There are so many important reasons why your kids should memorize the 10 Commandments. Oxford scholar C.S. Lewis once said the big difference between ancient people and modern people is the way we approach God (or the gods). The ancient person always approached God as an accused person approaches his judge. He approached God cautiously because he knew God was his rightful judge. "For the modern man," Lewis writes, "the roles are reversed...man is on the bench and God in the dock." For modern man, God is on trial. If our kids are going to have a proper understanding of themselves, of God, of sin, and of redemption, ...Read More
Little Kids and Daily Devotions: A Tool to Encourage Independence
It takes a village to raise a child. – African proverb One of my biggest burdens for my kids is that they learn, from an early age, the value of spending time alone with God. But I've always struggled with how to develop this habit in my youngest kids. I'm a father to twin 4-year-olds. They do everything together. They share a room, share clothes, share toys, and nearly everything in their schedule is done together. They are inseparable. They are each other's best friends (when they are in the good mood) and worst rivals (when they are in a bad mood). We've tried establishing a time in the morning when they can ...Read More
Foods Slow Cooker Vegetable Beef Soup
As I was writing this I thought, "Who in the world needs a recipe for slow cooker vegetable beef soup? Just throw veggies and beef in a pot and presto! Soup!" Then I thought, "Come to think of it, I am just the sort of dude who would look this up online—so maybe I'm not the only one." Why We Love This Slow Cooker Vegetable Beef Soup On the nights my family is unfortunate enough to have me as the cook (rather than my wife), there are 3 facts that cannot be denied... Slow cookers are my friend. I don't have time to be messing around with ovens and stove tops. Who am I, Martha Stewart? Soups are my friend. I ...Read More
5 Reasons to Teach Kids the Apostle’s Creed
Do you teach kids the Apostle's Creed in your home? About once a month, my church partakes of the Lord's Supper, and when we do, we recite the ancient Apostles' Creed together. Even my 5-year-old twins know it by heart. Many Protestants are unfamiliar with the Apostle's Creed. Others are offended by it—not so much because of what the Creed says, but the recitation of any human-written creed at all. Should we even bother with the Apostles' Creed today? Why should we teach kids the Apostle's Creed? I find it ironic we even need to be persuaded about this. The Apostles’ Creed is one of the oldest Christian ...Read More
20 Bible Verses Parents Can Use to Correct Their Kids
Recently we asked our readers to give us their favorite Bible verses they use time and time again when they correct their children. We received a number of e-mails, comments, and replies on social media. Here were the most often mentioned verses. Disobedience to Parents Proverbs 12:15 – "The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice." Proverbs 13:1 – "A wise son hears his father's instruction, but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke." Ephesians 6:1 – "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right." Colossians 3:20 – "Children, obey your parents in everything, for this ...Read More
3 Bible Verses You Should Be Using to Correct Your Kids
There are some good Bible verses to help focus on how to correct your kids. When it comes to correcting my kids' behavior, I've got a lot to learn. My gut reactions tend not to be the best ones... Shouting ("Come on, guys!") Shaming ("I only asked you to do one thing, and you couldn't even do that?" Over-generalizing ("Why do you always...") I know I'm not alone. I hear it all the time from parents who wish they could correct their kids in a godly manner, but their knee-jerk responses seem to get in the way. 3 Verses to Use to Correct Your Kids Parents need a plan when it comes to ...Read More
No, All Sins Are Not the Same in God’s Eyes (and why that matters)
The other day, I made a passing comment to a friend about Christian clichés I dislike—some because they are overused, some because they are gross over-generalizations, some because they're simply untrue. Here were a few I mentioned... "God helps those who help themselves" "God loves the sinner but hates the sin" "Forgive and forget" "I don't feel led" "You are enough" (yeah, my wife wrote a post on that pet peeve) Among those I really dislike is this little gem: "All sins are the same in God's eyes." On one level, it makes sense why some would believe all sins are equal. Since all sins are ...Read More
Skip the Drugs: 5 Ways to Naturally Treat Acid Reflux
I recently spent a lot of time researching how to naturally treat acid reflux. I've lost count of the number of times my head has shot off the pillow in the middle of the night with that nauseating, burning sensation in the back of my throat. The scorching feeling in my chest, the bitter taste of stomach acid splashing up into my esophagus—it's another bout of acid reflux. My acid reflux was so frequent I eventually developed scar tissue in my throat—technically called esophageal stricture—which made it painful and difficult to swallow or even talk. Special thanks to Maty's Healthy Products for ...Read More
