Attention i.s.a. agents!

Your Mission tomorrow night is to arrive early enough to view the slide show and identify the child/baby pictures of senior agents at I.S.A. headquarters on paper BEFORE service begins at 18:30 hours and reveal them to the I.S.A. Director (PK)!  Prizes will be awarded based on number of answers correct.

Don’t be late or you’ll miss your opportunity!

Be sure to wear appropriate ISA Agent gear (i.e. black or grey or camouflage uniform with close-toed foot ware, shades and any espionage equipment you’ve been issued by your home authorities including your Truth Force Handbook a.k.a. your Bible).

SPECIAL NOTE:  Martial Arts weaponry is strictly forbidden at HQ and may be confiscated until agents are released back to the field.  Side arms must be kept holstered or risk confiscation as well. 

Save it for field ops, cadet!

5 Ways to Recognize and Encourage Your Kids' Growth

“Instruction does much, but encouragement everything.” – Johan Wolfgang van Goethe

Our kids are experiencing new things every day and making new mistakes every day. But while this is happening, they are growing and maturing right before our eyes. We can help this growth not just with our instruction, but with our encouragement as well. Our encouragement often means more, and is more effective, than the instruction we give. Remember to recognize and encourage your kids’ growth. Here are 5 ways you can do this.

1. Let them make decisions.

Look for opportunities to allow your kids to make a mistake and find a solution to the problem. When they do, tell them what you saw and why it made you proud.

2. Catch your kids doing something good.

Be attentive and catch your kids doing something good. When you see your kids being nice to their siblings, or doing something good that wasn’t required of them, bring it to their attention and do something unexpectedly good for them.

3. Notice hard work.

Notice when your kids work really hard to accomplish something. When you notice your kids giving the extra effort, tell them what that means to you and how it will help them become successful in life. Share examples of how hard work pays off.

4. Allow them to choose their own path.

Give them opportunities to make a decision you would normally make for them, like what to wear or how to spend money. Even if their decision is different than what you would have made, encourage them for being bold enough to make a decision and for being willing to live with the consequences of that decision.

5. Acknowledge their growth.

Watch their attitude and how they no longer get frustrated with certain things. When you catch them not getting as frustrated at the math problem they are struggling with, point it out and make a big deal out of it. Give them a pat on the back and say something really encouraging.

Join Stan and the team this Sunday as they investigate the EYEWITNESS accounts of the spirit-filled apostles in the book of acts! 

This week we examine the physical evidence of Speaking in Tongues through the incident at Cornelius’ home!

7 Tips for Navigating the Father-Daughter Relationship Through the Years

Several years ago when my daughter was seven, her school had a father-daughter dance, and we went. We had a great time. We ate, danced, and just enjoyed ourselves. Since she is now a teen, I’ve been warned that our relationship may change as she gets older and hanging with dad is not as cool or fun.

We haven’t been to any father-daughter dances since that first one, but she still enjoys spending time with me, and I’ll always enjoy spending time with her. But I do see her not needing to be with me, or her mother as much. She is perfectly content to be in her own “world.”

As our kids get older, the dynamic of the relationship changes. Usually the kids initiate the change, and we adjust or react to the changes. Especially when it comes to dads and our daughters. As it happens, the Father-daughter “dance” takes on a whole new meaning.

Below are 7 tips for navigating the father-daughter relationship through the years. They’ll help you grow with your daughter as she goes from infant to toddler, to pre-k, to elementary, to pre-teen, to teen, and young adult, and finally adulthood.

1. The Newborn and Toddler Years

This is not a time off for dads. Your daughter’s mother may be a natural nurturer, but you can nurture your daughter as well. Allow the nurturer in you to come out, as well as being her protector.

2. The Pre-K Years

Your daughter is a sponge at this age, and is soaking up every word and action she sees. Make sure your words and actions are things you want her to copy, because she will.

3. The Elementary Years

Start now with engaging in her schooling. Don’t leave it all up to mom. This is the time to create the habit of helping her learn, solve problems, and take on new challenges. It is also the time to have father-daughter dates. It is important to still be affectionate even if she resists.

4. The Pre-teen Years

Continue what you started during the elementary years. Now you will have to really tune in, and make sure your listening skills are developed. The amount of words will increase, and you’ll want to hear every single one of them. Listening to the big and small things will help build trust and deepen your relationship.

5. The Teen Years

Be prepared for some separation, but always be willing to listen and engage when needed. Hopefully you can keep your date nights, and you have some neat things you like to do together. These years need steady and consistent guidance.

6. The Young Adult Years

Shedding your tears is okay and expected when leaving home for the first time. Leaning on everything you’ve shared and taught and experienced will help you to be the trusting dad she knows. Trust her to make right decisions, and be there when she needs you.

7. The Adult Years

She may be gone, but she is still your baby girl. And you are still her daddy. Realize your role as dad is still important to her, and she’ll need fatherly advice from time to time.

ATTENTION I.S.A. AGENTS!

You’re mission, should you choose to accept it, begins tomorrow night at 18:30 hours (6:30pm)!

The HQ doors will open at 18:00 hours.

You will be assigned to a Truth Force Team upon arrival led by an ISA Specialist who will be your team leader every week.

Be sure to wear appropriate ISA Agent gear (i.e. black or grey or camouflage uniform with close-toed foot ware, shades and any espionage equipment you’ve been issued by your home authorities including your Truth Force Handbook a.k.a. your Bible).

5 Things to Do When Your Kids Don’t Want to Be with You

I’ve always liked to hold hands with my daughters and still do. As they were growing up, I held their hand as we drove in the car, walked through the mall, and walked up to school.

But I remember learning a lesson when my oldest daughter, Megan, pulled away from holding my hand as I walked her into school. One day we clenched each other’s hand, the next, my hand was without hers. What had changed?

I always knew my relationship with my daughter would be different as she got older, but no one ever told me what that would look like.  So that night, I talked to my wife, Susan, about it. She comforted me by sharing that it was a normal reaction as our daughter grew into the teen years. Susan also wisely encouraged me not to react by smothering her, but rather to give my daughter some space to grow into a woman.

So, if you find yourself in a situation similar to mine, here are 5 things to do when your kids don’t want to be with you:

1. Don’t take it personally.  It could have been easy to get offended when Megan rejected my hand that morning.  But instead of becoming upset, we have to understand that it is part of our child growing into a woman or man.

2. Look at them in a new way.  There will come a time when your child feels awkward holding your hand or walking with you, but that’s okay. This temporarily closed door only means that so many others are opening as your relationship with your child matures.  As your little boy grows into a man and your little girl grows into a woman, it’s important to put on a new set of glasses and look at them in a whole new light and speak to them in a whole new way.

3. Don’t withdraw.  Just because my daughter didn’t want to hold my hand during that season, doesn’t mean she doesn’t still crave attention and affection from me.  Be careful not to fall into the trap of thinking that giving your kids space means you should leave them alone.  Rather, find the balance of respecting their emotional changes during this season of life and still pursuing them, still hugging them, and always loving them.

4. Understand your child.  As a parent, you have to understand that your children are unique and have unique emotional needs. To understand each child, you have to be a student of your child. As a student, watch, listen to, and take mental notes of your child’s likes and dislikes. For example, for Emily, I learned that she would be really disappointed if I wasn’t the loudest fan in the crowd at her games.  But for Marky, I found that he got extremely embarrassed if I loudly cheered for him from the stands. It was ultimately up to me to learn this distinction and act on it.

5. Find common ground.  Be intentional in finding common ground to spend time with your kids. During the teen years, I’ve found that searching for and finding that “one thing” is important. It’s that one thing they like to do and will do with you. For example, Grant liked to camp so that’s something we did together when he was a teen, and still do.

So, remember these 5 things when your kids pull away from you and be sure to remember to love them always, no matter what.