As we start this session one, I shared highlights from Paul David Tripp’s Parenting, chapter one on calling. I emphasized that the most important job is being one of God’s tools to form a human soul, it is a long game, not a sprint. I challenged us to check what our heart treasures, whether we are pursuing results right now or shaping children who love the Lord and live as they should in God’s world. I also quoted Tripp that children who do not acknowledge God will act as if they are God. Action requested, list your key ongoing parenting battles, consider the long term outcome, and adjust where you set boundaries and discipline.

In Session 2, I talk about grace in parenting, the principle that God never calls you to something without equipping you for it, and he never sends you without going with you. I remind you that this present grace matters, not just past or future grace, and that parenting is designed dependence, not getting it all right. I challenge you to become approachable by quickly confessing when you sin, so your kids can safely fail. I also explain that anger reveals what is inside, and your kids are the occasion, not the cause. I ask you to reflect on two questions about your anger and the trajectory of your relationship, and then come back for Session 3.