16 Challenging Ideas

Introduction to the 16 Challenging Ideas

CHALLENGING IDEA #1—A Christian relational model of parenting requires a lot of influence to pull it off. Your parenting effort must begin with God’s parenting of you. —REMEMBER: The only successful parenting model is relational at the heart level.

CHALLENGING IDEA #2—God wants to influence you toward heart-level change before you try to change your children. A top-down, inside-out approach provides understanding and wisdom for parenting.—REMEMBER: As God parents you, so parent your children.

CHALLENGING IDEA #3—It’s impossible to transfer moral values in broad generalities that are unrelational. They are successfully instilled only by addressing the particulars of your family’s relating habits and patterns.—REMEMBER: A biblical morality is clearly defined in all its particulars.

CHALLENGING IDEA #4—God gives us the Law of Love, a powerful tool to carry out two practical purposes—to know ourselves and to know Him.—REMEMBER: Conscience is the most sacred of all property.

CHALLENGING IDEA #5—Morality is the heart-level quality of how people relate with each other, defining character as the sum of our relational habits.—REMEMBER: You are your children’s character education.

CHALLENGING IDEA #6—Relationships are the only place where love is experienced and moral character is formed and revealed.—REMEMBER: Scripturally sound spirituality grows a real person and an authentic Christian who can love.

CHALLENGING IDEA #7—Sin—simply stated—is a self-centered failure to love.—REMEMBER: Heart attitudes, intentions, and motivations reveal the truth.

CHALLENGING IDEA #8—Most influence is spiritual influence, placing influence’s activity in the same category with discipleship.—REMEMBER: Your character is influencing your children to become just like you, and turning them either toward or away from God.

CHALLENGING IDEA #9—The activity of influence is regular instruction with a purpose to love.—REMEMBER: Love empowers toward good works.

CHALLENGING IDEA #10—Opening another’s heart to receive influence works through practical investment that is meaningful to the other person and suggests a cost factor to you.—REMEMBER: Relationship is life’s most central lesson.

CHALLENGING IDEA #11—The price to form moral character is a narrow physical environment in an atmosphere consistent with God’s ways of love.—REMEMBER: Character training adds time to every duty and every duty ought to stop for character training.

CHALLENGING IDEA #12—Everything you need for life and Christlike character formation is already within you—IF you will come to a full, personal, and intimate knowledge of Jesus Christ.—REMEMBER: Knowing Jesus requires owning internal responsibility.

CHALLENGING IDEA #13—The three branches of self-government provide the capacity to form Christlike character.—REMEMBER: A Spirit-led walk begins with learning the lessons of self-government.

CHALLENGING IDEA #14—Believers, even those who desire true righteousness, often instead become entrapped in either a counterfeit righteousness or its cultural rival.—REMEMBER: The flesh in its extreme expressions derails the conscience.

CHALLENGING IDEA #15—Most Christian parents have no idea how to regain lost influence with their children.—REMEMBER: Regaining lost influence is as simple as taking three actions—sacrificial investing, humble trust building, and two-way communicating.

CHALLENGING IDEA #16—You absolutely WILL battle internal resistance and opposition to the work of the Holy Spirit when on a path of true spiritual growth.—REMEMBER: Every battle is an INTERNAL one.

NOTE: This is a partial outline and message portions for a yet-to-be published book. The author, Marilyn Howshall, retains all copyright ownership, and asks the reader not to distribute copies of this outline or the message summary portions in either hard copy or electronic format beyond what is useful for your immediate family. There will be no permission granted outside of these parameters. Empowering Influential Parenting—Copyright © 2009 Marilyn Howshall



	Home	Introduction to the 16 Challenging Ideas CHALLENGING IDEA #1—A Christian relational model of parenting requires a lot of influence to pull it off. Your parenting effort must begin with God’s parenting of you. —REMEMBER: The only successful parenting model is relational at the heart level. CHALLENGING IDEA #2—God wants to influence you toward heart-level change before you try to change your children. A top-down, inside-out approach provides understanding and wisdom for parenting.—REMEMBER: As God parents you, so parent your children. CHALLENGING IDEA #3—It’s impossible to transfer moral values in broad generalities that are unrelational. They are successfully instilled only by addressing the particulars of your family’s relating habits and patterns.—REMEMBER: A biblical morality is clearly defined in all its particulars. CHALLENGING IDEA #4—God gives us the Law of Love, a powerful tool to carry out two practical purposes—to know ourselves and to know Him.—REMEMBER: Conscience is the most sacred of all property. CHALLENGING IDEA #5—Morality is the heart-level quality of how people relate with each other, defining character as the sum of our relational habits.—REMEMBER: You are your children’s character education. CHALLENGING IDEA #6—Relationships are the only place where love is experienced and moral character is formed and revealed.—REMEMBER: Scripturally sound spirituality grows a real person and an authentic Christian who can love. CHALLENGING IDEA #7—Sin—simply stated—is a self-centered failure to love.—REMEMBER: Heart attitudes, intentions, and motivations reveal the truth. CHALLENGING IDEA #8—Most influence is spiritual influence, placing influence’s activity in the same category with discipleship.—REMEMBER: Your character is influencing your children to become just like you, and turning them either toward or away from God. CHALLENGING IDEA #9—The activity of influence is regular instruction with a purpose to love.—REMEMBER: Love empowers toward good works. CHALLENGING IDEA #10—Opening another’s heart to receive influence works through practical investment that is meaningful to the other person and suggests a cost factor to you.—REMEMBER: Relationship is life’s most central lesson. CHALLENGING IDEA #11—The price to form moral character is a narrow physical environment in an atmosphere consistent with God’s ways of love.—REMEMBER: Character training adds time to every duty and every duty ought to stop for character training. CHALLENGING IDEA #12—Everything you need for life and Christlike character formation is already within you—IF you will come to a full, personal, and intimate knowledge of Jesus Christ.—REMEMBER: Knowing Jesus requires owning internal responsibility. CHALLENGING IDEA #13—The three branches of self-government provide the capacity to form Christlike character.—REMEMBER: A Spirit-led walk begins with learning the lessons of self-government. CHALLENGING IDEA #14—Believers, even those who desire true righteousness, often instead become entrapped in either a counterfeit righteousness or its cultural rival.—REMEMBER: The flesh in its extreme expressions derails the conscience. CHALLENGING IDEA #15—Most Christian parents have no idea how to regain lost influence with their children.—REMEMBER: Regaining lost influence is as simple as taking three actions—sacrificial investing, humble trust building, and two-way communicating. CHALLENGING IDEA #16—You absolutely WILL battle internal resistance and opposition to the work of the Holy Spirit when on a path of true spiritual growth.—REMEMBER: Every battle is an INTERNAL one. NOTE: This is a partial outline and message portions for a yet-to-be published book. The author, Marilyn Howshall, retains all copyright ownership, and asks the reader not to distribute copies of this outline or the message summary portions in either hard copy or electronic format beyond what is useful for your immediate family. There will be no permission granted outside of these parameters. Empowering Influential Parenting—Copyright © 2009 Marilyn Howshall
	Articles		Sidebar Challenging Idea #1 Challenging Idea #2 Challenging Idea #3 Challenging Idea #4 Challenging Idea #5 Challenging Idea #6 Challenging Idea #7 Challenging Idea #8 Challenging Idea #9 Challenging Idea #10 Challenging Idea #11 Challenging Idea #12 Challenging Idea #13 Challenging Idea #14 Challenging Idea #15 Challenging Idea #16
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OUR MISSION Empowering Christian parents for relational parenting at the heart level, promoting true discipleship. Founded in 2008 An outreach ministry of Lifestyle of Faith Community Church and sister ministry to Lifestyle of Learning Ministries
		All text © Marilyn Howshall Site design and imagery © 2010 Phillip Poling

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