Let's Parent on Purpose: Christian Marriage, Parenting, and Discipleship Christian Parenting

Summer break is a great time to catch our breath and decompress. If we are intentional, the break is also an amazing opportunity to inspire our children with awe and wonder at their Creator God. Jay is joined this episode by Rita Diapoules, the director of Children’s Ministry at Covenant Fellowship Baptist Church. Rita helps walk us though little intentional activities we can do throughout the summer to deepen our children’s appreciation for their Creator. 

In this episode Jay and Rita talk about intentional use of the mornings, reading and devotion times, and using a simple prayer calendar to guide children in noticing different aspects of creation and their Creator. They also talk about using vacations and service times to grow together as a family in the Lord.

**Be sure to check out the prayer calendar and activities guide created by Rita that accompanies this podcast.

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Bio
Rita Diapoules is the wife of Mark and mother of two young children. After spending fifteen years as a public school teacher (and Palm City Elementary Teacher of the Year) Rita now co-leads the children’s ministry at Covenant Fellowship Baptist Church while raising and teaching her daughters.

Resources mentioned:
Download the Summer Prayer Calendar here: https://bit.ly/45bIaAh

Join my Things for Thursday Email List and get a free Marriage Snapshot Tool and Fun Family Conversation Ebook!

Support Let’s Parent on Purpose as we help families thrive though the gospel: https://letsparentonpurpose.com/support/

**Be sure to check out our new discussion guide to help you make the most out of this episode. [Go to Discussion Guide]

What do you think about when you think about God? Is He distant, uncaring, weak or unjust? Or is He good, near, powerful, just, and loving? Every person has a story they tell themselves about God, and we continually feed this story. 

Today Jay shares how we have a choice in what we choose to feed in our story about God. He then shares how those choices tend to have control over us in ways that we don’t expect. The story you tell yourself about God will affect how you handle temptation, trials, and tragedies. Will sin become a coping mechanism or an evil to avoid? It all depends on the story you are feeding yourself about God.

This principle also holds true in the story we tell ourselves about other people. You can make or break relationships based on the internal story you create and then seek to prove through your interactions. If you are stuck in a bad story, listen and hear how Jay shares two powerful antidotes that can change your story. 

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Resources mentioned:

Join my Things for Thursday Email List and get a free Marriage Snapshot Tool and Fun Family Conversation Ebook!

Support Let’s Parent on Purpose as we help families thrive though the gospel: https://letsparentonpurpose.com/support/

What do you do when you and your children experience intense personal loss, like the unexpected death of a loved one? Eliza Huie helps us walk through a series of questions that parents wrestle with as they try to process shock and grief while also helping their children deal with tragedy.

Listen as Eliza answers the following questions from Jay:
How can parents shepherd their children through intense personal loss?How can they do this while also dealing with the loss themselves?What are normal feelings and emotions that go along with trauma.What might counseling to do help. How do you know if counseling is appropriate? How soon after the loss?

In crisis we have (psychological needs):
The Activation of the BodyThe Activation of the Mind and EmotionsThe Activation of the Soul

What does a person in crisis need? (relational needs):
What determines if a crisis situation results in long-term trauma?What are the essential characteristics of a helper in these situations?

A plan for what’s ahead (situational needs):
First few daysFirst 1-3 weeksFour weeks and beyond
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About Eliza Huie

Eliza Huie is the director of counseling at McLean Bible Church located invthe Washington D.C. metro area. She is the Dean of Biblical Counseling for Metro Baltimore Seminary in Maryland. She and her husband Ken have been married for almost 30 years and they have 3 grown children and a lovely daughter-in-law.

Resources mentioned:

Biblical Virtual Counseling Resource:

Anchored Hope Counseling – https://anchoredhope.co


Fieldstone Counseling – https://fieldstonecounseling.org


Christian Trauma Counseling – https://christiantraumacounseling.com


Breath as Prayer by Jennifer Tucker


Tips for Survivors of a Disaster or Other Traumatic Event: https://store.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/sma13-4776.pdf


Join my Things for Thursday Email List and get a free Marriage Snapshot Tool and Fun Family Conversation Ebook!


Support Let’s Parent on Purpose as we help families thrive though the gospel: https://letsparentonpurpose.com/support/

**Be sure to check out our new discussion guide to help you make the most out of this episode. Download it here.

Research shows that the average adult makes over 35,000 decisions every day! We make a lot of choices, and many of our choices have a compounding effect as we repeat them day after day. Other choices are not as important but drain our energy. This week Jay shares insights on the power of pre-deciding in seven areas of your life that will have tremendous compound interest. Listen as Jay explains why you should:

1. Pre-decide when you are going to have your time with God each day.

2. Pre-decide when you are going to bed and when you are going to wake up as a normal habit. 

3. Pre-Decide your default meals for breakfast and lunch. 

4. Pre-decide your days and time to be a part of the church

5. Pre-decide your date nights

6. Pre-decide family dinner nights

7. Pre-decide to be proportionally generous

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Resources mentioned:

The Greatest Choices of Strategic Leaders: https://go.roberts.edu/leadingedge/the-great-choices-of-strategic-leaders

Join my Things for Thursday Email List and get a free Marriage Snapshot Tool and Fun Family Conversation Ebook!

Support Let’s Parent on Purpose as we help families thrive though the gospel: https://letsparentonpurpose.com/support/

**Be sure to check out our new discussion guide to help you make the most out of this episode. Download it here.
 
What does it mean to walk in the Spirit and live in the Spirit? This week I am joined by Dr. Don Love for a walk through Galatians 5 and a discussion of the Fruit of the Spirit in the life of a believer. We talk about how to discern the will of God in your life, ways that the Lord might be speaking to you, and the importance of the statement “God’s will is found in God’s Word.” You will learn the difference between the gifts of the Spirit and the Fruit of the Spirit and how this understanding can be transformational in your marriage and parenting. Finally, Don leads us in a time of prayer to seek the Lord’s guidance on each aspect of the Fruit of the Spirit in our own lives.
 
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Bio
Dr. Don Love is the director of Pray Through It and the host of the weekly podcast Unquenchable: Biblical Theology, Listening Prayer, and Christian Living. You can find out more and interact with Dr. Love at www.praythroughit.com
 
Resources mentioned:
 
Episode 341: Inner Healing Through Prayer with Dr. Don Love
 
www.praythroughit.com
 
Join my Things for Thursday Email List and get a free Marriage Snapshot Tool and Fun Family Conversation Ebook!
 
Support Let’s Parent on Purpose as we help families thrive though the gospel: https://letsparentonpurpose.com/support/
 
 

**Be sure to check out our new discussion guide to help you make the most out of this episode. >> https://bit.ly/3Hilh2R
Character changes destiny, and character changes culture. Dr. Kathy Koch helps define the core character qualities we want to instill in our children to help them honor Christ, even when no one is looking. As we learn to parent for character instead of outward obedience, we begin to raise children who will change their culture.
Listen today as Jay and Dr. Kathy discuss:
•   The definition of character, and the vital importance of training for gratitude, joy, and self-efficacy.
•   How to cast vision in your children to be culture changers instead of just rule followers.
•   The definition of joy and the dangers of comparison and unrealistic expectations.
•   The way technology teaches us to live entitled and the wisdom of limiting choices.
•   Why “choice” is one of the most powerful words a parent can use.
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Bio
Dr. Kathy Koch is the founder and president of Celebrate Kids, Inc., and a child development specialist. She is also the author of seven bestselling parent-child enrichment books including her latest book, Parent Differently: Raise Kids with Biblical Character that Changes Culture.
 
 Resources mentioned: 
www.celebratekids.com
 Parent Differently: Raise Kids with Biblical Character that Changes Culture
 Screens and Teens
 Start with the Heart
 Eight Great Smarts
 No More Perfect Kids
 Resilient Kids
 Five to Thrive
 Facing the Dark Podcast
 Dr. Kathy Says Podcast
 Celebrate Kids Podcast
 
Join my Things for Thursday Email List and get a free Marriage Snapshot Tool and Fun Family Conversation Ebook!
 
Support Let’s Parent on Purpose as we help families thrive though the gospel: https://letsparentonpurpose.com/support/