Most of us have dealt with a “prodigal” (rebellious, independent, foolhardy) child.  It’s true that some parents have never had a child drift away from their faith.  I have, and I can help you with that.

Here is what you do while you are still waiting…

A lot of people don’t believe in vacations.  They feel like they’re wasting time.  They hate to spend the money.  They like their own refrigerator! With six children, we figured out a way. 

Here are our “all-time favorite places” we went in 37 years of raising kids:

Fear and timidity can paralyze you.   Anxiety can control your every decision.   Confusion can totally derail your life’s focus.   The mind is the battleground of life.  You will inevitably face storms and crisis.   Your mind will be pressed to the breaking point.    How do you persevere until the sun breaks through again?

These three thoughts have always kept me on track:

Millions of marriages are smoldering.   The passion is gone.   The fire is almost out.   The excitement and astonishment left years ago. Marriages go through stages as Jesus said:  “hot, cold, and lukewarm.”  I’ve been married for 40 years and I’m sure I have been through all three of them!   If your marriage needs some “hot sauce,” I can help you with that.  

Ask yourself these 10 questions:

I’ve been married to Melanie, the woman of my dreams, for 40 years.  I’ve observed how she quietly, but powerfully, has shown her leadership prowess.

It's a shame that many of us men fail to realize the incredible potential in the godly leadership of a woman.  Deborah, the prophetess, was a “judge” over Israel (Judges 4).

What can Deborah teach us about leadership that works in a godly woman?

I have six children:  five sons and a daughter.  I have seven grandchildren with more on the way.  I’ve been raising children for 37 years.  I can help you do that if you need help.  It all starts with a father.  Mine just died at 97.  His life, ministry, and legacy is legendary.  Many of you did not have a “Bro. Roy.”  

I’m going to teach you what I learned from him and a few things I learned on my own about raising kids.

Steph Curry is the rage of the NBA.  He’s the greatest three-point shooter of all time.  He, his wife Ayesha, and their little girl Riley have become a model family for America.  What a lot of people don’t know, however, is that his parents led their family in a half-hour Bible devotion every morning before school.  I’m concerned about the families I see. We raised our six children with the Word of God at the center.  That’s probably why all six of them are involved in the ministry.

Here are five easy ways you can surround your family with Biblical truth:

Everywhere I go, people ask me, “How can I marry someone, like Melanie, who will stay together with me for a lifetime?”  Now, after 40 years together with her, I think I can help you in that. 

How to Marry the Right Person for Life:

Thursday,  May 8th, 1976 was a big day.  It was my 23rd birthday and the day my bride came walking down the aisle…40 years ago.  I have to stop and reflect on why I made a good choice.

Here are the reasons that came to my mind this week:

Everyone has read 1 Corinthians 13.  Most Christians know it as the love chapter.  I’ve read it a hundred times but struggle to DO IT.  The words seem to blend into a beautiful picture, like a work of art.  The problem, however, is if I just LOOK at it but can’t implement it. I looked at 1 Cor. 13 a different way the other day. 

Here is the way I read it this time:

We can put people on the moon but we can’t get cell phones to work everywhere.  Communication runs our world now.  From social media to digital cable, Internet, and (of course) smartphones, we all have to learn to communicate better.

Here are some communication skills I have had to sharpen:

Last Tuesday was a major event in my life:  my Dad of 97 years went to heaven.  We cared for him in our home for over six years after my mother died.  He was married for 63 years and in the ministry for 66 years.  This blog is about “generational leadership,” the passing of lessons from fathers to children.  

Here goes my best shot at five things I got from him:

Marriage has to have a foundation.  If it doesn’t, you will endlessly drift on the sea of culture, disappointment, and changes.  I have boiled down my seven most important lessons that give Melanie and I stability now in our 40th year of marriage.  

Check out how you are doing in these seven areas and see if one needs to be adjusted:

I’ve been really concerned about the lack of honor in our nation.

I have learned that honor is a part of God’s character: “Those who honor Me I will honor and those who despise Me will be lightly esteemed” (1 Sam. 2: 30).

Here are a few practical ways honor works in my life:

Everyone is in a panic.  We operate more on adrenaline than anointing!  We have pressures, commitments, deadlines, obligations, possessions and relationships that require continual maintenance.

Here are some principles I have learned on how you spell “R.E.S.T.”: