Let's Parent on Purpose: Christian Marriage, Parenting, and Discipleship

More than any other period in our lifetime, the world seems to be swirling in chaos. On top of that, many of us have personal crisis or perpetual responsibilities that leave us traumatized. Today I talk with Virgil Tanner about two strategies for centering on Christ in the midst of a chaotic world. The first strategy is for long term soul health. The second strategy can be adapted to acute times o...

If we want to change our families, we can do so by concentrating on one habit at a time. Today I brainstorm several potential family habits to consider for 2022, and encourage you to pick ONE new one to ingrain in your lives.   Habits: Prayer Morning Time Meal Time Drive Time Bed Time The Word Read at dinner The Bible App Devotions Verse of the Week or Month Dinner together Minimum times per week...

When charcoal is grouped together it burns hot and does its job. When you remove a briquette from the fire, it goes cold. In this short devotional I give a simple explanation for the importance of staying connected to the Body of Christ, in a manner that you can easily demonstrate with your family. Sign Up for My Things For Thursday Email - https://bit.ly/3EDH56y

People are different, and because of that, discipleship does not always look the same. It’s not a step by step process, and just because our children have “caught” one area of discipleship we cannot expect the “next” one will come naturally. In this short devotion, I share how we can give room for differences and encourage the good we see growing in each family member.   Sign Up for My Things For...

As we get near Christmastime, its a wonderful time of year to review a perpetual quandary of our modern age: How to we teach our children contentment when they are surrounded by unrelenting advertisements for more and more stuff. Today I revisit an early episode where we talk about a three part strategy for teaching contentment in the home.   1. Teach Perspective 2. Take Responsibility for Others...

We’re entering the season filled with awe, wonder, gratitude, and dread. It’s that time of year where we get to spend time with family we love. Sometimes, we get to spend time with family who are easier to love at a distance. Let’s be honest, just because we grew up together doesn’t mean we now have the same worldview, parenting styles, standards, goals, or aspirations. And sometimes we love every...

Revisiting one of my favorite early episodes, I lay out principles that will help you win the hearts of your family and influence the culture of your home. Based on principles form Dale Carnegie’s classic How to Win Friends and Influence People, I share three principles that can help lower defensiveness and increase the willingness of each member of your household to do their best for one another....

At some point every single one of us is going to experience a Category 5 crisis in our life. When our worst fears are realized, we face the challenge of processing what we believe about God. We also need to figure out what to do next. Today I revisit one of my early LPOP topics, sparked by our preparation for a potential Category 5 hurricane pointed at our town. I now consider the words I wrote in...

As we celebrate 250 episodes and nearly five years of the Let’s Parent on Purpose podcast, my friend Jenny Price interviews me about my favorite things, serving through suffering, and keeping our family on mission. You’ll learn how Emily and I set parameters to grow in trust in our young marriage. How do I refill and recharge from work and family? Also, what is the most ridiculous, petty thing I w...

We spend a great deal of time lamenting the messes in our lives: our   homes are cluttered, our bank account stressed, and our commitments overwhelming. But the mess is often indicative of the abundant life God has given us. This devotion from Proverbs 14:4 reminds us to be thankful in the midst of the mess as we look forward to the day when Jesus ultimately makes all things new.   • Sign Up for M...

One of the greatest fears shared by moms and dads around the world is their child becoming addicted to drugs. While the motivations for using and abusing alcohol and drugs have largely stayed the same, the actual substances continue to evolve, and their availability keeps increasing. Richard Capriola is the author of The Addicted Child: A Parents Guide to Adolescent Substance Abuse. He joins me to...

One of the most common conversations I have is helping parents determine what to do when their child doesn’t want to come to church. The reasons are as varied as the child, and we want to make sure we understand why they might hate church before we jump to our response. Today I go through many different reasons why our children might not like church, as well as several possible solutions for you t...

As we pray and ask God to intervene in our lives, sometimes in our lives, sometimes we see miraculous breakthrough. But often either nothing happens or we experience the very opposite of what we were praying. In times like this, many people walk away from their faith. How are we to keep our faith in Jesus when things go so wrong? I posed this question to Dr. Samuel Thomas of Hopegivers. Dr. Thomas...

Nontraditional families are the new traditional family. In the United States, most of Europe, and many other countries, blended families outnumber “traditional” ones. The challenges of a blended family are magnitudes higher than what most couples anticipate. My guest Ron L. Deal is one of the Christian world’s foremost experts on blended families. He shares many of the unexpected challenges a blen...

Seven years after his initial diagnosis for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia,my son Elijah has relapsed. In this episode I share the details of how we found out, an explanation of leukemia and treatment, as well as the potential road ahead for our family. I also share the very real emotions we are struggling through, how God had spiritually prepared me through scripture, and how our family is seeking...

Behavior should make us curious. As we seek to discern the motive behind our children’s behavior, we can more effectively match the behavior to a consequence that will guide them towards healthy decisions. I’m joined by my church’s Children’s Ministry Director, Caroline Todd, as we discuss four different functions behind our kid’s behavior. Caroline discusses sensory seeking behavior, escape behav...

As I begin a new series called “Hard Conversations”, Pastor Matt Price and I discuss Paul’s instructions for husbands, wives, children, slaves, and masters. We compare the Colossians 3 and Ephesians 5 texts, and set the stage for the Roman family and slave culture that permitted the New Testament world. Matt and I talk about how these text call every believer to first view their world through the...

In the final devotion in our Heart-Check Series, we look at the challenge of proverbs 4:23 “Guard your heart, for out if flow the wellsprings of life”. Jay talks about why it is so important to guard our hearts. He encourages us to notice four areas that might derail our hearts: apathy, bitterness, community, doubt. Finally, Jay gives encouragement on how to go from the defensive to the offensive...

The book of Proverbs gives amazing guidance for nearly every area of life. Each chapter is filled with incredible principles to guide us. Sometimes, though, things don’t work out exactly like the proverb states. In these situations, it’s important to remember that value of the other Biblical Wisdom Literature - Job and Ecclesiastes.   Resources Mentioned: https://bibleproject.com/explore/video/job...

In Philippians 2, we are called to do all things without grumbling or complaining. This is a verse we often throw at our children, but first and foremost should apply to our own lives. In this episode of Jay’s “Heart Check” devotional series, he talks about the power of shifting our perspective from “I have to” to “I get to”.  

Inspired by watching the documentary The One Percent, Jay shares some paradigm shifting spiritual principles on how to think about true family wealth. Today we will unpack these three core principles: 1. The primary assets of each family are the individual members of that family. 2. The wealth of any family consists of its combined human, spiritual, and intellectual capital. 3. The financial capit...

In every point of our lives, there will always be at least One Thing that we think is standing in the way of true happiness or contentment. But if we are honest with ourselves, as soon as that One Thing is resolved, we find another One Thing standing in the way. In this installment of the Heart Check devotional series, Jay turns to 2 Corinthians 12 to find guidance for how to live with peace and j...

Far too often our lives are not ruled by what is true, but what we pay the most attention to. In the first of Jay’s new devotional series called Heart Check, he shares how God calls us to set our mind on the things of Christ, trusting our affections to follow. We have to let go of the things that bring death, and instead fan the flames of the truths that give life to our souls and families.   Dona...

In 2014 my five year old son Elijah faced the fight of his life against Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.   Donate to support Christian Parenting CPgive.org: www.christianparenting.org www.hopegivers.org Stories of Hope with Dr. Samuel Thomas.   Sponsor Affiliate: www.cpgive.org  

Sometimes we overcomplicate what it means to be on mission for Jesus. Brent Gibson and his wife Lisa have worked to create a family environment where service and hospitality aren’t some great feats, they are normal rhythms of life. As you listen to how they’ve engaged their family of five to clean the church and host senior church members for dinner, you’ll find ways that your family might engage...