Teaching Goal: Fear of God is key to happiness and blessing. Scripture: Psalm 128:1 How happy are those who fear the Lord. (NLT) Proverbs 19:23 Fear of the Lord gives life, security, and protection from harm. (NLT) Proverbs 22:4 Fear of the Lord leads to [...]
Teaching goal: It is easy for our lives to get too busy. We need to make time for rest. Scripture: Genesis 2:2 [God] rested on the seventh day from all His work. Exodus 20: 8 (The 10 Commandments) Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. [...]
“Am I my brother’s keeper?” I’ve never uttered those words because I don’t have any siblings, but I am raising them. I must regularly ask my husband if the way our children are relating is normal.Something we see in our children that is different in our [...]
Like many white-skinned Americans, I’ve been spending a lot of time absorbing information over the past few weeks. I’ve also been evaluating my own thought patterns and habitual/learned thinking. As a Christian, I’ve been praying for our world, those most closely affected, and for how [...]
I am very blessed to be a work-from-home mom. I do a few part-time jobs and our home is my home-base for those roles. A funny thing happens when everyone is home with me all the time. I just want to be with them. [...]
Our world has been in such a flux with the stay-at-home order melting into the safer-at-home order and especially flowing from school at home to no school at home. We realized early on that our children needed a schedule to know what to expect and [...]
It bothers me to find something broken in my home. There are things that are purposefully broken like when a child gets mad and throws a sibling’s toy in vengeance. There are things that are accidentally broken like when someone is learning how to throw a [...]
“Have courage and be kind.” What a beautiful mantra Cinderella learned from her mama in the live - action movie from 2015. What will your children remember you saying? I once heard Chonda Pierce say that her mother used to tell her to not [...]
Here’s the classic Mother’s Day verse preached on Mother’s Day as a goal for wives and mothers: “Her children stand and bless her. Her husband praises her: ‘There are many virtuous and capable women in the world, but you surpass them all.’” Proverbs 31:28-29 [...]
In the first week of the stay-at-home order, I took my trash out at 7:45pm and it was completely silent. I’m talking no cars driving by, no one talking, no one walking by my house. I wasn’t horror movie afraid, I was still. I [...]
In 1 Corinthians 9:19 Paul says, “I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.” And as parents we very much want to save our children. We want to save them from the abuse and manipulation [...]
In 1 Corinthians 9:19 Paul says, “I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.” How can you possibly be all things to all people? Prioritize. If you aren’t taking care of your children, you can’t [...]
In 1 Corinthians 9:19 Paul says, “I have become all things to all people so that by all possiblemeans I might save some.” What does it mean for you to be all things to each of the people inyour family, in your neighborhood, in your community? [...]
As all of us are adapting to our 'New Normal', we have new opportunities to: build special memories with our children, start new habits/routines, observe their learning styles, have fun, teach life lessons, and be ambassadors for Christ. We need to savor this unexpected [...]
You have probably heard the word “unprecedented” more times in the last month than you have in your entire life. If you are like me, you are so tired of hearing the word that you have become desperate for an appropriate synonym just to keep [...]
We have a cool opportunity to speak life and truth into our children’s lives. Like when Abram had no children and God said he would be a father of many nations, there are times in our children’s lives when we must “call things that are not [...]
When you have gone to Sunday school a long time, you know some of the answers to the typical questions even when you are young. “Who saves us from our sins?” “JESUS!” Gold Star.“What is sin?” “The wrong things we think, say and do.” Gold Star. Then [...]
As Jesus was riding the donkey down the streets of Jerusalem, people were convinced He was going to start a revolution and save them from Roman rule. They were ready for physical war and were cheering for their champion. What they thought was going [...]
Recently I had the chance to hear a man teach on the importance of christians praying together. His three sermons focused on how to carry out the essential but neglected task of corporate prayer. For the first time in my life, I found myself [...]
As we finish our parenting tips from 1 Corinthians 13:4-8, let’s look at some absolutes that actually benefit your children. Love “always protects” looks like being attentive to your children’s well-being whether they are in your presence or not. Many children are hurt by others [...]
As we continue talking about 1 Corinthians 13:4-8, let’s open our laptops and figuratively clickon some social media. Mamas, this will be mainly focused towards us, but tune in dads, thismay give you an inside look into your spouse’s online world. Let’s cover “love is not…” [...]
We often hear “The Love Chapter” at weddings or near Valentine’s Day and it’s focused on romantic relationships. It is actually a pretty awesome checklist for self-reflection in parenting, so this month, we’ll focus on part of what love looks like practically. Love is [...]
I remember having an idea for a book called “The Death of a Cynic”. What do you think? Let me explain… I had only been married for a few months and had recently moved to the unfamiliar land of East Texas. For roughly a decade prior [...]
In our last installment of our three-week study of Colossians 3:15-17, we are reminded to do all things in the name of the Lord Jesus. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving [...]
As we continue our three-week study of Colossians 3:15-17, we think about the message ofChrist.Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another withall wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in [...]
Memorial Day is the time our country has set aside to honor those fallen heroes who gave their lives for our personal freedoms and our nation’s continued political and religious freedom. Please take the time to talk to your children about what was sacrificed on [...]
It’s important as a couple to be of one mind. If there are people (including your children) who would try to pit you against each other to get their way, you must stand together in submission to God and one another no matter what others [...]
Let’s cuddle up in front of the fireplace and look at the Nativity Scene together. Each of the people in this everlasting reminder were blessings to God and to the whole world.. Mary was obedient and submissive even before she was asked to be. She [...]
Just a few years ago my wife and I buckled our little girl into her carseat after a full Christmas morning of presents and peace. We were loading up to visit family in a town a few hours away. Our little vehicle was filled to [...]
I have heard some over-tired, overwhelmed mamas say they “just want peace” in their home. Often what these mamas really want is quiet. Children make sounds all day long. There are sounds that little ones make that adults don’t. Humming, blowing raspberries, gun sounds shooting [...]
The holidays are my favorite time of year. Thanksgiving makes me think of family, football, food, naps, movies, and shopping (not necessarily in that order!). Christmas makes me think of a warm hearth, traditions, closed stores, A Christmas Carol movies, Charlie Brown, family, hymns, carols, [...]
As we continue to think thankful thoughts, it’s good to remind ourselves of the most important reason for us to be thankful. This passage of Scripture inspires us with thinking of that most important thing! 6 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as [...]
Sit with me at the Thanksgiving Table of my childhood for a moment. Everyone has their food and begins to dig in! One of the adults looks up and says, “As we thank God for this bountiful feast, let’s go around and each say [...]
We hear people talking about having a thankful heart or an attitude of gratitude. Both are super important, but I believe thankfulness begins in the mind. When we feel discontent in our lives, it is often a sign we are not having the perspective of [...]
I’ve always been amazed by music. Even the most educated, trained, and experienced musicians struggle when tasked with pinning down what music actually is! I view it as a creation and gift from God to be used for His glory. Not only is it a [...]
People love stories. They love telling them, hearing them, watching them and living them. Part of thereason children love to dress up is to pretend to be in a different story. My little ones loved dressing uplike firemen, doctors, and superheros. They wanted to be heroes [...]
When we lost our fourth baby to miscarriage a few years ago, I realized that our culture doesn’t know how to deal with miscarriage. Every other woman I talked to for the first two weeks after losing the baby said they had experienced the same [...]
We live in a Disposable Culture where people all around us see people and relationships as disposable. I met a woman whose husband left her and their three children to live a life addicted to gambling. He legally divorced her, but there was no infidelity [...]
Affirming Spiritual and Character Growth This month we’ve been focusing on affirmation and have learned that the definition of affirm” is “to state as fact; assert strongly and publicly; to declare one’s support for; uphold; defend.” We discussed the importance of affirming your children, your [...]
As we have been covering this month, the definition of the word “affirm” is “to state as fact; assert strongly and publicly; to declare one’s support for; uphold; defend.” We talked about the importance of affirming your children in order for them to feel known [...]
As we discussed last week, the definition of the word “affirm” is “to state as fact; assert strongly and publicly; to declare one’s support for; uphold; defend.” We talked about the importance of affirming your children in order for them to feel known and supported. [...]
The definition of the word “affirm” is “to state as fact; assert strongly and publicly; to declare one’s support for; uphold; defend.” What a beautiful word. When I feel affirmed, I do feel supported and I feel known. When was the last time someone you [...]
Your four-year-old looks up at you in his oversized rain boots and fireman costume and says, “Mama, I want to be a fireman when I grow up… and build buildings… and be a superhero… and…” Our children are taught that they can be anything they [...]
One new parenting dilemma that our parents did not deal with is the new definition of “identifying” our middle and high schoolers are being faced with. When we used to identify with a group of people in was because of classes or extra-curricular activities [...]
dBack to school is a perfect time to get into (or back into) a Family Time Training routine with your family. It’s a great time to determine which activities you’ll do together for the fall or even through Christmastime. You can pick a date, time, and [...]
Spend some time in the kitchen tasting summer foods together and being grateful for all the ways God provides for your family. Here are a few fun taste testing ideas to try with your family: Act of Food Service Have each person write down a [...]
When we spend a lot of time together, we can start to become impatient and easily irritated with each other. Here is a fun Family Activity that will help us remember the battle is a spiritual one not one fought against each other!Water Balloon BattleThe object [...]
Having intentional spiritual conversations when we are with our children in non-formal settings is key to helping them understand that our relationship with God affects every aspect of our lives. Deuteronomy 6:7 is a command to talk about the commandments of God as you walk [...]
In 2 Peter 3:18 we are reminded, “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” Unfortunately, some people make spiritual growth errors and then don’t experience the most benefit from what God has to offer. Here are common mistakes [...]
“Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.” -James 5:16 What a precious thing it is for a husband and dad to lead his [...]