Living out God’s original plan for family
I believe with all my heart that the first, best community God created was the family. During creation, on day six he built his masterpiece: humans.…
Connecting to your child’s heart
We were having a few friends over in the afternoon, and I had prepared a tray full of matching teacups, a crystal dish of sugar, and an array of…
Four ways God equips us to love our in-laws
Sometimes it’s easy to consider our in-laws as exceptions to the rules of biblical wisdom. We’ll apply certain passages to every other relationship…
Why I don’t tell my kids to be nice
Crunch crunch, smack. Like nails on a chalkboard, I could hear the open-mouthed chewing of one of my children from across the room. Chew with your…
Emotions: How parenting can cause a heart change
I think one of the most annoying parts of parenting is when you are disciplining a kid, and you know that it’s something you are personally terrible…
Hindering hurt, rendering hope
Today hurts. Last week hurt. Last year hurt. As I sit this morning, unable to pinpoint the source of my hurt, I feel distracted. See, hurt can be…
Talking with your kids about dating and relationships
My daughter, Monica, came home one day after grammar school and announced, “When I see boys I want to hug them and kiss them.” Then the question,…
5 things to do now for a less stressful (and more meaningful!) holiday season
Sometimes things can get a little stressful around the holidays, don't you think? I’ve found that a little prepping ahead of time can make room for…
How to avoid power struggles with your children
“I don’t want to take a nap! I am not tired! You are so unfair!” “I am the only teen in the world who does not have social media! You are so…
