Every artist or painter makes use of a palette as he or she prepares to work on a piece of art. It may be filled with vibrant colors, pastels, or even a series of monochromatic colors. The artist first needs a vision of the masterpiece to be created. Then the colors on the palette, along with the techniques and tools that are chosen, will determine the style, characteristics and success of the artwork. Parents are like artists as they attempt to raise children in a sometimes hostile environment. We'll attempt to create a palette for parents focused on the following key topics:
The skilled artist can envision his or her masterpiece long before it's finished. Everything done by the artist is intended to add depth, color, and personality to the final piece. Parents, likewise, must strive toward molding, shaping, and crafting young girls into unique individuals with a strong Christian worldview. The goal is far more than creating a masterpiece that looks pretty to the eye. It is about working with God to create young ladies who can weather the storms that life will throw at them when they leave the nest. It's about helping them find their gifts and encouraging them to use those gifts for God. It's about helping them understand that they are responsible for keeping the masterpiece in mint condition.
On this page, our goal is to help you stay focused on your masterpiece vision for your daughter(s) and to offer suggestions that might help.
Create a Support Group. Staying in touch with your child's world is tough, especially if you are the parent of a child who is less inclined to talk and share. One suggestion is to create a small support group of other parents with children of similar ages. You can learn from each other and pray for each other.
Plug into helpful sites that provide alerts through newsletters, blogs, etc. These sites are created by a wide variety of ministries, authors, or organizations. Recommendation of these sites does not indicate that we will always agree, but their information can be very helpful and enlightening. Some of my regulars are listed below:
- VirtousReality.com (target: teens & parents)
- purefreedom.org (target: teen girls & parents)
- secretkeepergirl.com (target: younger girls & parents)
- weusedtobeyou.com(target: teens & young women)
- teensforlife.com (target: teens)
- Pure Hope.net (target: parents/leaders)
- Covenant Eyes (accountability software)
- Parent's Television Council (target: parents & concerned tv watchers)
Read books geared toward parenting. Check out your local bookstore (in town or online) and read books designed for parents of specific ages or stages.
Search for books which allow parent/child interaction. More and more authors are creating books and diaries which allow girls and moms (or parents) to work through books together. Many of the websites listed above have resources which fill this need. When you find a good one, share it on our Girls' Ministries Facebook page to help others (use the links in the right column to be part of our Facebook community).
Just as with any craft or art, there are many techniques that can be used. Some are better than others. We’ll explore techniques available to parents for producing God-fearing, dedicated Christian girls.
There are certain tools which an artist needs to create a masterpiece such as paint, brushes, and a canvas. Many of these tools come in a wide array of styles as well. The same is true for parenting. We'll link you to tools that can help you as you raise your daughter in today's challenging society. Not everything works for everybody. Nothing comes easy either. There is no easy button for parenting. It takes prayer, exploration, study, evaluation, and more prayer. And you often find that it's a cycle that needs repeating or fine-tuning as girls move from one stage to another. We'll help you hunt for the right tools and explore many options; some you'll like; some you might even disagree with. Remember, as you put together your own toolkit for raising daughters, stay focused on your masterpiece and what works best for her.
5 Conversations You Must Have With Your Daughter. Vicki Courtney, the founder of Virtuous Reality Ministries, has written a new book, 5 Conversations You Must Have With Your Daughter. Vicki is the founder of Virtuous Reality Ministries® which reaches over 150,000 girls and mothers a year. This book is packed with helpful and through-provoking information for mothers (father's too) and leaders. The book is broken down into the five conversations. Click here for more information on the book and the five different conversations.
Lady in Waiting for Little Girls. Through her book Lady in Waiting, Jackie Kendall has mentored nearly a half-million women as they have placed Christ at the center of their relationships and pursued the One who truly satisfies and understands their longings. With Lady in Waiting for Little Girls, you now have that same opportunity to take your daughter's hand and guide her along in her walk with Christ. This book is customized for moms and daughters to use together and is designed for girls ages five to nine.
I Care initiative. When you join the I Care initiative, you are making a commitment to pray regularly for the children and youth of America. You are also stating that you want to be kept up to date on the growing dangers facing our girls and guys so you will know how to pray effectively and respond appropriately to the dangers. From the I Care page, click on the link to join the initiative and you will begin receiving an informative e-newsletter about the dangers our kids face along with helpful suggestions.
Learning a New Language. Logged On and Tuned Out is a book written by author Vicki Courtney that will help you find your way through the technology maze and craze of today's logged on youth. Tuned out parents need help and this book is an excellent source if you feel lost in the tech world. The statistics she shares might just jar you into action! Check your local bookstore or order through an online site. Click here for more information on the book and its valuable content.
Covenant Eyes. This is an accountability software that monitors internet use and emails reports to people you select. Their filter service blocks objectionable websites from your computer. Check out their website for more information by clicking here.
Parent's Television Council. The PTC is an organization that aims to provide parents with the tools they need to make informed television viewing decisions. They do so by monitoring primetime television shows on broadcast TV and reviewing many PG and G rated movies. Check out their website and sign up to receive their PTC e-alerts by clicking on the blue link above.
Your daughter is very aware of the trends girls face today. Peer pressure is enormous. How do you counteract? We'll explore trends that affect your daughter and offer tips from Christian perspectives.
Pursuit of Purity. IPHC Girls' Ministries encourages the local church to join forces with parents, the youth group, and Royal Rangers to combat the issues of purity head on! In his second letter to the church at Thessalonica, Paul's admonition still sends a strong message to today's youth: "Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity" (I Timothy 4:12 NIV). Today's culture sends a completely different message to our youth. Our youth are encouraged to do what feels good. They are bombarded with messages and programming that stand in stark contrast to what Paul says God expects from us. To read more, click here.
Connected Through Technology. It is clear that technology has opened up a whole new world to our youth that most adults never experienced. The online communities and networks can be exciting, but they can also be dangerous. Parents must be aware of the benefits and dangers and learn a brand new language in order to stay connected. To read more, click here.
Honestly Speaking. A study compiled by the Josephson Institute–a California-based ethics organization–highlights the problem of dishonesty among America’s school-age children. More than 29,000 students were randomly surveyed for the study and the results are disheartening. To read more, click here.