Prayer as a relationship with a good father
Prayer re-framed as asking a loving dad, not feeding quarters into a machine: the pony analogy (a six-year-old's pony would die — the 'no' is love, not rejection), and the host's dog-walk story where the phrase 'once you're done following yourself, you can follow me' convicted him mid-prayer. Christians who walked away mostly walked away from the church, not Jesus — so faithfulness in the means (how you speak to your spouse, serve your community) is the witness: 'my people will hear my voice' (John 10:27, paraphrased). A father's harsh correction still lands differently than apathy, which is how God's 'no' should be heard.
More on Parenting
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Dear LFTP: Champ the untrained dog and holding boundaries with your son
- How do I handle my son bringing his untrained dog Champ on our weekend grandson visits?
Mike reads the second letter: the writer hosts weekend grandson visits where her son Dennis brings Champ, an untrained destructive puppy that runs wild, barks, and digs.
From No. 586 · Nothing Personal
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Dear LFTP: wife mocks husband's bladder problem in public
- How should I respond when my wife mocks me and my bladder problem in public?
Mike reads a letter from a man married three years whose wife calls him vulgar names in public and makes his bladder-control problem into comedy.
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Dear LFTP: the birthday invitations
- Should parents be allowed to send birthday invitations to school when only select students are invited?
Mike reads the second letter: the parent of a special-needs pre-K child saw a Facebook group post exposing that her daughter was excluded from a birthday party.
From No. 574 · Starring Ted Danson as Joab
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Dear LFTP: Cindy's baby name ideas
- What should I do about my friend's terrible baby name choices?
Mike reads a letter from Dave about his longtime friend Cindy, six months pregnant, who keeps proposing names like chlamydia, bidet, chalet, and cliche because they sound pretty regardless of meaning.