Parent Forward
Parent Forward: Where Parenting Meets Spiritual Formation
with Julie Ann Luse
Parenting is more than managing behavior — it’s sacred, formative work.
Parent Forward invites you to see raising kids through a new lens: as a holy journey of becoming, both for your children and for you. Join longtime ministry leader, mother of three, and spiritual formation guide Julie Ann Luse as she explores the everyday moments of parenting through the lens of faith, neuroscience, and soul-deep connection.
Through personal stories, research-backed insights, and biblical wisdom, Julie Ann helps parents move beyond quick fixes and behavior charts to embrace the slow, beautiful work of forming souls — including their own. Every episode offers gentle encouragement, honest reflections, and practical steps to help you cultivate a spiritually nurturing home where love, grace, and presence shape the next generation.
If you’re longing for deeper connection, tired of parenting tips that miss the heart, and hungry to weave your faith naturally into daily family life — Parent Forward is for you.
It’s not about perfection.
It’s not about performance.
It’s about becoming — one faithful step at a time.
Subscribe and begin moving forward today.
Parent Forward
Episode 9: SACRED PLAY SERIES pt 4 | When play grows up: Why Growing Up Doesn't Mean Giving Up Wonder
SHOW NOTES: https://parentforward.com/sacredplayseries-whenplaygrowsup/
Remember when play came naturally? When laughter flowed freely with your little ones? Then something shifted. The sidewalk chalk disappeared, games became "dorky," and eye rolls replaced giggles. What happened to that sacred sense of wonder we once shared with our children?
This episode explores the beautiful tension of parenting older kids while trying to maintain—or recover—our capacity for sacred play. We dive into the neuroscience behind why imagination fades (it's called synaptic pruning) and the hopeful reality that our brains can build new pathways back to joy through intentional practice. We challenge common myths about teenagers: they don't actually want to be left alone; they crave meaningful connection beyond screens; and yes, they still want moments of silliness and delight—just in different forms.
Looking to Jesus as our model, we find someone who embodied playful spirituality through questions, stories, and inviting people to notice the world around them. His posture of curiosity reminds us that God delights in questions rather than fearing mystery. What blocks us from embracing this divine playfulness? Often it's shame, exhaustion, or the persistent feeling that we haven't earned joy yet—that we don't deserve delight until the to-do list is complete. But what if play isn't a luxury but a spiritual discipline essential for our wholeness?
Whether your children are toddlers, teens, or somewhere in between, this episode offers gentle permission to start small: one moment of shared delight this week. Because it's not too late to rebuild wonder—for your children's sake and your own. Join me on Instagram @parentforwardpodcast to share how it goes, and tune in next week for a special behind-the-scenes episode about the heart behind Parent Forward, plus a giveaway of my favorite parenting tools!
Let’s Stay Connected:
- Instagram: @parentforwardpodcast
- Website: www.parentforward.com
