The Dr. Nurse Mama show focuses on developing 52 habits for healthy families
>> Dr. Jessica Peck: Hello, and welcome to the Dr. Nurse Mama show, prescribing Hope for healthy Families here on American Family Radio. Here's your host, professor, pediatric nurse practitioner, and mom of four, Dr. Jessica Peck. Well, hey there, friends, and welcome to my favorite time of day. On my favorite day of the week, it is Fri. Yay. As my kids say, and now I say, too. It is Friday, and we have made it through another week. And by the time this weekend is over, we will be in the month of June. Can you even believe it? Listen, I was in Hobby Lobby this week, and I turned around the corner and what did I see? I saw something that just strikes dread in the heart of my husband. The fall decorations are already out. I know it's way too early because we haven't even really officially started summer, but this year is going by so fast. I hope that you've been joining us since, since January. We've been in this journey together to develop 52 habits for healthy families. And it is in those everyday moments of faithfulness, of discipline, that you are going to see family transformation. And so if you feel stuck in a rut, this is a great way to go, a great thing to get you going and to get you out of that rut. If you've missed any of the habits, you can go to the Dr. Nurse Mama coaching minutes. Just, just one minute. And it will tell you what that week's habit is. The scripture that we are meditating on and memorizing. Or you can go to any Friday show and I answer questions about that habit and tell you, what does this look like in real life? We are not about developing perfect families here because there is no such thing as a perfect family. We are all about healthy families. And as we started this journey, we started with some basic spiritual disciplines. We talked about going to church and listening into Christian music and memorizing scripture, reading your Bible, praying, all of those basic things. Then we went into some rhythms. We've talked about communication patterns. And all this summer, we are really going to concentrate about tech habits because technology is such a powerful force in our lives. And there's so many families who really struggle with this. And I think I have hope that this is going to get better for generations to come. I see Gen Z honestly adopting healthier tech habits than Millennials, than Gen Xers. They really do because they. It's not as novel to them. So it's a little bit easier in a way to step back from that and to have some healthy boundaries. My kids tell me all the time, mom, hang up and hang out. And I have given them that invitation, not just permission, but invitation to speak that into my life because I need it. But we have this really unique generation gap where we have generations of millennials, Gen X baby boomers who are raising kids who are experiencing technology in a way that we did not experience when we were growing up. And we kind of have this apathy with it. We just, we don't understand it. It's really frustrating when we try to figure out how to use it. The next thing I know, I'm calling a fifth grader to show me how to use the function on my iPhone and they can show me in 10 seconds what I have been trying to do for 30 minutes. I really do feel old when I using my phone in that way. And so we just kind of think, ah, let's just hope that's okay. It's not okay. We just have to engage. This is a battle that cannot be left on the sidelines. We have to be intentional and not fight against culture as much as we are fighting for the hearts of our family. So today we'll start that summer, we'll, we'll be spending quite a few weeks here talking about some tech habits. And because last week was a holiday, I didn't have a Friday show where I talked about that. So today you're getting a two for one. And today we're talking about reading with your family, reading actual books, reading out loud and watching faith based films with your family. So, hey, listen, whether you are right now you're folding laundry, you're picking up kids from school, or you're just enjoying your summer vacation, if you're hiding in the pantry for a moment of peace, or if you are patrolling the roads, whatever you are doing, I'm glad that you're here and I'm glad that you're engaging in this media here from American Family Radio.
Physical books give a lot of powerful advantages when discussing kids and family reading time
So let's talk about this and let's talk about reading. There is something honestly timeless and almost sacred about the feel of a really good book in your hands. A book that you've had maybe since childhood. A book that you remember your grandparents reading to you. I know recently when my granny passed away, that was one of the first things I wanted from her house, was the books that she had read with me because they brought back so many of those memories. Just feeling the weight of that book and the sound of the page turning. Even the way that it smells when it smells old, or the way a well loved copy just gets worn in it's dog eared and it's just marked with memories of life, whether that's bedtime snuggles, carrying it around in your beach bag, or quiet moments on the couch. And we see this proliferation of E readers and tablets and they have their place, they're great for travel and. But let me tell you, physical books give a lot of powerful advantages, especially when we're talking about kids and family reading time. And I have always read out loud to my kids at night. I did this all while they were growing up. And it really is so powerful in so many ways. And I'm going to share some of those ways.
Research shows that children engage more deeply with printed books than ebooks
But let's start with first that tactile engagement when we engage with a book. Research actually shows that children engage more deeply with printed books than they do with ebooks. Turning those real pages, it helps develop their fine motor skills. It actually helps them remember things better. And it activates more parts of their brain than just reading from a screen. And that's because those physical books are a full sensory experience. You've got vision, you've got touch, you've got even that book smell. Right? I know it sounds weird to say it, but you know what I'm talking about. And for younger children, they can point to a picture, they can trace a letter, they can flip back and forth. And these things help anchor learning in a way that screens just can't compete with. There's also no blue light that interferes with melatonin production. So do you know when you look at blue light from the screen, it actually suppresses melatonin in your brain? And it always makes me laugh because we think, oh, we want these natural remedies for sleep. Let's take melatonin when you have melatonin in your brain and you could have a better production of that just by decreasing that exposure to blue light before bedtime. And let's be honest, when you're reading on a device, how often do you really stay focused because you've got notifications, you've got text, you've got apps. All of those things are just a, swipe away. But physical books offer presence. There's no pings, no pop ups, no multitasking. And this matters, especially in bedtime routines. It can be really easy to get distracted by your phone. The other thing that I think about physical books is that there is stability in a shifting cultural landscape because the digital content can be quietly edited or altered without even you knowing. A book can be updated. And physical books preserve the original text that's unfiltered, unchanged and this is something to think about, even a Bible translation. And in a time of cancel culture, it's. There is some sort of comfort in knowing that your shelf holds the book that you actually bought. And that matters deeply. When we're trying to pass down truth and tradition and trusted stories to our kids and that good physical library, it's a time capsule and it's a legacy. When you have books in your house, it also sends a message to say this is a place where stories matter, where we slow down enough to read. It doesn't just. It does, it's not just about a story. It's about inviting conversation, inviting curiosity, inviting connection. Because a child who sees their favorite book on a shelf. I just saw a post that actually my sister had sent me about a book that our grandmother had read to us many, many times about a monster. At the end of this book, some of you may remember, you're nodding because you remember that book. And she said oh, remember this now we didn't say oh yes because was so sweet. It was because our granny had read it to us a thousand thousand times. And that's really precious. They remember our kids remember who read them a book, how it made them feel, that warm lap or the cozy chair where it all came to life. And you just can't pass down that ebook in the same way. It's not going to be the same because with a tablet every book looks the same on the outside. But your child might read a same dog eared copy of a book to their child or their grandchild one day. So yes, ebooks are efficient, they're searchable, they're space saving. But when it comes to family formation, when it comes to developmental richness, when it comes to spirituality, that paper bound book in my mind still reigns supreme. And it doesn't mean there's not room for both of those things. And when we're looking at again the ways that it impacts our kids health, we look at cognitive and language development. When you read out loud, it gives our kids better vocabulary, it helps them to be better listeners. And don't we want that. Every parent wants that. It helps them have better brain development, it gives a calming routine, it teaches them they can emotionally regulate, they can calm down by reading a book. It gives them an emotional vocabulary and it shares those stories that plant seeds of faith and identity and virtue and they create togetherness. Especially when you're reading together.
Reading to babies in the womb fosters early attachment, according to neuroscience
Now one of the things that you should do is read aloud to your kids from the time before they're Born. Now this is fascinating to me, the science of reading to babies in the womb. This is neuroscience, this is developmental psychology, attachment theory. And yes, your baby won't understand the words yet, but hearing the parent's voice is really powerful because by around 18 weeks a baby can hear sounds. First they hear the sound of their mother's heart, heartbeat. But by 25 to 28 weeks, they start to hear voices that become clearer and that those low frequency sounds like rhythm and human speech. They hear their mother's voice most clearly, but they start to recognize their father's voice, their siblings voices. Over time. Studies actually show that newborns can recognize and prefer their mother's voice, especially if she's spoken or read to them during pregnancy. They turn their mind there, they turn their body toward their mother's voice. And one study found that newborns preferred stories that had been read repeatedly to them while they were in the you while in the womb. They even show different sucking patterns to indicate they recognized the story. That is amazing to me because babies are born ready to learn language and that brain starts to map out the cadence of the speech, the tone that it's delivered in the emotional rhythm. And that, that's absolutely incredible. So reading before they're even born, it fosters early attachment. It's a great way to start. And then when you read to your babies after they're born, we know that they develop a bit larger vocabulary and they have they have an advantage academically, which we all want too. So that's it. That's a really beautiful way to connect. But here's the thing too, it's really a heart connection because it is a shared story. When you share a story with your children, it lets them, they can choose, you can choose a faith based story, a values driven story. You have the ability to initiate discipleship through storytelling. And as a nurse, I can tell you connection heals. But as a mom, I can tell you our kids want more of that connection. Even when they don't say it, even when it seems like they don't. Stories really reach places that lectures can't. So, so often we're thinking about everything that our kids need to all of the life lessons that we want to impart to them. And we can lecture, we can give them that information. But stories deliver transformation. When we have lectures, that activates the logical, analytical part of the brain. And we are well intended, but it can make our kids defensive, it can make them zone out. It's easy to forget a lecture. It's really easy, but it's a lot harder to forget a story. Stories, on the other hand, light up multiple areas of the brain. It lights up language and emotion and motor planning and even a sensory experience. Because the brain is processing a story as if it's happening to us. The brain responds in the same way. So we've got things like empathy and personal relevance and anchoring memories. It's much easier for them to remember the lessons from a story. And so that lecture might get some short term obedience, but a story helps them understand, it helps them to reflect, on it more. It allows the listener to kind of try on a situation safely to think, what would I do in that situation? And internalize a lesson without feeling like I did something right or I did something wrong. That shame, that power struggle. And Jesus did this. He taught through storytelling. He taught through parables. And those stories touch the heart, not just the head. Well, when we come back, I'll talk about some practical application for this and I will talk about and give you some recommendations for what to read with your family this summer and what to watch. What movies could you watch? A lot more on this Ask doctor Nurse Mama Friday. I'll see you on the other side of this break, talking more about this week's habits, reading out loud and watching faith based films. See you in a minute.
PreBorn Network provides free ultrasounds to women seeking abortions
When a woman experiences an unplanned pregnancy, she often feels alone and afraid. So many times her first response is to seek out an abortion. But because of the generosity of listeners like you, that search may lead her to a PreBorn Network clinic. PreBorn offers God's love and compassion to hurting women and then provides a free ultrasound to introduce them to the life growing inside them. This combination brings the ultimate miracle of life to life and doubles a, baby's chance at life. Which is why preborn saw over 67,000 babies rescued last year alone. Meet Maddie. Maddie was in a tough situation as she wasn't sure who the father was. But after receiving counseling, prayer, and a free ultrasound at a PreBorn Network clinic, everything changed. Maddie discovered she had twins and found the strength she needed to choose life. Your tax- deductible donation of $28 sponsors one ultrasound. How many babies can you save? Please donate your best gift today. Just dial pound 250 and say the keyword baby. That's pound 250, baby. Or go to preborn.com/AFR, that's preborn.com/AFR. Goodbye Yesterday by Elevation Rhythm and Gracie Binion Goodbye yesterday. I'm living in the light of a new day. I won't waste another minute in my old ways Praise the Lord I've been born again Goodbye yesterday I'm living in the light of a new day I won't waste another minute in my old ways Praise the Lord I've been born again. Welcome back, friends. That's Goodbye Yesterday by Elevation Rhythm and Gracie Binion.
Ask doctor Nurse Mama Friday focuses on being intentional about what you consume
And we are saying goodbye to yesterday because today is Friday and I'm so happy that it's Friday. It's Ask doctor Nurse Mama Friday. We are talking about this week's healthy habits. I'm giving you a two for one today. We're talking about the importance of being intentional about the media you consume. And I've talked about books and the power of story. So if you feel like in your house you are saying the same thing on repeat, well, maybe find a story of something relatable, something that would help resonate and that is going to hit in a different way, going to light up different parts of your brain than just a lecture does. That can be really helpful there. And I. The, verse that goes with this week is from Psalm 78. 4 We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord and his might and the wonders that he has done. And reading to your kids, reading books, reading books with your kids. Having a book club, whether you're reading separately and then talking about it or reading together, is a great way to foster relationships and to foster conversation about things that matter. Because when we look at stories, children learn through mirroring what we do through imaginative play. And when they have a very well told story, it gives them a model to emulate. And I know, I shared with you that I read to my kids and I've read all kinds of different books. But Robin Jones Gunn is one author who has written a lot of coming of age books. Her books for preteen teen girls or the Kristy Miller series. And I would read those with my daughters because it would be one thing for me to say, okay, what would you do if you are in this situation? But it's another thing to say, okay, Christy was in this situation and she did this. What do you think you would have done? And there's so many more questions and such an EAS space to have that conversation. Now, if you're not in the habit of doing this, you're probably going to get some, reaction that they're going to think you're sus, which is, suspicious. I know I just heard my kids cringe from here that I use Gen Z ling Lingo. But just imagine, you know, when your kids come to you all of a sudden and they're excited and they want to do something and they're really nice, all of a sudden you get a little suspicious too. So just push through that. Don't let one moment of rejection discourage you and think, well, I tried that and it didn't work. Keep trying it. Be persistent. Ask to have a book club with your kids or read out loud with them and talk about those stories. And that's really, really powerful because imagine, imagine that your child is struggling with being grateful and you are lecturing them, telling them, you have so much you need to be grateful. You're so entitled. You have all of these things. Or you could say, hey, I read this story and it really made an impression on me. I want you to read it and then tell me what you think. And yes, they may tell you, well, that's, obviously, clearly, that's a message. Yes, that's a message. That's a message I'm trying to deliver. What do you think that can be really helpful in that? And when we look at reading things together, watching things together, this is one of the most critical things that I think families need to do is watch what everybody else is watching. Because when you watch something in a silo, when you're watching it by yourself, there's nobody to kind of look a sideways glance. Have you ever been watching a movie or watching a TV show and maybe the language is not what the standard is in your home, and all of a sudden you feel that person looking next to you like, hey, this is, this is not good, right? No, this is not good. Yeah, let's turn it off. It's a lot easier to do that when you have accountability than if you're just sitting watching something by yourself and thinking, oh, well, you know, that doesn't really matter. I think parents today would be really shocked to see some of the things that their kids are watching. And we just kind of think, well, all the kids are watching it. But that is just not okay. We've got to be vigilant and watch the things they're watching so that we can talk them through it. Proverbs 4. 23 says, Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. And the honest truth is we live in a media saturated culture where our kids are being formed every single day, not just by what we teach them, but we are competing with the messages. What they scroll, what they stream, what they binge, what they click on, what they Share. And here is a very powerful statement I want you to listen in. Because media is not neutral. It is not. Every show, every song, every storyline, every script carries values, and it projects a worldview about identity, about morality, about gender, about family, about sexuality, about power, about success, about spirituality. Every single one of those stories that our kids, that our family consumes, they present to us a worldview and a theology. And if we as parents, as caregivers, as faith leaders, as family leaders, if we're not actively involved in shaping that lens, the world is going to do it for us. We need to curate the media that our family is consuming and talk about those kinds of standards. Because some of the dangers of passive consumption, just, you know, binge watching, just kind of watching whatever's on. How often do you do that? Sit in front of the TV and you just scroll through and maybe you spend two hours deciding what you're going to watch, and then you end up not watching anything that's not being intentional. And I encourage you as the summer is starting to come up with a media plan for your family. One of the things my family did last summer that was really fun was we all got to pick some movies and we put them in a jar on little slips of paper, and then when we were ready to watch, then we would just draw one randomly out of the jar. Sometimes somebody would groan and say, oh, no, I don't want to watch that. And somebody else would say, yay, I can't wait to make you watch this with me, because I love this. But it was an intentional plan and it helped us to not just do that passive consumption and mindless scrolling. Because we have today cultural normalization of confusion, and our God is not a God of confusion. And many shows that are aimed at children, they really introduce very complex, very confusing worldviews, often without age appropriate context. And it's just normal for everything to be in a shade of gray. We also have. One of the things I'm really concerned about is emotional desensitization. Now, this is repeated exposure to violence or even something we all can say, yeah, we don't want our kids to be exposed to violence. But what about sarcasm? What about a character that is sarcastic? I remember when my kids were young, them watching a children's show that seemed innocuous. But one of the characters frequently told the other characters it was siblings, I hate you. Well, before you knew it, that had. That had worn its way into our family. I hate you. Shut up. Those kinds of things. And we just see those things that are so Subtle. We see desensitization to cruelty or honestly, inappropriate humor that just blunts our empathy in our response and it normalizes meanness. We also see identity distortion. Media often tell kids who they should be, what they should look like, what they should aspire to be, who their followers should be, how they should find their followers, how they should feel about things, rather than truth and purpose and design. The other thing about media is the truth is a lot of media undermines the values that we're trying to teach our family. We see a lot of times parents are portrayed as really clueless, as bumbling idiots, as dumb, as irrelevant, as disconnected, and sexuality is portrayed without consequence. And we see that faith can be rarely mentioned or even subtly mocked. And the most dangerous part is that we just stop noticing and we start to feel apathetic. It's not. It's not intentional rebellion, like, oh, fine, we're just going to watch this. It's just exhaustion. We're just tired. We need a break.
Co viewing matters because when we watch something with our kids, we're modeling discernment
And we tell ourselves it's just a cartoon, it goes over their head. But it doesn't. And if they don't understand it now, they will. This is how seeds are planted. And one of Satan's most effective tools is desensitization through repetition. If that lie is wrapped in a catchy tune, if it is wrapped in a funny line, it is easier to swallow. And a lot of times we see desensitization to some of these values that we hold dear by making it funny. And you, you find yourself laughing. So that's why co viewing matters. If you don't hear anything else today, watch things with your kids. Watch things that your kids are watching. See what they're watching. It's not about control. This is about discipleship. Because when we watch something with our kids, we're modeling discernment. We show them how to ask, is this true? Is this good? Is this beautiful? And that goes to the scripture in Philippians 4. This is so important. This is should be the measure by which we look at our media and think, okay, well, we shouldn't watch that because it's bad. Well, no, it's that we look at it and we ask if, is it pure? Is it lovely? Is it honorable? Is it just? Is it commendable? Is it excellent? Is it worthy of praise? Think about those things. So it's not about limiting the bad influence, it's about inviting the good influence. And so we can model discernment for them. We can also create conversation and give them a safe space to ask questions or to Express confusion and just say, you know, I'm really. I don't know how I feel about what that character did. I don't know how I feel about the ending of that. That's a great way to create conversation. It also is a great way to build trust and teach them that we're engaged in what shapes their mind, not just their behavior. Because so often, if we're telling them how to behave, then we're just trying. It feels like we're trying to control their behavior. But when we're really curious as to how they're receiving a media message and we help to frame that and to redirect that, that is really helpful. Because when we see that influence start to take root, when we start to see them thinking, okay, yeah, well, I think that would be okay. In that circumstance, we can replace those vague or harmful messages with the solid messages that are found in God's word. So what does this look like practically? Well, you can pause and ask, what do you think that character was feeling? Or why do you think they made that choice? What would you have done in that situation? Or you can say, you know what? You have to acknowledge that was funny, but it kind of makes you feel icky that it was funny. Do you think that's really how we should treat someone? Is that really something that we want to laugh at? And you can praise good storytelling that. Hey, that reminded me of this other story that I heard of a story that Jesus told. And it is so great to have a family norm to skip or stop. Skip a show or stop a show. There have been plenty of times. I. I remember once taking my daughters to a, musical that was supposed to be for children. This was at a theater in. In the city. And I had looked it up before we went. And my girls were fairly young in their school age, and when we went, the language in it was not what I wanted my girls to hear. And so I told them very calmly, very quietly, very respectfully, that we were going to get up and leave. Well, you can imagine they were really upset. They didn't want to leave because they had been looking forward to this. It was a big treat. They got dressed up. It was embarrassing, you know, walking out, what was happening. But when I went and talked to the, I put it. I talked to the staff that were there. The director actually contacted me back and said, you know what? You were right. The, language guide that we put out for parents was not what we adhered to on the stage. The actors all added those things in that were not in the script. And, and we will stick to the script so that we can make an informed decision. Now at the time, like I said, my girls didn't think, oh wow, we have the best mom in the whole world. She's making us leave this play. But they remember that and they know that that's okay. It's okay to feel like you were. You encounter something that you weren't expecting and just to stop and to leave. You are not ruining the fun. And that is a lie that sometimes is projected on us. We are really protecting that sacred space of our child's inner life. We are protecting the space, the influence of their worldview. So if you have been hands off with media up to this point, listen, it is not too late to change that. This isn't about a guilt trip. It is really about grace fueled action. So some of the things you can do is just ask your kids what they're watching, what they're streaming, what they're listening to. Maybe actually go into the streaming account you have and see what's been streamed and start looking at it. For one thing, it will tell your kids, your family members you're interested in what they're interested in. It may be something great, it may be something that you need to talk about. Having limits. Ask them what they're watching, ask them why they like it. But here's a thing you can do. Invite your family to watch a faith based movie together and make it a fun family night. Have some ice cream. And that would be a great thing to do. There are some great movies that are based on stories of faith. One of the books or movies that you might want to think about watching this summer with your family is the lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. That is a book by C.S. lewis. That is a great story with great lessons of faith in it. And that might be something that you watch together. But I want you to remember that in a world of a million media voices, your voice still matters the most. And I think about that when I look at my, at my kids. Our voice matters the most, even when it doesn't seem that way. And you don't need a perfect plan for media this summer. You don't need to be a Bible scholar. You don't need to have a Pinterest worthy library. You just need some intentionality. You just need to show up and to think. Okay, invite your kids into conversation. So that might be something to do. But a book. The lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. We've also featured a lot of fantastic authors on this show with kids books here, and some of those that I have here are the let's Go Bible Adventures by Valerie Ellis. That was such a cute book. Tales of Boldness and Faith by Leah Boden. We had her on last week. We Carry Kevin by Kevin Chandler. And Average Boys Above Average Year by Bob Smiley. These are all great children's books. You can go back and catch those past episodes and check out those books or go to your local library. Other great movies are Unsung Hero, we had that director on. It was an origin story of her. King and country has won a lot of awards or any movies by the Kendrick brothers. Intentionally engage in a media plan. Watch what your family is watching, watching. And when we come back, we'll give you another great way to engage your kids in something in a way that's a positive media. We'll be talking about the Ten Commandment Challenge with Pastor Joseph Parker when we come back. See you on the other side of this break.
Heresy has a multifaceted dimension about it
Here's Dr. Michael Kruger from the American Family Studios documentary the God who Speaks. You know, heresy has a multifaceted dimension about it. It can develop from a number of different sources. It can have a number of different causes, as simple as misunderstanding a passage of scripture so profoundly that one deviates from the faith. It could be driven by personal gain, where someone wants to advocate a view that helps their own agenda. Heresy can derive from someone being deceived and tricked by an outside source or an outside teacher that convinces them something's true that isn't. And so, you know, ultimately, we would argue that there is spiritual activity behind all those things, that Satan is out to deceive and trick the church. And so he is always churning up debate and, churning up disagreement about the person of Christ and the nature of the gospel and so on. Visit thegodwhospeaks.org In Jesus' Name by Darlene Zschech God is fighting for us. God is on our side. He has overcome yes, he has overcome. We will not be shaken we will not be moved Jesus, you are here carrying our burdens, covering our shame he has overcome yes, he has overcome we will not be shaken we will not be moved Jesus, you are here. I will live. I will not die. Resurrection. Welcome back, friends. That is In Jesus' Name by Darlene Zschech
Ask Doctor Nurse Mama Friday focuses on healthy habits of 2025 for families
And happy Friday to everyone. It is Friday. It's Ask Doctor Nurse Mama Friday. And we're talking about the healthy habits of 2025 that we are trying to emulate and adopt for our families. And what we've been talking about today is the power of media, the power of intentionally choosing the books that you read, intentionally choosing the films, the tv, the digital media that you consume in your life. And if you're looking for a good book, Darlene Zschech has a devotional that goes with that song. The devotional is called Testament. And that might be a good book to pick up for your family this summer. But so much of intentionally curating media is not about being the media police and making sure that you keep every bad influence out. It's about inviting good influences in. It's about providing a compelling alternative. And some of the things that I've been seeing, the stories I've been watching this week are, one was a release from Texas Children's Hospital saying that 647 kids were presented to the emergency department in one month and for a behavioral health crisis that was about 200 more than they usually see in a month. And they attributed the spike to sustained stress and unresolved effects from the pre pandemic mental health crisis. I also saw a recent Gallup poll that says young men in the United States are among the loneliest people in the entire world. Higher levels of loneliness than their peers and other well developed nations. And even young women. In the U.S. 25% of young men 15 to 34 said they felt lonely a lot the previous day and about 18% of young women in the same age range. And I'm seeing those connections trying to be filled through digital media, whether that's through books they're reading, online, audiobooks they're listening to or shows that they're streaming that are trying to fill that void or things like social media. I've had a lot of questions about Instagram Tina accounts and my, my response to all of those things is nothing. None of those technological. You cannot trust a technological company who created a problem to also then manufacture the solution that you now need. Nothing replaces relationships. Cultivating healthy relationships and discipling your kids to live in this world. And I'm so happy to have here today. Pastor Joseph Parker, a good friend of the show, has been on multiple times to give you an alternative a Ten Commandments speech challenge for 2025. This would be a great project to have in the summer. So Pastor Joseph, your timing is just perfect. It just matches with everything we're talking about today. And we're so grateful for you and for your heart and for your ministry.
>> Pastor Joseph Parker: Well, thank you Jessica for the opportunity to be with you today.
>> Dr. Jessica Peck: Well, tell us about the Ten Commandments speech challenge. This we, you've done this many times in the past. It is always something very engaging. So Invite families to join you.
>> Pastor Joseph Parker: Okay, well, you know the Ten Commandments project we've been doing, I think probably about nine or ten years now. And I would mention that there are three basic parts of the project. The Speech challenge is one of the three. The main one that's ongoing is if a child simply memorizes the Ten Commandments and is able to recite them by memory to dad or mom. All we need from them is a phone call where they call and say, this is my mailing address and this is his or her size, and we'll mail him a T shirt, with the Ten Commandments on the back. And of course, we know it's not about the shirt. It's about planting the word of God in the hearts and the minds of our children. And Jessica, in listening to you share about a number of the issues you were sharing about so beautifully on the broadcast, it reminds me of the fact that, like it or not, life is so full of spiritual warfare, as much as we don't want to think that it is, it is. And the most powerful weapon in the. In the universe is the word of God. And so this project, is one of the goals behind it, is a. The Ten Commandments Project for AFR is a youth discipleship project. So that first part again is about memorizing the Ten Commandments. And, you know, I find this to be it. It would be humorous if it wasn't so sad. But you can go to lots of churches, and if you were to say, I'll give $10 to anyone that can recite the Ten Commandments, often you will keep your money includes, including the pulpit. People think they know them, but if you haven't made it a point to specifically memorize them, lots of people can name most of them, but not quite all 10. So it's a wise thing to learn them, but also to learn what they mean as well. So the Speech challenge gets underway June 1. It runs from June 1 to the 30th. The speech challenge is basically where this year we're focusing on the First Commandment. You should have no other gods before me. Or in other words, putting God first. And each youth from age 7 to 17 is invited to write a speech about that first commandment. We suggest it be three to five minutes, but any length they do is fine. And basically put the speech together. Now, again, they can write it themselves. They can get dad or mom to help, or, in some cases, if they need help, they're. They're welcome to call us. And we're glad to help them as well. And for those that think, well, if they don't write it, what, what good does it do? Actually a lot. Because if the child simply reads a speech based on one of the Ten Commandments, the word of God and the wisdom of God filtering through their mind is very productive, productive still. So, but they'll do the speech between the dates of June 1st and June 30th. they can email it to either of these addresses, faq@afa.net or to jparker@afa.net and and of course obviously there when once they do the speech, they recite it there to record themselves either with their cell phone or with another recording device and email it to us. And they would, they will receive a Ten Commandments T shirt, also a bookmark as well as a link that allows them to get an item from our online bookstore as well. So we're encouraging every young person listening, every parent or grandparent listening, to encourage your child or grandchildren or young people that you know to get involved because for many kids they've never done a speech before. But one of the beauties that we found down through the years as we've done the speech contest, is when a young person has the task of listening to a truth from scripture drawn from the Ten Commandments and sharing about it, it can be so productive because many times they may not have really thought about it much, but it allows them to begin to think about the importance of applying the powerful word of God to life. And you know, Jessica, one of the reasons why the Ten Commandments is such a powerful tool in scripture is because it carries the moral law of God, which never ever is outdated. And the fact is some of the biggest issues and challenges going on in our world that you hear about in the news are a result of people violating the Ten Commandments. So it's a fun project. Last year I think we ended up with about 57 speeches. All of them were beautiful. So we're looking forward to the ones for this year as well.
Jessica: I think we underestimate what kids can do in this day and age
>> Dr. Jessica Peck: Pastor Joseph I love this so much because I think so often we really underestimate what kids can do in this day and age. It's a amazing that they can run all of this technology. They can doordash something to their to, they can doordash a taco for using their parents phone. But somehow we think they can't memorize the Ten Commandments. They can do this. And I don't think we should underestimate what they can do. And one of the things you've talked about Before Pastor Joseph is incentivizing them financially. I don't think there's anything wrong with grandparents or parents saying, hey, I'll pay you $10 to do this, because you're putting your money where your heart is. You're showing your kids. This is important to me. This is how much I value you learning this. And from Psalm 119, 9, how can a young man cleanse his way by taking heed according to your word. Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Of course, that's Psalm 119, 105. And I think those things are really important. And when we're looking at kids participating in something like this, one thing you said that was really important, Pastor Joseph, is that those 10 Commandments cover really every kind of way that we're supposed to walk. And in today's day and age, a lot of parents, they think, our kids are facing these new threats and this is a whole new world. Solomon said, there's nothing new under the sun. And I agree in that way because so many of these threats that we look at, we can map those back to have guidance that God has given us, that that advice has stayed. Those commandments have stood the test of time. That's so important. And the last thing I'll say about it, Pastor Joseph, is that one thing that parents can take advantage of in this, in this challenge is that mail, physical mail is actually really uncommon for kids. They don't get mail like we got mail when we were growing up, if you might be got a magazine subscription or something like that, or a postcard from someone on vacation. So getting something in the mail could be really super exciting, don't you think?
>> Pastor Joseph Parker: It certainly can be. And, I do think of this too. And this relates to some of the, great, issues you were touching on earlier in the broadcast too. I, along with the ten commandments project, something we really try to emphasize for actual adults and children too, is having the reading goal of reading three chapters in the Bible every single day. Now, now, as it relates to children, we like to regularly encourage parents to start the habit of having each of their children read at least three chapters out loud to them. Now, reading to the child is good, but I think the child reading to dad and mom is even better because when the child is reading, it's engaging their entire being. And even when kids say, I don't like to read, well, the fact is, it's important to understand you. You're going to have to read in this world and there's nothing better to read than God's Word. And, you know, Jessica, to me, this is something that so many Christian parents need to be challenged about. You know, sometimes we talk about how difficult it is to have our child maybe sit and do something like this. We live in a world, we do what we want to do. And it may take maybe 15 minutes, 15 to 20 minutes to read three chapters. But the beauty is when a child is reading the Word of God, they're spending time with Jesus. And there's nothing more valuable that child can do in all of life, can spend time with Jesus, and they need to. And, you know, when Jesus was here in his earthly ministry, sometimes you may hear parents say, well, I wish, I could have had Jesus touch my child. Well, you know, when they're reading the Word of God, Jesus is touching them, and he's ministering to their mind, body, and spirit. So having our children to read the Word daily in your home is so productive, and it's so beneficial to the mind, body, and spirit of any child. Every parent is wise to do that.
>> Dr. Jessica Peck: Well, you know, I've spent the whole first part of the show talking about the importance, cognitively, psychologically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually of reading with your children. And, Pastor Joseph, I couldn't agree more. It's one thing for parents to read to their children, but to have children read scripture out of the mouth of babes. And my children started memorizing really long passages of scripture when they were very young, and I was amazed. They memorized actually a lot more quickly than we do. And, Pastor Joseph, there is something really special in a home. When you hear children singing, speaking the praises of God and saying those scriptures out loud and saying those messages that we want them to have that are countercultural. Saying, you know, the. That God has given me, God has not given me a spirit of fear, but a power and love and a sound mind. And to hear them know all of those things, because God's word does not return void. We know that that is an investment that will pay off for a lifetime. And so what.
What last words of encouragement would you give to families starting off this summer
What last words of encouragement would you give to families who are starting off this summer? And they're starting off with the best of intentions. Nobody's, you know, too tired or ready to go back to school yet. Pastor Joseph, what would you give? Tell them again what you would encourage them to do in reading scripture every day and then participating in the Ten Commandments Challenge. Just wrap it up for us.
>> Pastor Joseph Parker: Well, again, starting the habit of having each child read three chapters Aloud each day is so productive. And Also the memorizing 10 Commandments and them, doing a speech is good. I would mention this, that down through the years as we've had the project, you know, what we typically try to do is we would like to highlight as many of the speeches on broadcast that I host the Hour of Intercession. And that always makes for a beautiful program because when you hear the child's speech and then you talk to them about what they learned, how they grew, but then you talk to the dad or mom about what they saw happen in their child's life as they did it, and it's always different, it's always beautiful, and it's always fruitful for others to hear how the word of God worked in that child's heart. So I hope our goal is to have as many of the children as their parents and children choose to be on a broadcast to be able to share that. So that's something else to look forward to in their participating.
>> Dr. Jessica Peck: Well, thank you again, Pastor Joseph, for your heart for families and to equip them for. And, because God has equipped us for every good work and he is equipping families I know, to train up their children in the way that they should go. And when they are old, they will not depart from it. And I hope that you will participate in the Ten Commandments challenge. And again, that email is faq@afa.net or jparker@afa.net you can email and get more information about that and see if they. If your child wants to get their T shirt or bookmark or a coupon code to use in the AFA Resource Center. And speaking of the AFA Resource center, if you go to afa.net there's a store there with lots of books and there's a streaming platform. If you go to stream.afa.net, there's lots of great media in there that will inform, equip, encourage and equip you for every good work. And wherever you are on this Friday, I pray that the Lord will bless you and keep you and make his face shine upon you and that he will be gracious to you. And I'll see you back here next time. Thanks so much for being here today. You are loved. Jeff Chamblee The views and opinions expressed in this broadcast may not necessarily reflect those of the American Family association or American Family Radio.
