The whole first day of kindergarten experience as a parent was a good one. Just over a week ago, we sent our oldest son off to walk the long hall alone. I was pretty emotional the day before (Sunday night church in particular), but I did OK the day of.
I have to be honest with you, my main concern is for his safety and protection. I am not necessarily talking about his physical body getting hurt or any thing like that, but more so about his spiritual protection. You know, “be careful little eyes what you see.” That kind of stuff.
I mean, who knows the kind of junk he will learn from the influence of other kids. I know what I learned…and my goodness. I am not usually motivated by fear, but I have said many a prayer in the last week for this very reason. And, to a certain degree, I think there’s nothing wrong with my motivation. After all, provision and protection are my honors as a father.
However, after listening to a friend of mine I gained a bit of a different perspective. He said that they went to pick up their daughter from their first day of school and the teacher said to them “Your daughter is an angel.” They replied “Thanks, we know…yadda, yadda, yadda” because she really is a sweet little girl! “No,” the teacher said “you don’t understand, a little girl entered the classroom today who was obviously having a difficult time separating from her mother. Your sweet little Angel, realizing what was going on, went over to the distressed little first timer and said to her ‘will you be my friend and come play with me?’” As he told me the story, I got a little chocked up.
What kind of an impact do you think she made in the life of that little girl? Do you remember entering into the cafeteria wondering “where am I going to sit?” or “If I sit down at this empty table, will anyone join me?” Man those are tough moments in the lives of developing kids and teenagers, and here this little kindergartner stepped out and made a difference. She is a champion!
How did she become that way? Her parents are outwardly focused, spiritual champions, and they spend regular time with her each day, teaching her to be a spiritual champion. No to mention, they have a lot of fun while doing it!
I really needed to hear that story. Sure, I still pray for my son’s protection (as we should), but I had a change of perspective. I want him to be protected, but what about all of those kids out there who need help? Kids who come from less fortunate homes? Kids who don’t hear the word of God at home, or may not come in regular contact with love, compassion, or truth? Even at a young age, my son can make a difference in their lives just like this other girl did.
May God protect the eyes and the ears and the minds of your children this week, and may He also use them to to reach out and love others in need.
And Jesus, when He came out, saw a great multitude and was moved with compassion for them, because they were like sheep not having a shepherd. So He began to teach them many things. Mark 6:34
“A final conditon for success that we discovered is that those who produce spiritual champions embrace parenting as their primary job in life.” pg. 24
“American culture does not support the notion of parenting being a full-time job.” pg.27
Revolutionary parents… “Intentionally identify their children as their main earthly focus in life during their parenting years.” pg. 29
This two chapter section of the book that I read a few weeks ago is incredibly powerful. The problem among many Chrisitian parents manifests itself in two primary ways: (1) being a Revolutionary Parent (D6 Parent) is something you have to get jazzed about (it becomes a part of who you are), and (2) it has to be such a priority to you that it becomes a normal part of your behavior so that you actually follow through with living out D6.
If you are a Revolutionary Parent, this is paramount to you. This is the mission for this part of your life. The day job (or even day ministry) is VERY important to you, and it should be, but to be at the top of your game and to loose your children? Who wants that?
Transferring your faith from one generation to the next…now that’s a big deal!
During the “day time” I have the incredible opportunity to make an impact at my job. It’s my choice. Each day at work I have the opportunity to help others, encourage others, make a “sell”, build a new relationship or strengthen an old one. And to be honest, I love it. I get to go to work.
As important as it is, what I do from 9-5 is not my primary job. Sure it pays the bills, it’s provision, etc. But it’s not my primary job.
I have been reading George Barna’s 07 release Revolutionary Parenting which says that if you want to be a Revolutionary Parent (a parent who will raise spiritual champions…kids who grow up to be adults that stand strong in their faith in Christ), you must view Parenting as your primary job.
Deuteronomy 6:6-9 tells us that we are to love the Lord with all of our heart. But it doesn’t stop there! It goes on to say that we need to impress God and his word, onto the hearts of our children. The cool thing (practical) about this passage is that it points out 4 distinct daily opportunities in which we should take advantage of these teachable moments: at home, out and about, bed time, morning time. How practical is that!
So, as a biblical, Christian parent (oh how quickly we forget the biblical part), this tells me that I should not just be striving to make it to small group on time, or to be sure to get my child to Wednesday night church, but that I need to be looking for teachable moments throughout the day and throughout my week.
No one will have more of an opportunity to impact your child’s heart like you will. So, love the Lord today. Praise him in the car! Go to your Tuesday night Bible Study. BUT, don’t forget to transfer your faith to your children. These opportunities don’t just come in Sunday School. These opportunities transfer best while being experienced together on the field of life…at home, out and about in the van, over breakfast at Cracker Barrel, or laughing together at bed time.
Impress God’s Word onto the hearts of your children all throughout the week. Strengthen your relationship with them today. Now that’s something worth making a big deal over.
As I mentioned on my August 20th post, I have been challenged by the book Every Man’s Marriage. The Best book I’ve read in the past two years and likely the best book I have ever read on marriage. As I was finishing it the other day, I came across a powerful part of the book where Fred Stoeker talks about Deuteronomy 6, which is a foundational passage for what we do at RHP. I found this quite interesting. Check it out:
It’s a sad thing to look back and say “I wish I had risked more during my career†but it’s positively tragic to look back and say, “I wish I had risked more in trusting God’s word.â€â€¦I was also thankful I’d already risked in trusting God’s word in my time management. I was essentially an independent sales rep working off straight commission, so if I didn’t work, we didn’t eat. At the time of my marriage, I was working from 6 A.M. to 6 P.M. every day plus 7 A.M. to noon on Saturdays. Having been in business for only one year, I really had put in long hours.
After a while, Brenda suggested I was working too hard and should stop working on Saturday mornings. She also said that I should trust God and follow His Word. Eventually, I risked working less and gave my sales to the Lord. When Jasen, our firstborn, came into this world, I cut my hours to 6:30 A.M. to 5 P.M. to make time for him. When Laura came, I cut my hours to 7 A.M. to 4:30 P.M. which still translated into a forty-five hour workweek.
So, what’s my point? I wanted to follow the command of Deuteronomy 6:6-7, which says I was responsible for impressing God’s commandments upon my children’s hearts and that I was to talk to them when I was at home, walking along the road, and any other time I was with them.
How was I going to do this if I was never around? I had to risk trusting God and allowing Him to bring in enough sales during my shortened workday.
Was this really a risk? I certainly felt it was! Each time I cut back, I sweated profusely, suspecting my business would suffer significant reversals or even collapse. I fought these changes like a dog. (You can check Brenda’s ankles!) Yet I counted on this promise from God:
The pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first the kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (Matthew 6:32-33)
When we choose God’s way, He’s intently interested in vindicating our decision before the world. It brings Him glory when we tell others about that decision. It’s nothing for Him to give us favor with the boss or to open doors to sales or advancement we hadn’t noticed before.
Doing the right thing can be so hard…especially when it comes at the expense of something we love as much as our careers. But what about our families? What about the legacy we leave behind for our children and our grandchildren? Where is the balance between having a world class career (making a significant impact in our jobs and ministries) and raising spiritual champions for Christ. Dads, you must draw the line and make the decision now and not let circumstances guide your time management decision making…if you do, you can always justify “oh, it’s just one more long business trip, or one more week of overtime, or yet another relocation across country for my family†while in the mean time, creating an environment of crushing spirits, rather than a place of oneness with your wife and family. Oneness is key!
My friends can tell you, I love my career. I “get†to go to work each week, and I have the honor to travel periodically to represent Randall House. Not only that, I am given the opportunity to make a difference each day. It would be very easy for me to work 60 hours a week and think nothing of it, because I enjoy my work so much. With all of that said, I know I won’t get to the end of my career wishing I would have spent more time away on business, or more long nights at the office. During the day, I am bustin’ it to get as much work accomplished in order to maximize my impact for Randall House. I have to choose to limit my overtime and my travel (when possible). Not only that, but when I come home from work, I’ve got to make it my goal to carry that same passion in the door with me to love my family by fulfilling my responsibility as a D6 Dad. If I don’t, I risk not trusting God’s word’s word both in my profession and at home.
I highly recommend Fred Stoeker’s inspiring story in Every Man’s Marriage (Waterbrook). He has raised the bar for men. This is a must read, guys.
Many days of the week, our house is the hub for all boy activity on our street. Most of the time we love it because we get to see, hear, smell (not always pleasant), and experience the lives our sons up front and personal. Sometimes, the drama gets a little thick.
It was a Wednesday afternoon. Supper was on the stove and I hadn’t been home long. My son (a kindergartner) and three of his early elementary friends were sword fighting and pillow fighting all over the house. Many tears were shed. By the time one guy had just dried up his tears over a banged up wrist, the other was crying due to a pillow to the eyes. Egos were bruised and the pecking order was at stake. Eventually the drama got so thick, that I had to step in.
“Boys,” I said “Remember how God’s Word says to treat others how you would like to be treated?” They replied with an under-enthused “yea.” “Well you guys really need to remember that in the way you are treating one another right now…” I went on to say “If you are going to sword fight and pillow fight, you gotta know that at some point you are going to get hurt, so get your crying out and move on because you are all going to get hurt at some point.” They understood.
Minutes later another outbreak was occurring and all of the younger boys began to turn on the oldest boy because he had crossed the line one too many times in instigating trouble. Realizing that he, as the oldest in the gang, was loosing their loyalty and his place in the pecking order, he leaned over to one of the younger guys and said to him “You need to respect your elders.”
I lost it! I had to run to the other room as to not show him I was laughing. Isn’t it funny how a child will use “the Bible” in any way possible as long as it leverages him to a better position. So funny!
I think we do that sometimes, too. I was recently “re-reminded” of a wonderful passage of scripture by Mark McPeak that says “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.” Philippians 2:3,4
I was listening to an old Dobson pod-cast this week and heard the question “when you hear the term Family Devotions, what comes to your mind?” Apparently when most Christians think of Family Devotions they have negative thoughts. One word kept surfacing to the top: boring. Many Christian adults today, refuse to do Family Devos in their own home because they equate them with mysery as a child…listening to dad read verse after verse of Leviticus. How can we keep this from happening?
I thought to myself, “I can’t let this happen in my home!” The message of hope to the world is not boaring, so I better stay out of the way and let the exciting message do the work. But how can I keep this from happening?
Family Devotions in our home have not been boring…so far! Let me share with you what we have discovered. First of all, remember to use Deuteronomy 6:4-9 as your guide for spiritual training in the home. D6 says that we are to love God and to talk to our children about Him at home, away from home, in the morning, in the evening…even if we travel to the Moon!
Every morning while our boys are eating breakfast (and daddy is at the office) Katie reads a handful of verses to the boys, then they discuss them. Sometimes the boys have questions. Sometimes they laugh at something mom read. Other times they have nothing to say, but this consistent, daily interaction in the Word is developing a habit for daily bible reading and a love for God and his message. She just started this a few months back and they have almost completed the book of Genesis!
One thing the boys love is reading with me in the evenings. All I have to do is go and grab a couple of books, walk into the living room, and the boys will fight to get a space on my lap. This is something we have been doing since the boys were babies…well worth it! Sometimes I read the Bible, sometimes I read a Bible story book, other times I read a children’s book and we talk about the lessons and the values we can learn from the story. I think by switching it up and doing something different on a regular basis, it has kept the boys interested. What’s most important to me is the interaction between us…this allows me to have an open channel to communicate the wisdom, truth and love of God (like Proverbs…a message from a father to a son).
Lastly, always look for teachable moments. Maybe you didn’t plan to have family devotions but your daughter tells you that she is being picked on at school. Perhaps your son asks you a small question like “what is the meaning of life” or “what is my purpose?!!!” Treasure those moments and don’t fumble. 1 Peter 3:15 says, “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” You will do great!
If you have never attempted family devotions before, or if you have tried and it didn’t go so well, just remember it’s most important to connect with your kids first. If you want your faith to transfer from you to them, you must first earn credibility and trust with them (this takes work!). You can give them 18 years worth of Bible knowledge, but if you don’t connect with them first, your success rate of actually passing it along will be diminished. I mean, think about it, if you don’t take time to play with them, or to listen to them, or to take a bike ride, then why would they want to take you seriously when you crack open the Bible?
Our world is full of opening boxes and closing on houses. We closed on the old house last week and will close on the new one this week. It’s been quite a transition. At times the emotions of each family member have enjoyed a roller coaster ride–or two. Mostly, we are enjoying the process in the midst of the upheaval. We have been careful to maintain the family time routine– although, I must admit I would be distracted by unpacking boxes if Steve didn’t prod me at times.I am thankful for his commitment to our family’s spiritual growth and development. My tendency to be overwhelmed by the task of unpacking has been (for the most part) overshadowed by his desire for us to be a D6 family. I am thankful for that strength in my husband. It’s been a blessing to be at the new house opening God’s Word and closing the day together in prayer as a family. We are already seeing some teachable moments we didn’t anticipate. Stay tuned . . .
It’s not a secret to anyone who reads this blog that we are smack dab in the middle of craziness in our family. There’s a lot going on and our house is a MESS right now. That fact was about to push me over the edge a few nights ago as I assigned my children jobs to help get things cleaned up.Steve was working on the design of a logo and wanted my input. I stopped folding clothes to look over his shoulder and offer feedback. Soon, Abby appeared and praised Daddy for the cool look of his design. Ally heard that something was going on and wanted to see it too. I began to get impatient as they lingered at his side “oohing and aahing” at the work he had done. After all, they were supposed to be working for me to clean up the house! Finally, after Andie joined the little “let’s get out of doing work party,” I decided to speak up. “What do you think you are doing. We are supposed to be working to get this house cleaned up. It doesn’t look like we are getting that done, does it?”My six-year old responded and got my attention. “No, but it does look like we are having family time–that’s a good thing, isn’t it?”Her innocent observation cut through my selfish agenda very quickly. I was reminded of what is important– to take advantage of the opportunities to relax in the midst of our current schedule and connect as a family–with each other and with the Lord.I went to bed that night with unfolded clothes piled on the couch, and I walked right by a dish that needed to be washed! I also fell asleep smiling at the recent memory of hearing my girls laugh with each other and praise Daddy for being so good at “making stuff” on the computer. I was reminded of the way it should be and thankful for the wisdom of my little girl.Now, tonight we are going to clean the house!
For many people, yesterday was just another day in the month of July. For our family, it was cause to celebrate! July 10th is Steve’s birthday. We enjoyed showering him with cards and gifts to show him how special he is to us. But as the day progressed, I couldn’t help but feel as though it was I who had received a gift on his birthday.The longer I know him, the more thankful I am for the gift of Steven Dwain Greenwood. I have been blessed with a man who loves the Lord and loves our children and me as Christ loved the church. He gives selflessly to so many and makes life fun for everyone around him.I began to think about his many wonderful qualities, and I could not ignore the fact that his parents have played a significant role in helping to shape him into the man we celebrated all day. Of course they played a role in his being created, but it didn’t stop there.They made the choice to make God the center of their home and taught him that God’s Word is the guidebook for life. Steve was reared in a godly home, with godly examples, and I find myself overwhelmed with thankfulness for the blessing that has been to our children and me.Lord, please help Steve and I to raise our girls in such a way that years (many years ☺) from now some son-in-laws will sit on their couches the morning after our daughters’ birthdays, thankful for the things they were taught as little girls.Thank you, Gerald and Ida.
A few years ago, I was knocked in the head and heart with a Scripture that was very familiar to me. I could even quote it! But I didn’t fully understand its implications to me personally. It’s found in chapter 6 of Deuteronomy.4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. 5 Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. 7 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. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.This passage is clearly commanding parents to take the lead—not a supporting role—in the spiritual education of their children. I have a teaching degree AND a Bible degree.That should have been obvious to me. Sadly, it wasn’t. I was doing a great job (I thought) at supporting the church with its role in my children’s lives. I was even acting as one of the teachers there. But that’s not the point! It’s not the church’s job. It’s my husband’s and mine. We had it all wrong.So, we’ve made a change in our home. We are now a D6 home. We don’t just take advantage of teachable moments that fall in our laps. We are intentional about creating them. I can’t tell you the difference it’s made in our lives! Wait—yes I can. You can keep reading this blog to find out that home life matters!
It’s a different kind of week for us. Â Steve and Ally are at CentriKid camp in Taccoa Falls, GA. Â Abby is attending Planet Wisdom Camp at John Brown University in Siloam Springs, AR. Â So, that leaves Andie and I at home–alone. Â We are LOVING it. Â We cooked dinner together, sat on the couch and chatted, watched a movie, and went to sleep 2 hours before I usually do. Â YIPPEE!Â
I have been reminded of the importance of setting aside time for each of my girls–without anyone else. The discussions and moments together have already been priceless for me and we have 3 more days to go. We can’t send the rest of the family off every time we want to get special time together, but I can do a better job at making it happen on a regular basis–even if it is only for an hour. Â
It’s important to protect and create time alone with each of the members of our families. Â What do you do to create those times? Could you benefit from being more intentional about making time for it? Â I know I could. Â
Another item that occurred to me while at my parent’s anniversary party was that everyone in Mom and Mike’s part of the family tree is a follower of Christ; my brothers, their wives, all of the grand kids. That’s 12 people beyond them in their family tree (and there will be more to come when Michael and Andrea have their little ones!) that all know Christ!
What made this so apparent was being able to sit back and observe the rest of Mike’s family. Mike has a brother and a sister who both have children and grandchildren. Both Mike’s Brother and Sister have a family tree filled with the broken branches of divorce, children out of wedlock, substance abuse, and the heartache that goes along with all of this. I didn’t even need to ask myself why because I know why…they don’t know Christ.
There is nothing that makes us better than their side of the family. Nothing. They are wonderful, gifted people, and I really enjoy talking with them. The only thing that sets us apart is the transforming power of Jesus Christ that can only be attributed to Him. My brothers and I are no better than King David and we could fall today! We are not beyond that. It is only because of Christ that our marriages are whole.
Again, I keep coming back to Mike’s decision to follow God and to raise his family in church, and how this one decision has impacted two generations of our family tree. If my parents would not have been unified in their decision to do this, our lives would closely reflect that of Mike’s brother, sister, children and grandchildren.
It’s amazing how one life and one couple, can impact so many.
This past weekend we went home to celebrate my parent’s 25th wedding anniversary (Mom & Mike, my step father). It was a total surprise to them and a lot of fun planning for my brothers and our wives.
Something occurred to me while we were in Indiana; the power of how one man’s decisions can change the future of an entire family tree. You see, when my stepfather was a young man, he faced a time when he was at the bottom of the barrel and even attempted to take his own life. God had other plans. Through His amazing grace He brought Mike into a saving relationship with Him. Since then, God has created legacy of Christian faith and heritage in our family.
You see, when I was about 3 or 4 my mother and father were headed to divorce court. After this devastating time of trial, God showed his grace to me and my brothers through an amazing display of His divine providence. He placed Mike into the path of my mother (through a talk radio show of all things!).
Soon after the divorce, they met, fell in love, and got married. Although this transition was very difficult for all of us, I will be eternally grateful for Mike entering into my life. Again, Mike was a somewhat new believer in Christ, so he made sure that our family went to church. Through this, both of my brothers and I were raised in church. Each of us was introduced into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ while in their home.
I’ll be honest, the growing up years were tough; dealing with divorce, getting along with two different father figures in my life, and all of the other stuff that goes along with being a part of a blended family. However, the one thing that kept re-occurring to me this weekend was “what if after the divorce, my mom would have met a man who didn’t love God and who didn’t go to church?” Where would I be today? Where would my brothers be? Who knows…But what I do know is that Mom and Mike consistently attended church and exposed us to a life with God.
That is the best gift my parents could have ever given me. Happy Anniversary Mom and Mike. I wish you many more happy years together.
Check out the next post to see one more reason why Mike’s decision to love God has had such an impact on the next two generations.
Sometimes, as D6 Parents, we need encouragement to know that we are getting through to our kids…affirmation that what we are doing is working. Well I can’t speak for everything we are doing, but we did get a good sign recently.
The past week, my youngest son Hudson has been sick with some unknown virus that has given him a fever, rash and a headache. The Dr. didn’t seem to know exactly what it was, but said it would go away soon. So we are waiting.
A few nights ago, around 4 in the morning, we heard him cry out for Katie. However, due to my superior athletic ability and cat like reflexes, I bounded down the stairs a little faster than she did and got to him first. He was crying and complained of a headache. Katie gave him a chew-able Tylenol (truthfully, I wanted one too…I always thought those tasted so good as a child…kind of like the Flintstones Vitamins), he took a drink of Crystal Lite and then put his head on my shoulder and proceeded to say “Daddy, can you come pray for me?”
We were so encouraged! He sees us as spiritual leaders in our home! What was so encouraging was that he chose to ask us for help…we didn’t suggest it, he did. This was such a cool moment to me…to be honest, we needed this encouragement with him.
Hudson is going through such a tough phase right now. He is a textbook strong willed child so we will take this as a positive step, as small as it may have been.
I made a commitment to my wife a long time ago that I would be “on call” during the night-time with our boys. My thinking is that from 6 AM until the time I get home just before 5 PM she is fully responsible for the boys without a much needed break.
I can imagine that for many moms just getting through the day with each of her children still alive is a great accomplishment within and of itself! I know Katie feels that way to at times, but most days she personifies the term supermom. Because she is so amazing, she needs some well deserved rest during the night-time.
About a week ago, I awoke to the sound of a door opening downstairs. I rushed down our dark switch-back stair case, and met my three year old Hudson in the hall. He looked up at me with his big blue eyes and asked “Daddy, when are we going to heaven?”
Such a spiritual question! Especially for 3 AM. If you are like me, you don’t like to carry on conversations in the wee hours of the morning. But I just couldn’t pass up the opportunity! So we sat on the edge of his bed for two minutes talking about heaven. I wish I knew exactly what he was thinking…what made him ask that question, especially at that hour? Perhaps I will never know.
I can’t replace that moment. I hope God grants me many more just like that…preferably in the PM hours.
I was reading a blog post yesterday from Answers in Genesis on Proverbs 22:6. This passage says “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” Obviously this passage is a strong D6 passage. These are some interesting thoughts below from Answers in Genesis. If you would like to go to the original post, click here. Check it out:
It’s so important for believers to pay attention to this verse. Christian parents must give their children a firm foundation on the Bible and its practical truths.
But evolutionists also understand what this verse means. They want to teach children that we’re just animals who evolved through millions of years of death and suffering. Just think of the morality that goes with that!
Yet the U.S. government gives evolutionists millions of dollars to “train up children†in their anti-Christian worldview.
Some Christian parents think that as long as they take their children to church on Sunday morning, they’ll learn a worldview based on the Bible. But think about it: one or two hours in church—once a week—simply isn’t a match for five days in a public school . . . plus secular TV, evolutionary science museums, and so on.
So, evolutionists are trying to “train up a childâ€â€”your child! We must teach young people to stand on God’s Word—from the very first verse.
Hudson has figured out that my neck line is ticklish. Â Last week Katie pinned me down (I let them win ) and Hud tickled my neck and thought that was pretty funny. Â
So last night as I was going through the post-bath-time routine with him, as soon as I put his t-shirt on him, Katie said he dove on me like a linebacker and took me down. Â The intensity in his eyes in order to get me good was impressive. Â We both laughed so hard. Â
For me, the most important part of my day with my boys is that last hour of the evening.  I get solid one on one time with both Warren & Hud, and I can’t get enough of it.  Sometimes I even let it drag out too long just because I don’t want to cut it short.  I love that time.  We typically will read, play a little, tell stories, do the bath-time thing, and pray together.  I shoot for fun time mixed in with a little character/spiritual impression each night.  They seem to really crave it, too.
I pray often that those times will build a foundation that lasts into eternity.
Quite vividly, I can remember the day my dad walked out. With dress shirts on clothes hangers, he marched down the hallway talking in a loud voice. My brother was reading me a Golden Book as a distraction…something Disney it seems.
Another time I can remember being twelve sitting in the car with my Mom at a traffic light at the corner of South Lafountain and Hwy 31 in tears because I wanted to spend the night at a friends house for his birthday party. The catch - it was “my dad’s weekend.” This meant that if I were to go to the party, I would have to tell my dad, whom I only got to see every other weekend, that I wasn’t coming until Saturday. Pressure.
It is through that lens that I viewed my experience today at Focus On The Family. Humbling, to be sure. I am experiencing a flood of emotions this afternoon.
As we walked into Jim Daly’s office, it seemed strangely normal, yet at the same time my mind could not quite compute that we were meeting with the President and the cabinet of this benchmark, influential organization that I have admired for twenty years.
What a great meeting though. Boy it went fast. We sat down and immediately downshifted in order to get the RPM’s up. They went after it, immediately. I loved it! After a few questions, they were right there with us. They understood our vision, the conference take away, and the make up of the event. We rounded out the meeting talking about possible areas of sponsorship. Great ideas! I can’t wait to see how all of this weaves together.
I was not surprised that they wanted to close out the meeting in prayer. The seven of us stood, scattered across the room as Mr. Daly prayed. There was much response to his words as he addressed the Lord.
We enjoyed a few minutes of small talk. Mr. Daly even asked about my boys. I may never forget that moment. Those guys are champions.
As we were walking out to the car, I thought to myself, “what just happened?” Why do moments like that have to go by so fast?  My limited understanding is that those moments are to keep us thirsty for something more. They are only glimpses of the kingdom that awaits us. I can’t wait to explore that kingdom with my boys.
The D6 Conference CLEAR Advantage Registration ends on October 1 (in about 6 weeks). It’s definitely worth registering by this deadline for pastors because you can save a HUGE chunk of cash. Most pastors will want to take leaders or leading parents with them, and there is some pretty significant savings there as well for those who register by the Oct. 1 deadline.
Here is some other info you might be lookig for:
Info about the Embassy Suites attached to the Convention Center
A few people asked me yesterday what we decided from our trip last week, so I thought I’d send out an update.Â
We are praying hard (and have been) over which venue The D6 Conference will be held within. Â However at this point we do not have anything new to release. Hopefully by the end of the week we will be able to make an announcement. Â Please pray with us that God continues to guide us with his unending wisdom.
On another note, my meeting with Neal and David of Dave Ramsey’s office went well yesterday.  I always enjoy my time with Dave’s team members.  They have a solid team that is proud to work for/with him. They were impressed by the D6 Conference Promo Video and are excited about the event…there was some definite synergy in the room after the video. After seeing the promo piece, they are now excited to show it to Dave.  We are thankful for our working relationship with their world changing organization.
I just landed on the last of three flights in 48 hours, going from Nashville to Dallas/Ft. Worth to Orlando then back to Nashville. Â We will very shortly be deciding and releasing where The D6 Conference will be held. This trip was extremely valuable in helping us determine the conference venue.Â
On the way back I sat next to Jay Strack of Student Leadership University.  He was on his way to the Tennessee Titans (Go Titans!) game where he will be praying for the team before their preseason game.  We had delightful and engaging conversation about denominational challenges, denominational leadership, pastoral leadership, the all to often dysfunctional relationship between the pastor and the youth pastor, vision, leadership training, parenting, passing along faith and values to our kids, our families, teen challenges, his conferences in Orlando, summer programs, our favoriate comedians, Bill Bright, David Ferguson, and The D6 Conference.  I enjoyed our time together and look forward to future conversations.  We swapped cards and he agreed to do an interview that I will later podcast.Â
Wonder who I will run into tonight? Â Likely a server who needs to know God is in love with him. Â
Katie pointed out to me the verse at the bottom the previous post. I don’t remember reading that before (Dr. Outlaw, I am sure I did read it in OT Survey…I just don’t remember it).
Anyway, what an amazing passage about passing along what matters most.
Psalm 71:18
18 Even when I am old and gray,
do not forsake me, O God,
till I declare your power to the next generation,
your might to all who are to come.
We recently asked leaders, parents and groups why they are attending the D6 Conference and received more responses than we anticipated. You can check them out at Ron Hunter’s blog.
I have spent the last three days in conferences. First the PCPA (Protestant Christian Publishers Association) then yesterday and today at the Connecting Church and Home Conference at Brentwood Baptist Church in Brentwood, TN.
I should not be allowed to attend the Connecting Church and Home Conference because I am like a kid in a candy store. This is not work for me, this is play. Everyone who is attending this event is essentially trying to figure out how to apply D6 in their local church context (which many times requires changing the DNA of your church ministry strategy & heart the beat of your church)…obviously a place for us to hang out, spend time with ministers, learn about what God is doing in different churches, and make new friends/relationships. We are having a blast, learning from others, and doing some serious networking (yesterday we received an invitation to go up and visit John Piper’s team in MN). Check out some of the pics form the PreCon.
This is Steve Wright, author of ReTHiNK speaking to a Lab group (open floor dialogue). It was a great time for people to share about what God is doing in the faith at home movement and how they are shifting their ministries form the “silo” mentality to an integrated strategy of equipping parents to the the primary spiritual leaders in the home…essentially, churches partnering with parents by equipping and resourcing them.
This is a shot of the smaller group that attended the PreCon. The Main Conference began Friday night and had a crowd about twice this size (about 150 in all). Great event.
I look forward to what God is going to do at this event today.
I have enjoyed the past two days at home (on vacation) as a part of Warren’s Spring Break. It’s been quite nice being around the house a for a few days. Yesterday we spent the afternoon at the Nashville Zoo. It was the perfect day for being outside, and we had a ball.
Today we have an afternoon meeting with the Wesleyan Publishing House. Tomorrow I will be at the PCPA Conference (Protestant Christian Publishers Conference) here in Nashville. It’s essentially a meeting with other Denominational houses to discuss common themes in our ministry & operation as well as to learn from one another.
Friday and Saturday I will be attending the Connecting Church and Home Conference in Brentwood, TN. In many respects, this event is a lot like D6, just much smaller. They even have two speakers who will also be sharing at the D6 Conference. I look forward to this event and to making many new relationships/contacts. I hope that in some way I can be enriched and that D6 can also make a contribution to the ongoing conversation at this event.
I traveled to the Youth Pastors Summit this week in Orlando (Jay Strack event) and had a great time representing the D6 Conference and Randall House. After the event I spent a day with some Youth Pastor friends talking about relevant challenges in local church ministry. Some of the highlights from my time in Orlando were:
rooming with Allen Pointer and getting to catch up…great conversations
listening to real challenges that youth pastors face in working with Sr. Pastors
listening to Steve Greenwood & Alan Hines talk about Elements Children’s Church Curriculum (NEW from Randall House - Releasing September 09)
late night double-cheeseburger at Waffle House with Tommy, Steven, and James
listening to Francis Chan speak for the first time
trying to figure out the “now what” after listening to Chan speak…this made for some great conversation
talking about Crazy Love
Going to the YP Summit was a blessing…and being able to listen, share and learn from my youth pastor friends was incredible. I look forward to next year.
I first met Angela this past December. I was thoroughly impressed with the depth of her walk with Christ in our interview. This is a woman who has experienced real pain and the joy that comes through obedience in times of trial. I sense her humility and her deep dedication to God, her family and to ministering to women and families. I look forward to her sharing at the D6 Conference.
Larry Taylor, Head of School at Prestonwood Christian Academy kicked off the event by sharing his passion for families and how Deuteronomy 6 is paramount in defining the role of the parent in the home.
Mark Matlock shared the vision of what God is doing in connecting church and home. On several occasions I have heard Mark call this “the most important conversation in the church today.” Mark has an amazing message and I can not wait for you to hear him at D6.
Larry is championing the message of connecting church and home and reconnecting parents with kids. He has dedicated much of his life to building faith at home and equipping parents to be spiritual leaders in the home.
The Three Amigos taking their show on the road once again. We look forward to spending time with Mark every chance we get. I look forward to his new curriculum coming out called Real World Parents.
Tomorrow we meet with Matt Hubbard and the Texas Southern Baptist Family Ministry team.
Someone recently asked me this question. What a great question! Although much of the emphasis of D6 is on “impressing” God’s commands and His love onto the hearts of children, Deuteronomy 6 is for everyone on the face of the planet.
Essentially it says three things: Love God, Know his Word, and Teach it to your Kids.
Two out of those three items apply to everyone in the universe, regardless of your parental status. Each of us are called to love God with our heart, soul and strength. Everyone is called to know His Word and His message. Many may not have children. If we do not have kids we are still called to live out Timothy 2:2. If we do not have kids, we can still invest in the lives of the next generation. If we do not have kids, we can still help resource, train and equip parents and grandparents…this should be our holy ambition.
Check out what pastor Morgan says in this video: that everyone is called to Love God and to Know His Word. Even though it is directed to parents, if you really listen to what he is saying, you will see that it emphasizes how D6 is relevant to any follower of Christ regardless of whether you have kids or not.
2,500 of the worlds leading economist, bankers, political leaders, and CEO’s are gathered together this week in Davos, Switzerland to address the urgent needs of the global economy at the World Economic Forum. The financial cricis we are facing in America with the US auto market, the housing market, the credit market, just to name a few, is only part of the global challenge. According to many at this global event, as Groundhog Day looms just around the corner, we may have some long dark days ahead of us.
With a near bankrupt economy wavering out on the horizon, I can’t help but to notice the parallels between the state of the economy as compared with the state of the “lost connection” between church and home.
Over the last 30 years, we have become so preoccupied with church attendance and with the kinds of cool events our churches are hosting, that we have failed to stay true to one of the central pillars of the church, which is to make disciples of our own families. God’s plan for this is found all throughout scripture (not just in Deut. 6).
Large church attendance and cool events are wonderful! But if they don’t fall in line with an overarching philosophy and strategy that is birthed out of scriptural principles, than we are falling short of God’s great plan for both the institution of the Church and the family.
Churches must make an immediate turn or shift in their mission and re-tool their ministries to equip parents to be the headquarter of spiritual formation, and allow the church do be that second center of discipleship, encouragement, and equipping. If we don’t shift now, we will continue to see the same results…droves of students leaving the church each year after high school graduation.
There is an event in 09 that will be addressing the Church and family crisis. This event is called D6. The D6 Conference is a Kingdom event that will pull together churches from all denominations to tackle this central issue in the church. The question can be asked several different ways:
How do we connect church and home?
How can churches partner with parents?
How do we stop the mass exodus of students leaving the church each year?
How do we transfer faith from generation to generation?
Again, there are several ways this question is being asked, but the one thing that remains true is that this is the central issue in the church today.
I hope to see you at D6. Come and join in on the conversation as we explore God’s word and share about what’s successes we are experiencing in the body of Christ in this critical discussion.
Last night we had time to catch up with Dr. Richard Ross for a quick meal. I left our time with him wanting more…feeling a little cheated because an hour and fifteen minutes, just wasn’t enough.
Although he is a professor of student ministries at Southwestern Seminary, he spends many Sunday’s and Wednesday nights helping parents restore relationships with their teenagers all across the country. I don’t have time to share the stories he shared with us, but I can say that we share a common passion. The life transformation stories he shared with Ron Hunter and I nearly left me in tears.
You see the average Christian parent today doesn’t know how to authentically communicate with their teens, to affirm them, and to lead them. Wounds happen, walls get built up, and it’s just too much work. So let the distance and emotional scars begin. He has found a way to heal and correct this process, and it’s completely biblical! I wish every youth minister across the country would listen to him and implement what he is saying.
If we would integrate his message into our ministries, we could live out D6 like never before. But if we don’t bridge the gap, healing won’t begin, and our students will not listen, and they will not own their faith (in mass numbers).
I will forever treasure the time that I spent with him last night.
Dr. Ross will be speaking at D6. I hope you will come listen to him and have the chance to meet him.
Check out the map below. We have groups from over 33 states who have registered. The cool thing is that this image is at least 2 weeks old. Since then we have had several groups register for the D6 Conference from areas where we do not have may people registered. Check it out!
In light of yesterday’s post, I highly recommend this book. Although this resource is not exhaustive and it does not cover everything, it is a helpful tool in processing what it takes to be a spiritual leader in your home.
Check out this video. Sorry about the music…get’s a little interesting near the end. Never the less the interaction between the Croc & the Otter family is pretty cool!
Last night the boys, Katie, and I were watching one of my favorite DVD’s, Planet Earth (the Fresh Water episode) and I saw one of the most interesting encounters I have seen in a long time. A family of otters took on an 11 foot crocodile…and the crocodile backed down!
Have you ever watched otters? They are not the most threatening creature in the animal kingdom, but when it comes to standing up against a giant predator, they seem to have no fear. I was really impressed with this…it sort of gave me a little more sense of pride for being high on the “otter scale” on John Trent’sLeading From Your Strengths assessment…but that’s not the point.
Anyway, what really intrigued me (as someone who spends a great deal of time thinking about family, parenting, and what the next generation will look like) was the power of a united family of otters. As a group, they had power and authority. As a family, they had confidence to take on the hostile environment around them.
Forgive me for offending (sometimes the truth can be hurtful for all of us…I know it can be for me), but I see far too many Christian families who are just going through the motions, doing little to nothing intentional to raise up spiritual champions for Christ. If we are not intentional about helping our kids see a clear division between what is going on in our culture and the kingdom that is in the next world, then we stand a great chance of losing them. How can we expect our families to stay tight and united in Christ when we do little to nothing to disciple our children at home? If parents are not leading their kids spiritually at home (conversations, talks, teachable moments, faith breakthroughs, spiritual milestones…a whole mixed bag of opportunities to impress Christ on the hearts of our kids), then why should we expect them to be passionate about following Christ as an adult? What do they see in you? Why would they follow you if it’s not important enough to you to take time to talk about your relationship with God at home? Why would they grow up to be a Christ follower if it’s not important enough to you to plan time to invest in them spiritually at home? This is the breeding ground for lukewarm/nominal Christianity.
I know what I see in me. I see a whole lot of failures. I am not the parent nor the person I need to be…growing in Grace, but not who I want to be as of this very moment. Thankfully I am on a journey. However, the journey does require responsibility out of me. It requires me to have a plan. It requires thought and action.
I am writing this because I feel a huge amount of responsibility. I have read a decent amount in the last two years about this stuff. I have had many conversations with some people in this area who know their stuff, and what they are saying is essentially “our generation of parents must show our kids a clear distinction between the ways of the world and the love and hope of God because the messages of the world are so loud, strong, and dominating, that without a plan of action on the part of parents, we are very likely to loose our children to the world.” I know that sounds so harsh, but I keep seeing it all the time. It manifests itself in the way that we spend our time, the things we watch, the entertainment we consume, the lack of compassion for others. It appears from my perspective that mainstream Christianity has become so consumed with the world, and less consumed with Christ. Perhaps that is why Barna’s book Think Like Jesus says that only 9% of evangelicals have a true Christian worldview.
Again, I am sooooo far from being a perfect parent. I stink really badly some days in my role as a father…just ask Katie. However, we do have a loose plan. We do faith talks/teachable moments with our boys. We take them on dates to talk about eternal matters. We read the Bible as a family and at breakfast. We read “Bible books” most nights before bed. We have car talks about life truths and challenges. We talk about choices and how choices have consequences. We have mapped out spiritual milestones that have been and will be celebrated and memorable.
I do not know if my boys will own faith in Christ as their own when they are flying solo. I hope they will. Katie and I pray about this nearly every day. Ultimately the choice will be theirs to follow Christ and to walk with him. But in the mean time, I will continue to build out a plan based on Deuteronomy 6:5-7 which is my commandment. Note: commandment not suggestion.
Do you have a plan? Are you working on one? Building one? If not, today is your day to begin…there is too much at stake. Sit down tonight and based on God’s word, map out what you want your children to look like (inner character…not job, career, or performance). Once you know what your goal is, what is it going to take to get there? What changes do you need to make in your life to raise up a champion for Christ? What can you do differently in your family to implement good interaction with your kids?
No family is perfect. There is no perfect model because all families are made up of imperfect people. God wants to work with your family where you are now.
Man! If you are going to have a blog, than please update it, for goodness sake! I may as well have fallen off he edge of the earth the last six week. Enough of that…
Well, it’s been a crazy six weeks with the D6 Curriculum name change (from CLEAR Curriculum to D6), 607 development meetings, pre-convention campaigns, D6 Conference planning, travel to Dallas, then California, then back to Dallas, then Branson, MO, next Atlanta, now I am headed to Austin, Abilene, and Dallas yet again. Somewhere in there I earned another SWA Rapid Reward ticket that will come in handy for family vacation in August.
Ron Hunter (Randall House CEO) and I went to Atlanta last weekend to meet with Reggie Joiner about the Orange Conference and the D6 Conference. We discussed brand distinction and introduced the topic of possibly trying to find ways to create synergy together in the future. Regardless of whether we ever collaborate in any capacity, we began a friendship, and that seemed to be most important to both parties. Reggie, Brad and Reggie Goodin were incredibly hospitable, and the turkey dressing was amazing (I think there was a hint of cinnamon in there somewhere)! May God continue to bless the ministry of the reThink Group.
Well, my SWA flight to Austin has been delayed twice tonight…still waiting. I fly SWA almost exclusively, and let me say that this is a rare experience.
As of today, we have groups coming from 29 different states: coast to coast, north to south. If your group has not yet registered, you can register at D6conference.com by this Friday May 1st using the KWHD6 discount code and save $25 per person on groups of 2 - 9 people. Individuals can save $30 per person. Groups of 10+ can save $15 per person. See you in Dallas!
“I can’t help you, I’m sorry! Â Little people scare me!” Â That’s what I was told when I put out a request for some extra helpers for a preschool class. Â The man looked at me as if I had asked him to help me transfer a dozen rattle snakes from one cage to another.
 Do you work with preschoolers?  Do you have friends or relatives who have these little people in their lives?  Relax.  They aren’t scary–they are amazing. I’ll share some of my tried and true tips for connecting with these little ones.  These tips aren’t listed in order of importance because preschoolers are creative and ever changing individuals.  What works with one might not be the best approach with another.
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1. Â Treat preschoolers with respect. Â (Read Matthew 18:10) Get down on their eye level when speaking to them. Â Look them in the eyes whenever possible and try to ignore all other distractions. They can tell when you really care about what they are saying.
2. Encourage them whenever possible. Â Preschoolers generally love to please people. Â Look for ways to point out areas where they excel or are making good choices. “Andie, you are doing a great job sharing today! Â Ally, I can tell you are trying to use better manners.Â
3. Â Get to know them–really. Â What makes them tick? Â Do they have a favorite activity? Â Play it with them. Â Do they have a favorite song? Â Sing it with them. Â Show interest in what is important to the preschoolers in your life. Â It may mean you spend more time playing with a talking car than you want to, or maybe you step out of your comfort zone and become a pirate for a few minutes. Â Go ahead do it. Â You just might like it.
Jesus interrupted a teaching session with a bunch of “big people” to encourage the children to come learn from Him too (Mark 10:14-16). In my opinion, we can all stand to take a break from “big people” and learn from the little ones.
How are you doing with this exercise I introduced a few weeks ago? Don’t be discouraged if you haven’t been consistent or haven’t even started. You can start today. Pray these biblical virtues for your kids and wait on the Lord to show you amazing things!
A servant’s heart–God, help my children develop a servant’s heart. Teach them to serve wholeheartedly, as if they were serving You and not men. (Ephesians 6:7)
Peace-loving–Lord, let my children make every effort to do what leads to peace. (Romans 14:19)
A Heart for Missions–Lord, please help my children develop a desire to see your glory declared among the nations, your marvelous deeds among all peoples. (Psalm 96:3)
Here are a few more biblical virtues to pray for your children–regardless of how old they are!
Gratitude–Help my children to live lives that are always overflowing with thankfulness and always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5:20, Colossians 2:7
Contentment–Lord, teach my children the secret of being content in any and every situation, through You who gives them strength. Philippians 4:12,13
Passion for God–Lord, please instill in my children a soul that follows you; one that clings passionately to you. Psalm 63:8
I love my crazy family! Â Last night when I revealed the location of the D6 Conference to them, their reactions made me laugh out loud! Â In fact, as we discussed it and played around with fun ways to share the news with others, they all chose to join in the fun. Check out what the Greenwood Gang (with some help from Tex Message) has to say about the announcement!
By the way, get the word out to all your friends and family soon. Â There’s a ridiculously low registration price until October 1, 2008. Â Make plans to go now–it’s going to be great!
One of my favorite resources is the book Praying God’s Word, by Beth Moore. Implementing the use of Scripture in my prayers has been a meaningful thing for me and I encourage you to try it. Â In fact, I have found some tools for helping parents pray for biblical virtues for our children. Â As the school year begins, let’s make a stronger effort to support our children in prayer in very specific ways. Â Here are just a few of the ones I have found.
Kindness–Lord, may my children always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else. I Thessalonians 5:15.
Mercy–May my children always be merciful, just as their Father is merciful. Luke 6:36
I’ll share more of these in the next few days. Â What would our families look like if we all became stronger in these areas? Â Let’s get praying and find out!
Have you ever had someone judge you or a decision you have made and you know they did so without having pertinent facts? Have you ever had someone hold you to a standard higher than they hold themselves to–and be quick to point out your inability to meet that standard? These kinds of things can frustrate me to the point of anger sometimes. (I’m not proud of it–but it’s the truth!)
In the past few weeks I have noticed a phrase being used in our home on a regular basis, “You be you!” It’s our way of reminding our girls that they are not appointed to be the judge of every action (or lack of action) their sisters make. I can’t even count the incidents where one daughter or another has come to report the wrongdoing of a sister only to be neglecting her own responsibilities while doing so. I recently replied, “You have enough to worry about when you focus on you making good choices. Let your sister focus on herself.”
I felt good about my parenting instructions until I heard the Lord saying to me “You be You!” Wait–HE can’t be talking to me. Ooops, He is. Ouch–that hurts! Don’t get me wrong; it had nothing to do with my parenting. It was a reminder from the Lord to apply the same practice to my own life. I quickly went through the attempts at justifying the fact that I am not a judgmental person–not nearly as judgmental as “her” anyway! But little by little I began to realize ways (big and small) that I can be guilty of the same things I don’t like seeing in my daughters.
How about you? Are there times you need to concentrate on yourself more than others in this way? Do you focus on choices made by others so much that you fail to make good ones yourself? Whether it’s judging the choice to put chili over pasta instead of Fritos and cheese, or allowing a child to attend “that” concert, we could all benefit from the advice, “You be you!”
How are you doing with this exercise I introduced a few weeks ago? Don’t be discouraged if you haven’t been consistent or haven’t even started. You can start today. Pray these biblical virtues for your kids and wait on the Lord to show you amazing things!
A servant’s heart–God, help my children develop a servant’s heart. Teach them to serve wholeheartedly, as if they were serving You and not men. (Ephesians 6:7)
Peace-loving–Lord, let my children make every effort to do what leads to peace. (Romans 14:19)
A Heart for Missions–Lord, please help my children develop a desire to see your glory declared among the nations, your marvelous deeds among all peoples. (Psalm 96:3)
Here are a few more biblical virtues to pray for your children–regardless of how old they are!
Gratitude–Help my children to live lives that are always overflowing with thankfulness and always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5:20, Colossians 2:7
Contentment–Lord, teach my children the secret of being content in any and every situation, through You who gives them strength. Philippians 4:12,13
Passion for God–Lord, please instill in my children a soul that follows you; one that clings passionately to you. Psalm 63:8
I love my crazy family! Last night when I revealed the location of the D6 Conference to them, their reactions made me laugh out loud! In fact, as we discussed it and played around with fun ways to share the news with others, they all chose to join in the fun. Check out what the Greenwood Gang (with some help from Tex Message) has to say about the announcement!
By the way, get the word out to all your friends and family soon. There’s a ridiculously low registration price until October 1, 2008. Make plans to go now–it’s going to be great!
One of my favorite resources is the book Praying God’s Word, by Beth Moore. Implementing the use of Scripture in my prayers has been a meaningful thing for me and I encourage you to try it. Â In fact, I have found some tools for helping parents pray for biblical virtues for our children. Â As the school year begins, let’s make a stronger effort to support our children in prayer in very specific ways. Â Here are just a few of the ones I have found.
Kindness–Lord, may my children always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else. I Thessalonians 5:15.
Mercy–May my children always be merciful, just as their Father is merciful. Luke 6:36
I’ll share more of these in the next few days. Â What would our families look like if we all became stronger in these areas? Â Let’s get praying and find out!
Yesterday was the 18th anniversary of the day I married my best friend. It was the beginning of a journey that has taught me many lessons–some repeatedly. I could probably do a post a day for the next 18 years and still not touch all the lessons I have learned. We won’t go there. Instead, I’ll just share how we chose to spend the day.
Steve is a huge history buff. I also enjoy history–especially with Steve’s color commentary added into the mix. So, we set out to explore The Hermitage. I had been there as a chaperone for field trips, but Steve had never been. It was a lot of fun. We enjoyed taking our time and listening to each of the audio segments on the headsets provided. It was interesting to imagine how life must have been on the plantation so many years ago.
I couldn’t help but wonder what people would learn from our home and lives if they studied them years from now. I have no desire to be famous or to have people tour my homestead one day. However, I do hope people would be able to learn from our mistakes, laugh at our crazy antics, and be inspired to do more–to make a bigger impact on the Kingdom. May our family always point others to a “real-ationship” with our amazing God.
The whole first day of kindergarten experience as a parent was a good one. Just over a week ago, we sent our oldest son off to walk the long hall alone. I was pretty emotional the day before (Sunday night church in particular), but I did OK the day of.
) and Hud tickled my neck and thought that was pretty funny. Â 
We recently asked leaders, parents and groups why they are attending the 
Larry Taylor, Head of School at Prestonwood Christian Academy kicked off the event by sharing his passion for families and how Deuteronomy 6 is paramount in defining the role of the parent in the home.
Mark Matlock shared the vision of what God is doing in connecting church and home. On several occasions I have heard Mark call this “the most important conversation in the church today.” Mark has an amazing message and I can not wait for you to hear him at D6.
Larry is championing the message of connecting church and home and 
The Three Amigos taking their show on the road once again. We look forward to spending time with Mark every chance we get. I look forward to his new curriculum coming out called 
Ron Hunter
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