One of the reasons we become overwhelmed with busyness is because we have so many opportunities available to us as a couple, as children, and as a family. With so many choices clamoring for our involvement, it can be hard to set limits and live with them—especially when you love the options. Consider just one …
We were in college when we had on of our first communication problems. Little did we know it would be a picture of what was to come after we would get married, have kids, and try to find time to actually connect with one each other. I had called Ruth after work one night. I …
Parenting isn’t easy, but neither is being a child. If we’re not careful, our children can become discouraged or lose heart in the process of growing toward adulthood. Throughout the Bible, we are reminded of the incredible power our presence has as fathers in the life of our children. In Colossians 3:21, the Apostle Paul …
I’ve had my fair share of jobs over the years. I’ve mowed lawns, bused tables, and painted houses. I’ve worked at a purse factory, the Pottery Barn, a pest control company, and even trained to be a home inspector. And then almost twenty years ago, God called me to be a pastor. That’s what I …
I knew exactly where they were at. “Ready or not, here I come!” I yelled from downstairs. We were in the middle of an intense game of family hide-n-seek. With wood floors and an aging house, I could hear every step our kids were taking as they scurried for hiding places on the floor above …
The hard stuff of life is all around us. It hits close to home in the form of job losses, sickness, death, tragedy, miscarriages, strained finances, abuse, and disabilities. It’s found in blended families and traditional families. Bullied children, kids struggling in school, kids with autism, paralysis, or mental illness all take their toll. Everywhere …
For several weeks, I saw her walk in alone, then leave alone. On most Sundays, she would sneak in during the middle of the morning worship set. Other times, she would find a seat in the last row, just as I was getting ready to preach. I would soon discover her story. She and her …
The challenge for most of us as Americans is that we are individuals. It’s far easier for many of us to be private than vulnerable, busy than available, and isolated instead of interdependent. As a result, we miss out on the joy, blessing and of course, hard work of doing life together. We have not …
As a pastor, I have sat across the table from dozens of parents, who like the father in Jesus’ parable of the prodigal son were waiting for their son or daughter to come home. Their hearts ached – sometimes with sorrow, sometimes with fear, and other times, with guilt. Each one of them would gladly …
