Fun Way to Create Local Extended Family at Church

Fun way to Create Extended Family at Church - Parenting Like HannahYears ago, most people lived their entire lives within a few miles of where they were born. If they did move, often one or more members of their extended family would travel with them. Parents had the support of grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and others in raising their children. The important role wasn’t back up child care, but reinforcing family values.

At times, your children are going to internally or externally question something you teach them. They may hear from peers or on social media that others are allowed to do things their Christian parents won’t allow. They might want a second opinion from someone they love and respect. When tensions rise at home, a loving older relative can often smooth the waters. Yet for many of us most or all of our extended family live miles and even states away.

Parents are suffering from the lack of extended family support and yet Christian parents have a great source of substitute extended family right at their fingertips. We often call congregations our church family, but have you ever taken the term seriously? We have with our child (and my parents even go to church with us).

Continue reading Fun Way to Create Local Extended Family at Church

Join Our New Parenting Like Hannah Community

Join Our New Parenting Like Hannah Community - Parenting Like HannahWe are so excited about our latest free resource for Christian parents! Many of you have been asking for a private community Facebook group. We heard you and it’s live now! The Parenting Like Hannah Community is a safe place for Christian parents to be encouraged and challenged on their Christian parenting journey.

 

Community members will have access to special content including:
– live chats
– in depth discussions of blog content
– first look at new resources
– priority registration for learning intensives
– opportunities to have your parenting questions answered by more experienced moms

Christian Families and the Kindness Challenge

Christian Families and the Kindness Challenge - Parenting Like HannahUnless you have been living on another planet for the last few years, you may have noticed there is an increasing lack of kindness in our world. It seems everyone has lost the filter that keeps them from saying and doing every hurtful, hateful thing that enters their minds. Sadly, even Christians have not seemed to be totally immune to this virus of unkindness.

When anyone teaches on the Fruit of the Spirit, they seem to fly right over kindness. It’s definitely on the list though, right after love, joy, peace and patience. Yet, I have never heard sermons or read articles and books on the idea that God expects his people to be kind. Period.

I was interested naturally, when a book on kindness was finally offered to me to review. It was by one of my favorite Christian authors, Shaunti Feldhahn. Her books on marriage are great, because they combine God’s commands and principles with hard, cold facts, leaving no wiggle room for avoiding what you must do.

Continue reading Christian Families and the Kindness Challenge

Telling Personal Faith Stories to Your Kids

Sharing Personal Faith Stories With Your Children - Parenting Like HannahWhen I meet someone who left the church during their teens and early twenties, I often ask what their parents could have done that might have kept them from leaving. Surprisingly, almost everyone mentions they wish they had seen that their parents’ faith made a difference in their lives in some way. The sad thing is those parents would probably be able to share multiple ways God touched their lives over the years. Yet, they never shared this with their kids. As a result, their children thought serving God was a waste of time.

The good news is everyone loves a good story – even your teens. You probably already tell stories from your family or about things that happened when you were the same age as your children. Whether you realize it or not, often those stories are great teaching tools. Jesus knew stories were effective ways to get across a point. That’s what the parables Jesus told did for the people. It helped them lower their defenses and hear important wisdom in ways they could easily understand and remember.

Giving your kids the gift of your personal faith stories is so very important. Those stories help them see God and understand how He continues to work in the lives of His people. You don’t have to have stories as awe inspiring as Moses to reach your kids. Often, our every day faith stories are just as inspiring and helpful in their own ways.

So what types of personal faith stories can you tell your children? There are probably many, but begin by thinking about times these things happened in your life:

Continue reading Telling Personal Faith Stories to Your Kids

Raising Kids to Be Who God Meant Them To Be

Raising Kids To Be Who God Created Them To Be - Parenting Like HannahOne of my favorite things about New York City is the niche stores you can find everywhere. Want anything, and there is probably a store somewhere in the city that sells every variation of that item ever created. Last week, I found this great store in Chelsea Market that had bins of all types of different spices and teas.

The store took great pains to carefully label each bin with the name of the spice or tea it contained. Some spices look very similar to each other. If you have ever mistakenly substituted cumin for cinnamon in a recipe though, you understand how important it is to know exactly which spice you are buying.

Continue reading Raising Kids to Be Who God Meant Them To Be