Society’s Forge
The question is not whether or not societal change starts in the home; the question is, What sort of change will happen and by what means? Caution: this post gets heady. Deciphering the times With everything going on right now—deep unrest, injustice,…
Short vs. Long-View Parenting
Everything good takes time, including molding the character of the next generation. As parents, we must have a long-term view of our roles in our children's' lives while also trusting in the long-term fruit of instructing them in God's way. It can be…
The Power of Presence
Being present is truly a form of self-discipline...and one that is difficult to master! But every moment we're present our children is a moment well invested. Does this mean your kids must have your complete attention every second of the day (or every…
Parenting is Sanctification
Parenting becomes much clearer when we realize and accept our children’s roles in advancing God’s work in us. Though we are charged with stewarding their hearts toward the Lord, we are also recipients of God’s grace, discipline, and…
The Work that Happens in the Home
Somewhere along the way, as a society we began devaluing the work that happens in the home. Sure, home is the place where we unwind, spend time with family, cook good meals, and enjoy entertainment, but what of the work that happens there? Note, we're…
Gospel-Saturated Parenting
The term "gospel saturated" has a way of making us think a little differently. As parents who want to raise our kids to know God, we will readily admit that the gospel is important as we navigate the various questions and challenges inherent to…
Seeing vs. *Seeing*
Nothing replaces seeing our kids. It's easy to get so caught up in the day-to-day of parenting that we forget to stop, see, and appreciate the little differences in personality in each child. This is true whether you have one or many. As parents, it's a…
Building Strong Children
The other day I came across this insightful quote: It's easier to build strong children than to repair broken men. (Frederick Douglass) This quote speaks to two profound opportunities shared by parents: (1) to introduce our kids to Jesus, and (2) to…
The Myth of Legacy
A friend once told me a freeing truth. He said, "Legacy is a myth." At first it grated on me. "What!? Of course legacy is real... and it's super important!" I thought. I was deflated and indignant. Then I considered the legacy of my own great…