by Andrew | Aug 18, 2021 | Children's Ministry, Kids & Family
When things happen like the events of this past week’s Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, even kids hear and take notice. Uncertainty, even across oceans, can have an effect on kids who want to know what’s going on in their world, and who also want to be...
by Andrew | Aug 15, 2021 | Children's Ministry, Kids & Family
As parents, it’s our job to prepare our kids for life. And a big part of that job often includes partnering with your school of choice to help educate your children academically. But as we full well know, there’s a lot more than just academics on the line....
by Andrew | Aug 1, 2021 | Kids & Family
My 13-year-old son loves basketball. So when the NBA finals come around, he’s all in. As we watched the finals just a couple of weeks ago between the Phoenix Suns and the Milwaukee Bucks, it looked like the Suns were on track to be the champs with a 2-0 start in...
by Andrew | Jul 25, 2021 | Kids & Family
At the Little League meet up the coach calls over little Charlie, bends down, and looks him straight in the eyes. “Look, Charlie, you know the principles of good sportsmanship, correct? You know the Little League doesn’t allow temper tantrums, shouting at the umpire,...
by Andrew | Jul 18, 2021 | Kids & Family, Ministry & Leadership
Recently, my teenage daughter and I went on a date to one of her favorite places of all places – Chipotle. And in the course of the conversation, we took some time to point out some of each other’s blind spots… and it was eye-opening. Every parent...
by Andrew | Jul 11, 2021 | Kids & Family
From the time our children are born until the time they leave the house, there is always a constant flow of things that we are trying to teach them to do on their own. This ranges from the simplest of things like tying their shoelaces and mowing the grass, to harder...
by Andrew | Jul 4, 2021 | Kids & Family
3 John 4 “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.” What should a parent do when their kids make them proud?… We currently have three teenagers (yes, please pray for us!). Recently, each of them made some significant spiritual...
by Andrew | Jun 28, 2021 | Kids & Family
As a husband and father, one of the tricky parts of leading in your home with teenagers is when two women that you love are at odds – your wife and your daughter. And before you know it, you are found right in the middle of it all. So how does a husband and...
by Andrew | Jun 21, 2021 | Kids & Family
I’m not ashamed to say it, that we are a “hugging family”. We hug each other a lot. And it’s intentional. There are a number of different kinds of hugs that we give for different reasons, but here are a few in our regular repertoire: personal hugs family...
by Andrew | Jun 12, 2021 | Kids & Family
Like most newlywed couples, I can remember how excited my wife and I were to have children. 3…4… maybe 10? We planned to wait a couple of years before getting started on our new little family, however, our colicky firstborn son didn’t think that was...
by Andrew | May 30, 2021 | Children's Ministry, Kids & Family
Some of these have been around for a long time… Other’s are more new and fresh in our thinking. Mankind has always found ways to “become as gods” as Satan tempted Adam and Eve from the beginning. Man’s attempt to replace God with self has...
by Andrew | May 24, 2021 | Kids & Family
Have you ever struggled with knowing when to be a parent and when to be a friend with your children? Which is more important, and is it okay to be both? Yesterday at our church, my wife and I and our pastor and pastor’s wife sat down to discuss the four seasons...
by Andrew | May 17, 2021 | Children's Ministry, Kids & Family
When God calls someone to the life of being a Christian, it is a calling to what is meant to be the most joy-filled and positive experience that any person can EVER know this side of eternity. Our sins are forgiven, our hope is in Christ, and our eternity in heaven is...
by Andrew | May 9, 2021 | Kids & Family
“Death and life are in the power of the tongue…” Proverbs 18:21 I can remember it clearly as a young boy when our family would go shopping at Northwoods Mall in Peoria, IL. On a few occasions, I would see someone smoking, and I can still remember Dad...
by Andrew | May 1, 2021 | Kids & Family
Wisdom from the Scriptures tells us that when children are properly corrected and disciplined (as our Heavenly Father does for us), it is meant to produce ‘the peaceable fruit of righteousness.’ (Hebrews 12:11) Here are a couple of rhetorical questions: When...
