Maybe I started the day she ran away. I’d placed Lexi in her room for a “time out” and five minutes later the doorbell rang. A woman I’d never seen…
Young Adults
Six Tips for Raising Kids Who Will Still Go to Church as Adults
The stats are scary. Seventy to 90 percent of kids who attended an evangelical church will stop attending church by age 18 (here’s an excellent article summarizing a wide range…
The Importance of Honor
During my lifetime it has been easy to breeze past the commandment to honor my mother and father. I admit, at times, the commandment may have even been met with…
What I Gained By Giving Up Time On Facebook
A while back I hopped on Facebook first thing in the morning, as was my usual routine numerous times a day. The routine had started innocently several years back. I…
There is No Fear in Love
I’ve always been passionate. Passion for me spills over into just about everything I do. I cook with passion, trying to improve each recipe. I write with passion, about the…
Disappointments as Divine Direction
When things don’t go the way we want, for us or our kids, it is so easy to try to “fix” things, make them go the way we believe they…
Exit Bitterness
My mother and grandmother had a contentious relationship. I say “relationship” very gingerly. As a youth the divorce of her parents put a wedge between them that would last until…
Don’t Freak Out: How to Respond Wisely to Your Teen and Young Adult’s Choices and Opinions
Dear Dr. Degler, What is up with my 18-year-old child? She’s a good kid overall but she is making choices that upset me, like saying she isn’t sure if the…
My Adult Children
“Lord, teach me how to pray for my adult children. I know You are greater than anything they face. Thank You that my prayers for them have power because You…
Launching Our Children Like Arrows
This past fall a photo stream of parents dropping their kids off at college filled my social media newsfeeds. Proud, teary eyed parents, beaming teenagers, decked out dorm rooms, and…