Quotes from Tim Kimmel

Fear based parenting is the surest way to create intimidated children.

The issue isn't-nor should it ever be-how weak our child is, but rather how strong our God is.

Our sins are never too great for God to forgive.

Children who know they are loved, know they have a purpose, and know they have a hope are prepared for anything this world wants to dish up.

Every day life must always be lived against the backdrop of eternity.

Living a good life may keep you out of jail, but it cannot keep you out of hell.

Those who think that the wisest way to groom a child for spiritual maturity is to isolate him from the evil, corrupted world system or airbrush his childhood environment so much that it exposes only him to the good and never teaches him how to process the bad (or the counterfeit) will set a child up for a life of mediocrity at best and spiritual annihilation at worst.

Until kids find something worth dying for, they don't have anything worth living for.

On the contrary, if grandparents want to make a positive difference in their grandchildren's lives, they must have a plan.

It's a lot easier for our children to look forward to a hopeful future if they have the confidence that we are doing all we can, while they are in our care, to groom them for the future.

God challenged death to a duel, and death chose a cross as its weapon. God fired back with an empty grave. He defeated death when He walked out of its grip into the light of a beautiful Sunday morning. For those who trust in this truth, its eternally Sunday. That's why we can respond to the shadows of death that cross our path with the words of David: I will fear no evil (Psalm 23:4).

The issue isn't--nor should it ever be--how weak our child is, but rather how strong our God is.

I know that a lot of Christian kids rebel. But as I said earlier, I'm convinced that most of them don't really want to. They just haven't been given a better alternative. The only true antidote for a life of rebellion is a life worth living.

Our children's rebellion is not the problem. It is the symptom. Why they are rebelling is the problem. And unless we address the why, the external things we do in reaction to their rebellion will not make much of a difference.

Some of your children's rebellion against your spiritual lifestyle might be a necessary step in their finding an authentic relationship with God. But beware: If they find it, it might look quite different from what you've always thought it should be.

Calling a child rebellious has the equivalent effect of calling a child that is struggling in school stupid. It becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

I'm urging you to raise your children the way God raises His. The primary word that defines how God deals with His children is grace.

If you keep these needs in the forefront of your mind as you work to be a blessing giver to your grandchildren, you will do wonders for their relationship with their parents, their view of themselves, their relationships to the people around them, and their attitude toward God. The three needs every child is born with are: • a secure love • a significant purpose • a sufficient hope

Children feel secure when they know they are accepted as they are. Let me qualify this before we clarify it. There are attitudes our children might develop that we never have to accept. Selfishness, disrespect, deceit, and any other sinful action does not have to be condoned or tolerated. Just as in our relationship with God, He may love us when we are sinful, but He doesn't ignore our sin. Just

They believe that the loved ones who have passed on are somehow looking down from heaven and watching out for them. All of that may feel nice, but there is no biblical basis for assuming it's true.

Leaving the world nicer than you found it, making a commitment to a lifetime of learning, paying attention to what you learn from life's experience so that you are more valuable to others, and being committed to developing the potential of as many people as you can are general purposes that are good to install in the hearts of each one of your children.

God doesn't treat us the way we typically treat each other. Yet if we've placed our faith in Christ and his transforming work on the cross, we should be filled with grace as we relate to our spouse—especially

Grace doesn't fit well with stricter models of parenting. Grace often contradicts parenting plans that want to distill roles down into checklists. Grace-based parenting is a heart-activated plan that takes its cues from a daily walk with Jesus Christ. Because of this, grace and strict parenting textbooks will never find themselves in agreement.

Love is the commitment of my will to your needs and best interests, regardless of the cost