Parenting is not just about raising good kids—it’s about raising them to know, love, and follow Jesus. Our role is to intentionally guide them through the Spiritual Mile Markers of life, transferring their dependence from us to God. What we model, they will absorb. So ask yourself: Are you creating a home where faith is lived, not just spoken? Let’s be parents who don’t just hope our kids find Jesus—we lead them there by the way we live, love, and trust Him ourselves.

Parents are called to guide their children with wisdom, setting firm yet loving boundaries, especially in the digital age. While the internet and smartphones have revolutionized the world, they have also exposed children to risks, often with little regulation. To foster self-regulation and well-adjusted adulthood, parents must set clear digital boundaries—limiting screen time, restricting content, designating device-free spaces, and modeling healthy tech habits. However, boundaries must be implemented with understanding and relationship, using them as teaching moments rooted in biblical wisdom. Practical steps, such as delaying smartphones and social media, promoting offline play, and staying steadfast in the long journey of parenting, remind parents that they are not alone—God is their shepherd in this mission.

Parenting today can be the greatest joy and yet the most challenging part of anyone’s life. But, God wants us to succeed! God wants us to thrive in our parenting and not just survive. Therefore, God gives us His Word, His Spirit and His Church. Having a personal, growing relationship with God through Jesus Christ, His Son, is the most important part of parenting. And, having godly leaders at church is so essential to raising our kids and the next generation in Christ. Let’s cover our children in prayer and endeavor to thrive in parenting today.

God wants you to grow in your faith and to share His love with others. This comes by being rooted in Christ. Growing deep roots in Jesus and then allowing His love to flow out of you. Jesus then calls us to plant seeds of the Gospel in the hearts and lives of others. “The harvest is plentiful…,” Jesus said, “...but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest field.” Matthew 9. God has called each of us to share our faith and to invest in others for His glory. This is where we grow spiritually and impact the world for Christ.

You were created to grow. Just like physical growth as we watch a baby grow into a child, young man or woman and ultimately an adult, there are stages to spiritual growth. If you are alive spiritually, then you should be growing/maturing in Christ. So, are you more like Jesus today than you were a year, 5 years, 10 years or 20 years ago? Make a commitment to grow spiritually in 2025. What steps do you need to take? To read your Bible, to pray, to be baptized, to join the church, to serve on Sunday mornings, to lead a group, to disciple your family and more. Let’s make 2025 a year of spiritual growth and watch God make it our best year yet!

It’s the start of the New Year, and I pray 2025 will be your best year yet. I pray you will prosper in every area of your life this year. It all starts with your relationship with God. Will you commit to grow spiritually this year? What is the next step for you - accepting Christ, being baptized, joining the church, joining a Community Group, Men’s or Women’s Group, serving at church, reading your Bible, praying regularly, journaling or maybe a mission trip? There are so many ways to grow spiritually this year. Commit to be at church and to grow in your relationship with God. I’m praying for you in 2025! Know God has a great plan and purpose for you!

Advent contrasts the world’s fleeting, self-centered view of love with God’s unconditional, sacrificial love revealed in Scripture. While human love often starts with self and falters under conditions, God’s love, shown through Jesus’ life and sacrifice, is steadfast, holy, and transformative. Mary’s response to God’s love—her surrender and trust—demonstrates how we, too, are called to receive and carry His love with the world. This Advent, we are invited to let go of shallow definitions of love and embrace the deep, redemptive love of God that restores, redeems, and makes us whole.