Godly Parenting

The Influence of Godly Parenting! from David Hobbs, LDM for Camps & Christian Education for the Iowa Annual Conference Have you ever thought about the influence you have had on others over the years. I am certain if you’re like me, you can think of so many past experiences that have happened through your interaction with others, many good and many not so good. It’s kind of sad, but what seems to resonate to most of us are those times that we didn’t speak as appropriate as we should of, or maybe didn’t take the time for someone else’s needs like we should have. I think it’s easy to pick out these times that we neglected being a positive influence on someone else, but I am certain that each of us can look back and see the joy in those times that someone found some hope and healing through something you went out of your way to do, or say. As I thought about this it made me think of the observations I’ve had with the youth that I’ve been able to watch over the years through the different ministries I’ve been involved with. It has struck me about how different each youth is, and also how you can see their lives being lived out as they interact with others. Like adults, some are smiling and joy filled and some are uplifting to others, and sometimes a bit more talkative than others. At the same time, some may be more reserved and are learning more about their own selves and how they socialize with others. Neither type of behavior is necessarily good nor bad, it’s most likely just style differences. Maybe what concerns me most are those who through their interactions are critical of others and sometimes seem to never to say a nice thing http://www.iaumc.org/console/files/oFiles_Library_XZXLCZ/2013July8David_DZP42SQG.pdf