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Equipping Families with Grace and Truth on Giving Tuesday

Equipping Families with Grace and Truth on Giving Tuesday

Last updated on: November 25, 2023 at 2:19 pm by Joy Wendling, MA

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Equipping Families with Grace and Truth on Giving Tuesday 2023-11-25T14:19:36-08:00 Joy Wendling, MA

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Family in matching pajamas unwrapping a Christmas gift

Connected Families is equipping families with God’s grace and truth. | Photo by Ivorymix.com

Just a few years ago, I kept a secret about my parenting. I was a rockstar parent when things were going well. I knew how to make life and discipleship fun. But… discipline that I felt good about was not in my skill set. I had a bad habit of going from fun mom to angry mom in moments. I hated it and felt great shame. Things have changed since then and now I want to equip families with grace and truth on Giving Tuesday.

This may contain some affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase using these links. For more information, please see my disclosure policy.

Equipped with Grace and Truth

What changed for me? I read a book. I read a lot of books, but not many have changed my life like Jim and Lynne Jackson’s Discipline that Connects with Your Child’s Heart. This book gave me a vision of what my discipline could be, discipleship! And, soaked in grace and truth.

From the book, I learned about their ministry, Connected Families. At this point, my transformation had just begun. I took their Discipline that Connects online course, started listening to their podcast, and eventually became a Connected Families certified parent coach.

The grace and truth that they share isn’t just for our kids, it is God’s grace and truth for us as parents. As I teach about nurturing our kids’ faith, I say that it always starts with us and our love of God. The same is true in discipline. And, Connected Families gets that and teaches that, as well.

Framework of Grace and Truth

Now, I am still far from a perfect parent, but the shame that clouded my discipline has been replaced with God’s grace and truth. Thanks to Connect Families’ Framework, I try to stay in a place where I and my kids are in a place to receive that grace and truth.

Here are the four parts and messages of their framework:

Foundation – “You are safe with me.”
Connect – “You are loved no matter what.”
Coach – “You are called and capable.”
Correct – “You are responsible for your actions.”

The Connected Families’ Framework

Science and Scripture of Grace and Truth

This framework has been a pivotal source of God’s grace and truth for me and my family in the last four years. Not only has it proven itself during the ins and outs of our busy and abundant life, but it is backed by research.

The framework is deeply formed by Scripture and informed by brain research. It is one of the things that gives me so much confidence in using it and sharing it with families and clients.

Plus, Jim and Lynne, the authors of the book and co-founders of Connected Families, and all of the team there live out the framework. It is powerful the way the entire ministry, down to those who work in finances, models the framework so authentically.

You Can Equip Families with Grace and Truth

When I first took the course, I used a scholarship. They offer that scholarship, no questions asked, because they trust God to provide and know the healing families can experience with God’s grace and truth.

That scholarship changed the trajectory of my parenting and family. Today, if you are wondering where you can donate on this Giving Tuesday, I want to invite you to consider giving the gift of grace and truth to families around the world through Connected Families.

If you want to hear more about Connected Families or being coached through the framework, please reach out by email.

If you want to give the gift of grace and truth to families, you can do that here.

Evangelical

Relationships and Religion

About Joy Wendling, MA

Enthusiastic. Passionate. Profound. Joy Wendling is a family pastor, writer, speaker, podcaster, certified parent coach, and founder of Created to Play. She has over 20 years of experience in children, youth, and family ministry, as well as a Master’s in Youth, Family, and Culture from Fuller Theological Seminary. Her idea of relaxing is gazing at the mountains from her island home with an ice-cold Diet Coke and a good book. Joy lives in the Pacific Northwest and enjoys laughing and playing with her five daughters and husband. Get to know her better at CreatedtoPlay.com and on her podcast titled Playfully Faithful Parenting. You can read more about the author here.

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