Parent Forward

Got a question or a future episode idea? Email me: julie@parentforward.com

We name the “Parenting Apocalypse” as an unveiling of the small communication patterns that quietly shape our homes over time. We connect Gottman’s Four Horsemen with parenting and spiritual formation so we can notice what is happening beneath the surface and choose a better way with our kids. 
• defining “apocalypse” as an unveiling that brings hidden pa...

This episode is a little different.

Instead of teaching or offering a framework, I’m inviting you into the story behind the voice you’ve been listening to.

Because what you’re hearing on this podcast isn’t just ideas or strategies. It’s a lens. A way of seeing parenting, formation, and people that has been shaped over time through real experiences, questions, loss, and growth.

And the truth is, if you’re going to trust me to walk with...

Episode Summary

In this episode, we sit with one of the most tender and often misunderstood names of God: Emmanuel, God with us.

For many of us, “God with us” sounds beautiful… but feels far away, especially when grief, loneliness, shame, or exhaustion are pressing in. Instead of offering explanations or tidy theology, this episode makes space for honesty, lament, and presence.

We explore how Emmanuel did not begin in the manger, but ...

The moment my hand met the cold stone in Nazareth, the story shifted from stained glass to skin. We meet Mary not as a distant icon but as a teenage girl in a small, ordinary room whose life was interrupted by impossible news and who chose to treasure and ponder rather than shut down. That posture becomes our guide for Advent, a way of holding confusion without losing the thread of hope.

I share the journey from jet lag to...

The holidays can feel like life on fast-forward: bright, loud, and strangely thin. We’re told to be present and grateful, yet our minds race and our senses pull inward to cope. This conversation slows the moment down and shows a kinder way forward—how quiet noticing interrupts overwhelm and makes room for gratitude that actually sticks.

We begin by naming what’s real: December pressures the nervous system to scan for probl...

Light in the Low Places | Advent Series Episode 1
Scripture: Isaiah 9:2, 6–7

Advent is beautiful, but it can also feel heavy.
If you’re stepping into December already tired, carrying invisible weight, or feeling like wonder is out of reach, this episode is a gentle place to land.

In this first week of the Advent series Light in the Low Places, Julie invites you into a slower, more honest kind of preparation, one that welcome...

SHOW NOTES: https://parentforward.com/sacredplayseries-whenplaygrowsup/

Remember when play came naturally? When laughter flowed freely with your little ones? Then something shifted. The sidewalk chalk disappeared, games became "dorky," and eye rolls replaced giggles. What happened to that sacred sense of wonder we once shared with our children?

This episode explores the beautiful tension of parenting older kids wh...

SHOW NOTES: https://parentforward.com/sacredplayseries-sacredimagination/

The spiritual life of children doesn't look like adult faith—it's wilder, more embodied, and deeply imaginative. When my daughter gathered her stuffed animals and announced "Jesus is here and we're going to listen with our hearts," I realized she wasn't just playing—she was creating sacred space in her own intuitive way.

...

SHOW NOTES: https://parentforward.com/sacredplayseries-theplayfulparent/

What happens when a parent chooses to be ridiculous on purpose? Something sacred emerges in those unguarded moments of laughter and play.

Through a story about a tension-filled dinner transformed by an impromptu Sound of Music performance, we discover how play creates connection beyond what words could achieve. That moment of shared silliness didn&apos...

SHOW NOTES: https://parentforward.com/sacredplayseries-playisholy/

Remember when laughter came easy? When joy didn't need a reason? Somewhere along the way, most of us traded imagination for efficiency and forgot how to play. This profound loss isn't just about missing out on fun—it's about missing a sacred pathway to spiritual formation.

When my daughter asked me to pretend to be a baby bunny, I froze. The r...

SHOW NOTES: https://parentforward.com/theformationalpowerofparenting/

Parenting isn't just about raising kids; it's about being spiritually formed through the mess, beauty, and everyday moments of family life. We explore how shifting our focus from behavior management to spiritual formation can transform both our parenting approach and our own relationship with God.

• Many parents today feel pressure to parent per...

SHOW NOTES: https://parentforward.com/presenceoverperfection/

Parenting doesn't have to be about getting everything right—it can be about being present in the moment with our children. Julie Ann Luse explores how shifting from perfection to presence can transform our parenting approach and build stronger neurological connections with our kids.

• The overwhelming pressure parents feel to get everything right
• How f...

SHOW NOTES: https://parentforward.com/raisingspirituallyresilientkidsinanageofquestions/

Raising spiritually resilient kids isn't about having all the right answers or preventing doubt. It's about creating relationships where questions are welcome and faith feels real, not forced.

• Nearly two-thirds of young people leave church after high school, often returning after a season of questioning
• Research shows ...

SHOW NOTES: https://parentforward.com/forgivenessrewiresbothparentandchild/

Forgiveness in parenting isn't just about cleaning up after mistakes – it's where transformation begins for both parent and child. When we mess up and repair with our children, we're creating holy moments that reshape relationships and model God's grace.

• Perfectionism isn't the goal – being a "formed parent" will...

SHOW NOTES: https://parentforward.com/whenyourkidlieswhatsreallygoingon/

Lying often reveals what our children are trying to protect through fear, confusion, or attempts to preserve connection. This episode explores how to create a family culture where truth is safe to tell and honesty is consistently invited.

• All kids lie at some point, regardless of their character
• Children's dishonesty usually grows from fea...

Parent Forward reimagines parenting through spiritual formation, creating space where your soul and your child's are truly seen. This podcast moves beyond tips and formulas, offering a place to slow down and listen deeply to your child, yourself, and God who is forming you through this journey.

• Invitation to move beyond behavior management to soul formation
• Weekly exploration of topics like responding to lying...