GRAPEVINE, Texas — As the mental health crisis among teens reaches new heights with skyrocketing rates of depression, suicide ideation and a growing disconnection from faith, author Laine Lawson Craft is assuring parents they are not powerless — they are at war.
Her latest book,
Parenting Under Pressure: A Daily Combat Strategy to Advocate for Your Child
,
released in March, is a devotional drawn straight from the trenches of Craft’s own experience: each of her three children, despite growing up in a Christian home, became prodigals, drifting into rebellion, darkness and substance abuse during their teenage years.
However, after over ten years of praying, begging, and reciting scriptures, Craft witnessed God transforming not only their lives but also hers.
“We were doing everything we thought the Lord told us to do,” Craft told The Christian Post. “And yet, my three children were battling different wars with the enemy.”
The idea that the battle is not with the child, but with darkness itself, is at the crux of
Warfare Parenting
According to Craft, this devotional aims to offer daily portions of hope along with both practical and spiritual resources for parents whose children have strayed from their beliefs or become entangled in harmful behaviors.
I understood that my struggle wasn’t with my kids; it was against an adversary,” she stated. “This is when warfare-style parenting becomes essential, as this foe is formidable. His aim is to find, eliminate, and demolish our children’s futures.
According to the
CDC
and
Barna Group,
One out of every five high school students has contemplated suicide, with almost one in ten having made an attempt. An alarming 40% experience ongoing feelings of profound sadness or despair. Trends show increases in substance abuse, atheistic beliefs, and experiences of gender identity issues among Generation Z members. Additionally, annually in the U.S., 1.5 million young individuals flee their homes.
According to the data, Craft cautions, today’s parents are essentially waging a battle.
“One click away, technology has brought our children into direct contact with the enemy himself,” she said.
But in contrast to fear or moral panic,
Warfare Parenting
provides parents with a structured approach: Holy Scriptures, heartfelt prayers, complete surrender, and the conviction that no wayward child is beyond God’s reach.
Battles, whether spiritual or not, are familiar territory for her. Prior to her career as both an author and the host of the “Warfare Parenting” podcast, she was at the helm of a nationwide magazine called WHOAwomen. This publication featured prominent figures of faith such as Dolly Parton and Kathie Lee Gifford alongside well-known secular personalities including Oprah and those from Woman’s Day.
Yet despite her achievements in publishing and ministry, her personal life was disintegrating. Her offspring were ensnared by wild living, substance abuse, and thoughts of suicide.
One of my kids heard voices saying their life would improve without them,” she recounted. “Another was obsessed with music festivals and drugs. Yet another dove headfirst into constant partying. Each child faced distinct challenges.
What sustained Craft wasn’t generic parenting guidance but her consistent engagement with Scripture. Throughout a decade, she meticulously went through the entire Bible seven more times after the first complete reading. While studying, she started noting down passages aimed at supporting other parents experiencing distress; these notes eventually transformed into the currently published 365-day devotional.
This book began in the margins of my Bible and within my iPhone notes,” she explained. “Every day, God provided me with a scripture for parents engaged in this struggle.
One of her sons took 15 years to return home spiritually. During that time, she says she quite literally hit the floor in prayer, pleading the blood of Jesus over him every single day.
“When God touched him, he was high. But the encounter was so profound, he was changed forever,” she said.
Craft lamented that in the Christian community, parenting a prodigal can come with a heavy load of shame. Scripture often cited, “train up a child in the way he should go … ” can feel like condemnation when a child veers off course, she said.
“People think if their child has strayed, it’s a reflection on them as a bad Christian parent,” Craft said. “But that’s not the truth. It’s a reflection of how ferocious the enemy is.”
That shame, she stressed, is what keeps many parents silent, isolated and vulnerable.
I believe that’s why we must speak up,” she stated. “If we remain silent, the sense of shame will only grow.
For Craft, ending that silence involves fostering communities. Drawing inspiration from the extensive recovery program Celebrate Recovery, she imagines
Warfare Parenting
Small clusters emerging in churches and houses nationwide, providing spaces for parents to gather, pray, share practical tips, and support each other’s kids.
“She stated, ‘We require a secure space free from embarrassment,’ adding, ‘It should be somewhere individuals feel comfortable asking for assistance when needed.’”
Drawing from her personal experiences, Craft aims to convey to all parents, grandparents, and guardians that there isn’t a single child beyond reach of rehabilitation.
If there’s one piece of advice I’d offer, it would be ‘never surrender,'” she stated. “In an instant, God can transform their lives. He cherishes them even in their darkest moments and will descend to save and liberate them.
The
“Warfare Parenting” podcast
also launched new season in mid-March, focusing on spiritual approaches to parenting through topics like addiction, boundaries and mental health. And next year, Craft said she plans to release a children’s book that she promises will offer hope for a new generation.
“I believe we’re equipping an army,” she said. “We’re not just parenting anymore. We are battling for the hearts and destinies of our children.”
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