Parenting Under Pressure: Guarding Your Heart & Home During a Crisis
As Christian parents, few moments are as heart-wrenching as watching a child wander from faith or make destructive choices. The world can feel hostile, judgment comes from every side, and the weight of worry settles heavily on our hearts—especially in those seasons that bring us to our knees, desperate for answers and strength.
But what if these moments, painful as they are, are also invitations to deeper faith, more intentional boundaries, and growing into the prayer warriors our kids need most?
In times of crisis, God equips us—not just to endure, but to fight wisely, love fiercely, and intercede with power.
This question—how do we parent through a crisis with our kids?—is the focus of the latest “Best Of” episode of Christian Parent/Crazy World,.
🎤 MEET MY GUEST: LAINE LAWSON CRAFT
Laine is a seasoned speaker, author, and mother who has spent over fifteen years in the trenches with her own prodigal children. She is the author of The Parent Battle Plan: Warfare Strategies to Win Back Your Prodigal, and her journey through heartbreak, spiritual warfare, and ultimate restoration offers deep, practical, hope-filled wisdom. Laine has walked the hard road many of us fear—and her story testifies to God’s relentless love and the power of faithful parenting.
🌱 EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: Hope and Practical Strategies for Parents
Here are some of the biggest takeaways from my conversation with Laine:
🛡️ Evicting Enablement:
One of the most important shifts for parents in crisis is learning to differentiate between helping and enabling. Laine shares how “giving the means or opportunity” for destructive behavior can sabotage healing, and how practical boundaries—contracts, clear expectations, and redefining necessities vs. luxuries—create space for repentance and growth. Love does not mean funding a child’s rebellion.
💪 Self-Preservation Isn’t Selfish
When our children’s choices threaten our joy and well-being, caring for ourselves isn’t selfish—it’s essential. Laine calls us to “me-us care”: making healthy deposits in our emotional bank accounts through prayer, hobbies, and time with God. You can’t battle for your child if you are too depleted to show up.
🧱 Boundaries That Bless
Healthy homes are built on boundaries. Laine and I discuss the importance of transitioning from “best friend” parenting to authoritative, loving parents who set protective guidelines around influences, technology, and household expectations. Boundaries, much like God’s laws, are not restrictions—they’re blessings.
🧠 Guarding Your Mind From Judgment and Fear
The voices in our heads—and from well-meaning outsiders—can deeply wound us as we parent a prodigal. Laine urges us to “feed our brains” with faith rather than fear, to take every thought captive (2 Corinthians 10:5), and to wield God’s promises as our lifeline.
🤗 Community & Christian Counseling
You don’t have to walk this road alone. Authentic, safe community and faith-rooted counseling provide support, tools, and healing. Laine encourages parents—don’t give up searching for the right support system. The battle is too hard to fight in isolation.
🙏 Prayer That Storms the Gates
There is power and authority in a parent’s prayers. Laine reminds us—God wastes nothing, and no prodigal is ever too far gone. (Listen to this week’s episode to hear powerful prayer in action for our kids!)
🎧 LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE HERE 👉
Or find CP/CW on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, Google Podcasts, Pocket Casts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
🛎️ YOUR CALL TO ACTION
✨ Download my FREE Prodigal Bundle below:
Packed with hope-filled resources: Scripture lists, podcasts, prayer tools, and book recommendations.
💬 A QUOTE TO REFLECT ON
“We can’t allow our children’s terrible decisions and
wrong choices to take our lives and our joy.
The battle for your child is not just about them—
it’s about staying close to God,
caring for yourself,
and refusing to fund their destruction.
No prodigal is too far gone for God.”
~Lane Lawson Craft
🌟 ENCOURAGEMENT FOR PARENTS
Parenting through crisis is never easy, but it is holy ground. You are not alone, and God chose you—yes, you!—for your specific child for a reason.
In the trenches, faith grows. In the storms, prayer warriors are formed. Don’t shrink back. Get your William Wilberforce on! As I like to say…
“Smear some blue paint on your face and go to war!”
Join arms with other believers, push back against fear and judgment, and stand firm in your God-given authority, and pray like never before.
The battle for your child’s heart is not just yours—it belongs to the Living God, and you can join with him in prayer.
🌈 LET’S WALK IN HOPE TOGETHER
Are you struggling with boundaries, judgment, or the exhaustion of loving a prodigal? Download the resources, listen in, and let’s reclaim faith and fight for our families—one prayer, one boundary, one day at a time.
Resources & Links:
- The Parent Battle Plan: Warfare Strategies to Win Back Your Prodigal
- Catherine’s Free Prodigal Bundle for parents (scripture list, resources, podcasts):
