D6 Blog
The Relationship Effect: How Heart Connection Shapes a Child’s Faith
The Power of Relationships Let’s think beyond the intentional teaching we do with our kids to consider the complexity of influence. Time together, energy to ask questions and listen, and playing together all play a part in the way we convey words of biblical wisdom and truths. Time and energy we spend enjoying our kids exponentially enhances the way they receive our influence. Encouragement and relationship work together—with one giving weight to the other. The quality of the...
Cats, Puppies, and Teachable Moments
Let’s face it—getting your kids to open up can feel like an Olympic event some days. Some kids are like puppies: they’ll bubble over with excitement, telling you everything from what they had for lunch to what their friend said three weeks ago. They thrive on...
Can’t? Won’t?
Any book, film, or song is necessarily edited into its final form. Movies sometimes follow their credits by showing outtakes that didn’t make the final cut. A few short months ago this blog was a zygote, an edited outtake still being formed by the writing of, Grit...
Marriage Lessons from Ice Cream and a Dented Car
The year was 2009. I was waiting to hear back from a publisher about my first manuscript. I had made it miraculously through acquisition board meetings and was awaiting the final yay or nay. When I received the news that my book 31 Days to a Younger You would indeed...
Backward Planning for Your Children’s Future
In the book Toy Box Leadership, the chapter on Little Green Army Men provides a rich metaphor for leadership and preparation. These small, iconic toys symbolize much more than childhood play; they offer profound lessons about strategy, teamwork, and what the military...
Low Battery Warning: Prioritizing God’s Rest Before It’s Too Late
Step into this moment with me…You’re in the middle of an important conversation when it happens. Your phone buzzes, and there it is: the dreaded notification. Battery at 1%. Panic sets in. You scramble to find a charger, but it’s nowhere to be found. You instinctively...
Rethinking Discipleship for the Next Generation
Change can come about in several different ways. Some things change naturally and over time, like the aging process. This type of change sort of creeps up on us. Other change comes about due to a crisis. For instance, on the positive side, the birth of a child or...
Shaping Your Child’s Inner Voice: Using Faith and Conversations to Guide Their Hearts
The Christmas season is a beautiful time to reflect on God’s promises and create intentional moments of connection with your children. Amid the holiday excitement, there’s an opportunity to start meaningful conversations that deepen faith and build emotional bonds....
Disciplines for Eternity-Based Parenting
When my children were young, I once confessed to my mom that sometimes I longed to get a cold or the flu—nothing serious, but just bad enough to force me into bed so I could get some much-needed rest. I thought my mom would laugh, but instead, she surprised me by...
Building a Stronger Marriage: Safeguarding Your Relationship Against Unseen Threats
In today’s world, we’re bombarded with messages about securing our physical spaces—infomercials tout the benefits of safe-proofing our homes, protecting us from external threats. But what about the unseen attacks on our spiritual and marital foundations? As parents...
Sowing Gospel Seeds
My name is Elizabeth. My story begins in Ukraine. I never knew my father—he was killed in an accident when I was only one year old. My mom couldn’t cope with the grief, soon turning to alcohol and other destructive habits that...
Lessons from the Wilderness: Finding Purpose in Waiting
This wilderness was a place of despair and discouragement, where everything looked dry and empty, and my once fruitful life felt barren—like the Israelites, wandering in circles, going nowhere, and producing nothing. I felt distant from the Lord, wondering if He cared...
How Do You Stay in The Game When Life or Ministry is Hard
Ministry is wonderful and can also be hard. Over the past year, I’ve spoken with many children’s ministry leaders who feel isolated and overwhelmed. Recently in a kid’s ministry Facebook group, leaders were sharing that they rarely had the opportunity to participate...