It was the beginning of a long week after a particularly emotional, stressful weekend. I wasn't exactly looking forward to dying to self that day and teaching my children spelling, math or reading. In fact I was feeling a little bit more like, "I deserve a break!" My son began struggling with a math problem that he didn't understand, and instead of patiently explaining it to him, I opened the teacher's guide to the page with the answers and slammed it down on the table in front of him. Immediately convicted of the way I had acted, I apologized and gave him a hug. Then I softened my tone and walked him through the problem. But my heart still wasn't right. When the kids took their usual snack and play break, I headed to my room to ... Read More...

I've heard it said, "Parenting is like folding a fitted sheet. No one knows how." It can certainly seem that way these days while we're trying to raise well-behaved, respectful, obedient and godly children. We know where we want to end up, but we don't exactly know how to get there. Parenting experts swear by all kinds of tips that actually seem to be making our kids worse. As parents we mean well, but sometimes we're just stuck in a pattern that we can't easily recognize. I've messed up on my own parenting adventure and made mistakes I wasn't even aware of for a long time. I still continue to miss the mark (that's where God's grace comes in), but I've realized over the last decade there were several things I did that were ... Read More...

Our homes say a lot about us. How we spend our time there, the way we decorate, and what we do inside its walls speaks volumes about what we believe. As Christians, our homes should be marked for God and reflect Jesus in everything we do. It needs to be evident that Christ is alive there. In order to build a godly home, we must center it around God- His will, His desires, His Word. He should be the hub, instead of just a mere spoke. Ideally our houses should be places of worship, rather than just a structure where we eat, sleep, and play. Here are a few practical steps for building godly homes and ministering to our families well. 1. Worship God Without Rivals A lot of things compete for God's position on the throne of our ... Read More...

I'm always surprised when I hear someone say they don't think the Bible has much to say about parenting. Since God originally created the family unit, it should follow that He would want to instruct mothers and fathers how to raise their own families for generations to come. God's model for passing on the faith and building His Kingdom is primarily through the family. As we raise our children to know and love the Lord, we are increasing the chances of potential Christ followers who will live out the Gospel and continue raising a godly seed. The truth is, God's Word is packed full of verses about the teaching, training and discipline of children! Throughout Scripture we see, over and over, His directives to raise kids who are wise, ... Read More...