Building Strong Homes: Blueprints to Strengthen Your Faith and Family podcast

Have you felt God calling you to step outside of what you know how to do into an unknown arena? Over 12 years ago I felt led to begin writing. Me, the girl whose college English teacher said that if I didn’t start writing shorter essays, I would flunk her class. I had no idea why God wanted me to write, and sometimes the question still begs an answer, but I was obedient, and God opened doors I never knew were there. In this personal episode, I share my journey of stepping outside my comfort zone—from drawing house plans to writing stories—and the doubts that nearly made me quit. But then, God sent a letter. Not just any letter—a handwritten note from a prison inmate who read my “silly little story” and found hope in the most unexpected way. This episode is a powerful reminder that obedience doesn’t always come with clarity, but it always comes with purpose. If you’ve ever questioned your calling, struggled with confidence, or wondered if your story matters… this one’s for you. 💡 What You’ll Hear: The doubts and discouragement that nearly made her quit The unexpected letter that confirmed her calling Why your “small” story might be someone else’s lifeline Encouragement for stepping into unknown territory with faith Get my baked spaghetti recipe Check out my updated website CarolRoper.org Watch on YouTube https://youtu.be/mlRF6Eh23SA

Do you ever wonder if marriage can be great—not for the rare few—but for you? Today’s episode answers that question with a resounding yes. In her new book, Making Marriage Easier, Arlene Pellicane shares lots of funny (and painful) stories that we’ll talk about today. Like her mortifying story about electrolysis and how her wedding almost went off without her! She also gives practical wisdom like the four key decisions that make marriage easier and how to keep a marriage vibrant when you feel like roommates. Arlene was a delight to interview, and you’ll love her honest feedback when it comes to knowing how to make marriage easier. Go to CarolRoper.org/podcast for the link to your free 50 date ideas Watch on YouTube Christian Marriage Advice That Will Make You Laugh, Cry and Actually Use with Arlene Pellicane

Twelve years ago, Noelle Lawson died from alcohol poisoning. Her husband, Scott, had just been trained to do CPR and was able to revive her before the ambulance arrived. Their lives have never been the same since. Scott and Noelle share their story of alcoholism and how a deadly accident Scott was involved in while in high school delayed his obedience to follow God into the ministry for over 30 years. Both Scott and Noelle share how God transformed them by breaking their addiction to alcohol and move on to become counselors. Scott is the former pastor of Happy Trails Cowboy Church in Pelzer, S.C. and he and Noelle have recently merged their church with Temple Baptist in Simpsonville, SC and have moved their congregation there as well. They share their hard story of how God brought them into an amazing relationship with Him through His faithfulness and healing. If you are walking your own hard road through addiction, running from God or trying to see your way through a difficult time, I know Scott and Noelle will bring you encouragement today. And at the end of this episode, they generously share how you can reach out to them if you need help. This special couple truly has a heart for bringing healing and hope to those who've lost hope. For contact info for Scott and Noelle go to carolroper.org/podcast

Have you or someone close to you experienced trauma? Most of us have at one point in our lives to various degrees. Kim Haar had an extreme trauma when her usually calm ex-husband broke into her home one night, beat her for three-and-a-half hours, shot holes in her walls, kidnapped her and took her to her boyfriend's house where he shot him ten times. This horrific story plays out like something from a movie, but unfortunately Kim knows all too well how real it was. But thankfully she's still alive to share her story and give others hope that there is healing on the other side. Kim is a licensed professional counselor and marriage and family therapist who knows how to lead people to victory over their past trauma rather than living life as a victim. her testimony is a living example that demonstrates what the enemy meant for evil, God redeemed for good.

Today I have three very special guests, my daughter, Elise Roper Younts, along with her husband, Wes, and his mom, Frieda (who's also one of my best friends!). Elise and Wes walked their own lonely journeys through singleness before finally finding each other and marrying last March. Even though for most of their lives they lived exactly 7.3 miles apart, and Wes's mom and I have been best friends for 28 years, they'd never met except in their preschool Sunday School class. You may remember Elise's story from episode 19 about how her fiancé broke off their engagement and left her heartbroken. Wes has his own testimony of 10 years of singleness and not dating after he realized he had allowed dating to become an idol for him. I introduced Frieda to you, along with Julie, in episode one. Frieda and I walked with our children through their lonely seasons of singleness and prayed for them through the difficult times. We had no way of knowing at the time, but God was working behind the scenes to draw Elise and Wes closer to Him so that He could bring them together in marriage. In this episode Frieda and I discuss the struggles of parenting single adult children and I share the prayer I wrote asking God to bring Elise a husband. Elise and Wes share their wedding vows that they wrote to one another. If you're a single adult, or the parent of a single adult, and have grown discouraged in your loneliness and feeling left out, I pray this episode will encourage you and bring hope to your journey. For additional show notes and photos go to CarolRoper.org/Podcast Elise's previous episode: Listen to How a 133-Year-Old House Helped to Heal a Broken Heart with Elise Roper Frieda's previous episode: Listen to The Importance of Friendship with Julie Bagwell and Frieda Younts Jodie Berndts' Episode: How to Pray Powerful and Effective Prayers for Your Children, No Matter How Old They Are with Jodie Berndt

One Wednesday night after church I struck up a conversation with another church member, Henry Mitchell, and he shared all of the great things God had been doing in his life. Now I knew Henry had been released from prison over two years prior and that he'd served a long time in prison, but I didn't know how long he'd served or why he'd been arrested in the first place. Henry shared that three weeks after his 24th birthday he killed two people in a drug sale gone bad. he spent four-and-a-half months in solitary confinement after his arrest and was sentenced to life with a possibility of parole in 20 years. While he was in solitary confinement, he began reading a New Testament a chaplain had given him and Henry gave his life to Christ. He cried for three days because he didn't believe a person could be cleansed like that. Henry served almost 34 years in prison before he was finally granted parole on his 15th try. After his release he started praying for God to bring him a good job, a nice home and a dependable, affordable car. God took care of him by providing each one in some of the most incredible ways. As a result of Henry's relationship with Jesus he's become one of the most faith-filled evangelists I've ever encountered, always saying, "Praise the Lord" and sincerely meaning it. If you're struggling with something you've done in the past and don't believe God could ever forgive you, I hope knowing Henry's story will help you understand that God will forgive you, no matter what you've done, as long as you repent and accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. You're going to be blessed by Henry's testimony of God's grace and mercy and I hope it will cause you to pray bolder prayers and build a bolder faith in your own life. To see more show notes from this episode go to CarolRoper.org/podcast If you’d like to hear more epsiodes about tough topics, check out my episodes with Mike Novotny Tackling Tough Topics: Mental Health, Porn and Politics. Or if you're concerned about raising your son in the current culture listen to Blueprints for Raising Boys to be Godly Men with Erin and Jason Davis.

Cynthia Tobias was on my bucket list since before I started this podcast because of the work she's done teaching about the strong-willed child. Her book, You Can't Make Me: But I Can Be Persuaded, was a key influence in helping me raise my strong-willed daughter, Elise. Before I knew how to handle her stubborn temperament, I would frequently end up frustrated and in a puddle of tears. But once I learned some of the tools and tips Cynthia shares, it became easier for me to understand how to get Elise to cooperate more (hint: it doesn't involve getting angry or raising your voice). In this episode Cynthia shares, Three Quick Ways to Recognize and deal with Your Strong-Willed Child, Teen or Adult, as well as the magic word you can use that almost always works to get a strong-willed person to cooperate and where you can find immediate free resources like The Strong-Willed Child Emergency Kit. I know you'll be so encouraged with Cynthia's solid advice on helping guide your strong-willed child. As she states in this episode," It's a compliment that God gave us to have a strong-willed child... When they're born, they don't have any idea how to use it. It's up to us to help guide it, shape it, and form it and let God use it." You're going to want to thank Cynthia after hearing this episode. Go to CarolRoper.org/Podcast for show notes

Molly Stillman has lived the type of life that when shared, people stop in their tracks and ask, “Wait, what happened?” Molly’s mother, Lynda Van Devanter Buckley served as an Army nurse during the Vietnam War and wrote the bestselling memoir, Home Before Morning. When Molly was seventeen, Lynda passed away after an eight-year battle with an autoimmune disorder due to her exposure to Agent Orange. Four years later, Molly turned twenty-one and unexpectedly inherited a quarter of a million dollars from her mother’s estranged family’s estate. Through “retail therapy” and a long series of grossly irresponsible financial decisions, Molly found herself broke with over $36,000 in credit card debt less than two years later. Shame, guilt, and embarrassment set in. Listen in as Molly shares her journey to faith as she worked her way out of debt and reveals how every messed up, broken story has a purpose. She now helps others through podcasting, speaking and her book, If I Don't Laugh, I'll Cry: How Death, Debt and Comedy Led to a Life of Faith, Farming and Forgetting What I Came into This Room For. For show notes go to CarolRoper.org/Podcast If you enjoyed listening to Molly's story check these podcast episodes linked below: Discovering the Dad Who Raised Her Wasn't Her Biological Father with Megan Phillips and Finding Freedom from a Poverty Mindset with Kimberly Long

Christy Braddock has struggled with shame from a teen pregnancy and years later, abortion. The guilt became a heavy weight to carry. Christy got pregnant at 15 and gave her baby up for adoption. Then at 21 she became pregnant again, but this time she decided to keep the baby and get married, thinking this was her second chance to raise a child. But because her marriage was so dysfunctional she made some poor choices, including abortion, that she’s had to overcome with Jesus’ grace and forgiveness. Today, Christy’s passion is helping women to break free from shame and boldly share their testimonies and, because of that, has created The Shine Collective with Christy B., a space for healing hearts and brave stories. When you hear her testimony of faith today, you’ll also hear the joy and light that comes from within her since she’s found freedom and forgiveness through the love of Jesus. Here's Christy's story... Go to CarolRoper.org/podcast for additional shownotes Also, I’d love for you to become part of the Building Strong Homes Community and sign up for my email list where you’ll also receive my baked spaghetti recipe. You can also click to sign up to become part of my free Facebook community. Watch Breaking Free from Shame: Pregnant at 15, Redeemed by Faith with Christy Braddock

As we’ve entered the last week of May, I remember how crazy this time of year is for those who have school-aged children. I know a lot of parents are in what many call Maycember. The chaotic final days of the school year entail so many parties, ceremonies, graduations, proms, concerts, teacher appreciation gifts and sports tournaments. It can also bring lots of anticipation, with kids looking forward to summer break and wondering what teacher they’ll have next year. For me, however, I’m often reminded of a difficult memory that occurred over 20 years ago at the conclusion of my son’s first year of kindergarten. That year I had to tell six-year-old Jacob he wouldn’t be moving up to first grade with his friends in the fall. Several months earlier, Jacob’s kindergarten teacher called my husband and me in for what we thought was a routine conference. Expecting to hear glowing reports of our son’s schoolwork, we were instead faced with a situation that brought frustration and heartache to our family. Jacob’s teacher began by saying Jacob had been very distracted over the last few months, and she felt he needed to be tested for ADD. She handed us a paper outlining the symptoms and advised us to have a doctor confirm the diagnosis. Then she dropped the bomb. “I believe Jacob would be better off if you held him back a year,” she said coolly. “Of course, the choice is yours, but he won’t benefit if you send him on ahead.” Here's Jacob's story... Also, I’d love for you to become part of the Building Strong Homes Community and sign up for my email list where you’ll also receive my baked spaghetti recipe. You can also click to sign up to become part of my free Facebook community. Watch on YouTube Lessons Learned and Victories Won Through Our Son's Struggle with ADD with Carol Roper https://youtu.be/IO7tY33uiCU

Liz Cobo says that nothing has deepened her faith and changed her walk with Jesus like studying the Bible. Studying God's Word literally changed her life. Things that were once important priorities aren’t anymore. Things that were once afterthoughts are now at the top of her list.  Scripture is God's self-revelation and is available to anyone willing to take the time and make the effort to read and study. Liz understands that now. God promises in his Word that he will give us greater understanding of His Word when we read it.  Liz always believed in God, but didn’t always know Jesus and lived a lot of her life not knowing what the Bible says and doesn't say. Maybe you’ve experienced (or are experiencing) the same thing? We know what it means to be an unbeliever or to be unchurched. But what about believers who don't know God's word? She describes them as soldiers who take no weapons or no armor into war.  Liz wants women to become educated believers and shares practical ways to learn. Her passion is to help them understand, study and apply the word of God in their daily lives. And to share God’s truth with grace to unbelievers and the unBibled. We talk about all of this and more in this episode. Here's Liz' story... Also, I’d love for you to become part of the Building Strong Homes Community and sign up for my email list where you’ll also receive my baked spaghetti recipe. You can also click to sign up to become part of my free Facebook community. Watch on YouTube Do You Know How to Gracefully Defend Your Faith? with Liz Cobo

I don’t know about you, but in my home the laundry room is considered one of the most important rooms. It’s command central. When my kids were still at home it was also a disaster on most days. Oh, it might be clean for a few brief hours, but then when everyone started slinging off boots and muddy clothes, you’d never know I’d darkened the door that day. Many days the frustration of laundry, picking up clothes, blankets, cups and shoes (the list could go on infinitely) is overwhelming, especially with kids in the home. Before my children flew the nest, I’d get mad and start to spew at them, wanting to ask the question my mom used to ask us in jest (mostly), “What’d your last maid die of—overwork and underpay?” I always laughed at that question, but now I can appreciate the significance of it. That’s sure what it feels like sometimes. Listen as I share a perspective I learned years ago that helped me no blow a fuse every time I walked in the door to a messy house and laundry room. Also, I’d love for you to become part of the Building Strong Homes Community and sign up for my email list where you’ll also receive my baked spaghetti recipe. You can also click to sign up to become part of my free Facebook community. Watch on YouTube Are You Harboring Bitterness Toward Your Messy Family? with Carol Roper

Husband-and-wife music duo, Kenny and Claire Hilliard both grew up in the upstate of South Carolina before God took them the long way around to finally settle in Nashville, TN.  In 2015, during Kenny’s tenure as a senior pastor and worship leader in Asheville, North Carolina, he was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Shortly after successful surgery to remove the tumor, Kenny received a second diagnosis, Ehlers Danlos Syndrome—a degenerative genetic disease that left him temporarily impaired. The couple embraced a return to music during Kenny’s recovery, founding a music teaching studio and penning modern hymns for their home congregation. Kenny and Claire also share some of their travel experiences from being on the road six months of the year touring with their 3 kids in an RV across the country. This special couple is honest about the struggles they’ve endured and continue giving God glory via their music through it all. If you’d like to be part of the Building Strong Homes Community sign up for my email list here where you’ll also receive my baked spaghetti recipe here. You can also click to sign up to become part of my free Facebook community. Watch on YouTube Are You Weary? A Musical Duo's Story of Hope Through Life's Storms with Kenny and Claire Hilliard

When my kids were teens, I shared with both of them that I used to curse—a lot. You should have seen the expressions on their faces as their jaws dropped, and eyes grew wide with disbelief.  “Not you Mom! I don’t believe it!” I was pleased that I had to convince them otherwise, glad that I’d decided when they were both very little that my speech needed to change. That, and the Holy Spirit got ahold of me. When I was thinking about this week’s kitchen table topic, I was surprised by some of the pushback I received. I had no idea that cursing for Christians was a controversial subject.  No, the Bible doesn’t explicitly say, thou shalt not curse, but as I looked up scriptures about our speech, I believe it’s overwhelmingly clear that God does not want us using bad language to express ourselves, especially in front of those who aren’t Christians. Listen as I share what I learned the Bible has to say about our speech and how we should portray ourselves as Christians in the episode. Also, I'd love for you to become part of the Building Strong Homes Community and sign up for my email list where you’ll also receive my baked spaghetti recipe. You can also click to sign up to become part of my free Facebook community. Watch on YouTube Is It Really That Bad for Christians to Cuss? with Carol Roper For show notes visit CarolRoper.org

Mary Marantz knows how fear can hold us back. Even though she was able to leave the musty single-wide trailer of her childhood in West Virginia and make her way to Yale Law School, she always carried the fear that she would be found out. Even though she had worked hard and earned every grade and scholarship she received she thought others saw her as an imposter. So, she strove to be the best at everything she did, and she was. But the life of perfection has a way of draining the joy out of you. Mary finally realized that fear was holding her hostage to a life that didn’t provide freedom and that he is a boring liar. In this episode she shares part of her fascinating story of growing up in rural West Virginia, which is the topic of her first book, Dirt, with a dad who was a proud eighth generation logger, a mom who cleaned houses and her amazing grandma Goldie. In her newest book, Underestimated, she shares how she overcame perfectionism, procrastination, people-pleasing and more. She understands the drive to prove others wrong and show everyone just how far you’ve come, while also doubting yourself at every turn. Mary has learned that we all must own the muddy parts of our stories so we can move forward in the purpose God has for us. Because, as Mary says, God does His best work in the muddy, messy, and broken if we’ll only learn to dig in.  Go to Carolroper.org for show notes Join the Building Strong Homes community by signing up for email updates and receive my baked spaghetti recipe Also join the Building Strong Homes Facebook Community If you'd like to connect with me or have an idea for an episode you can email me at buildingstronghomes@gmail.com Watch on YouTube Underestimated: From a Single-Wide Trailer in W. Va. to Yale Law School withe Mary Marantz