Modeling is so powerful. Most of us have been profoundly impacted by the marriage and parenting examples that we have seen. Our parents and other adults who provided primary care or we spent a lot of time with, taught us, through what they modeled about marriage and parenting. Perhaps your parents were great models of a God honoring marriage and loving, God centered parents. If so, like myself, you have received an incredible blessing. However, many people that I speak with each week can’t say that. They observed and learned lessons about marriage and parenting that weren’t loving and God honoring. The great news is that you can break the cycle. Another generation of your family is not destined to be destroyed from broken marriages or dysfunctional parenting. The couples that overcome poor modeling do so with great effort and intentionality. Years of observation is tough to overcome. However, nothing is impossible with God’s leading. If you had poor marriage and parenting models here are a few suggestions:

• Believe God has a better plan for you, your marriage and your children.
• Make your marriage and parenting a top priority.
  • Pray daily with your spouse
  • Attend a marriage/parenting conference
  • Read Christian marriage/parenting books
  • Enlist in marriage mentoring
  • Utilize Christian based marriage counseling

It’s difficult to overcome years of poor modeling but it’s far from impossible.

Are you “breaking the cycle”?