Even though my company produced this film, I'm not going to be bashful about promoting this piece. The reason is not for the filmmaking--it is because of the tremendous, God-honoring faith that Ian and Larissa express. I still cry every time I watch it.
I’d like to propose a toast. Grab a cup of coffee, a can of Pepsi, your Nalgene bottle—any beverage nearby will do—and let’s drink to . . . the best Valentine’s Day yet!
I'm not advocating that you call your children and grandchildren and announce you are adding a wing on to your house just for them. But, I do think it is wise for all of us to take note that multigenerational
living, mentoring, and connection is part of God's plan for the family.
We puff up the minds of girls with princess mythologies, but we don't often equip them to recognize that Prince Charming needs to have some character, not just sweet talk.
After establishing himself as the new neighborhood bully, he followed up by tracking each of us down to announce that he’s a pastor and that if we ever need prayer, he’d be happy to help . . .
What does all this mean for us? What difference do the Cross and the empty tomb make for those who are facing pain or tears or failure? Here are some of the implications of that momentous weekend for people like you and me.
I wanted to pray but I couldn’t get words past the lump in my throat. I feared for the well-being of my man, I had to care for my two small children, and I was anxious about meeting my deadline.
Not long into the message I began to get a little uncomfortable. My discomfort increased as the preacher began a tirade against certain individuals, even referring to them as “idiots.” Years later, I don’t have a clue what his text or his point was, but I can clearly recall this preacher’s critical words.
Watch the change that occurs in your attitude and in the atmosphere of your home or workplace when you intentionally engage in “speaking life” rather than “speaking bitterness.”
While no one in their own power can “tame the
tongue,” thankfully, God provides all you need to discipline this unruly
critter! As you cooperate with Him, here are some practical tips to help you tame that unruly tongue.
Our paths first crossed on a chilly Saturday morning. Her enthusiasm was evident as this elderly woman walked briskly past us, surrounded by several younger women.
I’ve been married to a youth pastor for more than ten years. I know all about unrealistic expectations, excess criticism, and the identity crisis that being a family in ministry can cause.
It’s fine to take all kinds of issues into consideration as you decide on a church home for you and your family. But there are more important issues to keep in mind as you determine where you should worship. Here are a few of the issues I’d put on my list . . .
"Are you an accountable member of a local church? Not just: Is your name somewhere? But, are you committed to discipline and being disciplined according to biblical standards?"
If you at all enjoy praying or walking, can I encourage you to listen to
this really practical conversation? Or, if you're feeling rather stymied in your prayer life . . . Either way, I think you'll catch a bit of Christ’s heart for the world as you listen to Erin
Davis.
I had been a Christian for over 20 years, but this was the first time someone had offered to pray for me, and then did so--immediately--out loud and in my hearing, and over the phone! I thought to myself, how bold, how strange, and how wonderful to hear someone praying for me.
Some women are so needy for attention and affirmation that they cling to men like plastic wrap to a piece of raw meat. But women who try to quench their neediness through relationships with men are usually left feeling parched and dry.
I think all birthdays and holidays should be spent together. To me, no present is complete without a mushy card. But Dad’s different. I’m still learning how to communicate love
and respect for him in a way that he understands and desires.
Not only is this birthday a reminder that I’m no spring chicken, it also
has me wondering where the dancing has gone. Life has a way of taking
the dance right out of our hearts. Age seems to inevitably usher stress,
sadness, fear, and anxiety into our lives and those carefree days of
baby bouncing fade quickly away.
Recently I overheard a young man complain that he received plenty of pats on the back at work, but had to work really hard to ever hear any kind of compliment at home . . .
You don't have to chart your own course or manipulate your circumstances to fit your expertly designed "master plan." You can take courage and great comfort in the knowledge that your future has been planned by the One who knows you best, loves you most, and has no problem accomplishing His purposes!
If we look closely at Jesus' life, we find an interesting pattern. We know that Jesus spent His time on earth serving others. But have you ever considered how often He ministered when it was inconvenient?
Are you a New Year’s resolution maker? I’m not. Over the years I’ve found the tradition of vowing to change at the start of the New Year to be an exercise in disappointment. Every year my diets fail, my habits stay the same, and my resolutions to do things differently fall flat. Maybe that’s because I’ve been focusing on the wrong things. . . .
Each Christmas I struggle with how we can make this time more about celebrating Jesus than about presents, decorations, and all the rest of the trappings.
While I enjoyed being a young Titus 2 woman (Titus 2:1–5), I entered into the "older woman" role reluctantly. After a while, however, I realized that women were going to watch my life whether I liked it or not, but I could be the Titus 2 woman God designed me to be if I placed my confidence firmly in the Lord.
"I know you’re really busy, but I really need an older woman I trust to give me some advice and counsel. I was wondering if it might be possible for us to get together once a month?”
Yesterday afternoon I was sitting at a red light (multi-tasking, of course). I glanced up from my book to see this license plate staring back at me: THKFUL. I laughed out loud.
You can have a huge impact on the next generation. You can be a truth speaker to the young women around you who need it so desperately. And it all starts in the produce aisle.
Almost two years ago, the team at Revive Our Hearts approached me about blogging for a new site, www.LiesYoungWomenBelieve.com. I was excited about the opportunity to partner with Revive Our Hearts, but more than a little skeptical about the possibility that any real ministry or mentoring could occur online.
So many times I’ve thought “I don’t want to ever forget this moment.” The look in my son’s eyes as his bride walked down the aisle; my husband’s “welcome home” embrace as I returned from a third-world country; the joy of freedom after years of spiritual bondage; the night I first realized I was loved by the King of kings.
As a young woman preparing for marriage, I kept wondering, Where are all the little old, godly women who can help me get ready for this? . . . That is when I really began to have a burden for training younger women.
It’s not that I’m a kid-hater, but I tend to think they don’t have much to offer me. See, I like to get things done, and kids don’t know much about (or value) deadlines or to-do lists . . .
What is your reaction when your position is challenged? To fight back in self-defense? To return criticism with criticism? To set up your defense with unbeatable logic tinged with bitter jabs?
Whether it’s waiting for Jon to pick out just the right screws at Menards, riding in the passenger seat as he searches for the perfect parking spot, or just wanting him to do some task differently (a.k.a. “my way”), I can so easily go down the impatience path.
What are you to do when you’ve been taking an aerobics class with this woman for two years, or you’ve been sitting by this person at softball games for an entire season, or you’ve known that family for decades . . . and you can’t remember their names?
Conversation is often an easy, pleasurable experience—with those you connect with—but when conversation doesn’t come naturally, are you prepared to work at it?
Your floors can be sparkling, the windows shining, the aromas wafting, but if you don’t know how to connect with your guest . . . well, it’s a flop! Here are a few simple do’s and dont’s I’ve learned along the way.
The following letter is from my current pastor’s wife, Holly. I love it. I hope it will help you as you seek to support, love, and respect your pastor and his wife as they shoulder the responsibilities and burdens of shepherding the church daily.
As you read today's post, I just ask that you prayerfully consider what I've presented with a gracious heart ... AND please don't throw any tomatoes (or messy verbal jabs)!
According to the disciple John, the true indicator of the extent of our love for God is the extent of our love for those around us ... especially the individuals who really irk us.
In our fluid society, I realize that you may have to choose a new church several times in your life. What sorts of things should you look for when you’re “church shopping”?
As you read this post, set aside your preconceived ideas or prejudices about the Church. Ask God to allow you to see the Church from His perspective and fill you with hope for His purpose in this "Great Mystery!"
I remember the first time someone asked me, “So what has God been teaching you lately?” I was a freshman in college, and was stunned by this guy’s brazenness in asking me such a personal question!
I remember when my family got a swimming pool, a trampoline, and a ping-pong table. We splashed and jumped and volleyed for days, but soon, we lost the wonder . . .
So, if we're all equal, why shouldn't I expect to be treated equally? Why should I “esteem someone better” than myself? Doesn't that seem a little like “inequality?”
“King of the Castle” is a silly, childish game, but unfortunately, it’s a game that’s played in the lives of most adults–albeit on a much more sophisticated level.
For some odd reason, I feel like a waitress at a fine dining restaurant—“Our special this evening is a hearty cut of True Woman Sirloin, followed by mouth-watering True Woman Tiramisu . . .”
True love is not an emotion, although true love carries with it the wonder and delight of pleasurable emotions. True love is not something we "fall in" and "out of." True love is simply the demonstration of God's character.
Just a couple days ago, I was wounded by someone’s words. As I wiped my tears away, I picked up Nancy DeMoss’ four-week devotional booklet titled The Power of Words, and found my perspective changing as I read this . . .
I, too, have experienced the heartache that can come from choosing to love. Yesterday I wrestled with this question: Where’s the joy in this whole thing? Shouldn’t there be joy?
Jesus’ answer just raised more questions for me. Why did He include the second commandment when the man just asked for the greatest commandment? And most of all, what does it mean that all the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commandments?
This past summer, at my son’s wedding, I found myself reminding him of the words my mother spoke to me at my wedding, and many times since: “Always remember that love is a choice.”
It all happened one day when Simon the Pharisee invited Jesus to a dinner party at his house. Jesus came, but from the moment he stepped in the door, it was obvious how “welcome” he really was . . .
Nancy just wrote something in a letter about the Revive Our Hearts Matching Challenge that really spoke to me. She said, “God doesn’t care so much who you give to, but that you do give.”
"The lies about submission and authority as well as the role of women really wreaked havoc in my marriage. I never imagined that what seemed like normal teenage rebellion and acceptable feminine independence would break my husband’s spirit in the first few years of marriage."