Can laughter and storytelling unlock extraordinary spiritual growth for your family right where you are?

In this episode of the Collide Kids Podcast, host Christen Clark sits down with Grammy-nominated comedian, musician, and master storyteller Tim Lovelace. Together, they dive into how comedy, faith, and life’s surprising moments can shape Christian parenting, inspire Faith at home, and help families discover God’s purpose and joy—even in the most ordinary days.

• 03:09 Tim’s unique journey from shy, stuttering child to professional entertainer
• 09:08 Tim realized that laughter could be ministry
• 17:33 The story behind Tim’s book "Green Rain"

Resources:

• "Green Rain" (book by Tim Lovelace)
• Moments That Motivate (2-minute motivational story series)
• Tim’s website: timlovelace.com
• Youtube: @timlovelacecomedy
• Website: collidekidspodcast.com
• Instagram: @collidekidspod

Clip Finder

Viral Comedy Moment: "It's not what you think. It's the upper corner of lower Alabama. That's where I was educated."

— Tim Lovelace [00:03:34 → 00:03:39]

How Labels Shape Us: "people kind of start putting people in boxes. It's human nature. So you have They'll go, oh, that person is good at singing, and that person is good at drawing, and that person is good at making people laugh. So you become the class clown."

— Tim Lovelace [00:09:31 → 00:09:46]

Nervous Moments on Stage: "So finally the dreaded day came and they had those maroon curtains and I'm standing behind it and the teacher put the little needle on the record and no one knows what that is like, a big CD, you know?"

— Tim Lovelace [00:12:34 → 00:12:48]

Viral Topic: From Radio to Book Deal: "But people would come out and say, well, when are you going to put the stories in a book? So that's how we ended up with Green Rain."

— Tim Lovelace [00:18:22 → 00:18:28]

Every Moment Matters: "I always say they're not really small moments in life, they're actually big. They're all big moments, right?"

— Tim Lovelace [00:19:19 → 00:19:26]

Breaking Musical Rules: "Why does theory tell me I can only do this? I can put this chord with this chord, and I can arrange this, and I can put these diminished chords over a flat 9, over a 13. And, and my entire life I've loved chords and music. Why can't you mix a little Chet Atkins with a little bit of fingerstyle, with a little bit of Spanish, or what music? Or—"

— Tim Lovelace [00:21:54 → 00:22:17]

Finding Beauty in the Unexpected: "So I want them to know that in the good times, in the small moments, God is in the middle of them. In the moments that seem like they hurt, and maybe they do hurt, and maybe it didn't turn out the way we want it, and maybe we lost a friend, but maybe God is working out something beautiful, and we learn something. It ends up being one of the biggest blessings in our life. So God is in all of the moments."

— Tim Lovelace [00:23:09 → 00:23:34]

The Power of Storytelling in Connection: "some of the greatest talkers I've ever known, some of the greatest pastors I've met over the years would say, I was bashful at one time. But when you find stories, when friends find out, when you just ask little simple things like, what's something you learned lately that's really been interesting? And then you learn from it."

— Tim Lovelace [00:25:36 → 00:25:56]

The Power of Storytelling and Connection: "I encourage everyone to have a little journal just to write down some of your favorite stories and ask your mom and dad, tell me about when you first rode a bicycle. Who taught you how? And sometimes we're all so busy, we forget to do those things. And when we connect with those stories, go, I didn't know that about Grandma."

— Tim Lovelace [00:26:39 → 00:26:59]

Nostalgic Southern Traditions: "But it— but putting peanuts in a Coke bottle was so good."

— Tim Lovelace [00:29:59 → 00:30:03]

Bark proactively works to monitor, detect, and alert you to potential issues on your kids' devices. Visit bark.us to learn more about how you can keep your kids safe online. Use the code COLLIDEKIDS to get 15% off Your Bark Technologies Plan !

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What does it take to become a hero in God’s Kingdom?

On this episode of the Collide Kids Podcast, host Christen Clark sits down with bestselling author and Christian parenting advocate Joshua Cooley for an inspiring chat about raising Christian kids, cultivating faith at home, and discovering purpose in all seasons of family life. Together, they explore stories of Biblical heroes, the reality of spiritual growth in the everyday, and how family time can become discipleship time - even for the not-so-perfect parents).

• [00:02:57] Josh shares his unique path from sportswriter to kids’ ministry and author
• [00:09:57] God uses those who feel unimportant or weak
• [00:13:21] The power of honest questions and doubts in spiritual growth
• [00:15:11] Early Church Heroes

Resources:

• "Heroes of the Bible Devotional” 1 & 2 by Joshua Cooley
• Website: joshuacooleyauthor.com
• IG: @jcooley74
• Website: collidekidspodcast.com
• Instagram: @collidekidspod

Clip Finder:

Finding Purpose in Many Passions: "So God has given me a lot of things that I love to do, and it's really great."

— Josh Cooley [00:03:21 → 00:03:26]

Unexpected Career Paths: "I love working with kids, but I never considered it a career option."

— Josh Cooley [00:07:18 → 00:07:22]

Viral Career Change: "So I quit my sports editor job at this paper and became a kids minister."

— Josh Cooley [00:07:37 → 00:07:43]

Viral Topic: God takes the weak and the unimportant and the person that you wouldn't think could do great things for him and does great things by his power, not ours.

— Josh Cooley [00:10:52 → 00:11:01]

Questioning Faith is Okay: "The Bible isn't just a book of rules for us to follow. It's about real people who have real questions that I think we ask too, and God allows those questions to happen. He allows, like, our faith to grow and us to question him so that we can, you know, grow in our faith and understand him better."

— Josh Cooley [00:13:21 → 00:13:39]

Viral Christian History: "Even her own father said, recant, recant Christ. Just say you're not a Christian just to save your life, and then you can believe whatever you want, and she would not do it, and they threw her into the arena with wild animals, and that's a documented story."

— Josh Cooley [00:15:54 → 00:16:08]

Behind the Book: "Yeah, I always tell people that as I'm writing, like, I'm always growing too. That just strengthens my faith."

— Josh Cooley [00:18:21 → 00:18:26]

Faith and History: "History has never disproven the Bible; it's only proven it."

— Josh Cooley [00:19:03 → 00:19:06]

What Makes a True Hero?: "But Incredible Man is like the most un-incredible person you've ever seen, right? He has no skills, no No superhero powers whatsoever. But that leads to a conversation through many pitfalls and pratfalls, I should say, and bruised shins on my part. That leads to a conversation about, okay, if it's not a mask and a cape and the biceps of justice, which is one of his supposed superpowers, then what is it? What makes us a true hero for God?"

— Josh Cooley [00:20:54 → 00:21:22]

Childhood Imagination Adventures: "So we would all assign ourselves like, you're, you're like a warrior, you're an elf, you're a wizard, you're an archer, like the good guys, right? And we would, we would dress up and we'd get our weapons and we'd pretend in my backyard to fight all of these villains."

— Josh Cooley [00:22:56 → 00:23:11]

Bark proactively works to monitor, detect, and alert you to potential issues on your kids' devices. Visit bark.us to learn more about how you can keep your kids safe online. Use the code COLLIDEKIDS to get 15% off Your Bark Technologies Plan !

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Have you ever thought about opening your heart and community to those around you with disabilities?

In this inspiring episode of the Collide Kids Podcast, host Christen Clark sits down with Jess Berryhill, disability minister and founder of Terre Haute Friendship House. Jess shares how authentic friendship, inclusion, and stepping out of our comfort zones can reshape family life, discipleship, and the way we practice faith at church and in our communities—revealing how every person has value and purpose in God’s eyes.

• [00:05:23] Jess explains what it’s like to live in intentional Christian community with people who have disabilities
• [00:09:18] How stepping into disability ministry helped Jess—and her church—grow in faith and compassion
• [00:14:31] The “origin story” of Terre Haute Friendship House
• [00:19:29] Why heart work and friendship are key to spiritual growth

Resources:

• The Terre Haute Friendship House website: thfriendshiphouse.org
• Contact email: jessberryhill@gmail.com
• Website: collidekidspodcast.com
• Instagram: @collidekidspod

Clip Finder:

Empowering Disability Voices: "You can only stand in like a prayer circle or sit at a dinner table or, you know, you know, have conversations with friends and people you love for so long, and like hear those dreams come up over and over and over again until you're like, God, maybe, maybe it's me. Like, maybe we're the vessel for this. Maybe like you're trying to move my feet and not just have me hear these things."

— Jess Berryhill [00:05:53 → 00:06:14]

Adulting and Accessible Transportation: "That's not just us, right? 'Cause part of figuring out adult life is figuring out how we're gonna get to places."

— Jess Berryhill [00:08:17 → 00:08:22]

Viral Topic: How Disability Ministry Began by Meeting One Need: "But I think God had other plans, much bigger plans."

— Jess Berryhill [00:10:53 → 00:10:56]

Unexpected Lessons in Creativity: "God has taught me that, like, he equips us in ways that we may not expect."

— Jess Berryhill [00:13:13 → 00:13:17]

Inclusion in Theater: "I feel like we're missing, like, we're missing the opportunity to see her talent shine."

— Jess Berryhill [00:13:41 → 00:14:31]

Building Community for People with Disabilities: "That ministry has grown from about 6 to 8 to about 100 individuals with disabilities every week and a whole slate of like opportunities for community and belonging."

— Jess Berryhill [00:15:56 → 00:16:06]

Building an Inclusive Community: "What if part of our identity as a church became sort of being a church that welcomes people with disabilities?"

— Jess Berryhill [00:17:41 → 00:17:46]

Making Communities Accessible: "But I don't wanna bring them out if everyone can't participate. And so it actually led to a conversation where we were able to make the bike park more accessible."

— Jess Berryhill [00:18:06 → 00:18:14]

The Power of Relationships in Disability Ministry: "I can teach you about autism, I can teach you about Down syndrome, and those— that knowledge is so important, but it's actually the heart work, it's how God's gonna change your heart that's actually gonna matter."

— Jess Berryhill [00:19:31 → 00:19:41]

Viral Topic: Rethinking Social Circles for People with Disabilities: "A lot of times, like, people that would fall in our acquaintance circle would fall closer to their middle. And also a lot of those folks in their circles are paid to be with them."

— Jess Berryhill [00:20:51 → 00:21:01]

Bark proactively works to monitor, detect, and alert you to potential issues on your kids' devices. Visit bark.us to learn more about how you can keep your kids safe online. Use the code COLLIDEKIDS to get 15% off Your Bark Technologies Plan !

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What if teaching your kids to face challenges on their own is the most important part of raising them to fulfill their God-given purpose?

On this episode of the Collide Kids Podcast, host Christen Clark sits down with Erin Mashaw, COO of Birds on a Wire and veteran Christian parent, for an perspective-shifting conversation about Christian parenting, spiritual growth, and the real work of raising resilient, faith-filled children. Erin shares powerful insights on faith at home, practical discipleship tips, and why letting your kids struggle and learn is a vital part of family life and God’s bigger story for them.

• [00:05:23] Why protecting our kids is sometimes negative
• [00:08:05] Helping kids gain resilience
• [00:11:08] How to teach responsibility early
• [00:18:11] Practical advice for parents

Resources:

• Birds on a Wire ministry for moms (Birds on a Wire Moms website)
• Wire Talk weekly podcast
• Erin’s website: erinmashaw.com
• Book: "A Student's Guide to Sexual Integrity"
• Upcoming book: "Awkward Conversations: How to Talk with Your Kids About Sex, Gender, and Relationships"
• Instagram: @BirdsonaWireMoms
• Website: collidekidspodcast.com
• Instagram: @collidekidspod

Clip Finder:

Parenting Through the Teen Years: "We're kind of parenting in the teenage, young adult years, which is amazing and wonderful and challenging in a totally new way."

— Erin Mashaw [00:03:35 → 00:03:42]

Viral Parenting Debate: "We are choosing to value protection over preparation."

— Erin Mashaw [00:06:08 → 00:06:12]

Empowering Kids to Speak Up: "It's your responsibility because it's your grade. Let's talk about what you could say or how you could say it, you know, to kind of do those like practice conversations at home so that as a parent, you're still coaching and guiding, but you're putting some control in your child's hands to be able to navigate the situation on their own."

— Erin Mashaw [00:09:38 → 00:09:53]

Viral Parenting Confessions: "Hey, I need to apologize to you because I have really leaned in too much in this area."

— Erin Mashaw [00:12:04 → 00:12:10]

Raising Future Adults: "I want my kids to grow up to be adults who can own it and apologize when they mess up. who can navigate a difficult relational situation."

— Erin Mashaw [00:15:48 → 00:15:56]

Raising Selfless Kids in a Self-Centered World: "I want my kids to learn how to love and serve others, and the very best way to do that is to give them opportunities along the way to practice it."

— Erin Mashaw [00:16:51 → 00:16:59]

Parenting Independence Challenge: "She talks about making a list of 2 things that you're doing for your kids that they can already do themselves, and then 2 things that they can almost do for themselves, and stop doing all of it. Oh, that's good."

— Erin Mashaw [00:18:40 → 00:18:52]

Teaching Kids Independence: "What's something that you would like to be able to do for yourself? You know, and ask our kids, like our boys will have said when they were younger, they were like, I wanna learn how to cook dinner. Like, great, what would you like to learn to cook? Let's do it together."

— Erin Mashaw [00:19:20 → 00:19:31]

Viral Topic: The Shift from Purity to Integrity: "sexual integrity feels like something that I can prioritize as an adult, you know, at any point and stage in my life, whereas purity may, some people feel like you can have it and lose it."

— Erin Mashaw [00:22:59 → 00:23:07]

Viral Road Trip Games: "So, I have this idea, I like open, you know, my notebook, and I write like a really big Q on this, you know, and like he doesn't see me doing it."

— Erin Mashaw [00:24:22 → 00:24:30]

Bark proactively works to monitor, detect, and alert you to potential issues on your kids' devices. Visit bark.us to learn more about how you can keep your kids safe online. Use the code COLLIDEKIDS to get 15% off Your Bark Technologies Plan !

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Have you ever seen dogs competing in sports and wondered how they got started?

On this fun episode of the Collide Kids Podcast, host Christen Clark sits down with Megan Bohinc, a licensed mental health therapist and dog-sport influencer, to explore the unique world of dog sports and how this has become a family adventure. Megan shares how dog sports transformed her life, what training her high-energy champion dog Rain taught her about spiritual growth, and why inviting others in (just like Jesus did) can enrich your faith at home.

• [00:04:02] Megan’s journey from mental health therapy to dog sports
• [00:07:36] Discovering purpose when one door closes and another opens
• [00:15:14] Inviting people like Jesus did

Resources:

• @rain_the_weim
• Website: collidekidspodcast.com
• Instagram: @collidekidspod

Clip Finder:

Therapy Dogs Have Boundaries Too: "she loves treats and she loves her people, but she doesn't love, like, strangers, like, hugging her. Like, her personal bubble is, like, bigger than most. Most dogs."

— Megan Bohinc [00:04:27 → 00:04:39]

Discovering Dog Training: "I went to a dog training class to show this dog, and that's all I knew. Like, I didn't know that there were other options."

— Megan Bohinc [00:08:47 → 00:08:55]

Agility, Barn Hunt, and Escape Room Fun with Dogs: "And then we do barn hunt, where rats are in tubes and you find the rats in this. Like, so I feel like it's similar to an escape room. So, like, you go in and you have things that you have to accomplish, like, you have to do it."

— Megan Bohinc [00:10:35 → 00:10:50]

Learning by Playing: "I think we learn a lot when we play the actual game. Like, hey, we go into the ring and it's like the timer's going, and we had to, like, make it to the finish line at a certain time. I think I've learned a ton. I feel like just kind of playing the game and figuring out how it goes."

— Megan Bohinc [00:13:50 → 00:14:07]

The Power of Invitation: "having someone invite you somewhere, it opens the door to say, hey, like, we want you here."

— Megan Bohinc [00:15:58 → 00:16:04]

Everyday Faith in Action: "celebrating people and encouraging people, inviting people, I think that that shares Jesus more than anything that I could even say."

— Megan Bohinc [00:17:21 → 00:17:32]

Dog Training Treats That Work: "Yes, but, like, the higher values is like the string cheese and the hot dogs are really go to."

— Megan Bohinc [00:19:42 → 00:19:48]

Getting Started in Dog Sports: "I think finding a local club. So there's dog clubs, like all around the country. And also like dog trainers or dog classes that you can look, you know, around where you're living. That may be an option because they have different specific classes for different either sports or different goals that you want to work on or train on."

— Megan Bohinc [00:21:23 → 00:22:00]

Viral Topic: Teen Self-Teaches Dog Agility and Shines at First Trial: "Like how amazing for a 14 year old to go to somewhere that she's never even gone to and even done and trained herself and is there. I just love that."

— Megan Bohinc [00:22:58 → 00:23:10]

Bark proactively works to monitor, detect, and alert you to potential issues on your kids' devices. Visit bark.us to learn more about how you can keep your kids safe online. Use the code COLLIDEKIDS to get 15% off Your Bark Technologies Plan !

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How can two simple words written during a painful middle school moment inspire families everywhere to wear their faith and love boldly in daily life?

In this episode of the Collide Kids Podcast, host Christen Clark sits down with Robin Frederiksen, founder of the faith-based apparel company Love Well Brand. Robin shares the origin story sparked by her daughter's experience with bullying, how Christian parenting shaped their family business, and why raising Christian kids sometimes means letting our faith show up in surprising ways, even in a sweatshirt.

• [00:05:35] How Love Well Brand began from bullying
• [00:10:03] The meaning behind Love Well
• [00:14:07] Day-to-day work for Robin
• [00:18:01] Wearing your faith

Resources:

• lovewellbrand.com
• Coupon code for 20% discount: COLLIDE20
• Website: collidekidspodcast.com
• Instagram: @collidekidspod

Clip Finder:

Family Values in Business: "We as a family really just have loved sharing that message with people as our world keeps changing."

— Robin Frederiksen [00:04:04 → 00:04:14]

Origin of Lovewell: "That is where Lovewell began."

— Robin Frederiksen [00:06:45 → 00:06:48]

The Power of Heartfelt Connection: "Loving well has nothing to do with what you have, and that has everything to do with your heart and how you treat other people."

— Robin Frederiksen [00:07:50 → 00:07:59]

Faith in Action: "I should turn the other cheek. I should love. Well, it needs to be a reminder to me. And some of that also came from scripture and it actually is in Philippians 1:9, the message, it says we should love and love. Well, like that is what God is calling us to do."

— Robin Frederiksen [00:09:33 → 00:09:54]

Inclusive Fashion for All Ages: "one of the most difficult things I get to do is try to make things for everyone. And that is a very big challenge when we're talking about comfortable, fun clothing, which is part of what we also. Our mission also is so trying to make something for guys and girls from a very young age, all the way through grandmas and grandpas."

— Company Founder

— Robin Frederiksen [00:10:27 → 00:10:56]

Brand Loyalty Through Comfort: "over a 10 year period we have customers who have closets of Lovewell and the reason they have that is because it's something different and it's comfortable."

— Robin Frederiksen [00:11:47 → 00:12:02]

Supporting Small Businesses: "they're all small local shops, and I love that. So I load stuff in my car and I take it to be printed or I take it to be embroidered and, you know, specify all of that."

— Robin Frederiksen [00:14:39 → 00:14:50]

Viral Topic: The Power of Love Well Across Belief Systems: "We knew that Love well was a message that was very broad and we do have tons of customers who are not Christians necessarily and don't necessarily want to wear anything. That said, this is in the Bible or not in the Bible or, you know, they're just not those people. However, it is such a strong message."

— Robin Frederiksen [00:18:03 → 00:18:30]

Kindness Is Universal: "And I think that has been really the root of this messaging from the beginning is more about treating people the way you want to be treated with kindness and love."

— Robin Frederiksen [00:19:24 → 00:19:37]

Wearing Your Faith: "Wearing your faith really is just about, like I said, bringing your inside out and allowing people to approach you and treating them with, you know, love and kindness when you do that." — Robin Frederiksen

— Robin Frederiksen [00:21:11 → 00:21:26]

Bark proactively works to monitor, detect, and alert you to potential issues on your kids' devices. Visit bark.us to learn more about how you can keep your kids safe online. Use the code COLLIDEKIDS to get 15% off Your Bark Technologies Plan !

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Can encouragement transform you and your family's purpose?

This week on the Collide Kids Podcast, host Christen Clark sits down with Brandon Rushin, Christian speaker, entertainer, and widely considered professional encourager. Together they explore Brandon’s ministry of speaking and encouraging through hilarious, unforgettable characters, and how they open people up to receive Good News.

• [00:05:09] Brandon introduces himself
• [00:07:30] How Brandon’s mom, vacation Bible school, and a chance modeling gig shaped Brandon’s sense of purpose and calling
• [00:20:12] Why laughter, joy, and engaging characters open doors for faith conversations

Resources:

• brandonrushin.com
• Website: collidekidspodcast.com
• Instagram: @collidekidspod

Clip Finder:

Discovering Talents Early: "And my mom and dad still to this day say there was one day that we were at Disney and my dad said, in front of the castle, I just threw up my hands and said, everybody, look here. And he said, I just entertained people right there. And he said, I could tell right from that moment that God had given you a gift that you were going to get to use."

— Brandon Rushin [00:07:36 → 00:08:00]

Divine Purpose in Childhood Summers: "But I really believe that was God crafting and speaking and teaching me that, hey, I'm gonna. What you're getting from me, you're gonna use for my glory in the future."

— Brandon Rushin [00:10:15 → 00:10:26]

Everyone Needs Encouragement: "Because I feel like everybody needs to know that they're important, that they matter and that they're cared for."

— Brandon Rushin [00:14:07 → 00:14:13]

Breaking Down Barriers with Laughter: "I believe that if you get people laughing, it'll break down their walls, and then they're ready to receive good news."

— Brandon Rushin [00:20:12 → 00:20:21]

Creativity and Faith in Character Building: "And the first thing I do is go to prayer and I pray to God and say, hey, God, either let a character that you've already helped me create be that character to fit this. To fit this theme, or give me the words and the thoughts to create a new character. And tried and true, he always comes through either a character that already. That he's already helped me goes to fit it perfectly, or he comes up with a new character."

— Brandon Rushin [00:24:27 → 00:24:51]

Bark proactively works to monitor, detect, and alert you to potential issues on your kids' devices. Visit bark.us to learn more about how you can keep your kids safe online. Use the code COLLIDEKIDS to get 15% off Your Bark Technologies Plan !

Support the show