Christian Home and Family

106 - To build a christ centered home - site

To build a Christ-centered home, you go first (Episode 106]

Posted by Carey

· Tuesday, March 20th, 2018

This is the last of the “chapters” in my Family Foundations series, aimed at helping you create a Christ-centered home. In case you haven’t noticed I want to draw two important things to your attention. #1: So far I’ve said very little about many of the things typically addressed in a series about a Christ-centered home and family. For example,…

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Teen Dating: Why our kids do not date (and how we accomplished it)

Posted by Carey

· Thursday, February 15th, 2018

Teen dating seems to be the norm… but we’ve decided that our kids will not date until they are 18. This post is not about dating VS courtship… so you can relax. This post is about the wisdom (or lack of wisdom) that is inherent in the cultural practice of dating… and what can be done about it in YOUR…

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Loving The Personal Weakness of Your Spouse [Ep 104]

Posted by Carey

· Thursday, January 18th, 2018

Our culture tends to be a really self centered. There is not much grace for the personal weakness of others. And so, in step with our culture, a lot of the things that you hear talked about when it comes to the difficulties of married life have to do with one of the partners being bothered by the actions or…

How a commitment to personal freedom is gutting Christian parenting [Ep 103]

Posted by Carey

· Thursday, December 21st, 2017

How a commitment to personal freedom is gutting Christian parenting… A while back my wife and I were talking about absolutes… As we sat over coffee at our favorite local hangout (my favorite drink is a “Honey Badger,” with a little extra “badger” – you should try one), we were trying to soak in the blessings God has poured out…

The KEY to raising godly children (OR: God-fearing children and the parents who raise them ) [Ep 102]

Posted by Carey

· Thursday, December 14th, 2017

Why would I throw in my thoughts on such a popular and written-to-death sort of subject? Because what I consider to be the KEY to raising godly children has not been said enough, or loudly enough. The key to raising godly children is to first be a godly parent. Don’t hear me saying you have to be perfect. Don’t…

What Does It Mean to Be a Spiritual Leader? : A Challenge for Husbands [Ep 101]

Posted by Carey

· Thursday, December 7th, 2017

A spiritual leader is not the person who has all the right, holy-sounding answers. A spiritual leader is a person who humbly goes first in serving others. That’s one of the many lessons I’ve learned about what it means to be a spiritual leader in my family over the past almost-30 years. This episode of the Christian Home and Family…

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Parenting from the Bible, the Death of Fluffy, and Dealing With Reality [Ep 100]

Posted by Carey

· Thursday, November 30th, 2017

I hope it’s your desire to learn everything you need to know about parenting from the Bible. I say that because, in my experience, the Bible is all we need. Psychology has its place, as do good books from Christian authors. But in the end, the truth expressed in scripture about how we live our lives as Christ-followers applies across…

The Foundation of a Marriage that Honors Christ – part 4 of 4 [Ep 99]

Posted by Carey

· Thursday, November 23rd, 2017

The foundation of a marriage is an important thing. It’s not something to be taken lightly. This episode was the final session I gave on Sunday morning at a recent marriage retreat. The notes below are my speaking outline from that event. Subscribe to the CHAF Podcast On Android | Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Google Play | Podbean |…

The 3rd “C” of a Christ-Honoring Marriage: Connection [Ep 98]

Posted by Carey

· Thursday, November 16th, 2017

The kind of marriage connection you want is possible… But you have to understand that it’s built upon other things – the individual relationships you and your spouse have with God through Christ, AND the healthy, ongoing communication you establish with each other. Only then, can the connection and unity you desire in your marriage come to fruition. This episode…

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Christian Marriage: Communication is Key – part 2 of 4 [Ep 97]

Posted by Carey

· Thursday, November 9th, 2017

In a Christian marriage, communication is one of the foundational things that enables man and wife to live together in harmony. But more important is the WHY it’s so vital. It’s because without communication a wife and her husband are unable to understand the state of the other’s ongoing commitment to Christ and be of benefit to them in that…

Love Never Fails. And it’s a bloody process

Posted by Carey

· Friday, November 3rd, 2017

1 Corinthians 13:8 says “Love Never Fails.” And when you hear a statement like that – even from the Bible – it can feel kind of cliche – ish. You know? Unicorns. Rainbows. Cartoon hearts floating into the sky. That kind of stuff. But because it’s from the Bible I take it a lot more seriously than that. I have…

Commitment: The 1st C of a Christ-Honoring Marriage – part 1 of 4 [Ep. 96]

Posted by Carey

· Tuesday, September 19th, 2017

I was recently asked to speak at a marriage retreat here in the mountains of Colorado. My topic, for four sessions was this… The 3 Cs of a Christ-Honoring Marriage Those 3 Cs are: Commitment, Communication, and Connection. This episode features the first of those talks – Commitment. And it’s not the kind of commitment you might think of when…

Marriage Restoration Is Possible: Take These Steps [Ep. 95]

Posted by Carey

· Wednesday, May 10th, 2017

I am one of those people who believes that marriage restoration is possible for any Christ-following couple who is willing to seek God for the type of healing that only He can bring. I’ve seen it happen. So I can confidently say that there is hope for your marriage if you are willing to humbly submit to God’s plan for…

94 - The Good Stewardship of your family - site

The Good Stewardship Of Your Family Is A BIG Deal [Ep. 94]

Posted by Carey

· Wednesday, May 3rd, 2017

Good stewardship is about more than money and posessions… Since the recent movies about Spider Man, most of us are familiar with the quote that Peter Parker’s Uncle Ben says to him, just before he dies… I’ve always wondered how good old Uncle Ben even had a hunch about Peter’s “super power” – but I digress. Uncle Ben’s statement is…

A prayer for my grandchildren from the parable of the sower [Ep. 93]

Posted by Carey

· Monday, April 24th, 2017

On becoming “Grand-Pop” This is a picture of my son Aaron, with his son (my grandson), Wyatt. Don’t you love the matching flannel shirts? His daddy dressed them both that day… and those Carhartt(c) overalls are amazingly cute! Wyatt was born on June 4th, 2013 – which made him a wondeful birthday present for my youngest daughter Faith, who celebrates…

92 - letting go of adult children - site

Letting Go Of Adult Children And Taking Hold Of The Faithfulness Of God [Ep 92]

Posted by Carey

· Monday, February 27th, 2017

Many parents, Christian or otherwise, have the hardest time letting go of adult children. There’s no easy way to do it and no magic formula that makes everything turn out perfectly. But there is a realization that I’ve come to as I’ve watched 3 of my children move into adulthood: God is faithful – even now – even after I’ve…

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God’s Faithfulness in Seasons of Change [Ep 91]

Posted by Carey

· Monday, January 2nd, 2017

Seasons of change are part of life. There’s no avoiding it. Sometimes the season can linger for much longer than we like. Other times it’s fairly brief. And as is common for almost everyone, change is hard to handle. The same goes for me. I’ve been away from the Christian Home and Family podcast and website for some time. You…

How to rebuild marital trust

Posted by Carey

· Friday, March 25th, 2016

If you’re wondering how to build marital trust, it’s really pretty simple. You’ve got to learn how to be entirely open with each other. Yes, I know it’s hard. It’s worse than hard – it’s almost impossible. But you’ve GOT to learn it if you’re going to build trust the way it is SUPPOSED to be in marriage. Here’s an…

After you discover her affair…

Posted by Carey

· Friday, December 4th, 2015

Every marriage that breaks down is different. But there are similarities that I’ve learned to look for that indicate whether a couple is truly ready to do the hard work necessary to repair a broken marriage. What are those things? Brokenness Humility Ownership of their issues Willingness to repent Sorrow I don’t honestly know why I feel I should share…

Sex is not about pleasure

Posted by Carey

· Wednesday, July 29th, 2015

When you think of sex, it’s natural to think of pleasure. The tabloid’s obviously do… “How to drive him crazy in Bed.” “10 tips for amazing sex.” The goal is clearly the maximization of pleasure. If we learn the right approach, technique, or attitude the amount of pleasure we get from sex will be unbelievable. But the belief that sex is about…

The legalization of gay marriage – what it means for Christian parents [EPICLY LONG POST]

Posted by Carey

· Wednesday, July 8th, 2015

There is no way I expect this post to completely cover the topic of gay marriage and the impact it has on Christian parenting. I hope you’re not expecting that. What I am hoping is that my comments here can open up a very candid conversation between you and me and the LORD. It’s a conversation between CHRISTIAN PEOPLE. Please understand…

Broken Together – the only way marriage works – Casting Crowns [video]

Posted by Carey

· Friday, June 5th, 2015

I love the message of Casting Crown’s new video “Broken Together” In our media-saturated world seldom do I see a video that truly captures the hopes, struggles, pain, and humble reliance on God that are truly needed to make a Christ-centered, God-honoring marriage possible. This one does a good job of it. I love how it portrays the childhood dreams…

How would you have me become a better father? – What one reader would ask God…

Posted by Carey

· Wednesday, May 27th, 2015

How to be a good father… It’s not an easy question to answer. A while back I asked readers of this blog to answer this question: If you could get a direct answer from God about any question related to marriage, the family, and parenting – what would it be? I got some very good responses. One Dad asked, “How…

I love God, you love God – but not enough

Posted by Carey

· Thursday, May 21st, 2015

I love God. I really do. In spite of how I fail. And in spite of how passages like this make me feel… If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And…

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Child discipline = raising their sights

Posted by Carey

· Monday, May 11th, 2015

Child discipline wasn’t something I appreciated when I was a child But I knew it had to be done. Once, my Dad had told me I was going to get a spanking and then seemed to forget about it. My young soul was tormented. When was I going to get it? Days passed and I was in agony. [tweetthis hidden_hashtags=”#childdiscipline…

10 things I learned from my mom – by Melinda Green – Happy Mother’s Day

Posted by Carey

· Friday, May 8th, 2015

10 Things I’m so Thankful I Learned from My Mom This is a post my oldest daughter wrote for the site a few years ago… and every Mother’s Day I have to pull it out again. It still brings tears to my eyes… #1 The Truth of My Identity in Christ Ever since I was little my mom has been…

Anchored to the family

Posted by Carey

· Wednesday, May 6th, 2015

The anchor to my Dad’s boat always fascinated me. It was kind of heavy to a little kid like me, but it didn’t seem that big. It wasn’t all THAT impressive. But it could hold our boat relatively still in spite of wind and waves. That was what fascinated me. An anchor is a pretty functional and cool thing. Your…

You’ve changed: Navigating the seasons of marriage [blog]

Posted by Carey

· Wednesday, April 22nd, 2015

“You’ve changed!” “What happened to the man (woman) I married?” Such phrases are often thrown out as accusations, as if the act of getting married cements personality, habits, and preferences in place, never to change again. But that’s not how it is, is it? It sounds stupid now, but when I first married, I didn’t expect my wife to change……

Praying parents that rock their kids’ world

Posted by Carey

· Tuesday, April 14th, 2015

Prayers offered up by parents are not magical mantras They are heart-felt, scriptural cries to our God, who cares for our children more than we do. When I first became a parent, I didn’t know how to pray for my kids. What should I say? What do they really need? What words should I use? But I discovered… it’s not all…

Where have I been? OR “When life takes over”

Posted by Carey

· Friday, April 10th, 2015

You may have wondered where I have been… or – maybe not. Either way, the truth is that I’ve been off the radar for a long, Long, LONG time. I left a podcast series unfinished, the blog vacant (hear the crickets chirping?), and the mailing list an orphan. What happened? It’s what happens when life takes over… when the best…

This Christmas, I give you Jesus [4-minute audio inspiration]

Posted by Carey

· Friday, December 19th, 2014

Christmas can be a hectic time. But I don’t have to tell you that, do I? Gifts to buy, cards to mail, parties to attend, decorating and baking to do… If we’re not careful, the celebration can outpace the meaning. Here’s my 4-minute Christmas-time reset for you… a chance for you to: I’d love to hear your feedback and thoughts…

Radical Faith for Generations – the new podcast and format – coming tomorrow!

Posted by Carey

· Tuesday, October 21st, 2014

Radical faith for generations is my new mission – and the name of the all-new podcast. I’m very excited to finally have my ducks in a row so that I can get the podcast revamped, rejuvenated, and ready to go for you starting tomorrow. It’s an entirely different format… less preachy-preachy, more entertaining and thought provoking. No video, but lots…

Say it to him

Posted by Carey

· Friday, October 10th, 2014

Your husband needs you to say it to him. Don’t assume he knows. Never assume. Make sure that the things you value about him are spoken… clearly and often. When you say it, you will help him beyond what you can imagine. As a man, he’s got deep seated insecurities about himself. He wonders if he’s man enough, strong enough, capable enough. You…

Say it to her

Posted by Carey

· Monday, September 29th, 2014

Your wife needs you to say it to her. Don’t assume she knows. Never assume. Make sure that the things you value about her are spoken… clearly and often. When you say it, you will help her beyond what you can imagine. She’s got deep seated insecurities about herself as a woman. She wonders if she’s woman enough, pretty enough, satisfying…

Clarity, Certainty, Confidence – life changing benefits of scripture

Posted by Carey

· Friday, September 26th, 2014

Life changing. It’s an over-used word in our day and age. Everyone from business gurus to doctors are touting the “life changing” effects of their system, program, or method. It’s enough to make you a skeptic for life. But don’t go there just yet. There truly are some life changing things in the world, and scripture is one of them….

Podcast 90 – How to stop family conflicts

Posted by Carey

· Wednesday, September 24th, 2014

How to stop family conflicts. Or if you are using a “podcatcher” here is the feed address: https://christianhomeandfamily.com/feed/podcast/ Family conflicts can make life inside the home horrendous. Nobody wants to be around when arguing, fighting, and complaining are the norm. So how do you get past the arguing? You get past it by preventing it in the first place. And you do…

Monday Mindset: Compassion

Posted by Carey

· Monday, September 22nd, 2014

I have to admit that I’ve come to see the value and need for compassion toward others far later in life than I should have. I’m typically a “suck it up and get to work” kind of person when it comes to how I view others. But I’m coming to see that though that may be a very “American” attitude…

I forgive you, but…

Posted by Carey

· Friday, September 19th, 2014

When you or I say, “I forgive you,” we’re supposed to put the situation behind us, right? Well, yes… but there’s something else that’s supposed to happen. The offending person is supposed to change. It’s called repentance. I can remember a handful of times when my wife or myself have been dealing with one of our children about the very same…

Podcast 89 – How to stop sinning

Posted by Carey

· Wednesday, September 17th, 2014

How to stop sinning. Really. Or if you are using a “podcatcher” here is the feed address: https://christianhomeandfamily.com/feed/podcast/ Yes, really. I know we’d all like to know how to stop sinning, and the truth is that the Bible gives us plain, simple instructions for how to do it. But even though it’s simple, it’s not easy. Every believer in Christ has…

Monday Mindset: Worship

Posted by Carey

· Monday, September 15th, 2014

I once heard Chuck Swindoll say that we worship God for 4 basic things. His PERSON His PLANS His WORD and His WORKS. I tend to agree with Him. Worship is a response to God. It’s a response to what He’s done in one of those 4 areas. In this “Monday mindset” I’m encouraging you to talk with your family…

Corporate prayer is a pain in the…

Posted by Carey

· Friday, September 12th, 2014

In my entire Christian life (going on 43 years, now) corporate prayer has never been easy. That statement comes from a guy who… Has been in church since he was 5 years old. Has served as a professional “clergy” for over 20 years. Has attended more prayer meetings than movies. Has taught people about prayer and how to pray. Has encouraged…

Podcast 88 – God is light, and what it means for your family!

Posted by Carey

· Wednesday, September 10th, 2014

God is Light: A lesson for Christian families Or if you are using a “podcatcher” here is the feed address: https://christianhomeandfamily.com/feed/podcast/ God seems to love illustrations and symbols. The scriptures are full of them: sheep, goats, seeds, plants, vines, brides and bridegrooms, light, darkness – you get the idea. This episode uses the biblical illustration of light to show you a…

Monday Mindset: Peace of mind

Posted by Carey

· Monday, September 8th, 2014

Many people say that they have great “peace of mind.” They say it when things are going well, when they’ve been able to overcome a great obstacle, or are content with where they are in life. But they really don’t have “peace of mind.” What they have is “peace of feel.” What? Everything FEELS good to them. It has nothing…

How to pray for your non-Christian family members

Posted by Carey

· Friday, September 5th, 2014

Praying for non-Christians is an important habit to develop as a family. It demonstrates for everyone (parents and kids alike), some of the most important character traits that Christ wants to grow in us: As you develop habits of prayer as a family, you’ll begin to see God’s answers, which encourages your faith all the more! Whether it’s family…

Podcast 87 – 30 day Bible saturation for spiritual growth

Posted by Carey

· Wednesday, September 3rd, 2014

30 day Bible saturation for spiritual growth Or if you are using a “podcatcher” here is the feed address: https://christianhomeandfamily.com/feed/podcast/ There are a million different ways you could get into the scriptures and get the scriptures into you. But here’s one that’s honestly new to me, taught to me by my daughter. I call it the 30 day Bible saturation, and…

Monday Mindset: The power of a Bible verse

Posted by Carey

· Monday, September 1st, 2014

Don’t ever underestimate the power of a Bible verse Even more importantly, don’t underestimate the power of the God who spoke it. One of the primary means God uses to do work in our lives is through those Bible verses we take so much for granted. And if you’re raising your children in a way that includes regular church attendance…

Spiritual training for your children doesn’t have to be hard, even if you’re starting late

Posted by Carey

· Friday, August 29th, 2014

SPIRITUAL TRAINING FOR YOUR KIDS DOESN’T HAVE TO BE HARD… I’ve heard the story, many times. By God’s grace, a parent has come to faith in Christ later in life. They change course mid-stream so to speak, in their own life and in their family. There’s a new mind-set and new way of living that they’re trying to implement in…

Sexual sin and the Christian family

Posted by Carey

· Friday, August 22nd, 2014

We live in a tremendously sexualized culture. Sexual sin is a natural result. Sexual sins are some of the things that destroy families and their ability to have radical faith for generations. But sex is not the real issue behind sexual sin. Really, it’s not. Sexual sin happens because believers who once walked close with their LORD (or perhaps never did)…

Podcast 86- I can’t do this anymore! True or False?

Posted by Carey

· Wednesday, August 20th, 2014

I Can’t Do This Anymore! True or False? Or if you are using a “podcatcher” here is the feed address: https://christianhomeandfamily.com/feed/podcast/ I CAN’T DO THIS ANYMORE – TRUE OR FALSE? In this episode of the podcast we’ll be considering a very common statement I hear from people who have lived for many years in a painful or hurtful circumstance. “I can’t do…

Monday mindset: Consideration

Posted by Carey

· Monday, August 18th, 2014

A Consideration assignment for your family If you’ve been following along with these Monday Mindsets each week, you probably realize by now that the assignments center around two things: A clear belief that anything and everything you attempt in terms of spiritual or family growth, must be empowered by the Holy Spirit. So start there. Before you begin the first…

The power and purpose of consideration in the family

Posted by Carey

· Friday, August 15th, 2014

Consideration is not a spontaneous attitude of the human heart. You can’t manufacture it, or fake it, or require it. You can’t grit your teeth and make it happen. Consideration is shaped and produced by the Spirit of God who lives in you. In Galatians 5:22-23 Paul gives us a list of “fruit” that the Spirit produces when He has his…

Podcast 85 – Flexibility in family life

Posted by Carey

· Wednesday, August 13th, 2014

Flexibility in Family Life Or if you are using a “podcatcher” here is the feed address: https://christianhomeandfamily.com/feed/podcast/ Life gets crazy. Work demands, soccer games, home repairs, shopping trips, relationships to maintain, and important, ongoing conversations to have. It’s enough to make you the most inflexible person alive! On top of all that is the heart-cry we all have to discover and…

Monday mindset: Purity

Posted by Carey

· Monday, August 11th, 2014

Purity. The only time we hear that word nowadays is in reference to water… and that’s a great illustration of how you need to think of purity in regards to your family, and this week’s Monday mindset. By definition, purity is an extreme word. It communicates an extreme level of quality. Water is either pure or it’s not. Even the…

In and through

Posted by Carey

· Friday, August 8th, 2014

What if it’s true that Jesus really does live in and through His followers? I know, it’s almost heretical to say “if” about such a thing, because all of us would say, But let’s be honest… there are many, many things we say we believe but don’t put into practice or live out. Here’s a sample list: Did I make my…

Podcast 84 – How radical faith for generations happens

Posted by Carey

· Wednesday, August 6th, 2014

How radical faith for generations happens Or if you are using a “podcatcher” here is the feed address: https://christianhomeandfamily.com/feed/podcast/ OK parents, it’s time to get real. Life is too short for us to spend it in the aimless pursuit of status, stuff, or personal satisfaction. There’s too much at stake. God has given us one of the most wonderful AND most daunting responsibilities we could…

Monday Mindset: Contentment

Posted by Carey

· Monday, August 4th, 2014

Contentment is a very hard thing, especially in a wealthy culture. You don’t think you’re wealthy? Plug your income into this quick calculator and you’ll see just how rich you are compared to the rest of the world. My income, which seems meager to me, turned out to be among the top one half of one percent in the entire…

God is the great frustrator

Posted by Carey

· Friday, August 1st, 2014

Frustration is a very, well, frustrating emotion! It stems from our desire to have things go as we’d like them to go. After all, we make our plans, take our action steps and expect certain results. But I’m coming to see that in many situations, the very frustration I’m trying to avoid or overcome has been placed there by God…

Podcast 83 – How to use scripture in your family devotions

Posted by Carey

· Wednesday, July 30th, 2014

How to make use of scripture in your family devotions Or if you are using a “podcatcher” here is the feed address: https://christianhomeandfamily.com/feed/podcast/ USING SCRIPTURE IN FAMILY DEVOTIONS HOW DO YOU ACTUALLY DO A FAMILY DEVOTIONAL TIME? For my family it consists of three parts: Song, Scripture, Prayer We covered the song part last week – www.ChristianHomeandFamily.com/82 This week we’ll talk about…

Monday Mindset: Joy

Posted by Carey

· Monday, July 28th, 2014

Joy is not something we humans come by easily… It’ sad, but very true fact. But such a thing should NEVER be said of a believer in Jesus Christ. Not only do we have have an infinite number of reasons to be joyful, joy is a natural (supernatural) by-product of the Spirit of God who lives in us (Galatians 5:22)….

My husband hates me – part 2

Posted by Carey

· Friday, July 25th, 2014

Quite a while back I wrote a post called “My Husband Hates Me… at least it feels that way.” You can find the original post here – “My husband hates me… at least it seems that way.” That post has gotten more comments than any post I’ve written. I’m sure that’s in part because of the felt-need nature of the post. Recently…

Podcast 82 – Integrating music into your family devotions

Posted by Carey

· Wednesday, July 23rd, 2014

How to integrate music into your family devotions Or if you are using a “podcatcher” here is the feed address: https://christianhomeandfamily.com/feed/podcast/ USING MUSIC IN FAMILY DEVOTIONS Including music for the sake of worship is not an easy task for most people If you’re not musically inclined, what do you do? Before we get into the “how” part of including music in…

Monday Mindset: Thankfulness

Posted by Carey

· Monday, July 21st, 2014

Jesus expects His followers to be thankful people. The scriptures are very, VERY clear. There are no exceptions. There are no qualifiers. Take this passage for instance… Take a minute to notice the extremities of this passage. We Christ-followers are to be thankful… Sound impossible? It is. Did you get that? Without Him we can do nothing (John 15:5). When the…

The problem with teen idols…

Posted by Carey

· Friday, July 18th, 2014

When I was in high school, my girlfriend’s sister was an absolute maniac about Rick Springfield. You remember him, don’t you? Soap opera star turned rock singer? Jessie’s girl? <<<====== This guy? I wasn’t very nice about it back then. I told her the blunt truth. But despite my best efforts, the 14 year old girl continued her infatuation with…

Podcast 81 – Family devotions with small kids in the mix

Posted by Carey

· Wednesday, July 16th, 2014

Family Devotions with small children in the mix Or if you are using a “podcatcher” here is the feed address: https://christianhomeandfamily.com/feed/podcast/ FAMILY DEVOTIONS WITH YOUNG KIDS IN THE MIX Before we begin to talk about the “how to” portion of family devotions with younger kids involved, let’s remind ourselves of the purpose of family devotions… PURPOSE OF FAMILY DEVOTIONS: Facilitate heart-level connection…

Monday Mindset: Encouragement in Christ

Posted by Carey

· Monday, July 14th, 2014

Encouragement in Christ is something we all need… because none of us is wired to go it alone. From the very beginning God has designed us to live in community, with others alongside. He did so because we need relationships (Genesis 2:18). It is not good for us to be alone. We need support. We need affirmation. We need encouragement….

Find God through the spiritual reality of basic Christianity

Posted by Carey

· Friday, July 11th, 2014

Many people want to find God, but they don’t want to go back to basic Christianity to do it. There are too many other interesting options out there, a literal buffet of spiritual choices. It’s like folks are standing around the spiritual buffet table with a platter, making their choices… You’ve got friends, or co-workers, or neighbors, or family members…

Podcast 80 – Getting started with family devotions

Posted by Carey

· Wednesday, July 9th, 2014

HOW TO START FAMILY DEVOTIONS Or if you are using a “podcatcher” here is the feed address: https://christianhomeandfamily.com/feed/podcast/ How to begin your own family devotions UNDERSTAND YOUR PURPOSE Family devotions are intended to facilitate heart-level spiritual growth. They are not just about getting more knowledge into your head (or the heads of your kids). So your goal in devotions should never…

21st century parenthood demands more discernment than ever before

Posted by Carey

· Monday, July 7th, 2014

I know, every generation thinks the task of parenthood they face is more challenging than their parent’s generation faced… But I truly believe 21st century parent face some incredibly difficult issues; issues that previous generations never imagined. Here’s just ONE example… To the typical Christian parent, these issues sound like something obscure that the’ll never have to deal with. But you’d be…

Create in me a clean heart

Posted by Carey

· Friday, July 4th, 2014

As we lead our families, we need to continually strive to have a clean heart before God. From a very young age, I’ve always been impacted by the prayer and song “Create in me a clean heart.” I think it’s because my failures and sins weigh heavily on me (most of the time), and I want to be free of it….

Podast 79 – How to destroy the ones you love

Posted by Carey

· Wednesday, July 2nd, 2014

If you’re not careful, you will destroy the ones you love, without even knowing it. Here’s how to find out if you are, and what you can do about it. Or if you are using a “podcatcher” here is the feed address: https://christianhomeandfamily.com/feed/podcast/ LEAVE FEEDBACK AND A REVIEW ON I-TUNES This episode is brought to you by… DRAGON SLAYER: BEGINNINGS –…

When you’re dead and gone…

Posted by Carey

· Monday, June 30th, 2014

This past Sunday our church family celebrated a week-long Vacation Bible School program. It included songs from the week, video presentations, and testimonies about what happened in the lives of children and volunteers during the week. One of the group leaders named Bobbi, shared this powerful story… (my rendition of her words below) What struck me most about Bobbi’s story…

Your family needs to know what a failure you are

Posted by Carey

· Friday, June 27th, 2014

Our gut-level human instinct tells us not to admit our failures, especially to our spouse or kids. For some stupid reason we feel that we have to be able to have it all together in front of those we’re setting the rules for, in front of those we’re leading. Maybe we think we’ll be seen as hypocrites if we fail…

Podast 78 – Self perception is a fog, and what to do about it

Posted by Carey

· Wednesday, June 25th, 2014

Neither you, nor your kids, see yourselves rightly. Here’s God’s promise to help you see your way clear and bring greater glory to Him… Or if you are using a “podcatcher” here is the feed address: https://christianhomeandfamily.com/feed/podcast/ LEAVE FEEDBACK AND A REVIEW ON I-TUNES This episode is brought to you by… DRAGON SLAYER: BEGINNINGS – Book 1 in my Christian fantasy…

Christianese will poison your kids, unless…

Posted by Carey

· Monday, June 23rd, 2014

Christianese is: the terms and jargon used within Christian circles. It is characterized by the use of certain catchphrases in ways that may only be understood within Christian circles. Growing up in church, and pastoring churches for over 20 years, it’s become easy for me to speak Christianese without a second thought. But I can also spot it a mile away. That’s because Christianese is…

When will you stop following Jesus?

Posted by Carey

· Friday, June 20th, 2014

I’m asking the question seriously. When will you stop following Jesus? You are probably shocked that I’d even ask. Or you might be wondering what sort of trick I’m trying to play on you. No tricks. No gimmicks. I’m asking seriously. Is there anything that could happen that would cause you to quit following Jesus Christ? Don’t be so quick…

Podcast 77 – Bad habits start early, but so do good ones

Posted by Carey

· Wednesday, June 18th, 2014

You can take advantage of the power of good habits to set your children on a path toward godliness… it’s in this episode of the podcast. Or if you are using a “podcatcher” here is the feed address: https://christianhomeandfamily.com/feed/podcast/ LEAVE FEEDBACK AND A REVIEW ON I-TUNES This episode is brought to you by… DRAGON SLAYER: BEGINNINGS – Book 1 in my…

Home sick

Posted by Carey

· Friday, June 13th, 2014

No, I’m not missing the Texas panhandle, where I grew up. I’m home, sick today. Fever. Aches. Headache. Sore throat. The works. My daughter Melinda is such a generous person, she shared this wonderful experience with me. But it’s not really her fault, this bug (or some strange variation of it) has been trying to get a foothold in our…

Podcast 76 – Delight in her

Posted by Carey

· Wednesday, June 11th, 2014

Here’s the one thing husbands can do to turn their marriages around… Or if you are using a “podcatcher” here is the feed address: https://christianhomeandfamily.com/feed/podcast/ LEAVE FEEDBACK AND A REVIEW ON I-TUNES This episode is brought to you by my men’s event… The Understanding Way Weekend for Christan Husbands. You can find out more at www.ChristianHomeandFamily.com/uww There is a lot of joking that…

Why do you follow Jesus?

Posted by Carey

· Monday, June 9th, 2014

Why do you follow Jesus? Really, I’m curious. The REASON you follow Jesus will tell you a lot about the depth and genuine-ness of your faith in Him. And it will speaks volumes to your children – both negatively and positively. So really, why do you follow Jesus? Do you follow Jesus because… Biblically speaking, NONE of those are good…

Praise and worship are really, really hard

Posted by Carey

· Friday, June 6th, 2014

Praise and worship – it’s harder than it should be. Sadly so. Worship itself is a response. It’s a reaction to the greatness of God. When the heart sees, with the eyes of faith,who God is and all that He’s done, worship is the natural response. But we don’t easily see God in that way. Sadly, the King and Creator…

Podcast 75 – How parents can impact their child’s direction

Posted by Carey

· Wednesday, June 4th, 2014

Your child’s direction may be one you regret, but you don’t have to give up hope… Or if you are using a “podcatcher” here is the feed address: https://christianhomeandfamily.com/feed/podcast/ LEAVE FEEDBACK AND A REVIEW ON I-TUNES Parents of adolescents, older teens, and adult children can often view the trajectory of their child’s life with great concern because they can see the disaster…

God used a family to…

Posted by Carey

· Monday, June 2nd, 2014

How might the LORD want to use YOUR family? What do you need to do in order to be in the context where He could? What kind of leadership would it take, on your part, to position your family for it? How could you improve the environment of your home/family, to make it more sensitive to the leading of…

How healthy habits can impact generations

Posted by Carey

· Friday, May 30th, 2014

You can develop healthy habits (of thinking, feeling, communication, etc.) that impact your family for generations. About a week ago, my oldest daughter (20 years old at the time of this writing) and my wife were talking, and my daughter said something along this line… It’s hard to express what a blessing it was to overhear those words coming from…

Podcast 74 – Teach your kids personal quiet time habits (2nd of 2 parts)

Posted by Carey

· Wednesday, May 28th, 2014

God is faithful to do His work in our children, as we are faithful to teach them how to seek Him through quiet time practices… Or if you are using a “podcatcher” here is the feed address: https://christianhomeandfamily.com/feed/podcast/ LEAVE FEEDBACK AND A REVIEW ON I-TUNES This podcast is part 2 of a conversation I had with my children 2 years ago about…

Positive thinking is not the answer- put on your blessing goggles

Posted by Carey

· Monday, May 26th, 2014

In 1952, Norman Vincent Peale wrote “The Power of Positive Thinking.” The book stayed on the New York Times best-seller list for 186 consecutive weeks. Needless to say, the book was a huge success. The idea of thinking positively about life has been floating around in the philosophical and cultural atmosphere ever since. You still hear echoes of the idea…

The Waltons in real life

Posted by Carey

· Friday, May 23rd, 2014

We’ve been joking about being “The Waltons” in real life… but it’s not so much of a joke anymore. Due to my dear daughter-in-law’s tough pregnancy, she and my son, and their little boy have moved in with us, so we can help take care of mommy and son while daddy works to put food on the table. We’re glad…

How kids can develop their own personal time with God

Podcast 73 – How kids can have their own personal time with God

Posted by Carey

· Wednesday, May 21st, 2014

In this episode of the podcast, I’m having a conversation with 3 teens about how they developed their own personal devotional time with God Or if you are using a “podcatcher” here is the feed address: https://christianhomeandfamily.com/feed/podcast/ LEAVE FEEDBACK AND A REVIEW ON I-TUNES Every Christian parent I know wants their children to learn how to walk closely with the LORD. We know…

Zombies, vampires, and Christian families

Posted by Carey

· Monday, May 19th, 2014

I wonder how many more ways Hollywood can put zombies into a movie? Really. In the past four or five years there’s been a rash of zombie related entertainment coming out. “I am Legend,” “World War Z,” and on, and on. And now there’s a TV show all about Zombies, too. But zombies are not the only treatment of the…

God won’t give you more than you can handle… Christian Lie #47

Posted by Carey

· Friday, May 16th, 2014

I wonder how many people reading this have bought the lie that God won’t give you more than you can handle… Yes, I DID say it’s a lie. My belief is that God ALWAYS gives you more than you can handle. This past Sunday my pastor made the same point from Matthew 14:22-34. It’s the account of Jesus walking on water….

Podcast 72 – Poor self esteem is NOT your child’s problem

Posted by Carey

· Wednesday, May 14th, 2014

Are you concerned about your child’s self esteem? You shouldn’t be… and here’s why… Or if you are using a “podcatcher” here is the feed address: https://christianhomeandfamily.com/feed/podcast/ LEAVE FEEDBACK AND A REVIEW ON I-TUNES For years we’ve been told that our children have a fragile, but incredibly valuable sense of self-esteem, and that if we aren’t careful, we could damage it beyond repair….

Ignorantly evil worship

Posted by Carey

· Monday, May 12th, 2014

Ignorantly evil worship is not only possible… it’s likely going on in your church every week. Why would I say that? Glad you asked… In all his examination of the world and the things that happen in it, Solomon touches on just about everything, even worship. He noticed something going on in the worship services that he attended that was…

5 simple, but not easy, ways to encourage generosity in your children

Posted by Carey

· Friday, May 9th, 2014

Generosity is an amazing thing.

It can change people. It can change the world. In fact, it already has… through God’s gift of His Son, Jesus. As His followers, we want to be like Him… generous, giving, serving. And I for one, want my children to be like Him too. Here are 5 ways I’ve found (among the many) to help teach and guide my children toward generosity.

Podcast 71 – A “bad parenting” case study

Posted by Carey

· Wednesday, May 7th, 2014

In this episode of the podcast, I’m going to tell you a story about a “bad parenting” experience I had and walk through what would have turned it into a “good parenting” situation… Or if you are using a “podcatcher” here is the feed address: https://christianhomeandfamily.com/feed/podcast/ LEAVE FEEDBACK AND A REVIEW ON I-TUNES We’ve seen bad parenting before… It was in a restaurant, at…

You can teach your kids to have the mind of Christ

Posted by Carey

· Monday, May 5th, 2014

It’s pretty mysterious, isn’t it… that the divinely inspired Apostle would say so matter of factly that WE, human beings who still struggle with sin so often, actually HAVE the mind of Christ? It blows my mind… when I take the time to ponder what it truly means. What does it mean that I have the mind of Christ? Imagine…

From distraction to devotion

Posted by Carey

· Friday, May 2nd, 2014

One of the biggest frustrations of my Christian walk has been my own prone-ness to distraction… I wrote a post about this a bit ago, but thought I’d touch on it again. I want to be wholly devoted. I want to be “all for Jesus,” as so many in the history of Christianity seem to have been. But I find…

Podcast 70 – One of the main reasons kids rebel

Posted by Carey

· Wednesday, April 30th, 2014

In this episode of the Christian Home and Family podcast, I’m going to reveal one of the main reasons kids rebel against their parents, against authorities, and against God. Or if you are using a “podcatcher” here is the feed address: https://christianhomeandfamily.com/feed/podcast/ LEAVE FEEDBACK AND A REVIEW ON I-TUNES Most kids who go off the deep end, into a season or rebellion, do…

Do you depend on Christian movie reviews too much?

Posted by Carey

· Monday, April 28th, 2014

As a Christian dad who wants to make sure I’m not allowing my kids to entertain themselves with ungodly trash, I’ve done my share of searching for Christian movie reviews. Sites like Plugged In, Crosswalk’s movie review site, Movieguide, and Kids In Mind (not overtly Christian) are all very helpful, in their own ways. I truly appreciate that somebody subjects…

Disciples of Christ are hard to come by, these days

Posted by Carey

· Friday, April 25th, 2014

Disciples of Christ are a rare breed because… Jesus said this about becoming a disciple… There is a holy hatred we have to have if we are going to be a disciple of Christ. It’s a hatred toward anything that threatens to come between Jesus and us. But that is exactly what YOU need to be if… Devotion to Christ…

Podcast 69 – Why having your kids memorize scripture could DESTROY them

Posted by Carey

· Wednesday, April 23rd, 2014

In this episode of the Christian home and Family podcast, I want to show you how getting your kids to memorize Bible verses may not help them, and how it could even go farther to destroy their lives. Or if you are using a “podcatcher” here is the feed address: https://christianhomeandfamily.com/feed/podcast/ LEAVE FEEDBACK AND A REVIEW ON I-TUNES Let me be clear. I…

Homemaker: a tribute

Posted by Carey

· Monday, April 21st, 2014

HOMEMAKER The title describes the role. She is one who makes a home… A home. Homemakers, make a home. The role of the homemaker has fallen on hard times. Being a “stay at home mom” or “domestic diva” has become an object of ridicule and scorn in our “enlightened” age. Many women feel it beneath them to only be busy at home….