We all want to have a marriage that thrives, don’t we? And yet one-third of Christian marriages end in divorce, a figure that is “statistically identical to that of non-born again adults” according to recent research from Barna.  What critical foundation are so many Christians missing in their marriage that leads to the demise of their primary relationship? In the latest […]

Life has tough lessons in store for all of us. Seeing those experiences through the lens of Biblical truth is vital if we want to thrive in these difficult seasons and grow. As parents, we want to prepare our kids for these challenges so they can flourish. So what lessons are most important for our kids to learn? In this creative and reflective episode of CHRISTIAN PARENT/CRAZY WORLD, I dig deep into […]

We think of sex trafficking as being out there somewhere in the jungles of Central America or in Thailand and Cambodia. And to be sure, it is there. But what we must understand as parents is that human trafficking is in every zip code in the United States as well.  What do we need to know […]

The evil of human trafficking is overwhelming, isn’t it? What can you or I do about it?  More than you think.  I recently sat down with Dr. Rondy Smith, founder and CEO of Rest Stop Ministries, Tennessee’s first long-term residential restoration program for female survivors of sex trafficking. January is National Human Trafficking Awareness and Prevention month, so in the latest […]

There are eight critically important words that as parents we need to say to our kids, as often as necessary—and they are hard. Let me re-type that more appropriately. They are HARD. They may be the hardest words to say in the English language. They are relationship building words, and words that model what true repentance looks like. If you don’t learn how to say these words, at some point, your relationship with […]

The beginning of a new year is the perfect time to make some changes, to consider where growth is helpful and necessary. In this “Best of” episode of  CHRISTIAN PARENT/CRAZY WORLD, I share 13 gauges on how to improve as parents and as individuals this year. I walk you step-by-step through a personal assessment that examines your faith life, your marriage life, your family life, your domestic life, and nine other areas while offering simple, everyday guidance on how to make effective and lasting change. This powerful tool for […]

People always assume I have an incredible memory because I can quote many Bible verses and whole passages of Scripture verbatim. They’re wrong. My long-term memory is pretty ordinary, and my short-term memory is as bad as it gets. I lose my phone at least 10 times a day. (I have no idea where it […]

King David said, “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” (Psalm 119:11) As Believers, we know that we are supposed to hide God’s Word in our hearts, but most of have a really heard time retaining Scripture. We know that a verse is somewhere in a certain book of the Bible… probably.  And we know what it says… sort of—but we […]

Keeping Christ at the center of Christmas is a HUGE challenge for busy parents. Can I get an AMEN? Or a Merry CHRISTmas. We are constantly pushed and pulled a hundred different directions, especially at the holidays. Our event calendar in December can look like a flow-chart from an international airport with constant departures and arrivals. And it is so […]

Last Christmas, I was perusing a list of “The 100 Best Christmas Movies of All Time” on Rotten Tomatoes, the universal hub for movie reviews, and received quite a shock. The first few offerings were expected Christmas classics. Earning top billing was Meet Me in St Louis followed by The Shop Around the Corner and Miracle on 34th Street. (The list has since […]