There is a quiet pressure weighing on today's teenagers that many of us never experienced. By the time they enter high school, they're often asked questions like: "What college are you going to?" "What's your major?" "What career do you want?" "What AP classes are you taking?" "Have you started building your résumé?" Some students haven't even learned who they are yet, yet they're expected to map out the next forty years of their lives. They're just getting used to being "old

Celebrating the Working Men and Women Who Help Keep America Running When people think of Louisiana, they often picture Mardi Gras, jazz music, crawfish boils, Spanish moss, and ancient oak trees draped in green. They imagine French Quarter balconies, zydeco music, and steaming pots of gumbo shared around family tables. Those things are certainly part of Louisiana. But they are not the whole story. The real beauty of Louisiana has never simply been found in her scenery. It has

For generations, parents have heard the same message: Graduate high school. Go to college. Get a degree. Build a career. For some students, that's exactly the right path. But what if your teenager looks at a four-year university and says, "I don't think that's for me." As parents, that can feel unsettling. We worry about their future, their finances, and whether they're limiting themselves. But here's something worth considering: Success doesn't only wear a cap and gown. Some

The amount of clients that myself and other Christian counselors have that are smoking pot is shocking. The spiritual ramifications for this are numerous. A generation ago, marijuana was something many Christians viewed as obviously incompatible with a life devoted to Christ. Today, legalization, changing cultural attitudes, and the belief that "it's natural, so it must be safe" have caused many believers to rethink their position. As a Christian counselor, I have watched thi

"My child deserves privacy." As a therapist, I hear this often. And while I absolutely believe teenagers deserve dignity, respect, and opportunities to develop independence, I do not believe middle school and high school students need unlimited privacy on a smartphone. Those are two very different things. There was a time when parents worried about where their children were after school. Today, many children carry an entire hidden world in their pocket—a world where parents a

By Amanda Lindsey, LPC | Magnolia Grace Christian Counseling Every August, parents fill shopping carts with backpacks, notebooks, lunch boxes, and fresh boxes of crayons. We make sure shoes fit, schedules are organized, and school supplies are checked off the list. But while we prepare our children’s backpacks, it’s easy to overlook something just as important—their hearts. A new school year represents a fresh beginning, but it also brings uncertainty. Even children who are e

For many Christians, Mardi Gras can feel uncomfortable. On one hand, it’s colorful, joyful, and deeply rooted in tradition. On the other, modern Mardi Gras celebrations often center on excess, drunkenness, and behaviors that don’t align with a Christ-honoring life. So the question becomes: Can Christians celebrate Mardi Gras—and still honor God? The answer is yes, when it’s done intentionally. The Christian Roots of Mardi Gras “Mardi Gras” literally means “Fat Tuesday.” Histo

There’s a new thing going around with the younger generations. It’s called “rotting”, or “bed rotting”. It means to just lay around and do nothing but maybe scroll on your phone. It’s considered something to do. Back in my day (yes I’m that old) we were only in bed at night to sleep, for a nap Sunday after church or if you were sick, and if you were sick, you wanted out of that bed as quickly as possible. There were things to do, places to go, people to see, and chores, alway

Now hear me out, I know that sounds silly, “Of course it is” you’re saying. “It’s at the beginning of the calendar, what is this? Some new school thing, like the new math?”. What I’m saying is if you look at how God arranged the season’s it’s a little weird that we force January to be the beginning of the year. And I know, you’ve already seen this on your Instagram reels, TikToks, etc. because yes, this thought process is a trend right now. Where do you think I saw it? But i

As a society we own more than we have ever owned, with places like Amazon, Temu, etc. making it so easy to over consume we are covered in material things. Storage centers are popping up everywhere because Americans don’t have enough space for our things. Now…there are lots of legitimate uses for storage units. But most units are crowded with excess, not necessities. Beyond that, the amount of money we spend on material things adds up and Americans are more in debt then we hav

It's time! It's that time of year where I get excited to work with my clients on their visions and prayers for the new year. This can be an exciting time but also an overwhelming time for some clients. They are looking forward to all the promises and freshness that a new year brings but they're also a little overwhelmed due to all of the possibilities and choices they have. This is where my life coach training shines. Using the life categories method alongside the SMART goals

Everyone is talking about boundaries these days, but what are they? Sometimes we hear them when someone is really giving an ultimatum, or when someone is trying to find an excuse for their rudeness. How many times have you read in social media posts "I have my boundaries!" Well what exactly are these things? Boundaries are guidelines and structures we use in our own lives to base our life around what feels comfortable and right for us. For a Christian for example it may inclu