It’s cause for celebration! In this last episode of the year, Delise and Ginny chat with Laura Kooistra, a Classical Conversations® employee and homeschool mom of ten children, all about celebration. And although this episode airs during the Christmas season, the three discuss more than just holiday festivities! In true classical spirit, Laura begins the conversation with her definition of “celebration,” considering whether it’s more than just an expression of thankfulness and that, at its...

In part two of this conversation, Delise and Ginny sit down (literally, our first-ever in-person episode!) with the incredible Vanessa Royer to talk about adoption, music, homeschooling, and so much more. You’ll discover insights into all things adoption, from the meaning behind the word “adoption” and examples in Scripture to navigating the complicated legal process and a new, popular method called embryonic adoption. Vanessa also shares about her own wild adoption story, her biological...

This month, Delise and Ginny sit down (literally, our first-ever in-person episode!) with the incredible Vanessa Royer to talk about adoption, music, homeschooling, and so much more. You’ll discover insights into all things adoption, from the meaning behind the word “adoption” and examples in Scripture to navigating the complicated legal process and a new, popular method called embryonic adoption. Vanessa also shares about her own wild adoption story, her biological children’s relationships...

Join Delise, Ginny, and Hollywood actress, writer, and podcaster Sam Sorbo on this episode of Blessings and Motherhood! Discover the backstory of Sam’s upcoming historical comedy, Miracle in East Texas, which tells the heartwarming true story about the biggest oil strike in the history of the United States, right at the dawn of the Great Depression. In this wide-ranging conversation, Sam shares about a homeschool curriculum she wrote to accompany the film, encouraging parents to learn from...

Should Christians celebrate Halloween? Is Halloween bad for Christians? This is a conversation moms have with their families and friends every year. So today, Ginny Tran and Delise Germond are using the 15 Tools of Classical Learning to discuss their views on this area of Christian liberty. Please note that the thoughts expressed here are not intended to represent Classical Conversations as a company, but rather their personal views and approaches at this time. Thanks for joining in the...

Welcome back to another episode! This month, Delise and Ginny chat with Melissa Dimanche, a musician and worship leader, pastor’s wife, and mother of two beautiful children. During their conversation, Melissa talks about the importance of embracing one another in community just for who we are—both the neat and the messy—and doing life together. With Haitian-American ancestry, Melissa explores what it means to welcome diversity in both community and home, describing how she and her husband...

Say hello to Delise’s mom, Chelly Barnard! As a mother of four and homeschool parent of over twenty years, Chelly has a unique understanding of the mental load that mothers often bear. She brings a biblical perspective to those often-overwhelming feelings of responsibility, insecurity, and ever-shrinking time to get it all done. Chelly comes prepared with her best time management tips and the most helpful habits she has developed over the years as a mom that enable her to have a healthy...

Happy August! In this delightful conversation, hosts Delise and Ginny chat with Robin Barnes, a homeschool mom of three (including twins!). Having experience raising children with a ten-year age gap, Robin shares all about her motherhood journey, considering the lessons she would go back and tell her younger self, the importance of giving children encouragement, and ways busy moms can find time alone in the Scriptures. Plus, Robin reflects on her homeschooling journey. With one of her...

Is there anything to be hopeful about in the next generation of Christians? In this episode, Delise and Ginny sit down with Kristel Acevedo to talk about teen ministry and discipleship. Kristel is the Spiritual Formation Director at Transformation Church in South Carolina and co-author of the book 3 Big Questions That Shape Your Future. Her radiant passion for teen ministry and contagious hope for the future of the next generation of Christians shine through in this conversation as she offers...

For any mom seeking advice on how to navigate a parent-adult child relationship or needing encouragement during a season of struggle, we hope you find comfort in this month’s conversation of Blessings and Motherhood! In this episode, mom-daughter combo Julie Melendez and Lauren Clickner hop on the show to talk about how they have nurtured their relationship as parent and child over thirty-some years. In this conversation packed with insights and encouragement from both guests, Julie begins by...

How can we lay a foundation in our homes for our children to stand upon and grow into mature adults who love to learn and love Jesus? In this episode, Michelle Oliver, the MA Program Academic Lead at Classical Conversations®, joins Delise and Ginny to talk about what building this strong foundation really looks like on a day-to-day basis. Michelle shares practical advice for moms balancing all the things, the importance of establishing “liturgies for the home,” how she guided her children in...

It’s the ultimate crossover episode . . . Delise and Ginny are joined by CC legend and host of the Everyday Educator podcast Lisa Bailey! Lisa recently became a grandmother, so in this conversation, she chats about parenting versus grandparenting. As a parent, she was often so focused on doing everything right that she missed out on opportunities to enjoy the small, simple moments of her children just growing up. But now, as she is blessed with the chance to relive those moments with her...

Do you know those moms, perhaps in your neighborhood growing up or where you live now, whose houses were the gathering places for all the local kids? Crystal Storey is one of those moms, and she certainly has great stories to tell! In this conversation, Crystal tells the incredible story of God calling her to become a “neighborhood mom,” stories of being a light to children in her area, and the miraculous story of God healing her daughter from life-threatening bacterial meningitis—a story...

How can you continue to date your spouse into marriage? During this conversation, Delise and Ginny are joined by their good friend Cristina Smith to chat about dating in marriage. Together, they explore what Scripture says about dating, suggest ideas for dates, and recall their favorite dates over the years. In true classical fashion, the three take a step back, attempting to define a “date” and consider the purpose of dating in the first place. Remember—no marriage is perfect. So don’t...

Happy New Year! In our first episode of 2023, join Delise and Ginny as they sit down with Leigh Bortins, the founder of Classical Conversations®. As a mother of four adult boys and a grandmother of three littles, Leigh has years of experience in building strong and intentional family relationships. Be inspired by Leigh's insights on parenting little ones versus adult children and her advice on fostering a love of learning in children at an early age. Of course, it’s not all sunshine and...

Can you believe it’s almost 2023? With all the craziness that comes with Thanksgiving and Christmas, it’s easy to forget to set aside time to reflect on the past year and prepare for the new one. In this conversation, Delise and Ginny talk about fresh starts. They discuss everything from looking back in order to look forward, choosing a word to keep top of mind throughout the new year, and fanning into flame your family's gifts. From Delise and Ginny and everyone at Classical Conversations®,...

Moms face a dilemma: stay home to care for the kids, work a job, or try to balance both at the same time. In this episode of Blessings and Motherhood, April Foster, the communications manager at Classical Conversations®, joins the show to chat about her experience navigating this tension between pursuing a career and being a caregiver to her children. With Delise working full-time and Ginny part-time, the three mothers dive into an important conversation about balancing parenting,...

Homeschool moms can easily slip into compartmentalizing their lives into two roles—the teacher and the parent. However, learning and parenting aren’t boxes to be checked off but rather journeys to be lived intentionally and in harmony. In this conversation, Delise and Ginny sit down with Heather Shirley, a longtime homeschool mom and Classical Conversations leader, to explore how homeschool moms can live more integrated lives. They explore topics such as the biblical view and purpose of...

With Thanksgiving and Christmas nearly upon us, Delise and Ginny have seized this opportunity to explore the idea of traditions, approaching the topic from a biblical worldview and sharing some of their family-favorite traditions. Don’t miss out on this week’s heartwarming episode and discover how to be more intentional in your own family’s traditions! Show notes: blessingsandmotherhood.com/lets-talk-about-traditions

What does the Bible say about self-love? Is this idea, prevalent in our culture, helpful or harmful? In this episode, Delise and Ginny interview Christian author and podcaster Allie Beth Stuckey. Among other topics, they discuss Allie Beth’s new book You Are Not Enough (And That’s Ok), which debunks five cultural myths around self-love. Allie Beth also shares encouraging advice for moms wondering how to teach their children Scriptural truths. Show notes: coming soon!

How can we imprint God’s Word on our hearts and minds? On those of our children? In this episode, Ginny interviews Delise about how she developed a deep knowledge of the Bible and a talent for recalling memorized verses. From childhood activities to current habits, Delise discusses strategies both children and parents can use to memorize the Scriptures and to know God better. And together, Delise and Ginny explore practical ways parents can naturally and intentionally open the Bible to their...

Do you struggle to find time for community? You’re not alone. After a discussion with listeners on social media about our first episode, Pursuing Community in Every Season, we discovered that by far the largest limiting factor for moms building relationships in community is not having the time to do so. In this conversation, Delise and Ginny talk about the reasons why moms can have difficulty finding spare time, the role guilt can play in regard to time management, and practical examples of...

Ever wanted to sit at the feet of a mom with over twenty years of parenting under her belt? This episode is for you! In this fourth episode of Blessings and Motherhood, Delise and Ginny interview Tara Furman, the founder of Knowing God Ministries. This is a continued conversation from two weeks ago centering around the pursuit of God in all seasons of motherhood. Among other topics, Tara discusses how to know when to speak and when to be silent, how to tell your husband that you need time to...

Ever wanted to sit at the feet of a mom with over twenty years of parenting under her belt? This episode is for you! In this third episode of Blessings and Motherhood, Delise and Ginny interview Tara Furman, the founder of Knowing God Ministries. The conversation centers around the pursuit of God in all seasons of motherhood. Among other topics, Tara discusses her passion for helping women build personal relationships with God, what it looks like practically to prioritize faith, the purpose...