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On this episode, you can listen in on an insightful interview Barrett had with Dr. Scott Turansky of the National Center for Biblical Parenting. They discuss three lies that most teenagers believe, and what parents can do about it. You’ll also hear a different perspective on Coronavirus restrictions as well as a suggestion for a personal response to the racial tension in America right now. Stuff Mentioned on This Episode:*Funny (and Contradictory) Coronavirus Guidelines*The National Center for Biblical Parenting*The Imperfect & Normal Families Only AppIf you like what you hear, we would love it if you would:*Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes. Download the Podcast app on your device and search for The Imperfect & Normal Families Only Podcast. Then click the purple “subscribe” button and every new episode will automatically be downloaded to your device.*While you are there (and after you listen to an episode or two), scroll down to the bottom and click “Write a Review.” Say something nice.*Check our INFO for Families Facebook page for posts about the podcast and share it with your friends. Help us spread the word!

With schools closing and so many people working from home, many families are feeling the pressure of "close quarters." How can you manage the (temporary) new normal without murdering your spouse? On this episode, Barrett and Jenifer let you listen in on a terrific conversation they had with their friends Jarrod and Brooke, who have been working from home together for years. It's like a master class on how to keep your relationships and rhythms intact while living and working in close proximity. They discuss schedules, flexibility, expectations, priorities, communication, and so much more. If you like what you hear, we would love it if you would:*Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes. Download the Podcast app on your device and search for The Imperfect & Normal Families Only Podcast. Then click the purple “subscribe” button and every new episode will automatically be downloaded to your device. *While you are there (and after you listen to an episode or two), scroll down to the bottom and click “Write a Review.” Say something nice. *Check our INFO for Families Facebook page for posts about the podcast and share it with your friends. Help us spread the word!

For people of faith, parenting = discipleship. On this episode, Barrett and Jenifer discuss some practical and easy ways to create a culture of spiritual growth in your home. You get to listen in to a conversation that Barrett had with author and speaker Philip Nation about a few simple shifts you can make to become more intentional with your kids. Barrett and Jen also discuss how easy it is for predators to connect with your kids via social media (as illustrated by the Bark video) and give a call for diligence in how we protect our kids online. Stuff Mentioned on This Episode:The D6 principle of 1/168.*Family Devotions on The INFO for Families App.*Habits for our Holiness by Philip Nation.If you like what you hear, we would love it if you would:*Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes. Download the Podcast app on your device and search for The Imperfect & Normal Families Only Podcast. Then click the purple “subscribe” button and every new episode will automatically be downloaded to your device. *While you are there (and after you listen to an episode or two), scroll down to the bottom and click “Write a Review.” Say something nice. *Check our INFO for Families Facebook page for posts about the podcast and share it with your friends. Help us spread the word!

On this episode, Barrett and Jenifer talk about the brand new INFO for Families App. It’s been cooking for several months and it’s finally time to get it out of the oven! They give some background on the app, download instructions for even the least tech-savvy person, and a comprehensive tour of what you’ll find in the app. The bottom line is that you’ll want to listen in and discover some great tools and resources for YOUR family. Stuff Mentioned on This Episode:*The INFO for Families App (Click the “download now” button below.) If you like what you hear, we would love it if you would:*Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes. Download the Podcast app on your device and search for The Imperfect & Normal Families Only Podcast. Then click the purple “subscribe” button and every new episode will automatically be downloaded to your device. *While you are there (and after you listen to an episode or two), scroll down to the bottom and click “Write a Review.” Say something nice. *Check our INFO for Families Facebook page for posts about the podcast and share it with your friends. Help us spread the word!

We’re back after a long break! On this episode, Barrett and Jenifer share a very special conversation that Jenifer had with blogger and inspirational mom Krisi Monsivaiz, who just happens to be one of her best friends. During a special weekend away in Savannah, Jen and Krisi set up a mic and recorded an important conversation about family, faith, and taking a long-term view for our kids. Listening in will encourage you no matter where you are in your journey, and it will remind you of the importance of walking through life with good friends. Along the way, they reflect on their Great Marriage Getaway retreat and introduce a series of interviews that you will get to hear in the coming weeks. Stuff Mentioned on This Episode:*Reveille Coffeehouse Cafe, the best breakfast in Marietta, GA.*The 2020 Great Marriage Getaway in Asheville, North Carolina.*The Good Soil, a “mommy blog” from someone who has been doing this longer than the typical mommy blogger.If you like what you hear, we would love it if you would:*Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes. Download the Podcast app on your device and search for The Imperfect & Normal Families Only Podcast. Then click the purple “subscribe” button and every new episode will automatically be downloaded to your device. *While you are there (and after you listen to an episode or two), scroll down to the bottom and click “Write a Review.” Say something nice. *Check our INFO for Families Facebook page for posts about the podcast and share it with your friends. Help us spread the word!

Why are there so many checklists? On this episode, Barrett and Jenifer tackle part two of what they feel is perhaps is the most important component of building a healthy family life. (If you haven’t listened to part one yet, do that first.) It may or may not have anything to do with a list. Along the way, they discuss some funny ways people characterize marriage on Twitter, the crazy couple who got married at 100 and 102, and how to recover when you treat your spouse terribly….in her dreams. Stuff Mentioned on This Episode:*Couple gets married at 100 and 102 years of age. *Discerning the Voice of God by Priscilla Shirer.*Forgotten God by Francis Chan.*I Can Only Imagine by Teena Goble, now available in our store. *The big sale on resources at INFOforFamilies.com.*The Great Marriage Getaway.If you like what you hear, we would love it if you would:*Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes. Download the Podcast app on your device and search for The Imperfect & Normal Families Only Podcast. Then click the purple “subscribe” button and every new episode will automatically be downloaded to your device. *While you are there (and after you listen to an episode or two), scroll down to the bottom and click “Write a Review.” Say something nice. *Check our INFO for Families Facebook page for posts about the podcast and share it with your friends. Help us spread the word!

On this episode, Barrett and Jenifer take a tongue-in-cheek look at our fascination with lists…and all the people who make promises that if you just do “these things,” your family will be awesome. More importantly, they explore a critical (but often neglected) dimension of the Christian life that makes all the checklists and top 10 lists unnecessary. Along the way, they discuss a recent study on teen sexting, loving your kids (even if you don’t always like them), and why men who take their wives to action movies rarely get any action when the movie is over. Stuff Mentioned on This Episode:*The USA Today article that suggests that “sexting” is a sign of maturity in our teens.*The Three Circles video about entering a relationship with God. *I Can Only Imagine by Teena Goble, now available in our store. *The big sale on resources at INFOforFamilies.com.*The Great Marriage Getaway.If you like what you hear, we would love it if you would:*Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes. Download the Podcast app on your device and search for The Imperfect & Normal Families Only Podcast. Then click the purple “subscribe” button and every new episode will automatically be downloaded to your device. *While you are there (and after you listen to an episode or two), scroll down to the bottom and click “Write a Review.” Say something nice. *Check our INFO for Families Facebook page for posts about the podcast and share it with your friends. Help us spread the word!

On this episode, Barrett and Jenifer welcome a very special guest….Jenifer’s younger sister Julie. They share openly and honestly about some incredibly difficult struggles their families have had to endure (and continue to endure). They offer hope of God’s activity and redemption in the midst of the pain, reminding us that God can use hard times to bring about good things in our lives and families. Along the way, they share a few embarrassing stories from childhood, discuss a troubling article about sex workers from Teen Vogue, and offer some great resources to help your family get through hard times. Stuff Mentioned on This Episode:*The troubling article ”Why Sex Work is Real Work” from Teen Vogue.*When Your World Falls Apart by David Jeremiah.*The One Year Bible (NLT)*Hope When it Hurts by Wetherell and Watson*The Great Marriage Getaway.If you like what you hear, we would love it if you would:*Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes. Download the Podcast app on your device and search for The Imperfect & Normal Families Only Podcast. Then click the purple “subscribe” button and every new episode will automatically be downloaded to your device. *While you are there (and after you listen to an episode or two), scroll down to the bottom and click “Write a Review.” Say something nice. *Check our INFO for Families Facebook page for posts about the podcast and share it with your friends. Help us spread the word!

On this episode, Barrett and Jenifer talk about why it’s so important to carefully guard your marriage from outside forces. If you value your marriage, it’s worth protecting! They specifically discuss boundaries in opposite sex relationships, with technology, and with your extended family. Along the way, they also dish on “the talk,” whose job it is to kill spiders, and what we can learn about marriage from Beyonce’s Homecoming concert on Netflix. Stuff Mentioned on This Episode:*Beyonce’s Homecoming concert on Netflix.*Margin by Richard Swenson.*The Great Marriage Getaway.If you like what you hear, we would love it if you would:*Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes. Download the Podcast app on your device and search for The Imperfect & Normal Families Only Podcast. Then click the purple “subscribe” button and every new episode will automatically be downloaded to your device. *While you are there (and after you listen to an episode or two), scroll down to the bottom and click “Write a Review.” Say something nice. *Check our INFO for Families Facebook page for posts about the podcast and share it with your friends. Help us spread the word!

On this episode, Barrett and Jenifer discuss how all the issues our pre-teen and teenage girls face are amplified by smartphone technology. They examine a study that chronicles the sharp increase in depression, anxiety, and suicide among our daughters’ generation. In response to the many stories parents have told us about their daughters finding porn, Jenifer has a special segment where she talks to girls about God’s love and His plan for restoration. Along the way, they talk about the challenges of modern parenting, lying to their kids about the ice cream truck, and a dad’s role in shepherding his daughter’s heart. Stuff Mentioned on This Episode:*Stop Debating Whether Too Much Smartphone Time Can Hurt Teens, and Start Protecting Them, a Time Magazine Article from March 21, 2019 by Jean Twenge*An Open Letter to Girls Who Struggle with Pornography*Meet Me in the Middle, a book for teen girls and their dads by Barrett and Jenifer JohnsonIf you like what you hear, we would love it if you would:*Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes. Download the Podcast app on your device and search for The Imperfect & Normal Families Only Podcast. Then click the purple “subscribe” button and every new episode will automatically be downloaded to your device. *While you are there (and after you listen to an episode or two), scroll down to the bottom and click “Write a Review.” Say something nice. *Check our INFO for Families Facebook page for posts about the podcast and share it with your friends. Help us spread the word!

In the second part of a two part series, Barrett Johnson examines the ways that porn is negatively affecting today’s families. He shares part two of the live talk he recently gave, focusing on what a family must do to stay on guard. (You need an action plan!) He also shares the “four streams of healing” for those who find themselves stuck in a pattern of addiction. The question of the week is one that he and Jenifer encounter often: “What if my spouse thinks porn is no big deal?” Stuff We Mentioned on This Episode:*HopeQuest - A Community of People Striving for Sexual Purity*Brain Buddy - An app to help re-train your brain from porn addiction.*Crave - Online Bible Study for men who want to walk in purity. *Conquerors DVD - Video study that combines spiritual discipleship and brain science. *The Young Man’s Guide to Awesomeness (for teen guys)*Meet Me in the Middle (for teen girls and their dads)*Circle Device (for filtering your WiFi at home)*Covenant Eyes (online accountability)If you like what you hear, we would love it if you would:*Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes. Download the Podcast app on your device and search for The Imperfect & Normal Families Only Podcast. Then click the purple “subscribe” button and every new episode will automatically be downloaded to your device. *While you are there (and after you listen to an episode or two), scroll down to the bottom and click “Write a Review.” Say something nice. *Check our INFO for Families Facebook page for posts about the podcast and share it with your friends. Help us spread the word!

In this unique episode, Barrett Johnson addresses the porn epidemic head-on. After giving a brief introduction (and an apology for his pollen-induced congestion), he shares part one of a live talk he recently gave about the unavoidable impact of porn on our families, focusing on just how widespread the problem is. He also answers a specific question about when to talk about “self-gratification” with your kids (the M word might get flagged here), and shares a ton of resources that will help you to have healthy (and necessary) conversations about porn with your kids. Stuff We Mentioned on This Episode:*These 11 States Passed Resolutions Declaring Porn a Public Health Issue*The Every Man’s Battle Series by Stephen Arterburn et al.*Good Pictures/Bad Pictures (for children)*The Young Man’s Guide to Awesomeness (for teen guys)*Meet Me in the Middle (for teen girls and their dads)*Time Magazine’s article about “Porn and the Threat to Virility”*Circle Device (for filtering your WiFi at home)*Covenant Eyes (online accountability)If you like what you hear, we would love it if you would:*Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes. Download the Podcast app on your device and search for The Imperfect & Normal Families Only Podcast. Then click the purple “subscribe” button and every new episode will automatically be downloaded to your device. *While you are there (and after you listen to an episode or two), scroll down to the bottom and click “Write a Review.” Say something nice. *Check our INFO for Families Facebook page for posts about the podcast and share it with your friends. Help us spread the word!

How can a husband express love to his wife in ways that keep them powerfully connected? On today’s episode, Barrett and Jenifer discuss the truth that most wives have a real need for a satisfying love relationship with their husbands. And they have a built in barometer that lets them know when they have that or not. Barrett shares some simple things a husband can do that go a long way to make his wife feel cherished. Along the way, they discuss toddlers & their vomit, how long a french fry can survive in a mini-van, and a study that connects the amount of housework a man does and how much sex he has. Stuff We Mentioned on This Episode:*Time Magazine article: Yes, Couples Who Share Chores Have More Sex*For Men Only by Jeff and Shaunti Feldhahn*The Great Marriage Getaway, a marriage event outside of Asheville, NC.If you like what you hear, we would love it if you would:*Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes. Download the Podcast app on your device and search for The Imperfect & Normal Families Only Podcast. Then click the purple “subscribe” button and every new episode will automatically be downloaded to your device. *While you are there (and after you listen to an episode or two), scroll down to the bottom and click “Write a Review.” Say something nice. *Check our INFO for Families Facebook page for posts about the podcast and share it with your friends. Help us spread the word!

How can a wife bring out the best in her husband? On today’s episode, Barrett and Jenifer talk about the incredible power a wife wields when she encourages her man. They also discuss some very practical ways that a wife can become the cheerleader he longs for, including how most popular movies totally get this truth. Along the way, they share Forbes’ list of the 9 toughest jobs (number one will surprise you) and talk about the worst story in the history of mankind involving a preschooler, some poop, and a Chick-Fil-A restroom. Stuff We Mentioned on This Episode:*The poop story at FeelFreetoLaugh.com.*For Women Only by Shaunti Feldhahn*The Nine Hardest Leadership Roles found in Forbes magazine.*That awesome scene from Cinderella Man.If you like what you hear, we would love it if you would:*Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes. Download the Podcast app on your device and search for The Imperfect & Normal Families Only Podcast. Then click the purple “subscribe” button and every new episode will automatically be downloaded to your device. *While you are there (and after you listen to an episode or two), scroll down to the bottom and click “Write a Review.” Say something nice. *Check our INFO for Families Facebook page for posts about the podcast and share it with your friends. Help us spread the word!

Do you secretly wish that you could fix your spouse and make them more of what you want them to be? On today’s episode, Barrett and Jenifer discuss how you can join God in your spouse’s transformation, but they also suggest that many of the things we want to change in our spouse are actually God-given differences that we need to value. Along the way, they discuss toilet seats, the recent college admissions cheating scandal, and how the greatest challenge of parenthood is helping your children find their shoes. Stuff We Mentioned on This Episode:*The recent college admissions cheating scandal.*Mark Gungor’s Laugh Your Way to a Better Marriage.*The Great Marriage Getaway Retreat.If you like what you hear, we would love it if you would:*Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes. Download the Podcast app on your device and search for The Imperfect & Normal Families Only Podcast. Then click the purple “subscribe” button and every new episode will automatically be downloaded to your device. *While you are there (and after you listen to an episode or two), scroll down to the bottom and click “Write a Review.” Say something nice. *Check our INFO for Families Facebook page for posts about the podcast and share it with your friends. Help us spread the word!

It’s one of the scariest jobs that parents have, but in our rapidly changing culture, it’s one of the most important. On today’s episode, Barrett and Jenifer suggest some practical ways to get your family talking about God’s design for sex. Along the way, they discuss some kids’ reactions to the “birds and bees,” the 70% premarital cohabitation rate, and why Dax Shepard and Kristen Bell bored their kids when talking about where babies come from. Stuff We Mentioned on This Episode:(Clickable links available on the PODCAST page at www.INFOforFamilies.com.)*Parents’ Kiss Makes Baby Smile (Video).*The Whole Story (video resource for having talks about sex with your kids). *Learning About Sex for the Christian Family (book series).*The Talks (book by Barrett and Jenifer).If you like what you hear, we would love it if you would:*Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes. Download the Podcast app on your device and search for The Imperfect & Normal Families Only Podcast. Then click the purple “subscribe” button and every new episode will automatically be downloaded to your device. *While you are there (and after you listen to an episode or two), scroll down to the bottom and click “Write a Review.” Say something nice. *Check our INFO for Families Facebook page for posts about the podcast and share it with your friends. Help us spread the word!

On this, our first “official” episode, we jump right in and deal with an unmentionable topic. And we mention it…a lot. We talk about why so many couples are NOT having sex and what to do about it. Along the way, we have a quiz to see how messed up your family is, a brief discussion of The (virgin) Bachelor, and some thoughts on how to have sex when the kids are still awake (and in the room next door). Stuff We Mentioned on This Episode:*”The Good Girl’s Guide to Great Sex” by Sheila Wray Gregoire*”A Celebration of Sex for Newlyweds” by Douglas Rosenau*”Intimate Issues” by Lorraine Pintus and Linda Dillow*”Intimacy Ignited” by Pintus and DillowIf you like what you hear, we would love it if you would:*Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes. Download the Podcast app on your device and search for The Imperfect & Normal Families Only Podcast. Then click the purple “subscribe” button and every new episode will automatically be downloaded to your device. *While you are there (and after you listen to an episode or two), scroll down to the bottom and click “Write a Review.” Say something nice. *Check our INFO for Families Facebook page for posts about the podcast and share it with your friends. Help us spread the word!

Welcome to the launch of the official podcast designed exclusively for imperfect & normal families. If you’ve got the perfect marriage and your kids are always awesome, them move along…there’s nothing for you here. If you sometimes feel like your family is making it up as you go along, then you’ve come to the right place. On this, our first episode, Barrett and Jenifer Johnson introduce who they are, why they’re doing this thing, and what you can expect in upcoming episodes. If you like what you hear, we would love it if you would:*Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes. Download the Podcast app on your device and search for The Imperfect & Normal Families Only Podcast. Then click the purple “subscribe” button and every new episode will automatically be downloaded to your device. *While you are there (and after you listen to an episode or two), scroll down to the bottom and click “Write a Review.” Say something nice. *Check our INFO for Families Facebook page for posts about the podcast and share it with your friends. Help us spread the word!