Showing posts with label Wrestling. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Wrestling. Show all posts

Friday, March 06, 2009

Parenting Advice and Pastoral Care for Adoptive Families

John Piper has written an excellent piece explaining why fathers should not allow their sons to wrestle girls at www.desiringgod.org/Blog/1664_over_my_dead_body_son/. This is important advice because parents are allowing their girls to enroll in wrestling programs. At least two girls were in Christopher's wrestling class last fall (but he did not wrestle them). As John Piper explains, we need to teach our sons that "men don't fight against women. They fight for women." As counter-cultural as this may seem, it's right.

On the same blog, an article appears suggesting 10 ways to pastor adoptive families and those considering adoption. It's at www.desiringgod.org/Blog/1662_10_ways_to_pastor_adoptive_parents_and_those_considering_adoption/.

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Wrestling Lessons

"For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places" (Ephesians 6:12, New King James Version).

Our son Christopher started wrestling last week. It's a new experience for all of us.

So far, we are learning two major lessons.

First, wrestling takes preparation. It takes conditioning. Christopher has never worked so hard physically. He is getting in shape and learning the rules. Every day, he walks away better prepared to face an opponent.

Second, passive wrestlers do not win. Christopher is beginning to learn that he needs to be assertive to win. When taken down, he needs to fight to get back up. He cannot relax and expect to defeat an opponent.

In many ways, successful Christian living mimics successful wrestling.

Christians need preparation. We need to study the Bible and pray. We need coaching from those who have experience. We need to know the rules of the game of life. If we are disciplined and motivated, we are better prepared to face the enemy.

We also need to be assertive. We cannot win battles by being passive. When taken down, we need to fight to get back up. We fight with the weapons and Spirit of God; but in order to win, we must fight. We cannot surrender and expect to defeat our opponent.

Let's approach life prepared to take on the challenges!