Communication, Discipline, Family, Healthy Love, life decisions, life purpose, Marriage, Relationships, Self-EsteemBy Cos Davis

The Trust Factor: Marriage (part one)

Trust is vital in marriage. I recently heard of a situation where a young wife had discovered her husband was having an affair. When she confronted him about his unfaithfulness and the marriage vows he took he replied, “That’s just a piece of paper.” The “piece of paper” he was referencing was, of course, the marriage license. There are several things wrong with a scenario like this. First, adultery is wrong. It is a breach of trust between a man and a woman who have agreed to be faithful to […]

Christian Parenting, life decisionsBy Cos Davis

Where Do Children Come From?

A young boy asked his dad, “Where did I come from?” With beads of perspiration breaking out on his forehead the dad attempted to explain the process to him. Taking a deep breath when finished, the dad looked into the saucer-sized eyes of his child and asked, “Do you understand?” “No,” said the child, “Johnny said he came from Arkansas and I just wanted to know which state I came from. Can you tell me that?” If you have children you can understand the plight of this father. And, you […]

Christian Parenting, Healthy Love, Self-EsteemBy Cos Davis

How Cute Is Your Kid?

Appearance is a big deal in our superficial society. To be cute or handsome is “good” and to not be”blessed” with good looks is not so good. The word “cute” ranks in the top 20% of words in use today. We have been so indoctrinated by this value system that we tend to see people differently based on their physical attractiveness. Do you believe your kid’s true worth should be measured by how he or she registers on the “attractive” scale?  I certainly hope not. A parent with this type of […]

Children and the Christian Faith, Christian Parenting, Communication, Discipline, Family, Healthy Love, Independence, life maps, life purposeBy Cos Davis

Is Your Child Special ?

 Does your child know he is special ? When our son, Nathan, was small his mom would often ask him this question,”If all the little boys in the world lined up and I got to pick out anyone I wanted,do you know who I would choose?” I can still hear his giggling, happy “me” in response to her question. This was just one of many ways my wife and I sought to communicate a highly important message to our children. That message was: You are very important to us. Is […]

Christian Parenting, Communication, Family, Relationships, Self-EsteemBy Cos Davis

Is Your Child An Accident ?

Do you think of your child as an “accident”? Be careful because our attitude or opinion about where our child came from is very important. Why is this so? One reason is because our attitudes tend to “seep out” sooner or later and our child picks up on this at an emotional level. Our children sense how we really think and feel about them. As a parent, it’s difficult to hide our true estimate of our child. Our words, tone of voice, the “looks” we give them, the way we […]

Christian Parenting, Family, Healthy Love, life purpose, RelationshipsBy Cos Davis

Why Did God Give You A Child?

How do you answer this question, “Why did God give you a child?” Children can be difficult, it’s true, but God has placed your child or children in your life to do something for you. God has different ways to grow us. While you are their parent, they may be the instrument through which God teaches you some life-altering truths. The bottom line of life is relationships. God gave you a child as a way to enhance your relationship with him. God can use your child in many ways to […]

Christian Parenting, Family, RelationshipsBy Cos Davis

God’s Gift

One of the most important ideas in Christian parenting is the unmistakable certainty your child is God’s gift to you. This attitude is well supported in scripture. Your child is fortunate if you really believe this and act it out in your relationship with him. The ability to procreate is a blessing from God. Genesis 1:28 says concerning Adam and Eve,” God blessed them and said to them, ” Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. “ Your ability to have a child is a blessing […]

Christian Parenting, Family, Healthy Love, Independence, Self-EsteemBy Cos Davis

Are Your Fears Hindering Your Child’s Development?

Do you realize your fears can hinder your child’s physical development? Yes,that’s true and your child’s inability to accomplish certain ordinary things can work against his confidence and positive view of himself. Let me explain. Several years ago Joey (not his real name), about ten, was brought to me because he had almost become paralyzed by his fear of bugs. He didn’t want to play outside and, therefore, avoided it whenever possible. Instead of engaging in outdoor activities he developed a strong attachment to video games he could play inside. […]

Christian Parenting, Communication, Family, Healthy Love, life maps, Relationships, Self-EsteemBy Cos Davis

What Messages are You Sending Your Kid?

What messages does your child get about himself from you? The most important factor in your child’s personal sense of value is how significant others, especially you, view him.  As his parent you have a uniquely influential role in how your child values or devalues himself. No one’s opinions and attitudes (messages) are as important as yours in the life of your young child. The early impression he gains about himself from you tend to be very powerful for most of his life. Why do you play such an important […]

Christian Parenting, Healthy Love, Relationships, Self-EsteemBy Cos Davis

Unconditional Acceptance Isn’t Always Easy

Can your child be who God made him to be and still be loved by you? Unconditional acceptance of your child is a major ingredient in his healthy view of himself. But to accept your child unconditionally isn’t as easy as it may seem on the surface. What does unconditional acceptance mean? It basically means you accept the totality of who he is. He or she has a physical body which means you must care for him and nourish that body until he can adequately care for himself. For example, […]