Thrive Parent Update October 18,2019
We are on the same team so let's work together!
I recently heard the following statement at a conference. "We cannot, in one hour a week, un-teach what you teach everyday at home."
Ouch! That hits home for me at a student pastor and a parent.
First, I as a student pastor cannot expect the students I lead to do anything I teach them unless they see it modeled, practiced, and re-enforced at home. I need to encourage volunteers and parents with the same things I am encouraging my students with, so they have the same discipleship opportunities as their students do.
Second, as a parent I need to make sure I practice what I preach at home so that my kids have an example to follow. The following verse gives us a blueprint.
Deuteronomy 6:4-9 gives us our mission from God as parents:
“Hear O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.”
1. Love the Lord your God
2. Model & talk about them with your family.
3. Celebrate when they/we get it right.
Start with something simple.
Do you pray at dinner?
Do you talk about God more than just at church?
Do you have a time of family devotion?
I am with you and for you on this journey,
Pastor Brandon
STRONGER: A 4-WEEK SERIES ON HURT AND PAIN
SERIES OVERVIEW:
Life hurts sometimes. If you haven't already experienced it, there will be a day when you'll encounter pain, failure, or loss. Sometimes the hurt we feel happens because of something we do, or something that is done to us, or something that is no one's fault at all. In this 4-week series, we'll talk about how, when life hurts, or goes wrong, or doesn't make sense, these things are true: Jesus can redeem what's gone wrong, God can be trusted, God gives us each other, and God helps us persevere.
Teenagers can be pretty dramatic sometimes, but do you think you could spot the difference between typical teenage stress or drama, and a real mental health concern? When it comes to your teenager's mental health, always be aware of your own limitations, and don't ignore any concerns that your kid might need support from a medical or mental health professional. And as always, if your kid is struggling, let us know how we can help!