Cultivating the Souls of Parents Ebook

Raising a child helps us discover that parenting involves a whole lot of digging, not just through piles of mismatched socks, but also through layers of insecurities and heart issues that our children and we have. I will never have a place where I can say as a parent, “I have arrived!” No, this process of parenting brings to light my own emotional brokenness that God wants me to explore and bring to Him to remedy and make whole.

Broken people raising other broken people. It's true. This is parenting after the Fall. Ever wish God could snap His fingers and make your kids behave? Or make you an expert? We all do. While we condemn ourselves for feeling emotionally burn-out or making poor choices that affect our kids, He is whispering, "I know it's hard, but I am with you! I see you are trying, and I am your guide! You made a mistake, and I forgive you! I love you, and I'm cheering you forward!" Often, God seems distant, but when we take the time to pause, we can sense Him gently working in our families and us.

The process of parenting unveils our soul issues: insecurities, coping mechanisms, and even inherited weaknesses. Jesus Christ is our Vine (John 15:1), but sometimes we don't know how to tap into His peace-producing, energy-generating, transformative power. The journey towards soul health means learning how to tap into His sustaining power in a way that makes our daily crosses lighter. God wants us to bring our transparent and embarrassing shortcomings to His throne of grace.