Category: Faith Development

Updated Free Baptism Study Now Available

Newly Updated Baptism Study - Parenting Like HannahYou may not know this, but Parenting Like Hannah and its parent ministry Teach One Reach One actually began with the writing of a study for parents and Bible class teachers to do with young people who were expressing an interest in being baptized and becoming a Christian. I wrote it, because at the time my own daughter was interested in becoming a Christian and I couldn’t find anything I liked. As we studied together, I crafted the study from what we discussed and the questions she and some of her friends had on the topic.

Over the years, it has become one of our most popular free resources. As our ministry has evolved, we have been blessed with a volunteer who has far more talent than I in the area of graphic design. Bobby McVey, has taken our original resource and made it look professional. You and your friends and family can read our free baptism study in iBooks, from the website or print it.

We would love for you to share it with your ministers, fellow parents, relatives, friends and anyone else who may want to study baptism with a young person. Several have told us, it would also work as a guideline for studying baptism with an adult.

As always, our resources are free and you are welcome to share them. We only ask that you do not claim the material as your own or charge anyone for it. We have free resources, because we believe the information is too vital to restrict access anymore than absolutely necessary. Blessings as you share this study with those you love!

Christmas Family Service Fun

Christmas Family Service Fun - Parenting Like HannahMy favorite part of Christmas is that our daughter has a lengthy break from college. It allows us some time together when she isn’t forced to spend a lot of time on schoolwork. This year instead of spending all of that free time with your kids in separate rooms doing different things or stuck with your total attention on devices, make a difference.

How you make a difference is totally up to your family’s creativity, energy and resources. I love this cute little idea from the Women’s Ministry at our congregation. It’s not only a little something to brighten someone’s day, but it leaves them with the name of the church of the (hopefully) nice person who was so kind and friendly to them.

Want other ideas? You can go to our parent website at Teach One Reach One and find a lot of other ideas for service projects. Or if you are on Pinterest, follow our founder Thereasa Winnett or search for her service board, where she has pinned other great service ideas from around the internet.

Service projects are a great way to teach your children lots of godly commands and principles. It gives them real world experience in who, how and why God wants us to serve. If done well, it can also give your children practice in beginning to share their faith with others. Hopefully, what you do will also make a positive difference in the lives of people who need to experience a little more of God’s love in their lives through your family.

So pull out your family calendar. Gather your kids and start planning your Christmas of serving!

Theme Bible Verses for Kids

Theme Bible Verses for Kids - Parenting Like HannahBack in the times of the Bible, the names given to children were meaningful. Not just that the names had an original meaning which may or may not have been considered. Children were often named for the hopes their parents had for their future or unfortunately for some (poor Jabez! I Chronicles 4:9) what they put their mothers through in labor and delivery.

When we were pregnant with our daughter, I had a name I loved. When we did the ultrasound and she waved…well let’s just say, Katrina (and the Waves for music fans) was a natural fit. We loved both of our daughter’s names meant purity. We even gave her a theme song “Walking On Sunshine” by of course, Katrina and the Waves.

I don’t know why we didn’t think of giving her a theme verse as well. The other day, a guy I went to church with as a child was celebrating the birthday of one of his kids. His wife posted their child’s theme verse as part of the celebration on Facebook. I absolutely love that idea. The idea of having a verse of scripture as a part of your identity from the very start.

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Worshipping With Your Children In Service

Worshipping With Your Kids In Service- Parenting Like HannahIn Kids and Worship, I shared with you the important reasons I prefer children to worship with their families and not in a separate children’s worship service. Often this service is little more than entertainment- with children learning they should always have fun during worship and that worship is about how they feel, not about worshipping God. Your children are missing so many things vital for their spiritual growth and health when they are separated from you – even for just part of the service.

You may have experienced a few frazzled worship services with your children and decided it is best for everyone if they are removed from the auditorium as quickly as possible. With a few tips in your pocket and a couple of extra loving Christian hands, your family can reap the benefits of family worship with very little pain and suffering!

These are some of the things that made having our daughter in worship not only possible, but something we all valued – even those sitting near us! Every child is different, but some combination of these tips should work with almost any child.

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Kids, Anxiety and God

Kids, Anxiety and God - Parenting Like Hannah

Growing up can make even the most resilient child anxious. Whether it’s the proverbial monster under the bed or a college mid-term, your kids may find themselves feeling quite anxious from time to time.

If it’s constant and severe, you need to talk with your pediatrician to find the underlying causes. For most kids though, teaching them a few godly coping strategies will help them tame those knots in their stomachs.

There are a lot of things you can do to help your kids handle anxiety. What works well for one child may not work as well for another one. In general though, these tips will keep your children focused on God while also providing some peace in the current “storm” they are experiencing.

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