parenting

Gospel Hope for Those Caring for Children with Autism

ABBY KARSTEN|GUEST While proceeding through a 39-page psychological evaluation, my husband and I finally arrived at the list of diagnoses. There were six, and one included autism spectrum disorder. In so many ways, we were relieved. Since our son was a baby, we had wondered what made his brain and body so different from our daughter’s. “Autism” was tossed around in conversations with doctors and trusted friends, but many pieces didn’t fit the “typical” autism diagnosis: he craved physical connection, made eye contact, and was highly social/verbal. Yet, there were mysteries and challenges: regular meltdowns lasting hours, significant social miscues, bouts of running away, and sudden and extreme sensory distress. Now, with a diagnosis, we would get resources and support. Of course, in the year since then, things have not always gone according to plan. Hoping for resources and resolutions, I was quickly overwhelmed by too many options, waiting lists, and confusion about what would help our son. I share this to point out that each situation is unique...

Gospel Hope for Those Caring for Children with AutismChristina Fox2026-03-28T14:39:48+00:00

The Challenge and Hope of Love

BETHANY BELUE | CONTRIBUTOR My children and I have been working our way through a Scripture memory book this school year. Each week, we focus on a different verse, learning it together, memorizing it, playing a song related to it, and weaving it into our week. It’s been a sweet way for us to hide God’s Word in our hearts together. Last week, the passage was short and simple: “Love is patient. Love is kind” (1 Cor. 13:4). Although it was a simpler verse to memorize, it brought so much depth of conversation and meditation. As my husband and I parent our children, we often talk about loving others. What does it mean to put our siblings before ourselves? How can we show kindness to our friends? How can we be patient when we have to wait for things? It’s woven into our parenting and our family values, but in my own heart, memorizing this passage with my children provoked some deeper feelings and struggles. First Corinthians 13:4-7 says, “Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” It’s easy to love my children when they are obeying me, to love my husband when he is serving me, to love my friends when they are treating me kindly, but what about all the times when it’s hard to love others?...

The Challenge and Hope of LoveChristina Fox2026-02-09T20:53:45+00:00

Let the (Families of) Little Children Come to Me

LYDIA PINONTOAN | GUEST We sat in the back corner of a hotel ballroom with our 11-month-old daughter, armed with toys and snacks and books. We had travelled as a family from our home in the Middle East to Istanbul, Türkiye to witness some of our favorite authors and preachers mine the theological depths of the Nicene Creed. Some might call us crazy to attempt a theological conference with a baby. They may be right. But it’s rare that this lineup of speakers comes to our part of the world, so we thought we’d give it a shot. The conference started, Dr. Albert Mohler took the podium, and our daughter started to fuss. Quickly I tried all I knew to make her happy, to no avail. I gathered our things, scooped her up, and made for the closest door. For the next 30 minutes or so I played the how-much-can-I-hear-from-the-hallway game and tried my hardest to not feel disappointed that I was missing out on what we had travelled so far to experience. I hopped in and out of the ballroom, trying to entertain my daughter and catch snippets of the opening sermon when suddenly I felt a warm hand on my shoulder. As I turned, my gaze met that of a woman with a smile as warm as her touch. “Please come into the main room,” she said. “Your baby’s noises aren’t bothering anyone, and we want you to hear the sermon. You’re doing a great job and we’re so glad you and your baby are here.”...

Let the (Families of) Little Children Come to MeChristina Fox2026-01-16T19:37:10+00:00

Telling the Reformation Story to Our Children

SHERRY KENDRICK | GUEST A year ago, I had the privilege of going on a Reformation tour with fifty people from my church. Several pastors who had both interest and training in church history served as guides. It was a wonderful learning experience for me and deepened my faith. The more I learned about the Reformation, the more I came to treasure the power of God’s Word, the gift of salvation by grace alone, and the steadfast courage needed to stand for gospel truth. This year’s Reformation Sunday is October 26, and I find myself asking: how do we pass this history on to our children? The Protestant Reformation is a story of God’s faithfulness to His church—and it is a story worth telling them. What Was the Reformation? The beginning of the Reformation usually dates to October 31, 1517, when Martin Luther, a German monk, nailed his 95 Theses to the door of Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany. The 95 Theses was a list of Luther’s arguments against the Catholic Church’s practice of selling indulgences—which were like "get out of jail free" cards for sins—often sold for money to raise funds for the church. The Protestant Reformation would continue for over 130 years throughout all of Europe. There were many “reformers,” men and women, who with courage stood in the face of persecution and death for believing the five key truths that came from the Reformation. They are known as the Five Solas: Sola Scriptura – Scripture alone Sola Fide – Faith alone Sola Gratia – Grace alone Solus Christus – Christ alone Soli Deo Gloria – To God alone be the glory To prepare for the Reformation tour, my pastor recommended reading The Unquenchable Flame: Discovering the Heart of the Reformation by Michael Reeves. He describes the Reformation as a fire that could not be put out—a flame of gospel truth blazing across Europe. That imagery has stayed with me. It is my heart’s desire for the flame of these gospel truths to burn in me and into the hearts of the children we are discipling today...

Telling the Reformation Story to Our ChildrenChristina Fox2025-10-03T19:48:25+00:00

Redeeming the Time This New School Year

KRISTEN HATTON | GUEST With two children married and one entering his final year of college, I know how fast the years go by. And while we love the empty nester stage we are now in, I miss the activities that characterized our lives during my children’s growing up years. The school and sports-related activities, yes, but also the sitting down at the dinner table together, playing games, watching a TV series, relaxing by the pool, the laughter and noise. Worshipping together and discussing the sermon over Sunday lunch. The everyday conversations that come through normal family life together. Looking back, I see that the seemingly insignificant moments were actually the most important. These weren’t Instagrammable so the magnitude could easily be missed. But it was also not happenstance that the regular routines of daily life far exceeded any fleeting post as a shaping influence on our kids. Above everything, my husband and I wanted our kids to know their need for Jesus and his love for them. We wanted our family to be closely connected, to feel safe to be vulnerable and known by each other. To this end, even when we couldn’t see the forest for the trees, we endeavored to be intentional according to what we valued most. Our kids didn’t always like the decisions we made. I felt lonely at times swimming upstream against the culture. But by God’s grace we persevered, looking not to their temporal happiness (or ours), but toward a hope that they would root their lives in Christ. Certainly, there is no formula for ensuring a life of faith for our kids and the relationships we desire to cultivate. It is by the grace of God, and yet as parents we are called to diligently shepherd their hearts (Deut. 6:7). But it starts with us—with our hearts. Scripture tells us, “For where our treasure is there our heart will be also (Matt. 6:21).” Where our treasure is. Therefore, I encourage you to evaluate if and how your family rhythms point to and flow from your greatest treasure. And if not, how you might reorient those rhythms this school year. I’ve outlined below five considerations....

Redeeming the Time This New School YearChristina Fox2026-04-03T15:45:49+00:00

Discipling Children in Suffering

AMY SANTARELLI |GUEST When my children were young, my husband and I worked hard to prepare them for life. We taught them skills they needed such as tying their shoes, doing laundry, driving, and choosing a career. We also taught them Bible stories, character lessons, and how to obey. But how to suffer? Mostly, we tried to help them avoid it. Now I am a biblical counselor who sits with people who are enduring a wide range of suffering. Seeing their struggles, I find myself looking back at this aspect of our child rearing and wishing I could have a parenting do-over. In our efforts to raise our children well and prepare them for life, we missed something important—purposefully preparing them for a world where the Bible says we will have trouble (John 16:33; James 1:2; I Pet. 4:12–13). How do we equip our children to biblically respond to life’s troubles, so they do not flounder, or worse, run away from God to false comforts? When trouble hits, practice lament and submission to God with your children....

Discipling Children in SufferingChristina Fox2025-07-11T15:04:24+00:00

Encouragement for Moms During Graduation Season

STEPHANIE FORMENTI | CONTRIBUTOR Graduation invitations. Yearbooks. Senior photos. Open houses. All signs point to graduation season—a busy and joyful time. And while motherhood is an emotional endeavor all the time, for many moms, graduation ceremonies feel like a sacred threshold where the intensity of pride and joy walk hand in hand with letting go and releasing control. In the time it takes for your student to walk across the stage, a barrage of emotions rush in: joy, relief, pride, nostalgia, and a whole new set of worries, fears, and anxieties. As a mom, you’ve watched your child grow, struggle, stretch, succeed, fail, and begin to learn responsibility. You’ve prayed over, cheered for, cried with, rejoiced with, and, at times, worried for your son or daughter. And now, the next chapter of life awaits. How can you walk faithfully through graduation season? Philippians 1:3-11 provides a beautiful guide for all you are experiencing. Much like our desire as parents, Paul writes to his spiritual children to encourage them in their faith and toward maturity and perseverance. This passage presents a helpful movement for us as moms: Give thanks. Entrust. Keep praying. Give Thanks Philippians 1:3: “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you…” Throughout Scripture, God regularly invited His people to pause and remember. Sometimes it involved a sacrifice, a song, or a small tower of stones. These physical elements were meant to invite reflection on and recollection of the faithfulness, power, love, and mercy of God. The invitation to remember is an invitation to reorient our hearts toward what we know to be true about God and to let those truths change us from the inside out. Remembering is a powerful first step toward gratitude and trust...

Encouragement for Moms During Graduation SeasonChristina Fox2025-05-05T18:43:27+00:00

The Lord’s Provision in Foster Care

JORDAN PAINTER|GUEST In February 2024, I arranged my neat little set of watercolor paints at our annual church Galentine’s event. My plan was to paint a picture, have some tasteful hors d'oeuvres, and chat with my friends. God's plan for me was to challenge much of what I had previously written off in my own pride. I simply couldn't have predicted how that one light-hearted night would thrust me toward the chaos in which I now sit a year later. Before the activities began, a woman in our church was asked to speak on her experience with foster care. Although it was probably a wonderful message, I remember nothing she said after this statement: "If every church just had one family willing to foster or adopt, there would be no child left waiting in the system." Just one. I looked around the room and I realized that we all probably assumed someone else would be the "one.” At that moment, a seed was planted that I absolutely did not want to nurture. I had seen foster care from a distance and knew it was not for me. To welcome a child, invest in them, love them, and then return them, was not something I felt I could do. I knew foster kids have messy pasts, difficult behaviors, and deep trauma. With two toddlers at home and a husband who travels for work, I was not equipped to handle that. God Establishes Our Steps Proverbs 16:9 says, "The heart of a man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.” I had planned my way. It was a very average-American-middle-class way, and it sounded fantastic: I would have two to three well-behaved children, and our days filled with play dates and various groups. My husband agreed with my plan and frankly, we loved it. But the Lord established our steps. As I type this, I have two foster sons asleep in their beds. One will wake up in about thirty minutes and then continue to wake every hour or so through the night. The other will sleep well and wake with plenty of energy to scream at me when his favorite shirt is dirty. This was not my plan. The Lord established our steps...

The Lord’s Provision in Foster CareChristina Fox2025-04-21T19:33:06+00:00

World Down Syndrome Day: An Interview with Tim Hubach

STEPHANIE HUBACH | CONTRIBUTOR March is Down syndrome awareness month. As a parent of an adult with Down syndrome, I’ve written many different pieces about what it is like raising a child who has Down syndrome. This year, I decided to interview my son Tim instead. So, largely unedited and unfiltered. . .here’s Tim, in his own words! Tell us something about yourself and where you live? My name is Tim Hubach. I am 33 years old. And I live at 278 Stony Lane. I picture myself to be awesome. Who calls you Uncle Tim? Caroline, Everett, and Dietrich. The twins (Dietrich and Everett) are actually working on it. Because it sounds like “Unicorn Tim.” But they called me Tim first. When they call me on FaceTime, they say, “Teeem! Teeem! Teeem!” They are always happy to see me. Caroline calls me Uncle Tim. Me and Caroline are actually trouble. Sometimes we get caught when we sneak snacks. She is innocent because she always asks for snacks, but for me, as her uncle, Uncle Tim is guilty for sneaking them for both of us. What is the best thing about being an uncle? Having fun with Caroline, Everett and Dietrich. Sometimes they are a piece of work and make me crazy. But in a good way, I would say I am the only Down syndrome guy who is an uncle of those three. Also, those three are actually fun and darned entertaining. What types of things do you like to do with Caroline, Dietrich, and Everett? Coloring, going outside for walks including going to the park. Doing puzzles. Playing games. Sometimes the boys actually climb on me, like I am their jungle gym. A jungle wrestling gym! You’re fondly known by your nickname: “Cart Man.” Tell my friends the story about how you became known as “Cart Man.” Let me start off with my job at WellSpan first and how I started. On my senior year, when I was in high school, I started volunteering at WellSpan Health Center, the doctor’s office at Brownstown. What I did there when I was volunteering was greeting people. Then I said, “Hi! Welcome to WellSpan Health Center!” and they came in. So I added the greeting to my job as a cart person. The first time when I was a cart person was at Martin’s Country Market was in the year of 2013. “Welcome to Martin’s Country Market! May I help you?” Part of being a cart man is confidence, and being nice to people, and how to serve them. Customers need a cart and including feeling welcomed. The reason why the job is important is because the cart man is the first person and the last person everyone sees at the grocery store. If the cart man is happy people feel welcomed...

World Down Syndrome Day: An Interview with Tim HubachChristina Fox2025-03-13T02:06:33+00:00

Trading Striving for Rest in Motherhood

GRACE THWEATT|GUEST Six months after my second child was born, both kids were sleeping through the night. I, however, wasn’t. My body exhausted; I’d lay my head on my pillow only to find my thoughts racing: I haven’t spent enough quality time with my oldest since the baby came. I wonder if he feels neglected. Goodness, I wish I hadn’t yelled at him when he disobeyed earlier. I really need to work on having more patience. I’d begin to drift off to a restless sleep, only to have a stressful dream wake me and leave me with an urgent sense that a child needed me or that I had forgotten to do something important. I would check the time, and my heart would drop with despair at the glaring number, 3am. I needed sleep to have energy to face the next day! My worrisome thoughts continued: Should I reset my alarm to get a little more sleep and just skip having an early-morning quiet-time? But I’m already feeling distant and lacking in my relationship with God… Anxiety and striving had grown to characterize my life, and they were eating away at me. I imagine I’m not alone in this. As moms, it seems we often strive in response to the anxiety we feel about our parenting. We worry: Are we teaching our kids the right things about God? Should we be memorizing more Scripture with them? Are we praying with them enough? And discipline… are we doing it right? Are we really helping facilitate heart change? We move through our days trying to do it all and do it all right. Our striving often comes from a good place: we desire to be good moms and godly individuals. But our striving ultimately leaves us feeling burned out and in bondage to our finite strength and capabilities...

Trading Striving for Rest in MotherhoodChristina Fox2025-01-20T19:13:31+00:00