No Regret Parenting

My husband John and I are baby boomers.  During World War II, my parents worked in the aircraft industry in California and returned home to Arkansas to build their new home and life.  As their dreams unfolded, I turned out to be an only child and the object of their affection. Growing up, I was…

Read more >

As For Me and My House

The people of Israel had entered the Promised Land. They had been delivered from slavery in Egypt. Yet, despite God’s faithfulness, the people still wavered between their worship of God and the false idols of the nations around them. Joshua was now 110 years old, and close to death. He had a final message for…

Read more >

Tweens with Purpose

Remember back when you were in middle school? Remember those days when nothing went right? Your best friend decided that she was someone else’s best friend, your math teacher gave a pop quiz, and one look in the mirror showed you had developed a giant zit on the end of your nose. Life in middle…

Read more >

Heartbeat

What are God’s purposes? This foundational question sets the course for all Christian families. His purpose is the glory of His name in every nation and in every generation through the redemption of sinful people by His Son, Jesus. Simply, God’s methods for accomplishing this purpose on the earth are threefold. First, that His people…

Read more >

When Chaos Abounds

Chaos abounds. We are tempted to give in and allow it to define us. Before long, the invisible nametag we are wearing reads, “Hello, my name is Overscheduled. Unorganized Disaster. Burnt Out. __________.” You fill in the blank. Surviving the day-to-day necessities of life feels like a feat all in itself. Forget about attempting anything…

Read more >

Adjusting Focus

A few years ago, I was running around like mad, trying to do all the things that a typical suburban mom was supposed to do. My eldest son Jason, a first-grader, was in school during the week, practiced piano an hour every day and participated in sports activities on top of that. In addition, he…

Read more >

For You and Your Children

Who is your God?  Several times, God identified Himself as “the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob”. Not, God of the sun, moon and stars, God of mercy, grace and forgiveness or the only true God. He was all of those things, but the identity of the nation of Israel was wrapped up in the…

Read more >

Curbing the “I Want” Syndrome

I live in a house with three sons, 10 years old and younger, which means that our home is a veritable museum for all things Star Wars. Lego minifigures of Anakin Skywalker and Darth Vader appear perched in all manner of random places, and we have enough Star Wars-related books, lightsabers, and DVDs scattered throughout…

Read more >

God’s Glory, My Child:

Parents who accept the biblical mandate to be the primary faith trainers in the lives of their children often face a common obstacle. How do we impress the glory and complexity of such a great God on the hearts of our children? Can they even understand His glory? The short answer is yes, in a…

Read more >