Spiritual Foundation #4 Environmental Preparation

Apologetics, Christianity, College-Prep, discipleship, Gospel, Julie Loos, Legislating Morality, Culture & Politics, MamaBearApologetics.com, relationships
As we wrap up our blog series on foundational types of college preparation, let’s review what we’ve covered. We’ve surveyed laying a strong faith-based foundation with personal habits of Bible study and prayer. Then we built on the importance of intellectual preparation, largely using the study of apologetics and its related disciplines. Next, we discussed the need for relational preparation through campus ministry and local church involvement, as well as friendships and family support. In this final blog, we’ll explore how being prepared for the college environment can help your child be ready for a successful transition to college. Knowing what you’re in for before you step on campus can help students acclimate more quickly and successfully to this new environment of strenuous academic expectations, new social networks and dynamics, and the responsibilities of adulting. That’s why…
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Spiritual Foundation #3 Relational Preparation

Apologetics, Christianity, College-Prep, discipleship, Gospel, Julie Loos, Legislating Morality, Culture & Politics, MamaBearApologetics.com, relationships
As excited as I was to go to the university of my dreams, 40+ years later, I still remember the empty feeling of watching my parents and sister drive away. What would things be like at home without me? What would things be like at college without them? Will I make friends? Will I find my way? One of the first ways to prepare your child relationally for college is to prepare you both for your relationship to change. Going off to college is an adjustment for the entire family. Your relationship with your child is going to naturally change as they move toward calling more of their own shots (and calling you less). So let me give you my $5 piece of advice: Mama, you need to let go. And your cub needs…
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Spiritual Foundation #2 Intellectual Preparation

and Politics, Apologetics, Christian Mind, Christianity, College-Prep, Culture, Culture and Politics, discipleship Categories: Legislating Morality, Gospel, Julie Loos, Legislating Morality, Culture & Politics, MamaBearApologetics.com
In the previous blog in this series, we recommended starting spiritual college preparation with the faith-based foundation of Bible study and prayer. To that, we suggest adding several intellectual disciplines, which together help us love God with our heart, soul, mind, and strength. We start with the faith-building strength training of apologetics. Intellectual Challenges Your Kid May Face    For a while now, the stats haven’t been good for Christian kids’ faith to come out intact after they hit the college campus or even after high school. (If you want the facts, just read a summary here.) In recent months there has been some better news about Gen Z: they are more open spiritually, and young men are attending church more. However, there are still questions about  that “spirituality” leading to Christianity and whether the habit…
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How To Prepare Your Kids Faith Before They Leave For College, Part 2: Faith-Based Preparation

Apologetics, Christianity, College-Prep, cultural apologetics, discipleship, Gospel, Julie Loos, MamaBearApologetics.com, Prayer, Theology and Christian Apologetics
It’s doubtful parents would send their kids to college without some sort of meal plan, but are parents as diligent in helping set up a spiritual meal plan for their children? Once that dorm key is issued, there will be no more spoon-fed lessons by the youth group. When our kids head to college, it’s time for them to feed themselves, or they could spiritually starve to death. In our previous blog, we addressed the top four preparations to keep your kids on FIRE for God: faith-based, intellectual, relational, and environmental. In this blog, we’ll discuss how to prepare your kids spiritually for college, specifically through spiritual disciplines. Developing Good Faith Habits   Helping your child establish the habits of personal Bible study and prayer while they are still living in your home is…
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Sending Your Kids to College on F.I.R.E. for Their Faith!

Apologetics, Back to School, Christianity, College-Prep, cultural apologetics, discipleship, family, Gospel, Julie Loos, Legislating Morality, Culture & Politics, MamaBearApologetics.com, Parenting
If you are the mom of a soon-to-be-college freshman, hang on. You will survive! But the more important question might be: Will your child survive college. . . spiritually? Even if he or she has checked all the boxes associated with growing up in the church, there’s always the possibility that their faith will end up no more intact than the couch at the frat house. But rest assured, I have walked in your shoes. Twice. And I can happily say that my young men thrived in college and graduated, still walking with Christ. (Thank you, Jesus!) We know this isn’t true of all of our kids, though, and we’re not trying to make anyone feel bad; rather, we hope that these blogs will help prepare you for what’s to come…
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