“Being wanted is the fuel for obedience.” That sentence — in the sermon Bethany and I were listening to as we drove down the freeway – provided an answer to a question I have often puzzled over. What was it my parents did that made me want to obey them? I especially wanted to please my father. Disobeying him just didn’t seem like an option. I loved him too much […]
Read More →Excuses and Honesty
“He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy” (Pr. 28:13). It is important for our children to “put off” lying and to “put on” honesty. Honesty and humility go hand in hand. The humble person is willing to honestly acknowledge his sin. The proud person covers it. God blesses the humble; He resists the proud. The proud man lies to himself […]
Read More →Running from God. It doesn’t work.
I love The Jesus Storybook Bible! I love how it helps us see Jesus and the hints of His coming that are in the Old Testament stories. I love how it continually speaks of God’s love and mercy and of His plan for saving sinful people. I love how it sneaks up on me and hits me right between the eyes while I’m innocently reading a story with one of […]
Read More →Raising Super-Hero Peacemakers
“It is honorable for a man to stop striving, since any fool can start a quarrel” (Proverbs 20:3, NKJV). It doesn’t take any special talent or strength to start a quarrel. Any fool can do it; it comes naturally. Any mother can attest to that fact. In contrast, Proverbs 16:32 says, “He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he […]
Read More →We Desperately Need Him
I recently listened to a sermon on pride, and he talked about how one of the ways to root out pride is to practice the spiritual disciplines, like prayer and Bible reading. Bible reading and prayer can be something we feel obligated to do, or feel pride in doing. Or, we can, in the name of “no legalism”, decide it’s not all that important after all, and let it slide. How […]
Read More →When We’re Feeling Ineffective
Many different factors can prevent us from effectively training our children. We simply may not know what to do when our children sin. First-generation Christians who have not grown up in a God-fearing home, may lack the experience, wisdom, or biblical knowledge that would help them instruct and discipline their children. Parents who have grown up in the Word may still not have the wisdom to apply that Word to […]
Read More →A Bible Study on Friendship
The Bible has a lot to say about being a friend (including what we should do, and what we should not do!) This is something we’re studying right now, and I wanted to share it with you. This printable study gives 28 Bible references related to friendship. Some give instructions, some show good examples, and some show bad examples. Download the Bible study (PDF) This study can easily be used […]
Read More →Messy Times
I was re-typing portions of our book, Mighty Acts of God, and reading all the Bible story act-out suggestions. They brought up some spicy memories…like Benjamin scrawny and whining, an inside-out T-shirt on his head, stomping his foot and yelling “No” at a half-sized Moses. Johanna, giggling while she pretended to drive a stake through Sisera’s head (my dad’s hair before it was completely white). Yeah…I got a little nostalgic. […]
Read More →How To Help Your Child Understand What You Want Him To Do
A friend showed me this list last Sunday. I wish I’d had a clear list like this when we were raising our little guys. It could have made things so much easier! Send a child off with a clear understanding of what you expect of him! Is this a Level 1 task where you want her to just do exactly what you say, or is it a Level 3 task? […]
Read More →The Kind of Guy We Pray Our Daughters Will Marry
I ran across this list on my computer while trying to write a post this evening. It’s a list we compiled several years ago after a discussion with our girls. We have been praying that each of them will marry a man who is: A dedicated believer of the same doctrinal persuasion, equipped to lead and teach her and his family Motivated by a sincere desire to glorify God through […]
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