Contemplate the mountains and their valleys. Feel the wind. See the beauty. Touch the flowers. Strength and submission surrounds us through the balance of nature. And the God that put that all in its place, placed you here, too. And you are so much more valuable!
Read MoreFailure finds those who focus their energies trying to avoid it, just like tumbling comes to those always looking at the ground. We need to stop trying “not to fail” and start believing we were “meant to fly.”
Read MoreA marriage with scheduled sex and weekly date nights is definitely helpful for a couple buried in their careers, maintaining a home and keeping up with the ever growing list of things to do for the kids, but couples would do their marriages well by reviving romance.
Read MoreSocial media has changed in the last decade of use. It’s become so much more than a platform for friends and family to stay connected through status updates. It’s become the primary news outlet for the emerging generation.
Read MoreJacob started crying in the car when I picked him up from school today (“pajama day”) and it left me momentarily speechless. As I gathered myself, I slowly began to probe. Apparently, some kids were making fun of the PJs he wore, calling them a baby’s.
Read MoreTaking a first step in the right direction, many times, is the most important thing we will do. The first step matters the most and requires the most energy and decisiveness—after which, the steps become more self-evident and we move upward with greater ease.
Read MorePerspective changes everything! Depending on which way we look at something (or someone), we can be grateful or bitter, floating with satisfaction or sunken in envy. The condition of our hearts and position of our minds have the power to alter our experience and, subsequently, our expressions.
Read MoreA gift of God is human flex because it allows us to cope in hardship and survive through pain. I know that rains cease and darkness doesn’t last. Bones heal and heartaches subside. My despair eventually finds hope. I can lose a leg and find mobility still; I can lose a loved one and be stronger still. But when I lose my flex, I lose my strength.
Read MoreWe’ve bought into this notion hook, line and sinker. We’re told to do the things that make us happy, and this definitely has merit when contemplating the jobs we should take or deciding which establishments to patron, and even which dating relationships to pursue. But we must be weary of allowing this mantra to follow us into marriage.
Read MoreYour version of taking risks is probably not standing on the ledge of a canyon, and neither is mine, but we can all imagine the inner exhilaration of beholding that chasm from that vantage point, which would only be magnified even more because of the fear that was overcome to get there.
Read MoreAs a parent, it’s my nature to hang on to my kids. When something threatens their safety, I pull them in. When I want to provide for their needs, I pull them in. When I want them to know how much I love them, I pull them in. These are all good—and necessary—but I need to get comfortable with letting them go.
Read MoreSometimes the holidays and end of the year can be a confusing and draining time. If things have gotten knotted in life, family, work or relationships, don't let your emotions push you to react quickly; instead, allow your sober mind to catch up with your hurting heart.
Read MoreApproximately 80% of Americans have a sibling and the sibling relationship is the longest relationship most people will have in their lives because parents pass on and spouses and kids come later. Our boys are 26 months apart and watching them interact at this young age has its moments that both warm and ache our hearts.
Read MoreThere’s never just one winner of an argument in marriage—only two losers. It’s either win-win or lose-lose, there’s no other option. So trying to prove your innocence or correctness at the expense of your spouse's guilt and error is a self-inflicting wound. Couples come out of an disagreement/argument either stronger or weaker, but never the same.
Read MoreSelf-denial is one of the most detrimental things to good health and personal progress. There are times when reality hits us square in the face and we are presented with information that is both accurate and unflattering.
Read MoreThere are times when I try to do too much and it negatively impacts everything. I take on another work responsibility because the circumstances necessitate it while juggling the increasing number of responsibilities at home, and trying to do things perfectly the whole time.
Read MoreWe were really fortunate that the weather for our short getaway to Palm Springs was so nice for this time of year. It’s late November and it was just warm enough to spend most of both days by the pool and the kids had so much fun!
Read MoreBuilding inroads into our kids' hearts take time, both in the duration of days-months-years sense and the number of minutes spent each day sense. Bringing a life into the world is a beautiful thing, but just because we do this part doesn't mean we'll automatically have a deep and meaningful lifelong connection.
Read MoreGood morning! As you go about your Thanksgiving Eve day, I just wanted to remind you that you are beautiful because God made you! Too often we try to qualify people’s beauty by describing their physical attributes or material accessories, but none is needed here. The Master Artisan has stroked every color and mixed every shade.
Read MoreThe other week Jenny and I started looking for a bunk bed for our boys and ended up going to Ikea. We’ve all walked through similar showrooms and plopped ourselves down on one of those sofas before. As I sat there in that pseudo living room, everything looked really nice but it was so evident that something was desperately lacking: warmth.
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