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Title: Raising Godly Kids in an Ungodly World

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How do we raise our kids to follow God's teachings in the Bible and live a good Judeo-Christian life in a world that tells them "if it feels good, do it"; "get all the gusto you can"; and, "you only go around this world once"? Raising our children to grow up and practice their faith is probably a more challenging task today than ever before but it can be done. It should ideally start in infancy
and carry through consistently throughout their childhood. More than any other factor, the lifestyle we model as parents will affect our children's priorities when they grow up.

What should we do about all the potentially negative influences that bombard our children every day. First of all we can't totally shield our children from these influences or the kind of people we may not choose to associate with. They are all part of the world we live in. We can however limit some of the overexposure by
controlling things like TV, videos and inappropriate dating and parties, particularly in our young teen's lives. We can set definite clear standards such as how we expect our children to behave when they go out. We should definitely teach them a proper respect for the dangers of drinking, drugs, promiscuous pre-marital
sex and simple casual relationships which can end up hurting hearts as well as bodies. We can view TV programs and movies with our children and discuss the meanings behind the shows. We should also limit certain movies, video games and records in our home because they go so strongly against our sense of values and faith.

One of the best ways to engender a strong faith in our children and a respect for Christian values is to live the lifestyle, week in and week out. Are you actively participating in your church?  Are you praying every day with your children? Are you making your home a welcome place to all your children's friends? Do you treat everyone daily with unconditional love? Are you making time with your children and spouse a high priority? If you're living this way your children will grow strong under the umbrella of your love and faith. They will probably choose wise priorities in their life too as they grow up.

How about recreation? Are you having fun with your children, laughing and sharing in family activities? Are you participating in your children's school activities and finding time to attend their significant events as they grow up? Are you using teachable moments whenever they arise to reinforce your values? Can your children approach you at any time and share their worries without you overreacting or judging them? Hopefully so. Crises will arise in all families. There are important times to teach our kids how to hold together as a family and lean on God and friends.

Finally, in the long challenging marathon of raising our children we should remember to pray daily for God's guidance. We should simply love our children generously by finding time for them and always reminding them that we love them above anything else in this world and hope to meet them on the other side in Heaven one day. By following these methods I believe we can help our children to grow up to lead happy, productive lives despite the dangers of the ungodly world. 

References:
Winning the Values War in a Changing Culture by Leith Anderson.
Leaving the Light On by Gary Smalley and Dr. John Trent.
The Family Blessing by Rolf Garborg. 
Christian Parenting Today Magazine, subscription inquiries can call (800) 238-2221.