10 Things Nobody Tells You About Being a Dad
Before I became a dad, I thought I would be a pretty good dad. After all I grew up in a nice, Christian home, I read parenting books, and heard quite a few conference messages and radio programs on biblical parenting. I was set. The kids I would raise would be fortunate to have me […]
Book Review: Gabby Stick-to-It Day
Usually I review adult books here on the blog, but as the father of four young children, I occasionally like to review children’s books. Three of my kids are girls, so I’m constantly trying to introduce them to good resources that point them to Jesus. That’s why I love the resources put out by Sheila Walsh, singer, […]
Ravioli Parenting
As a kid, I loved eating ravioli and as an adult I still like eating it. It’s one of my favorite meals. But as a Dad, ravioli has become my enemy. Why? Because it may be the single messiest meal for kids. You are pretty much guaranteed that if you give your sweet little infant […]
Do This For Dad on Father’s Day
Okay, so this Sunday is Father’s Day. We all know that Father’s Day arrives with much less fanfare than Mother’s Day. At church we usually hear a message citing statistics of how terrible fathers in the world are today or we hear a good inspirational message on fathering (my preference). At home, guys are just […]
Father’s Day Song
As I think about Father’s Day and my roles as a father of three (with one on the way), this song by Phillips, Craig, and Dean reminds me of the awesome responsibility. I enjoy it:
Maybe It Does Take a Village
Vanessa Van Patten of the popular parenting blog, Radical Parenting, is featuring a guest post of mine, entitled, “Was Hillary Right?” I’m discussing the growing movement in churches to affirm a “village” approach to raising the next generation, where parents assume primary responsibility but lean in on churches and other institutions to fill in the […]
Special Offer from Covenant Eyes
A few months ago I signed up for Covenant Eyes, what I consider the best Internet filtering system available. I signed up for three reasons: I love my marriage enough to protect it. I love my family enough to protect them. I love my church enough to protect what God has given me in them. […]
H is for Hope – FAITH Series
If there is one vital ingredient the Christian culture fails to instill in kids, it is hope. You don’t have to look very far to see that we live in a world devoid of hope. From the violent streets in our urban centers, to the staggering number of children abandoned and orphaned, to the increasing […]
T is for Truth – FAITH Series
You don’t have to be a cultural expert to know that we’re living in a post-modern era, where truth is relative and everyone’s beliefs hold equal merit. So the question for parents is how do we equip our children to be difference-makers in a world of shifting values? The answer is one word. Truth. Jesus […]
I is for Integrity – FAITH Series
This is part three of a five part series of devos featured by Mark Elfstrand on The Morning Ride on WMBI 90.1 FM Chicago Henry Clay said, “Of all the properties which belong to honorable men, not one is so highly prized as that of character.” If there is one virtue we want to see […]
A is for Accountability – FAITH Series
This is part two of a series of devos featured by Mark Elfstrand on The Morning Ride on WMBI, 90.1 Chicago. Believe it or not, children want boundaries. They want rules. They want structure. They even want discipline. Of course, they’ll raise their hand at dinner time and ask you for this. But deep within […]
F is for Faithfulness – FAITH Series
This is part one of five devos featured on The Morning Ride with Mark Elfstrand. “Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart.” For most Christian parents, this verse in Proverbs 22:6 is a foundation stone of their home. But it’s a verse that […]