No Parent Can Prevent Suffering: Raising Children through Pain and Loss
“And that is our greatest longing as parents — not to keep our children from ever suffering, but to teach them to trust Jesus when they suffer. And we do that by trusting Jesus together as we endure suffering together.”
This is a moving article by a parent who has suffered for and with his kids. It’s a good reminder of what to do when we can’t protect our kids because, as much as we would like to, we can’t protect our kids from everything.
Click here to read the article by Ryan Chase.
When Your Child Has an Eating Disorder
Watching your child battle through something like an eating disorder is incredibly hard. At one church I worked at, Kelly and I had a high school student come live with us after she was released from the hospital due to complications from an eating disorder. It’s heartbreaking to watch the emotional, mental and physical toll that this struggle takes on a person. And it’s hard to know what to do to help. This is a really good article of someone looking back on their battle with this and the things that made the most difference for her from her faith and her parents. This is also the first of a series of resources from this website on understanding eating disorders and how to respond. There are links at the bottom of the article to the rest of the series. I think it would be really helpful if this is something your family or someone you know is dealing with in their kids.
Click here to read this article by Mary Beth Johnston.
VIDEO: This is About That
This is a short, well done video about marriage, and the realities to which God created it to point. As you talk to your kids about the meaning of marriage, I think it is helpful to point them to this imagery. It will help our kids recognize that marriage is not an end in itself and that marriage exists to point us to something even greater. The way marriage images the gospel gives marriage a greater beauty and will help our kids understand what they are committing to as they consider marriage for themselves. It helps keep marriage in the proper perspective so we don’t over-sentimentalize it like Hollywood romance movies. It also helps those who might never marry understand that marriage is only one means of pursuing the glory of God and the gospel and being unmarried makes you no less able to pursue that glory as you give yourself away for the gospel.
Click here to watch the video from the Apollos Project.
I’m sure the events of the past few weeks have stirred a range of thoughts, emotions and discussions as we watch it play out around us and, for some, even stand in the middle of it. I have talked with people who are rightly outraged by the murders. I have talked with people who are rightly moved by the protests and testimonies of those who are expressing the grief and fear they are feeling because they identify with the victims so closely. I have talked with people who are rightly fearful and angry over the riots, looting, violence that have taken place, and the mischaracterization of good, hard-working law enforcement officers because of the failures of some officers. Many feel all these things at once. Most feel at a loss for what to do with those feelings and how to respond in a way that is fueled by the gospel and will actually make a difference.
In the midst of times like these, it can be hard to remember that God is still in control, that he is at work to redeem us and the world around us, and that he is able to use us as agents of peace, justice, reconciliation, and mercy. But the Scriptures assure us that this is the case. I didn’t want to make the whole blog about this today but it was impossible not to acknowledge it. There is a lot that could be said but at the moment, I simply wanted to point you to some different places that may help you listen, process for yourself, and talk about these issues with your family. As a friend mentioned to me earlier this week, when we’re not sure what to do, one of the places we can start is with our kids to help them understand these issues and how the gospel helps us to respond so, anchored in Jesus, they will be equipped to be salt and light as they go out into the world.
***Group of PCA Coordinators and Presidents Issue Statement on “Heinous Killings”
This is a statement from some of the leaders of our denomination in response to current events.
Click here to read the full statement.
***PCA Report on Racial and Ethnic Reconciliation
This is a helpful report, written just a few years ago, addressing these issues for our denomination. It is long but a great place to find both a biblical foundation for understanding these issues and helpful ways for us to respond individually and as a church.
Click here to read the report.
***Moving Forward
This is an article written by an African-American pastor in our denomination with the thoughts and emotions that are stirred by events like those of the past few weeks and how he responds to them. I think that these moments should cause us to listen so that we can “mourn with those who mourn” and “grieve with those who grieve”, even as we think about what we can do and how we can respond. Doing this often feels hardest to do even though it requires the least activity on our part.
Click here to read tea article by Rev. Russ Whitfield.
Pastoring or Posturing
I actually read this article right after I hit publish on the blog but thought it was good enough to come back here and add it. These are some helpful diagnostic questions to consider what we’re posting online in these moments, who were posting them for, and why. I hope it helps.
Click here to read the article by Andrew Wilson.
***Watch ’Just Mercy” for FREE and Discuss
This is a book and movie I’ve mentioned in the past by Bryan Stephenson, a Christian lawyer who has given his life to representing death row inmates who were wrongly convicted. For the month of June, you can watch this movie for free on most streaming platforms. Below are where you can watch and discussion questions to talk through with your family after. A few weeks ago I listed some books to read with younger kids on diversity. This movie would be something good to do with middle school students and older that are in your house. While there are some intense moments, it offers a lot to think about and talk about.
Reflections on the Movie ‘Just Mercy’
Click here to see the places you can stream the movie for free this month.
Questions for Discussing 'Just Mercy' with Students
