We offer hope and encouragement for parents through teachings, discussion, and prayer. HOPE for Families is a parent group that meets on designated Wednesday evenings (see the calendar on the right) at the ministry office located at 9700 W. 197th Street in Mokena, Suite 106.

The meeting time is 7:45 PM to 9:15 PM. Please call the office at (708) 479-2322 for more information or contact HOPE counselors:

Carol Smolik at carol@illinoishouseofhope.org

OR

Kathy Davis at kathy@illinoishouseofhope.org

A MUST for all parents ... Parents will learn how to develop a mind-set to discipline, heal, forgive, and reconcile. Our parent program offers "Relief for Hurting Parents", using the teachings of author Buddy Scott. Teachings include:

• relieving pain
• dealing with intimidation and manipulation from teens
• building emotional and spiritual strength in parents
• avoiding seven common mistakes made by parents
• finding and removing issues that contribute to parent-child problems
• reaffirming basic convictions for disciplining kids in today's times
• assuring quality control
• rescuing and recovering "prodigal" children
• working effectively with family allies such as schools, counselors, treatment centers, juvenile authorities, police personnel

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"When we are going through our roughest times, God helps us by putting the right people near our pathway — people He has been preparing for years to be qualified to help us during our crisis."

Buddy Scott

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As parents of hurting teens, you might feel angry, guilty, helpless, embarrassed, and anxious. Your loving child is on a destructive path and you don't know what to do next. How do you help your child?

You need the friendship and understanding of others who can identify with what you are going through. Parents helping parents is important.

We encourage you to pray for your child daily. Contact others to pray with you. God understands your pain and He knows how you feel. Contact our prayer team for prayer.

>> A message from our prayer coordinator, Judy:

PRAY FOR OUR CHILDREN

God's word is our weapon.  The battle for our children's lives is waged on our knees.  When we don't pray, it's like sitting on the sidelines watching our children in a war zone getting shot at from every angle.  When we do pray, we're in the battle alongside them, appropriating God's power on their behalf.

If we also declare the Word of God in our prayers, then we yield a powerful weapon against which no enemy can prevail.   God's word is "living and powerful" and sharper than any two-edged sword" and it pierces everything it touches. (Heb 4:12).  Taken from the book "The Power of a Praying Parent" by Stormie Omartian.