Equipping Parents for The Journey
Over Thanksgiving break, I read the following statistics in the weekly Culture Translator by AXIS.org. “According to the National Institutes of Health, nearly 1 out of every 3 adolescents between the ages of 13 and 18 will experience an anxiety disorder. Whether the culprit is social media, lack of sleep, increased scholastic pressure, or...
Staci was a natural talent. She could sing before she could talk. When she was four years old, her family was watching TV together. Soon after they watched a particular commercial, they heard the same jingle coming from the piano in the next room. Pre-kindergarten Staci accurately played the jingle instinctively. She obviously had...
Why would we tackle such a subjective word? “Good” is a word open to opinion and discussion. “Good” can be defined very differently from person to person and situation to situation. And when you apply the word “Good” to parenting, you now find yourself on very shaky ground. What is a “Good” parent? Who...
Parents, A few years ago when I was working in Southern California as a new youth pastor, a handful of students in our youth group asked how they could reach out to their non-Christian friends at school. Before we came up with a plan or a strategy, we began with prayer, mostly because I...
When I think about praying for our kids as they go back to school, so many things pop into my mind. I can pray for: Good grades Good study habits Good behavior with teachers and friends Good friends But I wonder if this is really what I need to be praying for them. Is...
As a species, we humans are an optimistic group. We build for the future with vigor. When something goes terribly wrong, we usually brush ourselves off and rebuild because we tend to believe things will be better going forward. Occasionally, we experience a setback that we cannot brush off, a tragedy that we as...
I think we can all agree that there are times when we LOVE our children, but maybe don’t LIKE our children. I won’t lie to you, it’s a bit weird to admit this in public, but I have caught myself on several occasions saying to my sons, “You are making it really hard for...
I have heard this conversation more than once in the last couple weeks… Mom A says, “Hi Mom B, I haven’t seen you in a few weeks, how’s your summer going?” Mom B replies, “We’re making it.” Mom A nods her head in complete understanding. I love summer. I start looking forward to it...
The weird thing about teenagers… Let me start over—one of the weird things about teenagers is how self-contradictory they are. For example… Non-conformity conformity Knowing everything without knowing anything Never making food but always hungry Loving their dog while ignoring their dog Tons of clothes but nothing to wear Another way teenagers contradict themselves...
Some people learn by looking at pictures, while others learn by reading and understanding data and facts. Others learn best through stories. Those of you who learn through stories—we encourage you to meet King Cretin of the West, blessed with dark wisdom and an unnaturally long life. There once was a kingdom that was powerful...
Parenting Pathway Podcast with Family Ministry Pastor Dave Carl and Student Ministry Associate Pastor Nathan Kocurek. “So be sure when you step, step with care and great tact. And remember that life’s a Great Balancing Act. And will you succeed? Yes! You will, indeed! (98 and ¾ percent guaranteed) Kid, you’ll move mountains.” Dr....
Are you totally comfortable talking to your kids about sex? If you’re not… Welcome to the club. Few things create more anxiety in a parent than the thought of “The Talk.” Debby Wade, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Certified Sex Therapist, and Certified Sex Addiction Therapist who is also a committed Christian, joined us...
