Family Talk (Toben)

Some of you know that I work with an organization called Dr. James Dobson's Family Talk. I specifically worked with my friend Ryan (Doctor's son) doing a daily podcast called Grounded. After giving Grounded a couple of years to take off, we decided that we just weren't reaching the audience we wanted to reach. I can honestly say that being on the podcast was as much fun as I have ever had working. It is a rush to get to talk to so many smart people for an hour every day. Of course we had more than our fair share of fun with it as well. But it was time to put the show on indefinite hiatus and branch out in some other ways to get the messages and content out that we are so passionate about.

So what to do. Grounded did have an audience and they were ticked when we stopped the show. Or maybe they were just sad. But we got a lot of comments, emails and comments from people who really cared for and missed the show. That was very edifying! Of course Ryan is still on the air every day with his dad and LuAnne Crane doing the Family Talk broadcast, but that's a different animal then the hi-jinks of Grounded.

So we talked about what to do next and what we decided to do was to move more to a blog format. After all, there are many ways to get good content out to an audience. So we launched the first of our blogs with Ryan. And the response has been amazing! a LOT of people are coming to check out what Ryan has to say. He covers a ton of topics from cooking to parenting to ministry; you name it. 

And we're not stopping there. We are going to be able to post up audio and video content as well. Stay tuned for more of that! Should allow us to capture a little more of the magic we had with Grounded. Plus with video you will be able to check out my sweet mustache--Ryan says it makes me look like a cop and has taken to calling me "Officer Heim!"

So where does that leave me? Well they asked me to do a blog as well and I immediately came back with the idea to do a blog a week on the topic of the Family Talk ministry monthly focus. As you can imagine, those topics fall right in our wheelhouse (which I think is a baseball term). For example, the August theme is about moms being the heart of the home. I am DESPERATE to blog on that! Since Joanne's stroke our entire approach to parenting has had to change and Joanne's role in the family has been deeply affected. And as they say, when momma is affected, everybody is affected! So I am chomping at the bit to talk about this topic. 

Family Talk will take those blogs that they see fit the topic and will post them on their site too. This is a cool opportunity for us to tell more of our story to a new audience. And as always, there are really only two reasons that we even do the blog: the first is to get/keep people praying. The prayer requests are our favorite and most important part of the blog that we write. The second is to keep friends (a lot of new friends especially) up to date on what is going on with Joanne. It is such an incredible story that our family has been going through for the last year and a half and people want to keep up on the ins and outs of our lives.

I can't tell you how much we appreciate you! Just knowing that there are people who care makes our day. When we get in there and read the comments to the blog it is deeply encouraging. So keep those comments coming. They feed our souls!

So anyhow, that's what's going on with Family Talk. I need to throw in a quick thank you to my Family Talk "family." This group of people, these friends, have stood beside our family without hesitation since Joanne's stroke. Their unwavering support and understanding is one of the greatest blessings in our lives. I will always owe a deep, deep debt of gratitude to Doctor, to Ryan and the rest of the Family Talk team. I love and appreciate you more than words can convey!

Prayer requests:

1. Please pray for the ministry of Dr. Dobson and Family Talk. It is a little wild to work just downstairs from a man who has given his life for kingdom business and to building up marriages and the family. Pretty cool! Please continue to prop all of us up with your prayers as we keep this fire burning.

2. Praise, praise, praise God for the oppourtunity to work with this great team. I know a LOT fo people who are without jobs, are underemployed or just flat out don't like what they have to do. I am in none of those catagories and I thank God every day for that!

3. Please continue to pray for the girls. Audrey goes back to the doctor next week to check in on how her meds are working and as her closest observer, I can definitley see a change in her moodiness (as in she is less so). She is such an amazing kid and I am so grateful when that shines through her teenage angst! And Emma continues to be a sweetheart but I worry that she is under more stress than we know. She tend to keep everything inside and put a happy face on it. I want her to be able to be real, even if it means getting downright angry!

Toben

Comments

[Kim Feth]

Continuing to cover you and your family in prayer! Don't forget to share some of Joanne's former recipe, crafting, and parenting posts with your new blog! She was and still is a terrific Mom and has inspired so many of us to step out of our "wheelhouse" and into something new and different - just by what she posted.
Peace,
Kim Feth
Apex, NC

[Marena Sheffield]

Praise, praise, praise!! I had feared that with Grounded being gone you might be out of a job, too. I can't say what an answer to prayer this post is!!!!

[Jennifer, Hawaii]

Was definitely sad to hear Grounded being put on hiatus- I refer back to things from the show so much! Will be interesting to see how the new projects turn out.

And will definitely be praying for the girls! My dad had heart surgery when I was in elementary school, and things worked out fine but I didn't really know what was going on. Can't imagine how this is affecting your girls and so I have a soft spot for them right now.

Thank you for keeping us informed!

[Child of God]

I love Dr. Dobson!!! I had no idea you worked here and on their shows. :) Awesome!

I have check out and followed James Dobson's sight and am excited to read what is posted.

Continuing to pray for all of you.

Blessings,
<><

[Air Jordans]

So creative! You know how to turn simple things into treasures!