By Cassie Voisin

Many of you know that Phil and I are expecting our first child at the end of August. Being parents has been something we have always dreamed of, so we couldn’t be more excited!

With all the excitement comes some struggles. The “morning” sickness (more like all day sickness) has been constant throughout the pregnancy, and due to some concerns from the doctor, I have been labeled a high risk pregnancy. 

When you are high risk, there are a lot of doctor appointments, and many “what if’s” and concerns to consider. It would be easy to become discouraged, but I know I have a God who is BIGGER than anything we could face.

Going through a high risk pregnancy is the hardest thing I have ever done, but I trust that if God brings me to it, He will bring me through it. My circumstances will always be changing, but the character and promises of God will always be constant. I just have to do my part to make sure I am using this circumstance as a stepping stone and not a stumbling block in my walk with Him. 

Some things that have been helping me grow…

• Praying: I am honest with God with about how I feel. I simply have conversations with Him; I give Him my stress, concerns, and also thank Him for everything I am grateful for. 
• Remembering God’s Promises: My favorite verse has always been Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” This means ALL things. Not just the easy things or the things I think I can do, this means ALL things. 
• Letting my friends and family love on me: Friends and family mean everything to me! I have been blessed with so many of them who care so much and have helped me a lot. They have prayed for me, held me accountable, took some things off my plate to make things easier, or just listened when I needed to vent. God has blessed me with some amazing people in my life! 

It’s easy to say we have faith, but what matters is how we walk out that faith when we encounter struggles. There will always be struggles. Will we stand strong and have faith in God?

By Kevin Ganiere

Recently my family and I rid ourself of cable and discovered Netflix streaming. I am not receiving any monetary kickback from Netflix for this, but IT IS AWESOME! 

The best thing about Netflix is all the old shows you can watch. From old Dennis the Menance to the A-team, to my favorite, The Cosby Show. The show is truly a “family” show. I remember the show from when it was on network television. Back then, I thought it was mildly funny and tolerable, but as a parent , it is downright hysterical! So many situations on the show are one I have felt as a parent and can relate to. One of my favorite lines is where Dr. Huxtable says, “My wife and I have been married for 20 years and we grow closer everyday… Mainly because we are scared of the kids!”

There are so many great moments on the show, but what I am also finding is the way the Huxtables parent their children is a lost art. Here are some examples:

1. Respect is expected. Have you noticed on today’s sitcoms, the kids are super disrespectful? Well, not the Huxtables. The kids may talk back, but not without consequences.

2. Parents act as a team. Parents on today’s sitcoms are pushovers and most of the time are pitted against each other. Cliff and Claire are a team. They do not take sides and all decisions are mutual.

3. Wise (not frivolous) use of money is encouraged. Although both Cliff and Claire have high-paying careers, they value wise money choices over indulging in fads or trends. Theo, their oldest son, always tries to keep up with fashion trends, but Mr. Huxtable frequently reminds him to make wise decisions. 

4. Parents keep the romance alive in their relationship. Cliff and Claire continue to date each other. In one episode Cliff takes her out for a date night and tells her it is a “you’re not a mom night”. My wife thought that was pretty funny and has suggested we make date night “we’re are not parents night”.

5. When all else fails use humor! When your kids are throwing fits or sad or are crying, break out your Yoda voice or Fozzy the Bear voice and see what happens!

By David Osterhaus

Parenting presents a constant learning curve. My one-year-old daughter Eve, just like most one-year-olds, is constantly exploring her surroundings and playing the daredevil. Her cat-like curiosity leads her into precarious situations, like balancing over the edge of the couch or scaling the kitchen cabinets like Spiderman. 

The other morning I watched her as she discovered something entirely new. Most of the time I wonder what goes through her head as she licks the TV remote or assists the dog in destroying my unread Sports Illustrated. Recently she discovered the joys of twirling for the first time and now she spins and spins in sweeping circles, unable to control her laughter.  She does it again and again; it’s an expression of pure joy. I couldn’t help but marvel at the new perspective I was getting of my relationship with the Lord. 

I wonder if God looks down from his throne and smiles when he sees one of his own children discover something new?  I imagine it wouldn’t have to be something huge, perhaps a lesson as small as learning to pray, how to handle a difficult situation with integrity, or maybe even something as trivial as learning to twirl a bit.  The Bible says a wise child brings joy to his father (Proverbs 10:1).  It is my prayer that I will continually grow in the Lord and seek ways to bring him joy. Not because he requires it of me, but because I now know the pride and joy a father feels when he sees his child grow.