Do You Have Strong Relationships With Your Children?

Josh McDowell knows how to give good gifts.

My husband, father of our prodigal, had just been named president of our ministry. Josh McDowell showed up at our door and said: “I have a gift for you. I’m going to take your son for a month.”

Why? Why would he do that? How would he invite our son into his family life?

He understood the pressure my husband would be under and the need to focus. He also understood the choices our son was making at that time were distracting. This was an amazing gift to us.

And this was an amazing gift to our son. It marked the beginning of a great relationship and some better choices.

I loved hearing more of the details about this time when I interviewed Josh on this episode of When You Love a Prodigal on the Charisma Podcast Network.

And I am also grateful for the practical 7 A’s Josh recounted for any parent—whether or not you have a prodigal. Josh expands on and illustrates the essential actions that build and maintain strong relationships with your children and the people who are important in your life.

I’m sure he got to practice on our son. The first A—affirmation—was probably the most challenging. The prodigal season our son was in led to many wrong choices and attitudes. Yet Josh and his family consistently affirmed our wayward boy every time they could.

These 7 A’s are taken from a book Josh wrote with his friend Dick Day, How to Be a Hero to Your Kids, where you can find many helpful insights for growing and keeping good relationships with your children. {eoa}

Judy Douglass is a global writer, speaker and encourager. Her most recent book, When You Love a Prodigal, has ignited her new podcast of the same name. She directs Women’s Resources at Cru.

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