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Blog - Parenting

Oh, Baby!

Have you noticed the baby boom going on in our church family lately? At least seven babies were born over a span of just two and a half weeks! (A few of them were even born on the same day.) As one person joked, what are they putting in the coffee these days? Here's a look at some of 301 Garden's newest faces. Josephine “Jo” Marie was born to [...]

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When One Buddy Isn’t Enough

As parents, one of the many things we do is worry. It’s natural. We love and care for our children so much and have a huge responsibility to take care of them in so many ways that it can lead to so much worry. We can’t help but wonder… Will they do well in school? Will they make friends? Will they make wise choices? [...]

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The Third Voice

One of the most important principles for us to engage as a church family is the principle of "The Third Voice." It's not simply a principle for families to consider. It's a principle for all of us to consider. Every year, twice a year, we make a public commitment to create a safe place for the kids of Hoboken Grace to meet Christ. We commit to show them the authentic love [...]

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Taking Baby Steps

Before moving to Hoboken, Ben and Adrienne had spent much of the past few years overseas. Their careers had taken them to Afghanistan, where they’d often go weeks without being able to see each other. When they moved to Hoboken, they were finally in the same place at the same time. They wanted to spend as much time together as possible and were [...]

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Because Child Care Shouldn’t Be Stressful

Hoboken Grace’s Amplify conference is a full day dedicated to growing in your relationship with God. But if you’re a parent, we get that it can be a hassle to set up child care for an entire day. That’s why we’ve done the work for you – child care during Amplify will be provided at Step By Step Learning Center, [...]

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Leading The Way

When I started serving in Grace Kids over a year ago, I saw it as a way to give back to a ministry that had done so much for my family of four. As a “fill-in mom” who served a few times a month, I’d bounce around to different classrooms — wherever I was most needed. For those first few months, I felt excited to be there, to be with the kids [...]

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Putting God First

When Nate and Natalia moved to Hoboken, one of their biggest prayers was that they’d find a church where they felt comfortable going to service while their two young children attended Sunday School on their own. But the idea of leaving their kids with someone they didn't know felt completely nerve-wracking. But they also wanted to put God first, [...]

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Growing, as a Family, in Grace Kids

When Carla’s daughter Nora tried Grace Kids for the first time, it wasn’t the easiest of transitions. Tears streamed down her face and she wailed in protest as Mom attempted to leave. So Carla stayed, hoping Nora would grow more comfortable. The same thing happened week after week. Nora would burst into tears, so Carla stayed instead of [...]

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Breathing Room

The time of day that I am currently struggling with most as a parent is bath. Like many families, we often sandwich bath in between dinner and bedtime — not the most effortless hours of my daily itinerary. By 6 p.m., I've already been parenting for twelve hours! Is there any job that is glorious after a cool twelve hours? So let me tell you what my parenting can look like as we enter our apartment bathroom — a tiny room with amazing acoustics and no fresh air.

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Imperfect.

He calls us to embrace the spaces of our hearts and minds where we are still growing. I can choose to see the good in the world and celebrate His victories and still experience disappointments. I can be fragile and raw and vulnerable and still encourage others. I can love people — and myself — by reaching out to the people God has put in my life when I need comfort and by graciously accepting their love when I need it. I can fall down and inspire others with my bravery to stand back up.

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Finding Peace in God’s Promises

As we prayed last week as individuals, as a family, as a community, we prayed for those who have been impacted by the train accident at Hoboken Terminal. We prayed for the 34-year-old mother who died in the crash and the husband, toddler and family she left behind. We prayed for more than 100 neighbors who were injured. We prayed […]

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PORTRAITS: Love for the Days in Between

“I couldn’t understand," says Luisa. "How could God do this to me? How could He do this to my kids? Was it punishment? What did I do? How could He take Neil away? We had just had a baby.” People told Luisa to cling to her faith after her husband died, but that just made her angrier. She wanted nothing to do with God. If God cared about her heart He wouldn’t have broken it, she thought. She went from desperate anger to having nothing to say to Him.

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Parenting’s Dreaded Conversations

His thumb-sucking picked up the pace and his long eyelashes were blinking too quickly. "I don’t want Papa to die.” That moment when your child innocently exposes your inner monologue. He had overheard us talking. My dad is battling an aggressive meningioma. That’s a fancy way of saying brain tumor. It’s malignant. Cancer. Despite the best care in the country, the tumor was growing again.

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It Takes a Village

Parents are invited to participate in the Baby Dedications offered twice a year. The next one is coming up and will be held on Sunday, October 16th. In preparation of the dedication, parents come together to talk about what it looks like to make a commitment to raise their children to know Christ.

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