It Takes a Village: The Importance of Mentors

By Jamie Roach

Hope for the Holidays: Navigating Family Dynamics

By Tim and Olivia Smith

A Well Spoken Word: Speaking Life and Love into the Hearts of Our Children and Grandchildren

As parents and grandparents, we may wonder if our words hold much weight with the young people in our lives. Sometimes it seems as if what we say goes in one ear and out the other. But the truth is, our words can leave a lasting imprint on the hearts of our children. Whether spoken in a quiet moment, shared in a quick text, or written in a letter to revisit years later, intentional words of love and encouragement have the power to build trust, affirm worth, and remind our kids they are deeply valued.

Striking the Social Media Balance

As Christian parents, we face unprecedented challenges raising children in a digital age. The rise of social media, especially among adolescents, has drastically transformed the landscape of parenting. While we want to help our children develop meaningful relationships and foster healthy emotional growth, we also want to protect them from the detrimental effects of social media on the mental health of young people.

Friendship 101: Helping Your Kids Navigate the New School Year

The new school year can feel like a fresh start when it comes to friendships. And it may also prove quite overwhelming for the social lives of our young people. Let’s talk about a few ways that caregivers and loved ones can support kids as they navigate the social landscape of the new school year.

Finding Ourselves in The Psalms: How “Inside Out” and the Psalms help us understand and express emotions

By Mimi Keel

Keeping Our Cool When Our Kids Are Hot

Children, in their developmental exploration, often encounter rising temperatures of anger, disappointment and fear—leaving parents in a pivotal position to guide them back to more comfortable temperatures. The significance of parental emotional regulation in these moments cannot be overstressed, both from a Christian perspective and through the lens of affective neuroscience, or how the brain processes emotions.

Much like a thermostat regulates the temperature within a home, a parent’s presence sets the emotional temperature. A thermostat does not mirror temperature, it actively sets and maintains it. Likewise, parents who see themselves as a kind of emotional thermostat actively shape the emotional temperature of their home.

Lessons from Lent: Ways to Go Deeper with Your Family

By Natasha Nikkel

Where Do We Start? Reading the Bible with Our Kids

This summer, I got to spend a week with sixteen girls in Cabin 10 at Youthfront Camp West. Doing Pumba (pool Zumba) ranked right up there with Night Strike for me. In addition to all the crazy waterfront fun, treetop adventures, and themed parties, I loved getting to hear what the girls had on their minds. One afternoon, walking to the Snack Shack, one of the girls asked, “Where do I start reading in the Bible?” What a great question. Where do we start reading the Bible with our kids? It’s a humongous and intimidating book.

Why Presence Matters So Much

By Jamie Roach