In Ephesians 5, Paul provides a list of things to avoid in our relationships if we want healthy relationships. He calls on us to show holy character: do not be immoral, impure, or greedy people. He calls on us to show that character with our words: avoiding obscenity, foolish talk, and coarse joking, instead sharing … Continue reading Ending an unhealthy relationship
Core Questions is a monthly dive into different topics that are a core part of our shared human experience. We want to seek and understand who we are in light of God’s revealed truth. This month we are looking at our human experience of family. Earlier, we looked at why we have families. But this is … Continue reading Core Questions: How do we live well in our families?
Core Questions is a monthly dive into different topics that are a core part of our shared human experience. We want to seek and understand who we are in light of God’s revealed truth. This month we are looking at our human experience of family. God has created us for relationships. Specifically, for family. The … Continue reading Core Questions: Why do we have families?
Your family probably has some great Thanksgiving traditions. Turkey. Pie. Football. Many families go around the table to share something that they are thankful for. But why? Does it really matter if we “give thanks”? In a word… YES. Social science research that clearly shows how gratitude positively impacts our own happiness, energy level, relationships, … Continue reading Does it really matter if I give thanks?
It is not an easy thing to be a pastor. Don’t believe me? Just look at Scripture, look at your neighbors, and look at yourself. Scripture does not hold back on the declaration that becoming a pastor is a high calling. Pastors are called to be blameless (Titus 1:7). They are warned that “we who teach … Continue reading Show YOUR pastor appreciation today
I guarantee that there is someone in your life who is important to you. In fact, there are probably multiple someones who fit that description. And today I’m going to give you the key to making those relationships happier, more successful, more satisfying, and more honoring to God. Ready? Tell them five positive things for … Continue reading The Key to Happy Relationships
I may not know you, but I know that you have been hurt before. In fact, I am confident to say that at some point, you’ve been hurt by someone who is really important to you. We all have. When hurt comes, our natural response is to defend ourselves. Sometimes, this means running away, leaving … Continue reading What does forgiveness look like in real life?
As a marriage and family therapist, one of my favorite things to hear from couples is: I kissed my wife the other day while we were making dinner, and our daughter rolled her eyes and said “Geez, dad, why are you always kissing mom so much?” Or perhaps even better: My kids had some friends … Continue reading Show a little love to your beloved
How “adult” do you feel on a daily basis? If you’ve been grown-up for a long time, this may feel like a silly question. But there is a new trend in our culture of young people “adulting” – acting in a way that an adult would. Reading through recent Twitter posts about #adulting seems to … Continue reading The hard work of adulting
God has made us to need relationships. From the moment of creation, it was “not good” for man to be alone, and God made Eve so that the couple could help, support, and love each other. When the couple sinned and tried to hide from God, God sought them out, pursuing relationship with them. As … Continue reading The value in relationships