into his life’s work.

In this episode, we sit down with John, author of The Teacher Who Couldn’t Read and founder of the John Corcoran Foundation, along with his granddaughter Kayla Schiedler, who has spent years working alongside him in literacy. John has shared his story on 20/20, 60 Minutes and The Oprah Winfrey Show, and has spent decades advocating for people who struggle to read. His foundation works to prevent and eradicate illiteracy by helping children and adults learn to read and supporting effective literacy instruction.

Kayla grew up around that mission and has made it her own, finding so much joy in helping struggling readers and their families, including ours.

This is a fascinating conversation about John’s incredible story, the reading crisis in America, what we misunderstand about kids who struggle to read, and the hope that comes when they finally receive the instruction they need.

If you have a child who struggles with reading, or you simply want to better understand how children learn to read, don’t miss this one.

How to connect with John and Kayla:

Watch The Truth About Reading documentary
Follow The John Corcoran Foundation on Instagram
Follow The Truth About Reading on Instagram
Follow Kayla Schiedler on Instagram

For more on the politics and influences that have shaped how reading is taught in America, listen to Sold a Story by journalist Emily Hanford.

⁠⁠How to connect with Raising Rock:
Learn more about ⁠Raising Rock⁠.
Follow Raising Rock on ⁠Instagram⁠ and ⁠Pinterest⁠.

On our website, you’ll find our products and merch, parenting tools and resources, and a deeper look into who we are and the heart behind Raising Rock.

On the Resources page, you’ll also discover free downloads created just for families—practical tools to help you raise a ROCK, a Playlist For The Heart, and more.

As a thank-you for being a podcast listener, enjoy 20% off your first order with code PODCAST20 (one-time use per customer).

Subscribe and listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.