Praying the Psalms over our kids: The key to our words
We’re praying the Psalms over our kids this school year and this week our focus is on the words we speak. And let me tell you this, nobody puts their foot in their mouth more than me. I’ve learned first-hand the power of words, oftentimes in rather unfortunate circumstances.
In Psalm 19, David prays that the words of his mouth and meditations of his heart will be found pleasing to God. He understood the significance of our words and the weight they hold, but also the role our hearts play in it. That’s a great parenting application—to pray for our kids to be so filled with the God-things that it naturally flows to their words.
God cares about our words greatly, evidenced by how often it’s mentioned in Scripture. Let’s pray this week that our kids will have a reign on their tongues and use words for Kingdom impact this school year.
Real truth on standing in confidence with Amanda Pittman
Amanda Pittman is with us today and she has a VERY important message on living in confidence. A lack of confidence runs the risk of keeping us from doing the God-ordained things in our lives because we think we aren’t good enough, or gifted enough, or ______(fill in the blank) enough.
We chat about why this matters not just for our own lives, but also how our confidence (or lack thereof) impacts those around us. She identifies some of the confidence crushing narratives we believe and practical ways to overcome them.
I really, really loved talking to Amanda about parenting our kids in a way that builds their inner-confidence, teaching them to live with conviction rather than focusing on their insecurities.
This is a powerful conversation on living out the abundant life God has for our lives and our families. I know you’re going to love Amanda Pittman as much as I do.
Resources from today's show:
Stand in Confidence: From Sinking in Insecurity to Rising in Your God-Given Identity
Praying the Psalms over our Kids: The key to interruptions
The last several years I’ve prayed that my kids will live interruptible lives. I’ve prayed for it because for so long, I was completely unwilling to have my own life interrupted. I like things to be planned out, organized, and on my schedule. So much so that I wasn’t open to the things God was calling me to that might “mess up” my best laid plans.
But now knowing what I know, most of God’s greatest plans for my life have come in the form of interruptions. And we see these same God-ordained interruptions in the lives of Noah, Mary, Abraham, and so many other biblical heroes.
The Psalm we’re praying this week says that God “thwarts the purposes of his peoples” in favor of his own greater plays. Why? Because his plans stand firm and impact generations to come.
So join me in praying interruptibility over our kids this week, so that God’s plans will trump any plans we make that are less than his very best.
The Real Truth behind critical parenting with Ken Wilgus
Let’s be honest. There’s not a one of us that doesn’t often feel like the Simon Cowell of our family having to correct, instruct, redirect, and . . . sometimes criticize. We don’t call it criticism, but so often it feels that way for us (and definitely for our kids too).
Ken Wilgus is with us today talking about the real truth on critical parents and critical kids. We dig deep into issues of boundaries and respect, both of which are the hidden gems if we’re trying to avoid this issue. Ken is a licensed psychologist and always a fan favorite because of his practicality and willingness to lay it out there in areas we don’t love to discuss.
We also talk about the real truth behind overscheduling our kids as well as why we continue fighting parenting battles not worth fighting.
I’m so glad you’re exploring the “real truth” with us this fall, it’s always more fun when we’re all in it together!
Resources from today's show:
Feeding the Mouth That Bites You
Praying the Psalms over our kids: The key to “good enough”
There’s a lifetime worth of banter in Christian circles around the question of being “good enough.” This week we’re laying it down and considering Psalm 27 as David speaks into this question while hiding out because his life is in jeopardy.
He calls God his light (hope), his salvation (rescuer) and his stronghold (deliverer). Nowhere does he evaluate his own value or abilities, but over and over again he refers back to God’s. Yet maybe the greatest words he writes, and those we can be praying for our kids, are his heart’s desire to “dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”
I’m praying this week for our kids to flip the “not good enough” script and trust that God is more than enough for all they face today and each day. Join me in praying for your kids and trusting God to fill the gaps where our parenting skills inevitably fall short.
The Real Truth on Making your Marriage a Fortress with Gary Thomas
I hope you’re enjoying our real truth series as much as I am.
If I’m honest, most of the real truth topics we’re covering are areas of my life that could use a little bit of attention, and I’m guessing you’re dealing with the same things too!
Today is no exception as we visit with Gary Thomas, the King of Marriage. I mean, perhaps “King of Marriage” is not exactly in his bio, but when you write books like Sacred Marriage and Making your Marriage a Fortress, you’re pretty much royalty where I’m from.
We’re talking today about the many things threatening our marriages and how we prepare today for what may be a struggle tomorrow. If for no other reason, you can’t miss today because Gary has the best encouragement for pursuing emotional attachment with our spouses even when life happens and there’s barely a moment to spare.
We also have a great discussion on finances in our marriages, which pretty much lives in the top ten of problems married couples face.
I’m so thrilled to have Gary Thomas back with us today, and I know you’re going to love him!
Resources from today's show:
Making your Marriage a Fortress
Helping Moms Raise Confident Daughters
Praying the Psalms over our kids: A blessed life
We’re off to a great start in praying for our kids this school year and I’m so glad you’re doing this with me! Week one (last week) we prayed for our kids’ salvation, which is hands down the most important thing we can pray for them.
This week we’re praying for a blessed life. But there’s a hitch! We want to know God’s version of living blessed instead of relying on the world’s definition. Psalm 1 is our focus passage and we’re given a very practical visual on the way that sin progresses. We’re reminded of the theme all throughout the Bible that God blesses obedience and judges disobedience, and a blessed life requires following God’s word.
Join me this week as we talk about the road to a blessed life and what that means as we pray for our kids. Oh, and be sure and share this with your friends! It’s such an honor to pray together for our kids to know and love the Lord.
Real truth about gaming with Drew Dixon
Is your husband child a gamer? (Just kidding.)
Is it hard for you to relate?
Do you wonder if there’s any redeeming value in it?
Have you wondered what the Bible would say about gaming?
Are you lacking a framework for determining what’s appropriate and what's not?
If you responded “yes” to any of the above, today’s your lucky day!
Drew Dixon is the cofounder of Love Thy Nerd, and has been speaking + writing about video games for over a decade. Today he’s answering the questions we’re all asking on behalf of our kids that love video games… perhaps a little bit too much.
His new book Know Thy Gamer: A Parent’s Guide to Video Games is a great resource on gaming, and I so appreciate him bringing practical advice today on parental controls, free to play games, and loot boxes (I didn’t know either).
If you live with a gamer or know someone who does, this is a great way to expand your knowledge base on the real truth about gaming.
Resources from today's show:
Mentioned on the show:
Praying the Psalms over our kids: Salvation
It’s week ONE of our 2022-2023 Monday prayer podcast, and this is where the journey begins to pray our kids through the school year!
This year we’re following the Christian Parenting prayer journal, Key Psalms to Pray Over Your Kids. If you haven’t grabbed your copy yet, now’s a great time to do just that.
I love the Psalms because it’s 150 songs, poems, and expressions of faith from real-life people who teach us how to pray, what to pray, and when to pray. And hidden in these vulnerable, pretense-free words, we learn the keys to being still, following our shepherd, seeking wisdom, fearing God, living with contentment, and so much more.
So today begins our journey through the Psalms, focusing on Jesus as our Salvation. There is nothing that can save us or our children but God. And because our sin separates us from him, he sent Jesus to pave the way through his death on the cross for our reconciliation to God for all eternity.
Our greatest prayer as parents (and what we begin with this school year) is that our children will confess their sins and accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior. I can’t think of anything more significant to pray for this week.
So don’t miss out as we kick off this series. And please, share this with your friends, small group, Bible study, or anyone else that is ready to pray for our families together!
A huge thank you to First15 Worship for the amazing instrumental music!