In this episode of the Parenting Pathway podcast, Pastor Dave Carl introduces you to our new Associate Pastor of Junior High Ministries, Gary Steffes. Gary followed a unique path to ministry through professional hockey at the ECHL and AHL level. Following his retirement, Gary has been involved in FCA Hockey as Campus Director and other organizations leading young men to Christ though speaking engagements, hockey camps, and special events. Earlier this year, he published his first book, The Mental Side, where he shared his experience and encourages athletes of all ages to not be defined by what they do, but to be bold in their God-given identity and purpose.
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There is a natural temptation to encourage and support the development of a specialty in our children. We do this by investing in tutors for accelerated academic programs, music lessons, dance schools, athletics programs, etc. Often we do this to the exclusion of helping our children develop their general purpose to passionately love God and bravely care for the people around them. At the core of your child’s general development is the need to learn how to build and maintain relationships where they are not the center, but rather the participant. There is nothing erroneous about helping our children achieve success in an activity where they show promise and interest, but when we push this to the exclusion of all other components of purpose (relational, general, and spiritual) we are doing them a disservice. We are sending them into a world where their one pursuit of achievement has left them without the development of other crucial areas in their life. We are setting them and ourselves up for bitter disappointment.
Join us for this lively conversation with a fresh perspective of a professional athlete.
Additional Resources:
- The Mental Side – https://www.garysteffes.com/
- Raising Kids for True Greatness by Dr. Tim Kimmel
- Grace Based Parenting by Dr. Tim Kimmel