All Articles for Spiritual Development

Mom rushed around the house, busy getting both herself and a 2-year-old ready. Going to church has always been a weekly occurrence for my family, but this morning, unusual events spoiled the normalcy—I shoved Fruit Loops up my nose. Mom worked to remove them all before leaving, but there wasn’t enough time. The reality: I […]

Every school year has its challenges, but this year is one of a kind. Are you and your kids feeling a bit tossed about and in need of an anchor?

The move from New York to Arkansas was painful for our family, but the journey taught us a few things.

One woman says her upbringing was based in fear and shame because of the concept of sin. God was a megaphone in my head: “You’re bad, you’re bad!”

From a FamilyLife Today^® broadcast, a list of ideas to help your kids think missionally about life.

We cannot live redemptive lives and hate our neighbor. Diversity in relationships not only shows unity to the world but also builds in our own hearts a love for others.

My kids need to grow up with the knowledge that I require a Savior just as much as they do.

Talking to my kids about shootings doesn’t come easily—how do I answer questions about things I don’t understand myself?

You have the privilege of growing a child who knows the love of God personally and knows how to love people well.

The time we have with our children before they enter into adulthood is limited. We have a responsibility to use it well, with a heart of wisdom.

Teachable moments are opportunities for us to imprint God’s values on the next generation.

I want more for Drew Brees and his sons than just what they can earn. And Jesus offers more.

Of all the stories about raising six children we’ve told over the years, this is probably our favorite.

Helping a child understand this world is not our home.

If you view your kids as sinners who need salvation, you’ll see parenting as a rescue mission.

These verses can become the centerpiece of kitchen table discussions and a tour guide for difficult conversations.

Your kids will encounter this issue someday. How will you handle their questions?

The practice of family worship is a crucial discipline for spiritually healthy families.

My parents showed me how to walk as a believer and honor Christ in all things.

Here’s a ‘game’ I developed to help my kids understand spiritual priorities as they begin to face the pressures and temptations of their world.

Rather than only teaching them simple prayers they can memorize and recite, we need to intentionally educate our children about what prayer should look like.

If you don’t shape your children, with God’s help, the world will.

Your calling as a parent is to model a faith that is authentic and strong.

Four practical suggestions for facing uncertain times with faith and courage.

In the minds of most teenagers, there is no universal standard for sexual morality of absolutes beyond a person’s own view as to what makes sexual activity right or wrong.

Your love for your child should define your relationship—just as God’s love defines His relationship with us as His children.

As much as we hate it, our children lose control, make poor choices, and deal with shame, grief, and remorse. That’s when they need you the most.

Here are a few steps you can take to create the right environment for your son to grow in his faith while he’s still living in your home.

Ideas for creating a gravitational pull that brings family members closer to each other and to God.

While we should strive to be a godly example by the way we live, we must be proactive in teaching our children about God.

My desire is to incorporate these truths into the fabric of my family’s values.

Too many kids grow up seeing their parents endorsing one thing and living out another.

Jessica Thompson learned that being a good kid doesn’t equal being a Christian.

Here are a few Bibles and works of Christian literature that my family enjoys reading together.

Your job is to help your children grow into the adults God intended them to be.

I lost my dad recently. He was the first really close person that I had lost, and the emotions of it all continue to be excruciating. I’ve gone through cycles of grief and sadness, feeling alone as I lost one of my biggest cheerleaders. Standing beside a casket gives an incredible sense of finality—no more […]

A parent can influence children to become who God created them to be—not by manipulation or force but by watering the seeds God has planted.

God’s grace serves as the self-healing mechanism for our inadequate lenses when we fail at love, forgiveness, and grace itself.

You are God’s first responders, called to run in with help when your child is in danger because of burning desire or an attack of temptation.

Christians share a common identity in Christ, which takes precedence over ethnicity and every other difference that tends to divide us.

When we scutilize our parenting priorities, we often find that, although we are followers of Christ, we are also products of a compelling Western mindset.

Accepting the responsibility of teaching the Bible in your home will equip your kids to live by it when they are grown.

God will help you focus your family toward making a strong impact for His kingdom.

A few ideas on how parents can start cultivating an attitude of service in simple ways, by weaving threads of humility, consideration, and an "others-first" attitude into the fabric of everyday life.

In the battle for the hearts and minds of our children, we need to recognize that they need our intentional guidance in countering the deceptions of life.

Explaining natural disasters and help children work through the issues.

Parental love is the first love a child experiences and the first love he (she) understands.

How can Christian parents encourage their children to become followers of Jesus Christ?

The second requirement of teaching children to be peacemakers is to help them understand the root cause of their conflicts.

Dividing responsibilities between Dad and Mom.

Helping children understand that significance is found in fulfilling God’s purpose for their lives.

What kind of exposure should my children have to a relative who is in an inappropriate or ungodly lifestyle?

What's a parent's number one need?

Three steps that will help you spiritually invest in your family.

If the gospel is central to your life, it also must be central in your family.

We can’t take the gospel for granted; instead we need to safeguard it and deliver it unaltered to the next generation.

We used these ideas to help our children on their spiritual journeys.

Many well meaning parents mistakenly focus on a child’s conduct and miss the root cause … the heart.

You never know when God will give you an opportunity to imprint His values on your children.

Too many parents focus on changing a child's behavior. More important is what's going on in the child's heart.

Parents must identify false gods in their children's lives that distract them from the truth.

Here are five reasons my family loved the Creation Museum and Ark Encounter and why you should take your family there, too.

Forty-six thousand men took a breath as Tom made his way to his son.