Dear Parent of a High School Senior

The weird thing is now I’m exactly where I want to be. I’ve got my dream job at Cornell, and I’m still just thinking about my old pals. Only now they’re the ones I made here. I wish…

Nurturing the “Invisible” Child

Dinner conversation at my house often ends in a heated debate with my sons over which would be the coolest superpower: flying, X-ray vision, super-human strength… ? Invisibility is said to be a superpower. After all, it landed…

On the Topic of Suicide; Additional Notes for Ask Alice

In the challenging episode of Ask Alice up on the youth ministry side of the blog today, we hear from licensed professional counselor Alice Churnock on the topic of suicide. Suicide affects millions of Americans; it will affect…

How Parents Build the Fire and Pray for the Flame

Discipling your children in the faith can cause parents to feel inadequate and alone, but discipleship was never meant to be a solo task. Parents, you have more resources than you often realize. Truly impacting the next generation…

Giving Grace is Hard

I had just returned from a weekend retreat with my son, who has recently entered middle school. That means I’m not only his father, I’m also his youth pastor. It’s weird. But cool. But still weird.  Within the…

Half- Truths Series: God Loves Us Just As We Are

Teenagers and adults are regularly being catechized by our culture—and very often we falsely synthesize the broader culture’s convictions with our faith in Christ. In this series, Rooted writers examine “half truths” our teenagers may be tempted to…