Episode 99
If you had told me 15 years ago, or even 5 years ago that I’d be doing a podcast episode on masturbation, I’d never, ever believe you. But here we are, 99 episodes into my podcast having a conversation that I couldn’t imagine having. But over the years as I have talked with parents about creating a healthy sexual culture in their homes, one of the most common questions I get is: how do I talk about masturbation with my kids?” So it is something we absolutely need to talk about. But I’ll be the first to admit, it is a challenging topic.
That’s why I appreciate people like Molly Bertles and her boldness and vulnerability in writing an entire book on the topic of masturbation. And more specifically on women and masturbation, which is even less talked about. In fact, the topic of women and masturbation often has so much shame and loneliness attached to it. And that is part of the reason it is hardly ever talked about. Molly bravely and compassionately steps into this topic in her book and in this podcast episode with me.
Our goal is to help women find freedom from the shame and the addiction of masturbation and instead experience the goodness God is offering. This episode might be one you need to listen to for yourself, or to offer understanding and hope to a friend, or to equip you to talk about this with your own daughters and sons. I hope you’ll listen to this episode and hear in our voices and conversation that you don’t have to be embarrassed or uncomfortable talking about this topic. God cares about every part of our lives, our struggles our heartaches, our questions and our confusion. So yes, He cares about this. And we do too. So join us for episode 99, the one where we talk about masturbation.
Important things we talk about in this episode:
*That kids using masturbation is most often not a sexual act, but simply a kind of self-soothing.
*When masturbation does changes into a sexual activity.
*How so many of us never had parents or anyone talk about it with us as kids or teens.
*The way we act like masturbation is a male problem only and how that impacts women.
*Why people use masturbation and how it is often used to numb negative feelings.
*How masturbation is unhealthy and even harmful.
*How culture tries to make us think masturbation is perfectly fine and healthy.
*How masturbation hurts others.
*The danger of fantasy and masturbation.
*Why the gospel isn’t about performance or working for God’s love, but accepting the free gift God gave us.
*How some people choose masturbation after they’ve been hurt sexually and how God loves you so much in that place and why there is hope in this place!
Resources and other important things mentioned in this episode:
*Find Greta’s book, It’s Time to Talk to Your Kids About Porn here
*Quote from Molly’s professor: “Sex in marriage is as holy as prayer.”
*The 2 lies Satan wants people to believe when they are stuck in sexual sin: “you are uniquely ruined by this and no one can ever find out.” Sam Alberry
*“The gospel applies to every part of our life, even our sex life.” Greta Eskridge
*We can, through Christ, renew our minds. That is spiritual and scriptural and scientific! Romans 12:2 is a good place to start with this understanding from a scriptural standpoint.
*Find more on the topic of women using masturbation and porn in this episode right here that I recorded with Joy Skarka and in Joy’s book here.
Where to find Molly
Find Molly’s book here
Find Molly on Instagram here
The Greta Eskridge Podcast is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.org