Our women's ministry just recently completed a beautiful study in the book of Colossians. I have read through it’s four chapters now many times and continue to glean new, rich truths. However, there are three simple words the apostle Paul writes to the church in Colossae that penetrates my heart every time I read themContinue Reading »

Tags: motivation, beliefs, faith, family, godliness, guidance, spiritual leadership, prayer, intentionality, practical help, seasons of parenting, uncertainty, overwhelmed, advice, anxiety, encouragement

Over the years we’ve been called on by many exasperated parents who’ve hit critical mass in their homes and are in desperate need hoping to turn their circumstances around. Continue Reading »

Tags: motivation, beliefs, faith, family, godliness, guidance, spiritual leadership, prayer, intentionality, practical help, seasons of parenting, uncertainty, overwhelmed, advice, anxiety, encouragement

Discipleship as it relates to the stages of development

The Rhetoric Stage

In this series, we’ve taken a deeper look at discipleship in regard to the different stages of your child’s development. We have discussed what it looks like in the grammar stage (preschool-young elementary ages) and the logic stage (5th-9th grades). Now we will look at what discipleship looks like in the rhetoric stage (14 - 18+year olds).
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Tags: discipleship, intentionality, practical help, beliefs, church, expectations, faith, family, godliness, guidance, motivation, priorities, salvation, spiritual leadership, vision, wisdom, prayer, seasons of parenting, teens

Discipleship as it relates to stages of development

The Logic Stage

In our previous posts we discussed what discipleship is, and what it looks like in the early pre-school and elementary years.

Today, we are going to take a deeper look at discipleship in the tween years or the Logic Stage of discipleship (5th - 9th grades). We’ll discuss practical, effective ways you can help disciple your child in this stage. Continue Reading »

Tags: anxiety, discipleship, elementary school, fear, intentionality, beliefs, church, expectations, faith, family, godliness, guidance, motivation, prayer, middle school, older children, parent-child relationship, practical help, salvation, seasons of parenting, training

Discipleship as it relates to stages of development

Rich and faithful discipleship should be the hallmark of every Christian home. For most parents it is something that is a genuine desire but often elusive and never fully integrated into family life.Continue Reading »

Tags: discipleship, godliness, guilt, home life, confidence, inadequacy, influence, parent-child relationship, prayer, intentionality, motivation, parental authority, priorities, spiritual leadership, wisdom

Over the years we've interacted with many Christian parents. They have been at all levels of spiritual maturity — some very young in their faith to the seasoned and deeply mature.

One thing, however, is pretty universal — and that is what they desire for their children.

So, Christian parent, let me ask you...
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Tags: behavior, discipleship, entitlement, godliness, motivation, salvation, worldliness, expectations, influence, spoiled kids

Sometimes when I deeply ponder the gravity of parenting and truly consider the stakes, a certain deep-seated uneasiness (perhaps approaching panic) slips over me. It isn't thinking about parenting in general that does this, it is thinking about the parenting of a specific child who seems to have drifted off course without my having noticed it sooner.
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Tags: distraction, fear, intentionality, motivation, overwhelmed, advice, anxiety, encouragement, guidance, guilt, uncertainty, perseverance, regret

In “Parenting Flows From Your Marriage” we shared that we’ve been collecting a sort of mental notebook around ways marriages can be self strengthening and in turn be able to deliver more effective parenting.

Today, we’re sharing our thoughts on the needs of a wife. Continue Reading »

Tags: church, encouragement, exhaustion, prayer, financial matters, chaos, confidence, family, guidance, guilt, home life, influence, motivation, oneness, practical help, priorities, reassurance, husbands and fathers, intentionality, loneliness, marriage, spiritual leadership, support, unity, wives and moms

One of the unexpected realities confronting Christian parents is this: faithful parenting is personally costly. No one ever told us this, we were completely unprepared. Continue Reading »

Tags: balance, intentionality, loneliness, advice, blessing, busyness, decision making, distraction, encouragement, personal sacrifice, priorities, expectations, faith, family, husbands and fathers, guidance, home life, hope, motivation, parent-child relationship, perseverance, regret, significance, vision, wives and moms, purpose, resentment, seasons of parenting, selfishness, unappreciated

The rising tide of worldliness is swamping even the church, it seems. Frightening statistics tell a story of young adults from Christian homes entering college or the workforce then soon abandoning their parents’ values and turning their backs on their parents’ faith.
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Tags: beliefs, confidence, faith, grown children, home life, inadequacy, reassurance, salvation, vision, worldliness, encouragement, family, guidance, motivation, parental authority, peace, worry, godliness