Equipping Parents for The Journey
It hurt my heart a little bit, when a couple weeks ago my teenager declared . . . "Thanksgiving is my least favorite holiday. I don't see the point. All we do is hang out, watch football, and eat a big meal I don't even like." It was like shooting a dagger through my...
“We receive each child from the hand of God, not as a malleable lump of clay to be molded in whatever way we see fit, but as a unique, distinctive person with a destiny.” —Pastor Chuck Swindoll As parents, we can have three kids all raised in the same household that are extraordinarily different,...
Discipline is one of those things we get asked about all the time. Whether you are dealing with a preschooler who is biting, an elementary child who is lying, or a teenager who misses their curfew, every parent is looking for the next idea that might crack the code to changing those hard-to-manage situations....
Establishing a godly home is an intrinsically unique endeavor with infinite impact on others. Homemaking is an essential part of family life, whether you are called to stay home with your children, work outside the home, have some type of flexible working situation, have family or hired individuals assist with homemaking (such as the...
My waking thoughts are sometimes not the most pleasant. Some days they sound like, “here we go again” or “please, God, let today be better than yesterday.” I can get swept up in a “circle mindset” that feels to be a never-ending vortex of chores, laundry, tantrums, and fatigue. I am tired, overwhelmed, discouraged,...
In this week’s return to the Parenting Pathway Podcast, Family Ministries Pastor Dave Carl invites Elementary Ministry Leader Barbara Deatherage to share her struggle to overcome a lifelong battle with legalism and redefine what it means to be a follower of Christ....
In the life of a parent, few moments can be as terrifying as a child undergoing a mental health crisis, and it’s been happening more and more these days. For some students, cutting or burning themselves is a dangerous way of coping when depression and anxiety lead to an avalanche of painful emotions. A student...
“Rhythm is embedded in our bodies and in our world.” Eugene Peterson Family life is made of rhythms, and with the rhythms come rituals and traditions, created by each family to observe and celebrate. This week on the blog, Elementary Ministry Leader Barbara Deatherage helps us take a step back and consider the...
Being wrong stinks. It especially stinks when you are the one in charge. Or the expert. The boss. The Mom or Dad. This week, Aubree Bryant, Middle School Ministry Leader and mom of two boys, shares with us three reasons why you can’t lose when it comes to apologizing to your kids. Plus, she...
In this week’s episode of the Parenting Pathway podcast, Family Ministries Pastor Dave Carl and High School Ministry Associate Pastor Nathan Kocurek discuss a topic many have wrestled with but usually don't want to say out loud for fear of being judged: What is the purpose of Christianity? ...
What do you do when you are so angry you could scream? How do you respond when you are so frustrated all you want to do is cry? How do you respond when someone loses your favorite book? Your adult response to these situations and about 100 more are learned through life experience. It...
Do you remember middle school? You know, those years where your body was growing and changing almost every day—one day you wake up and your feet are two sizes too big for your body, and you suddenly have acne all over your face and hair in new places. Middle school is also a time...
