Going “no contact” is a trend today—the idea that adult kids must cut ties with their parents for the sake of healing and self-care. But how does that line up with Jesus’ command to “be merciful” (Luke 6:36)? In this three-part series, relationship experts...
What does it mean to leave and cleave in today’s world? What happens when we don’t? Whether you’re about to be married, you’ve been married for years, or you have adult children who have said, “I do,” this episode offers wisdom for...
If you were invited to a special dinner party, where the honored guests gathering around the table are all friends of Jesus who will be participating in a symbolic reenactment of the most important day in the history of the world, would you go? What I’ve just...
Years ago, I attended a company Christmas party (remember those?) with my husband. As we entered the large dining hall, Ken saw a couple of men he worked with about to sit down. Their table had four or five empty seats so he said, “Mind if we join you?”...
I hope you’ll enjoy this post which was previously published at True Woman, a ministry of Revive Our Hearts. A few years ago, I came up with a tricky idea for tagging our gifts. I formulated this plan because I was frustrated by the way—in years past—my kids...
I was shopping at Target, when a dad entered the store with his two kids, pushing a big red cart. The kids, who were very enthusiastic shoppers, darted over near me to look at some of the displays with bright-eyed expressions. You could tell that this dad had done a...
I laughed as I read my friend Jocelyn’s Christmas letter. She described how her 8-year-old, Elsa, has solidified her life plans–where she’ll attend college, her field of study, and her career objectives after graduation. Life is quite tidy for Elsa....
Each year, our friends, the Gebhards, put up a ‘Jesus Stocking’ at their house in December. All month, they collect money, and then use the funds to buy a gift for someone in need. All month, they thumb through the Samaritan’s purse catalog, hoping to be able purchase...
During one particular sports season, my son Cole complained that his coach screamed more at him than anyone else on the team. And from what I was hearing on the sidelines, I decided he might be right! I constantly heard my son’s name being screamed across the...
When we moved, a few years ago, one of our kids was especially distraught. He said, “But I prayed that God would bring a friend to live on our street, and he did! So I think that means we’re supposed to stay on our street.”Basically, his theology...