Raising Godly Boys Minute

Do you find yourself playing the comparison game, comparing yourself to others? If so, you need to remind yourself of this truth: You are created uniquely by God — “fearfully and wonderfully made.” There isn’t another person in the world like you.  It’s a message we share with our kids regularly but don’t apply to ourselves enough. When we fail to remember that God has created us uniquely and has...

Do the things you say build people up or tear them down? Our words have more power than we realize. Proverbs 15:4 says, “Gentle words are a tree of life; a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.” King Solomon, who wrote much of Proverbs, points out the pain caused by our hurtful speech. Harsh words cut deeply, and their damage is long-lasting. On the other hand, Solomon also points out the power of...

What’s love got to do with it? Well…quite a lot. Jesus spoke about love often and at one point was quoted as saying, “love your neighbor as yourself”, which was a reference from Leviticus 19:18. But how do we do that? There are many people who do not love themselves or see the value God has placed in them. How can we properly love others as ourselves when we despise ourselves? In order to love oth...

Have you ever ordered a product through Amazon Prime? If so, you’re not alone. Over 50% of American households have a Prime membership. From toys to tools, and from shoelaces to shampoo—people love Amazon because of the HUGE variety of items they sell. But there are some things you can’t buy at Amazon.com. You can’t buy your son a hug. You can’t order him a hearty laugh for $19.95. And you can’t p...

Boys sometimes get hurt. That’s a fact. But when your son cuts a finger or scrapes a knee, what do you do? If the cut looks dirty, dabbing iodine on it will keep infection away. Even though the antiseptic stings, you know it’s for your son’s own good. You want him to heal. The same is true in parenting. At one point or another, you’ll have to correct your son when he lies, cusses, or misbehaves. P...

Father’s Day has been ranked towards the bottom in popularity among the top 15 national holidays. Why would that be? Father’s Day can be a difficult day for many people because of traumatic experiences we’ve had with our fathers. Dads play a very important role in the lives of their children and when you do not have that person in your life in a healthy way, it can affect you in many ways. One of...

Nathan was going to buy a motorcycle– at age 15. He wanted the bike to ride it to his job at a pizza shop. HIs parents told him it would be too dangerous, and suggested a car, instead. Nathan rolled his eyes.  But one day, Nathan announced that he was going to buy a car, instead. His boss at the pizza shop said a motorcycle would be too dangerous. Nathan’s parents glanced at each other, and smiled...

Here’s a simple way to boost your son’s development today. Researchers have coined a term called “joint attention sequences” to describe what happens when you make a connection with your son. This can happen when you look him in the eyes, laugh when he makes a joke, read stories with him, or praise him for an accomplishment. In his book Raising Boys, author Steve Biddulph says these sequences are...

As a parent, you want to give your son the world. But of course, time, resources, and energy are limited. When you have to tell your son “no, I can’t play with you right now,” or, “No, we can’t buy that toy right now,” you may feel guilty. But don’t feel bad. Even God, our perfect Father, often answers our prayers and requests with “not right now” or “no.” As you teach your son to wait, you teach...

When you were a kid did your parents warn you not to look directly into the sun because it could damage your vision? When you stare directly at the sun—or other types of bright light such as a welding torch—ultraviolet light floods your retina, literally burning the exposed tissue. However, there is a Son we need to continually look at — the Son of God, Jesus Christ. “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus,...

You glance at the clock. It’s 9:17 a.m. “Hurry up!” you holler from the kitchen. “Church starts in less than 15 minutes!” Your kids dash from room to room, grabbing their Bibles, their shoes, and maybe even a Pop-Tart. Then you’re out the door and in the car. Yet despite your best race car driving skills, you’re late to church—again. Can you relate to this? Do you find yourself constantly late to...

Do you get anxious? Like a fisherman who continually casts his line in search of the big catch, we are called to continually cast our cares and concerns to God. “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7 There are many things for us to be anxious about.. And anxiety among kids is on the rise, affecting nearly one in 10 children. Make sure you are tending to the cares of y...

What is a phobia? It is an irrational fear of something that’s unlikely to cause harm. There are over 400 recognized phobias out there. Ablutophobia is the fear of bathing. This condition seems to be widespread among middle school and high school boys. :o) Fear is a normal human reaction that protects us by signaling danger and preparing us to deal with it. But fear can also be unhealthy and dange...

Have you ever woken up from a long night of sleep and still felt tired? According to the Mayo Clinic, the recommended amount of sleep for a healthy adult is at least seven hours a night. But even getting enough sleep isn’t enough to be fully rested. As parents, we can quickly become overburdened, overwhelmed, exhausted, discouraged, and restless. Let’s take Jesus up on his invitation in Matthew 11...

Kids love playdough. They squeeze it and stretch it. They roll it into skinny snakes and smoosh it into wobbly clumps. As parents, we sometimes feel like playdough. We get squeezed for time and attention. Then we get stretched this way and that way. We feel smooshed and squooshed by the demands of life. When the routines of parenthood feel overwhelming, realize that you’re not alone. Because you a...

Does your son play a musical instrument? Maybe the piano, trumpet, or violin? The process of learning how to play an instrument is a lot like parenting. It requires patience, persistence, and a passion to improve. During the parenting process, mistakes will inevitably happen. Improper technique may cause squeaky notes. Your instruction may fall flat or be off key. And despite your best efforts, yo...

You’re a parent inside the walls of your home. But what about outside those walls? Of course, your primary obligation is to parent your own son. But, for better or worse, your son’s friends and peers can have a greater impact on him than you do. So how can you positively influence the whole group? It’s as simple as being involved in your community. Volunteer at church to teach Sunday School. Coach...

Did you know that Michael Jordan, considered by many to be the greatest basketball player ever, missed 12,345 field goals in his Hall of Fame career? He said, “I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” Wayne Gretzky, the NHL’s all-time leading scorer, put it this way: “You miss 100 percent of the shots you don’t take.” In today’s culture, risk and competition...

Colton, a toddler, was riding his toy car when he ran into a stick. His mom watched from behind as Colton got more and more frustrated, but he was stuck. “Hm,” his mom said,“Is there anything you can do to move the stick?” Colton thought for a minute, then climbed off his car. He beamed with pride when he moved the stick and sailed past it. When our sons face obstacles in life, it’s tempting to sw...

This Memorial Day, as we honor those who have paid the highest price for our freedom, be sure your son understands the true meaning of “honor.” No one embodies true honor like the men and women, both active and retired, in our nation’s military. Your son can learn this by engaging with veterans.  He can march in a parade, clean a monument, or work with the Veterans of Foreign Wars. This he can do...

Here’s a controversial yet obvious truth– men and women are different! A quick look at brain science supports this fact. The connections between neurons in the male brain are more condensed than in a female brain. That’s why men tend to focus on the bigger picture while women focus on details. Men use more grey brain matter, which makes them task oriented, while women use more white matter, which...

When your son is upset, “How are you feeling?” might not be the right question. Boys are simply not wired to connect words with feelings. While the female brain has verbal centers in both the left and right hemispheres– allowing girls to use words to process feelings— males only have verbal centers on the left side of their brain. This is why boys tend to not “talk it out” when they are upset, but...

Ever wake to the sound of a chainsaw ripping through wood? It’s a powerful tool. But it can be dangerous. Like a chainsaw, the internet is a powerful tool, but it’s also dangerous if not used properly. There’s a wealth of information available to us on the web. However, surfing the internet can become an addictive tidal wave. Do you start and end your day online? Are you constantly checking your e...

The trials of life are like trails. They will either lead you closer to God or further away from him. You can’t choose if you’ll go through a trial, but you can choose how you will react to one. Being a Christian doesn’t make you immune to trials, but you can take comfort during a trial knowing that you are never alone. Repeatedly in his word God tells us that he will never leave us or forsake us....

Did you know that a person can survive for about three days without water? Health experts commonly recommend drinking eight 8-ounce glasses of water daily. While water is essential for life, Jesus speaks of a different kind of “living water” in John 4. While talking with a Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well, he says, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water...