Category Archives: family

What Teens Ask About Their Parents

By caryschmidt | September 2, 2010

A couple times a year we host an anonymous question and answer time for teenagers. They respond well. You can read about these in past posts: Getting Teens to Air Their Questions and The Top 15 Questions Christian Teens Ask. We did this Q&A time again recently, and I was surprised how many questions were [...]

Also posted in student ministry | Tagged family, parenting, student ministry, teen life | Leave a comment

Discipline that Develops the Heart

By caryschmidt | August 28, 2010

Ten Biblical Principles for Winning Your Child’s Heart
How do you discipline your children? Here are ten Biblical principles for handling discipline biblically and in a way that truly develops the heart of your child.
Discipline that develops the heart…
1. Is Controlled and Premeditated—It doesn’t fly off the handle or out of control.
Proverbs 16:32, “He that is [...]

Posted in family | Tagged adolescence, biblical living, counseling, family, parenting | Leave a comment

Becoming an Insightful Parent #2

By caryschmidt | August 25, 2010

Part two of an article on discerning Your Child’s Needs and Responding Biblically. You can read part one here.
We’re discussing “reading” your children—understanding and interpreting their behavior and needs in the light of biblical wisdom. In our last article we said it begins with understanding God’s Word and asking God for wisdom. Then praying with [...]

Posted in family | Tagged adolescence, family, parenting, student ministry | 1 Comment

Becoming an Insightful Parent

By caryschmidt | August 23, 2010

Becoming an Insightful Parent
Discerning Your Child’s Needs and Responding Biblically
Ephesians 6:4 And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
Do you understand your children? Do you know how to interpret their behavior? Do you understand warning signs and know how to respond? Do [...]

Posted in family | Tagged adolescence, counseling, family, parenting, student ministry | Leave a comment

Vacation Highlights 2010

By caryschmidt | August 5, 2010

This post is for family and friends just to share a bit of God’s blessings from our vacation. Last night we returned from a couple of weeks of great memories, rest, and unforgettable experiences, and our hearts are full for the time we were able to spend with family and friends. Here are some highlights:

Posted in family | Tagged family | 2 Comments

Musings on Family Vacations

By caryschmidt | July 19, 2010

I can’t believe how quickly decades pass! As I write, I’m sitting on a red-eye flight, starting our 20th family vacation—our first without Lance. My mind goes back to what seems like a moment ago. I’ve been here before. It was in a hotel room in Palm Desert, California about 13 years ago—our last night [...]

Posted in family | Tagged family, parenting | 3 Comments

Get a Bike…

By caryschmidt | June 5, 2010

If you and your family haven’t gotten into taking bike rides yet, be sure to get it done before your kids get too big! I confess—I waited too long.
A few years ago I bought myself a bike and had a grand vision of getting all five of us cruising around Lancaster’s “beautiful” east side on [...]

Also posted in christian life | Tagged devotional thoughts, family | 1 Comment

Three Lost Boys and a Local Church

By caryschmidt | May 10, 2010

A Story of the Power of Local Church Ministry
Opening scene—a young family of five is running late to church on a Sunday morning. Three lost, long-haired, little boys (all younger than seven years) sit quietly in the back seat of the car, while a frustrated mom and dad debate over “why” they are late. The [...]

Also posted in ministry & outreach | Tagged biblical living, devotional thoughts, family, local church | 3 Comments

The Precious Pauses of Parenthood…

By caryschmidt | May 6, 2010

Learning to seize the teaching moments that may never return…
On a breakfast date this past week, Haylee asked me, “Why did you choose to like Mommy instead of another girl?”
Wow! What a cool question! And what a wide open door. That’s like someone asking a Christian “Why did you choose Christianity over all the other [...]

Posted in family | Tagged family, parenting, teaching | Leave a comment

Why Young People Stay Faithful

By caryschmidt | April 19, 2010

Have you ever wondered what contributes to young people staying faithful to the things of God, while others wander away? What contributes t0 two kids in the same local church, hearing the same preaching, ultimately going dramatically different directions? Ultimately, it’s free will—everybody makes their own decisions. But what influences those decisions?
One of our youth [...]

Also posted in student ministry | Tagged adolescence, biblical living, family, local church, parenting, student ministry, teaching, teen life | 1 Comment

To TV or Not To TV?

By caryschmidt | March 29, 2010

To TV or not to TV? Many Christians wrestle with this question. Many choose to not have a TV at all. Others choose to have limited TV and tight controls. Yet others open the floodgates completely. Regardless of where you are on the TV decision, this experience was too powerful not to share.
For several years we’ve [...]

Also posted in media & tech | Tagged biblical living, danger, family, media & tech, technology | 6 Comments

Five Values of Successful Homeschooling

By Cary Schmidt | March 22, 2010

Educating Your Children with a Winning Philosophy
Recently I had the privilege of meeting with a wonderful group of families in our church that homeschool their children. I fully believe in the value of traditional, Christian education and schooling, but I also have respect for Christian parents who, out of necessity or by preference, choose [...]

Posted in family | Tagged education, family, local church, parenting, teaching | 3 Comments

Great Books for Christian Parents

By Cary Schmidt | March 8, 2010

Frequently someone asks what books I would recommend on youth ministry or parenting. They are generally the same books. While there are some good books on youth ministry, the most helpful to youth ministry are those on the family. Whether you are a parent or a youth pastor, I would urge you to read everything [...]

Also posted in books and resources, student ministry | Tagged adolescence, biblical living, book review, books, family, parenting, student ministry, teaching, teen life | 6 Comments

10 Things Your Teen Won’t Tell You (Part 3)

By caryschmidt | March 4, 2010

This is the third and final part in this series of articles. Click here to read part one or part two.
7. I’m as confused as you are about my problems. The truth—when you, in frustration, ask—“What wrong with you!?” They honestly don’t know the answer. If you feel like you are confused about what’s going [...]

Posted in family | Tagged adolescence, family, parenting, student ministry, teen life | 1 Comment

10 Things Your Teen Won’t Tell You (Part 2)

By caryschmidt | March 2, 2010

This is part two of a three part series. Click here to read the first part of this article.
4. My deepest need is a sincere relationship with you. (I need time with parents.) Not only will they not say this—they won’t even admit to it or understand it. This one resides so deep in our God-given [...]