You shall be called… the restorer of paths to live in. – Isaiah 58:12
While most men would never dream of abusing or killing their own child, many are doing just that without even recognizing it.
We are not only experiencing the biggest dearth of Fathers in our history but also the biggest lack of real men. This may sound a bit harsh, but the evidence – like our children – screams to be heard. Continue reading “Father Power”
“Learning is easy for you.” I have lost count of how many people have said that to me over the years, but the truth is, I have to work at it like most people. I do not have an Eidetic memory where I remember everything I see, but I have acquired a few skills over the years that help make the process easier and more enjoyable. I have also discovered that almost everyone can learn these skills.
In a time when the average American marriage lasts only eight years, I am delighted today to be celebrating 28 wonderful years with my beautiful wife Teri. It hasn’t always been easy, but every day, good and not-so-good, serves a sacred memory of the vows we made to each other nearly three decades ago. Through thick and thin, we have grown closer and more in love over the years. In fact, the bad times probably did more to strengthen our marriage and resolve than the good ones. I can honestly say that I am more deeply in love and more committed to Teri than ever before.
Do I have any regrets? You betcha! I wish I had known so much more about what it takes to make a great marriage long before I got into it. Our experiences are a huge part of what drives me today as I coach young couples about to take the dive. I want to do for them what no one did for me. In that spirit, I thought I would dedicate this week’s blogs to eight things I have learned about marriage over the past twenty-eight years.
Continue reading “8 Things 28 Years Have Taught Me about Marriage – Part 1”
Little Bobby eagerly awaits his Mother’s hug and thankful words after handing her a dandelion from the yard. Little Amy anxiously searches her Father’s face for approval following the presentation of her latest stick-family art. When the flower is placed in a vase on the dining room table and the drawing is given a prominent position in Daddy’s office, the children’s joy is made complete and overflowing. The children feel good about themselves. The pleasure they perceive from others, because of something they did, provides them with a pleasure of their own.
Happy Mother’s Day to all the great Moms! You make us who we are and we are grateful!
Today we are going to take a look at some of the Biblical attributes of Magnificent Moms. I doubt anyone hits all of them perfectly, but I know a lot of Moms – including four very special ones in my life – that get awful close. (Four? – For those wondering, I have a great Birth Mom, a wonderful Adopted Mom who married my Dad, A Blessed Covenant Mom I got when I married my Wife and of course my Wife – and Mother of our two girls – is one of the greatest Moms I know.)
Now that we got that complicated explanation out of the way, here are Ten Biblical Attributes of a Magnificent Mom:
Continue reading “Magnificent Moms: Ten Biblical Attributes”
As we prepare for Mother’s Day this coming Sunday, it is appropriate to reflect on the importance of Moms. Through many counseling sessions with both men and women over the years, I have learned much about the positive and negative effects of Mothers. George Washington also seemed to grasp of how important Mothers are. He once said,
“My mother was the most beautiful woman I ever saw. All I am I owe to my mother. I attribute all my success in life to the moral, intellectual and physical education I received from her.”
There are many positive aspects of the up-and-coming generations. They are technologically savvy, they tend to respond more rapidly to changing conditions, and they process more knowledge – more quickly – than any generation before them. In contrast, however, there are many challenges that should serve as warnings before simply putting the older generations out to pasture.
Although I can only begin to skim the surface of this profound and deep topic in this blog, I believe it is high time we dig beyond the platitudes and begin a serious discussion about the future of our world and more specifically the future of the Church.
Can we learn parenting from someone who lived hundreds of years ago? If the success of her children are any indicator, we certainly can.
In a previous blog, I wrote about the phenomenal woman, Susanna Wesley. In case you missed that one and don’t know who Susannah Wesley was, she was the mother of John Wesley who became the founder of the Methodist movement. His brother Charles is a famous songwriter who wrote over 6,500 songs. A number of them are still sung in churches today.