Christian Grandparenting Blog

Much like an email file, many of us store our confessed sins in a deleted file that we keep buried inside our souls. This unseen but ever-present file keeps us tethered to our past mistakes, thereby preventing us from enjoying an abundant, victorious life in Christ. One of the greatest New Year’s resolutions we can make is to forgive ourselves of past mistakes.

Ephesians 6:12-18 tells us that prayer is our greatest weapon and first defense in the spiritual battle in which we find ourselves. And in Revelation 3:20, we find that prayer is our response to God's Invitation - an invitation He does not extend out of obligation but out of pure love and a desire to be with us. In my finite mind, these two reasons alone provide enough encouragement to support making prayer a priority.

Our families are experiencing the busiest time of the year. We have decorated, bought presents, prepared special foods, and enjoyed family traditions. We are celebrating the birth of Jesus, and are reminded to walk in His presence. What does it mean to experience a daily walk with Jesus? Who is  the risen Christ? 

Jesus tells us in John 15:5 that he is the true vine, the One who will bear good fruit to his Father's glory and the true source of life for believers. He likens us to the branches that are attached to the vine. A branch must stay firmly attached to the vine drawing strength, nourishment, protection, and energy to stay alive. If it is broken off, it dies and becomes unfruitful.

The thought of facing the holidays with a heart heavy from the burden of grief can be overwhelming. Unfortunately, there isn’t a fast-forward or even a pause button for grief. Surviving the holidays while grieving is much like surviving life while grieving; it is done one day, one step, or even one breath at a time. Author Julie Grant offers tools to help those who are grieving to navigate the holidays.

One of my least favorite things to do is to wait. But God has given instruction, and even commands, on the topic of waiting. For example, “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him” (Psalm 37:7). During the upcoming time referred to as “Advent” we are doing another kind of waiting: eager anticipation of the celebration of our Savior Jesus Christ’s birth. 

The celebration of Thanksgiving is an excellent time to pour into your grandchildren. Often, extended family gatherings occur and the day passes quickly without taking time to personally connect with grandchildren or intentionally pass on faith in Christ. The Thanksgiving ideas are divided into four categories: teaching, crafts, activities, and mealtime and food. Evaluate your current Thanksgiving traditions and determine how you can better use Thanksgiving to make lasting memories and build the faith of your family.

As grandparents of children who have experienced the divorce of their parents, we can testify to the painful after-effects on the families involved. We have faced challenges for which we felt unprepared both as grandparents and parents of adult children. Although every divorce is unique, there are some basic guidelines to help grandparents avoid common landmines.