I believe most parents desire happy, stable homes. No one consciously wants to be part of the alarming statistics … and yet parents find themselves right where they thought they’d never be. As a congregation, we need to do all we can to strengthen family life. Today more than ever, parents need help facing the challenges of contemporary family life - especially where kids are involved.

Parents, don’t forget about the upcoming opportunities that are available to help give you support and Biblical guidance in these areas.

First of all, beginning this Sunday (March 7) I’ll be teaching a 13-week Bible Class in Room 106 called, "Growing Together with Your Teens: Studies for Parents of Teens." This class is designed for parents of teenagers. It’ll help parents gain insights into areas like … understanding the issues of adolescence, enhancing their teen's self-esteem, teaching teens responsibility and independence, and how to cope with mid-life. All of this will be put in a Biblical context of increasing family fun while strengthening the marriage relationship.

The other upcoming opportunity is "Healthy Parents, Healthy Kids." This is an 8-week Interactive Course beginning Sunday April 4 and will be facilitated by Bill and Elaine Kamp. This course will provide a comprehensive guide to parenting children of all ages while at the same time offer a fascinating experience of personal discovery. Among other subjects, the course deals with building a child’s self-esteem, utilizing effective discipline, establishing effective communication, understanding a child’s unique personality and developmental level, and conferring values to a child. Enrollment is limited to the first 24 people, so see Bill or Elaine Kamp for registration and more info.

Parents, I urge you to get involved in both or either of these upcoming classes because they will help provide tools to strengthen and develop strong family relationships.

See you in Bible Class this week.