Growing Families

It’s May, and our theme for our final month is “A flourishing, thriving garden”. May is busy at Asbury Seminary, and this month’s spiritual practice will help you to slow down long enough to focus on God’s help and the gift of family. Don’t forget to visit the website this month for a helpful weekly breakdown of what to do each week, or you can find it in your printed curriculum.

This is our May Parent Lesson and our last one from Dr. Stratton.  He explains how to set goals for your family. You can use this process to plan how to continue the weekly family time you experienced in Growing Families. Parents, after you discuss your goals, bring your children into the discussion. Let them have some ownership in the goals you set as a family.

It’s April, and our theme this month is “Seasonal Changes”. In our formation video this month, Laura explains how we can navigate seasons of change with our families with faith and grace. You can find a helpful weekly breakdown of what to do each week on the website, or in your printed curriculum. Here's the link to the Bible Project video for this month: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=takEeH...

 This episode is the God’s Story lesson for April. This month, Valarie Stark teaches us the last part of God’s Story in the Bible. Spoiler alert – the story ends with a new beginning. Follow along with your gold bag of new story pieces, the backdrop of your home, and the family peg people you received in August.

This is our April Parent Lesson. Dr. Russell Hall shares how raising children is a sanctification process for both parents and children. He also provides a helpful review of everything we’ve learned together since the past fall. As you listen, you can use the worksheet in your resource bag to review the important points from each of his videos.

In this episode, we’re sharing the parent lesson for March from Dr. Steve Stratton entitled “Fostering Forgiveness and Grace in Your Family”. He teaches us how to forgive and explains why this process involves a commitment and a choice.

In this episode, we’re sharing part 2 of the Telling God’s Story lesson for March. Listen as Laura Hunter tells us how we fit into God’s Story by sharing the Good News of God’s Kingdom.

In this episode, we’re sharing part 1 of the Telling God’s Story lesson for March. Listen as Valerie Stark shares God’s Storythe story from the Ascension through most of the New Testament. She explains how God’s Kingdom spreads to different parts of the world. Use your props as you listen and follow along with the story.

It’s March, and as always we’re starting off this month with an introduction from Laura Hunter. Our theme this month is Budding and Blooming, and our spiritual practice is Generosity. Visit growingfamilies.asburyseminary.edu to see all of this month's lessons and resources!

In this episode, we’ll go over the February Parenting Lesson with Dr. Russell Hall called “Open Up, Be Present, Do whatMatters.” This month Dr. Hall teaches us how we can help our children, and ourselves, become more resilient. By opening ourselves up rather than avoiding pain, being present in the moment with our children, and making decisions led by our values, we can develop these traits togeth...

In this episode, we’ll go over part two of the Telling God’s Story lesson for February from Valarie Stark. Don’t forget to use your props from your resource bag so you can play along!

In this episode, we’ll go over the Telling God’s Story lesson for February from Valarie Stark. We encourage you to take time once a week to retell the story using the gold bag of props. You can use this episode, you can read the script provided in your resource bag, or you can tell it in your own words. For parents with toddlers, we have another rhyming card video on the Growing Families website....

It’s February, and as always, we’re starting out with our Formation Lesson from Laura Hunter. Be sure to visit the website (growingfamilies.asburyseminary.edu) so you can see her recommendations for how you can implement this month’s theme each week. You’ll also find bonus resources there – beyond what’s provided in your monthly resource bag, that you can use to foster spiritual growth in your fam...

In this episode, we’ll go over the January Parenting Lesson with Dr. Russell Hall called ““God, Help Me to Accept the Things I Cannot Change.” This month, Dr. Hall explains that the temperament each child is born with stays with them, but parents can still influence their children’s character traits. You can celebrate a child’s unique qualities while still guiding them toward holy living. 

In this episode, we’ll go over the Telling God’s Story lesson for January from Valarie Stark. We encourage you to take time once a week to retell the story using the gold bag of props. You can use this episode, or you can tell it in your own words. Toddlers can tell the story with rhyming cards Elementary-age children can tell the story with the story people and props Youth can tell the story usin...

Happy New Year, families! Is one of your resolutions to deepen your family's faith? You're not alone! This month, we're diving into "companion planting," starting with the spiritual practice of hospitality. Join Laura as she unpacks how practicing hospitality—no matter your personality or schedule—can cultivate spiritual vibrancy in your home. Let’s grow together!

In this episode, we’ll go over the December Parenting Lesson with Dr. Steve Stratton about Balancing Conflict. After you’re done listening, be sure to read and respond to the handout on the curriculum page on the Growing Families website.

In this episode, we’ll go over the Telling God’s Story lesson for this month from Valarie Stark. As you listen to the story, look for the many times God kept his promises. Try to retell the story using the props from the gold bag. Listen to it as many times as the children choose. For families with toddlers or teens, be sure to visit the growing families website for additional videos to help them...

In this episode, we’ll go over the Formation lesson for this month from Laura. Our theme this month is “Building a Trellis for our growing garden”, and we’ll be taking a closer look at our habits. Be sure to check the lesson page on the Growing Families website for a weekly breakdown of the formation activities for this month. 

In this episode, we’ll go over the November Parenting Lesson with Dr. Steve Stratton about "Effective Communication For Your Family". After you’re done listening, be sure to read and respond to the handout on Communication. You can find it on the curriculum page on the Growing Families website. 

In this episode, we’ll go over the Telling God’s Story lesson for this month from Valarie Stark. As you listen to the story, look for the many times God kept his promises. Try to retell the story using the props from the gold bag. Listen to it as many times as the children choose. For families with toddlers or teens, be sure to visit the growing families website for additional videos to help them...

In this episode, we’ll go over the Formation lesson for this month from Laura. Our theme this month is “Building a Trellis for our growing garden”, and we’ll be taking a closer look at our habits. Be sure to check the lesson page on the Growing Families website for a weekly breakdown of the formation activities for this month. 

This is the last October episode, and we’re covering the parenting lesson. This month, Dr. Russell Hall will teach us about parenting with values. His lesson is called “Begin with the End in Mind”. Afterwards, be sure to look for his notes on the October curriculum page on the Growing Families website. They will help you teach your children about values and virtues that exemplify the Kingdom of Go...

In this episode, we’ll go over the Telling God’s Story video for October. This month, Valarie tells us what happens in the garden after creation in “When things fall apart.” After you’ve heard the story, take turns telling it to each other using the props from your October activity bag. 

In October, our theme is planting the seeds of values and virtues deep in your family soil. This month, we will follow Dr. Russell Hall’s terminology and use the word “values” for the character traits we want in our lives. Values are traits you strongly believe are good and right. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that you or your child always act on those beliefs. When a value becomes an internal...