"Before You Leave Home"

Are your children ready for the world?

A book to prepare your kids for a great life on their own.

"★★★★★"

"The section on Financial Challenges alone is worth picking up this book."

"This book is EXCELLENT!"

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Our Story

We’re David & Bernice Gudgel. Life has thrown a lot of big decisions at us. Maybe you can relate. Along the way – through good & bad experiences, the wisdom of others, and lots of prayer – we’ve learned lessons that we wish we would have known before. Now, we hope to help you make the best big decisions in life.

Bernice has a degree in Psychology and has focused much of her adult life on raising three kids (who turned out great!) and leading ministries in the church. Dave is a pastor who has a degree in Sociology, an M Div, and a D Min. He’s counseled over a thousand clients and hosted a weekday radio program.

Our Books

Before You Get Engaged
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Before You Live together
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Before You Leave Home
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Bible Storyboards
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Owner's Guide to Using Your Bible
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Where Death and Hope Meet
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Blog

A Radical Call to Unity

September 12, 2018

If you’ve spent much time reading or studying the teachings of Jesus in the New Testament, you’ve probably noticed that, more often than not, He calls His followers to a radical way of living. It’s not just “be a nice person and don’t do bad things.” He asks us to lead lives of sacrifice, love, humility, forgiveness, and peace. Easy words to say, but not so easy to actually live out. And usually contrary to what the world and even our own flesh are telling us to do. One of the radical things Jesus wants of His followers is found

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Living as Strangers and Aliens in this World

May 24, 2018

In Philippians 3:20 believers are told that we are now citizens of God’s Kingdom. When we came into a relationship with God through Jesus, we became a part of His family; His nation of the redeemed that He is calling out of all the world to be His holy (set apart) people. So no matter what nation we happen to live in here on earth, our first allegiance is to God and His Kingdom. The Bible also tells us that one day, maybe soon, Jesus will return to this planet and He will reign over all the earth for 1,000

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Prayer Cards

A Prayer for Your Kids and Grandkids

January 20, 2018

A couple years ago one of my sons gave me an amazing gift. It’s a little stack of prayer cards that he had printed and laminated. Each card has a prayer on one side and a cool artsy picture on the other side that reminds me of the majesty and awesomeness of God. Which is a great thing to remember when I’m spending time talking to Him, and listening to Him. Growing up in a conservative, evangelical church, and spending my entire adult life ministering in that same kind of church, prayer cards weren’t even on my radar. But I’m

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Living a Simple Life

December 26, 2017

For years I’ve had a sign in our living room reminding me to do my best to lead a simple and quiet life. When we first got married it was a sign that said “It takes very little to lead a happy life.” In recent years it’s a new sign that simply says, “Simplify.” That’s always been my goal. It wasn’t something that one day I decided I wanted to work toward. It’s just always been something that I desired – a simple, quiet life. Oh I wanted it to be a life that had purpose and direction and a

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Every Family Needs an Imaginary Door

December 9, 2017

If you are a parent who has children in your home, there is a door that it would be helpful for you to always keep in mind. It’s a door that I first heard about when I read Edith Schaeffer’s book What Is a Family? back when my own three kids were running around filling my house with laughter, and tears, and adventures. This oh so important door to keep in mind is simply a door with hinges and a lock. Now you may be thinking that doesn’t sound so special. After all, most doors have hinges and locks. But

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God's Love for You

Religion Won’t Make You Righteous

November 21, 2017

Many people go through their lives trying to be good enough for God. For some it’s a belief that if they just do more good things than bad things, then they’ll be good to go when they die. Others follow a list of do’s and don’ts that they hope will get them into heaven. Even Christians often rely on a form of religion to supposedly make them righteous and keep God happy. They fall into the trap of thinking it’s what they’re supposed to do if they’re a good Christian. But is that really what God wants from us? Is

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