As my kids have been getting older, I’ve been thinking about ways I can help them identify the truth in a world of half-truths and confusing misinformation. Pray for them The biggest thing I can do is prioritize praying for them . God doesn’t want them to believe the world’s lies either, and He knows what they’re hearing all the time, everywhere. I’m trying to trust that He’ll prepare them for whatever they’ll need, just like I’ve seen Him prepare me for situations that I never could have anticipated. And one of the ways I can build that trust is
We live in a culture that tells us to “cancel” those we disagree with and hold angry grudges against those who wrong us. But holding grudges is bad for our health. As Rene Schlaepfer pointed out in Chasing David : A 2019 report in the Journal of Psychology and Aging found that holding grudges is dangerous to your health. Remaining in the state of anger is associated with chronic inflammation and other illnesses. The effects intensifies with age; in other words, the longer you hold a grudge, the sicker you get (page 113). What Jesus Said About Forgiveness Jesus talked
I don’t know about you, but sometimes I worry about how to raise my kids in this crazy world we live in. We try to shelter them as it seems age-appropriate to do so. We set boundaries for TV shows and movies they can watch or video games they can play. We’ll let the oldest one use the computer on a very limited basis, and monitor websites she goes to and talk about internet safety. But there’s only so much we can do. We’ll only be able to protect them to a point. They’ll hear and see things. They’ll experience
Discipline. It’s probably one of the most controversial parenting topics out there. There are so many schools of thought about how to discipline your children, and I feel like culturally I’m told to discipline my kids less and less. But I know I need to discipline them because I love them : My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline or be weary of his reproof, for the Lord reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights. Personally, I find disciplining my kids one of the hardest parts of parenting . It’s so easy
I love Christmas. When it gets to be about that time of year, I’m quick to switch the family over to my carefully-curated playlist that features all of my favorites. I love the memories, the time with family, the movies, all of it. But as much as I love Christmas, I’ve come to realize that Easter is more important. Although we needed Christmas to happen to get to Easter 33 years later, without Jesus’ sacrifice and resurrection, His birth doesn’t mean as much. Making Easter a bigger deal Last year my husband and I decided we wanted to make Easter
How many times do you hear your kids whine, “It’s not fair!” Despite all the advantages my kids have, life is still hard. They will still face challenges. As a parent, how can I prepare them for those tough situations right around the corner? In Chip Ingram’s series, Effective Parenting in a Defective World , he shares five things to teach your kids to prepare them for life’s biggest battles. Here are the takeaways that stood out to me from his main points. Suffering is normal This world isn’t perfect. There will be suffering. Jesus told us we can expect
Parenting Goals What are your goals as an effective parent ? I’d like my kids to pursue careers they’re interested in, have healthy relationships with friends and maybe a spouse someday, and eventually (in a long while) bless us with some grandchildren. But ultimately, no matter what they do, my husband and I hope they choose to follow God and the plans He has for their lives. I want them to obey their Creator. Why Obedience? In his Effective Parenting in a Defective World series, Chip Ingram says, “You must recognize your child’s primary responsibility is to learn obedience.” The
Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him.–Psalm 127:3 As much as I know and believe my children are a gift from the Lord, sometimes this parenting thing is HARD. As a mother, I’ve continued to grow in ways I didn’t know were possible, and I’m not done growing, either. I’m very far from being a perfect parent. I was recently encouraged by Chip Ingram’s Effective Parenting in a Defective World series . My church offered it as an 8-week class a few years ago and I took it then. I walked away with a
I didn’t used to think I was a selfish person. Then I got married. All of a sudden, my life decisions weren’t all about me anymore. I needed to include someone else and learn to put his desires before my own. After a few years of marriage, I thought I’d learned how to not be selfish. Then I had kids. All of a sudden, my time really wasn’t my own. I needed to sacrifice basic things like sleep and hygiene over the needs of this tiny, helpless person that couldn’t do anything for themselves. Then I did it again, and
If your family is like mine, when you’re trying to shuffle the kids out the door, there’s a lot of chaos, bickering, barking, and frustration. And usually all our emotions jump into overdrive because we’re already running late and I’m trying to hurry. That’s the keyword there: hurry . I keep trying to do more than I can. I don’t give myself enough time to do what I want to do, and get frustrated that I’m late. I’m also easily distracted, which slows me down even more. Then I try to compensate by hurrying everyone along which feels a lot