Parenting Like Hannah

What Soil Are You Using to Grow Your Child’s Faith?

What Soil Are You Using To Grow Your Child's Faith? - Parenting Like Hannah It’s hard to tell in this picture, but these lemons are huge. Not just a “that lemon is nice” large, but anywhere from the size of a large orange to the size of a grapefruit. It is not genetically engineered fruit, but fruit that was grown in the richest soil on earth. Volcanic soil, in this case that of Mt. Vesuvius.

If I lived in a slightly warmer climate, I could have a lemon tree in my yard. I could read up on how to care for a lemon tree. I could water the tree, fertilize it and talk to it. No matter how well I tended it, my tree would never produce lemons the size of the ones in Pompeii. Why? Because the soil in my yard is red clay, possibly some of the worst soil for growing wonderful lemons.

Continue reading What Soil Are You Using to Grow Your Child’s Faith?

The Danger of Doing Good

Part of being an effective parent is knowing how to be an effective leader. We normally don’t think of parenting that way, but when you analyze it, you are attempting to lead these little ones to follow God. As a result I am drawn as much or more to books on leadership than I am to books on parenting.

When I was asked to review Peter Greer‘s book, The Spiritual Danger of Doing Good I was intrigued. What angle would he take? Did he have some sort of axe to grind?

I ended up loving this book. Personally I believe it is a must read for everyone. Whether you are a leader, a parent, attempting to raise a child with strong leadership skills or “just” a follower of leaders, this book has information you need to know and thoroughly digest.

Continue reading The Danger of Doing Good

Teaching Children to Stand Up Regardless of the Consequences

If you have been following our one year plan for Teaching Your Children to Live More Like Jesus, you know I am posting this at the end of the month instead of the beginning. Our family left town for three weeks, school started and we have several older family members in ill health. I felt guilty at first, but realized this gave me an opportunity to encourage you.

Often, we start programs or ideas or Bible studies with the best of intentions. We do really well for awhile and then life sort of explodes on us. Maybe you have one of those weeks when the car and two major appliances break down at once. Perhaps you had to go out of town or sit in the hospital with a loved one. Maybe you were just too tired to move.

Continue reading Teaching Children to Stand Up Regardless of the Consequences

Getting God at the Top of Your Family’s List

The back to school season is one of the busiest times of the year for families with children. There are clothes and supplies to purchase, meetings to attend, teachers to meet and all of those wonderful forms to complete. It is easy to look up and realize it is October and God has somehow slipped to the bottom of your family’s priority list.

It’s not that you meant to ignore God. You love Him and really do want to obey Him. He somehow just didn’t seem as urgent as the teacher who sent home daily reminder notes. Now the school year schedule is entrenched with classes, homework and extra curricular activities. There is no time left for Bible studies, devotionals or most weeks even worship services. You feel good if you remember to pray at meal times (which rarely if ever happen at a table with the entire family present).

Continue reading Getting God at the Top of Your Family’s List

Raising Children Who Are Awake for God

Raising Children Who Are Awake for God - Parenting Like Hannah Recently our family took a very special trip to Europe. We had been planning this trip for years. It was designed to introduce our daughter to Europe before her senior year of high school. What I saw while there both broke my heart and frightened me.

We saw a boy about eight years old, a fellow tourist from another country, walking down the street with his parents. A dog walked peacefully by him and suddenly the boy kicked the dog as hard as he could. His parents looked on and didn’t say a word to him.

We watched as men from various countries treated the women and children in their lives as if they were mere chattel. Any needs the women and children had were obviously of no concern to the men whom God designed to love, protect and cherish them.

Continue reading Raising Children Who Are Awake for God