The Deep Dish

Courtney and Melissa discuss how to apply biblical discernment to the question of when to prioritize wise self-care and when to put aside your needs for the sake of others. They emphasize the need to know yourself and whether you naturally tend to protect yourself or to allow your own needs to go unmet. They discuss how to set wise boundaries while showing Christlike love, and they emphasize that our goal should be to move beyond thinking so much about ourselves to turning our eyes to Jesus.

Resources Mentioned:

The Future Tenses of the Blessed Life by F. B. Meyer

Related Resources: 

Self-Care or Soul-Care? Yes

Sabbath Is More than Self-Care

Does ‘Turn the Other Cheek’ Mean ‘Get Walked All Over’?

Think Biblically About Relational Boundaries

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. When you hear the phrase “self-care,” what ideas come to mind? What forms of self-care are most attractive to you?

2. Which extreme do you tend to drift toward more naturally: prioritizing your own comfort or neglecting your own needs? Why do you think that is?

3. What are some ordinary, everyday ways Christians are called to deny themselves?

4. How can self-sacrifice become unhealthy if disconnected from abiding in Christ?

5. When you’re tired or discouraged, where do you instinctively turn for comfort? What might that reveal about your heart?

6. How can Sabbath rest help reshape our understanding of both work and self-care?

7. How does the gospel free us from both self-indulgence and self-reliance?

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Melissa talks with Amy Gannett and Laura Wifler about how to parent in a way that passes on the Christian faith. They talk about the atmosphere in their own homes growing up and the importance of passing on—in addition to knowledge—a delight in the things of God. They encourage moms who might feel awkward talking to their kids about their own faith, and they share some favorite resources they’ve used with their own children.

Resources Mentioned:

Barna study on church attendance in childhood

First Catechism

Teaching Theology to Young Children (Melissa’s thoughts on teaching the catechism)

Slugs and Bugs, Sing the Bible 

Tiny Theologians

Long Story Short: Ten-Minute Devotions to Draw Your Family to God by Marty Machowski

Dispatches from the Front

Related Resources:

Parenting with Hope in an Anxious Age

A Theological Vision for Discipling the Next Generation

Redeem the Drive Time: Audio Resources for Families

The Good News Family Devotional by Mike and Melissa Kruger

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. When you think back on your own childhood or spiritual upbringing, what particular people God used to shape your faith?

2. In busy seasons of life, what tends to crowd out intentional spiritual conversations in the home?

3. What are some realistic ways families can pursue spiritual rhythms without feeling pressured to do everything perfectly?

4. How has parenting, or investing in the next generation, revealed your own need for dependence on the Lord?

5. How can admitting our failures actually strengthen our witness to those we shepherd?

6. Whether or not you have children of your own, how might God be calling you to invest in the next generation spiritually?

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Melissa Kruger and Courtney Doctor talk about how to seek out the counsel of wise friends and how to respond well when friends seek your counsel. They discuss how to ask good questions, how to deliver a gentle rebuke when necessary, how to follow up on requests for accountability, and how to point someone to Scripture without treating it like a Bible Band-Aid. Listen prayerfully to prepare yourself for opportunities that arise to bear one another’s burdens.

Recommended Resources:

I’m Praying for You by Nancy Guthrie

Count It All Joy by Helen Roseveare

Related Content:

7 Things to Say to a Hurting Loved One

Why Mentoring Is Better Than Asking Alexa

The Neglected Ministry of Asking Questions

Discussion Questions:

1. Considering examples of people who have supported you in difficult seasons, what qualities do you appreciate most in them?

2. In what ways have you struggled to balance extending both grace and truth in your own “kitchen-table counseling”?

3. How can we ensure any necessary rebukes we deliver are given with gentleness?

4. What helps you determine whether someone is “safe” to confess a burden or sin to?

5. In what ways could you make yourself a more approachable and available source of counsel for those who need your support?

6. How can your discussion partners pray for you as you point others to God in difficult situations?

Pick up a copy of Stand In Awe wherever books are sold or visit crossway.org/standinawe to learn how to get 30 percent off with a free Crossway plus account.

Get 20% off a course of your choice when you use code DEEPDISH20 at checkout. Learn more and register now at lifeway.com/academy. That’s lifeway.com/academy

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Courtney and Melissa discuss the importance of pursuing spiritual growth during the summer, despite disrupted routines. They talk about practices and strategies that have helped them grow during the summer and on vacation. They recommend lots of resources for summer drop-in Bible studies and encourage listeners to consider living missionally by hosting a study or discussion group in their homes with their neighbors.

Resources Mentioned:

Disciplines of Devotions series

Navigators Topical Memory System

Walking with God in the Season of Motherhood by Melissa B. Kruger

Remember Your Joy: A Bible Study of Salvation Stories in the Old Testament

Fruitful: Cultivating a Spiritual Harvest That Won't Leave You Empty

Turn Your Eyes: A Bible Study on the Psalms

In View of God's Mercies: The Gift of the Gospel in Romans by Courtney Doctor

Growing Together by Melissa B. Kruger

The Pursuit of God by A. W. Tozer

Related Resources:

Summer Vacation Is No Sabbath

Scroll Less, Stroll More: A Summer Challenge to Leave Your Phone at Home

The Benefits of Going to Church on Vacation

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. What tends to happen to your routines for spiritual disciplines during the more relaxed summer months or in vacation seasons? Why do you think that is?

2. What distractions most often compete for your attention during the summer?

3. How have relationships with other believers helped sustain your faith during times when your own spiritual disciplines felt inconsistent?

4. How can women’s ministry leaders or churches help people remain connected and spiritually encouraged during less structured seasons like summer?

5. How can we pursue spiritual growth from a place of delight in Christ rather than guilt or pressure?

6. What opportunities will you have (in your neighborhood, while traveling, through hospitality, or in everyday conversations) to invite others into spiritual conversations or Christian community?

7. What is one step you want to take this summer to cultivate deeper communion with God?

 

Head to cozyearth.com and use our code DEEP for an exclusive 20% off, and if you see a post-purchase survey, be sure to mention you heard about Cozy Earth from us here at The Deep Dish!

Pick up a copy of Stand In Awe wherever books are sold or visit crossway.org/standinawe to learn how to get 30 percent off with a free Crossway plus account.

Get 20% off a course of your choice when you use code DEEPDISH20 at checkout. Learn more and register now at lifeway.com/academy. That’s lifeway.com/academy

Click here for more information about Women's Initiatives at The Gospel Coalition!
Click here to sign up for notification of on-demand access to keynotes and breakout sessions from our recent conference, TGCW26!

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Melissa Kruger and Courtney Doctor talk with Michael Graham about what Christians should know about artificial intelligence.

They discuss the benefits it could bring to society and how they personally use it. They consider theological categories and questions for how to evaluate which uses are helpful and which are dangerous. Finally, Graham explains the Christian Benchmark project and how it exposes the inherent biases in AI platforms.

Key Terms:

Generative AI: Large language models (LLM) that can simulate conversation and create audio, video, and text based on prompts (ChatGPT, Anthropic, Claude, and Grok).

Agentic AI: Systems that are semi- or fully autonomous and thus able to perceive, reason, and act on their own.

Resources Mentioned:

What Is Tri-perspectivalism? by John Frame

Mindset by Carol S. Dweck

AI Christian Benchmark Project

Related Resources:

‘Not a Child-Safe Technology’

3 Questions to Evaluate AI Use

Can You Rely on AI for Theology?

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. Before listening to this episode, what was your view of AI (benefit, threat, or neutral)? Has that perspective changed?

2. What are some ways AI can be used for good in work, ministry, or everyday life?

3. Are there certain uses of AI that concern you? Why?

4. Why is it important to realize that AI isn’t a neutral source? How does that shape the way you interact with it?

5. How can we help younger generations develop discernment in addition to skills when it comes to AI?

6. What does it look like to trust God’s sovereignty in times of rapid cultural and technological change?

7. What’s one step you would like to take in using technology intentionally and faithfully?

 

Let this Mother’s Day be a reminder that she deserves care, too. Head to cozyearth.com and use our code DEEP for an exclusive 20% off, and if you see a post-purchase survey, be sure to mention you heard about Cozy Earth from us here at The Deep Dish!

Pick up a copy of Stand In Awe wherever books are sold or visit crossway.org/standinawe to learn how to get 30 percent off with a free Crossway plus account.

Get 20% off a course of your choice when you use code DEEPDISH20 at checkout. Learn more and register now at lifeway.com/academy. That’s lifeway.com/academy

Click here for more information about Women's Initiatives at The Gospel Coalition!
Click here to sign up for notification of on-demand access to keynotes and breakout sessions from our recent conference, TGCW26!

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