No Empty Chairs

Send a text

Jeralee Renshaw, co-founder of the Bridges Facebook group, shares some of the wisdom she's learned moving from fear to faith as 3 of her 4 adult children have stopped participating at church.

RESOURCES
To join the Facebook group Bridges - Support for Latter-day Saint Parents of Adult Children, use this link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/BridgesLDSParents/
Please be sure to answer the membership questions to be admitted to the group.

David B. Ostler's book Bridges: Ministering to Those Who Question, The 2022 edition has a new chapter on mixed-faith marriages and families.
https://www.amazon.com/Bridges-Ministering-Those-Who-Question-dp-1589587596/dp/1589587596/ref=dp_ob_title_bk

3 Practices that are helpful for dealing with difference:

• I'll be unusually interested in others
• I'll stay in the room with difference
• I'll stop comparing my best to your worst

To join a 3Practice Circle where you can practice these skills, go to https://3practices.com/
Or read about them in the book 3 Practices for Crossing the Difference Divide by Jim Henderson and Jim Hancock
https://www.amazon.com/3-Practices-Crossing-Difference-Divide/dp/1712206427/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2EMR7LOADWK1M&keywords=3+practices+for+crossing+the+difference+divide&qid=1705176352&s=books&sprefix=3+practices%2Cstripbooks%2C88&sr=1-1

QUOTES
“I want you to be sure that you understand how I feel about diversity. I love differences. They make us interesting and challenging and delightful. What they don't make us is good or bad, and I think we forget that sometimes. And whenever we do, then any difference, no matter how small, can become an object for judgment and condemnation.”
~ Chieko Okazaki

M. Russell Ballard speech at BYU on November 14, 2017:
https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/m-russell-ballard/questions-and-answers/
"Question: If I have family or friends who are less active, how far do I go in my attempts to bring them back?
My answer is please do not preach to them! Your family members or friends already know the Church’s teachings. They don’t need another lecture! What they need—what we all need—is love and understanding, not judging. Share your positive experiences of living the gospel. The most powerful thing you can do is share your spiritual experiences with family and friends. Also, be genuinely interested in their lives, their successes, and their challenges. Always be warm, gentle, loving, and kind."

You found me! If what you heard on the No Empty Chairs podcast gives you hope for more help, please schedule a free Conversation with Candice. You can also visit candiceclarkcoaching.com for more information about how coaching tools can help you keep your relationship with your children and your faith. While you're there, be sure to pull up a chair and sign up with your email to be the first to know about news and events for moms whose kids don't come to church.

It's going to be okay, and even better!

Send a text

What's your focus for the coming year?

I am bringing Delight and Gently along as I FEEL my way through 2024.

And more parent interviews are coming your way. Stay tuned!

You found me! If what you heard on the No Empty Chairs podcast gives you hope for more help, please schedule a free Conversation with Candice. You can also visit candiceclarkcoaching.com for more information about how coaching tools can help you keep your relationship with your children and your faith. While you're there, be sure to pull up a chair and sign up with your email to be the first to know about news and events for moms whose kids don't come to church.

It's going to be okay, and even better!

Send a text

What do statistics exams and scuba diving have in common? They are both opportunities to decide how we want to respond to people in trouble. 

What feels most like love to you?

You found me! If what you heard on the No Empty Chairs podcast gives you hope for more help, please schedule a free Conversation with Candice. You can also visit candiceclarkcoaching.com for more information about how coaching tools can help you keep your relationship with your children and your faith. While you're there, be sure to pull up a chair and sign up with your email to be the first to know about news and events for moms whose kids don't come to church.

It's going to be okay, and even better!

Send a text

A reflection on Pr. Russell Nelson's “Think Celestial!” talk at October 2023 General Conference

What are YOUR thoughts?

What are they creating for YOU?

You found me! If what you heard on the No Empty Chairs podcast gives you hope for more help, please schedule a free Conversation with Candice. You can also visit candiceclarkcoaching.com for more information about how coaching tools can help you keep your relationship with your children and your faith. While you're there, be sure to pull up a chair and sign up with your email to be the first to know about news and events for moms whose kids don't come to church.

It's going to be okay, and even better!

Send a text

A thought experiment on what life eternal could really mean.

“This is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39)

“And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” John 17

“Wherefore, do the things which I have told you I have seen that your Lord and your Redeemer should do; for, for this cause have they been shown unto me, that ye might know the gate by which ye should enter. For the gate by which ye should enter is repentance and baptism by water; and then cometh a remission of your sins by fire and by the Holy Ghost.

“And then are ye in this strait and narrow path which leads to eternal life; yea, ye have entered in by the gate; ye have done according to the commandments of the Father and the Son; and ye have received the Holy Ghost, which witnesses of the Father and the Son, unto the fulfilling of the promise which he hath made, that if ye entered in by the way ye should receive” (2 Nephi 31:17–18).

Am I “relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save”? (2 Nephi 31:19)

“Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.” (2 Nephi 31:20)

2 Nephi 31:21: “And now, behold, my beloved brethren, this is the way; and there is none other way nor name given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God. And now, behold, this is the doctrine of Christ, and the only and true doctrine of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, which is one God, without end. Amen.”

Matthew 19:16, Mark 10:17, Luke 18:18

Luke 10:25

“And he [Jesus] said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.” (Luke 18:27)

You found me! If what you heard on the No Empty Chairs podcast gives you hope for more help, please schedule a free Conversation with Candice. You can also visit candiceclarkcoaching.com for more information about how coaching tools can help you keep your relationship with your children and your faith. While you're there, be sure to pull up a chair and sign up with your email to be the first to know about news and events for moms whose kids don't come to church.

It's going to be okay, and even better!

Send a text

Jenn talks about what she's learned about resting and strengthening from a shoulder injury, from parenting a daughter with scrupulosity, and from opening up to her sister's difficulty getting answers to prayer.

You found me! If what you heard on the No Empty Chairs podcast gives you hope for more help, please schedule a free Conversation with Candice. You can also visit candiceclarkcoaching.com for more information about how coaching tools can help you keep your relationship with your children and your faith. While you're there, be sure to pull up a chair and sign up with your email to be the first to know about news and events for moms whose kids don't come to church.

It's going to be okay, and even better!

Send a text

You found me! If what you heard on the No Empty Chairs podcast gives you hope for more help, please schedule a free Conversation with Candice. You can also visit candiceclarkcoaching.com for more information about how coaching tools can help you keep your relationship with your children and your faith. While you're there, be sure to pull up a chair and sign up with your email to be the first to know about news and events for moms whose kids don't come to church.

It's going to be okay, and even better!

Send a text

Candice's cousin Jared shares his perspective on the time when his son Isaac was not participating at church. 

You found me! If what you heard on the No Empty Chairs podcast gives you hope for more help, please schedule a free Conversation with Candice. You can also visit candiceclarkcoaching.com for more information about how coaching tools can help you keep your relationship with your children and your faith. While you're there, be sure to pull up a chair and sign up with your email to be the first to know about news and events for moms whose kids don't come to church.

It's going to be okay, and even better!

Send a text

Paying attention to our nervous system can help us return to a sense of safety, no matter what our children say or do. Take action from a place of calm and compassion, not fear and defensiveness.

Tips from Leah Davidson:
Step 1 - Am I safe? I am safe.
Step 2 - Do I feel safe? Maybe not.
Step 3 - Take a deep breath and focus on your body. Let go of any tension that you notice. Use rag doll pose or havening techniques. 

Consider that everyone's nervous system is different and people may be having challenging physiological reactions to experiences that don't bother us. We can hold space for that.

You found me! If what you heard on the No Empty Chairs podcast gives you hope for more help, please schedule a free Conversation with Candice. You can also visit candiceclarkcoaching.com for more information about how coaching tools can help you keep your relationship with your children and your faith. While you're there, be sure to pull up a chair and sign up with your email to be the first to know about news and events for moms whose kids don't come to church.

It's going to be okay, and even better!

Send a text

Shauna Andersen is an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Some of her 4 adult children don't participate at church. Shauna shares an experience that was healing in her relationship with her daughter and talks about how she's come to understand the big love our Heavenly Parents and Jesus have for each of us, whether or not we come to church.

You found me! If what you heard on the No Empty Chairs podcast gives you hope for more help, please schedule a free Conversation with Candice. You can also visit candiceclarkcoaching.com for more information about how coaching tools can help you keep your relationship with your children and your faith. While you're there, be sure to pull up a chair and sign up with your email to be the first to know about news and events for moms whose kids don't come to church.

It's going to be okay, and even better!