If you find that you’re waking up anxious, try this.Before checking texts,socials, etc…: set a 5 minute alarm.Listen to a Bible app.Close your eyes.Practice slow, deep breathing, while listening. Do this for a week. You’ll find it can calibrate the mind and calm the body.

When you are considering asking someone for guidance, make sure you understand what is his/her primary reference point/filter/worldview.Is it based on truths and principles that have stood the test of time, or cultural fads and whims that keep changing? I’d recommend the former.

“The mind is the entrance point to the soul.”- Alistair Begg. Be mindful of what you put in your head. Help your kids do the same.

#marriage. If your kids are in high school, be intentional to be re-investing in your marriage. They will be gone soon, and you want to have a sense of connection & strength to fill that void.

“Good decision making has surprisingly little to do with the moment of decision. At that point, it’s too late.Your brain makes choices rapidly and automatically based on experience.Good decision making is determined by what you have learned before the moment of decision.” -Clear

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue…” Proverbs 18:21 ESV. Be mindful of your words, especially in the heat of the moment. They can stay with someone forever.

#Wake Wknd Biltmore Church Parents Talk (Friday night) Topic I: Helping your teen develop a compelling vision for their future that leads to good decision making.

Wake Wknd Biltmore Church parents talk topic II: Impact of marital dynamics in parenting.

Wake Wknd Biltmore Church Parenting Talk topic III: Two Wings on The Parenting Plane: Balancing Truth & Love. Friday, 3/7.

“You need a meaning to sustain you through the vicissitudes of life.” - Jordan Peterson. It must be more than money, status, that house or car. It must be a bigger purpose.

7 Minute Vacation. When you have a lot on your mind, take 7 minutes mid-day to take a walk. No phone. Breath deeply. Pray. Think. Do this regularly, and it’s amazing how it can refresh you.

When you make mistakes in front of your kids, own them. It stings, but it helps them and you respect you. It also enables them to learn from your mistake, so the mistake is not wasted.

As you cultivate your education, career, etc… cultivate your character. If you don’t and the former get bigger, you won’t be big enough to carry the weight of them well.

Freedom & Responsibility. Teens want freedom. Parents want teens to show responsibility. Explain this life principle to your teens. I find most get it. The more responsibility they can display, the more freedom you give them.

In times of significant stress, prolonged fatigue, or overwhelm, old habits and patterns pull at you.The mind goes to the path of least resistance, least effort, which is often those old ways of thinking, speaking, and being.Keep the vision of who you want to be in front of you.

Teach your kids right from wrong, truth from falsehood, good from evil. The blurring of these lines has led to many ills in our society.

Fresh Eyes.In a relationship, when a person is changing, the other person can still see them through old paradigms. How they used to be. If your spouse, colleague, etc is working on changing, work on your side to see them with fresh eyes. See who they are now.

God has made us spiritual, mental, emotional, physical, & relational beings. Be intentional to develop them all. Lack of attention to one can lead to detrimental impacts on others.

What you model for your kids is going to stick more than what you tell them.

Live in such a way that you are always aware of the 5 most important things to you. Not the 100. No one can remember, nor prioritize that many things. Frame everything through the 5 and you’ll navigate the remaining 95 well.