Let's Parent On Purpose

If you think your family is a mess, you’re in good company.  Most families in the Bible were the definition of dysfunction!

What happens when all of the devices that were supposed to make life easer make living harder? Technology Slaves Be honest, are you in control of the technology in your home, or does it control you? I recently read a book by Andy Crouch called the The Tech-Wise Family.  I was anticipating a guide warning me about the dangers of this website or that ap.  Instead I got a soul-convicting call to lead my family out of the slavery of the “Everything Everywhere Always” culture. I highly recommend Crouch’s book.  It’s short, convicting, and offers some tangible steps to putting technology in its proper place.  At the same time, he’s honest about the fact that he doesn’t meet his own standards with perfect consistency.  Here’s a quick overview of the book  If my summary intrigues you even a little, I recommend you pick it up. The primary place to develop wisdom and courage is in the family.  In reality, technology doesn’t truly help us do either of those things.  The deluge of mobile technology often does the oppo

Tragedy and loss are going to come.  Here’s what your soul needs in order to heal.

How do we develop long term passion and perseverance in our kids?

These are really helpful tips for navigating conflict in your marriage AND parenting without starting a war.

Sometimes the worst of storms do actually happen in life. What do we do then?

In the absence of a mind reading device, here are some tips to help understand and be understood with your teen.

Complications at home and comparisons with other families can really tank one’s confidence in their parenting skills.  But there’s hope!

Fear of Missing Out is a disease that’s stealing the joy out of happy times.

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 all the items that need to fit into each little tyke’s backpack. It’s fun to watch children shop for backpacks, find that special one, and then fill it with all of the treasures necessary for daily survival. Backpacks are also one of the most helpful illustrations for healthy relationships I’ve ever encountered. In my early twenties I came across the book  Boundaries by Dr. Henry Cloud.  Boundaries is based off of the scriptural teachings of Galatians 6.  Essentially there are 2 important statements that initially seem contradictory in Galatians 6.  In Galatians 6:2, we are commanded to “Bear one another’s burdens, and thus fulfill the law of Christ.”  Two verses later, Galatians 6:4 ends by saying “for

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 into our room over and over again, switching out bags of blood and other medicines. I didn’t know much about leukemia at the time, I’m not even sure I was positive it was cancer before Elijah got it.  I knew enough that first night to stay off the internet. There are lots of leukemias, and our boy only had one of them.  Until they gave it a specific name, I didn’t want to walk in the horror of all of them. The next day, as our doctor and a team of staff from St. Mary’s Children’s Hospital filed into our room, I’ll never forget Dr. Saxena’s opening words.  “OK, your son has Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, and this is an excellent cancer to have…”  Say what? It turns out that ALL is both an awful and awesome cancer

Sometimes delaying the consequences for a while – while you collect your thoughts and make a great plan – can be much more effective than shooting form the hip.  Here’s why.

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.

So many moms are carrying double the spiritual load for the family.  Here’s some encouragement on what to do if you find yourself in that spot.

What happens when dad falls through on spiritually leading the family?

Too often a marriage becomes child focused. Not only is this bad for the husband and wife, it’s terrible for the kids!

https://www.letsparentonpurpose.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/LPOP-25-Get-to-Know-Gen-Z-Part-2.mp3

A gang or real live experts on Generation Z from our student ministry joins me for a discussion on the differences between Millennials and Generation Z With Davis Price, Chloe Reddick, John Klein, and Brock Olsen

Has culture conditioned you and your family into looking at the church as just one more commodity to be consumed?

On this Mother’s Day weekend, here are some thoughts on how my childhood, as well as that of my parents, has drastically affected my own parenting.