Listen to the messages right on your computer or download the messages to your iPod, iPhone or MP3 device and listen to them while you exercise, drive to work, walk with your crying baby at night or while you cuddle with your spouse.  Whatever works best.  

Set aside a little time after each message or segment to go through the follow up questions and activities.  This may be tough in this season, but do your best to process the messages with your spouse or if you are a single parent find a friend or relative.

After you have listened to the messages and gone through the other questions, if you haven’t done so already, set up a time to meet with Pastor Brian by contacting our Family Ministry Administrator, Jill Swilling at jills@highrock.org.  During this meeting you can discuss any questions that came up as you listened to the messages or as you have journeyed through parenting and marriage.  This time will also provide space to finalize the preparations for the baptism or dedication service. 

Who You Are is More Important than What You Do!

Listen to Part 1

Reflection Activity

Read Deuteronomy 6:4-9 a couple times slowly.  Discuss the following two questions.

1. How would you like to apply this passage to your parenting?
2. What have you heard so far in the interview with Pastor Dave and Michelle that you has encouraged you or given you ideas for your own parenting?

Listen to Part 2

Reflection Activity

What practice do you want to grab on to in these early days of parenting this new addition to your family that you think could really help you love God and love one another well?  Write down the practice and then share it with each other.  Determine ways to help each other grow in this area or accomplish the practice as best you can in this season as you are trying to live out your calling as a parent who knows that who you are is more important than what you do!

We Love Our Kids Most, by Putting Them Third!

Listen to the message

The Five Date Night Questions

1. What were your highs and lows for the week? A nice warm-up opportunity that offers space to engage one another and listen to recent blessings and challenges.

2. What is something I did that made you feel loved this week? An opportunity to affirm one another and be reminded of our commitment to serve one another in love.

3. Is there anything bothering you? A space for non-defensive communication around areas of growth in the relationship.  Good tone, timing and technique will all be helpful in speaking truth in love and working out ways to sharpen one another as sinners seeking to be transformed by grace.

4. What have you learned spiritually this week? A reminder that God is at work in our lives and we can bless and encourage each other by sharing regularly what we see Him doing.

5. How are you doing on your goals? It has been said, “If we aim at nothing, we’ll hit it every time.”  This is our chance to dream and aspire together in physical, relational, missional, financial and spiritual goals.

Receiving & Offering Forgiveness in Parenting

Listen to Part 1

Additional Resources

• Our Denomination’s Explanation of Baptism and Dedication

• ​​Baptism Explainer from Highrock

Listen to Part 2

Prayer Guide

The acronym A.C.T.S. is one that many books on prayer offer to help us frame prayers.  We currently use this in Sunday School to teach our kids prayer, and this is also the model we use in our All-Church Prayer Gatherings.  Try praying through these four different types of prayer together as you offer up your life, your marriage and your child to Christ. 

Adoration

Start by praying the following slowly and reflectively, pausing after each phrase to truly acknowledge the one you are praising.  “God you created us, You designed the gift of marriage, and You brought this child in to our lives.  We praise You for all these blessings!”  If you desire, feel free to take turns offering up additional praises to God about who He is and why you adore Him.

Confession

Consider each sharing a fear or two that you have with regard to raising this new child.  Then pray the following, “Lord, you have not called us to fear, but to love.  Forgive our desire to take control and the doubts that restrain our faith in you.  Replace our fears with the fruit of Your Spirit.  Give us love, joy, peace patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23)

Thanksgiving

Share some things that have happened in your family recently that you are thankful for.  It is easy to be so caught up in survival mode that we miss some of these.  After each blessing shared or at the end of your sharing join the psalmists and pray, “Give thanks for the Lord for He is good, His love endures forever.” (Psalm 118:1)

Supplication

This is your time to share prayer requests with one another.  Rather than laying out all the things you want to change in other people or in your current circumstances, though, consider sharing requests about things you would like to see change in you.  How would you like God to transform you to be a better follower of Christ, a more loving spouse or a more grace-filled parent?