While attending FamilyLife's Weekend to Remember marriage conference in Tulsa this past weekend, one of the speakers asked the men to talk to each other about the most courageous thing they had ever done.
That was a tough question for most of us. The man with whom I was talking said that he could not think of anything really courageous that he had done. With a little prodding, he finally told me that he had started his own overhead door company. He didn't think of it as a big deal, but it seemed courageous to me. After all, he had risked his financial future and his family's financial future on starting his own company. He had faced and overcome a few significant fears in doing it.
I had a little difficulty answering the question, too. Most of the things I had done in my life that could be considered courageous were actually simply acts of naivete. I was simply too ignorant of my situation to consider the risks. However, when it came down to a time when I faced my fears in a significant way, I could only remember going through the adoption process. I knew that I was risking our finances. I knew that I was risking rejection from potential birth mothers. I knew that I was risking the criticism of people who might not understand our decisions. I knew that I was taking a risk by pouring my heart into the life of a child. But I also knew that it was worth the risk of failure. I knew that I had to overcome my insecurities and fears in order to adopt a child.
What is the most courageous thing you've ever done?
"Be strong and courageous..." (Joshua 1:6).
http://mensteppingupblog.com/2013/01/21/definingcourage/
Showing posts with label FamilyLife. Show all posts
Showing posts with label FamilyLife. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Monday, January 17, 2011
The Weekend to Remember Winner
Congratulations to Kathleen Johnson on being the winner of our Weekend to Remember registration! We hope that you and your husband enjoy the marriage conference as much as we did.
If a reader would like to attend one of FamilyLife's Weekend to Remember marriage conferences but did not win the free registration, I have some good news. From today through January 31, 2011, you can take advantage of a "buy one/get one free" offer for listeners to the FamilyLife Today radio program. When you call 1-800-FLTODAY to register, mention that you are a listener to FamilyLife Today and you will be able to register for half the normal price. If you register online, type "BOB" in the key code box on the registration form for the discount.
If you would like more information about the Weekend to Remember, please click on this link:
About the Weekend to Remember - FamilyLife.com
If a reader would like to attend one of FamilyLife's Weekend to Remember marriage conferences but did not win the free registration, I have some good news. From today through January 31, 2011, you can take advantage of a "buy one/get one free" offer for listeners to the FamilyLife Today radio program. When you call 1-800-FLTODAY to register, mention that you are a listener to FamilyLife Today and you will be able to register for half the normal price. If you register online, type "BOB" in the key code box on the registration form for the discount.
If you would like more information about the Weekend to Remember, please click on this link:
About the Weekend to Remember - FamilyLife.com
Monday, January 10, 2011
Our Second Annual Weekend to Remember Contest
Four years ago, I won tickets from a local radio station to attend FamilyLife's A Weekend to Remember marriage conference. Janet and I had a great time.
During the conference, we learned about the biblical plan for the role of husbands, the role of wives, valuing each other as God's gifts, sexual intimacy, communication, and many other subjects. The speakers were insightful and humorous. They even set aside time on Saturday night for couples to have a date night together. It truly lived up to its name. It was a weekend to remember.
Since we enjoyed the conference so much, Janet and I have decided to pay the registration for another couple to experience A Weekend to Remember. The conferences are being held across the United States and in Canada this spring. You may find information about dates, locations, and other details at www.weekendtoremember.com.
In order to win registration to A Weekend to Remember, please leave a comment on this post. The contest will be open until 12:01 am January 17, 2011. Next Monday, I will randomly draw one name from the comments section of the reader who will win the registration. (Sorry, but we cannot pay for your hotel room and meals; but the registration fee is valued at $318, so it is still a very valuable prize for a blog contest.) If you are the winner, we will get your mailing address and instruct FamilyLife to send a gift certificate for you and your spouse to attend the conference of your choice.
During the conference, we learned about the biblical plan for the role of husbands, the role of wives, valuing each other as God's gifts, sexual intimacy, communication, and many other subjects. The speakers were insightful and humorous. They even set aside time on Saturday night for couples to have a date night together. It truly lived up to its name. It was a weekend to remember.
Since we enjoyed the conference so much, Janet and I have decided to pay the registration for another couple to experience A Weekend to Remember. The conferences are being held across the United States and in Canada this spring. You may find information about dates, locations, and other details at www.weekendtoremember.com.
In order to win registration to A Weekend to Remember, please leave a comment on this post. The contest will be open until 12:01 am January 17, 2011. Next Monday, I will randomly draw one name from the comments section of the reader who will win the registration. (Sorry, but we cannot pay for your hotel room and meals; but the registration fee is valued at $318, so it is still a very valuable prize for a blog contest.) If you are the winner, we will get your mailing address and instruct FamilyLife to send a gift certificate for you and your spouse to attend the conference of your choice.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
"I Do Not Wish to Have a Coward For a Husband"
A couple of weeks ago, we bought Growing Together in Courage by Barbara Rainey. The book is a seven-day family devotional intended to encourage the development of courage. We have been reading it at the dinner table.
This is an excerpt:
"To be countercultural means to go against the flow. It means doing what is right and true no matter what others are doing. When you go against the flow, you recognize that just because something is popular doesn't necessarily mean that it's right.
"Courage is countercultural.
"In 1945, an assembly of pastors and priests gathered in Bucharest, Romania. The meeting had been organized by the new Soviet-controlled Communist government, which had recently replaced Hitler's Nazi government in Romania. Neither government allowed true freedom of religion. The Romanian people had suffered under Hitler and were about to suffer under a new, equally cruel leader, Joseph Stalin.
"Richard Wurmbrand and his wife, Sabina, were at the 1945 gathering. They knew that a primary intent of Communism was to destroy religion, so they were shocked to hear many of their fellow religious leaders actually declaring a belief that Communism and Christianity could peacefully coexist. Because of fear, these men set aside their faith and spoke with lies and flattery.
"Deeply troubled, Sabina whispered to her husband, 'Richard, stand up and wash away this shame from the face of Christ.'
"'If I speak,' Richard explained, 'you will lose your husband.'
"Sabina replied, 'I do not wish to have a coward for a husband'" (page 19).
The book is available only from FamilyLife. I do not know about another devotional book designed to build courage in children. It's a very good book, and may be ordered at http://www.shopfamilylife.com/growing-together-courage.html.
Sunday, April 04, 2010
A Good Way to Relate to People Who Don't Share Your Christian Convictions
In addition to co-hosting the FamilyLife Today radio program, Bob Lepine serves as a pastor of Redeemer Community Church in Little Rock, Arkansas. Each week, he writes something for the church's blog (http://redeemerlr.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=section&layout=blog&id=8&Itemid=50). This is a portion from his excellent post on March 31, 2010:
"After I had finished speaking last week at the TrueWoman10 conference in Chattanooga, I had a wife come up to me seeking counsel. It was obvious that God had been stirring in her own heart at this event. But as she contemplated going home, she was discouraged.
"Her husband, she said, professes faith in Christ, but his life doesn't match his profession. She finds herself conflicted between wanting to live a life that is wholly consecrated to Christ and a desire to live in oneness with her husband. What should she do?
"I gave her some general counsel about not compromising her faith, while seeking to win her husband without a word. Mary Ann and I prayed for her, and we were done.
"Later, I thought about what I wished I had told her.
"I wish I had told her that her holiness matters to God and she should seek to live a life that is righteous, morally upright and blameless. At the same time she should be careful not to parade her holiness before her husband. God cares about her obedience to Him. But her desire for holiness isn't what will make her walk with Christ attractive to her husband.
"Instead, it is as her life manifests the fruit of the Spirit--love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control--that her husband will see in her qualities that he desires to be true in his own life.
"God does indeed care about her moral convictions and standards, but her husband won't. He will not be impressed by the things she says 'no' to.
"But as she kindly, compassionately, humbly loves and serves him, looking for ways to bless him and support him and encourage him, he'll find himself being drawn to the Christ he sees in her.
"I believe that principle is true in all of our relationships with people who don't share our spiritual convictions. They won't be drawn to Christ primarily because our arguments for the Christian life make sense to them. And they won't be drawn to Christ because we live lives with a commitment to a higher moral standard than they do.
"Ultimately, the only thing that will draw them to Christ is the Spirit of God working through the word of God. Faith comes by hearing a message about Christ.
"But when we live lives marked by self-sacrifice and love for others, we show the power of Christ at work in our own lives. And that can help soften the soil of a human heart to make it more ready to receive the seed of God's word when it comes.
"Would the people who know you best--a spouse, your children, family members, co-workers--would they say that you are a person who radiates love? Joy? Peace? Patience? And all the rest?
"The same power that raised Christ from the dead is at work in you. It is His power at work in you that makes it possible for you to live the kind of life that puts His glory and grace on display."
"After I had finished speaking last week at the TrueWoman10 conference in Chattanooga, I had a wife come up to me seeking counsel. It was obvious that God had been stirring in her own heart at this event. But as she contemplated going home, she was discouraged.
"Her husband, she said, professes faith in Christ, but his life doesn't match his profession. She finds herself conflicted between wanting to live a life that is wholly consecrated to Christ and a desire to live in oneness with her husband. What should she do?
"I gave her some general counsel about not compromising her faith, while seeking to win her husband without a word. Mary Ann and I prayed for her, and we were done.
"Later, I thought about what I wished I had told her.
"I wish I had told her that her holiness matters to God and she should seek to live a life that is righteous, morally upright and blameless. At the same time she should be careful not to parade her holiness before her husband. God cares about her obedience to Him. But her desire for holiness isn't what will make her walk with Christ attractive to her husband.
"Instead, it is as her life manifests the fruit of the Spirit--love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control--that her husband will see in her qualities that he desires to be true in his own life.
"God does indeed care about her moral convictions and standards, but her husband won't. He will not be impressed by the things she says 'no' to.
"But as she kindly, compassionately, humbly loves and serves him, looking for ways to bless him and support him and encourage him, he'll find himself being drawn to the Christ he sees in her.
"I believe that principle is true in all of our relationships with people who don't share our spiritual convictions. They won't be drawn to Christ primarily because our arguments for the Christian life make sense to them. And they won't be drawn to Christ because we live lives with a commitment to a higher moral standard than they do.
"Ultimately, the only thing that will draw them to Christ is the Spirit of God working through the word of God. Faith comes by hearing a message about Christ.
"But when we live lives marked by self-sacrifice and love for others, we show the power of Christ at work in our own lives. And that can help soften the soil of a human heart to make it more ready to receive the seed of God's word when it comes.
"Would the people who know you best--a spouse, your children, family members, co-workers--would they say that you are a person who radiates love? Joy? Peace? Patience? And all the rest?
"The same power that raised Christ from the dead is at work in you. It is His power at work in you that makes it possible for you to live the kind of life that puts His glory and grace on display."
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
An Update on the Weekend to Remember Contest
Last month, I conducted a contest on this blog. My wife and I paid the registration fees for two couples to attend FamilyLife's A Weekend to Remember marriage conferences.
Last night, one of the winning couples let me know that they attended one of the conferences in New England last weekend. They were grateful for the opportunity to rebuild their relationship with God and their marriage. They let me know that the conference exceeded all their expectations.
I was thankful for the update. God had used my blog to help others and to honor his name.
I don't know how many people read this blog, but I suspect that it is relatively few. I don't know how either of the contest winners even found my blog. But I am thankful that God has used this blog to bless a few other people and to show people a little more clearly his goodness.
I want to add this encouragement to any fellow bloggers who may stumble upon this blog: Please don't waste your blog. Concentrate on blessing other people and glorifying God with your blog. You don't need to be a professional minister to make a difference. (I deliver the mail for a living.) You don't need to have many readers. You can make a difference with what God has given you.
"...grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift" (Ephesians 4:7).
Use it to honor him.
Last night, one of the winning couples let me know that they attended one of the conferences in New England last weekend. They were grateful for the opportunity to rebuild their relationship with God and their marriage. They let me know that the conference exceeded all their expectations.
I was thankful for the update. God had used my blog to help others and to honor his name.
I don't know how many people read this blog, but I suspect that it is relatively few. I don't know how either of the contest winners even found my blog. But I am thankful that God has used this blog to bless a few other people and to show people a little more clearly his goodness.
I want to add this encouragement to any fellow bloggers who may stumble upon this blog: Please don't waste your blog. Concentrate on blessing other people and glorifying God with your blog. You don't need to be a professional minister to make a difference. (I deliver the mail for a living.) You don't need to have many readers. You can make a difference with what God has given you.
"...grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift" (Ephesians 4:7).
Use it to honor him.
Tuesday, February 02, 2010
A Woman's View of Husbands and Football
I received the following e-mail from Barbara Rainey of FamilyLife yesterday. Since it was an e-mail, I'm not sure whether it is on the web site, but you may find other good material at www.familylife.com.
"While watching some of the recent National Football League wild card and championship games with my husband, I asked him about some of the finer points of the game.
"I understand the basics of scoring and the role of key players like the quarterback, but how do they determine where field goals are kicked, how does the wild card system work, and what is the backfield, anyway? Last weekend during the AFC/NFC championship games I finally learned what the secondary is. He likes it that I'm asking questions. By the way, to Indy!
"Then I began pondering another question.
"What is the draw of football for men?
"When I asked him, my husband said it's the competition, the physicality, and the aggressiveness of the game. It sounded so brutal. Not at all what I expected him to say.
"Thinking further I understand what he meant and as a result I have a few more theories as to why men love football.
"Like the relentless pounding of surf on the beach, football keeps coming back. Every year. It's as predictable as seasonal changes. At the same time every year. It's something we can count on no matter what happens in the economy or who is living in the White House.
"I think the fact that the game has a myriad of rules is part of its appeal. Loyal followers know the rules, understand why the rules are there, and count on them being enforced fairly. The rules change very little from year to year which brings continuity to the game.
"When a foul is called, one team may feel it was unfair but within a matter of minutes or less, it is accepted and the game continues. No lawsuits in federal courts, no changing of the rules so the offending team gets off the hook, no recount of votes, and rarely any fights or scandalous accusations. The players understand the rules and play by the rules. Done.
"And because the rules are followed, the games finish in a reasonable time frame. And most importantly there is always a clear winner and loser. No one worries about the feelings of the losing team. It's what they signed up for and it's part of the game.
"Our men who love the sport love that sure outcome because most of life is not so clearly defined. Men today are confused about their roles as men. They are built to be competitive, to aggressively protect (not the quarterback, but their families and communities and country), but they live in a world so conscious of being offensive, so fearful of being sued that they are constantly worried that they will be held back. A holding penalty is when a player literally grabs an opponent and holds him so he can't do his job. And a lot of men today feel that way--they're being held back.
"To be sure, there are plenty of unsavory aspects to the game, but in balance the good outweighs the bad. In this confusing, shifting world of ours the predictable sport of football gives our men a respite--a place to watch men exercise their God-given aggressive, physical, and competitive natures with self-control under the watchful eye of a higher authority--the coaches and refs.
"They love watching men be men. It's a microcosm of what the world should be like.
"I think its why I like football, too."
"While watching some of the recent National Football League wild card and championship games with my husband, I asked him about some of the finer points of the game.
"I understand the basics of scoring and the role of key players like the quarterback, but how do they determine where field goals are kicked, how does the wild card system work, and what is the backfield, anyway? Last weekend during the AFC/NFC championship games I finally learned what the secondary is. He likes it that I'm asking questions. By the way, to Indy!
"Then I began pondering another question.
"What is the draw of football for men?
"When I asked him, my husband said it's the competition, the physicality, and the aggressiveness of the game. It sounded so brutal. Not at all what I expected him to say.
"Thinking further I understand what he meant and as a result I have a few more theories as to why men love football.
"Like the relentless pounding of surf on the beach, football keeps coming back. Every year. It's as predictable as seasonal changes. At the same time every year. It's something we can count on no matter what happens in the economy or who is living in the White House.
"I think the fact that the game has a myriad of rules is part of its appeal. Loyal followers know the rules, understand why the rules are there, and count on them being enforced fairly. The rules change very little from year to year which brings continuity to the game.
"When a foul is called, one team may feel it was unfair but within a matter of minutes or less, it is accepted and the game continues. No lawsuits in federal courts, no changing of the rules so the offending team gets off the hook, no recount of votes, and rarely any fights or scandalous accusations. The players understand the rules and play by the rules. Done.
"And because the rules are followed, the games finish in a reasonable time frame. And most importantly there is always a clear winner and loser. No one worries about the feelings of the losing team. It's what they signed up for and it's part of the game.
"Our men who love the sport love that sure outcome because most of life is not so clearly defined. Men today are confused about their roles as men. They are built to be competitive, to aggressively protect (not the quarterback, but their families and communities and country), but they live in a world so conscious of being offensive, so fearful of being sued that they are constantly worried that they will be held back. A holding penalty is when a player literally grabs an opponent and holds him so he can't do his job. And a lot of men today feel that way--they're being held back.
"To be sure, there are plenty of unsavory aspects to the game, but in balance the good outweighs the bad. In this confusing, shifting world of ours the predictable sport of football gives our men a respite--a place to watch men exercise their God-given aggressive, physical, and competitive natures with self-control under the watchful eye of a higher authority--the coaches and refs.
"They love watching men be men. It's a microcosm of what the world should be like.
"I think its why I like football, too."
Sunday, January 03, 2010
A Weekend to Remember Contest
Three years ago, I won tickets from a local radio station to attend FamilyLife's A Weekend to Remember marriage conference. Janet and I had a great time.
During the conference, we learned about the biblical plan for the role of husbands, the role of wives, valuing each other as God's gifts, sexual intimacy, communication, and many other subjects. The speakers were insightful and humorous. They even set aside time on Saturday night for couples to have a date night together. It truly lived up to its name. It was a weekend to remember.
Since we enjoyed the conference so much, Janet and I have decided to pay the registration for another couple to experience A Weekend to Remember. The conferences are being held across the United States and in Canada this spring. You may find information about dates, locations, and other details at www.weekendtoremember.com.
In order to win registration to A Weekend to Remember, please leave a comment on this post. The contest will be open until 12:01 am January 10, 2010. Next Sunday, I will randomly draw one name from the comments section of the reader who will win the registration. (Sorry, but we cannot pay for your hotel room and meals; but the registration fee is valued at $258, so it is still a very valuable prize for a blog contest.) If you are the winner, we will get your mailing address and instruct FamilyLife to send a gift certificate for you and your spouse to attend the conference of your choice.
Of course, if no one enters the contest, Janet and I will enjoy another Weekend to Remember ourselves. But we hope others will take advantage of this opportunity to possibly win this prize.
During the conference, we learned about the biblical plan for the role of husbands, the role of wives, valuing each other as God's gifts, sexual intimacy, communication, and many other subjects. The speakers were insightful and humorous. They even set aside time on Saturday night for couples to have a date night together. It truly lived up to its name. It was a weekend to remember.
Since we enjoyed the conference so much, Janet and I have decided to pay the registration for another couple to experience A Weekend to Remember. The conferences are being held across the United States and in Canada this spring. You may find information about dates, locations, and other details at www.weekendtoremember.com.
In order to win registration to A Weekend to Remember, please leave a comment on this post. The contest will be open until 12:01 am January 10, 2010. Next Sunday, I will randomly draw one name from the comments section of the reader who will win the registration. (Sorry, but we cannot pay for your hotel room and meals; but the registration fee is valued at $258, so it is still a very valuable prize for a blog contest.) If you are the winner, we will get your mailing address and instruct FamilyLife to send a gift certificate for you and your spouse to attend the conference of your choice.
Of course, if no one enters the contest, Janet and I will enjoy another Weekend to Remember ourselves. But we hope others will take advantage of this opportunity to possibly win this prize.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
An Adoption Story
On the radio program FamilyLife Today, Georgia Bulldogs coach Mark Richt and his wife Katharyn tell the story of the adoption of their two children from Ukraine. You can hear the interview (or read the transcript) by clicking on the link below. (I recommend listening to it.)
FamilyLife Today - FamilyLife.com
Tomorrow, you should be able to access the second part of the interview by following a link from part one of the interview.
Posted using ShareThis
FamilyLife Today - FamilyLife.com
Tomorrow, you should be able to access the second part of the interview by following a link from part one of the interview.
Posted using ShareThis
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
The Family Room - Finding Men Worthy of Marriage
FamilyLife's The Family Room contains a good article about the need to
find men worth marrying. Author Voddie Baucham contends that fathers need to help their daughters recognize the essential qualities to seek in a potential husband, and they need to help their sons to develop those qualities.
Voddie Baucham writes, "I believe God has spoken rather decisively in His Word about what our daughters should look for. Moreover, I believe there are some non-negotiables that our daughters must be looking for. There are some things a man simply must be before he is qualified to assume the role of a Christian husband. For instance, he must be a Christian (2 Corinthians 6:14); he must be committed to biblical headship (Ephesians5:23ff.); he must welcome children (Psalm 127:3-5); he must be a suitable priest (Joshua 24:15), prophet (Ephesians 6:4), protector (Nehemiah 4:13-14), and provider (1 Timothy 5:8; Titus 2:5). A man who does not possess--or at least show strong signs of--these and other basic characteristics does not meet the basic job description laid down for husbands in the Bible.
"Moreover, as a father, it is my responsibility to teach my daughter what these requirements are, encourage her not to settle for less, and walk with her through the process of evaluating potential suitors. Of course, these ideas may come as a shock to many in contemporary Christian circles (not to mention society at large). However, I have found that there is a growing discontentment among young women today. They are tired of being thrown to the wolves. They are also tired of feeling like they have to settle for less than God's best. My question is, why should they?"
For more excerpts from Mr. Baucham's book What He Must Be if He Wants to Marry My Daughter, please click on the link below.
find men worth marrying. Author Voddie Baucham contends that fathers need to help their daughters recognize the essential qualities to seek in a potential husband, and they need to help their sons to develop those qualities.Voddie Baucham writes, "I believe God has spoken rather decisively in His Word about what our daughters should look for. Moreover, I believe there are some non-negotiables that our daughters must be looking for. There are some things a man simply must be before he is qualified to assume the role of a Christian husband. For instance, he must be a Christian (2 Corinthians 6:14); he must be committed to biblical headship (Ephesians5:23ff.); he must welcome children (Psalm 127:3-5); he must be a suitable priest (Joshua 24:15), prophet (Ephesians 6:4), protector (Nehemiah 4:13-14), and provider (1 Timothy 5:8; Titus 2:5). A man who does not possess--or at least show strong signs of--these and other basic characteristics does not meet the basic job description laid down for husbands in the Bible.
"Moreover, as a father, it is my responsibility to teach my daughter what these requirements are, encourage her not to settle for less, and walk with her through the process of evaluating potential suitors. Of course, these ideas may come as a shock to many in contemporary Christian circles (not to mention society at large). However, I have found that there is a growing discontentment among young women today. They are tired of being thrown to the wolves. They are also tired of feeling like they have to settle for less than God's best. My question is, why should they?"
For more excerpts from Mr. Baucham's book What He Must Be if He Wants to Marry My Daughter, please click on the link below.
Friday, August 14, 2009
The Family Room - August 2009 - FamilyLife.com
Each month, I receive a free e-magazine (The Family Room) from one of my favorite ministries, FamilyLife. Click on the link below to read an article from the current issue about caring for the environment.
Thursday, July 09, 2009
Dealing with Pornography and Sexual Issues
"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery.' But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart" (Matthew 5:27-28, English Standard Version).
I have had readers let me know that they are dealing with husbands who are addicted to pornography and that it is destroying their marriages. Since I am not an expert in this field, I am posting a few links to help others find help in dealing with this issue.
At www.familylife.com, you will find all kinds of good advice for families (including advice on sex and intimacy in marriage). I also recommend their marriage conference, A Weekend to Remember, and their radio program, FamilyLife Today.
At http://relit.org/porn_again_christian/, you will find a free book about pornography by Mark Driscoll. He is straightforward in his analysis and advice to men.
At http://xxxchurch.com/, you will find information about addiction to pornography and how to deal with it.
Please check out these resources. I hope they help.
I have had readers let me know that they are dealing with husbands who are addicted to pornography and that it is destroying their marriages. Since I am not an expert in this field, I am posting a few links to help others find help in dealing with this issue.
At www.familylife.com, you will find all kinds of good advice for families (including advice on sex and intimacy in marriage). I also recommend their marriage conference, A Weekend to Remember, and their radio program, FamilyLife Today.
At http://relit.org/porn_again_christian/, you will find a free book about pornography by Mark Driscoll. He is straightforward in his analysis and advice to men.
At http://xxxchurch.com/, you will find information about addiction to pornography and how to deal with it.
Please check out these resources. I hope they help.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Why Sex Is So Important
"May your fountain be blessed,
and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth.
A loving doe, a graceful deer--
may her breasts satisfy you always,
may you ever be captivated by her love" (Proverbs 5:18-19).
The FamilyLife Culture Watch blog has posted two good articles about the importance of sex.
"Why Sex Is So Important to Your Husband" by Barbara Rainey is available at www.familylifeculturewatch.com/2009/02/why-sex-is-so-important-to-your-husband.html.
"Why Sex Is So Important to Your Wife" by Dennis Rainey is available at www.familylifeculturewatch.com/2009/02/why-sex-is-so-important-to-your-wife.html.
In addition, FamilyLife's A Weekend to Remember marriage conference will be in Tulsa on March 20-22. It's a great conference. It will also take place in different cities around the country this spring. More information may be obtained at www.familylifeweekend.com.
and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth.
A loving doe, a graceful deer--
may her breasts satisfy you always,
may you ever be captivated by her love" (Proverbs 5:18-19).
The FamilyLife Culture Watch blog has posted two good articles about the importance of sex.
"Why Sex Is So Important to Your Husband" by Barbara Rainey is available at www.familylifeculturewatch.com/2009/02/why-sex-is-so-important-to-your-husband.html.
"Why Sex Is So Important to Your Wife" by Dennis Rainey is available at www.familylifeculturewatch.com/2009/02/why-sex-is-so-important-to-your-wife.html.
In addition, FamilyLife's A Weekend to Remember marriage conference will be in Tulsa on March 20-22. It's a great conference. It will also take place in different cities around the country this spring. More information may be obtained at www.familylifeweekend.com.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
The Cry of the Orphan
"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world" (James 1:27).
Next week, my favorite radio program will devote a week to covering one of my favorite topics. FamilyLife Today will feature its third annual Cry of the Orphan Week. Each day will be devoted to how Christians can help the orphans of the world. More information concerning broadcast stations and times (as well as podcasts) may be found at www.familylife.com. Please check out these broadcasts. You will not be disappointed.
More information about caring for orphans can be found at www.hopefororphans.com. Thanks for reading!
Next week, my favorite radio program will devote a week to covering one of my favorite topics. FamilyLife Today will feature its third annual Cry of the Orphan Week. Each day will be devoted to how Christians can help the orphans of the world. More information concerning broadcast stations and times (as well as podcasts) may be found at www.familylife.com. Please check out these broadcasts. You will not be disappointed.
More information about caring for orphans can be found at www.hopefororphans.com. Thanks for reading!
Monday, October 06, 2008
You Leave What You Live
Nearly a year and a half ago, Janet and I attended FamilyLife's A Weekend to Remember marriage conference, one of the highlights of our marriage. During the conference, we purchased a number of books. I have been reading through one of them lately, Rocking the Roles by Robert Lewis and William Hendricks. I would like to share a powerful section of the book:
"Remember Lot in Genesis 19? The New Testament describes Lot as 'righteous,' meaning he was a God-fearer, a believer. But Lot also was a man whose life contradicted his belief. He compromised himself for prosperity around Sodom and Gomorrah, despite the wickedness that filled those towns. He moved his family there, and before long they were living the same evil lifestyle. One day two angels appeared to Lot, saying that God was about to destroy those cities. Immediately Lot went to warn his family. Perhaps for the first time in his life, he sought to exercise some real spiritual leadership (Genesis 19:14, emphasis added):
"'Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law...and said, 'Up, get out of this place, for the Lord will destroy the city.' But he appeared to his sons-in-law to be jesting.'
"Imagine this, if you will. In the moment of crisis, Lot was desperately trying to save his family. No doubt he used religious words such as sin, judgment, and evil. But Lot's spiritual credibility was already shot. So much so that his children dismissed him as playing a joke. 'Come on, Dad! God condemn us? Stop kidding. We haven't done anything wrong. What's wrong? What's right? Very funny, Dad!'
"Why did Lot receive this response? Because of the great gulf between his beliefs and his lifestyle.
"You will leave in your children what you have lived out in your home. You can leave a gift or a joke. Certainly, it depends on what you teach, but even more on how you live...
"What example are you showing your kids that will gift their marriages twenty years from now? Will they be advantaged because of the legacy you have left? Will your sons be servant-leaders to their wives? Will they be able to pass on a godly heritage to their children--your grandchildren? Will your daughters know how to love their husbands and their children? Will they be able to nurture them as only a woman can?
"You see, this is the most significant legacy you'll leave on this planet. What you leave in your estate, what you accomplish in your career, what you do for your community, even the help you give to your church--none of these will have quite as powerful an impact, or make a more poignant statement about your own character, as the children you send out into the world. And before you go, nothing will compare with the satisfaction of watching your children live out that legacy, if it's a good one" (pp. 213-215).
"Remember Lot in Genesis 19? The New Testament describes Lot as 'righteous,' meaning he was a God-fearer, a believer. But Lot also was a man whose life contradicted his belief. He compromised himself for prosperity around Sodom and Gomorrah, despite the wickedness that filled those towns. He moved his family there, and before long they were living the same evil lifestyle. One day two angels appeared to Lot, saying that God was about to destroy those cities. Immediately Lot went to warn his family. Perhaps for the first time in his life, he sought to exercise some real spiritual leadership (Genesis 19:14, emphasis added):
"'Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law...and said, 'Up, get out of this place, for the Lord will destroy the city.' But he appeared to his sons-in-law to be jesting.'
"Imagine this, if you will. In the moment of crisis, Lot was desperately trying to save his family. No doubt he used religious words such as sin, judgment, and evil. But Lot's spiritual credibility was already shot. So much so that his children dismissed him as playing a joke. 'Come on, Dad! God condemn us? Stop kidding. We haven't done anything wrong. What's wrong? What's right? Very funny, Dad!'
"Why did Lot receive this response? Because of the great gulf between his beliefs and his lifestyle.
"You will leave in your children what you have lived out in your home. You can leave a gift or a joke. Certainly, it depends on what you teach, but even more on how you live...
"What example are you showing your kids that will gift their marriages twenty years from now? Will they be advantaged because of the legacy you have left? Will your sons be servant-leaders to their wives? Will they be able to pass on a godly heritage to their children--your grandchildren? Will your daughters know how to love their husbands and their children? Will they be able to nurture them as only a woman can?
"You see, this is the most significant legacy you'll leave on this planet. What you leave in your estate, what you accomplish in your career, what you do for your community, even the help you give to your church--none of these will have quite as powerful an impact, or make a more poignant statement about your own character, as the children you send out into the world. And before you go, nothing will compare with the satisfaction of watching your children live out that legacy, if it's a good one" (pp. 213-215).
Saturday, September 06, 2008
Favorite Radio Programs
I listen to a variety of radio programs on a regular basis. However, I try to listen every weekday to two outstanding programs: FamilyLife Today and Discover the Word.
FamilyLife Today features Dennis Rainey and Bob Lepine. Most of the time, the two co-hosts interview experts on family issues. Sometimes they present a message from a marriage conference or a sermon from a church, but most of the time, they interview people. Topics include:
*communication in marriage
*disciplining children
*grandparenting
*adoption
*leaving a legacy
*sex
*education
*balancing work and family responsibilities
*roles of husbands and wives
*finances
*and many other life issues.
Even when the topics do not directly affect me, I have found the programs to be interesting and useful. Most (if not all) of us need a little good advice from time to time. FamilyLife Today provides consistently biblical advice every weekday. It can be heard in Tulsa at 9:00am every weekday on 970AM and 95.1FM. Information about podcasts and broadcast times and stations in other locations can be found at http://www.familylife.com.
Discover the Word is a 15-minute daily program. It has a unique format. Gordon Conwell Seminary president Haddon Robinson, Gordon Conwell Seminary professor Alice Matthews, and RBC Ministries president Mart De Haan sit around a table and interact as a small group engaged in a friendly and informative Bible study. Since everyone in the group is knowledgeable and brings different life experiences to the table, I have learned to see things in the Scriptures that I had overlooked in my personal studies. They can move through a passage slowly--I think it took 4 years to cover the 10 commandments--but they keep it interesting, and they cover a passage or topic from many different angles. You can't help but learn more about God, the Bible, and life as you listen to this program on a regular basis. Discover the Word can be heard weekdays at 10:00am on 970AM and at 10:30am on 95.1FM in Tulsa. Information about podcasts and broadcast times and stations in other locations can be found at http://www.discovertheword.org.
If you are not a regular listener, I hope you will give these programs a try. Thanks for reading!
FamilyLife Today features Dennis Rainey and Bob Lepine. Most of the time, the two co-hosts interview experts on family issues. Sometimes they present a message from a marriage conference or a sermon from a church, but most of the time, they interview people. Topics include:
*communication in marriage
*disciplining children
*grandparenting
*adoption
*leaving a legacy
*sex
*education
*balancing work and family responsibilities
*roles of husbands and wives
*finances
*and many other life issues.
Even when the topics do not directly affect me, I have found the programs to be interesting and useful. Most (if not all) of us need a little good advice from time to time. FamilyLife Today provides consistently biblical advice every weekday. It can be heard in Tulsa at 9:00am every weekday on 970AM and 95.1FM. Information about podcasts and broadcast times and stations in other locations can be found at http://www.familylife.com.
Discover the Word is a 15-minute daily program. It has a unique format. Gordon Conwell Seminary president Haddon Robinson, Gordon Conwell Seminary professor Alice Matthews, and RBC Ministries president Mart De Haan sit around a table and interact as a small group engaged in a friendly and informative Bible study. Since everyone in the group is knowledgeable and brings different life experiences to the table, I have learned to see things in the Scriptures that I had overlooked in my personal studies. They can move through a passage slowly--I think it took 4 years to cover the 10 commandments--but they keep it interesting, and they cover a passage or topic from many different angles. You can't help but learn more about God, the Bible, and life as you listen to this program on a regular basis. Discover the Word can be heard weekdays at 10:00am on 970AM and at 10:30am on 95.1FM in Tulsa. Information about podcasts and broadcast times and stations in other locations can be found at http://www.discovertheword.org.
If you are not a regular listener, I hope you will give these programs a try. Thanks for reading!
Thursday, August 21, 2008
An Orphans Ministry Workshop
"Whoever heard me spoke well of me,
and those who saw me commended me,
because I rescued the poor who cried for help,
and the fatherless who had none to assist him" (Job 29:11-12).
I received the following e-mail from FamilyLife today and would like to share it with anyone who may be interested:
"It's likely that you or someone you know has been deeply impacted through an encounter with an orphan. It might have been a missions trip to an orphanage while in middle school. Maybe it was a foster child you mentored during college. Maybe your relative or friend is considering adopting. Whatever the case, God has planted the seed and now, it's time for that seed to take root and grow.
"Your Church and the Orphan is a biblically-based, informative, powerful, and interactive one-day workshop that will bring together a group of passionate, like-minded people from your church to pray, dream and learn about how God wants to use your church to care for orphans. The workshop is designed for Christian lay leaders (though pastors and other church leaders are welcome to attend!) who want to explore how their church can make an eternal difference for orphans and waiting children.
"Your Church and the Orphan will be held on:
Saturday, September 27, 2008
9 AM until 4:30 PM
Irving Bible Church
2435 Kinwest Parkway
Irving, TX 75063."
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Families and Poverty
"Wives, submit to your own husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.
"Husbands, love your wives and do not be bitter toward them.
"Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing to the Lord.
"Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged" (Colossians 3:18-21, NKJV).
Earlier this week, I heard a radio news report which stated that the state of Oklahoma spends hundreds of millions of dollars annually fighting poverty caused by divorce and out-of-wedlock births.
Today, I received a letter from FamilyLife with these striking statistics:
*41% of married couples today admit to infidelity
*57% of men admit they've committed infidelity in every relationship they've had
*54% of women admit the same
*40% of children today will grow up without a father in the home
*A recently divorced man is nearly 9 times more likely to commit suicide than his female counterpart
Although I'm not an expert in this field, my personal observations do not conflict with what I have been hearing and reading this week. After 7 years of volunteering in urban ministry, I have a difficult time thinking of many intact families who are living in poverty unless they are dealing with physical or mental health problems. Adultery, divorce, and single-parent households seem to be normal among the poor, the middle-class, and the wealthy.
People are hurting. They are living with the bitterness of betrayal and abandonment. They are living with the guilt of betraying their spouses and abandoning their families. They do not know how to raise their children alone. They do not know how to love and respect their husbands and wives. They do not know how to honor their parents who have made mistakes. Their relationships are frayed; and it has affected them emotionally, socially, and spiritually.
People need good news. They need forgiveness and an opportunity to start life over. They need hope. They need to learn biblical principles concerning life and relationships. They need Christ.
Christians and churches have been called by God to help meet these needs.
"Husbands, love your wives and do not be bitter toward them.
"Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing to the Lord.
"Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged" (Colossians 3:18-21, NKJV).
Earlier this week, I heard a radio news report which stated that the state of Oklahoma spends hundreds of millions of dollars annually fighting poverty caused by divorce and out-of-wedlock births.
Today, I received a letter from FamilyLife with these striking statistics:
*41% of married couples today admit to infidelity
*57% of men admit they've committed infidelity in every relationship they've had
*54% of women admit the same
*40% of children today will grow up without a father in the home
*A recently divorced man is nearly 9 times more likely to commit suicide than his female counterpart
Although I'm not an expert in this field, my personal observations do not conflict with what I have been hearing and reading this week. After 7 years of volunteering in urban ministry, I have a difficult time thinking of many intact families who are living in poverty unless they are dealing with physical or mental health problems. Adultery, divorce, and single-parent households seem to be normal among the poor, the middle-class, and the wealthy.
People are hurting. They are living with the bitterness of betrayal and abandonment. They are living with the guilt of betraying their spouses and abandoning their families. They do not know how to raise their children alone. They do not know how to love and respect their husbands and wives. They do not know how to honor their parents who have made mistakes. Their relationships are frayed; and it has affected them emotionally, socially, and spiritually.
People need good news. They need forgiveness and an opportunity to start life over. They need hope. They need to learn biblical principles concerning life and relationships. They need Christ.
Christians and churches have been called by God to help meet these needs.
Friday, March 07, 2008
Connecting Heart-to-Heart With Our Children
"My son, give me your heart..." (Proverbs 23:26, NIV).
During the last 3 days on the FamilyLife Today radio program, the topic has been about connecting with our children's hearts. Today's broadcast may be heard (or the transcript may be read) at http://www.familylife.com/site/apps/nlnet/content3.aspx?c=dnJHKLNnFoG&b=3832113&ct=5075797. Previous broadcasts may be accessed from that page also. It's worth hearing (or reading).
During the last 3 days on the FamilyLife Today radio program, the topic has been about connecting with our children's hearts. Today's broadcast may be heard (or the transcript may be read) at http://www.familylife.com/site/apps/nlnet/content3.aspx?c=dnJHKLNnFoG&b=3832113&ct=5075797. Previous broadcasts may be accessed from that page also. It's worth hearing (or reading).
Saturday, January 05, 2008
Peacemaking for Families: Introduction
Tomorrow, I plan to start teaching a class at the Contact Church based on the book Peacemaking for Families by Ken Sande and Tom Raabe. While Janet and I were attending FamilyLife's Weekend to Remember marriage seminar last spring, we bought the book (along with several other books focusing on family issues and biblical principles). These are my notes for the class:
*Seven hundred years before Jesus was born, the prophet Isaiah referred to him at the "Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6). The early American revival preacher Barton W. Stone wrote, "Christ is the Prince of Peace; the Church of Christ is the Kingdom of Peace." Jesus Christ promised, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God" (Matthew 5:9, NIV). The apostle Paul noted that one product of the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers is peace (Galatians 5:22).
*In this Bible class, we will be focusing on making peace in our families. However, much of the material may be applied to other areas of our lives.
*The word peace is a relational term. It centers on our relationships with each other. We are living in peace when we are living in harmony...when our relationships are wholesome.
*Sometimes peace may be impossible. After all, some people may not want to be at peace with us no matter how much we may want it or how well we apply the principles of peacemaking that we plan to learn over the next several sessions. "If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone" (Romans 12:18, NIV).
*In Peacemaking for Families, Ken Sande and Tom Raabe state, "There are three ways we can handle conflicts in normal family life. We can be peace-fakers, denying that we have problems, always giving in, or becoming distant from family members. We can be peace-breakers, relying on manipulation, a sharp tongue, or overt anger to compel others to give in to our wishes...Our third option is to use the conflicts of family life to become peacemakers, drawing on God's grace and practicing the powerful peacemaking principles He has given to us in His Word" (preface).
*Depending on our temperament and background, we are likely to gravitate toward either peace-faking or peace-breaking. We will tend to be either passive in response to conflict or aggressive in causing conflict or a combination of both. Peacemaking does not come naturally; but it can come supernaturally as we become open to learning and applying the biblical principles taught by Jesus, the prophets, and the apostles.
*Our goal is to become peacemakers in our families. We want to be able to live in harmony with our spouses, our children, our siblings, our parents, our in-laws, and our other extended family members as much as possible.
*We will spend several weeks exploring the principles of peacemaking in our families.
*Seven hundred years before Jesus was born, the prophet Isaiah referred to him at the "Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6). The early American revival preacher Barton W. Stone wrote, "Christ is the Prince of Peace; the Church of Christ is the Kingdom of Peace." Jesus Christ promised, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God" (Matthew 5:9, NIV). The apostle Paul noted that one product of the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers is peace (Galatians 5:22).
*In this Bible class, we will be focusing on making peace in our families. However, much of the material may be applied to other areas of our lives.
*The word peace is a relational term. It centers on our relationships with each other. We are living in peace when we are living in harmony...when our relationships are wholesome.
*Sometimes peace may be impossible. After all, some people may not want to be at peace with us no matter how much we may want it or how well we apply the principles of peacemaking that we plan to learn over the next several sessions. "If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone" (Romans 12:18, NIV).
*In Peacemaking for Families, Ken Sande and Tom Raabe state, "There are three ways we can handle conflicts in normal family life. We can be peace-fakers, denying that we have problems, always giving in, or becoming distant from family members. We can be peace-breakers, relying on manipulation, a sharp tongue, or overt anger to compel others to give in to our wishes...Our third option is to use the conflicts of family life to become peacemakers, drawing on God's grace and practicing the powerful peacemaking principles He has given to us in His Word" (preface).
*Depending on our temperament and background, we are likely to gravitate toward either peace-faking or peace-breaking. We will tend to be either passive in response to conflict or aggressive in causing conflict or a combination of both. Peacemaking does not come naturally; but it can come supernaturally as we become open to learning and applying the biblical principles taught by Jesus, the prophets, and the apostles.
*Our goal is to become peacemakers in our families. We want to be able to live in harmony with our spouses, our children, our siblings, our parents, our in-laws, and our other extended family members as much as possible.
*We will spend several weeks exploring the principles of peacemaking in our families.
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