Equipping Parents for The Journey
Recently, at church on a Sunday morning, I saw a young elementary-age boy having a bad morning. He started to throw a fit because he didn’t want to go to class. I felt for him and was two seconds from stepping in when his mom bent over and calmly explained, “We talked about this...
Shared by Nathan Kocurek, Associate Pastor Student Ministries at Stonebriar Community Church, the true story of Michaela, one of his former students. The Gap Year is typically an academic year taken by a student as a break between high school and college. For Christian kids, the idea becomes a missional Gap Year. It can include...
A crisis is occurring in younger generations as children who grew up in churches turn away from their faith as adults. Kids may have the book knowledge required to navigate church today, but do they have the heart for Christ that will carry them through the challenges life will bring? Do you worry your...
“A lot of times I feel lonely.” “I often feel left out of things.” “I often wish I had more good friends.” These statements by teenagers were recorded in a recent article found in the September issue of The Atlantic magazine, highlighting a study on the effects of smart phones on our current teen...
Does this sound familiar? Yesterday morning went something like this: Me: Liv. Liv! Olivia! Olivia Marie! (at the top of my lungs) Liv: Crickets. Me: Stomping up the stairs, muttering under my breath, Disrespectful! She’s ignoring me!? I bet she’s just hoping I’ll give up. I’m not giving up! In fact, I’m the opposite of giving...
Preadolescence—that weird and awkward phase between 10 and 13. You were there once, and I bet you are cringing a bit just thinking about it. Now looking at your child with a lens of life experience, I bet you have a bit more sympathy. Yes, we parents have all made it through the gate...
As older parents of a single child, my husband and I were very cautious, controlling, and protective of our little one. When you wait so long to finally have a child, you tend to hold a little too tight. As we approached the kindergarten milestone, the anxiety in our home rose exponentially. We had...
I do not go incredibly deep with many people, and I shy away from sharing too much of my soul. I suppose you could call me an extroverted introvert, or selective based on the situation. Like everyone, I desire to know and be known, but questions like “How did you potty train?”, “Who does you...
Our daughter is graduating high school this year. There are so many things about her graduation that are exciting. Graduation photos, prom, banquets, college planning—it’s all so new and so exciting. After all, this is what we’ve worked hard for as parents, right? She’s so excited about college, and she’s definitely more independent than...
As the moment of my little girl exiting the womb and entering my arms draws all the more near, my thoughts are often captivated with the plethora of unique challenges little girls (and grown women) face. I want nothing more than to equip my daughter for the battles already going on for her heart,...
The day we celebrate the first coming of the Christ child is upon us, and during this season, my oldest little boy has found a deep affection for Mary—the woman chosen to bear the Son of God. I honestly don’t know who, other than the Holy Spirit, has caused him to reflect on her...
When I was a kid, there was no place you could hide a thing in my house that I would not find. In fact, I made it my business to know every nook and cranny of that place. Now, I was regularly unable to find where I left my shoes, but the important stuff, the stuff...
