

Making Hesstory
Brian & Katie Hess
The Making Hesstory Podcast is all about two things: our love for Jesus and our desire to see families made healthy and whole.We believe healthy families begin with healthy parents—and that happens through discipleship to Jesus and His ways.Our mission is to equip people around the world with the tools and truth needed to build relationships and home lives marked by love, peace, joy, and trust.By bringing the gospel into everyday situations, we help bridge the gap between spiritual insight and practical living—whether in marriage, parenting, or personal growth.Join us every Friday as we explore who God is and how to bring the reality of the gospel into your daily life.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Feb 7, 2025 • 33min
Ep 30 | Are You Underestimating the Power of Self-Control?
The meaning of self-control is as profound as it is simple. With it we're able to control ourselves and choose how we'll think, feel, and act towards other people. Without it, other people will be able to choose how we'll think, feel, and act towards them.Join Brian and Katie as they unpack the power of self-control, and how it brings with it the ability to love the way God loves.Want to connect? Use the links below to find us on social media, send us an email, buy our books, or subscribe to our weekly newsletter!Order our books: https://makinghesstory.com/shopSend us an email: brianandkatie@makinghesstory.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/makinghesstory/Website: http://www.makinghesstory.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61550195135910Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@MakingHesstory

5 snips
Jan 31, 2025 • 56min
Ep 29 | Shift Your Mindset From Victim To Victorious
Few things can keep you stuck in life the way that a victim mentality can.This episode is not directed to people who have actually been a victim of the actions of others, but to those who are playing the role of the victim in life unnecessarily.Join Brian and Katie as they discuss how to identify a victim mentality, the pitfalls of developing one, and how Jesus can be looked to as a model of living victoriously in all circumstances.Want to connect? Use the links below to find us on social media, send us an email, buy our books, or subscribe to our weekly email updates!Order our children’s book: https://mailchi.mp/makinghesstory/8lk1lhsrxaOrder Brian’s book: https://a.co/d/bO34iAUSend us an email: brianandkatie@makinghesstory.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/makinghesstory/Website: http://www.makinghesstory.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61550195135910Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@MakingHesstory

Jan 24, 2025 • 46min
Ep 28 | Questions That Will Help Your Kids Develop Response-Ability
Responsibility is best understood as response-ability.When we develop responsibility and work towards managing our own behavior and emotions, we develop the ability to formulate thoughtful and intentional responses to the unforeseen events, problems, circumstances, and undesirable behavior from the people around us.When we lack responsibility, we lack the ability to respond, leaving us with only the ability to react.Reactions lack thoughtfulness, intentionality, and vision. They relegate our behavior to serve as a reflection of our immediate surroundings and circumstances, and we'll end up being a slave to the emotions that those circumstances produce in us.Join Brian and Katie as they discuss the role and necessity of responsibility, and what they consider to be absolutely essential questions to routinely ask your kids in an effort to help them become more responsible.Want to connect? Use the links below to find us on social media, send us an email, buy our books, or subscribe to our weekly email updates!Order our children’s book: https://mailchi.mp/makinghesstory/8lk1lhsrxaOrder Brian’s book: https://a.co/d/bO34iAUSend us an email: brianandkatie@makinghesstory.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/makinghesstory/Website: http://www.makinghesstory.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61550195135910Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@MakingHesstoryLearn more about our church's Company Emphases (as mentioned in the episode): https://beloveco.org/1319-2/

Jan 17, 2025 • 47min
Ep 27 | Sickness, Routine, and Learning to Trust Yourself
This week we're back on the topic of finding ways to implement new habits and routine in a way that works. When we try to do too much too quickly and fail after a short period, the byproduct is that we may end up teaching ourselves that we can't be trusted when it comes to making changes and implementing new habits and disciplines.Join Brian and Katie as they talk about how our lives are changed not just by the big events of life, but by what we choose to cultivate in the mundane of daily life.Want to connect? Use the links below to find us on social media, send us an email, buy our books, or subscribe to our weekly email updates!Order our children’s book: https://mailchi.mp/makinghesstory/8lk1lhsrxaOrder Brian’s book: https://a.co/d/bO34iAUSend us an email: brianandkatie@makinghesstory.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/makinghesstory/Website: http://www.makinghesstory.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61550195135910Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@MakingHesstory

Jan 10, 2025 • 46min
Ep 26 | Are You As Mature As You Want Your Kids To Be? (Ep 4 throwback)
Bad news - we've been really sick this week!We should be back up and running next week, but in the mean time here is one of our earlier episodes.On this episode we explored what makes kids so good at being kids, and what they need from their parents in order to grow up and mature out of their childish ways.Unfortunately, there are many parents who hold their kids to a higher standard of maturity than they're willing or capable of modeling themselves.For the sake of our kids, we need to become as whole and healthy as we possibly can so that, rather than demanding unrealistic expectations, we are prepared to model the very behavior we wish to see in them.

Jan 3, 2025 • 43min
Ep 25 | New Year, New You?
We thought this episode would be a good time to share an unpopular opinion - we don't love the idea of New Year's resolutions.We do, however, believe in discipline, habit forming, and creating rhythms, all of which have a more profound impact on who we are and who we become than the switching of the calendar from December to January.Join us as we discuss some practical ways to think about changing and implementing new ways of living without being overwhelmed by the pressure to revolutionize your life every January.

Dec 20, 2024 • 37min
Ep 24 | What Does God Think About You?
Do you believe that God exists?If so, what do you believe He thinks about you?Do you believe that He thinks you're unlovable? Disappointing? A failure? Or do you believe that He loves you unconditionally, and that He's proud do call you a friend?Throughout our lives we're presented with innumerable opportunities to learn to believe things about God, and unfortunately not everything we learn to believe about Him is true.It can be easy to develop belief about God's character and nature that is based on unvalidated assumptions, but the truth is that the only way to know for sure what He's like is to get to know Him personally.Want to connect? Use the links below to find us on social media, send us an email, or subscribe to our weekly email updates!Order our children’s book: https://a.co/d/2ruBRiDOrder Brian’s book: https://a.co/d/bO34iAUSend us an email: brianandkatie@makinghesstory.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/makinghesstory/Website: http://www.makinghesstory.comYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@MakingHesstoryFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61550195135910

Dec 13, 2024 • 39min
Ep 23 | We Wrote A Children's Book!
Kids generally have their core beliefs about their identity formed by the time they're seven years old.For this reason, we need to be intentional in choosing how we speak to and about our kids.In this episode, Brian and Katie talked about their newly published children's book titled What Does God Say About Me?: Declarations For Kids, from A-Z, and their motivation behind writing it.Speaking declarations like those found in this book with your children is an easy and practical way to help them learn to believe the truth about who God says they are.Buy it on Amazon: https://a.co/d/95i5jOnWant to connect? Use the links below to find us on social media, send us an email, or subscribe to our weekly email updates!Send us an email: brianandkatie@makinghesstory.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/makinghesstory/Website: http://www.makinghesstory.comYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@MakingHesstoryFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61550195135910

Dec 6, 2024 • 54min
Ep 22 | Punishment vs. Discipline (part 2)
Delve into the playful yet profound dynamics of parenting as the hosts share humorous sibling moments and holiday adventures. They tackle the crucial distinction between discipline and punishment, emphasizing the need for understanding over fear in parenting. Discover how parents model values for their children and the importance of effective communication. Learn constructive conflict resolution strategies that foster trust and self-acceptance. This episode is a treasure trove for nurturing responsibility and emotional awareness in kids.

Nov 29, 2024 • 34min
Ep 21 | Punishment vs. Discipline
The discussion dives into the vital differences between punishment and discipline, emphasizing that the former breeds fear while the latter nurtures love and connection. It highlights how effective parenting fosters critical thinking and personal responsibility rather than mere compliance. The hosts share insights on the dangers of fear-based parenting, advocating for a supportive environment where mistakes are viewed as learning opportunities. Personal experiences and biblical perspectives enrich the conversation, creating a roadmap for healthier relationships in families.


