Parenting

When the fears of moving far from home start to press in, these prayers will help you remember the unchanging truth that you're never alone.

But what are important things to teach our kids about this upcoming Independence Day? Are there pieces of American history we can still be inspired by? There are so many layers of ick to sift through in American history, but are there stories of great men and women who furthered the cause of freedom for all?

Daily, we have a beautiful opportunity to point our children to the One who gives lasting peace.

You don’t need fancy supplies to make this Fourth of July unforgettable. Here are five easy, heartwarming projects that grandparents and grandchildren can create together and cherish for years to come.

Mom, you did nothing wrong. Your parenting was enough. You raised a strong, independent child who, unfortunately, made bad choices, fell in with the wrong crowd, and was influenced by the world. There is nothing you can do but pray. Your primary focus should be on the relationship, not the bad choices. Only God can change your children’s hearts, and if you are constantly being negative about their wrong choices, it will harden their hearts toward you.

In a cultural moment where the spread of ideas that contradict Scripture is faster and more relentless than at any point in history, it has become urgent. Our children will need more than an hour a week of biblical instruction to move from an inherited faith to one they can own.

While we may have been young adults once, we have never parented them before. It requires open communication and incorporating wisdom from those who have experienced it as well as help families navigate this season of life.

The following are seven ways I prayed for my daughter before she returned to God and to me. There are also prayers to personalize for your specific child.

No matter the circumstances, reconciling with an adult child is delicate and personal. You never know how they will react or not react. It's easy to want to go all in, but you should take some steps first to identify why you want to reconcile and the steps you need to take to get there.

We know that you now share things, process decisions, and talk issues through with your spouse first. We will always be here for you, but our goal is not to manipulate you or make you feel guilty for this.

The Bible does not give us explicit guidelines for using social media, but it does provide some principles that can help us, as parents, prayerfully determine how we feel most comfortable using it and how much we should share about our kids' lives online.

This can be a tempting model for Christian parents because it models values like gentleness, patience, and love, which are Fruits of the Spirit and Christ-like virtues. However, we should examine every parenting style, to see whether or not it falls under a model for Biblical parenting, or even a realistic one.

Thankfully, God has guided every moment of our lives with our child, and He has given us the greatest resource He could for parenting: the Bible. It includes several pieces of advice and parenting examples (both dos and don’ts) that are more helpful than a lot of parenting guides out there.

As parents, we must have a firm grip on the gospel ourselves, and be committed to teaching it, speaking of it, and illustrating it in our daily lives, so that our children will not only hear it, but see it and desire it for themselves. Our job is to imprint the truths of the gospel on their minds and hearts, and to pray diligently that the Holy Spirit will draw them, convict them of sin, and give them a clear understanding of the gospel.

Vacation Bible School can plant seeds that last a lifetime—but only if children truly hear and understand the gospel. Here are five specific ways we can pray for that to happen this summer.