Parenting

Whether you are welcoming a child of your own, a grandchild, or another new life making its way into the world, here are nine prayers of praise for the promise of new life.

He says His burden is light. He says you are loved. Believe Him, momma.

Without words, my dad faithfully repaired the doorframe every time my teenage angst slammed it off its alignment. No one ever asked him to check on me after an outburst that ended in tears behind that slammed door, but he always did. My dad loved me despite the massive cloud that took over from time to time during those hard, teen years. When I was wrong. When I overreacted. When my heart was broken by some boy. My dad always checked in to make sure I was OK. He reminded me who I was and that he loved me.I realize not everyone is blessed with the same story, but from the outpouring of mine, I share ways that fathers can forge lasting and real relationships with their daughters. It’s not rocket science. Rather, it’s simply putting the door back on the hinges, wiping the tears away, and lending hugs to let them know they are loved more than they could possibly understand.Photo Credit: ©Unsplash/Jonathan Borba

There are very few things in parenting where numerical benchmarks are useful. Instead, we should ask, “What characteristics does my child need to show in order to get a cell phone?” This gives our kids something to grow into rather than passively waiting for that magic number. We know we are responsible for their moral character and development, ultimately teaching and modeling the gospel.

As hard as we try, it is impossible to be a perfect parent. We are going to sin against our children in some way. We are continuing to grow and mature as we raise them, and they will see our weaknesses and our sin. We can rest in the fact that God has forgiven our sins, and we humbly ask for forgiveness from our children for the ways we have let them down.

Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into a place of undeserved privilege where we now stand and confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory. (Romans 5:2)

Even a careless word spoken in anger can do horrible damage to your child. Watch your words when you are angry, and if you are upset, give yourself some time to simmer down before starting a conversation on the same topic.

My 11-year-old daughter looked at me as we were walking out of the theater and said excitedly, “That movie made my day.” I’m sure plenty of other kids will say the same.

This summer, I am making it a point to say yes more often. Yes, to fun. Yes, to time together. Yes, to spontaneity. Yes, to crazy, out of the normal ideas. Yes, I know the sound of that may not sound fun if you are an initial "no" person like me. But, when we strive to bond with our children and cultivate simple joy, it starts by saying yes!

If I were to ask you to tell me all of the Bible verses and stories that you remember off of the top of your head, what would you say? Would the majority of these be from recent study or childhood? Although everyone’s stories are different, many of us grew up learning about Jesus and the Bible from our parents and our churches. Perhaps you were in a Christian school where there was an entire class dedicated to Scripture memory? As much as I dreaded those quizzes sometimes, I have God’s Word hidden in my heart because of them.Today, we are going to address why Biblical literacy is so important for children.Photo credit:©Getty Images/rudi_suardi

Because we understand where our strength comes from, and when it comes to our kids, only God-sized strength will do.

The gospel — the story of God living a human life, giving up that life to defeat death, and rising up again as a human with a whole new kind of life — makes perfect sense out of foster parenting.First off, in Christ, God’s love came alongside and inhabited our lives. He didn’t stand far off, at a safe distance, and attempt to fix the world’s problems with a zap of his miracle-working power. Rather, he choose tobecomehuman (John 1:14). Perhaps most surprising of all, when he picked out a human life for himself, he chose low social standing, poverty, and disdain (2 Corinthians 8:9; Isaiah 53:3).What can this say to us about foster parenting?Photo credit: ©Getty Images/Nastco

Family devotion also serves as a testimony to the world of the reality and power of the gospel.

As an adult, I've struggled with anxiety, all the while hoping and praying my kids would be spared the same struggle. Unfortunately, it seems anxiety is something my kids have begun to experience. Thankfully, my personal battle has given me eyes to see the difficulty they are facing. When I think back to my childhood, I had similar struggles that I observe in my own children, but no one was able to identify this as anxiety. Research has shown that children of a parent with an anxiety disorder have a 33 percent higher chance of having it themselves.Anxiety can feel like a beast that is daunting to defeat, but the good news is it is possible to overcome the sensations that flood our minds and bodies when anxiety hits. We can help our children by teaching them strategies that lead to a more peaceful mind and body. It's our job to walk alongside them as they learn to understand how their minds and bodies work.Here are a few tips to help you calm your anxious child:

What if your dad is leaving you a little bewildered, and you want to do something truly different this year, but you can't seem to conjure up any new or unique ideas? Well, not to fret; I've gotcha covered! First, tap into what makes your dad tick. What does he enjoy or like to do in his spare time? Is he a golfer? Does he love boats? Maybe he likes to explore and step out in nature.

Nobody feels cool in middle school - not even the self-proclaimed orassumedcool kid crowd. It's one of the times in our lives when everything changes at once. The time we need to be reminded of what doesn't change.

God is present in all stages of life. This is sweetly evident as a child is being formed in the womb. Parents watch from the outside in amazement as carefully designed processes unfold. Besides the body, the child’s identity and uniqueness are also mysteriously being formed.Sometimes, however, our wonder turns to worry. The technology that provides us a glimpse into our hidden child’s life also provides warning signs when there is a problem.Some parents have received news from doctors that their child is not likely to have a viable chance at life. A vital organ may not be developing properly. A chromosomal problem may indicate that the child’s quality of life would be unbearable. When one small problem leads to catastrophe, we realize that every earthly life is fragile.Photo credit:©Getty Images/Doble D.

The most important thing you can do is to be an example to your children. How can we expect them to give freely if they don't see you giving?Just as we are to be Christ's example in every area of our lives, we can also be a good example through our giving. Although it takes faith to tithe, especially when money is tight, it demonstrates that God is a good God that provides for his children.

You may not have heard of it yet, but there’s a new approach to parenting. It’s called “gentle” parenting. It emphasizes the emotions of the child. The parent is a coach rather than a disciplinarian.

Hearing my mother be vulnerable with me about the state of our finances was comforting. I couldn't do anything to change the situation. However, I'm glad they were able to share their struggles with me. Because I knew they were struggling, it made it easy for me not to ask them for anything frivolous as they could not afford it.