Holy Chaos: Real Conversations on Family, Life, and the Mess Between

Summer Survival Mode: Marriage, Kids, and Keeping Your Sanity

Summer sounds magical… until somebody’s crying over sunscreen, the house is covered in wet towels, and your grocery bill doubles overnight. In this episode, Larry and Brittney talk honestly about the chaos of summer family life, shifting rhythms, marriage connection during busy seasons, parenting pressure, and why the “perfect summer” probably isn’t the goal anyway. They also share practical things actually helping their family survive summer with their sanity mostly intact, plus a fun appearance from the older girls. Resources Mentioned * Aimor Family Calendar (our favorite budget-friendly family organization tool): http://bit.ly/4tCtCUO * Holy Chaos Summer Survival Amazon List (pool toys, family games, travel favorites, boredom-busters, and other things helping us survive summer): https://bit.ly/4eKDN6a * TableTopics Family Conversation Cards: https://amzn.to/4eM9f41 Planning a Summer Getaway? This episode is unofficially sponsored by Anchor Getaways — helping real families plan real vacations with real budgets. Whether you’re dreaming about a cruise, family vacation, or just mentally surviving this summer by planning next summer, we’d love to help. https://linktr.ee/anchorgetaways Affiliate Disclaimer Some links mentioned in this episode may be affiliate links, which means we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks for supporting Holy Chaos and our family chaos.

Faith in Real Life When You Feel Like You're Failing

Ever feel like you’re not “spiritual enough”? Like you should be further along in your faith than you are? In this episode, we get honest about the pressure to perform spiritually—and how easy it is to feel like you’re falling short. Whether you grew up in church or came to faith later in life, that quiet sense of “I should be doing better” can creep in. We talk about the difference between performance-based faith and grace-driven discipleship, and how God actually meets us in our weakness—not our perfection. If you’ve been feeling inconsistent, disconnected, or just plain discouraged… this one’s for you. In This Episode: * Why so many of us feel like we’re failing spiritually * The pressure of “doing more” vs. the invitation to simply be with God * How our different faith backgrounds shape expectations * What it looks like to reconnect with God in real, everyday life * Encouragement for when you feel stuck or behind Helpful Resources: * Lectio 365 App: https://lectio365.com/ * Become New Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/become-new-with-john-ortberg/id1554045522 * Confronting the Thief Within: https://amzn.to/48CcrLz

When You Need Help: Counseling and Boundaries

Let’s be honest… for a lot of us, counseling was never presented as an option. It was something people did when things were really bad—or something Christians weren’t supposed to need at all. In this episode, we talk openly about our own journey with counseling, what led us there, and how it’s changed our marriage, our parenting, and our emotional health. We also talk about the stigma that keeps people from getting help, the reality of parenting while still working through your own story, and the tools that have helped us grow along the way. This one is a little more serious—but if you’ve ever felt stuck, overwhelmed, or unsure where to start, we hope it encourages you to take a step toward growth. Helpful Resources: 📘 Boundaries (book): https://amzn.to/4c2Rlbw 🧠 Feelings Wheel: https://feelingswheel.com/

Exhaustion, Overwhelm, and the Myth of Balance

Balance is a myth—and chasing it might be why you’re so exhausted. In this episode, we talk about why life doesn’t actually work in perfect balance, how that expectation creates guilt and burnout, and what it looks like to build rhythms that can survive real life instead. We also share how we handle busy seasons and a few simple practices that have helped us stay grounded emotionally and spiritually. If you feel overwhelmed, behind, or just tired… this one’s for you. 👉 Processing Styles Workbook: https://bit.ly/3NLZsQ7 [https://bit.ly/3NLZsQ7?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExZWUySWRXc2E4UlV6NlNWRHNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR7yCFPW049nGS3qR93kt2cOeGlWayjrEFNq877yGwg2_HeAxRuYONuTIg9xJQ_aem_G20aTmbbpYiXvN1kpy-riA] 📘 Emotionally Healthy Spirituality: https://amzn.to/4sAtV2R [https://amzn.to/4sAtV2R]

Raising Kids with a Healthy Faith

Raising Kids With a Healthy Faith How do you raise kids with a healthy faith when your own spiritual rhythms aren’t perfect? In this episode of Holy Chaos, Larry and Brittney talk honestly about what faith formation looks like in real life. Even in a pastor’s home, family devotions don’t happen every night and prayer sometimes happens in the middle of bedtime chaos. They share some of the rhythms that matter most in their home, including making Sunday worship non-negotiable, encouraging their kids to serve, and looking for ways to connect faith to things their kids already love. They also talk about why intergenerational worship (“big church”) may be one of the most important predictors of a faith that lasts into adulthood. If you’re a parent trying to nurture faith in the middle of a busy family life, this episode is for you. Faith grows in ordinary homes — not perfect ones. Resources Mentioned • Lent & Easter Family Devotional: https://amzn.to/4t2vgzx [https://amzn.to/4t2vgzx] • The Hero Bible: https://amzn.to/4lq8tLb [https://amzn.to/4lq8tLb] • Living Room Liturgy: https://amzn.to/4lqWvRm [https://amzn.to/4lqWvRm] If this episode encouraged you, please follow, rate, and share the podcast, and join us next time on Holy Chaos.