By Laine Lawson Craft When we were busy dreaming about what color hair our child would have or what gender our loved one was going to be, God already knew. There is a huge difference between what we did and what He did to usher them into the world. God literally called them into existence. No matter what we are facing with our children, there is one—and only one—fact to which we can cling during the lowest times of chaos. Our children belonged to God before they were lent to us. God is all-seeing and all-knowing. Nothing exists outside of Him, and nothing happens without His knowledge. The Bi ..read more

Parents have the challenge of dealing with the roller-coaster emotional ranges, physical insecurities and communal tugs that pull at their children. We hear accusations like, “Mom, everyone is doing it! Why are you being so mean?” It is no wonder we question ourselves continually. God appointed us as the stewards of our children. From the start, He created us to take on the identity of a parent. He believes we are able to make the journey—no matter how hard or easy it may get. Our identity in Christ means that we are soldiers in God’s army. God is our general. The day that we acknowledged Jesu ..read more

Parents, don’t raise good kids. I’m a recovering good kid, and I’m here to tell you that the gospel isn’t for good kids. I was pretty easy for my parents to raise. I was generally compliant, had a buoyant, warm personality, didn’t get into any serious trouble, was liked by my teachers for the most part, usually did respectably in school, was a leader in my church groups, and had plenty of friends. My adolescent, wild-oat sowing would only generate smirks and eye rolls. My folks and most adults in my life affirmed me as a good kid, and I believed it. Which posed a problem for me: I strugg ..read more

After school shopping, organizing supplies, and getting signed up for Fall activities, it’s time to do a heart check with our kids. It’s been way too long since we had any sense of “normalcy.” School rhythms might feel foreign to some of us as we wonder what it will be like to send our kids back to school for a whole day. For others, you might be grieving the gift of time you had with your kiddos despite a very tragic world pandemic. As you reset this year and try to regain what was lost in months past, consider leaning into your relationships with your kids and having intentional conversation ..read more

You bring that baby home from the hospital and you think it will last forever.  You think they will stay small, you can’t envision their growing up—you worry, you fear, you have unknowns. Before you know it, they’re toddlers, then they’re in middle school, then they’re graduating….and on and on. I remember bringing Jasmine home from that hospital in Biddeford, Maine, nearly 21 years ago. Today, she works at Publix, pays her own way through her online classes at UNG, helps to lead worship at a local church, impacting many for the Lord.  It goes so quickly. A conversation we had years ..read more

COVID-19. SARS-CoV-2. Call it what you want, but the novel coronavirus is all anyone is talking about anymore. The COVID-19 health pandemic has closed schools, cancelled most activities, and isolated a large swath of the population at home all at once. In the midst of the social distancing, self-isolation, quarantines, and lockdowns, we’re all feeling some cabin fever and parents, in particular, may be feeling overwhelmed by the prospect of eight weeks of time with their children home from school unexpectedly. Now more than ever, kids and teens will be spending extra time online via phones, ta ..read more

Do your kids come to you first when they have a question?  Do your kids come to you first when they have a problem?  Do your kids come to you first when they struggle?  This is a clear sign of trust.  Our kids will be asking questions, looking for answers–and they will be asking someone!  We want that “someone” to be us!  Before that happens, we need to have that trust. What if you don’t have that trust?  If not, we need to get back to the basics in our relationship with our children. We need to connect with them on the basic level–basic conversations about ..read more

At some point, you’ve probably invested some of your resources in anticipation of growth and return. Have you ever considered that children are the best investment of your time and money? Even if you don’t have children of your own, there are plenty you could still help. Children need the basics: food, shelter, and clothing. But they also need spiritual food. They need mentors, someone who will direct them to Christ and show them His love. The return on this investment is invaluable. “Then Jesus asked him again, ‘Peter, son of John, do you have great affection for me?’ Peter was saddened by be ..read more

by Marshall Segal The beginning of August signals the beginning of back-to-school shopping, or at least back-to-school-shopping commercials. You may not know it, but whether you’re a freshman or senior, you’re going to need more than notebooks, pencils, and a strong book bag. You need truth. Sure, you’re going to school, willingly or unwillingly, to learn, but there are truths you need before the algebra, literature, and biology. While you should develop good study habits for the new semester, here are some real keys to the classroom you probably won’t find in your syllabus. Thinking may be t ..read more