What comes to mind when you hear the phrase, "the favor of God?" What thoughts do you associate with the concept of "blessing?" It's tempting to define these concepts in modern Western terms--in other words, we equate "favor" and "blessing" with more money, pleasure and comfort, or honor in the eyes of others, or freedom from hardship and suffering. Turns out, the favor of God may not look like that at all. It's much bigger than the trifles we enjoy on earth. Mary, mother of Jesus, offers us a beautiful example of what it means to receive the favor of God. Read the full Continue Reading
The Most Powerful Way to Ground your Child’s Self-Worth and Love for Others
At age three, my neighbor’s son began asking his mom where he came from. At first, she thought he was onto something about how babies are made. Then she realized that wasn’t his question at all. What this preschooler wondered about was why he existed, and who brought him into being. His question was not biological, but theological. My non-Christian neighbor didn’t know what to tell her little boy. Christian parents, too, can be caught off guard by the unexpectedly profound questions our children ask at times. Can you articulate to your child what it means that he or she is created Continue Reading
How Giving Small Thanks When You’re Hurting Demonstrates Great Faith in God
It’s Thanksgiving. Time to gather with loved ones, consume a lavish feast and count our blessings—and yet some of us can’t look forward to the celebration. The holidays can represent the bleakest time of year for many people, precisely because of our hopes and expectations about what this season should bring us. What if life doesn’t look like a Hallmark special right now? What if the feast is nothing more than canned soup? Or the turkey tastes like ashes in your mouth because a recent death or divorce has left you reeling? What if you’re too sick to get together with your loved Continue Reading
5 Ineffective Parenting Styles, and How to Walk a Better Path (Part 2)
It's that moment at Walmart. You're pushing your cart and gathering a few things for the homestead, when you hear a loud voice about three aisles over. “Hey, whadya think you’re doing? Git over here!” You wonder if this person brought their dog to the store. Surely they’re not addressing their child with this tone? Thus we encounter the fourth of five ineffective parenting styles. In a previous post, we talked about helicopter parents, minivan madness parents, and BFF parents. Briefly, Helicopter parents hover over their child. They take over their child’s projects and Continue Reading