A Family's Story of Faith

That pretty much says it, doesn't it? The truth is... everybody uses judgment every day. It just gets more complicated when other people evaluate the "judgment". Whether it was good or bad depends on who you ask. So how do you know who to listen to? Who gets to decide if you're showing good judgment? The answer comes when you look to God for answers. Believing and relying on God's word sheds incredible light on the issue. Because God has an amazing plan for you and your life, He does all He can to help you find and attain it. That means when you work with God, He gives you the grace to make right decisions and show good judgment. Of course, I'm not so sure that extends to that ugly, green shirt you just bought because it was on sale. And it might not cover your decision to shave your head because you lost a bet. I think the consequences of those decisions will ultimately be yours and yours alone! There is a real danger, though. Just because you're working ...

Where is that instruction manual on raising kids? You know, the one the hospital gives you just before you leave with your new baby? Well, you can dream, can't you? What do you suppose an instruction manual would look like? Can't you just see it? It would contain some great categories like, "How to Stop the Whining", and "How to Get Your Kids to Listen When You Talk". Unfortunately, Christian parents face just as many obstacles as non-Christians in raising kids. AND when you add all the worldly distractions, Christian parenting becomes more than a challenge. A huge part of that challenge is passing on your faith to kids whose priorities are more focused on PC games, sporting events, and the latest trends in clothes. But the good news is that there are things you can do to raise Godly kids and even share your faith with them. First, you must live out your Faith in your own life. It is impossible to give away something you don't have. Kids can spot a phony...

Getting caught up in all the world says, is not important and is probably the biggest hindrance to keeping our Christian priorities at the top of our list. It's so easy to go about our business every day, look out for our own interests, and if someone else is having problems, well, "thank goodness it's not me". Most of the time we can't see anything important enough to make us stop moving long enough to evaluate where we are, let alone where we're going. And of course, as long as we don't feel an immediate, pressing problem preventing us from moving forward, there's no reason to stop. At least, that's what the world says. Most of the time it takes some kind of tragedy to stop us in our tracks. Then we look around and wonder why it happened...why me? And that's when the struggle really starts. Sound familiar? I Can't Look... There they all are; our priorities all laid out, Christian or not. When we're forced to look at where we are, some...

There is nothing more destructive or paralyzing, but yet you would be very hard pressed to find a handful of people in your own life who do not complain regularly. Why is that? Where did that overwhelming sense of entitlement come from? Is it because you are blessed beyond comprehension and you won't settle for anything less than the best and most of absolutely everything? Or is it because your sense of "me first" is so prevalent that complaining just comes as a natural after-effect? It's easy to complain about your boss or in-laws. After all, those people were put on this earth just to test your patience and fortitude, right? And it's easy to complain about money. After all, you can only chase so many blue light specials..... And of course your spouse.....well, talk about Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde.......you married one person and somewhere along the line, when you weren't looking, you ended up with another. Now, if ever there was a reason to complain. In fact,...

Have you ever spent time with one of your kids where all you did was just "hang out?" If you have grown kids, and you ask them what they remember most about their childhood, I would bet they recall a time where you spent an afternoon participating in some fun activity. As parents, it sometimes takes a while for us to discover that the thing our kids want most from us is our time. But oh, time always seems to be the thing we find in short supply. I remember when my son was about 4 years old. I would play board games with him in the afternoons. I remember he and I would always claim to be "Champion of the World" when one of us would win. Of course, beating a 4 year old isn't exactly something to brag about on my resume, but nonetheless, I always made sure the title passed back and forth... sometimes. My son and I both fondly recall those days as very special times when we built a relationship. And the truth is... I had a hard time saying no to my son after all th...

There's nothing worse than somebody trying to preach to you about something going on in your life when all you can think about is finding a way to make it right. At that moment, the last thing you want to see is somebody carrying a Bible, acting like they know exactly what you need and how you feel. And truth be told, when they ask you to read from their Bible, you're thinking you'd rather hit them over the head with it! This is the very scenario that makes the concept of sharing your faith so intimidating. Most people would like to help others, but knowing what to say and how to say it stops you in your tracks. So how do share your faith without making people run and hide from you? People can spot a phony from a mile away. The absolute worst thing you can do is say one thing and do another. If you aren't committed to applying Christian principles in your own life, you will not only be ineffective, but will be seen as insincere and phony. People aren't as interested...

While it's true some people seem to find their life purpose easier than others, it's also true that God really does have a plan for every single person, even if it takes a while to see what it is. Most people think finding your life purpose means doing something you truly love. It's an area that just seems natural to you and things just seem to fall into place. But what if things aren't so clear for you? What if you're not sure what your gifts are? What if you haven't discovered any particular talent that makes you think it could be your true calling in life? Or what if you're working somewhere and you're good at it, but you just don't feel fulfilled? Is this all there is for you? Don't panic. You're not alone. There are lots of people in the same boat. Take a look at the Disciples. Now, there's a diverse group. Before Jesus came on the scene, they were fishermen, tax collectors, farmers, etc. They must've been good at what they were ...