Cherish Your Family

With summer on the horizon, we're excited to share with you some upcoming nextTalk events and the reason why FAMILY is a core value here at nextTalk. In the rush of May, and life in general, we want to encourage you with ways to truly cherish your family.

Chapters

• 0:02 Prioritizing Family Amidst Busy Lives
• 8:36 Reclaiming Your Family This Summer
• 17:55 Reset and Connect With Family

Transcript

Mandy Majors: 0:02

Welcome to the nextTalk podcast. We are passionate about keeping kids safe in an overexposed world.

Kim Elerick: 0:09

It's Mandy and Kim, and we're navigating tech, culture and faith with our kids. Putting your family first Such a big deal, well, and it seems obvious. And then it's May. You know all the things that happen. It's busy, there's stressors, there's struggles, there's expectations, and it's easy to get things out of alignment to how we should be moving forward with our life. And putting our family first suddenly can become a challenge and not something that we're doing.

Mandy Majors: 0:40

I always think about the order that one of my old pastors gave me. He says Jesus, family work. And it's really hard for Kim and I actually, because our work involves our family and making our families better. But we have to be careful too that we don't get burned out and that we're stepping aside and making sure that our families are coming before next talk, and sometimes we need to take a little break.

Kim Elerick: 1:07

We do, and that's you know we've, from day one, we've always said if our family is falling apart, if our family is sacrificing to a point where it's not healthy because of next talk, then we're done. We can never sacrifice our family for next talk. And so this is a constant conversation we're having to have, because it's not just our perspective or you and I, mandy, but we also need to be checking in with our family, because we may be thinking, man, I am rocking it, and then you go and crawl in bed with your kid and they're like I am falling apart and where are you. So it is a constant checking in and a constant conversation of how do I think it's going, lord, am I doing what you're asking me to do? And kids and husband, do you feel supported and loved?

Mandy Majors: 1:55

Yeah, I know, a couple of years ago we I mean, this is like season seven of the podcast wraps up today that's crazy, I know. And season eight will launch this fall. We're not quitting. Season eight is going to launch this fall, unless God tells us something else different over the summer. Right, but I remember a couple of years ago, kim, we had constantly done a new show every week for years, and I remember we reached a point in May where we looked at each other and we said we got to have a break. And I was really scared because we had a lot of momentum at that time when we stepped back and I was thinking the podcast numbers are going to die. People are going to, you know, cause they're used to getting that content and new content every Monday. But the Lord did something amazing and we took that break over the summer and our numbers kept climbing in the fall when we came back, and so we learned a big lesson then that we do have to step back, we need to breathe.

Mandy Majors: 3:00

I used to do no speaking events at all in the summer and now my kids are much older and so you know they don't need me as much. They're gone a lot more. They're much more independent, both driving and so this summer, even though I am scaling back the school and church events, I've been asked to do some really cool events for Next Talk, where I'm speaking to medical professionals, counselors, psychologists, pastors, um, just people who take care of other people, and they want to know, like, what are the online trends, what are the online dangers, and so I'm super excited. I've got, like I think, three or four of those events scheduled this summer, so I'm going to focus on that, um, and we're really not taking a huge break. I mean, let's be real, we're going to have some shows this summer. It's just not going to be on our normal weekly every Monday podcast.

Kim Elerick: 3:52

Yeah, we want to feature a few important things, you know, and we want to still be connected with y'all. We're going to share a little bit more about that, but we are going to scale back. But also, one of the things we do every summer is behind the scenes. We work on how we can make Next Talk better. What can we do to provide an excellent resource to families? That's our goal, like God has called us to that, and so sometimes that means, you know, looking at our processes differently. That means refining things, it means editing things, whatever it is, and the summer gives us a chance to do that behind the scenes and then also pour into our families and the conversations that actually fuel our content for Next Talk. I get a chance to spend even more time with my kids, and those are the stories and the experiences that we really learn from, and God shows us what the content is that helps you, and so it's a really important time.

Mandy Majors: 4:47

There's a lot of behind the scenes work. That happens during the summer, but it's a little less pressure because we're not having to do recordings as often and that's nice. That's really nice. The other thing too, you know, is if you guys don't know, our core values at Next Talk, they are faith, family, excellence, integrity and community. All of those five things are super important to us. Faith is first, family is second. And we have a saying around here family first, family first. There are some times that things are happening in the background with our families and I know I've spoken this to Kim and Kim has spoken this to me and she will say take a minute, take a day, I'll cover what's going on right now. And we've done that and it's been great.

Mandy Majors: 5:30

I again refer back to Robert Emmett. He used to be. If you guys don't know who Robert Emmett is, god used him to build a church from zero to 20,000 people and he was this founding church, mega church, one of the top growing churches in the nation, and Kim and I he was our pastor and there's so many one-liners from Robert that's all over our organization, like the kite analogy. He's just like a spiritual giant in both Kim and I's life. And I remember when Talk first came out back in 2016, and we were nobody I mean nobody knew who Next Talk was. We didn't even know at that point. We were still trying to figure out a name for Next Talk, right? But I remember when he plugged my book at the church and he pulled me aside after one service and I'll never forget it His wife was standing right there and my husband was standing right there and Robert looked at me and he said you only get one time to be a mom.

Mandy Majors: 6:31

And I think this book is going to blow up and you need to step back and be a mom. And I he was like you cannot. You cannot lose your kids and save all the others. Right, and man, I don't know how many times through the years, early on in next talk like I would only do one event per month. One time it was like one event per semester Cause I just couldn't be away, right.

Mandy Majors: 6:55

And I look back now and I'm like man, I'm in this season now where I can, I can do a little more. I don't have to have as much time pouring into my kids because they're so independent now. But I'm so glad that he spoke that word into me, because if I were sitting here right now and looking back on my life thinking, oh my gosh, I put Next Talk first and I missed my family, I would be a mess. I would be a mess and I think that's a word for any working parent right now. You know, yeah, we got to work. I know we we need. We need money to survive. We've got bills. Inflation is high, like I get it. We all have to have a job. But I think it's a word of what's important in our life and if that's out of whack, everything else is out of whack.

Kim Elerick: 7:40

Well, and I would say not just working parents. I think you take the word next talk. We say if next talk is first in our lives and things are out of order, whatever it is in your life that you're spending a lot of time on maybe you're volunteering at your church a lot, maybe you're really into crafting, whatever it is that takes a large chunk of time from you, make sure that it is not out of line from God first, then family, and I think it's hard to do sometimes, because sometimes those are things we really love to do, we're passionate about, we enjoy, we feel called to. But our family is our first ministry and that's something I always go back to. I don't remember who said that or where I heard it, but it's stuck in my brain. Your family is your first ministry, above all else.

Mandy Majors: 8:26

Maybe that's Robert. I actually think that was Julie Emmett when she came to our mother's Robert's wife.

Kim Elerick: 8:32

Robert's wife. Yeah, that makes sense.

Mandy Majors: 8:36

So many spiritual foundations from Robert and like he was just a, like he was just a spiritual giant in my life, in our lives, and so many things that form the foundation of Next Talk. The principles come out of Robert's teaching and how he makes the word come alive for people. He has that gift and I think that has been mirrored at Next Talk from his leading there.

Kim Elerick: 9:10

Yeah, and I think one of the things that we can think about as we're finishing up May, and it feels a little crazy and you've got like we've had award things every night, literally you know the final game, this and that. Today we've got this other, you know final project presentation. It's something every day and it can feel overwhelming, but taking a deep breath and realizing, okay, a little break is coming and this is such a sweet time because your kids will only be this age once you and your husband can pour into them, can listen, sit out on the back porch, have good conversation, check in with them. Hey, what's on your mind, what's going on with you? Just refocusing on the family, I think, is important, and the summer, I think, can a weird word, but it comes to mind the normal rigmarole of life and you can sit back and have good conversation and that's really the gold, where you get to talk about things that are on your kid's mind, you get to reconnect, you get to laugh and that, to me, means putting family first.

Mandy Majors: 10:22

Well, I remember when my kids were little and as I was going through this and writing talk, I would always feel like I got my kids back in the summer, you know, because my kids are in public school, so they were gone every day and you know the demands of extracurriculars and all of that. And so I felt like the summertime was so valuable to reconnect. And so I mean, like today's Memorial day, put down the phone, jump in the pool, you know, go on a hike, grill some burgers and sit around the barbecue grill and talk like like just reconnect with your family. What a moment. And I think also like as this world spins more and more out of control and you know we see death all around us and people losing their lives. There's war and horrible things happening in the world.

Mandy Majors: 11:10

Every day matters and I think sometimes in our busyness of work and meeting our to-do list, we forget that we're never going to get today back with our children ever. This day will never happen again. I think about my 20-year-old is home from college this summer and it's so exciting to have her here, because last year she was studying in Europe. I didn't get to see her as much, but my husband and I have looked at each other many times and said this may be her last summer home. This may be the last three months we have her living under our roof. That is a possibility with everything that's happening in her life, and so I don't know that that's the case. But that is a reminder to me that even when I get frustrated with her or the kitchen's a mess or whatever, to take a deep breath and say I'm never going to get this time back, because I think that's really, really important and we lose sight of it.

Kim Elerick: 12:02

And if you have little ones and it's hard to relate because you're thinking, oh, but my kid is three and five and seven and I've got all this time.

Kim Elerick: 12:10

When we started Next Talk, I had the youngest kids on the team. I was breastfeeding, I had little ones and now you know I've got big kids. And it went by so quickly and everybody says that you know you meet the grandma in the grocery store and they're like, oh, enjoy every moment, as you're like cleaning the throw up off of your sweater and you're exhausted. But it's true, it really is true. It goes by so fast and I'm so thankful for the moments when I was exhausted and I drunk a cup of coffee and stayed up with my kid to talk about what was on their mind, or when I laced up my tennis shoes, even though I was exhausted, and we went for a walk or played basketball and I got to hear what was important to my kid. It is not easy, but it's worth it. It's worthwhile and it's how you grow that culture of open communication in your home and that is priceless, especially as they get older, the days are long but the years are short.

Mandy Majors: 13:09

Yeah, I mean, that is so true. Looking back on, I just spoke to a group of young moms and I'll just be honest in all of parenting, the young preschool age was the worst for me. I think it was because I had postpartum depression, my husband worked a lot back then and so everything fell on me. And I think it was because I had postpartum depression, my husband worked a lot back then and so everything fell on me and I was trying to do volunteer work. Kim, when you said volunteer work, it can become an idol. It can become an idol and we have to be careful with all of it.

Mandy Majors: 13:37

But I was way out of balance back then and I think it was the hardest for me. And I was talking to these young moms and I said if I could go back, I would treasure each day more when they were little, because I missed that. I did rush it. I wanted to get to the next season because I was so tired of wiping butts and brushing teeth, because that's just not my thing. Is it anybody's thing? I don't know. It's just not my favorite season of parenting, but I wish I would have just valued it a little bit more, and I think, as they got older, I recognized that I didn't want to rush to the next season. I wanted to just value where we were in that moment, and so I'm hoping that that's what Kim and I can continue to do, but also that we can encourage you to do, because it is important and each season does end, even though it may feel tough when you're in it and it feels like it's never going to end. That season will end in your life.

Kim Elerick: 14:37

Yeah, just this morning, when we were driving to school, my baby, my youngest, my little girl, mentioned that she's going to be turning 10. And I don't know what it is about double digits, but with my boys it was really hard for me. I was like what? And now she's just on the cusp of that and she's the one that was like born into Next Talk and I'm like, oh, it's so hard. It feels like she has grown up so quickly. And so even this morning in the car, I was watching her tie her shoes and I was helping her with the bow in her hair and I was thinking I won't get to do this forever and trying to just savor the moments. And that's our prayer for you this summer is that you can take some time to, even even on the days where it feels long and where it's hard, remember that you don't ever get those days back and these kids are a precious gift, and our husbands and our wives, and to enjoy that time with them it's very, very special.

Mandy Majors: 15:39

Well, and to kick off summer, even though we're not doing a weekly show, we do want to kick off the summer with a new show, and this is kind of exciting.

Mandy Majors: 15:47

We're calling it Reclaim your Family because, it's really about these transitions from school to summer. It's an ideal time to rewrite how your family's using screens. So, if you're like us and we are kind of in a screen slump right now because we're all just trying to get by, and so the beginning of the summer is a new goal list what does our screen time look like? What do we want to cut back? Where do we want to be intentional with our family time? I always like to play this out. You know, in 90 days, where do you want to be as a person? You know with our family and your personal goals, and so we're going to do a show where you guys can call in. So Kim and I will be giving some practical stuff about how we're reclaiming our family at the beginning of this summer. In the beginning, for like what? 10 or 15 minutes, we'll give some practical stuff and then you can ask us any question, or you can also write in to be like I did this last summer and it was amazing. Share your examples of how you have reclaimed your family over the summer, how you have reconnected with the ones that you love the most.

Mandy Majors: 16:53

This Thursday, may 30th, 11 am, central Standard Time You're going to get a link to log in. You have to register and it's free, and we'll send you an email with all the information because this will be recorded. You will be broadcast out. So if you have a question, we want you to know that there are ways that you can kind of remain anonymous. You can not have your camera on, you can not log in with your real name, that kind of thing, but we'll send you all that in an email, all the details, and then you log in and we're recording it live and you guys are bringing your questions and your examples of what you have done. That really, really works with your family.

Kim Elerick: 17:32

So we sent out an email, already on our subscriber list. If you receive that, then you have the registration information for this live podcast. If not, no worries, check with us. Connect with us on social media. We will have some announcements on how you can register there to be a part of this live podcast. It's going to be really fun, plus a great opportunity to ask a specific question. Like Mandy said, if you've got something on your mind or you want to share when this is the place to do it.

Mandy Majors: 18:00

Well, and just don't miss this opportunity. This transition is just a great time to reset as a family, If you've, if you are like I don't like the way this is going. Everybody's on their screens at night, which is kind of what I am right now, Cause we're all just tired and trying to get by.

Mandy Majors: 18:16

We're tired and trying to get by, but I don't want this to be the normal summer, because I don't want to miss this time with my kids, and so this is where the good conversations can come in and we can do a reset. So join us on that show and we just hope you guys have the best summer and that you pour into your family and that you always put Jesus first and then your family. That you always put Jesus first and then your family. This podcast is ad-free because of all the people who donate to our nonprofit.

Kim Elerick: 18:44

Make a donation today at nexttalkorg.

Mandy Majors: 18:51

This podcast is not intended to replace the advice of a trained healthcare or legal professional, or to diagnose, treat or otherwise render expert advice regarding any type of medical, psychological or legal problem. Listeners are advised to consult a qualified expert for treatment.