The Truth About Our Roles As Parents
“The goal of parenting isn’t to create perfect kids. It is to point our kids to the perfect God.” I read that quote from Lindsey Bell and sighed a breath of relief. I had just been facing another tough day as a mom—feeling dejected, tired, and inadequate. This sweet reminder…
3 Ways to Trust God as Parents
We can so easily underestimate our ability to teach our kids the deep things of God. Or, we think it's our pastor's job (to an extent it is), or that they'll have to learn on their own. This is the very special reality that is the home: we are placed in our kids' lives for a short period of time to…
Your Greatest Contribution
The Bible calls children “arrows in the hand of a warrior.” (Ps 127:4) If you are the warrior (you are) and your kids are arrows, then what could that mean for today? Every day is an opportunity to fashion/mold them, sharpen them, prepare them, AIM them, and release them in some way.…
Society’s Forge
This idea has been stuck in my head for months: the home is society’s forge. What I mean is, the very societies we occupy and the changes that form them are the result of whatever happened (or didn’t happen) in the homes of that society in prior generations. Today’s heroes and…
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. Two views compared It can be helpful to contrast the two…
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 second you’re home)? Does it mean that if you’re…
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 not talking about home improvement or chores.…
Seeing vs. *Seeing*
This is just a quick reminder. I needed to hear it, so I decided to jot down a few notes here. I recently read this thought: “Their differences matter, and their differences should shape and mould the the way we seek to introduce them to Jesus.” –Scott & Cathy Thompson Then…
Building Strong Children
The other day I came across this piercing 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 raise our young men and women to be…