Fighting for Family: The Relentless Pursuit of Belonging and Forgiveness | Chris & Julie Bennett (EP25)
Minimalist Moms Podcast | Purposeful Life & Parenting Tips
Diane Boden
4.7 • 1K Ratings
🗓️ 11 April 2025
⏱️ 36 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
This podcast is part of the Clear Intentions series of the show.
What does it really take to build a strong, lasting sense of family and belonging—even through life’s hardest moments? In this episode, Chris and Julie Bennett share their journey from Oklahoma to Malibu and the powerful story behind their book Fighting for Family: The Relentless Pursuit of Building Belonging. They open up about facing Julie’s stage three breast cancer diagnosis and the challenges of marriage, parenting, and community in the midst of adversity. How can forgiveness, authenticity, and intentionality strengthen family bonds? The Bennetts offer practical advice for creating resilient relationships rooted in love and faith. If you're looking for hope, connection, and purpose in your family life, this conversation is for you.
Links Discussed in This Episode |
- Connect with Chris + Julie:
- Instagram - Julie
- Instagram - Chris
- Website
- Book: Fighting for Family: The Relentless Pursuit of Building Belonging
About Chris + Julie |
Chris and Julie Bennett are writers, producers, and speakers with a shared passion for storytelling and building community. Originally from Texas and Oklahoma, they co-founded Welcome Home Lifestyle, a production company focused on creating content that celebrates strong families and meaningful relationships. In 2018, they moved with their four children to Los Angeles, a journey marked by unexpected challenges including Julie’s cancer diagnosis, a relapse, and the global pandemic. Their upcoming book, Fighting for Family: The Relentless Pursuit of Building Belonging (Harper Horizon; March 12, 2024), draws from their experiences to offer practical insight into cultivating connection and belonging. Both graduates of Baylor University, Chris and Julie have spent over two decades in vocational ministry and currently live in Malibu, where Chris serves as lead pastor of Vintage Church Malibu.
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Transcript
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| 1:03.5 | and use code minimalist for 20% off your first order. We're really passionate about family |
| 1:07.7 | that comes in all shape, sizes, backgrounds, all the things. And so we're excited to talk about it. If you feel led to do something, you just say yes before you know how. And we kind of put that to practice and move to L.A. with our four kids, without a home, without a job. Family can be the place that you get hurt the most, but we actually believe that it's the place you can get healed the most. |
| 1:28.4 | The saying of unforgiveness is like drinking poison and hoping the other person dies. |
| 1:33.3 | Forgiveness is the heart of actually allowing ourselves to be free. |
| 1:38.2 | Forgiveness is something that brings us freedom. |
| 1:42.1 | If you never want to be hurt, let down or disappointed, then don't love anyone. Don't love anything. Well, everybody looks good from a distance, but when you get close, we all have dirt. You do belong, you do matter. You are loved. You are deserving to be loved, regardless of if that's been your experience or not. Belonging is not just something that you find. Belonging is something that you bring. |
| 2:02.8 | What does it really take to build a strong, lasting sense of family and belonging even through |
| 2:08.2 | life's hardest moments? In this episode, Chris and Julie Bennett share their journey from Oklahoma to |
| 2:14.1 | Malibu and the powerful story behind their book, Fighting for Family, the Relentless |
| 2:19.0 | Pursuit of Building Belonging. |
... |
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