Ever wonder how to impress upon your children the importance of knowing who they are in Christ?  At a young age, children are told they are many things either by words spoken over them or impressions they have from life experiences.  These words impact their self-esteem and directly influence how they handle life as a whole.    Self-esteem expert Jack Canfield, of Chicken Soup for the Soul fame, notes that 80 percent of children entering the first grade scored high on the self-esteem inventory. By the fifth grade only 20 percent of the children were scoring high. A ..read more

It may feel strange to partner Easter and marriage together, but believe it or not, they aren’t as far apart as we may think. The crux of the Easter event is Jesus’ willingness to lay down his life. Though guiltless and sinless, Jesus gave up his life so that humanity had the best picture possible of what love looked like. Love is not motivated by selfish interests. It is not about self-preservation at all costs. It isn’t about an ascent to power. Rather, love is defined as a posture of service. This is what Jesus demonstrated in his willing death. The word for this is “kenosis”—it’s a self-e ..read more

In 2019 the Varsity Blues scandal hit the media. Thirty-three parents of college applicants were accused of paying more than $25 million between 2011 and 2018 to William Rick Singer, organizer of a college admissions scheme, who used part of the money to fraudulently inflate entrance exam test scores and bribe college officials.  While this scandal shocked the world, many of us began reexamining our own parenting motives, asking ourselves, are we pushing our kids too hard? Are we saying that our children’s achievements or failures determine our worth? Children ex ..read more

In today’s society, happiness is often associated with external circumstances, possessions, and wealth. The Bible, however, teaches that happiness is more of an internal condition—and that it results from God’s blessing, love, and grace.   Studies show that spirituality is a key factor in children’s happiness, even more so than it is for adults. Researcher Mark Holder found that spirituality accounts for up to 16% of children’s happiness, more than three times the typical number for grownups. “It’s a whopping big effect,” he says, admitting that he’d assumed children’s spirituality ..read more

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