The Journey: PCA Parent Podcast

When "Bad Therapy" Replaces Godly Parenting (Week 1 of 2)

Guest: Erin Williams, PCA US Counselor, Plano campus

 

If you’d like to watch this podcast, check out the PCA YouTube page.

 

We had a powerful discussion on the book Bad Therapy: Why the Kids Aren’t Growing Up, which is the 2024 book from Abigail Shrier and came as a result of her revealing book a few years before that called Irreversible Damage: The Transgender Craze Seducing Our Daughters (2021) in which Shrier discovered how damaging and controlling public school counselors could be on this gender ideology. The conversation with Erin Williams is spread out over two weeks, so listen to this week’s episode and then get ready for even more next week on this topic!

 

Just to reiterate a point that we both made in the podcast, this examination of Bad Therapy is NOT a recommendation in favor of reading the book or an endorsement of everything that is written in this book. Shrier is not writing from a Biblical worldview, however both Erin Williams and I share much of her concern with the new “therapeutic-infused parenting” that is so popular today and her concerns over what Shrier calls “bad” therapy. There is good, solid, helpful therapy that is happening, but Shrier’s call to parents is to pay attention to the therapy that their children are receiving and be discerning as to the wisdom that is being offered to your children. YOU are the parents and, as such, are God’s ordained stewards of your children…not the therapist, not the school, not the government.

Gospel-Centered Conversations: Weaving the Word into the Things of the World

 

Guest: Alycia Wood, Apologetics, Inc.

 

If you’d like to watch this podcast, check out the PCA YouTube page.

 

Loved chatting with Alycia Wood about life and how to navigate the current cultural chaos with the truth of God’s Word. Alycia reminded us that we can use just about anything - movies, music, etc. to engage in meaningful conversations about spiritual and eternal things. C.S. Lewis in The Weight of Glory wrote about how “[t]here are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal.” This is a great reminder that everyone we meet is an eternal being - and will spend an eternity either with God…or separated from God.

 

As we near Easter, let’s remember the significance of Jesus coming down to earth to live the perfect life that we couldn’t, die the death that we deserve, and then he rose from the grave to defeat sin and death! With so much hopelessness in the world, 1 Peter 3:15 is a great reminder that we, as followers of Jesus Christ, need to be prepared to defend the HOPE that we have in Christ!

The Mission and Heart Behind PCA’s Sponsor-A-Lion

Guest: Jan Jeffcoat, PCA LS Principal, Plano campus

 

If you’d like to watch this podcast, check out the PCA YouTube page.

 

We had a great conversation with Jan Jeffcoat, PCA’s Lower School Principal, about her family’s journey to PCA and how God provided through the generosity of PCA families who financially supported PCA’s Sponsor-A-Lion program to help families afford Kingdom Education at PCA. As God called the Jeffcoats to PCA, countless families gave sacrificially which provided the necessary funds so their daughters Jennifer and Jillian could attend PCA. At the same time, Jim and Jan reexamined their own personal finances and found additional ways to better steward their finances to help make the transition to PCA possible.

 

And look at the result - both girls not only graduated from PCA, but Jan and Jillian returned to PCA and have been employed by the school.  Jillian (formerly Jeffcoat, now Bryant) is the Dean of Students for the Upper School at the Plano campus. And Jan Jeffcoat went from a PreK aide to a Lower School teacher and now currently serves as the principal for the Lower School at the Plano campus. Thank you to all those families who have given in the past and continue to support PCA’s Sponsor-A-Lion program that benefits current and future PCA families.

Minimester 2025: Witnessing the Handiwork of God!

Guests: Eddie Jimenez (PCA Band Director, Plano campus), Eli Taylor (Class of ‘25, Plano campus), Tatum Samuels (Class of ‘25, Plano campus), Harper Glenn (Class of ‘27, North campus), David Madison (Class of ‘25, Plano campus), Shay Planas (Class of ‘26, Plano campus), Kaylee Smith (Class of ‘27, Plano campus)

 

If you’d like to watch this podcast, check out the PCA YouTube page.

 

In this episode, we have an opportunity to hear PCA faculty and students share some amazing stories of God at work in and through their lives from local missions to locations around the world! Minimester is a unique and amazing opportunity for our entire community to be used by and see God at work - and, what I’ve witnessed over the past 20+ years, it is amazing to see how God uses these incredible opportunities to deepen (or begin) the faith journey of our students!

Sky Ranch: A Powerful Ministry Partner Celebrating 70 Years of Serving Others!

 

Guest: Linda Paulk, President & CEO, Sky Ranch Christian camps

 

If you’d like to watch this podcast, check out the PCA YouTube page.

What a great conversation with Linda Paulk, President & CEO of Sky Ranch Christian camps - we talked about everything - their summer overnight camps and day camps, their family camps, their leadership training programs, their parent/child weekend get-aways, and much, much more! With locations in TX, OK, and CO, Sky Ranch is a ministry force training kids and families with a Biblical worldview and doing it with excellence for 70 years! PCA is so proud to be a ministry partner with Sky Ranch and we look forward to continuing this fruitful partnership for years to come!

The ZIG at The Gaylord Texas - April 27th - Everything You Need to Know!

Guest: Kenzie Venus, Director of Development Events and Annual Funds

For questions about the Zig, you can email Kenzie at KVenus@prestonwoodchristian.org

 

If you’d like to watch this podcast, check out the PCA YouTube page.

 

Parents, this year “The ZIG” (the Zig Ziglar Servant Leadership Awards Banquet) will be at The Gaylord Texas on Sunday evening, April 27th. This venue is different from the past few years, so we wanted to make sure that you knew everything about where/when/why so that you can make plans now to attend. While the location is different, the purpose of the evening is the same - to raise resources that go to help families with financial needs - I know you agree with me that everyone should have access to a Christ-centered education for their children and over the years, our PCA community has been tremendously generous giving to help others attend PCA.

 

So, take a listen - make sure you know where you’re doing, when to be there, WHAT to wear (yes, it’s “evening wear” this year - suit/tie for the guys, elegant and stylish for the ladies). Look to park in The Gaylord Resort and Convention Center CONVENTION parking (not the hotel) - and there will be valet and garage parking available.

 

NOW is the time to purchase a table and invite friends who can support this incredible mission. Visit zigziglaraward.org to learn more and secure your table.

Update on the Continuing Battle to Protect Critical Freedoms with ADF Attorney Ryan Bangert

Guest: Ryan Bangert, Senior Vice President, Strategic Initiatives & Special Counsel to the President for Alliance Defending Freedom

 

If you’d like to watch this podcast, check out the PCA YouTube page.

 

Updates on a few important Free Speech/Freedom of Religion cases:

• Adam Smith-Connor, UK case dealing with an Army veteran who was arrested for a silent prayer offered outside an abortion facility. The charges are certainly absurd, but it does demonstrate the lengths to which the government can go and will go to protect abortion rights. Vice President J.D. Vance mentioned this case in his comments a few weeks ago talking about the importance of defending free speech rights.
• Jack Phillips, Colorado baker sued for refusing to bake a cake for a same-sex wedding recently had a major victory at the Colorado Supreme Court following his third lawsuit to try and force him to violate his conscience, this time it was to try to force him to bake a cake for a gender transition.
• This article in the New York Post from 2023 revealed that thousands of public schools actually have a policy in place to keep a student’s gender transition a secret from parents. ADF has filed several cases against these school districts on behalf of parents who have a right to know about their child.
• To keep up with these and other important issues, visit Alliance Defending Freedom’s website at adflegal.org
• Ryan recommends that you pray for the strength and integrity of the church to continue to stand on God’s Word as the Truth and not compromise on these critical issues.

GraceBridge: A Ministry Partner Impacting Our Community...and the World for Christ!

Guests: Carter Morris, President & CEO, and Drew Herndon, Distribution and Services Manager for GraceBridge

 

If you’d like to watch this podcast, check out the PCA YouTube page.

It is a privilege to let you know about the incredible work of GraceBridge and The Master Cares, two organizations dedicated to the ministry of the Gospel by serving the needs of their communities - as they say on their website: two missions, one vision. Here in the North Texas area, you’ll see GraceBridge serve with food banks and resale stores as well as a variety of work and employment training programs. The Master Cares is an international program based in Uganda, Africa and includes an ACSI-accredited Christian school, vocational training, medical services and water wells.

Am I Not Enough?: Helping Our Children Counter the Hyper-Competitive Culture to Find Meaning and Purpose (Part 2 of 2)

Guest: Erin Williams, LPC, PCA US Counselor, Plano campus

 

If you’d like to watch this podcast, check out the PCA YouTube page.

 

This is week two of a great conversation with Erin Williams about the book Never Enough: When Achievement Culture Becomes Toxic - and What We Can Do About It by Jennifer Breheny Wallace. This book is a New York Times bestseller, but remember that it is written from the perspective of someone without a Biblical worldview. Wallace does raise some very profound and provocative questions that need to be answered, especially when the research says that 1 in 3 students may be impacted by what Wallace calls the “excessive pressure to achieve.”

 

Praying that you find this conversation insightful and practical. It is broken down into two episodes - the first episode was released last week.

Am I Not Enough?: Helping Our Children Counter the Hyper-Competitive Culture to Find Meaning and Purpose (Part 1 of 2)

Guest: Erin Williams, LPC, PCA US Counselor, Plano campus

 

If you’d like to watch this podcast, check out the PCA YouTube page.

 

Great conversation with Erin Williams about the book Never Enough: When Achievement Culture Becomes Toxic - and What We Can Do About It by Jennifer Breheny Wallace. This book is a New York Times bestseller, but remember that it is written from the perspective of someone without a Biblical worldview. Wallace does raise some very profound and provocative questions that need to be answered, especially when the research says that 1 in 3 students may be impacted by what Wallace calls the “excessive pressure to achieve.”

 

Praying that you find this conversation insightful and practical. It is broken down into two episodes over this week and next.