Discipleship Archives - Let's Parent on Purpose: Recent Episodes
Jay Holland
What do you when fear grips you up in the middle of the night? Pastor Louie Giglio joins me today for a transparent conversation on anxiety, depression, and worry. He shares his personal struggles, research on real and imagined fears, and most importantly, the pathway to peace through Jesus. We talk about our own seasons of anxiety and how Jesus gives us worship as a tool to combat the doubts in the night. Finally, Louie shares about the confidence we can have in Jesus to carry our worries, since he has already carried our sin.
Louie Giglio is Pastor of Passion City Church and Original Visionary of the Passion movement, which exists to call a generation to leverage their lives for the fame of Jesus. Since 1997, Passion Conferences has gathered collegiate-aged young people in events across the US and around the world. Most recently, Passion 2022 hosted 55,000 students and leaders.
Louie is the national-bestselling author of over a dozen books including his newest release, Winning the War on Worry. An Atlanta native and graduate of Georgia State University, Louie has done post-graduate work at Baylor University and holds a master’s degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Louie and Shelley make their home in Atlanta.
Resources Mentioned:
- Louie Giglio’s recent trilogy of books:Winning the War on WorryDon’t Give the Enemy a Seat at Your TableAt the Table with Jesus
- Sign up for my Things for Thursday Email: https://tinyurl.com/292kv68y
- Support Let’s Parent on Purpose! https://letsparentonpurpose.com/support/
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Six years ago I started a simple habit of writing five lines in a daily journal. Today I share six insights I have from this practice as I try to encourage you to develop this four minute habit. Listen to me explain how I learned:
- God is faithful
- My seasons of discontent are truly seasonal
- Ingrained habits take very little willpower
- Many of my plans don’t work out. Actually, most don’t.
- My wife just keeps getting more awesome.
- It’s only through journaling daily did I to discover some of the sneaky blessings of God in my life.
Resources Mentioned:
- What is the 70 20 10 Model in Learning and Development?
- Sign up for my Things for Thursday Email: https://tinyurl.com/292kv68y
- Support Let’s Parent on Purpose! https://letsparentonpurpose.com/support/
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Whether you are surviving a middle school lunch room or trying to navigate the adult relationships in your life, there will always be mean people. Based on an excellent sermon on the same topic from Andy Stanley at North Point Church, I walk through insights about getting even vs. giving love. We look at how attempting to get even almost cost David his future kingdom. Finally we consider the following set of questions to help us deal with the mean people in our lives:
- Do you want to be even with someone you don’t even like?
- How much control are you giving this person in your head?
- When this is nothing more than a story to tell, what story do you want to tell?
- What would it look like to return good for for?
- Is Jesus your king… really?
Resources Mentioned:
- North Point Church: Mean People and What to do about them
- Better Decisions, Fewer Regrets by Andy Stanley
- Sign up for my Things for Thursday Email: https://tinyurl.com/292kv68y
- Support Let’s Parent on Purpose! https://letsparentonpurpose.com/support/
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A few years ago I began to craft my ideal week. While it never goes according to plan, the practice has radically increased my fruitfulness and decreased my stress. Today I share with you the benefits of crafting your ideal work week as well as the process for creating your own.
Scheduling Your Ideal Work Week:
First off, before beginning your schedule, take a few minutes to write out your long term goals for a fruitful and joy filled life.
For me those would include:
- An ever-growing relationship with Jesus
- A body that is functional and not in chronic pain
- A mind that stays curious and sharp
- A deepening love and joy in my life and partnership with my wife
- Intentional time with my children and friends
- Joyful life with the church
- Faithful and fruitful work
Next, write out a Monday-Sunday calendar. Break up the day into these 6 sections: Early Morning, Late Morning, Early Afternoon, Late Afternoon, Early Evening, Late Evening.
Now, fill-in the absolute fixed points of your schedule that you don’t control the time of.
Next, fill in the time slots that are an investment in those long term goals you listed before starting your calendar. For instance, each Early Morning I have slotted a time that is called Morning Startup. This includes a time for a long walk and prayer time, reading the word, quickly journaling about yesterday, and my hygiene time. I know this time will also include helping get the kids ready for school. There’s also a date night blocked, a family sabbath dinner, and a time for personal projects.
Now, aim to block off chunks of 2-3 hour blocks for deep work or batched work (these are tasks that can be done much quicker if grouped together, like emails, chores, or phone calls). I’ve learned is that in a 40 hour work week, if I can get 12-15 hours of uninterrupted deep work, I can really thrive at completing all that’s required of me besides the people interactions. So I block those deep work times in 3 hour chunks through the week.
For more details, listen to the podcast! Additionally you might benefit from checking out Michael Hyatt’s explanation in my resources mentioned section below. This is where I learned the practice.
Resources Mentioned* Sign Up for My Things For Thursday Email * How to Better Control Your Time by Designing Your Ideal Week * Free to Focus: A Total Productivity System for Doing More by Doing Less * Get Your Calendar Year Prayer Journal * Support Let’s Parent on Purpose!
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This year our family has been stretched and scattered. We have experienced significant disorientation as we walk through a leukemia relapsed. To combat the disorientation, we are developing a new practice of a Family Sabbath Dinner. After years of toying with the idea, talking about it with others, we are finally doing it. Today I want to walk you through what our Family Sabbath Liturgy looks like. This is my own personal modified version, designed to help take some of the awkwardness out of the meal as well as giving each participant a meaningful role. As you follow along my walkthrough, my prayer is that you realize that you can also do this! Jesus tells us that the Sabbath was made for man, and it’s time we reclaimed this gift as we invite Jesus to the feast!
If you find this compelling, check out the links in “Resources Mentioned” for my Sabbath Liturgy as well as a couple of other versions.
This is the fourth episode in my “Upside Down Insights” series. Birthed out of our bone marrow transplant journey, these are insights God has given me as our world turned upside down.
Resources Mentioned* Sign Up for My Things For Thursday Email * If you like this episode, check out Centering on Christ in the Midst of Chaos with Virgil Tanner
Sabbath Dinner Liturgies:
- My version
- Virgil Tanner’s Version
- Kerrie Weems’ Version
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Sometimes I feel the pressure to fix all of the broken things in my family and friends. It’s especially paralyzing when you cannot see what God is doing. In this devotional form John 5, we see that Jesus did nothing of his own initiative, but only what he saw His Father already doing. If the Son of God only worked in areas where He could see his Father working, shouldn’t we enjoy the freedom of following His example? God doesn’t need us to join his work, but he wants us to. As we join the Father, we grow in character and skill. We go from knowing about God to knowing God. And the more time we spend working with our Father, the more we become like our Father.
This is the second episode in my “Upside Down Insights” series. Birthed out of our bone marrow transplant journey, these are insights God has given me as our world turned upside down.
Resources Mentioned* Sign Up for My Things For Thursday Email * Experiencing God: Knowing and Doing the Will of God
The post Our Father Is Always Working appeared first on Let's Parent on Purpose.
That’s exactly what our family has been experiencing as we live in a rental house for a couple of months. The conclusion: we are just fine. It’s led me to think about how much stress and anxiety we normally live under because of our accumulation of stuff and commitments. How do we fight back to simplify our lives so that we can truly live in the freedom Jesus gives us
This is the first episode in my “Upside Down Insights” series. Birthed out of our bone marrow transplant journey, these are insights God has given me as our world turned upside down.
Resources Mentioned* Sign Up for My Things For Thursday Email * If this topic interests you, check out Richard Foster’s Freedom of Simplicity: Finding Harmony in a Complex World
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Family worship is one of the most transformative habits a family can have. It’s also very intimidating to most moms and dads. Dr. Rob Rienow, founder of Visionary Families, helps simplify the process of starting and continuing family worship. With a simple toolbox of prayer, Bible reading, and other elements, you can implement a healthy habit of family worship in your home no matter the age of your children.
Dr. Rob Rienow’s most important ministry is loving his wife Amy and partnering with her to lead their seven children to love God. He is the founder of Visionary Family Ministries (www.visionaryfam.com), a pastor, international conference speaker, and the author of several books including Visionary Parenting and Visionary Marriage. When Rob is not fishing for men, he enjoys fishing for fish. The Rienow family lives in West Chicago, IL.
Resources Mentioned* Sign Up for My Things For Thursday Email * www.VisionaryFam.com * www.Facebook.com/VisionaryFam * www.Twitter.com/VisionaryFam * www.YouTube.com/visionaryfamilyministries * www.VisionaryFam.com/podcast
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The pornography industry makes more money than the NBA, NFL, MLB, and NHL combined. Porn is hunting for every member of our family, and the effects on the body of Christ are devastating. There is no greater obstacle we face when it comes to discipleship, spiritual leadership, relational and spiritual health than the enslavement of porn addiction. Today Ted Shimer joins me to talk about the grim realities happening in our families. He then shares the hope that comes when combining spiritual principles with brain science to bring men, women, and our children lasting freedom from the grip of pornography.
Ted Shimer has mentored men since 1991 with the collegiate ministry Student Mobilization. He received his MABS from Dallas Seminary and has been trained as a Pastoral Sex Addiction Professional-Supervisor. Ted has helped people overcome the bondage of pornography in the context of making disciples. He is the Founder of The Freedom Fight, an online porn addiction recovery program. He is also the author of the book, The Freedom Fight, The New Drug and the Truths that Set Us Free. Ted and his wife Amber have four adult children and live in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
Resources Mentioned* Website: The Freedom Fight * The Freedom Fight: The New Drug and the Truth that Sets us Free * The Freedom Fight 30 Day Challenge to break free from Pornography * Freedom From Porn Begins Here: YouVersion Bible 30 Day Devotional Plan * Covenant Eyes: Accountability and Internet Filter * Canopy Parental Controls * Sign Up for My Things For Thursday Email
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More than any other period in our lifetime, the world seems to be swirling in chaos. On top of that, many of us have personal crisis or perpetual responsibilities that leave us traumatized. Today I talk with Virgil Tanner about two strategies for centering on Christ in the midst of a chaotic world. The first strategy is for long term soul health. The second strategy can be adapted to acute times of crisis to keep us from spiraling out of control.
Virgil’s Framework
The Five Dimensions of the Human Soul, and the three areas to address with each:
- Spiritual: Alone, With Others, Working in the World
- Physical: Eat, Move, Recover
- Cognitive: Learn, Focus, Play
- Emotional: Notice, Interview, Manage
- Relational: Discern, Invest, Grow
Virgil Tanner has been married for 20 years and is a father of five. He has lived on three continents and currently oversees strategy and global operations for a non-profit with hundreds of staff scattered all over the world.
Resources Mentioned* Centering on Christ, Caring for Your Soul: A self-guided exercise * Sign Up for My Things For Thursday Email
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When charcoal is grouped together it burns hot and does its job. When you remove a briquette from the fire, it goes cold. In this short devotional I give a simple explanation for the importance of staying connected to the Body of Christ, in a manner that you can easily demonstrate with your family.
Resources Mentioned* Sign Up for My Things For Thursday Email
Sponsor Affiliate* CP Give December Drive
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We spend a great deal of time lamenting the messes in our lives: our homes are cluttered, our bank account stressed, and our commitments overwhelming. But the mess is often indicative of the abundant life God has given us. This devotion from Proverbs 14:4 reminds us to be thankful in the midst of the mess as we look forward to the day when Jesus ultimately makes all things new.
Resources Mentioned* Sign Up for My Things For Thursday Email * Website: www.helptheaddictedchild.com
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As I begin a new series called “Hard Conversations”, Pastor Matt Price and I discuss Paul’s instructions for husbands, wives, children, slaves, and masters. We compare the Colossians 3 and Ephesians 5 texts, and set the stage for the Roman family and slave culture that permitted the NewTestament world. Matt and I talk about how these text call every believer to first view their world through the lease of the gospel and not their power dynamic. We also speak to recent and historical abuses of this text. Paul’s words were not meant to be a weapon used against another individual, but a call to live with meaning and dignity, remembering that we will all give an account to God for the way we loved one another.
Matt Price is the senior pastor of Covenant Fellowship Baptist Church in Stuart, Florida, where he has served for 25 years. Matt and his wifeJenny have been married for 30 years and have five biological and adoptive children. They have fostered a local church environment centered on the gospel, service, and transparency.
Resources Mentioned* Previous episode: Marriage Killer or a Killer Marriage: Sex * Previous episode: Marriage Killer or a Killer Marriage: Communication * Book: Love and Respect The post Love, Submission, and Family Power Dynamics with Matt Price appeared first on Let's Parent on Purpose.
In the final devotion in our Heart Check Series, we look at the challenge of Proverbs 4:23 “Guard your heart, for out if flow the wellsprings of life”. Jay talks about why it is so important to guard our hearts. He encourages us to notice four areas that might derail our hearts:
- Apathy
- Bitterness
- Community
- Doubt
Finally, Jay gives encouragement on how to go from the defensive to the offensive in protecting our hearts. This is a devotion that speaks to parents, children, spouses, and singles.
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The book of Proverbs gives amazing guidance for nearly every area of life. Each chapter is filled with incredible principles to guide us. Sometimes, though, things don’t work out exactly like the proverb states. In these situations, it’s important to remember that value of the other Biblical Wisdom Literature – Job and Ecclesiastes.
Resources Mentioned Website: Bible Project If you find this podcast helpful, you can subscribe and click here to find past topics and free resources. Feel free to share with others, as well! If you would like to help support Let’s Parent on Purpose, you can do so by becoming a patron.*
I send a weekly email called “Things for Thursday” and it includes things I’ve found helpful related to parenting, marriage, and sometimes just things I find funny! You can sign up for “Things for Thursday” by joining my newsletter on my homepage.
Thank you for your continued support of this podcast. If you have a prayer request or if you have a topic suggestion or question, please contact me at my email.
The post Proverbs are Principles, Not Promises appeared first on Let's Parent on Purpose.
In Philippians 2, we are called to do all things without grumbling or complaining. This is a verse we often throw at our children, but first and foremost should apply to our own lives. In this episode of Jay’s “HeartCheck” devotional series, he talks about the power of shifting our perspective from “I have to” to “I get to”.
If you find this podcast helpful, you can subscribe and click here to find past topics and free resources. Feel free to share with others, as well! If you would like to help support Let’s Parent on Purpose, you can do so by becoming a patron.
I send a weekly email called “Things for Thursday” and it includes things I’ve found helpful related to parenting, marriage, and sometimes just things I find funny! You can sign up for “Things for Thursday” by joining my newsletter on my homepage.
Thank you for your continued support of this podcast. If you have a prayer request or if you have a topic suggestion or question, please contact me at my email.
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In every point of our lives, there will always be at least One Thing that we think is standing in the way of true happiness or contentment. But if we are honest with ourselves, as soon as that One Thing is resolved, we find another One Thing standing in the way. In this installment of the Heart Check devotional series, Jay turns to 2 Corinthians 12 to find guidance for how to live with peace and joy in the midst of a never ending life of One Things.
Resources Mentioned Donate to support Christian Parenting If you find this podcast helpful, you can subscribe and click here to find past topics and free resources. Feel free to share with others, as well! If you would like to help support Let’s Parent on Purpose, you can do so by becoming a patron.*
I send a weekly email called “Things for Thursday” and it includes things I’ve found helpful related to parenting, marriage, and sometimes just things I find funny! You can sign up for “Things for Thursday” by joining my newsletter on my homepage.
Thank you for your continued support of this podcast. If you have a prayer request or if you have a topic suggestion or question, please contact me at my email.
The post There’s Always “That One Thing” appeared first on Let's Parent on Purpose.
Far too often our lives are not ruled by what is true, but what we pay the most attention to. In the first of Jay’s new devotional series called Heart Check, he shares how God calls us to set our mind on the things of Christ, trusting our affections to follow. We have to let go of the things that bring death, and instead fan the flames of the truths that give life to our souls and families.
Resources Mentioned Donate to support Christian Parenting If you find this podcast helpful, you can subscribe and click here to find past topics and free resources. Feel free to share with others, as well! If you would like to help support Let’s Parent on Purpose, you can do so by becoming a patron.*
I send a weekly email called “Things for Thursday” and it includes things I’ve found helpful related to parenting, marriage, and sometimes just things I find funny! You can sign up for “Things for Thursday” by joining my newsletter on my homepage.
Thank you for your continued support of this podcast. If you have a prayer request or if you have a topic suggestion or question, please contact me at my email.
The post Feelings Follow Focus, Not Facts appeared first on Let's Parent on Purpose.
It’s imperative that our daughters and sons have a solid understanding of identity, femininity, and beauty from a godly perspective! Author and speaker Bethany Neal joins me as we speak on crafting a definition and vision for biblical womanhood that will help our children through elementary, the preteen and teenage years, and all the way into adulthood.
This conversation will not only give you a vision for Biblical Womanhood, but also specific language and vocabulary to help encourage your children along the path.
Bethany Beal is head-over-heels in love with her best friend and husband, David, and is the super proud mommy of Davey Jr. She is the cofounder of Girl Defined Ministries and is passionate about spreading the truth of biblical womanhood through writing, speaking, and mentoring young women. To her family and close friends, she is simply a tall blonde girl who is obsessed with iced lattes and can’t get enough of her sweet baby Davey Jr.
Resources Mentioned Website: https://www.girldefined.com/ * Blog: Girl Defined * Books: https://www.girldefined.com/the-books * Youtube channel: Girl Defined * Podcast: The Girl Defined Show Sponsor Affiliate The Hopegivers Stories of Hope Podcast
If you find this podcast helpful, you can subscribe and click here to find past topics and free resources. Feel free to share with others, as well! If you would like to help support Let’s Parent on Purpose, you can do so by becoming a patron.
I send a weekly email called “Things for Thursday” and it includes things I’ve found helpful related to parenting, marriage, and sometimes just things I find funny! You can sign up for “Things for Thursday” by joining my newsletter on my homepage.
Thank you for your continued support of this podcast. If you have a prayer request or if you have a topic suggestion or question, please contact me at my email.
The post Defining Womanhood for our Girls with Bethany Beal appeared first on Let's Parent on Purpose.
Faith is built through consistent, small interactions. My guest Ken Kuhn shares how to use meal times, bed times, and other regular routines to strengthen your child’s faith. Through regular questions, prayers of blessings and simple spiritual habits, you can slowly grow your children into the men and women of God who will be a blessing to the world.
Ken Kuhn is a Christian education specialist, former family ministry pastor, and coach who focuses on helping young families share Jesus with their kids from a very young age. He is the author of several resources that are intended for parents to use with their children, including the devotional prayer book May They Be Blessed.
Resources Mentioned* Book: May They Be Blessed * Website: Constant Source
Sponsor Affiliate* The Hopegivers Stories of Hope Podcast
If you find this podcast helpful, you can subscribe and click here to find past topics and free resources. Feel free to share with others, as well! If you would like to help support Let’s Parent on Purpose, you can do so by becoming a patron.
I send a weekly email called “Things for Thursday” and it includes things I’ve found helpful related to parenting, marriage, and sometimes just things I find funny! You can sign up for “Things for Thursday” by joining my newsletter on my homepage.
Thank you for your continued support of this podcast. If you have a prayer request or if you have a topic suggestion or question, please contact me at my email.
The post Routines for Faith Formation with Ken Kuhn appeared first on Let's Parent on Purpose.
We’re starting off the New Year with a discussion on willpower and self-control and the Bible and science behind it, with author Drew Dyck.
Show HighlightsDrew Dyck is an editor at Moody Publishers and the former managing editor of Leadership Journal. His work has been featured in USA Today, the Huffington Post, Christianity Today, and CNN.com. Drew is the author of Generation Ex-Christian and Yawning at Tigers. He lives with his wife Grace and their three children near Portland, Oregon.
As we all prepare for the New Year, Drew reminds us, don’t despise the small resolutions. Start with two or, even better, just focus on one. You only have so much willpower. Start small but consistent, and if you can power through that 30-60 days of habit formation, it will be cemented in your life. That’s when you can start forming another habit. If you approach it in their incremental way, you’ll have far more success.
Drew was moved to write his book because he realized that he himself needed to grow in the area of self-control. As he start reading about willpower and building healthy habits, he started wondering what he was reading could also help others, especially from the scripture perspective.
Where does scripture play in to self-control and willpower? Drew says, most secular self-help books can be effective, but they do not address one major thing: your priorities. As Christians, we want to have our faith and values, to love God and love our neighbor, as the core motivation for everything that we are doing, even the mundane things should be tied to their spiritual significance.
Drew also points out that though the scripture is filled with stories of struggle, of difficult things that we have to go through, God is always with us. This is not something we can do ourselves. We need the empowerment of God, striving with His spirit, not against it.
Try nailing down where you want to use your willpower by identifying your keystone habits. A keystone habit is one that is not only beneficial in and of itself, but a habit that is beneficial across the spectrum of your life.
For instance, nightly family dinners are observed to have benefits for marriages to last longer, kids to have better grades and more. Exercise is another keystone habit. You not only get healthier, but you also start eating better and your productivity will increase. Another keystone habit, just five minutes of prayer and meditation, can increase your self-control for the day. Bible reading and church attendance are other keystone habits.
Resources Mentioned Website: www.hopegivers.org * Website: drewdyck.com * Twitter: @drewdyck * Book: Your Future Self Will Thank You*
If you find this podcast helpful, you can subscribe and click here to find past topics and free resources. Feel free to share with others, as well! If you would like to help support Let’s Parent on Purpose, you can do so by becoming a patron.
I send a weekly email called “Things for Thursday” and it includes things I’ve found helpful related to parenting, marriage, and sometimes just things I find funny! You can sign up for “Things for Thursday” by joining my newsletter on my homepage.
Thank you for your continued support of this podcast. If you have a prayer request or if you have a topic suggestion or question, please contact me at my email.
The post Your Future Self Will Thank You with Drew Dyck appeared first on Let's Parent on Purpose.
For our last episode of the year, and of the Stories of Hope series, you’re going to hear the story of Puja, a girl who was taken into a Hope home after her mother murdered her father. Her life is a testament to God’s transformative power through Christ. If you enjoy this conversation with Dr. Samuel Thomas, check out the new podcast, Stories of Hope, debuting on Jan. 6.
Show HighlightsDr. Samuel Thomas is known throughout India as a leading humanitarian. As president and CEO of Hopegivers, Dr. Thomas helps connect those with a ministry heart in the western world with those in greatest need inIndia and South Asia. The ministry of Hopegivers, started by Dr. Thomas’ father M.A. Thomas, has planted over 70,000 churches and cared for more than 10,000 orphans in the last sixty years. Dr. Samuel, along with his wife Shelly, have two sons, Timothy and Stephen.
I met Puja through Dr. Samuel when I visited Hopegivers in India. He first met her mother when Dr. Samuel himself was in jail. Puja’s mother was brought in for murdering her husband who had been abusing her for years. The mother recognized Dr. Samuel as someone who often came to her village as a missionary. Knowing that she would be imprisoned for the rest of her life, the mother asked Dr. Samuel to have someone from Hopegivers to take her ten-year-old child into their orphanage.
When Dr. Samuel was released from prison, he was finally able to meet Puja. She was grateful for being taken care of at the orphanage, with the ambition to become a policewoman so that she could ensure that her murdered father gets the justice he deserves.
Years later, when Dr. Samuel encountered her again, Puja wanted to become a missionary. She said, her time at the orphanage had taught her to forgive her mother and that Jesus had died for her. She wanted to share that good news with others. She is now in charge of 118 boys at an orphanage.
Puja now hopes that her mother can make bail and be released from prison so she can come help at the orphanage. That is the joy of knowing Christ.
There is nothing that you’ve been through that Jesus can’t redeem.
Resources Mentioned* Website: www.hopegivers.org
If you find this podcast helpful, you can subscribe and click here to find past topics and free resources. Feel free to share with others, as well! If you would like to help support Let’s Parent on Purpose, you can do so by becoming a patron.
I send a weekly email called “Things for Thursday” and it includes things I’ve found helpful related to parenting, marriage, and sometimes just things I find funny! You can sign up for “Things for Thursday” by joining my newsletter on my homepage.
Thank you for your continued support of this podcast. If you have a prayer request or if you have a topic suggestion or question, please contact me at my email.
The post The Child of a Murderer Becomes an Orphan Leader with Dr. Samuel Thomas appeared first on Let's Parent on Purpose.
Pornography is becoming an issue for younger and younger Christian youth – and a challenge for their parents. For our final episode in the Technology and Family series, we talk about this often hard-to-breach subject, with a message of freedom and hope from guest Shane O’Neill.
Show HighlightsShane O’Neill is the host of The Naked Gospel podcast. He is also the Editorial Director for Proven Ministries, a non-profit, sexual integrity organization that partners with individuals, churches, and organizations to see men, women, and families discover Jesus’ freedom. Shane is currently working on a graduate degree in apologetics at Liberty University’s Rawling School of Divinity.
“I needed to re-imagine with a biblical ethic the value of my body,” Shane says on his own addiction. Our addictions often stem from the need to anesthetize ourselves from pain or as a stimulant, just like a drug.
Pornography, especially in the technological age, has everything needed to form a habit – being obvious, easy, attractive, and rewarding in an immediate way. Getting over the addiction means taking time to re-train these habits.
Your kids’ devices are constantly being updated with apps and it gets easier and easier for them to view pornography, even accidentally, at a younger age. Understandably, when a parent catches their child watching porn, the immediate response is to scold them, but remember that often a child stumbling upon pornography for the first time is usually just exploring or expressing wonder. Instead, try to sit down and have a serious conversation with them to answer their questions about intimacy.
Parents can go through a range of emotions dealing with their kids’ exposure to pornography. There is fear for the path of addiction they might go down; guilt that they did not protect their children well enough; shame of making their kids feel dirty in their response.
Process this situation with your child in a healthy way. There are ways to walk with your child though this. There are practical ways to deal with technology, but even more so, show your kids that intimacy can be beautiful with marriage. Rather than having them look for answers to their questions elsewhere, be there to answer their questions in a healthy way.
I needed to re-imagine with a biblical ethic the value of my body
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Resources Mentioned Sponsor affiliate: Hopegivers * Website: www.provenmen.org * Podcast: The Naked Gospel * Book: Your Brain on Porn by Gary Wilson * Book: Good Pictures, Bad Pictures* by Kristen Jenson * Previous episode: The Prodigal Son Comes Home with Shane O’Neill
If you find this podcast helpful, you can subscribe and click here to find past topics and free resources. Feel free to share with others, as well! If you would like to help support Let’s Parent on Purpose, you can do so by becoming a patron.
I send a weekly email called “Things for Thursday” and it includes things I’ve found helpful related to parenting, marriage, and sometimes just things I find funny! You can sign up for “Things for Thursday” by joining my newsletter on my homepage.
Thank you for your continued support of this podcast. If you have a prayer request or if you have a topic suggestion or question, please contact me at my email.
The post Freedom and Hope from Pornography Addiction with Shane O’Neill appeared first on Let's Parent on Purpose.
To wrap up this series on Money Matters, I wanted to talk about the power of service and generosity in the family and how transformative that could be. In this episode, Lisa Gibson talks about the impact of three generations of generosity and serving as a family.
Show HighlightsLisa Gibson is a wife to Brent, the mother of three, and follower of Jesus. She’s an active member of Covenant Fellowship Baptist Church, and also happens to be my wife Emily’s sister. Lisa was profoundly shaped by her parent’s reliance on the Lord and generosity with others, and she and Brent are seeking to model the same spirit in their household.
Learning from her own father’s generosity, Lisa saw first-hand how it can change lives. She remembers him saying “Ask the Lord to show you people who you can be a blessing to.” There is no shortage of people who need your help.
In her own family, Lisa and her husband Brent strive to intentionally guide their children in putting feet to their faith on a regular basis.
As a family, they host a life group each week, which entails the kids in the family to make small sacrifices like sharing their rooms with others to make space for the group to gather and study the Bible. The Gibson family has also fostered children.
They make sure to do a variety of hands-on activities that instill the value of service in their kids, such as cleaning the church cafe once a week and inviting some of the older people in the community over to dinner.
At the same time, remember that you can’t schedule out every moment of your family’s lives. Leave some space for growth and development, and just time together.
While Lisa sees how her children want to serve in their own different ways, she knows there is more room for growth and she believes that the Lord will enable this in their hearts.
Generations of Generosity with Lisa Gibson
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Resources Mentioned* Sponsor affiliate: Hopegivers * Previous episode: Episode 123: Creating a Plan for Summer Growth
If you find this podcast helpful, you can subscribe and click here to find past topics and free resources. Feel free to share with others, as well! If you would like to help support Let’s Parent on Purpose, you can do so by becoming a patron.
I send a weekly email called “Things for Thursday” and it includes things I’ve found helpful related to parenting, marriage, and sometimes just things I find funny! You can sign up for “Things for Thursday” by joining my newsletter on my homepage.
Thank you for your continued support of this podcast. If you have a prayer request or if you have a topic suggestion or question, please contact me at my email.
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These days, it’s hard to make a distinction between work days and weekends. Many working moms and dads find their weekends overflowing with chores and to-dos, and even recreation that exhausts them, leaving them weary.
One of the ten commandments is to “remember the Sabbath and keep it holy” but we tend to ignore this need to rest. Jesus said the Sabbath was a gift that God gave to us, but even I am not very good at receiving that gift.
Joy Tanner and her family has been doing a great job at incorporating a regular Sabbath practice in their life. Here’s what it looks like to celebrate the Sabbath day with your family and what it can do for your household.
Thanks to our sponsor www.lazybearcabinrental.com. The Lazy Bear Cabin is three bedroom, two bathroom cabin in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of Northwest Georgia. Consider this getaway spot as the perfect socially distanced family or romantic getaway. If you know a family who deserves a special vacation, nominate them and tell their story at www.lazybearcabinrental.com to register for a free 3 day, 2 night getaway.Show HighlightsJoy Tanner is the mother of four who has spent her parenting years serving Jesus on three different continents. The wife of frequent LPOP guest Virgil Tanner, Joy and her family have learned to practice God’s gift of a Sabbath day to keep their family rooted and restored in three vastly different cultures.
Joy shares, if you take a Sabbath, you realize that you can stop at the world continues going, and God will still be looking out for everybody. The priorities on your list can really be set aside to rest and contemplate, and pay attention to your kids and to each other.
In the Tanner household, Sabbath begins on Friday where everyone pitches in to cleaning the house so they didn’t have to worry about it on Saturday. Then they prepare Sabbath dinner together and cleaning up after, sometimes even with their dinner guests. This tradition became valuable in making it possible for each other to rest.
Make Sabbath dinner a simple but special event in your household. The Tanner children started looking forward to these dinners because they knew they would get a special drink like soda or juice, and dessert. That brought an excitement and joy to anticipating the day.
Aside from a meal, it is important to spend time together. Joy suggests reading Scripture together and singing, emphasizing the reason why you are coming together to celebrate the Sabbath.
Remember that this is a time in your busy week to have the family all together, so Joy suggests not having the kids sit in a separate table, and really including them in the conversation.
A tradition as well-polished as this can take years to develop and establish, so start where you can. The Tanners built their Sabbath habit through several years.
You have to be intentional in terms of your kids’ discipleship. What becomes their rhythm is what will disciple them and what will shepherd their hearts. So, putting things in their rhythm, like the Sabbath with family, is what will help them understand what they believe in and what they care about, what matters. The slowing down also helps everyone in the family listen and notice each other and notice life.
You have to be intentional in terms of your kids' discipleship.
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Resources Mentioned The Christian Parenting Podcast Network on www.christianparenting.org * Things for Thursday and free e-book: Text THINGS to 66866 * Book: No Ordinary Home* by Carol Brazo * Contact Joy: Email
If you find this podcast helpful, you can subscribe and click here to find past topics and free resources. Feel free to share with others, as well! If you would like to help support Let’s Parent on Purpose, you can do so by becoming a patron.
I send a weekly email called “Things for Thursday” and it includes things I’ve found helpful related to parenting, marriage, and sometimes just things I find funny! You can sign up for “Things for Thursday” by joining my newsletter on my homepage.
Thank you for your continued support of this podcast. If you have a prayer request or if you have a topic suggestion or question, please contact me at my email.
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Throughout the years, I’ve realized that I am barely adept at changing minds in my household and even less so, changing hearts. I have finally come to realize that in terms of shepherding a child’s heart, prayer is the real heavy lifting – lifting the burdens off of me and handing them to God, allowing Him to do what only He can do.
Thanks to our sponsor www.lazybearcabinrental.com. The Lazy Bear Cabin is three bedroom, two bathroom cabin in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of Northwest Georgia. Consider this getaway spot as the perfect socially distanced family or romantic getaway. If you know a family who deserves a special vacation, nominate them and tell their story at www.lazybearcabinrental.com to register for a free 3 day, 2 night getaway.
Show HighlightsPrayer is what gets us close to the heart of God as we shepherd our children’s hearts. After more than 20 years of legitimately seeking the Lord, 18 years of parenting, and thousands of prayers, I have realized three fundamental things:
- There is no manipulation in prayer. We cannot compel the Lord to do anything for us through prayer.
- There is great mystery in prayer. Sometimes our prayers are answered in a way that there is no human explanation for it.
- There is spiritual movement in prayer. I have seen the Lord move in hearts when the outside seems totally hard.
We cannot change a child’s heart, but we can try to shepherd it. So, whenever you feel overburdened and powerless, needing to pray, but at a loss for words, here are four prayers from scripture that you can pray for your family members:
- Ephesians 1:15-23 ESV
- Ephesians 3:14-21 ESV
- Philipians 1:3-11 ESV
- Colossians 1:9-14 ESV
Finally, let me share with you some tools that have helped me in my prayer journey.
- Movement, coffee, and chocolate. When I get up in the morning, I need to move so I can start to pray intentionally. When my legs are moving, it helps my mind move and it keeps my spirit intact. A cup of coffee and some chocolate is my little reward after prayer. Prayer is the most spiritually rewarding thing that you can do, but I need to train my body to feel that reward too, with a treat of coffee and chocolate.
- Prayermate App. This free app helps me keep track of prayers and prayer requests for the important people in my life.
- Levenger 5-Year Journal. I’m now on my fourth cycle through my daily journal. It helps me look back on the past few years and see all the things I used to worry about that God has answered.
- Northumbria Prayer Community. I sometimes find it helpful to submit myself to some prayers that have been around for a long period of time. It helps especially if you feel like your prayer life is stagnant and you need a bit more discipline in your daily prayers.
We cannot change a child's heart, but we can try to shepherd it.
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If you find this podcast helpful, you can subscribe and click here to find past topics and free resources. Feel free to share with others, as well! If you would like to help support Let’s Parent on Purpose, you can do so by becoming a patron.
I send a weekly email called “Things for Thursday” and it includes things I’ve found helpful related to parenting, marriage, and sometimes just things I find funny! You can sign up for “Things for Thursday” by joining my newsletter on my homepage.
Thank you for your continued support of this podcast. If you have a prayer request or if you have a topic suggestion or question, please contact me at my email.
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This is episode 181 of Let's Parent on Purpose. Today I'm going to share with you a little devotion that's perfect if you've got any summer travels coming up. Stick around and learn about the Principle of the Path. If you find this podcast helpful, you can subscribe and click here to find past topics and free resources. Feel
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There's a good chance that we've never met and there's a good chance that I'm not actually your pastor. But would you mind for a few minutes today if I took the place of pastor in your life and shared with you on a topic that I think is really needful to address? That is
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You and I have been given the responsibility to raise children with a faith that's going to persevere in a culture that is changing faster than in any time in world history. Just think about it. 13 years ago at this point, the iPhone hadn't even been released yet. I'm so honored to be joined
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The Risen Jesus is a Saving King. Of all of the important principles of our survival guide series, this is the heart and the core. This is the essential one that we want to demonstrate in our families, to our kids, and it's the topic of our discussion today. If you find this podcast helpful,
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God's will is found in God's word. In a culture that teaches every person is free to determine their own version of truth and morality, it's essential to equip our families with an understanding that God's word is not just an inspirational suggestion book. Today I'm joined by biblical councilor AM Brewster, host of Truth.Love.Parent.,
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It's time to talk about one of my favorite and one of the most crucial subjects in our survival guide series. That's instilling a God-centered identity in our young men and women here on Let's Parent on Purpose. If you find this podcast helpful, you can subscribe and click here to find past topics and free resources. Feel free
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For our children to believe and follow the Bible, they are going to need to be able to understand the Bible. Today I cover the sixth key principle in our survival guide for young people: Biblical Literacy. If you find this podcast helpful, you can subscribe and click here to find past topics and free resources. Feel free to
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You may have never used the term "spiritual disciplines" when thinking about the way that you're raising your children, but I guarantee that you have been instilling them in their lives, over the course of the last several years. Today I'm joined by my good friend and co-pastor at my church, Hunter Wheatcraft and we
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The concept of discipling our children can sound very intimidating. There's no end to the volumes of books and programs that have been created to help us make disciples. But sometimes all the books and programs bring confusion rather than clarity. As I think through the discipleship of my own children, I begin to think
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Today I want to share a method to unleash your children’s creativity to help them draw deeper into their discipleship and understanding of the gospel. With me this week is James Harvey, one of the authors of the book Draw Disciples. The concept of the book is teaching people stories of the Bible through stick
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Spiritual warfare is all around us. It exists in our everyday lives. However, we often overlook aspects of it because we are looking for the big moments of fighting instead of the small daily instances. So, today I want to look at a certain aspect of spiritual warfare that I believe can derail our families
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We're going to change things up today. We're going to do a little devotion about a big truth. Walk with me through my favorite Psalm, 127, and learn how we can apply it to our lives. Show Highlights This was a song they would sing as they were marching up the temple steps in Jerusalem
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As my friend always says, "your habits are perfectly suited to give you the life you are living." If you want to change your life, change your habits. In this week's podcast, I share steps for starting, starting, or replacing any habit. Learn to master this in your own life and you will be primed
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Tiny changes can work like compound interest over long periods of time. This week we begin a three part series on change, habits, and transformation. Rather than focus on radical change, we're going to learn the atomic power of getting just one percent better. If you catch the vision and apply them, these concepts can
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Today I share why Easter gives me hope even in the darkest days of family life. I conclude with a post I wrote at 3AM on Easter Sunday five years ago, just one week after my son was diagnosed with Leukemia. As always, thank you Patreon Supporters! You're awesome! If you want to support this
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“The remarkable thing about God is that when you fear God, you fear nothing else, whereas if you do not fear God, you fear everything else.” – Oswald Chambers Today's topic highlights the intersection between the fear of man, shame and how it's indicative of how small our God is. Learn to identify shame and
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We all want to be great parents with thriving kids, but the truth is that only God can change a heart. I do the best I can with all the means I can, but it's ultimately His Spirit that reaches them. Learn how to trust that God will reach our kids hearts, shape them and
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If you're tired of putting out fires started by your tongue, you're going to really benefit from my conversation with my friend Aidan Till. Aidan preached recently at my church Covenant Fellowship Baptist Church from James 3. What he shared about the connection between our hearts, minds, and tongue was so applicable to moms and dads
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We live in a world that seeks to define women by their bodies or their tasks. They are either commodities to be exploited or pawns in someone's agenda. As a father, this breaks my heart. As a pastor, I know it's evil. Our daughters AND sons need a healthy vision of womanhood that is not
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Here is my list of the most challenging (and most helpful) accountability questions I've ever used. I've used these questions with a number of different friends over the last decade. Answering these questions each week has made me a better husband, parent, and follower of Jesus. The Most Helpful Accountability Questions I've Ever Used 1.
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The Jesus Storybook Bible has become a happy tradition in my household. Enjoy this reading from the opening chapter as you worship the King. If you enjoy the reading, check out The Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd Jones. If you need some good Christmas music, there's nothing better than Andrew Peterson's Behold the Lamb
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For episode 100 I've invited my favorite person on earth to join me! My wife Emily has a life that's worthy of a book. She married a widower, adopted his daughter, walked through the journey of childhood leukemia with her oldest son, fostered and adopted, and is in the midst of a daily battle for
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I re-named this podcast after releasing it from "Teaching your children how to be wealthy" as the title was throwing people off track. Your children are already wealthy. They just need perspective. Jesus speaks on the topic of money more than any other single topic in the gospels. As parents, we have the duty to
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It might feel like fall just started (or if you live in Florida, that summer never left), but the Holiday season is right around the corner. Today I share some ideas for how you can set up your family to enjoy each other more, consume less, and make Jesus the true center of the season.
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Below is the full transcript of my interview with Meg S. Miller, award winning author of the new book Benefit of the Debt: How My Husband's Porn Problem Saved Our Marriage You can listen to the full interview at https://letsparentonpurpose.com/2018/10/21/how-a-pornograph…ith-meg-s-miller/ Jay Holland: I have never recorded a Let's Parent on Purpose podcast quite like this one. Now,
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15-20% of all pregnancies end in miscarriage in the first 20 weeks. For such a common occurrence, this comes as a shock to many families who experience the loss of a child in the womb. Mom, teacher, and blogger Krissy Brynn Jackson joins me today and shares her journey from happily learning that she was
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Your church family can inspire your household towards deeper faith in Christ and years of meaningful service. It can also sow doubts about Jesus, hurt your marriage, and stir seeds that lead your children to abandon the faith. On today's podcast I talk about choosing a healthy church for your family. If you’re already happily
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In a recent "ask anything" segment with my teenagers, I was asked "how do I removed myself from toxic relationships without being the bad guy?" This excellent question assumes that we know a toxic relationship when we see one. Unfortunately, that's not always true. We discovered principles from six verses in Proverbs 20 that gave
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I'm revisiting my very first Let's Parent on Purpose topic ever, and I need to remember this perspective just as much today. 12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race
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29 Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” John 20:29 ESV As a dad who has never seen, but still believes, here's how I feel blessed and hopeful as a parent: Easter is the celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus.
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I have a question for those who think that sex is primarily a physical act: why have you never heard of someone going to a counselor for years after smashing their thumb with a hammer? I’ve done that before. I’ve also smashed a finger in a barn door, and it was one of the most
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If I can think of one word to describe the culture we live in, it's "Confused". Gender identity might be the battle that gets the biggest headlines, but it's not like the vast majority of males and females are killing it. I believe that a paper understanding of our identity is key to stability, resiliency,
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Have you ever longed to be in a great discipleship relationship, where you get to mentor someone and watch them grow into a fully devoted follower of Jesus? Are you in one of those relationships now? If you don't think you are, let me encourage you to go back home and take a peak in
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I had a recent conversation with one of my good friends and partners in local youth ministry, Crisman Koechig. It was fun for me and I think it will be helpful for you to listen. We hit these important topics, and you should really listen in! What are the commonalities you see in families who's
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We are one week into 2018. Have you radically changed your life yet? Me neither. I've mostly been trying to convince my body that I'm not still in India. I love mornings. But I don't love 2AM. Many people love New Year's Resolutions, and others just as passionately hate them. I mostly stay away from
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We're entering the season filled with awe, wonder, gratitude, and dread. It's that time of year where we get to spend time with family we love. Sometimes, we get to spend time with family who are easier to love at a distance. Let's be honest, just because we grew up together doesn't mean we now
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Last week I shared a really important concept called The Love Bank. While the concept holds true in every significant relationship in your life, it is especially critical for husbands and wives. The same premise is echoed in your parent-child relationships. I want to share a few specific thoughts on how the premise of the
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How is your bank account doing? I'm not talking about your financial well-being, I'm talking about your love bank. If you've never heard of the love bank, it was one of the most important concepts I learned from His Needs, Her Needs: Building an Affair Proof Marriage. This is a fantastic marriage book by William
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Whenever I start feeling bad about my job as a husband or father, I find it helpful to go to the Bible. I don't go for the inspirational quotes. I go to be encouraged, those families are way more dysfunctional than mine! The Bible is a holy book filled with unholy people who often live
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Tragedy and loss are going to come. Here's what your soul needs in order to heal.
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A friend of mine recently asked me about handling crisis with some big picture perspective. Sometimes worst case scenarios do come true. Relationships can be destroyed. People can die. Knowing this possibility, how can one take a deep breath and make good decisions? I got this question as we were busily preparing for Hurricane Irma.
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Sometimes the worst of storms do actually happen in life. What do we do then?
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There's a creeping disease that's infecting the hearts and minds of several generations of men and women. It's symptoms: anxiety, loneliness, depression, inability to enjoy activities, decreased attention span, and a distorted view of reality. The disease: FOMO. In case you've never heard the term FOMO, it stands for "Fear Of Missing Out". Wikipedia says
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Warning: the next 600 words might have severe impact on your parenting and relationships. This is the week kids dread and parents dream about all summer-at least in my house. The first day of school has arrived. Moms and dads (OK, mostly just moms) across the country are scouring the school supply list to see
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As of today, we are done with all chemo treatment. I can't believe I'm actually writing this. On April 14, 2014, our family's world was turned upside down when we were told our little 5 year old boy had Leukemia. I remember the first night in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, watching the nurse come
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As of today, we are done with all chemo treatment. I can't believe I'm actually writing this. On April 14, 2014, our family's world was turned upside down when we were told our little 5 year old boy had Leukemia. I remember the first night in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, watching the nurse come
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If you're normally a reader of this blog, can I ask you, for just one week, to Listen to this Podcast? I had the special, and extremely rare, opportunity to interview Dr. Samuel Thomas of Hopegivers International recently. Dr. Thomas is a hero of the faith. More than 60 years ago, his father M.A. Thomas
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This was a special and rare opportunity to interview one of my dear friends and spiritual heroes, Dr. Samuel Thomas of Hopegivers International. Hopegivers rescues orphaned and at risk children throughout India and plant churches throughout South Asia.
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It's likely that those who need to read this most, won't. If you are a dad, please read this, even if you consider yourself a spiritual, physical, and financial giant. There are various gradients of Dud Dads. There are dads who impregnate women and totally abandon them. There are dads who impregnate women but won't
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What happens when dad falls through on spiritually leading the family?
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This week on my Let's Parent on Purpose Podcast I interview Dr. Samuel Thomas of Hopegivers. Even if you've never listened to any of the podcast before, I urge you, please listen to this one. I'm not going to relay what Dr. Thomas and I talked about. Instead I want to share how this ministry
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Has culture conditioned you and your family into looking at the church as just one more commodity to be consumed?
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The following is a guest post from one of my favorite human beings. Davis Price is a graduating senior from our church, and one of the best people you will meet. In addition to a fun podcast interview I did with him here, I asked Davis to share his thoughts on how being a pastor's
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I’m not a runner, but sometimes I pretend to be one. As time goes on, the more I feel like I’m pretending. Perhaps you’ve been a runner at one point in your life, or maybe you’re one now. If so, you might relate to the following phenomenon: When I run, if there’s a breeze, I
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In light of Easter Week I wanted to share something I wrote from the hospital room of my son three years ago on Easter Sunday. I pray it's an encouragement to you. Happy Easter, He is Risen Indeed! April 20 – Easter Sunday 3AM If someone were to ask me “why did God allow Elijah
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When I was little, I loved Mad Magazine. (I know, shame on me). One of my favorite running bits in the magazine was called "Snappy Answers to Stupid Questions". The title is fairly self explanatory, and I not only loved reading the biting sarcasm, I loved coming up with my own. If I hadn't become
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The funny thing about the most important parts of life is that they are rarely the most immediate. For instance, I'd like to lose ten pounds. But I'd also like to finish off that bottle of Magic Shell in my cabinet. (Disclaimer - I am totally willing to make this a for profit blog, underwritten
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Don't let the immediate worries of life keep you from praying big picture prayers for your children!
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Sometimes we shoot ourselves in the foot when we try to control to much in our kid's lives...
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Last week I talked about backpacks and boulders. If you didn’t read that post, go back and read it. If you’re an auditory learner, you can listen to the podcast. Now that you’ve mastered the concept of backpacks and boulders (if not the practice), let me help out those of you who are worried the
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This podcast is on one of the most helpful teachings I've ever come across. How can you be helpful without enabling?
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