Your Investments Build Strength in Families 

Giving Hope to Families

Mike loves his children. But one night, at a time of high stress and exhaustion, he lost control of his emotions and behavior, and severely hurt one of them. It was the kind of harm that almost always results in long term or even permanent removal of children from their homes and their parents. Mike’s county enlisted Connected Families to help rescue this family. In cases like these it is not enough to just trust the love and desire their parents say they have for their children. Great expertise is needed to work with the family – to empower them to take responsibility for their lives and for the safety of the children – before allowing the children permanently back into the parents’ home.

Connected Families was privileged to provide such expertise, fueled by God’s grace. As a result, in a case in which one social worker predicted, “Those parents don’t have a prayer of getting their kids back!” the kids are now safely at home, surrounded by the unprecedented support of their church community, extended family, and community resources. The parents did have a prayer, and our staff was privileged to be present as part of the answer to it!

Building Strength in Families 

Eva is on staff at a small church in an economically hard it community. She reported rising tension in families, and that many parents are struggling to break free from the often harsh and punitive parenting they learned from their own parents. She told us, "We would greatly benefit from reinforcements in our efforts to teach parents a more graceful, faith-filled style of parenting.”

Eva learned about our parenting workshops by subscribing to our free weekly parenting tips emails.  After reading a few, she contacted us. Though the church and members could afford only half the actual cost of a Connected Families workshop, we agreed to spend the weekend in Northern Minnesota in order to inspire and equip parents in Eva's congregation.

A few weeks after the workshop, Eva wrote this note:

Thanks SO much for sharing your ministry with us! I had hoped that your coming would reinforce the things we've been trying to help our parents see. But you did so much more! While we've seen great changes in other parents, the change I want to highlight happened in our own family. My parenting has changed! I'm stopping before I'm reacting....focusing, praying and taking a deep breath before jumping in. Your authenticity, encouragement, and equipping has inspired a more graceful way of interacting at home. Thanks so much for the ministry that you provide. We are so grateful!

After completing our 7th year of ministry with Connected Families, what we suspected from the beginning has been confirmed. When young families are equipped through practical, inspiring, and memorable workshops and seminars, they are permanently changed. Consider Melody's story, captured seven years after attending a free Connected Families class series:

We rely heavily on the generosity of investors in families. Over 30% of our annual operation budget comes from contributions. Without these investments our flexibility to serve the way we believe God desires us to serve is greatly limited. Our special projects with teens and our parenting workshops would not happen. Melody's story would not have happened. Our programs such as parent coaching, single mom's groups, and the free email tips would not exist. 

Your contributions build strength in families that will last for generations!  Click here to email your questions. 

Click here for a Connected Families overview