Raising Your Kids with Purpose and Grace

Pacesetters break down barriers and help us see what is possible. Pacesetters are driven by values, not by their own ambitions or desires. True Pacesetters see the world as God sees it...Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was that kind of man — a true Pacesetter. He believed all men and women are created by God and in the image of God, and he believed that standing up for the oppressed and marginalized was worth dying for. 

It’s easy to get caught up in the daily chaos of raising children. And honestly, that can be a good thing sometimes. When we had our first baby, the pediatrician told us, “Don’t worry about setting habits right now. You are in survival mode—just do what it takes to get through the day.”
It might sound like weird advice, but it was some of the best parenting advice I ever received. It freed us to focus on just helping our child the best way we knew how, minute by minute and hour by hour. If you have a newborn in your house or are dealing with another major change or challenge, I encourage you to lean on God’s strength to love your child as best you can today. He will carry you.

The elementary years provide an unlimited array of possibilities for strategic dads. Your children are changing at a startling pace, which also means that it can be challenging to discern the best ways to love and care for them along the way. 

Amid that uncertainty, don’t lose sight of the most important value you add at this stage. You are providing the mental definition your child will forever use to understand key concepts like “home” or “father.”

When I was my kids’ age, about ten years old, I spent my days playing outside in the neighborhood. My friends and I explored the creek nearby and ran along a golf course. Sometimes we got into trouble, but most of the time we got lost in our imaginations. During that time, I watched far too many war and sci-fi movies and we ourselves would act like we were Colonial Marines from the movie Aliens hunting xenomorphs or U.S. Army Rangers storming the beaches of Normandy. With little risk of actually getting hurt, it was a way to enjoy what was playing in our heads. I loved getting lost in these stories we would reenact ... 

Whoa—Christmas is almost here! Now, how do we lead our families through it? 

Thanksgiving was just a few days ago, but we're already starting Advent. As dads, we want to take every opportunity to help shape our families’ hearts toward Jesus. Do you have a plan to share the real reason we celebrate Christmas?

If you are in my stage of life, feeling stretched for time is pretty much inevitable. I have four sons between the ages four and fifteen, a busy teaching schedule, and frequent out-of-town travel commitments. I also lead a small group and help teach Sunday school at church. Between trying to squeeze date nights with my wife, a little one-on-one time with my sons, and a couple of times a week for exercise, I don’t have much margin in my schedule. I could go on and on about how busy I am, but my guess is that you are probably just as busy or busier than I am.  

Spending time in God’s Word and in prayer is often the first thing to go when we get busy. We hate to admit it, but if we are honest, when we have to get up early to finish a presentation for an important meeting or when an unfinished project is looming, prayer can sometimes feel unproductive. We know we should find time to spend with God, but it often slips through the cracks. But over the last few years, I have found a few key rhythms that have helped me find time for prayer, even when life is especially busy.