Monday, March 28, 2011

Raising Godly Kids In A Not So Godly World

Let’s face it the world we live in is crazy. The other day on the Glen Beck TV show I watched footage of a teen ager being beat to death with a railroad tie by another teenager while yet another teenage videoed the whole incident and laughed about it. Throw in drugs, sex trafficking, the porn industry and the state of the family and you’ll see the days we live in are evil. Families here in America and around the world are under attack. The divorce rate here in the U.S. is out of control
 50% percent of first marriages, 67% of second and 74% of third marriages end in divorce, according to Jennifer Baker of the Forest Institute of Professional Psychology in Springfield, Missouri.” The sad thing is the divorce rate among Christians isn’t much better. Ephesians 5:15-16 tells us what to do but we aren’t doing it. 15Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Weather you are a single parent, a married couple or a married person alone in providing Godly influences for your child I believe you can raise Godly kids when you are careful how you live. Use Godly wisdom and make the most of every opportunity God presents you daily.

I’ll never forget the day I became a parent it’s been more than 30 years since I heard 3 words that changed my life forever... “It’s a girl!” I am thankful that my children and I share a very close relationship today. I have always said “How much your children allow you to be involved in their life when they are older has a lot to do with how much you were involved throughout the process. You can’t raise G rated or Godly kids without Parental Guidance. It’s not suggested it’s required. The average parent in America spends a lot less time with their children than they should. (Married fathers spent an average 6.5 hours a week caring for their children. Married mothers spent 12.9 hours. Single mothers spent 11.8 hours) But out of those hours caring for their children only an average of 3.5 minutes per week is spent by parents in meaningful conversation with their kids. When you take these hours and look at the amount of time other influences get it’s mind boggling. The average teen spends 900 hours in school per year, 1500 hours watching TV. Teenagers spend an average of 31 hours a week online. Nielsen says…The average American household has a TV on 8 hrs and 15 minutes a day. No matter what your marital status the battle of hours and influences is on and Christian parents must wake up and start being intentional about the choices they make with their time and actions to raise Godly Kids!

4 comments:

  1. Your child needs you more today than he ever needed you before. You may understand by now that you are not alone in your suffering; your kid shares your suffering. Whatever you are going through, he has to go through. If you feel that you have lost a life partner, remember that your kid lost something more valuable, a family. It would be unfair for you to abandon your kid when he is stressed out the most.

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  2. So true Dan. Thanks for stopping by!

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  3. Great post, brother Jim. I'd love to hear some practical points on how parents can be intentional with their kids. Where do they start? What if their child is already 13 and resistant to the idea of "Quality Family Time"? Thanks!

    Lindsey @ GrowingKidsMinistry.com

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  4. 13 means you only have 5 years left. You are the parent you plan their schedule they don't have a choice. Start with their interest, look for shared interests, start with a weekly date. hope that helps

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