Just Thinking Blog

A Book With Purpose, "Luna, My Superhero Sidekick"

4/9/2026

Why I Wrote "Luna, My Superhero Sidekick"

In my life, heroes don’t wear capes; they wear service vests.

My name is Dr. Rod West, and I have a special helper who supports me every day. Her name is Luna, and she’s an amazing working-line German Shepherd. I wrote "Luna, My Superhero Sidekick" to share our adventures and show children ages 3 to 7 all the wonderful things a service dog can do.

My Everyday Partner. Luna is more than a pet—she’s my sidekick. As soon as her vest goes on, she knows it’s time to work.

I want young readers to see what our teamwork looks like each day.

Cleanup Captain: When my hands aren’t steady, and I drop my keys or something else, Luna quickly picks them up for me.
Superhero Shield: Crowds can be overwhelming for me because of my PTSD. Luna stands between me and everyone else, helping me feel safe.
Comfort Provider: Luna lies quietly behind me when I preach or comforts people in my counseling office. She helps people feel better without saying anything at all.

Lessons from the Heart. This book means a lot to me. It includes my wonderful wife, Teresa, and my good friend, John. It also shares how my former doctor, Dr. Milanak, helped me find Luna years ago.

But this book also teaches an important lesson. I want kids to know that when they see a dog like Luna working, the best thing to do is pretend she isn’t there. This helps her stay focused and do her job well.

A Gift from Above. I often say that Luna’s greatest gift is her friendship. I believe she is a blessing from God, and I look forward to sharing our story with your family.

So find a comfortable spot, open your copy of "Luna, My Superhero Sidekick," and enjoy special moments with your child or grandchild as you join Luna and me on our adventures. Start your journey with us today!

"Luna, My Superhero Sidekick" is more than just a story. It invites you to see the world through the eyes of a man and the dog who changed his life.

"Luna, My Superhero Sidekick" will be available on Amazon starting April 10, 2026. I hope you enjoy meeting my best friend!

Get Your Copy Here

How to Talk to Your Kids About the Hard Stuff Part 1

3/15/2026

Do you believe it is possible for the world to remain silent while you wait for the right moment to talk to your kids?

If you believe you can delay addressing gender and sexual topics until your child is ten, eleven, or twelve, you are mistaken. Right now, even if you think your young child is sheltered from cultural issues, the world is already engaging with them. Other parents grapple with finding the right words, while society loudly broadcasts its values—through social media, entertainment, and schools—making it impossible to compete once a child is deeply influenced by these sources.
The enemy speaks through cartoons, popular books, social media algorithms, and public-school policies, policies that often exclude you from the discussion.

Fear sets in. You ask yourself: "What if I say the wrong thing? What if I push them away?" Know this: it’s better to do something than nothing, because doing nothing is a form of surrender.

If you do not teach your children early about God’s design, the world will teach them its own views on gender and sexuality. Children will learn these lessons one way or another; you must decide whether it is you or outside influences who teach them. While I assume most readers of this article are Christian parents and grandparents, let’s keep in mind that Scripture is clear about our responsibilities when instructing the children God has entrusted to our care.

In this blog and its follow-up, I want to encourage you to move past the fear. I want to provide some biblical teaching and also help you communicate better with your child at every age. Specifically, I will attempt to share practical ways to interact and teach toddlers, elementary students, and teenagers biblical truths and principles. With these tools or suggestions, I hope to help you stand between your child and the confusion of this age, connecting every stage of their life with intentional conversations.

So, as we begin, let’s ask “what if these things happen to you. Your child comes home from school, the neighbor’s house, or even church with questions that make your stomach turn. Questions about multiple genders, transsexualism, homosexuality, and even things you haven’t discussed with your spouse. You think to yourself, "How do I even answer such questions? Am I prepared to speak the truth in love about such subjects?"

In a recent video (Before the Supreme Court Ruled, God Already Decided), I discussed the ideology of radical trans and homosexual movements in connection with big business and leftist politics. In that video, we reviewed passages from Romans and the Gospel of John. We established that biology is not a suggestion; it is divinely determined. God established two genders only from the beginning of time. Many who support these radical ideologies are also the same people who urged the world to “trust the science” during the COVID era, but now claim there are unlimited genders. What happened to “trust the science?” Gender is not, and has never been, “fluid.” That teaching is foolish.

Let’s also keep in mind that theology and science are not at odds. While the Bible isn’t a science book in the modern sense, it reveals and teaches truths that deserve to be part of everyday conversation. Truth doesn’t change.

Currently, at this time in history, our culture is systematically teaching our children a different gospel, a revised social gospel. This gospel is one that feeds the flesh carnally. Kids are hearing and seeing that gender is a belief based on how one sees and feels about oneself. Kids are constantly hearing that biology is a social construct, that truth is relative, and affirming a lie is the only genuine way to love others. Combine those teachings with certain leftist denominational teachings, and now your kids are looking at you as if you can’t be trusted because your message is vastly different than what they’re taught at school and sometimes in their youth groups. You’re now trying to catch up and teach them something different from what their new allies at school and church are teaching.

We cannot hope kids absorb Christian teachings by osmosis. We must intentionally teach them all Scripture from a young age. Numerous Old Testament passages commanded Jewish fathers to teach the Word at home, and we as Christians must do the same today.

The biblical foundation of the family reminds us that God created male and female, and any union or lifestyle outside of this design is sin, and instructing our children in any other way is an abomination.

To address these challenges, we will examine three stages in this blog and later in Part 2.

Part 1, “Building the Right Foundation for Young Children,” ages birth to seven.
Part 2, “The Reasons for Truth and Sharing the Why” for ages eight to twelve, and “Maintaining an Ongoing Conversation with Teens and Young Adults.”

Here’s an important question: “When should you begin teaching children about sex and their identity?” The answer is, immediately.

For our youngest children—those under seven—the goal is simple. We must establish that God’s design for boys and girls is good and that He makes no mistakes.

You don’t need complex lectures or cultural theory. Offer a simple, joyful truth. Affirm your child as a gift from God through your actions and words. How your children view you early in life shapes how they’ll view God. To become a trusted authority, be mindful of your actions and words.

Speak simply and consistently, repeating truths and positive affirmations about our children's identity and belonging to God.

Remind your children daily that God is real, right, and holy. Speaking about being created in His image reinforces this important truth, and then follow this up with scripture. Our children need to see and hear us reading the Word of God, again as a foundation and a reinforcement that in our homes we practice what we teach. Show them the Bible and let it have a prominent place in your life, not just on the bookshelf or a special table in your home.

So, start at the beginning, the book of Genesis.

Genesis 1:27 states that God created man in His own image; male and female He created them. The image of God (Latin: imago Dei) speaks to mankind’s immaterial spirit, distinguishing us from the animal world. (Sidenote: I remember one of my elementary public-school teachers teaching that human beings were just another kind of animal, but years later, I came to the understanding that my teacher was wrong.) Every child is a beautifully created being in God’s image, and this isn't an accident; it is a divine assignment. To be created in God’s image means we are moral, rational, and volitional agents living lives that are much more than instinctive and animalistic.

Some in our society encourage us to view gender and sexuality as flexible, suggesting that sex is "fluid" and that gender is on a spectrum. This argument promotes experimentation in both orientation and identity, which is both confusing, and from a biblical perspective, wrong. It is essential for parents, especially fathers, to intentionally teach children what the Bible says about who they are and what is right in all areas of life.

Ephesians 6:4 (ESV) Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

Let me ask you, do we really want the world to define our children's reality? Do we want a corrupt and sinful culture telling our children that they are simply animals and their bodies are meant for their own depraved and unlimited pleasure? Do we really want them to think their existence in this world is only relevant for the moment, that who they are is meaningless, and their ultimate goal in life is to please their physical bodies? The answer to each of these questions should be an emphatic NO. We want the Word to be foundational, and their goal to be pleasing and honoring to God. (Romans 12:1-2; 1 Thessalonians 2:4)

So, here is some practical advice for our little ones.

Begin by revealing and promoting God in your speech. Our sons need to hear, "God made you just the way you are. God knew the world needed a boy just like you, and He has a plan for your life to glorify Him." And to your daughter, she needs to hear, "You are such a beautiful Girl, and God made you just as you were meant to be. He did it on purpose, and He doesn't make mistakes. I pray you bring much glory to His Name." Kids need to be pointed to the One and only God, who knew them in eternity past. Psalm 139:13 (ESV) For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.
Teach children with clarity and honesty about their bodies. Use correct anatomical terms rather than made-up names, even if it feels uncomfortable. Do not avoid serious conversations; avoid using “baby talk.” Aim to build your child’s trust, as your authority may be challenged by other influences as they grow. If you sound cartoonish when they’re young, they may hear and see you in the same light when they are older. (Proverbs 23:15-16)
Don’t hesitate to affirm biological realities. When your child is confused by what they see—such as seeing a man dressed as a woman, respond calmly and confidently. Say, for example: "That is a man. Some people are confused about their identity. They might be sick mentally (pointing to your chest or head might be helpful)." Or: "No, that’s a man who has chosen something against God's will. Remember, God made boys to be boys and girls to be girls." (Deuteronomy 22:5; Daniel 4:33; Romans 1:18-32; 1 Corinthians 6:9)
When the topic of sex presents itself, don’t change the subject, because like a shark in chummed waters, kids can smell fear. When my oldest son was 6 years old, I remember him asking me a question about aids. His brother was just a few months old, and we were headed to a local restaurant on a Friday evening to pick up dinner. Listening to the news on the car radio (it was the early 90s), the reporter was speaking about the spread of this terrible disease. My son was curious and asked, “Dad, what is aids?” For a moment, I had a wave of fear come over me because I wasn’t ready to talk with him about sex, much less homosexuality. I took a breath, and what followed was about a five-minute conversation on inappropriate behavior, which was enough to satisfy his curiosity. We already had a conversation about where babies come from because of his brother's recent birth, and with that, he was on to another question.

Our little ones will notice thousands of things in the world and ask questions about everything they see. As good apologists, we must be prepared to respond not only to the hope that lives within us (1 Peter 3:15) but also to support the children who rely on us, as parents and grandparents, to make sense of a fallen world. To put this into practice, keep the following in mind:

Listen attentively and patiently to your child’s questions without dismissing them.
Provide clear, age-appropriate answers grounded in biblical truth and honesty.
Encourage your child to approach you with further questions when confronted with confusing situations or ideas.
Cultivate an open environment where curiosity is welcomed and not discouraged.
Affirm to your child that, like our heavenly Father, you are always available to guide them through challenging topics.

By intentionally applying these steps, we strengthen our role as trusted guides, fostering ongoing conversations and ensuring our children feel supported as they navigate difficult issues. Even as my sons have become adults, I still want them to come to me with challenging questions, and when they do, I value the meaningful discussions that result.

It is that simple. We are planting seeds of confidence in God’s sovereignty and His Word. If we don't celebrate our children and their God-given gender, identity, or distinctiveness, the world will try to convince them these are things to escape rather than gifts to be embraced.

In part two, we will address children from ages 8 to 18 and young adults.

Blessings,
Dr. Rod West

THE PRACTICE OF SELF-EXAMINATION

2/18/2026

1 Corinthians 11:27–31 (ESV) Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged.

If you were born before 1975, you might remember the phrase, “Plop, plop, fizz, fizz, oh what a relief it is.” This was from an Alka-Seltzer commercial featuring a cartoon character named Speedy, which often played on ABC, CBS, and NBC. Drug companies have spent years advertising different ways to treat our physical problems, because when we’re sick, we simply want to feel better. The same is true when we don’t feel well emotionally or spiritually. If you search for self-help books on Amazon, you’ll find over 100,000 titles. Clearly, people want to feel better.

(Please note: some of the links in this post are affiliate links to author pages on Amazon.com. If you purchase anything using our links, Christ-Centered Solutions will receive a small commission. Thank you!)

In the church at Corinth, some people were weak, some were sick, and some had even died. Why did this happen? It was because they took the Lord’s Supper in an unworthy way. They joined in this holy practice while holding on to unconfessed sin.

The church in Corinth faced many problems, but the biggest issue was open sin among its members. There were bad attitudes toward others and some very wrong behaviors. Corinth was an unhealthy church in need of spiritual healing. The Apostle Paul gives us steps to help us grow as followers of Christ: examine your heart (thinking), your attitude toward personal sin, and your actions. Ask yourself: Are my thoughts, my attitude, and my actions holy? If the answer to any or all of the aforementioned positions is no, I'm not living a holy life, then it’s time to make some changes. Turn to God’s Word and digest as much as possible each day. Maintain an attitude of prayer and speak with the Lord about everything: there is nothing too small to take before His throne. Lastly, seek to be in unity with a local Body of believers, and walk with them, asking for guidance and accountability.

The bottomline? Unconfessed sin takes a heavy toll on the mind, body, and soul.

( Check out The Devotional Soul Care Journal on Amazon to help you walk the walk, click here!)

Blessings,
Dr. Rod West

The Companion Video

Hey Christian, Whatever You Do, Do it to Win!

8/8/2023

Philippians 3:12–16 (NASB) Not that I have already grasped it all or have already become perfect, but I press on if I may also take hold of that for which I was even taken hold of by Christ Jesus. Brothers and sisters, I do not regard myself as having taken hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Therefore, all who are mature, let’s have this attitude; and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that to you as well; however, let’s keep living by that same standard to which we have attained.

I ran track for a few years when I was younger. I did more field events than anything – mainly shot-put and the discus. I did run some, and my goal for the team was to lose every time. I ran the 440 and the half-mile, which is similar to the 400 & 800 meters today. I had a friend who was a good athlete and middle-distance runner. He ran the half-mile, and our coaches wanted me to serve as his “rabbit.”

Do you know what a rabbit does on a track team? The “rabbit” sets the pace for other runners who are meant to compete and win. So, for my friend and teammate, I ran the first lap of the ½ mile to set the pace for him. I was to run the first lap between 50-55 seconds for him to use his strong kick on the second lap. He won a lot of races. I, on the other hand, lost every race. Losing just never sets well with me.

The only thing that bothered me about the whole thing was that it didn’t even matter if I finished the race. I could stop running any time after completing the first lap. I just needed to remember my mission, and by helping my friend win, I could share in his victories.

As followers of Christ, there is joy in helping others cross the finish line of life, but we must remember that we, too, are to run the race of life with the intent to win. We are to RUN FOR THE PRIZE, or the GOAL SET BE US.

Philippians 3:14 (NLT) I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.

In the Summer Olympics, athletes come from all over the world every four years for one purpose: WIN. Each Olympian strives in their sport to reach the finish line and gain the prize. No doubt all Olympians have a dream, a vision of winning gold!

As we think about the Church and individual believers winning for Christ, take note of researcher George Barna in his statement about vision and the Church.

Vision is the ability to understand the history, the present condition, and the potential of the church and to conceive a plan for action that will maximize …ministry potential. …and devising sound but creative strategies for moving forward. Vision always entails progress: it is never satisfied with the status quo.

There is no victory for those who lack vision and the ability to see the bigger picture.

While BARNA addresses the Church or those who make up the Church, the principle he speaks of should apply to all people, especially Christian leaders in the Church, the business world, and other areas of life. An Olympic athlete would never be satisfied with being average or maintaining the status quo. So, why should a church, or a Pastor, the Christian businessman or woman, the Christian student, the Christian Project manager, the electrician, fabricator, or pipefitter? Like Olympic athletes who compete in the Summer and Winter Games, who have devoted themselves to their sport for years, training day after day, and all for one moment in time, they run to be anything but average!

HERE ARE FOUR THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND AS WE RUN LIFE’S RACE

1) Whatever you do, do so with a mindset to win!

Philippians 3:12 (NLT) I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me.

Keep this in mind: God never begins a work that He doesn’t expect to finish, nor should we! Note the words of the Apostle Paul in Philippians 1:6.

Philippians 1:6 (NLT) And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.

2) A clear vision dictates that we are honest with who we are and where we are going!

Philippians 3:13 (NLT) No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead,

Driving down 26 at 70 mph, how often do we look in the rear-view mirror? If we spend too much time looking behind, we face the danger of losing our focus or vision and finding ourselves in a proverbial ditch that is difficult to escape without much help. At this point, the Apostle Paul had been a follower of Christ for almost 30 years, and his focus was still on Christ Jesus. He could change nothing in his past, and everything with any eternal value was still ahead. The Apostle found the strength to keep pressing onward because he saw the future and being with Christ Jesus.

As the reformers would say, “Our hope is in Christ alone.” Dear friend, I want to encourage you to follow the example of the Apostle Paul and keep your eyes on Jesus. Don’t allow the things of your past to have sway over you because to do so will only keep you living mentally and emotionally in a place where there is no life or joy.

3) Followers of Christ are compelled by faith to run the race of life with discipline.

Philippians 3:14 (NLT) I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.

The Apostle Paul pursued Christlikeness with the enthusiasm and persistence of a runner in the Greek games. He learned to run the race under control, i.e., with DISCIPLINE.

Let me encourage you to follow the example of the Apostle Paul and work to be disciplined in your walk of faith, unlike the disqualified runners who do not stay in their lanes. Christian, genuinely pursue the goal of glorifying Christ by keeping your eyes on Him and living so that others will see Him living through your life.

Lastly, 4) to succeed in life, we must take the “CPR” approach and be…

Consistent in our actions
Persistent in our drive
Resistant to setbacks and those who may tell us we can’t do it.

Blessings,
Rod

The Motivation Every Christ Follower Needs When Feeling The Need To Quit

2/27/2023

Do you sometimes feel like throwing your hands in the air and screaming, "I Quit! I Give up!?" If so, this vlog is just what you need. The video is only 6-mintues long, and I believe it is well worth your time, especially if you need some motivation to take another step today.

Should I, or Shouldn't I? Questions Concerning Doubtful Practices in Life.

11/6/2022

Four Ways Christ-Centered Solutions Aids Local Churches & Their Pastors

10/19/2022

When Others Look At Us, Who Do They See?

8/21/2022

When others look at us, who do they see? Do they see a parent, construction worker, teacher, or spouse? What about those of us who are Christians, do those who look at us see a genuine follower of Christ, or do they pass us by seeing no distinction at all? let others see Christ Jesus living in you! Check out the video below.

Need A Little Motivation?

8/21/2022

Sometimes, finding the motivation we need to keep going can be hard to find, especially on a bad day, but it's there if you're a follower of Christ! You just need a little push to get you going. In this video, you'll hear from the Apostle Paul, who offers some encouraging words to the church at Corinth. Like the people in Corinth, we all need a little encouragement, and we just need to be reminded of God's love and His promises.

Christian, It Has Happened Again!

9/8/2021

A few nights ago I was relaxing and watching a little television before bed, and during one of the many commercials I started going through my emails and one, in particular, caught my attention. The headline which jumped off the page read, "Four Months After Giving Birth, Pastor’s Wife Commits Suicide," (you can read the article here). Every time I get an opportunity to share the ministry of Christ-Centered Solutions, I take a few minutes and tell other believers how much stress and strain pastors and their families are under today. There is so much stress that the number of pastors leaving the ministry for reasons other than retirement is mind-boggling. Consider these numbers, "1,500 ministers leave the ministry every month in America, 90% will leave before the age of retirement, and 94% of pastoral families state they feel the pressures of ministry. These are the latest numbers we have from the Fuller Institute and Barna Research 2019, (click here to see the full list).

I know firsthand the struggles of being a pastor, and not only do I know the struggles well but so do my wife and our two sons. A pastor's wife and children are not immune from the difficulties, hurts, pain, and heartache of ministry life. Corner my wife Teresa and ask her about the stress of being a pastor's wife and you no doubt will get an ear full. Of course from a pastor's point of view, I know of the pain many pastors attempt to bury, trying to hide it from themselves and others. And when the stress and struggles become too much to bear, it's easy for suicidal thoughts to slip into our thinking.

Don't get me wrong, there are many, many blessings of being called by God to serve as a pastor in the local church. Throughout our years in the pastorate, Teresa and I can easily recall the names of former members who made our time with them very joyful (Hebrew 13:17). But the reality is that pastors and their families will often suffer in silence, or better yet, secret because of the need to feel almost perfect before their congregants, and sometimes before other pastors (Article: The Curse of Competition). Now, it isn't uncommon for pastors to entertain thoughts of perfectionism, but all too often some members and church leaders help solidify the idea.

Back to the article on Paige Hilken for just a moment. I'm not stating that Paige committed suicide due to some ministry issue she or her husband were experiencing in the church. Clearly, the article points to several health-related issues including her mental health struggles with postpartum depression. My point is that pastors, pastor wives, and their children routinely believe they have no place to turn, or no one they can share their pain with and expect all to remain confidential. Ministry life can be very lonely, and more often than not it's lonely because of deep-seated fears about being removed from the ministry altogether.

If you get nothing else from my rambling here, please get this, pastors and their families need more than a livable wage and our prayers. Pastors and their families need our understanding when they appear frail, they need our friendship, a compassionate heart, and a non-condemning ear to listen. These ministers of grace who devote their lives to loving God's people well are hurting, and I don't want another one to commit suicide or walk away from the ministry because the pain is too great. We need them to walk with us, and they need us to do the same for them. We are our brother's and sister's keepers (1 Peter 3:8; 1 Thessalonians 4:9).

If you agree with me that our pastors and their families need our support, would you please commit to helping me and the ministry of Christ-Centered Solutions. We need you to join with us to be a blessing to our pastors and their wives by providing the confidential support they need. Please consider becoming a monthly Ministry Partner with us. Even if you can't become a monthly Ministry Partner at this time you can help by sharing this blog with your pastor, a deacon, or another church leader, and encourage them to contact me about visiting your church to tell other Christians about the ministry of Christ-Centered Solutions.

You can email by clicking here if you'd like to contact me about coming to your church, ministry, or business.
You can also reach me by phone in South Carolina by calling our main office at (843) 829-0970, or in North Carolina at our Wilmington office (910) 399-6714

Lastly, if you or a friend are considering suicide please call Christ-Centered Solutions or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255.

Blessings dear friend,
Rod

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