Fr. Timothy Pavlatos, a licensed marriage and family therapist and a nationally certified counselor, and his wife, Presvyetera Vicki, know a thing or two about raising children—after all, they are rearing their nine children together.

Still, amid shifting cultural values and a host of other modern-day challenges, bringing up kids today is no easy matter. And yet, God’s grace could help play a big role in this equation—if we let Him.

Not too long ago, Fr. Timothy, the Family Wellness Ministry Director, spoke with OCN’s (Orthodox Christian Network) Emmy Louvaris on how parents might cultivate a relationship between God and their children.

Listen here as they discuss how modeling forgiveness, trust, repentance, and love could make all the difference.

(This interviewed first appeared on OCN in July 2015.)