The Intentional Parents Podcast

In this episode, Brook and Justin sit down with Fr. Ronald Rolheiser, one of the most trusted and influential spiritual voices of our time, and someone whose work we deeply admire and return to often. A Catholic priest, theologian, and author, Fr. Rolheiser has spent more than 50 years teaching and writing about prayer, vocation, and the interior life, helping countless people understand how God meets us in ordinary, everyday faithfulness.

Now 78 and a cancer survivor of more than a decade, Fr. Rolheiser reflects on this current stage of life and what it means to finish well. Drawing from his framework of getting your life together, giving your life away, and giving your death away, he shares wisdom shaped by experience, suffering, and surrender, reminding us that the way we die is the spirit we leave behind.

Much of the conversation centers on restlessness, particularly in midlife. Fr. Rolheiser explains that our restlessness is not something to eliminate but a sign that we are “built too big for this world.” Rather than escaping it, he invites us to listen for what God may be teaching us through it, especially as parents learning to integrate spiritual life with ordinary responsibilities.

We also explore ideas from his book, Domestic Monastery, where daily obligations — alarm clocks, mortgages, and kids’ schedules — become monastic bells calling us to faithfulness. Parents, he says, don’t raise kids; kids raise parents. The episode closes with reflections on surrender without passivity, responsibility without control, righteous anger, and the quiet power of fidelity. His final encouragement is simple and enduring: stay with your commitments, just show up for prayer, and trust that God is at work in your staying.

Ronald Rolheiser: Website + Books (New Book: Insane for the Light: A Spirituality for Our Wisdom Years)

Scripture Mentioned: John 21:15-19, Mark 15:37 + John 4:21

Books Mentioned: Domestic Monastery by Ronald Rolheiser, Sacred Fire by Ronald Rolheiser, Finding God at Home by Ernest Boyer Jr. + Naming the Whirlwind by Langdon Gilkey

Submit Questions: Send a voice recording to [email protected], mentioning your name and where you’re from.

Sowing a Hidden Seed

Intentional Fatherhood Retreat: February 19-21, 2026 in Costa Mesa, CA

Intentional Motherhood Retreat: April 23-25, 2026 in Franklin, TN

Join Our Legacy Builders

Watch on YouTube

Follow Us on Instagram: 
@intentional_parents 
@brook_mosser 
@emosser

FREE Bottom-Up vs. Top-Down Parenting PDF

FREE Text Message Daily Devotional

Raising Passionate Jesus Followers

The Intentional Film Series

In today’s episode, we sit down with new friends we have a lot in common with: Addison and Juli Bevere of At Home with the Beveres. We talk about life, ministry, parenting four kids, and what it means to steward faith across generations in a world where the gap between young and old can feel wider than ever. Addison and Juli share honestly about the beauty and challenges of being part of a multigenerational ministry legacy, what they hope to pass on to their kids, and what they’re committed to redeeming. We talk about humility, how true formation often happens through difficulty, and how brokenness can deepen love, wisdom, and compassion.

We also dive into the heart behind Addison’s 40-day prayer devotional, born out of a season of anxiety and sleeplessness. Together, we explore why prayer can feel like pressure and performance for so many people, and how God invites us into something far more relational, grounding, and life-giving. A place where prayer is not as another task but the thing that centers everything else. And finally, Addison and Juli open up about their marriage in this season, sharing both joys and honest struggles, including the ways grief has shaped their relationship. It’s a hopeful, vulnerable conversation about family, faith, formation, and encountering God in real life.

At Home with the Beveres: Instagram, YouTube, Spotify + Apple Podcasts

Scripture Mentioned: Genesis 18:18-19, Psalm 68:6, Psalm 127:2, 1 Thessalonians 5:17, Romans 12:12, Ephesians 6:18, John 16:7, Hebrews 4:16, Hebrews 2:17, Hebrews 5:5, Hebrews 9 + 10, Psalm 142:2

Books Mentioned: Words with God + Words with God Prayer Journal by Addison Bevere

Submit Questions: Send a voice recording to [email protected], mentioning your name and where you’re from.

Sowing a Hidden Seed

Intentional Fatherhood Retreat: February 19-21, 2026 in Costa Mesa, CA

Intentional Motherhood Retreat: April 23-25, 2026 in Franklin, TN

Join Our Legacy Builders

Watch on YouTube

Follow Us on Instagram: 
@intentional_parents 
@brook_mosser 
@emosser

FREE Bottom-Up vs. Top-Down Parenting PDF

FREE Text Message Daily Devotional

Raising Passionate Jesus Followers

The Intentional Film Series

In this episode, we sit down for a “co-pod” with Dave Barnes and Jon McLaughlin from the Dadville podcast for an honest, funny conversation about parenting, podcasting, and why intentionality matters in the first place. We share the heart behind Intentional and Intentional Fatherhood, getting back to the basics of why we do this work and what we hope it creates. Along the way, there’s plenty of laughter and a shared acknowledgment that none of us have this figured out. Intentionality isn’t about getting it right all the time — it’s about consistently showing up in small, ordinary ways, even when things feel messy or overwhelming.

Dave and Jon tell the story of how Dadville began, how the show has grown and changed over the years, and what it’s really like behind the scenes of hosting a long-running podcast. Together, we talk about the importance of repair in relationships, how owning our mistakes can actually deepen connection, and why keeping the lines of communication open with our kids matters more than almost anything else.

We also wrestle with the downside of intentionality — when information turns into pressure and fear starts to drive our parenting. Grounded in Jesus’ words from Matthew 18:1-5, the conversation keeps circling back to the simplicity of “becoming like little children.” The question underneath it all is this: do our kids know our heart? At the end of the day, this episode is about helping our kids know they are deeply loved — and learning to lead from love rather than fear.

Dadville: Spotify, Apple Podcasts + YouTube

Dave Barnes: New Music on Spotify + Apple Music

Jon McLaughlin: New Music on Spotify + Apple Music / Tour with Ben Rector

Scripture Mentioned: Matthew 18:1-5

Submit Questions: Send a voice recording to [email protected], mentioning your name and where you’re from.

Sowing a Hidden Seed

Intentional Fatherhood Retreat: February 19-21, 2026 in Costa Mesa, CA

Intentional Motherhood Retreat: April 23-25, 2026 in Franklin, TN

Join Our Legacy Builders

Watch on YouTube

Follow Us on Instagram: 
@intentional_parents 
@brook_mosser 
@emosser

FREE Bottom-Up vs. Top-Down Parenting PDF

FREE Text Message Daily Devotional

Raising Passionate Jesus Followers

The Intentional Film Series

In this end-of-year episode, we reflect on 2025 and look ahead to 2026 through the practices of reflection and projection, rooted in Scripture and focused on formation rather than pressure or performance. We revisit meaningful moments from the year, both personally and within Intentional, including the Motherhood Retreat, Intentional Fatherhood, and the launch of Sowing a Hidden Seed. Reflection helps us tell the truth about our lives with God, while projection invites us to trust Him with that truth as we move forward, anchored in the hope of Hebrews 11:1.

The conversation explores Scripture’s repeated call to remember, naming remembrance as an active, embodied practice that leads us toward gratitude, courage, and faith rather than fear. Remembering is not only about the past, but about how the past shapes the present and forms the future — helping us remember, return, and reorder our lives. Elizabeth shares openly about living with chronic pain, reflecting on how the most difficult season of her life has also been deeply formative, and how remembering past suffering can give us hope for what God is able to do with our current and future pain.

Drawing on Dallas Willard’s wisdom, the conversation turns toward projection: how we look ahead to 2026 through simple, faithful habits. Faith is described not just as belief, but as action: praying bold, repeated prayers, reading Scripture regularly, and obeying what God commands us to do. The episode closes with a prayer over you, reminding us that unoffered prayer is the greatest tragedy, that prayer moves the hand of God, and that we are invited to partner with Him through both reflection on where we’ve been and projection toward where He is leading us.

Prayer:
God, as we stand at the edge of this year, we slow ourselves before you. We look back over 2025 with honesty, joy, the loss, the prayers answered and the prayers still open. Help us notice where you were faithful, even when we didn't see it at the time. Let remembrance form trust in us. As we step into the new year, we lean forward with hope. Teach us to pray without giving up, form our habits — not just our intentions — and help us act as though your kingdom is real, because it is. We release what we cannot carry forward. We receive the grace we will need for what lies ahead. Make us people who remember well and hope faithfully. Amen.

Scripture Mentioned: Hebrews 11:1, Luke 18:1, Romans 8:22, Romans 8:26-27 + Hebrews 11

Book Mentioned: The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson

Submit Questions: Send a voice recording to [email protected], mentioning your name and where you’re from.

Reclaimwell Prayer Challenge: This January, we invite you to do one simple thing: pray for your child every day. Use your own rhythm or Intentional’s 31-day devotional, Sowing a Hidden Seed, as a helpful guide. The book includes a daily verse, a quote and a prayer on topics like mental health, shame and discernment, plus you’ll receive five bonus days on your child’s digital redemption. Sign up for Intentional’s daily “verse of the day” text and spend just 5 focused minutes in prayer. Download the Reclaimwell app and join the challenge!

Intentional’s Year-End Match Campaign: Every $25 equips a family for a full year of spiritual formation. All gifts given through December 31 are matched up to $200,000. Make a donation to double your impact!

Sowing a Hidden Seed

Intentional Fatherhood Retreat: February 19-21, 2026 in Costa Mesa, CA

Intentional Motherhood Retreat: April 23-25, 2026 in Franklin, TN

Join Our Legacy Builders

Watch on YouTube

Follow Us on Instagram: 
@intentional_parents 
@brook_mosser 
@emosser

FREE Bottom-Up vs. Top-Down Parenting PDF

FREE Text Message Daily Devotional

Raising Passionate Jesus Followers

The Intentional Film Series

In this special end-of-year episode, we’re joined by our two oldest kids — Duke (16) and Scarlet (13) — for an honest, funny, and unfiltered conversation about what it’s really like to be a teenager right now. From public high school to middle school in a Christian co-op, they share what daily life looks like in their worlds, complete with sibling jokes, family banter, and plenty of real-life messiness.

We talk about the unique pressure of growing up as the kids of parents who lead a family ministry — the sense of being watched, the expectation to perform, and how that shapes their experience. Duke and Scarlet also open up about social pressures, anxiety, comparison, cancel culture, gossip, and the high standards — especially for girls — around appearance and image, even beyond social media. Throughout the conversation, we return to deeper truths about identity, insecurity, and remembering that we are God’s beautiful handiwork.

We also discuss technology and social media, including how boundaries around technology have affected them and what’s been most helpful from a parenting perspective. The episode wraps up with a lighthearted bonus question: what they love and don’t love about each of us as parents — a reminder that our family is far from perfect.

Our hope is that this conversation encourages you to keep showing up with humility, curiosity, and trust in God’s steady work in your family. Merry Christmas!

Books Mentioned: The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt

Submit Questions: Send a voice recording to [email protected], mentioning your name and where you’re from.

Intentional’s Year-End Match Campaign: Every $25 equips a family for a full year of spiritual formation. All gifts given through December 31 are matched up to $200,000. Make a donation to double your impact!

Sowing a Hidden Seed

Intentional Fatherhood Retreat: February 19-21, 2026 in Costa Mesa, CA

Intentional Motherhood Retreat: April 23-25, 2026 in Franklin, TN

Join Our Legacy Builders

Watch on YouTube

Follow Us on Instagram: 
@intentional_parents 
@brook_mosser 
@emosser

FREE Bottom-Up vs. Top-Down Parenting PDF

FREE Text Message Daily Devotional

Raising Passionate Jesus Followers

The Intentional Film Series