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Of all the virtues and lessons we can teach our children as they grow, there is one important parenting tool we have at our disposal. For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.James 2:26 I was in the pew on a recent Sunday morning, following…
We can have our own plans all set and tidy in our minds, but sometimes God has something different–but better. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. (Proverbs 3:5) I thought it was all settled. Why shouldn’t I? We had made this important decision several years ago. And…
When we go through heartache, we can cling to God and trust that He has us and the entire situation in His hands. “I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.” Revelation 3:8 ESV Laying in bed, I felt like a failure…
Sometimes we don’t even realize how powerful God’s grace is in our lives until we find ourselves broken. “I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.” Revelation 3:8 ESV Laying in bed, I felt like a failure as a mother. I’d prided…
Our children will learn real faith through real life. But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 19:14 ESV I was bent over my phone, fully absorbed in a text message when I heard my nine-year-old son behind me,…
“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” I Thessalonians 5:18 (ESV) My husband could hear her crying all the way from his home office upstairs. She was nearly sobbing with despair. So you can understand why he’d come running with such a sound. I tried to…
Sometimes all our wonderful plans actually get in the way of caring for the hearts closest to us. “With all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love.” Ephesians 4:2 (ESV) Close. That’s how people often describe our relationship. Both friends and strangers alike comment on it. “You and your daughter seem…
Your child’s mind is a great place to plant seeds of truth. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, Romans 12:2a I could hear our 14-year-old son mumbling to himself while washing eggs in the laundry room sink. It’s not his favorite chore, but poor kid,…
God speaks through us because He delights in us and “Do not be anxious beforehand what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit” Mark 13:11 NIV I sat on the side of my son’s bed while he was…
Life doesn’t always get easier just because we wish it to. So how can we walk through the trials? Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in…
You can encourage your child when they are down by being for them and walking with them. Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, Sweetness to the soul and health to the bones. Proverbs 16:24 I nearly missed the moment as I was making a beeline to my bed for that much looked-forward-to Sunday afternoon nap….
How can you encourage your teen to tell the truth and not freak out when they lie? “The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in those who tell the truth.” Proverbs 12:22 NLT Seeking the Truth “Where were you last night?” Molly eyed her daughter, watching for any hint of deception. Her maternal instincts…
The celebration of the resurrection of Christ is on the horizon…how are you preparing? And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. 1 Corinthians 15:17 Easter Sunday is coming on April 4—less than two months away. How much time will you spend preparing and focusing…
There is one Christmas gift you can give that has the greatest return. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above. (James 1:17 ESV) One of my grandmothers always had her Christmas presents wrapped, tagged, and stored in her sewing room closet by October. My other grandmother never gave us a thing, at…
Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. (Romans 12:12) My twenty-something-old daughter invited me to Washington, DC, for breakfast last week. Which meant flying nearly 3,000 miles for some scrambled eggs. (Actually, the visit had been planned, and the breakfast invitation was thrown in as a bonus.) Besides, it was more…
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