Of all the painful experiences I’ve faced in nearly a decade of ministry—the death of a mother, couples enduring miscarriage, strife, abuse, divorce, scandal—walking with godly parents through a child’s rebellion may be the most difficult. Perhaps it weighs heavy on my heart because I was a rebellious child raised in a Christian home. But though nurtured in a spiritually and theologically solid environment, I ran from it—to spiritual darkness and sin—as fast as I could.

Raising a child with special needs alongside two typically developing children has given us a unique opportunity to learn about justice. We have three daughters, and they are all gifts. Two of our girls, Rachael and Elisabeth, are over-achievers (if you will allow me to be a proud dad). They make good grades and enjoy music and sports. Rachael has strong relational skills and leadership abilities. Our youngest, Elisabeth, longs to create and make the world more beautiful.

We get a steady stream of questions from mothers of young kids, like this one from a listener named Beth. “Dear Pastor John, my husband and I are new parents to a two-month-old son. Caring for him has been joyful and exhausting. I can barely concentrate on anything I used to but need the Lord more than ever to sustain me. What counsel do you give to new mothers on continuing their walk with God?”

It's hard to identify if you're idolizing your work in the home because so much of our identity and life is wrapped up in the work of the home. Because we don't punch a time clock, because we're taking care of little people who are products of us in a lot of ways, because our husband is our dearest and closest friend, it's hard to see how we've made an idol of this work because it's so much a part of our life—and it never ends.

The John 3:16 of the world is “be true to yourself,” and “you do you.” A life of individual autonomy (or “self-rule”) is the essence of all sin, which Adam and Eve believed in the Garden. We want to do everything we can to deconstruct to our children the emptiness of living a life of individual autonomy – not to win an argument, but in order to deliver our kids from the inherent loneliness and anxiety that naturally result from living life on our own terms.

Jason Cook, pastor of preaching at Fellowship Memphis, poses this question to Jen Wilkin, author of *None Like Him* and *Women of the Word,* and Greg Thornbury, president of The King’s College in New York City.

When my first newborn child trembled in my hands, all my convictions about parenting suddenly shook too. I longed for wise counsel. Later on, when I was experiencing excessive conflict with my 1-year-old, I turned to my parents for advice. “Just love her,” my father said. For whatever reason, this cut me to the quick. I realized I was making my daughter my project instead of pouring out Christ’s love on her. As I read Augustine’s Confessions this week, I felt a similar conviction.

Hope for Orphans (HFO) is delighted to share this free video of our interview with ROOTED speakers Paul David Tripp (pastor, author, and speaker) & Kevin Peck (senior pastor at Austin Stone Community Church). We hope you’re encouraged by this discussion of adoption and gospel-centered parenting.

As summer gets underway, teenagers may be home more often, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll see more of them. If they retreat to their rooms for hours or seem cagey about their plans, don’t take it personally. Following are four truths about teens that may help you and your adolescent coexist.

No matter where or how formally I try teach my kids how to be Christians, no words I say will ever be as important as they way they see me living on a day to day basis. A carefully crafted lesson about forgiveness means nothing if I hold a grudge against a family member or friend. A lecture about the importance of obeying God’s word is useless if they see me ignoring His commands.