In the helter-skelter pace of our culture, consistently sitting down for a family meal gets put on the back burner even though study after study shows how valuable gathering around the dinner table is for the health of a family. Whether it's improving communication, cutting down on expenses, or lowering the teen pregnancy rate, the positive effects of a consistent family mealtime are numerous.  In this episode, we talk about the positive outcomes of mealtimes and what this has to do with living above the fray.  Help us spread the word by sharing our podcast and make sure to check us out on social media for extra content! Instagram: abovethefraydavidandrosie Facebook: above the fray God bless you, David & Rosie

You ever have a song that lays you out? A song that just hits differently? We came across such a song called, "House of Their Dreams" by Casting Crowns and the lyrics blew us away. It's a song that tells of a family that has been ravaged by "the fray" and now the marriage is a wreck and the children are all but strangers.  In this week's podcast, we share the lyrics of this song along with the hope that we have for our families when we build our lives on the rock of  Christ. Below are the lyrics and the title of the song is hyperlinked to the music video. "HOUSE OF THEIR DREAMS" Casting Crowns (Mark Hall) A corner office was his dream More like a prison now it seems Somewhere on the corporate climb He left his warrior behind Now he's just a worker at a daily grind Steals his years and numbs his mind His strength is fading, his dreams are blind This is not the life he had in mind She lies awake cause he's up all night Staring at a screen that tells him lies That the grass is greener on the other side So she's at the gym fighting off the years To be young again and calm her fears That shell never be enough for him Just as a young man catches her eye Now they're trapped in their own worlds, in their own wars With their cell phones and the closed doors It's funny how quiet and peaceful that it seems But they're all alone together In the house of their dreams Little sister, she's a sixteen-year-old princess Lost somewhere between the swing set And her brand new crushs' chariot awaits And big brothers rooms glowing with trophies that shout his name But he'd trade all his high school fame For some backyard catch with his hero again Now they're trapped in their own worlds, in their own wars With their cell phones and the closed doors It's funny how quiet and peaceful that it seems But they're all alone together In the house of their dreams So now they're all dressed up in Sunday best Sit up straight just like the rest And they sing the songs of peace and rest that Jesus freely gives And then their kids look up as daddy stands And he takes his bride with trembling hands Brother kneels at his father's side as princess looks in the mother's eyes Their tears tear down the walls as daddy prays We're trapped in our own worlds and our own wars With our cell phones and our closed doors God, only You can save our family And on this Rock, well build On this Rock, well build The house of our dreams

We've spent a lot of time discussing the "fray" in previous episodes, so in this podcast, we want to give you 5 PRACTICAL TIPS for living above the fray. Here's a sneak  peek: Spend time reading and knowing the Bible. Evaluate what keeps you in the fray. Change your thinking and your attitude. Begin to change your habits. Live intentionally.  Don't forget to check out our social media pages on Instagram and Facebook where we upload additional content. If you like what you hear, spread the word about our podcast. Also, let us know how we're doing and what topics you'd like for us to talk about (I.M. us on social media)! Instagram: @above_the_fray_david_and_rosie Facebook: above the fray God Bless, David & Rosie

In last week's podcast, we talked about things that stress us out and some root causes for that stress. In this week's podcast, we give you some tips for dealing with stress (anxiety, fear, etc.) Biblically as well give you insight into how we deal with stress in our own marriage. So, grab a pen and paper and get ready to learn about living freely and lightly by dealing with the stress that weighs us down. Don't forget to check us out on our social media pages for additional content. Please like, share, and comment about how we're doing and what other topics you want us to tackle.  Instagram: david_rosie_above_the_fray Facebook: above the fray God Bless, David & Rosie

Stress, we all experience it. From major stresses like health issues and relationship turmoil to minor (or not so minor) stresses like kids arguing, and stains on your favorite blouse, we all have to deal with stress. How we deal with stress though is the key to living freely and lightly - above the fray. In this podcast, we'll be talking about some of the things that stress us out and why, along with answering the question, "Is all stress bad?". In Part II we'll take a deeper dive into how to handle stress Biblically.  Check it out and let us know what you think! Instagram: david_rosie_above_the_fray Facebook: above the fray God Bless, David & Rosie

With Christian holidays becoming increasingly secularized it's easy to allow Jesus to take a back seat. When that happens, we are destined to end up in 'the fray.' From overindulgence to pride and selfishness, to arguments, to flat out not recognizing Jesus, the fray distracts us from what's most important. Here's two questions to consider: What Easter traditions do you have?  Do they focus on Jesus or are they all about the bunny?  In this episode we talk about family holiday traditions, especially around Easter, and how we can develop memory making, God glorifying traditions in our homes. Let us know what you think! Instagram: david_rosie_above_the_fray Facebook: above the fray God bless,  David & Rosie

Hi everyone! We had the privilege of speaking at a Christian sorority retreat this past weekend. The theme of the retreat was, "Redeemed" and this week's podcast is taken from a workshop that we presented to the young ladies entitled, "Redeeming Marriage." This podcast is fantastic for those who are currently married or for those not quite ready - high school and college students. Grab a pen and paper as we will share some valuable tips on redeeming marriage.  Don't forget to check out our social media pages on Instagram and Facebook where we upload additional content. If you like what you hear, spread the word about our podcast. Also, let us know how we're doing and what topics you'd like for us to talk about (I.M. us on social media)! Instagram: @above_the_fray_david_and_rosie Facebook: above the fray God Bless,  David & Rosie

Nurturing kids to be empathetic human beings is vitally important in today's ever-callous world. How our children view people who are different than them - people with special needs, the elder, the homeless, etc - speaks to the kind of home they're being raised in. In this week's episode, we share a few tips about how to nurture empathy with your kids as well as share our story about having a child with Down Syndrome. Finally, we challenge you to think about above the fray when God throws us curveballs. Give it a listen and let us know what you think about this episode by I.M.ing us on Instagram or our new Facebook page. Instagram: @above_the_fray_david_and_rosie Facebook: Above the Fray God bless,  David and Rosie

The spiritual health of a family can be evaluated by its prayer life. Regular, consistent times of prayer not only bring us together as a family but also help us to live above the fray! In this week's episode, we talk about the importance of family prayer time and include tips for incorporating prayer into your family routine. We also talk about what prayer looks like in our own family. Give it a listen and let us know what you think about this episode by I.M.ing us on Instagram or our new Facebook page. Instagram: @above_the_fray_david_and_rosie Facebook: Above the Fray God Bless, David & Rosie

When you think about 'living above the fray,' worship may not be the first thing that pops into your head. So why bring it up? Because worship should be at the core of who we are and what we do as Christians. In this week's episode we talk about the importance of worship, family Worship in particular,  in helping us 'live above the fray,' tips for incorporating worship into your marriage, and things that we do to an atmosphere of worship in our own family. Give it a listen and let us know what you think about this episode by I.M.ing us on Instagram or our new Facebook page. Instagram: @above_the_fray_david_and_rosie Facebook: Above the Fray God bless,  David & Rosie