Life

You Are Being Trained for Greatness

Have you or someone you know ever considered becoming a doctor, whether it be in medicine, dentistry, teaching or some other field of study? What is one thing all of these disciplines have in common? Each one requires an enormous amount of time and energy in school learning, growing and being trained to become an expert in the desired vocation. Those who have completed this journey have invested eight to 12 years or more in preparation – now that is serious dedication! In the same way, God prepares us for service in His kingdom through extensive training. He takes us […]

-Read More


How Does Your Cash Flow?

Last month’s article dealt with step one in determining where you are financially. You learned that calculating your net worth/balance sheet (what you own minus what you owe) was the starting point in developing a biblically-based financial plan. This month you will become familiar with step two, which is calculating your summary of cash flow/income statement (what’s coming in minus what’s going out). This starting point will identify any obvious problems, financial strengths and some immediate steps that can be taken (i.e. spending less than you make). If the statement of net worth is like a snap shot, then the […]

-Read More


Love Says “No”

Much of life is about balance – finding a balance between work and play or maintaining a balanced budget. In the “Parenting on Purpose” process, nothing is more important than the balance between relationship and discipline. The right disciplinary program gives a child the ability to eventually discipline himself. A right parent-child relationship gives the child the secure foundation to learn the motivation to say no, and even learn to seek balance in his own life. A positive relationship also makes the child feel secure even when he hears no from his parents. Discipline without relationship teaches a child to […]

-Read More


Can You Defend Your Faith?

Have you ever felt ill-equipped when discussing your Christian faith with a skeptic, atheist or follower of another religion? Do you spend time actually studying why you believe what you believe, or do you settle for taking someone else’s word for it? While Christianity is absolutely a walk of faith, being a Christian does not require you to check your brain at the door. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. In 1 Peter 3:14-15 (ESV), the Bible says,“Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make […]

-Read More


Thinking About Online Dating?

Commentary It was the fall of 2006; the ink had just dried on my divorce papers when a friend first introduced the idea of online dating to me. I had been married for what seemed like a lifetime, so this was a novel idea to me. Married people are married, so they have no idea what is happening in the world of single people. As I began to crawl out from under my married rock, I decided to do my own research on the recent phenomenon of online dating. I found multiple options. There are free online dating sites, like […]

-Read More


Food Labels: Friend or Foe?

What is the one thing on a food product that is most commonly ignored or misinterpreted? It would be the food label or, more specifically, the nutrition facts. Often times, you glance at it to “check” how many calories you would consume or how much sodium is in an item, but do you really understand what you are reading? The food label in this example has eight servings per container and a single serving is ½ cup (approximately 82 grams). In order to make food more appealing, food companies may lower the serving size so that all the information applies […]

-Read More


Renewing the Mind

How do you change your life? How do you overcome that habit and break free from that destructive pattern of behavior? Do you know how to become more like Christ? What do you say to your friend who tells you, “I want to change, but I don’t know where to start?” Thankfully, the key to lasting change can be known. The apostle Paul says, “…Be transformed by the renewal of your minds” (Rom.12:2). The secret to all lasting transformation is the renewal of your mind. But what does renewing your mind really mean? Why is it necessary for change? And […]

-Read More


Real Men Don’t Buy Girls

The voice of a young girl screams relentlessly as she is being sold into the sex trade industry, “Help…help…please help,” but no one is there to hear her cry. No one is there to speak up on her behalf and be a voice against her injustice. Betrayed by her own mother, she was given over to the owner of a brothel to be exploited, earning money for her family. To escape the hurt and pain, this young girl tries to commit suicide many times but fails. She grows up feeling worthless and devalued because of the trauma she had endured […]

-Read More


What Daddies Do Best

Laura Numeroff’s What Daddies Do Best is a beloved, whimsical board book with delightful illustrations. A favorite for bedtime reading, young boys and girls cuddle up with this best-selling book and celebrate all the things dad is good at; like playing in the park, reading books and giving piggyback rides. “Daddies can teach you how to ride a bicycle, make a snowman with you, and bake a delicious cake for your birthday,” begins the story. Daddy hippo teaches his son how to ride a bike. Daddy billy goat helps his daughter plant a garden and takes care of her when […]

-Read More


Hope for The Fatherless

Fatherlessness is the most urgent social problem affecting our society today. According to the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department for Health and Human Services, 40 percent of all children in America will go to bed tonight without a father in the home. The effects of this are staggering, considering that 85 percent of all children with behavioral disorders come from fatherless homes. In fact, fatherless children are at a greater risk of suicide, mental illness, poverty and substance abuse, and are 20 times more likely to end up in prison. However, despite these bleak statistics and the pessimism that […]

-Read More